Do you a copy of Catechism of the Catholic Church, and compare it the the Baltimore Catechism?Was the Baltimore Catechism a Vatican approved teaching source? My mother grew up with this catechism and she said it was the one that was predominately used during her time. I have a copy of it and I am confused about some things in it that seem to no longer be taught today, or have otherwise changed. Is the Baltimore Catechism in conflict with the current Catechism of the Catholic Church?
No, the Baltimore Catechism was not officially approved by the Vatican. It is an American document approved by some American Bishops. Local Bishops have the right to develop and approve different catechisms, it doesn’t have to be Vatican approved.Was the Baltimore Catechism a Vatican approved teaching source? My mother grew up with this catechism and she said it was the one that was predominately used during her time. I have a copy of it and I am confused about some things in it that seem to no longer be taught today, or have otherwise changed. Is the Baltimore Catechism in conflict with the current Catechism of the Catholic Church?
Why the fanged response? If you re-read the OP, it was the OP, NOT her mother, who expressed some confusion. All the OP said about the mother is that the mother said the Baltimore Catechism was the one “predominately used during her time.” (As it was during mine.) A statement of fact, not confusion, disloyalty to the Magisterium, or anything else you chose to read into the post. Moreover, since when does expressing “confusion” – regardless of whose confusion it was – make one guilty of thinking oneself is “better than the Pope?”Do you a copy of Catechism of the Catholic Church, and compare it the the Baltimore Catechism?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is written by Pope John Paul II, does your mom think she is better than the Pope?
Of course it was Church approved, for use in the United States. It does not conflict in any way with the Catechism of the Catholic Church.Was the Baltimore Catechism a Vatican approved teaching source? My mother grew up with this catechism and she said it was the one that was predominately used during her time. I have a copy of it and I am confused about some things in it that seem to no longer be taught today, or have otherwise changed. Is the Baltimore Catechism in conflict with the current Catechism of the Catholic Church?
It goes on to explain…Q. Are all bound to belong to the Church?
A. All are bound to belong to the Church, and he who knows the Church to be the true Church and remains out of it, cannot be saved.
Now for the CCC 838Anyone who knows the Catholic religion to be the true religion and will not embrace it cannot enter into Heaven. If one not a Catholic doubts whether the church to which he belongs is the true Church, he must settle his doubt, seek the true Church, and enter it; for if he continues to live in doubt, he becomes like the one who knows the true Church and is deterred by worldly considerations from entering it.
In like manner one who, doubting, fears to examine the religion he professes lest he should discover its falsity and be convinced of the truth of the Catholic faith, cannot be saved.
Suppose, however, that there is a non-Catholic who firmly believes that the church to which he belongs is the true Church, and who has never–even in the past–had the slightest doubt of that fact–what will become of him?
If he was validly baptized and never commited a mortal sin, he will be saved; because, believing himself a member of the true Church, he was doing all he could to serve God according to his knowledge and the dictates of his conscience. But, if he ever committed a mortal sin, his salvation would be very much more difficult. A mortal sin once committed remains on the soul till it is forgiven. Now, how could his mortal sin be forgiven? Not in the Sacrament of Penance, for the Protestant does not go to confession…Does he know that without confession it requires an act of perfect contrition to blot out mortal sin, and can he easily make such an act? What we call contrition is often only imperfect contrition–that is, sorrow for our sins because we fear their punishment in Hell or dread the loss of Heaven. If a Catholic–with all the instruction he has received about how to make an act of perfect contrition and all the practice he has had in making such acts–might find it diffifult to make an act of perfect contrition after having committed a mortal sin, how much difficulty will not a Protestant have in making an act of perfect contrition, who does not know about this requirement and who has not been taught to make continued acts of perfect contrition all his life. It is to be feared either he would not know of this necessary means of regaining God’s friendship, or he would be unable to elicit the necessary act of perfect contrition, and thus the mortal sin would remain upion his soul and he would die an enemy of God.
If, then, we found a Protestant who never committed a mortal sin after Baptism, and who never had the slightest doubt about the truth of his relgion, that person would be saved; because being baptized, he is a member of the Church, and being free from mortal sin he is a friend of God and could not in justice be condemned to Hell. Such a person would attend Mass and receive the Sacraments if he knew the Catholic Church to be the only true Church…
To me these seem to be in conflict. There is no mention–that I can find in the CCC about the need to be free from mortal sin, or that one must make a perfect act of contrition if one has committed a mortal sin.“The Church knows that she is joined in many ways to the baptized who are honored by the name of Christian, but do not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety or have not perserved unity of communion under the successor of Peter.” Those “who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in a certain, although imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church.”
