This is a well written survey of Catholicism, mainly for the uninitiated. Written in a very clear and simple way, but never trying to "accommodate" the taste of younger people as far as the Teaching is concerned.
The author tries to convey his message in an entertaining way and succeeds in adopting a style able to involve young readers, without watering down his message.
Also very useful for occasional consultation.

I'm a convert to Catholicism from "Reformed" and baptistic theology and this book, along with "The Catholicism Answer Book" by the same authors has been quite helpful.

In reading the negative reviews, I can't help but marvel at the downright devious motives they ascribe to the authors. I don't know either of these priests personally, but I dare say their reputations stand on their own!

This book takes some fairly heavy doctrine and brings it down to a very "digestible" level. The authors don't bash Protestants, are quite charitable throughout and present orthodox teaching.

I own the catechism and use it often, but sometimes having things brought into laymen's terms, along with examples and illustrations, is helpful.

If you're looking for an in-depth but accessible intro to the Catholic Church and all she teaches - get this book. If you want a question-and-answer type book, get their other one! Better yet... buy them both! They have permanent residence in my nightstand along with my Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Recommended without reservation.

I went through a catechism class with a number of others. There were questions I had meant to ask but didn't. I didn't want to come across as stupid by asking some things so I just let it go.
This book is helping me answer those questions. It is very informative and easy to follow. I would recommend this book highly to anyone who wants find out those questions you're afraid to ask.

Book was very readable and does have a Nihil Obstat & Imprimatur, meaning that the Church has officially decreed that the publication is free of doctrinal and moral error - obviously something important if you want to learn the true teachings of the Church. The book is an excellent topical review of Catholic beliefs that will hopefully serve as a gateway to others, that delve even deeper into the truth. There are many great resources out there, one of my favorites is St. Joseph Communications: http://www.saintjoe.com/

New Catholics and converts often struggle with the catechism but this book is an easy read for everyone. Even life long Catholics could benefit and come to know their faith better through reading this book.

I picked this book up, expecting it not to contain very much of use. Imagine my surprise when I discovered how "meaty" this work is! As a Director of Religious Education for my parish, I am now recommending this to inquirers who are considering joining the Catholic Church. Co-author Rev. John Trigilio has a television program on the Catechism on EWTN, so he's known to be orthodox. I highly recommend this work for both those who are already Catholic, and those who are curious about the Catholic Church and her teachings.

This book was recommended by my church for reading during RCIA courses. I have read this book & it's great! I was able to be interactive during RCIA due to studying this book, it's a great intro prior to reading the CCC or any other books on Mass etc. It will give you an informative scope on all areas of the church. It gives you just enough information to make you aware of the history of the church and the practices of Catholicism. It prompts you to want to study further reading materials. It's definitely a great book to have in your library rather you are a cradle Catholic or just wanting to understand the faith. It's worth the buy.

Thanks, this filled in a lot of holes I created while I was "away" from my Church

Easy to use and a wealth of information. A great reference for the Inquiry phase of the RCIA.

Very good for new converts to the Catholic faith. Easy to read, nicely formatted, and easy to understand. Good book for candidates in RCIA classes...tells you the stuff you may not learn in class.

This book is very well written, and easy to understand. Very helpful in answering some of the questions I had about the Catholic faith.

Being a convert to the Catholic faith and book buyer for a Catholic store, I'm always on the lookout for informative books on Catholicism, church history and the Sacraments. I was going to buy this book personally, but found 2 things missing from the back of the title page -- First, the NIHIL OBSTAT. This is an approval by a church censor that a publication contains nothing detrimental to morals or Faith. 2nd, the IMPRIMATUR. The Imprimatur is given by a Bishop and this states that, again, there is nothing in the publication that is detrimental to morals or Faith.

I'm not putting this book down or saying not to buy it, I'm just saying be careful when buying books teaching the faith and not approved by a Bishop.

If you are looking for information on Catholicism, get the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. It is THE Catechism published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. I highly recommend it.

This book sealed the deal for me. It dispelled a lot of anti-Catholic garbage that I had heard over the years and taught me to pray the Rosary. I joined the Church soon after reading it.
It is clear, concise and informative.

