Catholic Apologetics Guidebook

The Sacraments

Topics on This Page:

The Sacraments (Overview)
Baptism: General
Baptism: Other Issues (Infant Baptism, Immersion vs. Pouring, etc.)
Confirmation
The Eucharist and the Mass
Reconciliation
Marriage
Holy Orders: Ordination, Priesthood, and Apostolic Succession
Holy Orders: The Male Priesthood
Holy Orders: Clerical Celibacy
Holy Orders: Call No Man Father?
Anointing of the Sick

The Sacraments (Overview)

Articles:

• The Sacraments by Peter Kreeft
• Is Sacramental Grace Magic? by Mark Shea

Audio:

• The Sacraments and the Bible by John Martignoni – The Biblical foundations for three sacraments.  (You must enter a name and an e-mail address to download this mp3 audio file, but it is a free download.)

Baptism: General

Articles:

• Catholic Answers: Baptismal Grace
• Catholic Answers: Are Catholics Born Again?
• Catholic Answers: Born Again in Baptism
• Catholic Answers: The Necessity of Baptism
• Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation? by Fr. William Saunders

Audio:

• Steve Ray on Baptism, Salvation, and Being Born Again

Baptism: Other Issues (Infant Baptism, Immersion vs. Pouring, etc.)

Articles:

• Catholic Answers: Infant Baptism
• Catholic Answers: Early Teachings on Infant Baptism – This article contains several quotes from the early church fathers supporting the practice of infant baptism.
• CUF Faith Facts: Let the Children Come to Me - Why the Church Baptizes Babies
• Catholic Answers: Baptism - Immersion Only?
• Catholic Answers: Trinitarian Baptism

Audio:

• Infant Baptism and Original Sin by John Martignoni – How to defend the Church's teachings regarding Infant Baptism and Original Sin from the Bible.  (You must enter a name and an e-mail address to download this mp3 audio file, but it is a free download.)

Confirmation

Articles:

• Catholic Answers: Confirmation
• CUF Faith Facts: The Sacrament of Confirmation
• CUF Faith Facts: The Graces of Confirmation

The Eucharist and the Mass

Articles:

• Catholic Answers: The Institution of the Mass
• Catholic Answers: The Sacrifice of the Mass
• CUF Faith Facts: "An Ordinance Forever" - The Biblical Origins of the Mass
• Is the Mass Really a Sacrifice? by Fr. William Saunders
• Catholic Answers: Christ in the Eucharist
• Catholic Answers: The Real Presence
• Catholic Answers: Who Can Receive Communion?
• The Eucharist by Karl Keating – Chapter 19 of Catholicism and Fundamentalism
• The Miracle of Lanciano by Fr. William Saunders – A brief summary of this amazing Eucharistic miracle

Books:

• The Coming Home Journal: The Eucharist (online journal in PDF format)
• Eucharistic Miracles by Joan Carroll Cruz

Reconciliation

Articles:

• CUF Faith Facts: I Confess - The Biblical Basis of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
• Catholic Answers: The Forgiveness of Sins
• Catholic Answers: Confession – Includes quotes from the early church fathers.

Books:

• Lord, Have Mercy: The Healing Power of Confession by Scott Hahn

Marriage

Articles:

• A Basic Theology of Marriage by Christopher West
• Catholic Answers: The Permanence of Matrimony

Books:

• Three to Get Married by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
• Marriage: The Mystery of Faithful Love by Dietrich von Hildebrand

Holy Orders: Ordination, Priesthood, and Apostolic Succession

Articles:

• Why We Have a Ministerial Priesthood by Tim Staples
• Catholic Answers: Bishop, Priest, and Deacon

Holy Orders: The Male Priesthood

Articles:

• CUF Faith Facts: Why Not Women Priests?
• Women's Ordination by Fr. William Saunders
• Catholic Answers: Women and the Priesthood

Audio:

• Women and the Priesthood by Peter Kreeft

Holy Orders: Clerical Celibacy

Articles:

• For the Sake of the Kingdom by Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz
• The Spirituality of Celibacy by Fr. William Saunders
• Cardinal Hummes on Priestly Celibacy: Christ's Precious Gift to His Church by Cardinal Cláudio Hummes
• Catholic Answers: Celibacy and the Priesthood
• CUF Faith Facts: God's Gift to His Bride - Priestly Celibacy

Holy Orders: Call No Man Father?

Articles:

• Catholic Answers: Call No Man "Father"?
• Calling Priests "Father" in English by Steven Greydanus

Anointing of the Sick

Articles:

• Catholic Answers: Anointing of the Sick