by Bishop Joseph Strickland (Author)
Bishop Joseph Strickland is one of the Church's boldest and most courageous leaders. His outspoken support of orthodox faith and morals, the sanctity of unborn life, and reforming Catholic institutions have made him a hero even to Catholics outside his little East Texas diocese. In Light and Leaven he offers a forthright perspective on the state of the Church and the world today and calls on the lay faithful to meet its challenges unflinchingly. We must not shrink from the culture, he says, but be a light to it; we must not retreat from the world but leaven it with grace and truth. In his direct and conversational manner, Bishop Strickland touches on a wide range of topics, including Church renewal in a time of scandal, the central importance of the Eucharist, how to build strong marriages, the need for prayer and silence in a noisy and distracted age, and the battle between good and evil in which all Christians are engaged. He will inspire and edify you with his wise insights, pastoral common sense, and evident love for souls.
Author Biography
Joseph E. Strickland is bishop of Tyler, Texas. Ordained in 1985, he was assigned to Immaculate Conception Parish in Tyler and served as parochial vicar until 1989. He was named the first vocation director for the diocese in 1987. Strickland completed his canonical studies with a licentiate in canon law in 1994 and was reappointed as rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler. He was appointed judicial vicar for the Diocese of Tyler in 1995, and the following year Pope John Paul II bestowed on him the title of Monsignor. On September 29, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Msgr. Strickland the fourth bishop of Tyler.