{"id":1520,"date":"2013-02-20T17:14:03","date_gmt":"2013-02-20T23:14:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/happycatholicbookshelf\/?p=1520"},"modified":"2013-02-20T17:14:03","modified_gmt":"2013-02-20T23:14:03","slug":"introduction-to-catholicism-for-adults-chapter-1-notes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/happycatholicbookshelf\/2013\/02\/introduction-to-catholicism-for-adults-chapter-1-notes\/","title":{"rendered":"Introduction to Catholicism for Adults, Chapter 1 Notes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

When do you break down and write a book review chapter-by-chapter?<\/p>\n

When you suspect that pound-for-pound, the book is bigger than your own brain.\u00a0 Hence the suspicion that by the time you finish Chapter 25, you\u2019ll have no memory of how you really felt about Chapter 1.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Big is not bad, when the topic is The Entire Catholic Faith.\u00a0 There\u2019s a reason RCIA isn\u2019t conducted in a one-week crash course.\u00a0 Introduction to Catholicism for Adults<\/em> by Rev. James Socias<\/a>, is not a \u201cHi, how are you, my name is Catholicism,\u201d kind of introduction to the faith.\u00a0 It\u2019s more of a \u201cLet me tell you everything you might want to know before we get married.\u201d\u00a0 Or celebrate one of those other life-changing sacraments you\u2019re considering.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m thrilled that Midwest Theological Forum has shared with me a review copy, as it\u2019s the perfect title for an adult wishing to dive into the Year of Faith with gusto.\u00a0 Over the next few months I\u2019ll be reading and reviewing it chapter-by-chapter, and finish with a final round-up review at the end.<\/p>\n

Chapter 1: Called to Holiness<\/h2>\n

The book opens by getting straight to the point: Why bother with Christianity at all?\u00a0 Well, the point is to become like Christ, to know Him intimately, and to enjoy perfect happiness in Heaven for all eternity.\u00a0 Those stylish feathered hats the Knights of Columbus get to wear \u2014 or any of the other trappings of the faith \u2014 are just a side benefit.\u00a0 (The book does not specifically mention the feathered hats.\u00a0 I added that.)<\/p>\n

Sidebars in the chapter introduce St. Augustine (the man, not the city), the Second Vatican Council,\u00a0 the Catechism of the Catholic Church<\/em>, St. Paul, martyrdom, sainthood,\u00a0 the difference between evangelization (good) and proselytization (bad), and St. Josemaria Escriva.\u00a0 There are numerous quotes from the Catechism, church documents, and of course Fulton Sheen.<\/p>\n

Reading Level: Educated Adult<\/h2>\n

The text is well-written, substantial, and logical, but this is not an easy-reader.\u00a0 Students reading this book need to have a solid high-school level or higher reading ability.\u00a0 Not every RCIA student is going to breeze through this book and beg for more.\u00a0 That said, my initial impression is that this is a good resource<\/em> even for students who won\u2019t read the whole book cover-to-cover, because it is so comprehensive.\u00a0 It most certainly is a reasonable reading level for any catechist who is qualified to teach RCIA \u2014 if you are comfortable with the Bible and the Catechism, this text will not pose any difficulties.<\/p>\n

But the catechist should plan to use the text primarily as an outline from which to prepare a weekly discussion of the most important points.\u00a0 Students who are able to dig deeper can then use the book to do so \u2014 I\u2019m a strong proponent of offering rigorous theology for those who are ready for it.\u00a0 The parish should plan to offer an alternative text for adults who read at a more elementary level.\u00a0 (I\u2019d recommend the YouCat<\/a><\/em> \u2014 readable, approachable, and available in multiple languages.)<\/p>\n

Helps for Teaching Chapter 1<\/h2>\n

Two books come to mind as supplementary reading or references for Chapter 1.\u00a0 On the question of personal holiness, Holiness for Everyone<\/a> by Eric Sammons is a reader-friendly introduction to the time-tested approaches to Christian spiritual growth adopted by countless saints over the centuries.\u00a0 If Sammons builds specifically on the work of St. Josemaria Escriva, it\u2019s because that saint taught what Therese and all the others knew as well.<\/p>\n

A thornier topic that Chapter 1 raises is the work of the much-maligned association Opus Dei.\u00a0 The go-to resource for questions about this group is John Allen\u2019s straightforward work of investigative journalism, Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0 For those who are unfamiliar with him, John Allen is a seasoned reporter on the Vatican-beat, but he\u2019s no conservative Catholic, let alone a partisan of Opus Dei.\u00a0 So this book is particularly helpful for those who would mistrust anything that smacks of insider-propaganda.<\/p>\n

But I\u2019m already a Catholic.\u00a0 I know this stuff.<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s a picture of the Holy Eucharist on the front cover, and let me advise you: Take the hint.\u00a0 I brought this book with me to Adoration the other week, and read the first page of Chapter 2 in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.\u00a0 Knock-your-socks-off powerful.\u00a0 (Figuratively.\u00a0 I kept my socks on.\u00a0 But I did get weepy.\u00a0 Let\u2019s call it knock-your-composure-off.)\u00a0 I\u2019m impressed by this book.\u00a0 Can\u2019t wait to read more.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When do you break down and write a book review chapter-by-chapter? When you suspect that pound-for-pound, the book is bigger than your own brain.\u00a0 Hence the suspicion that by the time you finish Chapter 25, you\u2019ll have no memory of how you really felt about Chapter 1. Big is not bad, when the topic is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1209,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[178,174,198,17,18],"tags":[285,287,286],"class_list":["post-1520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-catholic-church","category-faith-y-stuff","category-resources","category-review","category-what-julies-reading","tag-introduction-to-catholicism","tag-rcia","tag-rev-james-socias"],"yoast_head":"\nIntroduction to Catholicism for Adults, Chapter 1 Notes<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When do you break down and write a book review chapter-by-chapter? 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