Catechism of the Council of Trent

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CATECHISM OF THE COUNCIL OF TRENT

Also called the Roman Catechism, projected as early in the council as 1546, was completed only after the council, in 1564, and published in Latin in 1566. As its full title indicates— Catechism of the Council of Trent for Parish Priests Issued by Order of Pope Pius V —it is not a manual for the faithful but for priests, "a book issued by the authority of the Holy Synod from which pastors and others who hold the office of teaching could seek sure doctrine and then set it forth for the building up of the faithful" (preface). Its authoritative character, comprehensive scope, and irenic tone set it apart from most other catechisms of the time that were the compositions of individuals and often in question-answer form.

The catechism's division into four parts concerned with the Creed, the Sacraments, the Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer, continues the tradition of the medieval catechesis. Its Scripture-steeped structure and content, a distinguishing feature of the Roman Catechism, is reinforced by its constant recourse to the Church Fathers (especially St. Augustine). The catechism's use of the Scholastics, though evident in its definitional and analytical methodology, is relatively minor. The influence of St. thomas aquinas is obvious, but only as the "Common Doctor" of the tradition. Because it was mandated by the Council of trent and issued by order of Pope Pius V, the Tridentine Catechism served as a norm of orthodoxy. Although it was quickly translated into most of the principal European languages, the first English translation, by J. Donovan, was published at Maynooth College in 1929.

Bibliography: p. rodrigues et al., eds., Catechismus Romanus seu Catechismus ex decreto Concilii Tridentini ad parochos Pii V Pont. jussu editus [Editio critica] (Vatican City 1989). r. bradley and e. kevane, eds., The Roman Catechism: Translated and Annotated in accord with Vatican II and Post-Conciliar Documents and the New Code of Canon Law (Boston 1985). p. rodriguez and r. lanzetti, El Catecismo Romano: fuentese historia del textoy de la redaccion (Pamplona 1982). g. bellinger, Der Catechismus Romanus und die Reformation: die katechetische Antwort des Trienter Konzils auf die Haupt-Katechismen der Reformation (Paderborn 1970). r. bradley, The Roman Catechism in the Catechetical Tradition of the Church: The Structure of the Roman Catechism as Illustrative of the "Classical Catechesis" (Lanham, MD, 1990). b. l. marthaler, The Catechism Yesterday & Today (Collegeville, MN 1995). hofinger, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner (Freiburg 1957–65) 2:977–978.