Catechism of the Catholic Church

In 1985, an extraordinary meeting of the Synod of Catholic bishops was held in Rome to reflect on the Second Vatican Council which had concluded twenty years previous.  A request was made that a universal catechism would be assembled that would provide a clear expression of Catholic doctrine in the scriptural and pastoral mode of the Council.  Pope John Paul II established a special commission of bishops and Cardinals in the following year to begin working on the program.  The initial French edition of the Catechism was published in 1992 and solemnly promulgated by Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Constitution Fidei Depositum.  After some minor revisions and evaluation, the Latin typical edition was published on the Feast of Mary's Assumption (August 15), 1997.  Pope John Paul II calls the catechism "a genuine, systematic presentation of the faith."