Christian doctrine memory aids c/cc/r/yvi, A^/^-^ooo (hx-i ^) CHRISTIAN DDCTRINE T . I^ev. John EHayes,PR. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 I https://archive.org/details/christiandoctrinOOhaye Christian Doctrine Memory Aids By Rev. John F. Hayes, P.R. St. Patrick's Churchy MemphiSy Term. PART I A CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE ALPHABET For Use in Primary Grades PART II A CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE CLOCK For Use in Intermediate Grades PART III AN OUTLINE OF DOCTRINAL LECTURES For Use in High School Department New York THE PAULIST PRESS 401 West 59th Street Imprimatur December 15, 19V*. Alphonse J. Smith, D.D., Bishop of Nashville. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED IN THE U, S. A. BY THE PAULIST PRESS, NEW YORK, N. Y, INTRODUCTION In these days of psychological methods, when memory aids and various other devices are used with satisfactory results in geography, history, etc., why should these helps not be applied to the study of religion? It is to give such efficient, up-to-date aids to the teachers of this branch that these out- lines have been arranged. It is not intended that they should supersede the regular catechism nor take the place of any text on the subject. Memory guides, focalized points, high lights, they emphasize in a truly psychological way the essentials to be remembered. The Christian Doctrine Alphabet and the Chris- tian Doctrine Clock are unique and comprehensive in their brevity. They are germinal facts in the truest sense. The child, already familiar with the alphabet and the striking of the hours of the clock, is reminded of the principal truths of re- ligion by conscious repetition and association of ideas. When the letters are repeated or the clock strikes the hour there is immediately called up in the mind of the child some important fact of reli- gion which forever associates itself with a certain letter or a particular hour. The logical sequence of thought in the Outline of Doctrinal Lectures is a sure and easy way to familiarize students with the ways and means of the Church as Teacher and Helper of mankind. Austin Malone, C.S.P. A Christian Doctrine Alphabet For Use in Primary Grades A—ANNUNCIATION The Angel spoke to the Blessed Virgin. B—BETHLEHEM Our Lord was born in a stable. C—CALVARY The place where Our Lord died be- tween two thieves. D—DOVE At the Baptism of Our Lord the Holy Ghost came down as a Dove. E—EDEN The Garden where Adam and Eve were very happy. Page 5 F—FAITH Our Lord’s best gift to us. G—GETHSEMANE Where Our Lord suifered and prayed while His three friends, Peter, James and John, slept. H—HEAVEN Our future Home. I—IMMORTALITY Our Souls will never die. J—JOSEPH Our Lord’s Foster Father and pro- tector of the Holy Family. K—KING Our Lord is our thorn-crowned King. He loves us and wants us to love Him. Page 6 L—LAMB OF GOD Our Lord is the Lamb Who takes away our sins. M—MARY IMMACULATE . She is the Mother of God and also Our Mother. JN—NAZARETH The place where the Holy Family lived. O—OILS Oils blessed on Holy Thursday to be used in Sacraments and some bless- ings. P—PENTECOST The day the Holy Ghost strength- ened the Apostles and helped them to speak many languages. Q—QUEEN OF HEAVEN Our Blessed Mother is Queen of all Angels and Saints in Heaven. Page 7 R—REQUIEM Mass for the dead. S—SACRAMENTS Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, Holy Eucharist, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, Matrimony. T—TRINITY Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. U—UNITY One God, One Faith, One Baptism, One Church with the Pope, our Holy Father, as Head. V—VISION The Happiness of Heaven is to see God Face to Face. W—WISE MEN A star led the Wise Men from the East bringing gifts to Our Lord. Page 8 X—CROSS OF SAINT ANDREW Saint Andrew, an Apostle, died on a cross of this shape. Y—YEAR OF THE CHURCH Advent, Lent, Easter, Pentecost. Z—ZACHARY The Father of Saint John the Bap- tist. 9 Christian Doctrine Clock For Use in Intermediate Grades I God- All-powerful, All-wise, All-knowing, All- merciful, All-just. II Angels — Good and Bad. Two First Human Beings — Adam and Eve. Sin- Two kinds. Original and Actual. Two Kinds of Actual Sin — Mortal and Venial. Page 10 Two Natures in Our Lord — Divine and Human. The Two Commandments — Love of God. Love of our Neighbor. Grace — Two kinds, Actual and Sanctifying. Two Means of Grace — Prayer and the Sacraments. Prayer — Two kinds, Mental and Vocal. Sacraments — Two kinds : Sacraments of the Dead give grace ; Sacraments of the Living increase grace. The Blessed Eucharist Is a Sacrament and a Sacrifice. Page 1 1 Contrition — Two kinds—Perfect and Imperfect. Indulgences — Two kinds—Plenary and Partial. Two States of Life — Religious and Lay. Two Kinds of Religious — Contemplative and Active. The Bible Divided Into the Old and the New Testament: Forty-six books in the Old Testament. Twenty-seven books in the New Testa- ment. Two Judgments — Particular and General. Page 12 Ill The Three Divine Persons in the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The Apostles’ Greed Is Divided Into Three Parts: The first part treats of God, the Father —Creator. The second part treats of God, the Son — Redeemer. The third part treats of God, the Holy Ghost—Sanctifier. Our Lord Is the Truth, the Way, and the Life — Through the Creed as explained by the Church we believe His Truth. By observing the Commandments and Precepts we walk His Way. By