Image Books: Books of Catholic Interest

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The momentous third and final volume in the Pope’s international bestselling Jesus of Nazareth series, detailing how the stories of Jesus’ infancy and childhood are as relevant today as they were two thousand years ago.

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A Short Biography of Pope Benedict XVI

By Bianca M. Caraza

Growing up in Germany proved difficult for young Joseph, who suffered from the broken German economy and joblessness in the post World War I era, and then through the travesties of World War II. It was only after the second war that Ratzinger was free to follow his true calling. He was ordained a catholic priest in 1951.The man we know today as Pope Benedict XVI, leader of the Catholic Church, was born Joseph Ratzinger in Marktl am Inn, in Baviaria, Germany on April 16, 1927. His father was a policeman and, before getting married, his mother worked as a hotel cook. He grew up just outside of Austria, not thirty kilometers from Salzberg, where Mozart, now one of his favorite musicians, lived and worked.

In 1957, Ratzinger became a professor of theology and dogma. According to the Vatican’s biography of his life, after receiving his doctorate of theology, he began teaching at the University of Bonn in 1959, and then the University of Munster not five years later. He moved on to the University of Regensburg where he held the Chair of dogmatics and history of dogma in addition to acting as the University’s vice-president.

He worked closely with Cardinal Joseph Frings as theological expert and advisor during the Second Vatican Council

His holiness Pope Benedict XVI, photo courtesy of The Guardian.

(Vatican II, 1963—65). In 1977, he became Archbishop of Munich and Freising and then Cardinal later that same year. In 1978, Cardinal Ratzinger took part in the Conclave which elected Pope John Paul I, and, later that year, Pope John Paul II. In 1992, he presented the new Catechism to the Holy Father after six years of work as president of the Preparatory Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and in 1993 the Holy Father elevated him to the Order of Bishops. In 2002, his Eminence was promoted from vice-dean to dean of the College of Cardinals. Due to his mastery of theology and his popularity, especially with Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Ratzinger appeared to be a frontrunner for the papacy in 2005.

His holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, has led an extraordinary life leading up to and including his papacy. Not only is he known for his strong traditionalist stance on the doctrines of the church, but his career as a strong academic and theologian, and even (according to many sources, including Los Angeles’ beloved Cardinal Mahoney), being a cat lover known to care for hungry strays.

This year, Image will have the honor of publishing his holiness Pope Benedict XVI’s latest book on Jesus’ childhood—Jesus of Nazareth. Read more here on the Image website and pre-order your copy today.

Here at Image Books we would like to congratulate our friend
 Rick Warren for ten years of helping people find their purpose.

Visit Rick’s website here.

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Today, on All Saints’ Day, we celebrate the sacrifice of every Saint and Martyr who lived and died serving Christ. Saints are venerated by the Church and intercede to God on our behalf. Not only does each saint have his or her own feast day, but also a collective anniversary and holy day of obligation known as All Saints’ Day.

In Colleen Carroll Campbell’s new book, My Sisters the Saints, we are invited to join the author on her spiritual journey and personal experience with six of the Catholic Church’s most revered saints.

My Sisters the Saints marks Campbell’s life journey and the trials she has endured, from the modern woman’s struggle in finding a balance between marriage and a career, to coping with her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and dealing with infertility. Campbell shows how she survived devastation by depending on six holy women who came before her: Teresa of Avila, Therese of Lisieux, Faustina of Poland, Edith Stein of Germany, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and Mary of Nazareth.

Her study of these saints’ writings and trust in their intercession is not only an amazing story, but example for all of us. Remembering that the saints are waiting to help and protect us always is a comforting and vital part of Catholic life.

We hope you enjoy your local All Saints’ Day Mass, and that you’ll experience the restoration and hope granted us by the blessed saints.

Read Colleen Carroll Campbell’s My Sisters the Saints, now available in hardcover and eBook.

Blessed Mother Theresa was beatified in 2003, and awaits canonization. Photo Courtesy of DiscerningHearts.com

The canonization process is a long and arduous one. It involves beatification, the most difficult step toward sainthood. Beatification comes from the word “blessed,” and is distinct from full canonization in that the individual is at least locally, but not ecclesiastically, venerated. The Catholic Encyclopedia offers no less than 20 steps for the beatification process, but the Handbook of Spirituality gives three succinct steps—examinations of the individual’s writings, virtues, and miracles.

First, the individual’s writings are collected, translated into Italian, and read over by the cardinals of the Congregation of Rites. If nothing in the writings is found to be contrary to the faith and morals of the Catholic doctrine, then the appointment is debated and, if the decision is favorable, the pope signs a decree with his baptismal name, which gives the servant of God a new title: Venerable.

After Cardinal Fulton Sheen was declared Venerable in June (2012), a replica of the massive positio was released and can be seen here on Brandon Vogt’s excellent blog, The Thin Veil.

The second step is the examination of the individual’s virtues–which is a complicated process of attaining remissorial letters for the bishops and beginning an inquiry into the sanctity of the individual. Then the question of whether there’s evidence that the venerable servant of God practiced virtues both theological and cardinal to a heroic degree must be discussed. This question is of the utmost importance and is determined in three separate meetings, including one presided over by the pope. Should the answer turn out favorably, the pope signs another decree, but only after praying on the matter.

The last step of beatification requires that two miracles of the first class be proven. The miracles are discussed and debated based on the testimony of eyewitnesses, and the Congregation of Rites need only discuss the miracles once. If the final decision is favorable, the pope issues a brief, which permits the veneration of the Blessed (beatified) individual.

The final step of canonization, to be made a true saint, requires that at least two miracles are worked at the intercession of the blessed individual. After this is proven, the pope issues a Bull of Canonization which commands worldwide veneration of the newly made saint.

Catholic Terms 101:

Positio—the body of work off of which the inquiry of an individual’s virtue is based.

Beatification—the second and most difficult step toward becoming a saint, beatification involves local, but not universal veneration.

Canonization—the final step of sainthood, proven through 2 intercessions.