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: “The Via Pulchritudinis, Privileged Pathway for Evangelisation and Dialogue”, by the Pontifical Council for Culture

See this online text:

• The Via Pulchritudinis, Privileged Pathway for Evangelisation and Dialogue, by the Pontifical Council for Culture, March 27-28, 2006. May be read online on this page of Catholic Culture.

See also the texts listed on the page Art and Architecture, and on the posts ‘Texto en línea: “Via pulchritudinis: respuesta de la iglesia a la crisis contemporánea”, por Padre Santiago Canals Coma‘, ‘Online text: “Sacred Architecture”, Volume 16 (Fall 2009)‘, and ‘Online text and video: “Letter to Artists”, by Pope St. John Paul II‘; as well as the following:

• The Cultural Heritage of the Church and Religious Families, by the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church, 10 April 1994. May be read online at the Holy See.

Posted for the International Day for Monuments and Sites; and in belated observance of the anniversary of the Lateran Council of AD 769, and of World Art Day. 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. Surréxit Dóminus vere, Allelúja!

Online text: “Cultural Challenges to Faith: A Reflection on the Dynamics of Modernity”, by Dr. Paul O’Callaghan

See this online text:

• “Cultural Challenges to Faith: A Reflection on the Dynamics of Modernity”, by Rev. Paul O’Callaghan, Ph.D. [Professor of Theological Anthropology at Pontificia Università della Santa Croce], Church, Communication and Culture, Volume 2, Issue 1 (2017): pp. 25-40. May be read online and available in pdf format through this page of Church, Communication and Culture at Taylor & Francis Online.

See also these related texts on the relation of Christianity and culture:

Texto en línea: “Via pulchritudinis: respuesta de la iglesia a la crisis contemporánea”, por Padre Santiago Canals Coma

Vea este texto en línea:

• “Via pulchritudinis: respuesta de la iglesia a la crisis contemporánea”, por Padre Santiago Canals Coma, Cuestiones Teológicas, Vol. 39, No. 92 (julio – diciembre, 2012): pp. 345-369. Disponible en linea y en formato PDF en SciELO Colombia.

Ver también estos textos:

Worth-it book: “The Beer Option: Brewing a Catholic Culture”, by Dr. R. Jared Staudt

See this worth-it book:

• The Beer Option: Brewing a Catholic Culture, Yesterday & Today, by R. Jared Staudt, Ph.D. (Brooklyn, NY: Angelico Press, 2018). The printed book may be purchased on this page of Angelico Press, at Amazon, and at Barnes and Noble.
  • [See also the following interviews of the author: “Q&A: The Beer Option explores the rich brew of beer and Catholic culture“ at Denver Catholic: and “The Beer Option and feasting, fasting, and friendship” at the Catholic World Report. See likewise the review “The Beer Option: A Generous Pour of Catholic Culture“ at Adoremus, and the review at the American Association of Wine Economidts.]

See also this related book & ebook:

• Drinking with the Saints: The Sinner’s Guide to a Holy Happy Hour, by Michael P. Foley (Washington, DC: Regnery History, 2015). The ebook and the printed book are available on Amazon (linked by Catholic Mom). The printed book is available on this page of Ignatius Press, and on this page of Catholic Company.
  • [See also the blog on the website Drinking with the Saints. See likewise the interview of the author and the book review by Samantha Schroeder on the Conservative Book Club.]

On the occasion of the secular observance of International Beer Day. 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.

Note: The Catholic eBooks Project does not receive advertising revenue, or any emolument of any kind, from the posting or listing of links to books and ebooks. All free and worth-it books, ebooks, and audiobooks are listed and posted solely to make Catholic Christians and other people of good will aware of their availability.

Online text: “Sacred Architecture”, Issue 29 (Spring 2016)

See this online text:

• Sacred Architecture: Journal of the Institute of Sacred Architecture, Issue 29 (Spring 2016). May be read online, and available in pdf format, at the Institute for Sacred Architecture.
  • [Includes the essay “The Two Themes of Architecture”, by Dietrich von Hildebrand, and the homily “Hail, Mother of Mercy: Homily at the Opening of the Holy Doors in Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome”, by Pope Francis]

On the Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major  (Santa Maria Maggiore) in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite. See also the other posts labeled Architecture and the index page Art and Architecture. 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.

