Healing, Health

The Christian response to the problem of evil and suffering began with the cross of Christ. Our answer is inseparable from the cross-from Jesus' own encounter with evil and his triumph over it. In this light, Fr. Benedict recalls some of our most frequently encountered sorrows and griefs: the failure of friends, financial and personal insecurity, the failure of some in the Church, our own inconsistent behaviors and weaknesses, and the death of loved ones. As we examine these painful experiences, he shows that we can find solutions in the Gospel and in the lives of saints, heroes, and very brave ordinary people.

"Many guides have been written for people struggling with the mystery of evil. But each generation, each age has its own dark background in front of which the struggle to keep going must be worked out. In every age, men ask 'how am I going to go on to arise from darkness?' It is that which my book will address."
ùFr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR

For anyone who thinks that comfort is equivalent to pity and that it is only priceless to those who need an emotional crutch, best-selling author Warren Wiersbe applies the words of the prophet Isaiah to prove that God's comfort is no such thing. The word comfort actually translates "to repent" in Hebrew; our English translation, however, adds another dimension to the word since it originated from two Latin words meaning "with strength."

With definitions and insights like this, the "pastor of pastors" and phenomenal author Warren Wiersbe continues to enliven the Scriptures as he weaves the words of Isaiah with historical explanations and thought-provoking questions for every chapter, creating a study guide that can be used in personal Bible study or with a group. With over 4 million copies of his "Be" series alone in circulation, he is a man who has given his life to a deep examination of the Word of God, to communicating it in such a way that the masses see its relevance for today.

Winner of a third-place award in the healing and self-help category from the Catholic Media Association.

We all have sexual wounds--some caused by over-sexualized culture, some by our personal choices, and some through the actions of others. Have you struggled with wounds from sexual abuse and molestation, pornography use, infidelity, divorce, sexual identity confusion, genophobia, or unwanted sexual compulsions?

In Be Restored, bestselling and award-winning author Bob Schuchts of the John Paul II Healing Center offers you concrete steps for healing and wholeness, relying on a combination of clinical expertise, Catholic theology, and personal experience as a survivor to guide you.

An essential guide to healing sexual wounds, Be Restored speaks to our deepest longing for sexual wholeness. It reveals the way to be freed from debilitating shame, sexual compulsions and sin, identity confusion, and wounds in psychosexual development. You will discover the reasons behind your emotional pain and how it's connected to your sexual wounds--whether those wounds come from acute moments of sexual trauma in the past or from the more subtle trauma of living in our sex-saturated world.

Speaking from his own experience of sexual woundedness and his professional background as a marriage and family therapist, Schuchts--the bestselling author of Be Healed--is sensitive to the shame of sexual wounds. In Be Restored, he compassionately guides readers through a comprehensive understanding of potential areas of sexual wounds and shame. He then lays out a practical roadmap for restoring sexual wholeness.

Each chapter in Be Restored contains "Take a Moment" reflections and personal activities that include prayer and scripture-based exercises, emotional mapping, and thought-provoking reflection questions.

Four appendices offer specific instructions and prayers for restoring sexual wholeness.

We all know what it's like to be lied to, cheated, tricked, or swindled. Whether you want revenge or to protect yourself from future harm, Phil Waldrep understands your pain.

Waldrep had no idea of the steep journey that lay ahead of him when two men walked into his office and revealed an unfolding story of a friend turned colleague who was living what amounted to a second life. For years following, Waldrep sought to heal the wounds of this broken relationship and confront the pain he felt in the aftermath of this betrayal. Along the way, he discovered God's solutions to overcoming resentment.

In Beyond Betrayal, you'll learn about the biblical principles and practical tools that can help you

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Chair of The Elders, and Chair of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, along with his daughter, the Reverend Mpho Tutu, offer a manual on the art of forgiveness--helping us to realize that we are all capable of healing and transformation.

