Parish Book of Chant


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For the Parish


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Fresh Expressions of Church are most significant development in the Church of England. Parishes are the mainstay of the 'inherited church'. The authors demonstrate that the traditions of the parish church represent ways in which time, space, community are ordered in relation to God and the gospel.




The New Parish


Book Description

Headlines rage with big stories about big churches. But tucked away in neighborhoods throughout North America is a profound work of hope quietly unfolding as the gospel takes root in the context of a place. The future of the church is local, connected to the struggles of the people and even to the land itself.




The Parish and the Hill


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As strong and fiery as undiluted Irish whiskey.--New York Times Book Review




The Shared Parish


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As faith communities in the United States grow increasingly more diverse, many churches are turning to the shared parish, a single church facility shared by distinct cultural groups who retain their own worship and ministries. The fastest growing and most common of these are Catholic parishes shared by Latinos and white Catholics. Shared parishes remain one of the few institutions in American society that allows cultural groups to maintain their own language and customs while still engaging in regular intercultural negotiations over the shared space. This book explores the shared parish through an in-depth ethnographic study of a Roman Catholic parish in a small Midwestern city demographically transformed by Mexican immigration in recent decades. Through its depiction of shared parish life, the book argues for new ways of imagining the U.S. Catholic parish as an organization. The parish, argues Brett C. Hoover, must be conceived as both a congregation and part of a centralized system, and as one piece in a complex social ecology. The Shared Parish also posits that the search for identity and adequate intercultural practice in such parishes might call for new approaches to cultural diversity in U.S. society, beyond assimilation or multiculturalism. We must imagine a religious organization that accommodates both the need for safe space within distinct groups and for social networks that connect these groups as they struggle to respectfully co-exist.




Becoming a Parish of Intentional Disciples


Book Description

"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 life-changing power that accompanies the conscious decision to follow Jesus as his disciple. Now, in the groundbreaking Becoming a Parish of Intentional Disciples, she has gathered together experienced leaders and collaborators whose exceptional field-tested wisdom and enthusiasm for transforming Catholic parishes into centers of discipleship and apostolic outreach is both inspiring and practical. The authors consider: The role of intercessory prayer in parish transformation How "fireside chats" can help a pastor connect with his parishioners and call them to personal discipleship and mission The co-responsibility of lay people andpastors in the work of making disciples The revolutionary impact of a discipleship approach to youth ministry How one parish successfully fostered a culture of intentional discipleship, and much more As Sherry asks in her own chapter, "Are we willing to answer the call and pay the price necessary to become a new generation of saints through which God can do extraordinary things in our time?"




New to the Parish


Book Description

These are the stories of people who have come to Ireland for work, education, retirement, love and in some cases forced from their homes by death and destruction. New to the Parish: Stories of Love, War and Adventure from Ireland's Immigrants is an important reminder that every migrant is a human being, and that every one of us has a story to tell.




Made for Mission


Book Description

“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 religious group in the United States. Catholics are simply walking away from the Church. Yet there are many committed, faithful Catholics who desperately want to stem this tide. We are here, in this moment, and are called to be part of the mission, for the sake of our members, and for those who are still outside the Church. Yet while we long for this renewal, we are often at a loss as to how to accomplish it in a practical way. What steps do we take? How do we start, and how do we continue? How will we measure success — and how long will it take? In Made for Mission: Renewing Your Parish Culture, author and speaker Tim Glemkowski offers four keys that can radically change parish culture: Cast the vision Prioritize a clear path to discipleship Mobilize leaders Align everything Implementing these four keys over time, parishes can become not simply gathering places for worship but seedbeds of discipleship and missionary outposts of the New Evangelization. This book is a must-read for Catholic clergy, lay parish staff, anyone working in ministry, and any dedicated parishioner who is passionate about renewing the Church. Click here to register for the related webcast ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tim Glemkowski is an international speaker and the founder and president of L’Alto Catholic Institute. He is also cofounder and president of Revive Parishes, an online formation platform for parish leaders. Tim has served in various roles in evangelization, including teaching high school theology, with youths and young adult ministry at a parish, and as a director of evangelization and catechesis. He double-majored in theology and philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville and has a master’s in theology from the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado.




Rebuilt


Book Description

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.




Parish the Thought


Book Description

In a warm and affectionate narrative that "transports readers back to a time before cable television, cell phones, and the Internet" (Atlanta Journal-Constitution), John Bernard Ruane paints a marvelous portrait of his Irish-Catholic boyhood on the southwest side of Chicago in the 1960s. Capturing all the details that perfectly evoke those bygone days for Catholics and baby boomers everywhere, Ruane recounts his formative years donning the navy-and-plaid school uniform of St. Bede's: the priests and nuns; bullies, best friends, and first loves; and most memorable teachers -- including the miniskirted blonde who inspired lust among the fifth-grade boys but was fired for protesting the Vietnam War. Here are stories from the heart of his hardworking, blue-collar family: the good times and bad; sibling rivalries; summers by the lake; delivering newspapers in the frigid Chicago winter; the fire that destroyed the family home; and the loss of their beloved mother to cancer. And here are priceless accounts of Ruane's days as an altar boy: from an embarrassing bell-ringing mishap, to serving a strict pastor who built a magnificent church but couldn't inspire Christian spirit, to the Heaven-sent guitar-playing priest who turned worship around for a generation of youth.