Proper, solid information of faith

when one is confused

Faith-issues (eg. Da Vinci Code)
focused on content of faith over
methods or techniques
The Da Vinci Code exposed the
ignorance of Catholics with regard
to Christology, ecclesiology, Church
history, Word of God….
Hence, CCCC was an apt tool in
time for all!
Released: June 28, 2005
Sale: Best selling book of the year
in Europe, USA among Catholic
books
Style: precise, logical presentation
Asset: an apt tool for laypersons,
families, solid information of
Catholic faith, especially in
preparation for the Sacraments
English version: Released in USA
and UK in February 2006, March
2006 respectively. Indian version
Compendium =: The Complete,
Abridged book
Content: Summary of CCC
The Four Pillars of our faith: Lex
Credendi -- the Creed; Lex
Celebrandi -- The Sacraments;
Lex Vivendi -- Morals and Lex
Orandi -- Prayer
Content of CCC: Four Parts:
Creed, Sacraments, Christian
Life, and Prayer
 CCCC- Content

· 208 pages
 · 4 main sections: Faith, Sacraments, Morality,
Prayer
 · 598 Questions and Answers
 · 14 colour works of religious art
 · 1,012 cross references to the main Catechism
(CCC)
· 200 biblical references (170 NT; 30 OT)
· 24 quotations from the fathers and the saints
· 24 prayers (Latin and English):
· 12 Catholic doctrinal formulas
 CCCC- for whom?

 On the 28th June 2005, Benedict XVI

handed the Compendium to persons
representing various categories of the
People of God: a cardinal; a bishop, a
priest; a deacon; a man and a woman
religious; a family (father, mother and
daughter); two children; two
adolescents; three catechists; and a
pastoral worker
 CCCC- Origin

 The first catechism of council of Trent

(1566)
 Second one: CCC (1992)
 John Paul II entrusted the work of CCCC
to Card. Joseph Ratzinger.
 Idea originated at the International
Catechetical Congress (2002) held at
Rome.
 CCCC (2005)
 CCCC- Purpose

 To promote wide popular access to the

teachings and spiritual wisdom of the Church
 To awaken the faith at the start of the new
millennium.
 Ready access to faith in a concise manner.
 Pope Benedict underlines that the question and
answer format encourages brevity and keeping
to the essentials, which ‘may help the reader to
grasp the contents and possibly to memorise
them as well. ( a master-disciple relationship)
 CCCC- Impact

 CCC is reduced? Can we condense our faith?

 Content over method: eg. Faith matter is
more important than life matter in catechesis
(entry of controversial books exposed
ignornace of content of faith in many
catholics)
 Ready made resource book for any Catholic.
 “The sacred images, with their
beauty, are also a proclamation of
the Gospel and express the
splendour of the Catholic truth,”
(Benedict XVI on the 14 images in
CCCC)
 “Images are the Bible of the
illiterate” (Gregory the Great at the
2Council of Nicea)
 Images are for visual catechesis
 Found in the
Catacombs of Domitilla,
Rome (3° Cent.)
- Christ, the Good
shepherd leads and
protects the faithful
(lamb).
- Staff (authority), melody
(symphony of truth), tree
of life (cross)
 Pantocrator = Ruler of all
 Portrays Humanity and
divinity of Christ
 Blue = divine; Red =
humanity, Stole = eternal
priest, Gold = heavenly, the
Word,
 thumb and ringfinger
joined =united in two natures
 found in 1546
IC XC = Is
Xs = Jesus
Christ
 = I am who I am
= he who is (Ex.3:14)
 Triumph of the Cross, found in the
Roman Basilica of St. Celement
 plant that sprouts from cross to
fruits and flowers= The church, the
tree of life,
 four rivulets= four gospels
 stag quenching the thirst=faithful
quenching through four gospels
 12 doves = 12 Apostles
 Mary and St. John at the foot of the
Cross
 hand of the father, giving glory to
Son
 stag fighting with the serpant