This guide to monastic prayer, written in 1968 and thus turning out to be Thomas Merton’s final testament to us, is now available in a new edition commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of his death. While he wrote it for other monastics, all seekers drawn to explore the full dimensions of prayer will be enriched by his words, especially as they take on added meaning in today’s dizzying world. The climate in which monastic prayer flowers is that of the desert, where human comfort is absent, where the secure routines of the “earthly city” offer no support, and where prayer must be sustained by God in the purity of faith.

Drawing on his own monastic experiences, the author reflects on such themes as stillness, solitude, fasting and temptation to help individuals find peace through contemplation, even if they lack the preferred setting of the monastery.

In this classic text, Thomas Merton offers valuable guidance for prayer. He brings together a wealth of meditative and mystical influences–from John of the Cross to Eastern desert monasticism–to create a spiritual path for today. Most important, he shows how the peace contacted through meditation should not be sought in order to evade the problems of contemporary life, but can instead be directed back out into the world to affect positive change. Contemplative Prayer is one of the most well-known works of spirituality of the last one hundred years, and it is a must-read for all seeking to live a life of purpose in today’s world. In a moving and profound introduction, Thich Nhat Hanh offers his personal recollections of Merton and compares the contemplative traditions of East and West.

This exploration of Benedictine spirituality provides the perfect introduction to Saint Bendict and his Rule. Each chapter begins with the teaching of Benedict himself, understood in historical and cultural context. Columba Stewart then traces the way communities have interpreted and practiced Benedict's teaching since he first wrote his Rule in the sixth century.

2021 Catholic Media Association Award first place award in backlist beauty Benedictine Daily Prayer provides an everyday edition of the Divine Office for people who desire to pray with the church in a simple manner. Based on fifteen hundred years of liturgical prayer within the Benedictine monastic tradition, Benedictine Daily Prayer offers a rich diet of classic office hymnody, psalmody, and Scripture. This fully revised edition includes: • A new organization for the Office of Vigils, structured on a two-week cycle • Daily Offices also arranged on a two-week cycle • Patristic readings for each Sunday • Concluding prayers for the daily and seasonal offices • A more user-friendly layout and slightly taller format Benedictine Daily Prayer is designed for Benedictine oblates, Benedictine monastics, and men and women everywhere. Small enough to fit in a briefcase for travel, it is arranged by date. Scripture readings are from the NRSV.

Esther de Waal's classic guide to Celtic spirituality shows how its rich literary traditions and earthy realism can speak to the toughness and challenges of our own world. Avoiding sentimentality , she presents a spirituality that can be lived with honesty, commitment and truthfulness.

(Music Sales America). In this book you have everything you need to play and sing some of the greatest Irish ballads ever written the lyrics, guitar chords and simplified music score, plus a CD featuring the first verse and chorus of each of the ballads. A virtual "Irish Balladeer's Kit"! Also includes photos and great background information on each tune. "Whether you're a professional entertainer or want to learn the songs for private parties, this is a must for you" Daniel O'Donnell

God's Good Earth offers Christians and their communities an engaging resource for prayer, reflection, and worship that reflects and nourishes their efforts to serve God and care for God's creation. Compilers Anne and Jeffery Rowthorn have prepared 52 beautiful, ready-made prayer services, each around a specific theme, drawing from a rich variety of ecumenical resources: psalms and other responsive readings, Scripture, hymns, prayers, and reflections from the world's most engaging nature writers and interpreters of the social and cultural landscape. Each section can be used in full, or the user may select smaller sections; permission is granted to the purchaser to reproduce for use in public prayer.