Excellent Catholic Parishes: The Guide to Best Places and Practices Book

I can't wait to visit a parish or two to find out if they still have the same characteristics that led to them being featured in this book. I do think the principles gathered by Wilkes and his team are characteristics that every parish should employ at one time or another. Just having two or three of these qualities will create at least a tolerable parish. What I got out of Excellent Catholic Parishes the most is that each parish needs to be an attraction to everyone, especially disgruntled Catholics and those that have left the Church. Simply being "The Church" isn't enough to encourage people to follow her teachings. Many parishes (like my own, I'm afraid) believe it is enough, and it's killing them.