Messenger Publications

$25.95 • Paperback • 160 pages • 5.5x8.25 December 2021 • REL052010 978-1-78-812463-8

This is the seventh volume in this popular series, and the first for Year C, the Year of Luke. By exploring the context and background to all three readings, the author hopes to make the readings available for personal prayer and as a preparation for taking part in the Sunday liturgy. This book is a very useful resource for all who wish to get more out of the season's readings. Fr Kieran is very well-known for his hugely popular 'Weekly Notes' – an email resource for each week's readings throughout the year.

Reflections on the Weekday Readings Donal Neary

$6.95 • Paperback • 64 pages • 4.7x7.1 November 2021 • REL052000 978-1-78-812490-4

The scripture of Advent is one of the most enriching series of readings in the Church’s year. The Old Testament presents some of the best known and favorite texts of the prophets, especially from the Isaiah tradition. The gospel links the life and work of Jesus with the Old Testament reading. These short reflections on both readings of the daily Liturgy explore this link in a deep and relevant way with some of the big themes and words of Advent: waiting, expectation, hope, joy, forgiveness, compassion, fulfilment.

Praying & exploring the readings Lent & Holy Week: Year C Kieran J O'Mahony OSA

$25.95 • Paperback • 160 pages • 5.5x8.25 January 2022 • REL052010 978-1-78-812470-6

The readings for Lent in year C are mostly from Luke, with the emphasis falling on conversion and reconciliation. This year, the narrative arc from the Old Testament begins with a very ancient Israelite creed, “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor,” a mysteriously inspiring narrative. In a markedly consistent way, the middle readings link with other readings and help to bring them into our present moment. By exploring the context of all three readings, the author hopes to make them available for personal prayer and as a preparation for taking part in the Sunday liturgy.

A Journey with the Sunday Gospels in the Year of Luke Tríona Doherty Jane Mellett

$19.95 • Paperback • 144 pages • 5.5x8.25 November 2021 • REL052000 978-1-78-812506-2

The Deep End invites readers to come on a journey through the story of Luke’s Gospel and to follow Jesus as he makes his way to Jerusalem. Through a series of reflections on the Sunday Gospels, it offers a fresh perspective for anyone who wants to explore how the Gospels are relevant today. Today, in a world threatened by ecological breakdown, inequality and division, the message of Jesus as presented by Luke has much to say to us. The book includes tips for prayer and meditation to nourish ourselves along the way, as well as practical suggestions for building communities of welcome and love.

$25.95 • Paperback • 160 pages • 5.5x8.25 February 2022 • REL052010 978-1-78-812461-4

The first and third readings for Eastertide in year C are taken from the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel of John, both very appealing in their different ways. The second reading offers some of the more approachable scenes from the New Testament Apocalypse. By exploring the context and background to all three readings, the author hopes to make the readings available for personal prayer and as a preparation for taking part in the Sunday liturgy.

cal year 2021/22 Martin Hogan

$25.95 • Paperback • 350 pages • 5.5x8.25 November 2021 • REL006110 978-1-78-812502-4

At the weekday Eucharist we read from sections of all four gospels in the course of the liturgical year. The reflections in this book are based predominantly on the gospel readings for the weekdays of the coming liturgical year, 2021/22. In and through these gospel readings we encounter the living word of the risen Lord to his church. There is rich fare here to nourish our faith life and to help us to grow in our knowledge and love of the Lord.

Bereavement Ministry Paddy Shannon

$19.95 • Paperback • 128 pages 5.5x8.25 • April 2022 • REL016000 978-1-78-812534-5

In 2012 the author was invited by the Parish Pastoral Council in Newcastle, Co Down to help establish a Bereavement Ministry in the Parish. Unable to find exactly the course structure he was looking for, he designed his own course. He has divided it into five sections: • The Human Experience of Grief. • The Liturgy of Mourning. • Grief in the Scriptures. • A selection of suggested Scripture readings with reflections and some sample prayers of intercession. • A selection of prose, poems and prayers. This book is directed primarily to those involved in bereavement ministry.

A Whispered Prayer Deirdre Powell

$16.95 • Paperback • 96 pages 5.5x8.25 • April 2022 • REL052010 978-1-78-812535-2

This book is intended as a guide to help each person in their prayer life. The book explores various images of God and how He may be found in everyday life. Reflections with suitable scripture references are provided. Some of the images of God are very familiar ones, such as God as Parent and God as Shepherd. However, other images of God are explored that may be less familiar to the reader, such as God as Chef (where we find God in food); God as Artist (where we find God in art); and God as Gardener (where we find God in the garden). The idea is to explore various images of God that are drawn from everyday life, in order to bring home the notion that God is present in the everyday. It is hoped that this book will aid the reader in their prayer life and help them to experience God in ordinary life by exploring usual and unusual images of God.

Alan Hilliard Eamonn Walsh

$25.95 • Paperback • 160 pages 5.5x8.25 • January 2022 • REL016000 978-1-78-812510-9

Chaplains - Ministers of Hope presents chaplaincy as a living out of the utterly gratuitous love of God as seen in the resurrection of Jesus and it is an invitation to acknowledge and celebrate God’s love in the various chapters and events of life. The background to chaplaincy is covered in contributions that focus on the theological evolution of chaplaincy, its ecclesial history and its place in a contemporary ecclesial model. Further consideration is given to the scriptural origins of the ministry and its role in contemporary society. The practical evolution of chaplaincy is well covered in various contributions. The final section of the book contains contributions from Chaplains who go about their daily work as Ministers of Hope. There are contributions from a variety of chaplaincy perspectives: hospital, prison, hospice, sea-port, army, school, university, migrants, those with special needs, Travellers and the homeless.

The Ministry of Spiritual Direction Michael Drennan SJ

$25.95 • Paperback • 192 pages 5.5x8.25 • December 2021 REL016000 • 978-1-78-812498-0

The book seeks to provide a broader vision of the ministry drawing on insights from spirituality, scripture and psychology. These bring a fuller understanding of the person created by God, capable of knowing and responding to God. It acknowledges that many of the difficulties that arise in the direction of life are at the human, not the faith, level. Patterns are laid down in early life and can continue into adulthood. This can be so without much awareness of their source, though their influence may be evident. Even in a prayerful reflective life, further help may be needed to bring greater freedom from unconscious influences. We live in relationships with God, self, others and all creation. Jesus is active in life and meets people where they are but does not leave them there. The invitation is onwards. Attention is drawn to, and there is an exploration of the dynamics involved in the different relationships to bring greater clarity to them. The experience of working with people has highlighted the need of this development. Prayer that comes out of life and flows back into life is key to this. May the book inspire you to navigate your ongoing journey in the Lord in an integrated way.

Ignatian Spirituality in 15 Points Brendan McManus SJ

$6.95 • Paperback • 64 pages • 4.7x7.1 February 2022 • REL012120 978-1-78-812531-4

Many people are good people and genuine “searchers”, but often lack the practical methods and ‘tools’ to know how to deepen their faith. Often the idea about ‘faith’ that they have inherited is not helpful, and they need something real and experiential that helps with the complexity of contemporary living. This book redefines spirituality as about “channelling the inner fire”; there is some God given desire within us that seeks expression. Our goal is to become fully alive and human, just like Jesus was, by tuning into our inner world of feelings and desires. We are called to live like Christ, tuning into God’s plan for us and how we could serve the world. This book synthesizes the Ignatian system into 15 easy to understand concrete aspects. God is at work in each of our lives right now. Our job is to uncover the subtle messages that God is communicating to us, to be in dynamic relationship with God, and engaged with the world.

Rekindling an Inner Fire Joachim Hartmann Annette Clara Unkelhäußer

$16.95 • Paperback • 96 pages 5.5x8.25 • December 2021 REL070000 • 978-1-78-812482-9

Contemplative prayer and the contemplative way of life are the central themes of this book. Against the backdrop of their rich experience of accompanying those coming on retreat to House Gries, Germany, the authors talk about what happens in silence: healing and wholeness, suffering and consolation, forgiveness and reconciliation, gratitude and joy... The individual chapters of the book, each based on a particular theme have a clear and consistent structure. A short introduction to the theme is followed by a conversation. Scripture, the writings of St. Ignatius, experiences from spiritual accompaniment as well as the authors’ own personal experiences form the basis for these conversations. Through using the questions, “Where was my heart burning?” “Where were my eyes opened?” the authors pick out aspects in the conversation which triggered a particular resonance within them. Finally, each chapter concludes with short exercises for the reader, relevant to the theme.

Learning How to Make Choices with Ignatius of Loyola Nikolaas Sintobin SJ

$16.95 • Paperback • 96 pages 5.5x8.25 • March 2022 • REL012120 978-1-78-812523-9

This book is about discernment. To discern means to look for clues in your innermost experience in order to know what to do or what not to do. More precisely, discernment means paying attention to what is happening in the very depths of your heart. Christians believe that a careful reading of our deepest emotions can reveal what God is inviting us to do. The language that God speaks today is that of human experience. The book opens with a general overview about the practice of discernment and examines the role of our heart, our intelligence and our will. It then explains how discernment can be practiced in daily life, how discernment can help in making choices, and in knowing whether something is good or bad. Then ten different emotionally charged situations are explored. Finally, the book addresses the question of whether or not discernment is reserved for Christians, and also briefly discusses discernment in a community setting. The book concludes with a reflection on discernment as a way of life.

Seven Life-Changing Moments from the Journey of St Ignatius Jim Deeds Brendan McManus SJ

$19.95 • Paperback • 160 pages 5.5x8.25 • May 2022 • REL012120 978-1-78-812538-3

One of the traps in the spiritual life is assuming that things will happen miraculously in one dramatic, unrepeatable moment. The authors illustrate the “slow work of God” (Teilhard de Chardin), an unfolding of God’s plan for our lives over time, as a much more helpful and humanising way to look at faith. Using details from the life of St Ignatius Loyola, this book presents a hopeful vision of a compassionate God who is always with us, working powerfully to guide us through the messy experiences of life. The book highlights that the saint is not made in one moment and that knowing God and oneself involves a process rather than a single event. The authors use seven distinct moments from the life of St Ignatius to illustrate how God works through the unexpected twists and turns of life and how this process plays out over a number of years – twists and turns that Ignatius experienced as he developed from the impulsive soldier with vain heroic ambitions, to the wounded pilgrim in search of deeper meaning in life. It took Ignatius over fifteen years to be able to fully listen to what God was saying – the slow work of God indeed.