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A good book to start with is Theology for Beginners by Frank Sheed, which was published in 1957. It explains in a very clear, direct way the doctrines of the faith that are really important.

At a deeper level, a good book is Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma by Ludwig Ott. It was more common before Vatican II for theologians to make fine distinctions about what exactly constituted Catholic doctrine using a system of "theological notes." For example, something that is an article of faith and must be believed is called de fide. Something that is not in itself revealed, but connected to revelation by logical necessity is called a sententia certa. A proposition on which theologians are generally agreed, but which in itself is a matter of free opinion, is called a sententia communis. Ott goes over basically the same scope of material as Sheed in a series of theses like "the degree of justifying grace is not identical in all the just," each of which is assigned a theological note and then explained with an overview of the most pertinent evidence from Scripture, the Fathers, and the magisterium.

As far as practice goes, try using the links in the sidebar to find a local parish where the traditional Latin Mass is celebrated (but I suggest you avoid the SSPX) and attend every week. If there happens to be no traditionalist parish nearby, the Mass is still the Mass and you should still attend every week. It is also a good idea to get a rosary and pray it every day, or at least at some regular interval. The Secret of the Rosary is a good little book on how to get the most out of this prayer. It is also good to take up fasting, starting with abstinence from meat on every Friday of the year. For more general advice on the spiritual life, Introduction to the Devout Life by St Francis de Sales is a good book.

> 4.Which is a better outcome

The best outcome is following the truth about homosexuality and abortion, don't you think?

And truth can't be "made more accessible" or changed for utilitarian ends like bringing people back. It just is true.

I would highly recommend some good books, such as What is Marriage: Man and Woman, a Defense and Persuasive Pro-Life by Trent Horn. It may help to understand why pro-lifers and people who believe in natural marriage hold the views they hold, before suggesting they change them.

Furthermore, many liberal denominations are in decline, even though they changed their teachings to be more accommodating to outsiders. The Catholic Church does not need to become more liberal or accommodating to current trends to thrive and be successful: https://onenewsnow.com/church/2016/11/20/study-churches-with-conservative-theology-grow-faster

This site has the basic information. You can find a nice devotional for the preparation as well as de Montfort's "True Devotion" on Amazon here. As for me, the day I chose didn't allow for a full 33 days of preparation, so I intend to repeat the consecration next year with the full 33 days of prayer, though I know many Catholics renew their consecration with an abbreviated prep formula. After the consecration, it is a good idea to be enrolled in the brown scapular and wear a miraculous medal if you don't already as a reminder of your special devotion to Our Lady.

Hope this helps!

> See a problem with traditionalism and an authoritarian system like the Vatican?

That's not how the Magisterium works. Neo-conservative Catholics may act that way, but most of the things that come from the modern Vatican are not high level or authoritative. Proclaiming a "year of Darwin" for example doesn't mean I have to hold Darwin as some kind of saint or hero. It just means that the Pope and some people in the Vatican wanted to do that for whatever personal reason. But that action and others like it doesn't employ infallibility and they certainly do not have a gift of impeccability. Neo-Conservative Catholics like to defend the modern status quo even to the point of rejecting past teaching in favor of modern or novel ideas. But the principle that proper belief should be what was always and everywhere taught has been established long ago.

Humani Generis allowed for "research and discussion" but it did not accept evolution as doctrine or as more than a theory. Included in his call for research and discussion was to hear out both sides, which includes the "creationist" side, which simply states correctly that all of the Church Fathers believed in a literal interpretation of Genesis. Which really, is supported by Humani Generis in the sense that Humani Generis states that Adam and Eve were real people, and not only real people but the first couple.

I've summarized a number of sources in this thread.

A better explanation of magisterial authority can be found in Fr. Ripperger's book Magisterial Authority.

I would say pray the rosary daily and observe the saints feast days.

There is a really good book out by Maria Von Trapp (yes, THAT Maria Von Trapp! :) ) and she gives all kinds of cool things you can do around the home to celebrate the liturgical seasons. Food, songs, festivities. All stuff you can practice around the home. I love this book! https://www.amazon.com/Around-Year-Von-Trapp-Family/dp/162282668X

Sigh, the lack of catechesis and failure of our priests to teach the faith, especially from the pulpit. I am a cradle that didn't grow up in the church (long story, think V2) yet nevertheless was raised Catholic. So I know what the traditions are, but not exactly why.

I have not found a Catholic source for what you seek. My lamenting to Orthodox friends resulted in a fruitful find. It's a two-volume set of books containing hand illustrated (beautiful) icons explaining the liturgical festive calendar of our shared faith. It helped me fill in my gaps of why we do what we do. If someone knows of a Catholic source, please share. I married an Eastern Catholic and this book coincides more closely with our liturgical feasts.

https://www.amazon.com/Incarnate-God-Feasts-Christ-Virgin/dp/0881411302/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543109447&sr=8-1&keywords=The+incarnate+god

This is what I used GC Practicum in the seminary. It was a very good book. I also chanted for a long time before that and own a Liber Usualis as well as other texts.

Also, I was around priests, monks and solemn high masses all the time so I am familiar with the tones that are to be used. You can find full chanted offices on youtube. Even in the seminary we hardly ever did solemn tones unlesss it was a big feast, even in the Carmel we didn't do solemn tones that often.

The best way to show you would just be to hear someone else and get some training from a cantor. I could walk you through it over the phone or Skype since I have some formal training. I also know of others who could walk you through it, I am friends with 4 or 5 professional cantors on Facebook.

I wouldn't chant any solemn tones with your family unless everyone had it memorized. Like maaaaaybe the solemn Salve Regina, but I've heard adults struggle with that one and it's not that hard. If you have trouble with tones, monotone is the best way to go, even for the Salve Regina. But if you can sing Credo III and not miss a beat, you should be fine for the vast majority of plain chant.

Let me know if you want to talk, just pm me.

Edit: With that book I linked you to above, you should be able to play any chant on a keyboard or piano easily. It is very easy. Unfortunately I can't find any audio samples of plain chant on YouTube. I would have to sing it for you.

His objections are puzzling. I've heard some "good" arguments for Orthodoxy, but this kid seems familiar with none of them.

As far as the Papacy, the decretals? Seriously? That's what he's basing his opinion on? What that immediately tells me is that he already decided against the Catholic Church long ago; maybe his Catholic mum and dad told him to move out of the basement, and he's just upset with them.

I won't waste my breath hoping that he has a shred of intellectual honesty, but I think that he'd at least benefit in future Orthodox-Catholic dialogue by trying to at least read work by those on both sides of the issue who are pressing for mutual understanding, as well as some decent work on the Papacy.

Adrian Fortesque's The Early Papacy: To the Synod of Chalcedon should be at his reading level, it's short, and he'd at least be able to coherently discuss the Chair of St. Peter. Urs von Balthasar's The Office of Peter and the Structure of the Church was always highly recommended by my priest, but I never read it; I'd imagine that if I was making a decision as big as rejecting Petrine primacy, I'd want to at least thumb through it.

The Dr. Taylor Marshall podcast recently did an episode with (basically a co-host) Tim Gordon about his book Catholic Republic. Now, I could be misremembering but I think that is the episode where Tim mentions how the founding fathers came around long enough after the protestant reformation that reading Jesuit books wouldn't get you killed, and a lot of the best intellectual material from the American revolution came from Catholic sources.

On the feast of St. Jerome, no less :)

There is no such thing as a "most accurate translation." Learn Latin if you can, but even then you will never fully understand all the connotations and cultural subtext of Sacred Scripture on your own. You can learn Greek (I did for this same reason) but there will still be a language gap from the Aramaic Christ spoke. As English speakers, we are, at best, three languages and 2000 years removed from the language and context of Sacred Scripture.

