The papacy is the oldest non-hereditary monarchy in the world. Over its two thousand years history, it has influenced the lives of billions of people, Christian and non-Christian. The influence of the papacy has by no means been limited to the religious sphere, however. Popes have been directly involved in setting up the Holy Roman Empire, the demise of paganism and global politics. As patrons of the arts, popes have commissioned some of the finest masterpieces, including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. In the area of politics, Pope Alexander VI divided the map of the newly discovered territories of the Americas in the late 15th century. In the area of temporal calculation, a sixth-century pope changed the global calander and in the 16th century, Pope Gregory XII reformed the calendar of Julius Caesar. From the earliest forays of the Muslim world westwards, the popes have launched crusades to stop their advance. Most recently, Pope John Paul II, in his 25-year pontificate, has raised the profile of the papacy immeasurably. Finally, THE FISHERMAN'S NET brings the story up to date with a chapter on the new pope, Benedict XVI.

The papacy is the oldest non-hereditary monarchy in the world. Over its two thousand years history, it has influenced the lives of billions of people, Christian and non-Christian. The influence of the papacy has by no means been limited to the religious sphere, however. Popes have been directly involved in setting up the Holy Roman Empire, the demise of paganism and global politics. As patrons of the arts, popes have commissioned some of the finest masterpieces, including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. In the area of politics, Pope Alexander VI divided the map of the newly discovered territories of the Americas in the late 15th century. In the area of temporal calculation, a sixth-century pope changed the global calander and in the 16th century, Pope Gregory XII reformed the calendar of Julius Caesar. From the earliest forays of the Muslim world westwards, the popes have launched crusades to stop their advance. Most recently, Pope John Paul II, in his 25-year pontificate, has raised the profile of the papacy immeasurably. Finally, THE FISHERMAN'S NET brings the story up to date with a chapter on the new pope, Benedict XVI.

Juan Uriarte, a handsome and outspoken Spanish ex-priest, seems to be the model of nonviolence and compassion for the poor and downtrodden. So why is he on trial, accused of terrorist activities? His worldwide Catholic charitable outreach program is suspected of being a front for radicals. The trial is covered by Kate Ramsay, a young British reporter, who sets out to uncover the truth about Uriarte and his work. She travels with him to Africa to see his work first hand but soon finds herself attracted to him. Meanwhile an international conspiracy is growing, one that reaches into the Vatican itself. When the death of Pope John Paul II brings about the conclave that will elect Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI, a terrorist plot involving blackmail, subterfuge, and mass murder begins to fall into place... a plot that could spell disaster for the Catholic Church and the world. Piers Paul Read's powerful tale combines vivid characters, high drama, love, betrayal, faith, and redemption in a story of intrigue, church espionage, and an attempt to destroy the longest continuous government in the world the Papacy. The Death of a Pope races toward an unexpected and unforgettable conclusion. Praise for The Death of a Pope''Piers Paul Read has managed to combine sheer storytelling power with great learning and insight about the inner workings of the Church to fashion an entertainment of the highest order. If John le Carre took on Vatican politics, his book of suspense might aspire to be much like this one.'' Ron Hansen, Author of Mariette in Ecstasy and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford''The Death of a Pope is a faith-driven theological thriller, narrated by a storyteller of the first order as refreshing as it is rare among the bedraggled ranks of contemporary novelists.'' Joseph Pearce, Author of The Quest for Shakespeare''In The Death of a Pope, the versatile Piers Paul Read, who has distinguished himself in many genres, returns to what can be called the ecclesiastical thriller. If the mystery looks to the past to explain a crime already committed, the thriller aims to prevent something from happening. When that something is a terrorist act, planned for the Vatican, drama is assured... To say more would rob the reader of his pleasure. The Death of a Pope is a great Read in every sense of the term.'' Ralph McInerny, Author of the Father Dowling MysteriesAbout the AuthorNovelist and playwright Piers Paul Read was born in Beaconsfield, England on March 7, 1941. He was educated by Benedictine Monks at Ampleforth College, York and also at St. John's College, Cambridge. His non-fiction includes Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors, an account of the aftermath of a plane crash in the Andes which has sold five million copies worldwide and was later adapted as the film Alive; The Templars, a history of the Crusades; and Alec Guinness: The Authorised Biography, a profile of the acclaimed late actor.His first novel was published in 1966. More recent novels include On the Third Day, A Patriot in Berlin, and Alice in Exile.Piers Paul Read is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and a member of the Council of the Society of Authors. He has also written a number of television plays, and several of his novels have been adapted for film and television. He lives in London.

