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43-519: Merciless means a lack of mercy , leniency or compassion. Merciless may also refer to: Mercy In the social and legal context, mercy may refer both to compassionate behavior on the part of those in power (e.g. mercy shown by a judge toward a convict), or on the part of a humanitarian third party (e.g., a mission of mercy aiming to treat war victims). "Mercy" can be defined as "compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power"; and also "a blessing that

86-834: A Special and Extraordinary Holy Year Jubilee Year of Mercy, from December 8, 2015: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary , until November 21, 2016: the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King . The theme of the Extraordinary Jubilee was taken from Luke 6:36 , "Merciful, Like the Father". In Islam the title "Most Merciful" ( Al-Raheem ) is one of the names of Allah and "Most Compassionate" ( Al-Rahman ),

129-581: A chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. This devotional element of mercy as part of the Christian tradition was echoed by Saint Augustine who called mercy "ever ancient, ever new". The Works of Mercy (seven corporal and seven spiritual works) are part of

172-477: A consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm – without definitely taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself – the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity "are very rare, if not practically nonexistent." The 2018 change to the Catechism reads: Recourse to

215-784: A hireling. The figure of the father is analogous to God as Father, who goes beyond the requirements of justice to welcome his son with compassion. The Catechism of the Catholic Church emphasizes the importance of the Works of Mercy . In Roman Catholic teachings the mercy of God flows through the work of the Holy Spirit. Roman Catholic liturgy includes frequent references to mercy, e.g., as in Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison : Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy. Mercy has also been an important subject of Christian iconography . Since

258-512: A miracle to me that this project [the Catechism of the Catholic Church ] was ultimately successful". Cardinal Georges Cottier said he had worked on the catechism. The Catechism of the Catholic Church , which I approved 25 June last and the publication of which I today order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church's faith and of Catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture , Apostolic Tradition and

301-412: A point of reference for the catechisms or compendiums that are prepared in various regions. The presentation of doctrine must be biblical and liturgical . It must be sound doctrine suited to the present life of Christians". John Paul II says that in 1986 he formed a commission composed of 12 cardinals and bishops chaired by cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict XVI ) to prepare

344-520: Is an act of divine favor or compassion." "To be at someone's mercy" indicates a person being "without defense against someone." In a judicial context mercy is often termed "clemency". It is a sovereign prerogative that resides in the executive and is entirely discretionary. John Locke defined it as "the power to act according to discretion, for the public good, without the prescription of the Law, and sometimes even against it." The U.S. Court of Appeals for

387-615: Is not strain'd. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes. Catechism of the Catholic Church God Schools Relations with: The Catechism of the Catholic Church ( Latin : Catechismus Catholicae Ecclesiae ; commonly called the Catechism or the CCC ) is a reference work that summarizes

430-479: Is part of the beliefs of Hinduism , Buddhism , and Jainism . Karuṇā is present in all schools of Buddhism and in Jainism it is viewed as one of the reflections of universal friendship. The spiritual teacher Meher Baba described God as being "all-merciful and eternally benevolent" in his O Parvardigar prayer, and he held that we can approach God through the "invocation of His mercy." The quality of mercy

473-630: Is rich in mercy... even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ." Psalm 117 calls upon all nations to praise the Lord on account of his "merciful kindness". This is quoted by the Apostle Paul in Romans 15:11 to show that God has now fulfilled this prophecy and promise through Jesus Christ, who has been merciful in giving his life as a sacrifice for his people, both Jew and gentile. 1 Peter 2:9–10 reads: But you are

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516-662: Is the merciful love of God and the desire to let that love and mercy flow through one's own heart towards those in need of it. Pope John Paul II was a follower of the Divine Mercy devotion, due to Saint Mary Faustina Kowalska (1905–1938), who is known as the Apostle of Mercy . A number of Roman Catholic shrines are specifically dedicated to Divine Mercy, e.g. the Basilica of Divine Mercy in Krakow Poland, and

559-591: Is the most common name occurring in the Quran . Rahman and Rahim both derive from the root Rahmat , which refers to tenderness and benevolence. As a form of mercy, the giving of alms ( zakat ) is the fourth of the Five Pillars of Islam and one of the requirements for the faithful. The concept of mercy encompasses two terms in Hebrew. Chesed , which is also translated as 'loving-kindness' and 'goodness',

602-409: Is the seventh of the thirteen defining attributes of God . The other, rachamim , is also translated as 'compassion' (or because its noun form is grammatically plural, as 'mercies'). Rachamim is the fourth of the thirteen attributes. Exodus 34:6 says: "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness." This is also emphasized in

