The Catechism Explained: Newly Annotated with Corresponding References to the Catechism of the Catholic Church

CONTENTS

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Publisher’s Note

Editor’s Note to the 2022 Edition

Preface

Devotions

I. Prayers and Precepts of the Church

1. The Sign of the Cross

2. The Lord’s Prayer, or Our Father

3. The Angelical Salutation, or Hail Mary

4. The Apostles’ Creed

5. The Two Precepts of Charity

6. The Ten Commandments of God

7. The Six Precepts of the Church

II. Prayers which may be used Daily at Different Times

1. A Morning Prayer

2. A Night Prayer

3. An Act of Good Intention

4. Grace before Meals

5. Grace after Meals

6. Prayer for One’s Parents

III. Prayers to be said at Different Times when the Church Bell is Heard

1. The Angelus

2. Prayer in Commemoration of Our Lord’s Passion, to be said at Three O’clock on Fridays

3. Prayer for the Souls in Purgatory, to be said when the Church Bell is Tolled or after the Evening Angelus

4. Prayers to be Said when the Bell is Rung at Mass

5. Prayer at the Offertory

6. At the Consecration

7. At the Communion

IV. Devotions for Confession and Communion

1. The Form for Confession

2. Acts of the Three Theological Virtues

3. An Act of Contrition

4. Renewal of Baptismal Vows

V. Devotions to the Holy Spirit

1. Prayer to the Holy Spirit

2. Hymn to the Holy Spirit

4. Prayer to St. Joseph

5. Prayer to Our Guardian Angel

General Survey

INTRODUCTION.

I. FOR WHAT END ARE WE ON THIS EARTH?

We are upon this earth in order that we may glorify God, and so win for ourselves eternal happiness

II. HOW ARE WE TO ATTAIN TO ETERNAL HAPPINESS?

We shall attain to eternal happiness by the following means:

1. We must strive to know God by means of faith in the truths He has revealed to us

2. We must fulfil the will of God by keeping His commandments

3. We must, therefore, avail ourselves of the means of grace; of which the chief are holy Mass, the sacraments, and prayers

III. CAN WE ATTAIN PERFECT HAPPINESS ON EARTH?

1. Earthly goods, such as riches, honor, pleasure, cannot by themselves make us happy; for they cannot satisfy our soul; they often only make life bitter, and invariably forsake us in death

2. Only the Gospel of Christ is capable of giving us a partial happiness on earth, for he who follows the teaching of Christ is certain to have peace in his soul

3. He who follows Christ will have to endure persecution; but these persecutions can do him no harm

4. Hence perfect happiness is impossible on earth; for no man can entirely avoid suffering

PART I.

FAITH.

I. THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

1. The happiness of the angels and saints consists in the knowledge of God

2. The knowledge of God is all-important, for without it there cannot be any happiness on earth, or a well-ordered life

3. We arrive at a right knowledge of God through faith in the truths which God has revealed

II. DIVINE REVELATION.

1. God has in His mercy in the course of ages often revealed Himself to men (Heb. 1:1–2)

III. THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL.

1. The truths revealed by God to men were, by God’s command, proclaimed to all nations of the earth by the Catholic Church, and especially by means of the living word, that is, by preaching

2. The Catholic Church derives from Holy Scripture and from Tradition the truths that God has revealed

IV. HOLY SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION.

1. Holy Scripture or the Bible consists of seventy-two books, which were written by men inspired by God, and under the guidance and influence of the Holy Spirit. These seventy-two books are recognized by the Church as “The Word of God”

2. The truths of divine revelation, which have not been written down in the pages of Holy Scripture, but have been transmitted by word of mouth, are called Tradition

V. THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.

1. Christian faith is the firm conviction, arrived at with the grace of God, that all that Jesus Christ taught on earth is true, as well as all that the Catholic Church teaches by the commission she has received from Him

2. Faith is concerned with many things which we cannot perceive with our senses and cannot grasp with our understanding

3. We act quite in accordance with reason when we believe, because we trust ourselves to God’s truthfulness, and because we know for certain that the truths of faith are revealed to us by God

4. The Christian faith comprises all the doctrines of the Catholic faith

5. Faith is a gift of God, since the power to believe can only be attained through the grace of God

6. Faith is necessary to eternal salvation

7. Faith alone is not sufficient for salvation

VI. THE MOTIVES OF FAITH.

1. The external motives which move us to believe are chiefly miracles and prophecy

2. Miracles are such extraordinary works as cannot be performed by the mere powers of nature, but are brought about by the intervention of a higher power

3. Miracles are wrought by almighty God only for His own glory, and especially for the confirmation of true doctrine

4. In working miracles God usually makes use of the intervention of man, sometimes even of wicked men

5. Prophecies are clear and definite predictions of future events that can be known to God alone

6. God for the most part entrusts the prophesying of future events to His messengers, for the confirmation of the true faith or for the benefit of men

VII. ON THE ABSENCE AND LOSS OF FAITH.

1. Those who do not possess Christian faith are either: (a) heretics or (b) infidels

2. Faith is for the most part lost either: (1), By indifference to the doctrines of faith; (2), By willful doubt respecting the truths of faith; (3), By reading books or other literature that is hostile to the faith; (4), By frequenting the assemblies of those who are hostile to the faith; (5), By neglecting the practice of one’s religion

3. All men who through their own fault die without Christian faith are, by the just judgment of God, sentenced to eternal perdition

VIII. ON THE DUTY OF CONFESSING OUR FAITH.

1. God requires of us that we should make outward profession of our faith

2. Our Lord has promised eternal life to him who fearlessly makes profession of his faith

IX. THE SIGN OF THE CROSS.

1. In making the sign of the cross we make profession of the most important of all the mysteries of our holy religion, viz., the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity and of the Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ

2. By means of the sign of the cross we obtain a blessing from God; and especially by it are we protected from the assaults of the devil and from all dangers both to body and to soul

X. THE APOSTLES’ CREED.

1. The Apostles’ Creed contains in brief all that a Catholic must know and believe

2. The Apostles’ Creed may be divided into three several parts

3. The Apostles’ Creed may also be divided into twelve articles

FIRST ARTICLE OF THE CREED: “I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY.”

1. THE EXISTENCE OF A SUPREME BEING.

1. We can infer from the created world around us that there exists a supreme Being

2. The existence of God is also proved from revelation

2. THE DIVINE ESSENCE.

1. God is a self-existent Being, infinite in His perfections, glory, and beatitude, the Creator and Ruler of the whole world

2. We cannot see God, because He is a spirit, i.e., a being without body, immortal, possessed of intellect and free will

3. There is one God, and one only

3. THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES.

1. God is eternal, i.e., always was, is, and ever will be

2. God is omnipresent, i.e., He is in every place

3. God is immutable, i.e., He ever remains the same

4. God is omniscient, i.e., He knows all things, the past, the present, and the future, and also our inmost thoughts (Jer. 17:10)

5. God is supremely wise, i.e., He knows how to direct everything for the best in order to carry out His designs

6. God is almighty, i.e., God can do all that He wills, and that by a mere act of His will

7. God is supremely good, i.e., He loves His creatures far more than a father loves his children

8. God is very patient, i.e., He leaves the sinner time for repentance and a change of life

9. God is full of mercy and compassion, i.e., He very readily forgives our sins when we are sincerely sorry for them

10. God is infinitely holy, i.e., He loves good and hates all evil

11. God is infinitely just, i.e., He rewards all good and punishes all evil deeds

12. God is a God of perfect truth, i.e., all that He reveals to man is true

13. God is faithful, i.e., He keeps His promises and carries out His threats

4. THE BLESSED TRINITY.

1. The Blessed Trinity is one God in three persons

2. We cannot, with our feeble understanding, grasp the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity, and it is therefore called a mystery

3. The nature, the attributes, and the works of the three persons of the Blessed Trinity are common to all of them

4. The three divine persons are divided only in their origin

5. We are taught the mystery of the Blessed Trinity by Christ Himself, but it was partly known in the time of the Old Testament

6. The belief in the Blessed Trinity is expressed in the Apostles’ Creed, in Baptism, and in the other sacraments, in all consecrations and blessings, and in the feast of the Most Holy Trinity

5. HISTORY OF CREATION.

1. In the beginning God created the spiritual and material universe

2. The material world was at first without form, without inhabitants, and without light

3. God gave to the material universe its present form in the course of six days

4. On the seventh day God rested from all His work that He had done

FROM WHAT, AND FOR WHAT END, HAS GOD CREATED THE WORLD?

1. God made the world out of nothing, simply because it pleased Him to make it

2. God was moved to make the world by His great goodness

3. The end of creation is necessarily to proclaim to men the glory of God

6. DIVINE PROVIDENCE.

We call by the name of divine providence God’s preservation and government of the world

1. God maintains the world, i.e., He preserves all creatures in existence as long as He wills

2. God governs the world, i.e., He conducts all things in the world, so that they contribute to His glory and to our advantage

3. For this reason a pious Christian should resign himself entirely to the will of God

HOW ARE THE MISFORTUNES OF THE GOOD AND THE PROSPERITY OF THE WICKED TO BE RECONCILED WITH THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD?

1. No sinner has true happiness, and no servant of God true misery. For true happiness is impossible without inner peace and contentment; and this is possessed by the true servant of God, but not by the sinner

2. Moreover the good fortune of the sinner is for the most part only transitory

3. The real recompense of man only begins after death

4. Sinners are rewarded on this earth for the little good that they have done. The just on the other hand are for the most part punished in this life for the evil they have done

HOW IS SIN TO BE RECONCILED WITH THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD?

1. It is not God Who is responsible for sin and its consequences, but man’s wrong use of his free will

2. God in His wisdom employs even sin for a good end

3. Besides, it does not become us to pry into the secret designs of God; we poor miserable creatures must adore His wisdom and submit ourselves humbly to what He ordains

7. THE CHRISTIAN UNDER SUFFERING.

1. No one can attain to eternal salvation without suffering

2. All suffering comes from God, and is a sign of His love and favor

3. God sends suffering to the sinner to bring him back into the right way and to save him from eternal death

4. God sends suffering to the just man to try him whether he loves God most or creatures

5. Sufferings then are no real evil, but are benefits from the hand of God

6. For this reason we should be patient under suffering, and should resign ourselves to the will of God

8. THE ANGELS.

1. The angels are pure spirits

2. All the angels whom God created were, at the beginning, in the grace of God and well pleasing to Him. But many of the angels sinned through pride, and were cast down by God into hell forever (2 Pet. 2:4)

3. The evil angels are our enemies; they envy us, seek to lead us to sin, and can, with God’s permission, injure us in our bodies, or in our worldly goods

4. The angels who remained faithful to God behold the face of God continually and sing His praises

5. The holy angels are also called guardian angels, because they watch over us (Heb. 1:4)

9. MAN.

The Creation of Man.

1. God made the body of man out of the dust of the earth, and breathed into him a living soul

2. The first human beings that God created were Adam and Eve

10. THE SOUL OF MAN.

1. The soul of man is made in the image of God, since it is a spirit like to God

2. The soul of man is immortal, i.e., it can never cease to exist

11. THE SUPERNATURAL ENDOWMENTS OF MAN.

1. Our first parents were created in the grace of God, and therefore possessed singular perfections of soul and body

2. These special perfections of our first parents we call supernatural gifts, because they are something altogether beyond, and were added to, human nature

12. ORIGINAL SIN.

1. God imposed on man in paradise a precept; He forbade him to eat the fruit of one of the trees which stood in the midst of the Garden of Eden

2. Man allowed himself to be led astray by the devil, and transgressed the precept of his Creator

3. The transgression of the precept of God had disastrous consequences; man lost sanctifying grace, and all his supernatural gifts, and also suffered injuries both in soul and body

4. The sin of our first parents with all its evil consequences has passed on to their descendants

SECOND TO SEVENTH ARTICLE OF THE CREED: JESUS CHRIST.

