Parish Resources

Homilies for Weekdays: Solemnities, Feasts, and Memorials is a requested and welcome addition to the first two volumes of weekday homilies by Father Don Talafous, OSB. Here, he offers creative homily suggestions for solemnities, feasts, and obligatory memorials that fall on weekdays. Readers will deeply appreciate the faithful representation of the Scripture readings and their practical applications for Christian living.

Subtitle: Solemnities, Feasts, and Memorials
Author: Don Talafous, OSB, PhD

PRODUCT DETAILS
ISBN: 9780814618714
Details: 96 pgs , 6 x 9 
Publication Date: 10/01/2009

In this volume of weekly reflections on the Sunday Lectionary for Year C, Verna Holyhead moves deftly between the Old and New Testament readings, providing theological context and tying the texts to contemporary concerns. Rich in references to poetry and history, these reflections are infused with the spirit of the Rule of St. Benedict, which invites Christians to take the two Testaments as the truest guides for human life. The supplementary series of conversations between the Liturgy of the Word and the Rule extend the weekly reflection. As a sourcebook for pastoral ministry or a reference for personal or communal reflection, this volume will assist believers who desire to engage more deeply with the Word.

Subtitle: With Burning Hearts
Author: Verna Holyhead, SGS

PRODUCT DETAILS
ISBN: 9780814618349
Details: 224 pgs , 6 x 9 
Publication Date: 08/01/2006

Balaam's Donkey is a series of daily reflections based on the homilies preached by Cistercian monk Michael Casey over his fifty years of priesthood. What remained of the original homilies was a large box full of index cards with a few talking points on each. From there, Casey has re-created the homilies and recast them into short reflections, arranged randomly for every day of the year. The range of topics discussed is broad and the approach taken differs with each reflection, most of them colored with a touch of Casey's whimsy and good humor.

Paperback 488 pgs , 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 

Publication Date: 02/28/2019

Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran know that the fundamental work of the Church is to evangelize to introduce people to Christ and make them disciples. Still, they"re the first to admit: the difficulty comes when we reach down into the details and get to work.In their barn-burning first book, Rebuilt, White and Corcoran shared their story and vision of building better Catholic parishes. Now, in their eagerly anticipated second book, Tools for Rebuilding, they lay out seventy-five proven tactics for getting the job done.

In Tools for Rebuilding: 75 Really, Really Practical Ways to Make Your Parish Better, White and Corcoran share seventy-five foundational tactics that helped to rejuvenate their parish. Their candid, hands-on advice gives a clear way forward one that will make church matter to the people in the pews and that anyone working in parish ministry can implement.

Authors: Michael White & Tom Corcoran

Format: Paperback

Pages: 320

Trim size: 6 x 9 inches

ISBN: 978-1-59471-444-3

On-sale date: November 25, 2013

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 Matter is a story of stopping everything and changing focus. When their parish reached a breaking point, White and Corcoran asked themselves how they could make the Church matter to Catholics, and they realized the answer was at the heart of the Gospel. Their faithful response not only tripled their weekend mass attendance, but also yielded increased giving, flourishing ministries, and a vibrant, solidly Catholic spiritual revival. White and Corcoran invite all Catholic leaders to share the vision, borrow their strategies, and rebuild their own parishes. They offer a wealth of guidance for anyone with the courage to hear them.

Authors: Michael White & Tom Corcoran

Foreword by: Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan

Format: Paperback

Pages: 320

Trim size: 6 x 9 inches

ISBN: 978-1-59471-386-6

On-sale date: February 25, 2013

The Basic Sixteen Documents

The sixteen official documentsconstitutions, decrees, and declarationsof the Second Vatican Council are now available from Liturgical Press in the most popular and widely used inclusive-language edition translated by Irish Dominican Austin Flannery (+October 21, 2008).

