By JEFF MINICK
Are you looking for a graduation gift for some young Catholic you know? A birthday present? A present for a twenty-something entering the Church or who is thinking of conversion?
Look no further.
There it sat in the new book section of my public library: The Catholic Hipster Handbook. Because Front Royal, Va., sports a Catholic college and a thriving (to put it mildly), largely traditional Catholic community, the librarians are generous in ordering books that might not appear on the shelves of other public libraries.
Given the junk that so often sails under the banner of Catholicism, however, I opened the book with some trepidation, yet within just a few minutes of reading, found myself applauding the gift these writers have given to the faith.
Here is a fine book, aimed at millennials and delivered in their language, celebrating traditional Catholicism.
In The Catholic Hipster Handbook: Rediscovering Cool Saints, Forgotten Prayers, and Other Weird but Sacred Stuff (Ave Maria Press, 2017, 206 pages), editor and writer Tommy Tighe, founder of CatholicHipster.com, has assembled a team of contributors who advocate for causes and devotions dear to the hearts of many Catholics: the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, the Old Calendar, the Divine Office, the rosary, scapulars, relics, vocations, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and “offering it up.”
There are also chapters on such topics as Catholic Twitter, the “Must-Have Apps,” Catholic radio, “Cool Catholic Baby Names,” even sandals, beards, sunglasses, and beer.
To share these topics with readers, Tighe has gathered together a priest, a sister, twelve Catholic bloggers and writers, and Jeannie Gaffigan, writer, mother, and wife of well-known comedian Jim Gaffigan, all of whom share their love for various Catholic practices and beliefs. Each chapter is broken into four parts: the author’s general statement about the subject, a “Cool Saint,” a “Forgotten Prayer,” and a “Suggested Activity.”
In “Hipster Theology,” for example, Sarah Vabulas, blogger and author of The Catholic Drinkie’s Guide to Homebrewed Evangelism, writes a two-page celebration of Catholic theologians, selects as her “Cool Saint” Thomas Aquinas, recommends his “prayer before study,” which is included, and ends by urging readers to “start a Christian book club, and study the great books of Catholic theologians.”
Tighe and his Merry Band — the book is rife with good humor — have constructed a bridge from the traditions and practices of the Church to young people who may be either lost or misinformed about their faith, or who are seeking inspiration. The writing is crisp, clear, and enthusiastic.
Here, for example, is Sergio Bermudez in his introduction to “Catholic Slang.” (I opened the book at random to this passage.)
“So that attractive person at Mass has finally invited you to the hidden grotto where all the hip Catholics congregate, and you’re feeling great. You show up, looking fresh, prepared to make some friends and be brought into the fold. All of a sudden, you ask yourself, ‘What are these people saying? I understand some of the words; it’s clearly English, but it’s not making sense.’
“Terms and phrases such as emotional chastity, intentionality, and guard your heart are all rather confusing to the uninitiated.”
Bermudez then goes on to define these and other terms for those who need help with such words as Tradbro, Steubies, and STREAM. (And yes, I learned a great deal reading his explanations.)
Those of us who are no long of the age of “hipsters” can also learn much ways of exploring Catholic culture among the young from The Catholic Hipster Handbook. In “Discover Tunes Outside the Mainstream,” Melissa Keating, a former FOCUS missionary and now a writer, whetted my appetite to try some of the music she recommends. Of the many musicians and bands she mentioned, I had heard of only three. Her enthusiasm led me to track down several groups on YouTube, and I will follow those songs up with more listening.
The Catholic Hipster Handbook links together past to present in an informative, spirited, and holy celebration of faith.
Highly recommended.
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