Online texts & ebooks by & about Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger / Pope Benedict XVI

See these online texts and ebooks (I) by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger / Pope Benedict XVI and (II) about him and his thought, previously indexed on the Project.

I. Texts and ebooks by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger / Pope Benedict XVI:

Free ebook: “Practical Reflections for Every Day Throughout the Year”, by Rev. Robert Lane & Rev. Edward Peach

See this legally free ebook:

• Practical Reflections for Every Day Throughout the Year, 3rd ed., by the Rev. Robert Lane (alias Bowes), enlarged and edited by the Rev. Edward Peach (London: Keating and Brown, 1835). May be read online, and available in pdf, mobi, epub and other formats, at Internet Archive.

See also the texts listed on the posts “Free ebooks & online audio: “Meditations for Every Day in the Year”, by Bishop Richard Challoner“, “Online text: “Meditations for Every Day in the Year”, by Bishop Richard Challoner, and “Free ebook: “New Practical Meditations for Every Day in the Year, on the Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ”, by Father Bruno Vercruysse, S.J.“.

On New Year’s Eve, 2022-2023, in the Gregorian Calendar. For other texts and ebooks on various subjects, you may access the List of Free eBooks (Arranged by Title), the List of Free eBooks (Grouped by Subject), the List of Worth-It Catholic Books & eBooks, and the main page of the Catholic eBooks Project.

Online text: Draft Constitution on Chastity, Marriage, the Family, and Virginity, by the Vatican II Preparatory Theological Commission

See this online text:

• Draft of a Dogmatic Constitution on Chastity, Marriage, the Family, and Virginity, by the Preparatory Theological Commission for the Second Vatican Council, translated by Fr. Joseph A. Komonchak (2012). Available in pdf format (on this page) at In Verbo Veritatis (translation © Joseph A. Komonchak 2012).
  • This was previously indexed on the Project’s posts “Online texts: The original schemas or drafts of Vatican II” and ‘Online texts: Documents of the Second Vatican Council; and on its Interpretation and Application‘.

See also the texts listed on the page Marriage and the Family and on the posts–

• ‘Online text: “Love is for Life: Pastoral Letter of the Irish Bishops”‘,
• ‘Worth-it ebook: “In Defense of Purity”, by Dietrich von Hildebrand‘,
• ‘Online text: “’Mystically Espoused to Christ, the Son of God”, by Dr. Judith M. Stegman,’
• Online text: “The Natural Law, the Marriage Bond, and Divorce”, by Dr. Brendan F. Brown‘
• ‘Worth-it book: “The Power of Truth: The Challenges of Catholic Doctrine and Morals Today”, by Cardinal Gerhard Müller‘, and
• ‘Online texts: Commentaries on “Amoris Laetitia”‘;

As well as

Online text: “The Liberty of the Church: Source, Scope and Scandal”, by Prof. Patrick McKinley Brennan

See this online text:

• “The Liberty of the Church: Source, Scope and Scandal”, by Professor Patrick McKinley Brennan (2013). Working Paper Series. 188. Forthcoming in Journal of Contemporary Legal Issues (2013). Available in pdf format on this page of the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law and linked by Expert Gallery Press . The text, numbered as Villanova University School of Law Public Law and Legal Theory Working Paper No. 2013-3062, is also available at Social Science Research Network (SSRN).

See also the texts listed on–

• the page “Society and Social Teaching”,
• the 28 January 2020 post “Free ebook: Church and State in the Formation of Christendom, by T.W. Allies”,
• the 04 July 2020 post “Online ebook: “Catholic Reflections on the American Proposition”, by John Courtney Murray, S.J.“,
• the 21 October 2020 post “Online text: “Moral Duties Concerning Voting”, by Colin B. Donovan“,
• the 04 July 2021 post “Online text: “Catholicism and the Declaration of Independence”, by Dr. Robert Kraynak“; and
• the 30 December 2021 post “Online text: “Principles Fundamental of the Church-State Controversy”, by Dr. James A. O’Donohoe“

–as well as

Online text: “Pro-Choice ‘Personhood’: An Abortive Concept”, by Dr. Andrew J. Peach

See this online text:

• “Pro-Choice ‘Personhood’: An Abortive Concept”, by Andrew J. Peach, J.D., Ph.D., Life and Learning XIII: Proceedings of the Thirteenth University Faculty for Life Conference at Georgetown University, 2003, edited by Professor Fr. Joseph W. Koterski, S.J., Ph.D. (Washington, D.C.: University Faculty for Life, 2003): pp. 187-210. Available in pdf format on this page through the Table of Contents page of Life and Learning XIII (2003) at University Faculty for Life.

See also the texts listed on the page Humanity and Human Life, and

Free ebook: “The Gospel of St. John”, by Rev. Joseph MacRory

See this legally free ebook:

• The Gospel of St. John; With Notes Critical and Explanatory, by the Rev. Joseph MacRory, D.D., Professor of Sacred Scripture and Hebrew, Maynooth College [later Cardinal Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland] (Dublin: Browne & Nolan, 1897). With Imprimatur. Available in mobi, epub, and other formats at Project Gutenberg and Internet Archive.

See also the ebooks and texts on the page Bibles and Commentaries, as well as these

Online text: “Confession of Faith, Eucharist and Martyrdom”, by Bishop Dr. Abraham Mar Julios

See this online text:

• “Confession of Faith, Eucharist and Martyrdom; With Special Reference to Early Church Fathers of the East”, by Bishop Dr. Abraham Mar Julios, Homiletic and Pastoral Review, September 27, 2017. May be read online on this page of Homiletic and Pastoral Review.