the Sacraments we live His Life. Page 13 Three Comings of Our Lord: First as Man. Second in the soul by grace and in the Blessed Sacrament. Third in Judgment. The Holy Family — Jesus, Mary, and Saint Joseph. Three Qualities of the Church: Authority, Infallibility and Indefecti- bility. The Church Is Catholic in Three Ways — Time, Place and Doctrine. The Communion of Saints Consists in the Union of: The Saints in Heaven. The Souls in Purgatory. The Faithful on Earth. Page 14 The Three Principal Faculties of the Soul: Memory, Understanding, and Will. The Three Divine Virtues — Faith, Hope and Charity. The Three Parts of the Hail Mary: The Salutation of the Angel. The Salutation of Saint Elizabeth. The Words of the Church—Holy Mary, Mother of God, etc. The Rosary is divided into the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries. The Three Counsels of Perfection: ^ Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience. A Sacrament Requires: Matter, Form, and Minister. Pag* rs Three Kinds of Good Works — Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. Three Archangels — Saints Raphael, Gabriel, and Michael. The Books of the Bible were not writ- ten in the same language. Some were written in Hebrew, some in Arabic, some in Greek. The Inscription on Our Lord’s Gross: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” was written in three languages ; Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. IV The Four Marks of the Church: One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic. Page 16 Four Ends of the Mass Satisfaction Confess Adoration Adore Thanksgiving Bless Petition Implore “Adore Til the Gospel, Give Thanks Til the Bell ; ’Til Communion ask Pardon, Then all your Wants Tell.” The Mass Is Divided Into Four Prin- cipal Parts: From the beginning to the Offertory. From the Offertory to the Consecration. From the Consecration to the Commun- ion. From the Communion to the Last Gospel. The Four Cardinal Virtues: Prudence, Fortitude, Temperance, and Justice. The Four Evangelists: Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Page 17 Four Sins Crying to Heaven for Vengeance: Wilful Murder. Oppression of the Poor. Defrauding labors of their just wages. The Sin of Sodom. The Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Hell and Heaven. V The Five Wounds of Our Lord: Five Things Necessary for Penance: To examine my Conscience. To be sorry for my Sins. To resolve to do better. To confess my Sins. To perform my penance. The Colors of Vestments Worn at Mass: White, Red, Purple, Green, and Black. Page 18 The Five Grains of Incense in the Paschal Candle, reminding us of the Five Wounds of Our Lord. VI Six Days of Creation. Six Precepts of the Church: To hear Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. To fast and abstain on the days ap- pointed. To confess at least once a year. To receive Holy Eucharist during the Easter time. To contribute to the support of our pastors. Not to marry persons who are not Catho- lics, or who are related to us within cer- tain degrees of kindred, nor privately without witnesses, nor to solemnize mar- riage at forbidden times. Page 19 Six Sins against the Holy Ghost: Presumption of God’s Mercy. Despair of God’s grace. Impugning the known Christian truth. Envy at another’s spiritual good. Obstinacy in sin. Final impenitence. Six Holy Days of Obligation: Three of Our Lord: His Birth, His Circumcision, His As- cension. Two of Our Blessed Mother: The Immaculate Conception, The As- sumption. One of All Saints. Six Sacramentals: Praying—All private and public Prayers and Devotions. Touching—The use of holy water and such anointings as are not connected with a Sacrament. Example : blessing a bell, etc. Page 20 Eating—Eating food which has been blessed. Confessing — Acknowledging sin : The Confiteor, striking breast, receiving Ashes on Ash Wednesday, etc. Giving—All the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy. Blessing—Includes every blessing wheth- er of Pope, Bishop, or Priest. Six Vestments Worn by the Priest While Offering Mass: Amice, Alb, Cincture, Maniple, Stole, and Chasuble. VII The Seven Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. The Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Forti- tude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord. Page 21 The Seven Capital Sins: Pride, Covetousness, Lust, Anger, Glut- tony, Envy, Sloth. The Seven Opposite Virtues: Humility, Liberality, Chastity, Meek- ness, Temperance, Brotherly Love, Dili- gence. The Seven Spiritual Works of Mercy: To admonish the sinner. To instruct the ignorant. To counsel the doubtful. To comfort the sorrowful. To bear wrongs patiently. To forgive injuries. To pray for the living and the dead. The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy: To feed the hungry. To give drink to the thirsty. To clothe the naked. Page 22 To visit the imprisoned. To harbor the harborless. To visit the sick. To bury the dead. The Seven Petitions in the Lord’s Prayer : Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. VIII The Eight Beatitudes: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they shall pos- sess the land. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Page 23 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the Children of God. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake, for theirs is the King- dom of Heaven. IX The Nine Choirs of Angels: Angels, Archangels, Principalities. Powers, Virtues, Dominations. Thrones, Cherubim, Seraphim. Nine Ways of Sharing in the Sins of Others: By Counsel, Consent, Command, Provo- cation, Praise, Concealment, Silence, Defending the ill done and by being a partner in the sin. Page 24 X The Ten Commandments: I am the Lord thy God, Who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt not have strange gods before Me. Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth, thou shalt not adore them nor serve them. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day. Honor thy father and thy mother. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods. Page 25 XI Requisites for Saying Mass: Altar, Consecrated Stone. Linens : Three Altar Cloths, Corporal, Purifica- tor, Pall, Finger Towel. Veil, Burse. Chalice and Paten. Missal and Altar Cards. Host. Wine and Water. Priestly Vestments. Two Wax Candles. Server. Crucifix. Eleven Apostles after Suicide of Judas. XII The Twelve Apostles: Peter, James, John, Bartholomew, James the less, Thomas, Andrew, Philip, Simon Zelotes, Jude, Matthew and Mathias. (Selected to fill the place of Judas.) Page 26 The Twelve Fruits of the Holy Ghost: Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Benignity, Goodness, Long-suifering, Mildness, Faith, Modesty, Continency, Chastity. The Twelve Articles of the Apostles’ Greed: “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth.” “And in Jesus Christ His only Son, Our Lord.” “Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary.” “Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.” “He descended into Hell, the third day He rose again from the dead.” “He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty.” “From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.” “I believe in the Holy Ghost.” “The Holy Catholic Church, the Com- munion of Saints.” “The forgiveness of sins.” “The Resurrection of the body.” “Life everlasting.” Amen. Page 27 Outline of Doctrinal Lectures For Use in the High School Department Note: Like the Alphabet and Clock the fol- lowing is not intended or even suggested as a substitute for the usual textbook in this de- partment. It is, as the heading indicates, an Outline of Doctrinal Lectures, to be developed by the Instructor, covering the Catholic Church as our Divinely Appointed Teacher and Helper. To this end it is suggested as a Memory-Aid to the students. Reference^—The Catholic Encyclopedia. The Rule of Faith 1. Christ Our Lord is God. 2. He is our Teacher and Helper as well as our Redeemer. 3. He demands the same Faith of us today that He exacted of those who heard Him 1900 years ago. Page 28 4. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned.” These words are meant for us, as for those who heard them fall from His lips. 5. In justice to us Our Lord should have re- mained on earth to teach us and help us ; or else have left us an exact equivalent of His own teaching and helping presence. 6. What is the means appointed by Our Lord through which we are to be taught and helped as He would teach and help us? 7. Is the Bible alone, privately and prayer- fully read and understood, the equivalent of Our Lord’s teaching and helping pres- ence? (Where did we get the Bible? The make-up of the Old and New Testa- ment.) Is it the Rule of Faith? 8. It has not been. It cannot be. It does not contain all. It is difficult to understand. It was never intended by Our Lord to be the Rule of Faith. Page 29 Facts : a. Christianity had been preached and practiced before a single line of the New Testament was written. b. The Canon, or collection of in- spired books, was not made until the year 397 at the Council of Carthage. c. Printing was not invented until 1450. d. It does not teach as Our Lord taught with Unity, Authority and Certainty. e. It needs an infallible interpreter. (The hopeless divisions in non- Catholic churches is an evidence of this.) f. Our Lord did not command His Apostles to write. g. He commanded them to teach and preach. h. He organized His Apostles into a living, teaching body or Church. 9. All non-Catholic churches are based on the principle of private interpretation of Scripture. 10. Which then is the true Church of Jesus Christ? 11. The one which has a line of leaders dating back in unbroken succession to the Apos- tles; teaching as Our Lord taught with divine Authority, guaranteeing infallible Certainty and possessing the preservative principles of Unity. 12. Such is the Catholic Church, which is as wide as the world and as old as Christian- ity, with Rome as its center and the Pope its head. 13. Our Lord left us not only an infallible Constitution or guide to Heaven ; He also left an infallible interpreter just as our forefathers left us not only a Constitu- tion but Court of Interpretation. 14. The Pope, as the Vicar of Chirst and the successor of Saint Peter, is the supreme leader and Infallible Teacher of the Catho- lic Church. Page 31 15. Christ is not only our Redeemer and Teacher, He is also our Helper. 16. The Catholic Church is not only our Teacher but also our Helper. 17. How are we helped to practice the teach- ings of Chirst? 18. Through prayer and the Sacraments. 19. The Sacraments in general. 20. In particular by Penance and Holy Eucha- rist or Confession and Holy Communion. 21. The Mass. We go to Calvary through the Mass. 22. Liturgy and the Sacramentals. 23. Communion of Saints. 24. Conclusion: I am a Catholic because the Catholic Church teaches me and helps me as Our Lord would teach and help me were He still visibly present on earth. Page 32