Great summary of the Catholic Faith! And in common everyday English to boot. Full of facts we have forgotten or never really knew or thought we knew. Recommended reading for all age groups. The only "Dummies" here are the ones who don't read this book.

Well written, in easy to read/understand english with a few wise cracks thrown in = the Dummies Recipe for success. I bought this item for discerning my vocation into the religious life, and it did not disappoint! I'm fully planning on attending a seminary new year.

We bought several of these books for some local college students who have shown an interest in the Cathholic Church. The book is well written but is also an excellent source of info for old time catholics who have forgotten many of the finer points of Catholicism. It's a fun read and a great refresher in case it's time for the final exam.

My husband is in RCIA and this has been his "text book" ! Very informative, well written. Highly Recommended!

They bilk the parishioners, as the priest live in a lap of luxury surrounded by gold. Everyone knows the Vatican has Billions of dollars, but keeps it's book secret so we can not know how many billions they have. Meanwhile, in the churches where the victims want justice, they just throw up their hands and say "we are bankrupt". The Bible says that a Priest or "Bishop" MUST be a married man. The people who let these pedophile priest jump from parish to parish to get fresh kids should also be thrown in jail. The most serious problem however, is that the Catholic church has people fooled into believing it is a "Christian Church", it is far from it. They call their own shots calling themselves "Infallible", meaning whatever they say or do can't be wrong. I am somewhat puzzled by the people who still attend there. They rape kids, then covered it up, why are you still a part of that organization? You should never confess to a priest, that is putting someone between you and Jesus. Jesus is the only mediator, if you read the real bible KJV, it will tell you the truth. The catholic Manuscripts were created by the Alexandrians, another cult found in Egypt. To top things off, the current Pope even swore in before as a Hitler Nazi Oath as a youth. This church isn't Christian, it just pays "lip service" to let everyone think they are. The priest are living in the lap of Luxury, while the victims live without reparations. My heart goes out to all the victims of the Catholic Church. Please stand up for the victims, and do not continue to look the other way because you are also guilty of association if you say and do nothing.

bought as a gift. The person just love the book has thanked me several times.

This is a good book for looking up anything pertaining to our Catholic Faith. It is easy to find the topics and explains it well. I have bought several of these books as gifts and a few for our Parish Library. Highly recommend.

A well-communicated summary of Roman Catholic doctrine and tradition. A good start for anyone interested in getting past the basics in preparation for further serious study. A handy resource for those who simply want a basic understanding of Catholic doctrine and practice. The approach seems to be one of simply reporting the facts without much emotional attachment by the authors and in that respect it seemed to be lacking some of the impact it might otherwise have. But such an approach may be exactly what most readers are looking for in this genre.

Its amazing how much you think you know until teenagers start asking questions!! this was an excellent resource book when I started teaching those challenging teens.

Excellent reference for those of us who grew up in a different faith. I used this prior to registering for RCIA classes.

This book is a great reference book for anyone wanting to know more or understand why Catholics do what they do. It is easy to understand and read. It makes even complex ideas and beliefs, entertaining and comprehensible.

This book is a great reference book for anyone wanting to know more or understand why Catholics do what they do. It is easy to understand and read. It makes even complex ideas and beliefs, entertaining and comprehensible.

What a great gift idea for RCIA members! I'm a life-long Catholic and I found plenty of new info. It's an easy read but full of substance. I especially appreciated the history section and the simple explainations of...well...just about everything! Very non-abrasive for non-Catholics yet not the least bit watered down.

Easy to understand, up-to-date and informative. Excellent resource for those considering conversion to the Catholic Faith or those returning after a long absence.

Do you read the entire Catecism of the Catholic Church, or Catholicism for Dummies? I'm a "returning" Catholic who last worked on Catholic issues while enjoying 12 years of Catholic School and is now leading a small ministry at my church. It was a good refresher. I liked that the book was reviewed by the church and content approved as accurate. It points out the similarities and differences of the protestant Bibles, something I've never seen explained before. I plan to use it as one of my three core resources: The Bible, The Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Catholicism for Dummies. Good to have all three to reference depending upon my audience. I'm giving it 5 Stars because its concise, easy to read, organized, informative and does a good job of covering the major points.

