The same questions bear the same numbers throughout the series, and their wording is identical. The different sizes of type make the Catechisms more suitable to their respective grades, smaller children usually requiring larger print.
Apart from its educational advantages, the progressive plan aims at lessening the expense in providing children with Catechisms, by furnishing just what is necessary for each grade; it aims also at encouraging the children to learn, by affording opportunity for promotion from book to book.
These Catechisms are intended to furnish a complete course of religious instruction, when, used as follows:
No. 00 for Prayer classes.
No. 0 for Confession classes and certain adults.
No. 1 for First Communion classes.
No. 2 for Confirmation classes.
No. 3 for two years' course for Post-Confirmation classes.
No. 4 for Teachers and Teachers' Training classes.
I have been requested by several priests to prepare an abridgment of the "Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism" that would be suitable as a classbook for children who have been confirmed or who have completed the study of the Baltimore Catechism No. 2. The "Explanation" itself contains more matter than some of these children can master and it costs a little more than many of them can afford to pay. I have, therefore, selected from the list given in the back of the "Explanation" a large number of the more practical and important questions, to which I have added others, with answers, as full, brief and simple as the matter will permit. These questions and answers are added to those of the Baltimore Catechism No. 2, but with such distinction in type that all may see they are not a part of the Catechism prepared by the Council, but only a development of its meaning.
Whenever questions on the same subject are repeated in the book their
object is to bring out some new point or to show their connection with
the subject-matter there explained.
AUTHOR.
The Lord's Prayer
The Angelical Salutation
The Apostles' Creed
The Confiteor
An Act of Faith
An Act of Hope
An Act of Love
An Act of Contrition
The Blessing before Meals
Grace after Meals
The Manner in Which a Lay Person Is to Baptize in Case of Necessity
Lesson FIRST—On the End of Man
Lesson SECOND—On God and His Perfections
Lesson THIRD—On the Unity and Trinity of God
Lesson FOURTH—On Creation
Lesson FIFTH—On Our First Parents and the Fall
Lesson SIXTH—On Sin and Its Kinds
Lesson SEVENTH—On the Incarnation and Redemption
Lesson EIGHTH—On Our Lord's Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension
Lesson NINTH—On the Holy Ghost and His Descent Upon the Apostles
Lesson TENTH—On the Effects of the Redemption
Lesson ELEVENTH—On the Church
Lesson TWELFTH—On the Attributes and Marks of the Church
Lesson THIRTEENTH—On the Sacraments in General
Lesson FOURTEENTH—On Baptism
Lesson FIFTEENTH—On Confirmation
Lesson SIXTEENTH—On the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Ghost
Lesson SEVENTEENTH—On the Sacrament of Penance
Lesson EIGHTEENTH—On Contrition
Lesson NINETEENTH—On Confession
Lesson TWENTIETH—On the Manner of Making a Good Confession
Lesson TWENTY-FIRST—On Indulgences
Lesson TWENTY-SECOND—On the Holy Eucharist
Lesson TWENTY-THIRD—On the Ends for which the Holy Eucharist was
Instituted
Lesson TWENTY-FOURTH—On the Sacrifice of the Mass
Lesson TWENTY-FIFTH—On Extreme Unction and Holy Orders
Lesson TWENTY-SIXTH—On Matrimony
Lesson TWENTY-SEVENTH—On the Sacramentals
Lesson TWENTY-EIGHTH—On Prayer
Lesson TWENTY-NINTH—On the Commandments of God
Lesson THIRTIETH—On the First Commandment
Lesson THIRTY-FIRST—The First Commandment—On the Honor and Invocation
of the Saints
Lesson THIRTY-SECOND—From the Second to the Fourth Commandment
Lesson THIRTY-THIRD—From the Fourth to the Seventh Commandment
Lesson THIRTY-FOURTH—From the Seventh to the Tenth Commandment
Lesson THIRTY-FIFTH—On the First and Second Commandments of the Church
Lesson THIRTY-SIXTH—On the Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Commandments
of the Church
Lesson THIRTY-SEVENTH—On the Last Judgment and Resurrection, Hell, Purgatory and Heaven