Guide Books

Joined by the Church, Sealed by a Blessing does more than help parish leaders plan excellent wedding liturgies and prepare engaged couples well. It enables parish leaders to address the challenges of increased divorce, fewer Catholic weddings, empty pews on Sundays, and the increasing number of people who choose no faith. This is the one book that will give you a comprehensive plan to address these concerns with confidence, creativity, and clarity.

With over fifty years of combined hands-on experience in parish and diocesan liturgy preparation and catechumenate formation, Diana Macalintal and Nick Wagner give you more than just another marriage preparation resource. They give you a parish transformation tool.

Subtitle: Couples and Communities Called to Conversion Together
Author: Diana Macalintal and Nick Wagner

PRODUCT DETAILS
ISBN: 9780814637654
Details: 216 pgs , 6 x 9 
Publication Date: 09/22/2014

With a warm and friendly style, this booklet provides thoughtful, clear answers to the questions parents have about preparing their children to receive the sacraments of reconciliation and Communion for the first time. It includes recommendations for the involvement of godparents, reflections on the meaning of the sacraments, an overview of the rites, and guidance for how and when to receive the sacraments. It also stresses the importance of regularly confessing sins and going to Mass as a family. With questions for reflection, parents will be able to engage with their children about their developing faith and help them participate regularly in the sacramental life of the Church as they mature.

9781616717469 | Saddlestitched | 6 x 9 | 64 pages

With a warm and friendly style, this booklet provides thoughtful, clear answers to the questions parents have about preparing their children to receive the sacraments of reconciliation and Communion for the first time. It includes recommendations for the involvement of godparents, reflections on the meaning of the sacraments, an overview of the rites, and guidance for how and when to receive the sacraments. It also stresses the importance of regularly confessing sins and going to Mass as a family. With questions for reflection, parents will be able to engage with their children about their developing faith and help them participate regularly in the sacramental life of the Church as they mature.

9781616717483 | Saddlestitched | 6 x 9 | 64 pages

Help teens prepare to encounter the love and mercy of God through the sacrament of reconciliation with LTP's Preparing for Confession for Teens! Written specifically for middle- and high-school aged youth, this guide focuses on God's desire to bring healing, hope, and freedom through this beautiful sacrament. It includes:

• Short scriptural reflections inviting teens to look back on their lives in the light of God's abundant mercy;
• An age-appropriate examination of conscience asking teens to consider their relationship with God, with others, and with self;
• Step-by-step instructions for celebrating the sacrament individually or as a part of a communal reconciliation service;
• An invitation for teens to give thanks for the gift of God's mercy and how they can continue to live in the freedom God has given them in the sacrament.

Preparing for Confession for Teens is an excellent resource for youth ministers, directors of religious education, campus ministers, and pastors to have available whenever teens will be invited to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation.

9781616717759 | Saddlestitched | 4-1/4 x 5-1/2 | 32 pages

Sin wounds our relationship with God, with ourselves, and with others. In his great love, God calls us to reconcile with him, to experience a conversion of heart that moves us to feel contrition for the thoughts, behaviors, and the inaction that harm ourselves and our relationships with him and others. In the sacrament of reconciliation, we are invited to experience God's love and mercy.

Designed specifically for children who will celebrate the sacrament for the first time, Preparing for Confession for Children: Receiving God's Mercy will help young people get ready to confess their sins. Scripture passages will help children reflect on God's mercy. They will be guided to examine their conscience, to think about what to confess, and to pray before and after the sacrament. A downloadable pdf is also available to parents who want additional support and catechesis about the sacrament.

The booklet, appropriately sized for small hands, can be brought to confession and is ideal for children in Catholic schools and religious education programs.

9781616717759 | Saddlestitched | 4-1/4 x 5-1/2 | 24 pages

By Jo-Ann Metzdorff and Paul Turner

Guide for Celebrating First Communion presents a collaborative and liturgically appropriate approach for preparing Masses in which children are receiving Communion for the first time. Combining a theological and historical overview with practical advice, this guide may be used by pastors, liturgists, music directors, directors of religious education, catechists, and worship commissions to help foster the participation of children and bring them to full communion at the table of the Lord. This resource includes:

• A walk through the Mass detailing liturgical norms and acceptable practices
• Recommendations for readings and prayer texts
• Suggestions for selecting music and preparing the liturgical environment
• Ideas for scheduling liturgies, seating arrangements, processions, attire, and preparing liturgical ministers
• Strategies for dealing with difficult circumstances
• Ways the parish liturgy evangelizes
• Documentation from Church documents
• Answers to frequently asked questions
• Glossary of terms

978-1-61671-235-8 | Paperback | 6 x 9 | 128 pages | Language: English | Copyright Year: 2015

The fourth edition of the bestselling booklet Together at Baptism includes texts from the new English translation of The Order of Baptism of Children, which must be used by parishes in the United States beginning on April 12, 2020, but may be used as early as February 2, 2020. Author Robert M. Hamma helps parents understand the sacrament with brief commentaries that provide insight not only on the celebration of Baptism but also on handing on the Catholic faith to their children in the midst of everyday life.

