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The Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Catechism and the Bible
The Catechsim of the Catholic Church is essential for developing a clear understaning of the Teachings of our faith. It is linked to The Holy Bible and never stands apart from it. They are in dialogue with each other. As we study the Catechism, we will see many links to the Sacred Scripture and deepen our understanding of them. Here is a link to the Vatican website English and Spanish text. Many other official translations are available on the Vatican website.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM
Catecismo en Español http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism_sp/index_sp.html
Below is an outline of the Catechism which is divided into Four Parts. You might say it stands on four pillars of our faith: Creeds/Profession of Faith, Celebrations/Sacraments, Commandments/Moral Life, Prayer
PROLOGUE
I. The life of man - to know and love God
II. Handing on the Faith: Catechesis
III. The Aim and Intended Readership of the Catechism
IV. Structure of this Catechism
V. Practical Directions for Using this Catechism
VI. Necessary Adaptations
PART ONE: THE PROFESSION OF FAITH
SECTION ONE "I BELIEVE" - "WE BELIEVE"
CHAPTER ONE MAN'S CAPACITY FOR GOD
I. The Desire for God
II. Ways of Coming to Know God
III. The Knowledge of God According to the Church
IV. How Can We Speak about God?
IN BRIEF
CHAPTER TWO GOD COMES TO MEET MAN
Article 1 THE REVELATION OF GOD
I. God Reveals His "Plan of Loving Goodness"
II. The Stages of Revelation
III. Christ Jesus -- "Mediator and Fullness of All Revelation"
IN BRIEF
Article 2 THE TRANSMISSION OF DIVINE REVELATION
I. The Apostolic Tradition
II. The Relationship Between Tradition and Sacred Scripture
III. The Interpretation of the Heritage of Faith
IN BRIEF
Article 3 SACRED SCRIPTURE
I. Christ - The Unique Word of Sacred Scripture
II. Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture
III. The Holy Spirit, Interpreter of Scripture
IV. The Canon of Scripture
V. Sacred Scripture in the Life of the Church
IN BRIEF
CHAPTER THREE MAN'S RESPONSE TO GODArticle 1 I BELIEVE
I. The Obedience of Faith
II. "I Know Whom I Have Believed"
III. The Characteristics of Faith
Article 2 WE BELIEVE
I. "Lord, Look Upon the Faith of Your Church"
II. The Language of Faith
III. Only One Faith
IN BRIEF
The Credo
SECTION TWO I. THE CREEDS
CHAPTER ONE I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER
Article 1 "I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH"
Paragraph 1. I BELIEVE IN GOD
Paragraph 2. THE FATHER
Paragraph 3. THE ALMIGHTY
Paragraph 4. THE CREATOR
Paragraph 5. HEAVEN AND EARTH
Paragraph 6. MAN
Paragraph 7. THE FALL
CHAPTER TWO I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, THE ONLY SON OF GOD
ARTICLE 2 "AND IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD"
I. Jesus
II. Christ
III. The Only Son of God
IV. Lord
IN BRIEF
Article 3 "HE WAS CONCEIVED BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND WAS BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY"
Paragraph 1. THE SON OF GOD BECAME MAN
Paragraph 2. "CONCEIVED BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY"
Paragraph 3. THE MYSTERIES OF CHRIST'S LIFE
