Books published by Paraclete Press

Best-selling Catholic author Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle encourages Catholic families to reclaim a significant tradition: setting apart Sundays as a day of worship, true rest, teaching, and simply spending precious time together. In fifty-two creative chapters Donna-Marie presents fun and meaningful ideas for all fifty-two weeks of the year inspired by the seasons (both natural and liturgical), holidays, Saints days, and holy Scripture, to help keep Sundays holy, just as God said we should!

Glory Happening is a book of stories and prayers that remind us to take a closer look at our everyday circumstances, to find the magic and beauty in ordinary experiences. Kaitlin B. Curtice invites the reader to live deeply in every moment with the expectation that something good will find us at the end of the day. "e;Glory Happening inspires us to find the divine in every aspect of life, and gifts us with the opportunity to embrace and mirror the gracious reality of God and glory in our midst."e; -Richard Rohr"e;With the insights of a prophet and the attention of a poet, Kaitlin Curtice invites the reader to see the world fresh, in all its everyday glory."e; -Rachel Held Evans, author of Searching for Sunday and A Year of Biblical WomanhoodIn this book, the author walks with us into the heart of glory, asking what it means to find sacred spaces in everything. Her young, indigenous voice brings a fresh perspective of lyrical prayer and storytelling to the world. -Brian McLaren, Author of The Great Spiritual MigrationKaitlin B. Curtice was born with a set of eyes that see beyond the ordinary. She sees beauty and holiness in mess, mayhem, and monotonous routine. She sees miracles in darkness. She sees hope in human heartache and promise in dead ends. -Rachel Macy Stafford, New York Times bestselling author of Hands Free Mama and Only Love Today Accept the invitation - invest in the glory that surrounds you!Open your eyes to the Kingdom as it comes everyday through stories and prayers, quotidian observances and divine revelations.

From the author of the new BIG BOOK OF CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM comes an engaging look at how the principles and practices of Christian mysticism are illustrated in C. S. Lewis's Narnia series. The Lion, The Mouse and The Dawn Treader shows the reader how C. S. Lewis was guided by two "e;templates"e; in writing Dawn Treader: first, an ancient Celtic folktale known as the immram, or wondrous sea-voyage, in which great saints like Brendan the Navigator sought to reach paradise itself. But on another level, Lewis also built his adventure story around the traditional stages of the Christian life: from initial resistance to God's grace, to discovering how sin enslaves us and "e;turns us into dragons,"e; to experiencing both the relief found in Christ and the cleansing waters of baptism. From this period of purgation the story turns to the illuminating adventures of resisting further temptation, to exploring silence (and learning how to deal with distractions, or "e;Dufflepuds"e;), to a final terrifying journey to the "e;Island of Darkness"e; (the dark night of the soul). The final stage of union begins with a Eucharistic feast at Aslan's Table where an ancient star and his lovely daughter sing joyfully every morning. As the Dawn Treader sails beyond where the stars sing, the travelers find a world of wonders, characterized by light, and clarity, and finally the encounter with Aslan - Christ - himself. This book will delight fans of C. S. Lewis with new insights into one of his classic stories, and will also help the more casual reader (and movie-goer) to understand the rich meaning behind this charming children's adventure. The Lion, The Mouse and The Dawn Treader is an amazing, thoroughly inspiring adventure. The Narnia stories are not just for children, but if you want help to assist children (or anyone) to understand their depth, read this book! You can touch the whole journey of the Christian search for God - and likely be spurred toward renewal in your own life - by getting on this Narnian ship. - Trina Paulus, author of Hope for the FlowersProduct Reviews for The Lion, The Mouse, and The Dawn Treader: Spiritual Lessons from C.S. Lewis's Narnia

A selection of luminous texts from early mystical fathers and mothers, whose words are considered inexhaustible, generative powers, unites in their common claim that Love is the most compelling name of God. $10,000 ad/promo.

"e;In a society where my generation is often mischaracterized or misunderstood by parents and those around them, assumed to be irreligious, cynical, and jaded, I intend to depict it as I see it: which is to say a generation lying just at the door of faith, having rejected everything but faith itself. Having assumed everything to be meaningless, we are very close to accepting God as the only source of meaning."e; - Marjorie CorbmanIn this candid, thought-provoking account, seventeen-year-old Marjorie Corbman teaches the rest of us something about faith. She recounts her own experiences as well as those of many of her friends, dismantling with remarkable transparency and grace the misconceptions surrounding today's teenagers. Chapters focus on issues and experiences that Corbman and her peers are searching for - such as intimacy, tradition, eternity, community, justice, escape - and how each relates to what Corbman calls "e;the one thing needful"e; - faith. Much has been written about teenagers, from self-help books for parents to young adult novels, but very little has been written by teens themselves. This is a book that is sorely needed, both for adults wishing to understand today's kids, and also for those teenagers who wish to assign some meaning to their beliefs, sufferings, and searching.

