Trinity Footprints

by Roger Skrenes

INTERVIEWS

TESTIMONIALS

“A stunning demonstration of how God has left evidence of Himself scattered throughout our psychology, anthropology, and interpersonal relationships. A must-read for anyone who doubts the reality of the Most Holy Trinity and an affirmation for those who already believe.” — Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Holy Apostles College & Seminary

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Roger Skrenes studied science as an undergraduate and history as a graduate. He holds a master’s degree in religion and has taught high school in Los Angeles, California, for over thirty years, including six summers in the California Youth Authority (a prison for teenage boys in Whittier, CA). He is the father of three adult children, Mary, Mark and Therese. His other books include History of the Eucharist (En Route Books and Media, 2017) and The Jesus Code (En Route Books and Media, 2016).

OTHER BOOKS ABOUT BEING CATHOLIC

A Fool’s Errand: A Brief, Informal Introduction to Philosophy for Young Catholics

by Matthew D’Antuono

Free Audio Book

Each week beginning October 27, a new audio chapter will be posted from A Fool’s Errand. If you like what you’re hearing, please buy the book as a steady reference for a high school student or early college student you know.

VIDEO

Marcus Grodi interviews Matt D’Antuono, a former Evangelical Protestant, on The Journey Home.

TESTIMONIALS

“If you’re looking for an accessible and thought-provoking primer in Philosophy, look no further. Matt D’Antuono’s A Fool’s Errand wonderfully summarizes and synthesizes for the modern mind all the gems that Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Saint Thomas Aquinas discovered so many years ago.” – Father Stephen Joseph Fichter, Ph.D., Pastor, Saint Elizabeth Church, research associate with the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), and adjunct faculty member at Immaculate Conception Seminary.

“We come to know the truth by both Faith and Reason. Matt D’Antuono is mindful of both as he makes a strong case for clearer thinking. I really hope his love and enthusiasm for this pursuit is contagious among his young readers.” – Chris Godfrey, founder of Life Athletes

“It’s such a simple and amazing book. I think it’s a foundational book for anyone who is learning and developing in our crazy, modern world!” – Dr. Veronica Lenzi, a licensed psychologist in New Jersey

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Matt D’Antuono is a high school physics teacher who lives in New Jersey with his beautiful wife and nine children.

He holds bachelor’s degrees in physics and philosophy and a master’s degree in special education. He is working on a master’s degree in philosophy at Holy Apostles in Cromwell, CT.

Matthew D’Antuono is a member of the Catholic Speakers Organization, CatholicSpeakers.com.

You can find him on YouTube at DonecRequiescat.

Matt’s column on the National Catholic Register may be found here. A couple of discrete samples are below.

Articles by Matt:

1. “On the Meaning of ‘Be Yourself.'” The Imaginative Conservative (January 4, 2019)
2. “Emmet: The Awesome Hebrew Word for Truth.” National Catholic Register (December 18, 2018)
3. “The Missing Key Piece from Youth Catechesis? It’s Philosophy.” National Catholic Register (November 23, 2018)
4. “Fact or Opinion?”: A False Dichotomy,” The Imaginative Conservative (July 24, 2018)
5. “Discovering the Beauty of the Truth,” The Coming Home Network International (April 16, 2018)

OTHER ACADEMIC BOOKS

Catholic Realism: A Framework for the Refutation of Atheism and the Evangelization of Atheists

by Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, and Dr. Ronda Chervin

Atheism is in revival. Many in the 21st Century lack a belief in a supernatural Creator. This requires an emboldened response from those who also live by faith, doing what God has called them to do, and not through their five senses alone (2 Corinthians 5:7). As Pope Benedict XVI said in his January 9, 2013, audience, “The event of the Incarnation, of God who became man, like us, shows us the daring realism of divine love.” Those of us who ‘see’ that daring realism are called to share it with others, and that is the idea behind this book called Catholic Realism. As Catholics, we can share a response based on revelation and interpreted by the Magisterium, but that will not satisfy the atheist. Indeed, it does not satisfy many who believe the Gospel message is true but do not live faith-filled lives. For that reason, a philosophical response is a necessary pre-evangelization tool. This book is designed to assist the everyday evangelist in developing such a tool.

