May Crowning, Mass, and Merton and Other Reasons I Love Being Catholic

Kelly, a writer and musician who works at Harvard University, explains and extols Catholicism's "many little traditions" in this paean to all that she loves about her faith. Starting with crucifixes, she cycles through Catholicism's favorite objects, people, devotions, truths and worship rhythms, describing how each anchors Catholics "not so much in this world, but oh so solidly in 'the next.' " Kelly acknowledges that the Catholic penchant for celebrating feasts, saints, significant moments, holy places and sacred objects makes devotees appear superstitious to outsiders. She holds that such things are not about magic but about "remembering and drawing on the rich, abundant experience that is the life of faith." What she loves about being Catholic, she writes, is the realization that she lives not just in the temporal world but in eternity. Kelly is most convincing when she writes from personal experience, sharing a story from her childhood about May Crowning ceremonies or holding forth on why she likes kneelers in churches. Her forays into the didactic are less engaging; for example, her essay on the rosary begins with a charming personal recollection, but ends with a rather lackluster description of the devotion. This book will mainly interest Catholics, especially those who embrace these devotional traditions. (Feb.)