Review of "Joyful Witness: How to be an Extraordinary Catholic"

by Randy Hain

Americans know a lot about movie stars, musicians and athletes. Often, we know more than we want to know about their lifestyles and relationships. How this type of bad example influences us and our children is well known, yet most of us feel helpless to counteract it. It takes concentrated effort to find good examples to follow, especially if you are attempting to be a good Catholic. Good Catholics rarely make headlines these days. Here is a book which attempts to make edifying examples of holy Catholic lives easier to find. 

Some Catholics think that today’s saints-in-the-making are humorless old fogeys dressed in  grey who never step outside of church. By compiling stories of ordinary Catholics leading extraordinary lives of irresistible joy, Randy Hain, the creator of the website, The Integrated Catholic Life, has done Catholics a great service. He dispels that stereotype by relating thirteen stories about irresistibly joyful Catholic people whom he has met in his daily life, with a vibrancy that leaves the reader feeling inspired, not overwhelmed. 

I read one chapter a day in my prayer time and used the helpful series of questions at the end of each chapter as a tool to challenge myself to conform my own actions and attitudes to that person’s example. Hain makes sure to emphasize the useful advice from each of his story subjects. Advice such as “Receive the Eucharist daily," "be humble," " we must support and pray for our priests," "we must properly catechize ourselves,” are highlighted in bold print and leave no doubt as to why he chose these people as examples to help us in our own walk of faith. Each chapter is headed by a Scripture verse or a paragraph from the Catechism of the Catholic Church which epitomizes that person's life. The people whose stories grace this book range in age from pillars-of-the-Church great-grandmas to exuberant youth leaders, from humble home-schooling moms of many, to prominent successful businessmen. No one is exempt from living a life of joyful witness to Christ according to Randy Hain, and he gives you the education and inspiration to make the journey in your own life. 

Living in the highly secular Northeast, I enjoyed the example of Andy LaVallee, a successful bread distributor in Boston. After a life confession and re dedication of his life to Our Lady while on pilgrimage with Jim Caviezel, Andy began to learn and apply Catholic social teaching to his employees with amazing results. He was inspired by reading of Pope Emeritus Benedict's encyclical, Charity in Truth. Andy says, "The Holy Father was asking us to seek hybrid programs that could develop and help people and business enterprises. This encyclical provided the motivation for my company to transform our biggest department, our distribution program, into something more devout." He changed the title of the job from "driver" to "guardian" and gave the employees who dealt directly with the customers a bigger responsibility, teaching them the concept of servant leadership, encouraging to grow their routes by giving them a share in the new business they created. It lead to increased profits both for the drivers who felt more invested in their work and the company. Another time, after prayer and reflection, Andy rehired an employee whom he fired for insubordination. Andy accompanied this unprecedented action with a memo on forgiveness so that, "my entire company would understand the power of this virtue." Andy's attendance at daily Mass, weekly confession and adoration is the power behind his unique brand of leadership. He shares his story with other business leaders and also with fellow Catholics. 

Joyful Witness would make an excellent book for a study group for Catholics who want to support one another as they grow in faith or for RCIA groups who want to give practical examples to new Catholics of what living a fully Catholic life really means. Blessed Mother Teresa gave away the secret of her success when she said, "Joy is a net with which to catch souls." I give Joyful Witness an enthusiastic thumbs up!