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Biretta Books is proud to present this masterwork of the great Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen! These Are the Sacramentsis a lucidly written presentation of the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen is responsible for this memorable and dramatic book which defines the meanings of the Sacraments to man, their power, and their application. In his text, Bishop Sheen skillfully describes the elements particular to each Sacrament, defining the matter and form necessary for valid administration.

If you're looking for a new Lenten experience, here are forty fresh ideas. Some will challenge you to deepen your prayer life; others will open your mind to new ways to serve others. Each of the forty ways includes a reflection to help you understand more about Lent and why it matters. You'll learn how to have a more creative experience of Lent. You'll discover positive, proactive ways to take action instead of the same old routine of giving something up. The result will be spiritual transformation and a closer walk with Christ—not only during Lent but throughout the year.

"These six lectures on the Christian sacraments were delivered in Jerusalem in the fourth century. This was a time of rapid transition for the Church. Until AD 313, Christianity had been an illegal & persecuted religion, but under Constantine & his successors it became the favored religion of the state. Potential converts thronged the shining new basilicas, built through the beneficence of the emperors. Catechetical instruction was needed. And it was provided by gifted preachers & teachers like St Cyril of Jerusalem. The first of these lectures, the Procatechesis, is a hearty welcome to the candidates for baptism and introduces them to the periods of doctrinal instruction that lie ahead. The remaining five, the Mystagogical Catecheses, are an exposition of the rites of Christian initiation--baptism, chrismation, & the Eucharist--for the newly baptized. A rich source on the history and worship of the fourth century, these lectures remain instructive & inspirational. This volume--featuring the Greek text and a new English translation by Maxwell E. Johnson, a prominent scholar of the early liturgy--will become the standard text for years to come."--! From back cover.

"Nicholas Cabasilas' Commentary on the Divine Liturgy is a remarkable product of Byzantium's last great flowering of theology. The work has long been essential reading for specialists in the fields of comparative liturgy and history of liturgy, since Cabasilas comments in detail on the Byzantine rite of his day and is able to draw comparisons with the Roman liturgy as well. The work is also invaluable for all those who wish to understand more about the theory and practice of worship in the Orthodox Church. In this edition the text of the Commentary, translated by J. M. Hussey and P. A. McNulty, has been supplemented by a brief foreword which places Cabasilas' work in its historical context. A helpful introduction by R. M. French describes the celebration of the liturgy in the Orthodox Church."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

At life’s many crossroads, the sacraments of the Church—Baptism, Confirmation, Confession, Holy Eucharist, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick—bring people into contact with the saving work of God. In this collection of homilies, Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) explains these celebrations of the Church and shows how they always offer an opportunity to announce our faith in Christ and to deepen our understanding of it. Ratzinger endeavored as a theologian to develop an understanding of the sacraments that would help to make participation in them, and in the Paschal Mystery, more fruitful. Many of these homilies connect the sacraments with a profound interpretation of Scripture. The scriptural passages interpreted in each homily are listed at the beginning of the chapter, so that this volume can also be used for scriptural meditation. Since the Church herself is both a sacrament—that is, a sign of God’s saving action in the world—and the place where the sacraments take place, two of the chapters are about the Church, the body of believers where God dwells.