CATECHISM
OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE
VIRTUES
AND VICES
1.Which
are the theological virtues?
The theological virtues are `` Faith, Hope and Charity`` (1 Cor.13:13)
2.Why
are they called theological virtues?
They are called Theological virtues because they relate immediately to God.
3.What
are the chief mysteries of Faith, which every Christian is bound to know?
The chief mysteries of Faith that every Christian is bound to know are the Unity and Trinity of God, who will render to every man according to his works and the Incarnation, Death and Resurrection of our Savior.
4.Which
are the Cardinal virtues?
The
Cardinal Virtues are “
Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance. (Wisd.8: 7)
5.Why are they called Cardinal Virtues?
They are called
Cardinal Virtues because they are, as it were, the hinges on which all other
moral virtues turn.
6.Which
are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit?
The seven gifts of
the Holy Spirit are:
a. Wisdom
b. Understanding
c. Counsel
d. Fortitude
e. Knowledge
f. Piety
g. The fear of the Lord (Is.11: 2.3)
7.Which
are the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit?
a. Charity
b. Joy c.
Peace d. Patience
e. Benignity f.
Goodness
g. Longanimity
h. Mildness i.
Faith j. Modesty k. Continency
l. Chastity
( Gal.5:22)
8.Which
are the two great precepts of Charity?
a. “ You must
love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your
mind and with all your strength”
b. You must love
your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:30,31)
9.Which
are the seven Corporal works of Mercy?
a. To feed the
hungry b. To give
drink to the thirsty c.
To clothe the naked
d. To harbour the
harbourless e. To
visit the sick f.
To visit the imprisoned
g. To bury the
dead. (Matt 25; Tobias 12)
10.Which
are the seven Spiritual Works of Mercy?
a. To convert the
sinner b. To
instruct the ignorant c.
To counsel the doubtful
d. To comfort the
sorrowful e. To
bear wrongs patiently f.
To forgive injustice
g. To pray for the
living and the dead.
11.Which
are the eight Beatitudes?
a. How happy are
the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
b. Happy the
gentle; for they shall have the earth for their heritage.
c. Happy those who
mourn: they shall be comforted.
d. Happy those who
hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.
e. Happy the
merciful, they shall have mercy shown them.
f. Happy the pure
in heart, they shall see God.
g. Happy the
peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God.
h. Happy those who
are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matt.
5:3-10)
12.Which
are the seven capital sins or vices and their contrary virtues?
The seven capital
sins or vices are:
a. Pride
b. Covetousness c.
Lust d. Anger
e. Gluttony f.
Envy
g. Sloth
Their contrary
virtues are:
a. Humility
b. Liberality c.
Chastity d.
Meekness e. Temperance
f. Brotherly love
g. Diligence.
13.Why
are they called capital sins?
They are called
capital sins because they are the sources from which all other sins
take their rise.
14.Which
are the six sins against the Holy Spirit?
a. Presumption
b. Despair c.
Resisting the known truth
d. Envy of another spiritual good
e. Obstinacy in sin
f. Final impenitence.
15.Which
are the four sins crying to heaven for vengeance?
a. Wilful murder
(Gen.4)
b. The sin of Sodom
(Gen.18)
c. Oppression of
the poor (Exodus. 2)
d. Defrauding
labourers of their wages (James 5)
16.When
are we answerable for the sins of others?
Whenever we either
cause or share in them, through our own fault.
17.In
how many ways may we either cause or share the guilt of another’s sin?
We may either cause
or share the guilt of another’s sin in 9 ways:
a. By counsel
b. By command c.
By consent d. By
provocation
e. By praise or
flattery f. By
concealment g. By
being a partner in the sin
h. By silence
i. By defending the ill done.
18.Which
are the three eminent good works?
Prayer,
Fasting and Alms deeds.
19.Which
are the Evangelical counsels?
The voluntary
poverty, perpetual chastity and entire Obedience.
20.Which
are the four last things to be always remembered?
