St. John Henry Newman: A Doctor of the Church for Our Time - Spiritual Guide for the Catholic Heart by Sister Mary Catherine Blanding, IHM Sister Mary Catherine Blanding’s St. John Henry Newman: A Doctor of the Church for Our Time presents a compelling and deeply...
St. John Henry Newman: A Doctor of the Church for Our Time – Spiritual Guide for the Catholic Heart by Sister Mary Catherine Blanding, IHM
St. John Henry Newman: A Doctor of the Church for Our Time – Spiritual Guide for the Catholic Heart
by Sister Mary Catherine Blanding, IHM
Sister Mary Catherine Blanding’s St. John Henry Newman: A Doctor of the Church for Our Time presents a compelling and deeply pastoral introduction to one of the most influential Catholic thinkers of the modern era. Drawing from Newman’s sermons, spiritual writings, and personal journey of conversion, Blanding reveals why Newman continues to speak powerfully to contemporary believers confronting doubt, secularism, loneliness, and the search for holiness. Both intellectually rich and spiritually accessible, the work serves as a guide to prayer, conscience, divine providence, and authentic Christian transformation.
Paperback: $14.95 | Kindle: $9.99
ARTICLES
Blanding, IHM, Sr. Mary Catherine. (March 9, 2026). “Fasting as a Path to Discernment.” Spiritualdirection.com. Click here to read the article.
Blanding, IHM, Sr. Mary Catherine. (May 3, 2026). “SpiritualDirection: The Art of Arts” SpiritualDirection.com. Click here to read the article.
Blanding, IHM, Sr. Mary Catherine. (October 30, 2025). “St. John Henry Newman, A Man of Deep Compassion” Catholicexchange.com. Click here to read the article.
Blanding, IHM, Sr. Mary Catherine. (March 10, 2019). “What does the Doctor Diagnose? Listening to the Church Doctor; St. Catherine of Siena on Perennial Principles for our Attitudes towards Priests” Homiletic and Pastoral Review. Click here to read the article.
TESTIMONIALS
“Sr. Mary Catherine has a rare gift for translating Newman into American. She makes him accessible, understandable, and even lovable to my countrymen. I am deeply devoted to the Doctor, and so it has pained me that Americans often find him remote or antiquated. But he comes alive in Sr. Mary Catherine’s telling of his story and her distillation of his work. She has done this not only on paper, but by founding Newman discussion groups whose impressive numbers meet regularly for years. By every means at her disposal, she has built him a fan base in the United States, and she’s only just begun. This makes me happy.” — Mike Aquilina, author, The Fathers of the Church, television host, co-founder of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology
“Sr. Mary Catherine Blanding, I.H.M. has written a timely and important book on our most recent Doctor of the Church, St. John Henry Newman. While St. Newman’s thought was an energizing force at Vatican II, still, his writings, especially his Grammar of Assent, have yet to be fully appropriated by the Church. Sr. Mary Catherine’s book addresses this important need, especially for those new to Newman’s writings. She has written a book that is accessible, faithful to Newman’s thought, and convincing on why we need to read Newman now.” — Rev. Joseph Gile, Spiritual Director of the St. Joseph House of Formation for Seminarians, Professor at Newman University, Pastor of St. Mary’s, Aleppo, Kansas
“The heart of one spiritual counselor speaks to another in A Doctor of the Church for Our Time. Sister Mary Catherine thoroughly demonstrates the importance of Newman’s life and thought today–and tomorrow–especially through her application of selected sermons with insights for ‘spiritual insight and renewal.’ This book offers a great resource for those who may not yet have discovered Saint John Henry Newman’s relevance for Catholics today.” — Stephanie A. Mann, author of Supremacy and Survival: How Catholics Endured the English Reformation
“Excellent and Engaging! Without question Sr. Mary Catherine Blanding, IHM, is a compelling and accessible writer. She doesn’t waste our time with the superfluous. Driven in her writing by what drives her in life, namely, a profound hunger and thirst for what matters most, for the deepest truths, the truths that transform, she leads us there. Along the way, she echoes her beloved mentor St. Cardinal John Henry Newman by starting with what is commonly experienced by us humans in this day and age and opening our eyes to Newman’s vast and transformative horizons. She has done this for countless students and young adults over the past 30 years. Here, she immerses us in Newman’s brilliant guiding light along the way. A can’t-put-it-down, must-read for anyone seeking true peace, answers, hope…purpose and meaning.” — Karen Walker, founder of The Mentors Radio show (no religious affiliation), The Catholic Business Hour and the Catholic Business Journal, who met and became friends with Sr. Mary Catherine in college
