Fr. Matt’s Christian Resource Recommendations

 

Videos

Radio/Podcasts

Bible

Books

  • Primer on Prayer by Fr. Thomas Dubay

  • Interior Freedom by Fr. Jacques Philippe

  • Be Healed and Be Transformed by Bob Schuchts

Comic Books (a.k.a. “Graphic Novels”) about the Saints

Marriage

  • Marriage Unhindered https://relevantradio.com/2024/01/gentle-conversations-and-the-sanctity-of-marriage-marriage-unhindered/

  • 5 Top Marriage Help Books from Relationship Experts
    * Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Dr. Sue Johnson
    * The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by Jon Gottman, PhD and Nan Silver
    * Wired for Love: How understanding Your Partner’s Brain and Attachment Style can Help You Defuse Conflict and Build a Secure Relationship by Stan Tatkin, Psyd.
    * I Love You But I Don’t Trust You: The complete guide to restoring trust in your relationship by Mira Kirshenbaum
    * The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman

  • Twin Cities Retrouvaille – for troubled marriages www.tcr-mn.org

Charisms

  • Charism = extraordinary power from the Holy Spirit given to individual baptized Christians for the sake of building up the Church
    *Not primarily given for the individual’s benefit
    *Charisms are not natural talents (although God can transform a natural talent)
          – Not inherited by parents but by God
          – Supernaturally empowered–focused outward and beyond our natural human abilities
    *Can be permanent gifts or temporary (i.e. given for a short time or a specific instance)
    *Charisms need to be discovered and developed

  • 24 Most Common Charisms:
    * PASTORAL CHARISMS (Focus: nurture of individuals & community)
         ▪ Encouragement [Bl. Carlo Actuis]
         ▪ Hospitality [St. Benedict]
         ▪ Helps (positively enabling another) [Bl. Michael Sopocko]
         ▪ Pastoring (shepherding a small group) [St. John Bosco]
         ▪ Mercy [St. Teresa of Calcutta]
    * COMMUNICATION CHARISMS (Focus: transforming lives through communicating truth)
         ▪ Evangelism [St. Jphn Paul II]
         ▪ Prophecy [St. Paul VI]
         ▪ Teaching [St. Elizabeth Ann Seton]
    * ORGANIZATIONAL CHARISMS (Focus: meeting structural needs of organization/group)
         ▪ Giving [St. Gregory the Great]
         ▪ Leadership [St. Maximilian Kolbe]
         ▪Service (recognizing unmet needs) [St. Damien of Molokai]
         ▪Administration [St. Francis de Sales]
    * CHARISMS OF HEALING (Focus: being a channel of God’s healing & restoration)
         ▪ Healing [St. Charbel]
         ▪ Intercessory Prayer [St. Teresa of Avila]
    * CHARISMS OF UNDERSTANDING (Focus: understanding the ways of God and humanity)
         ▪ Knowledge [St. Thomas Aquinas]
         ▪ Wisdom [St. Catherine of Sienna]
         ▪ Discernment of Spirits [St. Ignatius of Loyola]
    * LIFESTYLE CHARISMS (Focus: distinctive lifestyle and freedom for unusual ministry)
         ▪ Celibacy [St.Kateri]
         ▪ Faith [St. Teresa of Calcutta]
         ▪ Missionary [St. Paul]
         ▪ Voluntary Poverty [St. Francis of Assisi]
    * CREATIVE CHARISMS (Focus: creative activity that orders and beautifies)
         ▪ Craftsmanship [Bl. Fra Angelico]
         ▪ Music [St. Hildegard of Bingen]
         ▪ Writing [J.R.R. Tolkein, St. Therese of Lisieux]

  • For more information, look at “Called and Gifted” from The Catherine of Siena Institute (siena.org).

 

St. Gregory The Great