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given gifts, the request of their bishops, and the tasks that needed to be done. And he demonstrates the particular value and relevance for today's church of this versatile role.

Deacon Owen F. Cummings, PhD, is Regents Professor of Theology at Mount Angel Seminary in Saint Benedict, Oregon. Dr. Cummings is a deacon of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, Utah. He is the author of Deacons and the Church and John Macquarrie: A Master of Theology.
 

Saintly Deacons
Owen F. Cummings (69 pages)
ISBN 0-8091-4322-4 (Paulist Press)
$6.00 US + S&H (Nonmember)
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Owen Cummings explores, through the lives of eight notable deacons, the remarkable history and evolution of the diaconate over the two millennia of Christian history. This book traces the tradition from its origins with New Testament "apostolic deacons" Stephen and Philip, to patristic deacons Lawrence and Ephrem, and medieval deacons Alcuin of York and Francis of Assisi, and ends with Reformation Era deacons Reginald Pole and Nicholas Ferran Cummings shows that, throughout their long history, deacons have not been defined by a narrow job description, but rather have offered themselves to serve the local church as best they can, in accordance with their God- (cont'd at left)

“So what do deacons DO at Mass anyway, and WHY?”
Far more than a simple how-to manual, this book situates the role of the deacon at the Eucharist based on the new General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) and related documents. A step-by-step pastoral guide for deacons and all those concerned with the liturgy, this text looks at everything a deacon MUST do, MAY do, and may NEVER do, and offers solid theological and practical rationale for each. This superb work of liturgical catechesis is written in an easy-to read, conversational style, offering lucid and helpful tips for liturgists and liturgical ministers to make the deacon’s service at Mass more effective and meaningful for them and their parishioners. Study questions follow each chapter.

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Deacon William T. Ditewig, PhD, is executive director of the Secretariat of the Diaconate and interim executive director of the Secretariat for Evangelization at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, DC. He authored the award-winning 101 Questions & Answers on Deacons (2004) and contributed to Theology of the Diaconate: The State of the Question (2005), The Deacon Reader (2006), and Today’s Deacon (2006), all published by Paulist Press. Dr. Ditewig is a retired Navy commander and resides in Annapolis, Maryland.

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By applying his considerable analytical skills and insights to the issues, Fr. Osborne has provided theologians, students, and ministers, as well as all who are interested in contemporary ministry in the Catholic Church, with an invaluable resource and challenge for future growth and development." -Deacon William T Ditewig, PhD

The Permanent Diaconate
Rev. Kenan Osborne, OFM  (214 pages)
ISBN-13: 978-0-8091-4448-8 (Paulist Press)
ISBN-10: 0-8091-4448-4
$14.25 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$13.50 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $18.95)

"The ministry of the diaconate has matured significantly since its renewal by the Second Vatican Council and Pope Paul VI four decades ago. Long overdue are efforts to see this renewal and its long-range implications within the larger context of sacramental theology and contemporary ecclesial life. Fr. Kenan Osborne's latest work on the diaconate, The Permanent Diaconate, especially when seen within the context of his own extraordinary body of work on the nature of ministry in the church, is an exceptional contribution to the literature on the subject. (cont'd at left)

The years since the restoration of the order of permanent deacons at the Second Vatican Council have witnessed a process of exploration regarding the role and purpose of the diaconate. In Today's Deacon, an archbishop, a bishop, and a deacon hold forth on contemporary issues relevant to the Order of Deacons, in particular the theology of restorative justice, and the impact and implementation of the new National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States.

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This timely work includes an introduction by the president of the National Association of Diaconate Directors (NADD), Deacon Daniel L. Peterson, along with responses from three distinguished authors: Father Michael Kennedy, Deacon Owen F. Cummings, and Marti R. Jewell.

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The Sacrament of Service: Understanding Diaconal Spirituality
Rev. William T. Donovan, PhD
$7.95 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$6.95 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $9.95)

"The diaconate is the church's pre-eminent sign of the basic mission of all believers to serve others. Deacons give sacramental witness to what makes us fundamentally human: an other-centered responsibility for those in need."

