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13. What are the chief
things which God has revealed?
The chief things which God has
revealed are contained in the Apostles' Creed.
14. Say the Apostles' Creed.
I believe in
God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; - and in
Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; - who was conceived by the
Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; - suffered under Pontius
Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; - he descended into
hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; - he ascended
into heaven; is seated at the right hand of God the Father
Almighty; - from thence he shall come to judge the living and the
dead. - I believe in the Holy Spirit; - the Holy Catholic Church;
the Communion of Saints; - the forgiveness of sins; - the
resurrection of the body; - and life everlasting. Amen.
15. How is the Apostles'
Creed divided?
The Apostles' Creed is divided
into twelve parts or articles.
FIRST ARTICLE OF THE
CREED
16. What is the first
article of the Creed?
The first article of the Creed
is, 'I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven
and earth'.
17. What is God?
God is the supreme Spirit, who
alone exists of himself, and is infinite in all perfections.
18. Why is God called
Almighty?
God is called 'Almighty'
because he can do all things: 'With God all things are
possible'. Matt 19:26
19. Why is God called
Creator of heaven and earth?
God is called 'Creator of
heaven and earth' because he made heaven and earth, and all
things, out of nothing, by his word.
20. Had God any
beginning?
God had no beginning: he always
was, he is, and he always will be.
21. Where is God?
God is everywhere.
22. Does God know and see
all things?
God knows and sees all things,
even our most secret thoughts.
23. Has God any body?
God has no body; he is a
spirit.
24. Is there only one
God?
There is only one God.
25. Are there three Persons
in God?
There are three Persons in God:
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
26 Are these three Persons
three Gods?
These three Persons are not
three Gods: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all one
and the same God.
27. What is the mystery of
the three Persons in one God called?
The mystery of the three
Persons in one God is called the mystery of the Blessed
Trinity.
28. What do you mean by a
mystery?
By a mystery I mean a truth
which is above reason, but revealed by God.
29. Is there any likeness to
the Blessed Trinity in your soul?
There is this likeness to the
Blessed Trinity in my soul: that as in one God there are three
Persons, so in my one soul there are three powers.
30. Which are the three
powers of your soul?
The three powers of my soul are
my memory, my understanding, and my will.
THE SECOND ARTICLE OF THE
CREED
31. What is the second
article of the Creed?
The second article of the Creed
is, 'and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord'.
32. Who is Jesus
Christ?
Jesus Christ is God the Son,
made man for us.
33. Is Jesus Christ truly
God?
Jesus Christ is truly
God.
34. Why is Jesus Christ
truly God?
Jesus Christ is truly God
because be has one and the same nature with God the Father.
35. Was Jesus Christ always
God?
Jesus Christ was always God,
born of the Father from from all eternity.
36. Which Person of the
Blessed Trinity is Jesus Christ?
Jesus Christ is the Second
Person of the Blessed Trinity.
37. Is Jesus Christ truly
man?
Jesus Christ is truly
man.
38. Why is Jesus Christ
truly man?
Jesus Christ is truly man
because he has the nature of man, having a body and soul like
ours.
39. Was Jesus Christ always
man?
Jesus Christ was not always
man. He has been man only from the time of his Incarnation.
40. What do you mean by the
Incarnation?
I mean by the Incarnation that
God the Son took to himself the nature of man: 'the Word was made
Flesh'.
41. How many natures are
there in Jesus Christ?
There are two natures in Jesus
Christ, the nature of God and the nature of man.
42. Is there only one Person
in Jesus Christ?
There is only one Person in
Jesus Christ, which is the Person of God the Son.
43. Why was God the Son made
man?
God the Son was made man to
redeem us from sin and hell, and to teach us the way to
heaven.
44. What does the holy name
Jesus mean?
The holy name JESUS means
Saviour. Matt. 1:21
45. What does the name
Christ mean?
The name CHRIST means
Anointed.
46. Where is Jesus
Christ?
As God, Jesus Christ is
everywhere. As God made man, he is in heaven, and in the Blessed
Sacrament of the Altar.
THE THIRD ARTICLE OF
THE CREED
47. What is the third
article of the Creed?
The third article of the Creed
is, 'who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin
Mary'.
48. What does the third
article mean?
The third article means that
God the Son took a Body and Soul like ours, in the womb of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
49. Had Jesus Christ any
father on earth?
