A Shorter Summa: The Most Essential Philosophical Passages of St. Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica by Peter Kreeft (B1966, 2 volumes): A shortened version of Kreeft's much larger Summa of the Summa, which in turn was a shortened version of the Summa Theologica. The reason for the double shortening is pretty obvious: the original runs some 4000 pages! (The Summa of the Summa was just over 500.) The Summa is certainly the greatest, most ambitious, most rational book of theology ever written. In it, there is also much philosophy, which is selected, excerpted, arranged, introduced, and explained in footnotes here by Kreeft, a popular Thomist teacher and writer. St. Thomas Aquinas is universally recognized as one of the greatest philosophers who ever lived. His writings combine the two fundamental ideals of philosophical writing: clarity and profundity. He is a master of metaphysics and technical terminology, yet so full of both theoretical and practical wisdom. He is the master of common sense. The Summa Theologica is timeless, but particularly important today because of his synthesis of faith and reason, revelation and philosophy, and the Biblical and the classical Greco-Roman heritages. This little book is designed for beginners, either for classroom use or individually. It contains the most famous and influential passages of St. Thomas' philosophy with copious aids to understanding them.
Recent braille additions
Here are some of the newest additions to our braille catalog! To learn more about our other braille services click here. For a complete listing of our braille materials, provided at no cost to our clients, check out our catalog by clicking here.
Prayer for Beginners by Peter Kreeft (B1964, 2 volumes): Peter Kreeft brings his unique insights to this most important area of our spiritual lives. He claims he himself is still a beginner in prayer, and this book is for all those, like him, who feel that they are not good at praying but desire to become much better at it. Thus, Kreeft offers simple, but profound advice and practical steps for developing a prayer life based on the time-tested wisdom of the saints and great spiritual writers, especially the principles found in Brother Lawrence's classic, The Practice of the Presence of God. In short, straight-forward and unsentimental chapters, Kreeft covers all the key areas for understanding and developing that intimate form of communication with our Creator that we call prayer. He covers such areas as the necessity of prayer, various motives and methods, steps, patience, suffering, sin, faith, and grace.
Women Deacons: Past, Present, Future by Phyllis Zagano, Gary Macy, and William Ditewig (B1967, 2 volumes): The tremendous growth of the permanent order of deacons in the church carries with it lingering questions about women deacons. The evident need for more women in ministry demands careful exploration and evaluation of the historical roots, contemporary ecclesial realities, and creative future possibilities for including women in the diaconate. In these three original essays, Professors Macy, Ditewig, and Zagano evaluate the question of women deacons from the historical, contemporary, and future perspectives in conversation with one another and with the whole church. The result is essential reading for anyone who is interested in the nature and exercise of the diaconate in the contemporary Catholic Church.
Revelation by Catherine Cory and Little Rock Scripture Study (B1968, 2 volumes): The book of Revelation, also known as the Apocalypse, has fascinated believers for centuries. Colorful imagery, rich symbolism, layers of meaning, and brilliant allusions to the Old Testament convey the book’s perennial truth: God will triumph over evil, and God’s faithful ones will share in that victory. Break open this ancient text with Little Rock Scripture Study’s Revelation and discover its ongoing relevance for us today. Commentary, study and reflection questions, prayers, and access to online lectures are included.
Everything's Coming Up Rosie: 10 Things My Feisty Italian American Mom Taught Me about Living a Godly Life by Teresa Tomeo (B1969, 2 volumes): Tomeo’s memories provide rollicking humor and Catholic wisdom from the quintessential Italian mother. She also provides spiritual resources for self-reflection from the Catechism, Scripture, and the saints to help you grow in grace-filled living. Best of all, you will see the miracles of God’s love in Tomeo’s family and the maternal intercession of Our Lady in their lives. In the words of Rosie, “Rememba, the Blessed Mutha is watching you!”
The Crown of the Virgin: An Ancient Meditation on Mary's Beauty, Virtue and Sanctity by St. Ildephonsus of Toledo (B1970, 2 volumes): A perfect companion for guiding daily devotion to the Mother of Mercy and the Queen of Heaven, each chapter reveals a new and scintillating glimpse into the glories of Mary, sure to inspire the heart of the reader with ever more ardent devotion to the Mother of God, the vessel of all graces and the paradigm and perfection of every virtue. As a guide to meditation and a catalyst for prayer, the Crown of the Virgin is an illuminating mirror of the beauty and splendor of the one who is herself the refulgent and immaculate image of her Divine Son.
Joseph and Chico: The Life of Pope Benedict XVI as Told by a Cat by Jeanne Perego (B1971, 1 volume): Chico the cat vividly describes the life of his "best friend," Pope Benedict XVI, recounting events in the life of Joseph Ratzinger, from the Nazi era in Germany when the Pope was a teenager all the way up to his election as Pontiff on April 19, 2005.
Max and Benedict: A Bird's Eye View of the Pope's Daily Life by Jeanne Perego (B1972, 1 volume): This lovely illustrated book for children (of all ages!) is a sequel to Joseph and Chico, the international best-seller that told the story of the life of Pope Benedict XVI from his youth through his election as the Pope. With the same award-winning author and illustrator, this lavishly illustrated book is aimed at children but in a way that even adults will enjoy. It takes up the story of Benedict’s XVIs new life as the Pope.
God Is a Man of War: The Problem of Violence in the Old Testament by Stephen de Young (B1973, 3 volumes): Infanticide. Holy war. Divine wrath. Violence in the Old Testament has long been a stumbling block for Christians and skeptics alike. Yet, conventional efforts to understand this violence - whether by downplaying it as allegory or a relic of primitive cultures, or by dismissing the authority of Scripture altogether - tend to raise more questions than they answer. God Is a Man of War offers a fresh interpretation of Old Testament accounts of violence, by exploring them through the twofold lens of Orthodox tradition and historical context. Father Stephen De Young examines what these difficult passages reveal about the nature of Christ and His creation, bearing witness to a world filled not only with pain and suffering - often of human making - but also with the love of God.
