What Catholics Believe

Sketch-Talks

Rev. Lawrence G. Lovasik, S. V. D.

Imprimi Potest:

FRANCIS HUMEL, S.V.D.

Superior Provincialis

Nihil Obstat:

RT. REV. MSGR. A. H. WIERSBINSKI, LL.D.

Censor Librorum

Imprimatur:

JOHN MARK GANNON, D.D., D.C.L., LL.D.

Bishop of Erie

TAN Books

Charlotte, North Carolina

www.TANBooks.com

1977

FOREWORD

This booklet first appeared as "Catechism Sketched." It was reprinted with the kind permission of The Catechetical Guild in order that it might be available to more readers at a low cost.

WHAT CATHOLICS BELIEVE is written:

1. For Non-Catholics, that they may get a comprehensive view of the teaching of the Catholic Church;

2. For Converts who are being prepared for reception into the Church;

3. For Catholics who perhaps are not well informed about their faith;

4. For Children in the Catechism class.

This booklet is lovingly dedicated to Our Blessed Mother. May She bless those who use it.

SACRED HEART MISSION SEMINARY
Father Lawrence G. Lovasik, S. V. D.
Girard, Penna.

CONTENTS

Part One

THE CREED

1. The Purpose of Man's Existence

2. God and His Perfections

3. The Unity and Trinity of God

4. Creation and the Angels

5. The Creation and the Fall of Man

6. Actual Sin

7. The Incarnation

8. The Redemption

9. The Holy Ghost and Grace

10. The Virtues and Gifts of the Holy Ghost

11. The Catholic Church

12. The Marks and Attributes of the Church

13. The Communion of Saints and Forgiveness of Sins

14. The Resurrection and Life Everlasting

Part Two

THE COMMANDMENTS

15. The Two Great Commandments

16. The First Commandment of God

17. Honoring the Saints, Relics, and Images

18. The Second and Third Commandments of God.

19. The Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Ninth Commandments of God

20. The Seventh, Eighth, and Tenth Commandments of God

21. The Commandments of the Church; The First and Second Commandments

22. The Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Commandments of the Church

Part Three

THE SACRAMENTS AND PRAYER

23. The Sacraments

24. Baptism

25. Confirmation

26. The Holy Eucharist

27. The Sacrifice of the Mass

28. Holy Communion

29. Penance

30. Contrition

31. Confession

32. How to Make a Good Confession

33. Temporal Punishment and Indulgences

34. Extreme Unction and Holy Orders

35. Matrimony

36. The Sacramentals

37. Prayer

38. The Our Father

PART ONE

THE CREED

LESSON 1. THE PURPOSE OF MAN'S EXISTENCE

A.

Why you are in this world:

(1) To know God, (2) To love God, (3) To serve God.

B.

The Apostles' Creed contains God's revealed truths.

Why you are in this world

God is the Highest Being who made all things. He made you to show forth His goodness and to share with you His everlasting happiness in heaven.

You are in this world to know God, to love Him, to serve Him, and thereby gain heaven.

Fig. 1

You are in the world, but God made you to be happy with Him in heaven. Before you can reach heaven, you must go up three steps–knowing, loving, and serving God. You must know God before you can love Him. You must love God in order to serve Him well.

To know God

You can know something about God because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has told us many things about Himself; that is to say, He has "revealed" (made known) many things about Himself. You must believe what God has revealed, because God is truth and can neither deceive (tell a lie) nor be deceived. The Catholic Church teaches us what God has revealed.

To love God

Besides believing what God has revealed, you must obey His laws. The two great commandments are: to love God with your whole heart and your neighbor as yourself.

Fig. 2

You cannot see God, but the Church takes His place. God speaks through the Church, that is, through the Pope, bishops, and priests. They tell you what God wants you to believe. If you believe them, you believe God.

To serve God

To serve God means: to do the will of God. It is the will of God that you:

1) Believe all that God has revealed;

2) Keep the commandments;

3) Receive the sacraments;

4) Pray.

Fig. 3

The Catholic Church is like a bridge that takes you from this world to the next. Four pillars hold up that bridge: faith, commandments, sacraments, prayer. Love of God and our neighbor are its two strong braces. If, as a Catholic, you are held up by these four pillars and if you keep the two great commandments, You will reach heaven and eternal life with God.

You learn to know, love, and serve God from Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who teaches us through the Catholic Church in the Apostles' Creed.

The Apostles' Creed

Shortly after Jesus Christ died, the twelve most important truths that He had taught the apostles were put into one prayer called the Apostles' Creed. It contains the main truths which God has revealed.

The Apostles' Creed has three main parts. Each part tells what each Person of the Blessed Trinity has done for you. God the Father created you and all things–Creation. God the Son saved you by His death on the Cross–Redemption. God the Holy Ghost makes you holy–Sanctification.

Fig. 4

I.

God the Father –Creator

II.

God the Son –Redeemer

III.

God the Holy Ghost –Sanctifier

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 Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, sitteth 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 Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

LESSON 2. GOD AND HIS PERFECTIONS

A.

Who God is.

B.

God's greatness and goodness.

God the Father–"I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth . . ."

Who God is

God is the Highest Being, infinitely perfect, who made all things and keeps them in existence (continuing to be).

God is the Highest Being, because He is above all creatures. He made all things; no one ever made Him. He had no beginning. He is, He always was, and always will be. He is eternal.

God is a spirit, because He has no body. He can live without a body, and so will never die. He cannot be seen with your eyes, nor felt with your hands. He has understanding and free will.

God is infinitely perfect, because there is no limit or end to His greatness and goodness.

Fig. 5

This triangle stands for the Blessed Trinity (3 sides–3 Persons; 1 triangle–1 God). The circle has neither beginning nor end; so, too, God has no beginning nor end. The word "infinite" means without end or limits.

God's greatness and goodness

God knows all things, past, present, and future, even your most secret thoughts, words, and actions. He is all-knowing.

He can do all things; He is almighty.

He is everywhere, because He knows all things, sees all things, and can do all things. Without Him nothing can be. He is all-present.

Everything that is good can be found in God, and all that is good comes from Him. God is the highest good. He cannot be better than He is; God is all-good.

Fig. 6

God knows and sees all things. His eye is ever upon you. He sees the good that you do as well as the bad. Because God is good, He wants you to be good.

Fig. 7

A cut diamond is a precious gem. Its beauty shines forth. God is far more beautiful. Every good thing you can think of shines forth from Him: power, goodness, knowledge, holiness, mercy, and justice. These are called the perfections of God.

LESSON 3. THE UNITY AND TRINITY OF GOD

The three Divine Persons in one God

The three Divine Persons in God are: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

The Father is God and the first Person of the Blessed Trinity. The Son is God and the second Person of the Blessed Trinity. The Holy Ghost is God and the third Person of the Blessed Trinity.

The Blessed Trinity is one God in three Divine Persons. These three Persons are not three Gods, but they are all one and the same God; that is, they have one and the same divine nature.

These three Divine Persons are in every way equal to each other because they are one and the same God; yet, one is not the other. They are really separate, one from another. Each one is a Person.

Fig. 8

It takes three sides to make a triangle. Though a triangle has three sides, it is only one triangle. One side is exactly the same as the other; yet one side is not the other. This explanation will give you some idea of the Blessed Trinity.

Fig. 9

This clover has three leaves. Leaf 1 is not leaf 2; leaf 3 is not leaf 1 or 2. There are three separate leaves, yet only one clover. So there are three Persons in the Blessed Trinity, but only one God. Just as the same plant-life is in each clover leaf, so the same Divine Life is in each Person of the Blessed Trinity.

LESSON 4. CREATION AND THE ANGELS

A.

Angels are spirits.

B.

Good and bad angels.

All things that God has made are called His creatures and creations. As Creator of heaven and earth, God made all things out of nothing by His almighty power.

The highest creatures God has made are angels and man.

Angels are spirits

Angels are spirits; that is, they have no bodies. God created them out of nothing to adore Him and to be happy with Him in heaven. The angels know many things which we do not know, and do many things which we cannot do.

Good and bad Angels

Some of the angels did not want to obey God. They wanted to be greater than God. They sinned because they were proud. God punished them for being proud and disobedient by casting them into hell. Now they are called bad angels, or devils. The devils try to harm you by tempting you to sin.

The angels who remained obedient are happy with God, because they see, love, and adore God forever. They are called good angels. These angels are messengers of God. They pray for you, and one of them is your guardian angel.

Fig. 10

a. The good angels are happy because they obeyed God. The bad angels are in hell because they disobeyed God.

b. God created the world: the sun, moon, stars, sky, water, land, plants, trees, birds, fish, animals.

c. God created man.

LESSON 5. CREATION AND MAN

A.

God created man.

B.

The fall of our first parents.

C.

Original sin washed away.

God created man

God made man out of nothing. Man is a creature of body and soul.

God made you to His own image and likeness. The face of a child is often like that of his father or mother. God the Father made something like Himself.

God is a spirit; your soul is also a spirit which has a mind and a will, that is, you can think and want.

God cannot die. Your soul cannot die; it is immortal. Your body is mortal because it will die. When the body dies, the soul still lives because it is a spirit.

Fig. 11

A triangle may also be used to give a picture of the soul. There are three powers in the soul, but only one soul. These three powers are: understanding, by which you know things; free will, by which you want things; the memory, by which you can remember things.

The fall of our first parents

The first man and woman were Adam and Eve. They are the first parents of the whole human race. The greatest gift God gave them was sanctifying grace. It made them children of God and gave them the right to heaven.

God also gave them other gifts: 1) They were very happy with God in the beautiful Garden of Paradise. 2) They had great knowledge. 3) They were innocent and holy. 4) They need never to have suffered or died.

God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit of a certain tree that grew in the Garden of Paradise. They did not obey God's command, but ate of the forbidden fruit. God punished them for their sin: 1. They lost sanctifying grace, the right to heaven, and the special gifts God had given them. 2. They were driven out of Paradise. 3. They had to work hard and suffer much till their death.

Adam's sin did harm not only to his own soul, but also to the souls of all mankind. Every child comes into the world with the stain of original sin on its soul because Adam, the first father, sinned. This sin is called "original," because it came to us through Adam, the father or "origin" of all people. From Adam's sin come all punishments: 1) Everyone must die; 2) Everyone must suffer; 3) Everyone leans in the direction of sin (inclination to evil).

God is not unjust in making you share Adam's punishment. You have not lost anything to which you have a real right. The special gifts which God gave to Adam were more than man had a right to expect. No one really complains because he was not born to millionaire parents. Instead, a wise man works hard and makes himself rich.

Original sin washed away at Baptism

When the priest poured water upon your forehead at Baptism, God washed away the stain of original sin from your soul. That sin cannot come back again. As a sign that God made your soul white and clean, the priest placed upon you a white cloth or garment, which is a reminder of the garment of grace. This is called sanctifying grace because it makes the soul holy. Anyone who dies with this grace will go to heaven.

LESSON 6. ACTUAL SIN

A.

What actual sin is.

B.

Kinds of actual sin.

C.

What mortal sin does.

D.

What venial sin does.

E.

Temptation.

F.

Capital sins.

Fig. 12

Suppose Eve had awakened one night and thought, "The forbidden tree is surely far from here. I shall eat from the nearest tree." Then next morning she had noticed that she had eaten from the forbidden tree. Because Eve would have disobeyed a command of God unknowingly it would not have been a sin.

Fig. 13

Imagine that the devil had taken Eve's hand and made her pick the apple from the forbidden tree. This would not have been a sin for Eve, because she did not pick the apple willfully. The devil forced her.

Fig. 14

But you know what really happened. The devil talked to Eve till she took the apple; but he did not force her. She knowingly and willfully disobeyed a command of God. Thus Eve sinned.

What actual sin is

Original sin is not the only kind of sin. There is another kind which you yourself commit. It is called actual sin.

Actual sin is any willful thought, desire (wish), word, action or omission (neglecting to do what one should do) forbidden by the law of God.

He commits sin who knowingly and willfully disobeys a law of God, that is, who knows that he is disobeying a law of God and still wants to do it.

Kinds of actual sin

There are two kinds of actual sin: mortal and venial.

Mortal sin is a grievous (great) offense against the law of God. It is called mortal (deadly, causing death) because it takes away sanctifying grace which is the life of the soul.

Three things are necessary for a sin to be mortal.

1. The thing must be very bad.

2. It must be done with the full knowledge that it is against God. You must know what you are doing.

3. The wrong must have the full consent of your will–you must really want to do it.

If one of these three things is missing, there is no mortal sin (Fig. 19).

Venial sin is a less serious offense against the law of God. It does not take away sanctifying grace from your soul, and can be pardoned even without confession.

You commit a venial sin when you knowingly and willfully disobey a commandment of God in a less serious matter; or if the matter was serious, but you did not know that what you were doing was seriously wrong (unknowingly); or if you did not want to do it (not done willfully).

No number of venial sins can make a single mortal sin.

Fig. 15

Mortal sin (a black triangle in coffin) brings death to the soul, because it takes away its life, which is sanctifying grace. Venial sin (spotted triangle in wheelchair) is the disease of the soul and makes it sick.

