As we all know, and as many of our well-established textbooks have argued for decades, the Inquisition was one of the most frightening and bloody chapters in Western history, Pope Pius XII was anti-Semitic and rightfully called "Hitler's Pope", the Dark Ages were a stunting of the progress of knowledge to be redeemed only by the secular spirit of the Enlightenment, and the religious Crusades were an early example of the rapacious Western thirst for riches and power. But what if these long-held beliefs were all wrong?

My title explains itself. But it's misleading. There are more than 40 reasons. Each of my reasons is an independent point, so I have not organized this book by a succession of chapters or headings. After all, most people only remember a few big ideas or separate points after reading or listening to a book. I've never heard anyone say "Oh, that was a good continuous-process-of-logically-ordered-argumentation" but I've often heard people say, "Oh, that was a good point." And back to my main point: "Why are you a Catholic?" is a good question. A good question deserves a good answer.

Have you ever wondered how the holy creator of the universe engages in a personal relationship with rebellious humanity? For, we read in Scripture: “You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil will not sojourn with you.” (Ps 5:4) And, again we read that God’s “eyes are too pure to behold evil.” (Hab 1:13) Does God cover or remove our sin? When and how does this occur? Do people cooperate in this process? Catholic theologians have searched the Scriptures, reasoned, and written about this matter for almost 2,000 years; and Bishop Francis Patrick Kenrick (1796-1863) surveys ...

Fr. Stanley Rother was true to his word. He did not run. And was martyred at the age of 46. Fr. Stanley arrived in Guatemala in 1968, and immediately identified with his parishioners' simple, farming lifestyle. He learned their languages, prepared them for the Sacraments, and cared for their needs. Fr. Stanley had found his heart's calling. In early 1981, his name was on a death list, so he returned to Oklahoma and was warned not to return. But he could not abandon his people, so he went back, and made the ultimate sacrifice for his faith.

Enter the world of Faustina Kowalska, the saint who unlocked the depths of Divine Mercy and forever changed the spiritual landscape of modern Catholicism. Her story is more than just a life of devotion—it’s an invitation to transform your relationship with God. From her humble beginnings in Poland to the miraculous visions that would define her legacy, Faustina's journey reveals the extraordinary within the ordinary. Through her eyes, you’ll see how one soul’s complete trust in God can ripple across the world, sparking a movement that transcends borders. In Faustina Kowalska for ...

In the late 19th century, Father Charles Arminjon, a priest from the mountains of southeastern France, assembled his flock in the town cathedral to preach a series of conferences to help them turn their thoughts away from this life's mean material affairs - and toward the next life's glorious spiritual reward. His wise and uncompromising words deepened in them the spirit of recollection that all Christians must have: the abiding conviction that heavenly aims, not temporal enthusiasms, must guide everything we think, say, and do.

"We are to love God for Himself, because of a twofold reason; nothing is more reasonable, nothing is more profitable." On Loving God is first a touching description of God's love for us as unmistakenly demonstrated in the death of His Son. Second, it is a call for us to joyfully respond to God like the child who runs and embraces her father whose love is sure. As St. Bernard writes, "They love all the more because they know themselves to be loved so exceedingly."

How would you describe your prayer life? Saint Paul urges Christians to: “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess 5:17) Do you pray without ceasing? Do you thank God for a new day when you rise? Do you ask God to protect you and guide you throughout your day? Do you seek God’s wisdom and courage as you encounter challenges, trials, and opportunities. Do you beg God’s forgiveness when you rebel against him? Do you long to spend more time in the presence of the Lord? Do you praise the “lover of your soul” with your every breath? If you want to do better in this area of your life, you are ...

The papal tiara has been worn by a number of infamous men through the course of its history. Some have been accused of murder, many have had mistresses, while others sold positions in the church to their followers or gave land and wealth to their illegitimate children. E. R. Chamberlin examines the lives of eight of the most controversial popes, from the reign of Pope Stephen VI, who had his predecessor exhumed, put on trial and thrown in the Tiber, in the ninth century, through to Pope Clement VII, whose failed international policy led to the Sack of Rome in 1527.

Jerusalem was the center of the world for early Christians. Anyone who wants to understand the Bible needs to know the mysterious role of Jerusalem and the many symbols and prophecies surrounding her in the Scriptures. The present work’s readability has everyman in mind and thus avoids technicalities and dizzying vocabulary and concepts that cause boredom or confusion. The code or insider vocabulary of the Bible presupposes Christian knowledge of anything from local plants to animals and the Temple on Zion. The reader’s mind will be initiated into every mystery surrounding the ...

Reasonable, concise, witty, and wise, Peter Kreeft and Ronald K. Tacelli have written an informative and valuable guidebook for anyone looking for answers to questions of faith and reason. Topics include: faith and reason, the existence of God, God's nature, how we know God, creation and evolution, providence and free will, miracles, and more.

Some books hope to persuade the reader by reasoned arguments that might stand up to scrutiny. Conversely, this work simply reveals the meaning of Scripture to its lover and provides every Christian with a straightforward and irrefutable key to understand Mary’s role and dignity in salvation history according to the Evangelists in their Gospels. After seeing the evidence organized in an easy-to-read way, arcane arguments, long dividing Christians, simply become irrelevant as the reader experiences the Scriptures revealing themselves in their fullness. Who are Jesus’s brothers and sisters...

Many of us do not trust our own thoughts, feelings, and desires when it comes to discerning God's will. Instead we look outside ourselves to determine what God wants from and for us. In God's Voice Within, spiritual director Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ, shows us how to use Ignatian discernment to access our own spiritual intuition and understand that the most trustworthy wisdom of all comes not from outside sources, but from God working through us.

This is an accessible, comprehensive, and persuasive resource providing detailed evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. It also demonstrates how to share the material clearly, honestly, and definitively.

Padre Pio of Pietrelcina is perhaps the single most extraordinary saint in the modern history of the Catholic Church. His heart was pierced. He carried the wounds of Christ on his hands, feet, and side for half a century. He communicated with his spiritual sons and daughters through bilocation and mystical perfume. He read the souls of his penitents. He offered his suffering so that others might be healed. He built one of the most significant hospitals in Southern Italy. Most importantly, Padre Pio wanted others to be redeemed. In Bret Thoman’s latest book, he has created a fresh, new ...