SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON 

CATHOLIC BELIEFS 

By . 

REV. JOSEPH 1. MALLOY, C.S.P. 

THE PAULIST PRESS 

401 WEST 59TH STREET 

NEW YORX 19, N . Y. 



Permissu Superiorum: 

Nihil Obstat : 

Imprimatur: 

HENRY I . STARK, C .S.P., 

Superior General. 

ARTHUR J. SCANLAN, S .T .D., 
Censor Librorum. 

ffi FRANCIS J. SPELLMAN, D.D ., 
Archbishop oj New Yurko 

New York, August 10, 1943. 

COPYRIGHT, 1943, BY 

THE MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF ST. PAUL THE ApOSTLE 

IN THFl'STATE OF NEW YORK 

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED IN THE U. S. A. 

BY THE PAULIST PRESS, NEW YORK 19, N. Y . 



Six Instructions on Catholic Beliefs 
By 

REV. JOSEPH I. MALLOY, C.S.P. 

LESSON ,I 

1. How can we know that there is a God? 

We can know there is a God by considering the 

world in which we live, for: 

(a) Everything that exists in the world must 

ha ve been placed here by Someone in the beginning; 

(b) The order and harmony in the universe 

prove that there must be an Intelligent Power gov-

erning the world. 

This Being Who had no beginning, and Who 

caused other things to live, and Who guides and 

rules the universe, we call God. 

"The heavens show forth the glory of God, and the 

firmament declareth the work of His hands" (Psalms 

xviii. 2). 

2. How many Persons are there in God? . 

In God there are Three Divine Persons: the 

Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; each Person. 

is God and the Three Persons are equal in all things. 

3. Why do we believe that there are Three Persons 

in one God? 

Because it has been revealed to us in Holy Scrip-

ture, the Word of God; we believe it, therefore, on 

the authority of God. 

[3J 



4 SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 

"Going, therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them 

in , the Name of the Father', and of the Son, and of the 

Holy Ghost" (St. Matt. xxviii. 19). 

"But when the Paraclete cometh, Whom I will send you 
from the Father, the Spirit of Truth, Who proceedeth 
from the Father, He shall give testimony of Me" (St. 

John xv. 26). 

4. Who is Jesus Christ? 

Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Second Per-

son of the Blessed Trinity, true God and true Man. 

5. What do we meau by the virgin birth of Christ? 

We mean that His Mother Mary was always a 

virgin. St. Joseph was her legal husband and the 

guardian of Jesus and Mary, but Joseph and Mary 

always lived as brother and sister.l 

"Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bring forth 

a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which 

being interpreted is, God with us" (St. Matt. i. 23). 

6. What do we mean by the Divinity of Jesus Christ? 

We mean that He is truly God Who became Man 

for our salvation. 

7. How do we know that Jesus Christ is truly God? 

(a) The Prophets foretold that the Messias to 

come would be God: 

"His Name shall be called Emmanuel," that is, ','God 

with us" (Isaias vii. 14; St. Matt. i. 23). 
"God Himself will come and will save you" (Isaias 

xxxv. 4). 

1 See The Question Bo... pp. 363-868. 



SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 5 

(b) The miracles of Christ, especially His own 

Resurrection from the dead, prove His Divinity. 

"You say 'Thou blasphe~eth,' because I said I am 
the Son of God. If I do not the works of My Father, 

believe Me not; but if I do, though you will not believe 

Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe 

that the Father is in Me and I in the Father" (St. John 

x. 36-38). 

(C) Jesus claimed to be God; this claim must be 

admitted, since He was honest and sane. 

"I and the Father are One. . . . He that seeth Me 

seeth the Father also" (St. John x. 30; xiv. 9) . . 

"The High Priest asked Him and said to Him: 'Art 

Thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed God?' And 

Jesus said to him, 'I am.' . . . Then the High Priest 

rending his garments saith: 'You have heard the blas-

phemy, what think you?' Who all condemned Him to 

be guilty of death" (St. Mark xiv. 61-64). 

(d) The Apostles called Him God, and Jesus 

permitted them to do so . . . 
St. Peter said: "Thou art Christ, the Son of the Living 

God" (St. Matt. xvi. 16). 

St. Thomas: "My Lord and my God" (St. John xx. 28). 

St. John : "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among 

us, and we saw His glory, the glory as it were, of the 

Only-Begotten of th.e Father, full of grace and truth" 

(St. John i. 14). 

St. Paul: "Of whom (namely, the Israelites) is Christ 

according to the flesh, Who is over all things, GOD blessed 

forever, amen" (Romans ix. 5) . . "Christ Jesus, Who 

being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be 

equal with God" (Philip. ii. 5, 6). 



6 SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BEbIEFS 

8. Who is the Holy Ghost? 

The Holy Ghost is the Third Person of the 

Blessed Trinity, equal to the Father and the Son, 

true God as They are. 

