No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
“Kenneth Francis peers into the corridors of power with a morally serious, razor-edged imagination—satire as warning, art as examen. Stark, unsettling, and often darkly funny, these tales expose idols and awaken a hunger for truth.” – Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, author of The Victim Soul in the Dark Night of Nosferatu
Kenneth Francis is the current Editor of Mind Matters and a Contributing Editor at New English Review. For the past 30 years, he has worked as an editor in various publications, as well as a university professor in journalism. He also holds an MA in Theology and is the author of The Little Book of God, Mind, Cosmos and Truth, The Terror of Existence: From Ecclesiastes to Theatre of the Absurd (with Theodore Dalrymple), and Neither Trumpets Nor Violins (with Theodore Dalrymple and Samuel Hux). His most recent books are Theology in Music: How Christian Themes Permeate Classic Songs, Theology in Film: How Christian Themes Permeate Classic Movies, and Cities of the Absurd: Strange Tales from the Dark Metropolis and Corridors of the Absurd: Sinister tales from the Deep Halls of Power and Dreams
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Dr. Gerry Turcotte at his book launch on February 10, 2026
“What Gerry Turcotte has written is an act of welcoming into his unique world. At times comic, at other times tragic, these stories travel back to childhood days to contemplate how small incidents have profound implications. In this semi-autobiographical novel, he relives the hilarity and the trauma of his protagonist’s early life. Readers will rejoice in exploring his insights and his conclusions.” – David Staines
“With wit and wisdom, Gerry Turcotte invites us into a vivid coming‑of‑age journey that spans the full spectrum of human emotion. The Space Between enchants with the joy of youthful mischief, the exhilaration of first love, and the tender complexities of family life. Though deeply personal, Turcotte’s story resonates broadly, offering each reader a chance to rediscover their own adolescence through a lens of wonder, honesty, and profound appreciation.” – Ross Lockhart, Dean of St. Andrew’s Hall at the University of British Columbia

Creative Works
Academic Works
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Jennifer Ristine interviewed Liz Tabish, the actress who plays Mary Magdalene on The Chosen. Click play on the video below.
“What a remarkable biblical, traditional, and creative exploration of the life of St. Mary Magdalene! I met Jennifer Ristine numerous year ago in Magdala, where she offered my pilgrimage group an inspiring tour of the excavations and prayer spaces of the Magdalene’s chosen city. Jennifer’s years in Magdala, and her journeys to Bethany, Jerusalem, and southern France, have prepared her contemplative heart to produce this imaginative historical novel. I love Mary Magdalene and I devoured this remarkable book. Order it, read it, and fill your imagination with holy, intimate imagery of Jesus and his dear friend and disciple.” – Stephen J. Binz, founder of Threshold Bible Study and author of Holy Land Pilgrimage, at http://www.Bridge-B.com
“I feel like I just met the Magdalene. What a beautiful blending of biblical and pious traditions with profound spiritual and psychological insight, the work not only of good scholarship but even more a true contemplative!” – Dr. Anthony Lilles, St. Patrick’s Seminary and University, Menlo Park, CA, co-founder the Avila Institute of Spiritual Formation
“Jennifer Ristine brings Mary Magdalene to vivid life, revealing the childhood wounds that shaped her into the woman we encounter in the Gospels—and how Jesus transformed her into the model of a female disciple. Weaving biblical scholarship with Ignatian spirituality, Ristine creates an original retreat experience. Following the “apostle of the apostles” through her story, familiar Gospel scenes come alive in startling new ways, while you discover the deeper terrain of your own wounded heart in need of divine mercy. A reading experience that becomes a spiritual journey—where Mary Magdalene’s story of redemption becomes a mirror for your own.” -Dr. Nina Heereman, author of Athirst for the Spirit: Biblical Wisdom for Desert Times
“Jesus Christ is the greatest storyteller of all time. HIStory is the one which matters most. “Becoming the Magdalene” highlights this reality by brilliantly retelling the story of Jesus through the eyes of Mary Magdalene. Followers of Christ never tire of hearing the words of scripture. Jennifer Ristine is obedient to hierarchical biblical accuracy, as she uses historical facts and recent archaeological findings, with a vibrant imagination, to give spiritual insights on the relationship between Mary Magdalene and her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Readers are brought back to the first century where they will visualize the life and times of Jesus as they pore over every word He speaks in the Gospel. Ristine further explores the complexities and difficulties of the first century Apostles. This book invokes one to utter the perfect prayer with their lives. Through Mary Magdalene’s humility, and her title “Apostle to the Apostles”, we give thanks and praise to Our Lord Jesus Christ. We reflect in self-awareness, which leads to repentance and reparation. And finally, we commit our lives to the service of God.” – Mary Driscoll, Script Analyst/Writer
“I loved reading Becoming Magdalene: Historical Fiction. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres because it lets me learn while still getting lost in a story; and Jennifer Ristine does this so well. The history felt alive, and the storytelling pulled me in from the start.” – Fr. Anton Vogelsang, LC, author of Génesis: Crimen, castigo, bendición and El Éxodo: Conversión y regreso a casa
“Becoming Magdalene is a luminous work that blends fidelity to Scripture with imaginative depth. It invites readers into Mary’s journey with Christ, stirring the heart toward deeper faith, love, and discipleship.” – Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, author of The Narrative Spirituality of Dante’s Divine Comedy
Jennifer Ristine is a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi, which is a Society of Apostolic Life in the Catholic Church. She consecrated her life to God in 1997 and has been engaged in faith and spiritual formation primarily through teaching, writing, conferences, retreats and spiritual direction. She has been a contributor for RC Spirituality, epriest, and an instructor for the online Spiritual Director Certificate course at Divine Mercy University in Virginia. She is the author of Mary Magdalene: Insights from Ancient Magdala and Nine Days with Mary Magdalene. She served for 12 years as a teacher of pedagogy, theology and spirituality classes at Mater Ecclesiae College, and served from 2014-2018 as the Director of the Magdalena Institute and the Visitors’ Center Coordinator in Magdala, the ancient hometown of Mary Magdalene, a first century Jewish site and Christian pilgrim center. She has obtained degrees in Special Education from Western Illinois University, Pastoral and Religious studies from Regina Apostolorum in Rome, a Masters degree in Theology from Catholic Distance University in Virginia, a Masters in Ignatian Spirituality from the Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid, Spain and has studies in the Masters in the Mystics from CITeS and the Catholic University in Avila, Spain.
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
“Neal Flesher has crafted a brilliant and unsettling parable based on L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz. The Wonderful Wizard of Lies peels back the illusions of modern finance with wit, insight, and theological urgency. This is prophetic fiction at its most convicting.” – Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, co-author with Phillip Mahfood of Homework: How to Hire, Manage, and Monitor Employees who Work at Home
Neal Flesher is a philosopher, author, and former Army officer whose work explores the intersection of money, freedom, leadership, and moral philosophy. He holds a B.S. in Philosophy from the United States Military Academy and an M.A. in Philosophy from Holy Apostles College and Seminary. He is the author of Modern Chains: The Invisible Shackles of Economic Slavery.
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
O’Leary, Denyse. (August 30, 2025). “AI Can Even Turn Ghosts to Glitches.” Mind Matters. Click here to read the review.
“The anthology has been noted for its unique blend of horror and philosophical inquiry, appealing to readers interested in the darker aspects of human experience. Critics have praised its imaginative storytelling and the depth of its characters. Overall, Cities of the Absurd offers a thought-provoking exploration of modern life’s complexities through a lens of absurdity and darkness.” — Barnes & Noble
“Cities of the Absurd ignites a surreal, darkly comic blaze through memory, madness, and modern decay. A vivid, Poe-meets-Kafka meditation on absurdity, haunting, and the strange beauty of ruin.” – Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, author of The Victim Soul in the Dark Night of Nosferatu
Kenneth Francis is the current Editor of Mind Matters and a Contributing Editor at New English Review. For the past 30 years, he has worked as an editor in various publications, as well as a university professor in journalism. He also holds an MA in Theology and is the author of The Little Book of God, Mind, Cosmos and Truth, The Terror of Existence: From Ecclesiastes to Theatre of the Absurd (with Theodore Dalrymple), and Neither Trumpets Nor Violins (with Theodore Dalrymple and Samuel Hux). His most recent books are Theology in Music: How Christian Themes Permeate Classic Songs, Theology in Film: How Christian Themes Permeate Classic Movies, and Cities of the Absurd: Strange Tales from the Dark Metropolis and Corridors of the Absurd: Sinister tales from the Deep Halls of Power and Dreams
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Paperback: $14.95 | Kindle: $9.99
Ryan Starrett was birthed and reared in Jackson, Mississippi. After receiving degrees from the University of Dallas, Adams State University and Spring Hill College, as well as spending a ten-year hiatus in Texas, he has returned home to continue his teaching career at his alma mater in Madison, Mississippi.The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.