The Ascension Catechism for Young Beginners

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The Ascension Catechism for Young Beginners

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Looking to purchase this Catechism for your school or parish? Click HERE for the classroom edition.

All of the truth and beauty of the Catechism—now accessible for the next generation of Catholics.

A true understanding of the Faith doesn’t have to begin in adulthood—it should be instilled and fostered from a young age, equipping children to truly know and love their Faith from the beginning. Help children build lifelong catechetical literacy with The Ascension Catechism for Young Beginners.

This children’s Catechism follows a simple Q&A format, providing children with a perfect starting point to begin their journey through the Faith. Condensing and adapting core teachings of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for readers at a K-2 reading level, The Ascension Catechism for Young Beginners offers age-appropriate and easy-to-understand explanations without sacrificing the richness of the Catholic Faith.

Maintaining the structure of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, The Ascension Catechism for Young Beginners incorporates the four catechetical pillars of the Faith—Creed, Sacraments, Life in Christ, and Prayer—in language young learners can understand, using Ascension’s color-coded Foundations of Faith approach. Additionally, featuring beautiful sacred art and Bible connections, The Ascension Catechism for Young Beginners allows children to visualize and connect with key content throughout the entirety of the text.

Perfect for use at home or in the classroom, this Catechism will guide young readers to a deeper understanding and love for their Faith that lasts a lifetime.

Features:

175+ beautiful sacred art images, helping readers visualize important moments
21 Bible Connections, linking core Church teaching with Scriptural references
400 questions and answers with easy-to-understand explanations
2 ribbons for easy navigation
Full-color pages, helpful charts, and words to know callouts, making Church teaching approachable and inspiring
Smyth sewn binding and 100 gsm paper for extra durability
Soft, beautiful Alpha Cowhide® cover, light cream paper, and 11pt font for a comfortable reading experience
Included copy of The Catechism at a Glance Chart for Children
Included keepsake box for safe and easy storage

SKU: 9798892761833
Format: Leatherlike
Binding: Casebound
Dimensions: 6" x 9"
Weight: 2.37 lb
Page Count: 384
Language: English
Series: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Ascension Edition
Publisher: Ascension Press
Ecclesiastical Designation: Nihil Obstat, Imprimatur
Publication Date: Jun 22, 2026
Copyright Year: 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

The Ascension Catechism for Young Beginners

What is The Ascension Catechism for Young Beginners?

The Ascension Catechism for Young Beginners is the first-ever children’s edition of the Catechism that covers the entirety of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) and preserves the structure of the CCC. Designed for ages five and up, the text has been adapted in an age-appropriate question-and-answer format that incorporates rich sacred art and the same Foundations of Faith learning system that was utilized in the Ascension Catechism. It is the perfect starting point for learning the Faith. In addition to the Q&A, easy-to-understand explanations help make the riches of the Catholic Faith approachable for young beginners.

Why did Ascension create this edition?

This Catechism was created to help young children understand and fall in love with our Faith from the very beginning of their journey. It fills a need for a faithful and age-appropriate Catechism that is engaging and accessible—whether at home, in the classroom, or as part of Ascension’s Pillars of Faith curriculum.

Is this based on the full Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)? Does it include all parts of the Catechism?

Yes, every paragraph of the Catechism of the Catholic Church has been condensed and adapted. All four parts of the Catechism are included and covered. We do recognize that the Catechism contains some mature themes and difficult topics. For this reason, we have greatly abridged certain portions of the Catechism to be suitable for this age group.

What is the format and length of this Catechism?

This Catechism follows a question-and-answer format, structured to follow the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Each of the 400 questions and answers are accompanied by easy-to-understand explanations to help make the riches of the Catholic Faith approachable for young beginners.

How are the Q&As organized?

The Q&A and explanations follow the paragraph ordering of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Each Q&A covers the main ideas from paragraph spreads, focusing on content that is understandable for the age group.

Does it have an Imprimatur or Nihil Obstat?

