The Prophetic Spirit of Catechesis: How We Share the Fire in Our Hearts

This is an excellent book that explains the doctrines, dogmas, etc of the Catholic Church. This takes the much earlier book, "Were Not Our Hearts Burning" as well as other documents and presents them for further study. I am using this as part of an on-line course and am enjoying this immensely. If you want to gain a much fuller knowledge of the Catholic Church, this is the book of choice.

The sub-title of Mongoven's book-- "How We Share the Fire in Our Hearts"-- catches the spirit and passion with which this study is written. Its engaging style and practical application of principles make it appealing to a broader audience than just those who are "catechists" or who teach or preach about faith, though it will be invaluable to them. This lively and very readable book is concerned with how to convey to 21st century adults the teaching and traditions of Catholic faith. Who will do this? In down-to-earth language, the author tells us that it will be those "strong, faithful people, committed to sharing their faith," the ones who are "the heart and backbone of their parishes," most of whom, she points out, are women. Consequently, Mongoven addresses the questions of inclusive language as well as problems related to the "formation of the church's normative and classic doctrinal texts in a patriarchal culture" in her chapters on the Bible, the church's life and teaching, and liturgy. She shares her own diverse and rich experience in catechetical ministries as well as her research and theological reflection. The layout of the book lends itself to individual or group study: each chapter has a brief overview and concludes with a succinct summary along with additional suggestions for further reading. All in all, an excellent book.