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diff --git a/old/14554.txt b/old/14554.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..58a9000 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/14554.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13688 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Baltimore Catechism No. 4 (of 4), by Thomas L. Kinkead + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Baltimore Catechism No. 4 (of 4) + An Explanation Of The Baltimore Catechism of Christian Doctrine + +Author: Thomas L. Kinkead + +Release Date: January 1, 2005 [EBook #14554] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BALTIMORE CATECHISM NO. 4 (OF 4) *** + + + + +Produced by Dennis McCarthy + + + + + +An +Explanation +Of The +Baltimore Catechism +of Christian Doctrine + + +For The Use of +Sunday-School Teachers and Advanced Classes + +(Also known as Baltimore Catechism No. 4) + + +by +Rev. Thomas L. Kinkead + + + + +Nihil Obstat: +D. J. McMahon +Censor Librorum + +Imprimatur: ++ Michael Augustine +Archbishop of New York +New York, September 5, 1891 + + +Nihil Obstat: +Arthur J. Scanlan, S.T.D. +Censor Librorum + +Imprimatur: ++ Patrick J. Hayes, D.D. +Archbishop of New York +New York, June 29, 1921 + + + + +{Transcriber's Note: This book is commonly known as "The Baltimore +Catechism No. 4" and is the last part of a four volume e-text +collection. See the author's note to Baltimore Catechism No. 3 for the +background and purpose of the series. This e-text collection is +substantially based on files generously provided by +http://www.catholic.net/ with some missing material transcribed and +added for this release. Transcriber's notes in this series are placed +within braces, and usually prefixed "T.N.:".} + + + + +APPROBATIONS + + +His Eminence Cardinal Gibbons: +"I thank you for the copy of The Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism +which has just reached me. A Religious spoke to me in very high terms of +your book. I regard the opinion as of great value." + +Most Rev. M. A. Corrigan, D.D., Archbishop of New York: +"I congratulate you on the good which it is likely to do." + +Most Rev. William Henry Elder, D.D., Archbishop of Cincinnati: +"I think the work will be a very serviceable one. I hope it will meet +with great success." + +Most Rev. Thomas L. Grace, D.D., Archbishop of Siunia: +"Your book entitled An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism supplies a +want which is generally felt by the clergy and others engaged in +teaching Catechism. Apart from the very satisfactory development of the +answers to the questions and apt illustrations of the subjects treated, +the additional questions inserted in your book give it a special value." + +Most Rev. P. J. Ryan, D.D., Archbishop of Philadelphia: +"Your explanation of the Baltimore Catechism is excellent and must be of +very great service to teachers of Sunday schools and to all who desire a +clear exposition of Catholic doctrine, either for themselves or to +communicate it to others. We give the work our cordial approval." + +Most Rev. William J. Walsh, D.D., Archbishop of Dublin, Primate of +Ireland: +"I have had a copy of your admirable work for some weeks past, and on +several points it has been of very great use to me and to the committee +[a committee of professors of theology, moral as well as dogmatic; +priests of long and of wide experience in the work of instructing +children in the Catechism; experienced examiners of children; +accomplished scholars and writers of English; members both of religious +and of secular collegiate communities; and representatives of the +missionary priesthood, secular and regular, appointed to draft a new +Catechism]." + +Right Rev. D. M. Bradley, D.D., Bishop of Manchester: +"I am sure this 'Explanation' will be welcomed by the teachers in our +schools and indeed by all whose duty it may be to instruct others in the +teachings of the Church." + +Right Rev. Thomas F. Brennan, D.D., Bishop of Dallas: +"I like the book very much and will not only recommend it to the priests +and good sisters of my diocese, but will also use it myself at catechism +every Sunday in the Cathedral. The list of questions and general index +render its use very easy." + +Right Rev. M. E. Burke, D.D., Bishop of Cheyenne: +"Your Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism is excellent, and it +supplies a much needed means of useful and necessary catechetical +instruction for our Sunday schools. It will be found an excellent +textbook for Catholic schools and academies throughout the country and a +most useful manual for all who are engaged in the instruction of our +children." + +Right Rev. L. De Goesbriand, D.D., Bishop of Burlington: +"I consider your book, the Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism, as an +admirable work. Nothing can be found more clear, more satisfactory." + +Right Rev. John Foley, D.D., Bishop of Detroit: +"I congratulate you upon producing a work so useful to those having +charge of souls in such clear, concise, and instructive a style. I shall +gladly commend it to the Rev. Clergy." + +Right Rev. H. Gabriels, D.D., Bishop-elect of Ogdensburg: +"Your book will furnish solid material to priests who wish to preach at +low Masses the catechetical instructions prescribed by the council of +Baltimore. A rapid perusal of some of its pages has convinced me that it +is just what was often looked for in vain in this important branch of +the holy ministry." + +Right Rev. N. A. Gallagher, D.D., Bishop of Galveston: +"Having read your Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism, I wish to say +that it is in my opinion a very useful book for priests as well as for +teachers; and that it is a valuable book to place in the hands of those +who wish to become acquainted with the teachings of Holy Church. I have +just ordered ten copies from the Publishers for my own distribution." + +Right Rev. Leo Haid, O.S.B., D.D., Vicar Apostolic of North Carolina: +"I am very glad you gave us such a sensible, simple, and complete +explanation of the Baltimore Catechism. I wish it were in the hands of +every teacher of Christian doctrine. In this Vicariate, where priests +are few, and often obliged to receive converts into the Church without +that thorough instruction which resident pastors can give, your book +will be hailed with joy. I will do my utmost to make it known. Please +send me one dozen copies." + +Right Rev. John J. Hennessy, D.D. Bishop of Wichita: +"From what I have seen of your book I am delighted with the method which +you have adopted for explanation. It makes the Catechism easy and +interesting to both teacher and pupil. I shall heartily recommend your +book to our clergy for introduction into our schools." + +Right Rev. A. Junger, D.D., Bishop of Nesqually: +"I am sure your work will not fail to obtain its object. There is not +the least doubt that it will be of the greatest and best use for Sunday +school teachers and advanced classes who will make use of it, and to +whom we highly recommend it. Such a work was needed, as our Baltimore +Catechism does not and cannot contain all the necessary explanations." + +Right Rev. John J. Keane, D.D., Rector of the Catholic University, +Washington: +"The character of the work speaks for itself." + +Right Rev. W. G. McCloskey, D.D., Bishop of Louisville: +"What I have already seen of it gives me the impression that it is a +meritorious work which ought to be encouraged." + +Right Rev. James McGolrick, D.D., Bishop of Duluth: +"I think you have prepared a thoroughly practical work in your +Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism. You have in well selected and +plain English enabled teachers to give useful lessons from the text +itself without the need of resort to other books. Your book will find +its way to the desk of every Catholic teacher, and we hope to the home +of every Catholic family. I am glad you marked the Scripture references, +for the higher classes after Confirmation can unite their Scripture +lessons with such study of your book as to prepare themselves for +teaching. Your series of questions and good index are certainly very +useful." + +Right Rev. Camillus P. Maes, D.D., Bishop of Covington: +"I have examined your Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism on some of +the most important points of doctrine and morals. I find its teachings +sound, and the manner of presenting them practical. I take pleasure in +commending your book to priests and teachers, and in congratulating you +for having bestowed so much time on the greatest of all pastoral work, +viz: giving children a thorough and sound knowledge of Holy Church and +of her divine teachings." + +Right Rev. C. E. McDonnell, D.D., Bishop-elect of Brooklyn: +"I beg you to accept my hearty congratulations." + +Right Rev. R. Manogue, D.D., Bishop of Sacramento: +"We have ponderous works from distinguished authors on the Catechism in +general, but yours--An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism--is the +simplest, most concise, most natural and instructive I have yet +encountered. It is good not only for advanced pupils, teachers, +preachers and priests, but also for the sacred precincts of every +Catholic family." + +Right Rev. Tobias Mullen, D.D., Bishop of Erie: +"Your book appears to me a very meritorious production. In your preface +you observe it has been designed for the use of Sunday school teachers +and that it 'should do good in any Catholic family' I think you might +have added that any clergyman having the care of souls, whether giving +private instructions or preparing for the pulpit, would derive great +benefits from its perusal." + +Right Rev. H. P. Northrop, D.D., Bishop of Charleston: +"The Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism, plain and practical, clear +and comprehensive, was a work very much needed. From a general +examination, I think you have done your work well, and you deserve the +thanks of all teachers of catechism and those who have charge of our +schools. You have simplified the work of the teacher by putting in his +hand such a ready handbook and commentary on the text he is supposed to +explain. If they do what they expect their pupils to do--study the +lesson--with such a help as you have furnished them, the work of the +Sunday school will be much more satisfactory. I hope the hearty +appreciation of those for whom you have labored will crown your work +with abundant success." + +Right Rev. Henry Joseph Richter, D.D., Bishop of Grand Rapids: +"The aim of your book is excellent. To judge from the portions which I +have read, your labor has been successful. I recommend the book to all +Catholic adults, but especially to teachers and converts, as a +convenient handbook of appropriate, plain, and solid instructions on the +doctrine of the Catholic Church." + +Right Rev. S. V. Ryan, D.D., Bishop of Buffalo: +"I think your work fully meets all you claim for it. It will serve as a +good textbook for an advanced catechism class, and a very useful +handbook for catechists in instructing converts or our own people what +they should know and what they are bound to believe in regard to our +holy faith. The book will, I think, do good in any Catholic family." + +Right Rev. L. Scanlan, D.D., Bishop of Salt Lake: +"I consider it a most useful if not necessary book, not only for Sunday +school teachers and for advanced classes, but for all who may desire to +have a clear, definite knowledge of Christian doctrine." + + + + +CONTENTS + + + +PRAYERS + +The Lord's Prayer +The Angelical Salutation +The Apostles' Creed +The Confiteor +An Act of Faith +An Act of Hope +An Act of Love +An Act of Contrition +The Blessing before Meals +Grace after Meals +The Manner in Which a Lay Person Is to Baptize in Case of Necessity + + +CATECHISM + +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 the 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 Ends 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 +Lesson 31--The First Commandment--On the Honor and Invocation of the + 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 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 +Lesson 37--On the Last Judgment and Resurrection, Hell, Purgatory and + Heaven + + + + +PREFACE + + +It must be evident to all who have had experience in the work of our +Sunday schools that much time is wasted in the classes. Many teachers do +little more than mark the attendance and hear the lessons; this being +done, time hangs heavily on their hands till the school is dismissed. +They do not or cannot explain what they are teaching, and the children +have no interest in the study. + +The Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism is intended for their use. +The explanations are full and simple. The examples are taken from Holy +Scripture, from the parables of Our Lord, from incidents in His life, +and from the customs and manners of the people of His time. These are +made applicable to our daily lives in reflections and exhortations. + +The plan of the book makes it very simple and handy. The Catechism is +complete and distinct in itself, and may be used with or without the +explanations. The teacher is supposed, after hearing the lesson, to read +the explanation of the new lesson as far as time will allow. It may be +read just as it is, or may be learned by the teacher and given to the +children in substance. + +The Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism will be found very useful +also for the instruction of adults and converts. The priest on the +mission is often called upon to instruct persons who can come to him but +seldom, and only for a short time; and who, moreover, are incapable of +using with profit such books as The Faith of Our Fathers, Catholic +Belief, or works of controversy. They are simply able to use the Child's +Catechism when explained to them. If the Explanation of the Baltimore +Catechism is in their hands, they may read the explanations and study +the Catechism with pleasure. + +Indeed the book should do good in any Catholic family. The majority of +our people are children as far as their religious knowledge goes. They +may, it is true, have books on particular subjects, such as the Duties +of Parents to Their Children, The Sure Way to a Happy Marriage, etc.; +but a book that explains to them in the simplest manner all the truths +of their religion, and applies the same to their daily lives, ought to +be useful. + +The chief aim of the book is to be practical, and to teach Catholics +what they should know, and how these truths of their Catechism are +constantly coming up in the performance of their everyday duties. It is +therefore neither a book of devotion nor of controversy, though it +covers the ground of both. As in this book the explanations are +interrupted by the questions and answers of the Catechism proper, it +will, it is hoped, be read with more pleasure than a book giving solid +page after page of instructions. + +Wherever a fact is mentioned as being taken from Holy Scripture, it will +generally be given in substance and not in the exact text; though the +reference will always be given, so that those wishing may read it as it +is in the Holy Scripture. The children are not supposed to memorize the +explanation as they do the Catechism itself, yet the teacher, having +once read it to them, should ask questions on it. The book may be used +as a textbook or catechism for the more advanced classes, and the +complete list of numbered questions on the explanations--given at the +end--will render it very serviceable for that purpose. + +As the same subject often occurs in different parts of the Catechism, +explanations already given may sometimes be repeated. This is done +either to show the connection between the different parts of the +Catechism, or to impress the explanation more deeply on the minds of the +children, or to save the teacher the trouble of always turning back to +preceding explanations. The numbering of the questions and answers +throughout the Catechism, and the complete index of subjects and list of +questions at the end, will, it is hoped, make these comparisons and +references easy, and the book itself useful. + +With the hope, then, that the Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism may +do all the good intended, I commend it to all who desire a fuller +knowledge of their holy religion that they may practice it more +faithfully. + + +Rev. Thomas L. Kinkead +June 21, 1891, +Feast of St. Aloysius + + + + +An +Explanation +Of The +Baltimore Catechism +of Christian Doctrine + + + + +Basic Catholic 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. + +This is the most beautiful and best of all prayers, because Our Lord +Himself made it. (Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:2). One day when He was praying and +explaining to His Apostles the great advantages of prayer, one of them +said to Him: "Lord, teach us to pray." Then Jesus taught them this +prayer. It contains everything we need or could ask for. We cannot see +its full meaning at once. The more we think over it, the more clearly we +understand it. We could write whole pages on almost every word, and +still not say all that could be said about this prayer. It is called +"the Lord's," because He made it, and sometimes the "Our Father," from +the first words. + +We say "Our," to show that we are all brethren, and that God is the +Father of us all, and therefore we pray not for ourselves alone but for +all God's children. + +We say "Father," because God really is our Father. We do not mean here +by Father the First Person of the Blessed Trinity, but the Blessed +Trinity itself--one God. What does a father do for his children? He +gives them their natural existence, provides them with food and +clothing, teaches, protects, and loves them, shares with them all that +he has, and when he dies leaves them his possessions. Now, in all these +ways, and in a much truer sense, God is our Father. He created us and +gives us all that is necessary to sustain life. He gives light, heat, +and air, without any one of which we could not live. He provides for us +also food and clothing, and long before we need or even think of these +things God is thinking of them. Did you ever reflect upon just how much +time and trouble it costs to produce for you even one potato, of which +you think so little? About two years before you need that potato, God +puts it into the mind of the farmer to save the seed that he may plant +it the following year. In the proper season he prepares the ground with +great care and plants the seed. Then God sends His sunlight and rain to +make it grow, but the farmer's work is not yet ended: he must continue +to keep the soil in good condition and clear away the weeds. In due time +the potato is taken from the ground, brought to the market, carried to +your house, cooked and placed before you. You take it without even +thinking, perhaps, of all this trouble, or thanking God for His +goodness. This is only one article of food, and the same may be said of +all the rest. Your clothing is provided for you long before you need it. +The little lamb upon whose back the wool is growing, from which your +coat is someday to be made, is even now far away on some mountain, +growing stronger with the food God gives it till you need its wool. The +little pieces of coal, too, that you so carelessly throw upon the fire +were formed deep down in the earth hundreds of years ago. God produces +all you use, because He foresees and knows you will use it. Moreover He +protects us from danger; He teaches us by the voice of our conscience +and the ministers of His Church, our priests and bishops. He loves us +too, as we may learn from all that He does for us, and from the many +times He forgives us our sins. He shares what He possesses with us. He +has given us understanding and a free will resembling His own. He has +given us immortality, i.e., when once He has created us, we shall exist +as long as Himself--that is, forever. When Our Lord died on the Cross, +He left us His many possessions--His graces and merits, the holy +Sacraments, and Heaven itself. + +It is surely, then, just and right to call God Father. Our natural +fathers give us only what they, themselves, get from God. So even what +they give us also comes from Him. + +Before the time of Our Lord, the people in prayer did not call God +Father. They feared Him more than they loved Him. When He spoke to +them--as He did when He gave the Commandments to Moses--it was in +thunder, lightning, and smoke. (Ex. 19). They looked upon God as a great +and terrible king who would destroy them for their sins. He sent the +deluge on account of sin, and He destroyed the wicked city of Sodom with +fire from Heaven. (Gen. 7:19). They called Him Jehovah, and were afraid +sometimes even to pronounce His name. But Our Lord taught that God, +besides being a great and powerful king--the Ruler of the universe and +Lord of all things--is also a kind and good Father, who wishes His +children not to offend Him because they love Him rather than because +they fear Him, and therefore He taught His disciples and all Christians +to call God by the sweet name of Father. + +"Who art in Heaven." The Catechism says God is everywhere. Why then do +we say, "Who art in Heaven," as if He were no place else? We say so to +remind us, first, that Heaven is our true home, and that this world is +only a strange land in which we are staying for a while to do the work +that God wishes us to do here, and then return to our own home; second, +that in Heaven we shall see God face to face and as He is; third, that +Heaven is the place where God will be for all eternity with the blessed. + +"Hallowed" means made holy or sacred. Halloween is the name given to the +evening before the feast of All Hallows or All Saints. + +"Thy kingdom come." This petition contains a great deal more than we at +first see in it. In it we ask that God may reign in our hearts and in +the hearts of all men by His grace in this life, and that we and all men +may attain our eternal salvation, and thus be brought to reign forever +with God in Heaven--the kingdom of His glory. As the Church on earth is +frequently called the kingdom of Christ, and as all the labors of the +Church are directed to the salvation of souls, we pray also in this +petition that the Church may be extended upon earth, that the true +religion may be spread over the whole world, that all men may know and +serve the true God and cheerfully obey His holy laws; that the devil may +have no dominion over them. While saying this petition we may have it in +our minds to pray even for particular ways in which the true religion +can be spread; for example, by praying that the missionaries may meet +with success and all the missions prosper; that priests and bishops may +be ordained to preach the Gospel; that the Church may overcome all her +enemies everywhere, and the true religion triumph. + +"Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." In Heaven all the angels +and saints obey God perfectly; they never offend Him; so we pray that it +may be on earth as it is in Heaven, all men doing God's will, observing +His laws and the laws of His Church, and living without sin. + +"Give us this day our daily bread." In this petition "bread" means not +merely bread, but everything we need for our daily lives; such as food, +clothing, light, heat, air, and the like; also food for the soul, i.e., +grace. If a beggar told you that he had not tasted bread for the whole +day, you would never think of asking him if he had eaten any cake, +because you would understand by his word bread all kinds of food. We say +"daily," to teach us not to be greedy or too careful about ourselves, +and not to ask for unnecessary things, but to pray for what we need for +our present wants. + +"And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against +us." "Trespasses" means here our sins, our offenses against God. When we +trespass we enter places we should not, or where we are forbidden to go. +So when we sin we go where we should not go, viz., out of the path of +virtue that leads to God, and into the way of vice that leads to the +devil. + +"As we forgive them." We take this to mean: we forgive others who have +offended us, and for that reason, God, You should forgive us who have +offended You. Our Lord told a beautiful parable, i.e., a story by way of +illustration, to explain this. (Matt. 18:23). A very rich man had a +servant who owed him a large sum of money. One day the master asked the +servant for the money, and the poor servant had none to give. Now the +law of the country was, that when anyone could not pay his debts, all +that he had could be sold and the money given to the one to whom it was +due, and if that was not sufficient, he and his wife and his children +could be sold as slaves. The servant, knowing this, fell on his knees +and begged his master to be patient with him, and to give him time and +he would pay all. Then his master was moved to pity, granted not only +what he asked, but freed him from the debt altogether. Afterwards when +this servant, who had just been forgiven the large sum, was going out, +he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a very small sum of +money, and taking hold of him by the throat, demanded payment. Now, this +poor servant, having nothing to give just then, implored his assailant +to be patient with him and he would pay all. But the hard-hearted +servant--though he himself had a little while before asked and obtained +the very same favor from his own master--would not listen to the request +or wait longer, but went and had his fellow servant cast into prison +till he should pay the debt. The other servants, seeing how unforgiving +this man was who had himself been forgiven, went and told all to their +master, and he, being angry at such conduct, had the unforgiving servant +brought back and cast into prison. + +"And lead us not into temptation." "Temptation" means a trial to see +whether we will do a thing or not. Here it means a trial made by some +person or thing--the devil, the world, or our own flesh--to see whether +we will sin or not. God does not exactly lead us into temptation; but He +allows us to fall into it. He allows others to tempt us. We can overcome +any temptation to sin by the help or grace that God gives us. Therefore +we ask in this petition that God will always give us the grace to +overcome the temptation, and that we may not consent to it. A temptation +is not a sin. It becomes sin only when we are overcome by it. When we +are tempted we are like soldiers fighting a battle: if the soldiers are +conquered by their enemy, they are disgraced; but if they conquer their +enemy, they have great glory and great rewards. So, when we overcome +temptations, God gives us a new glory and reward for every victory. + +"Deliver us from evil." From every kind of evil, and especially the evil +of being conquered by our spiritual enemies, and thus falling into sin, +and offending God by becoming His enemy ourselves. It would be a sin to +seek temptation, though we have a reward for resisting it when it comes. + +"Amen" means, be it so. May all we have asked be granted just as we have +asked it. + + +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. + +Next in beauty to the Lord's Prayer comes this prayer. It is made up of +three parts: + +"Hail, full of grace! the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst +women" was composed by the angel Gabriel, for these are the words he +used when he came to tell the Blessed Virgin that she was selected to be +the Mother of God (Luke 1:28). All her people knew that the Redeemer +promised from the time of Eve down to the time of the Blessed Virgin was +now to be born, and many good women were anxious to be His mother, and +they believed the one who would be selected the most blessed and happy +of all women. + +"The Lord is with thee" by His grace and favor, since you are the one He +loves best. He is with all His creatures, but He is with you in a very +special manner. + +After the visit of the angel, the Blessed Virgin went a good distance to +visit her cousin, St. Elizabeth, who was the mother of St. John the +Baptist (Luke 1:39). When St. Elizabeth saw her, she, without being told +by the Blessed Virgin what the angel had done, knew by the inspiration +of the Holy Ghost what had taken place, and said to the Blessed Virgin: +"Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." +That is "blessed" because, of all the women that have ever lived or ever +shall live, you are the one selected by God to be the mother of His Son +and Our Redeemer, and blessed is that Son Himself. This is the second +part of the prayer. The third part, from "Holy Mary" to the end, was +composed by the Church. + +"Hail." This was the word used by the people of that country in saluting +one another when they met. We say when meeting anyone we know, "Good +day," or "How do you do?" or some such familiar expression used by all +in salutation. So these people, instead of saying, "Good day," etc., +said "Hail" i.e., I wish you health, I greet you, etc. The angel did not +say "Mary," because she was the only one present to address. + +"Full of grace." When anything is full it has no room for more. God's +grace and sin cannot exist in the same place. Therefore when the Blessed +Virgin was full of grace, there was no room for sin. So she was without +any sin and gifted with every virtue. + +"Holy Mary," because one full of grace must be holy. + +"Mother of God," because her Son was true God and true man in the one +person of Christ, Our Lord. + +"Pray for us," because she has more power with her Son than all the +other saints. + +"Sinners," and therefore we need forgiveness. + +"At the hour of our death" especially, because that is the most +important time for us. No matter how bad we have been during our lives, +if God gives us the grace to die in His friendship, we shall be His +friends forever. On the other hand, no matter how good we may have been +for a part of our lives, if we become bad before death, and die in that +state, we shall be separated from God forever, and be condemned to +eternal punishment. It would be wrong, therefore, to live in sin, with a +promise that we shall die well, for God may not give us the grace or +opportunity to repent, and we may die in sin if we have lived in sin. +Besides this, the devil knows how much depends upon the state in which +we die, and so he perhaps will tempt us more at death than at any other +time; for if we yield to him and die in sin, we shall be with him +forever--it is his last chance to secure our souls. + +Besides the Hail Mary there is another beautiful prayer on the same +subject, called the Angelus. It is a little history of the Incarnation, +and is said morning, noon, and evening in honor of Our Lord's +Incarnation, death, and resurrection. It is made up of three parts. The +first part tells what the angel did, viz.: "The angel of the Lord +declared unto Mary. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost." After saying +these words, we say one Hail Mary in honor of the angel's message. The +second part tells what Mary answered, viz.: "Behold the handmaid of the +Lord. Be it done unto me according to thy word." We say another Hail +Mary in honor of Mary's consent. The third part tells how Our Lord +became Man, viz.: "And the Word was made flesh. And dwelt among us." The +"Word" means here the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity; and "made +flesh" means, became man. Then another Hail Mary is said in honor of Our +Lord's goodness in humbling Himself so much for our sake. After these +three parts we say: "Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God! that we may be +made worthy of the promises of Christ"; and, finally, we say a prayer in +honor of Our Lord's Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection. This +beautiful prayer is said three times a day in all seminaries, convents, +and religious houses. The time for saying it is made known by the +ringing of a bell called the "Angelus bell." In many parishes the church +bell rings out the Angelus. In Catholic countries the people stop +wherever they are and whatever they are doing, and bowing their heads, +say the Angelus when they hear its bell. It is a beautiful practice and +one most pleasing to our Blessed Lord and His holy Mother. Good +Catholics should not neglect it. + +I might mention here another kind of prayer often said in honor of our +blessed Mother. It is the Litany. In this form of prayer we call Our +Lady many beautiful names which we know are most dear to her, asking her +after each one to pray for us. We address her first by names reminding +her that she is the Mother of God and has therefore great influence with +her divine Son. We say: Mother of Christ, Mother of Our Creator, Mother +of Our Redeemer, etc., pray for us. Next we remind her that she is a +virgin and should take pity on us who are exposed to so many temptations +against holy purity. We call her virgin most pure, virgin most chaste, +etc., and again ask her to pray for us. Lastly we call her all those +names that could induce her to hear us. We say: health of the weak, +refuge of sinners, help of Christians, pray for us. + +In addition to the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, we have the Litany of +the Holy Name of Jesus, the Litany of the Blessed Sacrament, the Litany +of the Sacred Heart, the Litany of St. Joseph, and many others--all made +up in the same form. We have also the Litany of all the Saints, in which +we beg the help and prayers of the different classes of saints--the +Apostles, martyrs, virgins, etc. + + +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. + +A creed is a definite list or summary of all the things one believes. +The "Apostles' Creed" is therefore a list or collection of all the +truths the Apostles believed. The "Apostles" were the twelve men that +Our Lord selected to be His first bishops. We know they were bishops +because they could ordain priests and consecrate other bishops. They +lived with Our Lord like a little family during the three and a half +years of His public life; they went with Him and learned from Him +wherever He preached. Besides these He had also His disciples, i.e., +followers who went with Him frequently but did not live with Him. Our +Lord wished His doctrine to be taught to all the people of the world, +and so He told His Apostles that they must go over the whole world and +preach in every country. During the life of Our Lord and for a short +time after His death they preached in only one country, viz., +Palestine--now called the Holy Land--in which country the Jews, up to +that time God's chosen people, lived. Since the Apostles were to preach +to all nations, the time came when they must separate, one going to one +country, and another to another. In those days there were no steamboats +or railroads, no post offices, telegraph offices, telephones, or +newspapers. If the Apostles wished to communicate with anyone they had +either to go to the place themselves or send a messenger. By walking or +riding it might have taken them months or years in those days to make a +journey that we can make now in a few days; and for an answer to a +message which we can get now by telegraph in a few hours they might have +had to wait months. The Apostles knew of all these inconveniences, and +before leaving the places they were in pointed out the chief truths that +all should know and believe before receiving Baptism, that Christian +teachers who should come after them might neglect nothing--just as we +use catechisms containing the truths of religion, for fear the teachers +might forget to speak of some of them. There are "twelve articles" or +parts in the Apostles' Creed, and each part is meant to refute some +false doctrine taught before the time of the Apostles or while they +lived. Thus there were those--as the Romans--who said there were many +gods; others said not God, but the devil created the earth; others +taught that Our Lord was not the Son of God: and so on for the rest. All +these false doctrines are denied and the truth professed when we say the +Apostles' Creed. + +Just as in the Lord's Prayer we do not see all its meaning at first, so +in the Apostles' Creed we find many beautiful things only after thinking +carefully over every word it contains. + +"I believe," without the slightest doubt or suspicion that I might be +wrong. + +"In God" by the grace that He gives me to believe and have full +confidence in Him. + +"God," to show that there is only one. + +"The Father," because He brought everything into existence and keeps it +so (see Explanation of the Lord's Prayer). + +"Almighty," i.e., having all might or power; because He can do whatever +He wishes. He can make or destroy by merely wishing. + +"Creator." To create means to make out of nothing. God alone can create. +When a carpenter makes a table, he must have wood; when a tailor makes a +coat, he must have cloth. They are only makers and not creators. God +needs no material or tools. When we make anything, we make it part by +part; but God makes the whole at once. He simply wills and it is made. +Thus He said in the beginning of the world: "Let there be light; and +light was made." For example, suppose I wanted a piano. If I could say, +"Let there be a piano" and it immediately sprang up without any other +effort on my part, although neither the wood, the iron, the wire, the +ivory, nor anything else in it ever existed till I said, "Let there be a +piano," then it could be said I created a piano. No one could do this, +for God alone has such power. + +"Heaven and earth" and everything we can see or know of. + +"Jesus Christ." Our Lord is called by many names, but you must not be +confused by them, for they all mean the same person, and are given only +to remind us of some particular thing connected with Our Lord. He is +called "Jesus," which signifies Saviour, and "Christ," which means +anointed. He is called the "Second Person of the Blessed Trinity," and +when we call Him "Our Lord," we mean the Second Person of the Blessed +Trinity after He became man. He is called the "Messias" and the "Son of +David" to show that He is the Redeemer promised to the Jews. Also at the +end of all our litanies He is called the "Lamb of God," because He was +so meek and humble and suffered death so patiently. In the Litany of the +Holy Name of Jesus we will find many other beautiful names of Our Lord, +all having their special signification. + +"His only Son," to show that God, the First Person of the Blessed +Trinity, was His real Father. We are called God's children, but we are +only His created and adopted children. + +"Who was conceived," i.e., He began to exist by the power of the Holy +Ghost in the womb of His Mother, the Blessed Virgin. + +"Suffered." We shall see in the explanation of the Passion what He +suffered. + +"Under" means here, at the time a man named Pontius Pilate was governor. +If anyone were put to death today in this country, we should say he was +executed under Governor or President so-and-so. "Crucified," i.e., +nailed to a cross. We say "died," because Our Lord is the Giver of Life, +and no one could take His life away unless He allowed it. Therefore we +say He died, and not that He was killed, to show that He died by His own +free will and not against His will. + +"Was buried." This we say to show that He was really dead; because if +you bury a man who is not really dead he must die. + +"Hell" here does not mean the place where the damned are, but a place +called "Limbo." You know that when our first parents sinned, Heaven was +closed against them and us, and no human being could be admitted into it +till after the death of Our Lord; for He by His death would redeem +us--make amends for our fall and once more open for us Heaven. Now from +the time Adam sinned till the time Christ died is about four thousand +years. During that time there were at least some good men, like Abraham, +Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and others, in the world, who tried to serve +God as best they could--keeping all the divine laws known to them, and +believing that the Messias would some day come to redeem them. When, +therefore, they died they could not go to Heaven, because it was closed +against them. They could not go to Hell, because they were good men. +Neither could they go to Purgatory, because they would have to suffer +there. Where could they go? God in His goodness provided a place for +them--Limbo--where they could stay without suffering till Our Lord +reopened Heaven. Therefore, while Our Lord's body lay in the sepulchre, +His soul went down into Limbo, to tell these good men that Heaven was +now opened for them, and that at His Ascension He would take them there +with Him. + +"The third day." Not three full days, but the parts of three days, viz., +Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday morning. + +"He arose" by His own power: and this was the greatest of all Our Lord's +miracles. Some others, like the prophets and Apostles, have, by the +power God gave them, raised the dead to life; but no dead person ever +raised himself. Our Lord is the first and only one to do this, and by so +doing, showed they could not take away His life unless He wished to give +it up; for since He could always take back His life, how could they +destroy it? + +"He ascended" forty days after His Resurrection. + +"Right hand of God." We know God is a pure spirit having no body; and if +He has no body He can have no hands. Why then do we say right hand? When +the President of the United States invites anyone to dine at his house, +he makes the invited guest sit at his right hand, and thus shows his +respect by giving him the place of highest honor. + +When Our Lord ascended into Heaven, He went up in the human body He had +upon earth, and His Father placed Him as man, in His glorified body, in +the place, after His (the Father's) own, the highest in Heaven; but +remember, only as man, because as God He is equal to His Father in all +things. + +"From thence"--that is, from the right hand of God. + +"To judge." To examine them, to pronounce sentence upon them; to reward +them in Heaven or punish them in Hell. + +"The living and the dead." We may take this in a double sense. As the +general judgment will come suddenly and when not expected, all will be +going on in the world as usual--some attending to business, others +taking their ease as they do now, or as they were doing when the deluge +came upon them. Just when the judgment is about to take place, God will +destroy the earth; and then all those living in the world will perish +with its destruction and then be judged. The "dead" means, therefore, +all those who died before the destruction of the world, and the "living" +all those who were on earth when the time of its destruction came. Or +the "living" may mean also those in a state of grace, and the "dead" +those in mortal sin; for God will judge both classes. + +"Holy Ghost," i.e., the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. Ghost is an +old word meaning spirit. When persons say that a ghost appeared, they +mean that the spirit of some dead person appeared. These stories about +ghosts are told generally to frighten children or timid persons. If +those who thought they saw a ghost always examined what they saw, they +would find that the supposed ghost was something very natural; probably +a bush swayed by the wind, or a stray animal, or perhaps some person +trying to frighten them. Ghost here does not mean the spirit of a dead +person, but the Holy Spirit, which is the proper name for the Third +Person of the Blessed Trinity. + +"The communion of saints." There are three parts in the Church. We have, +first, the Church Militant, i.e., the fighting Church, made up of all +the faithful upon earth, who are still fighting for their salvation. The +Holy Scripture tells us our life upon earth is a warfare. We have three +enemies to fight. First, the devil, who by every means wishes to keep us +out of Heaven--the place he once enjoyed himself. The devil knows well +the happiness of Heaven, and does not wish us to have what he cannot +have himself; just as you sometimes see persons who, through their own +fault, have lost their situation trying to keep others out of it. + +Our second enemy is the world. This does not mean the earth with all its +beauty and riches, but the bad people in the world with their false +doctrines; some telling us there is no God, Heaven, or Hell, others that +we should pay no attention to the teaching of the Church or the laws of +God, and advising us by word and example to resist our lawful superiors +in Church or State and give free indulgence to our sinful passions. + +The third enemy is our own flesh. By this we mean our concupiscence, +that is, our passions, evil inclinations, and propensity to do wrong. +When God first created man, the soul was always master over the body, +and the body obedient to the soul. After Adam sinned, the body rebelled +against the soul and tried to lead it into sin. The body is the part of +our nature that makes us like the brute animals, while the soul makes us +like to God and the angels. + +When we sin, it is generally to satisfy the body craving for what it has +not, or for that which is forbidden. Why did God leave this +concupiscence in us? He left it, first, to keep us humble, by reminding +us of our former sins, and, secondly, that we might overcome it and have +a reward for the victory. + +The second branch of the Church is called the Church Suffering. It is +made up of all those who have gone through this world and are now in +Purgatory. + +Some of them while on earth fought well, but not as well as they could +have done; they yielded to some temptations, fell into some small sins, +received some slight wounds from their spiritual enemies, or they have +not satisfied God entirely for the temporal guilt due to their great +sins; therefore they are in Purgatory till they can be completely +purified from all their sins and admitted into Heaven. + +The last or third branch of the Church is called the Church Triumphant, +and is made up of the angels and all those who have lived at one time +upon earth and who are now in Heaven with God, enjoying their rewards +for overcoming their spiritual enemies and serving God while upon earth. +They are triumphant or rejoicing because they have reached their +heavenly home. + +You must not think that those only are saints who have been canonized by +the Church and whose names are known to us; for all in Heaven are +saints, as we also shall be if admitted into that happy eternity. God +wishes all to be saints, for He wishes all to be saved. You know we can +pray to the saints and ask their help and prayers; but how could we know +that certain men or women are really in Heaven? We can know it when the +Church canonizes them, and thus gives proof that they were great +spiritual heroes in the service of God and can be more confidently +appealed to on account of their eminent sanctity and powerful +intercession. + +Therefore the Church by canonization tells us for certain that such and +such persons are truly in Heaven. But might not the Church be deceived +like ourselves? + +No! for Christ has promised to be always with His Church, and the Holy +Ghost is ever directing her, so that she cannot err in faith or morals. +If the Church made us pray to persons who are not saints, she would fall +into the worst of errors, and Our Lord would have failed to keep His +promise--a saying that would be blasphemous, for Christ, being God, is +infinitely true and could not deceive or be deceived. To canonize, +therefore, does not mean to make a saint, but to declare to the whole +world that such a one was a saint while upon earth. After death we +cannot merit, so our reward in Heaven will be just what we have secured +up till the moment of our death; hence holiness is acquired in the +Church Militant. + +How does the Church canonize a saint? Let us suppose some good man dies, +and all his neighbors talk about his holy fife, how much he did for the +poor, how he prayed, fasted, and mortified himself. All these accounts +of his life are collected and sent to Rome, to the Holy Father or to the +cardinals appointed by him to examine such statements. These accounts +must show that the good man practiced virtue in a more than ordinary +manner, that he either performed some miracles while he lived, or that +God granted miracles after his death through his intercession. + +These accounts are not examined immediately after his death, but +sometimes after a lapse of fifty years or more, so that people might not +exaggerate his good works because they knew him personally. + +When these accounts are examined, one is appointed to prevent, if he +can, the canonization. He is sometimes called the devil's advocate, +because it is his business to find fault with all the accounts and +miracles, and prove them false if possible. This is done to make certain +that all the accounts are true and the miracles real. If everything is +found as represented, then the good man is declared venerable, later +beatified, i.e., called blessed, and still later canonized, i.e., +declared a saint. If he is only beatified, he can be honored publicly +only in certain places or by certain persons; but if he is canonized, he +can be honored throughout the whole Church by all the faithful. + +Thus we understand the three branches of the one true Church--the Church +Militant, i.e., all those who are on earth trying to save their souls; +the Church Suffering, those in Purgatory, having their souls purified +for Heaven; and the Church Triumphant, those already in Heaven. + +The "communion of saints" means that these three branches of the Church +can help one another. We help the souls in Purgatory by our prayers and +good works, and the saints in Heaven pray for us. But "communion of +saints" means still more. Let us take an example. Suppose there are in a +family, living together, a mother and three sons. The eldest son earns a +large salary, the second son enough to support himself, and the youngest +very little. They give their earnings to their mother, who from the +combined amounts provides for the wants of all and draws from the large +salary of the eldest to supply the needs of the youngest. Thus he who +has too little for his support is--through his mother--aided by the one +who has more than he needs. Now, the Church is our mother, and some of +her children--the great saints--were rich in good works and did more +than was necessary to gain Heaven, while others did not do enough. Then +our mother, the Church, draws from the abundant satisfaction of her rich +children to help those who are poor in merit and good works. The +greatest treasure she has to draw from for that purpose is the more than +abundant merits of Our Lord and the superabundant satisfaction of the +Blessed Virgin and the greatest saints. Our Lord could have redeemed us +all by the least suffering, and yet He suffered dreadful torments, and +even shed His blood and died for us. The Blessed Virgin never sinned, +yet she performed many good works and offered many prayers. Therefore +"communion of saints" means, also, that we all share in the merits of +Christ and in the superabundant satisfaction of the Blessed Virgin and +of the saints; also in the prayers and good works of the Church and of +her faithful and pious children. + +"The forgiveness of sins," i.e., by the Sacrament of Penance, through +the power that God gave His priests; also by Baptism. + +"The resurrection of the body," i.e., on the last day (Matt. 24:29; Luke +21:25). When on the last day, at the general judgment, God's angel +sounds the great trumpet, all the dead will arise again and come to +judgment, in the same bodies they had while living. But you will say: If +their bodies are reduced to ashes and mixed with the earth, or if parts +of them are in one place and parts in another, how is this possible? +Very easily, with God. If He in the beginning could make all the parts +out of nothing, with how much ease can He collect them scattered here +and there! When God made man He gave him a body and a soul, and wished +them never to be separated. Man was to live here upon earth for a time, +and then be taken up into Heaven, body and soul, as Our Lord is there +now. But when man sinned, in punishment God commanded that he should +die; i.e., that these two dear friends, the body and the soul, should be +separated for a time. Death is caused by the separation of the soul from +the body. The body and soul together make a man, and neither one alone +can be called a man. A dead body is only part of a man. At the +resurrection every soul will come from Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell, to +seek its own body; they will then be united again as they were in life, +never to be separated--to be happy together in Heaven if they have been +good upon earth, or miserable together in Hell if they have been bad +upon earth. + +"Life everlasting"--either, as we have said, in Heaven or Hell. There +was a time when we did not exist but it can never be said of us again we +do not exist. When once we have been created, we shall live as long as +God Himself, i.e., forever. When we have lived a thousand years for +every drop of water in the ocean; a thousand years for every grain of +sand on the seashore; a thousand years for every blade of grass and +every leaf on the earth, we shall still be existing. How short a time, +therefore, is a hundred years even if we live so long--and few +do--compared with all these millions of years! And yet it depends upon +the time we live here whether all these millions of years in the next +world will be for us years of happiness or of misery. The whole life of +a man extends through the two worlds, viz., from the moment of his +creation through all eternity; and surely the little while he stays upon +earth must seem very short when, after spending a million of years in +the next world, he looks back to his earthly life. There is a good +example to illustrate this. If you stand on a railroad, and look away +down the track for about a mile, it will seem to you that the rails come +nearer and nearer, till at last they touch. It seems so on account of +the distance, for where they seem to touch they are just as far apart as +where you are standing. So, also, when you look back from eternity, the +day of your birth and the day of your death will seem to coincide, and +your life on earth appear nothing. Then, if you are among the lost souls +you will think, What a fool I was to make myself suffer all this long +eternity for that silly bit of earthly pleasure, which is of no benefit +to me now! And this thought will serve only to make you more miserable. +But, on the other hand, if you look back from a happy eternity, you will +wonder at God's goodness in giving you so much happiness for so short a +service upon earth. + + +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, 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. + +This is another beautiful prayer. In it we can imagine that we are +permitted to enter Heaven. What do we see there? God, the Blessed +Virgin, the thousands of angels, the Apostles, all the saints, martyrs, +confessors, doctors and virgins. They cease singing God's praises, as we +enter, and fix their eyes upon us. Our guardian angel conducts us before +the great throne of God, and we kneel down in the presence of the whole +court of Heaven, to acknowledge our sins and faults, while all listen +attentively. Touched by so sublime a sight and the thought of having +offended a God of so much glory, we begin our accusation of ourselves. +We fix our eyes first upon God, and say: "I confess," i.e., accuse +myself, "to Almighty God." Then we look upon the rest of the blessed, +and say: "to the Blessed Mary ever Virgin," etc. Thus we call the whole +court of Heaven to be a witness of the fact that we "have sinned," not +lightly, but "exceedingly," i.e., very greatly, and in three ways: "in +thought," by thinking of things sinful and forbidden; "in word," by +lies, curses, slanders, etc.; "in deed," by every bad action that we +have committed; and each of us can say: I have done all this "through my +fault," i.e., willingly and deliberately; and it was not a small fault, +but an exceeding great fault, because God was helping me by His grace to +overcome temptations and avoid bad thoughts, words, and actions, and I +would not accept His help, but willingly did what was wrong. What am I +to do, therefore? Will God pardon all these offenses if I alone ask Him, +seeing that all the angels and saints know that I have thus offended +Him? What shall I do? I will ask them to help me by their prayers, and +to beg God's pardon for me. He may grant their prayers, especially those +of the Blessed Mother and of the saints, when He would not grant mine. +"Therefore I beseech the Blessed Mary ever Virgin," etc., "to pray to +the Lord our God for me." + +When we kneel down to say the Confiteor, if we could imagine what I have +just described to take place, how well we should say it! With what +attention, respect, and sorrow we should ask the prayers of the saints! +When we say the Confiteor, and indeed any prayer, we say it in the +presence of God, and of the whole court of Heaven, though we are not in +Heaven and cannot see God. The angels and saints do hear us and will +pray for us. When, therefore, you are saying the Confiteor, imagine that +you see all I have described, and you will never say it badly. + + +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," i.e., a profession, of faith. The whole substance of the act +of faith is contained in this: I believe all that God has revealed and +the Catholic Church teaches. We might mention one by one all the truths +God has revealed, i.e., made known to us, and all the truths the +Catholic Church teaches as revealed by God. For example, we might say, I +believe in the Holy Trinity, in the Incarnation of Our Lord in the Holy +Eucharist, in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin, in the +infallibility of the Pope, and so on, till we write an act of faith +twenty pages long, and yet it would all be contained in the words: I +believe all God has revealed and the Catholic Church teaches. Hence we +find in prayerbooks and catechisms acts of faith differing in length and +words, but they are all the same in substance and have the same meaning. +The act of faith in our Catechism gives a few of the chief truths +revealed, that it may be neither too short nor too long, and that all +may learn the same words. + + +AN ACT OF HOPE + +O my God! relying on Thy almighty power and 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. + +The substance of this act is: I hope for Heaven and the means to obtain +it. The means by which I will obtain it are the pardon of my sins by +God, and the grace which He will give me in the reception of the +Sacraments and in prayer, by which grace I will be able to know Him, +love Him, and serve Him, and thus come to be with Him forever. Here +again we could make a long act by mentioning all the things we hope for; +viz., a good death, a favorable judgment, a place in Heaven, etc. + + +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. + +The substance of this act is: I love God above all things for His own +goodness, and my neighbor as myself for the sake of God. An act of love +and an act of charity are the same thing with different names. We are +accustomed to call such things as the giving of alms or help to the +poor, the doing of some good work that we are not bound to do for +another, charity. Surely there are many motives that may induce persons +to help others in their distress; but what is the chief Christian +motive, if it be not the love we bear our brother-man because he is, +like ourselves, a child of God, and the desire we have to obey God, who +wishes us to help the needy? The sufferings of others excite our pity, +and the more we love them the more sorry are we to see them suffer. +Thanks to God for all His mercies to us; He might have made us, instead +of this man, poor and in suffering, but He has spared us and afflicted +him; we know not why God has done so, and therefore we help him, moved +by these considerations even when we feel he is not deserving of the +help, because we know his unworthiness will not prevent God from +rewarding our good intention. We may be charitable to our neighbor by +saying nothing hurtful about him, by never telling his faults without +necessity, etc. Therefore real charity, in its widest sense, and love +are just the same. + + +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 substance of this act is: O my God! I am very sorry for all my sins, +because by them I have offended Thee, and with Thy help, I will never +sin again. It is well to know what the acts contain in substance, for we +can use these short forms as aspirations during the day, when we +probably would not think of saying the long forms. A fuller explanation +of the qualities of our contrition will be given in Lesson Eighteen. + + +THE BLESSING BEFORE MEALS + +Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts which we are to receive from Thy +bounty, through Christ our lord. Amen. + + +GRACE AFTER MEALS + +We give Thee thanks for all Thy benefits, O Almighty God, Who livest and +reignest forever. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through +the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. + +"Grace" means thanks. We saw in the explanation of the Our Father how +God provides us with all we need, and most frequently with food. It is +the least we can do, therefore, to thank Him for it, when it is just +placed before us. We should thank Him also after we have eaten it and +found it good, pleasing, and refreshing. When God provides us with food +He thereby makes a kind of promise that He will allow us to live awhile +longer and give us strength to serve Him. How shameful it is, then, to +turn God's gifts into a means of offending Him, as some do by the sin of +gluttony! Again, it is very wrong to murmur and be dissatisfied with +what God gives us. He does not owe us anything, and need not give unless +He wishes. What would you think of a beggar of this kind? +He comes to your door hungry, and you, instead of simply giving him some +bread to appease his hunger, take him into your house and give him a +good dinner, new clothing, and some money. Now, instead of being +thankful, suppose he should complain because you did not give him a +better dinner, finer clothing, and more money, and should look cross and +dissatisfied; what would you think of him? Would you not be tempted to +turn the ungrateful fellow out of your house, with an order never to +come again, telling him he deserved to starve for his ingratitude? We +are not quite as ungrateful as the beggar when we neglect grace at +meals, because in saying our daily prayers we thank God for all His +gifts, our food included, and hence it is not a sin to neglect grace at +meals. But do we not show some ingratitude when we murmur, complain, and +are dissatisfied with our food, clothing, or homes? God, even when we +are ungrateful, still gives; hence His wonderful goodness and mercy to +us. + + +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, and +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. + + + + +CATECHISM + +Questions marked * are not in No. 1 Catechism. + +A catechism is any book made up in question and answer form, no matter +what it treats of. We have catechisms of history, of geography, etc. Our +Catechism is a book in the same form treating of religion. It is a +little compendium of the truths of our religion, of all we must believe +and do. It contains, in the simplest form, all that a priest learns +during his many years of study. The theology he learns is only a deeper +and fuller explanation of the Catechism. A whole book might be written +on almost every question. For example, might we not write a book on each +of the first three questions--the World, God, and Man? There is +consequently much meaning in the Catechism, which must be made known to +us by explanation. You should therefore learn the Catechism by heart +now, even when you do not fully understand it; because afterwards, when +you read books on religion or hear sermons, all these questions and +answers will come back to your mind. Sermons will help you to understand +the questions, or the questions will help you to understand the sermons. + + + +Lesson 1 +ON THE END OF MAN + + +The end of a thing is the purpose for which it was made. The end of a +watch is to keep time. The end of a pen is to write, etc. A thing is +good only in proportion to the way it fulfills the end for which it was +made. A watch may be very beautifully made, a very rare ornament, but if +it will not keep time it is useless as a watch. The same may be said of +the pen, or of anything else. Now for what purpose was man made? If we +discover that, we know his end. When we look around us in the world, we +see a purpose or end for everything. We see that the soil is made for +the plants and trees to grow in; because if there was no need of things +growing, it would be better to have a nice clean solid rock to walk +upon, and then we would be spared the trouble of making roads, and +paving streets. But things must grow, and so we must have soil. Again, +the vegetables and plants are made for animals to feed upon; while the +animals themselves are made for man, that they may help him in his work +or serve him for food. Thus it is evident everything in the world was +made to serve something else. What then was man made for? Was it for +anything in the world? We see that all classes of beings are created for +something higher than themselves. Thus plants are higher than soil, +because they have life and soil has not. Animals are higher than plants, +because they not only have life, but they can feel and plants cannot. +Man is higher than animals, because he not only has life and can feel, +but he has also reason and intelligence, and can understand, while +animals cannot. Therefore we must look for something higher than man +himself, but there is nothing higher than man in this world, and so we +must look beyond it to find that for which he was made. And looking +beyond it and considering all things, we find that he was made for +God--to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him both in this world and +in the next. Again, we read in the Bible (Gen. 1) that at the creation +of the world all things were made before man, and that he was created +last. Therefore, if all these things could exist without man, we cannot +say he was made for them. The world existed before him and can exist +after him. The world goes along without any particular man, and the same +may be said of all men. Neither was man made to stay here awhile to +become rich, or learned, or powerful, because all do not become +rich--some are very poor; all are not learned--some are very ignorant; +all are not powerful--some are slaves. But since all men are alike and +equal in this, that they have all bodies formed in the same way, and all +souls that are immortal, they should all be made for the same end. For +example, you could not make a pen like a watch if you want it to write. +Although pens differ in size, shape, etc., they have all one general +form which is essential to them. So, although men differ in many things, +they are all alike in the essential thing, viz., that they are composed +of body and soul, and made to the image and likeness of God. Hence, as +pens are made only to write with, so all men must have only one and the +same end, namely, to serve God. + +1 Q. Who made the world? +A. God made the world. + +The "world" here means more than the earth--more than is shown on a map +of the world. It means everything that we can see--sun, moon, stars, +etc.; even those things that we can see only with great telescopes. +Everything, too, that we may be able to see in the future, either with +our eyes alone, or aided by instruments, is included in the word +"world." We can call it the universe. + +2 Q. Who is God? +A. God is the Creator of Heaven and earth, and of all things. + +3 Q. What is man? +A. Man is a creature composed of a body and soul, and made to the image +and likeness of God. + +"Creature," i.e., a thing created. Man differs from anything else in +creation. All things else are either entirely matter, or entirely +spirit. An angel, for example, is all spirit, and a stone is all matter; +but man is a combination of both spirit and matter--of soul and of body. + +*4 Q. Is this likeness in the body or in the soul? +A. This likeness is chiefly in the soul. + +*5 Q. How is the soul like to God? +A. The soul is like God because it is a spirit that will never die, and +has understanding and free will. + +My soul is like to God in four things. + +(1). It is "a spirit." It really exists, but cannot be seen with the +eyes of our body. Every spirit is invisible, but every invisible thing +is not a spirit. We cannot see the wind. We can feel its influence, we +can see its work--for example, the dust flying, trees swaying, ships +sailing, etc.--but the wind itself we never see. Again, we never see +electricity. We see the light or effect it produces, but we never see +the electricity itself. Yet no one denies the existence of the wind or +of electricity on account of their being invisible. Why then should +anyone say there are no spirits--no God, no angels, no souls--simply +because they cannot be seen, when we have other proofs, stronger than +the testimony of our sight, that they really and truly exist? + +(2). My soul will "never die," i.e., will never cease to exist; it is +immortal. This is a very wonderful thing to think of. It will last as +long as God Himself. + +(3). My soul "has understanding," i.e., it has the gift of reason. This +gift enables man to reflect upon all his actions--the reasons why he +should do certain things and why he should not do them. By reason he +reflects upon the past, and judges what may happen in the future. He +sees the consequences of his actions. He not only knows what he does, +but why he does it. This is the gift that places man high above the +brute animals in the order of creation; and hence man is not merely an +animal, but he is a rational animal--an animal with the gift of reason. + +Brute animals have not reason, but only instinct, i.e., they follow +certain impulses or feelings which God gave them at their creation. He +established certain laws for each class or kind of animals, and they, +without knowing it, follow these laws; and when we see them following +their laws, always in the same way, we say it is their nature. Animals +act at times as if they knew just why they were acting; but it is not +so. It is we who reason upon their actions, and see why they do them; +but they do not reason, they only follow their instinct. + +If animals could reason, they ought to improve in their condition. Men +become more civilized day by day. They invent many things that were +unknown to their forefathers. One man can improve upon the works of +another, etc. But, we never see anything of this kind in the actions of +animals. The same kind of birds, for instance, build the same kind of +nests, generation after generation, without ever making change or +improvement in them. When man teaches an animal any action, it cannot +teach the same to its young. It is clear, therefore, that animals cannot +reason. + +Though man has the gift of reason by which he can learn a great deal, he +cannot learn all through his reason; for there are many things that God +Himself must teach him. When God teaches, we call the truths He makes +known to us Revelation. How could man ever know about the Trinity +through his reason alone, when, after God has made known to him that It +exists, he cannot understand it? It is the same for all the other +mysteries. + +(4). My soul has "free will." This is another grand gift of God, by +which I am able to do or not do a thing, just as I please. I can even +sin and refuse to obey God. God Himself--while He leaves me my free +will--could not oblige me to do anything, unless I wished to do it; +neither could the devil. I am free therefore, and I may use this great +gift either to benefit or injure myself. If I were not free I would not +deserve reward or punishment for my actions, for no one is or should be +punished for doing what he cannot help. God would not punish us for sin +if we were not free to commit or avoid it. I turn this freedom to my +benefit if I do what God wishes when I could do the opposite; for He +will be more pleased with my conduct, and grant a greater reward than He +would bestow if I obeyed simply because obliged to do so. Animals have +no free will. If, for example, they suffer from hunger and you place +food before them, they will eat; but man can starve, if he wills to do +so, with a feast before him. For the same reason man can endure more +fatigue than any other animal of the same bodily strength. In traveling, +for instance, animals give up when exhausted, but man may be dying as he +walks, and still, by his strong will-power, force his wearied limbs to +move. But you will say, did not the lions in the den into which Daniel +was cast because he would not act against his conscience, obey the +wicked king and offend God--as we read in Holy Scripture (Dan. +6:16)--refrain from eating him, even when they were starving with +hunger? Yes; but they did not do so of themselves, but by the power of +God preventing them: and that is why the delivery of Daniel from their +mouths was a miracle. It is clear, because the same lions immediately +tore in pieces Daniel's enemies when they were cast into the den. + +6 Q. Why did God make you? +A. 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. + +"To know" Him, because we must know of a thing before we can love it. A +poor savage in Africa never longs to be at a game or contest going on in +America, because he does not know it and therefore cannot love it. We +see a person and know him; if he pleases us we love him, and if we love +him we will try to serve him; we will not be satisfied with doing merely +what he asks of us, but will do whatever we think might give him +pleasure. So it is in regard to God. We must first know Him--learn who +He is from our catechisms and books of instruction, but especially from +the teaching of God's ministers, the Holy Father, bishops and priests. +When we know Him, we shall love Him. If we knew Him perfectly, we should +love Him perfectly; so the better we know Him the more we shall love +Him. And as it is our chief duty to love Him and serve Him upon earth, +it becomes our strict duty to learn here whatever we can of His nature, +attributes, and holy laws. The saints and angels in Heaven know God so +well that they must love Him, and cannot therefore offend Him. + +You have all seen some person in the world, or maybe several persons, +whom you have greatly admired; still you did not love them perfectly; +there was always some little thing about them in looks, manners, or +disposition that could be rendered more pleasing; some defect or want +you would like to see supplied; some fault or imperfection you would +like to see corrected. Now suppose you had the power to take all the +good qualities you found in the persons you loved and unite them in one +person, in whom there would be nothing displeasing, but everything +perfect and beautiful. Do you not think you would love such a person +very much indeed? + +Moreover, suppose you knew that person loved you intensely, would it not +be your greatest delight to be ever with such a friend? Well, then, all +the lovable qualities and beauties you see in created beings come from +God and are bestowed by Him; yet all the good qualities on earth and +those of the angels and saints in Heaven, and even of the Blessed Virgin +and St. Joseph, if united in one person would be nothing compared to the +goodness and beauty of God. How good and how lovable, therefore, must He +be! And what shall we say when we think that He loves us with a greater +love than we could ever love Him, even with our most earnest efforts? +Try then first to know God and you will surely love and serve Him. Do +not be satisfied with the little you learn of Him in the Catechism, but +afterward read good books, and above all hear sermons and instructions. + +"In this world." Because unless we do what is pleasing to Him in this +world we cannot be with Him in the next. Our condition in the next world +depends entirely upon our conduct in this. Thus we have discovered the +answer to the great question, What is the end of man; for what was he +made? + +*7 Q. Of which must we take more care, our soul or our body? +A. We must take more care of our soul than of our body. + +*8 Q. Why must we take more care of our soul than of our body? +A. We must take more care of our soul than of our body, because in +losing our soul we lose God and everlasting happiness. + +Every sensible person will take most care of that which is most +valuable. If a girl had a hundred dollars in a ten-cent pocket-book, you +would consider her a great fool if she threw away the hundred dollars +for fear of spoiling the pocket-book. Now, he is a greater fool who +throws away his soul in order to save his body some little +inconvenience, or gratify its wicked desires or inclinations. Wherever +the soul will be, there the body will be also; so we should, in a +certain way, try to forget the body and make sure of getting the soul +safely into Heaven. You would not think much of the wisdom of a boy who +allowed his kite to be smashed in pieces by giving his whole attention +to the tail of the kite. If he took care to keep the kite itself high in +air and away from every danger, the tail would follow it; and even if +the tail did get entangled, it would have a good chance of being freed +while the kite was still flying. But of what use is it to save a +worthless piece of rag, if the kite--the valuable thing--is lost? Just +in the same way, of what use is our body if our soul is lost? And +remember we have only one soul. Therefore, make sure to save the soul, +and the body also will be saved--that is, the whole man will be saved; +for we cannot save the soul and lose the body; they will both be saved +or both be lost. + +9 Q. What must we do to save our souls? +A. 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. + +"Worship," that is, give Him divine honor. We honor persons for their +worth and excellence, and since God is the most excellent, we give Him +the highest honors, differing from others not merely in degrees but in +kind--divine honors that belong to Him alone. And justly so, for the +vilest animal upon the earth is a thousand times more nearly our equal +than the most perfect creature, man or angel, is the equal of God. In +speaking of worship, theologians generally distinguish three kinds, +namely: latria, or that supreme worship due to God alone, which cannot +be transferred to any creature without committing the sin of idolatry; +dulia, or that secondary veneration we give to saints and angels as the +special friends of God; hyperdulia, or that higher veneration which we +give to the Blessed Virgin as the most exalted of all God's creatures. +It is higher than the veneration we give to the other saints, but +infinitely inferior to the worship we give to God Himself. We show God +our special honor by never doubting anything He reveals to us, therefore +by "faith"; by expecting with certainty whatever He promises, therefore +by "hope"; and finally by loving Him more than anyone else in the world, +therefore by "charity." + +But someone may say, I think I love my parents more than God. Well, let +us see. Suppose your mother should command you to commit a sinful act (a +thing no good mother would do) and you have therefore to choose between +offending her or Almighty God. Now, although you love your mother very +much, if in this instance you prefer to displease her rather than commit +the sin that offends God, you show that you love God more than her. +Again, many who dearly love their parents leave them that they may +consecrate their lives to the special service of God in some religious +community and thus prove their greater love for Him. The love we have +for God is intellectual rather than sentimental; and since it is not +measured by the intensity of our feelings, how are we to know that we +love Him best? By our determination never to offend Him for any person +or thing in the world, however dear to us, and by our readiness to obey +and serve Him before all others. + +10 Q. How shall we know the things which we are to believe? +A. We shall know the things which we are to believe from the Catholic +Church, through which God speaks to us. + +"Catholic Church" in this answer means the Pope, councils, bishops, and +priests who teach in the Church. + +11 Q. Where shall we find the chief truths which the Catholic Church +teaches? +A. We shall find the chief truths which the Catholic Church teaches in +the Apostles' Creed. + +"Chief," because the Apostles' Creed does not contain in an explicit +manner all the truths we must believe. For example, there is nothing in +the Apostles' Creed about the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, about the +Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin, or the infallibility of the +Pope; and yet we must believe these and other articles of faith not in +the Apostles' Creed. It contains only the "chief" and not all the +truths. + +12 Q. Say the Apostles' Creed. +A. 