1. THE REDEMPTION.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Redeemer, has freed us from the evil consequences of sin

2. THE PROMISE OF THE REDEEMER.

1. Immediately after the Fall God promised man a Redeemer

2. Two thousand years later God promised to Abraham that the Redeemer should be one of his descendants

3. At a later time God sent the prophets, and through their mouth foretold many things about the coming, the birth, the person, the sufferings, the death, and the final triumph and glory of the Redeemer

4. Of the advent of the Messiah the prophets have given the following account

5. Of the person of the Messiah the following prophecies had been uttered

6. Of the sufferings of the Messiah the prophets spoke as follows

7. Of the glory of the Messiah the prophets made the following predictions

8. The Messiah was announced through many types

3. PREPARATION OF MANKIND FOR THE REDEEMER.

1. God chose for Himself a special nation, and prepared it for the coming of a Redeemer; this chosen people was the seed of Abraham, usually called by the name of Israelites or Jews

2. The other nations of the earth were prepared for the coming of the Redeemer by contact with the chosen people, or by the influence of exceptionally gifted men, or by other extraordinary methods

3. Before the arrival of the Redeemer God permitted that mankind should experience the deepest misery, in order to rouse it to a longing for a Redeemer

4. THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE REDEEMER.

1. The Redeemer lived some nineteen hundred years ago and remained thirty-three years on the earth

2. The work of the Redeemer was confined for the most part to Palestine

5. JESUS OF NAZARETH IS THE REDEEMER OR CHRIST.

1. Jesus of Nazareth is the Redeemer because all the prophecies have their fulfilment in Him

2. Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, because the kingdom founded by Him on earth has been enduring

3. Jesus Himself claimed the name of Redeemer

4. The angels announced Him as the Redeemer

6. THE LIFE OF CHRIST.

The Childhood of Christ.

1. Christ was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary in a stable at Bethlehem

2. Christ spent the first years of His childhood in Egypt, and after that lived at Nazareth till He was thirty

The Public Life of Christ.

1. When Christ was thirty years old, He was baptized by John in the Jordan (Matt. 3:13), and fasted forty days in the desert, where He was tempted by the devil (Matt. 4)

2. Christ taught for about three and a half years, gathered some seventy-two disciples, and from these chose twelve apostles

3. Christ proved His divine mission and the truth of His doctrine by many miracles, by His knowledge of all things, and by the holiness of His life

The Sufferings of Christ.

1. On the Sunday preceding the feast of Easter Christ made a solemn entry into Jerusalem and taught in the Temple during the days following

2. On Holy Thursday evening Christ ate the Pasch with His disciples, instituted the Blessed Sacrament, and then went out to the Mount of Olives, where He suffered His agony and bloody sweat

3. On Good Friday at noon, Christ was nailed to the cross on the hill of Calvary, just outside Jerusalem, and died on the cross about three o’clock

4. During Easter Saturday, that is, on the greatest feast day of the Jews, Our Lord remained in the sepulcher

The Exaltation of Christ.

1. Immediately after the death of Christ His soul went down in triumph into the place where the souls of those justified under the Old Law were detained (Fourth Council of Lateran)

2. On Easter Sunday before sunrise Christ rose glorious from the tomb by His own almighty power

3. Forty days after His resurrection Our Lord ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives, and now sits at the right hand of God the Father

4. On the tenth day after His ascending into heaven Christ sent down the Holy Spirit on the apostles

7. THE PERSON OF THE REDEEMER.

Jesus Christ, Our Redeemer, is the Son of God made man; hence He is God Himself

The Incarnation of the Son of God.

1. The second divine person became man in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the action of the Holy Spirit at the moment of the Annunciation

2. The Father of Jesus is therefore God the Father in heaven; Joseph, the spouse of Mary, is only the foster-father of Jesus

3. The Incarnation of the Son of God is a mystery which we cannot understand, but only admire and honor

4. The Incarnation of the Son of God was necessary to give perfect satisfaction to the injured majesty of God

5. The Second Person always remained God though He became man, and by the Incarnation He lost none of His dignity

6. By the Incarnation of the Son of God all the members of the human race have acquired a special dignity

WHAT TRUTHS FOLLOW FROM THE MYSTERY OF THE REDEMPTION?

1. Christ is true God and true man; hence we call Him the God-man

2. In Christ there are two natures, human and divine, which despite their intimate union are quite distinct

3. In Christ there is only one person, and that person is divine

Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

1. Jesus Christ solemnly declared before the high priest that He was the Son of God (Matt. 26:64)

2. God the Father called Jesus Christ His Son on the occasion of His baptism in the Jordan and of the transfiguration on Mount Thabor (Matt. 3:17; 17:5)

3. The archangel Gabriel called Jesus Christ the “Son of the Most High” when he announced His birth to Mary (Luke 1:32)

4. St. Peter also publicly addressed Jesus Christ as “Son of the living God,” and was commended by Christ for this confession (Matt. 16:16)

5. Even the devils cried out: “What have we to do with Thee, Jesus, Son of God? Art Thou come hither to torment us before the time?” (Matt. 8:29.)

Jesus Christ is God Himself.

1. That Jesus Christ is God we learn from His own words and from those of His apostles

2. That Jesus Christ is God we conclude from His miracles and prophecies

3. That Jesus Christ is God we conclude from the elevation of His teaching and His character

4. That Jesus Christ is God we conclude from the rapid spread of His teaching and from the miracles which accompanied this teaching throughout the world

Jesus Christ is Our Lord.

We call Christ “Our Lord” because He is our Creator, Redeemer, Lawgiver, Teacher, and Judge

EIGHTH ARTICLE OF THE CREED: THE HOLY SPIRIT.

1. THE GRACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NECESSARY TO US.

1. The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, and is therefore God Himself

2. The Holy Spirit dispenses the graces which Christ merited by the sacrifice of the cross

3. Hence the assistance of the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary for salvation

2. ACTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Actual Grace.

1. The Holy Spirit influences our lives by enlightening the mind and strengthening the will. Such passing influence of the Holy Spirit is called “actual grace”

2. The action of the Holy Spirit sometimes makes itself perceptible to the senses

3. The Holy Spirit does not force us, but leaves us in perfect possession of our free will

4. The Holy Spirit acts on every man, on the sinner as well as on the just; and more on Catholics than on non-Catholics and unbelievers

5. Actual graces are obtained by the performance of good works, especially by prayer, fasting, and almsdeeds; and more especially by the use of the means of grace provided by the Church, by hearing of holy Mass, worthy reception of the sacraments, and attendance at sermons

Sanctifying Grace.

1. When the sinner co-operates with actual grace, the Holy Spirit enters his soul and confers on it a brightness and beauty which claim the friendship of God. This indwelling beauty of the soul is due to the presence of the Holy Spirit and is called “sanctifying grace.”

2. Usually, however, the Holy Spirit makes His entry on the reception of the Sacraments of Baptism or Penance

3. When the Holy Spirit enters into us, He brings with Him a new spiritual life

4. Sanctifying grace is secured and increased by doing good works and using the means of grace offered by the Church; it is lost by a single mortal sin

5. He who has not sanctifying grace is spiritually dead and will suffer eternal ruin

6. No one knows for certain whether he have sanctifying grace or will receive it at the hour of death

The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit and the Extraordinary Graces.

1. The Holy Spirit gives to all who have sanctifying grace the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, that is, seven virtues of the soul, by which it easily responds to His light and inspirations

2. The Holy Spirit gives to many graces of a rarer kind; for instance, the gift of tongues, of miracles, of prophesy, of discernment of spirits, of visions, of ecstasies, etc.

3. The gifts of the Holy Spirit were conspicuous in a special degree in Jesus Christ (Acts 10:38), His holy Mother, the apostles, the patriarchs and prophets of the Old Law, and all the saints of the Catholic Church

The Holy Spirit as Guide of the Church.

1. The Holy Spirit maintains and guides the Catholic Church

3. APPARITIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The Holy Spirit has appeared under the form of a dove, of fire, and of tongues, to signify His office in the Church

NINTH ARTICLE OF THE CREED: THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

1. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND ITS INSTITUTION.

1. The Catholic Church is a visible institution, founded by Christ, in which men are trained for heaven

2. The Church prepares man for heaven by carrying out the threefold office which Christ conferred upon her; the office of teacher, of priest, and of shepherd

3. The Lord and King of the Church is Christ

4. The Catholic Church consists of a teaching and a hearing body. To the former belong the Pope, bishops, and priests; to the latter the faithful

2. THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH.

1. Christ conferred on St. Peter the primacy over the apostles and the faithful by the command: “Feed My lambs, feed My sheep;” by giving over to him “the keys of the kingdom of heaven,” and by special marks of distinction

2. St. Peter was Bishop of Rome for some twenty-five years and died Bishop of Rome; and the dignity and power of St. Peter descended to the succeeding Bishops of Rome

3. The Bishop of Rome is called Pope, or Holy Father

3. BISHOPS, PRIESTS, THE FAITHFUL.

1. The bishops are the successors of the apostles

2. The priests are the assistants of the bishops

3. A Catholic is one who has been baptized and professes himself to be a member of the Catholic Church

4. FOUNDATION AND SPREAD OF THE CHURCH.

1. Christ laid the foundation of the Church when, in the course of His teaching, He gathered a number of disciples, and chose twelve of these to preside over the rest and one to be Head of all

2. The Church first began its life on Pentecost, when some three thousand people were baptized

3. Soon after the descent of the Holy Spirit the apostles began to preach the Gospel throughout the world, in accordance with the commands of Christ (Mark 16:15), and founded Christian communities in many places

4. When the great persecutions broke out, the Church spread more rapidly over the earth

5. In the Middle Ages nearly all the heathen nations began to enter the Church

6. In later times many nations of the newly discovered countries were converted

7. At present the Catholic Church numbers about 288,000,000 members

5. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS INDESTRUCTIBLE AND INFALLIBLE.

Indestructibility of the Church.

1. The Catholic Church is indestructible; i.e., it will remain till the end of the world, for Christ said: “The gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18)

The Infallibility of the Church.

1. The Catholic Church is infallible in her teaching; i.e., the Holy Spirit assists the Church in such a manner that she cannot err in the preserving and announcing of revealed doctrine

2. The Church delivers her infallible decisions through general councils and through the Pope

3. The Church pronounces infallible judgments in the following cases; On doctrines of faith and morals and their meaning and interpretation, on the Holy Scripture and Tradition and their interpretation

6. THE HIERARCHY OF THE CHURCH.

1. The ministers of the Church fall into three classes of distinct dignity and power: bishops, priests, and deacons (Council of Trent, 23 c. 4. Can. 6)

2. This hierarchy was in force in the time of the apostles

3. The episcopal and priestly office was instituted by Christ Himself; the diaconate by the apostles

4. Besides these three classes there are other degrees varying in their powers: for example, Pope, cardinals, archbishops

7. NOTES OF THE TRUE CHURCH.

1. The true Church is that one which is most persecuted by the world, and which has received God’s seal in the form of miracles

2. The true Church is that one in which the successor of St. Peter is to be found

3. The true Church is known by the following four marks: she is One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic

8. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ALONE GIVES SALVATION.

1. The Catholic Church alone gives salvation; i.e., the Catholic Church alone possesses those means which lead to salvation, viz., the doctrine of Christ, the means of salvation appointed by Christ, and the teachers and guides of the Church established by Christ

2. Hence every man is bound to become a member of the Catholic Church

3. Whoever through his own fault remains outside the Church will not be saved

9. THE RELATIONS BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE.

1. The Church is, in its own department, absolutely independent of the State, for Christ left the teaching and government of His Church to the apostles and their successors, not to any temporal sovereign

2. The Church is an essential factor in promoting the welfare of the State, for she teaches obedience to authority, prevents many crimes, incites men to noble endeavor, and unites together various nations

3. The Church was, from the earliest times, the patron of true education and culture

10. THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS.

1. The communion of saints is the union and intercourse of Catholics on earth, of the souls in purgatory, and of the saints in heaven

2. Catholics on earth, the souls in purgatory, and the blessed in heaven are united with Christ, just as are the members of a body with the head (Rom. 12:4)

3. All the members of the communion of saints have a share in the spiritual goods of the Catholic Church, and can help one another by their prayers and other good works. The saints alone in heaven have no need of help

TENTH ARTICLE OF THE CREED: THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.

ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH ARTICLES OF THE CREED: THE LAST THINGS.

1. DEATH.

1. At death the soul is separated from the body, and enters the world of spirits; the body decays and falls into dust

2. All men must die, because death is the consequence of original sin

3. Death is terrible only to the sinner, in no wise to the just

4. In order to secure a happy death, we should in our daily prayer ask God to grant us a happy death, and of our own accord detach ourselves now from earthly goods and pleasures

2. THE PARTICULAR JUDGMENT.

1. Immediately after death follows the particular judgment

2. After the particular judgment the souls of men go into hell, or heaven, or purgatory

3. HEAVEN.

Heaven is the abode of everlasting joy

4. HELL.

1. Hell is the abode of everlasting torment

2. The souls of those who die in mortal sin go to hell

5. PURGATORY.

1. Purgatory is a place where the souls of those must suffer for a time, who, though dying without grave sin on their souls, have not done complete penance for their offences against God

2. That there is a purgatory we learn from the teachings of Christ, and especially from the practice and doctrine of the Church

3. The faithful on earth can help the holy souls in purgatory by good works; in particular by prayer, fasting, alms-deeds, by offering or being present at Mass, by receiving the sacraments and gaining indulgences.

6. THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY.

1. Christ on the Last Day will raise the bodies of all men from the dead, and unite them to the soul forever

7. THE GENERAL JUDGMENT.

1. Immediately after the resurrection the general judgment will take place

2. The Day of Judgment is unknown to us, though certain signs have been revealed which are to herald its approach

CHRISTIAN HOPE.

1. THE ESSENCE OF CHRISTIAN HOPE.

Christian hope is the confident expectation of all those things which Christ promised us with regard to the fulfilment of God’s will

1. As the reward of carrying out God’s will, Christ has promised us eternal happiness, and the means required for attaining it; in particular God’s grace, temporal goods for the sustaining of life, forgiveness of sins, help in our necessities, and the answering of our prayers

2. Christian hope is based on faith, for we hope for the fulfilment of God’s promises because we believe that God is infinitely true, infinitely powerful, and infinitely good, and that Christ has merited all for us

3. He only who carries out God’s will can hope for the good things promised by Christ

4. A wholesome fear of falling into sin must always accompany Christian hope

5. Christian hope is necessary for salvation

6. Christian hope is a gift of God, and we can attain to this hope only by sanctifying grace

2. THE ADVANTAGE OF CHRISTIAN HOPE.

1. He who hopes in God enjoys the special protection of God

2. He who hopes in God can obtain everything from Him; for Christ said that such a one might move mountains (Mark 11:23)

3. He who hopes in God is strengthened by God, so that he is not afraid of man, and is patient and courageous in suffering, and more especially in face of death

4. He who hopes in God is impelled to the performance of good works and of heroic acts

3. THE OBJECT OF CHRISTIAN HOPE.

1. The Christian may not rely on his own powers, on his fellow-men, nor on earthly things more than upon God; otherwise he is sure to fail, because outside of God nothing is to be relied upon

2. The Christian may not despair; i.e., he may not give up hoping that God will forgive his sins, or help him in adversity

3. The Christian must never presume on his trust in God’s mercy, i.e., he may not continue sinning with the idea that God’s mercy can never condemn him to hell

4. The Christian may never tempt God; i.e., he must never expose himself rashly to danger in the hope that God will save him

PART II.

A. THE COMMANDMENTS.

I. WHAT COMMANDMENTS (OR LAWS) HAS GOD GIVEN US?

1. God has imprinted the natural law on the heart of every man; this forms the fundamental rule of human actions

2. In addition to this natural law, God gave to man solemn precepts, more especially the Ten Commandments and the two precepts of charity. These are known as the revealed law

3. Finally, God gives us commandments through His representatives upon earth, through the ecclesiastical and secular authorities. These laws are called ecclesiastical and civil laws

4. From the knowledge of the law comes conscience; the consciousness, that is, whether an act is permitted or prohibited by the law

5. God’s commandments do not deprive men in any way of true freedom

II. THE TWO COMMANDMENTS OF CHARITY.

1. The most important commandments are the two commandments of charity, that is to say, the love of God and the love of one’s neighbor, for all the other commandments are comprised in them

2. Without the love of God and of our neighbor no man can be saved

3. The capacity for loving God and our neighbor is bestowed upon us simultaneously with sanctifying grace

4. The love of God is inseparably united to the love of our neighbor

III. THE PRECEPT OF THE LOVE OF GOD.

1. We ought to love God (1), because Christ commands this; (2), because He is in Himself essentially the highest beauty and sovereign perfection; (3), because He loves us and continually bestows benefits upon us

2. Our love of God is chiefly manifested by thinking of Him constantly, by avoiding whatever might separate us from Him, by laboring to promote His glory, and willingly accepting all that comes from His hand

3. We must love God with all our faculties, and above all things else in the whole world

4. The love of God is of great advantage to us: Through it we are united to God here on earth, our minds are enlightened, our will is strengthened; we obtain pardon of sin, peace of soul, manifold proofs of God’s favor, and after death celestial joys

5. The merit of our good works and the degree of our future felicity is in proportion to the magnitude of our love for God

IV. THE LOVE OF THE WORLD IS OPPOSED TO THE LOVE OF GOD.

1. The love of the world consists in loving, above all, money, or the gratification of one’s appetite, or earthly honors or anything else in the world, instead of giving the first place to God

2. Through love of the world we incur the loss of sanctifying grace, and eternal felicity

V. THE COMMANDMENT OF CHARITY TOWARDS OUR NEIGHBOR.

1. We ought to love our neighbor because this is Christ’s command; furthermore because he is a child of God, made after His image, and also because we are all descended from the same parents and we are all called to attain eternal felicity

2. The love of our neighbor shows itself in desiring the good of our neighbor from our heart; in abstaining from injuring him, and in doing him good

3. We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves, but we are by no means obliged to love him better than ourselves

4. All that we do to our neighbor, whether it be good or evil, we do to Christ Himself; for He has said: “What you did to one of these My least brethren, ye did it to Me” (Matt. 25:40)

5. Eternal happiness will be the unfailing reward of those who fulfil closely the precept of charity to their neighbor

6. The love of one’s neighbor is the distinctive mark of the true Christian

VI. LACK OF CHARITY TO ONE’S NEIGHBOR.

1. He who does not desire the good of his neighbor, but is envious of him, does not possess the love of his neighbor

2. He does not love his neighbor who injures him, whether in regard to his life, his innocence, his property, his honor, or his household

3. Nor does he love his neighbor, who performs no works of mercy

VII. LOVE OF ONE’S FRIENDS.

We call those men friends whose principles are the same, and whose love is mutual, and based on religion

VIII. THE COMMANDMENT TO LOVE OUR ENEMY.

1. We ought to love our enemies because Christ commands it; He says: “Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you; pray for them that persecute and calumniate you” (Matt. 5:44)

2. The love of our enemy is shown in this: That we do not revenge ourselves on him, that we return good for evil, that we pray for him and forgive him willingly

3. He who does not revenge himself on his enemy, or who even confers benefits upon him, puts his foe to shame and pacifies him, and will be rewarded by God; whereas he who hates his enemy and revenges himself on him commits a sin

4. He who forgives his enemy will obtain forgiveness of his sins from God; but he who will not forgive his enemy God will not forgive

IX. THE LOVE OF ONE’S SELF.

The true love of one’s self shows itself herein, that we strive to attain that which will procure our real happiness; first and foremost our eternal felicity, and then such earthly things as are conducive to the attainment of eternal felicity

X. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.

1. The Ten Commandments were given by God to the Jews on Mount Sinai

2. We Christians are bound to observe the Ten Commandments of God, both because God has imprinted them upon the human heart, and because Christ laid them upon us anew in a more full and perfect form

3. The Ten Commandments of God are arranged in order

4. He who keeps all these commandments receives a great reward from God on earth, and after death he may look forward to eternal felicity as his portion

5. Temporal and eternal chastisements await the man who grievously violates a single one of these commandments

6. It is not a difficult matter to keep these commandments as long as God helps us with His grace; hence Christ says to His followers: “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:30)

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT OF GOD.

In the First Commandment God enjoins upon us to worship Him, and forbids idolatry and every false form of worship

1. THE ADORATION OR WORSHIP OF GOD.

1. The adoration we pay to God consists in this: That we acknowledge both in our hearts and by our actions that He is Our Lord and we are His creatures and His servants

2. We worship God interiorly by acts of faith, hope, and charity

3. We adore God exteriorly by vocal prayer, sacrifice, genuflections, prostrations, folding of hands, striking the breast, etc.

4. We must pay supreme worship to God only, for He alone is the sovereign Lord of heaven and of earth

2. IDOLATRY OR THE WORSHIP OF FALSE GODS.

1. Idolatry is the worship of a creature which is regarded as a deity; e.g., the sun, fire, animals, images, etc.

2. Another form of idolatry is when a human being gives up his whole self to a creature

3. The service of idols is high treason against the majesty of God, and the most heinous of sins

3. FOOLISH OR PERVERTED WORSHIP.

1. Superstition, fortune-telling, spiritualism, and magic, are foolish and irrational forms of worship

2. This perverted form of worship is a grievous sin

SINS AGAINST THE FIRST COMMANDMENT.

The First Commandment of God is transgressed by neglecting prayer, by opposing religion, etc.

4. THE VENERATION OF SAINTS.

1. We honor the saints because they are the friends of God, princes of the heavenly court, and benefactors to ourselves; also because we obtain great graces from God through venerating them

2. We venerate the saints if we entreat their intercession with God, if we celebrate their feasts, reverence their images and their relics; if we bear their name, claim their protection in matters of importance, and praise them in word and song. The best manner in which to venerate them is to imitate their virtues

3. The veneration we pay to the saints does not in the least detract from the honor due to God, for we only reverence the saints for God's sake, and by no means do we reverence them in the way that we reverence God, but only because they are the servants of God

4. It is advisable under different circumstances of life to invoke certain saints

5. THE VENERATION OF THE MOTHER OF GOD.

We pay greater honor to Mary, the Mother of Christ, than to any other saint

1. We hold Mary in such great veneration because she is the Mother of God and our Mother

2. Another reason why Mary is so highly honored throughout Christendom, is because God has exalted her above all men and angels

3. Finally, we entertain this great veneration for Mary, because her intercession is more powerful with God than that of any other saint

6. THE VENERATION OF IMAGES OF THE SAINTS.

1. We honor the images of the saints by giving them a place in our dwellings; we say our prayers before them, we salute them respectfully, we adorn them with offerings, we make pilgrimages to their shrines

2. Through venerating the images of the saints, efficacious and oftentimes supernatural graces are obtained; they are also useful as a means of avoiding distractions in prayer, and affording us a silent admonition

7. THE VENERATION OF RELICS.

1. We honor the relics of the saints by preserving them with reverence, and visiting the spot where they are deposited

2. We obtain many blessings from God by venerating relics

8. THE EXTRAORDINARY WORSHIP OF GOD.

We can, moreover, honor God by taking an oath or by making a vow

The Oath.

1. To swear or take an oath is to call God to witness that one is speaking the truth, or that one will keep a promise

2. Christians are not obliged to refuse to take an oath, for it is permitted by God, and pleasing in His sight

3. We ought therefore to make use of an oath only when it is absolutely necessary, with deliberation, and in the interests of truth and justice

4. He who swears falsely, commits a grave act of blasphemy, and draws down upon himself the curse of God and the penalty of eternal perdition

The Vow (Solemn Promise).

1. A vow is a promise voluntarily made to God, to perform some good action

2. The most important vows are the religious vows, that is to say the solemn promise made voluntarily by persons entering a religious Order, to follow the evangelical counsels

3. A vow renders the good action which we pledge ourselves to perform more acceptable to God. Consequently by means of a vow we obtain a more speedy answer to prayer, and make more rapid progress in the way of perfection

4. He who does not keep a solemn promise, offends against God; and so does he who needlessly postpones the fulfilment of his promise (Exod. 23:21)

5. Therefore anyone who is desirous of taking a vow, ought to consider well beforehand whether he will be able to keep his word

6. A Religious who finds himself unable to keep his vows must apply to his Superior to be released from them or have them commuted

THE SECOND COMMANDMENT OF GOD.

We owe reverence to almighty God because He is a Lord of infinite majesty, and of infinite bounty

1. In the Second Commandment, God commands us in the first place to show due respect to His divine majesty. This we must do in the following manner: We should frequently call upon the name of God with true and heartfelt devotion, especially at the commencement of all we do and in time of trouble

2. We ought to show respect for all that appertains to divine worship; more especially for the servants of God, for holy places, sacred things, and religious ceremonies

3. We ought frequently to praise and magnify almighty God on account of His infinite perfections and goodness, especially when He reveals His perfections in a special manner, or confers a benefit upon us

4. Furthermore, God prohibits everything which is a violation of the reverence due to His divine majesty; and in particular: Taking the name of God in vain

5. Swearing. By this is meant the use of holy names in a moment of anger as an imprecation against certain persons or things

6. Indecorous behavior towards persons who are consecrated to the service of God, holy places, sacred objects or actions

7. Blasphemy. Of this sin those are guilty who revile God, His saints, or speak contemptuously of objects connected with His worship

8. Simony. This consists in selling spiritualities for money, or the equivalent of money

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT OF GOD.

