Social Issues

Nearly forty years ago, Ralph Martin's bestselling A Crisis of Truth exposed the damaging trends in Catholic teaching and preaching that, combined with attacks from secular society, threatened the mission and life of the Catholic Church. While much has been done to counter false teaching over the last four decades, today the Church faces even more insidious threats from outside and within. In A Church in Crisis: Pathways Forward, Martin offers a detailed look at the growing hostility to the...

by Anthony J. Gittins, Foreword by Gerald A. Arbuckle Our globalized world increasingly brings together people of many different cultures, though not always harmoniously. In recent decades, multinational companies have sought more efficient strategies for authentic intercultural collaboration. But in today's multicultural world-church, faith communities too—from local parishes to international religious communities—are faced with the challenge of intercultural living. The social sciences have...

This short book was written during the COVID-19 pandemic when churches were closed in response to rising infections and deaths around the world. One thing we have learnt from this crisis is that life-changing emergencies can hit at any time. During times of personal, family or national emergency it may not be possible to have recourse to the sacraments or the assistance of clergy at the very moment you desperately need them. Understandably, this can cause great distress and anxiety....

Celebrated author Mary Eberstadt continues her ground-breaking examination of the legacy of the sexual revolution. The book's predecessor, Adam and Eve after the Pill (2012), dissected the revolution's microcosmic fallout via its empirical effects on the lives of men, women, and children. This follow-on book investigates the revolution's macrocosmic transformations in three spheres: society, politics, and Christianity. It also includes an analysis of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that...

Amos/Hosea/Micah: A Call to Justice Six Weeks with the Bible: Catholic Perspectivesby Kevin Perrotta The prophet Amos, along with the prophets Hosea and Micah, conveys in no uncertain terms what God thinks about oppression, injustice, and neglect of the poor. The blunt language of these prophets can get our attention in a way that few other things can, and this study of Amos, Hosea, and Micah is a call for each of us to return to the ways of the Lord. For busy adults who want to study the...

Through times of trial, division, repression, and new growth, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has remained faithfully at the foot of the Cross. The leader of this Eastern Catholic Church, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, grew up in Ukraine during a time when his Church was illegal, and his family had to carry out their religious practices in secret. Born in the western Ukrainian city of Stryi on May 5, 1970, he grew up hearing stories of his parents, grandparents, and...

Brown Girl Magic by Dalilla Hermans; Illustrator: Fantinha Ramos Hardcover Noon gets home from school, sad and angry. Someone made fun of her dark skin and wild curls. He told her she should leave. But Noon doesn't want to leave. And she shouldn't, because Noon is perfectly fine the way she is. In fact, she's MAGICAL. Growing up as a brown girl in the West comes with its own set of challenges. You rarely get to see yourself reflected in the images presented to you. On...

Christ in the Storm An Extraordinary Blessing for a Suffering World Author: Pope Francis Foreword by: John L. Allen Jr. Introduction by: Timothy P. O’Malley “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?”—Mark 4:40 As he calmed the storm at sea, Jesus reproached the apostles for their lack of faith. On March 27, 2020, Pope Francis used the Gospel passage as a sign of God’s blessing, forgiveness, and healing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Holy Father offered hope to the world with an...

In her penetrating exploration of Catholic Social Teaching, Sr. Mary Consilia O’Brien, O.P., Ph.D., offers the most clear-eyed description ever written on this foundational subject. She explores the Church’s authentic teachings on the dignity of the human person as well as man’s freedoms and obligations to society. She describes when individual liberties must transcend social control — and when they must not. Best of all, she explains the final purpose of society, to which all its activities...

Clear Conscience: A Catholic Guide to Voting Vote with Confidence and Without Regret Clear Conscience: A Catholic Guide to Voting identifies the responsibilities of Catholics to our Faith and to our country as we make voting decisions. It provides thorough guidance to help Catholics navigate the most important issues facing our nation, issues that are ultimately decided by all of us as voters. The United States was born out of revolution, and its founding principles are still revolutionary....

Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton and the Greatest CommandmentRadical Love in Times of Crisis by Julie Leininger Pycior, PaperbackDorothy Day and Thomas Merton together made history with their radical witness to love of God and neighbor. Even so, this evocative saga has not come center stage—until now. The first-ever pairing of their personal journals reveals that Merton drew great inspiration from Dorothy Day’s devotion to prayer, peace, and privileging “the least,” while she wrote, “I must...

Muffet McGraw coached hundreds of amazing, smart, and talented young women in her thirty-three seasons as the head coach of the University of Notre Dame women’s basketball team, yet she says almost all of them struggled with their confidence. In Expect More!, McGraw motivates women to fly past all barriers that limit their confidence so they can attain the highest positions of leadership. In a comment at the 2019 NCAA Final Four press conference that went viral, McGraw said, “We don’t have...

