Good News, Bad News: Evangelization, Conversion and the Crisis of Faith

by C. John McCloskey, Russell Shaw

Fr. John McCloskey has become a famous "convert maker" in the power corridors close to the White House and various government agencies. Having run the well-known Catholic Information Center in the heart of Washington, DC since 1998 and ending in 2004, this brought McCloskey in direct contact with numerous well-known and lesser known Washington figures who have been directly instructed, encouraged and assisted into the Catholic Church by this priest-evangelist.

This work is a joint effort of McCloskey and Russell Shaw, a well-known Catholic author and speaker who also works in the DC area. Based on the great success and influence that Father McCloskey has had in helping instruct many converts to Catholicism, especially numerous high profile DC figures, this book is a powerful combination of the methods, theology, and theories that McCloskey uses in his evangelization efforts.

In addition to his compelling insights on how to teach or share the faith in a winning, inspiring way, this work includes the contributions of several dozen converts of Fr. McCloskey who give their own moving testimonies of why they converted to Catholicism, and how that life-changing journey happened for each of them. Many of their writings reveal extraordinary perception regarding the workings of grace and the dynamics of the spiritual life.

Genres: Christian, Catholic, Spirituality, Nonfiction

134 pages, Paperback

First published March 6, 2007

About the author

Father C. John McCloskey, III, STD is a priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei. He currently is Research Fellow of the Faith and Reason Institute in Washington DC. From 1985-1990, he was a chaplain at Princeton University. From 1998-2002, he was the Director of the Catholic Information Center for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. He is perhaps best known for guiding into the Church such luminaries as Dr. Bernard Nathanson, Lawrence Kudlow, Robert Novak, Judge Robert Bork, Senator Sam Brownback, Alfred Regnery and General Josiah Bunting.

His articles, reviews, and doctoral thesis, all of which are archived at Catholicity.com, have been published in major Catholic and secular periodicals, including Catholic World Report, First Things, L'Osservatore Romano, the Wall Street Journal, National Catholic Register, the Washington Times, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and ACEPRENSA.

Father John has done extensive work in radio and television, most notably at EWTN, where he has hosted series on topics such as Cardinal Newman, Catholic authors, Ecclesial Movements, the Role of the Laity in the Church, Thomas More, and the history of the Church, and has worked as a commentator on Papal trips. Father McCloskey has also appeared as a commentator on network television, satellite and cable channels.

He is co-author (with Russell Shaw) of Good News, Bad News: Evangelization, Conversion, and the Crisis of Faith, published in March, 2007 that is now available from Ignatius Press. He is also the co-editor of "The Essential Belloc" now available from St. Benedict's Press, and contributed a principal essay to the Cardinal Newman Society's "How to Choose a Catholic College" available from TheNewmanGuide.com.

A native of Washington, D.C., he received a degree in Economics from Columbia University in 1975. After working professionally on Wall Street for six years, he studied in Rome and Spain, where he received his doctorate in Theology with a specialty in Church History. Ordained in Spain in 1981, he has spent much of his pastoral work counseling university students and fellow priests, offering spiritual direction and preaching retreats.

He serves as an advisor to Christendom College, the Mary Foundation, and Ave Maria Single Catholics Online. He was the U.S. representative for the ecclesiastical faculties of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome and the University of Navarre in Pamplona Spain from 1984-2003. Father McCloskey is an avid squash player and a member of the U.S. Squash Racquets Association.

Reviews

[Rachael · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a random book I picked out at the library with my 2 yr old running around. I find that's an a good way to pick up stuff for no other reason than proximity to my hand which really mixes up my reading list. I was curious to see what advice a Catholic leader in conversion might give, and what I found was rather standard fare that might be found in any evangelical circle- befriend, be bold and bring up religion. Typically the book is filled with feel good success stories. The only additional Catholic element to the process was that he recommended using arts for some people who might be interested in that kind of thing, using Mozart or great architecture as Catholicism is a much more embodied kind of religion than most Christianities found in America. That tidbit was the only interesting bit for me and anyone looking for any deeper thoughts on the topic of conversion won't likely find it here.

[Tasha]

Doubtful I will ever read this one, but y'know.