In our age, Christ’s Parables are often reduced to exercises in moralism. In these pages, Fr. George Rutler — acclaimed author and EWTN television host — unveils these deceptively simple stories, showing you their hidden meanings and how they apply to our own age and way of life.
Fr. George Rutler was born in 1945 and raised an Episcopalian in New Jersey and New York. He served as an Episcopal priest for nine years and was the youngest Episcopal rector in the country when he headed the Church of the Good Shepherd in Rosemont, Pennsylvania.
He was received into the Catholic Church in 1979. He attended seminary at the North American College in Rome, was ordained to the diaconate by His Eminence William Cardinal Baum in 1980, and received priestly ordination in St. Patrick's Cathedral by His Eminence Terence Cardinal Cooke in 1981.
Father Rutler graduated from Dartmouth, where he was a Rufus Choate Scholar. He completed graduate work at the Johns Hopkins University, the General Theological Seminary, and the Gregorian and Angelicum Universities in Rome. He holds a Pontifical Doctorate in Sacred Theology. In England, in 1988, the University of Oxford awarded him the degree Master of Studies.
From 1987 to 1988 he was regular preacher to the students, faculty, and townspeople of Oxford. He served as Associate Pastor of St. Joseph's in Bronxville; Our Lady of Victory in the Wall Street area; and St. Agnes, in Manhattan. He was a university chaplain for the Archdiocese, and also chaplain to a general hospital and a psychiatric hospital.
He served for ten years as the National Chaplain of Legatus. He is Chaplain of the New York Guild of Catholic Lawyers, Regional Spiritual Director of the Legion of Mary (New York and northern New Jersey) and is associated with the Missionaries of Charity, and other religious orders, as a retreat master. Since 1988 his weekly television program has been broadcast worldwide on EWTN.
Cardinal Egan appointed him Pastor of the Church of Our Saviour, effective September 17, 2001.
Thomas More College and Christendom College awarded him honorary doctorates. He is a knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, and chaplain of the St. Andrew's Society of the State of New York, the Robert Burns Society of the City of New York, and the West Point Society of New York.
Father Rutler has made documentary films in the United States and England, and contributes to numerous scholarly and popular journals. As a member of the U.S. Squash Racquets Association, he’s published one book on the sport, in addition to his religious works.
Truly enlightening. Apparently Fr. Rutler wrote each chapter as an assignment for Crisis Magazine and they appear together here in one book. Useful to have these bits of enlightenment available, I found new takes on the parables. I highly recommend this book for individuals and study groups. Reading this book introduced me to another wonderful Catholic priest. I look forward to reading more of his work.
Terrific series of reflections on our Lord's parables; Fr. Rutler provides a depth of insight into the parables so that it's like hearing them fresh for the first time. A most terrific author hits another homerun.
I didn't even finish the book. No offense, but it's too pompous for my taste. I have a feeling he's speaking to a different audience—a more of a lofty people. It saddens me to see Catholics get too high on an elevated plane and bypass the avenge people to trying to understand the words of the Lord.
This book gave me a lot of new insight into biblical parables. It was chosen for my online Catholic women’s book club, and we all enjoyed the discussions it prompted. Some parable explanations were easier to understand than others but each of the 25 chapters was interesting.
Fr. Rutler provides insight on 24 Gospel parables that I either had never considered, or described more clearly than I had experienced before. He doesn't pull any punches; he's sharing raw truth with his readers. This can come off as abrasive at times, but frankly I prefer this level of clarity.
This is an excellent book to carry around as each chapter is dedicated to a single parable. It's not essential to remember all previous content absorb whatever chapter you happen to be reading.
At times acerbic and clearly desiring a return to some of the older ritual, Fr. Rutler delivers a brief but demanding view of Jesus's parables. Not for those weak in vocabulary or the faith a thorough reading demands a return to Catholic teaching at its most basic and profound. Well worth reading.
I loved this book. I could not stop reading it. I have gone to many Bible studies, but these explanations of the parables was inspiring to me. I will read it again.
Short and to the point interpretations of the parables found in the Gospels, Fr. Rutler's book will shake you from complacency and make you consider your part to play as you journey through this life towards heaven.
Fr. Rutler hit the mark once again. Explaining parables told by our Lord and showing how to today they are just as important definitely held my interest