"Going, therefore, teach ye all nations, baptizing them 

in the Name of the Father , and of the Son, and of the 

Holy Ghost" (St. Matt. xxviii. 9). 

"But Peter said: 'Ananias, why hath Satan tempted 

thy heart tha t thou shouldst lie to the Holy Ghost? ... 

Thou hast not lied to men but to God'" (Acts v. 3, 4). 

9. When did the Holy Ghost descend upon the 

Apostles? 

On Pentecost, ten days after the Ascension of 

our Lord, the Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles. 

"And when the days of the Pentecost were accom-

plished, the Apostles were all together in one place .... 

And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were 

of fire, and 'it sat upon everyone of them, and they were 

all filled with the Holy Ghost" (Acts ii. 1-4). 

10. What was the effect of the coming of the Holy 

Ghost upon the Apostles? 

(a) They were sanctified and strengthened so 

that they immediately began fearlessly to preach 

the doctrines of Christ. 

(b) They were given the "gift of tongues" to 

enable them to preach the Gospel to all nations. 

"And they began to speak with diver s tongues ac-

cording as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak. ... And 

they (the people) were all amazed and ' wondered, say-

ing: 'B.ahold, are not a ll these that speak Galileans? 

And how have we heard, every man, our own tongue 

wnerebl We were born?'" (Acts ii. 4-8). 



SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 7 

LESSON n 

1. What does the Bible tell us about the origin of 

the world and of man? 

The Bible tells us that God created the heavens 

and the earth and all that they contain, including 

man (Genesis i. and ii.). 

2. What is man? 

Man is a being composed of body and soul, and 

made to the image and likeness of God. 

"And the Lord God formed man of the slime of the 

earth, and breathed into his face the breath of life, and 

man became a living soul" (Genesis ii. 7). 
"And God created man to His own image" (ibid i. 27). 

3. How is the soul like to God? 

The soul is like to God because it is an immortal 

spirit, and because it has reasori and free will. 

The possession 9f 'a spiritual soul places man in a class apart from 

the lower animals ; these have instinct and brute intelligence. but neither 

reason nor free will. 

4. Why did God make man? 

God made man to know Him, to love Him, and 

to serve Him in this world, and to be happy witl) 

Him forever in Heaven. 

"The Lord hath made 'all things for Himself" (Prov. 

xvi. 4). 
"The Lord thy God shalt thou adore and Him only 

shalt thou serve" (St. Matt. iv. 10). 

"Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that 

which endureth unto life everlasting, which the Son of 

. Man will give you" (St. Joan vi. 27). 



8 SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 

5. What was the original state of our first parents? 

Their original state was one of innocence and 

holiness, and they were blessed with great gifts. 

"He created in them the science of the spirit, He filled 

their heart with wisdom. . . . And their eye saw the 

majesty of His glory, and their ears heard His glorious 

voice" (Ecclus. xvii. 6, 11). 

6. What command did God give to Adam and Eve? 

.God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat of 

the fruit of a certain tree in Paradise. 

"Of every tree of Paradise thou shalt eat; but of the 

tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat; 

'. for in what day soever thou shalt eat of it thou shalt 

die the death" (Genesis ii. 16, 17). 

7. Did Adam and Eve obey this comm~ndment? 

No, the devil tempted them to eat of this tree 

and they disobeyed God. This was the first, or, the 
Original Sin. 

8. What was the effect of this SiD on our first parents 

and on all mank1.nd? 

They lost their right to Heaven, they forfeited 

God's friendship, they were doomed to suffering and 

death, and all their descendants share in these pen-

alties, as they would have shared in their blessings 
if our first parents had remained faithful. 

"By one man sin entered into this world, and by sin 

death.; and so death passed upon all men in whom all 
have sinned" (Romans v. 12). 

9. Was anyone ever preserved from Original Sin? 

Yes, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus 



SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 9 

Christ. When God created her soul He endowed it 

with His grace and . friendship. This privilege is 

call~d her Immaculate Conception. 

10. What are those sins called that man commits 

by his own will? 

They are called Actual Sins, and there are two 

kinds: Mortal and Venial Sins. 

ll. What is Mortal Sin? 

Mortal means deadly. Mortal sin is any thought, 

word, action or omission (1) in itself seriously con-

trary to the law of God, (2) if we know the serious-

ness of the sin and (3) willfully and deliberately 

consent to it. 

12. What is Venial Sin? 

Venial Sin' is a less serious offense against' God 

which nevertheless displeases Him and often leads 

to Mortal Sin. It is called Venial because it is more 

easily pardoned than Mortal Sin. 

13. What is meant by temptation? 

Temptation. is anything that may lead us to 

commit sin. 

14. How are we saved from sin'! 

By the Life and Sufferings and Death of our Lord 

Jesus Christ, Who is the Redeemer of mankind. 

15. What are the effects of the redemption by Jesns 

Christ? 

(a) Divine Ju'stice was satisfied and complete 

atonement made for the sins of mankirid. 



