SUGGESTED RESOURCES

Listen & Follow:

  1. The Way Forward: A Three Year Diocesan Plan Forging Links Between Schools, Parishes and Home, Enabling Young People To Form A Relationship With God (December 2020) The-Way-Forward-3-Year-Plan-December-2020.pdf (ferns.ie) – an excellent example of collaboration within our Diocese.
  2. Frank Mercandante, Engaging a New Generation: A Vision for Reaching Catholic Teens (Huntington IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 2012) – very clued-in, practical pointers for ministry to young people.
  3. Sherry Weddell, Forming Intentional Disciples: The Path to Knowing and Following Jesus (Huntington IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 2012) – a very widely read and quoted book, and for good reason: it offers a road-map for those who want to renew people in their discipleship.
  4. Pope Francis, Christ is Alive: Apostolic Exhortation to Young People and the Entire People of God (https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20190325_christus-vivit.html) – a fine example of proclamation, with its invitation to listen and follow; much food for thought.

 Welcome & Include:

  1. Belong, Believing, Behaving’ https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/belonging-believing-behaving-the-3-bs-of-faithful-being/ – a thoughtful reflection on evangelisation as a way of life that flows from a living relationship with God.
  2. Rebuilt: The Story of a Catholic Parishby Michael White and Tom Corcoran, Ave Maria Press, 2013 – a how-to guide on the transformation of a community of churchgoers into congregants focused on the mission Jesus gave us: growing disciples.
  3. Divine Renovation Handbook: A Step by Step Manual for Transforming your Parish, By Fr James Mallon, Twenty-Third Publications, 2016 – an opening up of Scripture to reflect on how we can grow as disciples of Jesus—as individuals and as members of communities of faith.

Pray & Journey:

  1. Part Four of the Catechism of the Catholic Church(https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM) – this is quite simply the very best writing on prayer; a readable, reflective useable resource.
  2. Pope Francis’ Evangelii Gaudium, ## 1 – 109 (https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.html) – this section of Pope Francis’ first major document can inspire a note of urgency for the journey that lies ahead.
  1. Chapter six (entitled “The Model of Emmaus”) of Marcel Dumais, After Emmaus: Biblical Models for the New Evangelization(Collegeville MN: Liturgical Press, 2014), 92-109 – this book chapter draws out the journey motif more explicitly, in the form of a reflection on the journey to Emmaus, in Luke 24.

Worship & Witness:

  1. Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate: On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World(https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20180319_gaudete-et-exsultate.html) – lovely statement of the nature of holiness, as something that is practical, joyful, transforming, strong and courageous; worship is inextricably linked to witness.
  2. Pope Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi (Evangelization in the Modern World) (https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_p-vi_exh_19751208_evangelii-nuntiandi.html) – Pope St Paul VI was very strong on the need for witness of life, and this is one of most important encyclical letters of recent times.
  3. Terry Barber, How to Share your Faith with Anyone: A Practical Manual for Evangelization (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2018) – down-to-earth reflections on witness as the basis for all faith-sharing.

Empower & Flourish:

  1. John-Paul II (1988) Christifideles Laici, Chapter 1, I Am the Vine and You are the Branches – The Dignity of the Lay Faithful in the Church as Mystery https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_30121988_christifideles-laici.html
  2. Francis (2021) Antiquum Ministerium Instituting the Ministry of Catechist https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/motu_proprio/documents/papa-francesco-motu-proprio-20210510_antiquum-ministerium.html
  3. Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization (2020) Directory for Catechists – Part III, Catechesis in the Particular Churches (Chapter IX – The Christian Community as Participant in Catechesis).

Form & Lead:

  1. Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, Directory for Catechesis (London: CTS, 2020) – a must have resource for all aspects of faith formation.
  2. John Redford, ed., Hear, O Islands: Theology and Catechesis in the New Millennium(Dublin: Veritas, 2002) – a set of readable essays, with plenty of material for reflection regarding the task of faith formation and guidance.
  3. Youcat(San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2011) – an accessible and joyful ‘catechism’ directed at young people, but useful for all ages.

Hope & Communicate:

  1. Pope Francis, A Gift of Joy and Hope, Hodder & Stoughton, 2022 – a book that helps people discover the hope and meaning of Christianity.
  2. ‘The Hook of Faith: Digitally proclaiming the Gospel in the diocese of Ferns and beyond’ www.thehookoffaith.com – resources that inform and inspire.
  3. Word on Fire Catholic Ministries (www.wordonfire.org) – provides a broad-ranging and indepth look at Catholicism in today’s world.
  4. Christian Media Trust (www.christianmediatrust.ie) – an Interdenominational Christian Church Broadcasting Body based in Wexford

Love & Serve:

  1. Benedict XVI (2005) Deus Caritas Est Part II Caritas – The Practice of Love by the Church as a ‘Community of Love’. https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est.html
  2. Francis (2020) Fratelli Tutti Chapter II, A Stranger on the Road; Chapter III, Envisaging and Engendering an Open World.https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html
  3. Francis (2016) Amoris Laetitia – Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on Love in the Family Chapter Four, Love in Marriage; Chapter Eight, Accompanying, Discerning and Integrating Weakness. https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia.html