My Catholic Life! Series
Volume One: My Catholic Faith!
Volume Two: My Catholic Worship!
Volume Three: My Catholic Morals!
Copyright © 2019 by My Catholic Life! Inc. Third revision. All rights reserved. See www.mycatholic.life/copyright-permission for more information on copying for use.
This third revision contains minor formatting differences from the previous versions. The content has not been changed. Page numbering is slightly altered.
Excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America Copyright © 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with Permission.
All References from the Catechism of the Catholic Church cited as Catechism or CCC.
Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
The third revision was first printed by Ritman University Press, 104 B Umuahia Road, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
Imprimatur:
Most Reverend Camillus Raymond Umoh
Catholic Bishop of Ikot Ekpene Diocese
1 December, 2019
First Sunday of Advent, Year A
Nihil Obstat:
Rt. Rev. Msgr. J. F. Iyire
Vicar General
Ikot Ekpene Diocese
Dedication
To our Blessed Mother. Her maternal care for us, her perfect surrender to the will of God and her powerful intercession are gifts beyond measure. May her heart shine through these pages and may her faith be shared with all who read them.
By
John Paul Thomas
“John Paul Thomas” is a pen name this author picked in honor of the Apostles Saints John and Thomas and the great evangelist Saint Paul. This name also evokes the memory of the great Pope Saint John Paul II.
John is the beloved Apostle who sought out a deeply personal and intimate relationship with his Savior. Hopefully the writings in this book point us all to a deeply personal and intimate relationship with our God. May John be a model of this intimacy and love.
Thomas is also a beloved Apostle and close friend of Jesus but is well known for his lack of faith in Jesus’ resurrection. Though he ultimately entered into a profound faith crying out “my Lord and my God,” he is given to us as a model of our own weakness of faith. Thomas should inspire us to always return to faith when we realize we have doubted.
As a Pharisee, Paul severely persecuted the early Christian Church. However, after going through a powerful conversion, he went on to become the great evangelist to the gentiles, founding many new communities of believers and writing many letters contained in Sacred Scripture. His letters are deeply personal and reveal a shepherd’s heart. Paul is a model for all as we seek to embrace our calling to spread the Gospel.
My Catholic Life! Series
An introduction to this three volume series
The My Catholic Life! Series is a three volume series written as a complete summary of our glorious Catholic faith! The goal of these books is to answer the difficult and deep questions of life in a clear and understandable way. We need to know who we are and what life is all about. We need to know who God is and what He has spoken to us through the ages.
Volume One, My Catholic Faith!, is a summary of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. This volume looks at everything from the creation of the world to God’s eternal plan of salvation. Other topics include: the afterlife, the Trinity, saints, our Blessed Mother, faith, and the Church. It is a summary of the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church #1–1065.
Volume Two, My Catholic Worship!, is a summary of the life of grace found in prayer and the Sacraments. So often the Sacraments can be seen as dry and empty rituals. But they are, in reality, the greatest treasures we have! They are God’s true presence among us! This book is a summary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church #1066–1690 and #2558–2865.
Volume Three, My Catholic Morals!, is a summary of Catholic moral teaching. It reveals the moral principles of our faith as well as a summary of all our Church’s moral teachings. It is a summary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church #1691–2557.