We have evidence from 1209 about a man of twenty-seven who became famous. We refer to him today as Francis of Assisi. (Assisi was a modest if ambitious city in Umbria, central Italy.) The evidence of 1209 lies in a few words Francis and several companions wrote down. They worded clearly what they intended to do. Their several sentences developed in the following weeks and months, as they kept to their original resolve. The text reached a complete form in 1215. In the following years it too...

The Anguish of Adolescence is a timely read for anyone looking to understand and support today’s teenagers, especially those grappling with anxiety, depression, and spiritual disconnect. As mental health issues surge, this highlights the importance of offering the gospel of peace to emerging generations yearning for hope.Teens face overwhelming pressures from social media and rapid cultural changes, often resulting in a growing disconnect from traditional family structures and relig...

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is something that affects kids and families all over the world. This book can kickstart the journey to a better understanding of autism and those who live with it. It dives into what it's like to live with autism while reminding us that at the core, we're not that different from one another after all.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is something that affects kids and families all over the world. This book can kickstart the journey to a better understanding of autism and those who live with it. It dives into what it's like to live with autism while reminding us that at the core, we're not that different from one another.Core themes in this book:Belonging, Loneliness, Normal, PositivityMeet ...

Privatization and the New Medical Pluralism is the first collection of its kind to explore the contemporary terrain of healthcare in Guatemala through reflective ethnography. This volume offers a nuanced portrait of the effects of healthcare privatization for indigenous Maya people, who have historically endured numerous disparities in health and healthcare access. The collection provides an updated understanding of medical pluralism, which concerns not only the tensions and exchanges betw...

The riveting story of Pope St. Celestine V, the pope who retired from the papacy.At the close of the tumultuous Middle Ages, there lived a man who seemed destined from birth to save the world. His name was Peter Morrone, a hermit, a founder of a religious order, and, depending on whom you talk to, a reformer, an instigator, a prophet, a coward, a saint, and possibly the victim of murder. A stroke of fate would, practically overnight, transform this humble servant of God into the mo...

"I recommend this book strongly to anyone serious about understanding Francis of Assisi. I admire the clarity and brevity of the writing. With decisiveness, Thompson cuts through the conflicting medieval accounts of each event in Francis' life, adjusts for the hagiographers' spin and creates a credible chronology out of the blurry dates. His knowledge of medieval Italy allows him to provide insightful explanations of the legal, liturgical, and ecclesiastical practices of the time."...

During four years in session, Vatican Council II held television audiences rapt with its elegant, magnificently choreographed public ceremonies, while its debates generated front-page news on a near-weekly basis. By virtually any assessment, it was the most important religious event of the twentieth century, with repercussions that reached far beyond the Catholic church. Remarkably enough, this is the first book, solidly based on official documentation, to give a brief, readable account of...

An "intellectually satisfying, and spiritually moving," argument for a questioning, conscience-driven faith, by a New York Times bestselling author ( Booklist).Pulitzer Prize winner Garry Wills has been asked more than once why he remains in the Church, especially in the wake of his bestselling book Papal Sins, which examined the darker side of the religion's history. In Why I Am a Catholic, he offers some persuasive and heartfel...

From the founder and editor of Inside the Vatican magazine, the world's most well-informed, comprehensive monthly on the Roman Catholic Church, comes this enlightening introduction to the life and spiritual teachings of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, the first Pope of the Americas.On March, 13, 2013, 115 Cardinals elected for the first time a Pope from outside of Europe. Pope Francis, a native of Argentina, is not just the first Pope from the Southern Hem...

Saint Augustine -- the celebrated theologian who served as Bishop of Hippo from 396 C.E. until his death in 430 C.E. -- is widely regarded as one of the most influential thinkers in the Western world. His autobiography, Confessions, remains among the most important religious writings in the Christian tradition. In this eye-opening and eminently readable biography, renowned historical scholar James J. O'Donnell picks up where Augustine himself left off to offer a fascinating, in-de...

A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the YearA Tablet Book of the YearMarking a departure in our understanding of Christian views of the afterlife from 250 to 650 CE, The Ransom of the Soul explores a revolutionary shift in thinking about the fate of the soul that occurred around the time of Rome’s fall. Peter Brown describes how this shift transformed the Church’s institutional relationship to money and set the stage for its domination of mediev...