Books published by Gracewing

On 7 October 2012, Pope Benedict XVI declared St John of Avila a Doctor of the Church, making him the thirty-fourth Saint to have been given this title. St John of Avila was a diocesan priest in sixteenth century Spain and has been honoured there since 1946 as the patron Saint of diocesan priests. Amongst St John of Avila's disciples were St Teresa of Avila, St Francis Borgia, St John of God, and Venerable Anne of the Cross. In fact, St Teresa of Avila, also a Doctor of the Church, had the account of her life and mystical experiences confirmed as authentic by St John of Avila. This account is what we know today as The Book of Her Life. St John of Avila's teaching was extremely beneficial in his own time, and is just as relevant today, in a time when we are all called to be strong Christian witnesses for the new evangelisation. The most effective way we can respond to this call is to enter into a deep and intimate relationship with God. St John of Avila is a Saint for all people and all times; Pope Benedict XVI has called him a 'pioneer in pointing to the universal call to holiness'. St John of Avila is a wise mentor for all those who desire to grow in friendship with God. In simple and accessible language, this book sets forth much of the practical advice which St John of Avila gives in his spiritual work Audi Filia and various letters to those whose spiritual life he directed. In this short book, Dr Oliver focuses on the soul's journey in the life of prayer, how to overcome particular struggles and temptations, and how to recognise deceitful tactics of the devil. She clearly explains the fundamental aspects of the supernatural organism, the graced soul on the road to union with God. And she takes great care to help the reader understand how to differentiate between spiritual experiences which are not essential for advancing in holiness and that which is necessary for growth in the spiritual life. This little book is an essential resource for anyone seeking a deeper and more intimate union with the loving and merciful Lord; for He is always ready to shower His children with the riches of His merciful love.

The title Christian Transition could strike one as non-committal, generalenough to be applicable to a great many subjects. But the urgent messageof the Introduction highlights a very glaring gap for the present generationboth in the contents and the manner of presentation of our Catholic faith.To fill that gap Fr Joseph Shiels suggests a way forward, sharing with ushis awareness of Christian transition, as St Teresa of Avila had described it,taking place within himself.Fr Joseph Shiels is an Irish Columban priest who spent his working yearsas a missionary in the Southern Philippines. Fundamentally, this bookwitnesses to two graces experienced by the author during that time.The first grace, which came early in his career, was a refreshed awarenessof a traditional teaching of the Church. This is the teaching that the real,essential Christianity within us is that we are in this world to be divinised.Christian transition is the name of the process of divinisation. The authorreminds us of this doctrine by presenting it in an unashamedly attentiongettingphrase, namely 'becoming-God-along-with-God'. Such a phrase isno more than the kind of advertisement that comes out of countless publicrelationsoffices. But no less: in terms of its summing-up of the implicationsof what our Christian faith really was, and still is, offering to all itsmembers.His second, supplemental grace is that, in mid-life, after an apparentlychance introduction to a book outlining the teaching of St Teresa, ourauthor tried the contents for size - and found they fitted! The contents gavehim a Teresian understanding that a progression and development - tosome extent verifiable - was possible in the spiritual life of the ordinaryChristian. Still in the style of an advertising executive, Teresian teaching ispresented in simplified form, originally to make it accessible those towhom he had ministered, now, to inform and encourage his readers.Starting from two parables of Jesus, Fr Shiels' fresh and intriguingapproach supplies a strongly scriptural basis for his account of his newawarenesses, and his witness to their potential to transform our lives too.In conclusion he shows that these graces are are really the essence ofChristianity for all Christians; his experience is simply a case study of whatis no more than the humble beginnings of a Christian transition, in accordance with, and by application of, theteachings of St Teresa of Avila.Fr Joseph Shiels opens up the riches of the Christian tradition to a new generation, showing how we too are invited to share in this very transition which will change our lives forever.

Redeeming Grief is a reflection on over 17 years of counselling and study of abortion grief, which is experienced by many women who choose to undergo this elective procedure. These reflections are the result of listening to over 1,500 personal stories and listening to the expressions used by women as they speak about their decision to abort the life of their child. Lastman attempts to reconstruct the meaning that this procedure has had for the aborting woman and how this one procedure has been the catalyst for life changes.Redeeming Grief looks at abortion trauma and grief from the spiritual and the psychological perspective, and its influences on the individuals involved and society.