“Jacob said to himself, Why, this is the Lord’s dwelling-place… What a fearsome place is this!… This can be nothing other than the house of God; this is the gate of Heaven. So it was that, when he rose in the morning, Jacob took the stone which had been his pillow, and set it up there as a monument, and poured oil upon it; and he called the place Bethel, the House of God… This stone, too, which I have set up as a monument, shall be called the House of God.” (Genesis xxviii, 16-19, 22)

“It is a matter of justice that the sacrifices of parishioners and benefactors result in a beautiful church, one that manifests Christ to our world. Even those who are unable to contribute monetarily to the building of the church, including the poor, have a right to expect their church to be beautiful, a sign of God in our midst.” (Bishop Jerome E. Listecki, Norms for the Construction and Ordering of Church Buildings in the Diocese of La Crosse)

Worth-it book: “The Power of Truth: The Challenges of Catholic Doctrine and Morals Today”, by Cardinal Gerhard Müller

See this worth-it book and ebook:

• The Power of Truth: The Challenges of Catholic Doctrine and Morals Today, by Gerhard Ludwig Cardinal Müller (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2019).
  • The paperback is available on this page of Ignatius Press and on this page of Leaflet Missals. The Nook book and paperback is available at Barnes & Noble. The Kindle ebook and paperback are available at Amazon.
  • N.B., The work consists of various essays by Cardinal Muller, including the following essays which may be read online:
    • “Faith’s Political Witness: The Demands of Justice and Love”—earlier published on this post at First Things (April 2013);
    • “Testimony to the Power of Grace: On the Indissolubility of Marriage and the Debate Concerning the Civilly Remarried and the Sacraments”—from “L’Osservatore Romano, ed. quotidiana, Anno CLIII, n. 243, Merc. 23/10/2013”, earlier published at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith;
  • See also the following essays and audio on the work:
    • “Cardinal Müller on the Truth”, by Dr. Jeff Mirus (May 10, 2019) at Catholic Culture;
    •  “May 20 –The Power of Truth: Fr. Joseph Fessio Interview” (podcast), by Amy D’Angelo (May 20, 2019) at My Catholic Faith, which summarizes it thus: “Dr. Tom Curran interviews Fr. Joseph Fessio, Founder and Editor of Ignatius Press, to discuss the book: The Power of Truth, The Challenges to Catholic Doctrine and Morals Today by Cardinal Gerhard Müller.”
    • .“A sorely needed theological justification of the truth of the Catholic faith”, by Eduardo Echeverria (June 18, 2019) at Catholic World Report, which states: “Cardinal Gerhard Müller’s book The Power of Truth addresses the challenges to Catholic doctrines and morals today—not only by the culture at large, but also by elements within the Church.”
    • “A zealous pastor of souls”, by Francis Phillips (5 August, 2019) at Catholic Herald.

For related texts, see the texts indexed in our 08 April 2018 post “Online texts: Commentaries on “Amoris Laetitia”” and on the subject index page “Marriage and the Family“, as well as the following texts:

• Apostolic Exhortation “Familiaris Consortio” on the Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World, by Pope St. John Paul II (22 November 1981). May be read online at the Holy See.
• Encyclical “Arcanum” on Christian Marriage, by Pope Leo XIII (10 February 1880). May be read online at the Holy See.
  • Included in the larger work: The Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII: Translations from Approved Sources, with Preface by Rev. John J. Wynne, S.J. (New York, Cincinnati, Chicago: Benziger Brothers, 1903). With Imprimatur.
    • The ebook may be read online, and is available in pdf, epub, mobi, and other formats at Internet Archive, with a 2^nd copy at Internet Archive and Open Library. It may also be read online at Wikisource; and it is available in pdf format at Today’s Catholic World.
    • The audiobook, read by Maria Therese, may be listened to online and downloaded in mp3 and other formats at LibriVox and at Internet Archive. [N.B., The recording states that it is in the public domain.]
    • The LibriVox audio is also reproduced for Youtube in 2 parts at Classic Catholic Audiobooks: Part 1 of 2 (11:16:51) and Part 2 of 2 (7:70:43), said Part 2 being also available at Padre Manuel Antonio Garcia Salcedo; and in 2 parts at Full Audiobooks: Part 1/2 (9:10:55) and Part 2/2 (9:56:40); and in 13 parts at Priceless Audiobooks: Part 1/13, Part 2/13, Part 3/13, Part 4/13, Part 5/13, Part 6/13, Part 7/13, Part 8/13, Part 9/13, Part 10/13, Part 11/13, Part 12/13, and Part 13/13.  A portion of the recording (4:26:34) is available at Padre Manuel Antonio Garcia Salcedo and Free Audio Books, and likewise, a part (10:42:14) is available at GreatAudioBooks In Public Domain.
• Exhortación Apostólica “Familiaris Consortio” sobre la misión de la familia cristiana en el mundo actual, del Papa San Juan Pablo II (22 de noviembre 1981). Disponible en la Santa Sede, y Catholic.net, y la Vicaria de Pastoral, Arquidiocesis Primada de Mexico.
• The Juridical and Christian Anthropological Study of the Indissolubility of Canonical Marriage in the Light of Canon 1056, by Clothilde Ngwe Wanki (Rome, 2011). Doctoral thesis in canon law at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross – Faculty of Canon Law. 580 pages. Available in pdf format at Bibliotecanonica.
  • [N.B., This is an admirably comprehensive historical-theological overview of Catholic Christian teaching on the unity and indissolubility of marriage, which shows (i) its fidelity to divine revelation and natural law, seen in the continuity of apostolic, patristic, scholastic, and modern canonical legislation, especially on sacramental marriages; and (ii) its development on matters subject to positive law, such as the effect of privileges in favour of the faith on non-sacramental marriages.]
• Lettre Encyclique “Casti Connubii” sur le Mariage Chrétien Considéré au Point de Vue de la Condition Présente, des Nécessités, des Erreurs et des Vices de la Famille et de la Société, du Souverain Pontife Pie XI (31 décembre 1930).  Disponible sur le site officiel du Saint-Siège. [D’apres Wikipedia : « Elle forme l’essentiel de l’enseignement doctrinal de l’Église sur le sacrement matrimonial et la vie conjugale. »]