10 SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 

(b) Man was reconciled with GQd and provided 

with the means of salvation. Man must exert him-

self to use these means. 

"In Whom we have redemption through His Blood, 

the remission of sins" (Col. i. 14). 

"With fear and trembling work out your salvation" 

(Philip. ii. 12). 

16. How is Mortal Sin punished by God? 

We shall be judged immediately after death and 

if we die guilty of Mortal Sin and at enmity with 

God, our souls are condemned to Hell for all eternity. 

"Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, 

which was prepared for the devil and his angels. 

And these shall go into everlasting punishment" (St. 

Matt. xxv. 41, 46). 

17. How is Venial Sin punished in the Future Life? 

Venial Sin and all grave sins forgiven but not 

completely atoned for in this life, are punished for 

a time in Purgatory. 

"Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence 

till thou pay the last far~hing" (St. Matt. v. 26). 

18. Can we help the souls in Purgatory? 

Yes; we can help the souls in Pargatory by our 

prayers, and especially by the Sacrifice of the Mass. 

"Making a gathering, Judas Machabeus sent twelve 

thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to 

be offered for the sins of the dead .... It is therefore a 

holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that 

they may be loosed from sins" (2 Mach. xii. 43-46). 

19. How are those who love and serve God faithfully 

rewarded in the Future Life? 

(a) Those who die in the friendship of God and 



SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLlC BELIEFS 11 

who have completely atoned for all sins, go at once 

to Heaven, a place of everlasting happiness in the 

Presence of God. 
(b) All the souls in Purgatory will eventually 

be admitted into Heaven. 

"The eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath 

it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath 

prepared for them that love Him" (1 Cor. ii. 9). 

LESSON III. 

1. How many churches did Christ establish? 

Christ established only one Church, and this one 

Church was commissioned to teach all that, He 

taught, and to teach with His authority. 

"Jesus coming spoke to the Apostles, saying 'All 

power is given to Me in Heaven and in earth. Going, 

therefore, teach ye all nations . . . teaching them to 

observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; 

and behold I am with you all days, even to the consum-

mation of uhe world" (St. Matt. xxviii. 18-20). 

2. Whom did Christ make the Visible Head of His 

Church? 

Christ made St. Peter the Visible Head of His 

Church. 

"And I say to thee, that thou art Peter (or a rock), 

and upon this rock I will build My· Church, and the 

gates of hell shall not prevail against i~ And I will 
give to thee the keys of the Kingdom 'of Heaven" (St. 

Matt. xvi. 18, 19). 

3. Who is the successor of St. Peter? 

The Pope, the Bishop of Rome, · is the successor 

Qf $t. peter who WM the first Bishop of ~ome, 



12 SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 

4. What do we mean when we 8ay that the Pope is 

infallible? 2 

We mean that when the Pope teaches officially 

("ex cathedra"), as the Supreme Head of the Church 

of Christ, for the whole Church, on a question of 

faith or morais, he is so guided by the-Holy Spirit 

that he cannot make a mistake in this te~ching. 

"He that heareth you, heareth Me; and he that despis-

eth you, despiseth Me, and he who despiseth Me, de-

spiseth Him that sent Me" (St. Luke x. 16). 

5. How do we know that the Pope is infallible? 

We know that the Pope is infallible because: 

(a) He is the foundation stone, as Peter was, of 

the 'Church of Christ, against which "the gates of 

hell" can never prevail (Ct. St. Matt. xvi. 18). 
(b) Christ promised that the Holy Spirit would 

teach His Church all truth, and would abide with it 

forever (St. John xiv. 16; xvi. 13). But if the 

divinely appointed head of the Church could teach 

errQr in expounding the doctrines of Christ, this 

promise would be broken, and there would b~ no 
security for the members of the Church. 

Jesus said: "I have prayed fGr thee (Peter) that thy 

faith fail not, and thou being once converted, "Confirm 

thy brethren" (St. Luke xxii. 32). 

6. What m~ks must the True Church of Christ have? 

It must be Apostolic, Universal, Holy and United. 

7. How is the Catholic Church Apostolic? 

The Church's history goes right back to the 

2 The Quati<m Bo.,. pp. 168-187. 



SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 13 

Apostles and to Christ Himself, and the Church has 
kept the authority and the teachings of the Apostles 

by an unbroken succession of Bishops. 

8. How is the Catholic Church Universal? 

It is not restricted to any particular nations or 

races; its mission is to "all nations." It teaches "all 

things whatsoever Christ commanded" the Apostles 

to teach. It will continue to teach "all days even 

to the consummation of the world" (St. Matt. xxviii. 

19, 20). That is why it is called "Catholic," which 
means "Universal." ' 

9. How is the Catholic Church Holy? 

It is Holy because it teaches a holy doctrine, be-

cause it offers . to all its members effective means 

to acquire personal holiness, and because so many 

• thousands of its members in all ages have, in fact" 

attained great holiness of life. 

