Ministry

At Home with the Word STANDARD, LARGE PRINT AND SPANISH EDITIONS At Home with the Word® guides readers to a deeper understanding of the Sunday Scriptures, providing the readings for this liturgical year, insights from Scripture scholars, and action steps to help parishioners fully connect with the readings from Mass. The resource also includes prayers, citations for weekday readings, and access to additional reflection questions and action steps for families, Christian initiation groups, and...

As the number of available priests has declined, the Sunday Mass is becoming less and less available in some parishes and dioceses. Sunday Celebrations In the Absence of a Priest addresses this growing reality by providing the appropriate ritual to be used in the celebrating community. This revised ritual edition of Sunday Celebrations In the Absence of a Priest includes Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and two appendices, Directory for Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest and...

Available in ENGLISH, SPANISH and CANADIAN versions When lectors, readers, and proclaimers of the Word need the most trusted, accurate, and user-friendly tool to help them prepare for the Sunday readings, they rely on Workbook. For over 30 years, Workbook has provided confidence to lectors and readers, giving them vital tools to feel prepared in their ministry as proclaimers of the Word. Workbook provides: Full, large-print text of the first, second, and Gospel readings approved for use in the...

Those who prepare the liturgy are entrusted with a very important task—helping our assemblies to encounter the real presence of Christ and to be transformed and strengthened for discipleship. Life-giving celebrations of the liturgy help foster and nourish the faith of our parishioners. Sourcebook for Sundays, Seasons, and Weekdays is a trusted annual publication providing insightful, concise, and detailed suggestions for preparing the Mass each day of the liturgical year. With its focus on...

Children's Daily Prayer Throughout the history of the Church, Christians have consecrated time by pausing at various moments throughout the day to pray the Liturgy of the Hours (Guide for Celebrating Liturgy of the Hours). Children’s Daily Prayer is a form of the Liturgy of the Hours adapted for children. It helps guide children in a daily service of communal prayer, following the pattern of the Church’s Morning Prayer. The heart of this annual resource is a simple order of prayer for each day...

The celebration of the Liturgy of the Word with children is a liturgical experience that opens young people to hear and respond to God’s Word in ways that enable them to be nurtured and challenged by its power, and to experience the grace of ongoing conversion to the vision and values of the Word of God. Children's Liturgy of the Word 2023–2024 enables prayer leaders to confidently lead children through the Liturgy of the Word. Each liturgy guide offers: An overview of the seasonWeekly guides...

Top 10 Reasons To Come Back To The Catholic Church Pamphlet Author: DuquinWith more people returning to church during this time of crisis as well as those heading back to church around the holiday time, you'll want to do everything you can to reach out to them. The Top 10 Reasons to Come Back to the Catholic Church helps you convey that no matter how long a person has been away, they can always come home. Just like the title says, this pamphlet shows you simple ways to prepare for the birth of...

Palabra de Dios Palabra de Dios™ guides you to a deeper understanding of the Sunday Scriptures, providing the readings for this liturgical year, insights from Pastoral leaders, and action steps to strength the Catholic identity in the world. The book also includes prayers and citations for weekday readings. Readers find a treasure of teachings of the Catholic Church to ignite their everyday with the spirit of the Word, as well as questions to share their own experience of faith. Paperback | 8...

by Anthony J. Gittins, Foreword by Gerald A. Arbuckle Our globalized world increasingly brings together people of many different cultures, though not always harmoniously. In recent decades, multinational companies have sought more efficient strategies for authentic intercultural collaboration. But in today's multicultural world-church, faith communities too—from local parishes to international religious communities—are faced with the challenge of intercultural living. The social sciences have...

2024 The Catholic Handbook for Visiting the Sick and HomeboundVarious authors, including Stephen S. Wilbricht, csc AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH & SPANISH VERSIONS Ministers of care, both lay and ordained, are sent to bring the comfort of personal presence and prayer to those who are sick, homebound, isolated, or suffering. This book contains the official rites they will need to bring Holy Communion to, and to pray and share the Gospel with, those who cannot regularly worship with their parish...

