Catholicism For Dummies

There are many times, even throughout a single day, that a question comes up regarding the Church. Sometimes, just a quick look will satisfy the curiosity, which makes Catholicism for Dummies a great reference.  Well organized and easy to read, it can be used by either Catholics or non-Catholics.

The book is divided into six parts. The first part is titled "Geting Familliar with the Basics", and gives a brief overview of what it means to be a Catholic, the church hierarchy, the four marks of the True Church, and other such topics. The second section is "Understanding all those Beliefs" and covers faith, worship, the Sacraments, and the Mass. Next comes "Behaving Like a Saint", which is about Church Law, the Ten Commandments, and morality. The next section, "Practicing Catholicism Through Devotions", is (not surprisingly) about devotions in the Church. Section five is called "The Part of Tens", and contains three 'top ten' lists of modern Catholics, favorite saints, and popular Cattholic destinations. The last section is the Appendixes, which contain a concise history of Catholicism, a list of the Popes throughout history, and a list of the solemnities, feasts, and memorials for the year.

Written with the understanding that the reader might not be Catholic, or does not know much about the Church, the book is packed with information without going very deep. Most of the information only scratches the surface of the topic discussed, but it does give enough information to give you a start in the right direction. It was never meant to be a replacement for a Catechism, but as a quick, easy-to-use reference when needed. I would suggest getting this for someone who is interested in learning about the Catholic faith, or someone who is not very strong in their knowledge of Catholicism but wants a reference book.