The Lord’s Prayer in General

1 Q. Which is the most excellent of all vocal prayers?
A. The most excellent of all vocal prayers is that which Jesus Christ taught us, that is to say, the Our Father.

2 Q. Why is the Our Father the most excellent of all prayers?
A. The Our Father is the most excellent of all prayers because Jesus Christ Himself composed it and taught it to us; because it contains clearly and in a few words all we can hope for from God; and because it is the standard and model of all other prayers.

3 Q. Is the Our Father also the most efficacious of prayers?
A. Yes, it is also the most efficacious of prayers, because it is the most acceptable to God, since in it we pray in the very words His Divine Son has taught us.

4 Q. Why is the Our Father called the Lord’s Prayer?
A. The Our Father is called the Lord’s Prayer, precisely because Jesus Christ our Lord has taught it to us with His own lips.

5 Q. How many petitions are there in the Our Father?
A. In the Our Father there are seven petitions preceded by an introduction.

6 Q. Say the Our Father.
A. (1) Our Father who art in Heaven: (2) Hallowed be Thy Name; (3) Thy kingdom come; (4) Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; (5) Give us this day our daily bread; (6) And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; (7) And lead us not into temptation; (8) But deliver us from evil. Amen.

7 Q. When invoking God in the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer, why do we call Him Our Father?
A. In the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer we call God Our Father, to foster confidence in His infinite goodness by the remembrance that we are his children.

8 Q. How can we say that we are the children of God?
A. We are the children of God: first, because He has created us in His own image, and preserves and governs us by His providence; and secondly, because by an Act of special benevolence He has adopted us in Baptism as brothers of Jesus Christ and co-heirs with Him to eternal glory.

9 Q. Why do we call God Our Father and not my Father?
A. We call God Our Father and not my Father, because we are all His children, and hence we should look on and love one another as brothers and pray for one another.

10 Q. God being in every place, why do we say: Who art in heaven?
A. God is in every place; but we say: Our Father who art in heaven, to raise our hearts to heaven, where God manifests His glory to His children.

The First Petition

11 Q. What do we ask in the First Petition when we say: Hallowed be Thy Name?
A. In the First Petition: Hallowed be Thy Name, we ask that God may be known, loved, honored and served by the whole world and by ourselves in particular.

12 Q. What do we intend when we ask that God may be known, loved, honored and served by the whole world?
A. We intend to beg that infidels may come to the knowledge of the Lord God, that heretics may recognize their errors, that schismatics may return to the unity of the Church, that sinners may repent, and that the just may persevere in well-doing.

13 Q. Why do we first of all ask that the Name of God may be sanctified?
A. We first of all ask that the Name of God may be sanctified, because the glory of God should be nearer our hearts than all other goods and interests.

14 Q. How can we promote the glory of God?
A. We can promote the glory of God by prayer, by good example, and by directing to Him all our thoughts, affections and actions.

The Second Petition

15 Q. What do we mean by the Kingdom of God?
A. By the Kingdom of God we mean a threefold spiritual Kingdom; that is, the reign of God in us, or the reign of grace; the reign of God on earth, or the Holy Catholic Church; and the reign of God in heaven, or Paradise.

16 Q. In the words: Thy Kingdom come, what do we ask with regard to grace?
A. With regard to grace we beg that God may reign in us by His sanctifying grace, by which He deigns to dwell within us as a king in his palace; and that He may keep us ever united to Himself by the virtues of faith, hope and charity, through which He reigns over our intellect, our heart and our will.

17 Q. In the words: Thy Kingdom come, what do we ask regarding the Church?
A. Regarding the Church we ask that she may be spread and propagated ever more and more throughout the world for the salvation of mankind.

18 Q. In the words: Thy Kingdom come, what do we ask regarding Heaven?
A. Regarding Heaven we beg to be one day admitted into that Paradise for which we were created and where we shall be perfectly happy.

The Third Petition

19 Q. What do we ask in the Third Petition: Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven?
A. In the Third Petition: Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven, we beg the grace to do the will of God in all things by obeying His Commandments as promptly as the Angels and Saints obey Him in Heaven; and we also beg the grace to correspond to divine inspirations and to live resigned to the will of God should He send us tribulations.

20 Q. Is it necessary to do the will of God?
A. It is as necessary to do the will of God as it is to work out our salvation because Jesus Christ has said that they alone who have done the will of His Father shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

21 Q. In what way can we know the will of God?
A. We can know the will of God especially by means of the Church and of the spiritual superiors appointed by God to guide us along the way of salvation; we may also learn His most holy will from the divine inspirations that come to us and from the very surroundings in which the Lord has placed us.

22 Q. Should we always recognize the will of God in adversity as well as in prosperity?
A. Both in prosperity and adversity we should always recognize the will of God, who directs or permits all things for our good.

The Fourth Petition

23 Q. What do we ask in the Fourth Petition: Give us this day our daily bread?
A. In the Fourth Petition we beg of God all that is daily necessary for soul and body.

24 Q. What do we ask of God for our soul?
A. For our soul we ask of God the sustenance of our spiritual life, that is, we pray the Lord to give us His grace of which we stand in continual need.

25 Q. How is the life of the soul nourished?
A. The life of the soul is nourished principally by the food of the word of God and by the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

26 Q. What do we ask of God for our body?
A. For the body we ask all that is necessary for the sustainment of our temporal life.

27 Q. Why do we say: Give us this day our daily bread, rather than: Give us bread this day?
A. We say: Give us this day our daily bread, rather than: Give us bread this day, to exclude all desire of what is another’s; and hence we beg the Lord to help us in acquiring just and lawful gains, so that we may procure our maintenance by our own toil And without theft or fraud.

28 Q. Why do we say: Give us bread, and not: Give me bread?
A. We say: Give us, rather than, Give me, to remind us that as everything comes from God, so if He gives us His gifts in abundance, He does it in order that we may share what we do not need with the poor.

29 Q. Why do we add: Daily?
A. We add, Daily, because we should desire that which is necessary to life, and not an abundance of food and other goods of the earth.

30 Q. What more does Daily signify in the Fourth Petition?
A. The word Daily signifies that we should not be too solicitous regarding the future, but that we should simply ask what we need at present.

The Fifth Petition

31 Q. What do we ask in the Fifth Petition; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us?
A. In the Fifth Petition: And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us, we ask God to pardon us our sins as we pardon those who offend us.

32 Q. Why are our sins called debts?
A. Our sins are called debts, because we must satisfy God’s justice for them either in this life or in the next.

33 Q. Can those who do not forgive their neighbor hope that God will pardon them?
A. Those who do not forgive their neighbor have no reason to hope that God will pardon them; especially since they condemn themselves when they ask God to forgive them as they forgive their neighbor.

The Sixth Petition

34 Q. What do we ask in the Sixth Petition: And lead us not into temptation?
A. In the Sixth Petition: And lead us not into temptation, we ask God to deliver us from temptation either by not allowing us to be tempted, or by giving us grace not to be conquered.

35 Q. What are temptations?
A. Temptations are an incitement to sin that comes from the devil, or from the wicked, or from our own evil passions.

36 Q. Is it a sin to have temptations?
A. No, it is no sin to have temptations; but it is a sin to consent to them, or voluntarily to expose oneself to the danger of consenting to them.

37 Q. Why does God allow us to be tempted?
A. God allows us to be tempted so as to test our fidelity, increase our virtue, and augment our merits.

38 Q. What should we do to avoid temptations?
A. To avoid temptation we should fly dangerous occasions, guard our senses, receive the
sacraments frequently, and have recourse to the practice of prayer.

The Seventh Petition

39 Q. What do we ask in the Seventh Petition: But deliver us from evil?
A. In the Seventh Petition: But deliver us from evil, we ask God to free us from evils, past, present, and future, and particularly from the greatest of all evils which is sin, and from eternal damnation, which is its penalty.

40 Q. Why do we say: Deliver us from evil and not: From evils?
A. We say: Deliver us from evil, and not, from evils, because we should not desire to be exempt from all the evils of this life, but only from those which are not good for our souls; and hence we beg liberation from evil in general, that is, from whatever God sees would be bad for us.

41 Q. Is it not lawful to beg liberation from some evil in particular, for example, from sickness?
A. Yes, it is lawful to beg liberation from some evil in particular but always in bowing to the will of God, who may even ordain that particular affliction for the good of our soul.

