Francis Spirago

Retypeset and including Index, this is the timeless traditional catechism of Truth. Twenty years into the third millennium annis Domini, and most of humanity is lost. "A day will come when the whole world will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad they will say, 'You are mad; you are not like us, '" prophesied a Desert Father. It seems we are in those days. Thus, the great need for the present book."The person who has the light of the Holy Spirit in him is like a traveller performing his journey in sunshine and fair weather; quite otherwise is the case of him from whom that light is cut off by the clouds of sin; he is like the unwilling traveller, forced to make his way through wind and storm." The book in your hands is a clear guide on the royal road to profound joy. No need to stumble along in darkness and confusion, no need to re-invent the wheel - Our Lord has already bestowed everything necessary for the good journey, we have only to take heed and make use of it.As the Fathers of the Church have said, the Catholic Faith is a seamless garment, thus this "Catechism is a marvellously connected system of revealed truth. If Catholics were thoroughly acquainted in their childhood with the fundamental truths of religion; if they were taught to see how all the different parts of this divine edifice combine to form one beauteous structure, the darts of hell would have no power to injure them. Calculated to touch the heart and kindle the flame of charity towards God and one's neighbor, this Catechism aims at the warmth of expression and the fervent, persuasive eloquence which appeal to the heart, the force and vivifying power which affect the will through the influence of the Holy Spirit. It cultivates, to an equal extent, all the three powers of the soul: the understanding, the affections, and the will. It does not therefore content itself with mere definitions. The principal object proposed in it is not to teach men to philosophize about religion, but to make them good Christians who will delight in their faith." From the Preface.

Retypeset and including Index, this is the timeless traditional catechism of Truth. Twenty years into the third millennium annis Domini, and most of humanity is lost. "A day will come when the whole world will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad they will say, 'You are mad; you are not like us, '" prophesied a Desert Father. It seems we are in those days. Thus, the great need for the present book."The person who has the light of the Holy Spirit in him is like a traveller performing his journey in sunshine and fair weather; quite otherwise is the case of him from whom that light is cut off by the clouds of sin; he is like the unwilling traveller, forced to make his way through wind and storm." The book in your hands is a clear guide on the royal road to profound joy. No need to stumble along in darkness and confusion, no need to re-invent the wheel - Our Lord has already bestowed everything necessary for the good journey, we have only to take heed and make use of it.As the Fathers of the Church have said, the Catholic Faith is a seamless garment, thus this "Catechism is a marvellously connected system of revealed truth. If Catholics were thoroughly acquainted in their childhood with the fundamental truths of religion; if they were taught to see how all the different parts of this divine edifice combine to form one beauteous structure, the darts of hell would have no power to injure them. Calculated to touch the heart and kindle the flame of charity towards God and one's neighbor, this Catechism aims at the warmth of expression and the fervent, persuasive eloquence which appeal to the heart, the force and vivifying power which affect the will through the influence of the Holy Spirit. It cultivates, to an equal extent, all the three powers of the soul: the understanding, the affections, and the will. It does not therefore content itself with mere definitions. The principal object proposed in it is not to teach men to philosophize about religion, but to make them good Christians who will delight in their faith." From the Preface.

This book has been considered by academicians and scholars of great significance and value to literature. This forms a part of the knowledge base for future generations. So that the book is never forgotten we have represented this book in a print format as the same form as it was originally first published. Hence any marks or annotations seen are left intentionally to preserve its true nature.

