Jennifer Ristine interviewed Liz Tabish, the actress who plays Mary Magdalene on The Chosen. Click play on the video below.
Companion to Becoming Magdalene: Journaling and Shared Group Discussion, a spiritual exercises guidebook
by Jennifer Ristine
Companion to Becoming Magdalene is a spiritual exercises guidebook designed for journaling, reflection, and group sharing. Rooted in the dynamics of St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises, it invites readers to journey with Mary Magdalene through Scripture, prayer, and personal experience, discovering God’s love, mercy, and transformative call. Ideal for individual devotion, retreats, or group study, it nurtures faith, hope, and discipleship.
Paperback $9.99
TESTIMONIALS
“I feel like I just met the Magdalene. What a beautiful blending of biblical and pious traditions with profound spiritual and psychological insight, the work not only of good scholarship but even more a true contemplative!” – Dr. Anthony Lilles, St. Patrick’s Seminary and University, Menlo Park, CA, co-founder the Avila Institute of Spiritual Formation
“Jennifer Ristine brings Mary Magdalene to vivid life, revealing the childhood wounds that shaped her into the woman we encounter in the Gospels—and how Jesus transformed her into the model of a female disciple. Weaving biblical scholarship with Ignatian spirituality, Ristine creates an original retreat experience. Following the “apostle of the apostles” through her story, familiar Gospel scenes come alive in startling new ways, while you discover the deeper terrain of your own wounded heart in need of divine mercy. A reading experience that becomes a spiritual journey—where Mary Magdalene’s story of redemption becomes a mirror for your own.” -Dr. Nina Heereman, author of Athirst for the Spirit: Biblical Wisdom for Desert Times
“Jesus Christ is the greatest storyteller of all time. HIStory is the one which matters most. “Becoming the Magdalene” highlights this reality by brilliantly retelling the story of Jesus through the eyes of Mary Magdalene. Followers of Christ never tire of hearing the words of scripture. Jennifer Ristine is obedient to hierarchical biblical accuracy, as she uses historical facts and recent archaeological findings, with a vibrant imagination, to give spiritual insights on the relationship between Mary Magdalene and her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Readers are brought back to the first century where they will visualize the life and times of Jesus as they pore over every word He speaks in the Gospel. Ristine further explores the complexities and difficulties of the first century Apostles. This book invokes one to utter the perfect prayer with their lives. Through Mary Magdalene’s humility, and her title “Apostle to the Apostles”, we give thanks and praise to Our Lord Jesus Christ. We reflect in self-awareness, which leads to repentance and reparation. And finally, we commit our lives to the service of God.” – Mary Driscoll, Script Analyst/Writer
“I loved reading Becoming Magdalene: Historical Fiction. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres because it lets me learn while still getting lost in a story; and Jennifer Ristine does this so well. The history felt alive, and the storytelling pulled me in from the start.” – Fr. Anton Vogelsang, LC, author of Génesis: Crimen, castigo, bendición and El Éxodo: Conversión y regreso a casa
“This companion guide invites the reader into a prayerful encounter with Mary Magdalene. It beautifully integrates Scripture, reflection, and Ignatian practice, offering both depth and accessibility for those seeking renewal and discipleship.” – Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, author of The Narrative Spirituality of Dante’s Divine Comedy
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jennifer Ristine is a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi, which is a Society of Apostolic Life in the Catholic Church. She consecrated her life to God in 1997 and has been engaged in faith and spiritual formation primarily through teaching, writing, conferences, retreats and spiritual direction. She has been a contributor for RC Spirituality, epriest, and an instructor for the online Spiritual Director Certificate course at Divine Mercy University in Virginia. She is the author of Mary Magdalene: Insights from Ancient Magdala and Nine Days with Mary Magdalene. She served for 12 years as a teacher of pedagogy, theology and spirituality classes at Mater Ecclesiae College, and served from 2014-2018 as the Director of the Magdalena Institute and the Visitors’ Center Coordinator in Magdala, the ancient hometown of Mary Magdalene, a first century Jewish site and Christian pilgrim center. She has obtained degrees in Special Education from Western Illinois University, Pastoral and Religious studies from Regina Apostolorum in Rome, a Masters degree in Theology from Catholic Distance University in Virginia, a Masters in Ignatian Spirituality from the Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid, Spain and has studies in the Masters in the Mystics from CITeS and the Catholic University in Avila, Spain.
