Has anyone read Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly

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At Sunday Mass, my priest gave a homily on evangelization and announced that everybody should pick up a free copy of Rediscover Catholicism before they left- which I did. I never knew my Church had a reading club.

Has anybody read it? From what I heard, the author published a book on prayer when he was only 19 years old. My spiritual life has been kinda low lately and I’m only a new covert. I’ve been thumbing it through to look for some advice. The writing is simple but I like it do far. He started off with a short story to illustrate Christ’s dying on the Cross for the salvation of the world and I found it rather moving.
 
I read it last December. Just gobbled it up. I’m not the greatest Catholic in the world, so the book shook me enough to re-introduce myself to the basics of my faith. I liked the challenge of the book: each one of us is called to sainthood. I might try reading Kelly’s other books, too.
 
onjac said:
At Sunday Mass, my priest gave a homily on evangelization and announced that everybody should pick up a free copy of Rediscover Catholicism before they left- which I did. I never knew my Church had a reading club.

Has anybody read it? From what I heard, the author published a book on prayer when he was only 19 years old. My spiritual life has been kinda low lately and I’m only a new covert. I’ve been thumbing it through to look for some advice. The writing is simple but I like it do far. He started off with a short story to illustrate Christ’s dying on the Cross for the salvation of the world and I found it rather moving.
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My Parish Deacon (also my Godfather) gave me a copy of this to read and I went out and bought it right away. It is paramount to me (along with many others) in what I pray to be my formation period leading up to the Seminary. I strongly encourage you to pick up a copy if it is available to you. It is a fantastic read and will fire you up for the Church again if you feel your spiritual life slacking.
 
This is interesting. I have been reading, researching everything Catholic this past year or so. I had finally made my decision to pray for answers. This is all in regards to becoming Catholic. My husband is Catholic. I made the choice at last, announced this to my husband, whom is totally thrilled. I finally made the call to attend inquiry at the local basilica. Feeling very much relieved and continuing to pray for guidance now. I went to the hairdresser a week or so after my decision, and we discussed my decision, and prayed together. Then she went to her bag and pulled out this book and gave it to me. I have read it and reread it. It makes so much sense. My husband has ordered several copies also. I am so studying and reading everything I can now, but this was the first Catholic book given to me.
 
It is a very fine book. As you say it is “simply” written.
This is not a “deep” study of Catholicism. Rather, it is a book of common sense and encouragement written for “the average person in the pew.”

Peace
James
 
My husband is reading it now and really likes it. He is a convert and it is giving him a new perspective of being Catholic. A VERY generous parishoner donated enough copies to the parish for each family to take one home for free. I plan on passing it on when we are done with it.
 
As folks have said this is a simple straightforward boo. I read it and liked it.

However! I have one nit. Mr. Kelly’s main thesis is “God wants you to be the very best version of yourself that you can be.”

Nope. God wants me to be the very best version of JESUS that I can be!

But maybe that refinement is for later books…
 
I’ve read it a few times and it’s a great book. The best part to me was about confession and how so many people don’t appreciate the beauty of the sacrament. This book is what has given me a love and appreciation for confession.

InternetWoman, I have to clarify one thing on the book: in one of his other books, he talks about the “best version of yourself” concept and states that a lot of people can’t wrap their heads around the “best” (i.e., when have I become “the best”?), so he kind of refines it toward the “better” version.
 
We gave it out free to all in our parish during Lent. It went over very well. The priests even spoke about it in their homilies. We also gave it to our RCIA candidates. Can’t recommend it enough.
 
Indiana_Girl said:
InternetWoman, I have to clarify one thing on the book: in one of his other books, he talks about the “best version of yourself” concept and states that a lot of people can’t wrap their heads around the “best” (i.e., when have I become “the best”?), so he kind of refines it toward the “better” version.
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Best or better I still say our focus should be on emulating JESUS.
 
Our church is doing a 4 week study using this book. It starts mid Sept. I have my book already and have read 3 chapters tonight!😛

I’m hoping that we have many participants. Usually we have the same 12-15 people in these “bible study/lent” activities. Our parish is over 1,000 registered FAMILIES!
 
Read it. Decided to convert. Did not consider myself a Christian at the time. I was Buddhist. 😉
 
This book seems very simple and straightforward at first. It does have a great message: living an authentic life the way Jesus wants us to.

I would say that it is irresponsible to suggest this book to parishioners. There are small interjections in the text that suggest communism and seek to degrade the democratic system as a whole. I personally think that the author is seeking to make a utilitarian government that values the whole over individuals.

I would be very wary myself of a person who propagates ideas intended to abolish individual rights.

