Exciting News: Cover to Cover to begin reading Swimming With Scapulars

Catholic Radio International’s latest show, Cover to Cover, will begin reading Swimming With Scapulars on Monday, January 7, 2008. This book was a best seller for Loyola Press and made the Catholic News Service best seller list in May of 2005.

This popular book is the memoir of Matthew Lickona, a staff writer at the alternative weekly, the San Diego Reader. It has been variously described as “a sometimes funky, sometimes lyrical explanation of how a cradle Catholic, who buys the whole package, thinks, prays, struggles, and manages to have a lot of fun while being self-consciously counter-cultural” (George Weigel), “a breath of fresh air, thoughtfully written and happily absent of platitudes and pious moralizing” (Publishers Weekly starred review), “done in precise, sometimes rollicking language that is charged with a taut energy that comes with tying the firm line of formal religious practice to the anchor of devotion” (Image: A Journal of the Arts and Religion), and “a delightfully high-spirited and candid account of living Catholicism as though it were true, scapulars included” (First Things).

The book will be read by CRI’s Joseph O’Brien. Joe has a vested interest in the book because he and Matthew are very good friends. In fact, Joe is mentioned several times in the book, for instance as the one who introduced Matthew to both scapulars and Wild Turkey bourbon (101 proof).

This will prove to be a great read and a great listen. You can find the installments at Catholic Radio International’s website every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

This is exciting news for more than one reason.

First, how I have missed hearing of this great resource I don't know but I'm happy to have found it. Check out their site as there is another interesting looking book just finishing up. Also, I will be interested to check out their archives section which is coming soon.

The only disappointment is that, from what I can tell, the files are not downloadable. This is a detriment for those of us who can't listen at their computer but download files for drive time, chore time (hey, otherwise would my floor get washed? I think not!), knitting, etc. I'm checking this out with them as I may have missed something.

Secondly, I am a big fan of Swimming with Scapulars (review, excerpt, another excerpt) and recommend it to any young Catholics who are married or of marriagable age for a realistic yet cheerful view of the struggles encountered in that sacrament.

Cross-posted at Happy Catholic.