Catechisms / Catechetics

In these pages, EWTN host and Franciscan Friar Fr Andrew Apostoli reflects on each of the questions asked by Jesus and gently guides you into a deeper understanding of the wisdom of who He is and what He is asking of you. Among the many questions you'll explore are . . .

The New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism (No. 2) from Catholic Book Publishing contains the revised text of the official Baltimore Catechism (No. 2) in a user-friendly format and design. Written for students in Grades 6, 7, and 8, this book explains Catholic doctrine with the aid of many exclusive features, including many pictures to help children understand each lesson. Extensive use of Sacred Scripture demonstrates the basis of Catholic doctrine and brings it to life. This book combines a contemporary viewpoint and language with a solid time-tested exposition of Catholic Church teachings.

The Effective Catechetical Leader series, developed in conjunction with the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership and written by some of the top catechetical leaders in the country, is the only series to encompass all the various aspects of catechetical leadership. This series provides the practical skills, strategies, and approaches that ensure successful parish faith formation in an evangelizing manner, which leads directly to a vibrant Church. From best practices to new approaches for proclaiming God's word in a rapidly changing world, this groundbreaking series will empower catechetical leaders to excel at everything from administrative duties to effectively catechizing people of all ages within our diverse Church.

As a disciple of Christ called to the vocation of a catechetical leader, you are responsible for coordinating your community's effort to form disciples of Christ. But before you can focus on what you need to KNOW and what you need to DO to be successful in this role, it is essential that you focus on who you need to BE as a leader. In this first volume of The Effective Catechetical Leader series, you'll discover what it really means to be a disciple of Christ, what your role as a catechetical leader entails, how leadership in a ministerial context must differ from leadership in a business setting, how to avoid burnout by maintaining a healthy balance between your personal and professional lives, and so much more.

The Effective Catechetical Leader series, developed in conjunction with the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership and written by some of the top catechetical leaders in the country, is the only series to encompass all the various aspects of catechetical leadership. This series provides the practical skills, strategies, and approaches that ensure successful parish faith formation in an evangelizing manner, which leads directly to a vibrant Church. From best practices to new approaches for proclaiming God's word in a rapidly changing world, this groundbreaking series will empower catechetical leaders to excel at everything from administrative duties to effectively catechizing people of all ages within our diverse Church.

The only notebook specially designed for use with The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)!

Simple and open to fit every individual’s needs, The Catechism in a Year Notebook is the perfect place to record the personal journey of growth and understanding that each podcast listener will experience. Your notes and reflections will be the content!

No matter when listeners begin tuning in to the podcast, this notebook is a resource to help them remember what stood out to them in each episode, what questions they would like to reflect on, and what prayers they want to offer each day of the year.

This notebook has special features like:

• Color-coded pages using the Foundations of Faith approach found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Ascension Edition to show listeners where each day’s readings fit within the Catechism

• The proprietary Catechism in a Yearreading plan, laid out for each day to help listeners stay on track

• A list of the paragraphs read from the Catechism each day for easy reference

• Spiral binding to make taking notes and flipping between days simple

• One full page of note-taking space per episode of the podcast to write down thoughts and takeaways

• Portrait orientation for ease of storage with other books and podcast resources

After a year of listening to Fr. Mike Schmitz, this notebook will be a collection of everything listeners have learned throughout the year, a road map of the journey of Faith they experienced, and a treasure to look back on and revisit for years to come.

Includes the 2018 revision of no. 2267 promulgated by Pope Francis!

Here are the essential elements of our faith presented in the most understandable manner, enabling everyone to read and know what the Church professes, celebrates, lives, and prays.

This second edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church has been revised in accordance with the official Latin text promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1997. It also has been enhanced by the addition of more than 100 pages that feature the following:

• An analytical index translated from the Latin text
• A glossary of terms

Catechists spend their time guiding children and adults in deepening their Catholic faith. But who's guiding the catechists on their spiritual journey?

While there are many books about what catechists should know and what they should do, there is very little on the spirituality of being a catechist. Written by two nationally known, expert lay catechists, The Catechist's Backpack gives catechists the resources that speak to the spiritual dimension of their call to share the Catholic faith.

Warm and conversational, Joe Paprocki and Julianne Stanz foster, explore, and celebrate the spirituality of the catechist, encouraging catechists to embrace their spirituality so that they can pass on a living faith to the children they teach.

Also available in Spanish! La mochila del catequista

Catechists spend their time guiding children and adults in deepening their Catholic faith. But who's guiding the catechists on their spiritual journey?

