Catechism of the Catholic Church

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
Part One: The Profession of Faith
Part Two: The Sacraments of Faith
Part Three: The Life of Faith
Part Four: Prayer in the Life of Faith
V. Practical Directions for Using This Catechism
VI. Necessary Adaptations
Above All - Charity
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
The world
The human person
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
In the apostolic preaching…
… continued in apostolic succession
II. The Relationship Between Tradition and Sacred Scripture
One common source…
… two distinct modes of transmission
Apostolic Tradition and ecclesial traditions
III. The Interpretation of the Heritage of Faith
The heritage of faith entrusted to the whole of the Church
The Magisterium of the Church
The dogmas of the faith
The supernatural sense 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
The Senses of Scripture
IV. The Canon of Scripture
The New Testament
V. Sacred Scripture in the Life of the Church
In Brief
Chapter Three: Man's Response to God
Article 1: I Believe
I. The Obedience of Faith
Abraham - "Father of All Who Believe"
Mary - "Blessed is She Who Believed"
II. "I Know Whom I Have Believed"
To Believe in God Alone
To Believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God
To Believe in the Holy Spirit
III. The Characteristics of Faith
Faith Is a Grace
Faith Is a Human Act
Faith and Understanding
Article 2: We believe
I. Lord, look upon the faith of your Church
II. The language of faith
III. Only one faith
In brief
Section Two: The Profession of the Christian Faith
The Credo Chart
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
I. I Believe in One God
II. God Reveals His Name
III. God, "He Who Is", Is Truth and Love
IV. The Implications of Faith in One God
In Brief
Paragraph 2: The Father
I. "In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"
II. The Revelation of God as Trinity
III. The Holy Trinity in the Teaching of the Faith
IV. The Divine Works and the Trinitarian Missions
In Brief
Paragraph 3: The Almighty
The Mystery of God's Apparent Powerlessness
In Brief
Paragraph 4. The Creator
I. Catechesis on Creation
II. Creation - Work of the Holy Trinity
III. "The World Was Created for the Glory of God"
IV. The Mystery of Creation
V. God Carries Out His Plan: Divine Providence
In Brief
Paragraph 5. Heaven and Earth
I. The Angels
II. The Visible World
In Brief
Paragraph 6. Man
I. “In the Image of God”
II. “Body and Soul but Truly One”
III. “Male and Female He Created Them”
IV. Man in Paradise
In Brief
Paragraph 7. The Fall
I. Where Sin Abounded, Grace Abounded All the More
II. The Fall of the Angels
III. Original Sin
IV. “You Did Not Abandon Him to the Power of Death”
In Brief
Chapter Two: I Believe in Jesus Christ, the Only Son of God
The Good News: God has sent his Son
“To preach... the unsearchable riches of Christ”
At the heart of catechesis: Christ
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 Born of the Virgin Mary”
Paragraph 1. The Son of God Became Man
I. Why Did the Word Become Flesh?
II. The Incarnation
III. True God and True Man
IV. How Is the Son of God Man?
In Brief
Paragraph 2. “Conceived by the Power of the Holy Spirit and Born of the Virgin Mary”
I. Conceived by the Power of the Holy Spirit...
II. ...Born of the Virgin Mary
Paragraph 3. The Mysteries of Christ’s Life
I. Christ’s Whole Life Is Mystery
II. The Mysteries of Jesus’ Infancy and Hidden Life
III. The Mysteries of Jesus’ Public Life
In Brief
Article 4: “Jesus Christ Suffered Under Pontius Pilate, Was Crucified, Died, and Was Buried”
Paragraph 1. Jesus and Israel
I. Jesus and the Law
II. Jesus and the Temple
III. Jesus and Israel’s Faith in the One God and Savior
In Brief
Paragraph 2. Jesus Died Crucified
I. The Trial of Jesus
II. Christ’s Redemptive Death in God’s Plan of Salvation
III. Christ Offered Himself to His Father for Our Sins
In Brief
Paragraph 3. Jesus Christ Was Buried
Christ in the tomb in his body
“You will not let your Holy One see corruption”
“Buried with Christ...”
In Brief
Article 5: “He Descended into Hell. On the Third Day He Rose Again”
Paragraph 1. Christ Descended into Hell
In Brief
Paragraph 2. On the Third Day He Rose from the Dead
I. The Historical and Transcendent Event
II. The Resurrection - A Work of the Holy Trinity
III. The Meaning and Saving Significance of the Resurrection
In Brief
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 Again to Judge the Living and the Dead”
I. He Will Come Again in Glory
The Glorious Advent of Christ, the Hope of Israel
The Church’s Ultimate Trial
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
The proper name of the Holy Spirit
Titles of the Holy Spirit
Symbols of the Holy Spirit
III. God’s Spirit and Word in the Time of the Promises
In creation
The Spirit of the promise
In Theophanies and the Law
In the Kingdom and the Exile
Expectation of the Messiah and his Spirit
IV. The Spirit of Christ in the Fullness of Time
John, precursor, prophet, and baptist
“Rejoice, you who are full of grace”
Christ Jesus
V. The Spirit and the Church in the Last Days
Pentecost
The Holy Spirit - God's gift
The Holy Spirit and the Church
In Brief
Article 9: “I Believe in the Holy Catholic Church”
Paragraph 1. The Church in God's Plan
I. Names and Images of the Church
II. The Church's Origin, Foundation and Mission
III. The Mystery of the Church
In Brief
Paragraph 2. The Church - People of God, Body of Christ, Temple of the Holy Spirit
I. The Church - People of God
II. The Church - Body of Christ
III. The Church is the Temple of the Holy Spirit
In Brief
Paragraph 3. The Church Is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic
I. The Church Is One
II. The Church Is Holy
III. The Church Is Catholic
IV. The Church Is Apostolic
In Brief
Paragraph 4. Christ's Faithful - Hierarchy, Laity, Consecrated Life
I. The Hierarchical Constitution of the Church
In Brief
Paragraph 5. The Communion of Saints
I. Communion in Spiritual Goods
II. The Communion of the Church of Heaven and Earth
In Brief
Paragraph 6. Mary - Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church
I. Mary’s Motherhood with Regard to the Church
II. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin
III. Mary - Eschatological Icon of the Church
In Brief
Article 10: “I Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins”
I. One Baptism for the Forgiveness of Sins
II. The Power of the Keys
In Brief
Article 11: “I Believe in the Resurrection of the Body”
I. Christ’s Resurrection and Ours
The progressive revelation of the Resurrection
How Do the Dead Rise?