Discover and be encouraged to blossom in faith through the wisdom of our newest Church doctor. This gift awaits within the pages of Sr. Mary Catherine’s new book, St. John Henry Cardinal Newman, A Doctor of the Church for Our Time as she lovingly presents his conversion story, his sermons, and his earnest living in service of Christ alone. Following his example, we too can learn to pray “…one step enough.” — Paula Zwenger, Lover of Jesus, Wife and Mother, Rhymer Extraordinaire
“St. John Henry Cardinal Newman, A Doctor of the Church for Our Time, is a wonderful, well-written overview of the 38th Doctor of the Church. Part One describes St. John Henry Newman and his works while Part Two offers a sampling of his writings. As Sister Mary Catherine says so well, ‘In a time marked by confusion, isolation, and moral ambiguity, his thought speaks with rare clarity. He articulates our experience better than we can ourselves. He ignites conversion and grips the heart with his words.’ Her book makes his work accessible to us who are beginners so we too can be Lovers of Newman. — Belinda Terro Mooney, author of Pray with Us: A Saint for Every Day
““Blanding Newman offers a compelling and deeply human portrait of one of the twentieth century’s most influential Catholic thinkers. Thoughtfully written and spiritually perceptive, this work illuminates Newman’s enduring relevance for faith, conscience, education, and intellectual life today.” — Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, author of The Narrative Spirituality of Dante’s Divine Comedy
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
As a teacher, catechist, and spiritual director, Sr. Mary Catherine Blanding, IHM, of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Wichita, has a gift for bringing the thought of the Church’s newest Doctor into everyday life. For more than fifteen years, she has introduced St. John Henry Newman to participants in her discussion group, Lovers of Newman, fostering a heart-to-heart encounter with his writings and spirituality.
Formed in philosophy and catechetics, Sr. Mary Catherine is a longtime student of Newman whose graduate work focused on his teaching on faith. She holds a master’s degree in Catechetical Theology from the Angelicum and a second master’s degree in Philosophy from The Catholic University of America.
She co-authored the first-edition teacher manuals for the Faith and Life Series (three volumes) and Image of God (two volumes). Her work has appeared in Homiletic and Pastoral Review, Catholic Exchange, and Soul Magazine, and forthcoming work will appear in Religious Life.
Through her writing, teaching, spiritual direction, retreat ministry, and parish formation work, she seeks to inspire Catholics and those drawn to the faith through the spiritual riches of St. John Henry Newman.
OTHER CATHOLIC BIOGRAPHIES
St. John Henry Newman: A Doctor of the Church for Our Time – Spiritual Guide for the Catholic Heart by Sister Mary Catherine Blanding, IHM
read more
My Story: The Act of Storytelling by Richard J. Bishirjian, Ph.D.
My Story: The Act of Storytelling by Richard J Bishirjian, Ph.D. This book is a deeply personal reflection on faith, history, and intellectual pursuit. Rooted in political philosophy, this memoir weaves together personal experiences, theological insights, and...
The Legacy of Monsignor James Kirwin (1872-1926) by Sr. Madeleine Grace, CVI, Ph.D.
The Legacy of Monsignor James Kirwin (1872-1926) by Sr. Madeleine Grace, CVI, Ph.D. The Legacy of Monsignor James Kirwin (1872-1926) presents a compelling portrait of a priest whose leadership, courage, and pastoral zeal shaped the Church and civic life of early...
Whispering Hope through Hearing Loss by Bernadette Griffith
Activating the Cochlear Implant, 2019Whispering Hope through Hearing Loss by Bernadette Griffith Whispering Hope through Hearing Loss is a tender and courageous memoir of faith, identity, and resilience. Bernadette Griffith traces her journey from childhood tinnitus...
