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                       The Baltimore Catechism            

                        of Christian Doctrine             

                            For The Use of                

              Sunday-School Teachers and Advanced Classes 

               (Also known as Baltimore Catechism No. 3)  

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                                   by

 

                         Rev. Thomas L. Kinkead

 

 

 

     These Catechisms of the Baltimore Series are arranged on a progressive plan.  No. 00 gives the Prayers and Acts to be learned before the study of the Catechisms begins:-No. 0 contains one half the questions of No. 1 ; No. 1 half the questions of No. 2; No. 2 one-third the questions of No. 3, and No. 4 (an Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism) furnishes much additional information with copious explanations and examples.

     The same questions bear the same numbers throughout the series, and their wording is identical.  The different sizes of type make the Catechisms more suitable to their respective grades, smaller children usually requiring larger print.

     Apart from its educational advantages, the progressive plan aims at lessening the expense in providing children with Catechisms, by furnishing just what is necessary for each grade; it aims also at encouraging the children to learn, by affording opportunity for promotion from book to book.

     These Catechisms are intended to furnish a complete course of religious instruction, when, used as follows:

 

No. 00 for Prayer classes.

No. 0 for Confession classes and certain adults.

No. 1 for First Communion classes.

No. 2 for Confirmation classes.

No. 3 for two years' course for Post-Confirmation classes.

No. 4 for Teachers and Teachers' Training classes.

 

 

                           Preface To No. 3

 

     I have been requested by several priests to prepare an abridgment of the "Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism" that would be suitable as a classbook for children who have been confirmed or who have completed the study of the Baltimore Catechism No. 2.  The "Explanation" itself contains more matter than some of these children can master and it costs a little more than many of them can afford to pay.  I have, therefore, selected from the list given in the back of the "Explanation" a large number of the more practical and important questions, to which I have added others, with answers, as full, brief and simple as the matter will permit.  These questions and answers are added to those of the Baltimore Catechism No. 2, but with such distinction in type that all may see they are not a part of the Catechism prepared by the Council, but only a development of its meaning.

     Whenever questions on the same subject are repeated in the book their object is to bring out some new point or to show their connection with the subject-matter there explained.

                    AUTHOR.

 

 

 

Catechism of Christian Doctrine

 

PRAYERS

 

The Lord's Prayer.

 

     Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.  Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Amen.

 

 

The Angelical Salutation.

 

     Hail Mary, full of grace! the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.

 

 

The Apostles' Creed.

 

     I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died, and was buried.  He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Amen.

 

 

The Confiteor.

 

     I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary, ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the Saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word and deed, through, my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore, I beseech blessed Mary, ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me.  May the Almighty God have mercy on me, and forgive me my sins, and bring me to everlasting life.  Amen.  May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant me pardon, absolution, and remission of all my sins.  Amen.

 

 

An Act of Faith.

 

     O my God! I firmly believe that Thou art one God in three Divine persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; I believe that Thy Divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that he will come to, judge the living and the dead.  I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.

 

 

An Act of Hope.

 

     O my God! relying on Thy infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.

 

 

An Act of Love.

 

     O my God! I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love.  I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee.  I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.

 

 

An Act of Contrition.

 

     O my God! I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all-good and deserving of all my love.  I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.

 

 

The Blessing before Meals.

 

     Bless us, 0 Lord! and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

 

 

Grace after Meals.

 

     We give Thee thanks for all Thy benefits, 0 Almighty God, who livest and reignest for ever; and may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.

 

 

The Manner in which a Lay Person is to Baptize in Case of Necessity:

 

     Pour common water on the head or face of the person to be baptized say while pouring it:  "I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

 

N.B.  Any person of either sex who has reached the use of reason can baptize in

case of necessity.

 

 

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                       THE LESSONS OF THE CATECHISM 

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LESSON  1:  ON THE END OF MAN

LESSON  2:  ON GOD AND HIS PERFECTIONS

LESSON  3:  ON THE UNITY AND TRINITY OF GOD

LESSON  4:  ON CREATION

LESSON  5:  ON OUR FIRST PARENTS AND THEIR FALL

LESSON  6:  ON SIN AND ITS KINDS

LESSON  7:  ON THE INCARNATION AND REDEMPTION

LESSON  8:  ON OUR LORD'S PASSION, DEATH, RESURRECTION, AND ASCENSION

LESSON  9:  ON THE HOLY GHOST AND HIS DESCENT UPON THE APOSTLES

LESSON 10:  ON THE EFFECTS OF THE REDEMPTION

LESSON 11:  ON THE CHURCH

LESSON 12:  ON THE ATTRIBUTES AND MARKS OF THE CHURCH

LESSON 13:  ON THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL

LESSON 14:  ON BAPTISM

LESSON 15:  ON CONFIRMATION

LESSON 16:  ON THE GIFTS AND FRUITS OF THE HOLY GHOST

LESSON 17:  ON THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE

LESSON 18:  ON CONTRITION

LESSON 19:  ON CONFESSION

LESSON 20:  ON THE MANNER OF MAKING A GOOD CONFESSION

LESSON 21:  ON INDULGENCES

LESSON 22:  ON THE HOLY EUCHARIST

LESSON 23:  ON THE END FOR WHICH THE HOLY EUCHARIST WAS INSTITUTED

LESSON 24:  ON THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS

LESSON 25:  ON EXTREME UNCTION AND HOLY ORDERS

LESSON 26:  ON MATRIMONY

LESSON 27:  ON THE SACRAMENTALS

LESSON 28:  ON PRAYER

LESSON 29:  ON THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD

LESSON 30:  ON THE FIRST COMMANDMENT SAINTS

LESSON 31:  THE FIRST COMMANDMENT -- ON THE HONOR AND INVOCATION OF SAINTS

LESSON 32:  FROM THE SECOND TO THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT

LESSON 33:  FROM THE FOURTH TO THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT

LESSON 34:  FROM THE SEVENTH TO THE END OF THE TENTH COMMANDMENT

LESSON 35:  ON THE FIRST AND SECOND COMMANDMENTS OF THE CHURCH

LESSON 36:  ON THE THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH, AND SIXTH COMMANDMENTS OF THE CHURCH AND HEAVEN

LESSON 37:  ON THE LAST JUDGMENT AND THE RESURRECTION, HELL, PURGATORY, AND HEAVEN

 

 

 

 

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                       LIST OF QUESTIONS 

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LESSON FIRST:  On the End of Man.

Q.126.  What do we mean by the "end of man"?

Q.127.  How do you know that man was created for God

        alone?

Q.128.  In what respect are all men equal?

Q.129.  Do not men differ in many things?

Q.130.  Who made the world?

Q.131.  What does "world" mean in this question?

Q.132.  Who is God?

Q.133.  What is man?

Q.134.  Does "man" in the Catechism mean all human beings?

Q.135.  What is a creature?

Q.136.  Is this likeness in the body or in the soul?

Q.137.  How is the soul like to God?

Q.138.  Is every invisible thing a spirit?

Q.139.  Has a spirit any other quality?

Q.140.  What do the words "will never die" mean?

Q.141.  Why then do we say a soul is dead while in a state of

        mortal sin?

Q.142.  What does our "understanding" mean?

Q.143.  Can we learn all truths by our reason alone?

Q.144.  What do we call the truths God teaches us?

Q.145.  What is "Free Will"?

Q.146.  Have brute animals "understanding" and "free will"?

Q.147.  What gift in animals supplies the place of reason?

Q.148.  What is instinct?

Q.149.  Have men as well as brutes "instinct"?

Q.150.  Why did God make you?

Q.151.  Why is it necessary to know God?

Q.152.  Of which must we take more care, our soul or our

        body?

Q.153.  Why must we take more care of our soul than of our

        body?

Q.154.  What must we do to save our souls?

Q.155.  What does "worship" mean?

Q.156.  How shall we know the things which we are to

        believe?

Q.157.  What do we mean by the "Church, through which

        God speaks to us"?

Q.158.  Where shall we find the chief truths which the Church

        teaches?

Q.159.  If we shall find only the "chief truths" in the

        Apostles' Creed, where shall we find the remaining

        truths?

Q.160.  Name some sacred truths not mentioned in the

        Apostles' Creed.

Q.161.  Say the Apostles' Creed.

 

LESSON SECOND:  On God and His Perfections

Q.162.  What is a perfection?

Q.163.  What is God?

Q.164.  What do we mean when we say God is "infinitely

        perfect"?

Q.165.  Had God a beginning?

Q.166.  Where is God?

Q.167.  How is God everywhere?

Q.168.  If God is everywhere, why do we not see Him?

Q.169.  Why do we call God a "pure spirit'?

Q.170.  Why can we not see God with the eyes of our body?

Q.171.  Does God see us?

Q.172.  Is it necessary for God to watch over us?

Q.173.  Does God know all things?

Q.174.  Can God do all things?

Q.175.  When is a thing said to be "impossible"?

Q.176.  Is God just, holy, and merciful?

Q.177.  Why must God be "just" as well as "merciful"?

Q.178.  Into what sins will the forgetfulness of God's justice

        lead us?

Q.179.  Into what sins will the forgetfulness of God's mercy

        lead us?

 

LESSON THIRD:  On the Unity and Trinity of God

Q.180.  What does "unity," and what does "trinity" mean?

Q.181.  Can we find an example to fully illustrate the mystery

        of the Blessed Trinity?

Q.182.  Is there but one God?

Q.183.  Why can there be but one God?

Q.184.  What does "supreme" mean?

Q.185.  When are two persons said to be equal?

Q.186.  How many persons are there in God?

Q.187.  What do "divine" and "distinct" mean?

Q.188.  Is the Father God?

Q.189.  Is the Son God?

Q.190.  Is the Holy Ghost God?

Q.191.  Do "first," "second," and "third" with regard to the

        persons of the Blessed Trinity mean that one person

        existed before the other or that one is greater than the

        other?

Q.192.  What do you mean by the Blessed Trinity?

Q.193.  Are the three Divine Persons equal in all things?

Q.194.  Are the three Divine Persons one and the same God?

Q.195.  What do we mean by the "nature" and "substance" of

        a thing?

Q.196.  Can we fully understand how the three Divine Persons

        are one and the same God?

Q.197.  What is a mystery?

Q.198.  Is every truth which we cannot understand a mystery?

Q.199.  Should we believe truths which we cannot understand?

Q.200.  Give an example of truths which all believe, though

        many do not understand them.

Q.201.  Why must a divine religion have mysteries?

Q.202.  Why does God require us to believe mysteries?

Q.203.  By what form of prayer do we praise the Holy

        Trinity?

Q.204.  Say the Doxology.

Q.205.  Is there any other form of the Doxology?

 

LESSON FOURTH:  On Creation

Q.206.  What is the difference between making and creating?

Q.207.  Has everything that exists been created?

Q.208.  Who created heaven and earth, and all things?

Q.209.  From what do we learn that God created heaven and

        earth and all things?

Q.210.  Why did God create all things?

Q.211.  Did God leave all things to themselves after He had

        created them?

Q.212.  What do we call the care by which God preserves and

        governs the world and all it contains?

Q.213.  How did God create heaven and earth?

Q.214.  Which are the chief creatures of God?

Q.215.  How may God's creatures on earth be divided?

Q.216.  What are angels?

Q.217.  If Angels have no bodies, how could they appear?

Q.218.  Name some persons to whom Angels appeared.

Q.219.  Were the angels created for any other purpose?

Q.220.  Are all the Angels equal in dignity?

Q.221.  Mention some Archangels and tell what they did.

Q.222.  Were Angels ever sent to punish men?

Q.223.  What do our guardian Angels do for us?

Q.224.  How do we know that Angels offer our prayers and

        good works to God?

Q.225.  Why did God appoint guardian Angels if He watches

        over us Himself?

Q.226.  Were the angels, as God created them, good and

        happy?

Q.227.  Did all the angels remain good and happy?

Q.228.  Do we know the number of good and bad Angels?

Q.229.  What was the devil's name before he fell, and why

        was he cast out of heaven?

Q.230.  How do the bad Angels act toward us?

Q.231.  Why does the devil tempt us?

Q.232.  Can we by our own power overcome the temptations

        of the devil?

 

LESSON FIFTH:  On our First Parents and the Fall

Q.233.  Who were the first man and woman?

Q.234.  Are there any persons in the world who are not the

        descendants of Adam and Eve?

Q.235.  Do not the differences in color, figure, etc., which

        we find in distinct races indicate a difference in first

        parents?

Q.236.  Were Adam and Eve innocent and holy when they

        came from the hand of God?

Q.237.  What do we mean by saying Adam and Eve "were

        innocent" when they came from the hand of God?

Q.238.  How was Adam's body formed?

Q.239.  How was Eve's body formed?

Q.240.  Why did God make Eve from one of Adam's ribs?

Q.241.  Could man's body be developed from the body of an

        inferior animal?

Q.242.  Could man's soul and intelligence be formed by the

        development of animal life and instinct?

Q.243.  Did God give any command to Adam and Eve?

Q.244.  What was the Garden of Paradise?

Q.245.  Where was the Garden of Paradise situated?

Q.246.  What was the tree bearing the forbidden fruit called?

Q.247.  Do we know the name of any other tree in the

        garden?

Q.248.  Which were the chief blessings intended for Adam

        and Eve had they remained faithful to God?

Q.249.  Did Adam and Eve remain faithful to God?

Q.250.  Who was the first to disobey God?

Q.251.  How was Eve tempted to sin?

Q.252.  Which were the chief causes that led Eve into sin?

Q.253.  What befell Adam and Eve on account of their sin?

Q.254.  What other evils befell Adam and Eve on account of

        their sin?

Q.255.  Were we to remain in the Garden of Paradise forever

        if Adam had not sinned?

Q.256.  What evil befell us on account of the disobedience of

        our first parents?

Q.257.  Is it not unjust to punish us for the sin of our first

        parents?

Q.258.  But how did the loss of the gift of original justice

        leave our first parents and us in mortal sin?

Q.259.  What other effects followed from the sin of our first

        parents?

Q.260.  What do we mean by "our nature was corrupted"?

Q.261.  Why do we say our understanding was darkened?

Q.262.  Why do we say our will was weakened?

Q.263.  In what does the strong inclination to evil that is left

        in us consist?

Q.264.  What is this strong inclination to evil called, and why

        did God permit it to remain in us?

Q.265.  What is the sin called which we inherit from our first

        parents?

Q.266.  Why is this sin called original?

Q.267.  Does this corruption of our nature remain in us after

        original sin is forgiven?

Q.268.  Was any one ever preserved from original sin?

Q.269.  Why was the Blessed Virgin preserved from original

        sin?

Q.270.  How could the Blessed Virgin be preserved from sin

        by her Divine Son, before her Son was born?

Q.271.  What does the "Immaculate Conception" mean?

Q.272.  What has always been the belief of the Church

        concerning this truth?

Q.273.  To what should the thoughts of the Immaculate

        Conception lead us?

 

LESSON SIXTH:  On Sin and Its Kinds

Q.274.  How is sin divided?

Q.275.  In how many ways may actual sin be committed?

Q.276.  What is our sin called when we neglect things

        commanded?

Q.277.  Is original sin the only kind of sin?

Q.278.  What is actual sin?

Q.279.  How many kinds of actual sin are there?

Q.280.  What is mortal sin?

Q.281.  Why is this sin called mortal?

Q.282.  How many things are necessary to make a sin mortal?

Q.283.  What do we mean by "grievous matter" with regard

        to sin?

Q.284.  What does "sufficient reflection and full consent of

        the will" mean?

Q.285.  What are sins committed without reflection or consent

        called?

Q.286.  Do past material sins become real sins as soon as we

        discover their sinfulness?

Q.287.  How can we know what sins are considered mortal?

Q.288.  Why is it wrong to judge others guilty of sin?

Q.289.  What sin does he commit who without sufficient

        reason believes another guilty of sin?

Q.290.  What is venial sin?

Q.291.  Can we always distinguish venial from mortal sin?

Q.292.  Can slight offenses ever become mortal sins?

Q.293.  Which are the effects of venial sin?

Q.294.  How can we know a thought, word or deed to be

        sinful?

Q.295.  Which are the chief sources of sin?

Q.296.  What is pride?

Q.297.  What effect has pride on our souls?

Q.298.  What is covetousness?

Q.299.  What effect has covetousness on our souls?

Q.300.  What is lust?

Q.301.  What effect has lust on our souls?

Q.302.  What is anger?

Q.303.  What effect has anger on our soul?

Q.304.  What is gluttony?

Q.305.  What kind of a sin is drunkenness?

Q.306.  Is drunkenness always a mortal sin?

Q.307.  What are the chief effects of habitual drunkenness?

Q.308.  What three sins seem to cause most evil in the world?

Q.309.  What is envy?

Q.310.  What effect has envy on the soul?

Q.311.  What is sloth?

Q.312.  What effect has sloth upon the soul?

Q.313.  Why are the seven sources of sin called capital sins?

Q.314.  What do we mean by our predominant sin or ruling

        passion?

Q.315.  How can we best overcome our sins?

Q.316.  Should we give up trying to be good when we seem

        not to succeed in overcoming our faults?

Q.317.  What virtues are opposed to the seven capital sins?

 

LESSON SEVENTH:  On the Incarnation and Redemption

Q.318.  What does "incarnation" mean, and what does

        "redemption" mean?

Q.319.  Did God abandon man after he fell into sin?

Q.320.  What do we mean by the "gates of heaven"?

Q.321.  Who is the Redeemer?

Q.322.  What does the name "Jesus" signify and how was this

        name given to Our Lord?

Q.323.  What does the name "Christ" signify?

Q.324.  How did Christ show and prove His divine power?

Q.325.  What, then, did the miracles of Jesus Christ prove?

Q.326.  Could not men have been deceived in the miracles of

        Christ?

Q.327.  Could not false accounts of these miracles have been

        written after the death of Our Lord?

Q.328.  Did Jesus Christ die to redeem all men of every age

        and race without exception?

Q.329.  How are the merits of Jesus Christ applied to our

        souls?

Q.330.  What do you believe of Jesus Christ?

Q.331.  Cannot we also be called the Children of God, and

        therefore His sons and daughters?

Q.332.  Why is Jesus Christ true God?

Q.333.  Why is Jesus Christ true man?

Q.334.  Who was the foster father or guardian of Our Lord

        while on earth?

Q.335.  Is Jesus Christ in heaven as God or as man?

Q.336.  How many natures are there in Jesus Christ?

Q.337.  Is Jesus Christ more than one person?

Q.338.  From what do we learn that Jesus Christ is but one

        person?

Q.339.  Was Jesus Christ always God?

Q.340.  Was Jesus Christ always man?

Q.341.  What do you mean by the Incarnation?

Q.342.  How was the Son of God made man?

Q.343.  Is the Blessed Virgin Mary truly the Mother of God?

Q.344.  Did the Son of God become man immediately after

        the sin of our first parents?

Q.345.  How many years passed from the time Adam sinned

        till the time the Redeemer came?

Q.346.  What was the moral condition of the world just

        before the coming of Our Lord?

Q.347.  Why was the coming of the Redeemer so long

        delayed?

Q.348.  When was the Redeemer promised to mankind?

Q.349.  Who were the prophets?

Q.350.  What did the prophets foretell concerning the

        Redeemer?

Q.351.  Have all these prophecies concerning the Redeemer

        been fulfilled?

Q.352.  Where shall we find these prophecies concerning the

        Redeemer?

Q.353.  If the Redeemer's coming was so clearly foretold,

        why did not all recognize Him when He came?

Q.354.  How could they be saved who lived before the Son of

        God became man?

Q.355.  On what day was the Son of God conceived and made

        man?

Q.356.  On what day was Christ born?

Q.357.  Why did the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph go to

        Bethlehem just before the birth of Our Lord?

Q.358.  Why was Christ born in a stable?

Q.359.  In giving the ancestors or forefathers of Our Lord,

        why do the Gospels give the ancestors of Joseph, who

        was only Christ's foster-father, and not the ancestors

        of Mary, who was Christ's real parent?

Q.360.  Had Our Lord any brothers or sisters ?

Q.361.  Who were among the first to adore the Infant Jesus?

Q.362.  Who sought to kill the Infant Jesus?

Q.363.  How was the Holy Infant rescued from the power of

        Herod?

Q.364.  How did Herod hope to accomplish his wicked

        designs?

Q.365.  How may the years of Christ's life be divided?

Q.366.  Why is Christ's life thus divided?

Q.367.  How long did Christ live on earth?

Q.368.  Why did Christ live so long on earth?

 

LESSON EIGHTH:  On Our Lord's Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension

Q.369.  What do we mean by Our Lord's Passion?

Q.370.  What did Jesus Christ suffer?

Q.371.  When did Our Lord suffer the "bloody sweat"?

Q.372.  Who accompanied Our Lord to the Garden of Olives

        on the night of His Agony?

Q.373.  What do we mean by the transfiguration of Our Lord?

Q.374.  Who were present at the transfiguration?

Q.375.  What caused Our Lord's agony in the garden?

Q.376.  Why was Christ cruelly scourged?

Q.377.  Why was Christ crowned with thorns?

Q.378.  Could Christ, if He pleased, have escaped the tortures

        of His Passion?

Q.379.  Was it necessary for Christ to suffer so much in order

        to redeem us?

Q.380.  Who betrayed Our Lord?

Q.381.  How was Christ condemned to death?

Q.382.  On what day did Christ die?

Q.383.  Why do you call that day "good" on which Christ

        died so sorrowful a death?

Q.384.  How long was Our Lord hanging on the cross before

        He died?

Q.385.  What do we call the words Christ spoke while

        hanging on the Cross?

Q.386.  Repeat the seven last words or sayings of Jesus on the

        Cross.

Q.387.  What happened at the death of Our Lord?

Q.388.  What was the Holy of Holies in the temple?

Q.389.  What was the "Ark of the Covenant"?

Q.390.  Why was the veil of the Temple torn asunder at the

        death of Christ?

Q.391.  Why did the Jewish religion, which up to the death of

        Christ had been the true religion, cease at that time to

        be the true religion?

Q.392.  Were all the laws of the Jewish religion abolished by

        the establishment of Christianity?

Q.393.  What do we mean by moral and ceremonial laws?

Q.394.  Where did Christ die?

Q.395.  Where was Mount Calvary, and what does the name

        signify?

Q.396.  How did Christ die?

Q.397.  Why was Our Lord crucified between thieves?

Q.398.  Why did Christ suffer and die?

Q.399.  How was Our Lord's body buried?

Q.400.  What lessons do we learn from the sufferings and

        death of Christ?

Q.401.  Whither did Christ's soul go after His death?

Q.402.  Did Christ's soul descend into the hell of the damned?

Q.403.  Why did Christ descend into Limbo?

Q.404.  Where was Christ's body while His soul was in

        Limbo?

Q.405.  On what day did Christ rise from the dead?

Q.406.  Why is the Resurrection the greatest of Christ's

        miracles?

Q.407.  Has any one ever tried to disprove the miracle of the

        resurrection?

Q.408.  What do we mean when we say Christ rose "glorious"

        from the dead?

Q.409.  What are the qualities of a glorified body?

Q.410.  Was Christ three full days in the tomb?

Q.411.  How long did Christ stay on earth after His

        resurrection?

Q.412.  Was Christ visible to all and at all times during the

        forty days He remained on earth after His

        resurrection?

Q.413.  How did Christ show that He was truly risen from the

        dead?

Q.414.  After Christ had remained forty days on earth,

        whither did He go?

Q.415.  Where did the ascension of Our Lord take place?

Q.416.  Who were present at the ascension and who ascended

        with Christ?

Q.417.  Why is the paschal candle which is lighted on Easter

        morning extinguished at the Mass on Ascension Day?

Q.418.  Where is Christ in heaven?

Q.419.  What do you mean by saying that Christ sits at the

        right hand of God?

 

LESSON NINTH:  On the Holy Ghost and His Descent upon the Apostles

Q.420.  Who is the Holy Ghost?

Q.421.  Did the Holy Ghost ever appear?

Q.422.  Is the Holy Ghost called by other names?

Q.423.  From whom does the Holy Ghost proceed?

Q.424.  Is the Holy Ghost equal to the Father and the Son?

Q.425.  On what day did the Holy Ghost come down upon the

        Apostles?

Q.426.  Why is the day on which the Holy Ghost came down

        upon the Apostles called Whitsunday?

Q.427.  Why is this feast called also Pentecost?

Q.428.  How did the Holy Ghost come down upon the

        Apostles?

Q.429.  What did the form of tongues of fire denote?

Q.430.  Who sent the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles?

Q.431.  Did the Apostles know that the Holy Ghost would

        come down upon them?

Q.432.  Has any one ever denied the existence of the Holy

        Ghost?

Q.433.  What are the sins against the Holy Ghost which Our

        Lord said will not be forgiven either in this world or

        in the next?

Q.434.  Why did Christ send the Holy Ghost?

Q.435.  How was the Church sanctified through the coming of

        the Holy Ghost?

Q.436.  How were the Apostles enlightened through the

        coming of the Holy Ghost?

Q.437.  How were the Apostles strengthened through the

        coming of the Holy Ghost?

Q.438.  What does "Apostle," and what does "Gospel" mean?

Q.439.  Name the Apostles.

Q.440.  Was St. Paul an Apostle?

Q.441.  How did St. Paul become an Apostle?

Q.442.  Who were the Evangelists?

Q.443.  Why did not the Apostles fully understand when

        Christ Himself taught them?

Q.444.  Will the Holy Ghost abide with the Church forever?

Q.445.  What benefit do we derive from the knowledge that

        the Holy Ghost will abide with the Church forever?

Q.446.  What visible power was given to the Apostles through

        the coming of the Holy Ghost?

Q.447.  Why did such wonderful gifts accompany

        confirmation, or the coming of the Holy Ghost, in the

        first ages of the Church?

Q.448.  Why are these signs not continued everywhere at the

        present time?

Q.449.  Were such powers as the "gift of tongues" a part of

        the Sacrament of Confirmation?

 

LESSON TENTH:  On the Effects of the Redemption

Q.450.  What is an effect?

Q.451.  What does redemption mean?

Q.452.  What did Adam give away by his sin, and what did

        Our Lord buy back for him and us?

Q.453.  Which are the chief effects of the Redemption?

Q.454.  Why do we say "chief effects"?

Q.455.  Why did God's justice require satisfaction?

Q.456.  What do you mean by grace?

Q.457.  What does "supernatural" mean?

Q.458.  What do you mean by "merit"?

Q.459.  How many kinds of grace are there?

Q.460.  What is the difference between sanctifying grace and

        actual grace?

Q.461.  What is sanctifying grace?

Q.462.  What do you call those graces or gifts of God by

        which we believe in Him, hope in Him, and love

        Him?

Q.463.  What do you mean by virtue and vice?

Q.464.  Does habit excuse us from the sins committed through

        it?

Q.465.  What is Faith?

Q.466.  What is Hope?

Q.467.  What is Charity?

Q.468.  Why are Faith, Hope and Charity called virtues?

Q.469.  What kind of virtues are Faith, Hope and Charity?

Q.470.  Why do we say the three theological virtues are

        infused and the four moral virtues acquired?

Q.471.  Why do we believe God, hope in Him, and love

        Him?

Q.472.  What mortal sins are opposed to Faith?

Q.473.  Who is our neighbor?

Q.474.  Why should we love our neighbor?

Q.475.  What is actual grace?

Q.476.  Is grace necessary to salvation?

Q.477.  Can we resist the grace of God?

Q.478.  Is it a sin knowingly to resist the grace of God?

Q.479.  Does God give His grace to every one?

Q.480.  What is the grace of perseverance?

Q.481.  Can we merit the grace of final perseverance or know

        when we possess it?

Q.482.  Can a person merit any supernatural reward for good

        deeds performed while he is in mortal sin?

Q.483.  Does God reward anything but our good works?

 

LESSON ELEVENTH:  On the Church

Q.484.  How was the true religion preserved from Adam till

        the coming of Christ?

Q.485.  Who were the prophets, and what was their chief

        duty?

Q.486.  How could they be saved who lived before Christ

        became man?

Q.487.  Was the true religion universal before the coming of

        Christ?

Q.488.  Which are the means instituted by Our Lord to enable

        men at all times to share in the fruits of the

        Redemption?

Q.489.  What is the Church?

Q.490.  How may the members of the Church on earth be

        divided?

Q.491.  What is the duty of the Teaching Church?

Q.492.  What is the duty of the faithful?

Q.493.  What do you mean by "profess the faith of Christ"?

Q.494.  What do we mean by "lawful pastors"?

Q.495.  Who is the invisible Head of the Church?

Q.496.  Who is the visible Head of the Church?

Q.497.  What does "vicar" mean?

Q.498.  Could any one be Pope without being Bishop of

        Rome?

Q.499.  Why is the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, the visible

        Head of the Church?

Q.500.  Why are Catholics called "Roman"?

Q.501.  By what name is a bishop's diocese sometimes called?

Q.502.  What do we call the right by which St. Peter or his

        successor has always been the head of the Church and

        of all its bishops?

Q.503.  How is it shown that St. Peter or his successor has

        always been the head of the Church?

Q.504.  How do we know that the rights and privileges

        bestowed on St. Peter were given also to his

        successors -- the Popes?

Q.505.  Did St. Peter establish any Church before he came to

        Rome?

Q.506.  Who are the successors of the other Apostles?

Q.507.  How do we know that the bishops of the Church are

        the successors of the Apostles?

Q.508.  Why did Christ found the Church?

Q.509.  Are all bound to belong to the Church?

Q.510.  Is it ever possible for one to be saved who does not

        know the Catholic Church to be the true Church?

Q.511.  Why do we say it is only possible for a person to be

        saved who does not know the Catholic Church to be

        the true Church?

Q.512.  How are such persons said to belong to the Church?

Q.513.  Why must the true Church be visible?

Q.514.  What excuses do some give for not becoming

        members of the true Church?

Q.515.  How do you answer such excuses?

Q.516.  Why can there be only one true religion?

 

LESSON TWELFTH:  On the Attributes and Marks of the Church

Q.517.  What is an attribute?

Q.518.  What is a mark?

Q.519.  How do we know that the Church must have the four

        marks and three attributes usually ascribed or given to

        it?

Q.520.  Can the Church have the four marks without the three

        attributes?

Q.521.  Why are both marks and attributes necessary in the

        Church?

Q.522.  Which are the attributes of the Church?

Q.523.  What is authority?

Q.524.  From whom must all persons derive whatever lawful

        authority they possess?

Q.525.  What do you mean by the authority of the Church?

Q.526.  What do you mean by the infallibility of the Church?

Q.527.  What do we mean by a "doctrine of faith or morals"?

Q.528.  How do you know that the Church can not err?

Q.529.  Since the Church can not err, could it ever be

        reformed in its teaching of faith or morals?

Q.530.  When does the Church teach infallibly?

Q.531.  What is necessary that the Pope may speak infallibly

        or ex-cathedra?

Q.532.  Is the Pope infallible in everything he says and does?

Q.533.  Can the Pope commit sin?

Q.534.  What does ex-cathedra mean?

Q.535.  Why is the chief Church in a diocese called a

        Cathedral?

Q.536.  How many Popes have governed the Church from St.

        Peter to Pius XI.?

Q.537.  What does anti-pope mean, and who were the

        anti-popes?

Q.538.  Why must the Pope sometimes warn us on political

        and other matters?

Q.539.  What do we mean by the "temporal power" of the

        Pope?

Q.540.  How did the Pope acquire and how was he deprived

        of the temporal power?

Q.541.  How was the temporal power useful to the Church?

Q.542.  What name do we give to the offerings made yearly

        by the faithful for the support of the Pope and the

        government of the Church?

Q.543.  What do you mean by the indefectibility of the

        Church?

Q.544.  What is the difference between the infallibility and

        indefectibility of the Church?

Q.545.  Did Our Lord Himself make all the laws of the

        Church?

Q.546.  Can the Church change its laws?

Q.547.  In whom are these attributes found in their fullness?

Q.548.  Has the Church any marks by which it may be

        known?

Q.549.  How is the Church One?

Q.550.  How is it evident that the Church is one in

        government?

Q.551.  What is meant by the Hierarchy of the Church?

Q.552.  How is it evident that the Church is one in worship?

Q.553.  How is it evident that the Church is one in faith?

Q.554.  Could a person who denies only one article of our

        faith be a Catholic?

Q.555.  Are there any pious beliefs and practices in the

        Church that are not articles of faith?

Q.556.  Of what sin are persons guilty who put firm belief in

        religious or other practices that are either forbidden or

        useless?

Q.557.  Where does the Church find the revealed truths it is

        bound to teach?

Q.558.  What is the Holy Scripture or Bible?

Q.559.  What is meant by the Canon of the Sacred Scriptures?

Q.560.  Where does the Church find the revealed traditions?

Q.561.  Must we ourselves seek in the Scriptures and

        traditions for what we are to believe?

Q.562.  How do we show that the Holy Scriptures alone could

        not be our guide to salvation and infallible rule of

        faith?

Q.563.  How is the Church Holy?

Q.564.  How is the Church Catholic or universal?

Q.565.  How do you show that the Catholic Church is

        universal in time, in place, and in doctrine?

Q.566.  Why does the Church use the Latin language instead

        of the national language of its children?

Q.567.  How is the Church Apostolic?

Q.568.  Does the Church, by defining certain truths, thereby

        make new doctrines?

Q.569.  What, then, is the use of defining or declaring a truth

        an article of faith if it has always been believed?

Q.570.  In which Church are these attributes and marks found?

Q.571.  How do you show that Protestant Churches have not

        the marks of the true Church?

Q.572.  From whom does the Church derive its undying life

        and infallible authority?

Q.573.  By whom is the Church made and kept One, Holy,

        and Catholic?

 

LESSON THIRTEENTH:  On the Sacraments in General

Q.574.  What is a Sacrament?

Q.575.  Are these three things, namely: An outward or visible

        sign, the institution of that sign by Christ, and the

        giving of grace through the use of that sign, always

        necessary for the existence of a Sacrament?

Q.576.  Why does the Church use numerous ceremonies or

        actions in applying the outward signs of the

        Sacraments?

Q.577.  How many Sacraments are there?

Q.578.  Were all the Sacraments instituted by Our Lord?

Q.579.  How do we know there are seven Sacraments and no

        more or less?

Q.580.  Why have the Sacraments been instituted?

Q.581.  Do the Sacraments recall in any way the means by

        which Our Lord merited the graces we receive

        through them?

Q.582.  Give, for example, the outward sign in Baptism and

        Confirmation.

Q.583.  What is the use of the outward signs in the

        Sacraments?

Q.584.  Does the outward sign merely indicate that grace has

        been given, or does the use of the outward sign with

        the proper intention also give the grace of the

        Sacrament?

Q.585.  What do we mean by the "right intention" for the

        administration of the Sacraments?

Q.586.  Is there any likeness between the thing used in the

        outward sign and the grace given in each Sacrament?

Q.587.  What do we mean by the "matter and form" of the

        Sacraments?

Q.588.  Do the needs of the soul resemble the needs of the

        body?

Q.589.  Whence have the Sacraments the power of giving

        grace?

Q.590.  Does the effect of the Sacraments depend on the

        worthiness or unworthiness of the one who

        administers them?

Q.591.  What grace do the Sacraments give?

Q.592.  When is a Sacrament said to give, and when is it said

        to increase, grace in our souls?

Q.593.  Which are the Sacraments that give sanctifying grace?

Q.594.  Why are Baptism and Penance called Sacraments of

        the dead?

Q.595.  May not the Sacrament of Penance be received by one

        who is in a state of grace?

Q.596.  Which are the Sacraments that increase sanctifying

        grace in our soul?

Q.597.  What do we mean by Sacraments of the dead and

        Sacraments of the living?

Q.598.  Why are Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Extreme

        Unction, Holy Orders, and Matrimony called

        Sacraments of the living?

Q.599.  What sin does he commit who receives the Sacraments

        of the living in mortal sin?

Q.600.  In what other ways besides the unworthy reception of

        the Sacraments may persons commit sacrilege?

Q.601.  Besides sanctifying grace do the Sacraments give any

        other grace?

Q.602.  What is sacramental grace?

Q.603.  Is the Sacramental grace independent of the

        sanctifying grace given in the Sacraments?

Q.604.  Give an example of how the Sacramental grace aids

        us, for instance, in Confirmation and Penance.

Q.605.  Do the Sacraments always give grace?

Q.606.  What do we mean by the "right dispositions" for the

        reception of the Sacraments?

Q.607.  Give an example of the "right dispositions" for

        Penance and for the Holy Eucharist.

Q.608.  Can we receive the Sacraments more than once?

Q.609.  Why can we not receive Baptism, Confirmation, and

        Holy Orders more than once?

Q.610.  What is the character which these Sacraments imprint

        in the soul?

Q.611.  Does this character remain in the soul even after

        death?

Q.612.  Can the Sacraments be given conditionally?

Q.613.  What do we mean by giving a Sacrament

        conditionally?

Q.614.  Give an example of how a Sacrament is given

        conditionally.

Q.615.  Which of the Sacraments are most frequently given

        conditionally?

Q.616.  Name some of the more common circumstances in

        which a priest is obliged to administer the Sacraments

        conditionally.

Q.617.  What is the use and effect of giving the Sacraments

        conditionally?

Q.618.  What is the difference between the powers of a bishop

        and of a priest with regard to the administration of

        the Sacraments?

Q.619.  Can a person receive all the Sacraments?

 

LESSON FOURTEENTH:  On Baptism

Q.620.  When was baptism instituted?

Q.621.  What is Baptism?

Q.622.  What were persons called in the first ages of the

        Church who were being instructed and prepared for

        baptism?

Q.623.  What persons are called heirs?

Q.624.  Why, then, are we the heirs of Christ?

Q.625.  What conditions has Our Lord laid down for the

        gaining of this inheritance?

Q.626.  Did not St. John the Baptist institute the Sacrament of

        Baptism?

Q.627.  Are actual sins ever remitted by Baptism?

Q.628.  That actual sins may be remitted by baptism, is it

        necessary to be sorry for them?

Q.629.  What punishments are due to actual sins?

Q.630.  Why is there a double punishment attached to actual

        sins?

Q.631.  Is Baptism necessary to salvation?

Q.632.  Where will persons go who -- such as infants -- have

        not committed actual sin and who, through no fault of

        theirs, die without baptism?

Q.633.  Who can administer Baptism?

Q.634.  What do we mean by the "ordinary minister" of a

        Sacrament?

Q.635.  Can a person who has not himself been baptized, and

        who does not even believe in the Sacrament of

        baptism, give it validly to another in case of

        necessity?

Q.636.  Why do the consequences of original sin, such as

        suffering, temptation, sickness, and death, remain

        after the sin has been forgiven in baptism?

Q.637.  Can a person ever receive any of the other Sacraments

        without first receiving baptism?

Q.638.  How is Baptism given?

Q.639.  If water cannot be had, in case of necessity, may any

        other liquid be used for baptism?

Q.640.  If it is impossible, in case of necessity, to reach the

        head, may the water be poured on any other part of

        the body?

Q.641.  Is the baptism valid if we say: "I baptize thee in the

        name of the Holy Trinity," without naming the

        Persons of the Trinity?

Q.642.  Is it wrong to defer the baptism of an infant?

Q.643.  Can we baptize a child against the wishes of its

        parents?

Q.644.  How many kinds of Baptism are there?

Q.645.  What is Baptism of water?

Q.646.  In how many ways was the baptism of water given in

        the first ages of the Church?

Q.647.  What are the chief ceremonies used in solemn

        baptism, and what do they signify?

Q.648.  Should one who, in case of necessity, has been

        baptized with private baptism, be afterwards brought

        to the Church to have the ceremonies of solemn

        baptism completed?

Q.649.  Is solemn baptism given with any special kind of

        water?

Q.650.  What is Baptism of desire?

Q.651.  What is Baptism of blood?

Q.652.  What is the baptism of blood most commonly called?

Q.653.  Is Baptism of desire or of blood sufficient to produce

        the effects of Baptism of water?

Q.654.  How do we know that the baptism of desire or of

        blood will save us when it is impossible to receive the

        baptism of water?

Q.655.  What do we promise in Baptism?

Q.656.  What do we mean by the "pomps" of the devil?

Q.657.  Why is the name of a saint given in Baptism?

Q.658.  What is the Saint whose name we bear called?

Q.659.  What names should never be given in baptism?

Q.660.  Why are godfathers and godmothers given in Baptism?

Q.661.  By what other name are godfathers and godmothers

        called?

Q.662.  Can a person ever be sponsor when absent from the

        baptism?

Q.663.  With whom do godparents, as well as the one

        baptizing, contract a relationship?

Q.664.  What questions should persons who bring a child for

        baptism be able to answer?

Q.665.  What is the obligation of a godfather and a

        godmother?

Q.666.  Can persons who are not Catholics be sponsors for

        Catholic children?

Q.667.  What should parents chiefly consider in the selection

        of sponsors for their children?

Q.668.  What dispositions must adults or grown persons, have

        that they may worthily receive baptism?

Q.669.  What is the ceremony of churching?

 

LESSON FIFTEENTH:  On Confirmation

Q.670.  What is Confirmation?

Q.671.  When was Confirmation instituted?

Q.672.  Why is Confirmation so called?

Q.673.  Why are we called soldiers of Jesus Christ?

Q.674.  May one add a new name to his own at Confirmation?

Q.675.  Who administers Confirmation?

Q.676.  Why do we say the bishop is the "ordinary minister"

        of Confirmation?

Q.677.  How does the bishop give Confirmation?

Q.678.  In Confirmation, what does the extending of the

        bishop's hands over us signify?

Q.679.  What is holy chrism?

Q.680.  What do the oil and balm in Holy Chrism signify?

Q.681.  How many holy oils are used in the Church?

Q.682.  What constitutes the difference between these oils?

Q.683.  When and by whom are the holy oils blessed?

Q.684.  For what are the holy oils used?

Q.685.  What does the bishop say in anointing the person he

        confirms?

Q.686.  What is meant by anointing the forehead with chrism

        in the form of a cross?

Q.687.  When must we openly profess and practice our

        religion?

Q.688.  Why have we good reason never to be ashamed of the

        Catholic faith?

Q.689.  Why does the bishop give the person he confirms a

        slight blow on the cheek?

Q.690.  Is it right to test ourselves through our imagination of

        what we would be willing to suffer for the sake of

        Christ?

Q.691.  To receive Confirmation worthily is it necessary to be

        in the state of grace?

Q.692.  What special preparation should be made to receive

        Confirmation?

Q.693.  Why should we know the chief mysteries of faith and

        the duties of a Christian before receiving

        Confirmation?

Q.694.  Is it a sin to neglect Confirmation?

Q.695.  What do we mean by "these evil days"?

Q.696.  Is Confirmation necessary for salvation?

Q.697.  Are sponsors necessary in Confirmation?

 

LESSON SIXTEENTH:  On the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Ghost

Q.698.  Which are the effects of Confirmation?

Q.699.  Which are the gifts of the Holy Ghost?

Q.700.  Why do we receive the gift of Fear of the Lord?

Q.701.  Why do we receive the gift of Piety?

Q.702.  Why do we receive the gift of Knowledge?

Q.703.  Why do we receive the gift of Fortitude?

Q.704.  Why do we receive the gift of Counsel?

Q.705.  How is it clear that the devil could easily deceive us

        if the Holy Ghost did not aid us?

Q.706.  Why do we receive the gift of Understanding?

Q.707.  Why do we receive the gift of Wisdom?

Q.708.  Which are the Beatitudes?

Q.709.  What are the Beatitudes and why are they so called?

Q.710.  Where did Our Lord usually preach?

Q.711.  What is the meaning and use of the Beatitudes in

        general?

Q.712.  What does the first Beatitude mean by the "poor in

        spirit"?

Q.713.  Who are the mourners who deserve the consolation

        promised in the third Beatitude?

Q.714.  What lessons do the other Beatitudes convey?

Q.715.  Who may be rightly called merciful?

Q.716.  Why are the clean of heart promised so great a

        reward?

Q.717.  What is the duty of a peacemaker?

Q.718.  Why does Our Lord speak in particular of poverty,

        meekness, sorrow, desire for virtue, mercy, purity,

        peace and suffering?

Q.719.  Which are the twelve fruits of the Holy Ghost?

Q.720.  Why are charity, joy, peace, etc., called fruits of the

        Holy Ghost?

 

LESSON SEVENTEENTH:  On the Sacrament of Penance

Q.721.  What is the Sacrament of Penance?

Q 722.  Has the word Penance any other meaning?

Q.723.  How does the institution of the Sacrament of Penance

        show the goodness of Our Lord?

Q.724.  What are the natural benefits of the Sacrament of

        Penance?

Q.725.  How does the Sacrament of Penance remit sin, and

        restore to the soul the friendship of God?

Q.726.  What is Absolution?

Q.727.  Does the priest ever refuse absolution to a penitent?

Q.728.  What should a person do when the priest has refused

        or postponed absolution?

Q.729.  Can the priest forgive all sins in the Sacrament of

        Penance?

Q.730.  What are the sins called which the priest has no

        authority to absolve?

Q.731.  Why is the absolution from some sins reserved to the

        Pope or bishop?

Q.732.  Can any priest absolve a person in danger of death

        from reserved sins without the permission of the

        bishop?

Q.733.  How do you know that the priest has the power of

        absolving from the sins committed after Baptism?

Q.734.  How do we know that Our Lord, while on earth, had

        the power to forgive sins?

Q.735.  Was the power to forgive sins given to the apostles

        alone?

Q.736.  When was the Sacrament of Penance instituted?

Q.737.  Are the enemies of our religion right when they say

        man cannot forgive sins?

Q.738.  How do the priests of the Church exercise the power

        of forgiving sins?

Q.739.  How does the power to forgive sins imply the

        obligation of going to confession?

Q.740.  Could God not forgive our sins if we confessed them

        to Himself in secret?

Q.741.  What must we do to receive the Sacrament of Penance

        worthily?

Q.742.  What should we pray for in preparing for confession?

Q.743.  What faults do many commit in preparing for

        confession?

Q.744.  What, then, is the most important part of the

        preparation for confession?

Q.745.  What is the chief reason that our confessions do not

        always amend our way of living?

Q.746.  What faults are to be avoided in making our

        confession?

Q.747.  Is it wrong to go to confession out of your turn

        against the will of others waiting with you?

Q.748.  What should a penitent do who knows he cannot

        perform the penance given?

Q.749.  What is the examination of conscience?

Q.750.  When is our confession worthy?

Q.751.  How can we make a good examination of conscience?

Q.752.  What should we do before beginning the examination

        of conscience?

 

LESSON EIGHTEENTH:  On Contrition

Q.753.  What is contrition, or sorrow for sin?

Q.754.  Give an example of how we should hate and avoid

        sin.

Q.755.  What kind of sorrow should we have for our sins?

Q.756.  What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should

        be interior?

Q.757.  What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should

        be supernatural?

Q.758.  What do we mean by "motives that spring from faith"

        and by "merely natural motives" with regard to

        sorrow for sin?

Q.759.  What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should

        be universal?

Q.760.  Why cannot some of our mortal sins be forgiven

        while the rest remain on our souls?

Q.761.  What do you mean when you say that our sorrow

        should be sovereign?

Q.762.  Why should we be sorry for our sins?

Q.763.  How do we show that sin is the greatest of all evils?

Q.764.  How many kinds of contrition are there?

Q.765.  What is perfect contrition?

Q.766.  When will perfect contrition obtain pardon for mortal

        sin without the Sacrament of Penance?

Q.767.  What is imperfect contrition?

Q.768.  What other name is given to imperfect contrition and

        why is it called imperfect?

Q.769.  Is imperfect contrition sufficient for a worthy

        confession?

Q.770.  What do you mean by a firm purpose of sinning no

        more?

Q.771.  What do you mean by the near occasions of sin?

Q.772.  Why are we bound to avoid occasions of sin?

Q.773.  Is a person who is determined to avoid the sin, but

        who is unwilling to give up its near occasion when it

        is possible to do so, rightly disposed for confession?

Q.774.  How many kinds of occasions of sin are there?

Q.775.  What persons, places and things are usually occasions

        of sin?

 

LESSON NINETEENTH:  On Confession

Q.776.  What is Confession?

Q.777.  Who is a duly authorized priest?

Q.778.  Is it ever allowed to write our sins and read them to

        the priest in the confessional or give them to him to

        read?

Q.779.  What is to be done when persons must make their

        confession and cannot find a priest who understands

        their language?

Q.780.  What sins are we bound to confess?

Q.781.  Why is it well to confess also the venial sins we

        remember?

Q.782.  What should one do who has only venial sins to

        confess?

Q.783.  Should a person stay from confession because he

        thinks he has no sin to confess ?

Q.784.  Should a person go to Communion after confession

        even when the confessor does not bid him go?

Q.785.  Which are the chief qualities of a good Confession?

Q.786.  When is our Confession humble?

Q.787.  When is our Confession sincere?

Q.788.  Why is it wrong to accuse ourselves of sins we have

        not committed?

Q.789.  When is our Confession entire?

Q.790.  What do you mean by the "kinds of sin?"

Q.791.  What do we mean by "circumstances which change

        the nature of sins?"

Q.792.  What should we do if we cannot remember the

        number of our sins?

Q.793.  Is our Confession worthy if, without our fault, we

        forget to confess a mortal sin?

Q.794.  May a person who has forgotten to tell a mortal sin

        in confession go to Holy Communion before going

        again to confession?

Q.795.  Is it a grievous offense willfully to conceal a mortal

        sin in Confession?

Q.796.  How is concealing a sin telling a lie to the Holy

        Ghost?

Q.797.  Why is it foolish to conceal sins in confession?

Q.798.  What must he do who has willfully concealed a

        mortal sin in Confession?

Q.799.  Must one who has willfully concealed a mortal sin in

        confession do more than repeat the sins committed

        since his last worthy confession?

Q.800.  Why does the priest give us a penance after

        Confession?

Q.801.  Why should we have to satisfy for our sins if Christ

        has fully satisfied for them?

Q.802.  Is the slight penance the priest gives us sufficient to

        satisfy for all the sins confessed?

Q.803.  Does not the Sacrament of Penance remit all

        punishment due to sin?

Q.804.  Why does God require a temporal punishment as a

        satisfaction for sin?

Q.805.  Which are the chief means by which we satisfy God

        for the temporal punishment due to sin?

Q.806.  What fasting has the greatest merit?

Q.807.  What is Lent?

Q.808.  What do we mean by "almsgiving"?

Q.809.  What "ills of life" help to satisfy God for sin?

Q.810.  How did the Christians in the first ages of the Church

        do Penance?

Q.811.  What were these severe Penances of the First Ages of

        the Church called?

Q.812.  How can we know spiritual from corporal works of

        mercy?

Q.813.  Which are the chief spiritual works of mercy?

Q.814.  When are we bound to admonish the sinner?

Q.815.  Who are meant by the "ignorant" we are to instruct,

        and the "doubtful" we are to counsel?

Q.816.  Why are we advised to bear wrong patiently and to

        forgive all injuries?

Q.817.  If, then, it be a Christian virtue to forgive all

        injuries, why do Christians establish courts and

        prisons to punish wrongdoers?

Q.818.  Why is it a work of mercy to pray for the living and

        the dead?

Q.819.  Which are the chief corporal works of mercy?

Q.820.  How may we briefly state the corporal works of

        mercy?

Q.821.  How are Christians aided in the performance of works

        of mercy?

Q.822.  Who are religious?

Q.823.  Are there any religious communities of priests?

Q.824.  Why are there so many different religious

        communities?

 

LESSON TWENTIETH:  On the Manner of Making a Good Confession

Q.825.  What should we do on entering the confessional?

Q.826.  Which are the first things we should tell the priest in

        Confession?

Q.827.  Should we tell anything else in connection with our

        last confession?

Q.828.  After telling the time of our last Confession and

        Communion what should we do?

Q.829.  What is a general confession?

Q.830.  When should a General Confession be made?

Q.831.  What are the signs of scruples and the remedy against

        them?

Q.832.  What must we do when the confessor asks us

        questions?

Q.833.  What should we do after telling our sins?

Q.834.  What duties does the priest perform in the

        confessional?

Q.835.  Why is it beneficial to go always if possible to the

        same confessor?

Q.836.  Should we remain away from confession because we

        cannot go to our usual confessor?

Q.837.  How should we end our Confession?

Q.838.  What should we do while the priest is giving us

        absolution?

 

LESSON TWENTY-FIRST:  On Indulgences

Q.839.  What is an Indulgence?

Q.840.  What does the word "indulgence" mean?

Q.841.  Is an Indulgence a pardon of sin, or a license to

        commit sin?

Q.842.  How do good works done in mortal sin profit us?

Q.843.  How many kinds of Indulgences are there?

Q.844.  What is Plenary Indulgence?

Q.845.  Is it easy to gain a Plenary Indulgence?

Q.846.  Which are the most important Plenary Indulgences

        granted by the Church?

Q.847.  What is a Partial Indulgence?

Q.848.  How long has the practice of granting Indulgences

        been in use in the Church, and what was its origin?

Q.849.  How do we show that the Church has the power to

        grant Indulgences?

Q.850.  How do we know that these Indulgences have their

        effect?

