The author of a forthcoming book on the attitudes of U.S. Catholics finds anger over the sexual abuse crisis, but also the desire for a more active role for laypeople in the church.
Thomas P. Sweetser
Posted inFrom Our Archives
Five Steps to an Ideal Parish
How to become more attractive to active and inactive parishioners alike.
Posted inFrom Our Archives
How should parishes respond to Pope Francis call to action?
Our Common HomePope Francis in quot Laudato Si rsquo quot stated ldquo It is my hope that this Encyclical Letter can help us to acknowledge the appeal immensity and urgency of the challenge we face rdquo No 15 The urgency is not only on a global scale but relates to the local level as w
Posted inIn All Things
Saying Goodbye to a Parish
Many Catholic dioceses are going through the difficult journey of merging two or more parishes into a single entity nbsp Usually after a long process of planning for the change the moment arrives for the parishes to give up their identity and form a new entity It is a heart-wrenching experience
Posted inFrom Our Archives
Setting Hearts on Fire: A pilot project for evangelization
Evangelization needs to be practical, if is to succeed in inviting people to embrace Christ and live the Gospel more wholeheartedly. A working definition might be: Evangelization is a radical call to do things differently, in very concrete and practical ways, in order to set people’s hearts on
Posted inFaith in Focus
A Partner for the Pastor: Tips for finding the right person
To be pastor for a typical Catholic parish these days is to attempt the impossible, for the pastor’s role has grown too large. It includes pastoral duties (preaching, counseling, presiding at liturgies, administrating sacraments, visiting parishioners), managing human resources (staff directio
Posted inFrom Our Archives
The Aftermath
In the first century, Peter had a dream in Joppa, a strange dream that encouraged him to eat prohibited food that was common and unclean. This was not kosher. Then he heard a knock at the door. A group of gentiles, sent by Cornelius, asked him to come with them to Caesarea. He agreed, mystified by t
Posted inFrom Our Archives
A Letter to the American Catholic Bishops
We pastors have been meeting in focus groups around the country, trying to cope with the stress and strains of pastoral leadership. Though a small group, only 50 in all, we are from seven different parts of the country and represent the feelings and desires of many other pastors like ourselves. Afte