Sophia Insider: June 2020

This Month at Sophia Institute Press Sophia Authors in the News – Sophia authors continue to appear in major print publications and on top shows in Catholic and secular media. This month, we've featured interviews with A-list authors Anthony DeStefano and Peter Kreeft, as well as an excerpt from Fr. Dwight Longenecker's gripping new book, Immortal Combat. New Book Announcements – Read about our exciting new releases, including Edward Pentin's analyses of the 19 cardinals most likely to succeed Pope Francis—The Next Pope. Latest Endorsements – High-level recommendations for our new releases. Leading Catholic authors, personalities, and professionals weigh in on our latest books. New Sophia Videos – Sophia books are gaining attention through the visual media. Follow along with your children as author Anthony DeStefano reads his instant bestseller, Our Lady's Wardrobe. Sophia Book Reviews – Latest reviews and features of Sophia books. Sophia book reviews that appeared this month in The Imaginative Conservative and Catholic News Agency. Sophia Staff Spotlight – Get to know the Sophia team. This month: meet the warehouse crew. Hot Topic Features – Sophia’s websites featured more must-read articles this month, including Michel Therrien's reflections on the post-pandemic Church on Crisis, “Catholic conversation tips” on EpicPew, and saints who were both fathers and martyrs on Catholic Exchange. Classics Corner – A carefully curated selection for the month. Peruse our rich backlist for books that speak to the particular spiritual needs you may have this month. Book Industry Update – Faith-Based Books Multiply on COVID-19 Crisis. As the COVID-19 crisis continues to grip the globe, a number of publishers—including Sophia—are adjusting to meet the changing needs of readers.  Sophia's Newest Releases – Stay abreast of Sophia’s newest offerings—and don’t miss our $5 and $10 Catholic classics! Sophia Authors in the News Sophia authors in the news this month Catholic Online featured an excerpt from Fr. Dwight Longenecker's arresting new book Immortal Combat. READ MORE Dr. Peter Kreeft (Forty Reasons I Am a Catholic, Ask Peter Kreeft) was featured in Catholic World Report's series on the connections between evangelization and beauty. READ MORE The National Catholic Register's Patti Maguire Armstrong interviewed Anthony DeStefano about his new illustrated children's book, Our Lady's Wardrobe. READ MORE New Book Announcements New books from Sophia Latest Endorsements Faith leaders and personalities weigh in on some of our newest offerings. "The Prodigal Church is an essential intervention from one of our most exciting young Catholic commentators, offering both a forceful critique of the bourgeois spirit in American Catholicism and a practical, humane blueprint for renewal." Sohrab Ahmari Op-ed editor, New York Post "No book is more effective at communicating what we must recover, ways to innovate, and how we must act in order to have a thriving Church in the 21st century." Haley Stewart Author, blogger at Carrots for Michaelmas "The coronavirus pandemic has filled us all with anxiety, fear, and loneliness, which is natural and expected. Conquering Coronavirus points us to Jesus, who never leaves us alone and who told us to 'be not afraid.' This book is filled with practical guidance, inspiration, and spiritual support." Dr. Timothy Flanigan Professor of Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Division of Infectious Diseases "In an era when family prayer consists of praying around the dinner table and before bed, and a time when more catechesis takes place at the parish church than in the home, Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle's Family Consecration to Jesus through Mary will introduce families to prayer and assist them in handing on the faith to their children." Fr. Edward Looney Author, A Lenten Journey with Mother Mary "This is a beautiful book which, I hope, will enhance the spiritual lives of many Christian families." Fr. John S. Hogan, OCDS Co-host of EWTN's Forgotten Heritage New Sophia Videos Watch our newest book promo video Listen and follow along as Anthony DeStefano reads his dazzling new book, Our Lady's Wardrobe, showcasing Mary's most famous apparitions. WATCH NOW Sophia Book Reviews A selection of reviews of Sophia books Our Lady's Wardrobe in the National Catholic Register by Sarah Reinhard Let’s start with what may be the best. Mary. Book. Ever: Our Lady’s Wardrobe, by Anthony DeStefano, illustrated by Juliana Kolesova (Sophia Institute Press, 2020). When we opened the envelope that had this book and I pulled it out, my five-year-old exclaimed, “Oh, Mom, it’s so BEAUTIFUL!” And then we had to sit right down and read it together. Because even though Mary is a girl and this is a book that could be considered a series of fashion plates, it’s still Mama Mary and a brand-new book. READ MORE Immortal Combat in the Imaginative Conservative  by Joseph Pearce It was, I believe, C.S. Lewis who said, speaking of the mediaeval mind and culture, that “the very air was thick with angels.” If, however, angels are real and not merely figments of the imagination, mediaeval or otherwise, the very air is as thick with their spiritual presence in our own time as in any other; and not merely in the physical air that we breathe but also in that much more important metaphysical “air” with which we think. . . . Such thoughts are at the enlightened heart of Immortal Combat: Confronting the Heart of Darkness by Fr. Dwight Longenecker, who will need no introduction to readers of The Imaginative Conservative. READ MORE A Storybook of Saints in the Catholic News Agency by Perry West A new children’s book aims to tell the heroic stories of saints in a way that captures the interest, and imagination, of Catholic kids. Elizabeth Hanna Pham, a Catholic mother of four boys with another on the way, said she decided to write A Storybook of Saints when she struggled to find a book on the saints that was relatable and inspiring to her own children. “I just found that it was really hard to find a saint book that worked for all of their ages and that was engaging, where they really understood the stories and appreciated them. A lot of saint books have a lot of facts and a lot of things that maybe they didn't really understand,” she told CNA. READ MORE Sophia Staff Spotlight Meet the Warehouse Crew Meet the team that pulls, packs, and ships all the orders that come into Sophia. Often the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave at night, Dave B., Ethan, Dave M., and Nancy epitomize the phrase "work hard, play hard." Hundreds of orders run through each of their work stations each week, leaving precious little time for their intense ping pong matches. They've got the classic rock, country or Christian tunes going at all times, so our warehouse is the liveliest and most fun place to visit any time of day. They’re a dream team and we're blessed to have their joyful and diligent presence in our company. Hot Topic Features Selections from Sophia websites Let's Never Go Back to "Normal" By Michel Therrien We’re all hoping that life will return to “normal” in a few weeks, at least to some extent. We’re also hearing (often from the same source) that life will never be the same because of COVID-19. Obviously, we all want certain things to return to normal as soon as possible. We want to receive the sacraments and go back to work. We also want an end to (or at least a lessening of) the social distancing measures. Yet some things should never return to normal. God has embedded some important lessons that we need to learn from this experience, and which we would be wise to retain. The most evident is how innovative clergy and ministry leaders have become in helping people stay connected to their parish and our mission as Christ’s own Body. We’ve seen a revolution in the use of social media, for example—or at least it has been a revolution for Catholic parishes. Beyond the live-streamed daily events and the push for online giving, we’ve seen people gathering over Zoom for Bible study, or to pray the rosary together. We’ve seen a proliferation of guides to at-home activities parents can do with their children, now that they’re actually able to spend time with each other. While some souls will sadly fall away now that their Sunday Mass routine has been broken, I for one have seen various members of Christ’s body being awakened out of their spiritual atrophy. READ MORE Hungry For Conversation? Here Are Some Catholic Questions To Get You Going By Chloe Langr More than likely, you’re aching for human connection right now. We can’t go see our friends when we want to, or get together with our family. With public Masses canceled, we’re missing our church communities and small groups. You’re probably in your home, seeing the same four walls and same faces day in, day out. Or maybe you live alone and the only way you can connect with others is a passing “hello” to neighbors and a phone call with your loved ones. But you’re not only hungry for human connection, you’re hungry for conversations about things that matter. Maybe you’d love to talk about anything but the coronavirus, but that’s where conversations tend when you chat with friends and family. Here are a Catholic conversation starters few to get you off and running! READ MORE Bl. Franz Jägerstätter: Martyr & Dad By Richard Becker Martyrdom is inimical to human fatherhood – or, at least, it seriously goes against the grain. When men of character sign up for marriage and children, they know they’re committing themselves to provide and protect, and to be there for the long haul. “Fatherhood is giving life to others,” Pope Francis teaches us, and a true father “knows what it means to protect his children.” Getting killed just doesn’t square with those commitments. But fathers do get martyred — like St. Thomas More, the famed chancellor of England who lost his head after refusing to recognize the king as the head of the Church. You might already be familiar with More’s final moments – that he went blithely to his death, jesting with the executioner – but reject any notion that More was OK with his fate. Unlike some martyrs’ accounts we read, the saintly lawyer and politician clearly eschewed martyrdom, and understandably so. READ MORE Classics Corner A selection of Sophia classics for your spiritual needs Book Industry Update Faith-Based Books Multiply on COVID-19 Crisis By Emma Wenner   As the COVID-19 crisis continues to grip the globe, a number of publishers are adjusting to meet the changing needs of readers. Demand is high for uplifting content and spiritual guidance due to the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic. Religion publishers are meeting these concerns by adding timely notes to existing titles and acquiring drop-in titles that directly address the novel coronavirus, God, and faith. READ MORE Product Catalog Stay abreast of Sophia’s book offerings, published at a rate of five fresh titles per month!  VIEW NEW RELEASES