In Finding Christ in the Crisis: What the Pandemic Can Teach Us, Fr. Harrison Ayre and Michael Heinlein shed light on what God might be saying to us now, both in the Church and in the world. Through scriptural interpretation and examination of particular realities of the Faith, we can realize that, while we may at times be restricted in our access to the sacraments and even to pastoral leadership, the effects of this pandemic are by no means a defeat. ...

This 2019 limited revision of Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship includes a new Introductory Letter and gives pastoral guidance to help Catholics in the United States exercise their political responsibility well.The Introductory Letter responds to new social and political developments in the United States, especially with regard to respect for human life and dignity, as well as the ongoing guidance and teachings of Pope Francis. The content of Part I, II, and III of this teaching...

Foundations of Catholic Social Teaching: Living as a Disciple of Christ“No one lives alone. No one sins alone. No one is saved alone,” wrote Pope Benedict XVI, whose words resonate with today’s teens, particularly because the prevalence of social media allows them to better see how their lives are interwoven with those around them.Foundations of Catholic Social Teaching: Living as a Disciple of Christ builds on those connections by helping teens find their place in the community of the...

Fratelli Tutti: On Fraternity and Social Friendship Encyclical Letter Pope Francis’s prophetic new encyclical speaks directly into the lives of men and women today! This greatly welcomed encyclical is a beautiful reflection on humanity’s path forward to a deeply desired and sought-after peace. Pope Francis addresses his renewed call to universal fraternity “to all people of good will, regardless of their religious convictions.”Be convinced that you have a crucial part in securing peace! In his...

Here is the clarity you need in an age of “linguistic acrobatics” that has attempted to change the meaning of sacred truths. Theological misinterpretations and free thinking have sparked a revolution that has redefined “love” and “knowledge.” The “reconstitution of history” has reduced Christ to simply a great man, the firsthand accounts of the apostles are overthrown for “transcendental pluralism,” and the absence of objective truth has yielded “perpetual existential instability.” If you’re...

Peter Kreeft presents a series of brilliant essays about many of the problems that undermine our Western civilization, along with ways to address them. "These essays are not new proposals or solutions to today's problems," he says. "They are old. They have been tried, and have worked. They have made people happy and good. That is what makes them so radical and so unusual today." In his witty, readable style, Kreeft implores us to gather wisdom and preserve it, as the monks did in the Middle...

In the heart of this world, the Lord of life, who loves us so much, is always present. He does not abandon us, he does not leave us alone, for he has united himself definitively to our earth, and his love constantly impels us to find new ways forward. Praise be to him! Pope Francis, Laudato SiIn his second encyclical, Laudato Si: On the Care of Our Common Home, Pope Francis draws all Christians into a dialogue with every person on the planet about our common home. We as human beings are united...

Liturgy and Ministry in Times of Need Wendy Cichanski Caduff, Ann Dickinson Degenhard, Bernard Evans, and Anne Y. Koester 978-1-61671-568-7 | Paperback | 6 x 9 | 96 pages When our local, national, and global communities face difficult situations, it can be challenging for pastoral ministers to respond appropriately. Liturgy and Ministry in Times of Need provides practical recommendations for incorporating these important needs into liturgical prayer. It eases the burden of preparing liturgy...

Living for a Just Society Six Weeks with the Bible: Catholic Perspectives God is always working to bring about social justice in the world, and He invites us to join him. Living for a Just Society encourages each of us to take a more active role in social justice, across the street and around the world. For busy adults who want to study the Bible but don't know where to begin, Six Weeks with the Bible provides an inviting starting point. Each guide is divided into six concise, 90-minute...

Praised Be; Encyclical on EnvironmentOn Care for Our Common Home - Laudato Si, is the new appeal from Pope Francis addressed toevery person living on this planet for an inclusive dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. Pope Francis calls the Church and the world to acknowledge the urgency of our environmental challenges and to join him in embarking on a new path. This encyclical is written with both hope and resolve, looking to our common future with candor and...

This encyclical, drawing its name from St. Francis' Canticle of the Creatures, reminds us that earth is our common home and that we must care for it. Pope Francis calls the entire world to take action to embrace what he called ecological conversion. The document is some 40,000 words and 184 pages long, but it comes alive and is more accessible in this unique, in-plain-English reading guide. This guide offers a summary of every article in Pope Francis groundbreaking document and a small group...

