Why Be Catholic?

This happened to be the first book I picked up on the subject and I'm glad I did. Having come from a strict Protestant upbringing and more than a decade of agnosticism, I am surprised and delighted to confess (ha ha!) that Fr. O'Malley's book helped to get me thinking positively about matters of Christianity again. It did that by being neither too strict nor too gushing, by appealing equally to both the intellect and the emotions. I'm not generally a fan of books which take complicated subjects and make them simple for the lazy or uneducated reader, so I admit I wasn't too well disposed to this book at first, since many readers seem to praise it for just these reasons. But in fact, it is both thoughtful and "heartful," appealing to the reader's better feelings yet not in such a way that it insults his/her intelligence. In all, a satisfying read. My only nitpick: the crash course in church history in the book's final third, which seemed rushed and a little inappropriate.

The shortness of this book doesn't allow it to cover all aspects of Catholicism, and nor does it try to. Instead from reading Fr. William's book, we get an understanding of the beauty of God, not only to Catholics, but to all people who search for God, and celebrate the gifts we've received. That being said, I can't imagine Fundamentalists liking this book, as their God fits in their pocket, and anyone who "searches" (or does the "Goldilocks" Method, as the book talks about) doesn't have their God in their pocket, and is therefore less than a Fundamentalist. (in their minds) I think all people, Catholic or not, who will read this book can come away with a better understanding of why a thinking person is Catholic, and see the beauty of the tradition. It definitely strengthened my faith during my personal dark night of the soul.

Fr.O'Malley's book, which explores religion and leads the reader to consider Catholicsm, is very interesting and a pleasure to read. He adds humor and a personal dimension to the book which makes you want to read on. Being a Catholic already, I found the book to be refreshing and worthwhile. I gave it only four stars because I though there could have been a better punch at the end, a climax that would say a little more. "Why be Catholic?" Because it's the awesomest religion in the world! Saints, sacraments, community, social justice, Trinity, ministries, growth with a personal God, beautiful art and rituals, and so many more aspects of the Catholic faith make it so attractive!!! I wish Fr.O'Malley could've played this up a little more.

If you have an interest in Catholicism but feel you need to know more about it and why it's different and special, then this is a great book for you. It is organized into readable, interesting chapters with thoughtful questions at the end. Though it works for beginners, I don't think it shirks the more difficult, intellectually stimulating issues. I got a lot out of it. Thanks Father O'Malley!

Fr. O'Malley has set out to demonstrate that any belief system must answer the following questions:Why do human beings mess up? What is life for? Why do we have to die? He demonstrates how throughout human history, all societies have grappled with these questions and the belief systems they've held have had more or less success at answering these questions. As he traces the history of Judaism and then Christianity, he shows how Catholic Christian thought answers these questions thoroughly. At the same time, he acknowledges that any institution made up of humans will have faults and will swing back and forth across a balanced position. He explains what factors help keep Catholicism from swinging too far to either side, and what factors bring it back to the center and balanced point.If you like to think through what you believe and why, I think you will enjoy this book. Although it deals with philosophical subject matter, it is written in an easily understandable manner, with down to earth explanations to help explain metaphysical issues. I highly recommend this book.