Article 4 "JESUS CHRIST SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE, WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED AND WAS BURIED"
Paragraph 1. JESUS AND ISRAEL
Paragraph 2. JESUS DIED CRUCIFIED
Paragraph 3. JESUS CHRIST WAS BURIED
Article 5 "HE DESCENDED INTO HELL. ON THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN"
Paragraph 1. CHRIST DESCENDED INTO HELL
Paragraph 2. ON THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD
Article 6 "HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN AND IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER"
IN BRIEF
Article 7 "FROM THENCE HE WILL COME AGAlN TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD"
I. He Will Come Again in Glory
II. To Judge the Living and the Dead
IN BRIEF
CHAPTER THREE I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
ARTICLE 8 "I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT"
I. The Joint Mission of the Son and the Spirit
II. The Name, Titles, and Symbols of the Holy Spirit
III. God's Spirit and Word in the Time of the Promises
IV. The Spirit of Christ in the Fullness of Time
V. The Spirit and the Church In the Last Days
IN BRIEF
Article 9 "I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH"
Paragraph 1. THE CHURCH IN GOD'S PLAN
Paragraph 2. THE CHURCH - PEOPLE OF GOD, BODY OF CHRIST, TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Paragraph 3. THE CHURCH IS ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC, AND APOSTOLIC
Paragraph 4. CHRIST'S FAITHFUL - HIERARCHY, LAITY, CONSECRATED LIFE
Paragraph 5. THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS
Paragraph 6. MARY - MOTHER OF CHRIST, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH
Article 10 "I BELIEVE IN THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS"
I. One Baptism for the Forgiveness of Sins
II. The Power of the Keys
Article 11 "I BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY"
I. Christ's Resurrection and Ours
II. Dying in Christ Jesus
IN BRIEF
Article 12 "I BELIEVE IN LIFE EVERLASTING"
I. The Particular Judgment
II. Heaven
III. The Final Purification, or Purgatory
IV. Hell
V. The Last Judgment
VI. Hope of the New Heaven and the New Earth
IN BRIEF
"Amen"
PART TWO: THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY
SECTION ONE THE SACRAMENTAL ECONOMY
CHAPTER ONE THE PASCHAL MYSTERY IN THE AGE OF THE CHURCH
Article 1 THE LITURGY - WORK OF THE HOLY TRINITY
I. The Father-Source and Goal of the Liturgy
II. Christ's Work in the Liturgy
III. The Holy Spirit and the Church in the Liturgy
IN BRIEF
Article 2 THE PASCHAL MYSTERY IN THE CHURCH'S SACRAMENTS
I. The Sacraments of Christ
II. The Sacraments of the Church
III. The Sacraments of Faith
IV. The Sacraments of Salvation
V. The Sacraments of Eternal Life
IN BRIEF
CHAPTER TWO THE SACRAMENTAL CELEBRATION OF THE PASCHAL MYSTERY
Article 1 CELEBRATING THE CHURCH'S LITURGY
I. Who Celebrates?
II. How is the Liturgy Celebrated?
III. When is the Liturgy Celebrated?
IV. Where is the Liturgy Celebrated?
IN BRIEF
Article 2 LITURGICAL DIVERSITY AND THE UNITY OF THE MYSTERY
IN BRIEF
SECTION TWO THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH
CHAPTER ONE THE SACRAMENTS OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION
