I really, really wanted to give this book five stars.

Despite my criticisms of the Archbishop's governing style, I always enjoy his essays on the Old Testament, and generally find his brief scriptural reflections on local Catholic radio to be edifying, though often dry.

And there is much to commend about Archbishop Pilarczyk's "Being Catholic." He writes succinctly, turns a phrase well, and for the most part is very accessible. A bright high school student could comprehend the bulk of this book without much trouble, and, yes, I mean that as a compliment.

He describes Grace as "gift par excellence." About sin he writes, "Where sin exists the grace of Christ cannot be." You'll find similar clear, orthodox statements throughout this little book.

Archbishop Pilarczyk obviously loves the Eucharist and he shines in his descriptions of the "source and summit of Christian life." "Everything the Church is and does is somehow directed toward the Eucharist." Similarly, the priesthood is given due respect; you won't find him clericalizing the laity or laicizing the clergy. "At the celebration of the Mass, the Christian community comes together under the leadership of the priest."

His explanation of the necessity of the Church is clear and straightforward, and he resists the all too frequent temptation to go gooey when touching on this subject. "The Church is not optional, not something just for those who like organized religion while others are free to go it alone."

But on two core dogmas, the Redemption and the Resurrection, gooey is where he goes. Christ's Passion and Death are described almost exclusively in terms of martyrdom and witness, with a hint of odd speculation thrown in for good measure. "If [Christ] has been willing to compromise, to tone down what he was saying, to tell the people they had misunderstood him, he might have saved himself from death on the cross." Statements like that might be appropriate for dorm-room bull sessions, but are they really suitable for a brief catechism whose introduction states that it is intended for Catholics seeking to "deepen their faith"?

The much bemoaned -- deservedly so -- "Resurrection of Faith" is on full display here. "The resurrection of Jesus, however, is a reality that can be perceived only by faith." "The resurrection of Jesus is beyond the categories of human history. ... The only way to be in touch with the resurrection of Jesus is to be in touch with the realm of God through faith."

Contrast the Archbishop's musings with the late John Paul II's description of the Resurrection:

"It is not a question of mythology or of mere symbolism, but of a concrete event. It is confirmed by sure and convincing proofs. The acceptance of this truth, although the fruit of the Holy Spirit's grace, rests at the same time on a solid historical base." (From remarks given before praying the Regina Caeli on Sunday, April 21, 1996)

In its 2004 rebuke of the Jesuit theologian Roger Haight, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had this to say about the subject: "the appearances of the Risen Lord and the empty tomb are the foundation of the faith of the disciples in the Resurrection of Christ, and not vice versa."

Now, the Archbishop might agree with the CDF's clarification, but how are we to know? Too much is left to chance by his resurrection speculations.

A reader could do far worse than this book. Heck, he wouldn't even need to leave the St. Anthony Messenger Press catalogue to do it. Yet in the end, Archbishop Pilarczyk's "Being Catholic" is a B- that with a bit more precision -- or perhaps some editing by a brother bishop -- could have been and should have been an A.