We Believe: A Survey of the Catholic Faith

As others have posted, "We Believe" is truly a resource for anyone interested in Catholicism. It should be added, however, that Father Lukefahr has a natural ability to write for his audience. Most clergy are very well educated and spend years obtaining multiple advanced degrees. Although this may make them experts in their fields, somewhere along the way they also obtain a dialect that their flock no longer understands. "We Believe" is written in layman's terms which allows the reader to actually digest the material rather than chew on it for days in an attempt to acquire the flavor of it. The material has been here for over 2000 years. Father Lukefahr simply has a knack of presenting it in a manner that makes it all seem new.

Fr. Lukefahr's orthodox little catechism has proved to be a valuable guide to the Faith since it was first published ten years ago. The most recent version is fully indexed to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and includes suggestions for further reading and reflection. The advantage of this catechism vs. others available is that it doesn't merely replicate the CCC, but rather provides details interesting to the lightly catechized or new Catholic. (Fr. Lukefahr's highly-recommended "The Catechism Handbook" is in fact an abbreviated CCC.) For instance, in the chapters on the New Testament, Fr. Lukefahr includes the findings of authentic Catholic scholarship on the identity of the evangelists and apostles but excludes fads popular in less orthodox circles. He also explains things like the importance of the "priesthood of the faithful" without diminishing the unique role of the ordained priesthood in the life of the Church. Unfortunately, many other guides to the Faith either blur or confuse such teachings. Much like that other master catechist Fr. Alfred McBride, Fr. Lukefahr purposely writes at a "Reader's Digest" level of sophistication. At roughly 200 pages, the book is an ideal text for an RCIA class or program of self-study. Readers can enroll in a free "We Believe ..." home study course by "Googling" the words "Fr. Lukefahr" and "Catholic home study".

This a great book if you're in the RCIA program and trying to learn as much as you can. I read this after I completed the RCIA program because I had so many more questions. I've read several of this author's book and this has been my favorite.

This book is a "MUST HAVE" for everyone! Catholic, non-catholic, future catholic, you name it! It's rare to come across books that pack so much information from start to finish - you'll keep this on your shelf nearby for frequent reference!

As a life long Catholic and a product of Catholic education, I was thrilled with how much I was able to learn from this book. We Believe is a terrific resource weather you are new to the Catholic faith or if you are a life long Catholic. This book is all emcompassing as far as the biblical materials, catechism, and writings of the early fathers of our faith. It covers any issue and makes sence out of the difficult areas of faith such as the Trinity. We Believe covers so much material and explains the Catholic faith so simplistically, that anybody will benefit from reading this book. For me, it was difficult to put this book down