Are we really expected to read/know the whole Catechism?

[Sherlock]

Karen Anne,

You wrote: “Study it YES!!! Remember it all?”

Hey, I hear ya! But I do think that plain old repetition is the key here. Don’t let that scare you. Let me put it this way: when I first started getting interested in apologetics, both from reading and listening to Catholic Answers, I found myself thinking, “How can I possibly remember all of this!!” But over a period of time, I read or heard some particular pieces of information over and over without even trying to—different authors using the same references and verses; different people on Catholic Answers responding in similar ways to similar questions; and so on. After a while, I realized that I was anticipating the answers to the questions posed on Catholic Answers—I was trying to “beat the host”, so to speak, with my own answers before the “official” answer was given. I guess I was remembering more than I thought I had. The same is true with the Catechism—I’ve had occasion to refer to certain topics in it over and over so that I at least have some parts comfortably under my belt. The more I have occasion to read and re-read, the more I will retain. I find that as I talk to people and try to explain my faith, I have reason to refer to the Catechism quite a lot—and so I expect that though I may not necessarily develop a word-for-word memorization, I will probably develop a good all-around understanding. Best wishes!

 

[Matt16_18]

**Study it YES!!! Remember it all? **

Karen Anne

Have you received the Sacrament of Confirmation? If you have, you have received special grace from this sacrament that allows you to defend the faith. Pray to the Holy Spirit and claim the graces that you received in Confirmation before you read the Catechism.

Please try that, and then let us know if that makes a difference when you study the CCC.
For zeal for thy house has consumed me …
Psalm 69:9

 

[Liberian]

Karen Anne:

However, are we really expected to know the WHOLE Catechism? To read it cover to cover and to actually understand what you read is a daunting task to say the least. If the answer to my question is “No” then here is another question: does that predispose Catholics to be “cafeteria Catholics” by default since we are not expected to or able to read the WHOLE Catechism?

Karen Anne

Karen Anne,

My answer is a resounding “No.” We are not expected to read the entire Catechism, much less remember everything that is in it. That’s what the index is for.

My own attitude is that I believe everything that is in the Catechism because I trust the Church that wrote it. I certainly don’t know everything that is in there, but if somebody comes and asks me “Do you believe (fill in the blank)?” I can go check in the Catechism. If it’s there the answer is “Yes.”

The next obvious question is “Why do you believe this?” My answer is that I have checked out enough of the teachings in the Catechism and found them true and correct that I can take Mother Church’s word on the rest of them.

I don’t think this encourages cafeteria Catholicism. The difference is in the attitude with which one approaches the teachings of the Church.

• Liberian

 

[cecelia]

All Catholics should definitely have a Catechism and know how to refer to it. I know that during the last presidential election, I referred to it often when defending the Church against those who mistakenly thought the Culture of Life meant that the death penalty and abortion were morally equivalent, and that the Church was hypocritical for not making capital punishment one of the negotiables.I had to often refer to #2267 of the Catechism to explain the Church’s pronouncement regarding this situation. Ditto for the war in Iraq. I had to use the Catechism to explain that even though the pope himself may have been against the war, the Church itself does not take a stance.Many of us are encouraged to refer to our employee handbooks often. They’re there to guide us. That said, the Catechism of the Catholic Church serves as our spiritual reference and we should use it often.

 

[Fitz]

Karen, I think that we need to know that the Catechism is there for us to find answers when we have questions. I don’t know many that can memorize a book that big. However, it is designed well enough to be able to look for any question you might have.

This year I did a bible study at church at our church, (Jeff Cavins Bible Time Line) and it was great. Every question we had from this bible study refered to the bible and to the cathechism. They are coordinated quite nicely as would be expected.

 

[otm]

I am quite capable of reading the whole thing . You mention “paraphrase”…This is where conflict arises! You see, we are NOT to interpret (paraphrase) the teachings of the Church (or at least that is what I understand…). While it is quite simple to remember a story we might read, it is quite another matter to remember EXACT teachings of a book such as the Catechism word for word.

Karen Anne

Well, that is not entirely correct. If you can paraphrase it, you probably understand it, as parphrasing is simply putting it in your own words. If you can’t put it in your own words, it would imply that you did not understand it.

Paraphrasing can be sloppy or accurate; it depends on the level of understanding.

