Ministry Bibliography
In this and other NDCL bibliographies, materials have been selected primarily with parish ministers (rather than professional scholars) in mind. Most of the resources are in English and were published in North America.
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- Bartlett, David Lyon. Ministry in the New Testament. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993). For pastoral theologians and ministers. Contributes to discussion regarding practice and issues in ministry. AMAZON
- Bernier, Paul. Ministry in the Church: A Historical and Pastoral Approach. (Mystic, CT: Twenty-third Publications, 1992). Reappraises old structures of ministry and suggests new ones. AMAZON
- Byrne, Lavinia. Women at the Altar. The Ordination of Women in the Roman Catholic Church. (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1994). Explores the problem caused when God calls women to priesthood, while the Catholic Church formally teaches that only men can be ordained. AMAZON~~POWELLS
- Casey, Michael. What Are We At? Ministry and Priesthood for the Third Millenium. (Dublin: Columba Press, 1992). This book is the result of reflection and analysis based on twenty-five years' experience of Dublin parishes. AMAZON
- Catholic Church. Directory on the Life and Ministry of Priests> (Città del Vaticano: Libreria Editrice Vaticano; Washington, DC: [distributed by ] United States Catholic Conference, Office for Publishing and Promotion Services, 1994). Reflections on priestly spirituality.
- _____. The Lay Members of Christ's Faithful People. (Boston: Daughters of St. Paul, 1989). Contains the post Synodal apostolic exhortation "Christifideles Laici" of John Paul II on the vocation and the mission of the lay faithful in the church and in the world.
- Chittister, Joan. Women, Ministry and Church. (New York: Paulist Press 1983). A series of reflective essays on the roles and problems of modern women in the ministries of the Church. AMAZON
- Collins, John Neil. Are All Christians Ministers? (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1992). This book explores the idea that if not all Christians are ministers, we then need to consider who might rightfully and usefully be called ministers. AMAZON
- Dent, Barbara. The Gifts of Lay Ministry. (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 1989). Deals with a wide range of activities in the lay apostolate. AMAZON
- Ditewig, William T. Lay Leaders: Resources for the Changing Parish. (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 1991). This book is a reference tool for lay persons who are or will be in positions of leadership in Catholic parishes. AMAZON
- Dolan, Jay P., et al. Transforming Parish Ministry: The Changing Roles of Catholic Clergy, Laity and Women Religious. (New York: Crossroad, 1989). The historical dimension of ministry in the United States, tracing the evolution during the twentieth century. AMAZON
- Donovan, Daniel. What are They Saying about the Ministerial Priesthood? (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1992). AMAZON
- Dunn, James D.G., and Mackey, James P. New Testament Theology in Dialogue: Christology and Ministry. (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1987). AMAZON
- Fahey, Michael A., ed. Catholic Perspectives on Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry. (Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1986). Discussion on the "Lima Document," Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (1982: Faith and Order Paper #111). AMAZON
- Ferder, Fran. Partnership: Women and Men in Ministry. (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 1989). An invitation to reimagine the church as a community of disciples who journey in hope and who minister in mutuality. AMAZON
- Galot, Jean. Theology of the Priesthood. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1984). Uses scriptural and historical sources as a basis for studying Vatican II theology. AMAZON
- Groome, Thomas H. Sharing Faith: A Comprehensive Approach to Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry: the Way of Shared Praxis. (San Francisco: Harper SanFrancisco, 1991). AMAZON
- Kinast, Robert L. Sacramental Pastoral Care: Integrating Resources for Ministry. (Collegeville. MN: The Liturgical Press, 1988). Asserts that ritual, worship, and life passages are all part of pastoral care. AMAZON
- Lane, A.T. A Priesthood in Tune: Theological Reflections on Ministry. (Blackrock, Dublin: Columba Press, 1993). This work particularly concerns the relationship between ordained ministry and other forms of ministry. AMAZON
- Lawler, Michael G. A Theology of Ministry. (Kansas City: Sheed and Ward, 1990). AMAZON