Q.851.  Have there ever existed abuses among the faithful in

        the manner of using Indulgences?

Q.852.  How have the enemies of the Church made use of the

        abuse of Indulgences?

Q.853.  How does the Church by means of Indulgences remit

        the temporal punishment due to sin?

Q.854.  What do we mean by the "superabundant satisfaction

        of the Blessed Virgin and the Saints"?

Q.855.  Does the Church, by granting Indulgences, free us

        from doing Penance?

Q.856.  Who has the power to grant Indulgences?

Q.857.  Where shall we find the Indulgences granted by the

        Church?

Q.858.  What must we do to gain an Indulgence?

Q.859.  Besides being in a state of grace and performing the

        works enjoined, what else is necessary for the gaining

        of an Indulgence?

Q.860.  How and why should we make a general intention to

        gain all possible Indulgences each day?

Q.861.  What works are generally enjoined for the gaining of

        Indulgences?

Q.862.  What does praying for a person's intention mean?

Q.863.  What does an Indulgence of forty days mean?

Q.864.  Why did the Church moderate its severe penances?

Q.865.  To what things may Indulgences be attached?

Q.866.  When do things lose the Indulgences attached to them?

Q.867.  Will a weekly Confession suffice to gain during the

        week all Indulgences to which Confession is enjoined

        as one of the works?

Q.868.  How and when may we apply Indulgences for the

        benefit of the souls in Purgatory?

 

LESSON TWENTY-SECOND:  THE HOLY EUCHARIST.

Q.869.  What does the word Eucharist strictly mean?

Q.870.  What is the Holy Eucharist?

Q.871.  What do we mean when we say the Sacrament which

        contains the Body and Blood?

Q.872.  When is the Holy Eucharist a Sacrament, and when is

        it a sacrifice?

Q.873.  When did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist?

Q.874.  Who were present when our Lord instituted the Holy

        Eucharist?

Q.875.  How did our Lord institute the Holy Eucharist?

Q.876.  What happened when our Lord said, "This is my

        body; this is my blood"?

Q.877.  How do we prove the Real Presence, that is, that Our

        Lord is really and truly present in the Holy Eucharist?

Q.878.  How do we know that it is possible to change one

        substance into another?

Q.879.  Are these changes exactly the same as the changes that

        take place in the Holy Eucharist?

Q.880.  How do we show that Christ did change bread and

        wine into the substance of His body and blood?

Q.881.  Is Jesus Christ whole and entire both under the form

        of bread and under the form of wine?

Q.882.  How do we know that under the appearance of bread

        we receive also Christ's blood; and under the

        appearance of wine we receive also Christ's body?

Q.883.  Is Jesus Christ present whole and entire in the

        smallest portion of the Holy Eucharist, under the

        form of either bread or wine?

Q.884.  Did anything remain of the bread and wine after their

        substance had been changed into the substance of the

        body and blood of our Lord?

Q.885.  What do you mean by the appearances of bread and

        wine?

Q.886.  What is this change of the bread and wine into the

        body and blood of our Lord called?

Q.887.  What is the second great miracle in the Holy

        Eucharist?

Q.888.  Are there not, then, as many bodies of Christ as there

        are tabernacles in the world, or as there are Masses

        being said at the same time?

Q.889.  How was the substance of the bread and wine changed

        into the substance of the body and blood of Christ?

Q.890.  Does this change of bread and wine into the body and

        blood of Christ continue to be made in the Church?

Q.891.  When did Christ give His priests the power to change

        bread and wine into His body and blood?

Q.892.  What do the words "Do this in commemoration of

        Me" mean?

Q.893.  How do the priests exercise this power of changing

        bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ?

Q.894.  At what part of the Mass does the Consecration take

        place?

 

LESSON TWENTY-THIRD:  On the Ends for Which the Holy Eucharist Was Instituted

Q.895.  Why did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist?

Q.896.  Has the Holy Eucharist any other effect?

Q.897.  How are we united to Jesus Christ in the Holy

        Eucharist?

Q.898.  What is Holy Communion?

Q.899.  Is it not beneath the dignity of Our Lord to enter our

        bodies under the appearance of ordinary food?

Q.900.  Why does not the Church give Holy Communion to

        the people as it does to the priest under the appearance

        of wine also?

Q.901.  What is necessary to make a good Communion?

Q.902.  What should a person do who, through forgetfulness

        or any other cause, has broken the fast necessary for

        Holy Communion?

Q.903.  Does he who receives Communion in mortal sin

        receive the body and blood of Christ?

Q.904.  Is it enough to be free from mortal sin to receive

        plentifully the graces of Holy Communion?

Q.905.  What is the fast necessary for Holy Communion?

Q.906.  Does medicine taken by necessity or food taken by

        accident break the fast for Holy Communion?

Q.907.  Is any one ever allowed to receive Holy Communion

        when not fasting?

Q.908.  Is the Holy Communion called by any other name

        when given to one in danger of death?

Q.909.  When are we bound to receive Holy Communion?

Q.910.  Is it well to receive Holy Communion often?

Q.911.  How shall we know how often we should receive

        Holy Communion?

Q.912.  What is a spiritual Communion?

Q.913.  What should we do after Holy Communion?

Q.914.  What length of time should we spend in thanksgiving

        after Holy Communion?

Q.915.  What should we be particular about when receiving

        Holy Communion?

 

LESSON TWENTY-FOURTH:  On the Sacrifice of the Mass

Q.916.  When and where are the bread and wine changed into

        the body and blood of Christ?

Q.917.  What is the Mass?

Q.918.  Why is this Sacrifice called the Mass?

Q.919.  What is a sacrifice?

Q.920.  Is the Mass the same sacrifice as that of the Cross?

Q.921.  How is the Mass the same sacrifice as that of the

        Cross?

Q.922.  What were the ends for which the sacrifice of the

        Cross was offered?

Q.923.  How are the fruits of the Mass distributed?

Q.924.  Are all Masses of equal value in themselves or do

        they differ in worth?

Q.925.  How are Masses distinguished?

Q.926.  For what end or intention may Mass be offered?

Q.927.  Explain what is meant by Requiem, Nuptial and

        Votive Masses.

Q.928.  From what may we learn that we are to offer up the

        Holy Sacrifice with the priest?

Q.929.  From what did the custom of making an offering to

        the priest for saying Mass arise?

Q.930.  Is it not simony, or the buying of a sacred thing, to

        offer the priest money for saying Mass for your

        intention?

Q.931.  Is there any difference between the sacrifice of the

        Cross and the sacrifice of the Mass?

Q.932.  What are the chief parts of the Mass?

Q.933.  At what part of the Mass does the Offertory take

        place, and what parts of the Mass are said before it?

Q.934.  What is the part of the Mass called in which the

        Words of Consecration are found?

Q.935.  What follows the Communion of the Mass?

Q.936.  What things are necessary for Mass?

Q.937.  What is the altar stone, and of what does it remind

        us?

Q.938.  What lesson do we learn from the practice of using

        martyrs' tombs for altars?

Q.939.  What things are used with the chalice during Mass?

Q.940.  What is the host?

Q.941.  Are large and small hosts consecrated at every Mass?

Q.942.  What vestments does the priest use at Mass and what

        do they signify?

Q.943.  How many colors of vestments are used, and what do

        the colors signify?

Q.944.  What is the Tabernacle and what is the Ciborium?

Q.945.  What is the Ostensorium or Monstrance?

Q.946.  How should we assist at Mass?

Q.947.  Which is the best manner of hearing Mass?

Q.948.  What is important for the proper and respectful

        hearing of Mass?

Q.949.  What is Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and

        what vestments are used at it?

Q.950.  Why does the priest wear special vestments and use

        certain ceremonies while performing his sacred duties?

Q.951.  How do we show that the ceremonies of the Church

        are reasonable and proper?

Q.952.  Are there other reasons for the use of ceremonies?

Q.953.  How are the persons who take part in a Solemn Mass

        or Vespers named?

Q.954.  What is Vespers?

Q.955.  Can one satisfy for neglecting Mass on Sunday by

        hearing Vespers on the same day?

 

LESSON TWENTY-FIFTH:  On Extreme Unction and Holy Orders

Q.956.  What is the Sacrament of Extreme Unction?

Q.957.  Why is this Sacrament called Extreme Unction?

Q.958.  Is this Sacrament called Extreme Unction if the

        person recovers after receiving it?

Q.959.  To whom may Extreme Unction be given?

Q.960.  What are the right dispositions for Extreme Unction?

Q.961.  When and by whom was Extreme Unction instituted?

Q.962.  When should we receive Extreme Unction?

Q.963.  What parts of the body are anointed in Extreme

        Unction?

Q.964.  What things should be prepared in the sick-room when

        the priest is coming to give the last Sacraments?

Q.965.  What seems most proper with regard to the things

        necessary for the last Sacraments?

Q.966.  What else is to be observed about the preparation for

        the administration of the last Sacraments?

Q.967.  Should we wait until we are in extreme danger before

        we receive Extreme Unction?

Q.968.  What should we do in case of serious illness if the

        sick person will not consent or is afraid to receive the

        Sacraments, or, at least, wishes to put off their

        reception?

Q.969.  Which are the effects of the Sacrament of Extreme

        Unction?

Q.970.  Will Extreme Unction take away mortal sin if the

        dying person is no longer able to confess?

Q.971.  How do we know that this Sacrament, more than any

        other, was instituted to benefit the body?

Q.972.  Since Extreme Unction may restore us to health,

        should we not be glad to receive it?

Q.973.  What do you mean by the remains of sin?

Q.974.  How should we receive the Sacrament of Extreme

        Unction?

Q.975.  Who is the minister of the Sacrament of Extreme

        Unction?

Q.976.  What is the final preparation we should make for the

        reception of the last Sacraments?

Q.977.  At what time should persons dangerously ill attend to

        the final arrangement of their temporal or worldly

        affairs?

Q.978.  What is the Sacrament of Holy Orders?

Q.979.  Besides bishops and priests, who are the other

        ministers of the Church?

Q.980.  Why is this Sacrament called Holy Orders?

Q.981.  What are the grades by which one ascends to the

        priesthood?

Q.982.  Are not the different orders separate Sacraments?

Q.983.  What name is given to sub-deaconship, deaconship and

        priesthood?

Q.984.  What double power does the Church possess and

        confer on her pastors?

Q.985.  How do the pastors of the Church rank according to

        authority?

Q.986.  How do the prelates or higher officers of the Church

        rank in dignity?

Q.987.  Who are Cardinals, what are their duties and how are

        they divided?

Q.988.  Who is a Monsignor?

Q.989.  Who is a Vicar-General?

Q.990.  Who is an Abbot?

Q.991.  What is the pallium?

Q.992.  What is necessary to receive Holy Orders worthily?

Q.993.  What name is given to this divine call and how can

        we discover this call?

Q.994.  How should we finally determine our vocation?

Q.995.  What should parents and guardians bear in mind with

        regard to their children's vocations?

Q.996.  How should Christians look upon the priests of the

        Church?

Q.997.  How do we know that the priests of the Church are

        the messengers of God?

Q.998.  When did the priests of the Church receive this

        threefold power to preach, to forgive sins and to

        consecrate bread and wine?

Q.999.  Why should we show great respect to the priests and

        bishops of the Church?

Q.1000. Should we do more than merely respect the ministers

        of God?

Q.1001. Who can confer the Sacrament of Holy Orders?

Q.1002. How do we know that there is a true priesthood in the

        Church?

Q.1003. But is there need of a special Sacrament of Holy

        Orders to confer these powers?

Q.1004. Can bishops, priests and other ministers of the Church

        always exercise the power they have received in Holy

        Orders?

 

LESSON TWENTY-SIXTH:  On Matrimony

Q.1005. What is the Sacrament of Matrimony?

Q.1006. When are persons lawfully married?

Q.1007. When was marriage first instituted?

Q.1008. When was the contract of marriage raised to the

        dignity of a Sacrament?

Q.1009. What is the outward sign in the Sacrament of

        Matrimony, and in what does the whole essence of the

        marriage contract consist?

Q.1010. What are the chief ends of the Sacrament of

        Matrimony?

Q.1011. Can a Christian man and woman be united in lawful

        marriage in any other way than by the Sacrament of

        Matrimony?

Q.1012. Were, then, all marriages before the coming of Christ

        unlawful and invalid?

Q.1013. What do we mean by impediments to marriage?

Q.1014. Can the Church dispense from or remove these

        impediments to marriage?

Q.1015. What is required that the Church may grant, when it

        is able, dispensations from the impediments to

        marriage or from other laws?

Q.1016. Why does the Church sometimes require the persons

        to whom dispensations are granted to pay a tax or fee

        for the privilege?

Q.1017. What should persons who are about to get married do?

Q.1018. What timely notice of marriage should be given to the

        priest, and why?

Q.1019. Why are the banns of matrimony published in the

        Church?

Q.1020. What things in particular should persons arranging for

        their marriage make known to the priest?

Q.1021. What else must they make known?

Q.1022. What is particularly necessary that persons may do

        their duty in the marriage state?

Q.1023. Can the bond of Christian marriage be dissolved by

        any human power?

Q.1024. Does not a divorce granted by courts of justice break

        the bond of marriage?

Q.1025. Does not the Church sometimes allow husband and

        wife to separate and live apart?

Q.1026. Has not the Church sometimes allowed Catholics once

        married to separate and marry again?

Q.1027. What evils follow divorce so commonly claimed by

        those outside the true Church and granted by civil

        authority?

Q.1028. Which are the effects of the Sacrament of

        Matrimony?

Q.1029. What do we mean by bearing with each other's

        weaknesses?

Q.1030. How are parents specially fitted to bring up their

        children in the fear and love of God?

Q.1031. To receive the Sacrament of Matrimony worthily is it

        necessary to be in the state of grace?

Q.1032. With what laws of the Church are we bound to

        comply in receiving the Sacrament of Matrimony?

Q.1033. In how many ways may persons be related?

Q.1034. Who has the right to make laws concerning the

        Sacrament of marriage?

Q.1035. What do we mean by laws concerning the civil effects

        of the marriage contract?

Q.1036. Does the Church forbid the marriage of Catholics

        with persons who have a different religion or no

        religion at all?

Q.1037. Why does the Church forbid the marriage of Catholics

        with persons who have a different religion or no

        religion at all?

Q.1038. What are the marriages of Catholics with persons of

        a different religion called, and when does the Church

        permit them by dispensation?

Q.1039. What are the conditions upon which the Church will

        permit a Catholic to marry one who is not a Catholic?

Q.1040. What penalty does the Church impose on Catholics

        who marry before a Protestant minister?

Q.1041. How does the Church show its displeasure at mixed

        marriages?

Q.1042. Why should Catholics avoid mixed marriages?

Q.1043. Does the Church seek to make converts by its laws

        concerning mixed marriages?

Q.1044. Why do many marriages prove unhappy?

Q.1045. When are marriages entered into hastily?

Q.1046. When are motives for marriage worthy?

Q.1047. How should Christians prepare for a holy and happy

        marriage?

Q.1048. How may parents be guilty of great injustice to their

        children in case of marriage?

Q.1049. May persons receive the Sacrament of Matrimony

        more than once?

Q.1050. Where and at what time of the day should Catholics

        be married?

Q.1051. What must never be forgotten by those who attend a

        marriage ceremony in the Church?

 

LESSON TWENTY-SEVENTH:  On the Sacramentals

Q.1052. What is a sacramental?

Q.1053. How do the Sacramentals excite good thoughts and

        increase devotion?

Q.1054. Do the Sacramentals of themselves remit venial sins?

Q.1055. Why does the Church use Sacramentals?

Q.1056. Show by an example how Sacramentals aid the

        ignorant in learning the truths of faith.

Q.1057. What are the Stations or Way of the Cross?

Q.1058. Are prayers and ceremonies of the Church also

        Sacramentals?

Q.1059. On what ground does the Church make use of

        ceremonies?

Q.1060. How may persons sin in using Sacramentals?

Q.1061. What is the difference between the Sacraments and the

        sacramentals?

Q.1062. May the Church increase or diminish the number of

        Sacraments and Sacramentals?

Q.1063. Which is the chief sacramental used in the Church?

Q.1064. How do we make the sign of the cross?

Q.1065. What is a common fault with many in blessing

        themselves?

Q.1066. Why do we make the sign of the cross?

Q.1067. How is the sign of the cross a profession of faith in

        the chief mysteries of our religion?

Q.1068. How does the sign of the cross express the mystery of

        the Unity and Trinity of God?

Q.1069. How does the sign of the cross express the mystery of

        the Incarnation and death of our Lord?

Q.1070. What other sacramental is in very frequent use?

Q.1071. What is holy water?

Q.1072. How does the water blessed on Holy Saturday, or

        Easter Water, as it is called, differ from the holy

        water blessed at other times?

Q.1073. Is water ever blessed in honor of certain saints?

Q.1074. Are there other sacramentals besides the sign of the

        cross and holy water?

Q.1075. When are candles blessed in the Church and why are

        they used?

Q.1076. What praiseworthy custom is now in use in many

        places?

Q.1077. When are ashes blessed in the Church and why are

        they used?

Q.1078. When are palms blessed and of what do they remind

        us?

Q.1079. What is the difference between a cross and a crucifix?

Q.1080. What is the Rosary?

Q.1081. Who taught the use of the Rosary in its present form?

Q.1082. How do we say the Rosary, or beads?

Q.1083. How many mysteries of the Rosary are there?

Q.1084. Say the five joyful mysteries of the Rosary.

Q.1085. Say the five sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary.

Q.1086. Say the five glorious mysteries of the Rosary.

Q.1087. On what days, according to the pious custom of the

        faithful, are the different mysteries of the Rosary

        usually said?

Q.1088. What do the letters  I. N. R. I.

        over the crucifix mean?

Q.1089. To what may we attribute the desire of the Jews to

        put Christ to death?

Q.1090. With whom did the Blessed Virgin live after the death

        of Our Lord?

Q.1091. What do we mean by the Assumption of the Blessed

        Virgin, and why do we believe in it?

Q.1092. What do the letters  I. H. S.

        on an altar or sacred things mean?

Q.1093. What is the scapular, and why is it worn?

Q.1094. How many kinds of scapulars are there in use among

        the faithful?

Q.1095. What are the seven dolors of the Blessed Virgin?

Q.1096. What are the seven dolor beads, and how do we say

        them?

Q.1097. What is an Agnus Dei?

 

LESSON TWENTY-EIGHTH:  On Prayer

Q.1098. Is there any other means of obtaining God's grace

        than the Sacraments?

Q.1099. What is prayer?

Q.1100. How many kinds of prayer are there?

Q.1101. Why is mental prayer most useful to us?

Q.1102. How can we make a meditation?

Q.1103. Where may we find subjects or points for meditation?

Q.1104. Is prayer necessary to salvation?

Q.1105. At what particular times should we pray?

Q.1106. How should we pray?

Q.1107. What should our attention at prayer be?

Q.1108. What should be the position of the body when we

        pray?

Q.1109. What should we do that we may pray well?

Q.1110. Why does God not always grant our prayers?

Q.1111. What assurance have we that God always hears and

        rewards our prayers, though He may not grant what

        we ask?

Q.1112. Which are the prayers most recommended to us?

Q.1113. Are prayers said with distractions of any avail?

Q.1114. Why are prayers said with willful distraction of no

        avail?

Q.1115. Do, then, the distractions which we often have at

        prayer deprive our prayers of all merit?

Q.1116. What, then, is a distraction?

Q.1117. What are the fruits of prayer?

Q.1118. Why should we pray when God knows our needs?

Q.1119. What little prayers may we say even at work?

Q.1120. Did Our Lord Himself pray, and why?

Q.1121. Why does the Church conclude most of its prayers

        with the words "through Jesus Christ Our Lord"?

Q.1122. Was any special promise made in favor of the united

        prayers of two or more persons?

Q.1123. What is the most suitable place for prayer?

Q.1124. For what should we pray?

 

LESSON TWENTY-NINTH:  On the Commandments of God

Q.1125. Is it enough to belong to God's Church in order to be

        saved?

Q.1126. Are not the commandments of the Church also

        commandments of God?

Q.1127. Which are the Commandments that contain the whole

        law of God?

Q.1128. Why do these two Commandments of the love of God

        and of our neighbor contain the whole law of God?

Q.1129. Explain further how the two commandments of the

        love of God and of our neighbor contain the teaching

        of the whole ten commandments.

Q.1130. Which are the Commandments of God?

Q.1131. What does the first commandment mean by a "graven

        thing" or "the likeness of anything" in heaven, in the

        earth or in the waters?

Q.1132. Who gave the Ten Commandments?

Q.1133. How and when were the Commandments give to

        Moses?

Q.1134. What do we mean when we say Christ confirmed the

        Commandments?

Q.1135. Was anyone obliged to keep the Commandments

        before they were given to Moses?

Q.1136. How many kinds of laws had the Jews before the

        coming of Our Lord?

Q.1137. To which of these laws did the Ten Commandments

        belong?

Q.1138. When did the civil and ceremonial laws of the Jews

        cease to exist?

Q.1139. Why were not also the moral laws of the Jews

        abolished when the Christian religion was established?

 

LESSON THIRTIETH:  On the First Commandment

Q.1140. What is the first Commandment?

Q.1141. What does the commandment mean by "strange

        gods"?

Q.1142. How may we, in a sense, worship strange gods?

Q.1143. How does the first Commandment help us to keep the

        great Commandment of the love of God?

Q.1144. How do we adore God?

Q.1145. By what prayers do we adore God?

Q.1146. How may the first Commandment be broken?

Q.1147. What is the honor which belongs to God alone?

Q.1148. How do we offer God false worship?

Q.1149. Why must we serve God in the form of religion He

        has instituted and in no other?

Q.1150. When do we attribute to a creature a perfection which

        belongs to God alone?

Q.1151. Do those who make use of spells and charms, or who

        believe in dreams, in mediums, spiritists, fortune-te

        llers, and the like, sin against the first

        Commandment?

Q.1152. What are spells and charms?

Q.1153. Are not Agnus Deis, medals, scapulars, etc., which

        we wear about our bodies also charms?

Q.1154. What must we carefully guard against in all our

        devotions and religious practices?

Q.1155. What are dreams and why is it forbidden to believe in

        them?

Q.1156. Are bad dreams sinful in themselves?

Q.1157. Did not God frequently in the Old Law make use of

        dreams as a means of making known His will?

Q.1158. What are mediums and spiritists?

Q.1159. What other practice is very dangerous to faith and

        morals?

Q.1160. What are fortune tellers?

Q.1161. How do we, by believing in spells, charms, mediums,

        spiritists and fortune tellers, attribute to creatures the

        perfections of God?

Q.1162. Is it sinful to consult mediums, spiritists, fortune

        tellers and the like when we do not believe in them,

        but through mere curiosity to hear what they may say?

Q.1163. Are sins against faith, hope, and charity also sins

        against the first Commandment?

Q.1164. How does a person sin against faith?

Q.1165. How do we fail to try to know what God has taught?

Q.1166. What means have we of learning the Christian

        doctrine?

Q.1167. Should we learn the Christian doctrine merely for our

        own sake?

Q.1168. How should such instruction be given to those who

        ask it of us?

Q.1169. Who are they who do not believe all that God has

        taught?

Q.1170. Name the different classes of unbelievers and tell

        what they are.

Q.1171. Will the denial of only one article of faith make a

        person a heretic?

Q.1172. What is an article of faith?

Q.1173. Who are they who neglect to profess their belief in

        what God has taught?

Q.1174. How do persons who are members of the Church

        neglect to profess their belief?

Q.1175. What chiefly prevents persons who believe in the

        Church from becoming members of it?

Q.1176. What does Our Lord say of those who neglect the true

        religion for the sake of relatives or friends, or from

        fear of suffering?

Q.1177. What excuse do some give for neglecting to seek and

        embrace the true religion?

Q.1178. How do we show that such an excuse is false and

        absurd?

Q.1179. Can they who fail to profess their faith in the true

        Church in which they believe expect to be saved while

        in that state?

Q.1180. Are we obliged to make open profession of our faith?

Q.1181. When does God's honor, our neighbor's spiritual

        good, or our own good require us to make an open

        profession of our faith ?

Q.1182. Which are the sins against hope?

Q.1183. What is presumption?

Q.1184. How may we be guilty of presumption?

Q.1185. What is despair?

Q.1186. How may we be guilty of despair?

Q.1187. Are all sins of presumption and despair equally great?

Q.1188. How do we sin against the love of God?

 

LESSON THIRTY-FIRST:  The First Commandment -- On the Honor and Invocation of

the Saints

Q.1189. Does the first Commandment forbid the honoring of

        the saints?

Q.1190. What does "invocation" mean?

Q.1191. How do we show that by honoring the Saints we

        honor God Himself?

Q.1192. Give another reason why we honor God by honoring

        the Saints.

Q.1193. Does the first Commandment forbid us to pray to the

        saints?

Q.1194. Why does the first commandment not forbid us to

        pray to the Saints?

Q.1195. What do we mean by praying to the saints?

Q.1196. Do we not slight God Himself by addressing our

        prayers to saints?

Q.1197. How do we know that the saints hear us?

Q.1198. Why do we believe that the saints will help us?

Q.1199. How are the saints and we members of the same

        Church?

Q.1200. What is the communion of the members of the

        Church called?

Q.1201. What does the communion of saints mean?

Q.1202. What benefits are derived from the communion of

        saints?

Q.1203. How can we best honor the Saints, and where shall

        we learn their virtues?

Q.1204. Does the first Commandment forbid us to honor

        relics?

Q.1205. How many kinds or classes of relics are there?

Q.1206. What is there special about a relic of the true cross on

        which Our Lord Died, and also about the instruments

        of His Passion?

Q.1207. What veneration does the Church permit us to give to

        relics?

Q.1208. What care does the Church take in the examination

        and distribution of relics?

Q.1209. What should we be certain of before using any relic

        or giving it to another?

Q.1210. Has God Himself honored relics?

Q.1211. Does the first Commandment forbid the making of

        images?

Q.1212. How do we show that it is only the worship and not

        the making of images that is forbidden by the first

        commandment?

Q.1213. Is it right to show respect to the pictures and images

        of Christ and His saints?

Q.1214. Have we in this country any civil custom similar to

        that of honoring the pictures and images of saints?

Q.1215. Is it allowed to pray to the crucifix or to the images

        and relics of the saints?

Q.1216. Why do we pray before the crucifix and the images

        and relics of the saints?

 

LESSON THIRTY-SECOND:  From the Second to the Fourth Commandment

Q.1217. What is the second Commandment?

Q.1218. What do you mean by taking God's name in vain?

Q.1219. What are we commanded by the second

        Commandment?

Q.1220. Is it sinful to use the words of Holy Scripture in a

        bad or worldly sense?

Q.1221. What is an oath?

Q.1222. How is an oath usually taken?

Q.1223. What is perjury?

Q.1224. Who have the right to make us take an oath?

Q.1225. When may we take an oath?

Q.1226. When may an oath be required for God's honor or for

        our own or our neighbor's good?

Q.1227. Is it ever allowed to promise under oath, in secret

        societies or elsewhere, to obey another in whatever

        good or evil he commands?

Q.1228. What societies in general are we forbidden to join?

Q.1229. Are trades unions and benefit societies forbidden?

Q.1230. Is it lawful to vow or promise strict obedience to a

        religious superior?

Q.1231. What is necessary to make an oath lawful?

Q.1232. What is a vow?

Q.1233. Which are the vows most frequently made?

Q.1234. What do the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience

        require?

Q.1235. Has it always been a custom with pious Christians to

        make vows and promises to God?

Q.1236. What is a pilgrimage?

Q.1237. Is it a sin not to fulfill our vows?

Q.1238. Are we bound to keep an unlawful oath or vow?

Q.1239. What is forbidden by the second Commandment?

Q.1240. When is an oath rash, unjust or unnecessary?

Q.1241. What is blasphemy, and what are profane words?

Q.1242. What is the third Commandment?

Q.1243. What are we commanded by the third Commandment?

Q.1244. What are holydays of obligation?

Q.1245. How are we to worship God on Sundays and holydays

        of obligation?

Q.1246. Name some of the good works recommended for

        Sunday.

Q.1247. Is it forbidden, then, to seek any pleasure or

        enjoyment on Sunday?

Q.1248. Are the Sabbath day and the Sunday the same?

Q.1249. What is meant by the Old and New Law?

Q.1250. Why does the Church command us to keep the Sunday

        holy instead of the Sabbath?

Q.1251. Do we keep Sunday instead of Saturday holy for any

        other reason?

Q.1252. What is forbidden by the third Commandment?

Q.1253. What are servile works?

Q.1254. From what do servile works derive their name?

Q.1255. Are servile works on Sunday ever lawful?

Q.1256. Give some examples of when the honor of God, the

        good of our neighbor or necessity may require servile

        works on Sunday.

 

LESSON THIRTY-THIRD:  From the Fourth to the Seventh Commandment

Q.1257. What is the fourth Commandment?

Q.1258. What does the word "honor" in this commandment

        include?

Q.1259. What are we commanded by the fourth

        Commandment?

Q.1260. Why should we refuse to obey parents or superiors

        who command us to sin?

Q.1261. Are we bound to honor and obey others than our

        parents?

Q.1262. Who are meant by magistrates?

Q.1263. Who are meant by lawful superiors?

Q.1264. What is the duty of servants or workmen to their

        employers?

Q.1265. Have parents and superiors any duties toward those

        who are under their charge?

Q.1266. If parents or superiors neglect their duty or abuse

        their authority in any particular, should we follow

        their direction and example in that particular?

Q.1267. What is the duty of employers to their servants or

        workmen?

Q.1268. What is forbidden by the fourth Commandment?

Q.1269. What is meant by contempt and stubbornness?

Q.1270. What is the fifth Commandment?

Q.1271. What killing does this commandment forbid?

Q.1272. How do we know that this commandment forbids the

        killing only of human beings?

Q.1273. What are we commanded by the fifth Commandment?

Q.1274. What sin is it to destroy one's own life, or commit

        suicide, as this act is called?

Q.1275. Is it ever lawful for any cause to deliberately and

        intentionally take away the life of an innocent person?

Q.1276. Under what circumstances may human life be lawfully

        taken?

Q.1277. What is forbidden by the fifth Commandment?

Q.1278. Can the fifth commandment be broken by giving

        scandal or bad example and by inducing others to sin?

Q.1279. What is scandal?

Q.1280. Why are fighting, anger, hatred and revenge forbidden

        by the fifth commandment?

Q.1281. What is the sixth Commandment?

Q.1282. What are we commanded by the sixth Commandment?

Q.1283. It is a sin to listen to immodest conversation, songs or

        jokes?

Q.1284. What is forbidden by the sixth Commandment?

Q.1285. Why are sins of impurity the most dangerous?

Q.1286. Does the sixth Commandment forbid the reading of

        bad and immodest books and newspapers?

Q.1287. What should be done with immodest book and

        newspapers?

Q.1288. What books does the Church consider bad?

Q.1289. What places are dangerous to the virtue of purity?

 

LESSON THIRTY-FOURTH:  From the Seventh to the End of the Tenth Commandment

Q.1290. What is the seventh Commandment?

Q.1291. What sin is it to steal?

Q.1292. Is stealing ever a sacrilege?

Q.1293. What sins are equivalent to stealing?

Q.1294. In what other ways may persons sin against honesty?

Q.1295. What are we commanded by the seventh

        Commandment?

Q.1296. How may persons working for others be guilty of

        dishonesty?

Q.1297. In what other way may a person be guilty of

        dishonesty?

Q.1298. What is forbidden by the seventh Commandment?

Q.1299. What must we do with things found?

Q.1300. What must we do if we discover we have bought

        stolen goods?

Q.1301. Are we bound to restore ill-gotten goods?

Q.1302. What must we do if we cannot restore all we owe, or

        if the person to whom we should restore be dead?

Q.1303. What must one do who cannot pay his debts and yet

        wishes to receive the Sacraments?

Q.1304. Are we obliged to repair the damage we have unjustly

        caused?

Q.1305. What is the eighth Commandment?

Q.1306. What are we commanded by the eighth

        Commandment?

Q.1307. What is a lie?

Q.1308. How can we know the degree of sinfulness in a lie?

Q.1309. Will a good reason for telling a lie excuse it?

Q.1310. What is forbidden by the eighth Commandment?

Q.1311. What are rash judgment, backbiting, slander and

        detraction?

Q.1312. Is it ever allowed to tell the faults of another?

Q.1313. What is tale-bearing, and why is it wrong?

Q.1314. What must they do who have lied about their neighbor

        and seriously injured his character?

Q.1315. What is the ninth Commandment?

Q.1316. What are we commanded by the ninth Commandment?

Q.1317. What is forbidden by the ninth Commandment?

Q.1318. Are impure thoughts and desires always sins?

Q.1319. What is the tenth Commandment?

Q.1320. What does covet mean?

Q.1321. What are we commanded by the tenth Commandment?

Q.1322. Should we not, then, try to improve our position in

        the world?

Q.1323. What is forbidden by the tenth Commandment?

Q.1324. In what does the sixth commandment differ from the

        ninth, and the seventh differ from the tenth?

 

LESSON THIRTY-FIFTH:  On the First and Second Commandments of the Church

Q.1325. Are not the commandments of the Church also

        commandments of God?

Q.1326. What is the difference between the commandments of

        God and the Commandments of the Church?

Q.1327. Which are the chief commandments of the Church?

Q.1328. Why has the Church made commandments?

Q.1329. Is it a mortal sin not to hear Mass on a Sunday or a

        holyday of obligation?

Q.1330. What is a "serious reason" excusing one from the

        obligation of hearing Mass?

Q.1331. Are children obliged, under pain of mortal sin, the

same as grown persons, to hear Mass on Sundays and

holydays of obligation?

Q.1332. Why were holydays instituted by the church?

Q.1333. How many holydays of obligation are there in this

        country?

Q.1334. How should we keep the holydays of obligation?

Q.1335. Why are certain holydays called holydays of

        obligation?

Q.1336. What should one do who is obliged to work on a

        holyday of obligation?

Q.1337. What do you mean by fast-days?

Q.1338. Is it permitted on fast days to take any food besides

        the one full meal?

Q.1339. Who are obliged to fast?

Q.1340. Does the Church excuse any classes of persons from

        the obligation of fasting?

Q.1341. What should one do who doubts whether or not he is

        obliged to fast?

Q.1342. When do fast days chiefly occur in the year?

Q.1343. What do you mean by Lent, Advent, Ember days and

        the vigils of great feasts?

Q.1344. What do you mean by days of abstinence?

Q.1345. Are children and persons unable to fast bound to

        abstain on days of abstinence?

Q.1346. Why does the Church command us to fast and abstain?

Q.1347. What is meant by our passions and what by

        mortifying them?

Q.1348. Why does the Church command us to abstain from

        flesh-meat on Fridays?

 

LESSON THIRTY-SIXTH:  On the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Commandments of

the Church

Q.1349. What is meant by the command of confessing at least

        once a year?

Q.1350. Should we confess only once a year?

Q.1351. Should we go to confession at our usual time even if

        we think we have not committed sin since our last

        confession?

Q.1352. Should children go to confession?

Q.1353. What sin does he commit who neglects to receive

        Communion during the Easter time?

Q.1354. What is the Easter time?

Q.1355. When is Trinity Sunday?

Q.1356. Are we obliged to contribute to the support of our

        pastors?

Q.1357. Where did the duty of contributing to the support of

        the Church and clergy originate?

Q.1358. What does the obligation of supporting the Church

        and school imply?

Q.1359. Does the fifth commandment of the Church include

        the support only of our pastors and the Church and

        school?

Q.1360. What is the meaning of the commandment not to

        marry within the third degree of kindred?

Q.1361. Who are in the third degree of blood relationship?

Q.1362. Are there other relationships besides blood relationship

        that render marriage unlawful without a dispensation?

Q.1363. What should persons about to marry do, if they

        suspect they are related to each other?

Q.1364. What is the meaning of the command not to marry

        privately?

Q.1365. What sin is it for Catholics to be married before the

        minister of another religion?

Q.1366. What is the meaning of the precept not to solemnize

        marriage at forbidden times?

Q.1367. What is the nuptial Mass?

Q.1368. Should Catholics be married at a nuptial Mass?

Q.1369. What restrictions does the Church place on the

        ceremonies of marriage when one of the persons is not

        a Catholic?

Q.1370. Why does the Church dislike mixed marriages?

 

LESSON THIRTY-SEVENTH:  On the Last Judgment and the Resurrection, Hell,

Purgatory, and Heaven

Q.1371. When will Christ judge us?

Q.1372. What is the judgment called which we have to

        undergo immediately after death?

Q.1373. Where will the particular judgment be held?

Q.1374. What is the judgment called which all men have to

        undergo on the last day?

Q.1375. Will the sentence given at the particular judgment be

        changed at the general judgment?

Q.1376. Why does Christ judge men immediately after death?

Q.1377. How may we daily prepare for our judgment?

Q.1378. What are the rewards or punishments appointed for

        men's souls after the Particular Judgment?

Q.1379. What is Hell?

Q.1380. Will the damned suffer in both mind and body?

Q.1381. What is Purgatory?

Q.1382. Why is this state called Purgatory?

Q.1383. Are the souls in Purgatory sure of their salvation?

Q.1384. Do we know what souls are in Purgatory, and how

        long they have to remain there?

Q.1385. Can the faithful on earth help the souls in Purgatory?

Q.1386. Since God loves the souls in Purgatory, why does He

        punish them?

Q.1387. If every one is judged immediately after death, what

        need is there of a general judgment?

Q.1388. What is meant by "the Providence of God"?

Q.1389. Are there other reasons for the general judgment?

Q.1390. Will our bodies share in the reward or punishment of

        our souls?

Q.1391. When will the general resurrection or rising of all the

        dead take place?

Q.1392. In what state will the bodies of the just rise?

Q.1393. Will the bodies of the damned also rise?

Q.1394. Why do we show respect for the bodies of the dead?

Q.1395. What is Heaven?

Q.1396. In what does the happiness in heaven consist?

Q.1397. What does St. Paul say of heaven?

Q.1398. Are the rewards in heaven and the punishments in hell

        the same for all who enter into either of these states?

Q.1399. What words should we bear always in mind?

Q.1400. Name some of the more essential religious truths we

        must know and believe.

 

 

 

                   ╔═════════════════════════════╗

                     THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 

                         OF THE CATECHISM      

                   ╚═════════════════════════════╝

 

 

 

LESSON FIRST:  On the End of Man.

 

Question 126.   What do we mean by the "end of man"?

Answer:         By the "end of man" we mean the purpose for which

                he was created: namely, to know, love, and serve

                God.

 

Question 127.   How do you know that man was created for God

                alone?

Answer:         I know that man was created for God alone because

                everything in the world was created for something

                more perfect than itself: but there is nothing in

                the world more perfect than man; therefore, he was

                created for something outside this world, and

                since he was not created for the Angels, he must

                have been created for God.

 

Question 128.   In what respect are all men equal?

Answer:         All men are equal in whatever is necessary for

                their nature and end.  They are all composed of a

                body and soul; they are all created to the image

                and likeness of God; they are all gifted with

                understanding and free will; and they have all

                been created for the same end -- God.

 

Question 129.   Do not men differ in many things?

Answer:         Men differ in many things, such as learning,

                wealth, power, etc.; but these things belong to

                the world and not man's nature.  He came into this

                world without them and he will leave it without

                them.  Only the consequences of good or evil done

                in this world will accompany men to the next.

 

Question 130.   Who made the world?

Answer:         God made the world.

 

Question 131.   What does "world" mean in this question?

Answer:         In this question "world" means the universe; that

                is, the whole creation; all that we now see or may

                hereafter see.

 

Question 132.   Who is God?

Answer:         God is the Creator of heaven and earth, and of all

                things.

 

Question 133.   What is man?

Answer:         Man is a creature composed of body and soul, and

                made to the image and likeness of God.

 

Question 134.   Does "man" in the Catechism mean all human beings?

Answer:         "Man" in the Catechism means all human beings,

                either men or women, boys, girls, or children.

 

Question 135.   What is a creature?

Answer:         A creature is anything created, whether it has

                life or not; body or no body. Every being, person,

                or thing except God Himself may be called a

                creature.

 

Question 136.   Is this likeness in the body or in the soul?

Answer:         This likeness is chiefly in the soul.

 

Question 137.   How is the soul like to God?

Answer:         The soul is like to God because it is a spirit

                that will never die, and has understanding and

                free will.

 

Question 138.   Is every invisible thing a spirit?

Answer:         Every spirit is invisible -- which means can not

                be seen; but every invisible thing is not a

                spirit.  The wind is invisible, and it is not a

                spirit.

 

Question 139.   Has a spirit any other quality?

Answer:         A spirit is also indivisible; that is, it can not

                be divided into parts, as we divide material

                things.

 

Question 140.   What do the words "will never die" mean?

Answer:         By the words "will never die" we mean that the

                soul, when once created, will never cease to

                exist, whatever be its condition in the next

                world.  Hence we say the soul is immortal or

                gifted with immortality.

 

Question 141.   Why then do we say a soul is dead while in a state

                of mortal sin?

Answer:         We say a soul is dead while in a state of mortal

                sin, because in that state it is as helpless as a

                dead body, and can merit nothing for itself.

 

Question 142.   What does our "understanding" mean?

Answer:         Our "understanding" means the "gift of reason," by

                which man is distinguished from all other animals,

                and by which he is enabled to think and thus

                acquire knowledge and regulate his actions.

 

Question 143.   Can we learn all truths by our reason alone?

Answer:         We can not learn all truths by our reason alone,

                for some truths are beyond the power of our reason

                and must be taught to us by God.

 

Question 144.   What do we call the truths God teaches us?

Answer:         Taken together, we call the truths God teaches us

                revelation, and we call the manner by which He

                teaches them also revelation.

 

Question 145.   What is "Free Will"?

Answer:         "Free Will" is that gift of God by which we are

                enabled to choose between one thing and another;

                and to do good or evil in spite of reward or

                punishment.

 

Question 146.   Have brute animals "understanding" and "free

                will"?

Answer:         Brute animals have not "understanding" and "free

                will."  They have not "understanding" because they

                never change their habits or better their

                condition.  They have not "free will" because they

                never show it in their actions.

 

Question 147.   What gift in animals supplies the place of reason?

Answer:         In animals the gift of "instinct" supplies the

                place of reason in guiding their actions.

 

Question 148.   What is instinct?

Answer:         "Instinct" is a gift by which all animals are

                impelled to follow the laws and habits that God

                has given to their nature.

 

Question 149.   Have men as well as brutes "instinct"?

Answer:         Men have "instinct," and they show it when placed

                in sudden danger, when they have not time to use

                their reason.  A falling man instantly grasps for

                something to support him.

 

Question 150.   Why did God make you?

Answer:         God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve

                Him in this world, and to be happy with Him

                forever in the next.

 

Question 151.   Why is it necessary to know God?

Answer:         It is necessary to know God because without

                knowing Him we cannot love Him; and without loving

                Him we cannot be saved.  We should know Him

                because He is infinitely true; love Him because He

                is infinitely beautiful; and serve Him because He

                is infinitely good.

 

Question 152.   Of which must we take more care, our soul or our

                body?

Answer:         We must take more care of our soul than of our

                body.

 

Question 153.   Why must we take more care of our soul than of our

                body?

Answer:         We must take more care of our soul than of our

                body, because in losing our soul we lose God and

                everlasting happiness.

 

Question 154.   What must we do to save our souls?

Answer:         To save our souls, we must worship God by faith,

                hope, and charity; that is, we must believe in

                Him, hope in Him, and love Him with all our heart.

 

Question 155.   What does "worship" mean?

Answer:         "Worship" means to give divine honor by acts such

                as the offering of prayer or sacrifice.

 

Question 156.   How shall we know the things which we are to

                believe?

Answer:         We shall know the things which we are to believe

                from the Catholic Church, through which God speaks

                to us.

 

Question 157.   What do we mean by the "Church, through which God

                speaks to us"?

Answer:         By the "Church, through which God speaks to us,"

                we mean the "teaching Church"; that is, the Pope,

                Bishops, and priests, whose duty it is to instruct

                us in the truths and practices of our religion.

 

Question 158.   Where shall we find the chief truths which the

                Church teaches?

Answer:         We shall find the chief truths which the Church

                teaches in the Apostles' Creed.

 

Question 159.   If we shall find only the "chief truths" in the

                Apostles' Creed, where shall we find the remaining

                truths?

Answer:         We shall find the remaining truths of our Faith in

                the religious writings and preachings that have

                been sanctioned by the authority of the Church.

 

Question 160.   Name some sacred truths not mentioned in the

                Apostles' Creed.

Answer:         In the Apostles' Creed there is no mention of the

                Real Presence of Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist,

                nor of the Infallibility of the Pope, nor of the

                Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary,

                nor of some other truths that we are bound to

                believe.

 

Question 161.   Say the Apostles' Creed.

Answer:         I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of

                heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only

                Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy

                Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under

                Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died, and was

                buried.  He descended into hell: the third day He

                arose again from the dead: He ascended into

                heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the

                Father Almighty: from thence He shall come to

                judge the living and the dead.  I believe in the

                Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the

                communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the

                resurrection of the body, and the life

                everlasting.  Amen.

 

 

LESSON SECOND:  On God and His Perfections

 

Question 162.   What is a perfection?

Answer:         A perfection is any good quality a thing should

                have.  A thing is perfect when it has all the good

                qualities it should have.

 

Question 163.   What is God?

Answer:         God is a spirit infinitely perfect.

 

Question 164.   What do we mean when we say God is "infinitely

                perfect"?

Answer:         When we say God is "infinitely perfect" we mean

                there is no limit or bounds to His perfection; for

                He possesses all good qualities in the highest

                possible degree and He alone is "infinitely

                perfect."

 

Question 165.   Had God a beginning?

Answer:         God had no beginning; He always was and He always

                will be.

 

Question 166.   Where is God?

Answer:         God is everywhere.

 

Question 167.   How is God everywhere?

Answer:         God is everywhere whole and entire as He is in any

                one place.  This is true and we must believe it,

                though we cannot understand it.

 

Question 168.   If God is everywhere, why do we not see Him?

Answer:         We do not see God, because He is a pure spirit and

                cannot be seen with bodily eyes.

 

Question 169.   Why do we call God a "pure spirit'?

Answer:         We call God a pure spirit because He has no body.

                Our soul is a spirit, but not a "pure" spirit,

                because it was created for union with our body.

 

Question 170.   Why can we not see God with the eyes of our body?

Answer:         We cannot see God with the eyes of our body

                because they are created to see only material

                things, and God is not material but spiritual.

 

Question 171.   Does God see us?

Answer:         God sees us and watches over us.

 

Question 172.   Is it necessary for God to watch over us?

Answer:         It is necessary for God to watch over us, for

                without His constant care we could not exist.

 

Question 173.   Does God know all things?

Answer:         God knows all things, even our most secret

                thoughts, words, and actions.

 

Question 174.   Can God do all things?

Answer:         God can do all things, and nothing is hard or

                impossible to Him.

 

Question 175.   When is a thing said to be "impossible"?

Answer:         A thing is said to be "impossible" when it cannot

                be done.  Many things that are impossible for

                creatures are possible for God.

 

Question 176.   Is God just, holy, and merciful?

Answer:         God is all just, all holy, all merciful, as He is

                infinitely perfect.

 

Question 177.   Why must God be "just" as well as "merciful"?

Answer:         God must be just as well as merciful because He

                must fulfill His promise to punish those who merit

                punishment, and because He cannot be infinite in

                one perfection without being infinite in all.

 

Question 178.   Into what sins will the forgetfulness of God's

                justice lead us?

Answer:         The forgetfulness of God's justice will lead us

                into sins of presumption.

 

Question 179.   Into what sins will the forgetfulness of God's

                mercy lead us?

Answer:         The forgetfulness of God's mercy will lead us into

                sins of despair.

 

 

LESSON THIRD:  On the Unity and Trinity of God

 

Question 180.   What does "unity," and what does "trinity" mean?

Answer:         "Unity" means being one, and "trinity" means

                three-fold or three in one.

 

Question 181.   Can we find an example to fully illustrate the

                mystery of the Blessed Trinity?

Answer:         We cannot find an example to fully illustrate the

                mystery of the Blessed Trinity, because the

                mysteries of our holy religion are beyond

                comparison.

 

Question 182.   Is there but one God?

Answer:         Yes; there is but one God.

 

Question 183.   Why can there be but one God?

Answer:         There can be but one God because God, being

                supreme and infinite, cannot have an equal.

 

Question 184.   What does "supreme" mean?

Answer:         "Supreme" means the highest in authority; also the

                most excellent or greatest possible in anything.

                Thus in all things God is supreme, and in the

                Church the Pope is supreme.

 

Question 185.   When are two persons said to be equal?

Answer:         Two persons are said to be equal when one is in no

                way greater than or inferior to the other.

 

Question 186.   How many persons are there in God?

Answer:         In God there are three Divine persons, really

                distinct, and equal in all things --the Father,

                the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

 

Question 187.   What do "divine" and "distinct" mean?

Answer:         "Divine" means pertaining to God, and "distinct"

                means separate; that is, not confounded or mixed

                with any other thing.

 

Question 188.   Is the Father God?

Answer:         The Father is God and the first Person of the

                Blessed Trinity.

 

Question 189.   Is the Son God?

Answer:         The Son is God and the second Person of the

                Blessed Trinity.

 

Question 190.   Is the Holy Ghost God?

Answer:         The Holy Ghost is God and the third Person of the

                Blessed Trinity.

 

Question 191.   Do "first," "second," and "third" with regard to

                the persons of the Blessed Trinity mean that one

                person existed before the other or that one is

                greater than the other?

Answer:         "First," "second," and "third" with regard to the

                persons of the Blessed Trinity do not mean that

                one person was before the other or that one is

                greater than the other; for all the persons of the

                Trinity are eternal and equal in every respect.

                These numbers are used to mark the distinction

                between the persons, and they show the order in

                which the one proceeded from the other.

 

Question 192.   What do you mean by the Blessed Trinity?

Answer:         By the Blessed Trinity I mean one God in three

                Divine Persons.

 

Question 193.   Are the three Divine Persons equal in all things?

Answer:         The three Divine Persons are equal in all things.

 

Question 194.   Are the three Divine Persons one and the same God?

Answer:         The three Divine Persons are one and the same God,

                having one and the same Divine nature and

                substance.

 

Question 195.   What do we mean by the "nature" and "substance" of

                a thing?

Answer:         By the "nature" of a thing we mean the combination

                of all the qualities that make the thing what it

                is.  By the "substance" of a thing we mean the

                part that never changes, and which cannot be

                changed without destroying the nature of the

                thing.

 

Question 196.   Can we fully understand how the three Divine

                Persons are one and the same God?

Answer:         We cannot fully understand how the three Divine

                Persons are one and the same God, because this is

                a mystery.

 

Question 197.   What is a mystery?

Answer:         A mystery is a truth which we cannot fully

                understand.

 

Question 198.   Is every truth which we cannot understand a

                mystery?

Answer:         Every truth which we cannot understand is not a

                mystery; but every revealed truth which no one can

                understand is a mystery.

 

Question 199.   Should we believe truths which we cannot

                understand?

Answer:         We should and often do believe truths which we

                cannot understand when we have proof of their

                existence.

 

Question 200.   Give an example of truths which all believe,

                though many do not understand them.

Answer:         All believe that the earth is round and moving,

                though many do not understand it.  All believe

                that a seed planted in the ground will produce a

                flower or tree often with more than a thousand

                other seeds equal to itself, though many cannot

                understand how this is done.

 

Question 201.   Why must a divine religion have mysteries?

Answer:         A divine religion must have mysteries because it

                must have supernatural truths and God Himself must

                teach them.  A religion that has only natural

                truths, such as man can know by reason alone,

                fully understand and teach, is only a human

                religion.

 

Question 202.   Why does God require us to believe mysteries?

Answer:         God requires us to believe mysteries that we may

                submit our understanding to Him.

 

Question 203.   By what form of prayer do we praise the Holy

                Trinity?

Answer:         We praise the Holy Trinity by a form of prayer

                called the Doxology, which has come down to us

                almost from the time of the Apostles.

 

Question 204.   Say the Doxology.

Answer:         The Doxology is: "Glory be to the Father, and to

                the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.  As it was in the

                beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world

                without end.  Amen."

 

Question 205.   Is there any other form of the Doxology?

Answer:         There is another form of the Doxology, which is

                said in the celebration of the Mass.  It is called

                the "Gloria in excelsis" or "Glory be to God on

                high," etc., the words sung by the Angels at the

                birth of Our Lord.

 

 

LESSON FOURTH:  On Creation

 

Question 206.   What is the difference between making and

                creating?

Answer:         "Making" means bringing forth or forming out of

                some material already existing, as workmen do.

                "Creating" means bringing forth out of nothing, as

                God alone can do.

 

Question 207.   Has everything that exists been created?

Answer:         Everything that exists except God Himself has been

                created.

 

Question 208.   Who created heaven and earth, and all things?

Answer:         God created heaven and earth, and all things.

 

Question 209.   From what do we learn that God created heaven and

                earth and all things?

