Paul Wilkes

Through reflection and personal experience, Paul Wilkes examines the power of the Eucharist to impart healing grace, spiritual strength, and peace to both communicants and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. Compelling stories from his hospital Eucharistic Ministry reflect the exceptional writing for which he is known. Wilkes takes the reader on a journey to realize God's love for us as the personal stories bring the reader to a better understanding of God's presence even in the face of suffering and sorrow. Admitting his own flaws and doubts, Wilkes connects to every reader who yearns to encounter the mystery of God's love for each of us.… (plus d'informations)

This book, like I said, has made me look at my life in a way I never did before. The things he has done and seen are just amazing. His life makes me think of a pendulum. He goes from one extreem to the other and slowly, very slowly, settles down to the center and finds the place he has been looking for. In a way it makes me feel better about my own life. I’m worried about how things will work out and what to do with it. Paul is an example of how long it can take to get it all figured out, but that it does work in the end.
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This is a book (2001) which lists a sampling of 8 catholic parishes from around the country that are categorized as ‘excellent.’ Common traits are listed at the end as: (i) approach (ii) institutional life (iii) community (iv) the [lay] work and (v) spirituality. Wilkes says that there is no ‘best’ parish, since all evolve. But if all evolve, and they do, then these listed excellent parishes can’t themselves alone be exemplary. Wilkes quotes from the Great Gatsby that the golden rule is that all visitors and parishioners should be understood as they believe in themselves, themselves at their best. The church I’m currently at is listed but not described. Wilkes says that parishes that aren’t doing well lack vision (mostly meaning lay training and involvement). He does not say exactly how it is that the parishes could lack vision or persist that way. If he did that, this book might have been better.… (plus d'informations)