If you are looking for really practical information on the Church's practices, choose "Catholicism for Dummies" as your reference source. Want to know how to pray the Rosary? Need to know what really goes on in Mass? This is such an entertaining and easy to understand book. Use it as a "refresher" course or a learning tool if you are considering conversion. It is your beginner's guide to theology, practices/rites and the history of the church. It is an excellent starting point for anyone with questions. Highly recommended.

I am a retired cradle-Catholic who never attended a public school until I was 21 (FSU). This is a wonderful book. It has helped me experience my faith anew. It is so fascinating, enlightening and easy to read that I have bought 6 (so far) and given them to people as part of my evangelization tools. It is my intention to buy 4 per month for such purposes.

I am new to the Catholic Faith, currently attending RCIA classes. This book has been so helpful to me as I slowly make my journey. Everything is clearly written so even people who are not Catholics, but curious about the Church can comprehend. I keep this book out and refer to it often.

Good, clear, concise. Easy to understand. You'll be able to pick it up to reference a topic, and then put it back down again. You can also read right through it to learn about Catholicism.

I wish my religion books when I was in elementary school were this easily understandable.

Easy to read and understand with good explanations.Some history without going overboard.A huge amount of material in a simple readable compact form.Paragraph headings are great.Overall excellent.Tip- if you want more start here. Then go to the Compendium.Lastly go to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

As a catholic I learned things from this book surprisingly. Was a good overview for my non-catholic husband. Helped him understand alot about my religion.

I saw my first "Catholicism for Dummies" in our RCIA library and promptly bought my own. I find it concise, funny, easy to read and understand, and very entertaining, as well as knowledgable. A must for every household. I've since bought 5 others as gifts for friends. They also make perfect gifts and study aids for any RCIA program. Thanks to Fr. John and his associates!

This book was extremely easy to understand. The way everything was discussed helped to make perfect sense of why and how things are done in the Catholic church. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Catholic faith in any way shape or form!

This book had simple to understand explanations. As a cradle Catholic I never had a good education of the faith. I have the new Catechism of the Catholic Church but I have a hard time understanding all the answers. Fr. Trigilio has given simple, easy to understand answers to many questions. I think it's a must for all those new and old Catholics.

I teach RCIA and Adult Religious Ed. Catholicism For Dummies is certainly not for dummies! But it is for anyone who wants to learn the very basic teachings, beliefs and practices of the Catholic Faith. If you know absolutely nothing about the Catholic faith, this is the first book you would want to read. It gives a basic introduction to just about all aspects of the faith:

The hierarchy of the Church

The Seven Sacraments

The beliefs of Catholics

Basic prayers and devotions

Catholic beliefs about the Bible and Tradition

The Mass, and much more.

If you are Catholic and want a good refresher of the basics, this is also the book for you. It will bring back the catechism of your youth or RCIA program. It is very well written, straight forward and easy to read. Even Catholics who know the faith well will learn some things from this book. In fact, this book is so good and so well received that EWTN has made it into a TV series! It's called Crash Course in Catholicism, and is worth checking out. This is certainly a book every Catholic needs to have on their book shelf.

My only child is a blind person and is raised a Roman Carholic. He would very much like have this book in audio/CD format. We are hoping to see that version at Amazon. Gerri Hidalgo

My words up there refer to an incident in a store, when my mom saw this book out of the corner of her eye and misread the title. Her innocent little outrage that such a scathing attack on her religion might've come from aggressive Lutherans left me laughing for minutes.

But I digress.

It's like this, folks, the Dummies series is great. Not a bad one in the lot. If you ever wanted to know anything---anything at all---about the world's largest religion, you'll probably find it in this book. From Creation to Resurrection, Purgatory to Judgment Day, rosary beds to votive candles, from miracles to stigmata, you can read about it all to your curious heart's content. From to dean to deacon to priest, Bishop, Archbishop, Cardinal, and Pope, monk, nun, religious brother, and religious sister, Holy Days, holidays, Days of Obligation, Pentecost, Advent, Lent, Ordinary Time, Vaticans I and II, ordinations, consecrations, canonizations, beatifications, ashes on Ash Wednesday, candy on Easter, the blessing of the throats on the Day of St. Blase, Fat Tuesday revels, funeral rites, baptismal rites, All Souls and All Saints, virgins and martyrs, to why weddings are sacramental events, from Feast Days to Fast Days, Anointing of the Sick, Papal infallibility (betcha it's not what you thought it was), Confession, Absolution, choir practice, and saving pagan babies in darkest Africa, nothing is left out but the secret Catholic handshake. Yep, all that and more right here is in this innocent little book with the cheery yellow cover. Impeccably researched, fluidly written, imminently educational, it's worth every cent you spent on it instead of tossing into the offering basket.

