Where to begin when wanting to learn more about Catholicism

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HeWillProvide

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Hello,
I have a general understanding of Catholicism, was raised Catholic and went through CCD, etc. and would like to learn more. There are so many books out there. I’ve read several on various topics, such as saints, Fatima, Purgatory, etc. Any suggestions on where to begin to learn more about the faith? It feels like walking into a library with a million Catholic books and having someone say, Okay, pick one. Should I just start picking books at random, or is there a good “starting point” book? Thank you.
 
HeWillProvide said:
Hello,
I have a general understanding of Catholicism, was raised Catholic and went through CCD, etc. and would like to learn more. There are so many books out there. I’ve read several on various topics, such as saints, Fatima, Purgatory, etc. Any suggestions on where to begin to learn more about the faith? It feels like walking into a library with a million Catholic books and having someone say, Okay, pick one. Should I just start picking books at random, or is there a good “starting point” book? Thank you.
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It depends on the sort of learning you would like to do.

Are you looking to better understand the basis of various doctrines, or see them proven or defended?

Are you trying to understand the theology of Catholicism?

Do you want to know more about the history of the Church, or the experience of being Catholic, or something about the structure of the Church?

It’s hard to give any meaningful recommendation without some idea of what you are trying to learn. I understand how daunting it is to try to pick one out of all the thousands of books you see when you walk into a Catholic book store. However, you really need to at least have a “section” down before you can know where to begin.

Let me ask a different question: what is your goal?
 
Get a Catechism. And then go to the index to browse all the different topics you’re interested in at this point. 🙂 The corresponding paragraphs will give you the low down without having to read a book. From there you can ask about a more specific book on various subjects if it suits you.

If you are into MP3s, you can get Father Corapi’s entire 50+ hour Catechism talks from here. 😃 (this link works sometimes yes, sometimes no)
 
HeWillProvide said:
Hello,
I have a general understanding of Catholicism, was raised Catholic and went through CCD, etc. and would like to learn more. There are so many books out there. I’ve read several on various topics, such as saints, Fatima, Purgatory, etc. Any suggestions on where to begin to learn more about the faith? It feels like walking into a library with a million Catholic books and having someone say, Okay, pick one. Should I just start picking books at random, or is there a good “starting point” book? Thank you.
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EWTN or St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology
 
Laserlike42 had a good answer and so is the advice to pick up a Catechism. A searchable version is available on line.

I like the idea of following your interest – at least at the beginning.
 
HeWillProvide said:
Hello,
I have a general understanding of Catholicism, was raised Catholic and went through CCD, etc. and would like to learn more. There are so many books out there. I’ve read several on various topics, such as saints, Fatima, Purgatory, etc. Any suggestions on where to begin to learn more about the faith? It feels like walking into a library with a million Catholic books and having someone say, Okay, pick one. Should I just start picking books at random, or is there a good “starting point” book? Thank you.
Click to expand...
I have to recommend my personal favorite catechism: Baltimore Catechism and Mass No. 3: The Text of the Official Revised Edition 1949 with Summarizations of Doctrine and Study Helps
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51SJQMKZBSL.SS500.jpg

This Is the Faith by Canon Francis Ripley is also high on the list.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51DYYTTK69L.SL500_AA240.jpg

Peace in Christ,

DustinsDad
 
Just_Lurking said:
I recommend Catholic Christianity by Peter Kreeft.
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I’ve not read this particular book, but I do know that Kreeft is a master at distilling information in an enjoyable/readable format.

The three books that have benefited me most in learning the faith are as follows:
  1. Theology and Sanity - Frank Sheed
  2. Introduction to Christianity - Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
  3. The Lord - Romano Guardini
Of the three, Guardini’s book is probably the easiest read, Sheed’s book covers the most topics (he even discusses briefly aeviternity), and Ratzinger’s book was incredibly deep.
 
Catholicism For Dummies… Even if you have been in the faith for years, it retraces the basics and I always am reminding of wonderful things when I read it.
 
If you have TV access beyond the basics, I second the suggestion of EWTN. There are some great programs there ~ they inform as well as get you thinking.
 
Lazerlike42 said:
It depends on the sort of learning you would like to do.

Are you looking to better understand the basis of various doctrines, or see them proven or defended?

Are you trying to understand the theology of Catholicism?

Do you want to know more about the history of the Church, or the experience of being Catholic, or something about the structure of the Church?

It’s hard to give any meaningful recommendation without some idea of what you are trying to learn. I understand how daunting it is to try to pick one out of all the thousands of books you see when you walk into a Catholic book store. However, you really need to at least have a “section” down before you can know where to begin.

Let me ask a different question: what is your goal?
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I guess my answer is “yes” to all of those questions - basically, I want to know everything about the Catholic faith, but more importantly, want to improve my relationship with God, Jesus and Mary.
 
the CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH is the best book to start with, and to know more about the Rosary read ‘THE SECRET OF THE ROSARY’ by St Louis De Montfort
 
HeWillProvide said:
I guess my answer is “yes” to all of those questions - basically, I want to know everything about the Catholic faith, but more importantly, want to improve my relationship with God, Jesus and Mary.
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With respect to the Catechism, start by reading tha last part first. That is part 4 on prayer. It is amazing.

Then, for “improving your relationship with God, Jesus and Mary, I HIGHLY recommend the monthly publication, Magnificat – it has short forms of daily morning and evening prayer, a daily meditation from a classic Christian work, AND it has all the Mass readings for the month in a little volume about 3/8” thick (printed on “Bible” paper). Even if you do not attend daily Mass, by reading/praying the Scripture lessons, you develop close relationship with Scripture – and you know Who wrote that! You probably know that in 3 years, the lectionary covers about 75% of the Bible.

I do lectio divina. That’s a fancy word for reading a text thoughtfully several times, pondering its meanng, focusing on one little portion that captures your attention, “meditating” on it by working your brain over it, praying as the spirit moves you from that text, and then quietly “contemplating” it: basically resting in the fruit of your meditation and prayer to allow them to become part of you. This can be done in as little as 15 minutes or it can take a couple of hours.

The beauty of praying the lectionary is that it draws you into the Mass and into the heart of our Eucharistic Lord like nothing else.
 
mercygate said:
Laserlike42 had a good answer and so is the advice to pick up a Catechism. A searchable version is available on line.

I like the idea of following your interest – at least at the beginning.
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Ditto.

Don’t try to read a Catechism like you would a novel. Pick your spots and expand from there. 🙂
 
I would also look within my own parish. Actually interfacing with others in your parish community might provide a more balanced view of things, than taking one view (a book or video, etc) and considering it as the complete, full truth.

Broaden your horizons, absorb knowledge, and the spirit will lead you to the truth.
 
I personally have found the Catechism of the Catholic Church to be most enlightening and useful. Pick whatever topic you want to ask about, check it in the index, and go from there. It gives the information, scriptural references, and many other references that can be used. In the RCIA we have at out parish, a Catechism of the Catholic Church and Bible is given to each person coming into the program. They have all said how helpful it was.
Prayers and Blessings
Deacon Ed B
 
Follow your interests. What specific questions do you have right now? Start with the Catechism, follow the footnotes to the Church documents, and go from there. 🙂
 
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