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My Catholic Faith
The classic 1954 edition of this fabulous catechism is available again.
193 chapters in three What to Believe, What to Do, and Means of Grace.
Abundant Scriptural quotations (excellent for proving Catholic Doctrine to “Bible-Believing” Protestants). It’s also an excellent tool for dealing with liberal Catholics because two subjects of utmost importance are thoroughly the true nature of the Catholic Church (today denied by false ecumenism) and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (today obscured by the New Mass).
This catechism is known and loved by Catholics because of its timeless texts, charts, lists and graphs. Profusely and beautifully illustrated!
The durable burgundy and gold-embossed hardcover makes it a family heirloom.
193 chapters in three What to Believe, What to Do, and Means of Grace.
Abundant Scriptural quotations (excellent for proving Catholic Doctrine to “Bible-Believing” Protestants). It’s also an excellent tool for dealing with liberal Catholics because two subjects of utmost importance are thoroughly the true nature of the Catholic Church (today denied by false ecumenism) and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (today obscured by the New Mass).
This catechism is known and loved by Catholics because of its timeless texts, charts, lists and graphs. Profusely and beautifully illustrated!
The durable burgundy and gold-embossed hardcover makes it a family heirloom.
415 pages, Hardcover
First published December 28, 1941
34 people are currently reading
155 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 14, 2011
This is a "must have" book for anyone who is a Catholic or a "must read" for anyone who is thinking about being a Catholic. This is about traditional Catholicism and not Vatican II modernism.
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September 29, 2008 what can I say about being raised Catholic that has not been said to countless psychiatrist
June 22, 2015
Incredibly thorough book about the Catholic Faith...I found it read very easily and provided more information than the average Catholic would ever be willing to consume. Some portions of the book lost my attention but most chapters were enlightening; even serving to strengthen my faith in God. 4 Stars
April 18, 2022
Beautifully-bound catechism with pictures.
The main reason this is 4 stars and not 5 are the odd #merica-type statements made in Chapter 64:
"In general we may say that the fundamentals of American democracy were derived from traditional thought and philosophy; and since these, being of Western Europe, were essentially Catholic, therefore our democracy had its roots in the Catholic Church."
The false premise in this statement is "derived from traditional thought and philosophy." Indeed, the fundamentals of American democracy were derived from then-contemporary thought and philosophy, which everyone knew to be radical, and were in many ways, anti-Catholic. With that premise corrected, this statement would then read, "these, not being Catholic, means that our democracy had its roots in anti-Catholic thoughts and sentiment."
In the next paragraph we read: "The philosophical principles of the Declaration of Independence show such a remarkable similarity to traditional Catholic philosophy as to have been derived from it." This is nuts.
Apart from these two statements, which can be understood in a certain period of American Catholicism in which Catholics were desperate to prove that they were "good little Americans" too, this text is worth having, studying, and going back to over and over.
"Suffering should remind us that this is not our true home, and that we are citizens of heaven." (p. 11)
"[T]he devil strives to catch the good, because he is already sure of the wicked." (p. 33)
"Great sinners have been known to become great saints, but the lukewarm, never." (p. 53)
"By His hidden life Jesus Christ teaches us to learn holiness and wisdom before we presume to teach others." (p. 65)
"Plutarch says that religion is a better protection for a city than its walls." (p. 130)
"But out of evil God has often drawn good. Each schism and heresy has led to profound study in the Church, study of scholars to discover the correct interpretation of doctrine under dispute. In this way light came from darkness." (p. 143)
"To be obliged to go to Mass every Sunday under pain of mortal sin; to have to confess to a priest, who is another human being like ourselves; to condemn divorce and birth control; to observe fasts and abstinence — these are not easy doctrines." (p. 147)
"A tender conscience is the conscience of the saints." (p. 171)
"[W]e should do good preferably to those who cannot repay us." (p. 183)
"The eyes are the windows of the soul; through them it may be attracted to good or evil." (p. 193)
"Ordinarily, if we give each month one day's wages or revenue, the needs of the Church will as a rule be taken care of." (p. 247)
"The Church has no power to institute sacraments." (p. 250)
"[T]he more devotion we have at Mass, the greater will be the profit we derive." (p. 274)
"At the principal parts of Mass, we should always suspend our private devotions and meditate on the particular mystery presented: at the Offertory uniting our intentions with the priest, at the Consecration welcoming Jesus, and at the Communion inviting Him into our hearts and thanking Him for the consummation of His sacrifice." (p. 285)
"When we visit a town or city, we should first of all pay a visit to our Eucharistic Lord." (p. 294)
"[T]he Eucharist is not meant as a reward of virtue, but as an aid towards the attainment of virtue." (p. 195)
"The examination of conscience is important, for by it we learn to know ourselves, and so find means of improvement." (p. 303)
"A good examination for a weekly confession can be made in five minutes." (p. 303)
"When the Church grants an indulgence, it does not really cancel any expiation due to God. It only supplies for our deficiencies by drawing on the spiritual treasury of the Church." (p. 319)
"The 'Pope's intentions'...include, unless otherwise stated: 1) the exaltation of the Church; 2) the uprooting of heresies; 3) peace among Christian nations; 4) the propagation of the faith; 5) the conversion of sinners." (p. 323)
"Let us remember that the eternal is what counts; the temporal is given us by God only to help us fulfill our end of praising, of serving Him, and thus saving our soul." (p. 357)
"In general, the qualifications for a vocation are good will, good health, and good sense." (p. 363)
"If they would only ponder over the fact that thy have just one life to live, and that all their eternity depends upon the way they spend that life, they would surely try to make the most of it." (p. 365)
The main reason this is 4 stars and not 5 are the odd #merica-type statements made in Chapter 64:
"In general we may say that the fundamentals of American democracy were derived from traditional thought and philosophy; and since these, being of Western Europe, were essentially Catholic, therefore our democracy had its roots in the Catholic Church."
