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Wondering about reading the Catechism

tiny specktiny speck member
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in Catholic Weddings
Hi everyone. I've only posted here a couple of times before. I am thinking about becoming Catholic and have felt more strongly called to the Church in recent months and weeks. I have recently discovered EWTN Catholic radio podcasts, and this week I decided to go ahead and buy a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church to understand more clearly what the Church's teaches. I don't know if this is a silly question or not, but should I just start reading it from the beginning, or is there a recommended way to approach it? I've flicked through a bit but haven't actually started reading yet. Thanks for your thoughts!
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Re: Wondering about reading the Catechism

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    agapecarrieagapecarrie member
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    The catechism is a reference tool. You are welcome to read it straight through, but you may find it more frustrating than anything. 

    Catholic.com has good resources for particular questions about catholic teaching also. 

    You may want to start with the "prayer" section. 

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    bibliophile2010bibliophile2010 member
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    If there is a particular topic you would like to learn more about or have questions about, I would start there. Otherwise, the Catechism is designed to build on itself, so the beginning really is a good place to start.

    Good luck on your journey. We are all open to talking, sharing our experiences or answering questions if we can help in any way. :) We also have several converts (myself included), so we have BTDT experience. :)
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    agapecarrieagapecarrie member
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    The catechism is a reference tool. You are welcome to read it straight through, but you may find it more frustrating than anything. 

    Catholic.com has good resources for particular questions about catholic teaching also. 

    You may want to start with the "prayer" section. 


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    bibliophile2010bibliophile2010 member
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    If there is a particular topic you would like to learn more about or have questions about, I would start there. Otherwise, the Catechism is designed to build on itself, so the beginning really is a good place to start.

    Good luck on your journey. We are all open to talking, sharing our experiences or answering questions if we can help in any way. :) We also have several converts (myself included), so we have BTDT experience. :)
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    tiny specktiny speck member
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    Thank you both. I know it's a reference work, but it's good to know that it's "designed to build on itself" too. I come from a protestant background so I really am interested in learning what the Church's teachings are. I will take a look at the prayer section too.
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    bibliophile2010bibliophile2010 member
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    Also, I would encourage you to read it in small chunks (such as the flocknote plan) so that you can really absorb what is being said. The material is dense, so it requires thought and reflection.

    I also really like the Compendium of the Catechism. It is meant to be read along with the Catechism, but I find the material significantly less dense (though still rich), so it is easier to absorb.
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    newlyseliskinewlyseliski member
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    The Youcat might be another good place to start!  I believe it's aimed more towards youth and young adults and reads in more of a Q&A format that wouldn't be as dry as the Catechism for readability.  We used it a bit in the confirmation classes that my husband and I helped with and the students really seemed to like the book.  It cross references with the Catechism as well, so you can always switch over if you wanted more information on a specific topic.  

    EWTN radio is a great place to start :-)  I have a soft spot for Relevant Radio which is my local Catholic radio station - they're in several cities throughout the US and can be streamed for free online or through an app!
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    tiny specktiny speck member
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    So much good information, thank you all! I will definitely be looking into these resources.

    @TXKristan and @newlyseliski I am in England so for radio I am relying on online streaming and podcasts (mainly podcasts though). We don't even have a real radio, haha (not even a car).
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    Calypso1977Calypso1977 member
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    i recommend the Baltimore Catechism.  Its what my parents used to teach us (they opted to teach us our faith at home, rather than through the church)  Sadly it is no longer used in CCD classes, but it has a nice user friendly Q&A format.  www.baltimore-catechism.com
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    tiny specktiny speck member
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    Is the Baltimore Catechism all the same but just in a different format? It does look pretty user-friendly. Thank you for the link!
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    Resa77Resa77
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    The Baltimore Catechism is written more for kids, but it's a really great reference tool, and much easier to read than the official Catechism. My mother used it to teach us, and then my Catholic middle school also used it. It is a real shame no one uses it anymore!

     

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