Catechism summaries

Long term project to simplify and summarize the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Catechism translations

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Chapter One: Man's Capacity for God

37 In the historical conditions in which he finds himself, however, man experiences many difficulties in coming to know God by the light of reason alone: Though human reason is, strictly speaking, truly capable by its own natural power and light of attaining to a true and certain knowledge of the one personal God, who watches over and controls the world by his providence, and of the natural law written in our hearts by the Creator; yet there are many obstacles which prevent reason from the effective and fruitful use of this inborn faculty. For the truths that concern the relations between God and man wholly transcend the visible order of things, and, if they are translated into human action and influence it, they call for self-surrender and abnegation. The human mind, in its turn, is hampered in the attaining of such truths, not only by the impact of the senses and the imagination, but also by disordered appetites which are the consequences of original sin. So it happens that men in such matters easily persuade themselves that what they would not like to be true is false or at least doubtful. - Pius XII, Humani Generis, 561: DS 3875	Overview: Made in the image of God, man is capable of understanding God's knowledge as relates to mankind, but... God's knowledge is shielded from man by man's incomplete perception of it and, worse, it is further misguided by sin. As a result, men deny, deflect, or ignore God's wisdom by hiding behind their own ignorance which they use to justify their denial of God's knowledge. Man can only perceive God's knowledge by surrendering and rejecting his own limited perceptions Translation: God's relation with man can be understood by reason Yet man's reason has obstacles to that understanding Man's reason ("the human mind") cannot easily attain "such truths" because the relation between God and man goes beyond what can be observed ("visible order of things") as it is "impacted" (hampered) by senses (what man imperfectly perceives) and imagination (what man imagines or dreams of) to begin to perceive God's truths (that go beyond what can be seen by man), man must "transcend" or get beyond what is seen in "human action" "self-surrender and abnegation" (renouncing man's conceit) are required worse, man's perceptions are "disordered" (negatively impacted by) "appetites" (desires) that "are the consequences of original sin." so when man false short of pure reason (incorrect perception, sin, etc.) he convinces ("easily persuade") himself that what he doesn't want to be true (God's word) is not true, or "doubtful" (likely not true) i.e. = he fools himself Other notes the visible and invisible = parts of revelation we can reason God but we cannot know the Trinity without Jesus God reveals himself through visible creation
52 God, who "dwells in unapproachable light", wants to communicate his own divine life to the men he freely created, in order to adopt them as his sons in his only-begotten Son.3 By revealing himself God wishes to make them capable of responding to him, and of knowing him and of loving him far beyond their own natural capacity.	"unapproachable light" = God told Moses not to come closer God speaks to humans in their own terms, as they cannot fully understand God ("beyond their natural ability") therefore, God "reveals himself" in ways beyond their "natural capacity"
67 Throughout the ages, there have been so-called "private" revelations, some of which have been recognized by the authority of the Church. They do not belong, however, to the deposit of faith. It is not their role to 84 improve or complete Christ's definitive Revelation, but to help live more fully by it in a certain period of history. Guided by the magisterium of the Church, the sensus fidelium knows how to discern and welcome in these revelations whatever constitutes an authentic call of Christ or his saints to the Church.
75 "Christ the Lord, in whom the entire Revelation of the most high God is summed up, commanded the apostles to preach the Gospel, which had been promised beforehand by the prophets, and which he fulfilled in his own person and promulgated with his own lips. In preaching the Gospel, they were to communicate the gifts of God to all men. This Gospel was to be the source of all 1 71 saving truth and moral discipline." (DV 7; cf. Mt 28:19-20; Mk 16:15)
The Magisterium of the Church 85 "The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living, teaching office of the Church alone. Its authority in this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus 888-892 Christ." (DV 10§ 2) This means that the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome. 86 "Yet this Magisterium is not superior to the Word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it. At the divine command and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it listens to this devotedly, guards it with dedication, and expounds it faithfully. All that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed is drawn from this single deposit of faith." (DV 10 § 2) Mindful of Christ's words to his apostles: "He who hears you, hears me," (49 Lk 10:16; cf. LG 20) the faithful receive with docility the teachings and directives that their pastors give them in different forms.