
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a summary of the Catholic interpretation of the deposit of faith, including scripture and tradition. It is a set of instructions to explain the Catholic faith and a source on which to base other Catholic catechisms. It is not a teaching document but a summary of teachings that are located in one place to guide the average Catholic. The Catechism was first published in 1992 and revised in 1997 to incorporate changes made by Pope John Paul II. It is available in multiple languages on the Vatican website.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of first publication | 1992 |
| Date of revision | 1997 |
| Number of paragraphs | 2865 |
| Number of parts | 4 |
| Purpose | To explain the Catholic faith |
| Basis for | Other Catholic catechisms |
| Language of first publication | French |
| Language of second publication | Latin |
| Number of copies sold worldwide | Over 8 million |
| Number of languages published in | Over 20 |
| Number of pre-orders for the English translation | 250,000 |
| Date of English translation publication | 1994 |
| Date of Compendium publication | 2005 |
| Date of English Compendium publication | 2006 |
| Number of languages the Compendium is available in | 14 |
| Number of languages the Catechism is available in on the Vatican website | 10 |
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What You'll Learn
- The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a universal catechism
- It is a summary of Catholic interpretations of the deposit of faith
- It is a source on which to base other Catholic catechisms
- It is a statement of the Church's faith and Catholic doctrine
- It is a positive, objective and declarative exposition of Catholic doctrine

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a universal catechism
The Catechism is part of the Church's official teaching and was suggested by a Synod of Bishops, requested by the Pope, and promulgated by the Pope. It is a positive, objective, and declarative exposition of Catholic doctrine, intended to assist those who have the duty to catechize, such as promoters and teachers of catechesis. The Catechism is also meant to be a resource for bishops as teachers of the faith and pastors of the Church.
The Catechism is a source on which to base other Catholic catechisms, such as YOUCAT or the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church. It includes 2865 paragraphs, arranged in four principal parts, and covers the Lord's Prayer and Christian Prayer more broadly. 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 is available in multiple formats and languages to ensure accessibility. The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, published in 2005, is a more concise and illustrated version of the Catechism. It is available in fourteen languages on the Vatican website, which also offers the text of the Catechism itself in ten languages. An online version of the Catechism is also available on the Vatican website, allowing people from all walks of life to engage with this important sourcebook.
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It is a summary of Catholic interpretations of the deposit of faith
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a summary of Catholic interpretations of the deposit of faith. It is a statement of the Church's faith and Catholic doctrine, based on Sacred Scripture, Apostolic Tradition, and the Church's Magisterium. It is not a "teaching" document but a summary of existing teachings, providing a convenient guide for the average Catholic.
The Catechism was first published in 1992 and promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 11 October 1992, the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. It was then revised in 1997 to incorporate changes made by Pope John Paul II. The Catechism is divided into four principal parts, containing 2865 paragraphs in total. It covers a wide range of topics, from social justice to sacraments and Christian prayer.
The Catechism is a source on which to base other Catholic catechisms, such as YOUCAT or the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church. It is intended to be a "universal catechism", providing a framework for believers to explore complex theological concepts, moral teachings, and practical applications of their beliefs. It is also a valuable resource for educators, with its clear structure and concise explanations making it ideal for teaching religious education classes and facilitating discussions on moral values.
The Catechism is part of the Church's official teaching, having been promulgated by the Pope as an apostolic constitution, the most solemn form of official Church documents. It is an authentic reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine, providing general guidelines on how the magisterium's interpretation of the deposit of faith applies in the modern world.
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It is a source on which to base other Catholic catechisms
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a source text on which other Catholic catechisms are based. It was first published in 1992 and revised in 1997. The Catechism is a statement of the Church's faith and Catholic doctrine, based on Sacred Scripture, Apostolic Tradition, and the Church's Magisterium. It is a summary of the Catholic interpretation of the deposit of faith, including scripture and tradition, and provides general guidelines on how the magisterium's interpretation of the deposit of faith applies in the contemporary world.
The Catechism is a universal catechism, intended for use by the universal Church. It is a reference text for the development of minor catechisms, and national and diocesan catechisms. It is not a teaching document, but a summary of teachings that are located in one place to guide Catholics. The Catechism is part of the Church's official teaching and was promulgated by Pope John Paul II with his apostolic constitution, Fidei Depositum, in which he stated that it was given as a "sure and authentic reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine".
