"God is disgusted by the fall and ruin of his holy Church ... drops of burning and smoking sulfur are dripping from the roof; the walls are as revolting to look at as pus mingled with rotting blood." These are startling words, and they are from one of the many revelations received by St Bridget (or "Birgitta") of Sweden (1303-1373): wife, mother of eight, widow, social and Church reformer, mystic, and foundress of the Order of the Most Holy Savior, also known as the Brigittine Order. The world has witnessed in recent years a rapidly growing interest in St Bridget among Catholics as well as Protestants, and even non-Christians, scholars and the general population alike. Pope John Paul II declared St Bridget Co-Patroness of Europe (1 Oct 1999) and called her a Model for Today's Woman (3 Oct 2002), seeing in her life and in her writings a powerful witness to the Gospel, an "icon" as it were, reflecting the beauty, goodness and loving mercy of God - as well as his justice - to our modern world in great need, like the Prodigal Son, of coming to its senses and returning to its Father. St Bridget is best known for the Revelations, the divinely inspired messages she received from God the Father, Jesus, the Virgin Mary and numerous saints over a period of almost 30 years. Although the Revelations consist of twelve books and hundreds of pages and treat of a wide variety of subjects, including visions and messages Bridget received regarding the infancy, life and sufferings of Christ which are not found in the gospels, there can also be found throughout the work messages which are of utmost pertinence for today, showing the "actuality" of St Bridget for the Church and for the world in our times. This collection of Books 1-5 of the Revelations is large, 8"x10" and 418 pages and contains most of the important revelations given to the saint, and it is priced low for wide distribution of these timeless messages pertinent to our times as much as or even more so than St Bridget's. See also my book, "The Revelations of St Bridget and Church Reform."

This book consists of The Revelations of Saint Bridget of Sweden, Book 11: "The Sermon of the Angel," on Salvation History from Adam and Eve to Christ, including much on the Blessed Virgin Mary; Book 12: "Four Prayers" which were divinely revealed to Saint Bridget; plus The 15 "Magnificent Prayers of Saint Bridget" to Our Suffering Lord Jesus Christ. The reader will find in it a fruitful source of prayer and meditation, as have so many people throughout the centuries since they were first revealed to the holy mystic and visionary. See also "The Revelations of St Bridget and Church Reform" and the edited "Revelations of Saint Bridget of Sweden: Books 1-5." St Bridget (or "Birgitta") of Sweden was born in June 1303 in the castle of Finsta near Uppsala in Sweden; her father Birgen Persson was the governor of the region of Upplan, her mother Ingeborga was also of noble lineage. Bridget married very early, had several children, and then in 1341, Bridget and her husband decided to celebrate their Silver Anniversary by going on a pilgrimage to Santiago of Compostella. This event marks a decisive turning point in the life of the two spouses, who for some time were already living their matrimony in chastity. During the return trip, Ulf, her husband, decided to embrace the religious life and was received into the Cistercian Abbey of Alvastra, where he died only a few years later. Bridget, having completed her mission as wife and mother, decided to transfer herself to an outbuilding to the monastery at Alvastra, where she remained for almost three years until 1346. It was the beginning of the most extraordinary phase of her life; after a period of austerity and of meditation on the Divine Mysteries of the Passion of the Lord and the Sorrows and Glories of the Virgin, she began to have visions of Christ, Who in one of these visions elects her "Messenger of the Great Lord." To her spiritual directors, such as Fr. Matthias, Bridget dictated her famous "Revelations," sublime intuitions and supernatural illuminations, which she had all her life and were then collected in eight volumes. Afterwards she went to Rome and here, under the dictation of an Angel, wrote "The Hymn of the Angel" or "Angelic Sermon." It deals with twenty-one Letters to be read every day of the week during the morning Masses in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Saint Bridget, during one Eucharistic celebration, has a revelation of the Angels in Eucharistic Adoration: "After the priest had pronounced the divine words over the bread, it seemed to me that that same bread took on three figures, although it remained in the hands of the priest. That Bread became a living Lamb, in the Lamb was seen the face of a man and on the inside and on the outside of the Lamb and of that face there was an ardent flame. As I was watching the face with attention, without averting my eyes, in it I saw the Lamb. And looking at the Lamb I also saw that same face in the Lamb. A Crowned Virgin was sitting with the Lamb and all the Angels were attending to her; the Lamb emanated a marvelous splendor. Also the multitude of holy souls was so numerous that my eyes could not contain it all, not in length, not in width, not in depth" (Book 8, 54). Later on, the Saint is a witness to a conversation between Jesus and the Virgin about the creation of the world and of all things visible and invisible. Among these the Angels, who at the moment of their creation, in complete liberty, were given the choice either to accept God and His love, or to refuse Him.

This was the massive, simplified structure which had been built on Birgitta's orders, using the foundations and the walls of the castle given to her by King Magnus.

A masterpiece that combines the visions of four great Catholic mystics into one coherent story on the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Based primarily on the famous revelations of Ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich and Ven. Mary of Agreda, it also includes many episodes described in the writings of St. Bridget of Sweden and St. Elizabeth of Schenau. To read this book, therefore, is to share in the magnificent visions granted to four of the most priviledged souls in the history of the Church. In complete harmony with the Gospel story, this book reads like a masterfully written novel. It includes such fascinating details as the birth and infancy of Mary, her espousal to St. Joseph and her Assumption into Heaven where she was crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth. For young and old alike, The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics will forever impress the reader with an inspiring and truly unforgettable understanding of the otherwise unknown facts concerning Mary and the Holy Family.

Once, the Virgin Mary was a pivotal element of Christianity, a holy figure at the heart of most Christians' spiritual lives. She was invoked at all major life passages--baptisms, weddings, childbirths, and funerals--and images of the Virgin Mary could be found virtually anywhere, from pub signs to sacred texts. Medieval women especially looked to Mary to answer their prayers, be their role model, and serve as their advocate in heaven. They prayed to her several times a day and sometimes devoted their entire lives to her service. This book investigates perceptions of the Virgin Mary through several centuries of literature. Focusing especially on the depictions of the Virgin Mary in medieval and Renaissance manuscripts, the author rediscovers a time when the Divine Female was very much in evidence, and good Christian women were taught to pray to a Holy Mother. Topics include the cyclical popularity of Virgin Mary; devotional objects such as Books of Hours, rosaries, and Marian gardens; the mystical qualities attributed to the Virgin Mary through centuries of reported divine visions; the historical relationships between the Virgin Mary and other religious figures, including the Devil; and Mary Magdalene as an alternative to the Virgin Mary as a feminine model.