What's the deal with the Baltimore Catechism?

[followingtheway]

Hello everyone, this is a very embarrassing question because it will make me out to be a very under-a-rock individual when it comes to my own religion, but bear with me here. To give you all some background, I am young adult, who became passionate about my faith at a very young age even thought I was raised by two rather relaxed Catholics but who are at least practicing. I know more about the doctrines, and the spiritual and the theological aspect of Catholicism rather than church structure and sometimes church history.

So I know little to nothing about the Baltimore Catechism. What is it? I looked at it for the very first time today and it gives me a very different vibe from the Catholicism I know today. It gave me a more traditionalist vibe. I heard it was used in Catholic schools before the 60’s. Was it are catechism before Vatican II or something? What’s the one we use now?

Thanks, God bless, and please forgive my lack of knowledge on my own religion.

 

[SecretCatholic]

I’ll let the older folks give you answers from personal experience.

But I’ll also give you my take: The Baltimore Catechism seems to have been simply the best concise teaching Catechism of the time. The official Catechism of the Catholic Church, thanks to JPII, I think definitely supersedes the Baltimore Catechism, being a much larger work, officially produced and approved by the church and more up-to-date. That said, the Baltimore Catechism can still be a good concise teaching aid, although we now have the YouCat (thanks to Benedict 16) as well.

 

[Usige]

The Baltimore catechism is the first catechism written for North American Catholics. It was originally proposed at the First Provincial Council of Baltimore, but it would not be until the 3rd Baltimore Plenary Council approximately 55 years later that the proposal would result in action. The original version was published in 1885. From then until the mid 1960s it was the standard catechetcal tool in us throughout the US. The most common one in use today was orginally published in 1963/64.

So why do so many people like it? The whole catechism is structured in question and answer format. It is setup to cover aspects of the faith at a grade and sacrament specific level. Some dislike it because it generally was taught as rote memorization. Most people who have used it are either born and received first communion before 1960 or likely attractted to “traditional” forms of Catholicism. Most I know who use it were dissatisfied with the catechisis their children received in the parish or school.

 

[ProVobis]

The Baltimore catechism is the first catechism written for North American Catholics. It was originally proposed at the First Provincial Council of Baltimore, but it would not be until the 3rd Baltimore Plenary Council approximately 55 years later that the proposal would result in action. The original version was published in 1885. From then until the mid 1960s it was the standard catechetcal tool in us throughout the US. The most common one in use today was orginally published in 1963/64.

So why do so many people like it? The whole catechism is structured in question and answer format. It is setup to cover aspects of the faith at a grade and sacrament specific level. Some dislike it because it generally was taught as rote memorization. Most people who have used it are either born and received first communion before 1960 or likely attractted to “traditional” forms of Catholicism. Most I know who use it were dissatisfied with the catechisis their children received in the parish or school.

We used it in London, when I lived in the UK. I think it was in many other English-speaking countries as well. I understand it’s been updated to reflect the different fasting requirements and such.

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

The Baltimore Catechism is an old catechism used to teach children. I used it to teach my brother catechism and I taught myself with it. It is the most thorough and concise catechism for teaching children the faith that I have found. It is also useful for answering quick questions about the faith from non-Catholics or Catholics who aren’t catechized.

I don’t think that the Catechism of Pope John Paul II supersedes the Baltimore Catechism because it cannot be used to teach children. They had the Roman Catechism back when the Baltimore Catechism was popular, but it wasn’t used to teach children since it isn’t too effective for that purpose. The same can be said of Pope John Paul’s Catechism. The Baltimore Catechism may have a traditional vibe, but it has the same teachings that we believe in today.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

The Catholic Church has published many catechisms over the centuries, in many different countries and languages. The essential teachings of the Church have not changed since Apostolic times but the issues that the Church has faced have changed over the centuries. For instance, the Council of Trent produced a Catechism in response to the Protestant Reformation.

The Baltimore Catechism was first composed by the US Catholic Bishops in the 19th Century, primarily for the instruction of children. It has a “different vibe” because of its’ age. I got a 1929 copyright version in the 1970’s.

Pope John Paul II decided in the 1980’s that the Church needed a new Catechism, which came out in the 1990’s, and has been translated into many languages. The decision was made to be conciliatory in tone regarding other religions. This is not a doctrinal change, as some charge, but just a prudential judgment.

 

[Vico]

Hello everyone, this is a very embarrassing question because it will make me out to be a very under-a-rock individual when it comes to my own religion, but bear with me here. To give you all some background, I am young adult, who became passionate about my faith at a very young age even thought I was raised by two rather relaxed Catholics but who are at least practicing. I know more about the doctrines, and the spiritual and the theological aspect of Catholicism rather than church structure and sometimes church history.

So I know little to nothing about the Baltimore Catechism. What is it? I looked at it for the very first time today and it gives me a very different vibe from the Catholicism I know today. It gave me a more traditionalist vibe. I heard it was used in Catholic schools before the 60’s. Was it are catechism before Vatican II or something? What’s the one we use now?