Fisher of Men by Irvin Louis Kloska
Fisher of Men by Irvin Kloska Fisher of Men is a moving Catholic memoir tracing the life of Irvin Louis Kloska, a devoted husband, father, fisherman, and man of deep faith. Through family stories, spiritual awakenings, Marian devotion, Eucharistic love, and accounts...
Finding Flannery: A Travel Memoir Exploring the Mystique of Flannery O’Connor and the Legacy She Has Left Us All, authored by Christina Brajkovich, Karen Anne Mahoney, and Roxane B. Salonen
Finding Flannery: A Travel Memoir Exploring the Mystique of Flannery O’Connor and the Legacy She Has Left Us All authored by Christina Brajkovich, Karen Anne Mahoney, and Roxane B. Salonen Follow the journey… During the fiftieth anniversary year of the death of...
Life at the Margins: Reflections on a Missionaries of Charity Brother’s Journey with the Poor by Carmel Duca
Life at the Margins: Reflections on a Missionaries of Charity Brother's Journey with the Poor by Carmel Duca Life at the Margins invites readers into the extraordinary, hidden world of the poor as seen through the eyes of Missionaries of Charity Brother Carmel Duca....
“Go in Peace”: May Our Lives Always Give Glory to God by Dcn. Tony Surozenski
“Go in Peace”: May Our Lives Always Give Glory to God by Dcn. Tony Surozenski In Go in Peace: May Our Lives Always Give Glory to God, retired firefighter, deacon, chaplain, and teacher Tony Surozenski reflects on a lifetime of service shaped by faith, family, and...
The Schoolie: Observations on Life through the Window of a School Bus by Suzanne Cruz
The Schoolie: Observations on Life through the Window of a School Bus by Suzanne Cruz Have you ever loved your family deeply and still wondered how any of you survived each other? The Schoolie is a warm, witty, and deeply reflective coming-of-age memoir told through...
Journey to Forgiveness by Regina Civiletti
Journey to Forgiveness by Regina Civiletti When tragedy struck and Regina Civiletti lost her husband to a drunk driver, her world shattered. Journey to Forgiveness is her raw, heartfelt account of grief, faith, resilience, and the long road toward healing. Through...
Wonder Worker: Saint Philomena. Virgin Martyr. by Cecily Hallack, ed. by Keith Berube
Wonder Worker: Saint Philomena, Virgin Martyr by Cecily Hallack, ed. by Keith Berube Wonder Worker: Saint Philomena, Virgin Martyr by Cecily Hallack—newly edited and introduced by Keith Berube, PhD—revives one of the most captivating accounts of St. Philomena’s...
Princess of the Naseberry Tree by Kelly Mahfood
Princess of the Naseberry Tree by Kelly Mahfood A tender coming-of-age story about a young girl growing up in Jamaica. Told through vivid childhood memories, the book explores family, imagination, loss, and healing. With lyrical prose and emotional depth, it invites...
Sanctity by Michael Bluvas
Sanctity by Michael Bluvas In Sanctity, Michael Bluvas explores the deep unity of Catholic spirituality and suffering. Blending personal testimony with theological insight, Bluvas illustrates how following our Father as He requests leads both the body and soul to...
Eventually, the Pendulum will Swing: A Story of My Franciscan Journey of Life
Eventually, the Pendulum will Swing: A Story of My Franciscan Journey of Life By Bob Sizemore Eventually, the Pendulum Will Swing is Bob Sizemore's deeply personal and faith-filled memoir chronicling his Franciscan journey through life's triumphs, trials, and...
There be Hope: Islands of Hope, My Memoir of Haiti, & The Hopeful Coconut
There be Hope: Islands of Hope, My Memoir of Haiti, & The Hopeful Coconut authored by Kiki Latimer; illustrated by Franceska Schifrin Hope is like the dirt and the stars; it is part of forever. In 2007 the international relief organization Food For The Poor spoke...
When Heart Speaks to Heart: My Ongoing Communion with St. John Henry Cardinal Newman by Deacon Jack Sullivan
When Heart Speaks to Heart: My Ongoing Communion with St. John Henry Cardinal Newman by Deacon Jack Sullivan Through heartfelt anecdotes and theological insight, Deacon Jack Sullivan shares his remarkable spiritual journey, highlighting miraculous healings attributed...
