Customer Reviews

A Pocket Catechism for Kids

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The title pretty much says it all. This is a "POCKET" catechism. It comes in a pocket size and has brief "pocket sized" explanations of the faith.

The first half of the book contains commonly asked questions about God, faith, and the Church along with brief answers.

For example, Question 3 reads, "Why did God make you?" along with the response: God made you to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him here on earth, so that I may live with Him forever in Heaven. Each question also lists the corresponding grade level for which that particular teaching is most appropriate.

The catechism also includes commonly asked questions about the Rosary, the saints, the Sacraments, and the Commandments.

The latter half of the book includes about 20 popular prayers, how to pray the Mass, how to make a good confession, the rite of reconciliation, and a Church calender including Holy Days and major Saints' feast days.

It's clear that the pocket catechism is not the end-all and be-all. It is meant only as an entry point into the faith.

I can imagine faithful young people carrying this with them as a guide or even as an introduction to the Church for the un-Churched. It would make a great companion book to Our Sunday Visitor's "Where is That in the Bible?"

The Church teaches that a child's primary catechist (teacher of the faith) is his parents. That's why Scripture doesn't contain a Letter of St. Paul to "the Children"; it's always been the job of parents to hand on the faith.

Mike Aquilina's and Fr. Kris Stubna's little book is an excellent way to do just that. In easy to read and remember questions and answers, they cover the four pillars of the faith: Creed, Sacraments, Commandments and Prayer. There are also terrific descriptions of the Mass and guides to making a good Confession.

My children and I make a nightly habit of reading about the saint of the day, a selection from Scripture, and several pages from this pocket catechism. It's become an elemental part of their catechesis.

I use this to teach my kids (5, 4, and 3) the catechism. The questions are notated for age appropriateness, and very brief. We read the question and response every morning, and within 2 weeks my kids have memorized it. It is so easy for us all.

Excellent, understandable and accurate summation for self education of the early Catholic Christian Fathers of the Church!

I think the content overall is at the right level. I just wished I would have realized that pocket meant less than 4 inches by maybe 2 inches. It is really small with 124 pages. I would have made it larger and invested more in graphics targeted to preteens to illustrate the beauty of the Catholic faith and make the book more engaging. The cover is well done but the graphics end there. Not ONE graphic is inside. Some parts are more like a FAQ or list of questions and sometimes the language is still too adult focused and could simplified to make it easier to understand.
The main sections are fine and follow the main Cathechism of the Catholic Church. I would have broken down each of the sections into more appealing topics to grab and KEEP the target audience's attention. I would also include a MUCH MORE detailed Table of Contents or Index to make it easier to find the area of interest and help a teen who is trying to find his faith or learn his faith, quickly find the right section. I bought it for a 12 year old boy and hope this will encourage vs. discourage him to learn more about his faith. It's 80% of the way to being a TERRIFIC resource and much can still be learned from it.