Description: This book commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World. Through the lens of this crucial document, this book examines contemporary social issues such as immigration, women in the Church, environme...
Brief description: Thomas Massaro, SJ, is professor of moral theology at Fordham University. Previously he was dean of the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, where he was also professor of moral theology. He is a regular contributor to America magazine and often leads parish and community workshops on social justice and Catholic social teaching. He is the author of several books, including Mercy in Action: The Social Teachings of Pope Francis (R&L, 2018), U.S. Welfare Policy: A Catholic Response and coeditor of American Catholic Social Teaching.
Review Quotes: "Of the many notable documents coming out of Vatican II, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et spes remains the key accomplishment that continues to inspire and nourish the Church in its ongoing mission to engage the many challenges of the world in the last half-century. This excellent cross-disciplinary and ecumenical collection of essays from scholars from America, Britain, and Africa associated with the Joan and Ralph Lane Center at the University of San Francisco highlight both critical theory and contemporary cogent application in responding to Pope Francis' repeated calls that the Church serve as a "field hospital" that treats the wounded, suffering, and marginalized both in the world today and likely for many more decades to come." --James T. Bretzke, S.J.