Good Enough Catholic

Ironically, all the negative reviews for this book merely reinforce its necessity. A fine, nuanced, thoughtful work, it explores the choices to be made by the individual conscience of each Catholic. Far from trying to make things easy, it advises wrestling with the issues & making deeply considered & deeply felt decisions, rather than letting established dogma do the thinking for us. For those who cling to a strict & narrow view of Catholicism, as if it has been unchanging since the founding the Church, I can only state that Catholicism has changed & grown constantly over 2000 years; indeed, it could not have survived this long without doing so. And just as the accepted truths & dogma of centuries past have been modified or discarded completely, in keeping with the changing times & the growth of human understanding, so too will many of the supposedly uncontestable truths & dogmas of today be modified or discarded eventually. These are dark & uncertain times; and in such times, frightened people tend to clutch at fundamentalism & rigidity, often surrendering their own consciences to an established, unquestioned belief. But the truly courageous spiritual seeker won't simply abdicate his or her life & conscience; instead, he or she will most likely take the more challenging path offered by Wilkes, and attempt to find the common ground between the institution & the individual.

Fortunately, I'm back, having discovered that not all Catholics are as wishy-washy about their faith as the author!When I first saw this book, it seemed perfect for me. I was tempted to blame the Church's politics for my spiritual malaise: "If only it could be just a bit different...just a bit more in keeping with what *I* want..." After reading the case studies, though, I wasn't attracted to the "do-it-yourself" Catholicism he describes. After some searching outside the Church, I realized that the root of the problem was my pride driving me to try to remake God (and His church) in my own image. If I believe that the Catholic Church was founded by Christ, and continues to be guided by the Holy Spirit, then surely it's worthy of my obedience. (If I don't, there are 23,000 Protestant denominations to choose from. )I wonder if the vocal dissenters and quiet rebels understand that there's great joy and freedom to be gained from obeying the teachings of one's religious leaders in a disciplined way, rather than just picking and choosing? This concept is still holding its own in Eastern religions, but it seems to be out of fashion among many Christians. And books like this one do nothing to help.

Paul Wilkes' "The Good Enough Catholic" is like taking the fundamental theology course in the seminary. The difference here is that Wilkes has a popular writing style that makes the theology accessible to many people. The main point Wilkes makes is that many Catholics,who want to be loyal to their church, but also find some practices and teachings troubling, are trying to find some ways to be "good enough," even though they may not understand or are able to be "perfect" in their practice. The idea of being "good enough" is that sometimes many people have to settle for something that seems less than the ideal of what one should be as a Catholic. Wilkes treats the fundamental topic in Catholic theology, scriptures, church, sacraments, marriage, priesthood, the papacy, etc. by attempting to find ground somewhere between the extreme positions of absolute loyalty and an attitude of skepticism. He finds much in the Catholic tradition that speaks well of being Catholic. He refers to the moral teachings of the church as the most comprehensive and systemitized than any other religion. He also demonstrates that throughout the church's history there have been different emphases and nuances in how and what the church has taught. Wilkes' book is positive and honest. He includes quotations from lay people and clergy throughout using opinions that spread the gamut of Catholic thought. He summarizes very clearly some complicated history. He presents some failures of the church along side great successes, showing how the institution of the church can be guided by the Holy Spirit as well as be mislead by the popular culture of the time. I believe this book to be balanced in its approach. It can be applied easily to RCIA programs as well as other adult education in the church.

As a history teacher and life long Catholic by choice, I approached this book with trepidation. Too many books by Americans rebel against the Church and use the "Cafeteria" method. Wilkes is a devout Catholic by choice. He knows the history of the church and more than just the history, the reasons why. It is a guide for to any thoughtful Catholic wondering about dealing with our modern world, its problems and keeping their faith. I believe it could easily be used as the basis for an adult study class in most parishes in America. Pat Gibson St. Martin de Porres Parish Dripping Springs, Texas