Buying a Catechism

[MrZetterlund]

I’m making this thread with apologies to po18guy Since he bought me a Catechism prior to my conversion and I lost it… I just want you to know I am SO SORRY po18guy!! I was reading it in my night-school class last year and one night it never made it home with me. But it was very effective in my conversion, and, needless to say, I wish to replace it. Thank you very much po18guy, you have contributed a great deal and have been very sincere in my conversion to the Roman Catholic Church.

So, which Catechism is the best? Which would my reader recommend? Thank you, and God bless…

 

[Wesley7]

If you’re Catholic, your best bet would be to go with the official Catechism of the Catholic Church Second Edition published by the Vatican press.

 

[Big_Feet]

Also check out the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults by the USCCB. This is to be used as an additional source for US Catholics.

 

[Tridentine_Cat]

Catechism of the Council of Trent, Baltimore Catechism, Catechism of St Pius X. In that order.

 

[Irish_Polock]

Catechism of the council of Trent and the Baltimore Catechism are my preferences. I would avoid the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults entirely and I would not even touch the YouCat.

 

[Big_Feet]

Catechism of the council of Trent and the Baltimore Catechism are my preferences. I would avoid the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults entirely and I would not even touch the YouCat.

Why? What is wrong with them? Do they contain doctrinal errors?

 

[jwinch2]

I started off with the US Catechism for Adults and found it to be very good. The language is a bit simple at times but that can also be good. I find the language in the universal catechism to be needlessly wordy which can lead to misinterpretation, particularly in beginners to the faith.

Since finishing the US Catechism, I have purchased both the “green” Catechism which is the 2nd edition and the Catechism of the Council of Trent. My plan at some point is to study the both the current Catechism and the Trent Catechism side by side, topically.

 

[Crumpy]

I’m not sure why there is a question here. For an adult reader, they should get the current Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Other catechisms may have historic value, for one reason or another. I didn’t get a sense of a reason to buy any other (in the previous posts) except for personal preference.

The CCC should be useful for a lifetime.

Having said all this, I haven’t read the entire catechism. I’m reading the fourth part on prayer, right now. I’m reading that section for education but it seems to be a great thing to read just for the meditation on prayer, itself.

For the first edition of the CCC, I saw a companion volume that had all the printed citations from the CCC. I think that would be very convenient, if a person could afford it. I haven’t run across such a volume for the second edition of the CCC. Maybe the companion volume is valid for both.

 

[puzzleannie]

Catechism of the council of Trent and the Baltimore Catechism are my preferences. I would avoid the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults entirely and I would not even touch the YouCat.

that would be true for anyone who rejects all Catholic teaching after 1950.

The USCCA is a very fine digest of the Catechism of the Catholic Church useful for group and individual study.

the CCC should be the only catechism you will ever need
the coming home network website has a schema for a reading plan to cover the bible and CCC in one year

if you get the CCC get the green larger type edition and buy the companion volume that has all the references and citations.

 

[jwinch2]

Also check out the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults by the USCCB. This is to be used as an additional source for US Catholics.

I like the US Catechism as well. Many people are not aware but the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd Ed. is intended to be a reference point to develop other Catechisms specific to particular cultures. Hence, why you have a US Catechism, one for the UK, etc. The country specific Catechisms are the ones actually addressed primarily to the faithful while the universal Catechism is more geared towards the bishops and secondarily to priests, and then catechists. This is probably why the US Catechism is more direct and a bit plainer spoken. I haven’t read the UK version. This is of course, not to say that the faithful are not to read the universal catechism; far from it. Simply that the bishops as the primary teachers of the faith were the target audience.

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P4.HTM:

This catechism aims at presenting an organic synthesis of the essential and fundamental contents of Catholic doctrine, as regards both faith and morals, in the light of the Second Vatican Council and the whole of the Church’s Tradition. Its principal sources are the Sacred Scriptures, the Fathers of the Church, the liturgy, and the Church’s Magisterium. It is intended to serve “as a point of reference for the catechisms or compendia that are composed in the various countries”.

This work is intended primarily for those responsible for catechesis: first of all the bishops, as teachers of the faith and pastors of the Church. It is offered to them as an instrument in fulfilling their responsibility of teaching the People of God. Through the bishops, it is addressed to redactors of catechisms, to priests, and to catechists. It will also be useful reading for all other Christian faithful.

Peace,

 

[Irish_Polock]

Why? What is wrong with them? Do they contain doctrinal errors?

Not so much “doctrinal errors”, as ambiguous wording due to their “friendlier language”. But, even the new CCC is not completely free from said ambiguity - although, it tends to be more clear then the two in question. The previous catechisms. had not been plagued with these issues and were very clear of any ambiguity.

The YouCat - more so then the others - had many issues from the starting gate:

lifesitenews.com/news/youth-catechism-also-wrong-on-euthanasia-other-religions-vatican-admits/

catholicintl.com/index.php/catholic/pastoral/570-the-vaticans-youcat-catechism-weak-on-homosexuality-contraception-euthanasia-evolution-and-scripture

 

[Jack_Bauer]

Catechism of the council of Trent and the Baltimore Catechism are my preferences. I would avoid the** U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults **entirely and I would not even touch the YouCat.

