The Catholic Response

Providing insights for helping Catholics respond to fundamentalists' accusations against the faith, "The Catholic Response" contains dozens of brief treatises on a host of topics that generally find their way into discussions or debates with fundamentalists. This helpful guide includes a list of print and electronic resources to assist readers in delving deeper into questions touched upon in the text.

Catholic Answers to Protestant Questions is a must read for those seeking to grow in their Catholic identity. Here are just a few of the questions that are covered in this book: Where did the Bible come from? Was Christ or Constantine the founder of the Catholic Church? Was Peter the first Pope? What do Catholics mean by being "born again" and why do they baptize children? Where do Catholics find the seven sacraments in the Bible? Why do Catholics believe in the Eucharist as the Body and Blood of Christ? Why do we need a priest to forgive serious sins? What are indulgences and why are they needed? Where can we find a priest being referred to as "Father" in the Bible? Do Catholics worship saints? What is the communion of saints? Is Mary the Mother of God? Did Jesus have brothers and sisters? Was Mary assumed into heaven? Is there a purgatory? Is there a rapture? Is salvation assured? Are we justified by faith alone, or by faith and works? Do Catholics practice idol worship?

When in 1949 Fr. Leonard Feeney, SJ accused the Archbishop of Boston, Richard J. Cushing, of heresy for holding that Jews and Protestants could be saved, he backed up his charge by producing passages from the writings of fathers of the church such as St. Augustine, of eminent theologians such as St. Thomas Aquinas, and from the decrees of popes and councils, to prove that it was a dogma of faith that there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. He did seem to have the weight of evidence on his side, and it was not easy to see how the modern idea that non-Catholics can be saved could be reconciled with the church's traditional doctrine that excluded them from salvation. Many in the Catholic Church have felt that while Feeney must surely have been wrong, the questions he raised were never satisfactorily answered. Is it really a dogma of Catholic faith that there is no salvation outside the church? Can the optimism of Vatican II about the universal possibility of salvation be defended as an example of homogeneous development of doctrine? Or would it be more honest to say that the Catholic Church has recognized that its previous teaching was mistaken? The author is convinced that the only way to answer such questions is by a thorough study of the history of Christian thought about the salvation of those Òoutside the church.Ó Rev. Sullivan makes this historical study a lively reading experience while drawing conclusions that will impact ecumenical thinking for years to come.

A Catholic Response to the Jehovahs Witnesses is a departure from the authors usual subject of books and articles on aspects of Catholic spirituality. Having met with many Witnesses over the years, she was prompted to write the book as a response to them. It also addresses the concern many Catholics have as to how to engage with Witnesses and how they might evaluate their teachings. It is written in an informal style to introduce readers to the various aspects of the doctrines of the Jehovahs Witnesses, and how a Catholic might respond to them from their own tradition and the theology of the Catholic Church.

The popular blogger and publisher of Envoy magazine offers 10 key reasons why he loves being Catholic (and you should too). Drawing heavily on poignant anecdotes from his own experience as a life-long Catholic born in 1960s, Madrid offers readers a way of looking at the Church--its members, teachings, customs, and history--from perspectives many may have never considered. Growing up Catholic during a time of great social and theological upheaval and transition, a time in which countless Catholics abandoned their religion in search of something else, Patrick Madrid learned a great deal about why people leave Catholicism and why others stay. This experience helped him gain many insights into what it is about the Catholic Church that some people reject, as well as those things that others treasure. Drawing upon Madrid's personal experiences, Why Be Catholic? offers a deeply personal, fact-based, rationale for why everyone should be Catholic or at least consider the Catholic Church in a new light.

Over 3 million copies sold! Essential reading for Catholics of all walks of life. Here it is - the first new Catechism of the Catholic Church in more than 400 years, a complete summary of what Catholics around the world commonly believe. The Catechism draws on the Bible, the Mass, the Sacraments, Church tradition and teaching, and the lives of saints. It comes with a complete index, footnotes and cross-references for a fuller understanding of every subject. The word catechism means "instruction" - this book will serve as the standard for all future catechisms. Using the tradition of explaining what the Church believes (the Creed), what she celebrates (the Sacraments), what she lives (the Commandments), and what she prays (the Lord's Prayer), the Catechism of the Catholic Church offers challenges for believers and answers for all those interested in learning about the mystery of the Catholic faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a positive, coherent and contemporary map for our spiritual journey toward transformation.