We already have so many catechisms, what do we need of another? We indeed have in abundance, catechisms and religious manuals which appeal only to the intellect; books that do not aim at the warmth of expression and the fervent, persuasive eloquence which appeal to the heart, the force and vivifying power which affect the will through the influence of the Holy Spirit.This Catechism aims at cultivating all the three powers of the soul: the intellect, the emotions, and the will. It does not therefore content itself with mere definitions. The idea in it is not to teach men to philosophize about religion, but to make them good Christians who will delight in their faith. Consequently questions of scholastic theology, doctrines debated among theologians, are either omitted altogether or merely receive a passing mention. In this catechism, Fr. Spirago has endeavored to divest religious teaching of the appearance of learning, and to present it in a popular and simple form. Technical terms, in which almost all religious manuals abound, even those intended for children, are carefully eliminated from his pages since, while useful and necessary for seminarians and theologians, they are out of place in a book intended for the laity. Popular manuals of religion ought to be couched in plain and simple language, like that used by Our Lord and the apostles, easy to understand. What we need is something that will touch the heart and influence the will, not merely cram the mind with knowledge. Attention may also be called to the fact that the teaching of the Church is not presented in a dry, abstract form, but is rendered attractive and interesting by illustrations, comparisons, and quotations from well-known writers. It also has many extracts from the writings of the Father which are quoted mainly to elucidate and illustrate, not to prove the truths that are enunciated."The Catechism Explained by Spirago embodies the Catechism of the Council of Trent, yet contains fuller discussions for each point in the language that was developed by the Church, saints and theologians throughout time. Rather than being locked into a specific age or decade, this catechism is an explication of the faith in an almost timeless manner. It is a catechism that any subsequent generation could read and learn the essence of the Catholic faith."-Fr. Chad Ripperger, PhD

We already have so many catechisms, what do we need of another? We indeed have in abundance, catechisms and religious manuals which appeal only to the intellect; books that do not aim at the warmth of expression and the fervent, persuasive eloquence which appeal to the heart, the force and vivifying power which affect the will through the influence of the Holy Spirit.This Catechism aims at cultivating all the three powers of the soul: the intellect, the emotions, and the will. It does not therefore content itself with mere definitions. The idea in it is not to teach men to philosophize about religion, but to make them good Christians who will delight in their faith. Consequently questions of scholastic theology, doctrines debated among theologians, are either omitted altogether or merely receive a passing mention. In this catechism, Fr. Spirago has endeavored to divest religious teaching of the appearance of learning, and to present it in a popular and simple form. Technical terms, in which almost all religious manuals abound, even those intended for children, are carefully eliminated from his pages since, while useful and necessary for seminarians and theologians, they are out of place in a book intended for the laity. Popular manuals of religion ought to be couched in plain and simple language, like that used by Our Lord and the apostles, easy to understand. What we need is something that will touch the heart and influence the will, not merely cram the mind with knowledge. Attention may also be called to the fact that the teaching of the Church is not presented in a dry, abstract form, but is rendered attractive and interesting by illustrations, comparisons, and quotations from well-known writers. It also has many extracts from the writings of the Father which are quoted mainly to elucidate and illustrate, not to prove the truths that are enunciated."The Catechism Explained by Spirago embodies the Catechism of the Council of Trent, yet contains fuller discussions for each point in the language that was developed by the Church, saints and theologians throughout time. Rather than being locked into a specific age or decade, this catechism is an explication of the faith in an almost timeless manner. It is a catechism that any subsequent generation could read and learn the essence of the Catholic faith."-Fr. Chad Ripperger, PhD

The Catechism Explained - An exhaustive exposition of the Christian religion, with special reference to the present state of society and the spirit of the age. is an unchanged, high-quality reprint of the original edition of 1899. Hansebooks is editor of the literature on different topic areas such as research and science, travel and expeditions, cooking and nutrition, medicine, and other genres. As a publisher we focus on the preservation of historical literature. Many works of historical writers and scientists are available today as antiques only. Hansebooks newly publishes these books and contributes to the preservation of literature which has become rare and historical knowledge for the future.

The Catechism Explained is an unchanged, high-quality reprint of the original edition of 1899. Hansebooks is editor of the literature on different topic areas such as research and science, travel and expeditions, cooking and nutrition, medicine, and other genres. As a publisher we focus on the preservation of historical literature. Many works of historical writers and scientists are available today as antiques only. Hansebooks newly publishes these books and contributes to the preservation of literature which has become rare and historical knowledge for the future.