Can the Catechism of the Catholic Church be changed?

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I love the Catechism, I dont think it would be just to change the works of our fore fathers.
 
mdef303 said:
I love the Catechism, I dont think it would be just to change the works of our fore fathers.
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The essence of the Catechism doesn’t change at all. For the truths in them are what they are, no less as gravity is what it is. Or Bernoulli’s law on liquid motion.

When God relayed to His people through Moses, the Ten Commandments. Those were truths about God and man. His relationship with him. And how it affected every person on earth, as each soul is made in God’s image, and after His likeness.

So the essence and truths in the Catechism don’t change. But what people write might change as people try to sort through the Catechesis of the Church, but nevertheless cannot accept the unchanging Truth of Christ and His Church. Which means, words change, but the Truth stays the same.
 
“Can the Catechism of the Catholic Church be changed?” The Church has published various catechisms over its’ two thousand years, so the answer is obviously yes. If you meant: “Can the teachings of Christ and His Apostles be changed?,” the answer is no. The Apostolic Faith remains unchanging. while the style of catechesis changes with the times.
 
The current Catechism only dates back to 1992; it’s hardly the work of our forefathers, but as stated before, the teachings of the Church remain unchanged since the beginning, despite a recent update in the manual.
 
mdef303 said:
I love the Catechism, I dont think it would be just to change the works of our fore fathers.
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The CCC contains a summary of Church teachings and disciplines:
  1. Infallible teachings cannot be changed.
  2. Non-infallible teachings in theory could be changed but in 2000 years none have been changed.
  3. Disciplines can and have been changed.
 
Cardinal Ratzinger (who would later become Pope Benedict XVI) addressed this when asked if the Compendium of the CCC would make the short Catechism of St. Pius X obsolete:
Q: Speaking of St. Pius X’s catechism, which continues to have sympathizers, will the publication of the compendium mean that it is definitively exceeded?

Cardinal Ratzinger: The faith, as such, is always the same. Therefore, St. Pius X’s catechism always retains its value. However, the way of transmitting the contents of the faith can change.

Consequently, one can ask if St. Pius X’s catechism can in this respect be regarded as still valid today. I think that the compendium we are preparing can respond better to today’s needs. But this does not exclude the fact that there can be persons or groups that feel more comfortable with St. Pius X’s catechism.

It should not be forgotten that that Catechism stemmed from a text that was prepared by the Pope himself [Pius X] when he was bishop of Mantua. The text was the fruit of the personal catechetical experience of Giuseppe Sarto, whose characteristics were simplicity of exposition and depth of content. Also because of this, St. Pius X’s catechism might have friends in the future. But this does not make our work superfluous.
Cardinal Ratzinger on the Abridged Version of Catechism - ZENIT - English
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The works of the forefathers can be used to logically substantiate teachings on modern problems. Such as HIV/AIDS, IVF, ecological issues, and modern warfare.
 
Although the core teachings of the Church cannot change, many are sure trying. They use terms such as doctrine “develops,” and other such nonsense. One such teaching that comes to mind that is threatened, is the long held teaching on artificial birth control. Many now fear that Humanae Vitae is under attack. Those opposed suggest that HV is “out of date.” Even a certain German Cardinal hinted at a new reinterpretation in light of AL. Much like AL, they suggest pastoral care on individual case level, and allowing one to make decisions based on one’s own conscience. Sure, ones conscience should be the final arbiter on such matters…:roll_eyes:
 
Catechisms always change as a means of conveying the teachings of the Church in a form and style appropriate to the times. So, do not be surprised if it changes again in your lifetime. I collect old books and have Catechisms from 1848 on up. One, printed in 1908, has a section written by a priest explaining why the Mass will always be in Latin and never in the vernacular.

The Catechism is not the Fifth Gosepl. It is not divinely inspired. It is rather an instrument to help others know important Church teachings. It also is not exhaustive and does not contain all the Church has to say.
 
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