Cardinal Yves Congar is universally known and respected as the great ecclesiologist of Vatican II whose seminal ideas helped to reconfigure the landscape of Catholic theology following the council. Less well known is his role in contributing far-reaching insights to the emerging liturgical movement in the church. This collection represents several of Congar's decisive contributions. Reading them makes possible a deeper and more cogent reception of the key ideas of the council documents. These texts are at once both erudite and exciting, both essential and pastorally incisive. There has never been a better time to disseminate these critically important liturgical insights than the present moment.

"Cardinal Yves Congar, OP, who died in 1995, was a French Dominican widely recognized as one of the most important Roman Catholic theologians of the twentieth century and a major influence upon the theology of the documents of Vatican II. Congar drew from biblical, patristic, and medieval sources to revitalize the discipline of contemporary theology. He was an early advocate of ecumenism and also contributed to shaping the theological agenda of the twentieth-century liturgical movement."

"Pal Philibert, OP, is a retired professor of pastoral theology who has taught in the United States and abroad. He is a Dominican friar of the US Southern Province. His 2005 Liturgical Press book, "The Priesthood of the Faithful: Key to a living Church, " reflects the theology of these essays of Cardinal Yves Congar. His translation of Congar's masterpiece, "True and False Reform in the Church, "will soon be published by Liturgical Press."

In "Aquinas and His Role in Theology," Marie Dominique Chenu provides a lively and representative overview of the life and writings of the thirteenth-century theologian whom many consider to be the greatest master of Catholic religious thought.

A rich explanation of the prolific and versatile books of Aquinas follows the story of his life's journey through the heart of Europe in the high Middle Ages. Chenu also portrays the religious and spiritual personality of Aquinas, showing how his typically systematic theology is rooted in personal contemplative roots and a passion for pastoral preaching.

Chapters are The Friar Preacher," *Master in Sacred Theology, - *The Contemplative, - *The Herald of a New Christianity, - *"Imago Mundi, " - *The Virtuous Life, - *The Fate of St. Thomas, - and *The Works of St. Thomas. - Includes illustrations.

"Marie Dominique Chenu was a leader in applying historical method to the study of Thomas Aquinas. He published widely in both medieval and contemporary theology.

Paul Philibert, OP, STD, is the author of "Seeing and Believing" and served as Translator for "Liturgy and the Arts," both published by The Liturgical Press. He is also Distinguished Visiting Professor of Church and Society at the Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri.""

The theological and cultural vigor of these seven French Dominicans Sertillanges, Chenu, Congar, Lebret, Loew, Liege, and Couturier eventually influenced the entire church through the breakthrough of Vatican II. They read the signs of the times and saw what the Holy Spirit was doing in a changing world. The Catholic Church is more alive because of them."

The theological and cultural vigor of these seven French Dominicans Sertillanges, Chenu, Congar, Lebret, Loew, Liege, and Couturier eventually influenced the entire church through the breakthrough of Vatican II. They read the signs of the times and saw what the Holy Spirit was doing in a changing world. The Catholic Church is more alive because of them."

Archbishop Angelo Roncali (later Pope John XXIII) read "True and False Reform" during his years as papal nuncio in France and asked, A reform of the church 'is such a thing really possible?" A decade later as pope, he opened the Second Vatican Council by describing its goals in terms that reflected Congar's description of authentic reform: reform that penetrates to the heart of doctrine as a message of salvation for the whole of humanity, that retrieves the meaning of prophecy in a living church, and that is deeply rooted in history rather than superficially related to the apostolic tradition. Pope John called the council not to reform heresy or to denounce errors but to update the church's capacity to explain itself to the world and to revitalize ecclesial life in al its unique local manifestations. Congar's masterpiece fills in the blanks of what we have been missing in our reception of the council and its call to "true reform."

"Yves Congar, OP, a French Dominican who died in 1995, was the most important ecclesiologist in modern times. His writings and his active participation in Vatican II had an immense influence upon the council documents. With a few other contemporaries, Congar pioneered a new style of theological research and writing that linked the great tradition of Scripture and the Fathers to contemporary pastoral questions with lucidity and passion. His key concerns were the unity of the church, lay apostolic life, and a revival of the church's theology of the Holy Spirit. He was named a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in recognition of his profound contributions to the Second Vatican Council.""Pal Philibert, OP, has taught pastoral theology in the United States and abroad. He is a Dominican friar of the Southern Province. His translation of a collection of Congar's essays on the liturgy has recently been published by Liturgical Press under the title "At the Heart of Christian Worship." His book "The Priesthood of the Faithful: Key to a living Church" (Liturgical Press, 2005) reflects the ecclesiology of Yves Congar and his Vision of the apostolic life of the faithful.""