A FULL CATECHISM OP
The Catholic Religion,

TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN OF THE REV.
JOSEPH DEHARBE, 8.J.,

REV. JOHN FANDER;
PRECEDED BY A SHORT HISTORY OP RELIGION
FROM THE
CREATION OF THE WORLD TO THE PRESENT TIME.
WITH QUESTIONS FOB EXAMINATION
Wctiisci, Gnlargci, anil <£iitci t>rj
THE RIGHT REV. P. N. LYNCH, D.D.,
Bishop of Charleston.

New York :
THE CATHOLIC PUBLICATION SOCIETY CO.,
9 Barclay Street.
1883.

Jmjirimatur.
¦J.N. CARD. WISEMAN.
Westmon. 29 Jul. 1862.

Smpnraa'ur.

New York, February 19, 1876.
I>3GS

Copyrighted by L. Kehob. 1876.

CONTENTS.

PAGE
Translator's Preface,  1
Preface to American Edition, ... . .4
Explanation of Abbreviations and Marks, ... 5
•
HISTORY OF RELIGION.
I. History before Christ.
From Adam to Moses, ..... 7
From Moses to Christ, ..... 11
H. History of Christ, ...... 18
HI. History after Christ.
From the Ascension of Christ to the Conversion of
Constantine, ....... 24
From the Conversion of Constantine to the Rise of
Protestantism in the Sixteenth Century, . . 30
From the Rise of Protestantism in the Sixteenth
Centary to Pope Pius IX  42
Concluding Remarks, ...... 56
Chronological Succession of the Popes, . . 61-66

CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE.
Introduction  67
PART I.
On Faith.
Acceptation, Object, and Rule of Faith, . 70
itf

IV contents. PASE
Necessity of Faith,  77
Qualities of Faith,  79
On the Apostles' Creed.
First Article,  82
On God, and His Attributes or Perfections, . . 82
On the Three Divine Persons,  89
On the Creation and Government of the World, . 91
On the Angels,  94
On our First Parents and their Fall, . ... 87
Second Article, . .  102
Jesus Christ the promised Messias, .... 104
Jesus Christ, true God,  108
Third Article,  112
Fourth Article  ... 115
Fifth Article,  118
Sixth Article,  121
Seventh Article,  122
Eighth Article,  125
Ninth Article,  128
On the Church and the Form of her Government, . 128
On the Marks of the Church, . . 135
On the End of the Church, and on her Qualities re
sulting from this End, . .... 140
(1.) On the Infallibility of the Church, . . 140
(2.) On Salvation in the true Church of Christ
alone, . . .... 145
On the Communion of Saints,  ' 148
Tenth Article,  150
Eleventh Article,  151
Twelfth Article,  153
PART II.
On the Commandments.
Oh the Commandments in general,  158
On the Chief Commandment,  158

contents.

of the Saints

On the Love of God. .
On the Love of our Neighbor, .
On Christian Self-Love,
On the Ten Commandments of God,
First Commandment of God,
On the Veneration and Invocation
Second Commandment of God,
Third Commandment of God, .
Fourth Commandment of God, .
Fifth Commandment of God,
Sixth Commandment of God,
Seventh Commandment of God,
Eighth Commandment of God,
Ninth and Tenth Commandments of God
On the Six Commandments of the Church,
First Commandment of the Church,
Second Commandment of the Church,
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Commandments of
Church, . ...
Sixth Commandment of the Church,
On the Violation of the Commandments, or on Sin,
On Sin in general,
On the different Kinds of Sin, .
On Virtue and Christian Perfection.
On Virtue, ....
On Christian Perfection,

the

PAGH 159 161166 168
169174179183185193 197
199'
203207209 210214
218 220220220223
228 223232

PART III.
On the Means of Grace.
On Grace in general,  238
On the Grace of Assistance,  238
On the Grace of Sanctification or Justification, . 241
1. On the Sacraments, ...... 245
Baptism,  248
Confirmation,  253
Holy Eucharist,  257

VI CONTENTS. PA8B
On the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed
Sacrament,  257
On the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, . . 261
On Holy Communion,  268
Penance,  275
Examination of Conscience, . . . 278
Contrition  279
Resolution of Amendment, .... 283
Confession,  284
Satisfaction,  288
Indulgences,  291
Extreme Unction,  294
Holy Order,  297
Matrimony,  301
On Sacrament als,  308
2. On Prayer,  311
On the Lord's Prayer,  315
On the Angelical Salutation, .... 319
On Religious Practices and Ceremonies in general,
and on some in particular, . ... 323
Recapitulation, ... .... 327

TEANSLATOE'S PEEFAOE.

The original of this Catechism was first published in
Germany in 1847, and met with such general favor that
in 1853 it had numbered twenty-one editions. It has
been approved by all the Archbishops and Bishops of
Bavaria, and by nearly all those of the other countries
in Germany, and by those of Switzerland. It has been
reprinted, with the approbation of Archbishop Purcell,
in the United States of America, and it has been intro
duced into the German schools ; in a word, it has super
seded nearly all the various German catechisms pre
viously used in the dioceses of those countries, and is
now almost the only authorized and standard Catechism
of the whole German nation.
This Catechism is founded on History ; not only on
the History of the Old and New Testament, but on the
History of Religion from the Creation of the world to
the present time. It clearly shows how our Faith ori
ginated and spread, what blessings it produced, how it
confounded Infidelity and Heresy, and how it triumphed
over all sorts of obstacles and persecutions in every age
down to this day. It thus shows how the predictions of
the Prophets, and more especially those of the Eternal
Son of God, with regard to His Church, have been ful
filled at all times ; thus clearly proving which one,
among the many societies that now claim Christ for
their Founder, is in reality His true Church, holding and
professing the True and Divine Religion established by
Him.

2 Translator's Preface.
In presenting this view, the Catechism carries out the
advice of St. Augustine, who admonishes catechists ' to
give a brief acoount to the ignorant of the whole History
from the Creation to the present time of the Church,*
and to adduce the causes of the various events.' It is,
indeed, to be regretted that this advice of the great
Doctor has been so sadly neglected in later times !
Why are Protestants so much prejudiced against the
Catholic Church, and why is it so difficult to convert
them ? It is because from infancy the minds of their
children have been impressed with a false view of the
History of their Religion — a Religion that dates only
from the beginning of the sixteenth century. "YV hy should
not Catholics with equal, and even greater, effect confirm
our children in their attachment to the Church, by
showing them how to trace her to the times of the Apos
tles, and even to the Creation of the world ? Is it not,
then, of the greatest importance to teach them, together
with their catechism, the History of their Religion ?
History is a safeguard against internal doubts, and a bul
wark against all external attacks. He who has, by this
means, been fully strengthened in his conviction that the
Catholic Church is from God, and that she is the Only
True Church, cannot but love her and submit his intel
lect to her doctrine and his heart to her precepts, and
thus remain all his lifetime faithful to her.
After this proof from History that the Catholic Reli
gion is Divine., the Catechism proper commences, and
teaches us that we must submit to its doctrine ; namely,
that we must, 1. Believe what the Church teaches; 2.
That we must also practise, that is, do the loill of Qod;
and 3. That we can neither believe nor do the will of
God without His grace, which we receive by means of
the Sacraments and of Prayer. This division is not
only dictated by reason, but it embraces also every par
ticular part of the Christian Doctrine ; for instance : as
Sin is the voluntary breaking of the Commandments, and
Virtue the opposite of sin, these two heads belong to
* Usque ad praesentia tempora Ecclesisa (De Catechis. Rudi-
bus, c. 3 and 6).

Translator's Preface. 3
the Second Part. It is, moreover, the only way in
which the Catechism should be learnt ; for a child can
not even go to Confession, unless he be instructed in the
First and Second Part ; namely, upon the Creed, the
Commandments of God and the Church, Sin, and
Virtue. Finally, it is the easiest division of all ; and a
child, with the help of a teacher, may get, in less than a
quarter of an hour, such a clear view of all the general
and particular parts of the Christian Doctrine that he
will never forget them in after-life. But as there is a
logical connection between the general parts, so there is
also a connection between the questions and answers
throughout each particular treatise. One question and
answer leads to the following question and» answer, and
these again to the next, and thus the whole treatise
forms, as it were, one coherent conversation. Certainly,
these are not to be considered as unimportant advanta
ges in a catechism of this character.
The dogmatical and moral explanation of the Chris
tian Doctrine itself is comprehensive and plain, and is
adapted to the present wants of youth, being proved in
full from Holy Scripture, Tradition, and the General
Councils. It is at the same time controversial, inas
much as the objections made against it by Infidels, Here
tics, and Innovators are solidly refuted ; and, therefore,
it may justly be called a. full Catechism of the Catholic
Religion. This Catechism, however, is not intended so much for
Children and for Elementary Schools as for Colleges, for
Teachers, and for Private Instruction. There are two
Abridgments of it for Schools, with the same wording,
and made by the author himself, which have been
equally approved of throughout all Germany.
The ' Short History of Religion from the Crea
tion of the World to the Present Time,' which
stands at the head of the Catechism, was edited with a
great many alterations and additions by the Rev. Dr.
Fergusson in _ 1854. The translator, who was in no
way responsible for those changes, has now carefully re
vised his first translation, and most faithfully expressed

4 Translator's Preface.
in it the sense of the original text. Here and there,
however, he has made a few, but very short, additions,
which he has either translated or compiled from writers
of highly approved authority.
Octave of St. Stephen, January 2.

FIFTH AMERICAN EDITION.
In preparing this new Edition of De Harbds Fun,
Catechism, the text of the English translation, used in
the former editions, has been retained. But it has been
thought well to introduce here and there changes in the
phraseology, in order to accommodate the questions and
answers to our American forms of expression, more fa
miliar to young pupils, and perhaps more readily un
derstood by them. Some few passages in the notes, re
ferring to usages or to discipline known in Germany, but
unknown in the United States, have been omitted as
unnecessary. On the other hand, two or three points
omitted by the learned author have been introduced,
on account of their appropriateness or special impor
tance in this country. In a few instances the author's
meaning has been made clearer by adding a few words.
In all this the editor only follows the example of the
learned author himself, who in his life-time was accus
tomed to introduce such changes or improvements in the
successive German editions of his valuable work.

EXPLANATION

OF THE ABBREVIATIONS AND MARKS USED IN THE
SHORT HISTORY OF RELIGION.

(d. 1584)
B.C. . .

A.D. . .
i.e. . .
viz. . .
comp. §6 . .
§§ 8, 9, 10
Concl. Rem

Ex. . .
Counc. of Tr. s
ch. 11, c. 22
Page 107, Qu.
Eccles. . .
Ecclus. . .

stands for

-\

17

Matt. xvi. 18, 19
Tob. vi. viii. andxi.

died in 1584.
Before Christ.
Anno Domino, or in the year

( Ann

our Lord*

id est, or that is.
videlicet, or namely.
compare. Paragraph 6 of the History.
Paragraphs 8, 9, 10.
j Concluding Remarks ; see p.
| 56.
Example, or Examples.
( Council of Trent, session 6,
\ chapter 11th, canon 22d.
Page 107th, Question 17th.
Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastieus.
( St. Matthew, chapter xvi.
( verses 18 and 19.
Tobias, chaps, vi. viii. andxi.

See the names of the Books of the Old and New Testaments
on pages 71 and 72.

SHORT HISTORY OF RELIGION.

HISTORY BEFORE CHRIST.
I. From Adam, to Moses.
1. In the beginning God created Heavet and feirth.
He said, 'Let them be made,' and they were made.
In six days God made the whole world — the sun,
moon, and stars ; the plants, trees, and animals ;
and, last of all, He made man to His own image and
likeness. The first man was called. Adam, and the
first woman Eve. They were just and holy, and the
favorites of God. They lived happy in a delicious
garden called Paradise, and they and their descend
ants were never to die.
2. God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat, of
the fruit of the tree that stood in the midst of the
garden, lest they should die. But the serpent said to
them : •' If you eat thereof, you shall be as Gods.'
Adam and Eve believed the serpent, and broke the
command of God. For this sin of disobedience pun
isbment immediately came upon them and all their
descendants. They were driven from the garden of
Paradise, were doomed to death and many hardships,
1. How did God create Heaven and Earth ? In how tf^ny
days did He create all things i When did He create roan"?
How did He distinguish man from the other creatures ? What
were the names of the first man and woman ? Were tfrsy also
liable to sin, as we are ? Where did they live ? Were they and
their children ever to die ?
2. What commandment did God give to Adam and TSr"i> ?
Wnat did the serpent tell them ? What did Adam and Eve do f

8 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
and were to be banished from God for ever. Never
theless, God had compassion on them, and promised
them a Saviour, who should reconcile them again to
Him, and make them partakers of eternal happiness
m Heaven, provided they did penance (Gen. iii. 15).
3. Cain and Abel, sons of our first parents, offered
sacrifice to Almighty God. God was pleased with
that of the virtuous Abel, but not with that of the
wicked Cain. Cain, being exceedingly angry at the
preference given to his brother, killed him ; and in
punishment for this crime he was cursed by God, and
became a vagabond upon earth.
4. The descendants of Cain were wicked, like their
father, and gradually seduced even the good ; inso
much that, in process of time, all men turned away
from God and sank deeper and deeper into sin and
vice. God then resolved to destroy the degenerate
race of Adam by a universal deluge (b.c. about 2350).
The rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty
nights, and the waters rose fifteen cubits, or twenty-
seven feet and a half, above the highest mountains.
All living creatures on the face of the earth perished
in the flood, except the pious Noe, with his family,
and the animals that were with him in the ark, which
he had built by the command of God. In thanks
giving for this escape, Noe erected an altar and of
fered a burnt sacrifice to the Lord, who, in return,
blessed him and his sons, and promised him that
' there should no more be waters of a flood, to destroy
all flesh' (Gen. ix. 15).

Were they punished for it ? Were they alone punished ? What
punishment came upon them ? Did God then abandon them ?
What did he promise them ?
3. Who were Cain and Abel ? How did they worship God ?
Was God pleased with their sacrifices ? What did Cain do, and
what became of him ?
4 Were the descendants of Cain good or wicked ? What
evil did they do ? What did God then resolve to do ? How
long did it rain ? To what height did the flood rise ? Did all
living creatures perish ? What did Noe do when he came out

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 9
5. The descendants of Noe became so numerous
that they soon began to spread abroad into all lands.
However, before separating, they determined to build
a tower, the top of which should reach to Heaven.
But God confounded their language, so that they
were unable to understand one another and were
obliged to desist from building it ; and the tower was
called the Tower of Babel, or Confusion. Noe's de
scendants also gave themselves up to their wicked
inclinations, and degenerated so far that, instead of
adoring the true God, they worshipped the sun and
the moon, men and animals, and even idols of gold
and silver, and of stone and wood. This shameful
idolatry brought with it all kinds of sins and vices,
which again prevailed in a frightful manner among
mankind. 6. God, however, provided that the true faith and
the hope in a future Redeemer should not entirely
vanish from the earth. For this purpose He chose
Abraham (b.c. 1920), made a particular covenaut
with him, and promised him that the 'Messiah'
should be born of his posterity, saying : ' In thee
shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed ' (Gen.
xii. 3). Therefore God also distinguished Abraham
and his descendants — who were called Hebrews, and
afterwards Israelites, or Jews — from all other nations,
and, during the course of time, often revealed Him
self to them in a wonderful manner.
7. In order to try the faith of Abraham, God com.
of the ark ? What new kindness did God show to Noe and his
sons ?
5. Did the descendants of Noe multiply much ? What did
they attempt to do ? How was their undertaking frustrated f
What was the tower called ? Did the descendants of Noe re
main faithful to God ? What was the consequence of their
idolatry ?
6. Were the true religion and the hope in the Redeemer en
tirely to vanish ? How did God prevent it ? How were the
descendants of Abraham called ? What favor did God bestow
on them ? , , ,
7. How did God try the faith of Abraham 1 How did he

10 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
manded him to offer his only son Isaac in sacrifice
upon Mount Moria. Abraham set out without hesi
tation. He himself placed the wood for the burnt
offering upon his son, and ascended the mountain
with him. When they had reached the summit,
Isaac willingly laid himself on the wood to be offered
up in sacrifice ; but God saved the pious Isaac through
an angel, blessed Abraham for his obedience, and re
newed his former promises to him.
Isaac was here a figure of the future Saviour of the world,
who, in obedience to His Father, took the wood of the
cross upon His shoulders, and carried it to Mount Cal
vary, to sacrifice Himself upon it for our redemption.
8. The patriarch Jacob was the son of Isaac, and
lived with his family in the land of Chanaan, the
country into which God had called Abraham. He
had twelve sons, who became the fathers of the twelve
tribes of Israel. One of them, Joseph, was chosen
by God to be, through what happened to him in his
life, a figure of Jesus Christ. Having been sold by
his brothers, he was carried into Egypt, where he was
falsely accused and cast into prison. After recover
ing his liberty, the king made him chief ruler over
all Egypt ; and as, by his wisdom and prudence, he
saved the country during seven years from a dreadful
famine, he was called ' Saviour of the world ' (Gen.
xli. 45). Jacob also, at his invitation, went down,
with all his family, into Egypt and settled there. Be
fore his death he pronounced this remarkable proph
ecy regarding the Redeemer : ' The sceptre (supreme
power) shall not be taken away from (the tribe of)
Juda (his son) till He come that is to be sent ; and
He shall be the expectation of nations' (Gen. xlix. 10),
fulfil the command of God ? What did Isaac do ? Did God
suffer him to be killed ? How did God reward Abraham ?
What mysterious signification does the sacrifice of Isaac con
tain ?
8. Who was Jacob, and where did he live ? How many
sons had he, and. what did they become afterwards ? What
was Joseph chosen by God to be ? What happened to him ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. n
And, in fact, when Christ, who was sent by God, was
born, Herod, an Idumean, sat on the throne of the
kings of Juda, and the kingdom was evidently ap
proaching its end.
II. From Moses to Christ.
9. After Joseph's death, the Israelites grew into a
great people, insomuch that the Egyptians, fearing
they might become too powerful, reduced them to
the hardest slavery. At length the Lord appeared
to Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a
bush, and commissioned him to lead the children of
Israel back to Chanaan (b.c. 1500). Pharao, iing of
Egypt, would not let them go ; and therefore Al
mighty God sent dreadful plagues over all his do
minions. At last an angel in one night slew all the
first-born of the Egyptians. But the destroying an
gel did not harm the Israelites, because they had
sprinkled the doors of their houses with the blood of
the paschal lamb, which, according to God's com
mand, they ate that very night.
By this was foreshown how, one day, mankind should be
delivered from eternal death by the Blood of Jesus
Christ, the true Divine Paschal Lamb, which we eat in
the Holy Eucharist.
10. Then Pharao permitted the Israelites to de
part ; but he soon regretted it. In all haste he col
lected his troops, and pursued the unarmed Israelites
to the shores of the Red Sea. Here, struck with alarm
and dread of being drowned or slaughtered, they im
plored the assistance of God; and Moses, by the corn-
Did Jacob remain in Chanaan ? What did he prophesy before
his death, and about whom ? How was it fulfilled ?
9. What happened to the children of Israel in Egypt ?
Whom did God appoint to deliver them ? How did He appear
to Moses ? Did Moses meet with any opposition ? What did
God do to the Egyptians ? Did the angel hurt also the Israel
ites ? Why did he not hurt them ? What did the blood of
the paschal lamb signify ?
10. Did Pharao continue keeping the Israelites in bondage ?

12 ' A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
mand of God, stretched forth his rod over the Red
Sea; and, behold, the waters were divided before
them, and stood like a wall on their right hand and
on their left, and they passed through on dry ground.
Pharao rushed furiously after them into the midst of
the sea ; whereupon Moses once more stretched forth
his rod over the waters, and they suddenly returned
to their former place, and buried Pharao with his
whole army in the deep.
11. The children of Israel had now to travel through ,
a vast wilderness, and came, fifty days after their de
parture from Egypt, to Mount Sinai, where God,
amidst thunder and lightning, gave them tlie Ten
Commandments, written on two tables of stone. He
also renewed with them the covenant He had made
with their fathers, and regulated their religious and
civil duties by most salutary laws. But the people
soon forgot the Commandments and blessings of
God, and continually complained and murmured;
nay, they debased themselves to such a degree that
they made a golden calf, and adored it as their god.
12. In punishment of these and many other grievous
sins, the Israelites had to remain forty years in the
desert, until another and better generation had grown
up. Nevertheless, God continually bestowed favors
upon them"; He rained bread, called manna, from
Heaven for them, and gave them water from a rock ;
and at last, after Moses' death, He conducted them
into Chanaan, or Palestine, the promised land, which
What did he do soon after ? What did the Israelites do on
their part ? How were they delivered f How did God punish
Pharao ?
11. Did the Israelites now go on straight to Chanaan ? How
long were they journeying from Egypt to Mount Sinai ? What
happened at Mount Sinai ? Did God give them the Ten Com
mandments only ? What return did they make for all these
benefits ?
12. How was their ingratitude punished ? Did God aban
don them altogether ? What favors did He still show them ?
When, and how, did they get possession of Chanaan ? Is there
not a figure in all this? What does the deliverance from Egypt

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 13
they conquered with His powerful assistance, and di
vided into twelve parts, giving one of them to each
of the twelve tribes.
All this was a figure of the future salvation of mankind
(1 Cor. x. 6). The deliverance from the bondage of Egypt
signifies our liberation from the slavery of Satan by Jesus
•Christ. The journey through the wilderness signifies our
pilgrimage in this world, where God gives us His laws,
nourishes us with the true Bread of Heaven, and strengthens
us with the life-giving fountains of grace. The land of
promise refers us to Heaven, which we can conquer and
take possession of only after combating the world, the
flesh, and the devil.
13. In this beautiful country the Israelites lived
happy, and were blessed by God, until, contrary to
His express command, they united themselves by
marriage to the Gentiles, or Pagans, and thereby fell
again into vice and idolatry. As often as they turned
away from God He abandoned them to their enemies;
but when they returned to Him, He raised among
them pious heroes called Judges, such as Gedeon,
Jephte, and Samson, who rescued them from their
foes. 14. For more than four hundred years the people
of Israel were ruled by the high-priests and Judges,
who were invested with supreme authority over them ;
but at length they desired to be governed, like the
neighboring nations, by a king. In compliance with
their wish, God appointed Saul to be their king,
and the Prophet Samuel anointed him in 1095 B.C.
He was, however, afterwards rejected by God for his
disobedience, and was succeeded by David in 1055.
David was strong and mighty: when only a youth, he
signify ? What does the journey through the desert signify ?
What does the promised land call to our mind ?
13. How long did the Israelites remain happy in the promised
land ? What happened to them when they offended God J
How did God help them when they repented ?
14. Who were the first rulers of the people of Israel ? How
long were they governed by them ? Who was the first King
of Israel f Why was he rejected by God ? By whom was

14 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
had slain the giant Goliath; and having been made
king, he extended his kingdom by splendid victories.
He served God with an upright heart, and composed
in His honor those beautiful sacred songs called
Psalms, in which, by Divine inspiration, he prophe
sied many things concerning the Redeemer of, the
world, who was to be born of his family, and whose
kingdom should have no end. For this reason Christ
is also called the Son of David.
15. Solomon, his son and successor, was a wise and
great king. He built a magnificent temple to the
Lord in Jerusalem about the year 1000 B.C. The
Sanctuary, or Holy of Holies, was overlaid with plates
of the purest gold ; and in it was kept the Ark of the
Covenant, which contained the two Tables of Laws
written by God Himself. The high-priest was the
only person who was allowed, once a year, to enter the
Sanctuary. The people of Israel had no other tem
ple, nor was any one permitted to offer up sacrifice in
any other place, than the temple of Jerusalem. Solo
mon, however, did not persevere in wisdom and good
ness. He married pagan wives, and, towards the end
of his life, had the misfortune of being seduced by
them from the service of God into the impious prac
tices of idolatry.
16. After Solomon's death, his kingdom was divided
(B.C. 980). The tribes of Juda and Benjamin re
mained faithful to King Roboam, his son, and formed
, the kingdom of Juda, the chief city of which was Je-
he succeeded ? What can you tell me of David ? Was he also
pious ? Why are his Psalms so very remarkable ? Why is
Christ also called the Son of David ?
15. Who was Solomon ? What famous building did he
erect ? How was the Sanctuary decorate ', and what was kept
in it ? What did the Ark of the Covenant, contain ? Who was
permitted to enter the Sanctuary, and how many times a year ?
Had the people of Israel any other temples, or altars ? Did
Solomon remain wise and good ? What made him leave the
service of God ?
16. What happened after Solomon's death ? Which tribes
formed the kingdom of Juda ? Who was its first king ? Which

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 15
rusalem. The other ten tribes chose Jeroboam for
their King, and made Samaria the capital of their
kingdom, which from that time was called the king
dom of Israel. At the same time they abandoned
the religion of their fathers, built a temple for them
selves at Samaria, and introduced many kiads of the
most abominable idolatry. God, therefore, delivered
them into the hands of the pagan king, Salmanasar,
who dsstroyed the kingdom of Israel for ever, and led
the people to Ninive, into the Assyrian Captivity
(%.C. 718). The kingdom of Juda was also repeatedly
chastised by God for its many transgressions. In 606
Nabuchodonosor (Nebuchadnezzar) II. took Jerusa
lem, pillaged the temple, and sent the sacred vessels
and a large number of Jews to Babylon ; and in 588
he entirely demolished the temple and the city, car
ried Sedecias, the last King of Juda, with the rest of
the inhabitants, into the same Babylonian Captivity.
But the kingdom of Juda was not destroyed for ever,
like the kingdom of Israel, that had forsaken the re
ligion of its fathers.
17. These severe judgments of God did not by any
means overtake Juda suddenly and unexpectedly.
Men enlightened by God, who were called Prophets,
had announced them long before, confirming their
words by great miracles, in order to rouse the people
to repentance. These same prophets also promised
pardon to those who should repent, and prophesied
of the Redeemer who was to come. In their books,
written many centuries before Christ, we read all the

was its capital ? How many tribes constituted the kingdom
of Israel ? Whom did they choose for their king ? Which- was
the capital of the kingdom of Israel ? Did it remain faithful to
God ? How did God punish it ? Did the kingdom of Juda also
sin against the Lord ? Was it also chastised, and how ? Was
not its punishment less severe than that of the kingdom of Is
rael, and why ?
17. Did the judgments of God come upon them quite unex
pectedly ? How did God forewarn the people ? Did the pro
phets only announce God's judgments ? What have they fore-

1 6 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
circumstances of His life and sufferings: His birth
of a Virgin at Bethlehem, His office of teaching, His
miracles, His passion, His death, His resurrection, the
sending of the Holy Ghost, the destruction of Jerusa
lem, the conversion of the Gentiles, and the splendor
of the Christian Church; nay, Daniel foretold the
very year in which the Saviour was to appear. The
most remarkable amongst the prophets are Elias,
Eliseus, Isaias, Jeremias, Ezechiel, and Daniel.
18. During the time of the Captivity, illustrious
examples o£ rare virtues were given by Tobias at Nin
ive ; and at Babylon, by the chaste Susanna, by the
three young men in the fiery furnace, and by Daniel
in the lions' den. The Babylonian Captivity had al
ready lasted seventy years, when Cyrus, King of Per
sia, took Babylon, and, by Divine inspiration, gave
permission to the Jews to return to their own country
(B.C. 536) and to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem. In
a short time the second temple was finished; and
when the old men began to complain that its magni
ficence was far inferior to that of the first, the Pro
phet Aggeus foretold'to them that the glory of this
latter house should be greater than that of the for
mer, because the 'Desired of all nations,' the Mes-
sias, would enter it (Agg. ii. 8-10).
19. Esdras and Nehemias now reestablished the Di
vine service in conformity to the law, and collected
the Sacred Scriptures, which thenceforth were dili
gently read and interpreted. All the people shed
tears and repented most sincerely. They never more
told of the Messias ? Which prophet foretold the time of His
coming most precisely ? Which are the most remarkable among
the prophets ?
18. Who distinguished themselves by their virtues at Ninive
and Babylon ? How long did the Babylonian Captivity last ?
How was it brought to an end ? What did the Jews most ur
gently set a,bout after their return ? Was the new temple as
magnificent as the one that had been demolished ? In what
was it superior to the first one ?
19. What is to be observed about Esdras and Nehemias ?
How did the people then behave ? Did they remain faithful to

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 17
returned to the sin of idolatry, which had brought
upon their fathers the grievous sufferings of their
captivity. When, some time later, Antiochus, King
of Syria, tried to compel them to adore idols, they re
sisted most courageously under the command of the
High- Priest Alathathias and his sons ; nay, many of
them, animated by the glorious example of the aged
Eleazar,. of the seven brothers, commonly called the
Machabees, and of their heroic mother, preferred to
suffer the most atrocious of deaths, rather than dis
obey the law of God (b.c. 170-143).
20. Four thousand years had elapsed since the
creation of the world, and the signs that weie to pre
cede the coming of the Redeemer of mankind were
now accomplished. The Jews longed for it with the
greatest anxiety, and even among the Gentiles there
was a current opinion that a great Ruler was to rise
in Judea. The corruption in which the world was
sunk was unbounded. The Jews, indeed, still ac
knowledged the one true God ; but impious sects,
such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, had sprung up
amongst them, and a great corruption of morals had
gained ground. Most of them honored God only with
their lips, but their conduct was according to the sin
ful desires of their heart. All other nations, even the
most enlightened among them, the Greeks and Ro
mans, were devoted to the most shameful idolatry.
Innumerable were the gods and goddesses to whom
they built temples and altars, and offered sacrifices,
even of human beings; and whom they believed they
particularly honored when they extolled their infa
mous vices and imitated them without shame or fear.

their Lord and God ? How did they show their fidelity ? Who
especially distinguished themselves at that time ?
20. How many years had the world existed before the coming
of the Messias ? Were all the signs of His coming accomplished
at that time ? What was the prevalent feeling of the Jews and
the pagans ? What was the state of the world ? How did this
corruption appear among the Jews ? And how amongst the
other nations ? In what did the abomination of idolatry con-

1 8 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
Such were the heathens, as St. Paul testifies (Rom.
i. 29-31) : ' Filled with all iniquity, malice, fornica
tion, avarice, wickedness ; full of envy, murder, con
tention, deceit, malignity; whisperers, detractors,
hateful to God, contumelious, proud, haughty, inven
tors of evil things, disobedient to parents, foolish, dis
solute, without affection, without fidelity, without
mercy.' Who was then able to help and save man
kind ? God alone ; and He did help and did save
them. As He had promised to our first parents in
Paradise, and foretold by the prophets, He now
showed mercy to mankind, when in their utmost de
generacy, and sent them a Redeemer and Saviour ;
for 'God so loved the world as to give His Only-
Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him
may not perish, but may have life everlasting' (John
iii. 16). HISTORY OF CHRIST.
21. The world was at peace ; Augustus was Emperor
of Rome, and Herod, the Idumean, King of Judea
(§ 8), when the promise of God and the predictions
of the prophets were accomplished. Jesus Christ,
the Son of God and Redeemer of the world, was
born, in a stable at Bethlehem, of Mary, a virgin, de
scended from the royal family of David. His birth
was announced by angels to the shepherds at Bethle
hem, and by a star to the Wise Men in the East.
The cruel Herod made every effort to discover the Di
vine Infant, that he might put Him to death ; but
by the Lord's command, Joseph, the foster-father of
Jesus, fled with Him and His mother to Egypt, and
sist ? What character does St. Paul give of the heathens ?
Was there any one then who could help mankind ? Did He
help them, and how ? What did Christ Himself say on this
subject ?
21. Under what emperor and what king was the Redeemer
born ? Where, and of whom, was He born ? Who was first
told of His birth, and by whom ? What did King Herod try
to discover, and why ? What did St. Joseph do ? Where did

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 19
did not return till after the death of Herod. Jesus
then led a retired life at Nazareth in Galilee, was sub
ject to His parents, and < advanced in wisdom, and
age, and grace with God and men' (Luke ii. 52).
When He was twelve years old. He went with His
parents to Jerusalem to celebrate the Pasch, or Pass
over, and remained there three days in the temple, as
tonishing even the Scribes, or doctors of the law, by
His wise questions and answers. At the age of thirty
He went to the river Jordan to be baptized by John
the Baptist. When He came out of the water, the
Holy Ghost descended upon Him in the shape of a
dove, and a voice came from Heaven, saying : v This
is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased'
(Matt. iii. 17).
22. Jesus then retired into the desert, and after
having fasted and prayed there forty days and forty
nights, He began to preach the Gospel — that is, the
good tidings of the kingdom of God on earth. He
travelled about the towns and villages, and proved
His Divine mission and the truth of His doctrine by
His holy life, by miracles and prophecies. Those who
heard Him were filled with wonder and. amazement.
Multitudes of people followed Him, praised and ex
tolled Him as the true Messias, and said, ' Never did
man speak like this man' (John vii. 46). Jesus select
ed from His followers twelve men whom He called
His Apostles or messengers. They were to be wit
nesses of His doctrine and works, that, after His as
cension into Heaven, they might preach what they
had seen and heard of Him to all nations. These
are the names of the twelve Apostles : Simon, who is

Jesus spend His childhood after His return from Egypt ? How
did He live there ? What did He do when He was twelve years
old ? What did He do when He was thirty ? What happened
at His baptism ?
22. What did Jesus do after His baptism ? What does the
word Gospel mean ? How did Jesus prove His Divine mission ?
What impression did He make upon the people ? How many
Apostles did He choose ? Wijat does the word Apostle signify ?

20 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
called Peter, and Andrew, his brother ; James (the
elder), the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother ;
Philip and Bartholomew ; Thomas and Matthew ;
James (the Less), the son of Alpheus, and Thaddens,
his brother, sometimes called Jude; Simon, the Cha-
naanite, and Judas Iscariot, who afterwards betrayed
Him. Moreover, He chose seventy- two disciples,
' and He sent them two and two before His face into
every city and place, whither He Himself was to
come' (Luke x. 1). The twelve Apostles, the sev
enty-two disciples, and the others who adhered to
Jesus, formed the beginning of that society of all
the faithful which we call the Church of Christ. He
appointed Peter to be the visible Head of His Church
on earth, called him the Rock upon which He said
He would build His Church, against which the gates
of hell should never prevail, and promised him the
keys of the kingdom of Heaven (Matt. xvi. 18, 19).
23. Jesus bestowed favors upon the Jews such as no
one had ever witnessed before : He made the blind to
see and the lame to walk ; He restored thesick to health,
and raised the dead to life ; in a word, He relieved
every kind of suffering and misery- Nevertheless,
He had many enemies, especially among the Scribes
and Pharisees, who hated Him because He reprimand
ed them for their sins and vices, and also because He
would not establish a temporal kingdom and elevate
them to high dignities. They watched all His words
and actions ; but they could not convict Him of
any sin. In the third year of His public teaching,
and shortly before the Pasch or Easter, Jesus raised
Why did He choose them ? What are their names ? How
many other disciples did He elect, and for what purpose ?
Who formed the beginning of the Christian Church ? What
did Jesus promise to His Church ? Whom did He appoint to
be her visible Head on earth ? By what expressions did He
intimate this ? What did He promise to give him ?
23. What sort of favors did Jesus confer upon the Jews ?
How did the Jews behave towards Him ? Why did the Scribes
and Pharisees especially hate Him ? Why did they watch all
His words and actions ? Could they convict Him of any sin ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 21
Lazarus to life after he had lain four days in the
grave. The people, hearing of this miracle, greatly
rejoiced; and when Jesus went to Jerusalem, they
came forth in crowds to meet Him, with branches of
palms and olives in their hands, spread their garments
in the way, and cried, saying, ' Hosanna to the Son
of David : Blessed is He that cometh in the name of
the Lord. Hosanna in the highest ' (Matt. xxi. 9).
; This triumphant entry of Jesus exasperated His ene
mies still more, and from that day they sought to put
Him to death.
24. Jesus knew that the time of His bitter Passion
was at hand. Resigned to the will of His Heavenly
Father, He prepared to pass out of this •world.
Whilst, in conformity with the Jewish law, He was
eating the Paschal Lamb with His Apostles, He took
bread into His holy and venerable hands, lifted up
His eyes toward Heaven, to God His Almighty Father,
gave thanks, blessed and broke it, and gave it to His
disciples, saying, ' Take ye, and eat ; this is my Body
which shall be delivered for you.' After that, He took
the chalice with wine in it, again gave thanks, bless
ed and gave it to His disciples, saying, ' Drink ye all
of this ; this is my Blood of the New Testament,
which shall be shed for you and for many unto the
remission of sins. As often as you do this, do it for
the commemoration of me.' Thus Jesus instituted
the Holy Eucharist, wherein, under the appearance
of bread and wine, He gives Himself truly to us foi
the nourishment of our souls. After the Last Sup
per, Jesus continued speaking for some time to His
Apostles in the most affectionate manner, and prom-
What special miracle did Jesus perform in the third year of
His teaching ? What impression did this make on the people ?
In what words did they express their feelings ? What effect
did this reception of Jesus produce on His enemies ?
24. How did Jesus meet His approaching Passion ? How
did He celebrate the Last Supper with His Apostles ? What
commandment did He give them at the end of it ? What
sacrament did He institute by this ? What did He promise to

22 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
ised to send them, for their Comforter, the Holy
Ghost, the Spirit of Truth, who should teach them
all things, and abide with them for ever. After this,
He went into the garden of Gethsemani, on the
Mount of Olives, to pray.
'25. There all His coming sufferings were most sensi
bly displayed before His soul. A violent agony came
over Him, and His sweat became as drops of blood trick
ling down upon the ground. ' My Father,' said He,
'if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me.
Nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt ' (Matt.
xxvi. 39). In the meanwhile, Judas, who was about
to betray Him, approached with a band of armed
men ; and Jesus suffered Himself to be taken, bound,
and led before the Chief Council, where He was
mocked, spit upon, and buffeted. The chief priests
then delivered Him up as guilty of death to Pontius
Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, who, on his
part, sent Him to King Herod ; but neither of them
could find any evil in Him. Nevertheless, He was
scourged and crowned with thorns ; and at last, in
compliance with the clamorous and threatening de
mands of the chief priests and the Jewish rabble,
who preferred the murderer Barabbas before Him,
Pilate delivered Him unto them to be crucified.
26. Jesus, like one of the greatest criminals, was
loaded with a heavy cross, and conducted to Mount
Calvary, a place of execution, where He was crucified
between two thieves. As the prophets had foretold,
so it was now accomplished : His hands and feet were
His Apostles after the Last Supper ? Whither did He go after
wards ?
25. What did Christ suffer in the garden of Gethsemani ?
What memorable prayer did He say there ? By whom was He
then betrayed ? And how was He apprehended '? Whither did
they lead Him then ? How was He treated before the Chief
Council ? To whom did the chief priests, and to whom did
Pilate, deliver Him up ? What did Pilate and Herod think of
Him ? What else had Christ to suffer ?
26. What did they make Jesus carry ? Where, and between
whom, was He crucified ? How were then the prophecies ful-

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 23
o-ierced with nails ; the soldiers divided His garments
among them, and upon His vesture they cast lots.
\/hen tormented with burning thirst, they gave Him
vinegar iind gall to drink. Even the chief priests
and ancients scoffed at Him ; but Jesus suffered all
these cruelties "with the most wonderful patience and
meekness. Nay, He even prayed for His enemies,
saying: 'Father, forgive them', for they know not
what they do.' For three hours Jesus was hanging
upon the cross, suffering the most dreadful pains.
The sun was darkened, and all nature mourned. At
last, with a loud voice He exclaimed, ' It is consum
mated ; Father, into Thy hands I commend my
Spirit': and bowing His head, He gave up the* ghost.
The moment He expired the earth quaked, the iccks
split asunder, the veil of the temple was rent in two
from the top to the bottom, the graves were opened,
and many bodies of the Saints that had slept arose
and appeared in Jerusalem. The centurion or cap
tain and the soldiers, who stood near the cross, were
struck with awe, and said, ' Indeed this was the Son
of God.' Thus Jesus became ' the propitiation for
our sins ; and not for ours only, but also for those of
the whole world ' (1 John ii. 2).
27. It was on Good Friday, about three o'clock in
the afternoon, that Jesus expired. In order to assure
themselves that He was dead, one of the soldiers with
a spear opened His side, and immediately there came
out blood and water. His body was taken down from
the cross, and laid in a new sepulchre hewn out in a
rock. The Jews sealed it and set a guard before it.

filled in Him ? Whan hanging on the cross, how did He suffer,
and for whom did He pray ? How long did He hang on the cross?
What great miracle happened during that time ? How did our
Lord expire ? What miracles illustrated His death ? What
benefit did Jesus confer by His death on us and on the whole
world ?
27. On what day. and at what hour, did Jesus expire ? How
did they assure themselves of His death ? And what resulted
from this ? What was done with His sacred body ? What did

24 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
But early on the third day, before sunrise, there was a
great earthquake, and Christ crucified arose glorious
from the sepulchre. During forty days afterwards
He often appeared to His disciples, instructed them
concerning the kingdom of God — that is, the Church
— gave them power to forgive sins, and installed Peter
Head of the Church, with these words : ' Feed my
lambs ; feed my sheep ' (John xxi. 15, 17). When He
appeared for the last time in the midst of the eleven,
He commanded them to go into the whole world, to
preach the Gospel to all nations, and to baptize them
' in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost.' For that purpose He gave them
the same power which He had received from His
Heavenly Father, and promised to be with them all
days, even to the consummation of the world. Final
ly, on the fortieth day after His Resurrection, He led
His Disciples to. the Mount of Olives, where He lifted
up his hands over them, and, whilst He blessed them,
ascended in their sight up to Heaven.

HISTORY AFTER CHRIST.
I. From the Ascension of Christ to the Conversion
of Constantine.
28. Aftek the Ascension of our Lord, His disciples
returned to Jerusalem, where they persevered in prayer,
expecting the coming of the Holy Ghost, whom He
had promised to send them. In the meantime, the
Apostles chose Matthias one of the disciples, in the
His enemies then do ? When, and how, did Christ rise to life ?
How long did He yet remain on earth ? What did He do dur
ing that time ? What did He command His Apostles to do
when He appeared the last time among them ? What power,
and what promise, did He give them ? When, where, and how
did He ascend into Heaven ?
28. How did the disciples prepare for the coming of the

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 25
place of Judas. On the tenth day, the Feast of Pen
tecost, there came suddenly a sound from Heaven, as
of a mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where
they were assembled. Over the head of each one
there appeared the form of a fiery tongue ; and all of
them, being filled with the Holy Ghost, began to
speak in divers languages and to praise the Loid their
God. Peter, the Head of the Apostles, stood up and
declared to the innumerable multitude of the Jews
who had come together that the same Jesus whom
they had crucified, and whom God had raised from
the dead, was their Lord and Redeemer, and he called
upon them to believe in Him. His discourse was so
powerful that no less than three thousand came at
once and asked to be baptized. Soon after, Feter and
John went to the temple to pray. A lame man was
lying there at the gate, and asked an alms of them.
Peter said to him : ' Silver and gold I have none ; but
what I have I give thee : in the name of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth, arise and walk ' ; and forthwith the lame
man sprang to his feet and walked joyfully with them
into the temple, thanking and praising God. All the
people were filled with amazement at this miracle,
and five thousand more of them asked to be baptized.
29. The Apostles preached the Resurrection of Je
sus Christ with great power, and did many signs and
wonders. By this their authority increased so much
that the people brought the sick into the streets, in
order that, when Peter passed by, his shadow, at least,
might fall upon them, and deliver them from their in
firmities. The chief priests and their adherents, see
ing all this, were greatly exasperated. They caused
Holy Ghost ? Whom did the Apostles choose in the place of.
Judas ? When, and how, did the Holy Ghost come ? What
change did He produce in them ? What did Peter, the Head
of the Apostles, do ? What was the result of his sermon ? How
was the lame man at the temple-gate healed ? What effect had
this miracle on the Jews ?
29. By what else did the Apostles spread the doctrine of
Christ ? What did the people do in consequence of this ? What
impression did this make upon the chief priesta and their

26 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
the Apostles to be apprehended and scourged, and
forbade them to preach in the name of Jesus ; they
stirred up the people against them, insomuch that St.
Stephen was stoned to death ; and they perpetrated
many other acts of violence. But no earthly power
was able to prevent the spreading of the doctrine of
Jesus. The Apostles did not cease to preach the cru
cified Saviour, both in the temple and from house to
house ; and the number of those who presented them
selves to be baptized increased exceedingly every day.
Even Saul, afterwards called Paul, the most furious
enemy and persecutor of the Christians, became,
through the grace of God, an Apostle of Jesus Christ
and the most zealous propagator of the Gospel.
30. The new converts in Jerusalem and its neigh
borhood formed the first Christian community, call
ed the Church. Their conduct was unblemished and
irreproachable ; they served God with gladness and in
simplicity of heart. They all lived in the greatest
harmony, and had but one heart and one soul. None
of them suffered want ; for the rich willingly sold,
for the relief of the poor, what they could spare, such
as houses and lands, and laid the proceeds at the feet
of the Apostles, that they might divide them among
the needy. The Apostles wore the rulers of the
Church,as Christ had ordained; they taught, baptized,
and administered the other sacraments ; they managed
all ecclesiastical affairs, and governed Ihe community.
31. Although many of the Jews embraced the doc
trine of Christ, yet the greater part of them remained
obstinate and hardened. God, therefore, permitted
adherents ? What did they do to the Apostles ? Who was the
first martyr ? Did the Apostles, on being persecuted, cease
preaching ? What can you relate of St. Paul ?
30. Of whom was the first Christian community composed ?
What was their conduct, and how did they serve God ? Was
there any dissension amongst them ? Did any of them suffer
from want ? How were the poor relieved ? By what authority,
nnd how, did the Apostles govern this first community ?
31. Were the Jews all converted ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 27
the punishment they had been threatened with to be
inflicted upon them ; and in the seventieth year after
the birth of Christ Jerusalem was destroyed, and the
temple burnt, by the Romans. One million and a
hundred thousand Jews lost their lives, and the rest
were banished from their country and dispersed all
over the world, that they might be everywhere and at
all -times living witnesses of the Divine judgment.
The stubbornness of the Jews, and still more an ex
press command of God, had early determined the
Apostles to go and preach to the pagans or heathens.
Poor and persecuted though they were, they an
nounced to the nations of the earth the good tidings
of salvation, under thousands of hardships and jjerils,
even of death. Therefore God visibly blesseatheir
efforts ; and thirty years had scarcely elapsed after the
Descent of the Holy Ghost, when there were already
Christian communities in all parts of the world.
Over these Churches the Apostles placed bishops, to
whom they communicated their powers by special
forms of prayer and the imposition of hands, and
whom they appointed their substitutes and successors.
All these communities were most closely united to
gether, and formed, under their common Head, St.
Peter, the One, Universal — that is, Catholic — Church.
St. Peter was first Bishop of Antioch, and afterwards
Bishop of Rome, where he suffered martyrdom under
Nero a.d. 67 ; and then the supreme authority over
the whole Church devolved on his successors, the
Bishops of Rome, or the Popes.
Did those who refused to believe in Christ remain unpunished ?
What punishment was inflicted on them ? Why were they dis
persed all over fhe world ? What determined the Apostles to go
and preach to the pagans ? Under what difficulties, and with
what success, did they preach to them ? How did the Apostles
organize the new Christian communities ? Were these com
munities separated, and independent of one another ? Who
was their common Head ? What do we call all these com
munities together ? What is the meaning of Catholic ? Where
was St. Peter bishop, and where did he die ? Upon whom did
his supremacy over the whole Church devolve ?

28 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
32. The pagans were greatly alarmed at the rapid
spreading of the Christian religion, which openly
condemned their vicious lives and their monstrous
idolatry, and they resolved to exterminate it. The
Christians had either to abjure their faith or to die
under the most cruel torments. They were scourged
and lacerated, and were cast before wild beasts ; their
sides were torn with iron hooks or burnt with torches.
They were thrown into caldrons of boiling oil, muti
lated, sawn in pieces, and crucified. They were cov
ered with pitch and set fire to, that they might serve
to light the nocturnal games of the pagans. Every
where the Christians suffered tortures beyond all de
scription. The whole earth was drenched with their
blood, and hundreds of thousands of every age, sex,
and condition died under the most dreadful torments.
Rome especially, the capital of paganism, and the
seat of all the abominations of idolatry, overflowed,
as it were, with the blood of the Christians. The
number of those who suffered martyrdom in that city
surpasses all belief ; and their bones, which are still
to be seen in the subterraneous caverns or Catacombs,
where they were entombed by their fellow-Christians,
are witnesses of it to this day.
33. These terrible persecutions lasted, with few in
terruptions, for three hundred years. Had Christi
anity been the work of man, it would certainly have
been extirpated by the blind fury of its enemies ; but
being the work of Jesus, the Son of God, it took
deeper and deeper root, and spread more and more
over the world. The signs and wonders which
the confessors of Christ did, but, above all,

32. What impression did the spreading of Christianity
make on the pagans ? How did they expect to exterminate it ?
What torments did they inflict upon the Christians ? Were
there many thus tortured and killed ? Where did the persecu
tion of the Christians chiefly rage ? Have we any evidonoe of
this nowadays f
33. How long did these persecutions last ? Was the Chris
tian religion extirpated by them ? Why not ? What con-

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. " 29
the imperturbable serenity of mind and cheerfulness
of heart with which they suffered the most cruel tor
ments and the most painful deaths, convinced the
pagans that only the God of the Christians could be
the true God. It even often happened that, whilst
the Christians were suffering these most horrible tor
tures, many of the pagan spectators were heard to
cry out : ' We also are Christians ; kill us together
with them ! ' and thus the blood of the martyrs was
the fruitful seed from which new Christians continu
ally sprang up.
34. By permitting all this, God had sufficiently
shown to the world that the establishment of the
Church was His work, and that all the power* of the
earth could not prevail against her. He now bestowed
peace on her by calling Constantine the Great to be
the protector of Christianity. This Emperor, while
still a pagan, was at war with Maxentius. Seeing
that his enemy's army was far greater than his, Con
stantine prayed fervently to the true God for assist
ance ; and behold, a bright cross appeared in the sky
to him and to his whole army, with the following in
scription upon it : 'In this sign thou shalt conquer.'
In imitation of this cross, Constantine ordered a ban
ner to be made, and had it carried before his army in
battle. He then bravely attacked the superior forces
of Maxentius, and overcame them; and from that
time (a.d. 312) Constantine became the defender and
protector of Christianity.
vinced the pagans of the Divine origin of Christianity ? What
occurred oftentimes while the Christians were tortured ? With
What, then, may the blood of the martyrs justly be compared ?
34. Why did God permit these persecutions ? Whom did
He call to put an end to them ? Who was Constantine, and
what can you relate concerning his victory ? In what year did
Constantine gain the battle and become the protector of Chris
tianity ?

30 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
II. From the Conversion of Constantine to the Rise of
Protestantism in the Sixteenth Century.
35. The cross, that had hitherto been the sign of
the greatest ignominy, now became a sign of honor and
victory. It glittered on the imperial crown of Con
stantine, and was displayed in Rome — till then the
principal seat of paganism — on the pinnacle of the
temple of Jupiter, the Capitol; and it thus announced
the triumph of the crucified God-Man to the whole
world. Constantine granted the free practice of their
religion to the Christians, built splendid churches for
them, and showed marks of great honor and distinc
tion to priests, and especially to the Popes. His ex
ample prompted thousands of the pagans to embrace
the Divine doctrine ; and the idols were soon aban
doned and their temples deserted. In a short time
paganism was completely overthrown throughout the
Roman Empire, and the Christian Religion was per
manently established.
36. The Catholic Church had now to gain victories
of another kind — namely, over her internal enemies,
the heretics. Several heretical and schismatical doc
trines had already been broached at different times
and in different places ; they had, however, soon dis
appeared. But now, by God's permission, some new
heretics arose, and gained many followers by cunning
and fraud. They impudently left the Church, and
formed separate and vast communions or sects,
which were mostly named after their founders ; as
the Arians, Nestorians, Eutychians, Pelagians, etc.
35. What had the cross been before this, and what did it
become now ? Where was it particularly seen, and what did it
announce to the world ? What did Constantine do for the
Christian Religion ? What effect had his example upon the
pagans ? What became of paganism, and what was established
m its place ?
36. Were the contests of the Church now at an end ? Who
were her new enemies ? Had there not been heresies before ?
And what was the difference between them and these new
ones ? Whence did the sects take their names ? How did they

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 31
•
These heretics often succeeded in gaining the favor
of princes and emperors, under whose protection
they most cruelly oppressed and persecuted the faith
ful. In the same way as the Apostles had formerly
assembled in order to settle, by the inspiration of the
Holy Ghost and under the presidency of St. Peter,
such differences as had arisen in matters of religion
(Acts xv.), so now also their successors, the bishops
of the Catholic Church, assembled under the presi
dency of the Pope1,.*- or of his legates, consulted about
the heretical doctrines, and then condemned them.
Such an assembly of bishops is called a General
Council ; and the decisions of such a council in mat
ters of faith, when confirmed by the Pope, ar»infalli-
ble, because they proceed from the Church, which the
Holy Ghost invisibly governs and preserves from all
error. One of the most famous councils is that of
Nice, in Bithynia, which was held in 325. Three
hundred and eighteen bishops were assembled there ;
and amongst them were many holy men who, during
the persecutions, had suffered for Christ's sake, and
had lost their hands or eyes. They unanimously con
demned the impious doctrine of Arins, who obsti
nately maintained that Jesus Christ was not God from
all eternity, and they cut him off from the communion
of the faithful. Although this sect, called Arians,
was at that time very powerful, the Church, by her
solemn decision, had set the seal of reprobation on it,
and consequently it'was gradually to vanish from the
face of the earth. The same sentence of condemna
tion was passed on all the other heresies that sprang
up in subsequent ages ; and however hard the con-
behave towards the faithful ? How did the Church oppose
these heresies ? What is the name of a general assembly of
the bishops of the Catholic Church ? When and why are the
decisions of a General Council infallible ? When was the
Council of Nice held ? How many, and what, bishops were
assembled there ? What, sentence did they pass ? What error
did Arius maintain ? What became of these sectarians after
their condemnation ? How did it fare with all subsequent
heresies ? And what became of the Catholic Church ?

32 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
flicfcs were in which the Church had to engage, she
has always come off victorious.
37. During this period, God illustrated His Church
also by many holy and learned men who glorious! j
defended the true doctrine. They are called Doctors
of the Church, or Fathers of the Church. Such were
St. Athanasius, Patriarch of Alexandria, who had to
endure from the Arians a long and severe persecution
for the true faith (d. 373) ; St. Basil the Great,
Archbishop of Csesarea (d. 379) ; St. Gregory Nazian-
zen (d. 389), and St. John, surnamed Chrysostom,
that is, Golden Mouth (d. 407), both Patriarchs of
Constantinople ; St. Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem
(d. 386), and St. Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria (d.
444) ; St. Ambrose, Archbishop of Milan (d. 397) ;
St. Jerome, celebrated for his Latin translation of
the Holy Scriptures, called the Vulgate (d. 420);
St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo in Africa, one of
the brightest luminaries of the Church (d. 430) ; and
the holy Popes St. Leo the Great (d. 461) and St
Gregory the Great (d. 604). Whilst the Holy Father
of the Church especially distinguished themselves as
defenders of the true faith, the Hermits, or Solitaries,
and monks, shone as models of the most austere pen
ance. The hermits were pious Christians who fled
from the seductive pleasures of the world, to prepare
themselves in solitude, by prayer and self-denial, for
a happy death. A cavern in a rock, or a hut made
of branches, was their abode ; the bare ground, or a
few leaves, their bed ; roots and herbs were their food,
and water was their drink. They renounced all the
comforts of life, that they might entirely die to the
world, and live only for God. The first hermit was
37. By whom did God especially illustrate His Church at
this time ? How are those holy and learned men called ? Can
you name any of them ? Did any other men distinguish them
selves in the Church about this time ?# Who were the hermits ?
What was their abode ? What was their food and drink ? Why
did they renounce all comforts ? Who were the first and most
famous hermits f What did the solitary Life give rise to

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. t>5
St. Paul, who died about 340. St. Antony, to satisfy
the importunities of others, built the first monastery,
and is called the Patriarch of Monks (d. 356). Thus
the Solitary Life gave rise to the Monastic Life,
which was so opportunely and successfully propagated
in the West by the great St. Benedict, noted for the
wonders he had done. For, not to speak of his mir
acles, we may safely say that Europe is especially in
debted to the religious order he established for the
cultivation of its soil and the conversion of its in
habitants. He died in 543. St. Augustine, the
Apostle of England, was a Benedictine monk, and
introduced this order into England in 596.
38. In the fifth and six centuries the Chui»h was
exposed to new dangers, when rapacious pagan na
tions left their own wild homes, and overran the
Christian countries in countless swarms, laying waste
all before them with fire and sword. This is called
the Migration of Nations. Some of them were named
Huns, Alans, Heruli, Goths, Suevi, Lombards, Bnr-
gundians, Vandals, Franks, Angles, Saxons; but the
most merciless and savage of all these barbarian tribes
were the Huns, under their king, Attila, who called
himself the Scourge of .God. The most celebrated
towns were utterly destroyed, and whole countries
laid waste and almost depopulated. The Roman
Empire, more than one thousand years old, and once
so powerful, could no longer resist these savage tribes,
and was at last completely overthrown. Odoacer,
King of the Heruli, took Rome, and was proclaimed
afterwards ? Who built the first monastery ? Who particu
larly advanced the Monastic Life in Europe ? For what is
Europe especially indebted to the Benedictine Order ? When,
and by whom, was it introduced into England ?
38. What was the cause of the dangers to which the Church
was exposed during the fifth and sixth centuries ? What is this
called in history ? Can you name any of these rapacious
tribes ? Which of them was the most savage and cruel ? Who
was their king, and what did he call himself ? Did these
savage tribes do much harm ? What became of the Roman
Empire ? Who was made King of Italy ? In what year ? By

34 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
King of Italv in 476. It is impossible to describe
the extent of misery which these barbarous hordes
inflicted on all Europe, until finally God subdued and
civilized them by means of that very Church which
they had threatened with destruction. Holy men
were sent by the Popes to announce the good tidings
of salvation to them. They took the cross and the
Gospel in their hands ; and although they were ex
posed to the greatest dangers, they preached, with no
less courage and confidence in God, the doctrine of
the Saviour of the world. St. Patrick was sent by
Pope Celestine, in a.d. 432, to Ireland, and labored
there for many years, converting the entire king
dom to Christianity, and establishing many epis
copal sees, churches, and monasteries. This is the
only instance in the history of the Church of the
conversion of an entire people without a single
martyrdom. St. Patrick has been deservedly styled
the Avostle of Ireland, and Ireland was called the
Island' of Saints. In the fifth, sixth, seventh, and
eighth centuries Germany was also converted and
civilized. St. Severinus is called the Apostle of
Austria, because he converted that country to the
Christian faith. He died in 482. St. Colum-
ban and St. Gall, both natives of Ireland, preached
near the Lake of Constance and in Switzerland ;
St. Kilian, a holy Irish monk, and St. Willibald, an
English West-Saxon, in Franconia ; St. Rupert and
St. Corbinian, both French missionaries, in Bavaria
and the surrounding countries ; St. Ludger, a native
of Friesland, in Westphalia ; St. Anscharius, a French
Benedictine monk, in Scandinavia and Lower Ger
many (d. 865). But the most indefatigable and suc
cessful preacher of the Gospel in Germany was St.
what means did God subdue the barbarians ? How was this
done ? When was Ireland converted, and by whom ? What
peculiarity was there in the conversion of the Irish ? In
what centuries was Germany converted and civilised ? Who
is the Apostle of Austria ? Can you name any more of the
missionaries to whom Germany owes its conversion ? Who

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 35
Winfrid or Boniface, who is therefore justly called
the Apostle of the Germans. He was born at Credi-
ton, in Devonshire, about the year 680, and was a
Benedictine monk at Exeter. On account of his
great merits he was created Archbishop of Mentz in
732, by Pope Gregory III. ; and whilst he was en
gaged in preaching the Gospel to the infidel inhabi
tants of the northern parts of Friesland, he was
martyred, in 755. As soon as the missionaries had
got a footing in a country, they made it their first
business to erect one or several monasteries. These
sanctuaries of religion then sent forth holy men to
spread the seeds of Christianity over the country, es
tablished schools for the education of young pnests,
and taught the barbarians to leave off their savage
manners, and to follow peaceful and useful occupa
tions. Thus the wild Germans were taught agricul
ture, the duties of domestic life, trades, and mechan
ical arts. By the industry and labor of the monks
deserts were changed into rich fields, and dark forests
into pleasant abodes; in all respects they were the
greatest benefactors of mankind. The Emperor
Charlemagne, who had especially the propagation
and prosperity of the Christiau Church at heart,
founded more than twenty-four monasteries, and
erected several episcopal sees, which he most liber
ally endowed with lands and estates. His example
was followed by the pious King Stephen, to whom
Hungary is indebted for her conversion to Christianity.
39. Whilst the Christian faith was propagated' in
is called the Apostle of the Germans ? Where was he born ?
To what order did he belong ? Of what town was he made
Archbishop ? How, and in what year, did he die ? What die1
the missionaries usually do when they had'settled in a country i'
What did, then, the monasteries do for the spreading and
strengthening of the faith ? For what else is Germany indebt
ed to the monks ? What emperor in those days interested
himself particularly for the prosperity of the Christian Church,
and what did he do ? To whom does Hungary owe her conver
sion ?
39. What happened in the East, whilst the Christian feith

36 A Catechisnl of the Catholic Religion.
the West with gratifying success, most fatal and de
plorable disturbances arose in the East. The Greek
Emperors at Constantinople, instead of humbly sub
mitting themselves to the Church, wanted to rule her,
and obtrude upon her .their opinions as articles of
faith. The people were heedless, the clergy frequent
ly forgot their duties, and pride and dissension sup
plied at last what was still wanting to bring about
that lamentable Schism by which the greater portion
of the Greek or Eastern Church seceded from the
Pope, the common Head of the Church of Christ
(a.d. 1054). But God did not delay to inflict upon
them the punishment they had so well deserved. As
informer times He had chastised the Israelites for the
neglect of His laws, so He now punished the degene
rate Christians also. In the beginning of the seventh
century (a.d. 622), there had appeared in Arabia an
arrogant impostor called Mahomet, who pretended to
be a messenger of God, and patched up a new religion
out of Pagan, Jewish, and Christian observances and
doctrines. At the head of a band of robbers, he first
plundered caravans, soon after took cities and coun
tries, and, sword in hand, forced the inhabitants to
embrace his religion. His successors, who were called
Caliphs, continued, by the force of arms, to subdue
one country after another in Asia and Africa, and to
spread the doctrine of their false prophet, and, at the
same time, barbarism, profligacy, and the most op
pressive slavery. Christianity, it is true, was not en
tirely rooted out in those countries; but being separat
ed from the true Church, it fell into a state of tor
pidity and debasement, under which it is still languish- •
ing at the present time.
fras successfully spread in the West ? Who was the chief cause
Of those disturbances ? To what were the people and the clergy
inclined ? What was the unfortunate result of all this ? Did
God suffer all this to remain unpunished ? Who was Mahomet f
What did he pretend to be ? Of what did he form his new reli
gion ? How did he spread it ? , What did his successors do ?
Was the Christian religion totally destroyed under them 1
What became of it, and what was the reason ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 37
40. In the year 637 Jerusalem, the capita] of the
Roly Land or- Palestine, had fallen under the pow^r
of the Mahometans or Saracens (i.e., Arabians ; so
called from sara, a desert), and had groaned under
their yoke four hundred and forty-two years, when, in
1079, it was conquered, together with the fairest por
tions of Western Asia, by the Seljukian Turks, a Tar
tar tribe, who came in 1048 from the Caspiati Sea, and
had in the eighth century embraced Mahometanism.
The latter were the most relentless foes of .Christianity.
The enormities which they committed in the Holy
Land, and the cruel treatment which they inflicted
upon the Christian pilgrims who resorted thither
from the West, gave rise, about the close *>f the
eleventh century, to the Crusades. Peter of Amiens,
a pious hermit, who had made a pilgrimage to Jeru
salem, reported to Pope Urban II. how the Holy
Places, where our Saviour had lived and suffered, were
profaned by the Infidels, and to what outrages the
Christians were there exposed. The Pope was so sen
sibly affected that he resolved to put an end to the
insolence and insatiable rapacity of the Mahometans.
He summoned the Christian princes and knights to a
Council at Clermont in Auvergne (a.d. 1095), called
upon them to engage in a military expedition against
the Infidels, and excited their enthusiasm to such a
pitch that the whole assembly spontaneously ex
claimed, 'God wills it ! God wills it! ' This cry re
echoed through the whole West, and shortly after
there stood ready a tremendous host of men armed at
all points. They wore, as a badge of their engage-
40. In what year did Jerusalem fall under the power of the
Mahometans ? What do you understand by Mahometans, and.
what by Saracens ? When was Jerusalem conquered by the
Turks ? What do you call those Turks, and whence did they
come ? What was their religion ? Were they friends of the
Christians ? What was the cause of the Crusades ? Who was
Peter of Amiens, and what did he report to Urban II. ? What
did the Pope do ? What did he effect at the Council of Cler
mont ? In what year was the Council of Clermont held ? What
ensued in the West ? What is the origin of the name of Cru-

3 8 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
ment, a red cross on their right shoulder, whence ori-
giriated the name of Crusaders and Crusade. Full
of joy and courage, they marched to Palestine. After
having endured inexpressible hardships, and fought
many a hot battle, they at last took Jerusalem; and
the brave hero, Godfrey of Bouillon, Duke of Lor
raine, was proclaimed King a.d. 1099. Being present
ed with a golden crown, he refused to wear it, saying
that he would never consent to wear a crown of gold
where the Redeemer of the world had worn a crown
of thorns ; and he never gave himself any other title
but that of Duke Godfrey. The new kingdom, how
ever, lasted only eighty-eight years. Owing to the
treachery of the Greeks, and to the want of discipline
and harmony among the Crusaders, it was unable to
resist the superior forces of the Turks, although it
repeatedly obtained auxiliaries from the West ; and
thus Jerusalem was taken by Saladin, Sultan of Egypt,
jn 1187. About the year 1300, fresh hordes of Turks,-
called the Ottomans, poured down from Tartary, sub
dued the Seljukians, and extended their conquests
over Western Asia, Rumelia, Moldavia, Servia, Bul
garia, Greece, and the Morea ; until at last, under
that monster of brutality and voluptuousness called
Mahomet (II.) the Great, they rendered themselves
masters of Constantinople, the capital of the Greek
Empire (a.d. 1453), which calamity God no doubt
permitted in punishment for the grievous offences it
had committed against Him. The further progress
of the Turks, however, was checked by the ardent
zeal and heroic valor of the Christian princes Hun-

sade ? What can you relate of the first Crusade ? In what
year was Jerusalem taken ? What can you relate of Godfrey of
Bouillon ? How long did the Christian kingdom of Jerusalem last ?
What caused its fall ? When, and by whom, was it conquered ?
About what year, and by what Turks, were the Seljukians sub
dued, and how far did they extend their conquests ? In what
year, and by whom, was Constantinople taken ? Who checked
the further progress of the Turks ? By Whom were they at last

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 39
iades and Scanderheg, of the Knights Hospitallers of
St. John of Jerusalem (who from 1310 were called
Knights of Rhodes, and from 1530 Knights of Malta),
and of other Christian Orders of Chivalry, till they
were at last completely overthrown by the united
forces of the Pope, of Spain, and of Venice, and by the
evident help of the glorious Mother of God, in the
famous battle of Lepanto (a.d. 1571). The result of
this victory was notNmly a check to the progress of
the Ottomans, but also the beginning of the decline
of their power; and thus Cathplic Europe, and es
pecially Germany, was saved from the imminent dan
ger of being likewise overrun and subjugated by those
ferocious Infidels.
41. In the Western countries of Europe, ike Cru
sades everywhere roused the people to a more vigorous
exertion of their mental powers, and to a new spiritual
life. During the destructive Migration of Nations
(§ 38), the sciences had found an asylum in the mon
asteries ; but now they spread among the people, and
were ardently cherished by them Celebrated schools
and universities were established ; and men of won
derful erudition, as St. Anselm (d. 1109), Albertus
Magnus (d. 1280), St. Thomas of Aquino (d. 1274),
and others, occupied the professorial chairs. Those
times, generally called ' The Middle Ages,' are still
more renowned for the lustre of Christian virtues, for
the firmness of faith, for childlike simplicity, and
for an ardent love of God and man. Even at the
present time we behold with surprise and wonder
those ancient gigantic cathedrals which were erected
by the piety of our ancestors ; and we are enraptured
at the most tender devotion, expressed in the paint-
completely overthrown ? In what battle, and in what year ?
What was the result of this victory ?
41. What influence had the Crusades on Western Europe ?
Where had the sciences found an asylum during the invasions
by the barbarians, and among whom were they now spread ?
What learned men of those times can you name ? What do we
call those times, and what are they particularly remarkable

4o A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
ings and statues with which they adorned the build
ings consecrated to God. Such great and charming
works could only be produced by the Religion which
filled their hearts and governed all their actions.
This same Religion also poured out the greatest bless
ings over the earth through the holy Founders of
Religious Orders, St. Romuald (d. 1027), St. Bruno
(d. 1101), St. Norbert (d. 1134), St. Bernard (d.
1153), St. Dominic (d. 1221), St. Francis of Assisium,
surnamed the Seraphic (d. 1226), and many other
men of God. The niimerous monasteries which they
built not only produced many great Saints and en
lightened prelates, but they also cherished piety and
religious zeal among the lower classes of the people.
They relieved the wants of the poor, sheltered and
nursed the sick, and redeemed those who had been
made prisoners and slaves ; they sent missionaries
into all parts of the world, and obtained, by their
devout prayers, abundant graces from Heaven on
countries and nations.
42. In the meantime, there appeared also an ex
uberant growth of cockle among the wheat in the field
of God (Matt, xiii.) There were pernicious feuds and
wars, various acts of injustice and violence, and many
scandals. In several places, and particularly in Ger
many, the custom had been introduced by temporal
princes of putting the newly elected bishops and
abbots in possession of their benefices by giving
them the Ring and the Crosier, the symbols of Pas
toral authority, which ceremony was called Investi
ture, and seemed to imply the conferring of spiritual
for ? What monuments give, even at the present time, evidence
of the piety of our ancestors ? What enabled them to produce
such stupendous works ? Through whom in particular did the
Catholic Religion pour out its blessings at that time ? What
fruits did the numerous monasteries bring forth ?
42. Was there in those times no cockle in the field of God ?
What kind of cockle was it ? What custom had been intro
duced in some places by the temporalprinces ? What is sym
bolized by the Ring and Crosier ? What was this ceremony
called, and what did it seem to imply ? What did. the Emperor

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 41
jurisdiction. Not content with this, the Emperor
Henry IV. used to bestow bishoprics and abbeys
upon the most unworthy candidates, and even on
such as offered him the largest sums of money. Pope
Gregory VII. courageously inveighed against those
crying abuses; and hence ensued, about 1076, a long
and tedious contest, called The Contest of Investiture,
out of which the Church indeed came forth victori
ous, but not till after many hard trials. After that
there arose heretics who kindled the fire of revolt
first against the Ecclesiastical, and then against the
Secular authorities ; as in France the Albigenses, in
Upper Italy the Waldenses, in England the Wickliff-
ites or Lollards, in Bohemia the Hussites. Peace, it
is true, was restored to the Church, and mefl, mighty
in words and deeds, as St. Vincent Ferrer (d. 1419)
and St. John Capistran (d. 1456), went through the
countries of Europe, preaching penance to princes
and people. Nevertheless an unholy fire lay hidden
under the ashes ; feelings of disrespect and hostility
to the Church, and a fondness for innovations, had
gained ground, and were increased by many other at
tendant evils. Nothing was wanted for the fatal
eruption of this volcano of wickedness and rebellion
but an opportunity ; and this presented itself in the
beginning of the sixteenth century in Germany.
Like a contagious disease, this lamentable evil spread
abroad ; thousands and thousands abandoned the
Catholic Church ; bloody wars, revolts, and corrup
tion of morals ensued; the most splendid establish
ments, founded by the piety of former ages, were
destroyed, and unspeakable misery was prepared both
for time and eternity.
Henry IV. use to do ? Who opposed him ? What is this con
test called, and when did it take place ? How did the Church
get out of it ? What evil came afterwards on the West of
Europe ? Which were the most notorious hereMcs of that
time ? Whom did God send to preaehpenance to them ? Was
the evil then entirely suppressed ? How and when did the
slumbering fire break out into a flame ? What was the conse
quence of this ?

