Best known as the founder of the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine McAuley's original intention was simply "to make some lasting efforts for the relief of the suffering and instruction of the ignorant." Practical and creative, Mother McAuley began an employment agency for young women, a commercial laundry, an adult education program, a school, and a small shop to sell the handiwork of young women associated with her House of Mercy. Perhaps her greatest contribution to the church, however, is the spirituality that enlivened her mission of mercy -- a fresh and fertile blending of the contemplative spirit and the compassionate heart.

The excellent compendium of spirituality and prayer brings us closer to Catherine's oft-repeated ideal of being centered in God, for whom alone we go for-ward or stay back.

What happens when a former Zen Buddhist monk and his feminist wife experience an apparition of the Virgin Mary? “This book could not have come at a more auspicious time, and the message is mystical perfection, not to mention a courageous one. I adore this book.”—Caroline Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit Before a vision of a mysterious “Lady” invited Clark Strand and Perdita Finn to pray the rosary, they were not only uninterested in becoming Catholic but finished with institutional religion altogether. Their main spiritual concerns were the fate of the planet and the future of their children and grandchildren in an age of ecological collapse. But this Lady barely even referred to the Church and its proscriptions. Instead, she spoke of the miraculous power of the rosary to transform lives and heal the planet, and revealed the secrets she had hidden within the rosary’s prayers and mysteries—secrets of a past age when forests were the only cathedrals and people wove rose garlands for a Mother whose loving presence was as close as the ground beneath their feet. She told Strand and Finn: The rosary is My body, and My body is the body of the world. Your body is one with that body. What cause could there be for fear? Weaving together their own remarkable story of how they came to the rosary, their discoveries about the eco-feminist wisdom at the heart of this ancient devotion, and the life-changing revelations of the Lady herself, the authors reveal an ancestral path—available to everyone, religious or not—that returns us to the powerful healing rhythms of the natural world.

Catherine McAuley (1778-1841), the founder of the Sisters of Mercy in 1831, frequently gave oral instructions to the first Mercy community. Though she sometimes spoke explicitly about their religious vows, her words were always focused on the life, example, teachings, and evangelic spirit of Jesus Christ, emphasizing "resemblance" to him, and fidelity to the calls of the Gospel. Her instructions have, therefore, a broad present-day relevance that can be inspiring and encouraging for all Christians. They are the "shining" words of a companion, a soul-friend, who offers guiding light to those who wend their pilgrim way toward the full embrace of God's merciful reign.

"The Correspondence of Catherine McAuley, 1818-1841 is a new, fully documented edition of more than 320 surviving letters written by, to, or about McAuley during her lifetime. Drawn from archives worldwide and arranged chronologically, the letters are carefully transcribed and generously annotated. A general introduction and brief introductions to each section provide context. In her letters as well as in those of the other correspondents, one sees a delightfully human, affectionate woman; a compassionate, persistent servant of the poor and neglected; an astute businesswoman; and an unpretentious, humorous friend."--BOOK JACKET.

The Order of Morning and Evening Prayer throughout the year taken from the Divine Office. For anyone who wants to make a daily act of devotion, Morning and Evening Prayer offers the perfect combination of a consistent structure of prayer alongside daily options and choices to take you through the church's year. Taken from the Catholic Divine Office, these daily prayers and readings offer inspiration for priests and lay people alike to give strength for each day.Now with a new look in the familiar hardwearing and practical format, and an updated table of moveable dates.

Mary C. Sullivan, R.S.M., is Professor Emerita of Language and Literature, and Dean Emerita of the College of Liberal Arts, at the Rochester Institute of Technology. She is the author of numerous works, including The Correspondence of Catherine McAuley, 1818-1841 (CUA Press) and Catherine McAuley and the Tradition of Mercy.