Catechism of the Catholic Church

The decision to publish an official catechism was taken at the Second Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which was convened by Pope John Paul II on 25 January 1985 to evaluate the progress of implementing the Vatican II council's goals on the 20th anniversary of its closure. The assembly participants expressed the desire that "a catechism or compendium of all Catholic doctrine regarding both faith and morals be composed, that it might be, as it were, a point of reference for the catechisms or compendiums that are prepared in various regions. The presentation of doctrine must be biblical and liturgical. It must be sound doctrine suited to the present life of Christians". John Paul II says that in 1986 he formed a commission composed of 12 cardinals and bishops chaired by cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict XVI) to prepare the first draft of the Catechism. The first principal part of the Catechism, which deals with the Profession of Faith, was drafted by Bishop José Manuel Estepa Llaurens and Bishop Alessandro Maggiolini. The second principal part, on the sacraments, was drafted by future Cardinals Jorge Medina and Estanislao Esteban Karlic. The third principal part, on life in Christ, was drafted by the future Cardinal Jean Honoré and Bishop David Konstant. The final principal part, on prayer, was drafted by Fr. Jean Corbon, a Lebanese Melkite priest. Future CDF Prefect William Levada wrote the Catechism's glossary. The project's editorial secretary was the future Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, OP. Reminiscing those days, Benedict said in 2011: "I must confess that even today it seems a miracle to me that this project [the Catechism of the Catholic Church] was ultimately successful". Cardinal Georges Cottier said he had worked on the catechism. == Promulgation ==

The Catechism was promulgated by John Paul II on 11 October 1992, the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, with his apostolic constitution Fidei depositum (in English, The Deposit of Faith). On 15 August 1997, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, John Paul II promulgated the Latin typical edition, with his apostolic letter Laetamur magnopere. == Publication ==

/ Canadian edition) in front of a tree The CCC was published in the French language in 1992. In the United States, the English translation was published in 1994 and more than 250,000 copies had been pre-ordered before its release, with a note that it was "subject to revision according to the Latin typical edition (editio typica) when it is published". The Latin typical edition, the official text of reference promulgated on 15 August 1997, amended the contents of the provisional French text at a few points. As a result, the earlier translations from the French into other languages (including English) had to be amended and re-published as "second editions". Over eight million copies have been sold worldwide and the book has been published in more than twenty languages. == Doctrinal value ==

In the apostolic constitution Fidei depositum, John Paul II declared that the Catechism of the Catholic Church is "a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion and a sure norm for teaching the faith", and stressed that it "is not intended to replace the local catechisms duly approved by the ecclesiastical authorities, the diocesan Bishops and the Episcopal Conferences". == Contents ==

Overview The Catechism is a source on which to base other Catholic catechisms (e.g., YOUCAT or the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church) and other expositions of Catholic doctrine. As stated in the apostolic constitution Fidei depositum, with which its publication was ordered, it was given so "that it may be a sure and authentic reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine and particularly for preparing local catechisms". The Catechism includes 2865 paragraphs, arranged in four principal parts: • The Profession of Faith (the Apostles' Creed) • The Celebration of the Christian Mystery (the Sacred Liturgy, and especially the sacraments) • Life in Christ (including the Ten Commandments) • Christian Prayer (including the Lord's Prayer). The section on Scripture in the Catechism covers the Patristic tradition of "spiritual exegesis" as further developed through the scholastic doctrine of the "four senses". The Catechism by specifies that the necessary spiritual interpretation should be sought through the four senses of Scripture. The literal sense pertains to the meaning of the words themselves, including any figurative meanings. The spiritual senses pertain to the significance of the things (persons, places, objects or events) denoted by the words. Of the three spiritual senses, the allegorical sense is foundational. It relates persons, events, and institutions of earlier covenants to those of later covenants, and especially to the New Covenant. Building on the allegorical sense, the moral sense instructs in regard to action, and the anagogical sense points to man's final destiny. The teaching of the Catechism on Scripture has encouraged the pursuit of covenantal theology, an approach that employs the four senses to structure salvation history via the biblical covenants. Paragraph 2267 (capital punishment) One of the changes in the 1997 update consisted of the inclusion of the position on the death penalty that is defended in John Paul II's encyclical Evangelium vitae of 1995. The paragraph dealing with the death penalty (2267) was revised again by Pope Francis in 2018. The text previously stated (1997): The 2018 change to the Catechism reads: == Reception ==

In 1992, cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) stated: Ulf Ekman, former Charismatic pastor and the founder of Livets Ord, says that the Catechism is "the best book he has ever read".{{cite web |url= https://mycharisma.com/spiritled-living/ulf-ekman-says-prophetic-word-confirmed-his-catholic-conversion/ |title= Ulf Ekman Says Prophetic Word Confirmed His Catholic Conversion |author= Lukas Berggren |date= Mar 18, 2014 |publisher= Charisma Media |access-date=January 11, 2026 |url-status=live == Derived works ==

The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church was published in 2005, and the first edition in English in 2006. It is a more concise, dialogic and illustrated version of the Catechism. Youcat is a 2011 publication aimed at helping youth understand the Catechism. Cardinal Francis Arinze commented in 2023 on the need for pamphlets and booklets to communicate the contents of specific aspects of the Catechism and the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, because of their size. == See also ==