A collection of essays and meditations by the people who have been most influenced by the life and ministry of Father Hugh F. Crean, who was often described as a “priest’s priest.” With more than twenty of Crean’s original homilies, the book affords parishioners and friends who knew him an opportunity to find comfort in a voice that uplifted and sustained them week after week.

Appealing to both the person in the pew and professional minister, Along the Way: The Life, Lessons, and Legacy of Father Hugh F. Crean explores the legacy of Vatican II (1962-1965) and its unfinished agenda. Written by a diverse group of contributors, including noted Church historian David O’Brien and sociologist Mary Johnson, SNDdeN, the essays included in Along the Way challenge readers to reconsider the essence and form of priesthood, religious life, and ministry while pointing to themes Crean delivered throughout his 53 years of ministry.

The book was prepared under the auspices of the Saint Augustine Center for Ethics, Religion, and Culture at the College of Our Lady of the Elms in Chicopee, Massachusetts, where Crean served as a faculty member.