Vietnam: an Elegy of Love & War by James Adrian Erlinger
Vietnam: an Elegy of Love & War by James A. Erlinger Vietnam: an Elegy of Love & War by James Adrian Erlinger, is a deeply personal memoir blending themes of love, war, and self-discovery. It recounts the author's transformative journey from a carefree youth...
Saturdays with Father Schall: An Older Jesuit, A Young Jesuit, On Fatherhood, Intellectual Life, and Friendship by Fr. Stefanus Hendrianto, SJ, PhD
Saturdays with Father Schall: An Older Jesuit, A Young Jesuit, On Fatherhood, Intellectual Life, and Friendship by Fr. Stefanus Hendrianto, SJ, PhD This book, inspired by an essay for Fr. Schall's 90th birthday, reflects on the author's relationship with the older...
Meditations on My Life as a Brooklyn Existentialist, Philosophical Paladin, and Samurai Thomist by Peter Anthony Achilles Redpath
Meditations on My Life as a Brooklyn Existentialist, Philosophical Paladin, and Samurai Thomist by Dr. Peter Anthony Achilles Redpath An autobiography written as a pedagogical aid to help listeners and readers intellectually grasp how Peter Anthony Achilles Redpath...
Gifts of Providence: From Wyoming Pioneers to Vatican Diplomacy
Gifts of Providence: From Wyoming Pioneers to Vatican Diplomacy by John Klink In this intriguing memoir, John Klink recounts the theme of his life as “Gift” — a hallmark of Divine Providence from God whose grace is everlasting. Born on October 8, 1949, on the historic...
Floating to the Shore of Eternity: Last Journals of Ronda Chervin (2022-2024) by Ronda Chervin
Floating to the Shore of Eternity: Last Journals of Ronda Chervin (2022-2024) By Ronda Chervin One of the most wonderful images I thought I received from Jesus in the 8th decade of my life was this: “Stop dog-paddling in the waves of life and let Me float you to the...
Finding Serenity: The Camino’s Distillate by Joseph J. Hurley
Finding Serenity: The Camino Distillate By Joseph J Hurley Joe Hurley walked thirty-three straight days. After crossing the Pyrenees into Spain, he trekked eight hundred more kilometers to Santiago de Compostela. For three days, he hiked alongside his son Mike. Then,...
Rev. Fr. Austin M. Woodbury, SM, PhD, STD and the Aquinas Academy (1945 – 1975) by Donald G. Boland
Rev. Fr. Austin M. Woodbury, SM, PhD, STD and the Aquinas Academy (1945 – 1975) by Dr. Donald G. Boland In this book, Donald G. Boland reflects briefly on the man/priest as he knew him or of him, then goes through each of his major works in philosophy in the order of...
In Whom I Am Well Pleased by Edward T. Byrne
In Whom I Am Well Pleased by Edward T. Byrne Your child’s suicide feels like the biggest parental failure of all. Any parent wants to be prepared for the worst, but no one ever anticipates the horror actually happening until it is too late. In alternating chapters,...
La Douleur de la Grâce : Vivre et Souffrir dans la Dignité
Femmes de Grâce avec Johnette Benkovic (Septembre 11 & 12, 2023) - Quand Dieu nous offre la croix : Les étapes pour extraire le trésor, Partie 1 et Partie 2 (entretien en anglais)La Douleur de la Grâce: Vivre et Souffrir dans la Dignité par Joni J. Seith et...
All is Grace! My Life by Fr. Julius D. Leloczky, O. Cist
All is Grace! My Life by Fr. Julius D. Lelóczky, O.Cist. Son of a baker, Julius Lelóczky was supposed to continue the family business, the French style patisserie. He instead felt he was called to be a monk and priest, during a time when in communist Hungary all...
Pain of Grace: Living and Suffering with Dignity
Women of Grace with Johnette Benkovic (September 11 & 12, 2023) - When God Offers Us the Cross: Steps to Mining the Treasure, Part 1 and Part 2Pain of Grace: Living and Suffering with Dignity by Joni J. Seith Walking her readers through her conversion from a...
