ANGOLA: The Catechism of the Catholic Church now translated into Umbundu

Important news for the Catholic faithful of Angola: They will be able to consult the “Catechism of the Catholic Church,” afer it was translated into Umbundu, the second most spoken language in the country after Portuguese.

Vatican News – Luanda, Angola

The translated Catechism in Umbundu is the work of Francisco Viti, the Emeritus Archbishop of Huambo in Angola.

It was not easy to translate philosophical, theological, scientific and bioethical terms.

“The Catechism - the Archbishop said, presenting the translation - is a safe and authentic reference text for the teaching of Catholic Doctrine.” Thanks to it, “one can know what the Church professes and celebrates, lives and prays in its daily life. For this reason, I decided to translate it into Umbundu,” revealed Archbishop Viti. He added, “(it) was very difficult because it concerned philosophical, theological, scientific and bioethical terms.”

Umbundu is the most widely spoken language after Portuguese

Predominantly spoken in the Western region of Angola, Umbundu is the most widely spoken Bantu language, with approximately a quarter of the population being native speakers. In the Bantu family, they are known as Ovimbundu. Umbundu is also called “Southern Mbundu,” to distinguish it from Kimbundu (or “mbundu of the north”) which is spoken in the area of the Angolan capital, Luanda.

Official Catechism of the Catholic Church

Approved by Pope St. John Paul II with the document, Apostolic Constitution Fidei Depositum of 11 October 1992, the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” took its final form on 15 August 1997, with the Apostolic Letter Laetamur Magnopere.

Compendium of the Catechism

In 2005, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI inaugurated the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

During the presentation, it was clarified that the Compendium was not a new Catechism but rather a compendium that summarised faithfully the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Possession on Nuclear arms is immoral

Recently, on 26 November, at the end of the Apostolic Journey to Thailand and Japan, Pope Francis made a new and categorical affirmation that will see the Catholic Church’s official teaching declare the use and possession of nuclear weapons as “immoral.”

“This must go in the Catechism of the Catholic Church,” Pope Francis said. “Not just the use, also the possession,” he added. “Because an accident of possession, or the insanity of a leader or someone, could destroy humanity,” said the Pope.

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