Chapter Titles of Exploring the Catholic Church:

1. Who Needs the Catholic Church? Why we can’t just be freelance Christians or simply select the congregation to attend based on who has the best music and the most dynamic teaching.
   2. Baptism: Gateway to Life What does a personal commitment to Jesus as Lord and Savior have to do with getting water poured on your head as an infant? Why do Catholics use holy water and make the sign of the cross?
   3. Confirmation: Empowered to Serve The sacrament of confirmation, the most neglected sacrament of all, turns out to be the key to effective witness and fruitful service, the source of spiritual gifts that makes ordinary people capable of extraordinary things.
   4. Personal Prayer: Pathway to Joy Intimacy is what we all crave. Here Dr. D’Ambrosio lays out a vision of prayer as intimacy that is practical even for very busy, contemporary lifestyles.
   5. What is the Mass? An explanation of transubstantiation and the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist that really makes the light bulbs go on.
   6. Getting More out of the Mass Practical strategies to make each Mass a more life-changing event.
   7. Keeping a Pure Heart So how can we stay right with God in a godless world? And how does the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation fit in? Why do I need to go to confession when I can confess my sins directly to Jesus?
   8. Mary and the Saints Do Catholics worship Mary and the Saints? If not, what is the basis in the Bible for devotion to them? Why should I honor them?