Saint John Vianney, the holy Cure of Ars, says: “We shall find out at the day of judgment that the greater number of Christians who are lost were damned because they did not know their own religion.” Ignorance of the truths of the Faith is inexcusable in Catholics of today. We have the ability to read, so we have the ability to keep the truths of our holy Faith before our eyes.
Saint Pius X wrote an Encyclical on the duty of teaching the Catechism, Acrebo Nimis. It provides in part: “Since it is a fact that in these days adults need instruction no less than the young, all pastors and those having the care of souls shall explain the Catechism to the people in a plain and simple style adapted to the intelligence of their hearers. This shall be carried out on all holy days of obligation, at such time as is most convenient for the people, but not during the same hour when the children are instructed, and this instruction must be in addition to the usual homily on the Gospel which is delivered at the parochial Mass on Sundays and holy days. The catechetical instruction shall be based on the Catechism of the Council of Trent; and the matter is to be divided in such a way that in the space of four or five years, treatment will be given to the Apostles’ Creed, the Sacraments, the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer and the Precepts of the Church.”
As Catholics all of us should study the Catechism weekly, if it is not being explained to us by our pastors. If our pastors are fulfilling their sacred duty, then we should be in attendance at these instructions.
An educated Catholic should know their catechism at the level of the Roman Catechism, also called the Catechism of the Council of Trent.
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