Together at Baptism offers parish staff a practical, concise tool to help prepare parents and godparents for the Baptism of a child. It offers both spiritual support and important information about the sacrament. The booklet contains twenty-six brief commentaries by Robert M. Hamma on the essential elements and liturgical texts of The Order of Baptism of Children. Parents will learn about their role as first witnesses to the faith, the essential support of godparents, the distinctively Catholic understanding of the sacrament, and the joys and challenges of lifelong commitment to the faith.

The familiar and popular features of earlier editions of Together at Baptism remain in place, but have been updated to meet the realities of today"s Catholic families, including shifting family structures, the influences of digital distractions on family life, and the need for basic education about the faith. The words of the baptismal celebration and the three-fold immersion in or pouring on of holy water are the same, but many of the greetings, prayers, and instructions of the liturgy have subtle, important changes shifting the tone to the more formal language of the newest edition of the Roman Missal. These changes affect such elements as:

• the greeting for the Rite of Receiving the Child;
• text of the Renunciation of Sin and Profession of Faith by parents and godparents;
• the post-baptismal Explanatory Rites the Anointing after Baptism, Clothing with the White Garment, Handing on of a Lighted Candle, and the Ephphatha (be opened prayer); and
• the formulas for the Prayer of the Faithful.

The booklet also contains all the Lectionary readings assigned for the celebration of Baptism, the alternate prayer texts provided by The Order of Baptism of Children, and a selection sheet for parents invited to choose readings, prayers, and other texts for the liturgy.

En el momento de la muerte de un ser querido, es dificil realizar todos los tramites, planear el velorio y la misa de exequias. Este recurso pastoral ofrece a los feligreses todas las oraciones y lecturas del Rito de exequias en EE.UU. Con este libro se puede revisar y escoger las lecturas y oraciones de su elección y le dará la oportunidad de trabajar con el sacerdote que dará los servicios en la planeación del funeral.

Esta segunda edición de De la muerte a la vida contiene una nueva introducción que ofrece más detalles y explicaciones. Se diseño actualizado lo hace más fácil de usar. Se ajusta a la corriente Ritual de Exequias Cristianas tal como aprobado por la USCCB.

De la muerte a la vida es la edición de español del libro Through Death to Life. (Ave Maria Press publishes the English language edition.)

At the time of death of a loved one, it is difficult to plan the wake and the funeral Mass. This pastoral resource will help families and loved ones choose from the many prayers and Scripture readings found in the Spanish Funeral Rite. This preparation initiates the healing process and ensures the funeral will not only be a memorial, but also a moment of great peace.

This second edition of De la muerte a la vida contains a new introduction, which provides more details and explanation. Its updated design makes it easier to use. It conforms to the current Ritual de Exequias Cristianas as approved by the USCCB for the U.S.

Por Joseph Degrocco, Bruce T. Morrill, sj, H. Richard Rutherford

The process of preparing a Catholic funeral can be a healing and life-giving experience for all who are involved. This resource provides parish staffs with a thorough treatment of the various funeral rites from the first meeting with families after death through the burial. It offers pastoral guidance for collaborating with families, preparing the liturgical environment and music, selecting prayer texts, scheduling liturgical ministers, and ways for your parish to be a source of comfort, hope, and strength for mourners. As part of the Preparing Parish Worship series, this book includes:

• Theological reflections on the mystery of Christian death
• A historical overview of the development of the Catholic funeral rituals
• A walk-through the Order of Christian Funerals
• Answers to frequently asked questions and pastoral responses to difficult situations
• Assistance with best liturgical practices
• Inspirational and informative quotations from Scripture and Church documents

978-1-61671-562-5 | Paperback | 6 x 9 | 176 pages | Language: Spanish | Copyright Year: 2020

The period of the catechumenate is rich with opportunities for catechesis, and the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults presents four ways that catechesis occurs during that time for the unbaptized. A Guide to the Period of the Catechumenate breaks open each of those ways of catechizing by first exploring the approach of catechesis accommodated to the liturgical year, then by providing suggestions on how to introduce catechumens to the Christian way of life. In addition to this foundational material, this book also includes:

