Quick Quiz! Whose name is on the copyright page of the Catechism of the Catholic Church? Did you guess Pope Benedict XVI? Close! At the time he chaired the commission to update the book, he was better known as Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger.

Most Christians, including lifelong Catholics, seem to have trepidation about reading this hefty volume of 800 or so pages! However, writers and poets who write for Catholic readers and/or about Catholicism might want to keep this major resource nearby on the desk next to the Church’s primary reference, the Bible. To show the companionship intended for those two books, an opening letter from Pope John Paul II quoted the main goal (theme and purpose) established for the Catechism: “The presentation of doctrine must be biblical and liturgical. It must be sound doctrine suited to the present life of Christians.” In that same opening letter, Pope John Paul II went on to explain, “The Liturgy itself is prayer; the confession of faith finds its proper place in the celebration of worship.”

The Catechism fully discusses worship too, but the general outline for the book goes like this:

• Prologue
• Part One: The Profession Of Faith
• Part Two: The Celebration Of The Christian Mystery
• Part Three: Life In Christ
• Part Four: Christian Prayer
• Index Of Citations
• Subject Index
• Abbreviations

To give you a quick peek inside, the Prologue begins with a quote from Jesus’ prayer in John 17:3, immediately followed by I Timothy 2:3-4. Together, they read: “ `FATHER, ...this is the eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. God our Savior desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved’ than the name of JESUS.” But who are these “men” (meaning both male and female) who need saving? Article 1701 of “Life In Christ” on “The Dignity of the Human Person” explains, “It is in Christ, Redeemer and Savior, that the divine image, disfigured in man by the first sin, has been restored to its original beauty and ennobled by the grace of God.”

As a Christian, that’s who you are in Christ! Whether you’re a Catholic writer and poet or a catholic writer and poet, Christ’s redemption, grace, and beauty can be the good news you carry to readers around the world.

Need help in writing for Catholic readers, writing about Catholicism, or writing from a catholic perspective? Click onto some excellent Resources. For specific suggestions on a specific manuscript or batch of poems, see information and pricing for the Critique Service.

Question: What's the point of the Catholic Catechism?

Answer: Actually, four points or principles are developed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1. Belief in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (as expressed in the Creed)

2. Worship (through Liturgy and the Sacraments

3. Christlike conduct (formed by love for God, self, and others and by obedience to God's Commandments)

4. Prayer (as Jesus taught us in the Our Father or The Lord's Prayer.)

As a Catholic writer or poet you may want to speak for the Church yet fear you’ll say or write something “wrong.” If so, check your beliefs with this helpful list and trust God to guide you.

Question: What does the Catechism say about the arts or using God-given talent?

Answer: Under the heading of “Truth, Beauty, and Sacred Art” in Part Three, “Life Of Christ,” 2501 says, “Arising from talent given by the Creator and from man’s own effort, art is a form of practical wisdom, uniting knowledge and skill, to give form to the truth of reality in a language accessible to sight or hearing. To the extent that it is inspired by truth and love of beings, art bears a certain likeness to God’s activity in what he has created.”