The Catechism Explained: An Exhaustive Explanation of the Christian Religion - Hardback

“This Catechism aims at cultivating all the three powers of the soul: the understanding, the affections, and the will. It does not therefore content itself with mere definitions. The principal object proposed in it is not to teach men to philosophize about religion, but to make them good Christians who will delight in their faith. Consequently questions of scholastic theology, doctrines debated among theologians, are either omitted altogether or merely receive a passing mention.

The author has endeavored to divest religious teaching of the appearance of learning, and to present it in a popular and simple form. Technical terms, in which almost all religious manuals abound, even those intended for children, are carefully eliminated from his pages since, while useful and necessary for seminarians and theologians, they are out of place in a book intended for the laity.

Popular manuals of religion ought to be couched in plain and simple language, like that used by Our Lord and the apostles, easy of comprehension; for what we need is something that will touch the heart and influence the will, not cram the mind with knowledge unattractive to the reader.

Attention may also be called to the fact that the teaching of the Church is not presented in a dry, abstract form, but is rendered attractive and interesting by illustrations, comparisons, and quotations from well-known writers…the writings of the Father are quoted mainly to elucidate and illustrate, not to prove the truths that are enunciated.”

—Fr Chad Ripperger, PhD, from the Foreword