Adult catechism for U.S. Catholics on bishops' agenda

Published: 2004-10-26

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- One of the major items on the U.S. bishops' agenda when they meet this November will be the country's first national Catholic catechism intended specifically for adults. A project begun in June 2000, the proposed "United States Catholic Catechism for Adults" was written in response to a Vatican request that bishops or bishops' conferences develop such catechisms to complement the universal "Catechism of the Catholic Church" issued in 1992 by Pope John Paul II. The Vatican's 1997 General Directory for Catechesis said that "local catechisms, prepared or approved by diocesan bishops or by episcopal conferences, are invaluable instruments for catechesis" because they bring the Gospel into the local culture. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will convene its fall general assembly in Washington Nov. 15-18. The proposed adult catechism must be approved by at least two-thirds of all active bishops and then receive "recognitio," or confirmation, from the Holy See before it becomes official. The 456-page proposed text was sent out to the bishops in advance of the meeting.

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