The Catechism

A Catechism is a summary of Catholic doctrine in proportion to the Faith “once for all delivered to the saints” Jude 1:3.

St. John Paul II’s apostolic constitution Fidei Depositum, October 11, 1992, declared (§ 3) “The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved 25 June last and the publication of which I today order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church’s faith and of catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition and the Church’s Magisterium. I declare it to be a sure norm for teaching the faith and thus a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion.”

Rabbi Yeshua told us, “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division” Lk 12:51. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is no boring recitation of doctrines but an exciting battleground in the spiritual war. From its introduction, it has come under attack. Russell Shaw asked and answered, why American catechists don’t teach the catechism.

§ 13-17 The Four Great Pillars of Catholic Catechesis

Part 1: The Profession of Faith

§ 27 The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God.

Prologue to the Catechism of the Catholic Church

§ 1-3 The Life of Man – To Know and Love God
§ 4-10 Handing on the Faith: Catechesis
§ 11-12 The Aim and Intended Readership of the Catechism
§ 13-17 Structure of this Catechism
§ 18-22 Practical Directions for Using this Catechism
§ 23-25 Necessary Adaptations

Section One: I Believe – We Believe

§ 26 I Believe – We Believe
§ 27-30 The Desire for God
§ 31-35 Ways of Coming to Know God
§ 36-38 The Knowledge of God According to the Church
§ 39-43 How Can We Speak about God?
§ 44-49 In Brief

§ 50 God Comes to Meet Man
§ 51-53 God Reveals His Plan of Loving Goodness
§ 54-64 The Stages of Revelation
§ 65-67 Christ Jesus – Mediator and Fullness of All Revelation
§ 68-73 In Brief

§ 74 The Transmission of Divine Revelation
§ 75-79 The Apostolic Tradition
§ 80-83 The Relationship Between Tradition and Sacred Scripture
§ 84-95 The Interpretation of the Heritage of Faith
§ 96-100 In Brief

§ 101-104 Christ – The Unique Word of Sacred Scripture
§ 105-108 Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture
§ 109-119 The Holy Spirit, Interpreter of Scripture
§ 120-130 The Canon of Scripture
§ 131-133 Sacred Scripture in the Life of the Church
§ 134-141 In Brief

§ 142-143 Man’s Response to God
§ 144-149 The Obedience of Faith
§ 150-152 I Know Whom I Have Believed
§ 153-165 The Characteristics of Faith
§ 166-167 We Believe
§ 168-169 Lord, Look Upon the Faith of Your Church
§ 170-171 The Language of Faith
§ 172-175 Only One Faith
§ 176-184 In Brief

Section Two: The Creeds

The Credo
§ 185-197 The Creeds
§ 198 I Believe in God the Father
§ 199-231 I Believe in God
§ 232-267 The Father
§ 268-278 The Almighty
§ 279-324 The Creator
§ 325-354 Heaven and Earth

§ 355-384 Man
§ 385-421 The Fall

§ 422-429 I Believe in Jesus Christ, the Only Son of God
§ 430-435 Jesus
§ 436-440 Christ
§ 441-445 The Only Son of God
§ 446-451 Lord
§ 452-455 In Brief

§ 456-483 The Son of God Became Man
§ 484-511 Conceived of the Holy Spirit and Born of the Virgin Mary
§ 512-570 The Mysteries of Christ’s Life
§ 571-573 Jesus Christ Suffered, Was Crucified, Died and Was Buried
§ 574-594 Jesus and Israel
§ 595-623 Jesus Died Crucified
§ 624-630 Jesus Christ Was Buried
§ 631 He Descended into Hell. On the Third Day He Rose Again
§ 632-637 Christ Descended into Hell
§ 638-658 On the Third Day He Rose From the Dead
§ 659-664 He Ascended Into Heaven and is Seated at the Right Hand of the Father
§ 665-667 In Brief

§ 668-677 He Will Come Again in Glory
§ 678-679 To Judge the Living and the Dead
§ 680-682 In Brief

§ 683-686 I Believe in the Holy Spirit
§ 687-688 I Believe in the Holy Spirit
§ 689-690 The Joint Mission of the Son and the Spirit
§ 691-701 The Names, Titles, and Symbols of the Holy Spirit
§ 702-716 God’s Spirit and Word in the Time of the Promises
§ 717-730 The Spirit of Christ in the Fullness of Time
§ 731-741 The Spirit and the Church in the Last Days
§ 742-747 In Brief

§ 748-750 I Believe in the Holy Catholic Church
§ 751-780 The Church in God’s Plan
§ 781-810 The Church – People of God, Body of Christ, Temple of the Holy Spirit
§ 811-870 The Church is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic
§ 871-945 Christ’s Faithful – Hierarchy, Laity, Consecrated Life
§ 946-962 The Communion of Saints
§ 963-975 Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church
§ 976 I Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins
§ 977-980 One Baptism for the Forgiveness of Sins
§ 981-987 The Power of the Keys
§ 988-991 I Believe in the Resurrection of the Body
§ 992-1004 Christ’s Resurrection and Ours
§ 1005-1014 Dying in Christ Jesus
§ 1015-1019 In Brief

§ 1020 I Believe in Life Everlasting
§ 1021-1022 The Particular Judgment
§ 1023-1029 Heaven
§ 1030-1032 The Final Purification, or Purgatory
§ 1033-1037 Hell
§ 1038-1041 The Last Judgment
§ 1042-1050 Hope of the New Heaven and the New Earth
§ 1051-1060 In Brief
§ 1061-1065 Amen

Part 2: The Celebration of the Christian Mystery

§ 1123 The purpose of the sacraments is to sanctify men.

§ 1066-1075 The Celebration of the Christian Mystery

Section One: The Sacramental Economy

§ 1076 The Sacramental Economy
§ 1077-1083 The Father – Source and Goal of the Liturgy
§ 1084-1090 Christ’s Work in the Liturgy
§ 1091-1109 The Holy Spirit and the Church in the Liturgy
§ 1110-1112 In Brief

§ 1113 The Paschal Mystery in the Church’s Sacraments
§ 1114-1116 The Sacraments of Christ
§ 1117-1121 The Sacraments of the Church
§ 1122-1126 The Sacraments of Faith
§ 1127-1129 The Sacraments of Salvation
§ 1130 The Sacraments of Eternal Life
§ 1131-1134 In Brief

§ 1135 The Sacramental Celebration of the Paschal Mystery
§ 1136-1144 Who Celebrates
§ 1145-1162 How is the Liturgy Celebrated
§ 1163-1178 When is the Liturgy Celebrated
§ 1179-1186 Where is the Liturgy Celebrated
§ 1187-1199 In Brief

§ 1200-1206 Liturgy Diversity and Unity of the Mystery
§ 1207-1209 In Brief

Section Two: The Seven Sacraments of the Church

§ 1210-1211 The Seven Sacraments of the Church
§ 1212 The Sacraments of Christian Initiation
§ 1213 The Sacrament of Baptism
§ 1214-1216 What is This Sacrament Called
§ 1217-1228 Baptism in the Economy of Salvation
§ 1229-1245 How is the Sacrament of Baptism Celebrated
§ 1246-1255 Who Can Receive Baptism
§ 1256 Who Can Baptize
§ 1257-1261The Necessity of Baptism
§ 1262-1274 The Grace of Baptism
§ 1275-1284 In Brief

§ 1285 The Sacrament of Confirmation
§ 1286-1292 Confirmation in the Economy of Salvation
§ 1293-1301 The Signs and the Rite of Confirmation
§ 1302-1305 The Effects of Confirmation
§ 1306-1311 Who Can ReceiveThis Sacrament
§ 1312-1314 The Minister of Confirmation
§ 1315-1321 In Brief

§ 1322-1323 The Sacrament of the Eucharist
§ 1324-1327 The Eucharist – Source and Summit of Ecclesial Life
§ 1328-1332 What is This Sacrament Called
§ 1333-1344 The Eucharist in the Economy of Salvation
§ 1345-1355 The Liturgical Celebration of the Eucharist
§ 1356-1381 The Sacramental Sacrifice Thanksgiving Memorial Presence
§ 1382-1401 The Paschal Banquet
§ 1402-1405 The Eucharist – Pledge of the Glory to Come
§ 1406-1419 In Brief

§ 1420-1421 The Sacraments of Healing
§ 1422 The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
§ 1423-1424 What is This Sacrament Called
§ 1425-1426 Why a Sacrament of Reconciliation after Baptism
§ 1427-1429 The Conversion of the Baptized
§ 1430-1433 Interior Penance
§ 1434-1439 The Many Forms of Penance in Christian Life
§ 1440-1449 The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
§ 1450-1460 The Acts of the Penitent
§ 1461-1467 The Minister of This Sacrament
§ 1468-1470 The Effects of This Sacrament
§ 1471-1479 Indulgences
§ 1480-1484 The Celebration of the Sacrament of Penance
§ 1485-1498 In Brief

§ 1499 The Anointing of the Sick
§ 1500-1513 Its Foundations in the Economy of Salvation
§ 1514-1516 Who Receives and Who Administers This Sacrament
§ 1517-1519 How is This Sacrament Celebrated
§ 1520-1523 The Effects of the Celebration of This Sacrament
§ 1524-1525 Viaticum, the Last Sacrament of the Christian
§ 1526-1532 In Brief

§ 1533-1535 The Sacraments at the Service of Communion
§ 1536 The Sacrament of Holy Orders
§ 1537-1538 Why Is This Sacrament Called “Orders”
§ 1539-1553 The Sacrament of Holy Orders in the Economy of Salvation
§ 1554-1571 The Three Degrees of the Sacrament of Holy Orders
§ 1572-1574 The Celebration of This Sacrament
§ 1575-1576 Who Can Confer This Sacrament
§ 1577-1580 Who Can Receive This Sacrament
§ 1581-1589 The Effect of the Sacrament of Holy Orders
§ 1590-1600 In Brief

§ 1601 The Sacrament of Matrimony
§ 1602-1620 Marriage in God’s Plan
§ 1621-1624 The Celebration of Marriage
§ 1625-1637 Matrimonial Consent
§ 1638-1642 The Effects of the Sacrament of Matrimony
§ 1643-1654 The Goods and Requirements of Conjugal Love
§ 1655-1658 The Domestic Church
§ 1659-1666 In Brief

§ 1667-1676 Sacramentals
§ 1677-1679 In Brief

§ 1680 Christian Funerals
§ 1681-1683 The Christian’s Last Passover
§ 1684-1690 The Celebration of Funerals

Part 3: Life in Christ

§ 1803 The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God.

§ 1691-1698 Life in Christ

Section One: Man’s Vocation: Life in the Spirit

§ 1699 Man’s Vocation: Life in the Spirit
§ 1700 The Dignity of the Human Person
§ 1701-1709 Man: The Image of God
§ 1710-1715 In Brief

§ 1716-1717 Our Vocation to Beatitude
§ 1718-1719 The Desire for Happiness
§ 1720-1724 Christian Beatitude
§ 1725-1729 In Brief

§ 1730 Man’s Freedom
§ 1731-1738 Freedom and Responsibility
§ 1739-1742 Human Freedom in the Economy of Salvation
§ 1743-1748 In Brief

§ 1749 The Morality of Human Acts
§ 1750-1754 The Sources of Morality
§ 1755-1756 Good Acts and Evil Acts
§ 1757-1761 In Brief

§ 1762 Morality of the Passions
§ 1763-1766 Passions
§ 1767-1770 Passions and Moral Life
§ 1771-1775 In Brief

§ 1776 Moral Conscience
§ 1777-1782 The Judgment of Conscience
§ 1783-1785 The Formation of Conscience
§ 1786-1789 To Choose in Accord With Conscience
§ 1790-1794 Erroneous Judgment
§ 1795-1802 In Brief

§ 1803 The Virtues
§ 1804-1811 The Human Virtues
§ 1812-1829 The Theological Virtues
§ 1830-1832 The Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit
§ 1833-1845 In Brief

§ 1846-1848 Mercy and Sin
§ 1849-1851 The Definition of Sin
§ 1852-1853 The Different Kinds of Sins
§ 1854-1864 The Gravity of Sin: Mortal and Venial Sin
§ 1865-1869 The Proliferation of Sin
§ 1870-1876 In Brief

§ 1877 The Human Communion
§ 1878-1885 The Communal Character of the Human Vocation
§ 1886-1889 Conversion and Society
§ 1890-1896 In Brief

§ 1897-1904 Participation in Social Life: Authority
§ 1905-1912 The Common Good
§ 1913-1917 Responsibility and Participation
§ 1918-1927 In Brief

§ 1928 Social Justice
§ 1929-1933 Respect for the Human Person
§ 1934-1938 Equality and Differences Among Men
§ 1939-1942 Human Solidarity
§ 1943-1948 In Brief

§ 1949 God’s Salvation: Law and Grace
§ 1950-1953 The Moral Law
§ 1954-1960 The Natural Moral Law
§ 1961-1964 The Old Law
§ 1965-1974 The New Law or the Law of the Gospel
§ 1975-1986 In Brief

§ 1987-1995 Justification
§ 1996-2005 Grace
§ 2006-2011 Merit
§ 2012-2016 Christian Holiness
§ 2017-2029 In Brief

§ 2030-2031 The Church, Mother and Teacher
§ 2032-2040 Moral Life and the Magisterium of the Church
§ 2041-2043 The Precepts of the Church
§ 2044-2046 Moral Life and Missionary Witness
§ 2047-2051 In Brief

Section Two: The Ten Commandments

§ 2052-2074 The Ten Commandments
§ 2075-2082 In Brief

§ 2083 You Shall Love the Lord with All Your Heart …
The First Commandment
§ 2084-2094 You Shall Worship the Lord Your God and Him Only
§ 2095-2109 Him Only Shall You Serve
§ 2110-2128 You Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me
§ 2129-2132 You Shall Not Make For Yourself a Graven Image
§ 2133-2141 In Brief

The Second Commandment
§ 2142-2149 The Name of the Lord is Holy
§ 2150-2155 Taking the Name of the Lord in Vain
§ 2156-2159 The Christian Name
§ 2160-2167 In Brief

The Third Commandment
§ 2168-2173 The Sabbath Day
§ 2174-2188 The Lord’s Day
§ 2189-2195 In Brief

The Fourth Commandment
§ 2196 You Shall Love Your Neighbor as Yourself
§ 2197-2200 The Fourth Commandment
§ 2201-2206 The Family in God’s Plan
§ 2207-2213 The Family and Society
§ 2214-2231 The Duties of Family Members
§ 2232-2233 The Family and the Kingdom
§ 2234-2246 The Authorities in Civil Society
§ 2247-2257 In Brief

The Fifth Commandment
§ 2258 Human Life is Sacred
§ 2259-2283 Respect for Human Life
§ 2284-2301 Respect for the Dignity of Persons
§ 2302-2317 Safeguarding Peace
§ 2318-2330 In Brief

The Sixth Commandment
§ 2331-2336 Male and Female He Created Them
§ 2337-2359 The Vocation to Chastity
§ 2360-2379 The Love of Husband and Wife
§ 2380-2391 Offenses Against the Dignity of Marriage
§ 2392-2400 In Brief

The Seventh Commandment
§ 2401 You Shall Not Steal
§ 2402-2406 Universal Destination and Private Ownership of Goods
§ 2407-2418 Respect for Persons and Their Goods
§ 2419-2425 The Social Doctrine of the Church
§ 2426-2435 Economic Activity and Social Justice
§ 2437-2442 Justice and Solidarity Among Nations
§ 2443-2449 Love for the Poor
§ 2450-2463 In Brief

The Eighth Commandment
§ 2464 You Shall Not Bear False Witness
§ 2465-2470 Living in the Truth
§ 2471-2474 To Bear Witness to the Truth
§ 2475-2487 Offenses Against Truth
§ 2488-2492 Respect for the Truth
§ 2493-2499 Use of the Social Communications Media
§ 2500-2503 Truth, Beauty, and Sacred Art
§ 2504-2513 In Brief

The Ninth Commandment
§ 2514-2516 You Shall Not Covet Your Neighbor’s Wife
§ 2517-2519 Purification of the Heart
§ 2520-2527 The Battle for Purity
§ 2528-2533 In Brief

The Tenth Commandment
§ 2534 You Shall Not Covet Anything That is Your Neighbor’s
§ 2535-2540 The Disorder of Covetous Desires
§ 2541-2543 The Desires of the Spirit
§ 2544-2547 Poverty of Heart
§ 2548-2550 I Want to See God
§ 2551-2557 In Brief

Part 4: Christian Prayer

§ 2744 Those who pray are certainly saved; those who do not pray are certainly damned.

Section One: Prayer in the Christian Life

§ 2558-2565 Prayer in the Christian life.
§ 2566-2567 The Revelation of Prayer – The Universal Call to Prayer
§ 2568-2589 In the Old Testament
§ 2590-2597 In Brief

§ 2598-2619 In the Fullness of Time
§ 2620-2622 In Brief

§ 2623-2625 In the Age of the Church
§ 2626-2628 Blessing and Adoration
§ 2629-2633 Prayer of Petition
§ 2634-2636 Prayer of Intercession
§ 2637-2638 Prayer of Thanksgiving
§ 2639-2643 Prayer of Praise
§ 2644-2649 In Brief

§ 2650-2651 The Tradition of Prayer
§ 2652-2660 At the Wellsprings of Prayer
§ 2661-2662 In Brief

§ 2663-2679 The Way of Prayer
§ 2680-2682 In Brief

§ 2683-2691 Guides for Prayer
§ 2692-2696 In Brief

§ 2697-2699 The Life of Prayer
§ 2700-2704 Vocal Prayer
§ 2705-2708 Meditation
§ 2709-2719 Contemplative Prayer
§ 2720-2724 In Brief

§ 2725 The Battle of Prayer
§ 2726-2728 Objections to Prayer
§ 2729-2733 Humble Vigilance of Heart
§ 2734-2741 Filial Trust
§ 2742-2745 Persevering in Love
§ 2746-2751 The Prayer of the Hour of Jesus
§ 2752-2758 In Brief

Section Two: The Lord’s Prayer

§ 2759-2760 The Lord’s Prayer
§ 2761 The Summary of the Whole Gospel
§ 2762-2764 At the Center of the Scriptures
§ 2765-2766 The Lord’s Prayer
§ 2767-2772 The Prayer of the Church
§ 2773-2776 In Brief

§ 2777-2778 We Dare to Say
§ 2779-2785 Abba – Father!
§ 2786-2793 Our Father
§ 2794-2796 “Who Art in Heaven”
§ 2797-2802 In Brief

§ 2803-2806 The Seven Petitions
§ 2807-2815 Hallowed be Thy Name
§ 2816-2821 Thy Kingdom Come
§ 2822-2827 Thy Will Be Done on Earth as It is in Heaven
§ 2828-2837 Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread
§ 2838-2845 And Forgive Us Our Trespasses, As We Forgive
§ 2846-2854 And Lead Us not into Temptation
§ 2855-2856 The Final Doxology
§ 2857-2865 In Brief

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