Catechism of the Catholic Church: Second Edition (Hardcover)

by U.S. Catholic Church (Author) "The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw..." (more)
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Editorial Reviews

Review
"A sure and certain standard for the teaching of the faith." -- Pope John Paul II.


From the Trade Paperback edition. -- Review

Review
"A sure and certain standard for the teaching of the faith." -- Pope John Paul II.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 825 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday Religion (March 4, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385508190
• ISBN-13: 978-0385508193
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,944 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #1 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Theology > Catechisms
  #4 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Catholicism > Catholic

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

103 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Catholics Need This, September 17, 2005

By	A.Trendl HungarianBookstore.com "RIP MJ" (Glen Ellyn, IL USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

I grew up Catholic, served as an altar boy, followed the sacraments and thought I was a Catholic.

I received this as a birthday gift from my parents. While thumbing through it, I had no idea what being a Catholic was.

"Catechism of the Catholic Church" -- officially published by the Vatican -- is used by both Protestant and Catholic schools to teach what Catholics believe. The top evangelical college in America (Wheaton College) even uses it for their Catholic theology course.

I realized while reading this I had no idea what a Catholic baptism was, what the Catholic Church said about saints, what Rome has to say about Catholics who have converted to another Christian faith. And I learned some things the priest in our Chicagoland parish was not teaching Catholic doctrine.

Whether you are Catholic or not, there is a fair chance you've bought into some of what pop-culture has said Catholic is and is not. This easy-to-read (thick, but well-organized) book will give you the Catholic position on the matter.

I fully recommend "Catechism of the Catholic Church."

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

75 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Articulation of the Catholic Faith, December 12, 2004

By	Karl B. Erickson (Salem, Oregon) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

One might expect the Catechism to be dry and difficult to understand, but I am incredibly impressed with how well-written and clear the book is to the reader. It not only clearly explains difficult theological concepts so that the lay reader can understand, but it is filled with wonderful footnotes for further research. It is incredibly insghtful and written with a care which really shines through to bless the reader. Whether one is a Catholic, a searching protestant, or one trying to simply understand the Church more clearly, this is the book for you. Investing in its reading will benefit you in the years to come.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good little Catechism, January 17, 2006

By	Veritas Luke - See all my reviews

A good priest I know says every Catholic should own and read at least three books: The Bible, Documents of Vatican II, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (if you're not Catholic and want to learn what the Church really teaches the Catechism is a good place to start). I agree. The Catechism is an invaluable resource in helping one to know and understand their faith and is chocked full of insightful citations to the other two must-read books mentioned above. You can read it from front to back or use the Subject Index to find what you're most interested in. This version is also very small (you can easily hold it in one hand) but the font is still readable.