Handbook for Today's Catholic Book Review

My priest gave me this book to read in preparation for my Confirmation. It is a short, easy read and I quite enjoyed it. The book is broken up into 5 sections: Section 1 covers the beliefs of the Catholic Church. Section 2 dives into Its practices. Section 3 offers a chapter full of basic Catholic prayers and other helpful guides, like the order of the Mass. Section 4 is titled, "Living the Faith in the Spirit of Vatican II." Finally, section 5 is a glossary. I grew up in a strong Catholic-practicing household, so most of this information was common knowledge to me. I would recommend this book to anyone who is new to the Faith or preparing to enter into the Church. The handbook does a good job at introducing its reader to Catholicism as a whole; it covers major beliefs and how one is called to live out their faith in daily life. It is a great resource to reference back to as it includes a list of all holy days of obligation, the precepts of the Church, and other useful things to know, like how to baptize someone in the case of an emergency. I especially enjoyed reading the "Beliefs" section. I read and re-read some very impactful passages that helped deepen my understanding and appreciation for God. It reflected on the uniquely personal relationship God has with each one of us and the power of loving another for, "You learn what love is by loving. By loving, you come to know God." The book very frequently cites the Catechism of the Catholic Church and roots all of its writing in sacred doctrine. I did, however, find the last section of this edition to be very odd. It took the form of a glossary with each term acting as a condemnation of traditional Catholics. It seemed strange and unnecessary to me. Overall, this book is exactly what it claims to be, a "handbook for today's Catholic." A good read for anyone who is looking to learn the very basics of Catholicism.