Many Catechisms
I was not aware that the Catechism sold today is a relatively new addition to Catholic doctrine. I thought that the current Catechism dated back to ancient times of scrolls and clay tablets. And while the teachings date back to the early Church, the current CCC only dates back to 1991. But how can this be since people have been citing the Catechism for generations?
It wasn’t until the 1980’s that the idea of a unified Catechism, summarizing all the Church’s teachings, came into existence. Until then, Catechisms were more regional and tailored towards specific audiences. The most popular one in the United States was the Baltimore Catechism written in 1885. It uses a question-and-answer format to present Church doctrine. This is the Catechism our grandparents most likely used in their faith formation. But there have been other Catechisms dating all the way back to the Didache written in the early first century.
My Journey with the Baltimore Catechism
Because I like to be thorough, I decided to read the Baltimore Catechism. It’s split into four volumes. But it’s not like each volume follows the previous one in a serial fashion. Each volume actually covers the same topics, just in increasing detail. The first two volumes are directed towards children while the latter two are for adults. If you’re already a well-catechized Catholic who wants to read the Baltimore Catechism, I suggest starting at volume three.
I see many parallels between the modern and Baltimore Catechisms. Both take phrases and verses for prayers and scripture and then do a deep dive into why the Church teaches what it does. The modern Catechism, when you include all the documents it cites, goes deeper. But I like the “just the facts” approach the Baltimore Catechism takes with its question-and-answer format and more “homily-like” explanations. Since I’m someone who listens to podcasts and audiobooks at 2x speeds, I like to quickly process data. If you’re the same, the Baltimore Catechism may be a good fit.
One word of warning. I think there are a few teachings in the Baltimore Catechism that are no longer valid. It was written at a time when the Church considered eating meat on any Friday a mortal sin. You will see teachings on limbo that, while technically is still part of Catholic doctrine, isn’t as categorical as presented in the Baltimore Catechism. It also talks about how the Church prohibits marrying non-Catholics. If you come across teachings in the Baltimore Catechism that seem incorrect, you will want to study current Church teaching, probably in the modern CCC for clarification.
God’s Call to Deepen Your Faith
As we enter the new year, I suggest reading the various catechisms. At least in the US, the modern and Baltimore are the most accessible and usually free. I would start with the Baltimore first and then layer the modern CCC on top of it. The Catechisms are much shorter than the Bible. It’s entirely doable to read both Catechisms within a year. Fr. Mike Schmitz also has the Catechism in a Year podcast series if that’s more your style.
We are called to always learn and deepen our faith. I think about 1 Corinthians 13:11:
“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.”
I think so many of us stop learning our faith after Confirmation (early teenage years in the US). You can’t go through your entire adult life with a child’s understanding of God’s great love for you. As we enter 2025, I recommend prioritizing learning Catholic teachings. We have such a logical, coherent, and beautiful faith that only grows richer and more meaningful the more we understand it.