Why? It’s required for my formation. And why would any new catechism approved by the bishop(s) not be good? Sounds like a side way of side stepping the bishop’s authority to me. Are the older catechisms more true or something?

 

[Jack_Bauer]

Not so much “doctrinal errors”, as ambiguous wording due to their “friendlier language”. But, even the new CCC is not completely free from said ambiguity - although, it tends to be more clear then the two in question. The previous catechisms. had not been plagued with these issues and were very clear of any ambiguity.

The YouCat - more so then the others - had many issues from the starting gate:

lifesitenews.com/news/youth-catechism-also-wrong-on-euthanasia-other-religions-vatican-admits/

catholicintl.com/index.php/catholic/pastoral/570-the-vaticans-youcat-catechism-weak-on-homosexuality-contraception-euthanasia-evolution-and-scripture

So, the inclusive language is what you believe is a problem, yes? In other words you’re saying… it would be better if you could give an example. I would have thought the new CCC would be better for the world today, since that was the ultimate mission for updating it. This is why bible translations are updated, to keep up with language changes, nuances. I’ve been reluctant to read the U.S. CCC out of fear it would be a nightmare to undo wrong information. I had a bad experience growing up in my youth while surrounded by heresy, but mostly because I did not understand what I was reading or have access to the information I find most useful in my journey, the ancient church fathers. I took one Church teaching after another, never more than one at a time, to make sure I understood it enough to accept it before committing myself to the Catholic Church. I still have many questions dealing with Orthodoxy vs Catholicism that I feel the need to understand for my own edification. Please give that example for me, please. I don’t have access to it and really might not know where to start in such a short period of time to compare. That takes a while for me in my world. Busy with children and school.

 

[Irish_Polock]

So, the inclusive language is what you believe is a problem, yes? In other words you’re saying… it would be better if you could give an example. I would have thought the new CCC would be better for the world today, since that was the ultimate mission for updating it. This is why bible translations are updated, to keep up with language changes, nuances. I’ve been reluctant to read the U.S. CCC out of fear it would be a nightmare to undo wrong information. I had a bad experience growing up in my youth while surrounded by heresy, but mostly because I did not understand what I was reading or have access to the information I find most useful in my journey, the ancient church fathers. I took one Church teaching after another, never more than one at a time, to make sure I understood it enough to accept it before committing myself to the Catholic Church. I still have many questions dealing with Orthodoxy vs Catholicism that I feel the need to understand for my own edification. Please give that example for me, please. I don’t have access to it and really might not know where to start in such a short period of time to compare. That takes a while for me in my world. Busy with children and school.

Well, I don’t have one in front of me, but I do remember that paragraph 131 - or was is page 131? I forget the format.- described the Jews as having an eternally valid covenant with God. Nostra Aetate did not teach this duel covenant theology, although, the USCCA apparently does.

 

[Mike30]

Why? What is wrong with them? Do they contain doctrinal errors?

No not at all, but the Baltimore Catechism is very easy to understand and is a very good place to start. It was actually written as an instructional tool and has three or four different levels,each which expounds a bit more on doctrine. The CCC is very wordy and highly technical and for one just staring out may be a bit difficult to dig through…

 

[Tridentine_Cat]

I got an infraction here for mentioning the Catechisms that I did, fwiw…

 

[Irish_Polock]

I got an infraction here for mentioning the Catechisms that I did, fwiw…

That is odd, I mentioned all the catechisms you had, with the exception of the Catechism of Pius the X (only because it is a hard catechism to find) without being cited.

God be with you.

 

[Tridentine_Cat]

HArd to find?

I got it pretty cheap, and the foreword is written by a priest I know personally (who infact baptised two of my children) Fr Francois Laisney.

Also, fwiw, CAF is likely to say he is not a priest because he is from SSPX but the local ordinary where he was stationed for his 25th jubilee (Wanganui, New Zealand) mentioned him on the list of jubilarians.

So unless HIs Excellency Bishop Emeritus Peter Cullinane is mistaken according to CAF, Fr LAisney is indeed a legitimate Catholic priest!

 

[Pitcharan]

No not at all, but the Baltimore Catechism is very easy to understand and is a very good place to start. It was actually written as an instructional tool and has three or four different levels,each which expounds a bit more on doctrine. The CCC is very wordy and highly technical and for one just staring out may be a bit difficult to dig through…

Most important: BALTIMORE CATECHISM is also freely downloadable.

 

[RogerDeCourcy]

that would be true for anyone who rejects all Catholic teaching after 1950.

Well, that’s the kicker, isn’t it? Has doctrine changed in the past 60 years?

Personally, I’d go for whichever Catechism takes the toughest line. Live like a saint and you can’t go wrong. The only thing certain is death. Isn’t the modern notion “Jesus forgives everything all the time so I can sin all the time and still go to Heaven”?

That seems to be the current attitude. Then you look at what the saints did.