Youth evangelization is one of the most challenging tasks of the church today, and this book faces that challenge head-on. Roots: Catholic Youth Evangelization in a Post-Pandemic World features essays written by leading scholars in the fields of philosophy, theology, psychology, sociology, pastoral ministry, medieval studies, and ecology. In this timely volume, scholars tackle tough issues presented by contemporary culture while engaging the ripe fruits of the 2019 apostolic exhortation of Pope Francis, Christus vivit. Readers will be treated to a variety of themes, including beauty, belonging, hope, political theology, cultural analysis, vocational discernment, ecclesial strategies, and the history of Catholic youth ministry in the United States. By approaching the general topic of Catholic youth evangelization from diverse angles, the precise nature and demands of ministry with young people in a postmodern context are illuminated. This volume promises to provide ample insights for church leaders active in the field of pastoral care of youth from an interdisciplinary perspective. Readers can be assured that they never will think the same about youth evangelization after encountering the rich contents of this book.

John C. Cavadini is the McGrath-Cavadini Director of the Institute for Church Life and Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. He is the author and editor of several books, includingGift to the Church and World (2021), Visioning Augustine(2019),Pope Francis and the Event of Encounter (2018),Mary on the Eve of the Second Vatican Council(2017), andExplorations in the Theology of Benedict XVI (2012). Donald Wallenfang, OCDS, Emmanuel Mary of the Cross, is Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. He is the author and editor of several books, includingShoeless: Carmelite Spirituality in a Disquieted World(2021), iGod: A Hidden and Fragmentary Autobiography(2021),Phenomenology: A Basic Introduction in the Light of Jesus Christ(2019),Human and Divine Being: A Study on the Theological Anthropology of Edith Stein (2017), andDialectical Anatomy of the Eucharist: An Étude in Phenomenology (2017).