As the worldwide Church continues to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Council (1962-65), there is a great need in college classrooms and parish faith formation groupsas well as for individualsto again have access to these documents in contemporary English. As Flannery wrote in his introduction to the 1996 edition, "The translation of the texts of the Vatican documents in the present volume differs from that in the previous publication in two respects. It has been very considerably revised and, in place, corrected. It is also, to a very large extent, in inclusive language.

"I say 'to a very large extent,' because we have used inclusive language in passages about men and women but not, however, in passages about God, except where the use of the masculine pronoun was easily avoidable."

General Editor: Austin Flannery, OP

624 pgs , 5 3/8 x 8 1/4 Paperback

Publication Date: 05/01/1996

The remarkable success of the book A Pastor's Toolbox: Management Skills for Parish Leadership has demonstrated that the demands of time and financial challenges continue to impact the work of today's parish leaders. The need has become even greater for practical tools to assist in the many aspects of temporal administration, leadership, and church management.

This follow-up volume provides all new information, insights, and practical tools that pastors need to handle the complexities of parish management in the twenty-first century. Sixteen contributors from across the country deliver key content that focuses on promoting excellence and best practices in the areas of management, finances, communications, and human resources development. A Pastor's Toolbox 2 provides: 

• leadership tools for the pastor and his team;
• help for working with the parish's pastoral and finance councils;
• intercultural competence and complex pastoring situations;
• suggestions for time management and effective meetings;
• human resources, change management, and canon law;
• tools for parish stewardship, communications, and Catholic schools.

The book is an outgrowth of the Toolbox for Pastoral Management, a nationally recognized joint project of Leadership Roundtable and Seton Hall University. Learn more at www.LeadershipRoundtable.org.

Author: Paul A. Holmes, Editor

Details: 186 pgs, 6 x 9 Paperback

Publication Date: 07/03/2017

Today's parish leaders are expected to be holy and prayerful spiritual guides, great preachers and compassionate confessors, but also to make important decisions in key areas like finance, budgeting, hiring and firing, fundraising, risk management, relationship-building, and more-often with virtually no transition or training. And with all the requisite education in philosophy and theology they must provide future pastors, in addition to formation in priestly spirituality and pastoral care, seminaries can do little to prepare priests to deal with the difficult temporal issues pastors face.

A Pastor's Toolbox is designed to help fill that void. It is loaded with valuable information, insights, and practical tools that pastors need in order to begin handling the complexities of parish management in the twenty-first century.

The book is an outgrowth of The Toolbox for Pastoral Management, a nationally recognized joint project of The National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management and Seton Hall University. The Leadership Roundtable is a nonprofit organization of Catholic lay leaders, religious, and clergy working together to promote excellence and best practices in the management, finances, communications, and human resources development of the Catholic Church in the U.S. through the greater incorporation of the expertise of the laity. Learn more at www.TheLeadershipRoundtable.org.

Author: Paul A. Holmes, Editor

Details: 190 pgs, 6 x 9 Paperback

Publication Date: 01/28/2014

Emphasizing both spiritual and practical preparation, this book will help both experienced and beginning lectors develop their understanding of the ministry of proclaiming the word of God as well as the skills needed to do it well. Wallace offers insight to various aspects of the lector's work (job, ministry, vocation), and reflects on the mystery of God who speaks to--and through--us in the Word. It includes an accessible explanation of important concepts related to the Lectionary and the liturgy, ideas for spiritual preparation before serving as lector, concrete guidance for ongoing skill development, and a handy pronunciation guide.

Author: James A. Wallace, CSsR

104 pgs , 5 3/8 x 8 1/4 Paperback

Publication Date: 02/10/2017

Reflections on Lectionary Readings for Cycle C by Dr. Dianne Bergant, CSA

A well-known biblical scholar presents thought-provoking reflections on the lectionary readings for each Sunday and feast for the Year of Luke.

