Synopses & Reviews
The Mass—The central act of Catholic worship—can be a richer experience for everyone, as shown in these popular essays written by the most accomplished liturgists in the country. The contributors examine the roles of all the people involved in the Mass—the congregation, presider, deacons, lectors, musicians, eucharistic ministers, ministers of hospitality—and offer a wealth of practical advice to deepen Catholics’ appreciation of the Mass. The articles in Celebrating Good Liturgy are written in an accessible, popular style. They were originally published in America magazine as one of the most popular series in the magazine’s history. They will prove helpful to everyone involved in the Mass—especially those many Catholics who regularly celebrate it.
“There is terrific wisdom, common sense, and practical information in this collection of brief essays. Priests and deacons should read it; members of parish liturgy committees should read it; and above all, ‘the folks in the pews’ should read it.”—Mitch Finley, author of The Seeker’s Guide to Being Catholic"A rich—and immediately useful—collection of ways to engage the assembly at Mass and deepen our understanding of this most important hour each week.”—Paul Wilkes, author of Excellent Catholic Parishes: The Guide to Best Places and Practices and The 7 Secrets of Successful Catholics
The Mass—The central act of Catholic worship—can be a richer experience for everyone, as shown in these popular essays written by the most accomplished liturgists in the country. The contributors examine the roles of all the people involved in the Mass—the congregation, presider, deacons, lectors, musicians, eucharistic ministers, ministers of hospitality—and offer a wealth of practical advice to deepen Catholics’ appreciation of the Mass. The articles in Celebrating Good Liturgy are written in an accessible, popular style. They were originally published in America magazine as one of the most popular series in the magazine’s history. They will prove helpful to everyone involved in the Mass—especially those many Catholics who regularly celebrate it.
“There is terrific wisdom, common sense, and practical information in this collection of brief essays. Priests and deacons should read it; members of parish liturgy committees should read it; and above all, ‘the folks in the pews’ should read it.”—Mitch Finley, author of The Seeker’s Guide to Being Catholic
"A rich—and immediately useful—collection of ways to engage the assembly at Mass and deepen our understanding of this most important hour each week.”—Paul Wilkes, author of Excellent Catholic Parishes: The Guide to Best Places and Practices and The 7 Secrets of Successful Catholics
Synopsis
The sacred grotto at Massabieille, near the town of Lourdes in southern France and home to the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, appeals to Catholics like no other place. Some six million pilgrims visit Lourdes each year, making it the most popular place of pilgrimage in the world. One of these recent pilgrims was James Martin, an American Jesuit who went to Lourdes as chaplain for a group of pilgrims sponsored by the Knights of Malta, an international Catholic association devoted to charitable works. Fr. Martin, a writer, kept an illuminating diary of his trip. His account of his seven busy and gratifying days at Massabieille--at turns touching, humorous, reverent, and self-effacing--is a vivid description of a place with a special, mysterious spiritual presence.
Synopsis
Recently, James Martin, SJ, went on a Lourdes pilgrimage as chaplain for a group of pilgrims sponsored by the Order of Malta. Lourdes Diary is Fr. Martin's illuminating account of seven busy and gratifying days at Massabieille—at turns touching, humorous, reverent, and self-effacing. As we journey with Martin, we come to understand why six million people a year make a Lourdes pilgrimage, and why many of them are forever changed by their experiences of this sacred place.
Synopsis
The sacred grotto at Massabieille, near the town of Lourdes in southern France, appeals to Catholics like no other place. This is the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, the place where Mary appeared to a humble peasant girl named Bernadette Soubirous in 1858 and spoke words of comfort and simple faith. At Mary’s behest, Bernadette dug in the rocky soil of the grotto and struck water. A puddle soon became a spring that gushed forth waters that were recognized to have documented healing properties, baffling physicians and scientific experts. Some six million pilgrims visit Lourdes each year, making it the most popular place of pilgrimage in the world.
One of these recent pilgrims was Fr. James Martin, an American Jesuit who went to Lourdes as chaplain for a group of pilgrims sponsored by the Order of Malta. Fr. Martin’s illuminating account of seven busy and gratifying days at Massabieille—at turns touching, humorous, reverent, and self-effacing—is a vivid description of a place with a special, mysterious spiritual presence.
Synopsis
A charming and touching story that reminds us, with St. Bernadette, that grace is everywhere.”
—Robert Ellsberg, author, Blessed Among All Women
he shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in southern France appeals to Catholics as few other places do. The famous grotto is a place of healing that attracts some six million pilgrims to Lourdes each year.
