Showing results by publisher "Learn25" in Religion & Spirituality

What can your spiritual ancestors teach you about holy living today? Although they led ascetic lives centuries ago, St. Benedict, the Desert Fathers and Mothers, and other early Christian saints have much to teach everyone in the 21st century. Through their enduring writings, they created blueprints of the spiritual life that remain as powerful in our time as ever.

As Christians, we are all called to be pilgrims, navigating the way to God. For many this pilgrimage is figurative, a spiritual journey that deepens our awareness. Some, however, choose to undertake physical journeys to the lands most sacred to our tradition. Now, you can join Thomas Merton in learning about one such fascinating journey and the spiritual significance pilgrimage has for all of us.

Join monk and mystic Thomas Merton on a journey through monastic and contemplative history. In these talks delivered by Thomas Merton, you will gain a rich introduction to the monastic period of church history, encountering such figures as St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Benedict, John Cassian, Basil, and Charlemagne. As you will come to discover, the history of monasticism is deeply intertwined with the greater history of Europe and the Christian contemplative tradition.

Travel into the desert with Thomas Merton as your guide. In the third century, men and women journeyed into the deserts of Syria and Egypt. Turning away from the world, they sought to find salvation in solitude. By doing so, they developed new forms of monasticism and spirituality. Now known as the Desert Fathers and Mothers, their wisdom remains as inspirational today as ever.

Who were the emissaries of Christ, and how did they carry the Good News to the world? Inspired by a deep personal relationship with Christ, these special few lived lives of high adventure, danger, and profound faith. You will be deeply moved by their stories.

New York Times best-selling author and monk, Thomas Merton, exploring the literature and spirituality of 20th century’s greatest novelist: James Joyce. Born in 1882 to a Catholic family in Dublin, James Joyce wrote some of the most acclaimed masterpieces of modern literature: Ulysses, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Dubliners, and Finnegans Wake. Educated by Jesuits and deeply influenced by Thomas Aquinas, Joyce wove Catholicism into his works.

The prayers of the Roman Liturgy are the accumulated wealth of 20 centuries of worship. This new translation was prepared by the bishops and approved by the Vatican in the shared conviction that it is better to bring to Catholics in their own language the wealth of what is already contained in these prayers than to try to rewrite them anew. But many people have questions about what changed and what the changes mean for worship and the church. Join Monsignor Michael Magee to explore the new translation of the Roman Missal.

Take a journey through Christian history to discover the fascinating theology of the resurrection. Catholics believe that Christ died, was buried, and will come again. Through his own resurrection and the resurrection of all humans, Christ delivers us to grace and restoration. Now, in Resurrection Belief: The Theological Treasure of the Middle Ages, you will come to understand the history of the theology of the resurrection.

This is your definitive guide to the US clergy sex abuse scandal. Through these extraordinarily well-researched and expertly delivered lectures, you will gain unique insight into the issues that have rocked the Catholic Church. But you will also discover a powerful source of hope and renewal - namely, Saint Francis and his powerfully effective response to scandal. Your exceptionally qualified guide is Fr. Pat McCloskey, OFM, author and editor of St. Anthony Messenger.

A voice for the voiceless and a champion of human rights, Blessed Oscar Romero (1917-1980) is beloved around the world. In six lectures, you are invited to explore his life and legacy.

Explore the history, rich theological underpinnings, and current issues of Interreligious dialogue between Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Through this series of talks on Christian-Jewish and Christian-Muslim dialogue, you will explore some of the theological and religious issues that are in the forefront of each of these dialogues. Because Christians have a different (but similar) relationship with Jews and Muslims, this series will treat the two relationships in different sections.

Few books of the Bible are as important to believers as the Letter to the Romans. It appears in the Catholic Lectionary more frequently than almost any other New Testament epistle, and it is Paul’s greatest explanation of faith through the Gospel of Jesus. Written in the earliest days of the Church, Romans remains an inspiring and revealing document. Through these six thought-provoking audio lectures, you will gain fresh insights into this vitally important letter.

Join top moral theologian and award-winning professor Thomas Massaro, S.J., in exploring the fascinating intersection of personal faith and our work, family, and political lives. Most of the Founding Fathers seemed to assume that private religiosity could be sealed off neatly from the institutions and affairs of state, but history has demonstrated otherwise. Many of the crucial reforms our nation has undergone, from the abolition of slavery to the achievement of civil rights for all, have been inspired by religious sentiment and activism.

Experience the power of the Spiritual Exercises through this inspiring retreat. The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits (Society of Jesus), are a tried and true method for growth in the spiritual life. Countless men and women have found inspiration in the exercises throughout the centuries. Simply reading the exercises, however, is of little benefit. They are like a manual or how-to book - they are not meant to be read but made.

How do you define beauty? Do notions of beauty inspire your spiritual life? Vastly different cultural definitions of beauty may lead us to question what true beauty is and how those worldly definitions compare to God's definition. However, the real question is, do you let beauty define your spiritual life? Ideas of beauty and spirituality have always been intertwined.

This retreat program will inspire and move you. The Gospel of Mark portrays Christ in action. Now, A Retreat with the Gospel of Mark invites you into active contemplation. This is a perfect program to enjoy alone or with others.

A spiritually edifying exploration of John’s Gospel for the Christian seeking time with Christ. Expertly guided by Scripture scholar and internationally renowned retreat leader Fr. Felix Just, this retreat examines all of John’s chapters and their relevance to your life.

In this 18-lecture course, Fr. Just explores the structure and contents of the Lectionary, examines its history and development, and suggests ways you can use it more fully. The content will be valuable not only for people already involved in liturgical ministries but also for anyone who wishes to become more familiar with the Lectionary and the liturgical year. Fr. Just will address all your questions about the Lectionary, including What is the Lectionary for Mass? How was it developed? How is it related to the Bible?

With a simple yet powerful approach, this 12-lecture series will enliven and deepen your life of prayer. Your presenter is Jesuit priest Fr. James Kubicki, who served as national director of the Apostleship of Prayer (now the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network). In these lectures, he integrates decades of personal experience with deep wisdom about the Catholic spiritual tradition.

What is faith? The answer to this question might seem obvious: believing in the existence of God. A better response, however, is more multidimensional and personal. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI emphasized the importance of faith, calling out "the need to rediscover the journey of faith so as to shed ever clearer light on the joy and renewed enthusiasm of the encounter with Christ."