Paul Wilkes

Paul Wilkes [1] is the author of numerous books on religious belief and practice, including Beyond the Walls [2] (Doubleday, 1999) and The Good Enough Catholic [3] (Ballantine, 1996). This article is excerpted with permission from Excellent Catholic Parishes: The Guide to Best Places and Practices [4] (Paulist Press, 2001). Wilkes is also project director of the Pastoral Summit, to be held in New Orleans on May 30-June 1, 2001, which will bring together Catholic and Protestant pastors and lay leaders from across the U.S. For more information on the summit, call 910-962-7225 or visit http://www.pastoralsummit.org/ [5].