"In his magnificent book, Deacon Ditewig succinctly details how the ancient diaconate has re-emerged in the Church in such a timely way. Like so many of my brother bishops, I am profoundly grateful to the men of my diocese who have heard and followed God's call to live this diaconal service in the Church. I would encourage not only my own deacons, but brother bishops and priests and lay people alike to read The Emerging Diaconate: it is theological, it is spiritual, it is informative, and it is worthy of reading and careful study."

+ Most Reverend Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, Bishop of Peoria

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Service in Communion:
Finding Mutuality in Ministry
Rev. William T. Donovan, Ph.D
$7.95 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$6.95 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $9.95)

"To be effective and healthy ministers, deacons (and all ministers) have to allow others to serve them well. The way we permit others to affect our ministry has an important relation to the quality of our service and the wholeness of our lives."

A Study Text
For use in Deacon Formation Programs for a specific mini-course on this history, as part of a broader course on the diaconate, for a continuing education weekend for deacons and their wives or for a seminary seminar on the diaconate.

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Called, Formed, Sent
Rev. Richard Rohr
Book -
$7.95 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$6.95 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $9.95)
10 or more - $6.25 ea. + S&H  (You must call or write us to get quantity prices!)
DVD Video -
$40.00 + S&H (Nonmember) $35.00 + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $50.00)

Tomorrow will be different than today when we all live from the servant's heart, which certainly is the heart of Jesus.  It was He who told us we are here to serve, and not to be served.  I will take a largely scriptural approach in looking at: What does it mean to be called?  What does it mean to be formed?  What does it mean to be sent? 

Deacons and the Church presents a popular narrative history of the Order of Diaconate in the Catholic Church from its dawn on the biblical scene in the Act of the Apostles, through the "golden age" of deacons in the fifth century. The Second Vatican Council restored the Order of Deacons to a "full and permanent" membership in the clergy, along with Priests and Bishops. Now 30,000 deacons serve the Church throughout the world... How will this surge in deacons affect the Church in the years to come?

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101 Questions and Answers on Deacons
Dr. William T. Ditewig  (118 pages)
ISBN 0-8091-4265-1  (Paulist Press)
$9.95 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$9.50 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $12.95)

This book answers, in the popular 101 Q & A format, such commonly asked questions as: Just who and what is a deacon, Can a deacon be a pastor?, What sort of training and formation do deacons receive?, How does a deacon balance family, job, and ordained ministry?, May a woman be ordained deacon? Taken together, these questions explore the deacon's function in the contemporary church... 

Diaconate:
A Legacy of Vatican II
Rev. Msgr. Theodore W. Kraus
$4.00 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$3.25 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $5.95)

"I put before you some critical aspects of the recent Vatican documents that tend to be skimmed over or deleted from serious study and discussion.  To understand the Vatican documents on the diaconate, and the new United States National Directory being formulated, first requires familiarity with the intent of the Second Vatican Council."

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Ministry and the Family of the Permanent Deacon
Dottie Mraz   (175 pages)
ISBN 0-8146-1566-X  (Alt Publishing)
$9.95 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$9.50 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $12.95)

This honest account of living with the permanent diaconate relates the joys and struggles that are part of the family's commitment to this ministry within the Church. While incorporating the ideas of others, the story is told largely in the first person. It commences with the author's introduction to the diaconate as the wife of a deacon, includes her experience of ministry and widowhood, and concludes with updated information on her diocesan diaconate program and the changes in her personal life.

Basic Norms for the Formation of Permanent Deacons
Congregation for the Clergy   (144 pages)
ISBN 1-57455-242-2  (US Catholic Conf.)
$7.95 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$6.95 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $9.95)

The permanent Diaconate, restored by the Second Vatican Council, in complete continuity with ancient Tradition and the specific decision of the Council of Trent, has flourished in these last decades in many parts of the Church - with promising results, especially for the urgent missionary work of new evangelization. The Holy See and many Episcopates, in promoting this ecclesial experience, have continually afforded norms and guidelines for the life and formation of deacons. (July 1998)