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, and 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. + +"Descend" means to go down, and "ascend" to go up. + + + +Lesson 2 +ON GOD AND HIS PERFECTIONS + + +A "perfection" means a good quality. We say a thing is perfect when it +has all the good qualities it should have. + +13 Q. What is God? +A. God is a spirit infinitely perfect. + +"A spirit" is a living, intelligent, invisible being. It really exists, +though we cannot see it with the eyes of our body. It has intelligence +and can therefore think, understand, etc. It is not because we cannot +see it that we call it a spirit. To be invisible is only one of the +qualities of a spirit. It is also indivisible, that is, it cannot be +divided into parts. God is such a being. He is "infinitely perfect," +that is, He has every perfection in the highest degree. "Infinite" means +to have without limit. If there were any perfection God did not have, He +would not be infinite. He is unlimited in wisdom, in power, in goodness, +in beauty, etc. But you will tell me persons on earth and the angels and +saints in Heaven have some wisdom and power and beauty, and therefore +God cannot have all, since He has not the portion with which they are +endowed. I still say He is infinite, because what the angels and others +have belongs to God, and He only lends it to them. "Perfect" means to be +without any defect or fault. + +14 Q. Had God a beginning? +A. God had no beginning; He always was and always will be. + +Was there ever a time when we could say there was no God? There was a +time when we could say there was no Heaven or earth, no angels, men, or +animals; but there was never a time when there was no God. We may go +back in thought millions and millions of years before the Creation, and +God was then existing. He had no beginning and will never cease to +exist. This is a mystery; and what a mystery is will be explained in the +next lesson. + +15 Q. Where is God? +A. God is everywhere. + +"Everywhere"--not spread out like a great cloud, but whole and entire in +every particular place: and yet there is only one God, and not as many +gods as there are places. How this can be we cannot fully understand, +because this also is a mystery. A simile, though it will not be perfect, +may help you to understand. When we speak of God, we can never give a +true and perfect example; for we cannot find anything exactly like Him +to compare to Him. If I discharge a great cannon in a city, every one of +the inhabitants will hear the report; not in such a way that each hearer +gets his share of the sound, but each hears the whole report, just as if +he were the only one to hear it. Now, how is that? There are not as many +reports as there are persons listening; and yet each person hears the +whole report. + +16 Q. If God is everywhere, why do we not see Him? +A. We do not see God because He is a pure spirit and cannot be seen with +bodily eyes. + +"Pure spirit," that is, not clothed with any material body--spirit +alone. + +17 Q. Does God see us? +A. God sees us and watches over us. + +"Watches" to protect, to reward or punish us. He watches continually; He +not only watches, but keeps us alive. God might have created us and then +paid no more attention to us; but if He had done so, we should have +fallen back again into nothingness. Therefore He preserves us every +moment of our lives. We cannot draw a breath without Him. If a steam +engine be required to work ceaselessly, you cannot, after setting it in +motion, leave it henceforth entirely to itself. You must keep up the +supply of water and fire necessary for the generation of steam, you must +oil the machinery, guard against overheating or cooling, and, in a word, +keep a constant watch that nothing may interfere with its motion. So +also God not only watches His creatures, but likewise provides for them. +Since we depend so much upon Him, is it not great folly to sin against +Him, to offend, and tempt Him as it were? There are some birds that +build their nests on the sides of great rocky precipices by the +seacoast. Their eggs are very valuable, and men are let down by long +ropes to take them from the nest. Now while one of these men is hanging +over the fearful precipice, his life is entirely in the hands of those +holding the rope above. While he is in that danger do you not think he +would be very foolish to tempt and insult those on whom his life +depends, when they could dash him to pieces by simply dropping the rope? +While we live here upon earth we are all hanging over a great precipice, +namely, eternity; God holds us by the little thread of our lives, and if +He pleased to drop it we should be hurled into eternity. If we tempt or +insult Him, He might drop or cut the thread while we are in mortal sin, +and then, body and soul, we go down into Hell. + +18 Q. Does God know all things? +A. God knows all things, even our most secret thoughts, words, and +actions. + +Certainly God "knows all things." First, because He is infinitely wise, +and if He were ignorant of anything He would not be so. Secondly, +because He is everywhere and sees and hears all. Darkness does not hide +from His view, nor noise prevent Him from hearing. How could we sin if +we thought of this! God is just here, looking at me and listening to me. +Would I do what I am going to do now if I knew my parents, relatives, +and friends were watching me? Would I like them to know that I am +thinking about things sinful, and preparing to do shameful acts? No! Why +then should I feel ashamed to let God see and know of this wicked +thought or action? They might know it and yet be unable to harm me, but +He, all-powerful, could destroy me instantly. Nay, more; not only will +God see and know this evil deed or thought; but, by His gift, the +Blessed Mother, the angels and saints will know of it and be ashamed of +it before God, and, most of all, my guardian angel will deplore it. +Besides, this sin will be revealed to the whole world on the last day, +and my friends, relatives, and neighbors will know that I was guilty of +it. + +19 Q. Can God do all things? +A. God can do all things, and nothing is hard or impossible to Him. + +20 Q. Is God just, holy, and merciful? +A. God is all just, all holy, all merciful, as He is infinitely perfect. + +"All just"--that is, most just. "Just" means to give to everyone what +belongs to him--to reward if it is merited or to punish if it is +deserved. "Holy"--that is, good. "Merciful" means compassionate, +forgiving, less exacting than severe justice demands. In a court a just +judge is one who listens patiently to all the arguments for and against +the prisoner, and then, comparing one with the other, gives the sentence +exactly in accordance with the guilt. If he inflicts more or less +punishment than the prisoner deserves, or for money or anything else +gives an unfair sentence, then he is an unjust judge. The judge might be +merciful in this way. The laws say that for the crime of which this +prisoner is proved guilty he can be sent to prison for a term not longer +than ten years and not shorter than five: that is, for anything between +ten and five years. The judge could give him the full ten years that the +law allows and be just. But suppose he believed that the prisoner did +not know the law and did not intend to be as wicked as he was proved; or +that it was his first offense, or that he heard the prisoner's mother, +who was old and infirm, pleading for him and saying he was her only +support; or other extenuating circumstances that could awaken sympathy: +the judge might be merciful and sentence him for the shortest term the +law allows. But if the judge dismissed every prisoner, no matter how +guilty, without punishment, he would not be a merciful but an unjust +judge, who would soon be forced to leave the court. In the same way, God +is often merciful to sinners and punishes them less than He could in +strict justice. But if He were to allow every sinner to go without any +punishment whatsoever--as unbelievers say He should do, by having no +Hell for the wicked--then He would not be just. For as God is an +Infinite Being, all His perfections must be infinite; that is, He must +be as infinitely just as He is infinitely merciful, true, wise, or +powerful. + +Now He has promised to punish sin; and since He is infinitely true, He +must keep His promise. + + + +Lesson 3 +ON THE UNITY AND TRINITY OF GOD + + +"Unity" means to be one, and "Trinity," three in one. + +21 Q. Is there but one God? +A. Yes; there is but one God. + +22 Q. Why can there be but one God? +A. There can be but one God because God, being supreme and infinite, +cannot have an equal. + +"Supreme," that is, the highest. "Equal," when two are equal one has +everything the other has. You could say one pen is the equal of another +if it is just as nice and will write just as well; one mechanic is the +equal of another if he can do the work equally well. Two boys are equal +in class if they have exactly the same marks at the end of the month or +year. You could not have two persons chief. For example, you could not +have two chief generals in an army; two presidents in the nation, or two +governors in a state, or two mayors in a city, or two principals in a +school, unless they divide equally their power, and then they will be +equals and neither of them chief. God cannot divide His power with +anyone--so as to give it away entirely--because we say He is infinite, +and that means to have all. Others have only the loan of their power +from God. Therefore, all power and authority come from God; so that when +we disobey our parents or superiors who are placed over us, we disobey +God Himself. + +23 Q. How many persons are there in God? +A. In God there are three divine persons really distinct and equal in +all things--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. + +"Distinct," not mingled together. We call the first and second persons +Father and Son, because the second is begotten by the first person, and +not to indicate that there is any difference in their age. We always see +in the world that a father is older than his son, so we get the idea +perhaps that it is the same in the Holy Trinity. But it is not so. God +the Father, and God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost existed from all +eternity, and one did not exist before the other. God the Son is just as +old as God the Father, and this is another great mystery. Even in nature +we see that two things may begin to exist at the same time, and yet one +be the cause of the other. You know that fire is the cause of heat; and +yet the heat and the fire begin at the same time. Though we cannot +understand this mystery of the Father and Son, we must believe it on the +authority of God, who teaches it. First, second, and third person in the +Blessed Trinity does not mean, therefore, that one person was before the +other, or brought into existence by the other. + +24 Q. Is the Father God? +A. The Father is God and the first Person of the Blessed Trinity. + +25 Q. Is the Son God? +A. The Son is God and the second Person of the Blessed Trinity. + +26 Q. Is the Holy Ghost God? +A. The Holy Ghost is God and the third Person of the Blessed Trinity. + +27 Q. What do you mean by the Blessed Trinity? +A. By the Blessed Trinity I mean one God in three Divine Persons. + +*28 Q. Are the three Divine Persons equal in all things? +A. The three Divine Persons are equal in all things. + +29 Q. Are the three Divine Persons one and the same God? +A. The three Divine Persons are one and the same God, having one and the +same divine nature and substance. + +Though they are one and the same, we sometimes attribute different works +to them. For example, works of creation we attribute to God the Father; +works of mercy to God the Son; and works of love and sanctification to +the Holy Ghost; and you will often find them thus spoken of in pious +books; but all such works are done by all the Persons of the Trinity; +because such works are the works of God, and there is but one God. + +*30 Q. Can we fully understand how the three Divine Persons are one and +the same God? +A. We cannot fully understand how the three Divine Persons are one and +the same God, because this is a mystery. + +"Fully"--entirely. We can partly understand it. We know what one God is +and we know what three persons are; but how these two things go together +is the part we do not understand--the mystery. + +*31 Q. What is a mystery? +A. A mystery is a truth which we cannot fully understand. + +"A truth," that is, a revealed truth--one made known to us by God or His +Church. It is a truth which we must believe though we cannot understand +it. Let us take an example. When a boy goes to school he is taught that +the earth is round like an orange and revolving in two ways, one causing +day and night and the other producing the seasons: spring, summer, +autumn, winter. The boy goes out into the country where he sees miles of +level land and mountains thousands of feet in height. Again he goes out +on the ocean where sailors tell him it is several miles in depth. + +Now he may say: how can the earth be round if deep valleys, high +mountains, and level plains prove to my senses the very opposite, and +the countless things at rest upon its surface tell me it is motionless. +Yet he believes even against the testimony of his senses that the earth +is round and moving, because his teacher could have no motive in +deceiving him; knows better than he, having learned more, and besides +has been taught by others who after long years of careful study and +research have discovered these things and know them to be true. If +therefore we have to believe things that we do not understand on the +authority of men, why should we not believe other truths on the +authority of God? Yes, we must believe Him. If a boy knew all his +teacher knew there would be no need of his going to school; he would be +the equal in knowledge of his teacher, and if we knew all that God knows +we would be as great as He. As well might we try to empty the whole +ocean into the tiny holes that children dig in the sand by its shore, as +fully to comprehend the wisdom of God. This is the mistake unbelievers +make when they wish to understand with their limited intelligence the +boundless knowledge and mysterious ways of God, and when they cannot +understand refuse to believe. Are they not extremely foolish? Would you +not ridicule the boy who refuses to believe that the earth is round and +moving because he cannot understand it? As he grows older and learns +more he will comprehend it better; so we, when we leave this world and +come into the presence of God, shall see clearly many things that are +unintelligible now. For the present, we have only to believe them on the +authority of God teaching us. Another example. We take two little black +seeds that look just alike and place them in the same kind of soil; we +put the same kind of water upon them; they have the same sunlight and +air, and yet when they grow up one has a red flower and one a blue. +Where did the red and where did the blue come from? From the black seed, +or the brown soil, or the pure water, air and sunlight? We do not know. +It is there, and that is all. We see it and believe it, though we do not +understand it. + +So if we refuse to believe everything we do not understand, we shall +soon believe very little and make ourselves ridiculous. + + + +Lesson 4 +ON CREATION + + +This lesson treats of God bringing everything into existence. The chief +things created may be classed as follows: (1) The things that simply +exist, as rocks, and minerals--gold, silver, iron, etc. (2) Things that +exist, grow, and live like plants and trees. (3) Things that grow, live, +and feel, like animals. (4) Things that grow, live, feel, and +understand, like men. Besides these we have the sun, moon, stars, etc.; +all things too that we can see, and also Heaven, Purgatory, Hell, and +good and bad angels. All these are the works of God's creation. All +these He has called into existence by merely wishing for them. + +*32 Q. Who created Heaven and earth, and all things? +A. God created Heaven and earth, and all things. + +"Heaven," where God is and will always be. It means, too, everything we +see in the sky above us. "Earth," the globe on which we live. + +*33 Q. How did God create Heaven and earth? +A. God created Heaven and earth from nothing, by His word only; that is, +by a single act of His all-powerful will. + +34 Q. Which are the chief creatures of God? +A. The chief creatures of God are angels and men. + +35 Q. What are angels? +A. Angels are pure spirits without a body, created to adore and enjoy +God in Heaven. + +"Angels" are not the same as saints. Saints are those who at one time +lived upon the earth as we do, and who on account of their very good +lives are now in Heaven. They had bodies as we have. The angels, on the +contrary, never lived visibly upon the earth. In the beginning God was +alone. We take great pleasure in looking at beautiful things. God, +seeing His own beauty, and knowing that others would have very great +pleasure and happiness in seeing Him, determined to create some beings +who could enjoy this happiness; and thus He wished to share with them +the happiness which He Himself derived from seeing His own beauty. +Therefore He created angels who were to be in Heaven with Him, singing +His praises and worshipping before His throne. + +The angels are not all equal in dignity, but are divided into nine +classes, or choirs, according to their rank or office, and, as +theologians tell us, arranged from the lowest to the highest and named +as follows; angels, archangels, virtues, powers, principalities, +dominations, thrones, cherubim, and seraphim. Archangels are higher than +angels and are so called because sent to do the most important works. It +was the Archangel Michael who drove Lucifer from Heaven and the +Archangel Gabriel who announced to the Blessed Virgin that she was to be +the Mother of God. The angels receive their names from the duties they +perform. The word angel signifies messenger. + +*36 Q. Were the angels created for any other purpose? +A. 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. + +The duties of the angels are many. Some remain always in Heaven with +God; some are sent to earth to be our guardians and to remain with us. +Each of us has an angel to take care of us. He is with us night and day, +and offers our prayers and good works to God. He prays for us, exhorts +us to do good and avoid evil; and he protects us from dangers spiritual +and temporal. How unfortunate then must one be to cause him to return to +Heaven with sad complaints to God; such as: "The one whom I have in +charge will not obey Thy laws or use the grace Thou sendest him: with +all my efforts to save him, he continues to do wrong." He will be doubly +sad when he sees other angels returning with good reports and receiving +new graces for those whom God has committed to their care. If you love +your guardian angel, never impose on him the painful duty of bringing to +God the report of your evil doings. + +Now, how do we know that the angels offer our prayers and good works to +God? We know it from the beautiful story of Tobias, told in the Holy +Scripture. (Tobias). This holy man loved and feared God. He lived at a +time when his people were persecuted by a most cruel king, who wished to +force them to give up the true God and worship idols, but many of these +good people suffered death rather than deny God and obey the wicked +king. When they were put to death, their bodies were left lying on the +ground, to be devoured by birds of prey or wild animals. Anyone caught +burying them was to be put to death by the king's servants. Tobias used +to carry the dead bodies of these holy martyrs into his house and bury +them at night. + +One day when he returned very tired he lay down by the wall of his house +to rest, and, while lying there, some dirt fell into his eyes and he +became blind. This Tobias had a young son whose name was also Tobias; +and as he himself was now blind and poor, he wished to send his son into +a certain city, at a good distance off, to collect some money that he +had formerly loaned to a friend. As the young man did not know the way, +his father sent him out to look for a guide. Young Tobias went out and +found a beautiful young man to be his guide and he consented, and he +brought Tobias to the distant city. As they were on their way they sat +down by the bank of a river. Tobias went into the water near the edge, +and soon a great fish rushed at him. Tobias called to his guide. The +guide told him to take hold of the fish and drag it out upon the shore. +There they killed it, and kept part of its flesh for food and part for +medicine. Then they went on to the city, got the money and returned. The +guide told young Tobias to rub the part of the fish he had taken for +medicine upon his father's eyes. He did so, and immediately his father's +eyes were cured and he saw. Then both the father and son were so +delighted with this young guide, that they offered to give him half of +all they had. He refused to take it and then told them he was the angel +Raphael sent from God to be the guide of this good man's son. He told +the old Tobias how he (the angel) had carried up to God his prayers and +good works while he was burying the dead. When they heard he was an +angel they fell down and reverenced him, being very much afraid. From +this beautiful history we know that the angels carry our prayers and +good works to God. Again we learn from the Holy Scripture (Gen. 28) in +the history of another good man almost the same thing. The patriarch +Jacob was on a journey, and being tired, he lay down to rest with his +head upon a stone. As he lay there he had a vision in which he saw a +great ladder reaching up from earth to Heaven. At the top he saw +Almighty God standing, and on the ladder itself angels ascending and +descending. Now the holy Fathers of the Church tell us this is what is +really taking place; the angels are always going down and up from God to +man, though not on a ladder and not visibly as they appeared to Jacob. +Besides the guardian angel for each person, there are also guardian +angels for each city and for each nation. + +Again (Gen. 19) angels appeared to Lot to warn him about the destruction +of the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrha. Angels appeared also to the +shepherds on the night Our Lord was born (Luke 2). The catechism says +angels have no bodies--how, then, could they appear? They took bodies +made of some very light substance which would make them visible, and +appeared just like beautiful young men, clad in flowing garments, as you +frequently see them represented in pictures. Angels were sometimes sent +to punish men for their sins, as the angel who killed in one night +185,000 men in the army of the wicked king, Sennacherib, who blasphemed +God, and was endeavoring to destroy Jerusalem, God's city. (4 Kgs. 19). + +But here is a difficulty. If God Himself watches over us and sees all +things, why should the angels guard us? It is on account of God's +goodness to us; though it is not necessary. He does not wish us to have +any excuse for being bad, so He gives us each a special heavenly servant +to watch and assist us by his prayers. If a friend received us into his +house and did all he could for us himself, we should certainly be +satisfied, but if he gave us a special servant, though it would not be +necessary, he would show us great respect and kindness. Moreover +whatever the angels do for us, we might say God Himself does, for the +angels are only obeying His commands. + +*37 Q. Were the angels, as God created them, good and happy? +A. The angels as God created them were good and happy. + +*38 Q. Did all the angels remain good and happy? +A. 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. + +God did not admit the angels into His presence at once. He placed them +for awhile on probation, as He did our first parents. + +One of these angels was most beautiful, and was named Lucifer, which +means light-bearer. He was so perfect that he seems to have forgotten +that he received all his beauty and intelligence from God, and not +content with what he had, became sinfully proud and wished to be equal +to God Himself. For his sin he and all his followers were driven out of +Heaven, and God then created Hell, in which they were to suffer for all +eternity. This same Lucifer is now called Satan, and more commonly the +devil, and those who accompanied him in his fall, devils, or fallen +angels. + + + +Lesson 5 +ON OUR FIRST PARENTS AND THEIR FALL + + +39 Q. Who were the first man and woman? +A. The first man and woman were Adam and Eve. + +In the beginning God created all things; something particular on each of +the six days of Creation. (Gen. 1). On the first day He made light, on +the second, the firmament, or the heavens, and on the sixth day He +created man and called him Adam. God wished Adam to have a companion; so +one day He caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep, and then took from his +side a rib, out of which he formed Eve. Now God could have made Eve as +He made Adam, by forming her body out of the clay of the earth and +breathing into it a soul, but He made Eve out of Adam's rib to show that +they were to be husband and wife, and to impress upon their minds the +nature and sacredness of the love and union that should exist between +them. + +40 Q. Were Adam and Eve innocent and holy when they came from the hand +of God? +A. Adam and Eve were innocent and holy when they came from the hand of +God. + +God placed Adam and Eve in Paradise, a large, beautiful garden, and gave +them power over all the other creatures. Adam gave all the animals their +appropriate names and they were obedient to him. Even lions, tigers, and +other animals that we now fear so much, came and played about him. Our +first parents, in their state of original innocence, were the happy +friends of God, without sorrow or suffering of any kind. + +*41 Q. Did God give any command to Adam and Eve? +A. To try their obedience God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat of a +certain fruit which grew in the garden of Paradise. + +He told them (Gen. 2) they could take of all the fruits in the garden +except the fruit of one tree, and if they disobeyed Him by eating the +fruit of that tree, they should surely die. God might have pointed out +any tree, because it was simply a test of obedience. He gave them a very +simple command, for if we are faithful in little things we shall surely +be faithful in greater. Moreover, it is not precisely the consideration +of what is forbidden, but of the authority by which it is forbidden that +should deter us from violating the command and prove our fidelity. Thus +disobedience to our parents and superiors, even in little things, +becomes sinful. Someone might say: "Why did God not try their obedience +by one of the Ten Commandments?" Let us examine them. "Remember the +Sabbath." That one would be unnecessary: for every day was Sabbath with +them; the only work was to praise and serve God. "Thou shalt not steal." +They could not; everything was theirs; and so for the other +Commandments. Therefore, God gave them a simple command telling them: If +you obey, you and all your posterity will be happy; every wish will be +gratified, neither sorrow nor affliction shall come upon you and you +shall never die; but if, on the contrary, you disobey, countless evils, +misery and death will be your punishment. The earth, now so fruitful, +shall bring forth no crops without cultivation, and after years of toil +the dead bodies of yourselves and children must lie buried in its soil. +So having the gift of free will they could take their choice, and either +keep His command and be happy, or disobey Him and be miserable. + +*42 Q. Which were the chief blessings intended for Adam and Eve, had +they remained faithful to God? +A. 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. + +Our first parents and their children were not to remain in the garden of +Paradise forever, but were, after spending their allotted time of trial +or probation upon earth, to be taken body and soul into Heaven without +being obliged to die. + +43 Q. Did Adam and Eve remain faithful to God? +A. Adam and Eve did not remain faithful to God, but broke His +commandment by eating the forbidden fruit. + +As it is told in the Bible (Gen. 3), Eve went to the forbidden tree and +was standing looking at it, when the devil came in the form of a serpent +and, tempting, told her to take some of the fruit and eat. It does not +appear that she went and tasted the fruit of all the other trees and +finally came to this one, but rather that she went directly to the +forbidden tree first. Do we not sometimes imitate Eve's conduct? As soon +as we know a certain thing is forbidden we are more strongly tempted to +try it. + +See, then, what caused Eve's sin. She went into the dangerous occasion, +and was admiring the forbidden fruit when the tempter came. She listened +to him, yielded to his wicked suggestions, and sinned. So will it be +with us if through curiosity we desire to see or hear things forbidden; +for once in the danger the devil will soon be on hand to tempt us--not +visibly indeed, for that would alarm us and defeat his purpose, but +invisibly, like our guardian angels; for the devil is a fallen angel who +still possesses all the characteristics of an angel except goodness. But +this is not all. Eve not only took and ate the fruit herself, but +induced Adam to do likewise. Most sinners imitate Eve in that respect. +Not satisfied with offending God themselves, they lead others into sin. + +Why should the devil tempt us? God created man to be in Heaven, but the +fallen angels were jealous of man, and tempted him to sin so that he too +should be kept out of Heaven and might never enjoy what they lost; just +as envious people do not wish others to have what they cannot have +themselves. + +44 Q. What befell Adam and Eve on account of their sin? +A. Adam and Eve on account of their sin lost innocence and holiness, and +were doomed to sickness and death. + +They were innocent and holy because they were the friends of God and in +a state of grace, but by their sin they lost His grace and friendship. +"Doomed" means sentenced or condemned. The first evil result, then, of +Adam's sin was that he lost innocence and made his body a rebel against +his soul. Then he was to suffer poverty, hunger, cold, sickness, death, +and every kind of ill; but the worst consequence of all was that God +closed Heaven against him. After a few years' trial, as we said, God was +to take him into Heaven; but now He has closed it against Adam and his +posterity. All the people in the world could never induce God to open it +again; for He closed it in accordance with His promise, and man was an +exile and outcast from his heavenly home. + +45 Q. What evil befell us on account of the disobedience of our first +parents? +A. 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. + +Does it not seem strange that we should suffer for the sin of our first +parents, when we had nothing to do with it? No. It happens every day +that children suffer for the faults of their parents and we do not +wonder at it. Let us suppose a man's father leaves him a large +fortune--houses, land, and money--and that he and his children are happy +in the enjoyment of their inheritance. The children are sent to the best +schools, have everything they desire now, and bright hopes of happiness +and prosperity in the future. But alas! their hopes are vain. The father +begins to drink or gamble, and soon the great fortune is squandered. +House after house is sold and dollar after dollar spent, till absolute +poverty comes upon the children, and the sad condition of their home +tells of their distress. Do they not suffer for the sins of their +father, though they had nothing to do with them? Indeed, many families +in the world suffer thus through the faults of others, and most +frequently of some of their members. Could you blame the grandfather for +leaving the estate? Certainly not; for it was goodness on his part that +made him give. Let us apply this example. What God gave Adam was to be +ours also, and he squandered and misused it because he had free will, +which God could not take from him without changing his nature; for it is +our free will and intelligence that make us men, distinct from and +superior to all other animals. They can live, grow, feel, hear, see, +etc., as we can, but the want of intelligence and free will leaves them +mere brutes. Therefore, if God took away Adam's intelligence and free +will, He would have made him a mere animal--though the most perfect. + +When a man becomes insane or loses the use of his intelligence and free +will, we place him in an asylum and take care of him as we would a tame +animal, seldom allowing him to go about without being watched and +guarded. + +Let us take another example. Suppose I have a friend who is addicted to +the excessive drinking of strong liquor, and I say to him: "If you give +up that detestable habit for one year, I will make you a present of this +beautiful house worth several thousand dollars. It will be yours as long +as you live, and at your death you may leave it to your children. I do +not owe you anything, but offer this as a free gift if you comply with +my request." My friend accepts the offer on these conditions, but the +very next day deliberately breaks his promise. I do not give him the +house, because he did not keep his agreement; and can anyone say on that +account that I am unjust or unkind to him or his children? Certainly +not. Well, God acted in the same manner with Adam. He promised him +Heaven, a home more beautiful than any earthly palace--the place Our +Lord calls His father's house (John 14:2) and says there are many +mansions, that is, dwelling places, in it. God promised this home to +Adam on condition that he would observe one simple command. He had no +right to Heaven, but was to receive it, according to the promise, as a +free gift from God, and therefore God, who offered it conditionally, was +not obliged to give it when Adam violated his part of the agreement. + +The example is not a perfect one, for there is this difference in the +cases between Adam and my friend: when my friend does not get the house, +he sustains a loss, it is true; but he might still be my friend as he +was before, and live in my house; but when Adam lost Heaven, he lost +God's friendship and grace, and the loss of all grace is to be in sin. +So that Adam by breaking the command was left in sin; and as all his +children sustain the same loss, they too are all left in sin till they +are baptized. + +*46 Q. What other effects followed from the sin of our first parents? +A. Our nature was corrupted by the sin of our first parents, which +darkened our understanding, weakened our will, and left us a strong +inclination to evil. + +Our "nature was corrupted" is what I have said of the body rebelling +against the soul. Our "understanding darkened." Adam knew much more +without study than the most intelligent men could learn now with +constant application. Before his fall he saw things clearly and +understood them well, but after his sin everything had to be learned by +the slow process of study. Then the "will was weakened." Before he fell +he could easily resist temptation, for his will was strong. You know we +sin by the will, because unless we wish to do the evil we commit no sin; +and if absolutely forced by others to do wrong, we are free from the +guilt as long as our will despises and protests against the action. If +forced, for example, to break my neighbor's window, I have not to answer +in my conscience for the unjust act, because my will did not consent. +So, on every occasion on which we sin, it is the will that yields to the +temptation. After Adam's sin his will became weak and less able to +resist temptation; and as we are sharers in his misfortune, we find +great difficulty at times in overcoming sinful inclinations. But no +matter how violent the temptation or how prolonged and fierce the +struggle against it, we can always be victorious if determined not to +yield; for God gives us sufficient grace to resist every temptation; and +if anyone should excuse his fall by saying he could not help sinning, he +would be guilty of falsehood. + +"A strong inclination" to do wrong--that is, unless always on our guard +against it. Our Lord once cautioned His Apostles (Matt. 26:41) to watch +and pray lest they fall into temptation; teaching us also by the same +warning that, besides praying against our spiritual enemies, we must +watch their maneuvers and be ever ready to repel their attacks. + +47 Q. What is the sin called which we inherit from our first parents? +A. The sin which we inherit from our first parents is called Original +Sin. + +*48 Q. Why is this sin called original? +A. 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 +souls. + +*49 Q. Does this corruption of our nature remain in us after Original +Sin is forgiven? +A. This corruption of our nature and other punishments remain in us +after Original Sin is forgiven. + +It remains that we may merit by overcoming its temptations; and also +that we may be kept humble by remembering our former sinful and unhappy +state. + +50 Q. Was anyone ever preserved from Original Sin? +A. 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. + +The Blessed Virgin was to be the Mother of the Son of God. Now it would +not be proper for the Mother of God to be even for one moment the +servant of the devil, or under his power. If the Blessed Virgin had been +in Original Sin, she would have been in the service of the devil. +Whatever disgraces a mother disgraces also her son; so Our Lord would +never permit His dear Mother to be subject to the devil, and +consequently He, through His merits, saved her from Original Sin. She is +the only one of the whole human race who enjoys this great privilege, +and it is called her "Immaculate Conception," that is, she was +conceived--brought into existence by her mother--without having any spot +or stain of sin upon her soul, and hence without Original Sin. + +Our Lord came into the world to crush the power which the devil had +exercised over men from the fall of Adam. This He did by meriting grace +for them and giving them this spiritual help to withstand the devil in +all his attacks upon them. As the Blessed Mother was never under the +devil's power, next to God she has the greatest strength against him, +and she will help us to resist him if we seek her aid. The devil himself +knows her power and fears her, and if he sees her coming to our +assistance will quickly fly. Never fail, then, in time of temptation to +call upon our Blessed Mother; she will hear and help you and pray to God +for you. + + + +Lesson 6 +ON SIN AND ITS KINDS + + +51 Q. Is Original Sin the only kind of sin? +A. Original Sin is not the only kind of sin; there is another kind of +sin which we commit ourselves, called actual sin. + +Sin is first or chiefly divided into original and actual; that is, into +the sin we inherit from our first parents and the sin we commit +ourselves. We may commit "actual" sin in two ways; either by doing what +we should not do--stealing, for example--and thus we have a sin of +commission, that is, a bad act committed; or by not doing what we should +do--not hearing Mass on Sunday, for example--and thus we have a sin of +omission, that is, a good act omitted. So it is not enough to simply do +no harm, we must also do some good. Heaven is a reward, and we must do +something to merit it. Suppose a man employed a boy to do the work of +his office, and when he came in the morning found that the boy had +neglected the work assigned to him, and when spoken to about it simply +answered: "Sir, I did no harm"; do you think he would be entitled to his +wages? Of course he did not and should do no harm; but is his employer +to pay him wages for that? Certainly not. In like manner, God is not +going to reward us for doing no harm; but on the contrary, He will +punish us if we do wrong, and give no reward unless we perform the work +He has marked out for us. Neither would the office boy deserve any wages +if he did only what pleases himself, and not the work assigned by his +master. In the same way, God will not accept any worship or religion but +the one He has revealed. He tells us Himself how He wishes to be +worshipped, and our own invented methods will not please Him. Hence we +see the folly of those who say that all religions are equally good, and +that we can be saved by practicing any of them. We can be saved only in +the one religion which God Himself has instituted, and by which He +wishes to be honored. Many also foolishly believe, or say they believe, +that if they are honest, sober, and the like, doing no injury to anyone, +they shall be saved without the practice of any form of religious +worship. But how about God's laws and commands? Are they to be despised, +disregarded, and neglected entirely, without any fear of punishment? +Surely not! And persons who thus think they are doing no harm are +neglecting to serve God--the greatest harm they can do, and for which +they will lose Heaven. God, we are told, assigned to everyone in this +world a certain work to perform in a particular state of life, and this +work is called "vocation." One, for instance, is to be a priest; +another, a layman; one married; another single, etc. It is important for +us to discover our true vocation; for if we are in the state of life to +which God has called us, we shall be happy; but if we select our own +work, our own state of life without consulting Him, we shall seldom be +happy in it. How are we to know our vocation? Chiefly by praying to God +and asking Him to make it known to us. Then if He gives us a strong +inclination--constant, or nearly constant--for a certain state of life, +and the ability to fulfill its duties, we may well believe that God +wishes us to be in that state. + +After we have begged God's assistance, we must ask our confessor's +advice in the matter, and listen attentively to what the Holy Ghost +inspires him to say. The signs of our vocation are, therefore, as +stated: first, a strong desire, and second, an aptitude for the state to +which we believe we are called. For example, a young man might be very +holy, but if unable to learn, he could never be a priest. Another might +be very learned and holy, but if too sickly to perform a priest's +duties, he could not, or at least would not, be ordained. Another might +be learned and healthy, but not virtuous, and so he could never be a +priest. Aptitude, therefore, means all the qualities necessary, whether +of mind, or soul, or body. The same is true for a young girl who wishes +to become a religious; and the same, indeed, for any person's vocation. +We should never enter a state of life to which we are not called, simply +to please parents or others. Neither should we be persuaded by them to +give up a state to which we are called; for we should embrace our true +vocation at any sacrifice, that in it we may serve God better, and be +more certain of saving our souls. Thus, parents and guardians who +prevent their children from entering the state to which they are called +may sin grievously by exposing them to eternal loss of salvation. Their +sin is all the greater when they try to influence their children in this +matter for selfish or worldly motives. As they may be selfish and +prejudiced without knowing it, they too, should ask the advice of their +confessor, and good persons of experience. Oh! how many children, sons +and daughters, are made unhappy all the days of their life by parents or +superiors forcing them into some state to which they were not called, or +by keeping them from one to which they were called. This matter of your +vocation rests with yourselves and Almighty God, and you are free to do +what He directs without consideration for anyone. + +52 Q. What is actual sin? +A. Actual sin is any willful thought, word, deed, or omission contrary +to the law of God. + +Three ways we may sin, by "thought"--allowing our minds to dwell on +sinful things; "word"--by cursing, telling lies, etc.; "deed"--by any +kind of bad action. But to be sins, these thoughts, words and deeds must +be willful; that is, we must fully know what we are doing, and be free +in doing it. Then they must be "contrary to the law of God"; that is, +violate some law He commands us to obey, whether it be a law He gave +directly Himself, or through His Church. We can also violate God's law +by neglecting to observe it, and thus sin, provided the neglect be +willful, and the thing neglected commanded by God or by His Church. + +53 Q. How many kinds of actual sin are there? +A. There are two kinds of actual sin--mortal and venial. + +"Mortal," that is, the sin which kills the soul. When a man receives a +very severe wound, we say he is mortally wounded; that is, he will die +from the wound. As breath shows there is life in the body, so grace is +the life of the soul; when all the breath is out of the body, we say the +man is dead. He can perform no action to help himself or others. So when +all grace is out of the soul we say it is dead, because it is reduced to +the condition of a dead body. It can do no action worthy of merit, such +as a soul should do; that is, it can do no action that God is bound to +reward--it is dead. But you will say the soul never dies. You mean it +will never cease to exist; but we call it dead when it has lost all its +power to do supernatural good. + +"Venial" sin does not drive out all the grace; it wounds the soul, it +weakens it just as slight wounds weaken the body. If it falls very +frequently into venial sin, it will fall very soon into mortal sin also; +for the Holy Scripture says that he that contemneth small things shall +fall by little and little. (Ecclus. 19:1). A venial sin seems a little +thing, but if we do not avoid it we shall by degrees fall into greater, +or mortal, sin. Venial sin makes God less friendly to us and displeases +Him. Now if we really love God, we will not displease Him even in the +most trifling things. + +54 Q. What is mortal sin? +A. Mortal sin is a grievous offense against the law of God. + +"Grievous"--that is, very great or serious. "Against the law." If we are +in doubt whether anything is sinful or not, we must ask ourselves: is it +forbidden by God or His Church? and if we do not know of any law +forbidding it, it cannot be a sin, at least for us. + +Suppose, for example, a boy should doubt whether it is sinful or not to +fly a kite. Well, is there any law of God or of His Church saying it is +sinful to fly a kite? If not, then it cannot be a sin. But it might be +sinful for another reason, namely, his parents or superiors might forbid +it, and there is a law of God saying you must not disobey your parents +or superiors. Therefore a thing not sinful in itself, that is, not +directly forbidden by God or His Church, may become sinful for some +other reason well known to us. + +We must not, however, doubt concerning the sinfulness or lawfulness of +everything we do; for that would be foolish and lead us to be +scrupulous. If we doubt at all we should have some good reason for +doubting, that is, for believing that the thing we are about to do is or +is not forbidden. When, therefore, we have such a doubt we must seek +information from those who can enlighten us on the subject, so that we +may act without the danger of sinning. It is our intention that makes +the act we perform sinful or not. Let me explain. Suppose during Lent a +person should mistake Friday for Thursday and should eat meat--that +person would not commit a real sin, because it is not a sin to eat meat +on an ordinary Thursday. He would commit what we call a material sin; +that is, his action would be a sin if he really knew what he was doing. +On the other hand, if the person, thinking it was Friday when it was +really Thursday, ate meat, knowing it to be forbidden, that person would +commit a mortal sin, because he intended to do so. Therefore, if what we +do is not known to be a sin while we do it, it is no sin for us and +cannot become a sin afterwards. But as soon as we know or learn that +what we did was wrong, it would be a sin if we did the same thing again. +In the same way, everything we do thinking it to be wrong or sinful is +wrong and sinful for us, though it may not be wrong for those who know +better. Again, it is sinful to judge others for doing wrong, because +they may not know that what they do is sinful. It would be better for us +to instruct than to blame them. The best we can do, therefore, is to +learn well all God's laws and the laws of His Church as they are taught +in the catechism, so that we may know when we are violating them or when +we are not, i.e., when we are sinning and when we are not. + +*55 Q. Why is this sin called mortal? +A. 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. + +When the soul is sent to Hell it is dead forever, because never again +will it be able to do a single meritorious act. + +*56 Q. How many things are necessary to make a sin mortal? +A. To make a sin mortal three things are necessary: a grievous matter, +sufficient reflection, and full consent of the will. + +"Grievous matter." To steal is a sin. Now, if you steal only a pin the +act of stealing in that case could not be a mortal sin, because the +"matter," namely, the stealing of an ordinary pin, is not grievous. But +suppose it was a diamond pin of great value, then it would surely be +"grievous matter." "Sufficient reflection," that is, you must know what +you are doing at the time you do it. For example, suppose while you +stole the diamond pin you thought you were stealing a pin with a small +piece of glass, of little value, you would not have sufficient +reflection and would not commit a mortal sin till you found out that +what you had stolen was a valuable diamond; if you continued to keep it +after learning your mistake, you would surely commit a mortal sin. "Full +consent." Suppose you were shooting at a target and accidentally killed +a man: you would not have the sin of murder, because you did not will or +wish to kill a man. + +Therefore three things are necessary that your act may be a mortal sin: +(1) The act you do must be bad, and sufficiently important; (2) You must +reflect that you are doing it, and know that it is wrong; (3) You must +do it freely, deliberately, and willfully. + +57 Q. What is venial sin? +A. 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. + +"Slight," that is, a small offense or fault; called "venial," not +because it is not a sin, but because God pardons it more willingly or +easily than He does a mortal sin. "Less importance," like stealing an +ordinary, common pin. "Great importance," like stealing a diamond pin. +Without "reflection" or "consent," when you did not know it was a +diamond and did not intend to steal a diamond. + +*58 Q. Which are the effects of venial sin? +A. 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. + +"Lessening of the love," because it lessens grace, and grace increases +the love of God in us. It displeases God, and though we do not offend +Him very greatly, we still offend Him. "Weakening of the power to +resist." If a man is wounded, it will be easier to kill him than if he +is in perfect health. So mortal sin will more easily kill a soul already +weakened by the wounds of venial sin. + +59 Q. Which are the chief sources of sin? +A. The chief sources of sin are seven: Pride, Covetousness, Lust, Anger, +Gluttony, Envy, and Sloth; and they are commonly called capital sins. + +A "source" is that from which anything else comes. The source of a river +is the little spring on the Mountainside where the river first begins. +This little stream runs down the mountain, and as it goes along gathers +strength and size from other little streams running into it. It cuts its +way through the meadows, and marks the course and is the beginning of a +great river, sweeping all things before it and carrying them off to the +ocean. Now, if someone in the beginning had stopped up the little spring +on the mountain--the first source of the river--there would have been no +river in that particular place. It is just the same with sin. There is +one sin that is the source, and as it goes along like the stream it +gathers strength; other sins follow it and are united with it. Again: +each of these "capital sins," as they are called, is like a leader or a +captain in an army, with so many others under him and following him. +Now, if you take away the head, the other members of the body will +perish; so if you destroy the capital sin, the other sins that follow it +will disappear also. Very few persons have all the capital sins: some +are guilty of one of them, some of two, some of three, but few if any +are guilty of them all. The one we are guilty of, and which is the cause +of all our other sins, is called our predominant sin or our ruling +passion. We should try to find it out, and labor to overcome it. + +Every one of these capital sins has a great many other sins following +it. + +"Pride" is an inordinate self-esteem. Pride comes under the First +Commandment; because by thinking too much of ourselves we neglect God, +and give to ourselves the honor due to Him. Of what have we to be proud? +Of our personal appearance? Disease may efface in one night every trace +of beauty. Of our clothing? It is not ours; we have not produced it; +most of it is taken from the lower animals--wool from the sheep, leather +from the ox, feathers from the bird, etc. Are we proud of our wealth, +money or property? These may be stolen or destroyed by fire. The learned +may become insane, and so we have nothing to be proud of but our good +works. All that we have is from God, and we can have it only as long as +He wishes. We had nothing coming into the world, and we leave it with +nothing but the shroud in which we are buried; and even this does not go +with the soul, but remains with the body to rot in the earth. Soon after +death our bodies become so offensive that even our dearest friends +hasten to place them under ground, where they become the food of worms, +a mass of corruption loathsome to sight and smell. Why, then, should we +be so proud of this body, and commit so much sin for it, pamper it with +every delicacy, only to be the food of worms? This does not mean, +however, that we are not to keep our bodies clean, and take good care of +them. We are bound to do so, and could not neglect it without committing +sin. The one thing to be avoided is taking too much care of them, and +neglecting our soul and God on their account. The followers of pride +are: conceit, hypocrisy, foolish display in dress or conduct, harshness +to others, waste of time on ourselves, etc. + +"Covetousness," the same as avarice, greed, etc., is an inordinate +desire for worldly goods. "Inordinate," because it is not avarice to +prudently provide for the future either for ourselves or others. +Covetousness comes under the Tenth Commandment, and is forbidden by it. +We must be content with what we have or can get honestly. The followers +of covetousness are: Want of charity, dishonest dealing, theft, etc. + +"Lust" is the desire for sins of the flesh; for impure thoughts, words, +or actions. It comes under the Sixth and Ninth Commandments, and +includes all that is forbidden by those Commandments. It is the habit of +always violating, or of desiring to violate, the Sixth and Ninth +Commandments. Lust and impurity mean the same thing. The followers of +lust are, generally, neglect of prayer, neglect of the Sacraments, and +final loss of faith. + +"Anger" comes under the Fifth Commandment. It is followed by hatred, the +desire of revenge, etc. + +"Gluttony" is the sin of eating or drinking too much. With regard to +eating, it is committed by eating too often; by being too particular +about what we eat, by being too extravagant in always looking for the +most costly things, that we think others cannot have. With regard to +drinking, it is generally committed by taking too much of intoxicating +liquors. The drunkard is a glutton and commits the sin of gluttony every +time he becomes intoxicated. Gluttony, especially in drink, comes in a +manner under the First Commandment, because by depriving ourselves of +our reason we cannot give God the honor and respect which is His due. +Think of how many sins the drunkard commits. He becomes intoxicated, +which in itself is a sin. He deprives himself of the use of reason, +abuses God's great gift, and becomes like a brute beast. Indeed in a way +he becomes worse than a beast; for beasts always follow the laws that +God has given to their nature, and never drink to excess. They obey God, +and man is the only one of God's creatures that does not always keep His +laws. Think too of the number of insane persons confined in asylums, who +would give all in this world for the use of their reason, if they could +only understand their miserable condition. Yet the drunkard abuses the +gift that would make these poor unfortunate lunatics happy. Again, the +drunkard injures his health and thus violates the Fifth Commandment by +committing a kind of slow suicide. He loses self-respect, makes use of +sinful language; frequently neglects Mass and all his religious duties, +exposes himself to the danger of death while in a state of sin, gives +scandal to his family and neighbors, and by his bad example causes some +to leave or remain out of the true Church. By continued intemperance, he +may become insane and remain in that condition till death puts an end to +his career and he goes unprepared before the judgment seat of God. +Besides all this he squanders the money he should put to a better use +and turns God's gifts into a means of offending Him. If a father, he +neglects the children and wife for whom he has promised to provide; +leaves them cold and hungry while he commits sin with the means that +would make them comfortable. Drunkenness therefore is a sin accompanied +by many deplorable evils. There are three great sins you should always +be on your guard against during your whole lives, namely, drunkenness, +dishonesty, and impurity. If you avoid these you will almost surely +avoid all other sins; for nearly all sins can be traced back to these +three. They are the most dangerous, first, because they have most +followers, and secondly, because they grow upon us almost without our +knowing it. The drunkard begins perhaps as a boy by taking a little, +even very little; the second time he takes a little more; the next time +still more, then he begins to be fond of strong drink and can scarcely +do without it; finally he becomes the slave of intemperance and sells +his soul and body for it. The passions of dishonesty and impurity grow +by degrees in the same manner. Therefore avoid them in the beginning and +resist them while they are under your power. If you find yourself +inclined to any of these sins in your youth, stop them at once. + +"Envy" is the desire to see another meet with misfortune that we may be +benefited by it. We are glad when he does not succeed in his business, +we are sorry when anyone speaks well of him, etc. Envy comes under the +Eighth Commandment. + +"Sloth" is committed when we idle our time, and are lazy; when we are +indifferent about serving God; when we do anything slowly and poorly and +in a way that shows we would rather not do it. They are slothful who lie +in bed late in the morning and neglect their duty. Slothful people are +often untidy in their personal appearance; and they are nearly always in +misery and want, unless somebody else takes care of them. Sloth comes +under the First Commandment, because it has reference in a special +manner to the way in which we serve God. How, then, shall we best +destroy sin in our souls? By finding out our chief capital sin and +rooting it out. If a strong oak tree is deeply rooted in the ground, how +will you best destroy its life? By cutting off the branches? No. For +with each returning spring new branches will grow. How then? By cutting +the root and then the great oak with all its branches will die. In the +same way our capital sin is the root, and as long as we leave it in our +souls other sins will grow out of it. While we are trying to destroy our +sins without touching our capital sin--our chief sin--we are only +cutting off branches that will grow again. Indeed a great many people +are only cutting off branches all the time and that is why they are not +benefited as much as they could be by the prayers they say, Masses they +hear, Sacraments they receive, and sermons they listen to. But do not +imagine that because you are not becoming better, when you pray, hear +Mass, and receive the Sacraments, you are doing no good at all. That +would be a great mistake, and just such a thing as the devil would +suggest to make persons give up their devotions. What is the use, he +might say, of your trying to be good? You are just as bad as you were a +year ago. Do not listen to that temptation. Were it not for your prayers +and your reception of the Sacraments, you would become a great deal +worse than you are. Suppose a man is rowing on the river against a very +strong tide. He is rowing as hard as he can and yet he is not advancing +one foot up the stream. Is he doing nothing therefore? Ah! he is doing a +great deal: he is preventing himself from being carried with the current +out into the ocean. He is keeping himself where he is till the force of +the tide diminishes, and then he can advance. So they who are trying to +be good are struggling against the strong tide of temptation. If they +cease to struggle against it, they will be carried out into the great +ocean of sin and lost forever. Someday the temptation will grow weaker +and then they will be able to advance towards Heaven. We feel +temptations most when we are trying to resist them and lead good lives, +because we are working against our evil inclinations--the strong tide of +our passions. We have no trouble going with them. + + + +Lesson 7 +ON THE INCARNATION AND REDEMPTION + + +"Incarnation" means to take flesh, as a body. Here it means Our Lord's +taking flesh, that is, taking a body like ours, when He became man. +"Redemption" means to buy back. Let us take an example. Slaves are men +or women that belong entirely to their masters, just as horses, cows, or +other animals do. Slaves are bought and sold, never receive any wages +for their work, get their food and clothing and no more. As they never +earn money for themselves, they can never purchase their own liberty. If +ever they are to be free, someone else must procure their liberty. Now, +suppose I am in some country where slavery exists. I am free, but I want +one hundred dollars; so I go to a slave owner and say: I want to sell +myself for one hundred dollars. He buys me and I soon squander the one +hundred dollars. Now I am his property, his slave; I shall never earn +any wages and shall never be able to buy my freedom. No other slave can +help me, for he is just in the same condition as I myself am. If I am to +be free, a free man who has the money must pay for my liberty. This is +exactly the condition in which all men were before Our Lord redeemed +them. Adam sold himself and all his children to the devil by committing +sin. He and they therefore became slaves. They could not earn any +spiritual wages, that is, grace of God to purchase their liberty; and as +all men were slaves one could not help another in this matter. Then Our +Lord Himself came and purchased our freedom. He bought us back again, +and the price He paid was His own life and blood given up upon the +Cross. In His goodness, He did more than redeem us; He gave us also the +means of redeeming ourselves in case we should ever have the misfortune +of falling again into the slavery of the devil--into sin. He left us the +Sacrament of Penance to which we can go as to a bank, and draw out +enough of Our Lord's grace--merited for us and deposited in the power of +His Church--to purchase our redemption from sin. + +60 Q. Did God abandon man after he fell into sin? +A. 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. + +"Abandon" means to leave to one's self. Adam and his posterity were +slaves, but God took pity on them. He did not leave them to themselves, +but promised to help them. + +"Gates of Heaven." Heaven has no gates, because it is not built of +material--of stone, or iron, or wood. It is only our way of speaking; +just as we say "hand of God," although He has no hands. Heaven is the +magnificent home God has prepared for us, and its gates are His power by +which He keeps us out or lets us in as He pleases. Our Lord, therefore, +obtained admittance for us. + +61 Q. Who is the Redeemer? +A. Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of mankind. + +62 Q. What do you believe of Jesus Christ? +A. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the second Person of +the Blessed Trinity, true God and true man. + +"True God." He was true God equal to His Father from all eternity. He +became man when He came upon the earth about 2,000 years ago, and was +born on Christmas Day. Now He is in Heaven as God and man. Therefore, He +was God always, but man only from the time of His Incarnation. + +*63 Q. Why is Jesus Christ true God? +A. Jesus Christ is true God because He is the true and only Son of God +the Father. + +God the Father, first Person of the Blessed Trinity, is His real Father, +and St. Joseph was His foster-father, selected by the Heavenly Father to +take care of Our Lord and watch over Him while on earth. A foster-father +is not the same as a stepfather. A stepfather is a second father that +one gets when his real father dies. A foster-father is one who takes a +person, whether a relative or a stranger, and adopts him as his son. It +was a very great honor for St. Joseph to be selected from among all men +to take care of the Son of God; to carry in his arms the great One of +whom the prophets spoke; the One for whom the whole world longed during +so many thousand years; so that next to our Blessed Mother St. Joseph +deserves our greatest honor. + +*64 Q. Why is Jesus Christ true man? +A. Jesus Christ is true man because He is the Son of the Blessed Virgin +Mary, and has a body and soul like ours. + +He has all that we have by nature, but not the things we have acquired +such as deformities, imperfections, and the like. Everything in Our Lord +was perfect. Above all, He had no sin of any kind; nor even inclination +to sin. He could be hungry, as He was when He fasted forty days in the +desert. (Matt. 4:2). He was thirsty, as He said on the Cross. (John +19:28). He could be wearied; as we read in the Holy Scripture (John 4:6) +that He sat down by a well to rest, while His disciples went into the +city to buy food. All these sufferings come from our very nature. We say +a thing comes from our very nature when everybody has it. Now, everyone +in the world may at times be hungry, thirsty, or tired; but everybody in +the world need not have a toothache or headache, because such things are +not common to human nature, but due to some defect in our body; and such +defects Our Lord did not have, because He was a perfect man. Therefore, +Our Lord had a body like ours, not as it usually is with defects, but as +it should be, perfect in all things that belong to its nature, as Adam's +was before he sinned. + +*65 Q. How many natures are there in Jesus Christ? +A. In Jesus Christ there are two natures: the nature of God and the +nature of man. + +He was perfect God and perfect man. His human nature was under the full +power of His divine nature, and could not do anything contrary to His +divine will. You cannot understand how there can be two natures and two +wills in one person, because it is another of the great mysteries; but +you must believe it, just as you believe there are three Persons in one +God, though you do not understand it. Those who learn theology and study +a great deal may understand it better than you, but never fully. It will +be enough, therefore, for you to remember and believe that there are two +natures--the divine nature and the human nature--in the one person of +Our Lord. + +*66 Q. Is Jesus Christ more than one person? +A. No, Jesus Christ is but one Divine Person. + +"But one," so that the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Son of +God, the Messias, Christ, Jesus, Our Lord, Our Saviour, Our Redeemer, +etc., are all names for the one Person; and, besides these, there are +many other names given to Our Lord in the Holy Scripture, both in the +Old and the New Testaments. + +*67 Q. Was Jesus Christ always God? +A. Jesus Christ was always God, as He is the Second Person of the +Blessed Trinity, equal to His Father from all eternity. + +*68 Q. Was Jesus Christ always man? +A. Jesus Christ was not always man, but became man at the time of His +Incarnation. + +69 Q. What do you mean by the Incarnation? +A. By the Incarnation I mean that the Son of God was made man. + +70 Q. How was the Son of God made man? +A. The Son of God was conceived and made man by the power of the Holy +Ghost, in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. + +*71 Q. Is the Blessed Virgin Mary truly the Mother of God? +A. 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. + +*72 Q. Did the Son of God become man immediately after the sin of our +first parents? +A. The Son of God did not become man immediately after the sin of our +first parents, but He was promised to them as a Redeemer. + +God did not say to Adam when He would send the Redeemer, and so the +Redeemer did not come for about 4,000 years after He was first promised. +God permitted this long time to elapse in order that mankind might feel +and know how great an evil sin is, and what misery it brought upon the +world. During these 4,000 years men were becoming gradually worse. At +one time--about 1,600 years after Adam's sin--they became so bad that +God destroyed by a deluge, or great flood of water, all persons and +living things upon the earth, except Noe, his wife, his three sons and +their wives, and the animals they had in the ark with them. (Gen. 6). +Let me now give you more particulars about this terrible punishment. +After God determined to destroy all living things on account of the +wickedness of men, He told Noe, who was a good man, to build a great +ark, or ship, for himself and his family, and for some of all the living +creatures upon the earth. (Gen. 6). When the ark was ready, Noe and his +family went into it, and the animals that were to be saved came by God's +power, and two by two were taken into the ark. Besides the two of each +kind of animals, Noe was required to take with him five more of each +kind of clean animals. Clean animals were certain animals which, +according to God's law, could be offered in sacrifice or eaten; they +were such animals as the ox, the sheep, the goat, etc. Therefore, seven +of each of the clean animals, and two of each of the other kinds. Why +did He have seven clean animals? Two were to be set free upon the dry +earth with the other animals, and the other five were for food and +sacrifice. Noe spent a hundred years in making the ark. At that time men +lived much longer than they do now. Adam lived over 900 years and +Mathusala, the oldest man, lived to be 969 years old. There are many +reasons why men live a shorter time now than then. When the door of the +ark was closed, God sent a great rain that lasted for forty days and +forty nights. All the springs of water broke forth, and all the rivers +and lakes overflowed their banks. Men ran here and there to high places, +while the water rose higher and higher till it covered the tops of the +mountains, and all not in the ark were drowned. The big ark floated +about for about a year; for although it stopped raining after forty +days, just think of the quantity of water that must have fallen! Think +of the rain what would fall during the whole of Lent from Ash Wednesday +to Easter Sunday--forty days. It took a long time, therefore, for the +waters to go down and finally disappear. When the waters began to go +down, Noe, wishing to know if any land was as yet above the water, +opened the little window, and sent out a raven or crow over the waters. +The raven did not come back, because it is a bird that eats flesh, and +it found plenty of dead bodies to feed upon. Then Noe sent out a dove, +and the dove came back with the bough of an olive tree in its mouth. +From this Noe knew that the earth was becoming dry again. After some +days, the ark rested on the top of a mountain named Ararat. When all the +waters had dried up, Noe and his family and all the animals passed out +of the ark. He offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and he and his +family settled once more upon the earth. For a while, the descendants of +Noe were good, but when they became numerous they soon forgot the deluge +and its punishments, and became very wicked. Many forgot the true God +altogether, and began to worship the sun, moon, and stars. Some +worshipped animals, and others idols of wood or stone. They offered up +human victims and committed all kinds of sins most displeasing to God. +Many were in slavery; masters were cruel; and things were becoming daily +worse, till just before the coming of Our Lord the world was in a +terrible condition of misery and sin. The lawmakers tried to remedy +these evils by their laws, and the teachers and professors by their +teaching; but all was of no avail. God Himself must save the world. + +God gave many promises of the Redeemer. The first one was given in the +garden to our first parents. God said (Gen. 3:15) to the serpent: I will +put enmities, that is hatred, between thee and the woman; that is, +between the devil and the Blessed Virgin--whom the holy writers call the +second Eve; because as the first Eve caused our fall, the second Eve +helped us to rise again. I will put also a great hatred between the +devil and your Redeemer. The next promise of the Redeemer was made to +Abraham. (Gen. 15). Another was made to Isaac, and another to Jacob; and +later these promises were frequently renewed through the prophets; so +that during the four thousand years God encouraged the good people, by +promising from time to time the Redeemer. + +Some of the prophets foretold to what family He would belong, and when +He would be born, and when and what He would suffer, and how He would +die. They also foretold signs or things that would come to pass just +before the advent or coming of the Messias (Gen. 49:10); so that when +the people saw these things coming to pass, they could know that the +time of the Messias was at hand. Thus when Our Lord came, the whole +world was waiting and looking for the promised Redeemer, because the +signs foretold had appeared or were taking place. But the majority did +not recognize Our Lord when He came, on account of the quiet, humble, +and poor way in which He came. They were expecting to see the Redeemer +come as a great and powerful king, with mighty armies conquering the +world; and in this they were mistaken. If they had studied the Holy +Scriptures they would have learned how He was to come--poor and humble. + +*73 Q. How could they be saved who lived before the Son of God became +man? +A. They who lived before the Son of God became man could be saved by +believing in the Redeemer to come, and by keeping the Commandments. + +We have seen that God promised the Redeemer during four thousand years. +Now, those who believed these promises and kept all God's Commandments, +and observed all His laws as they knew them, could be saved. They could +not, it is true, enter into Heaven after their death, but they could +wait in Limbo without suffering till Our Lord opened Heaven for them. +They were saved only through the merits of Our Lord. And how could this +be when Our Lord was not yet born? Do you know what a promissory note +is? It is this. When a man is not able to pay his debts just now but +will be able afterwards, he gives those to whom he owes the money a +promissory note, that is, a written promise that he will pay at a +certain time. Now, those who died before Our Lord was born had the Holy +Scripture promising that Christ would pay for them and for their sins +when He would come. So God saved them on account of this promise and +kept them free from suffering till Our Lord came. If any died when they +were little infants, their parents answered for them as godfathers and +godmothers do now for infants at Baptism. + +74 Q. On what day was the Son of God conceived and made man? +A. 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. + +"Annunciation Day" is the 25th of March. You can easily remember that +feast. Everybody knows that St. Patrick's Day is on the 17th of March, +and therefore eight days after it comes Annunciation day. There is +another feast coming in between them, the feast of St. Joseph, on the +19th of March. Therefore it is easy to remember these three feasts +coming all in March and almost together. Annunciation is the name given +to that day after the angel came, but it was not called so before. +Annunciation means to tell or make known, and this is the day the angel +made known to the Blessed Virgin that she was selected for the high +office of Mother of God. The Blessed Virgin was expecting the Messias, +and was probably praying for His speedy arrival, as were the rest of her +people, when suddenly the angel came and said: Hail, full of grace. (See +Hail Mary Expl.). + +75 Q. On what day was Christ born? +A. Christ was born on Christmas Day in a stable at Bethlehem, over +nineteen hundred years ago. + +"Christmas Day" is the 25th of December, one week before the New Year. +It is called Christmas Day since the time Our Lord was born, over +nineteen hundred years ago. "In a stable at Bethlehem." The story of Our +Lord's birth is in every way a very sad one. The Blessed Virgin and St. +Joseph lived in Palestine--called also the Holy Land since Our Lord +lived there. Palestine was the country where God's people, the Jews, +lived, and at the time we are speaking of, it was under the power of the +Roman Emperor, who had his soldiers and governor there. He wished to +find out how many people were there, and so he ordered a census or count +of the people to be made. (Luke 2). We take the census very differently +now from what they did then. We in the United States, by order of the +government, send men around from house to house to write down the names; +but in Palestine, when they wanted the number of the people, everyone, +no matter where he lived, had to go to the city or town where his +forefathers had lived and there register his name with all the others +who belonged to the same tribe or family. Now, the forefathers of St. +Joseph and the Blessed Virgin belonged to the little town of Bethlehem +(Luke 2); so they had to leave Nazareth where they were then living and +go to Bethlehem. This was shortly before Christmas. When they got to +Bethlehem, they found the place crowded with people who also came to +enroll their names. They went to the inn or hotel to seek for lodging +for the night. The hotels there were not like ours. They were simply +large buildings with small rooms and no furniture; they were called +caravansaries. A man was in charge of the building, and by paying him +something persons were allowed the use of a room. No food was sold +there, so travelers had to do their cooking at home and bring whatever +they needed with them. When the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph went to +the inn they found all the rooms occupied. Then they went up and down +the streets looking for some house where they might stay. Nobody would +take them in, because St. Joseph was old and poor and had no money, or +little, to give. They were refused at every door, a very sad thing +indeed. What were they to do? It was growing dark, and the lights most +likely were being lighted here and there in the houses. The old towns +were not built as ours are, with houses on the outskirts growing fewer +as we advance into the country. They were surrounded by great walls to +keep out their enemies. There were several large gates in these walls, +through which the people entered or left the city. At night these gates +were closed and guarded. Nearly all the people lived within the walls +and the country was lonely and almost deserted. Only shepherds were to +be found in the country, and they lived in tents, which they carried +about from place to place, as soldiers do in time of war. Such was the +country about Bethlehem. As St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin could not +find anyplace to stay in the town they were forced to go into the +country. They must have suffered also from fear because the country was +infested with wolves and wild dogs, so fierce that they sometimes came +into the towns and attacked the people in the streets. Besides, many +robbers were wandering about waiting for victims. Palestine is a hilly +country and there were on the sides of some of the hills large caves in +which these robbers frequently took refuge or divided their spoils. +Because the shepherds at times, especially in bad weather, brought their +animals into these caves, they are often called stables. The Blessed +Virgin and St. Joseph found, we are told, one of these cold, dark +places, went into it for the night, and there Our Lord was born. + +It was the month of December and must have been quite cold, so the +little Infant Jesus must have suffered greatly from the cold. If it had +been a stable such as we see in our days it would have been bad enough; +but think of this cold, dark, miserable cave, and yet it was Our Lord, +the King of Heaven and earth, who was born there. There are few people +so poor that they have to live in a cave. What wonderful humility, then, +on the part of Our Lord. He could have been born, if He wished, in the +grandest palace man could construct and have had thousands of angels to +bring Him whatever He needed, for they are His servants in Heaven. But +Our Lord became so humble to teach us. What impression should this make +on those who are too fond of dress and too vain about their homes. + +It was foretold by the prophets that Our Lord would be born in +Bethlehem, and when the time was near at hand His parents were living in +Nazareth; then the Roman Emperor gave the decree that the census be +taken, which obliged Our Lord's parents to go to Bethlehem, and thus Our +Lord was born there, and the words of the prophets fulfilled. See how +God moves the whole world, if necessary, to accomplish what He desires. +But how naturally He does everything. Nobody knew--not even the Roman +Emperor himself--that he was giving an edict to fulfill the prophecies +and the promises of God. So, at times, people do many things to carry +out the designs of God, though they know it not. We should never +complain therefore to do unwillingly whatever work we have to perform, +because it may be something that God wishes us to do for some very +special end. If you look back upon your lives, you can see that God +guided and directed you upon many occasions. + +*76 Q. How long did Christ live on earth? +A. Christ lived on earth about thirty-three years, and led a most holy +life in poverty and suffering. + +The life of Our Lord was spent in the following manner. At the time Our +Lord was born in Bethlehem wise men or kings, called Magi, came from the +East--perhaps from Persia or Arabia--to adore Him. They saw a strange +star, and leaving their own country came to Palestine. When they came as +far as Jerusalem, they went to King Herod and asked him where the young +King was born. Herod was troubled, for he was afraid the new King would +deprive him of his throne. He called together all the priests and asked +them about this royal child. They told him and the Magi that, according +to the prophecies, the Saviour should be born in Bethlehem. The Wise Men +saw the star once more, and followed it to Bethlehem, where it stood +over the stable in which Our Lord lay. They entered, and adored the +Infant Jesus, and offered Him presents. Now, Herod told them to come +back after they had found the newborn King, and tell him where He was, +that he too might go and adore Him. But such was not Herod's real +intention. He wished not to adore but to kill Him. See, then, how the +wicked pretend at times to do good, that they may deceive us and lead us +astray. Be always on your guard against a person if you suspect his +goodness. But Herod could not deceive God, who, knowing his heart, +warned the Wise Men not to return to Herod, but to go back to their own +country by another way, which they did. We celebrate the day on which +the Wise Men adored the Infant Jesus on the feast of the Epiphany (six +days after New Year's Day). When the Magi did not return, Herod knew +that they had avoided him. He was very angry indeed, and in order to be +sure of killing the poor little Infant Jesus, he had all the infants or +children in or near Bethlehem who were not over two years old put to +death. We honor these first little martyrs who suffered for Christ on +the feast of Holy Innocents--three days after Christmas. + +After the departure of the Wise Men, God sent an angel to St. Joseph +warning him of Herod's evil designs, and telling him to fly with Jesus +and Mary into Egypt. Then St. Joseph, with the Blessed Virgin and the +Infant, set out for Egypt. St. Joseph did not ask the angel how long he +would have to stay there; nor did he ask to be allowed to wait till +morning. He obeyed promptly; he arose in the night, and started at once. +What an example of obedience for us! They must have had many hardships +on the way. They must have suffered much from hunger, cold, and fear. +They dare not go on the best roads, for we may well suppose that Herod +had his spies out watching for any that might escape. So they went by +the roughest roads and longest way. In Egypt they were among strangers, +and how could a poor old carpenter like St. Joseph find enough work +there! The Holy Family must at times have suffered greatly from want. +They remained in Egypt for some time. Afterwards, when Herod died, they +returned to Nazareth. (Matt. 2). + +At twelve years of age Our Lord went to the Temple of Jerusalem to offer +sacrifice with His parents. (Luke 2:42). He afterwards returned to +Nazareth, and then for eighteen years--called His hidden life--we do not +hear anything of Him. Most likely He worked in the carpenter shop with +His foster-father, St. Joseph. + +At the age of thirty (Luke 3:23), Our Lord began His public life; that +is, His preaching, miracles, etc. His public life lasted a little over +three years, and then He was put to death on the Cross. + +*77 Q. Why did Christ live so long on earth? +A. Christ lived so long on earth to show us the way to Heaven by His +teaching and example. + +Christ went through all the stages of life that each might have an +example. He was an infant: then a child; then a young man, and finally a +man. He did not become an old man to set an example to the old, because +if men follow His example in their youth and manhood they will be good +in old age. Youth is the all-important time to learn. If you want a tree +to grow straight, you must keep it straight while it is only a little +twig. You cannot straighten an old oak tree that has grown up crooked. +So you must be taught to do right in your youth, that you may do the +same when old. Of the hidden or private life of Our Lord we, as I have +said, know nothing, except that He was obedient to His parents; for He +wished to give an example also to those holy persons who lead a life +hidden from the world. Some books have given stories about what Our Lord +did in school, etc., but these stories are not true. The only true +things we know of Our Lord are those told in the Holy Scripture, or +handed down to us by the Church in her teachings, or those certainly +revealed to God's saints. Remember, then, that others are taught best by +example, and be careful of the example you give. + + + +Lesson 8 +ON OUR LORD'S PASSION, DEATH, RESURRECTION, AND ASCENSION + + +The Passion, that is, the terrible sufferings of Our Lord, began after +the Last Supper, and ended at His death. On Thursday evening, Our Lord +sat down for the last time with His dear Apostles. He had been talking, +eating, and living with them for over three years; and now He is going +to take His last meal with them before His death. He told them then how +He was to suffer, and that one of them was going to betray Him. They +were very much troubled, for only Judas himself knew what he was about +to do. + +78 Q. What did Jesus Christ suffer? +A. Jesus Christ suffered a bloody sweat, a cruel scourging, was crowned +with thorns, and was crucified. + +After the Supper, Our Lord went with His Apostles to a little country +place just outside Jerusalem, and separated from it by a small stream. +He told the three Apostles, Peter, James, and John, to stay near the +entrance, and to watch and pray, while He Himself went further into the +Garden of Olives, or Gethsemani, as this place was called, and throwing +Himself upon His face, prayed long and earnestly, but the Apostles fell +asleep. + +We often find persons who are in great anguish or dread covered with a +cold perspiration. Now, Our Lord's agony in the garden was so intense +that great drops, not of sweat, but of blood, oozed from every pore, and +trickled to the ground. There are three reasons given for this dreadful +agony. + +(1) The clear, certain knowledge of the sufferings so soon to be +endured. If we were to be put to death tomorrow and knew exactly the +manner of our death and the pain it would inflict, how great would be +our fear! Our Lord, knowing all things, knew in every particular what He +would have to undergo. Moreover, His sufferings were greater than ours +could be, even if we suffered the same kind of death; because His body +was most perfect, and therefore more susceptible of pain than ours. A +wound in the eye, because the most sensitive and delicate part of the +body, would cause us greater pain than a wound on the foot or hand. +Thus, all the parts of Our Lord's body being so perfect and sensitive, +we can scarcely imagine His dreadful torments, the very thought of which +caused Him such agony. + +(2) The sins, past, present, and future of all men. He knew all things, +as we have said, and looking back upon the world He saw all the sins +committed, of thought, word, and deed, from the time of Adam down to His +own; and seeing all these offenses against His Father, He was very much +grieved. + +(3) The third reason why He grieved. He looked forward and saw how +little many persons would profit by all the sufferings He was about to +endure. He saw all the sins that would be committed from the time of His +death down to the end of the world. He saw us also sinning with the +rest. No wonder then that He suffered so much in the garden. This +suffering on that night is called "Our Lord's Agony in the Garden." That +night Judas, who had betrayed Him to His enemies, came with a great band +of soldiers and people, with swords and clubs, to make Our Lord a +prisoner. He did not try to escape, but stood waiting for them, though +all His Apostles, who had promised to stay with Him, ran away. Then the +soldiers led Our Lord to the house of the Chief Priest. Then they +gathered the priests, and gave Him a kind of trial, and said He was +guilty of death. But at that time the Jews had no power to put persons +to death according to the law; so they had to send Our Lord to Pontius +Pilate, the Roman Governor, to be condemned, because they were under the +power of the Romans. The Jews acted against their laws in the trial of +Our Lord. + +(1) They tried Him at night; and (2) they allowed Him no witnesses in +His defense, but even employed false witnesses to testify against Him, +and thus acted against all law and justice. Early in the morning they +led Him to Pilate, who commanded that He should be scourged. Then they +stripped Our Lord of His garments, fastened His hands to a low stone +pillar, and there He was "scourged" by the Roman soldiers. The lashes +used by the Romans were made of leather, with pieces of bone, iron, or +steel fastened into it, so that every stroke would lay open the flesh. +It is most likely these were the lashes used upon Our Lord till every +portion of His body was bruised and bleeding, and they replaced His +garments upon Him. Now, you know if you put a cloth upon a fresh wound +the blood will soak into it and cause it to adhere to the mangled flesh. +Our Blessed Lord's garment, thus saturated with His blood, adhered to +His wounded body, and when again removed caused Him unspeakable pain. +Next, the soldiers, because Our Lord had said He was a king--meaning a +spiritual king--led Him into a large hall and mocked Him. They made a +crown of long, sharp thorns, and forced it down upon His brow with a +heavy rod or reed; every stroke driving the thorns into His head, and +causing the blood to roll down His sacred face. They again took off His +garments, and opened anew the painful wounds. Because kings wore purple, +they put an old purple garment upon Him, and made Him a mock king, +genuflecting in ridicule as they passed before Him. They struck Him in +the face and spat upon Him; and yet it seems our patient Lord said not a +word in complaint. Then they put His garments upon Him, and Pilate asked +the people what he should do with Him, and they cried, "Crucify Him." It +was then Friday morning, and probably about ten or eleven o'clock. They +made a cross of heavy beams, and laying it upon His shoulders, forced +Him to carry it to Calvary--the place of execution, just outside the +city; for it was not allowed to execute anyone in the city. Our Lord had +not eaten anything from Thursday evening, and then with all He suffered +and the loss of blood, He must have been very weak at eleven o'clock on +Friday morning. He was weak, and fell many times under the Cross. His +suffering was increased by seeing His Blessed Mother looking at Him. +When He arrived at Calvary they tore off His garments and nailed Him to +the Cross, driving the rough nails through His hands and feet. It was +then about twelve o'clock. From twelve to three in the afternoon Our +Blessed Saviour was hanging on the Cross, with a great multitude of His +enemies about Him mocking and saying cruel things. Even the two thieves +that were crucified with Him reviled Him, though one of them repented +and was pardoned before death. Our Lord's poor Mother and His few +friends stood at a little distance witnessing all that was going on. +When Our Lord was thirsty His executioners gave Him gall to drink. At +three o'clock He died, and there was an earthquake and darkness, and the +people were sorely afraid. + +But you will ask, how could these soldiers be so cruel? They were +Romans; and in those days men called gladiators used to fight with +swords before the Roman Emperor and all the people--just as actors play +now for the amusement of their audience. People who could enjoy such +scenes as men slaying one another in deadly conflict would scarcely be +moved to pity by seeing a man scourged. Again, in the early ages of the +Church, during the persecutions, the Emperors used to order the +Christians to be thrown to wild beasts to be torn to pieces in the +presence of the people--who applauded these horrible sights. They who +could see so many put to death would not mind putting one to death, even +in the most terrible manner. + +79 Q. On what day did Christ die? +A. Christ died on Good Friday. + +"Good Friday," so called since that time. + +*80 Q. Why do you call that day "good" on which Christ suffered so +sorrowful a death? +A. 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. + +*81 Q. Where did Christ die? +A. Christ died on Mount Calvary. + +"Mount Calvary," a little hill just outside the city of Jerusalem. For +every city they have a special prison or place where all their criminals +are executed. Now, as the great Temple of God was in Jerusalem, the city +itself was called the City of God, because in the Temple God spoke to +the priests in the Holy of Holies. The Temple was divided into two +parts: one part, something like the body of our churches, called the +Holy, and the other part, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept, called +the Holy of Holies. It had about the same relation to the Temple as our +altar and sanctuary have to our churches. The Ark of the Covenant was a +box about four feet long, two and a half feet high, and two and a half +feet wide, made of the finest wood, and ornamented with gold in the most +beautiful manner. In it were the tables of stone, on which were written +the Commandments of God; also the rod that Aaron--Moses' +brother--changed into a serpent before King Pharaoh; also some of the +manna with which the people were miraculously fed during their forty +years' journey in the desert when they fled out of Egypt. All these +things were figures of the true religion. The Ark itself was a figure of +the tabernacle, and the manna of the Holy Eucharist. The Holy of Holies +was hidden from the people by a veil. Only the Chief Priest was allowed +into that sacred place, and but once a year. The veil--called the veil +of the Temple--hiding that Holy of Holies, though the things mentioned +above were no longer in it, was torn asunder when Our Lord died on the +Cross (Matt. 27:51); because after His death there was no need any +longer of figures; for after His death we have the tabernacle itself and +the real manna, the real bread from Heaven, viz., the body of Our Lord. +The veil was rent to show also that God would not remain any longer in +the Temple, but would be for the future only in the Christian Church. On +account of all these things, therefore, Jerusalem was called the Holy +City, and no criminals were put to death in it, but were conducted to +Calvary--which means the place of skulls--and were there put to death. I +now call your attention to one thing. If the Jews showed such great +respect and reverence for the Ark containing only figures of the Blessed +Sacrament, how should we behave in the presence of the tabernacle on the +altar containing the Blessed Sacrament itself! + +*82 Q. How did Christ die? +A. Christ was nailed to a cross and died on it, between two thieves. + +"Two thieves," because they thought this would make His death more +disgraceful--making Him equal to common criminals. One of these thieves, +called the penitent thief, repented of his sins and received Our Lord's +pardon before his death. The other thief died in his sins. Holy writers +tell us that one of these thieves was saved to give poor sinners hope, +and to teach them that they may save their souls at the very last moment +of their lives if only they are heartily sorry for their sins and +implore God's pardon for them. The other thief remained and died +impenitent, that sinners may fear to put off their conversion to the +hour of death, thus rashly presuming on God's mercy. Persons who +willfully delay their conversion and put off their repentance to the +last moment, living bad lives with the hope of dying well, may not +accept the grace to repent at the last moment, but may, like the +unfortunate, impenitent thief, die as they lived, in a state of sin. + +83 Q. Why did Christ suffer and die? +A. Christ suffered and died for our sins. + +It was not necessary for Our Lord to suffer so much, but He did it to +show how much He loved us and valued our souls, and how much He was +willing to give for them. We, alas! do not value our souls as Christ +did; we sometimes sell them for the merest trifle--a moment's +gratification. How sinful! + +*84 Q. What lessons do we learn from the sufferings and death of Christ? +A. 