,an ,explanation ,of ,the ,baltimore ,catechism of ,christian ,doctrine ,for ,the ,use of ,sunday-,school ,teachers and ,advanced ,classes 7,also known as ,baltimore ,catechism ,no4 #d7 by ,rev4 ,thomas ,l4 ,kinkead ,nihil ,obstat3 ,d4 ,j4 ,mc,mahon ,censor ,librorum ,imprimatur3 ,michael ,augustine ,archbishop of ,new ,york ,new ,york1 ,september #e1 #ahia ,nihil ,obstat3 ,arthur ,j4 ,scanlan1 ,s4,t4,d4 ,censor ,librorum ,imprimatur3 ,patrick ,j4 ,hayes1 ,d4,d4 ,archbishop of ,new ,york ,new ,york1 ,june #bi1 #aiba ,transcriber's ,note3 ,this book is commonly known as ,the ,baltimore ,catechism ,no4 #d and is the last part of a four volume e-text collection4 ,see the author's note to ,baltimore ,catechism ,no4 #c for the background and purpose of the series4 ,this e-text collection is substantially based on files generously provided by http3_/_/www4catholic4net_/ with some missing material transcribed and added for this release4 ,transcriber's notes in this series are placed within braces1 and usually prefixed ,t4,n434 ,,approbations ,his ,eminence ,cardinal ,gibbons3 ,i thank you for the copy of ,the ,explanation of the ,baltimore ,catechism which has just reached me4 ,a ,religious spoke to me in very high terms of your book4 ,i regard the opinion as of great value4 ,most ,rev4 ,m4 ,a4 ,corrigan1 ,d4,d41 ,archbishop of ,new ,york3 ,i congratulate you on the good which it is likely to do4 ,most ,rev4 ,william ,henry ,elder1 ,d4,d41 ,archbishop of ,cincinnati3 ,i think the work will be a very serviceable one4 ,i hope it will meet with great success4 ,most ,rev4 ,thomas ,l4 ,grace1 ,d4,d41 ,archbishop of ,siunia3 ,your book entitled ,an ,explanation of the ,baltimore ,catechism supplies a want which is generally felt by the clergy and others engaged in teaching ,catechism4 ,apart from the very satisfactory development of the answers to the questions and apt illustrations of the subjects treated1 the additional questions inserted in your book give it a special value4 ,most ,rev4 ,p4 ,j4 ,ryan1 ,d4,d41 ,archbishop of ,philadelphia3 ,your explanation of the ,baltimore ,catechism is excellent and must be of very great service to teachers of ,sunday schools and to all who desire a clear exposition of ,catholic doctrine1 either for themselves or to communicate it to others4 ,we give the work our cordial approval4 ,most ,rev4 ,william ,j4 ,walsh1 ,d4,d41 ,archbishop of ,dublin1 ,primate of ,ireland3 ,i have had a copy of your admirable work for some weeks past1 and on several points it has been of very great use to me and to the committee a committee of professors of theology1 moral as well as dogmatic2 priests of long and of wide experience in the work of instructing children in the ,catechism2 experienced examiners of children2 accomplished scholars and writers of ,english2 members both of religious and of secular collegiate communities2 and representatives of the missionary priesthood1 secular and regular1 appointed to draft a new ,catechism4 ,right ,rev4 ,d4 ,m4 ,bradley1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,manchester3 ,i am sure this ',explanation' will be welcomed by the teachers in our schools and indeed by all whose duty it may be to instruct others in the teachings of the ,church4 ,right ,rev4 ,thomas ,f4 ,brennan1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,dallas3 ,i like the book very much and will not only recommend it to the priests and good sisters of my diocese1 but will also use it myself at catechism every ,sunday in the ,cathedral4 ,the list of questions and general index render its use very easy4 ,right ,rev4 ,m4 ,e4 ,burke1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,cheyenne3 ,your ,explanation of the ,baltimore ,catechism is excellent1 and it supplies a much needed means of useful and necessary catechetical instruction for our ,sunday schools4 ,it will be found an excellent textbook for ,catholic schools and academies throughout the country and a most useful manual for all who are engaged in the instruction of our children4 ,right ,rev4 ,l4 ,de ,goesbriand1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,burlington3 ,i consider your book1 the ,explanation of the ,baltimore ,catechism1 as an admirable work4 ,nothing can be found more clear1 more satisfactory4 ,right ,rev4 ,john ,foley1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,detroit3 ,i congratulate you upon producing a work so useful to those having charge of souls in such clear1 concise1 and instructive a style4 ,i shall gladly commend it to the ,rev4 ,clergy4 ,right ,rev4 ,h4 ,gabriels1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop-elect of ,ogdensburg3 ,your book will furnish solid material to priests who wish to preach at low ,masses the catechetical instructions prescribed by the council of ,baltimore4 ,a rapid perusal of some of its pages has convinced me that it is just what was often looked for in vain in this important branch of the holy ministry4 ,right ,rev4 ,n4 ,a4 ,gallagher1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,galveston3 ,having read your ,explanation of the ,baltimore ,catechism1 ,i wish to say that it is in my opinion a very useful book for priests as well as for teachers2 and that it is a valuable book to place in the hands of those who wish to become acquainted with the teachings of ,holy ,church4 ,i have just ordered ten copies from the ,publishers for my own distribution4 ,right ,rev4 ,leo ,haid1 ,o4,s4,b41 ,d4,d41 ,vicar ,apostolic of ,north ,carolina3 ,i am very glad you gave us such a sensible1 simple1 and complete explanation of the ,baltimore ,catechism4 ,i wish it were in the hands of every teacher of ,christian doctrine4 ,in this ,vicariate1 where priests are few1 and often obliged to receive converts into the ,church without that thorough instruction which resident pastors can give1 your book will be hailed with joy4 ,i will do my utmost to make it known4 ,please send me one dozen copies4 ,right ,rev4 ,john ,j4 ,hennessy1 ,d4,d4 ,bishop of ,wichita3 ,from what ,i have seen of your book ,i am delighted with the method which you have adopted for explanation4 ,it makes the ,catechism easy and interesting to both teacher and pupil4 ,i shall heartily recommend your book to our clergy for introduction into our schools4 ,right ,rev4 ,a4 ,junger1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,nesqually3 ,i am sure your work will not fail to obtain its object4 ,there is not the least doubt that it will be of the greatest and best use for ,sunday school teachers and advanced classes who will make use of it1 and to whom we highly recommend it4 ,such a work was needed1 as our ,baltimore ,catechism does not and cannot contain all the necessary explanations4 ,right ,rev4 ,john ,j4 ,keane1 ,d4,d41 ,rector of the ,catholic ,university1 ,washington3 ,the character of the work speaks for itself4 ,right ,rev4 ,w4 ,g4 ,mc,closkey1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,louisville3 ,what ,i have already seen of it gives me the impression that it is a meritorious work which ought to be encouraged4 ,right ,rev4 ,james ,mc,golrick1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,duluth3 ,i think you have prepared a thoroughly practical work in your ,explanation of the ,baltimore ,catechism4 ,you have in well selected and plain ,english enabled teachers to give useful lessons from the text itself without the need of resort to other books4 ,your book will find its way to the desk of every ,catholic teacher1 and we hope to the home of every ,catholic family4 ,i am glad you marked the ,scripture references1 for the higher classes after ,confirmation can unite their ,scripture lessons with such study of your book as to prepare themselves for teaching4 ,your series of questions and good index are certainly very useful4 ,right ,rev4 ,camillus ,p4 ,maes1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,covington3 ,i have examined your ,explanation of the ,baltimore ,catechism on some of the most important points of doctrine and morals4 ,i find its teachings sound1 and the manner of presenting them practical4 ,i take pleasure in commending your book to priests and teachers1 and in congratulating you for having bestowed so much time on the greatest of all pastoral work1 viz3 giving children a thorough and sound knowledge of ,holy ,church and of her divine teachings4 ,right ,rev4 ,c4 ,e4 ,mc,donnell1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop-elect of ,brooklyn3 ,i beg you to accept my hearty congratulations4 ,right ,rev4 ,r4 ,manogue1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,sacramento3 ,we have ponderous works from distinguished authors on the ,catechism in general1 but yours--,an ,explanation of the ,baltimore ,catechism--is the simplest1 most concise1 most natural and instructive ,i have yet encountered4 ,it is good not only for advanced pupils1 teachers1 preachers and priests1 but also for the sacred precincts of every ,catholic family4 ,right ,rev4 ,tobias ,mullen1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,erie3 ,your book appears to me a very meritorious production4 ,in your preface you observe it has been designed for the use of ,sunday school teachers and that it 'should do good in any ,catholic family' ,i think you might have added that any clergyman having the care of souls1 whether giving private instructions or preparing for the pulpit1 would derive great benefits from its perusal4 ,right ,rev4 ,h4 ,p4 ,northrop1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,charleston3 ,the ,explanation of the ,baltimore ,catechism1 plain and practical1 clear and comprehensive1 was a work very much needed4 ,from a general examination1 ,i think you have done your work well1 and you deserve the thanks of all teachers of catechism and those who have charge of our schools4 ,you have simplified the work of the teacher by putting in his hand such a ready handbook and commentary on the text he is supposed to explain4 ,if they do what they expect their pupils to do--study the lesson--with such a help as you have furnished them1 the work of the ,sunday school will be much more satisfactory4 ,i hope the hearty appreciation of those for whom you have labored will crown your work with abundant success4 ,right ,rev4 ,henry ,joseph ,richter1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,grand ,rapids3 ,the aim of your book is excellent4 ,to judge from the portions which ,i have read1 your labor has been successful4 ,i recommend the book to all ,catholic adults1 but especially to teachers and converts1 as a convenient handbook of appropriate1 plain1 and solid instructions on the doctrine of the ,catholic ,church4 ,right ,rev4 ,s4 ,v4 ,ryan1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,buffalo3 ,i think your work fully meets all you claim for it4 ,it will serve as a good textbook for an advanced catechism class1 and a very useful handbook for catechists in instructing converts or our own people what they should know and what they are bound to believe in regard to our holy faith4 ,the book will1 ,i think1 do good in any ,catholic family4 ,right ,rev4 ,l4 ,scanlan1 ,d4,d41 ,bishop of ,salt ,lake3 ,i consider it a most useful if not necessary book1 not only for ,sunday school teachers and for advanced classes1 but for all who may desire to have a clear1 definite knowledge of ,christian doctrine4 ,,contents ,,prayers ,the ,lord's ,prayer ,the ,angelical ,salutation ,the ,apostles' ,creed ,the ,confiteor ,an ,act of ,faith ,an ,act of ,hope ,an ,act of ,love ,an ,act of ,contrition ,the ,blessing before ,meals ,grace after ,meals ,the ,manner in ,which a ,lay ,person ,is to ,baptize in ,case of ,necessity ,,catechism ,lesson #a--,on the ,end of ,man ,lesson #b--,on ,god and ,his ,perfections ,lesson #c--,on the ,unity and ,trinity of ,god ,lesson #d--,on ,creation ,lesson #e--,on ,our ,first ,parents and the ,fall ,lesson #f--,on ,sin and ,its ,kinds ,lesson #g--,on the ,incarnation and ,redemption ,lesson #h--,on ,our ,lord's ,passion1 ,death1 ,resurrection and ,ascension ,lesson #i--,on the ,holy ,ghost and ,his ,descent upon the ,apostles ,lesson #aj--,on the ,effects of the ,redemption ,lesson #aa--,on the ,church ,lesson #ab--,on the ,attributes and ,marks of the ,church ,lesson #ac--,on the ,sacraments in ,general ,lesson #ad--,on ,baptism ,lesson #ae--,on ,confirmation ,lesson #af--,on the ,gifts and ,fruits of the ,holy ,ghost ,lesson #ag--,on the ,sacrament of ,penance ,lesson #ah--,on ,contrition ,lesson #ai--,on ,confession ,lesson #bj--,on the ,manner of ,making a ,good ,confession ,lesson #ba--,on ,indulgences ,lesson #bb--,on the ,holy ,eucharist ,lesson #bc--,on the ,ends for which the ,holy ,eucharist ,was ,instituted ,lesson #bd--,on the ,sacrifice of the ,mass ,lesson #be--,on ,extreme ,unction and ,holy ,orders ,lesson #bf--,on ,matrimony ,lesson #bg--,on the ,sacramentals ,lesson #bh--,on ,prayer ,lesson #bi--,on the ,commandments of ,god ,lesson #cj--,on the ,first ,commandment ,lesson #ca--,the ,first ,commandment--,on the ,honor and ,invocation of the ,saints ,lesson #cb--;,from the ,second to the ,fourth ,commandment ,lesson #cc--;,from the ,fourth to the ,seventh ,commandment ,lesson #cd--;,from the ,seventh to the ,tenth ,commandment ,lesson #ce--,on the ,first and ,second ,commandments of the ,church ,lesson #cf--,on the ,third1 ,fourth1 ,fifth and ,sixth ,commandments of the ,church ,lesson #cg--,on the ,last ,judgment and ,resurrection1 ,hell1 ,purgatory and ,heaven ,,preface ,it must be evident to all who have had experience in the work of our ,sunday schools that much time is wasted in the classes4 ,many teachers do little more than mark the attendance and hear the lessons2 this being done1 time hangs heavily on their hands till the school is dismissed4 ,they do not or cannot explain what they are teaching1 and the children have no interest in the study4 ,the ,explanation of the ,baltimore ,catechism is intended for their use4 ,the explanations are full and simple4 ,the examples are taken from ,holy ,scripture1 from the parables of ,our ,lord1 from incidents in ,his life1 and from the customs and manners of the people of ,his time4 ,these are made applicable to our daily lives in reflections and exhortations4 ,the plan of the book makes it very simple and handy4 ,the ,catechism is complete and distinct in itself1 and may be used with or without the explanations4 ,the teacher is supposed1 after hearing the lesson1 to read the explanation of the new lesson as far as time will allow4 ,it may be read just as it is1 or may be learned by the teacher and given to the children in substance4 ,the ,explanation of the ,baltimore ,catechism will be found very useful also for the instruction of adults and converts4 ,the priest on the mission is often called upon to instruct persons who can come to him but seldom1 and only for a short time2 and who1 moreover1 are incapable of using with profit such books as ,the ,faith of ,our ,fathers1 ,catholic ,belief1 or works of controversy4 ,they are simply able to use the ,child's ,catechism when explained to them4 ,if the ,explanation of the ,baltimore ,catechism is in their hands1 they may read the explanations and study the ,catechism with pleasure4 ,indeed the book should do good in any ,catholic family4 ,the majority of our people are children as far as their religious knowledge goes4 ,they may1 it is true1 have books on particular subjects1 such as the ,duties of ,parents to ,their ,children1 ,the ,sure ,way to a ,happy ,marriage1 etc42 but a book that explains to them in the simplest manner all the truths of their religion1 and applies the same to their daily lives1 ought to be useful4 ,the chief aim of the book is to be practical1 and to teach ,catholics what they should know1 and how these truths of their ,catechism are constantly coming up in the performance of their everyday duties4 ,it is therefore neither a book of devotion nor of controversy1 though it covers the ground of both4 ,as in this book the explanations are interrupted by the questions and answers of the ,catechism proper1 it will1 it is hoped1 be read with more pleasure than a book giving solid page after page of instructions4 ,wherever a fact is mentioned as being taken from ,holy ,scripture1 it will generally be given in substance and not in the exact text2 though the reference will always be given1 so that those wishing may read it as it is in the ,holy ,scripture4 ,the children are not supposed to memorize the explanation as they do the ,catechism itself1 yet the teacher1 having once read it to them1 should ask questions on it4 ,the book may be used as a textbook or catechism for the more advanced classes1 and the complete list of numbered questions on the explanations--given at the end--will render it very serviceable for that purpose4 ,as the same subject often occurs in different parts of the ,catechism1 explanations already given may sometimes be repeated4 ,this is done either to show the connection between the different parts of the ,catechism1 or to impress the explanation more deeply on the minds of the children1 or to save the teacher the trouble of always turning back to preceding explanations4 ,the numbering of the questions and answers throughout the ,catechism1 and the complete index of subjects and list of questions at the end1 will1 it is hoped1 make these comparisons and references easy1 and the book itself useful4 ,with the hope1 then1 that the ,explanation of the ,baltimore ,catechism may do all the good intended1 ,i commend it to all who desire a fuller knowledge of their holy religion that they may practice it more faithfully4 ,rev4 ,thomas ,l4 ,kinkead ,june #ba1 #ahia1 ,feast of ,st4 ,aloysius ,an ,explanation ,of ,the ,baltimore ,catechism of ,christian ,doctrine ,basic ,catholic ,prayers ,,the ,,lord',s ,,prayer ,our ,father1 ,who art in ,heaven1 hallowed be ,thy name4 ,thy kingdom come4 ,thy will be done on earth as it is in ,heaven4 ,give us this day our daily bread4 ,and forgive us our trespasses1 as we forgive those who trespass against us4 ,and lead us not into temptation1 but deliver us from evil4 ,amen4 ,this is the most beautiful and best of all prayers1 because ,our ,lord ,himself made it4 7,matt4 #f3i2 ,luke #aa3b74 ,one day when ,he was praying and explaining to ,his ,apostles the great advantages of prayer1 one of them said to ,him3 ,lord1 teach us to pray4 ,then ,jesus taught them this prayer4 ,it contains everything we need or could ask for4 ,we cannot see its full meaning at once4 ,the more we think over it1 the more clearly we understand it4 ,we could write whole pages on almost every word1 and still not say all that could be said about this prayer4 ,it is called the ,lord's1 because ,he made it1 and sometimes the ,our ,father1 from the first words4 ,we say ,our1 to show that we are all brethren1 and that ,god is the ,father of us all1 and therefore we pray not for ourselves alone but for all ,god's children4 ,we say ,father1 because ,god really is our ,father4 ,we do not mean here by ,father the ,first ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity1 but the ,blessed ,trinity itself--one ,god4 ,what does a father do for his children8 ,he gives them their natural existence1 provides them with food and clothing1 teaches1 protects1 and loves them1 shares with them all that he has1 and when he dies leaves them his possessions4 ,now1 in all these ways1 and in a much truer sense1 ,god is our ,father4 ,he created us and gives us all that is necessary to sustain life4 ,he gives light1 heat1 and air1 without any one of which we could not live4 ,he provides for us also food and clothing1 and long before we need or even think of these things ,god is thinking of them4 ,did you ever reflect upon just how much time and trouble it costs to produce for you even one potato1 of which you think so little8 ,about two years before you need that potato1 ,god puts it into the mind of the farmer to save the seed that he may plant it the following year4 ,in the proper season he prepares the ground with great care and plants the seed4 ,then ,god sends ,his sunlight and rain to make it grow1 but the farmer's work is not yet ended3 he must continue to keep the soil in good condition and clear away the weeds4 ,in due time the potato is taken from the ground1 brought to the market1 carried to your house1 cooked and placed before you4 ,you take it without even thinking1 perhaps1 of all this trouble1 or thanking ,god for ,his goodness4 ,this is only one article of food1 and the same may be said of all the rest4 ,your clothing is provided for you long before you need it4 ,the little lamb upon whose back the wool is growing1 from which your coat is someday to be made1 is even now far away on some mountain1 growing stronger with the food ,god gives it till you need its wool4 ,the little pieces of coal1 too1 that you so carelessly throw upon the fire were formed deep down in the earth hundreds of years ago4 ,god produces all you use1 because ,he foresees and knows you will use it4 ,moreover ,he protects us from danger2 ,he teaches us by the voice of our conscience and the ministers of ,his ,church1 our priests and bishops4 ,he loves us too1 as we may learn from all that ,he does for us1 and from the many times ,he forgives us our sins4 ,he shares what ,he possesses with us4 ,he has given us understanding and a free will resembling ,his own4 ,he has given us immortality1 i4e41 when once ,he has created us1 we shall exist as long as ,himself--that is1 forever4 ,when ,our ,lord died on the ,cross1 ,he left us ,his many possessions--,his graces and merits1 the holy ,sacraments1 and ,heaven itself4 ,it is surely1 then1 just and right to call ,god ,father4 ,our natural fathers give us only what they1 themselves1 get from ,god4 ,so even what they give us also comes from ,him4 ,before the time of ,our ,lord1 the people in prayer did not call ,god ,father4 ,they feared ,him more than they loved ,him4 ,when ,he spoke to them--as ,he did when ,he gave the ,commandments to ,moses--it was in thunder1 lightning1 and smoke4 7,ex4 #ai74 ,they looked upon ,god as a great and terrible king who would destroy them for their sins4 ,he sent the deluge on account of sin1 and ,he destroyed the wicked city of ,sodom with fire from ,heaven4 7,gen4 #g3ai74 ,they called ,him ,jehovah1 and were afraid sometimes even to pronounce ,his name4 ,but ,our ,lord taught that ,god1 besides being a great and powerful king--the ,ruler of the universe and ,lord of all things--is also a kind and good ,father1 who wishes ,his children not to offend ,him because they love ,him rather than because they fear ,him1 and therefore ,he taught ,his disciples and all ,christians to call ,god by the sweet name of ,father4 ,who art in ,heaven4 ,the ,catechism says ,god is everywhere4 ,why then do we say1 ,who art in ,heaven1 as if ,he were no place else8 ,we say so to remind us1 first1 that ,heaven is our true home1 and that this world is only a strange land in which we are staying for a while to do the work that ,god wishes us to do here1 and then return to our own home2 second1 that in ,heaven we shall see ,god face to face and as ,he is2 third1 that ,heaven is the place where ,god will be for all eternity with the blessed4 ,hallowed means made holy or sacred4 ,halloween is the name given to the evening before the feast of ,all ,hallows or ,all ,saints4 ,thy kingdom come4 ,this petition contains a great deal more than we at first see in it4 ,in it we ask that ,god may reign in our hearts and in the hearts of all men by ,his grace in this life1 and that we and all men may attain our eternal salvation1 and thus be brought to reign forever with ,god in ,heaven--the kingdom of ,his glory4 ,as the ,church on earth is frequently called the kingdom of ,christ1 and as all the labors of the ,church are directed to the salvation of souls1 we pray also in this petition that the ,church may be extended upon earth1 that the true religion may be spread over the whole world1 that all men may know and serve the true ,god and cheerfully obey ,his holy laws2 that the devil may have no dominion over them4 ,while saying this petition we may have it in our minds to pray even for particular ways in which the true religion can be spread2 for example1 by praying that the missionaries may meet with success and all the missions prosper2 that priests and bishops may be ordained to preach the ,gospel2 that the ,church may overcome all her enemies everywhere1 and the true religion triumph4 ,thy will be done on earth as it is in ,heaven4 ,in ,heaven all the angels and saints obey ,god perfectly2 they never offend ,him2 so we pray that it may be on earth as it is in ,heaven1 all men doing ,god's will1 observing ,his laws and the laws of ,his ,church1 and living without sin4 ,give us this day our daily bread4 ,in this petition bread means not merely bread1 but everything we need for our daily lives2 such as food1 clothing1 light1 heat1 air1 and the like2 also food for the soul1 i4e41 grace4 ,if a beggar told you that he had not tasted bread for the whole day1 you would never think of asking him if he had eaten any cake1 because you would understand by his word bread all kinds of food4 ,we say daily1 to teach us not to be greedy or too careful about ourselves1 and not to ask for unnecessary things1 but to pray for what we need for our present wants4 ,and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us4 ,trespasses means here our sins1 our offenses against ,god4 ,when we trespass we enter places we should not1 or where we are forbidden to go4 ,so when we sin we go where we should not go1 viz41 out of the path of virtue that leads to ,god1 and into the way of vice that leads to the devil4 ,as we forgive them4 ,we take this to mean3 we forgive others who have offended us1 and for that reason1 ,god1 ,you should forgive us who have offended ,you4 ,our ,lord told a beautiful parable1 i4e41 a story by way of illustration1 to explain this4 7,matt4 #ah3bc74 ,a very rich man had a servant who owed him a large sum of money4 ,one day the master asked the servant for the money1 and the poor servant had none to give4 ,now the law of the country was1 that when anyone could not pay his debts1 all that he had could be sold and the money given to the one to whom it was due1 and if that was not sufficient1 he and his wife and his children could be sold as slaves4 ,the servant1 knowing this1 fell on his knees and begged his master to be patient with him1 and to give him time and he would pay all4 ,then his master was moved to pity1 granted not only what he asked1 but freed him from the debt altogether4 ,afterwards when this servant1 who had just been forgiven the large sum1 was going out1 he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a very small sum of money1 and taking hold of him by the throat1 demanded payment4 ,now1 this poor servant1 having nothing to give just then1 implored his assailant to be patient with him and he would pay all4 ,but the hard-hearted servant--though he himself had a little while before asked and obtained the very same favor from his own master--would not listen to the request or wait longer1 but went and had his fellow servant cast into prison till he should pay the debt4 ,the other servants1 seeing how unforgiving this man was who had himself been forgiven1 went and told all to their master1 and he1 being angry at such conduct1 had the unforgiving servant brought back and cast into prison4 ,and lead us not into temptation4 ,temptation means a trial to see whether we will do a thing or not4 ,here it means a trial made by some person or thing--the devil1 the world1 or our own flesh--to see whether we will sin or not4 ,god does not exactly lead us into temptation2 but ,he allows us to fall into it4 ,he allows others to tempt us4 ,we can overcome any temptation to sin by the help or grace that ,god gives us4 ,therefore we ask in this petition that ,god will always give us the grace to overcome the temptation1 and that we may not consent to it4 ,a temptation is not a sin4 ,it becomes sin only when we are overcome by it4 ,when we are tempted we are like soldiers fighting a battle3 if the soldiers are conquered by their enemy1 they are disgraced2 but if they conquer their enemy1 they have great glory and great rewards4 ,so1 when we overcome temptations1 ,god gives us a new glory and reward for every victory4 ,deliver us from evil4 ,from every kind of evil1 and especially the evil of being conquered by our spiritual enemies1 and thus falling into sin1 and offending ,god by becoming ,his enemy ourselves4 ,it would be a sin to seek temptation1 though we have a reward for resisting it when it comes4 ,amen means1 be it so4 ,may all we have asked be granted just as we have asked it4 ,,the ,,angelical ,,salutation ,hail1 ,mary1 full of grace6 the ,lord is with thee3 blessed art thou amongst women1 and blessed is the fruit of thy womb1 ,jesus4 ,holy ,mary1 ,mother of ,god1 pray for us sinners1 now and at the hour of our death4 ,amen4 ,next in beauty to the ,lord's ,prayer comes this prayer4 ,it is made up of three parts3 ,hail1 full of grace6 the ,lord is with thee3 blessed art thou amongst women was composed by the angel ,gabriel1 for these are the words he used when he came to tell the ,blessed ,virgin that she was selected to be the ,mother of ,god 7,luke #a3bh74 ,all her people knew that the ,redeemer promised from the time of ,eve down to the time of the ,blessed ,virgin was now to be born1 and many good women were anxious to be ,his mother1 and they believed the one who would be selected the most blessed and happy of all women4 ,the ,lord is with thee by ,his grace and favor1 since you are the one ,he loves best4 ,he is with all ,his creatures1 but ,he is with you in a very special manner4 ,after the visit of the angel1 the ,blessed ,virgin went a good distance to visit her cousin1 ,st4 ,elizabeth1 who was the mother of ,st4 ,john the ,baptist 7,luke #a3ci74 ,when ,st4 ,elizabeth saw her1 she1 without being told by the ,blessed ,virgin what the angel had done1 knew by the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost what had taken place1 and said to the ,blessed ,virgin3 ,blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb4 ,that is blessed because1 of all the women that have ever lived or ever shall live1 you are the one selected by ,god to be the mother of ,his ,son and ,our ,redeemer1 and blessed is that ,son ,himself4 ,this is the second part of the prayer4 ,the third part1 from ,holy ,mary to the end1 was composed by the ,church4 ,hail4 ,this was the word used by the people of that country in saluting one another when they met4 ,we say when meeting anyone we know1 ,good day1 or ,how do you do8 or some such familiar expression used by all in salutation4 ,so these people1 instead of saying1 ,good day1 etc41 said ,hail i4e41 ,i wish you health1 ,i greet you1 etc4 ,the angel did not say ,mary1 because she was the only one present to address4 ,full of grace4 ,when anything is full it has no room for more4 ,god's grace and sin cannot exist in the same place4 ,therefore when the ,blessed ,virgin was full of grace1 there was no room for sin4 ,so she was without any sin and gifted with every virtue4 ,holy ,mary1 because one full of grace must be holy4 ,mother of ,god1 because her ,son was true ,god and true man in the one person of ,christ1 ,our ,lord4 ,pray for us1 because she has more power with her ,son than all the other saints4 ,sinners1 and therefore we need forgiveness4 ,at the hour of our death especially1 because that is the most important time for us4 ,no matter how bad we have been during our lives1 if ,god gives us the grace to die in ,his friendship1 we shall be ,his friends forever4 ,on the other hand1 no matter how good we may have been for a part of our lives1 if we become bad before death1 and die in that state1 we shall be separated from ,god forever1 and be condemned to eternal punishment4 ,it would be wrong1 therefore1 to live in sin1 with a promise that we shall die well1 for ,god may not give us the grace or opportunity to repent1 and we may die in sin if we have lived in sin4 ,besides this1 the devil knows how much depends upon the state in which we die1 and so he perhaps will tempt us more at death than at any other time2 for if we yield to him and die in sin1 we shall be with him forever--it is his last chance to secure our souls4 ,besides the ,hail ,mary there is another beautiful prayer on the same subject1 called the ,angelus4 ,it is a little history of the ,incarnation1 and is said morning1 noon1 and evening in honor of ,our ,lord's ,incarnation1 death1 and resurrection4 ,it is made up of three parts4 ,the first part tells what the angel did1 viz43 ,the angel of the ,lord declared unto ,mary4 ,and she conceived of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,after saying these words1 we say one ,hail ,mary in honor of the angel's message4 ,the second part tells what ,mary answered1 viz43 ,behold the handmaid of the ,lord4 ,be it done unto me according to thy word4 ,we say another ,hail ,mary in honor of ,mary's consent4 ,the third part tells how ,our ,lord became ,man1 viz43 ,and the ,word was made flesh4 ,and dwelt among us4 ,the ,word means here the ,second ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity2 and made flesh means1 became man4 ,then another ,hail ,mary is said in honor of ,our ,lord's goodness in humbling ,himself so much for our sake4 ,after these three parts we say3 ,pray for us1 ,o ,holy ,mother of ,god6 that we may be made worthy of the promises of ,christ2 and1 finally1 we say a prayer in honor of ,our ,lord's ,incarnation1 ,passion1 and ,resurrection4 ,this beautiful prayer is said three times a day in all seminaries1 convents1 and religious houses4 ,the time for saying it is made known by the ringing of a bell called the ,angelus bell4 ,in many parishes the church bell rings out the ,angelus4 ,in ,catholic countries the people stop wherever they are and whatever they are doing1 and bowing their heads1 say the ,angelus when they hear its bell4 ,it is a beautiful practice and one most pleasing to our ,blessed ,lord and ,his holy ,mother4 ,good ,catholics should not neglect it4 ,i might mention here another kind of prayer often said in honor of our blessed ,mother4 ,it is the ,litany4 ,in this form of prayer we call ,our ,lady many beautiful names which we know are most dear to her1 asking her after each one to pray for us4 ,we address her first by names reminding her that she is the ,mother of ,god and has therefore great influence with her divine ,son4 ,we say3 ,mother of ,christ1 ,mother of ,our ,creator1 ,mother of ,our ,redeemer1 etc41 pray for us4 ,next we remind her that she is a virgin and should take pity on us who are exposed to so many temptations against holy purity4 ,we call her virgin most pure1 virgin most chaste1 etc41 and again ask her to pray for us4 ,lastly we call her all those names that could induce her to hear us4 ,we say3 health of the weak1 refuge of sinners1 help of ,christians1 pray for us4 ,in addition to the ,litany of the ,blessed ,virgin1 we have the ,litany of the ,holy ,name of ,jesus1 the ,litany of the ,blessed ,sacrament1 the ,litany of the ,sacred ,heart1 the ,litany of ,st4 ,joseph1 and many others--all made up in the same form4 ,we have also the ,litany of all the ,saints1 in which we beg the help and prayers of the different classes of saints--the ,apostles1 martyrs1 virgins1 etc4 ,,the ,,apostles' ,,creed ,i believe in ,god1 the ,father ,almighty1 ,creator of ,heaven and earth2 and in ,jesus ,christ1 ,his only ,son1 ,our ,lord1 ,who was conceived by the ,holy ,ghost1 born of the ,virgin ,mary1 suffered under ,pontius ,pilate1 was crucified2 died1 and was buried4 ,he descended into ,hell2 the third day ,he arose again from the dead2 ,he ascended into ,heaven1 sitteth at the right hand of ,god1 the ,father ,almighty2 from thence ,he shall come to judge the living and the dead4 ,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost1 the holy ,catholic ,church1 the communion of saints1 the forgiveness of sins1 the resurrection of the body1 and the life everlasting4 ,amen4 ,a creed is a definite list or summary of all the things one believes4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed is therefore a list or collection of all the truths the ,apostles believed4 ,the ,apostles were the twelve men that ,our ,lord selected to be ,his first bishops4 ,we know they were bishops because they could ordain priests and consecrate other bishops4 ,they lived with ,our ,lord like a little family during the three and a half years of ,his public life2 they went with ,him and learned from ,him wherever ,he preached4 ,besides these ,he had also ,his disciples1 i4e41 followers who went with ,him frequently but did not live with ,him4 ,our ,lord wished ,his doctrine to be taught to all the people of the world1 and so ,he told ,his ,apostles that they must go over the whole world and preach in every country4 ,during the life of ,our ,lord and for a short time after ,his death they preached in only one country1 viz41 ,palestine--now called the ,holy ,land--in which country the ,jews1 up to that time ,god's chosen people1 lived4 ,since the ,apostles were to preach to all nations1 the time came when they must separate1 one going to one country1 and another to another4 ,in those days there were no steamboats or railroads1 no post offices1 telegraph offices1 telephones1 or newspapers4 ,if the ,apostles wished to communicate with anyone they had either to go to the place themselves or send a messenger4 ,by walking or riding it might have taken them months or years in those days to make a journey that we can make now in a few days2 and for an answer to a message which we can get now by telegraph in a few hours they might have had to wait months4 ,the ,apostles knew of all these inconveniences1 and before leaving the places they were in pointed out the chief truths that all should know and believe before receiving ,baptism1 that ,christian teachers who should come after them might neglect nothing--just as we use catechisms containing the truths of religion1 for fear the teachers might forget to speak of some of them4 ,there are twelve articles or parts in the ,apostles' ,creed1 and each part is meant to refute some false doctrine taught before the time of the ,apostles or while they lived4 ,thus there were those--as the ,romans--who said there were many gods2 others said not ,god1 but the devil created the earth2 others taught that ,our ,lord was not the ,son of ,god3 and so on for the rest4 ,all these false doctrines are denied and the truth professed when we say the ,apostles' ,creed4 ,just as in the ,lord's ,prayer we do not see all its meaning at first1 so in the ,apostles' ,creed we find many beautiful things only after thinking carefully over every word it contains4 ,i believe1 without the slightest doubt or suspicion that ,i might be wrong4 ,in ,god by the grace that ,he gives me to believe and have full confidence in ,him4 ,god1 to show that there is only one4 ,the ,father1 because ,he brought everything into existence and keeps it so 7see ,explanation of the ,lord's ,prayer74 ,almighty1 i4e41 having all might or power2 because ,he can do whatever ,he wishes4 ,he can make or destroy by merely wishing4 ,creator4 ,to create means to make out of nothing4 ,god alone can create4 ,when a carpenter makes a table1 he must have wood2 when a tailor makes a coat1 he must have cloth4 ,they are only makers and not creators4 ,god needs no material or tools4 ,when we make anything1 we make it part by part2 but ,god makes the whole at once4 ,he simply wills and it is made4 ,thus ,he said in the beginning of the world3 ,let there be light2 and light was made4 ,for example1 suppose ,i wanted a piano4 ,if ,i could say1 ,let there be a piano and it immediately sprang up without any other effort on my part1 although neither the wood1 the iron1 the wire1 the ivory1 nor anything else in it ever existed till ,i said1 ,let there be a piano1 then it could be said ,i created a piano4 ,no one could do this1 for ,god alone has such power4 ,heaven and earth and everything we can see or know of4 ,jesus ,christ4 ,our ,lord is called by many names1 but you must not be confused by them1 for they all mean the same person1 and are given only to remind us of some particular thing connected with ,our ,lord4 ,he is called ,jesus1 which signifies ,saviour1 and ,christ1 which means anointed4 ,he is called the ,second ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity1 and when we call ,him ,our ,lord1 we mean the ,second ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity after ,he became man4 ,he is called the ,messias and the ,son of ,david to show that ,he is the ,redeemer promised to the ,jews4 ,also at the end of all our litanies ,he is called the ,lamb of ,god1 because ,he was so meek and humble and suffered death so patiently4 ,in the ,litany of the ,holy ,name of ,jesus we will find many other beautiful names of ,our ,lord1 all having their special signification4 ,his only ,son1 to show that ,god1 the ,first ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity1 was ,his real ,father4 ,we are called ,god's children1 but we are only ,his created and adopted children4 ,who was conceived1 i4e41 ,he began to exist by the power of the ,holy ,ghost in the womb of ,his ,mother1 the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,suffered4 ,we shall see in the explanation of the ,passion what ,he suffered4 ,under means here1 at the time a man named ,pontius ,pilate was governor4 ,if anyone were put to death today in this country1 we should say he was executed under ,governor or ,president so-and-so4 ,crucified1 i4e41 nailed to a cross4 ,we say died1 because ,our ,lord is the ,giver of ,life1 and no one could take ,his life away unless ,he allowed it4 ,therefore we say ,he died1 and not that ,he was killed1 to show that ,he died by ,his own free will and not against ,his will4 ,was buried4 ,this we say to show that ,he was really dead2 because if you bury a man who is not really dead he must die4 ,hell here does not mean the place where the damned are1 but a place called ,limbo4 ,you know that when our first parents sinned1 ,heaven was closed against them and us1 and no human being could be admitted into it till after the death of ,our ,lord2 for ,he by ,his death would redeem us--make amends for our fall and once more open for us ,heaven4 ,now from the time ,adam sinned till the time ,christ died is about four thousand years4 ,during that time there were at least some good men1 like ,abraham1 ,isaac1 ,jacob1 ,moses1 ,david1 and others1 in the world1 who tried to serve ,god as best they could--keeping all the divine laws known to them1 and believing that the ,messias would some day come to redeem them4 ,when1 therefore1 they died they could not go to ,heaven1 because it was closed against them4 ,they could not go to ,hell1 because they were good men4 ,neither could they go to ,purgatory1 because they would have to suffer there4 ,where could they go8 ,god in ,his goodness provided a place for them--,limbo--where they could stay without suffering till ,our ,lord reopened ,heaven4 ,therefore1 while ,our ,lord's body lay in the sepulchre1 ,his soul went down into ,limbo1 to tell these good men that ,heaven was now opened for them1 and that at ,his ,ascension ,he would take them there with ,him4 ,the third day4 ,not three full days1 but the parts of three days1 viz41 ,friday afternoon1 ,saturday1 and ,sunday morning4 ,he arose by ,his own power3 and this was the greatest of all ,our ,lord's miracles4 ,some others1 like the prophets and ,apostles1 have1 by the power ,god gave them1 raised the dead to life2 but no dead person ever raised himself4 ,our ,lord is the first and only one to do this1 and by so doing1 showed they could not take away ,his life unless ,he wished to give it up2 for since ,he could always take back ,his life1 how could they destroy it8 ,he ascended forty days after ,his ,resurrection4 ,right hand of ,god4 ,we know ,god is a pure spirit having no body2 and if ,he has no body ,he can have no hands4 ,why then do we say right hand8 ,when the ,president of the ,united ,states invites anyone to dine at his house1 he makes the invited guest sit at his right hand1 and thus shows his respect by giving him the place of highest honor4 ,when ,our ,lord ascended into ,heaven1 ,he went up in the human body ,he had upon earth1 and ,his ,father placed ,him as man1 in ,his glorified body1 in the place1 after ,his 7the ,father's7 own1 the highest in ,heaven2 but remember1 only as man1 because as ,god ,he is equal to ,his ,father in all things4 ,from thence--that is1 from the right hand of ,god4 ,to judge4 ,to examine them1 to pronounce sentence upon them2 to reward them in ,heaven or punish them in ,hell4 ,the living and the dead4 ,we may take this in a double sense4 ,as the general judgment will come suddenly and when not expected1 all will be going on in the world as usual--some attending to business1 others taking their ease as they do now1 or as they were doing when the deluge came upon them4 ,just when the judgment is about to take place1 ,god will destroy the earth2 and then all those living in the world will perish with its destruction and then be judged4 ,the dead means1 therefore1 all those who died before the destruction of the world1 and the living all those who were on earth when the time of its destruction came4 ,or the living may mean also those in a state of grace1 and the dead those in mortal sin2 for ,god will judge both classes4 ,holy ,ghost1 i4e41 the ,third ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity4 ,ghost is an old word meaning spirit4 ,when persons say that a ghost appeared1 they mean that the spirit of some dead person appeared4 ,these stories about ghosts are told generally to frighten children or timid persons4 ,if those who thought they saw a ghost always examined what they saw1 they would find that the supposed ghost was something very natural2 probably a bush swayed by the wind1 or a stray animal1 or perhaps some person trying to frighten them4 ,ghost here does not mean the spirit of a dead person1 but the ,holy ,spirit1 which is the proper name for the ,third ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity4 ,the communion of saints4 ,there are three parts in the ,church4 ,we have1 first1 the ,church ,militant1 i4e41 the fighting ,church1 made up of all the faithful upon earth1 who are still fighting for their salvation4 ,the ,holy ,scripture tells us our life upon earth is a warfare4 ,we have three enemies to fight4 ,first1 the devil1 who by every means wishes to keep us out of ,heaven--the place he once enjoyed himself4 ,the devil knows well the happiness of ,heaven1 and does not wish us to have what he cannot have himself2 just as you sometimes see persons who1 through their own fault1 have lost their situation trying to keep others out of it4 ,our second enemy is the world4 ,this does not mean the earth with all its beauty and riches1 but the bad people in the world with their false doctrines2 some telling us there is no ,god1 ,heaven1 or ,hell1 others that we should pay no attention to the teaching of the ,church or the laws of ,god1 and advising us by word and example to resist our lawful superiors in ,church or ,state and give free indulgence to our sinful passions4 ,the third enemy is our own flesh4 ,by this we mean our concupiscence1 that is1 our passions1 evil inclinations1 and propensity to do wrong4 ,when ,god first created man1 the soul was always master over the body1 and the body obedient to the soul4 ,after ,adam sinned1 the body rebelled against the soul and tried to lead it into sin4 ,the body is the part of our nature that makes us like the brute animals1 while the soul makes us like to ,god and the angels4 ,when we sin1 it is generally to satisfy the body craving for what it has not1 or for that which is forbidden4 ,why did ,god leave this concupiscence in us8 ,he left it1 first1 to keep us humble1 by reminding us of our former sins1 and1 secondly1 that we might overcome it and have a reward for the victory4 ,the second branch of the ,church is called the ,church ,suffering4 ,it is made up of all those who have gone through this world and are now in ,purgatory4 ,some of them while on earth fought well1 but not as well as they could have done2 they yielded to some temptations1 fell into some small sins1 received some slight wounds from their spiritual enemies1 or they have not satisfied ,god entirely for the temporal guilt due to their great sins2 therefore they are in ,purgatory till they can be completely purified from all their sins and admitted into ,heaven4 ,the last or third branch of the ,church is called the ,church ,triumphant1 and is made up of the angels and all those who have lived at one time upon earth and who are now in ,heaven with ,god1 enjoying their rewards for overcoming their spiritual enemies and serving ,god while upon earth4 ,they are triumphant or rejoicing because they have reached their heavenly home4 ,you must not think that those only are saints who have been canonized by the ,church and whose names are known to us2 for all in ,heaven are saints1 as we also shall be if admitted into that happy eternity4 ,god wishes all to be saints1 for ,he wishes all to be saved4 ,you know we can pray to the saints and ask their help and prayers2 but how could we know that certain men or women are really in ,heaven8 ,we can know it when the ,church canonizes them1 and thus gives proof that they were great spiritual heroes in the service of ,god and can be more confidently appealed to on account of their eminent sanctity and powerful intercession4 ,therefore the ,church by canonization tells us for certain that such and such persons are truly in ,heaven4 ,but might not the ,church be deceived like ourselves8 ,no6 for ,christ has promised to be always with ,his ,church1 and the ,holy ,ghost is ever directing her1 so that she cannot err in faith or morals4 ,if the ,church made us pray to persons who are not saints1 she would fall into the worst of errors1 and ,our ,lord would have failed to keep ,his promise--a saying that would be blasphemous1 for ,christ1 being ,god1 is infinitely true and could not deceive or be deceived4 ,to canonize1 therefore1 does not mean to make a saint1 but to declare to the whole world that such a one was a saint while upon earth4 ,after death we cannot merit1 so our reward in ,heaven will be just what we have secured up till the moment of our death2 hence holiness is acquired in the ,church ,militant4 ,how does the ,church canonize a saint8 ,let us suppose some good man dies1 and all his neighbors talk about his holy fife1 how much he did for the poor1 how he prayed1 fasted1 and mortified himself4 ,all these accounts of his life are collected and sent to ,rome1 to the ,holy ,father or to the cardinals appointed by him to examine such statements4 ,these accounts must show that the good man practiced virtue in a more than ordinary manner1 that he either performed some miracles while he lived1 or that ,god granted miracles after his death through his intercession4 ,these accounts are not examined immediately after his death1 but sometimes after a lapse of fifty years or more1 so that people might not exaggerate his good works because they knew him personally4 ,when these accounts are examined1 one is appointed to prevent1 if he can1 the canonization4 ,he is sometimes called the devil's advocate1 because it is his business to find fault with all the accounts and miracles1 and prove them false if possible4 ,this is done to make certain that all the accounts are true and the miracles real4 ,if everything is found as represented1 then the good man is declared venerable1 later beatified1 i4e41 called blessed1 and still later canonized1 i4e41 declared a saint4 ,if he is only beatified1 he can be honored publicly only in certain places or by certain persons2 but if he is canonized1 he can be honored throughout the whole ,church by all the faithful4 ,thus we understand the three branches of the one true ,church--the ,church ,militant1 i4e41 all those who are on earth trying to save their souls2 the ,church ,suffering1 those in ,purgatory1 having their souls purified for ,heaven2 and the ,church ,triumphant1 those already in ,heaven4 ,the communion of saints means that these three branches of the ,church can help one another4 ,we help the souls in ,purgatory by our prayers and good works1 and the saints in ,heaven pray for us4 ,but communion of saints means still more4 ,let us take an example4 ,suppose there are in a family1 living together1 a mother and three sons4 ,the eldest son earns a large salary1 the second son enough to support himself1 and the youngest very little4 ,they give their earnings to their mother1 who from the combined amounts provides for the wants of all and draws from the large salary of the eldest to supply the needs of the youngest4 ,thus he who has too little for his support is--through his mother--aided by the one who has more than he needs4 ,now1 the ,church is our mother1 and some of her children--the great saints--were rich in good works and did more than was necessary to gain ,heaven1 while others did not do enough4 ,then our mother1 the ,church1 draws from the abundant satisfaction of her rich children to help those who are poor in merit and good works4 ,the greatest treasure she has to draw from for that purpose is the more than abundant merits of ,our ,lord and the superabundant satisfaction of the ,blessed ,virgin and the greatest saints4 ,our ,lord could have redeemed us all by the least suffering1 and yet ,he suffered dreadful torments1 and even shed ,his blood and died for us4 ,the ,blessed ,virgin never sinned1 yet she performed many good works and offered many prayers4 ,therefore communion of saints means1 also1 that we all share in the merits of ,christ and in the superabundant satisfaction of the ,blessed ,virgin and of the saints2 also in the prayers and good works of the ,church and of her faithful and pious children4 ,the forgiveness of sins1 i4e41 by the ,sacrament of ,penance1 through the power that ,god gave ,his priests2 also by ,baptism4 ,the resurrection of the body1 i4e41 on the last day 7,matt4 #bd3bi2 ,luke #ba3be74 ,when on the last day1 at the general judgment1 ,god's angel sounds the great trumpet1 all the dead will arise again and come to judgment1 in the same bodies they had while living4 ,but you will say3 ,if their bodies are reduced to ashes and mixed with the earth1 or if parts of them are in one place and parts in another1 how is this possible8 ,very easily1 with ,god4 ,if ,he in the beginning could make all the parts out of nothing1 with how much ease can ,he collect them scattered here and there6 ,when ,god made man ,he gave him a body and a soul1 and wished them never to be separated4 ,man was to live here upon earth for a time1 and then be taken up into ,heaven1 body and soul1 as ,our ,lord is there now4 ,but when man sinned1 in punishment ,god commanded that he should die2 i4e41 that these two dear friends1 the body and the soul1 should be separated for a time4 ,death is caused by the separation of the soul from the body4 ,the body and soul together make a man1 and neither one alone can be called a man4 ,a dead body is only part of a man4 ,at the resurrection every soul will come from ,heaven1 ,purgatory1 or ,hell1 to seek its own body2 they will then be united again as they were in life1 never to be separated--to be happy together in ,heaven if they have been good upon earth1 or miserable together in ,hell if they have been bad upon earth4 ,life everlasting--either1 as we have said1 in ,heaven or ,hell4 ,there was a time when we did not exist but it can never be said of us again we do not exist4 ,when once we have been created1 we shall live as long as ,god ,himself1 i4e41 forever4 ,when we have lived a thousand years for every drop of water in the ocean2 a thousand years for every grain of sand on the seashore2 a thousand years for every blade of grass and every leaf on the earth1 we shall still be existing4 ,how short a time1 therefore1 is a hundred years even if we live so long--and few do--compared with all these millions of years6 ,and yet it depends upon the time we live here whether all these millions of years in the next world will be for us years of happiness or of misery4 ,the whole life of a man extends through the two worlds1 viz41 from the moment of his creation through all eternity2 and surely the little while he stays upon earth must seem very short when1 after spending a million of years in the next world1 he looks back to his earthly life4 ,there is a good example to illustrate this4 ,if you stand on a railroad1 and look away down the track for about a mile1 it will seem to you that the rails come nearer and nearer1 till at last they touch4 ,it seems so on account of the distance1 for where they seem to touch they are just as far apart as where you are standing4 ,so1 also1 when you look back from eternity1 the day of your birth and the day of your death will seem to coincide1 and your life on earth appear nothing4 ,then1 if you are among the lost souls you will think1 ,what a fool ,i was to make myself suffer all this long eternity for that silly bit of earthly pleasure1 which is of no benefit to me now6 ,and this thought will serve only to make you more miserable4 ,but1 on the other hand1 if you look back from a happy eternity1 you will wonder at ,god's goodness in giving you so much happiness for so short a service upon earth4 ,,the ,,confiteor ,i confess to ,almighty ,god1 to blessed ,mary ever ,virgin1 to blessed ,michael the ,archangel1 to blessed ,john the ,baptist1 to the holy ,apostles ,peter and ,paul1 and to all the saints1 that ,i have sinned exceedingly1 in thought1 word1 and deed1 through my fault1 through my fault1 through my most grievous fault4 ,therefore ,i beseech blessed ,mary ever ,virgin1 blessed ,michael the ,archangel1 blessed ,john the ,baptist1 the holy ,apostles ,peter and ,paul1 and all the saints1 to pray to the ,lord our ,god for me4 ,may the ,almighty ,god have mercy on me1 forgive me my sins1 and bring me to everlasting life4 ,amen4 ,may the ,almighty and merciful ,lord grant me pardon1 absolution1 and remission of all my sins4 ,amen4 ,this is another beautiful prayer4 ,in it we can imagine that we are permitted to enter ,heaven4 ,what do we see there8 ,god1 the ,blessed ,virgin1 the thousands of angels1 the ,apostles1 all the saints1 martyrs1 confessors1 doctors and virgins4 ,they cease singing ,god's praises1 as we enter1 and fix their eyes upon us4 ,our guardian angel conducts us before the great throne of ,god1 and we kneel down in the presence of the whole court of ,heaven1 to acknowledge our sins and faults1 while all listen attentively4 ,touched by so sublime a sight and the thought of having offended a ,god of so much glory1 we begin our accusation of ourselves4 ,we fix our eyes first upon ,god1 and say3 ,i confess1 i4e41 accuse myself1 to ,almighty ,god4 ,then we look upon the rest of the blessed1 and say3 to the ,blessed ,mary ever ,virgin1 etc4 ,thus we call the whole court of ,heaven to be a witness of the fact that we have sinned1 not lightly1 but exceedingly1 i4e41 very greatly1 and in three ways3 in thought1 by thinking of things sinful and forbidden2 in word1 by lies1 curses1 slanders1 etc42 in deed1 by every bad action that we have committed2 and each of us can say3 ,i have done all this through my fault1 i4e41 willingly and deliberately2 and it was not a small fault1 but an exceeding great fault1 because ,god was helping me by ,his grace to overcome temptations and avoid bad thoughts1 words1 and actions1 and ,i would not accept ,his help1 but willingly did what was wrong4 ,what am ,i to do1 therefore8 ,will ,god pardon all these offenses if ,i alone ask ,him1 seeing that all the angels and saints know that ,i have thus offended ,him8 ,what shall ,i do8 ,i will ask them to help me by their prayers1 and to beg ,god's pardon for me4 ,he may grant their prayers1 especially those of the ,blessed ,mother and of the saints1 when ,he would not grant mine4 ,therefore ,i beseech the ,blessed ,mary ever ,virgin1 etc41 to pray to the ,lord our ,god for me4 ,when we kneel down to say the ,confiteor1 if we could imagine what ,i have just described to take place1 how well we should say it6 ,with what attention1 respect1 and sorrow we should ask the prayers of the saints6 ,when we say the ,confiteor1 and indeed any prayer1 we say it in the presence of ,god1 and of the whole court of ,heaven1 though we are not in ,heaven and cannot see ,god4 ,the angels and saints do hear us and will pray for us4 ,when1 therefore1 you are saying the ,confiteor1 imagine that you see all ,i have described1 and you will never say it badly4 ,,an ,,act ,,of ,,faith ,o my ,god6 ,i firmly believe that ,thou art one ,god in three divine persons1 ,father1 ,son and ,holy ,ghost2 ,i believe that ,thy divine ,son became man1 and died for our sins1 and that ,he will come to judge the living and the dead4 ,i believe these and all the truths which the ,holy ,catholic ,church teaches1 because ,thou hast revealed them1 ,who canst neither deceive nor be deceived4 ,an act1 i4e41 a profession1 of faith4 ,the whole substance of the act of faith is contained in this3 ,i believe all that ,god has revealed and the ,catholic ,church teaches4 ,we might mention one by one all the truths ,god has revealed1 i4e41 made known to us1 and all the truths the ,catholic ,church teaches as revealed by ,god4 ,for example1 we might say1 ,i believe in the ,holy ,trinity1 in the ,incarnation of ,our ,lord in the ,holy ,eucharist1 in the ,immaculate ,conception of the ,blessed ,virgin1 in the infallibility of the ,pope1 and so on1 till we write an act of faith twenty pages long1 and yet it would all be contained in the words3 ,i believe all ,god has revealed and the ,catholic ,church teaches4 ,hence we find in prayerbooks and catechisms acts of faith differing in length and words1 but they are all the same in substance and have the same meaning4 ,the act of faith in our ,catechism gives a few of the chief truths revealed1 that it may be neither too short nor too long1 and that all may learn the same words4 ,,an ,,act ,,of ,,hope ,o my ,god6 relying on ,thy almighty power and infinite goodness and promises1 ,i hope to obtain pardon of my sins1 the help of ,thy grace1 and life everlasting1 through the merits of ,jesus ,christ1 my ,lord and ,redeemer4 ,the substance of this act is3 ,i hope for ,heaven and the means to obtain it4 ,the means by which ,i will obtain it are the pardon of my sins by ,god1 and the grace which ,he will give me in the reception of the ,sacraments and in prayer1 by which grace ,i will be able to know ,him1 love ,him1 and serve ,him1 and thus come to be with ,him forever4 ,here again we could make a long act by mentioning all the things we hope for2 viz41 a good death1 a favorable judgment1 a place in ,heaven1 etc4 ,,an ,,act ,,of ,,love ,o my ,god6 ,i love ,thee above all things1 with my whole heart and soul because ,thou art all-good and worthy of all love4 ,i love my neighbor as myself for the love of ,thee4 ,i forgive all who have injured me1 and ask pardon of all whom ,i have injured4 ,the substance of this act is3 ,i love ,god above all things for ,his own goodness1 and my neighbor as myself for the sake of ,god4 ,an act of love and an act of charity are the same thing with different names4 ,we are accustomed to call such things as the giving of alms or help to the poor1 the doing of some good work that we are not bound to do for another1 charity4 ,surely there are many motives that may induce persons to help others in their distress2 but what is the chief ,christian motive1 if it be not the love we bear our brother-man because he is1 like ourselves1 a child of ,god1 and the desire we have to obey ,god1 who wishes us to help the needy8 ,the sufferings of others excite our pity1 and the more we love them the more sorry are we to see them suffer4 ,thanks to ,god for all ,his mercies to us2 ,he might have made us1 instead of this man1 poor and in suffering1 but ,he has spared us and afflicted him2 we know not why ,god has done so1 and therefore we help him1 moved by these considerations even when we feel he is not deserving of the help1 because we know his unworthiness will not prevent ,god from rewarding our good intention4 ,we may be charitable to our neighbor by saying nothing hurtful about him1 by never telling his faults without necessity1 etc4 ,therefore real charity1 in its widest sense1 and love are just the same4 ,,an ,,act ,,of ,,contrition ,o my ,god6 ,i am heartily sorry for having offended ,thee1 and ,i detest all my sins1 because ,i dread the loss of ,heaven and the pains of ,hell1 but most of all because they offend ,thee1 my ,god1 ,who art all-good and deserving of all my love4 ,i firmly resolve1 with the help of ,thy grace1 to confess my sins1 to do penance1 and to amend my life4 ,the substance of this act is3 ,o my ,god6 ,i am very sorry for all my sins1 because by them ,i have offended ,thee1 and with ,thy help1 ,i will never sin again4 ,it is well to know what the acts contain in substance1 for we can use these short forms as aspirations during the day1 when we probably would not think of saying the long forms4 ,a fuller explanation of the qualities of our contrition will be given in ,lesson ,eighteen4 ,,the ,,blessing ,,before ,,meals ,bless us1 ,o ,lord1 and these ,thy gifts which we are to receive from ,thy bounty1 through ,christ our lord4 ,amen4 ,,grace ,,after ,,meals ,we give ,thee thanks for all ,thy benefits1 ,o ,almighty ,god1 ,who livest and reignest forever4 ,and may the souls of the faithful departed1 through the mercy of ,god1 rest in peace4 ,amen4 ,grace means thanks4 ,we saw in the explanation of the ,our ,father how ,god provides us with all we need1 and most frequently with food4 ,it is the least we can do1 therefore1 to thank ,him for it1 when it is just placed before us4 ,we should thank ,him also after we have eaten it and found it good1 pleasing1 and refreshing4 ,when ,god provides us with food ,he thereby makes a kind of promise that ,he will allow us to live awhile longer and give us strength to serve ,him4 ,how shameful it is1 then1 to turn ,god's gifts into a means of offending ,him1 as some do by the sin of gluttony6 ,again1 it is very wrong to murmur and be dissatisfied with what ,god gives us4 ,he does not owe us anything1 and need not give unless ,he wishes4 ,what would you think of a beggar of this kind8 ,he comes to your door hungry1 and you1 instead of simply giving him some bread to appease his hunger1 take him into your house and give him a good dinner1 new clothing1 and some money4 ,now1 instead of being thankful1 suppose he should complain because you did not give him a better dinner1 finer clothing1 and more money1 and should look cross and dissatisfied2 what would you think of him8 ,would you not be tempted to turn the ungrateful fellow out of your house1 with an order never to come again1 telling him he deserved to starve for his ingratitude8 ,we are not quite as ungrateful as the beggar when we neglect grace at meals1 because in saying our daily prayers we thank ,god for all ,his gifts1 our food included1 and hence it is not a sin to neglect grace at meals4 ,but do we not show some ingratitude when we murmur1 complain1 and are dissatisfied with our food1 clothing1 or homes8 ,god1 even when we are ungrateful1 still gives2 hence ,his wonderful goodness and mercy to us4 ,,the ,,manner ,,in ,,which ,a ,,lay ,,person ,,is ,,to ,,baptize ,,in ,,case ,,of ,,necessity ,pour common water on the head or face of the person to be baptized1 and say while pouring it3 ,i baptize thee in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,n4,b4 ,any person of either sex who has reached the use of reason can baptize in case of necessity4 ,,catechism ,questions marked 99 are not in ,no4 #a ,catechism4 ,a catechism is any book made up in question and answer form1 no matter what it treats of4 ,we have catechisms of history1 of geography1 etc4 ,our ,catechism is a book in the same form treating of religion4 ,it is a little compendium of the truths of our religion1 of all we must believe and do4 ,it contains1 in the simplest form1 all that a priest learns during his many years of study4 ,the theology he learns is only a deeper and fuller explanation of the ,catechism4 ,a whole book might be written on almost every question4 ,for example1 might we not write a book on each of the first three questions--the ,world1 ,god1 and ,man8 ,there is consequently much meaning in the ,catechism1 which must be made known to us by explanation4 ,you should therefore learn the ,catechism by heart now1 even when you do not fully understand it2 because afterwards1 when you read books on religion or hear sermons1 all these questions and answers will come back to your mind4 ,sermons will help you to understand the questions1 or the questions will help you to understand the sermons4 ,lesson #a ,,on ,,the ,,end ,,of ,,man ,the end of a thing is the purpose for which it was made4 ,the end of a watch is to keep time4 ,the end of a pen is to write1 etc4 ,a thing is good only in proportion to the way it fulfills the end for which it was made4 ,a watch may be very beautifully made1 a very rare ornament1 but if it will not keep time it is useless as a watch4 ,the same may be said of the pen1 or of anything else4 ,now for what purpose was man made8 ,if we discover that1 we know his end4 ,when we look around us in the world1 we see a purpose or end for everything4 ,we see that the soil is made for the plants and trees to grow in2 because if there was no need of things growing1 it would be better to have a nice clean solid rock to walk upon1 and then we would be spared the trouble of making roads1 and paving streets4 ,but things must grow1 and so we must have soil4 ,again1 the vegetables and plants are made for animals to feed upon2 while the animals themselves are made for man1 that they may help him in his work or serve him for food4 ,thus it is evident everything in the world was made to serve something else4 ,what then was man made for8 ,was it for anything in the world8 ,we see that all classes of beings are created for something higher than themselves4 ,thus plants are higher than soil1 because they have life and soil has not4 ,animals are higher than plants1 because they not only have life1 but they can feel and plants cannot4 ,man is higher than animals1 because he not only has life and can feel1 but he has also reason and intelligence1 and can understand1 while animals cannot4 ,therefore we must look for something higher than man himself1 but there is nothing higher than man in this world1 and so we must look beyond it to find that for which he was made4 ,and looking beyond it and considering all things1 we find that he was made for ,god--to know ,him1 to love ,him1 and to serve ,him both in this world and in the next4 ,again1 we read in the ,bible 7,gen4 #a7 that at the creation of the world all things were made before man1 and that he was created last4 ,therefore1 if all these things could exist without man1 we cannot say he was made for them4 ,the world existed before him and can exist after him4 ,the world goes along without any particular man1 and the same may be said of all men4 ,neither was man made to stay here awhile to become rich1 or learned1 or powerful1 because all do not become rich--some are very poor2 all are not learned--some are very ignorant2 all are not powerful--some are slaves4 ,but since all men are alike and equal in this1 that they have all bodies formed in the same way1 and all souls that are immortal1 they should all be made for the same end4 ,for example1 you could not make a pen like a watch if you want it to write4 ,although pens differ in size1 shape1 etc41 they have all one general form which is essential to them4 ,so1 although men differ in many things1 they are all alike in the essential thing1 viz41 that they are composed of body and soul1 and made to the image and likeness of ,god4 ,hence1 as pens are made only to write with1 so all men must have only one and the same end1 namely1 to serve ,god4 #a ,q4 ,who made the world8 ,a4 ,god made the world4 ,the world here means more than the earth--more than is shown on a map of the world4 ,it means everything that we can see--sun1 moon1 stars1 etc42 even those things that we can see only with great telescopes4 ,everything1 too1 that we may be able to see in the future1 either with our eyes alone1 or aided by instruments1 is included in the word world4 ,we can call it the universe4 #b ,q4 ,who is ,god8 ,a4 ,god is the ,creator of ,heaven and earth1 and of all things4 #c ,q4 ,what is man8 ,a4 ,man is a creature composed of a body and soul1 and made to the image and likeness of ,god4 ,creature1 i4e41 a thing created4 ,man differs from anything else in creation4 ,all things else are either entirely matter1 or entirely spirit4 ,an angel1 for example1 is all spirit1 and a stone is all matter2 but man is a combination of both spirit and matter--of soul and of body4 99#d ,q4 ,is this likeness in the body or in the soul8 ,a4 ,this likeness is chiefly in the soul4 99#e ,q4 ,how is the soul like to ,god8 ,a4 ,the soul is like ,god because it is a spirit that will never die1 and has understanding and free will4 ,my soul is like to ,god in four things4 7#a74 ,it is a spirit4 ,it really exists1 but cannot be seen with the eyes of our body4 ,every spirit is invisible1 but every invisible thing is not a spirit4 ,we cannot see the wind4 ,we can feel its influence1 we can see its work--for example1 the dust flying1 trees swaying1 ships sailing1 etc4--but the wind itself we never see4 ,again1 we never see electricity4 ,we see the light or effect it produces1 but we never see the electricity itself4 ,yet no one denies the existence of the wind or of electricity on account of their being invisible4 ,why then should anyone say there are no spirits--no ,god1 no angels1 no souls--simply because they cannot be seen1 when we have other proofs1 stronger than the testimony of our sight1 that they really and truly exist8 7#b74 ,my soul will never die1 i4e41 will never cease to exist2 it is immortal4 ,this is a very wonderful thing to think of4 ,it will last as long as ,god ,himself4 7#c74 ,my soul has understanding1 i4e41 it has the gift of reason4 ,this gift enables man to reflect upon all his actions--the reasons why he should do certain things and why he should not do them4 ,by reason he reflects upon the past1 and judges what may happen in the future4 ,he sees the consequences of his actions4 ,he not only knows what he does1 but why he does it4 ,this is the gift that places man high above the brute animals in the order of creation2 and hence man is not merely an animal1 but he is a rational animal--an animal with the gift of reason4 ,brute animals have not reason1 but only instinct1 i4e41 they follow certain impulses or feelings which ,god gave them at their creation4 ,he established certain laws for each class or kind of animals1 and they1 without knowing it1 follow these laws2 and when we see them following their laws1 always in the same way1 we say it is their nature4 ,animals act at times as if they knew just why they were acting2 but it is not so4 ,it is we who reason upon their actions1 and see why they do them2 but they do not reason1 they only follow their instinct4 ,if animals could reason1 they ought to improve in their condition4 ,men become more civilized day by day4 ,they invent many things that were unknown to their forefathers4 ,one man can improve upon the works of another1 etc4 ,but1 we never see anything of this kind in the actions of animals4 ,the same kind of birds1 for instance1 build the same kind of nests1 generation after generation1 without ever making change or improvement in them4 ,when man teaches an animal any action1 it cannot teach the same to its young4 ,it is clear1 therefore1 that animals cannot reason4 ,though man has the gift of reason by which he can learn a great deal1 he cannot learn all through his reason2 for there are many things that ,god ,himself must teach him4 ,when ,god teaches1 we call the truths ,he makes known to us ,revelation4 ,how could man ever know about the ,trinity through his reason alone1 when1 after ,god has made known to him that ,it exists1 he cannot understand it8 ,it is the same for all the other mysteries4 7#d74 ,my soul has free will4 ,this is another grand gift of ,god1 by which ,i am able to do or not do a thing1 just as ,i please4 ,i can even sin and refuse to obey ,god4 ,god ,himself--while ,he leaves me my free will--could not oblige me to do anything1 unless ,i wished to do it2 neither could the devil4 ,i am free therefore1 and ,i may use this great gift either to benefit or injure myself4 ,if ,i were not free ,i would not deserve reward or punishment for my actions1 for no one is or should be punished for doing what he cannot help4 ,god would not punish us for sin if we were not free to commit or avoid it4 ,i turn this freedom to my benefit if ,i do what ,god wishes when ,i could do the opposite2 for ,he will be more pleased with my conduct1 and grant a greater reward than ,he would bestow if ,i obeyed simply because obliged to do so4 ,animals have no free will4 ,if1 for example1 they suffer from hunger and you place food before them1 they will eat2 but man can starve1 if he wills to do so1 with a feast before him4 ,for the same reason man can endure more fatigue than any other animal of the same bodily strength4 ,in traveling1 for instance1 animals give up when exhausted1 but man may be dying as he walks1 and still1 by his strong will-power1 force his wearied limbs to move4 ,but you will say1 did not the lions in the den into which ,daniel was cast because he would not act against his conscience1 obey the wicked king and offend ,god--as we read in ,holy ,scripture 7,dan4 #f3af7--refrain from eating him1 even when they were starving with hunger8 ,yes2 but they did not do so of themselves1 but by the power of ,god preventing them3 and that is why the delivery of ,daniel from their mouths was a miracle4 ,it is clear1 because the same lions immediately tore in pieces ,daniel's enemies when they were cast into the den4 #f ,q4 ,why did ,god make you8 ,a4 ,god made me to know ,him1 to love ,him1 and to serve ,him in this world1 and to be happy with ,him forever in the next4 ,to know ,him1 because we must know of a thing before we can love it4 ,a poor savage in ,africa never longs to be at a game or contest going on in ,america1 because he does not know it and therefore cannot love it4 ,we see a person and know him2 if he pleases us we love him1 and if we love him we will try to serve him2 we will not be satisfied with doing merely what he asks of us1 but will do whatever we think might give him pleasure4 ,so it is in regard to ,god4 ,we must first know ,him--learn who ,he is from our catechisms and books of instruction1 but especially from the teaching of ,god's ministers1 the ,holy ,father1 bishops and priests4 ,when we know ,him1 we shall love ,him4 ,if we knew ,him perfectly1 we should love ,him perfectly2 so the better we know ,him the more we shall love ,him4 ,and as it is our chief duty to love ,him and serve ,him upon earth1 it becomes our strict duty to learn here whatever we can of ,his nature1 attributes1 and holy laws4 ,the saints and angels in ,heaven know ,god so well that they must love ,him1 and cannot therefore offend ,him4 ,you have all seen some person in the world1 or maybe several persons1 whom you have greatly admired2 still you did not love them perfectly2 there was always some little thing about them in looks1 manners1 or disposition that could be rendered more pleasing2 some defect or want you would like to see supplied2 some fault or imperfection you would like to see corrected4 ,now suppose you had the power to take all the good qualities you found in the persons you loved and unite them in one person1 in whom there would be nothing displeasing1 but everything perfect and beautiful4 ,do you not think you would love such a person very much indeed8 ,moreover1 suppose you knew that person loved you intensely1 would it not be your greatest delight to be ever with such a friend8 ,well1 then1 all the lovable qualities and beauties you see in created beings come from ,god and are bestowed by ,him2 yet all the good qualities on earth and those of the angels and saints in ,heaven1 and even of the ,blessed ,virgin and ,st4 ,joseph1 if united in one person would be nothing compared to the goodness and beauty of ,god4 ,how good and how lovable1 therefore1 must ,he be6 ,and what shall we say when we think that ,he loves us with a greater love than we could ever love ,him1 even with our most earnest efforts8 ,try then first to know ,god and you will surely love and serve ,him4 ,do not be satisfied with the little you learn of ,him in the ,catechism1 but afterward read good books1 and above all hear sermons and instructions4 ,in this world4 ,because unless we do what is pleasing to ,him in this world we cannot be with ,him in the next4 ,our condition in the next world depends entirely upon our conduct in this4 ,thus we have discovered the answer to the great question1 ,what is the end of man2 for what was he made8 99#g ,q4 ,of which must we take more care1 our soul or our body8 ,a4 ,we must take more care of our soul than of our body4 99#h ,q4 ,why must we take more care of our soul than of our body8 ,a4 ,we must take more care of our soul than of our body1 because in losing our soul we lose ,god and everlasting happiness4 ,every sensible person will take most care of that which is most valuable4 ,if a girl had a hundred dollars in a ten-cent pocket-book1 you would consider her a great fool if she threw away the hundred dollars for fear of spoiling the pocket-book4 ,now1 he is a greater fool who throws away his soul in order to save his body some little inconvenience1 or gratify its wicked desires or inclinations4 ,wherever the soul will be1 there the body will be also2 so we should1 in a certain way1 try to forget the body and make sure of getting the soul safely into ,heaven4 ,you would not think much of the wisdom of a boy who allowed his kite to be smashed in pieces by giving his whole attention to the tail of the kite4 ,if he took care to keep the kite itself high in air and away from every danger1 the tail would follow it2 and even if the tail did get entangled1 it would have a good chance of being freed while the kite was still flying4 ,but of what use is it to save a worthless piece of rag1 if the kite--the valuable thing--is lost8 ,just in the same way1 of what use is our body if our soul is lost8 ,and remember we have only one soul4 ,therefore1 make sure to save the soul1 and the body also will be saved--that is1 the whole man will be saved2 for we cannot save the soul and lose the body2 they will both be saved or both be lost4 #i ,q4 ,what must we do to save our souls8 ,a4 ,to save our souls1 we must worship ,god by faith1 hope1 and charity2 that is1 we must believe in ,him1 hope in ,him1 and love ,him with all our heart4 ,worship1 that is1 give ,him divine honor4 ,we honor persons for their worth and excellence1 and since ,god is the most excellent1 we give ,him the highest honors1 differing from others not merely in degrees but in kind--divine honors that belong to ,him alone4 ,and justly so1 for the vilest animal upon the earth is a thousand times more nearly our equal than the most perfect creature1 man or angel1 is the equal of ,god4 ,in speaking of worship1 theologians generally distinguish three kinds1 namely3 latria1 or that supreme worship due to ,god alone1 which cannot be transferred to any creature without committing the sin of idolatry2 dulia1 or that secondary veneration we give to saints and angels as the special friends of ,god2 hyperdulia1 or that higher veneration which we give to the ,blessed ,virgin as the most exalted of all ,god's creatures4 ,it is higher than the veneration we give to the other saints1 but infinitely inferior to the worship we give to ,god ,himself4 ,we show ,god our special honor by never doubting anything ,he reveals to us1 therefore by faith2 by expecting with certainty whatever ,he promises1 therefore by hope2 and finally by loving ,him more than anyone else in the world1 therefore by charity4 ,but someone may say1 ,i think ,i love my parents more than ,god4 ,well1 let us see4 ,suppose your mother should command you to commit a sinful act 7a thing no good mother would do7 and you have therefore to choose between offending her or ,almighty ,god4 ,now1 although you love your mother very much1 if in this instance you prefer to displease her rather than commit the sin that offends ,god1 you show that you love ,god more than her4 ,again1 many who dearly love their parents leave them that they may consecrate their lives to the special service of ,god in some religious community and thus prove their greater love for ,him4 ,the love we have for ,god is intellectual rather than sentimental2 and since it is not measured by the intensity of our feelings1 how are we to know that we love ,him best8 ,by our determination never to offend ,him for any person or thing in the world1 however dear to us1 and by our readiness to obey and serve ,him before all others4 #aj ,q4 ,how shall we know the things which we are to believe8 ,a4 ,we shall know the things which we are to believe from the ,catholic ,church1 through which ,god speaks to us4 ,catholic ,church in this answer means the ,pope1 councils1 bishops1 and priests who teach in the ,church4 #aa ,q4 ,where shall we find the chief truths which the ,catholic ,church teaches8 ,a4 ,we shall find the chief truths which the ,catholic ,church teaches in the ,apostles' ,creed4 ,chief1 because the ,apostles' ,creed does not contain in an explicit manner all the truths we must believe4 ,for example1 there is nothing in the ,apostles' ,creed about the ,sacrament of the ,holy ,eucharist1 about the ,immaculate ,conception of the ,blessed ,virgin1 or the infallibility of the ,pope2 and yet we must believe these and other articles of faith not in the ,apostles' ,creed4 ,it contains only the chief and not all the truths4 #ab ,q4 ,say the ,apostles' ,creed4 ,a4 ,i believe in ,god1 the ,father ,almighty1 ,creator of ,heaven and earth2 and in ,jesus ,christ1 ,his only ,son1 ,our ,lord1 ,who was conceived by the ,holy ,ghost1 born of the ,virgin ,mary1 suffered under ,pontius ,pilate1 was crucified1 died1 and was buried2 ,he descended into ,hell2 the third day ,he arose again from the dead2 ,he ascended into ,heaven1 and sitteth at the right hand of ,god1 the ,father ,almighty2 from thence ,he shall come to judge the living and the dead4 ,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost1 the holy ,catholic ,church1 the communion of saints1 the forgiveness of sins1 the resurrection of the body1 and the life everlasting4 ,amen4 ,descend means to go down1 and ascend to go up4 ,lesson #b ,,on ,,god ,,and ,,his ,,perfections ,a perfection means a good quality4 ,we say a thing is perfect when it has all the good qualities it should have4 #ac ,q4 ,what is ,god8 ,a4 ,god is a spirit infinitely perfect4 ,a spirit is a living1 intelligent1 invisible being4 ,it really exists1 though we cannot see it with the eyes of our body4 ,it has intelligence and can therefore think1 understand1 etc4 ,it is not because we cannot see it that we call it a spirit4 ,to be invisible is only one of the qualities of a spirit4 ,it is also indivisible1 that is1 it cannot be divided into parts4 ,god is such a being4 ,he is infinitely perfect1 that is1 ,he has every perfection in the highest degree4 ,infinite means to have without limit4 ,if there were any perfection ,god did not have1 ,he would not be infinite4 ,he is unlimited in wisdom1 in power1 in goodness1 in beauty1 etc4 ,but you will tell me persons on earth and the angels and saints in ,heaven have some wisdom and power and beauty1 and therefore ,god cannot have all1 since ,he has not the portion with which they are endowed4 ,i still say ,he is infinite1 because what the angels and others have belongs to ,god1 and ,he only lends it to them4 ,perfect means to be without any defect or fault4 #ad ,q4 ,had ,god a beginning8 ,a4 ,god had no beginning2 ,he always was and always will be4 ,was there ever a time when we could say there was no ,god8 ,there was a time when we could say there was no ,heaven or earth1 no angels1 men1 or animals2 but there was never a time when there was no ,god4 ,we may go back in thought millions and millions of years before the ,creation1 and ,god was then existing4 ,he had no beginning and will never cease to exist4 ,this is a mystery2 and what a mystery is will be explained in the next lesson4 #ae ,q4 ,where is ,god8 ,a4 ,god is everywhere4 ,everywhere--not spread out like a great cloud1 but whole and entire in every particular place3 and yet there is only one ,god1 and not as many gods as there are places4 ,how this can be we cannot fully understand1 because this also is a mystery4 ,a simile1 though it will not be perfect1 may help you to understand4 ,when we speak of ,god1 we can never give a true and perfect example2 for we cannot find anything exactly like ,him to compare to ,him4 ,if ,i discharge a great cannon in a city1 every one of the inhabitants will hear the report2 not in such a way that each hearer gets his share of the sound1 but each hears the whole report1 just as if he were the only one to hear it4 ,now1 how is that8 ,there are not as many reports as there are persons listening2 and yet each person hears the whole report4 #af ,q4 ,if ,god is everywhere1 why do we not see ,him8 ,a4 ,we do not see ,god because ,he is a pure spirit and cannot be seen with bodily eyes4 ,pure spirit1 that is1 not clothed with any material body--spirit alone4 #ag ,q4 ,does ,god see us8 ,a4 ,god sees us and watches over us4 ,watches to protect1 to reward or punish us4 ,he watches continually2 ,he not only watches1 but keeps us alive4 ,god might have created us and then paid no more attention to us2 but if ,he had done so1 we should have fallen back again into nothingness4 ,therefore ,he preserves us every moment of our lives4 ,we cannot draw a breath without ,him4 ,if a steam engine be required to work ceaselessly1 you cannot1 after setting it in motion1 leave it henceforth entirely to itself4 ,you must keep up the supply of water and fire necessary for the generation of steam1 you must oil the machinery1 guard against overheating or cooling1 and1 in a word1 keep a constant watch that nothing may interfere with its motion4 ,so also ,god not only watches ,his creatures1 but likewise provides for them4 ,since we depend so much upon ,him1 is it not great folly to sin against ,him1 to offend1 and tempt ,him as it were8 ,there are some birds that build their nests on the sides of great rocky precipices by the seacoast4 ,their eggs are very valuable1 and men are let down by long ropes to take them from the nest4 ,now while one of these men is hanging over the fearful precipice1 his life is entirely in the hands of those holding the rope above4 ,while he is in that danger do you not think he would be very foolish to tempt and insult those on whom his life depends1 when they could dash him to pieces by simply dropping the rope8 ,while we live here upon earth we are all hanging over a great precipice1 namely1 eternity2 ,god holds us by the little thread of our lives1 and if ,he pleased to drop it we should be hurled into eternity4 ,if we tempt or insult ,him1 ,he might drop or cut the thread while we are in mortal sin1 and then1 body and soul1 we go down into ,hell4 #ah ,q4 ,does ,god know all things8 ,a4 ,god knows all things1 even our most secret thoughts1 words1 and actions4 ,certainly ,god knows all things4 ,first1 because ,he is infinitely wise1 and if ,he were ignorant of anything ,he would not be so4 ,secondly1 because ,he is everywhere and sees and hears all4 ,darkness does not hide from ,his view1 nor noise prevent ,him from hearing4 ,how could we sin if we thought of this6 ,god is just here1 looking at me and listening to me4 ,would ,i do what ,i am going to do now if ,i knew my parents1 relatives1 and friends were watching me8 ,would ,i like them to know that ,i am thinking about things sinful1 and preparing to do shameful acts8 ,no6 ,why then should ,i feel ashamed to let ,god see and know of this wicked thought or action8 ,they might know it and yet be unable to harm me1 but ,he1 all-powerful1 could destroy me instantly4 ,nay1 more2 not only will ,god see and know this evil deed or thought2 but1 by ,his gift1 the ,blessed ,mother1 the angels and saints will know of it and be ashamed of it before ,god1 and1 most of all1 my guardian angel will deplore it4 ,besides1 this sin will be revealed to the whole world on the last day1 and my friends1 relatives1 and neighbors will know that ,i was guilty of it4 #ai ,q4 ,can ,god do all things8 ,a4 ,god can do all things1 and nothing is hard or impossible to ,him4 #bj ,q4 ,is ,god just1 holy1 and merciful8 ,a4 ,god is all just1 all holy1 all merciful1 as ,he is infinitely perfect4 ,all just--that is1 most just4 ,just means to give to everyone what belongs to him--to reward if it is merited or to punish if it is deserved4 ,holy--that is1 good4 ,merciful means compassionate1 forgiving1 less exacting than severe justice demands4 ,in a court a just judge is one who listens patiently to all the arguments for and against the prisoner1 and then1 comparing one with the other1 gives the sentence exactly in accordance with the guilt4 ,if he inflicts more or less punishment than the prisoner deserves1 or for money or anything else gives an unfair sentence1 then he is an unjust judge4 ,the judge might be merciful in this way4 ,the laws say that for the crime of which this prisoner is proved guilty he can be sent to prison for a term not longer than ten years and not shorter than five3 that is1 for anything between ten and five years4 ,the judge could give him the full ten years that the law allows and be just4 ,but suppose he believed that the