Caryll Houselander

First published over half a century ago, Caryll Houselander's The Reed of God is a spiritual classic that deserves to be rediscovered by a whole new generation of readers. Houselander's beautiful and profound mediation depicts the intimately human side of Mary, Mother of God, as an empty reed waiting for God's music to be played through her. She shares her insightful and beautiful vision of Mary on earth, Mary among us, Mary as a confused but trusting teenager whose holiness flowered with her eternal "Yes."

The Reed of God

More of Caryll Houselander's delightful stories of princes and gypsies, bishops and bears, and Catholic boys and girls to remind us that especially in young souls the Faith is quite strong, and evil is never a match for goodness.

More Catholic Tales for Boys and Girls

"Caryll Houselander (1901-54) an English Catholic laywoman, artist, and visionary best known for works such as A Rocking Horse Catholic, The Reed of God, and The Way of the Cross was driven by a strong identification with the poor that enabled her, in fresh and insightful ways, to proclaim the "Christing of the World." Wendy Wright interweaves Houselander's words and images into an intimate encounter with this fascinating woman, a "divine eccentric," and a gifted reader of souls." --Book Jacket.

Essential Writings

Although forgotten until quite recently, Caryll Houselander, who died in 1954, was a sensitive and profound English Roman Catholic writer on Christian spirituality. In this critical edition of her 1949 book The Passion of the Infant Christ, Houselander argues that the physical world is an "inscaped" revelation of the mind of the Creator. Every concrete object and every temporal event mirrors the eternal, just as the circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus mirror the circumstances surrounding his death and resurrection. Editor Kerry Walters discusses both Houselander's life and the primary themes of The Passion of the Infant Christ in his introduction to this critical edition of one of Houselander's most insightful books.

Critical Edition

The Passion of the Infant Christ

According to author Caryll Houselander, the secrets of Jesus' "little way" are disclosed only by Jesus as an infant. She details them in this moving series of spiritual reflections. This beautiful book will give you new love for the Child Jesus who, for your sake, was bound by helplessness in the manger as firmly as He would later be bound by nails on the Cross.

How the Christ Child Leads You to God

The Little Way of the Infant Jesus

Tales about Catholic children to form your own little ones in holy wisdom and piety Caryll Houselander is best known for the intensity of her vision of the suffering Christ and His immeasurable love for us, a theme that she frequently spoke of with breathtaking luminosity in her many books about Him. Few know, however, of the many remarkable stories she wrote for Catholic children — delightful tales that are simple but not shallow. Indeed, like her books for adults, they manifest a tender love of Christ and His little ones not commonly found among us these days. Here are twelve of Houselander’s best tales, charmingly illustrated with Renée George’s lively drawings of pirates and princesses, castles and kings. Through the tale of Jack and Jim, even young children will grasp the meaning of Christ’s suffering; in Racla the Gypsy, they’ll discover the charity which is at the heart of the Eucharist; in the The Curé’s Guest, they’ll see how Christ makes up for the sins of others. All the stories touch on Catholic themes, but these tales are not really catechetical. Yes, they do take for granted that Catholicism — especially prayer and the Mass — plays a large role in the lives of these children, but they do something more . . . and more important. Tale after tale introduces children to the tender love that Jesus has for each of them, and to the fire of love for Him that can burn in the hearts of Catholics — even in the hearts of little ones like themselves. There is no better gift you can give to a young child. Read an excerpt.

Catholic Tales for Boys & Girls

Originally published in 1941, this book by the renowned British mystic and spiritual writer Caryll Houselander is once again new as modern readers learn from Houselander's encouragement of her compatriots to view their experience of World War II through the lens of Christ's passion. Writing with the intensity and immediacy of life in London during the blitz, Houselander's thought-provoking reflections continue to speak to believers today about the complex challenge they face to find Christ in the midst of the War on Terror. Writing in the tradition of Julian of Norwich, Catherine of Siena, and Teresa of Avila, Houselander's words resonate with Christians today regardless of their perspective on theology and the Church.

This War Is the Passion

Shaped around the writings of Caryll Houselander, "A Child in Winter" is a daybook for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. It serves as a faithful companion as readers watch in Advent and grow large with the presence of God through Christmas and Epiphany. Readers can enter these holy seasons with an increased faith, renewed joy and the promise of transformation and fulfillment.

Caryll Houselander

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