• An overview of six foundational principles of initiation ministry and how they are applied to the period of the catechumenate
• Practical advice for leading formational and catechetical sessions with the unbaptized
• Thirty-five seasonal outlines and twenty-four monthly outlines with liturgical suggestions for preparing Celebrations of the Word
• Thirty-four seasonal outlines and twenty-four monthly outlines with practical ways catechumens can serve their parish and local communities
• Twelve catechetical sessions on the lives of the saints

9781616718015 | 7 x 10 | 244 Pages | Paperback

A Guide to the Period of Evangelization and Precatechumenate explores the distinctive vision and purpose of this foundational period of the initiation process. It provides initiation ministers with the practical tools needed to assess the parish’s current evangelizing ministry and to design an inquiry process aimed at helping seekers to hear and respond to the Good News, to undergo conversion, and to awaken and the desire to enter a relationship with God in Christ.

Inside this guide, initiation ministers will find everything needed for effective ministry in this period, including:

• An overview of the purpose and vision of the Period of Evangelization and Precatechumenate
• Practical tips for improving the evangelizing outreach of your parish
• Ideas for attracting inquirers
• An outline for an initial conversation with prospective inquirers
• Questions for reflection with the initiation team and with inquirers
• Sample inquiry sessions based on paragraph 42 of the OCIA
• Discernment questions for assessing an inquirer’s readiness to celebrate the Rite for Entrance into the Catechumenate
• Guidance for preparing and celebrating the Rite for Entrance into the Catechumenate
• A mystagogical session to help catechumens reflect on the Rite for Entrance into the Catechumenate and its meaning at this moment in their journey

9781616718008 | 7 x 10 | 96 Pages | Paperback

After the excitement of the Easter Vigil, the period of mystagogy can often be overlooked by the initiation team and the neophytes. However, it is an essential part of the Christian initiation process because it helps the neophytes deepen their relationship with Christ and with the Church. Mystagogical reflection is an important part of the spiritual growth of all parishioners—from neophytes to lifelong Catholics—because it invites the faithful to reflect on their encounters with Christ in the sacraments and then consider the transformative effects those encounters have on their daily lives. A Guide to the Period of Mystagogy encourages members of the initiation team to make the most of this period and provides practical support to do so. It includes:

• An overview of six foundational principles of initiation ministry and how they are applied to the period of mystagogy
• Theological insights from the early Church’s practice of mystagogy
• Practical advice for implementing mystagogical reflection in your parish
• Nine mystagogical reflection sessions that can be used during Easter Time
• Fifteen mystagogical reflection sessions that can be used during the first year following initiation
• Encouragement to celebrate the first anniversary of baptism and to incorporate mystagogical reflection into the ongoing faith formation of the whole parish community

9781616717995 | 7 x 10 | 144 Pages | Paperback

The period of purification and enlightenment is one of intense spiritual preparation for the elect, who have been chosen by God to receive the Easter sacraments. This guide provides practical and liturgically sound ideas for celebrating the rites of this period and for integrating these rites as the primary source of the elect’s formation and preparation for initiation.

This resource includes:

• An overview of six foundational principles of initiation ministry and how they are applied to the period of the purification and enlightenment
• Background on the rites
• Suggestions for celebrating the rites
• Ideas for reflecting on the rites in a retreat-like way
• Guided meditations on the scrutiny Gospel accounts
• Seven fully prepared formation sessions on the Rite of Election, the three scrutinies, the handing on of the creed and the Lord’s Prayer, and the Rites of Immediate Preparation
• A newly composed hymn for use during formation sessions

9781616717919 | 7 x 10 | 128 Pages | Paperback

Do you question whether God really exists? Have you considered walking away from your faith because you’ve been hurt by someone in the Church or because you struggle with some of its teachings? Or maybe you’ve already left? Are you carrying around guilt for something you’ve done and don’t feel you are worthy of God’s love?

Rebuilt Faith, written by Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran—authors of the bestselling book Rebuilt—proposes five simple steps to learn (or relearn) more about your Catholic faith and deepen your relationship with God.

In Rebuilt Faith, you will learn that rebuilding and renewing your faith starts with a nagging feeling that you want something more—more connectedness, more community, and more purpose. That’s the spark that leads to a flame that burns brightly around Jesus, the foundation of living and growing in faith.

ISBN: 9781646802012

Paper back

A friend’s child dies; a parent gets a cancer diagnosis; your spouse loses their job. Sometimes life and God’s plan don’t make sense and we end up feeling hurt and angry.

In Seriously, God?, Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran explore the denial, doubt, and betrayal we experience when we face hardship, pain, and grief, and they encourage us to lean into our feelings and to take each circumstance as a chance to learn more about God.

