These are painful and exciting times for religious congregations. We know they are painful -- membership is down, vocations are down, all the old securities and assumptions have been cast into doubt. But exciting? Yes, says Fr. Arbuckle, in this study of how congregations can encourage new leadership and creative thinking to meet these challenges and serve God's people. The result of his extensive study and experience, this book covers the three main questions facing religious congregations:
• Why has religious life apparently collapsed after Vatican ll?
• How can congregations foster "refounders" to keeps alive the charism of the original founders?
• How can this be achieved in formation programs?
You may not agree with all of Fr. Arbuckle's answers, but you'll certainly find this book challenging and rewarding.