A Full Catechism of the Catholic Religion; Preceded by a Short History of Revealed Religion, from the Creation to the Present Time, 6th American edition, with questions for examination, by Rev. Joseph Deharbe, S.J., translated by Rev. John Fander, revised, enlarged, and edited by the Right Rev. P.N. Lynch, D.D. (New York: Catholic Publication Society, 1889). With Imprimatur. Available in various formats at Internet Archive. The 11th American edition (1889) is available at Internet Archive.
“If you continue in my word, you shall be my disciples indeed: And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (St. John viii, 31-32)
“Now this is life everlasting, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent… I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world: as I also am not of the world. I do not ask that thou take them away out of the world, but that thou preserve them from evil. They are not of the world: as I also am not of the world. Sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth.” (St. John xvii, 3, 14-17)
See also these texts and ebooks on the sacrament of baptism, the means appointed by our divine Lord for our second birth:
“Baptism” at FishEaters. [N.B., While this site has much valuable material, please exercise prayerful caution when perusing those that refer to the 2nd Vatican Council, as these do not view the Council according to the hermeneutic of continuity and reform.]
Instruction on Infant Baptism “Pastoralis Actio”, by the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, approved by Pope St. John Paul II, October 20, 1980. May be read online at the Holy See, the EWTN Library and the Catholic Information Network.
The Sacraments: A Dogmatic Treatise. Vol 1. The Sacraments in General, Baptism, Confirmation, by Joseph Pohle, translated by Arthur Preuss (St. Louis, Mo.: B. Herder, 1917) With Imprimatur. Volume VIII of the Dogmatic Theology series of Pohle and Preuss. Available on multiple formats at Open Library and Internet Archive (Digitizing sponsor: MSN, Book contributor: Regis Library, University of Toronto).
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:
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 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 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. »]
Mary in the Gospels; or Lectures on the History of Our Blessed Lady, as Recorded by the Evangelists, 2nd edition, by Very Rev. J. Spencer Northcote [1821-1907] (London, New York: Burns and Oates, 1885). May be read online, and available in pdf, epub, mobi, and other formats, at Internet Archive. The 1st edition (London: Burns, Lambert, & Oates, 1867) is available at Internet Archive, with another copy at Internet Archive.
And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb: and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she cried out with a loud voice, and said:
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.
And Mary said:
My soul doth magnify the Lord: And my spirit hath rejoiced in God, my Saviour. Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid: for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is his name. And his mercy is from generation to generations, to them that fear him. (St. Luke i, 41-50)
The Sacraments: A Dogmatic Treatise. Volume III, Penance, 2nd revised edition, by Rev. Joseph Pohle, Ph.D., translated by Arthur Preuss (St. Louis, Mo. and London: B. Herder, 1918). With Imprimatur. May be read online, and available in pdf, epub, mobi, and other formats, at Internet Archive. The 1st edition (1917) is also available at Open Library and Internet Archive (Digitizing sponsor: MSN, Book contributor: New York Public Library), with a 2nd copy at Internet Archive.
[N.B., This is the 10th volume of the Dogmatic Theology series by Rev. Joseph Pohle, Ph.D., translated by Arthur Preuss.]
Posted in belated observance of the Memorial of Mary, Mother of Mercy, in the Roman Rite (national calendar of Ukraine), and the Feast of Saint Mary of Egypt: Sanctae Mariae, orate pro nobis peccatoribus! For other online texts and more legally free ebooks, you may access the List of Free eBooks (Arranged by Title) and the List of Free eBooks (Grouped by Subject).
“Once more Jesus said to them, Peace be upon you; I came upon an errand from my Father, and now I am sending you out in my turn. With that, he breathed on them, and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit; when you forgive men’s sins, they are forgiven, when you hold them bound, they are held bound.” (St. John xx, 21-23)
[Notice: These links were posted on the assumption that this text/tract was lawfully made available at these websites. If the assumption is incorrect, kindly inform us that we might remove the links as appropriate. Thank you.]
See also this related text previously posted on the Project:
Man and His Immortal Soul: A Course of Seven Lenten Sermons, by a Priest of the Diocese of Nottingham (New York: Joseph F. Wagner, 1905). With Imprimatur. Available in pdf, epub, mobi, and other formats at Internet Archive.