 

[Gracie2004]

I am quite capable of reading the whole thing . You mention “paraphrase”…This is where conflict arises! You see, we are NOT to interpret (paraphrase) the teachings of the Church (or at least that is what I understand…). While it is quite simple to remember a story we might read, it is quite another matter to remember EXACT teachings of a book such as the Catechism word for word.

Karen Anne

You can most certainly paraphrase the contents if you have a good understanding of them…interpretation and paraphrasing are two completely different things…perhaps you should look up the difference in the meaning of the two words.

You can ALWAYS paraphrase an understanding of a teaching if your understanding is correct…how ELSE can you ever put what you have learned into your own words?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Karen Anne:

It seems like whenever someone has a question about the teachings of the church they are told to check out the RCC Catechism (which IS good advice!). However, are we really expected to know the WHOLE Catechism? To read it cover to cover and to actually understand what you read is a daunting task to say the least. If the answer to my question is “No” then here is another question: does that predispose Catholics to be “cafeteria Catholics” by default since we are not expected to or able to read the WHOLE Catechism? If we can’t read/know the whole thing then we literally “pick and choose” what we DO read…
Just curious…

Karen Anne

The Catholic Faith is not a self-study religion. The Catechism is a reference book. It’s not intended to be read cover to cover. However I know several people who read a half dozen or more paperback books of the same size over a typical summer. It is best read in a group which allows for questions and discussions or with a study guide, like the Catechism Handbook by Fr. Lukefahr, CM

There are also summaries of the Catechism, Summary - Catechism of the Catholic Church, by Fr. John Klopke, C.PP.S

There are other easy to read presentations linked to the Catechism, This is Our Faith, by Pennock or The Catholic Way by Bishop Wuerl or What is Catholicism? by John Redford Or Catholic and Christian by Alan Schrek.

Each has a section/topic and reference links to the Catechism. After reading a section. If you want to know more you can go to paragraph link #### in the Catechism.

 

[buffalo]

**Study it YES!!! Remember it all? **

Karen Anne

Believe me, give it a try. You will be amazed what you will remember.

 

[jimmy]

Karen Anne:

It seems like whenever someone has a question about the teachings of the church they are told to check out the RCC Catechism (which IS good advice!). However, are we really expected to know the WHOLE Catechism? To read it cover to cover and to actually understand what you read is a daunting task to say the least. If the answer to my question is “No” then here is another question: does that predispose Catholics to be “cafeteria Catholics” by default since we are not expected to or able to read the WHOLE Catechism? If we can’t read/know the whole thing then we literally “pick and choose” what we DO read…
Just curious…

Karen Anne

You aren’t expected to know the paragraph numbers of the catechism and what they say. But you are expected to know the faith. I don’t think anyone on this forum knows the Catechism front to back, but they do know their faith. They can give a description of the faith if asked. I think it is very possible for people to learn the faith in a way that they can describe pretty much all of it without knowing the Catechism front to back.

 

[puzzleannie]

you are if you are pursuing DRE certification at the summer St. John Bosco conference at Franciscan University in Steubenville, that is the subject matter of your final exam.

CCC is like the Bible, best taken in small doses, not crammed. It is excellent matter for lectio divina, reading a selected passage each day - along with the Scripture and Church document references which are contained in a companion volume - and followed by meditation and prayer.

The catechist is well advised to read the CCC citations and Scripture verses given for each lesson in your catechist manual as your immediate preparation in the week before you are to teach the lesson. in this way, you will be educating yourself in a systematic fashion.

it is not true that the catechumen must commit to memory large portions of the CCC - or of the Bible for that matter - but the catechesis during the catechumentate should incorporate both the Sunday lectionary readings and systematic doctrinal content based on the CCC.

 

[buffalo]

Imagine the impact on society if every Catholic knew the Cathechism well. The transformation would be amazing. That in itself is a great reason to study and know it well.

 

[Jesus4Me]

Br. Rich SFO:

There are other easy to read presentations linked to the Catechism, This is Our Faith, by Pennock or The Catholic Way by Bishop Wuerl or What is Catholicism? by John Redford Or Catholic and Christian by Alan Schrek.

Each has a section/topic and reference links to the Catechism. After reading a section. If you want to know more you can go to paragraph link #### in the Catechism.

Good advice to get through it.

 

[LSK]

Karen Anne:

However, are we really expected to know the WHOLE Catechism?

Karen - the answer is yes and the test is next Tuesday…anyone up for a study date?

:whacky: