The Franciscan Publishing Company

This volume presents an edited version of the many talks, dated 1967 to c. 1972, that Eric Doyle OFM delivered on Teilhard de Chardin, together with some of his published articles on John Duns Scotus. Here, the seeming incongruity between the Franciscan and Jesuit thinkers comes together in Doyle’s thought and writing, providing an insight into his unique understanding of their respective Christologies, despite the six centuries which separate them. Doyle was one of the first British Catholic theologians to introduce the thinking of the French priest and scientist, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin SJ, to an English speaking audience. His interest in Teilhard stemmed from his emphasis on the evolutionary, dynamic character of modern life and also the cosmic aspect of salvation. Doyle’s unique insight of the 1960s was the similarity he saw in both Teilhard and Scotus on the place of Christ in the universe. Whilst Scotus’ Weltanschauung was that of a static universe and that of Teilhard a dynamic evolving universe, they both saw Christ as the central point of creation. Christ would have become incarnate even without the Fall. Much of Doyle’s writing is considered to be ahead of its time and his Franciscan vision has an urgent and contemporary relevance both for the Church and the wider world; the lectures presented here are no exception, making them not only apposite but also seminal, even prescient.

This revised second edition of the writings of St Clare (available in the UK now for the first time), skilfully translated from the original Latin and knowledgeably annotated by Sr Frances Teresa Downing osc, is a welcome addition to the small but growing corpus of writings on St Clare of Assisi. Volume 1 includes St Clare’s four letters to St Agnes of Prague, the Letter to Ermentrude of Bruges, the Blessing of St Clare, the Form of Life, and the Testament. Fully referenced throughout against biblical and Franciscan sources, the book is enhanced not only by the author’s extensive research but also by her lived experience of life as a Poor Clare.

How can the Church ensure that its worship, life and mission flow from an encounter with the God of love, mercy and faithfulness? How can its members develop and sustain a loving personal relationship with Jesus? How can it ensure that it places itself in all it does and thinks under the guidance of the  Holy Spirit? In other words how can it ‘Realise the Sacred’  both in the sense of ‘coming to know’ the Sacred and of ‘bringing it about’ – by turning to  the ways of contemplation? Can these ways bring unity to the rich diversity of the Church and hence hope and love to a fractured world? In 1980 Eric Doyle OFM wrote: ‘The greatest challenge to organised religion in the western world now is whether it can guide individuals along the paths of their own inner depths and show how the riches in those depths can be recognised, accepted and put at the service of all creation and closely related to this, whether it can teach people to commune with God and nature.’ This work seeks to address this challenge by encouraging all Christians to embrace the contemplative practice of silent prayer as the basis for all worship, life and mission of the Church, consciously and with full-hearted intent.

This is the English translation of the German best-selling Klangwunder: wie die Kraft der Musik mich geheilt hat. Albrecht Mayer has been principal oboist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra since 2002 and enjoys a prolific solo career, and is believed by many to be the greatest oboist in the world. In his autobiography (co-authored with Heidi Friedrich) Albrecht Mayer describes his journey from an insecure child to the pinnacle of the music world. His life gains a new direction when his authoritarian father gives him an oboe at the age of ten with the edict that he learn to play it. He gives a very personal account of the obstacles he faced and the people who helped him along the way, and of performing with the most famous musicians in the world's greatest concert halls. But despite all his success, he has never forgotten the stigma of stuttering and the happiness of having found his true place in the world despite his impairment. This is the deeply moving autobiography of a man who has experienced the healing power of music and today embodies it with great charisma. It is a testament to the healing power of music and the endurance of the human spirit. Written in an eminently readable style this is an honest book about 'an ordinary human being' who has reached the pinnacle of musical success but is very grounded in reality and who cherishes his family above all else.

This volume offers a description of five well known artworks depicting the Crucifixion of Christ: The Crucifixion Panel of the Isenheim Altarpiece, France; The Golgotha of Jasna Gora, Poland; The Carfin Monstrance, Scotland; the San Damiano Cross, Italy; and the Moone High Cross, Ireland. The author has followed certain main themes from each work that seemed especially meaningful to him in expressing particular aspects of the Cross. Since each artwork is unique, each chapter has a different approach. Nonetheless, each links to the next, so that together they form a coherent whole. This volume is especially suited to Lenten reflections and may more widely even inspire the reader to visit one or more of the Crosses as a pilgrim.