Few know that the great St. Thomas Aquinas, although he was a towering intellectual, also wrote much that's well within the reach of ordinary believers. In The Aquinas Catechism you'll find his deeply insightful, straightforward, and clear explanations of the Apostles' Creed, the Commandments, and the Sacraments -- as well as of the Lord's Prayer and the Hail Mary.

In other words, this book will give you a basic course in the Catholic Faith, taught by the Church's greatest theologian. Let St. Thomas teach you how to explain, defend, and live your Faith . . . with the clear-sighted wisdom of a saint!

Natural Law Today: The Present State of the Perennial Philosophy explains and defends various aspects of traditional natural law ethical theory, which is rooted in a broad understanding of human nature. Some of the issues touched upon include the relation of natural law to speculative reason and human ends (teleology), the relationship between natural law and natural theology, the so-called naturalistic fallacy (deriving "ought" from "is"), and the scope of natural knowledge of the precepts of the natural law, as well as possible limits on it. It also takes up certain historical and contemporary questions, such as the various stances of Protestant thinkers toward natural law, the place of natural law in contemporary U.S. legal thought, and the relationship between natural law and liberal political thought more generally. It brings together a number of the leading exponents of a more traditional or classical form of natural law thought, who claim to root their arguments within the broader philosophy of Thomas Aquinas more deeply than other major representatives of the natural law tradition today.

The murder mysteries that make up this unusual anthology all have one thing in common: the hero or heroine who solves the crime is a Catholic cleric. From Chesterton's classic priest-turned-detective Father Brown to Peter Tremayne's historical Celtic nun and lawyer, Sister Fidelma, religious men and women put aside their professional duties for a moment to take up an altogether different vocation for a short time - that of detective and solver of crimes unspeakable. The stories in this collection of Catholic clerical sleuthing includes: Whispers of the Dead by Peter Tremayne - Bless Me Father, For I Have Sinned by Ed Gorman - Death by Fire by Anne Perry and Malachi Saxon - The Arrow of Ice by Edward D. Hoch - The Rag and Bone Man by Lillian Stewart Carl - Divine Justice by Charles Meyer - Cemetery of the Innocents by Stephen Dentinger - Veronica's Veil by Monica Quill - Lowly Death by Margaret Frazer - Ex Libris by Kate Gallison - A Clerical Error by Michael Jecks - Through a Glass, Darkly by Kate Charles - The Knight's Confession by P. C. Doherty - The Shorn Lamb by Ralph McInerny

Jacques Maritain's An Introduction to Philosophy was first published in 1931. Since then, this book has stood the test of time as a clear guide to what philosophy is and how to philosophize. Inspired by the Thomistic Revival called for by Leo XIII, Maritain relies heavily on Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas to shape a philosophy that, far from sectarian theology in disguise, is driven by reason and engages the modern world. Re-released as part of the Sheed & Ward Classic series, An Introduction to Philosophy is sure to enliven the minds of students and general readers for years to come. From the new introduction by Ralph McInerny: You are about to read a magnificent introduction not only to a kind of philosophy but to philosophizing itself. Jacques Maritain was a relatively young man when he wrote this book, but his effort is one that attracts any philosopher more and more as he grows older. However odd and unusual what he says becomes, the philosopher yearns to show how even the most abstruse claims can be put into relation with what the reader already knows. That, in its essence, is what teaching is. In this book, the reader will find a wise and certain guide into philosophizing as such. And, in the end, he will find that what he reads is really only a refinement and development of what he and everybody else already knew.

First published fifteen years ago, Ethica Thomistica is widely recognized as one of the finest introductions to St. Thomas's moral philosophy. Though the book has been out of print for several years, scholars and students still refer to it as the standard resource on Thomistic ethics. In this much-anticipated, revised edition, Ralph McInerny revisits the basics of Thomas's teachings and offers a brief, intelligible, and persuasive summary.

"Dante and the Blessed Virgin "is distinguished philosopher Ralph McInerny's eloquent reading of one of western literature's most famous works by a Catholic writer. The book provides Catholic readers new to Dante's "The Divine Comedy "(or "Commedia") with a concise companion volume. McInerny argues that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the key to Dante. She is behind the scenes at the very beginning of the "Commedia," and she is found at the end in the magnificent closing cantos of the "Paradiso." McInerny also discusses Dante's "Vita Nuova," where Mary is present as the object of the young Beatrice's devotion.

McInerny draws from a diverse group of writers throughout this book, including Plato, Aristotle, St. Bernard, St. Bonaventure, St. Thomas Aquinas, and George Santayana, among others. It is St. Thomas, however, to whom McInerny most often turns, and this book also provides an accessible introduction to Thomistic moral philosophy focusing on the appetites, the ordering of goods, the distinction between the natural and the supernatural orders, the classification of capital vices and virtues, and the nature of the theological virtues. This engagingly written book will serve as a source of inspiration and devotion for anyone approaching Dante's work for the first time as well as those who value the work of Ralph McInerny.

