Surviving Catholic Ministry: A Contemporary "Soul of the Apostolate" for the Lay Minister - Paperback

by Brad Bursa (Author)

Nobody enters Catholic ministry aiming to become jaded. Yet it happens all the time. Ministers often grow calloused and abandon ship. It does not have to be this way. In Surviving Catholic Ministry, Brad Bursa combines his deep experience in the ministry field with insights drawn from Tradition to provide readers a practical escape from burnout. This book challenges ministry leaders to reorder every aspect of their lives and to do so from the inside out. Renewal from the inside out begins by reclaiming baptismal identity. From this core, one can enter more deeply into the interior life, which overflows into primary vocation, then ministry. Those who follow this course will not only survive Catholic ministry but thrive in it.

Author Biography

Brad Bursa, PhD, is director of evangelization for the Stella Maris Family of Parishes. He has held various roles in parish ministry, education, and evangelization since 2008. Brad completed his undergraduate studies in English and Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville, before going on to earn a MA in Theology and Christian ministry from his alma mater. He went on to earn a PhD in Theology at the University of Notre Dame Australia where he studied under Dr. Gerard O'Shea and Dr. Tracey Rowland. His dissertation, which focuses on the catechetical crisis after Vatican II, has since been published as Because He Has Spoken to Us: Structures of Proclamation from Rahner to Ratzinger (2022). In 2025, Brad published his second book, Surviving Catholic Ministry (Cascade). Brad contributes frequently to The Catechetical Review, Catholic World Report, and the Eucharistic Revival blog. He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with his wife and eight children.