Cloud of Witnesses

by George William Rutler

In Cloud of Witnesses, Fr. George Rutler offers a personal account of the many remarkable people he has encountered throughout his life. From Robert Frost, to Mother Teresa to the many lesser known people, Fr. Rutler lets you in on the many graces that he has received through his own friendships. Told with personal vignettes in his signature style, Fr. Rutler offers not only an inside glimpse into his remarkable circle of friends, but also a deeper understanding and appreciation for the richness of the priestly ministry. “While Father George might not know everyone worth knowing, he does introduce us to a bewildering range of characters… We find no malice in these portraits, but he is honest, perhaps a little tougher on his fellow clerics, as he writes loyally of the humanity of his friends. I know a few of the characters brought to life in these sketches and can vouch for their accuracy. I therefore feel confidence in recommending also the larger number of personalities I did not know.” ~ From the foreword by George Cardinal Pell of Sydney. This is an unusual book, written by an author with unusual insights, a wide range of knowledge, and an elegant style.Father George Rutler is a priest of the Archdiocese of New York. He is pastor of the Church of Our Saviour in New York City and is the author of many books. He is on the board of numerous schools and colleges and is chaplain of the New York Guild of Catholic Lawyers and various fraternal societies. He has been a spiritual director for the Missionaries of Charity and other Religious orders and has lectured and given retreats in numerous countries. For over twenty years his programs on EWTN have been broadcast worldwide.

175 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2010

About the author

Fr. George Rutler was born in 1945 and raised an Episcopalian in New Jersey and New York. He served as an Episcopal priest for nine years and was the youngest Episcopal rector in the country when he headed the Church of the Good Shepherd in Rosemont, Pennsylvania.

He was received into the Catholic Church in 1979. He attended seminary at the North American College in Rome, was ordained to the diaconate by His Eminence William Cardinal Baum in 1980, and received priestly ordination in St. Patrick's Cathedral by His Eminence Terence Cardinal Cooke in 1981.

Father Rutler graduated from Dartmouth, where he was a Rufus Choate Scholar. He completed graduate work at the Johns Hopkins University, the General Theological Seminary, and the Gregorian and Angelicum Universities in Rome. He holds a Pontifical Doctorate in Sacred Theology. In England, in 1988, the University of Oxford awarded him the degree Master of Studies.

From 1987 to 1988 he was regular preacher to the students, faculty, and townspeople of Oxford. He served as Associate Pastor of St. Joseph's in Bronxville; Our Lady of Victory in the Wall Street area; and St. Agnes, in Manhattan. He was a university chaplain for the Archdiocese, and also chaplain to a general hospital and a psychiatric hospital.

He served for ten years as the National Chaplain of Legatus. He is Chaplain of the New York Guild of Catholic Lawyers, Regional Spiritual Director of the Legion of Mary (New York and northern New Jersey) and is associated with the Missionaries of Charity, and other religious orders, as a retreat master. Since 1988 his weekly television program has been broadcast worldwide on EWTN.

Cardinal Egan appointed him Pastor of the Church of Our Saviour, effective September 17, 2001.

Thomas More College and Christendom College awarded him honorary doctorates. He is a knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, and chaplain of the St. Andrew's Society of the State of New York, the Robert Burns Society of the City of New York, and the West Point Society of New York.

Father Rutler has made documentary films in the United States and England, and contributes to numerous scholarly and popular journals. As a member of the U.S. Squash Racquets Association, he’s published one book on the sport, in addition to his religious works.