Parish's Stray Puppy Provides Fodder for Spiritual Messages

LONGWOOD, FL -- Vinnie came to St. Vincent Church in Akron, Ohio, and into the ownership of Rev. Joseph Kraker as a six-week-old puppy. He had been thrown from a car and rescued by an observant driver who turned him over to a pet rescue organization. When the school secretary first called Kraker with the offer of the dog, he turned her down. His first dog, Timmie, had died recently, and after 17 years with her, he wasn't sure he wanted to take on another long-term relationship. But the five-pound bundle of fluff was irresistible, and it wasn't long before he won the hearts of everybody in the parish--including Kraker. In Vinnie Here: Fanciful Conversations Between a Pastor and His Dog (paperback, 978-1-60477-475-7), Kraker presents spiritual messages in an interesting and entertaining way.

Says the author, "Readers will be led to reflect on what it means to be a Christian and how to better practice their faith in daily life. The stories, which at first appear to be simple and humorous, are actually vehicles for conveying some serious truths. Readers will be surprised that they were so easily led into thinking about issues which deeply touch their lives."

Marking the first time a pastor has given voice to the uniquely insightful ways in which his dog may see things, Vinnie Here takes a lighthearted approach to spirituality in the way that only a book penned by a dog lover could. "I have been a priest for more than forty years and bring years of counseling to these essays," he explains. "I [have] a wealth of pastoral experience to share with other dog lovers and anyone who can appreciate a lighthearted approach to spirituality."

Xulon Press, a part of Salem Communications Corporation, is the world's largest Christian publisher, with more than 4,000 titles published to date. Retailers may order Fanciful Conversations through Ingram Book Company and/or Spring Arbor Book Distributors. Salem Communications is the country's leading Christian communications company with interests in radio, Internet, and magazine publishing.

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