All in: Why Belonging to the Catholic Church Matters
What's the one thing that defines your life and brings you the most good, the most love? Pat Gohn knows what her one thing is: "More than any single factor in my life, belonging to Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church has had the greatest impact on me. Faith gives meaning to everything in my life." In this passionate and unapologetic account of why her faith in Christ and the Catholic Church are the source of meaning and joy in her life, Gohn--popular speaker, retreat leader, catechist, and author of Blessed, Beautiful, and Bodacious--invites you to become more confident in the power of the Catholic faith to transform your life as well. Being a cradle Catholic, cancer survivor, wife, and mother are all a part of Gohn's story. But in this appealing, personal book, she shares why her relationship with Jesus and her confidence in his Church are so much bigger than her medical diagnosis, more powerful than her family history, and more significant than her career path. Gohn ardently shares why belonging to the Church will strengthen and nurture your relationship with God. It will keep you connected with Jesus and the sacraments--conduits of grace, forgiveness, healing, wisdom, and renewal. Belonging to the Church connects you to millions of others around the world, to the saints, and to your loved ones in heaven. These relationships are at the heart of Catholicism. In this time when life and society are so fragmented, the joy of belonging to a community--as imperfect as it can be--easily outweighs the agony of separation or isolation. Gohn's confidence in her faith emerged despite and even out of a struggle with disillusionment. Working in a parish when news of the sex abuse scandals broke in Boston, she confronted heartbreak and anger within herself and her fellow parishioners. Yet she never left the Church and relates how she found a way to dig deeper and discover reasons to stay faithful. Each of the nine chapters identifies a dimension of the Catholic faith that is a source of Gohn's confidence, including the Incarnation, God's plan, the Fatherhood of God, the friendship of the Holy Spirit, and the love of neighbor. Each chapter also features reflection questions to challenge you.
Book Details
- Publisher: Ave Maria Press
- Publish Date: Mar 3rd, 2017
- Pages: 192
- Language: English
- Dimensions: 8.40in - 5.40in - 0.60in - 0.60lb
- EAN: 9781594716775
- Categories: • Christianity - Catholic• Christian Ministry - Evangelism
About the Author
Gohn, Pat: - Pat Gohn is a Catholic writer, retreat leader, conference speaker, catechist, and author of the award-winning book Blessed, Beautiful, and Bodacious. Host of the Among Womenpodcast, she also is a frequent guest on Catholic radio and television. Her writing has appeared in a number of Catholic publications and blogs, including Catholic Digest, Catechist, CatholicMom.com, Patheos, and Amazing Catechists. Gohn also has contributed to eight books in recent years, including Walk in Her Sandals, The Catholic Mom's Prayer Companion, and Word by Word. She is the editor of Catechist magazine. Gohn earned a master's degree in theology and certificates in adult faith leadership, theology of the body, and spiritual direction. She and her husband, Bob, are empty nesters in Massachusetts.
Praise for this book
"We humans acknowledge that we are 'body, mind, and spirit' and, as such, when we're nourishing our bodies, we seek out what is 'all natural.' When we pursue wisdom, philosophy and healing we look for what is 'whole' and 'wholistic.' When we tend to our spirit, we search for what is 'sacred' and 'holy.' With All In, Pat Gohn has managed, through simple personal stories and the application of her fine reasoning skills, to prove that the Catholic Church perfectly answers the modern quest for the natural, the whole, and the holy. All In is a book full of warmth and clarity that, to a mind that is open, can be a true revelation and a great assist in the journey toward the fullness of Truth." --Elizabeth Scalia, Editor-in-chief of Aleteia and author of Strange Gods "More than a spiritual guidebook, All In tells a great love story--and the lovers at the heart of it are God and his people. With clarity, wisdom, candor, and joy, Pat Gohn reminds us that to fall in love with the Lord is to be 'all in' love. Count me as someone who was won over by this wise book's tender charms and penetrating good sense. I'm all in for All In, and I think a lot of people will be, too!" --Deacon Greg Kandra, Catholic blogger and journalist at Aleteia "Pat Gohn quotes scripture and cites the Catechism in the intimate way a good friend shares happy news over a cup of coffee. When she shares why staying in the Church and actively participating in the faith is essential for all of us, I am--as her title suggests--all in." --Maria Morera Johnson, Author of My Badass Book of Saints "Pat Gohn knocks it out of the park with this honest and compelling treatment of our disappointments with the Church. She offers encouragement for staying Catholic and engaging in an active faith life for our sake and the sake of Christ's Bride, the Church." --Kelly Wahlquist, Founder of WINE: Women In the New Evangelization and editor of Walk in Her Sandals