Catholic Dictionary

While engaged in some research on a project which included some comparisons of and contrasts between certain religious practices, I came across this dictionary, formerly called an encyclopaedic dictionary (evidently the name was changed due to a conflict in titles with another publication). It proved to be useful for my purposes as well as of interest in general.I found, for example, that Catholicism, along with many tribal and/or primitive religions (indigenous American peoples, native African cultures are two examples) had very specific rites of exorcism, which is defined in __A CATHOLIC DICTIONARY__ as "the driving out of evil spirits in cases of demonical possession." There is a detailed description of the rite of exorcism, including specific prayers and sections of the Bible to be read in the presence of the possessed, the order in which they should be read, and the training and qualifications of an exorcist. In other cultures, what we, for want of a more precise term, often call witch doctors, or more accurately shamans, perform their own prescribed rites to drive off, or to ward off, evil spirits. While the details of the rituals are different, they too are prescribed and their intent is similar.The 5,000+ entries cover a great amount of ground, ranging from categories with which most of us are familiar, to some very obscure, but often interesting ones. An example of the latter follows.KING'S EVIL: The Kings of France and England have been granted the power to cure scrofula (the main symptom of which is a swelling of the neck glands), by touching the afflicted. The last kings to perform this act of touching are said to be Henry IX of England and Charles X of France. (For more details, see the subject dictionary.)For me, this dictionary has proved useful both for finding very specific information and for randomly picking a page or two and learning something old that is new to me.

Finally back in print! (1961 edition). A goldmine of information with over 5,000 entries! Clear, brief, authoritative, easy to use. Facts, definitions, clear distinctions and the Church's traditional teaching - without speculation, trendy opinions, compromise or dissent. This book belongs in every Catholic home, school and parish! The best we have ever seen

There are numerous Catholic dictionaries out there, but this one, in my opinion, is the best you can get. Clear and succinct language, many entries, lots of information -- all in a handsome paperback edition and for a reasonable price.