Juan Uriarte, a handsome and outspoken Spanish ex-priest, seems to be the model of nonviolence and compassion for the poor and downtrodden. So why is he on trial, accused of terrorist activities? His worldwide Catholic charitable outreach program is suspected of being a front for radicals. The trial is covered by Kate Ramsay, a young British reporter, who sets out to uncover the truth about Uriarte and his work. She travels with him to Africa to see his work first hand but soon finds herself attracted to him. Meanwhile an international conspiracy is growing, one that reaches into the Vatican itself. When the death of Pope John Paul II brings about the conclave that will elect Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI, a terrorist plot involving blackmail, subterfuge, and mass murder begins to fall into place... a plot that could spell disaster for the Catholic Church and the world. Piers Paul Read's powerful tale combines vivid characters, high drama, love, betrayal, faith, and redemption in a story of intrigue, church espionage, and an attempt to destroy the longest continuous government in the world the Papacy. The Death of a Pope races toward an unexpected and unforgettable conclusion. Praise for The Death of a Pope''Piers Paul Read has managed to combine sheer storytelling power with great learning and insight about the inner workings of the Church to fashion an entertainment of the highest order. If John le Carre took on Vatican politics, his book of suspense might aspire to be much like this one.'' Ron Hansen, Author of Mariette in Ecstasy and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford''The Death of a Pope is a faith-driven theological thriller, narrated by a storyteller of the first order as refreshing as it is rare among the bedraggled ranks of contemporary novelists.'' Joseph Pearce, Author of The Quest for Shakespeare''In The Death of a Pope, the versatile Piers Paul Read, who has distinguished himself in many genres, returns to what can be called the ecclesiastical thriller. If the mystery looks to the past to explain a crime already committed, the thriller aims to prevent something from happening. When that something is a terrorist act, planned for the Vatican, drama is assured... To say more would rob the reader of his pleasure. The Death of a Pope is a great Read in every sense of the term.'' Ralph McInerny, Author of the Father Dowling MysteriesAbout the AuthorNovelist and playwright Piers Paul Read was born in Beaconsfield, England on March 7, 1941. He was educated by Benedictine Monks at Ampleforth College, York and also at St. John's College, Cambridge. His non-fiction includes Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors, an account of the aftermath of a plane crash in the Andes which has sold five million copies worldwide and was later adapted as the film Alive; The Templars, a history of the Crusades; and Alec Guinness: The Authorised Biography, a profile of the acclaimed late actor.His first novel was published in 1966. More recent novels include On the Third Day, A Patriot in Berlin, and Alice in Exile.Piers Paul Read is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and a member of the Council of the Society of Authors. He has also written a number of television plays, and several of his novels have been adapted for film and television. He lives in London.

The author recreates more than sixty little known incidents in the lives of famous people which caused them to rise up as champions of human justice as he traces the history of prejudice in the United States to the Vatican. Included are fun, entertaining and heartwarming stories of the 33-day pope, Susan B. Anthony, Phil Donohue, Anne Frank, John Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, General George Patton, Richard Simmmons, Elizabeth Taylor and other famous people who have led the war against prejudices involving women, Negroes, Native Americans, Asians, Jews, Muslims, the handicapped, bastards, test-tube babies, the diseased, transgenders, transsexuals, lesbians, homosexuals, the homeless, prostitutes, the remarried, interfaith marriage, interracial marriage, gay marriage, the obese, atheists, and even animals.

It wasn't always the case that Msgr. Georg Ratzinger lived in the shadow of his younger brother, Joseph. Georg was an accomplished musician, who for over 30 years directed the Regensburger Domspatzchor, the world-famous boys choir of the Regensburg cathedral. Brother Joseph was a brilliant young professor, but mostly known in German academic circles.Now Georg writes about the close friendship that has united these two brothers for more than 80 years. This book is a unique window on an extraordinary family that lived through the difficult period of National Socialism in Germany. Those interested in knowing more about the early life of Benedict XVI will not be disappointed. They will also learn of the admirable character and inspiring example of the parents, and see how the Catholic faith can shape not just a family, but an entire culture-in this case, that of Bavaria.Georg's reminiscences are detailed, intimate, and warm. And while they begin with the earliest years of the Ratzinger family, they continue right up to the present day.This is not simply a book to satisfy curiosity about a "celebrity", though it certainly does that. It's a beautiful portrait of Catholic family life and, in the most literal sense, of enduring fraternal charity. Georg has a talent for telling a story, and the co-author fills in some of the larger historical background. The many photographs, both in black and white and in color, round out a thoroughly enjoyable and inspirational book. Illustrated with 47 photographs."Msgr. Georg Ratzinger's evocative portrait of the Bavarian Catholicism in which he and his brother, the future pope, were raised, offers 21st century readers an intimate glimpse of a lost world that clearly lives on in the minds and hearts of a great musician and a great theologian. The scenes sketched so ably by Msgr. Ratzinger also shed new light on the experiences that shaped some of the thinking of Benedict XVI about the reform of the Church and the future of Europe."- George Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center

