St. Rita's Spiritual Book Club - St. Rita Catholic School and Parish

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St. Rita's Spiritual Book Club

MATTHEW KELLY’S

REDISCOVERING

CATHOLICISM

BOOK DISCUSSION

All 4 sessions have been completed and those who particpated are grateful for

the opportunity to be able to discuss and share our faith within our St. Rita

community. Watch for our next exciting selection.

Discussion Questions Part One

1. One of Matthew Kelly’s gifts is his ability to tell a story – a story that can teach – a story that sheds a different light on a known truth. What was your initial reaction to the story at the beginning of the book about the Son who saved the world?

2. Msgr. Kobbeman used the quote from Mahatma Gandhi found on page 12 during his Homily on Easter Vigil. I know I have heard the excuse that “Christians are all a bunch of hypocrites!” Do you agree with Matthew that people are desperately begging for us to “Don’t tell me, show me?”

3. Do you agree with Matthew that we are now reaping the fruits of the philosophies of Hedonism. Individualism, and Minimalism? That individuals and communities are doomed to fail if they follow these philosophies?

4. Wow What a chapter! Is Jesus still relevant? Does God really want us to be happy? Are you thriving because of discipline (of all things)? Read quotes from CCC and St. Augustine on page 33.

5. Are you excited to be on your own unique path to salvation? Do you see it as an adventure? Do you see Catholicism as a dynamic lifestyle that helps you become the best version of yourself? The person God created you to be?

6. What a perfect time to talk about “What are we celebrating?” Matthew places the solution to the Church’s problems on all of us. And that solution is personal Holiness. (Page 48).

If you are what you celebrate, what is it you celebrate? How can we as Catholics share our joy to those returning through the Catholics Come Home initiative?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS PART 2

REDISCOVERING CATHOLICISM BYMATTHEW KELLY

1. At the top of page 68 Matthew states: “The authentic life, the pursuit of holiness, and our essential purpose are one and the same.” Let’s discuss these three concepts.

Authentic life: If God is calling each of us to live an authentic life, are we as God’s children answering that call?

Holiness: What is your definition of holiness? Do you feel it is possible to achieve?

Essential purpose: What is our essential purpose? Do you agree with Matthew that “The greatest tragedy of modern Catholicism is the dilution and destruction of the goal of the Christian life?”

2. Matthew shares with us 5 stories that “illustrate the wisdom and power of people who have opened their hearts to the will of God”. Let’s discuss those 5 people or others that you know that illustrate that wisdom.

3. On page 121 Matthew states the two differences between heroes, leaders, and saints and the rest of us. The first is having a “singleness of purpose” and the second is “forming habits in their lives that helped them to achieve their goals.” How can we close that gap between them and us?

4. “I promise you, it is better to spend time with dead people who bring you to life than with live people who lead you to death.” In this day and age this is a pretty radical statement. How many would choose to even turn off the TV to spend time with “dead people”? How carefully do we choose our friends?

5. We know Matthew is a great story teller. On page 140 he states that “The most powerful and influential position in any society or civilization is as a storyteller.” Who are the great storytellers of our time?

6. Matthew goes on to say on page 142 that our Catholic history contains many inspirational stories of the heroes and heroines of our faith. He also says “SHAMEONUS!” for not conveying their stories. Do you convey their stories? Do we know their stories?

LET OUR LIGHT SHINE!!!!

MATTHEW KELLY BOOK DISCUSSION QUESTIONS PART 3

1. “Reconciliation is much more than just confessing our sins and asking for forgiveness. It is part of the genius of Catholicism, which seeks to nurture the whole person.” Do you look at the beauty of the sacrament of Reconciliation differently after reading this chapter? Do you see it now as “an opportunity for you and God to work together to form the-best-version-of-yourself?”

2. For those of us who discussed C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters, I’m sure you found Matthew’s reference on page 182 interesting. That one of the devil’s methods “is to create so much noise in the life of man that he can no longer hear the voice of God.” What do you contemplate? Can you find 10 minutes a day to go the Classroom of Silence?

