Catholic parents are responsible to teach their children the Catholic faith. The Church has provided us with excellent resources for doing so, but none so helpful as the Baltimore Catechism.
In the late 1800s, the Catholic Church was still just getting established in the United States, and the bishops met in Baltimore, MD, which was then the Archdiocese and center of the Catholic Church in America. There, a number of Councils were held, at which the bishops addressed problems caused by Protestant and secular influences in American schools, which called for the development of Catholic schools and catechism tools. The great achievement of these councils was the publication of the Baltimore Catechism.
The Baltimore Catechism divides into three different levels:
- Baltimore Catechism I – for students preparing for First Communion
- Baltimore Catechism II – for students preparing for Confirmation
- Baltimore Catechism III – for students who have received Confirmation
Thus, the Baltimore Catechism provides a complete system of Catholic faith formation for children of all ages.
Studying the Baltimore Catechism
The text of the Baltimore Catechism is freely available and we offer all three courses here in the Academy. What parents and students need, however, are exams and assignments that help develop students’ mastery of the lessons. This is provided in the Academy’s Baltimore Catechism courses, which have been among our most popular courses through the years. In fact, one of our students, who is now in seminary, told us that the Baltimore Catechism II course had the greatest influence on his decision to become a priest.
If you would like to enroll one or more children in our Baltimore Catechism courses, you are welcome to do so at any time. These courses are self-paced, meaning that students can work through them as they are able, with no deadlines. Enrollment is always open and we offer payment options that make them available for all families. Get started today!