On the Feast of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. For other online texts and legally free ebooks, you may access the List of Free eBooks (Arranged by Title) and the List of Free eBooks (Grouped by Subject).

Online text: “On Promotion of Catholic Missions”, by Pope Pius XII

See this online text:

• Encyclical “Evangelii Praecones” on Promotion of Catholic Missions, by the Venerable Servant of God Pope Pius XII, June 2, 1951. May be read online on this page of Catholic Culture; on this page of the EWTN Library; and at the Holy See.

On the Memorial of Saint Juan Diego in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite. For other online texts and legally free ebooks, you may access the List of Free eBooks (Arranged by Title) and the List of Free eBooks (Grouped by Subject). 

“What, therefore, you worship without knowing it, that I preach to you. God, who made the world and all things therein, he being Lord of heaven and earth… hath made of one, all mankind, to dwell upon the whole face of the earth… That they should seek God, if haply they may feel after him or find him: although he be not far from every one of us. For in him we live, and move, and have our being…” (Acts xvii, 23-24, 26-28)

Online text: “Catholicism, History, and Culture”, by Michael Richard Lynch

See this online text:

• Catholicism, History, and Culture: A Dawsonian Synthesis [Dissertation], by Michael Richard Lynch (Australian Catholic University, 2008). Available in PDF format at Australian Catholic University.

Posted on the Feast of Pope St. Gregory VII and St. Bede the Venerable; in advance remembrance of Christopher Dawson (d. 27 May 1970); and in belated observance of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (21 May). It is also posted in earnest prayer for once-holy Ireland:

Have mercy upon the Irish people, o Lord, that they might defend the life of the unborn child equally with the life of the mother, lest they fall under the judgment of Him Who declared: “as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.” Move them to uphold the true dignity of motherhood, fatherhood, family, and humanity, according to the rational laws You wrote in our hearts and confirmed by Your commandments of love. (From “Prayer for Ireland” at Writer’s Block)

“So all the elders of Israel met Samuel at Ramatha; thou hast grown old, they said to him, and thy sons do not follow in thy footsteps. Give us a king, such as other nations have, to sit in judgement over us. It was little to Samuel’s mind, this demand for a king to be their judge; but when he betook himself to the Lord in prayer, the Lord said to him, Grant the people all they ask of thee. It is my rule over them they are casting off, not thine. It has ever been the same, since the day when I rescued them from Egypt; me they will ever be forsaking, to worship other gods; and now it is thy turn.” (I Samuel viii, 4-8)

Online ebook: “The Roots of Modern Secularism, Relativism, and De-Christianity”, by Philip Trower

See this online ebook:

• The Catholic Church and the Counter-Faith: A Study of the Roots of Modern Secularism, Relativism, and De-Christianity, by Philip Trower (Family Publications, 2006; Philip Trower, 2014). It may be read online (version 7 January 2014) on this page though the page of Philip Trower at Christendom Awake .
  • The webpage states: “Family Publications has now ceased trading. The copyright has reverted to the author Philip Trower who has given permission for the book to be placed on this website.”
  • A synopsis and review of the work is available on this page, which states it “explores the root and branches of the intellectual and spiritual malaise in the West today and how they have affected Catholic philosophy and theology.”
  • Copies of the work are available for sale at Amazon.
  • Its 2003 prequel, Turmoil & Truth: The Historical Roots of the Modern Crisis in the Catholic Church, may also be read online at Christendom Awake.

“Tu Rex Gloriae Christe”, stained glass window by William Earley. Image from Wikipedia 

On the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Feast of Christ the King) in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite; and in belated remembrance of the flight of Blessed Pope Pius IX from the city of Rome (24 November 1848). For other legally free ebooks, you may access the List of Free eBooks (Arranged by Title) and the List of Free eBooks (Grouped by Subject).

“So all the elders of Israel met Samuel at Ramatha; Thou hast grown old, they said to him, and thy sons do not follow in thy footsteps. Give us a king, such as other nations have, to sit in judgement over us. It was little to Samuel’s mind, this demand for a king to be their judge; but when he betook himself to the Lord in prayer, the Lord said to him, Grant the people all they ask of thee. It is my rule over them they are casting off, not thine. It has ever been the same, since the day when I rescued them from Egypt; me they will ever be forsaking, to worship other gods; and now it is thy turn.” (I Samuel viii, 4-8)