Many of the things you know about science began with Archimedes. What was so unusual about a man who spent almost his whole life on one small island, more than two thousand years ago? Many things about Archimedes were unusual. His mind was never still, but was always searching for something that could be added to the sum of things that were known in the world. No fact was unimportant; no problem was dull. Archimedes worked not only in his mind, but he also performed scientific experiments to gain knowledge and prove his ideas.
A “delightful” tour of Rome’s St. Agnes Outside the Walls, examining the stories, rituals, and architecture of this seventeen-hundred-year-old building (The Christian Science Monitor). In The Geometry of Love, acclaimed author Margaret Visser, the preeminent “anthropologist of everyday life,” takes on the living history of the ancient church of St. Agnes. Examining every facet of the building, from windows to catacombs, Visser takes readers on a mesmerizing tour of the old church, covering its social, political, religious, and architectural history. In so doing, she illuminates not only the church’s evolution but also its religious legacy in our modern lives. Written as an antidote to the usual dry and traditional studies of European churches, The Geometry of Love is infused with Visser’s unmatched warmth and wit, celebrating the remarkable ways that one building can reveal so much about our history and ourselves.
Reading Robert Ellsberg’s profiles of holy men and women is like throwing open a window in a stuffy old church and taking in great gulps of fresh air. Henri Nouwen has described his writing as “evocative without being pious.” He broadens the traditional vision of sanctity and calls modern readers of all stripes to claim their potential for moral and spiritual growth, courage and action. By choosing relevant models and contemporary heroes, he makes holiness accessible and attractive to ordinary people. These 101 spiritual trailblazers span the centuries from Francis and Clare to Solanus Casey and Mychal Judge, with representatives from every walk of life and corner of the world. Each entry features the essential biographical facts and adds the insight and depth only Ellsberg can provide. The author’s sharp eye for signs and stories of holiness in the gritty, messy real world informs his selections, making his work unique. Obscure lay peasants, married activists, and controversial social reformers take pride of place alongside better-known theologians, founders, and canonized saints. The audio edition of this book can be downloaded via Audible.
Teach your child to walk in faith, act justly, and lead with kindness and humility with this 365-day devotional for kids. A Saint a Day includes fascinating historical stories as it introduces young readers to over 300 saints who did extraordinary things for God. Mother Teresa left her family at age 18 to become a missionary. St. Patrick helped spread Christianity to Ireland. St. Jerome translated the Bible into Latin--and also had a pet lion! Written for ages 8 to 12, A Saint a Day inspires young readers with remarkable stories of people who made extraordinary choices to love and serve God. Featuring popular saints such as Teresa of Ávila, Francis of Assisi, Juan Diego, and Thomas Aquinas, each of the 365 devotions includes: A Scripture verse and prayer A short summary or inspiring story of a saint A notable fact Artwork with a fresh, kid-friendly design This daily devotional for kids is: An ideal gift for First Communion, Confirmation, or Advent A unique book for strengthening a child's faith A great way to share Catholic Church history with kids A Saint a Day will help your child realize the long history of people of faith. As you journey through this yearlong devotional, your children will grow in their understanding of Church history and better understand how they can love and serve God.
The history of the Order of Friars Minor during the first one and a half centuries of its existence is maybe the most studied period of the 800 years of Franciscan presence in the Church. The publication of the Sources for the lives of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi in all the main European languages has been of considerable help to spread the historical knowledge regarding Francis of Assisi and his movement and make it available to the average reader. Among these Sources, the Chronica XXIV Ministrorum Generalium Ordinis fratrum Minorum by Arnald of Sarrant merits particular attention. It tells the story of the Franciscan Order from the time of Saint Francis till the beginning of the Western Schism in 1378, and therefore contains valuable information regarding the initial period of Franciscan history. Unfortunately it is not easily available in translation because of its voluminous nature. In fact, it covers a total of 712 pages of the third volume of Analecta Franciscana, published by the Franciscan editors of Quaracchi in 1897. Our aim has been that of embarking on the arduous task of translating this voluminous work of history into English from the original Latin. This translation is the fruit of three years of work, and we are now happy to present it to the general public. Because of its voluminous nature we intend to divide it into 5 sections, four of which cover the 575 pages of text and one the appendixes. The whole 575 page Chronicle is here available in 4 sections covering respectively the following historical periods: (1) Saint Francis and the early Franciscan fraternity; (2) The Generals from brother Elias as vicar (1227) to Saint Bonaventure (1274); (3) The Generals from Jerome of Ascoli (1274) to Michael of Cesena (1328); (4) The Generals from Gerard Eudes (1329) to Leonard of Giffoni (1378). A last section will be the translation of the appendixes. The translation is enriched by footnotes and explanations on the various historical events narrated and on the personages of the Chronicle. Our aim has been simply that of providing a readable translation, without pretending to be scholars of mediaeval Latin. We hope that the service we are offering at such an enormous cost of time and personal effort will be of benefit both to students of Franciscan history as well as to those who are qualified to correct its inaccuracies, and who we gratefully thank for their eventual advice and corrections
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR “Vivid, compelling... An embrace of moral and spiritual contemplation.” –The New York Times “A remarkable piece of writing. If read with humility and attention, Kathleen Norris's book becomes lectio divina, or holy reading.” –The Boston Globe From the iconic author of Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith, a spiritual journey that brings joy to the meanings of love, grace and faith. Why would a married woman with a thoroughly Protestant background and often more doubt than faith be drawn to the ancient practice of monasticism, to a community of celibate men whose days are centered on a rigid schedule of prayer, work, and scripture? This is the question that poet Kathleen Norris asks us as, somewhat to her own surprise, she found herself on two extended residencies at St. John's Abbey in Minnesota. Part record of her time among the Benedictines, part meditation on various aspects of monastic life, The Cloister Walk demonstrates, from the rare perspective of someone who is both an insider and outsider, how immersion in the cloistered world-- its liturgy, its ritual, its sense of community-- can impart meaning to everyday events and deepen our secular lives. In this stirring and lyrical work, the monastery, often considered archaic or otherworldly, becomes immediate, accessible, and relevant to us, no matter what our faith may be.
A year-long weekly meal planner based on the Catholic liturgical calendar and the liturgical living recommendations in the Catholic All Year Compendium, sure to make you a perfectly pious and oh-so organized cook. Or . . . maybe not. But this planner has been mindfully designed for busy moms and everyone who wants to focus a bit more on learning about the lives of the saints, the history and traditions of the Church, and bringing the people we love together around the table. The planner pages are undated. That means having a frozen pizza and leftovers week or going out of town doesn't mean "wasting" dated pages. Fill out the weeks as you go. Skip when you want to. Zero judgement from the planner. In the back you'll find all the feast days on the universal liturgical calendar, plus all the saints' days mentioned in the Catholic All Year Compendium. They are listed with a bit of information to inspire your meal planning-like a country or foods with which the saint or day is associated. Also included are lines to jot down your family members' three special days (birthday, nameday, and baptismal anniversary) and any other important recipes, holy days, holidays, and anniversaries you want to remember when meal planning. Write the month and dates of the upcoming week at the top of the page. Circle the liturgical season to get you in the mood. Then consult the lists in the back of the planner or on your Catholic All Year liturgical wall calendar to see if there are feast days you want to celebrate during the week or days of fasting or abstinence to remember and note them next to the day of the week. Decide on meals. Write them down. Fill out the shopping list. Tear it off when you're ready to head to the store. Easy peasy!
This work explores the lives of the saints, and the hierarchies of angels. It gives details of the lives and works of the most famous saints from around the world. It introduces different types of angels and each of the most famous angels has their own page devoted to them.
