Books published by Paraclete Press (MA)

Saints at Heart presents an engaging picture of the spiritual life as shown in the experience and writings of the saints. The title announces the book's double theme: the lives of holy men and women who have consecrated their lives to God, and to the possibility of our following them and also dedicating our hearts to God. Readers will discover in this book well-told and appealing stories of women and men, ordinary human beings like themselves, who knew God and whose lives as a consequence radiated light, love, and joy. Each story presents the core message of a saint's life and highlights an important spiritual path that readers will be encouraged to follow.

I Loved Jesus in the Night is one priest's compelling account of meeting with the Saint of Calcutta. Sharing anecdotes and first-hand experiences, Paul Murray offers a glimpse into why Mother Teresa could declare, in one of her letters, that if ever she were to "become a saint," she would surely be one of "darkness."This very personal yet powerful book is an attempt to come to terms with the dark night experiences endured by Mother Teresa in the light of the Gospel and the mystical teachings of St. John of the Cross. And something else as well--revelations of Mother Teresa's sense of humor!"This book is easy to read and gives insights into the spiritual life and relationship with Jesus that drove this carrier of God's love to serve the poorest of the poor." --Catholic Missourian

Wing Over Wing clears a path in the midst of everyday life to reveal the holy--whether catching fireflies at night, waiting at a bus stop, or experiencing the death of a loved one. This collection of beautiful poems lives at the intersection of the sacred and the ordinary, from the swirling flight of birds to conversations with the homeless. Wing Over Wing brims with compassion. The reader will find comfort and sustenance, as well as surprise and laughter, in these pages.

A profound little book. Fr Dajczer explains Jesus'' s extraordinary love for mankind in shedding his blood on the cross that we might be saved, and in the revelation of Jesus''s love for each of us in the Eucharist

This collection offers a rich harvest taken from one season in the poet's creative life. Like movements in a musical composition, these poems share leitmotifs ¿ grief and the desire to honor those "saints" who have passed on; the sacramental power of nature; and, how works of art illuminate and console as they do. They point to the tension between the practice of monastic silence and the urge to bear witness, interrogating faith in the light of crises facing the earth and our human community. At the same time, the poet celebrates encounters that offer blessings of hope, inviting us to join her in a pilgrimage that leads us, with her, "this far," and gestures to what lies beyond.

Would you like to meet the real Mary of Nazareth? The real Mary was an unmarried, pregnant teenage girl in first-century Palestine. She was a woman of courage, humility, spirit and resolve, and her response to the angel Gabriel shifted the tectonic plates of history.Popular biblical scholar Scot McKnight explores the contours of Mary's life from the moment she learned of God's plan for the Messiah to the culmination of Christ's ministry on earth. Dismantling the myths and challenging our prejudices, the author introduces us to a woman who is a model for faith and who points us to her son.

Are you able to forgive those who have hurt you?If you find it difficult to forgive, this book is your encouragement.If you re having trouble accepting forgiveness for something you have done, this is your inspiration.With honesty, writing about her own failings, Paula Huston examines the intellectual, psychological, social, and spiritual meanings of forgiveness. She asks tough questions and then offers possible solutions, drawing a portrait of a truly forgiving person.One of Jesus most mind-boggling declarations is that we who hope to follow him must first be willing to forgive the people who have hurt us. Not only does this injunction show up at the heart of the prayer he offers to his disciples ( Give us this day our daily bread ) but he restates it as a requirement for salvation: If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions. (Mt. 6:11-15)He also tells us that if we wish to live in relationship with God, we must first seek forgiveness from those we ve hurt: Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (Mt. 5:23-24). Our damaged relationships with other people, especially when we are responsible for that damage, have a direct effect on our friendship with God. "

Whether your spiritual life is in shambles or your faith is robust, whether you attend church or not, are angry at God or resting in God's embrace, you will discover in this book a path to authentic faith sifted through intense joy and disheartening loss, through breathtaking experiences and the nearly hidden reality of the Spirit tucked away in everyday life. In Holy Spirit, I Pray, you'll meet the Holy Spirit as you never have before--in prayers of uncanny candor and surprising beauty. Each raw, honest prayer is accompanied by the Scripture texts that inspired it."Jack Levison studies, meditates, prays, and writes of the place of the Holy Spirit in our lives with more skill and understanding than anyone I know." -Eugene Peterson, author/translator of The Message