Paperback $14.99 paperback | Kindle $9.99

TESTIMONIALS

I’ve read dozens of books both promoting and refuting atheism, and Drs. Mahfood and Chervin have produced one of my absolute favorites. Not only does this book reveal the weakness of classical and modern atheistic arguments, it shows the truth, goodness, and beauty of Catholic realism, from a masterful summary of Aquinas’s proofs of God’s existence and descriptions of His attributes, to sprinklings of the wisdom and artistry of Dante. Catholic Realism features penetrating biographical sketches of prominent modern atheists turned theists (some of whom were completely new to me), probing philosophical analyses of metaphysical and ethical issues, and an excellent chapter on the enduring friendship between the Catholic Faith and science. Catholic Realism is superb and deserves a very wide audience. – Dr. Kevin Vost, author of Memorize the Mass!, Memorize the Faith! and Memorize the Reasons!

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

OTHER WHY BE CATHOLIC BOOKS?

Spirituality for All Times: Readings from the Catholic Classics

Spirituality for All Times is offered in the hope that it will inspire those who seek a deeper union with God. The authors have chosen to offer short selections to enable the reader to wade in from the shallow end of the pool, so to speak, until they are comfortable enough to take their feet off the bottom and swim toward the deeper end – someday reading whole books by the same writers. A brief review of the table of contents will convey to the reader a specific concept underlying Catholic spirituality: one size doesn’t fit all!

$19.99 paperback | $9.99 Kindle

TESTIMONIALS

“Ronda Chervin and Kathleen Brouillette have brought together in this little volume an important collection of spiritual wisdom from across the ages. To paraphrase St. Catherine of Siena, from my own Dominican tradition, the reason for such diversity in spirituality among believers is so that we realize the value of our coming together in community for the purpose of supporting one another through God’s grace in the pursuit of our salvation.” – Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, co-author with Dr. Ronda Chervin of Catholic Realism: A Framework for the Refutation of Atheism and the Evangelization of Atheists

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

OTHER WHY BE CATHOLIC BOOKS

The Path of Spiritual Happiness

by Dr. Heather M. Erb

This book is a story of the unfolding triumph of Christian happiness as a philosophy of life. We begin with ancient Greek roots and principles provided us by Aristotle, ‘the master of those who know.’ We continue through medieval flourishing in the sparkling syntheses of the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas. We move to the application of this Dominican saint’s penetrating vision to leisure and worship by a prominent twentieth century Thomist pilgrim, Josef Pieper. Pope John Paul II’s encyclicals complete the threads in this little tapestry of reason redeemed, which is offered for today’s Christian in the heart of the world.

Fr. Kevin E. O’Reilly, O.P. (Angelicum, Rome), in his Foreword to this volume, writes:

The synthesis of faith and reason and fidelity to the Church’s magisterium are hallmarks of this volume, which deals with the most fundamental of human desires, namely the desire for happiness….My own desire is that it become a standard text in Catholic educational circles and, indeed, beyond!….What better way to prepare the soil of contemporary culture for the reception of the Gospel of Joy than to outline the nature of true happiness!

Paperback $14.95 | Kindle $9.99

TESTIMONIALS

“I enjoyed reading The Path of Spiritual Happiness. It is a well-founded presentation of a topic which is so important to the moral behaviour of mankind in our present age, when theological arguments are not very popular. The philosophical foundation therefore is becoming more important.” – +Bishop Attila Miklósházy S.J., ep.emeritus Hungarorum in exteris, prof. et decanus emeritus Facultatis Theol. in Seminario S. Augustini, in Toronto School of Theology; author of a 5 volume series, The Origin And Development of the Christian Liturgy According to Cultural Epochs: Political, Cultural and Ecclesial Backgrounds (Mellen Press).

“Dr. Heather Erb’s The Path of Spiritual Happiness is paved with good intentions, sage counsel, and delightful results.  This carefully crafted compendium of the best of Christian philosophy throughout the ages illuminates the mind and brings joy to the heart — a must-read for all seekers of the wisdom and happiness that only Truth can bring.” – Kevin Vost, Psy.D., author of Memorize the Mass! and The One-Minute Aquinas

“The Path of Spiritual Happiness is a wonderful book not only for students, but also for all Catholic intellectuals. Dr. Erb’s book is scholastically authoritative and engaging, providing contemporary examples for today’s world.” – Dr. Ronda Chervin, Professor Emerita of Philosophy, Holy Apostles College & Seminary, and author of Catholic Realism: A Framework for the Refutation of Atheism and the Evangelization of Atheists

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heather M. Erb is a moderator in the Great Books Program of Angelicum Academy. She holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas from University of Toronto, as well as degrees in Philosophy and Religious Studies from St. Michael’s College (University of Toronto) and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium). Dr. Erb has taught at a variety of universities, including Lock Haven, Catholic Distance University, Penn State, Fordham, St. Francis, and University of Toronto. She publishes widely in Catholic academic and popular journals and books, and lives in central Pennsylvania with her husband and three children.

