Showing results by publisher "Franciscan Media" in All Categories

In this spiritual memoir, writer Maureen O'Brien reflects on the many ways in which she found a home and a refuge in the biblical psalms, drawing strength from them in a wide variety of experiences and seeking in them a safe shelter from life's storms.

Christianity is a mysterious faith. Some of these mysteries can be described with Scripture or doctrine, but others can only be experienced. Those graced with these experiences, these intimate glimpses of God, are called mystics. Murray Bodo's sensitive guidance leads us into the heart of what these mystics have expressed about God and how their insight can deepen our own experience of the boundless mystery of a loving God. This updated and expanded edition includes new chapters on St. Clare and St. Bonaventure.

In When We Were Eve, Colleen Mitchell draws on the creation story in Genesis to show women God’s gracious plan for their whole being: body and soul in harmony with themselves, others, creation, and their Creator. Through her own story and those of other women, she explores the many ways women struggle with their bodies and the way a biblical understanding of what it means to be a woman can bring them peace and joy.

For more than forty years, Saint of the Day has been a trusted guide, and this latest edition continues the tradition. Like his predecessors, Pope Francis continues to recognize and acclaim people from all walks of life. Newly added saints and blesseds include Oscar Romero, Marie of the Incarnation, François de Laval, Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, Stanley Rother, Pope Paul VI, and Solanus Casey.

Francis and Jesus is the story of how the poor and humble St. Francis of Assisi gave away all to gain all, sharing in God's kingdom on Earth. Francis' life exemplifies what it means to be a genuine disciple of Jesus, walking in Christ's footsteps to show how ultimate truth is lived in small, unique ways. Franciscan Father Murray Bodo takes us on the journey with Francis, as we see his pain, his suffering, his dying to self. On that difficult road we are reminded that death to self creates new life....

St. Francis had a deep and lifelong devotion to Mary, the Mother of God, committing his order to her care. Franciscan Murray Bodo explores that relationship in this evocative and deeply spiritual encounter with Marian devotion across the centuries.

Learn the formula for motivation that all great achievers use in their lives. See immediate results as you integrate the formula into your own life. Dave urges the elimination of runaway self-esteem, which he critiques with force and conviction, debunking other popular self-help theories. Having cleared the way, he encourages the pursuit of balance so that every listener can become a legacy achiever through exercising appropriate influence, developing innate creativity, and infusing a dash of humor.

Paula D'Arcy was only 27 when a drunk driver killed her husband and young daughter. But in the midst of her crushing despair, and to her complete amazement, she discovered a presence within her that responded to her fearful cries for help. Her anguished heart was met by a great tenderness and wisdom, which she grew to recognize as a transcendent love. Over time - knowing that pain was not the final say and did not have absolute power - she was able to find her way back to the light.

Father Gary Caster knows that there can be a confusing number of devotional practices in Catholicism; attending Mass, praying the Rosary, tithing, fasting, performing the Sacraments - all are important, but checking obligations off a list is not the way to a nourished soul. In Prayer Everywhere: The Spiritual Life Made Simple, Father Gary strips Catholicism down to Jesus’ core command: that we let him love us.

In the town of Status, across the river from Quo, nothing ever changes. Children are taught to memorize facts but not to think for themselves. Adults live by the motto "work, produce, stay the same." And as long as everyone follows the rules, there is harmony in the two communities. The shops hum, and all ceremonies for the worship of God are appropriately formal and well organized. The past is revered, and the future seems to be secure. Then the Stranger comes to town.

We are born to savor life, to live in the moment. What holds us back? When we stop the noise, the distraction, the compulsion to perform, the fear of rejection, we make space to savor the power of the present moment. We carry this capacity to honor the present into every encounter and relationship, meaning that we honor the dignity that is reflected by God’s goodness and grace. Every encounter, every relationship, is a place to include, invite mercy, encourage, receive, heal, reconcile, repair, say thank you, pray, celebrate, refuel, and restore.

It's 1923, and Paris is beginning to recover from the ravages of World War I and the Spanish flu epidemic. Naïve young American Muriel Ross stumbles into a plum assignment photographing antiques for a globetrotting US senator. But events take a dangerous turn when she discovers that her employer is on a mission far more momentous - and potentially deadly - than a mere shopping trip.

It might seem shocking to compare our relationship with God with the notion of "dating." But with fresh insight and a deep personal spirituality, Franciscan Father Dan Horan points out that the desire, uncertainty, and love we experience in relationship with God resembles our earthly relationships. We set aside time for the people who are most important to us. Horan reminds us that St. Francis of Assisi understood and even described his relationship with God in a similar way.

At the close of the tumultuous Middle Ages, there lived a man who seemed destined from birth to save the world. His name was Peter Morrone, a hermit, founder of a religious order, and depending on to whom you talk, a reformer, an instigator, a prophet, a coward, a saint, and possibly the victim of murder. A stroke of fate would, practically overnight, transform this humble servant of God into the most powerful man in the Catholic Church.

After listening to Soul Training with the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis, you’ll know why pontiffs, presidents, politicians, paralegals, plumbers, and proofreaders keep turning to the Peace Prayer. This simple prayer can train the soul and keep you in shape until you cross the finish line into eternal life. Think of this book as your workout manual that offers encouragement to condition all the muscles of the virtues to help you stay spiritually fit: faith, hope, love, forgiveness, joy, consolation, understanding, and selflessness.

Stories of Jesus provides a portrait of Our Lord in a day-by-day reflection format, based on the Gospel accounts of his life and teachings. Through these reflections, Girzone introduces Jesus and his adult ministry - from his baptism by John the Baptist through his public life and work, to his death and resurrection - pausing along the way to focus on the important people and events of Jesus s world.

Deepen your devotion to the Blessed Mother with this unique look at Mary’s relationship with her son throughout Jesus’ life - and beyond. Fr. McBride invites us to know Mary not only as the young mother of a newborn but also as the nurturer and caretaker of her son through his adolescence and into his adult ministry. We see Mary in grief at Christ’s death, and we meet her as the mother of the infant Church at Pentecost. These 42 reflections help us understand the whole picture of Mary as a mother.

In The Franciscan Saints, 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.

In Lifesigns, Nouwen explores three elements of what he considered the call of all people: Intimacy - the gospel invitation to communion with God and relationship with others; Fecundity - the exhortation to be open to a fruitful life of both growth and change; Ecstasy - the Gospel wish and promise of Jesus that "your joy may be complete". Nouwen shows how these elements are essential to our movement from the "house of fear" to the "house of love".

Through her autobiography and an extensive collection of letters, St. Thérèse helped people understand nothing was too little to give Jesus, and nothing done out of love for him was insignificant. Perhaps this is why so many lives still resonate with hers. It is easy to feel insignificant and unimportant. Yet, the clear and compelling language of her story and her letters remains the perfect antidote to such feelings.