42 Q. How do the tribulations, which God sends us, help us?
A. Tribulations help us to do penance for our sins, to practice virtue, and above all to imitate Jesus Christ, our Head, to whom it is fitting we should conform ourselves in our sufferings, if we wish to have a share in His glory.

43 Q. What is the meaning of Amen at the end of the Our Father?
A. Amen means: So be it; So I do desire; Thus do I pray the Lord; Thus do I hope.

44 Q. To obtain the graces asked in the Our Father is it enough to recite it any way at all?
A. To obtain the graces asked in the Our Father we must recite it without haste and with attention; and we must put our heart into it.

45 Q. When should we say the Our Father?
A. We should say the Our Father every day, because every day we have need of God’s help.

Prayer in General

1 Q. What does this Part of Christian Doctrine treat of?
A. This Part of Christian Doctrine treats of Prayer in general and of the Our Father in particular.

2 Q. What is prayer?
A. Prayer is an elevation of the mind to God to adore Him, to thank Him, and to ask Him for what we need.

3 Q. How is prayer divided?
A. Prayer is divided into mental and vocal prayer. Mental prayer is that made with the mind alone; and vocal prayer is that expressed in words accompanied by attention of
mind and devotion of heart.

4 Q. Can prayer be divided in any other way?
A. Prayer may also be divided into private and public prayer.

5 Q. What is private prayer?
A. Private prayer is that which each one says individually for himself or for others.

6 Q. What is public prayer?
A. Public prayer is that said by the Sacred Ministers in the name of the Church and for the salvation of the faithful. That prayer also which is said in common and publicly by the faithful, in processions, pilgrimages and in God’s house, may also be called public prayer.

7 Q. Have we a well-founded hope of obtaining by means of prayer the helps and graces of which we stand in need?
A. The hope of obtaining from God the graces of which we stand in need is founded on the promises of the omnipotent, merciful and all-faithful God, and on the merits of Jesus Christ.

8 Q. In whose name should we ask of God the graces we stand in need of?
A. We should ask of God the graces we stand in need of in the Name of Jesus Christ, as He Himself has taught us and as is done by the Church, which always ends her prayers with these words: Through our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 Q. Why should we beg graces of God in the Name of Jesus Christ?
A. We should beg graces of God in the Name of Jesus Christ because He is our Mediator, and it is through Him alone that we can approach the throne of God.

10 Q. If prayer is so powerful how is it that many times our prayers are not heard?
A. Many times our prayers are not heard, either because we ask things not conducive to our eternal salvation, or because we do not ask properly.

11 Q. Which are the chief things we should ask of God?
A. The chief things we should ask of God are His own glory, our eternal salvation and the means of obtaining it.

12 Q. Is it not also lawful to ask for temporal goods?
A. Yes, it is lawful to ask God for temporal goods, but always with the condition that these be in conformity with His Holy will and not a hindrance to our salvation.

13 Q. If God knows all that is necessary for us, why should we pray?
A. Although God knows all that is necessary for us, He nevertheless wills that we should pray to Him so as to acknowledge Him as the Giver of every good gift, to attest our humble submission to Him, and to merit His favors for ourselves.

14 Q. What is the first and best disposition to render our prayers efficacious?
A. The first and best disposition to render our prayers efficacious is to be in the state of grace; or if we are not in that state, to desire to put ourselves in it.

15 Q. What other dispositions are required in order to pray well?
A. To pray well we specially require recollection, humility, confidence, perseverance and resignation.

16 Q. What is meant by praying with recollection?
A. It means remembering that we are speaking to God; and hence we should pray with all respect and devotion, as far as possible avoiding distractions, that is, every thought foreign to our prayers.

17 Q. Do distractions lessen the merit of prayer?
A. Yes, when we ourselves bring them about, or when we do not promptly drive them away; but if we do all we can to be recollected in God, then our distractions do not lessen the merit of our prayer, and may even increase it

18 Q. What is required to pray with recollection?
A. Before prayer we should banish all occasions of distraction, and during prayer we should reflect that we are in the presence of God who sees and hears us.

19 Q. What is meant by praying with humility?
A. It means sincerely acknowledging our own unworthiness, powerlessness and misery, and as well as this observing a respectful posture.

20 Q. What is meant by praying with confidence?
A. It means that we should have a firm hope of being heard, if it is to God’s glory and our own true welfare.

21 Q. What is meant by praying with perseverance?
A. It means that we should not grow tired of praying, if God does not at once hear us, but that we should ever continue to pray with increased fervor.

22 Q. What is meant by praying with resignation?
A. It means that we should conform our will to the will of God, even when our prayers are not heard, because He knows better than we do what is necessary for our eternal salvation.

23 Q. Does God always hear prayers when well said?
A. Yes, God always hears prayers when well said; but in the way He knows to be most conducive to our eternal salvation, and not always in the way we wish.

24 Q. What effects does prayer produce in us?
A. Prayer makes us recognize our dependence on God, the Supreme Lord, in all things; it makes us think on heavenly things; it makes us advance in virtue; it obtains for us God’s mercy; it strengthens us against temptation; it comforts us in tribulation; it aids us in our needs; and it obtains for us the grace of final perseverance.

25 Q. When should we especially pray?
A. We should especially pray when in danger, in temptation, and at the hour of death; moreover, we should pray often, and it is advisable we should do so morning and night, and when beginning the more important actions of the day.

26 Q. For whom should we pray?
A. We should pray for all; first, for ourselves, then for our relatives, superiors, benefactors, friends and enemies; for the conversion of poor sinners, and of those outside the true Church, and for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

The Creed in General

1 Q. What is the first part of Christian Doctrine?
A. The first part of Christian Doctrine is the Symbol of the Apostles, commonly called the Creed.

2 Q. Why do you call the Creed the Symbol of the Apostles?
A. The Creed is called the Symbol of the Apostles because it is a summary of the truths of faith taught by the Apostles.

3 Q. How many articles are there in the Creed?
A. There are twelve articles in the Creed.

4 Q. Recite them.
(1) I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth;
(2) And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;
(3) Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost; born of the Virgin Mary;
(4) Suffered under Pontius Pilate: was crucified, dead, and buried;
(5) He descended into hell: the third day He rose again from the dead;
(6) He ascended into Heaven: sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
(7) From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
(8) I believe in the Holy Ghost;
(9) The Holy Catholic Church; the Communion of Saints;
(10) The forgiveness of sins;
(11) The resurrection of the body;
(12) Life everlasting. Amen.

5 Q. What is meant by the word: “I believe”, which you say at the beginning of the Symbol?
A. The word: I believe, means I hold everything that is contained in these twelve articles to be perfectly true; and I believe these truths more firmly than if I saw them with my eyes, because God, who can neither deceive nor be deceived, has revealed them to the Holy Catholic Church and through this Church to us.

6 Q. What do the articles of the Creed contain?
A. The articles of the Creed contain the principal truths to be believed concerning God, Jesus Christ, and the Church, His Spouse.

7 Q. Is it useful to recite the Creed frequently?
A. It is most useful to recite the Creed frequently, so as to impress the truths of faith more and more deeply on our hearts.

The First Article of the Creed

God the Father Almighty

1 Q. What does the First Article of the Creed: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, teach us?
A. The First Article of the Creed teaches us that there is one God, and only one; that He is omnipotent and has created heaven and earth and all things contained in them, that is to say, the whole Universe.

2 Q. How do we know that there is a God?
A. We know that there is a God because reason proves it and faith confirms it.

3 Q. Why do we call God the Father?
A. We call God the Father because by nature He is the Father of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, that is to say, of the Son begotten of Him; because God is the Father of all men, whom He has created and whom He preserves and governs; finally, because by grace He is the Father of all good Christians, who are hence called the adopted sons of God.

4 Q. Why is the Father the First Person of the Blessed Trinity?
A. The Father is the First Person of the Blessed Trinity, because He does not proceed from any other Person, but is the Principle of the other two Persons, that is, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.

5 Q. What is meant by the word Omnipotent?
A. The word Omnipotent means that God can do all that He wills.

6 Q. God can neither sin nor die, how then do we say He can do all things?
A. Though He can neither sin nor die, we say God can do all things, because to be able to sin or die is not an effect of power, but of weakness which cannot exist in God who is most perfect.

On the Creation

7 Q. What is meant by the words: Creator of heaven and earth?
A. To create means to make out of nothing; hence, God is called the Creator of heaven and of earth, because He made heaven and earth and all things contained therein, that is, the whole Universe, out of nothing.

