2025
Making Catholicism Work
The Great Australian Indifference: A Call to Rediscover Faith
In a land celebrated for its sporting prowess and laid-back lifestyle, a deeper malaise is taking root: spiritual apathy. Drawing on Homer’s Odyssey and Dante’s Divine Comedy, this book challenges the creeping indifference towards God and the consequences of a society adrift from faith. It argues that this detachment underlies much of Australia’s mental health struggles, fractured communities, and unfulfilled lives. Through the lens of Catholicism, it calls for a revival of spiritual engagement—not just for believers, but for all who seek purpose and meaning in modern Australia.
2024
Mary for a Fragile Church and World
I am not an expert on Marian devotion.
I have only discovered the great gift of Our Lady from Christ to us in very recent years.
I learned all that I mention here from observing the life of my wife, Dolores. She was the gentle practitioner of this devotion.
These insights belong to her and Our Lady herself. They are but a small scratch on the surface, yet while the truth of such devotion is currently unfashionable, I hope that this work may encourage you to journey through Mary to Christ, and in that gift, find your partnership with God…
2023
Catholic Lives: Dolores Julie Foti-Grant, Via Dolorosa
In the Catholic faith God calls each one of us to do something for him. We are all called to fulfill a purpose and a task in our lives.
Many Australians no longer consider or reflect on these ‘vocational’ questions. Yet in a world of personal chaos, disruption and breakdown they remain a central component of making a life, particularly one directed at the service of others.
Fulfilling her calling with honour, integrity and gratefulness is what Dolores Julie Foti-Grant undertook in her life. She did this in a quiet, gracious and grateful way. Her understanding of how to live a good life was utterly unique.
This book cannot tell you about your vocation but it may help you to see a gracious and generous method of fulfilling it.
2020
Authentic Mission
Authentic Mission is a unique expression of Mission in the Australian context. It seeks a new direction and focus on mission work, new thinking, new undertakings and a new expression of the church towards Australian society.
Authentic Mission clearly pursues the transformation of Australian Society concurrent with a transformation of the Church.
Authentic Mission recognises an intelligent confrontation with its host secular society is necessary. Authentic Mission speaks the truth without fear, guards’ Catholic rights and is prepared to face the consequences of such actions. The outcome of Authentic mission is the transformation of Australian society leading to the salvation of the individual.
2018
HOW NOT TO BE A VICTIM – vital challenges from the Mission Engage program
Father James offers another clear-eyed assessment – this time not merely about a religious institution but about an entire generation of Australians that have accepted attitudes and traits that hold them back from flourishing. Father James does not approach the subject as an academic writing in the abstract, but as a man and a Catholic priest who has witnessed the problems first hand of people who embrace victimhood status and has seen how “non-judgementalism” has unsurprisingly not inspired people to be a better version of themselves.
— Morgan Begg, from the Foreword
2017
Keeping the Faith: The Battle for Australian Catholicism
Keeping the Faith is an incredibly optimistic book. It is precisely the sort of book that is required for these difficult times. It’s a clear-eyed assessment of the very major challenges faced not just by the Catholic Church in Australia, but which confront our entire society. But the central purpose of the book is not to provide a catalogue of ills. Crucially, Fr James provides a way forward for the Catholic Church. He charts a course for how the Church can continue to make the sort of contribution to Australian society that it has in the past and which has helped make this country the safe, secure, and prosperous country that it is.
— John Roskam, The Institute of Public Affairs, Melbourne.
Keeping the Faith Faith puts forward a basic theory … that the church has become fearful of criticism and is no longer promoting the things it alleges it stands for. Father James makes the case that the adoption of many socialist ideas especially in the social justice framework, is a poor attempt to be popular and has not delivered any increase in Mass attendance. My impression of such attempts are that they are amateurish because our Church leaders are not experts in this field, and many people are sick of “Lefty” solutions for aboriginals, refugees and climate change.
— Jim Molan, AO DSC former Senior Officer in the Australian Army and Commander of the multi-national task force in Iraq in 2004
Fr James Grant founded Chaplains Without Borders and the “Mission Engage” program, providing work programs for disengaged young Australians.
2016
Let There Be Light: Parish Leadership for the 21st Century
In this book, Fr James Grant takes aim at the issue of the need to re-energise parishes by suggesting ideas and strategies.
This book confronts the need for change in the Catholic Church. I have known the author of this book Father James Grant for over 10 years and consider him a courageous and strong religious leader. Father James is a visionary and personal friend. He is an authentic Church leader who believes in taking the Catholic Church to the people and not the other way around.
Father James first came to my attention when I was the Director of Human Resources at AIG which is a multi-national insurance organisation. He was introduced to me by then AIG Chief Executive Officer Mr. Chris Townsend who described him as: “an entrepreneurial and interesting priest”. He was right on both counts!
Father James founded the organisation “Chaplains without Borders” in 2004 to provide chaplaincy services to corporate Australia. Father James was appointed as the world’s first chaplain to the casino industry in 2006 (Crown Casino).
Father James provides an insightful view of the need for change to current parish practices and strategy in this book. He talks about the need for ministers to move outside what he describes as their “comfort zone”. Father James argues that if a parish fails to adapt or reform
it is at serious risk of decline.
He uses his knowledge and experience gained over many years in business and provides parish ministers with a framework for leading effective change in their parishes. He explores a range of concepts and strategies which will assist a parish to implement the necessary change to survive and thrive into the future.
Father James believes that the Church is just like any other organisation. It must stay focused on and relevant to the needs of its community or stakeholders to thrive and grow. It must therefore adapt to new ways of doing things and engaging with its community and/or stakeholders.
This book is compelling reading for parish leaders involved in managing stakeholders and setting the strategic direction of the parish. He encourages Church leaders to fully understand the demographics of the community or stakeholders it serves, to be open minded to new ideas without compromising on Church values or belief’s and to use the sphere of influence to drive real outcomes whilst being tolerant of the diversity of views held by the community and stakeholders.
Father James wants the Catholic Church to make a difference in the lives of people through renewal.”
Carlo Galati –Former National General Manager AIG Human Resources
2014
Resurgence. Revitalising Western Catholicism
Fr James Grant has over thirty years of experience in the field of pastoral care, and is widely regarded as one of Australia’s most innovative priests. With overseas experience in the UK and Europe, and having worked in schools, he runs numerous programs. Fr James has also
founded Chaplains Without Borders, Australia’s first inter-faith corporate chaplaincy service. Additionally, he has set up the strategic networking forum Catholics in Business and has founded two schools on the Indian sub-continent.
“This is a very timely book, as it addresses not only why there is a deepening moral abyss in this country, but also considers what Australia needs to do to avoid the pitfalls of other Western countries.Unlike many armchair theorists or disheartened clerics, the author has spent a lifetime at the coal face. He is therefore uniquely placed to understand why many denominations seek the wrong zeitgeist solutions to the religious inertia, apathy and disinterest which are threatening to overwhelm both churches and communities.”
— Richard Alston, Former member of the Australian Senate, 1986-2004.
