The Complete Idiot's Guide to Catholicism by O'Gorman and Faulkner

[Palm_Tree]

Has anybody ever read this? If so, what were some of your favorite parts?

One of my favorite parts was how it claims that the rock star Madonna is a Catholic mystic:

“Her mother died of cancer when see was six years old, creating a void she never filled…In the tradition of the Church mystics explore that void through prayer and meditation. Madonna explores it through her art…In creating her art, Madonna moves through a forbidden world where eroticism and religion meet…She says about Catholicism, “it’s very sensual…very erotic” … Mystics don’t take other’s word for what God is like our what spirituality is. They…find it for themselves. Madonna is an artistic mystic…For her, the Church is…very sensual…in her corner of the Catholic tent, you can find people that are…redefining God and religion.”

Here’s another gem from the section titled “Conscience Reigns Supreme”:

*“Prior to Vatican II, Catholics generally would seek and follow the advise of their priests in moral matters. Since Vatican II, they have been urged to search their own hearts and mind to come to their own informed moral decisions. Here is an example… Theresa…decided to practice birth control…Rather than confess birth control as a sin, she informed [the priest in confession] of her choice to use it…the priest understood…and encouraged her…to make a moral decision about what she believed…The priest would not have offered such advise before Vatican II.”
*

Check out some of the titles of the sections:
The section about the Eucharist is titled “Wonder Bread”
The section about abortion is titled “Abortion: A Tough Choice”
The section about the sacrament of marriage is titled “Ménage à Trois” with the subtitle “It’s more than just two in marriage.”
The section about Marian apparitions is titled “Apparitions: Here, There, and Everywhere.”
The section on the Mass is titled “The Mass: The Catholics’ Big Dinner Party”

Other sections are titled:
“It’s a Tribe”
“Where the Tribe Meets”
“Catholicism’s Dark Side”
“Catholic Sexuality: The Church’s Dirty Little Secret?”

etc.

 

[palmas85]

Has anybody ever read this? If so, what were some of your favorite parts?

One of my favorite parts was how it claims that the rock star Madonna is a Catholic mystic:

"Her mother died of cancer when see was six years old, creating a void she never filled…In the tradition of the Church mystics explore that void through prayer and meditation. Madonna explores it through her art…In creating her art, Madonna moves through a forbidden world where eroticism and religion meet…She says about Catholicism, “it’s very sensual…very erotic” … Mystics don’t take other’s word for what God is like our what spirituality is. They…find it for themselves. Madonna is an artistic mystic…For her, the Church is…very sensual…in her corner of the Catholic tent, you can find people that are…redefining God and religion."

Here’s another gem from the section titled “Conscience Reigns Supreme”:

*“Prior to Vatican II, Catholics generally would seek and follow the advise of their priests in moral matters. Since Vatican II, they have been urged to search their own hearts and mind to come to their own informed moral decisions. Here is an example… Theresa…decided to practice birth control…Rather than confess birth control as a sin, she informed [the priest in confession] of her choice to use it…the priest understood…and encouraged her…to make a moral decision about what she believed…The priest would not have offered such advise before Vatican II.”
*

Check out some of the titles of the sections:
The section about the Eucharist is titled “Wonder Bread”
The section about abortion is titled “Abortion: A Tough Choice”
The section about the sacrament of marriage is titled “Ménage à Trois” with the subtitle “It’s more than just two in marriage.”
The section about Marian apparitions is titled “Apparitions: Here, There, and Everywhere.”
The section on the Mass is titled “The Mass: The Catholics’ Big Dinner Party”

Other sections are titled:
“It’s a Tribe”
“Where the Tribe Meets”
“Catholicism’s Dark Side”
“Catholic Sexuality: The Church’s Dirty Little Secret?”

etc.

Believe it or not, this book is used by more than a few RCIA programs nationwide as supplemental reading material.

 

[Shin]

It puts new meaning into the ‘The Complete Idiot’s’ part of the guide.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Don’t confuse it with Catholicism for Dummies which is quite good.

 

[palmas85]

Don’t confuse it with Catholicism for Dummies which is quite good.

I don’t think anyone has

 

[Hesychios]

Are the authors actually Catholic? How about the editor?