G. K. Chesterton was one of the most provocative and well-loved English writers of the twentieth century. Renowned for his journalism and as an essayist, he was the author of around eighty books, some two hundred short stories, four thousand essays and several plays. His writing ranged from fiction and poetry, to history, philosophy, political, social and literary criticism, theology and Catholic apologetics. From his short stories, his best-known character is the priest-detective Father Brown. Through his writing Chesterton was to have a profound effect on generations of Christians. His own discovery of the Christian religion was achieved with an intellectual rigour which we can say is the hallmark of all his great writings, a category which includes much of his journalism. And though Chesterton never flaunted his personal faith, his passionate commitment to it could emerge at any time. His works reflect a life that was filled with wonder and joy, a constancy in fighting for the Christian faith in a world losing belief, a lifelong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and his love for all men, especially for the poor.But are there good grounds for considering Gilbert Keith Chesterton for canonisation? On his death, Pope Pius XI described Chesterton as a 'gifted defender of the Catholic Faith', while at his Requiem Mass Monsignor Ronald Knox was to say 'Blessed are they that saw him and were honoured by his friendship. They found in him a living example of charity, of chivalry, of unbelievable humility which will remain with them, perhaps as a more effective document of Catholic verity than any word even he wrote.' The late Cardinal Emmett Carter described G. K. Chesterton, on the fiftieth anniversary of his death, as one of those 'holy lay persons' who have exercised a truly prophetic role within the Church and the world. He did not then, although later he changed his mind, believe that it would be possible to introduce a cause for his ultimate canonisation, since he did 'not think that we are sufficiently emancipated from certain concepts of sanctity' to be able to contemplate such a thing. In this book, a range of distinguished contributors contemplate just that. We all know that he was an enormously good man as well as an enormous one. My point is that he was more than that. There was a special integrity and blamelessness about him, a special devotion to the good and to justice ... Above all, there was that breathtaking, intuitive (almost angelic) possession of the Truth and awareness of the supernatural which only a truly holy person can enjoy. This was the gift of heroic intelligence and understanding - and of heroic prophecy. He was a giant, spiritually as well as physically. Has there ever been anyone quite like him in Catholic history? Professor J J Scarisbrick

'A VIBRANT PROPHET OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD' is how Pope John Paul II described Elizabeth of the Trinity. In this compelling book, we enter deeply into her life and spirituality and see just how relevant Elizabeth's message is for those of us living in today's highly secularised society. Attractive, lively, ardent, talented, yet with her share of faults, Elizabeth shows that when we give ourselves to God, he builds on our nature and transforms us gradually into himself. She challenges us to follow her example and respond to God's universal call to holiness, while reawakening us to the immense depth and beauty of the normal channels of God's grace: prayer and the sacraments. The author shows how Elizabeth offers a compelling witness of holiness to the Church of today for 'Her life is what God wills every life to be'. Cardinal Albert de Courtray, former Bishop of Dijon, expressed it succinctly: "It is easy to see how Elizabeth's message is addressed to all Christians. She never for one moment entertained the idea that her calling as a Carmelite conferred some sort of spiritual superiority on her. For Christian spiritual life is founded upon faith, baptism and becoming ever more like Jesus Christ; so that whatever the Christian may be, whatever his or her moral, psychological or social condition, he or she is always that 'new humanity' in which Christ will come again to renew all his mystery". "This is a truly remarkable book. It is written in a clear, simple and engaging style by an author who shares with us her deep love of Elizabeth of the Trinity and her profound grasp of Elizabeth's spirituality, centred on the indwelling presence of God in every baptised person. The book offers us deep insights into the development of Elizabeth's inner life and the major themes in her writings, as seen through the eyes of someone who speaks from first-hand experience and with authority about the life of a Carmelite nun". James McCaffrey, O.C.D. (Editor of Mount Carmel magazine) Sr Marian Teresa Murphy, a Carmelite of St Joseph's Monastery, Liverpool, England completed her MA dissertation on Elizabeth of the Trinity with distinction. She is the author of Always Believe in Love - Selected Spiritual Writings of Elizabeth of theTrinity. An engaging speaker, she has made several CDs on various aspects of Elizabeth's life and spirituality, which form the basis of this inspiring book.

