Not long after Martin Luther’s defiance of the Church in 1517, dialogue between Protestants and Catholics broke down, brother turned against brother, and devastating religious wars erupted across Europe. Desperate to restore the peace and recover the unity of Faith, Catholic theologians clarified and reaffirmed Catholic doctrines, but turned as well to another form of evangelization: the Arts. Convinced that to win over the unlettered, the best place to fight heresy was not in the streets but in stone and on canvas, they enlisted the century’s best artists to create a glorious wave of beautiful works of sacred art — Catholic works of sacred art — to draw people together instead of driving them apart. How Catholic Art Saved the Faith tells the story of the creation and successes of this vibrant, visual-arts SWAT team whose war cry could have been “art for Faith’s sake!” Over the years, it included Michelangelo, of course, and, among other great artists, the edgy Caravaggio, the graceful Guido Reni, the technically perfect Annibale Carracci, the colorful Barocci, the theatrical Bernini, and the passionate Artemisia Gentileschi. Each of these creative souls, despite their own interior struggles, was a key player in this magnificent, generations-long project: the affirmation through beauty of the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church. Here you will meet the fascinating artists who formed this cadre’s core. You will revel in scores of their full-color paintings. And you will profit from the lucid explanations of their lovely creations: works that over the centuries have touched the hearts and deepened the faith of millions of pilgrims who have made their way to the Eternal City to gaze upon them. Join those pilgrims now in an encounter with the magnificent artworks of the Catholic Restoration — artworks which from their conception were intended to delight, teach, and inspire. As they have done for the faith of so many, so will they do for you.

Following his acclaimed first book, Fr. Mark Haydu, international coordinator of the Patrons of the Arts of the Vatican Museums, serves once again as your spiritual guide for a breathtaking journey through time, meditation, and the Vatican art collections. Meditations on Vatican Art: Angels offers you a deeper understanding of your own spiritual journey as you follow Fr. Haydu's explanation of the battle between the fallen angels and the faithful angels and God sending His angels to watch over you. The book's splendid reproductions of major works represent ancient through contemporary periods in art. Each day's meditation includes a: Unique image with descriptive and contextual background about the artist and the work Relevant and insightful passage from Scripture Reflection on the meaning of the work with questions to ponder Contemplate the 34 meditations in this hardbound book as the Holy Spirit inspires or use them to create a retreat for yourself or a group.

After meditating on the Apostles and then on the Fathers of the early Church, as seen in his earlier works Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church and Church Fathers, Pope Benedict XVI devoted his attention to the most influential Christian men from the fifth through the twelfth centuries. In his first book, Church Fathers, Benedict began with Clement of Rome and ended with Saint Augustine. In this volume, the Holy Father reflects on some of the greatest theologians of the Middle Ages: Benedict, Anselm, Bernard, and Gregory the Great, to name just a few. By exploring both the lives and the ideas of the great popes, abbots, scholars and missionaries who lived during the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of Christendom, Pope Benedict XVI highlights the key elements of Catholic dogma and practice that remain the foundation stones not only of the Roman Catholic Church but of Christian society itself. This book is a wonderful way to get to know these later Church Fathers and Teachers and the tremendous spiritually rich patrimony they have bequeathed to us. "Without this vital sap, man is exposed to the danger of succumbing to the ancient temptation of seeking to redeem himself by himself." -- Pope Benedict XVI

Looks at the life and work of the provocative Catholic social reformer from the personal point of view of someone who knew her well, her granddaughter.

This richly illustrated book provides the visual keys for any art lover to decode and understand the iconography, tenets, sites, and rituals of the Catholic faith through accessible analysis of its visual and material culture. Focusing on a carefully curated selection of Catholic art and artifacts, this volume explores the influence of iconography and the mystic power of a range of ritual objects. Expert Suzanna Ivanic identifies hidden visual symbols in paintings and examines them close-up, building a catalog of key symbols for readers to use to interpret Catholic art and culture. Catholica is organized into three sections—”Tenet,” “Locus,” and “Spiritus”—each with three themed subdivisions. Part one introduces the centerpieces of the faith, surveying symbolism in the artistic representation of the holy family, apostles, and saints in stories from scripture. The second part examines places of worship, identifying the essential elements of the cathedral and presenting evocative images of roadside shrines. The third part explores celebrations and traditions, in addition to personal devotional tools and jewelry. For each of the nine central themes of the faith, introductory text is followed by pages that look in-depth at paintings and artifacts, identifying and explaining the symbolism and stories depicted. As the book progresses, readers build up their knowledge of the entire Catholic visual code—the symbols that define Catholic practice, the attributes of the saints, the parts of the cathedral—allowing them to interpret all Catholic imagery and objects wherever they find them and consequently to better understand the tenets, sites, and rituals of this faith.

