Books about Catholicism?

[chewchoo]

The 99.9999% is the percentage of Catholics who aren’t the Pope (or a bishop in an ecumenical council). By your statement that “the Church is not a democracy,” you seem to be saying that whatever these 99.9999% of Catholics think or feel or how they act has no business being in a book about the Catholic Church. The laity are more than mindless ciphers whose only role is to “pay, pray, and obey”.

jesus and his heavenly father want us to obey them.
and many of us who aren’t ordained are thinking for ourselves and doing our best to obey God’s law.
just because many don’t, can’t, or won’t obey, that still doesn’t mean its okay.

 

[Just_Lurking]

just because many don’t, can’t, or won’t obey, that still doesn’t mean its okay.

And the Idiot’s Guide never said that it was okay. See post #14 for the text.

 

[brigid12]

jesus and his heavenly father want us to obey them.
and many of us who aren’t ordained are thinking for ourselves and doing our best to obey God’s law.
just because many don’t, can’t, or won’t obey, that still doesn’t mean its okay.

I would think it’s only charitable/loving to let the person who asks for the teaching of the Church know the Truth, rather than what many people do anyway.

“Although the individual bishops do not enjoy the prerogative of infallibility, they can nevertheless proclaim Christ’s doctrine infallibly. This is so, even when they are dispersed around the world, provided that while maintaining the bond of unity among themselves and with Peter’s successor, and while teaching authentically on a matter of faith or morals, they concur in a single viewpoint as the one which must be held conclusively. This authority is even more clearly verified when, gathered together in an ecumenical council, they are teachers and judges of faith and morals for the universal Church. Their definitions must then be adhered to with the submission of faith” (Lumen Gentium 25).

catholic.com/library/Papal_Infallibility.asp

The Catechism of the Catholic Church #891 states;

“The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful-who confirms his brethren in the faith-he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals…The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter’s successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium,” above all in an Ecumenical Council. When the Church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine “for belief as being divinely revealed,” and as the teaching of Christ, the definitions “must be adhered to with the obedience of faith.” This infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself.

 

[brigid12]

Emily -

You are most welcome to ask anything you wonder about!

 

[ChristinaM]

If I were learning about Catholicism, I’d want a book that actually tells what the Church teaches, not one that sugarcoats things and implies that artificial birth control is okay because “everybody does it.”

May I humbly suggest that if you have an issue with the Church’s teaching on ABC and how Catholics are following or not following it, that you start another thread? I can’t see how this thread hijack is helping the OP in the least. There is vastly more to Catholicism than this one issue - yet it is the one issue where people feel free to completely ignore what the Church teaches.

 

[Just_Lurking]

This thread is about book recommendations. Everyone has been panning the Idiot’s Guide because it doesn’t tell the “Truth”, but it seems to me that people here don’t like it because it actually tells too much of the truth about the real-world Catholic Church, including things that people here would rather not admit.

 

[adelore]

This thread is about book recommendations. Everyone has been panning the Idiot’s Guide because it doesn’t tell the “Truth”, but it seems to me that people here don’t like it because it actually tells too much of the truth about the real-world Catholic Church, including things that people here would rather not admit.

The OP wanted books that teach what the Catholic Church teaches.

The fact that "some" Catholics want to “pick and choose” is their business, however what “some” Catholics do is Not what the Catholic Church Teaches.

The facts are there are some Catholics who will not follow what the Church teaches. They want it their way. The Truth is, Yes the Catholic Church has people in it that will not follow all the Churchs teachings. Even so…that does not mean they are the real world Catholic Church. The Catholic Chruch is bigger than those who are Cafiteria Catholics…they pick out what they want…Not what the Catholic Church Really teaches.

Back to what the OP asked for…Books that Teach what the Catholic Church Teaches.

 

[SonofMonica]

Go to Barnes and Noble and go to the Religion section. Then immediately buy everything you see that is by the author Scott Hahn. Or save yourself some money and buy them on Amazon. I recommend “Swear to God” and “The Lamb’s Supper” as good starting points. Also, look for a book (not by Scott Hahn) called “Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic.”

 

[anonymoususer]

The book to start with is the Catechism of the Catholic Church, front to back. It is a wealth of information!

 

[brigid12]

Go to Barnes and Noble and go to the Religion section. Then immediately buy everything you see that is by the author Scott Hahn. Or save yourself some money and buy them on Amazon. I recommend “Swear to God” and “The Lamb’s Supper” as good starting points. Also, look for a book (not by Scott Hahn) called “Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic.”

I would add to that The Father’s of the Church, by M. Aquilina and Theology for Beginners by F. Sheed. Sheed has also written a couple others, however although I am well-read in theology, his book for beginners was so wonderful that it wouldn’t have mattered if I had a Ph.D. in theology or had never read any books on theology at all. I really want to get his others - Theology and Sanity along with…:blushing: I can’t remember the other.

 

[diggerdomer]

T

Back to what the OP asked for…Books that Teach what the Catholic Church Teaches.

Good idea, but the OP didn’t exactly ask for what you say (twice) she did.

If the OP has a problem with any recommendations I’m sure the OP can judge for herself, or better clarify what was initially asked for.

 

[hockeyfighter21]

i would agree that Catholocism for Dummies would top my list for a new catholic. father trigilio is a very intelligent priest and a good writer who is in line with catholic teaching. i would also recomment “the catholic verses” by dave armstrong. it is a little more detailed but a good reference book nonetheless