What mortal sin does:

1. Offends God very much.

2. Takes away sanctifying grace, the friendship of God, and the right to a reward in heaven (merits);

3. Brings temporal (lasting for a certain time) punishment in this life and eternal (lasting forever) punishment in the next;

4. Caused Our Lord to suffer on the cross;

5. Makes you very unhappy.

Fig. 16

a. By committing mortal sin you knowingly and willingly disobey God (tablets of the commandments crossed out twice).

b. A soul stained by mortal sin. It has lost the garment of sanctifying grace, the halo of holiness and the right to a reward in heaven (crown in heaven).

c. Eternal punishment (devil leading the man to hell).

What venial sin does:

1. Offends God;

2. Helps to crucify Our Lord;

3. Brings God's punishment in this life or in purgatory;

4. Takes away God's special helps and graces;

5. Leads to mortal sin.

Fig. 17

a. By committing venial sin you break God's law in a less serious matter (tablets of the commandments crossed out once).

b. Venial sin brings punishment in this life (man carrying the cross), or punishment in purgatory (a soul in the flames of purgatory).

c. M, W, mean actual grace in the soul. But there is no light for the mind (bulb not lighted in the M); and no strength for the will (no muscle in the W).

d. The devil is trying to lead man into sin, while the angel is trying to draw him to what is good.

Fig. 18

By committing venial sins, you may fall into mortal sin, because every venial sin is a step toward mortal sin. If you die in the state of mortal sin, you will be punished forever in hell. One who commits venial sin does not listen to his guardian angel warning him about his danger.

Examples:

Lucifer, the leader of the bad angels, and all those who followed him were cast into hell because they were proud and did not want to serve God. All these bad angels must suffer forever on account of the great sin they committed.

God sent fire and brimstone down upon the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because the people committed many mortal sins and were not sorry for them, nor did they want to better their lives (Gen. 19).

Moses doubted whether God would give the Israelites water from the rock. This was a venial sin. Still, he was punished by not being allowed to lead his people into the Promised Land (Numbers 20).

Zachary doubted the message of the angel. This was a venial sin. He was struck dumb and could not speak for nine months (Luke 1).

Temptation

A temptation is not a sin. It is an invitation or an attraction to sin. When you are tempted, you are invited and drawn to commit sin. Temptation is a fight between good and evil, between your duty to obey God's law and your evil desires. As soon as you decide to give in to your evil desires and want to disobey God's commandments, the temptation is over and you have committed a sin.

You must get ready to meet temptation:

1. By prayer;

2. By self denial, so that when temptation comes, your will may be strong enough to want good instead of evil;

3. By turning your mind away from bad thoughts and from things which cause them; also by running away from temptation, and becoming busy with other things;

4. By fighting against temptations from the very first moment that they come up;

5. By loving Jesus and the Blessed Virgin sincerely.

Fig. 19

The Arithmetic of Sin

1. Temptation (T) plus full knowledge of the mind (M) to know the evil, and the full consent of the will (W) to desire the evil, and a serious matter (something that is very bad–solid black dot) equals a mortal sin (solid black spot) on the soul.

2. Temptation plus full knowledge of the mind and full consent of the will and matter that is not serious (shaded circle) equals a venial sin (shaded spot) on the soul.

3. Temptation minus (without) knowledge of the mind about the evil leaves no sin on the soul.

4. Temptation minus (without) consent of the will to the evil leaves no sin on the soul.

5. Temptation plus some (but not full) consent of the will (½W) equals a venial sin (shaded spot) on the soul.

The Seven Capital or Deadly Sins

These sins are called "capital" because they are the head or beginning of all other sins, that is, they are the main reasons why you commit sin. They are called "deadly," because they lead you to mortal sin, which is the death of the soul.

Fig. 20

1. PRIDE–The peacock–shows off its pretty tail feathers.

2. AVARICE–He who always tries to get more money and never gives any to those in need, sits on his money like a frog.

3. LUST–The goat–always looks dirty. Lust means impurity: impure thoughts, desires, words, looks, actions.

4. ENVY–The snake–envied the happiness of our first parents in paradise.

5. GLUTTONY–The pig–always looking for more to eat and drink.

6. ANGER–A mad dog–foaming at the mouth.

7. SLOTH–The snail–moves slowly and lazily. Sloth means laziness.

LESSON 7. THE INCARNATION

A.

The promise of a Redeemer.

B.

Who Jesus Christ is.

1. Truly God.

2. Truly Man.

C.

Where Jesus Christ is.

God the Son–"I believe . . . in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary . . ."

The Promise of a Redeemer

When Adam and Eve had eaten of the forbidden fruit, God did not send them to hell, but gave them time to be sorry for their sins. Though heaven was closed to all men, God did not forsake mankind. He promised to send into the world a Saviour, who would free man from his sins and open heaven to him again. Jesus Christ is this Saviour of mankind.

Who Jesus Christ is

Jesus Christ is truly God, because He is the only Son of God, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity. He is higher than all angels and men, and all must obey Him. He was not made by anyone, but was always God.

Jesus Christ is truly man, because He is the son of the Blessed Virgin Mary and has a body and soul like ours. He was God from all eternity, but He became man in time. He was made man by the power of the Holy Ghost under the heart of the Blessed Virgin on Annunciation Day (March 25), the day on which the Angel Gabriel announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she was to be the Mother of God. This is called the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. It means that the Son of God, while still remaining God, took for Himself a body and soul like ours and became man.

Jesus Christ was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Christmas Day (December 25) in the stable of Bethlehem more than 1900 years ago. He had no human father. St. Joseph was only His guardian or foster-father.

Jesus Christ is only one Person, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity. He has two natures: the nature of God and the nature of man; that is, He is both God and man.

Example:

The prayer called the Angelus tells the story of the Incarnation. The Angel Gabriel brought to Mary the message that she would be the Mother of the Son of God made man. She asked, "How shall this happen?"

The Angel said, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee."

Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word."

The Word (the Son of God) was made flesh (a real man with a body and soul like ours) and dwelt among us.

Fig. 21

Jesus Christ is both God and man. As God He is the Son of God the Father. As God-Man he is the son of the Virgin Mary. The Blessed Virgin is truly the Mother of God. In Jesus Christ there is only one Person, the Divine Son of God. The Son of God has two natures, the divine (God) and the human (man) nature.

Where Jesus Christ is

Jesus Christ is everywhere as God.

As God-man (God made man) He is in heaven and in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar.

(a) He is in heaven, because He ascended into heaven forty days after His Resurrection. (b) He is in the Blessed Sacrament, because the night before He died He gave us the Blessed Sacrament and said He would be present there. He gave His apostles and the bishops and priests who would follow them the power to say Mass and bring Him down upon the altar. He is present in the Mass under the form of bread and wine, and in the tabernacle under the form of bread.

Fig. 22

God the Son was God from all eternity (Son).

In time He became man in Mary by the power of the Holy Ghost (dove).

He was born in the stable of Bethlehem.

He is present as God and man in the Blessed Sacrament (altar and tabernacle).

LESSON 8. THE REDEMPTION

A.

The Passion.

B.

The Resurrection.

C.

The Ascension.

D.

Our Lord's reign in heaven.

E.

Judgment Day.

"I believe . . . in Jesus Christ . . . who . . . suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead . . ."

The Passion

Jesus became man so that He could suffer for and redeem mankind. By the Redemption is meant that Jesus Christ, as the Redeemer of the whole human race, offered His sufferings and death to God as a worthy sacrifice to atone for (make up for) the sins of men, and to win back for men the right to be children of God and heirs of heaven.

The main sufferings of Jesus were His agony of soul and His bloody sweat in the garden on Holy Thursday night; and then His cruel scourging, crowning with thorns, crucifixion, and death on Calvary, outside of Jerusalem, on Good Friday afternoon.

Jesus Christ suffered out of love and pity for mankind. He suffered the greater part of the punishment due to sin, but not all. If you do not keep from grievous sins, or if you are not sorry for them before you die, you will still be punished in hell. If you do not punish yourself with some penance, you will have to suffer either in this world or in purgatory. From the suffering and death of Christ you learn how much God loved you and also how great an evil sin is.

Fig. 23

On the scale of God's justice our Lord's death on the cross was so precious to God that it not only raised man from the danger of eternal death, hut won a key which opens heaven. That key is sanctifying grace. Our Lord bought sanctifying grace by His sufferings and death.

The Resurrection

After Jesus died, His body was buried in the grave, and His soul went to a place or stage of rest called limbo, where the souls of the just were waiting for Him. He went there to tell them that He had opened heaven for them and for all good people. That is what we mean when we say in the Apostle's Creed that Christ descended into hell.

The body of Jesus remained in the grave from Good Friday evening till Easter Sunday morning, the third day after His death. On Easter Sunday morning His soul came back from limbo, entered into His body, and His body became alive. He rose from the dead as He had foretold. We call this His Resurrection (to rise from death to life). Our Lord's body became bright and beautiful, and all the wounds disappeared, except the wounds of His hands, feet, and side. His body was glorified (made like a spirit) and changed. It could no more suffer and die. It could no more feel hunger and thirst. It could go from place to place without walking, enter through closed doors, appear and disappear suddenly.

Jesus rose from the dead to prove that He is true God, to teach you that you, too, shall rise from the dead on the last day and that He will make your body beautiful and glorious like His own if you will be faithful to Him on earth.

The Ascension

Our Lord remained on earth forty days after His Resurrection to prove that He had really risen from the dead and to teach His apostles more things about God and about the Church which He had founded. On the fortieth day He took His apostles and Mary His Mother out to the Mount of Olives. As He blessed them, He ascended into heaven with body and soul. At the same time the souls of the just were taken from limbo into heaven.

Our Lord's reign in heaven

Our Lord always had the highest place in heaven, for as God He is equal to the Father and the Holy Ghost. He now sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. As man He shares the glory of His Father more than all the angels and saints. He is King of all persons and all things that were ever made.

Fig. 24

E–earth; H (with rays)–heaven; H–hell; L–limbo; P–purgatory.

Judgment Day

Jesus Christ came the first time as a Redeemer to save us from sin and hell. The second time He will come on the last day in glory as the Judge of all mankind. All people will be there before Him with soul and body, and He will pronounce a sentence of eternal reward on the good and eternal punishment on the wicked. Our Lord Himself tells you what He will say at that time. (Read St. Matthew 25:31-46.)

LESSON 9. THE HOLY GHOST AND GRACE

A.

Who the Holy Ghost is.

B.

What the Holy Ghost does.

1. Gives sanctifying grace.

2. Gives actual grace.

God the Holy Ghost –"I believe in the Holy Ghost . . . "

Who the Holy Ghost is

The Holy Ghost is God and the third Person of the Blessed Trinity. He proceeds from (goes out from) the Father and the Son from all eternity. He is equal to the Father and the Son, because He is the same God as they are.

"Ghost" means spirit. A spirit can live without a body.

He is called "Holy," because as God He loves whatever is good, and hates whatever is bad. He is as holy as the Father and the Son. The Holy Ghost is also called the "The Holy Spirit."

Fig. 25

God the Son (S) proceeds (arrow) from God the Father (F) from all eternity. The Holy Ghost (H. G.) proceeds from the Father and the Son from all eternity because He is the love of the Father and the Son. He is equal to them in all things, and like them had no beginning.

What the Holy Ghost does

The Holy Ghost lives in the Catholic Church and gives it life and strength and holiness.

The Holy Ghost lives in you and makes you holy through the gift of His grace.

Grace is a supernatural (above our nature) gift of God, given to us through the merits of Jesus Christ for our salvation.

Fig. 26

Grace is a gift (a present) from God, given (arrow pointing) through the merits of Jesus Christ (by His death on the cross), for your salvation.

Sanctifying grace

Sanctifying grace is that grace which gives your soul new life, that is, a sharing in the life of God Himself.

The Holy Ghost Himself gives it to you, especially through the sacraments. It stays in your soul until you commit a mortal sin. Only persons who are not in mortal sin have sanctifying grace.

Sanctifying grace:

1) Makes your soul holy and pleasing to God;

2) Makes you an adopted child of God;

3) Makes you a temple of the Holy Ghost;

4) Gives you the right to heaven.

Fig. 27

Sanctifying grace makes your soul holy (halo) and pleasing to God (Baptismal garment with fringes and rays); makes you an adopted child of God (God the Father says "My child"), and a temple of the Holy Ghost (dove in your soul).

How sanctifying grace is received the first time

You come into this world with the stain of original sin on your soul. You do not have the grace of God. With Baptism God washes away the stain of original sin. As a sign that God makes your soul white and clean, the priest gives you a little white cloth or garment, which is like the garment of sanctifying grace with which God has clothed your soul. This grace is called sanctifying, because it makes you holy.

How sanctifying grace is lost

After Baptism the soul is pleasing to God, because it is free from sin and clothed with sanctifying grace. If you die in the state of sanctifying grace, you will go to heaven.

You tear and soil this beautiful garment of sanctifying grace by each venial sin, but you lose sanctifying grace when you commit a mortal sin.

Just as the soul is the life of the body, so sanctifying grace is the life of the soul. Mortal sin brings death to the soul because it takes away sanctifying grace. If you die in mortal sin, you will be punished forever in hell, because your soul is an enemy of God.

You should keep away from sin as you would from deadly poison, for by losing sanctifying grace you lose God Himself. This is the greatest evil that is caused by sin. You must do good whenever you can, because this makes sanctifying grace grow in your soul.