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. + +We learn "the great evil of sin" also from the misery it brought into +the world; the "hatred God bears to it," from the punishment He +inflicted on the wicked angels and on our first parents for it; and +lastly, the "necessity of satisfying for it," from the fact that God +allowed His dear and only Son to suffer death itself for the sins even +of others. + +*85 Q. Whither did Christ's soul go after His death? +A. After Christ's death His soul descended into hell. + +*86 Q. Did Christ's soul descend into the hell of the damned? +A. The hell into which Christ's soul descended was not the hell of the +damned, but a place or state of rest called Limbo, where the souls of +the just were waiting for Him. + +Hell had many meanings in olden times. The grave was sometimes called +hell. Jacob, when he heard that wild beasts had devoured his son Joseph, +said: "I will go down with sorrow into hell." He meant the grave. Limbo +is not the same as Purgatory. It does not exist now, or, if it does, is +only for little children who have never committed actual sin and who +have died without Baptism. They will never get into Heaven or see God, +but they will not have to suffer pains as they who are in Purgatory or +Hell endure. + +*87 Q. Why did Christ descend into Limbo? +A. 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. + +*88 Q. Where was Christ's body while His soul was in Limbo? +A. While Christ's soul was in Limbo His body was in the Holy Sepulchre. + +"Sepulchre" is the same as tomb. It is like a little room. In it the +coffin is not covered up with earth as it is in the grave, but is placed +upon a stand. We call such places vaults, and you can see many of them +in any cemetery or burying ground. Sometimes they are cut in the side of +elevated ground with their entrance level with the road, and sometimes +they are built altogether under the ground. The one in which Our Lord +was placed was cut out of the side of a rock, and had for a door a great +stone against the entrance. Our Lord was not placed in a coffin, but was +wrapped in a linen cloth. It was the custom of the Jewish people and of +many other ancient nations to embalm the bodies of the dead, wrap them +in cloths, and cover them with sweet spices. (Matt. 27:59). Thus it was +that Mary Magdalene and other good women came early in the morning to +anoint the body of Our Lord. But you will say, why did they not do it on +Friday evening or night? The reason was this: The day with the Jews +began at sunset--generally about six o'clock--and ended at sunset on the +next evening. We count our twenty-four hours, or day, from twelve at +midnight till twelve the next night. Therefore, with the Jews six +o'clock on Friday evening was the beginning of Saturday. They kept +Saturday, or the Sabbath, instead of Sunday as a day of worship. On that +day, which they kept very strictly, it was not allowable to do work of +any kind; so they could not anoint Our Lord's body till the Sabbath +ended, which was about six o'clock, or sunset on Saturday evening. So, +as the Holy Scripture tells us, they came very early in the morning; for +Mary Magdalene and these good women were Jews, and strictly observed the +Jewish law. You must know that Our Lord Himself, the Blessed Virgin, St. +Joseph, and the Apostles were Jews; and that the Jewish religion was the +true religion up to the coming of Our Lord; but as it was only a figure +and a promise of the Christian religion, it ceased to have any meaning +or to be the true religion when the Christian religion itself was +established by Our Lord. + +89 Q. On what day did Christ rise from the dead? +A. Christ rose from the dead, glorious and immortal, on Easter Sunday, +the third day after His death. + +"Rose" by His own power. This is the greatest of all Our Lord's +miracles, because all He taught is confirmed by it and depends upon it. +A miracle is a work that can be performed only by God, or by someone to +whom He has given the power. If anyone performs a real miracle to prove +what he says, his words must be true; for God, who is infinite truth, +could not sanction a lie--could not help an impostor to deceive us. Now +Our Lord said He was the Son of God; that He could forgive sins, etc.; +and He performed miracles to prove what He said. Therefore He must have +told the truth. So all those whom God sent to do any great work were +given the power to perform miracles that the people might know they were +really messengers from God. They, on the other hand, who claim--as many +have done from time to time in the world--that they have been sent by +God to do some great work, and can give no convincing proof of their +mission, are not to be believed. Thus, when Martin Luther claimed that +he was sent by God to reform the Catholic Church--which had existed +nearly 1,500 years before he was born--he performed no miracles, nor did +he give any other proof that he had any such commission from God; and he +cannot therefore be believed. + +God has established all the laws of nature permanently. They will not +vary or change, so that we can depend upon them. We can always be sure +that the sun will rise and set; that the seasons will come; that fire +will burn, etc. Now, if we see three young men in a great fiery furnace +without being burned (Dan. 3), we say it is a great miracle; because +naturally the fire would burn them up if God did not prevent it. Again, +water will not stand up like a high wall without something keeping it +back; it will always run about and fill every empty spot near it. If, +therefore, we see water standing up like a high wall, as it did in the +Red Sea at the command of Moses, and in the River Jordan, we say it is a +miracle. So in all cases where the laws of nature do not work in the +ordinary manner, we say a miracle is being performed. Now Our Lord +performed many such miracles--many times He suspended the laws of +nature--which God alone can do, since He alone established them. Our +Lord called back the soul to the body after death, thus raising the +dead. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, cured the lame, etc., +when all medicine and natural means were useless. He did all these +things instantly as a rule, and without remedies. Therefore His miracles +prove His divine power. Since the resurrection was a great miracle, and +Our Lord performed it to prove that He was the true and only Son of God, +He must have been just what He said He was. + +"Glorious." Our Lord rose in the same body He had before His death; but +when He rose it had new qualities--it was glorified. The qualities of a +glorified body are four, viz.: brilliancy, agility, subtility, and +impassability. (1) It has brilliancy; that is, it shines like a light; +it gives forth light; the soul shines through the body. You have heard +of the Transfiguration of Our Lord. One day He took three of His +Apostles--Peter, James, and John--unto a high mountain (Matt. 17); and +as He was speaking to them, suddenly His whole body began to shine like +the sun. Then Moses and Elias--two great and holy men of the Old +Law--came and conversed with Him. The Apostles were astonished and +delighted at the sight, and wished to remain there always. Our Lord's +body at that time showed one of the qualities of a glorified body. The +same three Apostles that saw Him thus transfigured and heard the voice +of the Heavenly Father saying, "This is My beloved Son," were present in +the garden during Our Lord's agony. He allowed them to see the +Transfiguration, so that when they should see Him suffering as man, they +would remember that they saw Him on the mountain glorified as God. (2) +Agility; that is, a glorified body can move rapidly from one place to +another, like the lightning itself. After His resurrection Our Lord was +in Jerusalem, and almost immediately He appeared near the village of +Emmaus to two disciples going there. (Luke 24). They had left Jerusalem +after the Crucifixion, probably through fear, and were going along +together talking about what had happened during the days of Our Lord's +Passion. Suddenly Our Lord came and walked and talked with them, but +they did not know Him. They asked Him to stay that night at their house, +for it was growing dark. He did not stop with them, and at supper they +knew Him, and then He vanished from their sight. An ordinary person +would have to get up and walk away; but He vanished, showing on this +occasion the second quality of His glorified body--agility. (3) +Subtility; that is, such a body can go where it pleases and cannot be +resisted by material things. It can pass through closed doors or gates, +and even walls cannot keep it out. It passes through everything, as +light does through glass without breaking it. At one time after Our +Lord's resurrection the Apostles were gathered together in a room, for +they were still afraid of being put to death, and the doors were tightly +closed. Suddenly Our Lord stood in the midst of them and said: "Peace be +to you." (John 20:19). They did not open the door for Him; neither wood +nor stone could keep Him out: and thus He showed that His body had the +third quality. (4) His body had the fourth quality also--impassability, +which means that it can no longer suffer. Before His death, and at it, +Our Lord suffered dreadful torments, as you know; but after His +resurrection nothing could injure or hurt Him. The spear could not hurt +His side, nor the nails His hands, nor the thorns His head. Shortly +after His resurrection Our Lord appeared to His Apostles while Thomas, +one of them, was absent. (John 20:24). When Thomas returned, the other +Apostles told him that they had seen the Lord risen from the dead; but +he would not believe them, saying: "Unless I see the holes where the +nails were in His hands and feet, and put my finger into His side, I +will not believe." Now Our Lord, knowing all things, knew this also; so +He came again when Thomas was present, and said to him: "Now, Thomas, +put your hand into My side." Thomas cried out: "My Lord and my God!" He +believed then, because he saw. Now if this body of Our Lord's had been +an ordinary body, it would have caused Him pain to allow anyone to put +his hand into the wound; but it was impassable. It seems very strange, +does it not, that Thomas would not believe what the other Apostles told +him? God permitted this. Why? Because, if they all believed easily, some +enemies of Our Lord might say the Apostles were simple men that believed +everything without any proof. Now they cannot truly say so, because here +was one of the Apostles, Thomas, who would not believe without the very +strongest kind of proof. Another person, one would think, would have +been satisfied with seeing Our Lord's wounds; but Thomas would not trust +even his eyes--he must also touch before he would believe: showing, +therefore, that the Apostles were not deceived in anything Our Lord did +in their presence, for they had always the most convincing proofs. + +After the Resurrection, at the last day, the bodies of all those who are +to be in Heaven will have the qualities I have mentioned; that is, they +will be glorified bodies. + +Speaking of Our Lord's wounds, I might tell you what the stigmata means, +if you should ever hear or read of it. There have been some persons in +the world--saints, of course--who have had upon their hands, feet, and +side wounds just like those Our Lord had, and these wounds caused them +great pain. For example, St. Francis of Assisi (see Butler's Lives of +the Saints, Oct. 4th). Up to 1883--that is, only a few years ago--there +lived in Belgium a young girl named Louise Lateau who had the stigmata. +We have the most positive proof of it, as you may see in the accounts of +her life now published. Her wounds caused her great pain and bled every +Friday for many years. She was a delicate seamstress, and lived with her +mother and sisters in almost continual poverty. She had always been +remarkable for her true piety, patience in suffering, and charity to the +sick. I mention this young girl because she lived in our own time, and +is the latest person we know of who had the stigmata, or wounds of Our +Lord. So if you ever hear of the stigmata of St. Francis or others, you +will know that it means wounds like those of Our Lord impressed on their +bodies in a miraculous manner. + +"Immortal"--that is never to die again, as it will be with us also after +the Resurrection. + +"The third day." It was not three full days, but the parts of three +days. Suppose someone should ask you on Friday evening how long from now +to Sunday; you would answer: Sunday will be the third day from today. +You would count thus: Friday one, Saturday two, and Sunday itself three. +So it was with Our Lord. He died on Friday at about three in the +afternoon, and remained in the sepulchre till Sunday morning. + +*90 Q. How long did Christ stay on earth after His resurrection? +A. Christ stayed on earth forty days after His resurrection, to show +that He was truly risen from the dead, and to instruct His Apostles. + +After Our Lord's resurrection He remained on earth forty days: but you +must not think He was visible all that time. No. He did not appear to +everybody, but only to certain persons, and not all the time to them +either. He appeared to His Apostles and others in all about nine times; +at least, we know for certain that He appeared nine times, though He may +have appeared oftener. He showed that "He was truly risen," for He ate +with His Apostles and conversed with them. (Luke 24:42). It was after +the resurrection that He breathed on them and gave them the power to +forgive sins. (John 20). + +91 Q. After Christ had remained forty days on earth, whither did He go? +A. After forty days Christ ascended into Heaven, and the day on which He +ascended into Heaven is called Ascension Day. + +One day He was on a mountain with His Apostles and disciples; and as He +was talking to them He began to rise up slowly and quietly, just as you +have sometimes seen a balloon soar up into the air without noise. Higher +and higher He ascended; and as they gazed up at Him, the clouds opened +to receive Him, then closed under Him: and that was the last of Our +Lord's mission as man upon earth. The Ascension took place forty days +after the resurrection. (Acts 1). + +*92 Q. Where is Christ in Heaven? +A. In Heaven Christ sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. + +*93 Q. What do you mean by saying that Christ sits at the right hand of +God? +A. 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 9 +ON THE HOLY GHOST AND HIS DESCENT UPON THE APOSTLES + + +94 Q. Who is the Holy Ghost? +A. The Holy Ghost is the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. + +*95 Q. From whom does the Holy Ghost proceed? +A. The Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son. + +*96 Q. Is the Holy Ghost equal to the Father and the Son? +A. The Holy Ghost is equal to the Father and the Son, being the same +Lord and God as they are. + +97 Q. On what day did the Holy Ghost come down upon the Apostles? +A. The Holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles ten days after the +Ascension of Our Lord; and the day on which He came down upon the +Apostles is called Whit-Sunday or Pentecost. + +We have seen already that the Apostles fled and were very much afraid +when Our Lord was taken prisoner. Even Peter, the chief of the Apostles, +who said he would die rather than leave Our Lord, shamefully denied Him; +and St. John, the beloved disciple, stood near the Cross, but offered no +resistance to Our Lord's enemies. After the Crucifixion of Our Lord, the +Apostles, afraid of being put to death, shut themselves up in a room. +Ten days after Our Lord's Ascension they were praying as usual in their +room, when suddenly they heard the sound as it were of a great wind, and +then they saw tongues the shape of our own, but all on fire, coming, and +one tongue resting on the head of each Apostle present. (Acts 2). + +This was the Holy Ghost coming to them. The Holy Ghost, being a pure +spirit without a body, can take any form He pleases. He sometimes came +in the form of a dove; so when you see a dove painted in a church near +the altar, it is there to represent the Holy Ghost. You could not paint +a spirit, so angels and God Himself are generally represented in +pictures as they at some time appeared to men. + +"Whit-Sunday," or White-Sunday; probably so called because in the early +ages of the Church converts were baptized on the day before, and after +their Baptism wore white robes or garments as a mark of the soul's +purity after Baptism. + +"Pentecost" means the fiftieth day, because the feast comes fifty days +after the resurrection of Our Lord. After His resurrection He remained +forty days upon earth, and ten days after He ascended into Heaven the +Holy Ghost came, thus making the fifty days. + +After the Holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles they were no longer +timid men. They went forth boldly into the streets and preached Christ +crucified, telling the people how the Son of God--the true Messias +promised--had been put to death. Many who heard them believed and were +baptized. The first time St. Peter preached to the people three thousand +were converted (Acts 2:41); so that when all the Apostles preached the +number of Christians increased rapidly, and the Christian religion was +soon carried to distant parts of the world. + +At the time Our Lord was put to death the Jews were celebrating a great +feast in Jerusalem. The Jews were not like us in this respect. We have +many churches, and in all of them sacrifice, that is, the Holy Mass, is +offered. The Jews had only one temple where sacrifice could be offered, +and that was in Jerusalem. They had synagogues or meeting houses +throughout the land in which they assembled to pray and hear the Holy +Scriptures read; but they could not offer sacrifice in them. Three times +a year they went to Jerusalem to celebrate their great feasts. One of +these feasts was called the Pasch, or Passover, and it was during the +celebration of that feast that Our Lord was put to death; so that there +were many persons from all parts of the nation present at the sad +execution. I must now tell you why they celebrated the Pasch. We +generally celebrate a feast to commemorate--to remind us of--some great +event; and the Jews celebrated this feast to remind them of their +deliverance from the slavery of the Egyptians, in which their ancestors +had been suffering for about two hundred years. At the end of that time +God sent Moses to deliver them. You should know, then, who Moses was and +what he did to deliver his people, and you should know also something of +the history of his people--the Israelites--and how they came to be in +Egypt. + +At the time I am now going to speak of the old patriarch Jacob, +Abraham's grandson, had eleven sons--for Benjamin, the twelfth son, was +born afterwards--and the youngest was called Joseph. Joseph was the +favorite of his father, and his brothers were jealous of him. The +brothers were shepherds, and used to take their flocks to feed at a +great distance from home, and did not return for a long time. One day +the father sent Joseph to his brothers to see if all were well. They +hated Joseph because his father loved him best; and when they saw him +coming they agreed never to let him return to his father. (Gen. 37). +They intended to kill him. While they were debating about how they +should put him to death--he was then only sixteen years old--some +merchants passed on their way to Egypt; so, instead of killing him, they +sold him as a slave to the merchants. Then they took Joseph's coat and +dipped it in the blood of a kid, and sent it to their poor old father, +saying they had found it, and making him believe that some wild beast on +the way had eaten Joseph. When the merchants arrived in Egypt, Potiphar, +one of the king's officers, bought Joseph, and brought him as a slave to +his own house. While there, Joseph was falsely accused of a great crime, +and cast into prison. While Joseph was in prison the king had a dream. +(Gen. 41). He saw in the dream seven fat cows coming up out of a river, +followed by seven lean cows; and the lean cows ate up the fat cows. He +saw also seven fat ears of corn and seven lean ears of corn; and the +seven lean ears ate up the seven fat ears. The king was very much +troubled, and called together all his wise men to tell him what the +dream meant, but they could not. Then the king heard of Joseph, and sent +for him. Now Joseph was a very good young man, and God showed him the +meaning; so he told the king that the seven fat ears of corn and the +seven fat cows meant seven years of great abundance in Egypt, and that +the seven lean ears and the seven lean cows meant seven years of famine +that would follow, and all the abundance of the previous seven years +would be consumed. So he advised the king to build great barns during +the years of plenty, and gather up all the corn everywhere to save it +for the years of famine. The king was delighted at Joseph's wisdom, and +made him after himself the most powerful in the kingdom, giving him +charge of everything, so that Joseph himself might do what he had +advised. Now it happened years after this that there was a famine in the +country where Joseph's father lived, and he sent all his sons down into +Egypt to buy corn. (Gen. 42). They did not know their brother Joseph, +but he knew them; and after forgiving them for what they had done to +him, he sent them home with an abundance of corn. Afterwards Joseph's +father and brothers left their own country and came to live near Joseph +in Egypt. The king gave them good land (Gen. 47), and they lived there +in peace and happiness. Learn from this beautiful history of Joseph how +God protects those that love and serve Him no matter where they are or +in what danger they may be placed; and how He even turns the evil deeds +of their enemies into blessings for them. + +After the death of Joseph and his brothers, their descendants became +very numerous, and the new king of the Egyptians began to persecute +them. (Ex. 2). He imposed upon them the hardest works, and treated them +most cruelly. He ordered that all their male infants should, as soon as +born, be thrown into the River Nile. Now about that time Moses was born. +(Ex. 2). His mother did not obey the king's order, but hid him for about +three months. When she could conceal him no longer she made a little +cradle of rushes, and covering it over with pitch or tar to keep out the +water, placed him in it, and then laid it in the tall grass by the edge +of the river, sending his little sister to watch what would become of +him. Just then the king's daughter came down to bathe, and seeing the +little child, ordered one of her servants to bring him to her. At that +moment Moses' little sister, pretending not to know him, ran up and +asked the king's daughter if she wished to procure a nurse for him. The +king's daughter replied in the affirmative and permitted her to bring +one; so Moses' own mother was brought and engaged to be his nurse: but +he was not known as her son, but as the adopted son of the king's +daughter. When Moses grew up he was an officer in the king's army; but +because he took the part of his persecuted countrymen he offended the +king, and had to fly from the palace. He then went into another country +and became a shepherd. + +During all this time the persecuted Israelites were praying to the true +God to be delivered from the slavery of the Egyptians, who were +idolaters. One day Moses saw a bush burning; and as he came near to look +at it, he heard a voice telling him not to come too near, and bidding +him take off his shoes, for he was on holy ground. (Ex. 3). It was God +who thus appeared and spoke to him, and He ordered him to take off his +shoes as a mark of respect and reverence. When we want to show our +respect for any person or place, we take off our hats; but the people of +that country, instead of their hats, took off their shoes. It was the +custom of the country and did not seem strange to them. + +Then God told Moses that He was going to send him to deliver His people +from the Egyptians and lead them back to their own country; and He sent +Aaron, the brother of Moses, with him. Then Moses said to God, the king +of Egypt will not let the people go, and what can I do? God gave Moses +two signs or miracles to show the king, so that he could know that Moses +was really sent by Him. He gave him power to change a rod into a +serpent, and back again into a rod; power also to bring a disease +instantly upon his hand, and to heal it instantly. (Ex. 4). Do these, +said Almighty God, in the presence of the king. Then Moses and Aaron +went to the king and did as God commanded them; and when the rod of +Aaron became a serpent, the king's magicians--that is, men who do +apparently wonderful things by sleight of hand or the power of the +devil--cast their rods upon the ground, and they also became +serpents--not that their rods were changed into serpents, but the devil, +who was helping them, took away instantly their rods and put real +serpents in their place--but Aaron's serpent swallowed them up. (Ex. 7). +After these signs the king would not let the people go with Moses; for +God permitted the king's heart to be hardened, so that all the Egyptians +might see the great work God was going to do for His people. + +Then God sent the ten plagues upon the Egyptians, while the +Israelites--God's people--suffered nothing from these plagues. + +The first plague was blood. All the water in the land was converted into +blood. (Ex. 7). The king then sent for Moses and promised that if he +would take away the plague he would allow all the people to depart. +Moses prayed to God, and the plague was removed. But after it was taken +away the king's heart was hardened again and he would not keep his +promise. Just as people in sickness, distress, or danger sometimes +promise God they will lead better lives if only He will help them, and +when they are saved they do not keep their promises, so did Pharao; and +therefore God sent another plague. The second plague was frogs. Great +numbers of them came out of the rivers and lakes, and filled all the +houses of the Egyptians, and crawled into their food, beds, etc. Again +the king sent for Moses and did as before; and again Moses prayed, and +all the frogs went back into the waters or died. (Ex. 8). But the king +again hardened his heart and did not keep his promise. The third plague +was sciniphs (Ex. 8)--very small flies, that filled the land. Imagine +our country filled with mosquitoes so numerous that you could scarcely +walk through them; it would be a dreadful plague. As it is, two or three +might cause you considerable annoyance, and pain: what then if there +were millions doubly venomous, because sent to punish you? So these +little flies must have greatly punished the Egyptians. The fourth plague +was flies that filled the land and covered everything, to the great +disgust of the people. The fifth plague was murrain--a disease that +broke out among the cattle. The sixth plague was a disease--boils--that +broke out on men and beasts, so that scarcely anyone could move on +account of the pains and suffering. The seventh plague was hail, that +fell in large pieces and destroyed all their crops. The eighth plague +was locusts. These are very destructive little animals. They look +something like our grasshoppers, but are about two or three times their +size. They fly and come in millions. They come to this country in great +numbers--almost a plague--every fifteen or twenty-five years, and the +farmers fear them very much. They eat up every green blade or leaf, and +thus destroy all the crops and trees. When the locusts came upon Egypt, +Moses, at the king's request, prayed, and God sent a strong wind that +swept them into the sea, where they perished in the water. The ninth +plague was a horrible darkness for three days in all the land of Egypt. +The tenth plague, the last, was the most terrible of all--the killing of +the firstborn in all the land of Egypt. (Ex. 12). God instructed Moses +to tell the Israelites in the land that on a certain night they were to +take a lamb in each family, kill it, and sprinkle its blood on the +doorposts of their houses. They were then to cook the lamb and eat it +standing, with their garments ready as for a journey. (Ex. 12). The lamb +was called the paschal lamb, and was, after that, to be eaten every +year, at about what is with us Easter-time, in commemoration of this +event. That night God sent an angel through all the land, and he killed +the firstborn of man and beast in all the houses of the Egyptians. That +is, he killed the eldest son in the house; and if the father was the +firstborn in his father's family, he was killed also; and the same for +the beasts. This was a terrible punishment. In the house of every +Egyptian there were some dead but not one in the houses of the +Israelites; for when the angel saw the blood of the lamb on the +doorposts, he passed over and did not enter into their houses, so that +this event, called Passover or Pasch, was kept always as a great feast +by God's people. This paschal lamb was a figure of our blessed Lord, for +as its blood saved the Israelites from death, so Our Lord's blood saved +and still saves us from eternal death in Hell. + +After that dreadful night Pharao allowed the people to depart with +Moses; but when they had gone as far as the Red Sea, he was sorry he let +them go, and set out with a great army to bring them back. There the +people stood, with the sea before them and Pharao and his army coming +behind them; but God provided for them a means of escape. At God's +command, Moses stretched his rod over the sea, and the waters divided +and stood like great walls on either side and all the people passed +through the opening in the waters, on the dry bed of the sea. (Ex. 14). + +Pharao attempted to follow them, but when he and his army were on the +dry bed of the sea, between the two walls of water, God allowed the +waters to close over them, and they were all drowned. Then the +Israelites began the great journey through the desert, in which they +travelled for forty years. During all that time God fed them with manna. +He Himself, as a guide, went with them in a cloud, that shaded them from +the heat of the sun during the day and was a light for them at night. +But you will ask: Was the desert so large that it took forty years to +cross it? No, but these people, notwithstanding all God had done for +them, sinned against Him in the desert; so He permitted them to wander +about through it till a new generation of people grew up, who were to be +led into the promised land by Josue, the successor of Moses. From this +we may learn a lesson for ourselves: God will always punish those who +deserve it, even though He loves them and may often have done great +things to save them; but He will wait for His own time to punish. + +The Israelites then, as I have said, went from every part of the land up +to the Temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the Pasch each year. It was +during one of these celebrations that Our Lord was put to death, and +during another feast that St. Peter preached to the people after Our +Lord's death. He spoke only in one language, and yet all his hearers +understood, for each heard his own language spoken. (Acts 2:6). This was +called the gift of tongues, and was given to the Apostles when the Holy +Ghost came upon them. For example, if each of you came from a different +country and understood the language only of the country from which you +came, and I gave the instructions only in English, then if everyone +thought I was speaking his language--German, French, Spanish, Italian, +etc.--and understood me, I would have what is called the gift of +tongues, and it would be a great miracle, as it was when bestowed upon +the Apostles. + +In the first ages of the Church God performed more miracles than He does +now, because they are not now so necessary. These miracles were +performed only to make the Church better known, and to prove that she +was the true Church, with her power and authority from God. That can now +be known and seen in Christian countries without miracles. These special +gifts, like the gift of tongues, were given also to some of the early +Christians by the Holy Ghost, when they received Confirmation; but they +were not a part of or necessary for Confirmation, but only to show the +power of the true religion. Those who heard St. Peter preach, when they +went back to their own countries told what they had seen and heard, and +thus their countrymen were prepared to receive the Gospel when the +Apostles came to preach it. + +*98 Q. How did the Holy Ghost come down upon the Apostles? +A. The Holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles in the form of tongues of +fire. + +99 Q. Who sent the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles? +A. Our Lord Jesus Christ sent the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles. + +100 Q. Why did Christ send the Holy Ghost? +A. Christ sent the Holy Ghost to sanctify His Church, to enlighten and +strengthen the Apostles, and to enable them to preach the Gospel. + +"Sanctify," to make more holy by the grace which He would give to the +members of the Church. "To enlighten." The Apostles did not understand +very well everything Our Lord taught while He was with them; but after +the Holy Ghost came upon them they understood perfectly, and remembered +many things which Our Lord said to them, and understood the true meaning +of all. The prophets foretold that when the Messias, Christ, would come, +He would bring all the world under His power. The prophets meant in a +spiritual sense; but most of the people understood that He was to be a +great general, with powerful armies, who would subdue all the nations of +the earth, and bring them under the authority of the Jews. We know they +thought that the great kingdom He was to establish upon earth would be a +temporal kingdom, from many of their sayings and actions. One day the +mother of two of Our Lord's Apostles came to ask Him if, when He had +established His kingdom upon the earth, He would give her sons honorable +positions in it, and place them high in authority. (Matt. 20:20). Our +Lord told her she did not understand what she was asking. This shows +that even some of the Apostles--much less the people--did not understand +the full nature of Our Lord's mission upon earth, nor of His kingdom, +the Church. Often too, when He preached to the people, the Apostles +asked Him on His return what His sermon meant (Luke 8:9). But after the +Holy Ghost came, they were enlightened, and understood all without +difficulty. "Strengthen." I told you already that before the Holy Ghost +came they were timid and afraid of being arrested, but that afterwards +they went out boldly, and taught all they had learned from Our Lord. +They were often taken prisoners and scourged, but it mattered not--they +were firm in their faith, and could suffer anything for Christ after +they had been enlightened and strengthened by the Holy Ghost. Finally, +they were all, with the exception of St. John, put to death for their +holy faith. St. Peter and St. Paul were crucified at Rome about the year +65, that is, about thirty-two years after the death of Our Lord. St. +James was beheaded by order of King Herod. St. John lived the longest, +and was the only one of the Apostles who was not put to death, though he +was cast into a large vessel of boiling oil, but was miraculously saved. + +Certainly by dying for their faith the Apostles showed that they were +not impostors or hypocrites. They must really have believed what they +taught, otherwise they would not have laid down their lives for it. They +were certain of what they taught, as we saw when speaking of St. Thomas. + +*101 Q. Will the Holy Ghost abide with the Church forever? +A. The Holy Ghost will abide with the Church forever, and guide it in +the way of holiness and truth. + +"Abide" means to stay with us. + + + +Lesson 10 +ON THE EFFECTS OF THE REDEMPTION + + +102 Q. Which are the chief effects of the redemption? +A. 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. + +An effect is that which is caused by something else. If you place a +danger signal on a broken railroad track the effect will be preventing +the wreck of the train, and the cause will be your placing the signal. +Many effects may flow from one cause. In our example, see all the good +effects that may follow your placing the signal--the cars are not +broken, the passengers are not killed, the rails are not torn out of +their places, etc. Thus the redemption had two effects, namely, to +satisfy God for the offense offered Him by the sins of men, and to merit +grace to be used for our benefit. + +103 Q. What do you mean by grace? +A. By grace I mean a supernatural gift of God bestowed on us, through +the merits of Jesus Christ, for our salvation. + +"Supernatural," that is, above nature. "A gift"; something, therefore, +that God does not owe us. He owes us nothing, strictly speaking. Health, +talents, and such things are natural gifts, and belong to our nature as +men; but grace is something above our nature, given to our soul. God +gives it to us on account of the love He has for His Son, Our Lord, who +merited it for us by dying for us. "Merits." A merit is some excellence +or goodness which entitles one to honor or reward. Grace is a help we +get to do something that will be pleasing to God. When there is anything +in our daily works that we cannot do alone, we naturally look for help; +for example, to lift some heavy weight is only a natural act, not a +supernatural act, and the help we need for it is only natural help. But +if we are going to do something above and beyond our nature, and cannot +do it alone, we must not look for natural, but for supernatural help; +that is, the help must always be like the work to be done. Therefore all +spiritual works need spiritual help, and spiritual help is grace. + +104 Q. How many kinds of grace are there? +A. There are two kinds of grace: sanctifying grace and actual grace. + +105 Q. What is sanctifying grace? +A. Sanctifying grace is that grace which makes the soul holy and +pleasing to God. + +"Sanctifying," that is, making us holy by cleansing, purifying our +souls. Sin renders the soul ugly and displeasing to God, and grace +purifies it. Suppose I have something bright and beautiful given to me, +and take no care of it, but let it lie around in dusty places until it +becomes tarnished and soiled, loses all its beauty, and appears black +and ugly. To restore its beauty I must clean and polish it. Thus the +soul blackened by sin must be cleaned by God's grace. If the soul is in +mortal sin--altogether blackened--then sanctifying grace brings back its +brightness and makes it pleasing to God; but if the soul is already +bright, though stained or darkened a little by venial sin, then grace +makes it still brighter. + +*106 Q. What do you call those graces or gifts of God by which we +believe in Him, hope in Him, and love Him? +A. 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. + +"Virtues." Virtue is the habit of doing good. The opposite to virtue is +vice, which is the habit of doing evil. We acquire a habit bad or good +when we do the same thing very frequently. We then do it easily and +almost without thinking; as a man, for instance, who has the habit of +cursing curses almost without knowing it, though that does not excuse +him, but makes his case worse, by showing that he must have cursed very +often to acquire the habit. If, however, he is striving to overcome the +bad habit, and should unintentionally curse now and then, it would not +be a sin, since he did not wish to curse, and was trying to overcome the +vice. One act does not make a virtue or a vice. A person who gives alms +only once cannot be said to have the virtue of charity. A man who curses +only once a year cannot be said to have the vice of cursing. Faith, +hope, and charity are infused by God into our souls, and are therefore +called infused virtues, to distinguish them from the virtues we acquire. + +107 Q. What is faith? +A. Faith is a divine virtue by which we firmly believe the truths which +God has revealed. + +"A divine virtue" is one that is heavenly or holy. Faith is the habit of +always believing all that God has revealed and the Church teaches. +"Firmly," that is, without the slightest doubt. "Revealed," that is, +made known to us. Revelation is the collection of all the truths that +God has made known to us. But why do we believe? Because we clearly see +and know the truth of what is revealed? No, but because God reveals it; +we believe it though we cannot see it or even understand it. If we see +it plainly, then we believe it rather because we see it than because God +makes it known to us. Suppose a friend should come and tell you the +church is on fire. If he never told you lies, and had no reason for +telling you any now, you would believe him--not because you know of the +fire, but because he tells you; but afterwards, when you see the church +or read of the fire in the papers, you have proof of what he told you, +but you believed it just as firmly when he told you as you do +afterwards. In the same way God tells us His great truths and we believe +them; because we know that since God is infinitely true He cannot +deceive us or be deceived. But if afterwards by studying and thinking we +find proof that God told us the truth, we do not believe with any +greater faith, for we always believed without doubting, and we study +chiefly that we may have arguments to prove the truth of God's +revelations to others who do not believe. Suppose some person was +present when your friend came and said the church is burning, and that +that person would not believe your friend. What would you do? Why, +convince him that what your friend said was true by showing him the +account of the fire in the papers. Thus learning does not change our +faith, which, as I have said, is not acquired by study, but is infused +into our souls by God. The little boy who hears what God taught, and +believes it firmly because God taught it, has as good a faith as his +teacher who has studied all the reasons why he should believe. + +108 Q. What is hope? +A. Hope is a divine virtue by which we firmly trust that God will give +us eternal life and the means to obtain it. + +"Eternal"--that is, everlastings life--life without end. "Means"--that +is, His grace, because without God's grace we cannot do any supernatural +thing. + +109 Q. What is charity? +A. 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. + +The virtue of charity makes us "love God," because He is so good and +beautiful, wise and powerful in Himself; therefore for His own sake and +without any other consideration. "Above all things," in such a way that +we would rather lose anything than offend Him. But someone may say, he +thinks he loves his parents more than God. Well, let us see. To repeat +an example already given, suppose his parents told him to steal, and he +knew stealing to be a sin; if he would not steal, that would show, would +it not, that he loved God more than his parents, for he would rather +offend his parents than God. That is the kind of love we must have for +God; not mere feeling, but the firm belief that God is the best of all, +and when we have to choose between offending God and losing something, +be it goods or friends, we would rather lose anything than offend God. + +"Neighbor." Not merely the person living near us, but all men of every +kind and nation--even our enemies. The people who lived at the time of +Our Lord in His country used to dispute about just what persons were to +be considered their neighbors; so one day they asked Our Lord, and He +answered them by telling them the following. Said He: (Luke 10:30) A man +was once going down from Jerusalem, and on the way robbers beat him, +robbed him, and left him on the wayside dying. First one man came by, +looked at the wounded man, and passed on; then another came and did the +same; finally a third man came, who was of a different religion and +nationality from the wounded man. But he did not consider these things. +He dressed the poor man's wounds, placed him upon his horse and brought +him to an inn or hotel, and paid the innkeeper to take care of him. +"Now," said Our Lord, "which of these three was neighbor to the wounded +man?" And they answered rightly, "The man that helped him." Our Lord, by +this example, wished to teach them and us that everybody is our neighbor +who is in distress of any kind and needs our help. Neighbor, therefore, +means every human being, no matter where he lives or what his color, +learning, manners, etc., for every human being in the world is a child +of God and has been redeemed by Our Lord. Therefore every child of God +is my neighbor, and even more--he is my brother; for God is his father +and mine also, and if he is good enough for God to love, he should be +good enough for me. + +"As ourselves." Not with as much love, but with the same kind of love; +that is, we are to follow the rule laid down by Our Lord: "Do unto +others as you would have others do unto you." Never do to anyone what +you would not like to have done to yourself; and always do for another +just what you would wish another to do for you, if you were in the same +position. Our neighbor is our equal and gifted with all the gifts that +we ourselves have. When we come into the world we are all equal. We have +a body and a soul, with the power to develop them. Money, learning, +wealth, fame, and all else that makes up the difference between men in +the world are acquired in the world; and when men die, they go out of +the world without any of these things, just as they came into it. The +real difference between them in the next world will depend upon the +things they have done, good or bad, while here. We should love our +neighbor also on another account: namely, that he is one day to be in +Heaven with us; and if he is to be with us for all eternity, why should +we hate him now? On the other hand, if our neighbor is to be in Hell on +account of his bad life, why should we hate him? We should rather pity +him, for he will have enough to suffer without our hatred. + +110 Q. What is actual grace? +A. Actual grace is that help of God which enlightens our mind and moves +our will to shun evil and do good. + +"Actual." Sanctifying grace continues with us, but when grace is given +just so that we may do a good act or avoid a bad one, it is called +actual grace. Suppose, for example, I see a poor man and am able to aid +him. When my conscience tells me to give him assistance, I am just then +receiving an actual grace, which moves me and helps me to do that good +act; and just as soon as I give the help, the actual grace ceases, +because no longer needed. It was given for that one good act, and now +that the act is done, the actual grace has produced its effect. Again, a +boy is going to Mass on Sunday and meets other boys who try to persuade +him to remain away from Mass and go to some other place. When he hears +his conscience telling him to go to Mass by all means, he is receiving +just then an actual grace to avoid the mortal sin of missing Mass, and +the grace lasts just as long as the temptation. Sacramental grace is +sanctifying grace--given in the Sacraments--which contains for us a +right to actual graces when we need them. These actual graces are given +to help us to fulfill the end for which each of the Sacraments was +instituted. They are different for each Sacrament, and are given just +when we need them; that is, just when we are tempted against the object +or end for which the Sacrament was instituted. + +*111 Q. Is grace necessary for salvation? +A. Grace is necessary for salvation, because without grace we can do +nothing to merit Heaven. + +*112 Q. Can we resist the grace of God? +A. We can and unfortunately often do resist the grace of God. + +Grace is a gift, and no one is obliged to take a gift; but if God offers +a gift and we refuse to take it, we offend and insult Him. To insult God +is to sin. Therefore to refuse to accept, or to make bad use of the +grace God gives us, is to sin. + +*113 Q. What is the grace of perseverance? +A. The grace of perseverance is a particular gift of God which enables +us to continue in the state of grace till death. + +"Perseverance" here does not mean perseverance in our undertakings, but +perseverance in grace--never in mortal sin, always a friend of God. Now, +if God keeps us from all sin till the day of our death and takes us +while we are His friends, then He gives us what we call the gift of +final perseverance. We cannot, strictly speaking, merit this great +grace, but only pray for it; so anyone who commits mortal sin may be +taken just in that state and be lost for all eternity. + + + +Lesson 11 +ON THE CHURCH + + +Before speaking of the Church I wish to give you a short account of the +true religion before the coming of Our Lord. When Adam was created in a +state of grace, God communicated with him freely; he knew God even +better than we do now. But after their sin our parents fell from the +friendship of God. Cain--one of Adam's sons--murdered his brother Abel, +and for this he and his posterity were cursed by God, and all his +descendants became very wicked. (Gen. 4:11). The other children of Adam +remained faithful to God as long as they kept away from the children of +Cain; but just as soon as they associated and intermarried with them, +they also became wicked. This should teach us to avoid evil company, for +there is always more likelihood that the good will become bad than that +the bad will be converted by the good. You know the old saying, that if +you take a basket of good apples and place a bad one among them, in a +short time they will be spoiled. + +After the deluge Noe and his family settled once more upon the land, and +for a time their descendants remained faithful to God; but later they +became wicked and undertook to build a great tower (Gen. 11), which they +thought would reach up to Heaven. They believed, perhaps, that if ever +there should be another deluge upon the earth, they could take refuge in +the tower. But God was displeased with their conduct and prevented them +from completing the tower by confusing their tongues or language so that +they could not understand one another. Then those who spoke the same +language went to live in the same part of the country, and thus the +human race was scattered over the earth, and the different nations had +different languages. + +After a time they were all losing the knowledge of the true God and +beginning to worship idols. God did not wish that the whole human race +should forget Him, so He selected Abraham to be the father and head of +one chosen people who should always worship the true God. He sent +Abraham from his own country into another, and promised him great +things, and renewed to him the promises of the Redeemer first made to +Adam and Eve. After the death of Abraham, God raised up, from time to +time, prophets to tell the people His holy will, to warn them of their +sins and the punishment they would receive, and to remind them of the +promised Messias. Prophets are men that God inspires to tell the future. +They tell what will happen often hundreds of years after their own +death. They do not guess at these things, but tell them with certainty. +At times, statesmen can foresee that there will be a war in a country at +a certain time; but they are not prophets, because they only guess at +such things, or know them by natural signs; and very often things thus +foretold do not occur. True prophecy is the foretelling of something +which could not be known by any means but inspiration from God. + +Neither are persons who call themselves fortune-tellers prophets, but +only sinful people, who for money tell lies or guess at the future. It +is a great sin to go to them or listen to them, as we shall see later in +another question. + +At the time promised, God sent His Son--Our Lord--to redeem the world +and save all men. He came to save all men, and yet He remained upon +earth only thirty-three years. We can easily understand that by His +death He could save all those who lived before He did; but how were they +to be saved who should live after Him, down to the end of the world? How +was His grace to be given to them? How were they to know of Him, or of +what He taught? All this was to be accomplished by His Church. + +114 Q. Which are the means instituted by Our Lord to enable men at all +times to share in the fruits of the Redemption? +A. The means instituted by Our Lord to enable men at all times to share +in the fruits of the Redemption are the Church and the Sacraments. + +Our Lord instituted the Church to carry on the work He Himself was doing +upon the earth--teaching the ignorant, visiting the sick, helping the +poor, forgiving sins, etc. He commanded all men to hear the Church +teaching, just as they would hear Himself. But suppose some persons +should establish a false Church and claim that it was the true Church of +Our Lord, how could people know the true Church from false churches? +When a man invents anything to be sold, what does he do that people may +know the true article--say a pen? Why, he puts his trademark upon it. +Now the trademark is a certain sign which shows that the article bearing +it is the genuine article; and if others use the trademark on imitation +articles, they are liable to be punished by law. Now Our Lord did the +same. He gave His Church four marks or characteristics to distinguish it +from all false churches. He said, "My Church will be one; it will be +holy; it will be catholic; it will be apostolic; and if any church has +not these four marks, you may be sure it is not My Church." Some false +church may seem to have one or two, but never all the marks; so when you +find even one of the marks wanting, you will know it is not the true +Church established by Christ. Therefore, all the religions that claim to +be the true religion cannot be so. If one man says a thing is white and +another says it is black, or if one says a thing is true and another +says it is false, they cannot both be right. Only one can be right, and +if we wish to know the truth we have to find out which one it is. So +when one religion says a thing is true and another religion says the +same thing is false, one of them must be wrong, and it is our duty to +find out the one that is right. Therefore, of all the religions claiming +to be the true religion of Our Lord, only one can be telling the truth, +and that one is the religion or Church that can show the four given +marks. The Roman Catholic Church is the only one that can show these +marks, and is, therefore, the only true Church, as we shall see in the +next lesson. + +"Fruits of His redemption"--that is, to receive the grace merited by Our +Lord when He redeemed us by His death. + +115 Q. What is the Church? +A. 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. + +"Congregation." Not the building, therefore; because if Mass was offered +up in an open field, with the people kneeling about, it would still be +the church of that place. The buildings that we use for churches might +have been used for anything else--a public hall, theater, or school, for +example; but when these buildings we call churches are blessed or +consecrated, they become holy. They are holy also because the Gospel is +preached in them, the Sacraments are administered in them, and the Holy +Sacrifice of the Mass is offered in them. But they are holy especially +because Our Lord dwells in them in the tabernacle, where He lives and +sees and hears just as truly as He did when He was man upon earth. + +In the early ages the Christians had no churches--they met secretly in +private houses. Later, when the cruel pagan emperors began to persecute +and put to death the Christians, they made large tunnels under ground +and in these places they heard Mass and received the Sacraments. These +underground churches were called the catacombs, and some of them may +still be seen at Rome. In these catacombs, too, the Christians buried +their dead, especially the bodies of the holy martyrs. On their +tombs--generally of stone--Mass was celebrated. + +In every altar the table, or flat part on which the priest celebrates +Mass, should be of stone; but if the altar is made of wood, then at +least the part just in front of the tabernacle must be of stone and +large enough to hold say two chalices--that is, about ten or twelve +inches square. In this stone are placed some relics of the holy martyrs. +A piece is cut out of the stone and the relic placed in the opening. +Then the bishop puts the little piece of stone back into its place over +the relic, seals the opening, blesses the stone, and gives it to the +Church. This is called the altar stone. You cannot see it because it is +covered with the altar cloth; but unless it is in the altar the priest +cannot say Mass. This stone reminds us of the stone tombs of the saints +upon which Mass was celebrated. + +The Church--that is, the Christians--was persecuted for about three +hundred years after the death of Our Lord. These persecutions took place +at ten different times and under ten different Roman emperors. Orders +were given to put to death all the Christians wherever they could be +found. Some were cast into prison, some exiled, some taken to the Roman +Coliseum--an immense building constructed for public amusements--where +they were put to death in the most terrible manner in the presence of +the emperor and people assembled to witness these fearful scenes. Some +were stripped of their clothing and left standing alone while savage +beasts, wild with hunger, were let loose upon them. Sometimes by a +miracle of God the animals would not harm them, and then the Christians +were either put to death by the sword, mangled by some terrible machine, +or burned. In these dreadful sufferings the Christians remained faithful +and firm, though they could have saved their lives by denying Our Lord +or offering sacrifice to idols. The few who through fear did deny their +faith are now forgotten and unknown; while those who remained steadfast +are honored as saints in Heaven and upon earth; the Church sings their +praises and tells every year of their holy lives and triumph over all +their enemies. + +Even some pagans who came to see the Christians put to death were so +touched by their patience, fortitude, courage, and constancy, that they +also declared themselves anxious to become Christians, and were put to +death, thus becoming martyrs baptized in their own blood. How many +lessons we may learn from all this: (1) How very respectful we should be +in the Church, which is holy for all the reasons I have given. (2) What +a shame it is for us not to hear Mass when we can do so easily. Our +churches are never very far from us, and generally well lighted, +ventilated, furnished with seats and every convenience, and in these +respects unlike the dark, damp, underground churches of the early +Christians. Moreover, we may attend our churches freely and without the +least danger to our lives; while the Christians of the early ages were +constantly in dread and danger of being seized and put to death. Even at +the present day, in many countries where holy missionaries are trying to +teach the true religion, their converts sometimes have to go great +distances to hear Mass, and even then it is not celebrated in +comfortable churches, but probably on the slope of a rugged mountain or +in some lonely valley or wood where they may not be seen, for they fear +if they are captured--as often happens--both they and their priest will +be put to death. You can read in the account of foreign missions that +almost every year some priests and many people are martyred for their +faith. Is it not disgraceful, then, to see some Catholics giving up +their holy faith and the practice of their religion so easily--sometimes +for a little money, property, or gain; or even for a bad habit, or for +irreligious companions and friends? What answer will they make on the +day of judgment when they stand side by side with those who died for the +faith? + +"All those who profess the faith," etc. The Pope, bishops, priests, and +people all taken together are the Church, and each congregation or +parish is only a part of the Church. + +"Partake"--that is, receive. "Lawful pastors"--that is, each priest in +his own parish, each bishop in his own diocese, and the Pope throughout +the world. "Visible head"--that is, one who can be seen, for invisible +means cannot be seen. + +116 Q. Who is the invisible head of the Church? +A. Jesus Christ is the invisible head of the Church. + +"Invisible head." If, for example, a merchant of one country wishes to +establish a branch of his business in another, he remains in the new +country long enough to establish the branch business, and then +appointing someone to take his place, returns to his own country. He is +still the head of the new establishment, but its invisible head for the +people of that country, while its visible head is the agent or +representative he has placed in charge to carry on the business in his +name and interest. When Our Lord wished to establish His Church He came +from Heaven; and when about to return to Heaven appointed St. Peter to +take His place upon earth and rule the Church as directed. You see, +therefore, that Our Lord, though not on earth, is still the real head +and owner of the Church, and whatever His agent or vicar--that is, our +Holy Father, the Pope--does in the Church, he does it with the authority +of Our Lord Himself. + +117 Q. Who is the visible head of the Church? +A. Our Holy Father the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the vicar of Christ +on earth and the visible head of the Church. + +The "Bishop of Rome" is always Pope. If the Bishop of New York, or of +Baltimore, or of Boston, became Pope, he would become the Bishop of Rome +and cease to be the Bishop of New York, Baltimore, or Boston, because +St. Peter, the first Pope, was Bishop of Rome; and therefore only the +bishops of Rome are his lawful successors--the true Popes--the true +visible heads of the Church. The bishops of the other dioceses of the +world are the lawful successors of the other Apostles who taught and +established churches throughout the world. The bishops of the world are +subject to the Pope, just as the other Apostles were subject to St. +Peter, who was appointed their chief, by Our Lord Himself. + +"Vicar"--that is, one who holds another's place and acts in his name. + +*118 Q. Why is the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, the visible head of the +Church? +A. 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. + +"Of Rome." That is why we are called Roman Catholics; to show that we +are united to the real successor of St. Peter, and are therefore members +of the true apostolic Church. + +*119 Q. Who are the successors of the other Apostles? +A. The successors of the other Apostles are the bishops of the holy +Catholic Church. + +We know the Apostles were bishops, because they could make laws for the +Church, consecrate other bishops, ordain priests, and give +Confirmation--powers that belong only to bishops, and are still +exercised by them. + +*120 Q. Why did Christ found the Church? +A. Christ founded the Church to teach, govern, sanctify, and save all +men. + +"Teach" religion. "Govern" in things that regard salvation. "Sanctify," +make good. "Save" all who wish to be saved. + +*121 Q. Are all bound to belong to the Church? +A. 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. + +Anyone who knows the Catholic religion to be the true religion and will +not embrace it cannot enter into Heaven. If one not a Catholic doubts +whether the church to which he belongs is the true Church, he must +settle his doubt, seek the true Church, and enter it; for if he +continues to live in doubt, he becomes like the one who knows the true +Church and is deterred by worldly considerations from entering it. + +In like manner one who, doubting, fears to examine the religion he +professes lest he should discover its falsity and be convinced of the +truth of the Catholic faith, cannot be saved. + +Suppose, however, that there is a non-Catholic who firmly believes that +the church to which he belongs is the true Church, and who has +never--even in the past--had the slightest doubt of that fact--what will +become of him? + +If he was validly baptized and never committed a mortal sin, he will be +saved; because, believing himself a member of the true Church, he was +doing all he could to serve God according to his knowledge and the +dictates of his conscience. But if ever he committed a mortal sin, his +salvation would be very much more difficult. A mortal sin once committed +remains on the soul till it is forgiven. Now, how could his mortal sin +be forgiven? Not in the Sacrament of Penance, for the Protestant does +not go to confession; and if he does, his minister--not being a true +priest--has no power to forgive sins. Does he know that without +confession it requires an act of perfect contrition to blot out mortal +sin, and can he easily make such an act? What we call contrition is +often only imperfect contrition--that is, sorrow for our sins because we +fear their punishment in Hell or dread the loss of Heaven. If a +Catholic--with all the instruction he has received about how to make an +act of perfect contrition and all the practice he has had in making such +acts--might find it difficult to make an act of perfect contrition after +having committed a mortal sin, how much difficulty will not a Protestant +have in making an act of perfect contrition, who does not know about +this requirement and who has not been taught to make continued acts of +perfect contrition all his life. It is to be feared either he would not +know of this necessary means of regaining God's friendship, or he would +be unable to elicit the necessary act of perfect contrition, and thus +the mortal sin would remain upon his soul and he would die an enemy of +God. + +If, then, we found a Protestant who never committed a mortal sin after +Baptism, and who never had the slightest doubt about the truth of his +religion, that person would be saved; because, being baptized, he is a +member of the Church, and being free from mortal sin he is a friend of +God and could not in justice be condemned to Hell. Such a person would +attend Mass and receive the Sacraments if he knew the Catholic Church to +be the only true Church. + +I am giving you an example, however, that is rarely found, except in the +case of infants or very small children baptized in Protestant sects. All +infants rightly baptized by anyone are really children of the Church, no +matter what religion their parents may profess. Indeed, all persons who +are baptized are children of the Church; but those among them who deny +its teaching, reject its Sacraments, and refuse to submit to its lawful +pastors, are rebellious children known as heretics. + +I said I gave you an example that can scarcely be found, namely, of a +person not a Catholic, who really never doubted the truth of his +religion, and who, moreover, never committed during his whole life a +mortal sin. There are so few such persons that we can practically say +for all those who are not visibly members of the Catholic Church, +believing its doctrines, receiving its Sacraments, and being governed by +its visible head, our Holy Father, the Pope, salvation is an extremely +difficult matter. + +I do not speak here of pagans who have never heard of Our Lord or His +holy religion, but of those outside the Church who claim to be good +Christians without being members of the Catholic Church. + + + +Lesson 12 +ON THE ATTRIBUTES AND MARKS OF THE CHURCH + + +An attribute is any characteristic or quality that a person or thing may +be said to have. All good qualities are good attributes, and all bad +qualities are bad attributes. All perfections or imperfections are +attributes. If I can say of you that you are good, then goodness is one +of your attributes. If I can say you are beautiful, then beauty is one +of your attributes. We have seen already that the Church has four marks; +but besides these it has three attributes, which flow from its marks. It +is easier to see the marks of the Church than its attributes. It is +easier to see, for instance, that the Church is one than that it is +indefectible. + +*122 Q. Which are the attributes of the Church? +A. The attributes of the Church are three: authority, infallibility, and +indefectibility. + +*123 Q. What do you mean by the authority of the Church? +A. 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 govern the faithful. + +Authority is the power which one person has over another, so as to be +able to exact obedience. A teacher has authority over his scholars, +because they must obey him; but the teacher need not obey the scholars, +because they have no authority over him. God alone has authority of +Himself and from Himself All others who have authority receive it from +God, either directly or through someone else. The Pope has authority +from God Himself, and the priests get theirs through their bishops. +Therefore, to resist or disobey lawful authority is to resist and +disobey God Himself. If one of you were placed in charge of the class in +my absence, he would have lawful authority, and the rest of you should +obey him--not on account of himself, but on account of the authority he +has. Thus the President of the United States, the governor, the mayor, +etc., are only ordinary citizens before their election; but after they +have been elected and placed in office they exercise lawful authority +over us, and we are bound as good citizens and as good Catholics to +respect and obey them. + +*124 Q. What do you mean by the infallibility of the Church? +A. By the infallibility of the Church I mean that the Church cannot err +when it teaches a doctrine of faith or morals. + +"Infallibility." When we say Church is infallible, we mean that it +cannot make a mistake or err in what it teaches; that the Pope, the head +of the Church, is infallible when he teaches ex cathedra--that is, as +the successor of St. Peter, the vicar of Christ. Cathedra signifies a +seat, ex stands for "out of"; therefore, ex cathedra means out of the +chair or office of St. Peter, because chair is sometimes used for +office. Thus we say the presidential chair is opposed to this or that, +when we intend to say the president, or the one in that office, is +opposed to it. The cathedral is the church in which the bishop usually +officiates, so called on account of the bishop's cathedra, or throne, +being in it. + +*125 Q. When does the Church teach infallibly? +A. 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. + +But how will we know when the Pope speaks ex cathedra, when he is +speaking daily to people from all parts of the world? To speak ex +cathedra or infallibly, three things are required: + +(1) He must speak as the head of the whole Church, not as a private +person; and in certain forms of words by which we know he is speaking ex +cathedra. + +(2) What he says must hold good for the whole Church--that is, for all +the faithful, and not merely for this or that particular person or +country. + +(3) He must speak on matters of faith or morals--that is, when the Holy +Father tells all the faithful that they are to believe a certain thing +as a part of their faith; or when he tells them that certain things are +sins, they must believe him and avoid what he declares to be sin. He +could not make a mistake in such things. He could not say that Our Lord +taught us to believe and do such and such, if Our Lord did not so teach, +because Our Lord promised to be with His Church for all time, and to +send the Holy Ghost, who would teach it all truth and abide with it +forever. If then the Church could make mistakes in teaching faith and +morals, the Holy Ghost could not be with it, and Our Lord did not tell +the truth--to say which would be blasphemy. But remember, the Pope is +not infallible unless he is teaching faith or morals; that is, what we +believe or do in order to save our souls. If the Holy Father wrote a +book on astronomy, mathematics, grammar, or even theology, he could make +mistakes as other men do, because the Holy Ghost has not promised to +guide him in such things. Nevertheless, whatever the Pope teaches on +anything you may be pretty sure is right. The Pope is nearly always a +very learned man of many years' experience. He has with him at Rome +learned men from every part of the world, so that we may say he has the +experience of the whole world. Other rulers cannot and need not know as +much as the Holy Father, because they have not to govern the world, but +only their own country. Moreover, there is no government in the whole +world as old as the Church, no nation that can show as many rulers +without change; so we may say the Pope has also the experience of all +the Popes who preceded him, from St. Peter down to our present Holy +Father, Pius XI--two hundred and sixty-one popes. Therefore, considering +all this, we should have the very greatest respect for the opinions and +advice of the Holy Father on any subject. We should not set up our +limited knowledge and experience against his, even if we think that we +know better than he does about certain political events taking place in +our country, for we are not sure that we do. The Holy Father knows the +past history of nations; he knows the nature of mankind; he knows that +what takes place in one nation may, and sometimes does, take place in +another under the same circumstances. Thus the Holy Father has greater +foresight than we have, and we should be thankful when he warns us +against certain dangers in politics or other things. He does not teach +politics; but as everything we do is either good or bad, every statesman +or politician must consider whether what he is about to do be right or +wrong, just or unjust. It is the business and duty of the Holy Father to +declare against the evil or unjust actions of either individuals or +nations, and for that reason he seems at times to interfere in politics +when he is really teaching morals. At times, too, governments try to +deprive the Church or the Holy Father of their rights; and when he +defends himself against such injustice and protests against it, his +enemies cry out that he is interfering with the government. + +You understand now what the infallibility of the Pope implies, and that +it does not mean, as the enemies of the Church say, that the Pope cannot +sin, cannot be mistaken in anything. The Pope can sin just the same as +anyone else; he could be a very bad man if he wanted to be so, and take +the punishment God would inflict for his sins. Could he not be very +angry, entirely neglect prayer, or pray with willful distraction; could +he not be proud, covetous, etc.? And these are sins. Therefore he could +sin; and hence he has to go to confession and seek forgiveness just as +we do. Therefore remember this: whether the Pope be a bad man or a good +man in his private life, he must always tell the truth when he speaks ex +cathedra, because the Holy Ghost is guiding him and will not permit him +to err or teach falsehood in faith or morals. + +We have examples in the Bible (Numbers 22, 23) where God sometimes makes +even bad men foretell the truth. Once He gave an ass the power to speak, +that it might protest against the wrongdoing of its wicked and cruel +rider. + +We have seen how governments interfere with the rights of the Holy +Father, and thus he has need of his temporal power that he may be +altogether independent of any government. Now let me explain to you what +is meant by the Temporal Power of the Pope. Well, then, the Holy Father +should have some city or states, not belonging to any government, in +which he would be the chief and only ruler. Up to the year 1870 the Holy +Father did have such states: they were called the Papal States, and the +power he had over them--just like that of any other ruler--was called +the temporal power. Now how did he get those states and how did he lose +them? He got them in the most just manner, and held possession of them +for about a thousand years. + +Hundreds of years ago the people of Rome and the surrounding countries +elected the Pope their sole ruler. He was already their spiritual ruler, +and they made him also their temporal ruler. Then the Pope protected and +governed them as other rulers do. Later, kings and princes added other +lands, and thus by degrees the possessions of the Pope became quite +extended. + +How did he lose these possessions? The Italian government took them from +him in the most unjust manner. Besides the lands, they deprived the +Church of other property donated to it by its faithful children. No +ruler in the world had a more just claim or better right to his +possessions than the Holy Father, and a government robbed him of them as +a thief might take forcibly from you whatever had been justly given to +you, when he found you were unable to defend yourself against him. + +But has the Holy Father need of his temporal power? Yes, the Holy Father +has need of some temporal power. He must be free and independent in +governing the Church. He must be free to say what he wishes to all +Catholics throughout the world, and free to hear whatever they have to +say to him. But if the Pope is under another ruler he cannot be free. +That ruler may cast him into prison, and not allow him to communicate +with the bishops of the world. At least, he can say nothing about the +injustice of the ruler who is over him. Therefore the Pope must have +some possessions of his own, that he may not be afraid of the injustice +of any ruler, and may speak out the truth boldly to the whole world, +denouncing bad rulers and praising good ones as they deserve. + +Mind, I do not say what possessions the Holy Father should have but +simply that he should have some, in which he would be altogether +independent. In justice he should have all that was taken from him. We +have a good example here in the United States to illustrate the need of +the independence of the Pope. You know every State in the United States +is a little government in itself, with its own governor, legislature, +laws, etc. Now over all these little governments or States we have the +government of the United States, with the President at its head. In the +beginning the members of the United States Government assembled to +transact the business of the nation sometimes in one State and sometimes +in another--sometimes in New York and sometimes in Pennsylvania, etc. +But they soon found that in order to be independent of every State and +just to all, they must have some territory or possessions of their own +not under the power of any State. So some of the States granted them +Washington and the country about it for ten miles square--now called the +District of Columbia--which the United States government could freely +perform its duties. In a similar manner the Holy Father is over all the +governments of the world in matters of religion--in matters of justice +and right; and just as the United States government has to decide +between the rights of one State and the rights of another, so the Holy +Father has sometimes to decide between the rights of one government and +the rights of another, and must, in order to be just with all, be free +and independent of all. + +Again, the temporal power of the Pope is very useful to the Church; for +with the money and goods received from his possessions the Holy Father +can educate priests and teachers, print books, etc., for the foreign +missions. He can also support churches, school, and institutions in poor +countries, and especially where the missionaries are laboring for the +conversion of the native heathens. + +When the Holy Father had his own possessions he could do much that he +cannot now do for the conversion of pagan nations. At present he must +depend entirely upon the charitable offerings of the faithful for all +good works, even for his own support. The offering we make once a year +for the support of the Holy Father is called "Peter's pence," because it +began by everyone sending yearly a penny to the Pope, the successor of +St. Peter. + +*126 Q. What do you mean by the indefectibility of the Church? +A. By the indefectibility of the Church I mean that the Church, as +Christ founded it, will last till the end of time. + +Therefore indefectibility means that the Church can never change any of +the doctrines that Our Lord taught, nor ever cease to exist. When we say +it is infallible, we mean that it cannot teach error while it lasts; but +when we say it is indefectible, we mean that it will last forever and be +infallible forever, and also that it will always remain the same as Our +Lord founded it. There are two things that you must clearly understand +and not confound, namely, the two kinds of laws in the Church--those +which Our Lord gave it and those which it made itself. The laws that Our +Lord gave it can never change. For example, the Church could not abolish +one of the Sacraments, leaving only six; neither could it add a new one, +making eight. But when, for example, the Church declares that on a +certain day we cannot eat flesh meat, it makes the law itself, and can +change it when it wishes. Our Lord left His Church free to make certain +laws, just as they would be needed. It has always exercised this power, +and made laws to suit the circumstances of the place or times. Even now +it does away with some of its old laws that are no longer useful, and +makes new ones that are more necessary. But the doctrines, the truths of +faith or morals, the things we must believe and do to save our souls, it +never changes and never can change: it may regulate some things in the +application of the divine laws, but the laws themselves can never change +in substance. + +*127 Q. In whom are these attributes found in their fullness? +A. 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. + +128 Q. Has the Church any marks by which it may be known? +A. The Church has four marks by which it may be known: it is one; it is +holy; it is catholic; it is apostolic. + +*129 Q. How is the Church one? +A. The Church is one because all its members agree in one faith, are all +in one communion, and are all under one head. + +The Catholic Church is "one," first in government and second in +doctrine. In government every pastor has a certain parish or territory +in which all the people belong to his congregation--they form his flock. +He has to take care only of these, to teach them, give them the +Sacraments, etc. He has not to be responsible for those outside his +parish. Then over the pastor we have the bishop, who looks after a +certain number of pastors; then comes the archbishop over a certain +number of bishops; next comes the primate, who is head of all the +archbishops in the country; and over all the primates of the world we +have the Holy Father. Thus, when the Holy Father speaks to the bishops, +the bishops speak to the priests, and the priests to the people. The +Church is therefore one in government, like a great army spread over the +world. We can go up step by step from the lowest member of the Church to +the highest--the Holy Father; and from him to Our Lord Himself, who is +the invisible head of all. This regular body of priests, bishops, +archbishops, etc., so arranged, one superior to the other, is called the +hierarchy of the Church. + +The Church is one also in doctrine--that is, every one of the three +hundred million of Catholics in the world believes exactly the same +truths. If any Catholic denies only one article of faith, though he +believes all the rest, he ceases to be a Catholic, and is cut off from +the Church. If, for example, you would not believe Matrimony or Holy +Orders a Sacrament, or that Our Lord is present in the Holy Eucharist, +you would not be a Catholic, though you believed all the other teachings +of the Church. + +Therefore the Church is one both in government and teaching or doctrine. +Now, has any other Church claiming to be Christ's Church that mark? No. +The Protestant religions are not one either in government or belief. The +Protestants of England have no authority over the Protestants of +America, and those of America have nothing to say over those of Germany +or France. So every country is independent, and they have no chief head. +Neither are they one in belief. In the same country there are many kinds +of Protestants--Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists, etc., who do +not believe the same thing. Even those who attend the same church and +profess the same religion do not all believe the same. Everyone, they +say, has a right to interpret the Holy Scriptures according to his own +views, so they take many different meanings out of the very same words. +There must be some chief person to tell the true meaning of the Holy +Scriptures when there is a dispute about it; but they have no such +chief, and the result is they are never done disputing. + +The United States has a constitution and laws. Now, suppose every +citizen was allowed to construe the laws to suit himself, without any +regard for the rights of others, what a fine state of affairs we should +soon have. But the wise makers of the constitution and laws of the +United States did not leave us in such danger. They appointed judges to +interpret or explain the laws and give the correct meaning when disputes +arise. Then in Washington there is a chief judge for the whole United +States; and when he says the words of the law mean this or that, every +citizen must abide by his decision, and there is no appeal from it. Just +in the same way Our Lord made laws for all men, and while He was upon +earth He explained them Himself. He never left all men free to take +their own meaning out of them. He appointed judges--the bishops; and a +chief judge for the whole world--the Pope. The Holy Ghost guides him, as +we have seen above, so that he cannot make mistakes in the meaning of +Christ's laws; and when he says, this is what the words of Our Lord in +His law signify, no one who is a true Christian can refuse to believe, +or can appeal from his decision. + +*130 Q. How is the Church holy? +A. 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. + +Protestant religions have not holy doctrines if we examine them closely. +They teach, for example, that faith without good works will save us, and +thus take away the motives for doing good; that marriage is not binding +for life--the husband and wife may for some causes separate, or get a +divorce, and marry again. This would leave the children without the care +of their proper parents, sometimes without a home, and nearly always +without religious instruction. The same persons might separate again and +marry another time, and thus there would be nothing but confusion and +immorality in society. Again, some of their doctrines teach that we +cannot help sinning; so everyone could excuse himself for his sins by +saying he could not help them, which you can easily see would lead to +the worst of consequences. Lastly, their doctrines have never made one +saint--acknowledged as such from miracles performed. Protestants are so +called because, when their ancestors rebelled against the Church about +three hundred years ago, the Church made certain laws and they protested +against them, separated from the Church, and formed a new religion of +their own. + +*131 Q. How is the Church catholic or universal? +A. The Church is catholic or universal because it subsists in all ages, +teaches all nations, and maintains all truth. + +"Subsists" means to have existence. + +"Catholic." The word catholic signifies universal. The Church is +universal in three ways, viz.: in time, in place, and in doctrine. It is +universal in time; for from the day Our Lord commissioned His Apostles +to preach to the whole world down to the present, it has existed, +taught, and labored in every age. It is universal in place; that is, it +is not confined to one part of the world, but teaches throughout the +entire world. It is universal in doctrine, for it teaches the same +doctrines and administers the same Sacraments everywhere; and its +doctrines are suited to all classes of men--to the ignorant as well as +the learned, to the poor as well as the rich. It teaches by the voice of +its priests and bishops, and all, civilized or uncivilized, to whom its +voice reaches, can learn its doctrines, receive its Sacraments, and +practice its devotions. + +It has converted all the pagan nations that have ever been converted, +and the title catholic belongs to the Roman Catholic Church alone. All +Protestant churches that claim this title do so unjustly. They are not +universal in time, and cannot be called the Church of all ages, because +they were established only three hundred or four hundred or less years +ago. They are not catholic in place, because they are mostly confined to +particular countries. They are not universal in doctrine, because what +they teach in one country they reject in another; and even in the same +country, what they teach at one time they reject at another. Wherever it +is possible for civilized people to go, there you will find a priest +saying Mass in just the same way you see him saying it here. It is a +great consolation for one in a strange country to enter a church and +hear Mass, perceiving no difference in the vestments, ceremonies, or +language of the priest. A little altar boy from the United States could +serve Mass in any part of the world. See, therefore, the great advantage +the Church has in using the Latin language instead of the vernacular or +ordinary language of the people. If the Church used the usual language +of the people, the Mass would seem different in every country; while +natives would understand the words of the priest, strangers would not. + +The Latin language is now what we call a dead language; that is, it is +not the common language of any country; and because it is a dead +language does not change: another reason why the Church uses it, that +nothing may change in its divine service. The prayers used in the Church +are exactly the same today as they were when they were written many +centuries ago. The living languages--that is, those in use, such as +English, French, German, etc., are always changing a little--new words +are being added, and the meaning of old ones changed. The Church uses +the same language all over the world to show that it is not the Church +of any particular country, but the true Church of all men everywhere. + +Again, using only one language, the Church can hold its great councils, +call together all the bishops of the world, that they may condemn errors +or make wise laws. When the Holy Father addresses them in Latin they can +all understand and answer him. If, therefore, the Church did not use the +same language everywhere how could this be done, unless everyone present +understood all the languages of the world--which is a thing nearly +impossible. But someone might say, if the Mass was said in English we +could follow it better. You can follow just as well in Latin, for in +nearly all prayerbooks you have besides the Latin said by the priest the +meaning of it in English on the same page, or you have the English +alone. + +*132 Q. How is the Church apostolic? +A. 