Below is the introduction to “Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth,” a booklet that answers basic questions about the Roman Catholic Church. I first encountered this literature in 1995, during the 10th World Youth Day with Pope John Paul II in Manila.

Whether or not you are Catholic, you may have questions about the Catholic faith. You may have heard challenges to the Catholic Church’s claim to be the interpreter and safeguard of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Such challenges come from door-to-door missionaries who ask, “Are you saved?”, from peer pressure that urges you to ignore the Church’s teachings, from a secular culture that whispers “There is no God.”

You can’t deal with these challenges unless you understand the basics of the Catholic faith. This booklet introduces them to you.

In Catholicism you will find answers to life’s most troubling questions: Why am I here? Who made me? What must I believe? How must I act? All these can be answered to your satisfaction, if only you will open yourself to God’s grace, turn to the Church he established, and follow his plan for you (John 7:17).

You may read the contents of “Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth” or order copies of this booklet here.