Why You Should Read (At Least Part Of) The Catechism of the Catholic Church, And Shouldn’t Listen to Anyone Who Tells You Not To

On October 11, 1992, in the Apostolic Constitution Fidei Depositum, Pope John Paul II declared the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), the first complete compilation of the teachings of the Catholic Church in over four hundred years. This document articulates and proclaims, to a theologically bewildered post-Vatican II world, what the Church teaches, and by implication, what it does not teach.

Yet many Catholics seem to either barely know of its existence, or have relegated it to a forgotten corner of their faith lives, like one of those rooms in libraries that hold special works of great local historical significance, but are always empty.

Furthermore, incredibly, some people have been actively discouraged from reading the CCC, both passively and actively, usually by other Catholics, and sometimes by theologians, professionals within the Church, or even priests. Msgr. Michael Wrenn discusses resistance to its publication and dissemination in his book Flawed Expectations (Ignatius Press), and we have heard some personal stories along the same lines on the discussion forum of cccisg.org (an online Catechism study group).

So before going into the reasons why it should be read, I want to deal briefly with the main arguments made “against” it. They are as follows:

Objection: It’s a “reference work” only, to look things up in, not really to read.
The Truth: It is much more than that. It can be used as a reference, but is also an organic, stylistic unity which is perhaps best read
a logical section at a time.

Objection: It’s for experts only – the rest of us should wait for the “Cliff Notes” version.
The Truth: It’s not, and we shouldn’t. Catholicism is not an esoteric religion, intended for the understanding of the few and the obedience of the many. Most of us who read the CCC find most of it understandable to a great degree, even if that often takes some work. While the content deals with things that are of their nature mysteries, these are mysteries to the experts too. I have never had someone tell me that they gave up reading the Catechism because it was too hard to understand.

Objection: Reading the CCC is dry, slow going, and it will bore most people.
The Truth: It’s not, and won’t bore us any more than prayer does, or the Mass. Sometimes, we carry the boredom with us into whatever we do. But the CCC is written in a lively, engaging and highly readable style.

Objection: The word “Catechism” brings to mind the question-and-answer catechism you had to learn as a child (the Baltimore Catechism).
The Truth: It’s not written in that style at all (see above). On the other hand, several times on cccisg.org, members have posted material from the Baltimore Catechism, and it has always turned out to be very helpful.

Objection: It doesn’t take into account the latest developments in theology.
The Truth: This objection starts with some theological “developers” themselves, busily trying to turn wine back into water, and upset that their professional outputs aren’t always considered to be on a par with the Revealed Word of God, the Apostolic Tradition, and the 2000-year-old Magisterium of the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit. The reason many of these ideas are not included in the Catechism is quite simple: the Church does not teach them. The policy is pretty clear: The CCC incorporates all developments in theology, new or old, that the Church holds to be true, and omits those that it does not.

So what are the positive reasons why you should read it? Let me make it clear I’m not advocating that everyone read the whole CCC from cover to cover (although perhaps that would be the ideal). But as this document is the definitive, post-conciliar articulation of the teaching of the Catholic Church, it would be well for as many people as possible to own a copy, to review the table of contents to see in general what it covers, and to read at least some of the sections.

The great open secret is that the Catechism is a wonderful document, in many ways and on many levels. It is both intellectual and inspirational. It is at once theological, spiritual, philosophical, and pragmatic. It might even be considered something of a masterpiece of thought and style. Here are some specific reasons why you should consider reading at least parts of it:

Because it is beautifully written, clear, concise, often lyrical, organic. Many concepts and doctrines are discussed in multiple sections, from multiple points of view, constantly building up one’s understanding of the faith.

To get a better knowledge of what the Church teaches and what it doesn’t teach. This is especially important in this time of confusion, in which under-catechization, and even de-catechization, are common among Catholics.

To strengthen the foundations of our faith. We live in a time which places great primacy on personal experience over doctrine. Yet life is long, and experiences are many. Some of them come to us against our will, and throw us up against the fundamental questions of existence. In those times, our personal experiences may not serve us as a light in the darkness. We need a sound grasp of the eternal truths of the faith to guide us in our journey towards eternity.