"Dante was a literary genius with a profound understanding of St. Thomas Aquinas and the "philosophia perennis" that structured and permeated the "Divina Commedia." Who better to help us get beyond the (brilliant) surface to the depths of Dante than the most literarily genial of Thomas' twentieth (and twenty-first) century disciples, the indefatigable Ralph McInerny? Dante needed guides, from Vergil to Beatrice, to reach the summit of "Paradiso." Fortunately, we have Ralph McInerny to accompany us on the same journey." --Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J., Founder and Editor, Ignatius Press

"Weaving together poetry, philosophy and theology, Ralph McInerny shows that 'the Blessed Virgin Mary is the key to Dante.' Starting with the "Vita Nuova "and the beginning of the "Divine Comedy," this becomes ever more explicit throughout the great poem, till the magnificent closing cantos of the "Paradiso." The book is beautifully written, making sense of every step, however complex at times, of the great journey to the gate of heaven described by Dante in the "Commedia," drawing on Scripture, on Aquinas, on philosophers like Aristotle, on a medley of modern and contemporary writers, with immense learning, always worn lightly and made easily accessible. Dominant are themes that concern everyone, such as love or happiness, are treated with freshness and clarity so the reader is made to feel he or she is discovering them anew. The total effect is joy induced by the incredible wealth of content of this little book and by the light it sheds on so many vital issues." --Thomas De Koninck, Laval University

The essays in Modernity and Religion comprise the reflections of eight seminal thinkers on various aspects of the problems of modern thought and its attitude toward religion. The effort to free intellectual pursuits from the influence of religion was a hallmark of the modern world. However, despite the many blessings and advances of the modern age - many of which were initially opposed by the Church - the assumption that humans can prosper when their relation to God has been broken has been disproved in a myriad of ways in recent decades. Thus, rethinking the roots of modernity has become imperative and reexamining the modern attitude toward religious belief provides the most radical critique. By concentrating on the supposed chasms between modern thought and the assumptions of Christianity the contributors do much more than show that modernity has failed by its own standards; they also demonstrate that there are truths about humans and their relations to others and to God that are necessary components of any epoch, past or present.

Published in 1913 as La Philosophie Bergsonienne, this incisive critique of the thought of Henri Bergson was Jacques Maritain's (1882-1973) first book. In it he shows himself already to have an authoritative grasp of the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas and an uncanny ability to demonstrate its relevance to alternative philosophical systems such as that of Henri Bergson. Volume 1 in the series The Collected Works of Jacques Maritain, this edition faithfully reproduces the 1955 translation published by the Philosophical Library. It would be difficult to overestimate Bergson's role in extricating French philosophy from the deadening materialism that dominated the Sorbonne. It was that cultural milieu that brought Maritain and his wife Raissa to the brink of suicide. They drew back for two major reasons. First were the lectures of Henri Bergson at the College de France, in which the Maritains found a defense of metaphysics, of the transcendent beyond the material, within which they could find meaning in life. The second reason was their conversion to Catholicism, a move they and many of their contemporaries made after being introduced to Bergson's work. Soon after his conversion, Jacques Maritain immersed himself in the thought of Thomas Aquinas and was struck by the comparative weaknesses of Bergson. This book is Maritain's relentless criticism of the philosophy of the man whose lectures had meant so much to him. Its ferocity marks it as a young man's book, written in part to exorcize the defects of Bergson's philosophy as they were understood by one now schooled in Thomism. Twenty-five years later, Maritain, while not retracting his criticisms, regretted their intemperance and, as a result, moderated his assessment of Bergson in a long preface to the second edition. In it, we find a philosopher who mastered his craft and a critic of rare perception and refinement.

Natural Law Today: The Present State of the Perennial Philosophy explains and defends various aspects of traditional natural law ethical theory, which is rooted in a broad understanding of human nature. Some of the issues touched upon include the relation of natural law to speculative reason and human ends (teleology), the relationship between natural law and natural theology, the so-called naturalistic fallacy (deriving "ought" from "is"), and the scope of natural knowledge of the precepts of the natural law, as well as possible limits on it. It also takes up certain historical and contemporary questions, such as the various stances of Protestant thinkers toward natural law, the place of natural law in contemporary U.S. legal thought, and the relationship between natural law and liberal political thought more generally. It brings together a number of the leading exponents of a more traditional or classical form of natural law thought, who claim to root their arguments within the broader philosophy of Thomas Aquinas more deeply than other major representatives of the natural law tradition today.

