A great preacher understands the power of God's Word and knows how to communicate that power in the most effective way possible. With The Sacred Conversation: The Art of Catholic Preaching and the New Evangelization priests will be renewed in their mission to preach the Gospel and equipped to do so with practical advice from Fr. Joseph Mele. Fr. Mele surveys the current norms in Catholic preaching and supplies helpful background on the Church' s most recent teaching on the subject. Paying special attention to the needs of the lay faithful, Fr. Mele then provides priests with the "nuts and bolts" of homiletics to ensure their preaching penetrates the hearts of those in the pews. An essential text for priests and seminarians. About the Author Fr. Joseph Mele is Vicar General in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, director of formation at St. Paul Seminary, and director of post-ordination formation. He graduated from St. Francis College and St. Francis Seminary, Loretto, Pennsylvania and was ordained on May 5, 1973. He received a master' s degree from Duquesne University and his doctorate in philosophy in 2008. Fr. Mele is the author of The Sacred Conversation: The Art of Catholic Preaching and the New Evangelization. Endorsements "As one responsible for forming our future priest-evangelizers for the Church in the United States, I would highly encourage seminarians to read Fr. Mele' s excellent work. How often we preachers get frustrated because of our human limitations inpreaching. Fr. Mele gives us excellent direction on how to keep our preaching fresh, lively, and meaningful. As a seminary rector, I will encourage my seminarians to read this excellent reflection on preaching." --Fr. James Wehner, Author, Rector-President of Notre Dame Seminar "The very core of the vocation of the priest is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This has been done well and not-so-well throughout the years. Fr. Mele lays out the history and the problems of Catholic preaching and then offers some very practical ways for the preacher to be God' s Instrument of the Good News. Read this book and become the Instrument God is calling you to be!" --Fr. Larry Richards, Author, radio host, and founder of The Reason for Our Hope Foundation "Preaching for the new evangelization! From his experience aspastor and seminary rector, and drawing upon many years of responsibility for the pre-ordination and post-ordination formation of priests, Fr. Mele truly understands the challenges and the urgency of effectively preaching the Word of God in the twenty-first century." --Fr. Thomas Acklin, Author, Rector and Professor of Theology, St. Vincent Seminar "This is more than a manual for good techniques. It' s a recovery of the very purpose of liturgical preaching: to guide us into the divine mysteries. Fr. Mele has produced a manifesto for a Church alive with grace." --Mike Aquilina, Author of numerous bestselling books, including The Fathers of the Church "It is not often that a book on homiletics can be recommended for a general audience as well as the priest and deacons meant to learn from it. But I am giving Fr. Joseph Mele' s The Sacred Conversation to friends that will never provide a homily in their lives. His steps for a ' reform of the reform' of Catholic liturgical practices are inspiring to those of us who are in the pews, not just the pulpits." --Robert P. Lockwood, Author, national columnist for Our Sunday Visitor

Cultivate the potential for deeper connection in every conversation. "To think of conversation as a sacred art challenges us to imagine all the conversations in which we participate, from the acquaintance we run into at Target to the dialogue for which we've spent weeks in preparation, as a potentially sacred conversation." --from the Introduction We often find ourselves distracted and overwhelmed by a constant stream of information and demand for connectivity. Now more than ever, we need to develop our capacity for greater presence in our daily lives and relationships. One of the best ways to do this is by improving the quality of our conversations. Dr. Diane M. Millis offers us inspirational stories, insights and spiritual practices from many faith traditions to increase our awareness of the deep, natural holiness waiting to be unlocked in our everyday encounters. This resource is a catalyst for anyone who would like to enrich seemingly ordinary conversations as well as for leaders in educational, ministry and corporate settings who want to: Increase their capacity to listen deeply Become more self-aware and attentive to others Learn how to move beyond conventional topics to exploring purpose, meaning and values in conversation.

Engaging in interreligious, intercultural, and interdisciplinary conversations throughout the world, the Sisters of the Holy Cross remain steadfast to their call to be women of compassion, bearing witness to God’s desire for the transformation of human hearts and human relationships. The author, a member of the congregation, discusses “sacred conversations” as a way of achieving this goal.