Death, Judgment,
Hell and Heaven.
A Sacrament is an outward sign of inward grace, ordained by Jesus Christ, by which Grace is given to our souls.
The Sacraments always give grace to those who receive them worthily.
The Sacraments have the power of giving grace from the merits of Christ’s Precious Blood which they apply to our souls.
We ought to have a great desire to receive the Sacraments, because they are the chief Means of our salvation.
A character is given to the soul by the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Order.
A character is a mark or seal on the soul which cannot be effaced, and therefore the Sacrament conferring it may not be repeated.
There are seven Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Order, and Matrimony.
BAPTISM, CONFIRMATION, THE HOLY EUCHARIST, PENANCE, ANOINTING OF THE SICK, HOLY ORDER, MATRIMONY.
Baptism is a Sacrament which cleanses us from original sin, makes us Christians, children of God, and members of the Church.
Baptism also forgives actual sins, with all punishment due to them, when it is received in proper dispositions by those who have been guilty of actual sin.
The ordinary minister of Baptism is a priest; but any one may baptize in case of necessity, when a priest cannot be had.
Baptism is given by pouring water on the head of the child, saying at the same time these words: “ I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”.
We promise in Baptism to renounce the devil and all his works and pomps.
Baptism is necessary for salvation because Christ has said: “Unless a man is born again through water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. (John 3:5)
a. What is Confirmation?
Confirmation is a Sacrament by which we receive the Holy Spirit, in order to make us strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.
b. Who is the ordinary minister of Confirmation?
The ordinary minister of Confirmation is a Bishop.
c. How does the Bishop administer the Sacrament of Confirmation?
The Bishop administers the Sacrament of Confirmation by praying that the Holy Spirit may come down upon those who are to be confirmed; and by laying his hand on them, and making the sign of the cross with chrism on their foreheads, at the same time pronouncing certain words.
d. What are the words used in Confirmation?
The words used in Confirmation are these: “N… be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit”.
The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, together with his Soul and Divinity, under the appearances of bread and wine.
The bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ by the power of God, to whom nothing is impossible or difficult.
The bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ when the words of consecration, ordained by Jesus Christ, are pronounced by the priest in Holy Mass.
Christ has given himself to be the life and the food of our souls. “Whoever eats me will draw life from me” “Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever”. (John 6:58.59).
Christ is received whole and entire under either kind alone.
In order to receive the Blessed Sacrament worthily, it is required that we be in a state of grace and keep the prescribed fast: water doesn’t break this fast.
To be in a state of grace is to be free from mortal sin, and pleasing to God.
It is a great sin to receive Holy Communion in mortal sin: “because a person, who eats and drinks without recognizing the Body, is eating and drinking his own condemnation”. (1 Cor.11:29)
The Blessed Eucharist is not a Sacrament only; it is also a sacrifice.
A sacrifice is the offering of a victim by a priest to God alone, in testimony of his being the Sovereign Lord of all things.
The Sacrifice of the New Law is the Holy Mass.
The Holy Mass is the Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, really present on the altar under the appearances of bread and wine, and offered to God for the living and the dead.
The Holy Mass is one and the same Sacrifice with that of the Cross, inasmuch as Christ, who offered himself, a bleeding victim, on the Cross to his heavenly Father, continues to offer himself in an unbloody manner on the altar, through the ministry of his priests.
The Sacrifice of the Mass is offered for four ends: first, to give supreme honour and glory to God; secondly, to thank him for all our benefits; thirdly, to satisfy God for our sins and to obtain the grace of repentance; and fourthly, to obtain all other graces and blessings through Jesus Christ.
The Mass is also a memorial of the Passion and Death of our Lord, for Christ at his last supper said: “Do this for a commemoration of me”. (Luke 22:19)
Penance is a Sacrament whereby the sins, whether mortal or venial, which we have committed after Baptism are forgiven.
The Sacrament of Penance increases the grace of God in the soul, besides forgiving sin; we should, therefore, often go to confession.