Gathered from the writings and discourses of Pope Francis on the environment, Our Mother Earth sets forth a Christian vision of ecology. Responding to our global ecological crisis, Pope Francis says, will require a global approach in which "the whole human family in the search for a sustainable and integral development" unites to protect our common home. Pollution, climate change, loss of biodiversity, and exploitation of resources will grow exponentially if we do not change our direction in...

Are you scared to talk about abortion? Don’t worry—almost everyone is. Either we think the subject is too impolite, or we don’t want to be branded an intolerant fanatic, or we’re afraid we won’t represent the pro-life side well enough. Whatever the reason for this fear, it causes many of us pass up opportunities to speak out on behalf of the unborn. You can overcome this fear, says Trent Horn in his new book Persuasive Pro-Life. With a little knowledge and a few proven techniques, you can...

Pope Francis Migrants and Refugees: Witnesses to HopeIn Migrants and Refugees: Witnesses to Hope, Pope Francis looks at the pressing witness needed in response to the growing occurrence of human migration.Follow along with Fr. Michael Czerny, SJ, undersecretary for migrants and refugees at the Vatican, as he introduces Pope Francis’s words, which include the pope’s annual messages on the World Day of Migrants and Refugees and key homilies.Then, take a dynamic look at the political, economic,...

Decades before secularism and atheism wrested control of our institutions and took to the streets, the late Cardinal Jean Danielou foresaw their ominous ascent. While most of the Church was reveling in the optimism of Vatican II, Cardinal Danielou courageously sounded the alarm over the rise of these twin evils and the damage they would inflict on the Church and culture. Christianity, he argues, is in grave danger of being overwhelmed by the concurrent rise of seductive technologies,...

Messages received from January 1, 2012 to March 31, 2012Subjects discussed in Volume LXVI (66) includes:-Abortion- Pandemic Virus- Martial Law- Chips in the Body- Antichrist- Candidate Speeches- Iran War- Dollar Crash- Health Care- Transfiguration

Because of loss of faith and sinfulness of many of the members of the church, it is about to undergo a time of trial and testing. We are already experiencing a series of chastisements. Those reading this book will consider the “signs of the times” and should begin Preparing spiritually and psychologically for the very real possibility of religious persecution in the near future. “Preparing for the Coming Persecution’ By Rev. Joseph Esper is designed to help Catholics willing to make the...

Minute meditations for every day containing text from Scripture and other Church documents, a reflection, and a prayer intended for pro-life believers to help build and strengthen the Culture of Life. With ribbon marker.

Querida Amazonia: The Beloved AmazonBy Pope Francis�Everything that the Church has to offer must become incarnate in a distinctive way in each part of the world, so that the Bride of Christ can take on a variety of faces that better manifest the inexhaustible riches of God�s grace.� � Pope Francis, Querida Amazonia: Post-Synodal Exhortation to the People of God and to All Persons of Good Will In his new apostolic exhortation, Querida Amazonia, Pope Francis offers a response to the Synod of...

Real Philosophy for Real People Tools for Truthful Living By: Fr. Robert McTeigue .S.J. The philosopher Paul Weiss once observed, "Philosophers let theories get in the way of what they and everyone else know." For many, the very word "philosophical" has become all but synonymous with "impractical". Yet whether we like it or not, almost every corner of our lives—from dissertation writing to channel surfing—brings us face to face with competing philosophies and world views, each claiming to tell...

Author: James Philipps 96 pages, 5.5” x 8.5” “When Jesus said, ‘love your neighbor as you love yourself,” observes Jim Philipps, “the neighborhood wasn’t nearly as large and complex as it is today.” In fact, What does “love thy neighbor” mean in a world where we have the power to affect the lives of so many people whom we will never meet? How do we practice Christian discipleship in the modern world where the “neighborhood” has global dimensions? What happens to the poor in a society built on...

HARDCOVER What is it like to be a young mother threatened with deportation to the country whose government has imprisoned you and whose soldiers have raped and tortured you? You don’t want to leave your children behind, but how can you take them with you, knowing that your homeland, ruled by chaos and violence, is notorious for murdering failed asylum seekers? Regina Bakala found herself in just this situation ten years after escaping the Congo and settling in the United States. Upon arrival,...

Sacraments And Social Mission: Living the Gospel Being Disciples In the sacraments, we are formed as Christ's disciples, then sent on his mission in the world!This 23-page, color booklet can help all Catholics better understand the connections between the celebration of the sacraments and our social mission, as followers of Jesus and members of the Body of Christ. Inside you will find attractive, double-sided handouts on Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, Penance, and...

Silent No More: What's So Bad About Abortion PamphletThis brochure speaks to both the horrors of abortion and to the regret felt by women who have undergone an abortion. The National Silent No More Awareness Campaign wants to share the truth with the general public about the negative consequences of abortion for women. The campaign is also reaching out to women who have experienced abortion, letting them know that help is available.

