The Archaeology of Faith: A Personal Exploration of How We Come to Believe

By Louis J. Cameli

Drawing on family history and his own story, noted theologian and pastoral leader Fr. Louis J. Cameli takes readers on an archaeological exploration into the faith passed down across time and place. Beginning in his ancestral home in Italy and tracing the story through the centuries, Cameli unearths layers of faith to lead readers to a clearer understanding of their own faith as a legacy from the community of the Church.
In The Archaeology of Faith, Fr. Louis Cameli digs into his ancestry to uncover the source of his own faith and invites believers and seekers alike to examine their own faith in the context of history and within the community of the Church.

Tracing the evolution of faith from pre-Christian times in his ancestral village of Grottamare on Italy’s Adriatic coast, Cameli discovered how faith intersects with the most basic predicaments of life. While studying the rise of monasticism, he learned that faith is lived in community. As he looked at the medieval raids of Saracen pirates, Cameli found a sense of living with vulnerability. Finally, he realized that trust in God was modeled for him by the relatives who farm the same land today as their ancestors did.

As Cameli studied the rich complexity of faith in his family history, he reflected on his own life, his vocation, and the personal challenges that his beliefs pose.

Cameli is a highly respected priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago, where he has served as the Cardinal’s delegate for formation and mission and is a frequent speaker at conferences and workshops.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ave Maria Press
• Release date: Mar 23, 2015
• ISBN: 9781594715907

Louis J. Cameli

Fr. Louis John Cameli is a Chicago Heights, Illinois, native and a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago. He studied theology at the Gregorian University in Rome, where he received his licentiate in theology in 1970 and a doctorate in theology with a specialization in spirituality in 1975. Fr. Cameli is the author of more than a dozen books, including The Devil You Don’t Know: Recognizing and Resisting the Evil in Every Day and Catholic Teaching on Homosexuality: New Paths to Understanding. He has been a contributor to Chicago Studies, the Priest, and America. In 2001, he served as principal writer and general editor of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s document The Basic Plan for the Ongoing Formation of Priests. Before and after his doctoral studies, Fr. Cameli served in two parish assignments. In 1975, he became professor of spirituality, director of spiritual life, and dean of theology at Mundelein Seminary of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, Illinois. In 1996, Cardinal Bernardin appointed Fr. Cameli as director of ongoing formation of priests in the Archdiocese of Chicago and director of the Cardinal Stritch Retreat House in Mundelein. In 2002, he received the Blessed Pope John XXIII award from the National Organization for the Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy for his contributions to the continuing education and ongoing formation of priests. In 2005, he was appointed pastor of Divine Savior Parish in Norridge, Illinois. In 2006, he received the National Catholic Educational Association’s Seminary Department’s John Paul II Seminary Leadership Award. In March 2009, Cardinal Francis George appointed Fr. Cameli as his delegate for Christian Formation and Mission with residence at Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago. Fr. Cameli has also served as a retreat director for priests' retreats and as a presenter for priests' convocations in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand.