Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: norcio@afn.ifsm.umbc.edu (A. F. Norcio) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: re: Benjamin Britten's pagan? carol Message-ID: Date: 6 Aug 90 02:02:13 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 27 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In her recent response to this topic, Cindy Smith refers to the "Catholic Catechism". It is necessary to point out that there is no such document as the "Catholic Catechism". There are a number of catechisms that are used by various Catholic schools and parishes. One of the more famous ones, which is now dated and almost never used, is the Baltimore Catechism. But there is no such thing as the "Catholic Catechism" authorized, promulgated, or sanctioned by the Catholic Church. An official Catholic Church catechism is now being developed by a Papal Commission with the assistance of bishops and theologians from around the world. This catechism now exists only in draft form and by no means is complete. It is the intention of Rome that this document will be the official catechism of the Catholic Church if and when it is completed and is accpted by the bishops. It may be useful to point put that when any document such as the many catechisms that are used, has an Imprimatur seal signed by a bishop it does not mean that the document presents the official position of the Catholic Church. And it does not mean or imply that the bishop agrees with, supports, or endorses the positions in the document. The imprimatur means only that the document is free of doctrinal or moral error.