Liturgy & Sacraments

Timothy Radcliffe holds a unique position in the modern Catholic Church. As Master of the Dominican Order in Rome for nine years, he held one of the most senior and influential appointments the Catholic Church has on offer. But he is a member of an Order of Preachers and is thus truly apostolic. The order's motto consists of one word, Veritas (Truth), and it is the vigorous pursuit of intellectual and emotional truth which is the hallmark of his writing. This new book will not disappoint his admirers. Here, Fr Radcliffe argues that Christianity will only thrive today, overcoming the challenges of secularism and religious fundamentalism, if we rediscover the beauty of baptism. It touches the deepest dramas of human life: birth, growing up, falling in love, daring to give oneself to others, searching for meaning, coping with suffering and failure, and eventually death.

     Many Catholics attend Mass without fully understanding its meaning and purpose. This book was written to provide that understanding.
     Author Father Thomas Kocik walks the reader through each part of the Mass, explaining the meaning of the prayers, the sacred vestments, the bodily gestures (such as bowing and genuflecting), and how each of these fit into the overall ''drama'' of the Mass.
     He explains these things in a clear, easy-to-follow style. But there is real substance here as well: Fr. Kocik often discusses the history behind a particular prayer or gesture, and the Scriptural background as well. This is no dry textbook. He makes understanding the Mass an enjoyable journey. Although written for adults, high school students will enjoy it, too.
     The Second Edition of Loving and Living the Mass has been completely revised in light of the new English translation of the Mass. It also features two new chapters: an explanation of the meaning and purpose of formal, ritualized worship in the Mass (which even many cradle Catholics do not understand); and a discussion of why and how the new translation came about.
     The Mass is a treasure-house of grace, but all too often the doors to this treasure-house remain closed through a lack of understanding. This book was written to open the doors — to help Catholics (whether cradle, new, or prospective) appreciate and embrace the transformative power of the Mass.

Praise for Loving and Living the Mass
''An excellent short treatment of the Mass for new Catholics and cradle Catholics as well. The author invites you to a real understanding of the Mass as a deeply spiritual event.''
—Fr. Benedict Groeschel

Draws upon the best of recent biblical, historical, and theological sources to explore how Christ is present in the celebration of the Eucharist in the assembly, presiding minister, biblical word, and ritual sacrament ... sheds new light on such topics as sacrifice, covenant, divine presence and absence, and the tradition's relationship with Judaism.

The sacrament of Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion, is the gift Jesus Christ gave us at the Last Supper. It is nourishment for our spiritual journey, as well as a reminder of the sacrifice offered by Christ for his Church.

In the Catholic Update Guide to Communion, readers will find the historical basis for the sacrament, as well as the theological underpinnings of what it means to be baptized into the Catholic faith.

The Catholic Update Guide to Communion is an excellent resource for catechists, DREs, religion teachers, pastors, liturgical ministers, and pastoral staff, as well as for parents whose children are preparing for First Communion, participants in the RCIA, and those facilitating sacrament preparation in the parish. It also will be useful for general study classes on the sacraments.

As the translations of the New Roman Missal help Catholics see the Eucharistic Liturgy with new eyes, and as they gather in Dublin for the 50th International Eucharistic Congress, Brendan Leahy offers this loving explanation of the dual dimension of the Mass -- Christ's gift and our existential participation, His action and our daily cooperation.

By reflecting on the parts of the Mass, Leahy draws out the meaning and value of what happens at Mass, and what we say and do in response -- from our mental and spiritual state as we enter the church, through the opening procession, to the final blessing and out into the relationships that make up our daily life. Rich descriptions of the theology behind the elements of the Mass are enfleshed by concrete stories of how real people contribute to what Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, wants his great gift of the Eucharist to achieve: shaping families and peoples, tribes and nations, cities, and the cosmos according to the great dream that He shared the night before He died when he prayed to the Father: 'that they may all be one' (Jn 17:21).