Answer:         We learn that God created heaven and earth and all

                things from the Bible or Holy Scripture, in which

                the account of the Creation is given.

 

Question 210.   Why did God create all things?

Answer:         God created all things for His own glory and for

                their or our good.

 

Question 211.   Did God leave all things to themselves after He

                had created them?

Answer:         God did not leave all things to themselves after

                He had created them; He continues to preserve and

                govern them.

 

Question 212.   What do we call the care by which God preserves

                and governs the world and all it contains?

Answer:         We call the care by which God preserves and

                governs the world and all it contains His

                providence.

 

Question 213.   How did God create heaven and earth?

Answer:         God created heaven and earth from nothing by His

                word only; that is, by a single act of His

                all-powerful will.

 

Question 214.   Which are the chief creatures of God?

Answer:         The chief creatures of God are angels and men.

 

Question 215.   How may God's creatures on earth be divided?

Answer:         God's creatures on earth may be divided into four

                classes:

           (1)  Things that exist, as air;

           (2)  Things that exist, grow and live, as plants and

                trees;

           (3)  Things that exist, grow, live and feel, as

                animals;

           (4)  Things that exist, grow, live, feel and

                understand, as man.

 

Question 216.   What are angels?

Answer:         Angels are pure spirits without a body, created to

                adore and enjoy God in heaven.

 

Question 217.   If Angels have no bodies, how could they appear?

Answer:         Angels could appear by taking bodies to render

                themselves visible for a time; just as the Holy

                Ghost took the form of a dove and the devil took

                the form of a serpent.

 

Question 218.   Name some persons to whom Angels appeared.

Answer:         Angels appeared to the Blessed Virgin and St.

                Joseph; also to Abraham, Lot, Jacob, Tobias and

                others.

 

Question 219.   Were the angels created for any other purpose?

Answer:         The angels were also created to assist before the

                throne of God and to minister unto Him; they have

                often been sent as messengers from God to man; and

                are also appointed our guardians.

 

Question 220.   Are all the Angels equal in dignity?

Answer:         All the Angels are not equal in dignity.  There

                are nine choirs or classes mentioned in the Holy

                Scripture.  The highest are called Seraphim and

                the lowest simply Angels.  The Archangels are one

                class higher than ordinary Angels.

 

Question 221.   Mention some Archangels and tell what they did.

Answer:         The Archangel Michael drove Satan out of heaven;

                the Archangel Gabriel announced to the Blessed

                Virgin that she was to become the Mother of God.

                The Archangel Raphael guided and protected Tobias.

 

Question 222.   Were Angels ever sent to punish men?

Answer:         Angels were sometimes sent to punish men.  An

                Angel killed 185,000 men in the army of a wicked

                king who had blasphemed God; an Angel also slew

                the first-born in the families of the Egyptians

                who had persecuted God's people.

 

Question 223.   What do our guardian Angels do for us?

Answer:         Our guardian Angels pray for us, protect and guide

                us, and offer our prayers, good works and desires

                to God.

 

Question 224.   How do we know that Angels offer our prayers and

                good works to God?

Answer:         We know that Angels offer our prayers and good

                works to God because it is so stated in Holy

                Scripture, and Holy Scripture is the Word of God.

 

Question 225.   Why did God appoint guardian Angels if He watches

                over us Himself?

Answer:         God appointed guardian Angels to secure for us

                their help and prayers, and also to show His great

                love for us in giving us these special servants

                and faithful friends.

 

Question 226.   Were the angels, as God created them, good and

                happy?

Answer:         The angels, as God created them, were good and

                happy.

 

Question 227.   Did all the angels remain good and happy?

Answer:         All the angels did not remain good and happy; many

                of them sinned and were cast into hell, and these

                are called devils or bad angels.

 

Question 228.   Do we know the number of good and bad Angels?

Answer:         We do not know the number of the good or bad

                Angels, but we know it is very great.

 

Question 229.   What was the devil's name before he fell, and why

                was he cast out of heaven?

Answer:         Before he fell, Satan, or the devil, was called

                Lucifer, or light-bearer, a name which indicates

                great beauty.  He was cast out of heaven because

                through pride he rebelled against God.

 

Question 230.   How do the bad Angels act toward us?

Answer:         The bad Angels try by every means to lead us into

                sin.  The efforts they make are called temptations

                of the devil.

 

Question 231.   Why does the devil tempt us?

Answer:         The devil tempts us because he hates goodness, and

                does not wish us to enjoy the happiness which he

                himself has lost.

 

Question 232.   Can we by our own power overcome the temptations

                of the devil?

Answer:         We cannot by our own power overcome the

                temptations of the devil, because the devil is

                wiser than we are; for, being an Angel, he is more

                intelligent, and he did not lose his intelligence

                by falling into sin any more than we do now.

                Therefore, to overcome his temptations we need the

                help of God.

 

 

LESSON FIFTH:  On our First Parents and the Fall

 

Question 233.   Who were the first man and woman?

Answer:         The first man and woman were Adam and Eve.

 

Question 234.   Are there any persons in the world who are not the

                descendants of Adam and Eve?

Answer:         There are no persons in the world now, and there

                never have been any, who are not the descendants

                of Adam and Eve, because the whole human race had

                but one origin.

 

Question 235.   Do not the differences in color, figure, etc.,

                which we find in distinct races indicate a

                difference in first parents?

Answer:         The differences in color, figure, etc., which we

                find in distinct races do not indicate a

                difference in first parents, for these differences

                have been brought about in the lapse of time by

                other causes, such as climate, habits, etc.

 

Question 236.   Were Adam and Eve innocent and holy when they came

                from the hand of God?

Answer:         Adam and Eve were innocent and holy when they came

                from the hand of God.

 

Question 237.   What do we mean by saying Adam and Eve "were

                innocent" when they came from the hand of God?

Answer:         When we say Adam and Eve "were innocent" when they

                came from the hand of God we mean they were in the

                state of original justice; that is, they were

                gifted with every virtue and free from every sin.

 

Question 238.   How was Adam's body formed?

Answer:         God formed Adam's body out of the clay of the

                earth and then breathed into it a living soul.

 

Question 239.   How was Eve's body formed?

Answer:         Eve's body was formed from a rib taken from Adam's

                side during a deep sleep which God caused to come

                upon him.

 

Question 240.   Why did God make Eve from one of Adam's ribs?

Answer:         God made Eve from one of Adam's ribs to show the

                close relationship existing between husband and

                wife in their marriage union which God then

                instituted.

 

Question 241.   Could man's body be developed from the body of an

                inferior animal?

Answer:         Man's body could be developed from the body of an

                inferior animal if God so willed; but science does

                not prove that man's body was thus formed, while

                revelation teaches that it was formed directly by

                God from the clay of the earth.

 

Question 242.   Could man's soul and intelligence be formed by the

                development of animal life and instinct?

Answer:         Man's soul could not be formed by the development

                of animal instinct; for, being entirely spiritual,

                it must be created by God, and it is united to the

                body as soon as the body is prepared to receive

                it.

 

Question 243.   Did God give any command to Adam and Eve?

Answer:         To try their obedience, God commanded Adam and Eve

                not to eat of a certain fruit which grew in the

                garden of Paradise.

 

Question 244.   What was the Garden of Paradise?

Answer:         The Garden of Paradise was a large and beautiful

                place prepared for man's habitation upon earth.

                It was supplied with every species of plant and

                animal and with everything that could contribute

                to man's happiness.

 

Question 245.   Where was the Garden of Paradise situated?

Answer:         The exact place in which the Garden of Paradise --

                called also the Garden of Eden -- was situated is

                not known, for the deluge may have so changed the

                surface of the earth that old landmarks were wiped

                out.  It was probably some place in Asia, not far

                from the river Euphrates.

 

Question 246.   What was the tree bearing the forbidden fruit

                called?

Answer:         The tree bearing the forbidden fruit was called

                "the tree of knowledge of good and evil."

 

Question 247.   Do we know the name of any other tree in the

                garden?

Answer:         We know the name of another tree in the Garden

                called the "tree of life." Its fruit kept the

                bodies of our first parents in a state of perfect

                health.

 

Question 248.   Which were the chief blessings intended for Adam

                and Eve had they remained faithful to God?

Answer:         The chief blessings intended for Adam and Eve, had

                they remained faithful to God, were a constant

                state of happiness in this life and everlasting

                glory in the next.

 

Question 249.   Did Adam and Eve remain faithful to God?

Answer:         Adam and Eve did not remain faithful to God, but

                broke His command by eating the forbidden fruit.

 

Question 250.   Who was the first to disobey God?

Answer:         Eve was the first to disobey God, and she induced

                Adam to do likewise.

 

Question 251.   How was Eve tempted to sin?

Answer:         Eve was tempted to sin by the devil, who came in

                the form of a serpent and persuaded her to break

                God's command.

 

Question 252.   Which were the chief causes that led Eve into sin?

Answer:         The chief causes that led Eve into sin were:

           (1)  She went into the danger of sinning by admiring

                what was forbidden, instead of avoiding it.

           (2)  She did not fly from the temptation at once, but

                debated about yielding to it. Similar conduct on

                our part will lead us also into sin.

 

Question 253.   What befell Adam and Eve on account of their sin?

Answer:         Adam and Eve, on account of their sin, lost

                innocence and holiness, and were doomed to

                sickness and death.

 

Question 254.   What other evils befell Adam and Eve on account of

                their sin?

Answer:         Many other evils befell Adam and Eve on account of

                their sin.  They were driven out of Paradise and

                condemned to toil.  God also ordained that

                henceforth the earth should yield no crops without

                cultivation, and that the beasts, man's former

                friends, should become his savage enemies.

 

Question 255.   Were we to remain in the Garden of Paradise

                forever if Adam had not sinned?

Answer:         We were not to remain in the Garden of Paradise

                forever even if Adam had not sinned, but after

                passing through the years of our probation or

                trial upon earth we were to be taken, body and

                soul, into heaven without suffering death.

 

Question 256.   What evil befell us on account of the disobedience

                of our first parents?

Answer:         On account of the disobedience of our first

                parents, we all share in their sin and punishment,

                as we should have shared in their happiness if

                they had remained faithful.

 

Question 257.   Is it not unjust to punish us for the sin of our

                first parents?

Answer:         It is not unjust to punish us for the sin of our

                first parents, because their punishment consisted

                in being deprived of a free gift of God; that is,

                of the gift of original justice to which they had

                no strict right and which they willfully forfeited

                by their act of disobedience.

 

Question 258.   But how did the loss of the gift of original

                justice leave our first parents and us in mortal

                sin?

Answer:         The loss of the gift of original justice left our

                first parents and us in mortal sin because it

                deprived them of the Grace of God, and to be

                without this gift of Grace which they should have

                had was to be in mortal sin.  As all their

                children are deprived of the same gift, they, too,

                come into the world in a state of mortal sin.

 

Question 259.   What other effects followed from the sin of our

                first parents?

Answer:         Our nature was corrupted by the sin of our first

                parents, which darkened our understanding,

                weakened our will, and left in us a strong

                inclination to evil.

 

Question 260.   What do we mean by "our nature was corrupted"?

Answer:         When we say "our nature was corrupted" we mean

                that our whole being, body and soul, was injured

                in all its parts and powers.

 

Question 261.   Why do we say our understanding was darkened?

Answer:         We say our understanding was darkened because even

                with much learning we have not the clear

                knowledge, quick perception and retentive memory

                that Adam had before his fall from grace.

 

Question 262.   Why do we say our will was weakened?

Answer:         We say our will was weakened to show that our free

                will was not entirely taken away by Adam's sin,

                and that we have it still in our power to use our

                free will in doing good or evil.

 

Question 263.   In what does the strong inclination to evil that

                is left in us consist?

Answer:         This strong inclination to evil that is left in us

                consists in the continual efforts our senses and

                appetites make to lead our souls into sin.  The

                body is inclined to rebel against the soul, and

                the soul itself to rebel against God.

 

Question 264.   What is this strong inclination to evil called,

                and why did God permit it to remain in us?

Answer:         This strong inclination to evil is called

                concupiscence, and God permits it to remain in us

                that by His grace we may resist it and thus

                increase our merits.

 

Question 265.   What is the sin called which we inherit from our

                first parents?

Answer:         The sin which we inherit from our first parents is

                called original sin.

 

Question 266.   Why is this sin called original?

Answer:         This sin is called original because it comes down

                to us from our first parents, and we are brought

                into the world with its guilt on our soul.

 

Question 267.   Does this corruption of our nature remain in us

                after original sin is forgiven?

Answer:         This corruption of our nature and other

                punishments remain in us after original sin is

                forgiven.

 

Question 268.   Was any one ever preserved from original sin?

Answer:         The Blessed Virgin Mary, through the merits of her

                Divine Son, was preserved free from the guilt of

                original sin, and this privilege is called her

                Immaculate Conception.

 

Question 269.   Why was the Blessed Virgin preserved from original

                sin?

Answer:         The Blessed Virgin was preserved from original sin

                because it would not be consistent with the

                dignity of the Son of God to have His Mother, even

                for an instant, in the power of the devil and an

                enemy of God.

 

Question 270.   How could the Blessed Virgin be preserved from sin

                by her Divine Son, before her Son was born?

Answer:         The Blessed Virgin could be preserved from sin by

                her Divine Son before He was born as man, for He

                always existed as God and foresaw His own future

                merits and the dignity of His Mother.  He

                therefore by His future merits provided for her

                privilege of exemption from original sin.

 

Question 271.   What does the "Immaculate Conception" mean?

Answer:         The Immaculate Conception means the Blessed

                Virgin's own exclusive privilege of coming into

                existence, through the merits of Jesus Christ,

                without the stain of original sin.  It does not

                mean, therefore, her sinless life, perpetual

                virginity or the miraculous conception of Our

                Divine Lord by the power of the Holy Ghost.

 

Question 272.   What has always been the belief of the Church

                concerning this truth?

Answer:         The Church has always believed in the Immaculate

                Conception of the Blessed Virgin and to place this

                truth beyond doubt has declared it an Article of

                Faith.

 

Question 273.   To what should the thoughts of the Immaculate

                Conception lead us?

Answer:         The thoughts of the Immaculate Conception should

                lead us to a great love of purity and to a desire

                of imitating the Blessed Virgin in the practice of

                that holy virtue.

 

 

LESSON SIXTH:  On Sin and Its Kinds

 

Question 274.   How is sin divided?

Answer:        

           (1)  Sin is divided into the sin we inherit called

                original sin, and the sin we commit ourselves,

                called actual sin.

           (2)  Actual sin is sub-divided into greater sins,

                called mortal, and lesser sins, called venial.

 

Question 275.   In how many ways may actual sin be committed?

Answer:         Actual sin may be committed in two ways: namely,

                by willfully doing things forbidden, or by

                willfully neglecting things commanded.

 

Question 276.   What is our sin called when we neglect things

                commanded?

Answer:         When we neglect things commanded our sin is called

                a sin of omission.  Such sins as willfully

                neglecting to hear Mass on Sundays, or neglecting

                to go to Confession at least once a year, are sins

                of omission.

 

Question 277.   Is original sin the only kind of sin?

Answer:         Original sin is not the only kind of sin; there is

                another kind of sin, which we commit ourselves,

                called actual sin.

 

Question 278.   What is actual sin?

Answer:         Actual sin is any willful thought, word, deed, or

                omission contrary to the law of God.

 

Question 279.   How many kinds of actual sin are there?

Answer:         There are two kinds of actual sin -- mortal and

                venial.

 

Question 280.   What is mortal sin?

Answer:         Mortal sin is a grievous offense against the law

                of God.

 

Question 281.   Why is this sin called mortal?A nswer:  This sin

                is called mortal because it deprives us of

                spiritual life, which is sanctifying grace, and

                brings everlasting death and damnation on the

                soul.

 

Question 282.   How many things are necessary to make a sin

                mortal?

Answer:         To make a sin mortal, three things are necessary:

                A grievous matter, sufficient reflection, and full

                consent of the will.

 

Question 283.   What do we mean by "grievous matter" with regard

                to sin?

Answer:         By "grievous matter" with regard to sin we mean

                that the thought, word or deed by which mortal sin

                is committed must be either very bad in itself or

                severely prohibited, and therefore sufficient to

                make a mortal sin if we deliberately yield to it.

 

Question 284.   What does "sufficient reflection and full consent

                of the will" mean?

Answer:         "Sufficient reflection" means that we must know

                the thought, word or deed to be sinful at the time

                we are guilty of it; and "full consent of the

                will" means that we must fully and willfully yield

                to it.

 

Question 285.   What are sins committed without reflection or

                consent called?

Answer:         Sins committed without reflection or consent are

                called material sins; that is, they would be

                formal or real sins if we knew their sinfulness at

                the time we committed them.  Thus to eat flesh

                meat on a day of abstinence without knowing it to

                be a day of abstinence or without thinking of the

                prohibition, would be a material sin.

 

Question 286.   Do past material sins become real sins as soon as

                we discover their sinfulness?

Answer:         Past material sins do not become real sins as soon

                as we discover their sinfulness, unless we again

                repeat them with full knowledge and consent.

 

Question 287.   How can we know what sins are considered mortal?

Answer:         We can know what sins are considered mortal from

                Holy Scripture; from the teaching of the Church,

                and from the writings of the Fathers and Doctors

                of the Church.

 

Question 288.   Why is it wrong to judge others guilty of sin?

Answer:         It is wrong to judge others guilty of sin because

                we cannot know for certain that their sinful act

                was committed with sufficient reflection and full

                consent of the will.

 

Question 289.   What sin does he commit who without sufficient

                reason believes another guilty of sin?

Answer:         He who without sufficient reason believes another

                guilty of sin commits a sin of rash judgment.

 

Question 290.   What is venial sin?

Answer:         Venial sin is a slight offense against the law of

                God in matters of less importance, or in matters

                of great importance it is an offense committed

                without sufficient reflection or full consent of

                the will.

 

Question 291.   Can we always distinguish venial from mortal sin?

Answer:         We cannot always distinguish venial from mortal

                sin, and in such cases we must leave the decision

                to our confessor.

 

Question 292.   Can slight offenses ever become mortal sins?

Answer:         Slight offenses can become mortal sins if we

                commit them through defiant contempt for God or

                His law; and also when they are followed by very

                evil consequences, which we foresee in committing

                them.

 

Question 293.   Which are the effects of venial sin?

Answer:         The effects of venial sin are the lessening of the

                love of God in our heart, the making us less

                worthy of His help, and the weakening of the power

                to resist mortal sin.

 

Question 294.   How can we know a thought, word or deed to be

                sinful?

Answer:         We can know a thought, word or deed to be sinful

                if it, or the neglect of it, is forbidden by any

                law of God or of His Church, or if it is opposed

                to any supernatural virtue.

 

Question 295.   Which are the chief sources of sin?

Answer:         The chief sources of sin are seven:  Pride,

                Covetousness, Lust, Anger, Gluttony, Envy, and

                Sloth, and they are commonly called capital sins.

 

Question 296.   What is pride?

Answer:         Pride is an excessive love of our own ability; so

                that we would rather sinfully disobey than humble

                ourselves.

 

Question 297.   What effect has pride on our souls?

Answer:         Pride begets in our souls sinful ambition,

                vainglory, presumption and hypocrisy.

 

Question 298.   What is covetousness?

Answer:         Covetousness is an excessive desire for worldly

                things.

 

Question 299.   What effect has covetousness on our souls?

Answer:         Covetousness begets in our souls unkindness,

                dishonesty, deceit and want of charity.

 

Question 300.   What is lust?

Answer:         Lust is an excessive desire for the sinful

                pleasures forbidden by the Sixth Commandment.

 

Question 301.   What effect has lust on our souls?

Answer:         Lust begets in our souls a distaste for holy

                things, a perverted conscience, a hatred for God,

                and it very frequently leads to a complete loss of

                faith.

 

Question 302.   What is anger?

Answer:         Anger is an excessive emotion of the mind excited

                against any person or thing, or it is an excessive

                desire for revenge.

 

Question 303.   What effect has anger on our soul?

Answer:         Anger begets in our souls impatience, hatred,

                irreverence, and too often the habit of cursing.

 

Question 304.   What is gluttony?

Answer:         Gluttony is an excessive desire for food or drink.

 

Question 305.   What kind of a sin is drunkenness?

Answer:         Drunkenness is a sin of gluttony by which a person

                deprives himself of the use of his reason by the

                excessive taking of intoxicating drink.

 

Question 306.   Is drunkenness always a mortal sin?

Answer:         Deliberate drunkenness is always a mortal sin if

                the person be completely deprived of the use of

                reason by it, but drunkenness that is not intended

                or desired may be excused from mortal sin.

 

Question 307.   What are the chief effects of habitual

                drunkenness?

Answer:         Habitual drunkenness injures the body, weakens the

                mind, leads its victim into many vices and exposes

                him to the danger of dying in a state of mortal

                sin.

 

Question 308.   What three sins seem to cause most evil in the

                world?

Answer:         Drunkenness, dishonesty and impurity seem to cause

                most evil in the world, and they are therefore to

                be carefully avoided at all times.

 

Question 309.   What is envy?

Answer:         Envy is a feeling of sorrow at another's good

                fortune and joy at the evil which befalls him; as

                if we ourselves were injured by the good and

                benefited by the evil that comes to him.

 

Question 310.   What effect has envy on the soul?

Answer:         Envy begets in the soul a want of charity for our

                neighbor and produces a spirit of detraction,

                back-biting and slander.

 

Question 311.   What is sloth?

Answer:         Sloth is a laziness of the mind and body, through

                which we neglect our duties on account of the

                labor they require.

 

Question 312.   What effect has sloth upon the soul?

Answer:         Sloth begets in the soul a spirit of indifference

                in our spiritual duties and a disgust for prayer.

 

Question 313.   Why are the seven sources of sin called capital

                sins?

Answer:         The seven sources of sin are called capital sins

                because they rule over our other sins and are the

                causes of them.

 

Question 314.   What do we mean by our predominant sin or ruling

                passion?

Answer:         By our predominant sin, or ruling passion, we mean

                the sin into which we fall most frequently and

                which we find it hardest to resist.

 

Question 315.   How can we best overcome our sins?A nswer:  We can

                best overcome our sins by guarding against our

                predominant or ruling sin.

 

Question 316.   Should we give up trying to be good when we seem

                not to succeed in overcoming our faults?

Answer:         We should not give up trying to be good when we

                seem not to succeed in overcoming our faults,

                because our efforts to be good will keep us from

                becoming worse than we are.

 

Question 317.   What virtues are opposed to the seven capital

                sins?

Answer:         Humility is opposed to pride; generosity to

                covetousness; chastity to lust; meekness to anger;

                temperance to gluttony; brotherly love to envy,

                and diligence to sloth.

 

 

LESSON SEVENTH:  On the Incarnation and Redemption

 

Question 318.   What does "incarnation" mean, and what does

                "redemption" mean?

Answer:         "Incarnation" means the act of clothing with

                flesh.  Thus Our Lord clothed His divinity with a

                human body.  "Redemption" means to buy back again.

 

Question 319.   Did God abandon man after he fell into sin?

Answer:         God did not abandon man after he fell into sin,

                but promised him a Redeemer, who was to satisfy

                for man's sin and reopen to him the gates of

                heaven.

 

Question 320.   What do we mean by the "gates of heaven"?

Answer:         By the "gates of heaven" we mean the divine power

                by which God keeps us out of heaven or admits us

                into it, at His pleasure.

 

Question 321.   Who is the Redeemer?

Answer:         Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the

                Redeemer of mankind.

 

Question 322.   What does the name "Jesus" signify and how was

                this name given to Our Lord?

Answer:         The name "Jesus" signifies Saviour or Redeemer,

                and this name was given to Our Lord by an Angel

                who appeared to Joseph and said: "Mary shall bring

                forth a Son; and thou shalt call His name Jesus."

 

Question 323.   What does the name "Christ" signify?

Answer:         The name "Christ" means the same as Messias, and

                signifies Anointed; because, as in the Old Law,

                Prophets, High Priests and Kings were anointed

                with oil; so Jesus, the Great Prophet, High Priest

                and King of the New Law, was anointed as man with

                the fullness of divine power.

 

Question 324.   How did Christ show and prove His divine power?

Answer:         Christ showed and proved His divine power chiefly

                by His miracles, which are extraordinary works

                that can be performed only by power received from

                God, and which have, therefore, His sanction and

                authority.

 

Question 325.   What, then, did the miracles of Jesus Christ

                prove?

Answer:         The miracles of Jesus Christ proved that whatever

                He said was true, and that when He declared

                Himself to be the Son of God He really was what He

                claimed to be.

 

Question 326.   Could not men have been deceived in the miracles

                of Christ?

Answer:         Men could not have been deceived in the miracles

                of Christ because they were performed in the most

                open manner and usually in the presence of great

                multitudes of people, among whom were many of

                Christ's enemies, ever ready to expose any deceit.

                And if Christ performed no real miracles, how,

                then, could He have converted the world and have

                persuaded sinful men to give up what they loved

                and do the difficult things that the Christian

                religion imposes?

 

Question 327.   Could not false accounts of these miracles have

                been written after the death of Our Lord?

Answer:         False accounts of these miracles could not have

                been written after the death of Our Lord; for then

                neither His friends nor His enemies would have

                believed them without proof.  Moreover, the

                enemies of Christ did not deny the miracles, but

                tried to explain them by attributing them to the

                power of the devil or other causes.  Again, the

                Apostles and the Evangelists who wrote the

                accounts suffered death to testify their belief in

                the words and works of Our Lord.

 

Question 328.   Did Jesus Christ die to redeem all men of every

                age and race without exception?

Answer:         Jesus Christ died to redeem all men of every age

                and race without exception; and every person born

                into the world should share in His merits, without

                which no one can be saved.

 

Question 329.   How are the merits of Jesus Christ applied to our

                souls?

Answer:         The merits of Jesus Christ are applied to our

                souls through the Sacraments, and especially

                through Baptism and Penance, which restore us to

                the friendship of God.

 

Question 330.   What do you believe of Jesus Christ?

Answer:         I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the

                second Person of the Blessed Trinity, true God and

                true man.

 

Question 331.   Cannot we also be called the Children of God, and

                therefore His sons and daughters?

Answer:         We can be called the Children of God because He

                has adopted us by His grace or because He is the

                Father who has created us; but we are not,

                therefore, His real Children; whereas, Jesus

                Christ, His only real and true Son, was neither

                adopted nor created, but was begotten of His

                Father from all eternity.

 

Question 332.   Why is Jesus Christ true God?

Answer:         Jesus Christ is true God because He is the true

                and only Son of God the Father.

 

Question 333.   Why is Jesus Christ true man?

Answer:         Jesus Christ is true man because He is the Son of

                the Blessed Virgin Mary and has a body and soul

                like ours.

 

Question 334.   Who was the foster father or guardian of Our Lord

                while on earth?

Answer:         St. Joseph, the husband of the Blessed Virgin, was

                the foster-father or guardian of Our Lord while on

                earth.

 

Question 335.   Is Jesus Christ in heaven as God or as man?

Answer:         Since His Ascension Jesus Christ is in heaven both

                as God and as man.

 

Question 336.   How many natures are there in Jesus Christ?

Answer:         In Jesus Christ there are two natures, the nature

                of God and the nature of man.

 

Question 337.   Is Jesus Christ more than one person?

Answer:         No.  Jesus Christ is but one Divine Person.

 

Question 338.   From what do we learn that Jesus Christ is but one

                person?

Answer:         We learn that Jesus Christ is but one person from

                Holy Scripture and from the constant teaching of

                the Church, which has condemned all those who

                teach the contrary.

 

Question 339.   Was Jesus Christ always God?

Answer:         Jesus Christ was always God, as He is the second

                person of the Blessed Trinity, equal to His Father

                from all eternity.

 

Question 340.   Was Jesus Christ always man?

Answer:         Jesus Christ was not always man, but became man at

                the time of His Incarnation.

 

Question 341.   What do you mean by the Incarnation?

Answer:         By the Incarnation I mean that the Son of God was

                made man.

 

Question 342.   How was the Son of God made man?

Answer:         The Son of God was conceived and made man by the

                power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the

                Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

Question 343.   Is the Blessed Virgin Mary truly the Mother of

                God?

Answer:         The Blessed Virgin Mary is truly the Mother of

                God, because the same Divine Person who is the Son

                of God is also the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

Question 344.   Did the Son of God become man immediately after

                the sin of our first parents?

Answer:         The Son of God did not become man immediately

                after the sin of our first parents, but was

                promised to them as a Redeemer.

 

Question 345.   How many years passed from the time Adam sinned

                till the time the Redeemer came?

Answer:         About 4,000 years passed from the time Adam sinned

                till the time the Redeemer came.

 

Question 346.   What was the moral condition of the world just

                before the coming of Our Lord?

Answer:         Just before the coming of Our Lord the moral

                condition of the world was very bad.  Idolatry,

                injustice, cruelty, immorality and horrid vices

                were common almost everywhere.

 

Question 347.   Why was the coming of the Redeemer so long

                delayed?

Answer:         The coming of the Redeemer was so long delayed

                that the world -- suffering from every misery --

                might learn the great evil of sin and know that

                God alone could help fallen man.

 

Question 348.   When was the Redeemer promised to mankind?

Answer:         The Redeemer was first promised to mankind in the

                Garden of Paradise, and often afterward through

                Abraham and his descendants, the patriarchs, and

                through numerous prophets.

 

Question 349.   Who were the prophets?

Answer:         The prophets were inspired men to whom God

                revealed the future, that they might with absolute

                certainty make it known to the people.

 

Question 350.   What did the prophets foretell concerning the

                Redeemer?

Answer:         The prophets, taken together, foretold so

                accurately all the circumstances of the birth,

                life, death, resurrection and glory of the

                Redeemer that no one who carefully studied their

                writings could fail to recognize Him when He came.

 

Question 351.   Have all these prophecies concerning the Redeemer

                been fulfilled?

Answer:         All the prophecies concerning the Redeemer have

                been fulfilled in every point by the circumstances

                of Christ's birth, life, death, resurrection and

                glory; and He is, therefore, the Redeemer promised

                to mankind from the time of Adam.

 

Question 352.   Where shall we find these prophecies concerning

                the Redeemer?

Answer:         We shall find these prophecies concerning the

                Redeemer in the prophetic books of the Bible or

                Holy Scripture.

 

Question 353.   If the Redeemer's coming was so clearly foretold,

                why did not all recognize Him when He came?

Answer:         All did not recognize the Redeemer when He came,

                because many knew only part of the prophecies; and

                taking those concerning His glory and omitting

                those concerning His suffering, they could not

                understand His life.

 

Question 354.   How could they be saved who lived before the Son

                of God became man?

Answer:         They who lived before the Son of God became man

                could be saved by believing in a Redeemer to come,

                and by keeping the Commandments.

 

Question 355.   On what day was the Son of God conceived and made

                man?

Answer:         The Son of God was conceived and made man on

                Annunciation Day -- the day on which the Angel

                Gabriel announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary that

                she was to be the Mother of God.

 

Question 356.   On what day was Christ born?

Answer:         Christ was born on Christmas Day, in a stable at

                Bethlehem, over nineteen hundred years ago.

 

Question 357.   Why did the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph go to

                Bethlehem just before the birth of Our Lord?

Answer:         The Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph went to

                Bethlehem in obedience to the Roman Emperor, who

                ordered all his subjects to register their names

                in the towns or cities of their ancestors.

                Bethlehem was the City of David, the royal

                ancestor of Mary and Joseph, hence they had to

                register there.  All this was done by the Will of

                God, that the prophecies concerning the birth of

                His Divine Son might be fulfilled.

 

Question 358.   Why was Christ born in a stable?

Answer:         Christ was born in a stable because Joseph and

                Mary were poor and strangers in Bethlehem, and

                without money they could find no other shelter.

                This was permitted by Our Lord that we might learn

                a lesson from His great humility.

 

Question 359.   In giving the ancestors or forefathers of Our

                Lord, why do the Gospels give the ancestors of

                Joseph, who was only Christ's foster-father, and

                not the ancestors of Mary, who was Christ's real parent?

Answer:         In giving the ancestors of Our Lord, the Gospels

                give the ancestors of Joseph:

           (1)  Because the ancestors of women were not usually

                recorded by the Jews; and

           (2)  Because Mary and Joseph were members of the same

                tribe, and had, therefore, the same ancestors; so

                that, in giving the ancestors of Joseph, the

                Gospels give also those of Mary; and this was

                understood by those for whom the Gospels were

                intended.

 

Question 360.   Had Our Lord any brothers or sisters ?

Answer:         Our Lord had no brothers or sisters.  When the

                Gospels speak of His brethren they mean only His

                near relations.  His Blessed Mother Mary was

                always a Virgin as well before and at His birth as

                after it.

 

Question 361.   Who were among the first to adore the Infant

                Jesus?

Answer:         The shepherds of Bethlehem, to whom His birth was

                announced by Angels; and the Magi or three wise

                men, who were guided to His crib by a miraculous

                star, were among the first to adore the Infant

                Jesus.  We recall the adoration of the Magi on the

                feast of the Epiphany, which means appearance or

                manifestation, namely, of Our Saviour.

 

Question 362.   Who sought to kill the Infant Jesus?

Answer:         Herod sought to kill the Infant Jesus because he

                thought the influence of Christ -- the new-born

                King -- would deprive him of his throne.

 

Question 363.   How was the Holy Infant rescued from the power of

                Herod?

Answer:         The Holy Infant was rescued from the power of

                Herod by the flight into Egypt, when St. Joseph --

                warned by an Angel -- fled hastily into that

                country with Jesus and Mary.

 

Question 364.   How did Herod hope to accomplish his wicked

                designs?

Answer:         Herod hoped to accomplish his wicked designs by

                murdering all the infants in and near Bethlehem.

                The day on which we commemorate the death of these

                first little martyrs, who shed their blood for

                Christ's sake, is called the feast of Holy

                Innocents.

 

Question 365.   How may the years of Christ's life be divided?

Answer:         The years of Christ's life may be divided into

                three parts:

           (1)  His childhood, extending from His birth to His

                twelfth year, when He went with his parents to

                worship in the Temple of Jerusalem.

           (2)  His hidden life, which extends from His twelfth to

                His thirtieth year, during which time He dwelt

                with His parents at Nazareth.

           (3)  His public life, extending from His thirtieth year

                -- or from His baptism by St. John the Baptist to

                His death; during which time He taught His

                doctrines and established His Church.

 

Question 366.   Why is Christ's life thus divided?

Answer:         Christ's life is thus divided to show that all

                classes find in Him their model.  In childhood He

                gave an example to the young; in His hidden life

                an example to those who consecrate themselves to

                the service of God in a religious state; and in

                His public life an example to all Christians

                without exception.

 

Question 367.   How long did Christ live on earth?

Answer:         Christ lived on earth about thirty-three years,

                and led a most holy life in poverty and suffering.

 

Question 368.   Why did Christ live so long on earth?

Answer:         Christ lived so long on earth to show us the way

                to heaven by His teachings and example.

 

 

LESSON EIGHTH:  On Our Lord's Passion, Death, Resurrection, and

Ascension

 

Question 369.   What do we mean by Our Lord's Passion?

Answer:         By Our Lord's Passion we mean His dreadful

                sufferings from His agony in the garden till the

                moment of His death.

 

Question 370.   What did Jesus Christ suffer?

Answer:         Jesus Christ suffered a bloody sweat, a cruel

                scourging, was crowned with thorns, and was

                crucified.

 

Question 371.   When did Our Lord suffer the "bloody sweat"?

Answer:         Our Lord suffered the "bloody sweat" while drops

                of blood came forth from every pore of His body,

                during His agony in the Garden of Olives, near

                Jerusalem, where He went to pray on the night His

                Passion began.

 

Question 372.   Who accompanied Our Lord to the Garden of Olives

                on the night of His Agony?

Answer:         The Apostles Peter, James and John, the same who

                had witnessed His transfiguration on the mount,

                accompanied Our Lord to the Garden of Olives, to

                watch and pray with Him on the night of His agony.

 

Question 373.   What do we mean by the transfiguration of Our

                Lord?

Answer:         By the transfiguration of Our Lord we mean the

                supernatural change in His appearance when He

                showed Himself to His Apostles in great glory and

                brilliancy in which "His face did shine as the sun

                and His garments became white as snow."

 

Question 374.   Who were present at the transfiguration?

Answer:         There were present at the transfiguration --

                besides the Apostles Peter, James and John, who

                witnessed it -- the two great and holy men of the

                Old Law, Moses and Elias, talking with Our Lord.

 

Question 375.   What caused Our Lord's agony in the garden?

Answer:         It is believed Our Lord's agony in the garden was

                caused:

           (1)  By his clear knowledge of all He was soon to

                endure;

           (2)  By the sight of the many offenses committed

                against His Father by the sins of the whole world;

           (3)  By His knowledge of men's ingratitude for the

                blessings of redemption.

 

Question 376.   Why was Christ cruelly scourged?

Answer:         Christ was cruelly scourged by Pilate's orders,

                that the sight of His bleeding body might move His

                enemies to spare His life.

 

Question 377.   Why was Christ crowned with thorns?

Answer:         Christ was crowned with thorns in mockery because

                He had said He was a King.

 

Question 378.   Could Christ, if He pleased, have escaped the

                tortures of His Passion?

Answer:         Christ could, if He pleased, have escaped the

                tortures of His Passion, because He foresaw them

                and had it in His power to overcome His enemies.

 

Question 379.   Was it necessary for Christ to suffer so much in

                order to redeem us?

Answer:         It was not necessary for Christ to suffer so much

                in order to redeem us, for the least of His

                sufferings was more than sufficient to atone for

                all the sins of mankind.  By suffering so much He

                showed His great love for us.

 

Question 380.   Who betrayed Our Lord?

Answer:         Judas, one of His Apostles, betrayed Our Lord, and

                from His sin we may learn that even the good may

                become very wicked by the abuse of their free

                will.

 

Question 381.   How was Christ condemned to death?

Answer:         Through the influence of those who hated Him,

                Christ was condemned to death, after an unjust

                trial, at which false witnesses were induced to

                testify against Him.

 

Question 382.   On what day did Christ die?

Answer:         Christ died on Good Friday.

 

Question 383.   Why do you call that day "good" on which Christ

                died so sorrowful a death?

Answer:         We call that day good on which Christ died because

                by His death He showed His great love for man, and

                purchased for him every blessing.

 

Question 384.   How long was Our Lord hanging on the cross before

                He died?

Answer:         Our Lord was hanging on the Cross about three

                hours before He died.  While thus suffering, His

                enemies stood around blaspheming and mocking Him.

                By His death He proved Himself a real mortal man,

                for He could not die in His divine nature.

 

Question 385.   What do we call the words Christ spoke while

                hanging on the Cross?

Answer:         We call the words Christ spoke while hanging on

                the Cross "the seven last words of Jesus on the

                Cross."  They teach us the dispositions we should

                have at the hour of death.

 

Question 386.   Repeat the seven last words or sayings of Jesus on

                the Cross.

Answer:         The seven last words or sayings of Jesus on the

                Cross are:

           (1)  "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they

                do," in which He forgives and prays for His

                enemies.

           (2)  "Amen, I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with

                Me in Paradise," in which He pardons the penitent

                sinner.

           (3)  "Woman, behold thy Son" -- "Behold thy Mother," in

                which He gave up what was dearest to Him on earth,

                and gave us Mary for our Mother.

           (4)  "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" from

                which we learn the suffering of His mind.

           (5)  "I thirst," from which we learn the suffering of

                His body.

           (6)  "All is consummated," by which He showed the

                fulfillment of all the prophecies concerning Him

                and the completion of the work of our redemption.

           (7)  "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit," by

                which He showed His perfect resignation to the

                Will of His Eternal Father.

 

Question 387.   What happened at the death of Our Lord?

Answer:         At the death of Our Lord there were darkness and

                earthquake; many holy dead came forth from their

                graves, and the veil concealing the Holy of

                Holies, in the Temple of Jerusalem, was torn

                asunder.

 

Question 388.   What was the Holy of Holies in the temple?

Answer:         The Holy of Holies was the sacred part of the

                Temple, in which the Ark of the Covenant was kept,

                and where the high priest consulted the Will of

                God.

 

Question 389.   What was the "Ark of the Covenant"?

Answer:         The Ark of the Covenant was a precious box in

                which were kept the tablets of stone bearing the

                written Commandments of God, the rod which Aaron

                changed into a serpent before King Pharao, and a

                portion of the manna with which the Israelites

                were miraculously fed in the desert.  The Ark of

                the Covenant was a figure of the Tabernacle in

                which we keep the Holy Eucharist.

 

Question 390.   Why was the veil of the Temple torn asunder at the

                death of Christ?

Answer:         The veil of the Temple was torn asunder at the

                death of Christ because at His death the Jewish

                religion ceased to be the true religion, and God

                no longer manifested His presence in the Temple.

 

Question 391.   Why did the Jewish religion, which up to the death

                of Christ had been the true religion, cease at

                that time to be the true religion?

Answer:         The Jewish religion, which, up to the death of

                Christ, had been the true religion, ceased at that

                time to be the true religion, because it was only

                a promise of the redemption and figure of the

                Christian religion, and when the redemption was

                accomplished and the Christian religion

                established by the death of Christ, the promise

                and the figure were no longer necessary.

 

Question 392.   Were all the laws of the Jewish religion abolished

                by the establishment of Christianity?

Answer:         The moral laws of the Jewish religion were not

                abolished by the establishment of Christianity,

                for Christ came not to destroy these laws, but to

                make them more perfect.  Its ceremonial laws were

                abolished when the Temple of Jerusalem ceased to

                be the House of God.

 

Question 393.   What do we mean by moral and ceremonial laws?

Answer:         By "moral" laws we mean laws regarding good and

                evil.  By "ceremonial" laws we mean laws

                regulating the manner of worshipping God in Temple

                or Church.

 

Question 394.   Where did Christ die?

Answer:         Christ died on Mount Calvary.

 

Question 395.   Where was Mount Calvary, and what does the name

                signify?

Answer:         Mount Calvary was the place of execution, not far

                from Jerusalem; and the name signifies the "place

                of skulls."

 

Question 396.   How did Christ die?

Answer:         Christ was nailed to the Cross, and died on it

                between two thieves.

 

Question 397.   Why was Our Lord crucified between thieves?

Answer:         Our Lord was crucified between thieves that His

                enemies might thus add to His disgrace by making

                Him equal to the worst criminals.

 

Question 398.   Why did Christ suffer and die?

Answer:         Christ suffered and died for our sins.

 

Question 399.   How was Our Lord's body buried?

Answer:         Our Lord's body was wrapped in a clean linen cloth

                and laid in a new sepulchre or tomb cut in a rock,

                by Joseph of Arimathea and other pious persons who

                believed in Our Divine Lord.

 

Question 400.   What lessons do we learn from the sufferings and

                death of Christ?

Answer:         From the sufferings and death of Christ we learn

                the great evil of sin, the hatred God bears to it,

                and the necessity of satisfying for it.

 

Question 401.   Whither did Christ's soul go after His death?

Answer:         After Christ's death His soul descended into hell.

 

Question 402.   Did Christ's soul descend into the hell of the

                damned?

Answer:         The hell into which Christ's soul descended was

                not the hell of the dammed, but a place or state

                of rest called Limbo, where the souls of the just

                were waiting for Him.

 

Question 403.   Why did Christ descend into Limbo?

Answer:         Christ descended into Limbo to preach to the souls

                who were in prison -- that is, to announce to them

                the joyful tidings of their redemption.

 

Question 404.   Where was Christ's body while His soul was in

                Limbo?

Answer:         While Christ's soul was in Limbo His body was in

                the holy sepulchre.

 

Question 405.   On what day did Christ rise from the dead?

Answer:         Christ rose from the dead, glorious and immortal,

                on Easter Sunday, the third day after His death.

 

Question 406.   Why is the Resurrection the greatest of Christ's

                miracles?

Answer:         The Resurrection is the greatest of Christ's

                miracles because all He taught and did is

                confirmed by it and depends upon it.  He promised

                to rise from the dead and without the fulfillment

                of that promise we could not believe in Him.

 

Question 407.   Has any one ever tried to disprove the miracle of

                the resurrection?

Answer:         Unbelievers in Christ have tried to disprove the

                miracle of the resurrection as they have tried to

                disprove all His other miracles; but the

                explanations they give to prove Christ's miracles

                false are far more unlikely and harder to believe

                than the miracles themselves.

 

Question 408.   What do we mean when we say Christ rose "glorious"

                from the dead?

Answer:         When we say Christ rose "glorious" from the dead

                we mean that His body was in a glorified state;

                that is, gifted with the qualities of a glorified

                body.

 

Question 409.   What are the qualities of a glorified body?

Answer:         The qualities of a glorified body are:

           (1)  Brilliancy, by which it gives forth light;

           (2)  Agility, by which it moves from place to place as

                rapidly as an angel;

           (3)  Subtility, by which material things cannot shut it

                out;

           (4)  Impassibility, by which it is made incapable of

                suffering.

 

Question 410.   Was Christ three full days in the tomb?

Answer:         Christ was not three full days, but only parts of

                three days in the tomb.

 

Question 411.   How long did Christ stay on earth after His

                resurrection?

Answer:         Christ stayed on earth forty days after His

                resurrection, to show that He was truly risen from

                the dead, and to instruct His apostles.

 

Question 412.   Was Christ visible to all and at all times during

                the forty days He remained on earth after His

                resurrection?

Answer:         Christ was not visible to all nor at all times

                during the forty days He remained on earth after

                His resurrection.  We know that He appeared to His

                apostles and others at least nine times, though He

                may have appeared oftener.

 

Question 413.   How did Christ show that He was truly risen from

                the dead?

Answer:         Christ showed that He was truly risen from the

                dead by eating and conversing with His Apostles

                and others to whom He appeared.  He showed the

                wounds in His hands, feet and side, and it was

                after His resurrection that He gave to His

                Apostles the power to forgive sins.

 

Question 414.   After Christ had remained forty days on earth,

                whither did He go?

Answer:         After forty days Christ ascended into heaven, and

                the day on which be ascended into heaven is called

                Ascension Day.

 

Question 415.   Where did the ascension of Our Lord take place?

Answer:         Christ ascended into heaven from Mount Olivet, the

                place made sacred by His agony on the night before

                His death.

 

Question 416.   Who were present at the ascension and who ascended

                with Christ?

Answer:         From various parts of Scripture we may conclude

                there were about 125 persons -- though traditions

                tell us there was a greater number -- present at

                the Ascension.  They were the Apostles, the

                Disciples, the pious women and others who had

                followed Our Blessed Lord.  The souls of the just

                who were waiting in Limbo for the redemption

                ascended with Christ.

 

Question 417.   Why is the paschal candle which is lighted on

                Easter morning extinguished at the Mass on

                Ascension Day?

Answer:         The paschal candle which is lighted on Easter

                morning signifies Christ's visible presence on

                earth, and it is extinguished on Ascension Day to

                show that He, having fulfilled all the prophecies

                concerning Himself and having accomplished the

                work of redemption, has transferred the visible

                care of His Church to His Apostles and returned in

                His body to heaven.

 

Question 418.   Where is Christ in heaven?

Answer:         In heaven Christ sits at the right hand of God the

                Father Almighty.

 

Question 419.   What do you mean by saying that Christ sits at the

                right hand of God?

Answer:         When I say that Christ sits at the right hand of

                God I mean that Christ as God is equal to His

                Father in all things, and that as man He is in the

                highest place in heaven next to God.

 

LESSON TENTH:  On the Effects of the Redemption

 

Question 450.   What is an effect?

Answer:         An effect is that which is caused by something

                else, as smoke, for example, is an effect of fire.

 

Question 451.   What does redemption mean?

Answer:         Redemption means the buying back of a thing that

                was given away or sold.

 

Question 452.   What did Adam give away by his sin, and what did

                Our Lord buy back for him and us?

Answer:         By his sin Adam gave away all right to God's

                promised gifts of grace in this world and of glory

                in the next, and Our Lord bought back the right

                that Adam threw away.

 

Question 453.   Which are the chief effects of the Redemption?

Answer:         The chief effects of the Redemption are two: The

                satisfaction of God's justice by Christ's

                sufferings and death, and the gaining of grace for

                men.

 

Question 454.   Why do we say "chief effects"?

Answer:         We say "chief effects" to show that these are the

                most important but not the only effects of the

                Redemption -- for all the benefits of our holy

                religion and of its influence upon the world are

                the effects of the redemption.

 

Question 455.   Why did God's justice require satisfaction?

Answer:         God's justice required satisfaction because it is

                infinite and demands reparation for every fault.

                Man in his state of sin could not make the

                necessary reparation, so Christ became man and

                made it for him.

 

Question 456.   What do you mean by grace?

Answer:         By grace I mean a supernatural gift of God

                bestowed on us, through the merits of Jesus

                Christ, for our salvation.

 

Question 457.   What does "supernatural" mean?

Answer:         Supernatural means above or greater than nature.

                All gifts such as health, learning or the comforts

                of life, that affect our happiness chiefly in this

                world, are called natural gifts, and all gifts

                such as blessings that affect our happiness

                chiefly in the next world are called supernatural

                or spiritual gifts.

 

Question 458.   What do you mean by "merit"?

Answer:         Merit means the quality of deserving well or ill

                for our actions.  In the question above it means a

                right to reward for good deeds done.

 

Question 459.   How many kinds of grace are there?

Answer:         There are two kinds of grace, sanctifying grace

                and actual grace.

 

Question 460.   What is the difference between sanctifying grace

                and actual grace?

Answer:         Sanctifying grace remains with us as long as we

                are not guilty of mortal sin; and hence, it is

                often called habitual grace; but actual grace

                comes to us only when we need its help in doing or

                avoiding an action, and it remains with us only

                while we are doing or avoiding the action.

 

Question 461.   What is sanctifying grace?

Answer:         Sanctifying grace is that grace which makes the

                soul holy and pleasing to God.

 

Question 462.   What do you call those graces or gifts of God by

                which we believe in Him, hope in Him, and love

                Him?

Answer:         Those graces or gifts of God by which we believe

                in Him, and hope in Him, and love Him, are called

                the Divine virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity.

 

Question 463.   What do you mean by virtue and vice?

Answer:         Virtue is the habit of doing good, and vice is the

                habit of doing evil.  An act, good or bad, does

                not form a habit; and hence, a virtue or a vice is

                the result of repeated acts of the same kind.

 

Question 464.   Does habit excuse us from the sins committed

                through it?

Answer:         Habit does not excuse us from the sins committed

                through it, but rather makes us more guilty by

                showing how often we must have committed the sin

                to acquire the habit.  If, however, we are

                seriously trying to overcome a bad habit, and

                through forgetfulness yield to it, the habit may

                sometimes excuse us from the sin.

 

Question 465.   What is Faith?

Answer:         Faith is a Divine virtue by which we firmly

                believe the truths which God has revealed.

 

Question 466.   What is Hope?

Answer:         Hope is a Divine virtue by which we firmly trust

                that God will give us eternal life and the means

                to obtain it.

 

Question 467.   What is Charity?

Answer:         Charity is a Divine virtue by which we love God

                above all things for His own sake, and our

                neighbor as ourselves for the love of God.

 

Question 468.   Why are Faith, Hope and Charity called virtues?

Answer:         Faith, Hope and Charity are called virtues because

                they are not mere acts, but habits by which we

                always and in all things believe God, hope in Him,

                and love Him.

 

Question 469.   What kind of virtues are Faith, Hope and Charity?

Answer:         Faith, Hope and Charity are called infused

                theological virtues to distinguish them from the

                four moral virtues -- Prudence, Justice, Fortitude

                and Temperance.

 

Question 470.   Why do we say the three theological virtues are

                infused and the four moral virtues acquired?

Answer:         We say the three theological virtues are infused;

                that is, poured into our souls, because they are

                strictly gifts of God and do not depend upon our

                efforts to obtain them, while the four moral

                virtues -- Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and

                Temperance -- though also gifts of God, may, as

                natural virtues, be acquired by our own efforts.

 

Question 471.   Why do we believe God, hope in Him, and love Him?

Answer:         We believe God and hope in Him because He is

                infinitely true and cannot deceive us.  We love

                Him because He is infinitely good and beautiful

                and worthy of all love.

 

Question 472.   What mortal sins are opposed to Faith?

Answer:         Atheism, which is a denial of all revealed truths,

                and heresy, which is a denial of some revealed

                truths, and superstition, which is a misuse of

                religion, are opposed to Faith.

 

Question 473.   Who is our neighbor?

Answer:         Every human being capable of salvation of every

                age, country, race or condition, especially if he

                needs our help, is our neighbor in the sense of

                the Catechism.

 

Question 474.   Why should we love our neighbor?

Answer:         We should love our neighbor because he is a child

                of God, redeemed by Jesus Christ, and because he

                is our brother created to dwell in heaven with us.

 

Question 475.   What is actual grace?

Answer:         Actual grace is that help of God which enlightens

                our mind and moves our will to shun evil and do

                good.

 

Question 476.   Is grace necessary to salvation?

Answer:         Grace is necessary to salvation, because without

                grace we can do nothing to merit heaven.

 

Question 477.   Can we resist the grace of God?

Answer:         We can, and unfortunately often do, resist the

                grace of God.