For inspiration and spiritual growth. Another of the numerous dark errors of our post-modernist age is the attempt to dissociate spirituality from doctrine. This leads eventually to pure subjectivism, which leads eventually to pure despair. The doctrine taught by the Catholic Church in the CCC, besides being Truth, represents the highest, deepest, and sanest “whole-brain” spirituality, in which we understand, at least to some extent, why we worship and seek grace and closeness to God, and in which this understanding itself gives us hope and renewed strength to seek the Kingdom of God in steadfast discipleship. Contrary to the anti-intellectualism inherent in much modern-day pseudo-spirituality, there is nothing more inspiring than an “idea” which resonates in the soul as true. The Catechism is a virtually inexhaustible reservoir of such ideas.

To be able to explain the faith better to others, including other Catholics, other Christians, and everyone else. Like it or not, and notwithstanding embarrassing fantasies of standing on street corners handing out tracts, evangelization in one form or another is an inescapable obligation of all of the faithful. Reading the Catechism can give us the guidance and inspiration to make our lives into better and better “shinings-forth” of Christ’s truth, and the knowledge and confidence to discuss this Truth with others.

To be reminded of the many treasures of the Catholic faith, its countless gems of wisdom, its persistent and courageous exhortation to virtue, its sacred, unbroken tradition solidly connecting the last Mass you attended back through the centuries to the Last Supper itself.

To have our rationalizations for not living a life more in keeping with the Gospel undermined, refuted, and dissolved (although depending on one’s point of view, this could constitute a reason to avoid the Catechism, too). Through a thorough proclamation of what the Church believes (the Creed), how it worships (the Sacraments), its teaching on living a Christian life (morality, both positive and negative), and how it prays, the CCC acts as a corrosive to the many barriers we erect to defend ourselves against the Living Flame which seeks to ignite a fire of Charity within our hearts.

To grow in the love which God has for us and which we are to have for others. Since this is the “summation of the law”, it is the end point of all true doctrine, and the direction in which true doctrine inevitably leads us.

This list is not exhaustive, and is not meant to be, indeed cannot be, any more than a list of reasons “why should read the Gospels” could be complete. Each reading of even a small section of the Catechism yields additional stirrings of the understanding, a feeding of the appetite for Truth and deeper faith.

What is the best way to read the Catechism? There is probably no one answer to this question for everybody. For some people, it may be best just to start with page one and read it through, slowly, with time for reflection and “digestion.” Short of that, I recommend thoroughly reviewing the extensive table of contents, and marking sections, short or long, that hold particular interest for you, and then reading those whole sections. (A personal opinion: I much prefer the table of contents to the index, but the index is helpful is you have a very specific subject you want to look up.) Then, if you have time, you could also read the paragraphs that are referenced in the margins of the section you read – the CCC has extensive internal cross-references. If you want to go deeper still, you could get the Companion to the Catechism of the Catholic Church published by Ignatius Press, which lists the full texts of all of the footnote references.

And, of course, you might find the structured reading and discussion program of cccisg.org to be a good way of not only reading the text, but hearing what other people are finding in it. But if you only have time to just pick it up once in a while, open it at random, and read a page, I highly recommend that too.

As Pope John Paul II says in Fidei Depositum, the Catechism is “ a ‘symphony’ of the faith”, created to “serve the renewal to which the Holy Spirit ceaselessly calls the Church…”, a “sure norm for teaching the faith…” A fresh articulation of the Deposit of Faith by the Church itself has happened very rarely in its long history. It is no doubt providential that it has happened now, at the turn of a new millenium, in a time of great trial for the Body of Christ. As this post-conciliar Catechism takes root, over time, in the hearts and minds of the faithful, it will shine forth to the world as the most concise and complete explanation of why Catholics commit themselves to Faith, live in Hope, and persevere in Charity. If we let it into our own hearts and minds, it can serve as a reliable rudder, for us as individuals and for the Church as a whole, to help steer through the turbulent waters of this world. And bring us, and those whose lives we impact, closer to God.

Father James Schall, SJ., teacher and author, has been a friend of cccisg.org from the beginning, and graciously allowed us to reprint his essay "The General Catechism: The Church Describes What It Holds About God, Man, and the World" as our August Guest Column. It gives a very astute analysis, among other points, of why the Catechism is so necessary in the first place. You can find Fr. Schall’s essay here.

This is the “lead post” for the Catechism of the Catholic Church Internet Study Group for the week starting 12/9. The numbers refer to paragraphs in the Catechism. For the week of 12/9, the members of cccisg.org will be reading and discussing CCC paragraphs 787 through 831.

Par. 787 – 831. “From the beginning, Jesus associated his disciples with his own life, revealed the mystery of the Kingdom to them, and gave them a share in his mission, joy, and sufferings.”

What a powerful sentence begins this week’s readings! “…mission, joy, and sufferings.” For anyone sincerely trying to live as one of those disciples with whom “Jesus…associated…his own life,” does a day go by that does not include all three? It came to me a while ago that trying to live this mission gives a simple, clear, and powerful answer to the constant human question “what should I do today?” or “what should I do next”? The answer is, to be a disciple. Then, of course, the question becomes how to be a disciple today, or in this next hour or activity. This question itself can at times seem a bit daunting, or even complicated, but we get lots of help with the answer from the Holy Spirit. And of course just asking the right question is a great help in protecting us from gravitating toward the wrong answer.

Whether or not we make this kind of commitment, we still suffer. The difference is that as committed disciples, we have a context for understanding our suffering as meaningful, and for including it as a necessary aspect of our search for God and salvation. I used to hope that a “spiritual-enough” approach to personal suffering would make it go away, make it stop hurting. Because it doesn’t, we are forced to continue digging for its meaning, not stopping until we understand that we are truly called to share in Christ’s life, and in his death on the cross. And, glory to God in the highest, in his New Life with the Father in Heaven. So even though our suffering is often not changed into non-suffering, it can be redeemed, which it turns out, is much, much better.

Whether or not we make this kind of commitment, we still, most of us, at some point or other, have some joy. The difference is that without commitment to Christian discipleship, our joy goes no deeper than what the world has to offer, which may be intense for a time, but has no enduring basis. This kind of joy is always at risk for quick evaporation, and this is its inevitable fate. But the joy that comes to us from the Holy Spirit, the Consoler, is part of something that doesn’t evaporate, ever, even if our experience of it, while here on earth, is sporadic and limited.

Our readings this week first describe the Church as the Body of Christ, and as the Temple of the Holy Spirit. They then begin to teach us the full meaning of the Church as One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic, and will continue discussing this credal statement next week.

If you’re looking for likely topics to bring up on the forum, the following list might serve as a starting point, or a stimulus to further thought:

- In 790, titled “One Body”, the following quote from Lumen Gentium: “In that body the life of Christ is communicated to those who believe, and who, through the sacraments, are united in a hidden and real way to Christ in his Passion and glorification.” How do belief, and participation in the sacraments, unite us in a “hidden and real way” to Christ?

- In 798, on the various ways in which the Holy Spirit works: “…by the sacraments, which give growth and healing to Christ’s members…by the virtues, which make us act according to what is good…by the many special graces (called ‘charisms’), by which He makes the faithful “fit and ready to undertake various tasks and offices for the renewal and building up of the Church.”

- in 801, the statement that “…discernment of charisms is always necessary.” Why is this discernment so important?

- On the subject of “unity”, in 815 we have: “What are these bonds of unity? Above all, charity ‘binds everything together in perfect harmony’ ”. How does this apply during those times, often occurring over the long history of the Church, of seeming disunity and conflict?

- There are several paragraphs which deal ecumenical themes, with many quotes from Unitatis Redintegratio, the Vatican II “Decree on Ecumenism.” E.g. “Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches (non-Catholic Churches) and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church.” How do we understand this statement?

And many more striking, thought-provoking, faith-stirring truths are proclaimed this week as well.

God our Father, may our sufferings today be mitigated and consoled. May our hearts, and minds, and footsteps, be turned ever more toward You. And may our souls come to be with You in Heaven. Amen.

Jerome

From the South Bend (Indiana) Tribune, earlier this year. I wrote this guest column in response to a previous guest column in the Tribune which asked the question which forms the title.

Would The World Be a Better Place Without Christianity?

(Earlier this year) the Tribune carried an article in this space by ________, arguing, among other things, against the establishment of a state religion in the U.S. I agree with this position wholeheartedly, although I rarely encounter anyone or read anything that disagrees with it.

But before getting to the rest of her argument, Ms. ________ blithely dismisses the entirety of the teachings, ethics, and historical impact of Christianity (in two paragraphs) by alluding to the “crimes against humanity” committed by some of Jesus’ followers, and suggesting that the human race would have been better off if Jesus had never lived. This sentiment is certainly not unique to one writer, indeed it is echoed by many voices and strains in our current culture that promote an unreflective hostility to religion (although in practice, because of the stern requirements of multicultural dogma, this means hostility to Christianity, and not to other, “diverse” religions).

