Showing results by publisher "Franciscan Media" in All Categories

From a pilgrimage through the streets of Assisi to contemplative walks on the beaches near his home, Bruce Epperly has pondered the questions of privilege, prayer, and social justice while walking with the teachings of Francis of Assisi. From his roots in reformation traditions, he has a deep understanding of the call Francis received to rebuild the church and the need for constant reformation not only in our personal lives but also in our society and in our religious institutions.

Much has been written on the last words of Jesus, the traditional phrases taken from Scripture that depict the final moments of Jesus's life as he dies on the cross. In this new take on the last words, author Dan Horan brings a fresh perspective to this time-honored meditation as he challenges readers to look at their lives through the lens of Jesus s suffering and death. Yet interlaced with suffering, the focus throughout is on the immense love of God for human beings, shown in the gift of Jesus, God made flesh.

With his trademark blend of storytelling, faith and psychological insight, New York Times best-selling author Thomas Moore turns his attention to the most enduring story of them all: the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. Moore uses passages from the Gospels, archetypal stories and ancient myths to explore the idea that Christmas can only be fully understood as belonging to everyone - as a plan for the entire human race. This may be the most profound reflection on the meaning of Christmas in a generation.

This is a guided tour through the mind of one of the most acclaimed voices in contemporary Catholic writing. Brian Doyle effortlessly connects the everyday with the inexpressible and consistently marries searingly honest prose with interruptions of humor and humanity.

What do you do when life makes a sharp left turn? When the coronavirus pandemic hit, Terry Hershey found himself unexpectedly asking that question; and as a popular speaker and author, he was inundated with other people asking it too. In Stand Still, Hershey lays out the answer: that in every unforeseen challenge there is an invitation to pause, re-evaluate the status quo, and welcome the change of heart that is knocking on your door. “Transformative events will be hard,” he writes. “So, whatever love is in your heart, nurture it. Develop it. Grow it. Spread it.”

Do you sense there is a greater purpose designed for your life and work? Good news! You were designed on purpose for a purpose. John McCarthy is here to guide you on a practical journey to gain purpose, freedom, and a life of joy! The Renewal Journey is a 10-day, 45-minute per day retreat to gain awareness of your purpose and map out a plan to obtain it through your career search. A career of richer purpose and joy will result from your 450-minute investment in the Renewal Journey. This is The Purpose Promise.

Sr. Fran Gangloff tells the inspiring story of a woman committed to serving those in the leper settlement in Hawaii with love, compassion, respect, and grace, often in the face of both hardship and resistance from authorities blind to their needs. At her canonization in 2012, St. Marianne was called the “beloved mother of outcasts.”

When Jorge Bergoglio was a young Jesuit, he wrote a statement of his personal beliefs. It began, “I want to believe in God the Father who loves me like a child, and in Jesus, the Lord who infused my life with His Spirit, to make me smile and so carry me to the eternal Kingdom of life.” The elements of this credo inspired the selection and arrangement of the reflections gathered here: Pope Francis’s thoughts on love for God and each other and, most importantly, God’s love for us. Here are his most intimate thoughts about the purpose and promise of love.

In-depth conversations with Franciscan authors and artists

Times are difficult; Joseph Grant's meditative delivery wraps his listeners in hope, tenderness, and gratitude. Wandering and Welcome is a beacon of poetic kindness rooted in honesty, Scripture, and truth. You'll want to call loved ones and replay pieces to them. Some sections will make you sigh in astonishment, some will cause you to pause in revelation, and others will bring tears of joy and appreciation. If a book could be both giant reality check and tender hug all wrapped in one, this would be it.

Can you find faith in an episode of "Friends"? Can Adam Sandler teach us about the love of God? Can Kermit the Frog and Alanis Morissette teach us about prayer? Can Harry Potter help save us? Jesuit Father Mark Mossa says yes! Fr. Mossa has served as a minister for young adults in various parts of the northeast and southern U.S. He currently teaches theology at Fordham University in New York City.

Spend seven days letting St. Anthony of Padua guide you on an interior journey to find yourself and your way to God. Through guided prayer activities and probing questions drawn from his preaching and the stories of his life, you will learn about this Franciscan saint but even more important, you learn about your own spiritual life.

Whether you have made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land or have always wanted to walk where Jesus walked, this book offers a rich experience of the many sites associated with Gospel events. Monsignor Vincenzo Peroni takes pilgrims on an unforgettable tour of the most important sites in the Holy Land through beautiful guided meditations, probing questions, and sensitive prayerful reflections. Each chapter also contains Scripture texts that set the scene.

In this memoir, Maureen O'Brien reflects on the gospel story of the miracle of the loaves and fishes and what she learns about herself, the people around her, and a fragmented but still beautiful world. While she’s sharing her story of finding God’s love, she’s also sharing the stories of so many others, known and cherished by God even when the world leaves them shattered, finding their way through the world and feasting on the fragments of grace that are always in abundance if we learn to look, to see, to accept, to share.

Most of us fall short of fully living out our values, especially if they are countercultural ones like simplicity and soulfulness. As both a family man and the executive director of the Passionist Earth & Spirit Center in Kentucky, Kyle Kramer knows that struggle. In Making Room, he writes not only as an eco-spiritual expert, but also as a fellow pilgrim on the journey toward simplicity, which he defines as the choices that create the freedom to honor our own deepest needs, the concentric circles of human relationships, and God’s gifts of the natural world.

This wonderful introduction to the life and teachings of St. Francis offers daily inspiration and a dose of “peace and good” - a phrase often associated with Francis and his followers. Each month celebrates a Franciscan theme - such as peace, conversion, prayer, Mary, charity, and service to the poor. For each day, you will find a quote from Francis’ teachings, a suggestion for living as Francis did, and a challenge for growing in faith and practice.

Roy Petitfils knows firsthand (and as a counselor) that a lasting, fulfilling, and happy marriage needs planning, hard work, and dedication. He uses stories from friends, clients, and his own marriage to provide advice, humor, and practical tips for the newly married.

In this audiobook, Melanie Rigney gives us a panoply of widely known and more obscure saints who show the way to be better disciples of Christ. They offer compelling examples of how to meet the challenges of daily life, be strengthened in your faith, and become the man God created you to be.