An Unlikely Gardener: Prose and Poems
An Unlikely Gardener: Prose and Poems by Francis Etheredge This book began as a failed article about gardening; however, having written one, several more followed and so it became a short book, wonderfully enriched by the criticisms of my eldest daughter and a...
Non Nobis Domine: No para Nosotros, Señor
Non Nobis Domine: No Para Nosotros, Señor by Marge Giangiulio Un relato honesto y convincente de la vida de Marge Giangiulio y de las personas afectadas por una efusión de la bondad y la misericordia de Dios. En rústica: $14.95 | Kindle: $9.99 TESTIMONIOS "En el...
God’s Memoir by Kristina Olsen
God's Memoir by Kristina Olsen, OCDS, PhD God's Memoir invites you into the mind of God in an imaginative exploration of how God might think about Bible events and our lives today. We consider Creation, the birth of Jesus and the role of the family, as well as art,...
How is God Involved in Evolution?
How is God Involved in Evolution? by Joe P. Provenzano, Ron D. Morgan, and Dan R. Provenzano We have been searching for a satisfying answer to this question nearly all of our adult lives, and both Joe and Ron are almost 80. This journey of 50 years led us on an...
My Catholic Conversion by Kristina R. Olsen
My Catholic Conversion Kristina R. Olsen This is the conversion story of a Carmelite tertiary. Through a series of spiritual adventures and with the help of supportive friends, professors and spiritual guides, she learned about God's will for her to enter the Catholic...
The Daughter of the King by Dorothy Cusick
The Daughter of the King by Dorothy Cusick Counseled by a priest to put her children in an orphanage after being evicted from her home, Dorothy Cusick's mother, Mary, was in danger of falling into despair. Poetically written, Dorothy's story of how her mother faced...
Non Nobis Domine: Not Unto Us, O Lord
Non Nobis Domine: Not Unto Us, O Lord by Marge Giangiulio An honest and compelling account of the life of Marge Giangiulio and those touched by an outpouring of God’s goodness and mercy. Paperback: $14.95 | Kindle: $9.99 TESTIMONIALS "In today’s noisy, busy world, we...
Will the Real Church Please Stand!
Will the Real Church Please Stand! A Conversion Journey from Fundamental Baptist to Roman Catholic By Anne Stokes Born into a devoutly Fundamentalist Baptist home, and baptized at the age of six, I was raised to believe that Baptists practiced the truest form of New...
Redeemed by Beauty: The Life of Brother Andrew by Carmel Duca
Redeemed by Beauty: The Life of Brother Andrew by Carmel Duca Redeemed by Beauty is, in Brother Andrew's own words, the story of "an unfaithful man used by God." It is the biography of Ian Travers-Ball who felt called to share his life with the poor. After joining the...
Seeing God’s Face: A Catholic American Woman in India
Seeing God's Face: A Catholic American Woman in India by Kiki Latimer My mother taught me at a young age the old adage that: life isn't fair. But we were living, growing up, in a country, the United States of America, that was founded on the idea of justice for all,...
Adventures with the Holy Spirit: A Journey with RUACH
Whoever can make a recording of this hymn, please do so, and we'll share it with the world!Adventures with the Holy Spirit: A Journey with RUACH by Deacon Charles Louis Durban This book is dedicated to and is about the merciful and at times semi-miraculous...
The LIFE Runners of Central Asia: The Genesis of a Pro-Life Movement in Pakistan and Afghanistan
The LIFE Runners of Central Asia: The Genesis of a Pro-Life Movement in Pakistan and Afghanistan by Aqif Shahzad TBA Paperback: TBA | Kindle $5.99TESTIMONIALS "Aqif Shahzad's LIFE Runner about his pro-life work in Pakistan is an incredible witness to the great...
What God Had Emptied: How I Found Hope in my Children’s Diagnoses by Kathryn Casey
What God Had Emptied: How I Found Hope in my Children's Diagnoses by Kathryn Anne Casey A memoir of the two years during which Kathryn Anne Casey became a mother to a medically-complex son, faced another unexpected pregnancy with a fatal prenatal diagnosis and...
