"The definitive aim of catechesis is to put people not only in touch, but also in communion and intimacy, with Jesus Christ". 236CT 5; cf. CCC 426; AG 14a. In relation to this christological end of catechesis see Part I, chap. I and Part II, chap. I. "Jesus Christ mediator and fullness of Revelation" and that which is said in II part, chapter 1 "Christiaity of the evagelical mission". All evangelizing activity is understood as promoting communion with Jesus Christ. Starting with the "initial" 237AG 13b. conversion of a person to the Lord, moved by the Holy Spirit through the primary proclamation of the Gospel, catechesis seeks to solidify and mature this first adherence. It proposes to help those who have just converted "to know better this Jesus to whom he has entrusted himself: to know his 'mystery', the kingdom of God proclaimed by him, the requirements and comments contained in his Gospel message, and the paths that he has laid down for anyone who wishes to follow him". 238CT 20c. Baptism, the sacrament by which "we are configured to Christ", 239LG 7b. sustains this work of catechesis with the help of its grace.
Communion with Jesus Christ, by its own dynamic, leads the disciple to unite himself with everything with which Jesus Christ himself was profoundly united: with God his Father, who sent him into the world, and with the Holy Spirit, who impelled his mission; with the Church, his body, for which he gave himself up, with mankind and with his brothers whose lot he wished to share. The object of catechesis is expressed in profession of faith in the one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Catechesis is that particular form of the ministry of the word which matures initial conversion to make it into a living, explicit and fruitful confession of faith: "Catechesis has its origin in the confession of faith and leads to confession of faith." 240MPD 8; CCC 185-197. The profession of faith inherent in Baptism 241Cf. CCC 189. is eminently Trinitarian. The Church baptizes "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Mt 28,19) 242Cf. CCC 180-190 and 197. the triune God to whom the Christian entrusts his life. Initiatory catechesis—both before and after the reception of Baptism—prepares for this decisive undertaking. Continuing catechesis helps to mature this profession of faith, to proclaim it in the Eucharist and to renew the commitments which it entails. It is important that catechesis should unite well the confession of christological faith, "Jesus is Lord", with the trinitarian confession, "I believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit", in such a way that there are not two modes of expressing the Christian faith. He who is converted to Jesus Christ and recognizes him as Lord through the primary proclamation of the Gospel begins a process which, aided by catechesis, necessarily leads to explicit confession of the Trinity. In the confession of faith in the one God, the Christian rejects all service of any human absolute; "power, pleasure, race, ancestors, state, wealth...", 243Cf. CCC 2113. and is thus liberated from the enslavement of any idol. It is the proclamation of his will to serve God and man without any ties. In proclaiming faith in the Trinity, which is a communion of Persons, the disciple of Jesus Christ shows at once that the love of God and neighbour is the principle which informs his being and his action.
The confession of faith is complete only in reference to the Church. All the baptized individually proclaim the Credo, for no action can be more personal than this. However, they recite it in the Church and through the Church, because they do so as members of the Church. 'Credo' and 'Credimus' necessarily imply each other. 244Cf. CCC 166-67; CCC 196. In fusing his confession of faith with that of the Church, the Christian is incorporated into her mission: to be the "universal sacrament of salvation" for the life of the world. He who makes the profession of faith takes on responsibilities that not infrequently provoke persecution. In Christian history the martyrs are proclaimers and witnesses par excellence. 245Cf. RM 45.