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. + +"Apostolic," which means that the Church was founded at the time of the +Apostles, and has been the same ever since. Since the time of St. Peter, +the first Pope, there have been 261 Popes. You can go back from our +present Holy Father, Pius XI, to Benedict XV, who was before him, to +Pius X, who was before him, to Leo XIII, before him, and so on one by +one till you come to St. Peter himself, who lived at the time of Our +Lord. Thus the Church is apostolic in its origin or beginning. + +It is also apostolic in its teaching; for all the doctrines it teaches +now were taught by the Apostles. The Church does not make new doctrines, +but it teaches its truths more clearly and distinctly when someone +denies them. For example it would not be necessary for you to prove +yourself good and honest till somebody said you were bad and dishonest. +You prove your honesty when it is denied, but both you and your friends +believed it always, though you did not declare it till it was denied. In +just the same way the Church always believed that Our Lord is the Son of +God; that there are seven Sacraments; that the Pope is infallible, etc. +These truths and all the others were believed by the Apostles, and the +Church proclaimed them in a special manner when they were denied. Then +it called together in council all its bishops, and they, with the Holy +Father, proclaimed these truths--not as new doctrines, but as truths +always believed by the Church, and now defined because denied. + +Protestants have not for their churches the mark apostolic. How could +their churches be founded by the Apostles, when the Apostles were dead +more than fourteen hundred years before there were any Protestant +churches? What is more, they have changed the teachings of the Apostles; +and so they have not the mark apostolic either in their origin or +teaching. + +But they say the Catholic Church fell into error and made mistakes, and +that God wished reformers to correct these errors. How could the Church +fall into error when Our Lord promised to remain always with it, and to +send the Holy Ghost to guide and teach it forever? And, secondly, if God +sent the Protestants to correct the mistakes of the Catholic Church, +what proof do they give us that they have such power from God? When, as +we have seen, God sends anyone to do a special work, He always gives him +power to prove his mission. When He sent Moses, He gave him signs--the +plagues of Egypt. When He sent His prophets, they called down fire and +rain from Heaven. (3 Kings 18). But Protestants have shown us no signs +and performed no miracles; therefore we cannot believe their assertion +that God sent them to correct the Catholic Church. Neither can we +believe that Our Lord broke His promise to stay with the Church. We +shall see the whole truth of the matter if we go back to the +establishment of the Protestant religion and consider the life of Luther +and the others who founded it. + +Luther, then a young man, while out one day saw his friend killed at his +side by a stroke of lightning. Much affected by that sad event, Luther +became a priest in the order of the Augustinians. He was a learned man +and a great preacher, but very proud. The Holy Father was completing St. +Peter's Church in Rome, and about that time granted an indulgence to +those giving alms for the purpose, just as pastors now offer Masses for +those who contribute means to build a new church, or hospital, asylum, +etc. + +The Holy Father sent Dominican priests to preach about this indulgence +and collect this money. Then Luther, when he found that he, a great +preacher, was not appointed, was probably jealous. He first began to +preach against the abuses of indulgences: but pride made him go further, +and soon he began to preach against the doctrine of indulgences, and +thus became a heretic. Then he was condemned by the Pope, and cut off +from the Church. Being proud, he would not submit, but began to form a +new religion, now called Protestant. But how did he get the people to +follow him? Oh, very easily. Then, as now, there were plenty of bad and +indifferent Catholics. At that time the Church was rich and had much +property and lands; because when rich Catholics died they often left to +the Church property for its own support and the support of its +institutions. Even during their lifetime kings and princes sometimes +gave the Church large donations of lands and money. The Church then was +supported by these gifts and the income or rents of the lands, and did +not need to look for collections from the people, as it has to do now. +Here, then, is how Luther got many to follow him. He told greedy princes +that if they came with him they could become rich by seizing the +property of all the churches, and the greedy princes, glad of an excuse, +went with him. Then he told the people--the bad Catholics--that fasting +was too severe; going to confession too hard; hearing Mass every Sunday +too difficult; and if they renounced their faith and embraced his new +religion he would do away with all these things: so they also followed +him. He himself broke his solemn vows made to God, and the people easily +followed his example. + +Those attending the Protestant churches in our times are generally rich +and refined people, but you must not think that the first Protestants of +three hundred years ago were just like them. No. Many of them were from +the lowest and worst--I do not say poorest--classes in society; and when +they got an excuse, they went about destroying churches and +institutions, burning beautiful statues, paintings, music, books, and +works of art that the Church had collected and preserved for centuries. +This you may read in any of the histories of the Church and times. The +Protestants of the present day praise all these works of art now; but if +their ancestors had had their way every beautiful work of art would have +been destroyed. + +Some persons say they would not be members of the Catholic Church +because so many poor people attend it. Then they do not want to belong +to the Church of Our Lord, because His Church is the Church of both poor +and rich. When St. John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Our Lord +if He were really the Messias, Our Lord did not say yes or no, but told +them to relate to John what they had heard and seen (Matt. 11:5), +namely, that He (Christ) cured the blind, the lame, and the deaf, and +preached to the poor. Therefore Our Lord gave preaching to the poor as a +proof that He is the true Redeemer; and since Our Lord Himself had the +poor in His congregation, the Church everywhere must have the poor among +its members, for it must do what Our Lord did. So if you see a church to +which the poor people never go, in which they are not welcome, you have +good reason to suspect it is not the Church of Our Lord--not the true +Church. Again, poverty and riches belong only to this world and make a +distinction only here. The one who is poorest in this world's goods may +be richest in God's grace. Indeed, if most Protestants studied the early +history of their religion they would not be proud, but ashamed of it. +How little they would think of their ancestors who gave up God for some +worldly gain, while the Catholic martyrs gave up everything, even their +lives, rather than forsake God and the true religion. + +133 Q. In which church are these attributes and marks found? +A. These attributes and marks are found in the Holy Roman Catholic +Church alone. + +We have seen that some religions may seem to have one or two of the +marks; but the Catholic Church alone has them all, and is consequently +the only true Church of Christ. The other religions are not one--that +is, united over the world; they give no proof of holiness, never having +had any great saints whom God acknowledged as such by performing +miracles for them. They are not catholic, because they have not taught +in all ages and nations. They are not apostolic, because established +hundreds of years after the Apostles. They are not infallible, for they +have now declared things to be false which they formerly declared to be +true; they are not indefectible--they are not as Our Lord founded them, +for He never founded them; and they are constantly making changes in +their beliefs and practices. + +The marks of the Church are necessary also because the Church must be a +visible Church, that all men may be able to see and know it; for Our +Lord said, "He that will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the +heathen and the publican." (Matt. 18:17). Heathens were those who +worshipped false gods. Publicans were men who gathered the taxes from +the Jews for the Romans; they were generally very cruel to the people, +and were much hated and despised by them. Therefore Our Lord meant: if +anyone will not obey the Church, you should avoid him as you avoid the +heathens and the publicans, whom you despise. Now no one can be blamed +for not obeying a church that is invisible and unknown. Therefore the +true Church must be a visible body and easily known to all who earnestly +seek it as the Church of Christ. But if some shut their eyes and refuse +to look at the light of truth, ignorance will not excuse them; they must +be blamed and fall under the sentence of Our Lord. + +*134 Q. From whom does the Church derive its undying life and infallible +authority? +A. The Church derives its undying life and infallible authority from the +Holy Ghost, the spirit of truth, who abides with it forever. + +*135 Q. By whom is the Church made and kept One, Holy, and Catholic? +A. 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 13 +ON THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL + + +This lesson does not speak of any Sacrament in particular, but upon all +the Sacraments taken together. It explains what we find in all the +Sacraments. + +136 Q. What is a Sacrament? +A. A Sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace. + +Three things are necessary to make a Sacrament. There must be: (1) "An +outward," that is, a visible, "sign"; (2) this sign must have been +instituted or given by Our Lord; (3) it must give grace. Now, a sign is +that which tells us that something else exists. Smoke indicates the +presence of fire. + +A red light on a railroad tells that there is danger at the spot. +Therefore, the outward signs in the Sacraments tell us that there is in +the Sacraments something we do not see and which they signify and +impart. For example, the outward sign in Baptism is the pouring of the +water on the head of the person to be baptized, and the saying of the +words. Water is generally used for cleaning purposes. Water, therefore, +is used in Baptism as an outward sign to show that as the water cleans +the body, so the grace given in Baptism cleans the soul. It is not a +mere sign, for at the very moment that the priest pours the water and +says the words of Baptism, by the pouring of the water and saying of the +words with the proper intention the soul is cleansed from Original Sin; +that is, the inward grace is given by the application of the outward +sign. Again, in Confirmation the outward sign is the anointing with oil, +the Bishop's prayer, and the placing of his hands upon us. Now what +inward grace is given in Confirmation? A grace which strengthens us in +our faith. Oil, therefore, is used for the outward sign in this +Sacrament, because oil gives strength and light. + +In olden times the gladiators--men who fought with swords as +prize-fighters do now with their hands--used oil upon their bodies to +make them strong. Oil was used also to heal wounds. Thus in Confirmation +the application of this outward sign of strength gives the inward grace +of light and strength. Moreover, oil easily spreads itself over anything +and remains on it. A drop of water falling on paper dries up quickly; +but a drop of oil soaks in and spreads over it. So oil is used to show +also that the grace of Confirmation spreads out over our whole lives, +and strengthens us in our faith at all times. + +Again, in Penance we have the outward sign when the priest raises his +hand and pronounces over us the words of absolution. + +If we did not have these outward signs how could anyone know just at +what time the graces are given? We can know now, for at the very moment +the outward sign is applied the grace is given; because it is the +application of the sign that by divine institution gives the grace, and +thus the two must take place together. + +"Institution by Christ" is absolutely necessary because He gives all +grace, and He alone can determine the manner in which He wishes it +distributed. The Church can distribute His grace, but only in the way He +wishes. Hence it cannot make new Sacraments or abolish old ones. + +137 Q. How many Sacraments are there? +A. There are seven Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, +Penance, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. + +The life of our soul is in many ways similar to the life of our body. +Our bodies must first be born, then strengthened, then fed. When sick, +we must be cured: and when about to die, we must be taken care of. Then +there must be someone to rule others, and there must be persons to be +governed. In like manner, we are spiritually born into a new life by +Baptism, we are strengthened by Confirmation, fed with the Holy +Eucharist, and cured of the maladies of our souls by Penance. By Extreme +Unction we are helped at the hour of death; by Holy Orders our spiritual +rulers are appointed by God; and by Matrimony families, with a father at +the head and children to be ruled, are established. Thus we have our +spiritual life similar in many things to our physical or bodily life. + +138 Q. Whence have the Sacraments the power of giving grace? +A. The Sacraments have the power of giving grace from the merits of +Jesus Christ. + +Our Lord died to merit grace for us, and appointed the Sacraments as the +chief means by which it was to be given. + +*139 Q. What grace do the Sacraments give? +A. Some of the Sacraments give sanctifying grace, and others increase it +in our souls. + +Baptism and Penance give this sanctifying grace when there is not any of +it in the soul. But the other Sacraments are received while we are in a +state of grace, and they therefore increase the quantity of it in our +souls. + +*140 Q. Which are the Sacraments that give sanctifying grace? +A. The Sacraments that give sanctifying grace are Baptism and Penance; +and they are called Sacraments of the dead. + +"Of the dead." Not of a dead person; for when a person is dead he cannot +receive any of the Sacraments. It is only while we live upon earth that +we are on trial, and can do good or evil, and merit grace. At death we +receive simply our reward or punishment for what we have done while +living. Therefore, Sacraments of the dead mean Sacraments given to a +dead soul, that is, to a soul in mortal sin. When grace--its life--is +all out of the soul it can do nothing to merit Heaven; and we say it is +dead, because the dead can do nothing for themselves. If a person +receives--as many do--the Sacrament of Penance while his soul is not in +a state of mortal sin, what then? Then the soul--already +living--receives an increase of sanctifying grace, that is, greater +spiritual life and strength. + +*141 Q. Why are Baptism and Penance called Sacraments of the dead? +A. 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. + +*142 Q. Which are the Sacraments that increase sanctifying grace in the +soul? +A. The Sacraments that increase sanctifying grace in the soul are: +Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and +Matrimony; and they are called Sacraments of the living. + +*143 Q. Why are Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Extreme Unction, Holy +Orders, and Matrimony called Sacraments of the living? +A. Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and +Matrimony are called the Sacraments of the living because those who +receive them worthily are already living the life of grace. + +*144 Q. What sin does he commit who receives the Sacraments of the +living in mortal sin? +A. 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. + +"Sacrilege." There are other ways besides the unworthy reception of the +Sacraments in which a person may commit sacrilege. You could commit it +by treating any sacred thing with great disrespect. For example, by +making common use of the sacred vessels used at the altar; by stealing +from the church; by turning the church into a market, etc. You could +commit it also by willfully killing or wounding persons consecrated to +God, such as nuns, priests, bishops, etc. Therefore sacrilege can be +committed by willfully abusing or treating with great irreverence any +sacred person, sacred place, or sacred thing. + +*145 Q. Besides sanctifying grace, do the Sacraments give any other +grace? +A. Besides sanctifying grace, the Sacraments give another grace, called +sacramental. + +*146 Q. What is sacramental grace? +A. Sacramental grace is a special help which God gives to attain the end +for which He instituted each Sacrament. + +For example, what was the end for which Penance was instituted? To +forgive sins and keep us out of sin. Therefore the sacramental grace +given in Penance is a grace that will enable us to overcome temptation +and avoid the sins we have been in the habit of committing. When a +person is ill the doctor's medicine generally produces two effects: one +is to cure the disease and the other to strengthen the person so that he +may not fall back into the old condition. Well, it is just the same in +the Sacraments; the grace given produces two effects: one is to sanctify +us and the other to prevent us from falling into the same sins. Again, +Confirmation was instituted that we might become more perfect +Christians, stronger in our faith. Therefore the sacramental grace of +Confirmation will strengthen us to profess our faith when circumstances +require it; or when we are tempted to doubt any revealed truth, it will +help us to overcome the temptation. So in all the Sacraments we receive +the sacramental grace or special help given to attain the end for which +the Sacraments were separately instituted. + +147 Q. Do the Sacraments always give grace? +A. The Sacraments always give grace, if we receive them with the right +dispositions. + +"Right dispositions"; that is, if we do all that God and the Church +require us to do when we receive them. For instance, in Penance the +right disposition is to confess all our mortal sins as we know them, to +be sorry for them, and have the determination never to commit them +again. The right disposition for the Holy Eucharist is to be in a state +of grace, and--except in special cases of sickness--fasting for one +hour. + +148 Q. Can we receive the Sacraments more than once? +A. We can receive the Sacraments more than once, except Baptism, +Confirmation, and Holy Orders. + +Baptism is so important that if we do not receive it we cannot receive +any other of the Sacraments. Now, to administer Baptism validly, that +is, properly, everything must be done exactly as Our Lord intended and +the Church teaches. The proper kind of water and all the exact words +must be used. Also, the water must touch the body, that is, the head if +possible. Now persons not knowing well how to baptize might neglect some +of these things, and thus the person would not be baptized. The Church +wishes to be certain that all its children are baptized; so when there +is any doubt about the first Baptism, it baptizes again conditionally, +that is, the priest says in giving the Baptism over again: If you are +not baptized already, I baptize you now. Therefore if the person was +rightly baptized the first time, the second ceremony has no effect, +because the priest does not intend to give Baptism a second time. But if +the first Baptism was not rightly given, then the second takes effect. +In either case Baptism is given only once; for if the first was valid, +the second is not given; and if the first was invalid, the second is +given. + +Converts to the Church are generally baptized conditionally, because +there is doubt about the validity of the Baptism they received. + +The Sacraments may be given conditionally when we doubt if they were or +can be validly given. + +*149 Q. Why can we not receive Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders +more than once? +A. We cannot receive Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders more than +once, because they imprint a character in the soul. + +"A character." It is a spiritual character, and remains forever, so that +whether the person is in Heaven or Hell this mark will be seen. It will +show that those having it were Christians, who received Baptism, +Confirmation, or Holy Orders. If they are in Heaven, these characters +will shine out to their honor, and will show how well they used the +grace God gave them. If they are in Hell, these characters will be to +their disgrace, and show how many gifts and graces God bestowed upon +them, and how shamefully they abused all. + +*150 Q. What is the character which these Sacraments imprint in the +soul? +A. The character which these Sacraments imprint in the soul is a +spiritual mark which remains forever. + +*151 Q. Does this character remain in the soul even after death? +A. 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. + + + +Lesson 14 +ON BAPTISM + + +152 Q. What is Baptism? +A. Baptism is a Sacrament which cleanses us from Original Sin, makes us +Christians, children of God, and heirs of Heaven. + +"Christians," that is, members of the Church of Christ. "Children of +God," that is, adopted children. All men are children of God by their +creation, but Christians are children of God, not merely by creation, +but also by grace and union with Our Lord. "Heirs of Heaven." An heir is +one who inherits property, money, or goods at the death of another. +These things are left by a will or given by the laws of the State, when +the person dies without making a will. A will is a written statement in +which a person declares what he wishes to have done, at his death, with +whatever he possesses--the charitable objects or the persons to whom he +wishes to leave his goods. This will is called also the last testament. +It is signed by witnesses, and after the death of the testator is +committed to the care of a person--called the executor--whose business +it is to see that all stated in the will or testament is carried out. +There is an officer in the State to take these things in hand and settle +them according to law, when the amount left is large, and there is a +dispute about it. You can understand better now why we call the Bible +the Old and the New Testament. When Our Lord died we were left an +inheritance and spiritual property. The inheritance was Heaven, which we +had lost through the sin of Adam and regained by the death of Our Lord. +The spiritual property was God's grace, which He merited for us. The Old +Testament contains the promise of what Our Lord would leave us at His +death, and the New Testament shows that He kept His promise and did +leave what He said. The Old Testament was written before He died, and +the New Testament after His death. The witnesses of these testaments +were the patriarchs, prophets, Apostles, and evangelists, who heard God +making the promises through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. The +Church is the executor of Christ's will, and it is its business to see +that all men receive what Christ left them, namely, God's grace and +Heaven. It must also see that they are not cheated out of it by their +enemies--the devil, the world, and the flesh. + +153 Q. Are actual sins ever remitted by Baptism? +A. Actual sins and all the punishment due to them are remitted by +Baptism, if the person baptized be guilty of any. + +We know that Baptism remits Original Sin. But suppose a person is not +baptized till he is twenty-five or thirty years old; he has surely +committed some sins since he was seven years of age--the time at which +he received the use of reason. Now the question asks, Are all his sins, +those he committed himself as well as the Original Sin, forgiven by +Baptism? The answer is, Yes. All his sins are forgiven, so that he has +not to confess them. But he must be heartily sorry for them and have the +firm determination of never committing them again, just as in +confession. Moreover, that he may not have to confess these sins, we +must be absolutely certain that he was never baptized before. Besides +remitting the sins themselves, Baptism remits all the temporal +punishment due to them. + +In the Sacrament of Penance the sinner is saved from the eternal +punishment--that is, Hell--and from part of the temporal punishment. But +although the sins have been forgiven, the sinner must make satisfaction +to God for the insult offered by his sins. + +Therefore, he must suffer punishment in this world or in Purgatory. We +call this punishment temporal, because it will not last forever. You can +make this satisfaction to God while on earth, and thus avoid much of the +temporal punishment by prayers, fasting, gaining indulgences, alms, and +good works; and even by bearing your sufferings, trials, and afflictions +patiently, and offering them up to God in satisfaction for your sins. + +In Baptism both the eternal and temporal debt are washed away; so that +if a person just baptized died immediately, he would go directly to +Heaven, not to Purgatory: because persons go to Purgatory to pay off the +temporal debt. Neither could that person gain an indulgence, because +indulgences are only to help us to pay the temporal debt. Neither could +that person receive the Sacrament of Penance, because Penance remits +only sin committed after Baptism, and that person had no sins to remit, +because he died just after receiving Baptism. See, then, the goodness of +Our Lord in instituting Baptism, to forgive everything and leave us as +free from guilt as our first parents were when God created them. + +154 Q. Is Baptism necessary to salvation? +A. Baptism is necessary to salvation, because without it we cannot enter +into the kingdom of Heaven. + +Those who through no fault of theirs die without Baptism, though they +have never committed sin, cannot enter Heaven--neither will they go to +Hell. After the Last Judgment there will be no Purgatory. Where, then, +will they go? God in His goodness will provide a place of rest for them, +where they will not suffer and will be in a state of natural peace; but +they will never see God or Heaven. God might have created us for a +purely natural and material end, so that we would live forever upon the +earth and be naturally happy with the good things God would give us. But +then we would never have known of Heaven or God as we do now. Such +happiness on earth would be nothing compared to the delights of Heaven +and the presence of God; so that, now, since God has given us, through +His holy revelations, a knowledge of Himself and Heaven, we would be +miserable if left always upon the earth. Those, then, who die without +Baptism do not know what they have lost, and are naturally happy; but we +who know all they have lost for want of Baptism know how very +unfortunate they are. + +Think, then, what a terrible crime it is to willfully allow anyone to +die without Baptism, or to deprive a little child of life before it can +be baptized! Suppose all the members of a family but one little infant +have been baptized; when the Day of Judgment comes, while all the other +members of a family--father, mother, and children--may go into Heaven, +that little one will have to remain out; that little brother or sister +will be separated from its family forever, and never, never see God or +Heaven. How heartless and cruel, then, must a person be who would +deprive that little infant of happiness for all eternity--just that its +mother or someone else might have a little less trouble or suffering +here upon earth. + +155 Q. Who can administer Baptism? +A. The priest is the ordinary minister of Baptism; but in case of +necessity anyone who has the use of reason may baptize. + +"Ordinary"--that is, the one who has a right to baptize and generally +does; others can baptize only in case of necessity. + +"Priest" and all above him--bishops, and the Pope; for they have all the +power the priest has, and more besides. "Minister" is the name given +here to one who performs any of the sacred rites or ceremonies of the +Church. "Necessity." When the ordinary minister cannot be had and when +Baptism must be given; for if it is not absolutely necessary to give the +Baptism, then you must wait for the ordinary minister. + +"Anyone." Even persons not Catholics or not Christians may, in case of +necessity, baptize a person wishing to receive Baptism, if they know how +to baptize and seriously wish to do what the Church of Christ does when +it baptizes. You cannot baptize a person against his will. Neither can +you baptize an infant whose parents are unwilling to have the child +baptized, or when the child will not be brought up in the Catholic +religion. But if the child is dying, it can and should be baptized, even +without the consent of the parents. + +"Use of reason." Because the person must intend to do what Our Lord +ordered to be done in giving Baptism; and a little child could not +understand, and could not therefore baptize. + +156 Q. How is Baptism given? +A. 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. + +When the priest baptizes in the church, he uses consecrated water--that +is, water blessed for that purpose on Holy Saturday, and mixed with holy +oil. When he or any other, in case of necessity, baptizes in a private +house, he may use plain, clean water, and he baptizes without the other +ceremonies used in the church. Remember, in Baptism you can use ordinary +clean water, warm or cold. When the priest or anyone baptizes by simply +pouring the water and pronouncing the words of Baptism, we call it +private Baptism. The Baptism given in church with all the ceremonies is +called solemn Baptism. Any person baptized privately should be brought +to the church afterwards to have the rest of the ceremonies performed. + +It will increase your respect for the Sacrament to know what ceremonies +are used in solemn Baptism, and what they signify. The following things +must be prepared: the holy oils, a little salt, a little pitcher or +something similar to pour the water from, a vessel to receive the water +when poured, some cotton, two stoles, one white and one purple, towels, +a white cloth, candle, and candlestick. + +All being ready, the person holding the infant takes it on the right +arm, face up, and the priest, having learned the name it is to be given, +begins by asking the one to be baptized, "What do you ask of the Church +of God?" And the godparents answer for the child, "Faith." If the person +receiving Baptism is capable of answering for himself, he must do so. +Then the priest exhorts the child to keep the Commandments and love God; +then he breathes three times upon it and bids the evil spirit depart. He +next prays for the child and puts a little salt into its mouth, as a +sign of the wisdom that Faith gives, and again prays for the child. Then +he places the end of his stole over it as a sign that it is led into the +Church; for Baptism is given in a place called the baptistery, railed +off from the church and near the door, because formerly the ceremony up +to this point was performed outside the church, and at this part of the +ceremony the person was led in to be baptized. Then before Baptism the +person says the Creed and the Our Father; for when a grown person is to +be baptized he must first be instructed in all the truths of religion, +and he must say the Creed to show that he believes them. Again the +priest prays and places a little spittle on the ears and nose of the +child, using at the same time the words used by Our Lord when He spit +upon the ground, and rubbing the spittle and clay upon the eyes of the +blind man, healed him. (John 9:6). The priest next asks the child if it +renounces the devil and all his works and pomps--that is, vanities and +empty shows; and having received the answer anoints it with holy oil on +the breast and back. Then he again asks for a profession of faith, and +finally baptizes it. After Baptism he anoints its head with holy chrism, +places a white cloth upon it to signify the purity it received in +Baptism, and as a sign that it must keep its soul free from sin. Then he +places in its hand a lighted candle, to signify the light of faith it +has received in Baptism. We are baptized at the door of the church to +show that without Baptism we are out of the Church. We are often signed +with the Sign of the Cross to remind us that our salvation is due to the +Cross and Passion of Our Lord. The priest's stole is placed over us to +show that the Church takes us under its protection and shields us from +the power of the devil. We are anointed as a sign that we are freed from +our sins and strengthened to fight for Christ. The white cloth or +garment is placed upon us to remind us of the glory of the Resurrection; +the light is placed in our hand to show that we should burn with +Christian charity. + +*157 Q. How many kinds of Baptism are there? +A. There are three kinds of Baptism: Baptism of water, of desire, and of +blood. + +*158 Q. What is Baptism of water? +A. 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. + +*159 Q. What is Baptism of desire? +A. Baptism of desire is an ardent wish to receive Baptism, and to do all +that God has ordained for our salvation. + +"Ardent wish" by one who has no opportunity of being baptized--for no +one can baptize himself. He must be sorry for his sins and have the +desire of receiving the Baptism of water as soon as he can; just as a +person in mortal sin and without a priest to absolve him may, when in +danger of death, save his soul from Hell by an act of perfect contrition +and the firm resolution of going to confession as soon as possible. +Baptism of desire would be useful and necessary if there was no water at +hand or no person to baptize; or if the one wishing to be baptized and +those about him did not know exactly how Baptism was to be given--which +might easily happen in pagan lands. One thing you must especially +remember in giving Baptism in case of necessity: namely, that it would +not do for one person to pour the water and another to say the words. +The same person must do both, or the Baptism will not be valid. If you +are called to baptize in case of necessity, be very careful to observe +the following points, otherwise the Baptism will not be valid: use clean +water and nothing but water--no other liquid would do. Say every one of +the exact words: "I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Ghost." It would not do to say, "I baptize thee in +the name of God"; or, "I baptize thee in the name of the Blessed +Trinity"; nor would it do to say simply, "In the name of the Father, and +of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," without saying, "I baptize thee." +Say the words at the same time you pour the water, and be sure the water +touches the skin. It would not do to pour the water simply on the hair. +You must not sprinkle the water, but pour it upon the head. + +When you have followed the above instructions carefully and are sure you +have baptized properly, never under any circumstance repeat the Baptism +on the same person. It is a sin to try to baptize more than once when +you know Baptism can be given only once. The sight of the person dying +and the fact that you are called for the first time may cause you to be +somewhat excited; but be calm, remember the importance of the Sacrament, +and you will administer it as directed. Parents should not baptize their +own children in case of necessity, if there is any other person present +who can validly do it. Remember those who administer Baptism contract a +spiritual relationship with the person they baptize (not with his +parents). If they wished, years afterwards, to marry the person they +baptized, they must make this relationship known to the priest. + +Sponsors are not necessary in private Baptism. A person may be sponsor +for a child in Baptism without being present at the Baptism, provided +someone else holds the child in his name and answers the questions he +himself would answer if he were present. Such a sponsor is said to stand +for the child by proxy, and he, and not the one who holds the child, is +then the real godparent when, at the request of the parents or priest he +has consented to be sponsor. + +*160 Q. What is Baptism of blood? +A. Baptism of blood is the shedding of one's blood for the faith of +Christ. + +Baptism of blood, called martyrdom, is received by those who were not +baptized with water, but were put to death for their Catholic faith. +This takes place even nowadays in pagan countries where the missionaries +are trying to convert the poor natives. These pagans have to be +instructed before they are baptized. They do everything required of +them, let us suppose, and are waiting for the day of Baptism. Those who +are being thus instructed are called Catechumens. Someday, while they +are attending their instructions, the enemies of religion rush down upon +them and put them to death. They do not resist, but willingly suffer +death for the sake of the true religion. They are martyrs then and are +baptized in their own blood; although, as we said above, blood would not +do for an ordinary Baptism even when we could not get water; so that if +a person drew blood from his own body and asked to be baptized with it, +the Baptism would not be valid. Neither would they be martyrs if put to +death not for religion or virtue but for some other reason--say +political. + +*161 Q. Is Baptism of desire or blood sufficient to produce the effects +of Baptism of water? +A. 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. + +*162 Q. What do we promise in Baptism? +A. In Baptism we promise to renounce the devil with all his works and +pomps. + +*163 Q. Why is the name of a saint given in Baptism? +A. 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. + +The saint whose name we bear is called our patron saint. This saint has +a special love for us and a special care over us. People take the names +of great men because they admire their good qualities or their great +deeds. So we take saints' names because we admire their Christian +virtues and great Christian deeds. We should, therefore, read the life +of our patron saint and try to imitate his virtues, and the day on which +the Church celebrates the feast of our patron saint should be a great +day for us also. The Church generally celebrates the saint's feast on +the day on which he died, that is, as we believe, the day on which he +entered into Heaven. + +*164 Q. Why are godfathers and godmothers given in Baptism? +A. 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. + +*165 Q. What is the obligation of a godfather and a godmother? +A. 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. + +This is a very important obligation, and we should be faithful in the +fulfillment of it before God. Godfathers and godmothers are also called +sponsors. The following persons cannot be sponsors: (1) All persons not +Catholics, because they cannot teach the child the Catholic religion if +they do not know it themselves. (2) All persons who are publicly leading +bad lives; for how can they give good examples and teach their godchild +to be good when they themselves are public sinners? (3) All persons who +are ignorant of their religion should not take upon themselves the +duties of godparents. Therefore parents should select as sponsors for +their children only good, practical Catholics--not Catholics merely in +name, but those who live up to their faith, and who will be an example +for their children. To repeat what has already been said, godparents +contract a spiritual relationship with their godchild, and in the event +of marriage, they must make known this relationship to the priest. The +godfather and the godmother do not contract a relationship between +themselves, or with the child's parents, but only with the child so that +neither the godfather nor the godmother could later marry their godchild +without first obtaining proper dispensation; that is, permission from +the Church granted by the bishop or Pope. With regard to names, parents +should never be induced by any motive to give their child some foolish +or fancy name taken from books, places, or things. Above all, they +should never select the name of any enemy of the Church or unbeliever, +but the name of one of God's saints who will be a model for the child. +Whatever name is taken, if it be not a saint's name, the name of some +saint should be given as a middle name. If this has been omitted in +Baptism, it should be supplied in Confirmation, at which time a new name +can be added. Again, if a saint's name has been taken in Baptism it +should not be shortened or changed so as to mean nothing; as, for +example, Mazie, Miz, etc., for Mary. When your correct name is mentioned +your saint is honored, and I might say invoked, because it should remind +you of him. For that reason you should not have meaningless or foolish +pet names, known only to your family or your friends. + + + +Lesson 15 +ON CONFIRMATION + + +166 Q. What is Confirmation? +A. Confirmation is a Sacrament through which we receive the Holy Ghost +to make us strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ. + +In Baptism we are made Christians, but we are not very strong in our +faith till the Holy Ghost comes in Confirmation. You remember how timid +the Apostles were before the coming of the Holy Ghost, and how firm and +determined in their faith they were afterwards; and how fearlessly they +preached even to those who crucified Our Lord. "Soldiers," because we +must fight for our salvation against our three enemies, the devil, the +world, and the flesh. Our Lord is our great leader in this warfare, and +we must follow Him and fight as He directs. A soldier that fights as he +pleases and not as his general commands, will surely be beaten. + +167 Q. Who can administer Confirmation? +A. The bishop is the ordinary minister of Confirmation. + +"Ordinary," because in some very distant countries where on account of +the small number of Christians they have as yet no bishops, the Pope +allows some priest to give Confirmation; but then he must use the holy +oil consecrated by a bishop, and cannot consecrate oil himself. + +168 Q. How does the bishop give Confirmation? +A. 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. + +*169 Q. What is holy chrism? +A. Holy chrism is a mixture of olive oil and balm, consecrated by the +bishop. + +The oil signifies the strength we receive, and the balm that we should +be free from the corruption of sin, and give forth the sweetness of +virtue. + +170 Q. What does the bishop say in anointing the person he confirms? +A. 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. + +*171 Q. What is meant by anointing the forehead with chrism in the form +of a cross? +A. 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. + +"Openly profess"--that is, acknowledge that he is a Catholic when it is +necessary to do so. He need not proclaim it in the streets. "Practice" +it without regard for what other people think, say, or do. "Ashamed" of +a religion so glorious as the Catholic religion? Would we not be proud +to belong to a society of which kings and princes were members? Well, a +few centuries ago nearly all the kings, princes, and great men of the +earth were Catholics. All the saints were Catholics. All the Popes were +Catholics. At present over three hundred million people in the world are +Catholics. This Church was founded when Christ Our Lord was on earth, +and is nearly two thousand years old. All the other churches are only a +few hundred years old. We ought, therefore, to be proud of our religion, +for which and in which so many noble persons died. We should feel proud +that we are Catholics; while Protestants should feel ashamed in our +presence, for they have deserted the true standard of Christ, and +followed some other leader who set up a religion of his own in +opposition to the true Church of Our Lord. They will not have the cross +or crucifix, the standard of Christ, in their churches or houses or +about their persons, and yet they claim to be Christians redeemed by the +Cross. We are called upon to defend or profess our religion when we have +to do what the Church and God require us to do: for example, hear Mass +on Sundays and holy days; abstain from the use of fleshmeat on Ash +Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent, fast on fast-days, and the like, when +we are among persons not Catholics. + +*172 Q. Why does the bishop give the person he confirms a slight blow on +the cheek? +A. 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 anything, even death, +for the sake of Christ. + +173 Q. To receive Confirmation worthily is it necessary to be in the +state of grace? +A. To receive Confirmation worthily it is necessary to be in the state +of grace. + +*174 Q. What special preparation should be made to receive Confirmation? +A. 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. + +How can one be a good soldier who does not know the rules and +regulations of the army nor understand the commands of his general? How +can one be a good Christian who does not understand the laws of the +Church and the teachings of Christ? The "nature"--that is, understand +the Sacrament itself. "Effects"--that is, what it does in our souls. + +175 Q. Is it a sin to neglect Confirmation? +A. 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. + +"Temptations"--from the sayings and writings of the enemies of religion. +To neglect it when we have an opportunity of receiving it without any +very great difficulty would be a sin. When persons have been unfortunate +enough to grow up without Confirmation, they should come at any time in +their lives to receive it, and not be ashamed to do so on account of +their age or condition in life. + + + +Lesson 16 +ON THE GIFTS AND FRUITS OF THE HOLY GHOST + + +*176 Q. What are the effects of Confirmation? +A. The effects of Confirmation are an increase of sanctifying grace, the +strengthening of our faith, and the gifts of the Holy Ghost. + +"Increase," because we must be in a state of grace, that is, having +already sanctifying grace in our souls when we receive Confirmation. +"Strengthening," so that we have no doubt about the doctrines we +believe. + +*177 Q. What are the gifts of the Holy Ghost? +A. The gifts of the Holy Ghost are wisdom, understanding, counsel, +fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. + +*178 Q. Why do we receive the gift of fear of the Lord? +A. We receive the gift of fear of the Lord to fill us with a dread of +sin. + +On account of the goodness of God and the punishment He can inflict. + +*179 Q. Why do we receive the gift of piety? +A. We receive the gift of piety to make us love God as a Father, and +obey Him because we love Him. + +*180 Q. Why do we receive the gift of knowledge? +A. We receive the gift of knowledge to enable us to discover the will of +God in all things. + +*181 Q. Why do we receive the gift of fortitude? +A. We receive the gift of fortitude to strengthen us to do the will of +God in all things. + +Some know the will of God--what they should do--but they have not the +courage to follow the dictates of their conscience. For example, a +person goes with bad company: the gift of knowledge will teach him that +he should give it up; but the gift of fortitude will enable him to do +what his conscience shows him to be right. + +*182 Q. Why do we receive the gift of counsel? +A. We receive the gift of counsel to warn us of the deceits of the +devil, and of the dangers to salvation. + +The devil is much wiser than we are, and has much more experience, being +among the people of the world ever since the time of Adam--about 6,000 +years. He could therefore easily deceive and overcome us if God Himself +by the gift of counsel did not enable us to discover his tricks and +expose his plots. When at times we are tempted, our conscience warns us, +and if we follow the warning we shall escape the sin. Counsel tells us +when persons or places are dangerous for our salvation. + +*183 Q. Why do we receive the gift of understanding? +A. We receive the gift of understanding to enable us to know more +clearly the mysteries of faith. + +"Mysteries," truths we could never know by reason, but only by the +teaching of God; and the gift of understanding enables us to know better +what His teaching means. The Apostles heard and knew what Our Lord +taught, but they did not fully understand the whole meaning till the +Holy Ghost had come. + +*184 Q. Why do we receive the gift of wisdom? +A. 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. + +"Relish," a liking for, a desire for. + +*185 Q. Which are the beatitudes? +A. 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. + +The beatitudes are part of a sermon Our Lord once preached to the people +on the Mount. (Matt. 5). When Our Lord wished to preach, the Jews would +not always allow Him to enter their synagogues or meeting houses; so He +preached to the people in the open air. Sometimes He stood in a boat by +the seashore; sometimes on a little hill, with the people standing or +sitting near Him. Did you ever think how you would have acted if you +lived at that time and were present when Our Lord preached? How anxious +you would have been to get near to Him? How you would have pushed your +way through the crowd and listened to every word? Why, then, do you +sometimes pay so little attention in church or at instructions when the +words of Our Lord are repeated to you? Our Lord instituted a Church +which, as we know, is sometimes called the kingdom of Heaven. In this +sermon He laid down the condition for being good subjects of His +kingdom; that is, He gives the virtues we should practice to be good +children of the Church. He tells us what rewards we shall have for +practicing these virtues and leading a holy life: namely, God's grace +and blessing in this world and everlasting glory in Heaven. + +(1) "Poor in spirit." One is poor in spirit if he does not set his heart +upon riches and the goods of this world in such a way that he would be +willing to offend God in order to possess them, or rather than part with +them. Thus one who has no money but who would do anything to get it, +would be poor, but not poor in spirit, and therefore not among those Our +Lord calls blessed. If we are really poor and wish to be poor in spirit +also, we must be contented with our lot--with what God gives us--and +never complain against Him. No matter how poor, miserable, or afflicted +we may be, we could still be worse, since we can find others in a worse +condition than we are. We do not endure every species of misery, but +only this or that particular kind; and if the rest were added, how much +worse our condition would be! The very greatest misery is to be in a +state of sin. If we are poor and in sin, our condition is indeed +pitiable, for we have no consolation; but if we are virtuous in poverty, +bearing our trials in patience and resignation for the love of God, we +have the rich treasures of His grace and every assurance of future +happiness. On the other hand, if one is very rich and gives freely and +plentifully to the poor and works of charity, and is willing to part +with riches rather than offend God, such a one is poor in spirit and can +be called blessed. It is a great mistake to risk our souls for things we +must leave to others at our death. Sometimes those who leave the +greatest inheritance are soonest forgotten and despised, because the +money or property bequeathed gives rise to numerous lawsuits, quarrels +and jealousies among the relatives, and thus becomes a very curse to +that family, whose members hate one another on its account. Or it may +happen that the heirs thoughtlessly enjoy and foolishly squander the +wealth the man, now dead, has labored so hard to accumulate, while he, +perhaps, is suffering in Hell for sins committed in securing it. Again, +how many children have been ruined through the wealth left them by their +parents! Instead of using it for good purposes they have made it a means +of sin; often lose their faith and souls on account of it; and in their +ingratitude never offer a prayer or give an alms for the soul of the +parent, who in his anxiety to leave all to them left nothing in charity +to the Church or the poor. Surely it is the greatest folly to set our +hearts upon that which can be of no value to us after death. When a +person dies men ask: What wealth has he left behind? But God and the +angels ask, What merits has he sent before him? + +(2) "Possess the land"--that is, the promised or holy land, which was a +figure of the Church. Therefore it means the meek shall be true members +of Our Lord's Church here on earth and hereafter in Heaven, and be +beloved by all. + +(3) "That mourn." Suffering is good for us if we bear it patiently. It +makes us more like Our Blessed Lord, who was called the Man of Sorrows. + +(4) "Justice"--that is, all kinds of virtue. "Filled"--that is, with +goodness and grace. In other words, +if we ask and really wish to become virtuous, we shall become so. St. +Joseph is called in Holy Scripture "a just man," to show that he +practiced every virtue. + +(5) If we are "merciful" to others, God will be merciful to us. + +(6) "Clean of heart"--that is, pure in thoughts, words, deeds, and +looks. + +(7) "Peacemakers." If persons who try to make peace and settle disputes +are called the children of God, those who, on the contrary, try to stir +up dissensions should be called the children of the devil. Never tell +the evil you may hear of another, especially to the one of whom it was +spoken; and never carry stories from one to another: it is contemptible, +and sinful as well. If you have nothing good to say of the character of +another, be silent, unless your duty compels you to speak. Never be a +child of the devil by exciting jealousy, hatred, or revenge in anyone; +but on the contrary, make peace wherever you can, and be one of the +children of God. + +(8) "Suffer persecution." Therefore, when you are badly treated on +account of your piety or religion, remember you are like the martyrs of +your holy faith, suffering for virtue and truth, and that you will +receive your reward. + +*186 Q. Which are the twelve fruits of the Holy Ghost? +A. The twelve fruits of the Holy Ghost are charity, joy, peace, +patience, benignity, goodness, long-suffering, mildness, faith, modesty, +continency, and chastity. + +"Fruits," the things that grow from the gifts of the Holy Ghost. +"Charity," love of God and our neighbor, "Peace" with God and man and +ourselves. With God, because we are His friends. With man, because we +deal justly with all and are kind to all. With ourselves, because we +have a good conscience, that does not accuse us of sin. "Benignity," +disposition to do good and show kindness. "Long-suffering"--same as +patience. "Modesty, continency, and chastity" refer to purity in +thoughts, words, looks, and actions. + + + +Lesson 17 +ON THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE + + +When Our Blessed Lord redeemed us, He applied the benefits of the +Redemption in the Sacrament of Baptism. By this Baptism He freed us from +sin and the slavery of the devil; He restored us to God's grace; He +reopened for us Heaven; made us once more children of God: in a word, He +placed us in the condition in which we were before our fall through the +sin of our first parents. This was certainly a great kindness bestowed +upon us, and one would think we would never forget it, and never more +lose God's friendship by any fault of ours; especially when we had seen +the great miseries brought upon the world by sin, and had learned +something of Hell where we would have been, and of Heaven which we would +have lost, if Our Lord had not redeemed us. Our Blessed Lord saw, +however, that we would forget His benefits, and again, even after +Baptism, go freely into the slavery of the devil. How, then, could we be +saved? We could not be baptized again, because Baptism can be given only +once. Our good Lord in His kindness instituted another Sacrament, by +which we could once more be freed from sin if we had the misfortune to +fall into it after Baptism--it is the Sacrament of Penance. It is called +the plank in a shipwreck. When sailors are shipwrecked and thrown +helplessly into the ocean, their only hope is some floating plank that +may bear them to the shore. So when we fall after Baptism we are thrown +into the great ocean of sin, where we must perish if we do not rest upon +the Sacrament of Penance, which will bring us once more in safety to the +friendship of God. How very thankful the poor shipwrecked sailors would +be to anyone who would offer them a plank while they are in danger! Do +you think they would refuse to use it? In like manner how thankful we +should be for the Sacrament of Penance, and how anxious we should be to +use it when we arc in danger of losing our souls! + +The Sacrament of Penance shows the very great kindness of Our Lord. He +might have said: I saved them once, and I will not trouble Myself more +about them; if they want to sin again, let them perish. But no, He +forgives us and saves us as often as we sincerely call on Him for help, +being truly sorry for our sins. He left this power also to His Apostles, +saying to them: As often as any poor sinner shall come to you and show +that he is truly sorry for his sins, and has the determination not to +commit them again, and confesses them to you, I give you the power to +pardon his sins in the Sacrament of Penance. The forgiveness of your +sins is the chief though not the only blessing you receive in the +reception of this Sacrament, through which you derive so many and great +advantages from the exhortation, instruction, or advice of your +confessor. + +Is it not a great benefit to have a friend to whom you can go with the +trials of your mind and soul, your troubles, temptations, sins, and +secrets? You have that friend--the priest in the confessional. He is +willing to help you, for he consecrated his life to God to help men to +save their souls. He is able to help you, for he understands your +difficulties, sins, and temptations, and the means of overcoming them. +He has made these things the study of his life, and derives still +greater knowledge of them from hearing the sad complaints of so many +relating their secret sorrows or afflictions, and begging his advice. + +Then you are sure that whatever you tell him in the confessional will +never be made known to others, even if the priest has to die to conceal +it. You might tell your secrets to a friend, and if you afterwards +offended him he would probably reveal all you told him. The priest asks +no reward for the service he gives you in the confessional, but loves to +help you, because he has pledged himself to God to do so, and would sin +if he did not. Some enemies of our holy religion have tried to make +people believe that Catholics have to pay the priest in confession for +forgiving their sins; but every Catholic, even the youngest child who +has been to confession, knows this to be untrue, and a base calumny +against our holy religion; even those who assert it do not believe it +themselves. The good done in the confessional will never be known in +this world. How many persons have been saved from sin, suicide, death, +and other evils by the advice and encouragement received in confession! +How many persons who have fallen into the lowest depths of sin have by +the Sacrament of Penance been raised up and made to lead good, +respectable lives--a blessing to themselves, their families, and +society! + +187 Q. What is the Sacrament of Penance? +A. Penance is a Sacrament in which the sins committed after Baptism are +forgiven. + +One who has never been baptized could not go to confession and receive +absolution, nor indeed any of the Sacraments. + +*188 Q. How does the Sacrament of Penance remit sin, and restore the +soul to the friendship of God? +A. The Sacrament of Penance remits sin and restores the friendship of +God to the soul by means of the absolution of the priest. + +"Absolution" means the words the priest says at the time he forgives the +sins. Absolve means to loose or free. When ministers or ambassadors are +sent by our government to represent the United States in England, +France, Germany, or other countries, whatever they do there officially +is done by the United States. If they make an agreement with the +governments to which they are sent, the United States sanctions it, and +the very moment they sign the agreement it is signed and sanctioned by +the authority of our government whose representatives they are, and +their official action becomes the action of the United States itself. +But when their term of office expires, though they remain in the foreign +countries, they have no longer any power to sign agreements in the name +and with the authority of the United States. + +You see, therefore, that it is the power that is given them, and not +their own, that they exercise. In like manner Our Lord commissioned His +priests and gave them the power to forgive sins, and whatever they do in +the Sacrament of Penance He Himself does. At the very moment the priest +pronounces the words of absolution on earth his sentence is ratified in +Heaven and the sins of the penitent are blotted out. + +It may increase your veneration for the Sacrament to know the precise +manner in which absolution is given. After the confession and giving of +the penance, the priest first prays for the sinner, saying: "May +Almighty God have mercy on you, and, your sins being forgiven, bring you +to life everlasting. Amen." Then, raising his right hand over the +penitent, he says: "May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant you pardon, +absolution, and remission of your sins. Amen." Then he continues: "May +Our Lord Jesus Christ absolve you, and I, by His authority, absolve you +from every bond of excommunication and interdict, as far as I have power +and you stand in need. Then I absolve you from your sins, in the name of +the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen." At these last +words he makes the Sign of the Cross over the penitent. In conclusion he +directs to God a prayer in behalf of the penitent in the following +words: "May the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the merits of the +Blessed Virgin Mary and of all the saints, and whatsoever good you may +have done or evil you may have suffered, be to you unto the remission of +your sins, the increase of grace, and the recompense of everlasting +life. Amen." Then the priest says, "God bless you," "Go in peace," or +some other expression showing his delight at your reconciliation with +God. + +*189 Q. How do you know that the priest has the power of absolving from +the sins committed after Baptism? +A. I know that the priest has the power of absolving from 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." + +Every Christian knows Our Lord Himself had power to forgive sins:--(1) +because He was God, and (2) because He often did forgive them while on +earth, and proved that He did by performing some miracle; as, for +example (Mark 2; John 5), when He cured the poor men who had been sick +and suffering for many years, He said to them, "Thy sins are forgiven +thee; arise, take up thy bed, and walk," and the men did so. Since Our +Lord had the power Himself, He could give it to His Apostles if He +wished, and He did give it to them and their successors. For if He did +not, how could we and all others who, after Baptism, have fallen into +sin be cleansed from it? This Sacrament of Penance was for all time, and +so He left the power with His Church, which is to last as long as there +is a living human being upon the earth. Our Lord promised to His +Apostles before His death this power to forgive sins (Matt. 18:18), and +He gave it to them after His resurrection (John 20:23), when He appeared +to them and breathed on them, and said: "Whose sins you shall forgive, +they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are +retained." + +*190 Q. How do the priests of the Church exercise the power of forgiving +sins? +A. 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. + +The power to forgive sins implies the obligation of going to confession; +because, as most sins are secret, how could the Apostles know what sins +to forgive and what sins to retain--that is, not to forgive--unless they +were told by the sinner what sins he had committed? They could not see +into his heart as God can, and know his sins; and so if the sinner +wished his sins forgiven, he had to confess them to the Apostles or +their successors. Therefore, since we have the Sacrament of Penance, we +must also have confession. + +191 Q. What must we do to receive the Sacrament of Penance worthily? +A. 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. + +When we are about to go to confession the first thing we should do is to +pray to the Holy Ghost to give us light to know and remember all our +sins; to fully understand how displeasing they are to God, and to have a +great sorrow for them, which includes the resolution of never committing +them again. The next thing we should do is: + +(1) "Examine our conscience"; and first of all we find out how long a +time it is since our last confession, and whether we made a good +confession then and received Holy Communion and performed our penance. +The best method of examining is to take the Commandments and go over +each one in our mind, seeing if we have broken it, and in what way; for +example: First. "I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods +before Me." Have I honored God? Have I said my prayers morning and +night; have I said them with attention and devotion? Have I thanked God +for all His blessings? Have I been more anxious to please others than to +please God, or offended Him for the sake of others? Second "Thou shalt +not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." Have I cursed? Have I +taken God's name in vain or spoken without reverence of holy things? +Third. "Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day." Have I neglected to +hear Mass through my own fault on Sundays and holy days of obligation? +Have I kept others from Mass? Have I been late, and at what part of the +Mass did I come in? Have I been willfully distracted at Mass or have I +distracted others? Have I done servile work without necessity? Fourth. +"Honor thy father and thy mother." Have I been disobedient to parents or +others who have authority over me--to spiritual or temporal superiors, +teachers, etc.? Have I slighted or been ashamed of parents because they +were poor or uneducated? Have I neglected to give them what help I could +when they were in need of it? Have I spoken of them with disrespect or +called them names that were not proper? Fifth. "Thou shalt not kill." +Have I done anything that might lead to killing? Have I been angry or +have I tried to take revenge? Have I borne hatred or tried to injure +others? Have I given scandal? Sixth. "Thou shalt not commit adultery." +Have I indulged in any bad thoughts, looked at any bad pictures or +objects, listened to any bad conversation, told or listened to bad or +immodest jokes or stories, or, in general, spoken of bad things? Have I +done any bad actions or desired to do any while alone or with others? +Seventh. "Thou shalt not steal." Have I stolen anything myself or helped +or advised others to steal? Have I received anything or part of anything +that I knew to be stolen? Do I owe money and not pay it when I can? Have +I bought anything with the intention of never paying for it or at least +knowing I never could pay for it? Have I made restitution when told to +do so by my confessor; or have I put it off from time to time? Have I +failed to give back what belonged to another? Have I found anything and +not tried to discover its owner, or have I kept it in my possession +after I knew to whom it belonged? Have I cheated in business or at +games? Eighth. "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." +Have I told lies or injured anyone by my talk? Have I told the faults of +others without any necessity? It is not allowed to tell the faults of +others--even when you tell the truth about them--unless some good comes +of the telling. Ninth. "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife." This +can come into our examination on the Sixth Commandment. Tenth. "Thou +shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods." This can come into our +examination on the Seventh Commandment. + +After examining yourself on the Commandments of God, examine yourself on +the Commandments of the Church. + +First. "To hear Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation." This has +been considered in the examination on the Third Commandment. Second "To +fast and abstain on the days appointed." Have I knowingly eaten meat on +Ash Wednesday or the Fridays of Lent, or not done some chosen penance on +the other Fridays of the year, or not fasted on Ash Wednesday or Good +Friday, unless I had good reason not to do so on account of poor health +or other reason? Third. "To confess at least once a year." Is it over a +year, and how much over it, since I have been to confession? Fourth. "To +receive Holy Eucharist during the Easter time." Did I go to Holy +Communion between the first Sunday of Lent and Trinity Sunday? If not, I +have committed a mortal sin. Fifth. "To contribute to the support of our +pastors." Have I helped the church and reasonably paid my share of its +expenses--given to charity and the like, or have I made others pay for +the light, heat, and other things that cost money in the church, and +shared in their benefits without giving according to my means? Have I +kept what was given me for the church or other charity, or stolen from +the church and not stated that circumstance when I confessed that I +stole? Sixth. "Not to marry persons who are not Catholics, or who are +related to us within the third degree of kindred, or privately without +witnesses, nor to solemnize marriage at forbidden times." Have I +anything to tell on this Commandment? + +After examining yourself on the Commandments of God and of His Church, +examine yourself on the capital sins, especially on "Pride." Have I been +impudent and stubborn, vain about my dress, and the like? Have I +despised others simply on account of poverty or something they could not +help? "Gluttony." Have I ever taken intoxicating drink to excess or +broken a promise not to take it? Have I knowingly caused others to be +intoxicated? "Sloth." Have I wasted my time willfully and neglected to +do my duty at school or elsewhere? After examining yourself on the +Commandments and capital sins, examine yourself on the duties of your +state of life. If you are at school, how have you studied? You should +study not alone to please your parents or teachers, but for the sake of +learning. If you are at work, have you been faithful to your employer, +and done your work well and honestly? + +The above method is generally recommended as the best in the examination +of conscience. But you need not follow these exact questions; you can +ask yourself any questions you please: the above questions are given +only as examples of what you might ask, and to show you how to question +yourself. It is useless to take any list of sins in a prayerbook and +examine yourself by it, confessing the sins just as they are given. If +you do take such a list and find in it some questions or sins that you +do not understand, do not trouble yourself about them. In asking +yourself the questions, if you find you have sinned against a +Commandment, stop and consider how many times. There are few persons who +sin against all the Commandments. Some sin against one and some against +another. Find out the worst sin you have and the one you have most +frequently committed, and be sure of telling it. + +(2) "Have sorrow for our sins." After examining your conscience and +finding out the sins you have committed, the next thing is to be sorry +for them. The sorrow is the most essential part in the whole Sacrament +of Penance. In this Sacrament there are, as you know, three parts: +contrition, confession, and satisfaction--and contrition is the most +important part. When, therefore, we are preparing for confession, we +should spend just as much time, and even more, in exciting ourselves to +sorrow for our sins as in the examination of our conscience. Some +persons forget this and spend all their time examining their conscience. +We should pray for sorrow if we think we have none. Remember the act of +contrition made at confession is not the sorrow, but only an outward +sign by which we make known to the priest that we have the sorrow in our +hearts, and therefore we must have the sorrow before making the +confession--or at least, before receiving the absolution. Now what kind +of sorrow must we have? Someone might say, I am not truly sorry because +I cannot cry. If some of my friends died, I would be more sorry for that +than for my sins. Do not make any such mistakes. The true and necessary +kind of sorrow for sin is to know that by sin you have offended God, and +now feel that it was very wrong, and that you have from this moment the +firm determination never to offend Him more. If God adds to this a +feeling that brings tears to your eyes, it is good, but not necessary. + +(3) Remember real sorrow for sin supposes and contains "a firm +resolution" never to sin again. How can you say to God, "O my God, I am +heartily sorry," etc., if you are waiting only for the next opportunity +to sin? How can we be sorry for the past if we are going to do the same +in the future? Do you think the thief would be sorry for his past thefts +if he had his mind made up to steal again as soon as he had the chance? +Ah, but you will say, nearly all persons sin again after confession. I +know that; but when they were making their confession they thought they +never would, and really meant never to sin again; but when temptation +came, they forgot the good resolution, did not use God's help, and fell +into sin again. I mean, therefore, that at the time you make the act of +contrition you must really mean what you say and promise never to sin, +and take every means you can to keep that promise. If you do fall +afterwards, renew your promise as quickly as possible and make a greater +effort than before. Be on your guard against those things that make you +break your promise, and then your act of contrition will be a good one. +A person may be afraid that he will fall again, but being afraid does +not make his contrition worthless as long as he wishes, hopes, and +intends never to sin again. We should always be afraid of falling into +sin, and we will fall into it if we depend upon ourselves alone, and not +on the help which God gives us in His grace. + +(4) "Confess our sins." Having made the necessary preparation, you will +next go into the confessional; and while you are waiting for the priest +to hear you, you should say the Confiteor. When the priest turns to you, +bless yourself and say: "Bless me, father, for I have sinned. It is a +month or a week (or whatever time it may be) since my last confession, +and I have since committed these sins." Then tell your sins as you found +them in examining yourself. In confession you must tell only such things +as are sins. You must not tell all the details and a long story with +every sin. For example, if a boy should confess that he went to see a +friend, and after that met another friend, and when he came home he was +asked what had kept him, and he told a lie. Now, the going to see the +friend and the meeting of the other friend, and all the rest, was not a +sin: the sin was telling the lie, and that was all that should have been +confessed. Therefore, tell only the sins. Then tell only your own sins, +and be very careful not to mention anyone's name--even your own--in +confession. Be brief, and do not say, I broke the First Commandment or +the Second by doing so and so; tell the sin simply as it is, and the +priest himself will know what Commandment you violated. Again, when you +have committed a sin several times a day do not multiply that by the +number of days since your last confession and say to the priest, I have +told lies, for example, four hundred and forty-two times. Such things +only confuse you and make you forget your sins. Simply say, I am in the +habit of telling lies, about so many, three or four--or whatever number +it may be--times a day. Never say "sometimes" or "often" when you are +telling the number of your sins. Sometimes might mean ten or it might +mean twenty times. How then can the priest know the number by that +expression? Give the number as nearly as you can, and if you do not know +the whole number give the number of times a day, etc. Never say "maybe" +I did so and so; because maybe you did not, and the priest cannot judge. +Tell what you consider your worst sin first, then if there be any sin +you are ashamed to tell or do not know how to tell, say to the priest: +"Father, I have a sin I am ashamed to tell, or a sin I do not know how +to tell"; and then the priest will ask you some questions and help you +to tell it. But never think of going away from the confessional with +some sin that you did not tell. The devil sometimes tempts people to do +this, because he does not like to see them in a state of grace and +friends of God. When you are committing the sin, he makes you believe it +is not a great sin, and that you can tell it in confession; but after +you have committed it he makes you believe that it is a most terrible +sin, and that if you tell it, the priest will scold you severely. So it +is concealed and the person leaves the confessional with a new sin upon +his soul--that of sacrilege. When Judas was tempted to betray Our Lord, +he thought thirty pieces of silver a great deal of money; and then, +after he had committed the sin, he cared nothing for the money, but went +and threw it away, and thought his sin so dreadful that he hanged +himself, dying in despair. + +It is not necessary to tell the priest the exact words you said in +cursing or in bad conversation, unless he asks you; but simply say, +Father, I cursed so many times. Do not speak too loud in the +confessional, but loud enough for the priest to hear you. If you are +deaf, do not go into the confessional while others are near, but wait +till all have been heard and then go in last, or ask the priest to hear +you someplace else. + +(5) Listen attentively to hear what "penance" the priest gives you, and +say the act of contrition while he pronounces the words of absolution; +and above all, never leave the confessional till the priest closes the +little door or tells you to go. If the priest does not say at what +particular time you are to say your penance, say it as soon as you can. + +When you have, told all your sins, you will say: "For these and all the +sins of my whole life, especially any I have forgotten, I am heartily +sorry, and ask pardon and penance." Listen to the priest's advice, and +answer simply any question he may ask you. If you should forget a mortal +sin in confession and remember it the same day or evening, or while you +are still in the church, it will not be necessary to wait and go to +confession again. It is forgiven already, because it was included in +your forgotten sins; but you must tell it the next time you go to +confession, saying before your regular confession: In my last confession +I forgot this sin. Of course if you tried to forget your sins your +confession would be invalid. It is only when you examine your conscience +with all reasonable care, and then after all forget some sins, that such +forgotten sins are forgiven. + +Never talk or quarrel for places while waiting for confession, and never +cheat another out of his turn in going to confession. It is unjust, it +makes the person angry, and lessens his good disposition for confession. +It creates confusion, and annoys the priest who hears the noise. If you +are in a hurry, ask the others to allow you to go first; and if they +will not be contented and wait, and if you cannot wait, go some other +time, unless you are in the state of mortal sin. In this case you should +go to confession that day, no matter what the inconvenience. Spend your +time while waiting in praying for pardon and sorrow. Never keep the +priest waiting for you in the confessional; pass in as soon as he is +prepared to hear you. + +192 Q. What is the examination of conscience? +A. The examination of conscience is an earnest effort to recall to mind +all the sins we have committed since our last worthy confession. + +"Worthy confession," because if we made bad confessions we must tell how +often we made them, and whether we received Holy Communion after them or +not, and also all the sins we told in the bad confessions, and all +others committed since the good confession. If, for example, a boy made +a good confession in January, and in confession in February concealed a +mortal sin and went to confession after that every month to December, he +would have to go back to his last good confession, and repeat all the +sins committed since January, and also say that he had gone to +confession once a month and made bad confessions all these times. + +*193 Q. How can we make a good examination of conscience? +A. 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. + +*194 Q. What should we do before beginning the examination of +conscience? +A. 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 18 +ON CONTRITION + + +195 Q. What is contrition or sorrow for sin? +A. 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. + +"Offended"--that is, done something to displease Him. + +*196 Q. What kind of sorrow should we have for our sins? +A. The sorrow we should have for our sins should be interior, +supernatural, universal, and sovereign. + +*197 Q. What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should be interior? +A. When I say that our sorrow should be interior, I mean that it should +come from the heart, and not merely from the lips. + +"Interior"--that is, we must really have the sorrow in our hearts. A +boy, for example, might cry in the confessional and pretend to the +priest to be very sorry, and the priest might be deceived and absolve +him; but God, who sees into our hearts, would know that he was not +really sorry, but only pretending, that his sorrow was not interior, but +exterior; and God therefore would withhold His forgiveness and would not +blot out the sins, and the boy would have a new sin of sacrilege upon +his soul; because it is a sacrilege to allow the priest to give you +absolution if you know you have not the right disposition, and you are +not trying to do all that is required for a good confession. So you +understand you might deceive the priest and receive absolution, but God +would not allow the absolution to take effect, and the sins would +remain; for if the priest knew your dispositions as God did, or as you +know them, he would not give you absolution till your dispositions +changed. + +*198 Q. What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should be +supernatural? +A. 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. + +"Supernatural"--that is, we must be sorry for the sin on account of some +reason that God has made known to us. For example, either because our +sin is displeasing to God, or because we have lost Heaven by it, or +because we fear to be punished for it in Hell or Purgatory. But if we +are sorry for our sin only on account of some natural motive, then our +sorrow is not of the right kind. If a man was sorry for stealing only +because he was caught and had to go to prison for it, his sorrow would +only be natural. Or if a boy was sorry for telling lies only because he +got a whipping for it, his sorrow would only be natural. Or if a man was +sorry for being intoxicated because he lost his situation and injured +his health, he would not have the necessary kind of sorrow. These +persons must be sorry for stealing, lying, or being intoxicated because +all these are sins against God--things forbidden by Him and worthy of +His punishment. If we are sorry for having offended God on account of +His own goodness, our contrition is said to be perfect. If we are sorry +for the sins because by them we are in great danger of being punished by +God, or because we have lost Heaven by them, and without any regard for +God's own goodness, then our contrition is said to be imperfect. +Imperfect contrition is called attrition. + +*199 Q. What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should be universal? +A. When I say that our sorrow should be universal, I mean that we should +be sorry for our mortal sins without exception. + +"Universal." If a person committed ten mortal sins, and was sorry for +nine, but not for the tenth, then none of the sins would be forgiven. If +you committed a thousand mortal sins, and were sorry for all but one, +none would be forgiven. Why? Because you can never have God's grace and +mortal sin in the soul at the same time. Now this mortal sin will be on +your soul till you are sorry for it, and while it is on your soul God's +grace will not come to you. Again, you cannot be half sorry for having +offended God; either you must be entirely sorry, or not sorry at all. +Therefore you cannot be sorry for only part of your mortal sins. + +*200 Q. What do you mean when you say that our sorrow should be +sovereign? +A. 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. + +201 Q. Why should we be sorry for our sins? +A. 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. + +We consider an evil great in proportion to the length of time we have to +bear it. To be blind is certainly a misfortune; but it is a greater +misfortune to be blind for our whole life than for one day. Sin, +therefore, is the greatest of all evils; because the misfortune it +brings upon us lasts not merely for a great many years, but for all +eternity. Even slight sufferings would be terrible if they lasted +forever, but the sufferings for mortal sin are worse than we can +describe or imagine, and they are forever. The greatest evils in this +world will not last forever, and are small when compared with sin. Sin +makes us ungrateful to God, who gives us our existence. + +"Our Preserver," because if God ceased to watch over us and provide for +us, even for a short time, we would cease to exist. + +"Our Redeemer," who suffered so much for us. + +*202 Q. How many kinds of contrition are there? +A. There are two kinds of contrition: perfect contrition and imperfect +contrition. + +*203 Q. What is perfect contrition? +A. 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. + +It can be a very hard thing to have perfect contrition, but we should +always try to have it, so that our contrition may be as perfect as +possible. This perfect contrition is the kind of contrition we must have +if our mortal sins are to be forgiven if we are in danger of death and +cannot go to confession. Imperfect contrition with the priest's +absolution will blot out our mortal sins. + +*204 Q. What is imperfect contrition? +A. 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. + +*205 Q. Is imperfect contrition sufficient for a worthy confession? +A. Imperfect contrition is sufficient for a worthy confession, but we +should endeavor to have perfect contrition. + +206 Q. What do you mean by a firm purpose of sinning no more? +A. 