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Many Are Called
The bestselling author of The Lamb's Supper pens a special guide that explores the history and magnificence of the priesthood. It includes information on what it means to be called to a vocation and provides reference material on the Catholic priesthood.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
26 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
About the author
Scott Hahn
414 books1,316 followersScott Hahn is a renowned Catholic theologian, apologist, speaker, and bestselling author whose work has had a profound impact on contemporary biblical theology and Catholic thought. A former Presbyterian minister, Hahn converted to Catholicism in 1986 after an intense personal and theological journey, which he details in his popular book Rome Sweet Home, co-written with his wife, Kimberly Hahn. Their story of conversion has inspired countless readers around the world and remains a landmark in modern Catholic apologetics.
Hahn holds the Father Michael Scanlan Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990. He is also the founder and president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting biblical literacy among the laity and biblical fluency among clergy. Through the Center, Hahn leads a wide range of initiatives, including publications, pilgrimages, Bible studies, and the scholarly journal Letter and Spirit.
Educated at Grove City College (B.A.), Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Marquette University (Ph.D. in Systematic Theology), Hahn brings a deep academic foundation to his work. His dissertation, Kinship by Covenant, was later published by Yale University Press and received praise for its theological insight and scholarly rigor.
Throughout his career, Hahn has emphasized the covenant as the key to understanding salvation history, showing how the biblical narrative reveals a divine plan that unites all of humanity into God's family. His works explore themes such as the Eucharist, the role of Mary, the sacraments, and the authority of the Church, often drawing on the writings of the early Church Fathers to bridge the ancient faith with modern understanding.
He is the author or editor of over forty books, including The Lamb’s Supper, Hail, Holy Queen, First Comes Love, Letter and Spirit, Swear to God, Reasons to Believe, The Creed, The Fourth Cup, and Holy Is His Name. Many of his books have become staples in Catholic households, study groups, and seminaries.
In addition to his writing, Hahn is a highly sought-after speaker, having delivered thousands of lectures across the United States and abroad. He appears regularly on EWTN and has collaborated with Lighthouse Catholic Media to bring his teachings to an even broader audience.
Scott Hahn lives in Ohio with his wife Kimberly. They have six children and numerous grandchildren. Together, the Hahns continue to lead efforts in evangelization and Catholic education, embodying a lifelong commitment to deepening faith and understanding through Scripture and tradition.
Hahn holds the Father Michael Scanlan Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990. He is also the founder and president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting biblical literacy among the laity and biblical fluency among clergy. Through the Center, Hahn leads a wide range of initiatives, including publications, pilgrimages, Bible studies, and the scholarly journal Letter and Spirit.
Educated at Grove City College (B.A.), Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Marquette University (Ph.D. in Systematic Theology), Hahn brings a deep academic foundation to his work. His dissertation, Kinship by Covenant, was later published by Yale University Press and received praise for its theological insight and scholarly rigor.
Throughout his career, Hahn has emphasized the covenant as the key to understanding salvation history, showing how the biblical narrative reveals a divine plan that unites all of humanity into God's family. His works explore themes such as the Eucharist, the role of Mary, the sacraments, and the authority of the Church, often drawing on the writings of the early Church Fathers to bridge the ancient faith with modern understanding.
He is the author or editor of over forty books, including The Lamb’s Supper, Hail, Holy Queen, First Comes Love, Letter and Spirit, Swear to God, Reasons to Believe, The Creed, The Fourth Cup, and Holy Is His Name. Many of his books have become staples in Catholic households, study groups, and seminaries.
In addition to his writing, Hahn is a highly sought-after speaker, having delivered thousands of lectures across the United States and abroad. He appears regularly on EWTN and has collaborated with Lighthouse Catholic Media to bring his teachings to an even broader audience.
Scott Hahn lives in Ohio with his wife Kimberly. They have six children and numerous grandchildren. Together, the Hahns continue to lead efforts in evangelization and Catholic education, embodying a lifelong commitment to deepening faith and understanding through Scripture and tradition.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 27, 2021
A decent introduction to the theology if the priesthood. I might recommend for someone approaching the topic for the first time. Although it’s very basic, uncritical at times, and overly heavy on anecdotes.