It is completely clear that abuses have been committed, that some of them were terrible, and that there is no guarantee that some forms of wrongdoing won’t occur now and in the future. This aspect of history, past and present, cannot and should not be denied or minimized. But we might ask ourselves, how do we recognize the “wrongness” of these events in the first place? The cultures of Western classical antiquity certainly didn’t see anything wrong with suppressing non-official religious beliefs in the sternest possible manner (e.g. Socrates, the early Christian martyrs, the Crucifixion itself), or going to war for less-than-pure motives. So how did we come to understand that the excesses of the Inquisition and the Crusades, for example, were wrong?

A large part of the answer is, that we have the considerable advantage of being able to evaluate them in the light of a two-thousand year old ethical and moral tradition mainly shaped by the teachings and principles of the Old and New Testaments, which have proved impossible to “get around” in the long run. All rationalizations of these abuses, however clever or erudite, whether promoted by individuals or the Church itself, have eventually foundered on the rocks of the Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the uncompromising exhortation to “love your neighbor as yourself” which, unlike material rocks on actual shores, show no signs of erosion no matter how much sophisticated rhetorical water expends itself against them. In other words, a major reason we can tell, eventually, that Christians and their institutions have sinned, is that Christianity has done an unequalled job of educating us in how to know sin when we see it (and hopefully, when we commit it). This explains why, although the Roman Empire did not issue apologies for its actions, and did not reform itself from purely moral motives, the Roman Church, as well as other Christian denominations, have done and continue to do both of these regularly.

Another frequent argument is that the fact that bad things happen under the auspices of supposedly good teachings and institutions somehow disproves the truth of those teachings. This first of all falls prey to the fallacy of abusus tollit usum, that is, the abuse of something negates its proper use, which could also be used to deny the value of hunger relief because some of the money given for this purpose is from time to time stolen by miscreants. But in addition, anyone who seriously investigates the teachings of Christianity would be far more surprised to find no past and present crimes of note. This is because these teachings tell us clearly that this is, after all, a “fallen” world, subject at all times to temptation and corruption, and no organizations or individuals are exempt from this state. Therefore, with a large enough “sample”, our research will turn up sins enough for a long stream of indictments. As it does. This does not contradict Christian teachings, but supports them.

The problem remains then, whether these crimes and abuses outweigh the good that has been done by Jesus having lived. This time, the answer requires more work. The headlines of history do not tend to proclaim “Man Does Decent Thing”, or “Woman Dies In Peace After Asking Forgiveness From Her Children”. But for one willing to do the work, history will reveal a moving and inspiring story. Just to skim the surface, Canon Law elevated the rights of widows and children, and bequeathed much to our systems of legal protection that keep us relatively safe in our beds at night. The Church insisted, and continues to insist, that no forms of human suffering may be legitimately ignored. Medieval religious orders provided some of the earliest, and for centuries virtually the only, organized ministering to the needs of the sick and destitute. Christian figures have held kings accountable for cruelty and immorality, often to good effect, and often paying with their lives. The Church sponsored the invention of the university, and has been one of the major forces in all of Western history in education, not just on doctrine, but science, philosophy, music, etc., often educating people who had no ability to pay, thereby opening countless minds to a larger intellectual and aesthetic life. People inspired by Christian teachings agitated for the end of slavery, not only in the West but throughout the world. Most of all, the Church has taught that there is a fundamental, unassailable, and immeasurable value and meaning to every human life.

So I believe that the question of whether the world would have been better off if Jesus had never lived has an answer, that the answer is based not on ideology but on fact, and that the answer is no. One may choose to count all the potholes and decry them with vigor, all the while missing the fact that most people are still able to use that road to get where they’re going.

In the end, the number of people condemned by the Inquisition, killed in the Crusades, or abused by clergymen, can be counted or estimated, given enough data. It is far too many, and we must do better. But the number of times suffering has been spared because a man decided, based on a conscience formed by Faith, not to do a bad thing, or relieved because a woman undertook to do a compassionate act out of obedience to “love thy neighbor…”, cannot be counted. It is simply too large, an incalculable quantity, a number that has no name. Except, perhaps, Redemption.