Download or read book Super Girls and Halos written by Maria Morera Johnson and published by Ave Maria Press. This book was released on 2017-09-08 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner of a 2018 Catholic Press Association Award: Gender Issues. (Second Place). Award-winning author Maria Morera Johnson follows up her bestselling book, My Badass Book of Saints, with a unique and daring exploration of the cardinal virtues through the saints and heroines of science fiction, fantasy, and comic books. Johnson will reignite your passion for your faith as she demonstrates the heroic in the sometimes mundane quest for good and reminds us that Catholicism is filled with adventure. What do Wonder Woman and St. Katharine Drexel have in common? How about St. Clare of Assisi and Rey, the ingénue from Star Wars: The Force Awakens? All four women sought justice for the abused. With the same zest for her faith and cheeky wit that readers found so compelling in My Badass Book of Saints and a love for the heroic journey that highlights her career, Johnson now focuses on heroines—improbable pairings of saints and characters from sci-fi, comics, and fantasy—who have influenced her life and deepened her understanding of the Church’s cardinal virtues: prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice. Johnson tells her own story alongside the unlikely pairs to show how the cardinal virtues are at play in our lives as well: Prudence (judgment of right and wrong), which influences Marvel’s Black Widow and St. Mary Magdalene, as well as X-Files agent Dana Scully and St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. Fortitude (courage), experienced by Marvel's Storm and St. Cunigunde, as well as Harry Potter's Hermione Granger and St. Marguerite D’Youville. Temperance (restraint of desires), which changes how we understand Katniss Everdeen of the Hunger Games series and St. Mary MacKillop, as well as Nyota Uhura of Star Trek fame and St. Kateri Tekakwitha. With Johnson's enthusiasm as a guide, you’ll be inspired to embrace the virtues anew and find your faith in your favorite stories. Discussion questions focusing on the cardinal virtues, making it a great resource for personal or group study.

Download or read book My Badass Book of Saints written by Maria Morera Johnson and published by Ave Maria Press. This book was released on 2015-10-30 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner of a 2016 Association of Catholic Publishers Excellence in Publishing Award (first place, inspirational books). Winner of a 2020 Catholic Press Association book award (honorable mention, backlist beauty). In this edgy, honest, and often audacious book of Catholic spirituality, blogger and popular podcaster Maria Morera Johnson explores the qualities of twenty-four holy women who lived lives of virtue in unexpected and often difficult circumstances. In My Badass Book of Saints, Johnson shares her experience as a first-generation Cuban-American, educator of at-risk college students, and caregiver for a husband with Lou Gehrig's disease. Through humorous, empowering, and touching portraits of twenty-four spiritual mentors who inspired her, Johnson shows how their bravery, integrity, selflessness, perseverance, and hope helped her and can help others have courage to reach for a closer connection to God. She presents remarkable holy women and saints--including the gun-toting Servant of God Sr. Blandina Segale who tried to turn the heart of Billy the Kid, and Nazi resister Irena Sendler who helped smuggle children out of the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II--in a way that brings their vivid personalities to life and helps readers live out the challenges of their lives with virtue and conviction. The book includes a group discussion guide.

Download or read book Girl Arise written by Claire Swinarski and published by Ave Maria Press. This book was released on 2019-02-08 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner of a 2020 Catholic Press Association book award (second place, gender issues-inclusion in the Church). Is it possible to be both a Catholic and a feminist? Claire Swinarski, writer and creator of The Catholic Feminist podcast, believes it is: “I’m a feminist for the same reason I’m bold and honest and sometimes ragey: because Jesus was all of those things.” In Girl, Arise!, Swinarski reconciles the two identities by demonstrating the strength and abilities women have to share with the Body of Christ, the importance of women throughout the history of the faith, and how the love you experience through Christ and the Church can change you and the world around you. In Girl, Arise!:A Catholic Feminist’s Invitation to Live Boldly, Love Your Faith, and Change the World Swinarski points out that while both “feminism” and “Catholicism” can mean different things to different people, both feminists and Catholics desire to make the world a better, fairer place. And she shows that by treating women with dignity equal to that of men—by calling them his friends and teaching them—Jesus acted as a feminist as well. With humor and sass, Swinarski addresses her frustration with the traditional concerns churches ascribe to women, as shown by the many talks directed at women focused on marriage and modesty rather than social justice. But she pinpoints the areas where modern feminism goes too far, arguing against abortion and exploring what it means to serve others rather than focus on our own needs first. Swinarski also tells the stories of holy women—including Vashti in the book of Esther, Sts. Thérèse of Lisieux and Joan of Arc, Mary Magdalene, and the Blessed Virgin Mary—to show how their faith influenced their actions, even when those actions went against traditional norms and roles of women. You will be empowered to embrace your God-given abilities as you follow the women who have gone before you in faith who—by announcing Christ to his disciples, believing in God’s promises, and being faithful in hardship—changed the world.