Do You Know... where the legend of a cat's nine lives comes from? why "mama" is a word understood in nearly all languages? how the custom of kissing began? whether there really was a female pope? why Cinderella's glass slipper was so important to the Prince? The answers to these and countless other intriguing questions are given in this compulsively readable, feminist encyclopedia. Twenty-five years in preparation, this unique, comprehensive sourcebook focuses on mythology anthropology, religion, and sexuality to uncover precisely what other encyclopedias leave out or misrepresent. "The Woman's Encyclopedia" presents the fascinating stories behind word origins, legends, superstitions, and customs. A browser's delight and an indispensable resource, it offers 1,350 entries on magic, witchcraft, fairies, elves, giants, goddesses, gods, and psychological anomalies such as demonic possession; the mystical meanings of sun, moon, earth, sea, time, and space; ideas of the soul, reincarnation, creation and doomsday; ancient and modern attitudes toward sex, prostitution, romance, rape, warfare, death and sin, and more. Tracing these concepts to their prepatriarchal origins, Barbara G. Walker explores a "thousand hidden pockets of history and custom in addition to the valuable material recovered by archaeologists, orientalists, and other scholars." Not only a compendium of fascinating lore and scholarship, "The Woman's Encyclopedia is a revolutionary book that offers a rare opportunity for both women and men to see our cultural heritage in a fresh light, and draw upon the past for a more humane future.

At the close of the tumultuous Middle Ages, there lived a man who seemed destined from birth to save the world. His name was Peter Morrone, a hermit, a founder of a religious order, and, depending on whom you talk to, a reformer, an instigator, a prophet, a coward, a saint, and possibly the victim of murder. A stroke of fate would, practically overnight, transform this humble servant of God into the most powerful man in the Catholic Church. Half a year later, he would be the only pope in history to abdicate the chair of St. Peter, an act that nearly brought the papacy to its knees. What led him to make that decision and what happened afterward would be shrouded in mystery for centuries. The Pope Who Quit pulls back the veil of secrecy on this dramatic time in history and showcases a story that involves deadly dealings, apocalyptic maneuverings, and papal intrigue.

Vinal County, Ohio is a place where corn is king and soybeans are a distant cousin. The spires of regal Catholic churches rise out of the farm landscape and are living testimony to the faith of God-fearing farm families who lived here without change for generations. Then, one day the higher-ups in Rome decide to shut down these churches and make way for some good old-fashioned 21st century style efficiency. A mini-revolution occurs within the churchyard and the locks on the venerable church door is shattered, leaving it swinging in the wind, and the sanctuary open to all. A cast of zany characters emerge: from Mary Barnette who dubs herself Pope, to the horse-riding, sheep-tending priest Fr. Ray, to a greedy parish priest who tries to cash in on the ethanol boom, to a group of Catholic royalists calling themselves the Defenders of the Door. The original contrary farmer himself ruminates on the nature of religion and belief in this barnstormer of a book. Razor sharp satire, flawless characterization, telling dialogue, and formidable comic situations make this third novel by veteran farm and nature writer Logsdon a must-read.

The adventures of St. Peter, the first pope — for childrenMost kids think of popes as old men who live quiet lives in the Vatican. In fact, danger stalks every pope. From John Paul II (who was shot) all the way back to the first pope, the men God places in charge of His Church have been hated and attacked for their goodness and for the good the Church does.These pages recount the adventures of Peter, the first pope, whose troubles began just days after Jesus returned to Heaven. When Peter preached, baptized three thousand people, and cured a lame man, soldiers threw him into prison. Set free by a judge, Peter preached again, won more converts, and got jailed again . . . and again. Finally freed by angels, Peter traveled throughout Asia, setting up many new churches. Then he went to Rome, the capital of the Empire, where he converted many and, doing so, angered the pagan emperor Nero. Nero’s soldiers threw many Christians to the lions. They arrested Peter, led him before a jeering crowd, and crucified him.Today, on the very spot where Peter was crucified, stands the most important Catholic Church in the world, St. Peter’s Basilica. Nearby is the Vatican, the Church’s worldwide headquarters, and for centuries home to the popes — men who are now known not merely by their chosen names but are also called “Peter” (to remind us that Christ Himself has placed them, too, in charge of His Church).Yes, as you’ll read in these exciting pages, Peter, the first pope, died (as will all who ever take his place). But each will be replaced by yet another pope, who will also be known as “Peter.” In this way, Peter became the man who never died, fulfilling the promise that Jesus made to him: “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church,” the Church whose origins are told here, and which will also never die.

