I was contacted by the Catholic Truth Society in England with a request to let you my readers know about a special appeal/collection they are taking up to defray the cost of distributing a large quantity of the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church (“YouCat“) to university students in the UK.
Click HERE for more information.
The person who wrote included this comment:
If one person came back to Mass because they discovered what we really believe in it would be worth it.
They are asking for £5.00 per copy. That’s about US$7.80.
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I wish I could get behind this effort, but unless quotes from the YouCat like the following have been corrected/ommitted, I’ll pass:
“it is a painful experience for many homosexually oriented people that they do not feel erotically attracted to the opposite sex and necessarily miss out on the physical fruitfulness of the union between man and woman according to human nature and the divine order of creation.”
“The Church does not demonize masturbation, but she warns against trivializing it…”
“God created the world to be good, but it is not yet complete. In violent upheavals and painful processes it is being shaped and moved towards its final perfection. ”
“The closest thing to a father confessor is probably a bartender.”
– Peter Sellers, British actor
“Shame exists wherever there is a mystery.”
-Nietzche
YouCat:
Pope Leo XIII:
I have looked through YouCat and was very, very favorably impressed. It draws you in, it is attractive, it teaches doctrine, morals, prayer and sacraments, has all sorts of interesting information, beautiful images, gentle moments of playfulness, it is rather fascinating. There are really few things to quibble over, though I too might have said some things differently. I think the Youth Catechism can have a good effect and that giving them to university students is a great idea.
Here’s a way better idea, foks! Give them the REAL Catechism. Let’s not dumb down people by giving them dumbed-down books- especially when it comes to our glorious Catholic Faith. What was wrong with the Catechisim as we had it? And what are saying about our young people when we don’t think they can handle an ordinary book?
I agree with “inara” and “ezra”.
YouCat made George Weigel’s Books for Christmas.
From Ignatius Press:
Frequently Asked Questions About YouCat.
Charles,
Perhaps they should include copies of those “clarifications” with every copy shipped; no wonder Rorate Caeli has taken to referring to YouCat as LOLCat. I suspect the CTS would be better off sending students copies of the excellent Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Non-patronising, unambiguous, and consistent with Catholic doctrine!
With all due respect, I would not give YouCat to _anybody_ if I cared much at all about their soul. Not my apostate relative, nor my friend’s confused teenager, nor the guy that wanted to mug me. Rather, I refer anybody with an open mind to fairly consider the critique authored, and anonymously released, by a group of both clergy (confirmed to be both orthodox and shall we say, “traditionally inclined” — they remained anonymous due to the particular ecclesiastic offices they hold) and laity at:
http://youcatrecall.com/index.php/the-recall
This critique was met with a certain scorn and mockery by a number of (oft-too-vocal) “conservative” and “professional” Catholic bloggers and apologists back when both YouCat itself, and this critique above, was released at the time of WYD in Madrid. That said, I am still waiting to see any credible refutation to the concerns raised in this critique, which is both objective, thorough and/or convincing.
No, I do not accept the Ignatius story, which I find disappointing, and wanting. Yes, I still believe that You Cat is unacceptably confusing (at absolute best!).
For the love of God, give the youth a Compendium of the Catechism (a success story of WYD 2008), a CCC, a Baltimore Catechism, or _something_ Catholic… but please spare the youth any more Modernism!
From http://www.ignatius.com/Products/YOUCAT-P/youcat.aspx :
What Pope Benedict XVI has to say about the YOUCAT project:
“Study this Catechism with passion and perseverance. Make a sacrifice of your time for it! Study it in the quiet of your room; read it with a friend; form study groups and networks; share with each other on the Internet. By all means continue to talk with each other about your faith.”
I think I’d prefer to typeset and print pamphlets with the text of the First Vatican Council in English and Latin side by side and distribute it anonymously…