Servant of God Nicholas Black Elk (1863-1950) is popularly celebrated for his fascinating spiritual life. How could one man, one deeply spiritual man, serve as both a traditional Oglala Lakota medicine man and a Roman Catholic catechist and mystic? How did these two spiritual and cultural identities enrich his prayer life? How did his commitment to God, understood through his Lakota and Catholic communities, shape his understanding of how to be in the world? To fully understand the depth of Black Elk's life-long spiritual quest requires a deep appreciation of his life story. He witnessed devastation on the battlefields of Little Bighorn and the Massacre at Wounded Knee, but also extravagance while performing for Queen Victoria as a member of "Buffalo Bill" Cody's Wild West Show. Widowed by his first wife, he remarried and raised eight children. Black Elk's spiritual visions granted him wisdom and healing insight beginning in his childhood, but he grew progressively physically blind in his adult years. These stories, and countless more, offer insight into this extraordinary man whose cause for canonization is now underway at the Vatican.

This joint biography illuminates the lives of Francis and Clare and their way of life. It shows how they were bound together by devotion to God as well as the violent objections of their families to religious life. It explores a variety of issues they faced, including the treatment of lepers in medieval society, corruption in the church, and attitudes toward the created world. You will learn how Clare's spirituality influenced that of other prominent women, how Francis lost control of his own movement, and why Francis's body was secretly buried after his death.

An essential work of Christian mysticism Interior Castle is the latest title in the Essential Wisdom Library, a series of books that seeks to bring spiritual wisdom--both modern and ancient--to today's readers. This new edition of the pivotal spiritual classic is a must read for seekers and believers alike. St. Teresa of Avila was one of the greatest Christian mystics, and dedicated her life to understanding how the soul can ascend to union with God. Interior Castle is her master work and a powerful guide for all seeking to explore prayer as an act of mystical, divine union. Interior Castle was inspired by a vision wherein St. Theresa saw a crystalline castle with God at the heart. The book is framed around the seven mansions that made up this castle, each one a stage of the journey of faith, ending with ultimate communion with God. St. Teresa's writings have inspired and guided generations of readers as they seek to develop a deeper understanding of divinity through mystical experience with God.

There are many editions of the writings of St. Francis, and biographies about him, but here in one volume are both, plus the complete text of the late medieval work, The Little Flowers, which did more to establish the legend of the man than any other work. This "Paraclete Giants" edition includes the complete Road to Assisi, Paul Sabatier's ground-breaking and foundational biography of the saint, first published in French in 1894 and re-issued and expanded in 2002; the complete Francis in His Own Words: The Essential Writings; and The Little Flowers, thus offering the best introduction to St. Francis yet available between two covers. Other Paraclete Giants include The Complete Julian of Norwich and The Complete Introduction to the Devout Life, both translated and introduced by Fr. John-Julian, OJN.

An introduction to the spiritual legacy of Thomas Merton Thomas Merton was a Trappist monk and one of the most influential spiritual figures of the 20th century. His writing on contemplation, monastic life, mysticism, poetry, and social issues have influenced generations and his legacy of interfaith understanding and social justice endures to this day. Thomas Merton: An Introduction to His Life, Teachings, and Practices offers an exploration of Merton as a monk, as a writer, and as a human being. Author Jon M. Sweeney delves into Merton's life and ideas with an appreciation for his work and a deep understanding of the spiritual depth that it contains. Thomas Merton offers a unique view of the popular and sometimes controversial monk, braiding together his thoughts and practices with the reality of his life to create a full portrait of a pivotal figure. The Merton revealed in its pages is a source of inspiration and insight for those wrestling with questions of faith and spirituality. At its core, the book is about the search for wholeness--a search Merton undertook himself throughout his lifetime and one readers can also embark on as they draw inspiration and guidance from his life.

"Before Margaret met the Pope, she lived on the streets of Rome. She was a small cat in one of the busiest, most crowded, cities in all Europe. Rome is the capital of Italy. Rome surrounds Vatican City, the world's tiniest country, and home to the Pope, the Curia, and the Swiss Guard." So begins this fifth adventure in the lives of Margaret and the Pope. A prequel, this episode tells of the conclave that elected the Pope who would one day meet Margaret on the Via della Conciliazone. It turns out, Margaret was somehow there, watching, in the Sistine Chapel as the votes were cast. Children and adults alike will delight in this behind-the-scenes story about love and the Church, learning not only about what popes do, but this time, how popes are chosen.

