Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church: An Illustrated History
$34.95
I came upon Edward Norman's book quite by accident. I started to read it with some trepidation, expecting a set of variations on the usual misrepresentation that passes, in the Anglophone world, for a history of the Catholic Church. What a surprise, what a pleasure, to read a work at once scholarly (and brief)yet written in a very accessible style. Though the author does not concern himself primarily with theological matters, when he does touch upon these, he manages to discuss complex issues in a concise yet clear manner. On purely historical matters, he is not afraid to challenge current cultural orthodoxies. Example: "There are periodic demands...that apologies should be made by Christian bodies for the Crusades. Perhaps, however, a balance of remorse might be achieved if the Islamic bodies were, in turn, asked to apologize for their own invasions of the Byzantine provinces and the Holy Land some three-and-a-half centuries before. Then peaceful Christian populations were overrun amid scences of considerable violence, which had never been forgotten....Wisdom, however, would suggest allowing the past its own integrity; the point is that the Crusades today are evaluated in a context, and with a passion, which has departed from academic detachment." (pp. 56-57)

There is much more to stimulate the mind of the reader but limitations of space do not permit me to go into detail. A carefully written yet intellectually challenging book, beautifully produced.

Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
$14.95
The Pope has written an easily accessible overview of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Who would read the whole 800 page Catechism? Here in Question and Answer format he presents the major ideas of dogma and doctrine. This book is ideal for the "beginner" in Catholicism. If you're in RCIA, you'll appreciate this book, and even before you decide to join Catholicism it will give you a good overview of the beliefs.

Catechism of the Catholic Church: Revised in Accordance With the Official Latin Text Promulgated by Pope John Paul II
$24.95
This volume is an outdated version of a reference book which I used for research purposes. It is no longer current as it refers to other material, but it is still easy enough to understand and is not so far out of date as to give erroneous information. While a more current Catechism has been available for several years, this book is perfectly suitable as a reference for the average layperson, Catholic or non-Catholic.

Deliver Us from Evil
$19.98
This is a gripping documentary about sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and what is being done to keep justice from being served. I agree that it "should be seen by people of all faiths and by anyone concerned about the well-being of children" and put it right up there along with Hotel Rwanda, Not Without My Daughter, and God Grew Tired of Us, each well-done presentations that deal with the awful realities of life.

Two things really struck home to me. The perpetrator, who appears on the documentary and constantly narrates his part in person, appeared to have no conscience. I've seen people like that before, no remorse is in their eyes, and no emotions are apparent. They are somehow capable of creating their own fantasy that reality cannot touch and are all too quick to place the blame elsewhere, not accepting their role in the crime.

It was also quite gripping to see the father of one of the female victims react so strongly as he was recounting the events. The father was choked up and at times he expressed strong anger that something like this could have happened to his own daughter. You could tell that he truly cared about his daughter and felt deep regret that he was unable to protect her when she needed it the most. The father's conclusion was that there is no God, and I cannot fault him for coming to that conclusion when it was the church that cloaked in secrecy the sins of their own.

Father Thomas Doyle, ironically also a Catholic priest, was a strong advocate for the abuse victims who told their story in this documentary, and it was encouraging to see how much he too, cared, and wanted justice to be served. So few men today have the courage to stand up and protect the children.

This is not the end, and the Catholic Church does not hold a monopoly on religious pedophiles. I think the words of Jesus say it best, "But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." ~Matthew 18:6 NIV