The consolidation and closure of parishes across the United States has become a fact of contemporary Catholic life. Responding to such an event is often traumatic. How do lay leaders allow their parish to heal when an approved ritual format does not exist? Through the voice of experience and local diocesan offices, Michael Weldon, OFM, has created a guide to the reconciliation process and the rites of parish closures in A Struggle for Holy Ground. Composed of thirty-five interviews conducted...

Alleluia to AmenThe Prayer Book for Catholic Parishes Author: Justin McClainForeword by: Timothy P. O'Malley Alleluia to Amen is an indispensable resource for parish leaders and volunteers looking for prayers to offer at gatherings outside of Mass. Justin McClain, author of Called to Pray and Called to Teach, provides busy leaders like you with original and traditional prayers to help you lead your faith community in prayer with confidence and ease. While Catholics regularly gather for...

Anointed and Sent: Reflections of Gratitude and Praise for the Priesthood  PAPERBACK by Pope Francis This series of reflections on the meaning and ministry of the priesthood is based on the pope’s Holy Thursday Chrism Mass homilies delivered from March 2013 to the present. In addition, it includes the pope’s letter to priests on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, patron saint of priests. ...

"It is not the same thing to have known Jesus as not to have known him, not the same thing to walk with him as to walk blindly, not the same thing to hear his word as not to know it…. We know that with Jesus life becomes richer."-Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel In her first book, Forming Intentional Disciples: The Path to Knowing and Following Jesus, Sherry Weddell, cofounder of the Catherine of Siena Institute, captured the attention of Catholics across the globe as she uncovered the...

The eucharistic celebration is a vital part of the life and ministry of every priest and deacon. At the same time, the Eucharist is also a compelling narrative of all that Christ is for the People of God. In this book, Fr. Scott Detisch explores a spirituality of holy orders through the eucharistic actions of Christ: take, bless, break, and give. These are more than ritual actions the deacon or priest performs within the liturgy. As they did for Jesus Christ, these eucharistic words define who...

From the moment life begins and through all the years that follow, God entrusts His children to us first at home and then in our church family. Blueprints for Children’s Ministry can help churches with this responsibility. In this book, the author covers the basics for children’s ministry, addressing questions such as these: Why build a children’s ministry? What’s the difference between children’s ministry and child ministry? How can children’s ministry be constructed? This useful book offers...

“This is the secret of the Saints: abiding in Christ, joined to him like branches to the vine, in order to bear much fruit.” Pope Francis We have an obligation as Christians to share the Gospel of Christ. But many are at a loss as to how to fulfill this commission. Good news – we have a clear path we can follow, trod by holy men and women who have successfully brought millions of souls to Christ, the saints! In his newest book, Casting Nets with the Saints, author and speaker Chris Stewart...

Christian Faith and the Power of Thinking Editor: Fr. Jay Harrington, O.P.; Chapters by Fr. Thomas O’Meara, O.P.; Fr. Richard Woods, O.P.; Fr. Jay Harrington, O.P.; Fr. Paul Philibert, O.P.; Fr. Mark Wedig, O.P.; Fr. Charles Dahm, O.P.; Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, O.P.; Fr. Benedict Viviano, O.P.; Fr. James Marchionda, O.P. This volume is offered as a gift to the Order of Preachers, the Dominican family, and other interested readers as we celebrate and commemorate those who have gone before us,...

Bishops' statement for pastors and parish leaders seeking to strengthen parish social ministry. Presents seven elements of the social mission of parishes as a framework for planning and assessing that ministry.

