April 6: An American Catechism

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Today is April 6th, and our story is An American Catechism. Catholics in early 19th century America needed to know their faith better. The country's bishops knew that. They also knew that could not happen without an English-language catechism, an easy-to-use teaching tool that would ensure the faith was taught in all its fullness across the fledgling nation. What the bishops didn't know was just how difficult producing such a catechism would be.

Their quest for a catechism began in 1829 at the First Provincial Council of Baltimore. There, they decreed, A catechism shall be written which is better adapted to the circumstances of this province. It shall give the Christian doctrine as explained in Cardinal Bellarmine's Catechism, 1597, and, when approved by the Holy See, it shall be published for the common use of Catholics.

Unfortunately, after the council, the bishops were too busy seeing to the more immediate needs of their fledgling dioceses to write a catechism, so no one moved ahead with the idea. In 1852, when their successors reconvened at the first plenary council of Baltimore, a catechism once more topped the agenda. But again, nothing came of it. Nor did anything come of the bishop's call for a catechism after the Second Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1866. Other pressing concerns, from the anti-Catholic know-nothings to the American Civil War's aftermath and Reconstruction, took precedence.

Finally, after the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1884, the bishops formed a committee, and six prelates undertook the arduous task. A year later, the first edition of the four-volume English-language catechism went to press. It received an imprimatur, guaranteeing its theological orthodoxy, on April 6, 1885.

In the years that followed, the Baltimore Catechism, as it became known, was used throughout the United States and Canada to form the faithful, both young and old. Its popularity endured for almost a century, and even with the publication of the Universal Catechism of the Catholic Church in 1992, the Baltimore Catechism remains in print, offering solid religious instruction for children and adults alike. The creation of the Baltimore Catechism shows that teaching and learning are acts of devotion.

Today, our spiritual growth also depends on commitment to learning and reflection. Faith without understanding can be shallow, but a well-formed conscience empowers action, guides decisions, and strengthens devotion. Read a chapter of the Baltimore Catechism or another trusted faith resource today. Reflect on one teaching that resonates with your current life.

Thank you for listening to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Join us tomorrow, April 7th, for another story of faith and courage in America.