The Catholic Faith and Practice Today (Book Review)


E. Le Joly, The Catholic Faith and Practice Today, Bombay: St Paul Publications, 1989, ISBN 81-7109-087-7, pp. 181, Rs. 28

This book is an attempt to make available the basic catechism of the Church. It is divided into four sections viz. the Creed, the Sacraments, The Commandments and a short section on prayer. The back cover of the book contains a good description of the author and what the book is about. It claims that the book is written in conformity with the structure of the Universal Catechism that Pope John Paul II commissioned. Although the book was written for a different time, it’s insights and explanations are valid even today. The books is recommended for teenagers and adult catechumens and those who instruct them; besides minor seminarians, religious novices and juniors and all those who wish to learn the basic truths of the Catholic faith are welcome to read it.

The book is well-thought out but isn’t as crystal clear as it may have wanted to be or may have wanted you to think it would be. Perhaps it was my previous knowledge or the frame of mind with which I read it, I didn’t find it very instructive, although there were few topics that the author dealt with exceptionally well. I am engaged in teaching catechism to teenagers and am responsible for preparing them for Confirmation. With this in mind I read the book but found little that I could share with them. The book would work better for private reading rather than as a text for catechetical instruction. At best, I could use the topics mentioned in the book and even the scriptural passages or verses given at the end of each chapter, but the matter per se is not suitable. Perhaps for that time, the book was a valuable resource but today it is relegated to unimportance. So many better and more attractive ways of explaining the tenets of the faith have emerged.

I am not writing the book off as useless. I’m saying, it isn’t the best thing for our times. It would double up what one learns in catechism but I wouldn’t recommend it to one who is looking to understand the faith without any previous instruction. The language is simple and the ideas develop smoothly but I’m afraid they don’t really give the essence. The author has done a commendable job and I would recommend this book to all teens especially those preparing for confirmation. In fact, I’m seriously considering getting a copy each for my students so that they can read it by themselves and we could discuss each chapter in class.      

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