In this episode of The Patrick Madrid Show, Patrick tackles a great question from Don in Wisconsin: “Is the Catechism of the Catholic Church inspired by the Holy Spirit?”

Short answer? Nope! Here’s why.

Patrick explains that only Sacred Scripture—the Bible—is divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit. 📜 When we say Scripture is “inspired,” it means that God “breathed” into the minds of the authors, guiding them in what they wrote while still preserving their free will and personalities. Patrick says to think of it like a sailing ship: the wind (the Holy Spirit) fills the sails, steering the ship (the writers) in the right direction. 🚢💨 Great analogy!

However, while the Catechism is not inspired in the same way, it does contain tons of quotes from the Bible, which is inspired. The Catechism also pulls from Church councils, saints like St. Thomas Aquinas, and papal writings, none of which are considered inspired in the same sense.

Patrick goes on to explain the mystery of how God’s inspiration worked with the biblical authors. It wasn’t a case of dictation or mind control, but more like God guiding them while they expressed their own personalities (like when St. Paul, known for his fiery nature, gets super intense in some of his letters! 🔥✍️).

Want to go deeper? Patrick recommends reading Dei Verbum, a Vatican II document that explains the relationship between Sacred Scripture and Tradition in the Catholic Church. 📖 It could help explain things even more!

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