BRAILLE: Please note any of our braille titles can be sent to you electronically in .BRF (braille ready file). This saves paper, time, and keeps our embossers cool!
- Christmas at the Nativity by Pope Francis (B1983, 2 volumes): Pope Francis said, "The nativity scene is like a living Gospel rising up from the pages of sacred Scripture. As we contemplate the Christmas story, we are invited to set out on a spiritual journey, drawn by the humility of the God who became man in order to encounter every man and woman. We come to realize that so great is his love for us that he became one of us, so that we in turn might become one with him." On the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’s original nativity, Pope Francis gives to the world this stirring call to come to the manger and encounter Christ anew. Written with his beloved down-to-earth style, Pope Francis tells the story of Christmas through the lens of the different characters of the Nativity scene. This book, in English for the first time, is destined to be a perennial Christmas classic.
- Elizabeth Visits the Abbey by Phyllis Zagano (B1982, 1 volume): Elizabeth, a 12-year old American, visits Ireland with her Irish mother and American father. While there, she visits her aunt, the abbess of a Cistercian abbey in County Cork who tells her about the history of women in the Church. Young women are increasingly asking about their roles in the world and in the Church. In Elizabeth Visits the Abbey, the positive depiction of marriage, of the single life, and of religious life added to the historical discussion of women in the Church lend themselves to wider conversations in the classroom and at home.
- True Friends: Life with Five Seeing Eye Dogs by Bill Meinecke (B1981, 2 volumes): This is a memoir about the author's life with five seeing eye dogs. Bill also happens to be one of our braille patrons and receives our materials in the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia. Hopefully, this book will heighten the reader's awareness of what these dogs can do and how helpful they are to us.
AUDIO: Compatible with the Talking Book Machines provided for free by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled of the Library of Congress:
- The Wisdom of the Beguines: The Forgotten Story of A Medieval Women's Movement by Laura Swan (DBX1120): The beguines began to form in various parts of Europe over eight hundred years ago. Beguines were laywomen, not nuns, and they did not live in monasteries. They practiced a remarkable way of living independently, and they were never a religious order or a formalized movement. But there were common elements that these medieval women shared across Europe, including their visionary spirituality, their unusual business acumen, and their courageous commitment to the poor and sick.
Beguines were essentially self-defined, in opposition to the many attempts to control and define them. They lived by themselves or in communities called beguinages, which could be single homes for just a few women or, as in Brugge, Brussels, and Amsterdam, walled-in rows of houses where hundreds of beguines lived together a village of women within a medieval town or city. The beguines, across the centuries, have left us a great legacy. They invite us to listen to their voices, to seek out their wisdom, to discover them anew. This title is also available in braille and BRF. To listen to a preview please click here.
- Conquistador Without Sword: The Life of Roque Gonzalez, S.J by C.J. McNaspy, S.J. (DBX0304): Conquistador Without Sword vividly tells, for the first time in English, the story of Roque González de Santa Cruz, SJ. Son of one of the original conquistadors, Roque dedicated his intense life to the defense of the Guaraní people of Paraguay and became the main founder of the famed “Reductions" – havens for those against enslavement by the colonists. Roque was the First American-born martyr who died while serving the Guaraní. The irony of Roque’s martyrdom is that those who executed him were unaware that they were killing their most stalwart defender. Today, descendants of the Guaraní people regard Roque as their hero. Roque was a liberator and is the spiritual ancestor of today’s martyrs in Central and South America. Roque González de Santa Cruz, SJ, was beatified in the Roman Catholic Church on January 28, 1934, by Pope Pius XI. Roque was canonized in the Roman Catholic Church on May 16, 1988, by St. John Paul II. His feast day is November 16. This title is also available in braille and BRF. To hear a preview of this audiobook please click here.
- Confessions of a Convert by Robert Hugh Benson (DBX1024): Mentioned by Pope Francis as a writer whom everyone should read, Robert Hugh Benson, author of Lord of the World, shares his spiritual journey from being an Anglican and son of the archbishop of Canterbury to becoming a Roman Catholic priest. Through his humble, honest, and memorable story, Benson invites us—in this republished classic—to think about what it means to wrestle with the deep questions of our Catholic faith while rejoicing in the power of their universal truths.In 1907, The Ave Maria magazine invited well-known English novelist Robert Hugh Benson to share his conversion story. He shows us that coming closer to Christ and his Church is not always neat and tidy. Benson’s humor and humility help bridge the century-long gap between his time and ours and he teaches us to embrace the questions, struggles, and falterings of our faith in a way that’s full of God’s love. To hear a preview of this audiobook please click here.
- Imitation of Mary by Thomas à Kempis (DBX1106): An excellent companion volume to the beloved and highly esteemed The Imitation of Christ. In this book, culled from the deeply spiritual works of Thomas à Kempis, the reader is treated to beautiful writings about Our Lady set forth in the style of The Imitation of Christ (also available in our library). He offers the reader a splendid way to grow in following Jesus through imitating His Blessed Mother. This is a profoundly spiritual road map for readers who wish to travel with Mary and Jesus. Similar title in braille and BRF available. To listen to a clip of the audiobook please click here.
