Sunday, October 8, 2006
The Catholic Home - Updated Edition

I was privileged to be able to review "The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions for Holidays, Feast Days, and Every Day" by Meredith Gould. This updated edition is certainly a book that will exist as a source of information for decades to come. Not only does Gould include traditional, liturgical traditions from other countries, it includes craft ideas and brilliant recipes.

While I do not agree with all of the suggestions in the book, - for example, supporting UNICEF- I do agree with many of them. And, I do believe that some Gould's suggestions are excellent ways to allow the Faith to foster in the Family - the "Domestic Church".

Update: The Curt Jester points out several errors in the view of the Sacraments in this book. I forgot to write about the section on the Sacraments, so here is my review on that portion. I would ask future readers to be very cautious with reading this book when the author talks about the Sacraments. I also would like to point out I disagreed with the author's words on page xxii: "Does anyone really want to go back to fiddling with rosary beads and staring at the back of the priest's vestments while he inaudibly mutters in Latin?" I, for one, would love to attend more Masses in Latin, and I prefer the ad orientum posture, where the priest usually faced away from the congregation. Gould seems to be anti-Tradition in this regard.

I can only recommend the first section of the book on the traditions in the Liturgical year. I honestly, after reading the Curt Jester's post and thinking on the matter, can't support the opinions of the author in the section on the Sacraments at all. There are too many theological errors.


4 comment(s):

del_button October 8, 2006 at 10:36 PM
Anonymous said...

Good luck with your journey to the priesthood. Interesting choice of names -- moneybags!

del_button October 10, 2006 at 9:18 AM
Jeff Miller said...

I have my review up and linked to yours. Though I found some very serious errors when it came to the sacraments in her book. Especially troubling was her questioning of an all male priesthood and her spreading the myth of how celibacy came to be practiced in the Church. There are also serious errors regarding the anointment of the sick and matrimony.

http://www.splendoroftruth.com/curtjester/archives/007271.php

del_button October 11, 2006 at 6:01 PM
Unknown said...

Note: This book has a Nihil Obstat by Most Reverend Monsignor Michael J. Alliegro, M.A. It has an Imprimatur by Most Reverend Monsignor William Benwell, J.C.L.

It seems the Nihil Obstat by MRM Alliegro and the Imprimatur by MRM Benwell were derelict and incompetent in vetting out the book.

del_button October 11, 2006 at 6:11 PM
Matthew said...

Tito, I think you are right. I think it's important to know the person that issued the Imprimatur, not just accepting everything in the book after seeing that it has an Imprimatur.

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