Alexander Pope's classic poem "The Rape of the Lock," edited and with an introduction by Thomas Marc Parrott. Perhaps no other great poet in English Literature has been so differently judged at different times as Alexander Pope. Accepted almost on his first appearance as one of the leading poets of the day, he rapidly became recognized as the foremost man of letters of his age. He held this position throughout his life, and for over half a century after his death his works were considered not only as masterpieces, but as the finest models of poetry. With the change of poetic temper that occurred at the beginning of the nineteenth century Pope's fame was overshadowed. The romantic poets and critics even raised the question whether Pope was a poet at all. And as his poetical fame diminished, the harsh judgments of his personal character increased. It is almost incredible with what exulting bitterness critics and editors of Pope have tracked out and exposed his petty intrigues, exaggerated his delinquencies, misrepresented his actions, attempted in short to blast his character as a man. Both as a man and as a poet Pope is sadly in need of a defender to-day. And a defense is by no means impossible. The depreciation of Pope's poetry springs, in the main, from an attempt to measure it by other standards than those which he and his age recognized. The attacks upon his character are due, in large measure, to a misunderstanding of the spirit of the times in which he lived and to a forgetfulness of the special circumstances of his own life. Tried in a fair court by impartial judges Pope as a poet would be awarded a place, if not among the noblest singers, at least high among poets of the second order. And the flaws of character which even his warmest apologist must admit would on the one hand be explained, if not excused, by circumstances, and on the other more than counterbalanced by the existence of noble qualities to which his assailants seem to have been quite blind.

This book contains a continuous history of the Papacy from the first century up to the mid-20th, when it was written. The original book has no chapter heads: the breakdown by century was added here. Farrow names every pope and provides extensive background on them. There are good popes, not a few bad popes, anti-popes (at one time there were three claimants to the throne), some popes who reigned less than a week, and numerous popes of humble origin.The author is not afraid to confront the low points of papal history. Some of the medieval popes lived like Asian despots, and even had harems of concubines. The Renaissance popes, particularly the Borgias, raised nepotism to a high art, while they brought high art into the Vatican. In the 20th century successive Popes made open pacts with both Mussolini and Hitler. Farrow, a devout and very conservative Catholic, points out that the institution has endured and grown for two millennia, in spite of the uneven quality of the popes themselves.The book is full of interesting facts. For instance, the pope was not declared infallible until a conclave in 1869. Napoleon imprisoned Pius VI, and almost got him to sign over the Vatican to France. There was only one English pope, Adrian IV, but quite a few French pontiffs. There were a number of popes who were related, including fathers and sons. Also of note is a useful chronological table at the end which lists every pope from St. Peter to Pius XII. (Quote from sacred-texts.com)About the AuthorJohn Farrow (1904 - 1963)John Farrow (February 10, 1904 - January 28, 1963) was an award-winning film director, producer and screenwriter.Born John N.B. Villiers-Farrow in Sydney, Australia, John Farrow began writing while working as a sailor in the

Was Pope Pius XII a Nazi Sympathizer?For almost 50 years, a controversy has raged about Pope Pius XII. Was the Pope who had shepherded the Church through World War II a Nazi sympathizer? Was he, as some have dared call him, Hitler's pope? Did he do nothing to help the Jewish people in the grips of the Holocaust?In a thoroughly researched and meticulously documented analysis of the historical record, Ronald Rychlak has gotten past the anger and emotion and uncovered the truth about Pius XII. Not only does he refute the accusations against the Pope, but for the first time documents how the slanders against him had their roots in a Soviet Communist campaign to discredit him and by extension, the Church. Let those who doubt but read Rychlak, follow his exquisitely organized courtroom-like arguments. What Professor Rychlak brings to the forum are facts, not rhetoric, dates, not conjecture, evidence, not slander.... The world owes Ronald Rychlak a debt for bringing the truth to light. ---Rabbi Eric A. Silver "In his well-crafted pages ... the portrait that emerges is one of an extraordinary pastor facing extremely vexing circumstances, of a holy man vying against an evil man, of a human being trying to save the lives of other human beings, of a light shining in the darkness." --John Cardinal O Connor (1920-2000) Archbishop of New York (from the Foreword to the first edition)"I have read many books on Pius XII, and this is by far the most dispassionate in laying out the context, relevant facts, accusations, and evidence pro and con. The book is highly engaging because it is filled with so many little-known facts. The research has been prodigious. Yet the presentation is as down-to-earth as it would have to be in a courtroom.... This is a wonderfully realistic book." ---Michael NovakGeorge Frederick Jewett Scholar in Religion, Philosophy, and Public Policy,American Enterprise Institute"Despite his many brilliant accomplishments, perhaps no modern-day leader of the Catholic Church has triggered more controversies than Pope Pius XII. Some historians have argued that, in light of the Church s concerns about Communism, he was pro-Nazi during the 1930s. He has been accused of signing the Reichskonkordat as a signal to Adolf Hitler of Rome's favor; of dissuading Pope Pius XI from condemning Kristallnacht; and of remaining silent in face of proof that the Holocaust was taking place.In this valuable book, Professor Ronald Rychlak sets the record straight. He paints a vivid picture of the social, political, and religious background against which the papacy of Pius XII took place. In so doing, Rychlak shows him to have been a man of singular wisdom and courage.Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli was a brilliant student as a young man, fluent in several languages, with doctorates in theology and canon and civil law. He was elected to the papacy just six months before Germany's invasion of Poland sparked the Second World War in Europe."Rychlak has buried the myth under an avalanche of facts and demonstrated that Pacelli's reputation deserves to be what it was during the war when the New York Times more than once praised him as a lonely voice crying out of the silence of a continent. Rychlak has done more than anyone else to set the record straight." --Professor Robert George McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence Princeton University