prisoner did not know the law and did not intend to be as wicked as he was proved2 or that it was his first offense1 or that he heard the prisoner's mother1 who was old and infirm1 pleading for him and saying he was her only support2 or other extenuating circumstances that could awaken sympathy3 the judge might be merciful and sentence him for the shortest term the law allows4 ,but if the judge dismissed every prisoner1 no matter how guilty1 without punishment1 he would not be a merciful but an unjust judge1 who would soon be forced to leave the court4 ,in the same way1 ,god is often merciful to sinners and punishes them less than ,he could in strict justice4 ,but if ,he were to allow every sinner to go without any punishment whatsoever--as unbelievers say ,he should do1 by having no ,hell for the wicked--then ,he would not be just4 ,for as ,god is an ,infinite ,being1 all ,his perfections must be infinite2 that is1 ,he must be as infinitely just as ,he is infinitely merciful1 true1 wise1 or powerful4 ,now ,he has promised to punish sin2 and since ,he is infinitely true1 ,he must keep ,his promise4 ,lesson #c ,,on ,,the ,,unity ,,and ,,trinity ,,of ,,god ,unity means to be one1 and ,trinity1 three in one4 #ba ,q4 ,is there but one ,god8 ,a4 ,yes2 there is but one ,god4 #bb ,q4 ,why can there be but one ,god8 ,a4 ,there can be but one ,god because ,god1 being supreme and infinite1 cannot have an equal4 ,supreme1 that is1 the highest4 ,equal1 when two are equal one has everything the other has4 ,you could say one pen is the equal of another if it is just as nice and will write just as well2 one mechanic is the equal of another if he can do the work equally well4 ,two boys are equal in class if they have exactly the same marks at the end of the month or year4 ,you could not have two persons chief4 ,for example1 you could not have two chief generals in an army2 two presidents in the nation1 or two governors in a state1 or two mayors in a city1 or two principals in a school1 unless they divide equally their power1 and then they will be equals and neither of them chief4 ,god cannot divide ,his power with anyone--so as to give it away entirely--because we say ,he is infinite1 and that means to have all4 ,others have only the loan of their power from ,god4 ,therefore1 all power and authority come from ,god2 so that when we disobey our parents or superiors who are placed over us1 we disobey ,god ,himself4 #bc ,q4 ,how many persons are there in ,god8 ,a4 ,in ,god there are three divine persons really distinct and equal in all things--the ,father1 the ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost4 ,distinct1 not mingled together4 ,we call the first and second persons ,father and ,son1 because the second is begotten by the first person1 and not to indicate that there is any difference in their age4 ,we always see in the world that a father is older than his son1 so we get the idea perhaps that it is the same in the ,holy ,trinity4 ,but it is not so4 ,god the ,father1 and ,god the ,son1 and ,god the ,holy ,ghost existed from all eternity1 and one did not exist before the other4 ,god the ,son is just as old as ,god the ,father1 and this is another great mystery4 ,even in nature we see that two things may begin to exist at the same time1 and yet one be the cause of the other4 ,you know that fire is the cause of heat2 and yet the heat and the fire begin at the same time4 ,though we cannot understand this mystery of the ,father and ,son1 we must believe it on the authority of ,god1 who teaches it4 ,first1 second1 and third person in the ,blessed ,trinity does not mean1 therefore1 that one person was before the other1 or brought into existence by the other4 #bd ,q4 ,is the ,father ,god8 ,a4 ,the ,father is ,god and the first ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity4 #be ,q4 ,is the ,son ,god8 ,a4 ,the ,son is ,god and the second ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity4 #bf ,q4 ,is the ,holy ,ghost ,god8 ,a4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is ,god and the third ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity4 #bg ,q4 ,what do you mean by the ,blessed ,trinity8 ,a4 ,by the ,blessed ,trinity ,i mean one ,god in three ,divine ,persons4 99#bh ,q4 ,are the three ,divine ,persons equal in all things8 ,a4 ,the three ,divine ,persons are equal in all things4 #bi ,q4 ,are the three ,divine ,persons one and the same ,god8 ,a4 ,the three ,divine ,persons are one and the same ,god1 having one and the same divine nature and substance4 ,though they are one and the same1 we sometimes attribute different works to them4 ,for example1 works of creation we attribute to ,god the ,father2 works of mercy to ,god the ,son2 and works of love and sanctification to the ,holy ,ghost2 and you will often find them thus spoken of in pious books2 but all such works are done by all the ,persons of the ,trinity2 because such works are the works of ,god1 and there is but one ,god4 99#cj ,q4 ,can we fully understand how the three ,divine ,persons are one and the same ,god8 ,a4 ,we cannot fully understand how the three ,divine ,persons are one and the same ,god1 because this is a mystery4 ,fully--entirely4 ,we can partly understand it4 ,we know what one ,god is and we know what three persons are2 but how these two things go together is the part we do not understand--the mystery4 99#ca ,q4 ,what is a mystery8 ,a4 ,a mystery is a truth which we cannot fully understand4 ,a truth1 that is1 a revealed truth--one made known to us by ,god or ,his ,church4 ,it is a truth which we must believe though we cannot understand it4 ,let us take an example4 ,when a boy goes to school he is taught that the earth is round like an orange and revolving in two ways1 one causing day and night and the other producing the seasons3 spring1 summer1 autumn1 winter4 ,the boy goes out into the country where he sees miles of level land and mountains thousands of feet in height4 ,again he goes out on the ocean where sailors tell him it is several miles in depth4 ,now he may say3 how can the earth be round if deep valleys1 high mountains1 and level plains prove to my senses the very opposite1 and the countless things at rest upon its surface tell me it is motionless4 ,yet he believes even against the testimony of his senses that the earth is round and moving1 because his teacher could have no motive in deceiving him2 knows better than he1 having learned more1 and besides has been taught by others who after long years of careful study and research have discovered these things and know them to be true4 ,if therefore we have to believe things that we do not understand on the authority of men1 why should we not believe other truths on the authority of ,god8 ,yes1 we must believe ,him4 ,if a boy knew all his teacher knew there would be no need of his going to school2 he would be the equal in knowledge of his teacher1 and if we knew all that ,god knows we would be as great as ,he4 ,as well might we try to empty the whole ocean into the tiny holes that children dig in the sand by its shore1 as fully to comprehend the wisdom of ,god4 ,this is the mistake unbelievers make when they wish to understand with their limited intelligence the boundless knowledge and mysterious ways of ,god1 and when they cannot understand refuse to believe4 ,are they not extremely foolish8 ,would you not ridicule the boy who refuses to believe that the earth is round and moving because he cannot understand it8 ,as he grows older and learns more he will comprehend it better2 so we1 when we leave this world and come into the presence of ,god1 shall see clearly many things that are unintelligible now4 ,for the present1 we have only to believe them on the authority of ,god teaching us4 ,another example4 ,we take two little black seeds that look just alike and place them in the same kind of soil2 we put the same kind of water upon them2 they have the same sunlight and air1 and yet when they grow up one has a red flower and one a blue4 ,where did the red and where did the blue come from8 ,from the black seed1 or the brown soil1 or the pure water1 air and sunlight8 ,we do not know4 ,it is there1 and that is all4 ,we see it and believe it1 though we do not understand it4 ,so if we refuse to believe everything we do not understand1 we shall soon believe very little and make ourselves ridiculous4 ,lesson #d ,,on ,,creation ,this lesson treats of ,god bringing everything into existence4 ,the chief things created may be classed as follows3 7#a7 ,the things that simply exist1 as rocks1 and minerals--gold1 silver1 iron1 etc4 7#b7 ,things that exist1 grow1 and live like plants and trees4 7#c7 ,things that grow1 live1 and feel1 like animals4 7#d7 ,things that grow1 live1 feel1 and understand1 like men4 ,besides these we have the sun1 moon1 stars1 etc42 all things too that we can see1 and also ,heaven1 ,purgatory1 ,hell1 and good and bad angels4 ,all these are the works of ,god's creation4 ,all these ,he has called into existence by merely wishing for them4 99#cb ,q4 ,who created ,heaven and earth1 and all things8 ,a4 ,god created ,heaven and earth1 and all things4 ,heaven1 where ,god is and will always be4 ,it means1 too1 everything we see in the sky above us4 ,earth1 the globe on which we live4 99#cc ,q4 ,how did ,god create ,heaven and earth8 ,a4 ,god created ,heaven and earth from nothing1 by ,his word only2 that is1 by a single act of ,his all-powerful will4 #cd ,q4 ,which are the chief creatures of ,god8 ,a4 ,the chief creatures of ,god are angels and men4 #ce ,q4 ,what are angels8 ,a4 ,angels are pure spirits without a body1 created to adore and enjoy ,god in ,heaven4 ,angels are not the same as saints4 ,saints are those who at one time lived upon the earth as we do1 and who on account of their very good lives are now in ,heaven4 ,they had bodies as we have4 ,the angels1 on the contrary1 never lived visibly upon the earth4 ,in the beginning ,god was alone4 ,we take great pleasure in looking at beautiful things4 ,god1 seeing ,his own beauty1 and knowing that others would have very great pleasure and happiness in seeing ,him1 determined to create some beings who could enjoy this happiness2 and thus ,he wished to share with them the happiness which ,he ,himself derived from seeing ,his own beauty4 ,therefore ,he created angels who were to be in ,heaven with ,him1 singing ,his praises and worshipping before ,his throne4 ,the angels are not all equal in dignity1 but are divided into nine classes1 or choirs1 according to their rank or office1 and1 as theologians tell us1 arranged from the lowest to the highest and named as follows2 angels1 archangels1 virtues1 powers1 principalities1 dominations1 thrones1 cherubim1 and seraphim4 ,archangels are higher than angels and are so called because sent to do the most important works4 ,it was the ,archangel ,michael who drove ,lucifer from ,heaven and the ,archangel ,gabriel who announced to the ,blessed ,virgin that she was to be the ,mother of ,god4 ,the angels receive their names from the duties they perform4 ,the word angel signifies messenger4 99#cf ,q4 ,were the angels created for any other purpose8 ,a4 ,the angels were also created to assist before the throne of ,god and to minister unto ,him2 they have often been sent as messengers from ,god to man2 and are also appointed our guardians4 ,the duties of the angels are many4 ,some remain always in ,heaven with ,god2 some are sent to earth to be our guardians and to remain with us4 ,each of us has an angel to take care of us4 ,he is with us night and day1 and offers our prayers and good works to ,god4 ,he prays for us1 exhorts us to do good and avoid evil2 and he protects us from dangers spiritual and temporal4 ,how unfortunate then must one be to cause him to return to ,heaven with sad complaints to ,god2 such as3 ,the one whom ,i have in charge will not obey ,thy laws or use the grace ,thou sendest him3 with all my efforts to save him1 he continues to do wrong4 ,he will be doubly sad when he sees other angels returning with good reports and receiving new graces for those whom ,god has committed to their care4 ,if you love your guardian angel1 never impose on him the painful duty of bringing to ,god the report of your evil doings4 ,now1 how do we know that the angels offer our prayers and good works to ,god8 ,we know it from the beautiful story of ,tobias1 told in the ,holy ,scripture4 7,tobias74 ,this holy man loved and feared ,god4 ,he lived at a time when his people were persecuted by a most cruel king1 who wished to force them to give up the true ,god and worship idols1 but many of these good people suffered death rather than deny ,god and obey the wicked king4 ,when they were put to death1 their bodies were left lying on the ground1 to be devoured by birds of prey or wild animals4 ,anyone caught burying them was to be put to death by the king's servants4 ,tobias used to carry the dead bodies of these holy martyrs into his house and bury them at night4 ,one day when he returned very tired he lay down by the wall of his house to rest1 and1 while lying there1 some dirt fell into his eyes and he became blind4 ,this ,tobias had a young son whose name was also ,tobias2 and as he himself was now blind and poor1 he wished to send his son into a certain city1 at a good distance off1 to collect some money that he had formerly loaned to a friend4 ,as the young man did not know the way1 his father sent him out to look for a guide4 ,young ,tobias went out and found a beautiful young man to be his guide and he consented1 and he brought ,tobias to the distant city4 ,as they were on their way they sat down by the bank of a river4 ,tobias went into the water near the edge1 and soon a great fish rushed at him4 ,tobias called to his guide4 ,the guide told him to take hold of the fish and drag it out upon the shore4 ,there they killed it1 and kept part of its flesh for food and part for medicine4 ,then they went on to the city1 got the money and returned4 ,the guide told young ,tobias to rub the part of the fish he had taken for medicine upon his father's eyes4 ,he did so1 and immediately his father's eyes were cured and he saw4 ,then both the father and son were so delighted with this young guide1 that they offered to give him half of all they had4 ,he refused to take it and then told them he was the angel ,raphael sent from ,god to be the guide of this good man's son4 ,he told the old ,tobias how he 7the angel7 had carried up to ,god his prayers and good works while he was burying the dead4 ,when they heard he was an angel they fell down and reverenced him1 being very much afraid4 ,from this beautiful history we know that the angels carry our prayers and good works to ,god4 ,again we learn from the ,holy ,scripture 7,gen4 #bh7 in the history of another good man almost the same thing4 ,the patriarch ,jacob was on a journey1 and being tired1 he lay down to rest with his head upon a stone4 ,as he lay there he had a vision in which he saw a great ladder reaching up from earth to ,heaven4 ,at the top he saw ,almighty ,god standing1 and on the ladder itself angels ascending and descending4 ,now the holy ,fathers of the ,church tell us this is what is really taking place2 the angels are always going down and up from ,god to man1 though not on a ladder and not visibly as they appeared to ,jacob4 ,besides the guardian angel for each person1 there are also guardian angels for each city and for each nation4 ,again 7,gen4 #ai7 angels appeared to ,lot to warn him about the destruction of the wicked cities of ,sodom and ,gomorrha4 ,angels appeared also to the shepherds on the night ,our ,lord was born 7,luke #b74 ,the catechism says angels have no bodies--how1 then1 could they appear8 ,they took bodies made of some very light substance which would make them visible1 and appeared just like beautiful young men1 clad in flowing garments1 as you frequently see them represented in pictures4 ,angels were sometimes sent to punish men for their sins1 as the angel who killed in one night #ahe1jjj men in the army of the wicked king1 ,sennacherib1 who blasphemed ,god1 and was endeavoring to destroy ,jerusalem1 ,god's city4 7#d ,kgs4 #ai74 ,but here is a difficulty4 ,if ,god ,himself watches over us and sees all things1 why should the angels guard us8 ,it is on account of ,god's goodness to us2 though it is not necessary4 ,he does not wish us to have any excuse for being bad1 so ,he gives us each a special heavenly servant to watch and assist us by his prayers4 ,if a friend received us into his house and did all he could for us himself1 we should certainly be satisfied1 but if he gave us a special servant1 though it would not be necessary1 he would show us great respect and kindness4 ,moreover whatever the angels do for us1 we might say ,god ,himself does1 for the angels are only obeying ,his commands4 99#cg ,q4 ,were the angels1 as ,god created them1 good and happy8 ,a4 ,the angels as ,god created them were good and happy4 99#ch ,q4 ,did all the angels remain good and happy8 ,a4 ,all the angels did not remain good and happy2 many of them sinned and were cast into ,hell2 and these are called devils or bad angels4 ,god did not admit the angels into ,his presence at once4 ,he placed them for awhile on probation1 as ,he did our first parents4 ,one of these angels was most beautiful1 and was named ,lucifer1 which means light-bearer4 ,he was so perfect that he seems to have forgotten that he received all his beauty and intelligence from ,god1 and not content with what he had1 became sinfully proud and wished to be equal to ,god ,himself4 ,for his sin he and all his followers were driven out of ,heaven1 and ,god then created ,hell1 in which they were to suffer for all eternity4 ,this same ,lucifer is now called ,satan1 and more commonly the devil1 and those who accompanied him in his fall1 devils1 or fallen angels4 ,lesson #e ,,on ,,our ,,first ,,parents ,,and ,,their ,,fall #ci ,q4 ,who were the first man and woman8 ,a4 ,the first man and woman were ,adam and ,eve4 ,in the beginning ,god created all things2 something particular on each of the six days of ,creation4 7,gen4 #a74 ,on the first day ,he made light1 on the second1 the firmament1 or the heavens1 and on the sixth day ,he created man and called him ,adam4 ,god wished ,adam to have a companion2 so one day ,he caused ,adam to fall into a deep sleep1 and then took from his side a rib1 out of which he formed ,eve4 ,now ,god could have made ,eve as ,he made ,adam1 by forming her body out of the clay of the earth and breathing into it a soul1 but ,he made ,eve out of ,adam's rib to show that they were to be husband and wife1 and to impress upon their minds the nature and sacredness of the love and union that should exist between them4 #dj ,q4 ,were ,adam and ,eve innocent and holy when they came from the hand of ,god8 ,a4 ,adam and ,eve were innocent and holy when they came from the hand of ,god4 ,god placed ,adam and ,eve in ,paradise1 a large1 beautiful garden1 and gave them power over all the other creatures4 ,adam gave all the animals their appropriate names and they were obedient to him4 ,even lions1 tigers1 and other animals that we now fear so much1 came and played about him4 ,our first parents1 in their state of original innocence1 were the happy friends of ,god1 without sorrow or suffering of any kind4 99#da ,q4 ,did ,god give any command to ,adam and ,eve8 ,a4 ,to try their obedience ,god commanded ,adam and ,eve not to eat of a certain fruit which grew in the garden of ,paradise4 ,he told them 7,gen4 #b7 they could take of all the fruits in the garden except the fruit of one tree1 and if they disobeyed ,him by eating the fruit of that tree1 they should surely die4 ,god might have pointed out any tree1 because it was simply a test of obedience4 ,he gave them a very simple command1 for if we are faithful in little things we shall surely be faithful in greater4 ,moreover1 it is not precisely the consideration of what is forbidden1 but of the authority by which it is forbidden that should deter us from violating the command and prove our fidelity4 ,thus disobedience to our parents and superiors1 even in little things1 becomes sinful4 ,someone might say3 ,why did ,god not try their obedience by one of the ,ten ,commandments8 ,let us examine them4 ,remember the ,sabbath4 ,that one would be unnecessary3 for every day was ,sabbath with them2 the only work was to praise and serve ,god4 ,thou shalt not steal4 ,they could not2 everything was theirs2 and so for the other ,commandments4 ,therefore1 ,god gave them a simple command telling them3 ,if you obey1 you and all your posterity will be happy2 every wish will be gratified1 neither sorrow nor affliction shall come upon you and you shall never die2 but if1 on the contrary1 you disobey1 countless evils1 misery and death will be your punishment4 ,the earth1 now so fruitful1 shall bring forth no crops without cultivation1 and after years of toil the dead bodies of yourselves and children must lie buried in its soil4 ,so having the gift of free will they could take their choice1 and either keep ,his command and be happy1 or disobey ,him and be miserable4 99#db ,q4 ,which were the chief blessings intended for ,adam and ,eve1 had they remained faithful to ,god8 ,a4 ,the chief blessings intended for ,adam and ,eve1 had they remained faithful to ,god1 were a constant state of happiness in this life and everlasting glory in the next4 ,our first parents and their children were not to remain in the garden of ,paradise forever1 but were1 after spending their allotted time of trial or probation upon earth1 to be taken body and soul into ,heaven without being obliged to die4 #dc ,q4 ,did ,adam and ,eve remain faithful to ,god8 ,a4 ,adam and ,eve did not remain faithful to ,god1 but broke ,his commandment by eating the forbidden fruit4 ,as it is told in the ,bible 7,gen4 #c71 ,eve went to the forbidden tree and was standing looking at it1 when the devil came in the form of a serpent and1 tempting1 told her to take some of the fruit and eat4 ,it does not appear that she went and tasted the fruit of all the other trees and finally came to this one1 but rather that she went directly to the forbidden tree first4 ,do we not sometimes imitate ,eve's conduct8 ,as soon as we know a certain thing is forbidden we are more strongly tempted to try it4 ,see1 then1 what caused ,eve's sin4 ,she went into the dangerous occasion1 and was admiring the forbidden fruit when the tempter came4 ,she listened to him1 yielded to his wicked suggestions1 and sinned4 ,so will it be with us if through curiosity we desire to see or hear things forbidden2 for once in the danger the devil will soon be on hand to tempt us--not visibly indeed1 for that would alarm us and defeat his purpose1 but invisibly1 like our guardian angels2 for the devil is a fallen angel who still possesses all the characteristics of an angel except goodness4 ,but this is not all4 ,eve not only took and ate the fruit herself1 but induced ,adam to do likewise4 ,most sinners imitate ,eve in that respect4 ,not satisfied with offending ,god themselves1 they lead others into sin4 ,why should the devil tempt us8 ,god created man to be in ,heaven1 but the fallen angels were jealous of man1 and tempted him to sin so that he too should be kept out of ,heaven and might never enjoy what they lost2 just as envious people do not wish others to have what they cannot have themselves4 #dd ,q4 ,what befell ,adam and ,eve on account of their sin8 ,a4 ,adam and ,eve on account of their sin lost innocence and holiness1 and were doomed to sickness and death4 ,they were innocent and holy because they were the friends of ,god and in a state of grace1 but by their sin they lost ,his grace and friendship4 ,doomed means sentenced or condemned4 ,the first evil result1 then1 of ,adam's sin was that he lost innocence and made his body a rebel against his soul4 ,then he was to suffer poverty1 hunger1 cold1 sickness1 death1 and every kind of ill2 but the worst consequence of all was that ,god closed ,heaven against him4 ,after a few years' trial1 as we said1 ,god was to take him into ,heaven2 but now ,he has closed it against ,adam and his posterity4 ,all the people in the world could never induce ,god to open it again2 for ,he closed it in accordance with ,his promise1 and man was an exile and outcast from his heavenly home4 #de ,q4 ,what evil befell us on account of the disobedience of our first parents8 ,a4 ,on account of the disobedience of our first parents we all share in their sin and punishment1 as we should have shared in their happiness if they had remained faithful4 ,does it not seem strange that we should suffer for the sin of our first parents1 when we had nothing to do with it8 ,no4 ,it happens every day that children suffer for the faults of their parents and we do not wonder at it4 ,let us suppose a man's father leaves him a large fortune--houses1 land1 and money--and that he and his children are happy in the enjoyment of their inheritance4 ,the children are sent to the best schools1 have everything they desire now1 and bright hopes of happiness and prosperity in the future4 ,but alas6 their hopes are vain4 ,the father begins to drink or gamble1 and soon the great fortune is squandered4 ,house after house is sold and dollar after dollar spent1 till absolute poverty comes upon the children1 and the sad condition of their home tells of their distress4 ,do they not suffer for the sins of their father1 though they had nothing to do with them8 ,indeed1 many families in the world suffer thus through the faults of others1 and most frequently of some of their members4 ,could you blame the grandfather for leaving the estate8 ,certainly not2 for it was goodness on his part that made him give4 ,let us apply this example4 ,what ,god gave ,adam was to be ours also1 and he squandered and misused it because he had free will1 which ,god could not take from him without changing his nature2 for it is our free will and intelligence that make us men1 distinct from and superior to all other animals4 ,they can live1 grow1 feel1 hear1 see1 etc41 as we can1 but the want of intelligence and free will leaves them mere brutes4 ,therefore1 if ,god took away ,adam's intelligence and free will1 ,he would have made him a mere animal--though the most perfect4 ,when a man becomes insane or loses the use of his intelligence and free will1 we place him in an asylum and take care of him as we would a tame animal1 seldom allowing him to go about without being watched and guarded4 ,let us take another example4 ,suppose ,i have a friend who is addicted to the excessive drinking of strong liquor1 and ,i say to him3 ,if you give up that detestable habit for one year1 ,i will make you a present of this beautiful house worth several thousand dollars4 ,it will be yours as long as you live1 and at your death you may leave it to your children4 ,i do not owe you anything1 but offer this as a free gift if you comply with my request4 ,my friend accepts the offer on these conditions1 but the very next day deliberately breaks his promise4 ,i do not give him the house1 because he did not keep his agreement2 and can anyone say on that account that ,i am unjust or unkind to him or his children8 ,certainly not4 ,well1 ,god acted in the same manner with ,adam4 ,he promised him ,heaven1 a home more beautiful than any earthly palace--the place ,our ,lord calls ,his father's house 7,john #ad3b7 and says there are many mansions1 that is1 dwelling places1 in it4 ,god promised this home to ,adam on condition that he would observe one simple command4 ,he had no right to ,heaven1 but was to receive it1 according to the promise1 as a free gift from ,god1 and therefore ,god1 who offered it conditionally1 was not obliged to give it when ,adam violated his part of the agreement4 ,the example is not a perfect one1 for there is this difference in the cases between ,adam and my friend3 when my friend does not get the house1 he sustains a loss1 it is true2 but he might still be my friend as he was before1 and live in my house2 but when ,adam lost ,heaven1 he lost ,god's friendship and grace1 and the loss of all grace is to be in sin4 ,so that ,adam by breaking the command was left in sin2 and as all his children sustain the same loss1 they too are all left in sin till they are baptized4 99#df ,q4 ,what other effects followed from the sin of our first parents8 ,a4 ,our nature was corrupted by the sin of our first parents1 which darkened our understanding1 weakened our will1 and left us a strong inclination to evil4 ,our nature was corrupted is what ,i have said of the body rebelling against the soul4 ,our understanding darkened4 ,adam knew much more without study than the most intelligent men could learn now with constant application4 ,before his fall he saw things clearly and understood them well1 but after his sin everything had to be learned by the slow process of study4 ,then the will was weakened4 ,before he fell he could easily resist temptation1 for his will was strong4 ,you know we sin by the will1 because unless we wish to do the evil we commit no sin2 and if absolutely forced by others to do wrong1 we are free from the guilt as long as our will despises and protests against the action4 ,if forced1 for example1 to break my neighbor's window1 ,i have not to answer in my conscience for the unjust act1 because my will did not consent4 ,so1 on every occasion on which we sin1 it is the will that yields to the temptation4 ,after ,adam's sin his will became weak and less able to resist temptation2 and as we are sharers in his misfortune1 we find great difficulty at times in overcoming sinful inclinations4 ,but no matter how violent the temptation or how prolonged and fierce the struggle against it1 we can always be victorious if determined not to yield2 for ,god gives us sufficient grace to resist every temptation2 and if anyone should excuse his fall by saying he could not help sinning1 he would be guilty of falsehood4 ,a strong inclination to do wrong--that is1 unless always on our guard against it4 ,our ,lord once cautioned ,his ,apostles 7,matt4 #bf3da7 to watch and pray lest they fall into temptation2 teaching us also by the same warning that1 besides praying against our spiritual enemies1 we must watch their maneuvers and be ever ready to repel their attacks4 #dg ,q4 ,what is the sin called which we inherit from our first parents8 ,a4 ,the sin which we inherit from our first parents is called ,original ,sin4 99#dh ,q4 ,why is this sin called original8 ,a4 ,this sin is called original because it comes down to us from our first parents1 and we are brought into the world with its guilt on our souls4 99#di ,q4 ,does this corruption of our nature remain in us after ,original ,sin is forgiven8 ,a4 ,this corruption of our nature and other punishments remain in us after ,original ,sin is forgiven4 ,it remains that we may merit by overcoming its temptations2 and also that we may be kept humble by remembering our former sinful and unhappy state4 #ej ,q4 ,was anyone ever preserved from ,original ,sin8 ,a4 ,the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary1 through the merits of her divine ,son1 was preserved free from the guilt of ,original ,sin1 and this privilege is called her ,immaculate ,conception4 ,the ,blessed ,virgin was to be the ,mother of the ,son of ,god4 ,now it would not be proper for the ,mother of ,god to be even for one moment the servant of the devil1 or under his power4 ,if the ,blessed ,virgin had been in ,original ,sin1 she would have been in the service of the devil4 ,whatever disgraces a mother disgraces also her son2 so ,our ,lord would never permit ,his dear ,mother to be subject to the devil1 and consequently ,he1 through ,his merits1 saved her from ,original ,sin4 ,she is the only one of the whole human race who enjoys this great privilege1 and it is called her ,immaculate ,conception1 that is1 she was conceived--brought into existence by her mother--without having any spot or stain of sin upon her soul1 and hence without ,original ,sin4 ,our ,lord came into the world to crush the power which the devil had exercised over men from the fall of ,adam4 ,this ,he did by meriting grace for them and giving them this spiritual help to withstand the devil in all his attacks upon them4 ,as the ,blessed ,mother was never under the devil's power1 next to ,god she has the greatest strength against him1 and she will help us to resist him if we seek her aid4 ,the devil himself knows her power and fears her1 and if he sees her coming to our assistance will quickly fly4 ,never fail1 then1 in time of temptation to call upon our ,blessed ,mother2 she will hear and help you and pray to ,god for you4 ,lesson #f ,,on ,,sin ,,and ,,its ,,kinds #ea ,q4 ,is ,original ,sin the only kind of sin8 ,a4 ,original ,sin is not the only kind of sin2 there is another kind of sin which we commit ourselves1 called actual sin4 ,sin is first or chiefly divided into original and actual2 that is1 into the sin we inherit from our first parents and the sin we commit ourselves4 ,we may commit actual sin in two ways2 either by doing what we should not do--stealing1 for example--and thus we have a sin of commission1 that is1 a bad act committed2 or by not doing what we should do--not hearing ,mass on ,sunday1 for example--and thus we have a sin of omission1 that is1 a good act omitted4 ,so it is not enough to simply do no harm1 we must also do some good4 ,heaven is a reward1 and we must do something to merit it4 ,suppose a man employed a boy to do the work of his office1 and when he came in the morning found that the boy had neglected the work assigned to him1 and when spoken to about it simply answered3 ,sir1 ,i did no harm2 do you think he would be entitled to his wages8 ,of course he did not and should do no harm2 but is his employer to pay him wages for that8 ,certainly not4 ,in like manner1 ,god is not going to reward us for doing no harm2 but on the contrary1 ,he will punish us if we do wrong1 and give no reward unless we perform the work ,he has marked out for us4 ,neither would the office boy deserve any wages if he did only what pleases himself1 and not the work assigned by his master4 ,in the same way1 ,god will not accept any worship or religion but the one ,he has revealed4 ,he tells us ,himself how ,he wishes to be worshipped1 and our own invented methods will not please ,him4 ,hence we see the folly of those who say that all religions are equally good1 and that we can be saved by practicing any of them4 ,we can be saved only in the one religion which ,god ,himself has instituted1 and by which ,he wishes to be honored4 ,many also foolishly believe1 or say they believe1 that if they are honest1 sober1 and the like1 doing no injury to anyone1 they shall be saved without the practice of any form of religious worship4 ,but how about ,god's laws and commands8 ,are they to be despised1 disregarded1 and neglected entirely1 without any fear of punishment8 ,surely not6 ,and persons who thus think they are doing no harm are neglecting to serve ,god--the greatest harm they can do1 and for which they will lose ,heaven4 ,god1 we are told1 assigned to everyone in this world a certain work to perform in a particular state of life1 and this work is called vocation4 ,one1 for instance1 is to be a priest2 another1 a layman2 one married2 another single1 etc4 ,it is important for us to discover our true vocation2 for if we are in the state of life to which ,god has called us1 we shall be happy2 but if we select our own work1 our own state of life without consulting ,him1 we shall seldom be happy in it4 ,how are we to know our vocation8 ,chiefly by praying to ,god and asking ,him to make it known to us4 ,then if ,he gives us a strong inclination--constant1 or nearly constant--for a certain state of life1 and the ability to fulfill its duties1 we may well believe that ,god wishes us to be in that state4 ,after we have begged ,god's assistance1 we must ask our confessor's advice in the matter1 and listen attentively to what the ,holy ,ghost inspires him to say4 ,the signs of our vocation are1 therefore1 as stated3 first1 a strong desire1 and second1 an aptitude for the state to which we believe we are called4 ,for example1 a young man might be very holy1 but if unable to learn1 he could never be a priest4 ,another might be very learned and holy1 but if too sickly to perform a priest's duties1 he could not1 or at least would not1 be ordained4 ,another might be learned and healthy1 but not virtuous1 and so he could never be a priest4 ,aptitude1 therefore1 means all the qualities necessary1 whether of mind1 or soul1 or body4 ,the same is true for a young girl who wishes to become a religious2 and the same1 indeed1 for any person's vocation4 ,we should never enter a state of life to which we are not called1 simply to please parents or others4 ,neither should we be persuaded by them to give up a state to which we are called2 for we should embrace our true vocation at any sacrifice1 that in it we may serve ,god better1 and be more certain of saving our souls4 ,thus1 parents and guardians who prevent their children from entering the state to which they are called may sin grievously by exposing them to eternal loss of salvation4 ,their sin is all the greater when they try to influence their children in this matter for selfish or worldly motives4 ,as they may be selfish and prejudiced without knowing it1 they too1 should ask the advice of their confessor1 and good persons of experience4 ,oh6 how many children1 sons and daughters1 are made unhappy all the days of their life by parents or superiors forcing them into some state to which they were not called1 or by keeping them from one to which they were called4 ,this matter of your vocation rests with yourselves and ,almighty ,god1 and you are free to do what ,he directs without consideration for anyone4 #eb ,q4 ,what is actual sin8 ,a4 ,actual sin is any willful thought1 word1 deed1 or omission contrary to the law of ,god4 ,three ways we may sin1 by thought--allowing our minds to dwell on sinful things2 word--by cursing1 telling lies1 etc42 deed--by any kind of bad action4 ,but to be sins1 these thoughts1 words and deeds must be willful2 that is1 we must fully know what we are doing1 and be free in doing it4 ,then they must be contrary to the law of ,god2 that is1 violate some law ,he commands us to obey1 whether it be a law ,he gave directly ,himself1 or through ,his ,church4 ,we can also violate ,god's law by neglecting to observe it1 and thus sin1 provided the neglect be willful1 and the thing neglected commanded by ,god or by ,his ,church4 #ec ,q4 ,how many kinds of actual sin are there8 ,a4 ,there are two kinds of actual sin--mortal and venial4 ,mortal1 that is1 the sin which kills the soul4 ,when a man receives a very severe wound1 we say he is mortally wounded2 that is1 he will die from the wound4 ,as breath shows there is life in the body1 so grace is the life of the soul2 when all the breath is out of the body1 we say the man is dead4 ,he can perform no action to help himself or others4 ,so when all grace is out of the soul we say it is dead1 because it is reduced to the condition of a dead body4 ,it can do no action worthy of merit1 such as a soul should do2 that is1 it can do no action that ,god is bound to reward--it is dead4 ,but you will say the soul never dies4 ,you mean it will never cease to exist2 but we call it dead when it has lost all its power to do supernatural good4 ,venial sin does not drive out all the grace2 it wounds the soul1 it weakens it just as slight wounds weaken the body4 ,if it falls very frequently into venial sin1 it will fall very soon into mortal sin also2 for the ,holy ,scripture says that he that contemneth small things shall fall by little and little4 7,ecclus4 #ai3a74 ,a venial sin seems a little thing1 but if we do not avoid it we shall by degrees fall into greater1 or mortal1 sin4 ,venial sin makes ,god less friendly to us and displeases ,him4 ,now if we really love ,god1 we will not displease ,him even in the most trifling things4 #ed ,q4 ,what is mortal sin8 ,a4 ,mortal sin is a grievous offense against the law of ,god4 ,grievous--that is1 very great or serious4 ,against the law4 ,if we are in doubt whether anything is sinful or not1 we must ask ourselves3 is it forbidden by ,god or ,his ,church8 and if we do not know of any law forbidding it1 it cannot be a sin1 at least for us4 ,suppose1 for example1 a boy should doubt whether it is sinful or not to fly a kite4 ,well1 is there any law of ,god or of ,his ,church saying it is sinful to fly a kite8 ,if not1 then it cannot be a sin4 ,but it might be sinful for another reason1 namely1 his parents or superiors might forbid it1 and there is a law of ,god saying you must not disobey your parents or superiors4 ,therefore a thing not sinful in itself1 that is1 not directly forbidden by ,god or ,his ,church1 may become sinful for some other reason well known to us4 ,we must not1 however1 doubt concerning the sinfulness or lawfulness of everything we do2 for that would be foolish and lead us to be scrupulous4 ,if we doubt at all we should have some good reason for doubting1 that is1 for believing that the thing we are about to do is or is not forbidden4 ,when1 therefore1 we have such a doubt we must seek information from those who can enlighten us on the subject1 so that we may act without the danger of sinning4 ,it is our intention that makes the act we perform sinful or not4 ,let me explain4 ,suppose during ,lent a person should mistake ,friday for ,thursday and should eat meat--that person would not commit a real sin1 because it is not a sin to eat meat on an ordinary ,thursday4 ,he would commit what we call a material sin2 that is1 his action would be a sin if he really knew what he was doing4 ,on the other hand1 if the person1 thinking it was ,friday when it was really ,thursday1 ate meat1 knowing it to be forbidden1 that person would commit a mortal sin1 because he intended to do so4 ,therefore1 if what we do is not known to be a sin while we do it1 it is no sin for us and cannot become a sin afterwards4 ,but as soon as we know or learn that what we did was wrong1 it would be a sin if we did the same thing again4 ,in the same way1 everything we do thinking it to be wrong or sinful is wrong and sinful for us1 though it may not be wrong for those who know better4 ,again1 it is sinful to judge others for doing wrong1 because they may not know that what they do is sinful4 ,it would be better for us to instruct than to blame them4 ,the best we can do1 therefore1 is to learn well all ,god's laws and the laws of ,his ,church as they are taught in the catechism1 so that we may know when we are violating them or when we are not1 i4e41 when we are sinning and when we are not4 99#ee ,q4 ,why is this sin called mortal8 ,a4 ,this sin is called mortal because it deprives us of spiritual life1 which is sanctifying grace1 and brings everlasting death and damnation on the soul4 ,when the soul is sent to ,hell it is dead forever1 because never again will it be able to do a single meritorious act4 99#ef ,q4 ,how many things are necessary to make a sin mortal8 ,a4 ,to make a sin mortal three things are necessary3 a grievous matter1 sufficient reflection1 and full consent of the will4 ,grievous matter4 ,to steal is a sin4 ,now1 if you steal only a pin the act of stealing in that case could not be a mortal sin1 because the matter1 namely1 the stealing of an ordinary pin1 is not grievous4 ,but suppose it was a diamond pin of great value1 then it would surely be grievous matter4 ,sufficient reflection1 that is1 you must know what you are doing at the time you do it4 ,for example1 suppose while you stole the diamond pin you thought you were stealing a pin with a small piece of glass1 of little value1 you would not have sufficient reflection and would not commit a mortal sin till you found out that what you had stolen was a valuable diamond2 if you continued to keep it after learning your mistake1 you would surely commit a mortal sin4 ,full consent4 ,suppose you were shooting at a target and accidentally killed a man3 you would not have the sin of murder1 because you did not will or wish to kill a man4 ,therefore three things are necessary that your act may be a mortal sin3 7#a7 ,the act you do must be bad1 and sufficiently important2 7#b7 ,you must reflect that you are doing it1 and know that it is wrong2 7#c7 ,you must do it freely1 deliberately1 and willfully4 #eg ,q4 ,what is venial sin8 ,a4 ,venial sin is a slight offense against the law of ,god in matters of less importance1 or in matters of great importance it is an offense committed without sufficient reflection or full consent of the will4 ,slight1 that is1 a small offense or fault2 called venial1 not because it is not a sin1 but because ,god pardons it more willingly or easily than ,he does a mortal sin4 ,less importance1 like stealing an ordinary1 common pin4 ,great importance1 like stealing a diamond pin4 ,without reflection or consent1 when you did not know it was a diamond and did not intend to steal a diamond4 99#eh ,q4 ,which are the effects of venial sin8 ,a4 ,the effects of venial sin are the lessening of the love of ,god in our heart1 the making us less worthy of ,his help1 and the weakening of the power to resist mortal sin4 ,lessening of the love1 because it lessens grace1 and grace increases the love of ,god in us4 ,it displeases ,god1 and though we do not offend ,him very greatly1 we still offend ,him4 ,weakening of the power to resist4 ,if a man is wounded1 it will be easier to kill him than if he is in perfect health4 ,so mortal sin will more easily kill a soul already weakened by the wounds of venial sin4 #ei ,q4 ,which are the chief sources of sin8 ,a4 ,the chief sources of sin are seven3 ,pride1 ,covetousness1 ,lust1 ,anger1 ,gluttony1 ,envy1 and ,sloth2 and they are commonly called capital sins4 ,a source is that from which anything else comes4 ,the source of a river is the little spring on the ,mountainside where the river first begins4 ,this little stream runs down the mountain1 and as it goes along gathers strength and size from other little streams running into it4 ,it cuts its way through the meadows1 and marks the course and is the beginning of a great river1 sweeping all things before it and carrying them off to the ocean4 ,now1 if someone in the beginning had stopped up the little spring on the mountain--the first source of the river--there would have been no river in that particular place4 ,it is just the same with sin4 ,there is one sin that is the source1 and as it goes along like the stream it gathers strength2 other sins follow it and are united with it4 ,again3 each of these capital sins1 as they are called1 is like a leader or a captain in an army1 with so many others under him and following him4 ,now1 if you take away the head1 the other members of the body will perish2 so if you destroy the capital sin1 the other sins that follow it will disappear also4 ,very few persons have all the capital sins3 some are guilty of one of them1 some of two1 some of three1 but few if any are guilty of them all4 ,the one we are guilty of1 