42 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
III. From the Rise of Protestantism to Pope Pius IX.
43. Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk and a
professor in the University of Wittenberg, a man of
an irritable and turbulent disposition, began in 1517
by exclaiming against the abuses which are said to
have been practised in the publication of the Indul
gences granted by Pope Leo X. to those who should
contribute to the rebuilding of St. Peter's Church in
Rome. But soon after he arbitrarily set himself up
as a reformer of the Church, inveighed agaihst the
Ecclesiastical authorities, especially against the Pope,
whose supreme power he denounced as usurpation
and tyranny, and which he said he would bring to a
miserable end. In pursuance of his wrong views, he
rejected many articles of faith which the Church had
received from Christ and His Apostles. He discarded
the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Fasting, Confession,
Prayers for the Dead, and many other pious practices ;
he declared good works to be useless, and taught that
man is justified and saved by faith alone. Moreover,
he threw open the monasteries and convents, and
gave leave to the monks and nuns to marry ; and he
presumed to award to princes and sovereigns the
right of confiscating the property of churches and
convents, and of assigning it to any use they pleased.
Finally, he broke the vow of chastity which he had
solemnly made as a monk and as a priest, and com
mitted the double sacrilege of taking a nun for his
wife. Luther boasted that he took his doctrine from
the Bible only; but being misled by the false rule of
private judgment in its interpretation, he soon fell
into the most palpable contradictions and errors.
43. Who was the author of Protestantism ? What sort of
a man was he ? When and how did he begin his conflict with
the Church ? Did he stop there ? How did he behave towards
the Pope ? What innovations did he introduce ? What did
he do with regard to monasteries, monks, and nuns ? What
pretended right did he give to princes and sovereigns ? Was
his conduct edifying ? Whence did he pretend to take his doc
trine ? How did he interpret the Bible ? Did he teach the pure

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 43
Thus he asserted that ' man has no free will, and con
sequently can neither keep the commandments nor
avoid evil ' ; * ' that sin does not condemn man, pro
vided he firmly believe,' f etc. Nevertheless, he
soon obtained many followers ; for the thoughtless
multitude were very much pleased with such easy
doctrine, which allowed them to lead a dissolute life
and covetous princes found nothing more conforma
ble to their wishes than the suppression of churches
and monasteries. Besides, Luther eagerly embraced
any opportunity of increasing his party, and for this
purpose he permitted the Landgrave of Hesse to con
tract a second marriage whilst his .first wife ^vas still
living. The way of innovation and revolt being once'
opened by Luther, several others soon followed him,
and they went even further than he did. Zwinglius,
in Switzerland, denied the real presence of Jesus
Christ in the Holy Eucharist. Calvin, at Geneva,
taught that ' God has predestined a part of mankind,
without any fault of theirs, to eternal damnation,
aud that therefore He blinds and hardens the heart
of sinners.' % The Anabaptists proclaimed a kingdom
of Christ on earth, in which there was to be no private
property, no law, no magistrates. Zwinglius, Calvin,
and other Sectarians totally demolished in the
churches what had been spared by Luther. The
images of the Crucified Redeemer and of the Saints,
pictures as well as statues, and masterpieces of art,
were hewn in pieces; the organs and altars were
shattered ; nay, even the graves were ransacked, and
the bones of the Saints trampled upon and burnt to

Word of God ? Can you name any of bis errors ? How was
his doctrine received by the people, and how by some Princes ?
What did he do to gain the favor of the Landgrave of Hesse ?
Did any imitate Luther's example ? Where and what did
Zwinglius teach ? Where and what did Calvin teach ? What
did the Anabaptists proclaim 1 What havoo did the Zwinglians
and the Calvinists make ? Did the different Sects agree among
* De Servo Arbitrlo. , __ .
+ Bpist. ad Melaneht. an. 1531. De Captivtt. Bobyl. torn. H. fol. 281.
tlnstit. Belig. Christ.

44 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
ashes. Although these pretended Reformers com
bated and anathematized one another, nevertheless
their several doctrines spread most rapidly. United
only in their hatred against the Catholics, they con
trived all imaginable measures to gain the superiority
over them. By thousands and thousands of pam
phlets they disseminated their erroneous principles,
and, at the same time, they most virulently attacked
and calumniated the Pope and the Catholic Clergy.
Moreover, in many places crying acts of violence
were committed, and people were forced by all sorts
of oppression and persecution to renounce the Holy
Catholic Faith.
44. The Catholics, on their part, made several at
tempts to restore peace to the Church, by entering into
amicable discussions with their opponents ; but the
hatred which Luther bore to the Pope, the Head of
the Church, continued implacable. To check the pro
gress of heresy and wickedness, the Emperor Charles
V. assembled in 1529 a second Diet at Spire, where
a decree was issued that, until the decision of a
General Council, Lutheranism should be tolerated
wherever it had already been established, but should
not be spread any further ; that no one should be
hindered from saying or hearing Mass ; and that all
invectives against any religion should be prohibited.
The Lutherans protested against this decree, and
from this circumstance is derived their name of
Protestants ; which appellation has since been given
also to the other Sects into which they have divided.
At length the Holy Father convoked a General
Council at Trent, in the* Tyrol, in the year 1545.
themselves ? Did their disagreement prevent the spread of their
doctrines ? In what were they united ? What measures did they
contrive to propagate their principles ?, What means did they
use in many places to make the Catholics renounce their faith ?
44. What did the Catholics do for the restoration of peace,
and what was the result ? In what year, and by whom, was
the Diet of Spire assembled ? What famous decree was issued
there ? How did the name of Protestants originate ? Are only
the Lutherans now called Protestants ? What measures did

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 45
The doctrine of the innovators was examined and
unanimously condemned; at the same time, many
excellent decrees concerning Ecclesiastical institu
tions and the reformation of abuses were issued ;
in a word, the vigorous and decisive action of this
Council gave fresh beauty and new life to the Catho
lic Church. The Protestants had been repeatedly
invited to the Council, as they had in the beginning
expressly wished for it in order to adjust their differ
ences ; but they refused to appear at Trent. Con
sequently, the unfortunate Schism continued, and
brought unspeakable misery and endless calamities
upon the greater part of Europe. Lusher had
preached liberty and reviled the Emperor, the princes,
and bishops ; the peasants lost no time in freeing
themselves from their masters. They traversed the
country in lawless bands, burnt down the castles and
monasteries, and committed the most horrible cruel
ties against the nobility and clergy. More than one
hundred thousand persons were slain during this
frightful insurrection (a.d. 1525). Other religious
wars ensued, and Germany, which once had been so
flourishing, became at last the scene of the most
frightful desolation and of the most horrible atroci
ties during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). The
other countries which had embraced the new doctrine
were likewise devastated by religious and civil wars.
In Switzerland, Zwinglius fell in a bloody battle
which he fought against his own countrymen. In
France, the Calvinists, called Huguenots, kept, with
a devastating army, the field for many years against
the Holy Father at last take ? In what year was the Council
of Trent convoked, and what was done by it ? What did the
Church gain by this Council ? Did the Protestants come to it ?
What was the effect of Luther's preaching liberty ? What took
place during the war of the peasantry ? Were there any other
wars in Germany, and how long did the great religious war
last in that country ? What was the consequence of this war ?
Were any other countries involved in war, and which ? Where
and how did Zwinglius end his life ? What are the French
Protestants called, and what atrocities did they commit ?

l6 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
the crown and the Church. In their blind fury,
they massacred numbers of priests, monks, and
nuns; they ravaged villages and towns, and burnt
or pulled down many thousands of churches, some
of which were magnificent monuments of Christian
art. England also suffered severely for her apostasy,
begun by King Henry VIII., who abandoned the
Catholic Church because the Pope would not allow
him to repudiate his lawful wife, Catharine, and
marry Anne Boleyn. From that time, the country
was drenched in human blood; even King Charles
I., a successor of the tyrannical Henry, was beheaded
by rebels who boasted of professing and practising
the pu.rest of all Christian Doctrines.
45. The loss which the Church had suffered from
the apostasy in Europe was to be amply compensated
by the conversion of innumerable heathens in other
parts of the globe. Missionaries went forth in every
direction, and announced the salutary doctrines of the
Gospel with wonderful success. It is truly astonish
ing what St. Francis Xavier, the Apostle of the In
dies, who was so eminently favored by Heaven, alone
accomplished. Glowing with zeal for the salvation of
the pagans, he crossed the vast ocean, and landing at
Goa, in the year 1542, he began his mission by walk
ing through the streets with a bell in his hand, and
calling the children to come and be instructed. They
joyfully attended and listened to the holy man, who
spoke to them' so affectionately of their dear Redeem
er. When they had returned home, they repeated
what they had heard, and so induced the adult persons
to come likewise and hear the holy preacher. God re
warded his zeal, and granted him, as He had done to
Who introduced Protestantism into England, and for what rea
son ? Did England gain anything by the change ? What do
you know of Charles I. ?
45. How was the Church compensated for her loss in Eu
rope ? How was this effected ? What is the name of the
Apostle of the Indies ? Where did he land, and in what vear ?
How did he begin his mission ? What did the children do ?
How did God reward and assist his zeal ? In what countries

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 47
the first Apostles, the power of healing the sick, of
raising the dead to life, of commanding the storms ;
in short, the power of working the most stupendous
miracles. With untiring energy he went from coun
try to country, from island to island, through all In
dia and Japan, and converted, in the short period of
ten years, many tribes and kingdoms. He himself
testifies in one of his letters that in one month he
administered Holy Baptism to ten thousand heathens.
After his death, other missionaries continued the pi
ous work, and introduced the Religion of Jesus into
China also, that immense, unknown, and till then in
accessible empire. That these heath enf had been
truly converted was proved in the most convincing
manner when the persecution of the Christians broke
out in Japan. About one million, one hundred
thousand * died for their faith, and the greatest part
of them were most horribly tortured. Even tender
children, weak old men, and women of rank hastened
with joy to martyrdom, dressed in their holiday attire,
as if they were going to a wedding feast. So sincere
and strong was their faith that even the survivors and
their children have continued to preserve it under
most adverse circumstances. Though shut out for
over two hundred years from the Christian world, and
without a priest, and subjected to tyranny and perse
cution, they taught the Catechism, recited the Catho
lic prayers they had learned, baptized thtir chil
dren, and strove to live piously. A few years ago the
Japanese were forced to repeal their laws for the
total exclusion of foreigners. Missionaries have
again entered, and have found villages of these faith
ful Japanese Catholics. In America also, that
did he work, and how long ? What was the result of his la
bors ? How many heathens did he christen or baptize in one
month ? Was Christianity also introduced into China ? How
was the sincerity of the new Christians, especially in Japan,
proved ? How many were martyred in Japan ? Does the
hatred against the Christians still continue there ? What can
* Some authors reckon 1,900,000.

48 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
newly-discovered world, the light of the Gospel
spread, and overthrew the most abominable idolatry
with all its horrors and vices. No people on earth
offered up more human sacrifices than the natives of
America. The Mexicans sacrificed about twenty thou
sand human victims every year, and when they had
no captives for this purpose, they did not spare eyen
their own children. It is impossible to describe what
the heroic missionaries suffered, and what dangers
they incurred among those bloodthirsty savages. They
had to struggle not only against the cruelties and
vicas of the natives, but also against the insatiable
avarice of the European settlers. Yet their labors
were crowned with success, and the Christian faith
was firmly and permanently established on this Conti
nent. The mission of Paraguay, in South America,
especially flourished. The brutish natives, who
lived among the wild beasts in the forests, who
thought of nothing but plundering, murdering, and
revenge, who delighted only in eating human flesh,
in voluptuousness and drunkenness, were transformed
by the" indefatigable missionary priests into devout
Christians. They became models of modesty and
charity, of innocence and piety, and by their untiring
industry and labor changed their wild country into a
delicious paradise.
46. The holy men who, with such indefatigable
zeal, ani often even to the shedding of their blood,
devoted themselves to the conversion of the pagans,
belonged for the most part to Religious Orders.
St. Francis Xavier, and those others who planted the
faith in China and Paraguay, were Jesuits — that is,
members of the Society of Jesus. This order was
you relate of America in general, and of Mexico in particular ?
Was the work of the missionaries easy there ? What particular
obstacles did they encounter ? Did they succeed the less for all
that ? How did the savages of Paraguay live ? What did they
become after their conversion to Christianity ?
48. To what class of men did most of the missionaries be
long ? Of what order were the Apostle of the Indies, and the
first planters of Christianity in China and Paraguay ? When,

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 49
founded in 1540 by St. Ignatius of Loyola, a man
filled with the most ardent zeal for the honor of God.
These religious exerted themselves especially in pro
pagating the Catholic Faith, and defending it against
the new-fangled doctrines ; and consequently they
drew upon themselves implacable hatred and grievous
persecutions from the enemies of Religion. God
raised also other orders, that might, in concert with
the Secular Clergy, heal the wounds which Luther and
other heretics had inflicted on the Church. The pi
ous Capuchins, who sprang in 1528 from the Order
of St. Francis of Assisiuui, labored especially for the
salvation of souls, and distinguished themselves by
their affectionate zeal and austere life. The Orato-
rians, or Fathers of the Oratory, which was founded
in 1574 by St. Philip Neri, devoted themselves to
prayer and the instruction of the people, to visiting
the hospitals, to attending the poor and the sick, and
to literary pursuits. The fathers of the Pious Schools
occupied themselves with the instruction of youth,
and other religious, again, with the nursing of the
sick. There arose also communities of religious wo
men for the training up of young girls to a pious and
godly life; as the Orders of the Visitation, of the
Ursulines, and of the Good Shepherd, and the Insti
tute of English Ladies.* Above all, this period was
and by whom, was this order established ? In what did these
religious especially exert themselves ? How were they requited
for their labor by the enemies of Religion ? Did God raise any
other orders at that time, and for what purpose ? When and
how did the Order of Capuchins originate, and by what were
they particularly conspicuous ? When and by whom was the
Oratory founded, and to what does it devote itself ? What was
the object of the fathers of the Pious Schools, and of other
orders ? What communities of religious women arose at that
time ? What do they devote themselves to ? What is the
origin of the Institute of the English Ladies ? In what was this
epoch especially rich ? Can you tell me anything remarkable
* This Institute was established in the Netherlands for English
ladies who were persecuted under Queen Elizabeth for their attach
ment to the Catholic Faith, and soon spread over Germany, where it
is still nourishing under the above name, though its members have
long ceased to be English.

50 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
exceedingly rich in heroes of faith and virtue. St.
Charles Borromeo, Cardinal Archbishop of Milan (d.
1584), set a bright example of true Christian charity
during the plague, by visiting the sick in the most
dangerous places, in lazarettos and hospitals, and by
giving up all his property, even his bed, for the relief
of the sufferers. St. Francis of Sales, Prince-Bishop
of Geneva (d. 1622), converted, by the irresistible
power of his meekness and humility, seventy-two
thousand Savoyards from the errors of Calvin to the
true Faith. St. Vincent of Paul (d. 1660) devoted
his whole life to the poor and distressed ; no misery,
of whatever kind or form, escaped the ardor and
abundance of his love. He founded orphanages and
foundlirg hospitals ; he established a Congregation
of Missionary Priests (called Lazarists, from St. Laza
rus' College in Paris) for the instruction of ignorant
country people ; an association for the refoiming of
convicts, and also the admirable Institute of the Sis
ters of Charity for nursing the sick. In Geimany,
especially in Austria and Bavaria, and in Switzer
land, the Venerable Peter Canisins opposed himself as
a mighty barrier against Heresy ; he combated it by
his writings and incessant preaching, and founded
schools and pious institutions for preserving and
enlivening the true Faith established by Christ and
His Apostles. The sixteenth and seventeenth centu
ries were also illustrated by St. John of God,- St.
John of the Cross, St. Thomas of Villanova, St. Ca-
jetan, St. Peter of Alcantara, St. Camillus of Lellis,
St. Joseph Calasanctins, St. Joseph of Cupertino, St.
Francis Borgia, St. Pins V., St. Fidelis of Sigma-
ringen, St. Aloysins Gonzaga, St. Stanislas Kostka,
of St. Charles Borromeo ? What do you know of St. Francis of
Sales ? What did St. Vincent of Paul in general do for the
temporal and eternal welfare of his fellow-men ? What chari
table institutions did he found in particular ? Who especially
labored in the sixteenth century in Germany and Switzerland for
the preservation of the true Faith ? Were there any other princi
pal Saints who shone in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries,

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 51
and by many other men eminent for the sanctity of
their lives ; and among the female sex were especially
distinguished St. Teresa, St. Rose of Lima, St. An
gela of Brescia, St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi, St.
Jane Frances de Chantal, St. Catherine of Ricci, etc.
Iu the eighteenth century there shone among others,
as one of the brightest ornaments of the Catholic
Church, St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori, Bishop of St.
Agatha, near Naples (d. 1787), who established the
Congregation of the Redemptorists for the instruc
tion of the people. All these Saints did great deedg
and wrought innumerable, miracles by their mighty
intercession with God ; and thus they»irrefragably
proved that the true spirit of Christianity, the spirit
of charity, of humility, and self-denial, had not de
parted from the Church, as the blind adversaries of
our faith unfortunately often assert.
47. Awful events, which make nature shudder, re
main as yet to be related. We would fain pass them
over in silence, if they were not most instructive for
us. As with all human productions, so it fared with
the doctrine of Luther ; it became antiquatsd, it
altered and entirely changed. Sects upon Sects
arose : Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Qua
kers, Methodists, Moravians, etc. Each one of these
Sects presumed, after the example of Luther, to
reform the faith. At last impious Free-thinkers,
first in England and afterwards in France, carried
their presumption to the highest pitch, and contrived
the infernal scheme totally to abolish Religion, and
to exterminate for ever the Belief in Christ. Under
the pretence of enlightening mankind, they deluged
and who were they ? Bywhat Saints was the female sex distin
guished at that time ? What Saint did particularly illustrate the
eighteenth century? What Religious Order did he found ? What
did all these Saints especially do, and what did they prove by
their works and miracles ? \
47. What became, in process of time, of the doctrine of
Luther ? What was the final result of its alterations and,
changes ? What did the Sectarianism lead to ? What did the\
Free-thinkers contrive to do ? What principal means did they

52 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
the world with writings in which they scoffed at all
holy things, grossly calumniated the Pope and the
Clergy, and openly advocated the most shameful li
centiousness. Their books, written in most attrac
tive language, and sparkling with witticism and
satire, .found their way too readily among all classes
of people, and at the same time the spirit of profli
gacy and impiety spread with surprising rapidity.
The enemies of God now felt themselves powerful
enough to execute their horrible plan. They first
attacked the Priesthood, that they might the more
easily scatter the sheep after they had smitten the
shepherd. The ecclesiastical property was confis
cated and sold in France about the close of the
eighteenth century ; the monks and nuns were turn
ed out of their peaceable abodes by force, and the
religious houses were plundered and pulled down.
Soon after, a sanguinary edict was issued against all
priests who should continue faithful to the discharge
of their duties. Was any one discovered refractory,
he was cast into prison, or immediately hanged up to
the nearest lamp-post. The Christian era was annul
led, the celebration of the Sundays and Festivals was
abolished, the churches were profaned and devastated.
Everything that reminded them of Christianity was
destroyed. Finally, the madness of these men ar
rived at such a pitch, that they proclaimed Reason to
be the Supreme Being, and conducted a vile woman
as an emblem of the Deity, on a triumphal car, into
the Cathedral of Paris, where they placed her on the
high altar, in the place of the figure of our Crucified
Redeemer, and sang hymns in her honor. Order,
prosperity, and public safety disappeared together
make use of ? Why were their books well received by the peo-
ple ? Whom did the infidels first attack, and why ? What
became of the ecclesiastical property, the monks and nuns, and
the religious houses ? What edict was issued against the priests ?
What did the infidels do to destroy the very name of Christian
ity ? With what particular infamy did they brand themselves
in their madness ? Why did prosperity and public safety dis-

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 53
with Religion ; even the throne was overturned and
shattered to pieces. Louis XVI., a pious and bene
volent but rather too good-natured King, -was be
headed in 1793, and soon after him his wife and his
sister suffered the same death. France was for two
years the scene of such horrible atrocities as are un
equalled in the annals of history. Human blood
flowed in torrents. Neither age nor sex was safe
from the fury of those monsters. In the Vendee,
five hundred children, the oldest of whom was four
teen, were shot, because their fathers remained
faithful to God and their King. The total number
of the people slaughtered in this Reign of Terror
was, according to some, two millions. And all this
was done under the pretence of promoting the
happiness of mankind. Enlightenment was their
word when they abolished Religion ; Liberty and
Equality, when they murdered their fellow-men.
At last the sanguinary despots began to tremble for
their own lives, and, in order to stop the complete
anarchy that prevailed, they solemnly proclaimed
that the nation should once more believe in God and
the immortality of the soul. In the year 1799,
Napoleon, in quality of First Consul, seized upon
the sovereign power ; but he did not venture to
govern a people without Religion. He therefore
restored the Catholic Religion in France, and made
a solemn Concordat with the Pope (a.d. 1801). How
ever, the Church did not long enjoy this peace.
Napoleon, blinded by fortune, attempted to extort
from the Supreme Head of the Church certain
concessions which he could not grant. The French
troops invaded Rome, and carried away Pius VII.

appear ? What happened to Louis XVI. and his family ?
What became then of France ? Were children, at least, spared ?
How many people are said to have been slaughtered during the
Reign of Terror ? Under what pretence were all these horrible
crimes committed ? What did the impious wretches finally do
in the utmost necessity ? By whom, when, and why was the
Catholic Religion restored in France ? Did fNapoleon remain a

54 A Catechism of tfie Catholic Religion.
prisoner in 1809. But as God had visibly protected
His Church ten years before, when Pope Pius VI.
had died a captive at Valence in France, so now He
did not abandon her to her enemies. Napoleon was
vanquished by the Confederate Powers of Europe,
and dispossessed of his crown, and the Pope re-en
tered triumphant into Rome (a.d. 1814). Pius VII.
was succeeded in the Holy See by Leo XII., Pius
VIII., Gregory XVI., and Pius IX. ; and from the
20th of February, 1878, the Papal throne has been
occupied by Leo XIII., who, in an uninterrupted
succession of Popes from St. Peter, is the two hun
dred and sixty-third. (See pp. 61-66.)
48. By this terrible French Revolution, Divine Pro
vidence intended to show to the world what misery
awaits those who fall off from God and the Religion
of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, this warning was
not generally heeded, and the pretended enlightening
system of the French Free-thinkers was also adopted
in other countries. Many ancient and venerable in
stitutions were abrogated, monasteries and convents
were suppressed, the authority and influence of the
Church diminished, her rights derogated, her benefits
.and blessings disowned, and shameless infidelity,
with its pernicious principles, was publicly taught in
the universities. However, Almighty God has not
ceased to protect His Church, and even to glorify her
by many incontestable miracles. But the greatest
miracle, perhaps, is the continual spreading of the
Church in all parts of the world, notwithstanding the

faithful son of the Church ? How did he treat Pius VTI. ?
Did God ever withdraw His band from the Church ? What be
came of Napoleon, and what of the Pope ? In what year did
Pius VII. return to Rome ? Who were his successors ? Who is
the present Pope ? How many Popes have there been from the
time of St. Peter ?
48. What does the French Revolution teach us ? Was this
warning properly heeded ? What influence had this Revolution
on other countries ? Did God cease to protect His Church ?
Which is the greatest miracle of that time ? How does this

i A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 55
great) and numerous obstacles which are everywhere
thrown in her way. This is peculiarly striking in
North America, where, in the United States alone,
sixty seven dioceses, with seminaries, monasteries,
convtntsj colleges, and other pious institutions, have
been founded within less than seventy years. Among;
some nations of Asia, the blood of martyrs has be"-
comdthe seed of new Christians. In England, the
Cathflic churches, monasteries, convents, and schools
are nsibly multiplying, owing to the continual in-
creas! of the number of those who re-enter into the
pale |f the, true Church. In Germany, monasteries,
convents, and charitable institutions have been re-es-
tabliiied for nursing the sick, for instructing youth,
for educating poor children, for opening alliums to
penit nts of both sexes, and for promoting the propa
gation of Faith. Literary pursuits have become more
Christian, a new zeal has been revived, and it is be
ing mkre and more understood that unity, peace, and
etemi salvation are only to be found in the Catho
lic Chkrch. If, on the other hand, many Christians,.
enslavd to the love of earthly things, have become
indiffe-ent towards God and His Holy Religion, if
the C urch is still continually oppressed and perse
cuted, this ought not to shake our faith, but rather
confirm us in it ; for even in this we see the accom-
plishmint of the Prophecies recorded in the Gospel,
and of! the prediction that one day a great revolt
shall tace place from God and Christ, the Saviour of
the wojld (2 Thess. ii. 3, 4; Luke xviii. 8). Every
one, therefore, must take heed that he be not led
astray, hit remain faithful until death, that he re
ceive th crown of life (Apoc. ii. 10).
appear in! North America, especially in the United States ?
How in Jsia ? How in England ? What change has taken
place in (lermany ? Where can one be sure to find unity,
peace, andeternal salvation ? What should we think of the
indifferentsm of some Christians, and of the continual persecu
tion of thi Church ? What, therefore, should every one of us
do?

56 . A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
OS THE HISTORICAL EVIDENCES OF THE TRUTH OF
OUR DIVINE RELIGION".
We have now, in a small compass, surveyed the
history of our Holy Religion, and considered the
blessings it has conferred upon mankind from .Adam,
our first parent, to our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ, and from Him, the Divine Head and foun
der of our Church, to His present Vicegerent. Leo
XIII. How sublime and beautiful is the Religion we
profess ! Everything connected with it calls out to
us : God alone could have given such '~a^Re4fgion to
mankind. V. Man has not invented it ; God Himself, has
taught it to us, and has commanded us to obsa-ve it.
He revealed it by holy men in the Old Testament
(§§ 6, 11, 7) ; and in the New, precisely as tlie Pro
phecies of the Old Testament had foretold. His
Only-Begotten, Eternal Son appeared on earfli, and
most convincingly confirmed His Divine Docirine by
numerous miracles, especially by His Resuirection
from the dead (§§ 21, 22, 23, 26, 27). God has
spoken, and no one has a right to be indiffirent to
His word ; to despise or reject it would be to con
demn one's self to everlasting hell fire.
2. The Religion to which we belong did lot take
rise only a few centuries ago ; properly speJking, it
dates from the beginning of the world. For its first
seeds were laid in Paradise when God proniied a Re
deemer to our First Parents after their fall; and the
whole of the Old Law, with its sacrifices anc wonder
ful events, was but a figure of the New Lav, which
What have we now surveyed ? What have we chsfly consid'
ered in the history of our Religion ?
1. Whence does our Religion come ? By whomhas God re
vealed it to us ? How did Jesus Christ confirm His Divine
Doctrine ? Is it indifferent which religion we prof6S ?
3. How old is our Religion ? How do you explau and prove
its great age ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 57
contains the fulfilment and accomplishment of the
Old (§§ 2, 7, 9, 12, and others). The Old Law be
lieved in the Redeemer to come, and the New believes
in Him already come. But it is the same belief in
the same Redeemer, and therefore it is essentially the
same Religion.
3. Although our Holy Religion is coeval with the
beginning of mankind, and its history embraces about
six thousand years, yet its beginning is not lost in ob
scure fables of ancient times ; on the contrary, its
truth is evident and obvious to all. For it exhibits,
from the remotest anticprity down to the present time,
an uninterrupted series, as it were, of public and uni
versally known facts and events, which perfectly
agree with one another, and with all the monuments
of past ages, as also with the annals of the various
nations of the world, and with the discoveries made
by natural philosophers. They have been so mani
foldly and' irrefragably attested that he who would
not believe them might just as well deny any other
historical truth. We count, and can even name, the
generations exactly as they succeeded one another
from Adam to Christ (Luke iii. ; Matt, i.), and all
the Supreme Pastors or Popes from St. Peter to our
Holy Father, Leo XIII., who is now gloriously govern
ing the Church established by the Son of God (§ 47
at the end; and pp. 61-66). What a wonderful con
catenation, and what an unparalleled succession !
4. Even the Jews, the most obstinate adversaries of
our faith, bear witness to its truth. For they care
fully keep upon record, in their Holy Books, the
whole history and all the Prophecies of the Old Tes
tament, to which we appeal in order to prove the
Divine Origin of Christianity ; insomuch that no one
can for a morneut suppose that the Christians have

3. Is the history of our Religion perhaps uncertain, because it_
dates from the origin of the world, and embraces so long a'
period ? Why not ?
4. What evidence do even the Jews give to the truth of our
Religion ? What does this prove ?

58 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
perverted or invented such passages in the Old Testa
ment as refer to our Saviour (§ 17).
5. Nor can it be denied that it is entirely through
the mighty help of God that the Christian Religion
has spread over the whole earth. The Apostles who
first preached it were from the lowest class of the
people, poor, unknown, even without eloquence or
learning. Their doctrine of the Cross, which con
tains the inscrutable mysteries of penance, humility,
and mortification, was not likely to please the proud
and licentious pagans, who found in their abominable
mythology (i.e., fabulous history of their gods), not
only an excuse, but even a justification, for all their
vices. The rich and the great looked with disdain
upon the poor fishermen ; the witty and the learned
derided them; and the mighty rulers of the earth,
as even pagan writers testify, took all possible pains
to destroy them with fire and sword. During three
centuries, persecution and martyrdom were the com
mon lot of the Christians. Nevertheless, the doctrine
of the poor fishermen, as we have seen, triumphed
over all its enemies, and thus proved to be the Doc
trine of God (§§ 29-35). It spread so rapidly that,
soon after the death of the Apostles, St. Justin ven
tured to affirm before the whole world : ' There is no
people, neither among the Barbarians, nor among the
Greeks, nor in any other known nation, among whom
prayers and thanksgivings are not offered up to the
Father and Creator of the Universe in the name of
Christ Crucified.' Who else but the Almighty could
have performed such an inexplicable wonder ? St.
Augustine, the celebrated Father of the Church,
makes a striking observation upon this : ' If the mira
cles,' he says, 'wrought by the Apostles could be
denied, this would be the greatest miracle : that the
world believed without miracles.'
5. How do you prove that the Christian Religion was spread
through the help of God ? About what time did St. Justin
live ? What does he testify of the propagation of Christianity ?
What observation does St. Augustine make ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 159
6. But the Christian Church is not only t founded
on miracles ; her duration itself is a continual and
perpetual miracle. Kingdoms and empires, in spite
of their power, perish in the course of time; the
Kingdom of Christ alone outlasts them all, and is
constantly increasing. If it decreases in one part of
the world, it spreads so much the more in another
(§ 45). From the time of its foundation, it has been
assailed by innumerable enemies from within and
from without ; their power is terrible, their hatred
implacable. The Church of Christ, on her part, has
no army to repulse their assaults, no sword to oppose
their rude violence. Had not the arm of God pro
tected her, she would long since have been overcome
by the force and fraud of her enemies (88 32, 36, 38,
39, 42, 43, 47, 48).
7. The Christian Church appears still more glori
ous, if we consider the benefits and blessings which
she has at all times conferred on mankind. It was
she that subdued the brutality of the barbarians, that
abolished slavery and human sacrifices, and promoted
public and domestic happiness. It was she that found
ed charitable institutions and innumerable hospitals
for the reception of the sick and distressed ; it was
she that amended the existing laws or made new ones ;
it was she that taught concord and charity, and dif
fused learning and true enlightenment (§§ 30, 38, 41,
45, 46). She can truly be called the Tree of Life
which God has planted, that all men should peaceful
ly rest under its shade, and refresh themselves with its
fruit. Never has a nation abandoned this Tree of Life
without plunging itself into indescribable misery.
We know very well what has become of the nations in
Asia and Africa who were formerly so happy, and
6. How do you prove that the duration or permanent continu
ance of the Christian Church is a miracle ?
7. What fruits did the Christian Faith produce for mankind ?
What, on the contrary, were the fruits which heresy and infi
delity brought forth ? What conclusion must we draw from
these different fruits ?

60 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
what fruit the an ti- Christian Free-thinkers have pro
duced in' Europe (§§ 39, 47, 48). If 'the tree is to
be known by its fruits' (Matt. vii. 16), every one
must see that the Christian Faith, which diffuses
nothing but happiness and blessings, is the most valu
able gift of God ; that, on the contrary, infidelity,
which produces but misery and vexation, can only
proceed from the spirit of evil.
8. Now, this Church which Almighty God has
founded on miracles, nay, which is herself a con
tinual miracle ; this Church which incessantly pours
out the greatest benefits over the universe, can be no
other but the Roman Catholic Church. History
clearly proves that it is she, and no other, that forms
that community of the faithful which Christ has
established for the salvation of the world, in which
the bishops, as the successors of the Apostles, under
the supreme authority of the Pope, the Successor of
Saint Peter, exercise their Teaching and Pastoral
Offices in an uninterrupted succession (§§ 22, 30, 31).
It is impossible that any Sect, whatever may be its
name, should be the Church founded by Christ ; for
it is well known that every one of them began to exist
long after Christ, and that even then they owed their
origin to their defection and separation from the
Church of Christ (§§ 36, 42, 43). We see, therefore,
that in all these Sects the words of Jesus are sooner
or later fulfilled : ' Every plant which my Heavenly
Father hath not planted shall be rooted up ' (Matt.
xv. 13). Their existence is not lasting ; they spring
up, make some noise, and disappear again "(§ 36 at
the end ; § 47 at the beginning). It is not so with
the Catholic Church. Thousands of years pass away ;
neither does she vanish, nor does she grow old ; for
to her was made the promise of our Lord : ' Upon
this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of
hell shall not prevail against her' (Matt. xvi. 18).
8. How do you prove from history that the Church estab
lished by God can be no other than the Roman Catholic »
What has Christ foretold of ail Sects ? What promise has He
given to the Catholic Church ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. <j\
LIST OF ROMAN PONTIFFS,
WITH BIRTHPLACE, DATES OF ACCESSION AND DEATH, AND
LENGTH OF PONTIFICATE, AS IN THE BASILICA OF
ST. PAUL, ROME.

NAME.

i. St. Peter, Native of Bethsaida in Galilee.
Prince of the Apostles, who received from
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the Su
preme Pontificate, to be transmitted to his
successors ; and, having resided for a time
at Antioch, established his See at Rome,
where he suffered martyrdom on the 29th
of June, 67 
2. St!. Linus, Volterra, Mart 
3. St. ('letus, Rome, Mart 
4. St. Clement I., Rome, Mart 
5. St. Anacletus, Greece, Mart 
6. St. Evaristus, Syria, Mart 
7. St. Alexander I., Rome, Mart 
8. St. Sixtus I., Rome, Mart 
9 St. Telesphorus, Greece, Mart 
10. St. Hyginus, Greece, Mart 
11. St. Pius I., Aquileia, Mart 
12. St. Anicetus, Syria. Mart 
13. St. Soter, Naples, Mart 
14. St. Eleutherius, Epirus, Mart 
15. St. Victor I., Africa, Mart 
16. St. Zephyrinus, Rome, Mart 
17. St. Calixtus I., Rome, Mart. 
18. St. Urban I., Rome, Mart 
19. St. Pontian, Rome, Mart 
20. St. Anterus, Greece, Mart 
21. St. Fabian, Rome, Mart 
22, St. Cornelius, Rome, Mart 
23. St. Lucius I., Rome, Mart 
34. St. Stephen L, Rome, Mart 
25. St. Sixtus II., Greece, Mart 
26. St. Dionysius. Turin 
37. St Felix L, Rome, Mart 
28. St. Eutychian, Tuscany, Mart 
29. St. Caius, Dalmatia, Mart 
30. St. Marcellinus, Rome, Mart 
31. St. Marcsllus I., Rome, Mart 
32. >t. Eusebius, Calabria 
33. St. Melchxades Africa 
34. St. Sylvester I., Rome 
35. St. Marcus, Rome 
36. St. Julius I. , Rome 
37. St Liberius, Rome 
38. St. Felix II., Rome 
39. St. Damasus, Spain 

Date of
Acces sion.

67 78
9°
100112121
132 142154 15a
•6?17s
182 '93
203221227233238
240=54255257
260 261
27227S283296
3°4 ?°9
311
314337341352
363 366

Date of
Death.

78
9°
100

132142154158
167 ¦75182
193203
220 227
=33 238
239253
255257260p_6i272
27";283
296 304309
3113M337
340352
363365
384

Duration of
Pontificate.

17 5
65

25 7
27

62 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.

NAME.

Duration of
Pontificate.

40. St. Siricius, Rome  ,
41. St Anastasius I., Rome  ,
42. St. Innocent I., Albano 
43. St. Zozimus, Greece 
44. St. Boniface I., Rome 
45. St. Celestine I., Rome 
46. St. Sixtus III., Rome 
47. St. Leo I. (the Great), Tuscany.. ,
48. St. Hilary, Sardinia 
49. St. Simplicius, Tivoli 
50. St. Felix III , Rome 
51. St. Gelasius I., Africa 
52. St. Anastasius II.. Rome 
53. St Symmachus, Rome 
54. St. Hormisdas, Frosinone 
55. St. John I , Tuscany, Mart 
56. St. Felix IV., Benevento 
57. Boniface II., Rome 
58. John II., Rome 
59. St. Agapitus, Rome.. .! 
60. St. Silverrus, Frosinone, Mart 
61. Vigilius Rome 
62. PeTaeiusI., Rome 
63. John III. . Rome 
64. rienedict I., Rome 
65. Pelagius II , Rome 
66. St. Gregory I. (the Great), Rome.
6j. Sabinianus, Volterra 
68. Boniface III., Rome 
69. St. Boniface IV , Marso 
70. St. Adeodatus 1., Rome 
71. Boniface V , Naples 
72 Honorius I., Capua 
73. Severinus, Rome 
74. John IV., Dalmatia 
75. Theodorus I., Greece 
76. St. Martin L, Todi, Mart 
77. St. Eugenius I., Rome 
78. St. Vitalian, Segni 
79. Adeodatus II., Rome 
80. Domnus I., Rome  ,
8i. St. Agatho, Greece 
82. St. Leo II., Sicily 
83. St. Bsnedict II., Rome 
84. John V. , Antiocn 
85. Conon, Thracia 
86. St. Sergius I. , Siculiana 
87. John VI., Greece 
88. John VII,, Greece 
89. SisinniuSj Syria 
90. Constantine, Syria 
gr. St. Gregory II., Rome 
92. St. Gregory III , Syria 
93. St. Zachanas. Greece 
94, Stephen II Rome 
95. Stephen HI,, Rome 

A.D. 384
"399 4024*7
418423
432 440
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432 440 461
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29

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.

NAME.

Date of
Acces sion.

Date of
Death.

Duration of
Pontificate.

96. St. Paul I., Rome 
gy. Stephen IV. , Syracuse 
98 Adrian I., Rome 
99. St Leo III. , Rome 
100. Stephen V., Rome 
101. St Paschal I.. Rome 
102 Eugenius JI.. Rome 
103. Valentine. Rome 
to.). Gregory IV., Rome 
105. Sergius II., Rome 
106. St. Leo IV , Rome 
107, Benedict III., Rome 
io3. St. Nicholas I (the Great), Rome.
109. Adrian II., Rome 
no. John VIII., -Rome 
in. Marinus L, Gallicia 
112. Adrian III., Rome 
113. Stephen VI., Rome 
114. Formosus, Ostia 
115. Boniface VI 
, 116. Stephen VII., Rome 
117. Romanus, Gallese 
118. Theodorus II., Rome 
119. John IX., Tivoli 
120. Benedict IV. , Rome 
121. Leo V., Ardea 
1 22. Christo phorus, Rome 
123. Sergiu. Ill , Rome 
124. Anastasius III., Rome 
125 Landui, Sabina 
126 John X,, Ravenna 
127. Leo VI., Rome 
128. Stephen VIII., Rome 
129. John XI., Rome 
130. Leo VII., Rome 
, Stephen IX., Rome 
Marinus II., Rome  ; 
Agapitus II. , Rome 
John XII.. Rome 
Benedict V., Rome 
i5§ John XIII., Rome 
137. Benedict VI., Rome 
138. Domnus II , Rome 
139 Benedict VII.. Rome 
140. John XIV , Pavia 
141. Boniface VII., France 
142. John XV., Rome 
i4i. John XVI 
144. Gregory V., Germany 
145 lohn XVII 
146. Sylvester II., France 
147. John XVIII.. Rome 
148. John XIX., Rome 
*49. Sergiui IV., Rome 
150. Benedict VIII., Rome 
151. John XX., Rome 

131.
132.'33-'34,
135-

A.D. 757768771
795816817824
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64

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion

NAME.

152. Benedict IX., Rome 
153. Gregory VI. , Rome (abdicated in 1046) .
154. Clement II., Saxony 
155. Damasus II.. Bavaria 
156. St. Leo IX , Germany 
157. Victor IL.bvevia 
158. Stephen X., Germany 
159. Benedict X 
160. Nicholas II., France 
161. Alexander II.. Milan 
162. St. Gregory VII., Soana 
163. Victor III., Benevento 
164. Urban II., Reims 
165. Paschal II., Tuscany 
166. Gelasius II , Gaeta 
167. Calixtus II., Burgundy  , 
168. Honorius II., Bologna 
169. Innocent II. , Rome 
170. Celestine II., Citta di Castello 
171. Lucius II , Bologna 
172. B. Eugenius III. , Montemagno 
173. Anastasius IV., Rome 
174. Adrian IV , England 
175. Alexander III., Siena 
176. Lucius III., Lucca 
177. Urban III , Milan 
178. Gregory VIII., Benevento 
179 Clement III., Rome 
180 Celestine III., Rome 
181. Innocent III., Anagni 
182. Honorius HI., Rome 
183. Gregory IX , Anagni 
184. Celestine IV., Milan 
185. Innocent IV., Genoa 
186. Alexander IV. , Anagni 
187. Urban IV., Troyes 
188. Clement IV .. France 
189. H. Gregory X., Piacenza 
190. Innocent V., Savoy 
19 1. Adrian V., Genoa 
192. John XXI., Lisbon 
193. Nicholas IIL, Rome 
194. Martin IV., France 
195. Honorius IV. , Rome 
196. Nicholas IV. , Ascoli 
197. St. Celestine V., Lavoro (resigned) 
198. Boniface VIII., Anagni 
199. rl. Benedict XL, Treviso 
200. Clement V., Fr. (removed to Avignon).. .
201. John XXII., France 
202. Benedict XII ., France 
203. Clement VI., France 
204. Innocent VI., France 
205. B. Urban V. , France 
206. Gregory XI.. Fr. (restored See to Rome).
207. Urban VI., Naples 

Date of
Acces sion.

A.D. 1033
1044
1046104S
1049i°55
i°5710581059
106 1
107310871088
109911181119
1124113011431 144
1145
"5311541159
118111S5
1187118711911198
12161227
12411243125412611265
1271 12761276
12761277.12S1
1285
128812941294
1303i3°5131613341342
13521362
137° 1378

Date Duration
of of
Death. ! Pontificate.

A.D.1044
10471048
105410571058
10611073
10851087 1099
111811 19
1124
113011431144"45"53
"54 "59
11811 185
118711871191119812161227
12411241I25 +
I26l
I264I269I276
I27612;6
12771280
128512871292
I3°3
!3°4
'3141334'342
1352 1362
'37°
13781389

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1810 14

1523 7
15
27

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4 18
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10 12
1 25
8 9
5 13
zi 14

o 4 10
I 4 24
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21 xx 22

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29 71
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18

28 6

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.

(>$

NAME.

20S. Boniface IX., Naples 
209. Innocent VII., Sulmona.. .# 
210. Gregory XII., Venice (resigned — )...
211. Alexander V., Bologna 
212. John XXIII., Naples (resigned 1415).
213. Martin V., Rome 
214. Eugenius IV., Venice 
215. Nicholas V.,Sarzana 
216. Calixtus III., Spain 
217. Pius II , Siena 
218. Paul II., Venice 
219. Sixtus IV., Savona 
220. Innocent VIII., Genoa 
221 . Alexander y I. , Spain 
222. Pius III., Siena 
223. Julius II., Savona 
224. Leo X,, Florence 
225. Adrian VI. , Utrecht 
226. Clement VII., Florence 
Paul III., Rome 
Julius III., Tuscany. ... ._ 
Marcellus II., Montepulciano 
Paul IV., Naples 
Pius IV., Milan 
St Pius V , Bosco 
Gregory XIII., Bologna 
Sixtus V. , Ancona 
Urban VII., Rome 
Gregory XIV., Cremona 
Innocent IX , Bologna 
Clement VIII., Florence 
Leo XL, Florence 
PaulV., Rome 
Gregory XV., Bologna 
Urban VIII., Florence 
Innocent X. , Rome 
Alexander VII., Siena 
Clement IX., Pistoia 
Clement X., Rome 
Innocent XI. , Como 
Alexander VIII., Venice 
Innocent XII., Naples 
Clement XL, Urbino 
Innocent XIII., Rome 
Benedict XIII., Rome 
Clement XII., Florence 
Benedict XIV., Bologna 
Clement XIII., Venice 
Clement XIV., S. Angelo in Vado 
Pius VI. , Cesena 
Pius VII., Cesena 
Leo XII., Spoleto 
Pius VIII.. Cingoli 
Gregory XVI. , Belluno 
Pius IX. , Sinigaglia 
Leo XIII.,gloriosamente regnante....

227.228229. 230.
231.232.
233.
234-235-
23 x
237- 233.
239.240.241.
242.
243 244.
245.246.247.
248.249250.
251.252.253-
254.255.
256. 257-
258, 259,260.261.262.263.

Date of
Acces sion.

A.D. 1389 1404
I406I409
I4IO I417M3iM471455 I45«1464
1471 14841492'503I5=>315131522
1523 '534
I55<>1555 1555
T5591566157215851590159015911592
1605160516211623
16441655 1667
16701676
168916911700
17211724173017401758
1769
17751800182318291S31
18461878

Date of
Death.

A.D. 1404
1406

Duration cf
Pontificate.

1431

13

3 J

1447

15

11 :

J455

8

0 s

1458

3

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1464

5

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1471

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1689

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1691

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9

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1721

20

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1724

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1730

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66 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.

EXPLANATION OF THE LIST.
The foregoing list of the Popes is taken from the series of portraits, painted
in medallions, on the nave walls of the Basilica of St. Paul, on the Ostian
Way, near Rome. This magnificent church was built over the tomb of the
great Apostle, under the reign of Constantine the Great, by Pope St. Sylvester,
1 about the year a.d. 320. The portrait of that Pope, and of Marcus, his suc
cessor, and of the thirty-three Popes who had preceded them, were all painted
apparently by the same hand. The portraits of the succeeding Popes were
generally added, one by one, by different hands, probably soon after death, and
by the care of their successors. This, however, seems to have been omitted in
some instances, possibly on account of the troublous times ; for we find that
the series has been continued by medallions of two or three Popes evidently
executed by the same artist. The most considerable interruption of such a
character was in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, when seven medallion*
seem to have been painted during the reign of Martin V.
This is the largest and most interesting series of historical portraits in ex
istence. Artists are able to read, as it were, and recognize the work of a
painter as easily and as surely as ordinary mortals read and recognize the vary
ing handwriting of individuals. Even in the case of the earlier Popes before
St. Sylvester, they see evidences that the artist was in possession of such
knowledge as enabled him to give to each face the marked individuality of a
portrait. For the subsequent Popes down to the present time th?re is no diffi
culty. However imperfect the workmanship, even in the medieval centuries,
and although the fading colors may have been retouched by equally unskilful
hands, it is always evident that the painter originally presented the features
of a real face>-not an ideal or fancy sketch.
The Basilica of St. Paul was destroyed by fire in 1823 and this series of por
traits unfortunately perished in the flames. But half a century before all
these portraits had been carefully engraved on copperplate and published.
From these engravings Pope Pius IX. has caused the portraits to be lepro-
duced in imperishable mosaics, and they again decorate the nave of the
splendid Basilica of St. Paul, which has been rebuilt, and which he consecrated
a few years ago. From the copperplates other copies have been made in cop
perplate, steel, lithograph, and photograph, of various sizes, and may be easily
obtained. Under each medallion in the Church was an inscription giving the
name of the Pontiff, and the length cf his pontificate. Ordinarily, in the case of
contemporary Popes, this is testimony of the highest character. Where, as in
the case of the earlier Popes, the inscription could only give the judgment of
the painter as to dates long past, it obviously cannot claim the same high value.
It might be, and in some cases has been, held to be uncertain, and in others
erroneous. Some Popes, also, have been inserted in this list, doubtless in
deference to the claims urged at the time by their adherents, and perhaps for
the sake of peace. A more critical and impartial spirit has doubted or denied
their right to such honor, and classed them as Antipopes. In these two points
we find the explanation of the difference between this list of Popes and those
found elsewhere. We give the list as published in the Gerarckia Cattolica^
Rome, 1875, with a few corrections, which were evidently typographical errors.

A FULL CATECHISM

THE CATHOLIC RELIGION.

INTEODUCTIOlir.
On the End of Man.

1. For what end are we in this world ?
We are in this world that we may know God, love
Him, and serve Him, and thereby attain Heaven.
2. What is Heaven ?
Heaven is a place of eternal and perfect happiness.
3. Are not, then, the things of this world intended
to make us happy ?
No ; the things of this world cannot possibly make
us happy.
4. Why cannot the things of this world make us
happy ?
1. Because all earthly things are vain and perish
able; and 2. Because man is made for God and for
everlasting happiness in Heaven.
1. 'I heaped together for myself silver and gold, and the
wealth of kings and provinces. And whatsoever my eyes de
sired, I refused them not, and I withheld hot my heart from
enjoying every pleasure. But I saw in all things vanity and
vexation of mind, and that nothing was lasting under the sun.'
Thus spoke Solomon, the happiest of kings (Eccles. ii. 8-11).
' What is your life ? It is a vapor which appeareth for a Mttle
while, and afterwards shall vanish away' (James iv. 15). 2.
* For Thyself, O God, Thou hast made us ; therefore our heart
will be restless »ntil it rests in Thee ' (St. Augustii-^X
67

68 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
5. For what end, then, were the things of this
world principally given to us ?
That we may use them for the purpose of knowing
and serving God.
' All men are vain, in whom there is not the knowledge of
God, and who by these good things that are seen could not un
derstand Him that is, neither by attending to the works have
acknowledged who was the Workman' (Wisd. xiii. 1). ' Whether
you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory
of God '(1 Cor. x. 31).
6. Why does God require us to know Him, love
Him, and serve Him ?
God requires ns, 1. To know Him, because he is
the Eternal Truth ; 2. To love Him, because He is the
most bountiful and most amiable Good ; and 3. To
serve Him, because He is the Sovereign Lord.
7. What will become of those who will not know,
love, and serve Him ?
God will cast them from Him for ever.
' The unprofitable servant cast ye out into the exterior dark
ness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth' (Matt.
xxv. 30).
8. What is, then, most necessary in this life ?
In this life the most necessary thing is, that we
should know, love, and serve God, and thereby obtain
eternal happiness.
'Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His justice' (Matt.
vi. 33). ' For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole
world and suffer the loss of his own soul ? ' (Matt xvi. 26).
9. What must we do, if we would know and serve
God, and be eternally happy ?
1. We must believe all that God has revealed ; 2.
We must keep all the Commandments which God has
ordered to be kept ; and 3. We must use the means
of grace which God has ordained for our salvation.
Or in other words : We must have Religion ; for Religion
(from religare) is the lively union of man with God, which
springs from faith, charity, and grace, and is confirmed by the
faithful observance of the Divine Commandments.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 69
10. Why must we, in order to be saved, believe,
keep the Commandments, and make use of the means
of grace ?
We must, in order to be saved, 1. Believe, because
it is only by faith that we get a right knowledge of
God ; 2. We must keep the Commandments, because
by keeping the Commandments we serve God ; and 3.
We must also use the means of grace, because by
them we obtain the help necessary to salvation.
11. Where do we get a right knowledge of the
truths of Divine faith, of the Commandments, and
of the means of grace ?
In the Christian Doctrine.
12. What do you call the book which briefly con
tains the Christian Doctrine in question and answer ?
The Catechism.
13. What, then, does the Catechism treat of ?
1. Of Faith;
2. Of the Commandments j and
3. Of the Means of Grace, namely, the Sacraments
and Prayer.
Application. Never neglect going to the instruc
tions on Christian Doctrine ; and when there, be al
ways attentive, that you may learn to know and love
God properly, and thus attain your last end, which is
eternal happiness in Heaven. 'Blessed is the man
that findeth wisdom' (i.e., the knowledge and love of
God). ' She is more precious than all riches ; and all
the things that are desired are not to be compared
with her. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold
on her ; and he that shall retain her is blessed' (Prov.
iii. 13-18).

PART L

ON FAITH.
§ 1. Acceptation, Object, and Rule of Faith.
1 .What is Faith as possessed by a Catholic Christian ?
Faith is a virtue infused by God into our souls, by
which we believe, without doubting, all those things
which God has revealed, and proposes by His Church
to our belief.
' To believe ' means, in general, to hold to be true what an
other says, and for this reason, because he says it. To believe
God means, therefore, to hold firmly and without doubting
what God has revealed, and because He has revealed it, al
though we can neither see nor comprehend it ; for faith is
founded, not on our seeing or comprehending, but on the word
of God. ' Faith is the evidence of things that appear not '
(Hebr. xi. 1).
2. Why do we say that faith is infused by God
into our souls ?
Because it is a gift of God, and an effect of His
grace,_which enlightens our understanding and moves
our will to believe, without doubting, all those things
which God has revealed.
' For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves : for it is the gift of God ' (Eph. ii. 8).
3. Why must grace not only enlighten our under.
standing, but also move our will ?
Because a good will also belongs to faith ; for no
one can believe but he who is willing to believe.
Therefore faith is also rewarded by God, and infidelity pun
ished. ' He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved ; but
he that believeth not shall be condemned ' (Mark xvi. 16).
4. Why must we believe all that God has revealed?
Because God is the eternal and infallible truth.
70

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 71
5. What means, 'all that God has revealed ' ?
It means all that God has made known for our sal
vation by the Patriarchs and Prophets, and at last by
His Son Jesus Christ and the Apostles.
' God, who, at sundry times and in divers manners, spoke in
times past to the fathers by the Prophets, last of all, in these
days hath spoken to us by His Son ' (Hebr. i. 1, 2).
6. Was it necessary that God should have revealed
to us the truths of salvation, in order that we might
know them ?
Yes, because without Divine Eevelation we should
have known some of them only with great difficulty,
and very imperfectly ; and most of them would have
remained entirely unknown to us.
'And hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon
earth : and with labor do we find the things that are before us.
But the things that are in Heaven, who shall search out ? And
who shall know Thy thought, except Thou give wisdom, and
send Thy Holy Spirit from above ?' (Wisd. ix. 16, 17).
7. How did Divine Eevelation come down to us ?
Divine Eevelation came down to us partly by writ
ing — that is, by the Holy Scripture or the Bible ;
partly by word of mouth — that is, by Tradition.
8. What is the Holy Scripture ?
The Holy Scripture is a collection of books which
were written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost,
and acknowledged by the Church as the Word of God.
' Prophecy came not by the will of man at any time ; but the
holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Ghost ' (2 Pet. i.
21). 9. How is the Holy Scripture divided ?
The Holy Scripture is divided into the books of the
Old and New Testament, or of the Old and new Law.
10. What Eevelations does the Old Testament
contain ?
The Old Testament contains the Divine Eevela
tions which were made to man before the coming of
Christ.

72 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
11. Of what books does the Old Testament consist?
The Old Testament consists, 1. Of Twenty-one His
torical Books, which relate the Creation of the world,
the lives of the Patriarchs, and the History of the
Jewish nation ; 2. Of Seven Moral Books, which are
collections of Psalms, of holy maxims, and of rules of
life ; and 3. Of Seventeen Prophetical Books, which
mostly contain prophecies.
The Historical Books are : The Pentateuch, or five Books of
Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy ¦ ) ;
the Book of Josue ; the Book of Judges ; the Book of Ruth ; the
four Books of Kings ; the two Books of Chronicles or of Para-
lipomenon ; the Book of Esdras ; the Book of Nehemias, which
is also called the Second of Esdras ; the Book of Tobias ; the
Book of Judith ; the Book of Esther ; and the two Books of the
IVl 3i g\\ fih p p s
The Moral Boohs are : The Book of Job ; the Psalms ; the
Proverbs ; Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher ; the Canticle of Canti
cles ; the Book of Wisdom ; and Ecelesiasticus, or Jesus, the
Son of Sirach.
The Prophetical Boohs : Isaias ; Jeremias ; Barueh ; Eze-
chiel ; Daniel ; Osee ; Joel ; Amos ; Abdias ; Jonas ; Micheas ;
Nahum ; Habacuc ; Sophonias ; Aggeus ; Zacharias ; and Ma-
lachias. 12. What Eevelations does the New Testament
contain ?
The New Testament contains the Eevelations which
we have received through Jesus Christ and the Apos
tles. 13. Of what books does the New Testament con
sist ?
The New Testament consists, 1. Of the four Gos
pels according to St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke,
and St. John, which relate the history of Jesus ; 2.
Of the Acts of the Apostles, by St. Luke ; 3. Of four
teen Epistle* of St. Paul, and seven by other Apostles,
which contain dogmatical and moral instructions ;
and i. Of the Apocalypse, or the Eevelation of St.
John, which foretells the combats and victories of .the
Church. The Epistles of St. Paul are : One to the Romans ; two to

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 73
the Corinthians ; one to the Galatians ; one to the Ephesians
one to the Philippians ; one to the Colossians ; two to the Thes-
salonians ; two to Timothy ; one to Titus ; one to Philemon
and one to the Hebrews.
The other Epistles are : One of St. James ; two of St. Peter
" three of St. John ; and one of St. Jude, surnamed Thaddeus.
14. Is it enough to believe only those doctrines
which are contained in the Holy Scripture ?
No; we must also believe Tradition — i.e., those re
vealed truths which the Apostles preached, but did
not commit to writing.
St. Paul, therefore, exhorts the first Christians by saying :
' Therefore, brethren, stand fast : and hold the traditions which
you have learned, whether by word or by our Epistle ' (2 Thess.
ii. 14). ' •
15. Have not, then, the Apostles written all that
Jesus Christ has taught ?
No ; the Apostles have not even written all that
Jesus has done, far less all that He has taught ; for
Christ did not commission them to write, but to
preach His doctrine (Mark xvi. 15 ; Matt, xxviii. 19).
' Many other signs also did Jesus in the sight of His disciples,
which are not written in this book ' (John xx. 30).
The Bible, therefore, does not contain the entire Revelation
of God. The Bible nowhere tells us how many Divine books
there are, and which they are ; if we did not know this for
certain from Tradition, we should not even have a Bible. — The
Bible does not, in doubtful passages, decide upon the true mean
ing of its words ; therefore, all sects have always appealed to the
Bible, in order to prove their contradictory doctrines, and each
one of them pretended to have hit on its true meaning. — If we
would consult the Bible only, without Tradition, we ought, for
instance, still to keep holy the Saturday with the Jews, instead
of Sunday, and to ref rain ourselves from things strangled, and
from blood (Acts xv. 20); moreover, we ought, with the Ana
baptists, to let little children, who are incapable of being in
structed, die without Baptism ; since, according to the mere
words of the text, Christ has commanded, first to teach, and
then to baptize (Matt, xxviii. 19).
16. Why is the unwritten doctrine of the Apostles
called ' Tradition ' ?
It is called Tradition — that is, a handing down —
because, since the times of the Apostles, it has, with-

74 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
out interruption, been handed down in the Catholic
Church from generation to generation.
' And the things which thou hast heard of me by many wit
nesses, the same commend to faithful men, who shall be fit to
teach others also ' (2 Tim. ii. 2). .
17. How has Tradition been handed down to us ?
In the beginning it was handed down by word of
mouth, and by the rites of the Church. Since then
it has also been declared in writing, as occasion
required, in the decrees and definitions of the Church,
and in the writings of the Holy Fathers.
18. What is to be thought of the writings or of the
doctrine of the Holy Fathers ?
The uniform doctrine of the Holy Fathers is the
doctrine of Jesus Christ, which they have received
from the Apostles or their successors ; therefore, we
are never to deviate from it.
19. But why must we believe Tradition, as well as
what is contained in the Holy Scripture ?
Because Catholic Tradition was revealed by God, as
well as that which is contained in the Holy Scripture.
20. What, then, must the Catholic Christian in
general believe ?
He must believe all that God has revealed and the
Catholic Church proposes to his belief, whether it be
contained in the Holy Scripture or not.
The Church is considered to propose a truth to our belief when
she recognizes it to be revealed by God, and commands us to
believe it.
21. Why is it necessary that the Catholic Church
should propose the revealed truths to our belief ?
Because it is only from the Catholic Church that we
can infallibly know what God has revealed.
22. Why can we infallibly know from the Catholic
Church alone what God has revealed ?
1. Because it is only from the Catholic Church
that we have the Scripture and Tradition, which con
tain the Divine Eevelations; and 2. Because it ia

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 75
through her alone that we infallibly know the true
meaning of the Scripture and of Tradition.
23. Why do we say that it is only from the Catho
lic Church that we have the Holy Scripture and
Tradition ?
1. Because the Catholic Church alone has received
the Scripture and Tradition from the Apostles, and
has always, with the special assistance of the Holy
Ghost, preserved them uneorrupted ; and 2. Because
it is she alone who gives us incontestable security for
their Divine origin.
It is from his Church alone that the Catholic receives with
full confidence the Books of the Holy Scripture. He is not only
sure, 1. Of their authenticity and credibility, becAse this has
been so frequently and undeniably proved that it is impossible
to question it without rejecting all historical truth (see Short
History of Religion, Concluding Remarks, §§ 3 and 4) ; and 2.
Of their integrity or incorruptness, because the Holy Scripture
has always been revered by the Church as the Word. of God, and,
consequently, most scrupulously preserved from any corruption
whatever ; but he is also sure, 3. Of their Divine origin, because
this is known with certainty only by the testimony of the
Catholic Church, which was established by Christ to teach us the
truth, and has been manifestly proved and confirmed through
all ages as a Divine and infallible institution (Short History of
Religion, Concluding Remarks, §§ 5, 6, 7, and 8).
24. And why do we say that through the Catholic
Church alone we infallibly know the true meaning of
the Scripture and of tradition ?
Because the Catholic Church alone is 'the pillar
and ground of the truth' (1 Tim. iii. 15), and, there
fore, cannot err in the interpretation of the Word of
God. 25. May no one, then, presume to explain the
Scripture and Tradition contrary to the interpreta
tion of the Catholic Church ?
No ; for this would be as if he understood the Scrip
ture and Tradition better than the Holy Ghost, who
inspires the Church with the true meaning of it.
26. But is the meaning of the Holy Scripture not
clear in itself, and easy to be understood by every one ?