10. How is the Catholic Church United, or One? 

It is One, because all Catholics agree in One 

Belief, all have the same Sacrifice and Sacraments, 

and all are united under One Head. 

,n. With what authority does the Catholic Church 
teach? 

With the authority given by Jesus Christ to His 

Apostles and which they passed on to their suc-

cessors. 

"He that heareth you, heareth Me" (St. Luke x. 16). 

"If he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as 

the heathen and publican" (St. Matt. xviii. 17). 



14 SIX IN!IlTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 

St. Paul wrote to his Disciple, Timothy: "These things 

I write to thee . . . that thou mayest know how thou 

oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is 

the Church of the Living God, the pillar and ground of 

the truth" (1 Tim. iii. 14, 15). 

LESSON IV 

1. What are the Sacraments? 

The Sacraments are external means instituted 

by Christ to give grace ' to those receiving them. 

2. What is meant by Grace? 

Grace is a supernatural gift of God freely be-

stowed on us for our salvation and sanctification. 

Sanctii'lling or habitual grace makes the $oul holy; actual grace is 8 

transitory help which God gives us to perform a good Mt. 

3. Name the Seven Sacraments. 

(1) Baptism, (2) Penance ("Confession"), 

(3) Holy Eucharist ("The Lord's Supper"), (4) 

Confirmation, (5) Extreme Unction (The Last 

Anointing), (6) Holy Orders (The Priesthood, 

etc.), and (7) Matrimony. 

4., What is Baptism? 

Baptism is the Sacrament which removes Origi- ' 

nal Sin from our souls and makes us Christians. 
" 

5. Is Baptism necessary for salvation? 

Baptism is necessary for salvation, for Jesus 

Christ declared: "Unless a man be born again of 

water and the Holy Ghost he cannot enter into the 

Kingdom of God" (St. John iii. 5). 



SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 16 

"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" 

(St. Mark xvi. 16). 

6. What is the Sacrament of Penance? 

Penance, . or Confession, is the Sacrament in 

which the sins committed after we have been bap-

tiz-ed are forgiven. 

7. When did Christ institute the Sacrament of 

Penance? 

On the evening of the first Easter, the day of 

His' Resurrection, Christ appeared to His Apostles, 

who were gathered in an upper room, and said to 

them: "'Peace be to you. As the Father hath 'sent 

Me, I also send you.' When He had said this He 

breathed on them and He said to them: 'Receive ye 

the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they 

are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, 

they are retained'" (St. Johp. xx. 21-23). 

8. What must we do to obtain forgiveness of our 

sins in the Sacrament of Penance? 

We must do five things: (1) Prepare by making 

an examination of our conscience. (2) Have sor-

row for our sins. (3) Resolve never again to com-

mit sin. (4) Confess our sins to the priest. 

(5) Perform the penance which the priest gives. 

9. What is the Examination of Conscience? 

The Examination of .Conscience is an earnest 

effort to recall to mind all the sins we have com-

mitted in thought, word and deed, and by omission· 

since our last Confession. 



16 SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 

10. What do we mean by contrition or, sorrow for 

our sins? 

Contrition is ~ sincere sorrow for having offended 
God, and a hatred for the sins we have committed, 

with a firm purpose of sinning no more. 

11. win God forgive any of our sins if we have not 
sorrow for them? 

God will not forgive any of our sins, whether 

Mortal or Venial, if we have not true sorrow for 

them. 

"The Lord is nigh to them that are of a contrite heart, 

imd He will save the humble of spirit" (Psalm xxxiii. 

~9). 
"Go, and now sin no more" (St. John viii. 11). 

12. What sins are we bound to confess in Confes· 

sion? 

We are' bound to confess all our Mortal Sins, 

and to tell the number of times we have committed 

each sin. 

13. If we are not guilty of any Mortal Sins, what 

sins do we confess? 

We confess our Venial Sins and imperfections, 
especially any habitual faults. 

14. What is meant by the Penance which the priest 

gives us in Confe8sio~? 

The Penance is usual certain prayers, to be said 

after the Confession, which help to satisfy for the 

"temporal punishment" due for our sins,. 



SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 17 

15. What is meant by Temporal Punishment? 

It is punishment we must suffer for a time, as 

distinguished from eternal punishment; this tem-

poral punishment must be borne either in this life 

or in the next life in Purgatory. 

16. What is an Indulgence? 8 

An indulgence is the release, either in whole or 

in part, from the temporal punishment due for sin, 

granted by the authority of the Church. 

17. What is the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist? 

It is the Sacrament which contains the true Body 

and Blood of Jesus Christ,' together with His Soul 

and Divinity, under the appearances of · bread and 
wine,· 

18. Why do Catholics believe that Christ changed 

bread and wine into His Own Body and Blood 

at the Last Supper? 

(a) Because His words plainly indicate this, 

He said, "This is My Body," not, "This represents 
My Body." . 

