Two towns being haunted by malice, can they stand against the might of the Lady of Sorrows? In the deathly realm of Shyish, the Twinned Towns of Westreach and Eastdale exist on the edge of annihilation. Once in each generation, the hosts of Lady Olynder rise from their tombs to slaughter the towns’ inhabitants, and for centuries the nighthaunts have been turned back, but only after the fiercest of battles. Now, the wizards in the ancient Belvegrod lighthouse have deciphered a prophetic vision that offers a chance to break the curse placed upon the city. The hero Jahangir is fated to lead a desperate mission against the Mortarch of Grief and free his people from this menace once and for all. But is Jahangir equal to the ordeal before him? Can the courage of mortals stand against the undying malice of the Lady of Sorrows?
With the breadth and cumulative force of a novel, Mother of Sorrows presents ten interwoven stories of an American family starting out in the post—World War II suburbs of Washington, D.C., a world of identical brick houses and sunstruck, treeless lawns, a world of initial hopefulness from which shame and loss have seemingly been banished. This is the story of two adolescent brothers whose father has suddenly died, and of their beautiful and complicated mother, a mother whom the younger son worshipfully imagines as “Our Mother of the Sighs and Heartaches . . . Our Mother of the Gorgeous Gypsy Earrings . . . Our Mother of the Late Movies and the Cigarettes . . . Our Mother of Sudden Attentiveness . . . Our Mother of Sudden Anger.” This is the brother who narrates these tales as he looks back thirty years later, the only remaining survivor of a world he seeks both to leave behind and to preserve in words forever, a world of sorrow that has held him spellbound even as he has attempted to create a life of his own. Suffused with the beauty of Richard McCann’s extraordinary language, Mother of Sorrows introduces us to a voice that is urgent, contemplative, elegant, angry, revelatory, and like no other in contemporary fiction.
Many Catholics are unaware of our holy traditions on and powerful devotions to the Sorrows of Mary. Based on Scripture and the lives of the Saints, this little book will open eyes and hearts to the Sorrows of Our Lady.
As people everywhere seek to make sense of the Covid-19 coronavirus plaguing the world today - the sense of darkness, abandonment, and suffering - Padre Pio shows us the way he faced the Spanish Influenza of 1918-1920 pandemic in his own day.
WHO can have a heart so hard that it will not melt on hearing of a most lamentable event which once happened in the world? There was a noble and holy mother who had but one only Son; and he was the most amiable that could be imagined, innocent, virtuous, beautiful, and most loving towards his mother; so much so, that he never had caused her the least displeasure, but always had showed her all respect, obedience, and affection. Hence the mother had placed on this Son all her earthly affections. Now what happened? It happened that this Son, through envy, was falsely accused by his enemies and the judge, although he knew and confessed his innocence, yet, that he might not offend his enemies, condemned him to an infamous death, precisely as they had requested him to do. And this poor mother had to suffer the affliction of seeing that amiable and beloved Son so unjustly taken from her, in the flower of his age, by a barbarous death; for he was made to die in torment, drained of his blood before her own eyes in a public place, upon an infamous cross. Devout souls, what do you say? Is this case and this unhappy mother worthy of compassion? Already you know of whom I speak. This Son so cruelly slain was our loving Redeemer, Jesus, and his mother was the Blessed Virgin Mary, who, for love of us, was willing to see him offered up to the divine justice by the barbarity of men. This great pain, then, which Mary suffered for us a pain which was more than a thousand deaths, merits our compassion and gratitude. And if we can return nothing else for so much love, at least let us for a little time today stop to consider the severity of the suffering by which Mary became queen of martyrs; for her great martyrdom exceeded in suffering that of all the martyrs being, in the first place the longest martyrdom; and in the second place, the greatest martyrdom. This comes mainly from 'The Glories of Mary' by Saint Alphonsus Ligouri with additions from the Raccolta and other pious sources at the end.
The publication of the first edition of The Cross, Our Only Hope in 2008 established it as a foundational work of contemporary Holy Cross spirituality. This thoroughly revised edition, which features many new contributions, is a must-have for members of the Congregation of Holy Cross; its friends, lay collaborators, benefactors; and anyone interested in the spiritual tradition of the religious order. Priests and brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross—including pastors, teachers, and administrators—offer an introduction to the rich, vibrant spirituality of the Congregation through a series of daily reflections on the themes of Holy Cross spirituality: trust in God, zeal, compassion, hope in the cross, discipleship, and education in the faith. This revised edition includes a new foreword, a new introduction by the authors, new reflections, new contributors (including more international contributors than the previous edition), and quotes from St. André Bessette, who was canonized in 2010. The ministries of the Congregation of Holy Cross include Ave Maria Press, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Portland, Stonehill College, King’s College, and many other Holy Cross schools and institutions around the world.
How can joy and sorrow go together? After all, you usually don't find grieving widows laughing, nor newlyweds weeping. Joy and sorrow are so far removed from each other on the spectrum of human emotion that it seems illogical to stick them together. Yet there is a deep mystery here to unlock... Your life has sorrows. You are meant for joy. Facing the reality of sorrow, we can either live in denial of the pain or dig deeper for meaning... and joy. In contemplating the seven sorrows of the Mother of Jesus, we can discover what so many Christians over the centuries have found: in Mary's sorrows we find a model of faith and how to discover happiness in the midst of suffering. A way to transform sadness into gladness? That is revolutionary! Discovering Mary's method for converting sorrow to joy may just be the single most important step in your spiritual life. Launch into these pages and begin your journey to joy: to the meaning, peace, and happiness for which you thirst.
Grow closer to Jesus through His Sorrowful Mother. Discover the depths of her sorrow, the strength of love she has in her Son, and let her lead you closer to Him, especially in Hs Passion and Crucifixion. Our Lady of Sorrows: A Catholic Meditation & Prayer Journal includes: The Seven Sorrows of Mary, Meditations on each sorrow and journaling space, Actionable items that you can do to understand each sorrow better and grow closer to Mary & Jesus, The Novena of Our Lady of Sorrows Let her lead you to Him. Click on the author's name for more Catholic prayer journals written by her. The ebook version of this book is available at catholicmommyblogs.com, along with free Catholic printables.
Are Catholics given a bad rap when it comes to their knowledge of the Bible? We may not carry Bibles clutched in our hands, but years of repetition and discipline allow us to store our Bible in our own thoughts, memorized prayers, and beautiful traditions. With hesitation we may join a Bible Study, reluctantly opening the door marked "unfamiliar," but upon entering we will indeed find ourselves among the "familiar." Studying the Bible in its context helps us place our memorized stories into the timeline of Christ and explores the numerous New Testament verses that were revealed through Old Testament prophecies. The Seven Sorrows of Mary is a daily prayer that was handed down to us from Saint Bridget. Using these sorrows as our template, we find them in the New Testament writings and then trace them to Old Testament prophecies and accountings. You will be amazed at what Mary teaches us as we delve into the Word of God to uncover the clues to her mysterious sorrows. On the surface, Mary's sorrows may seem like an exercise in remembering our Lord's sacrifice, but Mary teaches us so much more through her perfect humility and unwavering faith. Our study will reveal the history and purpose of the sorrows and how we can use these teachings to aid in our daily struggles, more deeply root our position with Christ, and enhance our own Catholic tradition.
