This week publisher Image Books sponsors the giveaway. One lucky winner will receive one copy of The Ancient Path by John Michael Talbot (you can read my review here). I use Rafflecopter to run my giveaways which makes it simple for you and me! Enter below. The contest starts at midnight tonight EST and will end 12AM EST 1/30 with a winner being announced later that day. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway Read more
Stay for the whole Mass In the time of Jacob of Serugh, it seems that many people were rushing out of Mass before it was over. (Sound familiar?) Jacob reminds them of what they’re missing. Do not be impatient to be gone from the supper that the bride of the whole world has made for us to delight in. You are a child of the household, not a stranger who ought to depart. The Bridegroom is coming down to see... Read more
Most likely you have either read one of John Michael Talbot’s books or listened to one of his many albums. Since the 70s he has been providing listeners with stirring renditions of time honored hymns as well as songs of his own creation. Now you can learn about what shaped this talented performer into who He is and what he believes. The Ancient Path: Old Lessons from the Church Fathers for a New Life Today written with Mike Aquilina tells John... Read more
Take communion every day Frequent communion is life many times over, says St. Basil. Offered the gift of eternal life, who wouldn’t want to go to Mass every day? It’s good for us to commune every day, partaking of the holy body and blood of Christ. He says quite clearly, “he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life” (John 6:54). And who can doubt that sharing in life frequently is the same as having life many... Read more
If you have never heard of Bonnie Engstrom and her blog “A Knotted Life” now might be a good a time as any to check it out. I first became aware of her blog myself after reading one of the most moving blog posts I have ever read. Bonnie is the mother of James Fulton, who was stillborn September 16, 2010. The story does not end there thanks to an alleged miracle. After 61 minutes with no pulse…..James Fulton came... Read more
Learn to love the Mass It’s an old joke, born of true observation, that Catholics seem to burst out of church as soon as Mass is over. Why are we so impatient? asks the poetic and mystical Jacob of Serugh, a sixth-century Christian writer from the East. The unspeakably great privilege is not to be let out of Mass, but to be let in. Come to prayer, and bring your whole self with you. Do not let your mind remain... Read more
Welcome back to “The Laity Speaks”, a recurring feature here at The Catholic Book Blogger. This feature is the companion to “The Clergy Speaks” and takes us to the other side of the pulpit to hear prominent lay people’s answer to the same question. That question is: What five books would you recommend as must-reads for Catholics today? I left the responses open to current or classic books with the only restriction being that the Bible and the Catechism could... Read more
The heavens are opened in the Eucharist A medieval legend told how St. Gregory the Great had actually seen a vision of Christ himself in the bread of the Eucharist. But here St. Gregory tells us that we can all see the same thing—not with our eyes, but with our faith. The sacrifice of Christ on the Cross is re-presented for us at every Mass. We must be careful to remember that it is far safer and more secure that... Read more
PETE: What was your motivation behind writing your new book Manual for Spiritual Warfare? PAUL THIGPEN: I was motivated by several factors. First, I’ve had multiple personal encounters with demonic powers that have confirmed for me what Sacred Scripture and Tradition teach about spiritual warfare. Yet I find many people, even Catholics and other Christians, who have adopted the modern secular notion that belief in the Devil and other demons is an outdated superstition. So I wanted to write a... Read more
Sacrifice yourself along with the Eucharist St. Gregory the Great tells us that it’s not enough just to be there when the sacrifice is made: we should be sacrificing ourselves, too, imitating the sacrifice on the altar. We should offer to God the daily sacrifice of tears, and the daily sacrifice of his body and blood. For this sacrifice, which in mystery renews to us the death of the Son of God, especially saves our souls from everlasting damnation. Christ... Read more
The Catholic Book Blogger
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In