Download or read book Forty Reasons I Am a Catholic written by Peter Kreeft and published by Sophia Institute Press. This book was released on 2018-03-02 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: My title explains itself. But it’s misleading. There are more than 40 reasons. In fact, there are at least ten to the 82nd power, which, I am told, is the number of atoms in the universe. And that’s just in ordinary matter, which makes up only 4.9% of the universe, the rest being dark matter and dark energy. Each of my reasons is an independent point, so I have not organized this book by a succession of chapters or headings. After all, most readers only remember a few big ideas or separate points after reading a book. (I’ve never heard anyone say “Oh, that was a good continuous-process-of-logically-ordered-argumentation” but I’ve often heard people say, “Oh, that was a good point.” Which takes me back to my main point: “Why are you a Catholic?” is a good question. A good question deserves a good answer. Here are forty of mine.

Download or read book Forty Anti Catholic Lies written by Gerard Verschuuren and published by Sophia Institute Press. This book was released on 2018-05-18 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tired of being stumped when false claims are made about the Catholic Church? Want to be armed with knowledge that puts these mistruths to rest? In these pages, veteran apologist Gerard Verschuuren provides thorough yet concise answers to forty of the most common — and absurd — lies about the Catholic Church. With precision and charity, you’ll soon be able to defend the Church when you’re told that Catholics . . . Still lives in the Dark AgesReject modern ideas of justiceOppress womenOppose free speechKilled thousands during the InquisitionTake orders from the popeReject scienceWorship statues and the Virgin MaryAdded books to the BibleInvented purgatoryWrongly call priests “father”Celebrate pagan holidaysHelped Hitler seize powerAnd so much more! Relying on historical works and official Church documents, Vershuuren authoritatively proves that these and many other claims are simply caricatures or outright misrepresentations of the real beliefs of Catholics. Read this book and you’ll be armed with the knowledge and confidence you need to defend the Catholic Church from those who wrongly disparage her teachings. Better yet, you’ll be equipped to proclaim the soul-saving truth of our Faith.

Download or read book Catholic Traditions and Treasures written by Helen Hoffner and published by Sophia Institute Press. This book was released on 2018-09-20 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New converts and cradle Catholics alike are often perplexed by the myriad of devotions, traditions, practices, and beliefs that the Catholic Church has accumulated over the past twenty centuries. Why pray to St. Anthony to find something lost? Why keep a St. Christopher medal in your car? Or why bury a statue of St. Joseph — upside down! — in your yard when selling your house? In Helen Hoffner’s lovingly-illustrated, encyclopedic Catholic Treasures and Traditions, you’ll find succinct – and sometimes amusing – answers to these and hundreds of other questions. This delightful book explains the origin and nature of most of the common traditions of the Catholic Faith, as well as the source and meaning of many of the quaint and obscure ones. From Forty Hours to First Fridays and from Holy Hours to Holy Days, you’ll find in these pages an informative, delightful compendium of the Catholic way of life, including information about: Novenas * Penance * Prayers for the Dead * First Fridays * Votive Candles * Religious Medals * St. Francis Statues * Bathtub Madonnas * Holy Cards * Crucifixes * House Blessings * Prayer Corners * Advent Calendars * Jesse Trees * Marian Apparitions * Vestments * Icons * Divine Mercy * The Sacred Heart * The Liturgical Year * Holy Days * Religious Orders * The Holy See * The Roman Curia * The Divine Office * Holy Oils * Genuflecting * Relics * Stations of the Cross * The Sacraments * The Angelus * Litanies * Patron Saints and much more to acquaint you with the many wonderful treasures and traditions of the Catholic Faith!

Download or read book Crisis and Challenge in the Roman Catholic Church written by Debra Meyers and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2020-07-07 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume explores the historical, theological, sociological, and ethical dimensions of the current issues threatening the two thousand-year-old Roman Catholic Church. The interdisciplinary analysis contained within the volume exposes the destructive convictions and actions of the Roman Catholic clergy that has produced the current institutional crisis while suggesting options for moving forward. Documenting the cases that constitute the many crises currently surrounding Catholicism, the volume aims to provide clarity and conscience. At the same time, with a constructive vision of an ethics and religious practice rooted in integrity and transparency, the authors offer a path towards holistic and holy reformation by and for Catholics.