(b) Christ had promised His Body and Blood 

as food and drink: "'The Bread that I will give is 

My Flesh for the life of the world.' The Jews there-

fore strove among themselves saying, 'How can this 

man give us His Flesh to eat?' Then Jesus said to 

them: 'Amen, amen, I say unto you, except you eat 

the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His Blood, 

you shall not have life in you'" (St. John vi. 52-54). 

8 See The Question B02:. pp. 293-299. 



18 SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 

(c) The Apostles understood that Jesus meant 

His words literally. St. Paul writes: "The chalice 

of benediction which we bless, is it not the Com-

munion of the Blood of Christ? And the bread 

which we break, is it not the partaking of the Body 

of. the Lord? ... Therefore whosoever shall eat this 
bread or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, 

shall be guilty of the Body and of the Blood of the 

Lord .... For he that eateth and drinketh unworth-

ily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not 

discerning '(i. e., not recognizing) the Body of the 
Lord" (1 Cor. x. 16; xi. 27-29). 

(d) It was the belief of Christians from the time 

of Christ till the Sixteenth Century, namely, till the 

beginning of Protestantism. 

19. What is the Mass? 

The Mass is the Sacrifice of the Body and Blood 

of Jesus Christ, really present in the Holy Eucha-

rist, and offered to God through the ministry of the 

priest. (See The Visible Church, pp. 86-118.) 

20. When must Catholics attend Mass? 

Catholics must attend Mass on all Sundays and 

Holydays of Obligation, unless they · are prevented 

by some grave reason. 

21. Why is the Mass said in Latin? 

(a) Because Latin was the official language in 

a large part of the civilized world when Christian-

ity was established. 
(b) The use of Latin preserves the uniformity 

of the Mass in different countries and different 



SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 19 

times, and makes · it certain that no errors creep 

into the words of the Mass. Several other languages 

are used, however, in saying Mass. (See The Visible 

Church, p. 266.) 

22. What is lIo1y Communion and how do Catho· 

lics prepare for it? 

Holy Communion is the receiving of our Lord 

Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucha-

rist. Catholics must be in the state of sanctifying 

grace and must also be fasting from the preceding 

midnight. 

"Whosoever shall eat this bread or drink the chalice 

of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the Body and 

of the Blood of the Lord" (1 Cor. xi. 27). 

23. What is meant by the State of Grace? 

It means being free from any serious sin that 

would destroy the friendship of God in our souls. 

24. What is the' Sacrament of Confirmation, and 

who confers this Sacrament? 

Confirmation is the Sacrament in which a bap-

tized person receives the special grace and strength 

of the Holy Ghost. This Sacrament is conferred . by 

a Bishop. 

"When Peter and John were come they prayed for 

them (the Samaritans) , itlat they might receive the 

Holy Ghost; for He was not as yet come upon any of 

them, but they were only baptized in t he Name of the 

Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands upon them 

and they rec~ived the Holy Ghost" (Acts viii. 15-17). 



20 SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 

25. What preparation is necessary for receiving 

Confirmation? 

One must (a) be in the state of grace and be 

fully instructed in the principal doctrines of Catho-

lic Faith . 

. (b) Select a Christian name different from one's 

baptismal name, which the Bishop uses in con-
firming. 

(c) Arrange for a sponsor as in Baptism. 

26. What is the Sacrament of Extreme Unction? 

Extreme Unction, or, the Last Anointing, ,is the 

Sacrament given to those in danger of death, to pre-
pare their souls for eternity, 

27. What does ·the Bible say of Extreme Unction? 

"Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the 

priests of the Church, and let them pray over him, 

anointing him with oil in the Name of the Lord. And 

the prayer of faith shall save the sick man, and the Lord 

shall raise him up, and if he be in sins, they shall be 

forgiven him" (Epistle of St. James v. 14, 15). 

28. What is the Sacrament of Holy Orders, and who 

administers this Sacrament? 

Holy Orders is the Sacrament by which Bishops 

and priests of the Church receive the power and 

grace to perform their sacred offices. Only a Bishop 

ca:q confer Holy Orders. 

29. 'What is a Cardinal, and :what are the duties of 

Cardinals? 

Cardinal is .a dignity conferred on Bishops or 

priests, making them Princes of the Church. Cardi-

nals elect the Pope and assist and advise the Pope in 
governing the Church . . 



SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 21 

LESSON V 

1. By whom was Matrimony instituted? 

Matrimony was instituted by God Himself, 

when He created the first man and woman, and de-

clared that "a man shall leave father and mother, 

and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be two 

in one flesh" (Gen. ii. 24). 

2. Was Matrimony always a Sacrament? 

No; the Sacraments were instituted by Jesus 

Christ. Before His ' coming into the world, Matri-

mony was only a sacred contract. 

3. How do we know that Matrimony is a Sacra-

ment? . 

