COUNSELLING THE CATHOLIC

**It is difficult to imagine a book that is needed more among Catholics at the present time than this one. A Paulist and a Jesuit, both of whom write clearly and interestingly, here collaborate on a pioneer effort to compose a book to serve as a text for seminarians and a reference work for priests dealing with the subject of mental counselling concepts and techniques. In the hope of encouraging a chance in the seminary curriculum in the direction of pastoral counselling, the authors have produced an excellent compendium of practical psychology, offering information every priest ought to have. The emotional stratum of man's life is the focal point of interest for the authors and their aim throughout is to help build new attitudes in the clerical reader based on the findings of modern psychology as applied to moral and religious problems and to acquaint him with sound psychological principles and techniques of counselling. Part I deals formally with counselling theory and technique in a simple, clear, fairly comprehensive, concrete, persuasive manner. Part II treats equally well of more technical matters involving the application of moral theology to counselling situations. Separate chapters in each section are devoted to masturbation and homosexuality respectively. The book would be valuable for the intelligent treatment it extends to these subjects alone. This is a book no seminarian, priest, Catholic parent or teacher should be without. It cannot be praised or recommended too highly here. Imprimatur.