Catechism of the Catholic Church

== Drafting ==
The decision to publish an official catechism was taken at the [[Second Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops]] that was convened by [[Pope John Paul II]] on 25 January 1985, to evaluate the progress of implementing the [[Vatican II council]]'s goals on the 20th anniversary of its closure. The assembly participants expressed the desire that "a [[catechism]] or [[compendium]] of all Catholic doctrine regarding both [[Catholic theology|faith]] and [[Catholic moral theology|morals]] be composed, that it might be, as it were, a point of reference for the catechisms or compendiums that are prepared in various regions. The presentation of doctrine must be [[Catholic Bible|biblical]] and [[Catholic liturgy|liturgical]]. It must be sound doctrine suited to the present life of Christians".<ref>{{Cite web|last=John|first=Paul II|date=11 October 1992|title=Apostolic Constitution Fidei Depositum|url=https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_19921011_fidei-depositum.html|url-status=live|access-date=30 November 2021|website=vatican.va|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191203182529/http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_19921011_fidei-depositum.html |archive-date=2019-12-03 }}</ref>

John Paul II says that in 1986 he formed a commission composed of 12 [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinals]] and bishops chaired by cardinal [[Joseph Ratzinger]] (who later became [[Pope Benedict XVI]]) to prepare the first draft of the ''Catechism''.<ref name="FIDEI DEPOSITUM" /> The commission was assisted by a committee consisting of seven [[diocesan bishops]], experts in [[theology]] and [[catechesis]].<ref name="FIDEI DEPOSITUM">{{cite web|date=11 October 1992|title=''Fidei depositum''|url=https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_19921011_fidei-depositum_en.html|access-date=5 October 2007|publisher=Libreria Editrice Vaticana}}</ref> 

The first principal part of the ''Catechism'', which deals with the Profession of Faith, was drafted by Bishop [[José Manuel Estepa Llaurens]] and Bishop [[Alessandro Maggiolini]]. The second principal part, on the sacraments, was drafted by future Cardinals [[Jorge Medina (cardinal)|Jorge Medina]] and [[Estanislao Esteban Karlic]]. The third principal part, on life in Christ, was drafted by the future Cardinal [[Jean Honoré]] and Bishop [[David Konstant]]. The final principal part, on prayer, was drafted by Fr. Jean Corbon, a Lebanese Melkite priest. Future CDF Prefect [[William Levada]] wrote the ''Catechism'''s glossary. The project's editorial secretary was the future Cardinal [[Christoph Schönborn]], OP.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Catechism of the Catholic Church {{!}} Encyclopedia.com |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/catechism-catholic-church |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=www.encyclopedia.com}}</ref>

Reminiscing those days, Ratzinger said in 2011: "I must confess that even today it seems a miracle to me that this project [the ''Catechism of the Catholic Church''] was ultimately successful".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Preface Written by the Holy Father Benedict XVI in YOUCAT, Aids to the Catechism of the Catholic Church for Young People, in view of WYD 2011 in Madrid|url=https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/it/letters/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_let_20110202_youcat.html|url-status=live|access-date=30 November 2021|website=Vatican.va|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191120223300/http://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/it/letters/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_let_20110202_youcat.html |archive-date=2019-11-20 }}</ref>

Cardinal [[Georges Cottier]] said he had worked on the catechism.<ref>{{Cite web|title="If everything is grace, then grace is no more" (by Gianni Valente)|url=http://www.30giorni.it/articoli_id_3545_l3.htm|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-23|website=30Giorni|quote=Going back to the early years, the first 'big' text I worked on was the social encyclical ''Centesimus annus''. And then the ''Ut unum sint'' on ecumenicalism, the moral encyclical ''Veritatis splendor'', and the ''Fides et ratio''… also the Catechism of the Catholic Church|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203020855/http://www.30giorni.it/articoli_id_3545_l3.htm |archive-date=2014-02-03 }}</ref>