How Congregations Thrive: Fostering Community, Identity, and Mission in Today’s Churches explores ten Los Angeles-area Protestant congregations as they emerged from the pandemic. Through interviews, observations, sermon analysis, surveys and focus groups, this book examines ten characteristics of thriving and the connections between particular practices and congregational vitality.
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Big congratulations to Fr. Ricky Manalo, CSP on the release of his new book, Toward a More Perfect Communion: Catholic Wisdom for a Polarized Age. This important book takes a close look at polarization both in our Church and in our nation, and illuminates paths forward. Those concerned with polarization and looking to foster dialogue in Catholic spaces will find it a worthwhile read, as I note in my endorsement:
“Both our country and our Church suffer deeply from the wounds of polarization. Ricky Manalo’s Toward a More Perfect Communion outlines the events that gave rise to this increasing polarization in the U.S. Church and the contours that shape the Church today. Manalo’s work takes brave steps beyond analysis, plumbing the Church’s theological wisdom and offering creative and courageous responses toward healing. This book is a must-read for leaders in parishes, dioceses and lay apostolates as we look beyond partisan frames to build greater communion in our Church and world, guided by the trust that Christ, indeed, makes all things new.”
The Catholic Media Association just announced this year’s winners and I’m happy to share that Crossroads received an honorable mention in the Inclusion in the Church category!
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I’m so glad to share my review of Dr. Lisa Keister’s Catholics in America in the Review of Religious Research. Keister’s book brings together some great national data to help us learn more about American Catholics. A unique contribution of this book is its close look at Catholic wealth and income, which has lots of implications for resources at parishes and Catholic organizations. Keister’s book is also the only recent work that I know of that compares white Catholics, Hispanic Catholics, white Protestants and Hispanic Protestants so we can understand when and how race and religion matter.
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Happy to share two recent reviews of Crossroads with you all. Both mentioned their appreciation of the interviews for the first time in this series; I’m happy to say we are planning to continue to include these! The first review comes from Review of Religious Research and is written by Dr. Patrick Gilger, SJ, at Loyola University Chicago.
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Rosie Chinea Shawver, Executive Director of the Catholic Campus Ministry Association, and I are teaming up with Ave Maria Press to bring you The Campus Minister’s Toolkit. This will be an amazing edited collection exploring a wide variety of topics facing today’s campus ministers. We are in the final stages of revisions with the contributors (who are some of the brightest stars in this field) and the book promises to be incredibly helpful for both new and seasoned ministers. The twenty chapters explore some of the most critical areas of campus ministry, like building partnerships, shaping your mission and vision, intercultural ministry, budget and fundraising, retreat design, and so much more. Something for everyone! I’ll keep you updated on my Books page as we move through the process.
UPDATE: The manuscript has been submitted for copyedits!
I wrote this back in 2019 for JST, my alma mater, but I thought I’d bring it back for those looking to enter into the solemnity of the day. As you can likely tell, it is based off of today’s readings:
I’ll apply an important lesson from my preaching class to this reflection: Your sermon should always provide good news to your listeners.
However, today’s Gospel reading is dark: betrayal, denial, interrogation, intrigue, blame, torture, hubris and the execution of Jesus… good news is not obvious. But, we can see the dimmest of stars on the darkest of nights. After reading the texts several times, I finally saw it, and when we read the crucifixion narratives in the other Gospels, this phrase appears only in John’s account, “The slave’s name was Malchus.”
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I bring you a joyful announcement on this fine Feast of St. Patrick: The IRB for our stewardship study has been approved! This study will be an update of Chuck Zech’s 2006 study of parish stewardship. With e-giving, digital communications, COVID, declines in membership and more, it is time to discover what sorts of practices best correlate with higher rates of volunteering and financial giving in today’s parishes.
Soda bread tastes even better when you can celebrate these official beginnings! 🙂 ☘️
UPDATE: Survey launched April 16!
The latest issue of American Catholic Studies contains a wonderful review of Crossroads. Huge thanks to theologian Dr. Rev. Aaron Wessman, vicar general and director of formation for the Glenmary Home Missioners, for his close read and thoughtful comments.
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Happy Feast of the Epiphany! There has been a lot of good news to announce lately and I’m afraid that I am two months late in letting you know that a book based on the first wave of the National Study of Catholic Priests housed at The Catholic Project at the Catholic University of America has been released!
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Maureen K. Day, Ph.D. 