Bartolomeo Platina (1421–1481), historian, political theorist, and author of a best-selling cookbook, began life as a mercenary soldier and ended it as the head of the Vatican Library. A papal official under the humanist Pope Pius II, he was a member of the humanist academies of Cardinal Bessarion and Pomponio Leto, and was twice imprisoned for conspiring against Pope Paul II. Returning to favor under Pope Sixtus IV, he composed his most famous work, a biographical compendium of the Roman popes from St. Peter down to his own time. The work critically synthesized a wide range of sources and became the standard reference work on papal history for early modern Europe, reprinted dozens of times and translated into a number of languages. A characteristic work of Renaissance humanism, it used Christian antiquity as a standard against which to criticize modern churchmen. This edition contains the first complete translation into English and an improved Latin text. Volume 1, the first of a projected four, covers the period from the founding of the church through ad 461.

Bartolomeo Platina (1421–1481), historian, political theorist, and author of a best-selling cookbook, began life as a mercenary soldier and ended it as the head of the Vatican Library. A papal official under the humanist Pope Pius II, he was a member of the humanist academies of Cardinal Bessarion and Pomponio Leto, and was twice imprisoned for conspiring against Pope Paul II. Returning to favor under Pope Sixtus IV, he composed his most famous work, a biographical compendium of the Roman popes from St. Peter down to his own time. The work critically synthesized a wide range of sources and became the standard reference work on papal history for early modern Europe, reprinted dozens of times and translated into a number of languages. A characteristic work of Renaissance humanism, it used Christian antiquity as a standard against which to criticize modern churchmen. This edition contains the first complete translation into English and an improved Latin text. Volume 1, the first of a projected four, covers the period from the founding of the church through ad 461.

Monsignor Shamus McKenna begins as a narrow-minded bureaucrat in Vatican service. The Pope commissions him to study natural law as it pertains to women. His quest for the truth brings him to explore options that he never considered before. He discovers Amrutha and meets extraordinary women who invariably push his boundaries of propriety. At every point his determination to follow natural law leads him into more murky and untested waters of sex, morality, heroism, and women's lives. "Engaging and endearing. I wept a good half-dozen times . . . Tongue-in-cheek humor brought me spontaneous laughter. This work is a cross between Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and Don Johnson's The Harrad Experiment" - Dr Aaron Milavec, Vice-Principal Catherine of Siena College, Cincinnati Ohio. "Vivid scenes, haunting images, gripping action. And underneath, the ever puzzling question: what is that mysterious Law of Nature that Popes invoke to ban condoms, condemn gays and downgrade women" - Elisabeth Price, correspondent of Catholics for a Changing Church "This is a lively and action-packed book. Despite - or perhaps because of - its polemical intent, the story succeeds in holding the reader's interest throughout. Altogether, an enjoyable and thought-provoking read" -Dr Pat Anne Pinsent, Senior Research Fellow, Roehampton University, London www.thepopesman.com

Was Pope Pius XII a Nazi Sympathizer?For almost 50 years, a controversy has raged about Pope Pius XII. Was the Pope who had shepherded the Church through World War II a Nazi sympathizer? Was he, as some have dared call him, Hitler's pope? Did he do nothing to help the Jewish people in the grips of the Holocaust?In a thoroughly researched and meticulously documented analysis of the historical record, Ronald Rychlak has gotten past the anger and emotion and uncovered the truth about Pius XII. Not only does he refute the accusations against the Pope, but for the first time documents how the slanders against him had their roots in a Soviet Communist campaign to discredit him and by extension, the Church. Let those who doubt but read Rychlak, follow his exquisitely organized courtroom-like arguments. What Professor Rychlak brings to the forum are facts, not rhetoric, dates, not conjecture, evidence, not slander.... The world owes Ronald Rychlak a debt for bringing the truth to light. ---Rabbi Eric A. Silver "In his well-crafted pages ... the portrait that emerges is one of an extraordinary pastor facing extremely vexing circumstances, of a holy man vying against an evil man, of a human being trying to save the lives of other human beings, of a light shining in the darkness." --John Cardinal O Connor (1920-2000) Archbishop of New York (from the Foreword to the first edition)"I have read many books on Pius XII, and this is by far the most dispassionate in laying out the context, relevant facts, accusations, and evidence pro and con. The book is highly engaging because it is filled with so many little-known facts. The research has been prodigious. Yet the presentation is as down-to-earth as it would have to be in a courtroom.... This is a wonderfully realistic book." ---Michael NovakGeorge Frederick Jewett Scholar in Religion, Philosophy, and Public Policy,American Enterprise Institute"Despite his many brilliant accomplishments, perhaps no modern-day leader of the Catholic Church has triggered more controversies than Pope Pius XII. Some historians have argued that, in light of the Church s concerns about Communism, he was pro-Nazi during the 1930s. He has been accused of signing the Reichskonkordat as a signal to Adolf Hitler of Rome's favor; of dissuading Pope Pius XI from condemning Kristallnacht; and of remaining silent in face of proof that the Holocaust was taking place.In this valuable book, Professor Ronald Rychlak sets the record straight. He paints a vivid picture of the social, political, and religious background against which the papacy of Pius XII took place. In so doing, Rychlak shows him to have been a man of singular wisdom and courage.Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli was a brilliant student as a young man, fluent in several languages, with doctorates in theology and canon and civil law. He was elected to the papacy just six months before Germany's invasion of Poland sparked the Second World War in Europe."Rychlak has buried the myth under an avalanche of facts and demonstrated that Pacelli's reputation deserves to be what it was during the war when the New York Times more than once praised him as a lonely voice crying out of the silence of a continent. Rychlak has done more than anyone else to set the record straight." --Professor Robert George McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence Princeton University

