If you want a book...

...to pass to people who say "What do Catholics believe?", buy this one. It's a highly readable paperback, with just that title. By Leonie Caldecott, an excellent writer with three growing-up daughters of her own, it's thoughtful, up-to-date, and answers the sorts of questions that people are really asking, not the ones that experts often think they ask. It tackles the Faith in an interesting way, looking at the Sacraments, the concept of the Communion of Saints, the papacy, an overview of two thousand years of history, and the role of the Church in the world. It's a very "now" book, very BXVI in its non-confrontational, quietly explanatory tone and its gentle exploration of themes that echo some of today's concerns - consumerism, people's sense of alienation, the longing for love. Try it: What do Catholics Believe? Granta Books, £6.99p