Audiobooks narrated by Melissa Elson

Piety and Personality: The Temperaments of the Saints

Are you grappling with traits that feel more flawed than saintly? Whether you're impulsive like St. Peter, assertive like St. Paul, or even unpredictable like St. Mary Magdalene, your unique personality is not just a path to heaven, but a canvas for holiness. God has designed every temperament with the capacity to reflect His glory. Jesus Christ, as in all things, is our ultimate example because he is the perfection of all four temperaments. By following Christ, we meet many saints along the way; saints who may have had the same weaknesses we face, or who endured similar trials in this life. Learning about the saints’ lives and how they used their temperaments to their advantage will orient us towards perfection in Christ. With vivid biographical anecdotes, Rosemary McGuire Berry will show you saints who have a similar temperament to yours, and through them, you will have the opportunity to learn how to master the strengths and weaknesses of your temperament. Each chapter focuses on one saint but also incorporates others related to that temperament. The chapters include a brief biography of the saint, a discussion on his temperament via examples from his life, reflections, and tips for specific temperaments.

Rosemary McGuire Berry (Author), Melissa Elson (Narrator)

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Mother to Mother: Spiritual and Practical Wisdom from the Cloister to the Home

The unique ability of women to be mothers is a most precious gift. Whether a woman’s vocation is to be a mother in the context of married life or the spiritual motherhood of religious life, both vocations have Our Lady as their source and inspiration. This similar calling to model the motherhood of the Blessed Mother suggests that lay mothers and religious nuns can benefit from each other’s wisdom and experiences. Mother to Mother introduces moms to contemplative nuns who have offered their insight on the common struggles of motherhood. Through a series of questions and answers, these nuns from various orders take wisdom from their cloisters and offer it to mothers in the domestic Church. This includes advice on finding and utilizing silence, how to increase charity towards other mothers, and how to keep our children (and ourselves) engaged in the Mass, and more. Mother to Mother serves as a meditation upon the vocation of motherhood as both lay and religious mothers strive to be models of the Mother of God.

Mary Elizabeth Cuff, Phd (Author), Melissa Elson (Narrator)

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Love, Peace, and Joy: Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus According to St. Gertrude the Great

One of the greatest saints in the history of the Church, Saint Gertrude the Great began life in 1256. She was given to the schools of a Benedictine monastery. She excelled in intellectual activity and learning, but, in her twenties, she became most preoccupied with theology, the Fathers, and the Scriptures. Her holiness was hidden, as she constantly prayed to God to keep it, but she manifested miracles and experienced raptures. Writing many works of piety, she endeavored to raise others to the rarefied sanctity which she was privileged to have obtained early in life. With her devotion from a young age, Saint Gertrude also received numerous visions of Our Lord and Our Lady. Before St. Margaret Mary a few centuries later, St. Gertrude was one of the first to gain revelations about the Sacred Heart of Jesus and how best to honor It in private devotion. Her concern was for His immense charity to become Incarnate, to die for our sins, to institute the Blessed Sacrament, and to offer Himself as an eternal Victim for our sake—all of which Christ Himself explained to her the mystical significance of. Based on these revelations, Love, Peace, and Joy provides little-known ways to gain great graces quickly and advance rapidly in Divine Charity. Most important among these practices is the placement of our prayers in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that they might be perfected and made more pleasing to God. The insights received by Saint Gertrude are matched by very few other mystics', showing her privileges before the Throne of God; let this book show you the secrets of her own sanctity, concealed in the Heart of the Divine Redeemer.

Fr. Andre Prevot (Author), Melissa Elson (Narrator)

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Unbreakable: Saints Who Inspired Saints to Moral Courage

In the battle for our children’s souls, Catholic parents have a key advantage over the world: our children were made for heaven. God willed us to exist now—in a world that celebrates sin as virtue and punishes Christians as “haters”—as part of His merciful plan. Unbreakable helps Catholic parents raise strong children able to resist the soul-endangering temptation to “get along” to “get ahead” in the world. Recognizing that what occupies our children’s imagination is of profound importance, this book tells the stories of four of the Church’s most courageous saints—Saint Joan of Arc, Saint José Luis Sánchez del Río, Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko, and Saint Teresa of Calcutta—and ten saints who inspired them during their lives, including Saint Michael the Archangel, Saint Juan Diego, Saint Maximilian Kolbe, and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, among others. Written for modern parents, Unbreakable continues a long tradition of helping families build a Christ-centered culture in their homes that can be passed on for generations. In God’s abundant generosity, He confers on all His children the power to know, love, and serve Him. But He requires our participation. In order to spend eternity with Him in heaven, we must answer His call now.

Kimberly Begg (Author), Melissa Elson (Narrator)

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Prayers and Heavenly Promises: Compiled from Approved Sources

This unique book of powerful prayers and devotions compiled by Joan Carroll Cruz includes wonderful promises made by Our Lord or Our Lady, most of which were revealed to famous Saints, including St. Faustina, St. Gertrude, and St. Catherine Labouré. Author Joan Carroll Cruz has carefully selected and compiled devotions to Our Lady, the Infant Jesus, the Precious Blood, the Sacred Heart, Divine Mercy, St. Michael, and more in one place so that your daily prayer can be more powerful and more fruitful than ever before. - Among the many treasures in this book you will find:Supplemental prayers, devotions, and promises to the Holy Rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet, making these common prayers even more fruitful. - St. Louis de Montfort’s beautiful Consecration to Jesus through Mary - Dozens of devotions to Our Lady from St. Bridget of Sweden, St. Alphonsus Liguori, and others, offer unique promises of grace and blessings - Powerful, in-depth meditations and reflections on Our Lord’s Passion and Death, including the powerful graces promised to St. Martha Mary Chambon - And much more! The promises set forth in this book show that God is eager to grant us many favors—if we will just pray! Designed to fit in your pocket or purse, you will have these powerful prayers with you at all times.

Joan Carroll Cruz (Author), Melissa Elson (Narrator)

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The Devil and Bella Dodd: One Woman’s Struggle against Communism and Her Redemption

“Step by step, I retreated from God and went forth to meet the world, the flesh, and the devil. . . . I’d join the devil himself. . . . There is no doubt that I traveled with him at my side and that he extorted a great price for his company.” This is how Bella Dodd (1904–69) described her long battle with atheistic communism, an ideology her Church calls a “satanic scourge.” She later described it as a “school of darkness,” a school of “hate,” a school for which she was a master organizer and infiltrator of every organization—public, private, and even ecclesiastical. Bella Dodd courageously left the Communist Party and its diabolical machinations. Her former communist affiliates then smeared her with epithets eerily familiar to modern ears, dubbing her everything from a “fascist” to a “racist.” Some things never change. One thing that changed, however, was Bella Dodd. The man who helped pull her from the pit? A priest. A priest by the name of Fulton Sheen. Bella Dodd’s story thereafter changed dramatically from one of seduction by the devil to redemption through Christ. She dedicated the remainder of her life to a special penance: warning the world of the evil of communism and its plans. In the battle between the devil and Bella Dodd, Bella and her Church won. At long last, here is her inspiring story.

Mary A. Nicholas M.D., Paul Kengor Phd (Author), Melissa Elson (Narrator)

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100 Holy Hours for Women

Christ waits for us, every day, in the Eucharist. But, in the chaos of our lives, we often find it difficult to draw near to him. Even when we make the time to be in his presence, we lose focus, become distracted, or grow impatient with ourselves. 100 Holy Hours for Women provides a solution with its collection of one hundred Eucharistic meditations, giving inspiration for directed, efficacious prayer before Our Lord in the Eucharist. Whether you are a mother, a single woman, or a consecrated religious, this spiritually uplifting work is a valuable resource for cultivating an intimate relationship with our Eucharistic Lord. Originally written as a religious sister’s guide for daily adoration, 100 Holy Hours for Women contains a plethora of profound spiritual insight into the mystery of the Eucharist. Each of the mediations focuses on a single verse from Scripture. The first part of the mediation explores the deeper implications of the verse, especially in light of the Eucharist. Then, the second part of the mediation takes the form of a personal examination and a prayer, with questions and exhortations to encourage the adorer to look at and cultivate her own spiritual life. These meditations draw from the entirety of Sacred Scripture, particularly following Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. Through them, learn to look to the Virgin Mary and the angels as models of perfect adoration. 100 Holy Hours for Women encourages Christian women, of every calling and stage of life, to enter into quiet, loving conversation with Jesus. This book enables all to comprehend the love of Christ, who gave us his Body and Blood that we might come closer to him. Only in the Eucharist can we find the perfect example of total humility, self-sacrificial love, and holy submission. Only through the Eucharist can we hope to attain happiness in this world and the next.

Csfn Mother Mary Raphael Lubowidzka Of The Sweetest Hea (Author), Kevin Gallagher, Melissa Elson (Narrator)

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See How She Loves Us: Fifty Approved Apparitions of Our Lady

Mary has made herself all to all, and opens her merciful heart to all, that all may receive of her fullness; the sick, health; those in affliction, comfort; the sinner, pardon; and God, glory. St. Bernard (1090 - 1153) See How She Loves Us: 50 Approved Apparitions of Our Lady is an amazing collection of apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary from best-selling TAN author Joan Carroll Cruz. Ranging across twenty-three countries and two millennia the visions chronicled here show Mary's deep love for mankind, her Son, and the Church. Joan Carroll Cruz has meticulously researched fifty apparitions of Our Lady. Discover lesser known apparitions like Our Lady of La Vang in Vietnam and Our Lady of Las Lajas in Columbia, and learn more about the visions of Mary at Fatima, Lourdes, and Guadalupe. Approved by the local bishops or the Vatican, these miracles show Mary's great love for man, her constant intercession on our behalf, and her role as protector of the Church. Perfect for Catholics and non-Catholics alike, See How She Loves Us sheds light on the many mysteries of the Catholic Church and Catholics love for the Blessed Mother.

