Michael J. Ruszala - Catholic Author, Evangelist, Church Musician, and Speaker

"St. Joseph as Priest, Prophet, and King within the Holy Family"

I am honored to be presenting for the Northern Erie Lay Vicariate Lenten Lecture Series at 7:30 PM Monday, March 14th at St. Leo the Great Church!

Click here to watch on live-stream. Click here to download slides.

New Book by Michael: St. Michael the Archangel: Ancient Defender of God's People

From ancient Jewish rabbis through the Bible and into the Church in every age, Michael the Archangel has quite the story to be told, and even more so, quite the job still to do! This prince of the heavenly host and protector of God’s people is seen behind the scenes from the most ancient of times down to the present day.

In this book, we will piece together what the Bible and tradition tell us about angels in general, their being and roles, and about where St. Michael may fit in with the choirs of angels. We trace the interaction with and devotion to St. Michael throughout Church history, recounting various apparitions, healings, prayers, and notable churches named after the archangel.

Amazon Customer Review: "This book is a very thorough description of angels and how they fit in with the devil and human beings. In describing St Michael the author goes back to the writings between 300 & 200 BC. He describes what was written about him in the old as well as the new testaments of the Bible. He then describes how St Michael was honored by early Christians. He then talks about his aide to those in Medieval times and even how he had an impact on Pope Leo XIII in 1884. The conclusion of the book is a Litany in Honor of St Michael. I would easily classify this book as one I would recommend to everyone." - JL Borsberry

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A Reader's Study of the Gospels: The Gospel of John

Wyatt North's A Reader's Study of the Gospels series, written by Michael J. Ruszala, contains an engaging narrative and commentary on each gospel.

A Reader's Study of the Gospels: The Gospel of John assists the reader to understand the fourth gospel's theology and symbolism in presenting Jesus as God’s eternal Word, the Light of the World, the Bread of Life, the Good Shepherd, and much more.

Amazon Customer Review: "This book taught me quite a bit about the Gospel of John. I learned many items that I never before realized: from the Prologue statements of 'In the beginning was the Word' and its parallel to the Book of Genesis thru the Agony in the Garden and the band of soldiers (600 men) to the Resurrection Epilogue being similar to earlier events in the life of Jesus. The author's style made this book very interesting but also very informative with much information I never heard before. You will not be disappointed by this book." -JL Borsberry

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Lives of the Saints Complete: January - December

The world needs saints to show it the way to true humanity. The Church needs saints to show it how to live out its calling.The witness of the lives of the saints is a powerful testimony to the reality of God’s plan and the possibility for truly following it in one’s life. So often, we do not see this witness. We see hypocrisy and mediocrity among Christians. That is why we must look to the saints — the ones who really followed the words of Christ and let them be carried out fully in their lives. The saints also give us a reason to hope. Saints were not born; they were made through a life of cooperation with God’s grace despite many difficulties, weaknesses, and temptations.This book, written from a Catholic perspective, provides an overview to the lives of the saints celebrated the entirety of the Roman calendar. It covers the whole Church year, and makes for inspirational spiritual reading any time of the year, providing an introduction to the patron saints for many walks of life. Included are the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, Apostles like St. Peter and St. Paul, early martyrs like St. Perpetua and St. Felicity, early evangelizers like St. Patrick, medieval giants such as St. Thomas Aquinas, American saints such as St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. John Neumann, and many others.

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Lives of the Saints (Volume IV)

The world needs saints to show it the way to true humanity. The Church needs saints to show it how to live out its calling.

This book, The Lives of the Saints: Volume IV (October – December), brings to completion a series of four volumes on the lives of the saints, covering the memorials, feasts, and solemnities of the whole Church year, in addition to several of the many optional memorials. This last volume brings with it some of the most beloved of the saints, including St. Therese of the Child Jesus, the Holy Guardian Angels, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Cecelia, and St. Nicholas.

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Lives of the Saints (Volume III)

Lives of the Saints (Volume II)

"Guide for Altar Servers" by Michael from Liguori Publications

"This short, interactive booklet is an essential tool for any youth preparing to serve at Mass or training for the role of acolyte. Key terms, liturgical guidance, and practical tips are presented in a simple and friendly tone with questions, activities, and full-color photos. Servers continually change as older children move to other roles or serve the parish in other ways, and new children require training. Guide for Altar Servers is a practical, complete, and cost-effective tool."

