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Articles & Books From Rev. Kenneth Brighenti
article / Updated 05-02-2025
The College of Cardinals elects the pope. Nope, that’s not a university where priests and bishops learn how to become cardinals. Unlike Notre Dame and The Catholic University of America, the College of Cardinals merely refers to all the cardinals around the world, just as the College of Bishops is a way of describing all the world’s Catholic bishops.
Article / Updated 06-06-2023
Every March 17th, thousands of people don their greenest garb, march in Irish pride parades, eat green clover-shaped cookies, and quaff frosty mugs of green beer in celebration of the Catholic Saint, St. Patrick's Day. But do you really know who St. Patrick was and why he is celebrated? ©Martin Mullen / Adobe StockPatrick was born in AD 387 just south of Hadrian’s Wall in Britain, which was part of the Roman Empire (that's right — he wasn't Irish!
Article / Updated 05-25-2023
Rosary beads help Catholics count their prayers. More importantly, Catholics pray the holy Rosary as a means of entreaty to ask God for a special favor, such as helping a loved one recover from an illness, or to thank God for blessings received — a new baby, a new job, a new moon.Praying the Rosary is a bit complicated, so we've included a Rosary guide.
Let there be light — illuminating info about today’s Catholic church Catholicism All-in-One For Dummies, 2nd Edition offers a path toward understanding the beliefs of the Catholic church and how the church operates. Fully updated with information on newly canonized saints, updated teachings from Pope Francis, and how Catholic beliefs intersect with the modern world, this edition gets you up to date with the last 2,000-or-so years of Catholic history.
Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-08-2023
This Cheat Sheet focuses on the mysteries of the rosary, which, to Catholics, represent the events in the lives of Jesus and Mary. They are referred to as "mysteries" not because they are mysterious things that cannot be figured out; when it comes to the rosary, the mysteries are events devout Catholics can never stop thinking about.
Peer through the stained glass and get an inside look at Christianity's most popular religion Catholicism can seem a bit mysterious to non-Catholics—and even Catholics. Embrace your curiosity and turn to Dummies for answers! Full of fascinating facts and written in a friendly style, Catholicism For Dummies explains the basics of Catholic beliefs like the importance of Sunday Mass; the seven sacraments; the purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary; heaven, hell, and purgatory; the Trinity; and so much more.
Cheat Sheet / Updated 01-07-2022
Catholicism shares many beliefs with other Christian faiths, as well as certain prayers, but Catholicism puts its own spin on things. For example, the Catholic version of the Lord's Prayer (or the Our Father) differs a bit from the Protestant version. Get a basic understanding of Catholic beliefs by reading the articles of Catholic faith.
Article / Updated 11-24-2021
Catholics do not worship saints, but the saints are near and dear to Catholic hearts. Catholics respect and honor the saints and consider them to be the heroes of the Church. The Church emphasizes that they were ordinary people from ordinary families, and they were totally human. Here are some tidbits about the lives of 11 ordinary people who became popular saints.
Article / Updated 09-27-2021
Feels like kind of a big question, eh? The cut-to-the-chase answer is that Catholicism is a Christian religion (just as Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy). Catholics are members of the Roman Catholic Church (which means they follow the authority of the bishop of Rome, otherwise known as the pope), and they share various beliefs and ways of worship, as well as a distinct outlook on life.
Article / Updated 02-04-2020
Baptisms in the Catholic Church usually take place on Sundays, during the parish Mass or in the early afternoon after all the Masses are over. It all depends on the parish, the pastor, and the parents at the Baptism.Adults who were never baptized are an exception to this rule; they're highly encouraged to be baptized with other adults on Holy Saturday evening, during a service known as the Easter Vigil, because it's held on the night before Easter Sunday.