OTHER CATHOLIC PRACTICAL THEOLOGY
Knowing God’s Will and Doing it Well: A Ministry Discernment Workbook by Terry A. Modica
Knowing God's Will and Doing it Well: A Ministry Discernment Workbook by Terry Modica; foreword by Bill Snyder Knowing God’s Will and Doing It Well is a compilation of 20 thought-provoking reflections from Terry Modica’s daily Good News Reflections, which have been...
Addressing Loss of Belief in the Real Presence: What we can do as a parish and as an individual to better restore belief in and evangelize Christ’s Eucharistic Presence by Rich May
Addressing Loss of Belief in the Real Presence: What we can do as a parish and as an individual to better restore belief in and evangelize Christ’s Eucharistic Presence by Richard May The greatest crisis in the Church today is the desacralization of our Lord in the...
Your Faith Has Saved You: Homilies for Liturgical Year A–Sundays, Solemnities, and Some Feasts by Rev. John P. Cush, STD
Your Faith Has Saved You: Homilies for Liturgical Year A--Sundays, Solemnities, and Some Feasts by Rev. John P. Cush This book is a collection of homilies for Sundays, solemnities, and major feasts in the Church’s Year A liturgical cycle. It opens with an exploration...
New Insight into Seeing the Holy Spirit at Work in Your Life: God’s Invisible Realities Seen in Your Spiritual Mirror—How to Have Better Discernment; Better Recognize the Holy Spirit; Better Understand the Will of God by Annette Hills
New Insight into Seeing the Holy Spirit at Work in Your Life: God's Invisible Realities Seen in Your Spiritual Mirror—How to Have Better Discernment; Better Recognize the Holy Spirit; Better Understand the Will of God by Annette Hills Have you ever questioned what God...
The Gift of Motherhood
The Gift of Motherhood by A. Young Mother The Gift of Motherhood is a compassionate, accessible guide affirming the dignity of every human life from conception. Blending clear explanations of fetal development with gentle support for women facing unplanned pregnancies...
St. Monica Ministry Manual: A Guide for Drawing Your Loved Ones Back to the Church by Celeste Behe
St. Monica Ministry Manual: A Guide for Drawing Your Loved Ones Back to the Church by Celeste Behe The St. Monica Ministry Manual is a comprehensive guide for forming parish-based communities that provide spiritual and practical support to the families of fallen-away...
En Défense de la Dignité Humaine par Marie Brousseau
En Défense de la Dignité Humaine: Une Perspective Catholique sur l'Identité du Genre, l'Avortement et le Relativisme par Marie Brousseau Dans ces essais, Marie Brousseau, enseignante et essayiste catholique canadienne, aborde les controverses morales les plus...
Embraced: Nurturing Your Child’s Identity in God’s Unconditional Love by Sr. M. Gianna Casino, LIHM
Embraced: Nurturing Your Child's Identity in God's Unconditional Love by Sr. M. Gianna Casino, LIHM Embraced helps parents and catechists nurture a child’s identity in God’s unconditional love. Sr. M. Gianna Casino’s teaching guide to Puffel introduces children to...
10 Steps to Lasting Healing: True Psychology—for Catholics by L K Miller
Listen to L K Miller pray the deliverance prayer. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/abstract-aprils/mullan-sunLicense code: BJOBSLAB2IHQBAAM10 Steps to Lasting Healing: True Psychology—for Catholics by L K Miller For far too long,...
Be a Saint in the Making: The Family Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary through the Intercession of Saint Carlo Acutis by Kristi Dentinger
Be a Saint in the Making: The Family Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary through the Intercession of Saint Carlo Acutis by Kristi Dentinger Be a Saint in the Making is a 16-week family consecration journey to the Immaculate Heart of Mary with the intercession...
Defending Human Dignity: Catholic Answers to Gender, Abortion, and Relativism by Marie Brousseau
Defending Human Dignity: Catholic Answers to Gender, Abortion and Relativism by Marie Brousseau In these essays, Canadian Catholic teacher and essayist Marie Brousseau addresses today’s most pressing moral controversies — from freedom of speech and religion to gender...
Pastoral Lessons: A Study in Pastoral Theology, Theory and Practice by Fr. Richard O Connor
Pastoral Lessons: A Study in Pastoral Theology, Theory and Practice by Fr. Richard O Connor, D.D. This book offers a comprehensive exploration of the priestly vocation in light of Christ's threefold office as King, Prophet, and Priest. Drawing from Scripture, Vatican...
