Up until about one year ago the Catechism of the Catholic Church was, for me, just a heavy but handy reference tool. Need to know what the Church teaches about environmental issues and just wages? Turn to the catechism. Want to learn what the Church has to say about cremation and organ donation? Turn to the catechism. I saw it as a go-to guide when I was writing Catholic news stories but certainly not something I wanted to cozy up with and read cover to cover in front of the fire.

Well, as it often turns out, God had other plans. Out of the clear blue sky late last January, a writing colleague called me up and asked if I would be interested in pursuing a book deal to write a Complete Idiot’s Guide on the subject of the catechism. You know, the orange and blue easy-to-read series that dots bookstore shelves with topics ranging from low-fat diets to the time-space continuum.

I jumped in with both feet, thinking that my shot at getting such a contract was slim to none. One week later, having pounded out an outline, I was the proud owner of a book contract that required me to take the entire catechism, which is about 1,000 pages long, and rewrite it in popular but accurate language in no more than three month’s time and 350 pages.

What started out as a frantic professional venture, however, quickly morphed into a surprising spiritual sojourn. I waded through page after page of theology, and, despite the fact that some of the language was incredibly complicated and that many of the subjects are notoriously difficult to put into words – think Trinity, this book began to open my eyes to a new way of seeing old beliefs.

After writing seven chapters on the Apostles’ Creed alone, with a fair amount of the Nicene Creed thrown in for good measure, I found myself standing up at Mass for the Profession of Faith as if for the first time. Reading the catechism gave every word deeper meaning, transforming the prayers -- and me in the process.

A little more than three months later, I completed the manuscript for The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Catholic Catechism. I believe I was meant to write this book, not because I was the only one who could write it – there are plenty of people who could have filled those shoes – but because I needed to write it in order to come to a deeper and more complete understanding of my faith. Taken as a whole, the beliefs and teachings explained in the full catechism are beautiful and, in many cases, verge on poetic.

My job was to take the sometimes-poetic, sometimes-complicated language of the catechism and uncomplicate it. In case you’re wondering what qualifies me to translate theology for the masses, I had a theological advisor – the witty and brilliant Msgr. David Fulton of St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore -- who read every word and sent back reams of pages with comments. To top it off, the book has an imprimatur, which means that it was approved by a bishop. The end result is a study guide that is not meant to replace the original catechism but rather to illuminate it and make it more accessible.

I get different reactions when I tell people about this book. Some hear Idiot’s Guide and recoil; others hear Catechism and nod off. A year ago I might have felt the same way, but the truth is that writing this book has changed my faith life in profound ways. I’m hoping it will do the same for others once they crack the cover and dive in.

2008 Copyright Mary DeTurris Poust. All Rights Reserved.