Because Jesus came not to be served but to serve (Mk 10:45), his Mystical Body, the Church, is essentially a servant Church. It’s precisely through this service that she carries out her mission. The ancient diaconate was instituted, and has been restored in our time, not simply to stand alongside priestly, religious, and lay ministry but to imbue and empower each with a renewed sense of service. Indeed, the Greek word diakonia, which is translated in English as “service,” can also be...

Transforming a parish is challenging, demanding, and sometimes messy work. Divine Renovation Apprentice, Fr. Simon Lobo breaks open his experience as an associate pastor working on the renewal of St. Benedict Parish in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the birthplace of Divine Renovation. With honesty, humility, and great clarity, Fr. Simon offers his personal reflections on the actual process of renovation with practical wisdom critical to anyone who wants to see their parish experience new life. More...

Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach. These are the words a newly ordained deacon hears from his bishop as the Book of the Gospels is placed in his hands. It is a solemn but joyous moment in which the deacon is called to a lifelong pursuit of the spiritual life. The foundation of the diaconate is intimate communion with Christ the Servant. This communion originates and deepens in the interior life,...

The Catholic family is a domestic church, rooted in God’s love and challenged to hope. Yet Catholic families today are beset with attacks from within and without, as were early Christian house churches. The latter faced persecution and rejection from society and even their own family members. Today’s domestic churches face challenges of materialism, individualism, and secularism, coming through technology, media, and the contemporary culture. The Church must respond to these challenges by...

Father Smith Instructs Jackson: Centennial Edition! Over 3 million copies of this timeless classic have been sold, and it has influenced thousands of conversions. Witness the engaging and accessible interplay between a priest and a non-Catholic inquiring about the Faith. Their conversation is a masterpiece in catechesis -- as Chris Jackson asks the questions generation after generation wants to ask, and Father Smith responds with wisdom, wit, Scripture references, and solid Catholic teaching....

There’s a lot of talk about Missionary Discipleship. But how do you practically live it? Foundations for Discipleship is not simply a book you read. It’s a tool you use to form and accompany others on their journey as Christian disciples. For use with small groups or individuals, these captivating articles provide the roadmap for training in the basic skills of Christian living and evangelization, including: How to live “The Little Way of Evangelization”How to accompany others on the journey...

Fruitful Discipleship Living the Mission of Jesus in the Church and the World Sherry A. Weddell “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.” — John 15:8 How does God’s grace change our individual lives, families, neighborhoods, parish communities, and cities? In Fruitful Discipleship: Living the Mission of Jesus in the Church and the World, Sherry A. Weddell describes how the Holy Spirit is at work in all the baptized—calling and gifting us to...

These readings and dramatic stories are for use in liturgy, prayer services and classrooms throughout the liturgical yearThese readings and dramatic stories are for use in liturgy, prayer services and classrooms throughout the liturgical year. You'll find the reproducible assembly editions, performance notes, set and costume suggestions and the comprehensive song index extremely helpful in preparing a worship service, choral concert or classroom activity.Recommended for grades K-12. Dramatic...

Fr. John McCloskey has become a famous "convert maker" in the powerful corridors close to the White House. Having run the Catholic Information Center in the heart of Washington, DC from 1998 to 2004, McCloskey had direct contact with numerous well-known and lesser-known Washington figures. Among well-known Catholic converts instructed by Fr. McCloskey are Senator Sam Brownback, publisher Alfred Regnery, Dr. Bernard Nathanson, journalist Robert Novak and many others. This work is a joint effort...

Guide for Lectors and Readers, Second Editionby Michael Cameron, Corinna Laughlin, Virginia Meagher, Paul Turner Because readers provide a bridge between the Word of God and the assembly, helping Christ speak to his people, they need to understand, believe, and love the Word of God they proclaim. The Introduction to the Lectionary calls for a preparation for lectors and readers that includes spirituality, biblical and liturgical formation, and technical instruction for proclamation. This book...