Paul Mariani has spent fifty years writing poetry that celebrates the vibrant sacramentality of life in the twilight of Modernity, and writing the lives of some of our greatest modern poets. This is a life-spanning collection of his prose explorations of what it means to be a person of wonder and imagination.

Sharing monastic wisdom as well as stories from their own lives, this Benedictine monk and Catholic laywoman reveal the true meaning of hospitality.

This essential introduction to Judaism's notions of spirit as they relate to God is designed to inform both Jews and Christians who are studying what it means when we say that God is spirit. Exploring the Hebrew Bible, Midrash, and other rabbinic writings, Rabbi Timoner uncovers surprising insights about how God as spirit influences Jewish ideas of creation, revelation, and redemption. Written with an accessible and engaging voice, full of stories and relevant teachings, Breath of Life speaks to lay readers and scholars alike, as it pursues a new perspective on Judaism's sacred texts. This book promises Christian readers meaningful insights on their own notions of God as Holy Spirit while giving Jewish readers a new look at their own tradition. "e;In easy but deceptively profound language, Rachel Timoner deftly savors the essential unknowability of God, the ubiquity of Torah and the mystery of redemption. She's given us an immensely literate and serious, contemporary Jewish theology. Breath of Life is a spiritual tour de force."e; -Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, Scholar in residence at Congregation Emanu-El of San Francisco, and author of many books including Kabbalah: A Love Story"e;Any reader keen to cultivate a robust spirituality should read this little book. Jews and Christians may discover here something to talk about-scriptures we share and a quality of God we have in common."e; -John R. (Jack) Levison, author of Filled with the Spirit; Professor of New Testament, Seattle Pacific University

Above all, Francois Fenelon desired to love God. Out of this love came a desire to share the truth of a life lived in the light of the Cross. His individual writings document his desire to find truth through the love of his Creator; corporately, they comprise a masterpiece of a recorded spiritual journey.The Royal Way of the Cross is written with an unblinking honesty that distinguishes it from the murky intellectualism that pervaded the time, and it is this truthfulness that gives this work its enduring appeal. Arrestingly written, The Royal Way is an exceptional account of a man who saw the hand of God in all things and was intimately acquainted with "the royal way of the Cross."

Although the Song of Songs, a brief book in the old Testament, contains no explicit mention of God, the passionate love poetry became for Bernard a springboard into a major exposition of Scripture and an illuminated allegory of the spiritual life. Simply said, this gentle Saint found God incarnate in every word.This volume containing excerpts from each of Bernard's 86 sermons, joins the Paraclete Christian Classics Series, a highly acclaimed series devoted to making the great writers of the faith accessible to today's readers. Offering a fascinating glimpse of Christian theology, these writings encourage us to open ourselves to a new experience of love—the transforming and all-fulfilling embrace of God.e.

Sonnets are familiar to us, but not relevant. What do they have to do with our fast-paced, tech-driven, ever-shrinking contemporary world? But what if the sonnet—invented 700 years ago—could come back like a cat with nine lives?  A sonnet in the twenty-first century might serve as a sacramental form, calling us from our work-mad lives to quietness and reflection.     In Pilgrim, You Find the Path by Walking, Jeanne Murray Walker invites the reader to join her on a journey told in 58 colloquial sonnets, beginning in the slangy streets of New York and ending in the holiness of silence and praise. Stops on the journey include reflections on death and grief, but also praise for a migrating butterfly, a knock on the door, the astonishing ocean.  This book is designed to be used as a devotional and read slowly; to be both a book of poetry and a spiritual companion.       

Presents an overview of angels according to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, for readers who are interested in ancient, medieval, and Renaissance history and theology, as well as those who are intrigued by what is unusual or hidden in traditional religion.

This meaningful book of prayers and devotions by J. Wilmer Gresham, the former Dean of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, is comparable to Oswald Chamber's My Utmost for His Highest. Dean Greshan's reflections on the healing power of Christ hold a poignancy that can only come from one whose knowledge is gleaned from a lifetime of personal experience.

How do we find God in a busy and noisy world? The Mystery of Love is a collection of "starting points" to inspire prayer and meditation, by one of the spiritual masters of our age. Reflecting on love, faith, prayer, and other mysteries of the Christian faith, Cardinal Hume draws us closer to the God who loves us more than we can imagine.

Fr. Anthony Delisi guides through the depths of what it really means to follow Jesus' instructions for prayer. This book is for all who have had trouble praying because memories, family, loves, concerns life - gets in the way.

