Showing results by author "Wyatt North" in All Categories

Though Joan described herself as "a poor girl who knew neither how to ride nor lead in war," she did know how to obey God. That simple skill changed the course of both her life and that of the entire nation. Twenty-five years after her execution, Saint Joan was pronounced innocent, and declared a martyr. Joan stood up for her belief and against all odds fought for her people. She was a true hero, and remains an inspiration to this day.

Although there is so little written about Joseph in the Scripture and in the apocrypha, or perhaps because there is so little written, the life of Saint Joseph can be quite a complicated subject. The theological study of Saint Joseph, known as Josephology, shows us how differently the saint has been perceived throughout history, in different parts of the world, and in different denominations.

People are fascinated by the concept of royalty. The notion stirs up sentiments of love, admiration, and hatred. We see ourselves in them, and yet we criticize them at times with indignation. While most monarchies today have been put aside or at least limited in their power, the concept of royalty cannot be erased from human consciousness. In the words of Jesus, Christians pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven."

It has become a cliche to say that one person can make a difference, but the life of Mahatma Gandhi confronts us with the enduring truth of that statement. It is impossible to say exactly what moved people to revere and follow him and be imprisoned and beaten on his behalf by the thousands. No doubt his ever-gentle demeanor had a hand in that. His perpetual grace and joy, even in the face of terrible hardship, surely won some hearts and minds.

Saint John of the Cross (1542-1591) was a major reformer of the Carmelite Order. He was canonized as a saint by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726. What he accomplished in the monasteries paralleled what Saint Theresa of Avila did in the convents. Together, these two saints are considered the founders of the Discalced Carmelites. In fact, the two saints were friends and corresponded regularly.

The turn of the last century produced many great thinkers as well as many great writers. Some have the distinction of being known as both. Fewer still have been adored by the masses for their public engagements and their amicable persona. Gilbert Keith Chesterton was all of those things. He was a true renaissance man of the modern era, whose impact on modern Christianity, and Christian apologetics, is unfortunately becoming increasingly forgotten.

A lo largo de su vida, la Madre Teresa trabajó para transformar nuestras ideas de hogar, amor y familia. Como figura del siglo XX, vio los rápidos cambios que se estaban produciendo en el mundo y entre su gente, y fue lo suficientemente intuitiva como para saber que el Catolicismo, así como su trabajo misionero, necesitaría re-dibujarse para poder satisfacer las nuevas y diversas necesidades.

Saint Matthew is an example of God’s love and mercy not just for those who are saints, but also for those who are struggling with sin and feeling disconnected from God. The many layers of Matthew’s story teach us about true love and the powerful and sustaining force God’s love offers to us.

St. Catherine of Siena was born during an outbreak of the Plague in Siena in 1347. She was brought up in the faith, and especially after her own sister died at the age of 16, found herself committed to pursuits of piety. She joined the Dominican order, and, at the age of 21, had what she described as her "mystical marriage" to Christ.

Thomas Merton is one of the most famous American Catholic authors of the twentieth century. A prolific writer, Merton published 36 books and collections of poems over the span of 27 years, and has 38 posthumous publications that bear his name. Even more impressive than his voluminous output, however, is his deep spirituality that enraptured generations of people seeking intimate union with God.

Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) was a Burgundian abbot who was credited with the revitalization of the Benedictine order through the nascent Order of the Cistercians. He lived during the time of schism, when the head of the church was in contention. Benedict was chosen to help decide between the claims on the papacy - ultimately siding with Pope Innocent II rather than the Antipope Anacletus II. Benedict played a significant role in unifying the church and protecting its unity against the threat that this dispute signified.

Catholics have always had a special love for the blessed Virgin Mary. Devotions to Mary are wide-ranging and diverse. Within this book, we will explore a tremendous variety of Marian devotional practices, including prayers honoring Mary, such as the rosary, devotional articles, and a Mary garden, filled with plants representing events from her life.

Let’s live a life of love. Let’s reflect on and learn from the lives of saints. The word saint comes from the Latin word sanctus, a translation of the Greek word hagios, which means “holy”. While all of us are capable of holiness, canonization is the church’s official recognition that a particular person displayed an extraordinary degree of holiness, or devotion to God, during his or her time on earth.

While all of us are capable of holiness, canonization is the Church’s official recognition that a particular person displayed an extraordinary degree of holiness, or devotion to God, during his or her time on Earth. There is much to be learned from the words, acts, and lives of the saints of the Roman Catholic Church. They provide undeniable examples of the best that humankind is capable of - virtues like kindness, charity, love for each other, especially for the lowest and the least among us, courage in the face of adversity, humility, and selflessness.

It is difficult in this day and age to imagine Christianity without the beneficent presence of the Blessed Virgin.

Next to Christ, of all those who grace the pages of the New Testament, Mary is perhaps the one who touches us the most.

There are a great many men and women who have forever influenced and changed the course of Christian history, but one might ask whether any have made such a profound impact as Saint Paul the Apostle. It is through the ardent work of Paul that we know the path to Salvation, one which leads us and binds us to God through the love of Christ. When Jesus revealed himself directly to Paul and called Paul into his service that set Paul apart from other disciples who had come into the faith since the crucifixion.

The New Testament speaks of repentance as a gift from God. Yet, out of pride, many of us cling to our sins and justify our misdeeds to ourselves. Out of shame, many of us will cover up or ignore our sins as if we could simply pretend they were not a burden. This audiobook offers many meditations and prayers on repentance. God willing, it can help draw you closer to an attitude of the heart befitting of penance - that is, confession, repentance, satisfaction, and forgiveness.

Nelson Mandela's legacy is known worldwide, and his life has been widely documented. His memory is preserved in statues, paintings, feature films, history books, and biographies. Yet to many Americans, Mandela may be somewhat unknown. Many people around the world consider Mandela one of the greatest leaders of the twentieth century.

Christian writer, C.S. Lewis once made the point that people tend to either obsess over demons or deny their existence entirely - and the devil is equally pleased either way. The Bible is clear. Our battle is not with flesh and blood, but with spiritual forces (Eph. 6:12). At the same time, however, the Bible makes it clear that the evil forces, devils and demons, are powerless in comparison to God. If God is for us, who can be against us? Even the demons shudder in the presence of God (James 2:19).

Praying with the Saints: Prayers for the Sick and Dying is a collection of 20 days' meditations and prayers. The prospect of one's mortality can be intimidating - the experience of loss when those whom we love die can cause immense pain and sorrow. For Christians, however, we have an answer to these problems that allows us to persist through sickness and death in hope.