645-691: Is what one receives when one does not get what one deserves. An emphasis on mercy appears in the New Testament , for example in the Magnificat and Benedictus (Song of Zechariah ), in Luke's Gospel , and in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:7 : "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy." In Ephesians 2:4–5 Apostle Paul refers to the mercy of God in terms of salvation: "God, who

688-762: The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary — John Paul II promulgated the Latin typical edition , with his apostolic letter Laetamur magnopere . The CCC was published in the French language in 1992. In the United States, the English translation was published in 1994 and more than 250,000 copies had been pre-ordered before its release, with a note that it was "subject to revision according to

731-540: The Catholic Church 's doctrine. It was promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1992 as a reference for the development of local catechisms , directed primarily to those (in the church) responsible for catechesis and offered as "useful reading for all other Christian faithful ". It has been translated into and published in more than twenty languages worldwide. John Paul II referred to it as "the Catechism of

774-613: The Middle Ages , many representations in art encouraged people to practice the works of mercy and, as the art historian Ralf van Bühren explains using the example of Caravaggio , helped "the audience to explore mercy in their own lives". In the 20th century, there was new focus on mercy in the Roman Catholic Church, partly due to the Divine Mercy devotion. The primary focus of the Divine Mercy devotion

817-783: The National Shrine of The Divine Mercy (Stockbridge, Massachusetts) . During the dedication of the Basilica of Divine Mercy, John Paul II quoted the Diary of Faustina and called mercy the "greatest attribute of God Almighty". The first World Apostolic Congress on Mercy was held in Rome in April 2008 and was inaugurated by Pope Benedict XVI . In 2015, at St. Peter's Basilica , in a Papal Bull of Indiction entitled Misericordiae Vultus ("The Face of Mercy"), Pope Francis proclaimed

860-471: The New Covenant . Building on the allegorical sense, the moral sense instructs in regard to action, and the anagogical sense points to man's final destiny. The teaching of the Catechism on Scripture has encouraged the pursuit of covenantal theology , an approach that employs the four senses to structure salvation history via the biblical covenants. One of the changes in the 1997 update consisted of

903-801: The Second Vatican Council ". The decision to publish an official catechism was taken at the Second Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops , which was convened by Pope John Paul II on 25 January 1985 to evaluate the progress of implementing the Vatican II council 's goals on the 20th anniversary of its closure. The assembly participants expressed the desire that "a catechism or compendium of all Catholic doctrine regarding both faith and morals be composed, that it might be, as it were,

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946-646: The diocesan Bishops and the Episcopal Conferences ". The Catechism states: 11 This catechism aims at presenting an organic synthesis of the essential and fundamental contents of Catholic doctrine, as regards both faith and morals , in the light of the Second Vatican Council and the whole of the Church's Tradition . Its principal sources are the Sacred Scriptures , the Fathers of

989-649: The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. In the encyclical Dives in misericordia ("Rich in Mercy") Pope John Paul II examined the role of mercy—both God's mercy, and also the need for human mercy. He saw in the Parable of the Prodigal Son ( Luke 15:11–32 ) "the essence of the divine mercy". Having squandered his patrimony, justice would dictate that the prodigal should only expect to be received back as

1032-432: The Church , the liturgy , and the Church's Magisterium . It is intended to serve "as a point of reference for the catechisms or compendia that are composed in the various countries". 12 This work is intended primarily for those responsible for catechesis : first of all the bishops , as teachers of the faith and pastors of the Church. It is offered to them as an instrument in fulfilling their responsibility of teaching

1075-530: The Church's Magisterium . I declare it to be a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion and a sure norm for teaching the faith. The Catechism was promulgated by John Paul II on 11 October 1992, the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council , with his apostolic constitution Fidei depositum (in English, The Deposit of Faith ). On 15 August 1997—the Solemnity of

1118-549: The Latin typical edition ( editio typica ) when it is published". The Latin typical edition, the official text of reference promulgated on 15 August 1997, amended the contents of the provisional French text at a few points. As a result, the earlier translations from the French into other languages (including English) had to be amended and re-published as "second editions". Over eight million copies have been sold worldwide and

1161-599: The People of God. Through the bishops, it is addressed to redactors of catechisms , to priests, and to catechists . It will also be useful reading for all other Christian faithful. The Catechism is a source on which to base other Catholic catechisms (e.g., YOUCAT or the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults ) and other expositions of Catholic doctrine. As stated in the apostolic constitution Fidei depositum , with which its publication

1204-486: The Sixth Circuit explained that "The very nature of clemency is that it is grounded solely in the will of the dispenser of clemency. He need give no reasons for granting it or for denying it." The concept of a merciful God appears in various religions, including Hinduism , Christianity , Judaism , and Islam . Performing acts of mercy as a component of religious beliefs is also emphasized through actions such as

1247-406: The book has been published in more than twenty languages. In the apostolic constitution Fidei depositum , John Paul II declared that the Catechism of the Catholic Church is "a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion and a sure norm for teaching the faith", and stressed that it "is not intended to replace the local catechisms duly approved by the ecclesiastical authorities,

1290-584: The context of the Babylonian exile in Isaiah: "For the Lord has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his suffering ones. But Zion said, 'The Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me.' Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you." ( Isaiah 49:13–15 ) Also: "It is good to pray and fast, to be merciful and just." ( Tobit 12:8 ) When David , because of his sin,

1333-421: The death penalty on the part of legitimate authority, following a fair trial, was long considered an appropriate response to the gravity of certain crimes and an acceptable, albeit extreme, means of safeguarding the common good. Today, however, there is an increasing awareness that the dignity of the person is not lost even after the commission of very serious crimes. In addition, a new understanding has emerged of

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1376-424: The death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor. If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people's safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and more in conformity to the dignity of the human person. Today, in fact, as

1419-413: The fall of ideologies, the problem of man—the moral problem—is presented to today's context in a totally new way: What should we do? How does life become just? What can give us and the whole world a future which is worth living? Since the catechism treats these questions, it is a book which interests many people, far beyond purely theological or ecclesial circles. Ulf Ekman , former Charismatic pastor and

1462-621: The first draft of the Catechism . The commission was assisted by a committee consisting of seven diocesan bishops , experts in theology and catechesis . The first principal part of the Catechism , which deals with the Profession of Faith, was drafted by Bishop José Manuel Estepa Llaurens and Bishop Alessandro Maggiolini . The second principal part, on the sacraments, was drafted by future Cardinals Jorge Medina and Estanislao Esteban Karlic . The third principal part, on life in Christ,

1505-513: The founder of Livets Ord , says that the Catechism is "the best book he has ever read". The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church was published in 2005, and the first edition in English in 2006. It is a more concise, dialogic and illustrated version of the Catechism . The text of the Compendium is available in fourteen languages on the Vatican website, which also gives

1548-434: The giving of alms, care for the sick, and Works of Mercy . Hebrews 4:16 says, "So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help." Grace and mercy are similar in that both are free gifts of God and both are dispensed absent any merit on the part of the recipient. Grace is the favor of God, a divine assistance. Grace is what one receives that one does not deserve while mercy

1591-489: The inclusion of the position on the death penalty that is defended in John Paul II's encyclical Evangelium vitae of 1995. The paragraph dealing with the death penalty (2267) was revised again by Pope Francis in 2018. The text previously stated (1997): Assuming that the guilty party's identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to

1634-504: The necessary spiritual interpretation should be sought through the four senses of Scripture. The literal sense pertains to the meaning of the words themselves, including any figurative meanings. The spiritual senses pertain to the significance of the things (persons, places, objects or events) denoted by the words. Of the three spiritual senses, the allegorical sense is foundational. It relates persons, events, and institutions of earlier covenants to those of later covenants, and especially to

1677-421: The person", and the Catholic Church works with determination for its abolition worldwide. In 1992, cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI ) stated: [The Catechism of the Catholic Church ] clearly show[s] that the problem of what we must do as human beings, of how we should live our lives so that we and the world may become just, is the essential problem of our day, and basically of all ages. After

1720-480: The significance of penal sanctions imposed by the state. Lastly, more effective systems of detention have been developed, which ensure the due protection of citizens but, at the same time, do not definitively deprive the guilty of the possibility of redemption. Consequently, the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that "the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of

1763-420: Was drafted by the future Cardinal Jean Honoré and Bishop David Konstant . The final principal part, on prayer, was drafted by Fr. Jean Corbon, a Lebanese Melkite priest. Future CDF Prefect William Levada wrote the Catechism' s glossary. The project's editorial secretary was the future Cardinal Christoph Schönborn , OP. Reminiscing those days, Ratzinger said in 2011: "I must confess that even today it seems

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1806-493: Was ordered, it was given so "that it may be a sure and authentic reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine and particularly for preparing local catechisms". The Catechism is arranged in four principal parts: The section on Scripture in the Catechism covers the Patristic tradition of "spiritual exegesis " as further developed through the scholastic doctrine of the " four senses ". The Catechism by specifies that

1849-531: Was told to choose between a three-year famine, pursuit by his enemies for three months, or a three-day pestilence, he chose the pestilence, saying, "Let us fall by the hand of God, for he is most merciful; but let me not fall by the hand of man." ( 2 Samuel 24:14 ) Psalm 103:8 praises God for his mercy. Kwan Yin the bodhisattva of mercy and compassion, is one of the best known and most venerated Bodhisattva in Asia. Karuṇā (often translated as "compassion")

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