The Catechism

[Amppax]

'This is something that I have been wondering about lately. I've thought that the Catechism was a summary of the basic Catholic teachings, and thus was largely infallible. However, I've run into a lot of people that seem to think that we can ignore certain teachings within the Catechism and this confuses me. What exactly is the place of the Catechism within the Church's teaching?

[cappie]

The Catechism is part of the Church's official teaching in the sense that it was suggested by a Synod of Bishops, requested by the Holy Father, prepared and revised by bishops and promulgated by the Holy Father as part of his ordinary Magisterium. The Holy Father has said that the Catechism "is given to serve as a sure and authentic source book for the teaching of Catholic doctrine."

The Holy Father ordered the publication of the Catechism by the Apostolic Constitution, Fidei Depositum, on October 11, 1992. An apostolic constitution is a most solemn form by which popes promulgate official Church documents. The new Code of Canon Law, for example, was promulgated by the Apostolic Constitution, Sacrae Disciplinae Leges. In Fidei Depositum, the late Blessed Pope John Paul II said,[i] "The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved on 25 June, 1992, and whose publication I command today in virtue of the apostolic authority, is a presentation of the Church's faith and of Catholic doctrine witnessed to or clarified by sacred Scripture, the apostolic tradition and the Church's magisterium. I acknowledge it as a valuable and authorized instrument at the service of the ecclesial communion and as a sure and certain standard for the teaching of the faith." [/i]

The Catechism is part of the Church's ordinary teaching authority. The Holy Father placed his apostolic authority behind it. Its doctrinal authority is proper to the papal magisterium. In Fidei Depositum the Holy Father termed the Catechism a "sure norm for the teaching of the faith" and "a sure and authentic reference text." He has asked "the Church's pastors and the Christian faithful to receive this catechism in a spirit of communion and to use it assiduously in fulfilling their mission of proclaiming the faith and calling the people to the life of the gospel."