In what promises to become a spiritual classic, Fr. Edward Looney's Meditations after Holy Communion guides your prayers during those intimate moments with the Lord following Holy Communion, elevating your soul and mind and leading you into a deeper relationship with Christ. Inspired by the work of Fr. Daniel Lord, S.J., Fr. Looney offers here a method of prayer that is sure to renew within you the practice of fruitful Eucharistic prayer. He will guide you through each Sunday of the year with meditations tied to the liturgical seasons, ensuring that you are aligned not only with Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time, but also with the universal Church, now and throughout the ages. Each meditation introduces you to a topic for reflection and provides points to ponder and a short prayer. These guided meditations are especially helpful in those moments when you return to your pew, recollect after

Reprint of the original, first published in 1873.

Saint Jean-Baptiste Marie Vianney, known affectionately as The Curé d'Ars, was a peasant priest. In the aftermath of the French Revolution and Napoleonic rule, in a time of anti-clericalism and social and economic disarray, he was appointed parish priest of the obscure and dispirited village of Ars. Over the next forty years, he was the agent of a complete spiritual, social, and material reform of his parish, which became a joyful refuge and a place of pilgrimage. Men and women would travel for weeks simply to confess before the humble and holy man. His particular devotion to the Blessed Sacrament is manifest in this book of twenty-seven meditations, which had its first English edition two years before his canonization in 1925. St. John is now celebrated as the patron of parish priests.

The voices of great saints and holy teachers of the past ring out clearly in a unanimous chorus of praise and adoration for the supreme sacrament of the Eucharist. In Mystery of the Altar: Daily Meditations on the Eucharist, Kenneth J. Howell and Joseph Crownwood have brought together these voices to demonstrate the unwavering faith of the Church in the Real Presence of Christ. Aligning daily readings with the liturgical calendar, Mystery of the Altar will enlighten and enliven readers as they contemplate the wide-ranging applications of Eucharistic truth to their lives. A worthy companion for Eucharistic adoration or personal prayer, Mystery of the Altar will ignite love for the Eucharistic Lord in the hearts of all who savor its wealth of meditations.

Over fifty years ago, Msgr. Romano Guardini resolved to help his parishioners overcome the distractions and restlessness they suffered at Mass. Just before Mass each Sunday, he gave a brief talk on some aspect of the Mass, teaching them week by week, topic by topic, how to pre-pare themselves to participate more prayerfully. Afterward, he provided a few minutes of silence for reflection, and then began to offer Mass. So helpful were these 32 talks that they were soon published and have since been reprinted countless times in numerous countries and languages, helping generations of Catholics to deepen their devotion during Mass. Practical, straightforward, and full of wisdom, these talks will help you to quiet your soul, concentrate your mind, and grow receptive to God's grace during Mass. In these pages, you'll discover: The three principal hindrances to full participation in the Mass- to which all of us are prone The real meaning of "keeping holy" the Sabbath. Its special importance for the family One tendency we must overcome when listening to Scripture readings How to gain control over your wandering attention The one indispensable element of a deep liturgical life What to do when the Mass becomes boring and "routine" How to achieve a genuine - not superficial - stillness The importance of listening. Inner barriers that prevent it Why it's good to arrive early at Mass whenever possible The true significance of kneeling and standing in church And dozens of other practical ways to enrich your worship Although he was an eminent theologian, Msgr. Guardini wrote for ordinary Catholics who are struggling to become closer to Christ. Practical, straightforward, yet full of wisdom, Meditations Before Mass will help you to quiet your soul, concentrate your mind, and grow more receptive to grace.