and which is the cause of all our other sins1 is called our predominant sin or our ruling passion4 ,we should try to find it out1 and labor to overcome it4 ,every one of these capital sins has a great many other sins following it4 ,pride is an inordinate self-esteem4 ,pride comes under the ,first ,commandment2 because by thinking too much of ourselves we neglect ,god1 and give to ourselves the honor due to ,him4 ,of what have we to be proud8 ,of our personal appearance8 ,disease may efface in one night every trace of beauty4 ,of our clothing8 ,it is not ours2 we have not produced it2 most of it is taken from the lower animals--wool from the sheep1 leather from the ox1 feathers from the bird1 etc4 ,are we proud of our wealth1 money or property8 ,these may be stolen or destroyed by fire4 ,the learned may become insane1 and so we have nothing to be proud of but our good works4 ,all that we have is from ,god1 and we can have it only as long as ,he wishes4 ,we had nothing coming into the world1 and we leave it with nothing but the shroud in which we are buried2 and even this does not go with the soul1 but remains with the body to rot in the earth4 ,soon after death our bodies become so offensive that even our dearest friends hasten to place them under ground1 where they become the food of worms1 a mass of corruption loathsome to sight and smell4 ,why1 then1 should we be so proud of this body1 and commit so much sin for it1 pamper it with every delicacy1 only to be the food of worms8 ,this does not mean1 however1 that we are not to keep our bodies clean1 and take good care of them4 ,we are bound to do so1 and could not neglect it without committing sin4 ,the one thing to be avoided is taking too much care of them1 and neglecting our soul and ,god on their account4 ,the followers of pride are3 conceit1 hypocrisy1 foolish display in dress or conduct1 harshness to others1 waste of time on ourselves1 etc4 ,covetousness1 the same as avarice1 greed1 etc41 is an inordinate desire for worldly goods4 ,inordinate1 because it is not avarice to prudently provide for the future either for ourselves or others4 ,covetousness comes under the ,tenth ,commandment1 and is forbidden by it4 ,we must be content with what we have or can get honestly4 ,the followers of covetousness are3 ,want of charity1 dishonest dealing1 theft1 etc4 ,lust is the desire for sins of the flesh2 for impure thoughts1 words1 or actions4 ,it comes under the ,sixth and ,ninth ,commandments1 and includes all that is forbidden by those ,commandments4 ,it is the habit of always violating1 or of desiring to violate1 the ,sixth and ,ninth ,commandments4 ,lust and impurity mean the same thing4 ,the followers of lust are1 generally1 neglect of prayer1 neglect of the ,sacraments1 and final loss of faith4 ,anger comes under the ,fifth ,commandment4 ,it is followed by hatred1 the desire of revenge1 etc4 ,gluttony is the sin of eating or drinking too much4 ,with regard to eating1 it is committed by eating too often2 by being too particular about what we eat1 by being too extravagant in always looking for the most costly things1 that we think others cannot have4 ,with regard to drinking1 it is generally committed by taking too much of intoxicating liquors4 ,the drunkard is a glutton and commits the sin of gluttony every time he becomes intoxicated4 ,gluttony1 especially in drink1 comes in a manner under the ,first ,commandment1 because by depriving ourselves of our reason we cannot give ,god the honor and respect which is ,his due4 ,think of how many sins the drunkard commits4 ,he becomes intoxicated1 which in itself is a sin4 ,he deprives himself of the use of reason1 abuses ,god's great gift1 and becomes like a brute beast4 ,indeed in a way he becomes worse than a beast2 for beasts always follow the laws that ,god has given to their nature1 and never drink to excess4 ,they obey ,god1 and man is the only one of ,god's creatures that does not always keep ,his laws4 ,think too of the number of insane persons confined in asylums1 who would give all in this world for the use of their reason1 if they could only understand their miserable condition4 ,yet the drunkard abuses the gift that would make these poor unfortunate lunatics happy4 ,again1 the drunkard injures his health and thus violates the ,fifth ,commandment by committing a kind of slow suicide4 ,he loses self-respect1 makes use of sinful language2 frequently neglects ,mass and all his religious duties1 exposes himself to the danger of death while in a state of sin1 gives scandal to his family and neighbors1 and by his bad example causes some to leave or remain out of the true ,church4 ,by continued intemperance1 he may become insane and remain in that condition till death puts an end to his career and he goes unprepared before the judgment seat of ,god4 ,besides all this he squanders the money he should put to a better use and turns ,god's gifts into a means of offending ,him4 ,if a father1 he neglects the children and wife for whom he has promised to provide2 leaves them cold and hungry while he commits sin with the means that would make them comfortable4 ,drunkenness therefore is a sin accompanied by many deplorable evils4 ,there are three great sins you should always be on your guard against during your whole lives1 namely1 drunkenness1 dishonesty1 and impurity4 ,if you avoid these you will almost surely avoid all other sins2 for nearly all sins can be traced back to these three4 ,they are the most dangerous1 first1 because they have most followers1 and secondly1 because they grow upon us almost without our knowing it4 ,the drunkard begins perhaps as a boy by taking a little1 even very little2 the second time he takes a little more2 the next time still more1 then he begins to be fond of strong drink and can scarcely do without it2 finally he becomes the slave of intemperance and sells his soul and body for it4 ,the passions of dishonesty and impurity grow by degrees in the same manner4 ,therefore avoid them in the beginning and resist them while they are under your power4 ,if you find yourself inclined to any of these sins in your youth1 stop them at once4 ,envy is the desire to see another meet with misfortune that we may be benefited by it4 ,we are glad when he does not succeed in his business1 we are sorry when anyone speaks well of him1 etc4 ,envy comes under the ,eighth ,commandment4 ,sloth is committed when we idle our time1 and are lazy2 when we are indifferent about serving ,god2 when we do anything slowly and poorly and in a way that shows we would rather not do it4 ,they are slothful who lie in bed late in the morning and neglect their duty4 ,slothful people are often untidy in their personal appearance2 and they are nearly always in misery and want1 unless somebody else takes care of them4 ,sloth comes under the ,first ,commandment1 because it has reference in a special manner to the way in which we serve ,god4 ,how1 then1 shall we best destroy sin in our souls8 ,by finding out our chief capital sin and rooting it out4 ,if a strong oak tree is deeply rooted in the ground1 how will you best destroy its life8 ,by cutting off the branches8 ,no4 ,for with each returning spring new branches will grow4 ,how then8 ,by cutting the root and then the great oak with all its branches will die4 ,in the same way our capital sin is the root1 and as long as we leave it in our souls other sins will grow out of it4 ,while we are trying to destroy our sins without touching our capital sin--our chief sin--we are only cutting off branches that will grow again4 ,indeed a great many people are only cutting off branches all the time and that is why they are not benefited as much as they could be by the prayers they say1 ,masses they hear1 ,sacraments they receive1 and sermons they listen to4 ,but do not imagine that because you are not becoming better1 when you pray1 hear ,mass1 and receive the ,sacraments1 you are doing no good at all4 ,that would be a great mistake1 and just such a thing as the devil would suggest to make persons give up their devotions4 ,what is the use1 he might say1 of your trying to be good8 ,you are just as bad as you were a year ago4 ,do not listen to that temptation4 ,were it not for your prayers and your reception of the ,sacraments1 you would become a great deal worse than you are4 ,suppose a man is rowing on the river against a very strong tide4 ,he is rowing as hard as he can and yet he is not advancing one foot up the stream4 ,is he doing nothing therefore8 ,ah6 he is doing a great deal3 he is preventing himself from being carried with the current out into the ocean4 ,he is keeping himself where he is till the force of the tide diminishes1 and then he can advance4 ,so they who are trying to be good are struggling against the strong tide of temptation4 ,if they cease to struggle against it1 they will be carried out into the great ocean of sin and lost forever4 ,someday the temptation will grow weaker and then they will be able to advance towards ,heaven4 ,we feel temptations most when we are trying to resist them and lead good lives1 because we are working against our evil inclinations--the strong tide of our passions4 ,we have no trouble going with them4 ,lesson #g ,,on ,,the ,,incarnation ,,and ,,redemption ,incarnation means to take flesh1 as a body4 ,here it means ,our ,lord's taking flesh1 that is1 taking a body like ours1 when ,he became man4 ,redemption means to buy back4 ,let us take an example4 ,slaves are men or women that belong entirely to their masters1 just as horses1 cows1 or other animals do4 ,slaves are bought and sold1 never receive any wages for their work1 get their food and clothing and no more4 ,as they never earn money for themselves1 they can never purchase their own liberty4 ,if ever they are to be free1 someone else must procure their liberty4 ,now1 suppose ,i am in some country where slavery exists4 ,i am free1 but ,i want one hundred dollars2 so ,i go to a slave owner and say3 ,i want to sell myself for one hundred dollars4 ,he buys me and ,i soon squander the one hundred dollars4 ,now ,i am his property1 his slave2 ,i shall never earn any wages and shall never be able to buy my freedom4 ,no other slave can help me1 for he is just in the same condition as ,i myself am4 ,if ,i am to be free1 a free man who has the money must pay for my liberty4 ,this is exactly the condition in which all men were before ,our ,lord redeemed them4 ,adam sold himself and all his children to the devil by committing sin4 ,he and they therefore became slaves4 ,they could not earn any spiritual wages1 that is1 grace of ,god to purchase their liberty2 and as all men were slaves one could not help another in this matter4 ,then ,our ,lord ,himself came and purchased our freedom4 ,he bought us back again1 and the price ,he paid was ,his own life and blood given up upon the ,cross4 ,in ,his goodness1 ,he did more than redeem us2 ,he gave us also the means of redeeming ourselves in case we should ever have the misfortune of falling again into the slavery of the devil--into sin4 ,he left us the ,sacrament of ,penance to which we can go as to a bank1 and draw out enough of ,our ,lord's grace--merited for us and deposited in the power of ,his ,church--to purchase our redemption from sin4 #fj ,q4 ,did ,god abandon man after he fell into sin8 ,a4 ,god did not abandon man after he fell into sin1 but promised him a ,redeemer1 who was to satisfy for man's sin and reopen to him the gates of ,heaven4 ,abandon means to leave to one's self4 ,adam and his posterity were slaves1 but ,god took pity on them4 ,he did not leave them to themselves1 but promised to help them4 ,gates of ,heaven4 ,heaven has no gates1 because it is not built of material--of stone1 or iron1 or wood4 ,it is only our way of speaking2 just as we say hand of ,god1 although ,he has no hands4 ,heaven is the magnificent home ,god has prepared for us1 and its gates are ,his power by which ,he keeps us out or lets us in as ,he pleases4 ,our ,lord1 therefore1 obtained admittance for us4 #fa ,q4 ,who is the ,redeemer8 ,a4 ,our ,blessed ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ is the ,redeemer of mankind4 #fb ,q4 ,what do you believe of ,jesus ,christ8 ,a4 ,i believe that ,jesus ,christ is the ,son of ,god1 the second ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity1 true ,god and true man4 ,true ,god4 ,he was true ,god equal to ,his ,father from all eternity4 ,he became man when ,he came upon the earth about #b1jjj years ago1 and was born on ,christmas ,day4 ,now ,he is in ,heaven as ,god and man4 ,therefore1 ,he was ,god always1 but man only from the time of ,his ,incarnation4 99#fc ,q4 ,why is ,jesus ,christ true ,god8 ,a4 ,jesus ,christ is true ,god because ,he is the true and only ,son of ,god the ,father4 ,god the ,father1 first ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity1 is ,his real ,father1 and ,st4 ,joseph was ,his foster-father1 selected by the ,heavenly ,father to take care of ,our ,lord and watch over ,him while on earth4 ,a foster-father is not the same as a stepfather4 ,a stepfather is a second father that one gets when his real father dies4 ,a foster-father is one who takes a person1 whether a relative or a stranger1 and adopts him as his son4 ,it was a very great honor for ,st4 ,joseph to be selected from among all men to take care of the ,son of ,god2 to carry in his arms the great ,one of whom the prophets spoke2 the ,one for whom the whole world longed during so many thousand years2 so that next to our ,blessed ,mother ,st4 ,joseph deserves our greatest honor4 99#fd ,q4 ,why is ,jesus ,christ true man8 ,a4 ,jesus ,christ is true man because ,he is the ,son of the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary1 and has a body and soul like ours4 ,he has all that we have by nature1 but not the things we have acquired such as deformities1 imperfections1 and the like4 ,everything in ,our ,lord was perfect4 ,above all1 ,he had no sin of any kind2 nor even inclination to sin4 ,he could be hungry1 as ,he was when ,he fasted forty days in the desert4 7,matt4 #d3b74 ,he was thirsty1 as ,he said on the ,cross4 7,john #ai3bh74 ,he could be wearied2 as we read in the ,holy ,scripture 7,john #d3f7 that ,he sat down by a well to rest1 while ,his disciples went into the city to buy food4 ,all these sufferings come from our very nature4 ,we say a thing comes from our very nature when everybody has it4 ,now1 everyone in the world may at times be hungry1 thirsty1 or tired2 but everybody in the world need not have a toothache or headache1 because such things are not common to human nature1 but due to some defect in our body2 and such defects ,our ,lord did not have1 because ,he was a perfect man4 ,therefore1 ,our ,lord had a body like ours1 not as it usually is with defects1 but as it should be1 perfect in all things that belong to its nature1 as ,adam's was before he sinned4 99#fe ,q4 ,how many natures are there in ,jesus ,christ8 ,a4 ,in ,jesus ,christ there are two natures3 the nature of ,god and the nature of man4 ,he was perfect ,god and perfect man4 ,his human nature was under the full power of ,his divine nature1 and could not do anything contrary to ,his divine will4 ,you cannot understand how there can be two natures and two wills in one person1 because it is another of the great mysteries2 but you must believe it1 just as you believe there are three ,persons in one ,god1 though you do not understand it4 ,those who learn theology and study a great deal may understand it better than you1 but never fully4 ,it will be enough1 therefore1 for you to remember and believe that there are two natures--the divine nature and the human nature--in the one person of ,our ,lord4 99#ff ,q4 ,is ,jesus ,christ more than one person8 ,a4 ,no1 ,jesus ,christ is but one ,divine ,person4 ,but one1 so that the ,second ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity1 the ,son of ,god1 the ,messias1 ,christ1 ,jesus1 ,our ,lord1 ,our ,saviour1 ,our ,redeemer1 etc41 are all names for the one ,person2 and1 besides these1 there are many other names given to ,our ,lord in the ,holy ,scripture1 both in the ,old and the ,new ,testaments4 99#fg ,q4 ,was ,jesus ,christ always ,god8 ,a4 ,jesus ,christ was always ,god1 as ,he is the ,second ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity1 equal to ,his ,father from all eternity4 99#fh ,q4 ,was ,jesus ,christ always man8 ,a4 ,jesus ,christ was not always man1 but became man at the time of ,his ,incarnation4 #fi ,q4 ,what do you mean by the ,incarnation8 ,a4 ,by the ,incarnation ,i mean that the ,son of ,god was made man4 #gj ,q4 ,how was the ,son of ,god made man8 ,a4 ,the ,son of ,god was conceived and made man by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 in the womb of the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary4 99#ga ,q4 ,is the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary truly the ,mother of ,god8 ,a4 ,the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary is truly the ,mother of ,god1 because the same ,divine ,person who is the ,son of ,god is also the ,son of the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary4 99#gb ,q4 ,did the ,son of ,god become man immediately after the sin of our first parents8 ,a4 ,the ,son of ,god did not become man immediately after the sin of our first parents1 but ,he was promised to them as a ,redeemer4 ,god did not say to ,adam when ,he would send the ,redeemer1 and so the ,redeemer did not come for about #d1jjj years after ,he was first promised4 ,god permitted this long time to elapse in order that mankind might feel and know how great an evil sin is1 and what misery it brought upon the world4 ,during these #d1jjj years men were becoming gradually worse4 ,at one time--about #a1fjj years after ,adam's sin--they became so bad that ,god destroyed by a deluge1 or great flood of water1 all persons and living things upon the earth1 except ,noe1 his wife1 his three sons and their wives1 and the animals they had in the ark with them4 7,gen4 #f74 ,let me now give you more particulars about this terrible punishment4 ,after ,god determined to destroy all living things on account of the wickedness of men1 ,he told ,noe1 who was a good man1 to build a great ark1 or ship1 for himself and his family1 and for some of all the living creatures upon the earth4 7,gen4 #f74 ,when the ark was ready1 ,noe and his family went into it1 and the animals that were to be saved came by ,god's power1 and two by two were taken into the ark4 ,besides the two of each kind of animals1 ,noe was required to take with him five more of each kind of clean animals4 ,clean animals were certain animals which1 according to ,god's law1 could be offered in sacrifice or eaten2 they were such animals as the ox1 the sheep1 the goat1 etc4 ,therefore1 seven of each of the clean animals1 and two of each of the other kinds4 ,why did ,he have seven clean animals8 ,two were to be set free upon the dry earth with the other animals1 and the other five were for food and sacrifice4 ,noe spent a hundred years in making the ark4 ,at that time men lived much longer than they do now4 ,adam lived over #ijj years and ,mathusala1 the oldest man1 lived to be #ifi years old4 ,there are many reasons why men live a shorter time now than then4 ,when the door of the ark was closed1 ,god sent a great rain that lasted for forty days and forty nights4 ,all the springs of water broke forth1 and all the rivers and lakes overflowed their banks4 ,men ran here and there to high places1 while the water rose higher and higher till it covered the tops of the mountains1 and all not in the ark were drowned4 ,the big ark floated about for about a year2 for although it stopped raining after forty days1 just think of the quantity of water that must have fallen6 ,think of the rain what would fall during the whole of ,lent from ,ash ,wednesday to ,easter ,sunday--forty days4 ,it took a long time1 therefore1 for the waters to go down and finally disappear4 ,when the waters began to go down1 ,noe1 wishing to know if any land was as yet above the water1 opened the little window1 and sent out a raven or crow over the waters4 ,the raven did not come back1 because it is a bird that eats flesh1 and it found plenty of dead bodies to feed upon4 ,then ,noe sent out a dove1 and the dove came back with the bough of an olive tree in its mouth4 ,from this ,noe knew that the earth was becoming dry again4 ,after some days1 the ark rested on the top of a mountain named ,ararat4 ,when all the waters had dried up1 ,noe and his family and all the animals passed out of the ark4 ,he offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving1 and he and his family settled once more upon the earth4 ,for a while1 the descendants of ,noe were good1 but when they became numerous they soon forgot the deluge and its punishments1 and became very wicked4 ,many forgot the true ,god altogether1 and began to worship the sun1 moon1 and stars4 ,some worshipped animals1 and others idols of wood or stone4 ,they offered up human victims and committed all kinds of sins most displeasing to ,god4 ,many were in slavery2 masters were cruel2 and things were becoming daily worse1 till just before the coming of ,our ,lord the world was in a terrible condition of misery and sin4 ,the lawmakers tried to remedy these evils by their laws1 and the teachers and professors by their teaching2 but all was of no avail4 ,god ,himself must save the world4 ,god gave many promises of the ,redeemer4 ,the first one was given in the garden to our first parents4 ,god said 7,gen4 #c3ae7 to the serpent3 ,i will put enmities1 that is hatred1 between thee and the woman2 that is1 between the devil and the ,blessed ,virgin--whom the holy writers call the second ,eve2 because as the first ,eve caused our fall1 the second ,eve helped us to rise again4 ,i will put also a great hatred between the devil and your ,redeemer4 ,the next promise of the ,redeemer was made to ,abraham4 7,gen4 #ae74 ,another was made to ,isaac1 and another to ,jacob2 and later these promises were frequently renewed through the prophets2 so that during the four thousand years ,god encouraged the good people1 by promising from time to time the ,redeemer4 ,some of the prophets foretold to what family ,he would belong1 and when ,he would be born1 and when and what ,he would suffer1 and how ,he would die4 ,they also foretold signs or things that would come to pass just before the advent or coming of the ,messias 7,gen4 #di3aj72 so that when the people saw these things coming to pass1 they could know that the time of the ,messias was at hand4 ,thus when ,our ,lord came1 the whole world was waiting and looking for the promised ,redeemer1 because the signs foretold had appeared or were taking place4 ,but the majority did not recognize ,our ,lord when ,he came1 on account of the quiet1 humble1 and poor way in which ,he came4 ,they were expecting to see the ,redeemer come as a great and powerful king1 with mighty armies conquering the world2 and in this they were mistaken4 ,if they had studied the ,holy ,scriptures they would have learned how ,he was to come--poor and humble4 99#gc ,q4 ,how could they be saved who lived before the ,son of ,god became man8 ,a4 ,they who lived before the ,son of ,god became man could be saved by believing in the ,redeemer to come1 and by keeping the ,commandments4 ,we have seen that ,god promised the ,redeemer during four thousand years4 ,now1 those who believed these promises and kept all ,god's ,commandments1 and observed all ,his laws as they knew them1 could be saved4 ,they could not1 it is true1 enter into ,heaven after their death1 but they could wait in ,limbo without suffering till ,our ,lord opened ,heaven for them4 ,they were saved only through the merits of ,our ,lord4 ,and how could this be when ,our ,lord was not yet born8 ,do you know what a promissory note is8 ,it is this4 ,when a man is not able to pay his debts just now but will be able afterwards1 he gives those to whom he owes the money a promissory note1 that is1 a written promise that he will pay at a certain time4 ,now1 those who died before ,our ,lord was born had the ,holy ,scripture promising that ,christ would pay for them and for their sins when ,he would come4 ,so ,god saved them on account of this promise and kept them free from suffering till ,our ,lord came4 ,if any died when they were little infants1 their parents answered for them as godfathers and godmothers do now for infants at ,baptism4 #gd ,q4 ,on what day was the ,son of ,god conceived and made man8 ,a4 ,the ,son of ,god was conceived and made man on ,annunciation ,day--the day on which the ,angel ,gabriel announced to the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary that she was to be the ,mother of ,god4 ,annunciation ,day is the #beth of ,march4 ,you can easily remember that feast4 ,everybody knows that ,st4 ,patrick's ,day is on the #agth of ,march1 and therefore eight days after it comes ,annunciation day4 ,there is another feast coming in between them1 the feast of ,st4 ,joseph1 on the #aith of ,march4 ,therefore it is easy to remember these three feasts coming all in ,march and almost together4 ,annunciation is the name given to that day after the angel came1 but it was not called so before4 ,annunciation means to tell or make known1 and this is the day the angel made known to the ,blessed ,virgin that she was selected for the high office of ,mother of ,god4 ,the ,blessed ,virgin was expecting the ,messias1 and was probably praying for ,his speedy arrival1 as were the rest of her people1 when suddenly the angel came and said3 ,hail1 full of grace4 7,see ,hail ,mary ,expl474 #ge ,q4 ,on what day was ,christ born8 ,a4 ,christ was born on ,christmas ,day in a stable at ,bethlehem1 over nineteen hundred years ago4 ,christmas ,day is the #beth of ,december1 one week before the ,new ,year4 ,it is called ,christmas ,day since the time ,our ,lord was born1 over nineteen hundred years ago4 ,in a stable at ,bethlehem4 ,the story of ,our ,lord's birth is in every way a very sad one4 ,the ,blessed ,virgin and ,st4 ,joseph lived in ,palestine--called also the ,holy ,land since ,our ,lord lived there4 ,palestine was the country where ,god's people1 the ,jews1 lived1 and at the time we are speaking of1 it was under the power of the ,roman ,emperor1 who had his soldiers and governor there4 ,he wished to find out how many people were there1 and so he ordered a census or count of the people to be made4 7,luke #b74 ,we take the census very differently now from what they did then4 ,we in the ,united ,states1 by order of the government1 send men around from house to house to write down the names2 but in ,palestine1 when they wanted the number of the people1 everyone1 no matter where he lived1 had to go to the city or town where his forefathers had lived and there register his name with all the others who belonged to the same tribe or family4 ,now1 the forefathers of ,st4 ,joseph and the ,blessed ,virgin belonged to the little town of ,bethlehem 7,luke #b72 so they had to leave ,nazareth where they were then living and go to ,bethlehem4 ,this was shortly before ,christmas4 ,when they got to ,bethlehem1 they found the place crowded with people who also came to enroll their names4 ,they went to the inn or hotel to seek for lodging for the night4 ,the hotels there were not like ours4 ,they were simply large buildings with small rooms and no furniture2 they were called caravansaries4 ,a man was in charge of the building1 and by paying him something persons were allowed the use of a room4 ,no food was sold there1 so travelers had to do their cooking at home and bring whatever they needed with them4 ,when the ,blessed ,virgin and ,st4 ,joseph went to the inn they found all the rooms occupied4 ,then they went up and down the streets looking for some house where they might stay4 ,nobody would take them in1 because ,st4 ,joseph was old and poor and had no money1 or little1 to give4 ,they were refused at every door1 a very sad thing indeed4 ,what were they to do8 ,it was growing dark1 and the lights most likely were being lighted here and there in the houses4 ,the old towns were not built as ours are1 with houses on the outskirts growing fewer as we advance into the country4 ,they were surrounded by great walls to keep out their enemies4 ,there were several large gates in these walls1 through which the people entered or left the city4 ,at night these gates were closed and guarded4 ,nearly all the people lived within the walls and the country was lonely and almost deserted4 ,only shepherds were to be found in the country1 and they lived in tents1 which they carried about from place to place1 as soldiers do in time of war4 ,such was the country about ,bethlehem4 ,as ,st4 ,joseph and the ,blessed ,virgin could not find anyplace to stay in the town they were forced to go into the country4 ,they must have suffered also from fear because the country was infested with wolves and wild dogs1 so fierce that they sometimes came into the towns and attacked the people in the streets4 ,besides1 many robbers were wandering about waiting for victims4 ,palestine is a hilly country and there were on the sides of some of the hills large caves in which these robbers frequently took refuge or divided their spoils4 ,because the shepherds at times1 especially in bad weather1 brought their animals into these caves1 they are often called stables4 ,the ,blessed ,virgin and ,st4 ,joseph found1 we are told1 one of these cold1 dark places1 went into it for the night1 and there ,our ,lord was born4 ,it was the month of ,december and must have been quite cold1 so the little ,infant ,jesus must have suffered greatly from the cold4 ,if it had been a stable such as we see in our days it would have been bad enough2 but think of this cold1 dark1 miserable cave1 and yet it was ,our ,lord1 the ,king of ,heaven and earth1 who was born there4 ,there are few people so poor that they have to live in a cave4 ,what wonderful humility1 then1 on the part of ,our ,lord4 ,he could have been born1 if ,he wished1 in the grandest palace man could construct and have had thousands of angels to bring ,him whatever ,he needed1 for they are ,his servants in ,heaven4 ,but ,our ,lord became so humble to teach us4 ,what impression should this make on those who are too fond of dress and too vain about their homes4 ,it was foretold by the prophets that ,our ,lord would be born in ,bethlehem1 and when the time was near at hand ,his parents were living in ,nazareth2 then the ,roman ,emperor gave the decree that the census be taken1 which obliged ,our ,lord's parents to go to ,bethlehem1 and thus ,our ,lord was born there1 and the words of the prophets fulfilled4 ,see how ,god moves the whole world1 if necessary1 to accomplish what ,he desires4 ,but how naturally ,he does everything4 ,nobody knew--not even the ,roman ,emperor himself--that he was giving an edict to fulfill the prophecies and the promises of ,god4 ,so1 at times1 people do many things to carry out the designs of ,god1 though they know it not4 ,we should never complain therefore to do unwillingly whatever work we have to perform1 because it may be something that ,god wishes us to do for some very special end4 ,if you look back upon your lives1 you can see that ,god guided and directed you upon many occasions4 99#gf ,q4 ,how long did ,christ live on earth8 ,a4 ,christ lived on earth about thirty-three years1 and led a most holy life in poverty and suffering4 ,the life of ,our ,lord was spent in the following manner4 ,at the time ,our ,lord was born in ,bethlehem wise men or kings1 called ,magi1 came from the ,east--perhaps from ,persia or ,arabia--to adore ,him4 ,they saw a strange star1 and leaving their own country came to ,palestine4 ,when they came as far as ,jerusalem1 they went to ,king ,herod and asked him where the young ,king was born4 ,herod was troubled1 for he was afraid the new ,king would deprive him of his throne4 ,he called together all the priests and asked them about this royal child4 ,they told him and the ,magi that1 according to the prophecies1 the ,saviour should be born in ,bethlehem4 ,the ,wise ,men saw the star once more1 and followed it to ,bethlehem1 where it stood over the stable in which ,our ,lord lay4 ,they entered1 and adored the ,infant ,jesus1 and offered ,him presents4 ,now1 ,herod told them to come back after they had found the newborn ,king1 and tell him where ,he was1 that he too might go and adore ,him4 ,but such was not ,herod's real intention4 ,he wished not to adore but to kill ,him4 ,see1 then1 how the wicked pretend at times to do good1 that they may deceive us and lead us astray4 ,be always on your guard against a person if you suspect his goodness4 ,but ,herod could not deceive ,god1 who1 knowing his heart1 warned the ,wise ,men not to return to ,herod1 but to go back to their own country by another way1 which they did4 ,we celebrate the day on which the ,wise ,men adored the ,infant ,jesus on the feast of the ,epiphany 7six days after ,new ,year's ,day74 ,when the ,magi did not return1 ,herod knew that they had avoided him4 ,he was very angry indeed1 and in order to be sure of killing the poor little ,infant ,jesus1 he had all the infants or children in or near ,bethlehem who were not over two years old put to death4 ,we honor these first little martyrs who suffered for ,christ on the feast of ,holy ,innocents--three days after ,christmas4 ,after the departure of the ,wise ,men1 ,god sent an angel to ,st4 ,joseph warning him of ,herod's evil designs1 and telling him to fly with ,jesus and ,mary into ,egypt4 ,then ,st4 ,joseph1 with the ,blessed ,virgin and the ,infant1 set out for ,egypt4 ,st4 ,joseph did not ask the angel how long he would have to stay there2 nor did he ask to be allowed to wait till morning4 ,he obeyed promptly2 he arose in the night1 and started at once4 ,what an example of obedience for us6 ,they must have had many hardships on the way4 ,they must have suffered much from hunger1 cold1 and fear4 ,they dare not go on the best roads1 for we may well suppose that ,herod had his spies out watching for any that might escape4 ,so they went by the roughest roads and longest way4 ,in ,egypt they were among strangers1 and how could a poor old carpenter like ,st4 ,joseph find enough work there6 ,the ,holy ,family must at times have suffered greatly from want4 ,they remained in ,egypt for some time4 ,afterwards1 when ,herod died1 they returned to ,nazareth4 7,matt4 #b74 ,at twelve years of age ,our ,lord went to the ,temple of ,jerusalem to offer sacrifice with ,his parents4 7,luke #b3db74 ,he afterwards returned to ,nazareth1 and then for eighteen years--called ,his hidden life--we do not hear anything of ,him4 ,most likely ,he worked in the carpenter shop with ,his foster-father1 ,st4 ,joseph4 ,at the age of thirty 7,luke #c3bc71 ,our ,lord began ,his public life2 that is1 ,his preaching1 miracles1 etc4 ,his public life lasted a little over three years1 and then ,he was put to death on the ,cross4 99#gg ,q4 ,why did ,christ live so long on earth8 ,a4 ,christ lived so long on earth to show us the way to ,heaven by ,his teaching and example4 ,christ went through all the stages of life that each might have an example4 ,he was an infant3 then a child2 then a young man1 and finally a man4 ,he did not become an old man to set an example to the old1 because if men follow ,his example in their youth and manhood they will be good in old age4 ,youth is the all-important time to learn4 ,if you want a tree to grow straight1 you must keep it straight while it is only a little twig4 ,you cannot straighten an old oak tree that has grown up crooked4 ,so you must be taught to do right in your youth1 that you may do the same when old4 ,of the hidden or private life of ,our ,lord we1 as ,i have said1 know nothing1 except that ,he was obedient to ,his parents2 for ,he wished to give an example also to those holy persons who lead a life hidden from the world4 ,some books have given stories about what ,our ,lord did in school1 etc41 but these stories are not true4 ,the only true things we know of ,our ,lord are those told in the ,holy ,scripture1 or handed down to us by the ,church in her teachings1 or those certainly revealed to ,god's saints4 ,remember1 then1 that others are taught best by example1 and be careful of the example you give4 ,lesson #h ,,on ,,our ,,lord',s ,,passion1 ,,death1 ,,resurrection1 ,,and ,,ascension ,the ,passion1 that is1 the terrible sufferings of ,our ,lord1 began after the ,last ,supper1 and ended at ,his death4 ,on ,thursday evening1 ,our ,lord sat down for the last time with ,his dear ,apostles4 ,he had been talking1 eating1 and living with them for over three years2 and now ,he is going to take ,his last meal with them before ,his death4 ,he told them then how ,he was to suffer1 and that one of them was going to betray ,him4 ,they were very much troubled1 for only ,judas himself knew what he was about to do4 #gh ,q4 ,what did ,jesus ,christ suffer8 ,a4 ,jesus ,christ suffered a bloody sweat1 a cruel scourging1 was crowned with thorns1 and was crucified4 ,after the ,supper1 ,our ,lord went with ,his ,apostles to a little country place just outside ,jerusalem1 and separated from it by a small stream4 ,he told the three ,apostles1 ,peter1 ,james1 and ,john1 to stay near the entrance1 and to watch and pray1 while ,he ,himself went further into the ,garden of ,olives1 or ,gethsemani1 as this place was called1 and throwing ,himself upon ,his face1 prayed long and earnestly1 but the ,apostles fell asleep4 ,we often find persons who are in great anguish or dread covered with a cold perspiration4 ,now1 ,our ,lord's agony in the garden was so intense that great drops1 not of sweat1 but of blood1 oozed from every pore1 and trickled to the ground4 ,there are three reasons given for this dreadful agony4 7#a7 ,the clear1 certain knowledge of the sufferings so soon to be endured4 ,if we were to be put to death tomorrow and knew exactly the manner of our death and the pain it would inflict1 how great would be our fear6 ,our ,lord1 knowing all things1 knew in every particular what ,he would have to undergo4 ,moreover1 ,his sufferings were greater than ours could be1 even if we suffered the same kind of death2 because ,his body was most perfect1 and therefore more susceptible of pain than ours4 ,a wound in the eye1 because the most sensitive and delicate part of the body1 would cause us greater pain than a wound on the foot or hand4 ,thus1 all the parts of ,our ,lord's body being so perfect and sensitive1 we can scarcely imagine ,his dreadful torments1 the very thought of which caused ,him such agony4 7#b7 ,the sins1 past1 present1 and future of all men4 ,he knew all things1 as we have said1 and looking back upon the world ,he saw all the sins committed1 of thought1 word1 and deed1 from the time of ,adam down to ,his own2 and seeing all these offenses against ,his ,father1 ,he was very much grieved4 7#c7 ,the third reason why ,he grieved4 ,he looked forward and saw how little many persons would profit by all the sufferings ,he was about to endure4 ,he saw all the sins that would be committed from the time of ,his death down to the end of the world4 ,he saw us also sinning with the rest4 ,no wonder then that ,he suffered so much in the garden4 ,this suffering on that night is called ,our ,lord's ,agony in the ,garden4 ,that night ,judas1 who had betrayed ,him to ,his enemies1 came with a great band of soldiers and people1 with swords and clubs1 to make ,our ,lord a prisoner4 ,he did not try to escape1 but stood waiting for them1 though all ,his ,apostles1 who had promised to stay with ,him1 ran away4 ,then the soldiers led ,our ,lord to the house of the ,chief ,priest4 ,then they gathered the priests1 and gave ,him a kind of trial1 and said ,he was guilty of death4 ,but at that time the ,jews had no power to put persons to death according to the law2 so they had to send ,our ,lord to ,pontius ,pilate1 the ,roman ,governor1 to be condemned1 because they were under the power of the ,romans4 ,the ,jews acted against their laws in the trial of ,our ,lord4 7#a7 ,they tried ,him at night2 and 7#b7 they allowed ,him no witnesses in ,his defense1 but even employed false witnesses to testify against ,him1 and thus acted against all law and justice4 ,early in the morning they led ,him to ,pilate1 who commanded that ,he should be scourged4 ,then they stripped ,our ,lord of ,his garments1 fastened ,his hands to a low stone pillar1 and there ,he was scourged by the ,roman soldiers4 ,the lashes used by the ,romans were made of leather1 with pieces of bone1 iron1 or steel fastened into it1 so that every stroke would lay open the flesh4 ,it is most likely these were the lashes used upon ,our ,lord till every portion of ,his body was bruised and bleeding1 and they replaced ,his garments upon ,him4 ,now1 you know if you put a cloth upon a fresh wound the blood will soak into it and cause it to adhere to the mangled flesh4 ,our ,blessed ,lord's garment1 thus saturated with ,his blood1 adhered to ,his wounded body1 and when again removed caused ,him unspeakable pain4 ,next1 the soldiers1 because ,our ,lord had said ,he was a king--meaning a spiritual king--led ,him into a large hall and mocked ,him4 ,they made a crown of long1 sharp thorns1 and forced it down upon ,his brow with a heavy rod or reed2 every stroke driving the thorns into ,his head1 and causing the blood to roll down ,his sacred face4 ,they again took off ,his garments1 and opened anew the painful wounds4 ,because kings wore purple1 they put an old purple garment upon ,him1 and made ,him a mock king1 genuflecting in ridicule as they passed before ,him4 ,they struck ,him in the face and spat upon ,him2 and yet it seems our patient ,lord said not a word in complaint4 ,then they put ,his garments upon ,him1 and ,pilate asked the people what he should do with ,him1 and they cried1 ,crucify ,him4 ,it was then ,friday morning1 and probably about ten or eleven o'clock4 ,they made a cross of heavy beams1 and laying it upon ,his shoulders1 forced ,him to carry it to ,calvary--the place of execution1 just outside the city2 for it was not allowed to execute anyone in the city4 ,our ,lord had not eaten anything from ,thursday evening1 and then with all ,he suffered and the loss of blood1 ,he must have been very weak at eleven o'clock on ,friday morning4 ,he was weak1 and fell many times under the ,cross4 ,his suffering was increased by seeing ,his ,blessed ,mother looking at ,him4 ,when ,he arrived at ,calvary they tore off ,his garments and nailed ,him to the ,cross1 driving the rough nails through ,his hands and feet4 ,it was then about twelve o'clock4 ,from twelve to three in the afternoon ,our ,blessed ,saviour was hanging on the ,cross1 with a great multitude of ,his enemies about ,him mocking and saying cruel things4 ,even the two thieves that were crucified with ,him reviled ,him1 though one of them repented and was pardoned before death4 ,our ,lord's poor ,mother and ,his few friends stood at a little distance witnessing all that was going on4 ,when ,our ,lord was thirsty ,his executioners gave ,him gall to drink4 ,at three o'clock ,he died1 and there was an earthquake and darkness1 and the people were sorely afraid4 ,but you will ask1 how could these soldiers be so cruel8 ,they were ,romans2 and in those days men called gladiators used to fight with swords before the ,roman ,emperor and all the people--just as actors play now for the amusement of their audience4 ,people who could enjoy such scenes as men slaying one another in deadly conflict would scarcely be moved to pity by seeing a man scourged4 ,again1 in the early ages of the ,church1 during the persecutions1 the ,emperors used to order the ,christians to be thrown to wild beasts to be torn to pieces in the presence of the people--who applauded these horrible sights4 ,they who could see so many put to death would not mind putting one to death1 even in the most terrible manner4 #gi ,q4 ,on what day did ,christ die8 ,a4 ,christ died on ,good ,friday4 ,good ,friday1 so called since that time4 99#hj ,q4 ,why do you call that day good on which ,christ suffered so sorrowful a death8 ,a4 ,we call that day good on which ,christ died1 because by ,his death ,he showed ,his great love for man1 and purchased for him every blessing4 99#ha ,q4 ,where did ,christ die8 ,a4 ,christ died on ,mount ,calvary4 ,mount ,calvary1 a little hill just outside the city of ,jerusalem4 ,for every city they have a special prison or place where all their criminals are executed4 ,now1 as the great ,temple of ,god was in ,jerusalem1 the city itself was called the ,city of ,god1 because in the ,temple ,god spoke to the priests in the ,holy of ,holies4 ,the ,temple was divided into two parts3 one part1 something like the body of our churches1 called the ,holy1 and the other part1 where the ,ark of the ,covenant was kept1 called the ,holy of ,holies4 ,it had about the same relation to the ,temple as our altar and sanctuary have to our churches4 ,the ,ark of the ,covenant was a box about four feet long1 two and a half feet high1 and two and a half feet wide1 made of the finest wood1 and ornamented with gold in the most beautiful manner4 ,in it were the tables of stone1 on which were written the ,commandments of ,god2 also the rod that ,aaron--,moses' brother--changed into a serpent before ,king ,pharaoh2 also some of the manna with which the people were miraculously fed during their forty years' journey in the desert when they fled out of ,egypt4 ,all these things were figures of the true religion4 ,the ,ark itself was a figure of the tabernacle1 and the manna of the ,holy ,eucharist4 ,the ,holy of ,holies was hidden from the people by a veil4 ,only the ,chief ,priest was allowed into that sacred place1 and but once a year4 ,the veil--called the veil of the ,temple--hiding that ,holy of ,holies1 though the things mentioned above were no longer in it1 was torn asunder when ,our ,lord died on the ,cross 7,matt4 #bg3ea72 because after ,his death there was no need any longer of figures2 for after ,his death we have the tabernacle itself and the real manna1 the real bread from ,heaven1 viz41 the body of ,our ,lord4 ,the veil was rent to show also that ,god would not remain any longer in the ,temple1 but would be for the future only in the ,christian ,church4 ,on account of all these things1 therefore1 ,jerusalem was called the ,holy ,city1 and no criminals were put to death in it1 but were conducted to ,calvary--which means the place of skulls--and were there put to death4 ,i now call your attention to one thing4 ,if the ,jews showed such great respect and reverence for the ,ark containing only figures of the ,blessed ,sacrament1 how should we behave in the presence of the tabernacle on the altar containing the ,blessed ,sacrament itself6 99#hb ,q4 ,how did ,christ die8 ,a4 ,christ was nailed to a cross and died on it1 between two thieves4 ,two thieves1 because they thought this would make ,his death more disgraceful--making ,him equal to common criminals4 ,one of these thieves1 called the penitent thief1 repented of his sins and received ,our ,lord's pardon before his death4 ,the other thief died in his sins4 ,holy writers tell us that one of these thieves was saved to give poor sinners hope1 and to teach them that they may save their souls at the very last moment of their lives if only they are heartily sorry for their sins and implore ,god's pardon for them4 ,the other thief remained and died impenitent1 that sinners may fear to put off their conversion to the hour of death1 thus rashly presuming on ,god's mercy4 ,persons who willfully delay their conversion and put off their repentance to the last moment1 living bad lives with the hope of dying well1 may not accept the grace to repent at the last moment1 but may1 like the unfortunate1 impenitent thief1 die as they lived1 in a state of sin4 #hc ,q4 ,why did ,christ suffer and die8 ,a4 ,christ suffered and died for our sins4 ,it was not necessary for ,our ,lord to suffer so much1 but ,he did it to show how much ,he loved us and valued our souls1 and how much ,he was willing to give for them4 ,we1 alas6 do not value our souls as ,christ did2 we sometimes sell them for the merest trifle--a moment's gratification4 ,how sinful6 99#hd ,q4 ,what lessons do we learn from the sufferings and death of ,christ8 ,a4 ,from the sufferings and death of ,christ we learn the great evil of sin1 the hatred ,god bears to it1 and the necessity of satisfying for it4 ,we learn the great evil of sin also from the misery it brought into the world2 the hatred ,god bears to it1 from the punishment ,he inflicted on the wicked angels and on our first parents for it2 and lastly1 the necessity of satisfying for it1 from the fact that ,god allowed ,his dear and only ,son to suffer death itself for the sins even of others4 99#he ,q4 ,whither did ,christ's soul go after ,his death8 ,a4 ,after ,christ's death ,his soul descended into hell4 99#hf ,q4 ,did ,christ's soul descend into the hell of the damned8 ,a4 ,the hell into which ,christ's soul descended was not the hell of the damned1 but a place or state of rest called ,limbo1 where the souls of the just were waiting for ,him4 ,hell had many meanings in olden times4 ,the grave was sometimes called hell4 ,jacob1 when he heard that wild beasts had devoured his son ,joseph1 said3 ,i will go down with sorrow into hell4 ,he meant the grave4 ,limbo is not the same as ,purgatory4 ,it does not exist now1 or1 if it does1 is only for little children who have never committed actual sin and who have died without ,baptism4 ,they will never get into ,heaven or see ,god1 but they will not have to suffer pains as they who are in ,purgatory or ,hell endure4 99#hg ,q4 ,why did ,christ descend into ,limbo8 ,a4 ,christ descended into ,limbo to preach to the souls who were in prison--that is1 to announce to them the joyful tidings of their redemption4 99#hh ,q4 ,where was ,christ's body while ,his soul was in ,limbo8 ,a4 ,while ,christ's soul was in ,limbo ,his body was in the ,holy ,sepulchre4 ,sepulchre is the same as tomb4 ,it is like a little room4 ,in it the coffin is not covered up with earth as it is in the grave1 but is placed upon a stand4 ,we call such places vaults1 and you can see many of them in any cemetery or burying ground4 ,sometimes they are cut in the side of elevated ground with their entrance level with the road1 and sometimes they are built altogether under the ground4 ,the one in which ,our ,lord was placed was cut out of the side of a rock1 and had for a door a great stone against the entrance4 ,our ,lord was not placed in a coffin1 but was wrapped in a linen cloth4 ,it was the custom of the ,jewish people and of many other ancient nations to embalm the bodies of the dead1 wrap them in cloths1 and cover them with sweet spices4 7,matt4 #bg3ei74 ,thus it was that ,mary ,magdalene and other good women came early in the morning to anoint the body of ,our ,lord4 ,but you will say1 why did they not do it on ,friday evening or night8 ,the reason was this3 ,the day with the ,jews began at sunset--generally about six o'clock--and ended at sunset on the next evening4 ,we count our twenty-four hours1 or day1 from twelve at midnight till twelve the next night4 ,therefore1 with the ,jews six o'clock on ,friday evening was the beginning of ,saturday4 ,they kept ,saturday1 or the ,sabbath1 instead of ,sunday as a day of worship4 ,on that day1 which they kept very strictly1 it was not allowable to do work of any kind2 so they could not anoint ,our ,lord's body till the ,sabbath ended1 which was about six o'clock1 or sunset on ,saturday evening4 ,so1 as the ,holy ,scripture tells us1 they came very early in the morning2 for ,mary ,magdalene and these good women were ,jews1 and strictly observed the ,jewish law4 ,you must know that ,our ,lord ,himself1 the ,blessed ,virgin1 ,st4 ,joseph1 and the ,apostles were ,jews2 and that the ,jewish religion was the true religion up to the coming of ,our ,lord2 but as it was only a figure and a promise of the ,christian religion1 it ceased to have any meaning or to be the true religion when the ,christian religion itself was established by ,our ,lord4 #hi ,q4 ,on what day did ,christ rise from the dead8 ,a4 ,christ rose from the dead1 glorious and immortal1 on ,easter ,sunday1 the third day after ,his death4 ,rose by ,his own power4 ,this is the greatest of all ,our ,lord's miracles1 because all ,he taught is confirmed by it and depends upon it4 ,a miracle is a work that can be performed only by ,god1 or by someone to whom ,he has given the power4 ,if anyone performs a real miracle to prove what he says1 his words must be true2 for ,god1 who is infinite truth1 could not sanction a lie--could not help an impostor to deceive us4 ,now ,our ,lord said ,he was the ,son of ,god2 that ,he could forgive sins1 etc42 and ,he performed miracles to prove what ,he said4 ,therefore ,he must have told the truth4 ,so all those whom ,god sent to do any great work were given the power to perform miracles that the people might know they were really messengers from ,god4 ,they1 on the other hand1 who claim--as many have done from time to time in the world--that they have been sent by ,god to do some great work1 and can give no convincing proof of their mission1 are not to be believed4 ,thus1 when ,martin ,luther claimed that he was sent by ,god to reform the ,catholic ,church--which had existed nearly #a1ejj years before he was born--he performed no miracles1 nor did he give any other proof that he had any such commission from ,god2 and he cannot therefore be believed4 ,god has established all the laws of nature permanently4 ,they will not vary or change1 so that we can depend upon them4 ,we can always be sure that the sun will rise and set2 that the seasons will come2 that fire will burn1 etc4 ,now1 if we see three young men in a great fiery furnace without being burned 7,dan4 #c71 we say it is a great miracle2 because naturally the fire would burn them up if ,god did not prevent it4 ,again1 water will not stand up like a high wall without something keeping it back2 it will always run about and fill every empty spot near it4 ,if1 therefore1 we see water standing up like a high wall1 as it did in the ,red ,sea at the command of ,moses1 and in the ,river ,jordan1 we say it is a miracle4 ,so in all cases where the laws of nature do not work in the ordinary manner1 we say a miracle is being performed4 ,now ,our ,lord performed many such miracles--many times ,he suspended the laws of nature--which ,god alone can do1 since ,he alone established them4 ,our ,lord called back the soul to the body after death1 thus raising the dead4 ,he healed the sick1 gave sight to the blind1 cured the lame1 etc41 when all medicine and natural means were useless4 ,he did all these things instantly as a rule1 and without remedies4 ,therefore ,his miracles prove ,his divine power4 ,since the resurrection was a great miracle1 and ,our ,lord performed it to prove that ,he was the true and only ,son of ,god1 ,he must have been just what ,he said ,he was4 ,glorious4 ,our ,lord rose in the same body ,he had before ,his death2 but when ,he rose it had new qualities--it was glorified4 ,the qualities of a glorified body are four1 viz43 brilliancy1 agility1 subtility1 and impassability4 7#a7 ,it has brilliancy2 that is1 it shines like a light2 it gives forth light2 the soul shines through the body4 ,you have heard of the ,transfiguration of ,our ,lord4 ,one day ,he took three of ,his ,apostles--,peter1 ,james1 and ,john--unto a high mountain 7,matt4 #ag72 and as ,he was speaking to them1 suddenly ,his whole body began to shine like the sun4 ,then ,moses and ,elias--two great and holy men of the ,old ,law--came and conversed with ,him4 ,the ,apostles were astonished and delighted at the sight1 and wished to remain there always4 ,our ,lord's body at that time showed one of the qualities of a glorified body4 ,the same three ,apostles that saw ,him thus transfigured and heard the voice of the ,heavenly ,father saying1 ,this is ,my beloved ,son1 were present in the garden during ,our ,lord's agony4 ,he allowed them to see the ,transfiguration1 so that when they should see ,him suffering as man1 they would remember that they saw ,him on the mountain glorified as ,god4 7#b7 ,agility2 that is1 a glorified body can move rapidly from one place to another1 like the lightning itself4 ,after ,his resurrection ,our ,lord was in ,jerusalem1 and almost immediately ,he appeared near the village of ,emmaus to two disciples going there4 7,luke #bd74 ,they had left ,jerusalem after the ,crucifixion1 probably through fear1 and were going along together talking about what had happened during the days of ,our ,lord's ,passion4 ,suddenly ,our ,lord came and walked and talked with them1 but they did not know ,him4 ,they asked ,him to stay that night at their house1 for it was growing dark4 ,he did not stop with them1 and at supper they knew ,him1 and then ,he vanished from their sight4 ,an ordinary person would have to get up and walk away2 but ,he vanished1 showing on this occasion the second quality of ,his glorified body--agility4 7#c7 ,subtility2 that is1 such a body can go where it pleases and cannot be resisted by material things4 ,it can pass through closed doors or gates1 and even walls cannot keep it out4 ,it passes through everything1 as light does through glass without breaking it4 ,at one time after ,our ,lord's resurrection the ,apostles were gathered together in a room1 for they were still afraid of being put to death1 and the doors were tightly closed4 ,suddenly ,our ,lord stood in the midst of them and said3 ,peace be to you4 7,john #bj3ai74 ,they did not open the door for ,him2 neither wood nor stone could keep ,him out3 and thus ,he showed that ,his body had the third quality4 7#d7 ,his body had the fourth quality also--impassability1 which means that it can no longer suffer4 ,before ,his death1 and at it1 ,our ,lord suffered dreadful torments1 as you know2 but after ,his resurrection nothing could injure or hurt ,him4 ,the spear could not hurt ,his side1 nor the nails ,his hands1 nor the thorns ,his head4 ,shortly after ,his resurrection ,our ,lord appeared to ,his ,apostles while ,thomas1 one of them1 was absent4 7,john #bj3bd74 ,when ,thomas returned1 the other ,apostles told him that they had seen the ,lord risen from the dead2 but he would not believe them1 saying3 ,unless ,i see the holes where the nails were in ,his hands and feet1 and put my finger into ,his side1 ,i will not believe4 ,now ,our ,lord1 knowing all things1 knew this also2 so ,he came again when ,thomas was present1 and said to him3 ,now1 ,thomas1 put your hand into ,my side4 ,thomas cried out3 ,my ,lord and my ,god6 ,he believed then1 because he saw4 ,now if this body of ,our ,lord's had been an ordinary body1 it would have caused ,him pain to allow anyone to put his hand into the wound2 but it was impassable4 ,it seems very strange1 does it not1 that ,thomas would not believe what the other ,apostles told him8 ,god permitted this4 ,why8 ,because1 if they all believed easily1 some enemies of ,our ,lord might say the ,apostles were simple men that believed everything without any proof4 ,now they cannot truly say so1 because here was one of the ,apostles1 ,thomas1 who would not believe without the very strongest kind of proof4 ,another person1 one would think1 would have been satisfied with seeing ,our ,lord's wounds2 but ,thomas would not trust even his eyes--he must also touch before he would believe3 showing1 therefore1 that the ,apostles were not deceived in anything ,our ,lord did in their presence1 for they had always the most convincing proofs4 ,after the ,resurrection1 at the last day1 the bodies of all those who are to be in ,heaven will have the qualities ,i have mentioned2 that is1 they will be glorified bodies4 ,speaking of ,our ,lord's wounds1 ,i might tell you what the stigmata means1 if you should ever hear or read of it4 ,there have been some persons in the world--saints1 of course--who have had upon their hands1 feet1 and side wounds just like those ,our ,lord had1 and these wounds caused them great pain4 ,for example1 ,st4 ,francis of ,assisi 7see ,butler's ,lives of the ,saints1 ,oct4 #dth74 ,up to #ahhc--that is1 only a few years ago--there lived in ,belgium a young girl named ,louise ,lateau who had the stigmata4 ,we have the most positive proof of it1 as you may see in the accounts of her life now published4 ,her wounds caused her great pain and bled every ,friday for many years4 ,she was a delicate seamstress1 and lived with her mother and sisters in almost continual poverty4 ,she had always been remarkable for her true piety1 patience in suffering1 and charity to the sick4 ,i mention this young girl because she lived in our own time1 and is the latest person we know of who had the stigmata1 or wounds of ,our ,lord4 ,so if you ever hear of the stigmata of ,st4 ,francis or others1 you will know that it means wounds like those of ,our ,lord impressed on their bodies in a miraculous manner4 ,immortal--that is never to die again1 as it will be with us also after the ,resurrection4 ,the third day4 ,it was not three full days1 but the parts of three days4 ,suppose someone should ask you on ,friday evening how long from now to ,sunday2 you would answer3 ,sunday will be the third day from today4 ,you would count thus3 ,friday one1 ,saturday two1 and ,sunday itself three4 ,so it was with ,our ,lord4 ,he died on ,friday at about three in the afternoon1 and remained in the sepulchre till ,sunday morning4 99#ij ,q4 ,how long did ,christ stay on earth after ,his resurrection8 ,a4 ,christ stayed on earth forty days after ,his resurrection1 to show that ,he was truly risen from the dead1 and to instruct ,his ,apostles4 ,after ,our ,lord's resurrection ,he remained on earth forty days3 but you must not think ,he was visible all that time4 ,no4 ,he did not appear to everybody1 but only to certain persons1 and not all the time to them either4 ,he appeared to ,his ,apostles and others in all about nine times2 at least1 we know for certain that ,he appeared nine times1 though ,he may have appeared oftener4 ,he showed that ,he was truly risen1 for ,he ate with ,his ,apostles and conversed with them4 7,luke #bd3db74 ,it was after the resurrection that ,he breathed on them and gave them the power to forgive sins4 7,john #bj74 #ia ,q4 ,after ,christ had remained forty days on earth1 whither did ,he go8 ,a4 ,after forty days ,christ ascended into ,heaven1 and the day on which ,he ascended into ,heaven is called ,ascension ,day4 ,one day ,he was on a mountain with ,his ,apostles and disciples2 and as ,he was talking to them ,he began to rise up slowly and quietly1 just as you have sometimes seen a balloon soar up into the air without noise4 ,higher and higher ,he ascended2 and as they gazed up at ,him1 the clouds opened to receive ,him1 then closed under ,him3 and that was the last of ,our ,lord's mission as man upon earth4 ,the ,ascension took place forty days after the resurrection4 7,acts #a74 99#ib ,q4 ,where is ,christ in ,heaven8 ,a4 ,in ,heaven ,christ sits at the right hand of ,god the ,father ,almighty4 99#ic ,q4 ,what do you mean by saying that ,christ sits at the right hand of ,god8 ,a4 ,when ,i say that ,christ sits at the right hand of ,god1 ,i mean that ,christ as ,god is equal to ,his ,father in all things1 and that as man ,he is in the highest place in ,heaven next to ,god4 ,lesson #i ,,on ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost ,,and ,,his ,,descent ,,upon ,,the ,,apostles #id ,q4 ,who is the ,holy ,ghost8 ,a4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is the ,third ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity4 99#ie ,q4 ,from whom does the ,holy ,ghost proceed8 ,a4 ,the ,holy ,ghost proceeds from the ,father and the ,son4 99#if ,q4 ,is the ,holy ,ghost equal to the ,father and the ,son8 ,a4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is equal to the ,father and the ,son1 being the same ,lord and ,god as they are4 #ig ,q4 ,on what day did the ,holy ,ghost come down upon the ,apostles8 ,a4 ,the ,holy ,ghost came down upon the ,apostles ten days after the ,ascension of ,our ,lord2 and the day on which ,he came down upon the ,apostles is called ,whit-,sunday or ,pentecost4 ,we have seen already that the ,apostles fled and were very much afraid when ,our ,lord was taken prisoner4 ,even ,peter1 the chief of the ,apostles1 who said he would die rather than leave ,our ,lord1 shamefully denied ,him2 and ,st4 ,john1 the beloved disciple1 stood near the ,cross1 but offered no resistance to ,our ,lord's enemies4 ,after the ,crucifixion of ,our ,lord1 the ,apostles1 afraid of being put to death1 shut themselves up in a room4 ,ten days after ,our ,lord's ,ascension they were praying as usual in their room1 when suddenly they heard the sound as it were of a great wind1 and then they saw tongues the shape of our own1 but all on fire1 coming1 and one tongue resting on the head of each ,apostle present4 7,acts #b74 ,this was the ,holy ,ghost coming to them4 ,the ,holy ,ghost1 being a pure spirit without a body1 can take any form ,he pleases4 ,he sometimes came in the form of a dove2 so when you see a dove painted in a church near the altar1 it is there to represent the ,holy ,ghost4 ,you could not paint a spirit1 so angels and ,god ,himself are generally represented in pictures as they at some time appeared to men4 ,whit-,sunday1 or ,white-,sunday2 probably so called because in the early ages of the ,church converts were baptized on the day before1 and after their ,baptism wore white robes or garments as a mark of the soul's purity after ,baptism4 ,pentecost means the fiftieth day1 because the feast comes fifty days after the resurrection of ,our ,lord4 ,after ,his resurrection ,he remained forty days upon earth1 and ten days after ,he ascended into ,heaven the ,holy ,ghost came1 thus making the fifty days4 ,after the ,holy ,ghost came down upon the ,apostles they were no longer timid men4 ,they went forth boldly into the streets and preached ,christ crucified1 telling the people how the ,son of ,god--the true ,messias promised--had been put to death4 ,many who heard them believed and were baptized4 ,the first time ,st4 ,peter preached to the people three thousand were converted 7,acts #b3da72 so that when all the ,apostles preached the number of ,christians increased rapidly1 and the ,christian religion was soon carried to distant parts of the world4 ,at the time ,our ,lord was put to death the ,jews were celebrating a great feast in ,jerusalem4 ,the ,jews were not like us in this respect4 ,we have many churches1 and in all of them sacrifice1 that is1 the ,holy ,mass1 is offered4 ,the ,jews had only one temple where sacrifice could be offered1 and that was in ,jerusalem4 ,they had synagogues or meeting houses throughout the land in which they assembled to pray and hear the ,holy ,scriptures read2 but they could not offer sacrifice in them4 ,three times a year they went to ,jerusalem to celebrate their great feasts4 ,one of these feasts was called the ,pasch1 or ,passover1 and it was during the celebration of that feast that ,our ,lord was put to death2 so that there were many persons from all parts of the nation present at the sad execution4 ,i must now tell you why they celebrated the ,pasch4 ,we generally celebrate a feast to commemorate--to remind us of--some great event2 and the ,jews celebrated this feast to remind them of their deliverance from the slavery of the ,egyptians1 in which their ancestors had been suffering for about two hundred years4 ,at the end of that time ,god sent ,moses to deliver them4 ,you should know1 then1 who ,moses was and what he did to deliver his people1 and you should know also something of the history of his people--the ,israelites--and how they came to be in ,egypt4 ,at the time ,i am now going to speak of the old patriarch ,jacob1 ,abraham's grandson1 had eleven sons--for ,benjamin1 the twelfth son1 was born afterwards--and the youngest was called ,joseph4 ,joseph was the favorite of his father1 and his brothers were jealous of him4 ,the brothers were shepherds1 and used to take their flocks to feed at a great distance from home1 and did not return for a long time4 ,one day the father sent ,joseph to his brothers to see if all were well4 ,they hated ,joseph because his father loved him best2 and when they saw him coming they agreed never to let him return to his father4 7,gen4 #cg74 ,they intended to kill him4 ,while they were debating about how they should put him to death--he was then only sixteen years old--some merchants passed on their way to ,egypt2 so1 instead of killing him1 they sold him as a slave to the merchants4 ,then they took ,joseph's coat and dipped it in the blood of a kid1 and sent it to their poor old father1 saying they had found it1 and making him believe that some wild beast on the way had eaten ,joseph4 ,when the merchants arrived in ,egypt1 ,potiphar1 one of the king's officers1 bought ,joseph1 and brought him as a slave to his own house4 ,while there1 ,joseph was falsely accused of a great crime1 and cast into prison4 ,while ,joseph was in prison the king had a dream4 7,gen4 #da74 ,he saw in the dream seven fat cows coming up out of a river1 followed by seven lean cows2 and the lean cows ate up the fat cows4 ,he saw also seven fat ears of corn and seven lean ears of corn2 and the seven lean ears ate up the seven fat ears4 ,the king was very much troubled1 and called together all his wise men to tell him what the dream meant1 but they could not4 ,then the king heard of ,joseph1 and sent for him4 ,now ,joseph was a very good young man1 and ,god showed him the meaning2 so he told the king that the seven fat ears of corn and the seven fat cows meant seven years of great abundance in ,egypt1 and that the seven lean ears and the seven lean cows meant seven years of famine that would follow1 and all the abundance of the previous seven years would be consumed4 ,so he advised the king to build great barns during the years of plenty1 and gather up all the corn everywhere to save it for the years of famine4 ,the king was delighted at ,joseph's wisdom1 and made him after himself the most powerful in the kingdom1 giving him charge of everything1 so that ,joseph himself might do what he had advised4 ,now it happened years after this that there was a famine in the country where ,joseph's father lived1 and he sent all his sons down into ,egypt to buy corn4 7,gen4 #db74 ,they did not know their brother ,joseph1 but he knew them2 and after forgiving them for what they had done to him1 he sent them home with an abundance of corn4 ,afterwards ,joseph's father and brothers left their own country and came to live near ,joseph in ,egypt4 ,the king gave them good land 7,gen4 #dg71 and they lived there in peace and happiness4 ,learn from this beautiful history of ,joseph how ,god protects those that love and serve ,him no matter where they are or in what danger they may be placed2 and how ,he even turns the evil deeds of their enemies into blessings for them4 ,after the death of ,joseph and his brothers1 their descendants became very numerous1 and the new king of the ,egyptians began to persecute them4 7,ex4 #b74 ,he imposed upon them the hardest works1 and treated them most cruelly4 ,he ordered that all their male infants should1 as soon as born1 be thrown into the ,river ,nile4 ,now about that time ,moses was born4 7,ex4 #b74 ,his mother did not obey the king's order1 but hid him for about three months4 ,when she could conceal him no longer she made a little cradle of rushes1 and covering it over with pitch or tar to keep out the water1 placed him in it1 and then laid it in the tall grass by the edge of the river1 sending his little sister to watch what would become of him4 ,just then the king's daughter came down to bathe1 and seeing the little child1 ordered one of her servants to bring him to her4 ,at that moment ,moses' little sister1 pretending not to know him1 ran up and asked the king's daughter if she wished to procure a nurse for him4 ,the king's daughter replied in the affirmative and permitted her to bring one2 so ,moses' own mother was brought and engaged to be his nurse3 but he was not known as her son1 but as the adopted son of the king's daughter4 ,when ,moses grew up he was an officer in the king's army2 but because he took the part of his persecuted countrymen he offended the king1 and had to fly from the palace4 ,he then went into another country and became a shepherd4 ,during all this time the persecuted ,israelites were praying to the true ,god to be delivered from the slavery of the ,egyptians1 who were idolaters4 ,one day ,moses saw a bush burning2 and as he came near to look at it1 he heard a voice telling him not to come too near1 and bidding him take off his shoes1 for he was on holy ground4 7,ex4 #c74 ,it was ,god who thus appeared and spoke to him1 and ,he ordered him to take off his shoes as a mark of respect and reverence4 ,when we want to show our respect for any person or place1 we take off our hats2 but the people of that country1 instead of their hats1 took off their shoes4 ,it was the custom of the country and did not seem strange to them4 ,then ,god told ,moses that ,he was going to send him to deliver ,his people from the ,egyptians and lead them back to their own country2 and ,he sent ,aaron1 the brother of ,moses1 with him4 ,then ,moses said to ,god1 the king of ,egypt will not let the people go1 and what can ,i do8 ,god gave ,moses two signs or miracles to show the king1 so that he could know that ,moses was really sent by ,him4 ,he gave him power to change a rod into a serpent1 and back again into a rod2 power also to bring a disease instantly upon his hand1 and to heal it instantly4 7,ex4 #d74 ,do these1 said ,almighty ,god1 in the presence of the king4 ,then ,moses and ,aaron went to the king and did as ,god commanded them2 and when the rod of ,aaron became a serpent1 the king's magicians--that is1 men who do apparently wonderful things by sleight of hand or the power of the devil--cast their rods upon the ground1 and they also became serpents--not that their rods were changed into serpents1 but the devil1 who was helping them1 took away instantly their rods and put real serpents in their place--but ,aaron's serpent swallowed them up4 7,ex4 #g74 ,after these signs the king would not let the people go with ,moses2 for ,god permitted the king's heart to be hardened1 so that all the ,egyptians might see the great work ,god was going to do for ,his people4 ,then ,god sent the ten plagues upon the ,egyptians1 while the ,israelites--,god's people--suffered nothing from these plagues4 ,the first plague was blood4 ,all the water in the land was converted into blood4 7,ex4 #g74 ,the king then sent for ,moses and promised that if he would take away the plague he would allow all the people to depart4 ,moses prayed to ,god1 and the plague was removed4 ,but after it was taken away the king's heart was hardened again and he would not keep his promise4 ,just as people in sickness1 distress1 or danger sometimes promise ,god they will lead better lives if only ,he will help them1 and when they are saved they do not keep their promises1 so did ,pharao2 and therefore ,god sent another plague4 ,the second plague was frogs4 ,great numbers of them came out of the rivers and lakes1 and filled all the houses of the ,egyptians1 and crawled into their food1 beds1 etc4 ,again the king sent for ,moses and did as before2 and again ,moses prayed1 and all the frogs went back into the waters or died4 7,ex4 #h74 ,but the king again hardened his heart and did not keep his promise4 ,the third plague was sciniphs 7,ex4 #h7--very small flies1 that filled the land4 ,imagine our country filled with mosquitoes so numerous that you could scarcely walk through them2 it would be a dreadful plague4 ,as it is1 two or three might cause you considerable annoyance1 and pain3 what then if there were millions doubly venomous1 because sent to punish you8 ,so these little flies must have greatly punished the ,egyptians4 ,the fourth plague was flies that filled the land and covered everything1 to the great disgust of the people4 ,the fifth plague was murrain--a disease that broke out among the cattle4 ,the sixth plague was a disease--boils--that broke out on men and beasts1 so that scarcely anyone could move on account of the pains and suffering4 ,the seventh plague was hail1 that fell in large pieces and destroyed all their crops4 ,the eighth plague was locusts4 ,these are very destructive little animals4 ,they look something like our grasshoppers1 but are about two or three times their size4 ,they fly and come in millions4 ,they come to this country in great numbers--almost a plague--every fifteen or twenty-five years1 and the farmers fear them very much4 ,they eat up every green blade or leaf1 and thus destroy all the crops and trees4 ,when the locusts came upon ,egypt1 ,moses1 at the king's request1 prayed1 and ,god sent a strong wind that swept them into the sea1 where they perished in the water4 ,the ninth plague was a horrible darkness for three days in all the land of ,egypt4 ,the tenth plague1 the last1 was the most terrible of all--the killing of the firstborn in all the land of ,egypt4 7,ex4 #ab74 ,god instructed ,moses to tell the ,israelites in the land that on a certain night they were to take a lamb in each family1 kill it1 and sprinkle its blood on the doorposts of their houses4 ,they were then to cook the lamb and eat it standing1 with their garments ready as for a journey4 7,ex4 #ab74 ,the lamb was called the paschal lamb1 and was1 after that1 to be eaten every year1 at about what is with us ,easter-time1 in commemoration of this event4 ,that night ,god sent an angel through all the land1 and he killed the firstborn of man and beast in all the houses of the ,egyptians4 ,that is1 he killed the eldest son in the house2 and if the father was the firstborn in his father's family1 he was killed also2 and the same for the beasts4 ,this was a terrible punishment4 ,in the house of every ,egyptian there were some dead but not one in the houses of the ,israelites2 for when the angel saw the blood of the lamb on the doorposts1 he passed over and did not enter into their houses1 so that this event1 called ,passover or ,pasch1 was kept always as a great feast by ,god's people4 ,this paschal lamb was a figure of our blessed ,lord1 for as its blood saved the ,israelites from death1 so ,our ,lord's blood saved and still saves us from eternal death in ,hell4 ,after that dreadful night ,pharao allowed the people to depart with ,moses2 but when they had gone as far as the ,red ,sea1 he was sorry he let them go1 and set out with a great army to bring them back4 ,there the people stood1 with the sea before them and ,pharao and his army coming behind them2 but ,god provided for them a means of escape4 ,at ,god's command1 ,moses stretched his rod over the sea1 and the waters divided and stood like great walls on either side and all the people passed through the opening in the waters1 on the dry bed of the sea4 7,ex4 #ad74 ,pharao attempted to follow them1 but when he and his army were on the dry bed of the sea1 between the two walls of water1 ,god allowed the waters to close over them1 and they were all drowned4 ,then the ,israelites began the great journey through the desert1 in which they travelled for forty years4 ,during all that time ,god fed them with manna4 ,he ,himself1 as a guide1 went with them in a cloud1 that shaded them from the heat of the sun during the day and was a light for them at night4 ,but you will ask3 ,was the desert so large that it took forty years to cross it8 ,no1 but these people1 notwithstanding all ,god had done for them1 sinned against ,him in the desert2 so ,he permitted them to wander about through it till a new generation of people grew up1 who were to be led into the promised land by ,josue1 the successor of ,moses4 ,from this we may learn a lesson for ourselves3 ,god will always punish those who deserve it1 even though ,he loves them and may often have done great things to save them2 but ,he will wait for ,his own time to punish4 ,the ,israelites then1 as ,i have said1 went from every part of the land up to the ,temple in ,jerusalem to celebrate the ,pasch each year4 ,it was during one of these celebrations that ,our ,lord was put to death1 and during another feast that ,st4 ,peter preached to the people after ,our ,lord's death4 ,he spoke only in one language1 and yet all his hearers understood1 for each heard his own language spoken4 7,acts #b3f74 ,this was called the gift of tongues1 and was given to the ,apostles when the ,holy ,ghost came upon them4 ,for example1 if each of you came from a different country and understood the language only of the country from which you came1 and ,i gave the instructions only in ,english1 then if everyone thought ,i was speaking his language--,german1 ,french1 ,spanish1 ,italian1 etc4--and understood me1 ,i would have what is called the gift of tongues1 and it would be a great miracle1 as it was when bestowed upon the ,apostles4 ,in the first ages of the ,church ,god performed more miracles than ,he does now1 because they are not now so necessary4 ,these miracles were performed only to make the ,church better known1 and to prove that she was the true ,church1 with her power and authority from ,god4 ,that can now be known and seen in ,christian countries without miracles4 ,these special gifts1 like the gift of tongues1 were given also to some of the early ,christians by the ,holy ,ghost1 when they received ,confirmation2 but they were not a part of or necessary for ,confirmation1 but only to show the power of the true religion4 ,those who heard ,st4 ,peter preach1 when they went back to their own countries told what they had seen and heard1 and thus their countrymen were prepared to receive the ,gospel when the ,apostles came to preach it4 99#ih ,q4 ,how did the ,holy ,ghost come down upon the ,apostles8 ,a4 ,the ,holy ,ghost came down upon the ,apostles in the form of tongues of fire4 #ii ,q4 ,who sent the ,holy ,ghost upon the ,apostles8 ,a4 ,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ sent the ,holy ,ghost upon the ,apostles4 #ajj ,q4 ,why did ,christ send the ,holy ,ghost8 ,a4 ,christ sent the ,holy ,ghost to sanctify ,his ,church1 to enlighten and strengthen the ,apostles1 and to enable them to preach the ,gospel4 ,sanctify1 to make more holy by the grace which ,he would give to the members of the ,church4 ,to enlighten4 ,the ,apostles did not understand very well everything ,our ,lord taught while ,he was with them2 but after the ,holy ,ghost came upon them they understood perfectly1 and remembered many things which ,our ,lord said to them1 and understood the true meaning of all4 ,the prophets foretold that when the ,messias1 ,christ1 would come1 ,he would bring all the world under ,his power4 ,the prophets meant in a spiritual sense2 but most of the people understood that ,he was to be a great general1 with powerful armies1 who would subdue all the nations of the earth1 and bring them under the authority of the ,jews4 ,we know they thought that the great kingdom ,he was to establish upon earth would be a temporal kingdom1 from many of their sayings and actions4 ,one day the mother of two of ,our ,lord's ,apostles came to ask ,him if1 when ,he had established ,his kingdom upon the earth1 ,he would give her sons honorable positions in it1 and place them high in authority4 7,matt4 #bj3bj74 ,our ,lord told her she did not understand what she was asking4 ,this shows that even some of the ,apostles--much less the people--did not understand the full nature of ,our ,lord's mission upon earth1 nor of ,his kingdom1 the ,church4 ,often too1 when ,he preached to the people1 the ,apostles asked ,him on ,his return what ,his sermon meant 7,luke #h3i74 ,but after the ,holy ,ghost came1 they were enlightened1 and understood all without difficulty4 ,strengthen4 ,i told you already that before the ,holy ,ghost came they were timid and afraid of being arrested1 but that afterwards they went out boldly1 and taught all they had learned from ,our ,lord4 ,they were often taken prisoners and scourged1 but it mattered not--they were firm in their faith1 and could suffer anything for ,christ after they had been enlightened and strengthened by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,finally1 they were all1 with the exception of ,st4 ,john1 put to death for their holy faith4 ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul were crucified at ,rome about the year #fe1 that is1 about thirty-two years after the death of ,our ,lord4 ,st4 ,james was beheaded by order of ,king ,herod4 ,st4 ,john lived the longest1 and was the only one of the ,apostles who was not put to death1 though he was cast into a large vessel of boiling oil1 but was miraculously saved4 ,certainly by dying for their faith the ,apostles showed that they were not impostors or hypocrites4 ,they must really have believed what they taught1 otherwise they would not have laid down their lives for it4 ,they were certain of what they taught1 as we saw when speaking of ,st4 ,thomas4 99#aja ,q4 ,will the ,holy ,ghost abide with the ,church forever8 ,a4 ,the ,holy ,ghost will abide with the ,church forever1 and guide it in the way of holiness and truth4 ,abide means to stay with us4 ,lesson #aj ,,on ,,the ,,effects ,,of ,,the ,,redemption #ajb ,q4 ,which are the chief effects of the redemption8 ,a4 ,the chief effects of the redemption are two3 the satisfaction of ,god's justice by ,christ's sufferings and death1 and the gaining of grace for men4 ,an effect is that which is caused by something else4 ,if you place a danger signal on a broken railroad track the effect will be preventing the wreck of the train1 and the cause will be your placing the signal4 ,many effects may flow from one cause4 ,in our example1 see all the good effects that may follow your placing the signal--the cars are not broken1 the passengers are not killed1 the rails are not torn out of their places1 etc4 ,thus the redemption had two effects1 namely1 to satisfy ,god for the offense offered ,him by the sins of men1 and to merit grace to be used for our benefit4 #ajc ,q4 ,what do you mean by grace8 ,a4 ,by grace ,i mean a supernatural gift of ,god bestowed on us1 through the merits of ,jesus ,christ1 for our salvation4 ,supernatural1 that is1 above nature4 ,a gift2 something1 therefore1 that ,god does not owe us4 ,he owes us nothing1 strictly speaking4 ,health1 talents1 and such things are natural gifts1 and belong to our nature as men2 but grace is something above our nature1 given to our soul4 ,god gives it to us on account of the love ,he has for ,his ,son1 ,our ,lord1 who merited it for us by dying for us4 ,merits4 ,a merit is some excellence or goodness which entitles one to honor or reward4 ,grace is a help we get to do something that will be pleasing to ,god4 ,when there is anything in our daily works that we cannot do alone1 we naturally look for help2 for example1 to lift some heavy weight is only a natural act1 not a supernatural act1 and the help we need for it is only natural help4 ,but if we are going to do something above and beyond our nature1 and cannot do it alone1 we must not look for natural1 but for supernatural help2 that is1 the help must always be like the work to be done4 ,therefore all spiritual works need spiritual help1 and spiritual help is grace4 #ajd ,q4 ,how many kinds of grace are there8 ,a4 ,there are two kinds of grace3 sanctifying grace and actual grace4 #aje ,q4 ,what is sanctifying grace8 ,a4 ,sanctifying grace is that grace which makes the soul holy and pleasing to ,god4 ,sanctifying1 that is1 making us holy by cleansing1 purifying our souls4 ,sin renders the soul ugly and displeasing to ,god1 and grace purifies it4 ,suppose ,i have something bright and beautiful given to me1 and take no care of it1 but let it lie around in dusty places until it becomes tarnished and soiled1 loses all its beauty1 and appears black and ugly4 ,to restore its beauty ,i must clean and polish it4 ,thus the soul blackened by sin must be cleaned by ,god's grace4 ,if the soul is in mortal sin--altogether blackened--then sanctifying grace brings back its brightness and makes it pleasing to ,god2 but if the soul is already bright1 though stained or darkened a little by venial sin1 then grace makes it still brighter4 99#ajf ,q4 ,what do you call those graces or gifts of ,god by which we believe in ,him1 hope in ,him1 and love ,him8 ,a4 ,those graces or gifts of ,god by which we believe in ,him1 and hope in ,him1 and love ,him1 are called the divine virtues of faith1 hope1 and charity4 ,virtues4 ,virtue is the habit of doing good4 ,the opposite to virtue is vice1 which is the habit of doing evil4 ,we acquire a habit bad or good when we do the same thing very frequently4 ,we then do it easily and almost without thinking2 as a man1 for instance1 who has the habit of cursing curses almost without knowing it1 though that does not excuse him1 but makes his case worse1 by showing that he must have cursed very often to acquire the habit4 ,if1 however1 he is striving to overcome the bad habit1 and should unintentionally curse now and then1 it would not be a sin1 since he did not wish to curse1 and was trying to overcome the vice4 ,one act does not make a virtue or a vice4 ,a person who gives alms only once cannot be said to have the virtue of charity4 ,a man who curses only once a year cannot be said to have the vice of cursing4 ,faith1 hope1 and charity are infused by ,god into our souls1 and are therefore called infused virtues1 to distinguish them from the virtues we acquire4 #ajg ,q4 ,what is faith8 ,a4 ,faith is a divine virtue by which we firmly believe the truths which ,god has revealed4 ,a divine virtue is one that is heavenly or holy4 ,faith is the habit of always believing all that ,god has revealed and the ,church teaches4 ,firmly1 that is1 without the slightest doubt4 ,revealed1 that is1 made known to us4 ,revelation is the collection of all the truths that ,god has made known to us4 ,but why do we believe8 ,because we clearly see and know the truth of what is revealed8 ,no1 but because ,god reveals it2 we believe it though we cannot see it or even understand it4 ,if we see it plainly1 then we believe it rather because we see it than because ,god makes it known to us4 ,suppose a friend should come and tell you the church is on fire4 ,if he never told you lies1 and had no reason for telling you any now1 you would believe him--not because you know of the fire1 but because he tells you2 but afterwards1 when you see the church or read of the fire in the papers1 you have proof of what he told you1 but you believed it just as firmly when he told you as you do afterwards4 ,in the same way ,god tells us ,his great truths and we believe them2 because we know that since ,god is infinitely true ,he cannot deceive us or be deceived4 ,but if afterwards by studying and thinking we find proof that ,god told us the truth1 we do not believe with any greater faith1 for we always believed without doubting1 and we study chiefly that we may have arguments to prove the truth of ,god's revelations to others who do not believe4 ,suppose some person was present when your friend came and said the church is burning1 and that that person would not believe your friend4 ,what would you do8 ,why1 convince him that what your friend said was true by showing him the account of the fire in the papers4 ,thus learning does not change our faith1 which1 as ,i have said1 is not acquired by study1 but is infused into our souls by ,god4 ,the little boy who hears what ,god taught1 and believes it firmly because ,god taught it1 has as good a faith as his teacher who has studied all the reasons why he should believe4 #ajh ,q4 ,what is hope8 ,a4 ,hope is a divine virtue by which we firmly trust that ,god will give us eternal life and the means to obtain it4 ,eternal--that is1 everlastings life--life without end4 ,means--that is1 ,his grace1 because without ,god's grace we cannot do any supernatural thing4 #aji ,q4 ,what is charity8 ,a4 ,charity is a divine virtue by which we love ,god above all things for ,his own sake1 and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of ,god4 ,the virtue of charity makes us love ,god1 because ,he is so good and beautiful1 wise and powerful in ,himself2 therefore for ,his own sake and without any other consideration4 ,above all things1 in such a way that we would rather lose anything than offend ,him4 ,but someone may say1 he thinks he loves his parents more than ,god4 ,well1 let us see4 ,to repeat an example already given1 suppose his parents told him to steal1 and he knew stealing to be a sin2 if he would not steal1 that would show1 would it not1 that he loved ,god more than his parents1 for he would rather offend his parents than ,god4 ,that is the kind of love we must have for ,god2 not mere feeling1 but the firm belief that ,god is the best of all1 and when we have to choose between offending ,god and losing something1 be it goods or friends1 we would rather lose anything than offend ,god4 ,neighbor4 ,not merely the person living near us1 but all men of every kind and nation--even our enemies4 ,the people who lived at the time of ,our ,lord in ,his country used to dispute about just what persons were to be considered their neighbors2 so one day they asked ,our ,lord1 and ,he answered them by telling them the following4 ,said ,he3 7,luke #aj3cj7 ,a man was once going down from ,jerusalem1 and on the way robbers beat him1 robbed him1 and left him on the wayside dying4 ,first one man came by1 looked at the wounded man1 and passed on2 then another came and did the same2 finally a third man came1 who was of a different religion and nationality from the wounded man4 ,but he did not consider these things4 ,he dressed the poor man's wounds1 placed him upon his horse and brought him to an inn or hotel1 and paid the innkeeper to take care of him4 ,now1 said ,our ,lord1 which of these three was neighbor to the wounded man8 ,and they answered rightly1 ,the man that helped him4 ,our ,lord1 by this example1 