Reading this took me back to theology classes in school. I think now I'll go take a long walk outside...

This book explains the basic tenants of Catholicism using plain, easy to read and understand language, It does not draw the reader into obscure theological explanations of church procedures, customs, and regulations.

It is a great read for non-Catholics, who are curious about the day to day operations of the Church as well as its organization. Catholics will also find it a valuable resource in answering questions they may have concerning the church.

This is a "first" book for someone who is seeking to understand the Catholic Church. It will lead to further, more detailed study for the interested reader.

My girlfriend is Catholic, and having been raised Protestant (and not as a practicing one for over a decade) I quickly realized that my standard uneducated stereotypes of Catholicism was way off. I attended Mass with her a number of times, (minus partaking in the Eucharist) and found myself "in the dark" about most of the traditions (Why do they do that? Whats this mean? etc...). So I took it upon myself to learn as much as I could, and apart from asking her tons of questions, I figured a good "Dummies" book would be a good solution.

I zoomed through this book in 3 days, glued to the pages. It is definately a very resourceful book, very well written and easily understandable. The light-bulb above my head was constantly glowing as to say "oooohhh, okay, now I know..."

A must for anyone!

Reviewers who get upset because this book is mainstream and conservative are, I dare say, missing the point. This is meant to be an intro to all points of faith and culture, and one that it is easy to sift through to find what you need. It's not meant to be a particular partisan spin on Catholicism nor instructions on how to make your Catholic life more abundant. For the average "dummy," this book is fine.

Does it need to be read along with and against other texts, to be understood as only a part of the total Catholic Christian experience? Of course! What book of this kind doesn't?

Addendum: Two points to keep in mind, to Desert Wanderer and any other reviewers who seem to take this book (or anyone's mild praise for it) as an insult: 1.) the "for Dummies" denotes a series title, not an effrontery to your rosary praying relations, or to any Catholics for that matter, and 2.) said series is designed to acquaint BEGINNERS with some ideas of the topic in question. Usually, the "Dummies" reading are only trying to get some quick overview of the subject, whether that subject is Catholicism, Bartending, or Auto Mechanics.

No doubt, then, there are better mixed drinks in Mr Boston's, better manuals for working on your Porsche. But to the interested unintiated, books like this have real value.

Forget this externalist formalist farce.

To know what it is to be Catholic in the flesh and heart and spirit, study the writings of Sister Ita Ford, or her bio by Sr. Noone. Study Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister, or Monica Hellwig.

Be a true (not just practicing) Catholic and study deeply the great American CAtholic theologian and scholar, the Rev. Father Richard McBrien's comprehensive tome: Catholicism, well received and respected for a generation.

Continue with other great Catholic and American theologians and scholars and saints and contemplatives such as Jesuit Fathers Daniel Berrigan and Father John DEar who dare ask the hard questions with intelligence, insight and spiritual orthodoxy to the Gospel of Jesus. In particular illuminating is Jesus the Rebel by the Rev. Father Dear, and the commentaries on the Old Testament prophets such as Job and Ezekial by the Rev. Father Berrigan.

Then neither Dummy nor Complete Idiot shall you be, but Catholic in mind, heart, spirit and soul. Continue with the great Saint, MArtyr and Confessor of the Faith, Archbishop Romero, and of course the other Salvadoran martyrs and confessors like Fr. Ellacuria and the still living (when last seen) Father Jon Sobrino.


