Surprised By Canon Law: 150 Questions Laypeople Ask About Canon Law

Rating:
Summary: "Everything You Wanted to Know About Canon Law ...
Review: ... But Didn't Know Who to Ask"

Wonder no more. Messrs. Vere and Trueman have written a crisp, orthodox set of answers to questions commonly asked by curious Catholics.

Questions concerning whether laypersons may give homilies (they can't), what can be done about Catholic instructors teaching "questionable" topics, whether First Confession must precede First Communion (it must), and what is required of a godparent are all given thoughtful responses.

Worth noting is the language and style used by the authors. Canon law is often perceived by laypersons to be inscrutable and "off-limits" to all but priests, bishops and canon lawyers. But Vere and Trueman show how canon law really exists to guide the faithful, and their jargon-free responses don't require anything more than curiosity to understand them.

They also provide a link to their website for readers to submit additional questions, so "Surprised by Canon Law 2" is not out of the question.

Congratulations also to Servant Books for producing a slim, handsome little book. Gone are the days when "authentically Catholic" was synonymous with "looks cheap".





Rating:
Summary: Not since Gratian compiled his decretals...
Review: ...has canon law been this exciting! Here's what the critics are saying:

"For centuries, canon law has been for most Catholics a mysterious and esoteric aspect of Catholicism, [...] Not anymore." - Patrick Madrid

"Vere and Trueman have made canon law accessible to the average Catholic for the first time." - Karl Keating

"This volume is readable, interesting, pastoral and completely faithful to Church teaching and discipline." - Rev. Peter MJ Stravinskas

"I recommend it as a valuable starting point for anyone interested in becoming familiar with canon law." + Adam Cardinal Maida, Archbishop of Detroit

"Written with a good sense of humor, it addresses questions that are sometimes difficult or painful... I certainly recommend this book to those interested in becoming acquainted with the canon law of the Catholic Church." - Rev. Francis G. Morrisey, Faculty of Canon Law at Saint Paul University

"Surprised by Canon Law fills a real need, providing a refreshingly readable introduction to canon law designed specifically for lay Catholics." - Leon J. Surprenant, Jr.



Rating:
Summary: I Love Q&As and this is a great one!
Review: Usually you need true inspiration to read a book with the word Law in the title. Something like a gun to your head maybe. But that is not the case here. No problem at all reading this. Up front, let me confess that I truly love Q&As. They make me feel so smart on those few occasions when I already knew the answer they tell me. Along the way, you can usually learn a lot. This book is a treasure trove for the learning along the way. Can your child be baptized at home? Do I need an imprimatur for that new novel I wrote? Is my parish pastor supposed to be taking all of those vacations? The list goes on and on. These questions are truly informative for anyone with any interest in the Catholic Faith. The Questions are divided in a way that makes total sense, but I just kept picking it up whenever I saw it on the table, and randomly read where the pages opened. I was never disappointed. Can you really have an enjoyable, even fun, law book? A religious one no less? This book answers yes. Do not miss the end where they ask You to send Them more questions, just in case they do another volume. Get those questions in! I want another one!