J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth — the world of “The Lord of the Rings” and now the new animated film “The War of the Rohirrim” — was born, first and foremost, from Tolkien’s intense and lifelong love for language.

On Pope Francis’ 88th birthday, two major newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean published two different excerpts from his new book on hope.

Childish musings and wonder can give way to mystery as we get older and the idea of a young woman conceived without sin, bearing the son of God seems so far away from everyday life.

In the spirit of happy browsing, here are some suggestions for Christmas book-giving (not “gifting”!) at a historical moment that needs equal doses of realism and hope.

Catholic Review Managing Editor George P. Matysek Jr. talks with two Daughters of St. Paul about their new books geared to children.

In preparation for the Holy Year 2025, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, the Vatican publishing house, prepared collections of Pope Francis’ writing and preaching about Christian virtues with new introductions from the pope.

Libreria Editrice Vaticana, the Vatican’s publishing house, has granted Word on Fire the exclusive English-language rights to translate and publish the collected works of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, which were written in the late pope’s native German.

An Italian publisher announced the global release in January of “Hope,” a book it described as Pope Francis’ autobiography, which the pope apparently planned to have released only after his death.

In his “The Mystical Theology,” pseudo-Dionysius wrote that “theology is both immense and most small and that the Gospel is broad and great and yet concise” as “the Good Cause of all is expressed with many words and yet with few and is even wordless, for there is no word or knowledge able to express It.”

Argentine prosecutors issued a request that a formal inquiry be opened into allegations of human trafficking and exploitation made against Opus Dei — accusations the organization has “categorically” denied.