CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
Part One
The Profession of Faith
This first part deals with ‘a deep discovery of our faith, and wha we know?’ The first section lays the foundation of revelation: God took the first step in revealing Himself to humanity and provided us multiple ways for us to discover and enter into a relationship with Him. In every human being, God placed a desire to be in relationship with Him. “This desire is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God continues to draw man to Himself” (CCC 27).
The first part of the Catechism analyzes the creed, profession of Faith. This section explains , The Holy Trinity, the Paschal Mystery, the nature and mission of the Church, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and death, judgment, heaven, hell.
Part Two
Celebration of the Christian Mystery
In Part Two, deals with the seven sacraments. Part Two builds on the mystery of God. Humanity enters into the great mystery of God. What is our part? How do we enbrace our communion with the HTrinity?
Lumen Gentium, the Vatican II dogmatic constitution on the Church, called the Eucharist “the source and summit of the Christian life” The Catechism cites this very quote (1324) and the principle applies to all the sacraments. Each of them springs out of the mystery of the Holy Trinity, and strives toward further communion with the Holy Trinity.
Part Three
Life in Christ
In its third part, which presents Christian morality, the Catechism unpacks the mystery of the liturgy. It presents the true meaning of being “reborn in Christ.” We have been created for beatitude—for a real participation in the blessed life of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our entire life as Christians is lived as a kind of “dawning” of this eternal life right now. The new life we are given through baptism and in faith requires us to live by the new law of divine love, poured into our hearts through the Spirit (see Romans 5:5). Our entire renewed being bears witness to its new birth by living a moral life, through a continual reformation of our innermost nature every day (see 2 Corinthians 4:16). The indwelling of God and the moral life go hand-in-hand:
“All who keep [God’s] commandments abide in him, and he in them.”
1 John 3:24
Part Four
Christian Prayer
The fourth part of the Cathechism brings this all to an appropriate close. The life we live in Christ is the very life of God, poured out into our souls through grace (see Romans 5:5). As Catholics, we affirm that, when we are in a state of grace, our good acts can merit the increase of grace. However, at its root, grace is a gift freely given by God to us sinful and unworthy creatures:
The Catechism concludes with the Church’s teaching about the life of prayer. Through prayer, we learn to be in an intimate relationship with God. We turn to him with the desire for a deep life in us, and we surrender over to him our entire self, which comes from him and remains his for all the days of our life. Thus, a life giving God permission to act through us in prayer— with personal relationship with our God. This is the response of the Christian soul to the great gift of revelation and life given to us in Jesus through the Spirit:
CONTENTS
APOSTOLIC LETTER, XIII
In which the latin typical edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is approved and promulgated, Audio, PDF
APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION
Fidei Depositum, on the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, prepared following the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. Audio, PDF
PROLOGUE
PROLOGUE, Audio , PDF
I. The Life of Man – To Know and Love God, Audio, PDF
II. Handing on the Faith: Catechesis, Audio, PDF
III. The Aim and Intended Readership of This Catechism, Audio, PDF
IV. Structure of This Catechism, Audio, PDF
V. Practical Directions for Using This Catechism, Audio, PDF
VI. Necessary Adaptations, Audio, PDF