In my personal experience as a theology teacher, the third trimester is the most dreary and difficult of the school year. Christmas break has ended—and with it, excitement—the weather is cold, the sun hides away more frequently, and everything feels mundane. The mood of the students is typically dormant as if matching the rest of the natural world.
During this time, there are certain topics I can always count on to redirect the attention of the students in my classroom. All I have to do is bring up anything “weird” about our faith. Topics such as Saints who levitated, bilocated, or those whose bodies are incorrupt will always re-engage unfocused students. They are also fascinated by relics, “bone chapels,” and stories of souls from purgatory who visit earth asking for prayers. And while these stories are often off-track of my plan for that day, they help build better classroom relationships and spark greater interest in the faith. To me, that is always worth the time.
Lucky for me, all these topics (and more) have been compiled into a new book, Weird Catholic Handbook by Michael Lichens.
Summary + Structure
In this his first book, Lichens brings his two personal passions to the masses: his love for the Catholic Faith and his love for weird historical sites. From the beginning he makes it clear that his use of the term “weird” is an affectionate one towards anything “odd, unusual, or overlooked” (3). What began as an idea for a travel guidebook for weird pilgrimages turned into more of a love letter for all things strange about our faith.
He organized this affection into five sections:
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Part 1 | Saints, Angels, and Monsters
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Part 2 | Memento Mori: The Church Faces Death
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Part 3 | Spiritual Warfare and Catholic Campfire Stories
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Part 4 | Unusual Miracles
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Part 5 | A Weird Catholic Pilgrimage
This outline was true to its specified content and entirely helpful. As someone who does not like spooky things, I appreciated the forewarning. While I did read the book in its entirety in order to give a thorough review, it would have been easy to skip a section and not miss out on quality content in other places. A person with similar tastes to mine may want to skip the ghost stories in the first two chapters of Part 3. Someone dealing with grief may find comfort in Part 2, or perhaps want to pass over it for the time being. The clear structure makes this easy to do.
Writing Style
Lichens’ writing style is notably engaging, crafted to captivate the average modern reader rather than academic scholars. Everything is approachable and accessible, avoiding overly complex terminology or dense academic language. He uses a clear, conversational tone that makes even intricate topics easy to follow.
This approachability helps maintain the reader's interest, inviting a broader audience to connect with the material without feeling alienated by jargon. His writing style strikes a balance between being informative and enjoyable, making it ideal for casual readers seeking both entertainment and insight.
Themes + Messages
This book provides immense value in framing ways to reflect on those weirder aspects of our faith. Lichens offers insightful reflections in each part that help readers gain a deeper understanding of these elements.
For example, he reflects on the idea that if a monster is an allegory for our fears of the unknown, then ancient monster-slaying hero-saints illustrate how humanity can conquer fear. The book goes on to demonstrate how the stories reflect the power of God to banish terror. This example encapsulates the author's broader message: these seemingly strange elements within the faith are not only rich with meaning, but they also offer valuable frameworks for reflecting on our own fears and how faith can provide strength and courage in the face of adversity.
For the sake of limiting spoilers, I will leave my use of examples there. However, Lichens offers similar insights for each section of the book, and these insights are likely to lead one to think about these “weird” topics with a sense of awe for God’s power.
Strengths
Lichen's strengths are many. They lie in his passionate and pastoral approach, thorough research, and unique perspective. These come together to create a light, enjoyable, and quick reading experience. His enthusiasm for the subject is both evident and contagious.
The book is obviously well researched, with numerous citations that lend credibility to the author’s insights. These citations, paired with his inclusion of book recommendations, encourage further exploration, making it not only an enjoyable read but also a valuable resource for those interested in delving deeper into the subject matter.
Critiques
There were times when I found myself wanting more depth and clarity in the details of certain stories and legends. To his credit, some of these details simply do not exist, while others have aspects that could not be proven without a doubt and thus often spark heavy debate among the faithful. I also recognize that every author works within the constraints of word count, editors, and potential backlash from readers, so I understand why some things were left out. That said, I really appreciated how thoroughly footnoted the book was, as it allowed me to track down the resources on my own for further exploration.
My Personal Verdict
This was a fun and light read. The first two parts were my personal favorites, with Part 1 especially “re-baptizing” my imagination. It provided answers to questions I had long wondered about—like why demons hate the sound of church bells and how the practice of relics and ossuaries began—and even covered things I’d never thought to ask, such as why there’s a German tradition of putting a pickle ornament on a Christmas tree.
This is not a book that will speak to the deepest parts of your soul or transform you like a great spiritual classic. And while I am unlikely to read it again for personal edification, I know I will return to it time and again when telling stories to my children or friends, or when creating content for my classroom. It is an enjoyable read for anyone, but I think it would especially resonate with teenagers and be particularly helpful to converts or those interested in these niche areas of Catholicism.
Grace is a regular contributor to the BIS Blog. She had planned to be a nurse until an encounter with Christ in Confession ignited a spark that resulted in an ongoing career as a high school Theology teacher. Though a cradle Catholic, she continues to be amazed at the depth of peace and joy that can be found within the Faith and can’t help but share that passion with others as a teacher, writer, and speaker. Outside of ministry, she dabbles in a bit of everything, excels in almost nothing, and like most moms, cannot survive without at least one cup of coffee a day. Grace resides in Charleston, SC with her hunky husband and their daughter who looks just like him. You can find out more about her here. Read all of Grace's posts here.
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