
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a summary of the Catholic Church's essential teachings regarding faith and morals. It was promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1992, and has been translated into over 20 languages, with over 8 million copies sold worldwide. The Catechism is arranged in four principal parts and is a resource for the development of minor catechisms. It is intended for those responsible for catechesis, including bishops, priests, and catechists, and is not meant to stand alone as the only reference for Catholic teaching. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is considered a universal catechism, as it is intended for use by the universal Church.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of promulgation | 11 October 1992 |
| Date of approval | 25 June 1992 |
| Promulgated by | Pope John Paul II |
| Number of copies sold worldwide | Over 8 million |
| Number of languages published in | More than 20 |
| Number of pre-orders in the United States | 250,000+ |
| Number of pages on the "Our Father" | 27-30 |
| Number of pages on the 10 Commandments | 100+ |
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What You'll Learn
- The Catechism of the Catholic Church was promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1992
- It is a statement of the Church's faith and Catholic doctrine
- It is a reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine and preparing local catechisms
- It is not intended to replace local catechisms
- It is a summary of fundamental Christian truths

The Catechism of the Catholic Church was promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1992
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a summary of Catholic doctrine that serves as a reference text for teaching and preparing local catechisms. It was promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 11 October 1992, with his apostolic constitution, Fidei Depositum (The Deposit of Faith). The Catechism was first approved by Pope John Paul II on 25 June 1992 and was published in French in the same year as its promulgation. The English translation was published in 1994, and more than 250,000 copies were pre-ordered before its release.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is divided into four parts: the profession of faith, the celebration of the Christian mystery, life in Christ, and Christian prayer. The first part introduces the reader to God's revelation and is structured around the tenets of the Creed. The second part explains how God's plan for salvation is made present in the sacred actions of the Church's liturgy, especially in the sacraments. The third part presents Catholic tradition on law and grace, and the principles of Christian morality found in the Commandments. The fourth part covers the section on Scripture, which includes the Patristic tradition of "spiritual exegesis" as further developed through the scholastic doctrine of the "four senses".
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a significant contribution to Catholic doctrine and has sold over eight million copies worldwide, with translations in more than twenty languages. It is a comprehensive statement of the Church's faith, attested to by Sacred Scripture, Apostolic Tradition, and the Church's Magisterium. Pope John Paul II declared that it is "a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion and a sure norm for teaching the faith".
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is not just a doctrinal text but also a blueprint for a renewed way of doing theology. It reflects Pope John Paul II's arguments against the death penalty and offers a clear understanding of the foundations of the Catholic Faith.
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It is a statement of the Church's faith and Catholic doctrine
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a statement of the Church's faith and Catholic doctrine. It is an organised presentation of the essential teachings of the Catholic Church regarding faith and morals. It is a source on which to base other Catholic catechisms, such as YOUCAT or the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The Catechism was promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1992, on the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. For over a decade, bishops, theologians, and other experts worked on a compendium of Catholic doctrine regarding faith and morals. The Catechism is arranged in four principal parts, with 27-30 pages on the "Our Father" and over 100 pages on the 10 Commandments.
The Catechism is a text that contains the fundamental Christian truths formulated in a way that facilitates their understanding. There are two categories of catechism: major and minor. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is an example of a major catechism, which is a resource or point of reference for the development of minor catechisms. It is a "universal catechism" because it is intended for use by the universal Church.
The Catechism is not meant to stand alone as the only reference for Catholic teaching. It is intended to assist those who have the duty to catechize, namely promoters and teachers of catechesis, as well as bishops, priests, and catechists. It is an excellent guide to Christian doctrine, providing a comprehensive and understandable compilation of Catholic beliefs. It is also a positive, objective, and declarative exposition of Catholic doctrine.
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It is a reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine and preparing local catechisms
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine and preparing local catechisms. It is an organised presentation of the essential teachings of the Catholic Church in regards to both faith and morals. It is a source on which to base other Catholic catechisms and expositions of Catholic doctrine.
The Catechism is a text that contains the fundamental Christian truths formulated in a way that facilitates their understanding. There are two categories of catechism: major and minor. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is an example of a major catechism. It is a "universal catechism" intended to be a resource or point of reference for the development of minor catechisms throughout the universal Church.
The Catechism was promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1992 to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. For more than a decade, bishops, theologians, and other experts worked on a “compendium of all Catholic doctrine regarding both faith and morals.” The Catechism is arranged in four principal parts, covering a range of topics including the Church, the Sacraments, the Ten Commandments, and Christian prayer.
The intended readers of the Catechism are “those responsible for catechesis,” namely, bishops, priests, and catechists. It is not meant to stand alone as the only reference for Catholic teaching but is meant to be used in conjunction with the Church’s rich tradition, the Bible, and liturgy. The Catechism is a "point of reference" primarily for the development of national and local catechisms, providing an authentic and comprehensive exposition of Catholic doctrine.
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It is not intended to replace local catechisms
The Catholic Catechism is a comprehensive and detailed document that serves as a summary of the essential teachings of the Catholic Church. With approximately 2865 paragraphs, it is an extensive text that provides a wealth of information on Catholic beliefs, sacraments, morality, and prayer. While it is a valuable resource, the Catechism is
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It is a summary of fundamental Christian truths
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a summary of fundamental Christian truths. It is a source on which to base other Catholic catechisms, such as YOUCAT or the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Catechism is arranged into four principal parts.
The Catechism is a statement of the Church's faith and Catholic doctrine, as attested to or illuminated by Sacred Scripture, Apostolic Tradition, and the Church's Magisterium. It is a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion and a sure norm for teaching the faith. It conveys the essential and fundamental content of Catholic faith and morals in a complete and summary way. It is a point of reference for national and diocesan catechisms. It is a positive, objective, and declarative exposition of Catholic doctrine.
The Catechism was promulgated by Pope 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). The English translation was published in 1994, and more than 250,000 copies had been pre-ordered before its release. Over eight million copies have been sold worldwide, and the book has been published in more than twenty languages.
The Catechism is not meant to stand alone as the only reference for Catholic teaching. It only contains small sections of the actual documents it references. The Church’s rich tradition, the Bible, and liturgy all illuminate each other and help the Catholic community grow in faith, hope, and love.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a summary of the essential teachings of the Catholic Church regarding faith and morals. It is a reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine and preparing local catechisms.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church was promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1992, on the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is intended for "those responsible for catechesis," including bishops, priests, and catechists. It is not meant to be the only reference for Catholic teaching but rather a resource for developing local catechisms.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church varies in length depending on the edition. The hardcover second edition is 27-30 pages on the "Our Father" and over 100 pages on the 10 Commandments.

































