Sacramental Forgiveness as a Gift of God


Book Description

What is the theological place of the Holy Spirit with respect to the forgiveness of sins in the sacrament of penance? This study examines the role of the Spirit in the theology of sacramental forgiveness of Thomas Aquinas (1224/5-1274), who is often blamed for the "Geistvergessenheit" of Western theology. In the first part of this study it is shown that in Thomas' theology notions like guilt and forgiveness function within the context of a relationship of friendship between God and human beings. Constitutive for this relationship is the indwelling of God, which is 'appropriated' to the Holy Spirit. It is explained that Thomas understands appropriation, i.e. the practice of ascribing to divine Persons individually what belongs to the divine essence in general, as a part of proper God-talk, which takes into account the limitations of our language vis-a-vis God. In the second part of this study, it is argued that the notion of the causality of the sacrament of penance, i.e. that it effects the forgiveness of sins that it signifies, can only be evaluated properly if the sacrament of penance is not only seen as prolongation of the incarnation, i.e. the visible mission of the Son, but also as accompanied by the continous invisible mission of the Holy Spirit. Eric Luijten (1964) has been a research-fellow of the Catholic Theological University at Utrecht, the Netherlands, and at present is rector of studies of the Arienskonvikt, the priest seminary of the archdiocese Utrecht and the diocese Groningen.




Handing on the Faith


Book Description

Annual Volume #59 of the College Theology Society, this book of collected essays will explore the theme of how theology and catechesis interact. Is theology “handing on the faith,” or is the vocation of the theologian something more/different? What are the challenges and convergences for theology and catechesis in the classroom?

Consisting of fifteen essays originally delivered as papers at the College Theology Society annual meeting in Omaha, NE in May 2013, this book will offer the reflections and analyses of teachers across a broad spectrum of experience, background, and personal convictions vis-à-vis the importance of catechesis in the college classroom.




United States Catholic Catechism for Adults


Book Description

Includes bibliographical references (pages 540-542) and indexes.




Abandonment to Divine Providence


Book Description

God is to be found in the simplest of our daily activities and especially through total surrender to whatever is His will for each of us. That is the message of this 18th-century inspirational classic by Jean-Pierre de Caussade. Its encouragement to live in the present moment, accepting everyday obstacles with humility and love, has guided generations of seekers to spiritual peace and holiness. In this timeless spiritual classic, de Caussade presents the simple, profound gospel message that Jesus lived and taught: My meat is to do the will of my Father in heaven. The author states, The will of God gives to all things a supernatural and divine value for the soul submitting to it. The duties it imposes and those it contains become holy and perfect because everything it touches shares its divine character.This special volume of the famous spiritual treatise also includes the many insightful letters of Father de Caussade on the practice of self-abandonment. These numerous letters provide a great additional source of wisdom and much practical guidance for how to grow in abandonment and to deepen our union with God in our daily lives.De Caussade shows that this practice of self-abandonment to God's will is the key to attaining true peace and virtue, and that it is readily available to all people - from beginners to those well advanced in the spiritual life. He also shows how to determine what God's will is for us. He reveals that it is not extraordinary feats that God expects for our growth in holiness, but rather heroic attention to every detail in our lives and humble acceptance of our daily lot in life as coming from His hand. The rich spiritual lessons in this book have stood the test of time, offering real and practical assistance to all people because its message is simple and clear, one that the reader will find to be a rare treasure of inspiration and direction to be referred to again and again.




The Catholic Thing


Book Description

The Catholic "thing" - the concrete historical reality of Catholicism as a presence in human history - is the richest cultural tradition in the world. It values both faith and reason, and therefore has a great deal to say about politics and economics, war and peace, manners and morals, children and families, careers and vocations, and many other perennial and contemporary questions. In addition, it has inspired some of the greatest art, music, and architecture, while offering unparalleled human solidarity to tens of millions through hospitals, soup kitchens, schools, universities, and relief services. This volume brings together some of the very best commentary on a wide range of recent events and controversies by some of the very best Catholic writers in the English language: Ralph McInerny, Michael Novak, Fr. James V. Schall, Hadley Arkes, Robert Royal, Anthony Esolen, Brad Miner, George Marlin, David Warren, Austin Ruse, Francis Beckwith, and many others. Their contributions cover large Catholic subjects such as philosophy and theology, liturgy and Church dogma, postmodern culture, the Church and modern politics, literature, and music. But they also look into specific contemporary problems such as religious liberty, the role of Catholic officials in public life, growing moral hazards in bio-medical advances, and such like. The Catholic Thing is a virtual encyclopedia of Catholic thought about modern life.