Download or read book Our Lady of Charity written by Maria Morera Johnson and published by Ave Maria Press. This book was released on 2019-04-05 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Maria Morera Johnson grew up knowing the virgencita—the Virgin Mary—and had a special love for Our Lady of Charity, the patroness of Cuba. Even after Johnson moved to the United States, Our Lady of Charity continued to influence her life. In her new book, the bestselling and award-winning author shares her childhood recollections of the devotion to the patroness of her native country and stories of how Mary helped her deepen her faith and led her to Jesus. Johnson also invites you to know Mary in a new way and to allow devotion to the Blessed Mother to help you open your heart to others and to grow in faith and love. The origin of the devotion to Our Lady of Charity in Cuba comes from a seventeenth-century story of three men who were tossed about at sea during a violent storm. They prayed to Mary for her protection and the storm suddenly disappeared. They found a statue of the Blessed Mother holding Jesus and a gold cross floating in the water. The statue included the inscription: “I am the Virgin of Charity.” The statue was completely dry as it floated in the water. Our Lady of Charity is not a Church-approved apparition; nevertheless, several popes—including St. John Paul II and Pope Francis, who celebrated Mass at her shrine during his visit to Cuba in 2015—have supported devotion to Mary under this title. Johnson, author of the bestselling My Badass Book of Saints, traces the history of Our Lady of Charity in Cuba and how the devotion was spread by emigrants as they left their country behind. Johnson weaves the story of the devotion with Cuba’s history, memories of her homeland, and tales of her journey back to Cuba for the first time since her childhood during Pope Francis’s 2015 Apostolic Visit. Throughout Our Lady of Charity, Johnson shares her devotion to Mary and passion for her Catholic faith. This evocative spiritual memoir is part history and part memory, part modern-day travelogue and part meditation on the role faith, family, and devotion have on how we live and love.

Download or read book Rosemary Nyirumbe written by María Ruiz Scaperlanda and published by Liturgical Press. This book was released on 2019-01-16 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe’s 62 years of life provide a powerful testament to God’s presence, love, and hope amidst unimaginable violence. Throughout these many years, her native Uganda and southern Sudan (now South Sudan) have suffered the devastating effects of war and military clashes. Children, as the most vulnerable population, have suffered the most—being orphaned, kidnapped, forced to become child soldiers and sex-slaves. In Rosemary Nyirumbe: Sewing Hope in Uganda, María Ruiz Scaperlanda brings to light Sister Rosemary’s vocation of loving presence to these youth in the midst of this cultural and societal obliteration. As a Sister of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for over 45 years, Sister Rosemary, even at great risk to herself, continues to minister to children enduring the violence around them, teaching practical skills, while helping them to heal, forgive, and hope. Her work taking in girls escaping captivity by Joseph Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has earned her international recognition. She has been named one of TIME magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World,” is the subject of the book Sewing Hope, and an award-winning documentary by the same name narrated by Academy Award winning actor Forest Whitaker. She received the United Nations Women’s Impact Award and has been named a CNN Hero.

