Cover of Baltimore Catechism No. 1, Illustrated for Children: the Virgin Mary holds the Christ Child while three children kneel and pray before them, above a deep red panel with the title in gold capitals.

Baltimore Catechism No. 1

Illustrated for Children

All 206 questions and answers of the 1885 Baltimore Catechism No. 1, word for word, each with its own line drawing, plus the traditional prayers.

Coming soon in paperback.

About this edition

The Baltimore Catechism taught the faith to generations of American Catholic children, one short question and one clear answer at a time. This edition keeps that text exactly as the bishops approved it in 1885 and adds a simple picture for every answer, so the youngest readers can see what they are learning.

Each lesson fills a page or two. The questions are set in large, clear type, and every answer has its own line drawing: the Creation, the Holy Trinity, the Sacraments, the Commandments and the Four Last Things. The pictures are plain black and white, so children can color them as they learn.

Traditional prayers are printed at the front and back of the book: the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Apostles’ Creed, morning prayers and the mysteries of the Rosary, among others.

  • The complete text of the 1885 No. 1: all 206 questions and answers, reproduced word for word with their original numbers.
  • An original black-and-white line drawing for every question, simple enough for a child to color.
  • The Our Father, Hail Mary, Apostles' Creed, morning prayers and the mysteries of the Rosary, printed at the front and back.
  • Arranged in the catechism's 33 lessons, a page or two at a time, for a week's lesson at home or in class.

Look inside

Pages from the paperback, shown at their printed layout. Select a page to enlarge it.

  • Lesson 1, Why did God make us? Six illustrated panels, beginning with question 1, Who made the world?, which shows God reaching toward a small globe among the stars.

    Lesson 1

  • Lesson 2, Who is God? Panels for questions 13 to 16, with drawings of a radiant triangle, a ring of stars, the earth among clouds, and a child shading his eyes to look at the sky.

    Lesson 2

  • Lesson 6, God became man. Panels on the Redeemer and the Incarnation, including the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary.

    Lesson 6

  • Lesson 12, Baptism. A priest baptizes an infant held by its parents, with panels for questions 152 to 156.

    Lesson 12

  • Lesson 18, The Holy Eucharist. An altar with a chalice and host, bread and grapes, and the Last Supper.

    Lesson 18

  • Prayers and Devotions page, beginning with morning prayers and prayers to the Blessed Virgin, Saint Joseph and the Guardian Angel.

    Prayers and Devotions

Contents

  1. Lesson 1 Why Did God Make Us? · How Do We Save Our Souls?
  2. Lesson 2 Who Is God? · What Is God Like?
  3. Lesson 3 One God, Three Persons · The Holy Trinity
  4. Lesson 4 Angels and Our First Parents · Original Sin
  5. Lesson 5 What Is Sin? · Mortal and Venial Sin
  6. Lesson 6 God Became Man · Jesus, True God and True Man
  7. Lesson 7 The Passion and Resurrection
  8. Lesson 8 The Holy Ghost
  9. Lesson 9 Grace and the Virtues · Gifts of the Holy Ghost
  10. Lesson 10 What Is the Church? · Marks of the Church
  11. Lesson 11 What Are the Sacraments?
  12. Lesson 12 Baptism
  13. Lesson 13 Confirmation · Gifts of Confirmation
  14. Lesson 14 The Sacrament of Penance
  15. Lesson 15 Contrition
  16. Lesson 16 Going to Confession · A Good Confession
  17. Lesson 17 Indulgences
  18. Lesson 18 The Holy Eucharist
  19. Lesson 19 Why Jesus Gave Us the Eucharist
  20. Lesson 20 The Sacrifice of the Mass
  21. Lesson 21 Anointing and Holy Orders
  22. Lesson 22 Matrimony
  23. Lesson 23 The Sacramentals · The Sign of the Cross
  24. Lesson 24 What Is Prayer? · How to Pray
  25. Lesson 25 The Commandments of God
  26. Lesson 26 The First Commandment · Worshipping God Alone
  27. Lesson 27 Honoring the Saints · Relics and Sacred Images
  28. Lesson 28 God's Holy Name · Keeping the Lord's Day · Honor Your Father and Mother
  29. Lesson 29 Duties to Others · The Fifth Commandment · Purity of Heart
  30. Lesson 30 Thou Shalt Not Steal · Telling the Truth · Pure Thoughts and Desires
  31. Lesson 31 Commandments of the Church
  32. Lesson 32 Fasting and the Church's Laws
  33. Lesson 33 Death and Judgment · Heaven, Hell and Purgatory
  34. Back matter Prayers and Devotions

Questions

Is the catechism text complete and unchanged?

Yes. Every one of the 206 questions and answers in the 1885 Baltimore Catechism No. 1 is included, word for word. Only the illustrations and page design are new.

Why do the question numbers skip?

The original No. 1 numbers its questions to agree with the longer Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism, so a child who moves on to the fuller text finds the same question under the same number. We kept the original numbering.

What ages is it for?

The catechism was written for children preparing for First Communion. The pictures suit readers of about 6 to 12, and younger children can follow along as it is read aloud.

May I photocopy pages for my class?

Yes. Parents, catechists and teachers are welcome to photocopy pages for their own home, parish or classroom. We ask only that copies not be sold.

Try the pictures first

We will email you free coloring pages drawn from this book.