Pope John Paul II’s series of “Theology of the Body” talks, given between 1979 and 1984, offered his integrated vision of the person—body, soul and spirit. Now, author Matthew Pinto shares in Freedom: 12 Lives Transformed by the Theology of the Body ($13.99, Ascension Press, January) how the lives of 12 people were radically changed through an understanding of God’s true intent for the body.

Our Sunday Visitor has tapped three top authors to focus on St. Paul during the bi-millennium of the apostle’s birth. The resulting January titles are Scott Hahn’s The Pocket Guide to St. Paul ($6.95) and Faith Charts: St. Paul at a Glance ($7.95); Mitch Pacwa’s St. Paul on the Power of the Cross ($8.95) and Paul Thigpen’s Praying the Rosary With St. Paul ($7.95).

A U.S. speaking tour by Christopher Jamison, abbot of Worth Abbey—a Benedictine monastery near London which was featured in the BBC TV documentary series “The Monastery”—will include an appearance at the 2009 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress in February. Jamison will highlight content from his January release, Finding Happiness: Monastic Steps for a Fulfilling Life (Liturgical Press, $19.95), on the tour.

Using the insights that made the “Joshua” series a classic, Joseph Girzone writes about the multifaceted character of Jesus in The Wisdom of His Compassion: Meditations on the Words and Actions of Jesus ($21.95, Doubleday, February).

Sister Helen Prejean, who wrote the best-seller Dead Man Walking and has fought capital punishment, writes the foreword to Marilyn Lacey’s This Flowing Toward Me: A Story of God Arriving in Strangers ($15.95, Ave Maria Press, March). In the book, Lacey explores her own journey of working with refugees.