Sacraments and Justice

Sacraments speak a language and disclose their power throughsymbols. Beyond representing another reality sacramentalsymbols are intimately connected with the reality they express andsources of joy solace confrontation peace healing strength andlife-giving sustenance to the initiated.Sacraments and Justice describes the social implications ofworship the history of each sacrament and reveals how the sevensacraments-baptism confi rmation Eucharist penance marriageorders and the anointing of the sick-link to social justice. It offersan integrated understanding of the transformation that is inextricablylinked to each sacrament as well as the active presence ofChrist who lives in expectation of our response to participate in theurgent response to unjust policies and systems that affect the mostvulnerable in our global family.Educated Catholics or Catholics looking for a fi rst-rate educationon the sacraments as well as parish teams study groups andCatholic educators will fi nd this volume to be solid and incisivewhile at the same time accessible and engaging. Each contributoris an academic who writes with a human touch about the graciouspromise embedded in sacraments. They include:• John F. Baldovin SJ on baptism• Edward P. Hahnenberg on confi rmation• Michael S. Driscoll on Eucharist• Doris Donnelly on penance• Thomas J. Scirghi SJ on holy orders• Natalie Kertes Weaver on marriage• Paul Turner on anointing of the sickDoris Donnelly PhD is professor of theology at John Carroll