To a Younger Brother by Fr. Eric Gilhooly, LC
To a Younger Brother by Fr. Eric Gilhooly, LC Father Eric Gilhooly, LC has written To a Younger Brother as a very practical and encouraging book for seminarians. The book uses contemporary book, movie, and song examples to offer insightful and realistic advice for...
Miadibes Cares: A Mission of Hope in the Blue Mountains by Kelly Mahfood
All proceeds support the mission trips to Jamaica. Miadibes Cares: A Mission of Hope in the Blue Mountains by Kelly Mahfood This book recounts the founding of a grassroots nonprofit delivering health services to underserved Jamaican communities, beginning in Mount...
Journeying towards Self-Mastery by Fr. Benjamin Bala
Journeying towards Self-Mastery by Fr. Benjamin Bala In this inspiring and deeply personal guide, Catholic priest Benjamin Bala explores the transformative journey of self-mastery. Rooted in Scripture, Church teaching, and practical wisdom, Bala challenges readers to...
Currents of Water: A Widow’s Walk with Jesus and Mary
Wendy Forest presenting Currents of Water at the Mackinaw Valley Vineyard, July 20, 2025Currents of Water: A Widow's Walk with Jesus and Mary by Wendy Forest Currents of Water is a deeply personal and spiritual reflection on grief, faith, and healing. Following her...
Going Solo? Encouraging Single Catholics by Anne Stokes
Going Solo: Encouraging Single Catholics by Anne Stokes In a world that often equates fulfillment with marriage and family, Going Solo: Encouraging Single Catholics offers a refreshing and faith-centered perspective on the joys, challenges, and spiritual purpose of...
The Art of Accompaniment: Practical Steps for the Pastoral Mentor by Sr. Marysia Weber, RSM
The Art of Accompaniment: Practical Steps for the Pastoral Mentor by Sister Marysia Weber, RSM, DO, MA This book presents an integral approach to formation during the vocational synthesis stage, weaving together the human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral...
Your Faith Has Saved You: Homilies for Liturgical Year C–Sundays, Solemnities, and Some Feasts by Rev. John P. Cush, STD
Your Faith Has Saved You: Homilies for Liturgical Year C--Sundays, Solemnities, and Some Feasts by Rev. John P. Cush This book is a collection of homilies crafted for Sundays, solemnities, and significant feasts in the liturgical calendar's Year C cycle. The book...
The Three Ways: Catholic Spiritual Journey
The Three Ways: Catholic Spiritual Journey by Julie McPhillips, OCDS Today, you are invited exactly where you are to consider that your life is on a spiritual journey Home to God. Each is God’s planned creation, and Jesus is “The Way” to our final destination—Eternal...
Smelling Like the Sheep as We Minister to God’s People by Fr. Bill Waters, OSA
Smelling Like the Sheep as We Minister to God's People by Fr. Bill Waters, OSA When Jesus said to go into the whole world and proclaim the Good News, he meant to incorporate his teachings and our faith into the ordinary aspects of our lives. This book includes...
Making the Impossible Possible: It Is All About Who Is With You by Fr. Peter Grover, OMV
Making the Impossible Possible: It Is All About Who Is With You by Fr. Peter Grover, OMV This book explores the transformative power of divine partnership, showing how God works through human imperfections to achieve extraordinary results. Drawing from scripture,...
Magnify Love: Unlocking the Heart of Jesus in Your Marriage and Your Life by Nicole Berlucchi
Check out Nicole's appearance on the Universal Sister Podcast from back when she was still seeking a publisher!Magnify Love: Unlocking the Heart of Jesus in Your Marriage and Your Life by Nicole Berlucchi Uncover the power of the Rosary and Mary’s intercession: how...
Influence of Childhood Experiences on Faith Development: A Journey toward Wholeness by Sr. Adaku Helen Ogbuji, CCVI
Influence of Childhood Experiences on Faith Development: A Journey toward Wholeness by Sr. Adaku Helen Ogbuji, CCVI, PhD This book examines how childhood experiences impact faith development in religious individuals. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with 80...
The Virtue of Affability or Friendliness and its Relevance in Modern Evangelization by Anne Desantis, Th.D.