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• The Theology of the Diaconate by Augustinus Kerkvoorde
• The Theology of the Restoration of the Diaconate by Karl Rahner
• The Teaching of the Second Vatican Council on the Diaconate by Karl Rahner
• On the Diaconate by Karl Rahner

Foundations for the Renewal
of the Diaconate
Various Authors   (212 pages)
ISBN 1-55597-185-7  (USCCB Publishing)
$15.95 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$14.00 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $19.95)

A collection of works on the restored diaconate.  Second printing - October 2003.  Contents:

• The Genesis and Growth of the Proposal by Josef Hornef
• The Spiritual Life of the Deacon by Hannes Kramer
• The Deacon and the Lay Person by Paul
• WinningerFrom the History of the Diaconate by Walter Croce
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The new normative document with addendum for permanent deacons and deacon directors in the United States. This National Directory is intended to serve the entire Catholic Church in the United States. Its principles, norms, and pastoral applications are directed specifically to the Latin Rite.

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Nonetheless, it may be of assistance as a consistent reference for all Churches sui iuris in the United States in the preparation of the adaptations necessary to address the particular traditions, pastoral life, and requirements of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. Promulgated, December 2004. The paperback edition comes perfect bound and includes supplementary best practices documents.
 

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National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States (Directors' Edition)
Bishops Committee on the Diaconate  (187 pages + CD)  (USCCB Publishing)
$23.75 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$22.50 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $24.95)

See description from paperback edition above. The Directors' Edition comes three-hole punched and in loose leaf form for insertion into a binder and includes supplementary best practices documents. It also includes most documents on computer CD-ROM.

Partners in the Process: The Formation of Deacons Wives
Karen A. Harmeyer and Maria Thompson MacLaughlin  (86 pages)
ISBN 0-7648-1290-4  (Liguori)
$7.95 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$6.95 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $9.95)

Many women do a lot of soul-searching when their husbands feel called to become deacons. Forty-eight such women came together over six years ago when the Diocese of Richmond started its first diaconate formation group. These women of different education levels, ages, and lifestyles grew into a cohesive unit as their husbands went through the program.

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Although diaconate programs are as unique as the dioceses they serve, all are open only to men, so most of the issues, emotions, and rewards the authors experienced will resonate with women everywhere who find themselves in similar circumstances.

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Fr. Michael Kwatera, O.S.B., Ph.D., a monk of St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota, has been a teacher of liturgy on the undergraduate and graduate levels and a practitioner of liturgy in parishes and religious communities. He has authored numerous articles and several prayer books. Presently he serves as director of Oblates for St. John's Abbey.
 

The Liturgical Ministry of Deacons
Michael Kwatera O.S.B.  (94 pages)
ISBN 0-8146-3050-2
$7.95 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$6.95 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $9.95)

This short work is directed to all deacons, both permanent and transitional, in the hope that it will promote their formation for service within the Church's Eucharist, other sacramental rites, and communal prayer. It explains how the duties of the deacon within the liturgy may be performed effectively. (cont'd at left)

This Compendium is a unique, unprecedented document in the history of the Church. It serves as a tool to inspire and guide the faithful who are faced daily with moral and pastoral challenges.

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Parts include:
- God's Plan of love for humanity
- The family, the vital cell of society
- Social doctrine and ecclesial action
- For a civilization of love
- Analytical index

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In these three essays, Professors Cummings, Ditewig, and Gaillardetz construct theologies of the diaconate in conversation with one another and the church. The result is essential reading for deacons, aspirants to the diaconate, deacon directors, as well as the other orders of the clergy, and the laity.

