Free Catholic Library

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  • Wisdom of the Heart: The Good, the True, and the Beautiful at the Center of Us All

    No word in our language is more misunderstood than heart, and almost no word is more important, for it refers to what is at the very center of our soul. We have mapped the outer world, in fact the whole universe, with amazing exactness . . . but we have neglected the world within. This new book by venerable Catholic thinker Peter Kreeft offers a map of that inner world, that of the self. In it, he takes up the mantle of Dietrich von Hildebrand and plumbs the depths of that most misunderstood (by the world) and overlooked (by philosophers and theologians) part of the human being.

    In Wisdom of the Heart, Kreeft examines the two common understandings of the heart’s purpose and shows how they are not at odds, but rather different (and essential) facets:

    • Feeling and emotion, which can reduce us to action without thinking, but also drive us to compassion, empathy, and gratitude
    • Love, which is an act of the will, designed so that we can follow Jesus’s commandment to love God and others

    This book, therefore, is a psychological aid to understanding the philosophy behind St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” while exploring the three dimensions of persons—the will, the mind, and the emotions—and their three loves: the good, the true, and the beautiful. A new masterwork by one of the foremost Catholic philosophers of our time, Wisdom of the Heart is essential reading for understanding ourselves, our God, and our relationship with Him.

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  • The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales: For Advent and Christmas

    One of the most profoundly influential and deeply inspirational saints in the last five centuries of the Church, St. Francis de Sales is famous for his personality and writings, which have earned him, respectively, the appellation “The Gentleman Saint” and the designation Doctor of the Church. 

    De Sales’s tempered and gentle yet firm and determined approach to spiritual direction made him a true pearl of great price in the Church’s spiritual patrimony. No one ever mastered the doctoring of souls quite like this gentle Doctor of the Church—as countless saints formed by his legacy will attest. His Marian devotion and dedication to educating the laity by means of modern communication (at that time, leaflets) placed him ahead of his time, and his erudition combined with his sweetness mark him as a highly unusual man in the story of the Church, particularly during his time.

    As a bishop of the Church, St. Francis was emboldened by the charism of preaching the Word of God in a truly apostolic manner. In this volume of The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales: For Advent and Christmas, discover the Doctor of Charity’s totally fresh and surprising insights into the truths of our religion from Sacred Scripture, steeped as he was in it. Particular to these nine sermons for the Advent and Christmas seasons, find St. Francis’s thoughts on the Holy and Sacred Name of Jesus, the wisdom of Our Lady at the Wedding Feast of Cana, the temptations of St. John the Baptist, and more! Excellent as spiritual reading for Advent, these lovely and profound sermons of St. Francis de Sales make for remarkable fruit for meditation throughout the year.

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  • The Little Flower of Jesus

    Every child must learn the story of St. Theresa of the Little Flower. The Little Flower of Jesus tells this lovely story in the most memorable style—with beautiful full color pictures on every page.

    Our youth of today will particularly relate to this relatively modern Saint with a story in many ways the same as their own. The text is warmly yet factually written and the beautiful pictures tell the story even without the text. 

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  • Devotion to the Precious Blood

    Why do so few of us have a devotion to the Precious Blood that was shed for us and saved us? 

    This small but powerful booklet will give you a new appreciation for, devotion to, and love of the Precious Blood of Our Savior, Jesus Christ, and it will help you to see the important role it has as God’s chosen instrument of mercy. It will help you gain the many spiritual benefits and graces that come from venerating the Precious Blood, whether in Mass or by meditation, such as:

    • Atonement for sins
    • Assistance of the souls in Purgatory
    • Procurement of graces and blessings for yourself and loved ones
    • Imitation of the saints
    • Union with God

    Included in this booklet are many traditional prayers, examples of some of the greatest saints and their devotion to the Precious Blood, and an explanation of the traditional practice of devotion to the Precious Blood.

    This best-selling booklet will quickly open your heart to the love of Jesus and the many spiritual riches of His Precious Blood.

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  • Favorite Prayers to Saint Joseph (Large Print)

    “Nothing will be refused him, neither by Our Lady nor by his glorious son.”
    —St. Francis de Sales

    Whatever your struggle, petition, or prayer may be, you can always turn to St. Joseph.

    The foster father of Jesus and patron of the Universal Church, St. Joseph is our direct line to Jesus. How often have you made use of St. Joseph’s constant intercession on your behalf? 

    This paperbound, large print contains every prayer to St. Joseph you need to enrichment your prayer life:

    • Novena for a Special Favor
    • Litany of St. Joseph
    • Prayers for Conversion
    • A Happy Death
    • And many more!

    “I have never known a person to have been truly devoted to St. Joseph and to have rendered him special honor without seeing him advance rapidly in virtue; because the holy patriarch assists with special care those who recommend themselves to him”
    —St. Teresa of Avila 

    The perfect resource to have in your house, purse, or pocket, this booklet an easy way to improve your prayer life, grow in virtue, and imitate the holiness of St. Joseph himself.

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  • Saints and Sinners of Calvary

    Nothing connected with the Passion and Death of Christ was purely accidental. And although Our Savior was unquestionably the central figure of Calvary, many other persons—by God’s Providence—took part in the living drama of the first Good Friday.

    In Saints and Sinners of Calvary, Fr. Christopher Rengers draws from Scripture, history, and early Christian traditions to complete our knowledge of these events and of the persons who took part in them. Contained within are the sobering stories of:

    • Herod Antipas and his execution of St. John the Baptist,
    • The Sanhedrin’s plans against Our Lord, and
    • Pontius Pilate’s internal compromise that led him to condemn the Savior of the world to crucifixion.

    On the other hand, the great “repenters”—St. Peter and St. Mary Magdalen—bring a message of great encouragement and hope to all who have ever betrayed Our Lord by sin.

    To read this book is to understand better the historical events upon which the Catholic Faith is founded and the influence these great events hold for every person today. Do not forego this opportunity to grow closer to Our Lord through meditation on the very acts that gave us new life.

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  • Sister Mary Baruch Volume 1: The Early Years

    Becky Feinstein is well-acquainted with unexpected tragedy. Growing up in New York City during the turbulent 1960s, she has already experienced her brother’s death in Vietnam and her family’s gradual drifting apart. So when her closest friend suddenly becomes gravely ill, this nice Jewish girl decides to give her an unconventional gift by lighting a candle in a big gothic church on Lexington Avenue.

    Little does she realize, as she passes through the heavy wooden doors of Saint Vincent Ferrer’s, that after this afternoon nothing will ever be the same. For there, lighting a candle for a friend, she discovers someone waiting for her in the “still, quiet place” of her heart . . .

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  • The Little Flower Prayerbook: A Carmelite Manual of Prayer

    The Little Flower Prayerbook is a vintage manual of prayers combined with a treasury of St. Thérèse’s spiritual writings that showcases the wisdom and contemplation she achieved in her short lifetime. 

    Originally published in 1926 and faithfully re-typeset by TAN Books, The Little Flower Prayerbook: A Carmelite Manual of Prayers is an introduction to the time-honored Carmelite prayers and devotions that St. Thérèse herself practiced during her lifetime. 

    Features Include: Morning and Evening Prayers, Acts of Faith, Daily Prayers, Devotions for Confession and Benediction, Devotions for the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, Devout Exercises for Every Day of the Week, a Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Scapular Devotions, Spiritual Writings of St. Thérèse, and so much more . . . 

    This little book is perfect for devotees of the Little Flower, Third Order Carmelites, and all those who wish to follow the “Little Way”.

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  • The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales: For Lent

    One of the most profoundly influential and deeply inspirational saints in the last five centuries of the Church, St. Francis de Sales is famous for his personality and writings, which have earned him, respectively, the appellation “The Gentleman Saint” and the designation Doctor of the Church. 

    De Sales’s tempered and gentle yet firm and determined approach to spiritual direction made him a true pearl of great price in the Church’s spiritual patrimony. No one ever mastered the doctoring of souls quite like this gentle Doctor of the Church—as countless saints formed by his legacy will attest. His Marian devotion and dedication to educating the laity by means of modern communication (at that time, leaflets) placed him ahead of his time, and his erudition combined with his sweetness mark him as a highly unusual man in the story of the Church, particularly during his time.

    As a bishop of the Church, St. Francis was emboldened by the charism of preaching the Word of God in a truly apostolic manner. In this volume of The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales: For Lent, the Gentle Saint preaches twelve sermons, given during Lent 1622, on key aspects of the Christian life. Chief is St. Francis’s treatment of the virtue of mortification: Through fasting, abstinence, and almsgiving, we can learn to resist temptation, avoid losing our souls, live the faith, approach death with a Christian attitude, conduct ourselves properly in illness, and live in mutual charity. In addition, of special interest is the master of meditation’s exposition on Our Lord’s Passion. Let St. Francis teach you the way to eternal happiness through the toils and labors of Lent, which can be all joy if done for love of God.

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  • The Sacraments: Discovering the Treasures of Divine Life

    Some of the most important and necessary building blocks of human life are so often taken for granted: water, air, fire, food . . . We live each day without any sense of gratitude for these blessings that sustain our physical life. And so it is for our spiritual life. The sacraments are the very lifeblood of our soul, yet in the midst of our busy lives, we can fail to understand their power and importance. Without them, we are spiritually dead. With them, the very life of God runs through us.

    In this new book from Fr. Matthew Kauth, the Church’s seven sacraments are presented in such a way that no reader will ever again take them for granted. Fr. Kauth brilliantly illuminates not only the scriptural foundation and profound spiritual realities of each sacrament but also the necessity of each as a means to living a happy and fulfilled life that leads to heaven.

    Highlights include:

    • How the sacraments are anchored in the life and death of Jesus and are the medium through which He pours His life into our souls   
    • Discovering the purpose, meaning, and symbolism behind the matter of the sacraments: water, bread, oil, wine, and the rest
    • Understanding how Christ administers His sacraments through human hands and what our own role is in receiving them
    • How Mary’s strength and fortitude, qualities of hers we don’t normally meditate upon, are a model for Confirmation
    • An expert dissection of the instrumentality, effects, elements, character, and fruits of each sacrament
    • How the sacrament of marriage reaches all the way back to Genesis but finds its full meaning in the Passion of Jesus

    Christ told us, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Stop searching for the treasures of this world that only leave your heart empty, but instead, welcome the treasures He is waiting to give you . . . the treasures of His divine life. 

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