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| Stewards of God's Mysteries |
Priestly Spirituality in a Changing Church
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| Paul Philibert, OP, STD |
Paperback
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Priests are stewards of God's mysteries. They teach these mysteries as merciful revelation, celebrate them in the liturgy, invoke them as healing and pardon, and above all, live them as the deepest meaning of their own lives. But it is one mystery—the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ—that shapes and sustains priests’ spiritual lives.
Stewards of God’s Mysteries considers how priests participate in the dying and rising of their Lord through challenges and joys that are rooted in our changing culture, in the growing diversity of our Catholic world, and in the demands of their own ministry. Designed as a study text addressing the life of both diocesan and religious clergy, these pages contain reflection questions for priests and clergy study groups to help them experience deeper joy in their lives and ministry. Chapters include "The Cultural Context for Ordained Ministry Today," “Christ’s Priesthood Lived Through the Paschal Mystery,” “The Shape of Ordained Ministry Today,” “Transformation Through Discipleship,” “The Practices of the Spiritual Life,” and “A Fresh Call to Renewal.”
Paul J. Philibert, OP, STD, PhD, is Distinguished Visiting Professor of Church and Society at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri.
"I know of no other comparable contemporary book that should be on the bedside table of every American priest and bishop for regular and repeated consultation and inspiration. It deserves the highest recommendation."
-Rev. Paul Maier, DMin
"A good read about where we have come from and where we are. We need to use it to think about where we are going."
-Church
"This is a wonderfully balanced tool that priests should read, pray over, and discuss with their confreres and their ordinaries. Those responsible for the book have done a great service to the church. Let us hope it is used."
-Pastoral Music
". . . a helpful guide for priests in today's modern society."
-Catholic Studies
"This reflection situates priestly spirituality within a comprehensive theology of the priesthood, healthy human development, a priest's various relationships, and the challenges of contemporary culture. While holding up the ideal of conformity to Christ in his paschal mystery, this spirituality pays attention to the practices which contribute to a robust and sustainable spiritual life. This is a spirituality which is real, practical, and possible within the tensions of contemporary life."
-Susan K. Wood, S.C.L., Professor of Theology and Associate Dean, Saint John's University, School of Theology*Seminary, Collegeville, Minnesota
"[The book] lays out the truth of the spiritual lives of priests today, with all the joys, stresses, and frustrations priests feel. The book is a practical guide on how to maintain faith-filled ideals in the midst of the boulder-strewn terrain of everyday ministry. The job of a priest is tough, and all priests need support. The book shows where it is found. This volume was constructed as a study document for priest study groups, and it will serve wonderfully."
-Dr. Dean Hoge, Professor of Sociology, Catholic University of America
". . . puts the recent abuse scandal in perspective for U. S. Priests as a sharing in the mystery of Christ's dying and rising. In these pages we find superbly set out some of the challenges facing priests in the 21st century: great cultural diversity, dwindling numbers, and the task of collaborating as leaders and prophets with their lay sisters and brothers. The authors stress that a 21st century priest gets by, not with a little but with a lot of help from his friends: brother priests, a spiritual director, and close, supportive relationships with the women and men to whom—and alongside whom—he ministers."
-George Niederauer, Bishop of Salt Lake City
"A thoughtful reading of these essays is like taking part in a retreat—a nourishing and energizing retreat. The book deals reflectingly and practically with the realities that all of us have come to grips with. It offers clarity and hope to all of us in ordained priestly ministry. Priests should read it to renew their awareness of what their priestly life involves. Lay persons should read it to learn (or relearn) what their priests are all about."
-Most Reverend Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Archbishop of Cincinnati
"The points Father Philibert made for 'learning to listen,' 'dynamic silence,' 'spiritual direction,' 'celebration of liturgies,' and the Liturgy of the Hours, were very helpful--good points of reference, for instance, for the main purpose of the book, which is fostering discussion among clergy."
-Touchstone
Publication Date:
April 2004
Format:
Paperback
Specifics: 104 pp., 7 x 10
ISBN: 978-0-8146-2976-5
Rights: World, English
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