Though not without its strengths, the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church fails to present a clear and concise synthesis of the principles of Catholic social teaching. While parts of the Compendium are very precise, other sections are likely to facilitate considerable confusion among those who desire to know and understand the principles of the Church’s social doctrine. Careful analysis of the Compendium’s structure, method, and content indicates that the text’s problems primarily stem from departures from the guidelines set forth for the Compendium’s drafting in John Paul II’s Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in America (1999).