Review: 'Catholics for the Common Good' is Catholic social teaching in lived experience

Let the Church say, "Amen"!

Daryl Grigsby’s new book “Catholics for the Common Good: An Eternal Offering” reaches into the imago Dei roots of Mother Church and showcases the beauty of diversity and the richness of the people of God answering their respective calls to serve. The text succinctly chronicles the lives of men and women who courageously demonstrated their depth of awareness and love for God and others in quite remarkable ways. 

Grigsby profiles 36 contemporary Catholics from around the world who have worked for justice and human dignity. He discusses the vocations and ministries of Catholics from India, Brazil, Tanzania, El Salvador, the United States, and other nations. Further, Catholics of various racial backgrounds are highlighted, including nine African-American Catholics. Among them are Dr. Lena Frances Edwards, Sr Mary Antona Ebo, Venerable Augustus Tolton, Dr. Diana Hayes, and others. Today, almost 20% of Catholics in the world reside in Africa. Thus, the book also highlights African Catholics like the Jesuit priest Engelbert Mveng, Servant of God Julius Nyerere, and Marguerite Barankitse.

The book is organized into four sections, covering consecrated women, laypeople, priests, and prelates. Each of the four chapters begins with quotes from the documents of the Second Vatican Council that clarify the distinctive and unique roles of each of those callings. While the vocations may be unique, the call to love and work for justice and mercy is common to all the People of God. 

Further, in the introduction, Grigsby clarifies the origin of the book’s subtitle, “An Eternal Offering.” He notes that in Eucharistic Prayer III, the priest says, “Lord, make of us an eternal offering to you,” suggesting that beyond the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, the Eucharist also calls us all to offer ourselves in service to God and to others.

Another important feature of “Catholics for the Common Good” is its highlighting of the important role of women in the Church. Even though they currently cannot be ordained as priests or deacons, they nevertheless are critical to the body of Christ. Thus, we read the stories of Servant of God Thea Bowman, Dr. Monika Hellwig, and many others. We also come to understand the role of women in the ministries of Catholic priests. Fr Tolton, for example, was rescued from slavery through the courage of his mother, and Fr Hans Kung is said to have been profoundly influenced by “those five sisters of his.”

Grigsby deftly unpacks the substantial richness that tethers the Body of Christ to the petitions of its highest prayer. The global offerings featured are filled with charismatic fortitude that captures the unifying creativity of the Divine. The book reminds us that our work is not in vain! Our efforts are anchored by the Tree of Life and celebrated as “catholic” amid our diverse lived experiences of gray, light, and darkness. It inspires us to push forth from where we are planted and bloom together under God's unifying grace to serve one another. 

In a time of political division, vastly divergent images of what it means to be Christian or Catholic, a rise in racism, intolerance, normalization of cruelty, and an inordinate focus on race and nation, this new book provides models of what it means to follow Christ, live the Eucharist, and help build God’s reign here and now. 

In short, “Catholics for the Common Good” is for all who seek to apply Catholic social teaching to our society, who yearn for positive examples of faith in action, and who want inspiration in their struggles for justice.

Lori Stanley is executive director of the Loyola Institute for Spirituality in Orange, California. She has been a practitioner of Ignatian spirituality for 20 years and uses its tools to address social injustices and to answer the call to accompany, educate, and empower others to discover God’s deep personal love for them. She has a Master's in Pastoral Theology with a concentration in Spiritual Direction from Loyola Marymount University. She and her husband of 35 years have been facilitators in the Catholic Engaged Encounter ministry for 21 years and have one adult daughter.

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