Question 5:

Why do we have an ‘Irish’ catechism? Is not the ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church’ (CCC) sufficient for the needs of the Irish Church?

Answer 5:

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 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 and is presented to the universal Church as an authentic reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine. However, in the Apostolic Constitution (Fidei Depositum) at the beginning of the CCC, Pope Saint John Paul II states “this catechism…is meant to encourage and assist in the writing of new local catechisms, which take into account various situations and cultures, while carefully preserving the unity of faith and fidelity to Catholic doctrine” (Fidei Depositum 3). One of the first catechisms in the English language to follow this encouraging lead was the ‘United States Catholic Catechism for Adults’ (USCCA) – on which the ‘Irish Catholic Catechism for Adults’ (ICCA) is based.