Catechism of the Catholic Church

This is also known as the Catechism or the CCC. This is a reference book that sums up the Catholic Church’s doctrine & worldviews. It’s been translated into, & published, in more than 20 languages worldwide. Pope John Paul II referred to it as “the Catechism of the Second Vatican Council.”

The decision to publish an official catechism was taken at the Second Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. It was summoned by Pope John Paul II on January 25, 1985 to evaluate the progress of applying the Vatican II council’s goals on the 20th anniversary of its closure.

The assembly members expressed the desire that “a catechism or compendium of all Catholic doctrine regarding both faith & moral be composed, that it might be, as it were, a point of reference for the catechisms or compendiums are prepared in various regions. The presentation of doctrine must be biblical & liturgical.. It must be sound doctrine suited to the present life of Christians.”

The first part of the Catechism deals with the Profession of the Faith. It was drafted by Bishop Jose Manuel Estepa Llaurens & Bishop Alessandro Maggiolini.

The 2nd part of the Catechism deals with the sacraments. It was written by the future Cardinals Jorge Medina & Estanislao Esteban Karlic.

The 3rd part was on the life of Christ. This part was drafted by the future Cardinal Jean Honore & Bishop David Konstant.

The final part was about prayer. This was written by Friar Jean Corbon, who is a Labanese Melkite priest.

Future CDF Prefect William Levada wrote the Catechism’s glossary. The editorial secretary was the future Cardinal Christoph Schonborn, OP.

The Catechism was made known publicly by Pope John Paul II on Oct. 11, 1992, with his apostolic constitution Fidei depositum (The Deposit of Faith). This was the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. On Aug. 15, 1997, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope John Paul Il was made publicly known to the public the Latin typical edition with his apostolic letter Laetamur magnopere.

The CCC was published in French in 1992. It was published in American English in 1994, more than 250,000 copies had been pre-ordered before its release. There was a note that it was “subject to revision to the Latin typical edition (editio typica) when it’s published.

The Latin typical edition, the official text of reference made publicly known in Aug. 15, 1997, amended the contents of the provisional French text at a few points. As a result, the earlier translation French into other languages, including English, had to be amended & re-published as “second editions.” Over 8 million copies have been sold worldwide. It’s been published in more than 20 languages.

The Catechism has 2,865 paragraphs. Paragraph 2,267 deals with capital punishment. One of the changes in the 1997 update consisted of the inclusion of the position on the death penalty that’s defended in Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Evangelium vitae of 1995.

One-Time Monthly Yearly

Make a one-time donation

Make a monthly donation

Make a yearly donation

Choose an amount

$1.00 $10.00 $15.00 $5.00 $15.00 $100.00 $5.00 $15.00 $100.00

Or enter a custom amount

$

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly

#11October1992 #15August1997 #1992 #1994 #1995 #25January1985 #BishopAlessandroMaggiolini #BishopDavidKonstant #BishopJoseManuelEstepaLlaurens #CardinalChristophSchonborn #CardinalEstanislaoEstebanKarlic #CardinalJeanHonore #CardinalJorgeMedina #CatechismOfTheCatholicChurch #CatholicChurch #CCC #CDFPrefectWilliamLevada #Christ #Christians #EditioTypica #EvangeliumVitae #FideiDepositum #French #FriarJeanCorbon #Labanese #LabaneseMelkite #LaetamurMagnopere #Latin #LatinTypicalEdition #OP #PopeJohnPaulII #Priest #ProfessionOfFaith #Sacraments #SecondExtraordinaryGeneralAssemblyOfTheSynodOfBishops #SecondVaticanCouncil #SolemnityOfTheAssumptionOfTheBlessedVirginMary #TheDepositOfFaith #VaticanII