The examples provided are horrific. :compcoff:

 

[Palm_Tree]

I don’t think anyone has

I can see how it is easy to confuse the Dummies series with the* Idiot’s *series. The titles are pretty much exactly the same: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Catholicism and Catholicism for Dummies.

For example, this thread here is titled “Idiot’s Guide to Catholicism,” but it turned out the OP got confused and was really trying to talk about the Dummie’s version. As the OP explained in post #7, “Actually, you’re right! I DID mean Catholicism for Dummies. I used to have it, and didn’t remember the title right!”
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=22557

For another example, this thread here is a thread by a Catholic saying she knows very little about the Faith and she was looking for ways to educate herself more. She mentioned she bought “Catholicism for Dummies”, and figured it was a good start. Then someone showed up telling her to stay away from the Dummies book because it was way out-there, but it turned out that they just got the Dummies book confused with the Idiots book
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=343991

So it doesn’t hurt to remind people that the Idiot’s book is the one by O’Gorman and Faulkner and the Dummies book is the one written by Fr. Trigilio and Fr. Brighenti.

 

[rpp]

Does the Complete Idiots book have an imprimatur? If so, who granted it.

 

[Palm_Tree]

Does the Complete Idiots book have an imprimatur? If so, who granted it.

On July 7, 2004, O’Gorman, one of the authors, went to the amazon.com page for the original edition of the book, and he wrote the following review of his own book. I seriously doubt some of his claims:

*In the past several months negative reviews of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Understanding Catholicism have begun collecting on Amazon.com. They seem to emanate from the same neo-conservative position that would like to roll back the reforms of the Catholic Church made at Vatican II. Since these reviews are in such sharp contrast to the heart-warming reports received during the first three years of the book, and since some are simply incorrect, I would like to take the opportunity, as one of the authors to respond.

Most of these critics have asserted that the book does not represent Catholic teaching. I want to assure the reader that each and every teaching in the text and in the glossary of terms is correlated with the latest version of the Catholic catechism. Some have questioned the absence of the Catholic imprimatur, which is the Latin word meaning “let it be printed,” and is a bishop’s seal of approval reserved for official Catholic teaching. To have the imprimatur used for books published by a secular press and intended for the general audience, is not necessary or appropriate.

The publishers of the Idiot’s Guide series insist on hiring an expert in the particular field who is paid to read the book and edit it from his or her authoritative knowledge. Our book was reviewed by a priest who holds the Doctor of Jurisprudence, Master of Church Administration, and Licentiate in Sacred Theology degrees. He has served as Vicar General and presently serves as General Counsel and Censor Librorum for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville. Censor Librorum is the office of the theologian a bishop appoints to read and advise him on which Catholic books to grant his imprimatur. We acknowledge him in the front pages of the book. Both authors have their credential as qualified teachers in religious education. I hold a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and am full professor of Pastoral Studies at Loyola, Chicago’s Jesuit University. Additionally, I have a mandatum from the Cardinal Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago to teach Catholic Theology. The mandatum is an acknowledgment by Church authority that a Catholic professor of a theological discipline is a teacher within the full communion of the Catholic Church.

We have received numerous letters from Cardinals, bishops and priests praising the book, especially for making the Catholic Church so accessible. **We have received no letters of disapproval from church authorities. **Our stated purpose isn’t to present a theological study of the church, but to portray the experience of being Catholic. In taking this approach, we openly discuss the struggles as well as the joys. The viewpoint we present cannot be portrayed by clergy-whose life and formation has not only focused them on the institutional aspect of the Church, but has also separated them in a particular restricted class of the church that makes up less than 1% of church members. It is the cumulative identity of this Church that is the focus.

…

One writer complained about the section title: “Abortion, It’s a tough choice,” saying that for Catholics there is no choice. This section clearly and unequivocally lays out the Catholic Church’s present teaching on abortion. The church is against it. At the same time, the church teaches that without choice there can be no morality. The individual is obliged to think about his or her action and freely make a choice according to conscience. So yes, for many Catholics, abortion is a tough choice-it presents a moral struggle.

In 1966 the U.S. Catholic Bishops declared: “No one is free to evade his (sic) personal responsibility by leaving it entirely to others to make moral judgments.” Yet many people in the church continue to seek the security of law rather than accept the responsibility that comes with freedom-the onerous task of wrestling with moral dilemma-to seek perfection is to fall short of the mark many times in a lifetime.

