Catholic religious education came of age right here in Baltimore in 1885.
That was the year the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore produced “A Catechism of Christian Doctrine, Prepared and Enjoined by Order of the Third Council of Baltimore.”
Some say the document is also the best hope for Baltimore?s disadvantaged children.
“In our city, we have so many kids who are troubled. The answer is to be found in educating them in the faith,” Baltimore Archbishop William Henry Keeler said. “Troubled kids tells me that there are troubled homes behind them. Homes experience less trouble if there is the discipline of teaching religion and also of practicing religion in the home.”
The catechism ? originally a book of questions and answers about the Catholic faith ? has been learned and memorized by generations of parochial schoolchildren and Catholics studying for confirmation in the church.
Today it is more of a conversational document, Keeler said. “It?s how the faith is transmitted.”
“Throughout the English-speaking world, and in Africa and in Asia, the Baltimore Catechism means something to all those people,” Keeler said.
Keeler, along with Washington?s current archbishop, Donald Wuerl, and his predecessor Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, signed a 6-foot facsimile of that first catechism during an awards ceremony Wednesday morning honoring Catholic educators.
The publisher, William H. Sadlier Inc., of New York, still publishes the catechism as well as educational texts for kindergarten through 12th grade. Sadlier celebrates its 175th anniversary this year.
“Before the Baltimore Catechism there wasn?t a catechism. It was the first catechism in this country,” McCarrick said. “It?s the platform from which all other catechisms are built.
“You?re touching the history of the Catholic Church,” he said.
Awards were given in math education, Catholic community work, and for those who made significant individual contributions to Catholic education.
Anita Grauer and Mary Susan Dover said they were bowled over by their recognition for dedication to math education. They received the Sister Rose Anita McDonnell, IHM Award at the breakfast.
“When our principal mentioned she would like to nominate us for this math award, we said thank you,” Dover said. “When we found out we won, we were just, ?Oh wow!? ”
