Why Do Catholics Genuflect?: And Answers to Other Puzzling Questions About the Catholic Church

by Al Kresta

To encounter the Catholic Church is to discover a rich, complex heritage of Christian faith and practice. Why Do Catholics Genuflect? answers in clear, concise terms many of the most common questions asked about the Catholic faith. Why do Catholics make so much of Mary? Why do Catholics confess to a priest? Were Catholics ever forbidden to read the Bible? Aren't annulments just Catholic divorces? Non-Catholics, new Catholics, and even cradle Catholics will find here fresh insights into the Church's liturgy, sacraments, hierarchy, and much more. A Servant Book.

Genres: Catholic, Nonfiction, Religion

206 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2001

About the author

Al Kresta is a broadcaster, journalist and author who is, first of all, a missionary. He draws upon his unique faith background to create what is, arguably, the most fascinating — and most spiritually constructive — talk show on radio today.

A 1976 honors graduate of Michigan State University, Al has also done graduate work in theology at both Catholic and Protestant seminaries. He became well known in the Detroit area for his program, “Talk from the Heart,” one of the top-rated Christian talk shows during the 1980s and 90s. When he began the program, Al was a Protestant pastor. The questions forced upon him as pastor, however, led him to return to the Catholic Church. His profound personal conversion to Christ and return to the Catholic Church is told in the best-selling anthology Surprised By Truth.

In 1997, Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan recruited Al to launch the media apostolate, Ave Maria Communications.

Heard on over 120 stations and Sirius Satellite, Kresta in the Afternoon looks at all areas of life through the lens of Scripture and the teaching of the Catholic Church and takes on all comers. Over the years, Al has engaged in vigorous discussions or debates with nationally known figures from politics, the arts, the Church, academia and business such as Jack Kevorkian, Mother Angelica, Jesse Jackson, Carl Bernstein, John McCain, Gloria Steinem, Pat Buchanan, Scott Hahn, Donna Shalala, Judge Robert Bork, Richard Gephardt, Jerry Falwell, George McGovern, Steve Allen, Bowie Kuhn, Mrs. Anwar Sadat, Martin Luther King III, Cal Thomas, Avery Cardinal Dulles, Chuck Colson, Alan Dershowitz, Ken Starr, James Earl Ray, Mary Higgins Clark, and C. Everett Koop.

Kresta's life and spiritual journey took on a new dimension in February 2003, when he lost his left leg to necrotizing fasciitis, a virulent infection often referred to as the "flesh-eating bacteria." His extended recovery and eventual return to broadcasting have given him new insights into the realities of suffering and hope.

He is the author of Why Are Catholics So Concerned About Sin? More Answers to Puzzling Questions About the Catholic Church, a follow-up to the best-seller Why Do Catholics Genuflect? And Answers to Other Puzzling Questions About the Catholic Faith published by Servant Books, as well as a contributor to Shaken by Scandals: Catholics Speak Out About Priests' Sexual Abuse also published by Servant Publications, and Loving Your Neighbor published by the Capital Research Foundation.

Al and his wife, Sally, have been married for 30 years and have been blessed with 5 children on earth and two in heaven.

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative, even for a lifelong Catholic!

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall a good book, best I've read on Catholicism so far, as in terms of ease of explaining things. The only problem I have is again with the doctrine of Perpetual Virginity; I can accept that she is the Mother of God, and I believe in the virgin birth. but the logic that states her perpetual virginity is baffling, It really didn't start until about 400 AD, although there are earlier views that support not all the early Christians believed it: Origen and Tertullian, to name a couple, Tertullian was only declared heretic after his disagreement on this subject. Now, I'm not saying she wasn't. It just seems very unkind to Joseph. Also, the argument of why Mary is given to be cared for by John and not his brothers, well, it could be at that time (of crucifixion) they did not believe in his divinity. I don't have an answer. Another thought is what if it was based on the religions of the time and integrated into the Christian belief system, like Hel from the Norse Religion or the idea of duality as taught in the Persian Religion. Here's an example (and btw we know that Christmas was actually chosen from around the Solstice and Mithras worship, for Jesus Birthday): The Grecian God Dionysos was said -- in one version of the myth concerning him -- to be the son of Zeus out of the virgin goddess Persephone. In another version he was said to be the miraculously begotten son of Zeus out of the mortal woman Semele. According to this story he was taken from his mother's womb before the full period of gestation had expired, and completed his embryonic life in Zeus's thigh. As a result, Dionysos was considered to be half human and half divine -- born of a woman and also of a god. His myth, which was current long before the Christian era, is a remarkable example of the kind of story which could be, and was, invented about a man-god. He was said to have been persecuted by Pentheus, King of Thebes (the home of his mother); to have been rejected in his own country; and, when bound, to have asserted that his father, God, would set him free whenever he chose to appeal to him. He disappears from earth, but re-appears as a light shining more brightly than the sun, and speaks to his trembling disciples; and he subsequently visits Hades. The story of his birth is alluded to, and the story of his persecution related, in The Bacchae, which Euripides wrote about 410 B.C. when the myth was already very old and very well known. Jason, who was slain by Zeus, was said to have been another son of the virgin Persephone, and to have had no father, either human or divine. Perseus was also said to have been born of a virgin; and it is this story which Justin Martyr -- the second-century Christian "Father of the Church" -- stigmatizes as an invention of the Devil, who, knowing that the Messiah would subsequently be born of a virgin, counterfeited the miracle before it really took place. Perseus was also said to have been born of a virgin; and it is this story which Justin Martyr -- the second-century Christian "Father of the Church" -- stigmatizes as an invention of the Devil, who, knowing that the Messiah would subsequently be born of a virgin, counterfeited the miracle before it really took place. Adonis, the Syrian god; Osiris, the first person of the principal Egyptian Trinity; and Mithra, the Persian god whom so many of the Roman soldiers worshipped -- all had strange tales told about their births.
At the time when Christianity arose all these gods were worshipped in various parts of the Roman empire. At the time when Christianity arose all these gods were worshipped in various parts of the Roman empire. I'm not saying that, this disproves Jesus. I believe he existed, and these myths while on the surface might be similar are very different. I'm just saying that around the time of the Apostles there was already a growing heresy being started in some Christian communities, of which some were believing and Paul was trying to stem. Also popular was Greek Gnosticism. One of the tenets was flesh was bad, but if Jesus had to be born of woman as scripture says, then, it makes sense to make Mary born nigh perfect (the immaculate conception) and after the virgin birth of Jesus, to remain a virgin, and keep her pure forever (the assumption into heaven).

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book! Extremely helpful