Catechism of the Catholic Church
Technically speaking, a catechism is a manual of doctrine, written out in the form of questions and answers, that is used for a fixed and stable scheme of instruction. And certainly, at the level of the dioceses or parishes, when used for the education of children or converts, it is just that. But the Catechisms meant for popular use are local versions of an official Catechism written with the genuine authority of the Holy See in Rome. This Catechism is intended for the particular edification of bishops.
In 1997, Pope John Paul II explained his revised Catholic Catechism this way: “A totally reliable way to present, with renewed fervor, each and every part of the Christian message to the people of our time” (from Catechism of the Catholic Church, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops).
Catechism literally means “instruction by word of mouth.” Its system of instruction through question and answer is a long and well-established tradition that dates back to Socrates. The Gospels show how Jesus Christ frequently used questions and answers as part of his method of teaching.
The first official Catechism is known as the
A new work was issued after Vatican I in 1870. Later still, in 1962, the Vatican II Council led by Pope John XXIII called for a spirit of renewal and opened a long-scale project that took a new approach to the Catechism. That work was completed in 1977 and was issued under the aegis of Pope John Paul II.
The Catechism TodayThe prologue of the new Catechism of the Catholic Church opens with a note of joy: “God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life.” It is from this basic tenet that the Catholic belief system and its instruction follow.
A number of Catechisms intended for the laity have been published in many countries over the intervening years. Significant are the three versions by Peter Canisius in the 1550s, translated and published all over Europe. Pope St. Pius X produced a simple, brief Catechism for the layman in the early 1900s.
As the Catholic Church is built on tradition, the material is structured in four sections, similar to the Catechism of Pius V, as follows:
The profession of faith (including the Nicene Creed)
The celebration of the Christian mystery (including the liturgy and sacraments)
Life in Christ (the Catholic way to live, including the Ten Commandments)
Christian prayer (the importance, relevance, and holiness of prayer)
Within these sections, the material is presented in a way that responds to the questions of the time. Every element of Catholic life and beliefs, from apostolic succession to points of moral ambiguity, is addressed in a perfect, elegant system of the Catechism.
