Praying with Our Feet - by Ansel Augustine (Paperback)

About the Book

Praying with Our Feet shows how faith and social teaching, rooted in Ignatian Spirituality, can be lived out in solidarity with all our brothers and sisters, especially those who are marginalized.

Book Synopsis

A RALLYING CRY FOR ALL WHO BELIEVE THAT FAITH IS MEANT TO BE LIVED OUT LOUD.

In Praying with Our Feet, Dr. Ansel Augustine, who champions the needs of the overlooked and the underserved, takes us on a transformative journey rooted in faith, action, and the undeniable call to justice.

With unflinching honesty and heartfelt storytelling, Augustine invites us into the streets of New Orleans, where faith intersects with the stark realities of poverty, violence, and systemic injustice. Through his years of serving the marginalized, he uncovers what it means to help others and serve God. Drawing from these deeply personal experiences and his profound understanding of Ignatian spirituality, Scripture, and Catholic social teaching, Augustine offers a compelling blueprint for living out our faith in real, tangible ways.

Whether you're a community leader, an activist, or someone searching for ways to live out your faith with greater purpose, Praying with Our Feet offers the encouragement and clarity needed to take that next step. This book is more than a call to action--it's an invitation to stand, walk, and journey alongside our brothers and sisters as co-creators of a better, more just world.

Review Quotes

God is not only encountered at the margins--God re-centers the margins. In Praying with Our Feet, Dr. Ansel Augustine invites us into the sacred work of justice through action and encounter, drawing deeply from the wellsprings of Ignatian spirituality, Catholic Social Teaching, the Civil Rights Movement, and the wisdom of elders and Ancestors. He reminds us that each of us--made in the image and likeness of the Great Spirit--is called to be a voice crying out in the wilderness, proclaiming justice, equity, and healing with muscular hope.
This book offers practical steps and spiritual strategies for embodying love and justice in the rhythms of daily life. It is a must-read for all people of faith and conscience seeking to live at the intersection of spirituality and the pursuit of a more just, equitable world--here and now, on this side of heaven.
-David W. Robinson-Morris, Ph.D., Founder and Chief REImaginelutionary, The REImaginelution, LLC

Praying with Our Feet by Dr. Ansel Augustine moves the reader beyond the current culture of thoughts, prayers, balloons, and teddy bears when there is a tragedy and into putting their faith into concrete social justice actions. He weaves a tapestry of justice, St. Ignatius Spiritual Exercises, and Catholic Social Teaching, helping the reader make the connection that our faith demands more of us than prayers. This book is a must-read for anyone who professes to be Christian and no longer wants to sit on the sidelines watching the outcome. Great job, Dr. Ansel Augustine.
-Dr. Kimberly Lymore, Director, Augustus Tolton Pastoral Ministry Program

Praying with Our Feet is a testament to the truths that when God calls you into service it can be from any walk of life, that walking with God is not a monolithic experience and that just because you're called doesn't mean that life's going to be easy automatically, you still have to do the work. Sometimes, doing the work can become beyond frustrating, and working with some people presents certain challenges, but being able to put aside your pride and uplift others is the point of authentic ministry. It is a teaching tome and a saint's journey all wrapped up in one, with a title that is also a Christian call to action.
-James Conway, President of Catholics United for Black Lives

Ansel Augustine's Praying with Our Feet is at once a testimony, a guidebook, and an exhortation. It gives witness to the certain link between embracing the Christian faith and actively helping to build the "beloved community"--that is, to consciously and conscientiously do all we can, however big or small, to help each other, to help all "others", rise to our full stature (Ep 4:11-13). Dr. Augustine offers numerous well-informed and practical strategies to guide the embodiment of this noble ambition.
-Sister Eva Marie Lumas, SSS, DMin, Former Assoc. Dir. for Certificate and Enrichment Programs, Institute for Black Catholic Studies, Xavier University of Louisiana

Dr. Ansel Augustine's new book is an essential resource for educators and small groups. It encourages readers to reflect deeply on Catholic Social Teaching and to embrace Ignatian spirituality, particularly the call to Magis, which means "to do more for the glory of God." This book challenges individuals to "do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8), emphasizing the importance of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and setting the captives free.
-Prof./Evangel. Michael P. Howard, Loyola Marymount University

Dr. Augustine's Praying with Our Feet powerfully connects Catholic Social Teaching and Ignatian spirituality, urging Catholics toward "Magis" - a deeper faith expressed through actively confronting injustice and embracing solidarity with the marginalized. The book offers practical examples and actionable steps, emphasizing a synodal approach of encountering, listening and discerning faithful responses within communities. Timely and important, especially amidst societal challenges like the dismantling of DEI initiatives, it serves as a vital resource for practical and spiritual engagement against injustice.
-Dr. Tracey Lamont, Director, Loyola Institute for Ministry

I found Praying with Our Feet: Encountering God in the Margins to be a compelling read which highlights authentic faith from the perspective of the Black Catholic community. Through his writing, Dr. Augustine expresses the true meaning of the theological virtues by including in the book detailed, real-life examples of Catholic Social teaching. I recommend this book to anyone, not just Black Catholics, wanting to learn more about how faith permeates all aspects of human life.
-Grant Jones, Executive Director, Saint Peter Claver Foundation


The Principles of Catholic Social Teaching is sometimes called 'the best kept secret in the Catholic Church' because so few Catholics know of its existence. Praying with Our Feet: Encountering God in the Margins by Dr. Ansel Augustine beautifully uplifts these Principles in an accessible and practical way. Using the framework of Ignatian spirituality and his own lived experience, Dr. Augustine breaks down the principles in digestible segments that make this book not only one of inspiration but also an effective guide for personal enlightenment, catechetical instruction, effective evangelization and faith-based social action. Most of all, Praying with Our Feet calls every reader to not only talk the talk but genuinely walk the walk of discipleship with Christ.
-Charlene Howard, MA, Executive Director, Pax Christi USA

About the Author

ANSEL AUGUSTINE, D. Min, is a minister, speaker, and advocate for social justice with more than twenty-five years of experience serving marginalized communities. Dr. Augustine has integrated his faith and his expertise on Catholic social teaching with an unstoppable passion for justice by casting the service net wide to Black
Catholics, youth, young adults, campus students, and prisoners.