Sister Thea Bowman Do You Hear Me, Church? by Peggy A. SklarPaperback Sister Thea Bowman (1939 –1990), a native of a small town in central Mississippi, was a well-known educator, evangelist, gifted singer, scholar, and advocate for diversity and the inclusion of African Americans and African American culture in the Catholic Church. Sister Thea faced many obstacles as a young girl growing up in the segregated South. Her story is intertwined with the disparities and injustices experienced...

Slaves in Paradise A Priest Stands Up for Exploited Sugarcane Workers By: Jesus Garcia With its beautiful beaches and golf courses, the island of the Dominican Republic is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean. Yet when missionary priest Fr. Christopher Hartley arrived in the country in 1997, he discovered another side to this paradise: the deplorable living and working conditions of the people who harvest the country's sugarcane, and the illegal human trafficking that...

Souls in Transition: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging AdultsBY Christian Smith and Patricia SnellHARDCOVERHow important is religion for young people in America today? What are the major influences on their developing spiritual lives? How do religious beliefs and practices change as young people enter into adulthood? This book explores these questions and many others as it tells the definitive story of the religious and spiritual lives of emerging adults, ages eighteen to...

The Pro-life cause is a winning one, and Pro-Life advocates must be able to articulate our powerful and persuasive reasons to anyone who asks. Speaking for the Unborn is all you will ever need to powerfully and persuasively speak up for those who have no voice of their own. Speaking for the Unborn: 30-Second Rebuttals to Pro-Choice Arguments was created because simply knowing that “abortion is wrong” is woefully insufficient to sustain a movement.The Pro-Life cause is a winning one, and...

Strangers No Longer: A Pastoral Letter Concerning MigrationIn this historic statement, the bishops of the United States and Mexico join together to examine the impact of migration on the social, political, and spiritual lives of both countries.

What would happen if gay Christians began to believe the truth about God—that he loves all people unconditionally? In Tenderness, Catholic writer and speaker Eve Tushnet says trusting God’s love would be the beginning of a transformation, not only in the lives of gay Christians but also in the Body of Christ itself. She offers hope and companionship to those who have been deeply hurt by their parishes, a wound that also damaged their relationship with God. Tushnet also offers practical...

Author: Carrie Gress, Ph,D HARDCOVER, 223 PAGES The Demonic Influence on Women TodayIn the late ’60s, a small group of elite American women convinced an overwhelming majority of the country that destroying the most fundamental of relationships—that of mother and child—was necessary for women to have productive and happy lives.From the spoiling of this relationship followed the decay of the entire family, and almost overnight, our once pro-life culture became pro-lifestyle, embracing everything...

The Church and the Age of Enlightenment (1648–1848) Faith, Science, and the Challenge of Secularism Author: Dominic A. Aquila Catholics—both religious and the laity—made significant contributions to science, the arts, and the betterment of human life during the Enlightenment, the period between the Reformations and the modern world. Scholar Dominic A. Aquila writes that it is not uncommon for historical accounts of the time to conclude that the Church stood in the way of the scientific...

The Church and the Modern Era (1846–2005) Pius IX, World Wars, and the Second Vatican Council Author: David M. Wagner Lourdes and Fatima, war, Vatican I and II, Fulton Sheen, St. John Paul II, and the clerical sex abuse crisis: These are just a few of the people and events that helped define the Catholic Church in the modern era, the period between 1846 and 2005. The call to live the fullness of our faith has not changed since the time of the first disciples, but in The Church and the Modern...

Churches burned. Christians beheaded. Catholic communities driven underground. Governments forcing silence upon those who profess fidelity to the gospel. These experiences are not confined to those of the early Church or to the missionaries and converts in far-off pagan lands centuries ago. The persecution of Christians is happening right now — and it is closer to home than you may realize. Throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and even in the West, Christian communities are being targeted...

The Conspiracy of Compassion: Breathing Together for a Wounded World Author: Joseph Nassal, C.P.P.S. Perhaps the greatest quality to develop in the new millennium is the practice of compassion. This beautifully written book is about cultivating compassion in the garden of the soul. Strengthening our inner resources for this sacred work, it calls us to follow Christ, to be "co-conspirators" in the sacred story of salvation. In the gentle murmur of God's sacred breath, a conspiracy is born. It...

The Dignity of a Person (Dignitas Personae)This Instruction from the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) provides guidance on how to respect human life and human procreation in our heavily scientific age. The Instruction occurs in three parts. The first part explains the Church's fundamental teaching on human life and procreation. The second part addresses new problems in procreation, including techniques for assisting fertility, freezing embryos, and preventing pregnancy....