Excerpted in Image Magazine - No. 90This collection of poems explores the saints of the church's history and contemporary persons who embody something of their charism. Three sections are arranged around the themes of the three "theological virtues" faith, portrayed as a source of strength in times of trial; hope, the darkest in the book, dealing with matters of the body's frailty, illness, social discrimination, and the search for a way to live within the constraints of society; and love, offering a panoply of outward-looking characters who give to others in radical or personal ways. The volume ends with a cycle of Franciscan poems that offer a model for the Christian life, not simply in terms of individual moments but also as a complete life-cycle of practice and prayer.Communion of Saints represents an unlikely achievement: deeply spiritual and delicate poems that speak directly to our modern moment.--Yehoshua November, author of God's Optimism

How did the maestro advise the young violinist?There is a story of a young violinist who had an audition at Carnegie Hall. As she hurriedly exited the subway, she was momentarily disoriented. To her relief, she saw an old man with a violin under his arm and thought that surely he would know."Sir, can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?" she asked."Practice," he said, with a grin.It's the same way with Catholic spirituality--growing in faith is all about practice.This collection by today's most respected Catholic writers offers a compendium of these practices, traditional and contemporary, that can enable us to sustain and grow a vibrant spiritual life. This must-have volume will quickly become a trusted companion for an entire lifetime of engagement with the beauty and richness of the Catholic faith.Contents: Catholic Spirituality in Practice / Colleen M. GriffithPractices of Prayer The Lord's Prayer / N. T. WrightPraying with the Saints / Elizabeth A. Johnson, CSJThe Jesus Prayer / Joseph Wong, OSB, CAMIntercessory Prayer / Ann Ulanov and Barry UlanovCentering Prayer / Joseph G. SandmanThe Rosary/ Thomas H. GroomeLiturgy of the Hours / Elizabeth CollierPraying with Images / Colleen M. GriffithEveryday Prayers / Compiled by Thomas H. GroomePractices of CareLiving the Sacramental Principle / Esther de WaalPracticing Hospitality / Ana Maria Pineda, RSMPracticing Forgiveness / Marjorie J. ThompsonFamily Life as Spiritual Practice / Wendy M. WrightDia de los Muertos / Alex Garcia-RiveraPracticing Care for the Environment / United States Conference of Catholic BishopsPractices of Spiritual GrowthThe Ignatian Examen / Dennis Mamm, SJSpiritual Direction / Kathleen FischerRetreats / Anne LutherLectio Divina / Sandra M. Schneiders, IHMDiscernment / David LonsdaleEucharistic Adoration / Brian E. Daley, SJThe Angelus / Thomas H. GroomeStations of the Cross / Thomas H. GroomeFasting / Joan Chittister, OSBThanksgiving after Communion / Thomas H. GroomeSpiritual Practice Goes Digital / Barbara RadtkeConclusion: Keep on Practicing, You'll Get Better at It / Thomas H. Groome

Designed for any 21st-century Christian, this prayer book gathers prayers and rituals from the ancient Church (especially early Greek Christianity), re-presenting them for the use of Christians at home, in small prayer groups, cohorts, and house churches. It offers a structure of prayer offices and blessing rituals for all times of day and year, and articulates many religious needs including bereavement, house blessing, praise, worry, gratitude, and thanksgiving.

"There is a warm and confident practicality in Atwell's teaching. He is the grandparent one always wanted, and the fellow adventurer who understands."- Emilie Griffin, author of Turning, Clinging, and Doors into Prayer, from the forewordMore and more people are living into old age--that's a fact. With our careers winding down and our children having left home, we are faced, sometimes for the first time in our lives, with the most basic questions about the meaning of life. This book is a spiritual guide for just such times, and an opportunity to make the most of the last quarter of a good life.