Answers to our questions in the Compendium of the Catechism
In the pastoral letter I wrote on the occasion of my first anniversary as archbishop of San Antonio, I emphasized the importance of our formation in the faith as the basis for our life in Christ. “Formation in the faith — I wrote — “is about getting to know Jesus better …establishing and deepening a personal relationship with him in order to be his follower and his friend.”
I also wrote that “what we Catholics believe is not a matter of opinion or personal taste. It has nothing to do with the corrosive ‘dictatorship of relativism’ of which Pope Benedict XVI spoke on the eve of his election as pope.”
Pope John Paul II wanted to help us to know better our Catholic faith through the publication of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” in 1992.
What is a catechism? Basically, it is a synopsis of the teachings of the church, that is, all that a Catholic believes, prays and tries to live everyday to become a real Catholic.
In 2002, many bishops of the world asked the Holy Father if the catechism, which has more than 500 pages, could be summarized in a more concise version, in order to facilitate its use among Catholics.
The pope entrusted this difficult task to the then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. When the commission presided by Cardinal Ratzinger finished this ambitious project, Pope John Paul II was called to the house of the Father.
One of the first acts of Pope Benedict XVI was precisely to approve the publication of what today is known as the “Compendium of the Catechism.” The compendium is being officially released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on March 31.
The “Compendium of the Catechism” is an essential tool for Catholics; not only because it contains the fundamental teachings of our faith, but due to its brevity and format, it is easy to read and understand.
The compendium published by the USCCB has 200 pages and two different presentations, paperback and hardcover.
The central truths of our faith are explained in 598 questions and answers; it also has two appendices which include basic Catholic prayers as well as the main teachings of our faith such as the Ten Commandments, the theological and cardinal virtues, the beatitudes, the works of mercy and the precepts of the church.
In this Jubilee Year of San Fernando Cathedral, we hope that all Catholics in the archdiocese deeply renew their faith. The compendium contains all the fundamental truths that a Catholic needs to know to do just that.
The compendium is a valuable instrument that we must use, especially those of us who have the responsibility of teaching and transmitting the faith to others.
After the Second Vatican Council, Catholics lamented that they didn’t have a tool that would help them to be properly educated in the faith. Pope John Paul II responded with the writing of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church,” and now, Pope Benedict XVI has given us this wonderful instrument that is the “Compendium of the Catechism.”
Now, we have the tool. It is up to us to use it in a way that will awaken a new springtime of our faith. A time in which Catholics are no longer wandering about subjectivism, and the other prevailing modern ideologies, but instead, that we become united and faithful to the truth of Jesus Christ.
I invoke the blessing of the Lord Jesus and of our Most Holy Mother, so that we all be able to use the compendium to renew our Catholic identity, as well as bear abundant fruits of holiness, vocations, sanctity of families and a greater justice and dignity for all.