Customer Reviews

A Well-Built Faith: A Catholic's Guide to Knowing and Sharing What We Believe

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3 star:		(1)
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New catechists are always looking for material to help them understand the teachings of the church. Joe Paprocki provides explanations, scripture and prayer to help the everyday Catholic find the answers they need to live their traditions and share their faith. The cartoons, stories and jokes are great, too!
I have 127 catechists and bought each one a book! Thanks, Joe!

This book was quite enjoyable. I especially like the fact that the book helps people see how their faith relates to their everyday life. I just placed an order for our adult faith formation group.

The BEST Book I have ever learned from and read on the pillars of the Catholic Church. Very easy to read and understand with updated humor and real application.

Although this book benefits from a solid organizational structure, it is a flawed presentation of the Catholic faith. The author avoids discussion of many of the "sticky subjects" addressed by Church teaching, e.g., contraception, the all-male priesthood, etc. This is especially unfortunate since these are the areas of doctrine which many Catholics don't understand and yet are often asked to defend. Paprocki tries to create a mnemonic device -- H.E.L.P. -- to ... help Catholics remember core elements of the faith. "E" stands for "We Express our faith in the liturgy and sacraments of the Church." "Express" conveys the impression that the liturgy is something we create or personalize. In fact, the liturgy is something we receive (like a cherished gift) and celebrate. And while the Catechism does use this word in reference to the liturgy, in no way does "express" capture its essence or spirit. Moreover, the book's premise -- we build our faith the way a contractor builds a modern house -- soon wears thin. With so many other solid resources available, my advice is to pass on this one.

No matter how much I know about my faith, there is always a hunger to learn more. This book presents the faith of our Church in a practical, easy to follow style with nice everyday language. The chapters are cleverly organized around a construction theme that adds nice structure to the book.

Though much of the information presented in this book is not new to me, it is presented in a new way that made it interesting to re-learn and absorb. The author addresses our faith in four sections: Creed, Sacraments, Moral Life, and Prayer. The last section on Prayer: Praying Faith really spoke to me. Mr. Paprocki defines prayer as "...our awareness of the divine presence in our lives. Prayer is our response to God's undying efforts to reach our hearts." A simple statement; so beautiful to mediate on. This section does a great job identifying the different types of prayers used by Catholics and offers practical examples to help you recognize all the various ways we answer St. Paul's call to pray without ceasing.

In my opinion, this book would be a wonderful gift for anyone interested in the Catholic faith or entering RCIA . It is also a great tool and resource for all of us cradle Catholics who want to brush up on the "why" of our faith or learn things we've missed along the way. A Well Built Faith gives you the knowledge and confidence to be able to share your faith with your friends, family and children.

This book will remain on my nightstand for a long time as a valuable resource as questions of faith arise or when a refresher is needed.

In an age when misinformation surrounding the Catholic faith is rampant, even among practicing Catholics, the need for clear, concise explanation is essential. In "A Well-Built Faith", Paprocki has provided just that. He outlines the faith in an accessible, clear manner, with relevant examples and an overall contemporary approach. Furthermore, Paprocki anticipated what are likely "hot-button" issues among Catholics and non-Catholics alike, and addressed them in a clear, sometimes fun, manner.

But this is not simply a religious textbook; it's also an enjoyable read. So for anyone questioning the Catholic faith, wonder "why do we/they do that?", or are simply curious as to what it means to be a modern Catholic, "A Well-Built Faith" is an excellent choice. In fact, I even plan to utilize it in my upcoming Faith Formation classes!

Our RCIA porcess needed a new resource due to the numer of people we have. this book is very good for team and candidate and others. Easy to read, informative without being stuffy.

This book will give you a good high level understanding of Catholic beliefs and their origins. I would recommend this book.

My Catholic faith is very dear to me but I don't always know how to put into words when I'm talking to others about why I believe what I believe and why I do the Catholic things that I do. I've been looking for a book that has sound Catholic teaching but makes it accessible to someone like me who, though a practicing Catholic my whole life, nonetheless doesn't always know how to explain things. I'm so glad that I found A Well-Built Faith. Reading Mr. Paprocki's book is like having a good mentor right with me. And I'm glad for all the references to the church's teaching and to the Bible.

Joe Paprocki has done it again. He has written a book that serves as a great review of our Catholic beliefs. The book serves as a review for people looking at our faith from outside as well as for cradle Catholics who need a want a reference tool on the Catholic faith. What I liked most about this book is each chapter is labeled to help you find the topic you are looking for, it is a wonderful source of knowledge.