Faculty Directory

Thomas H. Groome

Professor of Theology and Religious Education

Profile

Dr. Thomas H. Groome was born in County Kildare, Ireland. Professor Groome holds the equivalent of an M.Div. from St. Patrick's Seminary in Carlow, Ireland, an M.A. from Fordham University and a doctoral degree in religious education from Union Theological Seminary/Columbia University. He is recognized as one of the leading religious educators of our time and has lectured widely throughout the world, His writings have been translated into many languages.

Professor Groome's publications include his most recent book What Makes Education Catholic: Its Spirituality. His previous published works include Catholic Spiritual Practices: Treasures Old and New (Paraclete), Faith for the Heart (Paulist), Will There Be Faith (HarperCollins), Reclaiming Catholicism, (Orbis Books), What Makes Us Catholic: Eight Gifts for Life (HarperCollins), Educating for Life, (Crossroads), Christian Religious Education: Sharing Our Story and Vision (Jossey Bass), Language for a "Catholic" Church (Sheed and Ward) and Sharing Faith: A Comprehensive Approach to Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry (Harper Collins). Professor Groome is also the primary author of various Catholic religion grade-school curriculum (from W H Sadlier) and a Catholic High School Theology series, Credo from Veritas and Benziger.

Selected Courses

  • Education for Living Faith: Foundations and Practice
  • Education of Christians: Past, Present, and Future
  • What Makes Education Catholic
  • Doctoral Seminar in Religious Education

Professional Activities

Active in Religious Education Association (learned society of my field), in Catholic Theological Society of America, and in International Academy of Practical Theology (a founding member).

Selected Publications

Books:

Priestly Ministry and the People of God.  Co-edited with Richard Gaillardetz and Richard Lennan, Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2022

What Makes Education Catholic: Spiritual Foundations, Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2021

Faith for the Heart: A “Catholic” Spirituality, Mahwah, NJ: Paulist, 2019

Catholic Spiritual Practices: Treasures Old and New, Ed. with Colleen Griffith, Brewster, MA: Paraclete Pub. 2013

Will There Be Faith, San Francisco, Harper One: 2011

Reclaiming Catholicism: Treasures Old and New. Editor with Michael Daley, Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2010

Horizons and Hopes: The Future of Religious Education, Editor with Harold Daly Horell, New York: Paulist Press, 2003

What Makes Us Catholic: Eight Gifts for Life. San Francisco: Harper, 2002

Educating for Life: A Spiritual Vision for Every Teacher and Parent. New York: Crossroads, 2000

Empowering Catechetical Leaders, Editor with Michael Corso, Washington, DC: National Catholic Educational Association, 1999

Language for a Catholic Church. Kansas City: Sheed and Ward, 1991, 1995.

Sharing Faith: A Comprehensive Approach to Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1991.

Christian Religious Education: Sharing our Story and Vision. San Francisco: Harper, 1980.

Many of the above works have been translated into various languages (Portuguese, Korean, Swedish, etc.). Note: 13 book publications; 8 as primary author, 5 co-edited.

Religion Curricula:

Primary author of God With Us religion curriculum (K to 8), Sadlier, 1984.

Primary author of Coming to Faith religion curriculum (K to 8), Sadlier, 1989.

Primary author of New and Revised Edition of Coming to Faith religion curriculum (K to 6), Sadlier, 1995.

Primary author/editor of The Credo Series.  A high school Theology curriculum published by Veritas and Benziger.  Eleven text books on central themes of faith.  Used widely in US Catholic high schools and in some beyond the US.

God is Here When Bad Things Happen, with Martha Moss, Boston: Pauline Books, 2002