Linking the themes of spirituality and worship and giving each needed focus in ways that are biblically and theologically rich and consistent with ecumenical traditions, this book specifically explores the relationship of sacred reading (lectio divina) to worship. Linman sees this practice as one element in the larger liturgical action of Gathering, Word, Meal, and Sending. Our "spiritual worship" (cf. Rom 12:1), he argues, is the holy conversation between worshipers and the triune God who leads us to greater participation in Christ and to transformation through Christ's presence.

Richard Peace teaches you how to engage in easy and comfortable conversation about the good news of Jesus. Explaining the gospel in plain language and offering practical suggestions for sharing your faith with friends, neighbors and colleagues, he provides twelve study and discussion sessions perfect for small groups to work through--and try out--together.

If there is one book that can claim to provide the solution to all problems of humanity, it is the holy Bhagavad Gita. Simply understanding the life-changing, ageless, and profound wisdom contained in this one book is enough to change the path of one’s life and bring it to the peak of perfection. The Bhagavad Gita is not a religious book and is not intended to be read and acted upon by the adherents of a particular religion. It’s a guidebook for life; a how-to manual. It is a medicine for the infected souls of the Kali-Yuga, the dark age. And there is no religion in medicine. The Bhagavad Gita is the most sacred conversation ever between Lord Krishna and his friend Prince Arjuna just before the beginning of the great war of Mahabharata, on the holy battlefield of Kurukshetra, where the Lord enlightens a bewildered Arjuna about the biggest truths of the universe. This dialogue is considered to contain the nectar of all Vedic scriptures, the most ancient scriptures of the world. By reading the Bhagavad Gita, you will discover answers to the most important questions in life, such as: - Who are you? - What is your purpose in life and how to fulfill that purpose? - Is there a God? If yes, who is God, and how to know and reach Him? - Is God one or many? - What is your relationship with God? - What is death and why you do not need to fear death? - What happens after death? - Do heaven and hell exist? - Is reincarnation real? - What is Yoga? What are the different types of Yoga? How to be a Yogi? - How does the Law of Karma work? - Why are we all living life the wrong way? And how you can live your life the right way? - How to see yourself and your life from the right perspective? - How to master your mind and get rid of negative emotions like worry, fear, anger, jealousy, and sadness for good? - How to be always happy? - What is the most perfect method of meditation? This summarized and simplified version of the Bhagavad Gita by Hari Chetan is the outcome of his two decades of experience in the field of Vedic philosophy. The following are some of the distinguishing aspects of this condensed version: - The conversational format of the Bhagavad Gita has been retained to ensure that the reader has a clear understanding of how the dialogue unfolded. - For the same purpose, the book has been divided into the same 18 chapters as the original version. - All the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita have been incorporated to ensure accurate understanding. - Repetition has been avoided unless essential. - The language has been kept simple without sacrificing essence and spirit. - Key Takeaways have been jotted down at the end of each chapter for easy retention and revision. - A separate chapter titled The Bhagavad Gita in a Nutshell has been included at the end which includes all the important teachings of the Bhagavad Gita in a point-by-point format grouped by topics. - The historical background of Mahabharata is included for perfect understanding. - To help you test your understanding, a printable workbook is included. All of this adds up to a comprehensive summary of the holy Bhagavad Gita in English. Read This Book to Uncover The Secret Wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita and Change Your Life Forever!

Giovanni Bellini (ca. 1435–1516), widely considered the greatest Venetian artist of his time, was born into the most influential artistic family in Venice. He received his training in the studio of his father, Jacopo, along with his brother, Gentile, and through a long and fruitful career played a leading role in defining the Renaissance style in Venice. His workshop, one of the most important of the period, counted Giorgione and Titian among its pupils. The first account of his life, by Giorgio Vasari, also portrays the family artistic enterprise; it appeared in Vasari’s seminal Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects, published in 1550 and revised and expanded in 1568. A century later Carlo Ridolfi, who sought to rectify Vasari’s emphasis on Florentine painters, provides a fuller portrayal of Bellini in his 1648 work The Marvels of Art, or the Lives of the Famous Painters of Venice and Its State. These two narratives are complemented in this book by Marco Boschini’s poetic homage to the artist and by correspondence between the renowned Renaissance patron of the arts Isabella d'Este, Bellini, and others regarding the commission of a painting for her celebrated studiolo in Mantua. Ridolfi’s biography, Boschini’s poem, and the Isabella d’Este correspondence appear here in English for the first time. Full-page color illustrations throughout the book represent the full sweep of Bellini’s career.