‘Do YOUCAT?’

The recent and historical World Youth Day in Madrid, the second largest WYD after the WYD ’95 in the Philippines, sent waves of faith, love and conversions that continue to rejuvenate the Church. But there is more! It has left a very important spiritual testimony and legacy of a Church that is experiencing yet another springtime: the “YOUCAT.”

“YOUCAT” is basically a youthful version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. But it isn’t an official Catechism for the youth because it doesn’t come from the Vatican or any particular Conference of Bishops. It is an initiative of Ignatius Press that has been welcomed by Pope Benedict himself.

The “YOUCAT,” despite lacking official Church sanctions, is still a catechism through and through with the traditional format of questions and answers. It may not be the ideal reference for more scholarly research or presentations, the Catechism and its Compendium are there for such academic purposes, but neither is it a diluted version of the Catechism.

Pope Benedict XVI, admitting the unusual features of the book and how it came to be, eagerly endorsed the “YOUCAT.” In the foreword he writes: “Study this Catechism! This is my heartfelt desire. Study this Catechism with passion and perseverance. 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…. You need to be more deeply rooted in the faith than the generation of your parents.”

What gives the “YOUCAT” a special attraction is its popular format. It is a spiritual multimedia package for the young at heart who want everything in one go and with a unique twang of faith! Thus, the “YOUCAT” has a lot of lively pictures and even caricatures which more than getting in the way are also catechetical. There are popups along the margins of Bible verses, quotes from saints, masters and renown teachers of spirituality.

Also a notable feature of the “YOUCAT” is its straightforward, honest and tough questions. Perhaps, for the average high school student, some points will be quite deep and may require supplementary materials. But in general the points are all enlightening. It’s sure to be a “book to go” that will always come in handy for consulting and sharing the truth of one’s faith with other people.

Here are some examples of “YOUCAT” points:

# 82. Isn’t it improper to call Mary the “Mother” of God?

No. Anyone who calls Mary the Mother of God thereby professes that her Son is God.

# 120. What does the Holy Spirit do in my life?

The Holy Spirit makes receptive to God; he teaches me to pray and helps me to be there for others.

# 384. Can a handicapped child be aborted?

No. Aborting a handicapped child is always a serious crime, even if it is done with the intention of sparing that person suffering later on.

# 437. How should we treat animals?

Animals are our fellow creatures, which we should care for and in which we should delight, just as God delights in their existence.

# 490. Is it enough to pray when you feel like praying?

No. Someone who prays only when he feels like it does not take God seriously and will leave off praying. Prayer thrives on faithfulness.

A more important part, however, comes after “YOUCAT.” This is the DOCAT. This means putting into practice what we have studied as Benedict XVI suggested. We can freely translate study to mean using the Catechism for prayer and reflection. Thus, it becomes a wonderful sounding board to examine how we believe, worship, how we live our lives in a morally upright way, and how we pray.

To DOCAT, also means imparting its contents and our own lights to others. One can hold weekly study groups to discuss relevant topics. This can be done in a coffee shop or via the Internet. One may also see how to put some points personally into action through details of personal piety, sacrifice and good works. Of course, nothing beats teaching others by volunteering to give catechism classes.

The possibilities are endless when one faith grows and is shared through deeds of love with others. Happy reading, praying and catechizing!

“YOUCAT” now by being DOCAT!