Fig. 28

When the moon gets in front of the sun, it shuts off its light and there is an eclipse. There is also an eclipse in the soul when sin shuts off the light of sanctifying grace. When you are in the state of sanctifying grace, God is present in your soul as its life and light. Each venial sin comes between you and God and shuts off His light more and more. When you commit a mortal sin, you lose sanctifying grace and there is complete darkness in your soul, because mortal sin shuts off God and His grace entirely.

Fig. 29

When you are in the state of sanctifying grace, there is a bond of friendship between God and you. If you have much sanctifying grace, the bond is very strong (large chain). The less grace you have, the weaker is the bond of friendship (small chain, thick rope, thin rope, string, thread). When you commit venial sin, the bond of friendship between God and you is weakened. When you commit mortal sin, you lose sanctifying grace and the bond of your friendship with God is broken.

Example:

Adam and Eve in Paradise were in the state of grace. They could speak to God as their Father, and He loved them as His good children. When they disobeyed Him and committed sin, they were no longer pleasing to God. God was angry with them and punished them.

Fig. 30

A. A soul in sanctifying grace has no stains of mortal sins. Its garment is clean and white, with rays and fringes, because the soul is pleasing to God. The halo means that the soul is holy.

B. A soul in venial sin has spots on it. Its garment is soiled and torn. The garment does not have many fringes and rays because it is not as pleasing to God as it was before. The soul still has a halo, because it is still a friend of God.

C. A soul in mortal sin is black with sin. It has lost its garment of sanctifying grace and its halo, because it has lost the friendship of God and has become a friend of the devil.

How to get sanctifying grace back again

If you have lost the garment of sanctifying grace by committing a mortal sin, you can get it back again if you are sincerely sorry for your sin. You must tell the sin to a priest in confession. The sacrament of Penance (confession) takes away the sins which you have committed after you were baptized. At confession the priest takes God's place. When the priest takes away your sins, it is God who washes your soul and clothes it again in the beautiful garment of sanctifying grace.

Fig. 31

True sorrow (heart) because one has offended God (triangle) plus confession (priest in the confessional) equals (gives) sanctifying grace (Baptismal garment, halo, soul without spots).

Actual grace

Actual grace is a supernatural help of God which enlightens your mind and strengthens your will to do good and avoid evil.

Actual grace lasts only during a certain action. Even those in mortal sin may get it from God.

Actual grace is a free gift of God the Holy Ghost, for He does not have to give it. He gives it when it is needed. This grace helps you to "act" as you should.

Your mind can scarcely see what is wrong or right without actual grace. When it is lighted up by actual grace, the darkness disappears and you can see what is good and what is evil.

Your will is weak without actual grace, but with actual grace it becomes strong, so that you are able to want to do good and to keep away from evil.

Fig. 32

Actual grace is help from God (a cane is used to help in walking), which lights up your mind (M) that you may see the good that you should do, the evil that you should avoid, and it makes your will (W) strong so that you may want to do good (angel) and keep away from sin (devil).

Fig. 33

This is a picture of your mind and will without actual grace. M–mind: a lamp bulb not lighted and clouds around it means darkness of the mind; W–will; sharp and small center of W–muscle (will) is weak.

You receive actual grace by every good work that you do, but especially by prayer and the holy sacraments. God does not force you to take His grace. He will give it to you when you ask for it. You are free to accept or turn it down. You should often pray for the grace of God, because it helps you to get a place in heaven.

Fig. 34

Life is like a trip up a river in a sailboat. The strong current of evil tries to carry the boat away from the commandments of God (two stone tablets of commandments given to Moses), so besides the sails, oars must be used (our own trying and working hard to be good). But the Holy Ghost gives you His helping (actual) graces if you ask for them.

The Holy Ghost is always with you to help you by actual grace. When you forget what you ought to do, you are reminded of it by His grace. When the devil tries to tempt you to commit sin, you are warned in your soul by God's grace. When you find it hard to say "No!" to temptation, God's grace helps you to be strong to fight the devil.

Fig. 35

Through actual grace the Holy Ghost speaks in your soul. His voice tells you to do good and keep away from evil.

Examples:

God warned Cain not to hate his brother. He was willing to help Cain love his brother, but Cain would not listen to God's warning and killed his brother.

God told the Wise Men in their hearts to follow the star which He sent them that they might find the Saviour. He gave them courage and strength to make the long journey. They followed the grace of God and found the Saviour.

The grace of God is necessary

You need sanctifying grace to save your soul, because sanctifying grace is the life of the soul. Without it, your soul would be dead, you would not be a child of God, but a child of the devil.

You need actual grace to help fight against temptation and to do good. Without actual grace you would never be able to get a reward in heaven. You will get a reward in heaven only for those actions which you do for the love of God when you are in the state of sanctifying grace. You cannot do good unless God helps you with His grace.

LESSON 10. VIRTUES AND GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST

A.

Theological virtues.

B.

Moral virtues.

C.

Gifts of the Holy Ghost.

The Virtues of the Holy Ghost

With sanctifying grace, you receive the theological (about God) virtues of faith, hope, and charity, and the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost.

Faith is the virtue by which people firmly believe all the truths God has revealed.

Hope is the virtue by which people firmly trust that God will give them eternal happiness and the help they need to obtain it.

Charity is the virtue by which people love God above all things for His own sake, and their neighbor as themselves for the love of God.

People may have mortal sin on their souls and still have faith and hope; but they cannot have charity.

Besides the theological virtues there are other virtues called moral (or cardinal) virtues. They are called moral because they help people lead good lives.

The main moral virtues are:

a) Prudence (to judge right about what one must do or not do);

b) Justice (to give everyone what belongs to him);

c) Fortitude (to do what is good even though it is hard to do it);

d) Temperance (to control one's desires).

The Gifts of the Holy Ghost

The seven gifts of the Holy Ghost are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.

These seven gifts help one to see God's will more easily and to do it more willingly.

Fig. 36

The Holy Ghost makes you holy by giving: sanctifying grace (Baptismal garment and halo of holiness); the virtues of faith (cross–a sign that you believe in the Son of God who died on the cross), hope (anchor –an anchor keeps a ship from drifting away; hope makes you put all your trust in God), and charity (a heart–a sign of love); and His seven gifts (seven rays).

Fig. 37

The pagan has received his life of body and soul from God. Through his soul he can think and want; through his body he can taste, touch, see, hear, smell, that is, live his natural life.

The Christian in addition to this has received God's life at Baptism. This life is called supernatural because it is above (Latin: super –above) the natural life.

LESSON 11. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

A.

What the Catholic Church is.

B.

The Holy Ghost and the Church.

"I believe in . . . the Holy Catholic Church . . . "

What the Catholic Church is

Before Jesus Christ left this world, He appointed St. Peter to be the leader of the apostles and the head of the Church. He 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 I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 16:18-19).

The apostles were the first bishops of the Church and they appointed other bishops in different cities and towns. When the apostles died, the bishops did what the apostles had done; they were the successors (those who follow) of the apostles. St. Peter was the first bishop of the city of Rome, and his successors (the Popes) are the bishops of Rome. The bishop of Rome is now the visible head of the Church.

The CHURCH is the congregation of all baptized persons united in the same true faith, sacrifice, and sacraments, guided by pastors (bishops and priests) under one head, the Holy Father.

The Holy Ghost in the Catholic Church

Jesus Christ founded the Church in order to bring all men to eternal salvation. The Church can do this only because the Holy Ghost lives in it and gives it life.

The Holy Spirit began to live in the Church on Pentecost Sunday, when He came down upon the apostles in the form of tongues of fire. He was sent by God the Father and God the Son. He will live in the Church until the end of time.

The work of the Holy Ghost in the Church is: to help it to teach, to make holy, and to rule the faithful (Christians) in the name of our Lord. Jesus gave the apostles and their successors the power to teach, to make holy, and to rule the members of His Church. He gave St. Peter and his successors (the Popes) special powers to be the chief teachers and rulers of His Church.

Fig. 38

The Catholic Church is like a ship on the ocean of this life. It alone can bring souls to the shore of eternity, to God. The Holy Ghost (dove) lives in the Church. The Pope (tiara) is the captain of the ship; the bishops (miters) and priests (birettas) are officers: the people (rosaries) are the passengers. All the members on the ship are baptized and should be in the state of grace (halos). They believe the same truths (cross–a sign of faith in Christ) and have one sacrifice, the Mass (altar).

LESSON 12. THE MARKS AND ATTRIBUTES OF THE CHURCH

The Marks of the Church

The one true Church founded by Christ is the Catholic Church.

The marks of the Church are certain clear signs by which all men can know the Catholic Church as the one true Church founded by Jesus Christ.

The chief marks of the Church are four:

a. One, because all its members according to the will of Christ have the same faith, sacrifice and sacraments, and are united under one and the same visible head, the Pope;

b. Holy, because it was founded by Jesus Christ, who is all-holy, and because it teaches holy doctrines, according to the will of Christ, and helps us to become holy;

c. Catholic or universal (found everywhere), because it will last till the end of time and will always fulfill Christ's command to teach to all nations all the truths revealed by God;

d. Apostolic, because it was founded by Christ on the apostles and, according to His will, has always been ruled by their lawful successors (Popes, bishops, priests).

Fig. 39

The Church is one (St. Peter's Basilica at Rome, the center of the only true Church), holy (the Holy Ghost makes the Church holy), catholic (Catholics are to be found in every part of the world), apostolic (keys mean power; Our Lord gave St. Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven).

The attributes of the Church

The chief attributes (qualities) of the Church are:

a. Authority–power from Christ to teach, make holy, and rule in spiritual matters;

b. Infallibility–by the special help of the Holy Ghost the Church cannot make a mistake when it teaches or believes a doctrine of faith or morals (right living);

c. Indefectibility–the Church will last until the end of time.

All people must belong to the Catholic Church in order to be saved if they know it is the true Church. Those who through their own serious fault do not know that the Catholic Church is the true Church, or, who know that it is and yet refuse to join it, cannot be saved. Those who through no serious fault of their own do not know that the Catholic Church is the true Church, can be saved by making use of the graces which God gives them.

LESSON 13. THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS AND THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS

A.

What the communion of saints means.

B.

How the members of the Church help one another.

C.

What forgiveness of sins means.

"I believe in . . . the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins . . ."

What the communion of saints means

By "the communion of saints" is meant the union of the faithful on earth, the blessed in heaven, and the souls in purgatory with Christ as their Head.

The saints in heaven are called the Church Triumphant, because they have overcome all the enemies of their salvation, that is, the world, their own evil desires, and the devil.

The faithful on earth are called the Church Militant, because they have still to fight against the enemies of their salvation.

The souls in purgatory are called the Church Suffering, because, before entering heaven, they have to suffer for a time for venial sins, or because they have not paid the debt of temporal (lasting for a time) punishment for sins which have already been forgiven.

Fig. 40

The saints in heaven have been rewarded for their triumph over sin (crown of glory).

The faithful on earth must still fight against sin (army helmet).

The souls in purgatory must suffer in the flames of purgatory to make up for their sins (crown of thorns, flames).

How the members of the Church can help one another

The saints in heaven can help the faithful on earth and the souls in purgatory by praying for them.

The faithful on earth should honor the blessed in heaven and pray to them because they deserve to be honored. As friends of God, the saints can help the faithful on earth.

The faithful on earth can lessen the suffering of the souls in purgatory by prayer, fasting, and other good works, by indulgences, and by having Masses offered for them. They can help one another by loving and doing good to each other in soul and in body.

The souls in purgatory cannot help themselves, but they can help the living by their prayers, because they are in the state of grace. They are holy friends of God and will soon be with the saints in heaven.

Fig. 41

Our Lord compared His Church to a vine. Christ is the vine (a). Through Him the sap of divine grace flows to us–the branches (b)–the Church Militant. The roots (c)–the Church Suffering–are the souls in purgatory who are buried for a time under the weight of sins and the punishment due them. The grapes (d) are the Church Triumphant in heaven. They have reached the highest point of their life in Christ.

What forgiveness of sins means

By "the forgiveness of sins" is meant that God has given to the Church, through Jesus Christ, the power to forgive sins, no matter how great or how many they are, if sinners are truly sorry for them.

LESSON 14. THE RESURRECTION AND LIFE EVERLASTING

A.

What the resurrection of the body means.

B.

Particular and general judgment.

C.

What life everlasting is.

"I believe in . . . the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting."

What the resurrection of the body means

By the resurrection of the body is meant that at the end of the world the bodies of all men will rise from the earth and be united again to their souls, never more to be separated.

The bodies of the just will rise to share in the glory and happiness of their souls forever in heaven. The bodies of the wicked will rise to share in the punishment of their souls forever in hell.

The Particular and General Judgment

The judgment which will be passed on each soul immediately after death is called the particular judgment.

After the particular judgment the soul will be rewarded in heaven or punished in purgatory or hell. Those are rewarded in heaven who die in the state of grace and have paid their debt of temporal punishment. Those are punished for a time in purgatory who die in the state of grace, but are guilty of venial sin, or have not fully made up for the temporal punishment which they have deserved for their sins. Those are punished in hell who die in mortal sin.

Fig. 42

At death the soul will be judged (particular judgment) and will take one of three roads, leading either to heaven, purgatory, or hell; the body will he buried (grave).

The judgment which will be passed on all men immediately after the general resurrection is called the general judgment.

Even though everyone is judged immediately after death, it is but right that there be a general judgment in order that the justice, wisdom, and mercy of God may be seen and praised in the presence of all.

Fig. 43

On the last day the soul and body will be united again, to be happy with God forever in heaven, or to be punished forever with the devil in hell.

