Yes the Church attempting to set forths its teachings in an authoritative manner. What a comical concept. (/sarcasm)
Catechisms are never deferred to in any serious Catholic theological debate.
Well, I'm sure you'd like to think that, even though it is not really true. But that's fine. Most of my discursion was based upon the Bible. I notice you have little to say about it or what I pointed out. It is difficult to refute the plain words of scripture, no?
The Catechism of Trent refers to Hell as an "abode".
And your point there is? What? That hell is a physical place in the created world? If so, where is it?
St. Thomas states that: "The abodes of souls are distinguished according to the souls' various states." (Summa, Supp., Q 69, Art 7, Resp.) - i.e. the state of the soul is what creates the distinction in location - the difference in "place" is internal to the soul.
It goes on to describe some punishements of Hell as being spirtual in nature, (the eternal loss of God), and physical in nature as well.
This makes me wonder if you actually read what I wrote. Obviously hell is physical in nature, because bodies will be present in hell, and suffer a pain of sense (their souls will also suffer physically, as Pope St. Gregory explains in the Dialogues). I never said otherwise.
The question is whether the damned are away from the blessed and God. The Bible says quite clearly they are not. So does Catholic tradition. St. Thomas writes: "It is written (Isaiah 66:24): 'They shall go out and see the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against Me' ... in order that the happiness of the saints may be more delightful to them and that they may render more copious thanks to God for it, they are allowed to see perfectly the sufferings of the damned." (Summa, Supp., Q. 94, Art. 1, Resp.)
Lazarus could see the sufferings of the rich man and be made happy; the rich man could see the joy of Lazarus and this made him all the more miserable.
If the body is going to suffer there "through its senses", it must be a physical place as well as a spiritual place of suffering.
So did God create Hell? And if He did, how is not He who we are being saved from by Christ? Did Christ save us from God, or from our sins?
IMHO, the 1993 catechism is a whimsical, new-age novelty, not to be trusted lest you fall into error.
How exactly are you a Catholic? Obviously you are not in communion with the Pope, and communion with the Pope is the sine qua non of Catholicism.
When it says that: "Muslims worship the same 'one God' (of Abraham) that Catholics do",
Well of course they do. They have various misapprehensions about the nature of Almighty God, just as the pagans did and do, but there is only one supreme God who anyone can believe in.
and that muslims are saved by their faith,
It most certainly does not say that. It quotes the Second Vatican Council to say: "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day." (Para. 841)
I suppose if you don't want to believe that, we can number you among those who does not believe in Baptism of Desire.
As to the mode of salvation, the Catechism is quite clear. "All salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body" (Para. 846) "God 'desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth'; that is, God wills the salvation of everyone through the knowledge of the truth. Salvation is found in the truth." (Para. 851) and "Believing in Jesus Christ and in the One who sent him for our salvation is necessary for obtaining that salvation. 'Since "without faith it is impossible to please [God]" and to attain to the fellowship of his sons, therefore without faith no one has ever attained justification, nor will anyone obtain eternal life "But he who endures to the end."'" (Para. 161)
I suppose that is not clear enough for you though.
"Well, I'm sure you'd like to think that, even though it is not really true"
Sorry Andrew, this is the end of this little debate. You simply don't know what you're talking about. And if you believe that catechisms are infallible, defide teachings, (which they certainly are not), then you should adhere to the Catechism of Trent, (aka the "Roman Catechism for Priests"). It was written by a great Saint, (St. Charles Borromeo, who was one of the greatest defenders of the faith in Church history), and promulgated and approved by a sainted Pope; Pope Saint Pius V.
Contrary to modern belief, the Roman Catholic Church was not invented at Vatican II, she has a two thousand year teaching history. Nice talking to ya. Bye.