 

Question 478.   Is it a sin knowingly to resist the grace of God?

Answer:         It is a sin, knowingly, to resist the grace of

                God, because we thereby insult Him and reject His

                gifts without which we cannot be saved.

 

Question 479.   Does God give His grace to every one?

Answer:         God gives to everyone He creates sufficient grace

                to save his soul; and if persons do not save their

                souls, it is because they have not used the grace

                given.

 

Question 480.   What is the grace of perseverance?

Answer:         The grace of perseverance is a particular gift of

                God which enables us to continue in the state of

                grace till death.

 

Question 481.   Can we merit the grace of final perseverance or

                know when we possess it?

Answer:         We cannot merit the grace of final perseverance,

                or know when we possess it, because it depends

                entirely upon God's mercy and not upon our

                actions.  To imagine we possess it would lead us

                into the sin of presumption.

 

Question 482.   Can a person merit any supernatural reward for

                good deeds performed while he is in mortal sin?

Answer:         A person cannot merit any supernatural reward for

                good deeds performed while he is in mortal sin;

                nevertheless, God rewards such good deeds by

                giving the grace of repentance; and, therefore,

                all persons, even those in mortal sin, should ever

                strive to do good.

 

Question 483.   Does God reward anything but our good works?

Answer:         God rewards our good intention and desire to serve

                Him, even when our works are not successful.  We

                should make this good intention often during the

                day, and especially in the morning.

 

 

LESSON ELEVENTH:  On the Church

 

Question 484.   How was the true religion preserved from Adam till

                the coming of Christ?

Answer:         The true religion was preserved from Adam till the

                coming of Christ by the patriarchs, prophets and

                other holy men whom God appointed and inspired to

                teach His Will and Revelations to the people, and

                to remind them of the promised Redeemer.

 

Question 485.   Who were the prophets, and what was their chief

                duty?

Answer:         The prophets were men to whom God gave a knowledge

                of future events connected with religion, that

                they might foretell them to His people and thus

                give proof that the message came from God.  Their

                chief duty was to foretell the time, place and

                circumstances of Our Saviour's coming into the

                world, that men might know when and where to look

                for Him, and might recognize Him when He came.

 

Question 486.   How could they be saved who lived before Christ

                became man?

Answer:         They who lived before Christ became man could be

                saved by belief in the Redeemer to come and by

                keeping the Commandments of God.

 

Question 487.   Was the true religion universal before the coming

                of Christ?

Answer:         The true religion was not universal before the

                coming of Christ.  It was confined to one people

                -- the descendants of Abraham.  All other nations

                worshipped false gods.

 

Question 488.   Which are the means instituted by Our Lord to

                enable men at all times to share in the fruits of

                the Redemption?

Answer:         The means instituted by Our Lord to enable men at

                all times to share in the fruits of His Redemption

                are the Church and the Sacraments.

 

Question 489.   What is the Church?

Answer:         The Church is the congregation of all those who

                profess the faith of Christ, partake of the same

                Sacraments, and are governed by their lawful

                pastors under one visible Head.

 

Question 490.   How may the members of the Church on earth be

                divided?

Answer:         The members of the Church on earth may be divided

                into those who teach and those who are taught.

                Those who teach, namely, the Pope, bishops and

                priests, are called the Teaching Church, or simply

                the Church.  Those who are taught are called the

                Believing Church, or simply the faithful.

 

Question 491.   What is the duty of the Teaching Church?

Answer:         The duty of the Teaching Church is to continue the

                work Our Lord began upon earth, namely, to teach

                revealed truth, to administer the Sacraments and

                to labor for the salvation of souls.

 

Question 492.   What is the duty of the faithful?

Answer:         The duty of the faithful is to learn the revealed

                truths taught; to receive the Sacraments, and to

                aid in saving souls by their prayers, good works

                and alms.

 

Question 493.   What do you mean by "profess the faith of Christ"?

Answer:         By "profess the faith of Christ" we mean, believe

                all the truths and practice the religion He has

                taught.

 

Question 494.   What do we mean by "lawful pastors"?

Answer:         By "lawful pastors" we mean those in the Church

                who have been appointed by lawful authority and

                who have, therefore, a right to rule us.  The

                lawful pastors in the Church are: Every priest in

                his own parish; every bishop in his own diocese,

                and the Pope in the whole Church.

 

Question 495.   Who is the invisible Head of the Church?

Answer:         Jesus Christ is the invisible Head of the Church.

 

Question 496.   Who is the visible Head of the Church?

Answer:         Our Holy Father the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is

                the Vicar of Christ on earth and the visible Head

                of the Church.

 

Question 497.   What does "vicar" mean?

Answer:         Vicar is a name used in the Church to designate a

                person who acts in the name and authority of

                another.  Thus a Vicar Apostolic is one who acts

                in the name of the Pope, and a Vicar General is

                one who acts in the name of the bishop.

 

Question 498.   Could any one be Pope without being Bishop of

                Rome?

Answer:         One could not be Pope without being Bishop of

                Rome, and whoever is elected Pope must give up his

                title to any other diocese and take the title of

                Bishop of Rome.

 

Question 499.   Why is the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, the visible

                Head of the Church?

Answer:         The Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the visible Head

                of the Church because he is the successor of St.

                Peter, whom Christ made the chief of the Apostles

                and the visible Head of the Church.

 

Question 500.   Why are Catholics called "Roman"?

Answer:         Catholics are called Roman to show that they are

                in union with the true Church founded by Christ

                and governed by the Apostles under the direction

                of St. Peter, by divine appointment the Chief of

                the Apostles, who founded the Church of Rome and

                was its first bishop.

 

Question 501.   By what name is a bishop's diocese sometimes

                called?

Answer:         A bishop's diocese is sometimes called his see.

                The diocese of Rome, on account of its authority

                and dignity, is called the Holy See, and its

                bishop is called the Holy Father or Pope.  Pope

                means father.

 

Question 502.   What do we call the right by which St. Peter or

                his successor has always been the head of the

                Church and of all its bishops?

Answer:         We call the right by which St. Peter or his

                successor has always been the head of the Church,

                and of all its bishops, the Primacy of St. Peter

                or of the Pope.  Primacy means holding first

                place.

 

Question 503.   How is it shown that St. Peter or his successor

                has always been the head of the Church?

Answer:         It is shown that St. Peter or his successor has

                always been the head of the Church:

           (1)  From the words of Holy Scripture, which tell how

                Christ appointed Peter Chief of the Apostles and

                head of the Church.

           (2)  From the history of the Church, which shows that

                Peter and his successors have always acted and

                have always been recognized as the head of the

                Church.

 

Question 504.   How do we know that the rights and privileges

                bestowed on St. Peter were given also to his

                successors -- the Popes?

Answer:         We know that the rights and privileges bestowed on

                St. Peter were given also to his successors, the

                Popes, because the promises made to St. Peter by

                Our Lord were to be fulfilled in the Church till

                the end of time, and as Peter was not to live till

                the end of time, they are fulfilled in his

                successors.

 

Question 505.   Did St. Peter establish any Church before he came

                to Rome?

Answer:         Before he came to Rome, St. Peter established a

                Church at Antioch and ruled over it for several

                years.

 

Question 506.   Who are the successors of the other Apostles?

Answer:         The successors of the other Apostles are the

                Bishops of the Holy Catholic Church.

 

Question 507.   How do we know that the bishops of the Church are

                the successors of the Apostles?

Answer:         We know that the bishops of the Church are the

                successors of the Apostles because they continue

                the work of the Apostles and give proof of the

                same authority.  They have always exercised the

                rights and powers that belonged to the Apostles in

                making laws for the Church, in consecrating

                bishops and ordaining priests.

 

Question 508.   Why did Christ found the Church?

Answer:         Christ founded the Church to teach, govern,

                sanctify, and save all men.

 

Question 509.   Are all bound to belong to the Church?

Answer:         All are bound to belong to the Church, and he who

                knows the Church to be the true Church and remains

                out of it cannot be saved.

 

Question 510.   Is it ever possible for one to be saved who does

                not know the Catholic Church to be the true

                Church?

Answer:         It is possible for one to be saved who does not

                know the Catholic Church to be the true Church,

                provided that person:

           (1)  Has been validly baptized;

           (2)  Firmly believes the religion he professes and

                practices to be the true religion, and

           (3)  Dies without the guilt of mortal sin on his soul.

 

Question 511.   Why do we say it is only possible for a person to

                be saved who does not know the Catholic Church to

                be the true Church?

Answer:         We say it is only possible for a person to be

                saved who does not know the Catholic Church to be

                the true Church, because the necessary conditions

                are not often found, especially that of dying in a

                state of grace without making use of the Sacrament

                of Penance.

 

Question 512.   How are such persons said to belong to the Church?

Answer:         Such persons are said to belong to the "soul of

                the church"; that is, they are really members of

                the Church without knowing it.  Those who share in

                its Sacraments and worship are said to belong to

                the body or visible part of the Church.

 

Question 513.   Why must the true Church be visible?

Answer:         The true Church must be visible because its

                founder, Jesus Christ, commanded us under pain of

                condemnation to hear the Church; and He could not

                in justice command us to hear a Church that could

                not be seen and known.

 

Question 514.   What excuses do some give for not becoming members

                of the true Church?

Answer:         The excuses some give for not becoming members of

                the true church are:

           (1)  They do not wish to leave the religion in which

                they were born.

           (2)  There are too many poor and ignorant people in the

                Catholic Church.

           (3)  One religion is as good as another if we try to

                serve God in it, and be upright and honest in our

                lives.

 

Question 515.   How do you answer such excuses?

Answer:        

           (1)  To say that we should remain in a false religion

                because we were born in it is as untrue as to say

                we should not heal our bodily diseases because we

                were born with them.

           (2)  To say there are too many poor and ignorant in the

                Catholic Church is to declare that it is Christ's

                Church; for He always taught the poor and ignorant

                and instructed His Church to continue the work.

           (3)  To say that one religion is as good as another is

                to assert that Christ labored uselessly and taught

                falsely; for He came to abolish the old religion

                and found the new in which alone we can be saved

                as He Himself declared.

 

Question 516.   Why can there be only one true religion?

Answer:         There can be only one true religion, because a

                thing cannot be false and true at the same time,

                and, therefore, all religions that contradict the

                teaching of the true Church must teach falsehood.

                If all religions in which men seek to serve God

                are equally good and true, why did Christ disturb

                the Jewish religion and the Apostles condemn

                heretics?

 

 

LESSON TWELFTH:  On the Attributes and Marks of the Church

 

Question 517.   What is an attribute?

Answer:         An attribute is any characteristic or quality that

                a person or thing may be said to have.  All

                perfections or imperfections are attributes.

 

Question 518.   What is a mark?

Answer:         A mark is a given and known sign by which a thing

                can be distinguished from all others of its kind.

                Thus a trademark is used to distinguish the

                article bearing it from all imitations of the same

                article.

 

Question 519.   How do we know that the Church must have the four

                marks and three attributes usually ascribed or

                given to it?

Answer:         We know that the Church must have the four marks

                and three attributes usually ascribed or given to

                it from the words of Christ given in the Holy

                Scripture and in the teaching of the Church from

                its beginning.

 

Question 520.   Can the Church have the four marks without the

                three attributes?

Answer:         The Church cannot have the four marks without the

                three attributes, because the three attributes

                necessarily come with the marks and without them

                the marks could not exist.

 

Question 521.   Why are both marks and attributes necessary in the

                Church?

Answer:         Both marks and attributes are necessary in the

                Church, for the marks teach us its external or

                visible qualities, while the attributes teach us

                its internal or invisible qualities.  It is easier

                to discover the marks than the attributes; for it

                is easier to see that the Church is one than that

                it is infallible.

 

Question 522.   Which are the attributes of the Church?

Answer:         The attributes of the Church are three:

                Authority, infallibility, and indefectibility.

 

Question 523.   What is authority?

Answer:         Authority is the power which one person has over

                another so as to be able to justly exact

                obedience.  Rulers have authority over their

                subjects, parents over their children, and

                teachers over their scholars.

 

Question 524.   From whom must all persons derive whatever lawful

                authority they possess?

Answer:         All persons must derive whatever lawful authority

                they possess from God Himself, from whom they

                receive it directly or indirectly.  Therefore, to

                disobey our lawful superiors is to disobey God

                Himself, and hence such disobedience is always

                sinful.

 

Question 525.   What do you mean by the authority of the Church?

Answer:         By the authority of the Church I mean the right

                and power which the Pope and the Bishops, as the

                successors of the Apostles, have to teach and to

                govern the faithful.

 

Question 526.   What do you mean by the infallibility of the

                Church?

Answer:         By the infallibility of the Church I mean that the

                Church can not err when it teaches a doctrine of

                faith or morals.

 

Question 527.   What do we mean by a "doctrine of faith or

                morals"?

Answer:         By a doctrine of faith or morals we mean the

                revealed teaching that refers to whatever we must

                believe and do in order to be saved.

 

Question 528.   How do you know that the Church can not err?

Answer:         I know that the Church can not err because Christ

                promised that the Holy Ghost would remain with it

                forever and save it from error.  If, therefore,

                the Church has erred, the Holy Ghost must have

                abandoned it and Christ has failed to keep His

                promise, which is a thing impossible.

 

Question 529.   Since the Church can not err, could it ever be

                reformed in its teaching of faith or morals?

Answer:         Since the Church can not err, it could never be

                reformed in its teaching of faith or morals.

                Those who say the Church needed reformation in

                faith or morals accuse Our Lord of falsehood and

                deception.

 

Question 530.   When does the Church teach infallibly?

Answer:         The Church teaches infallibly when it speaks

                through the Pope and Bishops united in general

                council, or through the Pope alone when he

                proclaims to all the faithful a doctrine of faith

                or morals.

 

Question 531.   What is necessary that the Pope may speak

                infallibly or ex-cathedra?

Answer:         That the Pope may speak infallibly, or

                ex-cathedra:

           (1)  He must speak on a subject of faith or morals;

           (2)  He must speak as the Vicar of Christ and to the

                whole Church;

           (3)  He must indicate by certain words, such as, we

                define, we proclaim, etc., that he intends to

                speak infallibly.

 

Question 532.   Is the Pope infallible in everything he says and

                does?

Answer:         The Pope is not infallible in everything he says

                and does, because the Holy Ghost was not promised

                to make him infallible in everything, but only in

                matters of faith and morals for the whole Church.

                Nevertheless, the Pope's opinion on any subject

                deserves our greatest respect on account of his

                learning, experience and dignity.

 

Question 533.   Can the Pope commit sin?

Answer:         The Pope can commit sin and he must seek

                forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance as others

                do.  Infallibility does not prevent him from

                sinning, but from teaching falsehood when he

                speaks ex-cathedra.

 

Question 534.   What does ex-cathedra mean?

Answer:         "Cathedra" means a seat, and "ex" means out of.

                Therefore, ex-cathedra means speaking from the

                seat or official place held by St. Peter and his

                successors as the head of the whole Church.

 

Question 535.   Why is the chief Church in a diocese called a

                Cathedral?

Answer:         The chief Church in a diocese is called a

                Cathedral because the bishop's cathedra, that is,

                his seat or throne, is erected in it, and because

                he celebrates all important feasts and performs

                all his special duties in it.

 

Question 536.   How many Popes have governed the Church from St.

                Peter to Pius XI.?

Answer:         From St. Peter to Pius XI., 261 Popes have

                governed the Church; and many of them have been

                remarkable for their zeal, prudence, learning and

                sanctity.

 

Question 537.   What does anti-pope mean, and who were the

                anti-popes?

Answer:         Anti-pope means a pretended pope.  The anti-popes

                were men who by the aid of faithless Christians or

                others unlawfully seized and claimed the papal

                power while the lawful pope was in prison or

                exile.

 

Question 538.   Why must the Pope sometimes warn us on political

                and other matters?

Answer:         The Pope must sometimes warn us on political and

                other matters, because whatever nations or men do

                is either good or bad, just or unjust, and

                wherever the Pope discovers falsehood, wickedness

                or injustice he must speak against it and defend

                the truths of faith and morals.  He must protect

                also the temporal rights and property of the

                Church committed to his care.

 

Question 539.   What do we mean by the "temporal power" of the

                Pope?

Answer:         By the temporal power of the Pope we mean the

                right which the Pope has as a temporal or ordinary

                ruler to govern the states and manage the

                properties that have rightfully come into the

                possession of the Church.

 

Question 540.   How did the Pope acquire and how was he deprived

                of the temporal power?

Answer:         The Pope acquired the temporal power in a just

                manner by the consent of those who had a right to

                bestow it.  He was deprived of it in an unjust

                manner by political changes.

 

Question 541.   How was the temporal power useful to the Church?

Answer:         The temporal power was useful to the Church:

           (1)  Because it gave the Pope the complete independence

                necessary for the government of the Church and for

                the defense of truth and virtue.

           (2)  It enabled him to do much for the spread of the

                true religion by giving alms for the establishment

                and support of Churches and schools in poor or

                pagan countries.

 

Question 542.   What name do we give to the offerings made yearly

                by the faithful for the support of the Pope and

                the government of the Church?

Answer:         We call the offerings made yearly by the faithful

                for the support of the Pope and government of the

                Church "Peter's pence." It derives its name from

                the early custom of sending yearly a penny from

                every house to the successor of St. Peter, as a

                mark of respect or as an alms for some charity.

 

Question 543.   What do you mean by the indefectibility of the

                Church?

Answer:         By the indefectibility of the Church I mean that

                the Church, as Christ founded it, will last till

                the end of time.

 

Question 544.   What is the difference between the infallibility

                and indefectibility of the Church?

Answer:         When we say the Church is infallible we mean that

                it can never teach error while it lasts; but when

                we say the Church is indefectible, we mean that it

                will last forever and be infallible forever; that

                it will always remain as Our Lord founded it and

                never change the doctrines He taught.

 

Question 545.   Did Our Lord Himself make all the laws of the

                Church?

Answer:         Our Lord Himself did not make all the laws of the

                Church.  He gave the Church also power to make

                laws to suit the needs of the times, places or

                persons as it judged necessary.

 

Question 546.   Can the Church change its laws?

Answer:         The Church can, when necessary, change the laws it

                has itself made, but it cannot change the laws

                that Christ has made.  Neither can the Church

                change any doctrine of faith or morals.

 

Question 547.   In whom are these attributes found in their

                fullness?A nswer:  These attributes are found in

                their fullness in the Pope, the visible Head of

                the Church, whose infallible authority to teach

                bishops, priests, and people in matters of faith

                or morals will last to the end of the world.

 

Question 548.   Has the Church any marks by which it may be known?

Answer:         The Church has four marks by which it may be

                known: it is One; it is Holy; it is Catholic; it

                is Apostolic.

 

Question 549.   How is the Church One?

Answer:         The Church is One because all its members agree in

                one faith, are all in one communion, and are all

                under one head.

 

Question 550.   How is it evident that the Church is one in

                government?

Answer:         It is evident that the Church is one in

                government, for the faithful in a parish are

                subject to their pastors, the pastors are subject

                to the bishops of their dioceses, and the bishops

                of the world are subject to the Pope.

 

Question 551.   What is meant by the Hierarchy of the Church?

Answer:         By the Hierarchy of the Church is meant the sacred

                body of clerical rules who govern the Church.

 

Question 552.   How is it evident that the Church is one in

                worship?

Answer:         It is evident that the Church is one in worship

                because all its members make use of the same

                sacrifice and receive the same Sacraments.

 

Question 553.   How is it evident that the Church is one in faith?

Answer:         It is evident the Church is one in faith because

                all Catholics throughout the world believe each

                and every article of faith proposed by the Church.

 

Question 554.   Could a person who denies only one article of our

                faith be a Catholic?

Answer:         A person who denies even one article of our faith

                could not be a Catholic; for truth is one and we

                must accept it whole and entire or not at all.

 

Question 555.   Are there any pious beliefs and practices in the

                Church that are not articles of faith?

Answer:         There are many pious beliefs and practices in the

                Church that are not articles of faith; that is, we

                are not bound under pain of sin to believe in

                them; yet we will often find them useful aids to

                holiness, and hence they are recommended by our

                pastors.

 

Question 556.   Of what sin are persons guilty who put firm belief

                in religious or other practices that are either

                forbidden or useless?

Answer:         Persons who put a firm belief in religious or

                other practices that are forbidden or useless are

                guilty of the sin of superstition.

 

Question 557.   Where does the Church find the revealed truths it

                is bound to teach?

Answer:         The Church finds the revealed truths it is bound

                to teach in the Holy Scripture and revealed

                traditions.

 

Question 558.   What is the Holy Scripture or Bible?

Answer:         The Holy Scripture or Bible is the collection of

                sacred, inspired writings through which God has

                made known to us many revealed truths.  Some call

                them letters from Heaven to earth, that is, from

                God to man.

 

Question 559.   What is meant by the Canon of the Sacred

                Scriptures?

Answer:         The Canon of Sacred Scriptures means the list the

                Church has prepared to teach us what sacred

                writings are Holy Scripture and contain the

                inspired word of God.

 

Question 560.   Where does the Church find the revealed

                traditions?

Answer:         The Church finds the revealed traditions in the

                decrees of its councils; in its books of worship;

                in its paintings and inscriptions on tombs and

                monuments; in the lives of its Saints; the

                writings of its Fathers, and in its own history.

 

Question 561.   Must we ourselves seek in the Scriptures and

                traditions for what we are to believe?

Answer:         We ourselves need not seek in the Scriptures and

                traditions for what we are to believe.  God has

                appointed the Church to be our guide to salvation

                and we must accept its teaching us our infallible

                rule of faith.

 

Question 562.   How do we show that the Holy Scriptures alone

                could not be our guide to salvation and infallible

                rule of faith?

Answer:         We show that the Holy Scripture alone could not be

                our guide to salvation and infallible rule of

                faith:

           (1)  Because all men cannot examine or understand the

                Holy Scripture; but all can listen to the teaching

                of the Church;

           (2)  Because the New Testament or Christian part of the

                Scripture was not written at the beginning of the

                Church's existence, and, therefore, could not have

                been used as the rule of faith by the first

                Christians;

           (3)  Because there are many things in the Holy

                Scripture that cannot be understood without the

                explanation given by tradition, and hence those

                who take the Scripture alone for their rule of

                faith are constantly disputing about its meaning

                and what they are to believe.

 

Question 563.   How is the Church Holy?

Answer:         The Church is Holy because its founder, Jesus

                Christ, is holy; because it teaches a holy

                doctrine; invites all to a holy life; and because

                of the eminent holiness of so many thousands of

                its children.

 

Question 564.   How is the Church Catholic or universal?

Answer:         The Church is Catholic or universal because it

                subsists in all ages, teaches all nations, and

                maintains all truth.

 

Question 565.   How do you show that the Catholic Church is

                universal in time, in place, and in doctrine?

Answer:

           (1)  The Catholic Church is universal in time, for from

                the time of the Apostles to the present it has

                existed, taught and labored in every age;

           (2)  It is universal in place, for it has taught

                throughout the whole world;

           (3)  It is universal in doctrine, for it teaches the

                same everywhere, and its doctrines are suited to

                all classes of persons.  It has converted all the

                pagan nations that have ever been converted.

 

Question 566.   Why does the Church use the Latin language instead

                of the national language of its children?

Answer:         The Church uses the Latin language instead of the

                national language of its children:

           (1)  To avoid the danger of changing any part of its

                teaching in using different languages;

           (2)  That all its rulers may be perfectly united and

                understood in their communications;

           (3)  To show that the Church is not an institute of any

                particular nation, but the guide of all nations.

 

Question 567.   How is the Church Apostolic?

Answer:         The Church is Apostolic because it was founded by

                Christ on His Apostles, and is governed by their

                lawful successors, and because it has never

                ceased, and never will cease, to teach their

                doctrine.

 

Question 568.   Does the Church, by defining certain truths,

                thereby make new doctrines?

Answer:         The Church, by defining, that is, by proclaiming

                certain truths, articles of faith, does not make

                new doctrines, but simply teaches more clearly and

                with greater effort truths that have always been

                believed and held by the Church.

 

Question 569.   What, then, is the use of defining or declaring a

                truth an article of faith if it has always been

                believed?

Answer:         The use of defining or declaring a truth an

                article of faith, even when it has always been

                believed, is:

           (1)  To clearly contradict those who deny it and show

                their teaching false;

           (2)  To remove all doubt about the exact teaching of

                the Church, and to put an end to all discussion

                about the truth defined.

 

Question 570.   In which Church are these attributes and marks

                found?

Answer:         These attributes and marks are found in the Holy

                Roman Catholic Church alone.

 

Question 571.   How do you show that Protestant Churches have not

                the marks of the true Church?

Answer:         Protestant Churches have not the marks of the true

                Church, because:

           (1)  They are not one either in government or faith;

                for they have no chief head, and they profess

                different beliefs;

           (2)  They are not holy, because their doctrines are

                founded on error and lead to evil consequences;

           (3)  They are not catholic or universal in time, place

                or doctrine.  They have not existed in all ages

                nor in all places, and their doctrines do not suit

                all classes;

           (4)  They are not apostolic, for they were not

                established for hundreds of years after the

                Apostles, and they do not teach the doctrines of

                the Apostles.

 

Question 572.   From whom does the Church derive its undying life

                and infallible authority?

Answer:         The Church derives its undying life and infallible

                authority from the Holy Ghost, the spirit of

                truth, who abides with it forever.

 

Question 573.   By whom is the Church made and kept One, Holy, and

                Catholic?

Answer:         The Church is made and kept One, Holy, and

                Catholic by the Holy Ghost, the spirit of love and

                holiness, who unites and sanctifies its members

                throughout the world.

 

 

LESSON THIRTEENTH:  On the Sacraments in General

 

Question 574.   What is a Sacrament?

Answer:         A Sacrament is an outward sign instituted by

                Christ to give grace.

 

Question 575.   Are these three things, namely: An outward or

                visible sign, the institution of that sign by

                Christ, and the giving of grace through the use of

                that sign, always necessary for the existence of a

                Sacrament?

Answer:         These three things, namely:  An outward or visible

                sign, the institution of that sign by Christ, and

                the giving of grace through the use of that sign,

                are always necessary for the existence of a

                Sacrament, and if any of the three be wanting

                there can be no Sacrament.

 

Question 576.   Why does the Church use numerous ceremonies or

                actions in applying the outward signs of the

                Sacraments?

Answer:         The Church uses numerous ceremonies or actions in

                applying the outward signs of the Sacraments to

                increase our reverence and devotion for the

                Sacraments, and to explain their meaning and

                effects.

 

Question 577.   How many Sacraments are there?

Answer:         There are seven Sacraments:  Baptism,

                Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Extreme

                Unction, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.

 

Question 578.   Were all the Sacraments instituted by Our Lord?

Answer:         All the Sacraments were instituted by Our Lord,

                for God alone has power to attach the gift of

                grace to the use of an outward or visible sign.

                The Church, however, can institute the ceremonies

                to be used in administering or giving the

                Sacraments.

 

Question 579.   How do we know there are seven Sacraments and no

                more or less?

Answer:         We know there are seven Sacraments and no more or

                less because the Church always taught that truth.

                The number of the Sacraments is a matter of faith,

                and the Church cannot be mistaken in matters of

                faith.

 

Question 580.   Why have the Sacraments been instituted?

Answer:         The Sacraments have been instituted as a special

                means through which we are to receive the grace

                merited for us by Christ.  As Christ is the giver

                of the grace, He has the right to determine the

                manner in which it shall be given, and one who

                refuses to make use of the Sacraments will not

                receive God's grace.

 

Question 581.   Do the Sacraments recall in any way the means by

                which Our Lord merited the graces we receive

                through them?

Answer:         The Sacraments recall in many ways the means by

                which Our Lord merited the graces we receive

                through them.  Baptism recalls His profound

                humility; Confirmation His ceaseless prayer; Holy

                Eucharist His care of the needy; Penance His

                mortified life; Extreme Unction His model death;

                Holy Orders His establishment of the priesthood,

                and Matrimony His close union with the Church.

 

Question 582.   Give, for example, the outward sign in Baptism and

                Confirmation.

Answer:         The outward sign in Baptism is the pouring of the

                water and the saying of the words of Baptism.  The

                outward sign in Confirmation is the anointing with

                oil, the saying of the words of Confirmation and

                the placing of the bishop's hands over the person

                he confirms.

 

Question 583.   What is the use of the outward signs in the

                Sacraments?

Answer:         Without the outward signs in the Sacraments we

                could not know when or with what effect the grace

                of the Sacraments enters into our souls.

 

Question 584.   Does the outward sign merely indicate that grace

                has been given, or does the use of the outward

                sign with the proper intention also give the grace

                of the Sacrament?

Answer:         The outward sign is not used merely to indicate

                that grace has been given, for the use of the

                outward sign with the proper intention also gives

                the grace of the Sacrament.  Hence the right

                application of the outward sign is always followed

                by the gift of internal grace if the Sacrament be

                administered with the right intention and received

                with the right dispositions.

 

Question 585.   What do we mean by the "right intention" for the

                administration of the Sacraments?

Answer:         By the right intention for the administration of

                the Sacraments we mean that whoever administers a

                Sacrament must have the intention of doing what

                Christ intended when He instituted the Sacrament

                and what the Church intends when it administers

                the Sacrament.

 

Question 586.   Is there any likeness between the thing used in

                the outward sign and the grace given in each

                Sacrament?

Answer:         There is a great likeness between the thing used

                in the outward sign and the grace given in each

                Sacrament; thus water is used for cleansing;

                Baptism cleanses the soul; Oil gives strength and

                light; Confirmation strengthens and enlightens the

                soul; Bread and wine nourish; the Holy Eucharist

                nourishes the soul.

 

Question 587.   What do we mean by the "matter and form" of the

                Sacraments?

Answer:         By the "matter" of the Sacraments we mean the

                visible things, such as water, oil, bread, wine,

                etc., used for the Sacraments.  By the "form" we

                mean the words, such as "I baptize thee," "I

                confirm thee," etc., used in giving or

                administering the Sacraments.

 

Question 588.   Do the needs of the soul resemble the needs of the

                body?

Answer:         The needs of the soul do resemble the needs of the

                body; for the body must be born, strengthened,

                nourished, healed in affliction, helped at the

                hour of death, guided by authority, and given a

                place in which to dwell.  The soul is brought into

                spiritual life by Baptism; it is strengthened by

                Confirmation; nourished by the Holy Eucharist;

                healed by Penance; helped at the hour of our death

                by Extreme Unction; guided by God's ministers

                through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, and it is

                given a body in which to dwell by the Sacrament of

                Matrimony.

 

Question 589.   Whence have the Sacraments the power of giving

                grace?

Answer:         The Sacraments have the power of giving grace from

                the merits of Jesus Christ.

 

Question 590.   Does the effect of the Sacraments depend on the

                worthiness or unworthiness of the one who

                administers them?

Answer:         The effect of the Sacraments does not depend on

                the worthiness or unworthiness of the one who

                administers them, but on the merits of Jesus

                Christ, who instituted them, and on the worthy

                dispositions of those who receive them.

 

Question 591.   What grace do the Sacraments give?

Answer:         Some of the Sacraments give sanctifying grace, and

                others increase it in our souls.

 

Question 592.   When is a Sacrament said to give, and when is it

                said to increase, grace in our souls?

Answer:         A Sacrament is said to give grace when there is no

                grace whatever in the soul, or in other words,

                when the soul is in mortal sin.  A Sacrament is

                said to increase grace when there is already grace

                in the soul, to which more is added by the

                Sacrament received.

 

Question 593.   Which are the Sacraments that give sanctifying

                grace?

Answer:         The Sacraments that give sanctifying grace are

                Baptism and Penance; and they are called

                Sacraments of the dead.

 

Question 594.   Why are Baptism and Penance called Sacraments of

                the dead?

Answer:         Baptism and Penance are called Sacraments of the

                dead because they take away sin, which is the

                death of the soul, and give grace, which is its

                life.

 

Question 595.   May not the Sacrament of Penance be received by

                one who is in a state of grace?

Answer:         The Sacrament of Penance may be and very often is

                received by one who is in a state of grace, and

                when thus received it increases -- as the

                Sacraments of the living do  -- the grace already

                in the soul.

 

Question 596.   Which are the Sacraments that increase sanctifying

                grace in our soul?

Answer:         The Sacraments that increase sanctifying grace in

                our souls are:  Confirmation, Holy Eucharist,

                Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and Matrimony; and

                they are called Sacraments of the living.

 

Question 597.   What do we mean by Sacraments of the dead and

                Sacraments of the living?

Answer:         By the Sacraments of the dead we mean those

                Sacraments that may be lawfully received while the

                soul is in a state of mortal sin.  By the

                Sacraments of the living we mean those Sacraments

                that can be lawfully received only while the soul

                is in a state of grace -- i.e., free from mortal

                sin.  Living and dead do not refer here to the

                persons, but to the condition of the souls; for

                none of the Sacraments can be given to a dead

                person.

 

Question 598.   Why are Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Extreme

                Unction, Holy Orders, and Matrimony called

                Sacraments of the living?

Answer:         Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Extreme Unction,

                Holy Orders, and Matrimony are called Sacraments

                of the living because those who receive them

                worthily are already living the life of grace.

 

Question 599.   What sin does he commit who receives the

                Sacraments of the living in mortal sin?

Answer:         He who receives the Sacraments of the living in

                mortal sin commits a sacrilege, which is a great

                sin, because it is an abuse of a sacred thing.

 

Question 600.   In what other ways besides the unworthy reception

                of the Sacraments may persons commit sacrilege?

Answer:         Besides the unworthy reception of the Sacraments,

                persons may commit sacrilege by the abuse of a

                sacred person, place or thing; for example, by

                willfully wounding a person consecrated to God; by

                robbing or destroying a Church; by using the

                sacred vessels of the Altar for unlawful purposes,

                etc.

 

Question 601.   Besides sanctifying grace do the Sacraments give

                any other grace?

Answer:         Besides sanctifying grace the Sacraments give

                another grace, called sacramental grace.

 

Question 602.   What is sacramental grace?

Answer:         Sacramental grace is a special help which God

                gives, to attain the end for which He instituted

                each Sacrament.

 

Question 603.   Is the Sacramental grace independent of the

                sanctifying grace given in the Sacraments?

Answer:         The Sacramental grace is not independent of the

                sanctifying grace given in the Sacraments; for it

                is the sanctifying grace that gives us a certain

                right to special helps -- called Sacramental grace

                -- in each Sacrament, as often as we have to

                fulfill the end of the Sacrament or are tempted

                against it.

 

Question 604.   Give an example of how the Sacramental grace aids

                us, for instance, in Confirmation and Penance.

Answer:         The end of Confirmation is to strengthen us in our

                faith.  When we are tempted to deny our religion

                by word or deed, the Sacramental Grace of

                Confirmation is given to us and helps us to cling

                to our faith and firmly profess it.  The end of

                Penance is to destroy actual sin.  When we are

                tempted to sin, the Sacramental Grace of Penance

                is given to us and helps us to overcome the

                temptation and persevere in a state of grace.  The

                sacramental grace in each of the other Sacraments

                is given in the same manner, and aids us in

                attaining the end for which each Sacrament was

                instituted and for which we receive it.

 

Question 605.   Do the Sacraments always give grace?

Answer:         The Sacraments always give grace, if we receive

                them with the right dispositions.

 

Question 606.   What do we mean by the "right dispositions" for

                the reception of the Sacraments?

Answer:         By the right dispositions for the reception of the

                Sacraments we mean the proper motives and the

                fulfillment of all the conditions required by God

                and the Church for the worthy reception of the

                Sacraments.

 

Question 607.   Give an example of the "right dispositions" for

                Penance and for the Holy Eucharist.

Answer:         The right dispositions for Penance are:

           (1)  To confess all our mortal sins as we know them;

           (2)  To be sorry for them, and

           (3)  To have the determination never to commit them or

                others again.

The right dispositions for the Holy Eucharist are:

           (1)  To know what the Holy Eucharist is;

           (2)  To be in a state of grace, and

           (3)  -- except in special cases of sickness -- to be

                fasting from midnight.

 

Question 608.   Can we receive the Sacraments more than once?

Answer:         We can receive the Sacraments more than once,

                except Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders.

 

Question 609.   Why can we not receive Baptism, Confirmation, and

                Holy Orders more than once?

Answer:         We cannot receive Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy

                Orders more than once, because they imprint a

                character in the soul.

 

Question 610.   What is the character which these Sacraments

                imprint in the soul?

Answer:         The character which these Sacraments imprint in

                the soul is a spiritual mark which remains

                forever.

 

Question 611.   Does this character remain in the soul even after

                death?

Answer:         This character remains in the soul even after

                death; for the honor and glory of those who are

                saved; for the shame and punishment of those who

                are lost.

 

Question 612.   Can the Sacraments be given conditionally?

Answer:         The Sacraments can be given conditionally as often

                as we doubt whether they were properly given

                before, or whether they can be validly given now.

 

Question 613.   What do we mean by giving a Sacrament conditionally?

Answer:         By giving a Sacrament conditionally we mean that

                the person administering the Sacrament intends to

                give it only in case it has not been given already

                or in case the person has the right dispositions

                for receiving it, though the dispositions cannot

                be discovered.

 

Question 614.   Give an example of how a Sacrament is given

                conditionally.

Answer:         In giving Baptism, for instance, conditionally --

                or what we call conditional Baptism -- the priest,

                instead of saying absolutely, as he does in

                ordinary Baptism: "I baptize thee," etc., says:

                "If you are not already baptized, or if you are

                capable of being baptized, I baptize thee," etc.,

                thus stating the sole condition on which he

                intends to administer the Sacrament.

 

Question 615.   Which of the Sacraments are most frequently given

                conditionally?

Answer:         The Sacraments most frequently given conditionally

                are Baptism, Penance and Extreme Unction; because

                in some cases it is difficult to ascertain whether

                these Sacraments have been given before or whether

                they have been validly given, or whether the

                person about to receive them has the right

                dispositions for them.

 

Question 616.   Name some of the more common circumstances in

                which a priest is obliged to administer the

                Sacraments conditionally.

Answer:         Some of the more common circumstances in which a

                priest is obliged to administer the Sacraments

                conditionally are:

           (1)  When he receives converts into the Church and is

                not certain of their previous baptism, he must

                baptize them conditionally.

           (2)  When he is called -- as in cases of accident or

                sudden illness -- and doubts whether the person be

                alive or dead, or whether he should be given the

                Sacraments, he must give absolution and administer

                Extreme Unction conditionally.

 

Question 617.   What is the use and effect of giving the

                Sacraments conditionally?

Answer:         The use of giving the Sacraments conditionally is

                that there may be no irreverence to the Sacraments

                in giving them to persons incapable or unworthy of

                receiving them; and yet that no one who is capable

                or worthy may be deprived of them.  The effect is

                to supply the Sacrament where it is needed or can

                be given, and to withhold it where it is not

                needed or cannot be given.

 

Question 618.   What is the difference between the powers of a

                bishop and of a priest with regard to the

                administration of the Sacraments?

Answer:         The difference between the powers of a bishop and

                of a priest with regard to the administration of

                the Sacraments is that a bishop can give all the

                Sacraments, while a priest cannot give

                Confirmation or Holy Orders.

 

Question 619.   Can a person receive all the Sacraments?

Answer:         A person cannot, as a rule, receive all the

                Sacraments; for a woman cannot receive Holy

                Orders, and a man who receives priesthood is

                forbidden to receive the Sacrament of Matrimony.

 

 

LESSON FOURTEENTH:  On Baptism

 

Question 620.   When was baptism instituted?

Answer:         Baptism was instituted, very probably, about the

                time Our Lord was baptized by St. John, and its

                reception was commanded when after His

                resurrection Our Lord said to His Apostles: "All

                power is given to Me in heaven and in earth.

                Going, therefore, teach all nations, baptizing

                them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,

                and of the Holy Ghost."

 

Question 621.   What is Baptism?

Answer:         Baptism is a Sacrament which cleanses us from

                original sin, makes us Christians, children of

                God, and heirs of heaven.

 

Question 622.   What were persons called in the first ages of the

                Church who were being instructed and prepared for

                baptism?

Answer:         Persons who were being instructed and prepared for

                baptism, in the first ages of the Church, were

                called catechumens, and they are frequently

                mentioned in Church history.

 

Question 623.   What persons are called heirs?

Answer:         All persons who inherit or come lawfully into the

                possession of property or goods at the death of

                another, are called heirs.

 

Question 624.   Why, then, are we the heirs of Christ?

Answer:         We are the heirs of Christ because at His death we

                came into the possession of God's friendship, of

                grace, and of the right to enter heaven, provided

                we comply with the conditions Our Lord has laid

                down for the gaining of this inheritance.

 

Question 625.   What conditions has Our Lord laid down for the

                gaining of this inheritance?

Answer:         The conditions Our Lord has laid down for the

                gaining of this inheritance are:

           (1)  That we receive, when possible, the Sacraments He

                has instituted; and

           (2)  That we believe and practice all He has taught.

 

Question 626.   Did not St. John the Baptist institute the

                Sacrament of Baptism?

Answer:         St. John the Baptist did not institute the

                Sacrament of Baptism, for Christ alone could

                institute a Sacrament.  The baptism given by St.

                John had the effect of a Sacramental; that is, it

                did not of itself give grace, but prepared the way

                for it.

 

Question 627.   Are actual sins ever remitted by Baptism?

Answer:         Actual sins and all the punishment due to them are

                remitted by Baptism, if the person baptized be

                guilty of any.

 

Question 628.   That actual sins may be remitted by baptism, is it

                necessary to be sorry for them?

Answer:         That actual sins may be remitted by baptism it is

                necessary to be sorry for them, just as we must be

                when they are remitted by the Sacrament of

                Penance.

 

Question 629.   What punishments are due to actual sins?

Answer:         Two punishments are due to actual sins: one,

                called the eternal, is inflicted in hell; and the

                other, called the temporal, is inflicted in this

                world or in purgatory.  The Sacrament of Penance

                remits or frees us from the eternal punishment and

                generally only from part of the temporal.  Prayer,

                good works and indulgences in this world and the

                sufferings of purgatory in the next remit the

                remainder of the temporal punishment.

 

Question 630.   Why is there a double punishment attached to

                actual sins?

Answer:         There is a double punishment attached to actual

                sins, because in their commission there is a

                double guilt:

           (1)  Of insulting God and of turning away from Him;

           (2)  Of depriving Him of the honor we owe Him, and of

                turning to His enemies.

 

Question 631.   Is Baptism necessary to salvation?

Answer:         Baptism is necessary to salvation, because without

                it we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 

Question 632.   Where will persons go who -- such as infants --

                have not committed actual sin and who, through no

                fault of theirs, die without baptism?

Answer:         Persons, such as infants, who have not committed

                actual sin and who, through no fault of theirs,

                die without baptism, cannot enter heaven; but it

                is the common belief they will go to some place

                similar to Limbo, where they will be free from

                suffering, though deprived of the happiness of

                heaven.

 

Question 633.   Who can administer Baptism?

Answer:         A priest is the ordinary minister of baptism; but

                in case of necessity anyone who has the use of

                reason may baptize.

 

Question 634.   What do we mean by the "ordinary minister" of a

                Sacrament?

Answer:         By the "ordinary minister" of a Sacrament we mean

                the one who usually does administer the Sacrament,

                and who has always the right to do so.

 

Question 635.   Can a person who has not himself been baptized,

                and who does not even believe in the Sacrament of

                baptism, give it validly to another in case of

                necessity?

Answer:         A person who has not himself been baptized, and

                who does not even believe in the Sacrament of

                baptism, can give it validly to another in case of

                necessity, provided:

           (1)  He has the use of reason;

           (2)  Knows how to give baptism, and

           (3)  Intends to do what the Church intends in the

                giving of the Sacrament. Baptism is so necessary

                that God affords every opportunity for its

                reception.

 

Question 636.   Why do the consequences of original sin, such as

                suffering, temptation, sickness, and death, remain

                after the sin has been forgiven in baptism?

Answer:         The consequences of original sin, such as

                suffering, temptation, sickness and death, remain

                after the sin has been forgiven in baptism:

           (1)  To remind us of the misery that always follows

                sin; and

           (2)  To afford us an opportunity of increasing our

                merit by bearing these hardships patiently.

 

Question 637.   Can a person ever receive any of the other

                Sacraments without first receiving baptism?

Answer:         A person can never receive any of the other

                Sacraments without first receiving baptism,

                because baptism makes us members of Christ's

                Church, and unless we are members of His Church we

                cannot receive His Sacraments.

 

Question 638.   How is Baptism given?

Answer:         Whoever baptizes should pour water on the head of

                the person to be baptized, and say, while pouring

                the water: "I baptize thee in the name of the

                Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

 

Question 639.   If water cannot be had, in case of necessity, may

                any other liquid be used for baptism?

Answer:         If water cannot be had, in case of necessity or in

                any case, no other liquid can be used, and the

                baptism cannot be given.

 

Question 640.   If it is impossible, in case of necessity, to

                reach the head, may the water be poured on any

                other part of the body?

Answer:         If it is impossible, in case of necessity, to

                reach the head, the water should be poured on

                whatever part of the body can be reached; but then

                the baptism must be given conditionally; that is,

                before pronouncing the words of baptism, you must

                say: "If I can baptize thee in this way, I baptize

                thee in the name of the Father," etc.  If the head

                can afterward be reached, the water must be poured

                on the head and the baptism repeated conditionally

                by saying: "If you are not already baptized, I

                baptize thee in the name," etc.

 

Question 641.   Is the baptism valid if we say: "I baptize thee in

                the name of the Holy Trinity," without naming the

                Persons of the Trinity?

Answer:         The baptism is not valid if we say: "I baptize

                thee in the name of the Holy Trinity," without

                naming the Persons of the Trinity; for we must use

                the exact words instituted by Christ.

 

Question 642.   Is it wrong to defer the baptism of an infant?

Answer:         It is wrong to defer the baptism of an infant,

                because we thereby expose the child to the danger

                of dying without the Sacrament.

 

Question 643.   Can we baptize a child against the wishes of its

                parents?

Answer:         We cannot baptize a child against the wishes of

                its parents; and if the parents are not Catholics,

                they must not only consent to the baptism, but

                also agree to bring the child up in the Catholic

                religion.  But if a child is surely dying, we may

                baptize it without either the consent or

                permission of its parents.

 

Question 644.   How many kinds of Baptism are there?

Answer:         There are three kinds of Baptism:  Baptism of

                water, of desire, and of blood.

 

Question 645.   What is Baptism of water?

Answer:         Baptism of water is that which is given by pouring

                water on the head of the person to be baptized,

                and saying at the same time, "I baptize thee in

                the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the

                Holy Ghost."

 

Question 646.   In how many ways was the baptism of water given in

                the first ages of the Church?

Answer:         In the first ages of the Church, baptism of water

                was given in three ways, namely, by immersion or

                dipping, by aspersion or sprinkling, and by

                infusion or pouring.  Although any of these

                methods would be valid, only the method of

                infusion or pouring is now allowed in the Church.

 

Question 647.   What are the chief ceremonies used in solemn

                baptism, and what do they signify?

Answer:         The chief ceremonies used in solemn baptism are:

           (1)  A profession of faith and renouncement of the

                devil to signify our worthiness;

           (2)  The placing of salt in the mouth to signify the

                wisdom imparted by faith;

           (3)  The holding of the priest's stole to signify our

                reception into the Church;

           (4)  The anointing to signify the strength given by the

                Sacrament;

           (5)  The giving of the white garment or cloth to

                signify our sinless state after baptism; and

           (6)  The giving of the lighted candle to signify the

                light of faith and fire of love that should dwell

                in our souls.

 

Question 648.   Should one who, in case of necessity, has been

                baptized with private baptism, be afterwards

                brought to the Church to have the ceremonies of

                solemn baptism completed?

Answer:         One who, in case of necessity, has been baptized

                with private baptism should afterwards be brought

                to the Church to have the ceremonies of solemn

                baptism completed, because these ceremonies are

                commanded by the Church and bring down blessings

                upon us.

 

Question 649.   Is solemn baptism given with any special kind of

                water?

Answer:         Solemn baptism is given with consecrated water;

                that is, water mixed with holy oil and blessed for

                baptism on Holy Saturday and on the Saturday

                before Pentecost.  It is always kept in the

                baptismal font in the baptistry -- a place near

                the door of the Church set apart for baptism.

 

Question 650.   What is Baptism of desire?

Answer:         Baptism of desire is an ardent wish to receive

                Baptism, and to do all that God has ordained for

                our salvation.

 

Question 651.   What is Baptism of blood?

Answer:         Baptism of blood is the shedding of one's blood

                for the faith of Christ.

 

Question 652.   What is the baptism of blood most commonly called?

Answer:         The baptism of blood is most commonly called

                martyrdom, and those who receive it are called

                martyrs.  It is the death one patiently suffers

                from the enemies of our religion, rather than give

                up Catholic faith or virtue.  We must not seek

                martyrdom, though we must endure it when it comes.

 

Question 653.   Is Baptism of desire or of blood sufficient to

                produce the effects of Baptism of water?

Answer:         Baptism of desire or of blood is sufficient to

                produce the effects of the Baptism of water, if it

                is impossible to receive the Baptism of water.

 

Question 654.   How do we know that the baptism of desire or of

                blood will save us when it is impossible to

                receive the baptism of water?

Answer:         We know that baptism of desire or of blood will

                save us when it is impossible to receive the

                baptism of water, from Holy Scripture, which

                teaches that love of God and perfect contrition

                can secure the remission of sins ; and also that

                Our Lord promises salvation to those who lay down

                their life for His sake or for His teaching.

 

Question 655.   What do we promise in Baptism?

Answer:         In Baptism we promise to renounce the devil, with

                all his works and pomps.

 

Question 656.   What do we mean by the "pomps" of the devil?

Answer:         By the pomps of the devil we mean all worldly

                pride, vanities and vain shows by which people are

                enticed into sin, and all foolish or sinful

                display of ourselves or of what we possess.

 

Question 657.   Why is the name of a saint given in Baptism?

Answer:         The name of a saint is given in Baptism in order

                that the person baptized may imitate his virtues

                and have him for a protector.

 

Question 658.   What is the Saint whose name we bear called?

Answer:         The saint whose name we bear is called our patron

                saint -- to whom we should have great devotion.

 

Question 659.   What names should never be given in baptism?

Answer:         These and similar names should never be given in

                baptism:

           (1)  The names of noted unbelievers, heretics or

                enemies of religion and virtue;

           (2)  The names of heathen gods, and

           (3)  Nick-names.

 

Question 660.   Why are godfathers and godmothers given in

                Baptism?

Answer:         Godfathers and godmothers are given in Baptism in

                order that they may promise, in the name of the

                child, what the child itself would promise if it

                had the use of reason.

 

Question 661.   By what other name are godfathers and godmothers

                called?

Answer:         Godfathers and godmothers are usually called

                sponsors.  Sponsors are not necessary at private

                baptism.

 

Question 662.   Can a person ever be sponsor when absent from the

                baptism?

Answer:         A person can be sponsor even when absent from the

                baptism, provided he has been asked and has

                consented to be sponsor, and provided also some

                one answers the questions and touches the person

                to be baptized in his name.  The absent godfather

                or godmother is then said to be sponsor by proxy

                and becomes the real godparent of the one

                baptized.

 

Question 663.   With whom do godparents, as well as the one

                baptizing, contract a relationship?

Answer:         Godparents, as well as the one baptizing, contract

                a spiritual relationship with the person baptized

           (not with his parents), and this relationship is an

impediment to marriage that must be made known to the priest in

case of their future marriage with one another.  The godfather and

godmother contract no relationship with each other.

 

Question 664.   What questions should persons who bring a child

                for baptism be able to answer?

Answer:         Persons who bring a child for baptism should be

                able to tell:

           (1)  The exact place where the child lives;

           (2)  The full name of its parents, and, in particular,

                the maiden name, or name before her marriage, of

                its mother;

           (3)  The exact day of the month on which it was born;

           (4)  Whether or not it has received private baptism,

                and

           (5)  Whether its parents be Catholics. Sponsors must

                know also the chief truths of our religion.

 

Question 665.   What is the obligation of a godfather and a godmother?

Answer:         The obligation of a godfather and a godmother is

                to instruct the child in its religious duties, if

                the parents neglect to do so or die.

 

Question 666.   Can persons who are not Catholics be sponsors for

                Catholic children?

Answer:         Persons who are not Catholics cannot be sponsors

                for Catholic children, because they cannot perform

                the duties of sponsors; for if they do not know

                and profess the Catholic religion themselves, how

                can they teach it to their godchildren?  Moreover,

                they must answer the questions asked at baptism

                and declare that they believe in the Holy Catholic

                Church and in all it teaches; which would be a

                falsehood on their part.

 

Question 667.   What should parents chiefly consider in the

                selection of sponsors for their children?

Answer:         In the selection of sponsors for their children

                parents should chiefly consider the good character

                and virtue of the sponsors, selecting model

                Catholics to whom they would be willing at the

                hour of death to entrust the care and training of

                their children.

 

Question 668.   What dispositions must adults or grown persons,

                have that they may worthily receive baptism?