If there are other passages in the CCC which uphold this viewpoint, I would appriciate someone letting me know.that “such a person would be rarely found… Indeed, all persons who are baptized are children of the Church; but those among them who deny its teaching, reject its Sacraments, and refuse to submit to its lawful pastors, are rebellious children known as heretics… I said I gave you an example that can scarcely be found, namely, of a person not a Catholic, who really never doubted the truth of his religion, and who, moreover, never committed during his whole life a mortal sin. There are so few such persons that we can practically say for all those who are not visibly members of the Catholic Church, believing its doctrines, receiving its Sacraments, and being governed by its visible head, Our Holy Father, the Pope, salvation is an extremely difficult matter.”
Do you a copy of Catechism of the Catholic Church, and compare it the the Baltimore Catechism?
Yes. I gave an example in my earlier post about what I was confused about.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is written by Pope John Paul II, does it get any
As you can see, if you read carefully, the Baltimore Catechism is in sync with the Catechism of the Catholic Church.Catechism of the Catholic Church
Contrition
1451 Among the penitent’s acts contrition occupies first place. Contrition is "sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again."50
1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called "perfect" (contrition of charity). Such contrition** remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.**51
1453 The contrition called "imperfect" (or “attrition”) is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin’s ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution. By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes one to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.52
1454 The reception of this sacrament ought to be prepared for by an *examination of conscience *made in the light of the Word of God. The passages best suited to this can be found in the Ten Commandments, the moral catechesis of the Gospels and the apostolic Letters, such as the Sermon on the Mount and the apostolic teachings.53
Source: scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c2a4.htm#1450
He did not write it. It was created by a committee of Cardinals, Bishops, etc. His Holiness gave an explanation in this document.The Catechism of the Catholic Church is **written **by Pope John Paul II
The *Catechism of the Catholic Church *is the result of very extensive collaboration: it was prepared over six years of intense work done in a spirit of complete openness and fervent zeal.
In 1986 I entrusted a commission of 12 Cardinals and Bishops, chaired by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, with the task of…
The official Baltimore Catechisms are numbered 0, 1, 2, 3.Thanks to all for the responses. Let me give a specific example of what I am talking about.
In Question 121 from the Baltimore Catechism
It goes on to explain…
Now for the CCC 838
To me these seem to be in conflict. There is no mention–that I can find in the CCC about the need to be free from mortal sin, or that one must make a perfect act of contrition if one has committed a mortal sin.
If there are other passages in the CCC which uphold this viewpoint, I would appriciate someone letting me know.
Thanks again to all who have posted.
marci
Thank you Br. Rich. I was unaware that there were additions in the #4. I will read the material you suggested.The official Baltimore Catechisms are numbered 0, 1, 2, 3.
It appears that you are looking at what is called the Baltimore Catechism #4. Which is really not part of the official Baltimore Catechism. The parts in **BOLD **in #4 are taken from the official Catechisms. The other parts are commentary by Fr. Kinkead. Nothing in BOLD in the book you have will be in conflict with the CCC.
I would read on to 846 -847 in the CCC and then possibly read the actual sections in the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church referenced in the footnotes. You may also want to read parts of The Mystical Body of Christ by Pope Pius XII.
This is news to me Brother Rich. Not that I am doubting what you are saying but isn’t it fradulent to have a Baltimore Catechism #4 that isn’t part of the official Baltimore Catechism?The official Baltimore Catechisms are numbered 0, 1, 2, 3.
It appears that you are looking at what is called the Baltimore Catechism #4. Which is really not part of the official Baltimore Catechism. The parts in **BOLD **in #4 are taken from the official Catechisms. The other parts are commentary by Fr. Kinkead. Nothing in BOLD in the book you have will be in conflict with the CCC.
I would read on to 846 -847 in the CCC and then possibly read the actual sections in the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church referenced in the footnotes. You may also want to read parts of The Mystical Body of Christ by Pope Pius XII.
No, I have one It’s good material, it’s just supplemental material. It does have a separate imprimatur.This is news to me Brother Rich. Not that I am doubting what you are saying but isn’t it fradulent to have a Baltimore Catechism #4 that isn’t part of the official Baltimore Catechism?
So would it be accurate to say that #4 is a Summary of the first 3?No, I have one It’s good material, it’s just supplemental material. It does have a separate imprimatur.
The actual title of number 4 is "An Explanation of the Baptimore Catechism" The first 4 (they start with 0) are intended for children of different ages. Number 4 took those childrens catechisms and tried to expand on them for use by adults who would be teaching the children from the others. The official Vatican catechism of the time would be the Catechism of the Council of Trent.So would it be accurate to say that #4 is a Summary of the first 3?
The Baltimore Catechism was written primarily for the Laity. The Catechism of the Catholic Church was written primarily for clergy and theologians. The audience is different; the readability is different; and the format is different.Do you a copy of Catechism of the Catholic Church, and compare it the the Baltimore Catechism?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is written by Pope John Paul II, does it get any better than the Pope?