Holy Orders Of The Stars

The mortal races of Krynn can see the presence of the gods by simply turning their gaze to the night sky. There the constellations of the gods of good, evil, and balance wheel about in silent struggle to influence their children who live and die on the world below. The gods have blessed the world with miracles of healing and salvation, but so also have they inflicted war and terrible cataclysms.

When the body of a theology student is found on a desolate stretch of coast in East Anglia, his wealthy father demands that Scotland Yard should re-examine the verdict of accidental death. Commander Adam Dalgliesh agrees to pay a visit to the young man's theological college, St Anselm's, a place he knew as a boy, expecting no more than a nostalgic return to old haunts and a straightforward examination of the evidence. Instead he finds himself embroiled in intrigue, secrets and mystery as the college is torn apart by a sacrilegious and horrifying murder . . . Award-winning P.D. James (author of Death Comes to Pemberley and Children of Men) masterfully explores an isolated and beleaguered community coping with the evil and disruption of murder. In 2003, this novel was adapted for BBC television and starred Martin Shaw, Hugh Fraser and Robert Hardy. Set on the wild coast of East Anglia, this number one bestseller is the fourteenth Adam Dalgliesh novel and a thrilling work of crime fiction possessing all of the qualities which distinguish P. D. James as a novelist.

She looked at him and smiled sadly. You've lived too long among the dead, Quirke, she said. He nodded. Yes, I suppose I have. She was not the first one to have told him that, and she would not be the last. 1950s Dublin. When a body is found in the canal, pathologist Quirke and his detective friend Inspector Hackett must find the truth behind this brutal murder. But in a world where the police are not trusted and secrets often remain buried there is perhaps little hope of bringing the perpetrator to justice. As spring storms descend on Dublin, Quirke and Hackett's investigation will lead them into the dark heart of the organisation that really runs this troubled city: the church. Meanwhile Quirke's daughter Phoebe realises she is being followed; and when Quirke's terrible childhood in a priest-run orphanage returns to haunt him, he will face his greatest trial yet...

The most solemn, majestic, and beautiful gifts that Jesus Christ gave to the world are His sacraments. He endowed them with unprecedented and unparalleled power—power to change lives, save souls, and share God’s very life. The sacraments are the ordinary means by which God directs the course of each human life and all of world history. The Church celebrates seven sacraments: baptism, Eucharist, confirmation, matrimony, holy orders, confession, and anointing of the sick. Each was established by Jesus for the sake of salvation. When Jesus spoke of the sacraments, He made clear that they were essential: Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (Jn 3:5) . . . unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you (Jn 6: 53). In Swear to God, Dr. Scott Hahn explores the richness of Christ’s sacraments—their doctrine, history, symbols, and rituals. Drawing upon the Bible and the Church’s tradition, he shows how God’s covenants—with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David—became the driving forces in history. When Jesus came to fulfill all these covenants, He established a new covenant, with greater power than ever before. Christians are God’s children now. Joined to Christ by baptism, we can already share in the eternal life of the Trinity, a life we hope to know fully in heaven. But heaven is with us, even now, in the sacraments.

Married deacons in the Catholic Church often face difficulties in reconciling the seemingly competing demands of family and Church. In striving to live out service to the People of God in two different sacraments, Matrimony and Holy Orders, often the first approach is to try to manage the demands according to predetermined priorities: "Which one comes first?" Yet, in this extended reflection Chaback completely reframes the question as one of integrated servanthood. Theologically profound, yet very pastoral in their practical approach, these essays help to explore the dynamic of living these two sacraments side-by-side, and indicate how the lived presence of Christ in the life of the deacon can shine forth as an integrated whole. Written from the Catholic perspective, Chaback's approach will be of interest to the married clergy of all traditions. Reflection questions are included. "Most valuable, both from the perspective of formation for the permanent diaconate, and the fruitful exercise of this important ministry in the Church." -Archbishop Beniamino Stella, Prefect of the Congregation of the Clergy. Msgr Chaback has been director of the Office of the Permanent Diaconate for the Diocese of Allentown since 2008. Ordained by Paul VI in 1970, Chaback earned his STD from the Pontifical Lateran University. He taught at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary from 1972 until 1992. "A small book with profound implications for married permanent deacons."--Catholic Lib. World

From the strange symbols on a one-dollar bill to the secret signs of the Knights Templar and Freemasons, invisible societies, and the world of magic and alchemy, The Book of Secrets is a comprehensive introduction to the world of secret and esoteric knowledge throughout history. It offers a doorway into the initiated secret traditions of the fascinating unseen spiritual world: its symbols, secret societies, and seers. You'll discover: Key Concepts: the Great Work, the Universal Force, Polarity, the Four Elements, Magick and Mysticism, Esoteric Anatomy, Qabalah, Alchemy, Astrology, the Astral Plane, and more. Symbolism: More than 100 secrets symbols, words, objects, including their meanings and the secret powers they invoke. Secret Societies and Holy Orders: The gatekeepers and the transmitters of sacred knowledge: Freemasons, O.T.O., Cathars, Templars, Assassins. Pineda places them all in history and geography and explains who they are/were and what they stood for. Luminaries and Seers: More than 200 legends and historical personages: Hermes Trismegistus, Jesus, Siddartha, Osiris, and other seers from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the 19th and 20th centuries.

The Holy Order of the Winged Disk, headed by Phaedron Stone, is an old magical organization dedicated to Hermetic, Qabalistic, Gnostic, Rosicrucian, and Alchemical practices. These traditional teachings were passed down verbally from Adept to initiate. For the first time, this knowledge has been compiled in a single volume. This esoteric "white" magic is used for daily living, enlightenment, and spiritual growth. The teachings form a serious, spiritual path to magical experiences which can unveil the secrets of the cosmos. In addition, the book contains specific information about the use of herbs, the tarot, astral projection, and seasonal celebrations.