Customer Reviews

Rediscovering Catholicism: Journeying Toward Our Spiritual North Star

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I finished "Rediscovering Catholicism" last week and am astounded at the impact that it has had on my life. Now, don't get me wrong; I haven't just become immediately "holy", but I do find myself rethinking many decisions in my life.

I do not feel that Mr. Kelly wrote this book to be a college text, and it should not be reviewed as one. No footnotes: I say good! Those who most need this book need not see the sources of Mr. Kelly's writings. I believe that it was written to be a self-help book for those who need a little encouragement on their Catholic path. Take it for what it is: a WONDERFUL, personal Catholic revitalization!

I am a life-long Catholic who was taught in Catholic schools all of my life (K-Grad School), but this book, at this stage in my life, helped me to learn more about my personal, Catholic faith than any classroom ever did. It's free moving treatment is wonderful. Mr. Kelly does not dwell on harsh points and always helps the reader guide him/herself along their own, personal path to their "Spiritual North Star".

Just as with all of these reviews, I hope that you take this for what it is worth: the view of a late-20's Catholic who was in need of a jump-start. "Rediscovering Catholicism" MORE than fit that bill.

Matthew Kelly's book is overwhelming. It is hard to put into words the power of his message, or I should say, Christ's message. I recommend this book to everyone who is Christian or interested in Christianity. And certainly, Catholics should read it if they are at all unclear about their church. Still, it is possible that the title could also be Rediscovering Christianity, because the focus of the book is becoming Holy and finding the only kind of happiness that endures.

I am a convert to Catholicism and then drifted away and became a lukewarm Catholic. Kelly's book showed me what I was missing, why I should not take the Mass for granted, and why being Catholic is definitely the right choice for me!! Kelly is a relatively young (born in 1973) Catholic who speaks with more wisedom than most longer-tenured Catholics! If you are looking to re-energize your faith, this is the book for you!

Matthew Kelly's book is life changing! I recommend it for every catholic out there. If I had the money I would give copies to everyone I know. He stresses on getting back to the basics of our Catholic faith. So often we focus on the details that aren't too important and forget to pay attention to our foundation. I thouroughly recommend this book to anyone, catholic, non-catholic, and those thinking of becoming catholic.

Matthew Kelly gives a stunning and passionate yet still grounded in reality open to the world perspective and scope on how the ancient religion was never gone but just out of view for a while. Anne Rice returned after 30 years, I did after 15, and many others find their way back to Rome. All roads lead to Rome no matter what side paths you take. God will always forgive and if need be ... there is a Redemptist Order for those lost flock who are now found.

When I needed to navigate to my true soul's north star this was an instrumental book along with my old Catholic bible. The rosary made sense in the inner journey that surrendered my heart back to God and re-established the Catholic church as my compass. Matthew Kelly paints a stunning overview of just why Catholicism matters so intimatley in people's lives.

Just to give you a context of why this book is such a Catholic treasure ... I had not been to confession in 15 years because I had dabbled in New Age spirituality since freshman year at University. I had falsly come to the belief that my precognitive capacity had me in danger with the very church that ended up being my salvation from a secular existence comprised of career-driven, ambition seeking urban professional who only had time for friends, and a second income being a known intuitive and paid consultant on what the future would bring. In truth, my spiritual gifts were meant to raise and build the church ... nothing else.

You see, when a dark night of the soul came upon me it wasn't my tarot decks, my horoscope, my yoga teacher, chakra meditations, affirmations, incense, a secular psychologist, my own trusted and very expensive psychic, and most of all ... my own intuition that brought me back. It was prayer, confession, and books like this that restored my spiritual foundation. Being a Roman Catholic never leaves you ... you can take the girl out of the church but not the church out of the girl.

Rediscovering Catholicism: Journeying Toward Our Spiritual North Star by Matthew Kelly is a strongly written defense of traditional Catholicism as a way of life designed by God to help each person live to the fullest. Pondering diverse issues and crises, dispelling dozens of myths, and all the while reinforcing the importance of faith, hope, and salvation, Rediscovering Catholicism is energetically recommended for its invigorating, inspirational, and spiritual presentation.

