Practice Makes Catholic: Moving from a Learned Faith to a Lived Faith ( Toolbox )

Why do Catholics do what they do?

It is said that practice makes perfect, but what else does practice make? If you ask Joe Paprocki, he'll say that practice makes Catholic--that is, there are certain distinct practices that make us essentially Catholic. The problem is that many Catholics don't understand--or perhaps misunderstand--why we engage in the many practices we do.
In Practice Makes Catholic, Paprocki addresses the all-important "why" of many Catholic practices by articulating five key characteristics that form our Catholic identity: a sense of sacramentality, a commitment to community, a respect for the dignity of human life and commitment to justice, a reverence for Tradition, and a disposition to faith and hope rather than despair. Under each of these categories, he explores and explains multiple Catholic practices, then describes how following each one can make a profound difference in our faith and in our lives.
Informative and inviting, Practice Makes Catholic is the perfect resource for RCIA candidates and their sponsors, for Catholics returning to the faith, and for all Catholics who want to get to the heart of what their faith is really about.

See Inside

Acknowledgments ix
All It Takes Is a Little Practice xi
Part One--A Sense of Sacramentality
Practice 1 Use Sacramentals 3
Practice 2 Mark Time the Catholic Way 13
Practice 3 Fast and Abstain 23
Practice 4 Speak the Language of Mystery 33
Practice 5 Pray Sacramentally 43
Part Two--A Commitment to Community
Practice 6 Be a Good Steward 55
Practice 7 Share the Gifts of the Holy Spirit 65
Practice 8 Pray with the Whole Church 73
Practice 9 Welcome One Another 81
Part Three--A Respect for Human Life
Practice 10 Show Mercy 89
Practice 11 Do Justice and Live Virtuously 97
Practice 12 Work for the Common Good 107
Practice 13 Keep the Ten Commandments 117
Part Four--A Reverence for Scripture and Tradition
Practice 14 Make a Pilgrimage 129
Practice 15 Befriend the Saints 137
Practice 16 Study Scripture, Tradition, and Catholic Literature 145
Practice 17 Learn Traditional Prayers 155
Part Five--An Attitude of Faith and Hope
Practice 18 Adjust Your Attitude 165
Practice 19 Comfort One Another 173
Practice 20 Keep a Song in Your Heart 183
Practice 21 Make a Retreat 193
Let's Practice 201