3. “Rhythm is at the core of God’s genius for creation. This is the wisdom upon which the Church bases our worship as Catholics.” Our liturgies are based on this rhythm. After reading Matthew’s chapter on the Mass, will you more fully embrace this unfathomable gift with an increased sense of wonder? “Our lives change when our habits change.” Are you going to go out and buy a journal? Buy a missal?

4. “Every single person in the Bible is put there to serve you. . . . Until you have learned to see yourself in every person in the Scriptures, you have not read the Bible” Who do you relate to in the Bible? Do you see the value in reading the Sunday readings during the preceding week?

5. “Fasting is one spiritual practice that can help restore the soul to its intended beauty, reduce our tendency toward those actions that are self-destructive and sinful, and reduce our appetite for sin in the future.” Did you benefit from Matthew’s explanation of the new direction for the practice of fasting on page 232?

6. “Books change our lives.” Matthew gave concrete advice regarding spiritual reading. Do you have fifteen minutes a day? What issue calls to you for study?

7. What a beautiful story Matthew tells of Mother Teresa’s rosary! The highlight of my retreat with Matthew was when he led us in the Rosary. “The genius of God is simplicity. Our lives are suffering under the intolerable weight of ever increasing complexities.” Do you find simplicity in the Rosary or see it as adding complexity to your spiritual life?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR

REDISCOVERING CATHOLICISM, PART 4

1. On Page 271, Matthew discusses change. “The environment changes, the culture changes, people change, but truth does not change, and God does not change.” He states that every person he speaks to says, “The Church really needs to change.” And then goes on to remind us that WE ARE THE CHURCH. On page 273 he devotes a whole paragraph of things we need to do for authentic change. Let’s discuss those needs.

2. Matthew next gives us two areas to focus on: education and evangelization.

A. I know many of you with children are concerned about Catholic education. And since we are talking about the future of our Church, we all share your concerns. How can we help address this issue here at St. Rita?

B. Matthew and I share the same experience that most Catholics are uncomfortable with the word “evangelization”. Starting on page 283, Matthew lays out what he calls “a simple strategy” for making our church community “contagious”. How can that strategy be implemented here at St. Rita? Did you choose your 5 people?

3. “The most common phrase that appears in the New Testament is, “Do not be afraid.” The most common phrase that appears in the Old Testament is “Be not afraid. . . Do you think God is trying to get a message across to us?” (Page 296 & 297). I remember Pope John Paul used this phrase often. Do you believe that right now the Church lacks the courage it needs to provide strong leadership, to provide the commitment to vocations?

4. “The world needs the Church.” Wow what a powerful statement to ponder. It is so true and yet I never looked at it that way. Matthew says we need to renew the Church by becoming more virtuous people. That “the only way for our lives to genuinely improve is by acquiring virtue.” I think we had better review those virtues on page 309.

SEE EVERYONE MARCH 13^TH & 14^TH AT 7:00 PM.

Those of us who have shared the journey with Matthew’s book will be especially blessed by hearing him in person. But remember much is expected from those of us who have received much.

The Return of the Prodigal Son, A Story of Homecoming by Henry Nouwen was the second selection for our spiritual book group. This title was suggested by several particpants from our first book discussion of The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.

Kathleen led this spiritual adventure with Henry Nouwen. "At the heart of this adventure is a seventeenth-century painting and its artist, a first-century parable and its author, and a twentieth-century person in search of life's meaning". We discussed the book in 3 sessions that began in June, 2009 . These sessions followed the book's division into 3 parts, The Younger Son, The Elder Son, and The Father.

Those of us who participated grew deeper in our relationship with God as we closely examined our own spiritual journey. We also grew in community with our fellow parishioners as we shared our insights into ourselves as the prodigal son, the elder son, and the father.

Thank you to all who participated and may God Bless you as you journey to your true home!

The first selection for the spiritual book group was C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters. This choice was inspired by two "field trips" led by Father Camaioni into Chicago to see the play. The clever and amusing advice from Wormwood's "affectionate Uncle Screwtape" yielded much discussion on temptation and the ageless battle of good vs evil. The current relevance of this work never ceased to amaze the particpants and gave us much spiritual food for our Lenten journey.