by THOMAS COOPER
What a Modern Catholic believes about . . . The Eucharist by John Krump Confession by Tad Guzie . . The Holy Spirit by Charles Meyer . .. As seen by a NonCatholic by Martin Marty (Thomas More Press, Chicago, £2.45 each; £9.75 the set) When the King's Singers give a concert of four-part advertising jingles they always first establish their musical qualifications by singing Palestrina or Byrd. In theology, highly personal analyses of contemporary Catholicism should be accompanied by solid and careful research.
Fr Krump does have some good things to say about the way we should celebrate the Eucharist, but his credibility is ruined by the most elementary and slipshod inaccuracies. When a man can write that Corpus Christi is a postTridentine feast or that black vestments are worn in Lent, one's confidence in his historical "researches" is badly shaken. Those who can sort the wheat from the chaff in this book won't need to buy it. Those who can't, shouldn't.
A quarter of Fr Meyer's essay is devoted to the discernment of spirits. A very useful book.
In contrast, Fr Guzie gives us a very solid book on Confession. Those who are worried by the drop in numbers on Saturday afternoons should read this book.
• Professor Marty obviously knows many academic Catholics. I doubt whether he knows many men in the pew. The realities of contemporary Catholic life are. I think, more complicated than he realises. His book is of limited value.