Growing In Virtue

What it means to be a man or a woman is questioned today like never before. While traditional gender roles have been eroding for decades, now the very categories of male and female are being discarded with reckless abandon. How does one act like a gentleman in such confusing times? The Catholic Gentleman is a solid and practical guide to virtuous manhood. It turns to the timeless wisdom of the Catholic Church to answer the important questions men are currently asking. In short, easy- to-read chapters, the author offers pithy insights on a variety of topics, including • How to know you are an authentic man • Why our bodies matter • The value of tradition • The purpose of courtesy • What real holiness is and how to achieve it • How to deal with failure in the spiritual life

A compelling analysis tying the work of Aquinas to contemporary literature on virtue Despite heightened attention to virtue, contemporary philosophical and theological literature has failed to offer detailed analysis of how people attain and grow in the good habits we know as the virtues. Though popular literature provides instruction on attaining and growing in virtue, it lacks careful scholarly analysis of what exactly these good habits are in which we grow. Growing in Virtue is the only comprehensive account of growth in virtue in the thought of Thomas Aquinas. Mattison offers a robust account of habits, including what habits are, why they are needed, and what they supply once possessed. He draws on Aquinas to carefully delineate the commonalities and differences between natural (acquired) virtues and graced (infused) virtues. Along the way, Mattison discusses the distinction between disposition and habit; the role of “custom” in virtue formation; the nature of virtuous passions; the distinct contribution of the gifts of the Holy Spirit to graced life; explanations for persistent activity after the loss of virtue; and the possibility of coexistence of the infused and acquired virtues in the same person. For readers interested in virtue and morality from a philosophical perspective and scholars of theological ethics and moral theology in particular, Mattison offers compelling arguments from the work of Aquinas explicitly connected to contemporary scholarship in philosophical virtue ethics.

In this new book by bestselling author, Edward Sri, we discover the close connection between growing in the virtues and growing in friendship and community with others. A consummate teacher, Dr. Sri leads us through the virtues with engaging examples and an uncanny ability to anticipate and answer our most pressing questions. Dr. Sri shows us in his inimitable, easy-to-read style, that the virtues are the basic life skills we need to give the best of ourselves to God and to the people in our lives. In short, the practice of the virtues give us the freedom to love.

We all have vices. But do we use them to grow in virtue? With her characteristic humor and authenticity, Sister Mary Lea (the “Crabby Mystic”) takes readers on a fresh tour of the cardinal, Christian, and theological virtues and the seven common vices or deadly sins. By situating the virtues in relationship to vice, Sister Mary Lea supplies practical encouragement for the challenge of Christian living.

In these selections from homilies and addresses, Pope Benedict XVI draws on the lives of the saints, the "Catechism," and common experiences to bring readers into a deeper understanding of Christian virtues and how to cultivate them.

Declining church attendance. A growing feeling of betrayal. For Christians who have begun to feel set adrift and disillusioned by their churches, Where Goodness Still Grows grounds us in a new view of virtue deeply rooted in a return to Jesus Christ’s life and ministry. The evangelical church in America has reached a crossroads. Social media and recent political events have exposed the fault lines that exist within our country and our spiritual communities. Millennials are leaving the church, citing hypocrisy, partisanship, and unkindness as reasons they can’t stay. In this book Amy Peterson explores the corruption and blind spots of the evangelical church and the departure of so many from the faith - but she refuses to give up hope, believing that rescue is on the way. Where Goodness Still Grows: Dissects the moral code of American evangelicalism Reimagines virtue as a tool, not a weapon Explores the Biblical meaning of specific virtues like kindness, purity, and modesty Provides comfort, hope, and a path towards spiritual restoration Amy writes as someone intimately familiar with, fond of, and deeply critical of the world of conservative evangelicalism. She writes as a woman and a mother, as someone invested in the future of humanity, and as someone who just needs to know how to teach her kids what it means to be good. Amy finds that if we listen harder and farther, we will find the places where goodness still grows. Praise for Where Goodness Still Grows: “In this poignant, honest book, Amy Peterson confronts her disappointment with the evangelical leaders who handed her The Book of Virtues then happily ignored them for the sake of political power. But instead of just walking away, Peterson rewrites the script, giving us an alternative book of virtues needed in this moment. And it’s no mistake that it ends with hope.” — James K. A. Smith, author of You Are What You Love

In this classic work, Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo explores the virtue of humility, which he considers the foundation of all virtues. Drawing from the teachings of saints and his own experience as a spiritual director, he provides practical guidance on how to cultivate humility in daily life. This book is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to grow in holiness and deepen their relationship with God.

Magnify is a book of reflections on virtues geared to deepen a woman's interior spiritual life, so that her exterior life magnifies the Lord. Each day begins with passages from scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, or the writings of female saints; then readers meditate upon a guided reflection. Women are asked to prayerfully take up an ascetic way of life for 3 months, to give more room to silence for listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. As we live a simpler life, we can more easily practice the virtues. The introduction offers particular mortifications to root out vices that so frequently blur our pursuit of holiness. This book is for all adult women, no matter her state in life, and may be read independently of the ascetic components.Virtues discussed are: humility, affability, gratitude, magnanimity, prayerfulness, docility, industriousness, zeal, modesty, moderation, foresight, and perseverance. Magnify was initially a response to Exodus 90, a valuable and worthy masculine spirituality endeavor, because women shouldn't do Exodus 90. But it's actually so much more than just that. It's a pursuit of virtue by meditating on the genius of women. God calls us all to be Saints. We women are invited in a particular way to Magnify the Lord like Mary! Prior knowledge of Exodus 90 is not at all relevant for a woman reading Magnify. More details can be found on mag90.com