For many the law of the Church, canon law, has little meaning; it appears remote both from the Gospel and from the life of most people in the Church. Yet, it can impinge on them at times if a parish priest urges that a baptism be deferred, where a dispensation is needed for marriage or where there is a query about nullity of marriage. Recently, the scandals over clerical sexual abuse of children have drawn wider attention to the need for law also in the Church. At a time when it is popular to assert 'rights' of all sorts ¿ an identification of authentic rights and of corresponding duties in the Church, as well as mechanisms to ensure that these are respected in practice in a systematic way ¿ justice and law in the Church cannot be neglected. This book seeks to root the Church's law in the values of the Gospel, in particular in the justice which should guide the lives of those called to follow Christ and in the baptism by which they are incorporated into him and into his Church. The 'canon' or measure of how we should treat one another as members of the People of God and participate in our common mission in the service of that Gospel, according to our particular vocations and functions, is the focus of canon law. No law can replace the Gospel or the Holy Spirit, but canon law is an instrument of justice in the service of the Church and of its mission. The revision of canon law, which led to the Code of Canon Law of 1983 for the Latin Church, sought expressly to reflect the key teachings of the Second Vatican Council. That Code, beyond the general norms for understanding and applying its laws as a whole, centres upon the People of God in our common, diverse and complementary forms of living the Gospel, upon the Church's broad teaching function, and upon its sanctifying function, especially through the sacraments. It attends also to the temporal goods of the Church, for which there are responsibilities of stewardship, to penal law and sanctions and to procedural law ¿ the latter designed to ensure that practical implementation of the Church's law which is essential if its affirmations concerning justice and mission are not to remain vacuous. This book attempts to provide a theological and juridical introduction and explanation of these various aspects of the Church's life. The schematic presentation of 'key canons' is designed to enable the reader to understand the principal elements of a specific section and to see how those canons can be broken down so that their inter-related parts may be read, analysed and applied. The Code of Canon Law, then, can be seen as a valuable instrument in fulfilling the Church's mission for those with a passion for justice, rooted in the Gospel of Christ.

The exhilarating scope of the title - Words and the Word - may seem almost undercut by its sober subtitle: The Use of Literature as a Practical Aid to Preaching. But the value of this book lies in its very bi-polarity. On the one hand, here are practical ways of enhancing the word delivered from the 'mountain' of the pulpit (usually not so lofty these days); on the other, here are some of the great themes that pervade theology and life. This duality seems utterly right. And both aspects are illumined, not obscured, by reference to the preacher's own story. So, this is a book that seminarians, deacons, priests, even bishops, would do well to take in hand. Indeed, conveyed with suitable tact, what a wonderful present for priest friends! But it would be a loss were it confined to the clergy. Just as a good sermon will lead its listeners beyond appreciation of a preacher's learning or eloquence to simple apprehension of the 'thing' itself, the res of the celebrated mystery, the presence of the Lord, and its consequences for our lives, so this book both opens a door into our literary inheritance and edges us again and again towards the universal questions: What is literature? What is the relationship of the great literary works of humanity - the 'secular Scriptures' - to the Word and words of Christianity and its Jewish antecedent? How might we enter into this literary world, and integrate our human culture with our Christian faith? How might a lectio humana enrich our lectio divina, and vice versa? How might I finally educate myself?Surely every word that is true, beautiful and good can be found again, and should be, in the service of the Word made flesh, and add its lustre to the halting words of preachers. Fr Anderson has done a service to us all by living in this noble tradition, by preaching from it for a half a century, and now leaving us this limpid exposition of it.Abbot Hugh Gilbert,OSBCanon Bill Anderson celebrated his Golden Jubilee of priesthood in 2010. His varied ministry in Aberdeen has included teaching at Blairs College (the now closed Junior Seminary) and serving as Catholic Chaplain at the University, Adminstrator at St Mary's Cathedral, and parish priest of St Francis of Assisi. He has been Spiritual Director at the Scots College, Rome and a producer of religious programmes with the BBC.Brought up in Edinburgh, he is a graduate of Edinburgh, Cambridge, Aberdeen and Thames Valley Universities. He is a former "Preacher of the Year" (an award of the College of Preachers sponsored by The Times), and holds diplomas in speech & drama from three London colleges, as well as the Poetry Society's gold medal for verse-speaking.In his retirement, Canon Bill returned to teaching part-time, teaching Latin to undergraduates at Aberdeen University. He is Chaplain to the local Newman Association.

