Catechism of the Catholic Church: Revised in Accordance With the Official Latin Text Promulgated by Pope John Paul II by Catholic Church (United States Catholic Conference) Four centuries in the making, a monumental undertaking and a magnificent achievement, the first definitive Catholic Catechism since the Council of Trent in 1566 details the doctrine, dogma, and the basic tenets of the Church. "A sure and certain standard for the teaching of the faith." -- Pope John Paul II,
Catechism means "instruction," and this text will remain the standard reference for Catholics for many future generations. It is the authoritative summary of Catholic belief regarding the Church creeds, sacraments, commandments, and prayers. To get some idea of the level of detail with which the Catechism engages Catholic doctrine, consider that 17 pages of explanation accompany the opening words of the Apostle's Creed ("I Believe in God the Father"). The book is exceptionally well organized, with line-by-line explanations of every conceivable aspect of orthodox Catholic belief. Extensive cross-referencing, indexing, footnotes, and "In Brief" summaries of each section further ease the project of finding the precise answers to any questions a reader might have. Even the layout of information on the page is easy on the eyes, with wide margins for readers who wish to make notes. Furthermore, the back cover features a true rarity in the annals of world literature: a blurb by the Pope.

When those questions come up for Catholics about just why do we do thus-and-so on Sunday, what do we believe, etc., there is no other source for modern readers that you need turn to. Every Catholic household should have one. In addition, if anyone wants or needs to know exactly what the Catholic Church teaches on something, this is the place to turn.
Just as you would not read the encyclopedia from cover-to-cover, neither will you read this book straight through. However, it is very easy to look up any individual question you have, and get the straight story.

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