Catechism of the Catholic Church

1. Man Desires God, and God Reaches Out.

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 man to himself.

Inherent longing. Every human being possesses a deep, innate desire for God. This longing is fundamental to our nature, placed within us by the Creator who made us for communion with Himself. It is a restless desire that only finds true fulfillment in God.

God's initiative. Despite humanity's tendency to forget or reject God, He constantly calls us to seek Him. This divine initiative is the first step in the relationship between God and man, a mysterious encounter that unfolds throughout history.

Seeking and finding. Man expresses this quest for God in various ways, including religious beliefs, prayers, and rituals. While human reason can glimpse God through creation, God also reveals Himself directly, inviting us into a deeper intimacy that surpasses our natural capacity.

2. God Reveals Himself Through Scripture and Tradition.

God graciously arranged that the things he had once revealed for the salvation of all peoples should remain in their entirety, throughout the ages, and be transmitted to all generations.

Divine self-disclosure. God, in His goodness and wisdom, chose to reveal Himself and His plan of loving goodness to humanity. This revelation is not merely information about God, but God giving Himself to man.

Transmission through the Apostles. Christ commanded His Apostles to preach the Gospel, transmitting what they received from Him and the Holy Spirit. This transmission occurred in two ways:

• Orally: Through preaching, example, and established institutions.
• In writing: Through the inspired books of the New Testament.

Living Tradition. To ensure the Gospel's preservation, the Apostles appointed bishops as their successors. This living transmission, guided by the Holy Spirit, is called Tradition. Sacred Scripture and Tradition are bound together, flowing from the same divine source and forming one sacred deposit of faith.

3. Faith is Man's Response to Divine Revelation.

By faith, man completely submits his intellect and his will to God.

Total adherence. Faith is the human person's free response to God who reveals Himself. It involves the full submission of intellect and will, giving assent to the whole truth God has revealed. This is an act of trust in God's authority, as He can neither deceive nor be deceived.

Gift and act. Believing is possible only through God's grace and the Holy Spirit's help. However, it is also an authentically human act, compatible with human freedom and reason. Faith is certain, more so than human knowledge, because it is founded on God's Word.

Necessity for salvation. Believing in God and in Jesus Christ, whom He sent, is necessary for obtaining salvation. Faith is the beginning of eternal life, a foretaste of the beatific vision, but it must be nourished and persevered in until the end.

4. The Creed Summarizes the Core Christian Faith.

The symbol of faith, then, is a sign of recognition and communion between believers.

Common language. Communion in faith requires a common language, a normative summary for all believers. From the beginning, the Church expressed and handed on her faith in brief formulas called "professions of faith" or "creeds."

Purpose and structure. Creeds are summaries of the principal truths of faith, serving as fundamental reference points for catechesis. They are called "symbols of faith" because they are signs of recognition and summaries of belief. The Creed is structured around the three persons of the Holy Trinity, reflecting the baptismal formula.

Major Creeds. Two Creeds hold special place:

• The Apostles' Creed: An ancient baptismal symbol of the Church of Rome, considered a faithful summary of the Apostles' faith.
• The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed: Stemming from the first two ecumenical councils, it remains common to Eastern and Western Churches.

5. The Sacraments Make God's Saving Work Present.

In this age of the Church Christ now lives and acts in and with his Church, in a new way appropriate to this new age. He acts through the sacraments...

Sacramental economy. The Church's liturgical life revolves around the Eucharist and the sacraments. Through the sacraments, Christ manifests, makes present, and communicates His work of salvation, accomplished principally by His Paschal mystery.

Christ's action. Christ is always present and acting in the liturgy, especially in the Eucharist and the other sacraments. He instituted the sacraments to communicate His grace through perceptible signs (words and actions).

Holy Spirit's role. The Holy Spirit prepares the Church to encounter Christ in the liturgy, recalls and manifests Christ's mystery, and makes His saving work present and active. The Spirit unites the Church to Christ and forms His Body through the sacraments.

6. Life in Christ is Lived by God's Law and Grace.

Life in the Holy Spirit fulfills the vocation of man...

New life in Christ. Through Christian initiation, man receives the new life of Christ, a participation in the divine nature. This life is lived "in earthen vessels," subject to suffering and sin, but called to holiness and eternal life.

Law and grace. God provides the moral law to guide man toward beatitude and grace to sustain him. The moral law is the work of divine Wisdom, prescribing ways to happiness and proscribing evil. Grace is God's free gift, healing sin and sanctifying man.

Moral life. Living in Christ involves:

• Acknowledging the dignity of the human person.
• Exercising freedom responsibly.
• Forming a sound moral conscience.
• Governing passions and growing in virtue.
• Combating sin and seeking forgiveness.

7. The Ten Commandments Guide Christian Moral Life.

The moral law is the work of divine Wisdom.

Divine instruction. The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue ("ten words"), are God's fatherly instruction, revealing the path to promised beatitude and prohibiting evil. They were revealed to Israel on Mount Sinai and written "with the finger of God."

Love of God and neighbor. The Commandments state the fundamental duties toward God and neighbor. The first three concern love of God, and the remaining seven concern love of neighbor. Jesus summarized the entire Law in the twofold commandment of love.

Natural law and obligation. The Decalogue is a privileged expression of the natural law, accessible to reason but revealed by God for a complete understanding. These commandments are fundamentally immutable, obliging always and everywhere, and no one can dispense from them.

8. Prayer is a Vital Relationship with God.

In the New Covenant, prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit.

God's gift and call. Prayer is a gift of grace, God's initiative of love calling man to encounter Him. It is also man's determined response, a reciprocal call and covenant drama engaging the heart. Humility is the foundation of prayer.

Forms of prayer. Christian Tradition proposes three major expressions:

• Vocal prayer: Associating the body with interior prayer, following Christ's example.
• Meditation: A prayerful quest engaging thought, imagination, emotion, and desire to make faith our own.
• Contemplative prayer: A simple gaze of faith fixed on Jesus, silent love, and union with Christ's prayer.

Battle of prayer. Prayer is a battle against ourselves and the tempter. Difficulties like distraction and dryness, and temptations like lack of faith and acedia, must be faced with humility, trust, and perseverance. Prayer is a vital necessity, inseparable from Christian life.

9. The Church is the Body of Christ, Guided by the Spirit.

The Church . . . is held, as a matter of faith, to be unfailingly holy. This is because Christ, the Son of God, who with the Father and the Spirit is hailed as ‘alone holy,’ loved the Church as his Bride, giving himself up for her so as to sanctify her; he joined her to himself as his body and endowed her with the gift of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God.

Origin and nature. The Church is in God's plan from the world's beginning, prepared in the Old Covenant, instituted by Christ, and revealed by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. She is both visible and spiritual, a hierarchical society and the Mystical Body of Christ.

People of God. The Church is the new People of God, called from all nations, whose Head is Christ, whose status is the dignity of sons of God, whose law is love, whose mission is to be light, and whose destiny is the Kingdom of God. This people participates in Christ's priestly, prophetic, and royal offices.

Body and Temple. The Church is the Body of Christ, united with Him and all members through the Spirit and sacraments, especially the Eucharist. She is also the Temple of the Holy Spirit, who is her soul, building her up through varied gifts and charisms.

10. The Catechism is an Authoritative Guide to Catholic Doctrine.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church . . . is a statement of the Church’s faith and of catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition, and the Church’s Magisterium. I declare it to be a sure norm for teaching the faith and thus a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion.

Aim and sources. The Catechism aims to present an organic synthesis of essential Catholic doctrine regarding faith and morals. Its principal sources are Sacred Scripture, the Fathers of the Church, the liturgy, and the Church's Magisterium.

Purpose and readership. It is intended primarily for those responsible for catechesis, serving as a reference text for composing local catechisms. It is also offered to all the faithful and anyone who wishes to know what the Catholic Church believes.

Role and value. The Catechism is a sure norm for teaching the faith and a valid instrument for ecclesial communion. It is an authoritative exposition of the one and perennial apostolic faith, reflecting the collegial nature of the Episcopate.

11. The Catechism is Structured Around Four Pillars of Faith.

The plan of this catechism is inspired by the great tradition of catechisms which build catechesis on four pillars: the baptismal profession of faith (the Creed), the sacraments of faith, the life of faith (the Commandments), and the prayer of the believer (the Lord’s Prayer).

Four parts. The Catechism is divided into four main parts, reflecting the structure of traditional catechisms and the Christian life:

• Part One: The Profession of Faith (What the Church professes in the Creed).
• Part Two: The Celebration of the Christian Mystery (How the Church celebrates the faith in the liturgy and sacraments).

Living and praying. The remaining parts cover:

• Part Three: Life in Christ (How the Church lives the faith according to the Commandments).
• Part Four: Christian Prayer (How the Church prays the faith, especially in the Lord's Prayer).

Organic unity. These four parts are interrelated. The Christian mystery is the object of faith, celebrated in liturgy, present in life, and the basis for prayer. This structure provides a comprehensive and unified exposition of Catholic doctrine.

Last updated: May 5, 2025