Topics related to Catholic social teaching emerge regularly in American political and civic discourse, often connected to discussions about religious freedom, abortion, immigrant rights, racism, capital punishment, and health care. This third edition of A Concise Guide to Catholic Social Teaching by Rev. Kevin E. McKenna incorporates the essential teachings of Pope Francis in Evangelium Gaudium, Laudato Si’, and Amoris Laetitia to offer a clear, beginner-level reference tool and study guide for Church leaders and other interested Catholics to help them navigate this vast body of teaching.

Building on core themes of human dignity, community, rights and responsibilities, option for the poor, dignity of work, solidarity, and care of creation, McKenna distills a vast amount of Catholic teaching into easily digestible summaries, each carefully referenced to its primary source and correlated to pressing issues making today’s headlines. 

This practical and thorough guide remains a perennial favorite for study and reference in Catholic parishes, universities, and ministry formation programs.

When a serious illness or a health crisis occurs, few people are prepared to deal with it, and when faced with big medical decisions, patients often are confused and overwhelmed, and they are sometimes too sick to make important decisions. Many times, decisions fall to family and loved ones who don’t always know the patient’s wishes. Intensive Caring: A Practical Handbook for Catholics about Serious Illness and End-of-Life Care is the perfect resource to help everyone involved navigate the complexities of healthcare during serious illness and end-of-life care.

In Intensive Caring, Dr. Natalie King, a palliative care physician, shares real-life patient stories and provides practical medical information to bring clarity and understanding to these complex healthcare decisions. In this easy-to-navigate guide, King helps you and your loved ones think through the issues at hand and align your decisions with your values and faith while safeguarding the sacred dignity of human life.

Losing a child is devastating. For Catholic parents who lose a child before or shortly after birth, this profound grief often comes with distinctive, sudden, and difficult questions about God, the Church, and who they are now as parents to the child they have lost. Why did God let this happen? Where is my baby? Can the Church help me make sense of this? What do we do now?

In A Catholic Guide to Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss, Abigail Jorgensen serves as a companion and guide through perinatal loss in light of Catholic teaching. She addresses difficult medical, theological, and practical questions asked by loss parents and the friends, family, pastors, ministers, and medical professionals who support them.

Jorgensen has first-hand experience, both as a mother who has lost children in miscarriage and as a Catholic bereavement doula—someone who walks with families through early child loss. Through her own experiences, she discovered how hard it can be to find adequate answers and spiritual help from within the Church, so she wrote the book that she and her clients have needed.

Embark on a transformative journey into the heart of Eucharistic worship with Behold, Believe, Become—where the ordinary becomes extraordinary and the Mass becomes a soul-saving, life-changing encounter with Christ, our Eucharistic Lord.

In Behold, Believe, Become, Timothy P. O’Malley, a distinguished leader in the Eucharistic Revival movement and bestselling author of Becoming Eucharistic People and Real Presence, shows you how to see differently—through newly formed habits of contemplation—fifteen ordinary, physical things that the Church uses at Mass to point us toward Christ. You will explore layers of meaning found in noble doors and stained-glass windows, sunlight and water, oil and fire, altars and church pews, and bread and wine become Body and Blood. O’Malley helps you see how each element tells us something about who Christ is and who we are to become as Christian people.

Inspired by the towering genius of the twentieth-century liturgical movement, Fr. Romano Guardini (1865–1968), O’Malley offers an unconventional walk through the Mass, highlighting that “matter matters.” This book doesn’t delve into the intricate history of Eucharistic Prayers or the doctrinal meaning of various words and actions. Instead, it provides a unique exploration of the material stuff of the Mass that we encounter from the time we enter the church until the time we depart at the end.

Handy guide that facilitates use of THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS (Product Code: GF40910 or GF40913) by providing clear, accurate references for each day of the period specified. Size 4 x 6 1/4. White paperback.

St Joseph Liturgy of the Hours Guide

Current year will be shipped unless noted otherwise. 

St. Joseph Guide For the Liturgy of The Hours (Lg Type Edition). Handy guide that facilitates use of the large-type edition of THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS (Product Code: GF70913) by providing clear, accurate references for each day of the period specified. Size 5 1/4 X 8. White paperback.

St Joseph Liturgy of the Hours Guide

Current year will be shipped unless noted otherwise. 

Handy guide that facilitates use of the large-type edition of CHRISTIAN PRAYER (Product Code: GF40710), the one-volume LITURGY OF THE HOURS, by providing clear, accurate references for each day of the year. Size 5 1/4 X 8. White paperback.

St Joseph Christian Prayer Guide

Current year will be shipped unless noted otherwise. 

