Catechumens

Belief · subject 1 of 26

The purpose of human life

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Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Question 1 · The purpose of human life. The link opens the containing section; use the question numbers to find this range.

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Source, approval and edition

Official papal approval or promulgation

Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Question 1 · The purpose of human life. The link opens the containing section; use the question numbers to find this range.

Holy See English edition, 2005, including the Common Prayers appendix

Pope Benedict XVI · 2005-06-28

Verified 2026-09-10. This record covers the listed work, not other material linked by its publisher.

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The text is read at its source. Ecclesiastical approval does not give Catechumens permission to reproduce it.

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Related source excerpts to read here

These are separate selections from the approved 1891 historical catechism. They provide related background and do not reproduce or replace the Compendium section above.

Why did God make you?

God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him for ever in the next.

Kinkead’s explanation of the Baltimore Catechism · approved historical edition.

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Thomas L. Kinkead; sixth edition; Benziger Brothers, copyright 1891. Printed page 40, question 6.

Michael Augustine, Archbishop of New York; nihil obstat D. J. McMahon; 1891-09-05.

The words are transcribed from the approved edition; line wrapping is normalized. This is a concise historical catechism answer, not a complete treatment of every related question. Original English, including older terms, is retained.

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