Imagine this: You just went through RCIA, you’ve asked all the right questions and passed all the tests (LOL there are no tests, maybe…) and you still have questions! Now What?
Or: You are a life long Catholic, you went to Catholic schools or through religious formation, you’ve received all of the sacraments, and now you are on your own and still have questions! Now What?
The answer is I’m Catholic. Now What? by Shaun McAfee! It is a complete guide to answer those questions you forgot to ask, those you were too embarrassed to ask, those answers you don’t know the answer to or to learn even more about our Catholic faith you didn’t know before.
Divided into easy to find sections and topics, McAfee provides a clear and concise explanation for everything from genuflecting to Catholic marriage to living a Catholic faith in our modern world. There is nothing in our faith that is not covered in the over 300 pages about Catholicism.
Now that I’ve got you curious, why do we genuflect, you ask? McAfee explains, “The Church asks us to genuflect, cross ourselves, kneel, trace crosses on our lips, etc., because these gestures are proper to the dignity of the liturgy and Real Presence in the Eucharist, and also for uniformity.” He goes on to say if we fail to do these small gestures it can affect our faith in Christ.
And of course there are the chapters on sex. Here’s the big secret that even many Catholic’s don’t know or believe: Catholics are pro-sex! But we believe in living a chaste lifestyle – there is a vast difference between what the world views of chastity as being ‘prude’ and what Catholics believe. McAfee dedicates an entire section to living as a modern Catholic covering everything including relativism, birth control, chastity and teaching kids about healthy sexuality. He doesn’t shy away from these topics either. He weaves his own story throughout the book and explains how the topic affected his life before, during and after he converted. He provides an honest and personal struggle between his life before and after his conversion, showing that we too can overcome these sometimes tough issues.
What happens if you still have questions on the Catholic faith after reading through the 100 unique topics? At the end of the book is an appendix and notes with all of the Church documents cited throughout the book, along with other helpful resources to reference, with a short description of what is found in the resource. Will this be the only Catholic resource you will ever need? I certainly hope not! If so, you better run out and buy a Bible (he gives recommendations for Catholic ones!) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. What this book does provide is a quick resource to continue to grow your faith and your relationship with our Lord.
As Catholics, we should never stop learning more about our faith. Everyday, upgrade something new within us, as there is always room for growing closer to God. I’m Catholic. Now What? by Shaun McAfee will provides simple, direct answers to those questions of “where do I go from here?” for all Catholics. It is a great resource to use to answer the questions we have or to help put into words how to respond to questions when they are asked to us (as a simple apologetic).
Note: Shaun and I are friends, and I did receive an early release of the book for this review. It is an honest assessment of the text and review of the book.
November 22, 2019
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Now that you're Catholic, you are might be wondering, "Now what?" Shaun McAfee understands. As a convert, he wanted to take part in the sacraments, really prepare for Mass, learn how to defend and share his faith, and understand certain Catholic devotions. Yet he wasn't sure how to do any of this, or where to look for answers once RCIA was finished. If you feel the same way, I'm Catholic. Now What? Is the perfect resource for you!