Journeys of a Catholic Poster Girl

This is one of those books I bought a few summers ago (yes, I know!) that I just now got around to reading! I enjoy books that deal with the topic of Catholics in America, and I thought this would be a good primer.

I was sort of right and sort of wrong. The book is really basic–if you’re a Catholic, lapsed, practicing, whatever, you will find some of the author’s explanations of every single Catholic thing really boring. You will also, if you are more devout, find it annoying that he sort of fudges the point on things, like talking about redemptive suffering as if it was a past idea and putting “consecration” in quotes when talking about the Eucharist.

The book traces the arrival of Catholics in America from the Spanish conquistadors and missionaries up until the 1990s. I didn’t read the last chapter because by that point I was sort of bored with the book. It touches on a lot of points but it’s so basic that unless you have no ideas on this topic, it’s not really worth reading. Also, it skims over some places and doesn’t give adequate attention to major figures of the faith in America, like St. Elizabeth Seton, and gives too much credence to publications like America.  

So all in all, not a real winner, but at least I can cross if off my list of things to read. Hopefully I can find a better book on this same topic in the future.

A take on them from Fr. Z:

We must all challenge ourselves to make each and every document of the Holy See our own, in some way appropriate to our vocations.

You have, I am sure, been deeply moved and edified by the new roadie document from the Card. Martino’s office.

To help you get your start in making the roadie doc your own, here are some suggestions from the Curt Jester.

Be serious, now.

The following are some of the highlights of the new document.

• If you are carjacked one mile, go with him two.
• If yor are hit, turn the other signal.
• Do not let your air bag become puffed up like the Pharisees
• Let not the sun go down on you road rage
• Carry your cross daily, or at least have one hanging from your rear view mirror.
• When you enter a freeway that is backed up, go and move to the lowest place and not try to merge into the front. For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
• Do not talk about your Honda so that it can be said of you “That he did not say it of his own Accord.”
• Hydroplaning is not the same thing as walking on water, avoid it.
• Before Jesus performed the miracle at Cana, he appointed a designated driver.
• Do not say “Are we there yet”, but rather “It is good to be here.”

ME: But of course, as everyone knows, there are 15 commandments. Moses just dropped 5 on the way down from Sinai. (If you don’t get this, you need to rent History of the World Part 1. And I do mean NEED to.)