Download or read book Death by Minivan written by Heather Anderson Renshaw and published by Our Sunday Visitor. This book was released on 2018-09-04 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here’s a bit of advice, mom to mom: Throw down the minivan keys, brush the cereal off the table, kick the toys into a corner, sit down with a cup of coffee (or glass of wine), and read Death by Minivan. Author Heather Anderson Renshaw, mother of five, is a lot like you. She knows all about the wild, crazy, and often hilarious experience of motherhood. And she feels sometimes like she’s barely keeping up — and maybe even failing at the whole “mom thing.” Thankfully, as she shares in these pages, motherhood isn’t a trip that’s meant to be taken alone. God’s got this, and the more we let him lead, the more we find the fruits of his Holy Spirit taking root in our hearts and in our families. So buckle up, because you’re on the road to a more joyful, more peaceful, more faithful motherhood. Along the way, Heather offers tips for getting past the inevitable roadblocks, the “GPS” for finding your way (it’s Scripture), and roadside assistance courtesy of the saints. With humor, honesty, and spirit, Heather Renshaw employs personal insights and timeless truths to help us harvest the fruits of the Holy Spirit, our companion and GPS along our path to God. Insightful and fun for individuals and even better for group study, this book should be required "drivers training" for busy moms navigating family life.— Lisa M. Hendey, Founder of CatholicMom.com and author of The Handbook for Catholic Moms

Download or read book Clueless in Galilee written by Mac Barron and published by Our Sunday Visitor. This book was released on 2018-10-19 with total page 85 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: READER ALERT Three things to know about this book before you buy it: 1. If you can’t handle jokes about Jesus being cranky when he was hungry — turn back now. 2. If you think that the disciples were perfect men — prepare to be disillusioned. 3. If you think Jesus only has really smart and gifted people for friends — guess again. Are you up for a crazy ride through Scripture? Do you want to be in on the jokes and the hidden treasures in many of the passages you thought you knew by heart? Do you want to see how, despite the inevitable weaknesses of our human nature, God has a plan for us? If you said yes, then this book is for you. In Clueless in Galilee: A Fresh Take on the Gospels, author Mac Barron assures us that Jesus loves us, even though we’re human. We know this, because the Bible says so. Over and over and over again. With its hilarious, sometimes irreverent, and always humble reflections, this book will make you laugh and help you look at the Bible — and yourself — in a whole new way. “Funny and off-kilter in the best way, Mac Barron will help you look with fresh eyes at people in the Bible you thought you knew and discover that they were all too human.” — Bishop Robert Reed, The CatholicTV Network ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mac Barron grew up in South Georgia, met his wife at church camp, and taught for twelve years before becoming a high school librarian. Along the way he and his wife became Catholic, and they host the award-winning podcast Catholic in a Small Town. Mac lives with his wife, four sons, and his golden retrever in a small town.

Download or read book A Saint Squad for Teachers written by Amy J. Cattapan and published by Ave Maria Press. This book was released on 2024-03-15 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Every educator needs a friend to turn to when they are facing a rowdy classroom, challenging parent interactions, tense staff meetings, or even just the everyday demands of teaching. Seasoned teacher Amy Cattapan recommends you form a posse of saintly mentors who are always there to offer inspiring examples and powerful intercession. In A Saint Squad for Teachers, Cattapan introduces you to a team of forty-five diverse and relatable saints ready to lift you up and intercede for you during every twist and turn of the school year. By drawing from the stories and wisdom of these heavenly educators and holy mentors, you’ll not only flourish as a teacher but also tackle the highs and lows of your calling with renewed vigor and unshakeable hope. This posse includes these much-needed intercessors: Thea Bowman for infusing more joy in your classroom Catherine of Siena for nurturing trust and respect with your students Charles Lwanga for protecting you and your students from evil Nicholas Black Elk for embracing the gift of multicultural classrooms Thomas Aquinas for uplifting your underachievers Frances Cabrini for providing strength when resources are stretched thin Questions for reflection or discussion are included at the end of this chapter. Beyond personal enrichment, A Saint Squad for Teachers can also be used as a mini-retreat, team-building book club, professional development, or gifts for staff. This book also makes an ideal thank-you for cherished teachers and dedicated catechists, acknowledging their profound impact on shaping lives.