Download or read book Why Be Catholic written by Patrick Madrid and published by Image. This book was released on 2014-06-03 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book Let There Be No Divisions Among You written by Rev John Maclaughlin and published by Sophia Institute Press. This book was released on 2017 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With clear, compelling logic bolstered by countless Scriptural confirmations, Fr. John MacLaughlin here considers the oft-heard claim that it doesn't matter what Christian denomination you join, so long as you're sincere. Formally known as Indifferentism, this view has in recent centuries taken deep root among Christians. Indeed, indifferentism is the enemy not only of Protestantism and Catholicism, but of Christ Himself, who revealed to His apostles scores of truths about Himself and the way of salvation, never encouraging them to pick and choose among those truths. Not only then, argues Fr. MacLaughlin, is one Christian denomination not as good as another; embracing the wrong one can lead a good-hearted soul into utter unbelief, jeopardizing his salvation. For this reason, Fr. MacLaughlin devotes the second half of this immensely popular book to delineating for readers the two fundamental characteristics that will ever and always be found in the one Church that Christ founded and to which he intends all men and women to belong. Among the things you will learn here: How indifferentism threatens your salvationWhere Christ forbids preaching some doctrines while ignoring othersThe two marks the of the true church delineated by Christ HimselfDenominational lethargy: how sticking with the Faith you were born into can violate the First Commandment . . . and risk your salvationDecrees of the Council of Jerusalem (ca. 50 a.d.): proof that the apostles themselves denied that one Christian faith is as good as anotherHow consideration of indifferentism draws inquirers to the true churchHow the profusion of Protestant sects reveals the need for a final authorityThe universality of the True Church: lt existed already at Pentecost, before the Church spread beyond Jerusalem (and one Church has that very same universality today)The religion revealed by Christ: In its essentials, it's clear, definite, unchanging. Is yours?

Download or read book Handbook of Christian Apologetics written by Peter Kreeft and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2009-09-20 with total page 412 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Voted one of Christianity Today's 1995 Books of the Year! Reasonable, concise, witty and wise, Peter Kreeft and Ronald K. Tacelli have written an informative and valuable guidebook for anyone looking for answers to questions of faith and reason. Topics include: faith and reason the existence of God God's nature how we know God creation and evolution providence and free will miracles the problem of evil the Bible's historical reliability the divinity of Christ the resurrection life after death heaven and hell salvation Christianity and other religions objective truth Whether you are asking the questions yourself or want to respond to others who are, here is the resource you have been waiting for.

Download or read book Why Catholics Are Right written by Michael Coren and published by McClelland & Stewart. This book was released on 2011-04-12 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A practicing Catholic defends the faith and offers a passionate response to current anti-Catholic opinion. In Why Catholics Are Right, author, columnist, and practicing Catholic Michael Coren examines four main aspects of Catholicism as they are encountered, understood, and more importantly, misunderstood today. Beginning with a frank examination of the tragedy of the Catholic clergy abuse scandal, Coren addresses some of them most common attacks on Catholics and Catholicism. Tracing Catholic history, he deconstructs popular and frequent anti-Catholic arguments regarding the Church and the Crusades, the Inquisition, Galileo, and the Holocaust. He examines Catholic theology and central pillars of Catholic belief, explaining why Catholics believe what they do: papal infallibility, immaculate conception, the Church rather than Bible alone. Finally, he explores the dignity of life argument and why it is so important to Catholicism. In this challenging and thought-provoking book, Michael Coren demolishes often propagated myths about the Church's beliefs and teachings, and in doing so, opens a window onto Catholicism, which, he writes, "is as important now as it ever was and perhaps even more necessary."

Download or read book Why I Am a Catholic written by Garry Wills and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2003 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this provocative work, which could not be timelier, Garry Wills, one of our country's most noted writers and historians, offers a powerful statement of his Catholic faith. Beginning with a reflection on his early experience of that faith as a child and later as a Jesuit seminarian, Wills reveals the importance of Catholicism in his own life. He goes on to challenge, in clear and forceful terms, the claim that criticism or reform of the papacy is an assault on the faith itself. For Wills, a Catholic can be both loyal and critical, a loving child who stays with his father even if the parent is wrong. Wills turns outward from his personal experiences to present a sweeping narrative covering two thousand years of church history, revealing that the papacy, far from being an unchanging institution, has been transformed dramatically over the millennia -- and can be reimagined in the future. At a time when the church faces one of its most difficult crises, Garry Wills offers an important and compelling entrée into the discussion of the church's past -- and its future. Intellectually brisk and spiritually moving, Why I Am a Catholic poses urgent questions for Catholic and non-Catholic readers alike.