Impressively Free Henri Nouwen as a Model for a Reformed Priesthood by Michael W. Higgins and Kevin BurnsPaperback Some twenty years now since Nouwen's death, it is instructive to see him in a new light: a postconciliar prophet of a reformed presbyteral model. Nouwen is, in other words, an exemplar of a priesthood that is contemporary, nonclerical, enabling, and effective. His is a ministerial priesthood in keeping with the ecclesial vision of Pope Francis. The authors explore the genesis...

“Sacramentalized, but not evangelized” is a phrase often used by those in the Church involved in pastoral outreach and evangelization efforts. While the phrase gets at a truth — many Catholics who have received the sacraments are still in desperate need of evangelization — it is theologically and spiritually imprecise. The problem is not that people have “only” received their sacraments, but that we do not fully understand the evangelizing work of the sacraments themselves. In Invitation and...

"Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate."--John PiperLet the Nations Be Glad! has become a modern missions classic. A trusted resource for thousands of missionaries, pastors, church leaders, and laypeople, it provides a biblical basis for missions and worship. This third edition has been expanded to include timely new material on the prosperity gospel.

Liturgy and Ministry in Times of Need Wendy Cichanski Caduff, Ann Dickinson Degenhard, Bernard Evans, and Anne Y. Koester 978-1-61671-568-7 | Paperback | 6 x 9 | 96 pages When our local, national, and global communities face difficult situations, it can be challenging for pastoral ministers to respond appropriately. Liturgy and Ministry in Times of Need provides practical recommendations for incorporating these important needs into liturgical prayer. It eases the burden of preparing liturgy...

Made for Mission: Renewing Your Parish Culture by Tim Glemkowski “God has created me to do him some definite service; he has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have my mission.” — Blessed John Henry Newman The statistics are heartbreaking. In 2007, 24 percent of Americans identified as Catholic. By 2014, that had dropped to 21 percent. The number of people who claim no religious affiliation has surpassed Catholics and evangelicals, making “nones” the largest...

Marketing God Inspired Strategies for Building the Kingdom Donna A. Heckler Marketing God is a crash course unlike any you’ve had before, meant for Catholic parishes, dioceses, religious orders, Catholic organizations, start-ups, apostolates, and anyone who is passionate about their Christian faith and looking for ways to share it effectively. Donna A. Heckler, a global marketing executive who has served a variety of multibillion-dollar organizations with names you know, offers her winning...

In this bold and powerful book, Dr. Peter Kwasniewski marshals an irrefutable defense of the Church’s historical teaching that her liturgical ministries — including those of lector and altar server — should be performed exclusively by men. God created the two sexes for profound reasons, explains Dr. Kwasniewski, and we diminish human beings when we lose sight of those reasons. He asserts that the interdependence of the two sexes strengthens both men and women and that the complementary...

Ministry Of Communion-Spanish 2nd Edition The Communion Ministry offers practical advice and vital theology for Eucharistic ministers. Updated with the latest liturgical laws and regulations, this book is an excellent guide for both people who serve God's people and those who help them prepare for ministry. Father and Doctor Michael Kwatera, OSB, a monk from St. JohnΓÇÖs Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota, has been a graduate and university-level liturgy teacher and a liturgy practitioner in...

More Christianity Finding the Fullness of the Faith By: Fr. Dwight Longenecker Expanded Revised Edition No one would dare to suggest that C. S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity is anything less than a brilliant explanation and defense of the Faith. But as robust, wise and ardent as it is, still it is incomplete. It begins our banquet at the table of the Lord, but doesn’t take us all the way to the final course. That is what Dwight Longenecker’s new book, More Christianity, does. It fills our plates...