8 Q. Was the world created by the Father alone?
A. The world was created by all the Three Divine Persons, because whatever one Person does with regard to creatures is done by the other two Persons in one and the selfsame act.

9 Q. Why then is creation specially attributed to the Father?
A. Creation is specially attributed to the Father because creation is a work of Divine Omnipotence, which is specially attributed to the Father, just as wisdom is attributed to the Son, and goodness to the Holy Ghost, though all three Persons possess the same Omnipotence, Wisdom, and Goodness.

10 Q. Does God take any interest in the world and in the things created by Him?
A. Yes, God takes an interest in the world and in all things created by Him; He preserves them, and governs them by His infinite goodness and wisdom; and nothing happens here below that He does not either will or permit.

11 Q. Why do you say that nothing happens here below that He does not either will or permit?
A. We say that nothing happens here below that He does not either will or permit, because there are some things which God wills and commands, while there are others which He simply does not prevent, such as sin.

12 Q. Why does not God prevent sin?
A. God does not prevent sin, because even from the very abuse man makes of the liberty with which He is endowed, God knows how to bring forth good and to make His mercy or His justice become more and more resplendent.

The Angels

13 Q. Which are the noblest of God’s creatures?
A. The noblest creatures created by God are the Angels.

14 Q. Who are the Angels?
A. The Angels are intelligent and purely spiritual creatures.

15 Q. Why did God create the Angels?
A. God created the Angels so as to be honoured and served by them, and to give them eternal happiness.

16 Q. What form and figure have the Angels?
A. The Angels have neither form nor material figure of any kind, because they are pure spirits created by God in such a way as to exist without having to be united to a body.

17 Q. Why then are the angels represented under sensible forms?
A. The Angels are represented under sensible forms: (1) As a help to our imagination; (2) Because they have thus appeared many times to men, as we read in Sacred Scripture.

18 Q. Were all the angels faithful to God?
A. No, the Angels were not all faithful to God, many of them through pride claimed to be His equals and independent of Him — for which sin they were banished for ever from Paradise and condemned to hell.

19 Q. What are the Angels called who were banished forever from Paradise and condemned to hell?
A. The Angels banished forever from Paradise and condemned to hell are called demons, and their chief is called Lucifer or Satan.

20 Q. Can the demons do us any harm?
A. Yes, the demons can do us great harm both in soul and body, especially by tempting us to sin, provided God permits them to do so.

21 Q. Why do they tempt us?
A. The demons tempt us because of the envy they bear us, which makes them desire our eternal damnation; and because of their hatred of God whose image is reflected in us. God on the other hand permits these temptations in order that we may overcome them by His grace, and thus practice virtue and acquire merit for Heaven.

22 Q. How are temptations conquered?
A. Temptations are conquered by watchfulness, prayer and Christian mortification.

23 Q. What are the angels called who remained faithful to God?
A. The Angels who remained faithful to God are called the good Angels, heavenly Spirits, or simply Angels.

24 Q. What became of the Angels who remained faithful to God?
A. The Angels who remained faithful to God were confirmed in grace, forever enjoy the vision of God, love Him, bless Him, and praise Him eternally.

25 Q. Does God use the Angels as His ministers?
A. Yes, God uses the Angels as His ministers, and especially does He entrust to many of them the office of acting as our guardians and protectors.

26 Q. Should we have a particular devotion to our Guardian Angel?
A. Yes, we should have a particular devotion to our Guardian Angel; we should honour him, invoke his aid, follow his inspirations, and be grateful to him for the continual assistance he affords us.

Man

27 Q. Which is the noblest creature God has placed on earth?
A. The noblest creature God has placed on earth is man.

28 Q. What is man?
A. Man is a rational creature composed of soul and body.

29 Q. What is the soul?
A. The soul is the noblest part of man, because it is a spiritual substance, endowed with intelligence and will, capable of knowing God and of possessing Him for all eternity.

30 Q. Can the human soul be seen and touched?
A. Our soul can neither be seen nor touched, because it is a spirit.

31 Q. Does the human soul die with the body?
A. The human soul never dies; faith and our very reason prove that it is immortal.

32 Q. Is man free in his actions?
A. Yes, man is free in his actions and each one feels within himself that he can do a thing or leave it undone, or do one thing rather than another.

33 Q. Explain human liberty by an example.
A. If I voluntarily tell a lie, I know that I could have left it unsaid or that I could have remained silent, and that, on the other hand, I could also speak differently and tell the truth.

34 Q. Why do we say that man was created to the image and likeness of God?
A. We say that man was created to the image and likeness of God because the human soul is spiritual and rational, free in its operations, capable of knowing and loving God and of enjoying Him for ever — perfections which reflect a ray of the infinite greatness of the Lord in us.

35 Q. In what state did God place our first parents, Adam and Eve?
A. God placed our first parents, Adam and Eve, in the state of innocence and grace; but they soon fell away by sin.

36 Q. Besides innocence and sanctifying grace did God confer any other gifts on our first parents?
A. Besides innocence and sanctifying grace, God conferred on our first parent’s other gifts, which, along with sanctifying grace, they were to transmit to their descendants; these were: (1) Integrity, that is, the perfect subjection of sense reason; (2) Immortality; (3) Immunity from all pain and sorrow; (4) A knowledge in keeping with their state.

37 Q. What was the nature of Adam’s sin?
A. Adam’s sin was a sin of pride and of grave disobedience.

38 Q. What chastisement was meted out to the sin of Adam and Eve?
A. Adam and Eve lost the grace of God and the right they had to Heaven; they were driven out of the earthly Paradise, subjected to many miseries of soul and body, and condemned to death.

39 Q. If Adam and Eve had not sinned, would they have been exempt from death?
A. If Adam and Eve had not sinned and if they had remained faithful to God, they would, after a happy and tranquil sojourn here on earth, and without dying, have been transferred by God into Heaven, to enjoy a life of unending glory.

40 Q. Were these gifts due to man?
A. These gifts were in no way due to man, but were absolutely gratuitous and supernatural; and hence, when Adam disobeyed the divine command, God could without any injustice deprive both Adam and his posterity of them.

41 Q. Is this sin proper to Adam alone?
A. This sin is not Adam’s sin alone, but it is also our sin, though in a different sense. It is Adam’s sin because he committed it by an act of his will, and hence in him it was a personal sin. It is our sin also because Adam, having committed it in his capacity as the head and source of the human race, it was transmitted by natural generation to all his descendants: and hence in us it is original sin.

42 Q. How is it possible for original sin to be transmitted to all men?
A. Original sin is transmitted to all men because God, having conferred sanctifying grace and other supernatural gifts on the human race in Adam, on the condition that Adam should not disobey Him; and Adam having disobeyed, as head and father of the human race, rendered human nature rebellious against God. And hence, human nature is transmitted to all the descendants of Adam in a state of rebellion against God, and deprived of divine grace and other gifts.

43 Q. Do all men contract original sin?
A. Yes, all men contract original sin, with the exception of the Blessed Virgin, who was preserved from it by a singular privilege of God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

44 Q. Could not men be saved after Adam’s sin?
A. After Adam’s sin men could not be saved, if God had not shown mercy towards them.

45 Q. What was the mercy shown by God to the human race?
A. The mercy shown by God to the human race was that of immediately promising Adam a divine Redeemer or Messiah, and of sending this Messiah in His own good time to free men from the slavery of sin and of the devil.

46 Q. Who is the promised Messiah?
A. The promised Messiah is Jesus Christ, as the Second Article of the Creed teaches.

The Second Article of the Creed

1 Q. What are we taught in the Second Article: And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord?
A. The Second Article of the Creed teaches us that the Son of God is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity; that, like the Father, He is God eternal, omnipotent, Creator and Lord; that He became man to save us; and that the Son of God, made man, is called Jesus Christ.

2 Q. Why is the Second Person called the Son?
A. The Second Person is called the Son, because He is begotten by the Father from all eternity by way of intelligence; and for this reason, He is also called the Eternal Word of the Father.

3 Q. Since we also are sons of God, why is Jesus Christ called the only Son of God the Father?
A. Jesus Christ is called the only Son of God the Father, because He alone is His Son by nature, whereas we are His sons by creation and adoption.

4 Q. Why is Jesus Christ called our Lord?
A. Jesus Christ is called our Lord, because, not only did He as God, together with the Father and the Holy Ghost, create us; but He has also as God and Man redeemed us.