Jesus Christ had no father on
earth: St. Joseph was only his guardian or foster-father.
50. Where was our Saviour
born?
Our Saviour was born in a
stable at Bethlehem.
51. On what day was our
Saviour born?
Our Saviour was born on
Christmas Day.
THE FOURTH ARTICLE OF THE
CREED
52. What is the fourth
article of the Creed?
The fourth article of the Creed
is, 'suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and
buried'.
53. What were the chief
sufferings of Christ?
The chief sufferings of Christ
were: first, his agony, and his sweat of blood in the Garden;
secondly, his being scourged at the pillar, and crowned with
thorns; and thirdly, his carrying his cross, his crucifixion, and
his death between two thieves.
54. What are the chief
sufferings of our Lord called?
The chief sufferings of our
Lord are called the Passion of Jesus Christ.
55. Why did our Saviour
suffer?
Our Saviour suffered to atone
for our sins, and to purchase for us eternal life.
56. Why is Jesus Christ
called our Redeemer?
Jesus Christ is called our
Redeemer because his precious blood is the price by which we were
ransomed.
57. On what day did our
Saviour die?
Our Saviour died on Good
Friday.
58. Where did our Saviour
die?
Our Saviour died on Mount
Calvary.
59. Why do we make the sign
of the cross?
We make the sign of the cross -
first, to put us in mind of the Blessed Trinity: and secondly, to
remind us that God the Son died for us on the Cross.
60. In making the sign of
the cross how are we reminded of the Blessed Trinity?
In making the sign of the cross
we are reminded of the Blessed Trinity by the words, 'In the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit'.
61. In making the sign of
the cross how are we reminded that Christ died for us on the
Cross?
In making the sign of the cross
we are reminded that Christ died for us on the Cross by the very
form of the cross which we make upon ourselves.
THE FIFTH ARTICLE OF THE
CREED
62. What is the fifth
article of the Creed?
The fifth article of the Creed
is, 'he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the
dead'.
63. What do you mean by the
words, 'he descended into hell'?
By the words, 'he descended
into hell', I mean that, as soon as Christ was dead, his blessed
Soul went down into that part of hell called Limbo.
64. What do you mean by
Limbo?
By Limbo I mean a place of
rest, where the souls of the just who died before Christ were
detained.
65. Why were the souls of
the just detained in Limbo?
The souls of the just were
detained in Limbo because they could not go up to the kingdom of
heaven till Christ had opened it for them.
66. What do you mean by the
words, 'the third day he rose again from the dead'?
By the words, 'the third day
he rose again from the dead,' I mean that, after Christ had
been dead and buried part of three days, he raised his blessed
Body to life again on the third day.
67. On what day did Christ
rise again from the dead?
Christ rose again from the dead
on Easter Sunday.
THE SIXTH ARTICLE OF THE
CREED
68. What is the sixth
article of the Creed?
The sixth article of the Creed
is, 'he ascended into heaven; is seated at the right hand of
God the Father Almighty'.
69. What do you mean by the
words, 'he ascended into heaven'?
By the words, 'he ascended
into heaven', I mean that our Saviour went up Body and Soul
into heaven on Ascension Day, forty days after his
resurrection.
70. What do you mean by the
words, 'is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty'?
By the words, 'is seated at
the right hand of God the Father Almighty.' I do not mean that
God the Father has hands, for he is a spirit; but I mean that
Christ, as God, is equal to the Father and, as man, is in the
highest place in heaven.
THE SEVENTH ARTICLE OF THE
CREED
71. What is the seventh
article of the Creed?
The seventh article of the
Creed is, 'from thence he shall come to judge the living and
the dead'.
72. When will Christ come
again?
Christ will come again from
heaven at the last day, to judge all mankind.
73. What are the things
Christ will judge?
Christ will judge our thoughts,
words, works, and omissions.
74. What will Christ say to
the wicked?
Christ will say to the wicked:
'Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which was
prepared for the devil and his angels.' Matt. 25:41
75. What will Christ say to
the just?
Christ will say to the just: 'Come,
ye blessed of my father, possess ye the kingdom prepared for you'.
Matt.25:34
76. Will every one be judged
at death, as well as at the last day?
Every one will be judged at
death, as well as at the last day: 'It is appointed unto men
once to die; and after this, the judgment'. Heb. 9:27
THE EIGHTH ARTICLE OF THE
CREED
77. What is the eighth
article of the Creed?
