| Author | Post |
|---|
MaryinQC
Member
| Joined: | Mon Dec 10th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 5 |
| First Name: | Mary | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | protestant |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 10th, 2007 10:09 pm |
|
Hello, I have been for many years intersted in learning of the Catholic Faith. I would like to know what would be recommended reading materials that will provide 'basic' Catholic Doctrine, and also dispel some potential 'myths' surrounding the Catholic Church. Your recommendations are appreciated. Thank you for your repsonses. Mary
|
|
|
BodRod
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 2nd, 2006 |
| Location: | Apple Valley, California USA |
| Posts: | 720 |
| First Name: | Cliff | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Raised an SDA, then Generic Christian, finally at home with ... |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 10th, 2007 10:33 pm |
|
I started with Why Do Catholics Do That? by Kevin Johnson, Ph.D. After reading that I was hooked on studying more and more. So, I did three sets of lessons from the Catholic Home Study Service run by Fr. Oscar Lukefahr, C.M. The lessons are FREE and the answers can be entered on line. Also, I read several books by Patrick Madrid. I like his books. They are easy to read and easy to understand. I also found A Biblical Defense of Catholicism by Dave Armstrong interesting and helpful. That should get you started.  Last edited on Mon Dec 10th, 2007 11:34 pm by BodRod
____________________
Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
|
|
|
MaryinQC
Member
| Joined: | Mon Dec 10th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 5 |
| First Name: | Mary | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | protestant |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 10th, 2007 11:07 pm |
|
| Thank you very much. I will find the books, and look for the online lessons.
|
|
|
catholic
Member
| Joined: | Mon Jan 15th, 2007 |
| Location: | Dublin, Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 34 |
| First Name: | Paul | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Non-Specific Protestant -> Catholic (Latin Rite) |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 10th, 2007 11:08 pm |
|
MaryinQC wrote:
Hello, I have been for many years intersted in learning of the Catholic Faith. I would like to know what would be recommended reading materials that will provide 'basic' Catholic Doctrine, and also dispel some potential 'myths' surrounding the Catholic Church. Your recommendations are appreciated. Thank you for your repsonses. Mary
I quite like the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church might be helpful too.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/index.htm
You should be able to get a copy of the Catechism from the library. The Compendium of the Catechism was recently released and may not be in your library yet. Both books are available online at the usual sources if you don't care to read them online.
You might also want to read The Faith of the Early Fathers by William A. Jurgens. It is a nice compliment to the Catechism.
____________________
"A teacher who is not dogmatic is simply a teacher who is not teaching."
Gilbert K. Chesterton
|
|
|
MaryinQC
Member
| Joined: | Mon Dec 10th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 5 |
| First Name: | Mary | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | protestant |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 10th, 2007 11:11 pm |
|
| Thank you Paul.
|
|
|
CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 4981 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 11th, 2007 12:34 am |
|
MaryinQC wrote: Hello, I have been for many years intersted in learning of the Catholic Faith. I would like to know what would be recommended reading materials that will provide 'basic' Catholic Doctrine, and also dispel some potential 'myths' surrounding the Catholic Church. Your recommendations are appreciated. Thank you for your repsonses. Mary
One of my personal favorites is Unabridged Christianity by Fr. Mario Romero. It approaches the faith by beginning with common misconceptions and accurately responding with doctrine and quotes from the Catechism and scripture. It's a very easy read that is also very readable.
The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults is also excellent. It counters misconceptions and clearly defines Catholic doctrine.
I have never personally read Catholicism for Dummies but if you can get past the title, I've heard and read wonderful things about it.
Frankly, I don't recommend the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a first read. It's intended as a reference book, and I don't find it suited for someone unfamiliar with the faith to just sit down and read. It is a wonderful reference that should be on everyone's bookshelf (and I don't mean just Catholics), but it's not a good place to start. The other books I mentioned are much better.
The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is a better starting point, but still (in my opinion) not as good as the other books I mentioned. The Compendium is an abbreviated version presented in a Q&A format, with references to the full Catechism.
The latter two make no effort to dispel misconceptions about the Church. Instead, they present Catholic doctrine and teaching in a comprehensive format. The information is in there, it's just not in an easy to find manner. For example, the Catechism clearly states that Catholics do not "worship" Mary, but you have to look around to find it. Catholics know better, so it's not presented in that manner.
Alternately, one of the finest online resources I've found is the web site of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Picayune, MS. Included are several books written by the pastor and congregation which can be downloaded and printed for free, or purchased for a nominal charge. The web site can be found at http://www.scborromeo.org/index2.htm -- just click on the "Faith Section" link on the left. The site also features the best online version of the Catechism you'll find anywhere, in my opinion.
And if you have particular questions, we'll do our best to answer them for you here. The only stupid question is the one that doesn't get asked, so ask away!
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
|
|
|
heardclarke
Member
| Joined: | Mon Apr 9th, 2007 |
| Location: | Dallas Area, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 197 |
| First Name: | Lisa | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | cradle Episcopalian; confirmed RC Easter 2005 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 02:54 pm |
|
What Catholics Really Believe was very helpful to me. I forget the author's name, possibly Keating. Another good author is George Weigel. First I would read The Truth of Catholicism, then Letters to a Young Catholic.
Hope your journey is proving very fruitful.
Lisa
____________________
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
|
|
|
rbo4u2
Member
| Joined: | Tue Jan 16th, 2007 |
| Location: | Sunnyvale, California USA |
| Posts: | 324 |
| First Name: | Rich | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Formerly Christian & Missionary Alliance then became Presbyterian |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 03:09 pm |
|
CajunRick wrote:
One of my personal favorites is Unabridged Christianity by Fr. Mario Romero. It approaches the faith by beginning with common misconceptions and accurately responding with doctrine and quotes from the Catechism and scripture. It's a very easy read that is also very readable.
The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults is also excellent. It counters misconceptions and clearly defines Catholic doctrine.
Now you've gone and done it Rick. Added another book to my "git" list. Unfortunately, after having to purchase a new computer recently after my old one went belly up, my book buying is on hold for a while until I get the computer paid off. I don't accumulate debt. Besides, it's taking me a ton of time to get through Dave Armstrong's books. Regardless of what you said about the Catechism, I love reading it. I use Marcus's reading plan and am reading it through for the second time in my devotions. Plus, many of the books I've read, need to be reread. Sigh...so many books, so little time.
|
|
|
Ave_Girl
Moderator
| Joined: | Wed Nov 7th, 2007 |
| Location: | Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 113 |
| First Name: | Mary Clare | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Cradle Catholic |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 03:40 pm |
|
| Yes, the author for What Catholics Really Believe is Karl Keating.
____________________
~Mary Clare Piecynski~
Coming Home Network Staff
740-450-1175 ext 105
maryp@chnetwork.org
|
|
|
Current time is 09:38 am | |
|
|
