United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

36 • Part I. The Creed: The Faith Professed

and their superiors. The meeting did not go well and resulted in the expul sion of Isaac and four others from the order. Blessed Pius IX, having been informed of the plight of Hecker and his companions, dispensed them from their vows to the Redemptorists and encouraged them to found a new congregation with a missionary emphasis. Soon thereafter, Isaac Hecker became the first superior of “The Missionary Society of Saint Paul the Apostle,” later known as the Paulists. Throughout his life Isaac diligently worked to promote evangelization in American culture, particularly through the print media. He organized the Catholic Publication Society and became the founder of The Catholic World magazine, the director of Catholic Youth, and the author of three books. He did all this while continuing to be the first superior of the Paulists and preaching tirelessly to thousands across the country. The motivation behind these efforts was always the drive to teach everyone the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith. It was the love of this faith that led Isaac Hecker to dedicate his life to serving Christ and Catholic Americans. Today the Paulists, following in the footsteps of their founder (who died in 1888 after a long illness), are present in parishes, campus ministry, major city information centers, publishing, and elec tronic, print, and broadcast media. Knowing our faith and then sharing it with others is the responsibility of every Catholic. Fr. Isaac Hecker is a good example of one who lived out that responsibility. • IN THE ACT OF FAITH WE RESPOND TO GOD’S LOVING REVELATION

By his Revelation, “the invisible God, from the fullness of his love, addresses men as his friends, and moves among them, in order to invite and receive them into his own company.” The adequate response to this invitation is faith.

—CCC, no. 142, citing DV, no. 2