**To read the viewpoint of the clergy, there is now a popular book in another series by two priests that gives it to you. Many of our critics have recommended it. However, to understand the complexities of Catholicism, as our title suggests, this is the book. **We are Catholic authors who in our twenties, beginning our families and adult life were shaped by the foundation of Vatican II. Having spent our childhood and adolescent years in the pre-Vatican II Catholic Church, we are well aware of what radical changes were recovered in Vatican II - social justice, ecumenism, an embrace of the signs of the times, and the dignity and value of the informed individual conscience. Reader, be aware there are organized forces who speak against the spirit of reformation of Vatican II.

Robert T. O’Gorman
Professor of Pastoral Studies
Loyola University Chicago
Co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Understanding Catholicism *

amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A3587WRLFGT5IP/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview

 

[Corki]

The publishers of the Idiot’s Guide series insist on hiring an expert in the particular field who is paid to read the book and edit it from his or her authoritative knowledge. Our book was reviewed by a priest who holds the Doctor of Jurisprudence, Master of Church Administration, and Licentiate in Sacred Theology degrees. He has served as Vicar General and presently serves as General Counsel and Censor Librorum for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville. Censor Librorum is the office of the theologian a bishop appoints to read and advise him on which Catholic books to grant his imprimatur. We acknowledge him in the front pages of the book.

Hmmmmm. So it was submitted to the office of the Censor Liborum where it *could have *received an imprimatur but was not given one after review.

 

[manualman]

Skip 'em both and get the recent Didache catechesis series, starting with “Introduction to Catholicism” by the Midwest Theological Forum. Awesome stuff, has a legit Imprimatur and is consistant with the REAL Vatican II as well as 2,000 years of historic catholic teaching. Unlike a lot of stuff out there today, it is NOT the work of “hermaneutic of rupture” Vatican II hijackers.

 

[deepa2000]

“Her mother died of cancer when see was six years old, creating a void she never filled…In the tradition of the Church mystics explore that void through prayer and meditation. Madonna explores it through her art…In creating her art, Madonna moves through a forbidden world where eroticism and religion meet…She says about Catholicism, “it’s very sensual…very erotic” … Mystics don’t take other’s word for what God is like our what spirituality is. They…find it for themselves. Madonna is an artistic mystic…For her, the Church is…very sensual…in her corner of the Catholic tent, you can find people that are…redefining God and religion.”​

Brustverkleinerung
Risks of Bariatric Surgery

 

[Rolltide]

Skip 'em both and get the recent Didache catechesis series, starting with “Introduction to Catholicism” by the Midwest Theological Forum. Awesome stuff, has a legit Imprimatur and is consistant with the REAL Vatican II as well as 2,000 years of historic catholic teaching. Unlike a lot of stuff out there today, it is NOT the work of “hermaneutic of rupture” Vatican II hijackers.

I agree with you, this is an outstanding series. That said, “Catholicism for Dummies” has an Imprimatur and is very faithful to the Magesterium. It’s theologically very sound.

 

[Cider]

I say skip them both ( and I do own both of them) and get This is the Faith by Canon Francis Ripley

 

[bacon_man]

I got the complete idiots book at the library, skimmed through it and never read it again, in the first few pages, it says “Catholics genuflect to show respect for the altar.” Wrong. They say that Sunday Obligation is no longer under pain after Vatican II or something. They have no idea what there talking about. this book is mostly the authors opinion of what Catholisism should be than what it is. They seem to have an attitude that the pre vatican II church is different. this book is terrible. Never buy it, don’t even give it to the Library. This book is written by idiots. As the title implies.

 

[centurionguard]

Does the Complete Idiots book have an imprimatur? If so, who granted it.

Personally; just the (“Title”) of the book makes me question the validity and authenticity to the fact that (“The Complete Idiots Guide to Catholicism”) would be totally free from doctrinal errors. Just the use of the word (“Idiot”) makes me question this book. Here we are nine and a half years into the 21st century and I would think it takes some considerable discernment to investigate (“ANY”) Imprimatur on any published Catholic book. Of course some publishers like Tan you know you can trust. There was a time in the Church when you wouldn’t give a second thought to scrutinizing an Imprimatur or even a Nihil Obstat.
There are far better sources to get a Catholic Catechism guide or a Catholic Encyclopedia.