In The Seven Secrets of Successful Catholics, Paul Wilkes pinpointed the qualities that make individual Catholics successful. For his new book, he and his research team traveled the country to discover what makes Catholic parishes successful. His search uncovered a wealth of excellence in Catholic parish life across the country. In Excellent Catholic Parishes he profiles eight parishes and provides a directory to hundreds more as well as a list of traits common to excellent parishes that other communities can emulate.
A helpful and user-friendly guide, Wilkes’s book— shows how all kinds of parishes can be successful, whether in the inner city or the suburbs, homogenous or ethnically and racially diverse, with a copastorate or with no priest in residence; disproves the myth that lack of priests and resources is what holds parishes back from excellence; puts the three keys of success—vision, energy, and hope—within the reach of every parish; has a “must read” directory of hundreds of excellent parishes across the country. This is required reading for pastors, pastoral staff members, and lay leaders who want to improve parish life—and for anyone looking for a new parish home.