The false premise in this statement is "derived from traditional thought and philosophy." Indeed, the fundamentals of American democracy were derived from then-contemporary thought and philosophy, which everyone knew to be radical, and were in many ways, anti-Catholic. With that premise corrected, this statement would then read, "these, not being Catholic, means that our democracy had its roots in anti-Catholic thoughts and sentiment."
In the next paragraph we read: "The philosophical principles of the Declaration of Independence show such a remarkable similarity to traditional Catholic philosophy as to have been derived from it." This is nuts.
Apart from these two statements, which can be understood in a certain period of American Catholicism in which Catholics were desperate to prove that they were "good little Americans" too, this text is worth having, studying, and going back to over and over.
"Suffering should remind us that this is not our true home, and that we are citizens of heaven." (p. 11)
"[T]he devil strives to catch the good, because he is already sure of the wicked." (p. 33)
"Great sinners have been known to become great saints, but the lukewarm, never." (p. 53)
"By His hidden life Jesus Christ teaches us to learn holiness and wisdom before we presume to teach others." (p. 65)
"Plutarch says that religion is a better protection for a city than its walls." (p. 130)
"But out of evil God has often drawn good. Each schism and heresy has led to profound study in the Church, study of scholars to discover the correct interpretation of doctrine under dispute. In this way light came from darkness." (p. 143)
"To be obliged to go to Mass every Sunday under pain of mortal sin; to have to confess to a priest, who is another human being like ourselves; to condemn divorce and birth control; to observe fasts and abstinence — these are not easy doctrines." (p. 147)
"A tender conscience is the conscience of the saints." (p. 171)
"[W]e should do good preferably to those who cannot repay us." (p. 183)
"The eyes are the windows of the soul; through them it may be attracted to good or evil." (p. 193)
"Ordinarily, if we give each month one day's wages or revenue, the needs of the Church will as a rule be taken care of." (p. 247)
"The Church has no power to institute sacraments." (p. 250)
"[T]he more devotion we have at Mass, the greater will be the profit we derive." (p. 274)
"At the principal parts of Mass, we should always suspend our private devotions and meditate on the particular mystery presented: at the Offertory uniting our intentions with the priest, at the Consecration welcoming Jesus, and at the Communion inviting Him into our hearts and thanking Him for the consummation of His sacrifice." (p. 285)
"When we visit a town or city, we should first of all pay a visit to our Eucharistic Lord." (p. 294)
"[T]he Eucharist is not meant as a reward of virtue, but as an aid towards the attainment of virtue." (p. 195)
"The examination of conscience is important, for by it we learn to know ourselves, and so find means of improvement." (p. 303)
"A good examination for a weekly confession can be made in five minutes." (p. 303)
"When the Church grants an indulgence, it does not really cancel any expiation due to God. It only supplies for our deficiencies by drawing on the spiritual treasury of the Church." (p. 319)
"The 'Pope's intentions'...include, unless otherwise stated: 1) the exaltation of the Church; 2) the uprooting of heresies; 3) peace among Christian nations; 4) the propagation of the faith; 5) the conversion of sinners." (p. 323)
"Let us remember that the eternal is what counts; the temporal is given us by God only to help us fulfill our end of praising, of serving Him, and thus saving our soul." (p. 357)
"In general, the qualifications for a vocation are good will, good health, and good sense." (p. 363)
"If they would only ponder over the fact that thy have just one life to live, and that all their eternity depends upon the way they spend that life, they would surely try to make the most of it." (p. 365)
March 26, 2019
I really love this book. Someone found it on an old bookshelf in my husband's childhood home. We became the lucky owners when no one else was interested in owning it. I love the topics are covered thoroughly, but not in a dense, esoteric way. I love the pictures. I love the font size, or I should say that I love that the font size varies. The basics are in the largest font - maybe 12 pt. First level of details a bit smaller, and next level of details a bit smaller than that with some bold or italics added when more levels are needed. Some parts of the book are dated, but some things are just everlasting truth: virtue, heaven, judgment, grace. There is a lot here! If you love studying the details of the faith, this is a great book to use.
January 7, 2025
This book fails to offer anything new or compelling, merely adding to the already tired and repetitive religious rhetoric of Catholicism. It simply rehashes absurd rules and restrictions — rules that only women and children actually have to follow — within an even more tedious and convoluted framework that's even harder to stomach.
June 17, 2020
My priest had me read this for Catechism. Explains the faith very well with many scriptural and patristic references. The illustrations are very nice too.
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August 31, 2016Last week, my sister gave me some books from our parents. This is one of them. It is the 1956 edition. It was the catechism my mother used through her conversion and the one I grew up with.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews