Swimming with Scapulars: True Confessions of a Young Catholic

Cradle Catholic husband and father Matthew Lickona honestly and disarmingly explores a full array of issues through his own spiritual lens. He weighs in on the Church scandals, family planning debates, how to treat people falling through the welfare net, how best to witness his faith, the place of sacramentals (hence the titular scapulars) in a modern Catholic's life, the variations in Mass celebration "styles" from church to church, the definition of Catholic literature, trying to live family life by Christ's lights, why this Catholic doesn't feel like singing in church, hating the sin but loving the sinner, and much more. When so many Catholics (and other Christians) tend to be "squishy" (in Lickona's vernacular), Lickona strives to live a rigorous life in close walk with the principles his religion espouses. He succeeds in adeptly and intellectually underpinning his convictions with his life experiences, never avoiding his struggles and uncertainties. All this he accomplishes with flair, class and the right touch of comedy. "Swimming with Scapulars" contributes notably to the conversation about what it means to be Catholic in this time when even some bishops and priests seem confused.

There is nothing more out-of-the-mainstream than leading, or trying to lead, an authentic Catholic life. Beyond the cliches and time-worn jabs lies a spiritual richness that not many choose to make their path. It was very rejuvenating for my 'walk' then to stumble across Matthew Lickona's book. I first saw the full page ad for it in the local magazine called "The Reader", which often veers heavily leftward in its stories, ads, and personals. I wrote it off as another "I'm a Catholic and it's kinda stupid what we have to do..." memoir. That way an author can be hip and Catholic also. But this book was perfectly what I needed to read. I am coming back to the church that I largely ignored my whole life, and I am in love. Reading Matthews journey took me to places in my own life when I struggled with my faith and what it would take to live it. I wish my life had been lived as spiritually as Matthew's, because he took the narrower road. He is intelligent, witty, and poignant in his storytelling. He makes you think, but also reassures you that you're not the only one who has a difficult time sorting the wheat from the chaff in faith and life. Thanks, Matt. God bless you and yours. P.S. I'm the organist at St. John the Evangelist in University Heights, stop by - I'd love to meet you!

Mr. Lickona is the paradigm of the growing but almost always ignored population of young men and women in the United States who harbor a deep devotion to the orthodox Roman Catholic Faith and all that she teaches. I consider myself a member of this "sub-set", being a year younger than the author, faithful to attendance at Holy Mass, and a staunch supporter of the Magesterium's teachings (all of them). "Swimming With Scapulars" should be made required reading for every person who treats obedient followers of Rome with suspicion, contempt, or condemnation when informed that, indeed, young Catholics are out there who live according to even the least popular dictates of our Faith. While St. Thomas Aquinas or C.S. Lewis would be far better "legitimate" apologists, replete with all magnificent theological thought that the faithful treasure as part of our spiritual heritage, Lickona is a living, breathing, "REAL" American human being. He is more educated, theologically speaking, than the average Catholic of any age, much less a 30-something [his alma mater is a small, traditional Catholic college actually named for Aquinas]. However, his academic background in the faith does not make him any less down-to-earth. If anything, he seems to make a real effort to take the tenets of Catholicism and put them to practice in everyday life. This memoir is really about that; the Little Flower is likely beaming on him, so good an example is he setting for believers and detractors alike with his own personal "Little Way". Our society needs more witnesses to Rome such as the author to take up the pen and compose what I call the "layman's apologetics" -- it transmits the glorious Truth of Roman Catholicism in a simple yet deeply meaningful way. And to Mr. Lickona -- ad multos annos!

Lickona proves that living the Catholic Faith is rewarding, beautiful, teaming with life, and transforming! He shows a joy that reaches beyond the faults of others. He describes the highs and struggles of a life determined to follow and obey the truths of Catholicism. If you are curious of what I would assume are similar struggles in the life of a person desiring to live the fulness of Catholicism, then you have to read this book. Lickona really proves many of the stereotypes of Catholicism wrong. In an age of contraception, he shows that having children really brings life; he recognizes that procreation and unity of spouses are the goods of the spousal embrace. After reading this book, it seems Lickona is proposing a way of life that fulfills the deeper longings of man's heart. This way of life is attractive and gives meaning and at the same time this way of life is mystical. This book provides a good example that many are not called to conquer great feats, but rather victory in small feats with great courage. I am waiting for another work of Lickona to hit the shelves!

I am enthralled by this book. The author's a thirty-something dad and remarkable storyteller. He's a smart journalist, but he doesn't wear his erudition on his sleeve. Instead it's caught up in the stories -- of his adolescence, his dealing with a homosexual come-on, his marriage, his bumpy transition to fatherhood, his work, his efforts to control his temper, his discovery of a friend's stash of porn. There's nothing of the pietistic harangue here, nothing syrupy or over-spiritualized, no theological tsk-tsking of an over-clericalized androgynous layperson. Instead, we encounter a real feet-on-the ground, normal-male, living-in-the-word, lay spirituality. This book is so unusal that it's startling. My only caveat, and this is small: If you're the kind of person who's put off by slightly off-color language, you might take occasional offense.