New Book on Catholic Sacrament: 7 Secrets of Confession

Christians, including many Catholics, have a limited and narrow point view of the Sacrament commonly called “Confession” that prevents them from understanding the gift of this Sacrament instituted by Christ and discovering its real beauty and value.

For non-Catholics, Confession is unnecessary, and some may even think unbiblical, believing there should be no mediator between them and Christ. For too many Catholics, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is just a means to an end: cleaning us up from sin so we can receive Holy Communion. But, as Pope Francis tells us, Confession is much more than “going to the dry cleaner.” It’s “an encounter with Jesus, who waits for us as we are.”

Vinny Flynn exposes the life-altering power of the Sacrament of Reconciliation in his new book, 7 SECRETS OF CONFESSION, and clears up some of the common misunderstandings many might hold of this important encounter with Christ.

Flynn has long recognized that there is an urgent need for all Christians to receive clear teaching about Confession. He shows that Confession is a sacred encounter with Christ that everybody should eagerly welcome with love, passion and appreciation. Flynn draws upon the biblical proof of its existence, the wisdom of the saints and the 2,000-year tradition of the Church, and the fruits of his own contemplation and prayer to write an essential guide on the heavenly gift of Confession.

“Simple and clear, yet profound too, this is a book which should be found in every home and on the book shelf of every confessor and director of souls,” said Fr. Peter Damian Fehlner, S.T.D., author of St. Maximilian Kolbe: Martyr of Charity.

7 SECRETS OF CONFESSION shows that those who choose to embrace Confession will come away convinced that they are not only forgiven but truly healed and liberated in a way like no other.

Turning the Pages of Catholic History

“Men are surprised by each new turn of the pages of the book of history.” With those words, esteemed historian James Hitchcock introduces readers to HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH – from the Apostolic Age to the Third Millennium. The new book is available now from Ignatius Press.

Hitchcock, a leading commentator on the Catholic Church in America and longtime professor of history at St. Louis University, maps a fascinating journey of discovery. HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH transports readers from Jesus’ call of the apostles and the birth of the Catholic Church, through the struggles of saints and sinners, the rise and fall of empires, the contributions of great Catholic thinkers and the holy lives of simple believers, to the Church’s place today as the longest-enduring social institution in human history. From Peter to Benedict XVI, Hitchcock recounts the divine and human drama of that great community of diverse believers known as the Catholic Church.

“While in every age the Church demonstrates her power to transform the world,” Hitchcock writes, “the moral weaknesses of both her leaders and her members are at the same time both a scandal and an ironic witness to her divine character – mere men could never have accomplished the good that the Church has achieved over two millennia. Left entirely to men, the Church ought to have perished at many points in her long history.”

Hitchcock is an able historian and superb writer, combining keen historical judgment with an entertaining and readable style. He surveys the grand sweep of Church history and the culture-shaping role the Church has played in world history. Only a historian of outstanding skill and intellectual stature could cover such a vast topic with such style, insight, and profound judgment.

This is no mere “historical textbook;” it’s a rich, adventurous true-story told in just as rich a fashion. HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH is a compellingly hard-to-put-down book, more like an engrossing novel than a “history book.”

Endorsements of HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH already are impressive.

“To love the Church, we must understand her history,” said Timothy Cardinal Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “As Blessed Pope John XXIII remarked, ‘History is our best teacher.’ Thank you, Dr. Hitchcock, for this timeless gift to the Church for the Year of Faith.”

“If you want an unforgettable account of the fullness and drama of the Christian story, read this book,” said Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput, Archbishop of Philadelphia.

“The book is well-written,” said Glenn W. Olsen, emeritus professor of history at the University of Utah. “It is not burdened down with details or many footnotes, but is attached to a strong narrative line centering on meaning.”

“History is indeed the war of good against evil,” Hitchcock writes, “but the progress of that war is hidden from human eyes.” Nevertheless, HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH provides mere mortals a revealing glimpse into the shape of the war’s course.

Year of Faith News and Resources

Catholic colleges and universities plan special Masses

Catholic colleges and universities throughout the U.S. are planning special Masses and other events to commemorate the Year of Faith and encourage students . . .

Pope Begins New Catechesis for Year of Faith

Given the popularity and spiritual riches of Pope Benedict's weekly catechetical addresses, his decision to start a new series for the Year of Faith is brilliant. This will enable all of us to traverse the Year of Faith right along with the Holy Father ...

Project sends spiritual relief to the frontlines

For more than two years, the Frontline Faith Project has worked to send MP3 players with Catholic content to U.S. troops, who may not be have regular access to a chaplain or religious services. “The whole idea was to bring the Catholic Church to those ...

Preparing to Prepare

One of my favorite works of fiction is the book series from Robert Jordan titled The Eye of the World. It is a fantasy collection that is very Tolkeinesque, with some very vivid depictions of the struggle between good and evil, set in a world...

The Pope, Twitter and the Year of Faith

Pope Benedict's twitter account has in a few days received 1.5 million followers. He answered the first three questions this way: 1: How can we celebrate the Year of Faith on a daily basis? “By speaking with Jesus in prayer, listening to what he tells ...

Year of faith resources

Set contains This Is The Faith (book), and the MP3-CD Audiobook version of This Is The Faith.

BENEDICT XVI ANNOUNCES OF THE YEAR OF FAITH

The Year of Faith is a “summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the One Savior of the world” (Porta Fidei 6). In other words, the Year of Faith is an opportunity for Catholics to experience a conversion (Read more)

 

Our society is struggling with what Pope Benedict has called "profound crisis of faith that has affected many people." In response, the Holy Father has called us all to a Year of Faith from October 2012 to November 2013. We see the signs all around us: the demand for science to prove everything before we can believe it, the role of media and celebrities who deny the existence of God and denounce the role of the Church, and the ease in which we can all isolate God and faith into only one part of our life. In a follow-up to his best selling St. Paul Bible Study for Catholics during the year of St. Paul, Fr. Mitch Pacwa once again leads Catholics to a deeper understanding of Pope Benedict's call to action for the year. Perfect for individual or group study, this book is a wonderful guide to experiencing a conversion, growing in faith, and following Jesus Christ more closely. It shows us how to integrate every component of our life – relationships, morality, work, recreation, and all – into a meaningful whole. Make the most of Pope Benedict's Year of Faith, walking hand in hand with Fr. Pacwa as he guides you through the beauty and insights of Scripture in relationship to your everyday life.




This treasury of prayers, now released on Kindle, will help you go to the Lord with courage and pray to receive God's grace.


Sometimes, the Pope said of prayers and devotions, one goes to the Lord "to ask something for someone;" one asks for a favor and then goes away. "But that," he warned, "is not prayer," because if "you want the Lord to bestow a grace, you have to go with courage and do what Abraham did, with that sort of tenacity."

This comprehensive treasury of Catholic prayer includes everyday prayers, devotionals, how to pray the rosary, litanies, the Stations of the Cross, Eucharistic prayers, prayers to prepare for confession, prayers to the saints, Marian prayers, family prayers, and more.