What life everlasting is

God made your soul and body for life everlasting, which begins for the soul after death and lasts forever without any change. Life everlasting for the body will begin with the Resurrection. After the general judgment, there will be only heaven and hell.

The just live forever in heaven. They have died in the state of sanctifying grace and have been cleansed from all venial sin and all debt of temporal punishment. They see God face to face and share in His glory and happiness.

The wicked live forever in hell. They died in mortal sin. They do not see God, but must suffer with the bad angels forever, especially the pains of fire.

Fig. 44

a. God's life (triangle) has no beginning nor end, just as a circle "already made" has no beginning nor end, but always seems to be running in the same direction forever (arrows).

b. The life of our soul (triangle) has a beginning (straight line begun outside the circle), for God made it. It has no end, for it will live forever just as a closed circle has a beginning but no end.

PART TWO

THE COMMANDMENTS

LESSON 15. THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS

The love of God and neighbor

Do you want to be saved? If so, then you must believe what God teaches (Apostles' Creed), and you must want to do His will.

Our Lord summed up the will of God in two sentences:

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength.

"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

Doing the will of God is your first and greatest duty. God made you to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him.

You should love God because He is infinitely worthy of your love and infinitely good to you. (Infinite means without limit or end.)

You should love God above all things, that is, more than you love anyone else, and more than your own life.

If you really love God with your whole heart, you will do what He wants. Our Lord said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15).

And why does God want you to love your neighbor? Because God is the father of us all; Our Lord died for all. God measures your love for Him by the way you love His other children whom He loves as much as you.

The commandments of God

There are ten commandments of God. The first three point out man's duties to God; the other seven are laws about his neighbor and himself. God Himself gave these commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai fifteen hundred years before Our Lord Jesus Christ became man.

Fig. 45

The first three commandments tell you your duties towards God. The other seven point out your duties to your neighbor and yourself.

The commandments of God are these ten:

1. I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods before Me.

2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

3. Remember thou keep holy the Lord's day.

4. Honor thy father and thy mother.

5. Thou shalt not kill.

6. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

7. Thou shalt not steal.

8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

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

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

You should not be satisfied in keeping merely the commandments of God, but should always be ready to do good deeds, even when they are not commanded. These are called works of mercy.

The corporal works of mercy are: To feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to visit the imprisoned, to shelter the homeless, to visit the sick, to bury the dead. These all have to do with taking care of the body.

The spiritual works of mercy are: To admonish the sinner, to instruct the ignorant, to counsel the doubtful, to comfort the sorrowful, to bear wrongs patiently, to forgive all injuries, to pray for the living and the dead. These have to do with the life of the soul.

LESSON 16. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

The first commandment is: I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods before Me.

This commands you:

To adore God alone and give Him the honor that He deserves;

To adore God by acts of faith, hope, and charity, by prayer and sacrifice.

The first commandment forbids you:

To give to anyone or to anything the honor which belongs to God alone.

To sin against faith, hope, and charity.

Sins against faith:

Not trying to learn what God has taught;

Refusing to believe all that God has taught;

Being ashamed of one's religion.

Sins against hope:

Expecting God to save you even though you yourself do not try hard to save your soul (presumption).

Not trusting enough in God's mercy and goodness (despair).

Sins against charity:

Hating God and your neighbor;

Not trying hard to keep from sin.

We also sin against the first commandment by believing in dreams and fortunetelling, by believing in good-luck pieces (superstition), and by abusing holy persons, places, or things (sacrilege).

Fig. 46

The number 1–the first commandment of God. It looks like a kneeling-bench in church, which reminds us of prayer. Cross, anchor, and heart crossed out–sins against faith, hope, and charity. Good-luck coin–superstition.

LESSON 17. HONORING THE SAINTS, RELICS, AND IMAGES

The saints should be honored

You adore God, but you venerate (honor) His friends, the saints. God wants His friends to be honored.

How the saints are honored

By imitating their holy lives;

By praying to them;

By showing respect to their relics (parts of their body) and images (statues and pictures of them).

You pray to the saints to ask them to offer their prayers to God for you. You pray before relics or sacred images to honor the persons they represent.

LESSON 18. THE SECOND AND THIRD COMMANDMENTS

The second commandment is: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

This commands you:

To speak with reverence of God, of the saints, and of holy things;

To be truthful and faithful in taking oaths and vows.

An oath is the calling on God to witness the truth of what one says.

A vow is a promise made to God by which a person binds himself under pain of sin to do something that is pleasing to Him.

The second commandment forbids you:

To use the name of God or Jesus without reverence, for example, in surprise or anger;

To curse; that is, to call down some evil on a person, place, or thing;

To blaspheme; that is, to insult God with words;

To call upon God to be witness to a lie (perjury).

Fig. 47

Only a bad dog will bark at or bite its master. Only a bad man will dishonor God with his tongue. The dog's tongue forms the number 2.

The third commandment is: Remember thou keep holy the Lord's day.

This commands you:

To honor God on Sundays and holydays of obligation by hearing Mass, by prayer, and by other good works.

The third commandment forbids you:

To do hard bodily labor on Sunday that is not necessary for the honor of God, the good of your neighbor, or for your own need.

Fig. 48

You must hear Mass (altar) on Sundays and holydays.

LESSON 19. THE FOURTH, FIFTH, SIXTH & NINTH COMMANDMENTS

The fourth commandment is: Honor thy father and thy mother.

This commands you:

To love and respect your parents, to obey them in all that is not sinful, and to help them when they are in need.

To respect and obey all lawful superiors (those who are rightfully placed over you); that is, bishops, pastors, teachers, and those who have authority (rightful power) in your country.

The fourth commandment forbids you:

To disobey or disrespect your parents and lawful superiors, or to be unkind to them.

Fig. 49

Mother sends her son to get water, but he leaves his bucket at the pump and goes out to play with other children. He is disobedient.

The fifth commandment is: Thou shalt not kill.

This commands you:

To take proper care of your soul and body and of the spiritual and bodily well-being of your neighbor.

The fifth commandment forbids you:

To commit murder or suicide (take someone else's life or your own);

To fight, be angry, hate, take revenge (to get even with someone);

To become drunk, or to give bad example.

Fig. 50

A knife forms the top of the number 5. It reminds you not to do harm to yourself or to anyone else.

The sixth commandment is: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

This commands you:

To be pure and modest in your words, looks, and actions.

The sixth commandment forbids you:

To be impure and immodest in your words, looks, and actions, whether alone or with others.

The ninth commandment is: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.

This commands you:

To be pure in your thoughts and desires.

The ninth commandment forbids you:

To want to think about impure things or to take pleasure in these thoughts;

To want to do impure things.

Fig. 51

A face in the number 6. The mouth –words; the eyes–looks; the ears–hearing impure things.

A face in the number 9. Forehead wrinkled and eyes closed –to want to think about or do impure things; the smile–to take pleasure in these thoughts.

LESSON 20. THE SEVENTH, EIGHTH, AND TENTH COMMANDMENTS

The seventh commandment is: Thou shalt not steal.

This commands you:

To respect what belongs to others;

To pay your debts;

To return stolen goods, or their value, to the owner whenever you are able;

To repair or to pay the amount of the damage you have unjustly done to the property of others.

The seventh commandment forbids you:

To be dishonest by stealing, cheating, keeping what belongs to others, or by doing damage to the property of others.

The tenth commandment is: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.

This commands you:

To be satisfied with what you have even while trying to better yourself;

To be glad when your neighbor is blessed with good things.

The tenth commandment forbids you:

To want to take or keep what belongs to others;

To envy those who are successful.

Fig. 52

The hand between the number 7 and 10 is stretched out to steal. You sin against the seventh commandment by action; and against the tenth by thoughts and desires against your neighbor's possessions.

The eighth commandment is: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

This commands you:

To speak the truth in all things;

To respect the good name of everyone.

The eighth commandment forbids you:

To lie;

To believe anything harmful about another's good name without a good reason (rash judgment);

To make known the hidden faults of another without a good reason (detraction);

To hurt another's good name by lying (slander).

Fig. 53

Whoever lies or speaks evil against another deserves to have a lock on his mouth. The chain of the lock forms the number 8.

Example:

Our Lord once said that the road to heaven is narrow and the road to hell is wide. God's signposts point the way to heaven. You can easily get lost on the way to heaven unless you watch these signposts. They are the commandments of God. If you go in the direction in which they point, you will reach heaven.

When you commit venial sins, you stray from the narrow way.

When you commit mortal sins, you go in the direction opposite to heaven.

Fig. 54

The narrow straight road leads to God, because the signposts of the commandments point that way. The crooked road shows the way of venial sin. It does not follow the direction of the signposts. You can still get to God on this road, but it is a dangerous one, because there is a steep cliff on each side. It is easy to slip off the road of venial sin and to fall into the depths of mortal sin and hell.

Fig. 55

The man in this picture thinks that his riches and pleasures will save him from drowning. But they will really make him sink. You must do God's will, that is, hold fast to His commandments, if you wish to save your soul,

LESSON 21. THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE CHURCH

THE FIRST AND SECOND COMMANDMENTS

The Commandments of the Church

The Catholic Church has received the right to make laws from her founder, Jesus Christ, who said to the apostles, the first bishops of His Church: "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven." (Matt. 18:18). The Pope, the successor of St. Peter, and the bishops, the successors of the apostles, use this right to make laws for the whole Church.

The main commandments

of the Church are these six:

1. To assist at Mass on all Sundays and holydays of obligation.

2. To fast and to abstain on the days appointed.

3. To confess our sins at least once a year.

4. To receive Holy Communion during the Easter time.

5. To contribute to the support of the Church.

6. To observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage.

Fig. 56

1. An altar–Holy Mass. 2. Dough–abstinence from meat: three piles of dough on the rolling pin–last of Lent, that is, less food for breakfast and supper, and a full meal for dinner 3. A confessional–Confession. 4. Host and ciborium –Holy Communion. 5. A collection basket–money offered for the support of the Church. 6. Wedding rings and heart–marriage

The First Commandment of the Church

A Catholic who through his own fault misses Mass on a Sunday or holyday of obligation commits a mortal sin.

The holydays of obligation in the United States are:

Christmas Day (December 25), The Circumcision (January 1), Ascension Day (40 days after Easter), The Assumption (August 15), All Saints' Day (November 1), The Immaculate Conception (December 8).

Catholics must not only attend Mass on Sundays and holydays of obligation but also must not do hard work.

The Second Commandment of the Church

A fast day is a day on which only one full meal is allowed. All baptized persons between the ages of twenty-one and fifty-nine must fast, unless they are excused.

A day of abstinence is a day on which it is not lawful to eat meat. All baptized persons seven years of age or over must abstain (keep from eating meat) unless they are excused.

LESSON 22. THE THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH, AND SIXTH COMMANDMENTS OF THE CHURCH

Third Commandment of the Church

A person must make a good confession at least once each year, if he has a mortal sin to confess.

Fourth Commandment of the Church

He who does not receive Holy Communion during the Easter time commits a mortal sin. Easter time is from the first Sunday of Lent to Trinity Sunday (the first Sunday after Pentecost).

Fifth Commandment of the Church

To contribute to the support of the Church means that everyone should help pay the expenses of the parish.

Sixth Commandment of the Church

The law of the Church about marriage is that a Catholic can be married only in the presence of a priest and two witnesses. The Church forbids (although a dispensation may be granted) marriage with a non-Catholic (mixed marriage). Marriages with close relatives are also forbidden.

PART THREE

THE SACRAMENTS AND PRAYER

LESSON 23. THE SACRAMENTS

What a sacrament is

A sacrament is an outward sign (something you can see), instituted (begun) by Jesus Christ, to give grace to your soul.

Fig. 57

A sacrament is a sign to let us know that God's grace (Baptismal garment and halo of holiness) is given to the soul (triangle without spots of sin). The sacraments were begun by Christ (IHS–the Greek letters JES in the Holy Name).

Fig. 58

Grace is a gift of God, bought for you by the death of Jesus. It flows from the cross on Calvary in seven rivers. These are the seven sacraments. The Holy Ghost Himself pours this grace into your soul through the sacraments.

A sacrament gives or increases sanctifying grace in the soul that is free from serious sin. Each sacrament also brings a very special grace which helps one, in a way no other sacrament can, to live a holy life. This is sacramental or actual grace.

The seven sacraments and what they do

Fig. 59

1. BAPTISM (Baptismal cup) takes away original sin and makes you a child of God and an heir of heaven.

2. CONFIRMATION (cross–Christian; helmet–a soldier) gives you the Holy Ghost to make you a perfect soldier of Jesus Christ.

3. HOLY EUCHARIST (chalice and host) gives you Jesus in the Mass and Holy Communion.

4. PENANCE (confessional) takes away your sins and helps you to keep away from sin in the future.

5. EXTREME UNCTION (sick person) helps you when you are very sick and in danger of death.

6. HOLY ORDERS (priest's biretta) makes men priests and gives them the power and grace to carry out their sacred duties.

7. MATRIMONY (heart–love: wedding rings–union) unites men and women in marriage and helps them to live a holy married life.

Baptism and Penance are called sacraments of the dead, because they give the life of God (sanctifying grace) to souls which are spiritually dead through sin.

The other sacraments are called sacraments of the living, because they give more grace to souls which are already spiritually alive through the presence of the divine life of grace.

Fig. 60

When a branch is grafted onto a tree, the life of the tree flows into it. It lives by the life-giving sap of the tree. Men are like the branch, grafted onto the tree which represents Goo. They receive the life-giving sap of sanctifying grace, and their souls live by this new life, just as the branch lives by the life of the tree on which it is grafted.

God gives you His own divine life of grace for the first time at Baptism. When you receive the other sacraments, the divine life of the soul grows because you receive more sanctifying grace.

He who knowingly receives a sacrament of the living in mortal sin commits a mortal sin of sacrilege, because he does not treat holy things with respect.

The sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders can be received but once, because they imprint on the soul a spiritual mark, which lasts forever.

Fig. 61

This is the soul of a priest in sanctifying grace. It has three marks upon it, called characters. God the Father calls it His child (c) since it became a child of God in Baptism. God the Son calls it His soldier(s) because it became a soldier of Christ in Confirmation. God the Holy Ghost calls it His priest (p) because He gave it the powers of priesthood in the sacrament of Holy Orders.

LESSON 24. BAPTISM

What Baptism is

Baptism is the sacrament that gives your soul the new life of sanctifying grace by which you become a child of God and an heir of heaven.

What Baptism does

Baptism takes away:

Original sin;

All actual sin;

All punishment due to sins; if the baptized person is truly sorry.

Baptism makes you a member of the Church.

Fig. 62

Before Baptism this soul had original sin (black stain). Sanctifying grace made the soul holy (halo) and pleasing to God (garment of sanctifying grace). In Baptism you received a little white cloth or garment, which represents the garment of grace, sanctifying grace

Why Baptism is necessary

Baptism is necessary for the salvation of all men because Christ has said: "Unless a man be born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (-John 3:5).

Those who through no fault of their own have not received the sacrament of Baptism can be saved through the baptism of blood (suffering martyrdom for the faith of Christ) or the baptism of desire (loving God above all things and desiring to do all that God wants a person to do to save his soul).

How Baptism is given

A priest usually baptizes; but, if there is danger that someone will die without Baptism, anyone else may and should baptize by pouring ordinary water on the forehead of the person and at the same time saying, "I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

LESSON 25. CONFIRMATION

What Confirmation is

Confirmation (confirm –to strengthen) is the sacrament through which the Holy Ghost comes to you in a special way to help you profess your faith (to practice your religion without fear) as a strong and perfect Christian and soldier of Jesus Christ.

What Confirmation does

Confirmation:

Gives you more sacramental grace (the special grace of the sacrament) to help you live according to your faith and to profess it without fear;

Imprints on the soul a spiritual sign which marks the Christian as a soldier in the army of Christ.

Fig. 63

The Holy Ghost (dove) gives you His grace to be a perfect Christian (cross–the sign of a believer in Christ) and a strong soldier in Christ's army (soldier's helmet).

Why Confirmation is necessary

Confirmation gives you the strength necessary to fight against the dangers that stand in the way of your salvation, and makes you better prepared to defend your Catholic faith.

How Confirmation is given

The bishop is the usual minister (one who gives the sacrament) of Confirmation. He extends his hands over those who are to be confirmed, prays that they may receive the Holy Ghost, and, after laying his hand on the head of each person, anoints the forehead with holy chrism (oil blessed by the bishop) in the form of a cross, saying, "I sign thee with the sign of the cross and I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

LESSON 26. THE HOLY EUCHARIST

What the Holy Eucharist is

The Holy Eucharist is a sacrament and a sacrifice; in it Our Saviour Jesus Christ, Body and Blood, soul and divinity, under the appearances of bread and wine, is contained, offered, and received.

Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist:

To be always really present with us, not only as God but also as Man, as a proof of His love for us and that we might worship Him;

To offer Himself as a sacrifice to His heavenly Father through the hands of the priest at Holy Mass;

To be the food of our soul in Holy Communion.

Fig. 64

1. Our Lord is always really present with us in His little home (tabernacle).

2. He offers Himself to His heavenly Father for us at Holy Mass (altar).

3. He is the food of our souls in Holy Communion (ciborium with sacred hosts).

WHY WE BELIEVE OUR LORD IS PRESENT IN THE HOLY EUCHARIST

Our Lord promised the Holy Eucharist

The day after Our Lord had fed a great crowd of people with only five loaves of bread and two fishes, He said to the Jews: "You seek Me . . . because you have eaten of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for that which endures unto life everlasting, which the Son of Man will give you."

They said to Him, "Lord, give us always this bread."

"I am the living bread that has come down from heaven. If anyone eat of this bread he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

The Jews argued with one another, saying, "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?" And many began to go away.

Our Lord did not call them back or change the meaning of His words. Instead He said what He meant with even stronger words: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you . . . For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed." He then turned to His apostles and asked: "Do you also wish to go away?" Peter answered: "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast words of everlasting life, and we have come to believe and to know that thou art the Christ, the Son of God."

Our Lord kept His promise

On Holy Thursday, when Our Lord ate supper for the last time with His apostles, He took bread into His hands, blessed, broke, and gave it to them, saying: "Take and eat; this is My Body." And taking a cup of wine, He gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, "All of you drink of this; for this is My Blood of the new covenant, which is being shed for many unto the forgiveness of sins.

"Do this in remembrance of Me."

In this way Our Lord instituted (began) the Holy Eucharist, for the bread was changed into His Body and the wine into His Blood. Nothing of the bread and wine remained except the appearances; that is, the color, taste, weight, and shape. The apostles saw, tasted, and touched only bread, but still they believed that what seemed to he bread and wine was really the Body and Blood of Jesus.

The bread and wine are now changed into Our Lord's Body and Blood at Holy Mass

At the Last Supper Our Lord said: "Do this in remembrance of Me." By this command He gave the apostles and those who followed them (bishops and priests of the Church) the power to do at Holy Mass what He Himself had done.

Thus Our Lord continues to keep His promise to give His Body and Blood. At the words of Consecration spoken by the priest, "This is My Body . . . This is My Blood," the greatest miracle takes place. Jesus Christ, God Himself, becomes present in the bread and wine, for He changes them into His Body and Blood through His priests. Only the appearances of bread and wine remain. They are like a cloak that covers Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

You must believe what Our Lord said about the Holy Eucharist because, as Eternal Truth, He can never deceive us. Your faith is pleasing to God, for Jesus said to St. Thomas after he had touched His sacred wounds: "Be not unbelieving, but believing . . . Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed."

HOW OUR LORD IS REALLY PRESENT IN THE HOLY EUCHARIST

At Holy Mass God changes the substance of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ through His priest; only the appearances of bread and wine remain.

Substance and appearances explained

Everything we look at has substance and appearance. For example: the oak, the fir, and the apple tree have in them the same substance, wood. But they have different appearances: they have different bark, leaves, color, thickness, height; still each of the three trees is wood.

God can do all things as He wishes, because He is all-powerful; He can change the substance or the appearance of things.

Fig. 65

God changed the rod of Moses into a living snake. The appearance (color, weight) of the rod remained, but the substance (wood) was changed into a snake.

God changed Lot's wife into a pillar of salt when she looked around as she fled from Sodom and Gomorrah. She appeared like a woman, but she was salt.

Transubstantiation

Changing the substance of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Our Lord takes place during Holy Mass at the Consecration. This change of substance is called transubstantiation.

In the Eucharist the substance is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ; the appearances are the color, taste, weight, and shape of bread and wine.

At the Last Supper Our Lord changed the substance of bread and wine into His Body and Blood, leaving the appearances of bread and wine as they were. Our Lord did this by His almighty power. He gave this same power to the apostles when He said to them, "Do this in remembrance of Me." Priests receive this power on the day of their ordination.

Fig. 66

Before the Consecration bread and wine are present on the altar. At the Consecration the bread is changed into (arrow) the Body and the wine is changed into the Blood of Our Lord. Therefore, after the Consecration the Body and Blood of Jesus are present on the altar.

Our Lord promised the Holy Eucharist

The day after Our Lord had fed a great crowd of people with only five loaves of bread and two fishes, He said to the Jews: "You seek Me . . . because you have eaten of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for that which endures unto life everlasting, which the Son of Man will give you."

They said to Him, "Lord, give us always this bread."

"I am the living bread that has come down from heaven. If anyone eat of this bread he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

The Jews argued with one another, saying, "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?" And many began to go away.

Our Lord is present in the Holy Eucharist sacramentally; that is, wherever the sacramental appearances of bread and wine are –whole and undivided in even the smallest part of the sacred Host.

When the priest breaks the sacred Host, he divides only the appearances of bread; that is, that which you can see with your eye, or feel with your hand, but Our Lord's Body is whole and undivided in each part. Our Lord remains present in the sacred Host as long as the appearances of bread last, as long as the color, taste, weight, and shape of bread remain.

Just as your whole soul is present in every part of your body, as the voice is the same to one or a hundred persons hearing it, or as every separate piece of a broken mirror is itself a mirror, so Our Lord is present in every particle of the sacred Host, and in every drop of the consecrated wine.

Fig. 68

Jesus is God (divine) in Man (body, blood, soul).

As God-Man He is present in the Holy Eucharist under the appearances of bread and wine. He is present entirely (body, blood, soul, divinity) under the appearances of bread in even the smallest part; under the appearances of wine in even the smallest drop. And yet it is always one and the same Jesus.

Since Our Lord is present, whole and entire, under the appearances of bread as well as under the appearances of wine, it is enough to receive Him under the appearances of bread only, for He promised eternal life to those who receive Him under the appearances of bread: "He who eats this bread, shall live forever." However, priests receive under the appearances of both bread and wine in Holy Mass, because it is a sacrifice, and priests must offer it as Our Lord did.

Fig. 69

When you slice bread from a loaf, each slice is still bread. In the same way Our Lord is in every part of the sacred Host, whole and entire.

Example:

When Bishop Samonas was in Jerusalem, some of the Mohammedans there wanted to make a fool of him publicly, by asking him some questions about the Holy Eucharist which they thought could not be answered.

"How is it possible for bread and wine to become the Body and Blood of Christ?"

The bishop looked at one of them and said, "You have grown up since you were a child, and have more flesh and blood than you had then. If you can change food and drink into flesh and blood, then surely God can do it also."

"But how is it possible for Christ to be present entirely in a small host?" asked the second Mohammedan.

The bishop looking at the sky, then at the Temple and the homes of the city of Jerusalem, said, "The landscape with the heavens above is something very large, but your eye is very small. Yet, your tiny eye contains in itself the whole picture. Then why is it not possible for Christ to be present entirely in a little piece of bread?"

The other Mohammedan spoke, "How, then, is it possible for the same Body of Christ to be present in all your churches at the same time?"

"In a large mirror your image is reflected only once. When you break the mirror into a hundred pieces, you see the same image of yourself in each of a hundred pieces. If such things happen in everyday life, why should it be impossible for the Body of Christ to be present in many places at the same time? And tell me this, just what is not possible for God–to whom nothing is impossible?"

Christ is present in the Holy Eucharist as your best Friend that you may go to Him for help.

People want to have God near them. They even want to see God so far as they are able to do so. In the Old Testament God supposedly dwelt in a cloud over the Ark of the Covenant. This was only a sign of His presence. But God dwells on the altar really and truly, for Jesus is present there as God and as Man, not only at the moment of Consecration, but always. His home is the tabernacle. You can go to Him at any time. He is always ready to help you and to console you in all the troubles and crosses of life, because He loves you. You should not only think of Him in the tabernacle; but you should also pay Him a visit whenever you can, as you would visit and talk to your best friend.

LESSON 27. THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS

Another reason why Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist is to offer Himself as a sacrifice to His heavenly Father by the hands of the priest at Holy Mass. The Catholic priest at his ordination receives the power to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Our Lord.

How the Sacrifice of the Mass began The meaning of sacrifice

The word "sacrifice" means "something made sacred." Sacrifice is the offering of a gift by a priest to God alone as a sign that those offering belong entirely to Him. The gift is destroyed to show God that the people offering the sacrifice want to make up for the wrong they have done Him and that they wish to belong to Him alone.

Sacrifice is offered to give honor to God (adoration and thanksgiving) and to make up for sins (atonement and satisfaction).

The sacrifices of the Old Testament

Before Our Lord came down upon the earth, sacrifices of lambs, goats, and oxen were offered in the Old Testament; but they were poor and imperfect sacrifices. They were only figures or signs of the sacrifice of the New Testament.

Fig. 70

These pictures show how the idea of sacrifice began and grew.

a. Abel killed a lamb and burnt it on a stone altar. The lamb is a figure of the innocent, suffering Saviour (Consecration).

b. Melchisedech, the high priest, offered bread and wine as a sacrifice to thank God for the victory over his enemies (Offertory). He then gave the bread and wine to the tired soldiers that they might eat it and be strengthened (Communion.)

c. Abraham was willing to offer up his son, Isaac. This offering was a figure of the perfect sacrifice–the death of the Son of God on the cross (Consecration).

d. On the Day of Atonement the high priest placed his hands on a goat to show that he was putting all his sins and the sins of the people upon the animal, This goat was then driven out into the desert, to show that the sins of the people were taken away, out of God's sight. At Mass when the priest holds his hands over the offering of the bread and wine before the Consecration, we are reminded that the sins of all people were placed upon Our Lord on Calvary and that He made atonement for them by His death.