wished to teach them and us that everybody is our neighbor who is in distress of any kind and needs our help4 ,neighbor1 therefore1 means every human being1 no matter where he lives or what his color1 learning1 manners1 etc41 for every human being in the world is a child of ,god and has been redeemed by ,our ,lord4 ,therefore every child of ,god is my neighbor1 and even more--he is my brother2 for ,god is his father and mine also1 and if he is good enough for ,god to love1 he should be good enough for me4 ,as ourselves4 ,not with as much love1 but with the same kind of love2 that is1 we are to follow the rule laid down by ,our ,lord3 ,do unto others as you would have others do unto you4 ,never do to anyone what you would not like to have done to yourself2 and always do for another just what you would wish another to do for you1 if you were in the same position4 ,our neighbor is our equal and gifted with all the gifts that we ourselves have4 ,when we come into the world we are all equal4 ,we have a body and a soul1 with the power to develop them4 ,money1 learning1 wealth1 fame1 and all else that makes up the difference between men in the world are acquired in the world2 and when men die1 they go out of the world without any of these things1 just as they came into it4 ,the real difference between them in the next world will depend upon the things they have done1 good or bad1 while here4 ,we should love our neighbor also on another account3 namely1 that he is one day to be in ,heaven with us2 and if he is to be with us for all eternity1 why should we hate him now8 ,on the other hand1 if our neighbor is to be in ,hell on account of his bad life1 why should we hate him8 ,we should rather pity him1 for he will have enough to suffer without our hatred4 #aaj ,q4 ,what is actual grace8 ,a4 ,actual grace is that help of ,god which enlightens our mind and moves our will to shun evil and do good4 ,actual4 ,sanctifying grace continues with us1 but when grace is given just so that we may do a good act or avoid a bad one1 it is called actual grace4 ,suppose1 for example1 ,i see a poor man and am able to aid him4 ,when my conscience tells me to give him assistance1 ,i am just then receiving an actual grace1 which moves me and helps me to do that good act2 and just as soon as ,i give the help1 the actual grace ceases1 because no longer needed4 ,it was given for that one good act1 and now that the act is done1 the actual grace has produced its effect4 ,again1 a boy is going to ,mass on ,sunday and meets other boys who try to persuade him to remain away from ,mass and go to some other place4 ,when he hears his conscience telling him to go to ,mass by all means1 he is receiving just then an actual grace to avoid the mortal sin of missing ,mass1 and the grace lasts just as long as the temptation4 ,sacramental grace is sanctifying grace--given in the ,sacraments--which contains for us a right to actual graces when we need them4 ,these actual graces are given to help us to fulfill the end for which each of the ,sacraments was instituted4 ,they are different for each ,sacrament1 and are given just when we need them2 that is1 just when we are tempted against the object or end for which the ,sacrament was instituted4 99#aaa ,q4 ,is grace necessary for salvation8 ,a4 ,grace is necessary for salvation1 because without grace we can do nothing to merit ,heaven4 99#aab ,q4 ,can we resist the grace of ,god8 ,a4 ,we can and unfortunately often do resist the grace of ,god4 ,grace is a gift1 and no one is obliged to take a gift2 but if ,god offers a gift and we refuse to take it1 we offend and insult ,him4 ,to insult ,god is to sin4 ,therefore to refuse to accept1 or to make bad use of the grace ,god gives us1 is to sin4 99#aac ,q4 ,what is the grace of perseverance8 ,a4 ,the grace of perseverance is a particular gift of ,god which enables us to continue in the state of grace till death4 ,perseverance here does not mean perseverance in our undertakings1 but perseverance in grace--never in mortal sin1 always a friend of ,god4 ,now1 if ,god keeps us from all sin till the day of our death and takes us while we are ,his friends1 then ,he gives us what we call the gift of final perseverance4 ,we cannot1 strictly speaking1 merit this great grace1 but only pray for it2 so anyone who commits mortal sin may be taken just in that state and be lost for all eternity4 ,lesson #aa ,,on ,,the ,,church ,before speaking of the ,church ,i wish to give you a short account of the true religion before the coming of ,our ,lord4 ,when ,adam was created in a state of grace1 ,god communicated with him freely2 he knew ,god even better than we do now4 ,but after their sin our parents fell from the friendship of ,god4 ,cain--one of ,adam's sons--murdered his brother ,abel1 and for this he and his posterity were cursed by ,god1 and all his descendants became very wicked4 7,gen4 #d3aa74 ,the other children of ,adam remained faithful to ,god as long as they kept away from the children of ,cain2 but just as soon as they associated and intermarried with them1 they also became wicked4 ,this should teach us to avoid evil company1 for there is always more likelihood that the good will become bad than that the bad will be converted by the good4 ,you know the old saying1 that if you take a basket of good apples and place a bad one among them1 in a short time they will be spoiled4 ,after the deluge ,noe and his family settled once more upon the land1 and for a time their descendants remained faithful to ,god2 but later they became wicked and undertook to build a great tower 7,gen4 #aa71 which they thought would reach up to ,heaven4 ,they believed1 perhaps1 that if ever there should be another deluge upon the earth1 they could take refuge in the tower4 ,but ,god was displeased with their conduct and prevented them from completing the tower by confusing their tongues or language so that they could not understand one another4 ,then those who spoke the same language went to live in the same part of the country1 and thus the human race was scattered over the earth1 and the different nations had different languages4 ,after a time they were all losing the knowledge of the true ,god and beginning to worship idols4 ,god did not wish that the whole human race should forget ,him1 so ,he selected ,abraham to be the father and head of one chosen people who should always worship the true ,god4 ,he sent ,abraham from his own country into another1 and promised him great things1 and renewed to him the promises of the ,redeemer first made to ,adam and ,eve4 ,after the death of ,abraham1 ,god raised up1 from time to time1 prophets to tell the people ,his holy will1 to warn them of their sins and the punishment they would receive1 and to remind them of the promised ,messias4 ,prophets are men that ,god inspires to tell the future4 ,they tell what will happen often hundreds of years after their own death4 ,they do not guess at these things1 but tell them with certainty4 ,at times1 statesmen can foresee that there will be a war in a country at a certain time2 but they are not prophets1 because they only guess at such things1 or know them by natural signs2 and very often things thus foretold do not occur4 ,true prophecy is the foretelling of something which could not be known by any means but inspiration from ,god4 ,neither are persons who call themselves fortune-tellers prophets1 but only sinful people1 who for money tell lies or guess at the future4 ,it is a great sin to go to them or listen to them1 as we shall see later in another question4 ,at the time promised1 ,god sent ,his ,son--,our ,lord--to redeem the world and save all men4 ,he came to save all men1 and yet ,he remained upon earth only thirty-three years4 ,we can easily understand that by ,his death ,he could save all those who lived before ,he did2 but how were they to be saved who should live after ,him1 down to the end of the world8 ,how was ,his grace to be given to them8 ,how were they to know of ,him1 or of what ,he taught8 ,all this was to be accomplished by ,his ,church4 #aad ,q4 ,which are the means instituted by ,our ,lord to enable men at all times to share in the fruits of the ,redemption8 ,a4 ,the means instituted by ,our ,lord to enable men at all times to share in the fruits of the ,redemption are the ,church and the ,sacraments4 ,our ,lord instituted the ,church to carry on the work ,he ,himself was doing upon the earth--teaching the ignorant1 visiting the sick1 helping the poor1 forgiving sins1 etc4 ,he commanded all men to hear the ,church teaching1 just as they would hear ,himself4 ,but suppose some persons should establish a false ,church and claim that it was the true ,church of ,our ,lord1 how could people know the true ,church from false churches8 ,when a man invents anything to be sold1 what does he do that people may know the true article--say a pen8 ,why1 he puts his trademark upon it4 ,now the trademark is a certain sign which shows that the article bearing it is the genuine article2 and if others use the trademark on imitation articles1 they are liable to be punished by law4 ,now ,our ,lord did the same4 ,he gave ,his ,church four marks or characteristics to distinguish it from all false churches4 ,he said1 ,my ,church will be one2 it will be holy2 it will be catholic2 it will be apostolic2 and if any church has not these four marks1 you may be sure it is not ,my ,church4 ,some false church may seem to have one or two1 but never all the marks2 so when you find even one of the marks wanting1 you will know it is not the true ,church established by ,christ4 ,therefore1 all the religions that claim to be the true religion cannot be so4 ,if one man says a thing is white and another says it is black1 or if one says a thing is true and another says it is false1 they cannot both be right4 ,only one can be right1 and if we wish to know the truth we have to find out which one it is4 ,so when one religion says a thing is true and another religion says the same thing is false1 one of them must be wrong1 and it is our duty to find out the one that is right4 ,therefore1 of all the religions claiming to be the true religion of ,our ,lord1 only one can be telling the truth1 and that one is the religion or ,church that can show the four given marks4 ,the ,roman ,catholic ,church is the only one that can show these marks1 and is1 therefore1 the only true ,church1 as we shall see in the next lesson4 ,fruits of ,his redemption--that is1 to receive the grace merited by ,our ,lord when ,he redeemed us by ,his death4 #aae ,q4 ,what is the ,church8 ,a4 ,the ,church is the congregation of all those who profess the faith of ,christ1 partake of the same ,sacraments1 and are governed by their lawful pastors under one visible head4 ,congregation4 ,not the building1 therefore2 because if ,mass was offered up in an open field1 with the people kneeling about1 it would still be the church of that place4 ,the buildings that we use for churches might have been used for anything else--a public hall1 theater1 or school1 for example2 but when these buildings we call churches are blessed or consecrated1 they become holy4 ,they are holy also because the ,gospel is preached in them1 the ,sacraments are administered in them1 and the ,holy ,sacrifice of the ,mass is offered in them4 ,but they are holy especially because ,our ,lord dwells in them in the tabernacle1 where ,he lives and sees and hears just as truly as ,he did when ,he was man upon earth4 ,in the early ages the ,christians had no churches--they met secretly in private houses4 ,later1 when the cruel pagan emperors began to persecute and put to death the ,christians1 they made large tunnels under ground and in these places they heard ,mass and received the ,sacraments4 ,these underground churches were called the catacombs1 and some of them may still be seen at ,rome4 ,in these catacombs1 too1 the ,christians buried their dead1 especially the bodies of the holy martyrs4 ,on their tombs--generally of stone--,mass was celebrated4 ,in every altar the table1 or flat part on which the priest celebrates ,mass1 should be of stone2 but if the altar is made of wood1 then at least the part just in front of the tabernacle must be of stone and large enough to hold say two chalices--that is1 about ten or twelve inches square4 ,in this stone are placed some relics of the holy martyrs4 ,a piece is cut out of the stone and the relic placed in the opening4 ,then the bishop puts the little piece of stone back into its place over the relic1 seals the opening1 blesses the stone1 and gives it to the ,church4 ,this is called the altar stone4 ,you cannot see it because it is covered with the altar cloth2 but unless it is in the altar the priest cannot say ,mass4 ,this stone reminds us of the stone tombs of the saints upon which ,mass was celebrated4 ,the ,church--that is1 the ,christians--was persecuted for about three hundred years after the death of ,our ,lord4 ,these persecutions took place at ten different times and under ten different ,roman emperors4 ,orders were given to put to death all the ,christians wherever they could be found4 ,some were cast into prison1 some exiled1 some taken to the ,roman ,coliseum--an immense building constructed for public amusements--where they were put to death in the most terrible manner in the presence of the emperor and people assembled to witness these fearful scenes4 ,some were stripped of their clothing and left standing alone while savage beasts1 wild with hunger1 were let loose upon them4 ,sometimes by a miracle of ,god the animals would not harm them1 and then the ,christians were either put to death by the sword1 mangled by some terrible machine1 or burned4 ,in these dreadful sufferings the ,christians remained faithful and firm1 though they could have saved their lives by denying ,our ,lord or offering sacrifice to idols4 ,the few who through fear did deny their faith are now forgotten and unknown2 while those who remained steadfast are honored as saints in ,heaven and upon earth2 the ,church sings their praises and tells every year of their holy lives and triumph over all their enemies4 ,even some pagans who came to see the ,christians put to death were so touched by their patience1 fortitude1 courage1 and constancy1 that they also declared themselves anxious to become ,christians1 and were put to death1 thus becoming martyrs baptized in their own blood4 ,how many lessons we may learn from all this3 7#a7 ,how very respectful we should be in the ,church1 which is holy for all the reasons ,i have given4 7#b7 ,what a shame it is for us not to hear ,mass when we can do so easily4 ,our churches are never very far from us1 and generally well lighted1 ventilated1 furnished with seats and every convenience1 and in these respects unlike the dark1 damp1 underground churches of the early ,christians4 ,moreover1 we may attend our churches freely and without the least danger to our lives2 while the ,christians of the early ages were constantly in dread and danger of being seized and put to death4 ,even at the present day1 in many countries where holy missionaries are trying to teach the true religion1 their converts sometimes have to go great distances to hear ,mass1 and even then it is not celebrated in comfortable churches1 but probably on the slope of a rugged mountain or in some lonely valley or wood where they may not be seen1 for they fear if they are captured--as often happens--both they and their priest will be put to death4 ,you can read in the account of foreign missions that almost every year some priests and many people are martyred for their faith4 ,is it not disgraceful1 then1 to see some ,catholics giving up their holy faith and the practice of their religion so easily--sometimes for a little money1 property1 or gain2 or even for a bad habit1 or for irreligious companions and friends8 ,what answer will they make on the day of judgment when they stand side by side with those who died for the faith8 ,all those who profess the faith1 etc4 ,the ,pope1 bishops1 priests1 and people all taken together are the ,church1 and each congregation or parish is only a part of the ,church4 ,partake--that is1 receive4 ,lawful pastors--that is1 each priest in his own parish1 each bishop in his own diocese1 and the ,pope throughout the world4 ,visible head--that is1 one who can be seen1 for invisible means cannot be seen4 #aaf ,q4 ,who is the invisible head of the ,church8 ,a4 ,jesus ,christ is the invisible head of the ,church4 ,invisible head4 ,if1 for example1 a merchant of one country wishes to establish a branch of his business in another1 he remains in the new country long enough to establish the branch business1 and then appointing someone to take his place1 returns to his own country4 ,he is still the head of the new establishment1 but its invisible head for the people of that country1 while its visible head is the agent or representative he has placed in charge to carry on the business in his name and interest4 ,when ,our ,lord wished to establish ,his ,church ,he came from ,heaven2 and when about to return to ,heaven appointed ,st4 ,peter to take ,his place upon earth and rule the ,church as directed4 ,you see1 therefore1 that ,our ,lord1 though not on earth1 is still the real head and owner of the ,church1 and whatever ,his agent or vicar--that is1 our ,holy ,father1 the ,pope--does in the ,church1 he does it with the authority of ,our ,lord ,himself4 #aag ,q4 ,who is the visible head of the ,church8 ,a4 ,our ,holy ,father the ,pope1 the ,bishop of ,rome1 is the vicar of ,christ on earth and the visible head of the ,church4 ,the ,bishop of ,rome is always ,pope4 ,if the ,bishop of ,new ,york1 or of ,baltimore1 or of ,boston1 became ,pope1 he would become the ,bishop of ,rome and cease to be the ,bishop of ,new ,york1 ,baltimore1 or ,boston1 because ,st4 ,peter1 the first ,pope1 was ,bishop of ,rome2 and therefore only the bishops of ,rome are his lawful successors--the true ,popes--the true visible heads of the ,church4 ,the bishops of the other dioceses of the world are the lawful successors of the other ,apostles who taught and established churches throughout the world4 ,the bishops of the world are subject to the ,pope1 just as the other ,apostles were subject to ,st4 ,peter1 who was appointed their chief1 by ,our ,lord ,himself4 ,vicar--that is1 one who holds another's place and acts in his name4 99#aah ,q4 ,why is the ,pope1 the ,bishop of ,rome1 the visible head of the ,church8 ,a4 ,the ,pope1 the ,bishop of ,rome1 is the visible head of the ,church because he is the successor of ,st4 ,peter1 whom ,christ made the chief of the ,apostles and the visible head of the ,church4 ,of ,rome4 ,that is why we are called ,roman ,catholics2 to show that we are united to the real successor of ,st4 ,peter1 and are therefore members of the true apostolic ,church4 99#aai ,q4 ,who are the successors of the other ,apostles8 ,a4 ,the successors of the other ,apostles are the bishops of the holy ,catholic ,church4 ,we know the ,apostles were bishops1 because they could make laws for the ,church1 consecrate other bishops1 ordain priests1 and give ,confirmation--powers that belong only to bishops1 and are still exercised by them4 99#abj ,q4 ,why did ,christ found the ,church8 ,a4 ,christ founded the ,church to teach1 govern1 sanctify1 and save all men4 ,teach religion4 ,govern in things that regard salvation4 ,sanctify1 make good4 ,save all who wish to be saved4 99#aba ,q4 ,are all bound to belong to the ,church8 ,a4 ,all are bound to belong to the ,church1 and he who knows the ,church to be the true ,church and remains out of it1 cannot be saved4 ,anyone who knows the ,catholic religion to be the true religion and will not embrace it cannot enter into ,heaven4 ,if one not a ,catholic doubts whether the church to which he belongs is the true ,church1 he must settle his doubt1 seek the true ,church1 and enter it2 for if he continues to live in doubt1 he becomes like the one who knows the true ,church and is deterred by worldly considerations from entering it4 ,in like manner one who1 doubting1 fears to examine the religion he professes lest he should discover its falsity and be convinced of the truth of the ,catholic faith1 cannot be saved4 ,suppose1 however1 that there is a non-,catholic who firmly believes that the church to which he belongs is the true ,church1 and who has never--even in the past--had the slightest doubt of that fact--what will become of him8 ,if he was validly baptized and never committed a mortal sin1 he will be saved2 because1 believing himself a member of the true ,church1 he was doing all he could to serve ,god according to his knowledge and the dictates of his conscience4 ,but if ever he committed a mortal sin1 his salvation would be very much more difficult4 ,a mortal sin once committed remains on the soul till it is forgiven4 ,now1 how could his mortal sin be forgiven8 ,not in the ,sacrament of ,penance1 for the ,protestant does not go to confession2 and if he does1 his minister--not being a true priest--has no power to forgive sins4 ,does he know that without confession it requires an act of perfect contrition to blot out mortal sin1 and can he easily make such an act8 ,what we call contrition is often only imperfect contrition--that is1 sorrow for our sins because we fear their punishment in ,hell or dread the loss of ,heaven4 ,if a ,catholic--with all the instruction he has received about how to make an act of perfect contrition and all the practice he has had in making such acts--might find it difficult to make an act of perfect contrition after having committed a mortal sin1 how much difficulty will not a ,protestant have in making an act of perfect contrition1 who does not know about this requirement and who has not been taught to make continued acts of perfect contrition all his life4 ,it is to be feared either he would not know of this necessary means of regaining ,god's friendship1 or he would be unable to elicit the necessary act of perfect contrition1 and thus the mortal sin would remain upon his soul and he would die an enemy of ,god4 ,if1 then1 we found a ,protestant who never committed a mortal sin after ,baptism1 and who never had the slightest doubt about the truth of his religion1 that person would be saved2 because1 being baptized1 he is a member of the ,church1 and being free from mortal sin he is a friend of ,god and could not in justice be condemned to ,hell4 ,such a person would attend ,mass and receive the ,sacraments if he knew the ,catholic ,church to be the only true ,church4 ,i am giving you an example1 however1 that is rarely found1 except in the case of infants or very small children baptized in ,protestant sects4 ,all infants rightly baptized by anyone are really children of the ,church1 no matter what religion their parents may profess4 ,indeed1 all persons who are baptized are children of the ,church2 but those among them who deny its teaching1 reject its ,sacraments1 and refuse to submit to its lawful pastors1 are rebellious children known as heretics4 ,i said ,i gave you an example that can scarcely be found1 namely1 of a person not a ,catholic1 who really never doubted the truth of his religion1 and who1 moreover1 never committed during his whole life a mortal sin4 ,there are so few such persons that we can practically say for all those who are not visibly members of the ,catholic ,church1 believing its doctrines1 receiving its ,sacraments1 and being governed by its visible head1 our ,holy ,father1 the ,pope1 salvation is an extremely difficult matter4 ,i do not speak here of pagans who have never heard of ,our ,lord or ,his holy religion1 but of those outside the ,church who claim to be good ,christians without being members of the ,catholic ,church4 ,lesson #ab ,,on ,,the ,,attributes ,,and ,,marks ,,of ,,the ,,church ,an attribute is any characteristic or quality that a person or thing may be said to have4 ,all good qualities are good attributes1 and all bad qualities are bad attributes4 ,all perfections or imperfections are attributes4 ,if ,i can say of you that you are good1 then goodness is one of your attributes4 ,if ,i can say you are beautiful1 then beauty is one of your attributes4 ,we have seen already that the ,church has four marks2 but besides these it has three attributes1 which flow from its marks4 ,it is easier to see the marks of the ,church than its attributes4 ,it is easier to see1 for instance1 that the ,church is one than that it is indefectible4 99#abb ,q4 ,which are the attributes of the ,church8 ,a4 ,the attributes of the ,church are three3 authority1 infallibility1 and indefectibility4 99#abc ,q4 ,what do you mean by the authority of the ,church8 ,a4 ,by the authority of the ,church ,i mean the right and power which the ,pope and the bishops1 as the successors of the ,apostles1 have to teach and govern the faithful4 ,authority is the power which one person has over another1 so as to be able to exact obedience4 ,a teacher has authority over his scholars1 because they must obey him2 but the teacher need not obey the scholars1 because they have no authority over him4 ,god alone has authority of ,himself and from ,himself ,all others who have authority receive it from ,god1 either directly or through someone else4 ,the ,pope has authority from ,god ,himself1 and the priests get theirs through their bishops4 ,therefore1 to resist or disobey lawful authority is to resist and disobey ,god ,himself4 ,if one of you were placed in charge of the class in my absence1 he would have lawful authority1 and the rest of you should obey him--not on account of himself1 but on account of the authority he has4 ,thus the ,president of the ,united ,states1 the governor1 the mayor1 etc41 are only ordinary citizens before their election2 but after they have been elected and placed in office they exercise lawful authority over us1 and we are bound as good citizens and as good ,catholics to respect and obey them4 99#abd ,q4 ,what do you mean by the infallibility of the ,church8 ,a4 ,by the infallibility of the ,church ,i mean that the ,church cannot err when it teaches a doctrine of faith or morals4 ,infallibility4 ,when we say ,church is infallible1 we mean that it cannot make a mistake or err in what it teaches2 that the ,pope1 the head of the ,church1 is infallible when he teaches ex cathedra--that is1 as the successor of ,st4 ,peter1 the vicar of ,christ4 ,cathedra signifies a seat1 ex stands for out of2 therefore1 ex cathedra means out of the chair or office of ,st4 ,peter1 because chair is sometimes used for office4 ,thus we say the presidential chair is opposed to this or that1 when we intend to say the president1 or the one in that office1 is opposed to it4 ,the cathedral is the church in which the bishop usually officiates1 so called on account of the bishop's cathedra1 or throne1 being in it4 99#abe ,q4 ,when does the ,church teach infallibly8 ,a4 ,the ,church teaches infallibly when it speaks through the ,pope and bishops united in general council1 or through the ,pope alone when he proclaims to all the faithful a doctrine of faith or morals4 ,but how will we know when the ,pope speaks ex cathedra1 when he is speaking daily to people from all parts of the world8 ,to speak ex cathedra or infallibly1 three things are required3 7#a7 ,he must speak as the head of the whole ,church1 not as a private person2 and in certain forms of words by which we know he is speaking ex cathedra4 7#b7 ,what he says must hold good for the whole ,church--that is1 for all the faithful1 and not merely for this or that particular person or country4 7#c7 ,he must speak on matters of faith or morals--that is1 when the ,holy ,father tells all the faithful that they are to believe a certain thing as a part of their faith2 or when he tells them that certain things are sins1 they must believe him and avoid what he declares to be sin4 ,he could not make a mistake in such things4 ,he could not say that ,our ,lord taught us to believe and do such and such1 if ,our ,lord did not so teach1 because ,our ,lord promised to be with ,his ,church for all time1 and to send the ,holy ,ghost1 who would teach it all truth and abide with it forever4 ,if then the ,church could make mistakes in teaching faith and morals1 the ,holy ,ghost could not be with it1 and ,our ,lord did not tell the truth--to say which would be blasphemy4 ,but remember1 the ,pope is not infallible unless he is teaching faith or morals2 that is1 what we believe or do in order to save our souls4 ,if the ,holy ,father wrote a book on astronomy1 mathematics1 grammar1 or even theology1 he could make mistakes as other men do1 because the ,holy ,ghost has not promised to guide him in such things4 ,nevertheless1 whatever the ,pope teaches on anything you may be pretty sure is right4 ,the ,pope is nearly always a very learned man of many years' experience4 ,he has with him at ,rome learned men from every part of the world1 so that we may say he has the experience of the whole world4 ,other rulers cannot and need not know as much as the ,holy ,father1 because they have not to govern the world1 but only their own country4 ,moreover1 there is no government in the whole world as old as the ,church1 no nation that can show as many rulers without change2 so we may say the ,pope has also the experience of all the ,popes who preceded him1 from ,st4 ,peter down to our present ,holy ,father1 ,pius ,,xi--two hundred and sixty-one popes4 ,therefore1 considering all this1 we should have the very greatest respect for the opinions and advice of the ,holy ,father on any subject4 ,we should not set up our limited knowledge and experience against his1 even if we think that we know better than he does about certain political events taking place in our country1 for we are not sure that we do4 ,the ,holy ,father knows the past history of nations2 he knows the nature of mankind2 he knows that what takes place in one nation may1 and sometimes does1 take place in another under the same circumstances4 ,thus the ,holy ,father has greater foresight than we have1 and we should be thankful when he warns us against certain dangers in politics or other things4 ,he does not teach politics2 but as everything we do is either good or bad1 every statesman or politician must consider whether what he is about to do be right or wrong1 just or unjust4 ,it is the business and duty of the ,holy ,father to declare against the evil or unjust actions of either individuals or nations1 and for that reason he seems at times to interfere in politics when he is really teaching morals4 ,at times1 too1 governments try to deprive the ,church or the ,holy ,father of their rights2 and when he defends himself against such injustice and protests against it1 his enemies cry out that he is interfering with the government4 ,you understand now what the infallibility of the ,pope implies1 and that it does not mean1 as the enemies of the ,church say1 that the ,pope cannot sin1 cannot be mistaken in anything4 ,the ,pope can sin just the same as anyone else2 he could be a very bad man if he wanted to be so1 and take the punishment ,god would inflict for his sins4 ,could he not be very angry1 entirely neglect prayer1 or pray with willful distraction2 could he not be proud1 covetous1 etc48 ,and these are sins4 ,therefore he could sin2 and hence he has to go to confession and seek forgiveness just as we do4 ,therefore remember this3 whether the ,pope be a bad man or a good man in his private life1 he must always tell the truth when he speaks ex cathedra1 because the ,holy ,ghost is guiding him and will not permit him to err or teach falsehood in faith or morals4 ,we have examples in the ,bible 7,numbers #bb1 #bc7 where ,god sometimes makes even bad men foretell the truth4 ,once ,he gave an ass the power to speak1 that it might protest against the wrongdoing of its wicked and cruel rider4 ,we have seen how governments interfere with the rights of the ,holy ,father1 and thus he has need of his temporal power that he may be altogether independent of any government4 ,now let me explain to you what is meant by the ,temporal ,power of the ,pope4 ,well1 then1 the ,holy ,father should have some city or states1 not belonging to any government1 in which he would be the chief and only ruler4 ,up to the year #ahgj the ,holy ,father did have such states3 they were called the ,papal ,states1 and the power he had over them--just like that of any other ruler--was called the temporal power4 ,now how did he get those states and how did he lose them8 ,he got them in the most just manner1 and held possession of them for about a thousand years4 ,hundreds of years ago the people of ,rome and the surrounding countries elected the ,pope their sole ruler4 ,he was already their spiritual ruler1 and they made him also their temporal ruler4 ,then the ,pope protected and governed them as other rulers do4 ,later1 kings and princes added other lands1 and thus by degrees the possessions of the ,pope became quite extended4 ,how did he lose these possessions8 ,the ,italian government took them from him in the most unjust manner4 ,besides the lands1 they deprived the ,church of other property donated to it by its faithful children4 ,no ruler in the world had a more just claim or better right to his possessions than the ,holy ,father1 and a government robbed him of them as a thief might take forcibly from you whatever had been justly given to you1 when he found you were unable to defend yourself against him4 ,but has the ,holy ,father need of his temporal power8 ,yes1 the ,holy ,father has need of some temporal power4 ,he must be free and independent in governing the ,church4 ,he must be free to say what he wishes to all ,catholics throughout the world1 and free to hear whatever they have to say to him4 ,but if the ,pope is under another ruler he cannot be free4 ,that ruler may cast him into prison1 and not allow him to communicate with the bishops of the world4 ,at least1 he can say nothing about the injustice of the ruler who is over him4 ,therefore the ,pope must have some possessions of his own1 that he may not be afraid of the injustice of any ruler1 and may speak out the truth boldly to the whole world1 denouncing bad rulers and praising good ones as they deserve4 ,mind1 ,i do not say what possessions the ,holy ,father should have but simply that he should have some1 in which he would be altogether independent4 ,in justice he should have all that was taken from him4 ,we have a good example here in the ,united ,states to illustrate the need of the independence of the ,pope4 ,you know every ,state in the ,united ,states is a little government in itself1 with its own governor1 legislature1 laws1 etc4 ,now over all these little governments or ,states we have the government of the ,united ,states1 with the ,president at its head4 ,in the beginning the members of the ,united ,states ,government assembled to transact the business of the nation sometimes in one ,state and sometimes in another--sometimes in ,new ,york and sometimes in ,pennsylvania1 etc4 ,but they soon found that in order to be independent of every ,state and just to all1 they must have some territory or possessions of their own not under the power of any ,state4 ,so some of the ,states granted them ,washington and the country about it for ten miles square--now called the ,district of ,columbia--which the ,united ,states government could freely perform its duties4 ,in a similar manner the ,holy ,father is over all the governments of the world in matters of religion--in matters of justice and right2 and just as the ,united ,states government has to decide between the rights of one ,state and the rights of another1 so the ,holy ,father has sometimes to decide between the rights of one government and the rights of another1 and must1 in order to be just with all1 be free and independent of all4 ,again1 the temporal power of the ,pope is very useful to the ,church2 for with the money and goods received from his possessions the ,holy ,father can educate priests and teachers1 print books1 etc41 for the foreign missions4 ,he can also support churches1 school1 and institutions in poor countries1 and especially where the missionaries are laboring for the conversion of the native heathens4 ,when the ,holy ,father had his own possessions he could do much that he cannot now do for the conversion of pagan nations4 ,at present he must depend entirely upon the charitable offerings of the faithful for all good works1 even for his own support4 ,the offering we make once a year for the support of the ,holy ,father is called ,peter's pence1 because it began by everyone sending yearly a penny to the ,pope1 the successor of ,st4 ,peter4 99#abf ,q4 ,what do you mean by the indefectibility of the ,church8 ,a4 ,by the indefectibility of the ,church ,i mean that the ,church1 as ,christ founded it1 will last till the end of time4 ,therefore indefectibility means that the ,church can never change any of the doctrines that ,our ,lord taught1 nor ever cease to exist4 ,when we say it is infallible1 we mean that it cannot teach error while it lasts2 but when we say it is indefectible1 we mean that it will last forever and be infallible forever1 and also that it will always remain the same as ,our ,lord founded it4 ,there are two things that you must clearly understand and not confound1 namely1 the two kinds of laws in the ,church--those which ,our ,lord gave it and those which it made itself4 ,the laws that ,our ,lord gave it can never change4 ,for example1 the ,church could not abolish one of the ,sacraments1 leaving only six2 neither could it add a new one1 making eight4 ,but when1 for example1 the ,church declares that on a certain day we cannot eat flesh meat1 it makes the law itself1 and can change it when it wishes4 ,our ,lord left ,his ,church free to make certain laws1 just as they would be needed4 ,it has always exercised this power1 and made laws to suit the circumstances of the place or times4 ,even now it does away with some of its old laws that are no longer useful1 and makes new ones that are more necessary4 ,but the doctrines1 the truths of faith or morals1 the things we must believe and do to save our souls1 it never changes and never can change3 it may regulate some things in the application of the divine laws1 but the laws themselves can never change in substance4 99#abg ,q4 ,in whom are these attributes found in their fullness8 ,a4 ,these attributes are found in their fullness in the ,pope1 the visible head of the ,church1 whose infallible authority to teach bishops1 priests1 and people in matters of faith or morals will last to the end of the world4 #abh ,q4 ,has the ,church any marks by which it may be known8 ,a4 ,the ,church has four marks by which it may be known3 it is one2 it is holy2 it is catholic2 it is apostolic4 99#abi ,q4 ,how is the ,church one8 ,a4 ,the ,church is one because all its members agree in one faith1 are all in one communion1 and are all under one head4 ,the ,catholic ,church is one1 first in government and second in doctrine4 ,in government every pastor has a certain parish or territory in which all the people belong to his congregation--they form his flock4 ,he has to take care only of these1 to teach them1 give them the ,sacraments1 etc4 ,he has not to be responsible for those outside his parish4 ,then over the pastor we have the bishop1 who looks after a certain number of pastors2 then comes the archbishop over a certain number of bishops2 next comes the primate1 who is head of all the archbishops in the country2 and over all the primates of the world we have the ,holy ,father4 ,thus1 when the ,holy ,father speaks to the bishops1 the bishops speak to the priests1 and the priests to the people4 ,the ,church is therefore one in government1 like a great army spread over the world4 ,we can go up step by step from the lowest member of the ,church to the highest--the ,holy ,father2 and from him to ,our ,lord ,himself1 who is the invisible head of all4 ,this regular body of priests1 bishops1 archbishops1 etc41 so arranged1 one superior to the other1 is called the hierarchy of the ,church4 ,the ,church is one also in doctrine--that is1 every one of the three hundred million of ,catholics in the world believes exactly the same truths4 ,if any ,catholic denies only one article of faith1 though he believes all the rest1 he ceases to be a ,catholic1 and is cut off from the ,church4 ,if1 for example1 you would not believe ,matrimony or ,holy ,orders a ,sacrament1 or that ,our ,lord is present in the ,holy ,eucharist1 you would not be a ,catholic1 though you believed all the other teachings of the ,church4 ,therefore the ,church is one both in government and teaching or doctrine4 ,now1 has any other ,church claiming to be ,christ's ,church that mark8 ,no4 ,the ,protestant religions are not one either in government or belief4 ,the ,protestants of ,england have no authority over the ,protestants of ,america1 and those of ,america have nothing to say over those of ,germany or ,france4 ,so every country is independent1 and they have no chief head4 ,neither are they one in belief4 ,in the same country there are many kinds of ,protestants--,episcopalians1 ,presbyterians1 ,methodists1 etc41 who do not believe the same thing4 ,even those who attend the same church and profess the same religion do not all believe the same4 ,everyone1 they say1 has a right to interpret the ,holy ,scriptures according to his own views1 so they take many different meanings out of the very same words4 ,there must be some chief person to tell the true meaning of the ,holy ,scriptures when there is a dispute about it2 but they have no such chief1 and the result is they are never done disputing4 ,the ,united ,states has a constitution and laws4 ,now1 suppose every citizen was allowed to construe the laws to suit himself1 without any regard for the rights of others1 what a fine state of affairs we should soon have4 ,but the wise makers of the constitution and laws of the ,united ,states did not leave us in such danger4 ,they appointed judges to interpret or explain the laws and give the correct meaning when disputes arise4 ,then in ,washington there is a chief judge for the whole ,united ,states2 and when he says the words of the law mean this or that1 every citizen must abide by his decision1 and there is no appeal from it4 ,just in the same way ,our ,lord made laws for all men1 and while ,he was upon earth ,he explained them ,himself4 ,he never left all men free to take their own meaning out of them4 ,he appointed judges--the bishops2 and a chief judge for the whole world--the ,pope4 ,the ,holy ,ghost guides him1 as we have seen above1 so that he cannot make mistakes in the meaning of ,christ's laws2 and when he says1 this is what the words of ,our ,lord in ,his law signify1 no one who is a true ,christian can refuse to believe1 or can appeal from his decision4 99#acj ,q4 ,how is the ,church holy8 ,a4 ,the ,church is holy because its founder1 ,jesus ,christ1 is holy2 because it teaches a holy doctrine1 invites all to a holy life1 and because of the eminent holiness of so many thousands of its children4 ,protestant religions have not holy doctrines if we examine them closely4 ,they teach1 for example1 that faith without good works will save us1 and thus take away the motives for doing good2 that marriage is not binding for life--the husband and wife may for some causes separate1 or get a divorce1 and marry again4 ,this would leave the children without the care of their proper parents1 sometimes without a home1 and nearly always without religious instruction4 ,the same persons might separate again and marry another time1 and thus there would be nothing but confusion and immorality in society4 ,again1 some of their doctrines teach that we cannot help sinning2 so everyone could excuse himself for his sins by saying he could not help them1 which you can easily see would lead to the worst of consequences4 ,lastly1 their doctrines have never made one saint--acknowledged as such from miracles performed4 ,protestants are so called because1 when their ancestors rebelled against the ,church about three hundred years ago1 the ,church made certain laws and they protested against them1 separated from the ,church1 and formed a new religion of their own4 99#aca ,q4 ,how is the ,church catholic or universal8 ,a4 ,the ,church is catholic or universal because it subsists in all ages1 teaches all nations1 and maintains all truth4 ,subsists means to have existence4 ,catholic4 ,the word catholic signifies universal4 ,the ,church is universal in three ways1 viz43 in time1 in place1 and in doctrine4 ,it is universal in time2 for from the day ,our ,lord commissioned ,his ,apostles to preach to the whole world down to the present1 it has existed1 taught1 and labored in every age4 ,it is universal in place2 that is1 it is not confined to one part of the world1 but teaches throughout the entire world4 ,it is universal in doctrine1 for it teaches the same doctrines and administers the same ,sacraments everywhere2 and its doctrines are suited to all classes of men--to the ignorant as well as the learned1 to the poor as well as the rich4 ,it teaches by the voice of its priests and bishops1 and all1 civilized or uncivilized1 to whom its voice reaches1 can learn its doctrines1 receive its ,sacraments1 and practice its devotions4 ,it has converted all the pagan nations that have ever been converted1 and the title catholic belongs to the ,roman ,catholic ,church alone4 ,all ,protestant churches that claim this title do so unjustly4 ,they are not universal in time1 and cannot be called the ,church of all ages1 because they were established only three hundred or four hundred or less years ago4 ,they are not catholic in place1 because they are mostly confined to particular countries4 ,they are not universal in doctrine1 because what they teach in one country they reject in another2 and even in the same country1 what they teach at one time they reject at another4 ,wherever it is possible for civilized people to go1 there you will find a priest saying ,mass in just the same way you see him saying it here4 ,it is a great consolation for one in a strange country to enter a church and hear ,mass1 perceiving no difference in the vestments1 ceremonies1 or language of the priest4 ,a little altar boy from the ,united ,states could serve ,mass in any part of the world4 ,see1 therefore1 the great advantage the ,church has in using the ,latin language instead of the vernacular or ordinary language of the people4 ,if the ,church used the usual language of the people1 the ,mass would seem different in every country2 while natives would understand the words of the priest1 strangers would not4 ,the ,latin language is now what we call a dead language2 that is1 it is not the common language of any country2 and because it is a dead language does not change3 another reason why the ,church uses it1 that nothing may change in its divine service4 ,the prayers used in the ,church are exactly the same today as they were when they were written many centuries ago4 ,the living languages--that is1 those in use1 such as ,english1 ,french1 ,german1 etc41 are always