Great book for 'cradle Catholics' . Answers are given for so many of the questions we had as to Why are we doing this? What does it mean?
This book helped me with understanding our traditions upon returning to the Catholic church.
It has helped me with understanding which part of what I learned was VI and which was VII.
Matthew Kelly makes what can be a VERY complicated subject easy to understand and embrace.

I read this book cover to cover. I strongly recommend this book to any Catholic. This should be a go-to resource for Catholic culture warriors. I imagine that saints would recommend it to their disciples, and that anyone who thinks that they could glean nothing from this book have some way to go before reaching living sainthood. His chapter on fasting, a practice which you might prejudice as unpleasant, is particularly excellent. No really!

While Kelly did somewhat overuse some of his trademark unintentionally groan-worthy buzz-phrases (e.g. "best-version-of-yourself" and "Spiritual North Star"), he did not overuse them as much as he has in some of his spoken word publications. To the positive, he strongly recommends periodic confession as well as adoration, fasting and recommends against weak-sauce Lenten penances like giving up candy in a way that is challenging, not insulting (sorry to those I might offend).

His work is indeed almost void of citations of other sources. The positive is that the work is accessible to all, the negative is that it does little to point one to other good spiritual works, to my recollection.

I highlighted something on almost every page. I've been serious about my faith for years and enjoy "deeper" reading like Theology of the Body, but I had the grace to accept that this book had something to teach me and I did my best to absorb it. I loved his words on personal discipline.

To be honest, my only real qualm with the book was toward the end when he said he considers ordination of women in the future to be "unlikely", whereas an ardent Catholic naturally knows that it is definitively IMPOSSIBLE (that is, no likelihood, rather than little likelihood). That was my only hint that Mr. Kelly might not be steeped in all the teachings of the church, and I probably read too much into his word choice. When a red flag raises for me, I am a very wary Catholic. I'm one of those. And Kelly's book meets my approval. He spoke well of spiritual and personal discipline and I'm grateful to him for this book.

Though I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I did find the title quite misleading. In this book, Matthew Kelly continues in his more of a "self-help" style, more so than a work on Catholicism. This book evoked some challenges and stirred up some emotions, and really convicts the reader to take ownership of their faith. For the most part though the book's content probably would have been better titled "Rediscovering Christianity" or "Rediscovering Spirituality". This book in the last section does seem to breeze by some Catholic doctrines and practices, but again in more of a sense of spiritualness than anything else. If you are looking for a book to perhaps reignite your lost piety or give you a new spiritual outlook on life I highly recommend it. However if you are looking for more doctrine defining or apologetical works I would recommend you look more towards a Karl Keating or my personal favorite, Scott Hahn.

I attacked this book today and was really hoping that this was a book to give a new voice to authentic Catholic teaching. If you are cafeteria Catholic at this point in your life,(no offense but you know who you are), you might get suckered into the feel good nature of this book and be tempted to give it 5 stars. IF however, you're a authentic Mass going Catholic its more of the same spritual cotton candy, pretending to be the real Catholic goods. I'll just tell you its the same old "how did we as a church go wrong" stuff... His answer: we are hypocrites. He ignores by name all the controversial issues (gay marriage, abortion, contraception, women priests), instead of maturely taking them on, and pretends these will go away in peoples minds if Church leaders and all Catholics act less hypcritical. Really? Does anyone believe these issues aren't real? How about owning church teaching like a proud Catholic, Matthew? Wouldn't that be original these days!

But sticking your neck out well that's scary, that takes real hard work, study, thought, more research, footnotes and creativity and besides anyone who espouses that stuff could easily open themselves up to the charge of being a hypocrite.... which would then lead to more empty pews (according to Matthew)... see how this works? are you sick to your stomach yet?

Honestly, this book isn't it. You may feel good after reading it, but do not kid yourself, this won't bring you into communion with the Church if you are wrestling with "issues" as a Catholic. Do yourself a favor and next time go and read authentic, lovingly presented Catholic teaching from someone like Christopher West or JP II.

It ain't easy being Catholic in our secular world, you need AUTHENTIC theology and teaching along with prayer, action, and the Sacraments. I'm afraid this book won't help.