Representative Publications

• “Modernism and the Growing Catholic Identity Problem: Thomistic Reflections and Solutions” (available online: Studia Gilsoniana 4:3 July –September 2015, 251-83): http://www.gilsonsociety.pl/studia-gilsoniana/4-2015/251-283/
• “Pati Divina: Mystical Union in Aquinas” in Faith, Scholarship, and Culture in the 21^st Century, Alice Ramos and Marie George, eds., Catholic University of America Press (2002) 73-96 [Introduction by Robert Royal]: https://www3.nd.edu/~maritain/ama/Faith/faith104.pdf
• Heather M. Erb, “Metaphysical Aspects of Aquinas’ Doctrine of the Spiritual Life” (Proceedings of the International Congress on “Christian Humanism in the Third Millennium: The Perspective of Thomas Aquinas” (Pontifical Academy of Saint Thomas and the Thomas Aquinas International Society) 2003 http://www.e-aquinas.net/pdf/mcadam.pdf
• “From Rivulets to the Fountain’s Source: Image and Love in Aquinas’ Christian Anthropology” in Pagan-Aguiar and Auer, eds. The Human Person and a Culture of Freedom (Catholic University of America Press, March 2009) 61-91: https://www3.nd.edu/~maritain/ama/Human/Human104.pdf
• “Chosen for Glory: Aquinas on Vocation to the Supernatural”, in John Hittinger, ed., The Vocation of the Catholic Philosopher from Maritain to John Paul II (Catholic University of America Press, 2010) 230-252: https://www3.nd.edu/~maritain/ama/Vocation/Vocation403.pdf
• Articles in New Oxford Review, including: “The Pilgrim Church and Ummat al-Islam: Two Visions of Peace and Community”, (November 2013); “The Charismatic Appetite” (November 2008); “Truth – A Destroyer of Community?” (March 2010)
• “The Varieties of Wisdom and The Consolation of Philosophy” (Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture3 (Summer 2012) 161-189.

OTHER ACADEMIC BOOKS

Faith and Reason: The Cradle of Truth

by Dr. Gerard M. Verschuuren

Of course, it’s a travesty, but a very widely held one. We all have heard how some people caricature religious believers. On weekdays, they are critical, want proofs, look for arguments, and believe something only if there is no further doubt. Then, on Sundays, they turn a switch, set their understanding to zero and their gaze on infinity. The contrast painted in this parody is clear: Religious believers live a schizophrenic life. It is the life of reason on weekdays and the life of faith on Sundays. This perceived contrast cannot be true, though. It is based on distorted and shallow concepts of faith, reason, and the differences between the two, as we will see in this book.

Paperback $18.99 | Kindle $9.99

VIDEO

TESTIMONIALS

“This book is not a moment too soon. One of the signs of our times has to be the displacement of both faith and reason by a tyranny of the emotive. Truth is no longer found at the intersection of faith and reason but is now located in vague, individual sentiment. The way out of this cultural morass is for clear minds and holy hearts to lead the way. Gerard Verschuuren has proven himself to be such a guide in this important book.” — Fr. Joseph M. Gile, S.T.D., Dean of Graduate Studies and Adult and Continuing Education, Newman University, Wichita, KS

“If you are searching for a Catholic book on the link between philosophy and theology that you can actually understand, look no further. Faith and Reason is a clearly written exposition and defense of man’s ability to know God and his creation. Gerard Verschuuren sets forth a truly Catholic appreciation of our place in the universe: man is a free, rational creature with an eternal destiny. His reasoning power allows him to understand who he is, who God is and to discover that the embrace of God by the act of faith is the fulfillment of our being and of every true and good desire in the human heart.” -— Fr. Gerald E. Murray, J.C.D., Pastor of Holy Family Church in New York City, NY, Commentator for religion on EWTN and Fox News

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gerard M. Verschuuren is a human geneticist who also earned a doctorate in the philosophy of science. He studied and worked at universities in Europe and the United States. Currently semi-retired, he spends most of his time as a writer, speaker, and consultant on the interface of science and religion, faith and reason.

Currently, while semi-retired, he writes about issues at the interface of

• science and religion,
• science and creation,
• faith and reason.

All his books can be found at: www.where-do-we-come-from.com

OTHER WHY BE CATHOLIC BOOKS