I don't say this to be discouraging but to emphasize the importance of Biblical inerrancy. God bridges the gap between 21st-century believers and 2000 years of dramatic historical and linguistic change, not human translators.

Translating Latin to English is an art, not a science. Translating Latin to Spanish or Italian is a lot more accurate but still not perfect. Don't waste your time searching for "the most accurate English translation." Such a thing does not exist.

That said, I'd go for a [Latin Vulgate and Douay-Rheims interlinear](https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Bible-Latin-English-Testamenti/dp/1635489792/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Latin+interlinear+bible&qid=1569904281&sr=8-1). It's also a great way to practice Latin (if you want to learn it, that is).

Here's a pretty good book for you "The Latin Mass Explained":
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0895557649

You can also check out http://livemass.net to watch the Latin Mass from home whenever you want and then use http://divinumofficium.com/cgi-bin/missa/missa.pl to follow along with the Mass (there's a button for Solemn at the bottom if it's a sung Mass).

It's very helpful if you try to learn the prayers in Latin. Start with the Pater Noster, Ave Maria, Gloria Patri, and Symbolum Apostolorum (Apostle's Creed). This will allow you to pray the Rosary in Latin. The repetition of praying the Rosary will allow you to ingrain and really learn these prayers in Latin.

Next, you can move on to try learning the Novus Ordo responses in Latin, so Dominus Vobiscum -> Et Cum Spiritu Tuo; Kyrie/Christe Eleison (Greek); the entire Gloria; Deo gratias; Gloria tibi, Domine; Laus tibi, Christe; the Credo (Nicene Creed); Suscipiat Dominus sacrifícium de manibus tuis... (May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands...); Preface responsorial (sorsum corda, habemus ad Dominum, etc); Sanctus; Agnus Dei; Domine non sum dignus (Lord I am not worthy).

Once you've got all the NO responses down, then you can learn the prayers at the foot of the altar (good to know the priest and server responses). At this point, your knowledge of the Latin Mass would be quite high. If you're ambitious you can go into the offertory and Canon, but that's up to you. It's nice to at a minimum know all of the server responses for the entire Mass and what the priest says leading up to those responses.

Also, a big help for things like the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, Asperges/Vidi Aquam, and all of the Marian Antiphons (Alma Redemptoris Mater, Ave Regina Caelorum, Regina Caeli, Salve Regina) is listen to Gregorian Chant recordings and try to sing along. Music makes these things easier to learn. There are plenty of places to find them (YouTube). It's easiest to start with setting VIII (easiest) and then work into others like IX and XI.

It took me a while to get used to the Latin Mass. At first I was completely confused. After a few times of going, it slowly started to sink in, now I dread the times I have to go to the NO. I've even gotten my wife who was more fallen away (still isn't 100% on board, but I'm trying) to go to TLM, understand what's going on, and like it more than the NO.

Free resources you should check out:

Peter and the Eastern Church by Fr. Ray Ryland

Infallability (especially the section titled 'The Pope')

Why I Didn't Convert to Eastern Orthodoxy by Fr. Brian Harrison O.S.

A Catholic (former Anglican) discusses Eastern Orthodox objections to Catholicism (there is a part 2 if you're interested)

 

Recommended books on the subject:

Jesus, Peter & the Keys: A Scriptural Handbook on the Papacy

20 Answers- The Papacy (20 Answers Series from Catholic Answers Book 10)

Upon This Rock: St. Peter and the Primacy of Rome in Scripture and the Early Church

This has great traditions for the liturgical year, recently published again by Sophia Institute Press

Around the Year with the Von Trapp Family https://www.amazon.com/dp/162282668X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ztH-BbHMD330J

Here is the book mentioned in the post above:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/154105671X/ref=cm\_sw\_em\_r\_mt\_dp\_U\_4rDzDbVQSEYNK