Such a telling shame cornerstone Catholic texts such as Pope John XXIII's PACEM IN TERRIS and Pope PAul VI's POPULORUM PROGRESSIO or even the US Conference of Catholic Bishop's ever-more-important treatise on Just Cause/Just war entitled GOd's Challenge and Our Response are out of print and no longer available, as they truly call us to put our faith into concrete action for Christ. As the great St. James wrote: Faith without works is dead.

Please check my other reviews for further excellent sources as well as warnings about the ill sectarian and shallow observances.

I find it quite interesting that for the cover of this present unfortunate and misleading text, Catholicism for Dummies, they show the hands of someone praying the Rosary. The fine ladies at my weekly Rosary hour would not be pleased to hear us thus labelled as Dummies for praying the Rosary for peace and compassion, contemplation and reflection of the Incarnation.

This book has remained very popular among catechists in my parish. A friend got it for me before I was Catholic, and of course...now I am Catholic. There are many things in this book that are put more clearly than in I guess any other book I've read since this one.

And that's saying a lot!

If you read it, you will benefit greatly. And if you read it attentively, there will be many things that stand out and you will likely use this book as a reference in the future. It's that good!

The best I can say about Catholicism for Dummies is that it has done what it set out to do in explaining apparently all of the major points of Catholic theology and practice. For the rest, I can only point out that authors John Trigilio and Kenneth Brighenti are, to say the least, enthusiastic advocates of Catholicism. In that, too, they have perfectly encapsulated what it is to be a Catholic in the world. I don't wish to undermine the efforts of the authors in showing the reader how Catholics think, but at the same time they are highly partisan pastors. They explain what Catholicism is, and do it very well, but it is clear in countless subtle ways that they are defending and promoting what the Catholic church says and thinks, so for that as well I must evaluate them.

First things first. The layout is very good. They deal with theological and religiously ethical questions in fine detail and are clear and memorable about what Catholicism teaches, how it differs from other Christian beliefs such as various Protestantisms and Eastern Orthodoxy (not to be confused with Eastern Catholics, a specific category I didn't know even existed), and they often cite the relevant biblical passages that form the foundations of their rites and beliefs. The papacy, Mary, sacraments, the mass, devotions, points of the cross, sins, saints - the list goes on, including stuff I didn't even know about, and it's all here. I've even somewhat lost papal infallibility as a point of criticism in my evaluations of the Catholic Church thanks to this book. So in telling the reader what one must know, I give kudos to the text.

And then there are the brass tacks. While the use of analogies is helpful, they also show the moral shortcomings in Catholicism. Original sin as a genetic condition for example (p 263 for anyone who already has the book). Sin is supposed to be a moral shortcoming. So why must it be intrinsic? That's the key problem to the morality that the authors have rather strongly promoted throughout - the notion that human wickedness must be intrinsic for all people and must be remitted only through Christianity (the authors do not condemn or even strongly criticize other denominations). Equally evasive are other claims about the Church. That it is incapable of ordaining women, for example. While I don't care myself, being neither female nor Catholic, it's a twisted and not entirely honest argument. And when they get into mixing and matching statistics while dismissing the ordained pedophilia in the Church, well, the less said about that the better. Lest there be any mistake, they devote a rather sizeable chapter just to the Church's specific stance on many of the major issues of the day. Their moral superiority complex here is at its highest. If they could replace a few "This is how it rightfully is," thoughts with some "This is what we happen to believe," quotes it would go a long way towards keeping the book explanatory and not so much promotional. This is not just a guide for lapsed Catholics, but for everyone who wants to know the what's and how's of Catholicism, and whether or not they are seeking the Church's ethical wisdom.

If you want to find out about the Catholic Church...here is your guide....you will not be disappointed.....

This book is a great resource. It helps me with info I didn't know & also helps answer questions from my kids.

This book certainly could help a "dummy" understand the intricacies of the catholic church. I was looking for a few explanations and found them. I give the book a thumb's up for that.

This book is wonderful for us cradle catholics who missed out on or didn't learn all the basics of our catholic faith. This would also be an excellent resource for those new to the faith. It is written by two priest both are on EWTN (our catholic on air resource if you have this channel it is a priceless resource also) This is a must have book for catholics everywhere I havent found very many books that have so much catholic faith information in one resource. You will find yourself refering to it over and over again!