Companion Guide to Pope Benedict's the Fathers [Paperback]

Mike Aquilina (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 26, 2008

Popular author Mike Aquilina s encyclopedic knowledge of the Church Fathers intersects seamlessly with Pope Benedict XVI's insightful reflections about them in this faith-building companion guide.

It shows that the Fathers are much more than wise men from ages past who sacrificed their lives for what they believed: they are teachers and philosophers, orators and pastors, leaders and problem solvers, martyrs and heroes whose stories and example are still relevant today.
Discover a wealth of inspiration and insight on twenty-six Fathers of the Church as well as thoughtful reflection/discussion questions on what His Holiness and the Fathers have said. Divided into six sections, the Companion Guide to Pope Benedict's The Fathers provides an easy road map for parish study groups or independent study.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mike Aquilina is vice-president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. He has written or edited more than a dozen books on Catholic history, doctrine, and devotion, including The Fathers of the Church and The Mass of the Early Christians.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor (December 26, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592765424
• ISBN-13: 978-1592765423
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #917,802 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mike Aquilina is author or editor of more than thirty books, including The Fathers of the Church, The Mass of the Early Christians, and A Year with the Church Fathers. He has co-hosted eight series that air on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). He has co-authored books with Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., and theologian Scott Hahn. He is past editor of New Covenant magazine and The Pittsburgh Catholic newspaper. He appears weekly on Sirius Radio's "Sonrise Morning Show." Mike and his wife, Terri, have six children, who are the subject of his book Love in the Little Things.

In 2011 Mike was a featured presenter of the U.S. Bishops' Diocesan Educational/Catechetical Leadership Institute. He also wrote the USCCB's theological reflection for Catechetical Sunday in 2011.

His reviews, essays and journalism have appeared in many journals, including First Things, Touchstone, Crisis, Our Sunday Visitor, National Catholic Register, and Catholic Heritage. He contributed work on early Christianity to the Encyclopedia of Catholic Social Thought.

Mike is a also poet whose works have appeared in U.S. literary journals and have been translated into Polish and Spanish. He shared songwriting credits with Grammy Award-winner Dion DiMucci on the forthcoming album "Tank Full of Blues."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Popularizing the Fathers, January 2, 2009

By 

Rich Leonardi (Cincinnati, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Companion Guide to Pope Benedict's the Fathers (Paperback)

The "Companion Guide to Pope Benedict's the Fathers" is a valuable resource that should help popularize the Holy Father's recent cycle of catecheses on the Fathers of the Church. Mike Aquilina is an expert on this subject, and in the book's introduction he explains who and what the Fathers are and why we ought to study them. He groups Pope Benedict's addresses (or "audiences" as they are properly called) into six sessions, with one Father serving as the session "representative." Within the sessions, which are linked to an era in Church history, each Father is given one or two pages, with a synopsis of the papal address, a list of its main points, and a series of questions for discussion and reflection. All in all, it is a pleasing, well-organized format. This companion guide should prove to be an excellent aid for group or individual study, and my men's fellowship group will be using it later this year. Also worth noting is the beautiful cover design by Lindsey Luken -- the book is more attractive than Our Sunday Visitor's edition of Pope Benedict's The Fathers! Highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Aquilina's Companion Guide to Pope Benedict's The Fathers, April 1, 2011

By 

Terry Fenwick (Half Moon Bay, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Companion Guide to Pope Benedict's the Fathers (Paperback)

Author Mike Aquilina's "encyclopedic knowledge" of the Church Fathers intersects seamlessly with Pope Benedict XVI's insightful reflections about the Church Fathers in this faith-building companion guide! The goal of Pope Benedict XVI was that millions of ordinary Christians would get to know those heroes of the faith better. This has been the same goal we have seen in Aquilina's writings on the Church Fathers in his earlier books.

The sample pages speak of the 26 chapters on the 26 Fathers. "The Companion Guide shows that the Fathers are much more than wise men from ages past who sacrificed more than their lives for what they believed: they are teachers and philosophers, orators and pastors, leaders and problem solvers, martyrs and heros whose stories and examples are still relevant today."

Mike Aquilina is thought of as the best writer and speaker on the Early Church Fathers today. He set out to know these men years ago and has done it. When you hear Mike speak on the Fathers, you will feel like you know them. I, personally, have listened to Aquilina's interviews on Discerning Hearts and find I listen over and over finding something new each time. This, too, was the goal of Pope Benedict XVI!

Again, it would be easy to see groups in the Church using these two books to study and learning how our Church made it those early years. The writings of these Church Fathers is as fresh today as it was when it was written and, we are reminded, what the Church taught in those early years has been taught down through the centuries. Truth never changes.

Check the book, click the LOOK INSIDE! on the picture of Companion Guide; see a sample of what is inside. When you are there, read the Introduction and see the chapter titles. The book is well done!

Go look now! http://www.amazon.com/Companion-Guide-Pope-Benedicts-Fathers/dp/1592765424/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Companion Guide to Pope Benedict's the Fathers, December 6, 2010

By 

Elaine - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Companion Guide to Pope Benedict's the Fathers (Paperback)

Our study group at Church is using this to learn more about our Christian heritage. It is a good resource for the book, The Fathers of the Church, Expanded Edition and also for Church Fathers: From Clement of Rome to Augustine.