The Catechism of St. Pius X (1908)
While the Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566) was directed to priests, and the recently released Catechism of the Catholic Church (1993) was directed to bishops, the Catechism of Pope St. Pius X (1908) was that pope’s partial realization of a brief, popular Catechism for the laity. While it was used in Rome and in other parts of Italy, it was not prescribed for use throughout the universal church.
As Pontiff, he compiled a text of Christian doctrine for the Diocese of Rome that was later disseminated throughout Italy and the world. Because of its simple, clear, precise language and effective explanations, this “Pius X Catechism”, as it was called, was a reliable guide to many in learning the truths of the faith. — Pope Benedict XVI
Church Teaching
“The twelve Articles of the Apostles Creed are the first things…that Christian person must hold. For these take their origin from the holy Apostles, the authorities and teacher of the faith, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. When they received their mandate from the Lord to go forth into the whole world as His representatives to preach the Gospel to every creature they thought it proper to compose a formula of the Christian faith that all might be “united in the same mind and the same judgment” (I Corinthians 1:10). By this statement of the faith the Apostles intended that there should be no division among those called to the unity of faith…”
The foundation of Christianity is the faith, that this faith can be expressed in plain, ordinary language, and that the Apostles Creed is the most ancient and widely used summary of what Christians are to believe.
Contents
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
The Sacrament of Extreme Unction