Handy guide that facilitates use of CHRISTIAN PRAYER (Product Code: GF40610 or GF40623), the one-volume LITURGY OF THE HOURS, by providing clear, accurate references for each day of the year. Size 4 X 6 1/4. White paperback cover.

St Joseph Christian Prayer Guide

Current year will be shipped unless noted otherwise. 

The Mass is meant to transform you.

Even for the most devout Catholics, attending Mass can sometimes feel routine. Many find themselves going through the motions, feeling bored, or distracted by thoughts and responsibilities.

Yet the Mass is the greatest act of worship in all creation. It is the closest we come to heaven on earth. What if you could enter more fully into what is truly happening?

In Pocket Guide to the Mass, Fr. Mike Schmitz and Dr. Edward Sri invite you to see the Liturgy not as a familiar ritual, but as a profound encounter with Christ. This accessible guide helps you understand and participate in the Mass with renewed clarity, devotion, and awe.

Inside this guide you’ll discover:

• The theological foundation of the Mass
• Why we go to Mass in the first place
• The four main parts of the Mass and how each draws you closer to God
• The biblical roots and rich history of the Liturgy
• Why the Sunday obligation is central to our faith
• How to prepare your heart before Mass and remain present throughout
• What is really happening on the altar
• How to respond with intention rather than distraction
• How to pray the Mass following the example of the saints
• The complete Order of the Mass with explanations for each gesture and prayer

This addition to Ascension’s best-selling Pocket Guide collection is perfectly designed to bring with you to Mass and follows along with Fr. Mike’s teaching Mass. 

Whether you’re new to the Mass, returning after a long absence, or have attended for years but long for a deeper experience, this guide will transform how you approach the Liturgy. Walk out of every Mass changed, renewed, and closer to Jesus.

Read the same wisdom that has inspired many great saints.

Since the beginning of creation, men and women have been made to share in the very life of God. Yet the constant call to holiness is often met with the distractions and temptations of the world. 

The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas à Kempis, speaks directly to this struggle: How can we live in the world while pursuing Christ and a life of holiness?

Rooted in Scripture, The Imitation of Christ offers practical wisdom for daily Christian living, helping us loosen our grip on worldly concerns so that we may hold fast to Christ. 

This spiritual masterpiece has shaped the lives of countless saints like St. Teresa of Avila, St. Thomas More, St. Ignatius of Loyola and continues to guide ordinary people in their every walk of life.

Written with an exclusive translation, Ascension’s edition of The Imitation of Christ presents all the teachings of this classic in a fresh, accessible way, making it the perfect companion for anyone seeking to grow in prayer, faith, and intimacy with Jesus.

This special edition includes:

• Expert commentary to illuminate and contextualize the text
• An exclusive English translation by Fr. Dylan Schrader which is faithful to the original translation, yet accessible for today’s reader
• Beautiful sacred art insert of Christ the King from Ascension’s Sacred Art Collection of Holy Men and Women by Tianna Williams
• A general introduction to set the stage for your reading
• Elegant design with a hard, leatherlike cover, foil stamping, and a ribbon bookmark—ideal for prayer, reflection, and daily use

While reading The Imitation of Christ, you will draw closer to God through wisdom that has inspired saints for centuries, and walking step by step toward a life more fully united with Christ.

Available for shipment April 2025

Guide for Training Initiation Ministers, An Introduction to the OCIA, Second Edition by Michael Ruzicki

This practical guide provides parish leaders with the tools needed for facilitating and training all those involved with the adult Christian initiation process. Designed as a companion to An Introduction to the OCIA: The Vision of Christian Initiation, Revised Edition by Ronald J. Lewinski, the enclosed training sessions explore the vision, theology, and purpose of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults in a lively, interactive, and faith-filled way. A supplemental website is provided with downloadable materials and videos that will deepen and enlighten participants’ understanding about the Christian initiation process. This second edition has been updated to correspond to the new translation of the OCIA.

This training resource will help parish leaders:

• Facilitate sessions and lead retreats on Christian initiation
• Explore the periods (stages) and rites (steps) of the OCIA
• Catechize and form initiation ministers in the vision of the OCIA
• Encourage deeper reflection on the sacraments of initiation, especially Baptism
• Engage conversation about the Christian faith
• Involve the baptized members of the community in the process of initiation
• Impart the catechumenal process as the model for all parish faith formation

Inside you will find:

• Ten detailed, informative, and prayerful training sessions
• Easy-to-use outlines
• Scripts and directions for leader’s facilitation
• Discussion sparkers
• Opening and closing prayers
• Videos with interviews and footage of best practices
• Links to supplemental materials