In the Third Commandment of the Decalogue God commands us to sanctify the Sunday and to work six days in the week

1. THE PRECEPT TO SANCTIFY SUNDAYS AND HOLY DAYS.

1. God commands us to sanctify the seventh day, because on the seventh day He rested from the work of creation

2. God commanded the Jews to keep holy the Sabbath day

3. Sunday was appointed by the apostles as the day of rest instead of the Sabbath, because Christ rose from the dead on a Sunday

4. We are bound on Sunday to abstain from servile work and to assist at the public Mass; we ought, moreover, to employ this day in providing for the salvation of our soul, that is to say by approaching the sacraments, by prayer, hearing sermons, reading spiritual books, and performing works of mercy

SINS AGAINST THE THIRD COMMANDMENT.

The precept enjoining upon us to sanctify the Sunday is transgressed:

1. By doing or requiring others to perform servile work

2. By carelessness about attendance at public worship

3. By indulging in diversions which are over-fatiguing, or which are of a sinful nature

Motives for the Sanctification of Sunday.

1. God rewards with temporal blessings those who keep holy His day

2. The profanation of the Lord’s Day is frequently punished with temporal evils, sickness and poverty

3. The non-observance of Sunday undermines family life and social relations

2. THE PRECEPT OF LABOR.

1. The obligation to work was laid upon mankind by God after the Fall as a penance

2. Every individual who can work is bound to work. St. Paul says: “If any man will not work, neither let him eat” (2 Thess. 3:10)

3. Every man is bound primarily to perform the work appertaining to his calling or station

4. We must not forget God in what we do; before and during our work we should implore His aid and renew our intention

5. Labor obtains a temporal and an eternal recompense, because it is a kind of divine worship. The temporal recompense is contentment and earthly happiness

THE RELAXATIONS PERMITTED TO THE CHRISTIAN.

1. It is lawful for those who work to seek relaxation, for this is a means of renewing one’s strength after one’s work is done

2. We must not, however, indulge too freely in amusements, and certainly we must eschew all those that are sinful; moreover in all our recreations the thought of God must be present to our mind

THE SIX COMMANDMENTS OF THE CHURCH.

1. The six precepts of the Church are an amplification of the Third Commandment of the Decalogue

2. We are under a rigorous obligation to keep the commandments of the Church, for disobedience to the Church is disobedience to Christ

3. The rulers of the Church are empowered to dispense the faithful from the observance of any of the commandments of the Church for weighty reasons

1. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT OF THE CHURCH: THE OBSERVANCE OF SUNDAYS AND HOLY DAYS.

1. In the first commandment of the Church the solemn observance of the holy days is enjoined upon us. There are seven festivals of Our Lord, five of Our Lady, and three of the saints

2. The holy days of obligation ought to be kept in the same manner as the Sundays; we must abstain from servile work and assist at holy Mass

The Ecclesiastical Year.

1. The ecclesiastical year is an annual commemoration and representation of the life of Christ, and of the time before and after His birth

2. The ecclesiastical year begins upon the first Sunday in Advent; its three principal feasts are: Christmas, when the birth of Christ is celebrated; Easter, the day of His resurrection; and Pentecost, when the coming of the Holy Spirit is commemorated

3. The aspect of nature corresponds to the three principal festivals

2. THE SECOND COMMANDMENT OF THE CHURCH.

By the second commandment of the Church the precept of fasting and of abstinence is laid upon us

In the second commandment of the Church we are ordered to abstain on all Fridays of the year; to fast and abstain on Ash Wednesday, on the Fridays and Saturdays of Lent, on the Ember days; on the vigils of certain feasts; and to fast on all the other days of Lent

1. We are forbidden to eat meat on Friday, because on that day Our Lord died for us

2. During the forty days of Lent only one full meal is to be taken, as a partial imitation of Our Lord’s fast of forty days, and as a suitable preparation for celebrating the festival of Easter

3. We must likewise fast and abstain on the Ember days, in order to implore almighty God to send us good priests, and to thank Him for the benefits received during the past quarter

4. We are also bound to fast and abstain on the vigils of certain feasts, in order the better to prepare ourselves for celebrating those feasts

5. It is by no means the desire of the Church that we should fast to the injury of our health, or that we should thereby be hindered from performing the duties of our station

6. Fasting is beneficial both for the soul and the body

7. Abstinence from food is only pleasing to God if, at the same time, we refrain from sin and perform good works

3. THE THIRD AND FOURTH COMMANDMENTS OF THE CHURCH.

1. In the third and fourth commandments the Church enjoins upon us the duty of approaching the Sacrament of Penance and receiving holy communion at Easter

2. The time for fulfilling the Easter precept is only two weeks, from Palm Sunday to Low Sunday; however, bishops may extend it from the fourth Sunday of Lent to Trinity Sunday

3. It is fitting that we should receive holy communion at Easter, because it was just before Easter Day, on Holy Thursday, that Our Lord instituted the Adorable Sacrament of the Altar

4. The Church allows Catholics to make their Easter confession elsewhere than in their parish church

5. Christian burial can be denied to a Catholic who has not been in the habit of receiving the sacraments at Easter, and who dies unrepentant

4. THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT OF THE CHURCH.

By the fifth commandment of the Church we are bound to contribute to the support of our pastors

5. THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT OF THE CHURCH.

In the sixth commandment marriage with non-Catholics is forbidden, also the marriage of those who are related by blood (consanguinity) to the third degree inclusive, or by marriage (affinity) to the second degree inclusive. Marriages are not solemnized during fixed seasons. These penitential times are from the beginning of Advent until Christmas Day, and from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday

THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT OF GOD.

In the Fourth Commandment God enjoins upon us to honor His representatives upon earth, that is to say, our parents, and both the ecclesiastical and secular authorities

1. OUR DUTY TOWARDS OUR PARENTS.

1. Our parents are to be honored, because they are God’s representatives and our greatest benefactors

2. We ought to honor our parents by respectful behavior, love, and obedience

3. Our duty is the same in regard to those who are in authority over us, as it is to our parents; our teachers and governors, masters and employers, and our elders in general

Transgressions of the Fourth Commandment.

1. He transgresses the Fourth Commandment of God who is disrespectful towards his parents; who behaves rudely to them, is ashamed of them, etc.

How Does God Reward the Observance of the Fourth Commandment?

1. God promises long life, happiness, and blessings upon earth to children who honor their parents

2. God threatens to send upon those who do not honor their parents shame upon earth, a miserable end, everlasting damnation

2. OUR DUTY TOWARDS THOSE IN AUTHORITY.

1. God has appointed two powers, the spiritual and the secular, for the direction of human society. To the spiritual power He has committed the guidance of souls, to the secular the maintenance of peace and order

2. The highest spiritual authority was given by God to the Pope, the highest secular authority to the monarch of the land; in most countries the people have a share in the secular government

3. Our duties towards Pope and king are similar to our duties towards God, for they are both His representatives

4. He who grossly offends against either the ecclesiastical or secular authorities has to expect the severe chastisement of God on earth, and punishment in the world to come

3. THE DUTIES OF THOSE WHO ARE IN AUTHORITY.

1. The Christian ought not to strive after a position of authority which he is not competent to fill (Eccles. 7:6)

2. He who is called by God to fill some post of authority, must not on that account think much of himself, but rather consider the responsibility laid on him

3. Those who rule others ought to promote as far as possible the welfare of their subjects, and treat them with impartiality and justice

4. Those who are in high places ought to set a good example

THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT OF GOD.

In the Fifth Commandment almighty God forbids us to destroy our own life, or that of our neighbor, or to treat the lower animals with cruelty

1. OUR DUTY IN RESPECT TO OUR OWN LIFE.

1. Our body was created by God as an abode for our immortal soul

2. Since the life and health of the body are of great importance for the life of the soul and for our eternal salvation, we are bound to take precautions for the preservation of our health and of our life

3. Furthermore we are under a strict obligation to do nothing that tends to destroy health or life. Consequently it is a sin to rashly hazard one’s life, wantonly to injure one’s health, or to take one’s own life

4. On the other hand it is not merely right, but even meritorious, to sacrifice one’s bodily health or life in order to gain everlasting life, or to rescue one’s fellow-man from physical or spiritual death

2. OUR DUTY IN REGARD TO THE LIFE OF OUR NEIGHBOR.

A strict obligation is laid upon us to avoid everything that may destroy the health or life of our neighbor

1. Accordingly it is sinful to wish ill to one’s neighbor, to injure his health, to challenge him or accept a duel, or to put him to death unjustly and willingly

2. He commits a still greater sin who destroys the spiritual life of his neighbor, either by tempting him to evil or by giving scandal

3. It is, however, lawful to wound or even to kill our fellow-man, if he threatens to take our life by violence, or anything that is absolutely indispensable to our life, and we have no other means of defense. This is called the right of self-defense

4. He who has wrongfully injured his neighbor, either physically or spiritually, is bound to repair the harm done to the utmost of his power

What Are the Reasons Which Ought to Deter Us from Taking Our Own Life or That of Our Neighbor?

1. He who needlessly imperils or seeks to put an end to his own life, is often punished by God with acute bodily suffering here and sometimes by eternal damnation hereafter

2. He who takes the life of another is tortured by terrible pangs of conscience, often dies a violent death, and is everlastingly damned

3. He who hates his neighbor loses his peace of mind, and becomes displeasing to God; his prayers are not heard, and his lot is eternal perdition

3. OUR CONDUCT IN REGARD TO THE LOWER ANIMALS.

In our relations to animals it is our duty to care for their well-being, to refrain from tormenting them, not to kill any useful animal without a special reason, and finally not to treat them with exaggerated tenderness

THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT OF GOD.

1. In the Sixth Commandment almighty God prohibits everything that might stain our own purity or that of our neighbor

2. Sins against the Sixth Commandment of God are for the most part very grievous in God’s sight and accordingly are severely punished by Him

THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT OF GOD.

1. In the Seventh Commandment almighty God forbids us to wrong our neighbor in his goods and property

1. THE RIGHT OF POSSESSION.

1. Earthly goods are necessary to man’s subsistence, such as food, clothes, a dwelling-place, money, etc.

2. Personal property is justly obtained when it is either acquired by labor or by gift

Sins against the Seventh Commandment.

The Seventh Commandment expressly forbids: Theft, robbery, cheating, usury, injuring the property of another, detention of goods that have been found or lent, and the non-payment of debts

1. We are in danger of committing mortal sin if we take from our neighbor as much as he requires to support him one day in a manner suitable to his position

2. RESTITUTION OR SATISFACTION.

1. He who has purloined from his neighbor or wronged him in his property, is under a strict obligation to restore the stolen goods or make compensation for the damage done (Lev. 6:1–5)

2. If anyone has unwittingly got stolen goods in his possession, he is bound to give them up to the rightful owner as soon as he becomes aware that they were stolen

3. He who refuses either to give up the stolen property or to compensate for the loss sustained, will not obtain pardon of his sins from God, nor absolution from the priest

WHAT ARE THE REASONS WHICH OUGHT TO DETER US FROM TRANSGRESSING THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT?

People who wrong their neighbor in his property generally come to shame and poverty, often die unrepentant, and are in danger of everlasting damnation

THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT OF GOD.

In the Eighth Commandment God forbids us to detract from our neighbor’s honor, or bear false witness of any kind

1. THE PROHIBITION AGAINST INJURING OUR NEIGHBOR IN HIS HONOR.

1. A good reputation is a precious possession, for it enables us to gain riches for time and for eternity

2. Above all we ought to strive to acquire a good name among men, and for that reason we ought to let our good works be known, and we ought to defend our character if it be aspersed to any great extent

3. Furthermore, we ought to refrain from everything that may wound our neighbor’s honor. Thus suspicion, detraction, slander, and abuse are forbidden, also listening with pleasure when our neighbor is spoken against

4. He who has injured his neighbor’s reputation is strictly bound to restore his good name; either by apologizing, if the offence was committed in private, or by publicly retracting his words, if they were spoken before others

5. Those who do not endeavor to repair the harm they have done by slandering their neighbor, cannot obtain pardon from God, nor absolution from the priest

WHAT ARE THE REASONS WHICH SHOULD DETER US FROM INJURING OUR NEIGHBOR’S GOOD NAME?

1. He who is severe in his judgment of his neighbor, will in his turn be judged severely by God

2. To judge one’s fellow-man is to commit an offence against God, for it is an usurpation of His rights

3. He who robs another of his good name is often severely punished by God upon earth; not unfrequently he is overtaken by the same calamity which he sought to bring on his neighbor

4. He who indulges a habit of detraction is in danger of losing his soul

2. THE COMMAND AGAINST UNTRUTHFULNESS.

God is truth itself; consequently He forbids every kind of falsehood, especially lying, hypocrisy, and flattery

WHAT ARE THE REASONS WHICH SHOULD MAKE US REFRAIN FROM UNTRUTHFULNESS?