“[W[hat is the greatest love we show for God and neighbor? Is it not to see as many people as possible, including ourselves, come to know the love and mercy of God and be with him one day forever in heaven? … Our mission is, only by the grace of God, to seek the salvation of our souls, and to bring as many with us to Heaven as we can, again only as God uses us as his instruments of grace and mercy.” (Archbishop Alexander Sample, “The supreme law of the Church”)
“We must take more care of our soul than of our body, because in losing our soul we lose God and everlasting happiness… To save our souls, we must worship God by faith, hope, and charity; that is, we must believe in Him, hope in Him, and love Him with all our heart.” (Baltimore Catechism No. 3, 153-154)
“[T]he salvation of souls, which must always be the supreme law in the Church, is to be kept before one’s eyes.” (Code of Canon Law, can. 1752)
The Beauty and Truth of the Catholic Church, Volume II, sermons from the German, adapted and edited by the Rev. Edward Jones, with an Introduction by the Most Rev. John Ireland (St. Louis, London: B. Herder, 1913). With Imprimatur. Available at Internet Archive. [N.B., This volume collects sermons/discourses on the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist.]
See also these related texts and ebooks:
Dogmatic Theology VII.Grace, Actual and Habitual: A Dogmatic Treatise, by Joseph Pohle, translated by Arthur Preuss (St. Louis, Mo.: Herder, 1919). With Imprimatur. Available in PDF, Full Text and DjVu at Internet Archive (Book contributor: University of Toronto). Another copy of the 1919 edition with Imprimatur is available in PDF, Full text, and EPUB formats at Internet Archive and Project Gutenberg (Book contributor: Project Gutenberg). [NB, These are the best PDF copies online]. Still another copy of the 1919 edition is available in mutiple formats at Open Library and Internet Archive (Digitizing sponsor: MSN, Book contributor: Kelly Library, University of Toronto). The 1915 edition with Imprimatur is available in various formats at Open Library and Internet Archive (Digitizing sponsor: MSN, Book contributor: New York Public Library).
Dogmatic Theology VIII. The Sacraments: A Dogmatic Treatise. Volume 1. The Sacraments in General, Baptism, Confirmation, by Joseph Pohle, translated by Arthur Preuss (St. Louis, Mo.: B. Herder, 1917) With Imprimatur. Available on multiple formats at Open Library and Internet Archive (Digitizing sponsor: MSN, Book contributor: Regis Library, University of Toronto).
Illustrated Explanation of the Holy Sacraments: A Complete Exposition of the Sacraments and the Sacramentals of the Church, adapted from the original of Rev. Hermann Rolfus, with a reflection and practice on each sacrament, by Very Rev. Ferreol Girardey (New York, Cincinnati, Chicago: Benziger Brothers, 1898). With Imprimatur. Available in multiple formats at Internet Archive, with a second copy at Internet Archive and Open Library.
The Sacraments Explained According to the Teaching and Doctrine of the Catholic Church; With an Introductory Treatise on Grace, by Arthur Devine (London: R. & T. Washbourn, 1918). With Imprimatur. Available atOpen Library and Internet Archive (Digitizing sponsor: MSN, Book contributor: Kelly Library, University of Toronto).
Posted on the Feast of the Baptism of our divine Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Roman Rite; with prayer for the souls of the authors of the text, requiescant in pace. For other online and legally free ebooks, you may access the List of Free eBooks (Arranged by Title) and the List of Free eBooks (Grouped by Subject).
“[T]herefore, teach ye all nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (St. Matthew xxviii, 19-20)
“[A] man cannot see the kingdom of God without being born anew…. [N]o man can enter into the kingdom of God unless birth comes to him from water, and from the Holy Spirit” (St. John iii, 3, 5)
“Christ shewed love to the Church when he gave himself up on its behalf. He would hallow it, purify it by bathing it in the water to which his word gave life” (Ephesians v, 25-26)
“Conversion to Christ is joined to Baptism not only because of the Church’s practice, but also by the will of Christ himself, who sent the apostles to make disciples of all nations and to baptize them… Baptism is… the sacrament which signifies and effects rebirth from the Spirit, establishes real and unbreakable bonds with the Blessed Trinity, and makes us members of the Body of Christ, which is the Church… (Pope St. John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio)
“[T]he Catholic Church keeps a careful balance… between recognising what is true and holy in other religions, and yet insisting on the importance of an explicit faith in Christ and membership of the Church through Baptism. Thus the promotion of dialogue has not diminished the necessity of proclaiming the Gospel and calling those who do not believe in Christ to conversion while fully respecting the liberty of each person… (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, Meeting God in Friend & Stranger)
Meditations for Every Day in the Year; Collected from Different Spiritual Writers, and Suited for the Practice Called “Quarter of an Hour’s Solitude”, edited by Rev. Roger Baxter, S.J., revised by Rev. P. Neale, S.J. (New York, Cincinnati, Chicago: Benziger Brothers, 1884). With ecclesiastical approbations. Available in various formats (mobi/kindle, pdf, epub, etc.) at Internet Archive and Open Library. A different imprint is also available at Internet Archive.
An earlier edition with older orthography, Meditations for Every Day in the Year; Collected from Different Spiritual Writers, first written in Latin by N.B., translated into English by E.M., in the year 1669, and now revised by Rev. R. Baxter (Georgetown, D.C.: Joseph Milligan, 1823), is available at Internet Archive and at HathiTrust Digital Library.
On the Feast of All Saints in the Roman Rite.
O God, our refuge and our strength, look down with mercy upon the people who cry to Thee; and by the intercession of the glorious and immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Saint Joseph her spouse, of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and of all the saints, in Thy mercy and goodness hear our prayers for the conversion of sinners, and for the liberty and exaltation of the Holy Mother the Church. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen. (From Sancta Missa)
The Glories of Divine Grace: a free rendering of the original treatise of P. Eusebius Nieremberg, S. J, by Matthias Joseph Scheeben, translated from the fourth revised German edition by a Benedictine Monk of St. Meinrad’s Abbey, Ind., with the consent of the author and the permission of the superior (New York, Cincinnati, St. Louis: Benziger Brothers; London: R. Washbourne; Dublin: M.H. Gill & Son, 1886). With Imprimatur for the original and approbation for the translation. Available at Open Library and Internet Archive.
See also:
The Catholic Doctrine of Grace, by George Hayward Joyce (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne, 1920). With Imprimatur. Available at Open Library and Internet Archive.
The Catholic Doctrine on Justification: Explained and Vindicated, by the Right Rev. Francis Patrick Kenrick (Philadelphia, Eugene Cummiskey, 1841). Available in various formats (pdf, epub, mobi/kindle, etc.) at Internet Archive and Open Library.
“But How ARE Catholics Saved?” from the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
“Salvation from the Perspective of the Early Church Fathers” by Chris Erickson,
“Justification By Faith” by Dr. William Marshner,
“NOT By Faith Alone” by James Akin, and
“Faith Alone, Faith and Works, or Is It Something Else?” by Marcus C. Grodi
Dogmatic Theology VII. Grace, Actual and Habitual: A Dogmatic Treatise, by Joseph Pohle, translated by Arthur Preuss (St. Louis, Mo.: Herder, 1919). With Imprimatur. Available in PDF, Full Text and DjVu at Internet Archive. Another copy of the 1919 edition with Imprimatur is available in PDF, Full text, and EPUB formats at Internet Archive and Project Gutenberg. [NB, These are the best PDF copies online.] Still another copy of the 1919 edition is available in mutiple formats at Open Library and Internet Archive. The 1915 edition with Imprimatur is available in various formats at Open Library and Internet Archive.
Outlines of Dogmatic Theology, 2nd edition, in 3 volumes, by Sylvester Joseph Hunter, S.J. (London, New York, Bombay, Calcutta: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1909). With Imprimatur. Volume III (Actual Grace, Justification, the Sacraments, the Last Things) is available at Internet Archive and Open Library.
The Sacraments Explained According to the Teaching and Doctrine of the Catholic Church; with an Introductory Treatise on Grace, by Arthur Devine (London: R. & T. Washbourn, 1918). With Imprimatur. Available at Open Library and Internet Archive.
On the Feast of Saint Prosper of Aquitaine; and on the anniversary of publication of the Augsburg Confession expounding the Lutheran heresy.
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them: he it is that loveth me. And he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father: and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him… If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him…
“I am the vine: you the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing. If any one remaineth not in me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth…
