In understanding any text, one must go beyond simply taking in the words. The challenge is to set the text within a broader context. For the Catechism that context is multifaceted. How does the way in which catechisms have been used in the past provide insight into the use of the Catechism today? What is the context within which the proposal for the Catechism was presented and how does that provide insight for our reading of the text? What role is the Catechism to play within the catechetical endeavour as it is given shape within our parishes? How can the Catechism serve as an important component as we attempt to give shape to alternative images of catechesis? How do the documents of the Second Vatican Council shape the content of the Catechism? How can other theological conversations complement the insights presented in the Catechism? By exploring these core questions the author provides as important tool for exploring the text of the Catechism and its meaning for us today.