A Catholic primer

OUR JOY IN BEING CATHOLIC: Our Catholic Customs and Beliefs, by Oswald Hirmer. Mariannhill Mission Press, Mariannhill. 2007. 158pp

Reviewed by Michail Rassool

South Africans looking to deepen their understanding of the Catholic faith and revive their joy in being Catholic should have a copy of Our Joy In Being Catholic, written by the retired bishop of Mthatha, Oswald Hirmer, in association with the Diocesan Animation Team.

Comprehensive, the book covers virtually every aspect of Catholic life. For modern-day faithful, who are often described as not having a strong or clear sense of their Catholic identity, it is the ideal companion.

Bishop Hirmer compares the Catholic Church to the comfort of a family home, which he says does not consist merely of four walls, a roof above and wonderful décor, but of loving people who also love to celebrate family feasts which bring together all family members in joy and sorrow, expressing its own customs and beliefs.

In clear, concise language the book explores such topics as the unbroken apostolic succession of the popes and bishops, why Catholics love the crucifix and the saints, the 14 Stations of the Cross. It explains the purpose of the tabernacle and sanctuary light, incense, the Benediction service, the sign of the cross, the Rosary and other practices and sacramentals associated with the Church.

It fully explains Marian devotion, the seven sacraments, especially the celebration of the Eucharist as the central act of Catholic worship, why women and men of consecrated life are “a great treasure in our Catholic family”, the sacrament of the priesthood and the common priesthood of all believers, Catholic belief in both the Bible and Catholic tradition, and many other topics. If anyone till now has had a “fuzzy” notion of these and other aspects of the Catholic faith — they may have lost the connection to its fundamentals over time, perhaps, or received poor instruction in their youth — Our Joy In Being Catholic would certainly eliminate much of this.

The book tackles some hot topics such as why non-Catholics are barred from receiving Communion, and why Catholics cannot receive Communion in other churches. As if to underscore its quintessential South Africaness, the publication is peppered with photographs and illustrations that many local Catholics would relate to, showing local manifestations of the faith that may well look familiar to them.

This book is an essential primer in the practice of the faith for every Catholic home. It is also an admirable tool for those involved in the catechesis of children and adults, and a reference source for almost every facet of Catholic life.

A nice touch is the gallery of all the popes throughout history, though we can be sure that most of the earliest portraits were not contemporary. If they were, we would be able to say that the line of 100 bearded popes from St Peter to Eugene II (824-827) was disrupted only by the smooth features of Pope Donus (676-678). The last bearded pope was the goateed Innocent XII (1691-1700). Since then, 23 clean-shaven popes have shepherded the Church.

The book is available in five languages — English, Xhosa, Sesotho, Venda and Afrikaans — with a Zulu version slated for imminent publication.