While there are many books about what catechists should know and what they should do, there is very little on the spirituality of being a catechist. Written by two nationally known, expert lay catechists, The Catechist's Backpack gives catechists the resources that speak to the spiritual dimension of their call to share the Catholic faith.

Warm and conversational, Joe Paprocki and Julianne Stanz foster, explore, and celebrate the spirituality of the catechist, encouraging catechists to embrace their spirituality so that they can pass on a living faith to the children they teach.

Here it is -- the first new Catechism of the Catholic Church in more than 400 years, a complete summary of what Catholic throughout the world believe in common. This book is the catechism (the word means instruction) that will serve as the standarad for all future catechisms.

The Catechism draws on the Bible, the Mass, the Sacraments, Church tradition and teaching, and the lives of saints. It comes with a complete index, footnotes and cross-references for a fuller understanding of every subject. Using the tradition of explaining what the Church believes (the Creed), what she celebrates (the Sacraments), what she lives (the Commandments), and what she prays (the Lord's Prayer), the Catechism of the Catholic Church offers challenges for believers and answers for all those interested in learning about the mystery of the Catholic faith. Here is a positive, coherent and contemporary map for our spiritual journey toward transformation.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is, as Pope John Paul II calls it, a special gift.

The Effective Catechetical Leaderseries, developed in conjunction with the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership and written by some of the top catechetical leaders in the country, is the only series to encompass all the various aspects of catechetical leadership. This series provides the practical skills, strategies, and approaches that ensure successful parish faith formation in an evangelizing manner, which leads directly to a vibrant Church. From best practices to new approaches for proclaiming God's word in a rapidly changing world, this groundbreaking series will empower catechetical leaders to excel at everything from administrative duties to effectively catechizing people of all ages within our diverse Church.

Effective catechists don't simply walk into a classroom and instinctively know what to do. To be successful, they require careful training and development. For that reason, recruiting high-quality candidates to the vocation of catechist, providing them with proper formation and training, and nurturing their vocation every step of the way is perhaps the highest priority for the successful catechetical leader. This fourth volume of The Effective Catechetical Leader series delves into the specific qualities and skills to look for when recruiting catechists; how to supervise, evaluate, support, and affirm your catechists; how to facilitate spiritual growth and transformation for the catechists in your care; and so much more.

The Effective Catechetical Leader series, developed in conjunction with the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership and written by some of the top catechetical leaders in the country, is the only series to encompass all the various aspects of catechetical leadership. This series provides the practical skills, strategies, and approaches that ensure successful parish faith formation in an evangelizing manner, which leads directly to a vibrant Church. From best practices to new approaches for proclaiming God's word in a rapidly changing world, this groundbreaking series will empower catechetical leaders to excel at everything from administrative duties to effectively catechizing people of all ages within our diverse Church.

The Directory places catechetical instruction and formation of catechetical teachers clearly within the realm of evangelization. It offers guidelines to assist in the creation of local directories and catechisms and clarifies the importance of catechetical renewal in Christian communities. The Directory affirms the presentation of the Catholic faith articulated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a sound point of reference for instruction while drawing deeply from Scripture and the writings of recent popes, especially Pope Francis's Evangelii Gaudium.

The Directory will also be indispensable for all those responsible for formal religious instruction, including pastors and parish priests, deacons, lay and religious catechists, and religious education teachers.

As the Catholic Church embarks on the mission of teaching the Christian faith, the new Directory for Catechesis (2020) lays the how-to guidelines for catechesis and presents universal norms to guide pastors and catechists in the work of evangelization. The Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization presents the Directory to guide the proclamation of the Gospel by the Christian faithful to people of all ages and in all seasons of life.

The Directory places catechetical instruction and formation of catechetical teachers clearly within the realm of evangelization. It offers guidelines to assist in the creation of local directories and catechisms and clarifies the importance of catechetical renewal in Christian communities. The Directory affirms the presentation of the Catholic faith articulated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a sound point of reference for instruction while drawing deeply from Scripture and the writings of recent popes, especially Pope Francis’s Evangelii Gaudium.

These guidelines are important for bishops, who are the primary catechists in their local diocese. The Directory will also be indispensable for all those responsible for formal religious instruction, including pastors and parish priests, deacons, lay and religious catechists, and religious education teachers in dioceses, parishes, and schools. The Directory will furthermore aid directors of formation who train the faithful in the forms and means of catechesis, including seminary rectors, directors of formation for the permanent diaconate, and lay ecclesial minister formation program directors.

The DOCAT Study Guide is an aid for using the DOCAT in any study group situation, whether in a classroom, at home or in small groups. Laid out in a youthful and modern style with lots of graphics, this study tool is sure to foster reflection and discussion on the Social Teachings of the Catholic Church.

