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The Bad Catholic's Guide to Good Living: A Loving Look at the Lighter Side of Catholic Faith, with Recipes for Feasts and Fun
Jump right into this hilarious new book on enjoying and celebrating Catholicism in a whole new way. Both a comical read, as well as an indispensable resource for observing the Feast Days of the Saints, The Bad Catholic's Guide to Good Living is for anyone who is interested in celebrating the history and humor behind the Catholic faith.
240 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2005
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135 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 11, 2020
It is a pretty humorous take on some logistics of Catholicism as well as pretty high Saint body count.
Not all Catholics are lame and unfunny.
Not all Catholics are lame and unfunny.
December 31, 2016
I wanted to like this book, but just didn't get the humor.
Also, I was uneasy the entire time I was reading it. It assumed an affection towards the Church, but does nothing to inspire affection. It pokes fun directly at the Catholic Church and the Sacraments. If this was written by a non-Catholic, it would be highly offensive.
This might be good for on-the-fence cultural Catholics who want to see the "lighter" side of the faith, but it did nothing for me. Not appealing - didn't finish it.
I didn't recognize any of the recommenders listed on the book - they were not Catholics I'm familiar with. It also did not contain any official approval from the Catholic Church. The authors seemed to just use their personal "discernment" to write it. They display questionable judgement.
I liked the photo of the JPII on the cover. I did not expect the inside to be in calendar format or that there would be actual recipes included. It felt random.
It was very "jokey" and didn't distinguish between their "jokes" and actual Catholic teaching. Reading this book without a clear theological background would leave you confused about what Catholics actually believe and consider sacred.
Also, I was uneasy the entire time I was reading it. It assumed an affection towards the Church, but does nothing to inspire affection. It pokes fun directly at the Catholic Church and the Sacraments. If this was written by a non-Catholic, it would be highly offensive.
This might be good for on-the-fence cultural Catholics who want to see the "lighter" side of the faith, but it did nothing for me. Not appealing - didn't finish it.
I didn't recognize any of the recommenders listed on the book - they were not Catholics I'm familiar with. It also did not contain any official approval from the Catholic Church. The authors seemed to just use their personal "discernment" to write it. They display questionable judgement.
I liked the photo of the JPII on the cover. I did not expect the inside to be in calendar format or that there would be actual recipes included. It felt random.
It was very "jokey" and didn't distinguish between their "jokes" and actual Catholic teaching. Reading this book without a clear theological background would leave you confused about what Catholics actually believe and consider sacred.
September 24, 2013
A fun book, good recipes, excellent for soaking up tradition.....
July 7, 2020
Like the other books in this series [1], this is a funny book that features food and witty comments about Catholic culture. This particular festival is organized around the calendar, with a discussion of the events and some of the people whose saints' days and stories fill up the year of a Catholic's life. A great deal of the commentary is hilarious and also pointed, and the reader finds out about various saints for things and the stories of their lives as well as food and drinks that suit various festivals of obligation that occur during the year. As this is not an area I happen to know well, I was surprised (like many readers will be) about the fact that Ascension Thursday is apparently a festival of obligation for Catholics, having never heard of it although it is actually an event that one can find taking place ten days before Pentecost in Acts 1 and thus a festival that has greater biblical warrant than many days which appear as religious days.
This book is a bit more than 200 pages long and it discusses the Catholic calendar from January to December with an eye towards various aspects of culture, including obligatory days of worship throughout the year, daring and hopefully tasty recipes that meet the particular feast days and their symbolic meanings, biographies on the lives of mostly obscure saints whose examples can be fitting reminders for contemporary readers, and even summaries of the seven sacraments, told with a high degree of good-natured humor. The authors discuss how Groundhog Day was originally a Catholic festival that got secularized through connection with marmots, provides recipes that involves squirrels, bunny rabbits, and a dish known as Nun's farts. The authors remind the reader of Catholic martyrs and the serious state of devotion and faith in a sometimes hostile world, and also provides a look at saints with some levity while demonstrating that fun and seriousness about faith need not be a contradiction, something that is a good reminder to some of us.
