Ministries
Lay Formation Institute
Two-year program, One Weekend a month, Friday evening to Saturday afternoon Summers off
Leader of Prayer
Pastoral Formation Fund
NEW BOOK by Chris Ruff, Director,
Ministries & Social Concerns
Contact ministries@diolc.org or 608-791-0161
Cost: $10.00
Blessed Are You: Living the Beatitudes
The Discipleship Series – For people with busy lives but open hearts
The Beatitudes, centerpiece of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, turn us upside-down. In a world craving wealth, power and fame, we hear Jesus declare blessed the poor in spirit, meek, merciful, pure in heart – yes even those who mourn and are persecuted.
In Blessed Are You: Living the Beatitudes, Chris Ruff invites individuals and small groups to explore Jesus’ paradoxical words with fresh eyes, discovering in them a treasury of beauty, simplicity and joy, and applying them to life.
Like other books in the Discipleship Series, Blessed Are You is:
- Ideal for busy people, with 6 short, engaging sessions
- Balanced in Scripture, brief commentary and prayer
- Dynamic in discussion questions that connect the Beatitudes with our daily lives
- Modest in proposing a component of service – love of neighbor – that makes discipleship more real
- Captivating with true stories that bring each Beatitude to life
-Blessed Solanus Casey – Humble doorkeeper, meek and poor in spirit
-St. Gemma Galgani – A short life tinged with blessed mourning
-Blessed Padre Pro – Righteous in the face of persecution
-The Monk and the Murderer – A Death Row inmate encounters mercy through an Oklahoma monk
-Brendan Kelly – Pure in heart, a mystical boy with Down syndrome
-St. Teresa of Calcutta – Peacemaking in war-torn Lebanon
“This expanding set of small-group resources is aptly named the Discipleship Series. I recommend it wholeheartedly to individuals, groups, parishes and dioceses that wish to foster a deeper, fuller discipleship in Christ.”
— Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki, Archdiocese of Milwaukee
“Small faith-sharing groups which challenge the individual to works of charity and the apostolate are at the very core of the history of the reform of the Catholic Church. I congratulate Christopher Ruff on his work and hope that it will continue to be so well received.”
— The late Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR
“Christopher Ruff’s Discipleship Series has been a very effective instrument for the new evangelization in the Archdiocese of Vancouver. I recommended it to our parishes as a model for Lenten renewal, it is solidly Catholic yet simple. It doesn’t require a huge commitment from pastors, lay leaders, and participants, but it still fosters growth in holiness through good content, meaningful shared reflection, and a commitment to service. I look forward to seeing future volumes in the Discipleship Series.”
— Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, Archdiocese of Vancouver
“Blessed Are You makes the Beatitudes come alive with meaning and relevance. As with the other books in the Discipleship Series, Chris Ruff takes you deeper than a theoretical study of the Faith – into a shared experience of following Jesus and building his Kingdom in the world today. Truly second to none!”
— Chris Stefanick, Founder and President of Real Life Catholic
Catholic Life Articles
Here are a few Catholic Life articles. To read the full article, click on the blue colored title.
Contact Information
Office for Ministries and Social Concerns
Phone: 608.791.0161
Fax: 608.788.8413
Christopher J. Ruff, S.T.L., Director
Emily Sykora, Administrative Assistant