Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Starter
Review: The Essential Catholic Handbook is an excellent starter book for all of those unfamiliar with the Catholic church and/or catholic doctrine. The premise of catholic theology is presented in a very simple and brief format. Then it is followed up with an excellent description of each of the seven sacraments. Included in this book is a lovely catholic prayer guide and an immensely useful dictionary of catholic terms. Finally, this book is made even more useful by being extensively referenced to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. My only complaint about this book is that in one place, where catholic obligations are covered, it is said that parents are obligated to have their children attend parochial school. That is untrue. Parents are required to provide education, academic and religious, to their children, but in whatever form they choose. Because this is a beginners book, long time catholics may find little useful. A fresh copy of the catechism would probably suit them better. Teachers of religious education will find much usefulness in this volume. Certainly this work will do much to dispel the many myths about the official teaching of the church that are prevalent both outside of the church and within our own religious ed. programs. I urge RCIA directors to give or at least suggest this book to all in your program. Some reviewers have complained that this book is too conservative. It should be pointed out that there is not really such a thing as being conservative or not. The church has it's beliefs and teachings. There is a set of proscriptions about how the faithful should live their lives. Because someone does not agree with them does not change anything. Failing to abide the teachings of the church does not create something called liberal or new catholicism. It simply means that you are failing to behave as a catholic in accordance with the teachings of the church.
Rating:
Summary: Good Introduction to the Catholic Faith
Review: This book is a good introduction for Catholics seeking to rediscover their faith as well as for those of other faiths seeking to obtain a basic understanding of Catholicism. The Essential Catholic Handbook is appropriately designed from a pastoral, rather than from an academic perspective enabling readers to quickly comprehend the beliefs, practices and prayers of the Church. For those brought up in the faith, the book is also a good refresher on the "why's" of Catholicism. It is not a catechism, but it provides the fundamentals and, as such, can be a stepping stone to more systematic study.
Rating:
Summary: Good Introduction to the Catholic Faith
Review: This book is a good introduction for Catholics seeking to rediscover their faith as well as for those of other faiths seeking to obtain a basic understanding of Catholicism. The Essential Catholic Handbook is appropriately designed from a pastoral, rather than from an academic perspective enabling readers to quickly comprehend the beliefs, practices and prayers of the Church. For those brought up in the faith, the book is also a good refresher on the "why's" of Catholicism. It is not a catechism, but it provides the fundamentals and, as such, can be a stepping stone to more systematic study.
Rating: 
Summary: Conservatively Correct Catholicism
Review: This book is an excellent source for prayers and information about ~conservative~ Catholic doctrine. Like many publications of the Ligourians, it hammers hard against abortion and is very wishy washy when describing the Church's equally strong testimony against capital punishment. I've rated it down primarily because it attempts to fob off its views as "official" Catholicism, failing in many instances to recognize the presence of more moderate and radical elements within the Church. The glossary of church terminology is incomplete: there is no entry for "liberation theology" though it does find space for "terrorism" and "morality of war". I think this book is an example of the kind of close-minded thinking that is all too common among the ecclesiastical hierarchy here in America, the same people, you will recall, who were recently revealed spending a lot of time and energy covering up the illegal sexual actions of certain priests. I do, however, recommend the book as a material source of information about the Church and the views of its most conservative members. Even the moderate, liberal, or fallen away Catholic will find it an informative and enlightening guide to current developments in church politics and theology.
Rating:
Summary: Conservatively Correct Catholicism
Review: This book is an excellent source for prayers and information about ~conservative~ Catholic doctrine. Like many publications of the Ligourians, it hammers hard against abortion and is very wishy washy when describing the Church's equally strong testimony against capital punishment. I've rated it down primarily because it attempts to fob off its views as "official" Catholicism, failing in many instances to recognize the presence of more moderate and radical elements within the Church. The glossary of church terminology is incomplete: there is no entry for "liberation theology" though it does find space for "terrorism" and "morality of war". I think this book is an example of the kind of close-minded thinking that is all too common among the ecclesiastical hierarchy here in America, the same people, you will recall, who were recently revealed spending a lot of time and energy covering up the illegal sexual actions of certain priests. I do, however, recommend the book as a material source of information about the Church and the views of its most conservative members. Even the moderate, liberal, or fallen away Catholic will find it an informative and enlightening guide to current developments in church politics and theology.
Rating:
Summary: Your one stop shop for Catholic stuff -- a great reference
Review: This book is very handy to have around as a quick reference. Precepts, commandments, overview of Vatican II documents, common prayers, the sacraments, it's all there. Need to know how to prepare for a sick call? Check out page 56! The Dictionary of Essential Catholic Terms section is like a mini-Catholic encyclopedia: from "abba" to "zuchetta," with references to scripture and the catechism when necessary. Ok -- a zuchetta is the little beanie worn by bishops and prelates. White for the Pope, red for a cardinal, purple for a bishop, etc. Dates from the 13th century. See it's a great book!
Rating: 
Summary: Very imformative and enlightening!
Review: This book is very informative and easy to read! I am a baptized Catholic who never received further sacraments, and I wanted to join RCIA. This book gave me all the knowledge I needed to start my journey. The first section gives you the basic background and beliefs of Catholicism. The second part gives you the everyday knowledge of Catholics, prayers, rosarys, saints, the order of mass. The third part is a glossary of sorts that gives the layperson definitions of Catholic terms. Altogether, this was a fantastic book. My personal copy is worn out, and has been passed from person to person in my RCIA group!
Rating: 
Summary: If you have the Catechism....skip this one
Review: This book isn't terribly helpful if you already own the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). It doesn't provide any elaboration on common issues (above that provided by the CCC) - and its answers are generally short and uninformative... If you have no other guide books to Catholicism, fine - otherwise skip this one.
Rating:
Summary: If you have the Catechism....skip this one
Review: This book isn't terribly helpful if you already own the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). It doesn't provide any elaboration on common issues (above that provided by the CCC) - and its answers are generally short and uninformative... If you have no other guide books to Catholicism, fine - otherwise skip this one.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent reference and introduction
Review: This book would be useful for all Catholics, as well as curious non-Catholics. The first section, "Beliefs", is especially helpful for those who are lapsed or agnostic. It explains why we are Catholic: how we gain from our relationship with God, Jesus, and the Church. The dictionary section is very useful for looking up terms (what's the difference between a "papal bull" and an "encyclical"?), and it also doubles as a basic catechism. There's a collection of prayers, as well as many other useful features. The book does include a few questionable statements here and there, particularly regarding our relationship with non-Catholics. (For instance, it's misleading to sum up the Vatican II document "Nostra Aetate" as saying that non-Christian religions are "valid paths to the divine".) But then, it's hard to find any book that's a totally reliable guide, apart from the Bible and the Catechism. All in all, I thoroughly recommend it! My thanks and congratulations to the unnamed author(s). (Although Amazon shows Cardinal O'Connor as the author, in fact he only wrote the foreword.)
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