Why Stay Catholic?: Unexpected Answers to a Life-Changing Question

by Michael Leach

First Place, Popular Presentation of the Catholic Faith category
Catholic Press Association book awards, 2012
“The book resonates with the practical, the joyous, the spirit-lifting, and the reality of what it means to live as a Catholic.”
Third Place, Spirituality (paperback) category
Catholic Press Association book awards, 2012
“This is a beautifully written book which draws one to meditate deeply on one’s own loyalty to the Catholic tradition. This is truly a book for our age.”
Third Place, General Interest category
ACP Excellence in Publishing Awards, 2012

The uplifting book Why Stay Catholic? by Michael Leach is an uplifting book about what's right in the Catholic Church today, and why tomorrow offers such hope and promise. Scandals in the Catholic Church won't go away. The uninspiring sermons keep coming, and lay people who don't feel fulfilled find themselves asking Catholic questions, and looking for Catholic answers. This leads them to the greater question, Why Stay Catholic? In Why Stay Catholic? , national best-selling author Michael Leach offers surprising, inspiring, and timely answers to this life-changing Catholic question. Leach joyfully offers readers plenty of reasons to celebrate being Catholic, reasons to celebrate the Catholic faith here and now, and reasons to believe that the Catholic Church can and will change. This book is not theology lite, it is spirituality with spine. It is about the beauty at the heart of Catholicism. While many authors wax nostalgic about the way things used to be in the Church, Why Stay Catholic signs with one unique voice, backed up by a chorus of original voices of all ages and from all times. Why Stay Catholic? answers the question Why Be Catholic? and is about the things that last because they are spiritual. As such, the book is really an invitation to "taste and see how good the Lord is." Cradle Catholics, recovering Catholics, ex-Catholics, and even non-Catholics will love this healing antidote to a faltering faith and a wounded Church.

360 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2011

Reviews

[Stacy Natal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our church handed this book out to all families. It came at a perfect time for me. With the exception of our new Pope who continually impresses me, I have begun to question some of the practices of the Catholic church (lack of female leadership, lack of acceptance of divorced people, gays etc, the change in all the familiar responses in mass and lots more).

I would have to say that the first half of the book wrapped me up like a blanket of warm fuzzies. The author reminded me of all that I love about our church and the beliefs that Catholicism were founded on. Here are my favorite reminders:

~the basic Catholic truth that nothing can separate us from the love of God...nothing
~Catechisms come and go, but Catholicism is not knowing about God but coming to know God.
~Christ has no body on Earth but yours, no hands, no feet on Earth but yours. Yours are the eyes that he looks compassionately on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands with which he blesses the world. Christ has no body on earth but yours.
~God regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.
~Mary's presence in the lives of of Catholics is the presence of a mother.
~God is love, and he who lives in love, lives in God and God in him.
~God is all embracing, ever enfolding, all knowing, ever caring, completely and unconditionally love.
~The most important thing we hear in church is "The Mass is ended, go in peace to love and serve the Lord (the Latin words are really... Go, this is your mission!)

The second part of the book got a little long for me although I understand what the author was trying to accomplish. He gave several examples of Catholic people that have lived trying to uphold the beliefs above despite all that fell into their paths, and the last part of the book listed Catholic places and organizations that have done great things in the world. I believe he was trying to outweigh the Catholic good with all the Catholic bad that we have heard in the news. I get that.

I believe the author's final message is this, God forgives us for our sins, let's forgive the church for its sins as God would do. Stick to our core beliefs and we will do God's work.

[Jsmith1000 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this one up and down for about a year, depending on the ebb and flow of how I have felt with my spiritual/emotional reconnection to Catholicism. Finally, I read the whole thing this week. I don't have a lot of patience for anecdotal studies on this kind of issue; my own struggle with this seems hard enough on a daily basis. However, Leach's work reminds me that Catholicism is not perfect. Like any organized institution, it is 'run' by human beings, and while some religious may have the best intentions in their management of churches and the laity, they screw up royally. The point is that one has to often be strong and look beyond the people who act as the face of Catholicism, look at their actions in faith as models for why they stay connected to the church. Leach had only a handful of these personal models in his book; one of them I had actually met (Thea Bowman).

The other reminder I had while reading this book is that we often encounter God when we least expect Him. I didn't rediscover God in church; I found Him in my first AA meeting...and it was from there (after many meetings later) that I heard the message that I should give my faith another chance. Like the folks who run the Catholic church behind the scenes, I screw things up royally all the time, so maybe I'll learn something if I just show up and listen.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in my Catholic Women's Group. He reached the heart of most Catholics who are asking THE question, Why Stay Catholic? This author must have been reading my mind. He wrote about things I have secretly thought, but never said out loud. He sampled stories about people who have lived the life, places that exemplfy the life and all the ideas that circle the Catholic faith. It was an easy read; not written at an esoteric level, but down to earth language for the everyday Catholic.

[Adam Gutschenritter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly a collection of what Michael Leach finds exciting about being Catholic, strongly Chicago filled (he lives there/grew up there). Still there was some heart warming accounts of people and places living what it means to be Catholic. Nothing mind blowing, but then again that wasn't the book's point. It focused on the small challenges and changes within his life that influenced his faith. I think everyone has a version of this book in their souls that could be written, and this book reminded me of that.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book for Catholics who like being Catholic but are bothered by things about the church. It is a reminder of the reasons we stay Catholic. We often believe the key teachings, love the saints and love the culture.

[Joe Macko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a fantastic read for any catholic hoping to rekindle their faith! It is really an excellent read for Catholics that have left or drifted away from the faith. It is an great explanation of issues in the church that have caused mistrust in the past. The author gives the reader a feeling of being there with him in a personal discussion of personal faith problem, inspiring stories and terrific ideas for direction within the Catholic Church.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the viewpoints in this book and find Leachs perspective to be exceedingly important, especially as a more'alternative' Catholic. However I find his voice to be a forced kitch with too many sloppy pop culture references for me to take seriously. I hope to find the same kind of thoughts and ideas from a more level minded writer, but until then I would highly recommend this.

[Mizzhefk · Rating 4 out of 5]

First section would make great short chapters for a prayer group to use as reflection.

[Ray Jamiolkowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminded me of the beautiful culture of the Roman Catholic Church. Comforting and affirming.