Sacrament

This collection of perceptive personal essays brings the meaning of the sacraments to life with unflinching realism and compassion. Drawing on his experiences as a priest as well as memories of childhood and adolescence, Patrick Hannon weaves his stories with quirky characters and startling insights into the central actions of Catholic faith in Sacrament: Personal Encounters with Memories, Wounds, Dreams, and Unruly Hearts.

In the tradition of such writers as Anne Lamott, Richard Rodriguez, and Barry Lopez, Patrick Hannon takes his readers on a captivating spiritual journey with unexpected turns and delightful characters. In Sacrament, Hannon guides readers through his own everyday sacramental encounters as living, breathing moments with God. Each essay is a carefully crafted metaphor of one of the sacraments, and Hannon shows moments of deeply human interaction to indeed be encounters with divine grace. The connections between these narratives and the sacraments only come into focus at the very end of each account in a moment of well-earned epiphany. In presenting these beautiful, subtle meditations, Hannon prompts readers to explore their own imaginations and memories for revitalized appreciation for the seven sacraments.