De-vo-tion (di-voh-shun) n. 1. Great love or loyalty, enthusiasm, or zeal. 2. Religious worship. 3. Prayers.

You know a lot about the Catholic Church, or maybe you are just learning, but there are things that confuse you—like what to do when you pray a novena, or how to "offer up" something, exactly what the Angelus is, or any of the dozens of other devotions that set Catholics apart from other Christians. But help is here! The How-To Book of Catholic Devotions is the only book that not only provides the who, what, where, when, and why of the most time-honored traditions of the Church but also the how. In this complete guide you get:

• step-by-step guidelines to all the devotional rites and rituals of the Catholic Faith

• a history of each devotion and a reflection on its importance in the prayer life of Catholics

• succinct and salient quotes from saints and prominent members of the Church

• cautions, drawn from Scripture and Tradition, for potential temptations and distractions

• the blessings and graces associated with the devotions

If you want to learn what devotions comprise a truly Catholic life—and share those practices with others—you can’t be without The How-To Book of Catholic Devotions.

Now discover how to:

• Pray the Sign of the Cross, Morning Offering, Grace Before Meals, Acts of Faith, Hope, and Love, and many more

• Pray the Angelus

• Make First Fridays and First Saturdays

• Make a novena

• "Offer up" something

• Pray the Rosary

• Read the Bible

• Practice mental prayer

• Examine your conscience

• Fast and abstain

• Pray with sacred images

• Consecrate your life to the Sacred Heart of Jesus or the Immaculate Heart of Mary

• Make a pilgrimage

• Wear a scapular

"This charming book shows you how to plunge in and do all the things devout Catholics do. Learning to pray in Catholic ways, learning to use Catholic things like scapulars and blessings and holy water, and learning to eat fish on Friday while knowing why -- all this amounts to more than one might think. Learning the practices of faith is learning faith again, and remembering why faith is so human and so sacred, and so dear to us."-- Fr. Ronald Lawler, O.F.M. Cap. Member, Pontifical Roman Theological Academy...

Popular author Mike Aquilina s encyclopedic knowledge of the Church Fathers intersects seamlessly with Pope Benedict XVI's insightful reflections about them in this faith-building companion guide.

It shows that the Fathers are much more than wise men from ages past who sacrificed their lives for what they believed: they are teachers and philosophers, orators and pastors, leaders and problem solvers, martyrs and heroes whose stories and example are still relevant today.
Discover a wealth of inspiration and insight on twenty-six Fathers of the Church as well as thoughtful reflection/discussion questions on what His Holiness and the Fathers have said. Divided into six sections, the Companion Guide to Pope Benedict's The Fathers provides an easy road map for parish study groups or independent study....

Imagine the dangerous life of a First Century Christian. You've embraced your newfound faith in Christ but fear the risk of persecution or death at the hands of the pagans living around you. Then a trusted friend tells you about some of Jesus followers who secretly meet. He whispers into your ear, Look for a fish carved into the entranceway to the burialchambers beside the Via Tiburtina. You smile in gratitude.

Comparatively, modern society is awash in those same Christian symbols that kept early Christians safely connected: they appear on churches, bumper stickers, mugs even mints and stuffed animals. Yet, we are often ignorant of the origins of these symbols having lost the urgency of our spiritual ancestors hostile environment.

Noted author Mike Aquilina conducts an intriguing tour of symbols that guided the first four centuries of the Church s existence. He explains how Christians borrowed pagan and Jewish symbols, giving them new, distinctly Christian meanings. Recover the voice and urgency of our spiritual ancestors symbolic language and discover the impact the symbols still have.

Black and white illustrations by Lea Ravotti of artifacts uncovered throughout the Middle East beautifully complement the text, showing the variety of contexts in which they were found and the range of skills displayed in their execution....

What did the first Christians believe about the Eucharist? How did they follow Jesus' command, Do this in remembrance of me? How did they celebrate the Lord's Day? What would they recognize in today's Mass? The answers may surprise you.

In The Mass of the Early Christians, author Mike Aquilina reveals the Church's most ancient Eucharistic beliefs and practices. Using the words of the early Christians themselves -- from many documents and inscriptions -- Aquilina traces the Mass s history from Jesus' lifetime through the fourth century. The Mass stood at the center of the Church's life, evident in the Scriptures as well as the earliest Christian sermons, letters, artwork, tombstones, and architecture. Even the pagans bore witness to the Mass in the records of their persecutions.

In these legacies from the early Church, you ll hear and taste and see the same worship Catholics know today: the altar, the priests, the chalice of wine, the bread, the Sign of the Cross...the Lord, have mercy ...the Holy, holy, holy ...and the Communion.

You ll see vividly how Jesus followed through on his promise to be with us always, until the end of time....

"God speaks quietly...But He gives us all kinds of signs...through a friend, through a book, or through what we see as a failure even through accidents. If I remain alert, I begin to feel how God is guiding me." -- Pope Benedict XVI
 
Discover Pope Benedict's wise and visionary perspective as a guide for your own daily spirituality. Find clarity, direction, and inspiration with five brief minutes of quiet reflection as if led by Pope Benedict himself.
 
Each topic begins with a simple excerpt from Pope Benedict's writings or teachings, followed by these helpful prompts for thoughtful meditation:

THINK ABOUT IT -- Points that serve as a springboard for prayerful consideration of each meditation topic.
 
JUST IMAGINE -- Brings to life a scene from the Scriptures, tying it to the issue at hand.

REMEMBER -- A simple memorization passage to help you work through the meditation topic.

Let the Holy Father help you hear God's voice in everything you do!...