Listen to the Heartbeat of the Church offers ideas and procedures to advance communication between parishes and dioceses through the practice of visitation.

What people are saying about the book:

“Dorothy Baroch’s suggested pathway to parish renewal in Listen to the Heartbeat of the Church is both innovative and timely. Evangelization is a priority in the Catholic Church now and parish renewal could well be the first step in that process. As a long time member of Our Lady Of Fatima parish and involved with both parish and diocesan councils, as well as various other ministries, I see a vision and a hope that by adapting this approach, we might truly become the people of God in an Evangelizing Church.”

– Betty Warnick, Moses Lake, Washington, Retired business owner

“The material in Listen to the Heartbeat of the Church opened my mind to the possibilities of parish involvement, of once again being part of a parish community. It broke down the “wall of Jericho” for me that had existed, a wall of alienation from the Church and parish life. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

Margaret Civiletti, Benedictine Oblate, Queen of Angels Monastery; Professor Emeritus, College of the Redwoods

“As a member of a large congregation, and one who has been involved in parish life for more than 15 years, I found Baroch’s book refreshing, hopeful, and necessary. With inevitable changing leadership, the “heartbeat” of a parish changes. Sometimes it moves toward frustrating, flat disconnection. Baroch’s book brings an honest look at parish life on diocesan and parish levels, infusing ideas of how the institution can be welcoming for all, intimidating for none. I feel it brings great hope for the way things can and should be.”

– Shannon Rossi, Catholic educator, Las Vegas, Nevada

“This is an exciting, clearly-explained path to parish renewal. The future of our Catholic communities will depend on motivating parishioners young and old, with talents and skills in every area to come together, get a vision of what the church can be, and move forward together with vigor. Dorothy Hill Baroch has a way of using words that paints a picture on many levels, allowing the reader to vividly see the potential in the ideas and suggestions she presents. Read and re-imagine a dynamic parish home!”

– M. Burroughs

“I learned a lot about the inner workings of the Catholic Church. Any leader of an organization would benefit from the author’s insights into how groups can work together in harmony to create an atmosphere of help and understanding.”

– Mitch Phillips

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