An Introduction to Prayer offers a collection of rich yet brief reflections on prayer in the Catholic spiritual tradition from acclaimed author, speaker, and theologian Bishop Robert Barron.

As we all know, and as many of our well-established textbooks have argued for decades, the Inquisition was one of the most frightening and bloody chapters in Western history, Pope Pius XII was anti-Semitic and rightfully called "Hitler's Pope", the Dark Ages were a stunting of the progress of knowledge to be redeemed only by the secular spirit of the Enlightenment, and the religious Crusades were an early example of the rapacious Western thirst for riches and power. But what if these long-held beliefs were all wrong?

“Father, Forgive Them For They Know Not What They Do.” (Luke 23:34) Meditations on the First Word from the Cross by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen For years, Archbishop Sheen gave a series of powerful presentations on Christ’s Passion and His seven last words from the Cross. As a Scripture scholar, Archbishop Sheen knew full well the power contained in preaching Christ crucified. With St. Paul, he could say, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). During his last recorded Good Friday address in 1979, Archbishop Sheen spoke of ...

“I thirst.” (John 19:28) Meditations on the Fifth Word from the Cross by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen For years, Archbishop Sheen gave a series of powerful presentations on Christ’s Passion and His seven last words from the Cross. As a Scripture scholar, Archbishop Sheen knew full well the power contained in preaching Christ crucified. With St. Paul, he could say, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). During his last recorded Good Friday address in 1979, Archbishop Sheen spoke of having given this type of reflection on the ...

THE LORD’S PRAYER AND THE SEVEN LAST WORDS During the 1930s and ’40s, Fulton Sheen was the featured speaker on The Catholic Hour radio broadcast, and millions of listeners heard his radio addresses each week. His topics ranged from politics and the economy to philosophy and man’s eternal pursuit of happiness. Along with his weekly radio program, Sheen wrote dozens of books and pamphlets. One can safely say that through his writings, thousands of people changed their perspective about God and the Church. Possessing a burning zeal to dispel the myths about Our Lord and His Church, Sheen...