Paperback 200 pages

Cycle C of this three-volume work of reflections on the liturgical readings for Sundays and Holy Days rounds out Father Krempa's series with meditations based largely on the Gospel of Luke which plays such a prominent role in the Cycle.   As such, emphasis has been placed on the Lord's kindness, compassion, predilection for the poor, the outcast, the sick and the sinner.   Intended for the "average" Sunday congregation, these brief thoughts exemplify how to apply the best scripture scholarship to practical, everyday problems.  

199 pages

In concluding his 3-volume series of reflections on the Sunday Gospels, Father Dowling throws light in a special way on the nuances to be found in the Gospel of Luke, which plays such a predominant role in Cycle C of the liturgical readings. With Luke there is always more than meets the eye or ear when initially encountered. These meditations reveal what we otherwise might well have missed. Ever gender-conscious in his presentation of the teachings of Jesus, Luke made a special effort to follow a lesson in which a man was the protagonist with another in which a woman took the lead. Struck by Our Lord €™s predilection for the poor, the outcast, the sick and the sinner, Luke portrays the kindness, the compassion, the empathy and the forgiving nature of Jesus in a way that is unique to his Gospel. Drawing on his years of study and long experience as a homilist in a variety of settings, Father Dowling educates and inspires with these brief yet profound reflections in the hope of enriching the spiritual lives of those who make use of them. Homilist and average parishioner will find much to ponder here. All will appreciate the addition of the topical, liturgical and scriptural indices to his three-volume series present in this third book.

Pages 271

In this volume, Father Smith rounds out his three-year cycle of practical, pertinent and popular reflections on the Word of God proclaimed from the pulpit each Sunday. Following his own advice he has kept his homilies short and to-the-point with brief, illustrated and often humorous stories which emphasize the main theme of the liturgical readings of the day. €œPreaching, €� he tells us, €œmust be the fruit of the preacher €™s own prayed experience €¦[and] a good homily always serves up something to think about, something to emote over, something to aspire to, something to smile at, and something to believe. Most of all, it provides a truth of faith to live by €�. These Sunday homilies succeed remarkably well in doing all these things.

Pages 251

This resource provides invaluable commentary on the Lectionary readings for Year C (including the Responsorial Psalm) for Sundays, holydays of obligation, and feasts and solemnities that may occur on a Sunday. Written in a pastoral tone, it offers historical-critical background on each of the readings and underscores their relevance to life today. Thematically related quotations from major Church documents are included with each Scripture background to provide context and connections to Church teaching. Organized by the liturgical calendar, each season of readings begins with an overview of the season and a brief look at where the readings come from and any unifying messages or themes present throughout the selected readings. Scripture Backgrounds for the Sunday Lectionary, Year C is written by a team of writers with a broad range of theological, pastoral, and catechetical experience. Their reflections offer homilists a solid foundation from which to begin the process of preparing to speak the Word of God to their assemblies.

Author contributors: Mary A. Ehle; Peg Ekerdt; Jean Marie Hiesberger; Biagio Mazza; Mary M. Mcglone, csj; Abbot Gregory J. Polan, caps">osb; Denise Simeone; George Smiga; Paul Turner

Paperback 6x9 308 pages

This is a book of short homilies on the Gospels for the Sundays and celebrations of Year C. The homilies concentrate on the core message of the Gospel and are catechetical in approach. They make a wonderful companion and guide for those who prepare the homilies as well as those who want further reflection on what they hear at Mass.

Paperback 6x9 160 pages

In recent years there has been an intensified focus on the development of discipleship-based parish ministries especially in the Catholic Church. Making disciples is the great and enduring Commission Jesus gave to the Church in Matthew 28:19.

In this book, Monsignor Mueggenborg presents a simple resource that can help enrich the faith lives of parishioners and assist them in becoming missionary disciples. These reflections are based on the Gospel readings assigned to a given Sunday in liturgical year C.