Click here for softcover on Amazon

Lives of the Saints (Volume I)

"The world needs saints to show it the way to true humanity. The Church needs saints to show it how to live out its calling. The witness of the lives of the saints is a powerful testimony to the reality of God’s plan and the possibility for truly following it in one’s life. So often, we do not see this witness. We see hypocrisy and mediocrity among Christians. That is why we must look to the saints — the ones who really followed the words of Christ and let them be carried out fully in their lives. The saints also give us a reason to hope. Saints were not born; they were made through a life of cooperation with God’s grace despite many difficulties, weaknesses, and temptations. This book, written from a Catholic perspective, provides an overview to the lives of the saints celebrated from January to March on the Roman calendar. It is the first in a series, which will cover the whole Church year. It makes for inspirational spiritual reading any time of the year, providing an introduction to the patron saints for many walks of life. Included are the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, Apostles like St. Peter and St. Paul, early martyrs like St. Perpetua and St. Felicity, early evangelizers like St. Patrick, medieval giants such as St. Thomas Aquinas, American saints such as St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. John Neumann, and many others."

Click here for Kindle | Click here for softcover on Amazon

"Who Created God?"

Description

Has an inquisitive child ever stumped you with a question such as, “Who created God?” “What is Heaven like?” or “Why did God create the world? Was he lonely?” These questions have actually been pondered by great thinkers such as St. Thomas Aquinas, who, guided by faith, based his answers on solid principles. Who Created God? A Teacher’s Guidebook for Answering Children’s Tough Questions about God connects common children’s religious questions with probable answers based on the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas. It makes the issues accessible to the adult layperson and provides lesson plans and activities for adults to convey them to children and young people. Adult readers and child-listeners alike will be intrigued! And both will come away with an appreciation that our faith is indeed reasonable and understandable.

Who Should Read Who Created God?

It is for catechists, religion teachers, homeschool teachers, and parents of 4th-9th grade students, and anyone who still has the gift of wonder and just wants to know!

Promo Video

Sample Video

Direct purchase with free shipping within USA only. See below for international. Click here for Kindle version.

Key Features

Based on questions from real faith formation children on fundamental topics about God
Follows the flow and spirit of St. Thomas' Summa Theologica and likewise grounded in Scripture
Reviewed by catechists, school educators, and theologians
Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat obtained to ensure doctrinal integrity
Each question addressed by way of an intuitive structure designed for busy catechists:

"Background for the Catechist" presents the issue in terms for the adult layperson
"Reflection for the Catechist" offers review questions to help the catechist understand and apply the teachings
"Presentation Ideas" offers lesson planning
"Review for the Students" provides assessment
"Prayer Service" or "Meditation" connects the lesson to the life of prayer for the students

Charming illustrations make the issues come alive
Several student worksheets are provided
Helpful Glossary of terms with keywords in boldface throughout the text
Easy to find what you're looking for

Detailed Table of Contents to help the catechist quickly flip to the desired page
Questions / Chapters marked at the top of the pages

Provides the fruit of years of research, study, teaching, writing, and editing

Special Features of the Kindle Version

The text and illustrations are beautifully formatted for enjoyable reading on all devices
Easy navigation

Clickable two-level Table of Contents, easily accessible from all parts of the book
Keywords in the text linked to the Glossary
References within the book linked
Can be read on nearly any device by downloading the free Kindle app from Amazon

Foreword by Adam Janke, MA (Program Director, St. Paul Street Evangelization)
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Question 1: Does God Really Exist?
Question 2: Why Did God Create the World? Was He Lonely?
Question 3: Who Created God?
Question 4: What Does God Look Like?
Question 5: How Big Is God and Where Is He?
Question 6: How Does God Rule Creation?
Question 7: If God Created Everything, Did God Create Evil?
Question 8: What Is Heaven Like?
Question 9: Aren’t Humans Just Monkeys with Bigger Brains?
Question 10: Did Jesus Create the World?
Question 11: If Something Is Wrong in one Culture, Could It Be Right in Another Culture?
Appendix: The Life and Teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas
Glossary
About the Author

Customer Review

"Thought provoking for adults with easy to understand concepts that provide you with basic Catholic truths you can relay to children and adults alike." (from Barbara O. on Amazon)

Author

Michael J. Ruszala is an experienced and certified parish catechetical leader. He holds an M.A. in Theology & Christian Ministry and a B.A. in Philosophy and Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. The author of several religious books, Michael also serves as an adjunct university lecturer in religious studies. For more information, please visit www.michaeljruszala.com .

How to Purchase

Now available on Amazon in Kindle for $7.99 and in softcover for $13.99 (USA) plus shipping. Click here for a link for Kindle, and click here for softcover from Amazon. Or to purchase a signed copy directly from the author, for $13.99 and free shipping within USA, see below.

Attention parishes, schools, and organization leaders: Inquire about group discounts starting at just 5 copies.

About Michael

Feedback on talks

“It was awesome… I love Michael’s talks!”
“Informative, well presented, good discussion.”
“You are a great speaker--to say nothing about your wealth of knowledge! I was totally impressed with your talk.”
“Presenter really seems to practice what he preaches – his wisdom and character lends credibility to the presentation and are educational in themselves…. Really appreciate the facilitation at the end of the talk to bring out more comment and feedback.”