What We Believe

The Beauty of the Catholic Faith, Book

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Discover the Amazing Riches of the Catholic Faith

What is the Catholic Church all about? What does it mean to be Catholic? What do Catholics actually believe? The Catholic Church is extraordinary.

Founded by Christ himself, the Catholic Church is where we encounter God in his Word, his sacraments, and his saints. The Church faithfully proclaims the fullness of faith, leaving no truth out. It proclaims the fullness of life, leaving no person out. It calls all to repent and to believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the source of all life and salvation.

Maybe you’ve been Catholic your entire life. Maybe you’re just beginning to explore the Catholic Faith. Wherever you are in your journey, you will be profoundly moved by the beauty and the richness of the Catholic Church.

Written by Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio and Dr. Andrew Swafford, What We Believe presents and explains the essential teachings of the Catholic Faith in a clear and approachable way.

In this study, you will explore what Catholics truly believe, who Catholics are and how we are called to live, the blessings of Creation, redemption, and new life in the Holy Spirit, the profound gift of the sacraments—especially the Holy Eucharist, the source and summit of our Faith—and how to imitate Christ through prayer, personal conversion, and love for others.

Note: This book is one component of the full study program. It can be read on its own or alongside the program. Learn more about the What We Believe: The Beauty of the Catholic Faith study program here.

SKU: 9781954881457
Format: Paperback
Binding: Perfectbound
Dimensions: L: 8.5" W: 5.5" D:
Page Count: 220
Case Count: 46
Language: English
Series: What We Believe: The Beauty of the Catholic Faith
Publisher: Ascension
Ecclesiastical Designation: Nihil obstat, Imprimatur
Publication Date: Jun 06, 2022
Copyright Year: 2022

Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio

Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio (“Dr. Italy”) received his Ph.D. in historical theology from The Catholic University of America under the direction of Avery Cardinal Dulles and has had a prolific career as a Catholic author, internationally-respected speaker, pilgrimage leader, and university professor. He is the Co-founder and Director of The Crossroads Initiative, the author of five books and hundreds of articles, and a regular guest on both secular and Catholic TV and radio programs.

In 2004, Dr. D’Ambrosio co-authored the New York Times bestseller A Guide to the Passion: 100 Questions about The Passion of the Christ with Ascension founder Matt Pinto. In 2019, Dr. D’Ambrosio published the groundbreaking Bible study on the life of Jesus Christ filmed in the Holy Land, Jesus: The Way, the Truth, and the Life, presenting alongside Jeff Cavins and Dr. Edward Sri. In 2022, he became the co-author and co-presenter of What We Believe: The Beauty of the Catholic Faith, together with Dr. Andrew Swafford and Sarah Swafford, and in 2025 was announced as a co-presenter of the groundbreaking Foundations of Faith: A Journey Through the Catechism of the Catholic Church with Fr. Mike Schmitz, Jeff Cavins, and Dr. Edward Sri.

Dr. D’Ambrosio is currently teaches for the Catholic International University (formerly known as Catholic Distance University). He has previously been on faculty at the Loyola College in Maryland as well as the University of Dallas.

Dr. D’Ambrosio and his wife Susan reside in Dallas, Texas, where they frequently spend time with their many children and grandchildren.

More from Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio →

Dr. Andrew Swafford

Dr. Andrew Swafford is professor of theology at Benedictine College and a national speaker on a variety of Catholic topics including Sacred Scripture, St. John Paul II, and the moral life. Together with Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio, he is co-author of What We Believe: The Beauty of the Catholic Faith and co-host of Ascension’s video series under the same title, filmed at 30 holy sites in Rome. With his wife, Sarah, Dr. Swafford is also co-author of Gift and Grit: How Heroic Virtue Can Change Your Life and Relationships. He is also the general editor of, and a contributor to, Ascension’s best-selling Great Adventure Catholic Bible and the Catholic Guide to the Old and New Testaments (2 volumes).

Among Dr. Swafford’s other publications are Ascension’s Bible studies on Romans and Hebrews. Dr. Swafford holds a doctorate in Sacred Theology from the University of St. Mary of the Lake and a master’s degree in Old Testament and Semitic Languages from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Dr. Swafford is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the Academy of Catholic Theology, and is a featured fellow at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. Both he and Sarah are available for speaking engagements and can be contacted via Twitter or their website, The Swaffords.

Dr. Swafford is an avid student of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and lives with his wife Sarah and their six children in Atchison, KS.

More from Dr. Andrew Swafford →

Every Catholic Needs to Read

Wow! This study has so many Wows. Our study group loved this and found encouragement and strength each week. The book was great and the video took it to the next level. Best study our group has done. Strong Catholics, weak Catholics, will benefit from this study. The Holy Spirit sure moved us with this.

Captivating, conversational style

I decided to order this based on a recent post on the Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) [OFFICIAL] Facebook page. It arrived by U.S. Mail within 3 days, and I started reading it right away. I love the writing style -- very friendly and informative, especially when the authors make analogies to things we all experience in everyday life. I'm a convert to Catholicism, having been raised Lutheran and then becoming a Pentecostal in my college years. I used to be VERY anti-Catholic, but I met a great many practicing Catholics when I joined the pro-life movement. My first step towards becoming Catholic was finding out that most of what I'd always been taught about Catholicism wasn't even true! As I read this book, I can picture my former self saying, "Oh, yeah. That makes perfect sense." I plan to buy several copies, to see if I can (hopefully) get some of my family members to read this book. I really think that if they had the Faith explained to them the way the authors do here, they would seriously take another look at what Catholicism has to offer.

What We Believe

This was the first time St. Laurence Adult Formation presented What We Believe. Our study group found the book to be extremely interesting followed by the video and workbook. Most of the 90 minutes class time was spent on digesting material in the book which lead to group discussion on our Church teaching and our faith journey. The class evaluation indicated all found they learned more about their religion. The study was well documented and the DVD sessions were excellent. One negative comment on evaluation was the student wished the presenters on video would speak more to audience rather then each other.

Great resource!

If you struggle to put into words what you know to be unshakable truth in your heart, this book is a blessing. It has been for me and everyone I’ve shared my Catholic Faith with!