Set sail aboard a historical journey through evangelization with papal homilist Raniero Cantalamessa as your captain. Compiling the meditations that he delivered at the Papal Household of Pope Benedict XVI during Advent 2010 and 2011, Fr. Cantalamessa traces the waves of evangelization from the first centuries of Christianity to the present day. On this horizon where history, geography, and culture meet, he propels us toward the shores of the new evangelization. Diving into scientific atheism,...

by P. J. King (Author) Finally a book specifically for Catholic retreats highlighting: the Sacramental life, prayer books, spiritual reading, conferences, pilgrimages, Bible studies, devotions, websites, plus more. This is a quick up to date read and a useful guide for someone coming off a retreat wanting to continue their faith formation. After your retreat, what's next? points to the myriad of resources in the Church that inspire and teach the Word of God. Continued faith formation is...

In October 2014, Pope Francis told a group of evangelical Protestant leaders visiting him at the Vatican, "We each have in our churches excellent theologians. That's another way to walk together also. But we shouldn't wait for them to reach agreement!" One Hope: Re-Membering the Body of Christ is a resource to help local Christian communities walk together, recognizing and nourishing unity at a grass-roots level as we mark the five hundredth anniversary of the Reformation. The essays in One...

Positively Catholic 25 Really Good Reasons to Love the Faith, Live the Faith, and Share the Faith By: Michael Leach What's so great about being Catholic? If you posed this question to the average Catholic, there's a good chance they'd look a little puzzled and confess, "I don't know. I've never really thought about it." Well, national best-selling author Michael Leach has thought about it—a lot! In Positively Catholic, Leach joyfully explores and explains 25 really good reasons for Catholics...

Winner of two 2014 Catholic Press Awards: Pastoral Ministry (First Place) and Design and Production (Honorable Mention). Drawing on the wisdom gleaned from thriving mega-churches and innovative business leaders while anchoring their vision in the Eucharistic center of Catholic faith, Fr. Michael White and lay associate Tom Corcoran present the compelling and inspiring story to how they brought their parish back to life. Rebuilt: Awakening the Faithful, Reaching the Lost, and Making Church...

"Rekindle the gift of God that is within you", Saint Paul urges Timothy years after his ordination (2 Tim 1:6). Drawing on sixty years of experience as a Catholic priest, Cistercian Fr. Roch Kereszty provides realistic spiritual, psychological, and pastoral guidance to priests and seminarians—from preaching and sacramental ministry, to parish life and spiritual direction, to chastity and poverty. Countless priests struggle to understand their role and identity in the post-conciliar Church,...

Remain in Me: Holy Orders, Prayer, and Ministry by James Keating, Paperback The collaboration of priests and deacons in the ministry of the gospel has not always been without some tension. The fiftieth anniversary of the restoration of the Permanent Diaconate in the Catholic Church welcomes a cooperative, creative, and prayer-imbued communion between priests and deacons who labor as one to serve the spiritual needs of parishioners. Remain in Me promotes such a communion, addressing the...

Responding to Suicide: A Pastoral Handbook for Catholic Leaders Many pastoral leaders feel ill-equipped to respond to the turmoil of those who face the death by suicide of a loved one. Responding to Suicide is the first book written for Catholic leaders that takes a holistic approach to understanding suicide and ministering effectively in its aftermath. More than a dozen leading mental health practitioners, Catholic theologians, and pastoral care experts share how best to respond to suicide as...

Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, the former Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has assembled here his most noteworthy lectures, interviews, and dialogues to offer a clear and compelling exploration of Catholic teachings. He explores hundreds of topics that are critical to the health of the Church and the salvation of souls. Cardinal Müller’s vast knowledge and profound faith will deepen your understanding of our Faith and of the Church. In Roman Encounters, he tackles...

“We cannot keep to ourselves the words of eternal life given to us in our encounter with Jesus Christ: they are meant for everyone, for every man and woman.” - Pope Benedict XVI Should Catholics evangelize?How would I start?What would I say? Evangelization isn’t just for evangelical preachers, popes, and foreign missionaries. It’s something all of us as baptized Christians can do. Through personal stories and examples, authors Dave Nodar, Dianne Davis, and Fr. Erik Arnold show that every one...