Thanks, God bless, and please forgive my lack of knowledge on my own religion.

I was taught from the Baltimore Catechism series (confirmed at 14). It was still used through the 70s in some places.

No. 00 for Prayer classes.
No. 0 grades 1-2, first communion – for Confession classes and certain adults.
No. 1 grades 4-7 (or 3-5) – for First Communion classes.
No. 2 grades 6-9 (or 6-8)
No. 3 grades 10-12 (age 16) – for two years’ course for Post-Confirmation classes
No. 4 teaching resource for 1 & 2 – for Teachers and Teachers’ Training classes.

 

[7_Sorrows]

The Baltimore Catechism is an old catechism used to teach children. I used it to teach my brother catechism and I taught myself with it. It is the most thorough and concise catechism for teaching children the faith that I have found. It is also useful for answering quick questions about the faith from non-Catholics or Catholics who aren’t catechized.

I don’t think that the Catechism of Pope John Paul II supersedes the Baltimore Catechism because it cannot be used to teach children. They had the Roman Catechism back when the Baltimore Catechism was popular, but it wasn’t used to teach children since it isn’t too effective for that purpose. The same can be said of Pope John Paul’s Catechism. The Baltimore Catechism may have a traditional vibe, but it has the same teachings that we believe in today.

I also uses it to teach myself before deciding to convert to the Catholic faith. I thought it was wonderful and I was in my 50’s at the time!

 

[sarah_j]

The Baltimore Cathechism was wonderful !
They should never have stopped using it.
When I was in school, that’s what the nuns used to teach us religion.
It was in the form of questions and we had to memorize the answers.

My younger brother grew up post- Vatican II and it is shocking to compare how
little he was taught about Catholicism, even though he also attended
Catholic school.

I think it fell out of favor because we were taught by rote ;
having children memorize became a “big no-no” in education after the 60s.
Too bad, because it’s an excellent means of teaching. All these years later,
I still remember my Baltimore Cathecism.

sacred-texts.com/chr/balt/index.htm

example:

Why did God make you?
A. God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him for ever in heaven.

 

[jmj777]

I homeschool my four children with the Baltimore Catechism and it has increased my knowledge of the Faith as I teach them using it. It may have been intended to be memorized, but for us we also use it to explain the Faith further with solid, traditional, Catholic teaching.

Some questions and answers are easier to memorize, but as long as the children get the concepts through its very thorough explanations they are better able to mentally retrieve the information because they actually UNDERSTAND it. Because it was written for children/students, the concepts are clear and very easy to learn and memorize.

I would use nothing else to teach my children the Faith as the Baltimore Catechism is the most concise and user friendly resource there is!

Peace.

+JMJ+

 

[AttendeDomine]

It gave me a more traditionalist vibe.

Just as an aside: the Baltimore Catechism is an excellent resource for all Catholics. A person doesn’t have to belong to a “movement” like the traditionalist movement to appreciate it or to get use out of it. In fact, I think it’s a bit of a shame that the BC is often associated with reactionaries rather than simply with sincere and orthodox Catholics.

Having said that, I totally see where you’re coming from, and this isn’t meant as a dig.

 

[Usige]

We used it in London, when I lived in the UK. I think it was in many other English-speaking countries as well. I understand it’s been updated to reflect the different fasting requirements and such.

Thanks, ProVobis. I wasn’t sure if it was adopted outside of the US. It is an excellent catechism so I’m not suprised if it was picked up by other English speaking provinces.

It has been update in a few areas, but for someone catechized in the last 30 years it probably feels like it’s from another time as it is presented in more concrete black and white terms. It doesn’t beat around the bush while leaving wiggle room for personal consciene and intepretation. It certainly hasn’t been updated with the soft gooey “rainbows and unicorns” style some programs have today.

 

[lmelahn]

The Baltimore Catechism is an old catechism used to teach children. I used it to teach my brother catechism and I taught myself with it. It is the most thorough and concise catechism for teaching children the faith that I have found. It is also useful for answering quick questions about the faith from non-Catholics or Catholics who aren’t catechized.

I don’t think that the Catechism of Pope John Paul II supersedes the Baltimore Catechism because it cannot be used to teach children. They had the Roman Catechism back when the Baltimore Catechism was popular, but it wasn’t used to teach children since it isn’t too effective for that purpose. The same can be said of Pope John Paul’s Catechism. The Baltimore Catechism may have a traditional vibe, but it has the same teachings that we believe in today.

The Baltimore Catechism is good as far as the constant doctrine of the Church is concerned, but it is somewhat out of date regarding disciplinary practices (e.g., the way to celebrate the Sacraments).

It also lacks some of the doctrinal development that was made in the 20th Century.

For example, take no. 979: “Q. Besides bishops and priests, who are the other ministers of the Church? A. Besides bishops and priests, the other ministers of the Church are deacons and subdeacons, who, while preparing for the priesthood, have received some of the Holy Orders, but who have not been ordained to the full powers of the priest.” It does not take into account that ordination to the diaconate is, and always has been, properly a sacrament, whereas ordination to the subdiaconate—now obselete in the Western Church—was not.