Theology of the Diaconate: The State of the Question
Owen F. Cummings, William T. Ditewig, and Richard R. Gaillardetz  (97 pages)
ISBN 0-8091-4345-3 (Paulist Press)
$9.95 US + S&H (Nonmember)
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(Suggested Retail $12.95)

In 1967 Pope Paul VI implemented the decision of the Second Vatican Council to renew the diaconate as a permanent order of ministry. Deacons now number more than 31,000 around the world. This rapid growth, combined with a similar explosion of lay ecclesial ministry and dwindling numbers of priests, demands that theologies of the diaconate be constructed that respect its historical roots, contemporary ecclesial realities, and creative possibilities for the future.
 (cont'd at left)

General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM)
Liturgy Documentary Series 2  (156 pages)
ISBN 1-57455-543-X  (USCCB Publishing)
$9.95 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$9.50 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $12.95)

This revision of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) promotes more conscious, active, and full participation of the faithful in the mystery of the Eucharist. For bishops, priests, and deacons; liturgists, musicians, and artists; and liturgy committee members, students, and the faithful, this edition of the GIRM is divided into nine chapters, starting with an introduction that gives the theological and spiritual context for the chapters that follow and focuses on the Eucharist's central place in the life of faith.

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Introduction to the Order of Mass: A Pastoral Resource of the Bishops Committee on the Liturgy
Pastoral Liturgy Series 1  (113 pages)
ISBN 1-57455-544-8  (USCCB Publishing)
$7.95 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$6.95 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $9.95)

For pastoral musicians, liturgy committee members, and those interested in a deeper understanding of the Mass. Pastoral Introduction to the Order of Mass looks at the ministers, symbols, and rites of the Mass and offers specific suggestions on how to enrich the participation of the faithful.

As successors of the Apostles and teachers of the Church, the bishops have the duty to hand on what God has revealed to us and to encourage all members of the Church to deepen their understanding of the mystery and gift of the Eucharist. In order to foster such a deepening of faith, we have prepared this text to respond to fifteen questions that commonly arise with regard to the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

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We offer this text to pastors and religious educators to assist them in their teaching responsibilities.

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The contents are not intended to be prefabricated homilies, but are presented as possible ideas for developing homilies. Also included in C Cycle homily suggestions are some relevant quotations from three pastoral letters of the American Bishops: The Challenge of Peace, Economic Justice to All, and To the Ends of the Earth. This will make a great resource for your homiletics library!

Justice Homily Aids - Cycle C
Monsignor William Mehrkens  NADD 135pp.
$12.50 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$10.00 US + S&H (Member)

This is the third of a three-part series of homily suggestions. The offerings in this series are made up of several formats including sample homilies, homily outlines, quotations from various sources and reprints (with permission) from periodicals and newsletters. In this C Cycle we have included those Sundays (and by exception holy days and weekdays) in which the social justice / peace themes are most obviously presented in the readings. (cont'd at left)

This is the second of a three-part series of homily suggestions. The offerings in this series are made up of several formats including sample homilies, homily outlines, quotations from various sources and reprints (with permission) from periodicals and newsletters. In this B Cycle we have included those Sundays (and by exception holy days and weekdays) in which the social justice / peace themes are most obviously presented in the readings.

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The contents are not intended to be prefabricated homilies, but are presented as possible ideas for developing homilies. Also included in B Cycle homily suggestions are some relevant quotations from three pastoral letters of the American Bishops: The Challenge of Peace, Economic Justice to All, and To the Ends of the Earth. This will make a great resource for your homiletics library!
 

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The contents are not intended to be prefabricated homilies, but are presented as possible ideas for developing homilies. Effective homilies need to be applied to local conditions and particular communities by homilists of varying interests and experiences.

The Social Justice Commission of the Diocese of Crookston with the approval of the Priests’ Continuing Education Committee produced this series. In this A Cycle, 25 Sundays and two weekdays (Good Friday, and September 15, the sorrowful Mother) have been chosen for justice themes. These are the days on which justice themes are especially appropriate. We have included those Sundays in which the social justice / peace themes are most obviously presented in the readings. (cont'd at left)

Lay Parish Ministers - A Study of Emerging Leadership
David DeLambo (159 pages)
ISBN 1-881307-33-6  (NPLC)
$15.95 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$14.50 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $19.95)

This is the third study, and the most comprehensive yet, of the changing leadership profile in U.S. Catholic parishes. Over the last fifteen years, as the number of parishes and resident priest-pastors has decreased, the Catholic population has increased. How have parishes provided quality worship, education, and other services? One part of the answer is that the number of lay parish ministers has grown markedly.