The eighth article of the Creed
is, 'I believe in the Holy Spirit'.
78. Who is the Holy
Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is the Third
Person of the Blessed Trinity.
79. From whom does the Holy
Spirit proceed?
The Holy Spirit proceeds from
the Father and the Son.
80. Is the Holy Spirit equal
to the Father and to the Son?
The Holy Spirit is equal to the
Father and to the Son, for he is the same Lord and God as they
are.
81. When did the Holy Spirit
come down on the Apostles?
The Holy Spirit came down on
the Apostles on Pentecost, in the form of 'parted tongues, as
it were, of fire'. Acts 2:3
82. Why did the Holy Spirit
come down on the Apostles?
The Holy Spirit came down on
the Apostles to confirm their faith, to sanctify them, and to
enable them to found the Church.
THE NINTH ARTICLE OF THE
CREED
83. What is the ninth
article of the Creed?
The ninth article of the Creed
is, 'the Holy Catholic Church; the Communion of Saints'.
84. What is the Catholic
Church?
The Catholic Church is the
union of all the faithful under one Head.
85. Who is the Head of the
Catholic Church?
The Head of the Catholic Church
is Jesus Christ.
86. Has the Church a visible
Head on earth?
The Church has a visible Head
on earth - the Bishop of Rome, who is the Vicar of Christ.
87. Why is the Bishop of
Rome the Head of the Church?
The Bishop of Rome is the Head
of the Church because he is the successor of St. Peter, whom
Christ appointed to be the Head of the Church.
88. How do you know that
Christ appointed St. Peter to be the Head of the Church?
I know that Christ appointed
St. Peter to be the Head of the Church because Christ said to him;
'Thou art Peter,and upon this rock I will build my Church, and
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And to thee I will
give the keys of the kingdom of heaven'. Matt. 16:18,19
89. What is the Bishop of
Rome called?
The Bishop of Rome is called
the Pope, which word signifies Father.
90. Is the Pope the
Spiritual Father of all Christians?
The Pope is the Spiritual
Father of all Christians.
91. Is the Pope the Shepherd
and Teacher of all Christians?
The Pope is the Shepherd and
Teacher of all Christians, because Christ made St. Peter the
Shepherd of the whole flock when he said: 'Feed my lambs, feed
my sheep'. He also prayed that his 'faith' might never
fail, and commanded him to 'confirm' his brethren.
Jn.21:15-17,Lk.22:32
92. Is the Pope
infallible?
The Pope is infallible.
93. What do you mean when
you say that the Pope is infallible?
When I say that the Pope is
infallible, I mean that the Pope cannot err when, as Shepherd and
Teacher of all Christians, he defines a doctrine concerning faith
or morals, to be held by the whole Church.
94. Has the Church of Christ
any marks by which we may know her?
The Church of Christ has four
marks by which we may know her: she is One - she is Holy - she is
Catholic - she is Apostolic.
95. How is the Church
One?
The Church is One because all
her members agree in one Faith, have all the same Sacrifice and
Sacraments, and are all united under one Head.
96. How is the Church
Holy?
The Church is Holy because
Jesus Christ, Her Founder is holy, teaches a holy doctrine, and
offers to all the means of holiness.
97. What does the word
Catholic mean?
The word Catholic means
universal.
98. How is the Church
Catholic or universal?
The Church is Catholic or
universal because she subsists in all ages, teaches all nations,
and is the source of all Truth.
99. How is the Church
Apostolic?
The Church is Apostolic because
it was founded by Christ on the apostles and, according to His
Divine Will, has always been governed by their lawful
successors.
100. Can the Church err in
what she teaches?
The Church cannot err in what
she teaches as to faith or morals, for she is our infallible guide
in both.
101. How do you know that
the Church cannot err in what she teaches?
I know that the Church cannot
err in what she teaches because Christ promised that the gates of
hell shall never prevail against his Church; that the Holy Spirit
shall teach her all things; and that he himself will be with her
all days, even to the consummation of the world. Matt. 16:18, John
14:16-26, Matt. 28:20
102. What do you mean by the
Communion of Saints?
By the Communion of Saints I
mean that all the members of the Church, in heaven, on earth, and
in purgatory, are in communion with each other, as being one body
in Jesus Christ.
103. How are the faithful on
earth in communion with each other?
