MbShea@PWP@English@UMCP

Working Title: Crash Course in Catholicism--What It's All About

Audience: Anyone curious or interested in learning more about the main teachings / beliefs of the Catholic Church.

Context: Recently, quite a few of my friends have been asking me questions regarding elements of Catholicism like what exactly Mass is and if we worship the Pope. Also, in light of recent tragedies that have been in the news, there are possible misconceptions that may have formed about the Church. This crash course/guide will serve as an informative review of the most important and well known teachings / beliefs of the Catholic church.

Purpose: To know / clarify certain core aspects of Catholicism.

DOCUMENT TYPE: Informative guide (PDF)

Design/format: Divided into sections according to the specific element being touched upon. (Ex. A section about Mass, a section about church hierarchy... etc.)

Citation style: Most likely natural language and referral links.

I really like this topic. I have also realized that there are a lot of misconceptions about the Catholic faith such as Catholicism not falling under Christianity and if we worship Mary. This informative guide would be a great read for those who are curious about the beliefs in Catholicism.

I think this is a very interesting idea! I do not know much about Catholicism or how it relates to Christianity. I think this will be a great tool for people like me who know little to nothing about the religion.

S, you might organize this guide in a FAQ format. You can provide a brief definition answer, with links to refer people to other sources. You might read Elizabeth Bruenig. She has a podcast with her husband. I would also look at the writings of Father James Martin, S.J., too.

What sort of questions could be the centerpiece of your document?

Do Catholics Worship Mary?

Why are Saints Importation to Catholics?

Is your Communion Open to all Christians?

Is everything the Pope Says a Direct Order from God?

If you like, you can ask some of your friends for ideas.

You will also need some authoritative church sources, like the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Any humorous people to include? Stephen Colbert is very devout and extremely devoted to justice.

Does this help?

I think that this is an excellent idea for this project! Catholicism catches a lot of flack from just about everyone, including other Christians and even less devout Catholics. As a person who grew up in a Non-Denominational Christian household but went on to attend Catholic High School, an informative guide like this would have saved me the embarrassment of making innocently ignorant assumptions and uninformed questions as a freshman in my religious studies classes. It would also make for an outstanding referral guide for those asked to provide more information on the Church (an honor that attests to your caring and genuine character). Good on you, and I can't wait to read it!