Customer Reviews

Why Be Catholic?

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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'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.

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.

Fr. O'Malley is a down-to-earth kind of guy! He writes in a style that feels like a conversation, not an essay. I enjoyed the discussion questions after each chapter which can make for excellent dinner conversation!

As a Catholic living in the South, my faith is constantly being challenged by Baptists, born-agains and other Protestant-type religions; each with their own particular way of interpreting the bible and each with their own version of Christianity which is absolutley 100% correct. We all have been trapped in these dead-end arguments. Fr. O'Malley's approach to answering the question, "Whose Got the Right Jesus?", is more "right-brain" than it is analytical. The intention is not to simply regurgitate bible verse after bible verse. "Why Be Catholic?" reminds us that Catholicism makes sense in the world we live in today.

This is a good, thoughtfully written book. I recommend it for anyone with an open mind who is curious about Christianity.

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.

With charity to the author, many of the arguments he makes in this book are simply heretical. Among others things he claims:

Adam and Eve didn't really exist
Abraham didn't really exist
Some Protestants really do have the True Presence in their "communion services"
Pope Leo XIII was wrong, Anglicans really do have valid orders and apostolic succession
Humane Vitae was wrong, and the Church only condemns contraception because it refuses to treat lay people as grown ups

In short, the book is simply very bad theology and at odds with the Catholic faith. I pray that the author has reconsidered his positions since writing it. The only sense in which I could recommend it, is to someone who wants an example of the mainstreaming of modernist heresy within many elements of the Church.

Pax

A practical easy read on the important beliefs of Roman Catholicism. No foot notes or obscure references.
Not a book for scholars or those steeped in the fine points of theology