Pope Benedict, XVI Books

The New York Times bestselling final volume in the Pope’s Jesus of Nazareth series, detailing how the stories of Jesus’ infancy and childhood are as relevant today as they were two thousand years ago. In 2007, Joseph Ratzinger published his first book as Pope Benedict XVI in order “to make known the figure and message of Jesus.” Now, the Pope focuses exclusively on the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life as a child. The root of these stories is the experience of hope found in the birth of Jesus and the affirmations of surrender and service embodied in his parents, Joseph and Mary. This is a story of longing and seeking, as demonstrated by the Magi searching for the redemption offered by the birth of a new king. It is a story of sacrifice and trusting completely in the wisdom of God as seen in the faith of Simeon, the just and devout man of Jerusalem, when he is in the presence of the Christ child. Ultimately, Jesus’ life and message is a story for today, one that speaks to the restlessness of the human heart searching for the sole truth which alone leads to profound joy.

The Unity of the Church brings together a captivating collection of articles — previously published in Communio — by Pope Benedict XVI. The essays deal with various issues facing the church in the world today, including what divides and unites denominations, the growing crisis facing peace and justice, technological security, and the necessity of ecumenism in the growth of the church. / “Pope Benedict XVI rarely writes on any churchly matter that does not manifest its implications for man and culture, and vice versa,” notes David Schindler in the introduction. This collection is a brilliant expression of that tendency toward interconnectivity. / Dwelling in Love is part of the Retrieval and Renewal in Catholic Thought series, edited by David L. Schindler.

Deus Caritas Est, Spe Salvi and Caritas In Veritate brought together into a single volume. During his eight-year papacy, Pope Benedict XVI taught the Church and the world, using every opportunity to be, as one famous papal title calls the Holy Father, the “Servant of the servants of God”. This he did by proposing Christ and his Church to the world ceaselessly and most prominently in his three encyclicals. The first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est – God is Love – dealt with the most fundamental calling of every Christian: that of love. Two years later in 2007 came Spe Salvi (Saved by Hope) in which the Holy Father presented man’s true hope as not technology or ideologies but God, who loved us to the end. Finally there was Caritas in Veritate – Love in Truth – where the Pope addressed many modern social questions, from 21st-century finance to population control. Taken together, they form a treasury of papal teaching which every Catholic should have access to.

In this Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, the Pope sums up the important work done by the Synod of Bishops on the Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church. The document has three major parts:

This book is an utterly brilliant example of Benedict XVI at his very best . As a Christian apologist and exegete he rightly holds the highest position in the Church but as a teacher and intellectual evangelist he also excels . His deep understanding, novel insights, and clear exposition, make his work easy and rewarding to read . Anyone wanting an introduction to his work should read this and savour it . Anyone wanting an introduction to Christian thought should buy it. His literary skills alone, which transcend translation, are very considerable and enjoyable in their own right . His forensic examination of historical and theological arguments, his breadth of reading, and his ability to bring new conclusions to light are a joy .

Beginning with Advent and concluding with the feast of Christ the King, 'Holy Days' presents selected homilies that the Pope has pronounced over the course of the liturgical year in Rome. The book is organized by season and feast days, with brief introductions.

This book chronicles the historic May 2009 papal visit to the Holy Land by following the itinerary and providing a complete collection of Pope Benedict XVI's addresses, reflections, and speeches given at religious sites and various locations, including Yad Vashem and the Western Wall, and meetings with religious leaders and political officials. These are the pope's own words as a pilgrim on a journey of faith and as the leader of the Catholic Church. --