Answer:         That adults may worthily receive baptism:

           (1)  They must be willing to receive it;

           (2)  They must have faith in Christ;

           (3)  They must have true sorrow for their sins, and

           (4)  They must solemnly renounce the devil and all his

                works; that is, all sin.

 

Question 669.   What is the ceremony of churching?

Answer:         The ceremony of churching is a particular blessing

                which a mother receives at the Altar, as soon as

                she is able to present herself in the Church after

                the birth of her child.  In this ceremony the

                priest invokes God's blessing on the mother and

                child, while she on her part returns thanks to

                God.

 

 

LESSON FIFTEENTH:  On Confirmation

 

Question 670.   What is Confirmation?

Answer:         Confirmation is a Sacrament through which we

                receive the Holy Ghost to make us strong and

                perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.

 

Question 671.   When was Confirmation instituted?

Answer:         The exact time at which Confirmation was

                instituted is not known.  But as this Sacrament

                was administered by the Apostles and numbered with

                the other Sacraments instituted by Our Lord, it is

                certain that He instituted this Sacrament also and

                instructed His Apostles in its use, at some time

                before His ascension into heaven.

 

Question 672.   Why is Confirmation so called?

Answer:         Confirmation is so called from its chief effect,

                which is to strengthen or render us more firm in

                whatever belongs to our faith and religious

                duties.

 

Question 673.   Why are we called soldiers of Jesus Christ?

Answer:         We are called soldiers of Jesus Christ to indicate

                how we must resist the attacks of our spiritual

                enemies and secure our victory over them by

                following and obeying Our Lord.

 

Question 674.   May one add a new name to his own at Confirmation?

Answer:         One may and should add a new name to his own at

                Confirmation, especially when the name of a saint

                has not been given in Baptism.

 

Question 675.   Who administers Confirmation?

Answer:         The bishop is the ordinary minister of

                Confirmation.

 

Question 676.   Why do we say the bishop is the "ordinary

                minister" of Confirmation?

Answer:         We say the bishop is the ordinary minister of

                Confirmation because in some foreign missions,

                where bishops have not yet been appointed, the

                Holy Father permits one of the priests to

                administer Confirmation with the Holy Oil blessed

                by the bishop.

 

Question 677.   How does the bishop give Confirmation?

Answer:         The bishop extends his hands over those who are to

                be confirmed, prays that they may receive the Holy

                Ghost, and anoints the forehead of each with holy

                chrism in the form of a cross.

 

Question 678.   In Confirmation, what does the extending of the

                bishop's hands over us signify?

Answer:         In Confirmation, the extending of the bishop's

                hands over us signifies the descent of the Holy

                Ghost upon us and the special protection of God

                through the grace of Confirmation.

 

Question 679.   What is holy chrism?

Answer:         Holy chrism is a mixture of olive-oil and balm,

                consecrated by the bishop.

 

Question 680.   What do the oil and balm in Holy Chrism signify?

Answer:         In Holy Chrism, the oil signifies strength, and

                the balm signifies the freedom from corruption and

                the sweetness which virtue must give to our lives.

 

Question 681.   How many holy oils are used in the Church?

Answer:         Three holy oils are used in the Church, namely,

                the oil of the sick, the oil of catechumens, and

                holy chrism.

 

Question 682.   What constitutes the difference between these

                oils?

Answer:         The form of prayer or blessing alone constitutes

                the difference between these oils; for they are

                all olive oil, but in the Holy Chrism, balm is

                mixed with the oil.

 

Question 683.   When and by whom are the holy oils blessed?

Answer:         The holy oils are blessed at the Mass on Holy

                Thursday by the bishop, who alone has the right to

                bless them.  After the blessing they are

                distributed to the priests of the diocese, who

                must then burn what remains of the old oils and

                use the newly blessed oils for the coming year.

 

Question 684.   For what are the holy oils used?

Answer:         The holy oils are used as follows: The oil of the

                sick is used for Extreme Unction and for some

                blessings; the oil of catechumens is used for

                Baptism and Holy Orders.  Holy Chrism is used at

                Baptism and for the blessing of some sacred

                things, such as altars, chalices, church-bells,

                etc., which are usually blessed by a bishop.

 

Question 685.   What does the bishop say in anointing the person

                he confirms?

Answer:         In anointing the person he confirms the bishop

                says: "I sign thee with the sign of the cross, and

                I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in

                the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the

                Holy Ghost."

 

Question 686.   What is meant by anointing the forehead with

                chrism in the form of a cross?

Answer:         By anointing the forehead with chrism in the form

                of a cross is meant that the Christian who is

                confirmed must openly profess and practice his

                faith, never be ashamed of it; and rather die than

                deny it.

 

Question 687.   When must we openly profess and practice our

                religion?

Answer:         We must openly profess and practice our religion

                as often as we cannot do otherwise without

                violating some law of God or of His Church.

 

Question 688.   Why have we good reason never to be ashamed of the

                Catholic faith?

Answer:         We have good reason never to be ashamed of the

                Catholic Faith because it is the Old Faith

                established by Christ and taught by His Apostles;

                it is the Faith for which countless Holy Martyrs

                suffered and died; it is the Faith that has

                brought true civilization, with all its benefits,

                into the world, and it is the only Faith that can

                truly reform and preserve public and private

                morals.

 

Question 689.   Why does the bishop give the person he confirms a

                slight blow on the cheek?

Answer:         The bishop gives the person he confirms a slight

                blow on the cheek, to put him in mind that he must

                be ready to suffer everything, even death, for the

                sake of Christ.

 

Question 690.   Is it right to test ourselves through our

                imagination of what we would be willing to suffer

                for the sake of Christ?

Answer:         It is not right to test ourselves through our

                imagination of what we would be willing to suffer

                for the sake of Christ, for such tests may lead us

                into sin.  When a real test comes we are assured

                God will give to us, as He did to the Holy

                Martyrs, sufficient grace to endure it.

 

Question 691.   To receive Confirmation worthily is it necessary

                to be in the state of grace?

Answer:         To receive Confirmation worthily it is necessary

                to be in the state of grace.

 

Question 692.   What special preparation should be made to receive

                Confirmation?

Answer:         Persons of an age to learn should know the chief

                mysteries of faith and the duties of a Christian,

                and be instructed in the nature and effects of

                this Sacrament.

 

Question 693.   Why should we know the chief mysteries of faith

                and the duties of a Christian before receiving

                Confirmation?

Answer:         We should know the Chief Mysteries of Faith and

                the duties of a Christian before receiving

                Confirmation because as one cannot be a good

                soldier without knowing the rules of the army to

                which he belongs and understanding the commands of

                his leader, so one cannot be a good Christian

                without knowing the laws of the Church and

                understanding the commands of Christ.

 

Question 694.   Is it a sin to neglect Confirmation?

Answer:         It is a sin to neglect Confirmation, especially in

                these evil days when faith and morals are exposed

                to so many and such violent temptations.

 

Question 695.   What do we mean by "these evil days"?

Answer:         By "these evil days" we mean the present age or

                century in which we are living, surrounded on all

                sides by unbelief, false doctrines, bad books, bad

                example and temptation in every form.

 

Question 696.   Is Confirmation necessary for salvation?

Answer:         Confirmation is not so necessary for salvation

                that we could not be saved without it, for it is

                not given to infants even in danger of death;

                nevertheless, there is a divine command obliging

                all to receive it, if possible.  Persons who have

                not been confirmed in youth should make every

                effort to be confirmed later in life.

 

Question 697.   Are sponsors necessary in Confirmation?

Answer:         Sponsors are necessary in Confirmation, and they

                must be of the same good character as those

                required at Baptism, for they take upon themselves

                the same duties and responsibilities.  They also

                contract a spiritual relationship, which, however,

                unlike that in Baptism, is not an impediment to

                marriage.

 

 

LESSON SIXTEENTH:  On the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Ghost

 

Question 698.   Which are the effects of Confirmation?

Answer:         The effects of Confirmation are an increase of

                sanctifying grace, the strengthening of our faith,

                and the gifts of the Holy Ghost.

 

Question 699.   Which are the gifts of the Holy Ghost?

Answer:         The gifts of the Holy Ghost are Wisdom,

                Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge,

                Piety, and Fear of the Lord.

 

Question 700.   Why do we receive the gift of Fear of the Lord?

Answer:         We receive the gift of Fear of the Lord to fill us

                with a dread of sin.

 

Question 701.   Why do we receive the gift of Piety?

Answer:         We receive the gift of Piety to make us love God

                as a Father, and obey Him because we love Him.

 

Question 702.   Why do we receive the gift of Knowledge?

Answer:         We receive the gift of Knowledge to enable us to

                discover the will of God in all things.

 

Question 703.   Why do we receive the gift of Fortitude?

Answer:         We receive the gift of Fortitude to strengthen us

                to do the will of God in all things.

 

Question 704.   Why do we receive the gift of Counsel?

Answer:         We receive the gift of Counsel to warn us of the

                deceits of the devil, and of the dangers to

                salvation.

 

Question 705.   How is it clear that the devil could easily

                deceive us if the Holy Ghost did not aid us?

Answer:         It is clear that the devil could easily deceive us

                if the Holy Ghost did not aid us, for just as our

                sins do not deprive us of our knowledge, so the

                devil's sin did not deprive him of the great

                intelligence and power which he possessed as an

                angel.  Moreover, his experience in the world

                extends over all ages and places, while ours is

                confined to a few years and to a limited number of

                places.

 

Question 706.   Why do we receive the gift of Understanding?

Answer:         We receive the gift of Understanding to enable us

                to know more clearly the mysteries of faith.

 

Question 707.   Why do we receive the gift of Wisdom?

Answer:         We receive the gift of Wisdom to give us a relish

                for the things of God, and to direct our whole

                life and all our actions to His honor and glory.

 

Question 708.   Which are the Beatitudes?

Answer:         The Beatitudes are:

     1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom

of heaven.

     2. Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land.

     3. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

     4. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice, for

they shall be filled.

     5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

     6. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.

     7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the

children of God.

     8. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

Question 709.   What are the Beatitudes and why are they so

                called?

Answer:         The Beatitudes are a portion of Our Lord's Sermon

                on the Mount, and they are so called because each

                of them holds out a promised reward to those who

                practice the virtues they recommend.

 

Question 710.   Where did Our Lord usually preach?

Answer:         Our Lord usually preached wherever an opportunity

                of doing good by His Words presented itself.  He

                preached at times in the synagogues or

                meeting-houses but more frequently in the open air

                -- by the seashore or on the mountain, and often

                by the wayside.

 

Question 711.   What is the meaning and use of the Beatitudes in

                general?

Answer:        

           (1)  In general the Beatitudes embrace whatever

                pertains to the perfection of Christian life, and

                they invite us to the practice of the highest

                Christian virtues.

           (2)  In different forms they all promise the same

                reward, namely, sanctifying grace in this life and

                eternal glory in the next.

           (3)  They offer us encouragement and consolation for

                every trial and affliction.

 

Question 712.   What does the first Beatitude mean by the "poor in

                spirit"?

Answer:         The first Beatitude means by the "poor in spirit"

                all persons, rich or poor, who would not offend

                God to possess or retain anything that this world

                can give; and who, when necessity or charity

                requires it, give willingly for the glory of God.

                It includes also those who humbly submit to their

                condition in life when it cannot be improved by

                lawful means.

 

Question 713.   Who are the mourners who deserve the consolation

                promised in the third Beatitude?

Answer:         The mourners who deserve the consolation promised

                in the third Beatitude are they who, out of love

                for God, bewail their own sins and those of the

                world; and they who patiently endure all trials

                that come from God or for His sake.

 

Question 714.   What lessons do the other Beatitudes convey?

Answer:         The other Beatitudes convey these lessons: The

                meek suppress all feelings of anger and humbly

                submit to whatever befalls them by the Will of

                God; and they never desire to do evil for evil.

                The justice after which we should seek is every

                Christian virtue included under that name, and we

                are told that if we earnestly desire and seek it

                we shall obtain it.  The persecuted for justice'

                sake are they who will not abandon their faith or

                virtue for any cause.

 

Question 715.   Who may be rightly called merciful?

Answer:         The merciful are they who practice the corporal

                and spiritual works of mercy, and who aid by word

                or deed those who need their help for soul or

                body.

 

Question 716.   Why are the clean of heart promised so great a

                reward?

Answer:         The clean of heart, that is, the truly virtuous,

                whose thoughts, desires, words and works are pure

                and modest, are promised so great a reward because

                the chaste and sinless have always been the most

                intimate friends of God.

 

Question 717.   What is the duty of a peacemaker?

Answer:         It is the duty of a peacemaker to avoid and

                prevent quarrels, reconcile enemies, and to put an

                end to all evil reports of others or evil speaking

                against them.  As peacemakers are called the

                children of God, disturbers of peace should be

                called the children of the devil.

 

Question 718.   Why does Our Lord speak in particular of poverty,

                meekness, sorrow, desire for virtue, mercy,

                purity, peace and suffering?

Answer:         Our Lord speaks in particular of poverty,

                meekness, sorrow, desire for virtue, mercy,

                purity, peace and suffering because these are the

                chief features in His own earthly life; poverty in

                His birth, life and death; meekness in His

                teaching; sorrow at all times.  He eagerly sought

                to do good, showed mercy to all, recommended

                chastity, brought peace, and patiently endured

                suffering.

 

Question 719.   Which are the twelve fruits of the Holy Ghost?

Answer:         The twelve fruits of the Holy Ghost are Charity,

                Joy, Peace, Patience, Benignity, Goodness,

                Long-suffering, Mildness, Faith, Modesty,

                Continency, and Chastity.

 

Question 720.   Why are charity, joy, peace, etc., called fruits

                of the Holy Ghost?

Answer:         Charity, joy, peace, etc., are called fruits of

                the Holy Ghost because they grow in our souls out

                of the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost.

 

 

LESSON SEVENTEENTH:  On the Sacrament of Penance

 

Question 721.   What is the Sacrament of Penance?

Answer:         Penance is a Sacrament in which the sins committed

                after Baptism are forgiven.

 

Question 722.   Has the word Penance any other meaning?

Answer:         The word Penance has other meanings.  It means

                also those punishments we inflict upon ourselves

                as a means of atoning for our past sins; it means

                likewise that disposition of the heart in which we

                detest and bewail our sins because they were

                offensive to God.

 

Question 723.   How does the institution of the Sacrament of

                Penance show the goodness of Our Lord?

Answer:         The institution of the Sacrament of Penance shows

                the goodness of Our Lord, because having once

                saved us through Baptism, He might have left us to

                perish if we again committed sin.

 

Question 724.   What are the natural benefits of the Sacrament of

                Penance?

Answer:         The natural benefits of the Sacrament of Penance

                are: It gives us in our confessor a true friend,

                to whom we can go in all our trials and to whom we

                can confide our secrets with the hope of obtaining

                advice and relief.

 

Question 725.   How does the Sacrament of Penance remit sin, and

                restore to the soul the friendship of God?

Answer:         The Sacrament of Penance remits sin and restores

                the friendship of God to the soul by means of the

                absolution of the priest.

 

Question 726.   What is Absolution?

Answer:         Absolution is the form of prayer or words the

                priest pronounces over us with uplifted hand when

                he forgives the sins we have confessed.  It is

                given while we are saying the Act of Contrition

                after receiving our Penance.

 

Question 727.   Does the priest ever refuse absolution to a

                penitent?

Answer:         The priest must and does refuse absolution to a

                penitent when he thinks the penitent is not

                rightly disposed for the Sacrament.  He sometimes

                postpones the absolution till the next confession,

                either for the good of the penitent or for the

                sake of better preparation -- especially when the

                person has been a long time from confession.

 

Question 728.   What should a person do when the priest has

                refused or postponed absolution?

Answer:         When the priest has refused or postponed

                absolution, the penitent should humbly submit to

                his decision, follow his instructions, and

                endeavor to remove whatever prevented the giving

                of the absolution and return to the same confessor

                with the necessary dispositions and resolution of

                amendment.

 

Question 729.   Can the priest forgive all sins in the Sacrament

                of Penance?

Answer:         The priest has the power to forgive all sins in

                the Sacrament of Penance, but he may not have the

                authority to forgive all.  To forgive sins validly

                in the Sacrament of Penance, two things are

                required:

           (1)  The power to forgive sins which every priest

                receives at his ordination, and

           (2)  The right to use that power which must be given by

                the bishop, who authorizes the priest to hear

                confessions and pass judgment on the sins.

 

Question 730.   What are the sins called which the priest has no

                authority to absolve?

Answer:         The sins which the priest has no authority to

                absolve are called reserved sins.  Absolution from

                these sins can be obtained only from the bishop,

                and sometimes only from the Pope, or by his

                special permission.  Persons having a reserved sin

                to confess cannot be absolved from any of their

                sins till the priest receives faculties or

                authority to absolve the reserved sin also.

 

Question 731.   Why is the absolution from some sins reserved to

                the Pope or bishop?

Answer:         The absolution from some sins is reserved to the

                Pope or bishop to deter or prevent, by this

                special restriction, persons from committing them,

                either on account of the greatness of the sin

                itself or on account of its evil consequences.

 

Question 732.   Can any priest absolve a person in danger of death

                from reserved sins without the permission of the

                bishop?

Answer:         Any priest can absolve a person in danger of death

                from reserved sins without the permission of the

                bishop, because at the hour of death the Church

                removes these restrictions in order to save, if

                possible, the soul of the dying.

 

Question 733.   How do you know that the priest has the power of

                absolving from the sins committed after Baptism?

Answer:         I know that the priest has the power of absolving

                from the sins committed after Baptism, because

                Jesus Christ granted that power to the priests of

                His Church when He said: "Receive ye the Holy

                Ghost.  Whose sins you shall forgive, they are

                forgiven them; whose sins you shall retain, they

                are retained."

 

Question 734.   How do we know that Our Lord, while on earth, had

                the power to forgive sins?

Answer:         We know that Our Lord, while on earth, had the

                power to forgive sins:

           (1)  Because He was always God, and;

           (2)  Because He frequently did forgive sins and proved

                their forgiveness by miracles. Since He had the

                power Himself, He could give it to His Apostles.

 

Question 735.   Was the power to forgive sins given to the

                apostles alone?

Answer:         The power to forgive sins was not given to the

                apostles alone, because it was not given for the

                benefit merely of those who lived at the time of

                the apostles, but for all who, having grievously

                sinned, after Baptism, should need forgiveness.

                Since, therefore, Baptism will be given till the

                end of time, and since the danger of sinning after

                it always remains the power to absolve from such

                sins must also remain in the Church till the end

                of time.

 

Question 736.   When was the Sacrament of Penance instituted?

Answer:         The Sacrament of Penance was instituted after the

                resurrection of Our Lord, when He gave to His

                apostles the power to forgive sins, which He had

                promised to them before His death.

 

Question 737.   Are the enemies of our religion right when they

                say man cannot forgive sins?

Answer:         The enemies of our religion are right when they

                say man cannot forgive sins if they mean that he

                cannot forgive them by his own power, but they are

                certainly wrong if they mean that he cannot

                forgive them even by the power of God, for man can

                do anything if God gives him the power.  The

                priest does not forgive sins by his own power as

                man, but by the authority he receives as the

                minister of God.

 

Question 738.   How do the priests of the Church exercise the

                power of forgiving sins?

Answer:         The priests of the Church exercise the power of

                forgiving sins by hearing the confession of sins,

                and granting pardon for them as ministers of God

                and in His name.

 

Question 739.   How does the power to forgive sins imply the

                obligation of going to confession?

Answer:         The power to forgive sins implies the obligation

                of going to confession because as sins are usually

                committed secretly, the priest could never know

                what sins to forgive and what not to forgive,

                unless the sins committed were made known to him

                by the persons guilty of them.

 

Question 740.   Could God not forgive our sins if we confessed

                them to Himself in secret?

Answer:         Certainly, God could forgive our sins if we

                confessed them to Himself in secret, but He has

                not promised to do so; whereas He has promised to

                pardon them if we confess them to His priests.

                Since He is free to pardon or not to pardon, He

                has the right to establish a Sacrament through

                which alone He will pardon.

 

Question 741.   What must we do to receive the Sacrament of

                Penance worthily?

Answer:         To receive the Sacrament of Penance worthily we

                must do five things:

     1.  We must examine our conscience.

     2.  We must have sorrow for our sins.

     3.  We must make a firm resolution never more to offend God.

     4.  We must confess our sins to the priest.

     5.  We must accept the penance which the priest gives us.

 

Question 742.   What should we pray for in preparing for

                confession?

Answer:         In preparing for confession we should pray to the

                Holy Ghost to give us light to know our sins and

                to understand their guilt; for grace to detest

                them; for courage to confess them and for strength

                to keep our resolutions.

 

Question 743.   What faults do many commit in preparing for

                confession?

Answer:         In preparing for confession many commit the

                faults:

           (1)  Of giving too much time to the examination of

                conscience and little or none in exciting

                themselves to true sorrow for the sins discovered;

           (2)  Of trying to recall every trifling circumstance,

                instead of thinking of the means by which they

                will avoid their sins for the future.

 

Question 744.   What, then, is the most important part of the

                preparation for confession?

Answer:         The most important part of the preparation for

                confession is sincere sorrow for the sins

                committed and the firm determination to avoid them

                for the future.

 

Question 745.   What is the chief reason that our confessions do

                not always amend our way of living?

Answer:         The chief reason that our confessions do not

                always amend our way of living is our want of real

                earnest preparation for them and the fact that we

                have not truly convinced ourselves of the need of

                amendment.  We often confess our sins more from

                habit, necessity or fear than from a real desire

                of receiving grace and of being restored to the

                friendship of God.

 

Question 746.   What faults are to be avoided in making our

                confession?

Answer:         In making our confession we are to avoid:

           (1)  Telling useless details, the sins of others, or

                the name of any person;

           (2)  Confessing sins we are not sure of having

                committed; exaggerating our sins or their number;

                multiplying the number of times a day by the

                number of days to get the exact number of habitual

                sins;

           (3)  Giving a vague answer, such as "sometimes," when

                asked how often; waiting after each sin to be

                asked for the next;

           (4)  Hesitating over sins through pretented modesty and

                thus delaying the priests and others; telling the

                exact words in each when we have committed several

                sins of the same kind, cursing, for example; and,

                lastly, leaving the confessional before the priest

                gives us a sign to go.

 

Question 747.   Is it wrong to go to confession out of your turn

                against the will of others waiting with you?

Answer:         It is wrong to go to confession out of our turn

                against the will of others waiting with us,

                because:

           (1)  It causes disorder, quarreling and scandalous

                conduct in the Church;

           (2)  It is unjust, makes others angry and lessens their

                good dispositions for confession;

           (3)  It annoys and distracts the priest by the

                confusion and disorder it creates. It is better to

                wait than go to confession in an excited and

                disorderly manner.

 

Question 748.   What should a penitent do who knows he cannot

                perform the penance given?

Answer:         A penitent who knows he cannot perform the penance

                given should ask the priest for one that he can

                perform.  When we forget the penance given we must

                ask for it again, for we cannot fulfill our duty

                by giving ourselves a penance. The penance must be

                performed at the time and in the manner the

                confessor directs.

 

Question 749.   What is the examination of conscience?

Answer:         The examination of conscience is an earnest effort

                to recall to mind all the sins we have committed

                since our last worthy confession.

 

Question 750.   When is our confession worthy?

Answer:         Our confession is worthy when we have done all

                that is required for a good confession, and when,

                through the absolution, our sins are really

                forgiven.

 

Question 751.   How can we make a good examination of conscience?

Answer:         We can make a good examination of conscience by

                calling to memory the commandments of God, the

                precepts of the Church, the seven capital sins,

                and the particular duties of our state in life, to

                find out the sins we have committed.

 

Question 752.   What should we do before beginning the examination

                of conscience?

Answer:         Before beginning the examination of conscience we

                should pray to God to give us light to know our

                sins and grace to detest them.

 

 

LESSON EIGHTEENTH:  On Contrition

 

Question 753.   What is contrition, or sorrow for sin?

Answer:         Contrition, or sorrow for sin, is a hatred of sin

                and a true grief of the soul for having offended

                God, with a firm purpose of sinning no more.

 

Question 754.   Give an example of how we should hate and avoid

                sin.

Answer:         We should hate and avoid sin as one hates and

                avoids a poison that almost caused his death.  We

                may not grieve over the death of our soul as we do

                over the death of a friend, and yet our sorrow may

                be true; because the sorrow for sin comes more

                from our reason than from our feelings.

 

Question 755.   What kind of sorrow should we have for our sins?

Answer:         The sorrow we should have for our sins should be

                interior, supernatural, universal, and sovereign.

 

Question 756.   What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should

                be interior?

Answer:         When I say that our sorrow should be interior, I

                mean that it should come from the heart, and not

                merely from the lips.

 

Question 757.   What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should

                be supernatural?

Answer:         When I say that our sorrow should be supernatural,

                I mean that it should be prompted by the grace of

                God, and excited by motives which spring from

                faith, and not by merely natural motives.

 

Question 758.   What do we mean by "motives that spring from

                faith" and by "merely natural motives" with regard

                to sorrow for sin?

Answer:         By sorrow for sin from "motives that spring from

                faith," we mean sorrow for reasons that God has

                made known to us, such as the loss of heaven, the

                fear of hell or purgatory, or the dread of

                afflictions that come from God in punishment for

                sin.  By "merely natural motives" we mean sorrow

                for reasons made known to us by our own experience

                or by the experience of others, such as loss of

                character, goods or health.  A motive is whatever

                moves our will to do or avoid anything.

 

Question 759.   What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should

                be universal?

Answer:         When I say that our sorrow should be universal, I

                mean that we should be sorry for all our mortal

                sins without exception.

 

Question 760.   Why cannot some of our mortal sins be forgiven

                while the rest remain on our souls?

Answer:         It is impossible for any of our mortal sins to be

                forgiven unless they are all forgiven, because as

                light and darkness cannot be together in the same

                place, so sanctifying grace and mortal sin cannot

                dwell together.  If there be grace in the soul,

                there can be no mortal sin, and if there be mortal

                sin, there can be no grace, for one mortal sin

                expels all grace.

 

Question 761.   What do you mean when you say that our sorrow

                should be sovereign?

Answer:         When I say that our sorrow should be sovereign, I

                mean that we should grieve more for having

                offended God than for any other evil that can

                befall us.

 

Question 762.   Why should we be sorry for our sins?

Answer:         We should be sorry for our sins because sin is the

                greatest of evils and an offense against God our

                Creator, Preserver, and Redeemer, and because it

                shuts us out of heaven and condemns us to the

                eternal pains of hell.

 

Question 763.   How do we show that sin is the greatest of all

                evils?

Answer:         We show that sin is the greatest of evils because

                its effects last the longest and have the most

                terrible consequences.  All the misfortunes of

                this world can last only for a time, and we escape

                them at death, whereas the evils caused by sin

                keep with us for all eternity and are only

                increased at death.

 

Question 764.   How many kinds of contrition are there?

Answer:         There are two kinds of contrition; perfect

                contrition and imperfect contrition.

 

Question 765.   What is perfect contrition?

Answer:         Perfect contrition is that which fills us with

                sorrow and hatred for sin, because it offends God,

                who is infinitely good in Himself and worthy of

                all love.

 

Question 766.   When will perfect contrition obtain pardon for

                mortal sin without the Sacrament of Penance?

Answer:         Perfect contrition will obtain pardon for mortal

                sin without the Sacrament of Penance when we

                cannot go to confession, but with the perfect

                contrition we must have the intention of going to

                confession as soon as possible, if we again have

                the opportunity.

 

Question 767.   What is imperfect contrition?

Answer:         Imperfect contrition is that by which we hate what

                offends God because by it we lose heaven and

                deserve hell; or because sin is so hateful in

                itself.

 

Question 768.   What other name is given to imperfect contrition

                and why is it called imperfect?

Answer:         Imperfect contrition is called attrition.  It is

                called imperfect only because it is less perfect

                than the highest grade of contrition by which we

                are sorry for sin out of pure love of God's own

                goodness and without any consideration of what

                befalls ourselves.

 

Question 769.   Is imperfect contrition sufficient for a worthy

                confession?

Answer:         Imperfect contrition is sufficient for a worthy

                confession, but we should endeavor to have perfect

                contrition.

 

Question 770.   What do you mean by a firm purpose of sinning no

                more?

Answer:         By a firm purpose of sinning no more I mean a

                fixed resolve not only to avoid all mortal sin,

                but also its near occasions.

 

Question 771.   What do you mean by the near occasions of sin?

Answer:         By the near occasions of sin I mean all the

                persons, places and things that may easily lead us

                into sin.

 

Question 772.   Why are we bound to avoid occasions of sin?

Answer:         We are bound to avoid occasions of sin because Our

                Lord has said: "He who loves the danger will

                perish in it"; and as we are bound to avoid the

                loss of our souls, so we are bound to avoid the

                danger of their loss.  The occasion is the cause

                of sin, and you cannot take away the evil without

                removing its cause.

 

Question 773.   Is a person who is determined to avoid the sin,

                but who is unwilling to give up its near occasion

                when it is possible to do so, rightly disposed for

                confession?

Answer:         A person who is determined to avoid the sin, but

                who is unwilling to give up its near occasion when

                it is possible to do so, is not rightly disposed

                for confession, and he will not be absolved if he

                makes known to the priest the true state of his

                conscience.

 

Question 774.   How many kinds of occasions of sin are there?

Answer:         There are four kinds of occasions of sin:

           (1)  Near occasions, through which we always fall;

           (2)  Remote occasions, through which we sometimes fall;

           (3)  Voluntary occasions or those we can avoid; and

           (4)  Involuntary occasions or those we cannot avoid. A

                person who lives in a near and voluntary occasion

                of sin need not expect forgiveness while he

                continues in that state.

 

Question 775.   What persons, places and things are usually

                occasions of sin?

Answer:         

           (1)  The persons who are occasions of sin are all those

                in whose company we sin, whether they be bad of

                themselves or bad only while in our company, in

                which case we also become occasions of sin for

                them;

           (2)  The places are usually liquor saloons, low

                theaters, indecent dances, entertainments,

                amusements, exhibitions, and all immoral resorts

                of any kind, whether we sin in them or not;

           (3)  The things are all bad books, indecent pictures,

                songs, jokes and the like, even when they are

                tolerated by public opinion and found in public

                places.

 

 

LESSON NINETEENTH:  On Confession

 

Question 776.   What is Confession?

Answer:         Confession is the telling of our sins to a duly

                authorized priest, for the purpose of obtaining

                forgiveness.

 

Question 777.   Who is a duly authorized priest?

Answer:         A duly authorized priest is one sent to hear

                confessions by the lawful bishop of the diocese in

                which we are at the time of our confession.

 

Question 778.   Is it ever allowed to write our sins and read them

                to the priest in the confessional or give them to

                him to read?

Answer:         It is allowed, when necessary, to write our sins

                and read them to the priest, as persons do who

                have almost entirely lost their memory.  It is

                also allowed to give the paper to the priest, as

                persons do who have lost the use of their speech.

                In such cases the paper must, after the

                confession, be carefully destroyed either by the

                priest or the penitent.

 

Question 779.   What is to be done when persons must make their

                confession and cannot find a priest who

                understands their language?

Answer:         Persons who must make their confession and who

                cannot find a priest who understands their

                language, must confess as best they can by some

                signs, showing what sins they wish to confess and

                how they are sorry for them.

 

Question 780.   What sins are we bound to confess?

Answer:         We are bound to confess all our mortal sins, but

                it is well also to confess our venial sins.

 

Question 781.   Why is it well to confess also the venial sins we

                remember?

Answer:         It is well to confess also the venial sins we

                remember:

           (1)  Because it shows our hatred of all sin, and

           (2)  Because it is sometimes difficult to determine

                just when a sin is venial and when mortal.

 

Question 782.   What should one do who has only venial sins to

                confess?

Answer:         One who has only venial sins to confess should

                tell also some sin already confessed in his past

                life for which he knows he is truly sorry; because

                it is not easy to be truly sorry for slight sins

                and imperfections, and yet we must be sorry for

                the sins confessed that our confession may be

                valid -- hence we add some past sin for which we

                are truly sorry to those for which we may not be

                sufficiently sorry.

 

Question 783.   Should a person stay from confession because he

                thinks he has no sin to confess ?

Answer:         A person should not stay from confession because

                he thinks he has no sin to confess, for the

                Sacrament of Penance, besides forgiving sin, gives

                an increase of sanctifying grace, and of this we

                have always need, especially to resist temptation.

                The Saints, who were almost without imperfection,

                went to confession frequently.

 

Question 784.   Should a person go to Communion after confession

                even when the confessor does not bid him go?

Answer:         A person should go to Communion after confession

                even when the confessor does not bid him go,

                because the confessor so intends unless he

                positively forbids his penitent to receive

                Communion.  However, one who has not yet received

                his first Communion should not go to Communion

                after confession, even if the confessor by mistake

                should bid him go.

 

Question 785.   Which are the chief qualities of a good

                Confession?

Answer:         The chief qualities of a good Confession are

                three: it must be humble, sincere, and entire.

 

Question 786.   When is our Confession humble?

Answer:         Our Confession is humble when we accuse ourselves

                of our sins, with a deep sense of shame and sorrow

                for having offended God.

 

Question 787.   When is our Confession sincere?

Answer:         Our Confession is sincere when we tell our sins

                honestly and truthfully, neither exaggerating nor

                excusing them.

 

Question 788.   Why is it wrong to accuse ourselves of sins we

                have not committed?

Answer:         It is wrong to accuse ourselves of sins we have

                not committed, because, by our so doing, the

                priest cannot know the true state of our souls, as

                he must do before giving us absolution.

 

Question 789.   When is our Confession entire?

Answer:         Our Confession is entire when we tell the number

                and kinds of our sins and the circumstances which

                change their nature.

 

Question 790.   What do you mean by the "kinds of sin?"

Answer:         By the "kinds of sin," we mean the particular

                division or class to which the sins belong; that

                is, whether they be sins of blasphemy,

                disobedience, anger, impurity, dishonesty, etc.

                We can determine the kind of sin by discovering

                the commandment or precept of the Church we have

                broken or the virtue against which we have acted.

 

Question 791.   What do we mean by "circumstances which change the

                nature of sins?"

Answer:         By "circumstances which change the nature of sins"

                we mean anything that makes it another kind of

                sin.  Thus to steal is a sin, but to steal from

                the Church makes our theft sacrilegious.  Again,

                impure actions are sins, but a person must say

                whether they were committed alone or with others,

                with relatives or strangers, with persons married

                or single, etc., because these circumstances

                change them from one kind of impurity to another.

 

Question 792.   What should we do if we cannot remember the number

                of our sins?

Answer:         If we cannot remember the number of our sins, we

                should tell the number as nearly as possible, and

                say how often we may have sinned in a day, a week,

                or a month, and how long the habit or practice has

                lasted.

 

Question 793.   Is our Confession worthy if, without our fault, we

                forget to confess a mortal sin?

Answer:         If without our fault we forget to confess a mortal

                sin, our Confession is worthy, and the sin is

                forgiven; but it must be told in Confession if it

                again comes to our mind.

 

Question 794.   May a person who has forgotten to tell a mortal

                sin in confession go to Holy Communion before

                going again to confession?

Answer:         A person who has forgotten to tell a mortal sin in

                confession may go to communion before again going

                to confession, because the forgotten sin was

                forgiven with those confessed, and the confession

                was good and worthy.

 

Question 795.   Is it a grievous offense willfully to conceal a

                mortal sin in Confession?

Answer:         It is a grievous offense willfully to conceal a

                mortal sin in Confession, because we thereby tell

                a lie to the Holy Ghost, and make our Confession

                worthless.

 

Question 796.   How is concealing a sin telling a lie to the Holy

                Ghost?

Answer:         Concealing a sin is telling a lie to the Holy

                Ghost, because he who conceals the sin declares in

                confession to God and the priest that he committed

                no sins but what he has confessed, while the Holy

                Ghost, the Spirit of Truth, saw him committing the

                sin he now conceals and still sees it in his soul

                while he denies it.

 

Question 797.   Why is it foolish to conceal sins in confession?

Answer:         It is foolish to conceal sins in confession:

           (1)  Because we thereby make our spiritual condition

                worse;

           (2)  We must tell the sin sometime if we ever hope to

                be saved;

           (3)  It will be made known on the day of judgment,

                before the world, whether we conceal it now or

                confess it.

 

Question 798.   What must he do who has willfully concealed a

                mortal sin in Confession?

Answer:         He who has willfully concealed a mortal sin in

                Confession must not only confess it, but must also

                repeat all the sins he has committed since his

                last worthy Confession.

 

Question 799.   Must one who has willfully concealed a mortal sin

                in confession do more than repeat the sins

                committed since his last worthy confession?

Answer:         One who has willfully concealed a mortal sin in

                confession must, besides repeating all the sins he

                has committed since his last worthy confession,

                tell also how often he has unworthily received

                absolution and Holy Communion during the same

                time.

 

Question 800.   Why does the priest give us a penance after

                Confession?

Answer:         The priest gives us a penance after Confession,

                that we may satisfy God for the temporal

                punishment due to our sins.

 

Question 801.   Why should we have to satisfy for our sins if

                Christ has fully satisfied for them?

Answer:         Christ has fully satisfied for our sins and after

                our baptism we were free from all guilt and had no

                satisfaction to make.  But when we willfully

                sinned after baptism, it is but just that we

                should be obliged to make some satisfaction.

 

Question 802.   Is the slight penance the priest gives us

                sufficient to satisfy for all the sins confessed?

Answer:         The slight penance the priest gives us is not

                sufficient to satisfy for all the sins confessed:

           (1)  Because there is no real equality between the

                slight penance given and the punishment deserved

                for sin;

           (2)  Because we are all obliged to do penance for sins

                committed, and this would not be necessary if the

                penance given in confession satisfied for all. The

                penance is given and accepted in confession

                chiefly to show our willingness to do penance and

                make amends for our sins.

 

Question 803.   Does not the Sacrament of Penance remit all

                punishment due to sin?

Answer:         The Sacrament of Penance remits the eternal

                punishment due to sin, but it does not always

                remit the temporal punishment which God requires

                as satisfaction for our sins.

 

Question 804.   Why does God require a temporal punishment as a

                satisfaction for sin?

Answer:         God requires a temporal punishment as a

                satisfaction for sin to teach us the great evil of

                sin and to prevent us from falling again.

 

Question 805.   Which are the chief means by which we satisfy God

                for the temporal punishment due to sin?

Answer:         The chief means by which we satisfy God for the

                temporal punishment due to sin are: Prayer,

                Fasting, Almsgiving; all spiritual and corporal

                works of mercy, and the patient suffering of the

                ills of life.

 

Question 806.   What fasting has the greatest merit?

Answer:         The fasting imposed by the Church on certain days

                of the year, and particularly during Lent, has the

                greatest merit.

 

Question 807.   What is Lent?

Answer:         Lent is the forty days before Easter Sunday,

                during which we do penance, fast and pray to

                prepare ourselves for the resurrection of Our

                Lord; and also to remind us of His own fast of

                forty days before His Passion.

 

Question 808.   What do we mean by "almsgiving"?

Answer:         By almsgiving we mean money, goods, or assistance

                given to the poor or to charitable purposes.  The

                law of God requires all persons to give alms in

                proportion to their means.

 

Question 809.   What "ills of life" help to satisfy God for sin?

Answer:         The ills of life that help to satisfy God for sin

                are sickness, poverty, misfortune, trial,

                affliction, etc., especially, when we have not

                brought them upon ourselves by sin.

 

Question 810.   How did the Christians in the first ages of the

                Church do Penance?

Answer:         The Christians in the first ages of the Church did

                public penance, especially for the sins of which

                they were publicly known to be guilty. Penitents

                were excluded for a certain time from Mass or the

                Sacrament, and some were obliged to stand at the

                door of the Church begging the prayers of those

                who entered.

 

Question 811.   What were these severe Penances of the First Ages

                of the Church called?

Answer:         These severe penances of the first ages of the

                Church were called canonical penances, because

                their kind and duration were regulated by the

                Canons or laws of the Church.

 

Question 812.   How can we know spiritual from corporal works of

                mercy?

Answer:         We can know spiritual from corporal works of

                mercy, for whatever we do for the soul is a

                spiritual work, and whatever we do for the body is

                a corporal work.

 

Question 813.   Which are the chief spiritual works of mercy?

Answer:         The chief spiritual works of mercy are seven:  To

                admonish the sinner, to instruct the ignorant, to

                counsel the doubtful, to comfort the sorrowful, to

                bear wrongs patiently, to forgive all injuries,

                and to pray for the living and the dead.

 

Question 814.   When are we bound to admonish the sinner?

Answer:         We are bound to admonish the sinner when the

                following conditions are fulfilled:

           (1)  When his fault is a mortal sin;

           (2)  When we have authority or influence over him, and

           (3)  When there is reason to believe that our warning

                will not make him worse instead of better.

 

Question 815.   Who are meant by the "ignorant" we are to

                instruct, and the "doubtful" we are to counsel?

Answer:         By the ignorant we are to instruct and the

                doubtful we are to counsel, are meant those

                particularly who are ignorant of the truths of

                religion and those who are in doubt about matters

                of faith.  We must aid such persons as far as we

                can to know and believe the truths necessary for

                salvation.

 

Question 816.   Why are we advised to bear wrong patiently and to

                forgive all injuries?

Answer:         We are advised to bear wrongs patiently and to

                forgive all injuries, because, being Christians,

                we should imitate the example of Our Divine Lord,

                who endured wrongs patiently and who not only

                pardoned but prayed for those who injured Him.

 

Question 817.   If, then, it be a Christian virtue to forgive all

                injuries, why do Christians establish courts and

                prisons to punish wrongdoers?

Answer:         Christians establish courts and prisons to punish

                wrongdoers, because the preservation of lawful

                authority, good order in society, the protection

                of others, and sometimes even the good of the

                guilty one himself, require that crimes be justly

                punished.  As God Himself punishes crime and as

                lawful authority comes from Him, such authority

                has the right to punish, though individuals should

                forgive the injuries done to themselves

                personally.

 

Question 818.   Why is it a work of mercy to pray for the living

                and the dead?

Answer:         It is a work of mercy to aid those who are unable

                to aid themselves.  The living are exposed to

                temptations, and while in mortal sin they are

                deprived of the merit of their good works and need

                our prayers.  The dead can in no way help

                themselves and depend on us for assistance.

 

Question 819.   Which are the chief corporal works of mercy?

Answer:         The chief corporal works of mercy are seven:  To

                feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to

                clothe the naked, to ransom the captive, to harbor

                the harborless, to visit the sick, and to bury the

                dead.

 

Question 820.   How may we briefly state the corporal works of

                mercy?

Answer:         We may briefly state the corporal works of mercy

                by saying that we are obliged to help the poor in

                all their forms of want.

 

Question 821.   How are Christians aided in the performance of

                works of mercy?

Answer:         Christians are aided in the performance of works

                of mercy through the establishment of charitable

                institutions where religious communities of holy

                men or women perform these duties for us, provided

                we supply the necessary means by our almsgiving

                and good works.

 

Question 822.   Who are religious?

Answer:         Religious are self-sacrificing men and women who,

                wishing to follow more closely the teachings of

                Our Lord, dedicate their lives to the service of

                God and religion.  They live together in societies

                approved by the Church, under a rule and guidance

                of a superior.  They keep the vows of chastity,

                poverty and obedience, and divide their time

                between prayer and good works.  The houses in

                which they dwell are called convents or

                monasteries, and the societies in which they live

                are called religious orders, communities or

                congregations.

 

Question 823.   Are there any religious communities of priests?

Answer:         There are many religious communities of priests,

                who, besides living according to the general laws

                of the Church, as all priests do, follow certain

                rules laid down for their community.  Such priests

                are called the regular clergy, because living by

                rules to distinguish them from the secular clergy

                who live in their parishes under no special rule.

                The chief work of the regular clergy is to teach

                in colleges and give missions and retreats.

 

Question 824.   Why are there so many different religious

                communities?

Answer:         There are many different religious communities:

           (1)  Because all religious are not fitted for the same

                work, and

           (2)  Because they desire to imitate Our Lord's life on

                earth as perfectly as possible; and when each

                community takes one of Christ's works and seeks to

                become perfect in it, the union of all their works

                continues as perfectly as we can the works He

                began upon earth.

 

 

LESSON TWENTIETH:  On the Manner of Making a Good Confession

 

Question 825.   What should we do on entering the confessional?

Answer:         On entering the confessional we should kneel, make

                the sign of the Cross, and say to the priest,

                "Bless me, father"; then add, "I confess to

                Almighty God and to you, father, that I have

                sinned."

 

Question 826.   Which are the first things we should tell the

                priest in Confession?

Answer:         The first things we should tell the priest in

                Confession are the time of our last Confession,

                and whether we said the penance and went to Holy

                Communion.

 

Question 827.   Should we tell anything else in connection with

                our last confession?

Answer:         In connection with our last confession we should

                tell also what restrictions -- if any -- were

                placed upon us with regard to our occasions of

                sin, and what obligations with regard to the

                payment of debts, restitution, injuries done to

                others and the like, we were commanded to fulfill.

 

Question 828.   After telling the time of our last Confession and

                Communion what should we do?

Answer:         After telling the time of our last Confession and

                Communion we should confess all the mortal sins we

                have since committed, and all the venial sins we

                may wish to mention.

 

Question 829.   What is a general confession?

Answer:         A general confession is the telling of the sins of

                our whole life or a great part of it.  It is made

                in the same manner as an ordinary confession,

                except that it requires more time and longer

                preparation.

 

Question 830.   When should a General Confession be made?

Answer:         A general confession:

           (1)  Is necessary when we are certain that our past

                confessions were bad;

           (2)  It is useful on special occasions in our lives

                when some change in our way of living is about to

                take place;

           (3)  It is hurtful and must not be made when persons

                are scrupulous.

 

Question 831.   What are the signs of scruples and the remedy

                against them?

Answer:         The signs of scruples are chiefly:

           (1)  To be always dissatisfied with our confessions;

           (2)  To be self-willed in deciding what is sinful and

                what is not. The chief remedy against them is to

                follow exactly the advice of the confessor without

                questioning the reason or utility of his advice.

 

Question 832.   What must we do when the confessor asks us

                questions?

Answer:         When the confessor asks us questions we must

                answer them truthfully and clearly.

 

Question 833.   What should we do after telling our sins?

Answer:         After telling our sins we should listen with

                attention to the advice which the confessor may

                think proper to give.

 

Question 834.   What duties does the priest perform in the

                confessional?

Answer:         In the confessional the priest performs the

                duties:

           (1)  Of a judge, by listening to our self-accusations

                and passing sentence upon our guilt or innocence;

           (2)  Of a father, by the good advice and encouragement

                he gives us;

           (3)  Of a teacher, by his instructions, and

           (4)  Of a physician, by discovering the afflictions of

                our soul and giving us the remedies to restore it

                to spiritual health.

 

Question 835.   Why is it beneficial to go always if possible to

                the same confessor?

Answer:         It is beneficial to go always, if possible, to the

                same confessor, because our continued confessions

                enable him to see more clearly the true state of

                our soul and to understand better our occasions of

                sin.

 

Question 836.   Should we remain away from confession because we

                cannot go to our usual confessor?

Answer:         We should not remain away from confession because

                we cannot go to our usual confessor, for though it

                is well to confess to the same priest, it is not

                necessary to do so.  One should never become so

                attached to a confessor that his absence or the

                great inconvenience of going to him would become

                an excuse for neglecting the Sacraments.

 

Question 837.   How should we end our Confession?

Answer:         We should end our Confession by saying, "I also

                accuse myself of all the sins of my past life,"

                telling, if we choose, one or several of our past

                sins.

 

Question 838.   What should we do while the priest is giving us

                absolution?

Answer:         While the priest is giving us absolution we should

                from our heart renew the Act of Contrition.

 

 

LESSON TWENTY-FIRST:  On Indulgences

 

Question 839.   What is an Indulgence?

Answer:         An Indulgence is the remission in whole or in part

                of the temporal punishment due to sin.

 

Question 840.   What does the word "indulgence" mean?

Answer:         The word indulgence means a favor or concession.

                An indulgence obtains by a very slight penance the

                remission of penalties that would otherwise be

                severe.

 

Question 841.   Is an Indulgence a pardon of sin, or a license to

                commit sin?

Answer:         An Indulgence is not a pardon of sin, nor a

                license to commit sin, and one who is in a state

                of mortal sin cannot gain an Indulgence.

 

Question 842.   How do good works done in mortal sin profit us?

Answer:         Good works done in mortal sin profit us by

                obtaining for us the grace to repent and sometimes

                temporal blessings.  Mortal sin deprives us of all

                our merit, nevertheless God will bestow gifts for

                every good deed as He will punish every evil deed.

 

Question 843.   How many kinds of Indulgences are there?

Answer:         There are two kinds of Indulgences -- Plenary and

                Partial.

 

Question 844.   What is Plenary Indulgence?

Answer:         A Plenary Indulgence is the full remission of the

                temporal punishment due to sin.

 

Question 845.   Is it easy to gain a Plenary Indulgence?

Answer:         It is not easy to gain a Plenary Indulgence, as we

                may understand from its great privilege.  To gain

                a Plenary Indulgence, we must hate sin, be

                heartily sorry for even our venial sins, and have

                no desire for even the slightest sin. Though we

                may not gain entirely each Plenary Indulgence we

                seek, we always gain a part of each; that is, a

                partial indulgence, greater or less in proportion

                to our good dispositions.

 

Question 846.   Which are the most important Plenary Indulgences

                granted by the Church?

Answer:         The most important Plenary Indulgences granted by

                the Church are:

           (1)  The Indulgences of a jubilee which the Pope grants

                every twenty-five years or on great occasions by

                which he gives special faculties to confessors for

                the absolution of reserved sins;

           (2)  The Indulgence granted to the dying in their last

                agony.

 

Question 847.   What is a Partial Indulgence?

Answer:         A Partial Indulgence is the remission of part of

                the temporal punishment due to sin.

 

Question 848.   How long has the practice of granting Indulgences

                been in use in the Church, and what was its

                origin?

Answer:         The practice of granting Indulgences has been in

                use in the Church since the time of the apostles.

                It had its origin in the earnest prayers of holy

                persons, and especially of the martyrs begging the

                Church for their sake to shorten the severe

                penances of sinners, or to change them into

                lighter penances.  The request was frequently

                granted and the penance remitted, shortened or

                changed, and with the penance remitted the

                temporal punishment corresponding to it was

                blotted out.

 

Question 849.   How do we show that the Church has the power to

                grant Indulgences?

Answer:         We show that the Church has the power to grant

                Indulgences, because Christ has given it power to

                remit all guilt without restriction, and if the

                Church has power, in the Sacrament of penance, to

                remit the eternal punishment -- which is the

                greatest -- it must have power to remit the

                temporal or lesser punishment, even outside the

                Sacrament of Penance.

 

Question 850.   How do we know that these Indulgences have their

                effect?

Answer:         We know that these Indulgences have their effect,

                because the Church, through her councils, declares

                Indulgences useful, and if they have no effect

                they would be useless, and the Church would teach

                error in spite of Christ's promise to guide it.

 

Question 851.   Have there ever existed abuses among the faithful

                in the manner of using Indulgences?

Answer:         There have existed, in past ages, some abuses

                among the faithful in the manner of using

                Indulgences, and the Church has always labored to

                correct such abuses as soon as possible.  In the

                use of pious practices we must be always guided by

                our lawful superiors.

 

Question 852.   How have the enemies of the Church made use of the

                abuse of Indulgences?

Answer:         The enemies of the Church have made use of the

                abuse of Indulgences to deny the doctrine of

                Indulgences, and to break down the teaching and

                limit the power of the Church.  Not to be deceived

                in matters of faith, we must always distinguish

                very carefully between the abuses to which a

                devotion may lead and the truths upon which the

                devotion rests.

 

Question 853.   How does the Church by means of Indulgences remit

                the temporal punishment due to sin?

Answer:         The Church, by means of Indulgences, remits the

                temporal punishment due to sin by applying to us

                the merits of Jesus Christ, and the superabundant

                satisfactions of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of

                the saints; which merits and satisfactions are its

                spiritual treasury.

 

Question 854.   What do we mean by the "superabundant satisfaction

                of the Blessed Virgin and the Saints"?

Answer:         By the superabundant satisfaction of the Blessed

                Virgin and the saints, we mean all the

                satisfaction over and above what was necessary to

                satisfy for their own sins.  As their good works

                were many and their sins few -- the Blessed Virgin

                being sinless -- the satisfaction not needed for

                themselves is kept by the Church in a spiritual

                treasury to be used for our benefit.

 

Question 855.   Does the Church, by granting Indulgences, free us

                from doing Penance?

Answer:         The Church, by granting Indulgences, does not free

                us from doing penance, but simply makes our

                penance lighter that we may more easily satisfy

                for our sins and escape the punishments they

                deserve.

 

Question 856.   Who has the power to grant Indulgences?

Answer:         The Pope alone has the power to grant Indulgences

                for the whole Church; but the bishops have power

                to grant partial Indulgences in their own diocese.

                Cardinals and some others, by the special

                permission of the Pope, have the right to grant

                certain Indulgences.

 

Question 857.   Where shall we find the Indulgences granted by the

                Church?