changing a little--new words are being added1 and the meaning of old ones changed4 ,the ,church uses the same language all over the world to show that it is not the ,church of any particular country1 but the true ,church of all men everywhere4 ,again1 using only one language1 the ,church can hold its great councils1 call together all the bishops of the world1 that they may condemn errors or make wise laws4 ,when the ,holy ,father addresses them in ,latin they can all understand and answer him4 ,if1 therefore1 the ,church did not use the same language everywhere how could this be done1 unless everyone present understood all the languages of the world--which is a thing nearly impossible4 ,but someone might say1 if the ,mass was said in ,english we could follow it better4 ,you can follow just as well in ,latin1 for in nearly all prayerbooks you have besides the ,latin said by the priest the meaning of it in ,english on the same page1 or you have the ,english alone4 99#acb ,q4 ,how is the ,church apostolic8 ,a4 ,the ,church is apostolic because it was founded by ,christ on ,his ,apostles and is governed by their lawful successors1 and because it has never ceased1 and never will cease1 to teach their doctrine4 ,apostolic1 which means that the ,church was founded at the time of the ,apostles1 and has been the same ever since4 ,since the time of ,st4 ,peter1 the first ,pope1 there have been #bfa ,popes4 ,you can go back from our present ,holy ,father1 ,pius ,,xi1 to ,benedict ,,xv1 who was before him1 to ,pius ,x1 who was before him1 to ,leo ,,xiii1 before him1 and so on one by one till you come to ,st4 ,peter himself1 who lived at the time of ,our ,lord4 ,thus the ,church is apostolic in its origin or beginning4 ,it is also apostolic in its teaching2 for all the doctrines it teaches now were taught by the ,apostles4 ,the ,church does not make new doctrines1 but it teaches its truths more clearly and distinctly when someone denies them4 ,for example it would not be necessary for you to prove yourself good and honest till somebody said you were bad and dishonest4 ,you prove your honesty when it is denied1 but both you and your friends believed it always1 though you did not declare it till it was denied4 ,in just the same way the ,church always believed that ,our ,lord is the ,son of ,god2 that there are seven ,sacraments2 that the ,pope is infallible1 etc4 ,these truths and all the others were believed by the ,apostles1 and the ,church proclaimed them in a special manner when they were denied4 ,then it called together in council all its bishops1 and they1 with the ,holy ,father1 proclaimed these truths--not as new doctrines1 but as truths always believed by the ,church1 and now defined because denied4 ,protestants have not for their churches the mark apostolic4 ,how could their churches be founded by the ,apostles1 when the ,apostles were dead more than fourteen hundred years before there were any ,protestant churches8 ,what is more1 they have changed the teachings of the ,apostles2 and so they have not the mark apostolic either in their origin or teaching4 ,but they say the ,catholic ,church fell into error and made mistakes1 and that ,god wished reformers to correct these errors4 ,how could the ,church fall into error when ,our ,lord promised to remain always with it1 and to send the ,holy ,ghost to guide and teach it forever8 ,and1 secondly1 if ,god sent the ,protestants to correct the mistakes of the ,catholic ,church1 what proof do they give us that they have such power from ,god8 ,when1 as we have seen1 ,god sends anyone to do a special work1 ,he always gives him power to prove his mission4 ,when ,he sent ,moses1 ,he gave him signs--the plagues of ,egypt4 ,when ,he sent ,his prophets1 they called down fire and rain from ,heaven4 7#c ,kings #ah74 ,but ,protestants have shown us no signs and performed no miracles2 therefore we cannot believe their assertion that ,god sent them to correct the ,catholic ,church4 ,neither can we believe that ,our ,lord broke ,his promise to stay with the ,church4 ,we shall see the whole truth of the matter if we go back to the establishment of the ,protestant religion and consider the life of ,luther and the others who founded it4 ,luther1 then a young man1 while out one day saw his friend killed at his side by a stroke of lightning4 ,much affected by that sad event1 ,luther became a priest in the order of the ,augustinians4 ,he was a learned man and a great preacher1 but very proud4 ,the ,holy ,father was completing ,st4 ,peter's ,church in ,rome1 and about that time granted an indulgence to those giving alms for the purpose1 just as pastors now offer ,masses for those who contribute means to build a new church1 or hospital1 asylum1 etc4 ,the ,holy ,father sent ,dominican priests to preach about this indulgence and collect this money4 ,then ,luther1 when he found that he1 a great preacher1 was not appointed1 was probably jealous4 ,he first began to preach against the abuses of indulgences3 but pride made him go further1 and soon he began to preach against the doctrine of indulgences1 and thus became a heretic4 ,then he was condemned by the ,pope1 and cut off from the ,church4 ,being proud1 he would not submit1 but began to form a new religion1 now called ,protestant4 ,but how did he get the people to follow him8 ,oh1 very easily4 ,then1 as now1 there were plenty of bad and indifferent ,catholics4 ,at that time the ,church was rich and had much property and lands2 because when rich ,catholics died they often left to the ,church property for its own support and the support of its institutions4 ,even during their lifetime kings and princes sometimes gave the ,church large donations of lands and money4 ,the ,church then was supported by these gifts and the income or rents of the lands1 and did not need to look for collections from the people1 as it has to do now4 ,here1 then1 is how ,luther got many to follow him4 ,he told greedy princes that if they came with him they could become rich by seizing the property of all the churches1 and the greedy princes1 glad of an excuse1 went with him4 ,then he told the people--the bad ,catholics--that fasting was too severe2 going to confession too hard2 hearing ,mass every ,sunday too difficult2 and if they renounced their faith and embraced his new religion he would do away with all these things3 so they also followed him4 ,he himself broke his solemn vows made to ,god1 and the people easily followed his example4 ,those attending the ,protestant churches in our times are generally rich and refined people1 but you must not think that the first ,protestants of three hundred years ago were just like them4 ,no4 ,many of them were from the lowest and worst--,i do not say poorest--classes in society2 and when they got an excuse1 they went about destroying churches and institutions1 burning beautiful statues1 paintings1 music1 books1 and works of art that the ,church had collected and preserved for centuries4 ,this you may read in any of the histories of the ,church and times4 ,the ,protestants of the present day praise all these works of art now2 but if their ancestors had had their way every beautiful work of art would have been destroyed4 ,some persons say they would not be members of the ,catholic ,church because so many poor people attend it4 ,then they do not want to belong to the ,church of ,our ,lord1 because ,his ,church is the ,church of both poor and rich4 ,when ,st4 ,john the ,baptist sent his disciples to ask ,our ,lord if ,he were really the ,messias1 ,our ,lord did not say yes or no1 but told them to relate to ,john what they had heard and seen 7,matt4 #aa3e71 namely1 that ,he 7,christ7 cured the blind1 the lame1 and the deaf1 and preached to the poor4 ,therefore ,our ,lord gave preaching to the poor as a proof that ,he is the true ,redeemer2 and since ,our ,lord ,himself had the poor in ,his congregation1 the ,church everywhere must have the poor among its members1 for it must do what ,our ,lord did4 ,so if you see a church to which the poor people never go1 in which they are not welcome1 you have good reason to suspect it is not the ,church of ,our ,lord--not the true ,church4 ,again1 poverty and riches belong only to this world and make a distinction only here4 ,the one who is poorest in this world's goods may be richest in ,god's grace4 ,indeed1 if most ,protestants studied the early history of their religion they would not be proud1 but ashamed of it4 ,how little they would think of their ancestors who gave up ,god for some worldly gain1 while the ,catholic martyrs gave up everything1 even their lives1 rather than forsake ,god and the true religion4 #acc ,q4 ,in which church are these attributes and marks found8 ,a4 ,these attributes and marks are found in the ,holy ,roman ,catholic ,church alone4 ,we have seen that some religions may seem to have one or two of the marks2 but the ,catholic ,church alone has them all1 and is consequently the only true ,church of ,christ4 ,the other religions are not one--that is1 united over the world2 they give no proof of holiness1 never having had any great saints whom ,god acknowledged as such by performing miracles for them4 ,they are not catholic1 because they have not taught in all ages and nations4 ,they are not apostolic1 because established hundreds of years after the ,apostles4 ,they are not infallible1 for they have now declared things to be false which they formerly declared to be true2 they are not indefectible--they are not as ,our ,lord founded them1 for ,he never founded them2 and they are constantly making changes in their beliefs and practices4 ,the marks of the ,church are necessary also because the ,church must be a visible ,church1 that all men may be able to see and know it2 for ,our ,lord said1 ,he that will not hear the ,church1 let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican4 7,matt4 #ah3ag74 ,heathens were those who worshipped false gods4 ,publicans were men who gathered the taxes from the ,jews for the ,romans2 they were generally very cruel to the people1 and were much hated and despised by them4 ,therefore ,our ,lord meant3 if anyone will not obey the ,church1 you should avoid him as you avoid the heathens and the publicans1 whom you despise4 ,now no one can be blamed for not obeying a church that is invisible and unknown4 ,therefore the true ,church must be a visible body and easily known to all who earnestly seek it as the ,church of ,christ4 ,but if some shut their eyes and refuse to look at the light of truth1 ignorance will not excuse them2 they must be blamed and fall under the sentence of ,our ,lord4 99#acd ,q4 ,from whom does the ,church derive its undying life and infallible authority8 ,a4 ,the ,church derives its undying life and infallible authority from the ,holy ,ghost1 the spirit of truth1 who abides with it forever4 99#ace ,q4 ,by whom is the ,church made and kept ,one1 ,holy1 and ,catholic8 ,a4 ,the ,church is made and kept ,one1 ,holy1 and ,catholic by the ,holy ,ghost1 the spirit of love and holiness1 who unites and sanctifies its members throughout the world4 ,lesson #ac ,,on ,,the ,,sacraments ,,in ,,general ,this lesson does not speak of any ,sacrament in particular1 but upon all the ,sacraments taken together4 ,it explains what we find in all the ,sacraments4 #acf ,q4 ,what is a ,sacrament8 ,a4 ,a ,sacrament is an outward sign instituted by ,christ to give grace4 ,three things are necessary to make a ,sacrament4 ,there must be3 7#a7 ,an outward1 that is1 a visible1 sign2 7#b7 this sign must have been instituted or given by ,our ,lord2 7#c7 it must give grace4 ,now1 a sign is that which tells us that something else exists4 ,smoke indicates the presence of fire4 ,a red light on a railroad tells that there is danger at the spot4 ,therefore1 the outward signs in the ,sacraments tell us that there is in the ,sacraments something we do not see and which they signify and impart4 ,for example1 the outward sign in ,baptism is the pouring of the water on the head of the person to be baptized1 and the saying of the words4 ,water is generally used for cleaning purposes4 ,water1 therefore1 is used in ,baptism as an outward sign to show that as the water cleans the body1 so the grace given in ,baptism cleans the soul4 ,it is not a mere sign1 for at the very moment that the priest pours the water and says the words of ,baptism1 by the pouring of the water and saying of the words with the proper intention the soul is cleansed from ,original ,sin2 that is1 the inward grace is given by the application of the outward sign4 ,again1 in ,confirmation the outward sign is the anointing with oil1 the ,bishop's prayer1 and the placing of his hands upon us4 ,now what inward grace is given in ,confirmation8 ,a grace which strengthens us in our faith4 ,oil1 therefore1 is used for the outward sign in this ,sacrament1 because oil gives strength and light4 ,in olden times the gladiators--men who fought with swords as prize-fighters do now with their hands--used oil upon their bodies to make them strong4 ,oil was used also to heal wounds4 ,thus in ,confirmation the application of this outward sign of strength gives the inward grace of light and strength4 ,moreover1 oil easily spreads itself over anything and remains on it4 ,a drop of water falling on paper dries up quickly2 but a drop of oil soaks in and spreads over it4 ,so oil is used to show also that the grace of ,confirmation spreads out over our whole lives1 and strengthens us in our faith at all times4 ,again1 in ,penance we have the outward sign when the priest raises his hand and pronounces over us the words of absolution4 ,if we did not have these outward signs how could anyone know just at what time the graces are given8 ,we can know now1 for at the very moment the outward sign is applied the grace is given2 because it is the application of the sign that by divine institution gives the grace1 and thus the two must take place together4 ,institution by ,christ is absolutely necessary because ,he gives all grace1 and ,he alone can determine the manner in which ,he wishes it distributed4 ,the ,church can distribute ,his grace1 but only in the way ,he wishes4 ,hence it cannot make new ,sacraments or abolish old ones4 #acg ,q4 ,how many ,sacraments are there8 ,a4 ,there are seven ,sacraments3 ,baptism1 ,confirmation1 ,holy ,eucharist1 ,penance1 ,extreme ,unction1 ,holy ,orders1 and ,matrimony4 ,the life of our soul is in many ways similar to the life of our body4 ,our bodies must first be born1 then strengthened1 then fed4 ,when sick1 we must be cured3 and when about to die1 we must be taken care of4 ,then there must be someone to rule others1 and there must be persons to be governed4 ,in like manner1 we are spiritually born into a new life by ,baptism1 we are strengthened by ,confirmation1 fed with the ,holy ,eucharist1 and cured of the maladies of our souls by ,penance4 ,by ,extreme ,unction we are helped at the hour of death2 by ,holy ,orders our spiritual rulers are appointed by ,god2 and by ,matrimony families1 with a father at the head and children to be ruled1 are established4 ,thus we have our spiritual life similar in many things to our physical or bodily life4 #ach ,q4 ,whence have the ,sacraments the power of giving grace8 ,a4 ,the ,sacraments have the power of giving grace from the merits of ,jesus ,christ4 ,our ,lord died to merit grace for us1 and appointed the ,sacraments as the chief means by which it was to be given4 99#aci ,q4 ,what grace do the ,sacraments give8 ,a4 ,some of the ,sacraments give sanctifying grace1 and others increase it in our souls4 ,baptism and ,penance give this sanctifying grace when there is not any of it in the soul4 ,but the other ,sacraments are received while we are in a state of grace1 and they therefore increase the quantity of it in our souls4 99#adj ,q4 ,which are the ,sacraments that give sanctifying grace8 ,a4 ,the ,sacraments that give sanctifying grace are ,baptism and ,penance2 and they are called ,sacraments of the dead4 ,of the dead4 ,not of a dead person2 for when a person is dead he cannot receive any of the ,sacraments4 ,it is only while we live upon earth that we are on trial1 and can do good or evil1 and merit grace4 ,at death we receive simply our reward or punishment for what we have done while living4 ,therefore1 ,sacraments of the dead mean ,sacraments given to a dead soul1 that is1 to a soul in mortal sin4 ,when grace--its life--is all out of the soul it can do nothing to merit ,heaven2 and we say it is dead1 because the dead can do nothing for themselves4 ,if a person receives--as many do--the ,sacrament of ,penance while his soul is not in a state of mortal sin1 what then8 ,then the soul--already living--receives an increase of sanctifying grace1 that is1 greater spiritual life and strength4 99#ada ,q4 ,why are ,baptism and ,penance called ,sacraments of the dead8 ,a4 ,baptism and ,penance are called ,sacraments of the dead because they take away sin1 which is the death of the soul1 and give grace1 which is its life4 99#adb ,q4 ,which are the ,sacraments that increase sanctifying grace in the soul8 ,a4 ,the ,sacraments that increase sanctifying grace in the soul are3 ,confirmation1 ,holy ,eucharist1 ,extreme ,unction1 ,holy ,orders1 and ,matrimony2 and they are called ,sacraments of the living4 99#adc ,q4 ,why are ,confirmation1 ,holy ,eucharist1 ,extreme ,unction1 ,holy ,orders1 and ,matrimony called ,sacraments of the living8 ,a4 ,confirmation1 ,holy ,eucharist1 ,extreme ,unction1 ,holy ,orders1 and ,matrimony are called the ,sacraments of the living because those who receive them worthily are already living the life of grace4 99#add ,q4 ,what sin does he commit who receives the ,sacraments of the living in mortal sin8 ,a4 ,he who receives the ,sacraments of the living in mortal sin commits a sacrilege1 which is a great sin1 because it is an abuse of a sacred thing4 ,sacrilege4 ,there are other ways besides the unworthy reception of the ,sacraments in which a person may commit sacrilege4 ,you could commit it by treating any sacred thing with great disrespect4 ,for example1 by making common use of the sacred vessels used at the altar2 by stealing from the church2 by turning the church into a market1 etc4 ,you could commit it also by willfully killing or wounding persons consecrated to ,god1 such as nuns1 priests1 bishops1 etc4 ,therefore sacrilege can be committed by willfully abusing or treating with great irreverence any sacred person1 sacred place1 or sacred thing4 99#ade ,q4 ,besides sanctifying grace1 do the ,sacraments give any other grace8 ,a4 ,besides sanctifying grace1 the ,sacraments give another grace1 called sacramental4 99#adf ,q4 ,what is sacramental grace8 ,a4 ,sacramental grace is a special help which ,god gives to attain the end for which ,he instituted each ,sacrament4 ,for example1 what was the end for which ,penance was instituted8 ,to forgive sins and keep us out of sin4 ,therefore the sacramental grace given in ,penance is a grace that will enable us to overcome temptation and avoid the sins we have been in the habit of committing4 ,when a person is ill the doctor's medicine generally produces two effects3 one is to cure the disease and the other to strengthen the person so that he may not fall back into the old condition4 ,well1 it is just the same in the ,sacraments2 the grace given produces two effects3 one is to sanctify us and the other to prevent us from falling into the same sins4 ,again1 ,confirmation was instituted that we might become more perfect ,christians1 stronger in our faith4 ,therefore the sacramental grace of ,confirmation will strengthen us to profess our faith when circumstances require it2 or when we are tempted to doubt any revealed truth1 it will help us to overcome the temptation4 ,so in all the ,sacraments we receive the sacramental grace or special help given to attain the end for which the ,sacraments were separately instituted4 #adg ,q4 ,do the ,sacraments always give grace8 ,a4 ,the ,sacraments always give grace1 if we receive them with the right dispositions4 ,right dispositions2 that is1 if we do all that ,god and the ,church require us to do when we receive them4 ,for instance1 in ,penance the right disposition is to confess all our mortal sins as we know them1 to be sorry for them1 and have the determination never to commit them again4 ,the right disposition for the ,holy ,eucharist is to be in a state of grace1 and--except in special cases of sickness--fasting for one hour4 #adh ,q4 ,can we receive the ,sacraments more than once8 ,a4 ,we can receive the ,sacraments more than once1 except ,baptism1 ,confirmation1 and ,holy ,orders4 ,baptism is so important that if we do not receive it we cannot receive any other of the ,sacraments4 ,now1 to administer ,baptism validly1 that is1 properly1 everything must be done exactly as ,our ,lord intended and the ,church teaches4 ,the proper kind of water and all the exact words must be used4 ,also1 the water must touch the body1 that is1 the head if possible4 ,now persons not knowing well how to baptize might neglect some of these things1 and thus the person would not be baptized4 ,the ,church wishes to be certain that all its children are baptized2 so when there is any doubt about the first ,baptism1 it baptizes again conditionally1 that is1 the priest says in giving the ,baptism over again3 ,if you are not baptized already1 ,i baptize you now4 ,therefore if the person was rightly baptized the first time1 the second ceremony has no effect1 because the priest does not intend to give ,baptism a second time4 ,but if the first ,baptism was not rightly given1 then the second takes effect4 ,in either case ,baptism is given only once2 for if the first was valid1 the second is not given2 and if the first was invalid1 the second is given4 ,converts to the ,church are generally baptized conditionally1 because there is doubt about the validity of the ,baptism they received4 ,the ,sacraments may be given conditionally when we doubt if they were or can be validly given4 99#adi ,q4 ,why can we not receive ,baptism1 ,confirmation1 and ,holy ,orders more than once8 ,a4 ,we cannot receive ,baptism1 ,confirmation1 and ,holy ,orders more than once1 because they imprint a character in the soul4 ,a character4 ,it is a spiritual character1 and remains forever1 so that whether the person is in ,heaven or ,hell this mark will be seen4 ,it will show that those having it were ,christians1 who received ,baptism1 ,confirmation1 or ,holy ,orders4 ,if they are in ,heaven1 these characters will shine out to their honor1 and will show how well they used the grace ,god gave them4 ,if they are in ,hell1 these characters will be to their disgrace1 and show how many gifts and graces ,god bestowed upon them1 and how shamefully they abused all4 99#aej ,q4 ,what is the character which these ,sacraments imprint in the soul8 ,a4 ,the character which these ,sacraments imprint in the soul is a spiritual mark which remains forever4 99#aea ,q4 ,does this character remain in the soul even after death8 ,a4 ,this character remains in the soul even after death3 for the honor and glory of those who are saved2 for the shame and punishment of those who are lost4 ,lesson #ad ,,on ,,baptism #aeb ,q4 ,what is ,baptism8 ,a4 ,baptism is a ,sacrament which cleanses us from ,original ,sin1 makes us ,christians1 children of ,god1 and heirs of ,heaven4 ,christians1 that is1 members of the ,church of ,christ4 ,children of ,god1 that is1 adopted children4 ,all men are children of ,god by their creation1 but ,christians are children of ,god1 not merely by creation1 but also by grace and union with ,our ,lord4 ,heirs of ,heaven4 ,an heir is one who inherits property1 money1 or goods at the death of another4 ,these things are left by a will or given by the laws of the ,state1 when the person dies without making a will4 ,a will is a written statement in which a person declares what he wishes to have done1 at his death1 with whatever he possesses--the charitable objects or the persons to whom he wishes to leave his goods4 ,this will is called also the last testament4 ,it is signed by witnesses1 and after the death of the testator is committed to the care of a person--called the executor--whose business it is to see that all stated in the will or testament is carried out4 ,there is an officer in the ,state to take these things in hand and settle them according to law1 when the amount left is large1 and there is a dispute about it4 ,you can understand better now why we call the ,bible the ,old and the ,new ,testament4 ,when ,our ,lord died we were left an inheritance and spiritual property4 ,the inheritance was ,heaven1 which we had lost through the sin of ,adam and regained by the death of ,our ,lord4 ,the spiritual property was ,god's grace1 which ,he merited for us4 ,the ,old ,testament contains the promise of what ,our ,lord would leave us at ,his death1 and the ,new ,testament shows that ,he kept ,his promise and did leave what ,he said4 ,the ,old ,testament was written before ,he died1 and the ,new ,testament after ,his death4 ,the witnesses of these testaments were the patriarchs1 prophets1 ,apostles1 and evangelists1 who heard ,god making the promises through the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the ,church is the executor of ,christ's will1 and it is its business to see that all men receive what ,christ left them1 namely1 ,god's grace and ,heaven4 ,it must also see that they are not cheated out of it by their enemies--the devil1 the world1 and the flesh4 #aec ,q4 ,are actual sins ever remitted by ,baptism8 ,a4 ,actual sins and all the punishment due to them are remitted by ,baptism1 if the person baptized be guilty of any4 ,we know that ,baptism remits ,original ,sin4 ,but suppose a person is not baptized till he is twenty-five or thirty years old2 he has surely committed some sins since he was seven years of age--the time at which he received the use of reason4 ,now the question asks1 ,are all his sins1 those he committed himself as well as the ,original ,sin1 forgiven by ,baptism8 ,the answer is1 ,yes4 ,all his sins are forgiven1 so that he has not to confess them4 ,but he must be heartily sorry for them and have the firm determination of never committing them again1 just as in confession4 ,moreover1 that he may not have to confess these sins1 we must be absolutely certain that he was never baptized before4 ,besides remitting the sins themselves1 ,baptism remits all the temporal punishment due to them4 ,in the ,sacrament of ,penance the sinner is saved from the eternal punishment--that is1 ,hell--and from part of the temporal punishment4 ,but although the sins have been forgiven1 the sinner must make satisfaction to ,god for the insult offered by his sins4 ,therefore1 he must suffer punishment in this world or in ,purgatory4 ,we call this punishment temporal1 because it will not last forever4 ,you can make this satisfaction to ,god while on earth1 and thus avoid much of the temporal punishment by prayers1 fasting1 gaining indulgences1 alms1 and good works2 and even by bearing your sufferings1 trials1 and afflictions patiently1 and offering them up to ,god in satisfaction for your sins4 ,in ,baptism both the eternal and temporal debt are washed away2 so that if a person just baptized died immediately1 he would go directly to ,heaven1 not to ,purgatory3 because persons go to ,purgatory to pay off the temporal debt4 ,neither could that person gain an indulgence1 because indulgences are only to help us to pay the temporal debt4 ,neither could that person receive the ,sacrament of ,penance1 because ,penance remits only sin committed after ,baptism1 and that person had no sins to remit1 because he died just after receiving ,baptism4 ,see1 then1 the goodness of ,our ,lord in instituting ,baptism1 to forgive everything and leave us as free from guilt as our first parents were when ,god created them4 #aed ,q4 ,is ,baptism necessary to salvation8 ,a4 ,baptism is necessary to salvation1 because without it we cannot enter into the kingdom of ,heaven4 ,those who through no fault of theirs die without ,baptism1 though they have never committed sin1 cannot enter ,heaven--neither will they go to ,hell4 ,after the ,last ,judgment there will be no ,purgatory4 ,where1 then1 will they go8 ,god in ,his goodness will provide a place of rest for them1 where they will not suffer and will be in a state of natural peace2 but they will never see ,god or ,heaven4 ,god might have created us for a purely natural and material end1 so that we would live forever upon the earth and be naturally happy with the good things ,god would give us4 ,but then we would never have known of ,heaven or ,god as we do now4 ,such happiness on earth would be nothing compared to the delights of ,heaven and the presence of ,god2 so that1 now1 since ,god has given us1 through ,his holy revelations1 a knowledge of ,himself and ,heaven1 we would be miserable if left always upon the earth4 ,those1 then1 who die without ,baptism do not know what they have lost1 and are naturally happy2 but we who know all they have lost for want of ,baptism know how very unfortunate they are4 ,think1 then1 what a terrible crime it is to willfully allow anyone to die without ,baptism1 or to deprive a little child of life before it can be baptized6 ,suppose all the members of a family but one little infant have been baptized2 when the ,day of ,judgment comes1 while all the other members of a family--father1 mother1 and children--may go into ,heaven1 that little one will have to remain out2 that little brother or sister will be separated from its family forever1 and never1 never see ,god or ,heaven4 ,how heartless and cruel1 then1 must a person be who would deprive that little infant of happiness for all eternity--just that its mother or someone else might have a little less trouble or suffering here upon earth4 #aee ,q4 ,who can administer ,baptism8 ,a4 ,the priest is the ordinary minister of ,baptism2 but in case of necessity anyone who has the use of reason may baptize4 ,ordinary--that is1 the one who has a right to baptize and generally does2 others can baptize only in case of necessity4 ,priest and all above him--bishops1 and the ,pope2 for they have all the power the priest has1 and more besides4 ,minister is the name given here to one who performs any of the sacred rites or ceremonies of the ,church4 ,necessity4 ,when the ordinary minister cannot be had and when ,baptism must be given2 for if it is not absolutely necessary to give the ,baptism1 then you must wait for the ordinary minister4 ,anyone4 ,even persons not ,catholics or not ,christians may1 in case of necessity1 baptize a person wishing to receive ,baptism1 if they know how to baptize and seriously wish to do what the ,church of ,christ does when it baptizes4 ,you cannot baptize a person against his will4 ,neither can you baptize an infant whose parents are unwilling to have the child baptized1 or when the child will not be brought up in the ,catholic religion4 ,but if the child is dying1 it can and should be baptized1 even without the consent of the parents4 ,use of reason4 ,because the person must intend to do what ,our ,lord ordered to be done in giving ,baptism2 and a little child could not understand1 and could not therefore baptize4 #aef ,q4 ,how is ,baptism given8 ,a4 ,whoever baptizes should pour water on the head of the person to be baptized1 and say1 while pouring the water3 ,i baptize thee in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,when the priest baptizes in the church1 he uses consecrated water--that is1 water blessed for that purpose on ,holy ,saturday1 and mixed with holy oil4 ,when he or any other1 in case of necessity1 baptizes in a private house1 he may use plain1 clean water1 and he baptizes without the other ceremonies used in the church4 ,remember1 in ,baptism you can use ordinary clean water1 warm or cold4 ,when the priest or anyone baptizes by simply pouring the water and pronouncing the words of ,baptism1 we call it private ,baptism4 ,the ,baptism given in church with all the ceremonies is called solemn ,baptism4 ,any person baptized privately should be brought to the church afterwards to have the rest of the ceremonies performed4 ,it will increase your respect for the ,sacrament to know what ceremonies are used in solemn ,baptism1 and what they signify4 ,the following things must be prepared3 the holy oils1 a little salt1 a little pitcher or something similar to pour the water from1 a vessel to receive the water when poured1 some cotton1 two stoles1 one white and one purple1 towels1 a white cloth1 candle1 and candlestick4 ,all being ready1 the person holding the infant takes it on the right arm1 face up1 and the priest1 having learned the name it is to be given1 begins by asking the one to be baptized1 ,what do you ask of the ,church of ,god8 ,and the godparents answer for the child1 ,faith4 ,if the person receiving ,baptism is capable of answering for himself1 he must do so4 ,then the priest exhorts the child to keep the ,commandments and love ,god2 then he breathes three times upon it and bids the evil spirit depart4 ,he next prays for the child and puts a little salt into its mouth1 as a sign of the wisdom that ,faith gives1 and again prays for the child4 ,then he places the end of his stole over it as a sign that it is led into the ,church2 for ,baptism is given in a place called the baptistery1 railed off from the church and near the door1 because formerly the ceremony up to this point was performed outside the church1 and at this part of the ceremony the person was led in to be baptized4 ,then before ,baptism the person says the ,creed and the ,our ,father2 for when a grown person is to be baptized he must first be instructed in all the truths of religion1 and he must say the ,creed to show that he believes them4 ,again the priest prays and places a little spittle on the ears and nose of the child1 using at the same time the words used by ,our ,lord when ,he spit upon the ground1 and rubbing the spittle and clay upon the eyes of the blind man1 healed him4 7,john #i3f74 ,the priest next asks the child if it renounces the devil and all his works and pomps--that is1 vanities and empty shows2 and having received the answer anoints it with holy oil on the breast and back4 ,then he again asks for a profession of faith1 and finally baptizes it4 ,after ,baptism he anoints its head with holy chrism1 places a white cloth upon it to signify the purity it received in ,baptism1 and as a sign that it must keep its soul free from sin4 ,then he places in its hand a lighted candle1 to signify the light of faith it has received in ,baptism4 ,we are baptized at the door of the church to show that without ,baptism we are out of the ,church4 ,we are often signed with the ,sign of the ,cross to remind us that our salvation is due to the ,cross and ,passion of ,our ,lord4 ,the priest's stole is placed over us to show that the ,church takes us under its protection and shields us from the power of the devil4 ,we are anointed as a sign that we are freed from our sins and strengthened to fight for ,christ4 ,the white cloth or garment is placed upon us to remind us of the glory of the ,resurrection2 the light is placed in our hand to show that we should burn with ,christian charity4 99#aeg ,q4 ,how many kinds of ,baptism are there8 ,a4 ,there are three kinds of ,baptism3 ,baptism of water1 of desire1 and of blood4 99#aeh ,q4 ,what is ,baptism of water8 ,a4 ,baptism of water is that which is given by pouring water on the head of the person to be baptized1 and saying at the same time1 ,i baptize thee in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 99#aei ,q4 ,what is ,baptism of desire8 ,a4 ,baptism of desire is an ardent wish to receive ,baptism1 and to do all that ,god has ordained for our salvation4 ,ardent wish by one who has no opportunity of being baptized--for no one can baptize himself4 ,he must be sorry for his sins and have the desire of receiving the ,baptism of water as soon as he can2 just as a person in mortal sin and without a priest to absolve him may1 when in danger of death1 save his soul from ,hell by an act of perfect contrition and the firm resolution of going to confession as soon as possible4 ,baptism of desire would be useful and necessary if there was no water at hand or no person to baptize2 or if the one wishing to be baptized and those about him did not know exactly how ,baptism was to be given--which might easily happen in pagan lands4 ,one thing you must especially remember in giving ,baptism in case of necessity3 namely1 that it would not do for one person to pour the water and another to say the words4 ,the same person must do both1 or the ,baptism will not be valid4 ,if you are called to baptize in case of necessity1 be very careful to observe the following points1 otherwise the ,baptism will not be valid3 use clean water and nothing but water--no other liquid would do4 ,say every one of the exact words3 ,i baptize thee in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it would not do to say1 ,i baptize thee in the name of ,god2 or1 ,i baptize thee in the name of the ,blessed ,trinity2 nor would it do to say simply1 ,in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost1 without saying1 ,i baptize thee4 ,say the words at the same time you pour the water1 and be sure the water touches the skin4 ,it would not do to pour the water simply on the hair4 ,you must not sprinkle the water1 but pour it upon the head4 ,when you have followed the above instructions carefully and are sure you have baptized properly1 never under any circumstance repeat the ,baptism on the same person4 ,it is a sin to try to baptize more than once when you know ,baptism can be given only once4 ,the sight of the person dying and the fact that you are called for the first time may cause you to be somewhat excited2 but be calm1 remember the importance of the ,sacrament1 and you will administer it as directed4 ,parents should not baptize their own children in case of necessity1 if there is any other person present who can validly do it4 ,remember those who administer ,baptism contract a spiritual relationship with the person they baptize 7not with his parents74 ,if they wished1 years afterwards1 to marry the person they baptized1 they must make this relationship known to the priest4 ,sponsors are not necessary in private ,baptism4 ,a person may be sponsor for a child in ,baptism without being present at the ,baptism1 provided someone else holds the child in his name and answers the questions he himself would answer if he were present4 ,such a sponsor is said to stand for the child by proxy1 and he1 and not the one who holds the child1 is then the real godparent when1 at the request of the parents or priest he has consented to be sponsor4 99#afj ,q4 ,what is ,baptism of blood8 ,a4 ,baptism of blood is the shedding of one's blood for the faith of ,christ4 ,baptism of blood1 called martyrdom1 is received by those who were not baptized with water1 but were put to death for their ,catholic faith4 ,this takes place even nowadays in pagan countries where the missionaries are trying to convert the poor natives4 ,these pagans have to be instructed before they are baptized4 ,they do everything required of them1 let us suppose1 and are waiting for the day of ,baptism4 ,those who are being thus instructed are called ,catechumens4 ,someday1 while they are attending their instructions1 the enemies of religion rush down upon them and put them to death4 ,they do not resist1 but willingly suffer death for the sake of the true religion4 ,they are martyrs then and are baptized in their own blood2 although1 as we said above1 blood would not do for an ordinary ,baptism even when we could not get water2 so that if a person drew blood from his own body and asked to be baptized with it1 the ,baptism would not be valid4 ,neither would they be martyrs if put to death not for religion or virtue but for some other reason--say political4 99#afa ,q4 ,is ,baptism of desire or blood sufficient to produce the effects of ,baptism of water8 ,a4 ,baptism of desire or of blood is sufficient to produce the effects of the ,baptism of water1 if it is impossible to receive the ,baptism of water4 99#afb ,q4 ,what do we promise in ,baptism8 ,a4 ,in ,baptism we promise to renounce the devil with all his works and pomps4 99#afc ,q4 ,why is the name of a saint given in ,baptism8 ,a4 ,the name of a saint is given in ,baptism in order that the person baptized may imitate his virtues and have him for a protector4 ,the saint whose name we bear is called our patron saint4 ,this saint has a special love for us and a special care over us4 ,people take the names of great men because they admire their good qualities or their great deeds4 ,so we take saints' names because we admire their ,christian virtues and great ,christian deeds4 ,we should1 therefore1 read the life of our patron saint and try to imitate his virtues1 and the day on which the ,church celebrates the feast of our patron saint should be a great day for us also4 ,the ,church generally celebrates the saint's feast on the day on which he died1 that is1 as we believe1 the day on which he entered into ,heaven4 99#afd ,q4 ,why are godfathers and godmothers given in ,baptism8 ,a4 ,godfathers and godmothers are given in ,baptism in order that they may promise in the name of the child what the child itself would promise if it had the use of reason4 99#afe ,q4 ,what is the obligation of a godfather and a godmother8 ,a4 ,the obligation of a godfather and a godmother is to instruct the child in its religious duties if the parents neglect to do so or die4 ,this is a very important obligation1 and we should be faithful in the fulfillment of it before ,god4 ,godfathers and godmothers are also called sponsors4 ,the following persons cannot be sponsors3 7#a7 ,all persons not ,catholics1 because they cannot teach the child the ,catholic religion if they do not know it themselves4 7#b7 ,all persons who are publicly leading bad lives2 for how can they give good examples and teach their godchild to be good when they themselves are public sinners8 7#c7 ,all persons who are ignorant of their religion should not take upon themselves the duties of godparents4 ,therefore parents should select as sponsors for their children only good1 practical ,catholics--not ,catholics merely in name1 but those who live up to their faith1 and who will be an example for their children4 ,to repeat what has already been said1 godparents contract a spiritual relationship with their godchild1 and in the event of marriage1 they must make known this relationship to the priest4 ,the godfather and the godmother do not contract a relationship between themselves1 or with the child's parents1 but only with the child so that neither the godfather nor the godmother could later marry their godchild without first obtaining proper dispensation2 that is1 permission from the ,church granted by the bishop or ,pope4 ,with regard to names1 parents should never be induced by any motive to give their child some foolish or fancy name taken from books1 places1 or things4 ,above all1 they should never select the name of any enemy of the ,church or unbeliever1 but the name of one of ,god's saints who will be a model for the child4 ,whatever name is taken1 if it be not a saint's name1 the name of some saint should be given as a middle name4 ,if this has been omitted in ,baptism1 it should be supplied in ,confirmation1 at which time a new name can be added4 ,again1 if a saint's name has been taken in ,baptism it should not be shortened or changed so as to mean nothing2 as1 for example1 ,mazie1 ,miz1 etc41 for ,mary4 ,when your correct name is mentioned your saint is honored1 and ,i might say invoked1 because it should remind you of him4 ,for that reason you should not have meaningless or foolish pet names1 known only to your family or your friends4 ,lesson #ae ,,on ,,confirmation #aff ,q4 ,what is ,confirmation8 ,a4 ,confirmation is a ,sacrament through which we receive the ,holy ,ghost to make us strong and perfect ,christians and soldiers of ,jesus ,christ4 ,in ,baptism we are made ,christians1 but we are not very strong in our faith till the ,holy ,ghost comes in ,confirmation4 ,you remember how timid the ,apostles were before the coming of the ,holy ,ghost1 and how firm and determined in their faith they were afterwards2 and how fearlessly they preached even to those who crucified ,our ,lord4 ,soldiers1 because we must fight for our salvation against our three enemies1 the devil1 the world1 and the flesh4 ,our ,lord is our great leader in this warfare1 and we must follow ,him and fight as ,he directs4 ,a soldier that fights as he pleases and not as his general commands1 will surely be beaten4 #afg ,q4 ,who can administer ,confirmation8 ,a4 ,the bishop is the ordinary minister of ,confirmation4 ,ordinary1 because in some very distant countries where on account of the small number of ,christians they have as yet no bishops1 the ,pope allows some priest to give ,confirmation2 but then he must use the holy oil consecrated by a bishop1 and cannot consecrate oil himself4 #afh ,q4 ,how does the bishop give ,confirmation8 ,a4 ,the bishop extends his hands over those who are to be confirmed1 prays that they may receive the ,holy ,ghost1 and anoints the forehead of each with holy chrism in the form of a cross4 99#afi ,q4 ,what is holy chrism8 ,a4 ,holy chrism is a mixture of olive oil and balm1 consecrated by the bishop4 ,the oil signifies the strength we receive1 and the balm that we should be free from the corruption of sin1 and give forth the sweetness of virtue4 #agj ,q4 ,what does the bishop say in anointing the person he confirms8 ,a4 ,in anointing the person he confirms the bishop says3 ,i sign thee with the ,sign of the ,cross1 and ,i confirm thee with the chrism of salvation1 in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 99#aga ,q4 ,what is meant by anointing the forehead with chrism in the form of a cross8 ,a4 ,by anointing the forehead with chrism in the form of a cross is meant1 that the ,christian who is confirmed must openly profess and practice his faith1 never be ashamed of it1 and rather die than deny it4 ,openly profess--that is1 acknowledge that he is a ,catholic when it is necessary to do so4 ,he need not proclaim it in the streets4 ,practice it without regard for what other people think1 say1 or do4 ,ashamed of a religion so glorious as the ,catholic religion8 ,would we not be proud to belong to a society of which kings and princes were members8 ,well1 a few centuries ago nearly all the kings1 princes1 and great men of the earth were ,catholics4 ,all the saints were ,catholics4 ,all the ,popes were ,catholics4 ,at present over three hundred million people in the world are ,catholics4 ,this ,church was founded when ,christ ,our ,lord was on earth1 and is nearly two thousand years old4 ,all the other churches are only a few hundred years old4 ,we ought1 therefore1 to be proud of our religion1 for which and in which so many noble persons died4 ,we should feel proud that we are ,catholics2 while ,protestants should feel ashamed in our presence1 