Back in October, I stopped in Saints And Shamrocks. While checking out, the owner Hope asked if I had seen the Bible in a Year podcast by Father Mike Schmitz in the Hallow app from Ascension (or any podcast provider). I had not but promised I would check it out. I am so glad I did.
Not only is Father Mike a fantastic teacher, but I learned about the launch of his Catechism in a Year series that started on January 1st because I was following BIAY. If you are curious about those crazy Catholics, one of us who has always meant to get around to reading the Catechism, or just looking for a centering way to spend 20ish minutes a day (40 if you listen to both)…here it is.
* Melissa, thank you for doing this with me. I am so appreciative of our Sunday morning breakfasts
That is the post I published on Facebook, January 1, 2023, thus cementing what I hope to be some sort of accountability to this program. Keeping up with the insights here is an attempt at another.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church was complied in 1992 at the request of Pope Saint John Paul II. It was the first universal catechism assembled in over 400 years.
The intention of this study is not to convert or condemn; at this moment (and probably forever) I am certain that is completely out of my pay grade. My intentions are threefold
- To deepen my understanding of my personal faith
- To play to my strengths in documenting what I learn by using this format
- To share my insights to others for whatever reason that sharing may present
The Catechism of the Catholic Church documents in 2,865 numbered paragraphs (CCCs) the essential beliefs of the Catholic Church. It is divided into Parts(4), Sections, and Chapters. That’s how these posts will be organized – at least I think they will. The divisions are not universal in length and I’ve never read the Catechism straight through, so there are still a few unknowns.
Full disclosure: While I am a Catholic (and a catechist for a brief time), I am not a Biblical Scholar, neither academically nor theologically. I am simply a woman seeking. In fact, (fuller disclosure) while I still regularly attend Mass, I am not currently able to participate in the sacraments as my marriage is not blessed. We are working on that, and I am sure at some point I will discuss it further, but for now, let’s just say that I am very thankful for Father Dawid and those at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist who have been so gracious during this process.
The Four Parts of the Catechism are as follows:
- Profession of Faith: What we believe
- Celebration of the Christian Mystery: How we worship
- Life in Christ: How we live
- Christian Prayer: How we pray
I will do my best to keep all the reference links (located in the Prologue post) coherent within these posts as I move through the year. But this is a work in progress; honestly, I am just hoping I can keep up.
xoxo,
April
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