Catechism for the Young--YOUCAT

YOUCAT, the youth catechism distributed as a gift to all those attending World Youth Day last year, was recently translated into Korean. The book has been translated into 30 languages and has sold over two million copies worldwide. After six months of meticulous translation, the catechism can now be found in Korean bookstores.

The content of the catechism is based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and is written in the form of  527 questions and answers, and divided into four  categories: What Catholics believe and why (doctrine); how Catholics celebrate the mysteries of the faith (sacraments); how Catholics are to live (moral  life); how they should pray (prayer and spirituality). Each category is complemented with selections from the Scriptures, the Fathers of the Church, and the saints. Also included are well-known maxims from many cultures, quotes from famous authors, and illustrations. 

The book, written for middle and high school students, appropriately uses language easy to understand, but is also suitable for those who are curious about the faith and want to know more. In compiling the text, an effort was made to ensure that the concerns of the young were addressed.
 
Fifty-two young people were brought together on two occasions to determine how the explanations should be expressed to make the most sense to the younger reader.


It is hoped that this  catechism will be an important  instrument in explaining the teaching of Catholicism to the young, especially during this Year of Faith. There are all kinds of efforts made to enter the world of the young to find appropriate ways to reach them. That the young were involved in compiling the catechism is an encouragement to many that the young will indeed respond favorably, making YOUCAT the next religious best seller in Korea.