Religious Books

The purity and simplicity of Gregorian chant is what fed the musical and liturgical life of Christianity for more than a millennium before there were any Protestants. But after the reforms of the Vatican II councils in the 1960s, chant went into disuse. Gregorian chant is back, and more popular than it has been in the last forty years. This handy book is for musicians of all denominations and levels of ability to sing chant, and to understand it more than ever before. New for the second edition of this classic work are: an entirely new interior design that is easier to navigate and read, many additional chants, and historical and spiritual introductions to each of them.

Featured in "The Millions" -- A year in Reading, Nick Ripatrazone.

"Each year I read more books than I can possibly review -- here are 5 of the finest and most memorable of that bunch. They are worth your money, your time, and your attention.
A book of poems that fictionalizes the life of Trappist monk Charles de Foucauld. Beautiful verse, full of pieces like "The Pangs of Wanting: " "I deliver my body to the church, / though I cannot imagine what penance might relieve / these pangs of wanting." Later: "I take first communion...My tongue licks up the bread: a whisper / of paper on my teeth...His torn body in my stomach, / his blood in my spit, I almost vomit; I almost sing." More collections about God like this one would be very welcomed."--Nick Ripatrazone, The Millions

Charles of the Desert is a novel-in-verse accompanying Charles de Foucauld, hermit and writer of "The Prayer of Abandonment," as he explores and adapts desert spirituality, monasticism, and contemplative prayer. Charles is an unusual and compelling figure and Charles of the Desert is unusual and compelling as well -- different from nonfiction books which focus on instructing in or explaining these subjects. It also explores Charles' profound respect for Muslims, his pioneering efforts at interfaith dialogue, and his commitment to live among Muslims as a "universal brother" known for his compassion and solidarity.

Born in 1858 to a family of French aristocrats, Charles was torn between his ambition to do great things and his desire for the hidden life, between public service and private prayer. Charles of the Desert uses elements of fiction and poetry to follow him to Morocco, Syria, Israel, and Algeria, as he becomes a cavalry officer, explorer, geographer, pilgrim, Trappist monk, priest, abolitionist, translator, folklorist, hermit, fort-builder, and martyr. Throughout these travels and transformations, Charles searched for a vocation that would reflect his convictions and his experience of God. In his last fifteen years, he settled in a remote part of the Sahara, and focused on self-denial, contemplation, and charity. He claimed the nomadic Tuareg as his brothers, the desert as his earthly home.

Hear the voice of Christ calling you to new life.
Pray with Br. Victor-Antoine d'Avila Latourrette through the many names of Jesus and encounter Christ in ways you never thought or imagined were possible. The mystery and abundance of God's grace is opened up through the Scriptures, and monastic writings from Western and Eastern Orthodox sources. Through these pages, each reader can find a unique facet of Christ's loving mercy with the power to transform the heart.
Brother d'Avila-Latourrette's meditations on the many names of Jesus offers us the opportunity to meet Christ anew every day...we are reminded of how much we long to hear Jesus and need to hear him speaking to us in all aspects of our life and faith.

"Christ is alive!" proclaims the pope. Pope Francis's new Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit calls to "all Christian young people" and the People of God, including pastors and the faithful, and urges them to the youthful newness of life in Christ!

The pope proposes that youth engage the joy of a living God, the richness of their Catholic faith, and the strength of living in Christian community. He illuminates the Scriptures to give youth tangible hope and draw them more fully into the Church. And in a time of new technology and transformative social changes, the pope challenges youth to take the grounded path of generous sacrifice and faithful companionship with peers, family, neighbors, and elders.

Pope Francis knows committed and bold youth and young adults can change our world! He listened to youthful voices from all over the world during the synod on young people.

In this provocative essay on that least understood virtue, compassion, the authors challenge themselves and us with these questions: Where do we place compassion in our lives? Is it enough to live a life in which we hurt one another as little as possible? Is our guiding ideal a life of maximum pleasure and minimum pain? Compassion answers no.

After years of study and discussion among themselves, with other religious, and with men and women at the very center of national politics, the authors look at compassion with a vigorous new perspective. They place compassion at the heart of a Christian life in a world governed far too long by principles of power and destructive control. Compassion, no longer merely an eraser of human mistakes, is a force of prayer and action -- the expression of God's love for us and our love for God and one another.

Compassion is a book that says no to a compassion of guilt and failure and yes to a compassionate love that pervades our spirit and moves us to action. Henri Nouwen, Donald McNeill, and Douglas Morrison have written a moving document on what it means to be a Christian in a difficult time.

Our hearts are restless until they rest in you.

The first autobiography ever written, and one of the most profound testaments of faith, ever.

"This book is the masterpiece from which all other Christian memoirs flow. Augustine's astonishing story remains as fresh as it did when he wrote it in the late fourth century. The Confessions still speaks with a clear, vivid and altogether distinctive voice to believers and seekers searching for the One who will give rest to their restless hearts." --James Martin, SJ, author of My Life with the Saints

In this classic text, Thomas Merton offers valuable guidance for prayer. He brings together a wealth of meditative and mystical influences-from John of the Cross to Eastern desert monasticism-to create a spiritual path for today. Most important, he shows how the peace contacted through meditation should not be sought in order to evade the problems of contemporary life, but can instead be directed back out into the world to affect positive change.

Contemplative Prayer is one of the most well-known works of spirituality of the last one hundred years, and it is a must-read for all seeking to live a life of purpose in today's world.

In a moving and profound introduction, Thich Nhat Hanh offers his personal recollections of Merton and compares the contemplative traditions of East and West.

In a few short minutes, the Scripture quotes, passages from Church documents, and thoughts from the Saints which begin the days in this book will provide comfort and guidance for married couples to live their vocation to the fullest. A brief reflection and prayer complete this dynamic daily practice.

These minute meditations for every day of the year contain a Scripture reading, a reflection, and a prayer. Fr. Winkler offers us an opportunity to develop a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit and apply the fruits of our meditation to our everyday lives.

Now in a new edition, this bestseller explores the challenges, the rewards, the call, and the possibilities of integrating a sincere inner life with an active life of engagement with the pain of the world.

Overflowing with priceless spiritual insights, this rich collection presents key quotes from the saints on topics that are fundamental to Christian faith and experience. Profound and challenging, whimsical and inspiring, these readings will open your eyes, expand your horizons, and challenge your thinking.

What did the great heroes of the Catholic faith have to teach us about God? Christ? The Church? The sacraments? Prayer? Temptation? Virtues and vices?

What do they have to say about the family? Friendship? Politics? Aging? The death of a loved one? Gossip? Laughter? Play?

Discover the striking parallels and solid agreement in the teachings of saints who lived in many different ages, places, and cultures, yet drew from the same well of ancient Christian wisdom.

Explore an array of the best of the saints' insights, organized in a brief, logical, and easy-to-use format.

Includes quotes from hundreds of saints, both those who are best known and those who should be better known as inspiring models of Christian faith and life.

Provides an especially useful resource for priests, deacons, and other teachers of the Faith.