"Prayer is natural for human beings, a spontaneous impulse common in all people. Yet, beyond instinct, there is a kind of prayer that's conscious and articulate, that we have to be taught. There is an "art of prayer," when faith and prayer become creative responses of creatures made in the image and likeness of their Creator relating to him with help of the imagination. Monsignor Timothy Verdon explores these essential interactions in this magnificent book. Explaining that images work in believers as tools teaching them how to turn to God, and aided by the illustrations of fine art throughout the centuries, Art and Prayer explores in detail how prayer can become the fruit of a sanctified imagination --- a way of beauty and turning to God." -- the back cover.

The annual Lenten pilgrimage to dozens of Rome’s most striking churches is a sacred tradition dating back almost two millennia, to the earliest days of Christianity. Along this historic spiritual pathway, today’s pilgrims confront the mysteries of the Christian faith through a program of biblical and early Christian readings amplified by some of the greatest art and architecture of western civilization. In Roman Pilgrimage, bestselling theologian and papal biographer George Weigel, art historian Elizabeth Lev, and photographer Stephen Weigel lead readers through this unique religious and aesthetic journey with magnificent photographs and revealing commentaries on the pilgrimage’s liturgies, art, and architecture. Through reflections on each day’s readings about faith and doubt, heroism and weakness, self-examination and conversion, sin and grace, Rome’s familiar sites take on a new resonance. And along that same historical path, typically unexplored treasures—artifacts of ancient history and hidden artistic wonders—appear in their original luster, revealing new dimensions of one of the world’s most intriguing and multi-layered cities. A compelling guide to the Eternal City, the Lenten Season, and the itinerary of conversion that is Christian life throughout the year, Roman Pilgrimage reminds readers that the imitation of Christ through faith, hope, and love is the template of all true discipleship, as the exquisite beauty of the Roman station churches invites reflection on the deepest truths of Christianity.

In his previous bestseller Memorize the Faith!, Kevin Vost rediscovered a memory method invented by the ancient Greeks and perfected by medieval scholars, and showed twenty-first-century Catholics how to use it to recall everything from the Ten Commandments to the Seven Deadly Sins. Now, in Memorize the Reasons!, Dr. Vost shows you how to remember information you need to explain and defend the Catholic Faith. Often when we're challenged by non-Catholics -who always seem to be able to quote chapter and verse -we stumble, and later think regretfully of what we might have said. The powerful mnemonic techniques found in Memorize the Reasons! will make sure it never happens again. In simple steps that even children can master, Dr. Vost teaches you how to build "memory cathedrals" inside your mind, and to fill them with vibrant images that will instantly recall reasons for the papacy and Church authority, for Catholic beliefs about the Blessed Virgin Mary, for Sacred Tradition, and more

Throw yourself into the strong arms of the father! In this glorious full-color book, art historian Elizabeth Lev showcases St. Joseph's multifaceted qualities, elucidated by exceptional saints and represented by art's most creative geniuses. Describing St. Joseph as the "extraordinary man who embodies the power of silence and yet still speaks to the hearts of all who turn to him," Lev juxtaposes his contemplative depictions with representations of his active life, affirming that he is not only a dreamer but a "man of action." Sure to become a cultural talking point, this lavishly illustrated book features captivating images of St. Joseph by Raphael, Michelangelo, Murillo, Giotto, Caravaggio, El Greco, and more. Let Lev take you on a journey to gaze upon the art of St. Joseph from all over the world, including fifth-century Rome, where St. Joseph was first depicted in mosaics in the Basilica of St, Mary Major. In the past, St. Joseph came to the aid of a Church mired in corruption. Lev reflects, "St. Joseph returned in the Age of Chivalry, riding in like a shining, albeit silent, knight, ready to serve and to defend the Church, his damsel in distress." St. Joseph stands no less ready to serve the faithful today, as we navigate the difficult shoals of the modern era. This book illustrates the many faces of St. Joseph and his miraculous intercessions that brought unity in times of division. "The Old Testament Joseph distributed bread in times of famine, and the New Testament Joseph brings to Egypt Jesus, who is, in the words of Pope Leo, 'the Bread of Life and the Food of reason that came down from heaven,'" Lev explains. For years, people have contemplated artistic depictions of St. Joseph in their homes and consecrated themselves to him. St. Josemaría Escrivá exhorted the faithful to "throw yourself into the strong arms of the father." Discover how St. Joseph is our most powerful intercessor, along with the Blessed Mother. Go to St. Joseph. Behold and listen to him! Book jacket.

This book contains over 80 paintings of Jesus Christ for the purposes of enjoying and meditating. Painting has always been associated with the life of the Church. From the time of the Catacombs it has been used in ecclesiastical ornamentation, and for centuries after Constantine, religious art was the only form of living art in the Christian world. Its fecundity has been wonderful and even now, although much diminished, is still important. Until the Renaissance, the Church exercised a veritable monopoly over this sphere. Profane painting in Europe dates only from the last five centuries and it took the lead only in the nineteenth century. It may, therefore, be said that throughout the Christian Era the history of painting has been that of religious painting.