Pastoral Books

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.

Don't let concerns about what page am I supposed to be on? scare you away. Sockey will be your guide to answer common questions and overcome common fears. Your prayer life will never be the same!

The Handbook of Indulgences from Catholic Book Publishing is the revised edition of the Enchiridion of Indulgences and the official English translation of the Church\'s book on indulgences. This liturgical book includes a list of the works and prayers to which indulgences are attached. The Handbook of Indulgences is durably bound in a brown cloth cover to ensure long-lasting use.

Sincere, encouraging, and downright practical, Father McBride's How to Make Homilies Better, Briefer, and Bolder makes it easy to connect with your parishioners every Sunday and help them apply their faith to real life. Blending simple-to-follow instructions, proven strategies, and the occasional rule, this guidebook encapsulates 50 years of sermon mastery from one of the most notable preachers of our time. Develop the skills to: Create compelling twelve-minute Sunday homiliesDeliver memorable speeches that resonate in parishioners' hearts and mindsTransform lifeless homilies into irresistible calls to action

Comprehensive yet compact, How to Make Homilies Better, Briefer, and Bolder includes practical steps for overcoming public-speaking fears and time-saving tips for finding relevant stories that warrant sharing. Includes special tips for weddings, funerals, and Masses for children.

Great homilies are a key to thriving parishes. Whether you're a veteran pastor, new priest, or permanent deacon, this invaluable resource will make the most of your weekly preparation!

Experience the depth and beauty of an ancient prayer practice as it is celebrated in a modern monastic community

At the Church of the Transfiguration on Cape Cod, the Liturgy of the Hours is observed each day by the Community of Jesus, an ecumenical Christian community in the Benedictine monastic tradition. The Liturgy of the Hours is the heartbeat of everyday life, the pulse that sustains and nurtures the community. In this little book, all the richness of these ancient prayers is presented in a modified version for Christians everywhere. The Little Book of Hours provides four weeks of services, with three services for every day, and many additional collects and services. Learn how you can "pray the hours" in the midst of your busy life today.

"Prayer is first and foremost about relationship, our relationship with God and our relationship with one another in the Body of Christ. These relationships fill our lives with meaning and purpose. Prayer, then, is not so much an exercise of piety as it is an exchange of love."

--from The Little Book of Hours

To learn more about the Community of Jesus visit www.communityofjesus.org.

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.

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.