What Does “Catechism” Mean in the Bible?
The book that sums up what the Catholic Church teaches, with numbered paragraphs. The one we quote is the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992).
It can mean
- Its four parts: what we believe (the Creed), the sacraments, how to live (the Commandments), and prayer (the Our Father).
- Its sources: the Bible, the Fathers of the Church, the liturgy, and the teaching of the Church.
- The Compendium: a summary of the Catechism in questions and answers, from 2005.
- From the beginning: the first Christians devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles.
Today
When you see “Catechism 524,” it means paragraph 524. You can read it for free at vatican.va.
Where it appears in the Bible
Acts 2:42
What the Bible says
Acts 2:42
And they were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles, and in the communication of the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.
Source: Catechism 11 and 13; vatican.va, apostolic constitution Fidei Depositum (October 11, 1992); Compendium of the Catechism (2005)