YOUCAT - a catechism of the Church for young people is launched.

So many questions! Do you ever find yourself thinking about them? Do you ever lose confidence in being a Catholic Christian because you find them difficult to answer? Wouldn’t it be good if we knew where to begin to find answers to these and other big questions about life? We can lose hope when we try hard to live our Catholic faith but are not able to engage and debate with our critics.

Many thinkers, some with Christian faith and others without, have tackled life’s questions, sometimes many centuries ago, and, at other times, more recently. For 2,000 years the Church has been interested in these questions too. Where can we unwrap the 2,000-year-old experience of the people who believe that Jesus came to teach us who God really is and what it really means to be human?

In a new book called “YOUCAT”.

Published in 15 languages, and surely to be translated into more, this book, especially written for young people, gives the Church’s answers.

Why “YOUCAT”? Well, almost 20 years ago, the Church published answers to life’s big questions in a book of nearly 700 pages. The answers came from bishops from all over the world. The book was called “The Catechism of the Catholic Church”. The word “catholic” means “universal”, and, by asking the world’s bishops to bring the faith and experience of all the dioceses of the world together, the then Pope, John Paul II, was able to give to the world a book which told believers about living faith in Jesus Christ.

At the time, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was responsible for bringing together the answers from bishops across the world in this one book. No-one knew then that Cardinal Ratzinger would later be elected Pope.

More recently, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna, had a dream to express the content of “The Catechism of the Church” in a form and a language that would better engage young people. He presented this vision to the Pope and, with excitement, the Pope encouraged him to make his vision a reality.

Because of Pope Benedict’s interest in this easy-to-read guide to the Faith, written, designed and lovingly prepared to suit young people and adults of the internet generation, he personally wrote an encouraging introduction to the book.

“YOUCAT” is the 300-page Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church. We can see, from the Pope’s own words, just how passionate he is to share what the Church believes with young people.

In the foreword to this great publication the Pope says: “Many people say to me: the youth of today are not interested in [the teaching of the Church]. I disagree, and I am certain that I am right. The youth of today are not as superficial as some think. They want to know what life is really about. A detective story is exciting because it draws us into the destiny of other men, a destiny that could be ours. This book is exciting because it speaks of our own destiny and so deeply engages every one of us.”

With colour illustrations throughout, and presented in simple question-and-answer format, this book includes, in the side margins, great catchphrases from saints and thinkers through the ages.

Everywhere, there are reference helps to link back and forward to related themes.

This treasure of Catholic teaching for young people (which many adults are sure to read too) is available for only £9.95 from the Catholic Truth Society. To order, go to www.cts-online.org.uk, or phone 020 7640 0042.