What the church once did concerning reconciliation has much to teach us as we face the questions of how to be a reconciling church today. Removing the Barriers: The Practice of Reconciliation looks beyond the historical data to the pastoral issues and dilemmas that brought about-and continue to bring about-changes in the way the church reconciles. The authors call us to expand our ideas about the sacrament-and about our mission as church-in the light of our: history and our growing appreciation of Christian initiation. The introduction by Aidan Kavanagh lays a firm foundation for this expansion by reminding us that the sacrament is about holiness and its function is reconciliation.