What the Sacrifice of the Mass is The Sacrifice of the New Testament

God was not satisfied with the imperfect figures of the Old Testament, for He said through His prophet, Malachy, that He did not need the blood and meat of lambs, goats, and oxen which were offered only in one place on earth, in Jerusalem. He promised to begin one clean sacrifice, which would be offered up everywhere in the world.

The Holy Mass is the sacrifice of the New Law in which Christ, through the priest, offers Himself to God in an unbloody manner under the appearances of bread and wine.

Fig. 71

a. Our Lord instituted (began) the Sacrifice of the Mass at the Last Supper when He offered His Body and Blood for the first time under the appearances of bread and wine.

b. The next day, on Good Friday, Jesus offered Himself in a bloody manner on the cross.

c. Our Lord at Holy Mass, renews the sacrifice of the cross, in an unbloody manner. Therefore, the principal (main) priest in every Mass is Jesus Christ, who offers Himself to His heavenly Father through His ordained priest.

Fig. 72

The Mass is the same as the Sacrifice of Calvary, in that the principal priest and the victim are the same; that is, Christ. The Sacrifice of the Cross was offered in a bloody manner, but in the Mass it is offered in an unbloody manner. Through Holy Mass the graces merited on Calvary are given to you,

Fig. 73

The value of two fifty-cent pieces is the same as that of a dollar bill. The only difference is that one is in silver and the other is in paper. The value of Holy Mass is the same as the value of the Sacrifice of Calvary; the only difference is in the manner of offering (one was bloody, the other is unbloody).

The Mass is a Remembrance and a Sacrifice

The Mass is a remembrance of Our Lord's passion and death for two reasons: At the last Supper Our Lord said, "Do this in remembrance of Me." At Mass the bread and wine are consecrated separately to remind us of Our Lord's death on the cross when His Blood was separated from His Body.

Fig. 74

Mass is both a remembrance (picture of Calvary) and an unbloody offering (paten on which the priest offers the host) of the passion and death of Our Lord on the cross.

The purposes for which Mass is offered:

1. To adore God as Creator and Lord (adoration);

2. To thank God for His many favors (thanksgiving);

3. To satisfy the justice of God for the sins committed against Him (atonement);

4. To ask God to help and bless all men (petition).

Fig. 75

1. The smoke of incense rises toward heaven as a sign of adoration.

2. The harp means thanksgiving, for God is praised by music and song.

3. The scale means justice and atonement. Man must satisfy the justice of God for sins; that is, must give God the honor due to Him.

4. Folded hands mean petition. You pray to God that He may help you in your needs.

Fig. 76

On Calvary Our Lord redeemed the human race and merited graces for man. He put all these merits into the treasury of His Church (a). At Mass your soul receives the graces Our Lord merited for you (b). These graces are like checks which Holy Mother Church signs (c). A check gives you a right to get money from the bank. At Mass you get graces (checks) from the treasury of the Church.

The graces you receive at Mass help you to become holy on earth (halo and garment of sanctifying grace), so that by your good works you may obtain a reward in heaven (crown in heaven). Thus at Mass Our Lord gives to souls the graces He won for them on the cross.

The Parts of the Mass

1) Offertory, when the gifts of bread and wine are offered to God;

2) Consecration, when the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ at the words of the priest, and Jesus Christ offers Himself to His heavenly Father as He did on the cross.

3) Communion, when the priest and people receive the Victim, Christ.

Fig. 78

This diagram shows how the different parts of the Mass are divided. It is a ground plan of a church. The lower square is the entrance room (vestibule) and is called the Mass of the Catechumens, because in the early church the Catechumens (converts who were to be baptized) were allowed to be present only for these parts of the Mass. The upper part is the main floor of the church and has the main parts of the Mass. It is called the Mass of the Faithful because only those who were baptized and were good Christians could remain for these parts.

The Mass of the Catechumens

At the lower part of the entrance room man speaks to God:

1)  He confesses his sins in the Confiteor;

2)  He begs for mercy in the Kyrie;

3)  He praises God in the Gloria;

4)  He offers his prayers to God in the Prayer (Collect).

At the upper part of the entrance room God speaks to man:

5)  Through His messenger in the Epistle;

6)  Through His Son in the Gospel;

7)  Through His Church in the Sermon.

The Credo, the act of faith, opens the door to the main floor of the church.

The best way of assisting at Mass is to unite yourself with the priest in offering the Holy Sacrifice, and to receive Holy Communion, for the greatest gift to God and God's greatest gift to you is Jesus Christ, in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

The Mass of the Faithful

At the Offertory you offer your gifts of bread and wine to God. They are a sign of the offering of yourself to God.

At the Consecration you offer Jesus to His heavenly Father, and offer yourself in union with Him.

At the Holy Communion Christ gives Himself to be the Food of your soul.

Holy Mass may also be divided into these two parts: Preparation and Sacrifice. Mass is like a journey to Mount Calvary. The first hill is crossed in the Preparation and Calvary is reached in the Sacrifice. There is an earthward (from God to man) and a heavenward (from man to God) movement.

Fig. 79

PREPARATION (arrow up). (Confiteor to the Prayer [Collect] –Contrition). Prayer for mercy rises to God in the Confiteor, Gloria, Kyrie, and Prayers (man to God).

(Arrow down). (Prayer [Collect] to the Credo –Instruction). God's mercy comes down to you in the divine message of the Epistle, Gospel, and Sermon (God to man).

SACRIFICE (arrow up), (Offertory to the Our Father–offering of the victim Christ and yourself with Him). Bread and wine, which take your place, are your gift to God at the Offertory (1). The bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus, our Victim; you offer Him, and yourself together with Him, at the Consecration (2).

(Arrow down). (Our Father to the Communion–receiving of the victim Christ, the Sacrificial Banquet). Christ is God's gift to you in Holy Communion (3).

LESSON 28. HOLY COMMUNION

What Holy Communion is.

What Holy Communion does.

Duties concerning Holy Communion.

What Holy Communion is

Holy Communion is the receiving of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

At the Last Supper Our Lord gave His Body and Blood to His apostles, saying: "Take and eat, this is My body . . . All of you drink of this; for this is My blood . . ." His Body and Blood are food and drink, for He also said: "My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed." It is the nourishment of souls in Holy Communion.

What Holy Communion does

Holy Communion:

a. Unites you more closely with Our Lord and gives you greater love of God and your neighbor;

b. Gives you more sanctifying grace;

c. Protects you from mortal sin and takes away venial sin;

d. Lessens your inclination (to be drawn) to evil and helps you to practice good works.

Holy Communion unites you with Our Lord

Holy Communion unites you with Our Lord so closely that you live in Him and He lives in you, for He said, "He who eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, abides in Me and I in him."

Holy Communion makes you more and more like Our Lord by giving you greater love for Him and by making you think, desire, and act as He does. He makes you more like Him through actual graces.

Since Holy Communion helps you to become like Jesus, it also helps you to love God and your neighbor as He did.

Fig. 80

These two grains of incense in the censer show the union of Our Lord (1) and souls (2). The fire of His love inflames hearts. He fills souls with His grace so that they can do the same good works that He Himself does for the honor of His Father. Good works are like sweet-smelling smoke that rises up to heaven (3). They are pleasing to God because they are done with the help of the grace that Our Lord gives us in Holy Communion.

Holy Communion gives more sanctifying grace

Sanctifying grace gives life to your soul. Our Lord is the Bread of Life in Holy Communion. He received this Life from His Father. At Holy Communion He comes to give you a share in it through sanctifying grace. Just as your body needs foods in order to grow and keep healthy, so your soul needs the heavenly food of Holy Communion.

Fig. 81

The soul is like the open waters of a lake into which snowflakes fall and disappear. As the snowflake melts in the water and disappears, so Jesus comes to your soul and remains as God and as Man until the Host disappears. But He leaves His grace in your soul (the water of the melted snowflake) and lives in you by this grace.

Fig. 82

Our Lord is the Vine (1); you are one of the branches (2). If Our Lord gives you His grace (the sap of the vine), your soul will have the same life as He has. You shall bear fruit, because He will help you to do good works (grapes–3).

Sanctifying grace makes your soul beautiful

Sanctifying grace makes man holy and pleasing to God. It is like a beautiful white garment and makes you more like God, who is holiness itself. At Holy Communion Jesus gives you more sanctifying grace.

Fig. 83

Sanctifying grace fills your soul with light. Think how an electric bulb makes a diamond sparkle brighter; or how a hot fire fills a piece of iron with a red glow; or how perfume fills the air.

Holy Communion protects you from mortal sin and takes away venial sin

One mortal sin drives out of your soul the divine life of sanctifying grace; but Our Lord protects your soul from mortal sin by giving you more sanctifying grace in Holy Communion.

Holy Communion takes away venial sin provided you are sorry for it, and if it was not already taken away by an act of contrition.

Fig. 84

Your soul is like a tree. If you receive Holy Communion often, your roots grow deep into the ground and bring up water and food which keep the tree alive and strong. If you receive Holy Communion seldom, you probably commit many venial sins and your roots dry up, because they have no nourishment. Your soul is deprived of the life of God. When the wind of temptation blows hard, the tree bends and breaks, because it is weak. It does not have roots in the ground.

Holy Communion lessens your inclinations to evil and helps you to practice good works

Through Holy Communion you receive actual grace, which gives the strength needed to fight bad desires and daily faults. It also helps you to do good. Holy Communion is a medicine for your soul, which becomes sick through sin.

Fig. 85

The soul might be compared to a thermometer with sanctifying grace the mercury in it. Each time Holy Communion is worthily received, your love for Jesus grows warmer (mercury goes up).

Fig. 86

This boy seldom goes to Holy Communion. Instead of the sunshine of Our Lord's love, sin is in his heart. He walks away from the good advice which the angel gives (two tablets of the commandments), and listens to the devil and commits mortal sins, His soul is black with sin (solid black triangle). He is not happy, because Jesus is not his friend.

Fig. 87

This boy receives Holy Communion often. Our Lord is in his soul and fills it with light and joy (Sacred Heart in the triangle). He is a friend of Jesus, because his soul does not have any mortal sin. Jesus helps him to keep the commandments and to avoid sin. The boy turns his back on the devil and his face to his guardian angel.

Summary of what Holy Communion does for your soul

Fig. 88

1. Holy Communion unites you with Our Lord (Sacred Heart) so that you live in Him and He in you (triangle–the soul).

2. It gives you more sanctifying grace, the life of your soul (the white garment; halo of holiness).

3. It keeps you from mortal sin (soul in mortal sin within a circle) and takes away venial sin (soul in venial sin crossed out).

4. It lessens your inclination to evil and helps you to practice good works, by giving light to your mind (M) and strength to your will (W) to do good (boy turns to angel and puts mortal sin [black triangle] under his feet).

Example:

Manna was the miraculous bread which fell from heaven to nourish the Israelites in the desert. It gave them strength to bear all the sufferings of their hard journey of forty years in the desert. God gives the true Manna, the Body of His Son, in Holy Communion, that It may nourish souls on the journey through life. It gives strength to bear sufferings patiently and to overcome the temptations of the devil. In this way It prepares souls for heaven, the Promised Land.

Duties concerning Holy Communion

1. When you may go to Holy Communion;

2. When you should go to Holy Communion;

3. What you must do at Holy Communion;

4. How you should receive Jesus spiritually.

You may go to Holy Communion if you are in the state of sanctifying grace. This means you must be free from every mortal sin and must have made up your mind never to commit a mortal sin again.

A right and good intention is also necessary to receive Holy Communion. This means that you should not go to Holy Communion out of habit, or because others are going, or because you want to be seen by people. You should go to please God, to be united with Him by love, and to receive Holy Communion as a divine medicine for your sins and faults.

A person who receives Holy Communion in mortal sin, receives the Body and Blood of Our Lord, but he does not receive His graces. He commits a very great sin of sacrilege.

Fig. 89

1. The garment of the soul (sanctifying grace) is clean because there are no sins on the soul (triangle). You may receive Holy Communion.

2. The little spots are venial sins on the soul. You may receive Holy Communion.

3. The garment of grace has been lost because of mortal sin. You are not allowed to go to Holy Communion.

You should go to Holy Communion often; daily, if possible

Holy Mother Church commands you to receive Holy Communion at least once a year at Easter time and when in danger of death. But you should go to Holy Communion often, even daily, if possible, because Our Lord wants you to do so, and Holy Mother Church wants you to do so. She speaks in the name of Our Lord through the voice of Pope Pius X, the Pope of the Eucharist, "All the faithful, married or single, young or old, even children from the time of their first Communion are invited to go to Holy Communion frequently; yes, daily."

The saints, too, urge you by their words and example, to receive Holy Communion often. It was especially by receiving this Heavenly Food that they became saints.

Your own soul urges you to frequent Communion. It needs this spiritual food and strength to keep from sin and become holy. Your most important duty in life is to save your soul by serving God.

All that you desire in this life–peace and joy, success and health–depends upon God's blessing, which you receive above ail when you are united with Jesus in Holy Communion.

What you must do at Holy Communion

You must prepare well for the visit of Jesus in your heart, and the best preparation for Communion is to receive Communion often. Confession makes you ready for Communion, but Communion-after-Communion keeps you "fit" to receive again. The best immediate preparation for Communion is to offer Mass devoutly.