The book description also needs to be modified as follows, as there was a typo:How often have you struggled over your creative writing or over an academic text and found that you needed help with the style and layout? Many students and scholars find difficulty in organizing their method for producing short papers, dissertations or even books. Here at last is a guide, originally developed for philosophy and theology students, but not exclusively so, which accompanies the would-be writer through the maze of style and method. One consistent approach is followed, in which method is viewed as a means rather than as an end, so that the student should be able to see the wood for the trees. This manual will come to your aid especially if you want to figure out footnotes, end notes, and bibliographies, so as to make your essay or thesis both readable and professional.

This study takes up where the previous volume in this series, on open societies in the ancient and medieval periods, left off. Setting out from that point, it analyzes the difficult, often dramatic and highly conflicted, relationship between theoreticians of the open society and those who have actually pursued Utopian ideals and various other chimeras. The thread uniting the two studies passes through the political institutions of the Roman Republic and English parliamentarianism, the bulwarks of truly free societies (however imperfect, and thus subject to improvement, they may be). it is certainly no accident that all the great figures in this field, such as Vico, Montesquieu, Hume and the like, refer to these two models: the departure points for modern liberalism.Rocco Pezzimenti charts the difficult progress towards the achievement of rights, and reviewing modern political thought and the approach of contemporary analysis, offers a critique of a number of platitudes and demonstrates how even in the most recent centuries the complete negation of the open society has come about, often due to thinkers who have long been considered amongst the most enlightened.This has happened not only explicitly, due to those readily identified as the enemies of freedom, but also surreptitiously, occasioned by various Utopian visionaries. The analysis of those elements called the paradoxes of modernity has, under the cover of apparently innovative ideas, exalted methods and principles which have nothing to do with liberty and its history.The purpose of these pages is to provide an historical profile of the problem and alert each of us as to how delicate the balances of the open society are; societies which must be defended with the greatest possible lucidity and determination, a defence on a par with that of freedom itself.

Western man has long lost his way in his quest for constructivist models, largely because of his infatuation with utopian ideals. These models have represented a complete negation of the Open Society.In the latter part of the twentieth century there has been a dramatic reawakening from these dreams. The time has now come to reappraise the thinking of the past, which simply described possible systems for social organization on behalf of the common good and not models for perfect societies.Rocco Pezzimenti retraces and analyses paths towards a true balance between "laws" and "rights" in society, something often neglected in recent western thought.First formulated in ancient Rome, the concept of rights is to be found - not by chance - at the heart of the speculations of thinkers such as Montesquieu, Vico, Hume, and others who set forth the premises for the liberal systems in which, despite many problems, we have the fortune to live.Essential to this analysis is a division of the Greco-Latin binomial, considered indivisible for far too long. These two cultures of the ancient world remain relevant and very close to us as the roots and bases of our contemporary western civilization.However, the author shows that it is a reclaiming of the Latin culture that can pave the way to the Open Society in which, even today, few people can claim to live. He looks at western political thought from Cicero to William of Ockham, re-examining as well much of the best thought of the intervening centuries. He traces progress towards a liberal and truly federated society - the Open Society, which we may regard not as an imposed Utopia but the fruit of history.

This book, weaving together the history and genealogy of the More family and of the other families to which they allied themselves by marriage, provides an illuminating sequel to the various lives that have been written of St Thomas More. It tells the story of what happened to his family in the wake of his heroic witness against the tyranny of Henry VIII and how his descendants, inspired by his faith, were affected by their refusal to conform to the Church of England as, under successive monarchs, England was forcibly transformed from a Catholic into a Protestant country. The story begins with St Thomas More's parents and through his sister Elizabeth traces a line of literary figures that includes John Rastell the printer, playwright, dramatist and designer of pageants, John Heywood the Court musician, dramatist and playwright, and John Donne, the poet.After Thomas More's execution all the members of his immediate and extended family felt the force of Henry's fury. His step-mother and his widow, Dame Alice More, were both thrown out of their homes. His son, John, and son-in-law, William Daunce, both narrowly escaped the scaffold, but Giles Heron, another son-in-law, was executed at Tyburn on a trumped-up charge of treason. Others were called in for questioning and they, and their families, were carefully watched throughout their lives. Some sought refuge in Catholic Europe. Although knighted by Henry VIII, St Thomas More was not a member of the nobility, his male descendants could, however, take pride in the title 'Gentleman' or 'Esquire', and most of the families into which they married - among them the Scropes, the Gages of Firle, the Brookes of Madeley, and the Giffards - were non-conforming families of a similar standing. The book follows each generation down to the time when the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829 finally brought relief from persecution. This is the story of a line of laymen and women, and of priests and nuns, all of whom had a deep faith and a firm resolve that makes them worthy of being listed among the 'Confessors of the Faith' - minor Confessors, maybe, but Confessors nonetheless. Martin Wood is, on his mother's side, a descendant of St Thomas More. He was educated at Ratcliffe College, Leicester, and obtained a degree in theology at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, later qualifying as a teacher at Matlock College of Education. He taught Religious Studies for some years before taking up a career in Child Care with Derbyshire and Leicestershire Social Services.

