Every autumn, the monarch butterflies east of the Rockies migrate from as far north as Canada to Mexico. Memory is not their guide — no one butterfly makes the round trip — but each year somehow find their way to the same fifty acres of forest on the high slopes of Mexico’s Neovolcanic Mountains, and then make the return trip in the spring. In Four Wings and a Prayer, Sue Halpern sets off on an adventure to delve into the secrets behind this extraordinary phenomenon. She visits scientists and butterfly lovers across the country, offering a keenly observed portrait of the monarchs’ migration and of the people for whom they have become a glorious obsession. Combining science, memoir, and travel writing, Four Wings and a Prayer is an absorbing travelogue and a fascinating meditation on a profound mystery of the natural world.

Monarch butterflies abound in Canada. We marvel at their beauty and the magic of their metamorphosis. Familiar as they are to us, these tiny creatures nevertheless harbour many secrets. Perhaps the deepest mystery is the monarchs' annual migration. Each autumn, they travel unimaginably long distances, something no other butterflies do. How do they know when to migrate? How, unguided by memory, do they navigate to their destination in the heart of the threatened Mexican jungle? Sue Halpern recounts the mesmerizing story of these mysteries, and the race to solve them. She describes the discoveries of Canadian biologist Fred Urquhart and his wife, who first encouraged amateur lepidopterists to tag butterflies. We follow her to Mexico, where she searches for butterflies. She introduces us to Don Davis, an enthusiast who has tagged an estimated 20,000 monarchs since 1985. And though terrified of flying, she takes us on a flight with University of Toronto biologist David Gibo, as they attempt to predict the flight vectors of butterflies. Astonishing, fascinating, Four Wings and a Prayer, like our encounters with these delicate winged creatures, is a rare gem.

The Monarch butterfly is the only creature to migrate like a bird. It flies north to south at altitudes of 3000 feet, dodging aeroplanes and predators. Scientists have been tracking this enigmatic creature and its journey for years; its wintering site in Mexico was only discovered 20 years ago. This work tells of the quest to trace the Monarch migration. It began in 1952 when two entomologists and 4000 volunteers tagged hundreds of butterflies. Sue Halpern weaves the stories of these volunteers into her narrative. One, a secretary, gave up her job when a Monarch landed on her desk, and became grand marshall of a butterfly parade. Another lives out of his truck for three months when the butterflies pass through his state in order to follow them. This book combines these personal stories with a scientific examination of the Monarch, and its extraordinary journey across a continent.

Incorporating a wealth of new material, here is the riveting story of the bombing raids that broke the back of Nazi Germany, praised as "a well-researched, highly readable account of a B-17 combat crew's experience ... excellent." (Roger A. Freeman, author of The Mighty Eighth)

“Why do you look so happy?” people have been asking Notker Wolf for years, now. So he set out to answer them in this lively book. A relationship with God, he explains, can feel like falling in love, when it seems that butterflies are fluttering around in your stomach. Then, beauty, joy, belief, trust, and forgiveness are his subjects, all in an effort to show his readers how it is possible to have wings of faith – and fly! “Notker Wolf is a gift to the monastic community, the Church and the world in Christ. This book brings out the best of his multifaceted spiritual and natural gifts. I recommend it highly.” —John Michael Talbot “This insightful book can speak to the emptiness we all experience at times and perk us up so that we take notice of what really matters. By reading and reflecting on these ideas, you might just discover the beauty and fullness a faith perspective has to offer. You may even learn to soar!” —Sister Judith Ann Heble, OSB, Moderator, Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum, Sacred Heart Monastery, Lisle, Illinois

We had to do it. We had to reprint this book. Rarely has a book had such an impact on so many of us here at Ignatius Press. It is one of the most powerful and moving books we have come across. If you can only buy one book this season, this must be the one. Here is the astonishing true story of the harrowing experiences of a young German seminarian drafted into Hitler's dreaded SS at the onset of World War II. Without betraying his Christian ideals, against all odds, and in the face of Evil, Gereon Goldmann was able to complete his priestly training, be ordained, and secretly minister to German Catholic soldiers and innocent civilian victims caught up in the horrors of war. How it all came to pass will astound you. Father Goldmann tells of his own incredible experiences of the trials of war, his many escapes from almost certain death, and the diabolical persecution that he and his fellow Catholic soldiers encountered on account of their faith. What emerges is an extraordinary witness to the workings of Divine Providence and the undying power of love, prayer, faith, and sacrifice. Illustrated

'Carefully edited, this beautiful little volume is a rare gem . . . highly recommended for anyone seeking new inspiration in prayer.' - The Reader Between 1924 and 1938, Evelyn Underhill compiled two personal prayer books for use when conducting spiritual retreats at Pleshey (the retreat house for the diocese of Chelmsford). The prayers were carefully selected and include quotes from a variety of theologians and writers in Christian spirituality, as well as her own very rich, metaphorical and theologically deep prayers. These collections are now available for the first time.

A Truly Yours Digital Edition. . ."A wing and a prayer are all that you'll ever need. " CJ O'Sullivan had always agreed with her father's favorite phrase, until now. Until the devasting accident that trapped her for hours amid the wreckage of a plane that held the remains of her beloved parents. Now CJ's life is as grim as her blackened memories. She no longer trusts God, whom she holds responsible for her parents' deaths. She no longer wishes to date anyone. She no longer has any desires to fly. Then Brad Aldersson soars into her grounded heart, and he will not be denied permission to land. But will his persistence to free CJ from her past be rewarded? Will Brad need more that a wing and a prayer?