WHAT PRICE PRIESTHOOD?! This question constantly penetrated Father Joe ́s mind as he tread a perilous path to fulfill God ́s unmistakable call. Heartbreak of infidelity Christian Concentration Camp torture New love and second broken engagement Hurt, insensitivity, rejection Injustice, humiliation, apathy Marriage and divorce Meager subsistence Tragic devastating illnesses This is a story of an average fun loving young man named Joe who did not want to be considered a "holy Joe" but succumbed to God ́s dramatic summons to resign a promising professional position and enter seminary to become a priest. This story paints a shocking picture of church politics which contributed much pain and frustration to Father Joe ́s efforts. However, blessings triumph over adversity. WHEN THE CHURCH FAILS, GOD PREVAILS! Father Joe Beckman is the author of Chaplain on Wheels book which portrays one of his extraordinary ministries. Father Joe wanted to narrate experiences in this book himself but was called to his heavenly reward before the task could be completed. Contact the author for a free copy of CHAPLAIN ON WHEELS book with orders of at least 25 WHAT PRICE PRIESTHOOD books.

A Study Guide and a Teacher’s Manual Gospel Principles was written both as a personal study guide and as a teacher’s manual. As you study it, seeking the Spirit of the Lord, you can grow in your understanding and testimony of God the Father, Jesus Christand His Atonement, and the Restoration of the gospel. You can find answers to life’s questions, gain an assurance of your purpose and self-worth, and face personal and family challenges with faith.

Since the end of Vatican II, in 1965, more active involvement of the laity has led many people to wonder about the priestಙs place in the Church. In this masterful work, theologian Jean Galot, S.J., clarifies the nature of the priesthood. He explains how the Jewish priesthood, the perfect priestly ministry of Jesus, and the role of the Twelve help us understand the ministerial priesthood. He considers how the ಜpriesthood of the faithfulಝ and the ministerial priesthood relate to each other, and how the latter is, by Godಙs design, necessary for the former. Theology of the Priesthood carefully examines the priestಙs role as minister of sacrifice and the sacraments, prophet of the Word, and leader of the Church. These and other aspects are summed up, according to Galot, in the priestಙs ministry as shepherd. This ministery is itself a sharing in Jesusಙ role as Shepherd: ಜThe priest does not draw the inspiration for his pastoral zeal from his own feelings, from his own personal resolve to create a better worldಝ, Fr. Galot writes. ಜHe is shepherd on the strength of Godಙs pastoral intention and represents specifically Christ the shepherd. Consequently, he is called upon to fulfill his pastoral mission not according to ideas of his own and his own personal ambitions, but in keeping with Godಙs own dispensation and the design of salvation devised by the Father and carried out by Christ. Like Jesus himself, the priest is at the service of the Father.ಝ The book also explores the spiritual life of priests, including the role of celibacy. It concludes with a discussion demonstrating that the male character of the ministerial priesthood is based on the will of Jesus and is not contrary to womenಙs dignity on their role in the Church.

Well written and well presented, Father Osborne's book is a solid overview of the history of the sacrament of holy orders not only for Roman Catholic clergy, but for clergy throughout the Christian world. It will help all of those in ministry to understand the relationships between laity and clergy more deeply, and it carefully delineates the deeper theological significance of women in ministry. By considering the ordained ministry from the standpoint of Jesus as the primordial minister, 'Priesthood' enhances the multiple nature of ministry in ecumenical dialogues of our contemporary world, making them less intransigent. With the extensive discussion on ministry today, 'Priesthood' is a welcome, timely and necessary contribution.

In Many Are Called, Dr. Scott Hahn, one of the most celebrated scholars and influential Catholic writers living today, enthusiastically encourages Catholics around the world to renew their focus on the sacred role of the Catholic priest. Using his unique ability to present deep spiritual and theological ideas in the language of everyday life, Dr. Hahn examines the biblical and historical roots of the priesthood to explain the centrality of the priest in the life of the Church. He brings reinvigorated attention to the many roles of the priest—provider, mediator, protector, teacher, judge, and more—all of which are united in the priest's place as spiritual father to God's people, and ultimately he shows that it is through the priest, empowered by God, that the continuing presence of Jesus Christ makes itself known to our world. Lively, insightful, and engaging, Many Are Called will serve as an inspiration to students and seminarians considering a vocation, to clergy renewing their call, to Catholic readers looking to deepen their faith, and to seekers curious about one of Catholicism's defining but least understood elements. With a foreword by the Most Reverend Timothy M. Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, this is a truly special book, one that speaks to the restless heart of humanity and reveals that our pleas for a spiritual father have already been answered.

None of the Fathers of the early church is better known or loved than St John Chrysostom, and none of his works is more popular than On the Priesthood. Its stylistic brilliance demonstrates the appropriateness of St John's enduring title, "the golden-mouthed." Yet the rhetorical eloquence of the work is not simply camouflage for lack of substance. As Graham Neville observes in his Introduction, Chrysostom "had a mind both practical and idealistic, that brought into close connection the evils and injustices of the world and the perfection of moral life demanded by the gospel." Chrysostom's unique gift for linking concrete observation and theological vision is nowhere more evident than in On the Priesthood. Its presence helps to account for the work's power to inspire and challenge Christians in all ages. Book jacket.