A Contemporary Celtic Prayer Book [Paperback]

William John Fitzgerald (Author), Joyce Rupp (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1999

A unique and beautiful hardcover prayer book that captures the flavor and sensibility of traditional Celtic spirituality for today's Christians. The first part of the book contains a simplified Liturgy of the Hours for a seven-day period. The second part of the book is a treasury of Celtic prayers, blessings and rituals for a variety of ordinary and special occasions.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 148 pages
• Publisher: ACTA Publications (January 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879462191
• ISBN-13: 978-0879462192
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #381,436 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Non-Denominational Inspiration!, April 7, 2000

By 

Kathleen McGowan "NYT Bestselling Author, www... (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Contemporary Celtic Prayer Book (Hardcover)

With The Contemporary Celtic Prayer Book, William John Fitzgerald has accomplished an amazing and sensitive feat of balance: he has created a spiritual celebration that crosses denominational borders. This book is a true celebration of the Celtic spirit, regardless of specific denominational upbringing.

There are prayers and inspirations for every occasion, from the every day to life-changing events. I bought this book for the wonderful "Prayer to the Vibrant Women of Celtic Lore" - but I quickly fell in love with the rest of it.

(excerpted from my review for The Irish News and used with persmission)

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I bind unto myself today..., March 9, 2004

By 

FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: A Contemporary Celtic Prayer Book (Paperback)

Celtic prayers are prayers of everyday life blended with the mystical and holy. Celtic sensibilities combine a strong sense of place and people and history with the current experience of people in their ongoing struggles for peace, harmony and connection with the ultimate. William John Fitzgerald has combined the ancient and modern together is a beautiful little collection of prayers.

The book is divided broadly into two sections: A Celtic Liturgy of the Hours (daily prayers), and special Celtic Prayers, Blessings and Rituals for life events and occasions. The Liturgy of the Hours has a distinctly catholic feel to the structure, which comes as no surprise given the strong identification of the Celtic (particularly Irish) with ritual and liturgical forms of Christianity. The three portions of daily prayer lifted out of the particular days, appearing at the front of the section, are the Magnificat, the Our Father, and the Hail Mary (prayers that are far more general than the Celtic community). Each day then proceeds with brief prayer rituals for the morning (Lauds), the mid-day (Nones and Angelus), and the night (Compline). These include blessings of self, the world, and God, periods of silence, periods of petition and prayers of reverence.

The section for special blessings and occasions includes blessings for babies, children and grandchildren, blessings for friends, those departing on journeys, meals, and even a houseblessing. There are prayers for important times in life -- birth, death, sickness, wedding and engagements, as well as prayers tied to the liturgical seasons (Lent, Advent, etc.). There are also special sections for saints, particularly those of note in the Celtic community, such as Patrick, Brigit, Columbanus, Colm Cille, and more general prayer for groups ('prayer to the vibrant women of Celtic lore').

There is a useful glossary of terms at the end of the book, including liturgical and religious terms as well as Celtic words and terms.

Fitzgerald served as a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Omaha before retiring to Arizona, where he continued to serve in a priestly/chaplaincy manner even in his retirement community. Many of the prayers come from his own family background (which includes McCarthy, Garrahan and O'Bryne ancestry in addition to Fitzgeralds).

This is a wonderful, pocket-sized, useful resource for daily prayer for groups and individuals. It has a wonderful, vibrant spirit that combines the unique with the familiar. It is a blessing indeed.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Harmony between Man, Nature and God, May 17, 2009

By 

James Gallen (St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Contemporary Celtic Prayer Book (Paperback)

"A Contemporary Celtic Prayer Book" is a collection of prayers and devotions in the Celtic tradition. Celtic spirituality emphasizes the harmony between mankind and the natural world. Due to the long isolation of the Celtic world, its spirituality arose out of the Celtic traditions, not those of the Roman Empire, as is the case with many other European cultures.

This book consists of a Celtic Liturgy of the Hours, the prayers for morning, noon and night, prayers to Celtic Saints, and prayers and blessings for special needs.

This book helps bring the reader, particularly us Celts, into harmony with the traditions which we may have lost over the centuries. It helps us look at life in a different way, a way helps grow closer to God through His world.