Download or read book Gaze Upon Jesus written by Kelly M. Wahlquist and published by Ave Maria Press. This book was released on 2018-08-24 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What if you had walked beside the Virgin Mary from the Annunciation to the point at which she and Joseph found Jesus in the temple? How might seeing Christ as a child impact you and your faith? WINE: Women In the New Evangelization offers its second, six-week scripture study, this time following the infancy and early years of Christ as seen through the eyes of Mary and other familiar and imagined women in the gospels. Founder Kelly Wahlquist and ten other members of WINE uniquely blend scripture reflections, imaginative encounters, and visio divina “sacred seeing” with practical spirituality and discussion questions that will help you take a prayerful and creative journey through Advent and the Christmas season. Not much is known about the childhood of Jesus, but the Gospels highlight six key moments in his early life: the angel Gabriel proclaiming Jesus’ birth to Mary at the Annunciation a pregnant Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem the presentation of Jesus in the temple the flight of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus to Egypt discovering the twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple Week by week, you will dig deep into each of the scriptural vignettes of Jesus’ early life and grow in your faith as you learn about virtues such as humility, patience, charity, reverence, prudence, and courage. Each chapter uses an image that allows you to practice visio divina, the ancient practice of praying with sacred art. The images are included in an eight-page, full-color insert. Gaze Upon Jesus will appeal to women who want to deepen their relationship with Jesus during Advent. Contributors to this inspiring scripture study include: Alyssa Bormes, Sarah Christmyer, Mary Healy, Maria Morera Johnson, Stephanie Landsem, Elizabeth Lev, Joan Lewis, Deborah Savage, Kelly Wahlquist, Katie Warner, and Carol Younger. Popular Catholic media personality Teresa Tomeo, also a member of WINE, wrote the foreword for the book. As an individual or group study, Gaze Upon Jesus is a memorable way to encounter the God who sent his Son to show us his loving Father’s heart.

Download or read book Tied in Knots written by Greg Willits and published by Our Sunday Visitor. This book was released on 2017-08-09 with total page 109 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Entangled with anxiety? Twisted with trepidation? Contorted with conflicts? From snarls in the workplace to hitches on the homefront, most of us find ourselves shaking our heads thinking: Is there any way to untangle this mess I call life? Greg Willits, Catholic author, media trailblazer, husband, and father, has experienced his share of knots, and he's here to assure you that there's no tangle you can't undo provided you have the right tools. Greg becomes your friend and (sometimes hilarious) companion in this endeavor, sharing his own experiences and those of others, as well as Scripture and Catholic teaching, walking along side you as you begin to untie the knots in your life. Tied in Knots begins to pull the thread so that you: See the knots in your life maybe for the first time Uncover your joy where it is, or where it went Look at who you really are and how that reveals God s will Rediscover what you love and make the time to start doing it again Create a concrete plan (finally) for finding true joy and lasting peace

Download or read book The Gift of Invitation written by Allison Gringas and published by Our Sunday Visitor. This book was released on 2019-07 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the seven powerful invitations Jesus extends to you and how accepting them can change your life. Perfect for individual or group study, the seven chapters includes reflections and scripture, with space for journaling.

Download or read book Halo written by Alexandra Adornetto and published by Feiwel & Friends. This book was released on 2010-08-31 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A small town is touched by angels; a powerful, forbidden romance forms, and intrigue and action ensue as the Dark Forces resist the angels influence, in the first book of Alexandra Adornetto's heartfelt YA Halo Trilogy. Three angels are sent down to bring good to the world: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, a teenage girl who is the least experienced of the trio. But she is the most human, and when she is romantically drawn to a mortal boy, the angels fear she will not be strong enough to save anyone—especially herself—from the Dark Forces. Is love a great enough power against evil?

Download or read book Green Eyed Temptation Halos Horns Book One written by Lori Leger and published by Cajunflair Publishing. This book was released on 2015-06-29 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How does one Creole beauty choose between the two men who’ve both captured her heart? Meet Angelique Baptiste—happy with her career, her friends, and her man—sans the sex life, thanks to her shrink. After relying far too much on sex appeal to choose her partners, she accepts her therapist’s opinion that it’s done nothing but hinder her ability to make wise choices. As a result, she’s spent the last six months as chaste as a nun in a monastery—much to the chagrin of one particular “friend with potential” to be more. Michael Harper is a man of integrity, as well as a detective for the Lafayette Police Department. He doesn’t hide the fact that he’s crazy about Angelique, and he’s willing to wait for her to serve out her sentence of self-imposed celibacy. As trying as it is to be around her, he knows the reward for his perseverance will be a lifetime with the woman he loves. Or will it? Liam Nash, ex-Navy Seal turned body guard, has the unfortunate reputation of being the last man to break Angelique’s heart. More than a year earlier they’d been a couple, but rather than commit to a lifetime with her, he’d high-tailed it back to Texas. Within minutes of swaggering back into her life, he proves his reason for leaving was justified. He’s defeated the demons from his past and is all-too-willing to work at a happily ever after with her. Torn between two men she loves equally, Angelique agonizes over the choice she knows she must make. Just when she decides she can’t break one heart over another, fate steps in to decide for her. Note from the author: The Halos and Horns series is filled with new characters you’ll love, along with frequent appearances of old favorites from my La Fleur de Love series. Enjoy! ~ Lori Leger ~