The Catechism is divided into four principal parts, with 2865 paragraphs in total. It covers a wide range of topics, from social justice to sacraments, and includes Christian Prayer, such as the Lord's Prayer. The section on Scripture covers the Patristic tradition of "spiritual exegesis" and the scholastic doctrine of the "four senses". The Catechism specifies that the necessary spiritual interpretation should be sought through the four senses of Scripture: the literal sense, pertaining to the meaning of the words themselves, including any figurative meanings.
The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, published in 2005, is a condensed version of the Catechism, offering a concise summary of its main teachings. It is available in multiple languages on the Vatican website, which also provides the full text of the Catechism itself.
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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 was first published in 1992 and revised in 1997 to incorporate changes made by Pope John Paul II. The Catechism is a source on which to base other Catholic catechisms, such as YOUCAT or the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church. It provides a framework of the Catholic faith for believers to refer to and explore complex theological concepts, moral teachings, and practical applications of their beliefs.
The Catechism is a summary of the Catholic interpretation of the deposit of faith, including scripture and tradition. It gives general guidelines on how the magisterium's interpretation of the deposit of faith applies to the modern world. While it is not a "teaching" document, it is a convenient summary of teachings that guides the average Catholic. It is intended to assist those who have the duty to catechize, such as promoters and teachers of catechesis, and ultimately, to help those seeking to understand the faith.
The Catechism is a universal catechism, intended for use by the universal Church. It is a positive, objective, and declarative exposition of Catholic doctrine, given as a "sure and authentic reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine". It is part of the Church's official teaching and was promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 11 October 1992, with his apostolic constitution Fidei depositum (in English, The Deposit of Faith). The Catechism is a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion, conveying the essential and fundamental content of Catholic faith and morals in a complete and summary way.
The Catechism is structured into four principal parts, with 2865 paragraphs in total. It covers a wide range of topics, from social justice to sacraments, and includes Christian Prayer, with the Lord's Prayer. The section on Scripture covers the Patristic tradition of "spiritual exegesis", further developed through the scholastic doctrine of the "four senses". This specifies that the necessary spiritual interpretation should be sought through the four senses of Scripture: the literal sense, pertaining to the meaning of the words themselves, including any figurative meanings.
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It is a positive, objective and declarative exposition of Catholic doctrine
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a positive, objective, and declarative exposition of Catholic doctrine. It is a statement of the Church's faith and of 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.
The Catechism was first published in 1992 and revised in 1997 to incorporate changes made by Pope John Paul II. It is a universal catechism intended for use by the universal Church. It is a source on which to base other Catholic catechisms and expositions of Catholic doctrine. It is a text that teaches the faith and is meant to be a reference text for those who teach the faith, such as promoters and teachers of catechesis, as well as bishops, pastors, and teachers.
The Catechism is part of the Church's official teaching in that it was suggested by a Synod of Bishops, requested by the Pope, and promulgated by him. It is a summary of the Catholic interpretation of the deposit of faith, including scripture and tradition. It gives general guidelines on how the magisterium's interpretation of the deposit of faith applies to the world today. It is not a "teaching" document per se, but a summary of teachings conveniently located in one place to guide the average Catholic.
The Catechism covers a wide range of topics, from social justice to sacraments, and is an invaluable resource for those seeking to understand the key concepts of the Catholic faith. It is structured clearly and concisely, making it ideal for teaching religious education classes and facilitating discussions on moral values. It is also a valuable resource for educators and parents who wish to teach the faith to children.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a summary of the essential and fundamental content of Catholic faith and morals. It is a statement of the Church's faith and Catholic doctrine, based on Sacred Scripture, Apostolic Tradition and the Church's Magisterium.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is considered a "universal catechism" as it is intended for use by the universal Church. It is a source on which to base other Catholic catechisms.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church was promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 11 October 1992, with his apostolic constitution Fidei depositum. It was then revised in 1997 to incorporate changes made by Pope John Paul II.
The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is a condensed version of the Catechism, offering a concise summary of the main teachings. It was published in 2005 and the first English edition was published in 2006.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is available to read online on the official Vatican website. It has been published in over ten languages and has sold over eight million copies worldwide.

































