Spirituality of the Discesan Priest

Jacket Description/Back: Behind the drop in seminarians and the declining numbers of priests, behind the sexual misconduct scandals shaking the confidence and trust once readily given to priests, a spiritual deepening and maturing is quietly renewing the spirit and confidence of the diocesan priest. In this collection, twelve priests and bishops reflect on the spirituality of the diocesan priest from their personal and pastoral experience. Review Quotes: ..". a balanced, humane, and inspiring collection of perspectives from a rich variety of qualified sources."Review Quotes: This is an important book for priests who are serious about personal growth."Priest"Review Quotes: . . . a balanced, humane, and inspiring collection of perspectives from a rich variety of qualified sources."Emmanuel"Publisher Marketing: In this collection, twelve priests and bishops reflect on the spirituality of the diocesan priest from their personal and pastoral experience. Have diocesan priests finally transcended the monastic and religious order spiritualities that have shaped their prayer and interior lives for centuries? Is a spirituality proper to the diocesan priest emerging precisely at a time when the priesthood is under such close scrutiny? The contributors - pastors, theologians, poets, and bishops - grapple with the maturing of the diocesan priest's soul. Publisher Marketing: Beyond the dramatic drop in seminarians and the declining numbers of priests, beyond the sexual misconduct scandals shaking the confidence and trust once readily given to priests, a spiritual deepening and maturing is renewing the spirit and confidence of the diocesan priest. In this collection of essays, twelve priests (including four bishops) reflect on the spirituality of the diocesan priest from their personal and pastoral experience. Have diocesan priests finally transcended the monastic and religious order spiritualties that have shaped their prayer and interior lives for centuries? Is a spirituality particular to the diocesan priest emerging precisely at a time when the priesthood is under such close scrutiny? The contributors - pastors, theologians, poets, and bishops - grapple with the maturing of the diocesan priest's soul, touch the mystery of the priesthood, and unveil personal, often moving, dramas of grace. Contributors and their articles include Tenders of the Word by Donald B. Cozzens, Personal Symbol of Communion by Denis Edwards, Confessions of a Pilgrim Pastor by William Hammer, A Kindled Heart by Frank McNulty, A Glorious and Transcendent Place by Robert F. Morneau, The Conciliar Documents and the 1983 Code by Edward G. Pfnausch, Ruminations of a Canonist by James H. Provost, Heralds of the Gospel and Experts in Humanity by Sylvester D. Ryan, Servant of the Servants of God by Robert Schwartz, Speaking Out for the Inside by William H. Shannon, Pal of Tarsus: A Model for Diocesan Priesthood by Richard J. Sklba, and Spirituality of the Diocesan Priest: Using the Wrong Measure? by Kenneth Untener. Donald Cozzens, PhD, a priest and writer, is author of two award-winning titles, Sacred Silence and The Changing Face of the Priesthood, and editor of The Spirituality of the DiocesanPriest, al published by Liturgical Press. He is writer in residence at John Carroll University where he teaches in the religious studies department.

Contributor Bio:  Cozzens, Donald B Donald Cozzens--priest, writer, and lecturer--teaches in the religious studies department at John Carroll University. He is the award-winning and best-selling author of "The Changing Face of the Priesthood" and "Sacred Silence: Denial and the Crisis in the Church."