There's a certain genre of Catholic writing that's never particularly appealed to me. I'm not sure what to call it, but it encompasses parenting books and marriage advice, Catholic living and holiness "how-to"s.

The defining characteristic of these books tends to be a hoity-toity know-it-all attitude that exalts one way of parenting or spirituality as "the way" above all others, without regard to the rich diversity of the Church's history and practice.

The Catholics Next Door is not that type of book.

In fact Greg and Jennifer Willits go out of their way to assure readers that they don't have all the answers, that they are just like the rest of us poor schlubs trying to honor God while making a living, raising a family, and attending to the rest of life's demands. But, as they point out, there is holiness in that imperfection. Call it a "spirituality of the screwups":

"In a way it helps to know we're not the only screwups in this world. I suspect that many of the seemingly perfect parents sitting in the pew ahead of us at church, the ones with the angelic children, are screwups as well. I don't know why that helps me, but it does.

"It's good to remind ourselves, especially when we're ready to throttle a kid who just spray-painted a brand new set of golf clubs, that you were a screwup before your kid was. And you still are. But you're getting better, with the help of God."

The Willits cover a wide range of topics in the book, from living with our neighbors to natural family planning, using technology for evangelization to the Eucharist. The connecting thread is a relentless focus on Christian living in the messiness and uncertainties of modern life. Jennifer and Greg take turns offering their own perspectives in short 1-2 page sections. This "he said, she said" style could have felt forced or trite, but the sections transition smoothly into each other and never feel jarring or forced. This is a testament both to their writing and to each author's unique and engaging voice.

I especially appreciated their encouragement and advice on family prayer. They recount their own travails in praying with their five children (leading to the chapter's title: "Family-Rosary Wrestling") and, as with the rest of the book, assure parents that being a "work in progress" is nothing to be ashamed of: "There will be victories and head-smacking embarrassments. But as long as we maintain our focus on Christ, stay close to him in the sacraments, and remain loyal to the teachings of our faith to the best of our abilities, we will be equipped to handle any challenge Gods wants to put before us."

The Catholics Next Door is a funny, inspiring, and down-to-earth book on Christian living. I recommend it to imperfect Christians everywhere. ( )