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For almost half a century Trappist monk Matthew Kelty has delivered homilies to monks and retreatants in his unique style. Visitors at his monastery have been inspired, and challenged by his talks, given after Compline each evening, and monks have come to love and appreciate his preaching skills at Mass and in Chapter. In this collection of his homilies we read his reflections on life and death, the mysteries of faith, the monastic life from the inside, and his love of the Mass. Those who have heard Father Matthew speak will welcome this new volume, and those who have not will be introduced to a speaker and writer of exceptional talent.

When we first pick it up and open it, the Bible can seem confusing and perhaps even frightening. Here is this bulky book, made up of seventy-three sections with unfamiliar titles such as Deuteronomy, Ecclesiastes, Colossians, and Corinthians, with numbers in front of almost every sentence, rarely any pictures, and perhaps a few maps of ancient areas such as Mesopotamia, Assyria, and Judah. Since the Bible looks like a book, we may start to read it as we would any other book, hoping to move from cover to cover. Then we begin to wonder, Who wrote this? When was it written? What kind of writing is this: History? Science? Biography? Fiction? What am I supposed to get out of it? As (or if) we keep reading the Bible page by page, section by section, we soon realize that this is no ordinary run-of-the-bookshelf volume. Without a guide the Bible is likely to remain the book most often purchased but not very often read and even less often understood.To rescue Bible readers and students from turning their initial enthusiasm into boredom, Gregory Dawes gives us this Introduction to the Bible, the indispensable prologue to the entire series of the New Collegeville Bible Commentary. Dividing the contents into two parts, the author first describes how the Old and New Testaments came to be put together, and then explores how their stories have been interpreted over the centuries. In the words of Dawes, this very broad overview of a very complex history offers the general reader a helpful framework within which to begin to understand the Bible. The author writes clearly, frequently seasoning his explanations with crisp examples. This book anchors individual and group Bible study on the solid foundation of basic biblical vocabulary and concepts.

El ministerio de la Comunió ofrece consejos prácticos y teología vital para ministros de la Eucaristía. Este libro, actualizado con las más recientes normas y leyes litúrgicas, es una guía excelente para tanto las personas que sirven a la gente de Dios como para las que los ayudan a prepararse para el ministerio El Padre y Doctor Michael Kwatera, OSB, un monje de St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota, ha sido unmaestro de liturgia a nivel universitario y de postgrado y un practicante de liturgia en parroquias y comunidades religiosas. Es autor de numerosos arta­culos y varios libros de Oraciones. Ademas de enseanar, dirige taleres acerca de los ministerios litargicos. Actualmente sirve Como director de oblatos para Saint John's Abbey. Este título disponible solamente en Español./This book is written in Spanish onlyThe Ministry of Communion offers practical advice and vital theology for Eucharistic ministers. Updated with the latest liturgical laws and norms, and with an expanded section on leading Communion services, this book is an excellent guide for both those who serve God's people, and those who help them prepare for the ministry.Fr. Michael Kwatera, OSB, PhD, is director of Oblates for Saint John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota. He is a teacher and practitioner of Christian liturgy and the author of several Liturgical Press books, including Come to the Feast: Liturgical Ministry of, by, and for Everybody and The Collegeville Prayer of the Faithful Annual published by Liturgical Press. "

