In Called by God: Discernment and Preparation for Religious Life, Rachael Marie Collins provides an overview of the spiritual life—both its joys and its challenges—and guides women as they discern whether they are called to be religious sisters or nuns. In a series of letters written by the author to a trusted friend discerning whether to enter religious life, Called by God explores both discernment and spirituality. The key to discernment, Collins argues, is to prepare for religious life by entering deeply into a life of prayer and sacrifice so that one experiences and begins to understand the “work” of a religious before entering the convent. Called by God draws heavily on the wisdom of great Catholic women such as Teresa of Ávila, Thérèse of Lisieux, Zélie Martin, Edith Stein, Teresa of the Andes, Elizabeth of the Trinity, Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, Elizabeth Leseur, and Caryll Houselander, among others. Women discerning a vocation will benefit immensely from the discussions about the difference between religious life and marriage, the nature of a vocation, the supernatural superiority of religious life, and spiritual motherhood in Called by God.

A guide to help Catholic women discover a vocation to religious life.

Father Thomas Dubay, one of the foremost authorities on the religious life, discusses one of the most important but not fully appreciated or understood charisms of the consecrated life, the charism of virginity. Although the idea of virginity is unpopular and even despised in modern society, Dubay emphasizes that the importance of evangelical virginity is rooted in its Biblical foundation, both in the Old and New Testaments. Examining in detail what the call to virginity is and how it is integrated into the whole of consecrated life, Dubay presents his study in such a way as to be of importance to men as well. Noting that a woman, because of her feminine nature and traits, can image and live the Church's wedded relationship to Christ more realistically, Dubay points out that men with the celibate charism are also members of the virgin Church that is wedded to Christ, just as in the Old Testament the People of God was a virgin bride wedded to Yahweh. The common and distinct elements of male and female consecrated love are fully captured in these pages.

Kingdom Calling offers a compelling theological grounding for the vocation, ministry and discipleship of the whole people of God. Building creatively on previous studies, it challenges all of us to change so that the whole church can serve the whole mission of God in the whole of life. Kingdom Calling provides a thorough diagnosis of the theological factors that have prevented such a vision being realised over previous decades. These factors are embedded in the social realities of our everyday life and in the sometimes hidden assumptions that shape our thinking in the church. By setting out a sustained proposal for the renewal of our theological imagination, the report points the way to address some deep running fault lines in our common life. Written in an accessible style, Kingdom Calling looks in turn at the vocation, ministry and discipleship of all God’s people, asking what kind of theological thinking and imagining might most help us to flourish together. It affirms and celebrates the vital lay and ordained ministry roles that support the church in God’s mission, and it identifies changes in practice that can better foster the vocation, ministry and discipleship of the whole people of God.

To Save a Thousand Souls: A Guide for Discerning a Vocation to Diocesan is the definitive guide for men considering the priesthood. Using powerful and entertaining stories, the book explains in down-to-earth language how to carefully discover God's call.

The poor will always be with you, Jesus said – but that doesn’t mean Christians have ever figured out how to be with the poor. Pope Francis has emphasized a vision of a “Church that is poor and for the poor.” But growing economic inequality continues to spread across the globe. This book takes a fresh look at the role of churches, and individual Christians, in relating to poverty and the poor among them. A strong focus is placed on the biblical and theological roots of the Church’s commitment to care for the poor. At times praised as a virtue and blessed as a condition, poverty easily confuses us, and we are often left doing little to nothing to make a difference with and for the poor. As a social evil and a burden, poverty has elicited many kinds of reactions among the followers of Christ. It is time for Christians to figure out what to do about it. Contributors include Pope Francis, Pheme Perkins, Sandra M. Schneider, and Thomas Massaro SJ. “This book provides a wonderful, provocative theological framework for those of us who minister among our most vulnerable sisters and brothers. For anyone who regularly looks into the eyes of suffering, this book offers context, hope, and inspiration.” —DONNA MARKHAM, OP, President and CEO, Catholic Charities USA “The authors challenge us to see, hear, and think differently about the meanings of poverty, and to love passionately those whom Jesus loved—the poor.” —PROFESSOR M. SHAWN COPELAND, author of Enfleshing Freedom: Body, Race, and Being “As a good Franciscan, Ken Himes knows poverty from the inside and has taught well his student Conor Kelly. Here they draw together rich resources that call all of us to the poverty we need, and to resist needless poverty. This book is an ideal resource for conversation.” —THOMAS H. GROOME, author of What Makes Us Catholic, Sharing Faith, and many other books Published in cooperation with the Church in the 21st Century Center, Boston College