Stewards of God's Mysteries: Priestly Spirituality in a Changing Church - Softcover

Paul Philibert, OP, has taught pastoral theology in the United States and abroad. He is a Dominican friar of the Southern Province. His translation of a collection of Congar's essays on the liturgy has been published by Liturgical Press under the title At the Heart of Christian Worship. His book The Priesthood of the Faithful: Key to a Living Church (Liturgical Press, 2005) reflects the ecclesiology of Yves Congar and his vision of the apostolic life of the faithful.

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