"An evangelizer must never look like someone who has just come back from a funeral! Let us recover and deepen our enthusiasm." - Evangelii Gaudium, 10The Virtue of Affability or Friendliness and its Relevance in Modern Evangelization by Anne DeSantis, Th.D. This book...
Transgenderism: A Question of Identity by Francis Etheredge
Transgenderism: A Question of Identity by Francis Etheredge We live in difficult times as there are enormous advantages to the internet and, at the same time, profound problems with its use. Is it a distorting mirror or is a true reflection of who we are? On the one...
Curación y Sanación: Elementos Vitales de la Asistencia Sanitaria Católica por Eric Manuel Torres
Curación y Sanación: Elementos Vitales de la Asistencia Sanitaria Católica por Eric Manuel Torres En este estudio, se explorará la importancia de la curación y la sanación, con énfasis en cómo ambas son vitales para la atención sanitaria católica. Este ensayo tiene...
Dealing Effectively with Domestic Abuse: The Ministry of Reconciliation and Healing by Sr. Helen Adaku Ogbuji, CCVI
Dealing Effectively with Domestic Abuse: The Ministry of Reconciliation and Healing By Sr. Adaku Helen Ogbuji, CCVI, PhD "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Eph 5:25). This work examines the different faces of violence...
Freedom and Truth in Suffering: A Moral and Theological Approach for Humanity by Sydney March
Freedom and Truth in Suffering: A Moral and Theological Approach for Humanity by Sydney March, BA (Theology), BSN, MS (Bioethics), MA (Moral Theology), RN, PHN For those who experience suffering and those in the medical profession, this book explores why a proper...
The Father’s Heart: Meet the Real Abba Father–Book One: 10 Spiritual Exercises to Heal from the Wounds of the Heart by Terry A. Modica
The Father's Heart: Meet the Real Abba Father--Book One: 10 Spiritual Exercises to Heal from the Wounds of the Heart by Terry Modica; foreword by Bear Woznick This is the first in a set of three workbooks on The Father’s Heart, all to help you experience the...
Curing and Healing: Vital Elements of Catholic Health Care by Eric Manuel Torres
Curing and Healing: Vital Elements of Catholic Health Care by Eric Manuel Torres In this research, the significance of curing and healing will be explored with an emphasis on how both are vital to Catholic health care. This essay aims to show that only by embracing...
Don’t Plant Your Seeds Among Thorns: A Catholic’s Guide to Recognizing and Healing from Domestic Abuse
Don't Plant Your Seeds Among Thorns: A Catholic's Guide to Recognizing and Healing from Domestic Abuse By Jenny duBay In this book, Jenny duBay helps survivors of intimate partner violence identify their situation and begin to heal. With empathy and compassion, she...
Foundational Principles of a Disciple of Jesus by Fr. Peter Samuel Kucer, MSA
Foundational Principles of a Disciple of Jesus by Fr. Peter Samuel Kucer, MSA These foundational principles were written with the intention of delineating how to be a faithful, healthy, charitable, and truthful disciple of Jesus. Each one is intended to be understood...
Improving your Kids’ Body Image through Catholic Teaching: How Theology of the Body and Other Church Teachings Can Transform your Life by John Acquaviva
Improving your Kids' Body Image through Catholic Teaching: How Theology of the Body and Other Church Teachings Can Transform your Life The Second Edition of Raising Kids with a Healthy Body Image: A Guide for Catholic Parents by Dr. John C. Acquaviva Improving your...
The Art of Listening to Young People: A Pastoral and Scientific Guide
The Art of Listening to Young People: A Pastoral and Scientific Guide by Amoris Christi Listening is a form of encounter that allows us to be with another person, to see through their eyes, and to journey with them. The Art of Listening to Young People uniquely blends...
Handbook for Catholic Religious by Fr. Bevil Bramwell, OMI
Handbook for Catholic Religious by Fr. Bevil Bramwell, OMI Reflecting on the theology of the presence of Christ in the world, particularly from the point of view of the aesthetics of religious life as understood from the writings of Hans Urs von Balthasar, John Paul...
Keep the Basket away from the Casket: Seven Indictments against the Collection of Mass offerings in Church
Keep the Basket away from the Casket: Seven Indictments against the Collection of Mass Offerings in Church by Fr. Eugen Nkardzedze Keep the Basket away from the Casket not only poses a challenge to the acquisition and use of money in the Church, but it also offers a...
