Richard M. Gula, Just Ministry: Professional Ethics for Pastoral Ministers. Paulist Press, 2010.
Companion volume: Gula, The Way of Goodness and Holiness: A Spirituality for Pastoral Ministers
Referenced in: Ministry Ethics
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
Gula writes from a Catholic background, addressing ethical issues for the priesthood, especially in light of recent sex scandals that have hurt the crediblity of that order. He is very strong on the idea of standardized and explicit codes of conduct, and in this sense, the “professionalization” of ministry. This is not to diminish the nature of ministry as a spiritual call, but to encourage greater accountabiliy through practices such as peer review, uniform disciplinary procedures, and sanctions for deviant behavior. On these subjects, Gula is one of the best. His material conveys a strong Catholic orientation, but translates well into other traditions.
From the Publisher
At a time when concerns for misconduct, abuse scandals, and liability have brought pastoral ministers under greater scrutiny than ever before and have threatened to undermine their morale, Just Ministry offers a positive perspective on the vocation of pastoral ministry and wise ethical guidance to foster integrity in ministry.
About the Author
Richard M. Gula, S.S., a Sulpician priest, is a member of a society of priests dedicated to the education and formation of priests. As a Sulpician, Rich has dedicated himself to educating seminarians, priests, and lay pastoral ministers. This commitment has given a particular pastoral and practical cast to his interests in ethics. He sees himself as building bridges from academic theology to the practical interests of pastoral ministers and of the people in the pews.
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