1. The liar is like the devil and displeasing to God

2. The pernicious habit of lying leads a man into mortal sin and to eternal perdition

3. Whoso is really upright is like almighty God, is pleasing in His sight, and is esteemed by his fellow-men

3. THE MEANS OF PREVENTING SINS OF THE TONGUE.

Sins of the tongue can be best avoided by checking talkativeness, and being guarded in our speech

THE NINTH COMMANDMENT OF GOD.

(See Sixth Commandment.)

THE TENTH COMMANDMENT OF GOD.

In the Tenth Commandment God forbids us to endeavor to possess ourselves of the property of another by unlawful means

1. SOCIALISM.

1. In our own day a large proportion of the so-called Socialists or social democrats aim at depriving their fellow-men of their private property by unjust means

2. All who endeavor by unlawful means to deprive their neighbor of his personal property, live in a state of mortal sin

XI. THE WORKS OF MERCY.

1. THE VALUE OF EARTHLY GOODS AND THE USE TO BE MADE OF THEM.

1. Earthly riches do not of themselves make us better in God’s sight

2. Earthly goods have their value, however, because with them we can earn eternal felicity

3. God is the Lord of all earthly riches; we are only His stewards

4. Earthly riches should consequently only be employed in accordance with the commands of God

2. THE PRECEPT TO PERFORM WORKS OF MERCY.

1. Christ has strictly enjoined upon us to assist our neighbor who is in need with our earthly goods; for He will only grant everlasting happiness to those who have helped their fellow-men who were in need

2. The assistance we give to the needy, of whatever nature it may be, is an alms, or work of mercy

3. The works of mercy are either spiritual or corporal, according as the necessities we relieve are spiritual or corporal

3. THE SEVERAL WORKS OF MERCY.

1. The corporal works of mercy are: (1), To feed the hungry; (2), To give drink to the thirsty; (3), To clothe the naked; (4), To harbor the stranger; (5) To visit the sick; (6) To ransom the captive; (7), To bury the dead

2. The spiritual works of mercy are: (1), To instruct the ignorant; (2), To counsel the doubtful; (3), To admonish sinners; (4), To bear wrongs patiently; (5), To forgive offences willingly; (6), To comfort the afflicted; (7), To pray for the living and the dead

4. IN WHAT SPIRIT SHOULD THE WORKS OF MERCY BE PERFORMED?

1. We ought not to do good to our neighbor in order to be seen and praised by men, for in that case we have our reward on earth (Matt. 6:1)

2. We must do good to our neighbor for Christ’s sake

3. We should do good to our neighbor promptly and pleasantly

4. We are only required to give alms of our superfluity

5. We must only give alms out of what is our own, and only give to those who are really poor or who are unable to work

6. In giving alms, preference should be shown to our relatives, our fellow Catholics, and those who are in the greatest need

5. OF WHAT BENEFIT ARE THE WORKS OF MERCY TO US?

1. Almsgiving obtains for us the remission of our sins; that is to say, the sinner obtains the grace of repentance, while the just man receives the pardon of venial sin, and the remission of the temporal penalty

2. By almsgiving we obtain an eternal recompense, provided that at the time we are in a state of grace

3. Almsgiving brings down upon us temporal blessings: God increases our means and gives us bodily health

4. Almsgiving is a means of obtaining a speedy answer to prayer

5. By almsgiving we make the poor our friends; they pray for us, and their prayers have great power with God

XII. THE DUTY OF GRATITUDE.

1. For every act of mercy done to us, we are bound to render thanks first to God and then to our benefactor; for God requires of us that we should be grateful for the benefits we receive

2. By our gratitude we obtain fresh favors, whereas ingratitude brings misfortunes upon us

XIII. THE POVERTY OF THE CHRISTIAN.

Poverty is no disgrace in God’s sight; the poor are beloved by God and save their souls more easily

B. GOOD WORKS, VIRTUE, SIN, VICE.

I. GOOD WORKS.

1. The name of good works is given to such voluntary actions on the part of man as are in conformity with the will of God, are performed for the love of God, and consequently will be rewarded by God

2. The good works most pleasing in God’s sight are these: Prayer, fasting, and almsdeeds

3. Even the most trifling works are pleasing to God if they are done with the intention of promoting His glory

4. Good works are necessary to salvation

5. Through good works the sinner obtains the actual graces which are necessary for his conversion; the just man obtains an increase of sanctifying grace, eternal felicity, and the remission of the temporal penalty of sin; furthermore his prayers are heard, and sometimes earthly blessings are bestowed on him

6. We can apply to others, either to the living or to the dead, the merit of our good works

7. We ought to let our good works be seen of men, in order to set them a good example

8. We ought to make diligent use of our earthly riches, as well as of our life here below, for the performance of good works

II. VIRTUE.

1. Virtue consists in proficiency in the practice of good works and the tendency of the will towards what is good, resulting from persevering exercise

2. It is only perfect virtue, i.e., those acts of virtue which are performed for the glory of God, which will be rewarded after death

3. Virtue can only be acquired and increased by dint of struggle and self-conquest; for many obstacles have to be encountered, inward hindrances, the evil proclivities of the human heart, and outward hindrances, the contempt and persecution of men

4. Virtue procures for us real happiness both in time and in eternity

5. Virtue makes us resemble God, and admits us to the friendship of God

THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF CHRISTIAN VIRTUE.

1. The virtues that unite our soul to God are the three theological virtues: Faith, Hope, and Charity

2. Those virtues which have the effect of bringing our actions into conformity with the moral law, are called moral virtues. These we gain for ourselves by our own exertions and the assistance of divine grace, after we have received sanctifying grace

3. The principal moral virtues are the seven capital virtues: Humility, obedience, meekness, liberality, temperance, chastity, diligence in what is good

4. All the moral virtues proceed from the four cardinal virtues: Prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude (Wisd. 8:7)

5. All perfect virtues spring from the love of God and are inseparably united together by that same love (1 Cor. 13)

6. The greatest and noblest of all the virtues is charity

7. The virtues can always be increased

8. All perfect virtue is lost immediately upon falling into mortal sin, for thereby the love of God is lost, without which there can be no perfect virtue

III SIN.

1. He who wittingly and willingly transgresses one of God’s commandments is guilty of sin

2. Sin is in its essence an unlawful turning towards the creature and turning away from God

3. Sin is the one only evil upon earth; it robs man of the supernatural beauty of the soul, it makes him resemble the devil, and brings misery upon him even while he is on earth

THE DEVELOPMENT OF SIN.

Sin arises generally in the following manner: temptation first arises, then comes the resolutions to commit sin; after that, if opportunity offers, the exterior act is committed

THE KINDS OF SIN.

There are different kinds of sin

1. Sins are generally divided into sins of word, of thought, and of deed

2. A distinction also exists between our own sins, and the sins in which we co-operate

THE COMPARATIVE MAGNITUDE OF SIN.

1. All sins are not equally great

2. Many sins are so great that they separate us entirely from God, and deprive us of His friendship; they are called mortal or deadly sins. Sins of lesser moment are called venial sins

3. He commits a mortal sin who consciously and of his own free will does grievous dishonor to God or wrong to his neighbor in a weighty matter; who does injury to his own life, or to the life, the property, or the reputation of his neighbor

4. He commits a venial sin who only injures something of trifling consequence; or who, though he injures something of great importance, injures it very slightly, or does so almost unconsciously and to some extent unwittingly

5. All mortal sins are not of equal magnitude, nor are all venial sins of the same importance. The most heinous sins are the sins against the Holy Spirit, and those that cry to heaven for vengeance

6. He commits a sin against the Holy Spirit who persistently and willfully resists the action of the Holy Spirit

7. Sins that cry to heaven for vengeance are sins of great malice. They are: willful murder, oppression of the poor, defrauding laborers of their wages, and the sin of Sodom

8. A distinction must be made between venial sins and imperfections. Imperfections are faults which are due not to a bad will, but to human frailty

THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN.

1. Mortal sin deprives a man of sanctifying grace, and delivers him into the power of the devil

2. Mortal sin brings down upon the sinner both eternal damnation and temporal chastisement

THE CONSEQUENCES OF VENIAL SIN.

1. Venial sin gradually leads to mortal sin, and eventuates in the loss of sanctifying grace

2. There are temporal penalties due to venial sin, and these will come down upon us either on earth or after death in purgatory

IV. VICE.

1. Vice is proficiency in the practice of evil, and the confirmed tendency of the will towards evil which is acquired by habitual sin

2. Habitual sin makes a man supremely unhappy, because it deprives him completely of sanctifying grace, subjects him entirely to the dominion of the devil, and brings down on him many temporal judgments as well as eternal damnation

3. The most ordinary sins are the seven capital sins: Pride, disobedience, anger, avarice, intemperance in eating and drinking, unchastity, sloth

V. THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN.

1. There is no man upon earth without sin; consequently there is none who does not need the forgiveness of sin

2. We can obtain forgiveness of sin, because Christ merited it for us by the death of the cross; and because He gave power to forgive sins to His apostles and their successors

3. Mortal sin is remitted by Baptism and penance, venial sin, and the temporal penalties due to it, by good works done in a state of grace. These good works are: Prayer, fasting, almsgiving, hearing holy Mass, receiving holy communion, use of the sacramentals, gaining indulgences, forgiving offences

4. There is no sin too great for God to forgive here below, if it be sincerely repented of and humbly confessed

5. A sin once forgiven is effaced forever, even if the sinner falls again into mortal sin

VI. TEMPTATION.

1. Temptation is the action of the evil spirit upon our soul, in order to induce us to sin; he excites within us the concupiscence of the eyes, or the pride of life

2. God allows us to be tempted out of mercy, for the good of our souls

3. We ought to protect ourselves from temptation by assiduous work, by keeping our thoughts fixed upon God, and by continualself-conquest

4. When we are tempted we ought to betake ourselves immediately to prayer, or think of our last end, or of the evil consequences of sin

5. He who has conquered temptation will receive more graces from God

VII. OCCASIONS OF SIN.

1. By occasions of sin are meant such places, persons, or things which as a rule are the means of leading us into sin, if we go in quest of them

2. To expose one’s self heedlessly to an occasion of sin, is in itself a sin; it entails the loss of divine grace and leads to mortal sin

3. He who finds himself in circumstances which are an occasion of sin to him, and does not instantly leave them, although it is in his power to do so, commits a sin; he will be deprived of the assistance of divine grace and will fall into mortal sin

4. He who refuses to give up what is to him an occasion of sin, cannot expect to obtain pardon of sin here, or eternal salvation hereafter

5. The most common and the most dangerous occasions of sin are: liquor saloons, dancing saloons, bad theatres, bad periodicals, and bad novels

VIII. THE SEVEN PRINCIPAL VIRTUES AND THE SEVEN PRINCIPAL VICES.

1. HUMILITY.

1. The humble man is he who acknowledges his own nothingness and the nothingness of all earthly things, and comports himself in accordance with this conviction

2. Christ gave us in Himself the grandest example of humility, for He, being the Son of God, took the form of a servant, chose to live in great lowliness, was most condescending in His intercourse with men, and finally, voluntarily endured the ignominious death of the cross

3. Humility leads to great sanctity, to exaltation, and to everlasting felicity

2. THE OPPOSITE OF HUMILITY: PRIDE.

1. He is proud who overestimates his own worth, or the value of his earthly possessions, and shows openly that he does so

2. Pride leads to all manner of vices, to degradation here and eternal damnation hereafter; it also destroys the value of all our good works

3. OBEDIENCE.

1. Obedience consists in being ready to fulfil the behest of one’s superior

2. Obedience is the most difficult and at the same time the most excellent of all the moral virtues (St. Thomas Aquinas)

3. By our obedience we accomplish the will of God most surely, and we attain certainly and quickly to a high degree of perfection

4. DISOBEDIENCE.

1. Disobedience consists in not fulfilling the commands of one’s superiors

2. Disobedience brings temporal misfortune and eternal misery upon man

5. PATIENCE, MEEKNESS, PEACEABLENESS.

Patience.

1. Patience consists in preserving one’s serenity of mind amid all the contrarieties of this life for the love of God

2. Patience produces many virtues and leads to salvation

3. If we would bear with patience the trials of life, let us place Our Lord’s Passion before our eyes; let us also consider that sufferings are a favor from God

Meekness.