- The Last Words of Jesus: A Meditation on Love and Suffering by Daniel Horan, OFM (DBX1050):
Much has been written on the last words of Jesus, the traditional phrases taken from Scripture that depict the final moments of Jesus’s life as he dies on the cross. In this new take on the last words, author Dan Horan brings a fresh perspective to this time-honored meditation as he challenges readers to look at their lives through the lens of Jesus’s suffering and death. Yet interlaced with suffering, the focus throughout is on the immense love of God for human beings, shown in the gift of Jesus, God made flesh. An ideal Lenten companion, especially during Holy Week, The Last Words of Jesus will also serve as a useful meditation throughout the year on the deep love Jesus bore for us in taking on the human condition. To listen to a clip of the audiobook please click here.
- The Dangerous Act of Loving Your Neighbor: Seeing Others Through the Eyes of Jesus by Mark Labberton (DBX1106): Jesus didn't see a sick woman, he saw a daughter of God. He didn't see an outcast from society, he saw a child of Israel. He didn't see a sinner, he saw a person in the image of the Creator. Are we able to see others with the eyes of Jesus? Seeing rightly is the beginning of renewal, forgiveness, healing and grace. Seeing rightly, says Mark Labberton, is the beginning of how our hearts are changed. Through careful self-examination in the Spirit, we begin to bear the fruit of love toward others that can make a difference. Here is a chance to reflect on why our ordinary hearts can be complacent about the evils in the world and how we can begin to see the world like Jesus. With each chapter broken into brief segments punctuated by questions, this book is ideal for both personal reflection and group discussion. See what happens when you take a chance on the dangerous act of loving your neighbor. Also available in braille and BRF. To listen to a clip of the audiobook please click here.
- Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young (DBX7108): Experience a deeper relationship with Jesus as you savor the presence of the One who understands you perfectly and loves you forever. With Scripture and personal reflections, New York Times bestselling author Sarah Young brings Jesus' message of peace—for today and every day. By spending time in the presence of the Savior with the much-loved devotions in Jesus Calling, you will:
- Feel comforted by words of hope and encouragement
- Be reassured of Jesus' unending love for you
- Receive gentle guidance based on Scripture
- Strengthen your faith with Scripture verses
- Connect with Jesus further with reflection and meditation based on God’s Word
Written as if Jesus Himself is speaking directly to you, Jesus Calling invites you to experience peace in the presence of the Savior who is always with you. Also available in braille and BRF. To listen to a clip of the audiobook please click here.
- Last Testament: In His Own Words by Pope Benedict XVI with Peter Seewald (DBX1160):
Pope Benedict made history when he became the first Pope in over 700 years to resign from office, stunning the Catholic Church the world over. Last Testament is a stunning and frank autobiography from the shy and private man who remained cloistered in a former convent in the Vatican gardens until his death in December 2022. In interviews with Peter Seewald, the Pope Emeritus broke his silence on corruption within the Vatican, clerical sex scandals, and the challenge of reforming the Papacy. In these interviews, Benedict discussed wide-ranging controversies. On a more personal level he wrote with great warmth of his successor Pope Francis, who he admitted has a popular touch, a star quality which Benedict himself lacked. Much controversy still surrounds Pope Benedict's Papacy - in this book he addressed these controversies and revealed how at his late age, governing and reforming the Papacy and particularly the Vatican, was beyond him. To listen to a clip of the audiobook please click here.
- Go into the Streets! The Welcoming Church of Pope Francis edited by Tom Rausch, SJ and Richard Gaillardetz (DBX1221): Pope Francis has called for a church of and for the poor and has sought to reclaim the collegial vision of the Second Vatican Council. This book calls on ten distinguished theologians to explore the ecclesial vision of the first pope from the global South. Francis sees the church as the “holy, people of God.” This is the church that enjoys in the Spirit what he calls “infallibility in believing” (infallibilitas in credendo): “We should not even think . . . that ‘thinking with the church’ means only thinking with the hierarchy of the church.” Starting with an examination of how Francis’ papacy both advances the themes of his predecessors and represents genuinely new developments, this volume considers his concern for a fresh reception of Vatican II, his efforts to move the church toward the periphery and accompany those who live on the margins of church and society. The pope seeks to shape a dialogical church that listens. Key chapters also explore the tension between the church universal and local churches, Francis’ understanding of the importance of popular religion, and his particular vision of social justice. To listen to a clip of the audiobook please click here.
- The New St. Joseph Revised Baltimore Catechism, No. 2 by Fr. Bennet Kelly, CP (DBX1142): This title contains the revised text of the official Baltimore Catechism (No. 2) in a user-friendly format and design. Written for students in Grades 6, 7, and 8, this book explains Catholic doctrine with the aid of many exclusive features, including many pictures to help children understand each lesson. Extensive use of Sacred Scripture demonstrates the basis of Catholic doctrine and brings it to life. This book combines a contemporary viewpoint and language with a solid time-tested exposition of Catholic Church teachings. Similar title in braille and BRF available. To listen to a clip of the audiobook please click here.
- Jesus Sings the Psalms in Your Heart by Joseph E. Brown, SJ (DBX9008): This book is comprised of 100 Psalms in rhymed verse that will help bring you closer to the Lord. To listen to a clip of the audiobook please click here.
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