The Catholics Next Door

I recently had a chance to read the book The Catholics Next Door by Greg and Jennifer Willits.  This book is an often humorous and always honest look into the lives of one fairly normal everyday Catholic family.

The Catholics Next Door is written in what I found to be a conversational style.  Some parts are written by Jennifer and some by Greg.  Each section is labeled to tell you exactly who is speaking to you but I will admit that because they switched back and forth so often, it was a tad distracting.  I love the idea of hearing the perspective of both spouses but do wish that they had chosen to allow each spouse to speak for a longer period of time.  Changing voices every few paragraphs was at times a bit annoying.

I loved seeing the reality of another family struggling to simply do the best they can to live out their faith in a culture that is openly hostile to anyone attempting to do so.  While we may not share all of the same experiences, I found that I could often relate to the issues the family was facing.  The honesty shown as they grew in their faith and were challenged to move beyond what they had found so comfortable for so long was refreshing.  I much prefer hearing from people who admit that living their beliefs is a bigger challenge and struggle than they wanted than always being given a candy coated version of things.  In other words, this couple admits that doing everything they have been called to do as Catholics is not always sunshine and rainbows.  That kind of honesty brings a smile to my face.

This is the perfect book to tuck into your bag to read while waiting for the kids to get out of classes or running errands.  It gives you things to think about but is not so heavy handed that you need a long stretch of time to sit down and read it.  I hope you'll add The Catholics Next Door to your end of summer reading list.  It just might give you a bit of food for thought on how you are choosing to live out your own calling as a Catholic family.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on The Catholics Next Door. The Catholic Company is also a great online store for all your Catholic gift needs, such as baby baptism and christening gifts. You can also find a wide selection of Catholic Bible Studies for both parish groups and individuals, as well as a variety of other Catholic Bible study resources.