Article 1 THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
I. What is This Sacrament Called?
II. Baptism in the Economy of Salvation
III. How is the Sacrament of Baptism Celebrated?
IV. Who can Receive Baptism?
V. Who can Baptize?
VI. The Necessity of Baptism
VII. The Grace of Baptism
IN BRIEF
Article 2 THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION
I. Confirmation in the Economy of Salvation
II. The Signs and the Rite of Confirmation
III. The Effects of Confirmation
IV. Who can Receive This Sacrament?
V. The Minister of Confirmation
IN BRIEF
Article 3 THE SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST
I. The Eucharist - Source and Summit of Ecclesial Life
II. What is This Sacrament Called?
III. The Eucharist in the Economy of Salvation
IV. The Liturgical Celebration of the Eucharist
V. The Sacramental Sacrifice Thanksgiving, Memorial, Presence
VI. The Paschal Banquet
VII. The Eucharist - "Pledge of the Glory To Come"
IN BRIEF
CHAPTER TWO THE SACRAMENTS OF HEALING
Article 4 THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION
I. What is This Sacrament Called?
II. Why a Sacrament of Reconciliation after Baptism?
III. The Conversion of the Baptized
IV. Interior Penance
V. The Many Forms of Penance in Christian Life
VI. The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
VII. The Acts of the Penitent
VIII. The Minister of This Sacrament
IX. The Effects of This Sacrament
X. Indulgences
XI. The Celebration of the Sacrament of Penance
IN BRIEF
Article 5 THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK
I. Its Foundations in the Economy of Salvation
II. Who Receives and Who Administers This Sacrament?
III. How is This Sacrament Celebrated?
IV. The Effects of the Celebration of This Sacrament
V. Viaticum, the Last Sacrament of the Christian
IN BRIEF
CHAPTER THREE THE SACRAMENTS AT THE SERVICE OF COMMUNION
ARTICLE 6 THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS
I. Why Is This Sacrament Called "Orders"?
II. The Sacrament of Holy Orders in the Economy of Salvation
III. The Three Degrees of the Sacrament of Holy Orders
IV. The Celebration of This Sacrament
V. Who Can Confer This Sacrament?
VI. Who Can Receive This Sacrament?
VII. The Effects of the Sacrament of Holy Orders
IN BRIEF
Article 7 THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY
I. Marriage in God's Plan
II. The Celebration of Marriage
III. Matrimonial Consent
IV. The Effects of the Sacrament of Matrimony
V. The Goods and Requirements of Conjugal Love
VI. The Domestic Church
IN BRIEF
CHAPTER FOUR OTHER LITURGICAL CELEBRATIONS
Article 1 SACRAMENTALS
IN BRIEF
Article 2 CHRISTIAN FUNERALS
I. The Christian's Last Passover
II. The Celebration of Funerals
PART THREE: LIFE IN CHRIST
SECTION ONE MAN'S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT
CHAPTER ONE THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON
Article 1 MAN: THE IMAGE OF GOD
IN BRIEF
Article 2 OUR VOCATION TO BEATITUDE
I. The Beatitudes
II. The Desire for Happiness
III. Christian Beatitude
IN BRIEF
Article 3 MAN'S FREEDOM
I. Freedom and Responsibility
II. Human Freedom in the Economy of Salvation
IN BRIEF
Article 4 THE MORALITY OF HUMAN ACTS
I. The Sources of Morality
II. Good Acts and Evil Acts
IN BRIEF
Article 5 THE MORALITY OF THE PASSIONS
I. Passions
II. Passions and Moral Life
IN BRIEF
Article 6 MORAL CONSCIENCE
I. The Judgment of Conscience
II. The Formation of Conscience
III. To Choose in Accord With Conscience
IV. Erroneous Judgment
IN BRIEF
Article 7 THE VIRTUES
I. The Human Virtues
II. The Theological Virtues
III. The Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit
IN BRIEF
Article 8 SIN
I. Mercy and Sin
II. The Definition of Sin
III. The Different Kinds of Sins
IV. The Gravity of Sin: Mortal and Venial Sin
V. The Proliferation of Sin
IN BRIEF
CHAPTER TWO THE HUMAN COMMUNION
Article 1 THE PERSON AND SOCIETY
I. The Communal Character of the Human Vocation
II. Conversion and Society
IN BRIEF
Article 2 PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL LIFE
I. Authority
II. The Common Good
III. Responsibility and Participation
IN BRIEF
Article 3 SOCIAL JUSTICE
I. Respect For the Human Person
II. Equality and Differences Among Men
III. Human Solidarity
IN BRIEF
CHAPTER THREE GOD'S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE
Article 1 THE MORAL LAW
I. The Natural Moral Law
II. The Old Law
III. The New Law or the Law of the Gospel
IN BRIEF
Article 2 GRACE AND JUSTIFICATION
I. Justification
II. Grace
III. Merit
IV. Christian Holiness
IN BRIEF
Article 3 THE CHURCH, MOTHER AND TEACHER
I. Moral Life and the Magisterium of the Church
II. The Precepts of the Church
III. Moral Life and Missionary Witness
IN BRIEF
SECTION TWO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
IN BRIEF
CHAPTER ONE YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND
Article 1 THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
I. "You Shall Worship the Lord Your God and Him Only Shall You Serve"
II. "Him Only Shall You Serve"
III. "You Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me"
IV. "You Shall Not Make For Yourself a Graven Image . . ."
IN BRIEF
Article 2 THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
I. The Name of the Lord is Holy
II. Taking the Name of the Lord in Vain
III. The Christian Name
IN BRIEF
Article 3 THE THIRD COMMANDMENT
I. The Sabbath Day
II. The Lord's Day
IN BRIEF
CHAPTER TWO YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF
ARTICLE 4 THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT
I. The Family in God's Plan
II. The Family and Society
III. The Duties of Family Members
IV. The Family and the Kingdom
V. The Authorities In Civil Society
IN BRIEF
Article 5 THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
I. Respect for Human Life
II. Respect for the Dignity of Persons
III. Safeguarding Peace
IN BRIEF
Article 6 THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT
I. "Male and Female He Created Them . . ."
II. The Vocation to Chastity
III. The Love of Husband and Wife
IV. Offenses Against the Dignity of Marriage
IN BRIEF
Article 7 THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT
I. The Universal Destination and the Private Ownership of Goods
II. Respect for Persons and Their Goods
III. The Social Doctrine of the Church
IV. Economic Activity and Social Justice
V. Justice and Solidarity Among Nations
VI. Love For the Poor
IN BRIEF
Article 8 THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
I. Living in the Truth
II. To Bear Witness to the Truth
III. Offenses Against Truth
IV. Respect for the Truth
V. The Use of the Social Communications Media
VI. Truth, Beauty, and Sacred Art
IN BRIEF
Article 9 THE NINTH COMMANDMENT
I. Purification of the Heart
II. The Battle for Purity
IN BRIEF
Article 10 THE TENTH COMMANDMENT
I. The Disorder of Covetous Desires
II. The Desires of the Spirit
III. Poverty of Heart
IV. "I Want to See God"
IN BRIEF
PART FOUR: CHRISTIAN PRAYER
SECTION ONE PRAYER IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
CHAPTER ONE THE REVELATION OF PRAYER - THE UNIVERSAL CALL TO PRAYER
Article 1 IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
IN BRIEF
Article 2 IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME
IN BRIEF
Article 3 IN THE AGE OF THE CHURCH
I. Blessing and Adoration
II. Prayer of Petition
III. Prayer of Intercession
IV. Prayer of Thanksgiving
V. Prayer of Praise
IN BRIEF
CHAPTER TWO THE TRADITION OF PRAYER
Article 1 AT THE WELLSPRINGS OF PRAYER
IN BRIEF
Article 2 THE WAY OF PRAYER
IN BRIEF
Article 3 GUIDES FOR PRAYER
IN BRIEF
CHAPTER THREE THE LIFE OF PRAYER
Article 1 EXPRESSIONS OF PRAYER
I. Vocal prayer
II. Meditation
III. Contemplative Prayer
IN BRIEF
Article 2 THE BATTLE OF PRAYER
I. Objections to Prayer
II. Humble Vigilance of Heart
III. Filial Trust
IV. Perservering in Love
Article 3 THE PRAYER OF THE HOUR OF JESUS
IN BRIEF
SECTION TWO THE LORD'S PRAYER
Article 1 "THE SUMMARY OF THE WHOLE GOSPEL"
I. At the Center of the Scriptures
II. The Lord's Prayer
III. The Prayer of the Church
IN BRIEF
Article 2 "OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN"
I. "We Dare To Say"
II. Abba - "Father!"
III. "Our" Father
IV. "Who Art in Heaven"
IN BRIEF
Article 3 THE SEVEN PETITIONS
I. "Hallowed be Thy Name"
II. "Thy Kingdom Come"
III. "Thy Will Be Done on Earth as It is in Heaven"
IV. "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread"
V. "And Forgive Us Our Trespasses, as We Forgive Those Who Trespass AGAINST US"
VI. "And Lead Us not into Temptation"
Article 4 THE FINAL DOXOLOGY
IN BRIEF