Reconciliation and Justification


Book Description

Reconciliation and Justification offers a thorough historical and theological background on reconciliation and justification. It is an excellent textbook for theology, a good stimulus for discussion, and a significant contribution to all theological libraries. Since Vatican II the sacrament of reconciliation has met with both successes and difficulties. Author Kenan B. Osborne, O.F.M., contends that one of the main reasons for difficulty with the renewal of this sacrament is that it lacks the integration of justification theology. He outlines key issues on justification within the biblical theology of St. Paul and traces the historical, theological, and liturgical developments from the first century to the present. Thus, Fr. Osborne enriches our conception of reconciliation through these reflective christological and ecclesiological dimensions.




Love and Care for the Marginalized


Book Description

Love and Care for the Marginalized is a 40-day meditational for Catholics based on reflections from popes, saints, religious leaders, movie quotes, and others on how God speaks to each of us about the importance of outreaching to those who have been hurt, rejected, and marginalized. Whether you are on the giving or receiving end in terms of marginalization, we have all experienced the world's treatment of those who are uncared for and unloved. Each meditation includes a quote, reflection, a prayer, and a call to action. The book is based on the command of Christ in the Biblical book of Matthew 25 where Jesus talks about the importance of loving and caring for those in greatest need and acting on their behalf. This book will help the reader to reflect upon the importance of making a difference for those who are alone, rejected and forgotten. The book was born out of much reflection, thought and most of all, prayer.




My Catholic Worship!


Book Description

With Nihil Obstat & Imprimatur. You are called to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is not an option if we want to be a Christian! It’s a command of love from God and is an invitation to share in His divine life. We should hear those words and soak them up desiring to fulfill them in our daily life. How do we do this? How do we love God with everything we are? To say with all your “heart, mind and soul” means everything! It means all that we are. Our whole being. So loving God in the way we are called to requires a very radical commitment on our part. It requires that we are “all in” so to speak. So, again, how do we do this? The key is worship! To worship God is to love God in the way we are called to love. To worship God means that He is indeed the God of our life and nothing else gets in the way. It means we allow our heart, soul and mind to become immersed in God and filled with His presence. This is worship. And it’s our calling in life. Worship is prayer. It’s true prayer. But it’s not only a prayer we offer at church or at a specific prayer time. Rather, we are called to worship God 24/7 in all that we do and all that we are. We cannot set specific times of worship and times when we do not worship. It’s a calling to constantly be in God’s presence surrendering all to Him. This book is about Worship of the Triune God! There is nothing more important in life than what is presented here in these pages. Not because of this book itself, but because of the truths this book shares. There are two main sections of this book. The first section is about prayer as it is lived in the Sacraments of our Church. The Sacraments can seem, at times, to be dry, dull and repetitive. They can, at times, feel like empty rituals that we are “obliged” to do out of obedience. But when understood and entered into correctly, the Sacraments become the greatest source of our intimacy with our God. They become personal. They become My Catholic Worship! The second section of this book deals with all other forms of prayer. It highlights various methods as well as the meaning of prayer. So jump into this book with an open heart and know that God wants to draw you more closely to Himself in all forms of worship. He wants you to know and love Him with your whole heart, soul and strength. And the way to do just that is prayer! About this Series: The My Catholic Life! series is a three volume series written as a complete summary of our glorious Catholic faith! The goal of these books is to answer the difficult and deep questions of life in a clear and understandable way. We need to know who we are and what life is all about. And we need to know who God is and what He has spoke to us through the ages. Volume One, My Catholic Faith! is a summary of the Apostles and Nicene Creed. This volume looks at everything from the creation of the world to God’s eternal plan of salvation. Other topics include: Afterlife, saints, God, faith, and the Church. It is a summary of the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church #1-1065. Volume Two, My Catholic Worship! is a summary of the life of grace found in prayer and the Sacraments. So often the Sacraments can be seen as dry and empty rituals. But they are, in reality, the greatest treasures we have! They are God’s true presence among us! It is a summary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church #1066-1684 and #2558-2865. Volume Three, My Catholic Morals! is a summary of the morality itself, knowing how we choose right from wrong, as well as a summary of all the moral teachings of our faith. It is a summary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church #1691-2557 Nihil Obstat & Imprimatur granted for three volume series.




Living the Sacraments


Book Description

Joe Paprocki demystifies the Catholic sacraments and presents them as a way of life to be experienced each day, rather than as standalone events.




The Christian Priest Today


Book Description

'Michael Ramsay's profound simplicity leaps off the page . . . The Christian Priest Today can be read with great and lasting benefit by anyone interested in this strange and magnificent vocation.' John Pritchard, author of The Life and Work of a Priest Of all Michael Ramsey's many books, The Christian Priest Today is perhaps the best loved and most enduring. The main part of the volume is composed of charges to ordination candidates, with an emphasis on the intellectual and devotional life of the minister in an increasingly self-sufficient world. Later chapters reflect on the ministry of the laity, the theology of priesthood and the roles of bishop and presbyter in the context of the practical meaning of divine vocation.