How many times have we recited the Apostle’s creed, and not really thought about what it meant? Such a familiar prayer, it contains all the fundamental tenets and truths of the catholic faith, God as Father, Jesus, His Son, fully human and fully divine, Mary, His virgin mother, the Church, holy and Catholic, that is, universal.

Fr. Billy swan, a priest of the diocese of Ferns has crafted a simple but reflective guide to the creed. Using it as the gateway to mediate on the faith, he breaks it down into its constituent parts – from our belief in an all-powerful and loving God right down to our faith in a holy and indivisible church.

Not content with merely describing the content of the Creed, Fr Swan also offers us some useful reflections on the core truths it contains.  For example, in speaking about the “fully human” nature of Jesus, he remarks that “it may be uncomfortable to think of Jesus as one who experienced tiredness, boredom, anger, frustration, shortage of money, and sadness. Yet if we believe that Jesus was fully human the these things were part of his life as they are part of ours.”

Fr Swan’s book is a helpful reminder of the treasures of our faith.

Review of Creed of Love taken from The Voice Today, Friday 5th May 2006