The DOCAT Study Guide is an aid for using the DOCAT in any study group situation, whether in a classroom, at home or in small groups.  Laid out in a youthful and modern style with lots of graphics, this study tool is sure to foster reflection and discussion on the Social Teachings of the Catholic Church.

This first book of the Didache Parish Series, authored by Dr. Scott Hahn, presents a basic understanding of Sacred Scripture as the inspired Word of God. It examines both the Old and New Testaments with particular attention focused on the Gospels as the message of Jesus Christ. This text also explains how to read and reference the Bible.

Created in accordance with the USCCB Curriculum Framework for Parish and Youth Ministry Programs, Midwest Theological Forum has adapted its well-known Didache Semester Series textbooks for Catholic High Schools into an easy-to-use format for parishes and home study programs. Each of the eight Didache Parish Series titles is divided into individual weekly lessons intended to be covered over the course of one semester. The full-color, illustrated text provides ample column material, which includes Vocabulary terms, Focus Questions, Guided Exercises, Discussion Questions, and quotes from YouCat.

The National Directory for Catechesis is a companion to the General Directory for Catechesis (GDC), building on some of the core themes of the GDC, like catechesis's relationship to evangelization and worship, and provides practical tools for doing catechesis well. This is a "must-have" for anyone in catechesis or Catholic education-teachers, principals, directors, and coordinators of religious education and youth ministry, catechists, and students in the field.

After years of collaboration, study, and writing, The National Directory for Catechesis is now available. A companion to the General Directory for Catechesis (GDC), the National Directory for Catechesis builds on some of the core themes of the GDC, like catechesis's relationship to evangelization and worship, and provides practical tools for doing catechesis well. This is a "must-have" for anyone in catechesis or Catholic education-teachers, principals, directors, and coordinators of religious education and youth ministry, catechists, and students in the field.

"A Shepherd Tends His Flock" written by Fr. John Girotti, a priest in the Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin.  This book meets an important need to explain the Catholic faith in a simple, down-to-earth manner. These pages are encouraging, and sometimes challenging, as they point out to us the road by which to follow Christ with the help of His love, grace, and mercy.

"It is my hope and prayer that your reading of this book draws you ever closer to the heart of Jesus, the Good Shepherd." Bishop David Ricken, Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin

335 pages

It is our hope that this United States Catholic Catechism for Adults will be an aid and a guide for deepening faith. It may serve as a resource for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and for the ongoing catechesis of adults. It will also be of interest for those who wish to become acquainted with Catholicism. Finally, it can serve as an invitation for all the faithful to continue growing in the understanding of Jesus Christ and his saving love for all people.

Includes the 2018 revision of no. 2267 promulgated by Pope Francis.

The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults is an adaptation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and it is presented to Catholics of the United States . . .

It is our hope that this United States Catholic Catechism for Adults will be an aid and a guide for deepening faith. It may serve as a resource for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and for the ongoing catechesis of adults. It will also be of interest for those who wish to become acquainted with Catholicism. Finally, it can serve as an invitation for all the faithful to continue growing in the understanding of Jesus Christ and his saving love for all people.

Includes the 2018 revision of no. 2267 promulgated by Pope Francis.

Nail down the facts, tear down the barriers!

The eighteen-chapter book--at times profound, at times humorous, always practical--follows the structure of the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Creed, Sacraments, Morality, and Prayer). Taking otherwise difficult topics about the Catholic faith and making them accessible and relevant to the lives of average Catholics, acclaimed author and teacher Joe Paprocki does so in a way that never compromises the rich depth of Catholic teaching and tradition.

From the Trinity to the seven sacraments, from the Ten Commandments to the Lord's Prayer, A Well-Built Faith will help Catholics nail down the facts of the faith and tear down the barriers keeping them from sharing their beliefs with others.'

Also available in Spanish! Una Fe Bien Construida

Teaching the Catholic faith can be quite a challenge if you lack an adequate understanding of the Catholic faith yourself. And given the fact that the Catechism of the Catholic Church is over 900 pages in length, it's no wonder that Catholics struggle to comprehend their faith.

A Well-Built Faith—creatively developed around a construction theme—makes it easy for Catholics to know what they believe and to feel confident in sharing those beliefs.This 18-chapter book by master teacher Joe Paprocki follows the structure of the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Creed, Sacraments, Morality, and Prayer), making it a wonderful resource for learning about and teaching the Catholic faith. Highly informative and very fun at the same time, A Well-Built Faith is a must-have tool for developing the Catholic faith.