[.ca] The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions for ... (ISBN 0385509928)

Wonderfully practical, but flaws in its theology:
Thank God for converts to the faith - they bring a fresh energy and perspective to our ancient Catholic tradition. Meredith Gould is one such person, a convert from Judaism, who took a look at the how the faith is lived in our homes and saw that something is missing. But rather than just bemoan the situation, she decided to be part of the solution and wrote "The Catholic Home", a guide to living the faith throughout the year so that our celebrations of faith don't stop at the church door, but flow into our homes. The home-based traditions of the Jewish religion are very important (such as Passover), so Gould brings an important and fresh perspective. This book has a lot to recommend it. It is written in an easy and personal style; it is full of practical suggestions, as well as links to additional resources should a family wish to adopt a suggested practice; and it contains numerous references to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which makes it educational as well. Frankly, it is a fun read. Still, the book is not perfect. The clearest demarcation comes when Gould departs from suggestions on how to live the liturgical year, to how we should live the sacraments. Unfortunately it seems Gould was herself catechized by someone with a very poor sacramental theology, and she passes on some of that to the reader. It made me wince at times. If you read the book, enjoy the first 2/3 (the sections on the liturgical year), but don't take her comments about the sacraments seriously. Despite these flaws, this is the kind of book the Catholic Church needs right now. I'm hoping that Gould will one day do a second edition in consultation with a decent theologian to see these points corrected, or better still, that her book will inspire others to write similar works for our families. I'm giving this one a 3/5.

I Needed This Book 30 Years Ago!:
As a single-parent mother of four who was taught by nuns for 14 years and whose own mother was a convert to Catholicism, I was certainly raised in a Catholic Home. But not with such delightful celebrations that Dr. Gould shares in "The Catholic Home." I just wish she'd written this book when I started raising my own children thirty-plus years ago. She makes "keeping the faith" fun, fulfilling and so interesting that even teenagers might go along with some of her ideas. Bravo! This book should be given to all Catholic couples when they marry.

Great, accessible writing!:
Meredith Gould's spritely, conversational writing style combined with her knowledge and passion for the subject make this book a winner. If you're Catholic and looking to better integrate your faith into your home, lapsed Catholic trying to find your way back to your roots, or just curious about why Catholics do the things they do, you'll enjoy this book.

Excellent book - Great resource!:
It's about time someone tackled this topic and who better than Meredith Gould. This exceptional author has put together THE resource guide for every Catholic home. It's thoroughly researched, well organized, and conversational. I highly recommend this book. Great gift idea for newlyweds too!

AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE FOR ALL CATHOLICS:
Ms. Gould has written a book that should be in every Catholic home, church, and school. It comes at a time in our history when many of us are looking towards our churches, our Catholic schools and our homes as sources of peace and comfort. She has provided an opportunity for Catholics to return to the traditions that nurtured the faithful for generations without losing the perspective of modern church celebrations. As a Catholic school teacher I see this book as an excellent classroom resource , and as a mother I see it as the source of rich traditions that my family could practice throughout the liturgical year. Ms. Gould's intelligent, as well as refreshing, writing style will make this book attractive to readers of all ages, including those young adults who will be the parents, teachers and role models for the next generation.