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Catechism of the Catholic Church
 Toward a Universal Catechism
or Compendium
of Doctrine
This report has as its purpose to inform the synodal fathers on the course of the preparation of the catechism for the universal church. Therefore, it would be sufficient to indicate the course and the principal moments which, following a chronological order, the competent commission followed in its own work and its own choices, and the plans for future work. In fact, it seems right to me to have to give this information, even if limited and incomplete, to this synod because the suggestion to prepare the universal catechism came from the last extraordinary synod, and the examination and judgment of this work will be carried out by the next ordinary synod of 1990.
- As everyone already knows, the Holy Father on June 10, 1986, constituted a small commission made up of pastors of various continents and of heads of departments of the Roman Curia, under the presidency of the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, to which commission he entrusted this task of preparing a sample catechism for the universal church. In this way the pope satisfied the desire expressed by the synodal fathers of the last extraordinary Synod of Bishops, celebrated in December of 1985, expressed in the final report in these words:
"Very many have expressed the desire that a catechism or compendium of all Catholic doctrine regarding both faith and morals be composed, that it might be, as it were, a point of reference for the catechisms or compendiums that are prepared in the various regions. The presentation of doctrine must be biblical and liturgical. It must be sound doctrine suited to the present life of Christians."
- In regard to the course of the work for the preparation of this catechism, the Holy Father, in the discourse to the Roman Curia on June 28, 1986, indicated the various phases of this path, which are:
--Preparation of a specimen.
--Consultation on this text of the Eastern churches, the episcopal conferences, the departments of the Roman Curia and experts in the announcement of the word.
--Presentation of the new specimen in one of the next ordinary general synods of bishops (that is, the eighth, which will be held in 1990).
--All this precedes the pontifical approval and subsequent publication, which hopefully could be completed for the occasion of the 25th year after the conclusion of Vatican Council II.
- The commission of cardinals and bishops named by the Holy Father established, in the first session, held in November 1986, to avail themselves of the help of a working secretariat, a commission of writers, and a college of consultors.
In regard to the task of the working secretariat, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith made provisions. By the charge entrusted to it in this area, it must take care of coodinating and directing the work. In carrying out this assignment, the congregation can also avail itself of the collaboration of outside persons and experts as needed. The commission of writers is composed of seven bishops, to which there has been added a priest serving as editing secretary. The names of the seven bishops are: Bishop Jose M. Estepa Llaurens, military ordinary for Spain; Bishop Jean Honore, bishop of Tours, France; Bishop Alessandro Maggiolini, bishop of Carpi, Italy; Bishop Jorge Medina Estevez, apostolic administrator of Rancagua, Chile; Bishop David Konstant bishop of Leeds, England; Bishop Wiliiam J. Levada, archbishop of Portland, Ore.; Bishop Estanislao Esteban Karlich, archbishop of Parana, Argentina. Rev. Christophorus Schonborn, OP, was named secretary of the editing commission.
To the college of consultors belong about 40 experts, chosen from among those who were presented by the members of the commission keeping in mind both their specific competence in the various theological disciplines as well as their belonging to different cultures and languages.
- In the first session the comrnission approved, along with a three-part plan of structure (the truths to believe, the sacraments, the precepts), also some "proposals" regarding the writing of the catechism. In particular the members, in a unanimous decision, decided that the text should be drawn up in such a way as to be an organic and synthetic exposition of the essential and fundamental segments of Catholic doctrine in matters of faith and morals, in the light of Vatican Council II and in respect of preceding tradition of the church. This exposition, whose content must be drawn abundantly from the sources of Sacred Scripture, must present the characteristics of essentiality, of integrity and of comprehensibility; thus it will be able to become a "reference point" for national and diocesan catechisms, which will be subsequent versions and necessary adaptations to suit local conditions.
In regard to those for whom it is destined, this catechism is directed to those who have the task of composing and/or approving the national and/or diocesan catechisms. It is destined therefore especially for the bishops, insofar as they are doctors of the faith: To them this catechism is offered as an instrument for performing their prophetic office among the people of God, which is their own and which they cannot abdicate.
Regarding the characteristic of "comprehensibility" in the preparation of the catechism, it is necessary to take account of: the contemporary culture, ecclesial tradition, the necessity of ex pressing the religious topics in easy and simple ways, all by means of formula which synthetically summarize the fundamental chapters of the faith, suitable to be learned by memory.
It appeared necessary to everyone that in addition to the text of the catechism a glossary should be prepared and this, for two reasons: so that there be easier access to the topics of the catechism and in addition, so that one might obtain, as much as possible, a common fundamental basic language in the catechetical field.
- Keeping in mind these directives granted by the commission responsible, the writers--that is, the seven bishops chosen by the commission--completed in the first four months of the year the writing of the first outline of the catechism explained in its individual parts. There followed another outline which included: the preface, the index summary of each part, a first, non-definitive widespread treatment of the material of the catechism divided in three parts.
- The second session of the commission, held last May, examined and evaluated the second outline of the text of the catechism.
In this session the members of the commission recognized and praised unanimously the validity of the work completed by the very excellent writers. In fact, in so short a time they were able to offer not only a summary, but also a extensive exposition, even if not definitive, of the material of the catechism divided in three parts. At the same time, the members of the commission offered their observations, general and particular, on the proposed text; they noted especially:
--The need for greater brevity and readability, that is, conciseness in the material to be explained.
--The necessity of a more diligent attention to the cultural context and to the traditions of the Eastern churches.
--The usefulness of a more frequent use of the traditional terminology of the church.
--The opportunity of avoiding theological options and methodological teaching applications.
- The writing commission, in the last session held in the month of June, tried to initiate the revision of the text according to the observations made by the members of the commission, and that is, in this way: choosing those parts that need substantial revision and retreatment of the material, and the other parts that require only some occasional corrections or integrations to be brought into the proposed text.
- Presently the writing commission is busy with this work of revision and has suggested to have ready and prepared a type of avant-projet before December, that is, a specimen of the text of the catechism which includes together with the index and the summary, the complete treatment, even if not definitive, of all the chapters of the three parts of the catechism. This first specimen text will be examined and evaluated by the college of consultors; then it will be submitted to the judgment of the commission responsible, which foresees a session in May 1988. It is hoped, therefore, that in the first semester of '89 it may be possible to have the foreseen consultation of all the bishops of the episcopal conferences and, through them, of the catechetical institutes, theology departmeets and of other institutes expert in this material.
- Finally, we intend to present the awaited catechetical text in the next general Synod of Bishops, which will be held in 1990, in order to have pontifical approbation and subsequently--as the Holy Father stated in the talk to the Roman Curia in June 1986--to procee to publication, which, with the help of God, may possibly occur during the 25th year after the conclusion of the Ecumenical Vatican Council II.
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