[markomalley]

As you can tell, this is as much a "utility" section of the CCC as anything else. But there are still a couple of gems in there.

These paragraphs talk about the importance of a good catechesis in the formation of the young and of the neophytes. How many things result from a poor catechesis?

The footnotes, as through the rest of the CCC, are really the key to understanding it: as one can use them to reference the actual source documents. Reading from Catechesi Tradendae was really informative for me, particularly in light of the fact that it came out right at the beginning of John Paul II's papacy.

One other thing that I noted reading this section: 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. (paragraph 12) -- The intended readership was catechists, not those to be catechized. That actually explains much in the tone and language of the document!

[markomalley]

test run ping!

[markomalley]

Can you throw an [ECUMENIC] tag on this thread, please?

Thanks.

[Petronski]

Beautifully done, with footnotes too!

It’s so refreshing just to see proper references to it as the Catechism of the Catholic Church and CCC.

[OpusatFR]

Very Nice Bump

Will this be daily, weekly?

[defconw]

I spent two years in a program studying the Catechism. There is so much richness in the text. Does anyone know if the new (not sure what to call it) for lack of a better term, book with all the footnotes expanded is complete yet?

[OpusatFR]

“Catechesis aims therefore at developing understanding of the mystery of Christ in the light of God’s word, so that the whole of a person’s humanity is impregnated by that word. Changed by the working of grace into a new creature, the Christian thus sets himself to follow Christ and learns more and more within the Church to think like Him, to judge like Him, to act in conformity with His commandments, and to hope as He invites us to.”

Time. It takes time and the humility to start all over when we fall to conform yourself to Christ. Just understanding Charity can take a lifetime and Charity is the Queen of Virtues. I know it is one of my main failures.

How do we impress upon people that conforming our lives is not something that happens overnight especially since we live in a civilization that views time as a personal allotment, something they own, rather than God-given?

[NYer]

These paragraphs talk about the importance of a good catechesis in the formation of the young and of the neophytes. How many things result from a poor catechesis?

Catholics who are poorly formed in their faith!

When I attended Catholic elementary school, the St. Joseph's Catechism was the method of catechesis. It is all based on questions and answers.

Q: Why did God make us?

A: He made us to know, love and serve Him in this world and be happy with Him forever, in the next.

Many of the dioceses now resort to cutsy, new age teaching methods that simply don't work. It's time the Church restored the Catechism as the preferred method of catechesis.

[Running On Empty]

“God our Savior desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”. (Footnote #2 from 1Timothy).

For starters, this is a very important point. It tells me that as Catholics, we believe that the message of the Gospel is meant for all men.

Because these words are used to open up the Catechism, I see them as considered of primary importance to us.

It matters to me that this is the starting point of the catechism.

[Judith Anne]

1. The Church has always considered catechesis one of her primary tasks, for, before Christ ascended to His Father after His resurrection, He gave the apostles a final command - to make disciples of all nations and to teach them to observe all that He had commanded.(1) He thus entrusted them with the mission and power to proclaim to humanity what they had heard, what they had seen with their eyes, what they had looked upon and touched with their hands, concerning the Word of Life.(2) He also entrusted them with the mission and power to explain with authority what He had taught them, His words and actions, His signs and commandments. And He gave them the Spirit to fulfill this mission.

I remember thinking about this scripture passage whenever I would read that Pope John Paul II was going to another country to visit. Just off hand, does anyone know how much of the world he actually went to?

[Faraday]

The Catechism was developed in response to a call from a bishop's synod in 1985. Pope John Paul II appointed a commission to organize the project in 1986. The Catechism is first and foremost the result of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger's (now Pope Benedict XVI) efforts. While a result of an unprecedented international collegiality, the tone and thrust are unmistakeably Ratzinger's. More about the history of the development and organization of the Catechism can be found in Introduction to the Catechism of the Catholic Church by Ratzinger and Christoph Shonborn, and Gospel, Catechesis, Catechism: Sidelights on the Catechism of the Catholic Church by Ratzinger. Both works are available from Ignatius Press.