Al darle énfasis a la preparación espiritual y vocal, El ministerio de los lectores ayudará a los lectores con experiencia al igual que a los principiantes en el ministerio de proclamar la palabra de Dios. El Padre Wallace ofrece varios modos de cómo entender la obra del lector (trabajo, servicio, vocación) y reflexiona sobre el misterio de Dios quien habla con--y a través--de nosotros en la Palabra. Incluye ideas sobre cómo continuar desarrollando nuestras habilidades, al igual que una guía para poder atender a las necesidades del texto, de los oyentes, y el espacio litúrgico. Emphasizing both spiritual and speaking preparation, this book will help experienced and beginning lectors in the ministry of proclaiming the word of God. Wallace offers insight to various understandings of the lector's work (job, ministry, vocation), and reflects on the mystery of God who speaks to-and through-us in the Word. Includes ideas for ongoing technique development, as well as a guide to meeting the needs of the text, listeners, and liturgical setting. Divided into three parts, this work begins with Part One, The Lector--What's in a Name? Sections in Part Two, God's Word Spoken to Us are: "The Word of the Lord," The Word of God and the Bible, The Word of God and the Liturgy, The Word of God and the Lectionary, and The Word of God and the Lector. Sections in Part Three, God's Word Spoken Through Us are Spiritual Preparation, Speaking Preparation (includes The Requirements of the Text, The Requirements of the Listeners, The Requirements of the Setting), From Skill to Art: Three Suggestions. Concludes with a Final Word. James A. Wallace, CSsR, PhD, is professor of homiletics at Washington Theological Union and co-editor of New Theology Review. His previous works include Preaching Through the Saints, Preaching to the Hungers of the Heart, and The Ministry of Lectors, published by Liturgical Press. Este título disponible solamente en Español./This book is written in Spanish only.

Vincent M. Smiles provides a fresh look at the early Church and the faith with which they approached their dynamic, diverse community. With a brief introduction to each letter, Smiles brings to light issues such as authorship, dating, and historical situation. Smiles focuses on similarities and contrasts-such as eschatology, ecclesiology and the status of women--within these diverse, yet unified letters.A reading of these letters as partners in a conversation" provides both an understanding and inspiration for today's Christian society: inspiration to meet our challenges in faith with the same creativity as did the early Church.With an understandable, yet comprehensive manner, this commentary will appeal to those interested in the changing early Church and its ancient wisdom.

2006 Catholic Press Association Award Winner!After suffering an eclipse during the post-Vatican II liturgical reform, popular piety has regained its vital role in the spiritual life of Catholics. In response to its re-emergence, the Congregation for divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments issued the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy on December 17, 2001. The Directory was written for bishops and their collaborators as a pastoral guide addressing the relationship between liturgy and popular piety. Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy: Principles and Guidelines, A Commentary by Peter C. Phan provides a chapter-by-chapter commentary on the Directory, summarizing its contents, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses, and offering suggestions on how devotional practices can be implemented in the United States. For liturgists, religious educators and students, pastoral leaders, and other interested Christians, this volume is helpful toward promoting a vigorous and authentic devotional life in the community, while respecting the preeminence of liturgical worship.The Commentary begins with a preface by Peter C. Phan and an introduction by James Empereur, entitled Popular Piety and the Liturgy: Principles and Guidelines." Chapters in Part One: Emerging Trends: History, Magisterium, Theology are *Liturgy and Popular Piety in a Historical Perspective, - by Mark R. Francis; *Liturgy and Popular Piety in the Church's Magisterium, - by Peter Fink; and *Theological Principles for an Evaluation and Renewal of Popular Piety, - by Nathan Mitchell. Chapters in Part Two: Guidelines for the Harmonization of Popular Piety with the Liturgy are *The Liturgical Year and Popular Piety, - by Keith F. Pecklers; *Veneration of the Holy Mother of God, - by Joyce Ann Zimmerman; *Veneration of the Saints and Beati, - by Rail Gomez; *Suffrage for the Dead, - by Peter C. Phan; *Shrines and Pilgrimages, - by Ana Maria Pineda. Concludes with a bibliography that presents the most significant recent writings on popular piety and liturgy, by Robert Brancatelli.

Thurston makes a convincing case that canonical Philippians is as Paul wrote it, one letter, suggesting a range of possibilities for whom it is that Paul is confronting.