76 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
No ; for the Holy Scripture is a Divine and mys
terious book, ' in which,' as St. Peter says, speaking
of the Epistles of St. Paul, ' are certain things hard
to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable
wrest to their own destruction' (2 Peter iii. 16).
' What else gives rise to so many heresies, save that the Scrip
ture, which is good in itself, is ill understood f ' (St. Augustine).
27. Is it not, then, true that the Bible alone is the
only Eule of Faith ? Or, in other words: Is not
every private individual to search the Bible, and
nothing but the Bible, until he finds out what he has
to believe ?
No ; for not the Bible alone, but the Bible and Tra
dition, both infallibly interpreted by the Church, are
the right Eule of Faith.
1. If it was the will of our Saviour that we should arrive at
the knowledge of the truths of salvation simply by reading and
searching the Scripture, why is it written : ' Faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the [preaching of the] Word of Christ ' ?
(Rom. x. 17). And why, then, did not Christ Himself write J
Why did He not commission His Apostles to write ? Why
did they write only after the lapse of a long space of time,
and only upon special occasions ? Why did they not all write ?
Why did. He Himself 'give some Apostles, and some Prophets,
and other some Evangelists, ana other some Pastors and Doctors ' $
(1 Cor. xii., Eph. iv.) Why did He not command that every
one, or at least every Christian, should learn to read ? Why
did God allow printing to be invented so late? etc.
2. The Christian Religion had been spread, and flourished,
before the Books of the New Testament were written ; and even
after they had been written, there were many Christian nations,
as St. Irenseus testifies, who did not so much as possess thj Holy
Scriptures. 28. What has the Church decreed with regard to
the reading of the Bible in the vulgar tongue ?
1. That we should have the learning and piety re
quisite for it ; and 2. That the translation should be
accompanied with explanations, and that both should
be approved of by the Church.
By this wise provision the Church by no means intends to
withhold the Word of God from the faithful, since she desires

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 77
nothing more than that all should know it and meditate upon
it ; she merely wishes to guard them against corrupted Bibles,
which are often designedly offered to ignorant people, and
against erroneous interpretations, sects, and schisms.
Application. In matters of faith never trust your
own judgment, but always humbly submit to the de
cisions of Holy Church ; for when you believe what
the Church teaches, you believe the Word of God.
§2. Necessity of Faith.
29. Is faith necessary to salvation ?
Faith is absolutely necessary to salvation ; for ' vnth-
out faith it is impossible to please God ',• (Hebr. xi. 6).
' He that doth not believe is already judged ' ( Jctm iii. 18).
' He that believeth not shall be condemned ' (Mark xvi. 16).
30. Will any faith save us ?
No ; only the true faith, which Christ our Lord has
taught, will save us.
' He that believeth in the Son hath life everlasting : but he
that believeth not the Son shall not see life ; but the wrath of
God abideth on him ' (John iii. 36).
31. Why will that faith only which Christ has
taught save us ?
Because by this faith alone, and by no other, we
are made partakers of Christ, and without Christ
there is no salvation.
'For there is no other name under Heaven given to men
whereby we must be saved ' (Acts iv. 12).
32. Is it, then, a sin to say that it does not matter
what faith we profess ?
Yes, it is a grievous sin to say so, or even only to
think so ; for we despise God by it, Avho has given us
the one true faith, aud, therefore, has sent his Only
Begotten Son into the world (Short Hist, of Religion,
Concl. Eem.§l).
If it did not matter what we believe, it would not have been
necessary for God to reveal a religion, and our ancestors might
all have remained heathens or Jews. But ' this is the} idgment,
says Jesus Christ : ' became the light is come into the world, and

78 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
men love darhness rather than the light ' (John iii. 19) ; i.e., because
many were obstinate in their unbelief, although they saw the
truth, or could have seen it, provided they had been sincere.
33. But is it not written : ' He that feareth God,
andworketh justice, is acceptable to Him ' ? (Acts x. 35).
Yes ; but' he who fears God does also believe all
that He has revealed, as Cornelius did (Acts x.) He,
on the contrary, who does not believe all that God
has revealed does not fear Him either, but rejects His
Word, and denies His veracity.
'He that believeth not the Son, maketh Him a liar' (1
John v. 10).
34 Which Church has the true faith taught by
Christ ?
The Catholic Church alone has the true faith taught
by Christ.
35. Why is it the Catholic Church alone that has
the true faith taught by Christ ?
Because the Catholic Church alone has received
from Christ Himself, through His Apostles, this faith
as a heavenly gift committed to her trust, and has
always preserved it uncorrupted (1 Tim. vi. 20).
36. Have not the Protestant sects also received
their doctrine from Christ Himself, and preserved it
uncorrupted ?
No ; for, 1. It is impossible that they should have
received it from Christ Himself, since they did not
begin to exist till long after Christ ; and 2. It is
equally impossible that they should always have pre
served uncorrupted whatever portion of the doctrine
of Christ and His Apostles may be held among them,
because they teach at different times different princi
ples, whereas Christ and the Apostles always taught
the same.
' Our preaching, which was to you, was not, It is, and It is
not. For the Son of God, Jems Christ, who was preached among
you by us, was not, It is, and It is not ; but, It is, was in Him
(2 Cor. i. 18, 19).
37. H, then, the true faith is essentially necessary

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 79
to salvation, and the Catholic faith is the only true
one, is it not a great grace to be a Catholic Christian ?
To be a Catholic Christian is an invaluable grace,
for which we cannot thank God enough, and which
we ought most earnestly to turn to our advantage.
Application. Eejoice, and often thank God that you
are a child of the Catholic Church ; for 'there is,' as
St. Augustine says, ' no. greater wealth, no greater
treasure, than the Catholic faith,' provided we live as
our faith teaches us. The truth of this is especially
felt by Catholics at the hour of death.
§ 3. Qualities of Faith. ^
38. What must be the qualities of our faith ?
Our faith must be, 1. Universal j 2. Firm; 3. Live
ly ; and 4. Constant.
39. When is our faith universal ?
Our faith is universal when we believe not only
some but all the truths which the Catholic Church
proposes to our belief.
40. Is, then, no one at liberty to admit and believe
only some points of the Christian faith ?
No; for, 1. Christ says without exception : 'Preach
the Gospel to every creature; he that believeth not
shall be condemned ' (Mark xvi. 15, 16). And again :
' Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you' (Matt, xxviii. 20). And St. John
says : ' Whosoever revolteth, and continueth not in the
doctrine of Christ, hath not God' (2 John i. 9). And
2. He who believes of the doctrine of Christ only what
he pleases has no faith at all ; for such a one does not
believe God, but his own judgment.
41. When is our faith firm, ?
Our faith is firm when we believe without the least
doubt. Examples. Abraham, rewarded for his firm faith : ' In the
promise of God he staggered not by distrust, but was strength
ened in faith ; and therefore it was reputed to him unto justice '

80 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
(Rom. iv. 20, 22). Moses and Aaron, punished on account of a
doubt (Numbers xx. 12;.
42. When is our faith lively ?
Our faith is lively when we live up to it ; that is,
when we avoid evil, and do good in the manner our
faith prescribes.
' As the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without
works is dead ' (James ii. 26).
43. Will a dead faith also save us ?
No; our faith must prove itself active by charity, or
else it is not sufficient for obtaining eternal salvation.
' In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor
uncircumcision ; but faith, that worketh by charity ' (Gal. v. 6).
' And if I should have all faith, so that I could remove moun
tains, and have not charity, I am nothing ' (1 Cor. xiii. 2).
44. When is our faith constant ?
Our faith is constant when we are ready to lose all,
even our life, rather than fall away from it.
' Take heed, brethren, lest perhaps there be in any of you an
evil heart of unbelief, to depart from the living God ' (Hebr. iii.
12). Example of the holy Martyrs.
45 What leads people to fall away from their
faith ?
1. Pride and subtile reasoning on the mysteries of
our religion ; 2. Neglect of prayer and of the other re
ligious duties ; 3. Worldliness and a wicked life ; and
4. Eeading irreligious .books, intercourse with scoffers
at religion, and such matrimonial or other connections
as endanger the true faith.
1. 'I confess to Thee, 0 Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent,
and'hast revealed them to little ones' (Matt. xi. 25). 2. ' The
kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to
a nation yielding the fruits thereof ' (Matt. xxi. 43). 3. ' Having
faith and a good conscience, which some rejecting have made
shipwreck concerning the faith ' (1 Tim. i. 19) 4. ' Beware of
false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but in
wardly they are ravening wolves ' (Matt. vii. 15). 'A little leaven
corrupteth the whole lump ' (Gal. v. 9).

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.' 81
46. How do we especially show that our faith is
firm and constant ?
By never denying it, not even in appearance, but
by candidly professing it on every occasion by word
and deed.
'Every one that shall confess me before men, I will also
confess him before my Father who is in Heaven. But he that
shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my
Father who is in Heaven' (Matt. x. 32, 33). 'With the heart,
we believe unto justice : but, with the mouth, confession is
madeunto salvation' (Rom. x. 10). — Example of Eleazar.
47. Is there also a particular sign by which Ca
tholics profess their faith ?
Yes, the Sign of the Cross. %
48. Why do we use the sign of the cross in order
to profess our faith ?
Because it expresses the two principal mysteries of
our religion — namely, the mystery of the Most Blessed
. Trinity, and the mystery of our Eedemption by Christ
on the cross.
49. Whence comes the custom of making the sign
of the cross ?
This custom is very old, and descends from the
apostolic times.
50. When should we make the sign of the cross ?
It is good and wholesome to make it frequently, as
the first Christians did ; especially when we rise and
when we go to bed, before and after prayers, before
every important occupation, and in all temptations
and dangers.
51. Why is it wholesome frequently to make the
sign of the cross ?
Because, by devoutly making the sign of the cross,
we arm ourselves against the snares of the devil, and
draw down the blessings of Heaven upon us.
52. Why do we usually make the sign of the cross
on our forehead, mouth, and heart, at the reading of
the Gospel ?

82 'A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
That God, through the merits of Christ Crucified,
may give us grace to comprehend the Gospel with our
mind, to profess it with our mouth, and to love it
with our heart.
Application. Never be ashamed of the Catholic
faith, or of the sign of the cross ; let this be your
motto : ' God forbid that I should glory, save in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ' (Gal. vi. 14). Shun
most carefully all intercourse with irreligious and
wicked persons, and especially beware of such books
as might stagger you in the true faith, or lead you
astray from the path of virtue.

ON THE APOSTLES' CEEED.
1. Where are the chief things which we must above
all know and believe, briefly contained ?
In the twelve articles of the Apostles' Creed.
2. Why is it called the ' Apostles' Creed ' ?
Because it has come down to us from the Apostles.
The First Article.
' I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of
heaven and earth.' § 1. On God.
' I believe in God.'
3. Who is God ?
God is an infinitely perfect Spirit, the Lord of Hea
ven and earth, and the Author of all good.
4. Why do we call God a 'Spirit ' ?
We call God a Spirit because He has understanding
and free will, but no body (John iv. 24).
5, And why do we say that 'God is initnitelii per
fect'? J F
Because God is not like created beings, good only

A Catechism of, the Catholic Religion. 83
in some measure, but because He unites in Himself
all good perfections without measure, or bounds, or
number. 6. Which are the principal Attributes or Perfec
tions of God ?
These : God is eternal and unchangeable, omnipre^
sent, omniscient or all-knowing, all- wise, all-powerful ;
He is infinitely holy and just ; infinitely good, merci
ful, and long-suffering ; infinitely true and faithful.
7. What means 'God is eternal ' ?
God is eternal means that He is always, without be
ginning and without end.
' Before the mountains were made, or the earth and the world
was formed ; from eternity to eternity Thou art God ' (Ps.
Ixxxix. 2).
8. What means ' God is unchangeable ' ?
God is unchangeable means that He remains eter
nally the same, without any change either in Himself
or in His decrees.
'With whom [God] there is no change, nor shadow of altera
tion ' (James i. 17). ' My counsel shall stand, and all my will
shall be done ' (Isai. xlvi. 10).
9. What ought we to do, since God is eternal and
unchangeable ?
We ought to serve and love Him for ever and ever.
' Thou art the God of my heart, and the God that is my por
tion for ever ' (Ps. lxxii. 26).
10. What means 'God is omnipresent ' f
God is omnipresent means that He is everywhere :
in Heaven, on earth, and in all places.
'Do not I fill Heaven and earth ? saith the Lord' (Jer. xxiii.
24). ' God is not far from every one of us ; for in Him we live,
and move, and are ' (Acts xvii. 27, 28). Although God fills all
space, nevertheless He is everywhere entire and perfect, and en
compassed by no space ; for He is immense.
11. What means 'God is omniscient'?
God is omniscient means that He knows all things
perfectly and from all eternity ; He knows all things

84 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
past, present, and to come, even our most secret
thoughts. ' The eyes of the Lord are far brighter than the sun, behold
ing round about all the ways of men, and the bottom of the
deep, and looking into the hearts of men, into the most hidden
parts ; for all things were known to the Lord God before they
were created : so also after they were perfected he beholdeth all
things ' (Ecclus. xxiii. 28, 29). See the whole Psalm cxxxviii. —
Examples : Predictions of Christ and of the Prophets.
12. What benefit do we derive from the frequent
remembrance of God's omnipresence and omniscience?
1. It keeps us everywhere, even in secret, from evil,
and incites us to good ; and 2. It gives us courage
and consolation in all difficulties and troubles.
1. 'It is better for me to fall into your hands without doing
it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord ' (Dan. xiii. 23). ' That
thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret
will repay thee ' (Matt. vi. 4). 2. ' Though I should walk in
the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for Thou
art with me ' (Ps. xxii. 4). ' Behold my witness is in Heaven,
and He that knoweth my conscience is on high' (Job xvi. 20).
13. What means ' God is all-wise ' ?
God is all-wise means that He knows how to dis
pose all things in the best manner, in order to attain
His end.
' How great are Thy works, 0 Lord ! Thou hast made all
things in wisdom ' (Ps. chi 24). — Examples : The child Moses
saved ; Joseph exalted ; Aman disgraced.
14. What means ' God is all-powerful or almighty ' ?
God is all-powerful means that He can do anything,
and has only to will, and the thing is done.
'Whatsoever the Lord pleased He hath done, in Heaven, in
earth, in the sea, and in all the deeps' (Ps. cxxxiv. 6). 'Be
cause no word shall be impossible with God' (Luke i. 37).—
Examples : The Creation ; the wonders in Egypt and in the
desert. 15. To what should our belief in God's infinite
power and infinite wisdom incite us ?
It should incite us, 1. To place all our confidence
in God ; and 2. To be always resigned to His dispen
sations.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 85
1. 'Put not your trust in the children of men, in whom there
is no salvation. Blessed is he whose hope is in the Lord his
God.' (Ps. exlv. 3, 5).— Ex. : Gedeon. 2. ' Commit thy way to
the Lord, and trust in Him, and He will do it' (Ps. xxxvi. 5).—
Ex.: Job.
16. What means 'God is holy' ?
God is holy means that He loves and wills only
what is good — i.e., what is agreeable to His perfections
• — and that he abhors all that is evil.
' Thou hast loved justice, and hatedst iniquity ' (Ps. xliv. 8),
—Ex. : The giving of the Law on Mount Sinai.
17, What means 'God is just'?
God is just means that He rewards and punishes
men according to their deserts. •
' He will render to every one according to his works : . . .
for there is no respect of persons with God' (Rom. ii. 6, 11). —
Examples : The world punished by the deluge, and Sodom and
Gomorrha destroyed by fire from heaven ; but Noe and Lot pre
served. 18. When will perfect retribution be made ?
Perfect retribution will not be made until the soul
is in the other world j1 there is, however, even in
this life, no true happiness for the wicked," and no
true unhappiness for the just.3
' Parable of the cockle and the wheat (Matt. xiii. 30) ; of the
rich man and Lazarus (Luke xvi.) 2 'We wearied ourselves
in the way of iniquity and destruction, and have walked through
hard ways' (Wisd. v. 7). — Examples : Cain, Absalom, Achab,
Antiochus. 3 'The souls of the just are in the hand of God'
(Wisd. iii. 1).— Examples : Joseph, Tobias, Susanna, Daniel,
St. Paul (2 Cor. vii. 4).
19. To what should the remembrance of God's holi
ness and justness animate us ?
It should animate us, 1. Carefully to avoid all evil,
and to become more and more holy ; and 2. Not to
pride ourselves in our pretended righteousness.
1. 'Fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to
kill the soul : but rather fear Him that can destroy both soul
and body into hell ' (Matt. x. 28). ' I am the Lord your God :
be holy, because I am holy ' (Levit. xi. 44). 2. ' I am not con-

86 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
scious to myself of anything, yet I am not hereby justified ; but
He that judgeth me is the Lord' (1 Cor. iv. 4).
20. What means ' God is good'?
God is good means that out of love He will do good
to all creatures, and that He really bestows innumer
able blessings upon us.
'Thou lovest all things that are, and hatest none of the
things which Thou hast made ' (Wisd. xi. 25). ' Thus saith the
Lord : Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity
on the son of her womb ? And if she should forget, yet will not
I forget thee ' (Isai. xlix. 15).
21. Which is the greatest proof of God's love and
goodness ?
That He delivered His own Son up to death for the
salvation of us sinners.
' God is charity. By this hath the charity of God appeared
towards us, because God hath sent His Only-begotten Son into
the world, that we may live by Him ' (1 John iv. 8, 9).
•
22. What means ' God is merciful' ?
God is merciful means that He is disposed to avert
all evil from His creatures, and therefore willingly
pardons all truly penitent sinners.
' The mercy of God is upon all flesh' (Hicclus. xviii. 12. Comp.
Jon. iv. 11). ' As I live, saith the Lord God, I desire not the
death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way,
and live ' (Bz. xxxiii. 11).— Ex. : The Ninivites ; Parable of the
prodigal son (Luke xv.)
23. What means 'God is long-suffering'?
. God is long-sioffering means that He often waits a
long time before He punishes the sinner, in order to
give him time for repentance.
' Thou overlookest the sins of men for the sake of repentance '
(Wisd. xi. 24).— Ex. : Manasses (2 Paral. xxxiii.) ; Jerusalem
(Matt, xxiii. 37) ; Parable of the barren fig-tree (Luke xiii)
24. What should we do, since God is so good, so
merciful, and so long-suffering ?
We should, 1. Bs thankful to God, and love Him
with all our heart ; 2. When we have sinned, we should
.with confidence beg pardon of Him ; and 3. We should
be good and merciful to our neighbors.

A Catechisjn of the Catholic Religion. 87
1. ' Give glory to the Lord, for He is good ; for His mercy
endureth for ever' (Ps. cvi. 1).— Ex. : Ingratitude of the Israel
ites in the desert punished. 2. ' I will arise and will go to my
father' (Luke xv. 18). 3. 'Be ye therefore merciful", as your
Father also is mercifuJ ' (Luke vi. 36). Parable of the unmerci
ful servant (Matt, xviii.)
25. What means ' God is true ' ?
God is true means that He reveals nothing but
truth, because He can neither err nor lie*
' It is impossible for God to lie ' (Hebr. vi. 18).
26. What means ' God is faithful'?
God is faithful means that He surely keeps His
promises, and executes what He threatens.
' And thou shaft know the Lord thy God, He is a*strong and
faithful God, keeping His covenant and mercy to them that
love Him, and repaying forthwith them that hate Him, so as to
destroy them ' (Deut. vii. 9, 10).
27. What does the truth and faithfulness of God
oblige us to do ?
1. To believe most firmly in the Word of God, and
steadfastly to trust in His promise ; and 2. Always to
speak the truth, and to keep the promise we have made.
1. 'Blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed'
(John xx. 29). — Ex. : Abraham. 2. Punishment of Ananias
and Saphira (Acts v.)
28. Can we also see God ?
No ; we cannot see God with corporeal eyes, because
He is a Spirit.
29. How, then, have we come to the knowledge of
God and His perfections, since we cannot see Him ?
God has made Himself known to man in a natural
and especially in a supernatural manner.
30. How has God made Himself known to man in
a natural manner ?
1. By the visible world, which He has created and
continually governs ; for nobody can reasonably think
that the world has made itself, or that the regular and
perfect order in it originated and subsists by itself.

88 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
Only ' the fool hath said in his heart, There is no
God ' (Ps. xiii. 1).
Therefore St. Paul says of the Gentiles that they are inexcu
sable, if they do not believe in God : ' For the invisible things
of Him, from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made : His eternal power also,
and Divinity ' (Rom. i. 20). ' Nevertheless He left not Himself
without testimony, doing good from Heaven, giving rains and
fruitful seasons, rilling our hearts with food and gladness' (Acts
xiv. 16 ; comp. Wisdom 13).
2. By the voice of conscience, which admonishes us
to dread an invisible avenger of sin, and to hope in a
rewarder of virtue (Rom. ii. 15).
Conscience has not been made by man. Its action is often
so painful that man would prefer, if he could, to be without
it. It exists in us by the will of God, who made it an essential
part of our human nature, in order that we might be taught by
its voice.
31. How has God made Himself known to man in
a supernatural manner ?
By the Revelation, which He has given us by the
Prophets, and last of all by His Son. (See p. 71, q. 5.)
' No man hath seen God at any time ; the Only-begotten Son
who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him'
(John i. 18).
32. Is there more than one God ?
No, there is but one God.
' I am God, and there is no God beside, neither is there the
like to me ' (Isai. xlvi. 9).
33. Why do we say, ' I believe in God,' and not
only, ' I believe God ' ?
Because we must not only believe that there is a
God, and that all that He has said is true ; but we
must likewise give ourselves up to God with love
and confidence.
Application. ' My son, give me thy heart ' (Prov.
xxiii. 26). Oh ! give it to Him, the Eternal, the Infi
nitely Perfect, Rich, Good, and Faithful God, with
out delay, for ever and ever. God alone has a right

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 89
to possess it, and He alone has the power to render it
happy through all eternity.
§ 2. On the Three Divine Persons.
' I believe in God the Father.'
34. Why do we say, ' I believe in God the Father ' ?
1. Because God is our invisible Father in Heaven ;
and 2. Because in God there is more than one Person,
the first of whom is called the Father.
35. .How many Persons are, then, in God ?
There are three Persons in God : the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Ghost.
' Going therefore, teach ye all nations ; baptizing tnem in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost '
(Matt, xxviii. 19). ' There are three who give testimony in
Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these
three are One ' (1 John v. 7).
36. Is each one of the three Persons God ?
Yes, the Father is true God, the Son is true God,
and the Holy Ghost is true God.
37. Are they not, then, three Gods ?
No, the three Persons are but one God.
38. Why are the three Persons but one God ?
Because all three Persons have one and the same
indivisible nature and substance.
39. Is any one of these Persons older, or more
powerful, than .the others ?
No ; all three Persons are from eternity ; all three
are equally powerful, good, and perfect ; because all
three are but one God.
40. Is there, then, no distinction at- all between
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost ?
As to the Persons they are distinct ; but as to the
substance they are one.
41. How are the three Divine Persons distinct from
one another?
By this : that the Father is begotten of no one, nor

90 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
proceeds from any one ; the Son is begotten of the
Father ; and the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father
and the Son.
42. But if the Son is begotten of the Father, and
the Holy Ghost proceeds from both, why, then, is none
of the Divine Persons older than the others ?
Because the Son is begotten from all eternity, and
the Holy Ghost also proceeds from all eternity.
43. And if none of the Divine Persons is older or
greater than the others, why, then, is the Father called
the first, the Son the second, and the Holy Ghost the
third Person ?
They are so called, not to show any superiority, but
the order in which the one proceeds from the other
from all eternity.
44. What works are principally attributed to each
of the three Divine Persons ?
1. To the Father are attributed the works of om
nipotence, and particularly the Creation ; 2. To the
Son, the works of wisdom, and particularly the Ee-
demption ; and 3. To the Holy Ghost, the works of
love, and particularly the Sanctification; although
these works are common to all three Persons.
The works of Omnipotence and Creation are particularly at
tributed to the Father, because He is the principle to which the
two other Persons owe their eternal origin. The works of
Wisdom to the Son, because the Father begets the Son by the
knowledge of Himself, wherefore the Son is also called the
essential ' Image,' the eternal ' Word' of the Father.
The works of Love are attributed to the Holy Ghost, because
He proceeds from the mutual love of the Father and of the
Son. 45. What do we call the mystery of one God in
three Persons ?
We call it the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity.
46. Can we comprehend this mystery ?
No ; it is impossible that our weak and limited intel
lect, which cannot understand even created things ex-

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 91
cept imperfectly, should comprehend a mystery which
is infinitely above all created things.
' Great art Thou in counsel, and incomprehensible in thought '
(Jer. xxxii. 19). ' For we know in part. We see now through a
glass in a dark manner ' (1 Cor. xiii. 9, 12). However incom
prehensible this mystery may be, yet it does not contradict any
of the truths acknowledged by reason ; for we do not say that
God has one nature and three natures, but that, though He has but
one nature, yet there are three Persons in Him. The Unity
refers to the nature, and the Trinity to the Persons. (Compari
son with the soul, which has memory, will, and understanding.)
47. Is the doctrine of the Most Holy Trinity also
important to us ?
Yes, it is most important ; for it is the principal
and fundamental doctrine of Christianity, insomuch
that to reject it would be to deny the Christian Faith.
Application. That the grace of this saving Faith
may not be withdrawn from you, never forget what
thanks you owe to the Most Blessed Trinity for the
inestimable benefits of your creation, redemption, and
sanctification, and what you have solemnly promised
to the same Trinity in the holy Sacrament of Baptism.
(Feast of the Blessed Trinity.)
§ 3. On the Creation and Government of the World.
' Creator of Heaven and earth.'
48. Why is God called ' Creator of Heaven and
earth'? Because God created — i.e., made out of nothing —
the whole world, the heavens and the earth, and all
that is in them. ,
49. By what has God created the whole world ?
By His almighty will.
' Thou hast created all things ; and for Thy will they were
and h»ve been created ' (Apoc. iv. 11).
50. I^id God create the world because He need
ed it'?
No ; God is infinitely rich and happy in Himsslf,
and needs nothing besides Himself.

92 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
' Thou art my God, for Thou hast no need of my goods ' (Ps
xv. 2).
51. If God needs nothing besides Himself, why,
then, did Ho create other beiugs ?
He created them because He is infinitely good, and
desired to impart His goodness also to other beings.
' We are, because God is good ' (St. Augustine). ' God was
not impelled to create by any other cause than a desire to com
municate to creatures the riches of His bounty' (Cat. of the
Counc. of Tr.)
52. Did, then, God create the world for His crea
tures ?
No ; God created the world for Himself — that is,
for His glory — but, nevertheless, for the good of His
creatures. ' The Lord hath made all things for Himself ' (Pro v. lxxvi. 4).
' And every one that calleth upon my name, I have created him
for my glory, I have formed him, and made him ' (Isai. xliii. 7).
53. What does God still do, that the world which
He has created may not return into its original
nothing ?
He preserves and governs it.
54. How does God preserve the world ?
By the same power of His will with which He
created the world He causes it also to continue, in the
manner He pleases, and as long as He pleases.
'How could anything endure, if Thou wouldst not ?' (Wisd.
xi. 26.)
55. How does God govern the world ?
He takes care of all things,1 orders all things, and,
in His wisdom and goodness, directs all things to the
end for which He lias created the world.2
1 ' God made the little and the great, and He hath equally
care of all ' (Wisd. vi. 8). ' But the very hairs of your head are
all numbered ' (Matt. x. 30). 2 ' She [the wisdom of God] reach-
eth therefore from end to end mightily, and ordereth all things
sweetly ' (Wisd. viii. 1).— Ex. : Deliverance of the Jews throueh
Esther.

A Catechis?n of the Catholic Religion. 93
56. What do we call this supreme care of God in
preserving and governing the world ?
His Divine Providence.
57. But if God orders and directs all things in the
world, why, then, is there so much evil done ? Does
He will it ?
No, God wills not the evil ; but He permits it,
1. Because He has created man free ; and 2. Because
He knows also how to turn evil into good — i.e., how to
avail Himself of the evil in order to execute His eter
nal decrees.
Examples : The history of Joseph in Egypt : ' You thought
evil against me ; but God turned it into good ' (Gen. 1. 20).
Thus God, the Almighty, turned even the murder orour Savi
our by the Jews to the salvation of the world, and the impeni
tence of the same Jews to the conversion of the heathens. And
thus He still avails Himself every day of the designs of the
wicked in order to glorify His Church ; ' for there is no wisdom,
there is no prudence, there is no counsel against the Lord'
(Prov. xxi. 30).
58. And if God takes care of all things, why, then,
are we subject to so many sufferings ?
1. That the sinner may acknowledge the chastise
ment of God and mend his ways, and not perish for
ever; and 2. That the just man may be more and
more purified, and more abound in merits, and thus
obtain a greater reward in Heaven.
1. Ex. ; The brothers of Joseph : 'We deserve to suffer these
things, because we have sinned against our brother ' (Gen. xiii.
21). Manasses (2 Paral. xxxiii.) ; Jonas (Jonas ii.) 2. ' Gold
and silver are tried in the fire, but acceptable men in the fur
nace of humiliation ' (Ecclus. ii. 5). ' Blessed are ye when they
shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil
against you, untruly, for my sake. Be glad and rejoice, for
your reward is very great in Heaven ' (Matt. v. 11, 12).
59. But why does God often permit the wicked to
prosper, whilst evil befalls the good ?
1. Because He will not only deter the sinner from-
his evil ways by punishment, but will also win him by
benefits; 2. Because He reserves to Himself to punish
the wicked, and to reward the good, especially in eter-

94 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
nity ; and 3. Because He will not even leave the little
good which the wicked may do entirely unrewarded,
and, therefore, as He cannot reward it in the next
world on account of their impenitence, He will reward
it here below.
1. 'What is there that I ought to do more to my vineyard
that I have not done to it ? Was it that I looked that it should
bring forth grapes, and it hath brought forth wild grapes ?'
(Isai. v. 4). 2. ' The Lord patiently expecteth, that when the
day of judgment shall come, He maypunish them in the fulness
of their sins ' (2 Maeh. vi. 14). 3. ' Woe to you that are rich ;
for you have your consolation ' ; that is, your reward here in
this world (Luke vi. 24). — Ex. : Achab : ' Because Achab hath
humbled himself for my sake, I will not bring the evil in his
days, (3 Kings xxi. 29).
60. How, then, ought we to receive the sufferings
that come upon us ?
We ought to receive them as graces of God ; for
'whom the Lord loveth He chastiseth }1 (Hebr. xii.
6) ; and ' before he be glorified, it [his heart] is hum
bled' (Pro v. xviii. 12).
1 'For it is a token of great goodness when sinners are not
suffered to go on in their ways for a long time, but are presently
punished ' (2 Mach. vii. 13).
Application. ' Cast all your care upon the Lord, for
He hath care of you' (1 Pet. v. 7). 'Behold the
birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they
reap, nor gather into barns, and your Heavenly Father
feedeth them. Consider the lilies of the field,' etc.
(Matt. vi. 26-33). Take willingly everything that is
disagreeable to you as coming from the hand of God :
'As it hath pleased the Lord, so is it done ; blessed
be the name of the Lord ' (Job i. 21) ; and never be
so rash as to complain of the dispensations of God.
Whatever may come, ' To them that love God, all
things work together unto good' (Eom. viii. 28).
§ 4. On the Angels.
61. Has God created nothing else but the visible
world ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 95
God has also created an invisible world — namely,
innumerable spirits called Angels (Dan. vii. 10).
The Angels are divided into nine different Orders or Choirs—
namely, Angels, Archangels, Virtues, Powers, Principalities,
Dominations, Thrones, Cherubim, and Seraphim (Col. i. 16 ;
Eph. i. 21 ; Ezech. x. ; Isai. vi. 2).
62. In what state were the Angels when God had
created them ?
They were all good and happy, and endowed with
excellent gifts.
63. Did the Angels all remain good and happy ?
No, many rebelled against God; therefore they
were cast away from Him for ever, and hu#led into
hell. ' God spared not the Angels that sinned, but delivered them,
drawn down by infernal ropes to the lower hell, unto torments '
(2 Pet. ii. 4 ; comp. Jude vi.)
64. How has God rewarded the Angels that re
mained faithful ?
He has rewarded them with eternal happiness, which
consists in seeing and possessing Him everlastingly.
' Their Angels in Heaven always see the faee of my Father
who is in Heaven' (Matt, xviii. 10).
65. How are the good Angels affected towards us ?
The good Angels love us; therefore they protect
us in soul and body, pray for us, and exhort us to do
good. ' He hath given His Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in
all thy ways ' (Ps. xc. 11). — Ex. : Agar, Lot, Tobias, Judas,
Machabeus (2 Mach. x. 29, 30) ; Peter in prison ; Cornelius the
centurion. 66. How do we call those Angels who are particu
larly given to man for his protection ?
Guardian Angels.
67. What is our duty towards our Guardian Angels ?
We must venerate them with great devotion, be
thankful to them, and readily follow their admoni
tions.

()6 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
' Behold I will send my Angel, who shall go before thee.
Take notice of him, and hear his voice, and do not think him
one to be contemned ' (Exod. xxiii. 20, 21).
68. How are the fallen or wicked Angels affected
towards us ?
The wicked Angels, through hatred and envy, lay
snares for us, in order to injure us in soul and body,
and, by enticing us to sin, to plunge us into eternal
perdition. ' Tour adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about
seeking whom he may devour ' (1 Pet. v. 8). — Examples : Eve,
Job, Sara, the demoniacs, Judas. See also Luke viii. 12, and
Apoc. xii. #
69. Why does God permit the wicked Angels to lay
snares for us ?
He permits it because He knows how to make their
snares serve unto His own honor and to the salvation
of men.
' And they talked among themselves, saying : What word is
this, for with authority and power He [Jesus] commandeth the
unclean spirits, and they go out ? And the fame of Him was
published into every place of the country ' (Luke iv. 36, 37).
' And the people with one accord were attentive to those things
which were said by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles
which he did. For many of them had unclean spirits, who, cry
ing with a loud voice, went out ' (Acts viii. 6, 7).
70. What must we do on our part, in order that
the snares of the wicked Angels may serve to our sal
vation ?
We must fight against them full of faith and confi
dence, making use at the same time of the arms of
prayer, and availing ourselves of the blessings sanc
tioned by the Church ; and we must firmly resist all
temptations to evil.
' For our wrestling is not [only] against flesh and blood ; but
against the spirits of wickedness in the high places,' i.e.. in the
air (Eph. vi. 12). 'In all things taking the shield of faith,
wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of
the most wicked one ' (Eph. vi. 16). ' Resist the devil, and he will
fly from you ' (James iv. 7). — Ex. : Tobias and Sara (Tob. vi.
16-19, and viii. 4-10).

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 97
Application. Beware of being like the evil spirits
by sinning, or of being even their accomplice in seduc
ing others to sin. Imitate the good Angels ; be inno
cent, docile, pious, devout, and always ready to pro
mote the welfare of your neighbor. Daily venerate
your Guardian Angel, and recommend yourself to him
in all dangers of soul and body. (Feast of the Holy
Guardian Angels.)
§ 5. On our First Parents and their Fall.
(See Short Hist, of Religion, §§ 1, 2.)
71. How did God make the first man, Adam ?
God formed a body of the slime of the earth, and
breathed an immortal soul into it ; and tffe first man
was made (Gen. ii. 7).
72. Of what did God form Eve ?
God formed Eve of a rib of Adam whilst he was
Bleeping (Gen. ii. 21).
73, Why did God make the woman of a bone of
the man ?
Because man and woman, as husband and wife, are
to love one another as if they were one body and one
soul. 74. How did God distinguish man at his creation
from all other creatures ?
By creating him to His own image (Gen. i. 27).
75. How was the first man the image of God ?
By this : that he was endowed with natural and su
pernatural gifts, which made him resemble God.
76. In what do the natural gifts consist ?
Especially in this : that the human soul is an im
mortal spirit, endowed with understanding and free
will. 77. I11 what do the supernatural gifts consist ?
Especially in this : 1. That the first man possessed
sanctifying grace, and together with it the sonship of
God, and -the right of inheriting the kingdom of

98 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
Heaven ; 2. That in him the senses never rebelled
against reason ; and 3. That he was never to be sub
jected to hardships and sufferings, nor to death.
78. Why are the latter called supernatural gifts ?
They are called supernatural gifts because they are
not, like the natural ones, essential attributes of our
nature, but because they were an extraordinary and
free gift of God.
79. Did our first parents receive this Divine free
gift for themselves alone ?
They received it also for all their descendants ; and
therefore, according to God's dispensation, not only
their natural but also their supernatural gifts were to
devolve upon the whole human race.
80. Upon what condition did they receive these
supernatural gifts for themselves and for their de
scendants ?
Upon condition that they should keep the command
ment of God not to eat of the fruit of a certain tree
(Gen. ii. 17).
81. Why did God give them this commandment?
He gave it them that, by their obedience to it, they
might merit that supernatural happiness for which
they had received sanctifying grace.
82. Did Adam and Eve keep this commandment,
which was so easy to be observed ?
No ; they broke the commandment of God, and
ate of the forbidden fruit (Gen. iii. 6).
83. Was this transgression a grievous sin ?
Yes, it was a very grievous sin ; for though they
were filled with the knowledge of God, yet they be-
lieved the serpent (which is the devil, Apoc. xx. 2)
more than God, rebelled against Him, and wanted
to be like God (Gen. iii.)
84. What punishment came upon Adam and Eve ?
1. They forfeited all their supernatural gifts, and

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 99
at the same time were also weakened in the faculties
of their souls ; 2. They were expelled from Paradise,
in which God had placed them ; and 3. They became
liable to eternal damnation.
85. Did our first parents lose these supernatural
gifts for themselves only ?
No ; as by their obedience they would have pre
served them not only for themselves, but for all their
descendants, so by their disobedience they lost them
not only for themselves, but also for us all, and have
thereby plunged the whole human race into the great
est misery.
86. In what does the misery consist into which
our first parents have plunged the whole humfh race ?
In this : that sin, with its fatal consequences, has
passed from Adam to all mankind, insomuch that we
now all come into this world infected with sin.
' By one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death ;
and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned *
(Rom. v. 12). ' Behold, I was conceived in iniquities ; and in
sins did my mother conceive me ' (Ps. 1. 7). The Blessed Virgin
Mary alone was, by a particular grace and privilege, perfectly
preserved, through the merits of Jesus Christ, not only from all
actual sin, but also from every stain of original sin.
87. What do we call this sin in which we are all
bom ?
We call it Original Sin, because we have not ac
tually committed it, but have, as it were, inherited it
from our first parents, who were the origin or source
of all mankind.
88. Is original sin, though not actually committed
by us, nevertheless truly sin ?
Yes, it is the death of the soul — it is truly and
properly sin (Oounc. of Tr., Sess. V.)
Owing to the sin of Adam,' the entire human race lost its
original sanctity and righteousness — i.e., sanctifying grace — and
all the supernatural gifts which were intended for it. Man was
thereby impaired in soul and body, by nature spiritually dead,
fallen off and separated from God, and no longer capable of at
taining his higher supernatural end. God saw then His gener-

ioo A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
ous and gracious design defeated, and could no longer look down
with satisfaction upon degraded man. ' We all were by nature
children of wrath,' because ' we were dead in sin ' (Eph. ii. 3).
89. What fatal consequences have, with original
sin, passed to all men ?
1. Their disgrace with God, and at the same time
their loss of the sonship of God, and of the right of
inheriting the kingdom of Heaven ; 2. Ignorance,
concupiscence, and proneness to evil ; and 3. All
sorts of hardships, pains, calamities, and at last death.
1. See Eph. ii. 3. ' Unless a man be born again of water and
the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God'
(John iii. 5). 2. ' I see another law in my members, fighting
against the law of my mind ' (Rom. vh. 23). ' The imagination
and thought of man's heart are prone to evil from his youth '
(Gen. viii. 21). 3. ' Great labor is created for all men, and a
heavy yoke is upon the children of Adam, from the day of their
birth until the day of their burial ' (Ecclus. xl. 1). ' God created
man incorruptible ; but by the envy of the devil death came
into the world ' (Wisd. ii. 23, 27). This doctrine of Divine reve
lation is confirmed by experience, and by the sad history of
mankind (comp. Rom. vii. 18-24).
90. Did the fatal consequences of sin fall upon
man only ?
The punishment of God was also inflicted upon the
earth, which had been created for man.
' Cursed is the earth in thy work,' said God to Adam ; ' with
labor and toil shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thv life.
Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee ' (Gen. iii. 17, 18).
91. What would have become of man, if God had
not shown him mercy ?
No one could have received grace and been saved.
92. Why could no one have any more received
grace ?
Because the Divine justice demanded a satisfaction
adequate to the sin ; and no creature, but least of all
man, who had fallen so deeply, was able to give such
satisfaction. 93. How did God show mercy to man ?
He promised him a Saviour, who, by a full satisfac-

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 101
tion, should take sin away from him, and regain for
him grace and the right of inheriting the kingdom
of Heaven (Gen. iii. 15).
' Therefore, as by the offence of one [Adam] judgment came
unto all men to condemnation ; so also by the justice of one
[Christ] grace came unto all men to justification of life ; . . .
that as sin hath reigned to death, so also grace might reign by
justice unto life everlasting' (Rom. v. 18, 21).
94. If without the grace of the Eedeemer no one
can be saved, how then could those who lived before
the coming of Christ go to Heaven ?
Those who lived before the coming of the Eedeemer
of the world could not indeed enter Heaven before
Him ; but with the grace which God gave them on ac
count of the Eedeemer to come, they could merit the
kingdom of Heaven, and then enter into it with Him.
The whole of the Old Testament bears witness of the many
eminent graces which God gave to the Israelites, and to the
just who lived under the Patriarchal law (Short Hist, of Reh, §§
6-19). 95. Did God give grace also to the pagans for the
salvation of their souls ?
Yes ; He manifested Himself also to the pagans, and
in many ways exhorted them to repentance and amend
ment: 1. By the voice of conscience and interior impulse ;
2. By natural benefits ; 3. By His judgments ; 4. By ex
traordinary men whom He raised among them or sent
to them ; 5. By the Israelites whom, with their holy
books, He dispersed among them ; and 6. Sometimes .
also by Angels, dreams, wonderful apparitions or events.
1. 'Who [the Gentiles] show the work of the law written
in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to them'
(Rom. ii. 15). 2. 'He left not Himself without testimony,
doing good from Heaven, giving rains and fruitful seasons, '
etc. (Acts xiv. 16). 3. Deluge ; punishment of Sodom, of
Egypt, of Chanaan, and of other places (compare Wisd. xii.
and xvi.-xviii.) 4. Job, Balaam, Jonas, Daniel, etc. 5. 'He
hath therefore scattered you [Israelites] among the Gentiles,
who know not Him, that you may declare His wonderful
works, and make them known that there is no other almighty

102 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
God besides Him ' (Tob. xiii. 4). 6. Cornelius, the centurion,
was advised by an Angel (Acts x. 3) ; Nabuchodonosor, by-
dreams (Dan. ii. 4) ; Baltassar, by a mysterious hand (Dan. v.) ;
Balaam, by an ass (Num. xxii. 22, 28-30).
96. Why did the Eedeemer not come immediately
after the fall of our first parents ?
Because mankind had first to learn by experience
into what great misery sin had plunged them, and that
no one but God could save them.
Application. My child, be a heautiful image of
God and hate sin, which has brought all evils into the
world. ' Sin maketh nations miserable ' (Prov. xiv. 34) .
The Second Article.
'And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.'
1. Wha't does this Second Article of the Creed
teach us ?
It teaches us that the Eedeemer whom God prom
ised and sent to us is the only Son of God, Jesus
Christ, our Lord.
2. What does the name Jesus signify ?
The name Jesus signifies Saviour or Redeemer.
' Thou shalt call His name Jesus ; for He shall save His peo
ple from their sins ' (Matt. i. 21).
3. What does the word Christ signify ?
The word Christ— in Hebrew Messias — signifies
Anointed. 4. Why is Jesus called the Anointed ?
Because in the Old Law the prophets, high-priests,
and kings were anointed with oil, and Jesus is our
greatest Prophet (Acts iii. 22), Priest (Hebr. iv. 14),
and King (John xviii. 37).
' Jesus of Nazareth ; how God anointed Him wit.i the Koly
Ghost, and with power ' (Acts x. 38). The anointing ci Josus is
the plenitude of the Divinity that dwells in Him.
5. Why is Jesus called our Prophet, Priest, and
King?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 103
Jesus is called, and is, 1. Our Prophet, because He
revealed the mysteries of God to us, and taught us all
that we are to believe, to hope, and to do iu order to
be saved ; 2. Our Priest, because He offered Him
self for us on the Cross, and offers himself daily on
the altar, and is also our mediator and intercessor for
ever in Heaven ; and 3. Our King, because He es
tablished a spiritual kingdom (the Church), of which
He is, aud will be through all eternity, tfie Head.
6 Why is Jesus Christ called the ' only Son of
God'? Because Jesus Christ, as the Second Person of the
Most Blessed Trinity, is the only true and real Son
of God — i.e., Son of God from eternity, of orfe nature
aud substance with God the Father.
' To which of the Angels hath He said at any time : Thou art
my Son, to-day [i.e., at present, from eternity] have I begotten
thee- (Hebr. i. 5). The Catholic Church has, in the CEcumeni-
cal Council of Nice, expressed this fundamental doctrine of the
Christian Religion, ' respecting the one nature and substance of
Jesus Christ with God the Father' in the following terms : ' I
believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God,
and born of the Father before all ages ; God of God, Light of
Light, true God of true God ; begotten, not made ; consubstam-
Hal to the Father, by whom all things were made. '
7. Are we not, then, also children of God ?
Yes, we are children of God, but not by nature
and from all eternity ; we are only children adopted
by grace.
' A.s many as received Him, He gave them power to be made
the sons of God ' (John i 12).
8. Why is Jesus Christ called ' Our Lord'?
Jesus Christ is called, and is, our Lord, 1. As God,
because, being consubstantial with the Father, He is,
like Him, Lord and Creator of Heaven and earth ;
and 2. As Man, because, in the human nature, He
has redeemed us, and therefore bought us, with His
Blood, as His property ;' and because, in the same
nature. He will be one day our Judge,' and our Head
and King through all eternity.'

104 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
1 ' For you are bought with a great price ' (1 Cor. vi. 20). " ' It
is He who was appointed by God, to be judge of the living and
of the dead' (Acts x. 42). 3 'And He [God] hath subjected all
things under His feet, and hath made Him Head over all this
Church '(Eph. i. 22).
Application. Constantly cherish the most ardent
love aud devotion to Jesus, ' in whose name every knee
should bow, of those that are in Heaven, on earth, and
under the earth ' (Philip, ii. 10). Often invoke, with
the greatest veneration and confidence, this Holy
Name, especially in times of temptation. Take a de
light in using this beautiful form of salutation : ' Prais
ed be Jesus Christ for evermore, Ames. ' 1 (Feast
of the Holy Name of Jesus.)
' This mode of saluting one another is quite common in Ger
many and Switzerland. An indulgence of one hundred days
has been granted by Sixtus V. in 1587, and by Benedict XIII.
in 1728, to those who salute each other, the one saying, ' Praised
be Jesus Christ,' and the other answering, 'Amen,' or ' For
evermore, Amen.' To those who have generally used this form
of salutation during their life a Plenary Indulgence is granted
at the hour of death. The same indulgences are imparted to
those who teach others this holy practice. — The Teassl.
§ 1. Jesus Christ the Promised Messias.
9. How do we know that Jesus Christ is the Mis-
sins or Redeemer promised by God ?
We know it because in Him has been fulfilled all
that the prophets' have foretold of the Eedeemer, as
may be seen in the life and sufferings of Christ. (On
the" prophets see Short Hist, of Rel., § 17.)
10. What have the prophets foretold of the Mes
sias ?
1. The time of His coming, the circumstances of
His birth, of His life, Passion, and death ; 2. His Ee-
snrrection and Ascension, and the sending down of
the Holy Ghost; 3. The destruction of Jerusalem,
which happened after His death ; the rejection of the
Jews, and the conversion of the Gentiles ; and 4. The
founding, spreading, and duration of His Church.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 105
11. How did they indicate the time of His coming ?
The Prophet Daniel (ix. 24, etc.) foretold that not
quite seventy weeks of years — i.e., 490 years — should
elapse from the time when it was commanded that Je
rusalem should be rebuilt, until the death of Christ ;
2. Jacob prophesied that at the time of the coming of
the Messias the sceptre should have been taken away
from Juda. Others again foretold that then the
Temple of Jerusalem should still exist, and the world
be in great expectation. And all this was exactly ful
filled in Jesus (Short Hist, of Rel., §§ 8 and 18).
12. What did they prophesy of His birth ?
That He should be born at Bethlehem of a Virgin,
of the tribe of Juda and family of David, arid should
be adored by kings from distant countries (Isai. vii.
14, xi. 1, and lx. 6; Mich. v. 2; Ps. lx;:i. 10).
13. What account do they give us of His life ?
They give us an account of His public teaching, of
His miraculous cures, of His forbearing charity and
meekness, of His entering into Jerusalem upon an ass,
etc. (Isai. Ixi. and xxxv. 3, etc. ; Zach. ix. 9).
14. What do they relate of His Passion and death ?
They relate almost all, even the least circumstances ;
for example, that they would sell Him for thirty pieces
of silver, strike Him, pull out His hair, spit in His
face, give Him gall and vinegar to drink, pierce His
hands and feet, and cast lots for His garment; that
those who see Him would mock Him, and wag their
heads, saying : ' He hoped in the Lord, let Him de
liver Him' (Zach. xi. 12, 13; Isai. 1. 6; Ps. xxi. 7,
etc., and Ixviii. 22).
The prophets did indeed promise a great King, but not a king
of this world, as the Jews are still expecting ; otherwise they
would not have described Him as 'a man of sorrows ' (Isai. liii.
3, 4), nor called him the ' reproach of men, and the outcast of
the people ' (Ps. xxi. 7) ; but a King of a spiritual and super
natural kingdom of God (the Church), which was indeed to be-
g'n and spread on earth, but is to be consummated only in
eaven, and to last for ever.

106 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
15. What do they say of His Resurrection and As
cension, and of His sending down the Holy Ghost ?
They say that His sepulchre shall be glorious, and
that He shall not see corruption, but shall mount
above the Heaven of heavens, and pour out His
Spirit upon all flesh (Ps. xv. 10, and lxvii. 19, 34;
Isai. xi. 10 ; Joel ii. 2b, 29).
16- What did the prophets foretell of the destruc
tion of Jerusalem and of the rejecting of the Jews ?
1. After the Messias shall have been slain, a people
with their leader shall come, and destroy Jerusalem
and the Temple, and the desolation shall continue
even to the consummation, and to the end ; 2. The
Jews, blinded, rejected, dispersed among all nations,
shall have no longer a sacrifice nor a temple; how
ever, they shall not be extirpated by God, but the
remnant may be saved at the end of the world (Dan.
ix. 26, 27; Ps. Ixviii, 24-26 aud 108 ; Isai. x. 21, and
lix. 20). '
(How this was accomplished, see Short. Hist, of Ret. § 31.)
17- What did they prophesy of the conversion of
the Gentiles, and of the foundation, spreading, and
duration of the Church ?
All that we see already accomplished, or being ac
complished. They prophesied, 1. That the Messias
shall be the light of the Gentiles, and that all nations
of the earth shall be blessed in Him (Gen. xxii. 18 ;
Ps. lxxi.; Isai. xiii. 6, etc. ) ; and 2. That He shall estab
lish a new sacrifice and a new priestiiood, and found
a kingdom of God, that shall reach from sea to sea to-
the end of the earth, and shall never be destroyed, but
stand for ever (Mai. i. 11 ; Isai. Ixvi. 21 ; Jer. iii. 15 ;
Zach. ix. 10 ; Dan. ii. 44, and vii. 14, etc.)
18- Did the prophets prophesy long before the
coming of Christ?
Malachias, the last of the prophets, prophesied four
hundred and fifty years before Christ.
19- Were their prophecies also known long before
Christ ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 107
'Yes ; they had already been written many centuries
before Christ, ana were preserved and read by the
Jews as Divine writings ; they were also translated
into other languages, and spread among the pagan
nations. 20- Did not also Christ and the Apostles appeal to
the testimony of the prophets ?
Yes ; Christ and the Apostles proved to the Jews
from the writings of the prophets that the Messias
was come, and that He Himself — Jesus of Nazareth
— was the Messias.
'Search the Scriptures,' said Jesus to the Jews, 'and the
same are they that give testimony of me' (John v. 39). He
convinced also the unbelieving Disciples from th# prophets
(Luke xxiv. 25-27, and xliv 47). St. Peter convinced by the
Erophecies the three thousand and the five thousand who were
aptized (Acts ii. and iii.) St. Paul protested before King
Agrippa, saying : ' Being aided by the help of God, I stand
unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no
ether thing than those which the prophets and «Moses did say
should come to pass ' (Acts xxvi. 22). The Evangelists, in their
narrative, always refer to the prophets. It is also said of
Apollo : ' With much vigor he convinced the Jews openly, show
ing by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ ' — i.e., the Promised .
Messias (Acts xviii. 28).
21- Do we see nothing else fulfilled in Christ but
the prophecies ?
We see also in Him the fulfilment of all the Fig-
ares by which the deeds and sufferings of the Mes
sias were indicated many centuries before.
22- Which are the most remarkable Figures of the
Messias ?
2. His Passion and Death were prefigured by Abel,
I^aac, Joseph, David, the Paschal Lamb, the Propi
tiatory Sacrifice, and the Brazen Serpent ; 2. His
Priesthood chiefly by Melchisedech ; 3. His office of
Prophet and Mediator by Moses ; 4. His Resurrection
by Jonas in the whale's belly ; and 5. His Church and
the Holy Sacraments by tho Ark, the Red Sea, the
Manna, and the Temple" with its various appurtennn-
ees and sacrifices (Hebr. ix.)

io8 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
Application. How happy you are to know and
possess the promised Saviour of the world, for whom
the holy Patriarchs sighed so long and so ardently !
May He always find in your heart a dwelling agree-
ble to Him ! Endeavor, therefore, at all times, and
especially during the holy season of Advent, to pre
pare it well for Him.
§ 2. Jesus Christ, true God.
23. Whence do we know that Jesus Christ is the
Son of G od , and true God ?
We know it, 1. From the prophecies ; 2. From the
testimony of His Heavenly Father ; 3. From His own
testimony ; 4. From the teaching of the Apostles ;
and 5. From the doctrine of the Catholic Church.
24. What do the prophets say ?
They call the promised Redeemer : 'God, God with
us, the Saint of Saints, the Wonderful, the Father of
the world to come ' (Isai. vii. 14, and ix. 6; Dan. ix.
24). Isaias (xxxv. 4) says of Him : ' God Himself will
come and will save you ' ; and Jeremias (xxiii. 6)
says : ' This is the name that they shall call Him, The
Lord, Jehovah, our Just One.'
25. What is the testimony of His Heavenly Fa
ther ?
At the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan, and at His
Transfiguration on Mount Thabor, a voice from Heaven
was heard, saying: ' This is my Beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased' (Matt. iii. 17, and xvii. 5).
26. What is the testimony of Christ ?
Christ, 1. Testified that He is the Son of God, and
true God, like His Father ; 2. He confirmed His tes
timony by the holiness of His life, as well as by mira
cles and prophecies; and 3. He sealed it with His
death. ' I and the Father are one. Believe that the Father is in me,
and I in the Father' (John X.-8Q, 38). 'He that seeth me,
seeth the Father also ' (John xiv. 9). ' All things whatsoever
the Father hath, are mine ' (John xvi. 15). ' What things he

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 109
[the Father] doth, these the Son also doth in like manner.
For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and giveth life, so the
Son also giveth life to whom He will ; that all men may honor
the Son, as they honor the Father' (John v. 19, 21, 23).
•Amen, amen I say to you,,before Abraham was made, I am,'
(John viii. 58, etc.) When Peter said to Jesus : ' Thou ait
Christ, the Son of the living God' (Matt. xvi. 16); and Thomas
said to Him : ' My Lord and my God ' (John xx. 28), our Sa
viour confirmed the faith and the declaration of both the Apos
tles. 27. What are miracles ?
Miracles are such extraordinary works as cannot be
done by natural" powers, and require for their per
formance the Omnipotence of God.
28. Which are the principal miracles wrought by
Christ ? •
He changed water into wine ; with five loaves He
filled several thousands ; with one word He calmed
tlie winds and the waves, cured diseases of all sorts,
cast out devils, and raised the dead to life. When
He died, all nature mourned ; three days after His
death, He rose again from the grave, and forty days
later He ascended into Heaven in the sight of His
Disciples. The miracles of Jesus were such that all Judea must have
known whether they had been really wrought or not. Yet no
one has denied or questioned them, not even His most bitter
enemies. On the contrary, thousands, nay, millions of people
have given up all they possessed, even their lives, in testimony
of their belief in these miracles.
29. How do these miracles prove the Divinity of
Christ ?
They prove, 1. That when Christ said that He is
the Son of God, He spoke the truth, since God cannot
possibly confirm a lie by miracles ; and 2. That Christ
possessed Divine power, since of Himself He wrought
miracles. 1. ' If you will not believe me [my words], believe my works,
that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I
in the Father ' (John x. 38). 2. ' What things soever the Fa
ther doth, these the Son also doth in like manner .... For as
the Father raiseth up the dead, and giveth life, so the Son also
giveth life to whom He will' (John v. 19, 21).

no A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
30. How did Jesus confirm the doctrine of His
Divinity by prophecies ?
By this : that He foretold many things which God
alone could know; for instance, His betrayal by
Judas, and His denial by Peter; the manner of His
death ; His resurrection ; His ascension, etc.
31. Which prophecies of Christ do we still see be
ing accomplished ?
These, for instance : 1. That the Gospel shall be
preached in the whole world (Matt. xxiv. 14) ; 2.
That the gates of hell shall not prevail against the
Church (Matt. xvi. 18) ; and 3. That of the Temple
of Jerusalem there shall not be left a stone upon a
stone (Mark xiii. 2).
With a view to falsify the prediction of our Lord and of the
prophets, the Apostate Emperor Julian resolved, in 353, to
rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem. Full of joy, the Jews came
in great haste from all countries, set to work, and cleared away
the rubbish of the old Temple, insomuch that not one stone was
left upon another. But when they were going to commence the
building, terrible flames flashed out of the ground, which part
ly killed the workmen, and partly put them to flight. This
occurred at each fresh attempt that was made, until they gave
up their undertaking. This miracle is attested by contempo
rary pagan as well as Cb ristian writers.
32. How did Jesus seal the doctrine of His Divin
ity with His death ?
Being adjured by the living God before the tri
bunal of the High-Priest, He solemnly confessed
that He was ' the Christ, the Son of God, and that
they shall see Him sitting on the right hand of the
power of God, and coming in the clouds of Heaven ' ;
and, on account of this confession, He suffered death
(Matt. xxvi. 63, 64 ; John xix. 7).
As it would be the most grievous sin falsely to pretend to be
God. so it is the greatest dishonor to Jesus Christ not to give
credit to His declaration that He is God.
33. What do the Apostles teach of Jesus Christ ?
The Apostles explicitly tench, 1. That Jesus Christ
is true God ; 2. That He possesses all the fulness of

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. in
the Godhead, and the infinite perfections of God;
and 3. That all creatures should adore Him.
1. ' We know that the Son of God is come. This is the true
God and life eternal' (1 John v. 20). ' Christ who is over all
things, God blessed for ever. Amen ' (Rom. ix. 5).
2. ' In Hira [Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead
corporally ' — i.e , substantially (Col ii. 9) Of Christ, the Son of
God, St. John says : ' In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was
in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and
without Him was made nothing that was made ' (John i. 1-3).
' In Him [Christ] were all things created in Heaven and on
earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominations,
or principalities, or powers : all things were created by Him and
in Him ; and He is before all, and by Him all things consist '
(Col. i. 16, 17). ' By His Son God made the world, who, being
the brightness of His glory and the figure of His.substance,
upholds all things by the word of His power ' (Hebr. i. 2, 3).
3 'In the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those
that are in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth ; and eveiy
tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory
of God the Father' (Phil. ii. 10, 11). ' Let all the angels of
God adore Him ' (Hebr. i. 6).
The Apostles also confirmed their doctrine of the Divinity of
Jesus by innumerable miracles which they wrought in the name
of Jesus, and by the most stupendous of all miracles, the con
version of the world (Short Hist, of Rel. §§ 28, 29, etc.)
34. What does the Catholic Church teach of Jesus
Christ ?
The Catholic Church has ever believed and taught
that Jesus Christ is true God, and of one substance
with God the Father ; and in defence of this fun
damental Christian doctrine, she composed, at the
Council of Nice, a peculiar Creed, and excommuni
cated those who taught the contrarv. (See Short
Hist, of Rel. §36, page 103, quest. 6.)"
The holy Martyrs also professed this belief, and suffered with
joy indescribable torments, nay, death itself, for it ; and it
often pleased God to confirm their profession by undeniable
miracles. One of these is particularly remarkable. It took
place in Africa in 484, and is attested by many unobjectionable
eye-witnesses. For when Hunneric, King of the Arian Van
dals, who most cruelly persecuted those who professed the Divin
ity of Christ, had had the tongues of the orthodox Christians of
the city of Tipisa torn out, they spoke without tongues as flu-

112 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. ¦ *£
ently and distinctly as before, and proclaimed everywhere that
Jesus Christ is true God, and of one substance with the Father.
About sixty of them fled to Constantinople, where all the town
saw them, and heard them speak daily, and that for many
years. Application. Wickedness dims the understanding.
Be always pious and virtuous, and you will never
have any doubts respecting the truth of your faith.
' If any man will do the will of Him that sent me,
he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God'
(John vii. 16, 17).
The Third Article.
'Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the
Virgin Mary.'
(See Short Hist, of Rel. §§ 21, 22, 23.*)
1. What does the Third Article of the Creed prin
cipally teach us ?
It teaches us that the Son of God, through the
operation of the Holy Ghost, became man — i.e., took
to Himself a body and a soul like ours.
'The Word [the Only-begotten of the Father] was made
flesh, and dwelt among us '(John i. 14).
2. What do we call this Mystery ?
The Incarnation of the Son of God.
3. What is, then, our belief concerning Jesus Christ,
when we believe the Mystery of the Incarnation ?
We believe that Jesus Christ is both true God and
true man, or that He is a God-Man : He is God from
eternity, and became man in time.
When Christ says, ' I and the Father are one.' He speaks of
Himself as God ; and when He says. ' The Father is greater
than I,' He speaks of Himself as Man.
4. How many natures, then, are there in Jesus
Christ ?
* The history of the Birth, Life, and Passion of Christ is to be
learned from the Short History of Religion.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 113
There are two natures in Jesus Christ, the Divine
and the human.
5. Are there also in Jesus Christ two wills distinct
from one another ?
Yes, hi Jesus Christ there is a Divine will and a
human will, which, however, is always in perfect
subjection to the Divine will.
' Father, not my will, but Thine be done ' (Luke xxii. 42).
6. Are there also two persons in Jesus Christ ?
No, Jesus Christ is only one Divine Person ; for
the two natures are inseparably united in the one
Person of the Son of God.
7. Why is the Incarnation of the Son^f God at
tributed to the operation of the Holy Ghost ?
Because it is especially an effect of the Divine love
and mercy towards man (comp. page 90, quest. 44).
' God so loved the world as to give His Only-begotten Son '
(John iii. 16).
8. From whom did the Son of God take His hu
man nature ?
From Mary, the purest of Virgins ; therefore she is
also called 'Mother of God.' (Feast of the Annunci
ation of B. V. Mary.)
9. Why is Mary called ' the purest of Virgins ' ?
Because she always remained a Virgin incompara
bly pure and entirely undefiled, not only before but
also at aud after the birth of the Divine Child.
'Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and boar a Son, and His
name shall be called Emmanuel,' that is, God with us (Isai. vii.
14). In the Holy Scriptures near relations are often called
brethren ; as Lot and Abraham. In like manner the cousins of
Jesus are called His brethren (Matt. xii. 46).
10. Why is Mary called 'Mother of God,' since
Christ took only His human nature from her ?
She is justly so called because Christ, who was born
of her according to the flesh, is true God.
' The Holy which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son

114 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
of God' (Luke i. 35). The doctrine of Nestorius. that Mary is
not to be called the Mother of God, was condemned as heretical
by the General Council of Ephesus in 431.
11, Had Jesus Christ also a father ?
As Man, Jesus Christ had no father ; for Joseph,
the virgin-spouse of Mary, was only His foster father.
' Jesus being^as it was supposed] the Son of Joseph ' (Luke
iii. 23).
12. Why did the Son of God become man ?
1. That He might be able to suffer and die for us ;
for as God He could neither suffer nor die; and 2.
That by the example of His life, as well as by His
word, He might teach us virtue and holiness.
13. What virtues does Jesus teach us by His ex
ample ?
All virtues in the highest decree, especially zeal f oi
the honor of God,1 and for the salvation of men;5
meekness,3 humility,4 patience.5 kindness and mercy
towards everyone,6 even our greatest enemies;7 and
obedience to His Heavenly Father unto death.8
1 Chastisement of the profaners of the Temple. 2 Jesus the
good shepherd. 3 Reprimand of the Apostles who were going
to call fire from Heaven. 4 Washing of the feet of the Apostles.
6 His Passion. " Jesus, the merciful Samaritan ; Jesus at the
well of Jacob ; in the house of Zacheus, etc. 7 ' Friend, whereto
art thou come ?' 'Father, forgive them.' * 'Father, not my
will, but Thine be done.'
14. What example does Jesus give in particular to
young people ?
He teaches them, by His example, readily to obey,
to take delight in prayer and instruction, to love to
stay in the house of God, and to advance in wisdom
and grace as they do in age.
The Child Jesus in the Temple and at Nazareth.
15. Why did Jesus Christ make choice of a poor
and humble life ?
1. That He might suffer for us from the very be
ginning of His life ; and 2. To teach us that we ought
not to love and seek the vain goods of this world.

A Cdtechism of the Catholic Religion. 115
Application. Give thanks to God with your whole
heart for having taken the form of a servant, and be
come a poor child for the love of you; especially
when you hear the Angohis-bell ring in the morning,
at noon, and at night Resolve also to perform all
your actions in the manner you know Jesus did His.
If you do this* you will bo sure to please God, whether
you be rich or poor. (Feast of the Nativity of our
Lord, or Christmas day.)
The Fourth Article.
'Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and
buried.'
« (See Short Hist, of Rel. §§ 25, 26.) *
1, What does the Fourth Article of the Creed teach
us ?
It teaches us that Jesus Christ suffered for us, died
on the cross, and was laid in the grave.
2. Did Christ really die ?
Yes ; His soul was truly separated from His body.
3. Was His Divinity also separated from it ?
No; the Divine Person always remained insepara
bly united with His body and with His soul.
4. Why did Christ will to be buried ?
In order that His death might be the more unde
niable, and His resurrection the more glorious and
credible. 5. Did Christ suffer as God or as man ?
Christ suffered as man — that is, acOording to His
human nature. -
6. Was Christ compelled to suffer death ?
No ; Christ suffered death of His own free will ;
' He was offered, because it was His own will ' (Isaias
liii. 7).
' I live in the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and
delivered Himself for me ' (Gal. ii. 20 ; comp. John x. 17, 18,
and xviii. 4-9).

n6 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
7. Why was it the will of Christ to suffer and die ?
In order to satisfy the Divine Justice for our sins,
and thereby to redeem aud save us (p. 100, q. 91-93).
By His voluntary obedience unto the death of the cross
Christ has given full, nay, superabundant satisfaction to the
Divine Majesty for the manifold offences given to Him by our
disobedience, and thus He has redeemed us» from the eternal
punishment which we had deserved. Therefore St. Paul says
(Rom. v. 19) : 'As by the disobedience of one man [Adam],
many were made sinners ; so also by the obedience of One
[Jesus Christ], many shall be' made just.' And St. Peter (1
Pet. ii. 22, 24) : ' Vv ho did no sin, who His ownself bore our
sins in His body upon the tree, that we, being dead to sins,
should live to justice ; by whose stripes you were healed.' And
Isaias (liii. 4, 5) : ' Surely He hath borne our infirmities, and
carried our sorrows But He was wounded for our iniquities,
He was bruised for our sins.' *
8. For what sins has Christ given satisfaction ?
' For the sins of the whole world' (1 John ii. 2) — ¦
namely, for original sin aud all the other sins of man
kind. 9. Why could no one but Christ make full repara
tion for our sins ?
Because the offence given to the infinite Majesty of
God demanded a satisfaction of infinite value, which
Christ alone was able to give.
' No brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem : he shall not
five to God his ransom. Nor the price of the redemption of
is soul : and shall labor for ever, and shall still live unto the
end' (Ps. xlviii 8, 9).
10. Why is the satisfaction of Christ of infinite
value ?
It is of infinite value because a Divine Person made
it; for the greater the dignity of the person who
satisfies, the greater also is the value and merit of
the satisfaction.
11. Was it necessary for a perfect satisfaction that
Christ should suffer such indescribable torments?
No ; for even the least suffering of a God-Man
would in itself have been satisfactory, because each
of His works is of infinite value.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 117
12. Why, then, would He suffer so much ?
In order that we might be the more sensible of the
greatness of His love, and of the punishment which
sin deserves ; and also that we might bear our cross
the mure patiently.
13. From what has Christ redeemed us by his suf
ferings and death ?
He has redeemed us, 1. From sin ; 2. From the
slavery of the devil, who had subdued us by sin;
and 3. From eternal damnation, which we have de
served by sin.
1. 'He hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in His
own blood' (Apoc. i 5). 2. ' He Himself hath been partaker
of flesh and blood, that, through death, He might ctestroy him
who had the empire of death — that is to say, the devil ' (Hebr.
ii. 14). 3. ' God hath not appointed us unto wrath [damnation],
but unto the purchasing of salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
who died for us' (1 Thess. v. 9, 10).
14. What more has Christ gained for us through
His sufferings and death ?
He has, 1. Reconciled us with God ; 2. Reopened
Heaven to us ; and 3. Merited abundant graces for us,
in order to enable us to lead a holy life and to obtain
eternal happiness.
1. ' When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the
death of His Son ' (Horn, v. 10). 2. ' Having therefore, brethren,
a confidence in the entering into the Holies [Heaven] by the
blood of Christ ; a new and living way which He hath dedicated
for us through the veil, that is to say, His flesh ' (Hebr. x. 19,
20). 3. ' God hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in
heavenly places [things] in Christ, . . . according to the riches
of His grace, which hath superabounded in us' (Eph. i. 3,7, 8 ;
comp. Rom. v. 15-21).
15. Has Christ merited grace and eternal salvation
for those only who are really saved ?
No ; He has merited it for all men without excep
tion, as He died also for all without exception (2 Cor.
v. 14, 15).
' Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a redemption for all ' (1
Tim. ii. 6).

n8 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
16. If Christ has merited eternal salvation for all
men, why, then, are not all saved ?
Because not all do, on .their part, what is necessary
for obtaining salvation ; that is, because they do not
all believe, keep the Commandments, and use the
moans of grace.
'He [Christ] became to all that obey Wan the cause of eternal
salvation ' (Hebr. v. 9).— Example of St. Paul (Col. i. 24). ' He
who made you without your concurrence, will not save you
without it ' (St. Augustine;-
Applicalion. Oh ! that you would never forget how
much Jesus has loved you, and wha*". He has suffered
for you. For out of mercy, and 'for His exceeding
charity wherewith He loved us, even when we were
dead in sins' (Eph. ii. 4, 5), He has redeemed us
through His most bitter Passion and death, and has
placed us in the kingdom of His grace. Let this
charity of Christ urge you to live unto Him who died
for you, and rose again (2 Cor. v. 14, 15). (Devotion
to the Sufferings of Christ; the Way of the Cross, or
Stations; Visiting the Holy Sepulchre in Holy-week;
Abstinence on Fridays, etc.)
The Fifth Article.
' He descended into hell, the third day He rose again from
the dead.'
(See Short Hist, of Rel. § 27.)
1. What means, 'He descended into hell' ?
That the soul of Jesus Christ, after His death, de
scended into 'Limbo'— i.e., to the place where the
souls of the just who died before Christ were detain
ed, and were waiting for the time of their redemption.
' He was put to death indeed in the flesh, but enlivened in the
spirit ; in which also coming He preached to those spirits that
were in prison'— that is, announced to them their redemption (1
Pet. iii. 18, 19). r
2. Why were the souls of the just detained in
Limbo ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. iro
Because Heaven was closed through sin, and was
first to be opened by Christ (Hebr. ix. 6-8).
3. Why did Christ descend into Limbo ?
1. To comfort and set free the souls of the just ;
and 2. To show forth His power and majesty even
there in the lower regions (Phil. ii. 10).
4. What means, 'the third day He rose again from
the dead ' ?
That on the third day after His death Christ re
united, by His own power, His soul to His body, as
Ho had foretold, and rose again from the grave.
(Easter day.)
'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
But He spoke of the temple of His body' (John ii. 19, 21 ; comp.
John x. 18).
5. How did Christ rise again ?
He came forth glorious and immortal from the
grave, secured as it was by a heavy stone, and guard
ed by soldiers.
6. Did Christ no longer retain in His glorified
body any mark of His sufferings ?
He still retained, in His hands, feet, and side, the
marks of His wounds ; therefore He said to Thomas:
' Put in thy finger hither [into the place of the nails],
and see my hands ; and bring hither thy hand, and,
put it into my side ' (John xx. 27).
7. Why has He still retained these marks ?
1. In testimony of His victory over hell; 2. As a
proof that He rose again in the very same body in
which He had suffered ; and 3. To show them on the
day of judgment, for the consolation of the just and
for the confusion of the wicked.
8. Whence do we know that Christ rose from the
dead ?
From the testimony of. His Apostles and His Dis
ciples, who often saw Him after His resurrection,
touched Him, ate, spoke, and conversed with Him ;

120 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
and who everywhere loudly proclaimed His resur
rection, even before the chief council who had con
demned Him to death, although by this conduct they
drew upon themselves nothing but mortal hatred and
persecution. It is true that the soldiers who guarded the grave, being
bribed with a large sum of money, spread the report that, while
they were asleep, the Disciples of Jesus came and stole His body.
But 1. If they were asleep, how could they see, then, that His
Disciples stole the body ? 2. Whence did the timid Disciples,
who expected now nothing more from their deceased Master,
get on a sudden such undaunted courage ? 3. How did it
happen that not even one of the sleeping guards awoke at the
rolling away of the heavy stone ? 4. Why were the guards not
punished for the neglect of their duty ? (Comp. Acts xii. 19.)
If the evidence of the Apostles and' the Disciples had not been
so certain and quite unexceptionable, they would never have con
vinced the world, in opposition to the most powerful and crafty
enemies of Jesus, that He who, like a malefactor, had been
publicly executed and buried, had on the third day risen again
glorious from the dead. They have nevertheless so firmly con
vinced the world of this truth that countless Christian converts
endured the most painful martyrdom in-testimony of their firm
belief in it.
9. What effect ought the doctrine of the resurrec
tion of Christ to produce in us ?
It ought 1. To strengthen our belief in His Divin
ity, and our hope of our own future resurrection ;
and 2. To incite us to rise from the death of sin to a
new and holy life.
1. 'God raised Him up from th • dead, and hath given Him
glory, that your faith and hope might be in God ' (1 Pet i. 21).
2. ' We are buried together with him by baptism into death ;
that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glorv of the Father,
so we also may walk in newness of life ' (Rom. vi. 4).
Application. He who is still deeply buried in the
grave of sin— i.e., in evil habits or sinful desires — is
not risen yet to a new life. All our thoughts, all
our exertions, should tend towards Heaven. 'If you
be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above,
where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 121
Mind the things that are above, not the things that
are upon the earth' (Col. iii. 1, 2).
The Sixth Article.
' He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God the
Father Almighty.'
(See Short Hist, of Religion, §27.)
1. What is meant by ' He ascended into Heaven ' ?
That Jesus Christ, by His own power, with soul
and body, went up into Heaven. (Feast of the As
cension of our Lord.)
2. Did Christ ascend alone into Heaven*?
No ; He took also with Him into Heaven the souls
of the just whom He had liberated from Limbo.
' Ascending on high. He led captivity captive ' (Eph. iv. 8).
3. For what purpose did Christ ascend into Heaven ?
1. To take possession of His glory as conqueror of
death and hell (Phil. ii. 8-11). 2, To be our Medi
ator and Advocate with His Father (Hebr. ix. 24). 3.
To send the Holy Ghost to His Disciples (John xvi.
7) ; and 4. To open Heaven, and to prepare a place
for us also (John xiv. 2. )
4. What means, ' Sitteth at the right hand of God ' ?
It means that Christ, as man also, is exalted above
all created things, and participates in the power and
glory of the Divine Majesty.
' He hath raised Him up from the dead, and set Him on His
right hand in the heavenly places, above all principality, and
power, and virtue, and dominion, and every name that is named,
not only in this world, but also in that which is to oome. And
He hath subjected all things under His feet, and hath made Him
Head over all the Church' (Eph. i. 20-22).
5, Is Christ, then, not present in all places ?
As God He is everywhere ; but as God-Man He is
only in Heaven, and in the Holy Eucharist.
Application. Consider frequently, especially in yom

122 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
troubles and temptations, that we 'are pilgrims and
strangers on the earth,' and that our true country is
Heaven, whither Christ has gone to prepare a place
for you also. 'Be therefore not ivearied, fainting in
your minds,' but ' look on Jesvs, tvho endured the
cross, and now sitteth on the right hand of the throne
of God' (Hebr. xi. 13, and xii. 2, 3).
The Seventh Article.
' From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.'
1. What does the Seventh Article of the Creed
teach us ?
That Jesus Christ at the end of the world shall
come again with great power and glory to judge all
men, both the good and the wicked (Acts i. 11).
2. What do you call this judgment ?
The general judgment, the last judgment, or the
judgment of the world.
3. When will the day of the judgment of the world
come ?
' Of that day and hour no one knoweth, no, not the
Angels of Heaven' (Matt. xxiv. 36).
Nevertheless, Christ and His Apostles have foretold us many
things which shall come to pass on the earth before the end of
the world (Matt, xxiv., Mark xiii., and 2 Thess. ii.), that the
faithful may be on their guard, and not be seduced to fall away.
* For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, and they
shall show signs and wonders, to seduce (if it were possible) even
the elect' (Mark xiii. 22).
4. How shall we be judged ?
We shall be judged according to all our thoughts,
words, works, and omissions.
'I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak,
they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment'
(Matt. xii. 36).
5. How will the last judgment be held ?
1. Christ will come in the clouds of Heaven, and
gather all nations together before His throne, placing

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 123
the good on His right hand, and the wicked on His
left (Matt. xxiv. and xxv.) 2. He will then make
manifest the good and the evil that every man has
done, even his most secret thoughts, and also the
graces which He has given to each one ; and finally
He will pronounce judgment upon all (2 Cor. v. 10).
' And I saw the dead, great and small, standing in the pre
sence of the throne, and the books were opened ; and the dead
were judged by those things which were written in the books,
according to their works ' (Apoc. xx. 12). ' For there is nothing
covered, that shall not be revealed ; nor hidden, that shall not
be known ' (Luke xii. 2, and Mark iv. 22). ' The Lord will
bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make
manifest the counsels of the hearts' (1 Cor. iv. 5).
6. What will be the sentence, and tfte end of the
last judgment ?
Christ will say to the good : ' Come, ye blessed of
my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world.' But to the wicked
He will say : ' Depart from me, ye cursed, into ever
lasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his
angels. And these shall go into everlasting punish
ment: but the just into life everlasting' (Matt, xxv.)
7. Is there not, besides the general, another judg
ment ?
Yes, there is also the particular judgment, in which
every man shall be judged immediately after his death.
Therefore the Holy Scripture says : ' It is easy before God in
the day of death to reward every one according to his ways '
(Ecclus. xi. 28).
8. WThy will there be a general judgment besides
the particular ?
For three principal reasons : 1. That God's wisdom
and justice may be acknowledged by all men ; 2. That
Jesus Christ may be glorified before the whole world ;
and 3. That the good may receive the honor due to
them, and the wicked the dishonor they have deserved.
1. ' And the heavens shall declare His justice ; for God is
judge ' (Ps. xlix. 6). 2. ' They shall see the Son of Man coming
in the clouds of Heaven, with much power and majesty ' (Matt.

124 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
xxiv. 30). 3. 'Then shall those that have afflicted them be
amazed at the suddenness of their unexpected salvation, saying
within themselves, repenting, and groaning for anguish of spirit:
These are they whom we had some time, in derision, and for a
parable of reproach. We tools esteemed their life madness, and
their end without honor. Behold how they are numbered
among the children of God, ana their lot is among the Saints,'
etc. <Wisd. v. 1-5).
9. Whither does the soul go after the particular
judgment ?
Either to Heaven, or to Hell, or to Purgatory.
10. Who go to Purgatory ?
1. Such souls as have departed this life, not in
mortal, but in venial sin; and 2. Such also as have
died without any sin, but have still to suffer the pun
ishment deserved for their past sins.
11. How do we know that there is a Purgatory ?
1. From the Holy Scripture,1 and from the Tradi-
• tion of the Church.2
' In the Holy Scripture — namely, the Old Testament — it is
said (2 Mac. xii. 46): ' It is a holy and wholesome thought to
pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.' In the
Mew Testament, Christ speaks (Matt. xii. 32) of sins which shall
be forgiven irj_the world to come ; and (Matt. v. 26) of a prison
in the other world, from which there shall be no release till the
last farthing has been paid. And St Paul speaks (1 Cor. iii.
12-15) of such as on the day of judgment ' shall be saved, yet so
as by fire.'
2 That Tradition teaches it, follows from the constant prac
tice of the Church to pray for the dead, as well as from the
unanimous testimony of the Holy Fathers and of the Councils.
2. Also in some measure from Reason ; for as no
one goes to Heaven except those who arc peifectly .
undefiled (Apoc. xxi. 27), and no one to Hell but
those who die in mortal sin, we cannot but admit a
place between Heaven and Hell where those souls
that are not quite clean, but nevertheless died in the
state of grace, suffer until they are worthy of entering
Heaven. 12. Will there still be a Purgatory after the gen
eral j udgment ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 125
No. After the general judgment there will be only
Heaven aud Hell.
Application. Never imagine that you are in the
dark, or that nobody sees the evil you are doing ; for
nothing escapes the eye of God, 'And all things 'that
are done, God will bring into judgment lor every error,
whether it be good or evil ' (Eccies. xii. 14).
The Eighth Article.
' I believe in the Holy Ghost.'
(See Short Hist, of Religion, § 28,)
1. By whom is the fruit or grace of t*e Divine Ee-
demptiun communicated to us ?
By the Holy Ghost.
2, Where is this grace communicated to- us ?
It is communicated to us in the Catholic Church,
to which Christ has, for that very purpose, promised
and sent the Holy Ghost.
3. Who is the Holy Ghost ?
The Holy Ghost is the Third Person of the Blessed
Trinity, true God with the Father and the Son.
Thus the Holy Scripture teaches. 1. It calls the Holy Ghost
God, one with the Father and the Son : 'Why hath Satan
tempted thy heart, that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Ghost ?
Thou hast not lied to men, but to God ' {Acts v. 3, 4). ' The
Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are
one ' (1 John v. 7). It attributes Divine Perfections to Him —
Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Omniscience, Eternity, etc. (1 Cor.
xii. 8-11 ; Ps. exxxviii. 7-10 ; and 1 Cor. ii. 10, 11, etc.) It
'attributes Divine Works to Him — the Creation, Regeneration,
Sanctification, the Communication of all spiritual gifts, etc.
(Ps. ciii. 30; John iii. 5; 1 Cor. vi. 11; Rom. v. 5; Acts ii. 4, 17,
etc.) 2 It represents the Holy Ghost as a Person distinct from the
Father and from the Son : ' I will ask the Father, and He shall
give you another Parachte. that He may abide with you for
ever, the Spirit of Truth ' (John xiv. 16, 17). ' The Coly Ghost
descended in a Bodily shape, as a dove, upon Him ; and a voice
came from Heaven : Thou art my beloved Son ' (Luke iii. 22,
and elsewhere).

1^0' A Catechism of the Catholic Religion,
Thus also the Catholic Church teaches, and has always
taught. As early as in the General Council of Constantinople
(a.d. 381) she unanimously condemned the heresy of Mace
donia, who denied the Divinity of the Holy Ghost, and she
expressly declared ' that the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver
of life, is adored and glorified together with the Father and the
Son.' 4. From whom does the Holy Ghost proceed ?
The Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the
Son, as from one source.
' I will send you the Spirit of Truth, who proceedeth from the
Father' ; 'He shall receive of mine' (John xv. 26, and xvi.
15). 5. Why is the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity
in particular named the 'Holy Spirit,' since the ap
pellation of ' Spirit' and ' Holy ' equally belongs to
the First and to the Second Person ?
The Third Person is in particular called the 'Holy
Spirit,' because to Him is especially ascribed the work.
of our sanctification, and He imparts to us the spir
itual life of grace.
Hence the Third Person is also called the ' Sanctifier' and
' Gicer of Life.' Divines see a still deeper reason why the
Third Person of the Trinity is called ' Spirit,' in the peculiar
and mysterious manner in which He proceeds from the Father
and the Son.
6. Why is the work of our sanctification especially
ascribed to the Holy Ghost ?
Because He, as the Spirit of Love, is the Author of
all inward sanctity, and the Dispenser of all supernat
ural gifts and graces, whereby we are sanctified.
It is true, the work of our sanctification is common to all the
three Divine Persons ; nevertheless, as a work of love it has a
special relation to the Holy Ghost— the Spirit of Love.
7. But is not Jesus Christ, as our Redeemer, the
Author of our sanctification ?
Jesus Christ is the Author of our sanctification,
inasmuch* as He has merited and prepared for us the
grace of sanctification ; but the Holy Ghost is spe
cially so termed, inasmuch as He, through the merits

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 127
of Christ, actually sanctifies us — that is, cleanses us
from sin, and makes us just and pleasing to God.
' Tou are washed, you are sanctified, you are justified in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God ' (1
Cor. vi. 11).
8. How does the Holy Ghost sanctify us ?
He sanctifies us by means of the supernatural grace
which He ordinarily infuses into our souls through the
Sacraments. 9. What are in particular the gifts of the- Holy
Ghost ?
These seven: 1. Wisdom; 2. Understanding; 3.
Counsel ; 4. Fortitude ; 0. Knowledge ; %. Godliness
or Piety ; and 7. The Fear of the Lord (Isai. xi. 2, 3).
10. When did Christ send down the Holy Ghost
upon His Church ?
Christ sent down the Holy Ghost in a visible man
ner upon her on Whit-Sunday, when he descended
upon the Apostles in the form of fiery tongues.
11. For what purpose was the Holy Ghost sent
upon the Church ?
That he might perpetually teach her, sanctify her,
and direct her in an invisible manner; and, in gen
eral, that He might impart to her those abundant
graces which Christ has merited for her.
By virtue of the Holy Ghost, the Church teaches (John xiv.
26), cleanses from sin, and sanctifies (John xx. 22, etc.), guides,
and rules (Acts xx. 28, and xv. 28).
12. Is the Holy Ghost still sent at the present
time ?
He is still sent at the present time in an invisible
manner, as often as He enters with His sanctifying
grace into our souls in order to dwell there.
' Know you not, that you are the temple of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you V (1 Cor. iii. 16).
13. How long does the Holy Ghost remain in the
soul ?

1 28 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
As long as the soul is free from any grievous sin.
14. Does sin, then, drive the Holy Ghost from the
soul 't
Yes, mortal sin drives away the Holy Ghost, and
profanes the temple of God.
'But if any man violate the temple of God, him shall God
destroy ; for the temple of God is holy, which you are' (1 Cor.
iii. 17).
15. But is not the Holy Ghost everywhere ?
As God He is everywhere ; but as the Author and
Dispenser of grace, He is especially with the Catholic
Church, and in the souls of the just.
Application. Strive most earnestly, by avoiding sin,
to preserve the Holy Ghost in your heart, and to cor
respond faithfully with His inspirations. ' Wisdom
will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a
body subject to sins ; for the Holy Spirit will flee from
the deceitful' (Wisd. i. 4, 5).
The Ninth Article.
' The Holy Catholic Church ; the Communion of Saints.'
§ 1. On the Church and the Form of her Government.
1. What did the Apostles do after they had re
ceived the Holy Ghost on Whit-Sunday ?
They went forth into the whole world preaching and
baptizing, aud gathered all those who believed and were
baptized into congregations (Short Hist. -of Rel. §§28,
29). 2. What arose from thase congregations of believers ?
There arose in many places communities of Chris
tians,1 whoso rulers were the Apostles2 (Short Hist, of
Rel. § 30).
1 See Acts of the Ap. ii. 41, 44, and iv. 32. a The whole Book
of the Acts of the Apostles, and all their Epistles, bear witness
that they did not only preach and baptize, but also rule their
communities in every way. They made regulations and laws,

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 125
threatened, judged, and punished ; they excluded the unworthy
from the community of the faithful (1 Cor. v. 5, and 1 Tim. i.
20), and received them again when they repented (2 Cor. ii. 10,
and elsewhere).
3. What further did the Apostles do when the
communities of Christians increased ?
They chose elders from amongst them, ordained
them Bishops, and appointed them everywhere as
rulers of the new Christian communities, with the
commission that they should likewise ordain and ap
point others (Short Hist, of Rel. § 31).
' And when they had ordained to them Priests [or Elders —
i.e., Bishops and Priests] in every church, and had prayed with
fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they be
lieved ' (Acts xiv. 22). ' For this cause 1 left the! in Crete," that
thou shouldest ordain Priests [Elders] in every- city, as I also
appointed thee' (Titus i. 5).
4. Were all these several communities united with
one another ?
Yes, they were all closely united with one another :
they professed the same faith, partook of the same
Sacraments, and formed all together one great Chris
tian community under one common Head, St. Peter
(Short Hist, of Rel. § 31).
5. What did they call this great community of
Christians under one common Head ?
The Catholic — i.e., the universal — Church, or in one
word, the Church. __ ,
6. What, then, is the Church even at the "present
time ?
The Church is the same congregation of all the faith
ful, who, being baptized, profess the same doctrine.
partake of the same Sacraments, and are governed by
their lawful pastors under one visible Head, the Pope.
7. Was the Church thus organized by the Apos
tles ?
No ; she was thus organized by Jesus Christ, her
Founder ; the Apostles were only the instruments by
"which He accomplished His will.

130 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
8. How did Jesus Christ thus organize His
Church ?
By conferring His own power upon the Apostles,
and sending them forth everywhere, 1. To preach ; 2.
To baptize ; and 3. To govern those who were bap
tized, -under the supremacy of St. Peter.
Before Christ ascended into Heaven, He said to His Apostles :
'All power is given to me in Heaven and in earth. Going
therefore, teach ye all nations ; baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you :
and behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation
of the world' (Matt, xxviii. 18-20). And even previously to
that He said to them : 'As the Father hath sent me, I also
send you. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven
them ; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained'
(John xx. 21, 23). ' Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall
bind upon earth, shall be bound also in Heaven ; and whatsoever
you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in Heaven '
(Matt xviii. 18). ' He that heareth you, heareth me ; and he
that despiseth you, despiseth me ' (Luke x. 16, and elsewhere).
9. What do you call the threefold office which,
together with His power, Christ conferred upon the
Apostles ?
The Teaching, the Priestly, and the Pastoral
Office. 10. Iu what does this threefold office consist ?
The Teaching Office consists in the full power to
preach the. Divine Doctrine, to condemn heresies, and
to decide religious controversies.
The Priestly Office, in the full power to offer the
Sacrifice of the Mass, to administer the Sacraments,
to consecrate, and to bless.
The Pastoral Office, in the full power to rule the
Church, consequently also to make laws and inflict
punishments. 11. Why were the Apostles to exercise their office
only under the supreme authority of St. Peter ?
Because Christ, in order to maintain unity and
union, appointed St. Peter to be His representative

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 131
upon earth, and the visible Head of the whole
Church. 12. Is not, then, Christ Himself the Head of the
Church ? ' "
Christ is undoubtedly the Head of the Church, but
tho invisible Head.
13. Why was it necessary that the Church should
have also a visible Head together with the invisible
One? Because the Church is a visible community or body,
and a visible body must also have a visible Head.
Thus no kingdom can exist without a visible government,
although all kingdoms in the world are governed by God in
an invisible manner.
14. From what do we le'arn that Christ has ap
pointed St. Peter to be the Supreme Head of His
Church ?
We learn it from this, 1. That Christ built His
Church upon Peter, as upon the true foundation-
stone ; 2. That He gave him in particular the keys
of the Kingdom of Heaven ; and 3. That He com
missioned him alone to feed His whole flock.
1. ' Thou art Peter [a rock], and upon this rock I will build
my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it'
(Matt. xvi. 18). Because Peter was to be the foundation-stone
of the Church, Christ prayed particularly for him, that ' his
faith might not fail,' and commissioned him ' to confirm o?ice
his brethren ' (Luke xxii. 32). 2. ' And I will give to thee the
keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt
bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in Heaven ; and what
soever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in Hea
ven' (Matt. xvi. 19). 3. 'Feed my lambs, feed' my sheep'
(John xxi.»15-17). Christ, it is true, made His Apostles col
lectively the foundation of His Church, and gave them all
collectively the power of binding and loosing, and of governing
the Church ; but, what He promised and gave to the Apostles in
common, this He first promised and gave to Peter in particular.
Thus Peter received the full and independent, the Apostles, on
the contrary, only a subordinate, power.
15. What facts are there to confirm us in our be-

132 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
lief that Peter was appointed by Christ to be the
Supreme Head of the Church ?
These : that after Christ's Ascension into Heaven
Peter, I. Eeally exercised the office of Head of the
Church ; and 2. That he likewise was always acknow
ledged by the Church as the Ilea I of the Apostles, and
the Pastor of the whole flock of Christ.
1. As often as something of importance was to be decided
or executed, Peter arose first, and acted as the head of 'the rest ;
&3, for instance, at the election of Matthias, ob the Feast of
Pentecost, at the contention about receiving the heathens into
the Church, at the Council of the Apostles in Jerusalem, etc.
(Acts.i. 2, 11, 15). 2. Even the Evangelists, when enumerating
the Apostles, always put St. Peter tne first, although he was
neither the oldest of them, nor had been called to the Apostle-
ship before all the others. St. Matthew expressly says : ' The
names of the twelve Apostles are these : The First, Simon who
is called Peter,' etc. (Matt. x. 2). The Fathers at the General
Council of, Ephesus (a.d. 431) considered it as 'a fact question
ed by no one, and known in all ages, that St. Peter was the
Prince and the Head of the Apostles, the Foundation stone of
the Catholic Church,' etc.
16. Was the supremacy of a Head of the Church to
cease after the death of St. Peter ?
No ; for, 1. If the Church was to continue as Christ
had established it, the Rock also on which He had
built it, aud the Supremacy of a Head which He Him
self had ordained to govern it, were to continue ; and
2. If a visible Head was necessary when the Church
was still small, and there were none, or but few here
sies, it was much more necessary afterwards when
the Church was spread, and heresies and schisms were
multiplied. 17. Who has been the visible Head of the Church
since the death of St. Peter ? *"
The Bishop of Rome, commonly called the Pope,
who is the legitimate Successor of St. Peter in the
Episcopal See of Borne, and who, in consequence, has
always been acknowledged as the visible Head of the
Church, and the Vicegerent of Christ on earth (Short
HisK of Rel § 31).

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 133
The Councils, as well as the Fathers of all ages individually ,
have unanimously and most' decidedly, by word and deed, ac
knowledged in the Roman Popes the Primacy and Supremacy,
of St. Peter. The CEeumenical Council of Florence (1438) re
ferred to 'the Decrees of the General Councils, and the Eccle
siastical Statutes,' when it declared ' that the Bishop of Rome
(the Pope) possessed the Primacy over the whole universe ; that
he was the Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, St. Peter,
and the time Vicegerent of Jesus Christ, the Head of the whole
Church, the Father and Teacher of all Christians ; and that he,
in the person of St. Peter, had received from our Lord Jesus
Christ the full power of feeding, guiding, and governing the
whole Church.' No General Council was ever held at which
the Pope, or his Legates, did not preside ; and there never was
a decision of the Church universally received before it had been
confirmed by the Pope ; and whosoever refused to recognize the
Pope as the Head of the Church was at all tim^ considered by
all the faithful as an apostate.
In the course of time, the Successor of St. Peter gained also,
by Divine dispensation, possession of a secular territory of con
siderable extent, called the Ecclesiastical States, that he might
exercise his spiritual power all the more freely, and be depen
dent, not on any' human favor or force, but on God alone.
18. Was the threefold office, which was common
to all the Apostles, to continue at all times ?
Yes ; according to the appointment of Christ, it
was to pass over from the Apostles to their Succes
sors, and to continue in them, without interruption,
to the end of the world.
19. How do we know this appointment of Christ ?
From the words which He spoke when He con
ferred the office upon them : ' And behold, I am with
you all days, even to the consummation of the worid'
(Matt, xxviii. 20) ; which evidently cannot be under
stood to have been said to the Apostles alone, since
they, of course, were not to live to the end of the
world. 20. Who are the Successors of the Apostles ?
The Bishops who are rightly consecrated, and are
in communion with the Head of the Church, the
Pope — i.e., the Bishops of the Catholic Church.
21. Why can no one be a Successor of the Apostles

134 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
who is not in communion with the Head of the
Church ?
1. Because he who is' separated from the Head cannot
oven be a member of the Church;1 and 2. Because no
power has been conferred on the Apostles and their
Successors, except when united with him to whom
Christ has delegated the supreme and full power over
the whole Church.
1 Hence the general rule : ' Where Peter {i.e.. the Pope] is,
there is the Church ' (St. Ambrose, Doctor of the Church).
22. Is the Pope alone, by Divine appointment, to
govern the Church ?
The Bishops also are, by Divine appointment, to
govern the Church, but only with, and under, their
Head, the Pope.
' Take heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the
Holy Ghost hath' placed you Bishops, to rule the Church of
Gud' (Actsxx. 28).
23. In what manner do the Bishops rule the
Church ?
They rule it in this manner : 1. Each Bishop
governs the diocese or bishopric assigned to him by
the Pope: and 2. They occasionally assemble from
the various dioceses of their province, or- -of their
country, or even of the whole Church, in order to
make decrees and regulations subject to the approba
tion and sanction of the Bishop of Rome, our Holy
Father the Pope.
24. Through whom do the Bishops exercise their
office in the particular' Congregations (Parishes) , of
their diocese ?
Through the Priests, or Pastors, sent to them.
25. When, then, may a Priest discharge the duties
of the Priesthood ?
When he has been expressly sent, or authorized, for
that purpose, by his lawful Bishop.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 135
The Priest receives his ordination and mission, not from the
faithful, but from God through a lawful Bishop. All and every
one who have thus been ordained and sent are ¦ ambassadors
for Christ, God as it were exhorting by them ' (2 Cor v. 20) ;
and to all of them is said what Jesus Christ said to His Dis
ciples when sending them : ' He that heareth you, heareth me ;
and he that despiseth you, despiseth me ; and' he that despiseth
me, despiseth Him that sent me' (Luke x. 16).
26. By what means are unity and good order main
tained, in the whole Church ?
By this : that all those who are not Priests always
continue, with ready obediencej subordinate to the
Priests, the Priests to the Bishops, and the Bishops
to the Pope.
Consequently, Christ has not given to all tflfe members of
the Church the same right an:l the same power, but 'hath set
the members every one of them in the body [of the Church] as
it hath pleased Him. . . . And He gave some Apostles, and
some Prophets, and other some Evangelists, and other some
Pastors and Doctors, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the
work of the ministry. . . . Are all Apostles ? Are all Pro
phets ? Are all Doctors ? ' (1 Cor. xii. 18, 29 ; Eph. iv. 11, 121.
Therefore St. Clement, the Disciple and Successor of St. Peter,
compares the Church to an army, in which the privates are
subordinate to the captains, the captains to the colonels, and
these again to the general.
Application. Always cherish in your heart a pro
found reverence and an humble submission to the
Holy Father the Pope, and to the Bishops and Priests
united with him ; for they are set over you in the
place of God, and it is their duty to instruct you in
the name of God, to make you partake of the Divine
graces, and to lead you to eternal salvation. Woe to
them who despise the Clergy and create schisms !
' They have gone in the way of Cain, and have per
ished in the contradiction of Core. . . . These are
wandering stars, to whom the storm of darkness is
reserved for ever' (Jude i. 11-13).
§ 2. On the Marks of the Church.
27. Has Christ established one Church, or more
than one ?

136 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
Christ has established only one Church, as He has
taught but one Faith, instituted one Baptism (Eph.
iv. 5), and ordained one Teaching and Pastoral Office
for all nations.
Christ said : ' Upon this rock I will build my Church ' — not
Churches (Matt. xvi. 18). ' There shall be one fold and one
shepherd ' (John x. 16). And the Apostles call the Church the
body of Christ (1 Cor. xii. 27, and elsewhere). Now, Christ.
has only one body ; therefore He has also established only one
Church. 28. Is it easy to recognize this one Church es
tablished by Christ ?
Yes ; for Christ has established a visible Church
with perceptible marks, so that it is easy to find her ;'
otherwise He could not have commanded us, under
pain of eternal damnation, to apply to the Church,
and to hear her.5
1 ' Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel,
but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the
house ' (Matt. v. 15). 2 ' If thy brother shall offend against
thee, go and tell the Church ; and if he will not hear the
Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican ' (Matt.
xviii. 17).
29. How is the Church of Christ visible ?
The Church of Christ is visible, 1. In her superiors
and members; 2. In the promulgation and profession
of her doctrine ; and 3. In the Sacrifice of the Mass,
and in the administration of the Sacraments.
If the Church were not visible in this manner, how would
it then be possible, according to the direction of Christ and the
Apostles (Hebr. xiii. 17 ; Mark xvi. 15, 16, and elsewhere), to
' obey the Prelates ' (Bishops and Priests) of the Church, to hear
her Teachers, to participate in her Sacrifice and Sacraments,
or, in general, in her Divine Service ?
30. By what marks may the true Church of Christ
be known ?
The true Church of Christ may be known by these
four marks: 1. She is One; 2. She is Holy; 3. She is
Catholic; and 4. She is Apostolic.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 137
As early as a.d. 325 it was pronounced in the Nicene
Creed : ' I believe in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apo&tolic
Church.* 31. Why must the true Church of Christ be One,
Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic ?
She must be, 1. One, because no kingdom can
stand 'that is divided against itself (Luke xi. 17);
2. Holy, because her Founder is holy, and her object is
to lead all men to holiness ; 3. Catholic, or Universal,
because she has been established for all nations and
for all times (Matt, xxviii. 19), and is, according to
the promise of Christ and of the Prophets, to be
spread over the whole universe ;* and 4. Apostolic,
because her origin and her doctrine are Apostolic
(Eph. ii. 20), and her rulers must be legitimate Suc
cessors of the Apostles (p. 133, quest. 18-21).
32. Which Church has all these four marks ?
It is evident that no Church has these four marks
except the Roman Catholic — namely, that Church
which acknowledges the Pope of Eome as her Head.
33. Why is the Eoman Catholic Church evidently
One? Because she has at all times and in all places, 1.
The same Faith; 2. The same Sacrifice and the same
Sacraments ; and 3. A common Head.
34. Why is the Eoman Catholic Church evidently
Holy? 1. Because her Founder is holy, and she teaches a
holy doctrine ; 2. Because she faithfully preserves and .
dispenses all the means of sanctification instituted by
Christ ; and 3. Because there were in her at all times
Saints, whose holiness God has also confirmed by mi
racles and extraordinary graces (Short Hist, of Religion,
§§37,41,46). Abuses, and failings of individual members, cannot be im
puted to the Church herself, because they did not arise from
* See page 106, quest. 17 ; and page 110, quest. 31.

138 A Catechistn of the Catholic Religion.
her doctrine or organization, and were never approved of \sf
her. If a Church were no longer to be the true Church on ac
count of abuses and scandals met with in her, why, then, did
Christ Himself compare His Church to a field in which wheat
and cockle grow together, and to a net that contains both good
and bad fishes ? (Matt, xiii.) And where, then, was the true
Church in the days of the Apostles ?— for even then there were
scandals (1 Cor. xi.). and also blameworthy Bishops, in the
Church (Apoc. ii. and iii.)
35. Why is the Eoman Church evidently Catholic
or Universal?
1. Because from the time of Christ she has con
tinually existed with the same Teaching, the same
Priestly, and the same Pastoral Office as at the present
time ; 2. Because she is spread over the whole uni
verse ; and 3. Because she is constantly spreading, in
accordance with the Divine commission, ' Go ye into
the whole world, and preach the Gospel to every crea
ture' (Mark xvi. 15).
Tnereiore, the Roman Church was always called Catholic,
even by apostates and infidels, as St. Augustine testifies ; and
up to this day she is called throughout the world the Catholic
Church. 38. Why is the Eoman Catholic Church evidently
Apostolic ?
1. Because her origin is unquestionably traced back
to the Apostles; 2. Because her doctrine is grounded
on Apostolic Tradition ;' and 3. Because her rulers,
the Pope and the Bishops, are legitimate successors of
the Apostles (p. 133, quest. 20).
1 It is an undisputed fact that innovators, as. for instance, the
Puseyites, approach the nearer to the Catholic Church the mors
diligently and sincerely they search in the writings of the Holy
Fathers for the Apostolic Traditions.
37. But are not the other non-Catholic Religious
Societies also one ?
No ; they are not, and cannot be, one, 1. Because
they have no common Head ; and 2. Because every
one of their members has a right to interpret and
believe the Holy Scriptures as he likes.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 139
Therefore ' they are children tossed to and fro, and carried
about with every wind of doctrine ' (Eph. iv. 14).
38. And why can none of them be called holy ?
1. Because their founders were not holy ; 2. Be
cause they have rejected many articles of faith and
means of sanctification, as, for example, the Sacrifice
of the Mass and most of the Sacraments, and have, on
the contrary, established principles which are directly
opposed to sanctity (Short Hist, of Religion, §43) ; and
3. Because they cannot produce from among them
selves one Saint, confirmed as such by his miraculous
power. 39. Why can none of them be called Catholic ?
Because they arose only in later years, atid have
not ceased to split again into numerous sects, none of
which is universally spread or continually spreading
in the manner ordained by Christ (Short Hist, of
Rel. §§ 43 and 47).
49. And why can none of them be called Apos
tolic ?
1. Because they did not come into existence till
long after the time of the Apostles, and then by
separating themselves from the old Apostolic Church :
2. Because doctrine ever wavering and ever changing,
as theirs is, cannot certainly be Apostolic ; and 3. Be
cause they have no lawful successors of the Apostles,
and, therefore, neither Teachers nor Pastors sent by
Christ. 41. If, then, none but the Eoman Catholic Church
has the marks of the one Church of Christ, what fol
lows from this ?
That the Eoman Catholic Church alone is the true
Church established by Jesus Christ.
Application. Pray frequently for the peace and ex
altation of the Catholic Church, and for the conversion
of the heretics and infidels. ' Blessed are all they
that love thee [the Church], and that rejoice in thy
peace ' (Tob. xiii. 18).

14° A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
§ 3. On the End of the Church, and on her Qualities
resulting from this End.
42 For what end did Christ establish the Church ?
Christ established the Church, that by her He
might lead all men to eternal salvation.
43. What has the Church to do, in order to lead
men to salvation ?
She has, 1. To preach the doctrine of Christ to
them ; 2. To administer to them the means of grace \
instituted by Christ; and 3. To guide and govern
them in the way to eternal life.
44. How has Christ enabled the Church to do all
this in a proper manner ? "\
He has, 1. Entrusted the Church with His doctrine,
His means of grace, and His powers, by conferring
upon her His Teaching, his Priestly, and his Pastoral
Office ; and 2. He has given her the assistance of the
Holy Ghost, in order that she might also perpetually
preserve the Divine doctrine uncorrupted, rightly ad
minister the means of grace, and exercise her powers
for the salvation of mankind.
(1) On the Infallibility of the Church.
45. By whom is the Divine doctrine always pre
served pure and uncorrupted in the Church ?
By the Infallible Teaching Body of the Church.
46. Who composes this Infallible Teaching Body ?
The Pope, and the Bishops united with him.
They are also called the Teaching Church, or simply the
Church (Matt, xviii. 17), in contradistinction to the rest of the
faithful, who are called the Hearing Church.
47. Why is the Teaching Church called infallible ?
Because, by the assistance of the Holy Ghost, she
is secured against erring both in matters of faith and
of morals.
48, Who assures us that the Church cannot err ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 141
Christ Himself, who has promised us, 1. That ' He
will be with her all days, even to the consummation
of the world ' (Matt, xxviii. 20) ; 2. That ' the Spirit
of Truth shall abide with her for ever ' (John xiv. 16,
17) ; 3. That ' the gates of hell shall not prevail
against her " (Matt. xvi. 18).
1 Were it possible that the Teaching Church might err, the
Hearing Church would likewise fall into error, as she is to be
instructed and guided by the former ; and then the whole
Church would, contrary to the promise of Christ, be prevailed .
against by the spirit of lies, or the powers of hell.
49. What does St. Paul call the Church on ac
count of her Infallibility ? m
St. Paul calls the Church 'the pillar and ground
of the truth' (1 Tim. iii. 15).
50. But have there not also baen in the Catholic
Church some individual Teachers who have fallen into
error ?
Yes ; but this happened only because they taught
differently from the whole Teaching Body ; for Infal
libility is not granted to each one individually, but to
the Teachers (Bishops) collectively, when united with
the Pope.
If non-Catholics pretend to say that the whole Catholic
Church has, in the course of time, departed from the Divine
doctrine, and fallen into errors, 1. They manifestly contradict
the promises of our Divine Saviour ; 2. They condemn all the
Holy Fathers of the Church, who taught exactly the same as
the Catholic Church teaches ; 3. They set themselves at variance
with one another, since they have always disagreed among
themselves about what properly is Divine doctrine, and what is
not ; and 4. They must, if the nations had been deceived by
the Teaching Church, lay the fault on God, who continually
accredited the Catholic Church together with her Teachers, and
confirmed her authority by evidently protecting her at all times,
by spreading her over the whole world, by illustrating her by
innumerable miracles, and blessing her labors with the most
glorious success (Short Hist, of Rel., Conclud. Remarks, §§ 6, 7,
8) ; whereas, on the other hand, the sectarians never could cor
roborate their pretended mission by any miracle, but, on the
contrary, fell into many manifest contradictions and pernicious

142 ' A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
errors, by which the world was only more and more corrupt d
(Short Hist, of Rel. §§ 43, 47).
51. If, then, differences arise in matters of faith,
what are we to do ?
We must adhere to the decisions of the Church.
' And He gave some Apostles, . . . and other some Pastors
and Doctors, . . . that henceforth we be no more children
tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine
by the wickedness of men, by cunning craftiness, by which they
lie in wait to deceive ' (Eph. iv. 11, 14).
52. By whom are the decisions of the Church given ?
Either by the Supreme Head of the Church, the
Pope, or by a Council confirmed by the Pope (Shirt
Hist, of Religion, § 36).
53. Are all Christians bound to submit to the de
cisions of the Pope ?
Yes, as often as he decides as Head and Teacher
of the whole Church in matters of faith and morals,
the Pope is as infallible as the Church herself.
54. Is the Pope infallible ?
Yes ; the General Council of the Vatican, in 1870,
defined that the Pope is infallible when he teaches
the Church ex cathedrd.
55. Is not this a new doctrine ?
No; the Church then defined — that is, solemnly
declared in formal words — a doctrine which had always
been held and acted on.
In doing this the Church acted just as she had done in the
first General Council of Nicea (a.d. 325), when she similarly de
fined the doctrine of the Divinity of Christ, which had been held
and acted on before that date ; and as she has acted at other
times, in regard to other doctrines, whenever she saw that it
was necessary to define them.
56. What is the meaning of the Infallibility of the
Pope ? Does it mean that he cannot do wrong ?
By no means. The Pope is a child of Adam, and,
like other men, can have faults and can commit sin.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 143
Infallibility refers not to his life and conduct, but to
his official teaching of doctrine, and means that in
such teaching he cannot fall into error.
57. Are the words of the Pope, therefore, always
infallible ?
No ; the words of the Pope are always to be re
ceived with the respect due to his high authority.
But they are infallible only when he teaches ex ca-
tliedrd as Pope.
58. When does the Pope speak ex cathedra ?
The Pope speaks ex cathedrd when, in the exercise
of his office as Head of the. Church, and (Jhief Pastor
and Teacher of all the faithful, he declares what is to
be held by the Universal Church as the true doctrine
on any matter of faith or morals.
59. Why cannot the Pope teach error when he
speaks ex cathedrd ?
Because God will not allow him to do so. Infalli
bility does not depend on the virtue or on the learn
ing of the Pope, but on the special assistance of the
Holy Ghost, given him according to the promise of
Christ, who said to St. Peter : ' I have prayed for thee,
that thy faith fail not. And thou, being once con
verted, confirm thy brethren ' (Luke xxii. 32).
60. Is the Infallibility of the Pope the same as the
Infallibility of the Church ?
Yes, precisely. The Pope is the Supreme Pastor
and Teacher, whose voice all the faithful, clergy and
laity, 'lambs and sheep,' are commanded by Christ to
hear and to follow. If he could teach error ex ca-
thedrdpthe Church would then follow him into error,
and would thereby fail ; and so the promises of Christ
would be falsified, which is impossible.
61. How do we know that this doctrine was always
held and acted on in the Catholic Church ?
Because from the beginning whoever obstinately
refused to accept and believe a doctrine of Catholio

144 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
Faith, when so declared ex cathedrd by the Pope, was
always cut off from the communion of the Church,
and condemned as a heretic. $
' I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and
whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in
Heaven ; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be
loosed also in Heaven ' (Matt. xvi. 19). ' I have prayed for thee,
that thy faith fail not, and thou, being once converted, confirm
thy brethren ' (Luke xxii. 32). ' Feed my lambs, feed my
sheep' (John xxi. 15-17). The authority of the Pope to decide
doctrinal controversies conclusively, and to define the true faith,
for the whole Church, was ever acknowledged and acted on.
Those who broached heresies in any part of the world, and were
condemned by their own local Bishops, often appealed to the
supreme decision of the Bishop of Rome. On the other hand.
Catholic Bishops and Patriarchs, like St. Athanasius, St. John
Chrysostom, and others, who were often persecuted and un
justly condemned by synods, appealed to the Pope, who
reversed and annulled the unjust decrees, and decided in
favor of the condemned ones, as holding the true doctrine.
Nestorius, Eutyches, and other heresiarehs were condemned by
the Popes, and the decisions of the Roman Pontiffs were re
ceived as conclusive, and were honored as ' the voice of Peter
speaking through his successor.' which it would be heresy to de
part from. St. Augustine held that a controversy was closed
definitively when the Pope had decided it. Roma locuta eat !
In defining the infallibility of the Roman Pontiff, the Vatican
Council did not introduce a new doctrine, but simply defined the
ordinary and normal mode in which Christ has willed and pro
vided that his Church shall in fact be kept infallibly in the path
of Divine truth and saved from the assaults of hell, ever striv
ing to lead her into error.
62. How does the Church decide when differences
arise in matters of faith ?
She decides conformably to the tenor of Holy Scrip
ture and tradition.
63. Does the Church, then, teach nothing new,
when, in such differences, she decides what is to be
believed ?
No ;_ she only explains the Word of God entrusted
to her in Holy Scripture and tradition, and condemns
the opposite errors and innovations.
The doctrine of the Catholic Church is no other than the
doctrine of Christ and the Apostles, which she has been en-

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 145
trusted with, in order that she may faithfully preserve and
preach it. The, Church, therefore, perpetually adheres to the
old doctrine, inherited from the Fathers, and cries out with the
Apostle to all : ' Keep that which is committed to thy trust,
avoiding the profane novelties of words, and oppositions of
knowledge falsely so called' (1 Tim. vi 20, and 2 Tim. i. 14).
' But evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse : erring,
and driving into error. But continue thou in those things
which thou hast learned, and which have been committed to
thee ' (2 Tim. in. 13, 14). ' If any one preach to you a Gospel
besides that which you have received, let him- be anathema '
(Gal. i. 9). 'What has been believed in all places, at all times,
and by all people, that is really and truly Catholic ' (Vincent of
Lerins ; d. 450).
(2.) On Salvation in the true Church of Christ alone.
64. If the Catholic Church is to lead all men to
eternal Salvation, and has, for that purpose, received
from Christ her doctrine, her means of grace, and her
powers,* what, for his part, is every one obliged to do ?
Every one is obliged, under pain of eternal damna
tion, to become a member of the Catholic Church, to
believe her doctrine, to use her means of grace, and to
submit to her authority.
65. Who teaches us this obligation ?
Jesus Christ Himself, in these words (Matt, xviii.
17): 'If he will not hear the Church, let him be to
thee as the heathen and publican'; and (Mark xvi.
16) : ' He that believeth not [the Apostles and their
lawful Successors]! shall be condemned.'
Hence the Catholic Church is justly called the only saving
Church. To despise her is the same as to despise Christ ;
namely, His doctrine, his means of grace, and His powers ; to
separate from her is the same as to separate from Christ, and to
forfeit eternal salvation. Therefore St. Augustine, and the
other Bishops of Africa, pronounced, a d. 412, at the Council of
Zirta, this decision : ' Whosoever is separated from the Catholic
Church, however commendable in his own opinion his life may
be, he shall for this very reason, that he is a.t the same time
separated from the Unity of Christ, not see life, but the wrath of
God abideth on him ' (John iii. 36).
* Compare page 140, quest. 42-44.
f Compare page 133, quest. 18 and 19.

146 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
66. Who is a member of the Catholic Church ?
Every one who is baptized, and has neither volun
tarily separated himself, nor has been excluded, from
her. 67. Who ha ve^ voluntarily separated themselves
from the Church ?
1. All those who by their own fault are Heretics,
i.e., who profess a doctrine that has been condemned
by the Church ; or who are Ivfidels — that is, who no
longer have nor profess any Christian faith at all ; and
2. All those who by their own fault are Schismatics —
that is, who have renounced, not the doctrine of the
Church, but their obedience to her, or to her Supreme
Head, the Pope.
68. Who are excluded from the Catholic Church ?
Excommunicates — that is, those who, as degenerate
members, have been expelled from the communion of
the Church. i
69. Are not those also who are heretics without
their own fault separated from the Catholic Church ?
Such as are heretics without their own fault, but
sincerely search after the truth, and in the meantime
do the will of God to the best of their knowledge,
although they are separated from the body, remain,
however, united to the soul of the Church, and par
take of her graces.
Even those who are heretics without their own fault are
deprived, though not of all, at least of many, graces and bless
ings of our holy religion ; as, for instance, the Holy Sacri
fice of the Mass, the true Lord's Supper, Sacramental Absolu
tion, the Holy Sacraments administered to the dying, etc.
Therefore, we should fervently pray for heretics,- and by
sincere charity, and an edifying life, contribute towards their
conversion. 70. Who is a heretic by his own fault ?
A heretic by his own fault is, 1. He who knows
the Catholic Church, and is convinced of her truth,
but does not join her ; and 2. He who could know

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 147
her, if he would candidly search, but, through indif
ference and other culpable motives, neglects to do so.
71. Does it become us to judge whether this one
or that is a heretic by his own fault or not ?
No ; for such judgment belongs to God, who alone
is 'the searcher of hearts and reins' (Ps. vii. 10), and
' judges the secrets of men' (Bom. ii. 16).
' Judge not beforo the time, until the Lord come, who both
will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will
make manifest the counsels of the hearts ' (1 Cor. iv. 5;.
72. Is it sufficient for obtaining eternal salvation
to be a member of the Catholic Church ?
No; for there are also rotten and d#id members
(Apoc. iii. 1), who by their sins bring upon them
selves eternal damnation.
73. What, then, do we profess to believe by these
words of the Creed, ' I believe in the Holy Catholic
Church ' ?
We profess to believe that Jesus Christ has estab
lished a visible Church, endless in her duration, and
infallible in her doctrine, which we must believe and
obey without reserve, if we would obtain eternal sal
vation ; and that this is no other than the Roman
Catholic Church.
Application. It is right for us to call the Catho
lic Church our mother ; for 1. She has regenerated us
in a spiritual manner in baptism, and has made us
children of God ; 2. She feeds us with the Word of
God, and with the Bread of Angels; 3. She brings us
up in the fear of the Lord ; and 4. She kindly prays
for us, comforts us, and assists us, as long as we live
here below, and even after we have departed this life.
Honor and love, therefore, the Church as your mo
ther; listen diligently to her instructions, and humbly
submit to all her laws and directions; for 'he shall
not have God for his Father who will not have the
Church for his Mother' (St. Cyprian, Bishop and
Martyr; d. 258).

148 A Catechism of the Catholic -Religion.
§ 4. The Communion of Saints.
74. Are only the faithful on earth united together
as one Church ?
No ; with the faithful on earth are also spiritually
united the saints in Heaven and the souls yi Purga
tory. The faithful on earth who are members of the Catholic
Church constitute the Church Militant; the souls in Purga
tory, the Church Suffering ; and the Saints in Heaven, the
Church Triumphant; yet these thi'ee Churches are, properly
speaking, but one in different states.
75. In what does this spiritual union consist ?
This spiritual union consists in this : that all are
members of one body, whose head is Christ Jesus,
and that therefore the different members participate
in one another's spiritual goods.
' As in one body we have many members, so we, being many,
are one body in Christ, and. every one members one of another?
(Rom. xii. 4, 5). 'He [Christ] is the Head of the body, the
Church' (Col. 1. 18).
76. What is this spiritual union called ?
The Communion of Saints.
77. Why are all the members of this Communion
styled Saints ?
Because all are called to be Saints (1 Thess. iv. 3),
¦ and have been sanctified by baptism ; and many of
them have already arrived at perfect sanctity.
78. What benefit do we reap from the communion
with the Saints in Heaven ?
We partake of the merits which they acquired
while here below, and are assisted by their interces
sion with God in our behalf.
79. But does not death dissolve all union between
the living and the dead ?
No; no more than it dissolves their union with
Christ, their Head.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 149
80. What benefit do the souls in Purgatory receive
from our communion with them ?
We come to the assistance of these our suffering
brethren, in order that their pains may be mitigated
and shortened.
81. By what means can we assist the poor souls in
Purgatory ?
By prayers, alms-deeds, and other good works, es
pecially by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and th&
application of Indulgences.
' 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 this
dead, that they may be loosed from sins ' (2 Maoh. xii. 43, 46).
That the Church has at all times prayed for the dead, and that
the Apostles themselves ordained to remember them at the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass, is testified by the most ancient Fathers of
the Church. (All Souls' day.)
82. What profit do we derive from the mutual
communion with the faithful on earth ?
We participate in all the Masses, prayers, and good
works of the Catholic Church, and, in general, in all
her spiritual goods.
' God hath tempered the body together . . . that the mem
bers might be mutually careful one for another. . . . Now, you
are the body of Christ, and members of member ' (1 Cor. xii.
24-27). 83. Do sinners, as long as they are not cut off from
the Church, also participate in this communion ?
Sinners as dead members forfeit, in deed, most of
the spiritual goods ; nevertheless, in virtue of their
union with the Church, they still receive various bless
ings and graces, which help to their conversion.
Application. Every day pray for your fellow-Chris
tians who are either combating on earth or suffering
in Purgatory, and recommend yourself every morning
and night to the protection of the Saints in Heaven.
Above all, strive to lead a holy life ; for 'we are fellow-
citizens with the Saints, and. the domestics of God'
(Eph. ii. 19).

150 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
The Tenth Article.
' The Forgiveness of Sins.'
1. What does the Tenth Article of the Creed teach
us? That in the Catholic Church we can receive, through
the merits of Jesus Christ, forgiveness of sins and of
the punishment due to them.
' Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in
whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of
sins, according to the riches of His grace ' (Eph. i. 3, 7).
2. What sins can be forgiven in the Catholic
Church ?
All sins without exception.
3. What must the sinner do in order to obtain for
giveness of his sins ?
1. He must truly repent ; for Christ says, ' Unless
you shall do penance, you shall all perish ' (Luke xiii.
3) ; and 2. He must worthily receive the Sacraments
instituted by Christ for the remission of sins.
4. Which Sacraments were instituted by Christ for
the remission of sins ?
The Sacraments of Baptism and Penance.
5. Who has power to forgive sins in the Sacrament
of Penance ?
The Bishops of the Catholic Church and the Priests
commissioned by them ; for it was to them only that
Christ said, ' Whose sins you shall forgive, they are
forgiven them ' (John xx. 23).
Application. Give hearty thanks to God for hav
ing promised you forgiveness of your sins, and go will
ingly and frequently to confession ; but first prepare
yourself well for it, that it may be said to you also,
' Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee '
(Matt. ix. 2).

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 151
The Eleventh Article.
' The Resurrection of the Body.'
1. What happens to man at his death ?
The soul separates from the body, and appears be
fore the judgment-seat of God; but the body return?
into the earth (Eccles. xii. 7).
2. Why must all men die ?
Because all have sinned in Adam.
' By one man. sin entered into this world, and by sin death '
(Rom. v. 12).
3 Why has God hidden from us the time of our
death ? •
1. That we may so. much the more honor and fear
Him as the Supreme Lord of life and death ; 2. That
we may keep ourselves every moment prepared for
death ;' and 3. That the dread with which we are
seized when we think of our imminent dissolution
may be moderated.
1 ' Be you then also ready ; for at what hour you think not,
ihe Son of Man will come ' (Luke xii. 40). Parable of the Ten
Virgins (Matt, xxv.)
4- How are we to keep ourselves prepared foi
death ?
We should carefully avoid sin, and lead a godly life.
5. How long will the body remain in the eartli ?
The body will remain in the earth till the day of
judgment, when God will raise it again to life, and
reunite it for ever to the soul, from which death had
separated it.
' The hour cometh, wherein all that are in the graves shall
hear the voice of the Son of God. And they that have done
good things shall come forth unto the resurrection of life ; but
they that have done evil unto the resurrection of judgment ' —
i.e., to hear the sentence of condemnation (John v. 28, 29).
6 What do we call this raising of the bodies to
life? The resurrection of the flesh or body.

152 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
7. But how can the bodies, when reduced to dust,
rise again ?
By the Omnipotence of God, our bodies, reduced to
dust, can as easily be raised again to life as they were
once made out of nothing.'
Parable of the grain of wheat (1 Cor. xv. 35, etc.)
8. Why shall our bodies rise again ?
1. That, as the body was a partner with the soul in
the performance of good or evil works, so it may also
be a partaker of the reward or punishment (2 Cor. v.
10) ; and 2. That the victory of Christ over death may
be perfect.
'When this mortal hath put on immortality, then shall
come to pass the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed
up in victory ; O death, where is thy victory V ' (1 Cor. xv.
54, 55.)
9. Shall all men rise from the dead ?
Yes, all men, the good as well as the wicked (John
v. 28, 29).
10. Will the bodies, when raised to life, he all
alike ?
No ; the bodies of the bad shall be hideous and
miserable, but those of the good shall be glorious, and
like to the glorified Body of Christ.
'We shall all indeed rise again, but we shall not all be
changed' — i.e., glorified (1 Cor. xv. 51) 'Our Lord Jesus
Christ will reform the body of our lowness, that it may be
made like to the body of His glory ' (Phil. iii. 21). Hence the
honor we pay to the bodies of the deceased, (Funerals ; blessed
Burying-grounds) .
According to 1 Cor. xv. 42-44, we distinguish four qualities
of the glorified bodies : 1. 'It [the body] is sown [?'.«., buried]
in corruption, it shall rise in incorruption,' incoirvphble and
impassible— i e , incapable of corruption, and of any suffering.
2. 'It is sown in dishonor, it shall rise in glory.' biighi — i.e.,
shining with glory, without spot or blemish. 3. 'It is sown
in weakness, it shall rise in power,' agile — %.e, capable of trans
porting itself with the soul in an instant from one place to
another. 4. ' It is sown a natural body, it shall rise a spiritual
body,' subtile — i.e., spiritualized, or capable of penetrating any

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 153
corporeal substance, like our Saviour's Body after His Resur
rection. 11. What impression should our belief in the re
surrection of the body make upon us ?
It should incite us, 1. To honor our body, and
never to abuse it by sinning; 2. Patiently to suffer all
bodily pains, and even death ; and 3. To console our
selves at the death of our friends.
1. ' Glorify and bear God in your body ' (1 Cor. vi. 20). 2.
Examples : Job xix. 25-27. ' In the last day I shall rise out of
the earth, and I shall be clothed again with my skin, and in
my flesh I shall see my God. This my hope is laid up in my
bosom.' The Machabean Brothers, 2 Mach. vii 9-14. ii. ' We
will not have you ignorant, brethren, concernmg them that
are asleep, that you ma-y not be sorrowful, even as others who
have no hope,' etc. (1 Thess. iv. 12-17).
Application. Never abuse your eyes, tongue, ears,
hands, nor your other senses or members by doing evil,
but 'yield them to serve justice, unto sanctification '
(Eom. vi. 19) ; that you may one day rise to everlast
ing glory, and. not to everlasting damnation.
The Twelfth Article.
' And life everlasting. Amen.'
1. What does the Twelfth Article of the Creed
teach us ?
1. That after this life there is another, which will
last for ever; and 2. That the just shall enjoy eternal
happiness in it.
' The just shall go into life everlasting' — that is, into eternal
glory (Matt. xxv. 46.)
2. In what does the eternal happiness of the just
consist ?
1. They see God as He is, and are united with Him
in the most intense love ; and 2. With this sight and
love of God is combined the possession of all good
things, eternal joy and glory in the company of all the
Angels and Saints.

154 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
1. ' We see now through a glass in a dark manner ; but
then face to face ' (1 Cor. xiii. 12 ; comp. 1 John iii. 2). 2.
' God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; and death
shall be no more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow ' (Apoc.
xxi. 4). ' They shall be inebriated with the plenty of Thy
house [0 God 1], and Thou shalt make them drink of the tor
rent of thy pleasure ' (Ps. xxxv. 9). ' They shall receive a
kingdom of glory, and a crown of beauty at the hand of the
Lord' (Wisd. v. 17).
3. Can we conceive this eternal happiness ?
No ; the happiness in Heaven is so great that it
exceeds all that can he said or imagined.
For '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).
4. Will all be equally happy ?
No ; for ' every one shall receive his own reward
according to his own labor' — i.e., according to his de
serts (1 Cor. iii. 8).
' He who soweth sparingly, shall also reap sparingly ; and he
who soweth in blessings, shall also reap blessings ' (2 Cor. ix. 6;
comp. 1 Cor. xv. 41, 42).
5. What will be the life of the wicked through all
eternity ?
A life without any grace or joy, a life full of pains
in hell.
Such a life is called in the Holy Scripture the second (eternal)
death. ' The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable,
and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idola
ters, and all liars, they shall have their portion in the pool burn
ing with fire and brimstone, which is the second death ' (Apoc.
xxi. 8).
6. What is hell in the words of Christ ?
'A place of torments' (Luke xvi. 28) ; ' an ever
lasting punishment ' (Matt. xxv. 46) ; an ' unquench
able fire' (Mark ix. 44): 'the exterior darkness,
where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth '
(Matt. viii. 12).
7. Who shall be condemned to the torments of
hell?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 155
Every one who dies an enemy of God. — that is, who
dies in mortal sin.
' He that committeth sin is of the devil ' (1 John iii. 8) ; there
fore, he also deserves to be punished like the devil. (Comp.
Matt. xxix. 41).
8. What sort of pains shall the souls of the damned
suffer ?
1. Internal torture and despair at the thought of
all the evil they have done, and of the many graces
they have abused (Wisd. v. 1-15 ; Matt. viii. 12) ; 2.
Unspeakable sadness and misery, because they have,
by their own fault, forfeited eternal happiness in
Heaven (Luke xiii. 25-28) ; 3. Perpetual horror of
the dismal company of the devils and *>f all the
damned (Matt. xxv. 41) ; and 4. The most intoler
able torments and pangs, without any hope of relief
or end ; for their fire shall not be extinguished, and
their worm shall not die (Mark ix. 45 ; Apoc. xx. 9,
10). ' And the rich man also died, and he was buried in hell. And
lifting up his eyes when he was in torments, he saw Abraham
afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom ; and he cried, and said :
"Father Abraham, have mercy oh me, and send Lazarus, that
he may dip the tip of his finger in water, to cool my tongue ;
for I am tormented in this flame," ' etc. (Luke xvi. 22-24).
9. Whence do we know that the pains of the
damned are eternal ?
1. From the clear testimony of Christ and the
Apostles ' ; and 2. From the express doctrine of the
infallible Church, which has solemnly condemned the
erroneous opinion of those heretics who taught that
the pains of the devils and of the damned would in
time have an end;
1 ' Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire : . . .
and they shall go into everlasting punishment ' (Matt. xxv. 41
and 46). ' It is better for thee to enter lame into life, everlast
ing, than, having two feet, to be cast into the hell of unquench
able fire, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not extin
guished ' (Mark ix. 44, 45;. ' And the smoke of their torments
shall ascend up for ever and ever' (Apoc. xiv. 11, and else
where).

156 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
10. Why are the pains of the condemned souls
eternal ?
1. Because the offence against the infinite Majesty
of God demands of His justice a punishment without
end ; 2. Because all who die in sin remain eternally
obdurate in sin;1 3. Because God, in virtue of His
holiness, hates evil no less than He loves what is good,
and therefore punishes vice eternally, as He eternally
rewards virtue ; and 4. Because only the everlasting-
pains of hell are a sufficient means to deter man, even _
in secret, from evil.2
1 Sin remains as a propensity to sin, though it can no more
be committed in deed (Innocent HI.) 2 God showed also mercy
to us when He created hell, whereby He will prevent us from
being wicked (St. John Chrysost.)
11. Will the pains of all the damned be equal ?
No ; for each one shall have to suffer in proportion
to his sins, and to the ill use he has made of the graces
bestowed upon him.
'As much as she '(the city of Babylon) 'hath glorified her
self, and lived in delicacies, so much torment and sorrow give
ye to her ' (Apoc. xviii. 7). ' Unto whomsoever much is given, of
him much shall be required ' (Luke xii, 48).
12. Will all those who are condemned to eternal
hell-fire be condemned by their own fault ?
Yes ; for all men may be eternally happy, provided
they will avail themselves of the abundant graces which
God gives them.
' God will have all men to be saved, for there is one media
tor of God and men. the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself
a redemption for all ' (1 Tim. ii. 4-6). ' Before man is life and
death ; that which he shall choose shall be given him ' (Ec
clus. xv. 18).
13. What do you understand by the Four Last
Tilings of man ?
I understand by the four last things Death, Judg
ment, Hell, and Heaven.
14. Of what use is. the frequent remembrance of
the four last things to us ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 157
It is, as the Holy Ghost testifies, an effectual
means to avoid sin, and consequently to escape eternal
damnation. 'In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt
never sin ' (Ecclus. vii. 49).
15. With what word do we conclude the Apostles'
Creed ?
With the word 'Amen,' which means ' So it is,' or
'So be it.'
16. Why do we conclude the Apostles' Creed with
this word ?
In order to declare that we firmly believe all that
is contained in the twelve Articles of the Creed, and
that we are determined to live according to this belief,
and to die in it.
Application. Often consider, especially at the hour
of temptation, this serious truth : ' Once lost, lost for
ever ' ; or this one : ' Momentary joy brings on eternal
pain, but short pain eternal joy ; and these words of
Jesus Christ : ' The kingdom of Heaven suffereth
violence, and the violent bear it away ' (Matt. xi. 12).

PART II.
ON THE COMMANDMENTS.

1. Is it sufficient for obtaining eternal salvation
that we believe all that God has revealed ?
No; we must also keep His commandments: 'H
thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments'
(Matt. xix. 17).
'Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of Heaven ; but he that doth the will of my
Father who is in Heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of
Heaven ' (Matt. vii. 21).
2 But are we able to keep the Commandments of
God ?
Yes, with the assistance of God's grace, which He
refuses to no one who asks for it.
' His commandments are not heavy ' (1 John v. 3). ' My
yoke is sweet, and my burden light ' (Matt. xi. 30).
3. How do we know that we are able to keep the
Commandments ?
We know it, 1. Because God inflicts eternal punish
ment upon those who break them ; and 2. Because
there have been at all times Saints who faithfully
observed them. *
1. ' And that servant who knew the will of his lord, and did
not according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes'
(Luke xii. 47). 2. It is written of Zachary and Elizabeth :
' And they were both just before God, walking in all the com
mandments and justifications of the Lord without blame'
(Luke i. 6).
On the Chief Commandment.
4. Which is the chief Commandment that includes
all the others ? i58

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 159
The Commandment of Charity — i e., theCommand-
:aient of the love of God and of 'our neighbor.
5. How is this Commandment of Charity expressed ?
It is expressed in these terms : 'Thou shalt love
the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy
whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy
whole strength. This is the greatest and the first Com
mandment. And the second is like to this : Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself ' (Mark xii. 30, 31 ;
Matt. xxii. 37-40). § 1. On the Love of God.
6. What is the love of God ? •
It is a virtue infused by God into our soul, by
which we give ourselves up with all our heart to Him,
the Sovereign Good, in order to please Him by fulfil
ling His will, and to be united with Him.
7. What qualities must our love of God have ?
It must be, 1. Supernatural ; 2. Sovereign ; and
3. Active.
8. When is our love supernatural ?
Our love is supernatural when, with the help of
God's grace, we love Him as we know Him, not only
by our reason, but by our faith.
' Now the end of the commandment is charity, from a pure
heart, and a good conscience, and an unfeigned faith. From
which things some going astray, are turned aside unto vain
babbling' (1 Tim. i. 5, 6). 'My just man liveth by faith ; but
if he withdraw himself, he shall not please my soul ' (Heb. x.
38). By faith we know God, not only as the Creator of the
world, and the Giver of all natural goods, which we can like
wise perceive by our reason ; but also as the Author and Giver
of the supernatural graces and benefits ; as the most merciful
Father, who has most graciously adopted us, and has given His
own Son, in order to save us, to sanctify us, and make us one
day eternally happy in the kingdom of His glory.
9. When is our love of God sovereign ?
Our love of God is sovereign when we love Him
more than all other things, so that we are willing

160 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
to lose all rather than separate ourselves from Him
by sin.
' I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor things present,
nor things to come, .... nor any other creature, shall be
able to separate us irom the love of God ' (Rom. viii. 38, 39).
This degree of love, by which we are ready to lose all,
rather ttian commit a grievous sin, is absolutely necessary to
salvation ; but this is not the highest degree. For a higher de
gree is this, when we are not only determined not to commit
any grievous sin, but not even the least sin ; and there is a
higher degree still, when we are resolved always to do what is
most perfect, or most pleasing to God.
10. When is our love active?
Our love is active when we do what is acceptable
to God ; that is, when we keep his Commandments.
' He that hath my Commandments, and keepeth them, he
it' is that loveth me' (John xiv. 21). ' This is the charity of
God, that we keep His Commandments' (1 John v. 3).
11. Why must we love God ?
We must love God, 1. Because He is the sovereign
and most perfect Good ; 2. Because He has loved us
first, and has bestowed innumerable blessings upon us
in soul and body ; and 3. Because He commands us
to love Him, and promises us eternal salvation as a
reward for it.
12. When is our love of God perfect?
Our love is perfect when we love God on account
of His Infinite goodness ; that is, when we love Him
above all things, because He is both infinitely good in
Himself, and infinitely good to us.
' Let us therefore love God, because God first hath loved us '
(1 John iv. 19). Of this perfect love it is said : ' He that abideth
in charity, abideth in God, and God in him ' ; and, ' Every one
that loveth is born of God'(l John iv. 16, 7). — Example:
Mary Magdalen : 'Many sins are forgiven her, because she
hath loved much ' (Luke vii. 47).
13. When is our love imperfect ?
Our love is imperfect when we love God chiefly he-
cause we expect good things from Him.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 161
Example : The Prodigal Son : ' How many hired servants
in my father's house abound with bread, and I here perish
with hunger ! I will arise, and will go to my father ' (Luke xv.
17, 18).
14. By what means is the love of God increased
and perfected in us ?
1. By frequently and worthily receiving the Holy
Sacraments; 2. By meditating on the perfections and
graces of God, especially on the bitter Passion and
Death of Jesus Christ ; 3. By self-denial, and patience
in afflictions ; and 4. By performing good works.
15. How is the love of God lessened and banished ?.
By mortal sin the love of God is banished from
our hearts, and by venial sin its fervor is lessened.
Application. Exercise yourself assiduously in the
love of God by these means : Often think of Him,
and often pray to Him ; delight in hearing and speak
ing of Him, do and suffer everything for His sake,
and fear nothing so much as to offend Him.
§ 2. On the Love of our Neighbor.
16. Whom must we particularly love after God ?
Our neighbor; i.e., all men without exception.
17. Is it, then, not enough if we love God ?
'If any man say, I love God, and hateth his
brother, he is a liar"' (1 John iv. 20).
18. Why must we love our neighbor ?
1. Because Christ our Lord commands us to love
him, and bvthe fulfilment of this Commandment, He
will know His true disciples ; 2. Because He Himself
in His life and death taught ns so by His example ;
and 3. Because every one is a child and an image of
God, was redeemed with the blood of Christ, and is
called to eternal salvation.
1. ' By this shall all men know that you are my disciples,
if you have love one for another ' (John xiii. 35). 2. ' Be ye,
therefore, followers of God, as most dear children ; and walk in
love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath delivered Himself
for us ' (Eph. v. 1, 2). 3. ' Have we not all one Father ? Hath

1 62 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
not one God created us ? Why then doth every one of us de
spise his brother? ' (Mai. ii. 10).
19. What qualities -must the love of our neighbor
have ?
It must be, 1. Sincere ; 2. Disinterested ; 3. General.
20. When is our love sincere ?
Our love is sincere when we love our neighbor, not
in appearance, but as ourselves.
' My little children, let us not love in word, nor in tongue,
but in deed, and in truth ' (1 John iii. 18).
21. When do we love our neighbor as ourselves ?
We love our neighbor as ourselves when we ob
serve the command of Christ : 'All things whatsoever
vou would that men should do to you, do you also to
them' (Matt. vii. 12).
' See thou never do to another what thou wouldst hate to have
done to thee by another ' (Tob. iv. 16).
22. When is our love disinterested ?
Our love is disinterested when we do good to our
neighbor for God"'s sake, and not that we may be
praised or rewarded by men.
' When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the
lame, and the blind : and thou shalt be blessed, because 'they
have not wherewith to make thee recompense ; for recompense
shall be made thee at the resurrection of the just ' (Luke xiv.
13, 14).
23. When is our love general?
Our love is general when we exclude no one from
it, whether he be our friend or our enemy.
' For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you
have ? Do not even the publicans this ? And if you salute
your .brethren only what do you more? Do not also the
heathens this ?' (Matt. v. 46, 47).— Ex. : The Good Samaritar-
(Luke x.)
24. Is it not enough if we do not revenge our
selves on our enemies ?
No; God commands us to love our enemies— i.e., to

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 163
wish them well, and to be ready to assist them in
their necessities, as much as lies in our power.
' Love your enemies ; do good to them that hate you, and
pray for them that persecute and calumniate you ; that you
may be the children of your Father who is in Heaven, who
maketh His sun to rise upon the good and the bad, and rain-
eth upon the just and the unjust ' (Matt. v. 44, 45). — Ex. : St.
Stephen. 25. Why must we love our enemies ?
1. Because the Lord our God commands us to love
them ; 2. Because Christ Jesus, our Divine Model,
has given us the example of loving our enemies; and
3. Because we also wish to be forgiven by God.
1. ' But I say to you, Love your enemies ; do good to them
that hate you,' etc. (Matt, v.) 2. Jesus addressed even His
betrayer in the kindest manner, saying : ' Friend, whereto art
thou come ?' (Matt. xxvi. 50), and he prayed on the Cross for
His murderers : ' Father, forgive them, for they know not what
they do ' (Luke xxiii. 34). 3. ' Forgive us our trespasses, as we,'
etc. Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matt, xviii. 23-35).
26. What has he to expect who will not forgive
him by whom he has been offended ?
Judgment without mercy.
' Judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy '
(James ii. 13). ' But if you will not forgive, neither will your
Father that is in Heaven forgive you your sins ' (Mark xi. 26).
27. What must we do when we have offended some
one ?
We must go and be reconciled to him (Matt. v.
23, 24).
28. What must we do when some one has offended
us? We must willingly offer to make peace with him,
forgive him from our heart, and suffer injustice rather
than return evil for evil.
' To no man render evil for evil. If it be possible, as much
as is in you, have peace with all men. Revenge not yourselves,
my dearly beloved, for it" is written: Revenge is mine; I mil

164 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
repay, saith the Lord' (Rom. xii. 17- 19 ; comp. Matt. v. 39-41).
— Ex. : Jacob and Esau ; David and Saul.
29. What sort of people does Holy Scripture par
ticularly recommend to our love ?
The poor, widows and orphans, and in general all
those who are in corporal and spiritual need.
30. How are we to assist them ?
By the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.
'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy'
(Matt. v. 7).
31. Which are the Corporal Works of Mercy?
The Corporal Works of Mercy are these seven : 1.
To feed the hungry ; 2. To give drink to the thirsty ;
3. To clothe the naked ; 4. To harbor the harborless ;
5. To visit the imprisoned; 6. To visit the sick ; 7.
To bury the dead.
32. Is it also a duty to perform corporal works of
mercy ?
Yes, it is such an indispensable duty that Christ
condemns the unmerciful to everlasting fire.
' Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire. For I
was hungry, and you gave me not to eat ; I was thirsty, and
you gave me not to drink ; I was a stranger, and you took me
not in ; naked, and you covered me not ; sick and in prison,
and you did not visit me. . . . Amen I say unto you, as long
as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to
me. And these shall go into everlasting punishment ' (Matt.
xxv. 41^46). With regard to the dead, the Holy Scripture
says : ' My son, shed tears over the dead, and neglect not his
burial ' (Ecclus. xxxviii. 16).
33. What good things are promised to those who
give alms ?
Temporal blessings,1 and especially spiritual graces,
in order to obtain forgiveness of their sins and life
everlasting.' J ' He that giveth to the poor shall not waut ; he that de-
episeth his entreaty shall suffer indigence ' (Prov. xxviii. 27). —
(jj£ . HPriKlQQ 2 * Alma A ol 1 Vovo+ll £r.r\m Aaai-\, an/1 f V, o cnrv...

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 165
that which purgeth away sins, and maketh to find mercy and
life everlasting' (Tob. xii. 9). — Ex. : Zacheus the Publican ;
Cornelius the Centurion.
34. Which are the Spiritual Works of Mercy ?
The Spiritual Works of Mercy are these seven : 1.
To admonish sinners; 2. To instruct the ignorant; 3.
To counsel the doubtful ; 4. To comfort the sorrow
ful ; 5. To bear wrongs patiently ; 6. To forgive
injuries ; 7. To pray for the living and the dead.
35. Are we also bound to perform spiritual works
of mercy ?
Yes, provided we have sufficient knowledge and an
opportunity to perform them ; for the spiritual good
of our neighbor should affect us far more than his
corporal welfare.
'My brethren, if any one of you err from the truth, and
one convert him, lie must know that he who causeth a sinner
to be converted from the error of his way, shall save his soul
from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins ' (James v. 19,
20). 36. When are we in general bound to admonish or
rebuke our neighbor in a brotherly manner ?
When it is necessary, in order to prevent him from
committing sin, and there is hope that our admoni
tion will not be in vain.
' If thy brother shall offend against thee, go and rebuke him
between thee and him alone,' etc. (Matt, xviii. 15).
37. How is fraternal rebuke to be given ?
With all possible prudence, love, aud meekness.
' Brethren, if a man be overtaken in any fault, instruct such
a one in the spirit of meekness ' (Gal. vi. 1).
Application. Be peaceable and kind to every one,
especially to your brothers and sisters, and to your
relations. Bear with the faults and frailties of your
neighbor; never render evil for evil ; but pray for hijm
who may have offended you.

1 66 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
§ 3. On Christian Self-Love.
38. May a Christian love himself also ?
Yes, he may and ought to love himself ; for Christ
says : ' Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.'
39. In what does Christian self-love consist ?
Christian self-love consists in being, above all
things, solicitous for the salvation of one's soul.
40. Why must we be solicitous, above all things,
for the salvation of our soul ?
1. Because the soul has been created to the likeness
of God, has been ransomed with the precious blood
of Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the grace of the
Holy Ghost ; and 2. Because on the salvation of the
soul depends our eternal welfare (Matt. xvi. 26).
41. What are we to do in order to secure the salva
tion of our soul ?
1. We must carefully avoid sin, and every occasion
of sin ; 2. If nevertheless we have sinned, we must
not delay to do sincere penance ; and 3. We must
earnestly endeavor to practise virtue, and to do good
works. 1. ' They that commit sin and iniquity are enemies to their
own soul ' (Tob. xii. 10). 2. ' Delay not to be converted to the
Lord, and defer it not from day to day ; for His wrath shall
come on a sudden, and in the time of vengeance He will destroy
thee ' (Ecclus. v. 8, 9). 3. ' Wherefore, brethren, labor the
more, that by good works you may make sure your calling and
election ' (2 Pet. i. 10).
42. May we also love our body and temporal goods
in a Christian manner ?
_ Yes, we may, and are also bound to love, in a Chris
tian and supernatural manner, our body and temporal
goods, as health, property, and good reputation.
43. When do we love our body in a Christian
manner ?
When we love it, 1. Because it is the dwelling-place

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 167
of our soul, and her instrument for the service of God ;
aud 2. Because it also was sanctified in Baptism, and
is destined for eternal glory.
He who loves his body in this manner will constantly subdue
its unlawful desires, and thus, according to the admonition of
St. Paul, ' Present it a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God '
(Rom. xii. 1).
44. When do we love the goods of this world in a
Christian manner ?
When we love them, 1. As far as all created things
have their origin in God and are His gifts ; and 2.
As far as they serve us, to promote the honor of God,
to assist the needy, and to fulfil the duties^of 0111
state of life.
He who loves the goods of this world in this manner will not
turn his heart away from God, in order to seek his happiness
in them, but will make such a use of them that on their
account he will not forfeit those of Heaven.
45. What is opposite to this Christian love of one's
self? Inordinate self-love.
46. When is self-love inordinate ?
1. When man prefers his own honor and will to
the honor and will of God ; 2. When he is more soli
citous for his body and for temporal things than for
his soul and eternal salvation ; and 3. When he seeks
his own welfare to the prejudice of his neighbor.
This vicious self-love is the source of all sins. ' Men shall
be lovers of themselves, covetous, haughty, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked, without affection,
without peace, slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without
kindness, traitors, stubborn, puffed up, and lovers of pleasures
more than of God ' (2 Tim. iii. 2-4).
47. Is every self-love that is not supernatural,
vicious and inordinate ?
No; there is also a merely natural self-love, by
which we may indeed love ourselves, and all that be
longs to us, in a lawful manner, though not merito
riously for eternity.

168 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
' Thus also those who are evil know how to give [through
natural love] good gifts to their children ' (Luke xi. 13).
Application. Oppose in good time that pernicious
self-love by which a person, in all that he thinks,
speaks, and does, has not in view the honor of God
or the welfare of his neighbor, but only his own self,
and his pretended advantages over others.
On the Ten Commandments of God.
(See Short Hist, of Rel. §11.) ¦
1. Where is our duty of loving God and our neigh
bor more fnlly contained ?
In the Ten Commandments, which God gave to
Moses written on two tables of stone.
2. What are the Ten Commandments ?
1. I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not have
strange gods before me ; thou shalt not make to thyself
any graven thing to adore it.
2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy
God in vain.
3 . Eemember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.
4. Honor thy father and thy mother, that it may
be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the
earth. 5. Thou shalt not kill.
6. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
7. Thou shalt not steal.
8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy
neighbor. 9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.
10. Thou shalt not ci vei. thy neighbor's house, nor
his field, nor his servai t, nor his handmaid, nor his
ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is his.
3. Why are we Christians also bound to keep these
Commandments of the Old Law ?
1. Because Christ is not come ' to destroy the law,
but to fulfil it ' (Matt. v. 17)— i.e., to confirm it, and to

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 169
teach us how to observe it perfectly ; and 2. Because
the Ten Commandments contain that law which al.
ready binds all men, since it is grounded in human
nature, and has been written by God in all hearts
(Eom. ii. 15).
4. If the law is written in all hearts, why did God
give it to .man written on tables of stone ?
That we may the> more surely know the law of God,
and be the more strongly impelled to fulfil it ; for our
capacity to know and to will what is good, has been
very much weakened by sin.
5. What in particular ought to induce us faithfully
to keep the Divine Commandments ? ^
1. The reverence, love, and gratitude which we owe
to God ; 2. The fear of eternal punishment, and the
hope of eternal reward.
Tlie First Commandment of God.
' I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not have strange gods
before me ; thou shalt not make to thyself any graven thing
to adore it.'
6, What are we commanded by the First Command
ment? By the First Commandment we are commanded to
pay to Almighty God due honor and adoration.
7. How many kinds of honor do we owe to God ?
We owe to God two kinds of honor — namely, inte
rior and exterior honor.
8. How do we honor God interiorly ?
We honor God interiorly, 1. By faith, hope, and
charity; 2. By reverence and adoration ; 3. By thanks
giving for all His blessings; 4. By zeal for His honor;
and 5. By obedience and resignation to His holy will.
9. How do we sin against faith ?
1. By infidelity, heresy, and scepticism ; 2. By im
pious and profane language, or by wilfully listening to
it ; likewise by reading or spreading irreligious books

170 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
and writings ; and 3. By indifference in matters of
faith, or by actually denying it.
10. When do people become guilty of indifference
in matters of faith ?
1. When they do not care for any religion, or when
they consider all religions as equally good ; 2. When
they stand in need of being instructed, and neglect to
attend the Catechism or Christian doctrine ; and 3.
When parents or guardians allow their children to be'
brought up in an erroneous belief.
11. How do we sin against hope ?
1. By despair or by distrust; and 2.# By presump
tion or by false confidence.
12, When do we sin by despair or by distrust ?
Wnen we either do not hope at all for that which
we ought to hope for from God,1 or when we do not
hope for it with confidence in Him. 2
Examples : ' Cain and Judas ; a Moses and the Israelites in
the desert.
13. What are we to hope for from God ?
We are, above all, to hope for life everlasting, and
for whatever is necessary and conducive to it — that is,
the forgiveness of our sins and the grace of God.
14. On what grounds are we to hope for these
things ?
Because God, who is infinitely powerful, merciful,
and faithful, has promised them to us, and Jesus
Christ has merited them for us.
15. What, then, is Christian hope ?
Christian hope is a virtue infused into our souls, by
which we most confidently expect all the things which
God has promised us through the merits of Jesus
Christ. 16. May every sinner hope for pardon ?
Yes, every sinner, even the greatest, may and ought

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 171
to hope for pardon, provided he will be converted
with all his heart, and do penance.
' If the wicked do penance for all his sins which he has com
mitted, and keep all my Commandments, living he shall live,
and shall not die ' (Ez. xviii. 21).— Examples : The Ninivites,
Mary Magdalen, the Thief on the Cross, and others. Parable of
the Lost Sheep and of the Prodigal Son (Luke xv.)
17. How far may we also expect temporal goods
from God ? "
As far as they help us, or at least do not hinder us,
to obtain eternal salvation.
18. When do we sin by presumption and false con
fidence ? •
1. When, relying on the mercy of God, we continue
to sin without fear, or delay our repentance to the
end of our life ; 2. When we rashly expose ourselves
to a danger from which we confidently expect God
will extricate us.
19. Is Christian hope also consistent with fear ?
Confidence in God does not exclude diffidence in
ourselves ; therefore, we should neither be excessively
timid about our salvation, nor should we throw off all
sense of fear and solicitude for it.2
1 'Wherefore he that thinketh himself to stand, let him take
hoed lest he fall ' (1 Cor. x. 12). ' I am not conscious to myself
of anything, yet I am not hereby justified ; but he that judgeth
me is the Lord ' (1 Cor. iv. 41. ' Justify not thyself before God,
for He knoweth the heart' (Ecclus. vii. 5). 2 'With fear and
trembling work out your salvation ' (Phili. ii. 12). ' I chastise
my body, and bring it into subjection ; lest perhaps, when I have
preached to others, I myself should become a castaway ' (1 Cor.
ix. 27).
20. What sins are chiefly opposed to the love of
God? In general, all morlal sins; but in particular, 1.
Indifference and aversion to God and divine things ;
and 2. Hatred and repugnance to Him and His pater
nal dispensations.

172 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
21. How do we honor God also exteriorly?
We honor God also exteriorly when we manifest our
interior respectful sentiments towards Him by exterior
actions ; as by our uniting with others in the public
services of religion or in prayer, in common with
others, by kneeling, and generally by our reverent de
meanor during religious exercises.
22. Why are we also commanded to honor God ex
teriorly ?
1. Because the body has been created by God as
well as the soul, and, therefore, both should pay Him
honor and homage ; 2. Because it is quite natural to
man to manifest his interior worship of God also ex
teriorly; 3. Because the interior worship is intensified
by exterior worship ;. and 4! Because exterior worship
is conducive and necessary for our mutual edification,
for fortifying ourselves in our faith, and for preserving
and propagating our Eeligion.
Example : Daniel, who chose to be cast into the den of the
lions rather than to give up the exterior adoration of God as
prescribed by the Law (Dan. vi.^
23. How do we sin against the exterior worship of
God? By neglecting to attend divine service, or by behav
ing irreverently when we are present.
Punishment of the men at Bethsames because they approached
the Ark of the Lord in an irreverent manner (1 Kings vi. 19).
24. May we sin in any other way against the rever
ence due to God ?
Yes, we sin also against it by idolatry, superstition,
witchcraft, sacrilege, and simony.
25. When does a person commit idolatry ?
He commits idolatry (worship of images) when he
pays divine honor to any creature or thing, as the
heathens did.
26. When do we sin by superstition ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 173
1. When we honor God or the Saints in a manner
contrary to the doctrine or practice of the Church ;
2. When we attribute to things a certain power which
they cannot have, either by nature, or by the prayers
of the Church, or by virtue of Divine dispensation.
For instance : When we consult fortune-tellers and make
them tell us our fortunes by cutting cards or by inspecting our
hands ; or when we have recourse to the interpretation of
dreams, or to vain and foolish signs and practices, in order to
know hidden things, or to obtain luck or health ; still more,
when for that purpose we abuse even holy names and blessed
things ; when we attend circles of spiritists or consult medi
ums, etc.
27. Is such superstition a grievous sin ? *
It is generally a very grievous sin, because he who
practises such things mostly expects the assistance of
the evil spirit, if not openly, at least secretly ; but,
at all events, puts that confidence in idle or delusive
things which he ought to place in God alone.
28. Is it also superstitious to wear on our persons
images (medals) of the Saints, or blessed things ?
On the contrary, it is praiseworthy, if it is done
with a pious intention — that is to say, with con
fidence in God, in the intercession of the Saints, or
in the prayer and blessing of the Church.
29. How do people become guilty of witchcraft ?
When they try, with the help of the evil spirits, to
find hidden treasures, to injure others, or to work
wonderful things. ,
Thus one day that wicked one, Antichrist, will do, ' Whose
coming is according to the working of Satan, in all [deluding]
power, and signs, and lying wonders, and in all seduction of in
iquity to them that perish' (2 Thess. ii. 9, 10). This God will
permit for the just punishment of those who rejected the Chris- :
tian truth and the Divine miracles.
30. What is sacrilege ?
Sacrilege is a profanation of holy things, holy per
sons, or holy places; for instance, the unworthy re-

174 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
ceiving of a Sacrament, the ill-treatment of an eccle«
siastic, the desecration of a church or of sacred ves
sels, etc.
Examples: Punishment of King Baltassar Pan. v.), of Heli-
odorus (2 Mac. iii.) How Christ cast the sellers out of the Tem
ple, see John ii. 15.
31. When does a person commit simony ?
When he buys or sells spiritual things, preferments,
and the like, for money or money's worth ; as Simon,
the Magician, intended to do (Acts viii.) This sin
has been forbidden by the church under the most
severe penalties, even under pain of excommunication.
Application. Make every day Acts of Faith, Hope,
and Charity, and never neglect to say your Morning
and Evening Prayers. At church behave with rever
ence, and pray with attention, on your knees, and
with your hands joined. Never use forbidden or sus
picious means, in order to cure diseases or to discover
hidden things. Are you in doubt whether the use of
certain things is permitted or not, ask the Priest or
your Confessor.

The First Commandment (continued).
On the Veneration and Invocation of the
Saints.
32. What does the Catholic Church teach respect
ing the veneration and invocation of the Saints ?
She teaches that it is right and available to salva
tion to honor and invoke the Saints.
33. Put is not the honor which we pay to the
Saints against the First Commandment ?
By no means ; for 1. We pay no Divine honor to
the Saints ; and 2. We honor and praise in the Saints
God Himself, who has shown Himself so powerful
and merciful in them.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 175
34. What is the difference between the honor
which we show to God and that which we show to
the Saints ?
1. We honor and adore God alone as our Sovereign
Lord and the Author of all good things ; but we hon
or the Saints only as His faithful servants and friends.
2. We honor God for His own sake, or on account of
the infinite perfections which He has of Himself ; but
we honor the Saints on account of the gifts and ad
vantages which they have received from God.
35. But do we not kneel down when we honor the
Saints ? Do we not build churches and altars, and
offer the Sacrifice of the Mass to them, as to God
Himself ? •
We kneel down, it is true ; but we do not adore
the Saints any more than a courtier adores his king
when on his knees he asks a favor of him. We con
secrate churches and altars, and offer the Holy Sacri
fice of the Mass to God alone, although, at the same
time, we honor the memory of the Saints, and im
plore their intercession.
From the most ancient times the Church has approved and
cherished such veneration, has instituted festivals, built churches
and altars in commemoration of the Saints, and implored their
intercession at the Holy Sacrifice; and God often confirmed
such devotion by extraordinary graces.
36. What should we have principally in view when
we venerate the Saints ?
We should imitate their virtues, and strive to be
come like them, that we may also one day share in
their eternal happiness.
37. In what does our praying to God differ from
our praying to the Saints ?
We pray to God that He may help us by His Omni
potence ;" but we pray to the Saints that they may
help us by interceding with God for us.
38. Is it, then, in the power of the Saints in Hea
ven to obtain anything from God in our behalf ? *>

176 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
It was in their power when they were living on
earth ; much more must it be so now that they are in
Heaven ; for death does not dissolve the communion
between them and us. (See the Ninth Article of the
Creed, page 147, quest. 71.)
' Pray one for another, that you may be saved ; for the con
tinual prayer of a just man availeth much ' (James v. 16). — No
one but a most obstinate infidel can deny the miracles which
were, and are still, wrought by the intercession of the Saints
(Proceedings of the Church at a Beatification or Canonization).
39. Does the Holy Scripture also testify that the
Saints in Heaven pray for us ?
Yes, the Holy Scripture says, 1. That the Angels
pray for man ;' 2. That the Prophet Jeremias, long
after his death, ' prayeth much for the people, and for
all the holy city' (2 Mac. xv. 14) ; and 3. That the
four-and-twenty Ancients incessantly offer up the
prayers of the Saints at the throne of the Most High
(Apoc. v. 8).
1 ' And the Angel of the Lord answered, and said : O Lord
of Hosts, how long wilt Thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, and
on the cities of Juda ? ' (Zach. i. 12). ' When thou didst pray
with tears, I offered thy prayer to the Lord ' said the Angel
Raphael to Tobias (Tob. xii. 12).
40. Do, then, the Saints in Heaven know anything
of us ?
If they did not know anything of us, the Archangel
Eaphael could not have offered the prayer of Tobias
to God, nor could there be joy before the Angels of
God upon one sinner doing penance, as the Gospel
testifies (Luke xv. 10).
41. But is it not a mark of distrust in Jesus Christ
when we address ourselves to the Saints ?
No ; for 1. We expect grace and salvation from
God alone through the merits of Jesus Christ ; and
2. If it were a mark of distrust, St. Paul would not
have applied to the faithful, saying: ' I beseech you.
brethren, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that you

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. , 177
may help me in your prayers for me to God ' (Eom.
xv. 30).
42. Why does God grant us many graces through
the intercession of the Saints ?
Because it is the will of God that we should ac
knowledge our own unworthiness and the merits of
His faithful servants. Therefore He Himself, in for
mer times, commanded the friends of Job, saying :
' Go to my servant Job, . . . and my servant Job^
shall pray for you' (Job xiii. 8).
43. Whom should we in particular honor and in
voke above all the Angels and Saints ?
Mary, the Blessed Virgin and Mother of ^od.
44. Why should we particularly honor and invoke
Mary*? 1." Because she is the Mother of God, and therefore
far surpasses all the Angels and Saints in grace and
glory ;
2. Because, for that very reason, her intercession
with God is most powerful.
45. Should we also honor the images of Jesus
Christ and of the Saints ?
Yes, certainly ; for if even a child honors the like
nesses of his parents, and a subject the image of his
prince, so much the more must we honor the images
of our Lord and of His Saints.
How strictly the veneration of holy images was at all times
observed in the Church, was shown in the eighth century,
when the heretics called Iconoclasts [image-breakers] arose.
They were supported by the Greek Emperor, and they raged
most obstinately and furiously against the images and those
who revered them. But they were not able to abolish the pious
practice. The faithful firmly suffered all imaginable ill-treat
ment, even torture and death ; and in the year 787 the new
heresy was solemnly condemned by the Seventh General Council.
46. But does not the Scripture say : ' You shall
not make to yourselves any idol or graven thing ' ?
True ; but it is also immediately added : ' To adore

178 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
it ' (Levit. xxvi. 1), as the heathens did. But we Ca
tholics detest the adoration of images.
God Himself commanded Moses to 'make two cherubim of
beaten gold on the two sides of the oracle ' (Exod. xxv. 18), and
also to ' make a brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign ' (Num.
xxi. 8), which was a figure of our Crucified Redeemer.
r 47. But is it not superstitious to pray before im
ages ?
Not at all ; for when we pray before the images of
Jesus Christ and His Saints, we pray, not to the im
ages, but to Jesus Christ and to the Saints, whom
they represent.
48. Does it not prove that we put our trust in im
ages when we go on pilgrimages to them ?
No ; for we do not visit holy places because we trust
in the images that are honored there, but because we
know that God has been pleased to bestow many graces
and benefits in such places, and therefore feel ourselves
animated to pray there with greater fervor and confi
dence. 49. What is the use of placing images of Christ and
of the Saints in our churches ?
They instruct and strengthen us in our faith, and
incite us to live in conformity to it, whilst they repre
sent before our eyes the mysteries of our Eeligion, the
history of our Eedemption, and the holy lives of' the
Saints. 50. Why do we honor the relics of the Saints ?
Because their bodies were living members of Jesus
Christ, and temples of the Holy Ghost, and will one
day rise again from the dead to eternal glory.
At all times relies have been kept in honor in the Church. As
early as in the second century, the Christians in Antioch and
Smyrna, as they testified themselves, honored the relics of their
holy bishops, Ignatius and Polycarp, who had suffered death
for Jesus Christ.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 179
51. Whence do we know for certain that the vene
ration of relics is pleasing to God ?
From this: that God has frequently been pleased to
work great miracles through their means, as we read
in the Holy Scripture and in the history of the
Church. ' When the man [whom they were burying] had touched the
bones of Eliseus, he came to life, and stood upon his feet' (4
Kings xiii. 21). 'And God wrought by the hand of Paul more
than common miracles ; so that even there were brought from
his bouy to the sick, handkerchiefs and aprons, and the diseases
departed from them, and the wicked spirits went out of them '
(Acts xix. 11, 12). St. Augustine, St. Ambrose, and others, give
us an account of the miracles which were wrought at the graves
of St. Stephen, St. Felix of Nola, St. Gervasius, and tf many other
Saints. The authenticity of a relic which is exposed to the veneration
of the faithful is not a matter of faith, but rests simply on hu
man, but nevertheless credible, testimonies.
Application. Honor the Blessed Saints in Heaven
with great devotion, especially the Most Blessed Virgin,
St. Joseph, and your Patron Saint. Diligently read
their lives, and faithfully imitate their examples. Keep
in your dwellings no immodest pictures, but have, by
all means, holy images, and, above all, an image of
your Crucified Eedeemer. (Feast of All Saints.)
The Second Commandment of God. '
' Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.'
1. What does the Second Commandment forbid ?
The Second Commandment forbids all profanation
of the holy name of God.
2. How do we profane the name of God ?
We profane the name of God, 1. _ By irreverently
pronouncing it ; 2. By deriding religion ; 3. By blas
phemy ; 4. By sinful swearing, and by cursing ; and
5. By breaking vows.

180 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
3. How do we sin by irreverently pronouncing
Cod's holy name ?
By pronouncing the name of God in jest, or in an
ger, or in any other careless manner.
This applies also to other names and words worthy of rever
ence, as the name of the Blessed Virgin, the Holy Cross, the
Holy Sacraments, etc., and to the words of the Holy Scripture,
which are never to be abused in jest or by way of derision.
'The Lord will not hold him guiltless that shall take the
name of the Lord his God in vain ' (Exod. xx. 7).
4. How do we sin by deriding religion ?
By scoffing at religion, at the rites or ceremonies of
the Church, or by turning them into ridicule, in which
cases we may also become guilty of blasphemy.
' Knowing this first, that in the last days there shall come de
ceitful scoffers, walking after their own lusts, . . . you, there.
fore, brethren, knowing these things before, take heed, lest
being led aside by the error of the unwise, you fall from your
own steadfastness ' (2 Pet. iii. 3, 17).
5. What is meant by blasphemy ?
By blasphemy is meant contemptuous and abu
sive language uttered against God, the Saints, or holy
things. This sin is so great that, in the Old Law, those who were
found guilty of it were put to death. ' He that blasphemeth
the name of the Lord, dying let him die ; all the multitude
shall.stone him ' (Levit. xxiv. 16). How Sennacherib, King of
the Assyrians, was punished for blaspheming the Lord,' see 4
Kings xix.
6. May we also become guilty of blasphemy by
thoughts ?
Yes, when we voluntarily think contemptuously of
God or of the Saints.
7. What is swearing or taking an oath ?
Swearing or taking an oath is to call the Omnis
cient God to witness that we speak the truth, or that
we will keep our promise.
We call God also to witness when we swear by Heaven, by

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 181
the Holy Cross, or by the Gospel, etc. ' Whosoever shall swear
by the temple, sweareth by it, and by Him that dwelleth in it ;
and he that sweareth by Heaven, sweareth by the throne of God,
and by Him that sitteth thereon ' (Matt, xxiii. 21, 22).
8. How do we sin by swearing ?
We sin by swearing, 1. When we swear falsely or
in doubt ; 2. When we swear, or induce others to
swear, without necessity; 3. When we swear to do
what is evil, or to omit what is good ; and 4. When
we do not keep our oath, although we can keep it.
' Thou shalt swear in truth, and in judgment, and in justice '
(Jer. iv. 2).
9. What means swearing falsely, or in (Joubt ?
It means, 1. To assert with an oath that something
is true, though we know that it is untrue, or do not
know whether it is true or not ; 2. To promise with
an oath something which we do not intend to perform.
10. What are we to think of perjury or a false
oath ?
Perjury, especially in a court of justice, is one of
the greatest crimes ; because he who commits it, 1.
Mock's God's Omniscience, Sanctity, and Justice ; 2.
Destroys the last means of preserving truth and faith
among men ; and 3. Almost solemnly renounces
God, and calls down His vengeance upon himself.
' And the Lord said to me : This flying volume which thou
seest is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the earth ;
for every one that sweareth shall be judged by it. I will bring
it forth, saith the Lord of Hosts, and it shall come to the house
of him that sweareth falsely by my name, and it shall remain
in the midst of his house, and shall consume it, with the timber
thereof, and the stones thereof (Zach. v. 3, 4 ; comp. Ezech.
xvii.) 11. When a person has sworn to do something evil,
or to omit something that is good, is he bound to keep
such an oath ?
No; for as it was a sin to take such an oath, so it
would be another sin to keep it. — Ex.: Herod (Mark
vi. 23-28).

1 82 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
12- What do you mean by cursing ?
Cursing means to wish any evil either to ourselves
or to our neighbor, or to any of God's creatures, where
by the name of God is frequently dishonored.
Cursing is something very hateful, which betrays a rude, angry
temper. From the mouth of a Christian or child of God noth
ing but ' blessing ' ought to come forth (1 Pet. iii 9). Cursing is
at the same time an oath, when we call upon God to punish us
if we speak an untruth.
13. What is a vow?
A vow is a voluntary promise made to God to do
something that is agreeable to Him, although there
be no obligation to- do it.
Accordingly, a vow is : 1. A real prromise,_ by which we de
liberately bind ourselves, and not a mere desire or resolution ;
2. A promise made to God, because it is to God alone we make
vows ; and 3. A promise to do something that is agreeable to
God; therefore it cannot be anything trifling, sinful, or inju
rious to others, nor anything good in itself, but by which some
thing better is prevented or higher duties neglected.
14. What does the Church teach with regard to
vows ?
1. That they please God, because they are volun
tary offerings made to Him. Thus God kindly accepted
the vows of the Patriarch Jacob,1 and of the pious
Anna, the mother of Samuel,2 and granted their peti
tions. 1 ' And Jacob made a vow, saying : If God shall be with me,
and I shall return prosperously to my father's house, of all
things that Thou shalt give to me, I will offer tithes to Thee'
(Gen. xxviii. .20-22). a ' Anna made a vow, saying : 0 Lord of
Hosts, if Thou wilt be mindful of me, and wilt give to Thy ser
vant a man-child, I will give him to the Lord all the days of his
life'(lKiagsi. 11).
2. That it is a sacred duty to keep them, unless it
be impossible to do so. People should therefore be
very cautious about making vows, and should, in
general, ask advice of their Confessor, or some othei
prudent Priest.
' If thou hast vowed anything to God, defer not to pay it. It

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 183
is much better not to vow, than after a vow not to perform th«
things promised ' (Eccles. v. 3, 4).
15 Is it sufficient not to dishonor the name of
God ?
No ; we must also honor and revere it ; i.e., we
must gratefully praise it, devoutly call upon it, steadily
confess it, and exert ourselves to promote its honor.
Application. Carefully avoid the shameful habit of
cursing and swearing. ' A man that sweareth much
shall be filled with iniquity, and a scourge shall not
depart from his house' (Ecclus. xxiii. 12). On the
contrary, often invoke with devotion the names of
Jesus and Mary, especially in temptations against
purity. The Third Commandment of God.
' Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day.'
1. What are we commanded by the Third Com
mandment ?
By the Third Commandment we are commanded to
sanctify the Lord's day by performing works of piety
and abstaining from servile works.
2. Which is the Lord's day ?
In the Old Law it was the seventh day of the week,
or the Sabbath-day (day of rest), in memory of God's
resting on that day, after He had finished the work of
Creation in six days. In the New Law it is the first
day of the week, or the Sunday, in memory of the ac
complishment of our Eedemption, which is a new spi
ritual Creation (Gal. vi. 15).
'In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea,
and all things that are in them, and rested on the seventh day;
therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it '
(Exod. xx. 11 ; comp. Gen. ii. 2, 3).
3. How was our Eedemption accomplished on the
Sunday?

1 84 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
It was on a Sunday that our Saviour rose from the
dead, and it was also on a isunday that He sent down
the Holy Ghost upon His Church.
4_ What works of piety should we perform on the
Sunday ?
1. We are bound to hear Mass, and, if possible, we
should also attend the other Divine Service, especially
the Sermon and Catechetical Instruction ; and 2. We
should receive the Holy Sacraments, read books of de
votion, or meditate on the great truths of our Eeligion,
and occupy ourselves in works of mercy, either corporal
or spiritual (James i. 27).
5. Which works are servile and forbidden ?
All bodily works which are commonly performed
by servants, day-laborers, and tradesmen.
Works by which the mind only is exerted are not numbered
amongst the servile works. But all those noisy and those merely
worldly employments, which disturb quiet religious observance,
such as law-suits, buying and selling, etc., are also forbidden.
6. Is it never lawful to do servile work on a Sun
day ?
It is lawful : 1. When the Pastors of the Church,
for weighty reasons, give a dispensation ; and 2. As
often as the honor of God,1 the good of our neighbor,"
or urgent necessity 3 require it.
Examples : Matt. xii. 1 Officiating in the Temple, v. 5 ' Para
ble of the sheep that falls into a pit, v. 11, 12. s The Disciples
plucking ears of corn, v. 1-4.
7. Are they only guilty who themselves do forbid
den work ?
No ; those also are guilty who without any neces
sity require their inferiors, as servants, day-laborers,
or tradesmen, to do such work, or allow them to do it;
for God says : ¦' That thy man-servant and thy maid
servant may rest, even as thyself ' (Deut. v. 14).
Servants, apprentices, and journeymen are obliged to look out
for places where they are allowed to observe the Sundavs and
Holydays according to the command of God and of the Church.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 185
8. Is the Sunday profaned only by servile work
aid staying away from Divine Service?
No ; it is likewise profaned by debauchery, intem
perance, and extravagant games, sports, and amuse
ments, which make of the Lord's day a day of revelry
and public scandal.
9, What should we particularly consider in order
to be deterred from profaning the Sunday ?
We should consider :
1. The temporal and eternal punishment with which
God threatens such as break the Sabbath.
' They grievously violated my Sabbaths ; I said, therefore,
that I would pour out my indignation upon them in the desert,
and would consume them' (Ezech. xx. 13). 'Keenjyou my Sab
bath ; for it is holy unto you : he that shall profane it shall be
put to death ' (Exod. xxxi. 14).
2. That it is an unjustifiable heedlessness not to
devote even so much as one day to the care of our im
mortal soul, after the body has been taken care of
during six days.
3. That the observance of the Sunday is a public
profession of our Christian Faith, and, consequently,
that by its profanation we bring disgrace on our Ee-
ligion, and give great scandal to our fellow-Christians.
Zeal of the Jews in keeping holy the Sabbath day (2 Mac. vi.
Application. Always observe the Lord's day con
scientiously, and never be induced to violate it, either
by thoughtlessness and excessive fondness for amuse
ments, or by the example of wicked or infidel people.
' God be merciful unto us ; it is not profitable to us to
forsake the law' (1 Mac. ii. 21).
The Fourth Commandment of God.
' Honor thy Father and thy Mother.'
1. What is commanded by the Fourth Command
ment ?
By the Fourth Commandment children are com-

1 86 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
manded to show reverence, love, and obedience to
their parents, and inferiors to their superiors.
2. Why must children reverence, love, and obey
their parents ?
Because, next to God, their parents are their great
est benefactors, and supply His place in their regard.
3. How should children reverence their parents ?
They should venerate their parents as the repre
sentatives of God, and should therefore always show
them respect in word and deed.
' Honor thy father in work and word, and all patience ' (Ecclus.
iii. 9).
4. How should children love their parents?
They should, 1. Be grateful to them, and wish them
well from their heart ; 2. They should make them
happy by their good conduct ; 3. They should assist
them in their necessities, and take care of them in
their old age ; and 4. They should bear with their
faults and weaknesses.
' With thy whole heart honor thy father, and forget not the
groanings of thy mother. Remember that thou hadst not been
born but through them, and make a return to them as they
have done for thee ' (Ecclus. vii. 28-30). Example of Jesus,
who, when dying on the cross, still provided for His Mother.
5. How should children obey their parents ?
1. They should do what their parents command,
and not do what they forbid, provided they order no
thing bad or unjust ; and 2. They should, willingly
receive, and readily follow, their advice and admo
nitions. ' Children, obey your parents in all things ; for this is well
pleasing to the Lord ' (Col . iii. 20). Example of Jesus, who,
though ' God blessed for ever,' yet was subject to Mary and
Joseph. 6. What have children to expect who faithfully ob
serve the Fourth Commandment ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 187
In this life, they may be sure of God's protection
and blessing ; and in the other, of eternal happiness.
' Honor thy father and thy mother, which is the first com
mandment with a promise; that it may be well with thee, and
thou mayest be long-lived upon earth' (Eph. vi. 2, 3). 'Hon
or thy father, that a blessing may come upon thee from him,
and his blessing may remain in the latter end. The father's
blessing establisheth the houses of the children, but the mothers
curse rooteth up the foundation' (Ecclus. iii. 9-11). — Examples:
Sem, Isaac, Ruth, Samuel, young Tobias.
7. When do children sin against the reverence they
owe to their parents ?
They sin against the reverence they owe to their
parents, 1. When in their heart they despise or disre
gard them ; 2. When they speak ill of them ; 3. When
they are ashamed of them ; and 4. When they treat
them harshly and insolently.
' The eye that mocketh at his father, and that despiseth the
labor of his mother in bearing him, let the ravens of the brooks
pick it out, and the young eagles eat it ' (Prov. xxx. 17).
8. When do children sin against the love they owe
to their parents ?
They sin against the love they owe to their parents,
1. When they wish or do them evil; 2. When, by
their bad behavior, they give them trouble, and bring
disgrace upon them, or otherwise grieve them, and
put them in a passion ;. 3. When they do not assist
them in their need or old age ; 4. When they do not
bear with their failings ; and 5. When they do not
pray for their parents, whether living or dead.
' He that striketh his father or mother shall be put to death.
He that curseth his father or mother shall die the death ' (Exod.
xxi. 15, 17). ' Son, support the old age of thy father, and
grieve him not in his life ; and if his understanding fail, have
patience with him, and despise him not when thou art in thy
strength ; for the relieving of the father shall not be forgotten '
(Ecclus. iii. 14, 15).
9. When do children sin against the obedience due
to their parents ?

1 88 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
They sin against the obedience due to their parents,
1. When they obey them badly, or not at all; 2.
When they do not willingly listen to their admoni
tions ; and 3. When they offer resistance to their
corrections. ' If a man have a stubborn and unruly son, who will not hear
the commandments of his father or mother, and being corrected,
slighteth obedience, they shall take him, and bring him to the
ancients of the city, and shall say to them : This our son is
rebellious and stubborn, he slighteth hearing our admonitions, he
giveth himself to revelling, and to debauchery and banquetings :
the people of the city shall stone him, and he shall die ; that
you may take away the evil out of the midst of you, and all
Israel hearing it may be afraid' (Deut. xxi. 18-21).
10. What have those children to expect who do
not fulfil their duties towards their parents ?
In this life they have to expect the curse of God,
disgrace, and ignominy ; and in the life to come, eter
nal damnation.
' Cursed be he that honoreth not his father and mother, and
all the people shall say : Amen ' (Deut. xxvii. 16). ' Remember
thy father and thy mother, lest God forget thee, and thou wish
that thou hadst not been born, and curse the day of thy nativity'
(Ecclus. xxiii. 18, 19). — Examples : Cham, Absalom, the Sons of
Heli the High-Priest.
11. What superiors, besides our parents, must we
honor, love, and obey ?
Our guardians, tutors, teachers, employers, masters
and mistresses, and all our Spiritual and Temporal
Superiors. 12, What are our duties towards our guardians,
tutors, teachers, and employers ?
We must consider them as the representatives and
assistants of our parents ; and, therefore, our duties
towards them are in proportion to those which chil
dren owe to their parents.
13. What are the particular obligations of servants
to their masters and mistresses ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 189
They should, for the Lord's sake, show them re
spect, fidelity, love, and ready obedience (Tit. ii. 9, 10).
' Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the
flesh, not serving to the eye, as pleasing men, but in simplicity
of heart, fearing God. Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart,
as to the Lord, and not to men ; knowing that you shall receive
of the Lord the reward of inheritance ' (Col. iii. 22-24). ' Ser
vants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the
good and gentle, but also to the froward ' (1 Pet. ii. 18).
14. How do servants sin against their masters and '
mistresses ?
1. By disobedience, obstinacy, moroseness, and ill-
will; 2. By laziness, by pilfering dainties, and by
wasting and embezzling their goods ; 3. By calumny,
detraction, and tale-bearing ; and, most of all, 4. By
teaching evil to their children, by seducing them, by
assisting them to do evil, or by conniving at it.
15. What are our duties towards our Spiritual Su
periors ?
We are bound, 1. To honor and love them as the
representatives of God, and our Spiritual Fathers ; 2.
To submit to their ordinances ; 3. To pray for them ;
and 4. To provide for their support in the manner
established by law and custom.
' With all thy soul fear the Lord, and reverence his priests '
(Ecclus. vu. 31). ' Obey your prelates, and be subject to them ;
for they watch as being to render an account of your souls, that
they may do this with joy, and not with grief ; for this is not
expedient for you' (Hebr. xiii. 17). 'The Lord ordained that
they who preach the Gospel should live by the Gospel ' (1 Cor. Ix.
14 ; comp. Luke x. 7, and 1 Tim. v. 17, 18).— Example of the
Christians, when Peter was in prison (Acts xii. ; comp. Gal. iv.
14, lo). ?
16. When do we sin against our Spiritual Superiors ?
1. When, by word or deed, we violate the reverence
due to them, or when, by speaking ill of them, we
lower their character; 2. When we oppose them, and
thereby may be the cause of schism and scandal ; and
3. When, contrary to our duty, we refuse to contribute

190 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
towards their support, and to provide for the Divine
Service. ' He that despiseth you, despiseth me ' (Luke x. 16). ' The
Lord kuoweth how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judg
ment to be tormented ; and especially them who despise govern
ment, audacious, self-willed, they tear not to bring in sects,
blaspheming. They allure by the desires of fleshly riotousness
those who for a little while escape, such as converse in error :
promising them liberty, whereas they themselves are the slaves
of corruption ' (2 Pet. ii.) ' Woe unto them, for they have gone
in the way of Cain, and have perished in the contradiction of
Core ' (Jude 11). — Examples : Core, Dathan, and Abiron, swal
lowed up by the earth (Num. xvi.) ; Forty-two boys torn by two
bears (4 Kings ii 24).
17. What are our duties towards our Temporal
Eulers ?
We are bound, 1. To show to our Temporal Eulers,
ordained by God, respect, fidelity, and conscientious
obedience, and to suffer anything rather than raise
sedition against them ; 2. To pay the taxes imposed
by them ; and 3. To assist them in their necessities
and dangers, and even to sacrifice our property and
life f o'r their defence against the enemies of our coun
try. ' Let every soul be subject to higher powers ; for there is no
power but from God, and those that are, are ordained of God.
Therefore, he that resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance
of God ; and they that resist, purchase to themselves damnation.
Wherefore be subject of necessity, not only for wrath, but also
for conscience' sake. Render therefore to all men their dues :
tribute to whom tribute is due ; custom to whom custom ; fear
to whom fear ; honor to wnom honor' (Rom. xiii. 1-7). — Ex
amples : Jesus and the first Christians. David towards Saul (1
Kings xxiv. 7).
18. How do we sin against our Temporal Eulers ?
1. By hatred and contempt; 2. By reviling and
blaspheming them ; 3. By refusing to pay the taxes
due to them ; 4. By resistance and rebellion ; and 5.
By any sort of treason, or conspiracy, against our
Government and country.
Of those 'who despise dominion, and blaspheme majesty,'

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. toi *
the Apostle St. Jude says : ' These are murmurers, full of com
plaints, walking according to their own desires, and their mouth
speaketh proud things, admiring persons for gain's sake ' (Jude
8 and 16).
19. When are parents, superiors, and sovereigns
not to be obeyed ?
When they command anything unlawful before
God. ' We ought to obey God rather than men ' (Acts vii. 29). — Ex
amples : Joseph in the house of Putiphar ; Susanna ; the three
Young Men at Babylon ; the seven Machabees ; the Apostles
before the Council.
20. How should young people behave towards the
aged ?
Young people should treat the aged respectfully,
listen to their good advice, and, as far as possible,
lighten the burden of their old age.
' Rise up before the hoary head, and honor the person of the
aged man, and fear the Lord thy God ' (Levit. xix. 32).
Application. Hearken now to your parents, teach
ers, Pastors, etc., and follow them, 'Lest thou mourn
at the last, and say : Why have I hated instruction,
and my heart consented not to reproof, and have not
heard the voice of them that taught me, and have not
inclined my ear to masters ?' (Prov. v. 11-13).
The Fourth Commandment (continued).
21. Does the Fourth Commandment regard chil
dren and inferiors only ?
It includes also the duties of parents and superiors.
22. What are the duties of parents towards their
children ? .
The first and most sacred duty of parents is to
bring up their children for God and for eternal life.
Therefore they should, 1. Teach them well them
selves, and get them well instructed in the _ Ca
tholic Eeligion ; 2. Train them up, as early as possible,

192 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
to a pious and virtuous life; 3. Set them good ex
ample ; 4. Guard them against being led into sinful
or dangerous courses; and 5. Correct their faults with
Christian charity.
' And you, fathers, bring your children up in the discipline
and correction of the Lord ' (Ephes. vi. 4). ' The child that is
left to his own will, bringeth his mother to shame ' (Prov. xxix.
15). ' Withhold not correction from a child ; for if thou strike
him with the rod, he shall not die, and thou shalt deliver his
soul from hell ' (Prov. xxiiL 13, 14). 1
23. How do parents sin when they neglect these
their duties ?
They sin grievously, and, moreover, render them
selves accessory to the sins of their children, and often
are the cause of their eternal damnation (Heli).
24. Have parents charge only of the eternal salva
tion of their children ?
They have charge also of their temporal welfare and
success ; therefore they sin, 1. When they inconsider
ately squander their property ; 2. When they do not
take proper care of the food, clothing, or health of
their children ; or 3. When they neglect to accustom
them early to labor, and to make them learn some
thing useful.
25. What are the duties of masters and mistresses
towards their servants ?
They should, 1. Not treat them harshly, but kindly ;
2. Give them their just wages and sufficient nourish
ment ; 3. Hrge them, by word and example, to fulfil
their religious duties, and to do all that is right ; and
4. Keep them from evil and all occasions of sin.
' If thou have a faithful servant, let him be to thee as thy own
soul : treat him as a brother' (Ecclus. xxxiii. 31). 'Masters, do
to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you
also have a Master in Heaven ' (Coloss. iv. 1). ' But if any man
have not care of bis own, and especially of those of his house,
he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel ' (1 Tim.
V. 8).

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 193
26. What are the obligations of Temporal Eulers
to their inferiors ?
Temporal Eulers are ordained by God for the good
of their inferiors; therefore they should, 1. Promote
their welfare as much as lies in their power ; 2. Per
form the duties of their office with wisdom and incor
ruptible justice ; 3. Punish evil; ana 4. Be to all a
pattern of a Christian life.
' The power is God's minister to thee for good ' (Rom. xiii. 4).
' And charging the judges, Josaphat said : Take heed what you
do ; for you exercise not the judgment of man, but of the Lord ;
and whatsoever you judge, it shall redound to you. There is no
iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor de
sire of gifts ' (2 Paral. xtx. 6, 7). Therefore, at elections for pub
lic offices, it is necessary, above all things, to consider piety,
judgment, and an honest and energetic will in the person to be
elected. Application. Always honor your Temporal Eulers
as the ministers of God for your own good, and never
listen to those enemies of all law and order, who ' pro
mise liberty, whereas they themselves are the slaves
of corruption' (2 Peter ii. 19).
The Fifth Commandment of God.
' Thou shalt not kill.'
1. What sins does the Fifth Commandment forbid ?
The Fifth Commandment forbids all sins by which
we may injure our neighbor or ourselves, whether as
to the life of the body or of the soul.
2. When do we injure our neighbor as to the life of
his body ?
1. When we kill, strike, or wound him in an unjust
manner ; and 2. When, by vexation or harsh treat
ment, we embitter and shorten his life.
3. What sin does he commit who kills his neighbor
in an unjust manner ?
He commits a heinous sin, a sin that cries to Heaven

194 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
for vengeance ; for 1. He wantonly invades the rights
of God ; 2. He undermines the safety of human so
ciety; and 3. He plunges his neighbor into the great
est temporal, and often into eternal, ruin.
' Whosoever shall shed man's blood, his blood shall be shed ;
for man was made to the image of God ' (Gen. ix. 6). How
murder is punished, even in this life, by tormenting remorse,
and often by an ignominious death, we learn from the examples
of Caiu (Gen. iv. 16), of Ahab and Jezabel (3 Kings xxi. xxii.,
and 4 Kings ix.)
4. Is it ever lawful to destroy human life ?
Yes, it is lawful, 1. • For the supreme authority to
do so in the execution of criminals (Eom. xiii. 4) ;
and 2. For others, in defence of their country, or,
when necessary, in protecting life from unjust at
tack. 5. Is it also lawful to send a man a challenge, or to
accept his, to a duel in defence of our honor ?
No ; for such a duel in any case, even if it be not
for life and death, is a great crime, which is in direct
opposition to all order established by God and man :
therefore all those who are accessory to it, even all
voluntary witnesses, incur excommunication.
6. Does the Fifth Commandment forbid only the
actual crime of taking away the life of our neighbor ?
It also forbids everything that leads and induces to
the crime ; as anger, hatred, envy, quarrelling, abu
sive words, and imprecations.
' Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer * (1 John iii. 15).
' But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother,
shall be in danger of the judgment ' (Matt. v. 22).
7. When do we injure ourselves as to the life of our
body ?
1. When we take away our life ; and 2. When we
impair our health, or shorten our life, by intemper
ance in eating and drinking, by violent anger, by im
moderate grief, etc.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 195
8. What sin does he commit who deliberately makes
away with himself ?
He commits three horrible crimes: 1. A crime
against the Divine Majesty, who alone has power over
life and death; 2. A crime against his own soul,
which he mercilessly plunges into eternal hell-fire ;
and 3. A crime against human society, and especially
against his relations, on whom he brings inexpressible
grief and disgrace.
9. How does the Church, therefore, punish suicide,
or self-murder ?
She refuses Christian burial to the self-murderer,
for his own punishment, as well as to defer others
from doing the same.
10. Are we never allowed to expose our life or our
health to danger ?
Never without necessity ; but, when a higher duty
requires it, we may (Matt. x. 28).
11. May we desire our own death ?
No, we may not when the desire proceeds from
dejection or despair ; but we may when we ardently
desire to offend God no more, and to be united with
Him in Heaven.
' I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ ' (Phili. i. 23). '
12. When do we injure our neighbor as to the life
of his soul ?
When we scandalize him ; that is, when we delibe
rately seduce him to sin, or voluntarily influence him,
and give him occasion, to commit it.
13. Who render themselves guilty of this sin ?
In general, all those who in any way incite, advise,
or help others to do evil, command them to do it, or
approve of it; a.id in particular those, 1. Who use
impious or filthy language, or dress themselves im
modestly ; 2. Who spread abroad bad books and pic
tures ; 3. Who open their houses to thieves, drunkards,

196 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
gamblers, or other wicked men, for their unlawful
meetings ; and 4. Those superiors who give bad ex
ample, or who do not hinder evil, as they are in duty
bound to do.
14. What should in particular deter us from giving
scandal ?
1. The thought that he who gives scandal is a min
ister of Satan, destroying those souls which Jesus
Christ has ransomed with His blood, by seducing them
to sin.
' He [the devil] was a murderer from the beginning ' (John
viii. 44). ' Destroy not him, for whom Christ died ' (Rom. xiv.
15). 2. The dreadful consequences of seduction, since
those who have themselves been seduced generally
seduce others, and thus the sin is continually propa
gated. The whole human race corrupted through the descendants of
Cain (Gen. vi.) Jeroboam's sin and punishment (3 Kings xii-
xiv.) 3 . The awful sentence of Jesus Christ.
' He that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe
in me, it wer ¦ better for him that a millstone should be hanged
about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of
the sea. Woe to the world because of scandals ; woe to that
man by whom the scandal cometh' (Matt, xviii. 6, 7). Example
of Eleazar, who chose to die rather than scandalize young men
(2 Mac. vi.) ; and of St. Paul (1 Cor. viii. 13).
15. What must we do when we have injured our
neighbor as to his body or soul ?
We must not only repent and confess the sin, but
we must also, as far as it is in our power, repair the
evil we have done.
16. What are we commanded by the Fifth Com
mandment ?
We are commanded, 1. To live in peace and union
with our neighbor ; 2. To promote, according to our

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 197
condition, his spiritual as well as his corporal wel
fare ; and 3. To take also reasonable care of our own
life and health.
Application. Never presume to curse, to abuse, or
to strike any one ; but, as it is becoming to a child of
God, be peaceable, kind, and meek. Shun a seducer,
as the devil ; for he is about to kill your soul, let his
words or promises be ever so charming and pleasing.
Beware of murdering your neighbor's soul by any
scandalous act or word.
TJie Sixth Commandment of God.
' Thou shalt not commit adultery.'
1. What does the Sixth Commandment forbid ?
The Sixth Commandment forbids, 1. Adultery and
all sins of impurity ; as unchaste looks, words, jests,
touches, and whatsoever else violates modesty ; and 2.
Everything that leads to impurity.
' But fornication and all uncleanness, let it not so much as be
named among you, as becometh saints, or obscenity, or foolish
talking, or scurrility ' (Eph. v. 3, 4).
2. What is it that generally leads to impurity ?
1. Curiosity of the eyes ; 2. Immodest dress; 3.
Flatterers or seducers ; 4. Obscene books and scanda
lous pictures ; 5. Nocturnal interviews, indecent plays
and dances ; 6. A too free intercourse with the other
sex ; 7. Drunkenness and revelry; and 8. Idleness and
effeminacy. 3. Why must we most carefully guard against im
purity ?
1. Because no sin is more shameful ; and 2. Because
none is attended with such dreadful consequences.
4. Why is this sin so shameful ?
Because man, who, as the image and temple of God,
is called to a pure and holy life, is degraded by it to
the level of an impure or unclean animal ; whence it

198 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
is styled, Sin of impurity or uncleanness (comp. 1
Cor. iii. 17).
5. What are the consequences of impurity ?
1." It robs man of his innocence, and infects his
body and soul ; 2. It leads him to many other sins and
vices, and often to murder and despair; and 3. It
plunges him into misery, ignominy, and shame, and
finally into eternal damnation.
' He that joineth himself to harlots will be wicked : rottenness
and worms shall inherit him' (Ecclus. xix. 3). 'The whore
mongers shall have their portion in the pool burning with fire
and brimstone ' (Apoc. xxi. 8).
Examples : Impurity led David, Solomon, the two Elders
(Dan. xiii), Herod, and Herodias into the greatest crimes.
Chiefly on account of impurity, nearly the entire human race
was destroyed by the Deluge ; Sodom and Gomorrha. by a rain
of brimstone and fire ; twenty-four thousand Israelites were put to
death in the desert ; and almost the whole tribe of Benjamin
perished by the sword.
6, Is every sin of impurity a grievous sin ?
Yes, every sin of impurity which one commits
knowingly and willingly, either with himself or with
others, is a mortal sin ; ' for know you this and under
stand,' says St. Paul (Ephes. v. 5), 'that no fornicator,
or unclean person, hath inheritance in the kingdom
of Christ and of God.'
7. Are all sins of impurity equally grievous ?
No; some are more grievous than others, according
to the _ persons with whom the sin is committed; or
according as the sin is more heinous and unnatural,
and its consequences are more pernicious.
8. What are we to do when we doubt whether any
thing is a sin against purity ?
We must consult our Director, and in the mean
time carefully avoid what we are doubtful of.
9. What are we commanded by the Sixth Com
mandment ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 199
We are commanded to be decent and modest in all
our thoughts, looks, words, and actions, and to preserve
most carefully the innocence of our soul as the great
est good and the most beautiful ornament of man.
10. What means should we employ in order to pre
serve our innocence ?
We should, 1. Shun all bad company and all occa
sions of sin (Ecclus. iii. 27) ; 2. Carefully guard our
senses, especially our eyes (Psalm cxviii. 37) ; 3. Often
receive the Holy Sacraments ; 4. In temptation recom
mend ourselves to God and to the Blessed Virgin; 5.
Eemember that God sees everything, and that we may
die at any moment (Ecclus. vii. 40); and 6. We should
earnestly exercise ourselves in humility, in tlfe morti
fication of the flesh, and in self-denial (Gal. v. 24).
Application. Love the innocence of your soul ; often
meditate on these words of the Holy Scripture : ' Oh !
how beautiful is the chaste generation with glory ; for
the memory thereof is immortal, because it is known
both with God and with men. It triumpheth crowned
for ever, winning the reward of undefiled conflicts'
(Wisd. iv. 1, 2). Therefore, whether you are by your
self or with others, never say or do anything that may
not be said or done before people of propriety ; and
should any one attempt to lead you to what is wrong,
repulse him or seek for the protection of others. 'My
son, if sinners shall entice thee, consent not to them.
If they shall say : Come with us ; my son, walk not
thou with them ' (Prov. i. 10-15).

The Seventh Commandment of God.
' Thou shalt not steal.'
1. What does the Seventh Commandment forbid ?
The Seventh Commandment forbids us to injure our
neighbor in his property by robbery or theft, by cheat
ing, usury, or in any other unjust way.

200 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
2. Who are guilty of robbery or theft ?
Not only those who are properly called robbers and
thieves, but also all those, 1. Who give them advice
or assistance ; 2. Who buy, sell, hide, or keep stolen
goods; 3. Who do not return the things they have
found or borrowed ; 4. Who do not pay their debts ;
and 5. All those who beg without need, and thus de
fraud the real poor of their alms.
, 3. Who are guilty of cheating ?
1. Those who impose upon their neighbors in their
dealings by giving them, for instance, false weight or
measure, bad money, or bad articles ; 2. Those who
ask too much for their labor or merchandise ; 3. Those
who remove the landmarks of their neighbors; 4.
Those who set fire to their property in order to get
money at the insurance-office ; and 5. Those who
counterfeit notes or documents, carry on unnecessary
or unjust law-suits, endeavor to bribe judges or wit
nesses, etc.
4. Who are guilty of usury ?
1. Those who ask unlawful interest for the money
they lend ; 2. Those who purchase corn or other things^
in order to raise the prices ; and 3. In general, all those
who take advantage of their neighbor's necessity or
ignorance. 5. In what other ways is the Seventh Command
ment broken ?
1. When we damage other people's houses or lands
or crops ; 2. When we wound or kill their animals ; 3.
When, by gambling or extravagance, we distress our
family ; 4. When we neglect the work which we are
in duty bound to perform; and 5. When we defame
tradesmen or merchants, in order to withdraw their
customers from them ; and generally, as often as we
unjustly injure our neighbor in his property.
6. How may we also grievously sin against the
Seventh Commandment by petty thefts or frauds ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 201
1. When we so often repeat them that the owner
suffers a considerable loss, and even when we have
only the intention of thus repeating them ; and 2.
When the loss of a thing, trifling in itself, causes our
neighbor a considerable injury.
7. May servants give alms of the property of their
masters ?
No ; unless their masters know it and approve of it.
8. What must we do when we are in possession of
ill-gotten goods or have unjustly injured our neigh
bor ?
We must restore the ill-gotten goods, and repair, as
far as we are able, the injury done ; without this we
cannot obtain pardon from God.
9. Who is bound to make restitution or reparation ?
1. He who is in possession of the things stolen, or
of their value, or who has really done the injury.
2. If he does not do it, the obligation devolves on
those who, by counsel or action, were accessory to the
sin, or who did not hinder it, although they were able
to do so, and were bound by their conventional or
official duties to hinder the wrong.
10. How much must be restored ?
1. If one has knowingly and unjustly taken or de
tained his neighbor's good's, he must fully indemnify
him. 2. If he did it unknowingly and unwillingly, he
must, as soon as he comes to know that it is another
man's property, restore all that is still left and as
much more as his wealth has increased by it.
In the former case, full restitution must be made not only of the
things stolen, or, if they are gone, of their value, but also of
that which, in the meantime, they have produced ; those ex
penses, however, being deducted which even the owner would
not have been aisle to avoid. And, in general, the owner must
be compensated for all the profits which he has been deprived
of, and for all the losses he has suffered. In the latter case, we
are bound to restore all that which, after deducting the expenses,
is still remaining of the ill-gotten goods and of their produce,

202 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
and, in general, as much as, by their possession and temporary
use, we have become the richer.
11. To whom must restitution of the ill-gotten
goods be made ?
To the owner or to his heirs ; but if this be not
possible, they must be given to the poor or be appro
priated to religious and charitable purposes.
12. What must they do who cannot immediately
make restitution ?
They must sincerely have the intention of doing so
as soon as they can ; and, in the meantime, they must
employ all possible means to enable themselves to per
form this duty.
13. What should we bear in mind in order to guard
against stealing, or against neglecting to make resti
tution ?
1. That death will eventually wrest the ill-gotten
goods from us, and perhaps sooner than we expect ;
2. That the stolen property will bring us, not happi
ness and blessing, but misfortune and malediction,
uneasiness and a miserable end ;' and 3. That there is
no greater foolishness than to forfeit Heaven for the
perishable things of this world, and to plunge our soul
into unquenchable fire.3
1 ' He who soweth iniquity shall reap evils ' (Prov. xxii. 8).
2 ' What doth it profit a man & he gain the whole world, and
suffer the loss of his own soul f Or what exchange shall a man
give for his soul ?' (Matt. xvi. 26).
14. What are we commanded by the Seventh Com
mandment ?
We are commanded to give to every one his due,
and to be charitable to our neighbor.
Application. Give to every one his own, and be
contented with what you have. ' A little, justly
gained, is better than much, gained unjustly.' Never
steal anything, be it ever so little, and mind this true
saying : ' Small beginnings make great endings.' Be-

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 203
ware of daintiness, drunkenness, idleness, gambling,
vain show, and finery; for all this leads people to
robbery and theft, and brings them to ruin.

The Eighth Commandment of God.
' Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.'
1. What does the Eighth Commandment forbid ?
The Eighth Commandment forbids above all to give
false evidence ; that is, to say in a court of justice
what is not true. k
' And bringing two men, sons of the devil, they mifle them
sit against him [Naboth] ; and they, like men of the devil, bore
witness against him before the people ' (3 Kings xxi. 13).
2. How are we to give evidence in a court of jus
tice. ?
We must tell the mere truth, just as we know it,
and neither more nor less.
3. What other sins are forbidden by the Eighth
Commandment ?
1. Lies and hypocrisy ; 2. Detraction and calumny
or slander ; 3. False suspicion and rash judgment ;
and, in general, all sins by which the honor or char
acter of our neighbor is injured.
4. What is meant by a lie ?
To say knowingly and deliberately what is not true.
5, Is it ever lawful to tell a lie ?
No ; it is never lawful to tell a lie, neither for our
own nor for another's benefit, not even in jest or
need ; for every lie is essentially opposed to God, who
is truth itself.
' A lie is a foul blot in a man ' (Ecclus. xx. 26). ' Lying lips
are an abomination to the Lord ' (Prov. xii. 22). — Ex : Punish
ment of Ananias and Saphira (Acts v.) Although it is never
lawful to tell an untruth, yet we are sometimes bound by charity
or official duty to conceal the truth.

204 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
6. How do we sin by hypocrisy ?
By pretending to be better or more pious than we
really are, in order thereby to deceive others.
'Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! because you
are like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men
beautiful, but within are full of dead men's bones, and ot all
fllthiness. So you also outwardly indeed appear to men just,
but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity (Matt. xxm.
27, 28).
7 How do we sin by detraction ?
By revealing the faults of others without any neces
sity, i
8. When is it allowed to reveal the faults of others ?
We are allowed, and even bound, to reveal them, 1.
When it is for the good of the guilty person ; or 2.
When it is necessary for preventing a greater evil.
9. What is to be observed in making such revela
tion ?
1. The revelation must proceed from a pure motive
of charity, and be made to such only as are able to
remedy the evil ; 2. The fault is not to be exagger
ated, nor is what is uncertain to be represented as
certain. 10. How do we sin by calumny or slander ?
By imputing faults to our neighbor which he has
not at all, or by exaggerating his real faults.
' If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that back-
biteth secretly ' (Eccles. x. 11). — Ex. : Aman (Esth. xiii)
11. Is every calumny or detraction equally sinful ?
No ; the sin is the greater, 1. The more important
the fault is, and the more considerable the person of
whom it is mentioned ; 2. The greater the loss and in
jury is which he suffers by it ; 3. The more people
there are who hear it ; and 4. The worse our inten
tion is in divulging it.
A most injurious and detestable sin is tale-bearing or whis
pering — i.e. , when we relate to a person what another has said of

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 205
him, and thus create hatred and dissension between them. ' The
whisperer and the double-tongued is accursed ; for he hath
troubled many that were at peace' (Ecclus. xxviii. 15).
12. Is it also a sin even to listen to detraction or
calumny ?
Yes, it is a sin, 1. To listen with delight to detrac
tion or calumny ; 2. Not to prevent it when it is in
our power ; and 3. To occasion and encourage it by
asking questions or approving of it.
' Hedge in thy ears with thorns, hear not a wicked tongue '
(Ecclus. xxviii. 28). ' The north wind driveth away rain, as doth
a sad countenance a backbiting tongue ' (Prov. xxv. 23).
13. What is he obliged to do who, by slander or
abusive language, has injured the character of his
neighbor ?
He is obliged, 1. To retract the slander or to beg
pardon ; and 2. To repair all the injury he has done
him. 'A good name is better than great riches ' (Prov. xxii. 1).
Therefore it is an obligation to restore the former as well as the
latter. 14. Must we also retract when we have divulged
true but hidden faults ?
No ; in such a case we should try to excuse our
neighbor, and to repair his honor by some other law
ful means.
15. When do we sin hy false suspicion and rash
judgment ?
We sin, 1. Hy false suspicion, when, without suffi
cient reason, we surmise evil of our neighbor; and 2.
By rash judgment, when, without sufficient reason, we
believe the eyil to be true and certain.
'Judge not, that you may not be judged. . . . Why seest
thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, and seest not the
beam that is in thine own eye'?' (Matt. vii. 1, 3).
16. What are we commanded by the Eighth Com
mandment ?
We are commanded, 1. To speak the truth in all

206 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
things ; 2. To be solicitous for the honor and repu
tation of every one ; and 3. To bridle especially our
tongue. 17. How far should we also be solicitous for our
own honor ?
As far as the honor of God, the edification of our
neighbor, and the duties of our state of life require it.
' We forecast what may be good not only before God, but also
before men ' (2 Cor. viii. 21). Yet we should always be ready to
suffer also reproach and ignominy for our own and our neigh
bor's salvation, or for the sake of Jesus Christ. In this sense it
is said : ' If one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also
the other ' (Matt. v. 39) ; and, 'If you be reproached for the
name of Christ, you shall be blessed ' (1 Pet. iv. 14). 'And they
[the Apostles] indeed went from the presence of the Council re
joicing that they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach for
the name of Jesus ' (Acts v. 41).
18. How are we to be solicitous for our own repu
tation ?
Above all by continually leading a Christian life,1
and by avoiding, to the best of our power, even the
least appearance of evil.8 In defence of our reputation '
when attacked we can use none but lawful means.
1 ' But with modesty and fear, having a good conscience : that
whereas they speak evil of you, they may be ashamed who false
ly accuse your good conversation in Christ' (1 Pet. iii. 16).
2 ' From all appearance of evil refrain yourselves' (1 Thess.v. 22).
19. How may we best guard against the sins of the
tongue ?
1. By not talking inconsiderately, and by hearing
in mind that we have to give an account of every idle
word we speak (Matt. xii. 36)} and 2. By keeping our
heart free from ambition, envy, hatred, vengeance,
etc. 1. ' He that keepeth his mouth, keepeth his soul ; but he that
hath no guard on his speech, shall meet with evils ' (Prov. xiii.
3). 2. ' 0 generation of vipers, how can you speak good things,
whereas you are evil ? for out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth speaketh ' (Matt. xii. 34).
Application. Detest all lies and falsehoods. Never

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 207
speak uncharitably of your neighbor, nor grieve him
by reproachful words : ' The stroke of a whip maketh
a blue mark ; but the stroke of the tongue will break
the bones' (Ecclus. xxviii. 21). However, do not
conceal his faults from those who can correct them.
The Ninth and Tenth Commandments of God.
' Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.'
' Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.'
1. What does the Isinth Commandment forbid ?
The Ninth Commandment especially forbids the de
sire to have another man's wife,1 and, in general, all
impure thoughts and desires. •
1 ' Whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath
already committed adultery with her in his heart ' (Matt. v. 28).
2. Are impure thoughts and desires always sins ?
As long as they displease us, and we endeavor to
banish them from our mind, they are not sins.
3. When do we sin by impure thoughts ?
We sin by impure thoughts when we voluntarily
represent immodest things- or actions to our mind,
and when we voluntarily take pleasure in them.
As it is a sin against purity designedly to look at immodest
things, so it is also a sin to represent such things to our mind,
or, when such representations are involuntary, willingly to take
complacency or pleasure in them.
4. When do we sin by impure desires ?
We sin by impure desires when we voluntarily wish
to see, hear, or do something that is contrary to chas
tity or purity.
5. What should we do when we are tempted by
impure thoughts and desires ?
1. We should, in the very beginning, earnestly re
sist them, and implore the assistance of God ; and 2.
When the temptation continues, we should not be dis
couraged, but persevere in our resistance, and en
deavor to occupy our minds with some good subject.

208 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
1. ' As I knew that I could not otherwise be continent, except
God gave it, I went to the Lord, and besought Him with my
whole heart ' (Wisd. viii. 21). 2. ' Blessed is the man that en-
dureth temptation ; for when he hath been proved, he shall re
ceive the crown of life ' (James i. 12).
6. What are we commanded by the Ninth Com
mandment ?
We are commanded to think on such things only as
are modest and holy (Phil. iv. 8).
7. What does the Tenth Commandment forbid ?
The Tenth Commandment forbids all voluntary de
sire of our neighbor's goods.
"The desire of money is the root of all evils' (1 Tim. vi. 10).
— Example : Achab (3 Kings xxi.)
8. What are -vs^. commanded by the Tenth Com
mandment ? fc
We are command«fe to be contented with what is
our own, and not to be envious of what belongs to
others ?
9. How can a Christian, even in poverty, be easily
contented with his own ?
By bearing in mind, 1. That a clean conscience is
the greatest treasure ; 2. That our true home is in
the other world ; 3. That Christ also has become poor
for our sake, and that one day He will magnificently
reward all those who patiently suffer poverty for His
sake. 10. Why does God forbid not only all evil actions,
but also all evil thoughts and desires ?
Because evil thoughts and desires defile the heart,
and finally lead also to evil actions.
' Man seeth those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth
the heart ' (1 Kings xvi. 7). ' From the heart come forth evil
thoughts, murders, adulteries,' etc. (Matt. xv. 19).
Application. Turn your thoughts towards eternity,
and you will have no difficulty to despise all that is
temporal. ' Walk in the Spirit,' i.e., love God, the

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 209
Supreme Good, ' and you shall not fulfil the lusts of
the flesh' (Gal. v. 16). Happy is he who can truly
say : ' My soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of
the Lord ; my heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the
living God' (Ps. lxxxiii. 3).
On the Six Commandments of the Church.
1. Are there, besides the Commandments of God,
any others which Christians are bound to keep ?
Yes, the Commandments of the Church.
2. Whence has the Church a right to give Com
mandments ? •
From Jesus Christ Himself, who has commissioned
His Church to guide and govern the faithful in His
name (page 140, quest. 42-44).
Therefore, to despise the Commandments of the Church is to
despise Christ Himself. 'He that heareth you, heareth me ;
and he that despiseth you, despiseth me ' (Luke x. 16).
3. Has the Church no further right than to give
Commandments ?
She has also a right to watch over the observance
of these Commandments, and to punish those who
break them ; for instance, to refuse them the Holy
Sacraments (Matt, xviii. 18), and finally to exclude
them from the Church, and to deprive them of Chris
tian burial when they die (1 Cor. v. 3-5). (See page
130, quest. 10.)
4. Which are the general or chief Commandments t
of the Church ?
These six :
1. To abstain from servile work and to hear Mass
on all Sundays and Holydays of obligation.
2. To fast and to abstain on the days appointed by
the Church.
3. To confess our sins at least once a year.
4. To receive worthily the Blessed Eucharist at
Easter or within the time appointed.

210 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
5. To contribute to the support of our pastors.
6. Not to marry persons within the forbidden de=
grees of kindred or otherwise prohibited by the
Church ; nor to solemnize marriage at the forbidden
times. 5. Why has the Church given us these Command
ments ?
To explain the Commandments of God more pre
cisely, and to determine more particularly how they
are to be kept ; and 2. To lead us to a religious and
penitential life, and thereby to secure our eternal sal
vation. 6. How do these Commandments of the Church
bind us ?
They bind us strictly — that is, under pain of griev
ous sin.
' If he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the
heathen and publican' (Matt, xviii. 17) Even in the Old Law
God had ordained : ' He that will be proud and refuse to obey
the commandment of the priest, that man shall die, and thou
shalt take away the evil from Israel; and all the people bearing
it shall fear, that no one afterwards swell with pride ' (Deut. xvii.
12, 13).
Application. Be determined always humbly and
conscientiously to observe the Commandments and
Ordinances of the Church, that one day Jesus Christ
may own you as a faithful sheep of His flock, which
He has charged St. Peter and his successors to feed.
The First Commandment of the Church.
1. What are we commanded by the First Command
ment of the Church ?
By the First Commandment, we are commanded, in
the first place, to keep holy the Sundays and the Holy-
days which the Church has instituted in honor of our
Lord and of His Saints, by resting from servile work.
As in the Old Law, on certain occasions— for instance, after
the victory gained by the Jews over Holofernes (Judith xvi. 31),

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 2 it
and over Aman (Esther ix.) — festivals were instituted in mem
ory of the blessings received from God ; so also has the Christian
Church, in different times, most justly commanded that several
Holydays or anniversaries should be celebrated in honor of
Jesus Christ, of His glorious Mother, and of the Saints, His glo
rified friends.
2. For what purpose were the Feasts of our Lord
instituted ?
They were instituted that we should, 1. Devoutly
meditate on the' mysteries of our Eedemption ; 2.
Thank God for His graces ; and 3. Eenew our zeal in
serving Him, and thus render ourselves worthy of the
fruits of Eedemption.
In the course of each Eoclesiastical Tear, the w^ole life of
Jesus Christ is so represented to us m its principal parts as if
the mysteries which "we commemorate Were renewed before our
eyes. Therefore it is the intention of the Church that we should
every year contemplate with her the life of Christ from its be
ginning to its end. In Advent we should, by repentance and
longing expectation, prepare the way for the coming of our Re
deemer into our hearts ; in Lent we should, by penance and
mortification, participate in His sufferings, die to sm, and spiri
tually rise with Him to a new life at Easter. At the approach of
the Feast of Pentecost we should ardently long for the gifts of
the Holy Ghost, and then continually endeavor to co-operate
with the graces received.
3. Why were the Feasts of the Saints instituted ?
That we may, 1. Praise the Lord for the graces
which He has bestowed upon them, and, through them,
upon us also ; 2. Eepresent to our mind their exem
plary virtues upon earth and their eternal bliss in
Heaven, and resolve to imitate them ; and 3. Implore
their intercession with God.
4. Can the Church also suppress Holydays ?
As she has full power to institute Holydays, so she
has also a right to suppress them again, to transfer
them, or to limit them to certain places, when time
and circumstances require it.
The doctrine of the Church always is, and must be, one and
the same, because it comes from God ; but it is not so with her
regulations and laws of discipline, which she makes after the

212 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
lapse of ages, and must adapt to variety of times and places.
Therefore, without detriment to the unity of her doctrine, there
may be a difference in the celebration of her festivals.
The following nine festivals are the Holydays, other than
Sundays, of obligation in the United States : The Circumcision
of our Lord, January 1; Epiphany, January 6 ; Annunciation
of the Blessed Virgin, March 25 ; Ascension of our Lord ; Cor
pus Christi ; Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, August 15; All
Saints, November 1 ; The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed
Virgin, the Patronal Festival of the American Church, Decem
ber 8 ; and Christmas, or The Nativity of pur Lord, December
25. In some Western Dioceses four of these — namely, the Cir
cumcision, the Epiphany, the Annunciation, and Corpus
Christi — are only days of devotion, and not of obligation.
Application. Prepare yourself, in conformity with
the spirit of the Church, as fervently for every chief
festival of the year as if it were the last in your life.
Beware of profaning the Holydays of obligation by
servile work, by excesses, or sinful amusements.
5. What are we further commanded to do by the
First Commandment of the Church ?
By the First Commandment we are further com
manded to assist, on all Sundays and Holydays of
obligation, at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with due
attention, reverence, and devotion.
6. Why are we commanded especially to hear Mass
on Sundays and Holydays of obligation ?
Because the Sacrifice of the Mass is the most holy
and salutary of all Divine Services, and that in which
the Most High is honored in the most worthy man
ner. 7. Who are obliged to hear Mass on Sundays and
Holydays of obligation ?
All who have sufficiently attained the use of reason
(which is generally the case about the age of seven)
are strictly bound to hear Mass, unless weighty rea
sons, as illness, nursing the sick, etc., excuse them
from it.
8. When do we sin against this command of the
Church ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 213
_ 1. When, through our own fault, we lose Mass
either entirely or a part of it; and 2. When during
Mass we give way to voluntary distractions, look about
through curiosity, talk, laugh, or otherwise behave
irreverently. ' The Lord is in His holy temple : let all the earth keep
silence before Him ' (Hab. ii. 20).
9. Where should the faithful hear Mass on Sundays
and Holydays ?
In the parish church, when it is possible ; but they '
can also fulfil this obligation in any other public
church. 10. Why does the Church wish that the faithful
should attend Divine Service especially in their par
ish church ?
Because in the parish church the pastor preaches
and offers the Sacrifice of the Mass principally for his
parishioners. 11. Does this Commandment of the Church also
command us to hear the sermon ?
According to the letter it does not ; but according
to the spirit it certainly does; for the hearing of the
word of God also belongs to the worthy celebration of
the Sundays and Holydays, and is, in general, an es
sential duty of a Christian.
In the primitive Church the sermon was generally preached
at Mass after the Gospel ; therefore the Church, which com
mands us to hear Mass, had no occasion for giving a particular
and express commandment to hear the sermon.
12. Why are all Christians bound to hear the word
of God ?
1. Because the word of God is for all a most power
ful means of sanctification, ordained by God Himself ;
2. Because it is indispensable to all to be repeatedly
reminded of the truths of Eeligion, and to be ad
monished to live up to them ; and 3. Because all are
obliged to mutual edification, by setting one another
an example of Christian piety.

214 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
' He that is of God, heareth the words of God ; therefore you
hear them not, because you are not of God ' (John viii. 47). It
is therefore a bad sign when people neglect to hear the word of
God. 13. How should we hear the word of God ?
We should, 1. Listen to it with earnest attention,
and with an ardent desire of working out our salva
tion; and 2. We should reflect well upon it, apply it
to ourselves, and faithfully follow it.
' Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it '
(Luke xi. 28 ; comp. Luke viii. 5-15).
Application. Make it a rule to assist with devotion
on Sundays and Holydays at the Divine Service in
the morning and in the afternoon, and to prefer your
parish church to any other.
The Second Commandment of the Church.
1, What are we commanded by the Second Com
mandment of the Church ?
By the Second Commandment we are commanded
to observe the days of fasting and abstinence appoint
ed by the Church.
2. Which are the days of fasting appointed by the
Church ?
1. The 'Forty Days of Lent' — that is, every day from
Ash- Wednesday to Easter, the Sundays excepted.
2. The 'Ember Days' — that is, the Wednesday, Fri
day, and Saturday, 1. After the third Sunday of Ad
vent ; 2. After the first Sunday of Lent; 3. After
Whitsunday ; and 4. After the Feast of the Exaltation
of the Cross.
3. The 'Vigils' or Eves, of Pentecost, Assumption,
All Saints, and Christmas.
4. The Fridays of Advent.
The Forty Days of Lent are ordained in imitation of the forty
days' fast of Jesus Christ, in remembrance of His bitter Passion
and Death, and that we may worthily prepare ourselves for the

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 215
celebration of Easter. The Ember Days are ordained that the
faithful may thank God for the blessings they have received in
each quarter of the year ; that in each season they may be re
minded to do penance ; and also that they may obtain of God
worthy priests, these being generally the days of their ordination.
By the Vigils the faithful prepare themselves for the worthy
celebration of great festivals. In many places, as in the United
States, many Vigils formerly of obligation have been abolished,
and one fast-day in each week of Adveitt — the Friday — has been
substituted. 3. Is it sufficient to abstain from flesh-meat on
these fast-days ?
No ; we are also commanded to take but one meal
in the day, and that not before noon. However, a
small collation at night is not forbidden^
The assertion that ' the fast is not broken by eating little at
repeated times ' has been condemned by the Church (Alexand.
VII. Propos. 29).
4. Who is obliged to fast in this manner ?
Every Christian who has completed the age of
twenty-one, and is not excused by any just cause.
5. Who are excused from fasting ?
The convalescent, those who are worn out with age,
and those who either have to work hard, or would by
fasting be prevented from properly discharging the
duties of their calling.
6. When is it commanded to abstain from flesh-
meat? By the general laws of the Church we are com
manded to abstain from flesh-meat, unless a dispensa
tion be obtained, 1. On all Fridays and Saturdays
(Christmas-day excepted); 2. On the Sundays of
Leut ; and 3. On all fasting-days.
Our holy Mother the Church has judged it expedient to miti
gate the severity of this ancient and general law, in modern
times, by dispensations which vary somewhat, according to the
different conditions of life, in various countries. In virtue of
those for the United Stales, 1. Saturday is not a day of absti
nence unless it be also a fast-day ; 2. Meat' is allowed on all the
Sundays of Lent, without restriction as to times ; 3. On some
other days each week in Lent, to be annually appointed for each

2i6 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion,
diocese by the Bishop, meat is also allowed at the dinner or
principal meal. But when meat is so used by dispensation at
the principal meal on a fast-day or on a Sunday in Lent, fish
cannot be used at the same meal. Every one is bound to con
form to the regulations and the practice approved of by the
Bishop or ecclesiastical superior of his diocese.
7. Who are bound to abstain from flesh-meat ?
All Christians who have attained the age of seven,
unless a just cause, as illness, poverty, etc., excuse
them from it.
8. What ought they to do who cannot well abstain
from flesh-meat ?
They must, through their Pastor, apply to the Bishop
for a dispensation, and perform other good works in
stead. 9. Why does the Church command fasting ?
Because fasting is acceptable to God and very whole
some to us.
10. Why do we say that fasting is acceptable to
God? 1. Because God has often recommended fasting, and
shown His favor and mercy to those who practised, it;1
2. Because Jesus Christ, the Apostles, and the Saints
of all times have fasted;3 and 3. Because fasting
humbles our pride* and moderates our sensual de
sires. 1 'Be converted unto me with all your heart, in fasting, and
in weeping, and in mourning' (Joel ii. 12). 'This kind [of
devils] is not cast out but by prayer and fasting ' (Matt xvii.
20)— Examples: Deut. ix. 18, 19. Judith iv. 7- 12. 2 Paral.
xx. 3, etc. " Matt. iv. 2, Acts xiii. 3, and xiv. 22. Moses,
Samuel, David, Daniel, Judith, Esther, the Machabees, the
widow Anna, and others were wont to fast. 3 ' I humbled my
soul with fasting' (Ps. xxxiv. 13).
11. How is fasting useful and wholesome to us ?
1. By fasting we make satisfaction to God for the
sins we have committed, and thus 'avert the punish
ment deserved (the Ninivites, Jonas iii.) ;

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 217
2. We bring our passions into subjection, and thus
gain strength not to relapse into sin ;
3. Prayer and the practice of virtue are rendered
easier to us, and we obtain the more certainly the
grace of God and eternal salvation.
12. Is it not superstitious to abstain from certain
kinds of food ?
It is superstitious, if we abstain from certain food
as if it were bad and unclean in itself, as some heretics
asserted ¦} but it is not so by any means if we do it
in the spirit of obedience and penance, as the Catholic
Church prescribes.*
1 St. Paul combated this heresy (1 Tim. i% 1-4) ; and also
the Catholic Church has at all times combated and condemned
it. 2 God Himself forbade certain meats to the Jews (Levit. xi.
2, etc.), and the Apostles to the first Christians (Acts xv. 29).
St. John the Baptist ate nothing but locusts and wild honey
(Mark L 6). Eleazar and the seven Machabean brothers, with
their mother, chose to suffer the most painful death, rather than
transgress the law of God by eating swine's flesh (2 Mach. vi.
and vii.)
13. But does not our Saviour clearly say: 'Not
that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man ' ?
Yes ; but the disobedience which proceeds from the
heart defiles him (Matt. xv. 11, 18), as it is proved by
the fall of our first parents.
Let, however, no one believe that the breaking of the fast is
only then a grievous sin when it proceeds from a contempt
of the Commandment or from a deliberate resistance to the
Church. This opinion is erroneous, and has been expressly
condemned by the Church (Alexand. VII. Propos. 23). Nay.
there is a culpable disobedience wher. one knowingly and delib
erately does what the Church has forbidden, even though it be
neither attended with obstinacy nor contempt of the Command-
ment, but is done either through gluttony or through a weak
complaisance to others.
14. Should we, on fasting-days, content ourselves
with abstaining from food ?
No ; we should, according to the intention of the
Church, spend these days in the spirit of penance, and

218 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
sanctify them by prayer and good works (Isaias Iviii.
6,7). Application. Eespect the Commandment of fasting
and abstinence as a Commandment which God Him
self has given yon through His Church, and consider
it an honor to observe it strictly.
The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Commandments of the
Church.
1. What are we commanded by the Third and
Fourth Commandments of the Church ?
By the Third and Fourth Commandments we are
commanded, 1. To confess our sins faithfully at least
once a year ; and 2. To receive the Holy Communion
worthily at Easter or thereabouts.
2. To whom must the confession be made ?
To any Priest authorized by the Bishop to hear con
fessions. In former times the faithful were commanded by the Church
to confess their sins once a year to their own Parish Priest, or
to ask leave of him if they wished to confess to another Priest.
Hence comes this form of the Commandment, which is still in
use in some dioceses : ' Thou shalt confess thy sins once a year
to thy Parish Priest, or, with his permission, to another.'
3. Where are we to receive Easter Communion ?
Conformably to a precept of the Church, we are to
receive it in the parish church, if not excused by an
impossibility, or by a general or particular permission
to do otherwise.
4. At what age are we obliged to go to Confession
and'Communion ?
As soon as we come to the use of reason, and are
sufficiently instructed to receive the Holy Sacraments
with profit; which must be left to the decision of our
Pastor. 5. Why has the Church commanded' that the Bless
ed Sacrament should be received in Easter-time ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 219
l. Because Jesus Christ instituted the Holy Eucha
rist within this time ; and 2. Because within this
time He died, and rose again from the dead, and,
therefore, we also should die to sin and lead a new
life. 6. Ought we to think it sufficient to receive Holy
Communion once in a year ?
No ; it is the intention and most earnest desire of
our holy Church that we should very often partake
of this invaluable grace.
Example of the first Christians (Acts ii.)
7. Why, then, does the Church not command us to
communicate oftener ?
1. Because the love of God and the care for our
souls should alone be sufficient motives to induce us to
do so; and 2. Because the Church wishes to prescribe,
under pain of excommunication, only what she deems
absolutely necessary.
Application. Make it a rule to go to Confession and
Communion at least once a month.
8. What are we commanded to do by the Fifth
Commandment of the Church ?
We are commanded to contribute cheerfully, ac
cording to our means, to the support of our Pastors
and of our churches and religious institutions, and of
Eeligion generally.
9. Are we bound in conscience and in justice to
contribute to the support of our Pastors ?
Yes ; and by a Divine precept also. St. Paul says :
'So the Lord ordained, that they who preach the
Gospel should live by the Gospel ' (1 Cor. ix. 13, 14).
Under the Old Law God commanded the people of Israel to
give tithes and offerings for the support of the priesthood and
the maintenance of worship. In the Church, from the begin
ning, this was a sacred duty. ' For as many as were owners of
lands or houses sold them and brought the price of the things
they sold, and laid it down before the feet of the Apostles, and

220 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
distribution was made to every one, according as he had need'
(Acts iv. 34, 35).
(On the Sixth Commandment of the Church, ' Not to marry
within certain degrees of kindred, or privately without wit
nesses, nor to solemnize marriage at the forbidden times,' see
the Sacrament of Matrimony, quest. 7, 14, and 15. )

On the Violation of the Commandments.
§ 1. On Sin in general.
1. What is sin ?
Sin is a wilful violation of the Law of God.
2. In how many ways may we sin ?
We may sin, 1. By bad thoughts, desires, words,
and actions ; and 2. Also by the omission of the good.
which we are bound to do.
3. Are all sins equally grievous ?
No ; there are grievous sins, which are also called
mortal ; and there are lesser ones, which are also called
venial. Some sins in the Holy Scripture are compared to motes, and
others to beams (Matt. vii. 3) ; and it is also written of the just
man that ' he shall fall seven times ' (Prov. xxiv. 16).
4. When do we commit mortal sin ?
We commit mortal sin when we wilfully violate the
Law of God in an important matter.
5. Why are grievous sins also called mortal sins ?
Because grievous sin deprives the soul of super
natural life — that is, sanctifying grace — and renders
us guilty of eternal death, or everlasting damnation.
' Sin, when it is completed, begetteth death ' (James i. 15).
' I know thy works, that thou hast the name of being alive, and
thou art dead ' (Apoc. iii. 1).
6. When do we commit venial sin ?
We commit venial sin when we transgress the Law
of God in an unimportant matter only, or when oui
transgression is not quite voluntary.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 2 : 1
7. When is the transgression not quite voluntary ?
When with our understanding we do not sufficiently
perceive the evil, or, with our will, we do not fully con
sent to it.
8. Why are lesser sins also called venial sins ?
Because they can be forgiven more easily, and even
without confession.
9. Should we dread only grievous sins ?
No ; we should dread and carefully avoid any sin,
whether it be grievous or venial, as the greatest evil
on earth.
' How can I do this wicked thing, and sin against my God ? '
(Gen. xxxix. 9). 4
10. What should deter us from committing sin ?
The consideration of its malice and evil conse
quences. 11. In what does the malice of mortal sin princi
pally consist ?
In this : that mortal sin is —
1. A grievous offence against God, our Supreme
Lord, and the most criminal disobedience to His holy
will; 2. The most shameful ingratitude to God, our
greatest Benefactor and best Father;
3. Detestable infidelity to our most amiable Ee
deemer, and contempt of His graces and merits.
1 ' Thou hast broken my yoke, and thou saidst : I will not
serve ' (Jerem. ii. 20). 2. ' Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, 0
earth, for the Lord hath spoken : I have brought up children
and exalted them ; but they have despised me ' (Isai. i 2). 3.
Of those ' who were once illuminated, have tasted also the
heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and
are fallen away [from God by mortal sin],' St. Paul says 'that
they crucify again to themselves the Son of God, and make Him
a mockery ' (Heb. vi. 4-6). ' If any man love not our Lord Jesus
Christ, let him be anathema ' (1 Cor. xviii. 22).
12. Can we comprehend the full malice of an of
fence against God ?

222 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
We cannot, because we do not comprehend the in.
finite greatness and goodness of the Lord our God,
who is offended by sin.
13. What most of all shows us the malice of an of
fence against God ?
1. The grievous punishment of the wicked angeie
and of our first parents ; 2. The everlasting punish
ment in hell whioh every mortal sin deserves ; and 3.
The most bitter Passion and Death which the Only
Son of God suffered for our sins.
14 What are the consequences of mortal sin ?
Mortal sin, 1. Separates us from God, and deprives
us of His love and friendship ; 2. It disfigures in us
the image of God, and disturbs the peace of our con
science ; 3. It robs us of all merits, and of our heir
ship to Heaven ; and 4. It draws upon us the judg
ments of God, and, lastly, eternal damnation.
' They that commit sin and iniquity are enemies of their own
soul' (Tob. xii. 10). — Examples : Cain, Antiochus, Judas. Para
ble of the rich man.
15. Why should we also carefully avoid venial sin ?
1. Because venial sin also is an offence against God,
and is, therefore, after mortal sin, the greatest of all
evils; ,
2. Because it weakens the life of the soul, and hin
ders many graces which God intends to give us; and
3. Because it also brings many punishments of God
upon us, and leads us by degrees to grievous sins.
' He that is unjust in that which is little, is unjust also in
that which is greater ' {Luke xvi. 10). ' Behold how small a fire
what a great wood it lrindleth ' (James iii. 5).
Application. ' My son, all the days of thy life have
God in thy mind, and take heed thou never consent to
sin. . . . We lead indeed a poor life; but we shall
have many good things, if we fear God, and depart
from all sin, and do that which is good ' (Tob. iv. 6,
23).

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 223
| 2. On the different kinds of Sin.
16. What particular kinds of sin are there ?
1. The seven Capital or Deadly Sins ; 2. The six
sins against the Holy Ghost; 3. The four sins crying
to Heaven for vengeance ; and 4. The nine ways of
being accessory to another person's sins.
17. Which are the seven Capital Sins ?
1. Pride ; 2. Covetousness ; 3. Lust ; 4. Anger ;
5. Gluttony; 6. Envy and 7. Sloth.
18, Are these sins always grievous ?
They are grievous sins as often as a weighty duty
either to God, our neighbor, or ourseltfes is violated
by them.
19. Why are they called Capital Sins ?
Because they are so many main sources from which
all other sins take their rise.
20. When do we sin by Pride ?
When we think too much of ourselves, do not give
God the honor due to Him, and despise our neighbor.
From pride spring especially : Vanity, ambition, hypocrisy,
disobedience, and resistance to superiors ; coldness and hard-
heartedness towards inferiors .; an inordinate desire of riding ;
quarrel and strife ; ingratitude, envy, cruelty, infidelity and
heresy, hatred of God. — Examples : Lucifer, Nabuchodonosor,
Holofernes, Aman, Herod, the Pharisee, etc. ' Pride is hateful
before God and men. It is the beginning of all sin ; he that
holdeth it shall be filled with maledictions, and it shall ruin him
in the end' (Ecclus. x. 7, 15).
21, When do we sin by Covetousness?
When Ave inordinately seek and love money or other
worldly goods, and are hard-hearted towards those who
are in distress.
Covetousness, or avarice, leads people to an excessive care
for earthly things, to hardness of heart, lying, perjury, theft,
fraud, usury, simony, treachery, superstitious seeking after hid
den treasures, to manslaughter and murder. — Examples: Achan,
Ahab, Giezi, Judas, Ananias, and Saphira. ' There is not a
more wicked thing than to love money ; for such a one setteth
even his own soul to sale ' (Ecclus. x. 10). * They that will be-

224 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
come rich fall into temptation, and into the snare of the devil,
and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires which drown
men into destruction and perdition ' (1 Tim. vi. 9).
22, How do we sin by Lust ?
By indulging in immodest or impure thoughts, de
sires, words, or actions.
The ordinary effects of lust, or impurity, are : Aversion to
prayer and to all that is good ; excessive fondness for amuse
ment and dissipation ; neglect of the duties of our state of life ;
great desire of attracting notice ; insensibility and cruelty ; all
sorts of shameless excesses and of unnatural crimes ; seduction
of innocence ; false promises and oaths ; theft, ruin of health
and of domestic happiness ; enmity, duels, suicide or self-mur
der ; and likewise atheism, sacrilege, worship of the devil, mad
ness, and despair. (See the Sixth Commandment of God.)
23. When do we sin by Anger ?
When we are exasperated at that which displeases
us, fly into a passion, and suffer ourselves to be carried
away by a violent desire of revenge.
Anger leads to hatred, enmity, quarrelling, cursing, blas
pheming, reviling, and to all the sins and crimes against the
Fifth Commandment of God. — Examples : Esau, whilst in
anger, designs to kill his brother Jacob ; Absalom kills his
brother Amnon. ' Let all bitterness, and anger, and indigna
tion, 'and clamor, and blasphemy, be put away from you, with
all malice ' (Ephes. iv. 31).
24. When do we sin by Gluttony?
When we eat and drink too much, or when, out of
time and in an inordinate manner, we long for eating
and drinking.
From this vice proceed : Daintiness, profusion, idleness, drunk
enness, destruction of domestic peace and comfort, indecent
jests and buffooneries, lewdness, adultery, debauchery, impeni
tence ; and likewise cursing, railing, striking, and murdering.
— Examples : The rich man (Luke xvi. 19, etc.) ; King Baltas-
sar. ' Take heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be over
charged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and that day [of judg
ment] come upon you suddenly' (Luko xxi. 34). 'Their [the
intemperate] God is their belly ' (Philip, iii. 19).
25. When do we sin by Envy ?
When we repine at our neighbor's good, and are

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 225
sad when he is in possession oj; temporal or spiritual
blessings, and rejoice when he is deprived of them.
Envy produces : Ingratitude and murmuring against God,
blasphemy, blindness, whispering and calumny ; hatred, desire
of revenge, deceit and knavery, persecution and murder. —
Examples : Satan, Cain, the brothers of Joseph, Saul, the
Pharisees. 'By the envy of the devil death came into the
world ; and they follow him that are of his side ' (Wisd. ii. 24,
25). 28. When do we sin by Sloth? '
When we give way to our natural repugnance to
labor and exertion, and thus neglect our duties.
27. What sort of sloth is particularly hateful to
God ?
Lukewarmness, or laziness in whatsoever concerns
the service of God or the salvation of our soul. There
fore God says : ' I would thou wertcold or hot. But
because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth ' (Apoc. iii.
15, 16).
The effects of sloth in general are : Neglect of the duties of
our calling, ruin of property, lying, deceit, effeminacy, and a
great many sins against the Sixth and Seventh Commandments.
' Idleness hath taught much evil ' (Ecclus. xxxiii. 29). ' Go to the
ant, 0 sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom'
(Prov. vi. 6). The effects of Spiritual Sloth, or Lukewarmness,
are : Aversion to all religious exercises, contempt of the word of
God and of all means of grace, irritation at salutary admonitions,
love of the world, pusillanimity, impenitence, infidelity. — Ex
amples : The slothful servant ; the foolish virgins (Matt, xxv.)
28. What benefit should we reap from the doctrine
of the Capital Sins ?
We should carefully avoid them as the sources of
all evil, and most earnestly endeavor to acquire the
opposite virtues.
Application. Every morning, when you get up, re
solve to guard most carefully during the day against
your chief fault. At night examine your conscience
on it ; and if you have failed, repent, and purpose to
confess it as soon as possible.

236 A Catechism of tlie Catholic Religion.
The different kinds of Sin (continued).
29. Which are the Six Sins against the Holy Ghost ?
1. Presumption of God's mercy; 2. Despair; 3. Ee-
sisting the known Christian truth ; 4. Envy at an
other's spiritual good ; 5. Obstinacy in sin ; and 6.
Final impenitence.
Examples : Cain, Pharao, the Pharisees, Elymas the magician
(Acts xiii.)
30. Why are they called sins against the Holy
Ghost? Because by them we resist, in an especial manner,
¦the Holy Ghost, since we knowingly and willingly de
spise, reject, or abuse His grace.
' You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you
always resist the Holy Ghost : as your fathers did, so do you
also ' (Acts vii. 51).
31. Why should we particularly avoid these sins ?
Because they obstruct the entrance of God's grace
into the heart, and therefore hinder our conversion,
or render it very difficult.
Speaking of these sins, Jesus Christ says 'that they shall
not be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the world to come '
XMatt. xii. 32); that is to say, that they are hardly ever forgiven,
because it is very, very seldom that people truly repent of them.
32. Which are the Four Sins crying to Heaven for
vengeance ?
1. Wilful murder ; 2. Sodomy ; 3. Oppression of
the poor, of widows and orphans ; 4. Defrauding la
borers of their wages.
1. 'The voice of thy brother's blood crieth to me from the
earth ' (Gen. iv. 10). 2. ' The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is
multiplied, and their sin is become exceedingly grievous. We
will destroy this place, because their cry is grown loud before the
Lord ' (Gen. xviii. 20, and xix. 13). 3. ' Do not the widow's
tears run down the cheek, and her cry against him that causeth
them to fall ? From the cheek they go up even to Heaven '
(Ecclus. xxxv. 18, 19). 4. 'Behold the hire of the laborers,
which by fraud has been kept back by you, crieth, and the cry

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 227
of them hath entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth'
(James v. 4).
33. Why are they called sins crying to Heaven for
vengeance ?
Because, on account of their heinous malice, they
cry, as it were, for vengeance, and call on Divine
Justice to punish them signally.
34. In how many ways may we become accessory
to another person's sin, and be answerable for it ?
In these nine ways : 1. By counsel ; 2. By command ;
3. By consent ; 4. By provocation ; 5. By praise or flat
tery; 6. By silence;1 7. By connivance ;2 8. By par
taking ; 9. By defence of the ill done. •
1 When we could and should prevent another's sin either by
kindly admonishing him or by giving information to his parents,
his pastor, etc. ' If thou declare it not to the wicked, that he
may be converted from his wicked way, and live, the same wicked
man shall die in his iniquity, but I will require his blood at thy
hand' (Ezec. iii. 18). 2 When we could and should punish the
sinner. Thus Heli sinned, ' because he knew that his sons did
wickedly, and did not chastise them ' (1 Kings iii. 13).
35. Why are we answerable for the sin which an
other commits ?
Because, in any of the above ways, we are either the
cause of his sin or co-operate with him in it, and thus
are as guilty before God as if we had committed it our
selves ; or, it may be, even more so.
' Not only they that do such things are worthy of death, but
they also that consent to them that do them ' (Rom. i. 32).
Application. Always receive wholesome admoni
tions willingly and gratefully. Never participate in
the sins of others ; on the contrary, endeavor, to the
utmost of your power, to hinder them ; and when, for
that reason, you are to , reveal them, do not say : ' I
do not like to denounce others, because I should not
like them to denounce me.' Ought you, then, to be
sorry, if some one were to snatch from your hands the
knife with which you were about to kill yourself ?

228 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
On Virtue and Christian Perfection.
1. Should we be contented with avoiding grievous
sins and crimes ?
No ; we should also diligently endeavor to become
more and more virtuous, and to attain the perfection
suitable to our condition.
' He that is just, let him be justified still ; and he that is holy,
let him be sanctified stiU ' (Apoc. xxii. 11). ' Be not afraid to
be justified even to death ' (Ecclus. xviii. 22). — Example of St.
Paul : ' Not as though I had already attained, or were already '
perfect ; but I follow after. . . . One thing I do ; forgetting
the things that are behind, and stretching forth myself to those
that are before ' (Philip, iii 12, 13).
§ 1. On Virtue.
2. Why should we endeavor to become more and
more virtuous ?
Because man is only good, and pleasing to God, in
asmuch as he is virtuous.-
3. In what does Christian virtue consist ?
Christian virtue, in general, consists in the perse
verance of the will, and in its constant exertions to
do what is acceptable to God.
4. How is Christian virtue divided with regard to
its origin ?
Into infused and acquired virtue.
5. What is infused virtue. ?
Virtue is called infused, inasmuch as it is a gift of
God, which together with sanctifying grace is im
parted to the soul, in order to qualify and dispose us
for the practice of supernatural virtues— i.e., for the
performance of such pious actions as are worthy of
life everlasting (Eom. v. 5).
6. Which virtues are chiefly infused into the soul ?
The three Theological Virtues : Faith, Hope, and
Charity.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 229
7. Why are they called ' Theological Virtues ' ?
Because they come directly from, and directly relate
to, God.
8. When should we make Acts of Faith, Hope, and
Charity ?
We should make them frequently, but especially,
1. In great temptations against these virtues ; 2. When
we receive the Holy Sacraments ; and 3. When we are
in danger of losing our life, or on our death-bed. ,
9. How may we make Acts of Faith, Hope, and
Charity ?
We may make them in this manner : •
AN ACT OB FAITH.
0 my God, I firmly believe all the sacred truths
which Thy holy Catholic Church believes and teaches,
because Thou hast revealed them, who neither canst
deceive nor be deceived. AN ACT OF HOPE.
0 my God, relying on Thy almighty power and
Thy infinite mercy and goodness, and because Thou
art faithful to Thy promises, I hope to obtain the
pardon of my sins, the assistance of Thy grace, and
life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ,
our Lord and Saviour. AN ACT OF CHARITY.
0 my God, I love Thee above all things with my
whole heart and soul, purely because Thou art in
finitely perfect and deserving of all love. I also love
my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I for
give all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all
whom. I have injured. Amen.
10. What is acquired virtue ?
Virtue is called acquired, inasmuch as it is a faculty

230 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
which, with the assistance of God, we acquire by con
stant practice.
11. What do we generally call those virtues which
can be acquired by practice ?
We call them 'Moral Virtues,' because they regulate
our moral conduct according to the will of God.
12. Which among them are the four 'Cardinal' '
or ' Principal Virtues,' in which all the others are in
cluded ?
1. Prudence ; 2. Justice ; 3. Fortitude ; and 4.
Temperance (Wis. viii. 7) .
1 They are called Cardinal virtues, because they are, r.z it were,
the hinges (cardines) by which the whole moral life of a Christian
is supported, and on which it must constantly move [The
Transl.] 13. What is Prudence f
Prudence is a virtue which makes us discern what
is truly good aud agreeable to God from what only
appears to be so, and thus prevents our being seduced
to evil.
' Be not conformed to this world, but be reformed in the new
ness of your mind, that you may prove what is the good, aud
the acceptable, and the; perfect will of God ' (Rom. xii. 2). ' Be
ware of false prophets* (Matt. vii. 15) — Examples : The impru
dent Josaphat (2 Paral. xix. 2); the wise Virgins (Matt, xxv.)
14. What is Justice ?
Justice is a virtue by which we are always deter
mined to do what is right, and, therefore, always dis
posed to give every one his due.
' Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's ; and to Gcd
the things that are God's' (Matt. xxii. 21). — Example : Tobias
(Tobias ii. 21).
15. What is Fortitude?
Fortitude is a virtue which enables us to endure any
hardship or persecution, rather than abandon our duty.
Examples: The seven Machabees and their mother, who
esteemed the torments as nothing' (2 Mac. vii. 12).

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 231
16. What is Temperance ?
Temperance is a virtue which restrains our sensual
inclinations and desires, that they may not allure us
from virtue.
. ' Refrain yourselves from carnal desires, which war against
the soul ' (1 Pet. ii. 11).— Example : Esther (Esth. xiv. 14, 15-18).
17. What virtues are especially opposite to the seven
Capital Sins ?
1. Humility ; 2. Liberality ; 3. Chastity ; 4. Meek
ness ; 5. Temperance in eating and drinking ; 6. Bro
therly love ; and 7. Diligence.
18. What is Humility ? ?
Humility is a virtue which teaches us to acknow
ledge our own unworthiness, weakness, and sinfulness,
and to look upon all good as coming from God.
Examples : Abraham (Gen. xviii. 27) ; the Publican (Luke
xviii. 13) ; St. Paul (1 Cor. xv. 8, 9). ' Unless you become as
little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven '
(Matt, xviii. 3).
19. What is Liberality?
Liberality is a virtue which inclines us to use our
property for the relief of the needy, or for other laud
able purposes.
Examples : Tobias (Tob. i. 19, 20) ; Solomon (3 Kings v -viii.) ;
the first Christians (Acts ii. 45). ' Give, and it shall be given to
you' (Luke vi. 38).
20. What is Chastity ?
Chastity is a virtue which subdues all impure incli
nations and desires by which modesty is violated.
Examples : Joseph, Susanna, and, above all, the Blessed Vir
gin Mary. ' They that are Christ's have crucified their flesh
with the vices and concupiscences ' (Gal. v. 24).
21. What is' Meekness?
Meekness is a virtue which suppresses all desire of
revenge, and any motion of unjust anger and dis
pleasure.

232 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
Examples: David (1 Kings xxiv. and xxvi); St. Stephen
(Acts vii. 58). ' Learn of me, because I am meek and humble
of heart ' (Matt. xi. 29).
22. What is Temperance in eating and drinking?
Temperance in eating and drinking is a virtue by
which we control ourselves, especially our appetite for
eating and drinking.
Examples : Daniel, Ananias, Misael, and Azarias (Dan. i.) ;
John the Baptist (Matt. iii. 4). ' Let us walk honestly, not in
rioting and drunkenness ' (Rom. xiii. 13).
23. What is Brotherly Love?
Brotherly Love is a virtue by which we wish every
one well, and sincerely rejoice and condole with our
neighbor. Examples : The history of Ruth and of Tobias. ' Love one
another with the charity of brotherhood. Rejoice with them
that rejoice ; weep with them that weep ' (Rom. xii. 10, 15).
24. What is Diligence ?
Diligence is a virtue which enables us to serve God
readily and cheerfully, to promote His honor as much
as lies in our power, and faithfully to perform all our
duties. Examples : Mathathias (1 Mac. ii.) ; St. Paul (Philip, iii. 13,
14). ' In carefulness [be] not slothful ; in spirit fervent ; serv
ing the Lord' (Rom. xii. 11).
m Application. Unless you perseveringly struggle with
your wicked inclinations, you will never acquire the
Christian Virtues; therefore fight faithfully until
death, and God will give you the crown of life' (Apoc.
ii. 10). V V
§ 2. On Christian Perfection.
25. Why should we all endeavor to attain the per
fection suitable to our condition ?
1. Because our Lord and Saviour says to all: ' Be
you perfect, as also your Heavenly Father is perfect '
(Matt. v. 48) ;

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 233
2. Because we are commanded to love God with
our whole heart, aud with our whole soul, and with our
whole mind, and with our whole strength (Mark xii.
30); 3. Because the more holy our life is upon earth, the
greater will be our happiness in Heaven ; and
4. Because we easily fall into grievous sin, and
finally run into eternal perdition, if we do not con
tinually endeavor to increase in virtue (Matt. xxv. 29).
26. 1° what does Christian Perfection consist ?
Christian Perfection consists in this : that, free from
all inordinate love of the world and of ourselves, we
love God%bove all, and all in God.
' What have I in Heaven ? and besides Thee what do I desire
upon earth ? Thou art the God of my heart, anu-*^ God that
is my portion for- ever' (Psalm lxxii. 25, 26). *
27. Which is in general the way to Perfection ?
The imitation of Jesus Christ.
' If thou wilt be perfect, . . . and come, follow me ' (Matt
xix. 21).
28. What particular means of attaining Perfection
have been recommended by Jesus Christ ?
. Chiefly those which are called 'Evangelical Coun
sels.' 29 Which are the Evangelical Counsels ?
1. Voluntary Poverty ; 2. Perpetual Chastity ; and
3. Entire Obedience to a Spiritual Superior.
30 What is Voluntary Poverty?
It is a free renunciation of all temporal things, in
order to be less distracted in striving for those that are
eternal. ' If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to
the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven ; and come,
follow me ' (Matt. xix. 21).
31. What is Perpetual Chastity ?

234 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
It is a free and perpetual renunciation, not only of
all impure pleasure, but even of marriage, in order
that we may render undivided service to God.
See Matt. xix. 10-12. ' Now concerning virgins, I have no
commandment of the Lord, but I give counsel : ... He that
giveth his virgin in marriage, doth well ; and he that giveth
her not, doth better ' (1 Cor. vii. 25, 38). ' If any one shall say
that the marriage state is to be preferred to the state of virgin
ity, or of celibacy, and that it is not better and more blessed to
remain in -virginity, or in celibacy, than to be united in matri
mony, let him be anathema ' (Coune. of Trent, Sess. 24, Can. 10).
32. What is Entire Obedience P
It is a renunciation of one's own will, in order to
do the Divine will more surely under a Superior who
represents God (Matt. xvi. 24).
33. Whj are the Evangelical Counsels special means
of Perfection ?
1. Because by them the chief obstacles to Christian
Perfection are removed — namely, the inordinate love
and desire of earthly goods, sensual pleasures, and the
pride of independence ; and 2. Because by them man
sacrifices to the Lord has God all that he has and is:
his exterior goods, by the vow of poverty ; his body,
by the vow of chastity ; and his mind or will, by the
vow of obedience.
Of these Evangelical Counsels our Divine Redeemer meant to
speak when He said : ' All men take not this word, but they to
whom it is given ' (Matt. xix. 11).
34. Who are obliged to observe the Evangelical
Counsels ?
All Eeligious, and all those who have bound them
selves by vow to keep them.
The Secular Clergy also, when they receive the Greater Orders,
bind themselves to perpetual chastity, in order to be able to de
vote themselves entirely, and with an undivided heart, to the
service of God and of their neighbor. ' He that is without a wife
is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may
please God. But he that is with a wife is solicitous for the things

A Catechism of the Catholics-Religion. 235
of the world, how he may please his wife ; and he is divided
(1 Cor. vii. 32, 33).
35. Can people in the world also lead a perfect
life ?
Yes, if they do not live according to the spirit of
the world, but according to the spirit of Jesus Christ.
' If any man love the world, the charity of the Father is not
in him ; for all that is in the world is the concupiscence of the
flesh, and the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life '
(1 John ii. 15, 16). ' Whosoever will be a friend of this world be-
cotneth an enemy of God ' (James iv. 4) ' If any man have not
the spirit of Christ, he is none of His ' (Rom. viii. 9).
36. Is, then, the spirit of the world at varifnce with
the spirit of Christ ?
Most certainly it is, as we distinctly see from those
sentences of our Saviour which are called the 'Eight-
Beatitudes' 37. Which are the Eight Beatitudes ?
1. ' Blessed are the poor in spirit ; for theirs is the
kingdom of Heaven.
2. Blessed are the meek ; for they shall possess the
land. 3. Blessed are they that mourn ; for they shall be
comforted. 4. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after
justice ; for they shall have their fill.
5. Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain
mercy. 6. Blessed are the clean of heart; for they shall'
see God.
"7. Blessed are the peace-makers; for they shall be
called the children of God.
8. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for jus
tice' sake ; for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven '
(Matt. v. 3-10).
38. How do we know from the Eight Beatitudes

236 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
that the spirit of the world is at variance with the
spirit of Christ ?
We know it from this: that the world esteems those
very persons miserable and foolish whom Christ our
Lord calls blessed.
The world is accustomed to set forth riches, reputation,
honors, and sensual pleasures as the sources of happiness ; Jesus
Christ, on the contrary, teaches us in the Eight Beatitudes to
seek our happiness in God and in His holy service, and, there
fore, willingly and cheerfully to endure poverty, persecution,
and any hardships that may fall to our lot.
39. What means must a Christian use, let his con
dition be what it may, in order to attain to Perfection ?
He must, 1. Delight in prayer, diligently hear the
word of God, and often receive the Holy Sacraments;
2. He must steadily subdue and deny himself ; and 3.
He must perform his daily actions in the state of
grace, and in a .manner acceptable to God.
1. ' They were persevering in the doctrine of the Apostles, and
in the communication of the breaking of bread, and in prayers '
(Acts ii. 42). 2. ' If any man will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me ' (Matt. xvi. 24). 3.
' Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to
the glory of God ' (1 Cor. x. 31).
40. How should we deny ourselves ?
We should refuse ourselves many things that are
dear and agreeable to us, and should also deprive our
selves of lawful things, that we may the more easily
abstain from unlawful ones.
41. How may we most easily perform our daily
actions in a manner acceptable to God ?
By representing to ourselves how Jesus Christ per
formed them, and by striving to imitate Him for His
sake. 42, How should we do our daily work after the
example of Christ ?
We should do it diligently, patiently, and with a
view to please God. Therefore we should form a good

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 237
intention at the beginning, and renew it sometimes
when the work is of long continuance.
43. What should we do when we take our meals ?
We should before and after meals say grace, rever
ently and devoutly, and be temperate and modest at
table. 44. May we also be allowed to take recreation ?
Yes ; for nothing forbids our taking proper recrea
tion in due time. We should, however, sanctify it by
a good intention and by the remembrance of God,
and keep within the bounds of modesty.
45. What should our intercourse with ou% neigh
bor be ?
It should be, 1. Kind, that we may not offend any
one ; and 2. Prudent, that we may not in any manner
be seduced to evil.
46. How should we act in our afflictions ?
We should remember and feel that they come from
God, and we should offer them up to Him, and beg of
Him the grace necessary to make a good use of them.
Application. Think that these words, which God
spoke to Abraham, are also addressed to you: 'Walk
before me, and be perfect' (Gen. xvii. 1). Strive ear
nestly to become daily more pious and virtuous. Let
this be every morning your resolution, and every night
examine your conscience upon it. ' My son, serve God
with a perfect heart and a willing mind ; for the Lord
searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all i;he
thoughts of minds. If thou seek Him, thou shalt find
Him ; but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off
for ever ' (1 Par. xxviii. 9).

paet in.
ON THE MEANS OF GEACE.

On Grace in General.
1. Can we, by our own natural strength, keep the
Commandments and be saved ?
No ; we cannot, without the grace of God.
' Without me you can do nothing,' says Christ (John xv. 5).
' I will put my Spirit in the midst of you, and I will cause you
to walk in my commandments ' (Ez. xxxvi. 27).
2. What do we understand by the grace of God ?
By the grace of God we understand here an internal
supernatural help or gift, which God communicates
to us, through the merits of Jesus Christ, for our
eternal salvation.
3, How many kinds of this supernatural help and
gift, or of Grace properly so called, are there ?
There are two kinds, 1. The grace of assistance,
called also actual or transient grace ; and 2. The grace
of sanctification or justification, called also sanctify
ing or habitual grace.
The grace of assistance is called actual and transient, because
it acts transiently upon the soul, whereas the grace of sanctifi
cation or justification remains habitually in the soul, beautifies
it, and makes it holy and just in the eyes of God.
§ 1. On the Grace of Assistance.
4. In what does Actual Grace, or the Grace of As
sistance, consist ?
Actual Grace consists in this: that God enlightens
our understanding, and inclines our will to avoid evil,
and both to will and to do what is good.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 239
'Give me understanding, and I will search Thy law, and I
will keep it with my whole heart. . . . Incline my heart unto
Ihy testimonies,' etc. (Ps. cxviii. 34, 36).
5. How far is the assistance of grace necessary to
us ?
It is so necessary to us that, without the grace of
God, we can neither begin, continue, nor accomplish
the least thing towards our salvation.
' For it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to ac
complish ' (Philip, ii 13).
6. Why is grace so indispensable to everything that
relates to salvation ?
1. Because eternal salvation is a good of a super
natural -order, and, consequently, can be obtained only
by a supernatural power and help — that is, by grace";
2. Because by grace alone we enter into connection
with Christ, and partake of His infinite merits, which
are the source of everything that leads to salvation.
1. ' Not that we are sufficient to think anything [conducive
to salvation] of ourselves, as of ourselves ; but our sufficiency
is from God ' (2 Cor. iii. 5;. 2. ' I cast not away the grace of God ;
for if justice be by the law, then Christ died in vain ' (Gal. ii.
21) ; i.e., if the observance of the law alone, without being
united by grace with Christ, did justify us, or lead us to eternal
salvation, it would not have been necessary for Christ to die in
order to merit salvation for us.
By this, however, it is not meant that man is naturally quite
incapable 'of performing any action that is morally good, but
only that by such morally good actions as proceed from his
naturally good will he can neither merit, nor in any way obtain,
grace or salvation ; by them he can only prepare himself for
grace, in so far as he does not, by bad actions, still increase the
obstacles of it. ' No man can come to me,' says Christ, 'unless
it be given him by my Father' (John vi. 66).
7, Does God give His grace to all men ?
Yes ; God gives to all men sufficient grace to enable
them to keep, as they are in duty bound, the Com
mandments, and to work out their salvation.
' The Son of Man is come to save that which was lost' (Matt.
xviii. 11). ' God will have all men to be saved, and to come to

240 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
the knowledge of the truth ' (1 Tim. ii. 4). ' God is faithful, who
will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able,
but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able
to bear it ' ( I Cor. x. 13). ' God does not command impossibilities;
but, when commanding, He admonishes us to do what we arf
able, and to pray for what we are not able to do, and aids us, thai,
we may be able' (Counc. of Trent, Sess. 6, Ch. xiv.)
8. But what must we do on oiir part, in order that
the grace of God may conduce to our salvation ?
We must not resist it, but faithfully co-operate
with it.
' We exhort you, that you receive not the grace of God in
vain ' (2 Cor. vi. 1). God stretches forth His hand to save us ;
if we really wish to be saved, we must take hold of it, and not
reject it. — Example of St. Paul: ' I have labored more abund
antly than all they ; yet not I, but the grace of God with me'
(1 Cor. xv. 10).
9. Is it, then, also in our power to resist the grace of
God ?
Most certainly ; for God's grace does not force the
human will, but leaves it perfectly free.
' Jerusalem. Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered to
gether thy children, as the hen doth gather her chickens undel
her wings, and thou wouldst not ! ' (Matt, xxiii. 37). ' To-day. if
you shall hear His voice, harden not your hearts ' (Ps. xeiv. 8).
Application. Pray daily to God to give - you Hi?
grace, and take particular care not to close your head
against it. 'Behold, I stand at the gate, and knock.
If any man shall hear my voice, and open to me the
door, I will come into him, and will sup with him,
and ho with me' (Apoc. iii. 20). In order to make
His grace operate the more easily in the human heart,
God often connects it with exterior events ; as sudden
death, diseases, good and bad fortune. Do not heed
lessly disregard such divine warnings; for nothing is
more dangerous than not to know the time of the
visitation of God. — Example : Jerusalem (Luke xix.
44).

