New biography of Pope Francis available 30th April

The cover of the new hardback Pope Francis biography

CTS is thrilled to announce that we will be publishing a new hardback biography of Pope Francis at the end of this month.

Penned by Vatican watcher and expert Andrea Tornielli, this book will answer fundamental questions raised by the election of the first ever South American and Jesuit successor of St Peter.

With an in-depth exploration of the Holy Father’s early life and service within the Church, it offers important insights into the man who is now the great bridge builder.

Click here for more details.

We will also be publishing a standard sized CTS biography of the new Pope so watch this space.

Francis: Pope of a New World will be published on 30th April and is available to pre-order from the CTS priced £14.95.

N.B: U.S customers can purchase this title from Ignatius Press.

Thursday, 04 April 2013 14:40 0 Comments

Wishing a holy Easter to all & seasonal closures

Pope Francis has only recently finished his first Chrism Mass in St Peter’s in Rome.

In his homily, speaking to numerous priests gathered in the basilica, he expressed the meaning of this most special time we have come to after our Lenten observance thus:

“Living Holy Week is always going deeper into God’s logic, into the logic of the Cross, which is not first and foremost a logic of sorrow and death but one of love and the self giving that brings life.”

All of us here at CTS wish a blessed Easter Triduum to all our customers and supporters across the globe.

Please note – CTS offices closed for Easter from 1pm on Thursday 28th March until 9am on Wednesday 3rd April..

Our bookshop in central London will close at the same time and re-open at 9.30am on Wednesday 3rd April.


Thursday, 28 March 2013 11:52 0 Comments

Pope Francis: A gift for the Church from “The other side of the world”

Yesterday evening the Holy Spirit gave to the Church a pope of many firsts. Jorge Mario Bergoglio is the first supreme pontiff to choose the name Francis, after St Francis of Assisi, the first Jesuit Pope and the first Latin American Pope ever.

As websites across the globe explode with facts about this lesser known of Cardinals, his work with the poor, his ability to cook for himself and his taking the bus to his residence in Buenos Aires in the mornings, it is worth noting that in his address to the crowd he prayed. First for the Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, then he asked his people to pray for him.

The world saw a man humbly asking for help from God and all people of good will, to aid him in becoming as one papal title says, “The servant of the servants of God”.

How he will do that is the most exciting part of the next few weeks and months. Looking further forward the Cardinals elected a South American Pope just months before a World Youth Day is due to take place on that continent, in Rio De Janeiro Brazil.

For the present however, it is yesterday’s words, “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum” that express the emotion felt across the Church.

With great joy then and prayer, let us follow the new Holy Father’s first invitation:

“Let us start this journey, bishop and people, this journey of the Church of Rome, which leads all the Churches in charity, a journey of fraternity, of love, of trust among us.”

Thursday, 14 March 2013 10:53 0 Comments

Pray for Pope Benedict and the Cardinal Electors

As Pope Benedict XVI comes to the end of his ministry at 8pm tonight (Roman local time), we offer two simple prayers to say over the coming days.

The first is for the retiring Pope, written by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales; the second is for those electing his successor.

Prayer for Pope Benedict XVI

Almighty ever-living God, who has given your faithful servant Benedict grace to maintain his faith and hope in you amid the labours of his apostolic ministry; graciously bestow upon him, we pray, the consolations of your Holy Spirit and uphold him in serenity of life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us. St Peter, pray for us. St Paul, pray for us. St Benedict, pray for us. All holy men and women, pray for us.

Prayer for the Conclave

Heavenly Father, We the People of God, gathered in solidarity as did the disciples in the Upper Room, pray for the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the cardinals who will be in conclave for the election of the next Vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

May the hearts of our cardinals be open to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, beyond human judgment, to elect the candidate most pleasing to you, Heavenly Father, and who will guide the Church at this momentous time in history at the beginning of the Third Millennium.

We invoke our Mother Mary, we entrust this conclave to her maternal and Immaculate Heart, and offer this prayer for her guidance and protection over the choosing of the next Vicar of her Son.

Amen

Of related interest:

Election of a Pope Election of a Pope (revised ed.) -This booklet explains the new norms promulgated by John Paul II in 1996 and combines the technical with the historical and spiritual elements of the process to produce a unique and highly informative summary.
Benedict XVI Benedict XVI Biography – revised ed – Here we discover a ‘humble and thoroughly kind man’, a leading thinker very much in touch with this modern age.
Thursday, 28 February 2013 12:49 0 Comments

CTS authors reflect on Pope Benedict – Deacon Nick Donnelly

With Pope Benedict XVI having just minutes ago finished his last general audience, Deacon Nick Donnelly, CTS author and successful blogger at Protectthepope.com tells us what he will remember of the Holy Father’s time guiding the bark of St. Peter.

“One of the major themes of Pope Benedict XVI’s pontificate that has made a lasting impression on my understanding about what it means to be a Catholic is his teaching on the essential relationship between love and truth, which was the title of his third encyclical, Caritas in veritate. The Holy Father teaches that we must always keep love and truth together, because if we don’t we inevitably distort the gospel entrusted to us by Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Liberal Catholics make the mistake of focusing on love, forgetting truth, and land up accepting all kinds of sinful behaviour such as abortion, contraception, active homosexuality, and euthanasia. Fundamentalist Catholics make the mistake of focusing on truth, forgetting love, and land up condemning and rejecting people. I must admit that I find it difficult to get the balance right at times, but the Holy Father’s example has encouraged me to keep trying.

We will honour the legacy of Pope Benedict in years to come by seeking to always hold truth and love together, challenging others with the truth, and loving them with compassion and understanding.”

Rev Nick Donnelly
Diocese of Lancaster

Of related interest:

Election of a Pope Election of a Pope (revised ed.) -This booklet explains the new norms promulgated by John Paul II in 1996 and combines the technical with the historical and spiritual elements of the process to produce a unique and highly informative summary.
Benedict XVI Benedict XVI Biography – revised ed – Here we discover a ‘humble and thoroughly kind man’, a leading thinker very much in touch with this modern age.
Wednesday, 27 February 2013 12:05 0 Comments

Prison inmates helped by gift of CTS 2013 Missals

Belmarsh Prison

As part of our efforts to encourage participation in the Year of Faith, CTS has been giving away our 2013 Sunday Missal containing all the Masses for the liturgical year in calendar order.

We recently gave a batch to the chaplaincy at Belmarsh prison in London – which contains those considered to be some of the city’s most dangerous offenders – and received the following letter from the chaplain:

Yesterday on my arrival at Chaplaincy office, I found two big boxes containing 60 of The CTS New Sunday Missal for 2013. It was a very generous and lovely surprise, not only for me but also for over 50 Catholic inmates who attend every Sunday the Catholic Mass in our beautiful Chapel here at HMP Belmarsh.

By donating the Missals, you are helping the Catholics who use them not just at Mass in the Chapel but also in their cells, getting familiar with Sunday liturgical readings and prayers and use them for their spiritual development and comfort.
The inmates have asked me to convey their gratitude and thanks and will remember you and the CTS staff in their humble prayers.

Please keep in touch.
God bless
Fr Edward Okon O.Carm
The RC Chaplain at HMP Belmarsh

It is thanks to all the help we receive, spiritual and financial, from our Members, supporters and customers that we are able to aid the evangelisation in this and many other ways.

Tuesday, 26 February 2013 15:07 0 Comments
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