- Macquarrie, John. Theology, Church and Ministry. (London: SCM Press, 1986). A serious scholarly study by a noted Anglican theologian. AMAZON~~POWELLS
- McBrien, Richard P. Ministry: A Theological, Pastoral Handbook. (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1987). For those in ministry, those contemplating it and for those who recruit people for ministry. Practical guidelines. AMAZON
- Mitchell, Nathan. Mission and Ministry: History and Theology in the Sacrament of Order. (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press / Michael Glazier, 1983). Pays particular attention to the evolution of ministries in the first Christian generations. Also examines the ways in which the priesthood (of presbyters and bishops) came to be understood as an "indelible sacrament" consisting of special "powers." AMAZON
- O'Meara, Thomas F. Theology of Ministry. (New York: Paulist Press, 1983). A theology of grace which views God's presence in the world as the source, milieu and goal of ministry. Traces the historical models and transitions of ministry. AMAZON~~POWELLS
- Osborne, Kenan R. Ministry: Lay Ministry in the Roman Catholic Church: Its History and Theology. (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1993). AMAZON~~POWELLS
- _____. Priesthood: A History of the Ordained Ministry in the Roman Catholic Church. (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1988). Identifies issues in ministry such as ordained priest and deacon, the removal from and subsequent restoration of episcopacy to sacrament of Holy Order, and the relationship of Baptism and Holy Order. AMAZON
- Patton, John. Pastoral Care in Context: An Introduction to Pastoral Care. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993). Intended as a background resource and guidebook for courses in pastoral care for theological students moving toward ordination and for ministers learning to care more effectively. A more theoretical than clinical approach. AMAZON
- Power, David. Gifts that Differ. (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1980). Looking at theology and history to seek insight into theology of liturgical ministry of lay people. AMAZON~~POWELLS
- Rademacher, William J. Lay Ministry: A Theological, Spiritual and Pastoral Handbook. New York: Crossroad, 1992. Tries to provide theological, spiritual, and pastoral support for today's emerging ministries. AMAZON
- Schillebeeckx, Edward. The Church with a Human Face: A New and Expanded Theology of Ministry. (New York: Crossroad, 1985). AMAZON
- _____. Ministry, Leadership In the Community of Jesus Christ. (New York: Crossroad, 1981). AMAZON
- Shugrue, Timothy J. Service Ministry of the Deacon. (Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference, 1988). Attempts to discern distinctive focuses of diaconal ministry. AMAZON
- Schoenherr, Richard A. Goodbye Father: Celibacy and Patriarchy in the Catholic Church. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1996). AMAZON
- ______, and Young, Lawrence A. Full Pews and Empty Altars: Demographics of the Priest Shortage in United States Catholic Dioceses. (Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1993). Chronicles the forty-percent reduction of diocesan priests in the U.S.and the sixty percent growth in Catholic population (working with statistics from 1966 to projections through the year 2005). AMAZON
- Sofield, Loughlan and Juliano, Carroll. Collaborative Ministry: Skills and Guidelines. (Notre Dame, IN.: Ave Maria Press, 1987). The authors share insights and observations gleaned from five years of conducting workshops and courses on the topic of collaboration. AMAZON~~POWELLS
- Walsh, John and DiGiacomo, James. So You Want to do Ministry? (Kansas City: Sheed and Ward, 1986). Analyzes the present situation in ministry and plots a course for the future. AMAZON
- Whitehead, James D. and Evelyn E. The Emerging Laity: Returning Leadership to the Community of Faith. (Garden City, NJ: Doubleday, 1986). AMAZON
- _____. Method in Ministry. (New York: Seabury Press, 1980). AMAZON
- _____. The Promise of Partnership: Leadership and Ministry in an Adult Church. (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1991). AMAZON
- _____. Shadows of the Heart : a Spirituality of the Negative Emotions. (New York: Crossroads, 1995). AMAZON~~POWELLS
- Wicks, Robert J., ed. Handbook of Spirituality for Ministers. (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1994). A practical handbook of thirty-five articles. The authors are concerned with applied spirituality that covers an array of topics relevant to the minister's daily work in pastoral care. AMAZON
