To face the world with safety, Catholics must have knowledge and character—they must know their religion and live it. The revolt from authority in religion, which began in the sixteenth century, has now become a revolt from authority in conduct as well.
Outside the Catholic Church there are very few nowadays who give a thought to what is God’s will—the point of view of faith—God’s plan. To the Catholic heart this indifference brings great sadness, but there is something sadder still; the world is actually in revolt against God, it is attacking God, blaspheming the good God, and doing its very best to banish God, his Christ, and Christ’s Church from among men.
The fiercest of the fight is around the souls of our little ones, for they know that they have won the war if they can blot out the image of God from the souls of his children.
There are many religious bodies that call themselves Christian, but not one of them can withstand this anti-God campaign, except the Catholic Church—the true Church of Christ, built upon the Rock, St. Peter, and against which the gates of hell shall never prevail. Every loyal son of the Church therefore is bound to do what he can to be ready and to prepare others to fight successfully the battles of Christ the King.
Here is his textbook, and we wish it Godspeed.
This Catechism of 84 pages was originally published by the Catholic Social Guild of Oxford England in 1936.
It contains all of the essential teachings of the Church on man’s nature, purpose, and destiny, as well as his fall and redemption. There are sections on the divine and natural law, the right to life—one’s own and that of others— as well as extensive Q&A sections on education, marriage, private property, wages, the family home, the state and Catholics in politics. This is a great teaching tool and very much needed today in America.