THE CATECHISM PRESERVES ITS RELEVANCE AS A PRIVILEGED GIFT

VATICAN CITY, OCT 11, 2002 (VIS) - This morning in the Clementine Hall, Pope John Paul received 220 participants in the International Catechetical Congress which is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the original edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the fifth anniversary of the promulgation of the Latin edition.

After recalling various events and anniversaries linked with the Catechism, the Pope noted that "exactly forty years ago Blessed John XXIII solemnly opened the Ecumenical Vatican Council II to which the Catechism makes constant reference."

"In these days," he told the congress participants, "you have prayed, reflected and dialogued together on how to realize, in today's context, that which is the perennial and ever new message of the Catholic Church: proclaiming to everyone the Good News that Christ entrusted to us. ... For the Third Millennium, barely begun, the Lord has given us a special instrument for announcing His Word: the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved 10 years ago."

The Holy Father stressed that the Catechism "preserves its relevance as a privileged gift placed at the disposition of the entire Catholic Church" and of every individual. He added that the Catechism, "with its complete and integral illustration of the Catholic truth" and "with its essential and basic contents, allows for knowing and studying more deeply, in a positive and serene way, what the Catholic Church believes, celebrates, lives and prays."

"We must not forget," the Pope continued, "its nature as a collegial magisterial text. Suggested in fact by the 1985 episcopal synod, edited by the bishops as the fruit of a consultation of the entire episcopacy, ... (the Catechism) is destined above all for the bishops, who are authoritative teachers of the Catholic faith and the primary leaders of catechesis and evangelization."

He remarked on the Catechism's "good reception and wide publication over the past ten years in various parts of the world, even in non-Catholic milieux," saying that these indicate "a positive witness to its validity and continuing relevance."

"The Catechism," stated John Paul II, "is called to play a special role with regards to planning local catechisms for which it is proposed as a sure and authentic 'reference point'. ... To realize this objective," he concluded, "the new edition of the General Directory for Catechesis has been available since 1997."

AC;CATECHISM CATHOLIC CHURCH;...;
Subject: ;VIS;20021011;Word: 390;