Witness and share in the Benedictine tradition of central Minnesota. Those who share the land of Saint Benedict's (Monastery and College) in Saint Joseph, and Saint John's (Abbey, University, Preparatory School, and Liturgical Press) in Collegeville, invite you to experience the prayerfulness of Benedictine spirituality and community. The monastic communities, students, professors, oblates, and friends of these two campuses bring together their humble, honest Benedictine values of Prayer and Work" and hospitality to create this collection which reaches beyond the campus grounds. Prayers are grouped under New Testament quotations, and inspiring photos invite meditation and prayerful listening. The assortment of works is as diverse as the lives of the contributors, including prayers for times of day, moments of rest, thanksgiving, and petition.This campus prayer book is perfect for college students, alumni/alumnae, professors, oblates, and anybody who feels a bond with College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University, or the larger Benedictine community.

The Catholic social tradition is one of thinking and acting. Within this tradition stand the social encyclicals as unique manifestations of the Church's ethical intuition and commitment to the Gospel as lived in society. From the Heart of the Church provides a view of the social encyclical tradition within a broader understanding of Catholic theology.In From the Heart of the Church, Judith Merkle, SNDdeN, examines the social teaching of the Church since Leo XIII from the perspective of its links to the Church and its life. While the social encyclicals of the popes since Leo XIII form a key expression of the social teachings of the Church in the last century, this book also explores the roots of these teachings in the life and theology of the Church today.Chapters in Part One: Foundations are Social Teaching: A Message Lived or Professed? - - The Faith to Walk, - - Spirituality for the World, - and - The Church in Society. - Chapters in Part Two: The Catholic Social Tradition are - Social Teaching Before Vatican II, - - Social Teaching of John XXIII and Paul VI, - - Political Theology, - - Liberation Theology, - - Social Catholicism After Vatican II, - and "Social Teaching of John Paul II. - Part Three: The Future of the Catholic Social Tradition includes - Communities Formed in the Heart of the Church: A Thought Experiment.

Faithfulness to prayer leads to a recognition of the need and an acceptance of the responsibility to pray for one another. By providing short prayers for each day of the school year, Daily Prayer in the Classroom assists teachers, parents, and others in the experience of praying with children each day.Daily Prayer in the Classroom introduces elementary school children to various kinds of prayer; gives teachers confidence in what and how they pray with their students; builds confidence in the adult's ability to lead prayer in the classroom or home; and offers children the opportunity to foster a prayer life. By continuing to pray daily, participants begin to see the connection between prayer and action. As they allow themselves to be open to the Holy Spirit they develop a personal relationship with God and with each other. Daily Prayer in the Classroom consists of short prayers for each day from August through June. Each day begins with an introduction or background followed by questions for discussion and a short prayer. Part One includes prayers for each day of the calendar year including the feasts of saints, prayers for those in need, and prayers for deepening spirituality. Part Two includes prayers for the movable feasts, the incarnation and paschal cycles. A special section of prayers includes blessings of people, places, and things; traditional prayers; virtue; personal, local, national, and international needs, and times of illness or death.Kathleen Foley, CSJ, has experience in elementary schools as a teacher and in administration. She was the coordinator of religion in elementary schools for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and taught in the theology department at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. She is the co-editor of Focus on Theology, a video and book series for adults, published by The Liturgical Press. Peggy O'Leary, CSJ, taught religion and English in elementary schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. For eleven years at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul she coordinated a program for teachers of religion in Catholic elementary schools. She is the co-editor of Focus on Theology, a video and book series for adults, published by The Liturgical Press.

