The Faith Explained

✍ Scribed by Leo Trese

• Publisher: Scepter Publishers
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 580
• Edition: 3rd
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

The Faith Explained is an all-in-one handbook to help you understand, explain, and defend the great truths of the Catholic Faith. In brief and readable chapters, it explains the purpose of human existence, God and His perfections, the creation and fall of man, the Incarnation, the Redemption, the sacraments, sacramentals, prayer, the importance of the Bible, and much more. Perfect for RCIA classes, this book is also a magnificent refresher course on the Faith for Catholics and an illuminating resource for non-Catholics with questions about the Church.

✦ Table of Contents

PART ONE: THE CREED
1.   The Purpose of Man’s Existence
Why am I here?
What must I do?
Who will tell me?
2.   God and His Perfections
Who is God?
3.   The Unity and Trinity of God
How are there three?
4.   Creation and the Angels
How did creation begin?
Is the devil real?
5.   The Creation and the Fall of Man
What is man?
How did God make us?
What is original sin?
After Adam, what?
6.   Actual Sin
Can my soul die?
What are the roots of sin?
7.   The Incarnation
Who is Mary?
Who is Jesus Christ?
8.   The Redemption
How does it end?
9.   The Holy Spirit and Grace
The unknown Person
What is grace?
The grace that comes and goes
Wellsprings of life
What is merit?
10.   The Virtues and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
What is virtue?
Hope and love
Wonders within us
The moral virtues
11.   The Catholic Church
The Holy Spirit and the Church
We are the Church
12.   The Marks and Attributes of the Church
Where do we find it?
Holy and Catholic
Reason and faith—and myself
13.   The Communion of Saints and the Forgiveness of Sins
The end of the road
14.   The Resurrection and Life Everlasting
The end of the world

PART TWO: THE COMMANDMENTS
15.   The Two Great Commandments
Faith proven by deeds
Accenting the positive
16.   The First Commandments of God
Our first duty
Sins against faith
Hope and love
Sacrilege and superstition
17.   The Second and Third Commandments of God
Holy is his name
“Bless and do not curse”
Why Sunday Mass?
18.   The Fourth and Fifth Commandments of God
Parents, children and citizens
Life belongs to God
19.   The Sixth and Ninth Commandments of God
Commandments six and nine
20.   The Seventh and Tenth Commandments of God
Mine and thine
21.   The Eighth Commandment of God
Nothing but the truth
22.   The Commandments of the Church
Laws of the Church

PART THREE: THE SACRAMENTS AND PRAYER
23.   The Sacraments
We begin the sacraments
Why seven sacraments?
24.   Baptism
The beginning of life
The mark of a Christian
Getting baby baptized
Before childbirth—and after
The birth of a soul
Who can baptize?
25.   Confirmation
The sacrament of Confirmation
The meaning of Confirmation
26.   The Eucharist
The greatest sacrament
The promise is kept
Bread no longer
Bread and wine and priest
27.   The Mass
We begin the Mass
What makes a sacrifice?
Every Mass is our Mass
The Mass has a history
The Mass of the Faithful
Why have vestments?
The Roman Missal
Participating in the Mass
28.   Holy Communion
So close to Christ
Who may receive?
The Eucharistic fast
Practical pointers for communicants
29.   Penance
The sacrament of Penance
Preparing for confession
30.   Contrition
When is sorrow real?
Thank God for confession!
31.   Confession
Telling our sins
Sin and punishment
32.   Temporal Punishment and Indulgences
Indulgences
Plenary indulgences
33.   Anointing of the Sick
Sacrament of the sick
When to call a priest
34.   Holy Orders
What is a priest?
What is Holy Orders?
Bishop—and others
35.   Matrimony
God made marriage
Matrimony has special graces
Foresight makes happy marriages
Responsible parenthood
36.   The Sacramentals
Agents of grace
37.   Prayer
The what and why of prayer
Prayer that reaches God
For whom shall I pray?
38.   The Our Father
The best prayer
39.   The Bible
Do you read the Bible?
Index

✦ Subjects

Christianity;Catholicism;