Observations of a New Catholic

Dear Reader:I believe this book is unique. No other book I've found is even remotely similar. It identifies and discusses issues and problems currently facing the Catholic Church in America. The Church in America is beset with difficulties. Catholic elementary schools are closing. There is a severe shortage of priests and religious sisters. Church attendance is dropping precipitously. There are lingering effects from the child sex abuse scandal among priests. Catholic couples in their child-bearing years face a moral dilemma in regard to birth control. There seems to be a growing dissonance between Church authority and the laity, in which primacy of conscience is replacing obedience to the Church. I address all of these matters and others.At the same time, I have learned there is much to be gained by being Catholic. Two recently published books analyzing biblical scripture have convinced me that Jesus Christ really is God, and that therefore I can attain salvation through following his precepts. For all its difficulties, the Church does a lot of good. Pope Francis provides outstanding moral leadership at a time this is desperately needed. The Church's charitable activities at a parish and diocesan level are impressive. At a personal level, my conversion has helped me immeasurably by giving me peace of mind. During my conversion and first two years as a Catholic, I picked interesting subjects to study such as the Marian apparitions, the life of Thomas Merton, how the Church canonizes saints, the insights of C. S. Lewis about prayer, and Martin Luther's condemnation of praying to Mary. I believe you also will find these interesting and hopefully helpful for you in some ways.Respectfully,Donald Johnson