Answer:         We shall find the Indulgences granted by the

                Church in the declarations of the Pope and of the

                Sacred Congregation of Cardinals.  These

                declarations are usually put into prayer books and

                books of devotion or instruction.

 

Question 858.   What must we do to gain an Indulgence?

Answer:         To gain an Indulgence we must be in the state of

                grace and perform the works enjoined.

 

Question 859.   Besides being in a state of grace and performing

                the works enjoined, what else is necessary for the

                gaining of an Indulgence?

Answer:         Besides being in a state of grace and performing

                the works enjoined, it is necessary for the

                gaining of an Indulgence to have at least the

                general intention of gaining it.

 

Question 860.   How and why should we make a general intention to

                gain all possible Indulgences each day?

Answer:         We should make a general intention at our morning

                prayers to gain all possible Indulgences each day,

                because several of the prayers we say and good

                works we perform may have Indulgences attached to

                them, though we are not aware of it.

 

Question 861.   What works are generally enjoined for the gaining

                of Indulgences?

Answer:         The works generally enjoined for the gaining of

                Indulgences are: The saying of certain prayers,

                fasting, and the use of certain articles of

                devotion; visits to Churches or altars, and the

                giving of alms.  For the gaining of Plenary

                Indulgences it is generally required to go to

                confession and Holy Communion and pray for the

                intention of the Pope.

 

Question 862.   What does praying for a person's intention mean?

Answer:         Praying for a person's intention means praying for

                whatever he prays for or desires to obtain through

                prayer -- some spiritual or temporal favors.

 

Question 863.   What does an Indulgence of forty days mean?

Answer:         An Indulgence of forty days means that for the

                prayer or work to which an Indulgence of forty

                days is attached, God remits as much of our

                temporal punishment as He remitted for forty days'

                canonical penance.  We do not know just how much

                temporal punishment God remitted for forty days'

                public penance, but whatever it was, He remits the

                same now when we gain an Indulgence of forty days.

                The same rule applies to Indulgences of a year or

                any length of time.

 

Question 864.   Why did the Church moderate its severe penances?

Answer:         The Church moderated its severe penances, because

                when Christians -- terrified by persecution --

                grew weaker in their faith, there was danger of

                some abandoning their religion rather than submit

                to the penances imposed.  The Church, therefore,

                wishing to save as many as possible, made the

                sinner's penance as light as possible.

 

Question 865.   To what things may Indulgences be attached?

Answer:         Plenary or Partial Indulgences may be attached to

                prayers and solid articles of devotion; to places

                such as churches, altars, shrines, etc., to be

                visited; and by a special privilege they are

                sometimes attached to the good works of certain

                persons.

 

Question 866.   When do things lose the Indulgences attached to

                them?

Answer:         Things lose the Indulgences attached to them:

           (1)  When they are so changed at once as to be no

                longer what they were;

           (2)  When they are sold. Rosaries and other indulgenced

                articles do not lose their indulgences, when they

                are loaned or given away, for the indulgence is

                not personal but attached to the article itself.

 

Question 867.   Will a weekly Confession suffice to gain during

                the week all Indulgences to which Confession is

                enjoined as one of the works?

 

A  Weekly confession will suffice to gain during the week all

Indulgences to which confession is enjoined as one of the works,

provided we continue in a state of grace, perform the other works

enjoined and have the intention of gaining these Indulgences.

 

Question 868.   How and when may we apply Indulgences for the

                benefit of the souls in Purgatory?

Answer:         We may apply Indulgences for the benefit of the

                souls in Purgatory by way of intercession;

                whenever this application is mentioned and

                permitted by the Church in granting the

                Indulgence; that is, when the Church declares that

                the Indulgence granted is applicable to the souls

                of the living or the souls in Purgatory; so that

                we may gain it for the benefit of either.

 

 

LESSON TWENTY-SECOND:  On the Holy Eucharist

 

Question 869.   What does the word Eucharist strictly mean?

Answer:         The word Eucharist strictly means pleasing, and

                this Sacrament is so called because it renders us

                most pleasing to God by the grace it imparts, and

                it gives us the best means of thanking Him for all

                His blessings.

 

Question 870.   What is the Holy Eucharist?

Answer:         The Holy Eucharist is the Sacrament which contains

                the body and blood, soul and divinity, of our Lord

                Jesus Christ under the appearances of bread and

                wine.

 

Question 871.   What do we mean when we say the Sacrament which

                contains the Body and Blood?

Answer:         When we say the Sacrament which contains the Body

                and Blood, we mean the Sacrament which is the Body

                and Blood, for after the Consecration there is no

                other substance present in the Eucharist.

 

Question 872.   When is the Holy Eucharist a Sacrament, and when

                is it a sacrifice?

Answer:         The Holy Eucharist is a Sacrament when we receive

                it in Holy Communion and when it remains in the

                Tabernacle of the Altar.  It is a sacrifice when

                it is offered up at Mass by the separate

                Consecration of the bread and wine, which

                signifies the separation of Our Lord's blood from

                His body when He died on the Cross.

 

Question 873.   When did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist?

Answer:         Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last

                Supper, the night before He died.

 

Question 874.   Who were present when our Lord instituted the Holy

                Eucharist?

Answer:         When Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist, the

                twelve Apostles were present.

 

Question 875.   How did our Lord institute the Holy Eucharist?

Answer:         Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist by taking

                bread, blessing, breaking, and giving to His

                Apostles, saying: "Take ye and eat.  This is my

                body"; and then, by taking the cup of wine,

                blessing and giving it, saying to them: "Drink ye

                all of this.  This is my blood which shall be shed

                for the remission of sins.  Do this for a

                commemoration of me."

 

Question 876.   What happened when our Lord said, "This is my

                body; this is my blood"?

Answer:         When Our Lord said, "This is my body," the

                substance of the bread was changed into the

                substance of His body; when He said, "This is my

                blood," the substance of the wine was changed into

                the substance of His blood.

 

Question 877.   How do we prove the Real Presence, that is, that

                Our Lord is really and truly present in the Holy

                Eucharist?

Answer:         We prove the Real Presence -- that is, that Our

                Lord is really and truly present in the Holy

                Eucharist:

           (1)  By showing that it is possible to change one

                substance into another;

           (2)  By showing that Christ did change the substance of

                bread and wine into the substance of His body and

                blood;

           (3)  By showing that He gave this power also to His

                Apostles and to the priests of His Church.

 

Question 878.   How do we know that it is possible to change one

                substance into another?

Answer:         We know that it is possible to change one

                substance into another, because:

           (1)  God changed water into blood during the plagues of

                Egypt.

           (2)  Christ changed water into wine at the marriage of

                Cana.

           (3)  Our own food is daily changed into the substance

                of our flesh and blood; and what God does

                gradually, He can also do instantly by an act of

                His will.

 

Question 879.   Are these changes exactly the same as the changes

                that take place in the Holy Eucharist?

Answer:         These changes are not exactly the same as the

                changes that take place in the Holy Eucharist, for

                in these changes the appearance also is changed,

                but in the Holy Eucharist only the substance is

                changed while the appearance remains the same.

 

Question 880.   How do we show that Christ did change bread and

                wine into the substance of His body and blood?

Answer:         We show that Christ did change bread and wine into

                the substance of His body and blood:

           (1)  From the words by which He promised the Holy

                Eucharist;

           (2)  From the words by which He instituted the Holy

                Eucharist;

           (3)  From the constant use of the Holy Eucharist in the

                Church since the time of the Apostles;

           (4)  From the impossibility of denying the Real

                Presence in the Holy Eucharist, without likewise

                denying all that Christ has taught and done; for

                we have stronger proofs for the Holy Eucharist

                than for any other Christian truth.

 

Question 881.   Is Jesus Christ whole and entire both under the

                form of bread and under the form of wine?

Answer:         Jesus Christ is whole and entire both under the

                form of bread and under the form of wine.

 

Question 882.   How do we know that under the appearance of bread

                we receive also Christ's blood; and under the

                appearance of wine we receive also Christ's body?

Answer:         We know that under the appearance of bread we

                receive also Christ's blood, and under the

                appearance of wine we receive also Christ's body;

                because in the Holy Eucharist we receive the

                living body of Our Lord, and a living body cannot

                exist without blood, nor can living blood exist

                without a body.

 

Question 883.   Is Jesus Christ present whole and entire in the

                smallest portion of the Holy Eucharist, under the

                form of either bread or wine?

Answer:         Jesus Christ is present whole and entire in the

                smallest portion of the Holy Eucharist under the

                form of either bread or wine; for His body in the

                Eucharist is in a glorified state, and as it

                partakes of the character of a spiritual

                substance, it requires no definite size or shape.

 

Question 884.   Did anything remain of the bread and wine after

                their substance had been changed into the

                substance of the body and blood of our Lord?

Answer:         After the substance of the bread and wine had been

                changed into the substance of the body and blood

                of Our Lord, there remained only the appearances

                of bread and wine.

 

Question 885.   What do you mean by the appearances of bread and

                wine?

Answer:         By the appearances of bread and wine I mean the

                figure, the color, the taste, and whatever appears

                to the senses.

 

Question 886.   What is this change of the bread and wine into the

                body and blood of our Lord called?

Answer:         This change of the bread and wine into the body

                and blood of Our Lord is called

                Transubstantiation.

 

Question 887.   What is the second great miracle in the Holy

                Eucharist?

Answer:         The second great miracle in the Holy Eucharist is

                the multiplication of the presence of Our Lord's

                body in so many places at the same time, while the

                body itself is not multiplied -- for there is but

                one body of Christ.

 

Question 888.   Are there not, then, as many bodies of Christ as

                there are tabernacles in the world, or as there

                are Masses being said at the same time?

Answer:         There are not as many bodies of Christ as there

                are tabernacles in the world, or as there are

                Masses being said at the same time; but only one

                body of Christ, which is everywhere present whole

                and entire in the Holy Eucharist, as God is

                everywhere present, while He is but one God.

 

Question 889.   How was the substance of the bread and wine

                changed into the substance of the body and blood

                of Christ?

Answer:         The substance of the bread and wine was changed

                into the substance of the body and blood of Christ

                by His almighty power.

 

Question 890.   Does this change of bread and wine into the body

                and blood of Christ continue to be made in the

                Church?

Answer:         This change of bread and wine into the body and

                blood of Christ continues to be made in the Church

                by Jesus Christ through the ministry of His

                priests.

 

Question 891.   When did Christ give His priests the power to

                change bread and wine into His body and blood?

Answer:         Christ gave His priests the power to change bread

                and wine into His body and blood when He said to

                the Apostles, "Do this in commemoration of Me."

 

Question 892.   What do the words "Do this in commemoration of Me"

                mean?

Answer:         The words "Do this in commemoration of Me" mean:

                Do what I, Christ, am doing at My last supper,

                namely, changing the substance of bread and wine

                into the substance of My body and blood; and do it

                in remembrance of Me.

 

Question 893.   How do the priests exercise this power of changing

                bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ?

Answer:         The priests exercise this power of changing bread

                and wine into the body and blood of Christ through

                the words of consecration in the Mass, which are

                words of Christ: "This is my body; this is my

                blood."

 

Question 894.   At what part of the Mass does the Consecration

                take place?

Answer:         The Consecration in the Mass takes place

                immediately before the elevation of the Host and

                Chalice, which are raised above the head of the

                priest that the people may adore Our Lord who has

                just come to the altar at the words of

                Consecration.

 

 

LESSON TWENTY-THIRD:  On the Ends for Which the Holy Eucharist Was

Instituted

 

Question 895.   Why did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist?

Answer:         Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist:

     To unite us to Himself and to nourish our soul with His

     divine life.

     To increase sanctifying grace and all virtues in our soul.

     To lessen our evil inclinations.

     To be a pledge of everlasting life.

     To fit our bodies for a glorious resurrection.

     To continue the sacrifice of the Cross in His Church.

 

Question 896.   Has the Holy Eucharist any other effect?

Answer:         The Holy Eucharist remits venial sins by disposing

                us to perform acts of love and contrition.  It

                preserves us from mortal sin by exciting us to

                greater fervor and strengthening us against

                temptation.

 

Question 897.   How are we united to Jesus Christ in the Holy

                Eucharist?

Answer:         We are united to Jesus Christ in the Holy

                Eucharist by means of Holy Communion.

 

Question 898.   What is Holy Communion?

Answer:         Holy Communion is the receiving of the body and

                blood of Christ.

 

Question 899.   Is it not beneath the dignity of Our Lord to enter

                our bodies under the appearance of ordinary food?

Answer:         It is not beneath the dignity of Our Lord to enter

                our bodies under the appearance of ordinary food

                any more than it was beneath His dignity to enter

                the body of His Blessed Mother and remain there as

                an ordinary child for nine months. Christ's

                dignity, being infinite, can never be diminished

                by any act on His own or on our part.

 

Question 900.   Why does not the Church give Holy Communion to the

                people as it does to the priest under the

                appearance of wine also?

Answer:         The Church does not give Holy Communion to the

                people as it does to the priest under the

                appearance of wine also, to avoid the danger of

                spilling the Precious Blood; to prevent the

                irreverence some might show if compelled to drink

                out of a chalice used by all, and lastly, to

                refute those who denied that Our Lord's blood is

                present under the appearance of bread also.

 

Question 901.   What is necessary to make a good Communion?

Answer:         To make a good Communion it is necessary to be in

                the state of sanctifying grace and to fast

                according to the laws of the Church.

 

Question 902.   What should a person do who, through forgetfulness

                or any other cause, has broken the fast necessary

                for Holy Communion?

Answer:         A person who through forgetfulness or any other

                cause has broken the fast necessary for Holy

                Communion, should again fast and receive Holy

                Communion the following morning if possible,

                without returning to confession.  It is not a sin

                to break one's fast, but it would be a mortal sin

                to receive Holy Communion after knowingly breaking

                the fast necessary for it.

 

Question 903.   Does he who receives Communion in mortal sin

                receive the body and blood of Christ?

Answer:         He who receives Communion in mortal sin receives

                the body and blood of Christ, but does not receive

                His grace, and he commits a great sacrilege.

 

Question 904.   Is it enough to be free from mortal sin to receive

                plentifully the graces of Holy Communion?

Answer:         To receive plentifully the graces of Holy

                Communion it is not enough to be free from mortal

                sin, but we should be free from all affection to

                venial sin, and should make acts of lively faith,

                of firm hope, and ardent love.

 

Question 905.   What is the fast necessary for Holy Communion?

Answer:         The fast necessary for Holy Communion is the

                abstaining from food, alcoholic drinks and

                non-alcoholic drinks for one hour before Holy

                Communion.  Water does not break the fast.

 

Question 906.   Does medicine taken by necessity or food taken by

                accident break the fast for Holy Communion?

Answer:         Medicine does not break the fast; food taken by

                accident within one hour before Communion breaks

                the fast.

 

Question 907.   Is any one ever allowed to receive Holy Communion

                when not fasting?

Answer:         To protect the Blessed Sacrament from insult or

                injury, or when in danger of death, Holy Communion

                may be received without fasting.

 

Question 908.   Is the Holy Communion called by any other name

                when given to one in danger of death?

Answer:         When the Holy Communion is given to one in danger

                of death, it is called Viaticum, and is given with

                its own form of prayer.  In giving Holy Communion

                the priest says: "May the body of Our Lord Jesus

                Christ guard your soul to eternal life." In giving

                Holy Viaticum he says: "Receive, brother (or

                sister), the Viaticum of the body of Our Lord

                Jesus Christ, which will guard you from the wicked

                enemy and lead you into eternal life."

 

Question 909.   When are we bound to receive Holy Communion?

Answer:         We are bound to receive Holy Communion, under pain

                of mortal sin, during the Easter time and when in

                danger of death.

 

Question 910.   Is it well to receive Holy Communion often?

Answer:         It is well to receive Holy Communion often, as

                nothing is a greater aid to a holy life than often

                to receive the Author of all grace and the Source

                of all good.

 

Question 911.   How shall we know how often we should receive Holy

                Communion?

Answer:         We shall know how often we shall receive Holy

                Communion only from the advice of our confessor,

                by whom we must be guided, and whom we must

                strictly obey in this as well as in all matters

                concerning the state of our soul.

 

Question 912.   What is a spiritual Communion?

Answer:         A spiritual communion is an earnest desire to

                receive Communion in reality, by which desire we

                make all preparations and thanksgivings that we

                would make in case we really received the Holy

                Eucharist.  Spiritual Communion is an act of

                devotion that must be pleasing to God and bring us

                blessings from Him.

 

Question 913.   What should we do after Holy Communion?

Answer:         After Holy Communion we should spend some time in

                adoring Our Lord, in thanking Him for the grace we

                have received, and in asking Him for the blessings

                we need.

 

Question 914.   What length of time should we spend in

                thanksgiving after Holy Communion?

Answer:         We should spend sufficient time in Thanksgiving

                after Holy Communion to show due reverence to the

                Blessed Sacrament; for Our Lord is personally with

                us as long as the appearance of bread and wine

                remains.

 

Question 915.   What should we be particular about when receiving

                Holy Communion?

Answer:         When receiving Holy Communion we should be

                particular:

           (1)  About the respectful manner in which we approach

                and return from the altar;

           (2)  About our personal appearance, especially neatness

                and cleanliness;

           (3)  About raising our head, opening our mouth and

                putting forth the tongue in the proper manner;

           (4)  About swallowing the Sacred Host;

           (5)  About removing it carefully with the tongue, in

                case it should stick to the mouth, but never with

                the finger under any circumstances.

 

 

LESSON TWENTY-FOURTH:  On the Sacrifice of the Mass

 

Question 916.   When and where are the bread and wine changed into

                the body and blood of Christ?

Answer:         The bread and wine are changed into the body and

                blood of Christ at the Consecration in the Mass.

 

Question 917.   What is the Mass?

Answer:         The Mass is the unbloody sacrifice of the body and

                blood of Christ.

 

Question 918.   Why is this Sacrifice called the Mass?

Answer:         This Sacrifice is called the "Mass" very probably

                from the words "Ite Missa est," used by the priest

                as he tells the people to depart when the Holy

                Sacrifice is ended.

 

Question 919.   What is a sacrifice?

Answer:         A sacrifice is the offering of an object by a

                priest to God alone, and the consuming of it to

                acknowledge that He is the Creator and Lord of all

                things.

 

Question 920.   Is the Mass the same sacrifice as that of the

                Cross?

Answer:         The Mass is the same sacrifice as that of the

                Cross.

 

Question 921.   How is the Mass the same sacrifice as that of the

                Cross?

Answer:         The Mass is the same sacrifice as that of the

                Cross because the offering and the priest are the

                same -- Christ our Blessed Lord; and the ends for

                which the sacrifice of the Mass is offered are the

                same as those of the sacrifice of the Cross.

 

Question 922.   What were the ends for which the sacrifice of the

                Cross was offered?

Answer:         The ends for which the sacrifice of the Cross was

                offered were:

     1st. To honor and glorify God;

     2nd. To thank Him for all the graces bestowed on the whole

world;

     3rd. To satisfy God's justice for the sins of men;

     4th. To obtain all graces and blessings.

 

Question 923.   How are the fruits of the Mass distributed?

Answer:         The fruits of the Mass are distributed thus:  The

                first benefit is bestowed on the priest who says

                the Mass; The second on the person for whom the

                Mass is said, or for the intention for which it is

                said; The third on those who are present at the

                Mass, and particularly on those who serve it, and

                The fourth on all the faithful who are in

                communion with the Church.

 

Question 924.   Are all Masses of equal value in themselves or do

                they differ in worth?

Answer:         All Masses are equal in value in themselves and do

                not differ in worth, but only in the solemnity

                with which they are celebrated or in the end for

                which they are offered.

 

Question 925.   How are Masses distinguished?

Answer:         Masses are distinguished thus:

           (1)  When the Mass is sung by a bishop, assisted by a

                deacon and sub-deacon, it is called a Pontifical

                Mass;

           (2)  When it is sung by a priest, assisted by a deacon

                and sub-deacon, it is called a Solemn Mass;

           (3)  When sung by a priest without deacon and

                sub-deacon, it is called a Missa Cantata or High

                Mass;

           (4)  When the Mass is only read in a low tone it is

                called a low or private Mass.

 

Question 926.   For what end or intention may Mass be offered?

Answer:         Mass may be offered for any end or intention that

                tends to the honor and glory of God, to the good

                of the Church or the welfare of man; but never for

                any object that is bad in itself, or in its aims;

                neither can it be offered publicly for persons who

                are not members of the true Church.

 

Question 927.   Explain what is meant by Requiem, Nuptial and

                Votive Masses.

Answer:         A Requiem Mass is one said in black vestments and

                with special prayers for the dead.  A Nuptial Mass

                is one said at the marriage of two Catholics, and

                it has special prayers for their benefit.  A

                Votive Mass is one said in honor of some

                particular mystery or saint, on a day not set

                apart by the Church for the honor of that mystery

                or saint.

 

Question 928.   From what may we learn that we are to offer up the

                Holy Sacrifice with the priest?

Answer:         We may learn that we are to offer up the Holy

                Sacrifice with the priest from the words used in

                the Mass itself; for the priest, after offering up

                the bread and wine for the Sacrifice, turns to the

                people and says: "Orate Fratres," etc., which

                means: "Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and

                yours may be acceptable to God the Father

                Almighty," and the server answers in our name:

                "May the Lord receive the sacrifice from thy hands

                to the praise and glory of His own name, and to

                our benefit and that of all His Holy Church."

 

Question 929.   From what did the custom of making an offering to

                the priest for saying Mass arise?

Answer:         The custom of making an offering to the priest for

                saying Mass arose from the old custom of bringing

                to the priest the bread and wine necessary for the

                celebration of Mass.

 

Question 930.   Is it not simony, or the buying of a sacred thing,

                to offer the priest money for saying Mass for your

                intention?

Answer:         It is not simony, or the buying of a sacred thing,

                to offer the priest money for saying Mass for our

                intention, because the priest does not take the

                money for the Mass itself, but for the purpose of

                supplying the things necessary for Mass and for

                his own support.

 

Question 931.   Is there any difference between the sacrifice of

                the Cross and the sacrifice of the Mass?

Answer:         Yes; the manner in which the sacrifice is offered

                is different.  On the Cross Christ really shed His

                blood and was really slain; in the Mass there is

                no real shedding of blood nor real death, because

                Christ can die no more; but the sacrifice of the

                Mass, through the separate consecration of the

                bread and the wine, represents His death on the

                Cross.

 

Question 932.   What are the chief parts of the Mass?

Answer:         The chief parts of the Mass are:

           (1)  The Offertory, at which the priests offers to God

                the bread and wine to be changed at the

                Consecration;

           (2)  The Consecration, at which the substance of the

                bread and wine are changed into the substance of

                Christ's body and blood;

           (3)  The Communion, at which the priest receives into

                his own body the Holy Eucharist under the

                appearance of both bread and wine.

 

Question 933.   At what part of the Mass does the Offertory take

                place, and what parts of the Mass are said before

                it?

Answer:         The Offertory takes place immediately after the

                uncovering of the chalice. The parts of the Mass

                said before it are: The Introit, Kyrie, Gloria,

                Prayers, Epistle, Gospel and Creed.  The Introit,

                Prayers, Epistle and Gospel change in each Mass to

                correspond with the feast celebrated.

 

Question 934.   What is the part of the Mass called in which the

                Words of Consecration are found?

Answer:         The part of the Mass in which the words of

                Consecration are found is called the Canon.  This

                is the most solemn part of the Mass, and is rarely

                and but slightly changed in any Mass.

 

Question 935.   What follows the Communion of the Mass?

Answer:         Following the Communion of Mass, there are prayers

                of thanksgiving, the blessing of the people, and

                the saying of the last Gospel.

 

Question 936.   What things are necessary for Mass?

Answer:         The things necessary for Mass are:

           (1)  An altar with linen covers, candles, crucifix,

                altar stone and Mass book;

           (2)  A Chalice with all needed in its use, and bread of

                flour from wheat and wine from the grape;

           (3)  Vestments for the priest, and

           (4)  An acolyte or server.

 

Question 937.   What is the altar stone, and of what does it

                remind us?

Answer:         The altar stone is that part of the altar upon

                which the priest rests the Chalice during Mass.

                This stone contains some holy relics sealed up in

                it by the bishop, and if the altar is of wood this

                stone is inserted just in front of the Tabernacle.

                The altar stone reminds us of the early history of

                the Church, when the martyrs' tombs were used for

                altars by the persecuted Christians.

 

Question 938.   What lesson do we learn from the practice of using

                martyrs' tombs for altars?

Answer:         From the practice of using martyrs' tombs for

                altars we learn the inconvenience, sufferings and

                dangers the early Christians willingly underwent

                for the sake of hearing Mass.  Since the Mass is

                the same now as it was then, we should suffer

                every inconvenience rather than be absent from

                Mass on Sundays or holy days.

 

Question 939.   What things are used with the chalice during Mass?

Answer:         The things used with the chalice during Mass are:

           (1)  The purificator or cloth for wiping the inside;

           (2)  The paten or small silver plate used in handling

                the host;

           (3)  The pall or white card used for covering the

                chalice at Mass;

           (4)  The corporal or linen cloth on which the chalice

                and host rest.

 

Question 940.   What is the host?

Answer:         The host is the name given to the thin wafer of

                bread used at Mass.  This name is generally

                applied before and after Consecration to the large

                particle of bread used by the priest, though the

                small particles given to the people are also

                called by the same name.

 

Question 941.   Are large and small hosts consecrated at every

                Mass?

Answer:         A large host is consecrated at every Mass, but

                small hosts are consecrated only at some Masses at

                which they are to be given to the people or placed

                in the Tabernacle for the Holy Communion of the

                faithful.

 

Question 942.   What vestments does the priest use at Mass and

                what do they signify?

Answer:         The vestments used by the priest at Mass are:

           (1)  The Amice, a white cloth around the shoulders to

                signify resistance to temptation;

           (2)  The Alb, a long white garment to signify

                innocence;

           (3)  The Cincture, a cord about the waist, to signify

                chastity;

           (4)  The Maniple or hanging vestment on the left arm,

                to signify penance;

           (5)  The Stole or long vestment about the neck, to

                signify immortality;

           (6)  The Chasuble or long vestment over all, to signify

                love and remind the priest, by its cross on front

                and back, of the Passion of Our Lord.

 

Question 943.   How many colors of vestments are used, and what do

                the colors signify?

Answer:         Five colors of vestments are used, namely, white,

                red, green, violet or purple, and black.  White

                signifies innocence and is used on the feasts of

                Our Blessed Lord, of the Blessed Virgin, and of

                some saints.  Red signifies love, and is used on

                the feasts of the Holy Ghost, and of martyrs.

                Green signifies hope, and is generally used on

                Sundays from Epiphany to Pentecost.  Violet

                signifies penance, and is used in Lent and Advent.

                Black signifies sorrow, and is used on Good Friday

                and at Masses for the dead.  Gold is often used

                for white on great feasts.

 

Question 944.   What is the Tabernacle and what is the Ciborium?

Answer:         The Tabernacle is the house-shaped part of the

                altar where the sacred vessels containing the

                Blessed Sacrament are kept.  The Ciborium is the

                large silver or gold vessel which contains the

                Blessed Sacrament while in the Tabernacle, and

                from which the priest gives Holy Communion to the

                people.

 

Question 945.   What is the Ostensorium or Monstrance?

Answer:         The Ostensorium or Monstrance is the beautiful

                wheel-like vessel in which the Blessed Sacrament

                is exposed and kept during the Benediction.

 

Question 946.   How should we assist at Mass?

Answer:         We should assist at Mass with great interior

                recollection and piety and with every outward mark

                of respect and devotion.

 

Question 947.   Which is the best manner of hearing Mass?

Answer:         The best manner of hearing Mass is to offer it to

                God with the priest for the same purpose for which

                it is said, to meditate on Christ's sufferings and

                death, and to go to Holy Communion.

 

Question 948.   What is important for the proper and respectful

                hearing of Mass?

Answer:         For the proper and respectful hearing of Mass it

                is important to be in our place before the priest

                comes to the altar and not to leave it before the

                priest leaves the altar.  Thus we prevent the

                confusion and distraction caused by late coming

                and too early leaving.  Standing in the doorways,

                blocking up passages and disputing about places

                should, out of respect for the Holy Sacrifice, be

                most carefully avoided.

 

Question 949.   What is Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and

                what vestments are used at it?

Answer:         Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is an act of

                divine worship in which the Blessed Sacrament,

                placed in the ostensorium, is exposed for the

                adoration of the people and is lifted up to bless

                them.  The vestments used at Benediction are: A

                cope or large silk cloak and a humeral or shoulder

                veil.

 

Question 950.   Why does the priest wear special vestments and use

                certain ceremonies while performing his sacred

                duties?

Answer:         The priest wears special vestments and uses

                certain ceremonies while performing his sacred

                duties:

           (1)  To give greater solemnity and to command more

                attention and respect at divine worship;

           (2)  To instruct the people in the things that these

                vestments and ceremonies signify;

           (3)  To remind the priest himself of the importance and

                sacred character of the work in which he is the

                representative of Our Lord Himself. Hence we

                should learn the meaning of the ceremonies of the

                Church.

 

Question 951.   How do we show that the ceremonies of the Church

                are reasonable and proper?

Answer:         We show that the ceremonies of the Church are

                reasonable and proper from the fact that all

                persons in authority, rulers, judges and masters,

                require certain acts of respect from their

                subjects, and as we know Our Lord is present on

                the altar, the Church requires definite acts of

                reverence and respect at the services held in His

                honor and in His presence.

 

Question 952.   Are there other reasons for the use of ceremonies?

Answer:         There are other reasons for the use of ceremonies:

           (1)  God commanded ceremonies to be used in the old

                law, and

           (2)  Our Blessed Lord Himself made use of ceremonies in

                performing some of His miracles.

 

Question 953.   How are the persons who take part in a Solemn Mass

                or Vespers named?

Answer:         The persons who take part in a Solemn Mass or

                Vespers are named as follows: The priest who says

                or celebrates the Mass is called the celebrant;

                those who assist him as deacon and sub-deacon are

                called the ministers; those who serve are called

                acolytes, and the one who directs the ceremonies

                is called the master of ceremonies.  If the

                celebrant be a bishop, the Mass or Vespers is

                called Pontifical Mass or Pontifical Vespers.

 

Question 954.   What is Vespers?

Answer:         Vespers is a portion of the divine office or daily

                prayer of the Church.  It is sung in Churches

                generally on Sunday afternoon or evening, and is

                usually followed by Benediction of the Blessed

                Sacrament.

 

Question 955.   Can one satisfy for neglecting Mass on Sunday by

                hearing Vespers on the same day?

Answer:         One cannot satisfy for neglecting Mass on Sunday

                by hearing Vespers on the same day, because there

                is no law of the Church obliging us under pain of

                sin to attend Vespers, while there is a law

                obliging us under pain of mortal sin to hear Mass.

 

 

LESSON TWENTY-FIFTH:  On Extreme Unction and Holy Orders

 

Question 956.   What is the Sacrament of Extreme Unction?

Answer:         Extreme Unction is the Sacrament which, through

                the anointing and prayer of the priest, gives

                health and strength to the soul, and sometimes to

                the body, when we are in danger of death from

                sickness.

 

Question 957.   Why is this Sacrament called Extreme Unction?

Answer:         Extreme means last, and Unction means an anointing

                or rubbing with oil, and because Catholics are

                anointed with oil at Baptism, Confirmation and

                Holy Orders, the last Sacrament in ,which oil is

                used is called Extreme Unction, or the last

                Unction or anointing.

 

Question 958.   Is this Sacrament called Extreme Unction if the

                person recovers after receiving it?

Answer:         This Sacrament is always called Extreme Unction,

                even if it must be given several times to the same

                person, for Extreme Unction is the proper name of

                the Sacrament, and it may be given as often as a

                person recovering from one attack of sickness is

                in danger of death by another.In a lingering

                illness it may be repeated after a month or six

                weeks, if the person slightly recovers and again

                relapses into a dangerous condition.

 

Question 959.   To whom may Extreme Unction be given?

Answer:         Extreme Unction may be given to all Christians

                dangerously ill, who have ever been capable of

                committing sin after baptism and who have the

                right dispositions for the Sacrament.Hence it is

                never given to children who have not reached the

                use of reason, nor to persons who have always been

                insane.

 

Question 960.   What are the right dispositions for Extreme

                Unction?

Answer:         The right dispositions for Extreme Unction are:

           (1)  Resignation to the Will of God with regard to our

                recovery;

           (2)  A state of grace or at least contrition for sins

                committed, and

           (3)  A general intention or desire to receive the

                Sacrament.  This Sacrament is never given to

                heretics in danger of death, because they cannot

                be supposed to have the intention necessary for

                receiving it, nor the desire to make use of the

                Sacrament of Penance in putting themselves in a

                state of grace.

 

Question 961.   When and by whom was Extreme Unction instituted?

Answer:         Extreme Unction was instituted at the time of the

                apostles, for James the Apostle exhorts the sick

                to receive it.It was instituted by Our Lord

                Himself -- though we do not know at what

                particular time -- for He alone can make a visible

                act a means of grace, and the apostles and their

                successors could never have believed Extreme

                Unction a Sacrament and used it as such unless

                they had Our Lord's authority for so doing.

 

Question 962.   When should we receive Extreme Unction?

Answer:         We should receive Extreme Unction when we are in

                danger of death from sickness, or from a wound or

                accident.

 

Question 963.   What parts of the body are anointed in Extreme

                Unction?

Answer:         The parts of the body anointed in Extreme Unction

                are: The eyes, the ears, the nose or nostrils, the

                lips, the hands and the feet, because these

                represent our senses of sight, hearing, smell,

                taste and touch, which are the means through which

                we have committed most of our sins.

 

Question 964.   What things should be prepared in the sick-room

                when the priest is coming to give the last

                Sacraments?

Answer:         When the priest is coming to give the last

                Sacraments, the following things should be

                prepared:A table covered with a white cloth; a

                crucifix; two lighted candles in candlesticks;

                holy water in a small vessel, with a small piece

                of palm for a sprinkler; a glass of clean water; a

                tablespoon and a napkin or cloth, to be placed

                under the chin of the one receiving the Viaticum.

                Besides these, if Extreme Unction also is to be

                given, there should be some cotton and a small

                piece of bread or lemon to purify the priest's

                fingers.

 

Question 965.   What seems most proper with regard to the things

                necessary for the last Sacraments?

Answer:         It seems most proper that the things necessary for

                the last Sacraments should be carefully kept in

                every Catholic family, and should never, if

                possible, be used for any other purpose.

 

Question 966.   What else is to be observed about the preparation

                for the administration of the last Sacraments?

Answer:         The further preparation for the administration of

                the last Sacraments requires that out of respect

                for the Sacraments, and in particular for the

                presence of Our Lord, everything about the

                sick-room, the sick person and even the

                attendants, should be made as neat and clean as

                possible.Especially should the face, hands and

                feet of the one to be anointed be thoroughly

                clean.

 

Question 967.   Should we wait until we are in extreme danger

                before we receive Extreme Unction?

Answer:         We should not wait until we are in extreme danger

                before we receive Extreme Unction, but if possible

                we should receive it whilst we have the use of our

                senses.

 

Question 968.   What should we do in case of serious illness if

                the sick person will not consent or is afraid to

                receive the Sacraments, or, at least, wishes to

                put off their reception?

Answer:         In case of serious illness, if the sick person

                will not consent, or is afraid to receive the

                Sacraments, or, at least, wishes to put off their

                reception, we should send for the priest at once

                and let him do what he thinks best in the case,

                and thus we will free ourselves from the

                responsibility of letting a Catholic die without

                the last Sacraments.

 

Question 969.   Which are the effects of the Sacrament of Extreme

                Unction?

Answer:         The effects of Extreme Unction are:

     1st. To comfort us in the pains of sickness and to strengthen

us against temptations;

     2nd. To remit venial sins and to cleanse our soul from the

remains of sin;

     3rd. To restore us to health, when God sees fit.

 

Question 970.   Will Extreme Unction take away mortal sin if the

                dying person is no longer able to confess?

Answer:         Extreme Unction will take away mortal sin if the

                dying person is no longer able to confess,

                provided he has the sorrow for his sins that would

                bee necessary for the worthy reception of the

                Sacrament of Penance.

 

Question 971.   How do we know that this Sacrament, more than any

                other, was instituted to benefit the body?

Answer:         We know that this Sacrament more than any other

                was instituted to benefit the body:

           (1)  From the words of St. James exhorting us to

                receive it;

           (2)  It is given when the soul is already purified by

                the graces of Penance and Holy Viaticum;

           (3)  One of its chief objects is to restore us to

                health if it be for our spiritual good, as most of

                the prayers said in giving this Sacrament

                indicate.

 

Question 972.   Since Extreme Unction may restore us to health,

                should we not be glad to receive it?

Answer:         Since Extreme Unction may restore us to health. we

                should be glad to receive it, and we should not

                delay its reception till we are so near death that

                God could restore us only by a miracle.Again, this

                Sacrament, like the others, gives sanctifying and

                sacramental grace, which we should be eager to

                obtain as soon as our sickness is sufficient to

                give us the privilege of receiving the last

                Sacraments.

 

Question 973.   What do you mean by the remains of sin?A nswer:By

                the remains of sin I mean the inclination to evil

                and the weakness of the will which are the result

                of our sins, and which remain after our sins have

                been forgiven.

 

Question 974.   How should we receive the Sacrament of Extreme

                Unction?

Answer:         We should receive the Sacrament of Extreme Unction

                in the state of grace, and with lively faith and

                resignation to the will of God.

 

Question 975.   Who is the minister of the Sacrament of Extreme

                Unction?

Answer:         The priest is the minister of the Sacrament of

                Extreme Unction.

 

Question 976.   What is the final preparation we should make for

                the reception of the last Sacraments?

Answer:         The final preparation we should make for the

                reception of the last Sacraments consists in an

                earnest effort to be resigned to God's Holy Will,

                to excite ourselves to true sorrow for our sins,

                to profit by the graces given us, to keep worldly

                thoughts from the mind, and to dispose ourselves

                as best we can for the worthy reception of the

                Sacraments and the blessings of a good death.

 

Question 977.   At what time should persons dangerously ill attend

                to the final arrangement of their temporal or

                worldly affairs?

Answer:         Persons dangerously ill should attend to the final

                arrangement of their temporal or worldly affairs

                at the very beginning of their illness, that these

                things may not distract them at the hour of death,

                and that they may give the last hours of their

                life entirely to the care of their soul.

 

Question 978.   What is the Sacrament of Holy Orders?

Answer:         Holy Orders is a Sacrament by which bishops,

                priests, and other ministers of the Church are

                ordained and receive the power and grace to

                perform their sacred duties.

 

Question 979.   Besides bishops and priests, who are the other

                ministers of the Church?

Answer:         Besides bishops and priests, the other ministers

                of the Church are deacons and subdeacons, who,

                while preparing for the priesthood, have received

                some of the Holy Orders, but who have not been

                ordained to the full powers of the priest.

 

Question 980.   Why is this Sacrament called Holy Orders?

Answer:         This Sacrament is called Holy Orders because it is

                conferred by seven different grades or steps

                following one another in fixed order by which the

                sacred powers of the priesthood are gradually

                given to the one admitted to that holy state.

 

Question 981.   What are the grades by which one ascends to the

                priesthood?

Answer:         The grades by which one ascends to the priesthood

                are:

           (1)  Tonsure, or the clipping of the hair by the

                bishop, by which the candidate for priesthood

                dedicates himself to the service of the altar;

           (2)  The four minor orders, Porter, Reader, Exorcist,

                and Acolyte, by which he is permitted to perform

                certain duties that laymen should not perform;

           (3)  Sub-deaconship, by which he takes upon himself the

                obligation of leading a life of perpetual chastity

                and of saying daily the divine office;

           (4)  Deaconship, by which be receives power to preach,

                baptize, and give Holy Communion. The next step,

                priesthood, gives him power to offer the Holy

                Sacrifice of the Mass and forgive sins.  These

                orders are not all given at once, but at times

                fixed by the laws of the Church.

 

Question 982.   Are not the different orders separate Sacraments?

Answer:         These different orders are not separate

                Sacraments.Taken all together, some are a

                preparation for the Sacrament and the rest are but

                the one Sacrament of Holy Orders; as the roots,

                trunk and branches form but one tree.

 

Question 983.   What name is given to sub-deaconship, deaconship

                and priesthood?

Answer:         Sub-deaconship, deaconship and priesthood are

                called major or greater orders, because those who

                receive them are bound for life to the service of

                the altar and they cannot return to the service of

                the world to live as ordinary laymen.

 

Question 984.   What double power does the Church possess and

                confer on her pastors?

Answer:         The Church possesses and confers on her pastor,

                the power of orders and the power of jurisdiction;

                that is, the power to administer the Sacraments

                and sanctify the faithful, and the power to teach

                and make laws that direct the faithful to their

                spiritual good.A bishop has the full power of

                orders and the Pope alone has the full power of

                jurisdiction.

 

Question 985.   How do the pastors of the Church rank according to

                authority?

Answer:         The pastors of the Church rank according to

                authority as follows:

           (1)  Priests, who govern parishes or congregations in

                the name of their bishop;

           (2)  Bishops, who rule over a number of parishes or a

                diocese;

           (3)  Archbishops, who have authority over a number of

                dioceses or a province;

           (4)  Primates, who have authority over the

                ecclesiastical or Church provinces of a nation;

           (5)  Patriarchs, who have authority over a whole

                country; and last and highest, the Pope, who rules

                the Church throughout the world.

 

Question 986.   How do the prelates or higher officers of the

                Church rank in dignity?

Answer:         The prelates or higher officers of the Church rank

                in dignity as they rank in authority, except that

                in dignity Cardinals are next to the Pope, and

                Vicars Apostolic, Monsignori, and others having

                titles follow bishops.Papal delegates and those

                specially appointed by the Pope rank according to

                the powers he has given them.

 

Question 987.   Who are Cardinals, what are their duties and how

                are they divided?

Answer:         Cardinals are the members of the Supreme Council

                or Senate of the Church. Their duties are to

                advise and aid the Pope in the government of the

                Church, and to elect a new Pope when the reigning

                Pope dies.They are divided into committees called

                sacred congregations, each having, its special

                work to perform.  All these congregations taken

                together are called the Sacred College of

                Cardinals, of which the whole number is seventy.

 

Question 988.   Who is a Monsignor?

Answer:         A Monsignor is a worthy priest upon whom the Pope

                confers this title as a mark of esteem.It gives

                certain privileges and the right to wear purple

                like a bishop.

 

Question 989.   Who is a Vicar-General?

Answer:         A Vicar-General is one who is appointed by the

                bishop to aid him in the government of his

                diocese.He shares the bishop's power and in the

                bishop's absence he acts for the bishop and with

                his authority.

 

Question 990.   Who is an Abbot?

Answer:         An Abbot is one who exercises over a religious

                community of men authority similar in many things

                to that exercised by a bishop over his diocese.He

                has also certain privileges usually granted to

                bishops.

 

Question 991.   What is the pallium?

Answer:         The pallium is a white woolen vestment worn by the

                Pope and sent by him to patriarchs, primates and

                archbishops.It is the symbol of the fullness of

                pastoral power, and reminds the wearer of the Good

                Shepherd, whose example he must follow.

 

Question 992.   What is necessary to receive Holy Orders worthily?

Answer:         To receive Holy Orders worthily it is necessary to

                be in the state of grace, to have the necessary

                knowledge and a divine call to this sacred office.

 

Question 993.   What name is given to this divine call and how can

                we discover this call?

Answer:         This divine call is named a vocation to the

                priestly or religious life.We can discover it in

                our constant inclination to such a life from the

                pure and holy motive of serving God better in it,

                together with our fitness for it, or, at least,

                our ability to prepare for it, also in our true

                piety and mastery over our sinful passions and

                unlawful desires.

 

Question 994.   How should we finally determine our vocation?

Answer:         We should finally determine our vocation:

           (1)  By leading a holy life that we may be more worthy

                of it;

           (2)  By praying to the Holy Ghost for light on the

                subject;

           (3)  By seeking the advice of holy and prudent persons

                and above all of our confessor.

 

Question 995.   What should parents and guardians bear in mind

                with regard to their children's vocations?

Answer:         Parents and guardians should bear in mind with

                regard to their children's vocations:

           (1)  That it is their duty to aid their children to

                discover their vocation;

           (2)  That it is sinful for them to resist the Will of

                God by endeavoring to turn their children from

                their true vocation or to prevent them from

                following it by placing obstacles in their way,

                and, worst of all, to urge them to enter a state

                of life to which they have not been divinely

                called;

           (3)  That in giving their advice they should be guided

                only by the future good and happiness of their

                children and not by any selfish or worldly motive

                which may lead to the loss of souls.

 

Question 996.   How should Christians look upon the priests of the

                Church?

Answer:         Christians should look upon the priests of the

                Church as the messengers of God and the dispensers

                of His mysteries.

 

Question 997.   How do we know that the priests of the Church are

                the messengers of God?

Answer:         We know that the priests of the Church are the

                messengers of God, because Christ said to His

                apostles, and through them to their successors:

                "As the Father hath sent Me, I also send you";

                that is to say, to preach the true religion, to

                administer the Sacraments, to offer Sacrifice, and

                to do all manner of good for the salvation of

                souls.

 

Question 998.   When did the priests of the Church receive this

                threefold power to preach, to forgive sins and to

                consecrate bread and wine?

Answer:         The priests of the Church received this three-fold

                power to preach, to forgive sins and to consecrate

                bread and wine, when Christ said to them, through

                the apostles: "Go teach all nations"; "Whose sins

                you shall forgive they are forgiven," and "Do this

                for a commemoration of Me."

 

Question 999.   Why should we show great respect to the priests

                and bishops of the Church?

Answer:         We should show great respect to the priests and

                bishops of the Church:

           (1)  Because they are the representatives of Christ

                upon earth, and

           (2)  Because they administer the Sacraments without

                which we cannot be saved. Therefore, we should be

                most careful in what we do, say or think

                concerning God's ministers.  To show our respect

                in proportion to their dignity, we address the

                priest as Reverend, the bishop as Right Reverend,

                the archbishop as Most Reverend, and the Pope as

                Holy Father.

 

Question 1000.  Should we do more than merely respect the

                ministers of God?

Answer:         We should do more than merely respect the

                ministers of God.  We should earnestly and

                frequently pray for them, that they may be enabled

                to perform the difficult and important duties of

                their holy state in a manner pleasing to God.

 

Question 1001.  Who can confer the Sacrament of Holy Orders?

Answer:         Bishops can confer the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

 

Question 1002.  How do we know that there is a true priesthood in

                the Church?

Answer:         We know that there is a true priesthood in the

                Church:

           (1)  Because in the Jewish religion, which was only a

                figure of the Christian religion, there was a true

                priesthood established by God;

           (2)  Because Christ conferred on His apostles and not

                on all the faithful the power to offer Sacrifice,

                distribute the Holy Eucharist and forgive sins.

 

Question 1003.  But is there need of a special Sacrament of Holy

                Orders to confer these powers?

Answer:         There is need of a special Sacrament of Holy

                Orders to confer these powers:

           (1)  Because the priesthood which is to continue the

                work of the apostles must be visible in the

                Church, and it must therefore be conferred by some

                visible ceremony or outward sign;

           (2)  Because this outward sign called Holy Orders gives

                not only power but grace and was instituted by

                Christ, Holy Orders must be a Sacrament.

 

Question 1004.  Can bishops, priests and other ministers of the

                Church always exercise the power they have

                received in Holy Orders?

Answer:         Bishops, priests and other ministers of the Church

                cannot exercise the power they have received in

                Holy Orders unless authorized and sent to do so by

                their lawful superiors.  The power can never be

                taken from them, but the right to use it may be

                withdrawn for causes laid down in the laws of the

                Church, or for reasons that seem good to those in

                authority over them.  Any use of sacred power

                without authority is sinful, and all who take part

                in such ceremonies are guilty of sin.

 

 

LESSON TWENTY-SIXTH:  On Matrimony

 

Question 1005.  What is the Sacrament of Matrimony?

Answer:         The Sacrament of Matrimony is the Sacrament which

                unites a Christian man and woman in lawful

                marriage.

 

Question 1006.  When are persons lawfully married?

 

Answer:         Persons are lawfully married when they comply with

                all the laws of God and of the Church relating to

                marriage.  To marry unlawfully is a mortal sin,

                and it deprives the souls of the grace of the

                Sacrament.

 

Question 1007.  When was marriage first instituted?

Answer:         Marriage was first instituted in the Garden of

                Eden, when God created Adam and Eve and made them

                husband and wife, but it was not then a Sacrament,

                for their union did not confer any special grace.

 

Question 1008.  When was the contract of marriage raised to the

                dignity of a Sacrament?

Answer:         The exact time at which the contract of marriages

                was raised to the dignity of a Sacrament is not

                known, but the fact that it was thus raised is

                certain from passages in the New Testament and

                from the constant teaching of the Church ever

                since the time of the apostles.  Our Lord did not

                merely add grace to the contract, but He made the

                very contract a Sacrament, so that Christians

                cannot make this contract without receiving the

                Sacrament.

 

Question 1009.  What is the outward sign in the Sacrament of

                Matrimony, and in what does the whole essence of

                the marriage contract consist?

Answer:         The outward sign in the Sacrament of matrimony is

                the mutual consent of the persons, expressed by

                words or signs in accordance with the laws of the

                Church. The whole essence of the marriage contract

                consists in the surrender by the persons of their

                bodies to each other and in declaring by word or

                sign that they make this surrender and take each

                other for husband and wife now and for life.

 

Question 1010.  What are the chief ends of the Sacrament of

                Matrimony?

Answer:         The chief ends of the Sacrament of matrimony are:

           (1)  To enable the husband and wife to aid each other

                in securing the salvation of their souls;

           (2)  To propagate or keep up the existence of the human

                race by bringing children into the world to serve

                God;

           (3)  To prevent sins against the holy virtue of purity

                by faithfully obeying the laws of the marriage

                state.

 

Question 1011.  Can a Christian man and woman be united in lawful

                marriage in any other way than by the Sacrament of

                Matrimony?

Answer:         A Christian man and woman cannot be united in

                lawful marriage in any other way than by the

                Sacrament of Matrimony, because Christ raised

                marriage to the dignity of a sacrament.

 

Question 1012.  Were, then, all marriages before the coming of

                Christ unlawful and invalid?

Answer:         All marriages before the coming of Christ were not

                unlawful and invalid. They were both lawful and

                valid when the persons contracting them followed

                the dictates of their conscience and the laws of

                God as they knew them; but such marriages were

                only contracts. Through their evil inclinations

                many forgot or neglected the true character of

                marriage till Our Lord restored it to its former

                unity and purity.

 

Question 1013.  What do we mean by impediments to marriage?

Answer:         By impediments to marriage we mean certain

                restrictions, imposed by the law of God or of the

                Church, that render the marriage invalid or

                unlawful when they are violated in entering into

                it.  These restrictions regard age, health,

                relationship, intention, religion and other

                matters affecting the good of the Sacrament.

 

Question 1014.  Can the Church dispense from or remove these

                impediments to marriage?

Answer:         The Church can dispense from or remove the

                impediments to marriage that arise from its own

                laws; but it cannot dispense from impediments that

                arise from the laws of God and nature.  Every

                lawmaker can change or excuse from the laws made

                by himself or his equals, but he cannot, of his

                own authority, change or excuse from laws made by

                a higher power.

 

Question 1015.  What is required that the Church may grant, when

                it is able, dispensations from the impediments to

                marriage or from other laws?

Answer:         That the Church may grant dispensations from the

                impediments to marriage or from other laws, there

                must be a good and urgent reason for granting such

                dispensations.  The Church does not grant

                dispensations without cause and merely to satisfy

                the wishes of those who ask for them.

 

Question 1016.  Why does the Church sometimes require the persons

                to whom dispensations are granted to pay a tax or

                fee for the privilege?

Answer:         The Church sometimes requires the persons to whom

                dispensations are granted to pay a tax or fee for

                the privilege:

           (1)  That persons on account of this tax be restrained

                from asking for dispensations and may comply with

                the general laws;

           (2)  That the Church may not have to bear the expense

                of supporting an office for granting privileges to

                a few.

 

Question 1017.  What should persons who are about to get married

                do?

Answer:         Persons who are about to get married should give

                their pastor timely notice of their intention,

                make known to him privately whatever they suspect

                might be an impediment to the marriage, and make

                sure of all arrangements before inviting their

                friends.

 

Question 1018.  What timely notice of marriage should be given to

                the priest, and why?

Answer:         At least three weeks notice of marriage should be

                given to the priest, because, according to the

                laws of the Church, the names of the persons about

                to get married must be announced and their

                intended marriage published at the principal Mass

                in their parish for three successive Sundays.

 

Question 1019.  Why are the banns of matrimony published in the

                Church?

Answer:         The banns of matrimony are published in the Church

                that any person who might know of any impediment

                to the marriage may have an opportunity to declare

                it privately to the priest before the marriage

                takes place and thus prevent an invalid or

                unlawful marriage.  Persons who know of such

                impediments and fail to declare them in due time

                are guilty of sin

 

Question 1020.  What things in particular should persons arranging

                for their marriage make known to the priest?

