The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth » (Revised)

The Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has found this catechetical text, copyright 2008, to be in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Second Edition is an understandable and down-to-earth guide to all things Catholic. This book is an eye-opener and a page-turner, whether you are brushing up on specific Catholic terms and concepts or learning them for the first time.

Second edition contains everything that people loved about the first edition, including

structure of the book to parallel the Catechism of the Catholic Church

37 content rich chapters divided into 4 parts on creed, liturgy and sacraments, morality, and Christian prayer

full-color photos that illustrate the books content and range from saints photos, early and contemporary art, photos of modern day symbols of living the Catholic faith

Did You Know? Sidebars

Live It! sidebars

Looking Back sidebars

Saintly Profiles sidebars

Glossary

Patron Saints List

brief summary of Catholic beliefs

timeline of Catholic historical events

index of key words and terms

New in the second edition!

minor editing of content

over 50 new "For Further Reflection" questions

an illustrated guide to Catholic signs and symbols

an index of questions frequently asked by teens that directs readers to the pages where they can explore answers

updated statistics

items helpful for the preparation of Confirmation, including an overview of the rite of Confirmation, the consecratory prayer used in the rite of Confirmation , the consecratory prayer used in the blessing of chrism

the timeline has been expanded from 4 to 6 pages to make it easier to read

Publishers Weekly

When the Catechism of the Catholic Church was published in 1992 after six years of work by the worldwide church's bishops, it was intended to spawn volumes exactly like this one. Such books, Pope John Paul II and the bishops theorized, would translate the pedantic Catechism, a collection of the beliefs and practices of the billion-member church, into language adjusted for cultural sensitivities. The authors of this handbook for teens have answered the call for such adaptations by producing a version that repackages the big book's teachings into an attractive, accessible format. Following the same outline as the Catechism, they present the doctrinal narrative in a relaxed, conversational style and intersperse it with eye-catching info-blocks. "Did You Know?" offers bits of Catholic trivia; "Live It" provides ideas for putting faith into action; "Looking Back" gives historical snapshots; "Saintly Profiles" tells about 37 interesting saints; and "Pray It!" lists prayer suggestions. Helpful appendices list patron saints and their feast days, describe Catholic prayers and devotions and give a glossary of common Catholic terms. Conservative readers will be pleased to see that the book bears the church's imprimatur and nihil obstat, assuring it is free of doctrinal error. The book's high-quality graphic design and friendly approach suit its young audience, while adults seeking more knowledge about the church may also find it appealing. (Nov.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Introduction     7
Being Catholic: The "CliffsNotes" View     13
Knowing God: Reason and Revelation     20
The Creed
Faith     32
God Our Father     40
The Human Person     48
Jesus Christ: True God and True Man     56
Jesus' Message and Mission     64
Jesus' Death     74
Jesus' Resurrection     83
The Holy Spirit     92
The Mission of the Catholic Church     100
The Organization of the Catholic Church     111
The Last Things     123
Liturgy and Sacraments
Introduction to the Liturgy     134
Introduction to the Sacraments     145
Baptism     154
Confirmation     164
The Eucharist     172
Sacraments of Healing     183
Sacraments at the Service of Communion     193
Christian Morality
Introduction to Christian Morality     206
Social Justice     216
Sources of Moral Truth     226
Honoring God     236
Honoring Family     245
Respecting Life     253
Respecting Sexuality     265
Respecting Material Goods     276
Respecting Truth     285
The Moral Life     294
Christian Prayer
Introduction to Prayer     304
The Forms of Prayer     314
Personal Prayer     323
Praying with the Scriptures     332
Praying Together     342
The Lord's Prayer: God's Glory     352
The Lord's Prayer: Human Need     361
Catholic Quick Facts
Catholic Beliefs and Practices     372
Catholic Prayers and Devotions     382
Catholic Signs and Symbols     392
Patron Saints and Their Causes     398
Catholic Terms and Definitions     409
Timeline     438
Frequently Asked Questions Index     444
Index     448
Acknowledgments     461
Endnotes Cited in Quotations from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Other Documents of the U.S. Catholic Bishops     470