1. Meekness consists in showing, for the love of God, no irritation when wrong is done us

2. By meekness we gain power over our fellow-men, we attain peace of mind, and eternal salvation

3. Meekness can only be acquired by the diligent practice of self-control

4. We ought to behave with meekness towards those with whom we live, and superiors ought to be gentle towards their inferiors

Peaceableness.

1. Peaceableness consists in willingly making a sacrifice for the sake of remaining at peace with one’s neighbor, or reconciling one’s self with him

2. Peacemakers enjoy the special protection of God, and receive a hundredfold as the reward of all that they give up for the sake of peace

3. Hence every one ought to be willing to make concessions for the sake of peace, and as far as lies in his power, to avoid all that may engender strife

6. THE OPPOSITE OF MEEKNESS: WRATH.

1. Wrath consists in exciting one’s self about something at which one is displeased

2. Those who indulge anger injure their health, temporarily lose the use of reason, make themselves hated, and incur the danger of losing eternal salvation

3. Anger must be overcome in the following manner: We must never speak or act when we are angry, but if possible, betake ourselves to prayer. If in our anger we have injured any one, we should make amends for the wrong done without delay

7. LIBERALITY.

1. Liberality consists in being ready and willing, for the love of God, to give pecuniary assistance to those who are in need

2. By liberality we obtain forgiveness of sin, an eternal reward, and temporal blessings, besides a speedy answer to prayer and the friendship of our fellow-men

8. THE OPPOSITE OF LIBERALITY: AVARICE.

1. Avarice consists in an inordinate craving for riches, which makes a man not only strive after them, but refuse to give any portion of his goods to the poor

2. The avaricious are miserable both in time and in eternity; for the sake of money they commit all manner of sins, they lose their faith and their peace of mind, they are cruel to themselves and hardhearted to their neighbor, and finally perish eternally

3. The surest means whereby the avaricious can conquer the greed of gain, is by forcing themselves to give alms. They ought besides to meditate frequently on the poverty of Christ, and the ephemeral nature of earthly possessions

9. TEMPERANCE IN EATING AND DRINKING.

1. Temperance consists in not eating and drinking more than is necessary, and not being either too greedy or too dainty in regard to the nourishment one takes

2. Temperance is highly advantageous to soul and body; it improves the health, lengthens life, strengthens the faculties of the mind, fosters virtue and leads to everlasting life

3. Diligent meditation on the truths of our holy religion will assist us to form a habit of temperance

10. INTEMPERANCE IN EATING AND DRINKING.

1. Intemperance consists in eating and drinking much more than is necessary, and in being greedy or dainty in regard to one’s food

2. By intemperance a man injures his health, weakens his mental faculties, destroys his reputation, and reduces himself to poverty; falls into vice, often comes to a miserable end, and is eternally lost

11. CHASTITY.

1. Chastity consists in preserving the mind and body free from everything that might stain their innocence

2. Those who lead a life of chastity possess the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit in abundant measure; they will be happy here on earth, and will enjoy special distinction in heaven hereafter

3. It is the bounden duty of every man to preserve chastity inviolate until he embraces the married state

4. The following means should be employed for the preservation of chastity: We should be temperate, accustom ourselves to exercise self-control, receive the sacraments frequently, pray devoutly to the Mother of God, love to meditate upon the truths of religion, especially upon the presence of God and the four last things; finally we should observe moderation in frequenting the ballroom and the theatre, and be guarded in our intercourse with persons of the opposite sex

12. UNCHASTITY.

1. Unchastity consists in thoughts, words, or deeds, which are destructive of innocence

2. Unchaste persons do not possess the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit, they are severely chastised by God in this life, and after death are condemned to eternal perdition

3. The best means of avoiding the sin of impurity is flight

13. ZEAL IN WHAT IS GOOD.

1. Zeal in what is good consists in working out one’s salvation with all earnestness and fervor

2. Without zeal in what is good we cannot be saved, for the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence

14. THE OPPOSITE OF ZEAL: SLOTH.

1. Sloth consists in shunning everything that conduces either to our temporal or eternal well-being, provided it be toilsome

2. Idleness leads to all kinds of vice; it brings misery in this life and eternal damnation in the life to come

3. Those who are inclined to indolence should think frequently of the reward, both temporal and eternal, of industry, and thus they will overcome their distaste for work

C. CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.

I. THE ASPIRATION AFTER CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.

1. God requires of all the just that they should aspire to Christian perfection Our Lord. After Him, the saints are also patterns of perfection

2. The most sublime example of Christian perfection is found in Our Lord. After Him, the saints are also patterns of perfection

3. The perfection of the Christian consists in charity towards God and his neighbor, and in detachment of heart from the things of this world

4. He who makes Christian perfection his aim will attain it surely but slowly

5. There is no state or calling of life in which Christian perfection is not possible

II. GENERAL MEANS FOR THE ATTAINMENT OF PERFECTION.

In order to make sure of attaining Christian perfection, the following means should be adopted

1. Fidelity in small things

2. A habit of self-control

3. Abstinence from all that is superfluous, especially in regard to eating and drinking

4. Order and regularity

5. Unremitting prayer

6. Frequent confession and communion

7. Reading attentively the life of Our Lord and the lives of the saints, and meditation on the truths of religion

8. Love of solitude

III. SPECIAL MEANS FOR THE ATTAINMENT OF PERFECTION.

1. He who aspires to a higher degree of perfection must follow the three evangelical counsels: Perfect obedience, perpetual chastity, and voluntary poverty

2. These three counsels are called the evangelical counsels; because Our Lord gave them to us when He preached the Gospel, and followed them Himself

3. The evangelical counsels lead to higher perfection, because by their means the three evil concupiscences in man are completely destroyed and the chief obstacles in the way of his salvation are removed

4. Not everyone is called of God to follow the evangelical counsels; for Our Lord says: “All men take not this word, but they to whom it is given” (Matt. 19:11)

5. The members of religious Orders are bound to follow the evangelical counsels, and likewise all persons living in the world who have taken a vow to do so

IV. THE EIGHT BEATITUDES.

Those who scrupulously keep God’s commandments are happy even on earth. Therefore God declared blessed those who are poor in spirit, the meek, they that mourn, they that hunger for His justice, the merciful, the clean of heart, the peacemakers, and they that suffer persecution for the right

PART III.

THE MEANS OF GRACE.

I. THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS.

1. ON SACRIFICE IN GENERAL.

1. Hence the word sacrifice signifies the voluntary surrender or the destruction of an object which we value, to give honor to God as our supreme Lord

2. There are bloody and unbloody sacrifices

3. The intention of a sacrifice may be to give honor to God, to give thanks to Him, to entreat a favor, or make propitiation

4. The custom of offering sacrifices has existed in all times and among all nations of the world

5. The chief motives which urge mankind to offer sacrifice are: The consciousness of sin and the desire for reconciliation with God and because God often required or sanctioned the sacrifice

6. The sacrifices of the Jewish nation, more particularly that of the paschal lamb and the victim of expiation, were typical of the great sacrifice that the Redeemer was to offer on Mount Calvary

2. THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST UPON THE CROSS.

1. The sacrifice which reconciled God with man was that which Christ offered upon the cross

2. The sacrifice of Christ upon the cross was a vicarious sacrifice for the sins of all mankind, and a sacrifice of superabundant value

3. The graces which Christ merited for us by His death are communicated to us by the means of grace; that is to say, the holy sacrifice of the Mass, the sacraments, the sacramentals, and prayer

3. THE INSTITUTION, NATURE, AND PRINCIPAL PARTS OF THE MASS.

1. The Son of God offered a sacrifice at the Last Supper, because He gave His body and blood to be offered up, in order to reconcile His heavenly Father with man

2. We call the sacrifice instituted by Our Lord at the Last Supper holy Mass, or the sacrifice of the Mass

3. What takes place in the sacrifice of the Mass is this: The priest at the altar, as the representative of Christ, offers up bread and wine to almighty God; he changes these substances into the body and blood of Christ, and destroys them by consuming them

4. There are three distinct parts in the sacrifice of the Mass: the offertory, the consecration, and the communion

4. THE CEREMONIAL OF THE MASS.

1. In the course of time many ceremonies of deep significance grouped themselves around the holy sacrifice of the Mass, which were not to be omitted without absolute necessity

2. The whole story of the Redemption is symbolically represented by the ceremonies of the Mass

5. THE RELATION WHICH THE MASS BEARS TO THE SACRIFICE OF THE CROSS.

1. The sacrifice of the Mass is a living renewal of the sacrifice of the cross, for in the Mass, as upon the cross, Christ immolates Himself

2. In the sacrifice of the Mass all the sacrifices made by Our Lord are also renewed

6. THE PROFIT TO BE DERIVED FROM THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS.

1. By means of the holy sacrifice of the Mass the fruits of the sacrifice of the cross are applied to us in most abundant measure; more particularly we obtain thereby forgiveness of sin, certitude that our prayers are heard, temporal blessings, and eternal rewards

2. Those who participate in the fruits of the holy sacrifice of the Mass are: First, the individual for whom it is celebrated; then the priest and all who are present; finally, all the faithful both living and dead; moreover the holy sacrifice gives joy to all the angels and saints

7. THE CELEBRATION OF HOLY MASS.

1. The holy sacrifice of the Mass is only offered to God; it may be offered to Him with a fourfold intention: by way of atonement, of petition, of praise, or of thanksgiving

2. The holy sacrifice of the Mass may also be offered in honor of the angels or saints

3. The holy sacrifice of the Mass can also be offered for the souls of the departed, who have been members of the Catholic Church

4. The holy sacrifice of the Mass can, however, be offered for the living, whether Catholics or non-Catholics

5. Not the priest alone, but all the faithful who are present at Mass, may offer the holy sacrifice for a special intention

8. THE VALUE OF THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS.

1. As the holy sacrifice of the Mass is an oblation of infinite value, to celebrate or to hear Mass is a good work which surpasses all other good works in excellence

2. Offering or hearing Mass has more value as a good work in proportion to the worthiness and devotion of priest and people

9. THE DEVOTION AT HOLY MASS.

We ought to be very devout at Mass; that is, we ought to banish from our minds all that may cause distraction, and endeavor to unite our supplications to those of the priest, especially in the three principal parts of the Mass

1. Whispering, laughing, looking about at the time of Mass must be carefully avoided; moreover it is unseemly to come to Mass overdressed

2. When assisting at the holy sacrifice, we ought to unite our supplications to those of the priest, but it is not necessary to use the same prayers as he does

3. At the three principal parts of the Mass we should to a certain extent suspend our private devotions, and fix our attention upon what is done upon the altar

4. It is an excellent practice immediately after the consecration to make to our heavenly Father a definite act of offering of His divine Son sacrificed upon the altar, and of His Passion and death

5. At the communion if we do not communicate actually, we ought to do so spiritually

6. It is not possible to hear two or more Masses at the same time; therefore when in church we ought to follow one Mass attentively, and not more than one

10. THE OBLIGATION OF HEARING MASS.

1. Every Catholic is bound, under pain of mortal sin, to hear the whole of one Mass devoutly every Sunday and holy day of obligation

2. To hear Mass on week-days, if possible, is a highly commendable practice, for it may be the means of gaining the greatest graces

11. THE TIME WHEN MASS IS TO BE CELEBRATED.

1. The holy sacrifice of the Mass is generally to be celebrated between sunrise and noon, and at midnight on Christmas Eve

2. On Sundays and holydays of obligation the holy sacrifice of the Mass is offered at a convenient hour in all parish churches, and almost always on week-days also

3. No priest may, as a rule, say Mass more than once daily; but on Christmas Day and on All Soul’s Day all priests are allowed to say three Masses. And by the permission of the bishop some parish priests who have a large congregation are allowed to duplicate, that is, say two Masses on the same day

12. THE PLACE WHERE MASS IS TO BE CELEBRATED.

1. The apostles offered the holy sacrifice on a table in a dwelling-house

2. In the time of the great persecution of the Christians, the holy sacrifice was offered on the tombs of the martyrs in subterranean passages (the Catacombs)

3. When the period of persecution was over, the holy sacrifice of the Mass was offered in churches upon altars of stone

13. THE VESTMENTS AND SACRED VESSELS USED AT MASS.

1. The vestments which the priest wears in the celebration of Mass consist of (1), the amice; (2), the alb; (3), the girdle; (4), the maniple; (5), the stole; (6), the chasuble

2. The various portions of the sacerdotal vestments are commemorative of Our Lord’s Passion, and also serve to remind the priest of the duties of his office

3. The principal things which are used in saying Mass are: The chalice, the paten, and the missal

14. THE COLORS OF THE VESTMENTS.

1. In the vestments worn by the priest at Mass, the Church makes use of five colors: white, red, green, purple, and black