July 31, 2020
Probably the worst
This may have been the worst book I’ve read all year. He kept trying to make it about masculinity and being a warrior. I don’t think it worked.
This may have been the worst book I’ve read all year. He kept trying to make it about masculinity and being a warrior. I don’t think it worked.
August 22, 2014
Many are Called is a recent (2010) and lesser known book by Scott Hahn. Perhaps, it is because the tagline is "Rediscovering the Glory of the Priesthood," and many people pass it over because they believe it is a book for priests, not for a lay person like them. WRONG! While, this book is definitely an excellent read for priests and seminarians, there is value in it for the laity as well.
The book starts off explaining what real masculinity is. Dr. Hahn then contrasts this to counterfeit masculinity or machismo, which is what our culture likes to push down the throats of our young men. The second chapter reviews the essentials of priesthood. It is more than a job or a ministry. It is a vocation. It leaves an indelible mark on your soul, so that a priest is a priest forever. A priest also receives the power to turn bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ (Eucharist) and the power to forgive sins (Confession). He receives these gifts because he is acting in place of Christ here on earth. The next nine chapters discuss roles of a priest, such as Father, Mediator, Bridegroom, etc.
Perhaps, the most troubling chapters to me were the one on priest as Father and the one on priest as Celibate Father. Both of these chapters take a very Roman Rite viewpoint. It assumes that priests must be unmarried, except in rare circumstances. However, if you look at the Eastern Rite churches (in full communion with the pope) married priests are allowed and quite common. However, there is no such thing as a married bishop. This Western focus aside, I found this to be a very informative book. Priests today have a very thankless "job," and are under a lot of undue scrutiny and criticism. If you would like to understand the vocation of priesthood better, read this book. Then, buy a copy for your parish priest(s) and seminarian(s).
The book starts off explaining what real masculinity is. Dr. Hahn then contrasts this to counterfeit masculinity or machismo, which is what our culture likes to push down the throats of our young men. The second chapter reviews the essentials of priesthood. It is more than a job or a ministry. It is a vocation. It leaves an indelible mark on your soul, so that a priest is a priest forever. A priest also receives the power to turn bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ (Eucharist) and the power to forgive sins (Confession). He receives these gifts because he is acting in place of Christ here on earth. The next nine chapters discuss roles of a priest, such as Father, Mediator, Bridegroom, etc.
Perhaps, the most troubling chapters to me were the one on priest as Father and the one on priest as Celibate Father. Both of these chapters take a very Roman Rite viewpoint. It assumes that priests must be unmarried, except in rare circumstances. However, if you look at the Eastern Rite churches (in full communion with the pope) married priests are allowed and quite common. However, there is no such thing as a married bishop. This Western focus aside, I found this to be a very informative book. Priests today have a very thankless "job," and are under a lot of undue scrutiny and criticism. If you would like to understand the vocation of priesthood better, read this book. Then, buy a copy for your parish priest(s) and seminarian(s).
April 10, 2016
I learned a tremendous amount from Dr. Hahn in this particular book. It helped me tremendously to have read "The Lamb's Supper" by Dr. Hahn in order to understand his writing style and analysis of scripture.
I recommend this book for the Christian that really wants to understand the centrality of Christianity.
And, maybe even more importantly for this day and age, I encourage anyone who wants to see the priest of today as a priest of Jesus Christ.
Dr. Hahn looks at common understandings such as: warrior, father, brother, teacher, judge, etc. - and relates the priesthood to these fundamental dynamics of society.
Dr. Hahn also blends his introduction, which uses imagery from a real-life experience with an athletic priest, throughout the entire book. I personally loved this dimension of the book - it was a great bridge for me to look out and ponder the rest of the chapters.
I could talk for a while about the book, instead - I will stop here and be thankful for the priesthood.
I recommend this book for the Christian that really wants to understand the centrality of Christianity.
And, maybe even more importantly for this day and age, I encourage anyone who wants to see the priest of today as a priest of Jesus Christ.
Dr. Hahn looks at common understandings such as: warrior, father, brother, teacher, judge, etc. - and relates the priesthood to these fundamental dynamics of society.
Dr. Hahn also blends his introduction, which uses imagery from a real-life experience with an athletic priest, throughout the entire book. I personally loved this dimension of the book - it was a great bridge for me to look out and ponder the rest of the chapters.
I could talk for a while about the book, instead - I will stop here and be thankful for the priesthood.
December 27, 2023
Ľudská podstata otcovstva má základ v Božej podstate otcovstva, ktorá je viac ako biologická a manželská. Kňazi sú naši otcovia. Každý otec je povolaný k všeobecnému kňažstvu. Vysvetlenie hodnoty celibátu a spojenie Krista - ženícha s Cirkvou - nevestou. Skvelé príbehy hrdinských otcov a kňazov plné milosrdenstva a láskavej naliehavosti. Výborný Scott Hahn.
July 14, 2016
Scott Hahn's collection of short essays on the priesthood is a thoughtful and useful introduction to the theology of the ministerial priesthood. It is nothing special, and other books and papal documents are more profound and information-packed, but it is down-to-earth and non-intimidating, making for light, enjoyable reading on the subject. The proof-reading and editing could use a second-combing, though.
Some of my favorite parts are on pgs. 23, 42, 78, and 137. Dr. Hahn successfully connects the reality of priesthood with the reality of fatherhood, particularly in the first of these listed pages: "Those twho realities are profoundly related to each other. What's more, those terms described the roles for which men - males - were created. God made men to be fathers. He called men to be fathers." Dr. Hahn connects what he calls "Fatherly roles" ("life-giver, protector, and provider") with the ministrations of the priest, particularly in the birth of the Christian soul at baptism (life-giver), the disciplinary action of Penance (protector), and the celebration and sharing of the Eucharist (provider).
Having done this, Dr. Hahn points out in detail the history of the priesthood, beginning with Adam: "Adam's mandate is nothing less than an ordination. He is in the garden to 'till it and keep it' - serve and guard it. The Hebrew verb for these two activities - 'abodah and shamar - appear together elsewhere in the Books of Moses... only to describe the ministry of the priests and Levites in the holy place" (42). From there, he moves to show the connection in the Jewish mind between Fatherhood and Priesthood. Along the way, he connects the priesthood to other roles, including that of Older Brother, Other Christ, and Warrior.
In the final analysis, this is not the best book that has ever been written on the subject, and Dr. Hahn's lofty words at the beginning seem to ring a bit hollow: "Remeber the book that changed Joe Freedy's outlook on worship and changed the course of his life? It's my prayer that this little book might do for the priesthood what that book did for the Mass, at least in the case of one quarterback in Buffalo, New York" (24). Nevertheless, it is a good resource for those who are just starting to investigate sacramental theology and the profound connection between the priesthood and fatherhood.
Some of my favorite parts are on pgs. 23, 42, 78, and 137. Dr. Hahn successfully connects the reality of priesthood with the reality of fatherhood, particularly in the first of these listed pages: "Those twho realities are profoundly related to each other. What's more, those terms described the roles for which men - males - were created. God made men to be fathers. He called men to be fathers." Dr. Hahn connects what he calls "Fatherly roles" ("life-giver, protector, and provider") with the ministrations of the priest, particularly in the birth of the Christian soul at baptism (life-giver), the disciplinary action of Penance (protector), and the celebration and sharing of the Eucharist (provider).
Having done this, Dr. Hahn points out in detail the history of the priesthood, beginning with Adam: "Adam's mandate is nothing less than an ordination. He is in the garden to 'till it and keep it' - serve and guard it. The Hebrew verb for these two activities - 'abodah and shamar - appear together elsewhere in the Books of Moses... only to describe the ministry of the priests and Levites in the holy place" (42). From there, he moves to show the connection in the Jewish mind between Fatherhood and Priesthood. Along the way, he connects the priesthood to other roles, including that of Older Brother, Other Christ, and Warrior.
In the final analysis, this is not the best book that has ever been written on the subject, and Dr. Hahn's lofty words at the beginning seem to ring a bit hollow: "Remeber the book that changed Joe Freedy's outlook on worship and changed the course of his life? It's my prayer that this little book might do for the priesthood what that book did for the Mass, at least in the case of one quarterback in Buffalo, New York" (24). Nevertheless, it is a good resource for those who are just starting to investigate sacramental theology and the profound connection between the priesthood and fatherhood.