The faithful on earth are in
communion with each other by professing the same faith, obeying
the same authority, and assisting each other with their prayers
and good works.
104. How are we in communion
with the Saints in heaven?
We are in communion with the
Saints in heaven by honoring them as the glorified members of the
Church, and also by our praying to them, and by their praying for
us.
105. How are we in communion
with the souls in purgatory?
We are in communion with the
souls in purgatory by helping them with our prayers and good
works: 'It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the
dead, that they may be loosed from sins'.
106. What is
purgatory?
Purgatory is a place where
souls suffer for a time after death on account of their
sins.
107. What souls go to
purgatory?
Those souls go to purgatory
that depart this life in venial sin; or that have not fully paid
the debt of temporal punishment due to those sins of which the
guilt has been forgiven.
108. What is temporal
punishment?
Temporal punishment is
punishment which will have an end, either in this world, or in the
world to come.
109. How do you prove that
there is a purgatory?
I prove that there is a
purgatory from the constant teaching of the Church; and from the
doctrine of Holy Scripture, which declares that God will render to
every man according to his works; that nothing defiled shall enter
heaven; and that some will be saved, "as one who has gone
through fires". Matt. 16:27, Apoc. 21:27.1, Cor. 3:15
THE TENTH ARTICLE OF
THE CREED
110. What is the tenth
article of the Creed?
The tenth article of the Creed
is, 'the forgiveness of sins'.
111. What do you mean by
'the forgiveness of sins'?
By 'the forgiveness of sins'
I mean that Christ has left the power of forgiving sins to the
Pastors of his Church. Jn.20:23
112. By what means are sins
forgiven?
Sins are forgiven principally
by the Sacraments of Baptism and Penance.
113. What is sin?
Sin is an offense against God,
by any thought, word, deed or omission against the law of
God.
114. How many kinds of sin
are there?
There are two kinds of sin,
original sin and actual sin.
115. What is original
sin?
Original sin is that guilt and
stain of sin which we inherit from Adam, who was the origin and
head of all mankind.
116. What was the sin
committed by Adam?
The sin committed by Adam was
the sin of disobedience when he ate the forbidden fruit.
117. Have all mankind
contracted the guilt and stain of original sin?
All mankind have contracted the
guilt and stain of original sin, except the Blessed Virgin, who,
through the merits of her Divine Son, was conceived without the
least guilt or stain of original sin.
118. What is this privilege
of the Blessed Virgin called?
This privilege of the Blessed
Virgin is called the Immaculate Conception.
119. What is actual
sin?
Actual sin is every sin which
we ourselves commit.
120. How is actual sin
divided?
Actual sin is divided into
mortal sin and venial sin.
121. What is mortal
sin?
Mortal sin is a serious offence
against God.
122. Why is it called mortal
sin?
It is called mortal sin because
it is so serious that it kills the soul and deserves hell.
123. How does mortal sin
kill the soul?
Mortal sin kills the soul by
depriving it of sanctifying grace, which is the supernatural life
of the soul.
124. Is it a great evil to
fall into mortal sin?
It is the greatest of all evils
to fall into mortal sin.
125. Where will they go who
die in mortal sin?
They who die in mortal sin will
go to hell for all eternity.
126. What is venial
sin?
Venial sin is an offense which
does not kill the soul, yet displeases God, and often leads to
mortal sin.
127. Why is it called venial
sin?
It is called venial sin
because it is more easily pardoned than mortal sin.
THE ELEVENTH ARTICLE OF
THE CREED
128. What is the eleventh
article of the Creed?
The eleventh article of the
Creed is, 'the resurrection of the body'.
129. What do you mean by
'the resurrection of the body'?
By 'the resurrection of the
body', I mean that we shall all rise again with the same
bodies at the day of judgment.
THE TWELFTH ARTICLE OF THE
CREED
130. What is the twelfth
article of the Creed?
The twelfth article of the
Creed is, 'life everlasting'.
131. What does 'life
everlasting' mean?
'Life everlasting' means
that the good shall live forever in the glory and happiness of
heaven.
132. What is the glory and
happiness of heaven?
The glory and happiness of
heaven is to see, love, and enjoy God forever.
133. What does the Scripture
say of the happiness of heaven?
The Scripture says of the
happiness of heaven: 'That 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. 2:9
134. Shall not the wicked
also live forever?
The wicked also shall live and
be punished forever in the fire of hell. |
