The Anchoress: YOUCAT a "terrific resource"

Elizabeth Scalia, "The Anchoress", writes this in praise of the new Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church (YOUCAT):

And additionally — especially if you and your kids are involved with religious ed programs but even if they’re “past” them — I cannot too emphatically recommend that you pick up a copy of Youcat; the newly released Catechism written expressly for Catholic Youth.

This is a terrific resource; it is a brilliantly put-together and engaging collection of the foundational questions about our faith, and those issues about faith, love, marriage, sexuality, freedom, sin, life and death that are relevant to our young, who seek clarity without condescension.

And the questions are surrounded in the margins by a treasury of instructive, enlightening, inspiring quotes — from scripture, saints, popes and even Protestants like Bonhoeffer and Lewis — that are themselves invitations to ponder, to discuss with others and from which to grow in wisdom, maturity and understanding. I got my copy two days ago, and have been reading it every free minute, because it is just that engaging.

Where there is more to discuss, the book gives appropriate cross-references to the full Catechism, but really, if you are involved with CCD, or RCIA, if your kids or nieces are involved, get this book.

And seriously, if you have kids who will be entering high school and are “done with religious ed” or even if they’re getting ready to go away to college — perhaps especially for these groups, who will be facing so many new challenges and pressures — make a gift of this book, to them. Give it to them now, and look at it with them over the rest of the summer, so they’ll be familiar with it when all of that “newness” begins and will know where they can turn within it.

Read her entire piece.

And Sean Gallagher, writing for The Criterion (Archdiocese of Indianapolis), reports:

In her 26 years in youth ministry at Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Ann and St. Benedict parishes in the Terre Haute Deanery, Janet Roth has had many catechetical books and resources come across her desk.

But none have quite been like Youcat, a new youth catechism sponsored by the bishops’ conferences of Austria, Germany and Switzerland that began hitting bookstore shelves earlier this year.

It was written by Cardinal Christoph Schonborn of Vienna, who previously served as the general editor of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Pope Benedict XVI has endorsed Youcat, and wrote a forward for it.

While Roth values the backing of Youcat by such high-placed Church leaders, it is the book’s concise explanations of the faith and eye-catching layout that captured her attention. ...

“It’s awesome,” said Roth. “It has the best explanation of the sacraments that I’ve ever read. And I’ve read a lot. I’m sold on this.

“It’s so easy to read. And I love the quotes on the side from different people. I’m going to use different things like that when I put out my newsletter. I love the layout.”

For more about the new Youth Catechism, visit www.YouCat.us.

Comments

[Nancy D.]

With all due respect to the Anchoress, on the surface it may appear as if the YOUCAT is a "terrific resource" until one looks clearly at the details, for example, In regards to The Church's teaching on homosexuality. Question 65 on homosexuality ends with the quote, "God often leads souls to Himself along unusual paths: a lack, a loss, or a wound-if accepted and affirmed, can be a springboard for throwing oneself into the arms of God", makes it appear that a homosexual inclination should be accepted and affirmed, and does not include the fullness of truth regarding CCC 2357-2358, The Catholic Church's teaching on lust, the grave depravity of homosexual acts, the disordered nature of a homosexual inclination, and CCC 2359. The illustration on page 224 is demeaning, and has an erroneous quote that serves to cause confusion in the margin that states, "The sins of the flesh are bad, but they are the least bad of all sins".(see The Catholic Church's teaching on Chastity and the grave sin against Chastity, 1Corinthians 6:9, 2Corinthians 12:21, Galatians 5:19, Ephesians 5:13, Colossians 3:5, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Hebrews 13:4, Mark 9:38-48...)

On page 150, question 262 asks what is necessary for a Christian, sacramental marriage, and gives an explanation that reads, "The requirement of unity and indissolubility is directed in the first place against POLYGAMY, which Christianity views as a fundamental offense against charity and human rights", but fails to mention that unity in Marriage requires that the couple be complementary, for only in a complementary relationship of Love between a mature man and woman, united in a Holy Marriage as husband and wife, can two become ONE body, ONE spirit in Love, creating a new family.

[Lorraine Shelstad]

See another review at:

http://www.suite101.com/content/youcat-a-review-of-the-new-catechism-for-young-people-part-i-a380400