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Day 1

Introduction and Prologue

The Cover and Artworks

We begin our reading of the Catechism not from inside the covers of the book but with the cover itself. The Church has intended that the whole of this work proclaim Christ to us, including the small line drawing on the front cover. Inside, with the publication details, you will find a short account of the meaning of this picture.

You will see that it is a simple design, the symbolism easily decipherable and very familiar. It is a natural pastoral scene. We see in the center a shepherd seated, with a sheep at his feet looking expectantly up. This central figure is, of course, Christ the Good Shepherd, while the seated posture is the position taken, in the Jewish tradition, when one is speaking authoritatively. That understanding was carried over into the Christian faith, so that we now speak of a professor holding a “chair” in a particular subject, while a bishop teaches from his cathedral (from cathedra, Latin for “chair”). Here, then, is Christ as the Good Pastor of his people, teaching with authority and warding off danger. The sheep lies in the shade of a tree — the tree of the Cross, now bearing the fruit of an everlasting life of happiness won for us. The arching tree creates a frame, suggesting a window through which we look in order to see this summary of what the Catechism contains.

In addition to this graceful cover design, the authors asked for four works of art to be placed in the Catechism, one to introduce each of the Parts. Most publishers honored this intention (though not all did, for reasons of cost). Their presence is to manifest for us something of the indescribable beauty of Christ and of the Catholic faith, as well as to remind us of the capacity of art to attract us to the faith as we come to understand it through a contemplative gaze.

Day 2

The Contents Pages

One feature of the drawing on the cover points us directly to the importance of reading the contents pages carefully. The shepherd is playing panpipes, and the Catechism’s explanation of the logo informs us that the sheep is being held attentive by the “melodious symphony of the truth” being played. That symphony is presented in a concise format in the contents pages.

A review of the contents reveals four Parts, four “symphonic movements,” which faithfully unpack each of the four dimensions of the Christian life identified in the Acts of the Apostles. There we see that the first disciples attended to the apostles’ teaching, lived in fellowship together, and shared in the breaking of the bread and in the prayers (see Acts 2:42). The contents pages mirror these dimensions in the Profession of Faith, centered on the Creed (Part 1); in the Celebration of the Faith, gathered around the sacraments (Part 2); in Life in Christ, grounded in the commandments (Part 3); and in the Life of Prayer, at the heart of which is the Lord’s own prayer (Part 4). The numerous headings and titles in the contents pages are gathered within the overall structure of these four Parts.

The ordering of the Parts itself is significant: the Catechism first presents us with the infinite, gracious God and then a consideration of ourselves in relation to him. We begin with the divine works of creation, redemption, and sanctification (Part 1), and then move to God’s grace, healing, and elevating us in the sacraments (Part 2). From there we turn to our necessary response, in the obedience of a faithful life (Part 3) and constant prayer (Part 4).

We can think of the contents as a whole, the headings and the individual numbered paragraphs as bars of music making up the symphony. The contents pages invite us to a full reading, a full “listening,” of the work. Only in this complete reception will the power of this heavenly music be appreciated.

Day 3

Apostolic Constitution Fidei Depositum¹

A Letter to the whole People of God from Pope Saint John Paul II introduces the Catechism. All official Church documents are known primarily by their Latin title and its abbreviation. The title is taken from the opening words of the document. The Latin title, Fidei Depositum (FD), is a term taken from the New Testament, from the first and second letters from Paul to Timothy, describing the precious heritage of faith that Christ has left with his Church. The young bishop is being exhorted to faithfulness in guarding and handing on this great treasure of the Church, in its fullness (see 1 Tm 6:20 and 2 Tm 1:14).

The Catechism offers us a definitive and inspiring account of this heritage for our own day. Its publication reflects the ongoing faithfulness to the Gospel of the successors of the apostles — the Pope, together with the whole episcopate. This Apostolic Constitution explains the process by which the Catechism was requested and composed and details the careful stages through which it passed, as befits this unique teaching document intended for use across the universal Church. This is a work to guide the whole Church, every adult member of the People of God.

Saint John Paul II explains that the Church offers us this account of the faith not in the format of a dictionary or an encyclopedia, as a list of definitions or as food for the mind only, but precisely as a catechism, as a work to assist in the formation of God’s people in the living faith of the Church by making “the truth of the Gospel shine forth.” Each of the four Parts has an essential role to play in this formation. Once you have read this important Letter, spend time making your own the prayer with which John Paul concludes it.

Day 4

Apostolic Letter Laetamur Magnopere

Today we read a second Letter. This Letter is again from Saint John Paul II and celebrates the publication of the definitive Latin edition in 1997. John Paul writes here of the lengthy and careful process of revision between the initial publication in 1992 and this definitive edition — a period almost as long as the initial period of its writing. Now, the work is finally complete, the last revisions concluded. The Letter from the Pope is fittingly titled “great joy.” The desire of the bishops for this Catechism is now “happily fulfilled.” One can sense the Pope’s own happiness pulsating through every line of this short Letter. This, at last, is the work that was needed, showing the “totally reliable” way to present the Christian message.