5 Q. Why is the Son of God, made man, called Jesus?
A. The Son of God, made man, is called Jesus, that is to say, Saviour, because He has saved us from the eternal death merited by our sins.

6 Q. Who gave the name of Jesus to the Son of God, made man?
A. The Eternal Father Himself, through the Archangel Gabriel, gave the name of Jesus to the Son of God made man, at the moment when the Archangel announced to the Blessed Virgin the mystery of the Incarnation.

7 Q. Why is the Son of God made man also called Christ?
A. The Son of God made man is also called Christ , that is to say, anointed or consecrated, because kings, priests and prophets were anointed of old; and Jesus is the King of kings, High Priest, and supreme Prophet.

8 Q. Was Jesus Christ really anointed and consecrated with a material anointing?
A. The anointing of Jesus Christ was not material, like that of the kings, priests and prophets of old, but wholly spiritual and divine, because the fullness of the Divinity dwells in Him substantially.

9 Q. Had men any idea of Jesus Christ previous to His coming?
A. Yes, previous to His coming men had some idea of Jesus Christ in the promise of the Messiah, which God made to our first parents, Adam and Eve, and which He renewed to the holy Patriarchs; and also in the prophecies and the many figures which foreshadowed Him.

10 Q. How do we know that Jesus Christ is truly the Messiah and Promised Redeemer?
A. We know that Jesus Christ is truly the Messiah and Promised Redeemer from the fact that in Him are verified: (1) All that the prophecies foretold, (2) And all that the figures of the Old Testament foreshadowed.

11 Q. What did the prophecies foretell of the Redeemer?
A. Regarding the Redeemer, the prophecies foretold the tribe and the family from which He was to come; the place and time of His birth; His miracles and the most minute circumstances of His Passion and Death; His Resurrection and Ascension into heaven; and His spiritual, perpetual and universal Kingdom, that is, the Holy Catholic Church.

12 Q. Which are the principal figures of the Redeemer in the Old Testament?
A. The principal figures of the Redeemer in the Old Testament are: the innocent Abel; the High Priest Melchisedech; the sacrifice of Isaac; Joseph sold by his brethren; the prophet Jonas; the Paschal Lamb; and the Brazen Serpent set up by Moses in the desert.

13 Q. How do you know that Jesus Christ is true God?
A. We know that Jesus Christ is true God: (1) From the testimony of the Father saying: This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye Him; (2) From the attestation of Jesus Christ Himself, confirmed by the most stupendous miracles; (3) From the teaching of the Apostles; (4) From the unvarying tradition of the Catholic Church.

14 Q. Mention the chief miracles wrought by Jesus Christ?
A. Besides His Resurrection, the chief miracles wrought by Jesus Christ are; the restoring of health to the sick, of sight to the blind, of hearing to the deaf, and of life to the dead.

The Third Article of the Creed

1 Q. What is taught in the Third Article: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary?
A. The Third Article of the Creed teaches that by the operation of the Holy Ghost the Son of God took a body and soul like ours, in the chaste womb of the Virgin Mary, and that He was born of that Virgin.

2 Q. Did the Father and the Son also take part in forming the body and creating the soul of Jesus Christ?
A. Yes, the whole three divine Persons co-operated in forming the body and in creating the soul of Jesus Christ.

3 Q. Why then is it simply said: He was conceived by the Holy Ghost?
A. It is simply said: He was conceived by the Holy Ghost, because the Incarnation of the Son of God is a work of goodness and love, and the works of goodness and love are attributed to the Holy Ghost.

4 Q. In becoming man did the Son of God cease to be God?
A. No, the Son of God became man without ceasing to be God.

5 Q. Jesus Christ, then, is God and man at the same time?
A. Yes, the incarnate Son of God, that is, Jesus Christ, is both God and man, perfect God and perfect man.

6 Q. Are there then two natures in Jesus Christ?
A. Yes, in Jesus Christ, who is both God and man, there are two natures, the divine and the human.

7 Q. In Jesus Christ are there also two Persons, the divine and the human?
A. No, in the Son of God made man there is only one Person, namely, the divine.

8 Q. How many wills are there in Jesus Christ?
A. In Jesus Christ there are two wills, the one divine, the other human.

9 Q. Did Jesus Christ possess free will?
A. Yes, Jesus Christ possessed free will, but He could not do evil, since to be able to do evil is a defect, and not a perfection, of liberty.

10 Q. Are the Son of God and the Son of Mary one and the same Person?
A. Yes, the Son of God and the Son of Mary are one and the same Person, that is, Jesus Christ, true God and true man.

11 Q. Is the Blessed Virgin the Mother of God?
A. Yes, the Blessed Virgin is the Mother of God, because she is the Mother of Jesus Christ, who is true God.

12 Q. How did Mary become the Mother of Jesus Christ?
A. Mary became the Mother of Jesus Christ solely through the operation and power of the Holy Ghost.

13 Q. Is it of faith that Mary was always a Virgin?
A. Yes, it is of faith that the most holy Mary was always a Virgin, and she is called the Virgin of virgins.

The Fourth Article of the Creed

1 Q. What are we taught in the Fourth Article: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried?
A. The Fourth Article of the Creed teaches us that to redeem the world by His Precious Blood Jesus Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate, the Governor of Judea, died on the tree of the Cross, and, on being taken down there from, was buried.

2 Q. What does the word suffered denote?
A. The word suffered denotes all the pains endured by Jesus during His Passion.

3 Q. Did Jesus Christ suffer as God or as man?
A. Jesus Christ suffered as man alone; as God He could neither suffer nor die.

4. Q. What class of punishment was that of the Cross?
A. The punishment of the Cross in those days was the cruelest and the most ignominious of all punishments.

5. Q. Who was it that condemned Jesus Christ to be crucified?
A. He who condemned Jesus Christ to be crucified was Pontius Pilate, the Governor of Judea who, through recognizing His innocence, cravenly yielded to the threats of the people of Jerusalem.

6 Q. Could not Jesus Christ have freed Himself from the hands of Pilate and the Jews?
A. Yes, Jesus Christ could have freed Himself from the hands of Pilate and the Jews, but knowing it was His Eternal Father’s will that He should suffer and die for our salvation, He voluntarily submitted; nay, He Himself went forth to meet His enemies and freely permitted Himself to be taken and led to death.

7 Q. Where was Jesus Christ crucified?
A. Jesus Christ was crucified on Mount Calvary.

8 Q. What did Jesus Christ do while on the Cross?
A. On the Cross Jesus Christ prayed for His enemies; gave His own Most Blessed Mother as a Mother to St. John, and, in his person, to all of us; offered up His death in sacrifice; and satisfied the justice of God for the sins of men.

9 Q. Would it not have been enough for an Angel to come and make satisfaction for us?
A. No, it would not have been enough for an Angel to come and make satisfaction for us, because the offence given to God by sin was, in a certain sense, infinite, and to satisfy for it a person possessing infinite merit was required.

10 Q. To satisfy divine justice, was it necessary that Jesus Christ should be both God and man?
A. Yes; to be able to suffer and die it was necessary that Jesus Christ should be man; while for His sufferings to be of infinite value it was necessary that He should be God.

11 Q. Why was it necessary that the merits of Jesus Christ should be of infinite value?
A. It was necessary that the merits of Jesus Christ should be of infinite value, because God’s Majesty, which had been offended by sin, is infinite.

12 Q. Was it necessary for Jesus Christ to suffer as much as He actually did?
A. No, it was not absolutely necessary for Jesus Christ to suffer as much as He did, because each of His acts being of infinite value, the least of His sufferings would have sufficed for our redemption.

13 Q. Why, then, did Jesus suffer so much?
A. Jesus Christ suffered so much in order to satisfy divine justice all the more abundantly; to display His love for us still more; and to inspire us with the deepest horror of sin.

14 Q. Did anything remarkable happen at the death of Jesus Christ?
A. Yes, at the death of Jesus Christ, the sun was darkened the earth trembled, graves opened and many of the dead arose.

15 Q. Where was the Body of Jesus Christ buried?
A. The Body of Jesus Christ was buried in a new grave, hewn out of a rock, on the mount not far from where He had been crucified.

16 Q. Was the Divinity separated from the Body and Soul of Jesus Christ by His death?
A. The Divinity was separated from neither the Body nor the Soul of Christ in death; only the Soul was separated from the Body.

17 Q. For whom did Jesus Christ die?
A. Jesus Christ died for the salvation of all men, and made satisfaction for all.

18 Q. If Jesus Christ died for the salvation of all men, why are not all men saved?
A. Jesus Christ died for all, but not all are saved, because not all will acknowledge Him; all do not observe His Law; all do not avail themselves of the means of salvation He has left us.

19 Q. To be saved is it enough that Jesus Christ has died for us?
A. No, it is not enough for our salvation that Jesus Christ has died for us; it is also necessary that the fruit of His Passion and death be applied to each one of us, which is accomplished especially by means of the Sacraments instituted for this end by Jesus Christ Himself; and as many either do not receive the Sacraments at all, or do not receive them well, they thus render the death of Jesus Christ useless in their regard.

The Fifth Article of the Creed

1 Q. What are we taught in the Fifth Article: He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead?
A. The Fifth Article of the Creed teaches us that the Soul of Jesus Christ, on being separated from His Body, descended to the Limbo of the holy Fathers, and that on the third day it became united once more to His Body, never to be parted from it again.

2 Q. What is here meant by hell?
A. Hell here means the Limbo of the holy Fathers, that is, the place where the souls of the just were detained, in expectation of redemption through Jesus Christ.

3 Q. Why were not the souls of the Holy Fathers admitted into heaven before the death of Jesus Christ?
A. The souls of the holy Fathers were not admitted into heaven before the death of Jesus Christ, because heaven was closed by the sin of Adam, and it was but fitting that Jesus Christ, who reopened it by His death, should be the first to enter it.

4 Q. Why did Jesus Christ defer His own resurrection until the third day?
A. Jesus Christ deferred His own resurrection until the third day to show clearly that He was really dead.

5 Q. Was the resurrection of Jesus Christ like the resurrection of other men who had been raised from the dead?
A. No, the resurrection of Jesus Christ was not like the resurrection of other men who had been raised from the dead, because He rose by His own power, while the others were raised by the power of God.

The Sixth Article of the Creed

1 Q. What are we taught in the Sixth Article: He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty?
A. The Sixth Article of the Creed teaches us that Jesus Christ, forty days after His resurrection, ascended of Himself into heaven in the sight of His Apostles; and that while as God He was equal to His Father in glory, as man He has been raised above all the Angels and Saints, and constituted Lord of all things.

2 Q. Why did Jesus Christ remain forty days on earth after His resurrection before ascending into heaven?
A. After His resurrection Jesus Christ remained forty days on earth before ascending into heaven, to prove by several apparitions that He was truly risen, to instruct the Apostles still further, and to confirm them in the truths of faith.

3 Q. Why did Jesus Christ ascend into heaven?
A. Jesus Christ ascended into heaven: (1) To take possession of the Kingdom He had merited by His death; (2) To prepare the place of our glory, and to be our Mediator and Advocate with the Father, (3) To send the Holy Ghost upon His Apostles.

4 Q. Why is it said of Jesus Christ that He ascended, and of His Most Holy Mother that she was assumed, into heaven?
A. It is said of Jesus Christ that He ascended into heaven, and of His Most Holy Mother that she was assumed, because, Jesus Christ, being Man-God, ascended into heaven by His own power; but His Mother, being a creature, even though the greatest of all creatures, was taken up into heaven by the power of God.

5 Q. Explain the words: Sitteth at the right hand of Cod, the Father Almighty.
A. The word sitteth signifies the peaceful possession which Jesus Christ has of His glory; and the words: At the right hand of God, the Father Almighty, denote that He has a place of honor above all creatures.

The Seventh Article of the Creed

1 Q. What are we taught in the Seventh Article: From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead?
A. The Seventh Article of the Creed teaches us that at the end of the world Jesus Christ, in all His glory and majesty, will come from heaven to judge all men, both good and bad, and to give to each of them the reward or the punishment he shall have merited.

2 Q. If everyone has to be judged by Jesus Christ in particular judgment immediately after death, why must all be judged in the general judgment?
A. We must all be judged in the general judgment for several reasons: (1) That God may be glorified; (2) That Jesus Christ may be glorified; (3) That the Saints may be glorified; (4) That the wicked may be confounded; (5) That along with the soul the body may receive its sentence of reward or punishment.

3 Q. How will God’s glory be manifested in the General Judgment?
A. God’s glory will be manifested in the General Judgment in this way, that all shall then know how justly God governs the world, even though here on earth the good are often afflicted and the wicked are often in prosperity.

4 Q. How will the glory of Jesus Christ be manifested in the General Judgment?
A. The glory of Jesus Christ will be manifested in the General Judgment in this way, that He who was unjustly condemned by men shall then come before the whole world as the Supreme Judge of all.

5 Q. How will the glory of the Saints be manifested in the General Judgment?
A. The glory of the Saints will be manifested in the General Judgment in this way that many of them who died despised by the wicked, shall be glorified before the whole world.

6 Q. How great will be the confusion of the wicked in the General Judgment?
A. In the General Judgment great indeed shall be the confusion of the wicked, especially of those who have oppressed the just and who have tried in this life to be esteemed as men of virtue and goodness; for they shall then see even their most hidden sins laid bare before the whole world.

The Eighth Article of the Creed

1 Q. What are we taught in the Eighth Article: I believe in the Holy Ghost?
A. The Eighth Article of the Creed teaches us that there is a Holy Ghost, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity; and that, like the Father and the Son, He is God eternal, infinite, omnipotent, Creator and Lord of all things.

2 Q. From whom does the Holy Ghost proceed?
A. The Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son, as from one Principle, by way of will and love.

3 Q. If the Son proceeds from the Father, and the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son, it would seem as if the Father and the Son are prior to the Holy Ghost; how then can it be said that all the Three Persons are eternal?
A. It is said that all the Three Persons are eternal, because the Father has begotten the Son from all eternity, and the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and from the Son from all eternity.

4 Q. Why is the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity specially designated by the name of the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit?
A. The Third Person of the Blessed Trinity is specially designated by the name of the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit, because He proceeds from the Father and from the Son by way of spiration and of love.

5 Q. What work is especially attributed to the Holy Ghost?
A. To the Holy Ghost is specially attributed the sanctification of souls.

6 Q. Do the Father and the Son sanctify us equally with the Holy Ghost?
A. Yes, all the Three Divine Persons equally sanctify us.

7 Q. If this is so, why is the sanctification of souls specially attributed to the Holy Ghost?
A. The sanctification-of souls is specially attributed to the Holy Ghost, because it is a work of love, and the works of love are attributed to the Holy Ghost.

8 Q. When did the Holy Ghost descend on the Apostles?
A. The Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, that is, fifty days after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and ten days after His Ascension.

9 Q. Where were the Apostles during the ten days preceding Pentecost?
A. The Apostles were gathered together in the Supper Room with the Virgin Mary and the other disciples, and were persevering in prayer in expectation of the Holy Ghost, Whom Jesus Christ had promised to send them.

10 Q. What effects did the Holy Ghost produce in the Apostles?
A. The Holy Ghost confirmed the Apostles in the faith, filled them with light, strength, charity, and an abundance of all His gifts.

11 Q. Was the Holy Ghost sent for the Apostles alone?
A. The Holy Ghost was sent for the whole Church and for every faithful soul.

12 Q. What does the Holy Ghost do in the Church?
A. The Holy Ghost gives life to the Church by His grace and by His gifts, as the soul gives life to the body; He establishes in her the Kingdom of truth and of love; and He helps her to lead her children in safety along the way to heaven.

The Ninth Article of the Creed

The Church in General

1 Q. What does the Ninth article: The Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, teach us?
A. The Ninth Article of the Creed teaches us that Jesus Christ founded a visible society on earth called the Catholic Church, and that all those who belong to this Church are in communion with one another.

2 Q. Why immediately after the article that treats of the Holy Ghost is mention made of the Catholic Church?
A. Immediately after the article that treats of the Holy Ghost mention is made of the Catholic Church to indicate that the Church’s holiness comes from the Holy Ghost, who is the Author of all holiness.

3 Q. What does the word Church mean?
A. The word Church means a calling forth or assembly of many.

4 Q. Who has convoked or called us into the Church of Jesus Christ?
A. We have been called into the Church of Jesus Christ by a special grace of God, to the end, that by the light of faith and the observance of the divine law, we may render Him the worship due to Him, and attain eternal life.

5 Q. Where are the members of the Church to be found?
A. The members of the Church are found partly in heaven, forming the Church Triumphant; partly in purgatory, forming the Church Suffering; partly on earth, forming the Church Militant.

6 Q. Do these various parts of the Church constitute one sole Church?
A. Yes, these various parts of the Church constitute one sole Church and one sole body for they have the same Head, Jesus Christ, the same Spirit animating and uniting them, and the same end, eternal happiness, which some already enjoy and the rest hope for.

7 Q. To which part of the Church does this Ninth Article principally refer?
A. This Ninth Article of the Creed principally refers to the Church Militant, which is the Church we actually belong to.

The Church in Particular

8 Q. What is the Catholic Church?
A. The Catholic Church is the Union or Congregation of all the baptized who, still living on earth, profess the same Faith and the same Law of Jesus Christ, participate in the same Sacraments, and obey their lawful Pastors, particularly the Roman Pontiff.

9 Q. State distinctly what is necessary to be a member of the Church?
A. To be a member of the Church it is necessary to be baptized, to believe and profess the teaching of Jesus Christ, to participate in the same Sacraments, and to acknowledge the Pope and the other lawful pastors of the Church.

10 Q. Who are the lawful pastors of the Church?
A. The lawful pastors of the Church are the Roman Pontiff, that is, the Pope, who is Supreme Pastor, and the Bishops. Other priests, also, and especially Parish Priests, have a share in the pastoral office, subject to the Bishop and the Pope.

11 Q. Why do you say that the Roman Pontiff is supreme Pastor of the Church?
A. Because Jesus Christ said to St. Peter, the first Pope: “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church, and I will give to thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound also in Heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed also in Heaven.” And again: “Feed My lambs, feed My sheep.”

12 Q. The many societies of persons who are baptized but who do not acknowledge the Roman Pontiff as their Head do not, then, belong to the Church of Jesus Christ?
A. No, those who do not acknowledge the Roman Pontiff as their Head do not belong to the Church of Jesus Christ.

13 Q. How can the Church of Jesus Christ be distinguished from the numerous societies or sects founded by men, and calling themselves Christian?
A. From the numerous societies or sects founded by men and calling themselves Christian, the Church of Jesus Christ is easily distinguished by four marks: She is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic.

14 Q. Why is the Church called One?
A. The true Church is called One, because her children of all ages and places are united together in the same faith, in the same worship, in the same law; and in participation of the same Sacraments, under the same visible Head, the Roman Pontiff.

15 Q. Can there not be several Churches?
A. No, there cannot be more than one Church; for as there is but one God, one Faith and one Baptism, there is and can be but one true Church.

16 Q. But are not the faithful of a whole Nation or Diocese also called a Church?
A. The faithful of a whole Nation or Diocese are also called a Church, but they ever remain mere parts of the Universal Church and form but one Church with her.

17 Q. Why is the true Church called Holy?
A. The true church is called Holy because holy is her Invisible Head, Jesus Christ; holy are many of her members; holy are her faith, her laws, her Sacraments; and outside of her there is not and cannot be true holiness.

18 Q. Why is the Church called Catholic?
A. The true Church is called Catholic, or Universal, because she embraces the faithful of all times, of all places, of all ages and conditions; and all peoples are called to belong to her.

19 Q. Why is the Church also called Apostolic?
A. The true Church is also called Apostolic because she goes back without a break to the Apostles; because she believes and teaches all that the Apostles believed and taught; and because she is guided and governed by their lawful successors.

20 Q. And why is the true Church called Roman?
A. The true Church is called Roman, because the four marks of Unity, Sanctity, Catholicity and Apostolicity are found in that Church alone which acknowledges as Head the Bishop of Rome, the Successor of St. Peter.

21 Q. What is the constitution of the Church of Jesus Christ?
A. The Church of Jesus Christ has been constituted as a true and perfect Society; and in her we can distinguish a soul and a body.

22 Q. In what does the Soul of the Church consist?
A. The Soul of the Church consists in her internal and spiritual endowments, that is, faith, hope, charity, the gifts of grace and of the Holy Ghost, together with all the heavenly treasures which are hers through the merits of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, and of the Saints.

23 Q. In what does the Body of the Church consist?
A. The Body of the Church consists in her external and visible aspect, that is, in the association of her members, in her worship, in her teaching-power and in her external rule and government.

24 Q. To be saved, is it enough to be any sort of member of the Catholic Church?
A. No, to be saved it is not enough to be any sort of member of the Catholic Church; it is necessary to be a living member.

25 Q. Who are the living members of the Church?
A. The living members of the Church are the just, and the just alone, that is, those who are actually in the grace of God.

26 Q. And who are the dead members?
A. The dead members of the Church are the faithful in mortal sin.

27 Q. Can one be saved outside the Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church?
A. No, no one can be saved outside the Catholic, Apostolic Roman Church, just as no one could be saved from the flood outside the Ark of Noah, which was a figure of the Church.

28 Q. How, then, were the Patriarchs of old, the Prophets, and the other just men of the Old Testament, saved?
A. The just of the Old Testament were saved in virtue of the faith they had in Christ to come, by means of which they spiritually belonged to the Church.

29 Q. But if a man through no fault of his own is outside the Church, can he be saved?
A. If he is outside the Church through no fault of his, that is, if he is in good faith, and if he has received Baptism, or at least has the implicit desire of Baptism; and if, moreover, he sincerely seeks the truth and does God’s will as best he can such a man is indeed separated from the body of the Church, but is united to the soul of the Church and consequently is on the way of salvation

30 Q. Suppose that a man is a member of the Catholic Church, but does not put her teaching into practice, will he be saved?
A. He who is a member of the Catholic Church and does not put her teaching into practice is a dead member, and hence will not be saved; for towards the salvation of an adult not only Baptism and faith are required, but, furthermore, works in keeping with faith.

31 Q. Are we obliged to believe all the truths the Church teaches us?
A. Yes, we are obliged to believe all the truths the Church teaches us, and Jesus Christ declares that he who does not believe is already condemned.

32 Q. Are we also obliged to do all that the Church commands?
A. Yes, we are obliged to do all that the Church commands, for Jesus Christ has said to the Pastors of the Church: “He who hears you, hears Me, and he who despises you, despises Me.”

33 Q. Can the Church err in what she proposes for our belief?
A. No, the Church cannot err in what she proposes for our belief, since according to the promise of Jesus Christ she is unfailingly assisted by the Holy Ghost.

34 Q. Is the Catholic Church infallible, then?
A. Yes, the Catholic Church is infallible, and hence those who reject her definitions lose the faith and become heretics.

35 Q. Can the Catholic Church be destroyed or perish?
A. No; the Catholic Church may be persecuted, but she can never be destroyed or perish. She will last till the end of the world, because Jesus Christ, as He promised, will be with her till the end of time.

36 Q. Why is the Catholic Church so persecuted?
A. The Catholic Church is so persecuted because even her Divine Founder, Jesus Christ, was thus persecuted, and because she reproves vice, combats the passions, and condemns all acts of injustice and all error.

37 Q. Has a Catholic any other duties towards the Church?
A. Every Catholic ought to have a boundless love for the Church, ought to consider himself infinitely honoured and happy in belonging to her, and ought to labour for her glory and advancement by every means in his power.

The Church Teaching and the Church Taught

38 Q. Is there any distinction between the members of the Church?
A. There is a very notable distinction between the members of the Church; for there are some who rule and some who obey; some who teach and some who are taught.

39 Q. What do you call that part of the Church which teaches?
A. That part of the Church which teaches is called the Teaching Church.

40 Q. What do you call that part of the Church which is taught?
A. That part of the Church which is taught is called the Learning Church, or the Church Taught.

41 Q. Who has set up this distinction in the Church?
A. Jesus Christ Himself has established this distinction in the Church.

42 Q. Are the Church Teaching and the Church Taught, then, two churches?
A. The Church Teaching and the Church Taught are two distinct parts of one and the same Church, just as in the human body the head is distinct from the other members, and yet forms but one body with them.

43 Q. Of whom is the Teaching Church composed?
A. The Teaching Church is composed of all the Bishops, with the Roman Pontiff at their head, be they dispersed throughout the world or assembled together in Council.

44 Q. And the Church Taught, of whom is it composed?
A. The Church Taught is composed of all the faithful.

45 Q. Who, then, are they who possess the teaching power in the Church?
A. The teaching power in the Church is possessed by the Pope and the Bishops, and, dependent on them, by the other sacred ministers.