 

Answer:         Persons arranging for their marriage should make

                known to the priest whether both are Christians

                and Catholics; whether either has been solemnly

                engaged to another person; whether they have ever

                made any vow to God with regard to chastity or the

                like; whether they are related and in what degree;

                whether either was ever married to any member of

                the other's family and whether either was ever

                godparent in baptism for the other.

 

Question 1021.  What else must they make known?

Answer:         They must also make known whether either was

                married before and what proof can be given of the

                death of the former husband or wife; whether they

                really intend to get married, and do so of their

                own will; whether they are of lawful age; whether

                they are sound in body or suffering from any

                deformity that might prevent their marriage, and

                lastly, whether they live in the parish in which

                they ask to be married, and if so, how long they

                have lived in it.

 

Question 1022.  What is particularly necessary that persons may do

                their duty in the marriage state?

Answer:         That persons may do their duty in the marriage

                state, it is particularly necessary that they

                should be well instructed, before entering it, in

                the truths and duties of their religion for how

                will they teach their children these things if

                they are ignorant of them themselves?

 

Question 1023.  Can the bond of Christian marriage be dissolved by

                any human power?

Answer:         The bond of Christian marriage cannot be dissolved

                by any human power.

 

Question 1024.  Does not a divorce granted by courts of justice

                break the bond of marriage?

Answer:         Divorce granted by courts of justice or by any

                human power does not break the bond of marriage,

                and one who makes use of such a divorce to marry

                again while the former husband or wife lives

                commits a sacrilege and Iives in the sin of

                adultery.  A civil divorce may give a sufficient

                reason for the persons to live apart and it may

                determine their rights with regard to support, the

                control of the children and other temporal things,

                but it has no effect whatever upon the bond and

                spiritual nature of the Sacrament.

 

Question 1025.  Does not the Church sometimes allow husband and

                wife to separate and live apart?

Answer:         The Church sometimes, for very good reasons, does

                allow husband and wife to separate and live apart;

                but that is not dissolving the bond of marriage,

                or divorce as it is called, for though separated

                they are still husband and wife, and neither can

                marry again till the other dies.

 

Question 1026.  Has not the Church sometimes allowed Catholics

                once married to separate and marry again?

Answer:         The Church has never allowed Catholics once really

                married to separate and marry again, but it has

                sometimes declared persons apparently married free

                to marry again, because their first marriage was

                null; that is, no marriage on account of some

                impediment not discovered till after the ceremony.

 

Question 1027.  What evils follow divorce so commonly claimed by

                those outside the true Church and granted by civil

                authority?

Answer:         The evils that follow divorce so commonly claimed

                by those outside the true Church and granted by

                civil authority are very many; but chiefly:

           (1)  A disregard for the sacred character of the

                Sacrament and for the spiritual welfare of the

                children;

           (2)  The loss of the true idea of home and family

                followed by bad morals and sinful living.

 

Question 1028.  Which are the effects of the Sacrament of

                Matrimony?

Answer:         The effects of the Sacrament of Matrimony are:

     1st. To sanctify the love of husband and wife;

     2nd. To give them grace to bear with each other's weaknesses;

     3rd. To enable them to bring up their children in the fear and

love of God.

 

Question 1029.  What do we mean by bearing with each other's

                weaknesses?

Answer:         By bearing with each other's weaknesses we mean

                that the husband and wife must be patient with

                each other's faults, bad habits or dispositions,

                pardon them easily, and aid each other in

                overcoming them.

 

Question 1030.  How are parents specially fitted to bring up their

                children in the fear and love of God?

Answer:         Parents are specially fitted to bring up their

                children in the fear and love of God:

           (1)  By the special grace they receive to advise and

                direct their children and to warn them against

                evil;

           (2)  By the experience they have acquired in passing

                through life from childhood to the position of

                parents. Children should, therefore,

                conscientiously seek and accept the direction of

                good parents.

 

Question 1031.  To receive the Sacrament of Matrimony worthily is

                it necessary to be in the state of grace?

Answer:         To receive the Sacrament of Matrimony worthily it

                is necessary to be in the state of grace, and it

                is necessary also to comply with the laws of the

                Church.

 

Question 1032.  With what laws of the Church are we bound to

                comply in receiving the Sacrament of Matrimony?

Answer:         In receiving the Sacrament of matrimony we are

                bound to comply with whatever laws of the Church

                concern Matrimony; such as laws forbidding solemn

                marriage in Lent and Advent; or marriage with

                relatives or with persons of a different religion,

                and in general all laws that refer to any

                impediment to marriage.

 

Question 1033.  In how many ways may persons be related?

Answer:         Persons may be related in four ways.  When they

                are related by blood their relationship  is called

                consanguinity; when they are related by marriage

                it is called affinity; when they are related by

                being god-parents in Baptism or Confirmation, it

                is called spiritual affinity; when they are

                related by adoption, it is called legal affinity.

 

Question 1034.  Who has the right to make laws concerning the

                Sacrament of marriage?

Answer:         The Church alone has the right to make laws

                concerning the Sacrament of marriage, though the

                state also has the right to make laws concerning

                the civil effects of the marriage contract.

 

Question 1035.  What do we mean by laws concerning the civil

                effects of the marriage contract?

Answer:         By laws concerning the civil effects of the

                marriage contract we mean laws with regard to the

                property or debts of the husband and wife, the

                inheritance of their children, or whatever

                pertains to their temporal affairs.  All persons

                are bound to obey the laws of their country when

                these laws are not opposed to the laws of God.

 

Question 1036.  Does the Church forbid the marriage of Catholics

                with persons who have a different religion or no

                religion at all?

Answer:         The Church does forbid the marriage of Catholics

                with persons who have a different religion or no

                religion at all.

 

Question 1037.  Why does the Church forbid the marriage of

                Catholics with persons who have a different

                religion or no religion at all?

Answer:         The Church forbids the marriage of Catholics with

                persons who have a different religion, or no

                religion at all, because such marriages generally

                lead to indifference, loss of faith, and to the

                neglect of the religious education of the

                children.

 

Question 1038.  What are the marriages of Catholics with persons

                of a different religion called, and when does the

                Church permit them by dispensation?

Answer:         The marriages of Catholics with persons of a

                different religion are called mixed marriages.

                The Church permits them by dispensation only under

                certain conditions and for urgent reasons; chiefly

                to prevent a greater evil.

 

Question 1039.  What are the conditions upon which the Church will

                permit a Catholic to marry one who is not a

                Catholic?

Answer:         The conditions upon which the Church will permit a

                Catholic to marry one who is not a Catholic are:

           (1)  That the Catholic be allowed the free exercise of

                his or her religion ;

           (2)  That the Catholic shall try by teaching and good

                example to lead the one who is not a Catholic to

                embrace the true faith;

           (3)  That all the children born of the marriage shall

                be brought up in the Catholic religion. The

                marriage ceremony must not be repeated before a

                heretical minister. Without these promises, the

                Church will not consent to a mixed marriage, and

                if the Church does not consent the marriage is

                unlawful.

 

Question 1040.  What penalty does the Church impose on Catholics

                who marry before a Protestant minister?

Answer:         Catholics who marry before a Protestant minister

                incur excommunication; that is, a censure of the

                Church or spiritual penalty which prevents them

                from receiving the Sacrament of Penance till the

                priest who hears their confession gets special

                faculties or permission from the bishop; because

                by such a marriage they make profession of a false

                religion in acknowledging as a priest one who has

                neither sacred power nor authority.

 

Question 1041.  How does the Church show its displeasure at mixed

                marriages?

Answer:         The Church shows its displeasure at mixed

                marriages by the coldness with which it sanctions

                them, prohibiting all religious ceremony at them

                by forbidding the priest to use any sacred

                vestments, holy water or blessing of the ring at

                such marriages; by prohibiting them also from

                taking place in the Church or even in the

                sacristy.  On the other hand, the Church shows its

                joy and approval at a true Catholic marriage by

                the Nuptial Mass and solemn ceremonies.

 

Question 1042.  Why should Catholics avoid mixed marriages?

Answer:         Catholics should avoid mixed marriages:

           (1)  Because they are displeasing to the Church and

                cannot bring with them the full measure of God's

                grace and blessing;

           (2)  Because the children should have the good example

                of both parents in the practice of their religion;

           (3)  Because such marriages give rise to frequent

                disputes on religious questions between husband

                and wife and between their relatives;

           (4)  Because the one not a Catholic, disregarding the

                sacred character of the Sacrament, may claim a

                divorce and marry again, leaving the Catholic

                married and abandoned.

 

Question 1043.  Does the Church seek to make converts by its laws

                concerning mixed marriages?

Answer:         The Church does not seek to make converts by its

                laws concerning mixed marriages, but seeks only to

                keep its children from losing their faith and

                becoming perverts by constant company with persons

                not Catholics.  The Church does not wish persons

                to become Catholics merely for the sake of

                marrying Catholics.  Such conversions are, as a

                rule, not sincere, do no good, but rather make

                such converts hypocrites and guilty of greater

                sins, especially sins of sacrilege.

 

Question 1044.  Why do many marriages prove unhappy?

Answer:         Many marriages prove unhappy because they are

                entered into hastily and without worthy motives.

 

Question 1045.  When are marriages entered into hastily?

Answer:         Marriages are entered into hastily when persons do

                not sufficiently consider and investigate the

                character, habits and dispositions of the one they

                intend to marry.  It is wise to look for lasting

                qualities and solid virtues in a life-long

                companion and not to be carried away with

                characteristics that please only for a time.

 

Question 1046.  When are motives for marriage worthy?

Answer:         Motives for marriage are worthy when persons enter

                it for the sake of doing God's will and fulfilling

                the end for which He instituted the Sacrament.

                Whatever is opposed to the true object of the

                Sacrament and the sanctification of the husband

                and wife must be an unworthy motive.

 

Question 1047.  How should Christians prepare for a holy and happy

                marriage?

Answer:         Christians should prepare for a holy and happy

                marriage by receiving the Sacraments of Penance

                and Holy Eucharist; by begging God to grant them a

                pure intention and to direct their choice; and by

                seeking the advice of their parents and the

                blessing of their pastors.

 

Question 1048.  How may parents be guilty of great injustice to

                their children in case of marriage?

Answer:         Parents may be guilty of great injustice to their

                children in case of marriage by seeking the

                gratification of their own aims and desires,

                rather than the good of their children, and thus

                for selfish and unreasonable motives forcing their

                children to marry persons they dislike or

                preventing them from marrying the persons chosen

                by the dictates of their conscience, or compelling

                them to marry when they have no vocation for such

                a life or no true knowledge of its obligations.

 

Question 1049.  May persons receive the Sacrament of Matrimony

                more than once?

Answer:         Persons may receive the sacrament of Matrimony

                more than once, provided they are certain of the

                death of the former husband or wife and comply

                with the laws of the Church.

 

Question 1050.  Where and at what time of the day should Catholics

                be married?

Answer:         Catholics should be married before the altar in

                the Church.  They should be married in the

                morning, and with a Nuptial Mass if possible.

 

Question 1051.  What must never be forgotten by those who attend a

                marriage ceremony in the Church?

Answer:         They who attend a marriage ceremony in the Church

                must never forget the presence of the Blessed

                Sacrament, and that all laughing, talking, or

                irreverence is forbidden then as at other times.

                Women must never enter into the presence of the

                Blessed Sacrament with uncovered heads, and their

                dress must be in keeping with the strict modesty

                that Our Lord's presence demands, no matter what

                worldly vanity or social manners may require.

 

 

LESSON TWENTY-SEVENTH:  On the Sacramentals

 

Question 1052.  What is a sacramental?

Answer:         A sacramental is anything set apart or blessed by

                the Church to excite good thoughts and to increase

                devotion, and through these movements of the heart

                to remit venial sin.

 

Question 1053.  How do the Sacramentals excite good thoughts and

                increase devotion?

Answer:         The Sacramentals excite good thoughts by recalling

                to our minds some special reason for doing good

                and avoiding evil; especially by reminding us of

                some holy person, event or thing through which

                blessings have come to us.  They increase devotion

                by fixing our minds on particular virtues and by

                helping us to understand and desire them.

 

Question 1054.  Do the Sacramentals of themselves remit venial

                sins?

Answer:         The Sacramentals of themselves do not remit venial

                sins, but they move us to truer devotion, to

                greater love for God and greater sorrow for our

                sins, and this devotion, love and sorrow bring us

                grace, and the grace remits venial sins.

 

Question  1055. Why does the Church use Sacramentals?

Answer:         The Church uses Sacramentals to teach the faithful

                of every class the truths of religion, which they

                may learn as well by their sight as by their

                hearing; for God wishes us to learn His laws by

                every possible means, by every power of soul and

                body.

 

Question 1056.  Show by an example how Sacramentals aid the

                ignorant in learning the truths of faith.

Answer:         Sacramentals aid the ignorant in learning the

                truths of faith as children learn from pictures

                before they are able to read.  Thus one who cannot

                read the account of Our Lord's passion may learn

                it from the Stations of the Cross, and one who

                kneels before a crucifix and looks on the bleeding

                head, pierced hands and wounded side, is better

                able to understand Christ's sufferings than one

                without a crucifix before him.

 

Question 1057.  What are the Stations or Way of the Cross?

Answer:         The Stations or Way of the Cross is a devotion

                instituted by the Church to aid us in meditating

                on Christ's passion and death.  Fourteen crosses

                or stations, each with a picture of some scene in

                the passion, are arranged at distances apart.  By

                passing from one station to another and praying

                before each while we meditate upon the scene it

                represents, we make the Way of the Cross in memory

                of Christ's painful journey during His passion,

                and we gain the indulgence granted for this pious

                exercise.

 

Question 1058.  Are prayers and ceremonies of the Church also

                Sacramentals?

Answer:         Prayers and ceremonies of the Church are also

                Sacramentals because they excite good thoughts and

                increase devotion.  Whatever the Church dedicates

                to a pious use or devotes to the worship of God

                may be called a Sacramental.

 

Question 1059.  On what ground does the Church make use of

                ceremonies?

Answer:         The Church makes use of ceremonies:

           (1)  After the example of the Old Law, in which God

                described and commanded ceremonies;

           (2)  After the example of Our Lord, who rubbed clay on

                the eyes of the blind to whom He wished to restore

                sight, though He might have performed the miracle

                without any external act;

           (3)  On the authority of the Church itself, to whom

                Christ gave power to do whatever was necessary for

                the instruction of all men;

           (4)  To add solemnity to religious acts.

 

Question 1060.  How may persons sin in using Sacramentals?

Answer:         Persons may sin in using Sacramentals by using

                them in a way or for a purpose prohibited by the

                Church; also by believing that the use of

                Sacramentals will save us in spite of our sinful

                lives.  We must remember that Sacramentals can aid

                us only through the blessing the Church gives them

                and through the good dispositions they excite in

                us.  They have, therefore, no power in themselves,

                and to put too much confidence in their use leads

                to superstition.

 

Question 1061.  What is the difference between the Sacraments and

                the sacramentals?

Answer:         The difference between the Sacraments and the

                sacramentals is:

     1st. The Sacraments were instituted by Jesus Christ and the

sacramentals were instituted by the Church;

     2nd. The Sacraments give grace of themselves when we place no

obstacle in the way;

     3rd. The sacramentals excite in us pious dispositions, by

means of which we may obtain grace.

 

Question 1062.  May the Church increase or diminish the number of

                Sacraments and Sacramentals?

Answer:         The Church can never increase nor diminish the

                number of Sacraments, for as Christ Himself

                instituted them, He alone has power to change

                their number; but the Church may increase or

                diminish the number of the Sacramentals as the

                devotion of its people or the circumstances of the

                time and place require, for since the Church

                instituted them they must depend entirely upon its

                laws.

 

Question 1063.  Which is the chief sacramental used in the Church?

Answer:         The chief sacramental used in the Church is the

                sign of the cross.

 

Question 1064.  How do we make the sign of the cross?

Answer:         We make the sign of the cross by putting the right

                hand to the forehead, then on the breast, and then

                to the left and right shoulders, saying, "In the

                name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the

                Holy Ghost, Amen."

 

Question 1065.  What is a common fault with many in blessing

                themselves?

Answer:         A common fault with many in blessing themselves is

                to make a hurried motion with the hand which is in

                no way a sign of the cross.  They perform this act

                of devotion without thought or intention,

                forgetting that the Church grants an indulgence to

                all who bless themselves properly while they have

                sorrow for their sins.

 

Question 1066.  Why do we make the sign of the cross?

Answer:         We make the sign of the cross to show that we are

                Christians and to profess our belief in the chief

                mysteries of our religion.

 

Question 1067.  How is the sign of the cross a profession of faith

                in the chief mysteries of our religion?

Answer:         The sign of the cross is a profession of faith in

                the chief mysteries of our religion because it

                expresses the mysteries of the Unity and Trinity

                of God and of the Incarnation and death of our

                Lord.

 

Question 1068.  How does the sign of the cross express the mystery

                of the Unity and Trinity of God?

Answer: The words, "In the name," express the Unity of God; the

words that follow, "of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy

Ghost," express the mystery of the Trinity.

 

Question 1069.  How does the sign of the cross express the mystery

                of the Incarnation and death of our Lord?

Answer:         The sign of the cross expresses the mystery of the

                Incarnation by reminding us that the Son of God,

                having become man, suffered death on the cross.

 

Question 1070.  What other sacramental is in very frequent use?

Answer:         Another sacramental in very frequent use is holy

                water.

 

Question 1071.  What is holy water?

Answer:         Holy water is water blessed by the priest with

                solemn prayer to beg God's blessing on those who

                use it, and protection from the powers of

                darkness.

 

Question 1072.  How does the water blessed on Holy Saturday, or

                Easter Water, as it is called, differ from the

                holy water blessed at other times?

Answer:         The water blessed on Holy Saturday, or Easter

                Water, as it is called, differs from the holy

                water blessed at other times in this, that the

                Easter water is blessed with greater solemnity,

                the paschal candle, which represents Our Lord

                risen from the dead, having been dipped into it

                with a special prayer.

 

Question 1073.  Is water ever blessed in honor of certain saints?

Answer:         Water is sometimes blessed in honor of certain

                saints and for special purposes. The form of

                prayer to be used in such blessings is found in

                the Roman Ritual -- the book containing prayers

                and ceremonies for the administration of the

                Sacraments and of blessings authorized by the

                Church.

 

Question 1074.  Are there other sacramentals besides the sign of

                the cross and holy water?

Answer:         Beside the sign of the cross and holy water there

                are many other sacramentals, such as blessed

                candles, ashes, palms, crucifixes, images of the

                Blessed Virgin and of the saints, rosaries, and

                scapulars.

 

Question 1075.  When are candles blessed in the Church and why are

                they used?

Answer:         Candles are blessed in the Church on the feast of

                the Purification of the Blessed Virgin -- February

                2nd.  They are used chiefly to illuminate and

                ornament our altars, as a mark of reverence for

                the presence of Our Lord and of joy at His coming.

 

Question 1076.  What praiseworthy custom is now in use in many

                places?

Answer:         A praiseworthy custom now in use in many places is

                the offering by the faithful on the feast of the

                Purification of candles for the use of the altar

                during the year.  It is pleasing to think we have

                candles burning in our name on the altar of God,

                and if the Jewish people yearly made offerings to

                their temple, faithful Christians should not

                neglect their altars and churches where God

                Himself dwells.

 

Question 1077.  When are ashes blessed in the Church and why are

                they used?

Answer:         Ashes are blessed in the Church on Ash Wednesday.

                They are used to keep us in mind of our humble

                origin, and of how the body of Adam, our

                forefather, was formed out of the slime or clay of

                the earth; also to remind us of death, when our

                bodies will return to dust, and of the necessity

                of doing penance for our sins.  These ashes are

                obtained by burning the blessed palms of the

                previous year.

 

Question 1078.  When are palms blessed and of what do they remind

                us?

Answer:         Palms are blessed on Palm Sunday.  They remind us

                of Our Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when

                the people, wishing to honor Him and make Him

                king, strewed palm branches and even their own

                garments in His path, singing: Hosanna to the Son

                of David.

 

Question 1079.  What is the difference between a cross and a

                crucifix?

Answer:         A cross has no figure on it and a crucifix has a

                figure of Our Lord.  The word crucifix means fixed

                or nailed to the cross.

 

Question 1080.  What is the Rosary?

Answer:         The Rosary is a form of prayer in which we say a

                certain number of Our Fathers and Hail Marys,

                meditating or thinking for a short time before

                each decade; that is, before each Our Father and

                ten Hail Marys, on some particular event in the

                life of Our Lord.  These events are called

                mysteries of the Rosary.  The string of beads on

                which these prayers are said is also called a

                Rosary.  The ordinary beads are of five decades,

                or one-third of the whole Rosary.

 

Question 1081.  Who taught the use of the Rosary in its present

                form?

Answer:         St. Dominic taught the use of the Rosary in its

                present form.  By it he instructed his hearers in

                the chief truths of our holy religion and

                converted many to the true faith.

 

Question 1082.  How do we say the Rosary, or beads?

Answer:         To say the Rosary or beads we bless ourselves with

                the cross, then say the Apostles' Creed and the

                Our Father on the first large bead, then the Hail

                Mary on each of the three small beads, and then

                Glory be to the Father, etc.  Then we mention or

                think of the first mystery we wish to honor, and

                say an Our Father on the large bead and a Hail

                Mary on each small bead of the ten that follow.

                At the end of every decade, or ten Hail Marys, we

                say "Glory be to the Father;" etc. Then we mention

                the next mystery and do as before, and so on to

                the end.

 

Question 1083.  How many mysteries of the Rosary are there?

Answer:         There are fifteen mysteries of the Rosary arranged

                in the order in which these events occurred in the

                life of Our Lord, and divided into five joyful,

                five sorrowful, and five glorious mysteries.

 

Question 1084.  Say the five joyful mysteries of the Rosary.

Answer:         The five joyful mysteries of the Rosary are:

           (1)  The Annunciation -- the Angel Gabriel telling the

                Blessed Virgin that she is to be the Mother of

                God;

           (2)  The Visitation -- the Blessed Virgin goes to visit

                her cousin, St. Elizabeth, the mother of St. John

                the Baptist;

           (3)  The Nativity, or birth, of Our Lord;

           (4)  The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the temple

                -- His parents offered Him to God;

           (5)  The finding of the Child Jesus in the temple --

                His parents had lost Him in Jerusalem for three

                days.

 

Question 1085.  Say the five sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary.

Answer:         The five sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary are:

           (1)  The Agony in the Garden -- Our Lord was in

                dreadful anguish and bathed in a bloody sweat;

           (2)  The Scourging at the Pillar -- Christ was stripped

                of His garments and lashed in a cruel manner;

           (3)  The Crowning with Thorns -- He was mocked as a

                king by heartless men;

           (4)  The Carriage of the Cross -- from the place He was

                condemned to Calvary, the place of Crucifixion;

           (5)  The Crucifixion -- He was nailed to the cross amid

                the jeers and blasphemies of His enemies.

 

Question 1086.  Say the five glorious mysteries of the Rosary.

Answer:         The five glorious mysteries of the Rosary are:

           (1)  The Resurrection of Our Lord;

           (2)  The Ascension of Our Lord;

           (3)  The Coming of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles;

           (4)  The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin -- after

                death she was taken body and soul into heaven;

           (5)  The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin -- on

                entering heaven she was made queen of all the

                Angels and Saints and placed in dignity next to

                her Divine Son, Our Blessed Lord.

 

Question 1087.  On what days, according to the pious custom of the

                faithful, are the different mysteries of the

                Rosary usually said?

Answer:         According to the pious custom of the faithful, the

                different mysteries of the Rosary are usually said

                on the following days, namely: the joyful on

                Mondays and Thursdays, the sorrowful on Tuesdays

                and Fridays, and the glorious on Sundays,

                Wednesdays and Saturdays.

 

Question 1088.  What do the letters  I. N. R. I.  over the

                crucifix mean?

Answer:         The letters I. N. R. I. over the crucifix are the

                first letters of four Latin words that mean Jesus

                of Nazareth, King of the Jews.  Our Lord did say

                He was king of the Jews, but He also said that He

                was not their temporal or earthly king, but their

                spiritual and heavenly king.

 

Question 1089.  To what may we attribute the desire of the Jews to

                put Christ to death?

Answer:         We may attribute the desire of the Jews to put

                Christ to death to the jealously, hatred and

                ill-will of their priests and the Pharisees, whose

                faults He rebuked and whose hypocrisy He exposed.

                By their slanders and lies they induced the people

                to follow them in demanding Our Lord's

                crucifixion.

 

Question 1090.  With whom did the Blessed Virgin live after the

                death of Our Lord?

Answer:         After the death of Our Lord the Blessed Virgin

                lived for about eleven years with the Apostle St.

                John the Evangelist, called also the Beloved

                Disciple.  He wrote one of the four Gospels, three

                Epistles, and the Apocalypse, or Book of

                Revelations -- the last book of the Bible.  He

                lived to the age of a hundred years or more and

                died last of all the apostles.

 

Question 1091.  What do we mean by the Assumption of the Blessed

                Virgin, and why do we believe in it?

Answer:         By the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin we mean

                that her body was taken up into heaven after her

                death.  We believe in it:

           (1)  Because the Church cannot teach error, and yet

                from an early age the Church has celebrated the

                Feast of the Assumption;

           (2)  Because no one ever claimed to have a relic of our

                Blessed Mother's body, and surely the apostles,

                who knew and loved her, would have secured some

                relic had her body remained upon earth.

 

Question 1092.  What do the letters  I. H. S.  on an altar or

                sacred things mean?

Answer:         The letters I. H. S. on an altar or sacred things

                means the name Jesus; for it is in that way the

                Holy Name is written in the Greek language when

                some of the letters are left out.

 

Question 1093.  What is the scapular, and why is it worn?

Answer:         The scapular is a long, broad piece of woolen

                cloth forming a part of the religious dress of

                monks, priests and sisters of some religious

                orders.  It is worn over the shoulders and extends

                from the shoulders to the feet.  The small

                scapular made in imitation of it, and consisting

                of two small pieces of cloth fastened together by

                strings, is worn by the faithful as a promise or

                proof of their willingness to practice some

                particular devotion, indicated by the kind of

                scapular they wear.

 

Question 1094.  How many kinds of scapulars are there in use among

                the faithful?

Answer:         Among the faithful there are many kinds of

                scapulars in use, such as the brown scapular or

                scapular of Mount Carmel worn in honor of Our

                Lord's passion; the white, in honor of the Holy

                Trinity; the blue, in honor of the Immaculate

                Conception; and the black, in honor of the seven

                dolors of the Blessed Virgin. When these are

                joined together and worn as one they are called

                the five scapulars.  The brown scapular is best

                known and entitles its wearer to the greatest

                privileges and indulgences.

 

Question 1095.  What are the seven dolors of the Blessed Virgin?

Answer:         The seven dolors of the Blessed Virgin are the

                chief sorrowful events in the life of Our Blessed

                Lady.  They are:

           (1)  The circumcision of our Lord -- when she saw his

                blood shed for the first time;

           (2)  Her flight  into Egypt -- to save the life of the

                Infant Jesus, when Herod sought to kill Him;

           (3)  The three days she lost her Son in Jerusalem;

           (4)  When she saw him carrying the cross;

           (5)  When she saw him die;

           (6)  When His dead body was taken down from the cross;

           (7)  When it was laid in the sepulchre or tomb.

 

Question 1096.  What are the seven dolor beads, and how do we say

                them?

Answer:         Seven dolor beads are beads constructed with seven

                medals, each bearing a representation of one of

                the seven dolors, and seven beads between each

                medal and the next.  At each medal we meditate on

                the proper dolor and the say a Hail Mary on each

                of the bead following it.

 

Question 1097.  What is an Agnus Dei?

Answer:         An Agnus Dei is a small piece of beeswax stamped

                with the image of a lamb and cross.  It is

                solemnly blessed by the Pope with special prayers

                for those who carry it about their person in honor

                of Our  Blessed Redeemer, whom we call the Lamb of

                God, Who taketh away the sins of the world.  The

                wax is usually covered with silk or some fine

                material.

 

 

LESSON TWENTY-EIGHTH:  On Prayer

 

Question 1098.  Is there any other means of obtaining God's grace

                than the Sacraments?

Answer:         There is another means of obtaining God's grace,

                and it is prayer.

 

Question 1099.  What is prayer?

Answer:         Prayer is the lifting up of our minds and hearts

                to God, to adore Him, to thank Him for His

                benefits, to ask His forgiveness, and to beg of

                Him all the graces we need whether for soul or

                body.

 

Question 1100.  How many kinds of prayer are there?

Answer:         There are two kinds of prayer:

           (1)  Mental prayer, called meditation, in which we

                spend the time thinking of God or of one or more

                of the truths He has revealed, that by these

                thoughts we may be persuaded to lead holier lives;

           (2)  Vocal prayer, in which we express these pious

                thoughts in words.

 

Question 1101.  Why is mental prayer most useful to us?

Answer:         Mental prayer is most useful to us because it

                compels us, while we are engaged in it, to keep

                our attention fixed on God and His holy laws and

                to keep our hearts and minds lifted up to Him.

 

Question 1102.  How can we make a meditation?

Answer:         We can make a meditation:

           (1)  By remembering that we are in the presence of God;

           (2)  By asking the Holy Ghost to give us grace to

                benefit by the meditation;

           (3)  By reflecting seriously on some sacred truth

                regarding our salvation;

           (4)  By drawing some good resolution from the thoughts

                we have had; and

           (5)  By thanking God for the knowledge and grace

                bestowed on us through the meditation.

 

Question 1103.  Where may we find subjects or points for

                meditation?

Answer:         We may find the subjects or points for meditation

                in the words of the Our Father, Hail Mary or

                Apostles' Creed; also in the questions and answers

                of our Catechism, in the Holy Bible, and in books

                of meditation.

 

Question 1104.  Is prayer necessary to salvation?

Answer:         Prayer is necessary to salvation, and without it

                no one having the use of reason can be saved.

 

Question 1105.  At what particular times should we pray?

Answer:         We should pray particularly on Sundays and holy

                days, every morning and night, in all dangers,

                temptations, and afflictions.

 

Question 1106.  How should we pray?

Answer:         We should pray:

     1st. With attention;

     2nd. With a sense of our own helplessness and dependence upon

God;

     3rd. With a great desire for the graces we beg of God;

     4th. With trust in God's goodness;

     5th. With perseverance.

 

Question 1107.  What should our attention at prayer be?

Answer:         Our attention at prayer should be threefold,

                namely, attention to the words, that we may say

                them correctly and distinctly; attention to their

                meaning, if we understand it, and attention to

                God, to whom the words are addressed.

 

Question 1108.  What should be the position of the body when we

                pray?

Answer:         At prayer the most becoming position of the body

                is kneeling upright, but whether we pray kneeling,

                standing or sitting, the position of the body

                should always be one indicating reverence, respect

                and devotion.  We may pray even lying down or

                walking, for Our Lord Himself says we should pray

                at all times.

 

Question 1109.  What should we do that we may pray well?

Answer:         That we may pray well we should make a preparation

                before prayer:

           (1)  By calling to mind the dignity of God, to whom we

                are about to speak, and our own unworthiness to

                appear in His presence;

           (2)  By fixing upon the precise grace or blessing for

                which we intend to ask;

           (3)  By remembering God's power and willingness to give

                if we truly need and ,earnestly, humbly and

                confidently ask.

 

Question 1110.  Why does God not always grant our prayers?

Answer:         God does not always grant our prayers for these

                and other reasons:

           (1)  Because we may not pray in the proper manner;

           (2)  That we may learn our dependence on Him, prove our

                confidence in Him, and merit rewards by our

                patience and perseverance in prayer. Prudent

                persons do not grant every request; why, then,

                should God do so?

 

Question 1111.  What assurance have we that God always hears and

                rewards our prayers, though He may not grant what

                we ask?

Answer:         We have the assurance of Our Lord Himself that God

                always hears and rewards our prayers, though He

                may not grant what we ask; for Christ said: "Ask

                and it shall be given you," and "if you ask the

                Father anything in My name, He will give it to

                you."

 

Question 1112.  Which are the prayers most recommended to us?

Answer:         The prayers most recommended to us are the Lord's

                Prayer, the Hail Mary, the Apostles' Creed, the

                Confiteor, and the Acts of Faith, Hope, Love, and

                Contrition.

 

Question 1113.  Are prayers said with distractions of any avail?

Answer:         Prayers said with willful distraction are of no

                avail.

 

Question 1114.  Why are prayers said with willful distraction of

                no avail?

Answer:         Prayers said with willful distraction are of no

                avail because they are mere words, such as a

                machine might utter, and since there is no lifting

                up of the mind or heart with them they cannot be

                prayer.

 

Question 1115.  Do, then, the distractions which we often have at

                prayer deprive our prayers of all merit?

Answer:         The distractions which we often have at prayer do

                not deprive our prayers of all merit, because they

                are not willful when we try to keep them away, for

                God rewards our good intentions and the efforts we

                make to pray well.

 

Question 1116.  What, then, is a distraction?

Answer:         A distraction is any thought that, during prayer,

                enters our mind to turn our thoughts and hearts

                from God and from the sacred duty we are

                performing.

 

Question 1117.  What are the fruits of prayer?

Answer:         The fruits of prayer are:  It strengthens our

                faith, nourishes our hope, increases our love for

                God, keeps us humble, merits grace and atones for

                sin.

 

Question 1118.  Why should we pray when God knows our needs?

Answer:         We pray not to remind God or tell Him of what we

                need, but to acknowledge that He is the Supreme

                Giver, to adore and worship Him by showing our

                entire dependence upon Him for every gift to soul

                or body.

 

Question 1119.  What little prayers may we say even at work?

Answer:         Even at work we may say little aspirations such as

                "My God, pardon my sins; Blessed be the Holy Name

                of Jesus; Holy Spirit, enlighten me; Holy Mary,

                pray for me," etc.

 

Question 1120.  Did Our Lord Himself pray, and why?

Answer:         Our Lord Himself very frequently prayed, often

                spending the whole night in prayer.  He prayed

                before every important action, not that He needed

                to pray, but to set us an example of how and when

                we should pray.

 

Question 1121.  Why does the Church conclude most of its prayers

                with the words "through Jesus Christ Our Lord"?

Answer:         The Church concludes most of its prayers with the

                words "through Jesus Christ Our Lord" because it

                is only through His merits that we can obtain

                grace, and because "there is no other name given

                to men whereby we must be saved."

 

Question 1122.  Was any special promise made in favor of the

                united prayers of two or more persons?

Answer:         A special promise was made in favor of the united

                prayers of two or more persons when Our Lord said:

                "Where there are two or three gathered together in

                My name, there am I in the midst of them."

                Therefore, the united prayers of a congregation,

                sodality or family, and, above all, the public

                prayers of the whole Church, have great influence

                with God.  We should join in public prayers out of

                true devotion, and not from habit, or, worse, to

                display our piety.

 

Question 1123.  What is the most suitable place for prayer?

Answer:         The most suitable place for prayer is in the

                Church -- the house of prayer -- made holy by

                special blessings and, above all, by the Real

                Presence of Jesus dwelling in the Tabernacle.

                Still, Our Lord exhorts us to pray also in secret,

                for His Father, who seeth in secret, will repay

                us.

 

Question 1124.  For what should we pray?

Answer:         We should pray:

           (1)  For ourselves, for the blessings of soul and body

                that we may be devoted servants of God;

           (2)  For the Church, for all spiritual and temporal

                wants, that the true faith may be everywhere known

                and professed;

           (3)  For our relatives, friends and benefactors,

                particularly for those we may in any way have

                injured;

           (4)  For all men, for the protection of the good and

                conversion of the wicked, that virtue may flourish

                and vice disappear;

           (5)  For our spiritual rulers, the Pope, our bishops,

                priests and religious communities, that they may

                faithfully perform their sacred duties;

           (6)  For our country and temporal rulers, that they may

                use their power for the good of their subjects and

                for the honor and glory of God.

 

 

LESSON TWENTY-NINTH:  On the Commandments of God

 

Question 1125.  Is it enough to belong to God's Church in order to

                be saved?

Answer:         It is not enough to belong to the Church in order

                to be saved, but we must also keep the

                Commandments of God and of the Church.

 

Question 1126.  Are not the commandments of the Church also

                commandments of God?

Answer:         The commandments of the Church are also

                commandments of God, for they are made by His

                authority and under the guidance of the Holy

                Ghost; nevertheless, the Church can change or

                abolish its own commandments, while it cannot

                change or abolish the commandments given directly

                by God Himself.

 

Question 1127.  Which are the Commandments that contain the whole

                law of God?

Answer:         The Commandments which contain the whole law of

                God are these two:

     1st. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart,

with thy whole soul, with thy whole strength, and with thy whole

mind;

     2nd. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

 

Question 1128.  Why do these two Commandments of the love of God

                and of our neighbor contain the whole law of God?

Answer:         These two Commandments of the love of God and of

                our neighbor contain the whole law of God because

                all the other Commandments are given either to

                help us to keep these two, or to direct us how to

                shun what is opposed to them.

 

Question 1129.  Explain further how the two commandments of the

                love of God and of our neighbor contain the

                teaching of the whole ten commandments.

Answer:         The two commandments of the love of God and of our

                neighbor contain the teaching of the whole ten

                commandments because the first three of the ten

                commandments refer to God and oblige us to worship

                Him alone, respect His name and serve Him as He

                wills, and these things we will do if we love Him;

                secondly, the last seven of the ten commandments

                refer to our neighbor and forbid us to injure him

                in body, soul, goods or reputation, and if we love

                him we will do him no injury in any of these, but,

                on the contrary, aid him as far as we can.

 

Question 1130.  Which are the Commandments of God?

Answer:         The Commandments of God are these ten:

     1. I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of

Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  Thou shalt not have strange

gods before me.  Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor

the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth

beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the

earth.  Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them.

     2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

     3. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day.

     4. Honor thy father and thy mother.

     5. Thou shalt not kill.

     6. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

     7. Thou shalt not steal.

     8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

     9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.

    10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.

 

Question 1131.  What does the first commandment mean by a "graven

                thing" or "the likeness of anything" in heaven, in

                the earth or in the waters?

Answer:         The first commandment means by a "graven thing" or

                "the likeness of anything" in heaven, in the earth

                or in the waters, the statue, picture or image of

                any creature in heaven or of any animal on land or

                in water intended for an idol and to be worshipped

                as a god.

 

Question 1132.  Who gave the Ten Commandments?

Answer:         God Himself gave the Ten Commandments to Moses on

                Mount Sinai, and Christ our Lord confirmed them.

 

Question 1133.  How and when were the Commandments give to Moses?

Answer:         The Commandments, written on two tables of stone,

                were given to Moses in the midst of fire and

                smoke, thunder and lightning, from which God spoke

                to him on the mountain, about fifty days after the

                Israelites were delivered from the bondage of

                Egypt and while they were on their journey through

                the desert to the Promised Land.

 

Question 1134.  What do we mean when we say Christ confirmed the

                Commandments?

Answer:         When we say Christ confirmed the Commandments we

                mean that He strongly approved them, and gave us

                by His teaching a fuller and clearer knowledge of

                their meaning and importance.

 

Question 1135.  Was anyone obliged to keep the Commandments before

                they were given to Moses?

Answer:         All persons, from the beginning of the world, were

                obliged to keep the Commandments, for it was

                always sinful to blaspheme God, murder, steal or

                violate any of the Commandments, though they were

                not written till the time of Moses.

 

Question 1136.  How many kinds of laws had the Jews before the

                coming of Our Lord?

Answer:         Before the coming of Our Lord the Jews had three

                kinds of laws:

           (1)  Civil laws, regulating the affairs of their

                nation;

           (2)  Ceremonial laws, governing their worship in the

                temple;

           (3)  Moral laws, guiding their religious belief and

                actions.

 

Question 1137.  To which of these laws did the Ten Commandments

                belong?

Answer:         The Ten Commandments belong to the moral law,

                because they are a compendium or short account of

                what we must do in order to save our souls; just

                as the Apostles' Creed is a compendium of what we

                must believe.

 

Question 1138.  When did the civil and ceremonial laws of the Jews

                cease to exist?

Answer:         The civil laws of the Jews ceased to exist when

                the

 

Question 1139.  Why were not also the moral laws of the Jews

                abolished when the Christian religion was

                established?

Answer:         The moral laws of the Jews could not be abolished

                by the establishment of the Christian religion

                because they regard truth and virtue and have been

                revealed by God, and whatever God has revealed as

                true must be always true, and whatever He has

                condemned as bad in itself must be always bad.

 

 

LESSON THIRTIETH:  On the First Commandment

 

Question 1140.  What is the first Commandment?

Answer:         The first Commandment is: I am the Lord thy God:

                thou shalt not have strange gods before me.

 

Question 1141.  What does the commandment mean by "strange gods"?

Answer:         By strange gods the commandment means idols or

                false gods, which the Israelites frequently

                worshipped when, through their sins, they had

                abandoned the true God.

 

Question 1142.  How may we, in a sense, worship strange gods?

Answer:         We, in a sense, may worship strange gods by giving

                up the salvation of our souls for wealth, honors,

                society, worldly pleasures, etc., so that we would

                offend God, renounce our faith or give up the

                practice of our religion for their sake.

 

Question 1143.  How does the first Commandment help us to keep the

                great Commandment of the love of God?

Answer:         The first Commandment helps us to keep the great

                Commandment of the love of God because it commands

                us to adore God alone.

 

Question 1144.  How do we adore God?

Answer:         We adore God by faith, hope, and charity, by

                prayer and sacrifice.

 

Question 1145.  By what prayers do we adore God?

Answer:         We adore God by all our prayers, but in particular

                by the public prayers of the Church, and, above

                all, by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

 

Question 1146.  How may the first Commandment be broken?

Answer:         The first Commandment make be broken by giving to

                a creature the honor which belongs to God alone;

                by false worship; and by attributing to a creature

                a perfection which belongs to God alone.

 

Question 1147.  What is the honor which belongs to God alone?

Answer:         The honor which belongs to God alone is a divine

                honor, in which we offer Him sacrifice, incense or

                prayer, solely for His own sake and for His own

                glory.  To give such honor to any creature,

                however holy, would be idolatry.

 

Question 1148.  How do we offer God false worship?

Answer:         We offer God false worship by rejecting the

                religion He has instituted and following one

                pleasing to ourselves, with a form of worship He

                has never authorized, approved or sanctioned.

 

Question 1149.  Why must we serve God in the form of religion He

                has instituted and in no other?

Answer:         We must serve God in the form of religion He has

                instituted and in no other, because heaven is not

                a right, but a promised reward, a free gift of

                God, which we must merit in the manner He directs

                and pleases.

 

Question 1150.  When do we attribute to a creature a perfection

                which belongs to God alone?

Answer:         We attribute to a creature a perfection which

                belongs to God alone when we believe it possesses

                knowledge or power independently of God, so that

                it may, without His aid, make known the future or

                perform miracles.

 

Question 1151.  Do those who make use of spells and charms, or who

                believe in dreams, in mediums, spiritists,

                fortune-tellers, and the like, sin against the

                first Commandment?

Answer:         Those who make use of spells and charms, or who

                believe in dreams, in mediums, spiritists,

                fortune-tellers, and the like, sin against the

                first Commandment, because they attribute to

                creatures perfections which belong to God alone.

 

Question 1152.  What are spells and charms?

Answer:         Spells and charms are certain words, by the saying

                of which superstitious persons believe they can

                avert evil, bring good fortune or produce some

                supernatural or wonderful effect.  They may be

                also objects or articles worn about the body for

                the same purpose.

 

Question 1153.  Are not Agnus Deis, medals, scapulars, etc., which

                we wear about our bodies also charms?

Answer:         Agnus Deis, medals, scapulars, etc., which we wear

                about our bodies, are not charms, for we do not

                expect any help from these things themselves, but,

                through the blessing they have received from the

                Church, we expect help from God, the Blessed

                Mother, or the Saint in whose honor we wear them.

                On the contrary, they who wear charms expect help

                from the charms themselves, or from some evil

                spirit.

 

Question 1154.  What must we carefully guard against in all our

                devotions and religious practices?

Answer:         In all our devotions and religious practices we

                must carefully guard against expecting God to

                perform miracles when natural causes may bring

                about what we hope for.  God will sometimes

                miraculously help us, but, as a rule, only when

                all natural means have failed.

 

Question 1155.  What are dreams and why is it forbidden to believe

                in them?

Answer:         Dreams are the thoughts we have in sleep, when our

                will is unable to guide them.  It is forbidden to

                believe in them, because they are often

                ridiculous, unreasonable, or wicked, and are not

                governed by either reason or faith.

 

Question 1156.  Are bad dreams sinful in themselves?

Answer:         Bad dreams are not sinful in themselves, because

                we cannot prevent them, but we may make them

                sinful:

           (1)  By taking pleasure in them when we awake, and

           (2)  By bad reading or immodest looks, thoughts, word

                or actions before going to sleep; for by any of

                these things we may make ourselves responsible for

                the bad dreams.

 

Question 1157.  Did not God frequently in the Old Law make use of

                dreams as a means of making known His will?

Answer:         God did frequently in the Old Law make use of

                dreams as a means of making known His Will; but on

                such occasions He always gave proof that what He

                made known was not a mere dream, but rather a

                revelation or inspiration. He no longer makes use

                of such means, for He now makes known His will

                through the inspiration of His Church.

 

Question 1158.  What are mediums and spiritists?

Answer:         Mediums and spiritists are persons who pretend to

                converse with the dead or with spirits of the

                other world.  They pretend also to give this power

                to others, that they may know what is going on in

                heaven, purgatory or hell.

 

Question 1159.  What other practice is very dangerous to faith and

                morals?

Answer:         Another practice very dangerous to faith and

                morals is the use of mesmerism or hypnotism,

                because it is liable to sinful abuses, for it

                deprives a person for a time of the control of his

                reason and will and places his body and mind

                entirely in the power of another.

 

Question 1160.  What are fortune tellers?

Answer:         Fortune tellers are imposters who, learning the

                past, or guessing at it, pretend to know also the

                future and to be able to reveal it to anyone who

                pays for the knowledge.  They pretend also to know

                whatever concerns things lost or stolen, and the

                secret thoughts, actions or intentions of others.

 

Question 1161.  How do we, by believing in spells, charms,

                mediums, spiritists and fortune tellers, attribute

                to creatures the perfections of God?A nswer:  By

                believing in spells, charms, mediums, spiritists

                and fortune tellers we attribute to creatures the

                perfections of God because we expect these

                creatures to perform miracles, reveal the hidden

                judgments of God, and make known His designs for

                the future with regard to His creatures, things

                that only God Himself may do.

 

Question 1162.  Is it sinful to consult mediums, spiritists,

                fortune tellers and the like when we do not

                believe in them, but through mere curiosity to

                hear what they may say?

Answer:         It is sinful to consult mediums, spiritists,

                fortune tellers and the like even when we do not

                believe in them, but through mere curiosity, to

                hear what they may say:

           (1)  Because it is wrong to expose ourselves to the

                danger of sinning even though we do not sin;

           (2)  Because we may give scandal to others who are not

                certain that we go through mere curiosity;

           (3)  Because by our pretended belief we encourage these

                impostors to continue their wicked practices.

 

Question 1163.  Are sins against faith, hope, and charity also

                sins against the first Commandment?

Answer:         Sins against faith, hope and charity are also sins

                against the first Commandment.

 

Question 1164.  How does a person sin against faith?

Answer:         A person sins against faith:

     1st. By not trying to know what God has taught;

     2nd. By refusing to believe all that God has taught;

     3rd. By neglecting to profess his belief in what God has

taught.

 

Question 1165.  How do we fail to try to know what God has taught?

Answer:         We fail to try to know what God has taught by

                neglecting to learn the Christian doctrine.

 

Question 1166.  What means have we of learning the Christian

                doctrine?

Answer:         We have many means of learning the Christian

                doctrine: In youth we have Catechism and special

                instructions suited to our age; later we have

                sermons, missions, retreats, religious sodalities

                and societies through which we may learn.  At all

                times, we have books of instruction, and, above

                all, the priests of the Church, ever ready to

                teach us.  God will not excuse our ignorance if we

                neglect to learn our religion when He has given us

                the means.

 

Question 1167.  Should we learn the Christian doctrine merely for

                our own sake?

Answer:         We should learn the Christian doctrine not merely

                for our own sake, but for the sake also of others

                who may sincerely wish to learn from us the truths

                of our holy faith.

 

Question 1168.  How should such instruction be given to those who

                ask it of us?

Answer:         Such instruction should be given to those who ask

                it of us in a kind and Christian spirit, without

                dispute or bitterness.  We should never attempt to

                explain the truths of our religion unless we are

                certain of what we say.  When we are unable to

                answer what is asked we should send those who

                inquire to the priest or to others better

                instructed than ourselves.

 

Question 1169.  Who are they who do not believe all that God has

                taught?

Answer:         They who do not believe all that God has taught

                are the heretics and infidels.

 

Question 1170.  Name the different classes of unbelievers and tell

                what they are.

Answer:         The different classes of unbelievers are:

           (1)  Atheists, who deny there is a God;

           (2)  Deists, who admit there is a God, but deny that He

                revealed a religion;

           (3)  Agnostics, who will neither admit nor deny the

                existence of God;

           (4)  Infidels, who have never been baptized, and who,

                through want of faith, refuse to be baptized;

           (5)  Heretics, who have been baptized Christians, but

                do not believe all the articles of faith;

           (6)  Schismatics, who have been baptized and believe

                all the articles of faith, but do not submit to

                the authority of the Pope;

           (7)  Apostates, who have rejected the true religion, in

                which they formerly believed, to join a false

                religion;

           (8)  Rationalists and Materialists, who believe only in

                material things.

 

Question 1171.  Will the denial of only one article of faith make

                a person a heretic?

Answer:         The denial of only one article of faith will make

                a person a heretic and guilty of mortal sin,

                because the Holy Scripture says: "Whosoever shall

                keep the whole law but offend in one point is

                become guilty of all."

 

Question 1172.  What is an article of faith?

Answer:         An article of faith is a revealed truth so

                important and so certain that no one can deny or

                doubt it without rejecting the testimony of God.

                The Church very clearly points out what truths are

                articles of faith that we may distinguish them

                from pious beliefs and traditions, so that no one

                can be guilty of the sin of heresy without knowing

                it.

 

Question 1173.  Who are they who neglect to profess their belief

                in what God has taught?

Answer:         They who neglect to profess their belief in what

                God has taught are all those who fail to

                acknowledge the true Church in which they really

                believe.

 

Question 1174.  How do persons who are members of the Church

                neglect to profess their belief?

Answer:         Persons who are members of the Church neglect to

                profess their belief by living contrary to the

                teachings of the Church: that is, by neglecting

                Mass or the Sacraments, doing injury to their

                neighbor, and disgracing their religion by sinful

                and scandalous lives.

 

Question 1175.  What chiefly prevents persons who believe in the

                Church from becoming members of it?

Answer:         A want of Christian courage chiefly prevents

                persons who believe in the Church from becoming

                members of it.  They fear too much the opinion or

                displeasure of others, the loss of position or

                wealth, and, in general, the trials they may have

                to suffer for the sake of the true faith.

 

Question 1176.  What does Our Lord say of those who neglect the

                true religion for the sake of relatives or

                friends, or from fear of suffering?

Answer:         Our Lord says of those who neglect the true

                religion for the sake of relatives or friends, or

                from fear of suffering: "He that loveth father or

                mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me; and he

                that loveth son or daughter more than Me, is not

                worthy of Me"; also: "And whosoever does not carry

                his cross and come after Me cannot be My

                disciple."

 

Question 1177.  What excuse do some give for neglecting to seek

                and embrace the true religion?

Answer:         Some give as an excuse for neglecting to seek and

                embrace the true religion that we should live in

                the religion in which we were born, and that one

                religion is as good as another if we believe we

                are serving God.

 

Question 1178.  How do we show that such an excuse is false and

                absurd?

Answer:         We show that such an excuse is false and absurd

                because:

           (1)  It is false and absurd to say that we should

                remain in error after we have discovered it;

           (2)  Because if one religion is as good as another, Our

                Lord would not have abolished the Jewish religion,

                nor the apostles have preached against heresy.

 

Question 1179.  Can they who fail to profess their faith in the

                true Church in which they believe expect to be

                saved while in that state?

Answer:         They who fail to profess their faith in the true

                Church in which they believe cannot expect to be

                saved while in that state, for Christ has said:

                "Whosoever shall deny me before men, I will also

                deny him before my Father who is in heaven."

 

Question 1180.  Are we obliged to make open profession of our

                faith?

Answer:         We are obliged to make open profession of our

                faith as often as God's honor, our neighbor's

                spiritual good or our own requires it.

                "Whosoever," says Christ, "shall confess me before

                men, I will also confess him before my Father who

                is in heaven."

 

Question 1181.  When does God's honor, our neighbor's spiritual

                good, or our own good require us to make an open

                profession of our faith ?

