The Catechism of the Catholic Church St. Peter Catholic Church RCIA September 10, 2020
Brief History Catechism: a text which contains the fundamental Christian truths formulated in a way that facilitates their understanding Recommendation made at a meeting of bishops in 1985 under Pope St. John Paul II Commission of Cardinals and Bishops created in 1986 First “draft” sent to world bishops in 1989 Over 24, 000 suggestions submitted and evaluated in 1991 Text sent to Holy Father for approval in 1991 Approved in June, 1992 and promulgated in December, 1992 English version released in 1994
Function and Contents Conveys the essential and fundamental content of Catholic faith and morals in a complete and summary way Provides a positive, objective and declarative exposition of Catholic doctrine Presents Catholic doctrine within the context of the Church's history and tradition. Frequent references to Sacred Scripture, the writings of the Fathers, the lives and writings of the saints, conciliar and papal documents and liturgical texts enrich the Catechism in a way that is both inviting and challenging. There are over three thousand footnotes in the Catechism.
Organization Introduction Parts Sections Chapters Articles Paragraphs (references are mostly to paragraphs)
Four Parts (Pillars) and What They Cover The Profession of Faith - I BELIEVE The Celebration of the Christian Mystery LITURGY, SACRAMENTS Life in Christ - COMMANDMENTS, SIN, GRACE, MORALITY, VIRTUES, SOCIETY Christian Prayer - UNIVERSAL CALL, OUR FATHER
Other Handy Tools Extensive Footnotes Cross-references to other paragraphs Index Abbreviations