Our Faith, In Our Words

What does it mean to be young and spiritual today when the New Age isn t exactly new, when female rabbis and ministers are no longer unusual, and when Eastern religion s ideas and practices are no longer considered exotic? Who are the faces behind today s fresh approaches to faith, approaches that are destined to shape the future of spiritual life in America?

"Religion is not a crutch for the weak-minded. It is merely spirituality in its simplest, most rudimentary form. We have witnessed the hypocrisy, the moral and spiritual mediocrity of succumbing to tradition for tradition s sake. In an age when there are books on everything for dummies, my generation has opted to find out for themselves. I am a new adult, with decisions to make about my identity and my future. I am not about to surrender this newfound privilege. I am content with discovering my spiritual self through my own avenues. I am not in need of a crossing guard." from God Within

God Withinrepresents citizens of the twenty-first century who are faced with a dizzying array of spiritualities: believer, seeker, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Wiccan, to name just a very few. The result of a nationwide challenge extended to young adults born after 1974, in this book they share their experiences with all of these beliefs some confident, some questioning and introduce us to many shades in between.

Sometimes irreverent but more importantly, always relevant this thought-provoking collection of writings, poetry, and art showcases the voices that are defining the future of religion, faith, and belief as we know it.

These stories of St. Francis and his first followers have inspired millions of people over the centuries. Since they were first committed to paper, they were told to inspire people to become better followers of Jesus (not St. Francis). For that reason, they have endured unlike any other early Franciscan literature. This new paperback edition edition of The Little Flowers is unique in its physical beauty as well as its editorial arrangement. For the first time, the stories have been arranged in the most likely chronological ordering of when they happened-rather than following the traditional ordering of them handed down for centuries. As a result, today's reader is now able to read The Little Flowers as a biographical narrative of the life of St. Francis and the world-transforming movement that he founded.

Margaret - The Pope's Cat - is back! Illustrated in full color. Bang! Slam! Boom! Loud sounds in St. Peter's Square had been going on for nearly an hour already. Margaret was annoyed, because as you may know, cats like to sleep. A lot. The apartment where Margaret lives with the Pope, ever since he adopted her off the streets of Rome, looks out onto St. Peter's Square. And the noises down there kept waking Margaret up. She rolled over, covering her ears with her paws. A few minutes later, the sounds began again, as more trucks arrived to unload even more chairs. Beep, beep, beep, beep went the trucks as they backed up to where men in yellow jackets were waiting to unload them. Then came Bang! Slam! Boom! all over again, as the men arranged the chairs in rows facing the portico of St. Peter's Basilica. All of this was in preparation for a special event to take place the following day, Christmas. ____________ In this delightful new story from their lives, the Pope takes Margaret on a tour of St. Peter's. But when he's called away to work, Margaret gets lost in the world's largest church. She meets saints, children, tourists, and the artist Michelangelo's famous statue, The Pieta, before being reunited with the Pope as Midnight Mass is about to begin.

The definitive biography of one of the most beloved and respected figures in American religious life. In this comprehensive biography, Jon Sweeney, official biographer of Tickle’s literary estate, explores every aspect of her life, a more than 50-year legacy of poetry; plays; literary, spiritual, and historical/theological work; and advocacy. Sweeney examines Tickle’s personal and professional roots, from her family, long marriage, and life on The Farm in Lucy, Tennessee, to early academic career and move into book publishing, where her role as founding editor of the Religion Department at Publishers Weekly influenced the growth of spiritual writing and interfaith understanding during the 1990s. Sweeney also looks at pivotal relationships with John Shelby Spong, Marcus Borg, and Brian McLaren, as well as her great influence on the increasing number who adopted fixed-hour prayer, the Episcopal Church as a whole, and the Emerging Church, for which she served as historian, forecaster, and champion. A look at her early, passionate advocacy for the LGBT community, lecture circuit controversies, and projects left unfinished completes the picture.