2. These colors not only depict the course of Our Lord’s life on earth, but serve as a constant admonition to us to lead a pious life

15. THE LANGUAGE OF THE MASS.

In celebrating the holy sacrifice of the Mass the Church makes use of the Latin Language

1. The Latin language is well adapted for the services of the Church, because it is both venerable and mysterious

2. The use of the Latin language in her services is most advantageous for the Church; it serves to maintain her unity and preserve her from many evils

16. SINGING AT MASS.

1. The singing of which the Church makes use as an accompaniment to the Mass, is what is known as the Gregorian chant

2. In addition to the Gregorian chant we have in our churches congregational singing, hymns in which the people join. Instrumental music, as an accompaniment to the singing, is played on the organ, violin, or other musical instruments

17. HEARING THE WORD OF GOD.

1. The Word of God is said to be the food of the soul, because it sustains the life and strength of the soul, as bread does that of the body

2. Hence it is the duty of every Christian either to hear sermons frequently, or to read spiritual books and make a practical application of what he hears or reads

3. Those who are assiduous in hearing sermons or reading spiritual books, will not have great difficulty in attaining eternal salvation

II. THE SACRAMENTS.

1. The sacraments are sensible signs instituted by Christ, by means of which the graces of the Holy Spirit are communicated to us

2. Christ instituted seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders and Matrimony

3. By the three sacraments, Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders, there is imprinted upon the soul a certain spiritual and indelible mark or character, on account of which they cannot be repeated (Council of Trent, 7, 9)

4. Two of the sacraments, Baptism and Penance, are instituted principally with the object of conferring sanctifying grace where it was not already given; the five others with the object of increasing that gift

5. Due preparation must be made before receiving the sacraments, in order to obtain the graces they convey

6. Supposing the priest who administers the sacrament to be unworthy, the graces of the Holy Spirit will still be communicated by means of the sacrament

1. BAPTISM.

1. This is what takes place at Baptism: Water is poured upon the head of the person to be baptized, and at the same time the words appointed by Our Lord are repeated; the person is thereby cleansed from original sin and all other sins, he is gifted with habitual and sanctifying grace, and becomes a child of God, an heir of heaven, and a member of the Church

2. Baptism acts spiritually as water does materially

3. Baptism is indispensably necessary to salvation. Hence children who die unbaptized cannot enter heaven (Council of Trent, 7, 5)

4. Hence it follows that parents ought to have their children baptized immediately after their birth, because new-born infants hover between life and death

5. In case of necessity any one can administer baptism, and without the usual ceremonies

6. If baptism by water is impossible, it may be replaced by the baptism of desire, or by the baptism of blood, as in the case of those who suffer martyrdom for the faith of Christ

7. In the early ages of the Church solemn Baptism was administered on three days of the year: Holy Saturday, the eve of Whitsunday, and in the East on the eve of the Epiphany

2. CONFIRMATION.

1. The ceremonial of Confirmation is as follows: The bishop lays his hands upon the candidates and anoints each one severally with chrism upon the forehead, with prayer; and those who are so anointed receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially courage to profess their faith

2. The supernatural effect of Confirmation is similar to the natural effect of oil

3. Christians ought to be confirmed at the age when they pass from childhood to youth, because at that period temptations thicken around them, and they need strength of will to resist them

4. The candidate for Confirmation ought previously to go to confession and, if possible, to holy communion; for to receive this sacrament one must be in a state of grace

5. Confirmation is usually administered about Whitsuntide, as the bishop visits the whole of his diocese at intervals of a few years

3. THE HOLY EUCHARIST.

INSTITUTION AND NATURE OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST.

1. The body of Christ under the appearance of bread, and the blood of Christ under the appearance of wine, is called the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar

2. The presence of the body and blood of Christ under the appearance of bread and wine is a mystery, because our feeble reason cannot comprehend it

3. It is most true that under the species of bread, as also under the species of wine, Christ is present, God and man, whole and entire

4. Our Lord is present in every particle, however minute, of the consecrated bread and wine

5. Christ is present in the consecrated elements as long as the accidents of bread and wine remain

6. The duties of the Christian in regard to the Holy Sacrament of the Altar are these; He ought to visit it frequently, to adore it, and to receive it

THE NECESSITY OF HOLY COMMUNION.

1. The Holy Sacrament of the Altar is the nourishment of our souls

2. We are bound under pain of mortal sin to communicate at least once a year, and that at Easter; also in case of dangerous illness. It is, moreover, the wish of the Church that the faithful should, if possible, receive holy communion on Sundays and holydays

THE EFFECTS OF HOLY COMMUNION.

Holy communion acts spiritually, as bread and wine act materially

1. By holy communion we are united most closely to Christ. Our Lord says: “He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood, abideth in Me, and I in him” (John 6:57)

2. Holy communion imparts actual graces, and also maintains and increases sanctifying grace in the soul

3. The force of evil concupiscence is lessened by holy communion, and we are freed from venial sin by means of it

4. Holy communion often affords much refreshment to the soul

5. Holy communion sanctifies the body, and implants in it the germ of a future glorious resurrection

PREPARATION FOR HOLY COMMUNION.

1. We must make a suitable preparation of body and soul before receiving holy communion

2. The manner in which we should prepare our soul is this: We must cleanse our souls from mortal sin by confession, perform good works, and adorn ourselves with the virtues

3. Our body must be prepared for holy communion by fasting from midnight; by dressing in a neat and suitable manner, and by a reverent deportment at the time of communion

BEHAVIOR AFTER RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION.

After receiving communion we should make our thanksgiving, and proffer our petitions to almighty God, praying for the Pope, for the authorities, secular and ecclesiastical, for our relatives, friends, and benefactors, and for the holy souls in purgatory

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION.

Spiritual communion consists in awakening within the heart a lively desire to receive holy communion

4. THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE.

THE NATURE AND THE NECESSITY OF PENANCE.

1. In the Sacrament of Penance the repentant Christian confesses his sins to a duly authorized priest, who, standing in the place of God, pronounces the absolution by means of which they are forgiven

2. The Sacrament of Penance is indispensably necessary for those who have fallen into sin after Baptism, for without this sacrament they are unable to recover the justice they have lost (Council of Trent, 14, 1; 6, 29)

3. Let no one be deterred by a feeling of shame from confessing his sins; the priest dare not, under any pretext, reveal what is said in the confessional, and he is ever ready to receive the contrite sinner kindly

4. He who from a sense of shame conceals a mortal sin in confession, does not obtain forgiveness, but only adds to his other sins that of sacrilege; and exposes himself to the grave risk of dying impenitent

THE CONFESSOR.

1. No priest can give absolution who has not received the faculties for hearing confessions from the bishop of the diocese

2. Priests who are duly authorized to hear confessions have not power to absolve from all sins, since there are certain sins which the Pope or the bishop has reserved to himself for judgment (Copuncil of Trent, 14, 11)

3. In the confessional the priest stands in the place of God; therefore the penitent is bound to yield him obedience

4. Under no possible conditions may the priest repeat anything out of the confessional

5. Every Catholic is perfectly free to choose his own confessor

THE EFFECTS OF PENANCE.

By worthily receiving the Sacrament of Penance we obtain the following graces

1. The guilt of sin is remitted and the debt of eternal punishment; yet there remains the debt of temporal punishment to be discharged

2. The Holy Spirit returns to the repentant sinner, and imparts to him sanctifying grace; and the merits of all the good works he formerly performed while in a state of grace are restored to him again

3. Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we obtain great peace of mind, nay, great consolations, if our conversion be sincere

4. The Holy Spirit imparts to us the strength necessary to overcome sin

THE WORTHY RECEPTION OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE.

In order to receive the Sacrament of Penance worthily, we must do as follows:

1. We must examine our conscience, i.e., we must carefully consider what sins we have committed and not yet confessed

2. We must truly repent of our sins, that is, we must grieve from our heart that we have offended God by them, and the thought of offending Him must be abhorrent to us

The means of awakening true contrition is to reflect that by our sins we have grievously offended the infinite majesty of God, and have displeased our loving Father, our greatest Benefactor

The consideration that we must expect the just judgments of God on account of our sins, also disposes us to true contrition

Confession without contrition does not obtain the divine forgiveness

3. We must make a firm resolution, that is, we must steadfastly determine with the help of God to desist from all sin, and to avoid the occasions of sin for the future

4. We are under the obligation of confessing our sins, that is, we must secretly to the priest enumerate all the mortal sins of which we are conscious, accurately, simply, and humbly; with the number of times we have committed them, besides all that is necessary to make known the nature of the sin (Council of Trent, 14, 5, 7)

5. Satisfaction must be made: i.e., we must perform the penance enjoined upon us by the confessor

The confessor generally enjoins upon the penitent, prayer, almsdeeds, and fasting as works of penance, in order that he may thereby discharge the temporal penalties, and weaken the power of evil tendencies (Council of Trent, 14, 8)

We should, besides, make satisfaction by punishments voluntarily undertaken of ourselves; and also by bearing patiently the temporal scourges inflicted of God (Council of Trent, 14, 9)

The works of penance which we perform and the sufferings we bear patiently do not only cancel the temporal punishment due to our sins, but they contribute to the increase of our eternal happiness

GENERAL CONFESSION.

1. By a general confession is meant confession of all the sins we have committed within a considerable period of time

2. A general confession is profitable because it produces in us greater self-knowledge, deeper humility, increased tranquillity of conscience, and obtains many graces from God

3. A general confession is indispensable, if an invalid confession has once been made; it is also advisable in the case of persons who are entering upon a new state of life, or who are in danger of death

CONFESSION A DIVINE INSTITUTION.

1. Confession of sins was instituted by Our Lord, and has been the practice of the Church in all centuries

2. The institution of confession affords us proof of the infinite mercy and wisdom of God

THE ADVANTAGES OF CONFESSION.

1. Confession is extremely useful both to individuals and to society in general

THE SIN OF RELAPSE.

1. He who after his conversion relapses into mortal sin, is in danger of dying impenitent, because the devil acquires great power over him, and the influence of the Holy Spirit is lessened

2. If any one should relapse into mortal sin, let him forthwith repent and go to confession; for the longer penance is delayed, the more difficult, the more uncertain conversion will be

3. If, through frailty, we fall into venial sin, we must not be disquieted on that account, but humble ourselves before God

4. Since we cannot possibly continue in a state of grace until death without the special assistance of the Holy Spirit, let us fervently implore of God the grace of final perseverance

INDULGENCES.

1. God has granted to the Church the power, after the reconciliation of the sinner with God, of changing the punishments yet remaining due to sin into works of penance, or of remitting them altogether

2. The remission of the temporal punishment due to us on account of our sins is called an indulgence, and is obtained by the performance, while in a state of grace, of certain good works enjoined on us by the Church

3. An indulgence is either plenary, when a full and entire remission of all the temporal punishment due to sin is gained, or partial, when only a portion of the temporal punishment is remitted

4. The Pope alone has power to grant indulgences which are for the whole Church; for in him alone jurisdiction over the whole Church is vested, and he is the steward of the Church’s treasures

5. Indulgences may also be applied by way of suffrage to the suffering souls in purgatory, if this be expressly stated respecting the indulgence; a plenary indulgence is gained for them every time the holy sacrifice of the Mass is offered on a privileged altar

6. The gaining of indulgences is most salutary (Counil of Trent, 25), because we thereby keep far from us temporal evils, and are stimulated to the accomplishment of good works

5. EXTREME UNCTION.

1. In administering Extreme Unction the priest anoints the Christian who is in danger of death with the holy oils upon the organs of his five senses, and prays over him; by means of which the spiritual and not infrequently the bodily malady of the sick man is cured

2. Extreme Unction acts spiritually as oil does materially; it strengthens, heals, and aids the soul to attain eternal salvation

3. Extreme Unction can only be administered to persons who are in danger of death; and they ought to receive it without delay for the sake both of their physical and spiritual health

4. Before being anointed the sick man ought to confess his sins, and receive holy communion; and afterwards the Papal blessing is generally given to him

6. HOLY ORDERS.

1. At the administration of Holy Orders the bishop lays his hands on the candidates for ordination, calls down upon them the Holy Spirit, anoints their hands, and presents the sacred vessels to them

2. The office of the priesthood, to which a man is raised by Holy Orders, is one of great dignity, but likewise one of no slight difficulty and of vast responsibility

3. The Sacrament of Holy Orders only confers the perpetual power, not the right, to exercise the functions of a priest. The newly ordained cannot therefore make use in any place of their sacerdotal powers, until they have received ecclesiastical authorization

4. No one can be admitted to priest’s Orders who has not attained the age of twenty-four years (Council of Trent, 23, 12)

5. Six other orders of ministry precede the priesthood, four lesser and two greater

6. There are three degrees in the Sacrament of Orders: The consecration of deacons, priests, and bishops. These three constitute but one sacrament

7. It is the duty of the faithful to pray God to send them good priests

7. MATRIMONY.

THE INSTITUTION AND NATURE OF MATRIMONY.

