This looks like something my kids would actually read and something I could get them to read for lent.  I also think it might help ground my teen in his faith before going off to college. Our faith is so counter cultural you must laugh and then recognize Gods eternal wisdom and love. Thanks!

I have every book John Zmirak has written including his graphic novel The Grand Inquisitor (Carla Millar, artist) - a MUST HAVE book for Catholics - especially English majors since he wrote it in Miltonic blank verse. Also have All American Colleges; Top Schools for Conservatives, Old-Fashioned Liberals, and People of Faith…Dr Zmirak is Editor in Chief. The Catholic university my daughter went to (Villanova) and grad school she currently attends (Dare I say it?....Georgetown) are nowhere in that book but I tried.

However, here is a funny story about John Zmirak’s Bad Catholic books. I had read a review about The Bad Catholic’s Guide to the Seven Deadly Sins so ordered it and laughed my way through, told everyone I know (who invariably read serious Catholic books and walk around all pouty faced and seem to need cheering up) how good it was to read this book and laugh.

I then ordered The Bad Catholic’s Guide to Wine, Whiskey and Song and The Bad Catholic’s Guide to Good Living. The book store called one day to say that the books had arrived, so after work I raced to the mall to get them.

They had not yet unpacked their shipment, so several other customers and I were patiently waiting as the guy opened boxes and called out book titles. Suddenly he yelled, “THE BAD CATHOLIC’S GUIDE TO WINE WHISKEY & SONG!!!??” Everyone parted like the Red Sea for me to walk up and get the book while looking me up and down. A few books later the guy yelled out, “BAD CATHOLIC’S GUIDE TO GOOD LIVING!!!!” Of course again everyone looked at me and I could read their minds. They were thinking, “She must be a really BA-A-AD Catholic or possibly those are anti-Catholic books and she’s anti-Catholic!”

I thought, “Oh thanks, John Zmirak! Probably they’re all Protestants…or maybe they’re liberal Catholics…or maybe ....etc” ..as I tried to lift my head high walking to the check out where the other guy peered at the front and back of each book, one with John Paul II doing his goggles antics, the other with Pope Benedict XVI holding a glass of malt whiskey, then looked at me. I just looked back. What could I do? Explain the whole Catholic worldview to them?

To top it off, I now am blaming Dr John Zmirak for my recent case of shingles of the cornea (highly painful…please everyone, get your shingles vaccine!). I ordered the above referenced book, Bad Catholic’s Guide to the Catechism and immediately was struck down with cornea shingles, unable to see out of the left eye, and wearing an eyepatch.

Not being a Job kind of girl thanking God for facial sores and blindness (I did however thank Him for morphine administered in the ER), I was complaining to Him, trying to find someone to blame - when it struck me….Of course!! It’s that Bad Catholic’s book! It’s John Zmirak’s fault!

Seriously though, I cannot wait to see again so I can read this book. We all need joy of life and the joy our Catholic Faith gives us in a way only John Zmirak can do….EVERYONE - BUY THIS BOOK!!!

I need to get this for my husband.  He’s discerning conversion and this is probably right up his alley.  FB pages like Catholic Memes are great too.

Question: So why insist on the Virgin Birth?
Good answer!

Alright, look, I am fifteen years old, and I am pretty tired of all the “new exciting contemporary Catholicism! Yayy!!” deal. Where’s the reverence and beauty in all this mundane “hip to it” stuff? I’m not looking for a cheap laugh as I read my Catechism. I want the Good, the True, and the Beautiful.
Try the Baltimore Catechism instead; I promise it will be more exciting.

Sabrina,
Good for you, I agree.

Sabrina - you may want to pray to St. Bridget of Kildare, the wonderworking 5th century patroness of students.

@Irenic:
Thank you! I’ll definitely check her out. Especially for her intercession during highschool.

The Baltimore Catechism is beautiful and reverent, but it can be intimidating to non-Catholics.  There are many paths to the Church and her teachings. The most important thing is that the teachings are doctrinally sound.  Fr. McCloskey says this book is sound.

Sometimes, you want something a little lighter for your nightly reading.  Sometimes, you want to be enveloped in the majesty of the Church.  I’m glad that there are plenty of options out there for both situations.