Download or read book Tarnished Halos written by Linda McDonald Davis and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2012-02-29 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lydia stood on the steps of SHS reminiscing about her school days. Her long, hair cascaded down her back like a shawl thrown loosely about her shoulders. Although never aspiring to being a teacher she found that she fell passionately in love with teaching, in spite of herself. Comfort Miz Lizzy when her entire fourth grade disappears, and gasp as Bobby falls from the classroom window. Your heart will break to learn that two of Lydias angels have life threatening diseases. Why is Lydia holding a gun when the principal is shot? Ready for thrills? Follow Miz Lizzy back through time.

Download or read book Born to Soar written by Melissa Overmyer and published by Servant Publications. This book was released on 2017 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Born to Soar is a beautiful prayer and Scripture journal experience that combines video-based online teaching with written reflection inspired by the image of the monarch butterfly at every stage of development----egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, hatching, soaring and reproducing--in order to gently coach readers through an exploration of the truths of Scripture. Even for students learning about the Bible for the first time, artist, veteran Scripture teacher and founder of Something Greater Ministries Melissa Overmyer shows how they can achieve their full, God-given potential in just six weeks.

Download or read book Radium Halos Part 1 written by W.J. May and published by . This book was released on 2014-11-30 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Everyone needs to be a hero at one point in their life. The small town of Elliot Lake will never be the same again. Caught in a sudden thunderstorm, Zoe, a high school senior from Elliot Lake, and five of her friends take shelter in an abandoned uranium mine. Over the next few days, Zoe's hearing sharpens drastically, beyond what any normal human being can detect. She tells her friends, only to learn that four others have an increased sense as well. Only Kieran, the new boy from Scotland, isn't affected. Fashioning themselves into superheroes, the group tries to stop the strange occurrences happening in their little town. Muggings, break-ins, disappearances, and murder begin to hit too close to home. It leads the team to think someone knows about their secret - someone who wants them all dead. An incredulous group of heroes. A traitor in the midst. Some dreams are written in blood. The Senseless Series Radium Halos – Part 1 Radium Halos – Part 2 Nonsense – Book 3 Perception – Book 4 SEARCH TERMS: Young Adult, Young Adult Fantasy, fantasy, paranormal fantasy, paranormal, romance, fantasy romance, love, love triangle, superpowers, supernatural, mystery, suspense, new adult, The Chronicles of Kerrigan, superhero fantasy ebook, fantasy paranormal urban, urban, urban paranormal, paranormal suspense, paranormal shifter romance, coming of, dark fantasy, fantasy new adult, superhero fantasy ebooks, witches, vampires and witches, superhero, paranormal romance, New Adult & College Romance Paranormal, new adult and college, New Adult & College Romance, w.j. may, chronicles of kerrigan, Tudor, England, tattoos, g, FICTION / Fantasy / Paranormal FICTION / Fantasy / Urban FICTION / Fantasy / Contemporary

Download or read book Code Name Verity written by Elizabeth Wein and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. This book was released on 2020-05-26 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Don’t miss Elizabeth Wein’s stunning new novel, Stateless The beloved #1 New York Times bestseller, a "fiendishly plotted" (New York Times) "heart-in-your mouth adventure" (Washington Post) that "will take wing and soar into your heart" (Laurie Halse Anderson) October 11th, 1943—A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun. When "Verity" is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn't stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she's living a spy's worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution. As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage, failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy? A universally acclaimed Michael L. Printz Award Honor book, Code Name Verity is a visceral read of danger, resolve, and survival that shows just how far true friends will go to save each other.