Each reflection identifies some significant elements in the Gospel passage followed by application questions that challenge a disciple's faith life. The reflections are designed for use in either small group bible studies or as a resource for individual prayer and contemplation. The reflections intentionally start with the brevity and simplicity of Advent before developing into more complex explorations of the biblical text as the year progresses. The Word of God is alive, powerful, and sharper than a two edged sword (Heb 4:12). Come Follow Me is a tried and proven resource that helps to unleash the power of the Word in the hearts of Christ's disciples.

Paperback 6x9 292 pages

Geoff Wood combines examples from Western literature and his own personal life to help readers connect the Sunday readings to their own experiences.

Paperback 6x9 160 pages

The church's cycle of scriptural readings for the liturgy offers believers an opportunity to immerse themselves in the word of God. It is a very real and tangible way of responding to the call of Jesus: "Remain in me, as I remain in you."

In Abiding Word, Barbara Reid, OP, takes the Sunday experience to every day with accessible weekly meditations on the Lectionary readings of the year. This collection of articles, which includes Scripture readings for Sundays and solemnities followed by reflections, allows readers to meditate on the connection between the sacred text and their daily lives. Living with the word day by day invites us into a closer relationship with Christ, the God who became flesh.

Author: Barbara Reid, OP

Details: 136 pgs, 6 x 9 Paperback

Publication Date: 08/01/2012

We all know that a one-size-fits-all approach to RCIA catechumenate formation doesn't work. But until now, many of us were stumped trying to find a viable alternative. Seek the Living God: Five RCIA Inquiry Questions for Making Disciples is the answer to your prayers. After just a few meetings with your seekers, you will be able to easily create a customized faith formation plan that is tailored to the unique needs of each person. The best part is that the seekers do most of the work in developing their own plan. Your role shifts from being the Catholic "expert" to being a mentor and coach.

Once you understand how the five-question process works, you can easily train others to use it. New team members don't have to worry about "knowing enough" to be on the team. Start using these questions with your very next RCIA seeker. You will be amazed at the powerful conversion that will happen with your inquirers-and with you.

Author: Nick Wagner

130 pages, 6" x 9" Paperback

Publication Date: 12/14/2017

In The Word on the Street, John Martens brings the Bible to where people live: in the church, at home, at work, and in the broader world. This Lectionary commentary for every Sunday of the liturgical year will help readers understand the Bible in light of their daily lives, experiences, and challenges and will help Sunday Mass preachers find new ways to articulate God's work in the world.

John Martens is known for his contributions to "The Word," a popular column in America magazine. The Word on the Street, Year C is the final book in a three-volume series that presents scriptural, liturgical, and preaching commentary for Sundays throughout the year.

Author: John W. Martens

138 pages, 6"x 9" Paperback

Publication Date: 07/17/2018

Text by Inos Biffi. A beautifully illustrated overview of the Church's liturgical year, starting with Advent and ending with the last Sunday in Ordinary Time. The text features explanations of all the celebrations with their scriptural underpinnings and the richly-hued art, by Franco Vignazio, manages to combine a medieval style with a modern sensibility. Paperback cover.

Throughout their initiation process, the elect have prepared to be welcomed into the Catholic Church. After a time of catechesis and prayer, they along with a sponsor, godparent, and parish leaders have discerned that God is calling them to begin the final stage of their journey of preparation during the Period of Purification and Enlightenment.

A Journal for the Elect and Neophytes is a tool to guide the elect's prayer and reflection throughout the seasons of Lent and Easter. It includes brief introductions for each Sunday or ritual that the elect will celebrate with their parish family, as well as reflection questions or an activity prompt. The journal provides spaces to write responses and reflections on the seasons and on the liturgies they have experienced. By taking time to ponder how God spoke to us through the signs, symbols, music, and people in the liturgy, we provide an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to open our eyes, heart, and mind to the presence of God in a deeper or new way, which allows us to strengthen our relationship with God.

A companion to the elect as they prepare for and celebrate the wonderful seasons of Lent and Easter, this journal will provide them with insights and reflections to continue their journey as new members of our faith community.

9781616717339| Saddlestitched | 6 x 9 | 64 pages