Download or read book Why Stay Catholic written by Michael Leach and published by Loyola Press. This book was released on 2011-03-15 with total page 363 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why Stay Catholic? is a lively, timely book about the "good stuff" within the Catholic Church today.

Download or read book Holy Water written by Rev. Henry Theiler and published by Sophia Institute Press. This book was released on 2016-07-11 with total page 113 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Countless graces flow from the use of Holy Water when you understand its role in God’s plan of salvation, and how it brings new graces into your life. In clear, convincing language, Father Theiler lays out for Christians countless surprising, but long-forgotten truths about Holy Water, and explains the interior acts and dispositions that are necessary for this blessed gift of God to have the sanctifying effect our Lord intends for you. Read these pages attentively; consider them thoughtfully; incorporate their truths and suggestions into your daily spiritual life. In these pages, you’ll also learn: The time that God Himself commanded the use of Holy Water (Do you know where the Bible tells this story?)Why God chose water as the means to impart so many blessings – even before He created man and woman!What you should — and should not — expect from the graces conferred by Holy WaterDid you know that Holy Water helps not merely the souls, but even the bodies of the Faithful DepartedWhy, although it’s not necessary for salvation, Holy Water may be just what you need to be savedHoly Water actually does protect you against ills, physical and spiritual – but only if you use it properly. Do you know how?Making the Sign of the Cross with Holy Water: what it ought to bring to your mind.A simple way to use Holy Water to ease and deepen your prayers at MassYou know your children face many dangers. Here are ways Holy Water can protect themThe Rite of Sprinkling with Holy Water: what should you do if no drops of water reach you?Many prayers — short and long — to help you use Holy Water frequently and efficaciouslyEight practical ways you can use Holy Water for the well-being of yourself and your loved ones.

Download or read book Born Fundamentalist Born Again Catholic written by David Currie and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2009-09-03 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: David Currie was raised in a devout Christian family whose father was a fundamentalist preacher and both parents teachers at Moody Bible Institute. Currie's whole upbringing was immersed in the life of fundamentalist Protestantism - theology professors, seminary presidents and founders of evangelical mission agencies were frequent guests at his family dinner table. Currie received a degree from Trinity International University and studied in the Masters of Divinity program. This book was written as an explanation to his fundamentalist and evangelical friends and family about why he became a Roman Catholic. Currie presents a very lucid, systematic and intelligible account of the reasons for his conversion to the ancient Church that Christ founded. He gives a detailed discussion of the important theological and doctrinal beliefs Catholic and evangelicals hold in common, as well as the key doctrines that separate us, particularly the Eucharist, the Pope, and Mary.

Download or read book Why Do Catholics Do That written by Kevin Orlin Johnson and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2011-07-27 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Why Do Catholics Do That? renowned scholar and religion columnist Kevin Orlin Johnson answers the most frequently asked questions on Catholic faith, worship, culture, and customs, including: * How the Church Makes Laws * The Hard-Fought Genesis of the New Testament * The Cycle of Redemption * A Short Guide to the Meaning and Structure of the Mass * Decoding Symbols of Scripture and the Sacraments * The Calendar as the Image of Christ's Life * The Rosary * The Stations of the Cross * Monks, Nuns, and the Rules That Guide Them * The Pope * The Laity in the Modern World * Saints * Fatima, Lourdes, and the Story of Apparitions * The Vatican: A Holy City * The Sign of the Cross, Christianity's Best-Known Symbol * Candles in Prayer and Liturgy * The Meaning of the Nativity Scene Blending religious history, a deep appreciation for art and culture, and an enlightened reverence for the traditions of the Church, Why Do Catholics Do That? is the definitive resource for any one who wants to learn more about the rituals, symbols, and traditions that can strengthen our faith every day. "Johnson offers lucid explanations of a dizzying array of customs and beliefs." --Publishers Weekly From the Trade Paperback edition.