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Today parish priests and lay parish ministers are working together, and, as this research shows, two-thirds of all parishes employ at least one lay parish minister. Who are these ministers? Where are they and what do they do? What motivates them? How do they experience parish as a workplace? Lay Parish Ministers addresses such questions with data from 1990-2005.

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Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord
U.S. Bishops  (67 pages)
ISBN 1-57455-724-6  (USCCB Publishing)
$7.95 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$6.95 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $9.95)

Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord offers pastoral and theological reflections on the reality of lay ecclesial ministry, affirmation of those who serve in this way, and a synthesis of best thinking and practice. It is a resource for diocesan bishops and for all others who are responsible for guiding the development of lay ecclesial ministry in the United States.

The Deacon Reader
Edited by James Keating (280 pages)
ISBN 0-8091-4389-5  (Paulist Press)
$15.50 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$14.75 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $22.95)

"For those seeking to grasp not only what a deacon does, but, more importantly, who a deacon is, The Deacon Reader serves as an enlightening instrument. What makes this book particularly helpful is that its ultimate goal is not merely information, but, as the editor says in his introduction, 'to love what one has come to know.' For deacons and those preparing for the diaconate, this book will be an excellent instrument in the understanding and love of their vocation. But anyone who reads this book will have an expanded appreciation of the diaconate and the gift it has been to the Church."
                                + Cardinal Justin Rigali
                            Archbishop of Philadelphia

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Wives of Deacons: Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives
ISBN 1-57455-617-7  (USCCB Publishing)
$14.25 US + S&H (Nonmember)
$12.50 US + S&H (Member)
(Suggested Retail $17.95)

Wives of Deacons: Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives is an informative series of interviews of six deacons' wives.  These diverse interviews address the challenges, questions, joys, and concerns of deacons' wives during the course of deacons' formation and ministry. Viewing time 17.5 minutes.

On the Road to Emmaus
Rev. Perry C. McCoy, O.S.M.
ISBN 0-9666244-6-7
$20.00 US + S&H

Through the gifts of an unbounded imagination, perpetual wit, keen mind, and insight that brings clarity when "everyone" says otherwise, Father Perry C. McCoy takes us on the road to Emmaus. It is a journey through eyes of discovery, doubt, more discovery, fear, and more doubt, but always with an overriding faith. Through Fr. Perry's journey, we are called upon to demand social justice for all.  Father Perry invites us to see the face of God in all those we meet and allow that face of God to teach us, to embrace us and to lead us to His eternal life. Allow this book to lead you there. From the foreword by Cap Whitney

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Note: Fr. McCoy is donating ALL proceeds from the sale of this book to the start-up diaconate program in El Paso, TX.  Let's help him out!

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Deacon Stoles
CEO Betania, Chulucanas, Peru
$45.00 US ea. (Includes S&H) - Peruvian Patterned Fabric Stole;
Reversible; Green/White or Red/Purple

We are pleased to offer some beautiful deacon stoles in two different styles.  The patterned style as shown at left is a reversible stole made from fine Peruvian fabric. These stoles are approximately 54 inches in length, 6.5 inches in width and are secured with a sturdy 4 inch cord at the break. Longer stoles for tall men are available on special order; please call!

CEO Betania is an occupational education center for women sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, Merion, PA. Each stole is the work of the loving hands of women who are striving to break their cycle of poverty in the Diocese of Chulucanas, Peru.

Deacon Stoles
CEO Betania, Chulucanas, Peru
$60.00 US ea. (Includes S&H) - Embroidered Fabric Stole; Available in Violet, Red, Green & White.

We are pleased to offer these beautiful deacon stoles in two different styles.  The embroidered style as shown at right is a stole made from high quality heavy-weight fabric with embroidered Pax symbol, grapes and wheat. These stoles are approximately 54 inches in length, 6.5 inches in width and they are secured with a sturdy 4 inch cord at the break. Longer stoles for tall men are available on special order; please call!

CEO Betania is an occupational education center for women sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, Merion, PA. Each stole is the work of the loving hands of women who are striving to break their cycle of poverty in the Diocese of Chulucanas, Peru.