46 Q. Are we obliged to hear the Teaching Church?
A. Yes, without doubt we are obliged under pain of eternal damnation to hear the Teaching Church; for Jesus Christ has said to the Pastors of His Church, in the persons of the Apostles: “He who hears you, hears Me, and he who despises you, despises Me.”

47 Q. Besides her teaching power has the Church any other power?
A. Yes, besides her teaching power the Church has in particular the power of administering sacred things, of making laws and of exacting the observance of them.

48 Q. Does the power possessed by the members of the Hierarchy come from the people?
A. The power possessed by the Hierarchy does not come from the people, and it would be heresy to say it did: it comes solely from God.

49 Q. To whom does the exercise of this power belong?
A. The exercise of this power belongs solely to the Hierarchy that is, to the Pope and to the Bishops subordinate to him.

The Pope and the Bishops

50 Q. Who is the Pope?
A. The Pope, who is also called the Sovereign Pontiff, or the Roman Pontiff, is the Successor of St. Peter in the See of Rome, the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth, and the visible Head of the Church.

51 Q. Why is the Roman Pontiff the Successor of St. Peter?
A. The Roman Pontiff is the Successor of St. Peter because St. Peter united in his own person the dignity of Bishop of Rome and that of Head of the Church; by divine disposition he established his Seat at Rome, and there died; hence, whosoever is elected Bishop of Rome is also heir to all his authority.

52 Q. Why is the Roman Pontiff the Vicar of Jesus Christ?
A. The Roman Pontiff is the Vicar of Jesus Christ because He represents Him on earth and acts in His stead in the government of the Church.

53 Q. Why is the Roman Pontiff the Visible Head of the Church?
A. The Roman Pontiff is the Visible Head of the Church because he visibly governs her with the authority of Jesus Christ Himself, who is her invisible Head.

54 Q. What, then, is the dignity of the Pope?
A. The dignity of the Pope is the greatest of all dignities on earth, and gives him supreme and immediate power over all and each of the Pastors and of the faithful.

55 Q. Can the Pope err when teaching the Church?
A. The Pope cannot err, that is, he is infallible, in definitions regarding faith and morals.

56 Q. How is it that the Pope is infallible?
A. The Pope is infallible because of the promise of Jesus Christ, and of the unfailing assistance of the Holy Ghost.

57 Q. When is the Pope infallible?
A. The Pope is infallible when, as Pastor and Teacher of all Christians and in virtue of his supreme Apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine regarding faith or morals to be held by all the Church.

58 Q. What sin would a man commit who should refuse to accept the solemn definitions of the Pope?
A. He who refuses to accept the solemn definitions of the Pope, or who even doubts them, sins against faith; and should he remain obstinate in this unbelief, he would no longer be a Catholic, but a heretic.

59 Q. Why has God granted to the Pope the gift of infallibility?
A. God has granted the Pope the gift of infallibility in order that we all may be sure and certain of the truths which the Church teaches.

60 Q. When was it defined that the Pope is infallible?
A. That the Pope is infallible was defined by the Church in the [First] Vatican Council; and should anyone presume to contradict this definition he would be a heretic and excommunicated.

61 Q. In defining that the Pope is infallible, has the Church put forward a new truth of faith?
A. No, in defining that the Pope is infallible the Church has not put forward a new truth of faith; but to oppose new errors she has simply defined that the infallibility of the Pope, already contained in Sacred Scripture and in Tradition, is a truth revealed by God, and therefore to be believed as a dogma or article of faith.

62 Q. How should every Catholic act towards the Pope?
A. Every Catholic must acknowledge the Pope as Father, Pastor, and Universal Teacher, and be united with him in mind and heart.

63 Q. After the Pope, who are they who by Divine appointment are to be most venerated in the Church?
A. After the Pope, those who by Divine appointment are to be most venerated in the Church are the Bishops.

64 Q. Who are the Bishops?
A. The Bishops are the pastors of the faithful; placed by the Holy Ghost to rule the Church of God in the Sees entrusted to them, in dependence on the Roman Pontiff

65 Q. What is a Bishop in his own diocese?
A. A Bishop in his own diocese is the lawful Pastor, the Father, the Teacher, the Superior of all the faithful, ecclesiastic and lay belonging to his diocese.

66 Q. Why is the Bishop called the lawful Pastor?
A. The Bishop is called the lawful Pastor because the jurisdiction, or the power which he has to govern the faithful of his diocese, is conferred upon him according to the laws and regulations of the Church.

67 Q. To whom do the Pope and the Bishops succeed?
A. The Pope is the successor of St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles; and the Bishops are the Successors of the Apostles, in all that regards the ordinary government of the Church.

68 Q. Must the faithful be in union with their Bishop?
A. Yes, all the faithful, ecclesiastic and lay, should be united heart and soul with their Bishop, who is in favour and communion with the Apostolic See.

69 Q. How should the faithful act towards their own Bishop?
A. Each one of the faithful, both ecclesiastic and lay, should revere, love and honour his own Bishop and render him obedience in all that regards the care of souls and the spiritual government of the diocese.

70 Q. By whom is the Bishop assisted in the care of souls?
A. The Bishop is assisted in the care of souls by priests, and especially by Parish Priests.

71 Q. Who is the Parish Priest?
A. The Parish Priest is a priest deputed to preside over and direct with due dependence on his Bishop a portion of the diocese called a parish.

72 Q. What are the duties of the faithful towards their Parish Priest?
A. The faithful should be united with their Parish Priest, listen to him with docility, and show him respect and submission in all that regards the care of the parish.

The Communion of Saints

1 Q. What are we taught by these words of the Ninth Article: The Communion of Saints?
A. In the words The Communion of Saints, the Ninth Article of the Creed teaches us that the Church’s spiritual goods, both internal and external, are common to all her members because of the intimate union that exists between them.

2 Q. Which are the internal goods that are common in the Church?
A. The internal goods that are common in the Church are: the graces received through the Sacraments; faith, hope and charity; the infinite merits of Jesus Christ; the superabundant merits of the Blessed Virgin and of the Saints; and the fruit of all the good works done in the same Church.

3 Q. Which are the external goods that are common in the Church?
A. The external goods that are common in the Church are: the Sacraments, the Sacrifice of the Mass, public prayers, religious functions, and all the other outward practices that unite the faithful.

4 Q. Do all the children of the Church share in this communion of goods?
A. All Christians who are in the grace of God share in the communion of internal goods, while those who are in mortal sin do not participate in these goods.

5 Q. Why do not those who are in mortal sin participate in these goods?
A. Because that which unites the faithful with God, and with Jesus Christ as His living members, rendering them capable of performing meritorious works for life eternal, is the grace of God which is the supernatural life of the soul; and hence as those who are in mortal sin are without the grace of God, they are excluded from perfect communion in spiritual goods, nor can they accomplish works meritorious towards life eternal.

6 Q. Do Christians then, who are in mortal sin derive no advantage from the internal and spiritual goods of the Church?
A. Christians who are in mortal sin still continue to derive some advantage from the internal and spiritual goods of the Church, inasmuch as they still preserve the Christian character which is indelible, and the virtue of faith which is the basis of justification. They are aided, too, by the prayers and good works of the faithful towards obtaining the grace of conversion to God.

7 Q. Can those in mortal sin participate in the external goods of the Church?
A. Those in mortal sin can participate in the external goods of the Church, unless indeed they are cut off from the Church by excommunication.

8 Q. Why are the members of this Communion, taken together, called saints?
A. The members of this Communion are called saints because all are called to sanctity and have been sanctified by baptism, and because many of them have really attained perfect sanctity.

9 Q. Does the Communion of Saints extend also to heaven and purgatory?
A. Yes, the Communion of Saints also extends to heaven and purgatory, because charity unites the three Churches — the Triumphant, the Suffering and the Militant; the Saints pray to God both for us and for the souls in purgatory; while we on our part give honour and glory to the Saints, and are able to relieve the suffering souls in purgatory by applying on their behalf indulgences and other good works.

Those Outside the Communion of Saints

10 Q. Who are they who do not belong to the Communion of Saints?
A. Those who are damned do not belong to the Communion of Saints in the other life; and in this life those who belong neither to the body nor to the soul of the Church, that is, those who are in mortal sin, and who are outside the true Church.

11 Q. Who are they who are outside the true Church?
A. Outside the true Church are: Infidels, Jews, heretics, apostates, schismatics, and the excommunicated.

