Each module will cover a different topic. They have been designed to parallel the Catechism of the Catholic Church's four "pillars" - the Profession of Faith (the Apostle's Creed), the Celebration of the Christian Mystery (Sacraments), Life in Christ (Ten Commandments), and Christian Prayer - as well as help you explore your personal relationship with God and develop a plan for you to put your faith into action. The six modules, therefore, are listed to the right.
What Must I Do?
Before you start, please take time to read through the course Overview and How to Choose a Faith Companion. It is vital to your success that you find a Faith Companion to help you during your faith journey. Faith is meant to be shared! Many of the activities throughout the course rely upon your interaction with a companion. Therefore, take the time to thoughtfully consider, pray, and reflect upon who might be your companion.
Are Books Required for the Study?
Two books that will be referred to during the course of this study are the New American Bible (NAB) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). These two texts supply the foundation of Catholic beliefs. If you don't have hard copies of these books, use the links on the left to access them online.
The Bible
You may be wondering, "Why are there so many versions of the Bible? What's the difference?" Catholics use a Bible that has 73 books; a Protestant Bible has 67 books (which excludes Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabbes, Wisdom, Sirach, and Baruch). The reasons for this are beyond the scope of this course, but if you are interested, you can read more about it here.
While there are many approved translations of the bible (complete list), I recommend the New American Bible (NAB) or the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).
The tutorial to the left may come in handy when learning how to look up scripture passages in the Bible. If you would like to view it in a larger size, simply click on the YouTube button found in the lower right hand corner of the video screen.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “A catechism is the name given to a written work that contains a summary of all the beliefs of the faith that is used as a teaching tool.” You may have heard the name “Baltimore Catechism,” so named after the United States Third Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1884. However, a new universal catechism was developed and published in 1992 on the thirtieth anniversary of the Second Vatican Council.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is arranged in four parts or pillars as seen to the right.
If you own a hard copy of the Catechism, you may find these instructions useful on how to look up passages. Otherwise, use the link on the left to access the online version.
How Do I Start?
As soon as you have a Faith Companion, feel free to begin! Start with Module 1 and then work your way through all the Modules. As mentioned, the course is designed to be taken in 6 weeks with an average of 3-5 hours per week for study and reflection; however, feel free to shorten or lengthen the course based on your own personal knowledge and time.