CATHOLICISM FOR DUMMIES

by Father John Trigilio Jr. and Father Kenneth Brighenti

John Wiley & Sons, 2003

414 pages, $21.99

Available in bookstores and at www.dummies.com

Despite the lighthearted title, this book is not Catholic Lite. And it's definitely not for dummies. Written by two priests who host shows on EWTN, Catholicism for Dummies is based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, with some humor, cartoons and oddball graphics thrown in. It carries an imprimatur and a nihil obstat and is a solid primer on the Church's faith and practice.

The familiar “for dummies” format that has sold millions for explaining in breezy terms the complex aspects of modern life, from the Internet to gourmet cooking, is bound to attract many bookstore browsers who would never peruse the religion/theology aisle.

Fathers Trigilio and Brighenti hit the ground running in Chapter 1, “What It Means to be Catholic,” with a no-nonsense style. The first paragraph is worth quoting in full:

“Being Catholic means living a totally Christian life and having a Catholic perspective. To Catholics, all people are basically good, but sin is a spiritual disease that wounded humankind initially and can kill humankind spiritually if left unchecked. Divine grace is the only remedy for sin, and the best source of divine grace is from the sacraments, which are various rites that Catholics believe have been created by Jesus and entrusted by him to his Church.”

There you have it: original sin, fallen mankind, grace and redemption, the centrality of the sacraments, intimations of heaven and hell, and the Catholic Church as Christ's own. This is followed by the “general ground rules” laid out in the precepts of the Church and the four marks of the Church: one, holy, catholic and apostolic. Somehow I don't think the “for dummies” originators had this kind of information in mind when they began the book series for computer illiterates. Yet the two priest-authors score a bull's eye (one of the familiar “for dummies” icons that set off paragraphs for special consideration) for using the conventions of the world to advance the Kingdom of God.

Speaking of those icons, it may seem incongruous at first to see a time-bomb “warning” next to a paragraph explaining Sunday Mass obligation, but when you consider the grave consequences of mortal sin, the icon seems more appropriate. A warning bomb also appears by a section on Catholics who attend Mass but fail to practice charity. You can almost hear the kaboom coming from the words of Jesus condemning those who appear outwardly pious but are dead within.

Chapter 2, “Who's Who in the Catholic Church,” deals with the public, human, often worldly side of the Church. Even knowledgeable Catholics may pick up some new information, such as the mallet that is used upon a dead pope. “The most senior-ranking cardinal enters the room of the dead pontiff and gently strikes his forehead with a silver mallet, calling the pope by his baptismal name,” the book states. “If he doesn't answer by the third time, he's pronounced dead.” Lest readers accuse the Church of skullduggery and medieval antics, the authors explain that today the mallet is simply a ceremony and the pope's own doctor officially determines death.

Throughout, information is broken into easily digestible chapters and subsections, so readers can thumb through and pick topics that catch the eye. Some may be inclined to start near the back of the book, with the lists of tens: 10 famous Catholics, 10 popular saints, 10 favorite pilgrimage sites.

Of course, the book has its weak points. As the authors state at the start, some subjects are passed over lightly. It is a popular guidebook, not a catechism. I would like to have seen a chapter on social justice, yet the topic is covered only in relation to the cardinal virtue of justice. Relating the faith's dogmas and dictates to the visible aspects of the Church that most everyone likes — the thousands of Catholic hospitals, schools and inner-city outreach programs — would have made for a fine additional chapter to this outstanding book.

Stephen Vincent writes from Wallingford, Connecticut.