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. + +"Fixed." Not for a certain time, but for all the future. + +207 Q. What do you mean by the near occasions of sin? +A. By the near occasions of sin I mean all the persons, places and +things that may easily lead us into sin. + +"Occasions." There are many kinds of occasions of sin. First, we have +voluntary and necessary occasions, or those we can avoid and those we +cannot avoid. For example: if a companion uses immodest conversation we +can avoid that occasion, because we can keep away from him; but if the +one who sins is a member of our own family, always living with us, we +cannot so easily avoid that occasion. Second, near and remote occasions. +An occasion is said to be "near" when we usually fall into sin by it. +For instance, if a man gets intoxicated almost every time he visits a +certain place, then that place is a "near occasion" of sin for him; but +if he gets intoxicated only once out of every fifty times or so that he +goes there, then it is said to be a "remote occasion." Now, it is not +enough to avoid the sins: we must also avoid the occasions. If we have a +firm purpose of amendment, if we desire to do better, we must be +resolved to avoid everything that will lead us to sin. It is not enough +to say, I will go to that place or with that person, but I will never +again commit the same sins. No matter what you think now, if you go into +the occasion, you will fall again; because Our Lord, who cannot speak +falsely, says: "He who loves the danger will perish in it." Now the +occasion of sin is always "the danger"; and if you go into it, Our +Lord's words will come true, and you will fall miserably. Take away the +cause, take away the occasion, and then the sin will cease of itself. +Let us suppose the plaster in your house fell down, and you found that +it fell because there was a leak in the water-pipe above, and the water +coming through wet the plaster and made it fall. What is the first thing +your father would do in that case? Why, get a plumber and stop up the +leak in the pipe before putting up the plaster again. Would it not be +foolish to engage a plasterer to repair the ceiling while the pipe was +still leaking? Everyone would say that man must be out of his mind: the +plaster will fall down as often as he puts it up, and it matters not +either how well he puts it up. If he wants it to stay up, he must first +mend the pipe--take away the cause of its falling. Now the occasion of +sin is like the leak in the pipe--in the case of sin, it will very +likely cause you to fall every time. Stop up the leak, take away the +occasion, and then you will not fall into sin--at least not so +frequently. + +"The persons" are generally bad companions, and though they may not be +bad when alone, they are bad when with us, and thus we become also bad +companions for them, and occasions of sin. + +"The places." Liquor saloons, low theaters, dance halls, and all places +where we may see or hear anything against faith or morals. + +"Things." Bad books, pictures, and the like. + + + +Lesson 19 +ON CONFESSION + + +208 Q. What is Confession? +A. Confession is the telling of our sins to a duly authorized priest, +for the purpose of obtaining forgiveness. + +"Duly authorized"--one sent by the bishop of the diocese in which you +are. + +"Forgiveness." You might tell a priest all your sins while in ordinary +conversation with him, but that would not be confession, because you +would not be telling them to have them pardoned. If a person has lost +the use of his speech, he can make his confession by writing his sins on +a paper and giving it to the priest in the confessional. If the priest +returns the paper the penitent must be careful to destroy it afterwards. +Also, if you have a poor memory you may write down the sins you wish to +confess, and read them from the paper in the confessional; then you also +must be careful to destroy the paper after confession. If a person whose +language the priest does not understand is dying, or is obliged to make +his yearly confession, he must tell what he can by signs, show that he +is sorry for his sins, and thus receive absolution. In a word, the +priest would act with him as he would with one who had lost the use of +his speech and power to write. + +209 Q. What sins are we bound to confess? +A. We are bound to confess all our mortal sins, but it is well also to +confess our venial sins. + +"Bound"--obliged in such a way that our confession would be bad if we +did not tell them. + +"Well," because we should tell all the sins we can remember; but if we +did not tell a venial sin after we had told a mortal sin, our confession +would not be bad. Or if we committed a little venial sin after +confession, that should not keep us from Holy Communion; because the +Holy Communion itself would blot out that and any other venial sin we +might have upon our souls: so that you should never let anything keep +you away, unless you are certain you have committed a mortal sin after +the confession, or have broken your fast. + +*210 Q. What are the chief qualities of a good confession? +A. The chief qualities of a good confession are three: it must be +humble, sincere, and entire. + +*211 Q. When is our confession humble? +A. Our confession is humble when we accuse ourselves of our sins, with a +deep sense of shame and sorrow for having offended God. + +*212 Q. When is our confession sincere? +A. Our confession is sincere when we tell our sins honestly and +truthfully, neither exaggerating nor excusing them. + +"Exaggerating." You must never tell in confession a sin you did not +commit, any more than conceal one you did commit. You must tell just the +sins committed, and no more or less; and if you are in doubt whether you +have committed the sin, or whether the thing done was a sin, then you +must tell your doubts to the priest: but do not say you committed such +and such sins when you do not know whether you did or not, or only +because you think it likely that you did. + +*213 Q. When is our confession entire? +A. Our confession is entire when we tell the number and kinds of our +sins and the circumstances which change their nature. + +"Number"--the exact number, if you know it; as, for example, when we +miss Mass we can generally tell exactly the number of times. But when we +tell lies, for instance, we may not know the exact number: then we say +how often in the day, or that it is a habit with us, etc. + +"Kinds"--whether they are cursing, or stealing, or lying, etc. + +"Circumstances which change their nature." In the case of stealing, for +example, you need not tell whether it was from a grocery, a bakery, or +dry-goods store you stole, for that circumstance does not change the +nature of the sin: you have simply to tell the amount you took. But if +you stole from a church you would have to tell that, because that is a +circumstance that gives the sin of stealing a new character, and makes +it sacrilegious stealing. Or if you stole from a poor beggar all he +possessed in the world, so that you left him starving, that would be a +circumstance making your sin worse, and so you would have to tell it. +Therefore you have to tell any circumstance that really makes your sin +much worse or less than it seems; all other circumstances you need not +tell: they will only confuse you, and make you forget your sins and +waste the priest's time. + +214 Q. What should we do if we cannot remember the number of our sins? +A. If we cannot remember the number of our sins, we should tell the +number as nearly as possible, and say how often we have sinned in a day, +a week, or a month and how long the habit or practice has lasted. + +*215 Q. Is our confession worthy if, without our fault, we forget to +confess a mortal sin? +A. 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. + +216 Q. Is it a grievous offense willfully to conceal a mortal sin in +confession? +A. 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. + +"A lie to the Holy Ghost." God sees every sin we commit, and in His +presence we present ourselves to the priest in the confessional, and +declare that we are confessing all. If, then, we willfully conceal a sin +that we are bound to confess, God is a witness to our sacrilegious lie. +If I see you in some place to which you were forbidden to go, and you, +knowing that I saw you, positively deny that you were there, your guilt +would be doubly great, for, besides the sin of disobedience committed by +going to the forbidden place, you also resist the known truth, and +endeavor to prove that I, when I declare I saw you, am telling what is +untrue. In a similar manner, concealing a sin in confession is +equivalent to denying before God that we are guilty of it. Besides, it +is a great folly to conceal a sin, because it must be confessed sooner +or later, and the longer we conceal it the deeper will be our sense of +shame for the sacrileges committed. Again, why should one be ashamed to +confess to the priest what he has not been ashamed to do before God, +unless he has greater respect for the priest than he has for the +Almighty God--an absurdity we cannot believe. Moreover, the shame you +experience in telling your sins is a kind of penance for them. Do you +not suppose Our Lord knew, when He instituted the Sacrament of Penance, +that people would be ashamed to confess? Certainly He did; and that act +of humility is pleasing to God, and is a kind of punishment for your +sins, and probably takes away some of the punishment you would have to +suffer for them. Often, too, the thought of having to confess will keep +you from committing the sin. There is another thought that should +encourage us to gladly make a full confession of all our sins, and it is +this: it is easier to tell them to the priest alone than to have them +exposed, unforgiven, before the whole world on the Day of Judgment. Do +not imagine that your confessor will think less of you on account of +your sins. The confessor does not think of your sins after he leaves the +confessional. How could he remember all the confessions he hears--often +hundreds in a single month? And what is more--he does not even wish to +recall the sinful things heard in the confessional, because he wishes to +keep his own mind pure, and his soul free from every stain. The priest +is always better pleased to hear the confession of a great sinner or of +one who has been a long time from the Sacraments, than of one who goes +frequently or who has little to tell. He is not glad, of course, that +the sinner has committed great sins, but he is glad that since he has +had the misfortune to sin so much, he has now the grace and courage to +seek forgiveness. Our Lord once said (Luke 15:7) while preaching, that +the angels and saints in Heaven rejoice more at seeing one sinner doing +penance than they do over ninety-nine good persons who did not need to +do penance. The greater the danger to which a person has been exposed, +the more thankful he and his friends are for escape or recovery from it. +If your brother fell into the ocean and was rescued just as he was going +down for the last time, you would feel more grateful than if he was +rescued from some little pond into which he had slipped, and in which +there was scarcely any danger of his being drowned. So, also, the nearer +we are to losing our, souls and going to Hell, the more delighted the +angels and saints are when we are saved. One who has escaped great +danger will more carefully avoid similar accidents in the future: in +like manner, the sinner, after having escaped the danger of eternal +death by the pardon of his sins, should never again risk his salvation. + +217 Q. What must he do who has willfully concealed a mortal sin in +confession? +A. 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. + +"Willfully." Remember, forgetting is not the same as concealing; but if +you should willfully neglect to examine your conscience or make any +effort to know your sins before going to confession, then forgetting +would be equivalent to concealing. Without any preparation your +confession could hardly be a good one. When you are in doubt whether an +action is sinful or not, or whether you have confessed it before, you +should not leave the confessional with the doubt upon your mind. + +It is a foolish practice, however, to be always disturbing your +conscience by thinking of past sins, especially of those that occurred +very early in your life. Sometimes it is dangerous; because if, while +thinking of your past sins, you should take pleasure in them, you would +commit a new sin similar to the past sins in which you take delight. + +It is best, therefore, not to dwell in thought upon any particular past +sin with the time, place, and circumstances of its commission; but +simply to remember in general that you have in the past sinned against +this or that Commandment or virtue. + +The past is no longer under our control, while the future is, and +becomes for us, therefore, the all-important portion of our lives. Not +unfrequently it may be an artifice of the devil to keep us so occupied +with past deeds that we may not attend to the dangers of the future. Do +not, then, after your confession spend your time in thinking of the sins +you confessed, but of how you will avoid them in the future. When a +wound is healed up, nobody thinks of opening it again to see if it has +healed properly; so when the wounds made in our souls by sin are healed +up by the absolution, we should not open them again. + +This is the rule with regard to our ordinary confessions; but we should +sometimes make a general confession. What is a general confession? It is +the confession of the sins of our whole life or of a portion--say one, +two or five, etc., years--of our life. A general confession may be +necessary, useful, or hurtful. It is necessary, as you know, when our +past confessions were bad. It is useful, though not necessary, on +special occasions in our lives; for example, in the time of a retreat or +mission; in the time of preparation for First Communion, Confirmation, +Matrimony, etc., or in preparing for death. It is very useful also for +persons about to change their state of life; for such as are about to +become priests or religious, etc. It is useful because it gives us a +better knowledge of the state of our souls, as we see their condition +not merely for a month or two, but for our whole lifetime. We are +looking at them as God will look at them in the Last Judgment, +considering all the good and evil we have ever done, and comparing the +amount of the one with the amount of the other. We resolve to increase +the good and diminish the evil in our future lives. We promise to do +penance for the past and to avoid sin for the future; and thus we are +benefited in general confession by this judgment of ourselves, as we may +call it. + +General confession is hurtful to scrupulous persons. Scrupulous persons +are those who think almost everything they do is a sin. They are always +dissatisfied with their confessions, and fear to approach the +Sacraments. Their conscience is never at ease, and they are forever +unhappy. It is very wrong for them to think and act in this manner, and +they must use every means in their power to overcome their scruples. + +Our Lord in His goodness never intended to make us unhappy by +instituting the Sacraments, but on the contrary to make us happy, and +set our minds and consciences at ease in the reception of His grace. +Scrupulous persons must do exactly whatever their confessor advises, no +matter what they themselves may think. Such persons, as you can plainly +see, should not make general confessions, because their consciences +would be more disturbed than pacified by them. + +You prepare for general confession as you would for any other, except +that you take a longer time for it, and do not pay so much attention to +your more trifling sins. + +218 Q. Why does the priest give us a penance after confession? +A. The priest gives us a penance after confession, that we may satisfy +God for the temporal punishment due to our sins. + +"Penance." The little penance the priest gives may not fully satisfy +God, but shows by our accepting it that we are willing to do penance. +What, for example, is a penance of five "Our Fathers" compared with the +guilt of one mortal sin, for which we would have to suffer in Hell for +all eternity? Then think of the penances performed by the Christians +many centuries ago, in the early ages of the Church. There were four +stages of penance. The churches were divided into four parts by railings +and gates. The first railing across the church was at some distance from +the altar, the second was a little below the middle of the church, and +the third was near the door. Those who committed great sins had to stand +clad in coarse garments near the entrance of the church, and beg the +prayers of those who entered. After they had done this kind of penance +for a certain time, they were allowed to come into the church as far as +the second railing. They were allowed to hear the sermon, but were not +permitted to be present at the Mass. After doing sufficient penance, +they were allowed to remain for Mass, but could not receive Holy +Communion. When they had performed all the penance imposed upon them, +they were allowed to receive the Sacraments and enjoy all the rights and +privileges of faithful children of the Church. These penances lasted for +many days and sometimes for years, according to the gravity of the sins +committed. The sins for which these severe penances were performed were +generally sins that had been committed publicly, and hence the penance, +amendment, and reparation had also to be public. + +"Temporal Punishment." Every sin has two punishments attached to it, one +called the eternal and the other the temporal. Let me explain by an +example. If I, turning highway robber, waylay a man, beat him and steal +his watch, I do him, as you see, a double injury, and deserve a double +punishment for the twofold crime of beating and robbing him. He might +pardon me for the injuries caused by the beating, but that would not +free me from the obligation of restoring to him his watch or its value, +for the fact that he forgives me for the act of stealing does not give +me the right to keep what justly belongs to him. Now, when we sin +against God we in the first place insult Him, and secondly rob Him of +what is deservedly His due; namely, the worship, respect, obedience, +love, etc., that we owe Him as our Creator, Preserver, and Redeemer. + +In the Sacrament of Penance God forgives the insult offered by sinning, +but requires us to make restitution for that of which the sin has +deprived Him. In every sin there is an act of turning away from God and +an act of turning to some creature in His stead. If a soldier pledged to +defend his country deserts his army in time of war, he is guilty of a +dishonorable, contemptible act; but if, besides deserting his own army, +he goes over to aid the enemy, he becomes guilty of another and still +greater crime--he becomes a traitor for whom the laws of nations reserve +their severest penalties. By sin we, who in Baptism and Confirmation +have promised to serve God and war against His enemies, desert Him and +go over to them; for Our Blessed Lord has said: He that is not with Me +is against Me. + +We pay the temporal debt due to our sins, that is, make the restitution, +by our penances upon earth, or by our suffering in Purgatory, or by both +combined. + +The penances performed upon earth are very acceptable and pleasing to +God; and hence we should be most anxious to do penance here that we may +have less to suffer in Purgatory. St. Augustine, who had been a great +sinner, often prayed that God might send him many tribulations while on +earth, that he might have less to endure in Purgatory. Therefore, after +performing the penance the priest gives you in the confessional, it is +wise to impose upon yourself other light penances in keeping with your +age and condition, but never undertake severe penances or make religious +vows and promises without consulting your confessor. In every case be +careful first of all to perform the penance imposed upon you in the +reception of the Sacrament. The penance given in confession has a +special value, which none of the penances selected by yourself could +have. + +If you forget to say your penance, your confession is not on that +account worthless; but as the penance is one of the parts of the +Sacrament, namely, the satisfaction, you should say it as soon as +possible, and in the manner your confessor directs. If you cannot +perform the penance imposed by your confessor, you should inform him of +that fact, and ask him to give you another in its stead. + +Indulgences also are a means of satisfying for this temporal punishment. +Sometimes God inflicts the temporal punishment in this world by sending +us misfortunes or sufferings, especially such as are brought on by the +sins committed. + +*219 Q. Does not the Sacrament of Penance remit all punishment due to +sin? +A. 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. + +Remember that Baptism differs from Penance in this respect, that +although they both remit sin, Penance does not take away all the +temporal punishment, while Baptism takes away all the punishment, both +eternal and temporal; so that if we died immediately after Baptism we +would go directly to Heaven, while if we died immediately after Penance +we would generally go to Purgatory to make satisfaction for the temporal +debt. + +*220 Q. Why does God require a temporal punishment as a satisfaction for +sin? +A. God requires a temporal punishment as a satisfaction for sin to teach +us the great evil of sin, and to prevent us from failing again. + +*221 Q. Which are the chief means by which we satisfy God for the +temporal punishment due to sin? +A. 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. + +"Chief," but not the only means. "Fasting," especially the fasts imposed +by the Church--in Lent for instance. Lent is the forty days before +Easter Sunday during which we 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. "Almsgiving"--that is, money or goods given to +the poor. "Spiritual" works of mercy are those good works we do for +persons' souls. "Corporal" works of mercy are those we do for their +bodies. "Ills of life"--sickness or poverty or misfortune, especially +when we have not brought them upon ourselves by sin. + +*222 Q. Which are the chief spiritual works of mercy? +A. 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. + +"To admonish the sinner." If we love our neighbor we should help him in +his distress, even when it is an inconvenience to us. We should help him +also to correct his faults, we should point them out and warn him of +them. We are obliged to do so in the following circumstances: First. +When his fault is a mortal sin. Second. When we have some authority or +influence over him. Third. When there is reason to believe that our +warning will make him better instead of worse. If our advice only makes +him worse, then we should not say anything to him about his fault, but +keep out of his company ourselves. "Ignorant" especially in their +religion. "Doubtful" about something in religion which you can explain +and make clear to them. "Comfort," saying kind words of encouragement to +them. "Wrongs," things not deserved; for example, persons talking ill +about us, accusing us falsely, etc.; but if the false accusations, etc., +are going to give scandal, then we must defend ourselves against them. +If, for instance, lies were told about the father of a family, and it +were likely all his children would believe them and lose their respect +for his authority, then he must let them know the truth. But when we +patiently suffer wrongs that injure only ourselves, and that are known +only to God and ourselves, God sees our sufferings and rewards us. What +matters it what people think we are if God knows all our doings and is +pleased with them? "Living"--especially for the conversion of sinners, +or for those who are on their deathbed. "The dead"--those suffering in +Purgatory, especially if we have ever caused them to sin. + +*223 Q. Which are the chief corporal works of mercy? +A. 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. + +"Ransom the captive"--that is, chiefly those who while teaching or +defending the true religion in pagan lands are taken prisoners by the +enemies of our faith. You have perhaps heard of the Crusades or read +about them in your history. Now let me briefly tell you what they were +and why they were commenced. About the year 570, that is, about thirteen +hundred years ago, when the Christian religion was spread over nearly +the whole world, a man named Mahomet was born in Arabia. He pretended to +be a great prophet sent from God, and gathered many followers about him. +He told them his religion must be spread by the sword. He plundered +cities and towns, and divided the spoils with his followers. He told +them that all who died fighting for him would certainly go to Heaven. In +a short time his followers became very numerous; for his religion was an +easy and profitable one, allowing them to commit sin without fear of +punishment, and giving them share of his plunder. Many others not +influenced by these motives joined his religion for fear of being put to +death. His followers were afterwards called by the general name of +Saracens. They took possession of the Holy Land, of the City of +Jerusalem, of the tomb of Our Lord, and of every spot rendered dear to +Christians by Our Saviour's life and labors there. They persecuted the +Christians who went to visit the Holy Land, and put many of them to +death. When the news of these dreadful crimes reached Europe, the +Christian kings and princes, at the request of the Pope, raised large +armies and set out for the East to war against the Saracens and recover +the Holy Land. Eight of these expeditions, or Crusades, as they are +called, went out during two hundred years, that is, from 1095 to 1272. +Those who took part in them are called Crusaders, from the word cross, +because every soldier wore a red cross upon his shoulder. + +Some of these expeditions were successful, and some were not; but, on +the whole, they prevented the Saracens from coming to Europe and taking +possession of it. Many of the Christian soldiers and many of the +pilgrims who visited the Holy Land were taken prisoners by the Saracens +and held, threatened with death, till the Christians in Europe paid +large sums of money as a ransom for their liberty. To free these +captives was a great act of charity, and is one of the corporal works of +mercy. Ransom means to pay money for another's freedom. Even now there +are sometimes captives in pagan lands. + +A pilgrim is one who goes on a journey to visit some holy place for the +purpose of thus honoring God. He would not be a pilgrim if he went +merely through curiosity. He must go with the holy intention of making +his visit an act of worship. In our time pilgrimages to the Holy Land, +to Rome, and other places are quite frequent. "To harbor"--that is, to +give one who has no home a place of rest. A harbor is an inlet of the +ocean where ships can rest and be out of danger; so we can also call the +home or place of rest given to the homeless a harbor. "Sick," especially +the sick poor and those who have no friends. "To bury" those who are +strangers and have no friends. All Christians are bound to perform these +works of mercy in one way or another. We have been relieved to some +extent of doing the work ourselves by the establishment of institutions +where these things are attended to by communities of holy men or women +called religious. They take charge of asylums for the orphans, homes for +the aged and poor, hospitals for the sick, etc., while many devote +themselves to teaching in colleges, academies, and schools. But if these +good religious do the work for us, we are obliged on our part to give +them the means to carry it on. Therefore we should contribute according +to our means to charitable institutions, and indeed to all institutions +that promote the glory of God and the good of our religion. To explain +more fully, religious are self-sacrificing men and women who, wishing to +follow the evangelical counsels, dedicate their lives to the service of +God. They live together in communities approved by the Church, under the +rule and guidance of their superiors. Their day is divided between +prayer, labor, and good works, more time being given to one or other of +these according to the special end or aim of the community. The houses +in which they live are called convents or monasteries, and the societies +of which they are members are called religious orders, communities, or +congregations. In some of these religious communities of men all the +members are priests, in others some are priests and some are brothers, +and in others still all are brothers. Priests belonging to the religious +orders are called the regular clergy, to distinguish them from the +secular clergy or priests who live and labor in the parishes to which +they are assigned by their bishops. Sisters and nuns mean almost the +same thing, but we generally call those nuns who live under a more +severe rule and never leave the boundaries of their convent. In like +manner friars, monks, and brothers lead almost the same kind of life, +except that the monks practice greater penances and live under stricter +rules. A hermit is a holy man who lives alone in some desert or lonely +place, and spends his life in prayer and mortification. In the early +ages of the Church there were many of these hermits, or Fathers of the +desert, but now religious live together in communities. + +The members of religious orders of men or women take three vows, namely, +of poverty, chastity, and obedience. These orders were founded by holy +persons for some special work approved of by the Church. Thus the +Dominicans were founded by St. Dominic, and their special work was to +preach the Gospel and convert heretics or persons who had fallen away +from the Faith. The Jesuit Fathers were organized by St. Ignatius +Loyola, and their work is chiefly teaching in colleges, and giving +retreats and missions. So also have the Redemptorists, Franciscans, +Passionists, etc., their special works, chiefly the giving of missions. +In a word, every community, of either men or women, must perform the +particular work for which it was instituted. + +But why, you will ask, are there different religious orders? In the +first place, all persons are not fitted for the same kind of work: some +can teach, others cannot; some can bear the fatigue of nursing the sick, +and others cannot. Secondly, when Our Lord was on earth He performed +every good work and practiced every virtue perfectly. He fasted, prayed, +helped the needy, comforted the sorrowful, healed the sick, taught the +ignorant, defended the oppressed, admonished sinners, etc. It would be +impossible for any one community to imitate Our Lord in all His works, +so each community takes one or more particular works of Our Lord, and +tries to imitate Him as perfectly as possible in these at least. Some +communities devote their time to prayer; others attend the sick; others +teach, etc.; and thus when all unite their different works the combined +result is a more perfect imitation of Our Lord's life upon earth. + + + +Lesson 20 +ON THE MANNER OF MAKING A GOOD CONFESSION + + +*224 Q. What should we do on entering the confessional? +A. 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." + +*225 Q. Which are the first things we should tell the priest in +confession? +A. 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. + +*226 Q. After telling the time of our last confession and Communion, +what should we do? +A. 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. + +"We may wish." We should tell every real sin we have never confessed. If +we have no mortal sin to confess, it is well to tell some kind of mortal +sin we have committed in our past life, though confessed before. We +should do this because when we have only very small sins to confess +there is always danger that we may not be truly sorry for them, and +without sorrow there is no forgiveness. But when we add to our +confession some mortal sin that we know we are sorry for, then our +sorrow extends to all our sins, and makes us certain that our confession +is a good one. If you should hear the sin of another person while you +are waiting to make your own confession, you must keep that sin secret +forever. If the person in the confessional is speaking too loud, you +should move away so as not to hear; and if you cannot move, hold your +hands on your ears so that you may not hear what is being said. + +*227 Q. What must we do when the confessor asks us questions? +A. When the confessor asks us questions, we must answer them truthfully +and clearly. + +*228 Q. What should we do after telling our sins? +A. After telling our sins we should listen with attention to the advice +which the confessor may think proper to give. + +The priest in the confessional acts as judge, father, teacher, and +physician. As judge he listens to your accusations against yourself, and +passes sentence according to your guilt or innocence. As a father and +teacher he loves you, and tries to protect you from your enemies by +warning you against them, and teaching you the means to overcome them. +But above all, he is a physician, who will treat your soul for its ills +and restore it to spiritual health. He examines the sins you have +committed, discovers their causes, and then prescribes the remedies to +be used in overcoming them. When anything goes amiss with our bodily +health we speedily have recourse to the physician, listen anxiously to +what he has to say, and use the remedies prescribed. In the very same +way we must follow the priest's advice if we wish our souls to be cured +of their maladies. Just as a person who is unwell would not go one day +to one physician and the next day to another, so a penitent should not +change confessors without a good reason; and if you have any choice to +make let it be made in the beginning, and let it rest on worthy motives. +In a short time your confessor will understand the state of your soul, +as the physician who frequently examines you does the state of your +body. He will know all the temptations, trials, and difficulties with +which you have to contend. He will see whether you are becoming better +or worse; whether you are resisting your bad habits or falling more +deeply into them; also, whether the remedies given are suited to you, +and whether you are using them properly. All this your confessor will +know, and it will save you the trouble of always repeating, and him the +trouble of always asking. Thus the better your confessor knows you and +all the circumstances of your life, the more will he be able to help +you; for besides the forgiveness of your sins there are many other +benefits derived from the Sacrament of Penance. + +But if at any time there should be danger of your making a bad +confession to your own confessor--on account of some feeling of false +shame--then go to any confessor you please; for it is a thousand times +better to seek another confessor than run the risk of making a +sacrilegious confession. + +Never be so much attached to any one confessor that you would remain +away from the Sacraments a long time rather than go to another in his +absence. + +You should not consider the person in the confessional, but the power he +exercises. You should be anxious concerning only this fact: Is there a +priest there who was sent by Our Lord? Is there a minister of Christ +there who has power to pardon my sins? If so, I will humbly go to him, +no matter who he is or what his dispositions. + +*229 Q. How should we end our confession? +A. 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. + +*230 Q. What should we do while the priest is giving us absolution? +A. While the priest is giving us absolution, we should from our heart +renew the Act of Contrition. + +All, especially children, should know this act well before going to +confession. + + + +Lesson 21 +ON INDULGENCES + + +231 Q. What is an indulgence? +A. An indulgence is the remission in whole or in part of the temporal +punishment due to sin. + +I have explained before what the temporal punishment is; namely, the +debt which we owe to God after He has forgiven our sins, and which we +must pay in order that satisfaction be made. It is, as I said, the value +of the watch we must return after we have been pardoned for the act of +stealing. I said this punishment must be blotted out by our penance. +Now, the Church gives us an easy means of so doing, by granting us +indulgences. She helps us by giving us a share in the merits of the +Blessed Virgin and of the saints. All this we have explained when +speaking in the Creed of the communion of saints. + +*232 Q. Is an indulgence a pardon of sin, or a license to commit sin? +A. 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. + +If you are in a state of mortal sin you lose the merit of any good works +you perform. God promises to reward us for good works, and if we are in +the state of grace when we do the good works, God will keep His promise +and give us the reward; but if we are in mortal sin, we have no right or +claim to any reward for good works, because we are enemies of God. For +this reason alone we should never remain even for a short time in mortal +sin, since it is important for us to have all the merit we can. Even +when we will not repent and return to Him, God rewards us for good works +done by giving us some temporal blessings or benefits here upon earth. +He never allows any good work to go unrewarded any more than He allows +an evil deed to go unpunished. Although God is so good to us we +nevertheless lose very much by being in a state of mortal sin; for God's +grace is in some respects like the money in a bank: the more grace we +receive and the better we use it, the more He will bestow upon us. When +you deposit money in a savings bank, you get interest for it; and when +you leave the interest also in the bank, it is added to your capital, +and thus you get interest for the interest. So God not only gives us +grace to do good, but also grace for doing the good, or, in other words, +He gives us grace for using His grace. + +233 Q. How many kinds of indulgences are there? +A. There are two kinds of indulgences--plenary and partial. + +234 Q. What is a plenary indulgence? +A. A plenary indulgence is the full remission of the temporal punishment +due to sin. + +"Full remission"; so that if you gained a plenary indulgence and died +immediately afterwards, you would go at once to Heaven. Persons go to +Purgatory, as you know, to have the temporal punishment blotted out; but +if you have no temporal punishment to make satisfaction for, there is no +Purgatory for you. Gaining a plenary indulgence requires proper +dispositions, as you may understand from its very great advantages. To +gain it we must not only hate sin and be heartily sorry even for our +venial sins, but we must not have a desire for even venial sin. We +should always try to gain a plenary indulgence, for in so doing we +always gain at least part of it, or a partial indulgence, greater or +less according to our dispositions. + +235 Q. What is a partial indulgence? +A. A partial indulgence is the remission of a part of the temporal +punishment due to sin. + +*236 Q. How does the Church by means of indulgences remit the temporal +punishment due to sins? +A. 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. + +"Superabundant" means more than was necessary. (See explanation of +communion of saints in the "Creed.") + +237 Q. What must we do to gain an indulgence? +A. To gain an indulgence we must be in a state of grace and perform the +works enjoined. + +"Works"--to visit certain churches or altars; to give alms; to say +certain prayers, etc. For a plenary indulgence it is required in +addition to go to confession and Holy Communion, and to pray for the +intention of our Holy Father the Pope; for this last requirement it is +sufficient to recite one Our Father and one Hail Mary. Now, what does +praying for the intention of the Pope or bishop or anyone else mean? It +does not mean that you are to pray for the Pope himself, but for +whatever he is praying for or wishes you to pray for. For instance, on +one day the Holy Father may be praying for the success of some missions +that he is establishing in pagan lands; on another, he may be praying +that the enemies of the Church may not succeed in their plans against +it; on another, he may be praying for the conversion of some nation, and +so on; whatever he is praying for or wishes you to pray for is called +his intention. + +There are three basic ways of gaining a partial indulgence. A partial +indulgence can be gained by: 1) raising one's heart to God amidst the +duties and trials of life and making a pious invocation, even only +mentally; 2) giving of oneself or one's goods to those in need; 3) +voluntarily depriving oneself of something pleasing, in a spirit of +penance. + +A partial indulgence is also granted for reciting various well-known +prayers, such as the acts of faith, hope, charity and contrition, and +for performing certain acts of devotion, such as making a Spiritual +Communion. + +To gain an indulgence you must also have the intention of gaining it. +There are many prayers that we sometimes say to which indulgences are +attached, and we do not know it. How can we gain them? By making a +general intention every morning while saying our prayers to gain all the +indulgences we can during the day, whether we know them or not. For +example, there is a partial indulgence granted us every time we devoutly +make the Sign of the Cross or devoutly use an article of devotion, such +as a crucifix or scapular, properly blessed by any priest. Many may not +know of these indulgences; but if they have the general intention +mentioned above, they will gain the indulgence every time they perform +the work. In the same way, by having this intention all those who are in +the habit of going to confession every two weeks are able to gain a +plenary indulgence when they fulfill the other prescribed conditions for +gaining a plenary indulgence, even when they do not know that they are +gaining the indulgence. + +Since partial indulgences were formerly designated by specific amounts +of time, you sometimes see printed after a little prayer: An indulgence +of forty days, or, an indulgence of one hundred days, or of a year, etc. +What does that mean? Does it mean that a person who said that prayer +would get out of Purgatory forty days sooner than he would have if he +had not said it? No. I told you how the early Christians were obliged to +do public penance for their sins; to stand at the door of the church and +beg the prayers of those entering. Sometimes their penance lasted for +forty days, sometimes for one hundred days, and sometimes for a longer +period. By an indulgence of forty days the Church granted the remission +of as much of the temporal punishment as the early Christians would have +received for doing forty days' public penance. Just how much of the +temporal punishment God blotted out for forty days' public penance we do +not know; but whatever it was, God blotted out just the same for one who +gained an indulgence of forty days by saying a little prayer to which +the indulgence was attached. But why, you may wonder, did the early +Christians do such penances? Because in those days their faith was +stronger than ours, and they understood better than we do the malice of +sin and the punishment it deserves. Later the Christians grew more +careless about their religion and the service of God. The Church, +therefore, wishing to save its children, made it easier for them to do +penance. If it had continued to impose the public penances, many would +not have performed them, and thus would have lost their souls. + + + +Lesson 22 +ON THE HOLY EUCHARIST + + +238 Q. What is the Holy Eucharist? +A. 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. + +When we say "contains," we mean the Sacrament which is the body and +blood, etc. The Holy Eucharist is the same living body of Our Lord which +He had upon earth; but it is in a new form, under the appearances of +bread and wine. Therefore Our Lord in the tabernacle can see and hear +us. + +*239 Q. When did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist? +A. Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper, the night +before He died. + +"Last Supper," on Holy Thursday night. (See Explanation of the Passion, +Lesson 8, Question 78.) + +*240 Q. Who were present when Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist? +A. When Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist the twelve Apostles were +present. + +*241 Q. How did Our Lord institute the Holy Eucharist? +A. 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." + +"Eucharist" means thanks. Hence this Sacrament is called Eucharist, +because Our Lord gave thanks before changing the bread and wine into His +body and blood, and because the offering of it to God is the most solemn +act of thanksgiving. "Do this"--that is, the same thing I am doing, +namely, changing bread and wine into My body and blood. +"Commemoration"--that is, to remind you of Me, that you may continue to +do the same till the end of time. + +*242 Q. What happened when Our Lord said, "This is My body, this is My +blood"? +A. 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. + +"Substance" literally means that which stands underneath. Underneath +what? Underneath the outward appearances or qualities--such as color, +taste, figure, smell, etc.--that are perceptible to our senses. +Therefore we never see the substance of anything. Of this seat, for +instance, I see the color, size, and shape; I feel the hardness, etc.; +but I do not see the substance, namely, the wood of which it is made. +When the substance of anything is changed, the outward appearances +change with it. But not so in the Holy Eucharist; for by a miracle the +appearances of bread and wine remain the same after the substance has +been changed as they were before. As the substance alone is changed in +the Holy Eucharist, and as I cannot see the substance, I cannot see the +change. I am absolutely certain, however, that the change takes place, +because Our Lord said so; and I believe Him, because He could not +deceive me. He is God, and God could not tell a lie, because He is +infinite truth. This change is a great miracle, and that is the reason +we cannot understand it, though we believe it. Once at a marriage in +Cana of Galilee (John 2) Our Lord changed water into wine. The people +were poor, and Our Lord, His Blessed Mother, and the Apostles were +present at the wedding when the wine ran short; and our Blessed Lady, +always so kind to everyone, wishing to spare these poor people from +being shamed before their friends, asked Our Lord to perform the +miracle, and at her request He did so, and changed many vessels of water +into the best of wine. In that miracle Our Lord changed the substance of +the water into the substance of the wine. Why, then, could He not change +in the same way and by the same power the substance of bread and wine +into the substance of His own body and blood? When He changed the water +into wine, besides changing the substance, He changed everything else +about it; so that it had no longer the appearance of water, but everyone +could see that it was wine. But in changing the bread and wine into His +body and blood He changes only the substance, and leaves everything else +unchanged so that it still looks and tastes like bread and wine; even +after the change has taken place and you could not tell by looking at it +that it was changed. You know it only from your faith in the words of +our divine Lord, when He tells you it is changed. + +Again, it is much easier to change one thing into another than to make +it entirely out of nothing. Anyone who can create out of nothing can +surely change one thing into another. Now Our Lord, being God, created +the world out of nothing; and He could therefore easily change the +substance of bread into the substance of flesh. I have said Our Lord's +body in the Holy Eucharist is a living body, and every living body +contains blood; and that is why we receive both the body and the blood +of Our Lord under the appearance of the bread alone. The priest receives +the body and blood of Our Lord under the appearance of both bread and +wine, while the people receive it only under the appearance of bread. +The early Christians used to receive it as the priest does--under the +appearance of bread and under the appearance of wine; but the Church had +to make a change on account of circumstances. First, all the people had +to drink from the same chalice or cup, and some would not like that, and +show disrespect for the Blessed Sacrament by refusing it. Then there was +great danger of spilling the precious blood, passing it from one to +another; and finally, some said that Christ's blood was not in His body +under the appearance of bread. This was false; and to show that it was +false, and for the other reasons, the Church after that gave Holy +Communion to the people under the appearance of bread alone. The Church +always believes and teaches the same truths. It always believed that the +Holy Eucharist under the appearance of bread contained also Our Lord's +blood; but it taught it more clearly when it was denied. + +*243 Q. Is Jesus Christ whole and entire both under the form of bread +and under the form of wine? +A. Jesus Christ is whole and entire both under the form of bread and +under the form of wine. + +*244 Q. 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? +A. 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. + +245 Q. What do you mean by the appearances of bread and wine? +A. By the appearances of bread and wine I mean the figure, the color, +the taste, and whatever appears to the senses. + +"Senses"--that is, eyes, ears, etc. Thus we have the sense of seeing, +the sense of hearing, the sense of tasting, the sense of smelling, the +sense of feeling. + +The Holy Eucharist is the body of Our Lord just as long as the +appearances of bread and wine remain, and when they go away Our Lord's +body goes also. For example, if a church, tabernacle and all, was buried +by a great earthquake, and after many years the people succeeded in +getting at the tabernacle and opening it, and then found in the +ciborium--that is, the vessel in which the Blessed Sacrament is kept in +the tabernacle--only black dust, Our Lord would not be there, although +He was there when the church was buried. He would not be there, because +there was no longer the appearance of bread there: it had all been +changed into ashes by time, and Our Lord left it when the change took +place. But if the appearance of bread had remained unchanged, He would +be there even after so many years. + +When we receive Holy Communion, the appearance of bread remains for +about fifteen or twenty minutes after we receive, and then it changes or +disappears. Therefore during these fifteen or twenty minutes that the +appearance remains Our Lord Himself is really with us; and for that +reason we should remain about twenty minutes after Mass on the day we +receive, making a thanksgiving, speaking to Our Lord, and listening to +Him speaking to our conscience. What disrespect some people show Our +Lord by rushing out of the church immediately after Mass and Holy +Communion, sometimes beginning to talk or look around before making any +thanksgiving! When you receive Holy Communion, after returning to your +seat you need not immediately begin to read your prayerbook, but may bow +your head and speak to Our Lord while He is present with you. After the +appearances of bread vanish, Our Lord's bodily presence goes also, but +He remains with us by His grace as long as we do not fall into mortal +sin. + +*246 Q. What is this change of the bread and wine into the body and +blood of Our Lord called? +A. This change of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Our Lord +is called Transubstantiation. + +"Transubstantiation"--that is, the changing of one substance into +another substance; for example, the changing of the wood in a seat into +stone. + +*247 Q. How was the substance of the bread and wine changed into the +substance of the body and blood of Christ? +A. The substance of the bread and wine was changed into the substance of +the body and blood of Christ by His almighty power. + +*248 Q. Does this change of bread and wine into the body and blood of +Christ continue to be made in the Church? +A. 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. + +249 Q. When did Christ give His priests the power to change bread and +wine into His body and blood? +A. Christ gave His priests the power to change bread and wine into His +body and blood when He said to His Apostles, "Do this in commemoration +of Me." + +250 Q. How do the priests exercise this power of changing bread and wine +into the body and blood of Christ? +A. 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 the words of Christ: "This is My body; this is My blood." + +"Consecration." At what part of the Mass are the words of consecration +pronounced? Just before the Elevation; that is, just before the priest +holds up the Host and the chalice, while the altar boy rings the bell. + +When the priest is going to say Mass he prepares everything necessary in +the sacristy--the place or room near the altar where the sacred vessels +and vestments are kept, and where the priest vests. He takes the +chalice--that is, the long silver or gold goblet--out of its case; then +he covers it with a long, narrow, white linen cloth called a +purificator. Over this he places a small silver or gold plate called the +paten, on which he places a host--that is, a thin piece of white bread +prepared for Mass, perfectly round, and about the size of the bottom of +a small drinking glass. He then covers this host with a white card, +called a pall, after which he covers the chalice and all with a square +cloth or veil that matches the vestments. Then he puts on his own +vestments as follows: Over his shoulders the amice, a square, white +cloth. Next the alb, a long white garment reaching down to his feet. He +draws it about his waist with the cincture, or white cord. He places on +his left arm the maniple, a short, narrow vestment. Around his neck he +places the stole, a long, narrow vestment with a cross on each end. Over +all he places the chasuble, or large vestment with the cross on the +back. Lastly, he puts on his cap or biretta. Before going further I must +say something about the color and signification of the vestments. There +are five colors used, namely, white, red, green, violet, and black. +White signifies innocence, and is used on the feasts of Our Lord, of the +Blessed Virgin, and of some saints. Red signifies love, and is used on +the feasts of the Holy Ghost and of the martyrs. Green signifies hope, +and is used on Sundays from the Epiphany to Pentecost, unless some feast +requiring another color falls on Sunday. Violet signifies penance, and +is used in Advent and Lent. Black signifies sorrow, and is used on Good +Friday and in Masses for the dead. As regards the vestments themselves: +the amice signifies preparation to resist the attacks of the devil; the +alb is the symbol of innocence; the cincture of charity; the maniple of +penance; the stole of immortality; and the chasuble of love, by which we +are enabled to bear the light burden Our Lord is pleased to lay upon us. + +Vested as described, when the candles have been lighted on the altar, +the priest takes the covered chalice in his hand and goes to the altar, +where, after arranging everything, he begins Mass. After saying many +prayers, he uncovers the chalice, and the acolyte or altar boy brings up +wine and water, and the priest puts some into the chalice. Then he says +a prayer, and offers to God the bread and wine to be consecrated. This +is called the offertory of the Mass, and takes place after the boy +presents the wine and water. Immediately after the Sanctus the priest +begins what is called the Canon of the Mass, and soon after comes to the +time of consecration, and has before him on the paten the white bread, +or host, and in the chalice wine. Remember, it is only bread and wine as +yet. After saying some prayers the priest bends down over the altar and +pronounces the words of consecration, namely, "This is My body," over +the bread; and "This is My blood," over the wine. Then there is no +longer the bread the priest brought out and the wine the boy gave, upon +the altar, but instead of both the body and blood of Our Lord. After the +words of consecration, the priest genuflects or kneels before the altar +to adore Our Lord, who just came there at the words of consecration; he +next holds up the body of Our Lord--the Host--for the people also to see +and adore it; he then replaces it on the altar and again genuflects. He +does just the same with the chalice. This is called the Elevation. The +altar boy then rings the bell to call the people's attention to it, for +it is the most solemn part of the Mass. After more prayers the priest +takes and consumes, that is, swallows, the sacred Host and drinks the +precious blood from the chalice. Then the people come up to the altar to +receive Holy Communion. But where does the priest get Holy Communion for +them if he himself took all he consecrated? He opens the tabernacle, and +there, in a large, beautiful vessel he has small Hosts. He consecrates a +large number of these small hosts sometimes while he is consecrating the +larger one for himself. When they are consecrated, he places them in the +tabernacle, where they are kept with the sanctuary lamp burning before +them, till at the different Masses they have all been given out to the +people. Then he consecrates others at the next Mass, and does as before. +The size of the Host does not make the slightest difference, as Our Lord +is present whole and entire in the smallest particle of the Host. A +little piece that you could scarcely see would be the body of Our Lord. +However, the particle that is given to the people is about the size of a +twenty-five-cent piece, so that they can swallow it before it melts. In +receiving Holy Communion you must never let it entirely dissolve in your +mouth, for if you do not swallow it you will not receive Holy Communion +at all. + +Here I might tell you what Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is. The +priest sometimes consecrates at the Mass two large hosts, one he +consumes himself, as I have told you, and the other he places in the +tabernacle in a little gold case. When it is time for Benediction, he +places this little case--made of glass and gold, about the size of a +watch--in the gold or silver monstrance which you see on the altar at +Benediction. It is made to represent rays of light coming from the +Blessed Sacrament. After the choir sings, the priest says the prayer and +goes up and blesses the people with the Blessed Sacrament; that is, when +he holds up the monstrance over the people Our Lord Himself blesses +them. Should we not be very anxious, therefore, to go to Benediction? If +the bishop came to the church, we would all be anxious to receive his +blessing; and if our Holy Father the Pope came, everybody would rush to +the church. But what are they compared to Our Lord Himself? And yet when +He comes to give His blessing, many seem to care little about it. +Because Our Lord in His goodness is pleased to give us His blessing +often, we are indifferent about it. The holy teachers and fathers of the +Church tell us that if we could see the sanctuary at Mass and +Benediction as it really is, we would see it filled with angels all +bowed down, adoring Our Lord. These good angels must be very much +displeased at those who are so indifferent at Mass or Benediction as not +to pay any attention; and above all, at those who stay away. The large +silk cloak the priest wears at Benediction is called the cope, and the +long scarf that is placed over his shoulders the humeral, or Benediction +veil. At the words of consecration, you must know, the priest does not +say "This is Christ's body," but "This is My body"; for at the altar the +priest is there in the place of Our Lord Himself. It is Our Lord who +offers up the sacrifice, and the priest is His instrument. That is why +the priest wears vestments while saying Mass or performing his sacred +duties, to remind him that he is, as it were, another person; that he is +not acting in his own name or right, but in the name and place of our +Blessed Lord. + +I have given you in a general way a description of the Mass: let me now +mention its particular parts by their proper names, and tell you what +they are. At the foot of the altar the priest says the Confiteor, a +psalm, and other prayers as a preparation. Then he ascends the altar +steps--praying as he goes--and says the Introit, which is some portion +of the Holy Scripture suitable to the feast of the day. He next says the +Kyrie Eleison, which means: Lord, have mercy on us. He then says the +Gloria, or hymn of praise, though not in all Masses. After the Gloria he +says the Collect, which is a collection of prayers in which the priest +prays for the needs of the Church and of its children. This is followed +by the Epistle, which is a part of the Holy Scripture. Then the +Mass-book is removed to the other side of the altar, and the priest +reads the Gospel--that is, some portion of the Gospel written by the +evangelists. After the Gospel the priest, except in some Masses, says +the Creed, which is a profession of his faith in the mysteries of our +religion. After this the priest uncovers the chalice, and offers up the +bread and wine which is to be consecrated. This is called the Offertory +of the Mass. The offertory is followed by the Lavabo, or washing of the +priest's hands: first, that the priest's hands may be purified to touch +the Sacred Host; and, second, to signify the purity of soul he must have +to offer the Holy Sacrifice. After saying some prayers in secret he says +the Preface, which is a solemn hymn of praise and thanksgiving. The +Preface ends with the Sanctus. The Sanctus is followed by the Canon of +the Mass. Canon means a rule; so this part of the Mass is called the +Canon, because it never changes. The Epistle, Gospel, prayers, etc., are +different on the different feasts, but the Canon of the Mass is always +the same. The Canon is the part of the Mass from the Sanctus down to the +time the priest again covers the chalice. After the Canon the priest +says the Post-Communion, or prayer after Communion; then he gives the +blessing and goes to the other side of the altar, and ends Mass by +saying the last Gospel. + +During the Mass the priest frequently makes the Sign of the Cross, +genuflects or bends the knee before the altar, strikes his breast, etc. +What do all these ceremonies mean? By the cross the priest is reminded +of the death of Our Lord; he genuflects as an act of humility, and he +strikes his breast to show his own unworthiness. You will understand all +the ceremonies of the altar if you remember that Our Lord--the King of +kings--is present on it, and the priest acts in His presence as the +servants in a king's palace would act when approaching their king or in +his presence, showing their respect by bowing, kneeling, etc. You will +see this more clearly if you watch the movements of the priest at the +altar while the Blessed Sacrament is exposed. + + + +Lesson 23 +ON THE END FOR WHICH THE HOLY EUCHARIST WAS INSTITUTED + + +251 Q. Why did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist? +A. Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist: + +(1) To unite us to Himself and to nourish our souls with His divine + life. +(2) To increase sanctifying grace and all the virtues in our souls. +(3) To lessen our evil inclinations. +(4) To be a pledge of everlasting life. +(5) To fit our bodies for a glorious resurrection. +(6) To continue the sacrifice of the Cross in His Church. + +"To nourish." The Holy Eucharist does to our souls what natural food +does to our bodies. It strengthens them and makes up for the losses we +have sustained by sin, etc. "A pledge," because it does not seem +probable that a person who all during life had been fed and nourished +with the sacred body of Our Lord should after death be buried in Hell. +"To fit our bodies," because Our Lord has promised that if we eat His +flesh and drink His blood, that is, receive the Holy Eucharist, He will +raise us up on the last day, or Day of Judgment. (John 6:55). + +*252 Q. How are we united to Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist? +A. We are united to Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist by means of Holy +Communion. + +253 Q. What is Holy Communion? +A. Holy Communion is the receiving of the body and blood of Christ. + +Holy Communion is therefore the receiving of the Sacrament of Holy +Eucharist. + +254 Q. What is necessary to make a good Communion? +A. To make a good Communion it is necessary to be in a state of +sanctifying grace, to be fasting for one hour, and to have a right +intention. + +"Fasting"--that is, not having taken any food or drink for one hour +before the time of Communion. (Water and true medicine do not break the +fast and may be taken at any time.) What, then, are you to do, if, +without thinking, you break your fast? Do not go to Communion at that +Mass; you can remain in church and receive Communion at the following +Mass. Never, never, on any account, go to Holy Communion when you have +broken your fast. Never let fear or shame or anything else make you do +such a thing. It is no shame to break your fast by mistake; but it is a +great sin to knowingly go to Communion after breaking your fast. + +"A right intention"--holy and spiritual motive, such as, to obey Our +Lord's command, to receive strength to resist temptation, or to be +united with Our Lord. + +255 Q. Does he who receives Communion in mortal sin receive the body and +blood of Christ? +A. 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. + +"The body and blood," because the appearance of bread and wine is there +after consecration, and he receives it. He who receives the Holy +Eucharist in mortal sin receives Our Lord into a filthy soul. If a great +and highly-esteemed friend was coming to visit your house, would you not +take care to have everything clean and neat, and pleasing to him? And +the greater the dignity of the person coming, the more careful you would +be. But what are all the persons of dignity in the world--kings or +popes--compared with Our Lord, who leaves the beauties of Heaven to come +to visit our soul? and the purest we can make it is not pure enough for +Him. But He is kind to us, and is satisfied with our poor preparation if +He sees we are doing our very best. But oh, what a shame to receive Him +into our soul without any preparation! and more horrible still, to fill +it with vile sins, that we know are most disgusting to Him! No wonder, +therefore, that receiving Holy Communion unworthily is so great a crime, +and so deserving of God's punishment. Why should not the heavenly Father +punish us for treating His beloved Son with such shameful disrespect and +contempt? + +*256 Q. Is it enough to be free from mortal sin, to receive plentifully +the graces of Holy Communion? +A. 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. + +*257 Q. What is the fast necessary for Holy Communion? +A. The fast necessary for Holy Communion is the abstaining for one hour +from everything which is taken as food or drink. + +{T.N.: The reprint book, upon which this e-text is based, contains the +statement, "published . . . with minor revisions to conform with the new +regulations on fasting and indulgences, etc."} + +"Food or drink." If you swallowed a button, for example, it would not +break your fast, because it is not food or drink. + +*258 Q. Is anyone ever allowed to receive Holy Communion when not +fasting? +A. Anyone in danger of death is allowed to receive Communion when not +fasting. + +"Not fasting." But then the Holy Communion is called by another name; it +is called the Viaticum, and the priest uses a different prayer in giving +it to the sick person. When a person dies, he goes, as it were, on a +journey from this world to the next. Now, when persons are going on a +journey they must have food to strengthen them. Our Lord wished, +therefore, that all His children who had to go on this most important of +all journeys--from this world to the next--should be first strengthened +by this sacred food, His own body and blood. The Latin word for road or +way is via, and Viaticum therefore means food for the way. Not only are +persons in danger of death allowed to receive when not fasting, but they +are obliged to receive; and the priest is obliged under pain of sin to +bring Holy Communion to the dying at any hour of the day or night. + +When I speak of a great journey from this world to the next, from earth +to Heaven, you must not understand me to mean that it is a great many +miles from earth to Heaven, or that it takes a long time to go to the +next world. No. We cannot measure the distance, nor does it take time to +get there. The instant we die, no matter where that happens, our soul is +in the next world, and judged by God. + +*259 Q. When are we bound to receive Holy Communion? +A. We are bound to receive Holy Communion, under pain of mortal sin, +during the Easter time and when in danger of death. + +*260 Q. Is it well to receive Holy Communion often? +A. 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 graces and +the Source of all good. + +*261 Q. What should we do after Holy Communion? +A. After Holy Communion we should spend some time in adoring Our Lord, +in thanking Him for the graces we have received and in asking Him for +the blessings we need. + + + +Lesson 24 +ON THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS + + +262 Q. When and where are the bread and wine changed into the body and +blood of Christ? +A. The bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ at +the consecration in the Mass. + +263 Q. What is the Mass? +A. The Mass is the unbloody sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ. + +The Holy Sacrifice is called Mass probably from the words the priest +says at the end when he turns to the people and says, "Ite Missa est"; +that is, when he tells them the Holy Sacrifice is over. + +*264 Q. What is a sacrifice? +A. 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. + +"Sacrifice." From the very earliest history of man we find people--for +example, Abel, Noe, etc.--offering up sacrifice to God; that is, taking +something and offering it to God, and then destroying it to show that +they believed God to be the Master of life and death, and the Supreme +Lord of all things. These offerings were sometimes plants or fruits, but +most frequently animals. + +When men lost the knowledge of the true God and began to worship idols +of wood and stone, they began or continued to offer sacrifice to these +false gods. Very often, too, they sacrificed human beings to please, as +they imagined, these gods. They believed there was a god for +everything--a god for the ocean, a god for thunder, a god for wind, for +war, etc.; and when anything happened that frightened or injured the +people, they believed that some of these gods were offended, and offered +up sacrifice to pacify them. They had a temple in Rome called the +Pantheon, or temple of all the gods, and here they kept the idols of all +the gods they could think of or know. At Athens, they were afraid of +neglecting any god whom they might thus give offense, and so they had an +altar for the unknown god. When St. Paul came to preach, he saw this +altar to the unknown god, and told them that was the God he came to +preach about. (Acts 17). He preached to them the existence of the true +God, and showed them that there is only one God and not many gods. + +They did not have these idols of wood and stone in their temples for the +same reason that we have images in our churches, because they believed +that the idols were really gods, and offered sacrifice to them, whereas +we know that our images are the works of men. Near the city of Jerusalem +there was a great idol named Molech, to which parents offered their +infants in sacrifice. We know, too, from the history of this country +that the Indians used to send a beautiful young girl in a white canoe +over the falls of Niagara every year, as a sacrifice offered to the god +of the falls. Even yet human sacrifices are offered up on savage +islands. Sometimes certain animals were selected to be heathen gods. The +people who worship idols, animals, or other things of that kind as gods +are called pagans, idolaters, or heathens. + +The Israelites, who worshipped the true God and offered Him sacrifices +because He made known to them by revelation that they should do so, had +four kinds of sacrifice. They offered one for sin, another in +thanksgiving for benefits received, another as an act of worship, and +another to beg God's blessing. It is just for these four ends or objects +we offer up the one Christian sacrifice of the holy Mass. In the +beginning the head of the family offered sacrifice--as Noe did when he +came out of the Ark--but after God gave His laws to Moses He appointed +priests to offer up the sacrifices. Aaron, the brother of Moses, was the +first priest appointed, and after him his descendants were priests. When +Our Lord came and instituted a new sacrifice He established the +priesthood of the New Law, and appointed His own priests, namely, the +Apostles, with St. Peter as their chief, and after them their lawfully +appointed successors, the bishops of the world, with the Pope as their +chief. The sacrifices of the Old Law were figures of the sacrifice of +the New Law, and were to cease at its institution; and when the ancient +sacrifices ceased the ancient priesthood was at an end. + +265 Q. Is the Mass the same sacrifice as that of the Cross? +A. The Mass is the same sacrifice as that of the Cross. + +But how is the Mass a sacrifice? It is a sacrifice because at the Mass +the body and blood of Our Lord are offered to His heavenly Father at the +consecration, and afterwards consumed by the priest. In offering up the +body and blood of Our Lord the bread and wine are consecrated +separately, and kept separate on the altar at Mass to signify their +separation at Our Lord's death in the sacrifice of the Cross, when His +sacred blood flowed from His body. The Holy Eucharist is also a +Sacrament, because it has the three things necessary to constitute a +Sacrament; namely, (1) The outward sign--that is, the appearance of +bread and wine. (2) The inward grace; for it is Jesus Christ Himself, +the Author and Dispenser of all graces. (3) It was instituted by Our +Lord. + +The Holy Eucharist is therefore both a sacrifice and a Sacrament. It is +a sacrifice when offered at Mass, and a Sacrament when we receive it and +when it is reserved in the tabernacle. + +*266 Q. How is the Mass the same sacrifice as that of the Cross? +A. 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. + +On the Cross the offering was the body and blood of Our Lord; the one +who offered it was Our Lord; the reason for which He offered it was that +He might atone for sin; the one to whom He offered it was His heavenly +Father. Now, at Mass it is the same. The object offered is Our Lord's +body and blood, the one suffering is Our Lord Himself, through the +priest; it is offered for sin, and it is offered to the heavenly Father. +All things are the same, except that the blood of Our Lord is not shed, +and Our Lord does not die again. + +*267 Q. What are the ends for which the sacrifice of the Cross was +offered? +A. The ends for which the sacrifice of the Cross was offered were: +first, to honor and glorify God; second, to thank Him for all the graces +bestowed on the whole world; third, to satisfy God's justice for the +sins of men; fourth, to obtain all graces and blessings. + +*268 Q. Is there any difference between the sacrifice of the Cross and +the sacrifice of the Mass? +A. 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. + +269 Q. How should we assist at Mass? +A. We should assist at Mass with great interior recollection and piety +and with every outward mark of respect and devotion. + +If you were admitted into the presence of a king or of the Holy Father +you would be careful not to show any indifference or disrespect in his +presence. You would not be guilty of looking around or of talking idly +to those near you. Your eyes would be constantly fixed on the great +person present. So should you be at Mass, for there you are admitted +into the presence of the King of kings, our divine Lord. Your whole +attention, therefore, should be reverently given to Him, and to no +other. How displeasing it must be to Him to have some in His presence +who care so little for Him and who insult Him without thought or regard! +If we acted in the presence of any prince as we sometimes act in the +presence of Our Lord on the altar, we should be turned out of his house, +with orders not to come again. But Our Lord suffers all patiently and +meekly, though He will not allow any of this disrespect to go unpunished +in this world or in the next. Knowing this, some holy persons offer up +their prayers and Holy Communions in reparation for these insults, and +try to atone for all the insults offered to Our Lord in the Blessed +Sacrament. They have united in holy society for this purpose, called the +Apostleship of Prayer, or League of the Sacred Heart, now established in +many parishes. If you do not belong to such a society, you should make +such an offering yourself privately. + +In the Old Law the people brought to the temple whatever they wished the +priests to offer up for them--sometimes a lamb, sometimes a dove, +sometimes fruit, etc. The offering or sacrifice was theirs, and they +offered it up by the hands of the priests. In the early ages of the +Church the Christians brought to the priests the bread and wine to be +consecrated and offered up at Mass. Now as the bread and wine used at +the Mass must be of a particular kind, namely, wheaten bread and wine of +the grape, there was some danger of the people not bringing the proper +kind: so instead of the people bringing these things themselves, the +priests began to buy them, and the people gave him money for his own +support; and thus you have the origin of offering money to the priest +for celebrating Mass for your intention. The money is not to pay for the +Mass, because you could not buy any sacred thing without committing sin. +The priest may use the money also for the candles burned, the vestments +and sacred vessels, etc., used at the Mass. To buy a holy thing for +money is the sin of simony--so called after Simon, a magician, who tried +to bribe the Apostles to give him Confirmation when he was unworthy of +it. To buy religious articles before they are blessed is not simony, nor +even after they are blessed, if you pay only for the material of which +they are made; but if you tried to buy the blessing, it would be simony. +When the Holy Mass is offered, the fruits or benefits of it are divided +into four classes. The first benefit comes to the priest who celebrates +the Mass; the second, to the one for whom he offers the Mass; the third +benefit to those who are present at it; and the fourth to all the +faithful throughout the world. + +*270 Q. Which is the best manner of hearing Mass? +A. 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. + +That is, to offer it up for whatever intention the priest is offering +it--for the dead, for the conversion of sinners, for the good of others, +etc.; but especially for the four ends of which I have already +spoken--to worship God, thank Him, etc. "Christ's death," of which it +reminds us. "Holy Communion," if we are in a state of grace, and have +prepared to receive Communion. + +You should go to Holy Communion as often as possible, and you should try +every day to make yourself more worthy of that great Sacrament. Think of +it! To receive your God and Saviour into your soul, and to be united +with Him, as the word communion means! The early Christians used to go +to Communion very frequently. The Church requires us to go to Holy +Communion at least once a year, but we should not be satisfied with +doing merely what is necessary to avoid mortal sin. Do we try to keep +away from persons we love? Then if we really love Our Lord should we not +desire to receive Him? All good Catholics should go to Holy Communion at +least once a week, on Sunday. Persons wishing to lead truly holy lives +should go to Communion more often, or even every day. + +When we cannot go really to Communion we can merit God's grace by making +a spiritual Communion. What is a spiritual Communion? It is an earnest +desire to receive Communion. You prepare yourself as if you were really +going to Communion; you try to imagine yourself going up, receiving the +Blessed Sacrament, and returning to your place. Then you thank God for +all His blessings to you as you would have done had you received. This +is an act of devotion, and one very pleasing to God, as many holy +writers tell us. + +I cannot leave this lesson on the Holy Eucharist without telling you +something of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, now so +universally practiced and so closely connected with the devotion to the +Blessed Sacrament. The Church grants many indulgences, and Our Lord +Himself promises many rewards to those who honor the Sacred Heart. But +what do we mean by the Sacred Heart? We mean the real natural heart of +Our Lord, to which His divinity is united as it is to His whole body. +But why do we adore this real, natural heart of Our Lord? We adore it +because love is said to be in the heart, and we wish to return Our Lord +love, and gratitude for the great love He has shown to us in dying for +us, and in instituting the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist, by +which He can remain with us in His sacred humanity. When Our Lord +appeared to Saint Margaret Mary He said: "Behold this Heart, that has +loved men so ardently, and is so little loved in return." The first +Friday of every month and the whole month of June are dedicated to the +Sacred Heart. + + + +Lesson 25 +ON EXTREME UNCTION AND HOLY ORDERS + + +"Unction" means the anointing or rubbing with oil or ointment. "Extreme" +means last. Therefore Extreme Unction means the last anointing. It is +called the "last" because other unctions or anointings are received +before it. We are anointed at Baptism on three parts of the body--on the +breast, the back, and the head. We are anointed on the forehead at +Confirmation; and when priests are ordained they are anointed on the +hands. The last time we are anointed is just before death, and it is +therefore very properly called the last anointing, or Extreme Unction. +But if the person should not die after being anointed would it still be +called Extreme Unction? Yes; because at the time it was given it was +thought to be the last. It sometimes happens that persons receive +Extreme Unction several times in their lives, because they could receive +it every time they were in danger of death by sickness. Suppose a person +should die immediately after being anointed in Baptism or Confirmation, +would the anointing in Baptism or Confirmation then become Extreme +Unction? No. Because Extreme Unction is in itself a separate and +distinct Sacrament--a special anointing with prayers for the sick. Oil +is used in Extreme Unction--as in Confirmation--as a sign of strength; +for as the priest applies the holy oil in the Sacrament, the grace of +the Sacrament is taking effect upon the soul. This Sacrament was +instituted as much for the body as for the soul, as all the prayers said +by the priest while administering it indicate. It is given generally +after a person has made his confession and received the Viaticum, and +when his soul is already in a state of grace; showing that it is in a +special way intended for the body. It must be given only in sickness; +for although one might be in danger of death if the danger did not come +from within, but from without, he could not be anointed. A soldier in +battle, persons being shipwrecked, firemen working at a great fire, +etc., could not be anointed, although they are in very great danger of +death; because the danger is not from within themselves, but from +without. If, however, these persons were so frightened that there was +danger of their dying from the fright, they could then be anointed. + +271 Q. What is the Sacrament of Extreme Unction? +A. 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. + +"Anointing." In this Sacrament the priest anoints all our senses--the +eyes, the ears, the nose, the mouth, the hands, and the feet--and at the +same time prays God to forgive the poor sick person all the sins he has +committed by any of these. The eyes, by looking at bad objects or +pictures; the ears, by listening to bad conversation; the nose, by +indulging too much in sensual pleasures; the mouth, by cursing, lying, +bad conversation, backbiting, etc.; the hands, by stealing, fighting, or +doing sinful things; the feet, by carrying us to do wrong or to bad +places. I told you already most of our sins are committed for our body, +and the senses are the chief instruments. "Strength to the body," if it +is for our spiritual welfare. If God foresees, as He foresees all +things, that after our sickness we shall lead better lives and do +penance for our sins, then He may be pleased to restore us to health, +and give us an opportunity of making up for our past faults. But if He +foresees that after our sickness we would again lead bad lives, and fall +perhaps into greater sins, then He will likely take us when we are +prepared, and will not restore us again to health. As He always knows +and does what is best for His children, we must in sickness always be +resigned to His holy will, and be satisfied with what He sees fit to do +with us. + +*272 Q. When should we receive Extreme Unction? +A. We should receive Extreme Unction when we are in danger of death from +sickness, or from a wound or accident. + +*273 Q. Should we wait until we are in extreme danger before we receive +Extreme Unction? +A. 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. + +We should always be glad to receive the grace of the Sacraments. When, +therefore, we are sufficiently ill to be anointed--when there is any +danger of death--we should send for the priest at once. If the sick +person has any chance of recovering, the Sacrament will help him and +hasten the recovery; but if the priest is sent for just when the person +is in the last agony of death, the person could not recover except by a +miracle, and God does not perform miracles for ordinary reasons. If you +are in doubt whether the person is sick enough to receive the last +Sacraments, do not be the judge yourself, send for the priest and let +him judge; and then all the responsibility is removed from you in case +the person should die without the Sacraments. Very often persons are +near death, and their relatives do not know it. The priest, like the +doctor, has experience in these cases, and can judge of the danger. +Again, do not foolishly believe, as some seem to do, that if the priest +comes to anoint the sick person it will frighten him by making him think +he is going to die. It has never been known that the priest killed +anyone by coming to see him; and if these same persons who are now sick +receive the Sacraments in the church from the very same priest, why +should they be afraid to receive them from him in their house? And if +they are so near death that a little fright would kill them, then they +are surely sick enough to receive the Sacraments. The sick person who is +afraid that Extreme Unction will kill him or hasten his death shows that +he has not the proper faith and confidence in God's grace. They who do +not wish to receive Holy Communion or the Holy Viaticum in their houses +do not want Our Lord to visit them. How ungrateful they are! When Our +Lord was on earth the people carried the sick out into the streets to +lay them near Him that He might cure them. Now, He does not require us +to do that, but comes Himself to the sick in the most humble manner, and +they refuse to receive Him. See how ungrateful, therefore, and how +wanting in faith and devotion such persons are! If the sick person is +one who has been careless about his religion, and has for some time +neglected to receive the Sacraments, do not wait for him to ask for the +priest or for his consent to send for him. Few persons ever believe they +are so near death as they really are: they are afraid to think of their +past lives, and do not like to send for the priest, or at least they put +off doing so, frequently till it is too late. The devil tempts them to +put off the reception of the Sacraments, in hopes that they may die +without them, and be his forever. In these cases speak to the sick man +quietly and gently, and ask him if he would not like to have the priest +come and say a few prayers for his recovery. Do not say anything about +the Sacraments if you are afraid he will refuse. Simply bring the priest +to the sick man, and he will attend to all the rest. Even if the person +should refuse--if he has been baptized in the Catholic religion--send +for the priest and explain to him the circumstances and dispositions of +the sick man. It would be terrible to let such persons die without the +Sacraments if there is any possibility of their receiving them. Even +when they refuse to see the priest it generally happens that after he +has once visited them, talked to them, and explained the benefits of the +Sacraments, they are better pleased than anyone else to see him coming +again. + +Sometimes it is God's goodness that sends sickness to such persons, to +bring them back to His worship and the practice of their religion. What +does a good father generally do with an unruly child? He advises and +warns it, and when words have no effect, punishes it with the rod, not +because he wishes to see it suffer, but for its good, that it may give +up its evil habits and become an obedient, loving child. In like manner +God warns sinners by their conscience, by sermons they hear, by +accidents or deaths around about them, etc.; and when none of these +things have any effect on them, He sends them some affliction--He brings +them to a bed of sickness. He punishes them, as it were, with a rod. +This He does, not that He may see them suffer, but for their good; that +they may understand He is their Master, the only one who can give them +health; that all the doctors and all the friends and money in the world +could not save them if He determined that they should die. Then they +come to know that the world is not their friend; then they see things as +they really are, and begin to think of the next world, of eternity, etc. +Thus they again turn to God and to the practices of religion. Many +persons who reform and begin to lead good lives in sickness would never +have changed if God had left them always in good health. But you must +not think that all who are sick are so on account of sin. Sometimes very +holy persons are in a state of sickness, and then it is sent them that +they may bear it patiently, and have great merit before God for their +sufferings, and thus become more holy. Again, very small children who +have never sinned are sick, and then it is perhaps that their parents +may have merit for patiently taking care of them. I say that God +sometimes sends sickness to persons living in sin for the purpose of +bringing them back to a better way of living, and in that case their +sickness is for them a great mercy from God, who might have allowed them +to continue in sin till His judgments and condemnation came suddenly +upon them. + +274 Q. Which are the effects of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction? +A. The effects of Extreme Unction are: first, to comfort us in the pains +of sickness and to strengthen us against temptations; second, to remit +venial sins and to cleanse our soul from the remains of sin; third, to +restore us to health when God sees fit. + +*275 Q. What do you mean by the remains of sin? +A. 