HANDBOOK FOR MINISTERS OF CARE - HBMCR3

Handbook for Ministers of Care, Third Edition, by Marilyn Kofler, SP, and Kevin E. O'Connor, CSP, is a formation and training guide for lay ministers of care: parishioners commissioned by the Church to bring the compassion and communion of Christ to the sick and the homebound. It covers a theology of sickness and suffering, how to lead the Church's rites with those who are sick, how to make pastoral visits, and how ministers can tend to their own spiritual lives while caring for others. It is suited to new and experienced ministers of care, and to the parish staff and coordinators who prepare them.

The handbook combines formation with practical training, so it serves both as preparation before a minister's first visit and as a reference afterward. Its attention to the minister's own spiritual needs reflects the demands of this work, which includes bearing witness to the suffering of parish members. At 112 pages, it's short enough to use in a training session or read on one's own.

Use & care: Suited to initial formation and ongoing training of a parish's ministers of care, and as a personal reference between visits. Store the paperback flat or upright with other ministry materials so the cover stays in good condition.