Renewing Parish Culture Building for a Catholic Future

American Catholic parishes throughout the country have been shrinking since the 1960s. John J. Piderit, S.J., and Melanie M. Morey bring fifty years of experience in Catholic colleges and universities where they had extensive contact with young Catholics and New York City parishes. In this volume they discuss the general problem of declining parishes and specify several solutions to the various underlying issues. The authors employ four basic principles-narrative, norms, benefits, and practices-to increase Mass attendance, to strengthen a broad Eucharistic culture, to encourage a wider use of prayer, and to establish enduring religious education. This book is an important resource for every Catholic church. Book jacket.

John J. Piderit, S.J., is president of the Catholic Education Institute and former president of Loyola University Chicago Melanie M. Morey is senior director for research and consulting at NarrowGate Consulting, a division of the Catholic Education Institute