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. + +"Remains of sin"--that is, chiefly the bad habits we have acquired by +sin. If a person does a thing very often, he soon begins to do it very +easily, and it becomes, as we say, a habit. So, too, a person who sins +very much soon begins to sin easily. This Sacrament therefore takes away +the ease in sinning and the desire for past sins acquired by frequently +committing them. + +*276 Q. How should we receive the Sacrament of Extreme Unction? +A. We should receive the Sacrament of Extreme Unction in a state of +grace and with lively faith and resignation to the will of God. + +*277 Q. Who is the minister of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction? +A. The priest is the minister of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. + +The Sacraments that the priest administers in the house are the +Sacraments for the sick; namely, Penance, Viaticum, or Holy Communion, +and Extreme Unction. The other Sacraments may be administered there in +special cases of necessity. You should know what things are to be +prepared when the priest comes to administer the Sacraments in your +house. They are as follows: A small table covered with a clean white +cloth, and on it a crucifix and one or two lighted candles in +candlesticks; some holy water in a small vessel, with a sprinkler which +you can make by tying together a few leaves or small pieces of palm; a +glass of clean water, a tablespoon, and a napkin for the sick person to +hold under the chin while receiving; also a piece of white cotton +wadding, if the priest should ask for it. + +Then you may have ready in another place near at hand some water, a +towel, and a piece of bread or lemon for purifying the priest's fingers; +but these things are not always necessary: still, it would be better to +have them ready in case the priest should require them, so as not to +keep him waiting. Every good Catholic family should have all these +things put away carefully in the house. It would be well, though it is +not necessary, to keep a special spoon, napkin, etc., for that purpose +alone. Sometimes persons are taken ill very suddenly in the night, and +when the priest comes they have none of the things they should have; and +if their neighbors are as careless as themselves, they will not have +them either: so the priest is delayed in giving the Sacraments, or is +obliged to administer them in a way that is always disrespectful to Our +Lord. If we would make such preparations for the coming of a friend to +our house, why should we be so careless when Our Lord comes? If a friend +comes when we are not prepared to receive him, we feel very much +ashamed, and make a thousand excuses for our want of thought. Therefore +provide the things necessary for the administration of these Sacraments +in your house, and keep them though they may be seldom if ever required +in your family. + +When Our Lord comes to visit your house receive Him with all possible +respect and reverence. Some good Catholics have the very praiseworthy +practice of meeting the priest at the door with a lighted candle when he +carries the Blessed Sacrament, and of going before him to the sickroom. +This can be done where there is only one family living in the house, or +at least in the apartment. All who can do this should do it, because it +is in keeping with the wish of the Church. In olden times, and even now +in Catholic countries, the priest brings the Blessed Sacrament in +procession to the sick. He goes vested as for Benediction, accompanied +by altar boys with lighted candles and bells. The people kneel by the +way as Our Lord passes. Our Lord is carried in procession always in the +church and on the feast of Corpus Christi, on Holy Thursday, and during +the Devotion of Forty Hours. The Church would like to have this solemn +procession in honor of Our Lord every time the Blessed Sacrament is +brought from one place to another. But this cannot always be done in the +streets, because there are many persons not Catholics who would insult +Our Lord while passing along; and in order to prevent this, the priest +brings the Blessed Sacrament to the dying without any outward display. +But we should always remember the very great respect due to Our Lord, +and do all we can to show it when possible. + +278 Q. What is the Sacrament of Holy Orders? +A. 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. + +"Other ministers," means deacons and subdeacons, properly so-called. +When a young man goes to study for the priesthood--after he has +discovered that God has called him to that sacred office--he passes +several years in learning what is necessary, and in fitting himself for +his sacred duties. After some time he receives what is called tonsure; +that is, on the day of ordination the bishop cuts a little hair from +five places on his head, to show that this young man is giving himself +up to God. The tonsure is a mark of the clerical state, and in Catholic +countries it is made manifest by keeping a small circular spot on the +crown of the head shaved perfectly clean. It reminds the cleric or +priest of having dedicated himself to God, and also of the crown of +thorns worn by Our Blessed Saviour. For this reason some of the holy +monks shaved all the hair from their head, with the exception of a +little ring, which resembles very much a wreath or crown of hair +encircling the head. You often see them thus represented in holy +pictures. + +After the young student has received the tonsure and studied for a +longer time, he receives the four Minor Orders, by which he is permitted +to touch the sacred vessels of the altar, and do certain things about +the church which laymen have not the right to do, especially to serve +Mass. After more preparation he becomes a subdeacon, and then he may +wear vestments and assist the celebrant at Solemn Mass. At a Solemn Mass +there are three priests in vestments. The priest standing on the +platform of the altar and celebrating Mass is called the celebrant; the +one who stands just behind him, generally one step lower, is called the +deacon, and the one who stands behind the deacon and on the lower step +is called the subdeacon. The one who directs the whole ceremony, and +gives signs to the others when to stand, sit down, or kneel, is called +the Master of Ceremonies. + +When speaking of the Mass, I forgot to tell you something about the +different kinds of Masses--that is, different as far as the ceremonies +are concerned, for they are all alike in value. First we have the Low +Mass, such as the priest says every day and at the early hours on +Sundays. It is called low, because there is no display in ceremony about +it. Next we have the High Mass--called Missa Cantata (sung)--at which +the priest and choir sing in turn. Lastly, we have the Solemn High Mass, +at which we have three ministers or priests, and singing by both +ministers and choir, as well as all the ceremonies prescribed by the +Church. When any of these Masses are said in black vestments they are +called Requiem Masses, because the priest offers them for the rest or +happy repose of the soul of some dead person or persons, and the word +requiem means rest. Vespers is a portion of the Divine Office of the +Church. It is sung generally on Sunday afternoon or evening in the +church, and is usually followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. +It is not a mortal sin to stay from Vespers on Sundays, even willfully, +because there is no law of the Church obliging you to attend. +Nevertheless all good Catholics will attend Vespers when possible. + +To continue about the ministers of the Church: When the subdeacon is +ordained a deacon, he can wear still more of the priestly vestments, and +also baptize solemnly, preach, and give Holy Communion. After a time the +deacon is ordained a priest, and receives power to celebrate Mass and +forgive sins. If afterwards the priest should be selected by the Holy +Father to be a bishop, he is consecrated; and then he has power to +administer Confirmation and Holy Orders, ordaining priests and +consecrating bishops. Thus you see there are grades through which the +ministers of the Church must pass. First the tonsure, then Minor Orders, +then subdeaconship, then deaconship, then priesthood. Nuns, Sisters, +Brothers, etc., are not, as some might think, ministers of the Church, +because they have never received any of the Holy Orders. + +The ordained ministers of the Church can perform the duties of any +office for which they have ever been ordained, but not the duties of any +office above that to which they have been ordained. For example, a +subdeacon cannot take the place of a deacon at Mass, nor a deacon the +place of a priest; but a priest may take either of their places, because +he has, at one time, been ordained to both these offices. + +Altar boys should never forget that they are enjoying a very great +privilege in being allowed to take the place of an ordained minister of +the Church, and serve Mass without being ordained acolytes. + +In olden times princes and noblemen used to seek for this wonderful +favor, and count themselves happy if they secured it. Think of it! To +stand so near our Blessed Lord that they are able to see His sacred body +resting upon the altar, and to offer the wine, which a few minutes later +is changed into His very blood! + +*279 Q. What is necessary to receive Holy Orders worthily? +A. 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. + +"Knowledge"--that is, to be able to learn and to have learned all that a +priest should know. + +"Divine call," explained before in the explanation of vocation, a word +that means call. (See Lesson 6, Q. 51.) + +*280 Q. How should Christians look upon the priests of the Church? +A. Christians should look upon the priests of the Church as the +messengers of God and the dispensers of His mysteries. + +"Messengers." Our Lord said to His Apostles: "As the Father sent Me, I +also send you." That is, as the heavenly Father sent His Beloved Son, +Our Lord, into the world to save men's souls, so Our Lord sends His +Apostles and their successors through the world to save souls. God told +the priests of the Old Law that if they did not warn the people of +coming dangers they would be held responsible for the people; but if +they warned the people and the people did not heed, then the people +would be responsible for their own destruction. So, too, in the New Law +the priests warn you against sin, and if you do not heed the warning the +loss of your soul will be upon yourself. Therefore you should take every +warning coming from the ministers of God as you would from Himself, for +it is really God that warns you against sin, and the priests are only +His agents or instruments. "Dispensers"--that is, those who administer +the Sacraments. + +*281 Q. Who can confer the Sacrament of Holy Orders? +A. Bishops can confer the Sacrament of Holy Orders. + +"Confer"--that is, give or administer. So can a cardinal, if he be a +bishop, and so can the Holy Father, who is always a bishop, and called +bishop of Rome, while Pope of the whole Church. It will be well here to +give some explanation about cardinals--who they are, and what they do. +In the United States the President has about him ten prominent men +selected by himself, and called his Cabinet. They are his advisers; he +consults them on all important matters, and assigns to them various +duties. The Holy Father, who is also a ruler--a spiritual ruler--not of +one country, but of the whole world, has also a Cabinet, but it is not +called by that name: it is called the Sacred College of Cardinals. There +are seventy cardinals, to whom the Pope assigns various works in helping +him to govern the Church. Some of these cardinals are in different parts +of the world, as our own cardinals right here in America. There are +cardinals in England, France, Germany, Canada, Spain, etc., but a +certain number always remain in Rome with the Holy Father. When a bishop +is made cardinal he is raised in dignity in the Church, but he does not +receive any greater spiritual power than he had when only a bishop. The +cardinals, owing to their high dignity, have many privileges which +bishops have not. Their greatest privilege is to take part in the +election of a new Pope when the reigning Pope dies. + +The Pope dresses in white, the cardinals in red, the bishops in purple, +and the priests and other ministers in black. A "Monsignor" is also a +title of dignity granted by our Holy Father to some worthy priests. It +gives them certain privileges, and the right to wear purple like a +bishop. The "Vicar General" is one who is appointed by the bishop in the +diocese, and shares his power. In the bishop's absence he acts as bishop +in all temporal and worldly matters and also in some spiritual things, +concerning the diocese. A diocese is the extent of country over which a +bishop is appointed to rule, as a parish is the extent over which a +pastor is appointed to administer the Sacraments and rule under the +direction of the bishop. Pastors are also called rectors. Pastor means a +shepherd, and rector means a ruler; and as all pastors rule their +flocks, pastor and rector mean about the same. + +An archbishop is higher than a bishop, though he has no more spiritual +power than a bishop. The district over which an archbishop rules +contains several dioceses with their bishops, and is called an +ecclesiastical province. The bishops in the province are called +suffragan bishops, because subject in some things to the authority of +the archbishop, who is also called the metropolitan, because bishop of a +metropolis or chief city of the province over which he presides. + +The archbishop can wear the pallium, a garment worn by the Pope, and +sent by him to patriarchs, primates, and archbishops. It is a band of +white wool, worn over the shoulders and around the neck after the manner +of a stole. It has two strings of the same material and four black or +purple crosses worked upon it. It is the symbol of the plenitude of +pastoral jurisdiction conferred by the Holy See. Morally speaking, it +reminds the wearer how the good shepherd seeks the lost sheep and brings +it home upon his shoulders, and how the loving pastor of souls should +seek those spiritually lost and bring them back to the Church, the true +fold of Christ. + + + +Lesson 26 +ON MATRIMONY + + +282 Q. What is the Sacrament of Matrimony? +A. The Sacrament of Matrimony is the Sacrament which unites a Christian +man and woman in lawful marriage. + +"Christian," because if they are not Christians they do not receive the +grace of the Sacrament. + +*283 Q. Can a Christian man and woman be united in lawful marriage in +any other way than by the Sacrament of Matrimony? +A. 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. + +"Lawful." 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, in which the persons must remain till the sin is +forgiven. "Sacrament." Before the coming of Our Lord persons were +married as they are now, and even lawfully according to the laws of the +Old Testament or old religion; but marriage did not give them any grace. +Now it does give grace, because it is a Sacrament, and has been so since +the time of Our Lord. Before His coming it was only a contract, and when +He added grace to the contract it became a Sacrament. + +*284 Q. Can the bond of Christian marriage be dissolved by any human +power? +A. The bond of Christian marriage cannot be dissolved by any human +power. + +"Dissolved"--that is, can married persons ever--for any cause--separate +and marry again; that is, take another husband or wife while the first +husband or wife is living? Never, if they were really married. +Sometimes, for good reason, the Church permits husband and wife to +separate and live in different places; but they are still married. +Sometimes it happens, too, that persons are not really married although +they have gone through the ceremony and people think they are married, +and they may think so themselves. The Church, however, makes them +separate, because it finds they are not really married at all--on +account of some impeding circumstance that existed at the time they +performed the ceremony. These circumstances or facts that prevent the +marriage from being valid are called "Impediments to Marriage." Some of +them render the marriage altogether null, and some only make it +unlawful. When persons make arrangements about getting married they +should tell the priest every circumstance that they think might be an +impediment. Here are the chief things they should tell the +priest--privately, if possible. Whether both are Christians and +Catholics; whether either has ever been solemnly engaged to another +person; whether they have ever made any vow to God with regard to +chastity, the religious life, or the like; whether they are related and +in what degree; whether either was ever married to any member of the +other's family--say sister, brother, or cousin, etc.; whether either +ever was a godparent in Baptism for the other or for any of the other's +children; whether either was married before, and what proof can be given +of the death of the first husband or wife; whether they really intend to +get married; whether they are of lawful age; whether they are in good +health or suffering from some sickness that might prevent their +marriage, etc. They should also state whether they live in the parish, +and how long they have lived in it. They should give at least three +weeks' notice before their marriage, except in special cases of +necessity. They should not presume to make final arrangements and invite +friends before they have made arrangements with their pastor; because if +there should be any delay on account of impediments it would cause them +great inconvenience. Let me take an example of a fact that would render +the marriage invalid or null though the persons performing the ceremony +might not be aware of it. Suppose a woman's husband went to the war, and +she heard after a great many years that he had been killed in battle, +and she, believing her first husband to be dead, married another man. +But the report of the first husband's death turns out to be false, and +after a time he returns. Then the Church tells the woman--and she knows +it now herself--that the second marriage was invalid, that is, no +marriage, because it was performed while the first husband was still +living. She must leave the second man and go back to her husband. You +see in that case the Church was not dissolving or breaking the marriage +bond, but only declaring that the woman and second man were not married +from the very beginning, although they thought they were, being ignorant +of the existing impediment, and the priest also being deceived performed +the ceremony in the usual manner. If it ever happens, therefore, that +you hear of the Church permitting persons, already apparently married, +to separate and marry others, it is only when it discovers that their +first marriage was invalid, and by its action it does not dissolve the +bond of marriage, but simply declares that the marriage was null and +void from the beginning, as you now easily understand. Thus persons +might unwittingly marry with existing impediments that would render +their marriage invalid or illicit. Such things, however, happen very +rarely, for the priest would discover the impediments in questioning the +persons about to marry. + +Protestants and persons outside the Catholic Church teach that the +marriage bond can at times be dissolved, but such doctrines bring great +evil upon society. When the father and mother separate and marry again, +the children of the first marriage are left to take care of themselves, +or receive only such care as the law gives them. They are left without +Christian instruction and the good influence of home. Then persons who +are divorced once may be divorced a second or third time, and thus all +society would be thrown into a state of confusion, and there would be +scarcely any such thing as a family to be found. It is bad enough at +present, on account of divorces granted by the laws and upheld by +Protestants; and only for the influence and good public opinion created +by the teaching and opposition of the Catholic Church, it would be much +worse. Again, if husbands and wives could separate for this or that +fault, they would not be careful in making their choice of the person +they wish to marry, nor would their motives be always holy and worthy of +the Sacrament. + +285 Q. Which are the effects of the Sacrament of Matrimony? +A. The effects of the Sacrament of Matrimony are: first, to sanctify the +love of husband and wife; second, to give them grace to bear with each +other's weaknesses; third, to enable them to bring up their children in +the fear and love of God. + +The union and love existing between a husband and wife should be like +the union and love existing between Our Lord and His Church. The grace +of the Sacrament helps them to have such a love. "Weaknesses"--that is, +their faults, bad dispositions, etc. "Bring up their children." This is +their most important duty, and parents receive grace to perform it, and +woe be to them if they abuse that grace! Children should remember that +their parents have received this special grace from God to advise, +direct, and warn them of sin; and if they refuse to obey their parents +or despise their direction, they are despising God's grace. Remember +that nothing teaches us so well as experience. Now your parents, even if +God gave them no special grace, have experience. They have been children +as you are; they have been young persons as you are; they have received +advice from their parents and teachers as you do. If your parents are +bad, it is because they have not heeded the advice given them. If they +are good, it is because they have heeded and followed it. The years of +your youth quickly pass, and you will soon be thrown out into the world, +among strangers to provide for yourselves, and will perhaps have no one +to advise you. If you neglect to learn while you have the opportunity +you will be sorry for it in after life. If you waste your time in +school, you will leave it knowing very little, and an ignorant man can +never take any good position in the world; he can seldom be his own +master and independent; he must always toil for others as a servant. God +gives us our talents and opportunities that we may use them to the best +of our ability, and He will hold us accountable for these. It is good +and praiseworthy to raise ourselves and others in the world if we do so +by lawful and proper means. You may have the opportunity of getting a +good position, and will not be able to take it because you are not +sufficiently educated. Many young men live to be sorry for wasting time +in school, and try to make up for it by studying at night. You cannot +really make up for lost time. Every moment God gives you He gives for +some particular work, and He will require an account from you, at the +last day, for the use you made of your time. Besides, you can learn with +greater ease while you are young. But what shall I say of neglecting to +learn your holy religion? If you neglect your school lessons you will +not be successful in the world as businessmen or professional men; but +if you neglect your religious lessons, you will be miserable, not merely +in this world, but in the next, and that for all eternity. Again, will +you not feel ashamed to say you are a Catholic when persons who are not +Catholics ask you the meaning of something you believe or do, and you +will not be able to answer? When they tell falsehoods against your +religion, you will not, on account of your ignorance, be able to refute +them. Almost the only time you have to learn the truths and practices of +your holy religion is during the instructions at Sunday school or day +school, and after a few years you will not have this advantage. When you +grow up you may hear a sermon, and if you attend early Mass, only a +short instruction, on Sundays; and if you do not know your Catechism, +you will be less able to profit by the instructions given. Therefore the +time to learn is while you are young, have sufficient leisure, and good, +willing teachers to explain whatever you do not understand. + +When you attend Sunday school, bear in mind that your teachers have +frequently to sacrifice their time or pleasure for your sake, and that +you should not repay them for their kindness by acts of disobedience, +disrespect, and stubbornness. By spending your time in idleness, in +giving annoyance to your teacher, and in distracting others who are +willing to learn, you show a want of appreciation and gratitude for the +blessings God has bestowed upon you, and please the devil exceedingly; +and as God will hold you accountable for all His gifts, this one--the +opportunity of learning your religion--will be no exception. + +286 Q. To receive the Sacrament of Matrimony worthily, is it necessary +to be in the state of grace? +A. 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. + +"The laws," laws concerning marriage. Laws forbidding the solemnizing of +marriage at certain times, namely, Advent and Lent; laws forbidding +marriage with relatives, or with persons of a different religion or of +no religion; laws with regard to age, etc. + +*287 Q. Who has the right to make laws concerning the Sacrament of +marriage? +A. 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. + +"Civil effects"--that is, laws with regard to the property of persons +marrying, with regard to the inheritance of the children, with regard to +the debts of husband and wife, etc. + +*288 Q. Does the Church forbid the marriage of Catholics with persons +who have a different religion or no religion at all? +A. The Church does forbid the marriage of Catholics with persons who +have a different religion or no religion at all. + +*289 Q. Why does the Church forbid the marriage of Catholics with +persons who have a different religion or no religion at all? +A. 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. + +We know that nothing has so bad an influence upon people as bad company. +Now, when a Catholic marries one who is not a Catholic, he or she is +continually associated with one who in most cases ignores the true +religion, or speaks at least with levity of its devotions and practices. +The Catholic party may resist this evil influence for a time, but will, +if not very steadfast in the faith, finally yield to it, and, tired of +numerous disputes in defense of religious rights, will become more and +more indifferent, gradually give up the practice of religion, and +probably terminate with complete loss of faith or apostasy from the true +religion. We know that the children of Seth were good till they married +the children of Cain, and then they also became wicked; for, remember, +there is always more likelihood that the bad will pervert the good, than +that the good will convert the bad. Besides the disputes occasioned +between husband and wife by the diversity of their religion, their +families and relatives, being also of different religions, will seldom +be at peace or on friendly terms with one another. Then the children can +scarcely be brought up in the true religion; for the father may wish +them to attend one church, and the mother another, and to settle the +dispute they will attend neither. Besides, if they have before them the +evil example of a father or mother speaking disparagingly of the true +religion, or perhaps ridiculing all religion, it is not likely they will +be imbued with great respect and veneration for holy things. There is +still another reason why Catholics should dread mixed marriages. If the +one who is not a Catholic loses regard for his or her obligations, +becomes addicted to any vice, and is leading a bad life, the Catholic +party has no means of reaching the root of the evil, no hope that the +person may take the advice of the priest, or go to confession or do any +of those things that could effect a change in the heart and life of a +Catholic. For all these very good reasons and others besides, the Church +opposes mixed marriages, as they are called when one of the persons is +not a Catholic. Neither does the Church want persons to become converts +simply for the sake of marrying a Catholic. Such conversions would not +be sincere, and would do no good, but rather make such converts +hypocrites, and guilty of greater sin. + +*290 Q. Why do many marriages prove unhappy? +A. Many marriages prove unhappy because they are entered into hastily +and without worthy motives. + +"Hastily"--without knowing the person well or considering their +character or dispositions; without trying to discover whether they are +sober, industrious, virtuous, and the like; whether they know and +practice their religion, or whether, on the contrary, they are given to +vices forbidden by good morals, and totally forgetful of their religious +duties. In a word, those wishing to marry should look for enduring +qualities in their lifelong companions, and not for characteristics that +please the fancy for the time being. They should, besides, truly love +each other. Again, the persons should be nearly equals in education, +social standing, etc., for it helps greatly to secure harmony between +families and unity of thought and action between themselves. + +"Worthy motives." The motives are worthy when persons marry to fulfill +the end for which God instituted marriage. It would, for example, be an +unworthy motive to marry solely for money, property, or other advantage, +without any regard for the holiness and end of the Sacrament. There are +many motives that may present themselves to the minds of persons wishing +to marry, and they will know whether they are worthy or unworthy, good +or bad, if by serious consideration they weigh them well and value them +by their desire to please God and lead a good life. + +Every person's motive in getting married or in entering into any new +state of life should be that he may be able to serve God better in that +state than in any other. + +*291 Q. How should Christians prepare for a holy and happy marriage? +A. 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. + +They should pray for a long time that they may make a good choice. They +would do well to read in the Holy Scripture, in the Book of Tobias (8), +of the happy marriage of Tobias and Sara, and how they spent their time +in prayer both before and after their marriage, and how God rewarded +them. Advice is very necessary, as marriage is to last for life, and is +to make persons either happy or miserable. They should ask advice from +prudent persons, and should try to learn something of the former life of +the one they wish to marry. They should know something about the family, +whether its members are respectable or not, etc. It is an injustice to +parents for sons or daughters to marry into families that may have been +disgraced, or that may bring disgrace upon them. Sometimes, however, +parents are unreasonable in this matter: they are proud or vain, and +want to suit themselves rather than their children. Sometimes, too, they +force marriage upon their children, or forbid it for purely worldly or +selfish motives. In such cases, and indeed in all cases, the best one to +consult and ask advice from is your confessor. He has only your +spiritual interests at heart, and will set aside all worldly motives. If +your parents are unreasonable, he will be a just judge in the matter, +and tell you how to act. + +I have now explained all the Sacraments, but before finishing I must say +a word about the Holy Oils. We have seen that oil is used in the +administration of some Sacraments. There are three kinds of oil blessed +by the bishop on Holy Thursday, namely, oil for anointing the sick, +called "oil of the infirm"; oil to be used in Baptism and in the +ordination of priests, called "oil of catechumens" (catechumens are +those who are being instructed for Baptism); the third kind of oil is +used also in Baptism, in Confirmation, and when the bishop blesses the +sacred vessels, altars, etc.; it is called "holy chrism." Therefore the +Sacraments in which oil is used are: Baptism, in which two kinds are +used; Confirmation, Extreme Unction, and Holy Orders. + + + +Lesson 27 +ON THE SACRAMENTALS + + +292 Q. What is a sacramental? +A. 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. + +It is not the sacramental itself that gives grace, but the devotion, the +love of God, or sorrow for sin that it inspires. For example, a person +comes into the church and goes around the Stations of the Cross. The +stations are a sacramental. In looking at one station he sees Our Lord +on trial before Pilate; in another he sees Him crowned with thorns; in +another, scourged; in another, carrying His Cross; in another, +crucified; in another, dead and laid in the tomb. Before all these +pictures he reflects on the sufferings of Our Saviour, and begins to +hate sin, that caused them. Then he thinks, of his own sins, and begins +to be sorry for them. This sorrow, caused by going around the stations, +brings him grace that remits venial sins. When we receive the Sacraments +we always get the grace of the Sacraments when we are rightly disposed; +but in using the sacramentals, the more devotion we have the more grace +we receive. + +"Increase devotion." If we knelt down before a plain white wall we could +not pray with the devotion we would have kneeling before a crucifix. We +see the representation of the nails in the hands and feet, the blood on +the side, the thorns on the head; and all these must make us think of +Our Lord's terrible sufferings. The picture of a friend hanging before +us will often make us think of him when we would otherwise forget him. +So also will the pictures of Our Lord and of the saints keep them often +in our minds. + +*293 Q. What is the difference between the Sacraments and the +sacramentals? +A. The difference between the Sacraments and the sacramentals is: first, +the Sacraments were instituted by Jesus Christ and the sacramentals were +instituted by the Church; second, the Sacraments give grace of +themselves when we place no obstacle in the way; the sacramentals excite +in us pious dispositions, by means of which we may obtain grace. + +The Church can increase or diminish the number of the sacramentals, but +not the number of the Sacraments. + +294 Q. Which is the chief sacramental used in the Church? +A. The chief sacramental used in the Church is the Sign of the Cross. + +295 Q. How do we make the Sign of the Cross? +A. 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. + +It is important to make an exact cross, and to say all the words +distinctly. From carelessness and habit some persons do not make the +Sign of the Cross, though they often intend to bless themselves. They +put the hand only to the forehead and breast, or forehead and chin, or +forehead and shoulders, etc. Some do not even touch the forehead. All +these, it is true, are some signs and movements of the hand, but they +are not the Sign of the Cross. Therefore, from childhood form the good +habit of blessing yourself correctly, and you will continue to do it +properly all your life. + +296 Q. Why do we make the Sign of the Cross? +A. 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. + +The cross is the banner or standard of Christianity, just as the stars +and stripes--the flag of the United States--is our civil standard, and +shows to what nation we belong. + +*297 Q. How is the Sign of the Cross a profession of faith in the chief +mysteries of our religion? +A. 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. + +*298 Q. How does the Sign of the Cross express the mystery of the Unity +and Trinity of God? +A. 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. + +*299 Q. How does the Sign of the Cross express the mystery of the +Incarnation and death of Our Lord? +A. 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. + +Besides these chief mysteries, we will find, if we think a little, that +the Sign of the Cross reminds us of many other things. It reminds us of +the sin of our first parents, which made the Cross necessary; it reminds +us of the hatred God bears to sin, when such sufferings were endured to +make satisfaction for it; it reminds us of Christ's love, etc. + +300 Q. What other sacramental is in very frequent use? +A. Another sacramental in very frequent use is holy water. + +301 Q. What is, holy water? +A. 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 power of +darkness. + +The priest prays that those who use this water may not fall into sin; +may be free from the power of the devil and from bodily diseases, etc. +Therefore when they do use the water they get the benefit of all these +prayers, because the priest says: "If they use it, God grant them all +these things." + +302 Q. Are there any other sacramentals besides the Sign of the Cross +and holy water? +A. Besides 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. + +"Candles," blessed on the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed +Virgin (see Butler's Lives of the Saints, Feb. 2, Feast of the +Purification). The Church blesses whatever it uses. Some say beautifully +that the wax of the candle gathered by the bees from sweet flowers +reminds us of Our Lord's pure, human body, and that the flame reminds us +of His divinity. Again, candles about the altar remind us of the angels, +those bright spirits ever about God's throne; they remind us, too, of +the persecution of the Christians in the first ages of the Church, when +they had to hear Mass and receive the Sacraments in dark places, where +lights were necessary that priests and people might see. Again, lights +are a beautiful ornament for the altar, and in keeping with holy things. +Lights are a sign of joy: hence the very old custom of lighting bonfires +to express joy. So we have lights to express our joy at the celebration +of the Holy Mass. Again, if we wish to honor any great person in the +Church or State, we illuminate the city for his reception. So, too, we +illuminate our altars and churches for the reception of Our Lord, that +we may honor Him when He comes in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and is +present at Benediction. + +"Ashes" are placed on our heads by the priest on Ash Wednesday, while he +says: "Remember, man, thou art but dust and unto dust thou shalt +return." They are a sign of penance, and so we use them at the beginning +of Lent. + +"Palms," to remind us of Our Lord's coming in triumph into Jerusalem, +when the people out of respect for Him threw palms, and even their +garments, beneath His feet on the way, singing His praises and wishing +to make Him king. Yet these same people only one week later were among +those who crucified Him. Do we not also at times honor Our Lord, call +Him our king, and shortly afterwards insult and, as far as we can, +injure Him by sin? Do we not say in the Our Father, "Hallowed, or +praised, be His name," and blaspheme it ourselves? + +"Crucifix," if it has an image of Our Lord upon it; if not it is simply +a cross, because crucifix means fixed to the cross. + +"Images"--that is, statues, pictures, etc. + +"Rosaries," called also the beads. The rosary or beads is a very old and +very beautiful form of prayer. In the beginning pious people, we are +told, used to say a certain number of prayers, and keep count of them on +a string with knots or beads. However that may be, the Rosary, as we now +have it, comes down to us from St. Dominic. He instructed the people by +it, and converted many heretics. In the rosary beads here are +fifty-three small beads on which we say the "Hail Mary" and six large +beads on which we say the "Our Father." In saying the Rosary, before +saying the "Our Father" on the large beads, we think or meditate for a +while on some event in the life of Our Lord, and these events we call +Mysteries of the Rosary. There are fifteen of these events taken in the +order in which they occurred in the life of Our Lord; and hence there +are fifteen Mysteries in the whole Rosary. First we have the five Joyful +Mysteries. (1) The Annunciation--that is, the angel Gabriel coming to +tell the Blessed Virgin that she is to be the Mother of God. (2) The +Visitation, when the Blessed Virgin went to visit her cousin St. +Elizabeth--the mother of St. John the Baptist, who was six months older +than Our Lord. Elizabeth said to her, "Blessed art thou amongst women, +and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb"; and the Blessed Virgin answered +her in the beautiful words of the Magnificat, that we sing at Vespers +while the priest incenses the altar. (3) The Nativity, or birth of Our +Lord, which reminds us how He was born in a stable, in poverty and +lowliness. (4) The Presentation of the child Jesus in the Temple. +According to the law of Moses, the people were obliged to bring the +first boy born in every family to the temple in Jerusalem and offer him +to God. Then they gave some offering to buy him back, as it were, from +God. The Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph, who kept all the laws, took Our +Lord and offered Him in the temple--although He Himself was the Lord of +the temple. Nevertheless others did not know this, and the Blessed +Virgin and St. Joseph observed the laws, though not bound to do so, that +their neighbors might not be scandalized in seeing them neglect these +things. They did not know, as she did, that the little Infant was the +Son of God, and need not keep the law of Moses or any law, because He +was the maker of the laws. We should learn from this never to give +scandal; and even when we have good excuse for not observing the law, we +should observe it for the sake of good example to others; or at least, +when we can, we should explain why we do not observe the law. (5) The +fifth Joyful Mystery is the finding of the child Jesus in the temple. +All the men and boys, from twelve years of age upward, were obliged, +according to the Old Law, to go up to Jerusalem and offer sacrifice on +the great feasts. On one of these feasts the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, +and Our Lord went to Jerusalem. When His parents and their friends were +returning home Our Lord was missing. He had not accompanied them from +the city. Then the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph went back to Jerusalem +and sought Him with great sorrow for three days. At the end of that time +they found Him in the temple sitting with the doctors of the law asking +them questions. Our Lord obediently returned with His parents to +Nazareth. At thirty years of age He was baptized by John the Baptist in +the River Jordan. The baptism of John was not a Sacrament, did not give +grace of itself; but, like a sacramental, it disposed those who received +it to be sorry for their sins and to receive the gift of faith and +Baptism of Christ. The eighteen years from the time Our Lord went down +to Nazareth after being found in the temple till His baptism is called +His hidden life, while all that follows His baptism is called His public +life. It is very strange that not a single word should be given in the +Holy Scriptures about Our Lord during His youth--the very time young men +are most anxious to be seen and heard. Our Lord knew all things and +could do all things when a young man, and yet for the sake of example He +remained silent, living quietly with His parents and doing His daily +work for them. Thus you understand what is meant by the five Joyful +Mysteries of the Rosary: the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity +of Our Lord, the Presentation of the child Jesus in the temple, and the +finding of the child Jesus in the temple. You meditate on one of these +before each decade (ten) of the beads. + +Next in order in the life of Our Lord come the five events called the +Sorrowful Mysteries, namely: (1) The agony in the garden, when Our Lord +went there to pray on Holy Thursday night, before He was taken prisoner. +There the blood came out through His body as perspiration does through +ours, and He was in dreadful anguish. The reason of His sorrow and +anguish has already been given in the explanation of the Passion. (2) +The scourging of Our Lord at the pillar. This also has been explained. +What terrible cruelty existed in the world before Christianity! In our +times the brute beasts have more protection from cruel treatment than +the pagan slaves had then. The Church came to their assistance. It +taught that all men are God's children, that slaves as well as masters +were redeemed by Jesus Christ, and that masters must be kind and just to +their slaves. Many converts from paganism through love for Our Lord and +this teaching of the Church, granted liberty to their slaves; and thus +as civilization spread with the teaching of Christianity, slavery ceased +to exist. It was not in the power of the Church, however, to abolish +slavery everywhere, but she did it as soon as she could. Even at present +she is fighting hard to protect the poor Negroes of Africa against it, +or at least to moderate its cruelty. (3) The third Sorrowful Mystery is +the crowning with thorns. (4) The carriage of the Cross to Calvary. It +was the common practice to make the prisoner at times carry his cross to +the place of execution, and over the cross they printed what he was put +to death for. That is the reason they placed over Our Lord's cross +I.N.R.I., which are the first letters of four Latin words meaning, +"Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." They pretended by this sign that +Our Lord was put to death for calling Himself King of the Jews, and was +thus a disturber of the public peace, and an enemy of the Roman emperor +under whose power they were. Our Lord did say that He was King of the +Jews, but He also said that He was not their earthly but their heavenly +king. The real cause of their putting Our Lord to death was the jealousy +of the Jewish priests and Pharisees. He rebuked them for their faults, +and showed the good, sincere people what hypocrites these men were. (5) +The last of the Sorrowful Mysteries is the Crucifixion. At the foot of +the Cross our blessed Mother stood on the day of Crucifixion, and it +must have been a very sad sight for Our Lord. She was without anyone to +take care of her; for St. Joseph was dead, and her Son was soon to die. +Our Lord asked St. John, one of His Apostles, to take care of her. St. +John was dear to Christ, and on that account is called the beloved +disciple. He is known to us as St. John the Evangelist. He was the last +of the Apostles to die. At one time he was cast into a cauldron of +boiling oil, but was miraculously saved by God (see Butler's Lives of +the Saints, Dec. 27). He lived to be over a hundred years old, and while +on the island of Patmos wrote the Apocalypse or Revelations--the last +book of the New Testament--containing prophecies of what will happen at +the end of the world. The Blessed Virgin lived on earth about eleven +years after the Ascension of Our Lord. They buried her in a tomb, and +tradition tells us that after her burial the angels carried her body to +Heaven, where she now sits beside her Divine Son. This taking of her +body to Heaven is called the Assumption. This feast was celebrated in +the Church from a very early age. A very strong proof of the Assumption +is that no persons ever claimed to have any part of the body of the +Blessed Virgin as a relic. We have the bodies of some of the Apostles, +especially St. Peter, St. Paul, and St. James transmitted to us; and +certainly if it had been possible the first Christians would have +endeavored to get some portion, at least, of the Blessed Virgin's body. +Surely St. John, who knew her so well, would have given to the church he +established some part of her body as a relic; but since her entire body +was taken to Heaven, it was never possible. + +After the Sorrowful Mysteries come the five Glorious Mysteries, and they +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; and (5) The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin in +Heaven. All but the last have been explained in foregoing parts of the +Catechism. In this last Mystery we consider our Blessed Lady just after +her entrance into Heaven, being received by her Divine Son, our Blessed +Lord, and being crowned Queen of Heaven over all the angels and saints. +In saying the Rosary we are, as I have told you before, to stop after +mentioning the Mystery and think over the lesson it teaches, and thus +excite ourselves to love and devotion before saying the "Our Father" and +"Hail Marys" in honor of it. Generally what we call the beads is only +one third of the Rosary; that is, we can only say five mysteries on the +beads unless we go over them three times. If you say your beads every +day you will say the whole Rosary twice a week and have one day to +spare. + +On Sundays, except the Sundays of Advent and Lent, we should say always +the Glorious Mysteries. You see, the Mysteries run in the order in which +they happen in Our Lord's life. So on Monday we say the Joyful +Mysteries, on Tuesday the Sorrowful, and on Wednesday the Glorious. Then +we begin again on Thursday the Joyful, on Friday the Sorrowful, on +Saturday the Glorious. In Advent we say the Joyful, and in Lent the +Sorrowful Mysteries on every day. In Eastertime we always say the +Glorious mysteries. + +I have told you what the letters I.N.R.I. mean; now let me tell you what +I.H.S. with a cross over them mean. You often see these letters on +altars and on holy things. They are simply an abbreviation for Our +Lord's name, "Jesus," as it was first written in Greek letters. Some +also take these letters for the first letters of the Latin words that +mean: Jesus, Saviour of men. And as the cross is placed over these +letters it can signify that He saved them by His death on the Cross. + +"Scapulars." The scapular is a large broad piece of cloth worn by the +monks and priests of some of the religious orders. It extends from the +toes in front to the heels behind, and is wide enough to cover the +shoulders. It is worn over the cassock or habit. It is called scapular +because it rests on the shoulders. The scapular as we wear it is two +small pieces of cloth fastened together by two pieces of braid or cord +resting on the shoulders. It is made thus in imitation of the large +scapular, and is to be worn under our ordinary garments. The brown +scapular is called the Scapular of Mount Carmel. It was given, we are +told on good authority, to blessed Simon Stock by the Blessed Virgin +herself, with wonderful promises in favor of those who wear it. The +Church grants many privileges and indulgences to those who wear the +scapular. + +We wear the scapular to indicate that we place ourselves under the +special protection of the Blessed Virgin. We can tell to what army or +nation a soldier belongs by the uniform he wears; so we can consider the +scapular as the particular uniform of those who desire to serve the +Blessed Virgin in some special manner. This wearing of the brown +scapular is therefore a mark of special devotion to the Blessed Virgin +Mary. As it was first introduced among people by the Carmelite Fathers, +or priests of the Order of Mount Carmel, this Scapular is called the +Scapular of Mount Carmel. We have also a red scapular in honor of Our +Lord's Passion; a white one in honor of the Holy Trinity; a blue one in +honor of the Immaculate Conception; and a black one in honor of the +seven dolors of sorrows of the Blessed Virgin. When all these are joined +together (not in one piece, but at the top only) and worn as one, they +are called the five scapulars. + +The seven dolors are seven chief occasions of sorrow 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 little Infant Jesus when Herod was seeking to kill Him. (3) +The three days she lost Him in Jerusalem. (4) When she saw Christ +carrying His Cross. (5) His death. (6) When He was taken down from the +Cross. (7) When He was laid in the sepulchre. There are beads called +seven dolor beads constructed with seven medals bearing representations +of these sorrows, and seven beads between each medal and the next. At +the medals we meditate on the dolor, and then in its honor say "Hail +Marys" on the beads. + + + +Lesson 28 +ON PRAYER + + +303 Q. Is there any other means of obtaining God's grace than the +Sacraments? +A. There is another means of obtaining God's grace, and it is prayer. + +304 Q. What is prayer? +A. 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. + +"Hearts," because the mere lifting up of the mind would not be prayer. +One who blasphemes Him might also lift up his mind. We lift up the mind +to know God and the heart to love Him, and in so doing we serve Him--the +three things for which we were created. If we do not think of God we do +not pray. A parrot might be taught to say the "Our Father," but it could +never pray, because it has no mind to lift up. A phonograph can be made +to say the prayers, but not to pray, for it has neither mind nor heart. +So praying does not depend upon the words we say, but upon the way in +which we say them. Indeed the best prayer, called meditation, is made +when we do not speak at all, but simply think of God; of His goodness to +us; of our sins against Him; of Hell, Purgatory, Heaven, death, +judgment, of the end for which we were created, etc. This is the kind of +prayer that priests and religious use most frequently. As you might like +to meditate--for all who know how may meditate--let me explain to you +the method. First you try to remember that you are in the presence of +God. Then you take some subject, say the Crucifixion, to think about. +You try to make a picture of the scene in your own mind. You see Our +Lord on the Cross; two thieves, one on each side of Him, the one praying +to Our Lord and the other cursing Him. You see the multitude of His +enemies mocking Him. Over at some distance you behold our Blessed Mother +standing sorrowful with St. John and Mary Magdalen. Then you ask +yourself--for you must imagine yourself there--to which side would you +go. Over to our Blessed Mother to try and console her, or over to the +enemies to help them to mock? Then you think how sin was the cause of +all this suffering, and how often you yourself have sinned; how you have +many a time gone over to the crowd and left the Blessed Mother. These +thoughts will make you sorry for your sins, and you will form the good +resolution never to sin again. You will thank God for these good +thoughts and this resolution, and your meditation is ended. You can +spend fifteen minutes, or longer if you wish, in such a meditation. The +Crucifixion is only one of the many subjects you may select for +meditation. You could take any part of the "Our Father," "Hail Mary," or +"Creed," and even the questions in your Catechism. Mental prayer, +therefore, is the best, because in it we must think; we must pay +attention to what we are doing, and lift up our minds and hearts to God; +while in vocal prayer--that is, the prayer we say aloud--we may repeat +the words from pure habit, without any attention or lifting up of the +mind or heart. + +305 Q. Is prayer necessary to salvation? +A. Prayer is necessary to salvation, and without it no one having the +use of reason can be saved. + +We mean here those who never pray during their whole lives, and not +those who sometimes neglect their prayers through a kind of +forgetfulness. + +306 Q. At what particular times should we pray? +A. We should pray particularly on Sundays and holy days, every morning +and night, in all dangers, temptations, and afflictions. + +"Sundays and holy days," because these are special days set apart by the +Church for the worship of God. In the "morning" we ask God's grace that +we may not sin during the day. At "night" we thank Him for all the +benefits received during the day, and also that we may be protected +while asleep from every danger and accident. We should never, if +possible, go to sleep in mortal sin; and if we have the misfortune to be +in that state, we should make as perfect an act of contrition as we can, +and promise to go to confession as soon as possible. So many accidents +happen that we are never safe, even in good health; fires, earthquakes, +floods, lightning, etc., might take us off at any moment. If you saw a +man hanging by a very slender thread over a great precipice where he +would surely be dashed to pieces if the thread broke, and if you saw him +thus risking his life willfully and without necessity, you would +pronounce him the greatest fool in the world. One who commits sin is a +greater fool. He suspends himself, as I have told you once before, over +an abyss of eternal torments on the slender thread of his own life, that +may break at any moment. Do we tempt God and do to Him what we dare not +to do to our fellowman because He is so merciful? Let us be careful. He +is as just as He is merciful, and some sin will be our last, and then He +will cut the thread of life and allow us to fall into an eternity of +sufferings. "Dangers," whether of soul or body. "Afflictions," +sufferings or misfortunes of any kind; such as loss of health, death in +the family, etc. + +*307 Q. How should we pray? +A. We should pray: first, with attention; second, with a sense of our +own helplessness and dependence upon God; third, with a great desire for +the graces we beg of God; fourth, with trust in God's goodness; fifth, +with perseverance. + +"Attention," thinking of what we are going to do. Before praying we +should think for a moment what prayer is. In it we are about to address +Almighty God, our Creator, and we are going to ask Him for +something--and what is the particular thing we need and seek for? No one +would think of going to a store without first considering what he wanted +to buy. He would make, too, all the necessary preparations for getting +it. He would find out how much he wanted, and what it would cost, and +bring with him sufficient money. He would never think of going in and +telling the storekeeper to give him anything. Now it is the same in +prayer. When we have thought of what we want of God, from whom we can +obtain it, and of the reasons why we need it and why God might be +pleased to grant it, we can then kneel down and pray for it. We should +pray to God just as a child begs favors from its parents. We should talk +to Him in our own simple words, and tell Him the reasons why we ask and +why we think He should grant our request. We should, however, be humble +and patient in all our prayers. God does not owe us anything, and +whatever He gives is a free gift. We should not always read prayers at +Almighty God. If you wanted anything very badly from a friend, you would +know how to ask for it. You would never ask another to write out your +request on paper, and then go and read it to your friend. Now, that is +just what we do when we read the prayers that somebody else has written +in a prayerbook. Try, therefore, to pray with your own prayers. Of +course when the Church gives you certain prayers to say--as it does to +its priests in the divine office--or recommends to you such prayers as +the "Our Father," "Hail Mary," and "Creed," you should say them in +preference to your own, because then the Church adds its petition to +yours, and God is more likely to grant such prayers. I mean, therefore, +that we should not always pray from prayerbooks, and hurry through the +"Our Father" that we may give more time to some printed prayer that +pleases us. Our prayer should be a conversation with God. We should, +after speaking to Him, listen to what He has to say to us, by our +conscience, good thoughts, etc. + +I must warn you against some prayers that have been circulated by +impostors for the purpose of making money. They pretend that these +prayers were found in some remarkable place or manner; that those who +carry them or say them will have most wonderful advantages--they will +never meet with accident; they will be warned of their death; they will +go directly to Heaven after death, etc. If there were any such wonderful +prayers the Church would surely know of them and commend them to its +children. When you find any prayers of the kind I mention, bring them to +the priest and ask his opinion before you use them yourself or give them +to others. Never buy prayers or articles said to be blessed from persons +unknown to you. Persons selling such things are frequently impostors, +who by suave manners and pious speeches unfortunately find Catholics who +believe them. These persons--sometimes not Catholics themselves, or at +least very bad ones--laugh at the superstition and foolish practices of +Catholics who believe everything they hear about pious books, prayers, +or articles. + +In the early ages of the Church, when the enemies of Christ found that +they could not refute His teaching, they began to circulate foolish +doctrines, pretending that they were taught by Christ, and thus they +hoped to bring ridicule upon Christianity. So also in our time many +things are circulated as the teaching of the Catholic Church by the +enemies of the Church, in hopes that by these falsehoods and foolish +doctrines they may bring disgrace and ridicule upon the true religion. +Be on your guard against all impostors, remembering it is a safe rule +never to buy a religious article from or give money to persons going +about from door to door. If you have anything to give in alms, give it +to some charitable institution or society connected with the Church, or +put it in the poor-box, and then you will be sure it will do the good +you intend. Remember, too, that all the religious articles carried about +for sale do not come from Rome or the Holy Land, and you are deceived if +you think so, notwithstanding the assurance of their owners. + +"A trust"--with full confidence that God will grant our petitions if we +really need or deserve what we pray for. It is a fault with a great many +to pray without the belief that their prayers will be answered. We +should pray with such faith and confidence that we would really be +disappointed if our prayer was not granted. Once when Our Lord was going +about doing good, a poor woman who had been suffering for twelve years +with a disease, and who, wishing to be healed, had uselessly spent all +her money in seeking medical aid, came to follow Him. (Mark 5:25). She +did not ask Him to cure her, but said within herself, "If I can but +touch the hem of His garment I know I shall be healed." So she made her +way through the throng and followed Our Lord till she could touch His +garment without being seen. She succeeded in accomplishing her wishes, +touched His garment, and was instantly cured. Our Lord knew her desires +and what she had done, and turning around told the people, praising her +great faith and confidence, on account of which He had healed her. Such +also should be our confidence and trust when we pray to God for our +needs. + +"Perseverance." We should continue to pray though God does not grant our +request. Have you ever noticed a little child begging favors from its +mother? See its persistence! Though often refused, it will return again +and again with the same request, till the mother, weary of its +importunity, finally grants what it asks. + +St. Monica prayed seventeen years for the conversion of her son St. +Augustine. St. Augustine's father was a pagan, and Monica, his wife, +prayed seventeen years for his conversion, and he became a Christian. +Just about that time her son Augustine, who was attending school, fell +in with bad companions and became a great sinner. She prayed seventeen +years more for him, and he reformed, became a great saint and learned +bishop in the Church. See, then, the result of thirty-four years' +prayer: Monica herself became a saint, her son became a saint, and her +husband died a Christian. If St. Monica had ceased praying after ten +years, Augustine might not have reformed. We never know when God is +about to grant our petition, and we may cease to pray just when another +appeal would obtain the object of our prayer. So we should continue to +pray till God is pleased to grant our request. Some say their prayers +are not heard when they mean to say their prayers are not granted; for +God always hears us. But why does He not always grant our request? There +are many reasons: (1) We may not pray in the proper manner, namely, with +attention, reverence, humility, patience, and perseverance; (2) We may +ask for things that God foresees will not be for our spiritual good. +This is true even for things that seem good to us, such as the removal +of an affliction, temptation, or the like. It often happens that God +shows us His greatest mercy in not granting our prayers. Suppose, for +example, a father held in his hand a bright and beautiful but very sharp +instrument, for which his child continually asked. Do you believe the +father would give it if he loved the child? Certainly not. The child +thinks, no doubt, it would be benefitted by the possession of the +instrument, but the father sees the danger. As God is our loving Father, +He acts with us in the same manner. (3) Our prayers are not granted +sometimes that we may learn to pray with proper dispositions, and God +withholds what He intends finally to give, that we may persevere in +prayer and have greater merit. Have you ever observed a mother teaching +her child to walk? What does she do? She goes at some distance from the +child and holds out an object that she knows will be pleasing to it, and +thus tempts it to walk to her. When the child draws near she moves still +farther away, and keeps it walking for some time before giving the +object. This she does, not through unwillingness to give the article, +but in order to teach the child to walk, for she loves to see its +efforts. When it falls, she lifts it up and makes it try again. So, too, +God teaches us to pray; and though He loves us, He withholds His gifts, +that we may pray the longer, and thereby afford Him greater pleasure. + +308 Q. Which are the prayers most recommended to us? +A. 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. + +309 Q. Are prayers said with distractions of any avail? +A. Prayers said with willful distractions are of no avail. + +"Distraction"--that is, when we willingly and knowingly think of +something else while saying our prayers. It would be better not to pray +than to pray with disrespect. If there is any time at which we cannot +pray well, we should postpone our prayer: for God does not require us to +say our prayers just at a particular time; but when we do pray, He +requires us to pray with reverence and respect. We would pray well +always if we reflected on the great privilege we enjoy in being allowed +to pray. + + + +Lesson 29 +ON THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD + + +310 Q. Is it enough to belong to God's Church in order to be saved? +A. 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. + +We call some commandments the Commandments of God and others the +commandments of the Church. We do so only to distinguish the +Commandments that God gave to Moses from those that the Church made +afterwards. They are all the commandments of God, for whatever laws or +commandments the Church makes, it makes them under the inspiration of +the Holy Ghost, and by God's authority. It would be a mortal sin to +break the commandments of the Church, just as it would be to break the +Commandments of God. You must remember that the Ten Commandments always +existed from the time of Adam, but they were not written till God gave +them to Moses. You know that it was always a sin to worship false gods, +to blaspheme, to disobey parents, to kill, etc.; for you know Cain was +punished by God for the murder of his brother Abel (Gen. 5), and that +took place while Adam was still alive. + +Before the coming of Our Lord the Israelites, or God's chosen people, +had three kinds of laws. They had the civil laws for the government of +their nation--just as we have our laws for the people of the United +States. They had their ceremonial laws for their services in the +temple--as we have our ceremonies for the Church. They had their moral +laws--such as the Commandments--teaching them what they must do to save +their souls. Their civil laws were done away with when they ceased to be +a nation having a government of their own. Their ceremonial laws were +done away with when Our Lord came and established His Church; because +their ceremonies were only the figures of ours. Their moral laws +remained, and Our Lord explained them and made them more perfect. +Therefore we keep the Commandments and moral laws as they were always +kept by man. Fifty days after the Israelites left Egypt they came to the +foot of Mount Sinai. (Ex. 19). Here God commanded Moses to come up into +the mountain, and in the midst of fire and smoke, thunder and lightning, +God spoke to him and delivered into his hands the Ten Commandments +written on two tablets of stone. + +Every day while the Israelites were traveling in the desert God sent +them manna--a miraculous food that fell every morning. It was white, and +looked something like fine rice. It had any taste they wished it to +have. For instance, if they wished it to taste like fruit, it did taste +so to them; but its usual taste was like that of flour and honey. (Ex. +16). + +I said there is no difference between the Ten Commandments of God and +the six commandments of the Church; and there is no difference as far as +the sin of violating them is concerned. But they differ in this: the +Church can change the commandments it made itself, while it cannot +change those that God Himself gave directly. + +*311 Q. Which are the Commandments that contain the whole law of God? +A. The Commandments which contain the whole law of God are these two: +first, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, with thy +whole soul, with thy whole strength, and with thy whole mind; second, +thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. + +"As thyself"--that is, as explained elsewhere, with the same kind, +though not necessarily with the same degree, of love. First we must love +ourselves and do what is essential for our own salvation, because +without our cooperation others cannot save us, though they may help us +by their prayers and good works. Next to ourselves nature demands that +we love those who are related to us in the order of parents, children, +husbands, wives, brothers, etc., and help them in proportion to their +needs, and before helping strangers who are in no greater distress. + +*312 Q. Why do these two Commandments of the love of God and of our +neighbor contain the whole law of God? +A. 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. + +Of the Ten Commandments the first three refer to Almighty God and the +other seven to our neighbor. Thus all the Commandments may be reduced to +the two of the love of God and of the love of our neighbor. The First +Commandment says you shall worship only the true God; the Second says +you shall respect His holy name; and the Third says you shall worship +Him on a certain day. All these are contained therefore in this: Love +God all you possibly can, for if you do you will keep the first three of +the Commandments. The Fourth says: Honor your father--who in the sense +of the Commandment can also be called your neighbor--that is, respect +him, help him in his needs. The Fifth says do not kill him; namely, your +neighbor. The others say do not rob him of his goods; do not tell lies +about him; do not wish unjustly to possess his goods and do not covet +his wife. Thus it is clear that the last seven are all contained in +this: Love your neighbor, for if you do you will keep the last seven +Commandments that refer to him. + +313 Q. Which are the Commandments of God? +A. 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. + +*314 Q. Who gave the Ten Commandments? +A. God Himself gave the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, and +Christ Our Lord confirmed them. + + + +Lesson 30 +ON THE FIRST COMMANDMENT + + +315 Q. What is the First Commandment? +A. The First Commandment is: "I am the Lord thy God: thou shalt not have +strange gods before Me." + +"Strange gods." The Israelites were surrounded on all sides by pagan +nations who worshipped idols and false gods, and sometimes by mingling +with these people they fell into sin, and, forgetting the true God, +worshipped their idols. Sometimes, too, they were at war with these +pagan nations, and when defeated were led captive into pagan countries +and there fell into the sin of worshipping false gods. It was against +this sin that God cautioned His people in the First Commandment. From +this sin of idolatry among the Israelites we have an example of the evil +results of associating with persons not of the true religion. One would +think that the Israelites, knowing the true God, might have converted +their pagan neighbors to the true religion by the influence of their +teaching and example; but, on the contrary, they lost the true faith +themselves, as nearly always happens in such cases. How do we sometimes +worship false or strange gods? By making dress, money, honor, society, +company, or pleasure our god--that is, by giving up the worship of God +and sinning for their sake, and thus making them god, at least for the +time being, by giving them our heart, mind, and service. + +*316 Q. How does the First Commandment help us to keep the great +Commandment of the love of God? +A. The First Commandment helps us to keep the great Commandment of the +love of God because it commands us to adore God alone. + +317 Q. How do we adore God? +A. We adore God by faith, hope, and charity, by prayer and sacrifice. + +318 Q. How may the First Commandment be broken? +A. The First Commandment may 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. + +"Creature"--that is, anything created; anything but God Himself, for all +other persons and things have been created. If one knelt before a king +and adored him, he would be giving to a creature the honor due to God +alone. "False worship"--that is, worshipping God not as He directs us by +His Church, but in some ways pleasing to ourselves. For example, to +sacrifice animals to God would now be false worship; to offer now any of +the sacrifices commanded in the Old Law would be false worship, because +all these were figures of the real sacrifice of the Cross and Mass, and +were to put the people in mind that one day Christ the promised Redeemer +would offer up the one great sacrifice of His own body and blood to blot +out all the sins of the world. And now that we have the real sacrifice +it would be sinful to use only figures, and it would be a false worship +displeasing to God. So, too, all those who leave the true Church to +practice a religion of their own have a false worship, for they worship +God not as He wishes, but as they wish. + +Heaven is a reward, and when we see how the saints labored to secure it +we must be ashamed of the little we do for God. Take out of a whole +year--that is, 365 days or 8,760 hours--the time you give to the service +of God, and you will find it very little. Even the time you spent at +Mass and prayers was filled with distraction and little of it entirely +given to God. Since this is true for one year, what will it be for all +the years of your life? Think of them all and you will perceive that +God, who gave you all the time you had, and who on the last day will +demand an exact account of it, will find very little of it spent in His +honor or in His service. Even the time wasted in school and instructions +will all stand against you. Time lost is lost forever, and you can never +make it up. Next to grace, time is the most valuable thing God gives us, +and we should use it well. "Attributing to a creature a perfection" etc. +Persons who go to fortune tellers do this. Fortune tellers are persons +who pretend to know what is going to happen in the future. We know from +our religion that only God Himself knows the future. Neither the angels +nor saints, nor even the Blessed Virgin, know the future. Even they +could not tell your fortune unless God revealed it to them. So when you +go to a fortune teller you place the poor sinful person who is doing the +devil's work above the Blessed Virgin and all the saints and angels, and +make that wretch equal to God Himself. Surely this is a sin, even if you +do not believe these so-called fortune tellers, but go to them merely +through curiosity or with others. Again, we pay these persons for +telling us some foolish nonsense, and thus encourage them to continue +their sinful business. They doubtless laugh at the foolishness of those +who go to them or believe what they say and pay them generously. You +might with as much sense stop a man on the street, ask him to tell your +fortune, and hand him your money, for he would know as much about it as +so-called fortune tellers do. Rarely these sinful people might tell you +something that has happened in your life; but if they do, they merely +guess at it or are aided by the devil. The devil did not lose his +intelligence when driven out of Heaven, and he uses it now for doing +evil. He has vast experience, for he is as old as Adam, or older, and +has seen and known all the men that have lived in the world. He can move +rapidly through the world and easily know what is visibly taking place, +so that, strictly speaking, he could make known to his sinful agents +what is present or past, but never the future. Thus some fortune +tellers, clairvoyants, mindreaders, mediums, or whatever else they call +themselves, who are truly in league with the devil, may by his power +tell you the past of your life to make you believe that they know also +the future. The past and present in your life you already know, and the +future they cannot tell; therefore it is useless as well as sinful to go +to them. I say only it is possible for some fortune tellers to employ +the assistance of the devil, for all of them, with very rare exception, +are clever impostors who take your money for guessing at what they +suspect you will be most pleased to hear. + +*319 Q. 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? +A. 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. + +"Spells" are certain words, the saying of which persons believe will +effect for them something wonderful--a miraculous cure, for instance, or +protection from some evil. "Charms" are articles worn about the body for +the same purpose. They may be little black beans, little stones of a +certain shape, the teeth of animals, etc. In uncivilized countries the +inhabitants use many of these charms. But you may ask, Are not these +medals, scapulars, etc., that we wear, also charms? No. These things are +blessed and worn in honor of God, of His Blessed Mother, or of the +saints. We do not expect any help from the little piece of brass or +cloth we wear, but from those in whose honor we wear it, and from the +prayers said in the blessing for those who wear it. But they who wear +charms expect the help from the thing itself, which makes their conduct +foolish and sinful, since God alone can protect from evil. Again, such +things as medals, crosses, and scapulars are blessed by the Church and +worn by its consent, and it could never allow all its children to do a +sinful thing. It is good and praiseworthy, therefore, to wear the +blessed sacramentals in God's honor; but even with these holy things we +must be careful not to go too far. It is true the Blessed Virgin will +protect those who wear her scapular; but it would be sinful willfully to +expose ourselves to danger without any necessity, because we wear a +scapular. Thus it would be suicide for a boy who could not swim to +plunge into deep water because, having his scapulars on, the Blessed +Virgin ought to save him by a miracle. Again, it is wrong to look for +miracles from God when natural help will answer. Thus it would be wrong +for a man who broke his leg to refuse to have the doctors set it, +because he wanted God alone to heal it. "Dreams" are caused by the mind +being at work while the body is sleeping or at rest. The mind never +sleeps; it is always awake and working. Thus when we are asleep the +imagination, without the reason to guide it, mixes together a number of +things we have seen, heard, or thought of, and gives us strange scenes +and pictures. Sometimes what we dream of seems to happen; but that is +only because we dream so much that it would be strange if none of the +things ever happened. We will generally dream about whatever was on our +mind shortly before. We read in the Holy Scriptures that God at times +made known His will to certain persons by dreams; as when the king of +Egypt dreamt of the great famine that was to come; or when the angel +appeared in sleep to St. Joseph, telling him to take Our Lord into +Egypt, where Herod the king could not kill him. (Matt. 2). + +The dreams mentioned in the Holy Scripture were more frequently visions +than dreams. In a vision the things we see are really present, whereas +in dreams they are not, but we imagine they are. God no longer makes use +of dreams as a means of communicating with His creatures, because His +Church will make known to us His will. He sometimes, however, makes +known certain things to His holy servants on earth in a very special and +private manner: as, for example, when Our Lord appeared to Saint +Margaret Mary and told her He would like to have the devotion to the +Sacred Heart established. We must always believe what the Church tells +us God has made known to it; but when holy people tell us that God +revealed special things to them, we are not obliged to believe what they +say, unless the Church confirms it. I say we are not obliged--that is, +we may if we please; but we would not be heretics and commit sin if we +did not believe all the revelations and wonderful things we find +recorded in the lives of saints, though they may all be true. + +"Mediums and spiritists" are persons who pretend they can talk with the +dead in the other world, and learn where they are and what they are +doing. They have figures to move and apparently speak, and other +contrivances to deceive those who confide in them. Their work is all +deception and very sinful. If any of these things could be done, or if +God wished them to be known, He would give the power to the Church +founded by His divine Son, and not to a few sinful men or women here and +there. After a soul leaves the body its fate is hidden from us, and we +can say nothing with absolute certainty of its reward or punishment. No +one ever came back from the other world to give a minute account of its +general appearance or of what takes place there. All that is known about +it the Church knows and tells us, and all over and above that is false +or doubtful. By thinking a little you can see how all these dealings +with fortune tellers, etc., are giving to creatures what belongs to God +alone. + +320 Q. Are sins against faith, hope, and charity also sins against the +First Commandment? +A. Sins against faith, hope, and charity are also sins against the First +Commandment. + +321 Q. How does a person sin against faith? +A. A person sins against faith, first, by not trying to know what God +has taught; second, by refusing to believe all that God has taught; +third, by neglecting to profess his belief in what God has taught. + +"Not trying to know." Thus children who idle their time at Sunday school +or religious instruction, and do not learn their Catechism, sin against +faith in the first way. In like manner grown persons who do not sometime +or other endeavor to hear sermons or instructions, to attend missions or +learn from good books, sin against faith. "Refusing to believe," as all +those do who leave the true religion, or who, knowing it, do not embrace +it. "Neglecting to profess." We may do this by not living up to the +practice of our holy religion. We believe, for example, we should hear +Mass every Sunday and holy day; we should receive the Sacraments at +certain times in the year; but if we only believe these things and do +not do them, we neglect to profess our faith, neglect to show others +that we really believe all the Church teaches, and are anxious to +practice it. Many know and believe what they should do, but never +practice it. Such persons do great injury to the Church, for persons who +do not live up to their holy religion but act contrary to its teaching +give scandal to their neighbor. How many persons at present not +Catholics would be induced to enter the true Church if they saw all +Catholics virtuous, truthful, sober, honest, upright, and industrious! +But when they see Catholics--be they ever so few--cursing, quarrelling, +backbiting, drinking, lying, stealing, cheating, etc.--in a word, +indulging in the same vices as those who claim to have no religion, what +must they think of the moral influence of Catholic faith? Thus they do +great injustice to the Church and the cause of religion, and are working +against our Blessed Lord when they should be working for Him. + +The Christian religion spread very rapidly through the world in the +first ages of its existence; and one of the chief reasons was the good +example given by the Christians; for pagans seeing the holy lives, the +kindness and charity of their Christian neighbors, could not help +admiring and loving them, and wishing to be members of the Church that +made them so good and amiable. How many pagans do you think would be +converted nowadays by the lives of some who call themselves Catholics? +Not many, I think. Besides this, the early Christians really labored to +instruct others in the Christian religion, and to make them converts. +Often we find servants--even slaves--by their instructions converting +their pagan masters and mistresses. They all felt that they were +missionaries working for Jesus Christ, and their influence reached where +the priest's influence could not reach, because they came in contact +with persons the priests never had an opportunity of seeing. If all +Catholics had the same spirit, what good they could do! Their business +or duty may often bring them into daily intercourse with persons not of +their faith, and who never knew or perhaps heard any of the beautiful +truths of our holy religion. Yes, Catholics could do much good if they +had only the good will and knew their religion well. I do not mean that +they should be always discussing religion with everyone they meet. Let +them preach chiefly by the example of their own good lives, and when +questioned explain modestly and sincerely the truths they believe. + +If you should be asked, for instance: Why do you not eat flesh-meat on +Friday? you should be able to answer: "Because I am a Christian and wish +to keep always before my mind how our Blessed Lord suffered for me in +His holy flesh on that day; and anyone who claims to be a Christian, +ought, I think, to be glad to do what reminds him so regularly and well +of Our Lord's Passion." Such an answer if given kindly and mildly would +silence and instruct your adversary; it might make him reflect, and +might, in time, bring him to the true religion. Sometimes a few words +make a great impression and bring about conversion. St. Francis Xavier +was a worldly young man, learned and ambitious, and he heard from St. +Ignatius these words of Our Lord: "What doth it profit a man if he gain +the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul?" He went home and +kept thinking of them till they impressed him so strongly that he gave +up the world, became a priest and by his labors and preaching in India, +converted to the true religion many thousand pagans. In the lives of the +saints there are many examples of a few words, by God's grace, bringing +men from a life of sin to a life of great holiness. + +*322 Q. How do we fail to try to know what God has taught? +A. We fail to try to know what God has taught by neglecting to learn the +Christian doctrine. + +*323 Q. Who are they who do not believe all that God has taught? +A. They who do not believe all that God has taught are the heretics and +infidels. + +There are many kinds of unbelievers: atheists, deists, infidels, +heretics, apostates, and schismatics. An atheist is one who denies the +existence of God, saying there is no God. A deist is one who says he +believes God exists, but denies that God ever revealed any religion. +These are also called freethinkers. An infidel properly means one who +has never been baptized--one who is not of the number of the faithful; +that is, those believing in Christ. Sometimes atheists are called +infidels. Heretics are those who were baptized and who claim to be +Christians, but do not believe all the truths that Our Lord has taught. +They accept only a portion of the doctrine of Christ and reject the +remainder, and hence they become rebellious children of the Church. They +belong to the true Church by being baptized, but do not submit to its +teaching and are therefore outcast children, disinherited till they +return to the true faith. A schismatic is one who believes everything +the Church teaches, but will not submit to the authority of its +head--the Holy Father. Such persons do not long remain only schismatics; +for once they rise up against the authority of the Church, they soon +reject some of its doctrines and thus become heretics; and indeed, since +Vatican Council I, all schismatics are heretics. + +*324 Q. Who are they who neglect to profess their belief in what God has +taught? +A. 