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In 1962, Pope John XXIII opened the Second Vatican Council with the prophecy that 'a new day is dawning on the Church, bathing her in radiant splendour'. Desiring 'to impart an ever increasing vigour to the Christian life of the faithful', the Council Fathers devoted particular attention to the laity, and set in motion a series of sweeping reforms. The most significant of these centred on refashioning the Church's liturgy--'the source and summit of the Christian life'--in order to make 'it pastorally efficacious to the fullest degree'. Over fifty years on, however, the statistics speak for themselves. In America, only 15% of cradle Catholics say that they attend Mass on a weekly basis; meanw...
Tells the story of Catholic church architecture in England and Wales. This book demonstrates that many Victorian Catholic churches were masterpieces, that Catholic built churches and chapels of astonishing confidence even in the 18th century, and that in the 20th century Catholicchurch-builders grasped the architectural opportunities.
God’s Church in the World: The Gift of Catholic Mission presents a confident and joyful assertion of the Catholic character of Christian mission and its sacramental nature, exploring the transforming role the Catholic tradition can play in the evangelism. A range of outstanding contributors explore the gifts that the Catholic tradition - formed by a conviction that the presence of Christ in the Eucharist intensifies and motivates an awareness of the sacramental presence of Christ in the world – can bring to the church’s engagement with the world. Chapters include: • Mission and the Life of Prayer • Mission and the Sacraments • Catholic Mission in Practice • The Virgin Mary and Mission • Vocation and Mission • The Sacraments as Converting Ordinances • Social Justice and Growth in Anglo-Catholic Churches • Reflections on Scripture and Catholic Mission • Catholic Mission: Historical Perspectives The contributors represent the breadth of Catholic traditions and identities in the Church of England today.
The story of Catholicism in Britain from the Reformation to the present day, from a master of popular history – 'A first-class storyteller' The Times Throughout the three hundred years that followed the Act of Supremacy – which, by making Henry VIII head of the Church, confirmed in law the breach with Rome – English Catholics were prosecuted, persecuted and penalised for the public expression of their faith. Even after the passing of the emancipation acts Catholics were still the victims of institutionalised discrimination. The first book to tell the story of the Catholics in Britain in a single volume, The Catholics includes much previously unpublished information. It focuses on the l...
Fifty years after the Second Vatican Council, architectural historian Robert Proctor examines the transformations in British Roman Catholic church architecture that took place in the two decades surrounding this crucial event. Inspired by new thinking in theology and changing practices of worship, and by a growing acceptance of modern art and architecture, architects designed radical new forms of church building in a campaign of new buildings for new urban contexts. A focussed study of mid-twentieth century church architecture, Building the Modern Church considers how architects and clergy constructed the image and reality of the Church as an institution through its buildings. The author exa...
A handpicked selection of Britain's most interesting diminutive churches, written in an amusing, accessible style to appeal to modern readers. Puts the spotlight on Britain's tiniest churches for the first time and uncovers their fascinating historical background. Includes up-to-date practical information on getting to each tiny church via public transport. Highlights special architectural features to look out for, all of which are represented by closeup color photos. Beautifully presented in full color throughout, the book uncovers 60 of the loveliest and most diminutive places of worship in Britain, many of which are known only to locals. Each church is so tiny that fewer than 50 people co...
Until surprisingly recently the history of the Irish Catholic Church during the Northern Irish Troubles was written by Irish priests and bishops and was commemorative, rather than analytical. This study uses the Troubles as a case study to evaluate the role of the Catholic Church in mediating conflict. During the Troubles, these priests and bishops often worked behind the scenes, acting as go-betweens for the British government and republican paramilitaries, to bring about a peaceful solution. However, this study also looks more broadly at the actions of the American, Irish and English Catholic Churches, as well as that of the Vatican, to uncover the full impact of the Church on the conflict. This critical analysis of previously neglected state, Irish, and English Catholic Church archival material changes our perspective on the role of a religious institution in a modern conflict.