Pope hopes for new Catechism Compendium to help all Christians become ‘catechists and evangelizers’

Vatican City, Jul 3, 2005 / 22:00 pm

In his remarks during yesterday’s Angelus prayer at the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI praised the newly published Compendium to the Catechism of the Catholic Church saying that he hopes it will contribute to a “renewal of catechesis and evangelization.

The Holy Father noted that the compendium’s June 28 publication had coincided with the opening of the cause of beatification of John Paul II, who had given that publication "a decisive impulse."

Noting the format of the book, Pope Benedict said that, "In an ideal dialogue between master and disciple, the compendium provides a broad exposition of the faith of the Church and of Catholic doctrine as contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, published by my venerated predecessor in 1992. ... It sheds light on the extraordinary unity of the mystery of God, on His salvific plan for all humanity and on the centrality of Jesus."

"How important it is," he continued, "at the beginning of this third millennium, for the Christian community unanimously to proclaim, teach and bear integral witness to the truths of faith, and of Catholic doctrine and morals."

The Holy Father expressed the hope that the compendium may contribute to "the renewal of catechesis and evangelization, ... so that all Christians ... in all environments may become catechists and evangelizers, helping others to encounter Christ."