In a heartfelt invitation to lapsed or estranged Catholics, Mitch Finley takes a realistic look at the various reasons people feel alienated, and proposes ways to overcome the anger, bitterness, and resentment, so that they may return. Sixty million people in the United States claim a Catholic identity, the largest religious affiliation in the country. The next largest group–approximately nine million–is made up of people who are “fallen away” or “lapsed” Catholics. Mitch Finley addresses this audience, as well as parents struggling with the almost inevitable teenage rebellion against religion, in It’s Not the Same Without You. Finley examines a wide variety of reasons Catholics choose to leave the Church, treating each one in a balanced and fair-minded way. He recounts dozens of true stories about people who have left and returned, a few about those who have yet to return, and candidly acknowledges that many–perhaps most–active Catholics experience periods of estrangement or conflict. Asking forgiveness on behalf of the Church for the ways lapsed Catholics may have been hurt by the institution or its official representatives, he also reminds readers that forgiveness needs to go both ways, and that false humility or arrogant pride all too often stand in the way of admitting to our own errors and failures. Encouraging Catholics to begin a new relationship with their religion, Finley suggests specific ways to become part of the active life of a parish once more. He also discusses the Church’s obligations to those who have left, highlighting successful outreach programs developed by parishes throughout the United States. In guiding readers along the path from alienation to reconciliation, Finley shows that there are many good, objective reasons for “coming home again.”

It's Not the Same Without You: Coming Home to the Catholic Church

Religion & Spirituality

Finley, Mitch

Christian Books & Bibles

Image+

Spanning from the birth of Christianity through the Crusades and the Protestant Reformation to John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council, Key Moments in Church History is a brief and accessible guide to the origins and evolution of the Catholic Church. In this insightful and informative look at eleven of the most significant periods in church history, Finley not only helps readers understand the context and characters of the past, but sheds light on the current and future Church. The result is a hopeful and inspirational reading experience that is ideal for personal reflection or group use.

Key Moments in Church History: A Concise Introduction to the Catholic Church (The Come & See Series)

History

World

Sheed Ward

Recognizing that being a Catholic man today requires more conscientiousness and cultural awareness than ever before, Mitch Finley explores the unchanging ways of finding God amidst all the current changes in cultural perception. Paperback

For Men Only: Strategies for Living Catholic

Liguori

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Weve all heard the familiar description. But what does it really mean? And what difference does it make? According to Mitch Finley, it matters only if we care about love, peace, and joy. In this lively yet informative discussion of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and how they figure into the lives of Catholics today, Finley serves up a potpourri of down-to-earth commentary, thought-provoking reflections, and concrete evidence from the Catechism, Vatican II, and other sources. In his popular, reader-friendly style, he demonstrates how the seven gifts are the marks of Gods image in us; they are the ways by which we form ourselves into a new person, conformed to the will of God and full of justice and holiness.

The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Liguori Publications

A gift edition of Mitch Finley's collection of true stories of miracles granted and prayers answered. This book is about belief in the help of the saints. It is about recovering a wider sense of the community of faith, one that includes devotion to saints as heavenly intercessors with God. Beginning with a brief explanation of the communion of saints, we are then introduced to St. Anthony of Padua and St. Jude and given a history of how devotion to these two saints became popular in the U.S. St. Jude, the patron of lost causes, and St. Anthony of Padua, the finder of lost objects, are two saints who have attracted popular devotion and who have become fixtures in the pantheon of Catholic saints. This book features a selection of real-life stories garnered from people whose prayers to St. Anthony of Padua and St. Jude have been answered. 176-page paperback; 5-1/2 x 8-1/4

Saint Anthony and Saint Jude: True Stories of Heavenly Help

In The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy: Living Christian Love and Compassion, popular author Mitch Finley continues his series of books on basic Catholic doctrine. Readers already familiar with Mitch Finley, and those new to his work, will appreciate his contemporary, pithy writing style. Although presented in simple, easy-to-understand language, this book, like Finley's past works, is a solid guidebook for transforming the spiritual and corporal works of mercy into modern circumstances.

The Corporal & Spiritual Works of Mercy: Living Christian Love and Compassion

Surveys indicate that as many as 50 percent of the population have felt the presence of a loved one who has died. Catholics, especially, have a strong belief in the communion of saints, and this collection of gentle stories will be a comforting reminder that at death, life is not ended but merely changed.

Whispers of God's Love: Touching the Lives of Loved Ones After Death

God has given each of us a body, a mind, and a soul, and each of those must be carefully nourished. Among the 101 suggestions contained in this book are: taking the day off, reading the Bible, memorizing a poem, taking a walk, going out to dinner, reading on a topic you know little about, praying, and giving away something you treasure. These and other similar suggestions are written in a practical, matter-of-fact manner and will help enrich your life. Originally published as 101 Ways to Nourish Your Soul. 144 pages; Paperback • 5-1/2 x 8-1/4

101 Ways to Happiness: Nourishing Body, Mind, and Soul

Reference

A new interpretation of the Imitation of Christ written as if Thomas a Kempis were writing in the 21st century. Today's Christians will appreciate Finley's uncomplicated approach.

The Heart and Soul of Imitating Christ: A Fresh Look at the Thomas a Kempis Classic

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Finley, Mitch. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Finley, Mitch

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Finley, Mitch. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

It's Not the Same Without You: Coming Home to the Catholic Church

Key Moments in Church History: A Concise Introduction to the Catholic Church (The Come & See Series)

Key Moments in Church History: A Concise Introduction to the Catholic Church (The Come & See Series)

For Men Only: Strategies for Living Catholic

The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Saint Anthony and Saint Jude: True Stories of Heavenly Help

The Corporal & Spiritual Works of Mercy: Living Christian Love and Compassion

Whispers of God's Love: Touching the Lives of Loved Ones After Death

101 Ways to Happiness: Nourishing Body, Mind, and Soul

The Heart and Soul of Imitating Christ: A Fresh Look at the Thomas a Kempis Classic