Synopses & Reviews
“Liz Kelly’s love of her Catholic faith is an inspiration. I highly recommend her wonderful book.”
—Matthew Kelly, New York Times best-selling author of
The Rhythm of Life
In May Crowning, Mass, and Merton, Liz Kelly,
a thirty-something writer and jazz singer,
eagerly shares her ardent love for the Catholic faith. While the beliefs of the church are important to Kelly, her passion is really ignited by the holy people and places, the beloved rituals, and the rich spiritual traditions of this living faith. She celebrates them here, with wit, affection, and candor.
Kelly has realized that “the litany of reasons to love being Catholic is extraordinary.” These include everything from the crucifix, kneelers, and Ash Wednesday to Flannery O’Connor, the Swiss Guard, and Tenebrae. Though she writes that, “Mine is not an extraordinary faith, so much as a faith growing a little messy, a little rough and subversive around the edges,” it is a rich, inspiring faith, celebrated by a fresh, young Catholic voice.
“Liz Kelly’s love of her Catholic faith is an inspiration. I highly recommend her wonderful book.”
—Matthew Kelly, New York Times best-selling author of
The Rhythm of Life
In May Crowning, Mass, and Merton, Liz Kelly,
a thirty-something writer and jazz singer,
eagerly shares her ardent love for the Catholic faith. While the beliefs of the church are important to Kelly, her passion is really ignited by the holy people and places, the beloved rituals, and the rich spiritual traditions of this living faith. She celebrates them here, with wit, affection, and candor.
Kelly has realized that “the litany of reasons to love being Catholic is extraordinary.” These include everything from the crucifix, kneelers, and Ash Wednesday to Flannery O’Connor, the Swiss Guard, and Tenebrae. Though she writes that, “Mine is not an extraordinary faith, so much as a faith growing a little messy, a little rough and subversive around the edges,” it is a rich, inspiring faith, celebrated by a fresh, young Catholic voice.
Synopsis
"Liz Kelly's love of her Catholic faith is an inspiration. I highly recommend her wonderful book."
--Matthew Kelly,
New York Times best-selling author of
The Rhythm of Life In May Crowning, Mass, and Merton, Liz Kelly, a thirty-something writer and jazz singer, eagerly shares her ardent love for the Catholic faith. While the beliefs of the church are important to Kelly, her passion is really ignited by the holy people and places, the beloved rituals, and the rich spiritual traditions of this living faith. She celebrates them here, with wit, affection, and candor.
Kelly has realized that "the litany of reasons to love being Catholic is extraordinary." These include every-thing from the crucifix, kneelers, and Ash Wednesday to Flannery O'Connor, the Swiss Guard, and Tenebrae. Though she writes that, "Mine is not an extraordinary faith, so much as a faith growing a little messy, a little rough and subversive around the edges," it is a rich, inspiring faith, celebrated by a fresh, young Catholic voice.
Synopsis
Thirtysomething Liz Kelly is a successful writer and a jazz singer. She is also a devout Catholic who loves her faith and is eager to share its beauties with others. In May Crowning, Mass, and Merton, Kelly offers her personal list of reasons to love being Catholic--from May Crownings to daily Mass, to Pope John Paul II, and kneelers in church. With wit and great affection, she shows how the Catholic Church is a great storehouse of spiritual gifts that are offered to each believer.
Synopsis
Winner of a 2007 Catholic Press Association Award!—First Place, Popular presentation of the Catholic faith There are so many reasons to love being Catholic, and thirty-something Liz Kelly—a successful writer and jazz singer—eagerly shares those reasons in May Crowning, Mass, and Merton. Kelly says, "Mine is not an extraordinary faith . . . but the litany of reasons to love being Catholic is extraordinary." Kelly lists 50 reasons to embrace the Catholic faith, including daily Mass, kneelers in church, and the crucifix. With wit and great affection, covering everything from Michelangelo's creation frescoes to Pope John Paul II, this lay Catholic reminds us all why the Catholic faith is so special.
Synopsis
Thirty-something Liz Kelly is successful writer, a jazz singer, and an assistant to the president of Harvard Univeristy. She is also a devout Catholic who loves her faith and is eager to share its beauties with others. "Mine is not an extraordinary faith," she writes, "so much as a faith growing, a little messy, a little rough and subversive around the edges. But the litany of reasons to love being Catholic is extraordinary."
Kelly offers her personal list of reasons to love being Catholic--from May Crownings to daily Mass, to Pope John Paul II and kneelers in chruch. With wit and great affection, she describes the holy people and places, beloved traditions, and joyful practices that constitute the vast, rich panoply of Catholic life well lived. She shows how the Catholic Church is a great storehouse of spritual gifts that are offered to each believer.
May Crowning, Mass, and Merton is an exuberant and lively look at a fully-alive faith and a young woman who embodies the hopes and promises of today's spiritual seekers.
About the Author
Liz Kelly is the author of both fiction and nonfiction books, including The Rosary: A Path into Prayer (Loyola Press), and a jazz singer who has released two CDs. She currently lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, and is pursuing graduate work in Catholic studies at the Unviersity of St. Thomas.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Prologue xiii
Part One: Objects with Meaning
1 The Crucifix 3
2 Holy Water, Incense, and Candles 7
3 Holy Gear 13
4 The Rosary 19
5 Kneelers 25
6 The Pietà 29
7 Michelangelo’s Creation Frescoes in the Sistine Chapel 33
8 The Scala Santa and Devotion 39
9 Wedding Bands on the Hands of Nuns 43
Part Two: Those Who Journey with Us
10 Mary 49
11 The Archangels: St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael 53
12 Pope John Paul II 59
13 Flannery O’Connor 65
14 The Young Thomas Merton in Rome 71
15 Mary Lou Williams and the Blessing of Conversion 77
16 The Communion of Saints 81
17 The Swiss Guard 87
18 St. Joseph of Cupertino 93
19 Bd. Pier Giorgio Frassati 97
20 The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas à Kempis 101
Part Three: Devotion in Practice
21 May Crowning 109
22 The Anima Christi, Soul of Christ 113
23 Adoration 117
24 Fasting 123
25 Silence 129
26 The “Ave Maria” 133
27 Forgiveness and the Sacrament of Confession 137
28 The Rosary of the Holy Wounds and Sr. Mary Martha Chambon 143
29 Pilgrimages 149
30 House Blessings 155
31 The Eucharist 159
32 The Sign of Peace 165
Part Four: Truths That Bring Grace
33 To Arrive at Love 173
34 Heavenly Humor 179
35 Celibacy 183
36 The Pro-Life Life 189
37 The Promise of the Holy Spirit 195
38 The Names of God 199
39 God Comes to Meet Us 205
40 Visit the Imprisoned: A Corporal Work of Mercy 209
41 Belonging to the Universal Church 215
Part Five: Rhythms of the Faith
42 Daily Mass 225
43 The Feast of the Epiphany 229
44 Ash Wednesday 233
45 The Sixth Station: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus 239
46 The Tenth Station: Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments 245
47 The Hour of Divine Mercy 251
48 Tenebrae 257
49 Easter 261
Epilogue: The Cross 267