“In an age hungry for reassurance, Living in Joyful Hope shines with the wisdom of lived experience. James Kroeger’s reflection and the voices he gathers remind us that hope is not an escape from the world’s troubles but a way of walking through them with courage, gratitude, and faith.

Across centuries of reflection and ministry, these pages gather the quiet testimonies of people who have learned to recognize God’s steady light even in shadowed times. This little book offers exactly what our moment needs: a renewed invitation to notice grace and become bearers of hope for one another.”

—Dr. Christy Berghoef, author of Rooted: A Spiritual Memoir of Homecoming and Cracking the Pot: A Spiritual Memoir of Expansion Visit christyberghoef.substack.com

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“We are used to thinking of saints as signs of faith and love, but in this book Father James Kroeger shows that they are also signs and—in this Jubilee year—fellow pilgrims of Hope. May they inspire us so that our own lives may be a sign of hope for the church and the world, especially for those who suffer and journey in darkness.”

—Robert Ellsberg, author of All Saints and Editor in Chief at Orbis Books

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“Faith Alive Books’ latest book, Living in Joyful Hope: Insights, Models, Challenges by James Kroeger, MM, responds to the question:‘How can conscientious people assist in bringing hope to our conflicted world?’ Living in Joyful Hope is an excellent collection of meditations about hope for contemporary people. I strongly recommend it.

Fr. Kroeger, with fifty years of pastoral experience, invites his readers to take a ‘hope inventory’ of their own lives and assures them that they will discover numerous profound reasons for ‘living in joyful hope.’ He also suggests a seven-step program for using the meditations in his book of spiritual wisdom.”

—John Alonzo Dick, retired professor of historical theology, Catholic University of Leuven and author of Another Voice: Contemporary Theological & Ethical Reflections John still teaches one class and writes a weekly blog.

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“Living in Joyful Hope is a welcome companion to the Jubilee Year of Hope. Fr. Kroeger draws from Scripture, the wisdom of the Church, and the witness of saints and everyday believers to offer reflections that are clear, prayerful, and deeply grounded. It’s a book you can return to in quiet moments or share in small groups. These pages gently nurture a hope-filled heart and encourage us to bring that hope to the world around us.

—Very Rev. Dat Tran, C.S.P., Rector / Pastor, Cathedral of Saint Andrew; Executive Director, Catholic Information Center, Grand Rapids, MI