From the brief “penny” catechisms of the 16th century to our own late 20th-century Catechism, scores of faithful priests, bishops, popes, saints, and even Church Councils have for Catholics young and old published succinct, reliable summaries of our Church’s perennial teachings: catechisms.

In them, readers have encountered Catholic doctrine presented in refreshingly clear and even elegant language, often accompanied by handsome woodcuts on lovely pages. 

Now, for the first time ever, dozens of historic catechisms are being unearthed and painstakingly restored. They are being reformatted for publication and presented to you in this gorgeous 20-volume, cross-indexed collection.  

What’s in Volume II: Along with a Foreword from Bishop Athanasius Schneider, three important catechisms are reproduced in this volume. The first is the copiously illustrated A Shorte Catechisme of the renowned Doctor of the Church and celebrated patron of catechists, St. Robert Cardinal Bellarmine (1614). It features beautifully restored woodcuts alongside a brilliant pedagogical method once considered for universal use in the Church. 

Second is the famous "Douay Catechism," properly titled An Abridgment of the Christian Doctrine by Fr. Henry Turberville (1649), which includes hundreds of Scripture references, several thorough explanations in response to various Protestant errors of the time, and a striking catechesis on the prayers of the ancient Roman Mass. 

The third is The Childes Catechism of Fr. Thomas Vincent Sadler (1678), a lovely little work offering a touching glimpse of the parental art of conversational religious instruction of children in the 17th century.