In this study of the relationship between Boethius and Thomas Aquinas, Ralph McInerny dispels the notion that Aquinas misunderstood the early philosopher and argues instead that he learned from Boethius, assimilated his ideas, and proved to be a reliable interpreter of his thought. McInerny makes his point that ""Boethius taught what Thomas says he taught"" through a careful analysis of Aquinas's commentary on the De trinitate and De hebdomadibus of Boethius.

Brings together articles that influenced the scholarly work of Ralph McInerny.

A patient and faithful working of primary Thomistic texts, this volume presents a systematic and unified character of Aquinas's theory of moral agency as it relates to human action. Focusing especially on the Summa theologiae, Ralph McInerny carefully argues that Aquinas's theory of moral action stands up to contemporary needs and remains adequate against contemporary criticism. This lively and incisive study by a first-rate scholar demonstrates a breadth of knowledge of Aquinas in a novel, yet scholarly, fashion.

"The Very Rich Hours of Jacques Maritain" is distinguished philosopher Ralph McInerny's hymn of praise to the spiritual and intellectual life of the great Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain (1881-1973). The structure of this work is modeled on the medieval book of hours, making use of the daily offices, from Matins through Compline, to examine each stage of the life of Maritain and his wife, Raissa. Through this unique blending of biography and meditation, McInerny creates a powerful portrait of the Maritains, one that reveals a model of the intellectual life as lived by Christian believers.McInerny's authoritative work provides an interesting and accessible avenue of entry to Maritain's life and thought. Among the topics McInerny covers are Maritain's remarkable and diverse set of friends, his involvement in French politics, and the development of his views on the nature and future of democracy, the church, and Catholic intellectual life. By skillfully interweaving Maritain's philosophy with anecdotes from his life, McInerny demonstrates what distinguished Maritain as a Catholic philosopher and why he is a source of inspiration for McInerny and others of his generation.

"This is the best book about Jacques Maritain in the English language. McInerny provides a standard for Maritain scholarship." --Jude P. Dougherty, Catholic University of America"Ralph McInerny has done a great service to the study of Maritain in producing a work that is informative, engaging, and inspiring. No one reading this book can fail to be impressed by the achievements of Maritain or be struck by how apt an author is McInerny to relate them, for he shares in the multifaceted talent of his subject. This book will be read in years to come." --John Haldane, University of St Andrews "This marvelous portrait of Jacques Maritain demonstrates why in the 20th century he was a unique role model for intellectuals and artists throughout the world. Amidst the tumultuous events of that century, political, cultural, philosophical, Maritain kept his compass pointing to true north, on sanctity through Christ and the Church. McInerny shows why Maritain ought to remain a model for all with a similar goal now." --John P. O'Callaghan, University of Notre Dame

The Praeambula Fidei (""preambles of faith"") are regarded by Thomas Aquinas as the culmination of philosophy: natural theology, the highest knowledge of God that is possible on philosophical grounds alone. The natural home for such considerations is the ""Metaphysics"" of Aristotle and Thomas's commentary on that work. Yet Thomas's view has been cast into doubt, with philosophers and theologians alike attempting to drive a wedge between Aquinas and Aristotle. In this book, renowned philosopher Ralph McInerny sets out to review what Thomas meant by the phrase and to defend a robust understanding of Thomas's teaching on the subject. After setting forth different attitudes toward proofs of God's existence and outlining the difference between belief and knowledge, McInerny examines the texts in which Thomas uses and explains the phrase ""preambles of faith."" He then turns his attention to the work of eminent twentieth-century Thomists and chronicles their abandonment of the preambles. He draws a contrast between this form of Thomism and that of the classical Dominican commentators, notably Cajetan, arguing that part of the abandonment of the notion of the preambles as philosophical involves a misreading and misrepresentation of Cajetan. McInerny concludes with a positive rereading of Aristotle's ""Metaphysics"" and Aquinas's use thereof. In the end, the book argues for a return to the notion of Aristotelico - Thomism - Thomistic philosophy as the organic development of the thought of Aristotle.

Distinguer pour unir, ou Les degres du savoir was first published in 1932 by Jacques Maritain. In this new translation of The Degrees of Knowledge, Ralph McInerny attempts a more careful expression of Maritain's original masterpiece than previous translations. Maritain proposes a hierarchy of the forms of knowledge by discussing the degrees of rational and suprarational understanding. Nine appendices, some longer than the chapters of the book, advance Maritain's thought, often by taking on criticism of earlier editions of the work. Rightly called Maritain's cardinal work, The Degrees of Knowledge is a magnificent and sagacious achievement.