These daily inspirational reflections will guide you to openness to yourself, and to God.

Short, memorable, daily doses of the Bible work like vitamins in your life!Take one a day. Take them to improve your health and well-being. You won't usually see results immediately, and their positive effect may be subtle, but they will work inside of you to make you healthy. A good Bible verse stays in your system, providing nutrients and help when you need it most.Uplifting and inspiringA positive start to every dayFor anyone curious about the Bible"The selections, from all books of the Bible, provide an appealing gateway back to the 'Good Book.'" -Unity Magazine

Reflecting on the relationship of the Holy Spirit to the Church, the world, and the human person, Giver of Life looks to the impressive biblical and liturgical tradition of Orthodox Christianity. Weighty in content but accessible in tone, it is not an academic study of the mind but a lived experience of the heart.

Blasting the facade that sometimes makes Christianity into pretty promises and plastic grace, Joy Jordan-Lake considers the uncomfortable path of genuine faith.

This volume represents a contemporary English edition of John's rarely published work, "Ascent of Mount Carmel," a commentary on his entire spiritual vision.

Learn to pray the Liturgy of the Hours in the Benedictine monastic tradition.

The most engaging collection of the French mystics' writings now availableTwenty-first century Christians are now discovering the wisdom of this controversial theologian and spiritual thinker. Fenelon showed how it was possible to have devotion and faith in the original Age of Reason. In many respects, rationality still rules today in religion and culture, and as a result, Fenelon speaks to modern Christians wanting deeper faith and a meaningful inner life. His writings have never been as accessible as they are now in these lively new translations. The Complete Fnelon includes more than one hundred of Fenelon's letters of spiritual counsel, as well as meditations on eighty-five other topics. Also translated here into English for the first time are Fenelon's personal reflections on twenty-one seasons and holidays of the Christian year. An introduction from bestselling translator Robert J. Edmonson and in-depth recommended reading and bibliography make this the first place to start in any study of Francois Fenelon. Franois Fnelon was a seventeenth-century French archbishop who rose to a position of influence in the court of Louis XIV. Amid the splendor and decadence of Versailles, Fnelon became a wise mentor to many members of the king's court. Later exiled for political reasons, he set out to improve the lot of peasants of his diocese. His letters of counsel and spiritual meditations have found a wide audience for more than three centuries.

From the time she was a young child, Catherine of Siena sought God ceaselessly in both contemplation and action. By the time she was twenty-one, she had experienced her mystical "e;marriage"e; to Christ, and had thrown herself tirelessly into ministering to the poor and the sick. Throughout her active ministry, Catherine pursued eternal Truth through prayer, reading, and ecstatic experiences. While in a trance, Catherine dictated The Dialogues-presented here in contemporary English. In this intense and searching work, the saint of Siena offers up petitions to God, filling her conversation with instruction on discernment, true and false spiritual emotion, obedience, and truth, and revealing her famous image of Christ as the Bridge. Catherine's brilliant insights into the nature of the spiritual life and the character of the Church will motivate contemporary Christians to unite a life of prayer with a life of action.

When we open the New Testament to ask how to live as Christians, we find the story of Jesus calling disciples and training them to collaborate with him. The Gospel of Matthew asks us to join in the ongoing story of the One who fulfills God's redemptive plan and promises to be with us always. Discipleship is life with Jesus, for Jesus, in partnership with Jesus. Partnering with the King presents thirty-one readings in Matthew to be read by individuals daily for a month or by groups weekly from fall to spring - especially appropriate in the liturgical Year of Matthew. For newcomers to faith, the book can serve as an introduction to the Christian life. For more seasoned Christians, it will be a source of renewal and vision.

Includes new translations of Madame Guyon's popular A Short and Easy Method of Prayer, biblical commentary on the Song of Songs, poetry, and more.

Jobe reads the Bible through the lens of her back-to-back pregnancies and finds that God shows up in pregnancy when we least expect it. Weaving together biblical reflection, her own story, and the stories of the moms around her, Jobe reveals the ways in which pregnancy is at the heart of God's work in the world.

A thorough introduction to the saint's life; The Story of a Soul unabridged; a rarely seen description of the saint's final days from the Sisters of the Lisieux Carmel; over seventy firsthand anecdotes recounted by the Sisters; a comprehensive selection of prayers, letters, and poems written by Therese.

This thoughtful book is arranged for daily reading in the hectic run-up to Christmas- enabling readers to focus more on God's presence now than on some imagined future. Using examples of biblical characters with whom the candles on the Advent wreath are traditionally associated, the author helps us to discover very different kinds of waiting.

"In a world that keeps asking us to go higher and faster, how do we begin to go deeper, into the place where God lives and moves and has His being within us?" -Robert Benson