It is not just that there is a natural sense of relief and satisfaction in good work masterfully completed. John Paul is also overjoyed by the reception and impact of the Catechism all over the world. The ongoing engagement of so many in this project means that this work witnesses to a unique measure of agreement in the “harmony of so many voices.”

John Paul also writes here of the wider “extraordinary interest” the Catechism has raised, beyond the Church, and even among non-Christians. He sees here a deep confirmation of the need for this Catechism: this “extraordinary” interest, he says, must be matched by an “extraordinary” commitment to evangelization, urgently needed so that everyone can know and receive Christ’s saving message. The Catechism, through which the “inexhaustible riches of the faith” can be rediscovered, is offered to serve this work of evangelization. As you read this brief Letter, note the energy and passion that John Paul expresses here for the true welfare, the “spiritual good,” of all people.

Day 5

CCC2 1-3

Prologue

The opening paragraphs of the Catechism contain guiding principles for reading the whole work.

First, we should note the importance of the three scriptural quotations that introduce the Catechism. The first highlights the fundamental focus of the entire Catechism — that we might all be helped into an ever-deeper personal relationship with God; the second emphasizes the importance of knowing the truths of the faith — we can enjoy this personal relationship only if we allow God to teach us who he is; the third reminds us that the Catechism is given for the sake of handing on the faith to others for their salvation.

The first paragraph is remarkable: it provides us with a summary of the faith. The whole of God’s loving plan for our creation, our redemption, and our lifting to the new life of grace is proclaimed here in six elegant sentences. From creation to the final life of blessedness, the importance of God’s unceasing call is emphasized.

The second paragraph reminds us of the apostolic foundation of the faith and surprises us with its statement about the gift of mission — the apostles were “strengthened” by the mission they received. To be given a worthwhile mission is one of the greatest of all gifts. The gift of mission provides us with purpose, with resolve; it calls us to discover new energies within ourselves, and so strengthens us.

Notice the warmth, sensitivity, and utter respect God demonstrates towards his creatures. He “calls,” he “invites,” while we are called to “welcome” and “freely respond.” There is no compulsion — only a loving God calling to his children, seeking their good and their happiness.

Finally, note the fourfold means of formation, of handing on the faith, reiterated in the last lines of CCC 3, and footnoting Acts 2:42.

Day 6

CCC 4-10

Handing on the Faith: Catechesis

Today’s reading explains the essential nature of catechesis and its importance in the Church.

CCC 7 reminds us that catechesis is essential for the healthy growth of the Church, both numerically and in her authentic development. Each new soul, freshly drawn into Christ’s Body, is to be fed with the pure nourishment of God’s truth through the work of catechesis. As Saint Paul puts it, once attached to the Body, the child is to move from milk to solid food, so that a healthy growth is maintained (see 1 Cor 3:2; Heb 5:12-13). Thus the great periods of renewal in the Church, in which God inspires the bishops anew in their zeal for souls and for sanctity, are also necessarily “intense moments of catechesis” (8). In CCC 8-10 the Catechism draws our attention to the prevalence of bishops who are also saints in these times of renewal. It is not coincidental, then, that the initiating bishop of this Catechism, John Paul II, and the bishop who called for the Church council from which this Catechism derives its trajectory and proximate inspiration, John XXIII, have both, since the publication of the Catechism, been declared saints of the Church.

Because catechesis is so essential to the healthy development of the Church, these paragraphs take great pains to define it very carefully. CCC 6 carefully distinguishes catechesis from related areas of the Church’s work, while CCC 4-5 provide central points of definition. The goal of catechesis is to initiate each new member into “the fullness of Christian life” (5) — that is always the target. As we have seen, this fullness has a fourfold nature, reflected in the four Parts of the Catechism. The teaching given for our initiation into this fullness is to be systematic and organic — it is to be planned and sensibly sequential, emphasizing the links between the different elements being taught, so that those receiving the teaching can understand that this is one faith, one truth, in its many aspects.

Day 7

CCC 11-12

Aim and Intended Readership and Index of Citations

CCC 11 tells us that the Catechism provides an account of the essentials of the faith. What is given here is only that which it is absolutely necessary for us to know, the essential truths that have been handed on to us through “the whole of the Church’s Tradition.” The presentation of these essentials is synthetic — care is taken to impress upon us how the truths of the faith belong together through the organization of the contents of the faith. The presentation is also organic, a vital point we shall discuss when looking at CCC 18.

The sentence on the “principal sources” might strike us as oddly placed in a paragraph concerned with the aims of the Catechism. We might remember though that in Fidei Depositum, Saint John Paul celebrated the Catechism’s publication precisely because he saw it renewing our contact with the “living sources of the faith.” These living sources are found in the footnotes on every page, and they are gathered in the Index of Citations at the end of the Catechism. Take a moment to find in that Index the categories of sources mentioned in CCC 11 — Scripture, the Fathers, the liturgy, the Church’s Magisterium. The authors of the Catechism want us to be directly acquainted with these.

CCC 11 also reminds us that the Catechism is intended to be fruitful — to inspire the writing of other catechisms and act as a solid anchor and reference point for their composition.

We have seen that all of the bishops of the world were involved in writing this Catechism, and from CCC 12 we see clearly why this was the case: the Catechism is intended primarily for them, to assist them in their responsibilities as the chief catechists. Through the bishops, it is offered to all the faithful, as a sure norm for understanding the faith. The Catechism has been published as an aid for helping the bishops reach all of their flock with the good news of Christ.

Day 8

CCC 13-17

Structure and Subject Index³

We had occasion to view the structure of the Catechism when we examined the contents pages. These paragraphs provide us with a short summary of the content of each of the four Parts.

CCC 13 refers to the four pillars. These are not equivalent to the Parts but rather make up Section Two of each Part. Using the analogy of pillars, then, these provide the main structural “bones” to the building. The presentation of Section Two in each Part provides the detailed content of that Part, in the form of Creed, sacraments, commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer.

If Section Two provides us with the pillars, Section One in each Part lays the necessary foundations upon which the pillars are erected. Thus, before we reach the details of the Creed, we learn of God’s revelation of himself; before we unpack the sacraments in Part Two, we ponder the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the liturgy and our grace-led participation in this work; prefacing the concrete expositions of the commandments in Part Three is a reminder of the principles of Christian living common to the keeping of all the commandments; and the first section in the prayer Part of the Catechism leads us beautifully into a consideration of the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer through profound reflections on the nature of prayer.

You may want to note that the Parts are explicitly related to the great theological virtues which define the whole of the Christian life — faith, hope and love. Thus Part One is concerned with the fostering of faith in our lives, Part Three with the inculcation of love, and Part Four with the development of hope. Part Two, treating of the liturgy and sacraments, is the wonderful integrating center to the whole Catechism: here, faith, hope, and love come together — we profess our faith in the Creed, reach out in hope through the “Our Father” and receive all the grace needed for lives of Christian love.

Day 9

CCC 18-22

Practical Directions

The practical directions are simple to understand and yet radical in their nature. CCC 18 makes clear to us that the Catechism is a rare text in that it is intended to be read, not just sequentially, but also across the Parts. Numerous cross-references have been placed in the margins in order to facilitate this special kind of reading, together with a Subject Index at the end of the Catechism. While it might appear that topics belong only in one Part of the Catechism, related aspects appear in numerous places, and every topic always belongs, in some fashion, to all four Parts. For an adequate understanding of a topic, therefore, we are asked to use the cross-references and Subject Index to range across the whole Catechism.

We are being invited, then, to a slow reading, to take our time, pondering how different areas of the faith relate to one another. The Catechism calls this an organic reading. “Organic” indicates the living interdependence of parts on one another, just as the different parts of a body work together for the good of the whole and can only be understood in relation to that whole.

Practiced with persistence and diligence, reading organically will transform our relationship to the Catechism. As a simple exercise, to get the idea, read CCC 218 and then the single cross-reference to CCC 295. CCC 218 explains the special revelation to Israel as being the result of God’s gratuitous love. The cross-reference to CCC 295 reminds us that God’s love is also the source of all creation. So we are led to a profounder truth through the cross-reference; we see that God’s actions, in creation and in history, are always consistent with this one principle: that they flow from his love. God’s love for his people Israel is harmonious with his love for all nations, indeed with the whole of creation.

Day 10

CCC 23-25

Necessary Adaptations

Each paragraph in the Catechism makes a single point, the three points here making a fitting climax to the Prologue. Each paragraph speaks of a different “necessary adaptation.”

The first necessary adaptation is of our lives to the truths of the faith (23). The faith we study in the Catechism wants to put down roots in our lives, and the authors of the Catechism are intending that the truths we find here will “shine forth” in our lives. This will happen if we read attentively, deepening our understanding of these truths, as God works to transform us through our understanding. And so we will find we are learning to make our lives faithful to God.

The second necessary adaptation is of our teaching of the faith to those whom God sends to us (24). Each person is unique, and so we have to assist each person to receive these same truths in a way unique to them so that their lives, also, can be fully “adapted” to the truths of the faith, according to who they are. Thus we will find we are learning to make our lives faithful to the souls God sends to us.

Finally, everything is to be adapted to charity (25). Charity, the love of God, is the eternal, unvarying measuring point to which we “adapt” everything in our lives and in our teaching. In our ongoing seeking to be faithful to God and to the human person, we will consciously and persistently seek to make visible the love of the Lord. In our lives and in our teaching, we are to strive to understand that intrinsic connection to God’s love more and more deeply.

¹ In the reader’s particular edition, this Letter may follow the other Letter of Saint John Paul II, Laetamur Magnopere, which we will read tomorrow.

² Catechism of the Catholic Church.

³ This is also referred to as the Index or the Analytical Index in different editions of the Catechism.