How does the ecclesiology of communion go back to the very sources of the great ecclesial tradition? How should we explain that a Christian is never alone, even before God? How should we perceive that the Church is a communion before being a society, a mystery before being a structure? These questions reflect the inner being of the Church that is at the center of Flesh of the Church, Flesh of Christ. The late renowned scholar J.M.R. Tillard defines what the flesh of the Church is for the New Testament and the period of the undivided Church. He enables readers to understand not the structure of God's Church but the living reality of grace for which this structure exists. Tillard explains that the "flesh of the church" is communion of life for humanity reconciled with the Father and with itself "in Christ." He also shows that through the power of the Spirit and the Word, the Church is the "flesh of Christ" in the osmosis of the sacrificial flesh of the Lord and the concrete life of the baptized, of which the Eucharist is the sacrament. Chapters are "All Linked Together by Salvation: For God, in Communion," "All Joined into One Body, Eucharistic Body, Ecclesial Body," "All Taken into the One Sacrifice: The Sacrifice of Christ," and "Flesh of the Church, Flesh of Christ."

Ascension Now examines the New Testament references to the ascension and exhaltation of Jesus and looks at the theological and liturgical implications. This includes not only the description of the "event" in the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles but also the departure scene that concludes the Gospel of Matthew and the references to Christ as King, as Intercessor, and as "exalted in glory" elsewhere in the New Testament. It also notes the implications for Christians who pray and preach and foreshadows some developments in worship and practical living in the light of the ascension experience.The doctrine of the ascension of Christ is important to theological debates and to the liturgical developments of the Christian Churches. Unless we connect the Christ of history with the Christ of worship, we will fail to hold together the two essential poles of the Christian faith. Christ must be both in time and beyond time. He must have been in history and been more than just a historical figure. He must be both fully human and fully God. Only then can Christ be the object of our faith and our worship. The ascension of Jesus can be seen as the journey of the humanity of Christ into the heart of the Divine God and of our journey in worship into the divine dimension of heaven. In Ascension Now, Bishop Atkins shows that in our worship we are never earthbound; we lift our hearts and minds up to where Christ is seated, symbolically reigning over the world. There he holds them tenderly in love as, through his redemptive power, we are transformed and renewed to fulfill the purposes of its Creator God.Chapters are "Introduction: The Importance of the Doctrine of the Ascension for Today's Church," "Prelude: New Ways of Seeing the Ascension," "The Biblical Evidence for the Doctrine of the Ascension," "The Theological Implications of the Doctrine of the Ascension," "The Liturgical Implications of the Doctrine of the Ascension," "The Implications of the Ascension for Our Personal Prayers," "The Implications of the Doctrine of the Ascension for Preaching," "The Implications of the Doctrine of the Ascension for Future Liturgical Practice," "Conclusion: Personal Implications of the Doctrine of the Ascension," and "Appendix: The Geography of the Ascension."

There are two major entities at the close of the book of Revelation that explain the author's understanding of forthcoming life with God: the Celestial City (the heavenly Jerusalem) and the cosmic Lamb. The marriage of these two marks the concluding highpoint of John the Seer's work. What are the entities in question? How do they marry and what is the significance of that event for those who believe in Jesus as cosmic Lord? In The New Jerusalem in the Revelation of John, Bruce Malina offers insights into the concluding Vision of the book of Revelation to assist Bible readers to understand what the Visionary of Revelation said, and meant to say, to his first-century Mediterranean audience.The New Jerusalem and the Revelation of John sets out comparative models of what sorts of cities existed during the time of the New Testament and what it meant to live in an ancient Mediterranean city. It further explains the significance of the celestial marriage of the City and the Lamb. The result is a set of reading scenarios that describe and explain Revelation's closing Visions, which mediate the theology of John the Seer. The definition and comparative model of the city in The New Jerusalem and the Revelation of John is also useful for persons interested in understanding those first urban" members of Jesus groups addressed by other New Testament documents.Chapters are "Presuppositions about Language and Reading," "The Genre of the Book of Revelation," "The Holy City in the Sky," and "The Cosmic Lamb Marries." Includes relevant charts.

Opening with the prophet Elijah's ascent into heaven and closing with the people of Judah's descent to Babylonia, 2 Kings charts the story of the two Israelite kingdoms until their destruction. This commentary unfolds the literary dimensions of 2 Kings, analyzes the strategies through which its words create a world of meaning, and examines the book's tales of prophets, political intrigue, royal apostasy, and religious reform as components of larger patterns.2 Kings pays attention to the writers' methods of representing human character and of twisting chronological time for literary purposes. It also shows how the contests between kings and prophets are mirrored in the competing structures of regnal synchronization and prophecy-fulfillment. Much more than a common chronicle of royal achievements and disasters, 2 Kings emerges as a powerful history that creates memories and forges identities for its Jewish readers.2 Kings is divided into four parts including Part One The Story of Elisha: 2 Kings 1:1-8:6"; Part Two "Revolutions in Aram, Israel, and Judah: 2 Kings 8:7-13:25"; Part Three "Turmoil and Tragedy for Israel: 2 Kings 14-17"; and Part Four "Renewal and Catastrophe for Judah: 2 Kings 18-25."Robert L. Cohn is professor of religion and holds the Philip and Muriel Berman Chair in Jewish studies at Lafayette College. Under the auspices of the American Jewish Committee, he lectured on Jewish interpretations of the Bible as the first American Jewish-scholar-in-residence at four Roman Catholic seminaries in Poland.

Not an easy letter to follow, the emotional language used in 2 Corinthians, the question of the integrity of 2 Corinthians as a letter, and inadequate information about the concrete situation at Corinth and the identity of Paul's opponents make following the flow of Paul's argument difficult at times. Lambrecht provides needed clarification.

Revelation, a prophetic apocalyptic letter, is a profoundly Christian text. Father Harrington is concerned to open up Revelation and to convey its Christian message. After an introduction he provides a new translation of each section of the writing, followed by notes which deal with matters of text and content that require clarification. He then treats the passage as a whole by discussing its literary character, its theological significance, and its relevance to our situation. Bibliographies direct the reader to important modern studies.

A new translation of Father Rahner's book on prayer. Karl Rahner stands in a long line of great Christian theologians who were likewise great teachers of prayer. He has been called the voice of Vatican II, and is acknowledged as the rare theologian whose writings speak to the ordinary" Christian. In The Need and the Blessing of Prayer , Father Rahner views the human person as essentially one called to prayer. He also highlights prayer as the act of human existence, the great religious act. By encouraging people to "pray in the everyday" - to pray regardless of the desire or mood of the moment - Rahner's theology of the prayer of everyday life challenges us to surrender ourselves to God so that God dwells at the very center of our lives. The eight chapters of The Need and the Blessing of Prayer were originally sermons that Rahner gave during Lent 1946 at St. Michal's Church in Munich, Germany. This work has been reprinted often throughout its publishing history, testifying to its enduring message. For as Father Rahner wrote in the first edition, "If we are not supposed to cease praying, then perhaps one shouldn't cease speaking about prayer." Chapters are "Opening Our Hearts," "The Helper-Spirit," "The Prayer of Love," "Prayer in the Everyday," "The Prayer of Need," "Prayers of Consecration, "The Prayer of Guilt," and "Prayers of Decision."

This book reexamines what we often take for granted: how Scripture is presented to worshipers; how it is heard, especially by those with little experience of the life of the church; Scripture's role in mediating the great narratives of incarnation and redemption at the high points of the year; where Scripture meets people in ritual transition; how the Bible itself provides the language of much public prayer. Contributors also consider how the relationship between Scripture and liturgy is tested by new priorities-the climate crisis, the inclusion and protection of children, the recognition and honoring of those who find themselves on the margins of the church, and the significance of gender and identity in all areas of the church's life. This book does not offer definitive statements. It is an invitation to a wide audience to engage in new conversations with their practice of worship.Contributors include:John Baldovin, SJNormand Bonneau, OMIStephen BurnsCally HammondChristopher IrvineDavid KennedyLizette Larson-MillerAnn Loades, CBEAnne McGowanThomas O'LoughlinCatherine ReidArmand Léon van Ommen