Following Christ isn't always easy. You need faith, courage, patience, and love.
Colleen Swaim looks at eight young souls who became saints for the against-the-current, selfless heroism of their teen years. In addition to the inspiring stories, Ablaze includes maps, recipes, prayers, journal prompts, scripture references and reflection questions to help the reader apply the saints' experiences to every day life.
Read how an Italian high school student inspired thousands as she faced cancer joyfully. Follow a new Christian as he marches to his death by fire after standing firm in his faith in the face of a wretched king. Lock arms with a young man and his crucifix as he dares brawling teens to throw the first stone.
We are all called to follow Christ in our own ways. This book will inflame your heart with vivid storytelling, saintly challenges, prayers, images, and more. Discover how you can set your world ablaze with love for the Lord!
Features: Saint Dominic Savio; Saint Teresa of the Andes; Saint Kizito; Blessed Chiara Luce Badano; Saint Stanislaus Kostka; Saint Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception; Blessed Pedro Calungsod; and Saint Maria Goretti.
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Review by Lisa M. Hendey, CatholicMom.com webmaster:
If you're a mom of teens like me, you're constantly on the lookout for books and resources that will help inspire your family. With this new book by Colleen Swaim -- her first, but hopefully just the start of a prolific writing career -- we discover a treasure of the faith for Catholics young and old.
Ablaze is aimed at teens, but truthfully, the resources contained within this book will aid anyone looking to grow in sanctity and faith. Colleen profiles the lives of eight young saints and blesseds, sharing their path to sainthood with accounts that are filled with insight and detail. She has a voice that truly manages to bring these stories to life. Perhaps it's her work as a high school teacher that has provided her with an insight into what will move, challenge and inspire young people. Ablaze is filled with so much more than simply biographical details, including sidebars, vocabulary descriptions, maps, sacramental lessons, and even recipes. Journal prompts, prayers, scripture references and reflection questions help the reader to fully interact with the content presented, applying it to the challenges of every day life.
Each of the saints profiled, though living in different periods of history, has a freshness and a relevance to the world our teens face today. Colleen Swaim aptly brings their heroic virtues to light in a way that will have teens (and grown ups too!), eagerly interacting with her content and asking for more. I give Ablaze my highest recommendation and will enjoy sharing it with my own son this summer.
Pope Francis' words to those seeking to give a firm profession of faith--which has always been the particular effect Catholic tradition has ascribed to confirmation--ring true for all of us. In Anointed, Jayme Stuart Wolfe has compiled the Holy Father's words about wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord as special gifts for those continuing the commitment of their baptism into confirmation and beyond, as well as appropriate Scripture readings and prayers.
Pope Francis' words to those seeking to give a firm profession of faith--which has always been the particular effect Catholic tradition has ascribed to confirmation--ring true for all of us. In Anointed, Jayme Stuart Wolfe has compiled the Holy Father's words about wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord as special gifts for those continuing the commitment of their baptism into confirmation and beyond, as well as appropriate Scripture readings and prayers.
Gifted youth leader Mark Hart, aka the Bible Geek, asks and answers the real questions that puzzle Catholics. This updated and expanded edition of a bestselling classic deals with concerns about God, temptations, personal issues, social media and technology, and more. Solutions to typical situations you face today are rooted in Scripture and Catholic tradition and provide fascinating advice and strong encouragement for living an authentic Christian life.
The engaging illustrations help Scripture come alive and capture the importance of the events and the dignity of the characters.
The frame-by-frame narrative makes it easy--and entertaining--for everyone to discover Acts of the Apostles: the story of Jesus and the His Apostles as they formed the early Church.
Younger children can become familiar with the adventures of Acts of the Apostles by following the story through vibrant illustrations, while older children will be immersed in God's Word like never before.
Your children and teens will reach for God's Word again and again, and you'll find yourself doing the same! If you've always wanted to really sit down and read the Bible but have found it difficult, this is the Bible for you. Acts of the Apostles features:
The complete text of the Acts of the Apostles (Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition)
Fully illustrated comic-book style frames for every verse
A graphic novel-style binding, making it easy to read on-the-go
Chapter and verse numbering for easy reference
Discover the thrilling story of how Jesus's first followers went forth to evangelize the world--and the adventures and dangers they faced along the way--in captivating comic book form!
Are you ready to live a life filled with hope? A life lived "more abundantly"? John 10:10
In today's world people often don't keep appointments, show up for events, or even RSVP to an invitation. More significantly people struggle to keep their marriage intact or follow their chosen vocation. Culturally there is a feeling that people just don't keep their word anymore.
Hope means being able to say YES and to mean it. Fr. Torrens, SJ, explains the major obstacles to making promises in our world today. These obstacles can destroy our hope and affect the most important choices we make in life. Drawing from his experience in counseling others in discernment and from his own decision-making experiences, Fr. Torrens provides examples, strategies, and wisdom to help you practice and hone your skill for making wise choices--enabling you to Dare to Commit.
This much anticipated sequel to the best selling Did Adam & Eve Have Belly Buttons? uses the same easy to read, question and answer format that has proven successful in capturing the hearts and minds of teens. With 200 actual questions from teens, Did Jesus Have a Last Name? offers clear and concise answers to some of the most burning questions about the Faith.
