The New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism (No. 2)

• Paperback – 264 pages 
• by Fr. Bennet Kelley 
• Catholic Book Publishing Corp – 1991 

The Baltimore Catechism expands on the foundations laid in the last few years. The primary text this year is the Faith & Life book, and the catechism reviewed is keyed to that text. The Baltimore Catechism is used because the doctrine is clear, and the method is perfect for young children. They rejoice in their ability to memorize. The text is distilled St. Thomas; as such it actually improves the student’s ability to think, for it gives the students a precise vocabulary. As a result of using this text they have better tools for thinking, and a model of cogent thought.  The Baltimore Catechism is more formal and succinct, so it is clearer, but the Faith & Life text fleshes out the doctrine. These two texts work very well together.