Catholic ecclesiology stands at the threshold of a new moment in the
reception of the Second Vatican Council. The election of Pope Francis-
coinciding with the fiftieth anniversary of the council-has inspired a fresh
consideration of its teaching in such diverse areas as ecumenism, inculturation,
missiology, and ministry.
The chapters in this volume have their origin in a special symposium
honoring the ecclesiological legacy of Thomas F. O'Meara, OP. The symposium
called together over forty leading North American scholars in order to discuss
the future of Catholic theological reflection on the church-a conversation that
offers an entry into some of the most pressing issues in ecclesiology today.