Pastoral Minitry Books by Liturgical Press Books

Noted theologian Monika Hellwig presents in non-technical language the teaching on the nature of peace, the arguments for pacifism, and the means for peacemaking in the great religious traditions and in some philosophical strands. Through this comparison she establishes the common ground in these various traditions which offers an effective base for dialogue and cooperation in peace-making activities on an international scale. This work is written for those who have little experience in wider ecumenism, who are seeking cooperation in their peacemaking endeavors or simply greater understanding of the endeavors of others.

"Christians owe it to themselves to take the message of this book seriously. It deserves to be read widely by scholars, clergy, and laity alike."

A Tragic Grace
The Catholic Church and Child Sexual Abuse
Stephen J. Rossetti
144 pp., PhP 149

Child sexual abuse is a difficult subject. Its implications are devastating and beg for new ways of confronting and understanding this problem, as well as offering support to its victims. A Tragic Grace provides a direct, honest look at child sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church. It documents this "sustained crisis" in the Church and offers concrete suggestions on how to deal with the subject. Through the latest pastoral and psychological insights, coupled with his original research, Father Rossetti responds to the Church's actions (or lack of action) and offers new ways of responding to and preventing child sexual abuse.

The author maintains in n Christology as Narrative Quest the primacy and centrality of narrative in communicating the significance of Jesus Christ, and demonstrates ways in which "narrative" in four faith images has played a role in the shaping of Christology. These forms and their texts are: biblical (the Gospel of Mark); creedal (the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed); systematic (Aquinas' Summa theologiae ); and social transformation (the "story" of Mexican-Americans.) All of these images are ways of using narrative imagery to connect idea and experience.

A detailed analysis reveals that each of these forms involve what well-known ethicist Alasdair MacIntyre calls a "narrative quest." In each case an image of Jesus that is fundamental for integrating a particular form of the "narrative quest" emerges.

Clever as Serpents
Business Ethics and Office Politics
Jim Grote and John McGeeney
160 pp., PhP 149

Centuries ago Thomas Aquinas remarked that there can be no joy in life if there is no joy in one's work. Drawing upon the seminal insights of Rene Girard, Clever as Serpents confronts this timeless issue of finding peace in one's work and offers practical guidance on how people, acting together, can cultivate virtuous business.

Clever as Serpents provides ethical insight in business life, the job market, and office politics, revealing that business culture, while often corrupt, can be transformed through the practice of asceticism. It suggests that instead of renouncing worldly comforts and retreating to a monastery, business asceticism embraces and masters the discomforts of business life through a disciplined and unique approach to the rigors of the competitive marketplace.

The College Student's Introduction to the Trinity
Lynne Faber Lorenzen
120 pp., PhP 269

Lynne Lorenzen examines how the doctrine of the Trinity has been interpreted in Eastern Christianity, Western Christianity, and by contemporary theologians including feminists and process theologians.

In The College Student's Introduction to the Trinity, Lynne Lorenzen examines the development of the separation of the Trinity from the rest of Christian theology, how it began with Augustine and continued in the Western tradition. One solution that she describes is for the Western Christian to rediscover the original function of the doctrine of the Trinity as integrating soteriology, christology, and the doctrine of God, to develop a doctrine that will reauthenticate the Trinity, and, above all, to integrate these doctrines in a doctrine of the Trinity for the West.

Collegeville Bible Handbook
Hardcover, 352 pp., 5 1/4 x 6 7/8,
PhP 499

With The Collegeville Bible Handbook you receive a valuable enrichment resource to guide you through the books of the Bible and a ready reference for libraries, high school classroom use, families, and individuals seeking a lively, readable introduction to the Bible. Attractively illustrated with photographs and maps pertinent to the biblical text.

Ecclesia
A Theological Encyclopedia of the Church
Christopher O'Donnell, O.Carm
544 pp., PhP 2,500

Although the word "ecclesiology," meaning "the study of Church," is recent in the history of theology, ecclesiology as a recognized theology emerged slowly. Its reflections on the nature, function, and structures of the Church date back to New Testament times. Ecclesia sheds light on this study by presenting invaluable information on a wide range of toics about the Church. Since Vatican II, an integration of many theological disciplines and fields has enriched our understanding of the Church, and this reference work continues that education for all who seek a deeper understanding of the Church and its background.

Exploring the Sacraments: Appreciating God's Presence
by Anthony Kain
64 pp., PhP 199

The presence of God can be found in Jesus, the Word made flesh, and in the Spirit dwelling among us. The sacraments help us to appreciate God's presence in these two modes. This work explains for catechumens how we use the sacraments to celebrate the discovery of this God who is present and to invite even deeper discovery.

Hans Urs von Balthasar (OCT Series)
by John O'Donnell, SJ
180 pp., PhP 319

This book is a welcome means of approaching a man whose stature will doubtless continue to grow among Christians in the years to come.

The Homilist's Guide to Scripture, Theology and Canon Law
by John Burke, OP and Thomas P. Doyle, OP
282 pp., PhP 199

The authors draw on all contemporary documents including the Code of Canon Law to guide ordinary ministers of preaching: bishops, priests, and deacons. Extraordinary ministers will find valuable guidance as well in the chapters on evangelization, catechesis…

How Many Times Can You Say Goodbye
Living with Bereavement
Jenifer Pardoe
112 pp., PhP 129

Facing loss is something we must all do at some point in our life. Sometimes these losses are small and we can overcome them fairly easily; sometimes they are so great that they threaten to overcome us. How Many Times Can You Say Goodbye? looks at grief in a way that ordinary people can understand without having to reach for a dictionary. With practical insights, human stories, and a Christian perspective, it explores how people can find the right way-their own way-to cope with their grief.

In the Thick of His Mystery
by Carlo Maria Martini
91 pp., PhP 129

Cardinal Martini, reflecting on some passages of the second letter to the Corinthians, delves deeply into Paul. Here we find Paul in the thick of his ministry. After twenty years of it, during which he passed through so many trials, disappointments, and diffuclties, he speaks as a servant of the gospel in the midst of the daily grind. So we feel he is very close to us. The Cardinal then describes the pastor serving the gospel in the Christian community and helping it grow in faith today. Though this book is initially intended for young priests working in diverse pastoral situations, the book is of interest to anyone committed to the service of the gospel.

This collection, perhaps the most creative look at the Bible ever published, presents 350 illustrated "commentaries" on the Scriptures. Each page contains a Scripture passage presented in words (NRSV translation) and interpretive art.

Mary, Mother of My Lord
by Christine Granger
64 pp. PhP 139

Lovers of icons, particularly Marian icons, will delight in the splendid images presented in this lovely prayer book. For those seeking a more comforting and meaningful way to Pray to Mary, or a means to honor her in a special way, Mary, Mother of My Lord…

Paul Tillich: A New Catholic Assessment
Raymond F. Bulman and Frederick J. Parrella, Editors
360 pp., PhP 289

Thirty years ago, a group of Catholic scholars responded to the radical challenges of Paul Tillich's theology in a collection of essays that was courageous and farsighted for its time. This present collection of articles, a successor to the 1974 volume, reflects the very different religious and cultural situation that characterizes post-Vatican II theology. It demonstrates the wide spectrum of positive and creative ways in which the thought of Paul Tillich one of this century's most important Protestant theologians continues to influence Catholic theological reflection today.

Penance, Contemplation, and Service
Pivotal Experiences of Christian Spirituality
Patrick Madigan, S.J.
232 pp., PhP 129

Father Madigan asks us to step back from prayer and examine what happens when we pray. All Christian spirituality, he says, can be organized around three pivotal experiences: repentance (the desert), contemplation (the heavenly court), and service (the cross). An adequate spirituality must eventually encompass all three moments.

Father Madigan also explores the interface between spirituality and contemporary theories of psychological growth (notably Kohlberg). He uses this as an opportunity to study the rise of the Enlightenment mentality and the reasons for its disparagement of Christian contemplation as Schwämerei (fanaticism). He identifies dialectical questioning of our most basic convictions undertaking a "quest" for understanding as the necessary step toward reconciliation between the two rival ideologies that continue to divide our world.

The Practical Preacher:
Handy Hints for Hesitant Homilists
by Paul Edwards, SJ
176 pp. PhP 199

Taking the premise that a person can learn to be a competent preacher, Edwards offers a step-by-step guide to the technical and emotional factors of preaching. He begins with the preparation of material focusing on the event, and physical aspects such as stance, projection, position, etc. He moves on to discuss more complicated matters, such as how to keep one's material fresh and how to adjust the same material for various audiences.

Psalms in Inclusive Language
by Joseph Arackal
216 pp. PhP 229

For this rendering of the Psalms into inclusive language both the meaning of the original text and the integrity of the English language were carefully preserved. Accuracy, poetry, and inclusiveness all factored significantly in the author's work. The result is a translation capturing the beauty and power of these prayers that belong to all members of the Church.

Psalms of Friendship
64 pp., 3 ¼ x 7 1/8, PhP 50

Never fear, I have loved you always. Psalms 73, 46, 72, 89 and 92. Like the Dew I have Begotten You, My Friend, Psalms 121, 24, 93, 147 and 95, Wisdom Prepares the Friends of God, Psalms 55, 94, 98, 139 and 84, Sweetness of Friendship

Psalms of Suffering
64 pp., 3 ¼ x 7 1/8, PhP 50

Nights of Aloneness with God, Psalms 6, 17, 35, 38 and 39; God heals the Broken Hearted and Bandages their Wounds, Psalms 44, 64, 74 and 88; I Want to Sing to God, My Liberator, Psalms 85, 142, 56 and 59, Cast Your Concerns on God.

Psalms of Tenderness
64 pp., 3 ¼ x 7 1/8, PhP 50

The Tenderness of God Embraces All Persons, Psalms 145, 113, 23 and 8; Our God is a God Who is Always Near, Psalms 148, 10, 26, 41, 57, 86, 31, 138 and 84; God Guides the History of Each Person, Psalms 105, 111, 123 and 119.

Psalms of Trust
64 pp., 3 ¼ x 7 1/8 PhP 50

My Refuge and My Strength, My god In Whom I Trust, Psalms 108, 91, 7. 11, 60 and 140; I Lift My Voice to the Lord Who Answers Me, Psalms 116, 54, 17, 5, 3, 55, 71 and 112; Lord, Let Your Grace Be on Me, In You I Have Trust.

Recovering the Lost Self
Shame-Healing for Victims of Clergy Sexual Abuse
Elisabeth A. Horst
56 pp., PhP 69

Sexual abuse victims often suffer from feelings of shame. When their abuser is a member of the clergy, the victim may feel separated not only from the human community but from God as well. Recovering the Lost Self offers a model for those who seek relief from the isolating and devastating shame that goes with the betrayal they have experienced. It is in booklet form to facilitate its use as an informational resource and counseling tool.

Sacred Lies and Silences:
A Psychology of Religious Disguise
Vernon Ruland, S.J.
168 pp., PhP 139

These commentaries and case studies that chart the differences in temperament, training, and culture that give each person a unique spirituality sometimes more religious than labels imply, sometimes a mere parody. Sorting through religious disguises such as conscience, magic, ghosts, irreligiousness, as well as paranoia, self-effacement, religious co-dependency, and narcissism, this work sifts out a balanced spiritual ideal and a predictable range of distortion, both psychological and religious, triggered whenever this integration is threatened. The case studies add a rich variety and interest to this work and are drawn from the author's counseling, teaching, and pastoral experiences, and his research in comparative religious traditions.

Schillebeeckx (OCT Series)
by Philip Kennedy, OP
60 pp., PhP 319

This book, which comes with a commendation from Schillebeeckx himself provides the first detailed and comprehensive account of his thought to appear in English. It is based on lengthy study of the complete range of Schillebeeckx's writings in the language in which they were written.

Sharing the Journey
Spiritual Assessment and Pastoral Response to Persons with Incurable Illnesses
Cornelius J. van der Poel, C.S.Sp.
104 pp., PhP 139

People with incurable illnesses find little consolation in pious platitudes; they need understanding and acceptance. Sharing the Journey shows how spirituality is an integral dimension of human existence regardless of religious denomination. It offers insights into the psychological and spiritual needs of those with an incurable illness, suggests ways to evaluate a patient's needs, and provides guidelines for those who accompany the patient on the journey toward inner peace, wholeness, and union with God.

Theology and Canon Law
New Horizons for Legislation and Interpretation
Ladislas Örsy, S.J.
200 pp., PhP 249

If theology is defined as faith seeking understanding, canon law should be described as faith seeking action. This book seeks to determine how this ideal can be achieved and sustained both in the creation and interpretation of laws, and how the laws can (as they should) be humble but effective instruments in helping the people of God to progress toward the Kingdom: a Kingdom of justice, love, and peace.

The author is internationally recognized for his creative approach to canon law. He respects tradition but points to the need for development as well; and what is even more important, he shows in a practical way how the laws of the Church, both in their creation and in their interpretation, can be infused with a new spirit.

Veni Creator Spiritus
An Encyclopedia of the Holy Spirit
Michael O'Carroll, C.S.Sp.
235 pp., Hardcover, PhP 1,275

The listings are alphabetical, and the author covers patristic authors, and modern authors and theories-the latter in great detail, as much has been done in this area in the decades since Vatican II. The articles are clear and concise; those who would then wish for more information have reference to fine source notes for all the major articles. Indexed.

Verbum Caro
An Encyclopedia on Jesus, the Christ
Michael O'Carroll, C.S.Sp.
216 pp., Hardcover, PhP 1,475

Verbum Caro returns to the sources to record and explain the important interventions of the Church's teaching authority in the continuous reflection and debate on Jesus Christ.

Both modern and ancient writers are well-represented. Ample bibliographies allow readers to pursue personal study in more depth. The full text of the Tome of Leo as well as recent illuminating statements from the Biblical Commission and the International Theological Commission are also included.

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