The New Men

by Brian Murphy

Hailed by reviewers, an unprecedented look at the training for the Catholic priesthood chronicles a year at the Vatican's North American College, where six beginning seminarians wrestle with their dreams and doubts about their new lives. Reprint.

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 1997

About the author

Brian Murphy is a Baby Boomer advocate and the founder and editor of BONZA (Baby Boomers of NZ and Australia) a Baby Boomer information website: www.bonza.com.au

He strongly believes that governments and industries are failing to adequately address the needs of the Boomer generation and the impact their impending retirement from the workforce will have on the economy and society by not having mature age policies. Since 1998 he has addressed these issues with thousands of Baby Boomers across New Zealand through his organisation, Grey Skills, and Australia through BONZA, by presenting well-balanced information sessions to the community on the pitfalls of an ageing population and advising how Boomers can plan for the future by acquiring the knowledge and skills to do so meaningfully.

Brian works to equip Boomers with the skills necessary to tackle the extension of their careers, re-entry into the workforce and to prepare financially and mentally for a longer than predicted retirement. He has had great success with thousands of Boomers, from general managers to drug addicts, assisting them to move forward with their lives no matter what their history is.

“It’s all about the future,” he states, “and never giving up!” He wants Baby Boomers to participate economically and socially if nothing else and have a BONZA life.

Reviews

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A generally good book! If you’re coming at it from the perspective of a practicing Catholic, the author can sometimes be a bit cynical or excessively critical of the Church, and he never capitalizes Mass / refers to distributing the Blessed Sacrament as “serving Communion” - but overall, a really interesting look at the path of the seminarian and what makes the NAC unique

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a masterful bit of narrative journalism.

[Conor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book after several years away from it and finally finished it. It is a fascinating read about men struggling to discern whether they are called to the priesthood and the manner of their formation in Rome at the North American College (NAC). I bought this after attending the diaconate ordination of a good friend who studied at the NAC. Murphy really writes well and the book reads like a novel at times. I definitely recommend this book. It would be interesting to see where these men are now nearly 15 years after Murphy profiled them.

[Marjorie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting and enlightening! Being that I know. NOTHING about being in a seminary, I found this a worthwhile read. I am told that some of the "thoughts" the author write about were put into the student priest's mind... Ie made up by the author....

[Clay Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great account of life in a Roman Catholic seminary with the added attraction of having the seminary located in the Vatican.

[Cecile Mercer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting inside view in the life of new seminarians at the North American College in Rome, when Cardinal Dolan was the rector.