Catholicism For Dummies

by Trigilio, John; Brighenti, Kenneth

• ISBN13: 9781118077788
• ISBN10: 1118077784
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-11-08
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

The easy way to grasp the ins and outs of Catholicism Catholicism For Dummies is not a catechism or religious textbook, but a casual, down-to-earth introduction for Catholics and non-Catholics. It gives commonsense explanations of Catholic weddings, Baptisms, funerals, Confirmations, and First Communions. You'll also discover other important topics that can help you better understand the Catholic culture-from morality and devotions to worship and liturgy. There are more than one billion Catholics in the world, and each one shares a foundational set of basic beliefs and practices that he or she follows. Some of the teachings of Catholicism are thousands of years old, while others are more recent. So what is the Catholic culture like and what do they believe? Catholicism For Dummies answers these and many other questions. Various stances within American Catholicism today Covers the death of John Paul II and the succession of Pope Benedict XVI, who has supported the return of the Latin Mass among congregations who desire to celebrate it Expanded information on baptism, confirmation, and the other sacraments New information about the priesthood and religious life today Twenty-first-century issues and questions modern Catholics face, including gay marriage, abortion, and the death penalty Catholicism For Dummies presents a rich tapestry and history of the Catholic faith-from devotions to doctrines. This intelligent and faithful look at Catholicism will open your eyes to this religion and answer many of the questions you may have about it.

Author Biography

Rev. John Trigilio, Jr., PhD, ThD, is President of the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy and co-hosts with Fr. Brighenti several programs on the Eternal Word Television Network.

Rev. Kenneth Brighenti, PhD, is a member of the Board of Directors for the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy and was a U.S. Naval Reserve Chaplain.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part I: What Do Catholics Believe? 7

Chapter 1: What It Means to Be Catholic 9

Chapter 2: Having Faith in God’s Revealed Word 21

Chapter 3: In the Beginning: Catholic Teachings on Creation and Original Sin 37

Chapter 4: Believing in Jesus 47

Chapter 5: Defi ning "The Church" and What Membership Means 65

Chapter 6: Who's Who in the Catholic Church 73

Part II: Celebrating the Mysteries of Faith 95

Chapter 7: Body and Soul: Worshipping Catholic Style 97

Chapter 8: Entering the Church: Baptism, Communion, and Confi rmation 107

Chapter 9: The Sacraments of Service and Healing 125

Chapter 10: Celebrating the Catholic Mass 145

Part III: Living a Saintly Life 173

Chapter 11: Obeying the Rules: Catholic Law 175

Chapter 12: Loving and Honoring: The Ten Commandments 187

Chapter 13: Being Good When Sinning Is So Easy 203

Chapter 14: Standing Firm: The Church's Stance on Some Sticky Issues 219

Part IV: Praying and Using Devotions 245

Chapter 15: Growing in the Faith 247

Chapter 16: Showing Your Love for God 261

Chapter 17: Expressing Affection for Mary 275

Chapter 18: Honoring the Catholic Saints 291

Chapter 19: Practicing Catholic Traditions 311

Part V: The Part of Tens 329

Chapter 20: Ten Famous Catholics 331

Chapter 21: Ten (Plus One) Popular Catholic Saints 341

Chapter 22: Ten Popular Catholic Places 351

Part VI: Appendixes 361

Appendix A: A Brief History of Catholicism 363

Appendix B: Popular Catholic Prayers 391

Index 399