Baltimore Catechism

[sonofppio]

I was wondering if the Baltimore Catechism are good to use to teach children the Catholic faith. I once heard a priest comment on them in a negative way, so I am not sure if they are out dated, have errors or if they are not the best for teaching the our Children.

Thank you.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

The Baltimore Catechism (BC) was a local catechism based on the universal catechism in use at the time of its publication, the Roman Catechism. Insofar as it teaches matters of unchanging doctrine and morals, the BC is an excellent resource for teaching the faith to children, but the teacher – you – must be thoroughly able to distinguish for children between what is unchanging in the BC and what is changeable discipline and custom that has been superceded by the new universal catechism, the Catechism of the Catholic Church. If you feel that you are not qualified to meet that challenge, or if you simply want to supplement the BC, you might try the Faith and Life series by Catholics United for the Faith (see link below for more information).

cuf.org/faith.htm

And, something to be on the look-out for: Rome is nearing completion of a Q&A version of the Cathechism of the Catholic Church (working title: Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church). When it becomes available, it should make it much easier for you to teach your children directly from the current universal catechism. (See link below for more information.)

jimmyakin.org/2004/05/compendium_near.html