One thing that makes this book a worthwhile and entertaining one is the way that it keeps an earthy sense of humor about its subject material. Whether talking about the realities of Jesus' circumcision (one of the festivals included on the Catholic calendar) or discussing the way that certain saints had lives that demonstrates the hard hand of God with those who invite it in, the author invites the reader to ponder whether in fact it is good to ask to be a saint or not, because the result can be dramatic. Much less dark in its meaning is the discussion by the authors about the sort of food and drink that can be used to celebrate notable days on the calendar. Some of the dishes look particularly striking, like a flaming salad and cheese for Pentecost (I'll have to add this to my pot luck repertoire) and in general the book serves like other volumes in the series to remind the reader of the more lighthearted aspects of Catholic culture that are worth remembering and occasionally well worth adding to one's own personal traditions and habits. Some readers should note that parts of this book are sarcastic, such as the advice to readers to follow the example of Sybillina to download the latest liturgical decrees and to discuss the results of the deviations of the local pastor's practices from these decrees with the pastor, who will likely not at all be appreciative of such observations.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
This book is a bit more than 200 pages long and it discusses the Catholic calendar from January to December with an eye towards various aspects of culture, including obligatory days of worship throughout the year, daring and hopefully tasty recipes that meet the particular feast days and their symbolic meanings, biographies on the lives of mostly obscure saints whose examples can be fitting reminders for contemporary readers, and even summaries of the seven sacraments, told with a high degree of good-natured humor. The authors discuss how Groundhog Day was originally a Catholic festival that got secularized through connection with marmots, provides recipes that involves squirrels, bunny rabbits, and a dish known as Nun's farts. The authors remind the reader of Catholic martyrs and the serious state of devotion and faith in a sometimes hostile world, and also provides a look at saints with some levity while demonstrating that fun and seriousness about faith need not be a contradiction, something that is a good reminder to some of us.
One thing that makes this book a worthwhile and entertaining one is the way that it keeps an earthy sense of humor about its subject material. Whether talking about the realities of Jesus' circumcision (one of the festivals included on the Catholic calendar) or discussing the way that certain saints had lives that demonstrates the hard hand of God with those who invite it in, the author invites the reader to ponder whether in fact it is good to ask to be a saint or not, because the result can be dramatic. Much less dark in its meaning is the discussion by the authors about the sort of food and drink that can be used to celebrate notable days on the calendar. Some of the dishes look particularly striking, like a flaming salad and cheese for Pentecost (I'll have to add this to my pot luck repertoire) and in general the book serves like other volumes in the series to remind the reader of the more lighthearted aspects of Catholic culture that are worth remembering and occasionally well worth adding to one's own personal traditions and habits. Some readers should note that parts of this book are sarcastic, such as the advice to readers to follow the example of Sybillina to download the latest liturgical decrees and to discuss the results of the deviations of the local pastor's practices from these decrees with the pastor, who will likely not at all be appreciative of such observations.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
November 20, 2017
Fairly humorous anecdotes about the lives of some of the saints and of some Catholic traditions.
January 14, 2024
A fun way to learn
August 19, 2008
Solid solid good reading.
It would be more appropriate it to read this all year corresponding to the various feast days, it was sort of impossible to stop reading. Great, of course irreverent reading for a "orthodox, casual Catholic". Maybe a few too many jabs at the English (even for me!)...but that's not exactly a complaint.
And honestly, I think it would be a good primer for a non-Catholic into all of our myths and legends and how they add up to something greater and weirder than the sum of their parts.
Yay.
It would be more appropriate it to read this all year corresponding to the various feast days, it was sort of impossible to stop reading. Great, of course irreverent reading for a "orthodox, casual Catholic". Maybe a few too many jabs at the English (even for me!)...but that's not exactly a complaint.
And honestly, I think it would be a good primer for a non-Catholic into all of our myths and legends and how they add up to something greater and weirder than the sum of their parts.
Yay.
September 3, 2024
I thought this book was informative and funny. I would suggest it only for people who actually know their Catholic Faith. If not, some of the writing could be confusing. There are lots of sarcastic, overblown remarks that are hunerous but it is not always clear what is truth and what is exageration.
March 9, 2008
I'm still reading this and all I can say is ... LOL!!! If you intend to read this book be "prepared" to laugh, find out completely shocking facts about the saints and learn yummy recopies for parties :)
February 2, 2009
Well again,
I am one of the authors.
So thanks Molly for mentioning us on goodreads.
This volume was most fun in the making and I feel a valuable teaching tool for new and lifelong Catholic's alike.
It is essentially a guide to the saints - but better written than most others.
I am one of the authors.
So thanks Molly for mentioning us on goodreads.
This volume was most fun in the making and I feel a valuable teaching tool for new and lifelong Catholic's alike.
It is essentially a guide to the saints - but better written than most others.
February 6, 2009
Some parts of it were hilarious, some were so-so. An interesting read for someone who isn't afraid to laugh at themselves. Definitely NOT a book for Catholics who are sensitive about their faith at all. Even I felt a little dubious about some passages.
April 17, 2009
A very funny book and I learned some things along the way!! A perspective on some of the traditions and customs of the various parts of the liturgical year, days, and customs. Some recipes included!!
June 26, 2010
A genuinely orthodox book (if you know enough to pick out the truth from the ridiculous) brimming with authentically Catholic levity.
March 10, 2013
As a practicing Catholic, I thought this was a fun read. :)
June 11, 2012
I love these books. Authors have a smart sense of humor and shows you can be faithful and have fun, too.
March 6, 2013
Classic, clever and funny
Great stories and recipes
Great stories and recipes
November 22, 2017
This is a lighthearted look at the Catholic faith
April 19, 2009
Humorous but orthodox look at Catholicism.
August 4, 2011
Absolutely hilarious!!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews