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Holy people are joyful people, says Father Martin, offering countless examples of healthy humor and purposeful levity in the stories of biblical heroes and heroines, and in the lives of the saints and the world's great spiritual masters. He shows us how the parables are often the stuff of comedy, and how the gospels reveal Jesus to be a man with a palpable sense of joy and even playfulness. In fact, Father Martin argues compellingly, thinking about a Jesus without a sense of humor may be close to heretical.

Drawing on Scripture, sharing anecdotes from his experiences as a lifelong Catholic, a Jesuit for over twenty years, and a priest for more than ten, and including amusing and insightful sidebars, footnotes, and jokes, Father Martin illustrates how joy, humor, and laughter help us to live more spiritual lives, understand ourselves and others better, and more fully appreciate God's presence among us. Practical how-to advice helps us use humor to show our faith, embrace our humanity, put things into perspective, open our minds, speak truth, demonstrate courage, challenge power, learn hospitality, foster effective human relations, deepen our relationship with God, and ... enjoy ourselves. Inviting God to lighten our hearts, we can enjoy a little heaven on earth.
Paperback publishing date 9/11/12   263 pages

This handbook reflects on the needs of individuals with a wide range of disabilities and calls on catechists and religious education programs to consider special needs students for their mainstream and specialized programs.

This comprehensive book covers a variety of the most-encountered special needs, along with approaches for meeting those needs. The author discusses strategies for having fruitful dialogues with parents, identifying students for your special needs program, recruiting effective catechists or teachers, and developing lesson plans. Throughout, the text and examples are straight-forward, practical, and easily understood, specifically by catechists who may not have the formal theological training required to fully use other resources available on the market. It can even be used by catechists in traditional classrooms as a resource of creative teaching techniques for students who have ADD/ ADHD or mild learning disabilities.

The Gospel of John presents Christ, right from the beginning, as the tangible reality of God's plan for the world. John's gospel, written between 90 and 100 AD, speaks about God, creation, and the meaning and message of Jesus Christ.

This gospel focuses on Jesus as the Word Became Flesh, existing before creation. The prologue found in the gospel of John echoes the creation story in Genesis: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Additionally, the role of the Holy Spirit is frequently spoken of in the Gospel of John.

As you read familiar scripture passages, reflecting on them with Fr. Anderson's narrative and applying the spiritual practice of lectio divina, they will enkindle in you a deeper insight into the love of God for us.

This simple prayer book, devoted to the Holy Family, offers traditional and original prayers dedicated to helping families today. Included in The Holy Family Prayer Book, are a variety of prayers that will help families stay spiritually grounded and ever-present in faith.

Ideal for educators, pastoral ministers, catechists, or lay study groups, the new study-guide edition of The Mass: Four Encounters With Jesus that Will Change Your Life includes in-depth questions designed to stimulate group discussion. The guide covers all chapters of the book, and challenges participants to examine their experience of the Mass with the goal of bringing about a greater understanding of what is happening and Who is showing up at Mass. Journey with others as you prepare for a personal encounter with Our Lord, who longs to encounter you and to change your life.