Cardinal Christoph Schönborn defends the Catechism as a tool for transmitting faith

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, archbishop emeritus of Vienna, defended the relevance of the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a fundamental instrument for transmitting the faith within a diverse and global Church. Speaking at an international symposium on the theology of Joseph Ratzinger in Vienna, Schönborn stated that the Church needs a common way to express the truths it professes.

Schönborn served as secretary of the drafting committee under Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger for the Catechism, which was published in 1992 during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II. He described his role in its preparation as the most passionate task of his life. He argued that creating a common catechism meets a permanent need of the Church.

The cardinal encouraged Catholics to use the text actively rather than keeping it only for reference. While acknowledging that few people memorize the entire document, he emphasized its importance for expressing shared belief in God and Jesus Christ in the modern era.