Discipleship

It s the elephant in the sanctuary today's teens are more likely to look at confirmation as their exit from Catholicism, rather than their initiation into the Faith. Sadly, many never return.

But how do we reach this new breed of teens? The formulas that worked with teens a generation or two ago, are now met with polite indifference.

Today, young people prefer substance over sensation involvement over indulgence. They hunger for authentic relationships. They long for spiritual experiences that are firmly rooted in truth and dignity.

What difference does it make?

Sharing the Faith used to make some people mad because it challenged and clashed with their own strong beliefs. Today it makes a lot of people yawn-because they don't have strong beliefs about anything.

If you find fulfillment in your faith or lifestyle, great- the idea goes- but that doesn't mean it's true for me or anyone else.

In Just Whatever, Matt Nelson takes down the building blocks of religious indifference one by one. He looks at the three different kinds you tend to encounter in your friends and family members-and maybe in yourself!-to see where they come from and why.

In their place he offers a compelling vision of a world in which it matters what you believe, who you worship, and where authentic truth and authority reside

Pope Francis has emphasized a vision of a "Church that is poor and for the poor." But growing economic inequality continues to spread across the globe. This book takes a fresh look at the role of churches, and individual Christians, in relating to poverty and the poor among them. A strong focus is placed on the biblical and theological roots of the Church's commitment to care for the poor.

At times praised as a virtue and blessed as a condition, poverty easily confuses us, and we are often left doing little to nothing to make a difference with and for the poor. As a social evil and a burden, poverty has elicited many kinds of reactions among the followers of Christ. It is time for Christians to figure out what to do about it.

Contributors include Pope Francis, Pheme Perkins, Sandra M. Schneider, and Thomas Massaro SJ.

The Second Vatican Council marked the beginning of the New Evangelization. It sought to communicate the Gospel's perennial newness to the contemporary world in a spirit of joy and hope. Yet despite the exhortations of Paul VI and John Paul II, a number of ecclesial and cultural factors deflected the church's evangelical energies, so that the council's radiant Christocentric vision faded in an increasingly polarized church.

In this important new work, Robert Imbelli probes the council's comprehensive Christocentric vision and its evangelical imperative. It maintains that Jesus Christ cannot be separated from his body, the church, and that the Eucharist effects the ongoing intimate communion between Head and members. It is this life-giving communion that the church desires to share with the wider world as the world's truth and salvation. Drawing on the writings of Pope Benedict and the witness of Pope Francis, Imbelli's insights will help transform what is merely notional for the reader into a vivid reality through the lure of beauty. Includes four-color illustrations.

Ordinary Catholics are learning how to defend and explain the Faith- and to share it enthusiastically with others more fluently and confidently than ever.

As an experienced apologist and evangelist, Mark Brumley has seen firsthand what this renaissance has accomplished. But he has also witnessed its dangers and pitfalls; some of which are so serious that, left unchecked, they can undermine all our efforts. When we try to prove too much from reason alone, for example, or when we let prideful desire to win arguments overshadow our goal of communicating God's truth, we run the risk of becoming mediocre -even counter-productive -stewards and messengers of that truth.

In The Seven Deadly Sins of Apologetics, Brumley examines the most common faults that defenders of the Faith must guard against, and shows you how to avoid and overcome them. Read this concise and lively book today and become a more effective apostle

How do I handle difficult family members?

What do I do if I can't control my emotions?

When do I correct others, and when do I hold my tongue?

Too often we are late in realizing that we mishandled a situation, causing both resentment and frustration. But what if you could approach every situation with the mind of Christ?

Distilled from his decades of experience as a clinical psychologist and a practicing Catholic, Dr. Ray Guarendi, popular radio and TV host, offers here dozens of bite-sized reflections that combine sound spiritual advice with the best of modern psychology.

Dr. Ray will help you address countless daily problems and create a plan of action for your most common troubles. With his trademark frankness and humor, Dr. Ray tackles all the topics that too often bring confusion and heartache.