Almost Catholic: An Appreciation of the History, Practice, and Mystery of Ancient Faith - Hardcover

Praise for Almost Catholic

"Non-Catholic, almost Catholic, and Catholics who could use a little reassurance will delight in and profit from this book. Jon Sweeney lays out a convincing case that such classic Catholic devotions as praying the rosary, invoking the saints, and venerating the Sacred Heart are all safe paths that will lead us to the mystery of God."
—THOMAS J. CRAUGHWELL, author, Saints Behaving Badly "

It's about time that a Protestant handled the sacred objects of Roman Catholicism —both belief and practice—with respect and care. Jon Sweeney has done just that, giving us a wonderful and enlightening primer on the faith of over one billion of our Christian brothers and sisters. Highly recommended!"
—TONY JONES, author, The New Christians: Dispatches from the Emergent Frontier, and national coordinator of Emergent Village

"A rich exploration of Catholic spirituality, using a broad definition of 'Catholic' that will appeal to Christians of all kinds.... Those who admire Catholicism, but don't mean to become Roman Catholics, will love this book."
—EMILIE GRIFFIN, author, Wonderful and Dark Is This Road: Discovering the Mystic Path "

Through whimsical exploration and accessible explanations, the gift of mystery within Catholicism is given to those of us who long for its depths."
—KAREN SLOAN, author of Flirting with Monasticism: Finding God on Ancient Paths (karensloan.net)

"Sweeney captures in rich detail the yearning of younger, contemporary Christians for the historic faith. Almost Catholic is, first and foremost, a love song written in the tradition of G.K. Chesterton himself."
—PHYLLIS TICKLE, compiler, The Divine Hours, author, The Words of Jesus

ALMOST CATHOLIC

I am spiritual and I also love religion. I love what Thomas Howard calls 'the ancient Church and all that she holds for us in her liturgy, her teaching, her disciplines, her devotions, and her spiritual writings.' I love the sensuous, mysterious approach to faith that lands in heart and body as well as in the head.
—FROM THE INTRODUCTION

Jon Sweeney, a self-described "evolved Protestant" and noted religious writer, has long been fascinated by the Catholic Church. However, it wasn't until he was a young missionary in the Philippines that he truly began to understand the Church's traditions, mysteries, and religious beliefs and its hold on those who follow the tradition. As he explains, Catholic spirituality is all about responding to the fundamental mystery of Jesus, the incarnation, and what it all meant in the beginning as well as what it means today.

In Almost Catholic, Sweeney offers an appreciation of Catholicism, weaving in the story of his own explorations with those of others who have also been attracted to this tradition. He finds himself drawn to the Church's ancient and medieval traditions out of a desire to connect with the deepest and widest paths on the way. Two millennia of saints and practices and teachings and mystery form a connection for him to the very beginnings of Christianity.

His evocative explorations of Catholicism lead to a wide variety of topics, including the lives of saints such as Teresa of Avila and St. Francis, spiritual teachers such as Thomas Merton (the author of The Seven Storey Mountain), as well as liturgies and ancient practices including praying the rosary, confession, novenas, house blessings, and much more.