February 3, 2013
A short but a very to the point book concerning the Priesthood and even [in an on and off manner] the Sacraments. The fact that this book is written by a former Protestant serves the purposes of legitimizing the Priesthood in the eyes of both Protestants as well as other individualists who do not want to rely on anyone else but themselves to get to God. This book is good for any layman who wants to understand Fatherhood both in marital terms as well as in clerical terms, the book seeks to show what real Masculinity looks like and attack the empty and vain caricature of what society believes to be "Masculinity" today.
September 15, 2013
I have not yet read any of Dr. Hahn's other works, but if they're as good as this, then I am looking forward to reading more of his work. This is both a complete, yet simple and accessible, review and story of the priesthood, its history, its context in today's culture, and much more.
It is also more though. While Hahn certainly wants to point to the glory of the priesthood, he moreover wants to show the way of an authentic father.
If I were/am ever involved in marriage prep, I would make this bool required reading for all men preparing for marriage.
It is also more though. While Hahn certainly wants to point to the glory of the priesthood, he moreover wants to show the way of an authentic father.
If I were/am ever involved in marriage prep, I would make this bool required reading for all men preparing for marriage.
October 1, 2017
instinctively attracted, ministry is servants, doctor and teacher, airport gate confessions, father divine theological, what did Jesus do, to attract first understand, joy never ends. to stand in breech as father, teacher mediator, reach stretch push as father, put on armor against devil, airport confessions, sad after course, rediscover virtue.
September 9, 2010
I enjoyed it, with several friends who are priests, it gave me a deeper understanding of their call. Written by a lay Catholic, who was once an Anglican Minister, I think this easy to read book is written with a theological understanding and sympathy. Worth the read for sure....
February 28, 2011
Read for my church book club. Enjoy Scott Hahn's writing style- each chapter being a different aspect of a priests role. Also found it interesting written from the point of view of a former protestant minister converted to catholocism.
February 7, 2014
I would recommend this for any priest or anyone who is considering the priesthood! It's a great primer/introductory text for anyone who would like a working understanding of the priesthood.
April 26, 2014
Great explanation of the priesthood.
April 16, 2016
Good introduction on the priesthood and very easy to read, similar to Hahn's other writing.
April 19, 2025
Another home run from Scott Hahn, one of my favs. If you're looking for deep scriptural roots for a specific topic then you can't really go wrong with any of his books. This was a great read in prep for Holy Thu and even though I clearly don't have a call to the Priesthood, I walked away with a deeper appreciation for my Pastor and all priests around the world. It's also a good reminder that we need priests in order to have the Sacraments, so it's probably a good idea not to spend a lot of time in judgment of human frailties visible in priests, but to focus instead on how we can support and care for priests near and far. Lastly, the book is a good refresher on the universal priesthood that's part of our indelible Baptism and the Old Testament roots. Highly recommend this book to anyone, especially if you're looking for a gift for a young man discerning a call to the Holy Orders.
December 18, 2019
Wow this really conveys the importance of the priesthood
Dr. Hahn uncovers many of the mysterious and contradictions of the priesthood and relates them all to Jesus’ priesthood. A very worthwhile and important read.
Dr. Hahn uncovers many of the mysterious and contradictions of the priesthood and relates them all to Jesus’ priesthood. A very worthwhile and important read.
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August 31, 2019Listed to the audiobook.
Really good book from Hahn on the Biblical theology of the Catholic priesthood.
Really good book from Hahn on the Biblical theology of the Catholic priesthood.
November 7, 2021
A good book, but not Dr. Hahn’s best IMO. I much preferred The Lamb’s Supper. Maybe I’d like Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s book The Priest Is Not His Own better.
May 27, 2024
Not more chapter title puns!
June 26, 2025
Are you discerning?...then read this...
July 25, 2025
5 stars because Hahn’s writing is always such a gift. Would be a good option for someone a bit newer to the subject.
June 25, 2025
This is actually quite a gem. I didn’t have high expectations in comparison to Hahn’s other books. I know he is good in basically all his works, but I didn’t even know this book existed until the day i started it. It’s short but there are some powerfully written chapters in here. A lot to think about and study further.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews