Pastoral Books

Msgr. Stephen Rossetti, the best-selling author of the influential Joy of Priesthood, has assembled fascinating reflections from nine esteemed fellow priests who share how their devotion to the Blessed Mother has supported their life and ministry. Though overlooked in recent times, devotion to the Blessed Mother has long been a foundational part of priestly spirituality. Behold Your Mother seeks to renew this practice for both younger clergy and those with years of priestly life. From stories of childhood devotion to the Blessed Mother to personal encounters with some of the great spiritual figures from recent times, these essays have both a personal and practical character that priests--and the laity as well--will deeply appreciate.

Ceremonies Explained for Servers may well be called the mother of all servers' manuals. This is the most detailed guide available for servers and those who train and supervise them at the altar.

In accessible language, Ceremonies covers the roles of servers in a wide range of Catholic liturgical celebrations. These are described in full, such as: the Mass in both the Ordinary and Extraordinary forms, the seven sacraments, the ceremonies of Holy Week, the Liturgy of the Hours, funeral rites, the liturgies that are celebrated by a bishop and major blessings.

Ceremonies also provides accurate explanations for each of these rites, with Catholic teaching on the liturgy and sacraments and a history of the ministry of servers. The skills, techniques and discipline involved in serving are explained, such as: how a procession should move, how to assist with incense, team-work and responding in emergencies and unforeseen situations.

A spirituality of this ministry runs through the manual, with an underlying theme of service and vocation. In an encouraging personal way, Ceremonies sets out high spiritual ideals that can inspire and guide those who enhance Catholic worship through their ministry.

The Divine Office for Dodos from Catholic Book Publishing is a step-by-step guide to praying the official prayer of the Church, the Liturgy of the Hours. For those who want to pray the Liturgy of the Hours correctly and completely, The Divine Office for Dodos contains over 90 detailed lessons with questions, helpful hints, and practice sessions presented in a simple style. This book includes everything you need to know to be able to pray the Liturgy of the Hours with confidence.

In Encountering Christ the Servant: A Spirituality of the Diaconate, Deacon Dominic Cerrato, PhD, offers deacons and deacon candidates an integrated approach to diaconal life and ministry, rooted in the cultivation of the interior life. In this study, Deacon Dominic outlines the primacy of the interior life, the necessity of abandonment, the Servant Mysteries, and living the Servant Mysteries.

Former Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada Marc Cardinal Ouellet offers a theological and philosophical defense of priestly celibacy in the Roman Catholic Church in anticipation of the Oct. 2019 Amazon synod. Drawing from the Bible, and inspired by his pastoral love for the peoples of South America, Cardinal Ouellet defends the priesthood against the challenges of secularism and the current abuse crisis in the Church.

Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass from Catholic Book Publishing includes the Rite of Distributing Holy Communion outside Mass, Administration of Communion and Viaticum to the Sick by an Extraordinary Minister, and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. This valuable liturgical resource for Eucharistic worship also contains Scripture readings, antiphons, responsories, prayers after Communion, and prayers at Benediction. Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass from Catholic Book Publishing is bound in a durable cloth cover to withstand many years of use.

This handy little book will increase your understanding of this ministry. It will help you to carry it out well. You will discover that you become stronger in your faith in other ways, too. You will come to realize that a lector is far more than someone who simply stands up and reads aloud from the lectionary--much, much more than that. Also available in Spanish: RPS123/04.

A bestselling author and leading expert on the Catholic priesthood, Msgr. Stephen J. Rossetti forges a renewed theology of priestly blessing, encouraging his brother priests to embrace the habit of blessing people, objects, and events. In this provocative and inspirational book he shows how the blessing is integral to the identity of priests and crucial to the spiritual wellbeing of all the faithful.

Msgr. Stephen Rossetti fears that many priests shy away from blessing people and objects because of a lack of awareness of the rich tradition of Church blessings and a deficit in training for this important pastoral practice. In The Priestly Blessing, Rossetti urges priests to boldly and frequently embrace this ancient practice because of their unique calling.

Rossetti traces the history of blessing in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. He also explores the various types of blessing, such as praise of God, the invocation of special benefit from God, and being consecrated to God.

The Priestly Blessing also helps priests reflect on what saints and mystics have taught about blessing as a vital activity of the Church, and outlines connections between Catholic sacramental theology, the practice of priestly blessing, and the Catholic understanding of creation that helps make sense of priests blessing objects and animals.

Drawing on fifty-nine years of experience as a Catholic priest, Fr. Kereszty provides spiritual, psychological, and pastoral guidance to priests, deacons, and seminarians for preaching, sacramental ministry, and spiritual direction. He has worked with countless priests struggling to understand their own role and identity in the post-conciliar Church with the laity taking on more leadership and responsibilities.

He has also dealt with the confusion and discouragement from the sexual abuse crisis. His desire is that this book will re-ignite the great gift that priests have received in ordination, and to communicate his own immense joy and gratitude for that gift. Lastly, he tells all priests: to have a happy priestly life, strive to be a true priest of Jesus Christ in service to his flock.

This study edition contains the officially approved texts and rubrics for the following: Institutions of Readers and Acolytes; Ordination of Deacons, Priests, and Bishops; Rite of Religious Profession; Blessing of Persons: Abbot, Abbess; Consecrating to a life of Virginity; Rite of Commissioning Special Ministers of Holy Communion; Dedication of a Church and Altar. Appendices include: Reception of the Bishop in the Cathedral Church, Blessing of Pontifical Insignia, the Rite of the Blessing of Oils, the Rite of Consecrating the Chrism, Crowning of the Image of the Blessed Virgin.

The Catholic Church today finds itself in the midst of a crisis. The flock is scattering, and while some shepherds bravely set off in search of those lost and wandering sheep, others drive them, and many more, further from the fold.

But the Church has seen and weathered numerous crises in its two millennia, and always one or more of its priests and bishops stood up and rallied the faithful: whether to rebuke an Emperor or oppose a policy, encourage the faithful or defend the faith, bishops and priests ascended the pulpit and delivered sermons that met the pressing needs of their own times, sermons which should be read and remembered by Catholics of all times. You will find comfort within these pages as you read the words of these heroic pastors of souls including:

St Ambrose of Milan, St Augustine, St John Chrysostom, St Edmund Campion, Pope St John Paul II, . . . and seven others.

Enter into the minds and thoughts of some of the bravest, most eloquent, homilists the Church has produced. More than one was killed for the words they uttered which you will find in these pages. But they counted not the cost.

Guided by Rev. Paul D. Scalia's introduction and commentaries, you will come to see that the Church has faced crises and survived, even thrived, before. In fact, it is one of the marks of her authenticity, as it has often been said, that no mere human institution could have survived the persecutions and scandals that the Catholic Church has withstood over 2000 years.

If you are a priest or bishop, just maybe reading these words of men not unlike yourself, will inspire you to stand and be counted and preach God's word from the pulpit without counting the cost.

The Shorter Book of Blessings from Catholic Book Publishing is a handy-sized edition of the larger Book of Blessings that includes only the blessings that are celebrated outside Mass. It contains the New American Bible translation for all Scripture readings to ensure conformity with the Catholic liturgical Lectionary. This handy liturgical resource is printed in two colors, with each blessing set in easy-to-read sense lines and carefully arranged for the celebrant. The Shorter Book of Blessings is bound in flexible brown simulated leather.