From Where Shall Come Our Help? The Lament of Abused Persons by Henry Ogbuji
From Where Shall Come Our Help? The Lament of Abused Persons by Henry Onwusoro Ogbuji This work of practical theology offers an alternative framework for addressing the global phenomenon of domestic violence, putting on the table a transformative, compassion-praxis,...
Adicción a la Pantalla: Por Qué no Puedes Colgar ese Teléfono
Adicción a la Pantalla: Por Qué no Puedes Colgar ese Teléfono por Sor Marysia Weber, RSM ¿Alguna vez ha sentido la urgencia irresistible de revisar sus mensajes de texto, publicaciones en los medios sociales o sus emails cada vez que su celular suena? ¿Está aumentando...
Faith and Facebook: Evangelizing a Rural Parish Community in Southeast Missouri through Social Media by Fr. Dominic Ibok, D.Min.
Faith and Facebook: Evangelizing a Rural Parish Community in Southeast Missouri through Social Media by Fr. Dominic Ibok, D.Min. In Southeast Missouri, where Catholics are a minority, the challenge of diminishing participation and reduced membership requires an...
Human Sexuality
Human Sexuality: Precious Gift and Perilous Challenge with Particular Reference to the Sexual Abuse Scandal in the Church by Fr. Dominic Anaeto We live in an age when our sexuality speaks loudly and clamors for attention, so it is good that celibate men and women, and...
From Functionalistic Willfulness to Transcendent Willingness by Msgr. Albert Kuuire
From Functionalistic Willfulness to Transcendent Willingness: The Pathway to Formative Healing by Msgr. Albert Kuuire Msgr. Albert Kuuire explains that the formative healing of all life-threatening illness may be expedited through submission of the subject's...
Formation Activities and Catholic Seminarians by Rev. Alfredo I. Hernandez
Formation Activities and Catholic Seminarians: A Practical Theological Study of their Impact on Subsequent Perseverance in Ministry by Rev. Alfredo I. Hernández What can we seminary formators, bishops, and others involved in the formation of seminarians do to help the...
Posttraumatic Abortion-Related Stress in Psychiatric Outpatients
CONGRATULATIONS! Posttraumatic Abortion-Related Stress in Psychiatric Outpatients is the third place winner in the 2021 Catholic Media Book Awards category of "Life and Dignity of the Human Person." Women who were helped by the Pine Rest Study showed up at the late...
Jesus’ Ministry of Liberation: A Companion after the Year of Mercy
Jesus’ Ministry of Liberation: A Companion after the Year of Mercy Fr. Aaron Agorsor (With a Foreword written by Rev. Fr. Dr. Michael Kodzo Mensah) This book offers hope both to those in ministry and to those being ministered to. In the image depicting Jesus’...
Screen Addiction: Why You Can’t Put that Phone Down
Screen Addiction: Why You Can't Put That Phone Down by Sister Marysia Weber, RSM Have you ever had an irresistible urge to check your texts, social media posts or email updates when your cell phone rings, beeps or buzzes? Is the amount of time spent on your cell phone...
Spiritual Direction: Principles and Praxis, authored by Fr. Dominic Anaeto
Spiritual Direction: Principles and Praxis by Fr. Dominic Anaeto When Pope Benedict XVI called for the year of faith (October 11, 2012, until November 24, 2013), he invited the people of God to seek spiritual direction, for even the most devout Catholics have...
The Art of Accompaniment: Practical Steps for the Seminary Formator by Sister Marysia Weber, RSM
The Art of Accompaniment: Practical Steps for the Seminary Formator (2nd Edition) by Sister Marysia Weber, RSM The role of a seminary formator is to accompany the seminarian in the external forum and to discern with him, the seminary community, and larger Church...
Social Media Magisterium: A No-Nonsense Guide to the Proper Use of Media, authored by Shaun McAfee
Social Media Magisterium: A No-Nonsense Guide to the Proper Use of Media by Shaun McAfee The positive influence of the media, new and old, is seen through the expansion of Catholic networks that span over 150 countries, and more, allowing the gospel and Christian...
Memorize the Latin Mass! How to Remember and Treasure its Rites, authored by Kevin Vost, Psy.D.
Memorize the Latin Mass! by Kevin Vost, Psy.D. In Memorize the Latin Mass! Dr. Kevin Vost harnesses the powerful memory methods of Sts. Albert the Great and Thomas Aquinas to help readers learn and remember all the parts and rites of the Traditional Latin Mass as they...