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. + +There are some outside the Church who feel and believe that the Catholic +Church is the true Church, and yet they do not become Catholics, because +there are so many difficulties in the way. For example, they have been +brought up in another religion, and all their friends, relatives, or +associates are opposed to the Catholic religion. Their business, their +social life, their worldly interests will all suffer if they become +Catholics. So, although they feel they should at once embrace the true +religion, they keep putting off till death comes and finds them outside +the Church--and most probably guilty of other mortal sins. Such persons +cannot be saved, for they reject all the graces God bestows upon them. A +very common fault with such people is to excuse this conduct by saying: +Oh! I was brought up in the Protestant religion, and everyone ought to +live in the religion in which he was brought up. Let me ask: If persons +were brought up with some bodily deformity that their parents neglected +to have remedied while they were young, would they not use every means +themselves to have the deformity removed as soon as they became old +enough to see and understand their misfortune? In like manner, if +unfortunately parents bring up their children in a false religion--that +is, with spiritual deformities, it is the duty of the children to +embrace the true religion as soon as they know it. Again persons will +say: Oh, I believe one religion as good as another; we are all +Christians, and all trying to serve God. If one religion is as good as +another, why did not Our Lord allow the old religions--false or true--to +remain? If one man says a thing is black and another says it is white, +they cannot both be right, for a thing cannot be black and white at the +same time. Only one can be right; and, if we are anxious about the color +of the object, we must try to find which one is right. Just in the same +way all the religions that claim to be Christian contradict one another; +one says a thing is false and another says it is true: one says Our Lord +taught so and so and another says He did not. Now since it is very +important for us to know which is right, we must find out which is +really the Church Our Lord established; and when we have found it we +will know that all the other pretended Christian religions must be +false. Our Lord has given us marks by which we can know His Church, as +we saw while speaking of the marks of the Church; and the Roman Catholic +Church is the only Church that has all these marks. We say that we are +Roman Catholics to show that we are in communion with the Church of +Rome, established by St. Peter, the chief of the Apostles. + +*325 Q. Can they who fail to profess their faith in the true Church in +which they believe expect to be saved while in that state? +A. 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: "Whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My +Father who is in Heaven." + +326 Q. Are we obliged to make open profession of our faith? +A. 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." + +It is not necessary for us to proclaim in the streets that we are +Catholics; neither need we tell our religion to impudent people that may +ask us only to insult us; but when a real need of professing our faith +presents itself, then we must profess it. Suppose you are stopping in a +hotel in which you are the only Catholic. If flesh-meat is placed before +you on a Friday in Lent you must quietly push it aside and ask for fish +or other food; although by so doing you will show that you are a +Catholic and make a silent profession of your faith. God's honor and +your own good require it, for you must keep the laws of God and of His +Church on every possible occasion. Suppose again there were in the same +hotel some indifferent Catholics, socially your equals or inferiors, who +through human respect were ashamed to go to Mass on Sunday; then you +should publicly go to Mass and even declare that you must go, for by so +doing you would encourage these indifferent Catholics to follow your +example. In that case your neighbor's good requires that you profess +your faith. In a word, you must keep up the practice of your religion +even if by so doing you have to make an open profession of your faith +and suffer for it. But suppose it is something that God or the Church +does not command you to do but only recommends, such as blessing +yourself before meals or some pious practice, you could in public omit +such an action if you pleased without any sin or denial of faith, +because you violate no law. + +327 Q. Which are the sins against hope? +A. The sins against hope are presumption and despair. + +328 Q. What is presumption? +A. Presumption is a rash expectation of salvation without making proper +use of the necessary means to obtain it. + +A person who goes on leading a bad life, and says when warned of his +danger that he is in no hurry to reform, that he will repent some day +before he dies, is always living in and committing the sin of +presumption. It is a great sin, for it is living in open defiance of +Almighty God. Such persons are very seldom given the opportunity to +repent at the last moment, and are, in most cases, called to judgment +when they least expect it. We are all presumptuous sometimes. Do we not +often, when we have fallen into a certain sin, easily repeat the act, +saying to ourselves, now that we will have to confess the sin committed, +the mention of the number of times will not make such difference for it +will not increase our shame and confusion? This is presumption; for we +do not know whether God will ever give us the opportunity of making a +confession. Again, one mortal sin is sufficient to keep our souls in +Hell for all eternity; what then will be our punishment for many mortal +sins? Then there is another thing you should remember: God has fixed a +certain number of sins that He will suffer you to commit before He sends +His punishment. You do not know which sin will complete the number and +be the last. The very sin you are now about to commit may be that one, +and the moment you have committed it, God will call you to judgment, +whether it be night or day, whether you are at home or in the +streets--though perhaps not immediately, but before you commit another +sin. Such a thought alone should keep you from sinning. Moreover, after +confession you strongly resist the first temptation to mortal sin, but +after you have yielded to the first you scarcely make any more +resistance, but easily yield again and again. You should therefore, to +prevent this, go to confession just as soon as you possibly can after +falling into mortal sin. It is bad enough to commit mortal sin, but it +is terrible to be living in that state day and night--always an enemy of +God--losing the merit of all the works you do and yet you must stay in +that state of sin till you go to confession and receive absolution. +Peter the Apostle committed the sin of presumption. (Matt. 26). Our Lord +told him to watch and pray for he would be tempted and yield that night, +but Peter said: "No Lord, I will never deny Thee." Instead of begging +Our Lord's help and grace, he trusted to himself and fell miserably into +sin. He went into dangerous company and that was another cause of his +fall. But afterwards he saw his sin and folly and never ceased to repent +of it. + +329 Q. What is despair? +A. Despair is the loss of hope in God's mercy. + +Despair is a sin because by it you deny that God is infinitely +merciful--that He is merciful enough to forgive even your many and great +sins if you are truly sorry for them. Judas committed the sin of +despair. After he had betrayed Our Lord, he went and hanged himself, +thus committing, besides the sin of betraying his divine Master, two +other great sins; namely, despair in God's mercy and suicide. If he had +gone to Our Lord and confessed his sin, and implored pardon and promised +penance, can we doubt that He would have forgiven even Judas, as He +forgave Peter, and those that crucified Him, praying that His Father +might not punish them for their sins? Therefore, no matter what sins you +have committed, never lose confidence in God's mercy. See how Our Lord +pardoned the thief on the cross and Mary Magdalen and other sinners. Be +sorry for your sins, and God will hear your prayers. Call upon the +Blessed Virgin, your patron saint, and guardian angel to help you, and +ask others, especially good persons, to pray for you. + +*330 Q. How do we sin against the love of God? +A. We sin against the love of God by all sin, but particularly by mortal +sin. + + + +Lesson 31 +THE FIRST COMMANDMENT--ON THE HONOR AND INVOCATION OF SAINTS + + +331 Q. Does the First Commandment forbid the honoring of the saints? +A. 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. + +Think of the many helps God gives us to save our souls: an angel to be +always with us upon earth; a saint always praying for us in Heaven, and +besides these all the graces, the Sacraments, the Masses, the prayers, +etc. If then we lose our soul, surely we cannot say, God did not give us +sufficient help. "Invocation" means calling upon them to help us. +Everyone is pleased when his friends are honored. Who is not glad to +hear his parents praised or see them respected? By praying to the +saints, instead of dishonoring God--as Protestants say we do--we really +honor Him more than by praying directly to Himself We show that we +believe in His great dignity, His awful majesty and our own nothingness. +If a poor person wanted to obtain a favor from the President of the +United States, would he go directly to the President himself? No. He +would find someone who had influence with the President, and ask him to +obtain the favor. Why, the very persons that say we should not use the +influence of saints do themselves use the influence of others to obtain +favors. They never go to an enemy of the one from whom they desire the +favor, but to some of his friends, knowing that a person will often +grant a favor for a friend's sake that he would not grant for the sake +of others. Now we do exactly the same when we pray to the saints. They +are the special friends of God. They fasted, prayed, preached, labored, +or suffered death for His honor and glory. He showed them great favors +while they were upon earth. He performed miracles at their request. Will +He deny them now, when they are always present with Him in Heaven--where +they could not possibly sin? He loves to grant them favors; and, as they +do not need any for themselves, He grants them for others through their +intercession. Again men are honored by the praises of their fellowman. A +great general is honored by having all his countrymen praise him; so, +too, God wants His saints honored, for their great spiritual deeds, by +the praise of the children of the Church. God is not annoyed by being +asked for favors. Nothing can trouble Him, for all is done by an act of +His will. He loses nothing by giving, for He is infinite. By praying to +the saints for help we confess that we are too unworthy to present +ourselves to God and address Him--to come before His awful Majesty, and +that we will wait here in the humble attitude of prayer while you, holy +saints, His dearest friends, go into His presence and ask for us the +favors and graces we require. + +332 Q. Does the First Commandment forbid us to pray to the saints? +A. The First Commandment does not forbid us to pray to the saints. + +We do not pray to them as to God. We never say to them, "Give us this or +that," but always, "Obtain it for us." In all the litanies you cannot +find one petition where we say, even to the Blessed Virgin: "Have mercy +on us," but, "Pray for us," or, "Intercede for us." + +333 Q. What do we mean by praying to the saints? +A. By praying to the saints we mean the asking of their help and +prayers. + +*334 Q. How do we know that the saints hear us? +A. We know that the saints hear us, because they are with God, who makes +our prayers known to them. + +*335 Q. Why do we believe that the saints will help us? +A. 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. + +*336 Q. How are the saints and we members of the same Church? +A. 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. + +*337 Q. What is the communion of the members of the Church called? +A. The communion of the members of the Church is called the communion of +saints. + +*338 Q. What does the communion of saints mean? +A. 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. + +*339 Q. What benefits are derived from the communion of saints? +A. 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. + +340 Q. Does the First Commandment forbid us to honor relics? +A. 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. + +"Relic" means a thing left. Relics are pieces of the body--bones, etc. +Pieces of saints' clothing, writing, etc., are also called relics. +Pieces of the True Cross, the nails that pierced Christ's hands, etc., +are relics of Our Lord's Passion. We have no relic of Our Lord's Body +because He took it into Heaven with Him when He ascended. All relics of +the saints must be examined at Rome, by those whom the Holy Father has +appointed for that work. They must be marked and accompanied by the +testimony of the Cardinals, or others who examined them, to show that +they are true relics. It would be superstitious to use anything as a +relic unless we were sure of its being genuine. + +341 Q. Does the First Commandment forbid the making of images? +A. 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. + +Protestants and others say that Catholics break the First Commandment by +having images in their churches, because the First Commandment says: +"Thou shalt not make graven images or the likeness of anything upon the +earth," etc. Now, if that is exactly what the Commandment means, then +they break it also, because they make the images of generals, statesmen, +writers, etc., and place them in their parks. They also take photographs +of their relatives and friends and hang them on the walls of their +homes. They do this, they say, and we believe them, to show their +respect and veneration for the persons represented, and not to worship +their images. Now we do no more. We simply place in our churches the +images of saints to show our respect and veneration for the persons they +represent, and not to worship the images themselves. So if we break the +First Commandment, they who make any picture or statue break it also. +Can our accusers not see that they and every citizen do the very thing +for which they reproach us? On Decoration Day they place flowers around +the statue of Washington and other great men. Does anyone believe that +they are trying to honor the piece of metal or stone, or that the metal +or stone statue knows that it is being honored? Certainly not. They do +so to honor Washington or whomsoever the statue represents; and for the +same reason Catholics place flowers and lights around the statues and +images of saints. Every child knows that the wood in the statue might as +well have been a pillar in the Church, and that its selection for a +statue was merely accidental, and hence he knows that the statue cannot +hear or see him, and so he prays not to the statue but to the person it +represents. Again if you can offer a person insult by dishonoring his +image, may we not honor him by treating it with respect? What greater +insult, for instance, could be offered to your deceased father and +yourself than to burn him in effigy, or contemptuously trample his +picture under foot in your presence? Thus they who treat the images of +Christ or His saints with disrespect dishonor Christ and His saints. + +Again we may learn our religion by our sight as well as by our hearing, +and may be led by these visible objects to a knowledge of the invisible +things they represent. Let us take an example. A poor ignorant man +enters a Catholic church, and sees hanging there a picture of St. +Vincent de Paul. He can learn the life of the saint from that picture +almost as well as if he read it in a book. He sees the saint dressed in +a cassock, and that tells him St. Vincent was a priest. He sees him +surrounded by little ragged children and holding some of them in his +arms; that tells him the saint took care of poor children and orphans, +and founded homes and asylums for them. He sees on the saint's table a +human skull, and that tells him St. Vincent frequently meditated upon +death and what follows it. He sees beside the skull a little lash or +whip, and that tells him the saint was a man who practiced penance and +mortification. Thus you have another reason why the true Church is very +properly called Catholic; because its teaching suits all classes of +persons. The ignorant can know what it teaches as well as the learned; +for if they cannot read they can listen to its priests, watch its +ceremonies, and study its pictures, by all of which it teaches. The +Protestant religion, on the contrary, is not adapted to the needs of +every class, for it teaches that all must find their doctrines in the +Bible, and understand them according to their lights, giving their own +interpretation to the passages of the sacred text; and thus we come to +have a variety of Protestant denominations, all claiming the Bible for +their guide, though following different paths. If every Protestant has +the right to take his own meaning out of the Holy Scripture, what right +have Protestant ministers to preach the meaning they have found, and +compel others to accept it? The Bible alone is not sufficient. It must +be explained by the Church that teaches us also the traditions that have +come down to us from the Apostles. If the Bible alone were the rule of +our faith, what would become of all those who could not read the Bible? +What would become of those who lived before the Apostles wrote the New +Testament? for they did not write in the first years of their ministry, +neither did they commit to writing all the truths they taught, because +Our Lord did not command them to write, but to preach; and He Himself +never wrote any of His doctrines. Again Catholics are accused of +superstition for keeping the relics of saints. Yet when General Grant +died and was buried in New York, many citizens of every denomination, +anxious to have a relic of the great man they loved and admired, +secured, even at a cost, small pieces of wood from his house, of cloth +from his funeral car, a few leaves or a little sand from his tomb. Now, +if it was not superstition to keep these relics, why should it be +superstition to keep the relics of the saints? + +Even God Himself honored the relics of saints, for He has often +performed or granted miracles through their use. We read in the Bible (4 +Kings 13:21)--and it is the word of God--that once some persons who were +burying a dead man, seeing their enemies coming upon them, hastily cast +the body into a tomb and fled. It was the tomb of the holy prophet +Eliseus, and when the dead body touched the bones of this great servant +of God, the dead man came to life and stood erect. Here is at least one +miracle that God performed through the relics of a saint. + +God does not forbid the mere making of images, but only the making of +them as gods. He gave the Commandments to Moses and afterwards told him +to make images; namely, angels of gold for the temple. (Ex. 25:18). Now, +God does not change His mind or contradict Himself as men do. Whatever +He does is done forever. Therefore if He commanded Moses by the First +Commandment not to make any images, He could not tell him later to make +some. It is not the mere making, therefore, that God forbids, but the +adoring. What He insists upon is: "You shall not adore or serve the +images you make." This is very clear if we consider the history of the +Israelites, to whom God first gave the law. They were the only nation in +the whole world that knew and worshipped the true God, and often, as I +told you, they fell into idolatry and really worshipped images. When +Moses delayed on the mountain with God, and they thought he was not +coming back, they made a golden calf and adored it as a god. (Ex. 32). + +The Israelites fell into idolatry chiefly by associating with persons +not of the true religion. Let us learn from their sins never to run the +risk of weakening or losing our faith by making bosom friends and steady +companions of those not of the true religion or of no religion at all. +You are not, however, to treat any person with contempt or to despise +anyone, but to look upon all as the children of God, and pray for those +not of the true religion, that they may be converted and saved. + +342 Q. Is it right to show respect to the pictures and images of Christ +and His saints? +A. 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. + +343 Q. Is it allowed to pray to the crucifix or to the images and relics +of the saints? +A. 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. + +344 Q. Why do we pray before the crucifix and the images and relics of +the saints? +A. 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 32 +FROM THE SECOND TO THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT + + +345 Q. What is the Second Commandment? +A. The Second Commandment is: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord +thy God in vain. + +"In vain"--that is, without necessity. + +346 Q. What are we commanded by the Second Commandment? +A. 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. + +A very common sin against this Commandment is to use the words and +sayings of Holy Scripture in a worldly or bad sense. The Church forbids +us to use the words and sayings of Holy Scripture to convey any meaning +but the one God intended them to convey, or at least to use them in any +but a sacred sense. + +347 Q. What is an oath? +A. An oath is the calling upon God to witness the truth of what we say. + +We declare a thing to be so or not, and call God to be our witness that +we are speaking truly. This is one of the most solemn acts that men can +perform in the presence of their fellowman. All the nations of the earth +regard an oath as a most sacred thing, and one who swears falsely is the +vilest of men--a perjurer. God is infinite truth and hates lies. What a +frightful thing then to call Him to sanction a lie! + +*348 Q. When may we take an oath? +A. 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. + +An oath is generally taken in a court of law when the judge wishes to +find out the truth of the case. We may be a witness against one who is +guilty, or in defense of an innocent person, and in such cases a lie +would have most evil consequences. The judge has a right, therefore, to +make us take an oath that we will testify truly. Officers of the law, +magistrates, judges, etc., take an oath when entering upon their duties +that they will perform them faithfully. + +*349 Q. What is necessary to make an oath lawful? +A. To make an oath lawful it is necessary that what we swear be true, +and that there be a sufficient cause for taking an oath. + +350 Q. What is a vow? +A. A vow is a deliberate promise made to God to do something that is +pleasing to Him. + +"Deliberate"--that is, with full consent and freedom. If we are forced +to make it, it is not valid. "To God," not to another; though we may vow +to God that we will do something in honor of the Blessed Virgin, or of +the saints, or for another. "Something pleasing," because if we promise +something that is forbidden by God or displeasing to Him, it is not a +vow. A solemn promise, for instance, to kill your neighbor or steal his +goods could not be a vow. You would commit a sin by making such a vow, +and another by keeping it, for if you promise something you cannot do +without committing sin then you must not keep that promise. We have an +example in the life of St. John the Baptist. King Herod was leading a +sinful life, and St. John rebuked him for it. The wife of the king's +brother--Herodias was her name--hated St. John for this, and she sought +to have him killed. Once when the king had a great feast and all his +notables were assembled, this woman's daughter danced before them, and +the king was so pleased with her that he vowed to give her whatever she +asked. He should have said, if it is something pleasing to God, but he +did not. Her mother made her ask for the head of John the Baptist. The +king was sad, but because he had made the vow or promise he thought he +had to keep it, and ordered St. John to be beheaded and his head brought +to her. (Matt. 14). He was not bound to keep any such vow, and sinned by +doing so. + +Again, they also commit sin who become members of such secret societies +as the freemasons or similar organizations, promising to do whatever +they are ordered without knowing what may be ordered; for they sin not +only by obeying sinful commands, but by the very fact of being in a +society in which they are exposed to the danger of being forced to sin. +Such secret societies are forbidden by the Church because they strive to +undermine its authority, and make their rules superior to its teaching. +They also influence those in authority to persecute the Church and its +ministers, and do not hesitate to recommend even assassination at times +for the accomplishment of their ends. Therefore the Church forbids +Catholics to join societies of which (1) the objects are unlawful, (2) +where the means used are sinful, or (3) where the rights of our +conscience and liberty are violated by rash or dangerous oaths. + +The Church does not oppose associations founded on law and justice; but +on the contrary, has always encouraged and still encourages every +organization that tends to benefit its members spiritually and +temporally, and opposes only societies that have not a legitimate end. +Therefore you may understand that labor unions and benefit societies in +which persons are leagued together for their own protection or the +protection of their interests are not secret societies, though they may +conduct their meetings in secret. + +351 Q. Is it a sin not to fulfill our vows? +A. 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. + +"Vows"--that is, lawful vows. When a man who is in the habit of getting +intoxicated vows not to take liquor for a certain time, he generally +intends to bind himself only under venial sin; that is, if he breaks +that pledge or promise it will be a venial and not a mortal sin; but he +can make it a mortal sin by intending, when he takes the pledge, that if +he breaks it he will be guilty of mortal sin. + +352 Q. What is forbidden by the Second Commandment? +A. The Second Commandment forbids all false, rash, unjust, and +unnecessary oaths, blasphemy, cursing, and profane words. + +"Rash"--swearing a thing is true or false without knowing for certain +whether it is or not. "Blasphemy" is not the same as cursing or taking +God's name in vain. It is worse. It is to say or do something very +disrespectful to God. To say that He is unjust, cruel or the like, is to +blaspheme. We can blaspheme also by actions. To defy God by a sign or +action, to dare Him to strike us dead, etc., would be blasphemy. We have +a terrible example of blasphemy related in the life of Julian the +Apostate. An apostate is one who renounces and gives up his religion, +not one who merely neglects it. Julian was a Roman emperor and had been +a Catholic, but apostatized. Then in his great hatred for Our Lord he +wished to falsify His prophecies and prove them untrue. Our Lord had +said that of the temple of Jerusalem there would not be left a stone +upon a stone. To make this false Julian began to rebuild the temple. In +making the preparation he cleared away the ruins of the old building, +not leaving a single stone upon a stone, and thus was instrumental +himself in verifying the words of Our Lord; for while the ruins remained +there were stones upon stones. He wished to defy God, but when he began +to build, fire came forth from the earth and drove back the workmen, and +a strong wind scattered the materials. Afterwards Julian was wounded in +battle, an arrow having pierced his breast. He drew it out, and throwing +a handful of his blood toward heaven, said: "Thou hast conquered, O +Galilean," meaning Our Lord. This was a horrible blasphemy--throwing his +blood in defiance, and calling the Son of God a name which he thought +would be insulting (see Fredet's Modern History, Life of Julian). +Therefore we can blaspheme by actions or words, doing or saying things +intended to insult Almighty God. "Profane words"--that is, bad, but +especially irreverent and irreligious words. + +353 Q. What is the Third Commandment? +A. The Third Commandment is: Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day. + +*354 Q. What are we commanded by the Third Commandment? +A. By the Third Commandment we are commanded to keep holy the Lord's Day +and the holy days of obligation, on which we are to give our time to the +service and worship of God. + +"Holy days" we are bound to keep holy just in the same manner we do +Sundays--that is, by hearing Mass and refraining from servile works. +Those who after hearing Mass must attend to business or work on those +days should make this known to their confessor, that he may judge if +they have a sufficient excuse for engaging in servile works, and thus +they will avoid the danger of sinfully violating an important law. There +must always be a good reason for working on a holy day. Those who are so +situated that they can readily refrain from servile work on holy days +must do so. And, where it is possible, the same opportunity must be +afforded to their servants. + +"Of obligation," because there are some holy days not of obligation. We +celebrate them, but we are not bound under pain of mortal sin to hear +Mass or keep from servile works on such days. For example, St. Patrick's +Day is not a holy day of obligation. The great feast of Corpus Christi +is not a holy day of obligation. Not satisfied with doing only what the +Church obliges us to do on Sundays and holy days, those who really love +God will endeavor to do more than the bare works commanded. Sunday is a +day of rest and prayer. While we may take innocent and useful amusement, +we should not join in any public or noisy entertainments. We may rest +and recreate ourselves, but we should avoid every place where vulgar and +sometimes sinful amusements, scenes, or plays are presented. Even in +taking lawful recreation we may serve God and please Him if we take it +to strengthen our bodies that we may be enabled to do the work He has +assigned to us in this world. + +Sunday is well spent by those who, after hearing Mass, devote some part +of the day to good works, such as pious reading, teaching in Sunday +school, bringing relief to the poor and sick, visiting the Blessed +Sacrament, attending Vespers, Rosary, etc. Not that I mean they should +do nothing but pray on Sundays; but they should not give the whole day +to useless enjoyment or idleness, and forget God. Some begrudge God even +the half-hour they are obliged to give to Mass on Sundays: they stand +near the door, ready to be the first out, and perhaps were the last in; +or they come late, and do not give the full time necessary to hear the +entire Mass. Others spend the whole day in reading newspapers, +magazines, or useless--I will not say sinful--books. It is not a sin to +read newspapers, etc., on Sunday; but to give the whole time to them, +and never read anything good and instructive, is a willful waste of +time--and waste of time is sinful. There should be in every family, +according to its means, one or more good Catholic newspapers or +magazines. Not all papers that bear the name of Catholic are worthy of +it. A truly Catholic paper is one that teaches or defends Catholic +truth, and warns us against its enemies, their snares, deceptions, etc.; +one, too, that tells us what is being done in the interests of religion, +education, etc. Besides such a paper there should be a few standard good +books in every family such as the New Testament, the Imitation of +Christ, a large and full catechism of Christian doctrine, etc. On the +other hand, all the books in your house need not be books treating of +religion or piety. Any book that is not against faith or morals may be +kept and read. A book may not be bad in itself, but it may be bad for +you, either because it is suggestive of evil, or you misunderstand it, +and take evil out of it. In such a case you should not read it. At the +present time there are so many bad books that persons should be very +careful as to what they read. + +Not only should we keep Sunday well ourselves, but we should endeavor to +have it so kept by others. We must be careful, however, not to fall into +the mistake of some who wish the Sunday to be kept as the Pharisees of +old kept the Sabbath, telling us we must not walk, ride, sail, or take +any exercise or enjoyment on that day. This is not true, for Our Lord +rebuked the Pharisees for such excessive rigor; God made the Sunday for +our benefit, and if we had to keep it as they say we must, it would be +more of a punishment than a benefit. + +355 Q. How are we to worship God on Sundays and holy days of obligation? +A. We are to worship God on Sundays and holy days of obligation by +hearing Mass, by prayer, and by other good works. + +*356 Q. Are the Sabbath day and the Sunday the same? +A. 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. + +"Old Law" means the law that God gave to the Jews, the New Law, the law +that Our Lord gave to Christians. + +*357 Q. Why does the Church command us to keep the Sunday holy instead +of the Sabbath? +A. 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. + +We keep Sunday instead of Saturday 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. + +358 Q. What is forbidden by the Third Commandment? +A. The Third Commandment forbids all unnecessary servile work and +whatever else may hinder the due observance of the Lord's day. + +359 Q. What are servile works? +A. Servile works are those which require labor rather of body than of +mind. + +"Servile"--that is, work which was formerly done by the slaves. +Therefore writing, reading, studying, etc., are not servile, because +they were not the works of slaves. + +360 Q. Are servile works on Sunday ever lawful? +A. Servile works are lawful on Sunday when the honor of God, the good of +our neighbor, or necessity requires them. + +"Honor of God"; for example, erecting an altar that could not be erected +at another time, so that the people may hear Mass on that day. + +"Good of our neighbor"--such as reconstructing a broken bridge that must +be used every day; or clearing away obstacles after a railroad accident, +that trains may not be delayed. "Necessity"--firemen endeavoring to +extinguish a fire, sailors working on a ship at sea, etc. + + + +Lesson 33 +FROM THE FOURTH TO THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT + + +361 Q. What is the Fourth Commandment? +A. The Fourth Commandment is: Honor thy father and thy mother. + +362 Q. What are we commanded by the Fourth Commandment? +A. We are commanded by the Fourth Commandment to honor, love, and obey +our parents in all that is not sin. + +"In all that is not sin," because if our parents or superiors, being +wicked, bid us do things that we know to be certainly sinful, then we +must not obey them under any circumstances. God will not excuse us for +doing wrong because we were commanded. But if, on the contrary, we are +forced in spite of our resistance to do the sinful act, then not we but +they have to answer for the sin. If, however, you simply doubt about the +sinfulness of the act, then you must obey; because you must always +suppose that your superiors know better than you the things that concern +their duty. Even if they should be mistaken in the exercise of their +authority, God will reward your obedience. Besides obeying them, you +must also help and support your parents if they need your assistance. +You must not scoff at or despise them for their want of learning or +refinement, because they perhaps have made many sacrifices to give you +the advantages of which they in their youth were deprived. Do we not +sometimes find persons of pretended culture ignorantly slighting their +plain-mannered parents, or showing that they are ashamed of them or +unwilling to recognize them before others, ungratefully forgetting that +whatever wealth or learning they themselves have came through the love +and kindness of these same parents? Again, is it not sinful for the +children, especially of such parents, to waste their time in school, +knowing that they are being supported in idleness by the hard toil and +many sacrifices of a poor father? Never, then, be guilty of an unkind or +ungrateful act. No matter who they are or what their condition, never +forget those who have helped you and been your temporal or spiritual +benefactors. If you cannot return the kindness to the one who helped +you, at least be as ready as he was to do good to another. It is told of +a great man that, wishing always to do good, he made it a rule never to +stand looking at the effects of a disturbance, disaster, or accident +unless he could do some good by being there. + +Wherever you are, ask yourselves now and then, Why am I in this +particular place; what good am I doing here? etc. St. Aloysius when +about to perform any action used to ask himself, it is said, What has +this action to do with my eternal salvation? and St. Alphonsus de +Liguori made a vow never to waste a moment of his time. These were some +of the great heroes of the Church, and this is one of the reasons why +they could accomplish so much for God. + +363 Q. Are we bound to honor and obey others than our parents? +A. We are bound to honor and obey our bishops, pastors, magistrates, +teachers, and other lawful superiors. + +"Magistrates"--that is, civil rulers, like the president, governor, +mayor, judges, etc. + +*364 Q. Have parents and superiors any duties towards those who are +under their charge? +A. It is the duty of parents and superiors to take good care of all +under their charge and give them proper direction and example. + +It is so much their duty that God will hold them responsible for it, and +punish them for neglecting it; so that your parents are not free to give +you your own way. They have to do God's work, and, as His agents, punish +you when you deserve it. You should take their punishment as coming from +God Himself. They do not punish you because they wish to see you suffer, +but for your good. Think of the terrible responsibility of parents. Let +us suppose that the parents of a family give bad example; their children +follow their example, and when they become heads of families their +children also will grow up in wickedness: and thus we can go on for +generations, and all those sins will be traced back to the first bad +parents. What is true for bad example is true also for good example; +that is, the good done by the children will all be traced back to the +parents. Sometimes you may be punished when you are not guilty; then +think of the times you were guilty and were not punished. Remember also +how Our Lord was falsely accused before Herod and Pilate, and yet He +never opened His lips to defend Himself, but suffered patiently. God +sees your innocence and will reward you if you bear your trial +patiently. Indeed, we are foolish not to bear all our sufferings +patiently, for we have to bear them anyway, and we might just as well +have the reward that patient suffering will bring us. Those who suffer +should find comfort in this: by suffering they are made more like Our +Lord and His blessed Mother. She lived on earth over sixty years, and +during all that time she seems never to have had any of those things +that bring worldly pleasure and happiness. She was left an orphan when +quite young, and spent her early life in the temple, which was for her a +kind of school; then she was married to a poor old carpenter, and must +have found it very hard at times to get a living. Our Lord was born +while she was away from home in a strange place. After she had returned +and had just settled down in her little dwelling, she had to fly with +St. Joseph into Egypt to save the life of the little Infant Jesus, whom +the king's officers were seeking to kill. In Egypt they were strangers, +among people not of their own nationality or religion, and St. Joseph +must have found great difficulty in providing for them; yet they had to +remain there for some time. Then when our divine Lord was grown to +manhood and could be a great comfort to His Mother, He was seized and +put to death in her presence. Her most beloved and innocent Son put to +death publicly as a criminal before all her neighbors! The same persons +who insulted Our Lord would not hesitate to insult and cruelly treat His +blessed Mother also. At His death He left her no money or property for +her support, but asked a friend, St. John, to receive her into his house +and do Him the favor of taking care of her. She must have often felt +that she was a burden in that man's house; that she had no home of her +own, but was living like a poor woman on the charity of kind friends, +for St. Joseph died before Our Lord's public life began. The Blessed +Mother was, however, obliged to remain upon earth for about eleven years +after Our Lord's Ascension. Thus we see her whole life was one of trials +and sorrows. Now certainly Our Lord loved His Mother more than any other +son could; and certainly also He, being God, could have made His blessed +Mother a queen upon the earth, rich and powerful among men, and free +from every suffering or inconvenience. If, then, He sent her sorrows and +trials, it must have been because these were best for her, and because +He knew that for this suffering here upon earth her happiness and glory +in Heaven would be much increased; and as He wished her to have all the +happiness and glory she was capable of possessing, He permitted her to +suffer. If, then, suffering was good for Our Lord's Mother, it is good +also for us; and when it comes we ought not to complain, but bear it +patiently, as she did, and ask Our Lord to give us that grace. + +365 Q. What is forbidden by the Fourth Commandment? +A. The Fourth Commandment forbids all disobedience, contempt, and +stubbornness towards our parents or lawful superiors. + +"Contempt." Showing by our words or actions that we disregard or despise +those placed over us. A man who is summoned to appear in court and does +not come is punished for "contempt of court," because he shows that he +disregards the authority of the judge. A thing not very bad in itself +may become very bad if done out of contempt. For example, there would be +a great difference between eating a little more than the Church allows +on a fast-day, simply because you were hungry, and eating it because you +wanted to show that you despised the law of fasting and the authority of +the Church. The first would be only a venial sin, but the latter mortal. +So for all your actions. An act which in itself might be a venial sin +could easily become a mortal sin if you did it through contempt. +"Stubbornness"--that is, unwillingness to give in, even when you know +you are wrong and should yield. Those who obey slowly and do what they +are ordered in a sulky manner are also guilty of stubbornness. + +366 Q. What is the Fifth Commandment? +A. The Fifth Commandment is: Thou shalt not kill. + +367 Q. What are we commanded by the Fifth Commandment? +A. 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. + +"Proper care of our own life." It is not our property, but God's. He +lends it to us and leaves it with us as long as He pleases: nor does He +tell us how long He will let us have the use of it. Thus suicide, or the +taking of one's own life, is a mortal sin, for by it we resist the will +of God. One who in sound mind and full possession of reason causes his +own death is guilty of suicide. But it is sometimes very difficult to +determine whether the person was really sane at the time he committed +the act; hence, when there is any reasonable doubt on that point, the +unfortunate suicide is usually given the benefit of it. It is also a sin +to risk our lives uselessly or to continue in any habit that we are sure +is injuring our health and shortening our lives. + +Thus an habitual drunkard is guilty of sin against the Fifth +Commandment, for besides his sin of drunkenness, he is hastening his own +death. So, too, boys or girls who indulge in habits which their parents +forbid are guilty of sin. For example, a boy is forbidden to smoke, and +he does smoke. Now to smoke is not in itself a sin, but it becomes a sin +for that boy, because in the first place he is disobedient, and secondly +is injuring his health. Thus persons who indulge in sinful habits may +commit more than one kind of sin, for besides the sins committed by the +habits themselves, these vices may injure their health and bring +sickness and disease upon their bodies. + +368 Q. What is forbidden by the Fifth Commandment? +A. The Fifth Commandment forbids all willful murder, fighting, anger, +hatred, revenge, and bad example. + +Therefore it forbids all that might lead to murder. So we can violate +any of the Commandments by doing anything that leads to breaking them. +"Revenge" is a desire to injure others because they injured you. + +369 Q. What is the Sixth Commandment? +A. The Sixth Commandment is: Thou shalt not commit adultery. + +370 Q. What are we commanded by the Sixth Commandment? +A. We are commanded by the Sixth Commandment to be pure in thought and +modest in all our looks, words, and actions. + +We should be most careful about this Commandment, because almost every +violation of it is a mortal sin. For example, if you steal only a +little, it is a venial sin; for in stealing the greatness of the sin +will depend upon the amount you steal; but if you do a real bad action, +or think a real bad thought against the Sixth Commandment, it will be a +mortal sin, no matter how short the time. Again, we have more +temptations against this Commandment, for we are tempted by our own +bodies and we cannot avoid them: hence the necessity of being always +guarded against this sin. It enters into our soul through our senses; +they are, as it were, the doors of our soul. It enters by our eyes +looking at bad objects or pictures; by our ears listening to bad +conversation; by our tongue saying and repeating immodest words, etc. If +then, we guard all the doors of our soul, sin cannot enter. It would be +foolish to lock all the doors in your house but one, for one will +suffice to admit a thief, and we might as well leave them all open as +one. So, too, we must guard all the senses; for sin can enter by one +only as well as by all. + +371 Q. What is forbidden by the Sixth Commandment? +A. The Sixth Commandment forbids all unchaste freedom with another's +wife or husband: also all immodesty with ourselves or others in looks, +dress, words, or actions. + +372 Q. Does the Sixth Commandment forbid the reading of bad and immodest +books and newspapers? +A. The Sixth Commandment does forbid the reading of bad and immodest +books and newspapers. + +Reading brings us into the company of those who wrote the book. Now we +should be just as careful to avoid a bad book as a bad man, and even +more so; for while we read we can stop to think, and read over again, so +that bad words read will often make more impression upon us than bad +words spoken to us. You should avoid not only bad, but useless books. +You could not waste all your time with an idle man without becoming like +him--an idler. So if you waste your time on useless books, your +knowledge will be just like the books--useless. Many authors write only +for the sake of money, and care little whether their book is good or +bad, provided it sells well. How many young people have been ruined by +bad books, and how many more by foolish books! Boys, for example, read +in some worthless book of desperate deeds of highway robbery or piracy, +and are at once filled with the desire to imitate the hero of the tale. +Young girls, on the other hand, are equally infatuated by the wonderful +fortunes and adventures of some young woman whose life has been so +vividly described in a trashy novel. As the result of such reading, +young persons lose the true idea of virtue and valor of true, noble +manhood and womanhood, and with their hearts and minds corrupted set up +vice for their model. + +Again, these books are filled with such terrible lies and unlikely +things that any sensible boy or girl should see their foolishness at +once. Think, for example, of a book relating how two boys defeated and +killed or captured several hundred Indians! Is that likely? The truth +is, if two Indians shook their tomahawks at as many boys as you could +crowd into this building, every single one of them would run for his +life. + +Let me give you still another reason for not reading trashy books. Your +minds can hold just so much good or evil information, and if you fill +them full of lies and nonsense you leave no room for true knowledge. + +Do not, therefore, get into the habit of reading foolish story-papers +and cheap novels. Read good books in which you can find information that +will be useful to you all through your life. + +If now and then you read story-books for amusement or rest from study, +let them be good story-books, written by good authors. Ask someone's +advice about the books you read--someone who is capable of giving such +advice: your pastor, your teachers, and frequently your parents and +friends. Learn all through your life to ask advice on every important +matter. How many mistakes in life would have been prevented if those +making them had only asked advice from the proper persons and followed +it. Your parents have traveled the road of life before you. Now it is +known to them and they can point out its dangers. To you the road is +entirely new, and it will be only after you have traveled it and arrived +nearly at its end in the latter days of your life that you also will be +able to advise others how to pass through it in safety. This road can be +traveled only once, so be advised by those who have learned its many +dangers by their own experience. You should be very glad that those of +experience are willing to teach you, and if you neglect their warnings +you will be very sorry for it someday. + + + +Lesson 34 +FROM THE SEVENTH TO THE END OF THE TENTH COMMANDMENT + + +373 Q. What is the Seventh Commandment? +A. The Seventh Commandment is: Thou shalt not steal. + +Stealing is one of those vices of which you have to be most careful. +Children should learn to have honest hearts, and never to take unjustly +even the smallest thing; for some begin a life of dishonesty by stealing +little things from their own house or from stores to which they are sent +for goods. A nut, a cake, an apple, a cent, etc., do not seem much, but +nevertheless to take any of them dishonestly is stealing. Children who +indulge in this trifling thievery seldom correct the habit in after life +and grow up to be dishonest men and women. How do you suppose all the +thieves now spending their miserable lives in prison began? Do you +believe they were very honest--never having stolen even the slightest +thing--up to a certain day, and at once became thieves by committing a +highway robbery? No; they began by stealing little things, then greater, +and kept on till they made stealing their business and thus became +professional thieves. Again, the little you steal each day does not seem +much at the time, but if you put all the "littles" together you may soon +have something big, and almost before you know it--if you intend to +continue stealing--you may have taken enough to make you guilty of +mortal sin. If you intended to steal, for instance, only a small amount +every day for the whole year, you would at the end have stolen a large +amount and committed a mortal sin. There are many ways of violating the +Seventh Commandment. Workmen who do not do a just day's work, or +employers who cheat their workmen out of wages earned; merchants who +charge unjust prices and seek unjust profits; dealers who give light +weight or short measure or who misrepresent goods; those who speculate +rashly or gamble with the money of others, and those who borrow with no +intention or only slight hope of being able to pay back, all violate +this Commandment. You violate it also by not paying your just debts or +by purchasing goods that you know you will never be able to pay for. +Moreover, besides the injustice, it is base ingratitude not to pay your +debts when in your power to do so. The one who trusted or lent you +helped you in your need and did you a great favor, and yet when you can +you will not pay, and what is worse, frequently abuse and insult him for +asking his own. Though such dishonest and ungrateful persons may escape +in this world, they will not escape in the next, for Almighty God will +make them suffer for the smallest debt they owe. + +Again, others often suffer for the dishonesty of those I have mentioned, +for when some good person who really intends to pay is in great need and +wishes to borrow or be trusted, he is refused because others have been +dishonest. Everyone should pay his debts, and even keep from buying +things that are not really necessary till he is thus enabled to pay what +he owes. You must pay your just debts even before you can give anything +in charity. + +374 Q. What are we commanded by the Seventh Commandment? +A. By the Seventh Commandment we are commanded to give to all men what +belongs to them and to respect their property. + +"Respect their property"--that is, acknowledge and respect their rights +to their property and do nothing to violate these rights. + +375 Q. What is forbidden by the Seventh Commandment? +A. The Seventh Commandment forbids all unjust taking or keeping what +belongs to another. + +"Taking," either with your own hands or from the hands of another; for +the one who willingly and knowingly receives from a thief the whole or +part of anything stolen becomes as bad as the thief. Even if you only +help another to steal, and receive none of the stolen goods, you are +guilty. There are several ways of sharing in the sin of another; namely, +by ordering or advising him to do wrong; by praising him for doing wrong +and thus encouraging him; by consenting to wrong when you should oppose +it--for instance, a member of a society allowing an evil act to be done +by the society when his vote would prevent it; again, by affording +wrongdoers protection and means of escape from punishment for their evil +deeds. This does not mean that we should not defend the guilty. We +should defend them, but should not encourage them to do wrong by +offering them a means of escape from just punishment. We share in +another's sin also by neglecting to prevent his bad action when it is +our duty to do so. For example, if a police officer paid for guarding +your property should see a thief stealing it and not prevent him, he +would be as guilty as the thief. Your neighbor indeed might warn you +that the thief was stealing your goods, but he would not be bound in +justice to do so, as the officer is, but only in charity, because it is +not his duty to guard your property. Parents who know that their +children steal and do not prevent them or compel them to bring back what +they stole, but rather encourage them by being indifferent, are guilty +of dishonesty as well as the children, and share in their sins of theft. +But suppose you did not know the thing was stolen when you received it, +but learned afterward that it was, must you then return it to the proper +owner? Yes; just as soon as you know to whom it belongs you begin to sin +by keeping it. But suppose you bought it not knowing that it was stolen, +would you still have to restore it? Yes, when the owner asks for it, +because it belongs to him till he sells it or gives it away. If you have +bought from a thief you have been cheated and must suffer the loss. Your +mistake will make you more careful on the next occasion. Suppose you +find a thing, what must you do? Try to find its owner, and if you find +him give him what is his, and that without any reward for restoring it, +unless he pleases to give you something, or unless you have been put to +an expense by keeping it. If you cannot find the owner after sincerely +seeking for him, then you may keep the thing found. But suppose you kept +the article so long before looking for the owner that it became +impossible for you to restore it to him, either because he had died or +removed to parts unknown during your delay--what then? Then you must +give the article or its value to his children or others who have a right +to his goods; and if no one who has such a right can be found, you must +give it to the poor, for you have it unjustly--since you did not look +for the owner when it was possible to find him--and therefore cannot +keep it. + +376 Q. Are we bound to restore ill-gotten goods? +A. We are bound to restore ill-gotten goods, or the value of them, as +far as we are able; otherwise we cannot be forgiven. + +"Ill-gotten"--that is, unjustly gotten. "Value." It sometimes happens +that persons lose or destroy the article stolen, and therefore cannot +return it. What must be done in such cases? They must give the owner the +value of it. However, when you have stolen anything and have to restore +it, you need not go to the owner and say, "Here is what I stole from +you." It is only necessary that he gets what is his own or its value. He +need not even know that it is being restored to him, unless he knows you +stole it; and then it would be better for your own good name to let him +know that you are making amends for the injustice done. Therefore, no +one need have any excuse for not restoring what he has unjustly, because +he has only to see that it is returned in some way to its owner, or to +those who have the next right to it, or to the poor. But you must +remember you cannot make restitution by giving to the poor if you can +restore to the proper owner. You must restore by giving to the poor only +when the owner cannot be found or reached. Some persons do not like the +duty of restoring to the proper owner, and think they satisfy their +obligation by giving the ill-gotten goods to the poor; but they do not. +You cannot give even in charity the goods of another without being +guilty of dishonesty. If you wish to be charitable, give from your own +goods. It is a sin to delay making restitution after you are able to +restore. You must restore just as soon as you can, because the longer +you keep the owner out of his property and its benefits, the greater the +injury you do him and the greater the sin. One who, after being told by +his confessor to make restitution, and promising to do so, still delays +or keeps putting off, runs the risk of being guilty of sacrilege by +receiving the Sacraments without proper dispositions. But suppose a +person cannot restore; suppose he lost the thing stolen and has not the +value of it. What must he do? He must have the firm resolution of +restoring as soon as he possibly can; and without this good resolution +he could not be absolved from his sins--even if he had not the real +means of restoring. The good intention and resolution will suffice till +he has really the means; but this intention must be serious, otherwise +there will be no forgiveness. + +377 Q. Are we obliged to repair the damage we have unjustly caused? +A. We are bound to repair the damage we have unjustly caused. + +378 Q. What is the Eighth Commandment? +A. The Eighth Commandment is: Thou shalt not bear false witness against +thy neighbor. + +Either in a court, while we are acting as witnesses, or by telling lies +about him at any other time. + +379 Q. What are we commanded by the Eighth Commandment? +A. We are commanded by the Eighth Commandment to speak the truth in all +things, and to be careful of the honor and reputation of everyone. + +"Reputation." If it be a sin to steal a man's money, which we can +restore to him, it is certainly a much greater sin to steal his good +name, which we can never restore, and especially as we have nothing to +gain from injuring his character. It is a sin to tell evil things about +another--his sins, vices, etc.--even when they are true. The only thing +that will excuse us from telling another's fault is the necessity to do +so in which we are placed, or the good we can do to the person himself +or others by exposing faults. How shall you know when you have injured +the character of another? You have injured another's character if you +made others think less of him than they did before. If you have exposed +some crime that he really committed, your sin is called detraction; if +you accuse him of one he did not commit, your sin is calumny; and if you +maliciously circulate these reports to injure his character, your sin is +slander. But how shall you make reparation for injuring the character of +another? If you have told lies about him, you must acknowledge to those +with whom you have talked that you have told what was untrue about him, +and you must even compensate him for whatever loss he has suffered by +your lies: for example, the loss of his situation by your accusing him +of dishonesty. But if what you said of him was true, how are you to act? +At every opportunity say whatever good you can of him in the presence of +those before whom you have spoken the evil. + +380 Q. What is forbidden by the Eighth Commandment? +A. The Eighth Commandment forbids all rash judgments, backbiting, +slanders, and lies. + +"Rash judgment"--that is, having in your mind and really believing that +a person is guilty of a certain sin when you have no reason for thinking +so, and no evidence that he is guilty. "Backbiting"--that is, talking +evil of persons behind their backs. You would not like your neighbor to +backbite you, and you have no right to do to him what you would not wish +him to do to you. Besides, everyone hates and fears a backbiter; because +as he brings to you a bad story about another, he will in the same +manner bring to someone else a bad story about you. It is certainly an +honor to be able to say of a person: "He never has a bad word of +anyone"; while on the other hand, he must be a despicable creature who +never speaks of others except to censure or revile them. Never listen to +a backbiter, detractor, or slanderer--it is sinful. Another way of +injuring your neighbor is revealing the secrets he has confided to you. +You will tell one friend perhaps and caution him not to repeat it to +another; but if you cannot keep the secret yourself, how can you expect +others to keep it? Again you may injure your neighbor by reading his +letters without his consent when you have no authority to do so. This is +considered a crime in the eyes even of the civil law, and anyone who +opens and reads the letters of another can be punished by imprisonment. +It is a kind of theft, for it is stealing secrets and information that +you have no right to know. It is dishonorable to read another's letter +without his consent, even when you find it open. To carry to persons the +evil things said about them by others so as to bring about disputes +between them is very sinful. The Holy Scripture (Rom. 1:29) calls this +class of sinners whisperers, and says that they will not enter into +Heaven--that is, as long as they continue in the habit. If ever, then, +you hear one person saying anything bad about another, never go and tell +it to the person of whom it was said. If you do, you will be the cause +of all the sin that follows from it--of the anger, hatred, revenge, and +probably murder itself, as sometimes happens. + +*381 Q. What must they do who have lied about their neighbor and +seriously injured his character? +A. 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. + +382 Q. What is the Ninth Commandment? +A. The Ninth Commandment is: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. + +383 Q. What are we commanded by the Ninth Commandment? +A. We are commanded by the Ninth Commandment to keep ourselves pure in +thought and desire. + +384 Q. What is forbidden by the Ninth Commandment? +A. The Ninth Commandment forbids unchaste thoughts, desires of another's +wife or husband, and all other unlawful impure thoughts and desires. + +*385 Q. Are impure thoughts and desires always sins? +A. Impure thoughts and desires are always sins, unless they displease us +and we try to banish them. + +386 Q. What is the Tenth Commandment? +A. The Tenth Commandment is: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods. + +"Covet" means to long for or desire inordinately or unlawfully. If I +should desire, for example, my friend to be killed by an accident, in +order that I might become the owner of his gold watch, I would be +coveting it. But if I desired to have it justly--that is, to be able to +purchase it, or another similar to it, that would not be covetousness. + +387 Q. What are we commanded by the Tenth Commandment? +A. By the Tenth Commandment we are commanded to be content with what we +have, and to rejoice in our neighbor's welfare. + +388 Q. What is forbidden by the Tenth Commandment? +A. The Tenth Commandment forbids all desires to take or keep wrongfully +what belongs to another. + + + +Lesson 35 +ON THE FIRST AND SECOND COMMANDMENTS OF THE CHURCH + + +389 Q. Which are the chief commandments of the Church? +A. The chief commandments of the Church are six: + +1. To hear Mass on Sundays and holy days 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. + +390 Q. Is it a mortal sin not to hear Mass on a Sunday or a holy day of +obligation? +A. It is a mortal sin not to hear Mass on a Sunday or a holy day 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. + +"Serious reason"--that is, a very good reason, such as sickness, +necessity of taking care of the sick, great danger of death, etc. Some +persons when they go to the country in the summer believe themselves +excused from hearing Mass because the church is a little further from +them or the Mass at more inconvenient times than in the city. When they +are in the country they are bound by the same obligations as the +Catholics who live in that parish the whole year round, and they must go +to Mass as these do, even if it is more inconvenient than in the city. +Persons who have it in their power to select their own summer resort, +should not, without great necessity, select a place where there is no +Catholic church, and where they will be deprived of Mass and the +Sacraments for several months, and where there is danger of their dying +without the Sacraments. Some excuse themselves from going to Mass +because they are too tired to rise in the morning. They should be +ashamed to give such an excuse. Was our Blessed Lord not tired when He +carried His Cross? He was tired, for He fell under it several times. And +where was He going? To Calvary, to offer up the bloody sacrifice of the +Cross for you. Will you plead fatigue as an excuse when you come to be +judged by Him? Others again have a great habit of coming late for Mass. +No matter at what hour the Mass may be, they will always be late; and I +am afraid these persons will also be too late to enter Heaven. By coming +late they show disrespect to Our Lord and distract others; and to avoid +doing so, they should, when late, take a place in the rear of the +church. When you are very late for one Mass, you should wait for the +next--at least, for as much of the next as you did not hear in the +first. You should not, however, begrudge a little extra time to God. To +hear Mass properly, you should be in your place a few minutes before the +priest comes out, and make up your mind what blessing you will ask, or +for what intention you desire to hear the Mass. + +"Having others under their charge." Some parents are very careless about +their children attending Mass, especially on holy days. Now, they must +remember that in such neglect the sin will be theirs as well as the +children's. Again, masters and mistresses do not at times give their +workmen and servants sufficient opportunity to hear Mass, above all on +holy days. All masters and mistresses must remember that they are bound +not only to give their servants an opportunity to hear Mass, but they +are bound as far as they conveniently can to see that they embrace the +opportunity, just as they should see to their children in such matters. +Catholics having in their employ others, such as engineers, drivers, +conductors, etc., must make some arrangement between their men by which +they will be able to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days. The same +holds good for companies and corporations having under their charge a +large force of men who are obliged by circumstances to work on Sundays. + +*391 Q. Why were holy days instituted by the Church? +A. Holy days were instituted by the Church to recall to our minds the +great mysteries of religion and the virtues and rewards of the saints. + +For just the same reason that the government has legal holidays. What +would the people of this country know or think at the present time about +the Declaration of Independence, and all connected with it, if they did +not celebrate from childhood every year, on the Fourth of July, the +great day on which their forefathers claimed to be free and independent +from the nation that was persecuting them? The Fourth of July keeps +alive in our memory the struggles of our ancestors of one hundred years +or more ago--their great battles, their sufferings and triumph, the +blessings they secured for us, and for which we praise them. In like +manner, the feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord keeps us in mind of +the sad condition in which we were before Our Lord redeemed us, and how +He liberated us from the slavery of the devil and secured for us so many +wonderful blessings. Again, what would we remember about George +Washington if we did not celebrate his birthday? That holiday keeps +before our minds the life and actions of that great man and all he did +for our benefit. So, too, when we celebrate every year the feast of a +saint in the Church, it keeps before our minds his works and all that he +did for God and the Church, and makes us anxious to imitate his virtues. +On every day in the year the Church honors some mystery of our holy +faith or some saint by saying Mass all over the world in honor of the +feast, and by obliging the priests and bishops to say the divine office +for the same purpose. The feast-day of a saint is generally the day on +which he died; because that is considered the day on which he entered +into Heaven--the day on which he was born into the new world. + +The "divine office" is a collection of prayers, hymns, lessons, and +psalms which every priest and bishop must read every day of his life. As +it is said each day in honor of some particular mystery or saint, the +greater part of it differs for each day. The prayers are to God, asking +some grace or blessing in honor of the saint--generally such graces as +were granted to the saint. The hymns are in the saint's honor; the +lessons are parts of the Holy Scripture, or an account of the saint's +life; and the psalms are those beautiful poems that King David composed +and sang to God. The divine office is the prayer of the universal Church +for its children, and if a priest neglects to say it he commits a mortal +sin. It takes about an hour to say the whole divine office, but it is +not intended to be said all at once. It is so divided that it is said at +three times in the day. The part called "Matins" and "Lauds" is said +very early in the morning and before Mass. The part called "Little +Hours" is said later in the day; and the part called "Vespers" and +"Compline" is said in the afternoon. See, therefore, how anxious the +Church is for the good of its children, when it makes its bishops, +priests, and religious pray daily for all the faithful, and send up in +one voice the same prayer to the throne of God. + +*392 Q. How should we keep the holy days of obligation? +A. We should keep the holy days of obligation as we should keep the +Sunday. + +393 Q. What do you mean by fast-days? +A. By fast-days I mean days on which we are allowed but one full meal. + +According to the traditional Catholic method of fasting, one may eat +"one full meal" each day with meat included, plus two smaller meatless +meals, both of which together do not equal the one full meal. No eating +between meals is allowed, although drinking beverages such as coffee and +tea are allowed and are not considered to break the fast. (Milk, juice, +and soft drinks are also considered not to break the fast, although they +are in fact foods and mitigate the effects of the fast and work contrary +to its intent because they satisfy one's hunger to some extent, since +they have food value.) They, therefore, who follow the above regulations +obey the Catholic method of fasting. Today the prescribed days of fast +for the whole Church are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (these are also +days of abstinence). However the Church today says that the meaning of +the law of fasting during Lent remains, although the extent of the +obligation has been changed. In other words, Lent remains as a season of +penance in the Church, but how it is to be observed is greatly up to the +individual, though no one may think himself excused from all penance +whatsoever, and those who are in the fasting age group should still +practice the Church's form of fasting, since fasting is a primary and +very efficacious form of penance. + +Those who, for sufficient reasons, are excused from the obligation of +fasting, are not on that account freed from the law of abstinence, for +all who have reached their fourteenth birthday are bound to abstain from +flesh-meat on days when it is forbidden--Ash Wednesday and the Fridays +of Lent. The following persons are excused from fasting: (1) those who +are not yet twenty-one or who have begun their sixtieth year (from their +59th birthday onward); (2) those whose infirmity, condition, or +occupation renders it impossible or dangerous for them to fast. If you +think you should be excused from fasting or abstaining, state your +reasons to your confessor and ask his advice. On a fast-day, therefore, +you have to look both to the quantity and the kind of food, while on a +day of abstinence--as the Fridays in Lent other than Good Friday--you +have to look only to the kind. + +394 Q. What do you mean by days of abstinence? +A. By days of abstinence I mean days on which we are forbidden to eat +flesh-meat, but are allowed the usual amount of food. + +395 Q. Why does the Church command us to fast and abstain? +A. The Church commands us to fast and abstain in order that we may +mortify our passions and satisfy for our sins. + +"Mortify our passions," keep our bodies under control, do bodily +penance. Remember it is our bodies that generally lead us into sin; if +therefore we punish the body by fasting and mortification, we atone for +the sin, and thus God wipes out a part of the temporal punishment due to +it. + +*396 Q. Why does the Church command us to abstain from flesh-meat on Ash +Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent and to abstain from flesh-meat or do +some other chosen penance on the other Fridays of the year? +A. The Church commands us to abstain, from flesh-meat on Ash Wednesday +and the Fridays of Lent and to abstain from flesh-meat or do some other +chosen penance on the other Fridays of the year in honor of the day on +which Our Saviour died. + + + +Lesson 36 +ON THE THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH, AND SIXTH COMMANDMENTS OF THE CHURCH + + +397 Q. What is meant by the command of confessing at least once a year? +A. 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. + +"Within the year"--that is, the time between your confessions must never +be longer than a year, or, at least not longer than the period between +the beginning of one Eastertime and the end of the next. All persons who +have attained the age of reason are bound to comply with this precept, +and parents should remind their children of it. + +*398 Q. Should we confess only once a year? +A. We should confess frequently, if we wish to lead a good life. + +Some seem to think that they need not go to confession if they have not +committed sin since their last confession. Two graces are given in +penance, as you already know: one, to take away the sins confessed, and +the other, to strengthen us against temptation and enable us to keep our +good resolutions. Now, as we are always tempted, we should go frequently +to confession to get the grace to resist. The saints used to go to +confession very frequently, sometimes every day. They used to go when +tempted, to obtain the grace to resist and to expose their temptations +to their confessor and ask his advice. Again the Holy Scripture tells us +that the just man falls seven times; and "just man" in Holy Scripture +means a very good man, that is, one doing for God, his neighbor, and +himself what he ought to do. St. Joseph is called in the Scripture a +"just man," and he was the foster-father of Our Lord. Now, if the good +man falls seven times, he must arise after each fall; for if he did not +get up after the first fall, he could not fall the second time. This +teaches us that we all commit some kind of sin, at least, and have +always something to confess if we only examine our conscience closely. +It teaches us also that when we have the misfortune to fall into sin, we +should rise as quickly as possible. + +*399 Q. Should children go to confession? +A. Children should go to confession when they are old enough to commit +sin, which is commonly about the age of seven years. + +"To commit sin"--that is, when they know the difference between good and +evil. + +400 Q. What sin does he commit who neglects to receive Communion during +the Easter time? +A. He who neglects to receive Communion during the Easter time commits a +mortal sin. + +401 Q. What is the Easter time? +A. The Easter time is, in this country, the time between the first +Sunday of Lent and Trinity Sunday, inclusive. + +Trinity Sunday is the eighth Sunday after Easter. Therefore the whole +Easter-time is from the first Sunday of Lent--that is, seven weeks +before Easter--to Trinity Sunday, eight weeks after it, or fifteen weeks +in all; and anyone who does not go to Holy Communion sometime during +these fifteen weeks commits mortal sin. + +402 Q. Are we obliged to contribute to the support of our pastors? +A. We are obliged to contribute to the support of our pastors, and to +bear our share in the expenses of the Church and school. + +And any charitable institution connected with the Church. The Holy Land +was divided among the tribes of Israel, who were the descendants of the +twelve sons of Jacob. Now, one of these twelve tribes was made up +entirely of priests and persons who served in the temple of God, called +Levites. They received none of the land, but were to be supported by the +other eleven tribes. All the people were obliged by the law to give what +they called first-fruits, and tithes--that is, one tenth of their income +in goods or money each year to the temple for its support and the +support of those who served it. In the New Law no definite amount is +assigned, but every Christian is left free to give what he can to God's +Church according to his generosity. But if God left you free, should you +therefore be stingy with Him? Moreover, all that we have comes from God, +and should we return Him the least and the worst? For every alms you +give for God's sake He can send you a hundred blessings; and what you +refuse to give to His Church or poor He can take from you in a thousand +ways, by sending misfortunes. We read in the Bible (Gen. 4) that Adam's +sons, Cain and Abel, both offered sacrifice to God. Abel's sacrifice was +pleasing, but Cain's was not. Why? Because, as we are told, Cain did not +offer to God the best he had, but likely the worst; or at least, he +offered his sacrifice with a bad disposition. Then when he saw that his +brother's sacrifice was pleasing to God, being filled with jealousy, he +killed him; and in punishment God marked him and condemned him to be a +wanderer on the face of the earth. We are told he was always afraid of +being killed by everyone he saw. See, then, what comes of being +unwilling to be generous with God. What we give Him He does not need, +but by giving, we worship and thank Him. Do not people in the world +often give presents to those who have done them a favor, that they may +thus show their gratitude? Now, God is always doing us favors, and why +should we not show our gratitude to Him by giving generously in His +honor? When we give to the orphans, etc., we give to Him; for He says: +"Whatsoever you give to these little ones you give to Me." Again, when +Our Lord tells what will happen on the Day of Judgment (Matt. 25:31, +etc.), He says, the Judge will divide all the people of the world into +two bodies; the good He will place on His right hand and the wicked on +His left. Then He will praise the good for what they did and welcome +them to Heaven; but to the wicked He will say, "Depart from Me, because +when I was hungry you gave Me not to eat; when I was thirsty you gave Me +not to drink; you clothed Me not," etc. And then the wicked shall ask, +when did we see You in want and not relieve You? He will tell them that +He considered the poor just the same as Himself; and as they did nothing +for His poor, they did nothing for Him. + +*403 Q. What is the meaning of the commandment not to marry within the +third degree of kindred? +A. 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. + +"Third Degree." What relatives are in the third degree? Brother and +sister are in the first degree; first cousins are in the second degree; +second cousins are in the third degree. Therefore all who are second +cousins or in nearer relationship cannot be married without a +dispensation from the Church allowing them to do so. A dispensation +granted by the Church is a permission to do something which its law +forbids. Since it made the law, it can also dispense from the observance +of it. The Church could not give permission to do anything that God's +law forbids. It could not, for example, give permission to a brother and +sister to marry, because it is not alone the law of the Church but God's +law also that forbids that. But God's law does not forbid first or +second cousins to get married; but the Church's law forbids it, and thus +it can in special cases dispense from such laws. God's law is called +also the natural law. You must be very careful not to confound the +marriage laws that the Church makes with the marriage laws that the +State makes. When the State makes laws contrary to the laws of God or of +the Church, you cannot obey such laws without committing grievous sin. +For instance, the State allows divorce; it allows persons to marry again +if the husband or wife has been sentenced to imprisonment for life; it +does not recognize all the impediments to marriage laid down by the +Church. Such laws as these Catholics cannot comply with; but when the +State makes laws which regard only the civil effects of marriage, such +as refer to the property of the husband or wife, the inheritance of the +children, etc., laws, in a word, which are not opposed either to the +laws of God or of His Church, then you may and must obey them; for the +authorities of the government are our lawful superiors, and must be +obeyed in all that is not sin. What we have said with regard to the +marriage laws is true for all the rest. Thus the civil court might, on +account of some technicality, free you legally from the payment of a +debt; but that would not free you in conscience from paying what you +justly owe. Again, the court might legally decide in your favor in an +unjust suit; but that would not give you the right in conscience to keep +what you have thus fraudulently or unjustly obtained. + +*404 Q. What is the meaning of the command not to marry privately? +A. The command not to marry privately means that none should marry +without the blessing of God's priests or without witnesses. + +If persons wishing to be married suspect that there is any impediment +existing between them, they should express their doubts and the reasons +for them to the priest. + +Here it is well for you to know that if any Catholic goes to be married +before a Protestant minister, he is, by the laws of the Church in the +United States, excommunicated. [In 1966 the penalty of excommunication +for this offense was lifted by the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine +of the Faith. Yet it remains a mortal sin for a Catholic to attempt to +marry outside the Catholic Church, and such a "marriage" will be +invalid.] You must know excommunication means cut off from the communion +of the Church and the body of the faithful; cut off from the Sacraments +and from a share in all the holy Masses and public prayers offered by +the Church throughout the world. It is a punishment the Church inflicts +upon its disobedient children who will not repent but persist in +wrongdoing. If they die willfully excommunicated, they die in mortal +sin, and no Mass or funeral prayers can be publicly offered for them; +nor can they be buried in consecrated ground. Besides the +excommunicated, there are others who cannot be buried in consecrated +ground: namely, infants or others who have not been baptized; those who +deliberately committed suicide; those who have publicly lived sinful +lives and evidently died in that public sin; and all persons who are not +Catholics. If a Catholic who is not publicly a sinner dies suddenly, we +cannot judge that he is in mortal sin; and hence such a one may be +buried in consecrated ground. + +It is the desire of the Church that all its faithful children should be +buried in the ground which it has blessed for their remains; and +wherever it is possible Catholics must have their own burying ground. + +*405 Q. What is the meaning of the precept not to solemnize marriage at +forbidden times? +A. 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. + +Persons may be married at these times quietly, wherever it is not +positively forbidden by the laws of the diocese. + +*406 Q. What is the nuptial Mass? +A. The nuptial Mass is a Mass appointed by the Church to invoke a +special blessing upon the married couple. + +It is a Mass especially for them and cannot be said for anyone else. At +the most solemn parts of the Mass the priest turns to them and prays +that God may bless their union. + +*407 Q. Should Catholics be married at a nuptial Mass? +A. 