St. Paul says that the marriage of a man and a 

woman is like the union between Christ and His 

Church, and again he says: "This is a great Sacra-

ment, but I speak in Christ and in the Church" 

(Eph. v. 25-32). 

4. What, then, is Matrimony in the Catholic Church? 

Matrimony is a Sacrament by which two single 

persons, man and woman, are married to each 

other, and receive grace from God to discharge the 

duties of their state faithfully until death. 

5. What are the laws of the Catholic <::hurch regard-

ing Matrimony? 

(a) Catholics should not marry non-Catholics. 

(b) They may not marry very near relatives, as 

first or second cousins, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece. 



22 SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 

(c) It is forbidden to have the Nuptial Mass for 

a wedding during the seasons of Lent and Advent. 

6. Why does the Ch~rch oppose the rp.arriage of 
Catholics to Non-Catholics? 

Because religion should enter into our everyday 

lives, and if husband and wife are not agreed about 

their religion and the ·moral principles that follow 

from religion there is grave danger to the harmony 

of wedded life. If there are children it is more dif-

ficult for them to adhere strictly to the Catholic 

Church if one loved parent belongs to another church. 

7, Does the Church ever permit Catholics to . marry 

Non-Catholics? 

Yes; but a Special Disp.ensation must be ob-

tained from the Bishop for such a marriage and 

the ceremony does not take place in the church 

but in the rectory or other suitable place. Such a 

marriage is called a Mixed Marriage. 

8. What promises must be made by those wishing 

to contract a Mixed Marriage? 

Both parties to this proposed marriage must de-

clare that they consider this marriage binding un-

til death. They must both promise that there is to 
be only one marriage ceremony, viz., the Catholic 
ceremony, an~ that all children born of the mar-
riage shall be baptized and brought up in the Catho-

lic Faith. In addition, the non-Catholic must prom-

ise that there will be no interference with the Catho-

lic freely practicing his or her religion. 
~ "" - ... .. ' - " .... . ~ 



SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 23 

9. Why does the Catholic Church insist that a true 

Marriage Contract cannot be broken except by 

death? 

Because this is the clear teaching of Holy Scrip-

ture. The words of Jesus Christ and of St. Paul 

are emphatic on this subject. 

10. Did not Christ permit Divorce and Remarriage 

for Infidelity? 

No, He did not. His words, as recorded by St. 

Matthew are: "And I say to you, that whosoever 

shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, 

and shall marry another, committeth adultery; and 

he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth 

adultery" (St. Matt. xix., 9, and ct. St. Matt. v. 32). 
These words permit a separation where there has 

been infid~lity but those separated cannot marry 

again. 

11. How do we know that is the meaning of these 

words? 

Because the words can have this meaning, and 

there is a general principle of Bible interpretation 

that when one passage of Holy Scripture is ambigu-

ous or hard to understand, you must read it in the 
light of parallel or related .texts. 

12. Have we parallel and related texts that are 

clear? 

Yes. The Gospels according to St. Mark and St. 

Luke both contain the incident where Christ spoke 

on this subject. St. Mark says: "And in the house 

again His disciples asked Him concerning the same 



24 SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 

thing. And He saith to them: 'Whosoever shall put 

away his wife and marty another, . committeth 

adultery against her; and if th~ wife shall put away 

her husband, and be married to another, she com-

mitteth adultery'" (St. Mark x. 10-12). St. Luke 

says: "Everyone that putteth away his wife, and 

marrieth another, committeth adultery; and he that 

marrieth her that is put away from her husband, 

committeth adultery': (St. Luke xvi. 18). St. Paul 

is just as clear and emphatic: "But to them that are 

married, not I but the Lord commandeth that the 

wife depart not from her husband. And if she de-

part that she remain unmarried or be reconciled to 

her husband. And let not the husband put away his 

wife" (1 Cor. vii. 10, 11). Again: "For the woman 

that hath a husband, whilst her husband liveth is 

bound to the law. But if her husband be <;lead she is 

loosed from the law of her husband. Therefore, 

whilst her husband liveth, she shall be called an 

adulteress, if she be with another man; but if her 

husband be dead, she is delivered from the law of 

her husband, so that she is not an adulteress if she 

be with another man" (Romans vii. 2, 3). There 

is no possibility of misunderstanding these texts of 

two Gospels and two Epistles. 

13. Who are the ministe~s of the Sacrament of Mat-
rimony? 

The man ang the woman expressing their con-

sent to take each other as husband and wife, are the 

ministers of the .Sacrament. The priest is the official 

~nd necessary witness for the marriage of a Catholic. 



SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 25 

14. How must Catholics be married? 

They must be married in the presence of the 

pastor of the bride and two other witnesses, and 

they must be in the state 'of grace. If another priest 

is to officiate, the pastor's consent must be obtained. 

15. Are the marriages of Protestants valid in the 

eyes of the Catholic Church? 

Marriages of baptized Protestants, contracted in 

a legal manner before minister or magistrate, are 

regarded as the valid Sacrament of Matrimony by 

the Catholic Church, and can be broken only by the 

death of one of the parties. 

16. What are the obligations imposed by the Sac-

rament of Matrimony? 

The husband and wife must live together in 

mutual love, fidelity and patience, and must put no 

obstacles in the way of , fulfilling the primary pur-

pose of marriage, which is the begetting of children. 

17. Why is the Catholic Church opposed , to Birth 

Control? ' 

It is not the Catholic Church, but nature and the 

God of nature that prohibit birth control by any 

unnatural act or by the use of contraceptives. The 

Catholic Church is opposed to the practice because 

it is intrinsically immoral and an offense against 

nature. In the first Book of the Bible we' read of 

the man Onan, who has given the name to a degrad-

ing sin, and we are told that "the Lord slew him be-

cause he did a detestable thing" (Genesis xxxviii. 



26 SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 

8-10). Marriage demands self-control 0n the part 

of both husband and wife. 4 

LESSON VI 

1. Name the Ten Commandments 

1. I am the Lord thy God. 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. 

2. Thou shalt not · take the Name of the Lord 

thy God in vain. 

3. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day. 

4. Honor thy father and thy mother. 

5. 1'hou shalt not kill. 

6. Thou shalt not commit adulfery. 

7. Thou shalt not steal. 

8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against 

thy neighbor. 

9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. 

10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods. s 

4. UNor are those considered as acting against nature who in the 

married .tate use their right in the proper manner. although on account 

of time. or of certain defects, new life cannot be brought forth" (Encycli-

cal of P ope Pius XI on Marriage, December 31, 1930. N. C. W. C. Edition , 
p. 28). . 

a There is a difference between the Catholic and the .Protestant num-

bering of the Commandments: The Protestant arrangement <livid"" our 

Firat Commandment into First and Second and combin"" our Ninth and 

Tad! Into their Tenth. 



SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 27 , 

, 2. What are we told to do by the First Command· 

ment? 

We are commanded to adore God alone. 

3. How do we adore God? 

Through the .practice of the exercises of Re-

ligion, by humble prayer, and, for Catholics, by the 

Sacrifice of the Mass. 

4. Do Catholics break the First Commandment by 

having crucifixes and statues in their churches 

and homes? 

No, because they do not adore these. God does 

not forbid the mere making of images, but the ador-

ing of them after they are made: "Thou shalt not 

adore them, nor serve them" (Exod. xx. 5). 

The text of the Ten Commandments is in the Book of Exodus xx. 1-17. 

In this same Book God commands the making of the images of two Angels : 

" Thou shalt make also two cherubims of beaten gold on the two sides of 

the oracle," i. e., the Ark of the Covenant (Exod. xxv. 18) . 

5. What is forbidden by the Second Commandment? 

It is forbidden to use the Name of God in any 

profane or irreverent way, as by cursing and blas-

phemy. 

6., What obligation does the Third Commandment 

impose on Catholics? 

To keep holy the Lord's Day which in the Chris-

tian Calendar is Sunday, by attending Mass and by 

abstaining from unneccessary labor and business. 

"And 'on the first day of the wee}!:, when we were 

assembled to brea}!: bread, Paul discou,rsed with them" 

(Acts xx. 7). 



28 SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 

7. What is ordained by the Fourth Commandment? 

(a) To love and respect our parents, and to obey 

. them in all that is not sinful. 
(b) To respect and obey every lawful authority 

both religious and civil. 6 

"Hear the instruction of thy father and forsake not 

the law of thy mother" (Prov. i. 8). 

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is 

just; 'Honor thy father and thy mother,' which is the 

first commandment with a promise" (Eph. vi. 1, 2). 

"Let every soul be subject to higher powers, for there 

is no power but f rom God; and those that are, are or-

dained of God" (Romans xiii. 1). 

8. What is forbidden by the Fifth Commandment? 

(a) It is forbidden unjustly to take the life of a 

human being. 

(b) It is forbidden to take the life of a unborn 

child. 

(c) Hatred, anger, jealousy, quarreling, exces-

sive drinkin.g are forbidden, because these may lead 

to killing, or may injure ourselves and others. 

"Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer" (1 John 

iii. 15). 

"You have heard that it was said to them of old, 

'Thou shalt not kill'; and whosoever shall kill shall be 

in danger of the JUdgment. . But I say to you, that who-

soever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of 

the Judgment" (St. Matt. v. 21, 22). 

9. When is it permitted to take the life of another? 

(a) When lawful authority commands it in pun-

ishment for grave crimes. 

6 This Catholic doctrine that we are obliged in conscience to obey the 

just laws of the land is the best answer to the cha rge that a Catholic 

cannot be a eood citizen. 



SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIEFS 29 

(b) In a just war. 

(c) In self-defense, in order to save one's life, 

or the life of another unjustly attacked. 

10. Is it permitted to take one's own life? 

No. Suicide is a grave sin. We have no domin-

ion over our own life. 

"For it is Thou, 0 Lord, that hast power of life anq 
death" (Wisdom xvi. 13). ' 

II. What is the sin of Adultery? . 

Adultery is the sin of a married person who is 

unfaithful to his or her marriage vow. 

"But he that is an adulterer, for the folly of his heart, 

shall destroy his own soul" (Prov. vi. 32). 

12. Does this Commandment apply to anyone be-

sides married people? 

Yes, it forbids fornication by unmarried persons, 

and all actions alone or with others, that are con-

trary to chastity, decency, and modesty. 

"Do not err; neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor 

adulterers ... shall possess the Kingdom of God" (1 Cor. 

vi. 9, 10). 

"N ow the works of the flesh are manifest, which are 

fornication, uncleanness, immodesty, luxury ... revel-

ings, and such like; of the which I foretell you, as I have 

foretold to you, that they who do such things shall not 

obtain the Kingdom of God" (Gal. v. 19-21). 

13. What is forbidden" by the Commandment, 

"Thou Shalt Not Steal?" 

(a) It is forbidden to take what justly belongs 

to another. 



30 SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIC BELIElFS 

(b) It .is forbidden to destroy or injure the 
property or possessions of another. 

14. How does this Commandment apply to employ. 

ers and employees? 

Employers are obliged to give a just, living 

wage to ~ll who work for them, and employees are 
obliged to give a just return in time and labor for 
their salary or wage. 

15. If we break this Commandment what repara· 

tion must we make? 

We are obliged to give back anything we have 

taken, and to repair any damage we have caused. 

16. What is the meaning of the Eighth Command· 

ment? 

It means that'we must not tell lies, especially lies 
about other people. 

17. What is forbidden by this Commandment? 

It is forbidden to injure another's honor and 

reputation by calumny or detraction. 

18. Define Calumny and Detraction. 

(a) Calumny is the r..ttributing of faults and 

misdeeds to . another of which he is not guilty. 
. (b) Detraction is the telling of the faults and 

misdeeds of another thus hurting his reputation. 

"The whisperer . and the double-tongued is accursed, 

. for he hath troubled many ·that were at peace" (Ecclus. 

xxviii. 15). 

"Hast thou heard a word against thy neighbor? Let 

it die within thee, trusting it will not burst thee" 

(Ecclus. xix. 10). 



SIX INST8UCTIONS ON' CATHOLIC BELIEFS 31 

19. What is forbidden by the Ninth Commandment? 

All sensual, impure thoughts and desires are for-

bidden; such things are sinful if they are willfully 

and deliberately kept in one's mind. 

"I say to you tha:t whosoever shall look on a woman to 

lust after her, hath already committed adultery with 
her in his heart" , (St. Matt. v. 28) . 

20. What is forbidden by the Tenth Commandment? 

It is forbidden to envy the good fortune of an-

other, and to desire seriously to have what belongs 

to another. 

The Ninth and Tenth Commandments repeat the Sixth and Seventh. 

but refer to thoughts rather than to actions. 

21. What are the Precepts of the Church? 

(1) To hear Mass on Sundays and Holydays 

of Obligation. 

(2) To fast and abstain on days appointed. 

(3) To go to Confession at least once a year. 

(4) To receive Holy Communion during the 

Easter time. 

(5) To contribute to the support of the parish 

church and school. 

(6) To, observe the marriage laws of the Church. 

(7) Not to read forbidden books. 

22. In ·the Second Precept of the Church what is 

meant by Fasting? 

Fasting means eating only one full meal a day, 

namely dinner; breakfa~t and lunch (or , supper) 

must be light repasts. 

"But the days will come when the Bridegroom (Christ) 

shall be taken away from them; then shall they fast in 

those days" (St. Luke v. 35). 



32 SIX INSTRUCTIONS ON CATHOLIQ BELIEFS 

23. What is meant by Abstaining? 

Abstaining means not eating meat. 

24. What are the Days of Abstinence? 

Every "Friday unless a Holyday falls on Friday, 
the Ember Days, and the Eves or Vigils of some of 
the Holydays. 

25. What is meant by Easter Time? 

In the United States it is the period of time be-
tween the first Sunday of Lent and Trinity Sunday; 
that is, fourteen weeks. All Catholics must receive 
Holy Communion at least once during this time. 

This is called .the "Easter Duty." 

Trinity Sunday is the Sunday after Pentecost. 

26. Why are we obliged to support our parish 

church and school? 

Because in the United States churches and parish 
schools receive no Government support, and must be 
maintained by the people through collections and 
donations. 

27. What books does the Church forbid us to read? 

Such books as the Church judges harmful to our 
faith or morals she forbids, either by name, or by 
her general laws against dangerous reading . . 

28. What are Sacramentals? 

Sacramentals are any blessings, ceremonies, or 
religious articles instituted by the Church for our 

use, in order to increase our devotion and to aid 
in our salvation. 





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