Volume 2 of The Writings of Charles De Koninck carries on the project begun by volume 1 of presenting the first English edition of the collected works of the Catholic Thomist philosopher Charles De Koninck (1906-1965). Ralph McInerny (1929-2010) was the project editor and prepared the excellent translations. This volume begins with two works published in 1943: Ego Sapientia: The Wisdom That Is Mary, De Koninck's first study in Mariology, and The Primacy of the Common Good Against the Personalists (with The Principle of the New Order), which generated a strong critical reaction. Included in this volume are two reviews of The Primacy of the Common Good, by Yves R. Simon and I. Thomas Eschmann, O.P., and De Koninck's substantial response to Eschmann in his lengthy "In Defence of St. Thomas." The volume concludes with a group of short essays: "The Dialectic of Limits as Critique of Reason," "Notes on Marxism," "This Is a Hard Saying," "[Review of] Between Heaven and Earth," and "Concept, Process, and Reality."

The Writings of Charles De Koninck, volumes 1 and 2, present the first English editions of collected works of the Catholic Thomist philosopher Charles De Koninck (1906–1965). Ralph McInerny (1929–2010) was the project editor and prepared the excellent translations. Volume 1 contains writings ranging from De Koninck’s 1934 dissertation at the University of Louvain on the philosophy of Sir Arthur Eddington, to two remarkable early essays on indeterminism and the unpublished book The Cosmos. The short essay “Are the Experimental Sciences Distinct from the Philosophy of Nature?� demonstrates for the first time De Koninck’s distinctive view on the relation between philosophy of nature and the experimental sciences. Volume 1 also includes a comprehensive introductory essay by Leslie Armour outlining the structure and themes of De Koninck's philosophy, and a biographical essay by De Koninck’s son, Thomas.

"Both Thomistic scholars and analytic philosophers interested in theories of human action and accountability will find this book a welcome addition to their libraries. Truly a substantive addition to both Thomistic scholarship and the ongoing analytic investigation into human action and responsible agency." - American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly "A tremendously successful exposition of Aquinas, which brings him into conversation with contemporary and analytic philosophy in a mutually illuminating way. Action and Conduct is so thorough and so lucid that no students of Aquinas or of contemporary action theory can afford to neglect it." - Modern Theology "A first rate book...Brock's lucid and illuminating analysis offers much of value to both intellectual historians and theologians, as well as philosophers." - Theological Studies "Brock's treatment of Aquinas's account of action exhibits a rare combination of rigor and learning. It is, no doubt, the best we have." - The Thomist

Volume 2 of "The Writings of Charles De Koninck"is part of the three-volume series presenting the first English edition of the collected works of the Catholic Thomist philosopher Charles De Koninck (1906-1965). Ralph McInerny is the project editor and has prepared the excellent translations.The second volume begins with two works published in 1943: "Ego Sapientia: The Wisdom That Is Mary," De Koninck's first study in Mariology, and "The Primacy of the Common Good Against the Personalists" (with "The Principle of the New Order"), which generated a strong critical reaction. Included in this volume are two reviews of "The Primacy of the Common Good," by Yves R. Simon and I. Thomas Eschmann, O.P., and De Koninck's substantial response to Eschmann in his lengthy "In Defense of St. Thomas." The volume concludes with a group of short essays: "The Dialectic of Limits as Critique of Reason," "Notes on Marxism," "This Is a Hard Saying," " Review of] "Between Heaven and Earth,"" and "Concept, Process, and Reality."

"Volume Two of "The Writings of Charles De Koninck"reveals a Thomist at home not merely in the deepest questions of natural science and natural philosophy, but also in the highest reaches of ethical and political philosophy, and in the most wonderful realm of revealed theology. De Koninck combines a justified confidence in his wisdom about the highest things with humility and gratitude for the gift of that wisdom. The series edited by Dr. McInerny is taking shape as a recovered treasure of a philosopher who labored to receive, and to pass on, the gift of wisdom." --David Quackenbush, Thomas Aquinas College

The Writings of Charles De Koninck, Volume 1, introduces a projected three-volume series that presents the first English edition of the collected works of the Catholic Thomist philosopher Charles De Koninck (1906-1965). Ralph McInerny is the project editor and has prepared the excellent translations.The first volume contains writings ranging from De Koninck's 1934 dissertation at the University of Louvain on the philosophy of Sir Arthur Eddington, to two remarkable early essays on indeterminism and the unpublished book The Cosmos. The short essay Are the Experimental Sciences Distinct from the Philosophy of Nature? is also included and demonstrates for the first time De Koninck's distinctive view on the relation between philosophy of nature and the experimental sciences. A comprehensive introductory essay by Leslie Armour outlines the structure and themes of De Koninck's philosophy. The volume begins with a biographical essay by De Koninck's son, Thomas.