The Visitor: A Near-Death Covid Experience Taught One Man Faith, Prayer, Love, and Charity are God’s Remedies to Survive and Thrive
The Visitor: A Near-death Covid Experience Taught One Man Faith, Prayer, Love, and Charity are God's Remedies to Survive and Thrive by Sean Kelley Sean Kelley, a healthy father, husband, and business owner, contracted COVID. Like so many, Sean assumed a week off work...
The Call to Prayer: Intimate Moments with God
For more on Medjugorje, check out these other En Route books! Penny Abbruzzese's Medjugorje: My Lifelong Journey with Our Lady, Queen of Peace. Peter Breen's Prodigal Pilgrim. Barbara Lorenzo’s Miracle Mission at Medjugorje. The Call to Prayer: Intimate Moments with...
A Gospel Path to Racial Healing
A Gospel Path to Racial Healing by Archbishop Emeritus Alfred Hughes and Deacon Larry Oney Racial eruptions continue to highlight our need for deeper racial healing. This book begins with two contrasting stories of a black deacon and a white bishop. They...
A Widow’s Spiritual Journey: Prayers, Reflections, and Meditations for the Everyday Catholic
A Widow's Spiritual Journey: Prayers, Reflections, and Meditations for the Everyday Catholic by Dianne Coyle A Widow's Spiritual Journey is a tour of the reflections written in the years preceding and following Dianne Coyle's husband's death. From the pain and...
Memoir of Grace (Children of the Cross) by Aqif Shahzad
Memoir of Grace (Children of the Cross) by Aqif Shahzad Memoir of Grace (Children of the Cross) helps us to see the wonders and miracles that God has provided through the works of Mary Kloska, a woman from the first world who has touched the hearts of those in the...
Eugenio Zolli: Prophet for a New World
"The life of Eugenio Zolli, chief rabbi of Rome during the Second World War, is in itself a prophesy for a new world. After years of research that led to the publication of the French edition, I am happy to present this book to an American public. From his studies in...
Chosen One
Portion of the proceeds will support the Corpus Christi Hope House. Chosen One: From Homeless Infant to Priest at Home in My Heavenly Father's Heart by Fr. Bob Shaldone, SOLT This is a story of the life of Fr. Bob Shaldone, SOLT, whose earthly mother gave him up for...
Stepping Up!
Stepping Up!: How Christ Turned My Pain & Suffering into Hope & Joy by Caitie Crowley WHERE IS GOD IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING? Caitie Crowley was in a traumatic car accident on her way home from work and almost lost her life. She couldn't walk for 10 months....
Ennobling Encounters
Congratulations to Dick Bishirjian for being a finalist in the American Best Book Awards (2022)!Ennobling Encounters by Dr. Richard Bishirjian In this memoir, Dick Bishirjian tells of how his life has been enriched by the many noble persons he has met over the course...
A Heart Frozen in the Wilderness: The Reflections of a Siberian Missionary by Mary Kloska
Below is a spiritual talk that Mary gave to a group of Polish youth at a retreat center in Babliniec, Poland about the Love that God has for them. It was on September 3, 2005 and is translated by Hania Przybylo. You can listen to this both in my English and Hania's...
Dick Bishirjian’s career was shaped by the influence of William F. Buckley, Jr., Dr. Russell Kirk, and Libertarian economist, Friedrich Hayek. That led him to work on three Presidential campaigns, on the staff of a U.S. Senator, and in the Reagan Administration. He earned a Ph.D. in Government at Notre Dame.
Bernadette Griffith is a writer whose work explores faith, surrender, and the quiet ways grace reshapes ordinary life. Drawing from her experience with progressive hearing loss, she writes to help others recognize God’s presence in seasons of change and limitation. Her reflections have encouraged others in parish groups, retreats, and daily, supportive conversations. With a background in education and volunteer outreach ministry, she brings both insight and compassion to her storytelling in such works as “Pebble Beach” (see 
Irvin Louis Kloska is a lifelong Catholic husband, father, and grandfather whose life reflects deep devotion to the Eucharist, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and family prayer. A businessman and fisherman, he is also known for his healing ministry and his steadfast witness to God’s providence.
