Why Do Catholics Eat Fish on Friday?: The Catholic Origin to Just about Everything

by Michael P. Foley and Jane Wong

Book Overview

Did you know that the origins of Groundhog Day stem from a Catholic tradition? Or that the common pretzel was once a Lenten reward for the pious? Why Do Catholics Eat Fish on Friday is a fascinating guide to the roots of all-things-Catholic. This smart and concise guide will introduce readers to the hidden heritage in many commonplace things that make up contemporary life. The reader-friendly format and the illuminating entries will make this guide...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1403969671
• ISBN13: 9781403969675
• Release Date: November 2005
• Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan
• Length: 214 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Almost everything under the sun

A very interesting book crammed with Catholic trivia. It's amazing that a lot of things or practices that are commonplace actually have Catholic roots. I'm amazed at the research that was involved. The author admits that some of them are a bit of a stretch. Some associations are somewhat convoluted. But in general, I would recommend this book to Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Although for non-Catholics I'd like to suggest "Why Do Catholics Do That?" by Johnson if some Catholic practices baffle them. Note: The title can be misleading because it's so casual one would think it's light reading. This book sometimes reads like something written in a manner that might fly over a layperson's head. The author is a professor after all. Another thing is the author might want to question the publishing house's choice of proof reader or typesetter because there was a lot of typos, even grammatical errors. Take for example the section that says the prayer after saying the Rosary is "Haily, Holy Queen." Haily? That's just plain sloppy.

Catechism on Creation

Foley's book is a smart, short explanation of the cultural debt we owe the Church. You might think of it as a "catechism on creation," since everything from our linear sense of time to our ordered appreciation of beauty has its root in the Church's recognition of man's divinely-ordained vocation as co-creator. And if you're not careful, the book's topical format and encyclopedia-style entries will turn you into a Catholic Cliff Claven at your next cocktail party. It would make for a great going-away present to a college-bound student or to anyone unsure of why Catholicism matters.

More than the Gospel According to Cliff Clavin

It may be putting it a tad strongly to say that Michael Foley has written a 200-page history of Western civilization. But it is also true that this is more than just a book of trivia. People who enjoy fascinating facts and want to wow their co-workers by explaining why Punxtawney Phil should really be named "Simeon" will delight in Foley's retelling of the not-so-familiar back story to many of our most familiar holidays, foods and pastimes. "Why Do Catholics Eat Fish on Friday" is not just a handy aid to winning bar bets, though it is. It should also be of interest to those looking for something deeper, at the myriad ways in which Christianity and Catholic Christianity have infused the ordinary objects of daily life with extraordinary, indeed supernatural, meaning. The Catholic Church and its adherents have had 2000 years to find God at work in the world. Catholics have developed an extraodinary number of ways to commemerate Christ and His saints, and to remind them of their obligations and redemption by His resurrection. Foley recounts the festivals, foods and pious acts that marked time and the seasons for Christians for 1500 years, whose meaning may have been largely forgotten, but has not been lost. This book is also an introduction to Christian devotion. For the Catholic believer seeking to recapture a sense of the spiritual and supernatural in their daily lives, Foley describes many meaningful daily acts and annual events designed to keep Christ at the center of daily life for generations of Catholics. This book provides an entree to deeper reflection. For the curious Christian of other denominations, it will provide a needed corrective to much misinformation about Catholic practice. For the Catholic catechist, this book would be a handy companion to a traditional Cathechism, showing how seemingly arcane doctrines and dogmas find their way into daily life and, perhaps, make clear their meaning as a result. It is also a reminder of the great contributions of Catholics-- priests, monks, nuns, lay men and women-- to science, literature, education, law and the arts. For the interested observer--one reviewer mentions a journalist--this book provides a handy guide to the reality behind many mysterious and oft-misunderstood practices. Finally, for the booklover, Foley writes with graceful prose, combining profound insights with a lighthearted tone. One can picture much of this book being written with a twinkle in his eye. This is a certainly a professor's book, but it is written for the educated layman (and woman) and not for the specialist. Warmly recommended.

Catholic Culture in our Midst

Even if Christianity does not enjoy the explicit public presence that it may have even a generation ago, Michael Foley reminds us that our culture is rooted in its appropriation of the biblical tale of God's love for man. From the way we measure time and mark our calendars to the public holidays we celebrate, from the way we eat to the music we enjoy, this book points out that there is a Catholic meaning behind so many of our daily routines. Who would have thought that the pretzel is a lenten food? That saying "goodbye" invokes God's name? That so many of our flowers and plants have Christian names? Written in a style that should appeal to the scholar and casual reader alike, "Why do Catholics Eat Fish on Fridays?" is much more than a book of Catholic trivia, for it reveals the Catholic imagination at work through the ages.

surrounded by Catholicism

In two hundred pages, Foley (who teaches at Baylor University) covers the Catholic origins of everyday objects, words, practices, and institutions in our life, in entertainment, manners, food, music, sports, flowers, science, technology, law, and language. The title of the book is slightly misleading, since the purpose is not to explain Catholic practices but rather to show how we all practice Catholicism without really knowing it. Remember the invisible ink you used when you were a kid? You would write and not see it until you held it up to the light or covered it with a special liquid. This book is that light, that liquid, that brings into sharp relief what was there and yet could not see. These are the ghosts that surround us on all sides, and they are here to stay and dwell among us so long as we are civilized.