Risen with Christ
II. Dying in Christ Jesus
Death
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. The Hope of the New Heaven and the New Earth
In Brief
AMEN
Part Two: The Celebration of the Christian Mystery
Why the Liturgy?
What Does the Word Liturgy Mean?
Liturgy as Source of Life
Prayer and Liturgy
Catechesis and Liturgy
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
The Holy Spirit prepares for the reception of Christ
The Holy Spirit recalls the mystery of Christ
The Holy Spirit makes present the mystery of Christ
The communion of the Holy Spirit
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?
The celebrants of the heavenly liturgy
The celebrants of the sacramental liturgy
II. How Is the Liturgy Celebrated?
Signs and Symbols
Words and Actions
Singing and Music
Holy Images
III. When Is the Liturgy Celebrated?
Liturgical Seasons
The Lord’s Day
The Liturgical Year
IV. Where Is the Liturgy Celebrated?
In Brief
Article 2: Liturgical Diversity and the Unity of the Mystery
Liturgical traditions and the catholicity of the Church
Liturgy and culture
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
Prefigurations of Baptism in the Old Covenant
Christ’s Baptism
III. How Is the Sacrament of Baptism Celebrated?
Christian Initiation
The Mystagogy of the Celebration
IV. Who Can Receive Baptism?
The Baptism of Adults
The Baptism of Infants
Faith and Baptism
V. Who Can Baptize?
VI. The Necessity of Baptism
VII. The Grace of Baptism
For the Forgiveness of Sins …
“A New Creature”
Incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ
The Sacramental Bond of the Unity of Christians
An Indelible Spiritual Mark …
In Brief
Article 2: The Sacrament of Confirmation
I. Confirmation in the Economy of Salvation
Two Traditions: East and West
II. The Signs and the Rite of Confirmation
The Celebration 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
The Signs of Bread and Wine
The Institution of the Eucharist
“Do This in Memory of Me”
IV. The Liturgical Celebration of the Eucharist
The Mass of All Ages
The Movement of the Celebration
V. The Sacramental Sacrifice: Thanksgiving, Memorial, Presence
Thanksgiving and Praise to the Father
The Sacrificial Memorial of Christ and of His Body, the Church
The Presence of Christ by the Power of His Word and the Holy Spirit
VI. The Paschal Banquet
“Take This and Eat It, All of You”: Communion
The Fruits of Holy Communion
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
Only God forgives sin
Reconciliation with the Church
The sacrament of forgiveness
VII. The Acts of the Penitent
Contrition
The confession of sins
Satisfaction
VIII. The Minister of this Sacrament
IX. The Effects of this Sacrament
X. Indulgences
What is an indulgence?
The punishments of sin
In the Communion of Saints
Obtaining indulgence from God through the Church
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
The priesthood of the Old Covenant
The one priesthood of Christ
Two participations in the one priesthood of Christ
In the person of Christ the Head...
... "in the name of the whole Church"
III. The Three Degrees of the Sacrament of Holy Orders
Episcopal ordination - fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders
The ordination of priests - co-workers of the bishops
The ordination of deacons - "in order to serve"
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
The indelible character
The grace of the Holy Spirit
In Brief
Article 7: The Sacrament of Matrimony
I. Marriage in God's Plan
Marriage in the Order of Creation
Marriage under the Regime of Sin
Marriage under the Pedagogy of the Law
Marriage in the Lord
Virginity for the Sake of the Kingdom
II. The Celebration of Marriage
III. Matrimonial Consent
Mixed Marriages and Disparity of Cult
IV. The Effects of the Sacrament of Matrimony
The Marriage Bond
The Grace of the Sacrament of Matrimony
V. The Goods and Requirements of Conjugal Love
The Unity and Indissolubility of Marriage
The Fidelity of Conjugal Love
The Openness to Fertility
VI. The Domestic Church
In Brief
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 Community
Article 1: The Person and Society
I. The Communal Character of the Human Vocation
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 Moral Law
II. The Natural Moral Law
III. The Old Law
IV. 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
The Decalogue in Sacred Scripture
The Decalogue in the Church's Tradition
The Unity of the Decalogue
The Decalogue and the Natural Law
The Obligation of the Decalogue
"Apart from Me You Can Do Nothing"
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"
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
Respect for the Integrity of Creation
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
What Is Prayer?
Chapter One: The Revelation of 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. Persevering in Love
Article 3: The Prayer of the Hour of Jesus
In Brief
Section Two: The Lord's Prayer – "Our Father!"
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"
VII. "But Deliver Us From Evil"
Article 4: The Final Doxology
In Brief