It wasn't always the case that Msgr. Georg Ratzinger lived in the shadow of his younger brother, Joseph. Georg was an accomplished musician, who for more than 30 years directed the world-famous boys choir of the Regensburg cathedral. Brother Joseph was a brilliant young professor, but mostly known in German academic circles. Now Georg writes about the close friendship that has united these two brothers for more than 80 years.

Noticing how often the new Pope had the topic of "joy" as the central theme of his many addresses, Murphy delved into the vast writings of the Pope, before and after his election to the papacy, and found that the theme of joy has pervaded all of his theology. Recognizing the Pope's invitation to joy as a key to understanding his basic theological vision, Murphy develops those ideas and writings in a creative way, and helps the reader to engage personally with the original and pastoral mind of Joseph Ratzinger, professor, pastor, and now Pope Benedict XVI. This joy is nothing other than the joy of the Christian faith. Indeed, the "first word of the New Testament", says Pope Benedict XVI, "is an invitation to joy". The Gospel of Jesus Christ, he insists, is not a burdensome imposition but is truly "glad tidings" for mankind. Christianity is the key to true and lasting joy, the only joy that abides in the midst of life's anxieties and difficulties. Written in a clear and engaging style, this book argues that joy is central to all of Pope Benedict's thought. All the other great themes of the Christian faith are intimately connected with it and radiate out from it. The world is in need of hearing once again the message of joy which Jesus Christ makes known. For priests, religious and laity who are concerned with presenting the Christian message in a positive, attractive and convincing way, as well as for all who wish to delve into the rich and exciting thought of Pope Benedict XVI, one of the most inspiring Christian thinkers of recent decades, this timely book will provide insight for personal reflection, preaching and teaching. The author has immersed himself in Pope Benedict's writings, many of which are occasional or fragmentary, and has made of them a coherent whole. What a surprise for many less perceptive critics to find that the motif of joy - of all things - could well be considered the master-theme of Joseph Ratzinger's work. -- Adian Nichols, O.P., author of Lovely Like Jerusalem "Joy among friends is contagious. This book is a lucid introduction to Pope Benedict's contemplative wisdom, the fruit of his profound friendship with Jesus Christ. Such friendship expands into a vast communion of saints and scholars, many of whom appear in the Pope's writings and addresses. The human mind and heart can find no greater joy than that found in friendship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." -- Rev. Matthew Levering, Chairman and Professor, Department of Theology at Ave Maria University. "In this very readable and informative work, Monsignor Murphy takes his start from the observation of the profound spiritual joy that Pope Benedict exudes in his homilies, addresses, and writings not only as Pope but throughout his life as priest, professor, theologian and Bishop. Murphy then follows this spiritual joy as a common thread running through the writings of Joseph Ratzinger over many decades, and joy becomes the prism through which the Holy Father's thought is viewed comprehensively. Even apart from the value of citations that he gathers together - which by itself already constitute a real contribution - Murphy has masterfully synthesized the material. He has also made the theology of Joseph Ratzinger his own so as to be able to enter together with him into dialogue with the Sacred Scriptures, with the Fathers of the Church, and with various modern and post-modern authors, finding in the "private" theology of the present Holy Father a sure antidote to the listlessness, the boredom, and the meaningless of a world that attempts to live without God. The same spirit of joy is shown every aspect of the Pope's thought regarding the Holy Trinity, the Church, the Eucharist, and eschatology, thus helping to account for the attractive power of his teaching to which the vast crowds at his Wednesday audiences now testify. Certainly the vast theological contribution of Joseph Ratzinger prior to his election to the Papacy must not be

A handsome, accessible treasury containing the essential wisdom of Pope John Paul II on matters of life, faith, and conscience-one for each day of the year. This inspirational collection of meditations, reflections, and aphorisms is drawn from Pope John Paul II’s writings, both from his unpublished personal archives as well as from published works, including sermons given during pastoral visits, official interviews, Youth Day messages, and encyclicals. To be read singly, as part of daily devotions, or as a whole, these meditations will enhance and inspire faith, sure to be read again and again as a constant source of spiritual renewal.The meditations deal with themes closest to people’s daily lives: family, youth, faith, the elderly, children, forgiveness, life, death, illness, and much more. Each text is illustrated with an inspirational image. The images include reproductions of classic religious paintings and inspirational images as well as photographs from the Pope’s life and ministry. This handsome package makes a perfect gift or self-purchase.