Many of you may read this one way, but I see it as an irresponsible interjection intended to alter a person’s opinions. I think its terrible to include this in a religious book for Catholics.

Individualism is what makes this country great. When a nation gives rights to the individual then everyone has rights to succeed. When we start caring about the whole and neglect individuals, that is when problems arise.

Examples of this utilitarian outlook can be seen throughout history: Bosnia, Iraq, Nazi Germany, Cambodia, Darfur and dozens more examples.

I think people should be warned before reading this and Churches should immediately stop distribution of this text. It needs to be stopped.
 
KnightofJesus said:
This book seems very simple and straightforward at first. It does have a great message: living an authentic life the way Jesus wants us to.

I would say that it is irresponsible to suggest this book to parishioners.
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I agree with KnightsofJesus on it having a good intent, but that it needs to be stopped. I’m a former Evangelical Calvinist / Baptist mutt that grew up reading books that use negativity and words that feel like we’re in a crisis to mask the reader from critically thinking about the message. Matthew Kelly is constantly ripping our modern culture apart like it’s a disease that needs to be eradicated. Then without citing any references he makes wild accusations about our out of control sinful habits that are plunging us into despair… etc… and so on. He all but calls everyone in modern culture (except possibly a few thousand) lazy unholy people, but then boldly steps in to offer us HIS VERSION of holiness, which is the Army motto “be all you can be” just like Michael Jordan and Bill Gates and Mother Teresa.

Personally, I think what Matthew Kelly teaches Marthin Luther’s and John Calvin’s theology and he should be reviewed by our higher church leaders to ensure that we as a Church are not embracing heresy. Plus, shouldn’t we focus on the Sacraments as the pillars of our faith?? maybe Matthew Kelly should have said “disciplines” instead of pillars.

I’m newly converted to Catholicism mainly due to the deeply philosophical and rich theological foundation of our Church. If I would have read Matthew Kelly’s book on Catholicism, then I would have written Catholicism off as just another brow beating “christian denomination” that will create an imaginary crisis about the state of humanity to motivate people to behave relative to the brow beater’s opinion (ie John Calvin himself).

I wouldn’t be writing this review if our Church leaders were not promoting this as the best representation of Catholicism and the shining light that will lead us into a new heavenly earth. I predict that this book will be completely forgotten in 2-3 years as it’s a fad (ie. Purpose Driven Life). This is nothing new.
 
KnightofJesus said:
This book seems very simple and straightforward at first. It does have a great message: living an authentic life the way Jesus wants us to.

I would say that it is irresponsible to suggest this book to parishioners. There are small interjections in the text that suggest communism and seek to degrade the democratic system as a whole. I personally think that the author is seeking to make a utilitarian government that values the whole over individuals.

I would be very wary myself of a person who propagates ideas intended to abolish individual rights.

Many of you may read this one way, but I see it as an irresponsible interjection intended to alter a person’s opinions. I think its terrible to include this in a religious book for Catholics.

Individualism is what makes this country great. When a nation gives rights to the individual then everyone has rights to succeed. When we start caring about the whole and neglect individuals, that is when problems arise.

Examples of this utilitarian outlook can be seen throughout history: Bosnia, Iraq, Nazi Germany, Cambodia, Darfur and dozens more examples.

I think people should be warned before reading this and Churches should immediately stop distribution of this text. It needs to be stopped.
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InternetWoman said:
As folks have said this is a simple straightforward boo. I read it and liked it.

However! I have one nit. Mr. Kelly’s main thesis is “God wants you to be the very best version of yourself that you can be.”

Nope. God wants me to be the very best version of JESUS that I can be!

But maybe that refinement is for later books…
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Maybe he was trying too hard to appeal to the Joel Osteen crowd? I like your re-statement much better!

👍
 
I’ve had this book for one or two years now but have only read a couple of chapters. I just became Catholic, so I kind of wanted to “save” it for a while. I’m going to try to get my non-Catholic husband to read it.
 
I know of at least one diocese that supposedly purchased 500,000 copies to hand out at Christmas Mass…not sure but my friend said that a few priests have talked about it so I would assume it’s true. I’ll ask her in a few days if it actually happened!

I picked up a free copy at my parish last year. I read the first few chapters and then stopped. I appreciate the intent, but just did not feel drawn in. As a few other posters have said, the book is simple. Because I didn’t read more than the first two chapters, I can’t exactly form a good opinion. But hopefully it reaches many people.
 
The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis here in Minnesota purchased copies to hand out at Christmas Masses. I got my copy last night at Mass, as my pastor mentioned we could all take one. I’ve read through most of it (it is a quick read, written very simply). Its target audience (Catholics who don’t go to church regularly) would, I think, get a lot out of it.
 
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