"A heartwarming tale, which gives the papacy a human touch." -Christopher Lamb, Rome correspondent, The Tablet "I give it one million stars!" -Luca, Mrs. Gilman's class, St. Margaret Mary School (Omaha, NE) Meet Margaret - the Pope's cat - in the very first book in this best-selling series by Jon M. Sweeney! This is the story of a stray born on the Via della Conciliazione in Rome, how she's adopted by the Pope, and then "rules" the Vatican from museum to floorboard! First in a new series. No one has a closer view of what's happening in the world's tiniest nation, Vatican City, than Margaret, the Pope's new cat. But she wasn't always Margaret, and she wasn't always the Pope's cat. She started out as a stray on the streets of Rome, and there are those in the Vatican who wish she'd never been allowed inside. This fun, adorable new character will appeal to all kids! Here is a cat who does what she likes regardless of what others, even someone like the Pope, expects of her-even when the Queen of England comes on a state visit! This new fiction series is intended for Catholic schools, elementary school teachers, Catholic librarians, superintendents of schools, reading specialists, educators, catechists, school principals, Catholic homeschoolers, and parents.

Reading Francis's writings is like being "on the road" with him 800 years ago. Biographies will only take you so far. It's impossible to truly understand Francis of Assisi without reading his own words. A scholar and lover of Francis, Sweeney has added six writings to his bestselling compilation, additional texts that we're most certain came from Francis himself. Now, short writings such as "The Form of Life He Wished for Clare," "The Sermon to the Birds," and "The Source of True Joy," combine with Francis's Rules, letters, messages, songs, praises, canticles, and final spiritual Testament in a most ideal introduction to the saint. An expanded introduction and notes add historical and theological context.

Thomas Merton's lectures to the young monastics at the Abbey of Gethsemani provide a good look at Merton the scholar. A Course in Christian Mysticism gathers together, for the first time, the best of these talks into a spiritual, historical, and theological survey of Christian mysticism-from St. John's gospel to St. John of the Cross. Sixteen centuries are covered over thirteen lectures. A general introduction sets the scene for when and how the talks were prepared and for the perennial themes one finds in them, making them relevant for spiritual seekers today. This compact volume allows anyone to learn from one of the twentieth century's greatest Catholic spiritual teachers. The study materials at the back of the book, including additional primary source readings and thoughtful questions for reflection and discussion, make this an essential text for any student of Christian mysticism.

Originally published in French in 1894, Sabatier's was the first modern biography of Francis of Assisi. It was a worldwide bestseller, and in 2003 when this new edition was first published, it again sold more than 60,000 copies and was a selection of History Book Club. This new 120th anniversary edition includes a dozen additional annotations and a new preface by the editor, putting Sabatier's influential work into its historical context, showing why it is still the most essential life of the saint.

This warm-hearted little book is a window into the soul of St. Francis, one of the most passionate and inspiring followers of Jesus. "Prayer was to Francis as play is to a child: natural, easy, creative, and joyful," author Jon Sweeney tells us. "Before it became common to speak in personal terms of a relationship with God, Francis did so and made it seem natural." With this guide, readers will: Pray the words that Francis taught his spiritual brothers and sisters to pray. Explore Francis's time and place and feel the joy and earnestness of the first Franciscans. Experience how it is possible to live a contemplative and active life, at the same time.

In this fourth installment of "The Pope's Cat" series, Margaret and the Pope travel for the first time together away from the Vatican and out of Rome. They go by train to the Umbrian hill town of Assisi, a place of pilgrimage for Christians all over the world who want to remember the life of St. Francis of Assisi. Together they visit the great Basilica named for St. Francis, greet Franciscan friars at the monastery, attend a World Day of Prayer for Peace, meet religious leaders (each, it seems, with a very different hat!) from around the world, and see evidence of the spirit of St. Francis all over town. Most of all, the Pope shows his love and care for his vulnerable creature friend, as at the beginning of the book when someone from the Curia has frightened Margaret and she's hiding in a closet in the Pope's apartment. "Don't worry, il mio amore." (Il mio amore means "My love.") "People can be so fussy, can't they?" the Pope says, picking her up in his arms.