Critical praise for ABSOLUTE MONARCHS“Absolute Monarchs sprawls across Europe and the Levant, over two millenniums, and with an impossibly immense cast: 265 popes, feral hordes of Vandals, Huns and Visigoths, expansionist emperors, Byzantine intriguers, Borgias and Medicis, heretic zealots, conspiring clerics, bestial inquisitors and more. Norwich manages to organize this crowded stage and produce a rollicking narrative. He keeps things moving at nearly beach-read pace.”—Bill Keller, New York Times Book Review, Cover review “Renowned historian Norwich offers a rollicking account of the men who held the papal office, their shortcomings and their virtues, and the impact of the papacy on world history. He conducts us masterfully on a tour of the lives of the popes from Peter to Benedict XVI. . . . Entertaining and deeply researched, Norwich’s history offers a wonderful introduction to papal lives.”—Publishers Weekly “Historian, travel writer, and television documentarian Norwich presents an excellent, often surprising history of that 2,000-year-old institution….he focuses on political history as he traces the evolution of the papacy as an institution, while at the same time providing entertaining profiles of the most historically significant popes….An outstanding historical survey.”—Booklist “When Norwich writes, I read; this member of the House of Lords is a notable and engrossing historian, perhaps best known for his monumental study of Byzantium. Here he offers a history of the nearly two-millennia-old papacy that should be popular with many readers.”—Library Journal “A spirited, concise chronicle of the accomplishments of the most noteworthy popes. . . . Norwich doesn’t skirt controversies, ancient and present, in this broad, clear-eyed assessment.”—Kirkus Reviews  A SWEEPING CHRONICLE OF ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT—AND CONTROVERSIAL—INSTITUTIONS IN HISTORY With the papacy embattled in recent years, it is essential to have the perspective of one of the world’s most accomplished historians. In Absolute Monarchs, John Julius Norwich captures nearly two thousand years of inspiration and devotion, intrigue and scandal. The men (and maybe one woman) who have held this position of infallible power over millions have ranged from heroes to rogues, admirably wise to utterly decadent. Norwich, who knew two popes and had private audiences with two others, recounts in riveting detail the histories of the most significant popes and what they meant politically, culturally, and socially to Rome and to the world.Norwich presents such brave popes as Innocent I, who in the fifth century successfully negotiated with Alaric the Goth, an invader civil authorities could not defeat, and Leo I, who two decades later tamed (and perhaps paid off) Attila the Hun. Here, too, are the scandalous figures: Pope Joan, the mythic woman said (without any substantiation) to have been elected in 855, and the infamous “pornocracy,” the five libertines who were descendants or lovers of Marozia, debauched daughter of one of Rome’s most powerful families.Absolute Monarchs brilliantly portrays reformers such as Pope Paul III, “the greatest pontiff of the sixteenth century,” who reinterpreted the Church’s teaching and discipline, and John XXIII, who in five short years starting in 1958 “opened up the church to the twentieth century,” instituting reforms that led to Vatican II. Norwich brings the story to the present day with Benedict XVI, who is coping with a global priest sex scandal.Epic and compelling, Absolute Monarchs is the astonishing story of some of history’s most revered and reviled figures, men who still cast light and shadows on the Vatican and the world today.

In The Lives of the Eighth-Century Popes, Raymond Davis continues from the year AD 715, where his Book of the Pontiffs left off as he explores the next nine biographies from the Liber Pontificalis of the Roman Church. Including the period where much of Italy shook free from Byzantine control, the eighth century also featured the development of the papacy’s temporal sovereignty, the collapse of the Lombard kingdom, and the involvement of the Franks in Italian affairs—which culminate in the coronation of Charlemagne as emperor by Pope Leo III. A fascinating addition to the papal chronicle, this volume provides a wealth of information of great value to art historians, students of European history, and the lay reader alike. “Davis’s Lives of the Eighth-Century Popes is more than just a translation; it is an invaluable contribution to the study of the early middle ages.”—Ecclesiastical History 

In The Lives of the Eighth-Century Popes, Raymond Davis continues from the year AD 715, where his Book of the Pontiffs left off as he explores the next nine biographies from the Liber Pontificalis of the Roman Church. Including the period where much of Italy shook free from Byzantine control, the eighth century also featured the development of the papacy’s temporal sovereignty, the collapse of the Lombard kingdom, and the involvement of the Franks in Italian affairs—which culminate in the coronation of Charlemagne as emperor by Pope Leo III. A fascinating addition to the papal chronicle, this volume provides a wealth of information of great value to art historians, students of European history, and the lay reader alike. “Davis’s Lives of the Eighth-Century Popes is more than just a translation; it is an invaluable contribution to the study of the early middle ages.”—Ecclesiastical History 

Noticing how often the new Pope had the topic of "joy" as the central theme of his many addresses, Murphy delved into the vast writings of the Pope, before and after his election to the papacy, and found that the theme of joy has pervaded all of his theology. Recognizing the Pope's invitation to joy as a key to understanding his basic theological vision, Murphy develops those ideas and writings in a creative way, and helps the reader to engage personally with the original and pastoral mind of Joseph Ratzinger, professor, pastor, and now Pope Benedict XVI. This joy is nothing other than the joy of the Christian faith. Indeed, the "first word of the New Testament", says Pope Benedict XVI, "is an invitation to joy". The Gospel of Jesus Christ, he insists, is not a burdensome imposition but is truly "glad tidings" for mankind. Christianity is the key to true and lasting joy, the only joy that abides in the midst of life's anxieties and difficulties. Written in a clear and engaging style, this book argues that joy is central to all of Pope Benedict's thought. All the other great themes of the Christian faith are intimately connected with it and radiate out from it. The world is in need of hearing once again the message of joy which Jesus Christ makes known. For priests, religious and laity who are concerned with presenting the Christian message in a positive, attractive and convincing way, as well as for all who wish to delve into the rich and exciting thought of Pope Benedict XVI, one of the most inspiring Christian thinkers of recent decades, this timely book will provide insight for personal reflection, preaching and teaching. The author has immersed himself in Pope Benedict's writings, many of which are occasional or fragmentary, and has made of them a coherent whole. What a surprise for many less perceptive critics to find that the motif of joy - of all things - could well be considered the master-theme of Joseph Ratzinger's work. -- Adian Nichols, O.P., author of Lovely Like Jerusalem "Joy among friends is contagious. This book is a lucid introduction to Pope Benedict's contemplative wisdom, the fruit of his profound friendship with Jesus Christ. Such friendship expands into a vast communion of saints and scholars, many of whom appear in the Pope's writings and addresses. The human mind and heart can find no greater joy than that found in friendship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." -- Rev. Matthew Levering, Chairman and Professor, Department of Theology at Ave Maria University. "In this very readable and informative work, Monsignor Murphy takes his start from the observation of the profound spiritual joy that Pope Benedict exudes in his homilies, addresses, and writings not only as Pope but throughout his life as priest, professor, theologian and Bishop. Murphy then follows this spiritual joy as a common thread running through the writings of Joseph Ratzinger over many decades, and joy becomes the prism through which the Holy Father's thought is viewed comprehensively. Even apart from the value of citations that he gathers together - which by itself already constitute a real contribution - Murphy has masterfully synthesized the material. He has also made the theology of Joseph Ratzinger his own so as to be able to enter together with him into dialogue with the Sacred Scriptures, with the Fathers of the Church, and with various modern and post-modern authors, finding in the "private" theology of the present Holy Father a sure antidote to the listlessness, the boredom, and the meaningless of a world that attempts to live without God. The same spirit of joy is shown every aspect of the Pope's thought regarding the Holy Trinity, the Church, the Eucharist, and eschatology, thus helping to account for the attractive power of his teaching to which the vast crowds at his Wednesday audiences now testify. Certainly the vast theological contribution of Joseph Ratzinger prior to his election to the Papacy must not be

George Weigel, author of Witness to Hope, will be giving a series of lectures in Oxford, London, Manchester, and Birmingham in mid-February. The definitive, authoritative biography of Pope John Paul II, with unprecedented co-operation from the Pope, including access to the Holy Father's papers. A groundbreaking portrait of the Pope as a man, philosopher, religious leader and political figure destined to become a classic. The authoritative biography of one of the singular figures --some might even argue, the singular figure of the twentieth century. John Paul II's life is filled with drama; his life is also replete with challenging ideas, whose power comes in part from the sensational character of Wojtyla's life and the integrity with which he has lived it. Even his critics concede that John Paul II occupies a unique place on the world stage at the end of this bloody century, and that he has put down markers that no one can ignore or avoid as humanity turns into a new millennium fraught with both possibility and danger. This book includes previously unpublished primary-source documentation of an historic quality. The Pope is a man of prodigious energy, and has played a crucial, yet heretofore unknown role, in this century's most momentous events, including the fall of communism, the Holy Sea/Israel negotiation of 1991-92, the disintegration of the Nicaraguan, Chilean, and Paraguayan regimes during the 1980s, and the unprecedented papal visit to Cuba. This biography explains how it is that this "man from a far country," as he describes himself to the Roman crowds on the night of his election, had done all of that, and what his accomplishments might portend for the future of both the Church and the world. Tues 18th Feb - The Chaplaincy (sp?), Oxford Wed 19th Feb - Westminster Cathedral Thur 20th Feb - Manchester University Fri 21st Feb - Oratory, Birmingham