Answer:         God's honor, our neighbor's spiritual good, or our

                own good requires us to make an open profession of

                our faith as often as we cannot conceal our

                religion without violating some law of God or of

                His Church, or without giving scandal to others or

                exposing ourselves to the danger of sinning.

                Pious practices not commanded may often be omitted

                without any denial of faith.

 

Question 1182.  Which are the sins against hope?

Answer:         The sins against hope are presumption and despair.

 

Question 1183.  What is presumption?

Answer:         Presumption is a rash expectation of salvation

                without making proper use of the necessary means

                to obtain it.

 

Question 1184.  How may we be guilty of presumption?

Answer:         We may be guilty of presumption:

           (1)  By putting off confession when in a state of

                mortal sin;

           (2)  By delaying the amendment of our lives and

                repentance for past sins;

           (3)  By being indifferent about the number of times we

                yield to any temptation after we have once yielded

                and broken our resolution to resist it;

           (4)  By thinking we can avoid sin without avoiding its

                near occasion;

           (5)  By relying too much on ourselves and neglecting to

                follow the advice of our confessor in regard to

                the sins we confess.

 

Question 1185.  What is despair?

Answer:         Despair is the loss of hope in God's mercy.

 

Question 1186.  How may we be guilty of despair?

Answer:         We may be guilty of despair by believing that we

                cannot resist certain temptations, overcome

                certain sins or amend our lives so as to be

                pleasing to God.

 

Question 1187.  Are all sins of presumption and despair equally

                great?

Answer:         All sins of presumption and despair are not

                equally great.  They may be very slight or very

                great in proportion to the degree in which we deny

                the justice or mercy of God.

 

Question 1188.  How do we sin against the love of God?

Answer:         We sin against the love of God by all sin, but

                particularly by mortal sin.

 

 

LESSON THIRTY-FIRST:  The First Commandment -- On the Honor and

Invocation of the Saints

 

Question 1189.  Does the first Commandment forbid the honoring of

                the saints?

Answer:         The first Commandment does not forbid the honoring

                of the saints, but rather approves of it; because

                by honoring the saints, who are the chosen friends

                of God, we honor God Himself.

 

Question 1190.  What does "invocation" mean?

Answer:         Invocation means calling upon another for help or

                protection, particularly when we are in need or

                danger.  It is used specially with regard to

                calling upon God or the saints, and hence it means

                prayer.

 

Question 1191.  How do we show that by honoring the Saints we

                honor God Himself?

Answer:         We honor the Saints because they honor God.

                Therefore, it is for His sake that we honor them,

                and hence by honoring them we honor Him.

 

Question 1192.  Give another reason why we honor God by honoring

                the Saints.

Answer:         Another reason why we honor God by honoring the

                Saints is this: As we honor our country by

                honoring its heroes, so do we honor our religion

                by honoring its Saints.  By honoring our religion

                we honor God, who taught it.  Therefore, by

                honoring the Saints we honor God, for love of whom

                they became religious heroes in their faith.

 

Question 1193.  Does the first Commandment forbid us to pray to

                the saints?

Answer:         The first Commandment does not forbid us to pray

                to the saints.

 

Question 1194.  Why does the first commandment not forbid us to

                pray to the Saints?

Answer:         The first commandment does not forbid us to pray

                to the Saints, because if we are allowed to ask

                the prayers of our fellow-creatures upon earth we

                should be allowed also to ask the prayers of our

                fellow-creatures in heaven. Moreover, the Saints

                must have an interest in our welfare, because

                whatever tends to make us good, tends also to the

                glory of God.

 

Question 1195.  What do we mean by praying to the saints?

Answer:         By praying to the saints we mean the asking of

                their help and prayers.

 

Question 1196.  Do we not slight God Himself by addressing our

                prayers to saints?

Answer:         We do not slight God Himself by addressing our

                prayers to saints, but, on the contrary, show a

                greater respect for His majesty and sanctity,

                acknowledging, by our prayers to the saints, that

                we are unworthy to address Him for ourselves, and

                that we, therefore, ask His holy friends to obtain

                for us what we ourselves are not worthy to ask.

 

Question 1197.  How do we know that the saints hear us?

Answer:         We know that the saints hear us, because they are

                with God, who makes our prayers known to them.

 

Question 1198.  Why do we believe that the saints will help us?

Answer:         We believe that the saints will help us because

                both they and we are members of the same Church,

                and they love us as their brethren.

 

Question 1199.  How are the saints and we members of the same

                Church?

Answer:         The saints and we are members of the same Church,

                because the Church in heaven and the Church on

                earth are one and the same Church, and all its

                members are in communion with one another.

 

Question 1200.  What is the communion of the members of the Church

                called?

Answer:         The Communion of the members of the Church is

                called the Communion of Saints.

 

Question 1201.  What does the communion of saints mean?

Answer:         The communion of saints means the union which

                exists between the members of the Church on earth

                with one another, and with the blessed in Heaven,

                and with the suffering souls in Purgatory.

 

Question 1202.  What benefits are derived from the communion of

                saints?

Answer:         The following benefits are derived from the

                communion of saints: the faithful on earth assist

                one another by their prayers and good works, and

                they are aided by the intercession of the saints

                in Heaven, while both the saints in Heaven and the

                faithful on earth help the souls in Purgatory.

 

Question 1203.  How can we best honor the Saints, and where shall

                we learn their virtues?

Answer:         We can best honor the saints by imitating their

                virtues, and we shall learn their virtues from the

                written accounts of their lives.  Among the Saints

                we shall find models for every age, condition or

                state of life.

 

Question 1204.  Does the first Commandment forbid us to honor

                relics?

Answer:         The first Commandment does not forbid us to honor

                relics, because relics are the bodies of the

                saints or objects directly connected with them or

                with our Lord.

 

Question 1205.  How many kinds or classes of relics are there?

Answer:         There are three kinds or classes of relics:

           (1)  The body or part of the body of a saint;

           (2)  Articles, such as clothing or books, used by the

                saint;

           (3)  Articles that have touched a relic of the body or

                other relic.

 

Question 1206.  What is there special about a relic of the true

                cross on which Our Lord Died, and also about the

                instruments of His Passion?

Answer:         The relics of the true Cross and relics of the

                thorns, nails, etc., used in the Passion are

                entitled to a very special veneration, and they

                have certain privileges with regard to their use

                and the manner of keeping them that other relics

                have not.  A relic of the true Cross is never kept

                or carried with other relics.

 

Question 1207.  What veneration does the Church permit us to give

                to relics?

Answer:         The Church permits us to give relics a veneration

                similar to that we give images.  We do not

                venerate the relics for their own sake, but for

                the sake of the persons they represent.  The souls

                of canonized saints are certainly in heaven, and

                we are certain that their bodies also will be

                there.  Therefore, we may honor their bodies

                because they are to be glorified in heaven and

                were sanctified upon earth.

 

Question 1208.  What care does the Church take in the examination

                and distribution of relics?

Answer:         The Church takes the greatest care in the

                examination and distribution of relics.

           (1)  The canonization or beatification of the person

                whose relic we receive must be certain.

           (2)  The relics are sent in sealed packets, that must

                be opened only by the bishop of the diocese to

                which the relics are sent, and each relic or

                packet must be accompanied by a document or

                written paper proving its genuineness.

           (3)  The relics cannot be exposed for public veneration

                until the bishop examines them and pronounces them

                authentic; that is, that they are what they are

                claimed to be.

 

Question 1209.  What should we be certain of before using any

                relic or giving it to another?

Answer:         Before using any relic or giving it to another we

                should be certain that all the requirements of the

                Church concerning it have been fulfilled, and that

                the relic really is, as far as it is possible for

                any one to know, what we believe it to be.

 

Question 1210.  Has God Himself honored relics?

Answer:         God Himself has frequently honored relics by

                permitting miracles to be wrought through them.

                There is an example given in the Bible, in the IV

                Book of Kings, where it is related that a dead man

                was restored to life when his body touched the

                bones, that is, the relics of the holy prophet

                Eliseus.

 

Question 1211.  Does the first Commandment forbid the making of

                images?

Answer:         The first Commandment does forbid the making of

                images if they are made to be adored as gods, but

                it does not forbid the making of them to put us in

                mind of Jesus Christ, His Blessed Mother, and the

                saints.

 

Question 1212.  How do we show that it is only the worship and not

                the making of images that is forbidden by the

                first commandment?

Answer:         We show that it is only the worship and not the

                making of images that is forbidden by the first

                commandment:

           (1)  Because no one thinks it sinful to carve statues

                or make photographs or paintings of relatives or

                friends;

           (2)  Because God Himself commanded the making of images

                for the temple after He had given the first

                commandment, and God never contradicts Himself.

 

Question 1213.  Is it right to show respect to the pictures and

                images of Christ and His saints?

Answer:         It is right to show respect to the pictures and

                images of Christ and His saints, because they are

                the representations and memorials of them.

 

Question 1214.  Have we in this country any civil custom similar

                to that of honoring the pictures and images of

                saints?

Answer:         We have, in this country, a civil custom similar

                to that of honoring pictures and images of saints,

                for, on Decoration or Memorial Day, patriotic

                citizens place flowers, flags, or emblems about

                the statues of our deceased civil heroes, to honor

                the persons these statues represent; for just as

                we can dishonor a man by abusing his image, so we

                can honor him by treating it with respect and

                reverence.

 

Question 1215.  Is it allowed to pray to the crucifix or to the

                images and relics of the saints?

Answer:         It is not allowed to pray to the crucifix or

                images and relics of the saints, for they have no

                life, nor power to help us, nor sense to hear us.

 

Question 1216.  Why do we pray before the crucifix and the images

                and relics of the saints?

Answer:         We pray before the crucifix and the images and

                relics of the saints because they enliven our

                devotion by exciting pious affections and desires,

                and by reminding us of Christ and of the saints,

                that we may imitate their virtues.

 

 

LESSON THIRTY-SECOND:  From the Second to the Fourth Commandment

 

Question 1217.  What is the second Commandment?

Answer:         The second Commandment is: Thou shalt not take the

                name of the Lord thy God in vain.

 

Question 1218.  What do you mean by taking God's name in vain?

Answer:         By taking God's name in vain I mean taking it

                without reverence, as in cursing or using in a

                light and careless manner, as in exclamation.

 

Question 1219.  What are we commanded by the second Commandment?

Answer:         We are commanded by the second Commandment to

                speak with reverence of God and of the saints, and

                of all holy things, and to keep our lawful oaths

                and vows.

 

Question 1220.  Is it sinful to use the words of Holy Scripture in

                a bad or worldly sense?

Answer:         It is sinful to use the words of Holy Scripture in

                a bad or worldly sense, to joke in them or

                ridicule their sacred meaning, or in general to

                give them any meaning but the one we believe God

                has intended them to convey.

 

Question 1221.  What is an oath?

Answer:         An oath is the calling upon God to witness the

                truth of what we say.

 

Question 1222.  How is an oath usually taken?

Answer:         An oath is usually taken by laying the hand on the

                Bible or by lifting the hand towards heaven as a

                sign that we call God to witness that what we are

                saying is under oath and to the best of our

                knowledge really true.

 

Question 1223.  What is perjury?

Answer:         Perjury is the sin one commits who knowingly takes

                a false oath; that is, swears to the truth of what

                he knows to be false.  Perjury is a crime against

                the law of our country and a mortal sin before

                God.

 

Question 1224.  Who have the right to make us take an oath?

Answer:         All persons to whom the law of our country has

                given such authority have the right to make us

                take an oath.  They are chiefly judges,

                magistrates and public officials, whose duty it is

                to enforce the laws.  In religious matters bishops

                and others to whom authority is given have also

                the right to make us take an oath.

 

Question 1225.  When may we take an oath?

Answer:         We may take an oath when it is ordered by lawful

                authority or required for God's honor or for our

                own or our neighbor's good.

 

Question 1226.  When may an oath be required for God's honor or

                for our own or our neighbor's good?

Answer:         An oath may be required for God's honor or for our

                own or our neighbor's good when we are called upon

                to defend our religion against false charges; or

                to protect our own or our neighbor's property or

                good name; or when we are required to give

                testimony that will enable the lawful authorities

                to discover the guilt or innocence of a person

                accused.

 

Question 1227.  Is it ever allowed to promise under oath, in

                secret societies or elsewhere, to obey another in

                whatever good or evil he commands?

Answer:         It is never allowed to promise under oath, in

                secret societies or elsewhere, to obey another in

                whatever good or evil he commands, for by such an

                oath we would declare ourselves ready and willing

                to commit sin, if ordered to do so, while God

                commands us to avoid even the danger of sinning.

                Hence the Church forbids us to join any society in

                which such oaths are taken by its members.

 

Question 1228.  What societies in general are we forbidden to

                join?

Answer:         In general we are forbidden to join:

           (1)  All societies condemned by the Church;

           (2)  All societies of which the object is unlawful and

                the means used sinful;

           (3)  Societies in which the rights and freedom of our

                conscience are violated by rash or dangerous

                oaths;

           (4)  Societies in which any false religious ceremony or

                form of worship is used.

 

Question 1229.  Are trades unions and benefit societies forbidden?

Answer:         Trades unions and benefit societies are not in

                themselves forbidden because they have lawful

                ends, which they can secure by lawful means.  The

                Church encourages every society that lawfully aids

                its members spiritually or temporally, and

                censures or disowns every society that uses sinful

                or unlawful means to secure even a good end; for

                the Church can never permit anyone to do evil that

                good may come of it.

 

Question 1230.  Is it lawful to vow or promise strict obedience to

                a religious superior?

Answer:         It is lawful to vow or promise strict obedience to

                a religious superior, because such superior can

                exact obedience only in things that have the

                sanction of God or of His Church.

 

Question 1231.  What is necessary to make an oath lawful?

Answer:         To make an oath lawful it is necessary that what

                we swear to be true, and that there be a

                sufficient cause for taking an oath.

 

Question 1232.  What is a vow?

Answer:         A vow is a deliberate promise made to God to do

                something that is pleasing to Him.

 

Question 1233.  Which are the vows most frequently made?

Answer:         The vows most frequently made are the three vows

                of poverty, chastity and obedience, taken by

                persons living in religious communities or

                consecrated to God.  Persons living in the world

                are sometimes permitted to make such vows

                privately, but this should never be done without

                the advice and consent of their confessor.

 

Question 1234.  What do the vows of poverty, chastity and

                obedience require?

Answer:         The vows of poverty, chastity and obedience

                require that those who make them shall not possess

                or keep any property or goods for themselves

                alone; that they shall not marry or be guilty of

                any immodest acts, and that they shall strictly

                obey their lawful superiors.

 

Question 1235.  Has it always been a custom with pious Christians

                to make vows and promises to God?

Answer:         It has always been a custom with pious Christians

                to make vows and promises to God; to beg His help

                for some special end, or to thank Him for some

                benefit received.  They have promised pilgrimages,

                good works or alms and they have vowed to erect

                churches, convents, hospitals or schools.

 

Question 1236.  What is a pilgrimage?

Answer:         A pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place made in

                a religious manner and for a religious purpose.

 

Question 1237.  Is it a sin not to fulfill our vows?

Answer:         Not to fulfill our vows is a sin, mortal or

                venial, according to the nature of the vow and the

                intention we had in making it.

 

Question 1238.  Are we bound to keep an unlawful oath or vow?

Answer:         We are not bound, but, on the contrary, positively

                forbidden to keep an unlawful oath or vow.  We are

                guilty of sin in taking such an oath or making

                such a vow, and we would be guilty of still

                greater sin by keeping them.

 

Question 1239.  What is forbidden by the second Commandment?A

                nswer:  The second Commandment forbids all false,

                rash, unjust, and unnecessary oaths, blasphemy,

                cursing, and profane words.

 

Question 1240.  When is an oath rash, unjust or unnecessary?

Answer:         An oath is rash when we are not sure of the truth

                of what we swear; it is unjust when it injures

                another unlawfully; and it is unnecessary when

                there is no good reason for taking it.

 

Question 1241.  What is blasphemy, and what are profane words?

Answer:         Blasphemy is any word or action intended as an

                insult to God.  To say He is cruel or find fault

                with His works is blasphemy.  It is a much greater

                sin than cursing or taking God's name in vain.

                Profane words mean here bad, irreverent or

                irreligious words.

 

Question 1242.  What is the third Commandment?

Answer:         The third Commandment is: Remember thou keep holy

                the Sabbath day.

 

Question 1243.  What are we commanded by the third Commandment?

Answer:         By the third Commandment we are commanded to keep

                holy the Lord's day and the holydays of

                obligation, on which we are to give our time to

                the service and worship of God.

 

Question 1244.  What are holydays of obligation?

Answer:         Holydays of obligation are special feasts of the

                Church on which we are bound, under pain of mortal

                sin, to hear Mass and to keep from servile or

                bodily labors when it can be done without great

                loss or inconvenience. Whoever, on account of

                their circumstances, cannot give up work on

                holydays of obligation should make every effort to

                hear Mass and should also explain in confession

                the necessity of working on holydays.

 

Question 1245.  How are we to worship God on Sundays and holydays

                of obligation?

Answer:         We are to worship God on Sundays and holydays of

                obligation by hearing Mass, by prayer, and by

                other good works.

 

Question 1246.  Name some of the good works recommended for

                Sunday.

Answer:         Some of the good works recommended for Sunday are:

                The reading of religious books or papers, teaching

                Catechism, bringing relief to the poor or sick,

                visiting the Blessed Sacrament, attending Vespers,

                Rosary or other devotions in the Church; also

                attending the meetings of religious sodalities or

                societies. It is not necessary to spend the whole

                Sunday in such good works, but we should give some

                time to them, that for the love of God we may do a

                little more than what is strictly commanded.

 

Question 1247.  Is it forbidden, then, to seek any pleasure or

                enjoyment on Sunday?

Answer:         It is not forbidden to seek lawful pleasure or

                enjoyment on Sunday, especially to those who are

                occupied during the week, for God did not intend

                the keeping of the Sunday to be a punishment, but

                a benefit to us.  Therefore, after hearing Mass we

                may take such recreation as is necessary or useful

                for us; but we should avoid any vulgar, noisy or

                disgraceful amusements that turn the day of rest

                and prayer into a day of scandal and sin.

 

Question 1248.  Are the Sabbath day and the Sunday the same?

Answer:         The Sabbath day and the Sunday are not the same.

                The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, and is

                the day which was kept holy in the old law; the

                Sunday is the first day of the week, and is the

                day which is kept holy in the new law.

 

Question 1249.  What is meant by the Old and New Law?

Answer:         The Old Law means the law or religion given to the

                Jews; the New Law means the law or religion given

                to Christians.

 

Question 1250.  Why does the Church command us to keep the Sunday

                holy instead of the Sabbath?

Answer:         The Church commands us to keep the Sunday holy

                instead of the Sabbath because on Sunday Christ

                rose from the dead, and on Sunday He sent the Holy

                Ghost upon the Apostles.

 

Question 1251.  Do we keep Sunday instead of Saturday holy for any

                other reason?

Answer:         We keep Sunday instead of Saturday holy also to

                teach that the Old Law is not now binding upon us,

                but that we must keep the New Law, which takes its

                place.

 

Question 1252.  What is forbidden by the third Commandment?

Answer:         The third Commandment forbids all unnecessary

                servile work and whatever else may hinder the due

                observance of the Lord's day.

 

Question 1253.  What are servile works?

Answer:         Servile works are those which require labor rather

                of body than of mind.

 

Question 1254.  From what do servile works derive their name?

Answer:         Servile works derive their name from the fact that

                such works were formerly done by slaves.

                Therefore, reading, writing, studying and, in

                general, all works that slaves did not perform are

                not considered servile works.

 

Question 1255.  Are servile works on Sunday ever lawful?

Answer:         Servile works are lawful on Sundays when the honor

                of God, the good of our neighbor, or necessity

                requires them.

 

Question 1256.  Give some examples of when the honor of God, the

                good of our neighbor or necessity may require

                servile works on Sunday.

Answer:         The honor of God, the good of our neighbor or

                necessity may require servile works on Sunday, in

                such cases as the preparation of a place for Holy

                Mass, the saving of property in storms or

                accidents, the cooking of meals and similar works.

 

 

LESSON THIRTY-THIRD:  From the Fourth to the Seventh Commandment

 

Question 1257.  What is the fourth Commandment?

Answer:         The fourth Commandment is: Honor thy father and

                thy mother.

 

Question 1258.  What does the word "honor" in this commandment

                include?

Answer:         The word "honor" in this commandment includes the

                doing of everything necessary for our parents'

                spiritual and temporal welfare, the showing of

                proper respect, and the fulfillment of all our

                duties to them.

 

Question 1259.  What are we commanded by the fourth Commandment?

Answer:         We are commanded by the fourth Commandment to

                honor, love and obey our parents in all that is

                not sin.

 

Question 1260.  Why should we refuse to obey parents or superiors

                who command us to sin?

Answer:         We should refuse to obey parents or superiors who

                command us to sin because they are not then acting

                with God's authority, but contrary to it and in

                violation of His laws.

 

Question 1261.  Are we bound to honor and obey others than our

                parents?

Answer:         We are also bound to honor and obey our bishops,

                pastors, magistrates, teachers, and other lawful

                superiors.

 

Question 1262.  Who are meant by magistrates?

Answer:         By magistrates are meant all officials of whatever

                rank who have a lawful right to rule over us and

                our temporal possessions or affairs.

 

Question 1263.  Who are meant by lawful superiors?

Answer:         By lawful superiors are meant all persons to whom

                we are in any way subject, such as employers or

                others under whose authority we live or work.

 

Question 1264.  What is the duty of servants or workmen to their

                employers?

Answer:         The duty of servants or workmen to their employers

                is to serve them faithfully and honestly,

                according to their agreement, and to guard against

                injuring their property or reputation.

 

Question 1265.  Have parents and superiors any duties toward those

                who are under their charge?

Answer:         It is the duty of parents and superiors to take

                good care of all under their charge and give them

                proper direction and example.

 

Question 1266.  If parents or superiors neglect their duty or

                abuse their authority in any particular, should we

                follow their direction and example in that

                particular?

Answer:         If parents or superiors neglect their duty or

                abuse their authority in any particular we should

                not follow their direction or example in that

                particular, but follow the dictates of our

                conscience in the performance of our duty.

 

Question 1267.  What is the duty of employers to their servants or

                workmen?

Answer:         The duty of employers to their servants or workmen

                is to see that they are kindly and fairly treated

                and provided for, according to their agreement,

                and that they are justly paid their wages at the

                proper time.

 

Question 1268.  What is forbidden by the fourth Commandment?

Answer:         The fourth Commandment forbids all disobedience,

                contempt, and stubbornness towards our parents or

                lawful superiors.

 

Question 1269.  What is meant by contempt and stubbornness?

Answer:         By contempt is meant willful disrespect for lawful

                authority, and by stubbornness is meant willful

                determination not to yield to lawful authority.

 

Question 1270.  What is the fifth Commandment?

Answer:         The fifth Commandment is: Thou shalt not kill.

 

Question 1271.  What killing does this commandment forbid?

Answer:         This commandment forbids the killing only of human

                beings.

 

Question 1272.  How do we know that this commandment forbids the

                killing only of human beings?

Answer:         We know that this commandment forbids the killing

                only of human beings because, after giving this

                commandment, God commanded that animals be killed

                for sacrifice in the temple of Jerusalem, and God

                never contradicts Himself.

 

Question 1273.  What are we commanded by the fifth Commandment?

Answer:         We are commanded by the fifth Commandment to live

                in peace and union with our neighbor, to respect

                his rights, to seek his spiritual and bodily

                welfare, and to take proper care of our own life

                and health.

 

Question 1274.  What sin is it to destroy one's own life, or

                commit suicide, as this act is called?

Answer:         It is a mortal sin to destroy one's own life or

                commit suicide, as this act is called, and persons

                who willfully and knowingly commit such an act die

                in a state of mortal sin and are deprived of

                Christian burial.  It is also wrong to expose

                one's self unnecessarily to the danger of death by

                rash or foolhardy feats of daring.

 

Question 1275.  Is it ever lawful for any cause to deliberately

                and intentionally take away the life of an

                innocent person?

Answer:         It is never lawful for any cause to deliberately

                and intentionally take away the life of an

                innocent person.  Such deeds are always murder,

                and can never be excused for any reason, however

                important or necessary.

 

Question 1276.  Under what circumstances may human life be

                lawfully taken?

Answer:         Human life may be lawfully taken:

           (1)  In self-defense, when we are unjustly attacked and

                have no other means of saving our own lives;

           (2)  In a just war, when the safety or rights of the

                nation require it;

           (3)  By the lawful execution of a criminal, fairly

                tried and found guilty of a crime punishable by

                death when the preservation of law and order and

                the good of the community require such execution.

 

Question 1277.  What is forbidden by the fifth Commandment?

Answer:         The fifth Commandment forbids all willful murder,

                fighting, anger, hatred, revenge, and bad example.

 

Question 1278.  Can the fifth commandment be broken by giving

                scandal or bad example and by inducing others to

                sin?

Answer:         The fifth commandment can be broken by giving

                scandal or bad example and inducing others to sin,

                because such acts may destroy the life of the soul

                by leading it into mortal sin.

 

Question 1279.  What is scandal?

Answer:         Scandal is any sinful word, deed or omission that

                disposes others to sin, or lessens their respect

                for God and holy religion.

 

Question 1280.  Why are fighting, anger, hatred and revenge

                forbidden by the fifth commandment?

Answer:         Fighting, anger, hatred and revenge are forbidden

                by the fifth commandment because they are sinful

                in themselves and may lead to murder.  The

                commandments forbid not only whatever violates

                them, but also whatever may lead to their

                violation.

 

Question 1281.  What is the sixth Commandment?

Answer:         The sixth Commandment is: Thou shalt not commit

                adultery.

 

Question 1282.  What are we commanded by the sixth Commandment?

Answer:         We are commanded by the sixth Commandment to be

                pure in thought and modest in all our looks,

                words, and actions.

 

Question 1283.  It is a sin to listen to immodest conversation,

                songs or jokes?

Answer:         It is a sin to listen to immodest conversation,

                songs or jokes when we can avoid it, or to show in

                any way that we take pleasure in such things.

 

Question 1284.  What is forbidden by the sixth Commandment?

Answer:         The sixth Commandment forbids all unchaste freedom

                with another's wife or husband; also all immodesty

                with ourselves or others in looks, dress, words,

                and actions.

 

Question 1285.  Why are sins of impurity the most dangerous?

Answer:         Sins of impurity are the most dangerous:

           (1)  Because they have the most numerous temptations;

           (2)  Because, if deliberate, they are always mortal,

                and

           (3)  Because, more than other sins, they lead to the

                loss of faith.

 

Question 1286.  Does the sixth Commandment forbid the reading of

                bad and immodest books and newspapers?

Answer:         The sixth Commandment does forbid the reading of

                bad and immodest books and newspapers.

 

Question 1287.  What should be done with immodest book and

                newspapers?

Answer:         Immodest books and newspapers should be destroyed

                as soon as possible, and if we cannot destroy them

                ourselves we should induce their owners to do so.

 

Question 1288.  What books does the Church consider bad?

Answer:         The Church considers bad all books containing

                teaching contrary to faith or morals, or that

                willfully misrepresent Catholic doctrine and

                practice.

 

Question 1289.  What places are dangerous to the virtue of purity?

Answer:         Indecent theaters and similar places of amusement

                are dangerous to the virtue of purity, because

                their entertainments are frequently intended to

                suggest immodest things.

 

 

LESSON THIRTY-FOURTH:  From the Seventh to the End of the Tenth

Commandment

 

Question 1290.  What is the seventh Commandment?

Answer:         The seventh Commandment is: Thou shalt not steal.

 

Question 1291.  What sin is it to steal?

Answer:         To steal is a mortal or venial sin, according to

                the amount stolen either at once or at different

                times.  Circumstances may make the sin greater or

                less, and they should be explained in confession.

 

Question 1292.  Is stealing ever a sacrilege?

Answer:         Stealing is a sacrilege when the thing stolen

                belongs to the Church and when the stealing takes

                place in the Church.

 

Question 1293.  What sins are equivalent to stealing?

Answer:         All sins of cheating, defrauding or wronging

                others of their property; also all sins of

                borrowing or buying with the intention of never

                repaying are equivalent to stealing.

 

Question 1294.  In what other ways may persons sin against

                honesty?

Answer:         Persons may sin against honesty also by knowingly

                receiving, buying or sharing in stolen goods;

                likewise by giving or taking bribes for dishonest

                purposes.

 

Question 1295.  What are we commanded by the seventh Commandment?

Answer:         By the seventh Commandment we are commanded to

                give to all men what belongs to them and to

                respect their property.

 

Question 1296.  How may persons working for others be guilty of

                dishonesty?

Answer:         Persons working for others may be guilty of

                dishonesty by idling the time for which they are

                paid; also by doing bad work or supplying bad

                material without their employer's knowledge.

 

Question 1297.  In what other way may a person be guilty of

                dishonesty?

Answer:         A person may be guilty of dishonesty in getting

                money or goods by false pretenses and by using

                either for purposes for which they were not given.

 

Question 1298.  What is forbidden by the seventh Commandment?

Answer:         The seventh Commandment forbids all unjust taking

                or keeping what belongs to another.

 

Question 1299.  What must we do with things found?

Answer:         We must return things found to their lawful owners

                as soon as possible, and we must also use

                reasonable means to find the owners if they are

                unknown to us.

 

Question 1300.  What must we do if we discover we have bought

                stolen goods?

Answer:         If we discover we have bought stolen goods and

                know their lawful owners we must return the goods

                to them as soon as possible without demanding

                compensation from the owner for what we paid for

                the goods.

 

Question 1301.  Are we bound to restore ill-gotten goods?

Answer:         We are bound to restore ill-gotten goods, or the

                value of them, as far as we are able; otherwise we

                cannot be forgiven.

 

Question 1302.  What must we do if we cannot restore all we owe,

                or if the person to whom we should restore be

                dead?

Answer:         If we cannot restore all we owe, we must restore

                as much as we can, and if the person to whom we

                should restore be dead we must restore to his

                children or heirs, and if these cannot be found we

                may give alms to the poor.

 

Question 1303.  What must one do who cannot pay his debts and yet

                wishes to receive the Sacraments?

Answer:         One who cannot pay his debts and yet wishes to

                receive the Sacraments must sincerely promise and

                intend to pay them as soon as possible, and must

                without delay make every effort to do so.

 

Question 1304.  Are we obliged to repair the damage we have

                unjustly caused?

Answer:         We are bound to repair the damage we have unjustly

                caused.

 

Question 1305.  What is the eighth Commandment?

Answer:         The eighth Commandment is: Thou shalt not bear

                false witness against thy neighbor.

 

Question 1306.  What are we commanded by the eighth Commandment?

Answer:         We are commanded by the eighth Commandment to

                speak the truth in all things, and to be careful

                of the honor and reputation of every one.

 

Question 1307.  What is a lie?

Answer:         A lie is a sin committed by knowingly saying what

                is untrue with the intention of deceiving.  To

                swear to a lie makes the sin greater, and such

                swearing is called perjury.  Pretense, hypocrisy,

                false praise, boasting, etc., are similar to lies.

 

Question 1308.  How can we know the degree of sinfulness in a lie?

Answer:         We can know the degree of sinfulness in a lie by

                the amount of harm it does and from the intention

                we had in telling it.

 

Question 1309.  Will a good reason for telling a lie excuse it?

Answer:         No reason, however good, will excuse the telling

                of a lie, because a lie is always bad in itself.

                It is never allowed, even for a good intention to

                do a thing that is bad in itself.

 

Question 1310.  What is forbidden by the eighth Commandment?

Answer:         The eighth Commandment forbids all rash judgments,

                backbiting, slanders, and lies.

 

Question 1311.  What are rash judgment, backbiting, slander and

                detraction?

Answer:         Rash judgment is believing a person guilty of sin

                without a sufficient cause.  Backbiting is saying

                evil things of another in his absence.  Slander is

                telling lies about another with the intention of

                injuring him.  Detraction is revealing the sins of

                another without necessity.

 

Question 1312.  Is it ever allowed to tell the faults of another?

Answer:         It is allowed to tell the faults of another when

                it is necessary to make them known to his parents

                or superiors, that the faults may be corrected and

                the wrong doer prevented from greater sin.

 

Question 1313.  What is tale-bearing, and why is it wrong?

Answer:         Tale-bearing is the act of telling persons what

                others have said about them, especially if the

                things said be evil.  It is wrong, because it

                gives rise to anger, hatred and ill-will, and is

                often the cause of greater sins.

 

Question 1314.  What must they do who have lied about their

                neighbor and seriously injured his character?

Answer:         They who have lied about their neighbor and

                seriously injured his character must repair the

                injury done as far as they are able, otherwise

                they will not be forgiven.

 

Question 1315.  What is the ninth Commandment?

Answer:         The ninth Commandment is: Thou shalt not covet thy

                neighbor's wife.

 

Question 1316.  What are we commanded by the ninth Commandment?

Answer:         We are commanded by the ninth Commandment to keep

                ourselves pure in thought and desire.

 

Question 1317.  What is forbidden by the ninth Commandment?

Answer:         The ninth Commandment forbids unchaste thoughts,

                desires of another's wife or husband, and all

                other unlawful impure thoughts and desires.

 

Question 1318.  Are impure thoughts and desires always sins?

Answer:         Impure thoughts and desires are always sins,

                unless they displease us and we try to banish

                them.

 

Question 1319.  What is the tenth Commandment?

Answer:         The tenth Commandment is: Thou shalt not covet thy

                neighbor's goods.

 

Question 1320.  What does covet mean?

Answer:         Covet means to wish to get wrongfully what another

                possesses or to begrudge his own to him.

 

Question 1321.  What are we commanded by the tenth Commandment?

Answer:         By the tenth Commandment we are commanded to be

                content with what we have, and to rejoice in our

                neighbor's welfare.

 

Question 1322.  Should we not, then, try to improve our position

                in the world?

Answer:         We should try to improve our position in the

                world, provided we can do so honestly and without

                exposing ourselves to greater temptation or sin.

 

Question 1323.  What is forbidden by the tenth Commandment?

Answer:         The tenth Commandment forbids all desires to take

                or keep wrongfully what belongs to another.

 

Question 1324.  In what does the sixth commandment differ from the

                ninth, and the seventh differ from the tenth?

Answer:         The sixth commandment differs from the ninth in

                this, that the sixth refers chiefly to external

                acts of impurity, while the ninth refers more to

                sins of thought against purity.  The seventh

                commandment refers chiefly to external acts of

                dishonesty, while the tenth refers more to

                thoughts against honesty.

 

 

LESSON THIRTY-FIFTH:  On the First and Second Commandments of the

Church

 

Question 1325.  Are not the commandments of the Church also

                commandments of God?

Answer:         The commandments of the Church are also

                commandments of God, because they are made by His

                authority, and we are bound under pain of sin to

                observe them.

 

Question 1326.  What is the difference between the commandments of

                God and the Commandments of the Church?

Answer:         The commandments of God were given by God Himself

                to Moses on Mount Sinai; the commandments of the

                Church were given on different occasions by the

                lawful authorities of the Church.  The

                Commandments given by God Himself cannot be

                changed by the Church; but the commandments made

                by the Church itself may be changed by its

                authority as necessity requires.

 

Question 1327.  Which are the chief commandments of the Church?

Answer:         The chief commandments of the Church are six:

     1. To hear Mass on Sundays and holydays of obligation.

     2. To fast and abstain on the days appointed.

     3. To confess at least once a year.

     4. To receive the Holy Eucharist during the Easter time.

     5. To contribute to the support of our pastors.

     6. Not to marry persons who are not Catholics, or who are

related to us within the third degree of kindred, nor privately

without witnesses, nor to solemnize marriage at forbidden times.

 

Question 1328.  Why has the Church made commandments?

Answer:         The Church has made commandments to teach the

                faithful how to worship God and to guard them from

                the neglect of their religious duties.

 

Question 1329.  Is it a mortal sin not to hear Mass on a Sunday or

                a holyday of obligation?

Answer:         It is a mortal sin not to hear Mass on a Sunday or

                a holyday of obligation, unless we are excused for

                a serious reason.  They also commit a mortal sin

                who, having others under their charge, hinder them

                from hearing Mass, without a sufficient reason.

 

Question 1330.  What is a "serious reason" excusing one from the

                obligation of hearing Mass?

Answer:         A "serious reason" excusing one from the

                obligation of hearing Mass is any reason that

                makes it impossible or very difficult to attend

                Mass, such as severe illness, great distance from

                the Church, or the need of certain works that

                cannot be neglected or postponed.

 

Question 1331.  Are children obliged, under pain of mortal sin,

                the same as grown persons, to hear Mass on Sundays

                and holydays of obligation?

Answer:         Children who have reached the use of reason are

                obliged under pain of mortal sin, the same as

                grown persons, to hear Mass on Sundays and

                holydays of obligation; but if they are prevented

                from so doing by parents, or others, then the sin

                falls on those who prevent them.

 

Question 1332.  Why were holydays instituted by the church?

Answer:         Holydays were instituted by the Church to recall

                to our minds the great mysteries of religion and

                the virtues and rewards of the saints.

 

Question 1333.  How many holydays of obligation are there in this

                country?

Answer:         In this country there are six holydays of

                obligation, namely:

           (1)  Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8th);

           (2)  Christmas (Dec. 25th);

           (3)  Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord (Jan. 1st);

           (4)  Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord (forty days

                after Easter);

           (5)  Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin

                (Aug. 15th); and

           (6)  Feast of All Saints (Nov. 1st).

 

Question 1334.  How should we keep the holydays of obligation?

Answer:         We should keep the holydays of obligation as we

                should keep the Sunday.

 

Question 1335.  Why are certain holydays called holydays of

                obligation?

Answer:         Certain holydays are called holydays of obligation

                because on such days we are obliged under pain of

                mortal sin to hear Mass and keep from servile

                works as we do on Sundays.

 

Question 1336.  What should one do who is obliged to work on a

                holyday of obligation?

Answer:         One who is obliged to work on a holyday of

                obligation should, if possible, hear Mass before

                going to work, and should also explain this

                necessity in confession, so as to obtain the

                confessor's advice on the subject.

 

Question 1337.  What do you mean by fast-days?

Answer:         By fast-days I mean days on which we are allowed

                but one full meal.

 

Question 1338.  Is it permitted on fast days to take any food

                besides the one full meal?

Answer:         It is permitted on fast days, besides the one full

                meal, to take two other meatless meals, to

                maintain strength, according to each one's needs.

                But together these two meatless meals should not

                equal another full meal.

 

Question 1339.  Who are obliged to fast?

Answer:         All persons over 21 and under 59 years of age, and

                whose health and occupation will permit them to

                fast.

 

Question 1340.  Does the Church excuse any classes of persons from

                the obligation of fasting?

Answer:         The Church does excuse certain classes of persons

                from the obligation of fasting on account of their

                age, the condition of their health, the nature of

                their work, or the circumstances in which they

                live.  These things are explained in the

                Regulations for Lent, read publicly in the

                Churches each year.

 

Question 1341.  What should one do who doubts whether or not he is

                obliged to fast?

Answer:         In doubt concerning fast, a parish priest or

                confessor should be consulted.

 

Question 1342.  When do fast days chiefly occur in the year?

Answer:         Fast days chiefly occur in the year during Lent

                and Advent, on the Ember days and on the vigils or

                eves of some great feasts.  A vigil falling on a

                Sunday is not observed.

 

Question 1343.  What do you mean by Lent, Advent, Ember days and

                the vigils of great feasts?

Answer:         Lent is the seven weeks of penance preceding

                Easter.  Advent is the four weeks of preparation

                preceding Christmas.  Ember days are three days

                set apart in each of the four seasons of the year

                as special days of prayer and thanksgiving.

                Vigils are the days immediately preceding great

                feasts and spent in spiritual preparation for

                them.

 

Question 1344.  What do you mean by days of abstinence?

Answer:         By days of abstinence I mean days on which no meat

                at all may be taken (complete abstinence) or on

                which meat may be taken only once a day (partial

                abstinence).  This is explained in the regulations

                for Lent.  All the Fridays of the year are days of

                abstinence except when a Holyday of obligation

                falls on a Friday outside of Lent.

 

Question 1345.  Are children and persons unable to fast bound to

                abstain on days of abstinence?

Answer:         Children, from the age of seven years, and persons

                who are unable to fast are bound to abstain on

                days of abstinence, unless they are excused for

                sufficient reason.

 

Question 1346.  Why does the Church command us to fast and

                abstain?

Answer:         The Church commands us to fast and abstain, in

                order that we may mortify our passions and satisfy

                for our sins.

 

Question 1347.  What is meant by our passions and what by

                mortifying them?

Answer:         By our passions are meant our sinful desires and

                inclinations.  Mortifying them means restraining

                them and overcoming them so that they have less

                power to lead us into sin.

 

Question 1348.  Why does the Church command us to abstain from

                flesh-meat on Fridays?

Answer:         The Church commands us to abstain from flesh-meat

                on Fridays in honor of the day on which our

                Saviour died.

 

 

LESSON THIRTY-SIXTH:  On the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth

Commandments of the Church

 

Question 1349.  What is meant by the command of confessing at

                least once a year?

Answer:         By the command of confessing at least once a year

                is meant that we are obliged, under pain of mortal

                sin, to go to confession within the year.

 

Question 1350.  Should we confess only once a year?

Answer:         We should confess frequently, if we wish to lead a

                good life.

 

Question 1351.  Should we go to confession at our usual time even

                if we think we have not committed sin since our

                last confession?

Answer:         We should go to confession at our usual time even

                if we think we have not committed sin since our

                last confession, because the Sacrament of Penance

                has for its object not only to forgive sins, but

                also to bestow grace and strengthen the soul

                against temptation.

 

Question 1352.  Should children go to confession?

Answer:         Children should go to confession when they are old

                enough to commit sin, which is commonly about the

                age of seven years.

 

Question 1353.  What sin does he commit who neglects to receive

                Communion during the Easter time?

Answer:         He who neglects to receive Communion during the

                Easter time commits a mortal sin.

 

Question 1354.  What is the Easter time?

Answer:         The Easter time is, in this country, the time

                between the first Sunday of Lent and Trinity

                Sunday.

 

Question 1355.  When is Trinity Sunday?

Answer:         Trinity Sunday is the Sunday after Pentecost, or

                eight weeks after Easter Sunday; so that there are

                fourteen weeks in which one may comply with the

                command of the Church to receive Holy Communion

                between the first Sunday of Lent and Trinity

                Sunday.

 

Question 1356.  Are we obliged to contribute to the support of our

                pastors?

Answer:         We are obliged to contribute to the support of our

                pastors, and to bear our share in the expense of

                the Church and school.

 

Question 1357.  Where did the duty of contributing to the support

                of the Church and clergy originate?

Answer:         The duty of contributing to the support of the

                Church and clergy originated in the Old Law, when

                God commanded all the people to contribute to the

                support of the temple and of its priests.

 

Question 1358.  What does the obligation of supporting the Church

                and school imply?

Answer:         The obligation of supporting the Church and school

                implies the duty of making use of the Church and

                school by attending religious worship in the one

                and by giving Catholic education in the other;

                because if the Church and school were not

                necessary for our spiritual welfare we would not

                be commanded to support them.

 

Question 1359.  Does the fifth commandment of the Church include

                the support only of our pastors and the Church and

                school?

Answer:         The fifth commandment of the Church includes the

                support also of our holy father, the Pope,

                bishops, priests, missions, religious institutions

                and religion in general.

 

Question 1360.  What is the meaning of the commandment not to

                marry within the third degree of kindred?

Answer:         The meaning of the commandment not to marry within

                the third degree of kindred is that no one is

                allowed to marry another within the third degree

                of blood relationship.

 

Question 1361.  Who are in the third degree of blood relationship?

Answer:         Second cousins are in the third degree of blood

                relationship, and persons whose relationship is

                nearer than second cousins are in closer degrees

                of kindred.  It is unlawful for persons thus

                related to marry without a dispensation or special

                permission of the Church.

 

Question 1362.  Are there other relationships besides blood

                relationship that render marriage unlawful without

                a dispensation?

Answer:         There are other relationships besides blood

                relationship that render marriage unlawful without

                a dispensation, namely, the relationships

                contracted by marriage, which are called degrees

                of affinity, and the relationship contracted by

                being sponsors at Baptism, which is called

                spiritual affinity.

 

Question 1363.  What should persons about to marry do, if they

                suspect they are related to each other?

Answer:         Persons about to marry, if they suspect they are

                related to each other, should make known the facts

                to the priest, that he may examine the degree of

                relationship and procure a dispensation if

                necessary.

 

Question 1364.  What is the meaning of the command not to marry

                privately?

Answer:         The command not to marry privately means that none

                should marry without the blessing of God's priests

                or without witnesses.

 

Question 1365.  What sin is it for Catholics to be married before

                the minister of another religion?

Answer:         It is a mortal sin for Catholics to be married

                before the minister of another religion, and they

                who attempt to do so incur excommunication, and

                absolution from their sin is reserved to the

                bishop.

 

Question 1366.  What is the meaning of the precept not to

                solemnize marriage at forbidden times?

Answer:         The meaning of the precept not to solemnize

                marriage at forbidden times is that during Lent

                and Advent the marriage ceremony should not be

                performed with pomp or a nuptial Mass.

 

Question 1367.  What is the nuptial Mass?

Answer:         The nuptial Mass is a Mass appointed by the Church

                to invoke a special blessing upon the married

                couple.

 

Question 1368.  Should Catholics be married at a nuptial Mass?

Answer:         Catholics should be married at a nuptial Mass,

                because they thereby show greater reverence for

                the holy Sacrament and bring richer blessings upon

                their wedded life.

 

Question 1369.  What restrictions does the Church place on the

                ceremonies of marriage when one of the persons is

                not a Catholic?

Answer:         The Church places several restrictions on the

                ceremonies of marriage when one of the persons is

                not a Catholic.  The marriage cannot take place in

                the church; the priest cannot wear his sacred

                vestments nor use holy water nor bless the ring

                nor the marriage itself.  The Church places these

                restrictions to show her dislike for such

                marriages, commonly called mixed marriages.

 

Question 1370.  Why does the Church dislike mixed marriages?

Answer:         The Church dislikes mixed marriages because such

                marriages are frequently unhappy, give rise to

                many disputes, endanger the faith of the Catholic

                member of the family, and prevent the religious

                education of the children.

 

 

LESSON THIRTY-SEVENTH:  On the Last Judgment and the Resurrection,

Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven

 

Question 1371.  When will Christ judge us?

Answer:         Christ will judge us immediately after our death,

                and on the last day.

 

Question 1372.  What is the judgment called which we have to

                undergo immediately after death?

Answer:         The judgment we have to undergo immediately after

                death is called the Particular Judgment.

 

Question 1373.  Where will the particular judgment be held?

Answer:         The particular judgment will be held in the place

                where each person dies, and the soul will go

                immediately to its reward or punishment.

 

Question 1374.  What is the judgment called which all men have to

                undergo on the last day?

Answer:         The judgment which all men have to undergo on the

                last day is called the General Judgment.

 

Question 1375.  Will the sentence given at the particular judgment

                be changed at the general judgment?

Answer:         The sentence given at the particular judgment will

                not be changed at the general judgment, but it

                will be repeated and made public to all.

 

Question 1376.  Why does Christ judge men immediately after death?

Answer:         Christ judges men immediately after death to

                reward or punish them according to their deeds.

 

Question 1377.  How may we daily prepare for our judgment?

Answer:         We may daily prepare for our judgment by a good

                examination of conscience, in which we will

                discover our sins and learn to fear the punishment

                they deserve.

 

Question 1378.  What are the rewards or punishments appointed for

                men's souls after the Particular Judgment?

Answer:         The rewards or punishments appointed for men's

                souls after the Particular Judgment are Heaven,

                Purgatory, and Hell.

 

Question 1379.  What is Hell?

Answer:         Hell is a state to which the wicked are condemned,

                and in which they are deprived of the sight of God

                for all eternity, and are in dreadful torments.

 

Question 1380.  Will the damned suffer in both mind and body?

Answer:         The damned will suffer in both mind and body,

                because both mind and body had a share in their

                sins.  The mind suffers the "pain of loss" in

                which it is tortured by the thought of having lost

                God forever, and the body suffers the "pain of

                sense" by which it is tortured in all its members

                and senses.

 

Question 1381.  What is Purgatory?

Answer:         Purgatory is the state in which those suffer for a

                time who die guilty of venial sins, or without

                having satisfied for the punishment due to their

                sins.

 

Question 1382.  Why is this state called Purgatory?

Answer:         This state is called Purgatory because in it the

                souls are purged or purified from all their

                stains; and it is not, therefore, a permanent or

                lasting state for the soul.

 

Question 1383.  Are the souls in Purgatory sure of their

                salvation?

Answer:         The souls in Purgatory are sure of their

                salvation, and they will enter heaven as soon as

                they are completely purified and made worthy to

                enjoy that presence of God which is called the

                Beatific Vision.

 

Question 1384.  Do we know what souls are in Purgatory, and how

                long they have to remain there?

Answer:         We do not know what souls are in Purgatory nor how

                long they have to remain there; hence we continue

                to pray for all persons who have died apparently

                in the true faith and free from mortal sin.  They

                are called the faithful departed.

 

Question 1385.  Can the faithful on earth help the souls in

                Purgatory?

Answer:         The faithful on earth can help the souls in

                Purgatory by their prayers, fasts, alms, deeds; by

                indulgences, and by having Masses said for them.

 

Question 1386.  Since God loves the souls in Purgatory, why does

                He punish them?

Answer:         Though God loves the souls in Purgatory, He

                punishes them because His holiness requires that

                nothing defiled may enter heaven and His justice

                requires that everyone be punished or rewarded

                according to what he deserves.

 

Question 1387.  If every one is judged immediately after death,

                what need is there of a general judgment?

Answer:         There is need of a general judgment, though every

                one is judged immediately after death, that the

                providence of God, which, on earth, often permits

                the good to suffer and the wicked to prosper, may

                in the end appear just before all men.

 

Question 1388.  What is meant by "the Providence of God"?

Answer:         By "the Providence of God" is meant the manner in

                which He preserves, provides for, rules and

                governs the world and directs all things by His

                infinite Will.

 

Question 1389.  Are there other reasons for the general judgment?

Answer:         There are other reasons for the general judgment,

                and especially that Christ Our Lord may receive

                from the whole world the honor denied Him at His

                first coming, and that all may be forced to

                acknowledge Him their God and Redeemer.

 

Question 1390.  Will our bodies share in the reward or punishment

                of our souls?

Answer:         Our bodies will share in the reward or punishment

                of our souls, because through the resurrection

                they will again be united to them.

 

Question 1391.  When will the general resurrection or rising of

                all the dead take place?

Answer:         The general resurrection or rising of all the dead

                will take place at the general judgment, when the

                same bodies in which we lived on earth will come

                forth from the grave and be united to our souls

                and remain united with them forever either in

                heaven or in hell.

 

Question 1392.  In what state will the bodies of the just rise?

Answer:         The bodies of the just will rise glorious and

                immortal.

 

Question 1393.  Will the bodies of the damned also rise?

Answer:         The bodies of the damned will also rise, but they

                will be condemned to eternal punishment.

 

Question 1394.  Why do we show respect for the bodies of the dead?

Answer:         We show respect for the bodies of the dead because

                they were the dwelling-place of the soul, the

                medium through which it received the Sacraments,

                and because they were created to occupy a place in

                heaven.

 

Question 1395.  What is Heaven?

Answer:         Heaven is the state of everlasting life in which

                we see God face to face, are made like unto Him in

                glory, and enjoy eternal happiness.

 

Question 1396.  In what does the happiness in heaven consist?

Answer:         The happiness in heaven consists in seeing the

                beauty of God, in knowing Him as He is, and in

                having every desire fully satisfied.

 

Question 1397.  What does St. Paul say of heaven?

Answer:         St. Paul says of heaven, "That eye hath not seen.

                nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the

                heart of man what things God hath prepared for

                them that love Him." (I. Cor. ii., 9.)

 

Question 1398.  Are the rewards in heaven and the punishments in

                hell the same for all who enter into either of

                these states?

Answer:         The rewards of heaven and the punishments in hell

                are not the same for all who enter into either of

                these states, because each one's reward or

                punishment is in proportion to the amount of good

                or evil he has done in this world.  But as heaven

                and hell are everlasting, each one will enjoy his

                reward or suffer his punishment forever.

 

Question 1399.  What words should we bear always in mind?

Answer:         We should bear always in mind these words of our

                Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: "What doth it

                profit a man if he gain the whole world and suffer

                the loss of his own soul, or what exchange shall a

                man give for his soul? For the Son of man shall

                come in the glory of His Father with His angels;

                and then will He render to every man according to

                his works."

 

Question 1400.  Name some of the more essential religious truths

                we must know and believe.

Answer:         Some of the more essential religious truths we

                must know and believe are:

           (1)  That there is but one God, and He will reward the

                good and punish the wicked.

           (2)  That in God there are three Divine Persons: the

                Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and these

                Divine Persons are called the Blessed Trinity.

           (3)  That Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the

                Blessed Trinity, became man and died for our

                redemption.

           (4)  That the grace of God is necessary for our

                salvation.

           (5)  That the human soul is immortal.