{"product_id":"the-kingdom-began-in-puerto-rico-neil-connollys-priesthood-in-the-south-bronx-9780823289264","title":"The Kingdom Began in Puerto Rico: Neil Connollys Priesthood in the South Bronx","description":"\u003cp\u003eHow the South Bronx and Puerto Rican migration defined Fr. Neil Connollys priesthood as he learned to both serve and be part of his community  South Bronx  1958. Change was coming. Guidance was sorely needed to bridge the old and the new  for enunciating and implementing a vision. It was a unique place and time in history where Father Neil Connolly found his true calling and spiritual awakening. The Kingdom Began in Puerto Rico captures the spirit of the era and the spirit of this great man.  Set in historical context of a changing world and a changing Catholic Church  The Kingdom Began in Puerto Rico follows Fr. Neil Connollys path through the South Bronx  which began with a special Church program to address the postwar great Puerto Rican migration. After an immersion summer in Puerto Rico  Fr. Neil served the largest concentration of Puerto Ricans in the Bronx from the 1960s to the 1980s as they struggled for a decent life. Through the teachings of Vatican II  Connolly assumed responsibility for creating a new Church and world. In the war against drugs  poverty  and crime  Connolly created a dynamic organization and chapel run by the people and supported Unitas  a nationally unique peer-driven mental health program for youth. Frustrated by the lack of institutional responses to his communitys challenges  Connolly challenged government abandonment and spoke out against ill-conceived public plans. Ultimately  he realized that his priestly mission was in developing new leaders among people  in the Church and the world  and supporting two nationally unique lay leadership programs  the Pastoral Center and People for Change.  Discovering the real mission of priesthood  urban ministry  and the Catholic Church in the United States  author Angel Garcia ably blends the dynamic forces of Church and world that transformed Fr. Connolly as he grew into his vocation. The book presents a rich history of the South Bronx and calls for all urban policies to begin with the people  not for the people. It also affirms the continuing relevance of Vatican II and Medellin for todays Church and world  in the United States and Latin America.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45647262351413,"sku":"ByrdShop_0823289265","price":61.84,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780823289264.jpg?v=1781691016","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-kingdom-began-in-puerto-rico-neil-connollys-priesthood-in-the-south-bronx-9780823289264","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}