See also the texts listed on the posts “Online text and video: “Martyrdom for the Faith in Our Times”, by Cardinal Raymond Burke“ and “Online text: “Christian Martyrdom Never Expires”, by Prof. Fr. Nowosad Sławomir”, as well as these related texts:

• “Truth and Martyrdom: The Structure of Discipleship in Veritatis Splendor”, by Prof. John R. Berkman Ph.D., Sacred Heart University Review, Vol. 14, Iss. 1, Article 8 (1994). Available in pdf format on this page of the Sacred Heart University Review.

On the Feast of St. Stephen the Protomartyr in the Latin Church, of the one true and Catholic Church. For other texts and ebooks, you may access the List of Free eBooks (Arranged by Title), the List of Free eBooks (Grouped by Subject), the List of Worth-It Catholic Books & eBooks, and the main page of the Catholic eBooks Project.

Online text: “Sermons on the Feast of the Nativity”, by Pope St. Leo the Great

See this online text:

Sermons on the Feast of the Nativity, by Saint Leo the Great / Pope Leo I, comprising Sermons XXI-XXIV and XXVI-XXVIII, on pages 128 – 144, of:

The Letters and Sermons of St. Leo the Great, Bishop of Rome, translated, with notes, introduction, and indices, by Charles Lett Feltoe, in A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, Second Series, translated into English with Prolegomena and Explanatory Notes, under the editorial supervision of Philip Schaff and Henry Wace (New York: The Christian Literature Company; Oxford, London: Parker and Company, 1895), Volume XII, Leo the Great. Gregory the Great. The volume is available in pdf, mobi, epub and other formats at Internet Archive.

The text of the individual sermons, as revised by Kevin Knight, indexed as the Sermons of St. Leo the Great, is available at New Advent’s Fathers of the Church collection: Sermon 21; Sermon 22; Sermon 23; Sermon 24; Sermon 26; Sermon 27; and Sermon 28.

The text of the individual sermons is also available at Catholic Culture: Sermon XXI: on the Feast of the Nativity, I; Sermon XXII: on the Feast of the Nativity, II; Sermon XXIII: on the Feast of the Nativity, III; Sermon XXIV: on the Feast of the Nativity, IV; Sermon XXVI: on the Feast of the Nativity, VI; Sermon XXVII: on the Feast of the Nativity, VII; and Sermon XXVIII: on the Festival of the Nativity, VIII.

On the Feast of the Nativity of our divine Lord Jesus Christ in the one true and Catholic Faith. For other texts and ebooks, you may access the List of Free eBooks (Arranged by Title), the List of Free eBooks (Grouped by Subject), the List of Worth-It Catholic Books & eBooks, and the main page of the Catholic eBooks Project.

Online text: “On the Meaning and Importance of the Nativity Scene”, by Pope Francis

See this online text:

• Apostolic Letter “Admirabile Signum” on the Meaning and Importance of the Nativity Scene, by Pope Francis, 01 December 2019. May be read online on this page of Catholic Culture; on this page of the EWTN Library; at the Holy See Press Office; and at the Holy See.
  • See also this summary of the text: “A gift to all: Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter on the Nativity Scene”, by Dr. Jeff Mirus, December 05, 2019, at Catholic Culture.

On the Vigil of the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Christmas Eve) in the one true and Catholic Church. For other texts and ebooks, you may access the List of Free eBooks (Arranged by Title), the List of Free eBooks (Grouped by Subject), the List of Worth-It Catholic Books & eBooks, and the main page of the Catholic eBooks Project.

On the morrow the sins of the earth shall be washed away, and the Saviour of the world will be our King.

The Lord cometh! Go ye out to meet Him, and say How great is His dominion, and of His kingdom there shall be no end! He is the Mighty God, the Ruler, the Prince of Peace, Alleluia!

On the morrow ye shall be saved, saith the Lord God of hosts.

The Saviour of the world shall rise like the sun, and come down into the womb of the Virgin as the showers upon the grass. Alleluia.

(Antiphons of Lauds, from Divinum Officium)

Online text & audio: “The Universal Mediation of Christ and Non-Christian Religions”, by Dr. Thomas Joseph White, O.P.

See this online text:

• “The Universal Mediation of Christ and Non-Christian Religions”, by Rev. Dr. Thomas Joseph White, O.P., Nova et Vetera, English Edition, Vol. 14, No. 1 (2016): pp. 177–198.
  • The text is available on this page of Nova et Vetera at the Saint Paul Center for Biblical Theology; and is available in pdf format at Project Muse.
  • What appears to be another edition of the text, in Proceedings of the XV Plenary Session on Religion and Religions. A Thomistic Look | Religione e religioni. Uno sguardo tomista, 19-21 June 2015 (Vatican City: Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas, 2015), is available  in pdf format through the volume page of the 2015 Proceedings of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas.
  • The audio of what appears to be another version of the text (dated 12/3/2015) is available at Soundcloud.

For other texts and ebooks, you may access the List of Free eBooks (Arranged by Title), the List of Free eBooks (Grouped by Subject), the List of Worth-It Catholic Books & eBooks, and the main page of the Catholic eBooks Project.

O Emmánuel, Rex et légifer noster, exspectátio géntium, et Salvátor eárum: veni ad salvándum nos, Dómine, Deus noster. (Text from Divinum Officium)