One of these recent pilgrims was James Martin, an American Jesuit. Fr. Martin went to Lourdes to serve as chaplain for a group of pilgrims sponsored by the Order of Malta, an international Catholic association devoted to charitable works. During his stay, Martin kept an illuminating diary of his trip. His touching and humorous account of the busy and gratifying days that he spent at Lourdes is a vivid description of a place filled with a powerful spiritual presence. “Lourdes is now one of those places where I have met God in a special way,” Martin writes. Through this diary, we are able to share in his journey and feel the presence of God that he encountered there.
A charming and touching story that reminds us, with St. Bernadette, that grace is everywhere.”
—Robert Ellsberg, author, Blessed Among All Women
he shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in southern France appeals to Catholics as few other places do. The famous grotto is a place of healing that attracts some six million pilgrims to Lourdes each year.
One of these recent pilgrims was James Martin, an American Jesuit. Fr. Martin went to Lourdes to serve as chaplain for a group of pilgrims sponsored by the Order of Malta, an international Catholic association devoted to charitable works. During his stay, Martin kept an illuminating diary of his trip. His touching and humorous account of the busy and gratifying days that he spent at Lourdes is a vivid description of a place filled with a powerful spiritual presence. “Lourdes is now one of those places where I have met God in a special way,” Martin writes. Through this diary, we are able to share in his journey and feel the presence of God that he encountered there.
Synopsis
Participation in the Mass is the one experience that all active Catholics share. The articles collected in Celebrating Good Liturgy, derived from a popular series in America magazine, show how the church’s central act of worship can be a richer experience for everyone.
The essays, written by the most accomplished liturgists in the country, examine the “roles” of all the people involved in the Mass—the congregation, presider, deacons, lectors, musicians, eucharistic ministers, and ministers of hospitality. They examine each role and off er a wealth of practical advice to deepen Catholics’ appreciation of the Mass.
Celebrating Good Liturgy will prove helpful to everyone involved in the Mass—from those who plan the liturgy to those Catholics who regularly participate in the church’s great sacrament
Synopsis
awake my soul introduces the practice of devotions to a new generation of the faithful. The essays in this enlightening collection celebrate the traditional Catholic devotions—those sensual, physical, time-honored forms of piety that have sustained generations of believers. Contemporary men and women are finding in the devotions what earlier generations found—comfort in times of trial, models of discipleship, encouragement to care for others, and ways to draw closer to Jesus in prayer and worship.
The twenty contributors to Awake My Soul—which include Ron Hansen, Joan Chittester, Lawrence Cunningham, and Paul Mariani—share their delight in this rediscovery of their Catholic heritage. Awake My Soul shows how the great tradition of Catholic prayer can help all of us to regain a sense of the profound mystery at the center of our Catholic faith and to discover new depths of meaning in our prayer lives.
Synopsis
In Awake My Soul, editor James Martin, SJ, offers a meaningful collection of fascinating essays focusing on Catholic devotions and their place in the life of contemporary believers. Originally published as part of a Lenten series in America magazine, each essay discusses a favorite Catholic devotion, its history, its place in an individual's life, and its role in the life of today's Catholics.Awake My Soul features some of today's top Catholic writers celebrating traditional Catholic devotions such as the rosary, the stations of the cross, holy water, novenas, relics, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and more. Contributors include Ron Hansen; Emilie Griffin; Joan Chittister, O.S.B.; and Eric Stoltz.
Synopsis
Be inspired by the Catholic saints like never before in
My Life with the Saints by James Martin, SJ. This best-selling memoir of spiritual self-discovery is an homage to the Catholic saints who have accompanied Fr. Martin throughout his life. From a lukewarm childhood Catholicism, to the Wharton School of Business, to the executive fast track at General Electric, to the Jesuits, to a media career in Manhattan, Martin has relied on the Catholic saints to intervene in and guide his life. As Martin shares with us his many surprising encounters and journeys with the saints, he convincingly shows how we, too, can be close friends with the saints of the Catholic Church.
Winner of the Prestigious Christopher Award!
Synopsis
James Martin has led a thoroughly modern life: from a lukewarm childhood Catholicism, to the Wharton School of Business, to the executive fast track at General Electric, to the Jesuits, to a media career in Manhatten. But at every step along the way he has been accompanied by special friends--the saints of the Catholic Church. These holy men and women are not just historical figures to him. Martin's attachment to them is real and personal. The saints have guided him. He convincingly shows how the saints can be our friends too.
Martin's saintly friends come from the whole of Christian history--from St. Paul to John XXIII--and they include Therese of Lisieux, Joan of Arc, Ignatius Loyola and other beloved figures. They accompany the author on a pilgrimage that includes stops in a sunlit square of a French town, a quiet retreat house on a New England beach, the housing projects in inner-city Chicago, the sparwling slums of Nairobi, and a gorgeous Baroque church in Rome. As James Martin's inspiring, witty, and surprising account unfolds, we see how saints can help us to find our way in the world.