Joan Carroll Cruz (Author), Melissa Elson (Narrator)

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Theology of Home III: The Sea

In this third installment of the Theology of Home series, Carrie Gress, Ph.D. and Noelle Mering turn their attention to the role of the sea in our memories and imaginations. Drawing from literature, mythology, and scripture, At the Sea pulls out the rich connections between the sea and mystery, recreation, yearning, and joyful reunions. With themes of home and womanhood woven throughout, it is a voyage that explores: • Why we often associate maritime language with the feminine • The rich symbolism of the Church as an ark • The sea’s mysterious balance between power and peace • Christ’s many encounters with water in the Gospels • The sea’s ability to draw our souls out to God • Why we try to bring pieces of the coast and oceans into our homes • Our Lady’s role as Stella Maris With reflections from other writers who join Gress and Mering, At the Sea serves as a love letter to the time we spend on the beach with our families, romping in the waves, toes in the sand, eyes lingering on the pink sunsets beyond the horizon. All are invited to bring the salty balm of the sea into their home—indeed, into their souls—with this title that enkindles in us a new awareness and appreciation for the majesty and splendor of God and his creation. This edition of Theology of Home includes the characteristically beautiful photography readers have come to know and appreciate from the series that captures home life, nature, family, and of course, the sea.

Carrie Gress, Ph.D., Carrie Gress, Phd, Noelle Mering (Author), Melissa Elson (Narrator)

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Awake, Not Woke: A Christian Response to the Cult of Progressive Ideology

The long-simmering crisis that grips our culture has exploded in recent years, leaving us divided and intransigent. Discourse seems futile when we are no longer a people with shared principles or even a shared understanding of reality. What seems obvious to one person is patently absurd to the next. This collapse of meaning is not accidental. It has been plotted and documented for decades, and now presents in its current form as Woke ideology. Awake, Not Woke unmasks this ideology by examining its history, major players, premises, and tactics, showing us that “Wokeness” at its core is an ideology of rupture. Indeed, it is an ideology with fundamentalist and even cult-like characteristics that is on a collision course with Christianity. With a wit and clarity, Noelle Mering provides answers to such questions as: - Why does tolerance seem to only go in one direction? - How does the ideology create enemies, eroding friendship across the sexes and races? - Why is violence the natural end of Woke ideology? - Why have politics become all-absorbing? - Why is the corruption of children a logical outgrowth of Woke principles? - How is the movement fundamentally a rejection of the Logos? The architects of revolution have long known that the transformation of the West had to come by way of destabilizing the social, familial, and religious pieties of a citizenry. But there is a road to restoration, and it begins with identifying and understanding the operating principles of the Woke movement. While the revolution is a counterfeit religion resulting in alienation and division, the One True Faith brings restoration. It is this restoration -- of the person, the family, and the Faith -- for which we all hunger and is the most fitting avenue toward a more harmonious and whole society.

Noelle Mering (Author), Cloey Kelly, Melissa Elson (Narrator)

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Theology of Home II: The Spiritual Art of Homemaking

In this second installment of Theology of Home, Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering turn their attention from the home itself to the art of homemaking. Though there has been a resurgence in the domestic arts and a desire to live a simpler lifestyle, the role of a homemaker is still unpopular. Viewed as an unfulfilling and even oppressive way of life, many women feel a sense of shame or futility in managing the world of their home. Theology of Home: The Spiritual Art of Homemaking turns this misguided notion on its head, shining new light on the role of a homemaker as it relates the deepest truths of the Faith with an honest and fearless understanding of the modern world. Rather than looking to the 1950s for inspiration, Gress and Mering forge a new path by looking at the gifts women can offer those they love. Filled with beautiful photography and interviews with several inspiring women, The Spiritual Art of Homemaking examines: - what makes someone a homemaker and how we can look at the role with fresh eyes, - how the dots between our love for home and the role of caring for a home can be reconnected, - how we can reorient our purpose from achieving power for ourselves to caring for others, - how to bear fruit in the various ways in which God calls us, - how to foster the qualities that make us particularly adept and skillful at creating a home, - the nature of both physical and spiritual motherhood, - and how our Mother, the Church, gifts us the means to fulfill the role of a homemaker. Whether single, married, or a working or stay-at-home mother, discover how to bring beauty, order, and vibrancy to the people and place you love most: Home.

Carrie Gress, Carrie Gress, Ph.D., Noelle Mering (Author), Cloey Kelly, Melissa Elson (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Melissa Elson