For those who wish to use the new Catechism and like the question-and-answer format, there is also the Compendium that came out in 2005.

It is pretty well done, although somewhat neglected in recent years for some reason.

 

[Vico]

The Baltimore Catechism is good as far as the constant doctrine of the Church is concerned, but it is somewhat out of date regarding disciplinary practices (e.g., the way to celebrate the Sacraments).

It also lacks some of the doctrinal development that was made in the 20th Century.

For example, take no. 979: “Q. Besides bishops and priests, who are the other ministers of the Church? A. Besides bishops and priests, the other ministers of the Church are deacons and subdeacons, who, while preparing for the priesthood, have received some of the Holy Orders, but who have not been ordained to the full powers of the priest.” It does not take into account that ordination to the diaconate is, and always has been, properly a sacrament, whereas ordination to the subdiaconate—now obselete in the Western Church—was not.

For those who wish to use the new Catechism and like the question-and-answer format, there is also the Compendium that came out in 2005.

It is pretty well done, although somewhat neglected in recent years for some reason.

We see it clarified in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1554, excerpt:Catholic doctrine, expressed in the liturgy, the Magisterium, and the constant practice of the Church, recognizes that there are two degrees of ministerial participation in the priesthood of Christ: the episcopacy and the presbyterate . The diaconate is intended to help and serve them. For this reason the term *sacerdos *in current usage denotes bishops and priests but not deacons. Yet Catholic doctrine teaches that the degrees of priestly participation (episcopate and presbyterate) and the degree of service (diaconate) are all three conferred by a sacramental act called “ordination,” that is, by the sacrament of Holy Orders

 

[ProVobis]

Thanks, ProVobis. I wasn’t sure if it was adopted outside of the US. It is an excellent catechism so I’m not suprised if it was picked up by other English speaking provinces.

It has been update in a few areas, but for someone catechized in the last 30 years it probably feels like it’s from another time as it is presented in more concrete black and white terms. It doesn’t beat around the bush while leaving wiggle room for personal consciene and intepretation. It certainly hasn’t been updated with the soft gooey “rainbows and unicorns” style some programs have today.

It was from an era and places where and when Catholicism was growing. Don’t forget that both in the US and UK before 1850 or so Catholics were somewhat very scarce.

It’s surprising to me that translations of it haven’t been too widely used in non-English speaking countries.

 

[DaveBj]

If you have a Kindle or a Kindle app on your 'puter or phone (they’re free), you can get that version from Amazon.com for a very good price – $0.00

 

[edwest2]

The Baltimore Catechism was, and is, a very good Catechism. Everything else that was taught in Catholic schools at the time, which I attended, also involved memorizing things. We also had Religion Class and I have some of my original school books from the period. These classes expanded our understanding of what it meant to live as Catholics in the world around us.

Ed

 

[Lormar]

I was taught the Faith from the Baltimore Catechism. It was used in most, if not all, Catholic schools in the United States up to the end of the Second Vatican Council. After that, it was given the heave-ho and, instead of it, we sat around in a circle and discussed lyrics to Simon and Garfunkel songs, and how we felt about this and that.

 

[edwest2]

The great assault that was to come against the Catholic Church had its roots planted right after Vatican II. Dissidents inside and outside the Church, began to make certain changes that were not even suggested by the Council.

I was there before and after Vatican II. I was well-Catechized, and did not love God less after, but after the full assault occurred during the 5 year plan of 1968 through 1973, everything we wrestle with today had its origin then. I lived through it.

No, things were not perfect before that but they were demonstrably better than today. Much better.

Ed

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

The Baltimore Catechism is good as far as the constant doctrine of the Church is concerned, but it is somewhat out of date regarding disciplinary practices (e.g., the way to celebrate the Sacraments).

It also lacks some of the doctrinal development that was made in the 20th Century.

For example, take no. 979: “Q. Besides bishops and priests, who are the other ministers of the Church? A. Besides bishops and priests, the other ministers of the Church are deacons and subdeacons, who, while preparing for the priesthood, have received some of the Holy Orders, but who have not been ordained to the full powers of the priest.” It does not take into account that ordination to the diaconate is, and always has been, properly a sacrament, whereas ordination to the subdiaconate—now obselete in the Western Church—was not.

For those who wish to use the new Catechism and like the question-and-answer format, there is also the Compendium that came out in 2005.

It is pretty well done, although somewhat neglected in recent years for some reason.

In the catechism I have, the disciplines that are essential to be clear on (like fasting before Holy Communion) have been updated to current standards. I don’t think that the way the Sacraments are administered needs to be changed in the catechism because it is still offered that way in many parishes. Besides, just a few questions are devoted to it, the rest focusing on the actual meaning & effects of the Sacraments which is truly important to understand.

It does say that ordination to the diaconate is a Sacrament when it says that they have received some of Holy Orders. It is making a distinction that still is true today in which deacons only receive *some *of Holy Orders, they can’t offer sacrifice or hear confessions like a priest.