Synopsis
Meet some surprising
friends of God in this warm and wonderful memoir
James Martin has led an entirely modern life: from a lukewarm Catholic childhood, to an education at the Wharton School of Business, to the executive fast track at General Electric, to ministry as a Jesuit priest, to a busy media career in Manhattan. But at every step he has been accompanied by some surprising friends—the saints of the Catholic Church. For many, these holy men and women remain just historical figures. For Martin, they are intimate companions. “They pray for me, offer me comfort, give me examples of discipleship, and help me along the way,” he writes.
The author is both engaging and specific about the help and companionship he has received. When his pride proves troublesome, he seeks help from Thomas Merton, the monk and writer who struggled with egotism. In sickness he turns to Thérèse of Lisieux, who knew about the boredom and self-pity that come with illness. Joan of Arc shores up his flagging courage. Aloysius Gonzaga deepens his compassion. Pope John XXIII helps him to laugh and not take life too seriously.
Martin’s inspiring, witty, and always fascinating memoir encompasses saints from the whole of Christian history— from St. Peter to Dorothy Day. His saintly friends include Francis of Assisi, Ignatius of Loyola, Mother Teresa, and other beloved figures. They accompany the author on a lifelong pilgrimage that includes stops in a sunlit square of a French town, a quiet retreat house on a New England beach, the gritty housing projects of inner-city Chicago, the sprawling slums of Nairobi, and a gorgeous Baroque church in Rome. This rich, vibrant, stirring narrative shows how the saints can help all of us find our way in the world.
Synopsis
One of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of the Year
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Winner of a Christopher Award
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Winner of a Catholic Press Association Book Award
“In a cross between Holden Caulfield and Thomas Merton, James Martin has written one of the best spiritual memoirs in years.”
—Robert Ellsberg, author of All Saints
“It isn’t often that a new and noteworthy book comes along in this genre, but we have reason to celebrate My Life with the Saints. It is earmarked for longevity. It will endure as an important and uncommon contribution to religious writing.”
—Doris Donnelly, America
“An account . . . that is as delightful as it is instructive.”
—First Things
“In delightful prose Martin recounts incidents, both perilous and funny, that have prompted him to turn to the saints, and in doing so shows us a new way of living out a devotion that is as old and universal as the Church.”
—Avery Cardinal Dulles, SJ, Fordham University
“An outstanding and often hilarious memoir.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Martin’s final word for us is as Jungian as it is Catholic: God does not want us to be like Mother Teresa or Dorothy Day. God wants us to be most fully ourselves.”
—The Washington Post Book World
One of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of the Year
—
Winner of a Christopher Award
—
Winner of a Catholic Press Association Book Award
“In a cross between Holden Caulfield and Thomas Merton, James Martin has written one of the best spiritual memoirs in years.”
—Robert Ellsberg, author of All Saints
“It isn’t often that a new and noteworthy book comes along in this genre, but we have reason to celebrate My Life with the Saints. It is earmarked for longevity. It will endure as an important and uncommon contribution to religious writing.”
—Doris Donnelly, America
“An account . . . that is as delightful as it is instructive.”
—First Things
“In delightful prose Martin recounts incidents, both perilous and funny, that have prompted him to turn to the saints, and in doing so shows us a new way of living out a devotion that is as old and universal as the Church.”
—Avery Cardinal Dulles, SJ, Fordham University
“An outstanding and often hilarious memoir.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Martin’s final word for us is as Jungian as it is Catholic: God does not want us to be like Mother Teresa or Dorothy Day. God wants us to be most fully ourselves.”
—The Washington Post Book World
About the Author
James Martin, SJ, is associate editor of America magazine. A prolific author, writer, and editor, his books include My Life with the Saints, A Jesuit Off-Broadway, Searching for God at Ground Zero and In Good Company. He is the editor of Awake My Soul and Celebrating Good Liturgy. His articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Tablet, and Commonweal. Fr. Martin resides in New York City.
Table of Contents
Contents
Introduction James Martin, SJ xi
1 The Assembly Robert D. Duggan 1
2 Presiding at the Liturgy of the Word 9 John F. Baldovin, SJ
3 Presiding at the Liturgy of the Eucharist 17 Keith F. Pecklers, SJ
4 The Ministry of the Deacon Joseph DeGrocco 25
5 The Ministry of the Lector James M. Schellman 37
6 The Ministry of the Parish Liturgy Committee 45
Kathy A. Lindell
7 Music Ministry J. Michael McMahon 55
8 Ministers of Communion 63
Margaret Mary Kelleher, OSU
9 The Ministry of Hospitality 71
Thomas Richstatter, OFM
10 Celebrating “Good Liturgy” Nathan D. Mitchell 79
Selections from Sacrosanctum Concilium 87
Acknowledgments 97
About the Editor 99