Fig. 90

Before Holy Communion you must:

1. Have your mortal sins washed away by a good confession (C –confession; triangle –soul in mortal sin);

2. Relieve your soul of venial sins by a good act of contrition (C–contrition; triangle–soul in venial sin);

3. Prepare with true devotion, by making acts of faith (cross–a sign of faith); hope (anchor–a sign of hope); love (heart–a sign of love).

4. Fast; that is, take no solid food for three hours, no liquids (milk, juice, coffee, etc.) for one hour. Water may be taken at any time (bread, cup, clock).

5. Be decently dressed (clothes).

Your thanksgiving

After you have received Our Lord, greet Him as your Guest with acts of faith, hope and love, and thank Him for coming. Pray for yourself and others, above all that Jesus may make you holy. The whole day will be spent in thanking Him if you try hard not to offend Him by any sin.

Fig. 91

Cross –faith; anchor –hope; heart –love; hands folded in prayer of thanksgiving.

If you find it hard to keep your thoughts upon Jesus in your heart after Holy Communion, you might think of the word: ALTAR. Each letter of that word tells you what to do next.

A–adore Him

L–love Him

T–thank Him

A–ask Him for graces and favors

R–resolve to be good

Receive Jesus spiritually if you cannot really receive Him in Holy Communion.

To receive Jesus spiritually means to desire to be with Him. Invite Jesus into your heart often during the day, and then adore, love, and pray to Him as if you had really received Him in Holy Communion.

Fig. 92

Our Lord Jesus Christ is present in the Holy Eucharist as God and Man under the appearances of bread (wheat) and wine (grapes). He renews His sacrifice of Calvary (host, chalice and cross). He gives Himself as the Bread of Life (host).

The Holy Eucharist is your greatest treasure, for it unites you with God (triangle) on earth and prepares you for heaven, where your union with Him will be continued forever.

LESSON 29. PENANCE

What the sacrament of Penance is

Penance is the sacrament by which sins committed after Baptism are forgiven through the absolution of the priest.

Baptism takes away original sin. When an older person is baptized, Baptism also takes away all other sins he may have committed, if he is really sorry for them. Sins committed after Baptism are taken away in the sacrament of Penance.

This sacrament is called Penance because we must undergo punishment for our sins. Penance is a punishment for doing wrong things. You feel this punishment when you tell your sins to the priest and do the penance which he gives you. When Adam sinned, he had to confess to God what he had done and then work hard and suffer as a penance for his sins.

How the sacrament of Penance began

When Our Lord lived on earth, He forgave sins because as God He had power to do so. People did not have to go to confession to Him, because He knew all their sins.

Our Lord promised to give His apostles the power to forgive sins when He said, "Amen I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven." On the evening of the first Easter Sunday, He appeared to the apostles when they were together in one room, breathed upon them, and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained." By these words Jesus instituted (began) the sacrament of Penance. He gave to the apostles, and through them to all the priests of His Church, the power to forgive sins, no matter how great or how many they are, if sinners are truly sorry for them.

The apostles gave this power to forgive sins to others when they appointed them bishops; and bishops gave it to priests whom they ordained. Today bishops and priests forgive sins in the name of Our Lord, because they received that power from Jesus through the apostles.

The effects of the sacrament of Penance

In the sacrament of Penance:

1. You receive sanctifying grace if it has been lost by mortal sin;

2. Your sins are forgiven;

3. You are freed from eternal punishment due to any mortal sin, and from a part, at least, of the temporal punishment due to your sins;

4. You receive help (actual grace) to avoid sin in the future;

5. You get back the merits of the good works you have lost by mortal sin.

Fig. 93

The oxygen tank is used by first aid squads to clear the lungs of persons who have been overcome by poisonous gases. As the lungs are cleared of the harmful gas, they are filled with life-giving oxygen. The sacrament of Penance is the oxygen tank for your soul. The Holy Ghost supplies the oxygen of grace to overcome the poisonous gases of sin.

How to receive the sacrament of Penance worthily

1. Search your heart for all your sins –Examination of conscience;

2. Be heartily sorry for your sins –Contrition;

3. Make up your mind never to offend God again –Firm purpose of amendment;

4. Tell your sins to the priest –Confession;

5. Accept some temporal punishment –Do your penance.

††

Examination of conscience

Examining your conscience means looking into your soul and trying to remember all the sins you have committed since your last good confession.

Before examining your conscience ask God's help to know your sins and give you a willingness to confess them with sincere sorrow. You can examine your conscience by remembering:

1) The commandments of God and the Church;

2) The seven capital sins;

3) The duties of your state of life.

Fig. 95

You can also examine your conscience by asking yourself whether you have sinned in these ways:

1. Thinking. 2. Looking. 3. Hearing. 4. Speaking or eating. 5. Doing or not doing. 6. Going or not going.

LESSON 30. CONTRITION

Contrition is sincere sorrow for having offended God, and hatred for the sins committed, with a firm purpose of sinning no more.

God cannot forgive you unless you are truly sorry for your sin. Your sorrow should come from the heart, not only from the lips (interior); from faith (supernatural) and not only for selfish reasons; from a hatred of sin as the greatest evil, so that you are willing to suffer anything rather than offend God again.

Imperfect contrition

Contrition is imperfect (not as good as it might be), when you are sorry for your sins only because they are hateful in themselves or because you fear God's punishment for them.

Imperfect contrition in confession at the hour of death will save one from hell, but not from purgatory.

It is necessary to have at least imperfect contrition to receive the sacrament of Penance worthily. Imperfect contrition of itself cannot take away any mortal sin, but with the sacrament of Penance it can.

Fig. 96

This boy at confession is sorry because by his mortal sins he has lost heaven (a line crosses out the place where God is) and deserves hell (place where devil is). The fire and soul (poor soul in front of heaven) mean purgatory, where souls must be made clean before entering heaven, if they have only imperfect contrition.

Perfect contrition

Contrition is perfect (the kind that God most wants you to have) when you are sorry because sin offends God, whom you love above all things for His own sake.

Fig. 97

The heart means love. The person who has perfect contrition is sorry out of love for God (triangle), who loved man even to death on the cross.

Perfect contrition takes away not only venial sins, but also mortal sins, even before they are confessed. But you must still go to Confession as soon as you can. If you die before you can go to Confession, an act of perfect contrition will save you from hell, because your mortal sins have already been forgiven by perfect contrition.

If you are in mortal sin, perfect contrition gives you the garment of sanctifying grace once more, and you become a friend of God, but you should not go to Holy Communion until you have confessed your sins.

Fig. 98

You gain merits (i.e. deserve a reward) for all the good works you do in the state of sanctifying grace. As soon as you commit a mortal sin, you lose all your merits. If you make a good confession, you again receive the merits you had before you committed a mortal sin. Any good work you may do while in the state of mortal sin will not gain for you an eternal reward in heaven. Therefore, it is very important that you make an act of perfect contrition and promise to go to confession as soon as possible.

Fig. 99

For baptized persons there are two pits to avoid on the way to heaven: purgatory and hell. Infants who die with original sin on their souls go to limbo; venial sin sends you to purgatory; mortal sin condemns you to hell. But God has made bridges across these pits. Baptism is the bridge that carries you over limbo. Purgatory has three bridges: baptism, confession, and good works. Hell has three bridges: baptism, confession, and perfect contrition,

An act of perfect contrition is not hard to make. It depends not so much on the intensity of your sorrow as on the reason you are sorry. To have perfect contrition you should be sorry for your sins because they offend (hurt) your God, who is all-good.

You should have sorrow not only for your mortal sins, but also for all your venial sins when receiving the sacrament of Penance. When you have only venial sins to confess, you must have sorrow for at least one of them or for some sin of your past life which you mention in that confession.

You should have sorrow for venial sin because it is displeasing to God, deserves temporal punishment, and may lead to mortal sin.

An Act of Perfect Contrition

"O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen."

Firm purpose of amendment

To have a firm purpose of amendment means:

1. To make up your mind not to sin any more.

2. To try hard to keep away from whatever leads to sin, such as bad companions, bad places, bad reading.

3. To make up for any harm which your sins may have done to your neighbor.

If you do not really want to keep away from mortal sin or from whatever will surely lead you into it, you make a bad confession. If you have only venial sins, you must make up your mind to avoid them.

Fig. 100

When you commit a mortal sin, you nail (hammer and nail) Our Lord to the cross, because He was crucified on account of your sins. When you make a good confession, you pull out the nails (pincer) because you have made up your mind to undo the evil and never to sin again.

LESSON 31. CONFESSION

What confession is

After you have searched your heart for sins that you have committed, told God that you are sorry, and promised that you will never sin again, you may go to confession.

Confession is the telling of your sins to a priest so that you may obtain forgiveness.

Why you must confess your sins

You must confess your sins because Jesus Christ obliges you to do so with these words, spoken to the apostles: Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained."

With these words Christ appointed the priest a judge over your conscience, but the priest cannot know whether he should forgive or retain your sins unless you tell them to him.

What you must confess

You must confess:

1. All mortal sins that you have committed since your last good confession;

2. How many times you committed each sin;

3. Whatever may have made your sin greater. For example, if you caused very much damage to someone and not just a little; or stole from a church; or cursed your parents and not just one of your playmates.

You need not confess your venial sins, but it is better to do so.

Your confession is bad

1. If you purposely hide some mortal sin from the priest;

2. If you are not really sorry for your sins;

3. If you do not want to become better by keeping away from sin and all that will easily lead you into sin (near occasions).

If without fault you forget to confess a mortal sin, you may receive Holy Communion. Tell the sin in the next confession.

To hide a mortal sin in confession through your own fault puts a sacrilege on your soul. It is a great sin to use the sacraments badly or receive them unworthily. The next time you go to confession, you must tell the priest that you made a bad confession, mention the sin you did not confess and the sacraments you have received since that time, and confess all the other mortal sins you have committed since your last good confession.

You should never be ashamed or afraid to tell your sins to the priest, because he takes the place of Our Lord and would die before he would let anyone know the sins you confess. It is better to tell the priest your sins now, than to lose your peace of soul or to die unhappily.

You should make your confession humbly, by admitting that you have done wrong; sincerely, by telling your sins honestly; entirely, by confessing at least all your mortal sins, telling their kind, the number of times you have committed each sin, and any circumstances that may change your sin.

Fig. 101

The devil in hell waits for a soul with mortal sin.

Fig. 102

A soul after confession clothed with the garment of sanctifying grace. The mortal and venial sins have been washed away.

Fig. 103

A soul with Jesus after Holy Communion. Our Lord (the Sacred Heart) gives the soul more sanctifying grace, which makes it even more holy and pleasing to God.

Fig. 104

A soul with mortal sins confessed, for which there was no sorrow. If the person had been sorry for his mortal sins, his soul would have been made clean. If the person is not sorry for every mortal sin, no sin is forgiven, and his confession is bad. The devil waits for this soul, because the mortal sins are still on it.

Fig. 105

A soul with two mortal sins which were willfully hidden from the priest. These two sins (two sins separated from the rest) are still on the soul with the other mortal sins which were confessed. The person commits another mortal sin (dark square with two sins) because he made a bad confession.

Fig. 106

A soul with mortal sins which the person forgot to tell in confession. Our Lord gladly comes to such a soul and makes it beautiful. He gives it more sanctifying grace at confession because the person did not hide the sin from the priest on purpose.

Fig. 107

Jesus still remains in a soul which has only venial sins. If this person is sorry for his sins and goes to Holy Communion, the venial sins are washed away even without confession. He may receive Holy Communion without going to confession, as long as he has not committed a mortal sin.

Fig. 108

What mortal sin does in your soul.

The first mortal sin puts Our Lord (the Sacred Heart) out of the soul, and the devil comes in.

Examples:

The good thief on the cross made a good confession. He said that he deserved his punishment for his wicked deeds. Our Lord forgave him and promised him paradise.

Cain would not confess that he had murdered his brother. His sin was not forgiven until he was truly sorry and admitted his sin before God.

Absolution

After you tell your sins to the priest, he makes the sign of the cross and says, "I absolve thee from thy sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen." This is called "absolution." "I absolve thee" means "I loose thee from thy sins," or "I forgive thee." When you are absolved, you are freed from your sins as slaves are freed from their chains. At the moment of absolution the Holy Ghost washes from your soul the sins for which you are really sorry and clothes you in the garment of sanctifying grace.

Example:

One day a leper came to Our Lord, and falling down before Him, he said, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." Then stretching forth His hand, Jesus touched him, saying, "I will; be thou made clean." At once the body of the man was cleansed from all its horrible sores. When the priest, who takes the place of Our Lord, says the words of absolution, our souls are cleansed from sin.

Penance after confession

When you disobey God's commandments, you commit sin and must suffer punishment. By sin you displease God; He is not satisfied with you. If you are really sorry for your sins, you must do something to please God, although you might not like it. The priest tells you what you must do to satisfy God.

The priest gives you a penance for your sins that you may satisfy God's justice and remove at least a part of the temporal punishment due to sin.

There are two kinds of punishment for sins:

1. Eternal (lasting forever) punishment of hell for mortal sins which were not forgiven;

2. Temporal (lasting only for a time) punishment; that is, all kinds of crosses and sufferings which must be endured in this world or in purgatory. Temporal punishment must be suffered for venial sins and for the mortal sins which have already been forgiven.

When you confess your sins with true sorrow, God pardons the eternal punishment of hell. The penance you say after confession takes away at least a part of the temporal punishment which you deserve. If you do not pay your debt of punishment here on earth, you will have to pay it by suffering the pains of purgatory. You can satisfy God's justice for some of the temporal punishment that you deserve for your sins by doing other penances, such as prayer, fasting, almsgiving, bearing sufferings patiently, and by gaining indulgences through special prayers and good works.

Fig. 109

1. A man with a cross on his shoulders. You should bear the sufferings of life as a penance for your sins (temporal punishment).

2. A soul in purgatory. What penance you don't do for your sins on earth, you will have to do in purgatory.

3. The devil in hell. Hell is a place where those souls do penance forever who have died without being sorry for their mortal sins (eternal punishment).

Fig. 110

God does not let you suffer in order to have you feel bodily pain; (crown of thorns), but rather that you may use such pain to make up for your sins and receive a reward in heaven (crown of glory). If you patiently bear your crown of thorns on earth, you will wear a crown of glory in heaven.

When you say your penance before the altar, you should not forget to thank the Holy Ghost for having washed from your soul the stains of sin and for having clothed you in the garments of sanctifying grace. You ought to go to confession often, at least once each month, and always prepare well, for it may be your last confession.

LESSON 32. HOW TO MAKE A GOOD CONFESSION

Before entering the confessional, take enough time (at least five minutes) to examine your conscience well; try especially to be very sorry for your sins and make up your mind never to commit them again.

An example of a confession

"In the name of the Father . . . (sign of the cross);

"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.

"It has been (one, two weeks, or a month) since my last confession. I committed the following sins:"

For example, you might have the following sins to confess, without mentioning the commandment.

"I misused the name of God once" (2nd commandment).

"I told four lies."

"I talked unkindly about others seven times" (8th commandment).

"I am sorry for these and for all the sins of my past life, especially for . . . (tell one or more sins which you have confessed before and for which you are most sorry) e.g., the sins I committed against the fourth (or eighth) commandment."

After the priest has given you your penance, again make an act of perfect contrition so that the priest can hear you. After the priest says, "God bless you," say, "Thank you, Father."

After leaving the confessional, say your penance devoutly and thank God for the sacrament you have received. Then beg God to give you the graces of this sacrament, especially the grace to avoid sin in the future.

Fig. 111

When you receive the sacrament of Penance and the Eucharist frequently, you live the life of God in the Catholic Church. As soon as you begin to neglect receiving sacraments, you fall from the Church, little by little, because you are losing the divine life of grace. (a) If you do not receive the sacraments at all, you fall away from the Church entirely. (b) If you are falling away from the Church, the sacraments can still save you. (c) You can become a friend of God by going to confession, and receiving new life for your soul in Holy Communion.

LESSON 33. TEMPORAL PUNISHMENT AND INDULGENCES

What an indulgence is

An indulgence is the remission (pardon), granted by the Church, of the temporal punishment deserved for sins that have already been forgiven.

A plenary indulgence is the remission of all the temporal punishment due to sin.

A partial indulgence is the remission of part of the temporal punishment due to sin.

How the Church grants an indulgence

When the Church grants an indulgence, she herself pays your debt of temporal punishment to God from her spiritual treasury. The riches of that treasury are the merits (rewards for good works) of Our Lord, the Blessed Virgin, and all the saints. God accepts from the hand of the Church the satisfaction (payment) made by Our Lord and the saints, as if it had been made by you.

Fig. 112

You owe God a debt for every sin you commit. Your debts are weighed exactly on the scale of God's justice. You pay these debts in part by doing good works. Indulgences help you to pay your debt. When the Church grants an indulgence, she herself pays your debt of temporal punishment to God from her spiritual treasury. (Keys mean power given to St. Peter and his successors.)

How you can gain an indulgence

You can gain an indulgence for yourself if you are in the state of grace, have the intention of gaining the indulgence, and do the good work for which the Church grants an indulgence.

You cannot gain indulgences for other living persons, but you can gain them for the souls in purgatory.

LESSON 34. EXTREME UNCTION AND HOLY ORDERS

What Extreme Unction is

Extreme Unction is the sacrament which, through the anointing with blessed oil by the priest, and through his prayer, gives health and strength to the soul and sometimes to the body when a person is in danger of death from sickness, accident, or old age.

What Extreme Unction does

Fig. 113

The effects of Extreme Unction:

1. More sanctifying grace (Baptismal garment);

2. Comfort in sickness and strength against temptation (the Holy Ghost gives you this actual grace);

3. Pardon of venial sins and mortal sins if you have at least imperfect contrition for them (soul is clean);

4. Pardon of at least a part of your temporal punishment (part of the fire of purgatory is crossed out);

5. Health of body when it is good for the soul (figure shows a sick person in bed. The container for oil and the prayer book show that it is through the anointing with blessed oil by the priest and through his prayer that the soul and body receive these blessings).

Who administers it

Only a priest can give Extreme Unction. He should be called in for any serious illness, even though there is no danger of death. In case of sudden death a priest should always be called, because absolution and Extreme Unction may still help for some time after a person appears to be dead. In such a case the sacraments are said to be given conditionally, that is, on the condition that the person is still able to receive them.

What Holy Orders is

Holy Orders is the sacrament through which men receive the power and grace to do their duties as bishops, priests, and other ministers of the Church. The bishop is the minister of this sacrament.

What Holy Orders does

Fig. 114

Holy Orders gives:

1. More sanctifying grace (the Holy Ghost pours His grace into the soul of the priest);

2. Sacramental (actual) grace to help the priest to do his sacred duties (cane means help);

3. A character, or mark of the priesthood, which gives the priest special powers. e.g.. to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass (host and chalice), and to forgive sins in the sacrament of Penance (keys).

Catholics should show reverence to the priest, because he takes the place of Christ Himself and in His name administers the sacraments.

LESSON 35. MATRIMONY

What Matrimony is

Matrimony is the sacrament by which a baptized man and a baptized woman bind themselves for life in a lawful marriage and receive the grace to do their duties.

The bond of the sacrament of Matrimony lasts until the death of husband or wife. The main duty of husband and wife is to be faithful to each other, and to take care of their children in soul and in body. Catholics must be married before a priest and two witnesses.

What Matrimony does

Fig. 115

The sacrament of matrimony gives to husband and wife:

1. More sanctifying grace (the Holy Ghost gives them grace);

2. Actual grace, or the special help (cane) of God to love each other faithfully (two rings and a heart), and to bring up their children as they should.

LESSON 36. THE SACRAMENTALS

What Sacramentals are

Sacramentals are holy things or actions which the Church uses to obtain favors from God, through her prayers.

Fig. 116

Some sacramentals are: blessings given by priests and bishops, holy water, blessed candles, ashes, palms, crucifixes, pictures of Our Lord, of the Blessed Virgin and the saints, medals, rosaries, and scapulars.

What Sacramentals do

Sacramentals obtain for you:

1. Actual (helping) graces;

2. Forgiveness of venial sins;

3. Remission (pardon) of temporal punishment;

4. Health of body and things you need;

5. Protection from evil spirits.

You should make use of the sacramentals with faith and devotion, and never use them as objects of superstition (as charms with magical power).

LESSON 37. PRAYER

What prayer is

Prayer is the lifting up of your mind and heart to God. You should pray in order to adore and love God, to thank Him for His benefits, to ask His forgiveness, and to beg of Him all the graces necessary for soul and body.

Fig. 117

Triangle–God in heaven; arrow pointing up–lifting up; M–mind, heart–your heart. A–adore; L–love; T–thank; A–ask; R–reparation for sin.

Prayer is necessary

God's grace is necessary for salvation. There are two means of obtaining God's grace: prayer and the sacraments. Therefore, without prayer, no one having the use of reason can be saved.

When you should pray

You should pray as often as you are able, especially on Sundays and holydays, every morning and night, before and after meals, in all dangers, temptations, and sufferings.

How you should pray

You should pray with:

1. Attention (avoiding distractions);

2. Humility (admitting that you are helpless without God);

3. Confidence (trusting in God's goodness);

4. Perseverance (never giving up praying).

If you do not always obtain what you pray for, it is either because you have not prayed right or because God sees that what you are asking would not be for your good.

The prayers you should especially say are: the Our father, the Hail Mary, the Apostles' Creed, and the Acts of Faith, Hope, Love and Contrition.

LESSON 38. OUR FATHER

The Our Father is the best prayer because Jesus Christ Himself taught it, and because it contains the best things you can ask for, both for your neighbor and yourself.

The meaning of the Our Father

"Our Father who art in heaven . . ."

God is your Father because He created you and watches over you, adopts you through sanctifying grace as His child, and wants you to live forever with Him in heaven.

"Hallowed be Thy name . . ."

May God be known and honored by all men.

"Thy kingdom come . . ."

May the kingdom of God's grace be spread throughout the world; may all men come to know and to enter the true Church and live as worthy members of it; may all reach the kingdom of God's glory.

"Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven . . . "

May all men obey God on earth as willingly as the saints and angels obey Him in heaven.

"Give us this day our daily bread . . . "

May God give everyone each day all that he needs for the life of his body and soul.

"And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us . . ."

You tell God that you pardon your fellow men who have offended you so that you in turn may be worthy of God's forgiveness of your sins.

"And lead us not into temptation . . ."

You pray that God will always give you the grace to overcome the temptations to sin which come from the world, the flesh, and the devil.

"But deliver us from evil. Amen."

You pray that God will always protect you from harm, and especially from harm to your soul.

The Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace! the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory be to the Father

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

PRAYERS

AN ACT OF FAITH

O my God, / I firmly believe that Thou art one God / in three Divine Persons, / Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; / I believe that Thy Divine Son became man, / and died for our sins, / and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths / which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, / because Thou hast revealed them, / who canst neither deceive nor be deceived. (3 years indulgence)

AN ACT OF HOPE

O my God, / relying on Thy almighty power / and infinite mercy and promises, / I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, / the help of Thy grace, / and life everlasting, / through the merits of Jesus Christ, / my Lord and Redeemer. (3 years)

AN ACT OF LOVE

O my God, / I love Thee above all things, / with my whole heart and soul, / because Thou art all-good / and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself / for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, / and ask pardon of all whom I have injured. (3 years)

AN ACT OF CONTRITION

O my God, / I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, / because Thou art all good / and I firmly purpose / by Thy help of Thy grace / not to offend Thee again. (S. Penitentiary 300 days, Jan. 13, 1921)

AN ACT OF CONSECRATION

Take, O Lord, / and receive all my liberty, / my memory, / my understanding, / and my whole will. Thou hast given me all that I am / and all that I possess; / I surrender it all to Thee / that Thou mayest dispose of it according to Thy will. Give me only Thy love and Thy grace; / with these I will be rich enough, / and will have no more to desire. (300 days)

PRAYER TO CHRIST, THE KING

O Christ Jesus, / I acknowledge Thee King of the universe. All that has been created / has been made for Thee. Exercise upon me all Thy rights. I renew my baptismal promises, / renouncing Satan and all his works and pomps. I promise to live a good Christian life / and to do all in my power / to procure the triumph of the rights of God and Thy Church. Divine Heart of Jesus, / I offer Thee my poor actions / in order to obtain that all hearts may acknowledge Thy Sacred royalty / and that thus the reign of Thy peace / may be established throughout the Universe. Amen. (Plenary Indulgence, after Communion)

HAIL, HOLY QUEEN

Hail, Holy Queen, / Mother of mercy, / our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, / poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, / mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, / O most gracious advocate, / thine eyes of mercy towards us, / and, after this our exile, / show unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb, / Jesus. O clement, / O loving, / O sweet Virgin Mary! (5 years)

THE MEMORARE

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, / that never was it known / that anyone who fled to thy protection, / implored thy help / and sought thy intercession, / was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, / I fly to thee, / O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee I come; / before thee I stand, / sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, / despise not my petitions, / but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen. (3 years)

METHOD OF RECITING THE ROSARY

1. Make the Sign of the Cross and say the "Apostles' Creed"

2. Say the "Our Father"

3. Say three "Hail Marys"

4. Say the "Glory Be To The Father"

5. Announce the First Mystery; then say the "Our Father"

6. Say ten "Hail Marys"

7. Say the "Glory Be To The Father"

8. Announce the Second Mystery; then say the "Our Father," ten "Hail Marys" and "Glory Be To The Father"

9. Announce the Third Mystery; then say the "Our Father," ten "Hail Marys" and "Glory Be To The Father"

10. Announce the Fourth Mystery; then say the "Our Father," ten "Hail Marys" and "Glory Be To The Father"

11. Announce the Fifth Mystery; then say the "Our Father," ten "Hail Marys" and "Glory Be To The Father"

This concludes recitation of the Rosary

MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY

MONDAY AND THURSDAY

The First Joyful Mystery, the Annunciation

The Second Joyful Mystery, the Visitation

The Third Joyful Mystery, the Nativity

The Fourth Joyful Mystery, the Presentation

The Fifth Joyful Mystery, the Finding in the Temple.

TUESDAY AND FRIDAY

The First Sorrowful Mystery, the Agony in the Garden

The Second Sorrowful Mystery, the Scourging

The Third Sorrowful Mystery, the Crowning with Thorns

The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery, the Carrying of the Cross

The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery, the Crucifixion

WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

The First Glorious Mystery, the Resurrection

The Second Glorious Mystery, the Ascension

The Third Glorious Mystery, the Descent of the Holy Ghost

The Fourth Glorious Mystery, the Assumption of Our Blessed Lady

The Fifth Glorious Mystery, the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin