Religion Resources from the Newburgh Free Library: Catholicism

This biographical dictionary is an unrivalled source of information about the astonishing succession of churchmen who have loomed large on the world scene for almost 2,000 years. The Dictionary contains concise accounts not only of all the officially recognized popes from St. Peter to John Paul II, but also of all their irregularly elected rivals, the so-called antipopes; it also has an appendix recording the once generally credited but long discarded, tradition that at some date in the ninth, tenth, or eleventh century there was a femal pope called Joan. Each pope and antipope is assigned an entry which covers, except where (as in the early centuries) no information is available, his family and social background and pre-papal career as well as his activities in office, and each entry has its separate select bibliography, usually including references to the primary source for the pope's life and his official acts. The popes have been deliberately arranged in chronological rather than alphabetical order so that each can be studied in his own historical context. The arrangement also means that the book is in effect a continuous history of the papacy. Based on careful research, but eminently readable, it provides revealing vignettes of the extraordinary variety of men who have claimed to be successors of St. Peter, and their varying involvement on great power politics, personal or family aggrandizement, theological controversy, or spiritual leadership. It also presents a graphic and moving picture of the fluctuating fortunes of the Christian church centered in Rome, sometimes submerged by secular forces, but at other times, under popes of determination and vision, staging a spectacular revival and confronting the world (as today) with a daunting challenge. About the Author: J.N.D. Kelly is formerly principal of St. Edmund Hall, Oxford. Features: A matchless resource on the history of the Papacy Chronologically arranged and fully indexed Filled with compelling vignettes and portraits

Heaven Help Us! Your days of worry and frustration are over. Whoever you are, whatever you do, there’s a patron saint who wants to help you—specifically you—with your troubles.This Saint Will Change Your Lifefeatures 300 patron saints for every person and situation imaginable.      •  There are patron saints for travelers, vegetarians, and women in labor.      •  For gamblers, lawyers, and parents with disappointing children.      •  For families stressed by houseguests.      •  For victims of toothaches, appendicitis, and sore throats.      •  For beekeepers, booksellers, sailors, schoolgirls, and even (we kid you not) vampire hunters! This Saint Will Change Your Life!describes the real-life histories of an amazing variety of holy figures from the Christian faith and reveals how each became associated with particular beneficiaries. Also included are reproductions of 300 full-color holy cards depicting these heavenly helpers in all their glory. From the Trade Paperback edition.

Named as one of the top "50 resources for the Millennium" by "LibraryJournal, The New Catholic Encyclopedia" has long been regarded as one of the best core references in use today by libraries and religious organizationsaround the world. The first revision in 30 years, the 15-volume Encyclopedia includes more than 12,000 entries from a wide breadth of concerns.Gale Group