You may find this interesting:

http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/wardrobe/womanhood_venerated_in_orthodoxy

Redemptive, even. (I did).

I took immediate offense at frickn’ which is a euphemism for “f” word.

JMJ Dennis. I also take offense. It’s saying the “f” word differently with the same filthy meaning.

It disturbs me to note the acceptance of a book that reduces the beliefs of serious Catholics to slang talk, and questionable humor. I object to the use of “freak—” as an objectionable contraction known to all. From what I see this book serves to reduce the respect for religion that formality of past documents inspired.
It fails me to note that even though the book is doctrinally correct a Catholic priest finds this comic book approach acceptable for religious study. It’s a pity that so many Catholics need so called light reading to appreciate the true beauty of our Faith. Dumbing everything down seems to be the method that people instep with the times prefer, even though respect is greatly lost. The fact that many of our students can’t make it in school despite the extraordinary amount of money we pour into our schools fits in well with his type of reading. If the Catechism of the Catholic Church is too deep for our buding stars in our educated circles I suggest the Baltimoe Catechism for study.
Now we have Pew Catholics and Fallen Away Catholics who believe what they want.I don’t see comic book writing changing this situation.
I respect Father McCloskey for the high position he holds as a priest in the Church but I regret his support as stated in this article as unfortunate for it trivializes what I have been taught about the Catholic Faith over a long life time.

Fr. McCloskey is a good and holy priest who has helped lead major figures like Clarence Thomas into the Church. He has certified that this book is helpful in leading people into our Holy Catholic Church. Why are you people attacking him and disrespecting his judgment? Do you have a problem with Jesus’ holy priests?

I found this book totally boring & humorless.  Do not waste your money !

“If the average Catholic reader could be tracked down through the swamps of letters-to-the-editor and other places where he momentarily reveals himself, he would be found to be something of a Manichean. By separating nature and grace as much as possible, he has reduced his conception of the supernatural to pious cliche and has become able to recognize nature in literature in only two forms, the sentimental and the obscene. He would seem to prefer the former, while being more of an authority on the latter, but the similarity between the two generally escapes him.”—Flannery O’Connor

I wonder how many people in this thread would get along with St. Paul. On the one hand, the Apostle did warn against “obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to no purpose.” On the other hand, he exclaimed that he wished those who insisted on circumcision would cut their… ahem, selves off. That’s pretty strong language. It’s a curse, in fact. I’m just glad that those who wish to geld the faith are generally geldings themselves and of little consequence. Are you shocked? Well, you shocked me first. After all, this thread is dominated by the kind of reader whom the good Flannery, reasoning expertly, compared to pornographers.

I believe this is meant to be satire. My experience is that satire is not for everyone with some enjoying and appreciating it others do not have a good sense for humor. But notice the group for which this publication is intended not the faithful but the “Bad Catholic” it is not intended to be an alternate Catechism of modern-speak. If it were, we’d hear about the “campaign rally Mass” or the great composer John Lennon’s influence on Church holiness a la “Imagine”  do not stress over this book:

Hey, I say “It’s a big world,” with all kinds of people who will respond in various ways to various approaches.  And it’s an even bigger Church, with all kinds of saints and saints-in-the-making who can offer those approaches. I rejoice that Christ is preached, whether by Zmirak or Voris or Shea or Kreeft or Barnes or whoever.

The criticisms against this book are missing the point. This book is not meant to replace anything, it is another “voice in the choir” written specifically for this age just as the Baltimore Catechism has language and pictures specifically for people in the 30’s/40’s/etc. Simply because this book exists does not prevent people from reading THE Catechism.
Would you be offended if someone said “gosh darn” because it was originally G-dd-mn? This is not a children’s book with full-out cuss words. This is a book for adults who are able to read words like “frickn’” and still learn something. This book is doctrinally sound and is doing a lot of good for people in and outside of the Church.
My very intelligent atheist/agnostic friend read her way through great theologians and Doctors of the Church, but specifically said that the Bad Catholic’s Catechism was the most helpful stepping stone in her journey to faith.
Thank you Fr. McCloskey for spreading the word about the latest Bad Catholic’s book,and keep up the good work, John Zmirak!

“Touch me not, for I am holier than thou”... Appropriate for Puritains, not Catholics… “For we ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”... But, some only need to go to Confession once a year, as mandated… Even if they really don’t _need_ to go…It’s not about “relevance”—a dirty word if I ever heard it—it’s about speaking in the common language, as the Gospels were written in the gutter tongue, not in classical (respectable) Greek.  It’s OK to love the Old—Latin Mass, Baltimore catechism (prefer the Trent), but don’t condemn the New (Evangelism).

1) If you think of “freakin” as a eusphism for the “other f-word”, then don’t say it, but a lot of people don’t - so don’t imagine that everyone would mean what you would mean if you were to say it.

2) Reverence and wonder are great and awesome things, but there is no problem with having a little fun with the faith as well. If you don’t want to, that’s fine - but again, don’t assume that others see such a humorous approach in the same light you do.

A humorless Christian is hardly a Christian at all.  The problem with Zmirak’s “humor” is that it is self-consciously cute and sophomoric.  A bit of burlesque but certainly not true wit.

John Zmirak’s humor is a specific kind of humor. It’s not dry wit and “bon mots” to be shared in wood-paneled rooms with knowing looks over glasses of sherry. It’s the kind of impish, referential, and satirical humor that often appeals to 20 and 30 somethings (and others) who grew up watching The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live. The book is isn’t for everybody, something Fr. McCloskey says so himself. But for those who like that kind of humor this could be a way to reach them with the teachings of the faith and with the bonus of Fr. McCloskey’s recommendation : “I highly recommend this book, which is witty, insightful, doctrinally sound and, well, truly contemporary.” 

Why does it seem that we have to keep re-inventing our catholicism? It’s was, is now and always will be the fullness of truth. The title itself “bad catholic” I find inappropriate. Our protestant brothers & sisters, and atheist & other church attackers, who constantly challenge the catholic Church teachings will see the title of this book & use it for ammo to discredit the church. “Look there ya’ go. Even one of their own calls them “bad Catholics!” The lingo jingo in the example turned me off right away. It’s worldly jargon in an effort to try to conform the truths of the gospel (which is impossible) with the way of the world.

God bless the authors efforts.

Chris - who said anything about reinventing Catholicism? You did see the part about “doctrinally sound,” did you not? This is simply a different way of communicating Catholicism, which is allowed (presumably, otherwise we’d be limited to talking about the faith in Hebrew and Greek, and maybe Latin).
-
As for the rest - you’re reading too much in the wrong way into the title, and if the lingo “turns you off”, then don’t read it. But don’t pretend that your own preferences are requirements.

I challenge everyone who has posted negatively on this book to go out and write their own book and have it effect positively as many as this one will. Until then - STOP WRITING! At least John Zmirak is trying to do something.  The Baltimore Catechism is great! I love it! But how many twenty-somethings are being tempted to casually pick it up and find themselves actually engage in thinking about the Faith.

I’ve read the book. I laughed often and I thought even more often.  It’s a wonderful book.  As St. Teresa of Avila once said, “God deliver me from gloomy saints”

Language police are sometimes very useful, especially if your catechism breaks down along the side of the road. http://www.studentsofwriting.com

You can really tell from reading these comments, who has and who hasn’t, even the slightest inkling of who God truly is and what he is like - what his nature is.

If the fire be already kindled, what am I, says the Lord? He’s a forgiving God who sees into the heart of things. He’s a God who cares deeply about community and communion.

“A frickin’ prophet is never known in his own town.” Serious good pious Catholics will not like this book since the humor is too close to blasphemy for them, but “bad” Catholics understand Zmirak’s deep love for the Catholic Church and his God given gift of humor.

I think it’s more along the lines of: “let ye who has not sinned…and by the measure that ye mete out… John bypasses that theological conundrum by immediately declaring himself to be one of us (i.e. a sinner) without actually falling into ditch of self imposed (and false) righteousness. A kind of divine condescension, the Lord washing Peter’s feet @ Passover. Etc., etc..

Ok, he’s got a sense of humour too.

Just to be clear: A spirit of piety is a beautiful thing. “Be holy because I am holy”. I just don’t impose it on anyone else. Not anymore, anyway.

“A frickin’ prophet is never known in his own town.”
Funny. Really. Look, here’s a smile: :)

We need to be ever attentive to the Holy Spirit. Not to grieve him. The overriding consideration.