Tutu's role as the Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission taught him much about forgiveness. If you asked anyone what they thought was going to happen to South Africa after apartheid, almost universally it was predicted that the country would be devastated by a comprehensive bloodbath. Yet, instead of revenge and retribution, this new nation chose to tread the difficult path of confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Each of us has a deep need to forgive and to be forgiven. After much reflection on the process of forgiveness, Tutu has seen that there are four important steps to healing: Admitting the wrong and acknowledging the harm; Telling one's story and witnessing the anguish; Asking for forgiveness and granting forgiveness; and renewing or releasing the relationship. Forgiveness is hard work. Sometimes it even feels like an impossible task. But it is only through walking this practical, fourfold path to healing from trauma that Tutu says we can free ourselves of the endless and unyielding cycle of pain and retribution. The Book of Forgiving is both a touchstone and a tool, offering Tutu's wise advice and showing the way to experience forgiveness. Ultimately, forgiving is the only means we have to heal ourselves and our aching world.

In The Book of Forgiving, you will learn the universal, four-step process for healing pain and finding peace:

Countless Christians -- including scores of saints -- have suffered profound, pervasive sorrow that modern psychiatrists call "depression." Then, as now, great faith and even fervent spiritual practices have generally failed to ease this wearying desolation of soul.

In these pages, Catholic psychiatrist Aaron Kheriaty reviews the effective ways that have recently been devised to deal with this grave and sometimes deadly affliction -- ways that are not only consistent with the teachings of the Church, but even rooted in many of those teachings.

Extensive clinical experience treating patients with depression has shown Dr. Kheriaty that the confessional can't cure neuroses, nor can the couch forgive sin. Healing comes only when we integrate the legitimate discoveries of modern psychology and pharmacology with spiritual direction and the Sacraments, giving particular attention to the wisdom of the Church Fathers and the saints.

Here, with the expert help of Dr. Kheriaty, you'll learn how to distinguish depression from similarlooking but fundamentally different mental states such as guilt, sloth, the darkness of sin, and the sublime desolation called "dark night of the soul" that is, in fact, a privileged spiritual trial sent to good souls as a special gift from God.

You'll come to know how to identify the various types of depression and come to understand the interplay of their often manifold causes, biological, psychological, behavioral, cultural, and, yes, moral.

Then you'll learn about exciting breakthroughs in pharmacological and other medical treatments, the benefits and limitations of psychotherapy, the critical place that spiritual direction must have in your healing, and the vital role that hope -- Christian hope -- can play in driving out depression.

To say that offering forgiveness is a challenge is an understatement. Forgiveness is tough! Forgiveness is often messy. Forgiveness doesn't feel good to most of us. And when it comes to the biggest, deepest hurts in life, forgiveness can seem impossible.

Some hurts are the everyday, garden-variety irritations we endure for having to live in the company of other human beings who lose their tempers, get up on the wrong side of the bed, say nasty things, are ungrateful, selfish, and irritable. Some hurts are of a magnitude that far transcend these -- degradation, exploitation, abandonment, rejection, humiliation, racism, bullying, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. But with God's grace, even in those most difficult cases, forgiveness is possible.

In Choosing Forgiveness, Fr. Thomas Berg and Dr. Timothy G. Lock are your guides on the way toward forgiveness through the grace of God. This book will help you discover the pathway to healing, peace, and interior freedom, releasing you and those who have wronged you from the bondage of unforgiveness.

"This work will stand the test of time as it is anchored in an authentic Catholic anthropology, psychology and spirituality. It is a complete and robust presentation on forgiveness. Every page invites realism and hope. This would be a useful book for pastors and clinicians and spiritual directors. The Church will be aided greatly by the authors' insights and faith."
-- Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., Professor of Spiritual Theology, Kenrick Glennon Seminary

"Fr. Berg and Dr. Lock have produced an important work in which they encourage readers to forgive by practicing love toward those who acted unfairly. Such love is accomplished not only by the person's will to forgive in this way but also by the grace of Jesus Christ, Who showed us how to love. The pathway outlined by the authors should be helpful to those who need to heal their hearts, which have been wounded by others' injustices. Such forgiveness may heal individuals, families, and communities."
-- Dr. Robert D. Enright, PhD, author and cofounder of the International Forgiveness Institute

"Dr. Lock and Fr. Berg have managed to render the daunting idea of forgiveness accessible in all its facets. This is a wonderfully gentle and informative read to inspire anyone who is struggling with a wounded soul or broken heart but, after surviving difficult circumstances, finds forgiving elusive or impossible. Here is a book worthy of reflection and discussion with trusted friends and spiritual counsel."
-- Teresa Pitt Green, Co-Founder of Spirit Fire, a Christian Restorative Justice Initiative, and Co-Author of Veronica's Veil: A Christ-Centered Approach for Spiritual Companions of Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse

"Although one of the fundamental tenets of Christianity is forgiveness, Christians often struggle with its true meaning. This book fills a gap in our understanding of how we can enter this process and find the peace and healing promised by the Lord. This book has been long overdue."
-- Suzanne M. Baars, PhD, Founder of the Baars Institute

"Theologians have written erudite works on forgiveness. Psychologists have written self-help books telling us how to do it. This rare book offers the best of both worlds: Christian profundity combined with wise advice on how Christians can enact the grace of forgiveness in real life. Fittingly, it is written by a priest and a psychologist. Call it God-help. At the end they point to an unexpected possibility of forgiveness that just might save the Church."
-- Daniel Philpott, professor of Political Science, University of Notre Dame, and author of Just and Unjust Peace: An Ethic of Political Reconciliation

Companion in Illness 978-0-89942-158-2

Companion in Illness from Catholic Book Publishing is designed for those dealing with sickness in their lives. A beautifully illustrated book, this comforting resource provides spiritual counsel, prayers, and meditations. A wonderful aid for all who are sick and in need of healing, Companion in Illness also contains the Rite of Anointing the Sick outside Mass and Rite of Penance.
A compact book like Companion in Illness, published by Catholic Book Publishing, holds significant value for those who are suffering, offering spiritual solace and practical support in a concise, accessible format. Designed specifically for the sick, this beautifully illustrated resource provides spiritual counsel, prayers, and meditations tailored to ease the burdens of illness, making it a comforting companion during challenging times.
For individuals facing physical or emotional pain, the book's portability is a key benefit. Its compact size allows it to be kept close--at a bedside, in a hospital bag, or carried daily--ensuring immediate access to encouragement when despair strikes. The inclusion of structured rituals, like the Rite of Anointing the Sick and the Rite of Penance, offers a tangible connection to Catholic tradition, providing a sense of hope and divine presence amid suffering. These elements can help transform isolation into a shared spiritual experience, reinforcing faith when it's most tested.
Among the features of this book are:

Benefits of a compact book

From one of the world's leading exorcists comes this eye-opening book to help you recognize genuine cases of diabolical possession -- and know what to do when your friends or family show behaviors that leave you suspicious.

Leaning heavily on Scripture and the teachings of the Church, as well as on his own extensive experiences as an exorcist, Fr. Paolo Carlin here unveils Satan's plan of attack while giving you the telltale signs that the Evil One is at work in your life or in the life of others.

You'll learn the special conditions that facilitate the work of the devil -- particularly ones that appeal to the youngest and most defenseless among us.

Armed with knowledge of the antics of Satan, Fr. Carlin also enumerates the many spiritual weapons that Our Lord has placed at our disposal. Best of all, you'll learn to employ each one effectively to keep the devil and his army of fallen angels at bay.

Finally, Father will show you how to distinguish between mental illnesses and diabolical attacks, as well as how to determine when you must turn away from amateur efforts and urgently seek the expert help of an official exorcist.

An Exorcist Explains How to Heal the Possessed is a much-needed guide for priests, educators, parents, and, indeed, for anyone struggling to keep the door to Satan closed.

Life is an endless succession of ebbs and flows, and as we journey through nature's cycles, our human spirits yearn for the authentic integration of wellness and faith in our fast-paced world.

Feast, Faith, and Flourish is bursting with practical and spiritual wisdom drawn from the traditions of the seasons, the rhythms of the liturgical year, and the authors' deep understanding of creation, the human body, nutrition, movement, and how to live a more contemplative life while joyfully serving God. The reflections in this book were carefully selected from nearly four years' worth of favorite entries in The Ember Journal, a beloved seasonal print magazine for women. In these exquisite pages, you will enjoy delicious recipes and be uplifted by beautiful full-color photos, original meditations on the great celebrations of the year, explorations on the mysteries of the Rosary, and inspiring quotes from the saints. You will discover:

God desires that we tend to both our souls and our bodies to experience restoration through the many gifts He has placed within our grasp. Learning to integrate the two is not about arduously seeking balance but about peacefully discovering harmony. Feast, Faith, and Flourish was born out of Ember's simple mission: "To strive for truth. To be well. To follow Him."

Winner of a first-place award in memoirs, a second-place for best front cover artwork, and a third-place in the category first time author of a book from the Catholic Media Association.

Where is God when the innocent suffer? Jennifer Hubbard began to grapple with the question in 2012 when her six-year-old daughter Catherine was killed in the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. In the depths of her grief, Hubbard founded an animal sanctuary in Catherine's memory, creating a place of healing for her family and their community and fulfilling her daughter's dream.

Hubbard's courageous witness will uplift your faith and demonstrate how Christ's redemptive suffering provides a path of hope, even in the darkest moments of our lives.

Hubbard's daughter Catherine was a happy little girl who wanted to spend her life rescuing animals. All that changed on the morning of December 14, 2012. Though her daughter's tragic death marked the end of Hubbard's world as she'd known it, she instinctively held on to her faith in God, realizing it was the only way she could bear the initial impact of her daughter's death and the subsequent waves of grief and loss as her marriage ended and she was forced to forge a new life.

A typographic mistake on Catherine's obituary led Hubbard to an unexpected invitation to fulfill her daughter's dreams of opening an animal shelter. She began to channel her grief into a work of peace by starting a foundation in her daughter's memory, by writing, and by helping her son recover after surviving the tragedy that took his sister's life. Ultimately, it was Hubbard's faith that gave her the courage to entrust her daughter to God and to seek his plan for her own life. "God helped me to look back on my life up to that time and to see all the ways he had been preparing me for what was to come," she writes.

In Finding Sanctuary, Hubbard shares her journey of healing and transformation in order to help those who may be grappling with an inability to trust in the goodness of God. You will learn:

Each chapter in the book is dedicated to one step in Hubbard's journey toward wholeness and includes reflection questions to guide you to consider what God is teaching you as you make your own way toward God's kingdom of peace.

Dr. Robert D. Enright, founder of the International Forgiveness Institute, invites you to travel with him down the road from alienation to forgiveness to possible reconciliation. His cathartic exercises will enliven your relationship with Jesus and provide a healing balm that will deepen your empathy and dispose you to forgiving others.

Similar to The Imitation of Christ, this work is divided into three books comprising short chapters with brief points to consider. The first book lays out forgiveness in general and includes biblical stories of forgiveness; the second approaches forgiveness from the Catholic perspective, including loving others through our intimate connection with Christ and seeking forgiveness ourselves; the third discusses skeptical views of forgiveness as well as self-forgiveness, forgiveness within communities, and what legacy you will leave behind.

These powerful exercises will help you understand what forgiveness actually is and why it is beneficial, including scientific studies of those who were suffering physically, psychologically, or emotionally and experienced healing.

You will learn answers to soul-searching questions and discover:

As you contemplate God's love for you in these extraordinary pages, you will grow deeper in your faith through journaling prompts and transformative meditations, including penetrating questions to guide you on your path to freedom. The book has been given an imprimatur by Bishop Donald Hying of the Catholic Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin.

In an age in which the occult is becoming increasingly normalized, Teresa Yanaros's Freedom from Darkness offers a crucial beacon of hope and a guide to freedom.

Drawing from her profound personal journey out of the occult and into the light of Christ, Yanaros unveils with insight and precision the stark realities of spiritual warfare and the path to deliverance.

Freedom from Darkness is not just a book; it is a survival manual for those ensnared by the occult--be it through tarot cards, New Age ideologies, or the subtle allure of esoteric practices. It employs distinctive infographics and formulas to clarify complex concepts, paving the way for readers to grasp critical aspects of occult bondage and articulate these insights to others caught in its web.

Yanaros's landmark work sheds light on:

Yanaros demystifies the complex dynamics of spiritual warfare, drawing on the wisdom of the saints and the teachings of the Church to arm her readers. With clarity and compassion, she offers strategies to reclaim one's spiritual life through Christ-centered living and the renunciation of false powers. She provides powerful insight into the transformative power of repentance and radical surrender to God's will.

Whether you are struggling with spiritual afflictions or seeking to help others find their way out of darkness, Freedom from Darkness is an essential resource. It encourages all to embrace the journey toward redemption armed with the truth and fortified by the power of the Gospel.