USCCA gift for Lutherans?

[Denise_R]

We have some friends who are very faithful Lutherans. Many times they have tried to discuss religion with my husband and me and challenge us about what the Catholic Church teaches. They are pretty anti-Catholic at times.

I actually owe my return to the Church partly because their comments challenged me (admittedly out of pride) to find the answers to their questions. However, they have never really accepted the answers about Catholic Church teaching. Most of their information about the Church has come from Lutheran sources and is just wrong.

It turns out that their son is going to be married next year to a Catholic girl and he is converting to Catholicism! They seem to be accepting of it – at least to us – and I purposely don’t make a point of “rubbing their noses in it”. (I know if it were my son marrying a Lutheran girl and converting I wouldn’t hear the end of it from them.)

We sometimes exchange small gifts at Christmas. Would the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults be an appropriate gift? I would be giving it as a way for them to learn more about the faith their son is coming into so they can offer support instead of challenging him. They are very intellectual and well-read. I have often wanted them to read my issues of This Rock but don’t know how to offer it to them without them being offended or turning on me.

Has anyone read USCCA yet?

Denise

 

[Fidelis]

We have some friends who are very faithful Lutherans. Many times they have tried to discuss religion with my husband and me and challenge us about what the Catholic Church teaches. They are pretty anti-Catholic at times.

I actually owe my return to the Church partly because their comments challenged me (admittedly out of pride) to find the answers to their questions. However, they have never really accepted the answers about Catholic Church teaching. Most of their information about the Church has come from Lutheran sources and is just wrong.

It turns out that their son is going to be married next year to a Catholic girl and he is converting to Catholicism! They seem to be accepting of it – at least to us – and I purposely don’t make a point of “rubbing their noses in it”. (I know if it were my son marrying a Lutheran girl and converting I wouldn’t hear the end of it from them.)

We sometimes exchange small gifts at Christmas. Would the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults be an appropriate gift? I would be giving it as a way for them to learn more about the faith their son is coming into so they can offer support instead of challenging him. They are very intellectual and well-read. I have often wanted them to read my issues of This Rock but don’t know how to offer it to them without them being offended or turning on me.

Has anyone read USCCA yet?

Denise

Yes, I have, and I think it would be an excellent entre fro them into the teachings of the Church from an official text. They can have it straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak, with lots of CCC references that, hopefully, will help them dig a little deeper.

Another good thing about this book is it’s non-polemic tone. It is purposely written so as to not antagonize anyone, so your friends shouldn’t feel attacked or offended by it.

Having said that, if they find ways to continue attack the Church in spite of your efforts to provide solid information, after that you may to bring in the Big Guns – like Karl Keating’s “Catholicism and Fundamentalism” or this collection of stories about Lutherans who converted to Catholicism:

**There We Stood, Here We Stand : Eleven Lutherans Rediscover Their Catholic Roots **
amazon.com/There-Stood-Here-Stand-Rediscover/dp/0759613206

 

[Denise_R]

Thanks for your reply.

I did read There We Stood; Here We Stand. It was very good. I’m not ready to throw that their way at this point but may do so one day.

Thanks again,
Denise

 

[Fidelis]

Thanks for your reply.

I did read There We Stood; Here We Stand. It was very good. I’m not ready to throw that their way at this point but may do so one day.

Thanks again,
Denise

You’re welcome.

Another recommendation would be Peter Kreeft’s “Catholic Christianity.” Kreeft is a philosophy professor at Boston College who is widely respected in ecumenical circles. This book is also non-polemic, but very clear and logical, in addition to being completely orthodox. It is also keyed to the Catechism.

amazon.com/Catholic-Christianity-Complete-Catechism-Beliefs/dp/0898707986/sr=8-1/qid=1166573133/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-5404349-8137706?ie=UTF8&s=books

Here’s the blurb:

Book Description
For the first time in 400 years the Catholic Church has authorized an official universal catechism which instantly became an international best-seller, the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Using this official Catechism, the highly-regarded author and professor Peter Kreeft presents a complete compendium of all the major beliefs of Catholicism written in his readable and concise style.
Since the Catechism of the Catholic Church was written for the express purpose of grounding and fostering catechisms based on it for local needs and ordinary readers, Kreeft does just that, offering a thorough summary of Catholic doctrine, morality, and worship in a popular format with less technical language. He presents a systematic, organic synthesis of the essential and fundamental Catholic teachings in the light of the Second Vatican Council and the whole of the Church’s Tradition.

This book is the most thorough, complete and popular catechetical summary of Catholic belief in print that is based on the universal Catechism.