The Ascension Catechism for Young Beginners has received an Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Is this Catechism included on the USCCB conformity list?

The Catechism for Young Beginners is currently under review by the USCCB to be added to the conformity list. We anticipate a smooth approval process.

Does the Catechism include illustrations or artwork?

This Catechism features beautiful sacred art and stained glass images to help young readers visualize the beauty and goodness of our Faith.

What age is this Catechism best for?

This Catechism is intended for children ages five and up, especially those in grades K–2.

Can children read this Catechism by themselves, or does it require an adult?

The intended audience is K–2, and we worked closely with a reading level specialist to ensure the text was appropriate and understandable for this age group. The questions and answers are created to be easily understood. Each answer is then explained more fully, and children will greatly benefit from
reading and discussing these more in-depth explanations with a parent, teacher, or catechist. Young readers may benefit from having the text read to them. This also allows for opportunities for discussion and interaction with the Catechism.

What other features are included in this Catechism to help them better understand what it teaches?

The beginning of each Chapter includes two features: a connection to a relevant selection from the Bible and a list of words to know, along with their definitions. There is also a glossary included, with a list of terms used throughout the Catechism that may be unfamiliar to young readers.

What are the dimensions of the Catechism?

The dimensions are 6” x 9”, mimicking the full version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

What is the difference between the premium and classroom editions?

The classroom edition is intended for parishes and schools to have in religious
education classes. It features: a hardbound leatherlike cover, full color interior,
and the Foundations of Faith color-coding system. This is intended to be able to
be purchased in bulk.

The premium edition features: a hardbound leatherlike cover with sponge (a very
thin material within the cover for protection and comfort), full color interior,
ribbons, the Foundations of Faith color-coding system, and is packaged in a
keepsake box with a children’s Catechism chart.

Will there be other versions created for older children?

Yes. There will be three levels associated with increasing reading level comprehension. The Catechism for Young Beginners (incorporated into grades K–2) is intended for children ages five and up. The Catechism for Beginners (incorporated into grades 3–5) is intended for adults who are new to the Catechism and children eight and older. The Catechism for Youth (incorporated into grades 6–8) is intended for youth eleven and up.

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Excellent Resource

This book is an excellent resource for explaining the beliefs of the Catholic Church, not only to children, but to anyone beginning their journey to find the Truth. I gave the copy I ordered to our local Catholic school. I think it will benefit both the students and the teachers. Thank you to all who worked to publish this beautiful book!

Very nicely done! I bought two-one for each of my

Very nicely done! I bought two-one for each of my grandchildren. While I have not yet read them all the way through, I am happy with the teachings they provide. These are beautifully bound and presented making them a lovely gift.

Lesliercr

Wonderful, excellent !
Could not put it down, very inviting and easy to learn!
Thank you so much!

The summary are excellent way of introducing the

The summary are excellent way of introducing the contents of the different levels

A Catholic Renaissance for Our Children!

When Pope Benedict XVI introduced the Catechism of the Catholic Church, he called it a "sure and authentic reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine." For decades, though, families and educators have lacked a truly worthy tool for bringing that same rich deposit of faith, including the teachings of Vatican II and the decades of magisterial teaching since, down to the level of our youngest learners.

The Ascension Catechism for Young Beginners fills that gap beautifully. When my copy arrived, I opened it up and could not put it down. I can say without hesitation that this is an incredible resource for teaching the faith to children. Every page features sacred art that draws young eyes into the mystery of what they're learning, and the text regularly ties the teaching back to Scripture, so children see the faith as God's own story coming alive.

For parents and teachers like me who have looked for a way to teach the fullness of the faith as good news - that God loves us, delights in us, and has given us everything we need through his grace to grow in virtue and one day be with him forever - this book is long overdue, but the most welcome of gifts. The faith is presented with reverence, age-appropriate clarity, and leads the reader (young and old) to Christ himself, the source of all beauty, truth, and goodness.