101 Things Everyone Should Know about Catholicism: Beliefs, Practices, Customs, and Traditions

Helen Keeler and Susan Grimbley are both long time Catholics and long time writers based in Toronto. This 250 page 4 x 4 x one inch manual presents their well researched perceptions, as long time Catholic laywomen, of the "beliefs, practices, customs and traditions" of our Church. This book apparently is one of a series of informative manuals published by Adams Media out of Avon Massachusetts and printed in Canada edited by PrRofessor James Wiggins, PhD., director of the Inter-religious Council of Central New York and former professor of religious studies at Syracuse. Therefore we discover here general observations regarding Catholicism. I was inspired by the other reviews on this product detail page to give this book a good look and find that it might serve thinking and searching adults intrigued by learning what our Churh is all about, and here they may find well written such popular and complex fare extensively presented. Rather than serving as an encyclopedia of Catholicicm, such as that excellently edited by the Reverend Father Richard P. McBrien in his monumental The HarperCollins Encyclopedia of Catholicism, we find here topics for discussion well arranged under the general sections: History (from the Annunciation to the post Conciliar Church), Essential Beliefs (from the Catechism through essential theological points to faith and good works), The Sacraments (their essence and elements with a special discussion of marriage), Scriptural Interpretation (from the compilation of the Bible through the laity and Scripture study), Practices and Customs (from family worship through the Creeds and Liturgy to conversion, for whom this book seems apostolically intended), ending with Contemporary Issues Confronting Catholics, including human rights and charity as well as interfaith dialogue. This summary cannot be complete, and even less so without mention of the excellent and comprehensive general Introduction to the text. Qualms expressed here regarding Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat are irrelevant to this work, as the vast majoirty of Catholic publications this century proceed without such formalities and even in their presence the same reviewers find fault with the works and authors so approved. In any case this present work is designed as a general presentation of the Catholic Church, her history and how she is and operates today. Published in 2005 it admirably fulfills this function arranged as it is by the themes as laid out above. Nevertheless, for a more precise, scholarly and well researched resource, please acquire the Father McBrien Encyclopedia mentioned above: The HarperCollins Encyclopedia of Catholicism which discusses several similar issues and more, and better. Yet this present small, understandable and portable text may help convince you to begin your own personal salvation journey within the great Mother Church and all her good works and graces on the Pilgrim path to peace and compassion in the practice of God's commandments to

As a young (under 30) man looking to "return" to the catholic faith after a 20+ year absence, I found this book essential on my personal quest. It may seem to oversimplify everything it talks about, and it does. But it serves as a real down and dirty quickie guide on eveything catholic. Eveything is boiled down to a quick 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 page (pages are 4" square) Each point of the 101 points is readable on it's own, but they flow from one to another quite smoothly. I read it the first time as a book, but will keep it around as a quick reference. There were many things I had questions that were not really impoortant to my decision ( like why catholics eat fish on fridays) I did not really need a long discourse on the reasons, I was just curious, and the quick page-and-a-half passage on it in this book was perfect. Other things, like the reconcilliation between faith and science, (a biggie for me...) filled a few passages, amd was maybe 6-8 pages. It served as a wonderful jumping off point to open the discussion with the priest I am working with. If you are a catholic, you really need this little book around.