Books

AFTER THE HEART OF GOD, by Bishop Julian Porteous

Reviewed by Br Michael McMurray CCS

Contents - Oct 2009 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Anglican Communion's moment of truth - Michael Gilchrist Priestly Identity: Renewing the priesthood in the Year for Priests - Fr Anthony Denton News: The Church Around the World Community Life: 'Progressive' leadership and the demise of religious life - Br Paul Macrossan Youth: RISE: restoring integrity and sexual ethics to Australia's secular culture - Br Barry Coldrey Episcopacy: Bishop Luc Matthys: on being a bishop - Bishop Luc Matthys of Armidale Poetry: A Morning Poem - Bruce Dawe Seminary Life: Spiritual direction at Sydney's Good Shepherd Seminary - Fr Paul Glynn SM FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH: Cutting edge moral issues for the third millennium - Br Barry Coldrey Priesthood: Why the Catholic Church cannot ordain women - Kathleen Wood OAM Letters: Liturgy reform - Paul Martin Letters: Healthy families - John Carty Letters: Marriage and divorce - Arnold Jago Letters: Christian divisions - Jack Blair Letters: Galileo debate - David Walker Letters: Prayer for Priests - John Schmid Letters: Thanks from India - Fr. S. John Joseph Books: THE QUEST FOR SHAKESPEARE, by Joseph Pearce - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: THE CASE FOR CHRISTIANITY: St Justin Martyr on Religious Liberty, Robert Haddad - Br Michael McMurray CCS Books: AFTER THE HEART OF GOD, by Bishop Julian Porteous - Br Michael McMurray CCS (reviewer) Update: The 2009 Fighting Fund Books: This month's selection from AD Books Reflection: The Mass: priest and people offer sacrifice - Bishop Edward Slattery

AFTER THE HEART OF GOD
by Bishop Julian Porteous
(ConnorCourt, 2009, 170pp, $29.95.
ISBN: 978-1-921421-22-3. Available from Freedom Publishing)

Bishop Julian Porteous, author of After the Heart of God, which treats in masterful fashion the life and ministry of priests, was for some years Rector of the Seminary of the Good Shepherd in Sydney.

He draws on his years of experience in the formation of future priests, as well as his own time of priesthood, to examine the years since the Second Vatican Council, while considering in detail today's sources of priestly vocations.

The book looks at the past and the challenges of the present in a scholarly yet readable style.

While Bishop Porteous states that the book is directed at the role of priests and the formation of future priests, it contains material of benefit to families and single lay people who wish to understand the full meaning of Christ's Church in the present age.

In a simple yet scholarly manner, After the Heart of God analyses the social and ecclesial (Church) contexts which make the Catholic Church what it is today as well as the changes that have taken place over the past 40 years.

Subjects dealt with in depth include signs of new life in the ministerial priesthood and how the Church views that priesthood, including a priest's identity and humanity and the changes in his living conditions since Vatican II.

The author also discusses a priest's spirituality and pastoral ministry, along with the future's possibilities.

The book is highly recommended and Bishop Porteous is to be commended for making available this valuable publication, the fruit of his personal and lived understanding of an important subject.

Br Michael McMurray is Editor of Contact, a publication of the Confraternity of Christ the Priest.

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 22 No 9 (October 2009), p. 17