“Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation.”

— Our Lady of Good Help

The catechism lays the groundwork for a life of inquiry and learning. It is how we train a child’s mind to spot truth, to filter experiences through that truth, and to apply sound judgment to everything he encounters. That is why Our Lady commanded Adele Brise to catechize the pioneer children, and not to teach them science, arithmetic, the English language or any number of other subjects they didn’t know and may have needed. Nothing is more important than knowing the faith. Without truth, we’re ships without sails, we’re out of control in a world battering us with opinions, ideas, and temptations everywhere we look. That is why this list contains only catechisms and catechetical aids to religious education. I treasure my family’s collection of novels that illustrate saintly lives, virtuous historical figures, and ordinary people adventuring and struggling through life. There are thousands of such books and many Catholic bloggers who are dedicated to reviewing these books. They are also an important part of forming a child’s faith.

 CATECHISMS FOR CHILDREN:

*BEST PLACE TO START >>>The New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism No. 1 — buy here.

This catechism is an updated form of the Baltimore Catechism, which was the first catechism written for Catholics in America and had nearly unanimous support by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (late 1800s). It is for grades 3-5 and was used for decades in schools across the country. Unlike the original Baltimore Catechism, the St. Joseph Edition contains relevant biblical stories from the life of Christ and is NOT in question-and-answer format, although each chapter ends with questions from the original and various true/false and fill in the blank questions. After completing No. 1, grab No.2 or the original Baltimore Catechism volumes 1-4, which will provide you with the religious education of a First Communicant through high school student.

CATECHISMS FOR ADULTS:

The Catechism of the Council of Trent — buy here or read here.

This catechism was produced by the Council of Trent and is the first Catechism written for the whole Church. It was written for parish priests. It is clear, concise, and beautifully written. It covers the creed, the sacraments, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer.

The Catechism of Pope Pius X — buy here or read here (skip intro).

This catechism was written for you and me, the lay members of the Catholic Church. It is VERY concise, short, and clear. It is in question-and-answer format and is a GREAT place to start. Orthodox and basic.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1st or 2nd edition, under Pope John Paul II) — buy here.

This catechism was written for catechists and clergy. It goes deeper into the teachings and nature of the Catholic Church than the other catechisms. It is longer and not as concise, making it a more difficult starting point, but it is still quite beautiful. It also contains copious footnotes. Since there have been some recent, questionable changes to this catechism, I suggest earlier editions, at least until enough time has passed for subsequent popes to uphold or revise the changes.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CURRICULA COVERING THE CATECHISM AND/OR CHURCH HISTORY

Highway to Heaven Series — Buy here.

The link is for the whole series, but each book can be purchased separately. This series is beautifully illustrated, and each lesson has a brief reading, followed by discussion questions and examples of the lessons in practice. To better understand how the series flows, take the fourth-grade book as an example. Before Christ Came begins with God’s promises to Adam and Eve after the fall and continues through all the patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament. The fifth-grade text, as another example, is called The Vine and the Branches. It begins with Pentecost and lessons on several of the lives of apostles and then goes through major events in the life of the early Church (i.e., persecutions under Nero, the Emperor Constantine, St. Augustine, the first monastics and hermits, etc.) Note: books 1 and 2 are not as good as the rest of the series simply because at those younger ages picture books with well-developed stories and relatable characters are more attractive to children.

If you’re dedicating time to teach this series, here are the teacher manuals. The series was developed by the Marquette Institute of Catechetical Research in 1930.

Treasure Box Series — Buy here.

The link is for the whole series, but you could buy one or two separately to give it a try. This series is like a children’s religious periodical. Each of the 20 “editions” contains a story about St. Therese, Our Lady, or other holy person. It has short, educational, and often funny poems. There is usually an old-timey craft or game included. We have enjoyed the story of little Sunny and his angel, Wupsy, who works to bring the priests and the Mass to a rural village. The series has adorable illustrations, and the inside covers explain for the educator the Church’s teachings on topics within each edition.

OTHER BEAUTIFUL BOOKS ON THE FAITH

An Alphabet of the Altar — Buy here.

Everything about this book is gorgeous. It breeds reverence in readers with its soft hardcover, gold embossing, large dimensions, and detailed illustrations of the elements of the Mass. You will notice the priest in the book faces away while he says Mass. That’s because it was written for the Latin Mass, but the chalice, tabernacle, vestments, candles, incense, and all the rest are still part of the Novos Ordo Mass, so this book applies to both forms of the Mass.

A Pictorial Catechism — Buy here.

This is a detailed catechism that employs detailed wood-engraving that will help you understand each of the Church’s doctrines more deeply. Though the topics can be heavy, it is an enjoyable to go deeper into the Church’s teachings. Even The Art Journal, Britian’s biggest art magazine of the 19th century, recommended it.

The Faith Explained — Buy here.

A classic! This book covers so much — the sacraments, the Creed, prayer, etc. The anecdotes are beautiful and relatable, and the author writes in an enjoyable style.

The Illustrated Mass — Buy here.

This is a reprint from 1954. It is organized like a comic book but is still reverent. It starts with a boy who doesn’t want to get up for Mass. Eventually, it covers the extraordinary (Latin) form of the Mass step-by-step — from the prayers said by the priest while he dresses for Mass to the final prayers of the Mass. The illustrations are extremely helpful in understanding how the prayers and actions in the pews coincide with the prayers and actions on the altar. I would read it even if you attend the Novos Ordo, as it will bring deeper meaning to the elements of the reformed Mass that were not changed, like certain prayers, the idea of sacrifice and sacrament, the breakdown of the sections of the Mass, and so on.

COME BACK SOON!
We’ll be adding to more children’s religion curriculums, books on saints, and books that distill the faith for children and adults.