The role of lay ecclesial ministers-professionally prepared laity who serve in leadership roles-is becoming critically more important in the life of the Catholic church. In Lay Ecclesial Ministry, theologians and pastoral leaders from diverse disciplines provide a deeper understanding, envision future direction, and offer inspiration for these new ministers and the community of the church.Building on the themes of the first official document addressing lay ecclesial minist...

The focal point of Pope Francis’ Church is mercy: in the dialogue between human fragility and God’s mercy the Church has to welcome and help everyone to find the ‘good news’ of Christian hope. As part of his revolutionary new vision for the Church, Francis calls on all believers to be ‘full-time Christians’ and not ‘living-room Christians’, and to struggle against the trappings of power, and the worship of money and careerism. Francis has spoken and written widely on these themes during hi...

People outside the Catholic faith are often baffled, skeptical, and sometimes hurt when a loved one converts to the faith. They see the convert as a newly minted Church spokesperson, a resource they can pepper with questions about the Church. Lifelong Catholics can also find themselves in this role. Theology professor and Catholic convert Kenneth L. Parker uses a brief question-and-answer format to help converts-and lifelong Catholics-clear up confusion, exaggeration, and differences betwe...

To Save a Thousand Souls: A Guide for Discerning a Vocation to Diocesan Priesthood is the definitive guide for men considering the priesthood. Using powerful and entertaining stories, the book explains in down-to-earth language how to carefully discover God’s call.To Save a Thousand Souls has been bulk-ordered by over 100 U.S. dioceses, and has become the standard “catechism for discernment” throughout the country.It is now available in this

In their zeal for reform, early Protestant leaders tended to throw out Saint Benedict with the holy water. That is a mistake, writes Dennis Okholm, in Monk Habits for Everyday People. While on retreat in a Benedictine abbey, the author, a professor who was raised as a Pentecostal and a Baptist, observed how the meditative and ordered life of a monk lifted Jesus' teachings off the printed page and put them into daily practice. Vital aspects of devotion, humility, obedience, hospita...

The Catholic Church is on the threshold of a bold new era in its two-thousand year history. As the curtain comes down on the Church defined by the 16th-century Counter-Reformation, the curtain is rising on the Evangelical Catholicism of the third millennium: a way of being Catholic that comes from over a century of Catholic reform; a mission-centered renewal honed by the Second Vatican Council and given compelling expression by Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.The Gospel-...

With over one billion members, Catholicism is one of the oldest - and largest - organized religions in the world. The Everything Catholicism Book is an easy-to-follow guide that helps you gain a better understanding of this complex religion. From the Seven Sacraments to basic Church doctrine, this comprehensive book unravels all aspects of the Catholic Church, making it much easier for you to grasp. Thought-provoking and stimulating, The Everything Catholicism Book helps ...

This fresh perspective on the church explores its essential nature as a community of people governed by the Word and led and taught by the Spirit.

Why do Catholics confess their sins? What does Jesus' second coming mean? How does someone, such as Mother Teresa, become a saint?This guide answers these questions and more. This resource addresses the teachings, tradition, history, and theology of the Catholic Church. With this guide, you'll learn the foundations of the faith. Featuring explanations of:What the parts of the Mass meanBaptism, confirmation, and the other sacramentsThe priesthood an...

How and why did the early church grow in the first four hundred years despite disincentives, harassment, and occasional persecution? In this unique historical study, veteran scholar Alan Kreider delivers the fruit of a lifetime of study as he tells the amazing story of the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire. Challenging traditional understandings, Kreider contends the church grew because the virtue of patience was of central importance in the life and witness of the early Christian...

By exploring the Episcopal Church’s mission and precepts in the context of 21st century and its challenges, this thoughtful book deepens the Church’s relationship with its people and makes the faith more relevant.Society and culture are constantly evolving so must religion and its mission to remain meaningful. The legacies of establishment, benefactor approaches to mission, and the ‘national church’ ideal are no longer adequate for the challenges and opportunities ...

Vatican II is known to every Catholic at least by name, but were a little skimpy on the details. What happened there? Why did it take place? Why have there been mixed reactions to it? Most importantly, what is the impact of the Second Vatican Council on the People of the Church now?