Download or read book How I Stayed Catholic at Harvard written by Aurora Griffin and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2016-08-16 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Harvard graduate, Rhodes Scholar, and devout Catholic tells you everything you need to know about keeping your faith at a modern university. Drawing on her recent experience, Aurora Griffin shares forty practical tips relating to academics, community, prayer, and service that helped her stay Catholic in college. She reminds us that keeping the faith is a conscious decision, reinforced by commitment to daily practices. Aurora’s story illustrates that when you decide your faith matters to you, no one can take it away, even in the most secular environments and under strong peer pressure. Throughout the book, she shows how being Catholic in college did not prevent her from having a full “college experience,” but actually enabled her to make the most of her time at Harvard. Aurora encourages students who are about to begin this formative journey, or those now in college, that the most valuable parts of college life -- lasting friendships, intellectual growth, and cherished memories -- are experienced in a more meaningful way when lived in and through the Catholic faith.

Download or read book Why I Am Catholic and You Should Be Too written by Brandon Vogt and published by Ave Maria Press. This book was released on 2017-10-06 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner of a 2018 Catholic Press Association Award: Popular Presentation of the Catholic Faith. (First Place). With atheism on the rise and millions tossing off religion, why would anyone consider the Catholic Church? Brandon Vogt, a bestselling author and the content director for Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, shares his passionate search for truth, a journey that culminated in the realization that Catholicism was right about a lot of things, maybe even everything. His persuasive case for the faith reveals a vision of Catholicism that has answers our world desperately needs and reminds those already in the Church what they love about it. A 2016 study by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 25 percent of adults (39 percent of young adults) describe themselves as unaffiliated with any religion. Millions of these so-called “nones” have fled organized religion and many more have rejected God altogether. Brandon Vogt was one of those nones. When he converted to Catholicism in college, he knew how confusing that decision was to many of his friends and family. But he also knew that the evidence he discovered pointed to one conclusion: Catholicism is true. To his delight, he discovered it was also exceedingly good and beautiful. Why I Am Catholic traces Vogt’s spiritual journey, making a refreshing, twenty-first century case for the faith and answering questions being asked by agnostics, nones, and atheists, the audience for his popular website, StrangeNotions.com, where Catholics and atheists dialogue. With references to Catholic thinkers such as G. K. Chesterton, Ven. Fulton Sheen, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and Bishop Robert Barron, Vogt draws together lines of evidence to help seekers discover why they should be Catholic as an alternative. Why I Am Catholic serves as a compelling reproposal of the Church for former Catholics, a persuasive argument for truth and beauty to those who have become jaded and disenchanted with religion, and at the same time offers practicing Catholics a much-needed dose of confidence and clarity to affirm their faith against an increasingly skeptical culture.

Download or read book Reasons to Believe written by Scott Hahn and published by Image. This book was released on 2007-05-08 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book unravels mysteries, corrects misunderstandings, and offers thoughtful, straightforward responses to common objections about the Catholic faith. Bestselling author Scott Hahn, a convert to Catholicism, has experienced the doubts that so often drive discussions about God and the Church. In the years before his conversion, he was first a nonbeliever and then an anti-Catholic clergyman. In REASONS TO BELIEVE, he explains the "how and why" of the Catholic faith—drawing from Scripture, his own struggles and those of other converts, as well as from everyday life and even natural science. Hahn shows that reason and revelation, nature and the supernatural, are not opposed to one another; rather they offer complementary evidence that God exists. But He doesn't merely exist. He is someone, and He has a personality, a personal style, that is discernible and knowable. Hahn leads readers to see that God created the universe with a purpose and a form—a form that can be found in the Book of Genesis and that is there when we view the natural world through a microscope, through a telescope, or through our contact lenses. At the heart of the book is Hahn's examination of the ten "keys to the kingdom"—the characteristics of the Church clearly evident in the Scriptures. As the story of creation discloses, the world is a house that has a Father, a palace where the king is really present. God created the cosmos to be a kingdom, and that kingdom is the universal Church, fully revealed by Jesus Christ.

Download or read book An Immovable Feast written by Tyler Blanski and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2018-03-27 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work is a winsome and beautifully written account of a modern spiritual journey. It tells the colorful and gripping story of one man's religious path from a fundamentalist Baptist childhood to an adolescence in emergent church spirituality. He moves on through hipster years as a house painter and a musician, then marries and enters a seminary in Wisconsin. After years of wearing a black cassock and preparing to be an Anglican priest, he boldly joins the Catholic Church. An Immovable Feast is a profound love story told with humor, wisdom, and bite. A fresh breeze blows through it as Tyler Blanski reminds us that the Catholic religion is not dead because it is not mortal. It is the festival of heaven on earth.