Written by a highly respected cardinal and a former head of the Vatican office for worship and sacraments, this book shows how the local Catholic parish in any town has tremendous potential to evangelize its surrounding community. Francis Cardinal Arinze reveals the important roles of both priests and laity in spreading the Gospel within the parish and beyond.

This work can help priests to realize the many great possibilities they have to be strong spiritual leaders and to inspire their parishioners to become committed and effective evangelists. It can awaken all the members of a parish to live and to share more zealously the saving power of Jesus Christ.

Product Details

– 149 Pages
– 2018
– Paperback

About the Author

Francis Cardinal Arinze is the former Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. The Nigerian prelate has written many books and articles on theology, spirituality, and pastoral practice, including Meeting Jesus and Following Him, Radical Discipleship: The Layperson's Distinctive Role, Marian Veneration, and God's Invisible Hand, all published by Ignatius Press.

Praise for The Evangelizing Parish

"The Church's new commitment to evangelization is one of the great fruits of the Second Vatican Council. So it's very appropriate that the youngest bishop at the fourth session of the Council, Francis Arinze, should offer the worldwide Church this important reflection on how the New Evangelization can ignite the spirit of mission in our parishes."
— George Weigel, Author, The Fragility of Order

"A beautifully written, eminently practical and useful reflection on enriching the evangelical spirit of the parish and extending its missionary outreach. This is a book to enjoy, learn from, and re-read."
— Most Reverend Charles Chaput, Archbishop of Philadelphia

"If bishops, priests, and laymen implement the Cardinal's clear plan from this book, the New Evangelization will catch fire all over the globe!"
— Christopher Check, President, Catholic Answers

"In simple, emphatic prose, Cardinal Arinze summons priests and parishioners, in union with their local bishop, to put on the mind and heart of Christ as 'major parish actors' in the New Evangelization."
— Steve Dawson, Author, Catholic Street Evangelization

"Drawing on his immense pastoral wisdom and experience, as well as the rich tradition of the Church, Cardinal Arinze offers a profound series of reflections on the role of the parish. This book covers the myriad ways the parish brings the presence of Jesus into the world. It points the way forward if our parishes are to flourish for generations to come."
— Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York

"Cardinal Arinze’s constant recourse to St. John Paul II is refreshing, as is his equally constant encouragement of priests. This is a book for any committed Catholic -- clerical, religious or lay -- but it certainly ought to be a text book in every seminary course in pastoral theology."
– Reverend Peter Stravinskas, Ph.D., S.T.D., Editor, The Catholic Response