12 Q. Who are infidels?
A. Infidels are those who have not been baptized and do not believe in Jesus Christ, because they either believe in and worship false gods as idolaters do, or though admitting one true God, they do not believe in the Messiah, neither as already come in the Person of Jesus Christ, nor as to come; for instance, Mohammedans and the like.

13 Q. Who are the Jews?
A. The Jews are those who profess the Law of Moses; have not received baptism; and do not believe in Jesus Christ.

14 Q. Who are heretics?
A. Heretics are those of the baptized who obstinately refuse to believe some truth revealed by God and taught as an article of faith by the Catholic Church; for example, the Arians, the Nestorians and the various sects of Protestants.

15 Q. Who are apostates?
A. Apostates are those who abjure, or by some external act, deny the Catholic faith which they previously professed.

16 Q. Who are schismatics?
A. Schismatics are those Christians who, while not explicitly denying any dogma, yet voluntarily separate themselves from the Church of Jesus Christ, that is, from their lawful pastors.

17 Q. Who are the excommunicated?
A. The excommunicated are those who, because of grievous transgressions, are struck with excommunication by the Pope or their Bishop, and consequently are cut off as unworthy from the body of the Church, which, however, hopes for and desires their conversion.

18 Q. Should excommunication be dreaded?
A. Excommunication should be greatly dreaded, because it is the severest and most terrible punishment the Church can inflict upon her rebellious and obstinate children.

19 Q. Of what goods are the excommunicated deprived?
A. The excommunicated are deprived of public prayers, of the Sacraments, of indulgences and of Christian burial.

20 Q. Can we in any way help the excommunicated?
A. We can in some way help the excommunicated and all others who are outside the true Church, by salutary advice, by prayers and good works, begging God in His mercy to grant them the grace of being converted to the faith and of entering into the Communion of Saints.

The Tenth Article of the Creed

1 Q. What are we taught by the Tenth Article: The Forgiveness of sins?
A. The Tenth Article of the Creed teaches us that Jesus Christ has left to His Church the power of forgiving sins.

2 Q. Can the Church forgive every sort of sin?
A. Yes, the Church can forgive all sins, no matter how many or how grave they may be, because Jesus Christ has given her full power to bind and to loose.

3 Q. Who exercises this power of forgiving sins in the Church?
A. Those who exercise the power of forgiving sins in the Church are, first of all, the Pope, who alone possesses this power in all its plenitude; then the bishops, and, dependent upon the bishops, the priests.

4 Q. How does the Church forgive sins?
A. The Church forgives sins through the merits of Jesus Christ by conferring the Sacraments instituted by Him for this purpose; especially the sacraments of baptism and penance.

The Eleventh Article of the Creed

1 Q. What are we taught by the Eleventh Article: The Resurrection of the body?
A. The Eleventh Article of the Creed teaches us that all men will rise again, every soul resuming the body it had in this life.

2 Q. How will the resurrection of the dead be accomplished?
A. The resurrection of the dead will be accomplished by the virtue of the Omnipotent God, to whom nothing is impossible.

3 Q. When will the resurrection of the dead take place?
A. The resurrection of the dead shall take place at the end of the world, and shall be followed by the General Judgment.

4 Q. Why does God will the resurrection of the body?
A. God wills the resurrection of the body, in order that the soul, having done good or evil while united with the body, may also be rewarded or punished along with it.

5 Q. Will all rise in the same way?
A. No, there will be a vast difference between the bodies of the elect and the bodies of the damned; because only the bodies of the elect shall have, like the risen Christ, the endowments of glorified bodies.

6 Q. What are the endowments that are to adorn the bodies of the elect?
A. The endowments that shall adorn the bodies of the elect are: (1) Impassibility, by which they can never again be subject to evil, nor to any kind of pain, nor to need of food, of rest or the like; (2) Brightness, by which they shall shine as the sun and as so many stars; (3) Agility, by which they shall be able to pass in a moment and without fatigue from one place to another and from earth to heaven; (4) Subtlety, by which without hindrance they shall be able to penetrate any body, as did Jesus Christ when risen from the dead.

7 Q. And the bodies of the damned, what of them?
A. The bodies of the damned shall be destitute of all the endowments of the glorified bodies of the blessed, and shall bear upon them the appalling mark of eternal reprobation.

The Twelfth Article of the Creed

1 Q. What are we taught by the Last Article: Life Everlasting?
A. The Last Article of the Creed teaches us that, after the present life there is another life, eternally happy for the elect in heaven, or eternally miserable for the damned in hell.

2 Q. Can we comprehend the bliss of heaven?
A. No, we cannot comprehend the bliss of heaven, because it is beyond the scope of our limited minds, and because the goods of heaven cannot be compared with the goods of this world.

3 Q. In what does the happiness of the elect consist?
A. The happiness of the elect consists in for ever seeing, loving and possessing God, the source of all good.

4 Q. In what does the misery of the damned consist?
A. The misery of the damned consists in being for ever deprived of the vision of God and punished with eternal torments in hell.

5 Q. Are the happiness of heaven and the miseries of hell for the soul alone?
A. The happiness of heaven and the miseries of hell at present affect the soul alone, because at present the soul alone is in heaven or in hell; but after the resurrection of the flesh, man in the fullness of his nature, that is, in body and in soul, will be forever happy or forever tormented.

6 Q. Shall the bliss of paradise and the miseries of hell be the same for all men?
A. The bliss of heaven in the case of the blessed, and the miseries of hell in the case of the damned, will be the same in substance and in eternal duration; but in measure, or degree, they will be greater or less according to the extent of each one’s merits or demerits.

7 Q. What does the word Amen signify at the end of the Creed?
A. The word Amen at the end of a prayer signifies so be it; at the end of the Creed it signifies so it is, that is to say, “I believe that all things contained in these twelve Articles are most true, and I am more certain of them than if I had seen them with my eyes.”

On Christian Doctrine and its Principal Parts

1 Q. Are you a Christian?
A. Yes, I am a Christian, by the grace of God.

2 Q. Why do you say: By the grace of God?
A. I say: By the grace of God, because to be a Christian is a perfectly gratuitous gift of God, which we ourselves could not have merited.

3 Q. Who is a true Christian?
A. A true Christian is he who is baptized, who believes and professes the Christian Doctrine, and obeys the lawful pastors of the Church.

4 Q. What is Christian Doctrine?
A. Christian doctrine is the doctrine which Jesus Christ our Lord taught us to show us the way of salvation.

5 Q. Is it necessary to learn the doctrine taught by Jesus Christ?
A. It certainly is necessary to learn the doctrine taught by Jesus Christ, and those who fail to do so are guilty of a grave breach of duty.

6 Q. Are parents and guardians bound to send their children and those dependent on them to catechism?
A. Parents and guardians are bound to see that their children and dependents learn Christian Doctrine, and they are guilty before God if they neglect this duty.

7 Q. From whom are we to receive and learn Christian Doctrine?
A. We are to receive and learn Christian Doctrine from the Holy Catholic Church.

8 Q. How are we certain that the Christian Doctrine which we receive from the Holy Catholic Church is really true?
A. We are certain that the doctrine which we receive from the Holy Catholic Church is true, because Jesus Christ, the divine Author of this doctrine, committed it through His Apostles to the Church, which He founded and made the infallible teacher of all men, promising her His divine assistance until the end of time.

9 Q. Are there other proofs of the truth of Christian Doctrine?
A. The truth of Christian Doctrine is also shown by the eminent sanctity of numbers who have professed it and who still profess it, by the heroic fortitude of the martyrs, by its marvellous and rapid propagation in the world, and by its perfect preservation throughout so many centuries of ceaseless and varied struggles.

10 Q. What and how many are the principal and most necessary parts of Christian Doctrine?
A. The principal and most necessary parts of Christian Doctrine are four The Creed, The Our Father, The Commandments, and The Sacraments.

11 Q. What does the Creed teach us?
A. The Creed teaches us the principal articles of our holy faith.

12 Q. What does the Our Father teach us?
A. The Our Father teaches us all that we are to hope from God, and all we are to ask of Him.

13 Q. What do the Commandments teach us?
A. The Commandments teach us all that we are to do to please God – all of which is summed up in loving God above all things and our neighbour as ourselves for the love of God

14 Q. What does the doctrine of the Sacraments teach us?
A. The doctrine of the Sacraments shows us the nature and right use of those means which Jesus Christ has instituted to remit our sins, give us His grace, infuse into and increase in us the virtues of faith, hope, and charity.