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 241
§ 2. On the Grace of Sanctification or Justification.
10. What is Sanctifying Grace ?
Sanctifying Grace is a gratuitous supernatural gift,
which the Holy Ghost communicates to our souls, and
by which from sinners we are made just, children of
God, and heirs of Heaven.
Together with sanctifying grace ' the charity of God is poured
forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us ' (Rom.
v. 5). With it God enters into our hearts, according to the words
of Jesus : ' If any one love me, my Father will love him, and
we will come to him, and will make our abode with him ' (John
xiv. 23). Through it we are born again children of God, and
our soul receives supernatural life : ' Behold what manner of
charity the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we shoald be
called, and should be the sons of God' (1 John iii 1; comp. pp.
126, 127, quest. 6, 7, 8, 12, 13).
11. Why is sanctifying grace called 'a gratuitous

Because it is an entirely free gift, flowing from the
compassionate love of God.
' For all have sinned, and do need the glory of God ; being
justified freely [i.e., without their desertlby His grace, through
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus ' (Rom. iii. 23, 24).
12. Why is sanctifying grace also called 'Grace of
Justification ' ?
Because by sanctifying grace man is justified — that
is, passes from the state of sin to the state of righteous
ness and holiness.
13. What, then, does the justification of the sinner
include ?
Justification includes, 1. Cleanness from all griev
ous sins at least, together with the remission of eternal
punishment; and 2. The sanctification and renewal
of the interior man.
'You are washed, you are sanctified, you are justified in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God ' (1 Cor.
vi 11).

242 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
14. What first gives rise to the justification of the
sinner ?
Preventing grace, which enlightens the sinner, and
excites him to turn to God.
15. What must the sinner do on his part, in order
to attain to justification ?
He must, with the assistance of grace, voluntarily
turn to God, and believe all that God has revealed,
especially that we are justified by Jesus Christ.
16. What effect has this belief on the sinner ?
1. The sinner is struck with a wholesome fear of
the justice of God, but hopes to obtain pardon from
His mercy ;
2. Then he begins to love God, is sorry for his sins,
resolves to lead a new life, agreeable to God, and re
ceives the Sacrament of Baptism, or, if he is baptized,
the Sacrament of Penance.
17. What does the sinner receive in the Sacrament
of Baptism or Penance ?
He receives sanctifying grace, and together with it
the remission of his sins and interior sanctification,
by which he is really made just, acceptable to God, a
child of God, and heir of Heaven (Council of Trent,
Sess. 6).
1 8. How long does sanctifying grace remain in the
soul of the justified man?
As long as he does not commit mortal sin.
19. What fruits does the justified man produce by
the help of grace ?
He produces good — i.e., meritorious — works; 'for
every good tree bringeth forth good fruit ' (Matt. vii.
17)." 29. Cannot a man who is in mortal sin do good ?
He can do good, but without any merit for Heaven
(John xv. 4, 5).

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 243
21. Is, then, the good done in mortal sin useless ?
No ; it is, on the contrary, very useful to obtain
from the Divine mercy the grace of conversion,' some
times also the averting of temporal punishment".
1 ' Redeem thou thy sins with alms, and thy iniquities with
works of mercy to the poor : perhaps He will forgive thy
offences ' (Dan. iv. 24). — Example : Manasses (2 Paral. xxxiii.
12). ' Achab (3 Kings xxi. 29); the Ninivites.
22. What do we merit by the good works which we
perform in the state of grace ?
We merit, 1. An increase of sanctifying grace ; and
2. Eternal salvation (2 Tim. iv. 8).
'If any one shall say that the justified man by the good
works which he performs through the grace of God and the
merit of Jesus Christ, whose living member he is, does not truly
merit increase of grace and eternal life, let him be anathema'
(Council ofvTrent, Sess. 6, Can. 32).
23. Whence do such good works derive their in
trinsic value or meritoriousness ?
From the infinite merits of Jesus Christ, whose
living members we are through sanctifying grace.
' I am the vine, you the branches : he that abideth in me, and
I in him, the same beareth much fruit ; for without me you can
do nothing ' (John xv. 5 ; comp. Council of Trent, Sess. 6, Ch.
16). 24. Is every Christian bound to do good works ?
Yes; for ' every tree that doth not yield good fruit
shall be cut down, and cast into the fire ' (Matt. iii.
10). 25. What good works should we perform before
all others ?
1. Those the performance of which is commanded
to all Christians by the Commandments of God and
of the Church ; and 2. Those which are necessary or
useful to fulfil the duties of our state of life.
26. What other good works are especially recom
mended to us in Holy Scripture ?

244 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
Prayer, fasting, and>alms ; by which, in general, are
understood the works of devotion, mortification, and
charity. ' Prayer is good with fasting and alms, more than to lay up
treasures of gold ' (Tob. xii. 8).
27. What does God especially regard in our good
works ?
Our good intention, by which we may obtain from
God great reward even for small works.
' Whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a
cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, amen I say to
you, he shall not lose his reward' (Matt. x. 42). — Example of
the Poor Widow (Mark xii. 41-44).
28. What is a good intention ?
The purpose or positive act of the will to serve God,
and to honor Him.
29. How may we make a good intention ?
We may say, for instance, thus : ' 0 my God, I offer
up to Thee all my thoughts, words, and deeds, for
Thy honor and glory ' ; or : ' My Lord and mv God,
all for Thy honor.'
30. When should we make a good intention ?
It is very useful to make it several times a day, and
especially every morning.
31. What means must we particularly use in order
to obtain grace ?
The Holy Sacraments and Prayer.
32. Do both these means give us grace in the same
manner and in the same measure ?
No ; for, 1. The Sacraments produce grace in us ;
Prayer obtains it for us ; 2. Through the Sacraments
we obtain those special graces for which they were in
stituted ; but through Prayer we receive all sorts of
graces, except those which can only be obtained by
the Sacraments.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 245
_ Application. Strive most carefully to preserve sanc-
tifyiug grace continually in your heart by avoiding
sin and performing good works. 'A man making void
the law of Moses dieth without any mercy under two
or three witnesses : how much more, do you think, he
deserveth worse punishments, who hath trodden un
der foot the Son of God, and hath esteemed the blood
of the testament unclean by which he was sanctified,
and hath offered an affront to the Spirit of grace ? '
(Hebr. x. 28, 29).
On the Sacraments.
1. What is a Sacrament ?
A Sacrament is a visible sign, instituted ky Jesus
Christ, by which invisible grace and inward sanctifi
cation are communicated to our souls.-
2. How many things are necessary to constitute a
Sacrament ?
These three : 1. A visible sign ; 2. An invisible
grace ; and 3. The institution by Jesus Christ.
3. Why has Christ instituted visible signs for im
parting his grace to us ?
1. That we may have a visible pledge of the inward
•invisible grace ; and 2. That by participating in these
visible means of grace, we may manifest our commu
nion with the one Church of Christ.
Thus Christ himself sometimes made use of certain signs when
He conferred spiritual and corporal blessings on people ; for in
stance, when He breathed on His Disciples, and said : ' Receive
ye the Holy Ghost' (John xx. 22); when 'He spat on the ground '
and made clay of the spittle, and spread the clay upon the eyes
of the man bom blind (John ix. 6) ; when ' He put His fingers
into the ears of the man deaf and dumb, and spitting, He
touched his tongue, and looking up to Heaven,. He groaned, and
said to Him : Ephpheta, which is, Be thou opened ' (Mark vii.
33, 34).
4. Do these signs only signify grace ?
No ; they also effect or produce the grace which
they signify, unless we, on our part, put an obstacle

246 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
in the way ; therefore they are also called efficacious
signs. 5. What grace do the Sacraments effect ?
1." They communicate, or increase, sanctifying
grace; 2. Each Sacrament communicates other" peculiar
graces according to the end for which it has been in
stituted. «?
6. How must we receive the Sacraments, in order
that they may produce these graces in us ?
We must prepare ourselves well for them, and then
receive them worthily.
7, What sin does he commit who receives a Sacra
ment unworthily ?
He commits a very grievous sin — a sacrilege.
8. Does not the efficacy of the Sacraments also de
pend, on the worthiness or unworthiness of those who
administer them ?
No ; for the Sacraments have their efficacy, not
from him who administers them, but from the merits
of Jesus Christ, by whom they were instituted.
The Sacraments are, as it were, channels through which flow
to us the graces which Jesus has merited for us by His bitter
Passion and death.
9. Were all the Sacraments instituted by Christ ?
Yes ; for God alone can give to outward signs the
power of producing grace and sanctification.
10. How many Sacraments has Christ instituted ?
These seven: 1. Baptism; 2. Confirmation; 3.
Holy Eucharist; 4. Penance; 5. Extreme TJnction;
6. Holy Order; and 7. Matrimony.
Our Lord Jesus Christ has instituted just as many Sacraments
as are necessary and conducive to the supernatural life of man.
For as he is first born into this natural life, then grows up and
acquires strength, is frequently supplied with nourishing food,

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 247
in order to preserve life and to increase his strength, etc. ; so
also he is, 1. Born in Baptism, to the supernatural life ; gains
then, 2. In Confirmation strength and growth ; receives, 3. In
the Holy Eucharist a Divine nourishment ; finds, 4. In Penance
a remedy to heal all the diseases of his soul, and to restore him
to the state of grace ; and gets, 5. In Extreme Unction assistance
and strength against despair and the last assaults of the devil ;
0. In Holy O/der the powers of administering the means of
grace necessary to the supernatural life are propagated ; and 7.
In Matrimony the union between husband and wife is blessed,
that, being sanctified themselves, they may also bring up their
children to a holy, and consequently to eternal, life.
11, How do we know that there are seven Sacra
ments ?
We know it because the Church," 'which is the pil
lar and ground of the truth ' (1 Tim. iii. 1#), has at
all times taught and used these seven.
Not only have the Catholics of all ages held them, but the
modern Greeks, the Russians, and all those sects who in the first
centuries separated themselves from the Catholic Church, have
ever retained and still hold these seven Sacraments ; which
evidently proves that the doctrine of seven Sacraments is as old
as the Church itself.
12. 'How are the Sacraments divided ?
They are divided, 1. Into Sacraments of the living
and Sacraments of the dead; and 2. Into such as can
be received only once, and such as can be received
more than once.
13. Which are the Sacraments of the living ?
The Sacraments of the living are, 1. Confirmation ;
2. Holy Eucharist; 3. Extreme Unction; 4. Holy
Order ; and 5. Matrimony.
14. Why are they called Sacraments of the living ?
Because, in order to receive them, we must have
supernatural life — that is, sanctifying grace.
15. Which are the Sacraments of the dead ?
The Sacraments of the dead axe these two: Bap
tism and Penance.

248 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
16. Why are they called Sacraments of the dead?
Because, when we receive them, we either have not,
or at least are not obliged to have, the life of grace.
17. Which Sacraments can be received only once ?
Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Order.
18. Why can they be received but once ?
Because they imprint upon the soul an indelible
character, or spiritual mark, which consecrates and
dedicates him who receives it in a special manner to
the service of God, remains for ever, and will add
either to his glory in Heaven or to his misery in Hell.
19. Whence have we received those ceremonies
which, in the administration of the Sacraments, are
used together with the signs instituted by Christ ?
From the Church, which, under the assistance of
the Holy Ghost, has ordained them for the increase of
our devotion and reverence.
Application. Esteem the Holy Sacraments as most
precious means of grace instituted by Christ; give
fervent thanks to God for them, and beware of pro
faning them by imprecations or by unworthily re
ceiving them. On Baptism.
1. Which is the first and most necessary Sacra
ment ?
The first and most necessary Sacrament is Baptism.
2. Why is Baptism the first Sacrament ?
Because before Baptism no other Sacrament can be
validly received.
3. Why is Baptism the most necessary Sacrament ?
Because without Baptism no one can be saved.
' Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost,
he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God ' (John iii. 5).
God has not revealed to us what becomes of those children

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 249
who die without Baptism. All we know is that they are not
admitted to enjoy the sight or beatific vision of God, nor are they
punished like those who have sinned of their own free will.
However, it is to be supposed that their life hereafter is also to
them a benefit of God.
4. What is Baptism ?
Baptism is a Sacrament in which, by water and the
word of God, we are cleansed from all sin, and regene
rated and sanctified in Christ to life everlasting.
5. Why do you say that we are baptized ' by water >¦
and the word of God ' ?
Because Baptism is administered whilst water is
poured over the head or over the body of him who is
baptized, and whilst, at the same time, tliese words
are pronounced : ' I baptize thee in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.'
6. Why do you say that ' in Baptism we are cleansed
from all sin ' ?
Because in Baptism original sin, and all the sins com
mitted before Baptism, are forgiven.
7. Is also the punishment due to sin remitted ?
•Yes ; the temporal as well as the eternal punish
ment is remitted in Baptism.
8. Why, then, are we, even after Baptism, still sub
ject to some effects of original sin, as death, concu
piscence, and many tribulations and infirmities ?
1. That we ourselves may experience how punish
able and pernicious sin is, arid hate it so much the
more ; and 2. That we may increase our merits for
Heaven by our combats and sufferings.
9. Why do you further say that we are ' regenerated
and sanctified to life everlasting ' f
Because in Baptism we are not only cleansed from
all sin, but are also transformed in a spiritual manner,
made holy, children of God, and heirs of Heaven.
' He saved us by the laver of regeneration, and renovation of
the Holy Ghost, whom He hath poured forth upon us abundantly

250 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
through Jesus Christ our Saviour ; that, being justified by His
grace, we may be heirs, according to hope, of life everlasting '
(Tit. iii. 5-7).
10. By what is this spiritual regeneration and sanc
tification effected ?
It is effected by the grace of sanctification, which,
together with the TheologicalVirtues of Faith, Hope,
and Charity, the Holy Ghost infuses into the soul in
Baptism. ' The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy
Ghost, who is given to us ' (Rom. v. 5).
11, And why do you say that we are regenerated
and sanctified ' in Christ ' ?
To signify that all these graces are given to us, be
cause by Baptism we are united with Christ and in
corporated into His Church.
' There is now, therefore, no condemnation to them that are
in Christ Jesus ' (Rom. viii. 1).
12. When did Christ give the commandment to
baptize ?
Before His Ascension, when He said to His Apos
tles : ' Going therefore, teach ye all nations ; baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost' (Matt, xxviii. 19).
13. Who can validly baptize ?
Any person ; but, except in cases of necessity, only
priests, who have care of souls, are allowed to baptize.
14. Is the Baptism given by non-Catholics also
valid ?
Yes ; it is valid, if they strictly observe in it all
that is necessary for Baptism.
15. What sort of water should be used in Baptism ?
Any natural water will do for the validity of Bap
tism. However, when possible, baptismal water, or
water blessed for that purpose, should be used.
16. What intention must he have who baptizes ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 251
He must have the intention to baptize indeed, — that
is, to do what the Church does, or what Christ has
ordained. 17. What name should- be given to the child in
Baptism ? N
The name of some §aint, in whom the child may
have an intercessor with God, and an example for
imitation. 18. Why must the person to be baptized renounce
Satan, all his works, and all his pomps, before Bap
tism ?
Because no one can belong to Christ, unless he re
nounce not only Satan, but also his works — #e., sin —
and his pomps — i.e., the spirit and the vanities of the
world, by which Satan blinds men and entices them
to sin (Matt. iv. 8, 9).
In Baptism we promise to believe, to avoid sin, and to lead a
new life agreeable to God. On the other hand, God promises
us His grace and eternal salvation. These mutual promises are
called the Covenant of Baptism.
19. Why does the Priest place a white linen cloth
upon our head in Baptism ?
To remind us that we should preserve the innocence
we have received pure and spotless until death ; there
fore, when he puts it on us, he says : ' Eeceive this
white garment, and see thou carry it without stain
before the judgment-seat of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that thou mayest have eternal life.'
20. What does the lighted candle, which is put into
the child's hand after he is baptized, signify ?
That a Christian ought to shine by his faith and vir
tuous life before the whole world.
' So let your light shine before men, that they may see youi
good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven ' (Matt.
v. 16).
The other ceremonies of Baptism are also very ancient, and
have all a deep meaning. 1. The person to be baptized remains
at first without the church, because only Baptism gives him

,252 A Catechism of the Catlwlic Religion.
entrance into it. 2. Th3 Priest breathes three times in his face,
to signify the new and spiritual life he receives by the grace of
the Holy Ghost (Gen. ii. 7, and John xx. 22). 3. The sign of
the Cross made upon his forehead and upon his breast denotes
tnat he is becoming the property of his Crucified Redeemer,
whose doctrine he is to carry in his heart, and to profess openly.
4. The blessed salt, which is put into his mouth, is an emblem
of Christian wisdom, and of prescription from the corruption
of sin. 5. By the exorcisms, which are repeated several times,
the power of the devil, ' who has the empire of death' (Heb. ii.
14), is broken in the name of the Blessed Trinity. 6. The lay
ing of the Priest's hand upon the person to be baptized signifies
the protection of God ; and the stole laid upon him, and his
being led by it into the Church, is a sign'of the ecclesiastical
power, in virtue of which the Priest admits him into the Church.
7. The touching of the child's ears and nostrils with spittle, in
imitation of our Saviour (Mark vii 33), signifies that, by the
grace of this Sasramant, his spiritual senses are opened to the
doctrine of Christ. 8. After having renounced the devil and all
his works, and all hw pomps, he is anointed with holy oil on the
breast and between the shoulders, because, as .a champion of
Christ, he has now manfully to fight against the devil and the
world. 9. After the Baptism, the crown of the head is anointed
with chrism, to intimate that he is now a Christian— i.e., an
anointed of God, etc.
21. What should Sponsors, or Godfathers and God
mothers, be particularly mindful of ?
Sponsors should bear in mind that they become, as
it were, the spiritul parents of the infant that is bap
tized, and make in his name the profession of faith
and the baptismal vows ; that therefore —
1. They should be good Catholics themselves ;
2. They should take care that the child be instructed
in the Catholic religion, and well educated, if his
natural parents should neglect their duty in this re
spect, or be prevented from performing it ; and
3. That they cannot marry their Godchild or his
Parents. 22. How many Godfathers and Godmothers does
the Church admit ?
The Church generally admits but one Godfather for
a boy, and one Godmother for a girl; or, at most, one
Godfather and one Godmother for one person to be

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 253
baptized. The others who may be admitted besides
are only to be considered as witnesses of his Baptism,
and, consequently, contract no spiritual relationship.
23. Can the Baptism of water never be supplied ?
When it is impossible to have it, it may be supplied
by the Baptism of desire or by the Baptism of blood.
24. What is the Baptism of desire ?
An earnest wish and a determined will to receive
Baptism, or to do all that God has ordained for our
salvation, accompanied with a perfect contrition, or a
pure love of God.
'Every one that lovelh is born of God, and knoweth God'
(1 John iv. 7). •
25. What is the Baptism of blood ?
Martyrdom for the sake of Christ.
' He that shall lose his life for me shall find it' (Matt. x. 39).
Application. Never forget what you owe to God for
the inestimable grace of Baptism ; aud often, if possi
ble every Sunday, renew your Baptismal Vows.
On Confirmation. ¦
1. What is Confirmation ?
Confirmation is a Sacrament in which, through the
Bishop's imposition of hands, unction, and prayer,
those already baptized are strengthened by the Holy
Ghost, in order that they may steadfastly profess their
faith, and faithfully live up to it.
2. Who teaches us that the Sacrament of Confirma
tion was instituted by Christ ?
The infallible Catholic Church, in accordance with
the Holy Scripture,1 with the doctrine of the holy
Fathers,'3 and with the practice of the most ancient
times.3 ' The Holy Scripture reckons the doctrine of Confirmation,
as well as that of Baptism and Penance, amongst the funda-

254 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
mental truths of Christianity (Hebr. vi. 1, 2). It testifies that
Christ promised the Holy Ghost to the faithful, and that the
Apostles imparted Him by prayer and imposition of hands.
' When the Apostles, who were in Jerusalem, had heard that
Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them
Peter and John. Who, when they were come, prayed for them,
that they might receive the Holy Ghost ; for He was not as yet
come upon any of them, but they were only baptized in the name
of the Lord Jesus ; then they laid their hands upon them, and
they received the Holy Ghost' (Acts viii. 14-17). 'They [the
disciples of Ephesus] were baptized in the name of the Lord
Jesus ; and when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy
Ghost came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and pro
phesied' (Acts xix 5, 6). * The holy Fathers designate this Sac
rament by various names ; as Confirmation (ie., strengthening),
Imposition of hands, Sealing, Unctw^ Chrism, Mystery of the
Holy Ghost. 'The Sacrament of Chrism, ' says St. Augustine,
' is just as holy as Baptism.' 3 History attests that even in the
earliest days of the Church the Bishops travelled about to lay
their hands on those that were baptized, and to call down the
Holy Ghost upon them.
3. What are the effects of Confirmation ?
1. Confirmation increases sanctifying grace in us ;
2. It gives us the Holy Ghost, to enable us to fight
against evil and to grow in virtue; and 3. It imprints
on us, as soldiers of Christ, a spiritual mark which
can never be effaced.
'He that confirmeth us with you in Christ, and that hath
anointed us, is God : who also hath sealed us, and given ths
pledge of the Spirit in our hearts ' (2 Cor. i. 21, 22).
4. Who has power to confirm ?
The Bishops, as Successors of the Apostles, have
power to confirm; in urgent cases, however, the Pope
can delegate this power also to a Priest who is not a
Bishop. 5, How does the Bishop give Confirmation ?
He extends his hands over all those who are to be
confirmed, and prays for them all in general, that the
Holy Ghost may come down upon them ; then he lays
his hand upon each one in particular, and anoints him
with holy chrism ; and he concludes by giving to all
in common the Episcopal Benediction.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 255
6. How does the Bishop anoint those to be con
firmed ?
He makes the sign of the Cross with holy chrism
upon the forehead of each one, saying at the same time :
' N., I sign thee with the sign of the Cross, and I con
firm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.'
7. Of what does the chrism, blessed by the Bishop,
consist ?
Of oil of olives and balsam.
8. What does the oil signify ?
The oil signifies the inward strength which we re
ceive for the combat against the enemies»of our sal
vation. 9. Why is fragrant balsam mixed with the oil ?
To signify that he who is confirmed receives the
grace to preserve himself from the corruption of the
world, and to send forth by a pious life the sweet odor
of virtue.
10. Why does the Bishop make the sign of the
Cross on the forehead of him whom he confirms ?
To intimate that a Christian never must be ashamed
of the Cross, but boldly profess his faith in Jesus
crucified. ' I am not ashamed of the Gospel ; for it is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth ' (Rom. i. 16).
11. Why does the Bishop, after he has anointed
him, give him a slight blow on the cheek ?
To remind him that, being now strengthened, he
ought to be prepared to suffer patiently any kind of
humiliation for the nanie of Jesus.
12. Is Confirmation necessary to salvation ?
Confirmation is not absolutely necessary to salva
tion ; yet it would be a sin not to receive it through
neglect or indifference.

256 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
Whatever has been instituted by God for the sanctification
of all must also ardently be desired, and thankfully accepted,
by all.
13. Who is capable of receiving Confirmation ?
Every one who is baptized.
14. How is a person to prepare himself for receiv
ing the Sacrament of Confirmation ?
1. He must cleanse his conscience at least from all
grievous sins; 2. He must get himself well instructed
in the fundamental truths of our faith, particularly in
those which regard this Sacrament; and 3. He must
heartily desire the grace of the Holy Ghost, and, for
that purpose, he must fervently pray, and perform
good works.
15. How are we to receive Confirmation ?
We must, 1. Earnestly ask for the Gifts of the Holy
Ghost ; 2. Promise God that we will live, and die, as
good Christians ; and 3. Not leave the church before
the Bishop has given his benediction.
16# What should we do after Confirmation ?
We should, 1. Give humble thanks to God; 2.
Spend that day especially in devotion ; and 3. Preserve
and increase the grace of the Holy Ghost by persever
ance in our struggle against the'enemies of salvation,
and by an ardent zeal in all that is good.
17. Why are Sponsors, or* Godfathers and God
mothers, required also in Confirmation ?
That they may present to the Bishop those who are
to be confirmed, and afterwards advise and help them
in their spiritual combat for which they are consecrated
in this Sacrament.
The Sponsor enters into this engagement by laying his hand
on the right shoulder of the person to be confirmed. Thus he
becomes his spiritual Parent and Guardian, and has to preserve
him from losing the grace of Confirmation ; and there arises
from it the same spiritual relationship, and consequently the
same impediment of marriage, as in Baptism.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 257
18. What qualities does the Church require in the
Godfathers and Godmothers of those who are con
firmed ?
They must be Catholics, must have been confirmed,
be blameless in their conduct, and of such age that
they are able to fulfil their duties as Sponsors. Parents
cannot be the Sponsors of their children ; and the
Sponsor in Confirmation is to be different from the
Sponsor in Baptism.
Application. Pray frequently and earnestly that
the Gifts of the Holy Ghost may be strengthened in
you. Perform without fear all the duties of a Catholic
Christian. Should you have to suffer ignominy and
persecution on account of your faith, consider it an
honor, and rejoice in it after the example of the
Apostles (Acts v. 41).
On the Holt Eucharist.
§ 1. On the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed
Sacrament.
1. What is the Holy Eucharist ?
It is the true Body and the true Blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who is really and substantially present
under the appearances of bread and wine for the
nourishment of our souls.
It is called 'Eucharist' from the Greek word ' Eucha/ristia,'
which means ' Good Grace,' because it contains Christ our Lord,
the true grace, and the source of all heavenly gifts ; or ' Thanks
giving,' because, when we offer this most spotless Victim, we
render to God a homage of infinite value, in return for all the
benefits which we have received from His bounty, particularly
for the inestimable treasure of grace bestowed on us in this
Sacrament. It is also called the Blessed or Most Holy Sacra
ment, because it contains Jesus Christ Himself, the Author of all
the Sacraments, and of all sanctity. The Sacrament of the
Altoyr, because it is on the Altar it is offered and reserved. The
Holy Host, because it contains Jesus Christ, the true Host or
Victim, immolated for us. The Viaticum, (i.e.. Provision for a
journey), as well because it is the spiritual food by which we
are supported during our mortal pilgrimage, as also, because it

258 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
prepares for us a passage to eternal happiness and everlasting
glory (Catech. of the Counc. of Trent).
2. Is there in the Holy Eucharist all that is requi
site for constituting a Sacrament ?
Yes ; there are, 1. The visible sign, i. e. , the ap
pearances of bread and wine ; 2. The invisibla grace,
i.e., Jesus Christ Himself, the Author and Dispenser
of all graces ; and 3. The institution by our Lord
Jesus Christ.
3, When did Jesus Christ institute this Sacrament ?
He instituted it at the Last Supper, the evening be
fore His bitter Passion.
4. How did He institute it ?
Jesus took bread, blessed it, and broke and gave it
to His Disciples, saying, ' Take ye, and eat : this is
my Body.' After that, in like manner, He took the
chalice with wine in it, blessed and gave it to His
Disciples, saying, 'Drink ye all of this: this is my
Blood. Do this for a commemoration of me' (SJwrt
Hist, of Rel. § 24).
5. What became of the bread and wine, when Jesns
pronounced these words over them: ' This is my Body,
this is my Blood ' ?
The bread was, in an invisible manner, changed into
the true Body, and the wine into the true Blood, of
Jesus Christ.
6. After these words of Christ, what did still re
main of bread and wine ?
Nothing but their species or appearances.
7. What is understood by the appearances of bread
and wine ?
All that which the senses perceive of bread and
wine ; as form, color, taste, smell, etc.
8. How do we know that with these words, ' This
is my Body, this is my Blood,' Christ gave His true
Body and His true Blood to the Apostles ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 259
We know it —
1. Because Christ had long before promised to His
disciples that He would give them His real Flesh to
eat and His real Blood to drink,1 and because He
then, at the Last Supper, expressly declared that that
which He then gave tiiem as food and drink was really
His Body and His Blood ;a and ^
2. Because the Apostles and the Catholic Church
have at all times believed and taught so.3
1 ' The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the
world. The Jews therefore 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. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is-drink
indeed' (John vi. 52, etc.)
' Christ foresaw that the Church would understand His most
clear and distinct words in their proper and literal meaning.
Had He wished to be understood in a different manner, He
would also have spqken differently, that He might not in such
most important matter give occasion to misunderstanding and
error. 3 The teaching of the Apostles, especially of St. Paul, is
evident from 1 Cor. x. 16, and xi. 23-29 ; the teaching of the
whole .Church, from her prayers and rites relating to the Divine
Service ; from the decrees of her Councils ; from the numerous
testimonies of the holy Fathers and ecclesiastical writers. For
instance, St. Justin Martyr says : ' As Jesus Christ took flesh
and blood, so also is the food consecrated by His words flesh and
blood of the incarnate Jesus.' St. Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem,
gives this evidence : ' As Christ Himself declared and said,
" This is my Body," who woidd dare to doubt it ? As He openly
protested, saying, " This is my Blo»d," who would hesitate, and
think that it is not His Blood. ? Once He changed water into
wine ; and should we question whether He could change wine into
blood ? No less plain and precise are the testimonies of St. John
Chrysostom, St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and of many other
Fathers, even of the first centuries. We have also a strong
proof of the antiquity of the Catholic doctrine in this, that the
Schismatic Greek Church, and the other older Oriental Churches,
believe and.teach precisely the same. a
9. Did Christ give also to His Apostles power to
change bread and win^into His Sacred Flesh and
Blood ?

?6o A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
Yes ; He gave them that power with these words :
' Do this for a commemoration of me ' (Luke xxii. 19).
10. To whom did this power pass from the Apos
tles ?
It passed from the Apostles to the Bishops and
Priests. 11. When do the Bishops and Priests exercise this
power ?
At Mass, when they pronounce over the bread and
wine these words : ' This is my Body, this is my Blood. '
12. Is there, then, after the consecration no longer
bread and wine on the altar ?
No ; there is then on the altar the true Body and
the true Blood of Jesus Christ under the appearances
of bread and wine.
This change is properly called ' Transubstantiation,' which
means a real conversion of the whole substance of the bread into
the substance of the Body of Christ our Tjord, and of the sub
stance of the wine into the substance of His Blood (Counc. of
Trent, Sess. 13, Ch. 4, and Can. 2).
13. How long does Christ remain present with His
Sacred Flesh and Blood ?
As long as the appearances of bread and of wine
continue to exist.
14. Is the Body of Christ alone present under the
appearance of bread, and the Blood of Christ, alone,
present under the appearance of wine ?
No ; under each appearance Christ is present en
tire and undivided, as He is entire and undivided in
Heaven. 15. When the Priest breaks or divides the Sacred
Host, doeslie also break the Body of Christ ?
No; he breaks or divides the appearances only:
the Body of Christ itself is n^sent in each part entire
and living, in a true thougli%ysterious manner.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 261
16. What does the Eeal Presence of Jesus Christ
in the Holy Eucharist require us to do ?
To visit Him frequently, and to adore Him with
the most profound humility and awe, and with the
most ardent love and gratitude.
' Let all the Angels of God adore Him ' (Hebr. i. 6). In order
to show due honor to the Blessed Sacrament, the Church exposes
it for public adoration, gives Benediction with it, carries it rev
erently about in solemn procession, has established Feasts and
Confraternities (of the Most Holy Sacrament, of the Sacred Heart
of Jesus, and others). As an emblem of adoration and love, a
lamp is kept burning day and night before the altar where the
Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the tabernacle.
17. Is Christ present in the Holy Eucharist only
that He may be also as man with us ?
He is also present for two other reasons :
1. That He may offer Himself for us in the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass ; and
2. That in Holy Communion He may give Himself
to us for the nourishment of our souls.
Application. Eejoice that our Lord and Saviour is
pleased to remain in the Blessed Sacrament amongst
us to the end of the world. Thank Him for this ex
ceedingly great favor ; love Him, and visit Him often
and with devotion. Pour out all your sufferings be
fore this amiable Comforter, and have full confidence
in His help ; for He Himself invites you, saying:
' Come to me, all you that labor, and are burdened,
and I will refresh you ' (Matt. xi. 28).
§ 2. On the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
18. What is a Sacrifice ?
A Sacrifice is that first and highest act of Eeligion,
in which a duly-authorized person offers to God some
sensible thing which is visibly immolated either
physically or mystically, in token and acknowledg
ment of God's supreme dominion over all things and
of our total dependence on Him.
He who sacrifices is styled a priest ; the sensible thing which

262 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
is sacrificed is called the victim; the place where it is sacrificed
is the altar. These f our— priest, victim, altar, and sacrifice — are
inseparable. Each one of them calls for the others.
19. Have there been Sacrifices at all times ?
Yes, there have been Sacrifices from the beginning
of the world,. and under the Old Law they were strictly
commanded by God Himself.
20. Why were the Sacrifices of the Old Law abol
ished ?
Because they were only figures of the unspotted
Sacrifice of the New Law, and were, therefore, not to
last longer than the Old Law itself.
' For the law having a shadow of the good things to come,
not the very image of the things, by the self-same sacrifices,
which they offer continually every year, can never make the
comers thereunto perfect ; for it is" impossible that with the
blood of oxen and goats sin should be taken away. Wherefore
when He [Christ] cometh into the world He saith : Sacrifice
and oblation Thou [ 0 God] wouldst not ; but a body Thou hast
fitted to me. Then said I: Behold, Tcome: in the head of the
booh it is written of me, that I should do Thy will, 0 God. . . .
He taketh away the first, that He may establish that which
followeth' (Hebr. x. 1-9).
21. What is the Sacrifice of the New Law ?
The Sacrifice of the New Law is the Son of God
Himself, Jesus Christ, who, by His death on the Cross,
offered Himself to His Heavenly Father for us (Hebr.
ix. 14).
22. Was all Sacrifice to cease with the death of
Christ ?
No ; there was to be in the New Law of Grace a
Perpetual Sacrifice, in order to represent continually
that which was once accomplished on the Cross, and
to apply the fruits of it to our souls.
23. Was such a Sacrifice promised to us by God ?
Yes, even in the Old Law it was prefigured by the
Sacrifice of Melchisedech,1 and was foretold by the
Prophet Malachias."

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 263
* As Melchisedech offered bread and wine (Gen. xiv. 18), so
also Christ offers Himself under the species of bread and wine
unto the end of the world. Therefore it is said in Ps. cix. :
' The Lord hath sworn, and Hd will not repent : Thou art a
Priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech.' 2 ' I have
no pleasure in you [Jews], saith the Lord of Hosts, and Iwill not
receive a gift of your hand; for from the rising of the sun even
to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in
every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to my name a
clean oblation ' (Mai. i. 10, 11).
24. Which is this perpetual Sacrifice, foretold by
Malachias ?
It is the Sacrifice of the Mass.
25. By whom was the Sacrifice of the Mass insti
tuted ? •
It was instituted by Jesus Christ, when at the Last
Supper He offered Himself up under the appearances
of bread and wine to His Heavenly Father, and com
manded His Apostles thenceforth to celebrate this His
Sacrifice. 26. What, then, is the Mass ?
The Mass is the perpetual Sacrifice of the New Law,
in which Christ our Lord offers Himself, by the hands
of the Priest, in an unbloody manner, under the ap
pearances of bread and wine, to His Heavenly Father,
as He once offered Himself on the Cross in a bloody
manner. 27. What is the difference between the Sacrifice of
the Mass and the Sacrifice of the Cross ?
The Sacrifice of the Mass is essentially the same
Sacrifice as that of the Cross ; the only difference is
in the manner of offering.
28. Why is the Sacrifice of the Mass the same
Sacrifice as that of the Cross ?
Because in both it is the same High-Priest who
offers, and the same Victim who is offered — namely,
Jesus Christ our Lord ; and because in the Sacrifice
of the Mass the oblation which Christ made of Him-

264 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
self on the Cross, for us, to the Father, is commemo
rated and continued.
The Priest is only the minister and visible representative of
Christ ; therefore he does not speak in his own name, but in
the name of Christ : ' This is my Body, ... this is my Blood.'
29 How is the manner of offering different in
both? On the Cross Christ offered Himself in a bloody
manner ; but in the Mass He offers Himself in an un- ,
bloody manner, whilst He renews the Sacrifice accom
plished on the Cross, without suffering or dying any
more. 30. If Christ dies no more, how, then, can the
Sacrifice which He consummated on the Cross be re
newed in the Mass ?
It is renewed, because in the Mass Christ offers
Himself really and truly under the emblems of the
bloody death which He suffered on the Cross — that is,
under the separated appearances of bread and wine.
By virtue of the words which the Priest pronounces, the
Body of Christ becomes present under the appearance of bread,
and His Blood under the appearance of wine ; and both these
appearances being visibly separated from each other, the separa
tion of the Blood from the Body, consequently the bloody
death on the Cross is represented in an unbloody, mystical
manner. This unbloody renewal is, however, not made in
order that we may be redeemed anew, for the Sacrifice of the
Cross was sufficient for the redemption of the whole world ; but
that we may have a standing memorial, and a lively, though
unbloody, representation of the bloody Sacrifice of the Cross,
by which God is perfectly honored, and the abundant fruits of
the Redemption are applied to our souls.
31. How do we prove that, from the time of the
Apostles, the Mass has always been celebrated ?
We prove this, 1. By the words of St. Paul, which
clearly show that as early as in the times of the
Apostles the Christians had an altar of their own ; '
for where an altar is, there must also be a Sacrifice ;
and 2. By the undeniable testimonies of the holy

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 265
Fathers, the decrees of the Councils, the most an
cient prayers of the Mass, and by many other memo
rials of the Eastern and Western Churches.
* ' We [Christians] have an altar, whereof they have no
power to eat who serve the tabernacle, i.e., the Jews (Hebr. xiii.
10 ; comp. 1 Cor. x. 18-21).
32. To whom do we offer the Sacrifice of the
Mass ?
We offer it to God alone ; however, we also cele
brate the memory of the Saints in it.
33. How do we celebrate the memory of the Saints
in the Mass ? •
1. By rendering thanks to God for all the graces
bestowed upon them in this life, and for the glory
they now enjoy in Heaven ; and 2. By imploring
their intercession for us.
34. What are the ends for which we offer the Mass
to God ?
We offer it to God,
1. As a Sacrifice of Praise for His honor and
glory; 2. As a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving for all the graces
and benefits received from him ;
3. As a Sacrifice of Propitiation for the many of
fences given to Him ; and
4. As a Sacrifice of Petition, in order to obtain
His assistance in all our necessities of soul and body.
35, What effects has the Mass as a Sacrifice of
Propitiation ?
By it we obtain from the Divine Mercy,
1. Graces of contrition and repentance for the for
giveness of sins ; and
2. Eemission of temporal punishment deserved for
sins. 36. To whom are the fruits of the Mass applied ?

266 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
The general fruits are applied to the whole Church,
both the living and the dead ;
The special fruits are applied, 1. Chiefly, to the
Priest who celebrates the Mass; 2. Next, to those
for whom in particular he offers it up ; and 3. To all
those who assist at it with devotion.
37. Which are the principal parts of the Mass ?
The principal parts of the Mass are, 1. The Offer
tory ; 2. The Consecration; and 3. The Commu
nion. 38. What do you think of the ceremonies which
the Church has added to the Sacrifice of the Mass ?
The ceremonies of the Mass have all been handed
down to us from the most ancient times, many from
the times of the Apostles themselves, and their sub
lime and mysterious signification is intended to fill
our hearts with devotion and reverence.
1. The Priest first prays with heartfelt sorrow, and pro
foundly bowing, at the foot of the altar ; then having ascended
the steps, he kisses it reverently, reads the Introit, and prays
again in the spirit of humility to God, by reciting alternately
with the server the 'Kyrie eleison' (Lord, have mercy on us).
2. He intones joyfully the Hymn of the Angels (Gloria), and
turns then towards the people, to wish them the Divine Blessing.
3. He prays at the side of the altar, in the name of all who are
present, to God for the necessities of all. After that, he reads
two portions of the Holy Scripture, the Epistle and the Gospel,
the latter, however, at the other side of the altar, to intimate
that the Evangelical doctrine, rejected by the Jews, passed over
to the Heathens. 4. The Gospel is followed, on certain days,
by the Nicene Creed. This is the preparation for the Sacrifice.
It was anciently called the Mass of the Catechumens — i.e., of
those who were still in the first rudiments of Christianity, be
cause they were permitted to assist at it thus far before they
were baptized. Next begins, 5. The Sacrifice itcelf by the
Offertory: the Priest, united with the people, offers bread and
wine, and then washes his hands, to show the purity of heart
with which we should assist at the Holy Sacrifice. 6. He in
vites all to fervent prayer, and. praising God, he joins with the
Choirs of Angels, saying: 'Holy, holy, holy,' etc. 7 Next
follow prayers, said in a low voice, for the Church, her Rulers,
and all the faithful, under the invocation of the Blessed Virgin

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 267
and all the Saints. 8. Then he pronounces the mysterious
words of Consecration, adores, making a genuflection, and ele
vates the Sacred Body and the Sacred Blood above his head.
At the ringing of the bell the people adore on their knees, and
strike their breasts in token of repentance for their sins. 9.
The Priest begs of God graciously to accept the Sacrifice, to
have mercy on all mankind, also on the souls in Purgatory, and
concludes with the Lord's Prayer, which contains the substance
of all petitions. 10. After a preparatory prayer, during which,
at Solemn Masses, the Kiss of Peace is given, follows the Holy
Communim, of which all those who are pTresent should partake,
at least spiritually. 11. The Communion being over, the whole
concludes with a prayer of thanksgiving, the blessing of the
people, and the reading of the Gospel of St. John.
39. Why is the Mass said in Latin ?
1. Because this language comes from Eom#, whence
we received our faith ; 2. Because, being a dead lan
guage, it does not change in the course of time like
living languages ; and 3. Because thereby the Unity
and Uniformity of the Church, even in her public
service, is represented and preserved over the entire
earth. 40. Why has the Church assigned particular vest
ments for the Priest whilst officiating at the altar ?
That we may remember that the Priest does not act
at the altar in his own person, but as the representa
tive of Jesus, and that he celebrates a most holy Di
vine Mystery.
In the Old Testament God Himself minutely appointed the
vestments for the Priests, and said : ' Aaron and his sons shall
use them when they approach to the altar to minister in the
Sanctuary, lest being guilty of iniquity they die ' (Exod. xxviii.
43). The different colors of the Priest's vestments have also their
meaning. The White signifies innocence and spiritual joy ;
the Red, the love of God ; the Green, the hope of eternal life ;
the Violet or Purple, humility and penance ; the Black, deep
mourning. Application. Endeavor to assist daily at the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass with sincere devotion and pro
found reverence ; for there is no other act so holy and

268 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
Divine, so rich in graces and heavenly blessings. At
the Offertory, offer yourself with Jesus Christ to your
Heavenly Father ; at the Consecration, humbly adore
your Saviour, and beg His pardon ; at the Commu
nion, communicate, at least spiritually— that is to say,
desire most earnestly to be united with your dearest
Lord in this Sacrament of Love.
§ 3.* On Holy Communion.
41. What is Holy Communion ?
Holy Communion is truly the receiving of the real
Body and Blood of Jesus Christ for the nourishment
of our souls.
Communion means, Union of the faithful with Christ and
with one another ; or, Common participation of the Body and
Blood of Jesus Christ (see page 269, quest. 46). The Communion
is also called the Lord's Supper, the Receiving of the Blessed
Sacrament, of the Holy Eucharist, etc.
42. Was it God, or is it the Church only, that has
commanded us to receive Holy Communion ?
God has commanded it, and the Church also ; for
Christ our Lord says expressly : ' 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 ' (John vi. 54).
43. Must we also drink the chalice, in order to re
ceive the Blood of Christ ?
No ; for under the appearance of bread we receive
also His Blood, since we receive Him whole and entire,
His Humanity and His Divinity.
Therefore, Christ promises eternal life to those also who re
ceive Him under the appearance of bread alone : ' If any man
eat of this bread, he shall live for ever ; and the bread that I will
give is my flesh, for the life of the world ' (John vi. 52). ' This
is the bread that came down from Heaven. Not as your fathers
did eat manna, and are dead. He that eateth this bread shall
live for ever ' (John vi. 59).
44. But why, then, did Christ institute the Holy
Eucharist in both kinds ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 269
Because He instituted it, not only as a Sacrament,
but also as a Sacrifice, for which both kinds are required
(see page 264, quest. 30).
Accordingly, the words of Christ, ' Drink ye all of this ' (Matt.
xxvi. 27), imply by no means a command to all the people, but
only to the Apostles, and their Successors the Bishops andPriests,
when they celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Therefore,
Priests also, when they do not actually celebrate Mass, communi
cate under one kind only.
45. Why does the Catholic Church give Holy Com
munion to the faithful in one kind only — namely,
under the form of bread ?
1. To prevent the Sacred Blood from being pro
faned, since, under the appearance of wine? it might
easily be spilled, and could not well be reserved ;
2. To make it easy for all to receive the Blessed
Sacrament, as many feel a disgust at drinking out of
a common chalice ; and
3. To declare thereby against the heretics that
Christ is present whole and entire under each kind.
In the very first times of the primitive Church, the sick,
prisoners, and all those who communicated at home, received
the Blessed Sacrament only under the form of bread. Thus
only the breaking of bread is mentioned by St. Luke, xxiv. 30 :
' Whilst He was at table with them, He 1,00k bread, and blessed
and brake, and gave to them'; and in the Acts, ii. 42: 'And
they were persevering in the doctrine of the Apostles, and in
the communication of the breaking of bread, and in prayers '
(comp. Acts ii. 46). Subsequently, it is true, Pope Leo and
Pope Gelasius commanded the chalice to be received by the
faithful in the public Communion, but only in order to combat
the erroneous doctrine of the Manicheans, who detested wine as
something diabolical, and to prevent these heretics from ap
proaching with the Catholics to Communion But this was only
for a time and to meet an emergency. When that heresy dis
appeared, the faithful could return to the ancient and general
usage 46. Why does our Lord communicate Himself to all
the faithful as food ?
1. To give us a proof of His tender superabundant
love, and to unite Himself most intimately with us :

270 A Catechism of the Catholic, Religion.
' He that eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood,
abideth in me, and I in him' (John vi. 57) ; and
2. To unite us also most closely together with one
another by a bond of love and concord: 'Fori we,
being many, are one bread, one body, all that partake
of one bread' (1 Cor. x. 17).
47. What graces does Holy Communion impart to
our souls ?
By uniting us in the most intimate manner with
Jesus Christ, the Source of all Divine graces, it im
parts to us innumerable graces, especially these :
1. It preserves and increases sanctifying grace;
2. It weakens our evil inclinations, and gives us a
desire and strength to be virtuous ;
3. It cleanses us from venial and preserves us from
mortal sin ; and
4. It is to us a pledge of our future resurrection and
everlasting happiness (John vi. 55).
48. Does every one receive in Holy Communion
the graces it is intended to give ?
No; he who receives Holy Communion unworthily —
that is, in the state of mortal sin — brings damnation
upon himself.
' Whosoever shall ea:; this Bread or drink the Chalice of the
Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the Body and of the Blood
of the Lord. But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat
of that Bread, and drink of the Chalice ; for he that eateth
and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to him
self, not discerning the Body of the Lord' (lCor. xi. 27-29). —
Comparison with tha Ark of the Covenant, which brought hap
piness and blessing upon the pious Israelites, but misfortune
and a curse upon the impious Philistines.
49. What sin does he commit who dares to commu
nicate unworthily ?
1. He commits, like Judas, a horrible sacrilege, be
cause he is guilty of the Body and of the Blood of
the Lord (1 Cor. xi. 27) ; and
2. He renders himself guilty of the blackest in-

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 271
gratitude, because he treats his Divine Eedeemer
with the foulest indignity in the very same instant in
which he is favored by Him with the greatest proof
of His immense love (Ps. liv. 13).
50. What are frequently the consequences of an
unworthy Communion, even in this life ?
Blindness and hardness of heart, and sometimes
also sudden death, and other temporal punishment.
Example : Miserable end of Judas, of whom our Saviour
said : ' It were better for him, if that man had not been born '
(Matt. xxvi. 24). And of such St. Paul says : ' Therefore [on
account of unworthily receiving], are there many infirm and
weak among you, and many sleep ' [the sleep of death] (1 Cor.
xi. 30).
51. What, then, must we do when we have com
mitted a grievous sin ?
We must make a good confession before we receive.
' Let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of that Bread,
and drink of the Chalice ' (1 Cor. xi. 28).
52. How must we further prepare ourselves, as to
the soul ?
We must endeavor, 1. To cleanse our souls also
from venial sin ; and 2. To excite in our hearts sen
timents of fervor and devotion.
53. Does venial sin also render our Communions
unworthy ?
Venial sin does not render them unworthy or sacri
legious, but it diminishes the graces which they other
wise would produce.
54. How can we excite sentiments of fervor and
devotion in our heart ?
By pious meditations and devout exercises.
55. Which are the best exercises before Holy Com
munion ?
The Acts, 1. Of Faith and Adoration ; 2. Of Hu-

272 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
mility and Contrition ; and 3. Of Hope, Love, and
an ardent Desire.
56. How do you make an Act of Faith?
0 my Jesus, I firmly believe all that Thou hast re
vealed, but especially that Thou art really present in
this Most Holy Sacrament, because Thou, the eternal
and infallible Truth, hast declared it.
57. How do you make an Act of Adoration?
0 my Jesus, in union with all the Angels and Saints
I adore Thee in this Most Holy Sacrament, in which
Thou art concealed for the love of me ; I adore Thee
as my Lord and my God, my Creator and my Eedeemer.
58. How do you make an Act of Contrition ?
0 my Jesus, I am most heartily sorry for all my sins,
because by them I have provoked and offended Thee,
my most bountiful God, whom I love above all things.
59. How do you make an Act of Humility ?
My Lord and my Saviour, how dare I appoach
Thee after having so often offended Thee ! Indeed, I
am not worthy to receive Thee into my heart; but only
say the word, and my soul shall be healed.
60. How do you make an Act of Hope ?
Yes, my most amiable Jesus, Thy mercy is un
bounded ! Thou vouchsafest to come to me, and to
dwell in my heart ; so Thou wilt also, I confidently
hope, sanctify me, and replenish me with Thy grace.
61. How do yon make an Act of Love ?
0 my Jesus, Thou hast loved me unto the death of
the Cross, and, for the love of me, Thou wilt now be
come also the food of my soul. Oh ! what return can I
make for Thy love ? In life and in death I will love
Thee, and none but Thee.
62. How do you make an Act of Desire ?
Come, 0 Jesus, come and take possession of my

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 273
heart ; make it entirely Thine own. Come, my Jesus,
come and visit me, and strengthen me with Thy grace.
63. "How must we prepare ourselves as to the body ?
1. We must be fasting ; that is, from twelve o'clock
the night before we must not have taken even the
least thing by way of eating or drinking;1 and
2. We must be decently dressed.
1 The Church commands this under pain of a grievous sin,
in order to prevent great abuses that would follow from the dis
regard of this law.
64. Who are dispensed from this command to re
ceive fasting ?
Those who are dangerously ill, and receive ftie Bless
ed Sacrament by way of Viaticum — i.e., .as a prepara
tion for their passage into eternity.
65. How should we approach the altar-rail, in
order to receive Holy Communion ?
With the greatest reverence, with hands joined and
raised, and eyes cast down.
66. What should we do at the time of our receiving
the Sacred Host ?
We should spread the communion-cloth over our
hands and under our chin, hold the head erect and
firm, extend the tongue a little upon the under lip,
and then most reverently receive the Sacred Host.
Do not keep the Sacred Host in your mouth until it is quite
dissolved ; but let it moisten a little upon your tongue, and
then swallow it. Should it stick to the roof of your mouth, re
move it with your tongue, and not with your finger.
67. What must we do after receiving Holy Com
munion ?
We must retire with the greatest modesty to our
place, and spend some time in devout prayer.
No time is more precious and more favorable for obtaining
graces than that which immediately follows Holy Communion ;
therefore we should avail ourselves of it in the best manner

274 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
we can. It is, indeed, a bad sign if we cannot, in meditation
and prayer, entertain ourselves for half an hour, or at least for
fifteen minutes, with our dear Redeemer.
68. What sort of prayers ought we especially to say
after Holy Communion ?
Those in which we humble ourselves before the
Lord, thank Him, offer ourselves up to Him, express
our love, and implore His graces.
69. In what manner may we say these prayers ?
We may say them in the following manner :
AN ACT OF HUMILITY.
0 my Jesus, whence is this to me that Thou, my
God, shouldst have vouchsafed to come to me, a poor
sinner !
AN ACT OF THANKSGIVING AND OBLATION.
Most amiable Jesus, what return can I make to
Thee for all that Thou hast done for me ? I offer to
Thee my body, and my soul, and all that I possess.
All my thoughts, my desires, my words, and all that
I do, shall be Thine, shall be for Thee.
AN ACT OF LOVE.
O Jesus, inflame my cold heart with the fire of Thy
love, in order that I may love Thee more than all
things, more than myself.
AN ACT OF PETITION-.
0 my Lord and my God, grant me, a poor creature,
all the graces I stand in need of ; for Thou art, in
deed, infinitely rich and infinitely good.
0 most bountiful Jesus, remain within me with
Thy grace ; strengthen and bless me by the virtue of
this Holy Sacrament, now and at the hour of my
death. Amen.
70. How should we spend the day of Commu
nion ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 275
We should spend it, as much as possible, in pious
exercises, and avoid worldly recreations and amuse
ments. Application. Consider how the Lord pours forth,
in the most. Holy Sacrament of the Altar, the trea
sures of His Divine Love for mankind ; and resolve,
therefore, to approach to the Holy Table as often as
you can with permission, and to receive the Bread of
Angels with as much devotion and purity of heart as
you can possibly attain to.
On Penance.
1. What is understood hy Penance ?
By Penance is understood, 1. The Virtue or dispo
sition of heart by which man repents of his sins and
is converted to God ; 2. The Punishment by which
he atones for the sins committed ; and 3. The Sacra
ment of Penance.
2. What is the Sacrament of Penance ?
It is a Sacrament in which the Priest, in the place
of God, forgives sins, when the sinner is heartily
sorry for them, sincerely confesses them, and is will
ing to perform the penance imposed upon him.
3. Does the Priest truly remit the sins, or does he
only declare that they are remitted ?
The Priest does really and truly remit the sins m
virtue of the power given to him by Christ.
4.- When did Christ give the power of remitting
sins ?
When after His resurrection He breathed on the
Apostles, and said to them : ' Eeceive ye the Holy
Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are for
given them ; and whose sins you shall retain, they are
retained ' (John xx. 22, 23).
5. Did not Christ impart this power to the Apostles
alone ?

276 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
No ; He imparted it also to all those who were to
succeed the Apostles in the Priesthood, as the Church
has always believed and taught. (Comp. page 133,
quest. 18, 19.)
6. Why was the power of forgiving sins to pass
from the Apostles to their Successors also ?
Because Christ instituted His means of salvation
for all times, and for all men, who stand in need of
them. 7. Can all sins be forgiven by the Sacrament of
Penance ?
Yes, all the sins we have committed after Baptism
can be forgiven, if we confess them with the necessary
disposition of repentance.
'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, to forgive us
our sins, aud to cleanse us from all iniquity ' (1 Joha i 9).
Yet not all sins can be forgiven by every Priest. For, 1. In
order that a Priest may be able to absolve validly from sins, it
is not only required that he should have received this power in
Holy Order, but also that he should have been especially author
ized by his Bishop to administer the Sacrament of Penance in
his diocese. 2. According to an ancient, lawful, and salutary
practice, the Pope and the Bishops are accustomed to reserve to
themselves the absolution from certain very grievous sins, from
which, therefore, othar Priests can absolve only in virtue of a par
ticular authorization. When, however, there is immediate dan
ger of death, and no Priest peculiarly authorized to hear Confes:
sions is present, any other Priest can absolve from all sins.
8. But why must we confess -our sins in order to
have them forgiven ?
Because Christ ordained it so when He instituted
the Sacrament of Penance.
9. How do we prove that Christ has ordained Con
fession ?
We prove it, 1. By his own words . ' Whose sins
you shall forgive,' etc. ; for unless we declare our sins,
and the whole state of our soul, to the Priest, he can
not know whether, in virtue of the judicial power
which God has conferred on him, he is to forgive or
to retain them ;

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 277
2. By the testimony of the holy Fathers of the
Church, who unanimously teach that we have not to
expect from God forgiveness of our sins, if we are
ashamed to confess them to the Priest ;' and
3. By the custom that has existed at all times and
among all nations of confessing sins ; for if Con
fession had been instituted by human laws, and not
by Christ Himself, people would certainly never have
generally complied with it.2
1 ' Whosoever is ashamed to declare his sins to man, and will
not confess them, he shall be confounded in the day of judg
ment in the face of the whole world ' (St. John Chrysostom).
'If the sick man is ashamed to discover the wounds of his soul
to the physician, he cannot be cured' (St. Jerome). TJius like
wise Origen, St. Cyprian. St. Basil, St. Pacian, St. John Clima-
cus, St. Gregory the Great, and others. 2 That Confession was
practised as early as in the times of the Apostles, is proved by
tradition ; and even the Holy Scripture testifies (Acts xix. 18)
that, when the Apostle St. Paul was at Ephesus, ' Many of them
that believed came confessing and declaring their deeds.'
10. But could we not also receive forgiveness of
our sins by confessing them to God alone ?
By no means ; or else the full power which Christ
gave to the Priests, of retaining or remitting them ac
cording to their judgment, would, indeed, be vain
and useless.
' Confess your sins one to another [not, then, to God alone],
that you may be saved ' (James v. 16). 'Let no one say : I do
penance privately before God ; God, who knows me, sees what
is goingon in my heart. Was it, then, said in vain : Whatsoever
ye shall loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in Heaven ? Were,
then, the keys given in vain to the Church of God ? ' (St. Au
gustine.) 11, Is, then, the Sacrament of Penance necessary
for salvation to all those who have sinned ?
It is necessary for salvation to all those who have
committed a grievous sin after Baptism.
12. Can the Sacrament of Penance never be sup
plied ?
When the Sacrament of Penance cannot be received,

278 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
it can be supplied by a perfect Contrition, and a firm
resolution to confess our sins as soon as an opportunity
offers. 13. What are the effects of the Sacrament of Pe
nance ?
1. It remits the sins committed after Baptism ;
2. It remits the eternal, and at least a part of the
temporal, punishment due to our sins ;
3. It restores, or, if it is not lost, it increases, sanc
tifying grace ; and
4. ft also confers other particular graces to enable
us to lead a holy life.
14. How many things are required on our part, in
order to receive the Sacrament of Penance worthily ?
These five : 1. Examination of Conscience ; 2. Con
trition ; 3. Eesolution of Amendment ; 4. Confession ;
and 5. Satisfaction.
§ 1. On the Examination of Conscience.
15. What is meant by examining our conscience?
To examine our conscience means to meditate se
riously upon our sins, in order that we may know them
well. 16. How must we begin the Examination of Con
science ?
By imploring the assistance of the Holy Ghost, that
He may give us the grace rightly to know, to repent,
and to confess our sins.
17. How do we implore the assistance of the Holy
Ghost ?
Come, 0 Holy Ghost, enlighten my understanding,
that I may rightly know my sins ; and move my heart,
that I may properly repent of them, sincerely confess
them, and truly amend my life.
18. In what manner should we examine our con
science ?
1, We should examine when it was that we last

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 279
made a good Confession, and whether we performed
the penance then laid upon us ; and
2. We should go through the Commandments of
God and of the Church, and through the obligations
of our state of life, and also through the different
kinds of sin, carefully examining in what way and
how often we have offended God by thoughts, words,
actions, and omissions.
19. Must we also examine ourselves on the number
and the circumstances of our sins ?
Yes ; at least, when they are mortal.
20. Against what faults are we to guard in the Ex
amination of Conscience ? •
1. We must not examine ourselves too hastily and
superficially; 2. We must not conceal our favorite
sins from ourselves ; 2. We must not take all that to
be trifling which the world considers as such ; but we
should place ourselves in spirit before the tribunal of
God ; 4. On the other hand, we must avoid becoming
too scrupulous.
21. How much time ought we to employ in the Ex
amination of Conscience ?
• The more carelessly we have lived, and the longer
we have stayed from Confession, the more time and
diligence ought we to employ in examining ourselves.
22. How can we facilitate this examination ?
By examining our conscience every day, and by
going frequently to Confession.
§ 2. On Contrition.
I 23. What is Contrition ?
Contrition is a hearty sorrow for our sins, and a de
testation of them.
24. What qualities must Contrition have, that our
sins may be forgiven ?
These three : It must be, 1. Interior ; 2. Univer
sal; and 3. Supernatural.

280 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
25. How must Contrition be interior?
W e must not merely grieve for our sins in words,
but we must also detest them in our heart as the greats
est evil, and sincerely wish we had not committed
them. ' Rend your hearts, and not your garments ' (JoeL ii. 13).
' A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit ; a contrite and humbled
heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise' (Ps. 1. 19).
26. How must Contrition be universal?
We must be sorry for all the sins we have com
mitted, or, at least, for all mortal sins.
27. If a penitent has no sorrow for his venial sins,
would his Confession nevertheless be valid ?
H he has to confess venial sins only, and is not
truly sorry for any one of them, his Confession is null.
If since our last Confession we have to accuse ourselves of
venial sins only, and, because they do not seem to be grievous,
we doubt whether we have sufficient Contrition for them, it is
advisable to repent again of some grievous sin of our former life,
which we have already confessed, and to include it in our Con
fession, saying at the end of it : ' For these, and all my other
sins which I cannot at present call to my remembrance, and also
for the sins of my past life, especially for . . . I am heartily
sorry,' etc. This should also be done when we are not quite
certain whether we have committed any sin since the last Con
fession (comp. page 287, quest. 65).
28. How must Contrition be supernatural?
The sorrow for our sins must arise not from the
consideration of their natural evil consequences, but
from supernatural motives ; namely, because we have
offended God, lost his grace, deserved hell, etc.
29. Would it not, then, be sufficient to be sorry for
our sins on account of the temporal loss incurred by
them ?
To be sorry for our sins only because we have lost
by them our health, property, reputation, etc., is
nothing but a natural sorrow, which is of no avail for
everlasting life.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 281
Thus the sorrow of King Saul, Antiochus, and others was a
merely natural sorrow ; on the contrary, that of King David
Mary Magdalen, Zacheus, the Apostles Peter and Paul, and
other Scripture penitents, was supernatural.
30. What, then, should we do in order to obtain
supernatural Contrition ?
We should, 1. Earnestly ask God for His grace ;
and 2. We should seriously call to our mind what
Faith teaches us concerning the malice of sin, and its
fatal consequences ; * for supernatural Contrition must
proceed from grace and motives of Faith.
31. Why must Contrition proceed from motives of
Faith ? #
1. Because Faith is the foundation and root of all
Justification ; and 2. Because, otherwise, Contrition
does not prompt us to renounce evil entirely and for
ever, but only inasmuch as we have to dread temporal
losses. 32. How many kinds of supernatural Contrition
are there ?
Two : Perfect Contrition and Imperfect Contrition,
commonly called Attrition.
33. When is Contrition Perfect ?
When it arises from Perfect Love; i.e., when we
detest sin more than all other evils, for the reason that
it offends God, the Supreme Good.
Since Perfect Contrition proceeds from Perfect Love, in order
to excite ourselves to Perfect Contrition it is very profitable, .
Ereviously, or at the same time, to excite ourselves to Perfect '
iftve of God.
34. When is Contrition Imperfect?
When our Love is not Perfect, and when, therefore,
our fear of Hell and of the loss of Heaven, or our
sense of the heinousness of sin itself, must unite with
it in causing us to detest sin above all other evils, and
to resolve to offend God no more.
* Sea pp. 231 and 222, quest. 11-1B ; and page 128, quest. 14.

282 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
Perfect Contrition is, therefore, a sorrow for sin arising from
the Perfect Love of God ; Imperfect Contrition is, on the con
trary, a sorrow for sin arising from any other motive which,
though good and supernatural, is not perfect. In order to ex
cite ourselves to Perfect Contrition, let us consider how much
God deserves to be loved by us, on account of His infinite good
ness  i.e.t on account of that perfection which He, as the Sove
reign Good, possesses ; and how, nevertheless, we have despised
and insulted Him, our most amiable Father ; how we have ex
pelled Him from our heart, and renounced His love and friend
ship for ever. In order to excite ourselves to Imperfect Con
trition, let us consider how terrible are the pains of Hell or of
Purgatory, which we have deserved ; how beautiful Heaven,
which we have lost ; how detestable sin, which nailed the Son of
God to the Cross, has deprived our soul of grace, disfigured her,
rendered her foul and execrable before God and His Angels, etc. ;
and let us, therefore, repent of the offence given to God, and de
test it more than any other evil in the world.
35. Must Contrition necessarily be perfect ?
It is not necessary for the remission of sins that we
should have Perfect Contrition ; we should, however,
strive to obtain it.
36. Why should we strive to obtain Perfect Con
trition ?
Because the more Perfect our Contrition is, the
more is our repentance meritorious and acceptable to
God, and the more certainly it obtains our pardon.
37. When should we make an Act of Perfect Con
trition, even without the Sacrament of Penance ?
1. In danger of death ; and 2. As often as we have
the misfortune to commit a mortal sin and cannot im
mediately go to Confession.
38. When must we make the Act of Contrition in
the Sacrament of Penance ?
We must make it before our Confession, or, at least,
before the Priest gives us Absolution.
39. Can Contrition ever be supplied in case of
necessity ?
No ; Contrition is so necessary that it cannot be
supplied by anything or in any case.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 283
§ 3. On the Resolution of Amendment.
40. What must Contrition necessarily include ?
Contrition must necessarily include, 1. Hone of
pardon ; and 2. Eesolution of Amendment.
41. What is a Eesolution of Amendment?
A liesolution of Amendment is a sincere determina
tion to amend our life and to sin no more.
42. What must be the qualities of our Eesolution
of Amendment ?
Our Eesolution of Amendment must be, like our
Contrition, 1. Interior or Sincere ; 2. Universal ; and
3. Supernatural. 43. What must he be determined to do who forms
a firm and sincere Eesolution of Amendment ?
He must be determined,
1. To avoid, at least, all grievous sins, so that he
will suffer anything rather than commit even one;
2. To shun the danger, and especially the proxi
mate occasion, of sin ;
3. To use the necessary means of amendment ;
4. To make due satisfaction for his sins ; and
5. To repair whatever injury he may have done to
his neighbor.
44. What is meant by the proximate occasion of
sin ?
By the proximate occasion of sin is meant a person,
a conipany, an amusement, and such like, by which
people usually have been, or, if they do not avoid
them, probably will be again, led into sin.
45. Is it a strict duty to shun the proximate occa
sions of' sin ?
Yes, whenever it is possible; for he who will not
avoid the occasion of sin has not a sincere purpose to
avoid sin itself.
46. What ought they to (jonsider who will not avoid

284 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
the proximate occasion, or will not desist from their
habitual sins ? v
That the Priest's Absolution is of no avail to them,
but only aggravates their guilt.
47. How can we make an Act of Imperfect and
Perfect Contrition, together with a Eesolution of
Amendment ?
In this manner :
0 my God, from the bottom of my heart I am sorry
for all my sins ; not only because by them I have ren
dered myself unworthy of Thy grace, and liable to Thy
just punishment in this life and in the next, but espe
cially because I have offended Thee, the Sovereign,
Most Perfect, and Most Amiable Good, whom I now
love above all things. I hate and detest all my sins,
and am firmly resolved never more to offend Thee, my
most amiable God, and carefully to avoid the occasion
of sin. § 4. On Confession.
48. What is Confession ?
Confession is a sorrowful declaration of our sins to
a Priest, in order to obtain Absolution from him.
49. What are the necessary Qualities of Cdnfession ?
Confession must be, 1. Entire; 2. Sincere; and 3.
Clear. 50. When is Confession entire ?
When we confess, at least, all grievous sins which
we remember, together with their number and neces
sary circumstances. •
51. But what must we do, if we do not recollect
the number rightly ?
We must declare it as well as we are able, and say,
for instance : I have committed this sin about ....
times a day, week, or month.
52. What -sort of circumstances must we confess ?
We must, 1. Especially confess such circumstances

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 285
as change the nature, or aggravate the guilt, of our
sins ; and 2. Mention in general everything by which
the Confessor may be enabled to judge rightly of the
state of our conscience, and to put us on our guard
against relapsing into sin.
1. Should a person have stolen Church property, wished his
parents dead, coveted his neighbor's wife, injured some one by
telling a lie, etc., it would not be sufficient for him to confess
merely that he has stolen, wished some persons dead, had an
evil desire, told a lie. 2. Therefore, we must also declare whether
we have injured our neighbors much or little, knowingly or
unknowingly ; whether the occasion of sin still continues ;
whether we have often before confessed the evil habit, and never
corrected it.
53. What is to be observed in the declaration of the
circumstances ?
We must avoid making known any person who may
be concerned in our sins ; we must refrain from all
superfluous narrations, and must express ourselves in
as modest and decent a manner as the nature of the
sin allows.
54. Must we also confess venial sins ?
We are not, indeed, obliged to confess venial sins ;
yet it is good and wholesome to do so.
55. But if we do not know whether something is
a mortal or a venial sin, what are we to do ?
We are to confess it, because many people mistake
mortal sins for venial ones.
56. When is Confession sincere ?
When we accuse ourselves just as we sincerely be
lieve ourselves guilty before God, without concealing
or disguising anything, or excusing it by vain pre
tences. 57. What should the penitent consider, if he is
ashamed to make a sincere Confession ?
He should consider, 1. That a Confession which is
not sincere procures him neither remission of sins nor
peace of conscience ; but that the Confession, as well as

286 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
the Communion which follows it, is another grievous
sin — a sacrilege — and deserves eternal damnation ; and
2. That it is much better for him to confess his sins
to one Priest, bound by secrecy, than to live always
uneasy in sin, to die unhappy for ever, and to be put
to shame at the last day before the whole world.
As the Confessor is bound to suffer even martyrdom rather
than reveal anything heard in Confession, so is every on -. else,
who may have accidentally overheard any part of a Confes
sion, bound to the strictest secrecy.
58, What must we do if we have omitted something
in Confession which we were obliged to declare ?
1. If we have omitted it without our fault, it is only
required to mention it in the next Confession ; but
2. If we have omitted it, either because we were
ashamed to confess it or because we did not carefully
examine our conscience, we must also say in how many
Confessions we have omitted it through our fault, and
repeat them all.
59. When is Confession clear ?
When we so express ourselves that the Confessor can
understand everything well, and clearly see the state
of our conscience.
60. Would our Confession be clear if we accused
ourselves in general only ? — for example, that we have
not loved God, that we have thought or spoken evil ?
By no means ; we must distinctly name and specify
the different sins.
61 . What is a General Confession ?
A General Confession is that in which we repeat all
or some of our former Confessions.
62. When is a general Confession necessary ?
As often as our former Confessions were sacrilegious,
either through want of sincerity, or of sorrow and re
solution, or through a culpable negligence in the ex
amination of our conscience. .,

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 287
63. When principally is a general confession useful
and advisable ?
1. As a preparation for first Communion ; 2. On
entering on a state of life ; 3. In dangerous illness ; 4.
At the time of a Jubilee, a Mission, etc.
64. How do you begin your Confession ?
Having made the sign of the Cross, I say : ' I, a
poor and miserable sinner, accuse myself to God, the
Almighty, and to you, my Father, in His stead, that
since my last Confession, which was ... I have com
mitted the following sins.' (Here I confess my sins.)
Or in the following manner :
Having arrived at the Confessional, I kneel down,
make the sign of the Cross, and ask the Pri#st's bless
ing by saying : ' Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.'
After receiving his blessing, I say the first part of the
Confiteor as far as ' through my most grievous fault. '
Then I say how long it is since my last Confession,
whether I then received Absolution and performed
my Penance. After this I confess all the sins I can
recollect, beginning with those which I may have for
gotten in my last Confession .
65. How do you finish your Confession ?
In conclusion, I say : ' For these, and all the sins
of my whole life, I am most heartily sorry, because by
them I have offended God, the Supreme and Most
Amiable Good. I detest all my sins, and am firmly
resolved to amend my life, and to sin no more. I
humbly ask Penance and Absolution of you, my
Ghostly Father.'
Or I conclude by saying : ' For these, and all my
other sins which I cannot at present call to my re
membrance, and also for the sins of my past life, es
pecially for . . .' (see p. 280, quest. 27, note), ' I am
heartily sorry, purpose^amendment for the future, and
most humbly ask pardon of God, and Penance and
Absolution of you, my Ghostly Father.' Here I finish
the Confiteor : ' Therefore I beseech the Blessed Mary
ever Virgin,' etc.

288 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
66. What should we do after this ?
We should listen with attention to the instruction
which the Confessor may think proper to give, and to
the Penance he enjoins ; and when he asks us ques
tions, we should answer them with sincerity and hu
mility. Take care not to leave the Confessional before the Priest has
given you notice, by saying, for instance: 'Go in peace'; or,
'May God Almighty bless you!' or something similar.
67. What are we to do if we should not receive
Absolution ?
We should humbly submit to the decision of the
Confessor, and, by true amendment, render ourselves
worthy of it. § 5. On Satisfaction.
68. What is Satisfaction in the Sacrament of Pen
ance? It is the performance of the Penance enjoined by
the Confessor.
69. For what purpose does the Confessor impose a
Penance on us?
1. For the expiation -of the temporal punishment
of sin ; and
2. For the amendment of our life.
70. When God remits the sin, does He also remit
all punishment due on account of it ?
With the sin God always remits the eternal punish
ment, but He does not always remit the temporal pun
ishment due for it ; therefore the Prophet Nathan ?aid
to David: 'The Lord hath taken away thy sin;
nevertheless, the child that is born to thee shall
surely die' (•} Kings xii. 13, 14).
71. What is the temporal punishment due to our
sins ?
It is that punishment which we have to suffer
either here on earth, or in Purgatory.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 289
72. Why does God not always remit the temporal
punishment together with the eternal ?
1. Because His Justice demands that, by the en
during of the punishment, we should make some re
paration for the injury done to Him ; and
2. Because in His Mercy He will, by the fear of
such punishment, render us more cautious, and guard
us against relapsing into sin.
73. Has not Christ, then, made full satisfaction
for our sins ?
Yes, Christ has abundantly satisfied for our sins ;
nevertheless, He requires that we also, in union with
Him, should make satisfaction ; just as He has prayed
for us, and nevertheless requires that we also should
pray in order to be saved.
' I fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of
Christ ' (Col. i 24). ' If we suffer with Him, we shall be also
glorified with Him ' (Rom. viii. 17).
74. From whom has the Priest the power to im
pose works of Penance ?
From Jesus Christ, who gave to His Church the
power, not only to loose, but also to bind (Matt, xviii.
18). 75. Is the Confession invalid, if the penitent does
not perform the Penance enjoined ?
If after Confession he does not perform the Penance
which in Confession he was willing and sincerely in
tended to perform, the Confession is not rendered
invalid ; but he commits a new sin, and deprives him
self of many graces.
76. When should we comply with the Penance en
joined ?
If the Confessor has fixed no time for it, the best
way is to comply with it directly, and before we have
fallen asain into any grievous sin.

290 A Catechistn of the Catholic Religion.
77. What should we do if the Penance seems to
be too severe ?
We should consider how light the present Pen
ances are in comparison with the ancient Canonical
Penances, and with the eternal punishment we have
deserved ; but if we should really be unable to do the
Penance, we should respectfully mention it to the
Confessor. 78. Should we perform that Penance only which
the Confessor lays upon us ?
We should also endeavor to satisfy the Divine
Justice by other voluntary penitential works, and by
patience in our sufferings.
79. What shall we have to expect, if we neglect to
make due satisfaction to the Divine Justice ?
We shall have so much the more to suffer in Pur
gatory, and that without any merit for Heaven.
80. Are we, after Confession, under no other obli
gation than to satisfy the Divine Justice ?
We are also obliged,
1. To repair to the utmost of our power, the scan
dal we have given and the injury we have unjustly
done to our neighbor ; and
2. To employ the means necessary not to relapse
into sin, and to amend our life.
1. Example of Zacheus : ' Behold, Lord, the half of my goods
I give to the poor ; and if I have wronged any man of anything,
I restore him fourfold ' (Luke xix. 8). 2. ' Behold, thou art
made whole : sin no more, lest some worse thing happen to thee '
(John v. 14).
81. What should they think, who always relapse
into their former grievous sins ?
That their Confessions are much to be suspected,
and that their state is extremely dangerous.
' When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man ... he goeth
and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked, than him-

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 291
self, and entering in they dwell there ; and the last state of that
man becomes worse than the first ' (Luke xi. 26).
82. What means should we especially use in order
that we may not relapse into sin ?
We should, 1. Strictly follow the instructions and
directions of our Confessor ; 2. Carefully avoid the
occasions of sin ; 3. Daily examine our conscience ; 4.
Be assiduous in praying, in hearing the word of God,
and receiving the Sacraments of Penance and of the
Holy Eucharist ; and 5. We should often meditate on
the Four Last Things of man.
Application. When you have sinned, go to Con
fession without delay, but never without a diligent
Examination of Conscience, a true Contrition, a firm
Eesolution of Amendment, and a sincere declaration
of your sins ; that the Sacrament of Penance, so re
plete with grace, may not become for you a source of
eternal perdition. On Indulgences.
83. By what means does the Church assist us in
the discharge of the temporal punishment due to our
sins ?
By the grant of Indulgences.
84. What is an Indulgence ?
An Indulgence is a remission, granted out of the
Sacrament of Penance, of that temporal punishment
which, even after the sin is forgiven, we have yet to
undergo, either here or in Purgatory.
85. How does the Church remit the punishment
due to our sins ?
By making to the Divine Justice compensation for
us from the inexhaustible treasure of the merits of
Christ and His Saints.
Indulgences, therefore, derive their value and efficacy from
the spiritual treasure of the Church, which consists of the
superabundant merits and satisfactions of Christ and the Saints."

292 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
This treasure is to be considered as the common property of the
faithful, committed to the administration of the Church ; since,
by virtue of the Communion of Saints by which we are united
as members of one body, the abundance of some supplies the
want of others.
' In this present time, let your abundance supply their want,
that their abundance also may supply your want, that there may
be an equality ' (2 Cor. viii. 14). Comp. p. 148, § 4.
86. What is generally required to gain an Indul-
ence ?
It is required, 1. That we should be in the state of
grace, and have already obtained, by true repentance,
forgiveness of those sins the temporal punishment of
which is to be remitted by the Indulgence; and 2.
That we should exactly perform the good works pre
scribed for the gaining of the Indulgence.
87. What must we believe with regard to Indul
gences ?
We must believe,
1. That the Catholic Church has power to grant
Indulgences ; and
2. That the use of them is very salutary to us
(Council of Trent, Sess. 25).
88. From whom has the Catholic Church the
power of granting Indulgences ?
From Jesus Christ, who made no exception when
He said: ' Whatsoever" thou shalt loose on earth, it
shall be loosed also in Heaven ' (Matt. xvi. 19; xviii.
18). That the Catholic Church has also at all times exercised this
full power, is evident even from 2 Cor. ii. 10.
89. Who has a right to grant Indulgences ?
This right belongs especially to our Most Holy
Father the Pope, who, being the successor of St.
Peter, has received from Christ the keys of the king
dom of Heaven; the Bishops, however, have also the
power of granting some Partial Indulgences.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 293
90. For what reasons are Indulgences very salutary
to us ?
For these :
1. They discharge our debt of temporal punish
ment. 2. They encourage us to make our peacre with God,
by substituting easier exercises of piety for the very
severe Canonical Penances of the ancient Church.
3. They incite us to true repentance and amend
ment, since without these requisites they cannot be
gained at all.
4. They urge us to receive frequently the Sacra
ments of Penance and of the Holy Eucharist, and to
perform good works.
5. They console fervent penitents in their fear of
the judgments of God.
To assert that, by an Indulgence, the Church forgives sins,
past or future, or that she grants indulgences for money, is a
gross calumny. It is true that, when granting an Indulgence,
she has sometimes, besides the conditions of a sincere repent
ance, prescribed alms-deeds for charitable purposes; for in
stance, for the building of a church or of an hospital ; but as
this, laudable as it was in the beginning, gave nevertheless, in
the course of time, occasion to abuses, the Council of Trent
abolished the abuses, declaring, however, that ' the use of In
dulgences is very salutary to Christian people, and approved of
by the authority of the Sacred Councils ' (Sess. 25).
91. Is it, then, not true that the Church, by In
dulgences, frees us from the obligation of doing Pen
ance ?
No ; she does not free us from the obligation of
doing Penance according to our capacity, since, the
greater is our penitential zeal and love to God, the
more do we participate in the Indulgence; she will
only assist us in our inability to expiate all temporal
punishment in this life, and thus, by a generous In
dulgence, effect what, in ancient times, she endeavor
ed to attain by the rigorous Penitential Canons.
92. How many kinds of Indulgences are there ?

294 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
There are two kinds: A Plenary Indulgence, which
is the remission of the whole debt of temporal pun
ishment due to sin ; and a Partial Indulgence, which
is the remission of a part of it only.
93. Whit is meant by an Indulgence of forty days
or seven years ?
A remission of such a debt of temporal punishment
as a person would discharge if he did penance for forty
days or seven years, according to the ancient Canons
of the Church.
94. What is meant by a Jubilee ?
A Jubilee is a Plenary Indulgence which the Holy
Father grants every twenty-fifth year, or upon extra
ordinary occasions ; during which time, in order to
increase the fervor of repentance in the faithful, Con
fessors have a special power to commute private vows
into other works of piety, and to absolve in all re
served cases.
95. Can Indulgences also be rendered available to
the souls in Purgatory ?
Yes, all those which the Pope has expressly declared
to be applicable to them.
Application. Value and esteem Indulgences, and
avail yourself of every opportunity of gaining them
worthily for yourself, as well as for the souls of the
faithful departed.
On Extreme Unction.
1. What is Extreme Unction ?
Extreme Unction is a Sacrament in which the sick,
by the anointing with holy oil, and by the prayer of
the Priest, receive the grace of God for the good of
their souls, and often also of their bodies.
This Sacrament is called Extreme Unction, because
it is usually the last of the holy unctions which are ad
ministered by the Church.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 295
2. Whence do wo know that the Sacrament of Ex
treme Unction was instituted by Christ ?
We know this, 1. From the Holy Scripture ; and
2. From the constant doctrine of the Church.
3. What does Holy Scripture say of the Sacrament
of Extreme Unction ?
The Apostle St. James says in his Epistle (v. 14,
15) : ' 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.' 9
4. Why do we infer from these words that Christ has
instituted Extreme Unction ?
Because the anointing with oil could have no Sacra
mental power of forgiving sins, if Christ had not so
ordained it.
5. How is Extreme Unction administered ?
The Priest anoints the different senses of the sick
person with holy oil, and uses, at each anointing, this
form of prayer: 'Through this holy unction, and His
most tender mercy, may the Lord forgive thee what
ever sins thou hast committed by thy sight ' (by thy
hearing, etc.)
6. What effects does Extreme Unction produce in
the soul ?
Extreme Unction, 1. Increases sanctifying grace: 2.
It remits vetiial sins, and also those mortal sins which
the sick person can no more confess ; 3. It removes
the remains' of sins already forgiven ; and 4*. It
strengthens the soul in her sufferings and tempta
tions, especially in her agony.
1 By remains of sins we understand the temporal punish
ment, the evil inclinations of the heart, and the weakness of the
will, which are the consequences of sins committed, and remain
even after the sins have been forgiven.

296 A Catechism of. the Catholic Religion.
7. What effects does Extreme Unction produce in
the body ?
It often relieves the pains of the sick person, and
sometimes restores him even to health, if it be expe
dient for the salvation of his soul.
8. Who can and ought to receive Extreme Unc
tion ?
Every Catholic who has come to the use of reason,
and is in danger of death by sickness ; but not such as
in health expose themselves to the danger of death.
9. How are we to receive Extreme Unction ?
We are to receive it,
1. In the state of grace ; wherefore we must pre
viously, if possible, confess our sins, or, at least, make
an Act of Perfect Contrition ; and
2. With faith, hope, and charity, and resignation
to the will of God.
Acts of these and similar virtues should often be made by the
sick person during illness, especially when his end approaches,
and all present ought to help him to do so. It may be briefly
done in the following words:
I believe, my God, in Thee,
I most firmly hope in Thee,
And I love most truly Thee,
And all men are dear to me.
All my sins are grieving me,
Which. I beg Thee, pardon me.
I resign myself to Thee,
Thank for good and evil Thee;
Nay, 111 live and die for Thee. Amen.
10. When should we receive Extreme Unction ?
We should receive it, if possible, whilst we are
still in our senses, and after having received the
Viaticum. 11. How often can Extreme Unction be received?
In each dangerous illness it can be received once ;
it can, however, be repeated on relapse into danger
that had passed.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 297
12. Is it not unreasonable for a person, from fear
of death, to defer, or even neglect, the receiving of
Extreme Unction until he is moribund ?
Certainly ; for,
1. Extreme Unction has been instituted even for
the health of the body;
2. The sick person will recover more probably, if
he employs in time the remedy ordained by God, than
if he waits until he cannot recover except by a
miracle ; and
3. If his sickness be mortal, what should he wish
for more earnestly than to die happy, which this
Holy Sacrament gives him grace to do ? •
Relatives also, or attendants, of the sick person, sin griev
ously, if through their fault the last Sacraments are not ad
ministered to him in due time. ' His sisters, therefore, sent
to Him, saying: Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick'
(John xi. 3).
Application. When God in His mercy visits you
with a dangerous illness, be sure not to put off the
receiving of the Holy Sacraments to the last moment;
otherwise death may surprise you when it is no longer
possible to have the attendance of a Priest.
On Holt Okdeb.
1. On whom did Christ Himself confer the Priest
hood ?
On His Apostles.
2. Was the Priesthood to end with the death of
the Apostles ?
No ; no more than the Church was to end at their
death. 3. How was the Priesthood continued ?
By the Sacrament of Holy Order.
4, What is Holy Order ?
Holy Order is that Sacrament which communicates

298 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
to those who receive it the full power of Priesthood,
together with a special grace to discharge their sacred
duties well.
5. What are the principal powers of Priesthood ?
1. The power to change bread and wine into the
Body and Blood of our Lord; and 2. The power to
forgive sins.
The power of consecrating bread and wine Christ gave to
His Church at the Last Supper (comp. p. 259, quest. 9); and
the power of forgiving sins He gave after His Resurrection
(comp. p. 275, quest. 4).
6. Is there in Holy Order also a visible sign which
indicates the communicating of the invisible power
and grace ?
Yes, there are several: the imposition of hands
and the prayer of the Bishop, and the delivery of the
chalice with wine, and of the paten with bread.
The imposition of hands and prayer are also mentioned in
Holy Scripture : ' I admonish thee, that thou stir up the grace
of God which is in thee by the imposition of my hands.' Thus
wrote St. Paul to Bishop Timothy, 2 Tim i. 6 ; and in a similar
manner, 1 Tim. iv. 14. By prayer and imposition of hands Paul
and Barnabas were also ordained : ' Then they, fasting and pray
ing, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away'
(Acts xiii. 3).
7. But are not all Christians true Priests by their
Baptism ?
No ; as the true Priesthood of the Old Law was pro
pagated by natural descent from Aaron, so it is aho
in the New Law propagated by a spiritual descent from
the Apostles — that is, by ordination.
8. Why, then, does St. Peter say that all Christians
are 'xt kingly Priesthood' ? (1 Pet. ii. 9).
Because all, by their Baptism, are obliged to offer
up to God internal or spiritual sacrifices (1 Pet. ii. 5)
of faith, hope, and charity, of prayer and mortification.
From this passage it can no more be inferred that all Chris
tians are true Priests than that all are true Rings. In the Old

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 299
Law, also, God said to the Israelites : ' You shall be to me a
priestly kingdom ' (2 Kings xix. 6) ; nevertheless, there was a
particular Priesthood, which alone was authorized to offer sacri
fices. — Punishment of King Ozias (2 Paral. xxvi.)
9. Who can validly administer the Sacrament of
Holy Order ?
Bishops only, who have received this power by a
particular Consecration.
As no one can be made a Priest except by the Sacrament of
Holy Order, which can validly be administered only by a Bishop,
who again has received the power of administering it from an
other Bishop lawfully consecrated, it is evident that, by an un
interrupted succession of Bishops lawfully ordained' and con
secrated, the Priesthood ascends to the Apostles, on whom Christ
Himself conferred the Priestly and Episcopal powtrs both for
themselves and for their successors. "
10. Cannot also civil authorities, or Christian com
munities, confer spiritual powers ?
No ; they cannot confer spiritual powers on others,
because they have none themselves.
Hence the Council of Trent decrees (Sess. 23,' ch. 4) 'that all
those who, being only called and instituted by the people, or by
the civil power and magistrate, ascend to the exercise of these
ministrations, and those who of their own rashness assume them
to themselves, are not to be looked upon as ministers of the
Church, but as thieves and robbers, who have not entered by the
door' (John x. 1, 8).
11. Can a Priest be deprived of his Ordination ?
No"; he can as little be deprived of Ordination as
of Baptism, because it imprints an indelible character
upon the soul.
A Priest, therefore, or a Bishop, cannot be deprived of the
powers which he has received in his Ordination or Consecration
to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus
Christ, and to offer up the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, to admin
ister Confirmation, Extreme Unction, and Holy Order ; but the
power of remitting sins by Sacramental Absolution can be taken
from him, because the valid administration of the Sacrament of
Penance is also dependent on Jurisdiction — that Is to say, on his
mission or authorization by a lawful spiritual Superior (comp.
p 276, note to quest. 7). For this very reason the Priests and

joo A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
Bishops of the schismatical Greek Church, and all those who
ever have fallen away from the Catholic Church, retain the powers
of then- Ordination and Consecration which originally they re
ceived from the Catholic Church ; but all other spiritual power
which depends on the Apostolical Mission, and comes from the
Head of the Catholic Church, expires with their separation from
the Church.
12. Are there any other Orders besides those of
Priest and Bishop ?
Yes ; there are others which are preparatory degrees
to the Priesthood.
13. Which are these other Orders ?
1. The Four Minor Orders, by which those who re
ceive them are qualified for various offices connected
with the Divine Service ;
2. The Order of Sub-deacon, who has to assist the
Deacon when serving at the altar ; and
3. The Order of Deacon, who immediately assists
the Priest at the altar, and helps him also in baptizing,
preaching, and giving Holy Communion.
14. Who can and ought to embrace the Ecclesi
astical state?
He only who is called to it by God.
Parents who, actuated by temporal interests, force their
chilctren to take Holy. Orders, sin most grievously, and are
responsible for all the evil consequences resulting from it.
15. What should the faithful do in order to obtain
worthy Priests and Pastors ?
They should often and fervently pray to God for
that grace, and render themselves worthy of it by
their love of the Church and respect for the Priest
hood.
w£?l y6' ^eFef???'^he Lord of the narvest. *at He send
forth laborers into His harvest' (Matt. ix. 38).
Application. Always show due respect and submis
sion to Priests, as the Eepresentatives of" God and the
Dispensers of His Holy Mysteries ; and should you

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 301
happen to perceive in any of them human failings and
infirmities, do not be scandalized, but ' whatsoever
they shall say to you, observe and do ; but according
to their works do ye not ' (Matt, xxiii. 3).
On Matkimony.
1. By whom was Matrimony instituted ?
Matrimony was instituted by God Himself, when
He gave to Adam in Paradise Eve for his wife, that
they both might lead a godly life, and live together
in faithful and indissoluble love.
2. Was the sanctity of Matrimony always respected
according to its original institution ?
No. When by sin the entire human race had fallen
away from God, the contract of marriage was no
longer kept so holy, until our Saviour came, and not
only restored Matrimony as God had originally in
stituted it, but even elevated it to the dignity of a
Sacrament. 3. How did Christ restore Matrimony to its original
institution ?
He ordained that Marriage should again, as it was
from the beginning, subsist between one man and one
woman only, and that unto the death of either of
them; and He proposed, therefore, His spiritual
union with the Church as an example to married
people (Ephes. v.)
' Moses, by reason of the hardness of your heart, permitted
you to put away your wives ; but from the beginning it was not
so. And I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife,
and shall marry another, committeth adultery; and he that
shall marry her that is put away committeth adultery ' (Matt.
xix. 8, 9, and Luke xvi. 18; Mark x. 11, 12).
4. Can, then, the bond of Marriage never be dis
solved ?
Spiritual Superiors can, indeed, for important rea
sons, allow a husband and wife to live separated from
each other; but, nevertheless, they continue married

302 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
people, and neither of them can validly contract a
second marriage whilst the other party is living.
' To them that are married, not I, but the Lord commandeth
that the wife depart not from her husband. And if she depart,
that she remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband.
And let not the husband put away his wife ' (1 Cor. vii.
10, 11).
5_ How do we know that Matrimony is a Sacra
ment ?
1. St. Paul teaches so, who calls Matrimony in the
Church ' a great Sacrament ' ' (Ephes. v. 32) ;
2. The Church has at all times believed and taught
so, as is evident, not only from the Holy Fathers, but
also from the fact that those Sects who in the first
ages separated themselves from us agree in holding
this doctrine. c
1 St. Paul teaches that husbands and wives should be united
with each other, as Christ and His Church are united. Now,
the union that subsists between Christ and His Church is super
natural and replete with graces; consequently. Matrimony is
a sign to which invisible grace is attached, and, therefore, a
Sacrament. 6. What, then, is Matrimony in the Church of
Christ ? '
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.
7. How is this Sacrament received ?
The bridegroom and the bride declare before their
Pastor and two witnesses that they take each other
for wife and husband, whereupon the Priest blesses
their union.
Another Priest can only unite them in Matrimony when
commissioned by the Pastor of the parties, or by the Bishop,
for that purpose.
8. What are the duties of married persons ?
1. They should take the mutual love of Christ and

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 303
His Church for their model, and live with each other
in peace and conjugal fidelity, until death separates
them ;
2. They should edify each other by leading a holy
life ; '
3. They should concur together in bringing up
their children in the fear of God, and suffer no
servants to be in their house who might endanger
their innocence ;
4. The husband should treat his wife with kind
ness, support and cherish her ; the wife should obey
her husband in all that is just and honorable, and
conscientiously manage the domestic concerns.2
1 'Marriage honorable in all, and the bed uncTefiled; for
fornicators and adulterers God will judge ' (Heb. xiii. 4). '' ' As
the Church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be to their
husbands in all things'; i.e., that are just and honorable.
' Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church,
and delivered Himself up for it. . . . For no man ever hated
his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, as also Christ
doth the Church' (Ephes. v. 24-29).
9. What should married people consider when they
are tempted to break their conjugal fidelity ?
1. That by adultery they break the solemn con
tract they have made in the presence of God and of
the Church ;
2. That they break the most sacred bond by which,
according to God's disposal, human society is united
and kept together ;
3. That they disturb domestic peace, hinder the
good education of their children, and destroy the hap
piness of the whole family; and
4. That they expose themselves to the danger of
falling into disgrace and misery, and all sorts of sins
and vices, and even of being severely chastised, and
ultimately entirely rejected by God Himself.
' He that is an adulterer shall destroy his own soul ; he
gathereth to himself shame and dishonor, and his reproach
shall not be blotted out ' (Prov. vi. 32, 33).
In the Old Law adultery was, by God's command, punished

304 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
with death, and, in the Primitive Church, with public penance
of many years, like manslaughter. — Sin and punishment of
King David.
10. What should those people bear in mind who
imend to enter the married state ?
1. They should not thoughtlessly, and without due
reflection, enter into an engagement to marry.
2. They should be properly instructed, and be free
from impediments ;
3. They should live innocently whilst they are en
gaged, and should not think that, during that time,
they are allowed sinful liberties on that account.
4. They should enter the marriage state with a pure
and holy intention ; and
5. Before they marry, they should make a good
Confession and worthily receive Holy Communion.
' We are the children of saints, and we must not be joined
together like heathens that know not God ' (Tob. viii. 5).
Example of Sara, who could say to God: 'Thou knowesf,
O Lord, that I never coveted a husband, and have kept my
soul clean from all lust. Never have I joined myself with
them that play, neither have I made myself partaker with
them that walk in lightness. But a husband I consented to
take, with Thy fear, not with my lust ' (Tob. iii. 16-18).
11 . Who may be said to espouse each other thought
lessly ?
1. All who neglect to have previous recourse to
God, and disregard His will, the advice of their
parents, and the salvation of their own soul in the
affair (Prov. xix. 14) ;
2. Those who, in their choice, care less for religion
and virtue than for temporal advantages, etc. ; and
3. Those who do not first consider whether they
will be able to fulfil the weighty duties of the married
state. The husband should be able to maintain his wife and chil
dren ; he should not be a free-thinker, or addicted to gambling.
drinking, quarrelling, cursing, etc. The wife should be free
from vanity, love of finery, and capriciousness; she should be

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 305
chaste, pious, modest, industrious, and economical. Both should
possess the requisite virtue, intelligence, and learning in reli-
§ious matters, in order to be able to give their children a
hristian education.
12. Are people bound to keep their promise or
engagement to marry each other ?
Yes, under pain of grievous sin ; unless both par
ties voluntarily retract it, or either of them, for parti
cular reasons, has a right to retract, which is to be
decided by their spiritual Superiors.
13. What sin do they commit who receive the
Sacrament of Matrimony with an unholy intention,
or in the state of mortal sin ?
They render themselves guilty of sacrilege, and,
therefore, unworthy of all the Divine graces and
• blessings. 14. How many kinds of Impediments are there ?
There are two kinds :
1. Such as render marriage unlawful ; as, for in
stance, the forbidden times, the simple vow of chas
tity, a promise of marriage to another person, etc. ;
2. Such as render it also null; for instance, con
sanguinity and affinity to the fourth degree in
clusively ; spiritual relationship ; a solemn vow of
chastity ; one of the parties not being a Christian ;
likewise (in those places where the special canons of
the Council of Trent on clandestine marriages have
been received and published) the marriage not being
contracted in the presence of the Pastor, or of a
Priest commissioned by him, and of two witnesses at
least; and others.
In order to discover whether there are any Impediments of
marriage, it is very advisable for the parties to make a sincere
General Confession some time before they enter into the con
tract. For this same reason the Banns are published _ in the
Church; and any one who knows of an Impediment is in con
science bound to declare it to the Pastor.
15. What is understood by the forbidden times ?

3 d6 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
1. The time which begins with the first Sunday of
Advent and ends with the Epiphany of our Lord;
and 2. That which begins with Ash Wednesday and
ends with Low Sunday, within which times the
Church forbids the solemnizing of marriage, because
they have been particularly set apart for penance
and prayer.
In many dioceses it has been decreed that within these times
no marriage is to be contracted without a special dispensation
from the Bishop. But even in case this is granted, the married
parties, conformably to a general command of the Church, are
forbidden to celebrate their wedding with pageantry, entertain
ments, and rejoicings; nor is the Priest allowed to say the Mass
appointed in the Missal for the bridegroom and the bride, or
to give them the solemn nuptial Benediction independently of
this Mass.
16. Can the Impediments of Marriage never be "
dispensed with ?
The Church can dispense with some when there
are sufficient reasons, but not with all ; on this sub
ject the parties must confer with their Pastor.
Only the Church, in whose power it is to grant or to refuse
the dispensation (and not those who ask for it, and are too
easily deceived by a blind passion), is competent to decide
whether the reasons be sufficient. That these reasons must, at
all events, be weighty, is evident from the decree of the Council
of Trent (Sess. 24, Ch. v.), which says that 'Impediments of
marriage are either never, or but rarely, to be dispensed with.'
A dispensation got by fraud, though valid before men, is, never
theless, invalid before God.
17. What should we think of mixed marriages —
i.e., of marriages which are contracted between
Catholics and non- Catholics, especially Protestants ?
That the Church has, at all times, disapproved of
such marriages, and never permits them, except on
certain conditions.

18. Why does the Church disapprove of such mar-
iges ?
1. Because the Catholic party is exposed to great

riages ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 307
danger of either losing the faith or of becoming in
different ;
2. Because the Catholic education of the children
is generally deficient, and not seldom impossible ;
3. Because the non-Catholic party does not acknow
ledge Matrimony either as a Sacrament or as in
dissoluble, and can, therefore, according to his or her
principles, separate, and marry again, which the
Cajholic consort is not permitted to do ; and
4. Because for that very reason such a marriage
never is a true emblem of the most intimate, indis
soluble union of Christ with His Church, which,
however, every Christian marriage ought to be ; in
fine, •
5. Because the happiness of conjugal union de
pends, above all, on unity of faith.
19. On what conditions does the Church consent
" to a mixed marriage ?
On these : 1. That the Catholic party be allowed
the free exercise of religion ; 2. That he or she earn
estly endeavor to gain by persuasion the non-Catholic
consort to the true Church; and 3. That all the
children be brought up in the Catholic religion
(Briefs of Pius VIII. and Gregory XVI.)
20. Is the Church obliged to require such conditions?
Yes ; otherwise she would, either be indifferent to
the eternal perdition of her children, or deny that
she alone is the true saving Church.
21. Can, then, a person never be permitted to con-,
tract a mixed marriage, unless the Catholic education
of the children be previously secured ?
No ; for such a marriage would be a grievous sin
against the Catholic Church and the spiritual wel
fare of the children that may be'born ; wherefore the
Church can in no case give her consent to it.
Parents who consent to such a marriage of their child render
themselves guilty of the same sin as the child, and mcur a
severe responsibility before God.

3°° A Catechism of the Catholic Religien.
Application. In the choice of a state of life con
sult, above all things, God and the salvation of your
soul. Should you, after a mature deliberation, think
yourself to be called to the married state, prepare
yourself for it by prayer, good works, and especially
by a good General Confession, and be careful not to
follow those who, by sin and vice, draw the curse of
God upon their heads. On Sacramentals.
1. What do we usually understand by Sacra-
mentals ?
By Sacramentals we understand,
1. All those things which the Church blesses or
consecrates for the Divine Service, or for our own
pious use : as Holy Water, Oil, Salt, Bread, Wine,
Palms, Altars, Chalices, etc.;
2. Also the Exorcisms, Blessings, and Consecrations"
used by the Chuich.
2. Why are such things called Sacramentals ?
They are called Sacramentals because they resem
ble the Sacraments, though they are essentially differ
ent from them.
3. What is the difference between the Sacramentals
and the Sacraments ?
1. The Sacraments were instituted by God, and
operate by the efficacy which God gave them ; the
Sacramentals, on the contrary, were instituted by the
Church, and produce their effects by the prayers and
blessings of the Church ;
2. The Sacraments have an infallible effect, unless
we put an obstacle in their way ; but the effect of the
Sacramentals depends principally on the pious in
tention of the person who makes use of them ;
3. The Sacraments effect immediately inward sanc
tification, whereas the Sacramentals, by imparting sub
ordinate graces, only contribute towards it, and protect
us also from temporal evils ;

.A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 309
4. The Sacraments are in general necessary, and
commanded by God ; but the Sacramentals are only
recommended by the Church as useful and wholesome.
4. Why does the Church consecrate or bless the
things belonging to the Divine Service ?
The Church consecrates or blesses all those things
that belong to the Divine Service, as Churches, Altars,
[Bells, Vestments, etc., 1. In order to sanctify them,
and dedicate them peculiarly to the Divine Service ;
and 2. To render them more venerable and salutary
to us. (Anniversary of the Dedication of a Church.)
' Every creature is sanctified by the word of God and prayer'
(1 Tim. iv. 5). Thus, even in the Old Law, the altar a»d all the
vessels thereof were sprinkled and anointed, as the Lord had com
manded (Levit. viii. 11).
5. Why does the Church bless also Bread, Wine, the
Fruits of the field, and such like things ?
The Church blesses these things,
1. After the example of Jesus Christ, who also
blessed loaves and fishes (Luke ix. 16) ;
2. That ' to them that love God, all things [may]
work together unto good' (Eom. viii. 28) ; and
3. That as by the sin of Adam the curse of God
extended to all the creatures of the earth (Gen. iii. 17 ;
Eom. viii. 20-22), so also His blessings may be poured
out over all.
From our birth to our death the Church incessantly shows her
love and solicitude for us : she prays for us, consoles us, helps
us, blesses as ; even over our last place of rest — the cemetery
and grave — she pronounces her blessing.
6. Why should we especially make a devout use of
the Sacramentals ?
Because we participate through them in the prayer
and blessing of the whole Church, in the name of
which the Priest consecrates and blesses.
If in the Old Law the blessing of the patriarchs was so highly
esteemed, how much more should we esteem the blessing of the

310 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion-.
Churchy which Christ has entrusted with the inexhaustible trea»
sure of His means of grace and salvation 1
7. Has, then, the prayer of the Church a particular
efficacy ?
Yes, the prayer of the Church has a particular effi
cacy, 1. Because she is the Body of Christ, animated and
guided by His Spirit ; and
2. Because her prayer is always united with the
prayer of Jesus and His Saints.
8. What does the Church usually pray for when
she consecrates or blesses ?
She prays for the averting of the judgments of God,
for protection against the devil, for peace, blessing,
well-being of the soul and body, etc.
That the Church should use symbolical signs, especially the
Sign of the Cross, and blessed things, as Holy Water, Holy Oils,
Agnus Dei's,- Palms, etc., in imparting her blessing and the
fruits of her prayer, ought not to surprise us more than that God,
both in the Old and New Testament, was pleased to distribute
His graces and blessings to the people by means of various signs
and things (see Num. xxi. 9. ; Tob. vi. 8 and 11 ; 4 Kings v. and
xiii. ; Mark vi. 13, etc.)
9. How should we use Holy Water?
A pious Christian sprinkles himself with Holy
Water not only when he enters or leaves the Church,
but also in his house, when rising and going to bed,
when going out and returning, and on many other
occasions; and, at the same time, he begs of God
that, through the Blood of Jesus Christ, he may he
more and more purified, and be protected in all
dangers of soul and body.
10. Why are the people sprinkled with Holy Water
before High Mass ?
Because we should be pure and holy when we ap
pear in the presence of God, and pray to Him.
Application. Beware of being indifferent to the

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 311
prayers and blessings of the Church, but respect and
esteem them, and use all things blessed by the
Church, especially Holy Water, with due reverence
and devotion.
On Prater.
1. What is Prayer?
Prayer is the raising up of our minds and hearts
to God, either to praise Him, or to thank Him, or to
beg His grace; and therefore it is divided into Prayer
of Praise, Prayer of Thanksgiving, and Prayer of
Petition. 2. What does to praise God mean ? *
To praise God means to rejoice at His infinite Per
fections, aud to glorify and adore Him on that account
(Ps. ix. 3).
Examples: David in his Psalms; the three children in the
fiery furnace (Dan. iii.); the Blessed Virgin (Luke 1 46, etc.)
3. Are we obliged to praise God ?
Yes, we are; for this we were created, and this
will one day be our eternal occupation in Heaven
(Apoc. iv.)
' Mv mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and let all
flesh bless His holy name for ever, yea for ever and ever' (Ps.
cxliv. 21). 'Be ye filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to
yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual canticles, sing
ing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord ' (Eph. v.
18, 19).
4. Must we also thank God for His gifts ?
Yes; for ingratitude is a detestable vice' whereas
gratitude is the best means to obtain new benefits.
'In all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus' (1 Thess. v. 18).
5. Must we also bee/ graces of God?
'Ask,' says Jesus Christ Himself, ' and it shall be
given you ; seek, and you shall find ; knock, and it
shall be opened to you ; (Luke xi. 9).

312 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
6. Is Prayer necessary to all ?
Prayer is necessary for salvation to all who have
sufficiently the use of reason.
7 Why is Prayer necessary to all ?
Because God has commanded it, and because, with
out it, we do not receive the graces necessary to per
severe to the end.
8. But does not God already know what we stand
in need of ?
Most certainly ; but we do not pray to tell God
what we stand in need of, but to acknowledge Him
as the Giver of all good gifts, to testify our depen
dence on Him, and thereby to render ourselves more
worthy of His gifts.
9. What are the principal fruits of Prayer ?
Prayer, 1. Unites us to God ; 2. Makes us heavenly-
minded; 3. Strengthens us against evil; 4. Gives us
zeal and energy for good; 5. Comforts us in adversity;
and 6. Obtains help for us in time of need, and the
grace of perseverance unto death.
Examples: Moses (Exod. xvii. 11); Samuel (1 Kings xii. 18):
Judith (Judith ix. etc.); Esther (Esther xiv.ete); theMachabees
(2 Mac. xv. 27) ; the first Christians whilst Peter was in prison
(Acts xii. 5, ete.)
10. How must we pray that we may obtain these
fruits ?
We must pray, 1. With devotion; 2. With humility;
3. With confidence ; 4. With resignation to the will of
God; ana 5. With perseverance.
11. When do we pray with devotion ?
When our prayer comes from the heart, and we
avoid all distracting thoughts as much as possible.
'This people honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is
tar from me ' (Matt. xv. 8).
12. Are all the distractions in prayer sinful ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 313
They are sinful when we ourselves are the cause of
them, or wilfully admit or entertain them; but when
we struggle against them, they increase our merit.
13. What should we do in order that we may be
less distracted in our prayers ?
Before our prayers we should, as far as possible,
banish all worldly thoughts, and represent the Omni
present God in a lively manner to our mind.
' Before prayer prepare thy soul, and be not as a man that
tempteth God ' (Ecclus. xviii. 23).
14. When do we pray with humility ?
When we address our prayers to God with a sin.
cere acknowledgment of our weakness and uaworthi-
ness. ' The prayer of him that humbleth himself shall pierce the
clouds' (Ecclus. xxxv. 21). — The Pharisee and the Publican
(Luke xviii.)
15. When do we pray with confidence?
When we firmly hope that God will hear our prayer,
inasmuch as it is conducive to His honor and to our
salvation. 'Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering; for he that waver-
eth is like a wave of the sea, which is moved and carried about
by the wind. Therefore let not that man think that he shall
receive anything of the Lord' (James i. 6, 7).
16, Why may and ought we to have this firm
hope ?
Because God can give us all good things, and, for
the sake of Jesus, will also really do so, as our Saviour
Himself solemnly assures us, saying: 'Amen, amen
I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in my
name, He will give it to you ' (John xvi. 23 ; comp.
Mark xi. 23, 24).
17, But why do we not always receive what we ask
f or ?
L Either because we do not pray aa we ought ; or

314 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
2. Because that which we ask for is prejudicial to
our salvation ; or
3. Because we do not persevere in praying; there
fore we must also pray with resignation to the will of
God, and perseverance.
1 8, When do we pray with resignation to the will
of God?
When we leave it entirely to Him to hear us when
and how He thinks proper.
' Father, not my will, but Thine be done ' (Luke xxii. 42).
19. When do we pray with perseverance ?
VVHien we do not desist, although we are not
aware of being heard, but continue to pray the more
fervently. Example of the woman of Chanaan (Matt, xv.); parable of the
friend who asks for three loaves (Luke xi 5-10).
20. Must we always use a set form of words in our
prayers ?
No ; this is done in Vocal Prayer only ; but there
is also an Interior or Mental Prayer, called Meditation.
21. In what does Meditation consist ?
It consists in reflecting upon the life and sufferings
of Jesus, upon the Divine Perfections, or other truths
of our religion, in order to excite in our hearts pious
sentiments, but especially good and efficacious resolu
tions. 22. When ought we to pray ?
Christ says 'that we ought always to pray, and not
to faint ' (Luke xviii. 1).
23. How is it possible to pray always ?
We pray always when we frequently raise up our
minds and hearts to God, and offer up to Him all our
labors, sufferings, and pleasures. Yet at certain times
we are to pray in an especial manner.
24. When are we thus especially to pray ?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 315
1. In time of temptation and other urgent need,
and during private and public calamities ; 2. -In the
morning and at night ; before and after meals ; when
the Angelas bell rings ; and when we are in the Church.
25. Why should we particularly pray in the Church ?
Because the Church is especially the house of God
and of prayer, where all that we see and hear is in
tended to raise our minds and hearts to the meditation
on Divine things.
26. For whom must we pray ?
We must pray for all men : for the living and the
dead ; for friends and enemies ; especially for our pa
rents, brothers and sisters, benefactors, spiritual and
temporal Superiors, and also for heretics and infidels.
' I desire therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, in
tercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings,
and for all that ar ; in high station, that we may lead a quiet and
a peaceable life in all piety and chastity ' (1 Tim. ii. 1, 2).
Application. Consider how happy you are that you,
a miserable worm of the earth, are allowed to speak to
God, the Most High, as a child speaks to his father.
Pray, therefore, often and willingly, and always with as
much devotion as you possibly can, both at home and
in the Church. § 1. On the Lord's Prayer.
27. Which is the most excellent of all prayers ?
The most excellent of all prayers is the Our Father,
or the Lord's Prayer.
28. Why is the Our Father called the Lord's Pray
er? Because Christ our Lord has taught it to us, and
commanded us to say it (Matt. vi. 9-13).
29. What does the Lord's Prayer contain ?
It contains a short Preface and Seven Petitions.

316 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
30. What do you call its Preface ?
These words : ' Our Father who art in Heaven.'
31. What does the Father remind us of ?
Tliat God is our Father, so good and so worthy of
veneration that there is no earthly father like Him ;
and that we, therefore, ought to pray to Him with a
child-like reverence, love, and confidence.
32. Why do we say our Father, and not my Father ?
Because, God being the Father of all men, we are
all His children, and should therefore love one another
as brothers, and pray for one another (Mai. ii. 10).
33. Why do we add these words : ' Who art in
Heaven ' ?
To call to our mind,
1. That God, though he is everywhere, dwells es
pecially in Heaven, where we shall one day see Him
face to face (1 Cor. xiii. 12) ;
2. That we are but pilgrims upon earth, and that
our true country is in Heaven ; and
3. That when we pray, we must detach our hearts
from all earthly things, and raise them up to Heaven.
34. What do we ask for in the First Petition :
'ffalloiced be Thy name'?
That the name of God may never be profaned or
blasphemed, but that God may be rightly known,
loved, and honored by us and by all men.
35. Why is this the First Petition ?
Because we are to esteem the honor and glory of
God more than all things else.
36. What do we ask for in the Second Petition :
'Thy Kingdom come' ?
1. That the kingdom of God, the Church, may be
more and more extended upon earth ;
2. That the kingdom of divine grace and love may
now be established in our hearts, in order that,

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 317
3. After this life, we may all be admitted into the
kingdom of Heaven.
37. What is the meaning of the Third Petition :
'Ihy mil be done on earth as it is in Heaven'?
x. We ask that we and all men may do the will of
God on earth as faithfully and cheerfully as the An
gels and Saints do it in Heaven; and
2. We profess that, in all things, we submit our
selves to the holy will of God.
38. What do we ask for in the Fourth Petition :
' Give us this day our daily bread ' ?
We ask that God would give us all that is daily
necessary for our soul and body.
39. Why does Christ bid us ask for our daily bread
only ?
To teach us that we should wish only for neces
saries, not for riches and abundance.
' Having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these we
are content ' (1 Tim. vi. 8).
40. What do we ask for in the Fifth Petition :
'Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that
trespass against us ' ?
That God would so forgive us all our sins as we for
give others who have offended us.
41. May those who do not forgive expect forgive
ness themselves ?
No ; on the contrary, they pass judgment upon
themselves as often as they say the Our Father.
' Forgive thy neighbor if he hath hurt thee ; and then shall
thy sins be forgiven to thee when thou prayest ' (Ecclus. xxviii.
2). 42. What do we ask for in the Sixth Petition :
lLead us not into temptation ' ?
We ask that God would remove from us all tempta
tions and all the dangers of sin, or, at least, give us
grace sufficient to resist them.

318 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
43. By whom are we tempted to sin ?
1. By our own Flesh or Concupiscence ; ' for the
flesh lusteth against the spirit ' (Gal. v. 17) ;
2. By the World — i.e., by its vain pomps, bad exam
ples, and wicked maxims ; and
3. By the Devil, 'who, as a roaring lion, goeth
about seeking whom he may devour ' (1 Pet. v. 8).
44. Why does God permit us to be tempted ?
1. To keep us humble ;
2. To try our faithfulness or to punish our un
faithfulness ; and
3. To increase our zeal for virtue, and our merits.
1. 'Lest the greatness of the revelations should exalt me,
there was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel of Satan, to
buffet me ' (2 Cor. xii. 7). 2. ' The Lord your God trieth you,
that it may appear whether you love Him with all your heart
and with all your soul, or no ' (Deut. xiii. 3). ' Blessed is the man
that endureth temptation ; for when he hath been proved he
shall receive the crown of life, which God hath promised to
them that love him ' (James i. 12).
45. Is temptation in itself a sin ?
Temptation in itself is not a sin ; hut to expose our
selves heedlessly to temptation, or to yield to it, is a
sin. For our consolation and instruction, Christ Himself allowed
the Devil to tempt Him (Matt, iv.)
46. What must we do in order that we may not
yield ?
We must especially watch and pray, as Christ our
Lord says : ' Watch ye and pray that ye enter not into
temptation ' (Matt. xxvi. 41).
47. What do we ask for in the Seventh Petition :
' But deliver us from evil ' ?
That God would preserve us from all evil of soul
and body, especially from sin and eternal damnation.
48. Why do we add the word ' Amen,' or ' So
hit'?

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 319
To express by it our ardent desire, and also our con
fidence, of being heard.
Application. Always say the Lord's Prayer with
reverential attention, remembering that wo have re
ceived it from our Divine Eedeemer Himself.
§ 2. On the Angelical Salutation.
49. What prayer do Catholics usually say after the
Our Father ?
The prayer which is said in honor of the Mother
of God, and is called the Angelical Salutation, or Hail
Mary. 50. Why do we add the Angelical Salutation to the
Lord's Prayer ?
That the Most Blessed Mother of God may second
our weak prayer by her powerful intercession with her
Divine Son.
51. How many parts has the Hail Mary ?
Two parts : A Prayer of Praise and a Prayer of
Petition. 52. Of what is the Prayer of Praise composed ?
1. Of the words of the Archangel Gabriel: 'Hail
[Mary], full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed
art thou among women ' ; and
2. Of the words of St. Elizabeth : ' And blessed is
the fruit of thy womb,'' to which we add the name of
Jesus. ' Hail' is a term of salutation, equivalent to ' Ave or ' Salve,'
*nd means 'Be well,' 'Health to thee,' or 'Z salute thee' (The
Transl.) 53. When did the Archangel Gabriel speak those
words ?
When he announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary
that she would become the Mother of God (Luke i. 28).
54. When were the above words spoken by St.
Elizabeth ?

320 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
When Mary went into the hill country, and visited
her cousin Elizabeth (Luke i. 42).
55. Why do we address Mary by these words : ' Full
of grace ' ?
1. Because Mary was replenished with grace, even
before her birth ; 2. Because she always increased in
grace ; and 3. Because she brought forth the Author
of all graces ?
56. Why do we say : ' The Lord is with thee' ?
Because God is, in a most particular manner, with
the Blessed Virgin, wherefore she is justly called the
Chosen Daughter of the Heavenly Father, the true
Mother of the Divine Son, and the Immaculate
Spouse of the Holy Ghost.
57. What is the meaning of these words of praise:
'Blessed art thou among women ' ?
That Mary is the happiest of all the daughters of
Eve: 1. Because she was chosen before all to be the
Mother of God;
2. Because she alone is a Mother and, at the same
time, a Virgin; and
3. Because the first woman entailed a curse on the
world ; Mary, on the other hand, brought us salva
tion. 58. Why do we add these words: 'Blessed is the
fruit of thy womb, Jesus' ?
To show that the veneration of Mary is inseparable
from the veneration of Christ, and that we praise the
Mother for the sake of the Son.
59. Of what is the Prayer of Petition composed ?
Of the words which were added by the Church :
'Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.'
60. Why were these words added by the Church ?
1. That we may profess by them before the whole

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 321
world that Mary is truly Mother of God, because her
child is truly God ; and 2. That we may often im
plore the assistance of her prayers in all our neces
sities, and especially for obtaining the grace of a
happy death.
61. Why should we often pray for a happy death ?
1. Because our eternal salvation depends on the
last moments of our life ; 2. Because, at that critical
time, the temptations are commonly more violent and
more dangerous ; and 3. Because perseverance to the
end of life is a special grace, for which we ought
continually to pray (Counc. of Tr., Sess. 6, Can. vi.
62. Has the Blessed Virgin great influffuce with
God ?
Certainly; for it has never been heard yet that
any one who had recourse to Mary, and with true
devotion implored her intercession, has ever been
abandoned by God (St. Bernard).
\ 63. What prayer do we say when, morning, noon,
and night the bell is rung for the ' Angelus'?
We say the following :
The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary. And
she conceived of the Holy Ghost. Hail, Mary, etc.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done
unto me according to thy word. Hail, Mary, etc.
And the Word was made flesh. And dwelt among
us. Hail Mary, etc.
Pray for us, 0 Holy Mother of God !
That we may be made worthy of the promises of
Christ. Let us pray :
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, 0 Lord, Thy grace
into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of
Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of
an Angel, may, bv His Passion and Cross, be brought
to the glory of His Eesurrection, through the same
Christ our Lord. Amen.

322 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
Even if we live in countries or in places where such public
signal is not given, nevertheless, as this pious exercise is
strongly recommended by the Church, and several Popes have
granted many spiritual favors and indulgences to those who
daily and devoutly practise it, let us be careful to say this
prayer with great devotion every day in the morning, at noon,
and in the evening (The TransL)
64. Why do we say this prayer ?
i 1. To give thanks to God for the Incarnation of
Christ ; and 2. To honor the Blessed Virgin, and to
recommend ourselves to her protection.
65. What is the Rosary ?
It is a very useful and easy form of prayer, mental
as well as vocal, which was introduced by St. Dominic
in the thirteenth century, was approved by the Church,
and has, since then, always been practised and re
commended by her.
This form of prayer is called Rosary because it is, as it
were, a c/iaplet of the most beautiful prayers and meditations,
wherein the principal mysteries of our religion are wreathed
like fragrant roses. Hence the name. It is divided into three
parts, each part consisting of five Mysteries. The first five are
called the Joyful Mysteries; the next five, the Dolorous or
Sorrowful Mysteries ; and the last five, the Glorious Mysteries.
It is true that in the Rosary the same salutation is often re
peated; but this' ought not to surprise us more than that, in
Psalm cxxxv. the words, ' His mercy endt/reth for ever,' are re
peated twenty-seven times; or that the Angels in Heaven in
cessantly sing, ' Holy, holy, holy' Nor ought this practice to
appear tedious to us, since the mind is, in the mean time, to be
occupied with the contemplation of the Holy Mysteries.
The titles of honor, which are given to our Blessed Lady in
the Litany of Loretto, as Mystical Rose, Tower of David,
Morning Stnr, etc., are symbolical expressions taken from the
Holy Scripture, and are applied to her on account of the emi
nent privileges and graces conferred on her.
Application. Honor the Blessed Virgin in a most
particular and childlike manner. Implore her as
sistance in all your necessities and concerns, and
strive eagerly to imitate her charity, patience, purity,
and other virtues.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 323
ON RELIGIOUS PRACTICES AND CEREMONIES IN
GENERAL, AND ON SOME IIS PARTICULAR.
1. What do we understand by Religious Ceremonies ?
By Religious Ceremonies vie understand certain sig
nificant signs or actions, which the Church has estab
lished for the celebration of the Divine Service.
2. Why is the instruction on Prayer followed here
by the explanation of Religious Practices and Cere
monies? 1. Because Eeligious Ceremonies have been instituted
to give praise and glory to God, no less than Prayer
itself; and 2. Because they help us to elevate our
souls to God and to the contemplation %f Divine
things, and consequently to pray with attention and
devotion. 3. How do Ceremonies help us to elevate our souls
to God and Divine things ?
They help us, 1. Because they render the Divine
Service more solemn, and thereby captivate our atten
tion, and draw it from earthly objects to God; and 2.
Because they represent in a visible manner before our
eyes mysteries invisible in themselves, and thereby
render it easier for us to meditate on them.
4. Are not Ceremonies idle Observances ?
Not at all ; for, 1. God Himself prescribed, under
severe penalties, several kinds of Ceremonies to the
Jews ; 2. Christ our Lord also used various Ceremo
nies; and 3. He Himself instituted sacramental signs
or Ceremonies.
1. See the Book of Leviticus. 2. For instance, when He
healed the man that was deaf and dumb (Mark vii.); when
He gave sight to the man born blind (John ix.); when He
breathed on His disciples, and imparted to them the Holy
Ghost <John xx.) 3. When He instituted the Holy Eucharist,
Baptism, etc.
5. But must we not adore God in spirit and in
truth ? (John iv. 24).

324 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
By all means; and therefore the Church wishes that
we should not merely assist at the Ceremonies, but
also understand their meaning, and accompany them
with prayer and pious sentiments.
6. Have, then, all Eeligious Ceremonies a mean
ing ?
Yes ; all things which the Church makes use of for
celebrating the Divine Service have a mystical signifi
cation, and am intended to excite our souls to lively
sentiments of devotion.
The Ceremonies of Baptism, see pages 250 and 251 ; of Con
firmation, pages 254 to 256 ; of the Mass, pages 263 to 268 ;
Of the Blessing of water, salt, oil, etc., see pages 308, 310, etc.
7. But are there not also Eeligious Ceremonies and
Practices which are useless and superfluous ?
No ; that which the holy infallible Church ordains,
approves, or practises, cannot but be useful and salu
tary, because she is always guided by the Holy Ghost
8. What is, then, the use of Incense ?
Incense is an emblem of reverence and of prayer
which should ascend to Heaven as a sweet odor before
God (Ps. cxl. 2).
9. What do the Lighted Candles signify ?
They signify Faith which enlightens, Hope which
soars above this world, and Charity which inflames ;
and they recall also to our mind those times of perse
cution when the Christians celebrated the Divine Ser
vice in Catacombs or subterranean caverns.
10, What do the Candles blessed on the Feast of
the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary especially
call to our mind ?
The words of Simeon, that Jesus is ' a Light to the
revelation of the Gentiles," and that we also are to
walk as ' children of the Light' (Luke ii. 32 ; Ephes.
V". 8) .

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 325
1 I.e., a Light to be revealed to the Gentiles, or to lighten the
Gentiles (The Transl.)
11. What does the Paschal Candle remind us of ?
It reminds us of Jesus Christ, risen from the dead,
who rescued us from the servitude of Satan, as former
ly the pillar of fire led the Children of Israel out of
the bondage of the Egyptians (Exod. xiv. 20).
12. What do the Ashes blessed on Ash- Wednesday
call to our remembrance ?
That we should humble ourselves, and sincerely re
pent ; therefore the Priest, whilst he puts ashes on our
heads, says : ' Eemember, man, that thou ait dust, and
into dust thou shalt return' (Gen. iii. 19).
Ashes were even in the Old Testament an emblem of penince
and humility .; — Examples : The Ninivites, Judith, Esther, etc.
13. What do the Palms on Palm-Sunday call to our
mind ?
The triumphant entrance of our Lord into Jeru
salem, and His victory over Hell ; and that we also
should strive to gain the palm of eternal life.
14. For what end are Public Supplications and Pro
cessions made ?
1. To praise God also publicly, to thank Him, to
draw down, by our prayers, His protection and bless
ing upon town and country, and to avert His chastise
ments ;
2. To proclaim the victory and triumph of the Ca
tholic Eeligion, for which purpose the Cross and Ban
ner precede ; and
3. To remind us that we are but pilgrims in this
World, and that we should constantly walk before God.
We meet with examples of such Public Supplications and Pro
cessions as early, as the most ancient times of Christianity.
15. What should we think of Pilgrimages?
When they are made according to the intentions of
the Church, they are certainly much to be commend-

326 A Catechism of the Catholic Religion.
ed ; nay, they are evenconfirmed by the example of
the Saints, and by the Indulgences of the Church.
It is true that God is, and hears us, everywhere ; nevertheless,
He may be more disposed to hear us in certain places, as well as
at certain times. Moreover, in Places of Pilgrimage there are
many things calculated to excite us to pray with greater fervor
and confidence, and, therefore, with more chances of being heard.
Should abuses intervene, not the Pilgrimages, but the abuses,
should be condemned.
16. How does the Church wish Pilgrimages to be
made ?
The Church wishes, 1. That we should not neglect
for them the urgent duties of our state or profes
sion ; 2. That we should have a good intemion ; 3. That
we should well employ the time engaged m them, and
patiently endure the hardships which attend them ;
and 4. That we should pray fervently at the Holy
Place, and, if possible, go there to Confassion and
Communion. 17. Have Pilgrimages long been in use ?
They were in use even under the Old Law.^ where
we see that, by an express command of God, the Israel
ites went on a pilgrimage to the Temple of Jerusalem,
as did also Jesus and Mary. And the first Christians
went frequently to the place where Christ lived and
suffered, and to the tombs of the Apostles and holy
Martyrs. 18. What are Confraternities?
They are pious Associations, generally approved of
by the Popes, and established for the purposes of mu
tual prayer, encouragement, and assistance in the per
formance of good works and the frequentation cf the
Sacraments. Since Confraternities conduce much to holiness of life, when
the rules — which, however, as such, do not bind under pain of
anv sin — are well kept, the Church has granted them ample In
dulgences ; yet all are free to apply or not for admittance into
them.

A Catechism of the Catholic Religion. 327
Application. Participate with great devotion in the
Eeligious Practices and Ceremonies of the Church, and
never suffer yourself to be diverted from them either
by the mockery or example of impious or thoughtless
people.

EECAPITULATION.

1. Our Religion is Divine.
This is proved by her History from the Creation of
the world to the present time ; viz., by her age, her
Founder, her propagation, her duration, her blessings,
and fruits, etc. (See Short History of ReWgion, pages
7-66). 2. This our Divine Religion teaches.
That we are in this world in order that we may serve
God in this life, and be eternally happy with Him
hereafter in Heaven. (See Catech. of the Catholic
Religion, pages 67-69.) For this end we must,
1. Believe all that God has revealed (70-153).
2. Keep all the Commandments which God has given
us either Himself (pages 158-208) or through His
Church (pages 209-219); consequently, also avoid
Sin, by which the Divine Command is broken (pages
220-227), and strive to lead a virtuous life (pages 228-
237). But this we cannot do without the Grace of
God (pages 238-245).
Therefore we must also,
3. Make use of the Means of Grace which God has
ordained; namely, the Sacraments (pages 245-310)
and Prayer (pages 311-326).

THE END.

Catholic Histories for Catholic Schools
THE YOUNG CATHOLIC'S
Series of Histories.

ANCIENT HISTORY.
Adapted from the French of Fr. Gazean, S.J. '

ROMAN HISTORY.
Adapted from the French of Fr. Gozeau, S.J.

HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE AGES.
Adapted from the French of Fr. Gazean, S.J.

MODERN HISTORY.
Adapted from the French of Fr. Gazean, S.J.

HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.
By J. K. G. Hassard. With Introdnction by Bp. Spalding.

INTRODUCTORY HISTORY OF THE,
UNITED STATES.
On the Catechetical Plan.

Special Terms for Introduction.

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