Our Lord instituted the Sacrament of Penance when he breathed on his Apostles and gave them power to forgive sins, saying: “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven”. (John 20: 23)
The priest forgives sins by the power of God, when he pronounces the words of absolution.
The words of absolution are: “I absolve you from your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”.
Three conditions for forgiveness are required on the part of the penitent – Contrition, Confession, and Satisfaction.
Contrition is a heartfelt sorrow for our sins, because by them we have offended so good a God, together with a firm purpose of amendment.
A firm purpose of amendment is a resolution to avoid, by the grace of God, not only sin, but also the dangerous occasion of sin.
We obtain a hearty sorrow for our sins by earnestly praying for it, and by making use of such considerations as may lead us to it.
This consideration concerning God will lead us to sorrow for our sins; that by our sins we have offended God, who is infinitely good in himself and infinitely good to us.
This consideration concerning our Savior will lead us to sorrow for our sins; that our Savior died for our sins, and that those who sin grievously “have willfully crucified the Son of God and openly mocked him”. (Heb 6:6)
Sorrow for our sins, because by them we have lost heaven and deserve hell, is sufficient when we go to confession.
Perfect contrition is sorrow for sin arising purely from the love of God.
Perfect contrition has this special value; that by it our sins are forgiven immediately, even before we confess them; nevertheless, if they are serious, we are strictly bound to confess them afterwards.
Confession is to accuse ourselves of our sins to a priest approved by the Bishop.
If a person willfully conceals a serious sin in confession he is guilty of a great sacrilege, by telling a lie to the Holy Spirit in making a bad confession.
We have four things to do in order to prepare for confession: first, we must heartily pray for grace to make a good confession: secondly, we must carefully examine our conscience: thirdly, we must take time and care to make a good act of contrition: and fourthly, we must resolve by the help of God to renounce our sins, and to begin a new life for the future.
Satisfaction is doing the penance given us by the priest.
The penance given by the priest does not always make full satisfaction for our sins. We should therefore add to it other good works and penances, and try to gain Indulgences.
An indulge is a remission, granted by the Church, of the temporal punishment which often remains due to sin after its guilt has been forgiven.
This Sacrament is the anointing of the sick with holy oil, accompanied with prayer.
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is given when we are in danger of death by sickness.
The effects of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick are to comfort and strengthen the soul, to remit sin, and to even restore health, when God sees it to be expedient.
The authority in Scripture for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is in the 5th chapter of St James ( James 5:14,15) where it is said: “ If one of you is ill he should send for the elders of the Church, and they must anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord and pray over him. The prayer of faith shall save the sick man; and the Lord will raise him up again; and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven”.
Holy Order is the Sacrament by which bishops, priests, and other ministers of the Church are ordained, and receive power and grace to perform their sacred duties.
Matrimony is the Sacrament which sanctifies the contract of a Christian marriage, and gives a special grace to those who receive it worthily.
The Sacrament of Matrimony gives to those who receive it worthily a special grace, to enable them to bear the difficulties of their state, to love and be faithful to one another, and to bring up their children in the fear of God.
It is a sacrilege to contract marriage in serious sin, or in disobedience to the laws of the Church, and, instead of a blessing, the guilty parties draw upon themselves the anger of God. (For the marriage of a Catholic to be valid, there must be present 1. either the Bishop or the Parish Priest, or another Priest duly delegated and 2. two witnesses).
A “mixed marriage” is a marriage in which only one partner is a Catholic.
The Church does not encourage mixed marriage.
The Church sometimes permits mixed marriages by granting a dispensation, and under special conditions.
The Catholic partner of a mixed marriage promises to do everything possible to preserve the faith and have all children of the marriage baptized and brought up in the Catholic Church.
No human power can dissolve the bond of marriage, because Christ has said: “What God has joined together, let no man put asunder”. (Matt.19:6)
©
1999 edition,
The Incorporated Catholic
Truth Society
ISBN
0 85183 420 5