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. + +The Church wishes to give to the marriage of its children observing its +laws all the solemnity possible, and to impress its dignity and sanctity +so deeply upon their minds that they may never forget the solemn promise +made at the altar of God. The thought of that day will keep them from +sin. On the other hand, the Church shows its great displeasure when +Catholics do not keep its laws, but marry persons not of their own +religion. At a mixed marriage the couple cannot be married in the +church, nor even in the sacristy; the priest cannot wear a surplice or +stole or any of the sacred vestments of the Church; he cannot use holy +water, or the Sign of the Cross; he cannot bless the ring or even use +the Church's language--Latin. Everything is done in the coldest manner, +to remind Catholics that they are doing what is displeasing to their +mother the Church. + +Again the Church wishes its children to prepare for the Sacrament of +Matrimony just as they would prepare for any other Sacrament--Penance, +Holy Eucharist, Holy Orders, etc. Imagine a boy going up for First +Communion laughing, talking, or gazing about him, without any thought of +the great Sacrament he is about to receive; thinking only of how he +appears in his new clothing, of those who are present, etc., and +spending all his time of preparation not in purifying his soul, but in +adorning his body! Think of him returning from Holy Communion and +immediately forgetting Our Lord! Now, Matrimony is deserving of all the +respect due to a Sacrament, and hence the Church wishes all its children +to be married at Mass; or at least in the morning. It does not like them +to marry in the evening, and go to the reception of the Sacrament as +they would to a place of vain amusement. For on such occasions they +cannot show the proper respect in the church, and possibly turn the +ceremony into an occasion of sin for all who attend; for they often seem +to forget the holiness of the place and the respect due to the presence +of Our Lord upon the altar. Indeed it should be remembered, at whatever +time the marriage takes place, that conduct, dress, and all else must be +in keeping with the dignity of the place and the holiness of the +Sacrament, and the women should not come into the Church with uncovered +heads. + + + +Lesson 37 +ON THE LAST JUDGMENT AND THE RESURRECTION, HELL, PURGATORY, AND HEAVEN + + +408 Q. When will Christ judge us? +A. Christ will judge us immediately after our death, and on the last +day. + +"Immediately." In the very room and on the very spot where we die, we +shall be judged in an instant, and even before those around us are sure +that we are really dead. When we have a trial or judgment in one of our +courts, we see the judge listening, the lawyers defending or trying to +condemn, and the witnesses for or against the person accused. We are in +the habit of imagining something of the same kind to take place in the +judgment of God. We see Almighty God seated on His throne; our angel and +patron saint giving their testimony about us--good or bad--and then we +hear the Judge pronounce sentence. This takes place, but not in the way +we imagine, for God needs no witnesses: He knows all. An example will +probably make you understand better what really takes place. If you are +walking over a very muddy road on a dark night, you cannot see the +spattered condition of your clothing; but if you come suddenly into a +strong light you will see at a glance the state in which you are. In the +same way the soul during our earthly life does not see its own +condition; but when it comes into the bright light of God's presence, it +sees in an instant its own state and knows what its sentence will be. It +goes immediately to its reward or punishment. This judgment at the +moment of our death will settle our fate forever. The general judgment +will not change, but only repeat, the sentence before the whole world. +Oh, how we should prepare for that awful moment! See that poor sick man +slowly breathing away his life. All his friends are kneeling around him +praying; now he becomes unconscious; now the death rattle sounds in his +throat; now the eyes are fixed and glassy. A few minutes more and that +poor soul will stand in the awful presence of God, to give an account of +that man's whole life--of every thought, word, and deed. All he has done +on earth will be spread out before him like a great picture. He will, +towards the end of his life, have altogether forgotten perhaps what he +thought, said, or did on a certain day and hour--the place he was in and +the sin committed, etc.; but at that moment of judgment he will remember +all. How he will wish he had been good! How, then, can we be so careless +now about a matter of such importance, when we are absolutely certain +that we too shall be judged, and how soon we know not. When you are +about to be examined on what you have learned in school or instructions +in six months or a year, how anxious you are in making the necessary +preparation, and how you fear you might not pass, but be kept back for a +while! How delighted you would be to hear that a very dear friend, and +one who knew you well, was to be your examiner! Prepare in the same way +for the examination you have to stand at the end of your life. Every day +you can make a preparation by examining your conscience on the sins you +have committed; by making an act of contrition for them, and resolving +to avoid them for the future. You should never go to sleep without some +preparation for judgment. But above all, try to become better acquainted +with your Examiner--Our Lord Jesus Christ; try by your prayers and good +works to become His special friend, and when your judgment comes you +will be pleased rather than afraid to meet Him. + +409 Q. What is the judgment called which we have to undergo immediately +after death? +A. The judgment we have to undergo immediately after death is called the +Particular Judgment. + +"Particular," because one particular person is judged. + +410 Q. What is the judgment called which all men have to undergo on the +last day? +A. The judgment which all men have to undergo on the last day is called +the General Judgment. + +"General," because every creature gifted with intelligence will be +judged on that day--the angels of Heaven, the devils of Hell, and all +men, women, and children that have ever lived upon the earth. The Holy +Scripture gives us a terrible account of that awful day. (Matt. 24-25). +On some day--we know not when, it might be tomorrow for all we know--the +world will be going on as usual, some going to school, others to +business; some seeking pleasure, others suffering pain; some in health, +others in sickness, etc. Suddenly they will feel the earth beginning to +quake and tremble; they will see the ocean in great fury, and will be +terrified at its roar as, surging and foaming, it throws its mighty +waves high in the air. Then the sun will grow red and begin to darken; a +horrid glare will spread over the earth, beginning to burn up. Then, +says the Holy Scripture, men will wither away for fear of what is +coming; they will call upon the mountains to fall and hide them; they +will be rushing here and there, not knowing what to do. Money will be of +no value then; dress, wealth, fame, power, learning, and all else will +be useless, for at that moment all men will be equal. Then shall be +heard the sound of the angel's great trumpet calling all to judgment. +The dead shall come forth from their graves, and the demons rush from +Hell. Then all shall see our Blessed Lord coming in the clouds of Heaven +in great power and majesty surrounded by countless angels bearing His +shining Cross before Him. He will separate the good from the wicked; He +will welcome the good to Heaven and condemn the wicked to Hell. The sins +committed shall be made public before all present. Imagine your feelings +while you are standing in that great multitude, waiting for the +separation of the good from the bad. To which side will you be sent? Our +Lord is coming, not with the mild countenance of a saviour, but with the +severe look of a judge. As He draws nearer and nearer to you, you see +some of your dear friends, whom you thought good enough upon earth, sent +over to the side of the wicked; you see others that you deemed foolish +sent with the good, and you become more anxious every instant about the +uncertainty of your own fate. You see fathers and mothers sent to +opposite sides, brothers and sisters, parents and children, separated +forever. Oh, what a terrible moment of suspense! How you will wish you +had been better and always lived a friend of God! The side you will be +on depends upon what you do now, and you can be on the better side if +you wish. Do, then, in your life what you would wish to have done at +that terrible moment. Learn to judge yourself frequently. Say this, or +something similar, to yourself. "Now I have lived twelve, fifteen, +twenty, or more years; if that judgment came today, on which side should +I be? Probably on the side of the wicked. If then I spend the rest of my +life as I have lived in the past, on the last day I shall surely be with +the wicked. If my good deeds and bad deeds were counted today, which +would be more numerous? What, then, must I do? It will not be enough for +me simply to be better for the future--I must try also to make amends +for the past. If a man wishing to complete a journey on a certain time, +by walking a fixed number of miles each day, falls behind a great deal +on one day, he must not only walk the usual number of miles the next, +but must make up for the distance lost on the previous day. So in our +journey through this life we must do our duty each day for the future, +and, as far as we can, make up for what we have neglected in the past. + +*411 Q. Why does Christ judge men immediately after death? +A. Christ judges men immediately after death to reward or punish them +according to their deeds. + +412 Q. What are the rewards or punishments appointed for men's souls +after the Particular Judgment? +A. The rewards or punishments appointed for men's souls after the +Particular Judgment are Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell. + +413 Q. What is Hell? +A. 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. + +"Deprived of the sight of God." This is called the pain of loss, while +the other sufferings the damned endure are called the pain of +sense--that is, of the senses. The pain of loss causes the unfortunate +souls more torment than all their other sufferings; for as we are +created for God alone, the loss of Him--our last end--is the most +dreadful evil that can befall us. This the damned realize, and know that +their souls will be tortured by a perpetual yearning never to be +satisfied. This is aggravated by the thought of how easily they might +have been saved, and how foolishly they threw away their happiness and +lost all for some miserable pleasure or gratification, so quickly ended. + +Besides this remorse, they suffer most frightful torments in all their +senses. The worst sufferings you could imagine would not be as bad as +the sufferings of the damned really are; for Hell must be the opposite +of Heaven, and since we cannot, as St. Paul says, imagine the happiness +of Heaven, neither can we imagine the misery of Hell. Sometimes you will +find frightful descriptions of Hell in religious books that tell of the +horrible sights, awful sounds, disgusting stenches, and excruciating +pains the lost souls endure. Now, all these descriptions are given +rather to make people think of the torments of Hell than as an accurate +account of them. No matter how terrible the description may be, it is +never as bad as the reality. We know that the damned are continually +tormented in all their senses, but just in what way we do not know. We +know that there is fire in Hell, but it is entirely different from our +fire; it neither gives light nor consumes what it burns, and it causes +greater pain than the fire of earth, for it affects both body and soul. +We know that the damned will never see God and there will never be an +end to their torments. Now, all this is contained in the following: Hell +is the absence of everything good and the presence of everything evil, +and it will last forever. Now, a priest coming out to preach on Hell +would not say to the people: "Hell is the absence of everything good and +the presence of everything evil, and it will last forever," and then +step down from the altar and say no more. He must give a fuller +explanation to those who are unable to think for themselves. He must +point out some of the evils present in Hell and some of the good things +absent, and thus teach the people how to meditate on these dreadful +truths. If, then, you bear in mind that there is nothing good in Hell +and it will last forever, and often think of these two points, you will +have a holy fear of the woeful place and a deep sorrow for your sins +which expose you to the danger of suffering its torments. + +It should be enough, therefore, for you to remember: there is nothing +good in Hell, and it will last forever. Think of anything good you +please and it cannot be found in Hell. Is light good? Yes. Then it is +not in Hell. Is hope good? Yes. Then it is not in Hell. Is true +friendship good? Yes. Then it is not in Hell. There the damned hate one +another. There the poor sufferers curse forever those who led them into +sin. Hence, persons should try to bring back to a good life everyone +they may have led into sin or scandalized by bad example. + +414 Q. What is Purgatory? +A. 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. + +"Punishment"--that is, temporal punishment, already explained to you. +After the general judgment there will be Heaven and Hell, but no +Purgatory, for there will be no men living or dying upon the earth in +its present condition to go there. All will be dead and judged and sent +to their final abodes. Those in Purgatory are the friends of God; and +knowing Him as they do now, they would not go into His holy presence +with the slightest stain upon their souls; still they are anxious for +their Purgatory to be ended that they may be with God. They suffer, we +are told, the same pains of sense as the damned; but they suffer +willingly, for they know that it is making them more pleasing to God, +and that one day it will all be over and He will receive them into +Heaven. Their salvation is sure, and that thought makes them happy. If, +therefore, you believe any of your friends are in Purgatory, you should +help them all you can, and try by your prayers and good works to shorten +their time of suffering. They will help you--though they cannot help +themselves--by their prayers. And oh, when they are admitted into +Heaven, how they will pray for those that have helped them out of +Purgatory! If you do this great charity, God will, when you die, put in +some good person's heart to pray for you while you suffer in Purgatory. +There must be a Purgatory, for one who dies with the slightest stain of +sin upon his soul cannot enter Heaven, and yet God would not send him to +Hell for so small a sin. But why does God punish those He loves? Why +does He not forgive everything? He punishes because He is infinitely +just and true. He warned them that if they did certain things they would +be punished; and they did them, and God must keep His promise. Moreover +He is just, and must give to everyone exactly what he deserves. + +*415 Q. Can the faithful on earth help the souls in Purgatory? +A. The faithful on earth can help the souls in Purgatory by their +prayers, fasts, almsdeeds; by indulgences, and by having Masses said for +them. + +*416 Q. If everyone is judged immediately after death, what need is +there of a general judgment? +A. There is need of a general judgment, though everyone 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. + +"Providence of God." Sometimes here on earth we see a good man always in +want, out of employment, sickly, unsuccessful in all his undertakings, +while his neighbor, who is a very bad man, is wealthy and prosperous, +and seems to have every pleasure. Why this is so we cannot understand +now, but God's reason for it will be made known to us on the Day of +Judgment. Sometimes the wicked do good actions here on earth--help the +poor, or contribute to some charity, for instance; and as God on account +of their wickedness cannot reward them in the next world, He rewards +them chiefly in this world by temporal goods and pleasures. For all +their good deeds they get their reward in this world, and for the evil +their punishment in the next. The good man who suffers gets all his +reward in the next world, that even his sufferings here atone partly for +the evil he has done. + +A second reason for a general judgment is to show the crimes of sinners +and the justice of their punishment; also that the saints may have all +their good works made known before the world and receive the glory they +deserve. On earth these saints were sometimes considered fools and +treated as criminals, falsely accused, etc., and now the whole truth +will stand out before the world. But above all, the general judgment is +for the honor and glory of Our Lord. At His first coming into the world +He was poor and weak; many would not believe Him the Son of God, and +insulted Him as an impostor. He was falsely accused, treated shamefully, +and was put to death, many believing Him guilty of some crime. Now He +will appear before all as He really is--their Lord and Master, their +Creator and Judge. How they will tremble to look upon Him whom they have +crucified! How all those who have denied Him, blasphemed Him, persecuted +His Church, and the like, will fear when they see Him there as Judge! +How they will realize the terrible mistake worldlings made! + +417 Q. Will our bodies share in the reward or punishment of our souls? +A. Our bodies will share in the reward or punishment of our souls, +because through the Resurrection they will again be united to them. + +*418 Q. In what state will the bodies of the just rise? +A. The bodies of the just will rise glorious and immortal. + +We honor the dead body and treat it with great respect because it was +the dwelling place of the soul and was often nourished with the +Sacraments; also because it will rise in glory and be united with the +soul in the presence of God forever. For these reasons we use incense +and holy water when the body is to be buried, and even bless the ground +in which it is laid. "Faithful departed" means all those who died in a +state of grace and who are in Heaven or Purgatory. They may be in +Purgatory, and so we pray for them. We pray that they may "rest in +peace"--that is be in Heaven, where they will have no sufferings. + +*419 Q. Will the bodies of the damned also rise? +A. The bodies of the damned will also rise, but they will be condemned +to eternal punishment. + +420 Q. What is Heaven? +A. 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. + +The most delightful place we could possibly imagine as Heaven would not +be near what it really is. Everything that is good is there and forever, +and we shall never tire of its joys. All the pleasures and beauties of +earth are as nothing compared with Heaven; and though we think we can +imagine its beauty and happiness now, we shall see how far we have been +from the real truth if ever we reach this heavenly home. + +"God face to face"--that is, as He is. We shall not see Him with the +eyes of the body, but of the soul. That we may see with our natural +eyes, two things are necessary: first, an object to look at, and +secondly, light to see it. Now, to see God in Heaven we need a special +light, which is called the "light of glory." God Himself gives us this +light and thus enables us to see Him as He is. This beautiful vision of +God in Heaven is called the "beatific vision," and thus our whole life +in Heaven--our joy and happiness--consists in the enjoyment of the +beatific vision. + +*421 Q. What words should we bear always in mind? +A. 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." + +What does it benefit the poor creatures in Hell to have been rich, or +beautiful, or learned, or powerful? If they had been good, it was all +that was necessary to escape all their sufferings. Is there anything on +earth that they would not give to be released? Why, then, did they sell +their souls for so little while on earth? The present is the only time +you have to merit Heaven and escape Hell. The past you cannot recall, +and of the future you are not sure. Then use the present well and decide +daily whether you wish to be in Heaven or in Hell. + + +NOTE--Wherever in the foregoing pages explanations have been omitted +after certain questions or answers it is because the matter they contain +has been explained in some preceding question, or is to be explained in +some following question, or is clear enough in itself without +explanation. The explanations of such questions or answers can be easily +found by referring to the index. + + + + +QUESTIONS ON THE EXPLANATIONS + + +The Lord's Prayer + + 1. Who made the Lord's Prayer? + 2. Why do we say "our" and not "my" Father? + 3. Why do we call God "Father"? + 4. What person of the Blessed Trinity is meant by "Father" in the + Lord's Prayer? + 5. Was God called "Father" before the time of Our Lord? Why? + 6. Why do we say "Who art in Heaven," if God is everywhere? + 7. What does "hallowed" mean? + 8. What do we ask for by "Thy kingdom come"? + 9. What does "Thy kingdom" mean here? + 10. Who do God's will in Heaven? + 11. What do we ask for by "our daily bread"? + 12. Why do we say "daily"? + 13. What do "trespasses" mean? + 14. What do we mean by "as we forgive those who trespass against us"? + 15. What example did Our Lord give? + 16. What is temptation? + 17. Does God tempt us to sin? + 18. Is it a sin to be tempted? + 19. Are there any tempters besides the devil? + 20. Should we seek temptation? + 21. What does "Amen" mean? + 22. What does "Christian" mean? + 23. What makes us Christian? + 24. What does "doctrine" mean? + + +The Angelical Salutation + + 25. How many parts in the Hail Mary? + 26. What part did the Angel Gabriel make? + 27. When did he make it? + 28. How did Mary know what the angel's words meant? + 29. What part of the Hail Mary did St. Elizabeth make? + 30. Who was St. Elizabeth's son? + 31. Why is Mary called "blessed amongst women"? + 32. What part of the Hail Mary did the Church make? + 33. What does "hail" mean? + 34. Why do we say "full of grace"? + 35. Why is Mary called "holy"? + 36. Why do we need Mary's prayer at the hour of death? + 37. What is the Angelus? + 38. What does "the Word" mean? + 39. What does "made flesh" mean in the third part of the Angelus? + 40. What is the Litany of the Blessed Virgin? + 41. Are there other litanies besides the Litany of the Blessed Virgin? + + +The Apostles' Creed + + 42. What is a creed? + 43. Who were the Apostles? + 44. Were the Apostles bishops or priests? + 45. How do you know? + 46. Who were the disciples of Our Lord? + 47. Why did the Apostles make the creed? + 48. How many articles or parts in the Apostles' Creed? + 49. What does "Creator" mean? + 50. By what names is Our Lord called? + 51. How many sons had God the Father? + 52. Why do we say "died" instead of "was killed"? + 53. Why do we say "He was buried"? + 54. Is Limbo the same as Purgatory? Why? + 55. Who were in Limbo at the time Our Lord was crucified? + 56. Name some good men who lived before Christ. + 57. Did Our Lord's body descend into Limbo? + 58. Was Our Lord three full days in the holy sepulchre? + 59. How can you prove they could not put Our Lord to death unless He + permitted it? + 60. Why do we say "right hand of God" when God has no hands? + 61. What do you mean by "judge the living and the dead"? + 62. Who are "the living"? + 63. Who are "the dead" mentioned here? + 64. What are ghosts? + 65. Are there any? + 66. What do you mean by the "Church Militant"? + 67. Who are its members? + 68. Who are the enemies of our salvation? + 69. Why does the devil wish to keep us out of Heaven? + 70. What do we mean when we say "the world" is one of our spiritual + enemies? + 71. Have all the saints their bodies in Heaven? + 72. Who are in Heaven in their bodies at present? + 73. What is meant by our "concupiscence"? + 74. Which tempts us most to sin, our soul or our body? Why? + 75. Why did God leave concupiscence in us? + 76. What do we mean by "the Church Suffering"? + 77. Who are its members? + 78. Why are souls in Purgatory? + 79. What do you mean by "the Church Triumphant"? + 80. Who are its members? + 81. Are there any saints in Heaven whose names we do not know? + 82. Who are saints? + 83. What is the difference between a saint and an angel? + 84. Why does the Church canonize holy persons? + 85. Does canonization make the person a saint? + 86. How does the Church canonize a saint? + 87. Explain the "communion of saints." + 88. What is the difference between beatification and canonization? + 89. How is the resurrection of the body possible? + 90. What is death? + 91. What does "life everlasting" mean? + 92. How many fathers had Our Lord? Who were they? + 93. How many mothers had He? + 94. Of what religion was Pontius Pilate? + 95. Are all in Heaven saints? + + +The Confiteor and Acts + + 96. In how many ways can we sin? + 97. What should we think of when we say the Confiteor? + 98. What is the substance of the "act of faith"? + 99. Why do we find different acts of faith? +100. What is the substance of the "act of hope"? +101. What is the substance of the "act of love"? +102. Do an "act of love" and an "act of charity" mean the same? +103. How do you show that they are the same? +104. What makes us help others? +105. How may we be charitable to our neighbor? +106. What is the substance of the "act of contrition"? +107. What does "grace" at meals mean? +108. Why should we say grace at meals? +109. Why should we be content with our food? +110. Is the Apostles' Creed an act of faith? +111. Did John the Baptist institute the Sacrament of Baptism? +112. In giving Baptism, can one pour the water and another say the + words? + + +CATECHISM + + +Lesson 1 + +113. What is a catechism? +114. What does our Catechism contain? +115. Why should we learn the Catechism? +116. What do we mean by the "end of man"? +117. For what end was man created? +118. In what respect are all men equal? +119. What is "woman"? +120. In the first question, what does "world" mean? +121. What is a creature? +122. Is every invisible thing a spirit? +123. Of what use is reason to us? +124. What makes man different from all other animals? +125. Have any brute animals reason? +126. How do you know brute animals have not reason? +127. Can we learn all truths by our reason alone? +128. What is revelation? +129. What is "free will" in man? +130. Have brute animals "free will"? +131. Why is it necessary for us to know God? +132. What does "worship" mean? +133. How do we know when we love God above all? +134. Does the Apostles' Creed contain all the truths we must believe? +135. Name some truths not mentioned in it. +136. Is a tree a creature? + + +Lesson 2 + +137. What is a spirit? +138. What does "infinite" mean? +139. Why does God watch over us? +140. Why is it necessary for God to watch over us? +141. Why must God be "just" as well as "merciful"? + + +Lesson 3 + +142. What does "supreme" mean? +143. When are two persons said to be equal? +144. From whom does authority come? +145. Is there any difference in the ages of God the Father and God the + Son? +146. Do first, second, and third in the Blessed Trinity mean that one + person was before the other? +147. Why must we believe mysteries? +148. Must we understand everything we believe? + + +Lesson 4 + +149. How may the things God created be classed? +150. Why did God create angels? +151. If angels have no bodies, how can they appear? +152. Are the angels all equal in dignity? +153. How many classes of angels are there? +154. What did the Archangel Michael do? +155. What did the Archangel Gabriel do? +156. Who gave the angels their names? +157. What are the duties of the angels? +158. What does our angel guardian do for us? +159. How do you know that the angels offer our prayers and good works to + God? +160. Give a short history of Tobias. +161. What do we mean by "Jacob's ladder"? +162. Are there other guardian angels besides the guardian angels of + persons? +163. Name some persons to whom angels appeared. +164. Were angels ever sent to punish men? +165. If God watches over us, why should angels guard us? +166. What was the devil's name before he was cast out of Heaven? +167. Why was he cast out? +168. Is the Blessed Virgin only a creature? Why? + + +Lesson 5 + +169. How did God create Eve? +170. What relation was Eve to Adam? +171. Were Adam and Eve created at the same time? +172. What was the "Garden of Paradise"? +173. How did Adam commit his first sin? +174. How was Eve tempted to disobey God? +175. In what way do we sometimes imitate Eve's conduct? +176. Why does the devil tempt us? +177. What were the effects of Adam's sin? +178. Why do we suffer for the sin of our first parents? +179. What did Adam lose by his sin? +180. What do you mean when you say Adam's will was weakened by sin? +181. Can we always overcome temptation if we wish? +182. Why was the Blessed Virgin preserved from Original Sin? + + +Lesson 6 + +183. How is sin divided? +184. In what ways can we commit actual sin? +185. What is a sin of omission? Give an example. +186. How is Heaven a reward? +187. How can we merit it? +188. Are all religions equally good? Why? +189. What do you mean by a person's "vocation"? +190. How are we to know our vocation? +191. How should parents act with regard to their children's vocation? +192. When is a soul said to be dead? +193. How can we judge whether a thing is sinful or not? +194. What is a material sin? +195. Why is it wrong to judge others guilty of sin? +196. Why does venial sin lessen the love of God in our hearts? +197. Why are pride, covetousness, etc., called "capital sins"? +198. What is meant by our "predominant" or "ruling" sin? +199. What is pride? +200. Why should we take care of our bodies? +201. What sins follow pride? +202. What is covetousness? +203. What sins follow covetousness? +204. What is lust? +205. What sins follow lust? +206. What is gluttony? +207. What kind of sin is drunkenness? +208. How can we commit gluttony by eating? +209. How can we commit gluttony by drinking? +210. What sins does the drunkard commit? +211. What three great sins should you always guard against? +212. Why are drunkenness, dishonesty, and impurity so dangerous? +213. What is envy? +214. How do we commit the sin of sloth? +215. How can we best destroy sin in our souls? +216. Should we cease striving to be good, if we seem to be making no + improvement? Why? + + +Lesson 7 + +217. What does "incarnation" mean? +218. What does "redemption" mean? +219. Who are slaves? +220. How were we in slavery by the sin of Adam? +221. What price did Our Lord pay to redeem us? +222. Did Our Lord leave us any means of being redeemed more than once? +223. What does "abandon" mean? +224. Has Heaven really gates? +225. What are the "gates of Heaven"? +226. Is Our Lord now in Heaven as God or as man? +227. Who was Our Lord's foster-father? +228. What is a foster-father? +229. How many years from the time Adam sinned till the Redeemer came? +230. Why did God allow so long a time to pass before redeeming us? +231. What was the Deluge? +232. When and why did God send it? +233. Who were saved from the Deluge? How? +234. What animals did Noe have in the Ark? +235. What were the "clean animals"? Name some. +236. Why did he have more "clean" than "unclean" animals? +237. How long did Noe spend in making the Ark? +238. How old was Adam when he died? +239. Who was the oldest man? +240. What was his age? +241. How did the Deluge come upon the earth? +242. How long did the Ark float upon the waters? +243. How did Noe learn that the waters were going down? +244. What was the condition of men before the coming of Our Lord? +245. When and to whom did God promise the Redeemer? +246. What did the prophets foretell about Christ? +247. Why was the Redeemer not welcomed by all when He came? +248. What day of the year is Annunciation Day? +249. How could the good people of the Old Law be saved by the merits of + Christ, when Christ was not yet born? +250. In what kind of a stable was Our Lord born? +251. Why did the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph go to Bethlehem before + the birth of Our Lord? +252. Who were the Magi? +253. What brought them to Bethlehem? +254. Why did King Herod wish to find the Infant Jesus? +255. On what feast do we commemorate the adoration of the Magi? +256. At what time of the year is the Epiphany? +257. What is the feast of "Holy Innocents"? +258. When does it come? +259. Give a short history of Our Lord's life. +260. What do we mean by His "hidden life"? +261. What do we mean by His "public life"? +262. How old was Our Lord when He began His public life? +263. What do we know of Our Lord's hidden life? +264. Why did He lead a hidden life for so many years? +265. Does "mankind" mean men or women? +266. Had Our Lord any brothers or sisters? +267. What did the Angel Gabriel say at the Annunciation? + + +Lesson 8 + +268. What do you mean by Our Lord's "Passion"? +269. When did it begin and when did it end? +270. Give an account of Our Lord's Passion. +271. Where was Gethsemani or the Garden of Olives? +272. Who went into it with Our Lord? +273. What did Our Lord do in this garden? +274. What else happened there? +275. What caused Our Lord's sufferings in the garden? +276. Why could Christ's body suffer greater pain than ours? +277. What do we mean by the "agony in the garden"? +278. Who betrayed Our Lord? +279. How did the Jews act unjustly in the trial of Our Lord? +280. What was the "scourging at the pillar"? +281. What was the "crowning with thorns"? +282. What happened at the death of Our Lord? +283. Where was Calvary? +284. Why were no criminals put to death in Jerusalem? +285. How was the temple of Jerusalem divided? +286. What was the "Holy of Holies"? +287. What was the "Ark of the Covenant," and what did it contain? +288. Of what were the ark and its contents figures? +289. What was the veil of the temple? +290. Why was this veil rent asunder at the death of Our Lord? +291. What does Calvary mean? +292. Why was Our Lord crucified between thieves? +293. Why do we call one of these the "penitent thief"? +294. Why did Christ suffer more than was necessary? +295. What is a sepulchre? +296. How was Our Lord buried? +297. What did the Jews count the beginning and the end of their day? +298. Was the Jewish religion ever the true religion? +299. What is a miracle? +300. What does a miracle prove? +301. What miracles did Our Lord perform? +302. What was His greatest? +303. What are the qualities of a glorified body? +304. Show that Our Lord's body had all these qualities. +305. What was the "Transfiguration of Our Lord"? Describe it. +306. Who were present at it? +307. What happened on the way to Emmaus? +308. What benefit is derived from Thomas the Apostle doubting the + resurrection of Our Lord? +309. Will all who rise on the last day have glorified bodies? +310. What does the "stigmata of Our Lord" mean? +311. Did anyone ever have it? +312. Was Our Lord visible to everyone during the forty days after His + resurrection? +313. About how many times and to whom did He appear during the forty + days? +314. Describe Our Lord's Ascension. +315. Did Christ always live at Bethlehem? + + +Lesson 9 + +316. Did the Holy Ghost ever appear? +317. When and under what forms? +318. What does Whitsunday mean? +319. What does Pentecost mean? +320. What effect did the coming of the Holy Ghost have upon the + Apostles? +321. How many temples had the Jews? +322. What was a "synagogue"? +323. What was done in the synagogues? +324. How did the synagogues differ from the temple? +325. What did the feast of the Pasch or Passover commemorate? +326. Give a short history of Moses. +327. How did the Israelites come to be in Egypt? +328. Give an account of their sufferings in Egypt. +329. How were they delivered or liberated? +330. Give a short account of Joseph and his family. +331. Why did Joseph's brothers wish to put him to death? +332. What did they do to hide their crime? +333. What did the King of Egypt dream? +334. What did his dream mean? +335. What do we learn from the life of Joseph in Egypt? +336. How was Moses saved on the bank of the Nile? +337. What was the "burning bush" that Moses saw? +338. Why did God command Moses to remove his shoes before coming to the + "burning bush"? +339. Who went with Moses to deliver the Israelites? +340. What signs did God give to Moses to show King Pharao? +341. What did the king's magicians do? +342. What were "the ten plagues of Egypt"? +343. Describe each plague. +344. Why did God send them? +345. What was the "Paschal Lamb"? +346. Of what was it a figure? +347. What happened to the Israelites and Egyptians at the Red Sea? +348. How long were the Israelites in the desert? +349. What was the "manna"? +350. Why were the Israelites so long in the desert? +351. What do you mean by the "gift of tongues"? +352. Why did God perform more miracles in the first ages of the Church + than now? +353. How and where was St. Peter put to death? +354. How did the other Apostles die? +355. St. Paul? +356. What did the Apostles prove by suffering death for their faith? + + +Lesson 10 + +357. What do we mean by an effect? +358. What does "supernatural" mean? +359. What is merit? +360. What is a virtue? +361. What is a vice? +362. Does habit excuse us for the sins committed through it? +363. When will habit excuse us for the sin? +364. Why do we believe revealed truths? +365. Who is our neighbor? +366. What example did Our Lord give to explain this? +367. How do we love our neighbor as ourselves? +368. Why should we love our neighbor? +369. Can we merit the grace of perseverance? + + +Lesson 11 + +370. When did men begin to speak different languages? +371. Who were the prophets? +372. Give a short history of religion before the time of Christ. +373. What are the chief works of the Church? +374. Why are our churches holy? +375. What are the catacombs, and why were they made? +376. What are altar stones? +377. Why are relics placed in them? +378. How many general persecutions of the Church were there? +379. Tell what you know of these persecutions. +380. What lessons do we learn from the sufferings of the early + Christians? +381. Who are "lawful pastors"? +382. Could anyone be Pope without being Bishop of Rome? +383. What does "vicar" mean? +384. Why are Catholics called Roman? +385. How could a Protestant be saved? + + +Lesson 12 + +386. What is an attribute? +387. What is authority? +388. Why is it sinful to resist lawful authority? +389. What does "cathedra" mean? +390. Why is the bishop's church called cathedral? +391. How do we know when the Pope speaks "ex cathedra"? +392. What is required that the Pope may so speak? +393. Is the Pope infallible in everything he says? +394. What do you mean by "faith and morals"? +395. How many Popes from St. Peter to Pius XI? +396. Why should we have the greatest respect for the opinions of the + Holy Father on any subject? +397. Why must the Pope sometimes speak on political matters? +398. Can the Pope commit sin? +399. What do we mean by the "temporal power" of the Pope? +400. How did he acquire it, and how did he lose it? +401. Why has he need of it? +402. How is the "temporal power" useful to the Church? +403. What is "Peter's pence"? +404. Does the Church change its doctrines? +405. How can you show that the Church is one in government and doctrine? +406. What is the hierarchy of the Church? +407. Could a person be a Catholic and not believe all the Church + teaches? +408. Why are Protestants so called? +409. Why does the Church use Latin as its language? +410. Why does the Church define some truths? +411. Does the Church by defining truths make new doctrines? +412. Give a short history of Luther. +413. Why was he cut off from the true Church? +414. Why did many follow him? +415. How did the first Protestants act towards the Church? +416. What foolish excuses do some give for not becoming Catholics? +417. Why must the true Church be visible? +418. Who are heathens? +419. Who were the "publicans" mentioned by Our Lord? + + +Lesson 13 + +420. What three things are necessary to make a Sacrament? +421. What is the outward sign in Baptism? +422. Why is water used in Baptism? +423. What is the outward sign in Confirmation? +424. Why is oil used in Confirmation? +425. What is the use of the outward sign in the Sacraments? +426. In what ways does the life of the soul resemble the life of the + body? +427. What does a "Sacrament of the dead" mean? +428. In what ways can we commit sacrilege? +429. What is the sacramental grace given in Penance? +430. What are the "right dispositions" for Penance, for Holy Eucharist? +431. What is conditional Baptism, and when is it given? +432. Can all the Sacraments be given conditionally? +433. What is the outward sign in Matrimony? +434. Can a bishop give all the Sacraments? +435. Can a priest? +436. Can a person receive all the Sacraments? +437. Can any of the Sacraments be given to the dead? + + +Lesson 14 + +438. What is an heir? +439. Why is the Bible called the Old and New Testament? +440. What does the Old Testament contain? +441. What does the New Testament show? +442. What is the difference between Baptism and Penance in the remission + of the guilt and punishment? +443. Could a person gain an indulgence immediately after Baptism? Why? +444. What does the "temporal punishment" for sin mean? +445. Where will persons go who have never sinned and who die without + Baptism? +446. What do we mean by "the ordinary minister" of a Sacrament? +447. Can you baptize an infant when its parents are unwilling? +448. What is private Baptism? +449. How is it given? +450. What ceremonies are used in solemn Baptism? +451. What do they signify? +452. What is the baptistery? +453. What do we mean by the "pomps" of the devil? +454. What is martyrdom? +455. Who are catechumens? +456. What is necessary that persons may be really martyrs? +457. What is meant by "patron saint"? +458. On what day is a saint's feast kept by the Church? +459. What does "sponsors" mean? Who are sponsors by proxy? +460. With whom do godparents contract relationship? +461. What names should be given in Baptism? + + +Lesson 15 + +462. What does balm in the chrism signify? +463. Why should we be proud of the Catholic religion? +464. When are we required to profess our religion? + + +Lesson 16 + +465. Why is the devil wiser than we are? +466. Who made the Beatitudes? +467. Where did Our Lord generally preach? +468. What do the Beatitudes teach? +469. How is a person "poor in spirit"? +470. How can the rich be "poor in spirit"? +471. Explain the other Beatitudes. + + +Lesson 17 + +472. How does the institution of Penance show the goodness of Our Lord? +473. What is absolution? +474. How do you know Our Lord could forgive sins? +475. How does the power to forgive sins imply the obligation of going to + confession? +476. How do we prepare for confession? +477. What is the best method of examining our conscience? +478. What is the most important part of the Sacrament of Penance? +479. What kind of sorrow should we have for our sins? +480. When should you say the penance given in confession? + + +Lesson 18 + +481. When is our contrition perfect? +482. What is attrition? +483. How many kinds of occasions of sin are there? +484. Why must we avoid occasions of sin? + + +Lesson 19 + +485. Who is a "duly authorized" priest? +486. How can a dumb man make his confession? +487. What can one do who cannot remember his sins in confession? +488. How can persons whose language the priest cannot understand confess + if they are in danger of death? +489. Is it wrong to accuse ourselves of sins we have not committed? +490. Why is it foolish to conceal sins in confession? +491. How were the ancient Christian churches divided? +492. How did the early Christians do penance? +493. Explain the temporal and eternal punishment for sin. +494. Is your confession worthless if you forget to say your penance? +495. What is Lent? +496. What is almsgiving? +497. How can we distinguish between spiritual and corporal works of + mercy? +498. When are we obliged to admonish the sinner? +499. What were the Crusades? +500. Why were they commenced? +501. How many Crusades were there? +502. How long did they last? +503. Why were those who took part in these expeditions called Crusaders? +504. What is a pilgrim? +505. How have we been relieved from doing many of the works of mercy + ourselves? +506. Who are religious? +507. What is a hermit? +508. What is a general confession? +509. When and why should we make it? +510. Who are scrupulous persons? + + +Lesson 20 + +511. When is it well to add to our confession a sin of our past life? +512. What duties does the priest perform in the confessional? +513. Show how he is judge, father, teacher, and physician. +514. Why is it well to confess always to the same priest? +515. Can you have half your sins forgiven? +516. When will perfect contrition blot out mortal sin? + + +Lesson 21 + +517. How does God reward us for good works done in a state of mortal + sin? +518. Is it easy to gain a plenary indulgence? Why? +519. What works are generally enjoined for indulgences? +520. What does praying for a "person's intention" mean? +521. How can we have the intention of gaining an indulgence? +522. What does "an indulgence of 40 days," etc., mean? +523. Why did the early Christians do more severe penance than we do? +524. Are indulgences attached to anything but prayers? + + +Lesson 22 + +525. What does "Eucharist" mean? +526. What is the difference between Holy Eucharist and Holy Communion? +527. What did Our Lord do at the marriage in Cana? +528. Is Our Lord's body in the Holy Eucharist living or dead? +529. How do you know you receive both the body and the blood of Our Lord + under the appearance of bread alone? +530. Why does the Church not give the Holy Eucharist to the people under + the appearance of wine also? +531. Could it do so? Did it ever do it? +532. How long does Our Lord remain in the Holy Communion? +533. What is the ciborium? +534. At what part of the Mass are the words of consecration said? +535. What are the parts of the Mass? +536. What is the sacristy? +537. What does the priest prepare for Mass? +538. What is the chalice? +539. What is the paten? +540. What is the purificator? +541. What is the pall? +542. What is the host? +543. Where does the priest get the host? +544. What are the different vestments used at Mass called? +545. What do they signify? +546. What is the "Offertory" in the Mass? +547. When does the "Canon" of the Mass begin? +548. What is the "Elevation" in the Mass? +549. Where does the priest get the Blessed Sacrament he gives to the + people? +550. What is the tabernacle? +551. What is Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament? +552. What is the monstrance used at Benediction? +553. Why should we be anxious to attend Benediction? +554. What is the cope? +555. What is the humeral, or Benediction veil? +556. Why does the priest wear vestments? +557. What do their colors signify? +558. Can Holy Communion be given in the afternoon? +559. What is the Holy Eucharist called when received by a person who is + not fasting? +560. Can the priest say Mass in the evening? Why? +561. Why does the priest genuflect, etc., during Mass? + + +Lesson 23 + +562. What should we do if we break our fast before Holy Communion? +563. When is Holy Communion called the "Viaticum"? +564. Who offered the first Sacrifice of the Holy Mass? + + +Lesson 24 + +565. When is the Holy Eucharist a sacrifice? +566. When a Sacrament? +567. What was the temple of the Pantheon in Rome? +568. Who are pagans, idolaters, heathens? +569. How many kinds of sacrifice had the Israelites? +570. How is the Mass a sacrifice? +571. What is the league of the Sacred Heart? +572. Why was it established? +573. What was the origin of offering the priest money for celebrating + Mass for your intention? +574. What is the sin of simony? +575. Why is it so called? +576. How are the fruits of the Mass divided? +577. What is a spiritual Communion? +578. How is it made? + + +Lesson 25 + +579. What does "unction" mean? +580. How often in their lives are Catholics anointed? +581. Is it called Extreme Unction even when the person recovers after + receiving it? +582. What parts of the body are anointed in Extreme Unction? +583. When should the priest be sent for in cases of sickness? +584. What should you do if the sick Catholic does not wish or refuses to + see the priest? +585. How is sickness a benefit to some? +586. What Sacraments are never given in the Church? +587. What things should you prepare when the priest is coming to give + the Viaticum or Extreme Unction in your house? +588. How is the Blessed Sacrament carried to the sick in Catholic + countries? +589. Who are the "other ministers of the Church," besides bishops and + priests? +590. What is the tonsure? +591. Of what does the tonsure remind the priest? +592. What are the duties and privileges of these other ministers of the + Church? +593. How many kinds of Masses are there? +594. Do they differ in value, one being better than another? +595. Who is meant by the "celebrant" of the Mass? +596. What does the "master of ceremonies" do? +597. What is a Requiem Mass? +598. Why is it so called? +599. What is Vespers? +600. Is it a mortal sin to be willingly absent from Vespers? +601. Will Vespers take the place of Mass on Sundays for those who do not + attend Mass? +602. Who are cardinals? +603. What are their duties? +604. Who is a monsignor? +605. Who is a vicar general? +606. What is a diocese? +607. What is a parish? +608. Does "rector" and "pastor" mean the same? +609. What do we mean by "Suffragan Bishops"? +610. What is the pallium? +611. Who can wear it? + + +Lesson 26 + +612. When are persons lawfully married? +613. When was marriage first instituted? +614. What sin is it to marry unlawfully? +615. What are "impediments to marriage"? +616. What things should persons tell the priest when they are making + arrangements for marriage? +617. Can persons marry invalidly without knowing it? +618. What evils follow divorce? +619. Why should children study? +620. What is meant by the "civil effects of marriage"? +621. What are the chief evils of "mixed marriage"? +622. What is a "mixed marriage"? +623. When are motives for marriage "worthy"? +624. How should persons make a choice for marriage? +625. How are parents sometimes guilty of injustice to their children in + case of marriage? +626. What is holy oil? +627. When is it blessed? +628. Can a priest bless it in case of necessity? +629. How many kinds of holy oil are there? +630. For what are they used? +631. In the administration of what Sacraments is oil used? +632. Can persons receive the Sacrament of Matrimony more than once? +633. Where and at what time of the day should Catholics be married? +634. What is balm? +635. Was there any Sacrament of Matrimony before the time of Our Lord? +636. Were the people of the Old Law validly married? +637. How did their marriage differ from Christian marriage? + + +Lesson 27 + +638. Can the Church change the number of sacramentals? Why? +639. Why is it necessary to bless yourself properly? +640. When are candles blessed in the Church? +641. Of what do candles on the altar remind us? +642. When are ashes blessed in the Church? +643. Of what do they remind us? +644. Of what do the palms remind us? +645. What is the difference between a cross and a crucifix? +646. What is the Rosary? +647. How do we say the beads? +648. What is meant by "Mysteries of the Rosary"? +649. How many Mysteries of the Rosary are there? +650. How are they divided? +651. Name the different Mysteries of the Rosary. +652. What is the Magnificat? +653. Who baptized Our Lord? +654. Was the baptism of John the Baptist a Sacrament? Why? +655. To whom did Our Lord give an example by His hidden or private life? +656. What did the Church do for slaves? +657. What do the letters "I.N.R.I." over the Cross mean? +658. Did Our Lord claim to be king of the Jews? +659. Why was Our Lord put to death? +660. With whom did the Blessed Virgin live after the death of Our Lord? +661. Who was St. John the Evangelist? +662. What is the Apocalypse? +663. About how long did the Blessed Virgin live on earth after the + Ascension of Our Lord? +664. What is meant by the "Assumption" of the Blessed Virgin? +665. What proof have we of it? +666. On what days are the different Mysteries of the Rosary said? +667. What does "I.H.S." with a cross over it mean? +668. What is the scapular, and why do we wear it? +669. What is the brown scapular called? +670. How many kinds of scapular are there? +671. What are the "seven dolors" of the Blessed Virgin? Name them. +672. What are the seven dolor beads? +673. What are "religious orders"? +674. What vows do the members of religious orders take? +675. Why were religious orders founded? +676. Why are there different kinds of religious orders? + + +Lesson 28 + +677. How many kinds of prayer are there? +678. What is "meditation"? +679. What should we do before praying? +680. What do you know of St. Monica? +681. Of St. Augustine? +682. Why does God not always grant our prayers? +683. If prayer is necessary for salvation, how can infants be saved who + die without having prayed? + + +Lesson 29 + +684. Were people obliged to keep the Commandments before the time of + Moses? +685. How many kinds of laws had the Israelites? +686. When were these laws abolished? +687. How were the Commandments given to Moses? +688. What was manna? +689. What is the difference between the Commandments of God and the + commandments of the Church? +690. What does "love thy neighbor as thyself" mean? + + +Lesson 30 + +691. How did the Israelites come to worship false gods? +692. How do we sometimes worship strange gods? +693. What are "fortune tellers"? +694. Why is going to fortune tellers a sin? +695. What are spells, charms? +696. Are medals, scapulars, etc., worn about us charms? +697. What are dreams? +698. Did God ever use them to make known His will? +699. Why does He not use them now? +700. What are mediums and spiritists? +701. How do bad Catholics do injury to the Church? +702. Why did the Christian religion spread so rapidly? +703. Who are atheists, deists, infidels, heretics, apostates, and + schismatics? +704. Are all religions equally true? +705. Why is presumption a great sin? +706. How are we frequently presumptuous? +707. Are heretics Christians? + + +Lesson 31 + +708. What help does God give us to save our souls? +709. How do we honor God by praying to the saints? +710. What is a relic? +711. Have we any relics of Our Lord's body? Why? +712. Why does the Catholic religion suit all classes of persons? +713. Why are there so many kinds of Protestants? +714. Does the Bible contain all the truths of our religion? +715. How did God honor the relics of saints? Give an example. +716. When did the Jewish religion cease to be the true religion? + + +Lesson 32 + +717. Is it a sin to use the words of Scripture in a bad sense? +718. What is a perjurer? +719. Why was John the Baptist put to death? +720. Why is it sinful to be a member of a secret society? +721. When is an oath rash? +722. What is the difference between blasphemy and cursing? +723. Can we blaspheme by action? +724. Tell what happened to Julian the Apostate. +725. Are there any holy days not of obligation? +726. How is the Sunday well kept? +727. What is a real Catholic newspaper? +728. What books should be found in every Catholic family? +729. What is meant by the Old Law? +730. What by the New? +731. Are we bound to keep an unlawful oath? + + +Lesson 33 + +732. What do we mean by "magistrates"? +733. What should we remember when we are unjustly punished? +734. How does suffering make us more like to Our Lord and His Blessed + Mother? +735. Why did the Blessed Virgin suffer so many trials upon earth? +736. What is contempt? +737. What is stubbornness? +738. Why is suicide a mortal sin? +739. What is revenge? +740. Why should we be most careful about the Sixth Commandment? +741. Why should we guard against bad reading? +742. Why should we seek advice? + + +Lesson 34 + +743. In how many ways may we violate the Seventh Commandment? +744. Why is it unkind and ungrateful not to pay our debts? +745. Is the receiver of stolen goods as bad as the thief? +746. In how many ways may we share in the sin of another? +747. If you bought an article not knowing that it was stolen, would you + be obliged to give it up to its owner? +748. What must you do with anything you find? +749. What must you do if you have lost or destroyed the article you + stole? +750. Can we always make restitution by giving to the poor? +751. Is it a sin to delay making restitution? +752. What must a person do who cannot restore? +753. What will excuse us for telling another's faults? +754. How can you know when you have injured the character of another? +755. What is detraction? +756. What is calumny? +757. What is slander? +758. How can you make reparation for injuring another's character? +759. Are you bound to do so? +760. What is "rash judgment"? +761. What is backbiting? +762. Is it sinful to listen to backbiting, slander, etc? +763. Why is it wrong to tell another's secrets or read another's + letters? +764. What does "covet" mean? + + +Lesson 35 + +765. What is meant by a "serious reason" for missing Mass? +766. What excuse do some give for not hearing Mass? +767. Why is it wrong to come late for Mass? +768. On what day do we keep a saint's feast? +769. What is the "divine office"? +770. How is it divided? +771. Who are excused from fasting? +772. Who are obliged to abstain from flesh-meat on fast-days and days of + abstinence? +773. Is every fast-day a day of abstinence? + + +Lesson 36 + +774. Why should we go to confession even when we have not committed sin + since our last confession? +775. When is Trinity Sunday? +776. How was the Holy Land divided? +777. Who were the "Levites" in the Old Law? +778. What were "first fruits" and tithes in the Old Law? +779. Why was Cain's sacrifice displeasing to God? +780. What relations are within the third degree of kindred? +781. What is a "dispensation" granted by the Church? +782. What is meant by the "natural law"? +783. When can we obey the laws that the State makes with regard to + marriage? +784. What is "excommunication"? +785. What effect has it? +786. Who are excluded from Christian burial? +787. How does the Church show its displeasure when Catholics marry + persons not Catholics? +788. How should persons prepare for marriage? +789. Are women ever allowed in the Church with their heads uncovered? +790. Can the priest say a "nuptial Mass" for a husband or wife after + their death? + + +Lesson 37 + +791. Where will the particular judgment be held? +792. How will it take place? +793. Will the sentence given at the particular judgment be changed at + the general judgment? +794. How can we daily prepare for judgment? +795. Who will be judged at the general judgment? +796. How will the general judgment take place? +797. What do we mean by the "pain of loss"? +798. What by the "pain of sense" that the damned suffer? +799. Why can we not imagine the sufferings of Hell? +800. How does the fire of Hell differ from our fire? +801. Will there be a Purgatory after the general judgment? +802. Why must there be a Purgatory now? +803. If God loves those in Purgatory, why does He punish them? +804. Why do we show respect to the bodies of the dead? +805. What does "faithful departed" mean? +806. What does "rest in peace" mean? +807. What does "seeing God face to face" mean, if God has no face? +808. What is the beatific vision? +809. Of what does our happiness in Heaven consist? +810. How long will Purgatory last? + + + + +GENERAL INDEX + + +A + QUESTION +Absolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 +Acolyte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Actual grace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 +Adoration of the Magi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 +Advice necessary and useful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372 +Agony in the garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 +Alb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Alms to the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402 +Almsgiving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 +Altar boys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 +Altars and altar stones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 +Amice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Ancient Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 +Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 +Angelus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Angelical Salutation +Anger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 +Annunciation Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 +Apocalypse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Apostles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Apostles' Creed +Apostate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323 +Apostolicity of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 +Apparitions of Our Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 +Archbishop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 +Ark of Noe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 +Ark of the Covenant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 +Ascension of Our Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 +Ashes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Assumption of the Blessed Virgin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Atheist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323 +Attributes of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 12, title +Attrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 +Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 + + +B + +Backbiting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380 +Bad company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 +Bad example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364 +Baptism of blood and desire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 +Baptism in case of necessity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 +Baptism of St. John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Beads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Bearing wrongs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 +Beatific vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420 +Beatification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Apostles' Creed +Beatitudes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 +Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Benefits of the Sacrament of Penance . . . . . Lesson 17, title +Biretta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Birth of Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 +Bishop of Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 +Blasphemy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352 +Blessed Sacrament carried to the sick . . . . . . . . . . . 277 +Bloody sweat of Our Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 +Body of Our Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 +Body of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 +Breaking the fast for Communion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 +Burial of Our Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 +Burning bush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 + + +C + +Cain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 11, title +Cain's sacrifice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402 +Call of Abraham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 +Calumny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379 +Calvary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 +Candles, why used . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Canonization of saints . . . . . . . . . . . The Apostles' Creed +Canonical penance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 +Capital sins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 +Caravansary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 +Cardinals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 +Carrying stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 +Catacombs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 +Catechumens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 +Catechism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 1, title +Cathedral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 +Catholic books and newspapers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354 +Catholicity of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 +Causes of unhappy marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290 +Celebrant of Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 +Census-taking in olden times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 +Chalice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Changing water into wine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 +Character in Baptism, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 +Charitable institutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 +Charity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Act of Love +Charms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319 +Chasuble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Choice of persons in marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 +Church, Militant, Triumphant, Suffering . . The Apostles' Creed +Church instituted by Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 +Churches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 +Ciborium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 +Cincture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Cities of ancient times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 +Color of the vestments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Communion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 +Communion of saints . . . . . . . . . . . . The Apostles' Creed +Commandments of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 29, title +Concealing sins in confession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 +Concupiscence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 +Condition of the world before Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 +Confession necessary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 +Confessor's duties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228 +Confusion of tongues . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 11, title +Consecrated ground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404 +Consecration in the Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Contempt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365 +Contrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 +Converts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289 +Cope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Coronation of the Blessed Virgin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Corporal works of mercy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 +Covetousness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 +Creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Apostles' Creed +Creation of Adam and Eve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 +Crowning with thorns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 +Crucifixion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 +Crucifix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Cruelty of the Romans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 +Crusades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 + + +D + +Danger of living in sin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 +Day of the Jews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 +Days of abstinence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394 +Deacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 +Dead body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 +Dead souls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 +Death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Apostles' Creed +Death of St. John the Baptist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350 +Debts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377 +Definition of Dogma of Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 +Degrees of kindred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403 +Deist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323 +Deliverance of the Jews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 +Deluge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 +Descent of the Holy Ghost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Despair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329 +Detraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379 +Devil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 +Diocese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 +Disciples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Apostles' Creed +Disciples on the way to Emmaus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 +Dishonest persons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373 +Dispensations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402 +Disrespect to parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362 +Distraction at prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 +Divine Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391 +Division of the Holy Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403 +Divorce or separation in marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 +Doubt of Thomas the Apostle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 +Dreams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319 +Dress at weddings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407 +Dress of the hierarchy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 +Drunkenness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 +Duty to parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364 + + +E + +Egyptian bondage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Elevation in the Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +End of man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 1, title +Envy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 +Epiphany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 36, title +Equality among all men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 +Eternity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Apostles' Creed +Evils of divorce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 +Evil effects of scandal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321 +Examination of conscience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 +Example of Our Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 +Ex cathedra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 +Excommunication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404 +Excuses for not embracing the true religion . . . . . . . . 324 +Excuses for not attending Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390 +Extreme Unction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 25, title +Extreme Unction, to whom it can be given . . . Lesson 25, title + + +F + +Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 +Faithful departed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418 +Fall of the angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 +Fall of Adam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 +False worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318 +Fast-days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393 +Feasts of the Jews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Feasts of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391 +Final perseverance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 +Finding of Our Lord in the Temple . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +First Protestants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 +Flight into Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 +Forgiveness of sins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 +Forgiveness of injuries . . . . . . . . . . . The Lord's Prayer +Fortune tellers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318 +Foster-father . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 +Fraternal correction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 +Free will in man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 +Frequent Communion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 +Fruits of the Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 + + +G + +Gates of Heaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 +General confession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 +Gift of tongues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Gladiators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 25, title +Glorified bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 +Gluttony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 +God, our Father . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Lord's Prayer +Gods of the pagans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 +Golden calf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341 +Gratitude to benefactors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362 +Guardian angel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 + + +H + +Hasty marriages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290 +Heaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420 +Heaven a reward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 +Heirs of Heaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 +Hell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413 +Help to salvation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331 +Heretics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323 +Herod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 +Hidden life of Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 +Hierarchy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 +History of the Israelites in Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Holy days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354 +Holy Ghost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Apostles' Creed +Holy Innocents' feast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 +Holy of holies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 +Holy oils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 +Holy Orders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 +Holy Sepulchre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 +Holy water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 +Holiness of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 +Honoring the saints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331 +How to meditate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304 +Human sacrifice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 +Humeral, or Benediction veil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 + + +I + +"I.H.S." with a cross . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Images in the churches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341 +Immaculate Conception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 +Impediments to marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 +Impurity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370 +Incarnation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 7, title +Indefectibility of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 +Indifferentism in religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 +Indulgences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 +Infallibility of the Pope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 +Infidel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323 +Injuring the character of others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379 +"I.N.R.I." on the Cross . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Instinct of animals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 +Intention at Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 +Intention of the Pope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 +Intention to gain indulgences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 +Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures . . . . . . . . . . . 129 + + +J + +Jacob, father of the twelve tribes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Jacob's vision and the ladder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 +Jehova . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Lord's Prayer +John the Evangelist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Joseph in Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Journey of the Israelites in the desert . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Judgment, particular and general . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408 +Julian the Apostate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352 +Justice of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 + + +K + +Kinds of indulgences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 +Kinds of Masses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 +Kinds of scapulars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Kingdom of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Lord's Prayer +Knowledge of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 + + +L + +Late-coming to Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390 +Latin language in the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 +Lawful marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 +Laws made by the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 +Laws of the Jews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 29, title +League of the Sacred Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 +Lent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 +Levites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402 +Life of Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 +Life of the Blessed Virgin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364 +Limbo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Apostles' Creed +Litanies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Angelical Salutation +Lives of the early Christians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321 +Lost time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285 +Louise Lateau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 +Love of our neighbor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 +Lucifer or Satan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 +Lust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 +Luther . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 + + +M + +Magi or Wise Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 +Magistrates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363 +Mahomet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 +Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Apostles' Creed +Maniple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Manna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 +Manner of confessing our sins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 +Manner of examining our conscience . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 +Manner of giving absolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 +Marks of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 +Marriage at Cana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 +Marriage before a Protestant minister . . . . . . . . . . . 404 +Master of Ceremonies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 +Meaning of forty days' indulgence . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 +Meditation or mental prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304 +Mercy of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 +Merit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 +Minister of Baptism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 +Ministers of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 +Minor Orders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 +Miracles, true and false . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 +Mixed marriages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289 +Molech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 +Monks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 +Monsignor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 +Moses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Murder of infants or abortion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 +Mystery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 +Mysteries of the Rosary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 + + +N + +Names in Baptism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 +Names of Our Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 +Natural state of man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 +Necessary servile works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360 +Necessity of religious instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285 +Neighbor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 +Newspapers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354 +Noe's Ark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 +Nuns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 + + +O + +Oath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347 +Obedience to parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 +Observance of Sunday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354 +Occasion of sin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 +Offertory in the Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Offering called "stipend" for Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 +Ostensorium or monstrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Outward signs of the Sacraments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 + + +P + +Palestine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 +Pall for the chalice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Pallium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 +Palms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Pantheon in Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 +Paradise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 +Parish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 +Parts of the Divine Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391 +Parts of the Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Pasch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Paschal lamb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Passage of the Red Sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Passion of Our Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 +Passover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 17, title +Pastor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 +Paten . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Patron saint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 +Payment of debts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373 +Penance given in confession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 +Penitent thief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 +Penitents of the early ages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 +Pentecost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Perfection of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 +Persecution of the Christians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 +Persons excluded from Christian burial . . . . . . . . . . . 404 +Peter's pence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 +Pharao's dream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Pilgrim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 +Plagues of Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Pledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351 +Plenary indulgence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234 +Poor in the true Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 +Pope in politics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 +Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304 +Preaching of Our Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 +Predominant sin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 +Preparation for confession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 +Presence of God at our prayers . . . . . . . . . . . . Confiteor +Presentation in the temple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Preservation of creatures by God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 +Presumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328 +Priests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 +Pride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 +Promise of the Redeemer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 +Proof of the assumption of the Blessed Virgin . . . . . . . 302 +Prophets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 11, title +Providence of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 +Public life of Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 +Public profession of faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326 +Purgatory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414 +Purificator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Purpose of amendment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 + + +Q + +Qualities of a good prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307 + + +R + +Rash judgment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380 +Reading bad books or papers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372 +Reading good books or papers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354 +Reading the letters of others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380 +Real presence in the Holy Eucharist . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 +Reason . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 +Receiving stolen goods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375 +Rector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 +Redeemer promised . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 +Redemption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 7, title +Relics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340 +Religious orders and communities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Respect at Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 +Respect in church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 +"Rest in peace" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418 +Restitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375 +Resurrection of Our Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 +Resurrection of the body . . . . . . . . . . The Apostles' Creed +Revelation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 +Revenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368 +Rosary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 + + +S + +Sabbath of the Jews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 +Sacramental grace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 +Sacramentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 +Sacraments in which oil is used . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 +Sacraments of the dead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 +Sacraments of the living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 +Sacred Heart of Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 +Sacrifice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 +Sacrilege . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 +Saints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Apostles' Creed +Salvation out of the Catholic Church . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 +Sanctifying grace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 +Saracens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 +Scandal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413 +Scapulars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Schismatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323 +Scourging at the pillar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 +Scrupulous persons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 +Secret societies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350 +Secrets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380 +Seven dolors of the Blessed Virgin . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Seven dolor beads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Sickness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273 +Sign of the Cross . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295 +Simony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 +Sin, Original, actual, mortal, venial . . . . . . . . Lesson 6 +Sins against faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321 +Slander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379 +Slavery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 7, title +Sloth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 +Soul like to God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 +Soul, importance of saving one's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 +Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319 +Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 +Spiritual Communion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 +Spiritual life resembles bodily life . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 +Spiritual works of mercy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 +Sponsors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 +Sponsors by proxy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 +Spread of the Protestant religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 +St. Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 +St. Joseph's Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 +St. Monica and St. Augustine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307 +St. Patrick's Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 +Stable at Bethlehem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 +State laws for marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403 +Stealing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375 +Stigmata of Our Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 +Stole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Strange gods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315 +Sub-deacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 +Sufferings of the damned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413 +Suicide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367 +Supernatural gifts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 + + +T + +Temple of Jerusalem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 +Temporal power of the Pope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 +Temporal punishment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 +Temptation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Lord's Prayer +Testament, Old and New . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 +Thanksgiving after Communion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 +Things prepared for Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Things prepared for Viaticum and Extreme Unction . . . . . . 277 +Time given to God's service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318 +Time valuable in youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322 +Tithes and first-fruits in the Old Law . . . . . . . . . . . 402 +Tobias . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 +Tonsure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 +Tower of Babel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesson 11, title +Transfiguration of Our Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 +Transubstantiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 +Two natures in Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 + + +U + +Unity of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 +Unworthy Communion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 +Use of sacramentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 +Using the sayings of Holy Scripture in a profane sense . . . 340 + + +V + +Veil of the temple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 +Vespers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 +Vestments, their names and signification . . . . . . . . . . 250 +Viaticum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258 +Vicar general . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 +Vice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 +Virtue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 +Visibility of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 +Visible and invisible head of the Church . . . . . . . . . . 116 +Visitation of the Blessed Virgin . . . The Angelical Salutation +Vocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 +Vow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350 + + +W + +Warning against impostors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307 +Ways of sharing in another's sin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375 +Whitsunday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 +Who offered sacrifice in ancient times . . . . . . . . . . . 264 +Who cannot be sponsors at Baptism . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 +Why children should study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285 +Why God does not always grant our prayers . . . . . . . . . 307 +Why holy days were instituted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391 +Why sickness is sometimes sent . . . . . . . . Lesson 25, title +Why there are different religious orders . . . . . . . . . . 302 +Woman with issue of blood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307 +Works necessary to gain indulgences . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 +World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 +Worship of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Baltimore Catechism No. 4 (of 4) +by Thomas L. 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