1. God Himself instituted matrimony in the beginning of the world, for the procreation of the human race, and the mutual assistance of husband and wife

2. Christian marriage is a contract between man and woman, binding them to an undivided and indissoluble partnership, and conferring on them at the same time grace to fulfil all the duties required of them

3. Civil marriage is to be distinguished from Christian marriage, inasmuch as it is no sacrament, and consequently in the sight of God no true and real marriage for Catholics

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF MATRIMONY.

1. According to the ordinance of Christ, Christian marriage is strictly a union of two persons only, and it is indissoluble

THE GRACES CONFERRED IN MATRIMONY.

The Sacrament of Matrimony confers upon Christians who embrace that state both an increase of sanctifying grace, and in addition the special graces necessary to enable them to discharge the duties required of them

IMPEDIMENTS TO MATRIMONY.

1. A marriage can only be concluded in the absence of all impediments to it. The impediments may be such as nullify marriage, or such as render it unlawful

THE CELEBRATION OF MATRIMONY.

1. Marriage should be preceded by betrothal, publication of banns, and reception of Penance and Communion

2. The Church expressly commands that the marriage of a Catholic to be valid must be contracted before the parish priest or the Ordinary of the place or a priest delegated by either of these and at least two witnesses

3. Marriages are, as a rule, celebrated in the forenoon, in the house of God, with solemn ceremonies, and Mass is usually said at the same time

THE DUTIES OF THE MARRIED.

The following are the duties incumbent on married persons:

1. It is the duty of the wife to obey her husband, as the man is the head of the family, the representative of God

2. The husband and wife owe to each other love, fidelity, and mutual aid in all circumstances of their life

3. It is the duty of both husband and wife to provide for their children, and train them in the fear and love of God

MIXED MARRIAGES.

1. Mixed marriages, by which is understood the marriage of Catholics to non-Catholics, have always been disapproved of by the Church

2. The Church tolerates mixed marriages on three conditions

3. The Catholic who contracts a mixed marriage before a minister contracts no marriage at all, commits a mortal sin and cannot be admitted to the Sacraments

THE UNMARRIED STATE.

1. The unmarried state is better than the married, because those who do not marry have far more opportunity for attending to their spiritual welfare, and can attain a higher degree of glory hereafter

2. Our Lord when on earth commended the state of virginity both by precept and example

III. THE SACRAMENTALS.

Sacramentals are rites which have some outward resemblance to the sacraments instituted by Christ, but which are not of divine institution. The name is applied both to the blessing or consecration given by the Church, and to the objects blessed or consecrated

The blessing consists in this, that the minister of the Church invokes the divine benediction upon certain persons or things

1. Consecration by the Church consists in this: That the ecclesiastic empowered for this purpose sets apart some person or some object, and dedicates him or it to the exclusive service of God

2. Our Lord sanctioned the use of sacramentals, but the rites themselves are an institution of the Church

3. The use of blessed or consecrated objects is profitable; for if used with pious dispositions, they increase our fear and love of God, remit venial sins, and preserve us from many temptations and from bodily harm; excepting such temptations and ills of the body as are for our spiritual welfare

4. The sacramentals can, however, only be used with profit by person who are free from mortal sin, and who use them in a spirit of faith and confidence

IV. PRAYER.

1. THE NATURE OF PRAYER.

1. Prayer is the elevation of the heart to God

2. We may pray either in spirit only, or with the lips as well

3. Our prayers have a threefold object: That of praise, of supplication, and of thanksgiving

2. THE UTILITY AND NECESSITY OF PRAYER.

1. By means of prayer we can obtain all things from God; but He does not always grant our petitions immediately

2. By means of prayer sinners become just, and the just are enabled to continue in a state of grace

3. By prayer we obtain the remission of the temporal penalty due to sin, and merit an eternal recompense

4. He who never prays cannot save his soul; for without prayer he will fall into grievous sins

3. HOW OUGHT WE TO PRAY?

If prayer is to be of utility to us, we must pray:

1. In the name of Jesus; that is, we must ask what is in accordance with Our Lord’s desires

2. We must pray with devotion; that is, we must fix our thoughts on God when we pray

3. We must pray with perseverance, that is, we ought not to desist from prayer, if our petition is not immediately granted

4. We must pray with a pure heart; that is, our conscience must be free from grievous sin, or at any rate we must be in-penitential dispositions

5. We must pray with humility; that is, we must acknowledge our own weakness and unworthiness

6. We must pray with confidence, that is, with a firm conviction that of His infinite mercy God will grant what we ask, provided it will tend to His glory and to the true welfare of our souls

7. We must pray with resignation to the will of God; that is, we must leave the granting of our petition entirely to God’s good pleasure

4. WHEN OUGHT WE TO PRAY?

1. As a matter of fact we ought to pray continually, for Our Lord requires of us “always to pray and not to faint” (Luke 18:1)

2. We ought to pray more especially every morning and evening, before and after meals, and when we hear the Angelus

3. Furthermore we ought to pray in the hour of affliction, distress, or temptation, when entering upon an important undertaking, and when we feel an inspiration and desire to pray

5. WHERE OUGHT WE TO PRAY?

1. We can and ought to pray in every place, because God is everywhere present

2. The house of God is the place specially set apart for prayer

3. A solitary place is also suitable for prayer

6. FOR WHAT OUGHT WE TO PRAY?

1. We ought to implore of God many things and great things; benefits not appertaining to time so much as to eternity

2. We ought more especially to beseech almighty God to grant us such things as are conducive to His glory, and to our salvation, and in no wise to ask for what will only serve to gratify our earthly desires

7. MEDITATION.

1. Meditation, i.e., contemplative prayer, consists in dwelling upon the truths of religion, in order to awaken within our minds good resolutions

2. Meditation is a most excellent method of prayer, but it must not be pursued to the exclusion of vocal prayer

3. By means of meditation we obtain actual graces, and advance rapidly on the path of perfection

THE MOST IMPORTANT PRAYERS.

The Our Father.

1. The Our Father takes precedence of all other prayers; it is especially distinguished by its power, its simplicity and its comprehensiveness

The Our Father consists of an address, seven petitions, and the word Amen it awakens within us confidence in God and raises our thoughts to Him

2. The address places the soul in the right disposition for prayer; it awakens within us confidence in God and raises our thoughts to Him

3. In the first petition we pray that God may be glorified

4. In the next three petitions we ask for these blessings: Eternal salvation, grace to fulfil the divine will, and the possession of those things which are indispensable to the maintenance of our earthly existence

5. In the next three petitions we pray that three evils may be averted from us: The evil of sin, the evil of temptation, and those evils which are prejudicial to life

6. The word Amen is the answer of God to the suppliant; in this place it is equivalent to the words: Be assured that thy prayer is heard

The Ave Maria.

1. The Ave Maria consists of three parts: The salutation of the archangel Gabriel, the greeting of Elizabeth, and the words of the Church

2. The Ave Maria is a most potent prayer, and one which is full of meaning

The Angelus.

The Angelus is a prayer which is to be recited morning, noon, and night, when the bell rings, in honor of the Mother of God and in adoration of the mystery of the Incarnation

The Rosary.

1. The Rosary is a prayer in which the Our Father, followed by ten Hail Marys, is repeated five or fifteen times, accompanied by meditation on the life, the Passion, and the exaltation of the Redeemer

2. The Rosary owes its origin to St. Dominic

3. The Rosary is well pleasing to God, because of its humility, and because it is an imitation of the unceasing song of praise sung by the angels

4. The Rosary is a most useful devotion, for by it we obtain great graces and sure help in time of trouble; many indulgences are besides attached to it

The Litany of Loretto and the Salve Regina.

The Litany of Loretto is a form of prayer in which the most glorious titles are given to the Mother of God, and her intercession is unceasingly implored

THE PRINCIPAL DEVOTIONAL EXERCISES.

1. There are ordinary and extraordinary practices of devotion

2. The regular services held in the parish church on Sundays and holydays both in the forenoon and the afternoon, as well as week-day services, belong to the ordinary practices of devotion

3. Processions, pilgrimages, the Way of the Cross, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and Missions, belong to the extraordinary practices of devotion

Processions.

1. Processions are a solemn religious ceremony, during which prayers are recited in common by those who take part in them

The ceremonial observed in our Christian processions is intended to portray the truth that we have not here a lasting city, but we seek one to come (Heb. 13:14)

2. The Church holds processions either for the purpose of setting before us more forcibly certain events in the life of Christ, certain doctrines of the faith, or in order to obtain speedy help from God; on these occasions an opportunity is afforded us of testifying in a public manner our faith and our loyalty to the Church

3. The following processions form part of the ritual of the Church everywhere

The procession on the feast of the Purification

The procession on Palm Sunday

The procession on Holy Saturday

The procession on the feast of Corpus Christi

The procession on St. Mark’s Day

The procession on the three Rogation days

Christian Burial.

1. Christian burial is a solemn service accompanied by special ceremonies, in which the remains of a departed Catholic are carried in procession to the place of interment

2. The special ceremonies customary at Christian obsequies are all significant of our prayer that God may have mercy on the soul of the deceased

3. Christian obsequies are conducted with so much solemnity, because it is well pleasing to God that we should show reverence to the mortal remains of those who have departed this life in the grace of God

4. Cremation is condemned by the Church as being an abominable abuse

5. Christian burial is denied to the unbaptized, to non-Catholics, and to Catholics who are known to have died in mortal sin

Pilgrimages.

1. Pilgrimages are journeys made to sacred places, to petition God for miraculous assistance

2. The places of pilgrimage are either the holy places in Palestine, spots sacred to the holy apostles, or shrines of the blessed Mother of God

3. The object for which, as a rule, Christian people visit places of pilgrimage, is to beseech the divine assistance in seasons of deep affliction, or to fulfil a vow

4. A visit to some place of pilgrimage leads many to a complete amendment of life

The Way of the Cross.

1. The Way of the Cross is the name given to the fourteen stations which depict the way along which Our Redeemer passed, bearing His cross, from Pilate’s palace to Mount Calvary

2. The manner of performing the Way of the Cross is to go from one station to another, making meanwhile a meditation on Our Lord’s Passion

3. By performing the Way of the Cross large indulgences may be gained; we also obtain contrition for sin and are incited to the practice of virtue

4. If we are prevented from making the Way of the Cross, we can gain the indulgence by reciting the Our Father, Hail Mary, and the Gloria twenty times, holding meanwhile a crucifix blessed for the stations in our hand

Exposition of the Most Holy Sacrament.

The solemn exposition of the Most Holy Sacrament consists in placing the sacred Host in a monstrance, unveiled, for the worship of the faithful

Missions and Retreats.

Missions consist of sermons and other religious exercises; retreats have much the same effect as missions

Catholic Congresses and Passion Plays.

1. Catholic congresses are public meetings of Catholics for the purpose of taking counsel together and passing resolutions suited to the times and to the present needs of the Church

2. Passion play is the name given to the portrayal of Our Lord’s Passion, and other biblical events in a series of tableaux vivants

Religious Associations.

1. Religious associations are voluntary societies formed among the faithful, with the object of furthering their own salvation or the salvation of their fellow-men

2. Religious associations may be divided into confraternities or sodalities, and charitable societies

3. Religious associations are in all spiritual matters subject to episcopal authority; in some countries the legislature exercises a certain control over them

4. The formation of religious associations has always been highly commended by the Holy See, and large indulgences have been granted to them, because they are of great benefit both to the individual members and to the community in general

5. There is this advantage in such associations, that the rules enjoining the performance of certain good works are not binding under pain of sin

6. Third Orders are, however, in every way more important than ordinary religious associations

The Third Order of St. Francis.

The Third Order was founded by St. Francis of Assisi for the sake of seculars

The More Widespread Confraternities.

The Society for the Propagation of the Faith, of the Holy Childhood, the Confraternity of St. Michael, the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament, the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary, the Holy Scapular, the Holy Spirit, etc., etc., are the widest known in the Church

The Apostleship of Prayer.

The Apostleship of Prayer is a league of prayers in union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Charitable Societies.

Charitable societies are the best embodiments of God’s second precept of charity

The Teaching of Catechism

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