March 2025
The Mole of Vatican Council II
By Richard A. Zmuda
In The Mole of Vatican Council II, Richard A. Zmuda weaves together the story of the real-life priest and journalist Father Xavier Rynne, who worked secretly to uncover a conspiracy among the Roman Curia to put a stop to the radical vision of the Second Vatican Council. Although technically a work of historical fiction, the overarching story is drawn directly from eyewitness accounts of Vatican II and Rynne’s own writings and stretches from the election of Pope John XXIII in 1958 to the Council’s closing ceremonies in 1965.
While the idea of a thriller set during Vatican II might seem strange at first, Zmuda executes it masterfully, balancing a faithful recounting of historical events with plenty of gripping palace intrigue. You might get some curious looks reading it at the beach this summer, but you won’t be able to put it down long enough to notice.
—Nathaniel Hunter, associate editor, U.S. Catholic
For readers of all ages who want the real story behind Vatican II but also want to read what the Irish Catholic calls a “singular and entertaining book.” —ACTA Publications
Paperback: $19.95
Available at bookstores or from Ave Maria Press at actapublications.com
February 2025
We Are Only Saved Together
By Colin Miller
We navigate a time where it sometimes feels easier to be divided from one another rather than united. Whether because of the rise of social media or intense political rifts, real human connection feels more out of reach than ever before. Colin Miller, a Catholic Worker, faces this problem in We Are Only Saved Together, reminding us that authentic relationships are not only fulfilling but necessary in order to reach a common good.
Reflecting on the vision of Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker movement, Miller pushes for readers not simply to become Catholic Workers themselves but rather to discover the humanity—and holiness—that rests inside everyone around us. Building community, as Miller explains, is messy work that can make us feel like fools, but “by being such fools—together—we discover, even now, the joy for which we are destined.”
—James Chung McKenna, editorial assistant, U.S. Catholic
Drawing from the traditions of the Catholic Worker movement, We Are Only Saved Together illustrates how true fulfillment lies in authentic relationships and the pursuit of the common good. —Ave Maria Press
Paperback: $17.95
Available at bookstores or from Ave Maria Press at avemariapress.com
January 2025
Composing Sacred Scripture: How the Bible Was Formed
By Donald Senior, CP
Father Donald Senior’s remarkable career in biblical scholarship was not limited to academic scholarship. He made biblical studies accessible to everyone, drawing people of faith into a personal reading of scripture. Composing Sacred Scripture is no different: It provides readers the opportunity to deepen one’s knowledge of scripture and to nourish one’s spiritual life.
Readers gain appreciation of the formation of the books of the Bible. This book discloses the process of collecting the written books that became the Bible over a long period of time. It reveals that the Bible is not a homogenous collection of books but rather a rich variety of literary narratives that form the essence of our faith. This book helps believers appreciate the fact that the Bible is the “word of God” but written in human language. The Bible is not just a historical narrative more so, it is the Word of God that nourishes the faith of believers.
—Rev. Ferdinand Okorie, C.M.F., editor-in-chief, U.S. Catholic
Don Senior deftly describes the anatomy of the Bible, the history of its development, and how God’s Word is revealed through human words. —Liturgical Training Press
Paperback: $13.95
Available at bookstores or from Liturgical Training Press at ltp.org