From playing video games to sleeping-in, teens can think of countless things they would rather do than go to Mass on Sunday morning. That is, unless they knew what they were missing. Do I Have to Go? explains the meaning and the mystery of Mass in such a way that teens will be asking, Why wouldn't I go? With wit, clarity, and common sense, Matthew Pinto and Chris Stefanick answer the tough questions teens have about the Mass-from the rituals contained in the liturgy, to the doctrines of the Eucharist and the priesthood. When teens understand that the Mass is literally the meeting place between heaven and earth, they will have a newfound sense of awe and a deeper understanding of their role as a Catholic in a post-modern world. In Do I Have to Go? you will learn: Why the Mass is an essential part of the Christian life The mystery of the Eucharist as the Real Presence of Jesus's Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity How the redemptive work of Jesus Christ is communicated to and through the Church and the sacraments The meaning of all the gestures and symbols of the the Mass How the Mass has developed from its roots in the Old Testament, through its institution by Christ The importance of the liturgical seasons for the spiritual life And much, much more
This invaluable resource for Catholic teenagers covers traditional topics like Catholic doctrine, practices, and prayers, then tackles serious contemporary issues like violence, media, sex, substance abuse, and matters of conscience. Teens will appreciate the "Handbook's" honest, friendly tone; their parents and teachers will appreciate the conversations it starts. Used alone or with the "Handbook for Today's Catholic Teen Activity Notebook," it's the perfect guide on the journey to Catholic Christian adulthood.
"Paperback"
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The material in this book is compliant with The Roman Missal, third edition, with the exception of pages 46, 47, and 82. To bring this book into compliance, we have revised, updated, and reprinted these pages. Click here for the revised pages.
Did you know God has written you a letter? It's "hidden" in the sacred Scriptures. The Scriptures are God's word for his people, the Church. But he also uses them to speak to every person who seeks him there. This prayer journal is all about learning to read God's letter to you using an ancient prayer method known as lectio divina, which means "divine reading."
Radiate: More Stories of Daring Teen Saints will continue to set your heart on fire. Whether you are young or merely a youth at heart, you will be inspired by the heroism of these teenage saints. Young male and female teen saints from various places in the world are in this text; a total of ten stories in all.
As you read these dynamic stories, remember that you too are called to life of joy and holiness. This sequel will continue to set your heart ablaze with vivid storytelling, saintly challenges, prayers, images, and more.
Saints in Radiate include:
Saint Marie-Bernarde Soubirous (Bernadette) Saint Rose of Viterbo Saint Lucy Blessed Laura Vicuna Saint Agned of Rome Saint Aloysius Gonzaga Saint Peter Yu Tae-chol Blessed Ceferino Namuncura Saint Louis Ibaraki and the Japanese Martyrs Saint Gabriel Possenti
Even if you already love The Catholic Youth Bible(R), this daily reflection book gives you another 365 reasons to love it.
Take Ten includes a lectionary-based reading for each day of the year. Readings are chosen from cycle A, B, or C, or are the exact reading for feast days or solemnities. Each day has a Scripture citation, a reflection, a short prayer, and a connection to an article in The Catholic Youth Bible.(R)
Take Ten helps young people apply biblical wisdom to their everyday life, and its smaller format makes it easy to carry. Its 365 connections offer young people one more way to pray, study, and live The Catholic Youth Bible(R) more deeply every day.
The gravity point of a life before God is that his followers are to love God and love others with everything they have. Scot McKnight calls this "The Jesus Creed." Now, he's worked it out with high school and college students, seeking to show how this double commandment to love makes sense and gives shape to the moral lives of young adults. The Jesus Creed for Students aims to demonstrate a simple truth--that followers of Jesus, follow Jesus. Also, it's practical, filled with stories, and backed up and checked by youth pastors.
YOUCAT is short for Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church, which will be launched on World Youth Day. Developed with the help of young Catholics and written for high-school age people and young adults, YOUCAT is an accessible, contemporary expression of the Catholic Faith. The appealing graphic format includes Questions-and-Answers, highly-readable commentary, summary definitions of key terms, Bible citations and inspiring and thought-provoking quotes from Saints and others in the margins. What's more, YOUCAT is keyed to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, so people can go deeper. It explains:
What Catholics believe and why (doctrine) How Catholics celebrate the mysteries of the faith (sacraments) How Catholics are to live (moral life) How they should pray (prayer and spirituality)
The questions are direct and honest, even at times tough; the answers straightforward, relevant, and compelling. YOUCAT will likely become the "go-to" place for young people to learn the truth about the Catholic faith.
Pope Benedict XVI on the YOUCAT project:
"Dear young friends! Today I recommend for your reading an unusual book....Should we not attempt to translate the Catechism of the Catholic Church into the language of young people? Should we not bring its great riches into the world of today's youth? Of course, there are many differences even among the youth of today's world. And so now, under the capable direction of the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schoenborn, YOUCAT has been produced for young people. I hope that many young people will let themselves be fascinated by this book.
Many people say to me: The youth of today are not interested in this. I disagree, and I am certain that I am right. The youth of today are not as superficial as some think. They want to know what life is all about....This book is exciting because it speaks of our own destiny and so deeply engages every one of use.
So I invite you: Study this Catechism! That is my heartfelt desire. This catechism was not written to please you. It will not make life easy for you, because it demands of you a new life. It places before you the Gospel message as the "pearl of great value" (Mt 13:45) for which you must give everything. So I beg you: Study this Catechism with passion and perseverance. Make a sacrifice of your time for it! Study it in the quiet of your room; read it with a friend; form study groups and networks; share with each other on the Internet. By all means continue to talk with each other about your faith...."