The sensus fidelium has come to be seen as a key concept in the development of Church doctrine and teaching, and Blessed John Henry Newman as a seminal exponent of it - particularly through On Consulting the Faithful in Matters of Doctrine, his own essay on the topic.Kathleen Kirk provides a useful introduction to the nature of the sensus fidelium: its terms of reference, its history, the views of post-Vatican II theologians on the matter, and how these can be viewed in the context of Newman's own thought and teaching.The sensus fidelium came to have a particular significance for many theologians writing in the aftermath of Pope Paul VI's 1968 encyclical 'On the Regulation of Birth' (Humanae Vitae), and the question of the sensus fidelium in relation to opposition to the Magisterium of the Church is fully explored. From her analysis of the sensus fidelium in the first part of the book Kathleen Kirk shows how there does not at present exist among the faithful as a whole a true sensus fidelium as far as marriage and sexuality are concerned. She takes this further with a study of the sensus fidelium in relation to marriage and sexuality based upon the teaching contained in Pope John Paul II's 'Theology of the Body'. Crucial to that teaching is the existence of marriage as one of the sacraments of the Church (and outside the Church as having a sacramental character), and she demonstrates that it is from awareness of this sacramentality that a study of these Life issues should begin.Kathleen Kirk lives in her native Yorkshire. A barrister of Lincoln's Inn, she has worked as a lawyer in the Civil Service and industry. She studied Theology and Social Studies at Plater College, Oxford, and is an Ascribed Member of the Institute of Charity (the Rosminians).

Edith Stein admitted that there was time when she 'consciously and deliberately lost the habit of praying'. She tells us this because she re-discovered it during the journey which brought her to Carmel. We all need to make our own spiritual way through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, with guides who help us to see the pitfalls and inspire us to persevere. The journey of prayer is one of the great adventures which we should all undertake because it leads us to the mountain which is God himself. In this book we find a sure companion for this journey, showing us how to begin to pray, exploring the many sources of prayer that we may encounter, and sharing the experience of the saints and other spiritual writers from both Eastern and Western Christianity. The great variety of prayer, meditation and mystical experience in the Christian tradition is expertly treated, as well as the many stumbling blocks and obstacles that may come our way. Christian prayer needs to be discovered, or in many cases, rediscovered - it is that mountain waiting to be climbed.It is essential for us today to realize that life is more than the frenzied bustle of activity in which all sometimes find ourselves. We must begin with the interior life ... This is a fine book, drawing from many rich sources in the lives of great spiritual leaders. I commend it to those who are undertaking a serious prayer life for the first time and to those who are looking for a fresh beginning in their own lives of prayer. ¿ John J. Myers, Archbishop of Newark

Mystics in the Making: Lay Women in Today's Church emphasizes the necessity of daily prayer, ongoing spiritual development and loving service based on sound Catholic values. It will help Catholic women (and men) find moral strength and confidence in themselves through living the teachings of Christ and his Church in their daily activities and in striving to be their best. What is seemingly ordinary serves an extraordinary purpose when illuminated by God's light and love. The chapters strengthen the unity and harmony within the Catholic family as a unit, and stress its importance as a witness to Jesus' love, in a society dominated by secular values. This book provides an accurate and easily understandable explanation of Catholic mysticism in today's world, with spiritual and practical applications. On every page, we are reminded of how very much we are loved by God. It will help the reader lead a more Christian, more focused and more accomplished life. Pope Benedict XVI reminds us that our friendship with Jesus Christ is learned in love for Sacred Scripture, in love for the Liturgy, in profound faith, in love for Mary, so as to be ever more truly acquainted with God himself and hence with true happiness, which is the goal of our life.

William Lockhart (1819-92) is one of the forgotten giants of the Victorian Catholic Church. Born into a well-connected and wealthy family, he studied at Oxford and joined Newman's community at Littlemore. An encounter with Fr Luigi Gentili led to his speedy reception into the Church in 1843, occasioning Newman's resignation as Vicar of St Mary's and the famous 'Parting of Friends' sermon. What happened next is less well known. Lockhart joined the Institute of Charity (Rosminians), won fame as a preacher and founded the London parishes of Our Lady and St Joseph, Kingsland and St Etheldreda's, Ely Place. He also wrote a number of controversial works, edited popular Catholic magazines and encouraged young writers such as Alice and Wilfrid Meynell, Edmund Bishop and Baron Corvo. His story is also that of a family who gave everything to the Church; indeed his half-sister, Elizabeth, is recognised as foundress of three religious communities. Lockhart, who called himself 'the first fruits of the Oxford Movement', was closely involved with Cardinal Manning and remained strongly influenced by two remarkable men, both beatified by Pope Benedict XVI: Antonio Rosmini (whose works Lockhart helped translate into English) and John Henry Newman. Nicholas Schofield is currently a parish priest in west London and archivist of the archdiocese of Westminster. His previous publications include A Roman Miscellany; the English in Rome 1550-2000 (as editor) and The English Cardinals and The English Vicars Apostolic (both co-authored with Fr Gerard Skinner).

Drawing on forty years' experience in this ministry, the author shows how prayer helps people to emerge from their past hurts and limitations, and gradually reclaim their real selves under the awesome power of God's love. Powerful testimonies underline his call for the Church to empower clergy and laity to meet the needs of people suffering in a wide range of stressful life situations. The stories of some of the hundreds who have come to his home seeking help indicate how effectively people's needs can be met through ordinary people in parishes, and offer a model for development.People are seeking prayer for inner healing, some travelling long distances. More will come forward as The New Evangelisation gathers pace, especially those who have moved away from the Church, and those practising their faith but who are not sufficiently evangelised. This book shows from Church documents that prayer for inner healing which leads towards greater holiness is an essential part of evangelisation, yet this ministry is only rarely available and receives scant, if any, attention in seminaries.Some readers will wish to consider their own lives in the light of the insights and testimonies shared, and seek healing for themselves. Others will realise that they themselves have the capacity and calling to become involved in the ministry of healing. Those in a position to institute change at a higher level within the Church will find suggestions as to how the structures of the Church can respond to the needs of all its people. Priests and religious need prayer for inner healing as well as lay people.Part healing handbook, part honest autobiography, part powerful witness and teaching, this book is wholly focused on spirituality, the chances we have to gain freedom through Christ, and on how the Church can and should help.

¿ Can we have certainty? ¿ Is the universe due to chance, or is it designed? ¿ Does God exist? ¿ Has each of us a soul that survives after death? ¿ Are there unchanging moral laws by which we should live?This book examines these and many other questions from the standpoint of reason. It drawson the wisdom of the past, and especially the perennial philosophy of which St ThomasAquinas is the greatest representative, using these insights to discuss topics affecting us all.A lucid picture is presented of the philosophies which have followed each other through thecenturies, down to current postmodernism. Their main features are critically examined andtheir implications for life and thought are considered, giving the reader a means to critiquemodern civilization.John Young maintains that clarity and certainty about fundamental realities may be achieved through the exercise of human reason. His exposition is clear, while never oversimplifying the issues, and canbe followed by the average person with careful and thoughtful reading. It will be of special value to students engaged in tertiary studies.True philosophy, Young argues, arises from an innate power of reasoning accessible toeveryone, which it clarifies and deepens, bringing a formation of mind achievable in no otherway and a unique insight into the greatest realities. A sound grounding in realist philosophy isurgently needed today, when confusion abounds. Here is an excellent guide to the essentials and unity of the subject, clearly and simply written.John Young, a graduate of the Aquinas Academy in Sydney, Australia, has taught philosophy in four seminaries and to adult education groups. He has published hundreds of articles on philosophy, theology and economics, and is the author of the books Reasoning Things Out, Catholic Thinking and The Natural Economy.

As the sanctity of John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801-1890) finally receives formal recognition by the Church, there is ever more interest in this very English of priests. Based on extensive study of Newman's letters, diaries and private journals, this highly readable biography reveals much about the man who became a Cardinal, but particularly Newman's role in the regeneration of English Catholicism. Newman's intellectual and spiritual fecundity, his radical approach to understanding doctrine and his championship of the laity was of enormous importance. It profoundly influenced the Second Vatican Council and continues in its impact on the Church today.In this book full weight is given to Newman's formative Oxford and Anglican years,of which his Catholic life and Oratorian ministry was in so many ways a fulfilment. Newman's many roles are thoroughly explored - as preacher, theologian, hymn writer, educationalist, controversialist, champion of the laity, and, above all, as priest and man of prayer.The need for a popular introduction and work of synthesis to Newman scholarship for the non-specialist was never greater than it is today. Professor Chisnall has provided just such a work. While this is not primarily a study of Newman as a thinker or writer, Chisnall has produced an admirably balanced and exhaustive biographical survey of Newman's long life and religious journey, with all its drama and vicissitudes ... The great strength of Chisnall's work is his mastery of and extensive citations from the vast corpus of Newman's extant letters. Newman himself would have fully approved of this approach, being convinced that 'a man's life lies in his letters'. Some commentators on Newman hardly let him 'speak', so anxious are they to parade their own interpretations and to make Newman 'relevant'. In happy contrast to this, Professor Chisnall's full, though judicious use of quotation from Newman's letters, allows the reader to catch something of Newman's authentic voice during the many controversies in which he was involved during his long and sometimes painful religious journey. Peter NocklesDr Peter M. Chisnall has worked in industry and consultancy, and held academic posts in both Manchester and Dublin. He has previously published books on enterprise development, the health and social needs of the disabled, and consumer and corporate behaviour. He has made a special study of the life and writings of Newman.

Carthusian spirituality and wisdom have a great attraction for our age.The goal of Carthusian life is union with God in Love. A union as profound and continual as is possible in this life. It has its source in God who is the first to call us to intimacy with Him. The Carthusian's life, the Carthusian's love, is a response to that Love - cultivating solitude, silence, poverty, chastity, obedience, fraternal charity, spiritual reading, study, work and, above all, prayer. Prayer of adoration, praise and intercession. This book is written as a guide to help the beginner during his first months in the Charterhouse. It is a practical introduction for the aspirant to the Carthusian life, providing guidelines of orientation to help during the first steps in solitude as well as essential themes of spiritual formation. Following the young monk, listening in complete openness to God who speaks in the depth of his heart, the reader outside the monastery can gain an insight into this powerful spirituality and the silence of a heart in love.Other books of classic Carthusian spirituality published by Gracewing include The Call of Silent Love, Early Carthusian Writings, Interior Prayer, The Prayer of Love and Silence, They Speak by Silences, The Way of Silent Love and The Wound of Love.

First published ten years ago, The Path to Rome has since established itself as a classic of its kind. Largely ignored by the mainstream media, the impressive flow of conversions to the Catholic Church which took place in the last two decades of the twentieth century has shown no sign of abating in this new millennium. This new edition re-groups the established stories and gathers a fresh collection from a wider range of contributors.The Path to Rome has helped a great many people towards the fullness of Catholic Faith, and this new edition continues the tradition. Comments from readers of the first edition:I'm still not sure why I took a copy but it is the most marvellous book, very moving and powerful. I'm a cradle Catholic very much struggling with my own doubts about Christ and the Church - so much of the book speaks very directly to that.Every person moving towards the Catholic Church should have this book.It has been a wonderful read, and has made me appreciate even more the beauty of my Catholic faith.Fr Dwight Longenecker, editor of the first edition of Path to Rome, is Chaplain of St Joseph's Catholic School in Greenville, South Carolina. He is the author of numerous books and articles as well as being the creator of Standing on My Head - an influential Catholic weblog. He was for many years an Anglican priest in the South of England before being received into the Church in 1995.Cyprian Blamires works part-time for the St Barnabas Society, a Catholic charity, and is also a historian, editor, and translator.