Faith for the Heart: A “Catholic” Spirituality (E3) by Thomas H. Groome

Thomas Groome invites the reader to enter more deeply into the rich treasury of the spiritual resources of the Church’s faith, practice, and traditions. Our hunger for God draws us to community in church. Groome draws on multiple resources, from the scriptures to church documents and writings of holy men and women, to restore hope and draw those who have left back into community.

The author reflects on some of the human heart’s deepest longings: for fullness, for love, for happiness and a reliable way to achieve it, for freedom, and for a wholesome holiness of life toward authenticity as human beings. He proposes foundational Christian convictions concerning who and how God Is for us, about the historical Jesus as the Christ of faith, and of the sanctifying role of the Holy Spirit.

Then he turns to some distinguishing “Catholic” perspectives on Christian faith and how they might lend spiritual wisdom to help satisfy other pressing hungers of heart.

Thomas H. Groome is a professor of theology and religious education at Boston College and author of books on religious education and Christian practice.

Endorsements

“In this work, Thomas Groome draws on more than thirty years of writing and teaching Theology to undergraduates to offer an account of Christian discipleship that focuses on the compassionate and uncompromising message of Jesus of Nazareth. This Jewish rabbi, the Son of God, yearns for us, loves us, fills our hearts, and calls us to active witness that stands beside those whom our society despises, marginalizes, and excludes”.
―M. Shawn Copeland, professor emerita, Boston College

“This isn’t a book to tackle lightly. I found it a challenging read, because Groome isn’t just positing nice things but is also defining terms and reshaping how we approach a topic. We hunger for God. But what does that mean, beyond just a twinge in our spiritual gut? Exploring it point by point, Groome gives us a series of classes that may serve to reshape how we live our lives.”
―Liguorian