for they have deserted the true standard of ,christ1 and followed some other leader who set up a religion of his own in opposition to the true ,church of ,our ,lord4 ,they will not have the cross or crucifix1 the standard of ,christ1 in their churches or houses or about their persons1 and yet they claim to be ,christians redeemed by the ,cross4 ,we are called upon to defend or profess our religion when we have to do what the ,church and ,god require us to do3 for example1 hear ,mass on ,sundays and holy days2 abstain from the use of fleshmeat on ,ash ,wednesday and the ,fridays of ,lent1 fast on fast-days1 and the like1 when we are among persons not ,catholics4 99#agb ,q4 ,why does the bishop give the person he confirms a slight blow on the cheek8 ,a4 ,the bishop gives the person he confirms a slight blow on the cheek to put him in mind that he must be ready to suffer anything1 even death1 for the sake of ,christ4 #agc ,q4 ,to receive ,confirmation worthily is it necessary to be in the state of grace8 ,a4 ,to receive ,confirmation worthily it is necessary to be in the state of grace4 99#agd ,q4 ,what special preparation should be made to receive ,confirmation8 ,a4 ,persons of an age to learn should know the chief mysteries of faith and the duties of a ,christian1 and be instructed in the nature and effects of this ,sacrament4 ,how can one be a good soldier who does not know the rules and regulations of the army nor understand the commands of his general8 ,how can one be a good ,christian who does not understand the laws of the ,church and the teachings of ,christ8 ,the nature--that is1 understand the ,sacrament itself4 ,effects--that is1 what it does in our souls4 #age ,q4 ,is it a sin to neglect ,confirmation8 ,a4 ,it is a sin to neglect ,confirmation1 especially in these evil days when faith and morals are exposed to so many and such violent temptations4 ,temptations--from the sayings and writings of the enemies of religion4 ,to neglect it when we have an opportunity of receiving it without any very great difficulty would be a sin4 ,when persons have been unfortunate enough to grow up without ,confirmation1 they should come at any time in their lives to receive it1 and not be ashamed to do so on account of their age or condition in life4 ,lesson #af ,,on ,,the ,,gifts ,,and ,,fruits ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost 99#agf ,q4 ,what are the effects of ,confirmation8 ,a4 ,the effects of ,confirmation are an increase of sanctifying grace1 the strengthening of our faith1 and the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,increase1 because we must be in a state of grace1 that is1 having already sanctifying grace in our souls when we receive ,confirmation4 ,strengthening1 so that we have no doubt about the doctrines we believe4 99#agg ,q4 ,what are the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost8 ,a4 ,the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost are wisdom1 understanding1 counsel1 fortitude1 knowledge1 piety1 and fear of the ,lord4 99#agh ,q4 ,why do we receive the gift of fear of the ,lord8 ,a4 ,we receive the gift of fear of the ,lord to fill us with a dread of sin4 ,on account of the goodness of ,god and the punishment ,he can inflict4 99#agi ,q4 ,why do we receive the gift of piety8 ,a4 ,we receive the gift of piety to make us love ,god as a ,father1 and obey ,him because we love ,him4 99#ahj ,q4 ,why do we receive the gift of knowledge8 ,a4 ,we receive the gift of knowledge to enable us to discover the will of ,god in all things4 99#aha ,q4 ,why do we receive the gift of fortitude8 ,a4 ,we receive the gift of fortitude to strengthen us to do the will of ,god in all things4 ,some know the will of ,god--what they should do--but they have not the courage to follow the dictates of their conscience4 ,for example1 a person goes with bad company3 the gift of knowledge will teach him that he should give it up2 but the gift of fortitude will enable him to do what his conscience shows him to be right4 99#ahb ,q4 ,why do we receive the gift of counsel8 ,a4 ,we receive the gift of counsel to warn us of the deceits of the devil1 and of the dangers to salvation4 ,the devil is much wiser than we are1 and has much more experience1 being among the people of the world ever since the time of ,adam--about #f1jjj years4 ,he could therefore easily deceive and overcome us if ,god ,himself by the gift of counsel did not enable us to discover his tricks and expose his plots4 ,when at times we are tempted1 our conscience warns us1 and if we follow the warning we shall escape the sin4 ,counsel tells us when persons or places are dangerous for our salvation4 99#ahc ,q4 ,why do we receive the gift of understanding8 ,a4 ,we receive the gift of understanding to enable us to know more clearly the mysteries of faith4 ,mysteries1 truths we could never know by reason1 but only by the teaching of ,god2 and the gift of understanding enables us to know better what ,his teaching means4 ,the ,apostles heard and knew what ,our ,lord taught1 but they did not fully understand the whole meaning till the ,holy ,ghost had come4 99#ahd ,q4 ,why do we receive the gift of wisdom8 ,a4 ,we receive the gift of wisdom to give us a relish for the things of ,god and to direct our whole life and all our actions to ,his honor and glory4 ,relish1 a liking for1 a desire for4 99#ahe ,q4 ,which are the beatitudes8 ,a4 ,the beatitudes are3 7#a7 ,blessed are the poor in spirit1 for theirs is the kingdom of ,heaven4 7#b7 ,blessed are the meek1 for they shall possess the land4 7#c7 ,blessed are they that mourn1 for they shall be comforted4 7#d7 ,blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice1 for they shall be filled4 7#e7 ,blessed are the merciful1 for they shall obtain mercy4 7#f7 ,blessed are the clean of heart1 for they shall see ,god4 7#g7 ,blessed are the peacemakers1 for they shall be called the children of ,god4 7#h7 ,blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake1 for theirs is the kingdom of ,heaven4 ,the beatitudes are part of a sermon ,our ,lord once preached to the people on the ,mount4 7,matt4 #e74 ,when ,our ,lord wished to preach1 the ,jews would not always allow ,him to enter their synagogues or meeting houses2 so ,he preached to the people in the open air4 ,sometimes ,he stood in a boat by the seashore2 sometimes on a little hill1 with the people standing or sitting near ,him4 ,did you ever think how you would have acted if you lived at that time and were present when ,our ,lord preached8 ,how anxious you would have been to get near to ,him8 ,how you would have pushed your way through the crowd and listened to every word8 ,why1 then1 do you sometimes pay so little attention in church or at instructions when the words of ,our ,lord are repeated to you8 ,our ,lord instituted a ,church which1 as we know1 is sometimes called the kingdom of ,heaven4 ,in this sermon ,he laid down the condition for being good subjects of ,his kingdom2 that is1 ,he gives the virtues we should practice to be good children of the ,church4 ,he tells us what rewards we shall have for practicing these virtues and leading a holy life3 namely1 ,god's grace and blessing in this world and everlasting glory in ,heaven4 7#a7 ,poor in spirit4 ,one is poor in spirit if he does not set his heart upon riches and the goods of this world in such a way that he would be willing to offend ,god in order to possess them1 or rather than part with them4 ,thus one who has no money but who would do anything to get it1 would be poor1 but not poor in spirit1 and therefore not among those ,our ,lord calls blessed4 ,if we are really poor and wish to be poor in spirit also1 we must be contented with our lot--with what ,god gives us--and never complain against ,him4 ,no matter how poor1 miserable1 or afflicted we may be1 we could still be worse1 since we can find others in a worse condition than we are4 ,we do not endure every species of misery1 but only this or that particular kind2 and if the rest were added1 how much worse our condition would be6 ,the very greatest misery is to be in a state of sin4 ,if we are poor and in sin1 our condition is indeed pitiable1 for we have no consolation2 but if we are virtuous in poverty1 bearing our trials in patience and resignation for the love of ,god1 we have the rich treasures of ,his grace and every assurance of future happiness4 ,on the other hand1 if one is very rich and gives freely and plentifully to the poor and works of charity1 and is willing to part with riches rather than offend ,god1 such a one is poor in spirit and can be called blessed4 ,it is a great mistake to risk our souls for things we must leave to others at our death4 ,sometimes those who leave the greatest inheritance are soonest forgotten and despised1 because the money or property bequeathed gives rise to numerous lawsuits1 quarrels and jealousies among the relatives1 and thus becomes a very curse to that family1 whose members hate one another on its account4 ,or it may happen that the heirs thoughtlessly enjoy and foolishly squander the wealth the man1 now dead1 has labored so hard to accumulate1 while he1 perhaps1 is suffering in ,hell for sins committed in securing it4 ,again1 how many children have been ruined through the wealth left them by their parents6 ,instead of using it for good purposes they have made it a means of sin2 often lose their faith and souls on account of it2 and in their ingratitude never offer a prayer or give an alms for the soul of the parent1 who in his anxiety to leave all to them left nothing in charity to the ,church or the poor4 ,surely it is the greatest folly to set our hearts upon that which can be of no value to us after death4 ,when a person dies men ask3 ,what wealth has he left behind8 ,but ,god and the angels ask1 ,what merits has he sent before him8 7#b7 ,possess the land--that is1 the promised or holy land1 which was a figure of the ,church4 ,therefore it means the meek shall be true members of ,our ,lord's ,church here on earth and hereafter in ,heaven1 and be beloved by all4 7#c7 ,that mourn4 ,suffering is good for us if we bear it patiently4 ,it makes us more like ,our ,blessed ,lord1 who was called the ,man of ,sorrows4 7#d7 ,justice--that is1 all kinds of virtue4 ,filled--that is1 with goodness and grace4 ,in other words1 if we ask and really wish to become virtuous1 we shall become so4 ,st4 ,joseph is called in ,holy ,scripture a just man1 to show that he practiced every virtue4 7#e7 ,if we are merciful to others1 ,god will be merciful to us4 7#f7 ,clean of heart--that is1 pure in thoughts1 words1 deeds1 and looks4 7#g7 ,peacemakers4 ,if persons who try to make peace and settle disputes are called the children of ,god1 those who1 on the contrary1 try to stir up dissensions should be called the children of the devil4 ,never tell the evil you may hear of another1 especially to the one of whom it was spoken2 and never carry stories from one to another3 it is contemptible1 and sinful as well4 ,if you have nothing good to say of the character of another1 be silent1 unless your duty compels you to speak4 ,never be a child of the devil by exciting jealousy1 hatred1 or revenge in anyone2 but on the contrary1 make peace wherever you can1 and be one of the children of ,god4 7#h7 ,suffer persecution4 ,therefore1 when you are badly treated on account of your piety or religion1 remember you are like the martyrs of your holy faith1 suffering for virtue and truth1 and that you will receive your reward4 99#ahf ,q4 ,which are the twelve fruits of the ,holy ,ghost8 ,a4 ,the twelve fruits of the ,holy ,ghost are charity1 joy1 peace1 patience1 benignity1 goodness1 long-suffering1 mildness1 faith1 modesty1 continency1 and chastity4 ,fruits1 the things that grow from the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,charity1 love of ,god and our neighbor1 ,peace with ,god and man and ourselves4 ,with ,god1 because we are ,his friends4 ,with man1 because we deal justly with all and are kind to all4 ,with ourselves1 because we have a good conscience1 that does not accuse us of sin4 ,benignity1 disposition to do good and show kindness4 ,long-suffering--same as patience4 ,modesty1 continency1 and chastity refer to purity in thoughts1 words1 looks1 and actions4 ,lesson #ag ,,on ,,the ,,sacrament ,,of ,,penance ,when ,our ,blessed ,lord redeemed us1 ,he applied the benefits of the ,redemption in the ,sacrament of ,baptism4 ,by this ,baptism ,he freed us from sin and the slavery of the devil2 ,he restored us to ,god's grace2 ,he reopened for us ,heaven2 made us once more children of ,god3 in a word1 ,he placed us in the condition in which we were before our fall through the sin of our first parents4 ,this was certainly a great kindness bestowed upon us1 and one would think we would never forget it1 and never more lose ,god's friendship by any fault of ours2 especially when we had seen the great miseries brought upon the world by sin1 and had learned something of ,hell where we would have been1 and of ,heaven which we would have lost1 if ,our ,lord had not redeemed us4 ,our ,blessed ,lord saw1 however1 that we would forget ,his benefits1 and again1 even after ,baptism1 go freely into the slavery of the devil4 ,how1 then1 could we be saved8 ,we could not be baptized again1 because ,baptism can be given only once4 ,our good ,lord in ,his kindness instituted another ,sacrament1 by which we could once more be freed from sin if we had the misfortune to fall into it after ,baptism--it is the ,sacrament of ,penance4 ,it is called the plank in a shipwreck4 ,when sailors are shipwrecked and thrown helplessly into the ocean1 their only hope is some floating plank that may bear them to the shore4 ,so when we fall after ,baptism we are thrown into the great ocean of sin1 where we must perish if we do not rest upon the ,sacrament of ,penance1 which will bring us once more in safety to the friendship of ,god4 ,how very thankful the poor shipwrecked sailors would be to anyone who would offer them a plank while they are in danger6 ,do you think they would refuse to use it8 ,in like manner how thankful we should be for the ,sacrament of ,penance1 and how anxious we should be to use it when we arc in danger of losing our souls6 ,the ,sacrament of ,penance shows the very great kindness of ,our ,lord4 ,he might have said3 ,i saved them once1 and ,i will not trouble ,myself more about them2 if they want to sin again1 let them perish4 ,but no1 ,he forgives us and saves us as often as we sincerely call on ,him for help1 being truly sorry for our sins4 ,he left this power also to ,his ,apostles1 saying to them3 ,as often as any poor sinner shall come to you and show that he is truly sorry for his sins1 and has the determination not to commit them again1 and confesses them to you1 ,i give you the power to pardon his sins in the ,sacrament of ,penance4 ,the forgiveness of your sins is the chief though not the only blessing you receive in the reception of this ,sacrament1 through which you derive so many and great advantages from the exhortation1 instruction1 or advice of your confessor4 ,is it not a great benefit to have a friend to whom you can go with the trials of your mind and soul1 your troubles1 temptations1 sins1 and secrets8 ,you have that friend--the priest in the confessional4 ,he is willing to help you1 for he consecrated his life to ,god to help men to save their souls4 ,he is able to help you1 for he understands your difficulties1 sins1 and temptations1 and the means of overcoming them4 ,he has made these things the study of his life1 and derives still greater knowledge of them from hearing the sad complaints of so many relating their secret sorrows or afflictions1 and begging his advice4 ,then you are sure that whatever you tell him in the confessional will never be made known to others1 even if the priest has to die to conceal it4 ,you might tell your secrets to a friend1 and if you afterwards offended him he would probably reveal all you told him4 ,the priest asks no reward for the service he gives you in the confessional1 but loves to help you1 because he has pledged himself to ,god to do so1 and would sin if he did not4 ,some enemies of our holy religion have tried to make people believe that ,catholics have to pay the priest in confession for forgiving their sins2 but every ,catholic1 even the youngest child who has been to confession1 knows this to be untrue1 and a base calumny against our holy religion2 even those who assert it do not believe it themselves4 ,the good done in the confessional will never be known in this world4 ,how many persons have been saved from sin1 suicide1 death1 and other evils by the advice and encouragement received in confession6 ,how many persons who have fallen into the lowest depths of sin have by the ,sacrament of ,penance been raised up and made to lead good1 respectable lives--a blessing to themselves1 their families1 and society6 #ahg ,q4 ,what is the ,sacrament of ,penance8 ,a4 ,penance is a ,sacrament in which the sins committed after ,baptism are forgiven4 ,one who has never been baptized could not go to confession and receive absolution1 nor indeed any of the ,sacraments4 99#ahh ,q4 ,how does the ,sacrament of ,penance remit sin1 and restore the soul to the friendship of ,god8 ,a4 ,the ,sacrament of ,penance remits sin and restores the friendship of ,god to the soul by means of the absolution of the priest4 ,absolution means the words the priest says at the time he forgives the sins4 ,absolve means to loose or free4 ,when ministers or ambassadors are sent by our government to represent the ,united ,states in ,england1 ,france1 ,germany1 or other countries1 whatever they do there officially is done by the ,united ,states4 ,if they make an agreement with the governments to which they are sent1 the ,united ,states sanctions it1 and the very moment they sign the agreement it is signed and sanctioned by the authority of our government whose representatives they are1 and their official action becomes the action of the ,united ,states itself4 ,but when their term of office expires1 though they remain in the foreign countries1 they have no longer any power to sign agreements in the name and with the authority of the ,united ,states4 ,you see1 therefore1 that it is the power that is given them1 and not their own1 that they exercise4 ,in like manner ,our ,lord commissioned ,his priests and gave them the power to forgive sins1 and whatever they do in the ,sacrament of ,penance ,he ,himself does4 ,at the very moment the priest pronounces the words of absolution on earth his sentence is ratified in ,heaven and the sins of the penitent are blotted out4 ,it may increase your veneration for the ,sacrament to know the precise manner in which absolution is given4 ,after the confession and giving of the penance1 the priest first prays for the sinner1 saying3 ,may ,almighty ,god have mercy on you1 and1 your sins being forgiven1 bring you to life everlasting4 ,amen4 ,then1 raising his right hand over the penitent1 he says3 ,may the ,almighty and merciful ,lord grant you pardon1 absolution1 and remission of your sins4 ,amen4 ,then he continues3 ,may ,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ absolve you1 and ,i1 by ,his authority1 absolve you from every bond of excommunication and interdict1 as far as ,i have power and you stand in need4 ,then ,i absolve you from your sins1 in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,amen4 ,at these last words he makes the ,sign of the ,cross over the penitent4 ,in conclusion he directs to ,god a prayer in behalf of the penitent in the following words3 ,may the ,passion of ,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the merits of the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary and of all the saints1 and whatsoever good you may have done or evil you may have suffered1 be to you unto the remission of your sins1 the increase of grace1 and the recompense of everlasting life4 ,amen4 ,then the priest says1 ,god bless you1 ,go in peace1 or some other expression showing his delight at your reconciliation with ,god4 99#ahi ,q4 ,how do you know that the priest has the power of absolving from the sins committed after ,baptism8 ,a4 ,i know that the priest has the power of absolving from sins committed after ,baptism1 because ,jesus ,christ granted that power to the priests of ,his ,church when ,he said3 ,receive ye the ,holy ,ghost4 ,whose sins you shall forgive1 they are forgiven them2 whose sins you shall retain1 they are retained4 ,every ,christian knows ,our ,lord ,himself had power to forgive sins3--7#a7 because ,he was ,god1 and 7#b7 because ,he often did forgive them while on earth1 and proved that ,he did by performing some miracle2 as1 for example 7,mark #b2 ,john #e71 when ,he cured the poor men who had been sick and suffering for many years1 ,he said to them1 ,thy sins are forgiven thee2 arise1 take up thy bed1 and walk1 and the men did so4 ,since ,our ,lord had the power ,himself1 ,he could give it to ,his ,apostles if ,he wished1 and ,he did give it to them and their successors4 ,for if ,he did not1 how could we and all others who1 after ,baptism1 have fallen into sin be cleansed from it8 ,this ,sacrament of ,penance was for all time1 and so ,he left the power with ,his ,church1 which is to last as long as there is a living human being upon the earth4 ,our ,lord promised to ,his ,apostles before ,his death this power to forgive sins 7,matt4 #ah3ah71 and ,he gave it to them after ,his resurrection 7,john #bj3bc71 when ,he appeared to them and breathed on them1 and said3 ,whose sins you shall forgive1 they are forgiven them2 and whose sins you shall retain1 they are retained4 99#aij ,q4 ,how do the priests of the ,church exercise the power of forgiving sins8 ,a4 ,the priests of the ,church exercise the power of forgiving sins by hearing the confession of sins1 and granting pardon for them as ministers of ,god and in ,his name4 ,the power to forgive sins implies the obligation of going to confession2 because1 as most sins are secret1 how could the ,apostles know what sins to forgive and what sins to retain--that is1 not to forgive--unless they were told by the sinner what sins he had committed8 ,they could not see into his heart as ,god can1 and know his sins2 and so if the sinner wished his sins forgiven1 he had to confess them to the ,apostles or their successors4 ,therefore1 since we have the ,sacrament of ,penance1 we must also have confession4 #aia ,q4 ,what must we do to receive the ,sacrament of ,penance worthily8 ,a4 ,to receive the ,sacrament of ,penance worthily we must do five things3 7#a7 ,we must examine our conscience4 7#b7 ,we must have sorrow for our sins4 7#c7 ,we must make a firm resolution never more to offend ,god4 7#d7 ,we must confess our sins to the priest4 7#e7 ,we must accept the penance which the priest gives us4 ,when we are about to go to confession the first thing we should do is to pray to the ,holy ,ghost to give us light to know and remember all our sins2 to fully understand how displeasing they are to ,god1 and to have a great sorrow for them1 which includes the resolution of never committing them again4 ,the next thing we should do is3 7#a7 ,examine our conscience2 and first of all we find out how long a time it is since our last confession1 and whether we made a good confession then and received ,holy ,communion and performed our penance4 ,the best method of examining is to take the ,commandments and go over each one in our mind1 seeing if we have broken it1 and in what way2 for example3 ,first4 ,i am the ,lord thy ,god2 thou shalt not have strange gods before ,me4 ,have ,i honored ,god8 ,have ,i said my prayers morning and night2 have ,i said them with attention and devotion8 ,have ,i thanked ,god for all ,his blessings8 ,have ,i been more anxious to please others than to please ,god1 or offended ,him for the sake of others8 ,second ,thou shalt not take the name of the ,lord thy ,god in vain4 ,have ,i cursed8 ,have ,i taken ,god's name in vain or spoken without reverence of holy things8 ,third4 ,remember thou keep holy the ,sabbath day4 ,have ,i neglected to hear ,mass through my own fault on ,sundays and holy days of obligation8 ,have ,i kept others from ,mass8 ,have ,i been late1 and at what part of the ,mass did ,i come in8 ,have ,i been willfully distracted at ,mass or have ,i distracted others8 ,have ,i done servile work without necessity8 ,fourth4 ,honor thy father and thy mother4 ,have ,i been disobedient to parents or others who have authority over me--to spiritual or temporal superiors1 teachers1 etc48 ,have ,i slighted or been ashamed of parents because they were poor or uneducated8 ,have ,i neglected to give them what help ,i could when they were in need of it8 ,have ,i spoken of them with disrespect or called them names that were not proper8 ,fifth4 ,thou shalt not kill4 ,have ,i done anything that might lead to killing8 ,have ,i been angry or have ,i tried to take revenge8 ,have ,i borne hatred or tried to injure others8 ,have ,i given scandal8 ,sixth4 ,thou shalt not commit adultery4 ,have ,i indulged in any bad thoughts1 looked at any bad pictures or objects1 listened to any bad conversation1 told or listened to bad or immodest jokes or stories1 or1 in general1 spoken of bad things8 ,have ,i done any bad actions or desired to do any while alone or with others8 ,seventh4 ,thou shalt not steal4 ,have ,i stolen anything myself or helped or advised others to steal8 ,have ,i received anything or part of anything that ,i knew to be stolen8 ,do ,i owe money and not pay it when ,i can8 ,have ,i bought anything with the intention of never paying for it or at least knowing ,i never could pay for it8 ,have ,i made restitution when told to do so by my confessor2 or have ,i put it off from time to time8 ,have ,i failed to give back what belonged to another8 ,have ,i found anything and not tried to discover its owner1 or have ,i kept it in my possession after ,i knew to whom it belonged8 ,have ,i cheated in business or at games8 ,eighth4 ,thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor4 ,have ,i told lies or injured anyone by my talk8 ,have ,i told the faults of others without any necessity8 ,it is not allowed to tell the faults of others--even when you tell the truth about them--unless some good comes of the telling4 ,ninth4 ,thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife4 ,this can come into our examination on the ,sixth ,commandment4 ,tenth4 ,thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods4 ,this can come into our examination on the ,seventh ,commandment4 ,after examining yourself on the ,commandments of ,god1 examine yourself on the ,commandments of the ,church4 ,first4 ,to hear ,mass on ,sundays and holy days of obligation4 ,this has been considered in the examination on the ,third ,commandment4 ,second ,to fast and abstain on the days appointed4 ,have ,i knowingly eaten meat on ,ash ,wednesday or the ,fridays of ,lent1 or not done some chosen penance on the other ,fridays of the year1 or not fasted on ,ash ,wednesday or ,good ,friday1 unless ,i had good reason not to do so on account of poor health or other reason8 ,third4 ,to confess at least once a year4 ,is it over a year1 and how much over it1 since ,i have been to confession8 ,fourth4 ,to receive ,holy ,eucharist during the ,easter time4 ,did ,i go to ,holy ,communion between the first ,sunday of ,lent and ,trinity ,sunday8 ,if not1 ,i have committed a mortal sin4 ,fifth4 ,to contribute to the support of our pastors4 ,have ,i helped the church and reasonably paid my share of its expenses--given to charity and the like1 or have ,i made others pay for the light1 heat1 and other things that cost money in the church1 and shared in their benefits without giving according to my means8 ,have ,i kept what was given me for the church or other charity1 or stolen from the church and not stated that circumstance when ,i confessed that ,i stole8 ,sixth4 ,not to marry persons who are not ,catholics1 or who are related to us within the third degree of kindred1 or privately without witnesses1 nor to solemnize marriage at forbidden times4 ,have ,i anything to tell on this ,commandment8 ,after examining yourself on the ,commandments of ,god and of ,his ,church1 examine yourself on the capital sins1 especially on ,pride4 ,have ,i been impudent and stubborn1 vain about my dress1 and the like8 ,have ,i despised others simply on account of poverty or something they could not help8 ,gluttony4 ,have ,i ever taken intoxicating drink to excess or broken a promise not to take it8 ,have ,i knowingly caused others to be intoxicated8 ,sloth4 ,have ,i wasted my time willfully and neglected to do my duty at school or elsewhere8 ,after examining yourself on the ,commandments and capital sins1 examine yourself on the duties of your state of life4 ,if you are at school1 how have you studied8 ,you should study not alone to please your parents or teachers1 but for the sake of learning4 ,if you are at work1 have you been faithful to your employer1 and done your work well and honestly8 ,the above method is generally recommended as the best in the examination of conscience4 ,but you need not follow these exact questions2 you can ask yourself any questions you please3 the above questions are given only as examples of what you might ask1 and to show you how to question yourself4 ,it is useless to take any list of sins in a prayerbook and examine yourself by it1 confessing the sins just as they are given4 ,if you do take such a list and find in it some questions or sins that you do not understand1 do not trouble yourself about them4 ,in asking yourself the questions1 if you find you have sinned against a ,commandment1 stop and consider how many times4 ,there are few persons who sin against all the ,commandments4 ,some sin against one and some against another4 ,find out the worst sin you have and the one you have most frequently committed1 and be sure of telling it4 7#b7 ,have sorrow for our sins4 ,after examining your conscience and finding out the sins you have committed1 the next thing is to be sorry for them4 ,the sorrow is the most essential part in the whole ,sacrament of ,penance4 ,in this ,sacrament there are1 as you know1 three parts3 contrition1 confession1 and satisfaction--and contrition is the most important part4 ,when1 therefore1 we are preparing for confession1 we should spend just as much time1 and even more1 in exciting ourselves to sorrow for our sins as in the examination of our conscience4 ,some persons forget this and spend all their time examining their conscience4 ,we should pray for sorrow if we think we have none4 ,remember the act of contrition made at confession is not the sorrow1 but only an outward sign by which we make known to the priest that we have the sorrow in our hearts1 and therefore we must have the sorrow before making the confession--or at least1 before receiving the absolution4 ,now what kind of sorrow must we have8 ,someone might say1 ,i am not truly sorry because ,i cannot cry4 ,if some of my friends died1 ,i would be more sorry for that than for my sins4 ,do not make any such mistakes4 ,the true and necessary kind of sorrow for sin is to know that by sin you have offended ,god1 and now feel that it was very wrong1 and that you have from this moment the firm determination never to offend ,him more4 ,if ,god adds to this a feeling that brings tears to your eyes1 it is good1 but not necessary4 7#c7 ,remember real sorrow for sin supposes and contains a firm resolution never to sin again4 ,how can you say to ,god1 ,o my ,god1 ,i am heartily sorry1 etc41 if you are waiting only for the next opportunity to sin8 ,how can we be sorry for the past if we are going to do the same in the future8 ,do you think the thief would be sorry for his past thefts if he had his mind made up to steal again as soon as he had the chance8 ,ah1 but you will say1 nearly all persons sin again after confession4 ,i know that2 but when they were making their confession they thought they never would1 and really meant never to sin again2 but when temptation came1 they forgot the good resolution1 did not use ,god's help1 and fell into sin again4 ,i mean1 therefore1 that at the time you make the act of contrition you must really mean what you say and promise never to sin1 and take every means you can to keep that promise4 ,if you do fall afterwards1 renew your promise as quickly as possible and make a greater effort than before4 ,be on your guard against those things that make you break your promise1 and then your act of contrition will be a good one4 ,a person may be afraid that he will fall again1 but being afraid does not make his contrition worthless as long as he wishes1 hopes1 and intends never to sin again4 ,we should always be afraid of falling into sin1 and we will fall into it if we depend upon ourselves alone1 and not on the help which ,god gives us in ,his grace4 7#d7 ,confess our sins4 ,having made the necessary preparation1 you will next go into the confessional2 and while you are waiting for the priest to hear you1 you should say the ,confiteor4 ,when the priest turns to you1 bless yourself and say3 ,bless me1 father1 for ,i have sinned4 ,it is a month or a week 7or whatever time it may be7 since my last confession1 and ,i have since committed these sins4 ,then tell your sins as you found them in examining yourself4 ,in confession you must tell only such things as are sins4 ,you must not tell all the details and a long story with every sin4 ,for example1 if a boy should confess that he went to see a friend1 and after that met another friend1 and when he came home he was asked what had kept him1 and he told a lie4 ,now1 the going to see the friend and the meeting of the other friend1 and all the rest1 was not a sin3 the sin was telling the lie1 and that was all that should have been confessed4 ,therefore1 tell only the sins4 ,then tell only your own sins1 and be very careful not to mention anyone's name--even your own--in confession4 ,be brief1 and do not say1 ,i broke the ,first ,commandment or the ,second by doing so and so2 tell the sin simply as it is1 and the priest himself will know what ,commandment you violated4 ,again1 when you have committed a sin several times a day do not multiply that by the number of days since your last confession and say to the priest1 ,i have told lies1 for example1 four hundred and forty-two times4 ,such things only confuse you and make you forget your sins4 ,simply say1 ,i am in the habit of telling lies1 about so many1 three or four--or whatever number it may be--times a day4 ,never say sometimes or often when you are telling the number of your sins4 ,sometimes might mean ten or it might mean twenty times4 ,how then can the priest know the number by that expression8 ,give the number as nearly as you can1 and if you do not know the whole number give the number of times a day1 etc4 ,never say maybe ,i did so and so2 because maybe you did not1 and the priest cannot judge4 ,tell what you consider your worst sin first1 then if there be any sin you are ashamed to tell or do not know how to tell1 say to the priest3 ,father1 ,i have a sin ,i am ashamed to tell1 or a sin ,i do not know how to tell2 and then the priest will ask you some questions and help you to tell it4 ,but never think of going away from the confessional with some sin that you did not tell4 ,the devil sometimes tempts people to do this1 because he does not like to see them in a state of grace and friends of ,god4 ,when you are committing the sin1 he makes you believe it is not a great sin1 and that you can tell it in confession2 but after you have committed it he makes you believe that it is a most terrible sin1 and that if you tell it1 the priest will scold you severely4 ,so it is concealed and the person leaves the confessional with a new sin upon his soul--that of sacrilege4 ,when ,judas was tempted to betray ,our ,lord1 he thought thirty pieces of silver a great deal of money2 and then1 after he had committed the sin1 he cared nothing for the money1 but went and threw it away1 and thought his sin so dreadful that he hanged himself1 dying in despair4 ,it is not necessary to tell the priest the exact words you said in cursing or in bad conversation1 unless he asks you2 but simply say1 ,father1 ,i cursed so many times4 ,do not speak too loud in the confessional1 but loud enough for the priest to hear you4 ,if you are deaf1 do not go into the confessional while others are near1 but wait till all have been heard and then go in last1 or ask the priest to hear you someplace else4 7#e7 ,listen attentively to hear what penance the priest gives you1 and say the act of contrition while he pronounces the words of absolution2 and above all1 never leave the confessional till the priest closes the little door or tells you to go4 ,if the priest does not say at what particular time you are to say your penance1 say it as soon as you can4 ,when you have1 told all your sins1 you will say3 ,for these and all the sins of my whole life1 especially any ,i have forgotten1 ,i am heartily sorry1 and ask pardon and penance4 ,listen to the priest's advice1 and answer simply any question he may ask you4 ,if you should forget a mortal sin in confession and remember it the same day or evening1 or while you are still in the church1 it will not be necessary to wait and go to confession again4 ,it is forgiven already1 because it was included in your forgotten sins2 but you must tell it the next time you go to confession1 saying before your regular confession3 ,in my last confession ,i forgot this sin4 ,of course if you tried to forget your sins your confession would be invalid4 ,it is only when you examine your conscience with all reasonable care1 and then after all forget some sins1 that such forgotten sins are forgiven4 ,never talk or quarrel for places while waiting for confession1 and never cheat another out of his turn in going to confession4 ,it is unjust1 it makes the person angry1 and lessens his good disposition for confession4 ,it creates confusion1 and annoys the priest who hears the noise4 ,if you are in a hurry1 ask the others to allow you to go first2 and if they will not be contented and wait1 and if you cannot wait1 go some other time1 unless you are in the state of mortal sin4 ,in this case you should go to confession that day1 no matter what the inconvenience4 ,spend your time while waiting in praying for pardon and sorrow4 ,never keep the priest waiting for you in the confessional2 pass in as soon as he is prepared to hear you4 #aib ,q4 ,what is the examination of conscience8 ,a4 ,the examination of conscience is an earnest effort to recall to mind all the sins we have committed since our last worthy confession4 ,worthy confession1 because if we made bad confessions we must tell how often we made them1 and whether we received ,holy ,communion after them or not1 and also all the sins we told in the bad confessions1 and all others committed since the good confession4 ,if1 for example1 a boy made a good confession in ,january1 and in confession in ,february concealed a mortal sin and went to confession after that every month to ,december1 he would have to go back to his last good confession1 and repeat all the sins committed since ,january1 and also say that he had gone to confession once a month and made bad confessions all these times4 99#aic ,q4 ,how can we make a good examination of conscience8 ,a4 ,we can make a good examination of conscience by calling to memory the ,commandments of ,god1 the precepts of the ,church1 the seven capital sins1 and the particular duties of our state in life1 to find out the sins we have committed4 99#aid ,q4 ,what should we do before beginning the examination of conscience8 ,a4 ,before beginning the examination of conscience we should pray to ,god to give us light to know our sins and grace to detest them4 ,lesson #ah ,,on ,,contrition #aie ,q4 ,what is contrition or sorrow for sin8 ,a4 ,contrition or sorrow for sin is a hatred of sin and a true grief of the soul for having offended ,god1 with a firm purpose of sinning no more4 ,offended--that is1 done something to displease ,him4 99#aif ,q4 ,what kind of sorrow should we have for our sins8 ,a4 ,the sorrow we should have for our sins should be interior1 supernatural1 universal1 and sovereign4 99#aig ,q4 ,what do you mean by saying that our sorrow should be interior8 ,a4 ,when ,i say that our sorrow should be interior1 ,i mean that it should come from the heart1 and not merely from the lips4 ,interior--that is1 we must really have the sorrow in our hearts4 ,a boy1 for example1 might cry in the confessional and pretend to the priest to be very sorry1 and the priest might be deceived and absolve him2 but ,god1 who sees into our hearts1 would know that he was not really sorry1 but only pretending1 that his sorrow was not interior1 but exterior2 and ,god therefore would withhold ,his forgiveness and would not blot out the sins1 and the boy would have a new sin of sacrilege upon his soul2 because it is a sacrilege to allow the priest to give you absolution if you know you have not the right disposition1 and you are not trying to do all that is required for a good confession4 ,so you understand you might deceive the priest and receive absolution1 but ,god would not allow the absolution to take effect1 and the sins would remain2 for if the priest knew your dispositions as ,god did1 or as you know them1 he would not give you absolution till your dispositions changed4 99#aih ,q4 ,what do you mean by saying that our sorrow should be supernatural8 ,a4 ,when ,i say that our sorrow should be supernatural1 ,i mean that it should be prompted by the grace of ,god1 and excited by motives which spring from faith1 and not by merely natural motives4 ,supernatural--that is1 we must be sorry for the sin on account of some reason that ,god has made known to us4 ,for example1 either because our sin is displeasing to ,god1 or because we have lost ,heaven by it1 or because we fear to be punished for it in ,hell or ,purgatory4 ,but if we are sorry for our sin only on account of some natural motive1 then our sorrow is not of the right kind4 ,if a man was sorry for stealing only because he was caught and had to go to prison for it1 his sorrow would only be natural4 ,or if a boy was sorry for telling lies only because he got a whipping for it1 his sorrow would only be natural4 ,or if a man was sorry for being intoxicated because he lost his situation and injured his health1 he would not have the necessary kind of sorrow4 ,these persons must be sorry for stealing1 lying1 or being intoxicated because all these are sins against ,god--things forbidden by ,him and worthy of ,his punishment4 ,if we are sorry for having offended ,god on account of ,his own goodness1 our contrition is said to be perfect4 ,if we are sorry for the sins because by them we are in great danger of being punished by ,god1 or because we have lost ,heaven by them1 and without any regard for ,god's own goodness1 then our contrition is said to be imperfect4 ,imperfect contrition is called attrition4 99#aii ,q4 ,what do you mean by saying that our sorrow should be universal8 ,a4 ,when ,i say that our sorrow should be universal1 ,i mean that we should be sorry for our mortal sins without exception4 ,universal4 ,if a person committed ten mortal sins1 and was sorry for nine1 but not for the tenth1 then none of the sins would be forgiven4 ,if you committed a thousand mortal sins1 and were sorry for all but one1 none would be forgiven4 ,why8 ,because you can never have ,god's grace and mortal sin in the soul at the same time4 ,now this mortal sin will be on your soul till you are sorry for it1 and while it is on your soul ,god's grace will not come to you4 ,again1 you cannot be half sorry for having offended ,god2 either you must be entirely sorry1 or not sorry at all4 ,therefore you cannot be sorry for only part of your mortal sins4 99#bjj ,q4 ,what do you mean when you say that our sorrow should be sovereign8 ,a4 ,when ,i say that our sorrow should be sovereign ,i mean that we should grieve more for having offended ,god than for any other evil that can befall us4 #bja ,q4 ,why should we be sorry for our sins8 ,a4 ,we should be sorry for our sins1 because sin is the greatest of evils and an offense against ,god our ,creator1 ,preserver1 and ,redeemer1 and because it shuts us out of ,heaven and condemns us to the eternal pains of ,hell4 ,we consider an evil great in proportion to the length of time we have to bear it4 ,to be blind is certainly a misfortune2 but it is a greater misfortune to be blind for our whole life than for one day4 ,sin1 therefore1 is the greatest of all evils2 because the misfortune it brings upon us lasts not merely for a great many years1 but for all eternity4 ,even slight sufferings would be terrible if they lasted forever1 but the sufferings for mortal sin are worse than we can describe or imagine1 and they are forever4 ,the greatest evils in this world will not last forever1 and are small when compared with sin4 ,sin makes us ungrateful to ,god1 who gives us our existence4 ,our ,preserver1 because if ,god ceased to watch over us and provide for us1 even for a short time1 we would cease to exist4 ,our ,redeemer1 who suffered so much for us4 99#bjb ,q4 ,how many kinds of contrition are there8 ,a4 ,there are two kinds of contrition3 perfect contrition and imperfect contrition4 99#bjc ,q4 ,what is perfect contrition8 ,a4 ,perfect contrition is that which fills us with sorrow and hatred for sin because it offends ,god1 who is infinitely good in ,himself and worthy of all love4 ,it can be a very hard thing to have perfect contrition1 but we should always try to have it1 so that our contrition may be as perfect as possible4 ,this perfect contrition is the kind of contrition we must have if our mortal sins are to be forgiven if we are in danger of death and cannot go to confession4 ,imperfect contrition with the priest's absolution will blot out our mortal sins4 99#bjd ,q4 ,what is imperfect contrition8 ,a4 ,imperfect contrition is that by which we hate what offends ,god because by it we lose ,heaven and deserve ,hell2 or because sin is so hateful in itself4 99#bje ,q4 ,is imperfect contrition sufficient for a worthy confession8 ,a4 ,imperfect contrition is sufficient for a worthy confession1 but we should endeavor to have perfect contrition4 #bjf ,q4 ,what do you mean by a firm purpose of sinning no more8 ,a4 ,by a firm purpose of sinning no more ,i mean a fixed resolve not only to avoid all mortal sin1 but also its near occasions4 ,fixed4 ,not for a certain time1 but for all the future4 #bjg ,q4 ,what do you mean by the near occasions of sin8 ,a4 ,by the near occasions of sin ,i mean all the persons1 places and things that may easily lead us into sin4 ,occasions4 ,there are many kinds of occasions of sin4 ,first1 we have voluntary and necessary occasions1 or those we can avoid and those we cannot avoid4 ,for example3 if a companion uses immodest conversation we can avoid that occasion1 because we can keep away from him2 but if the one who sins is a member of our own family1 always living with us1 we cannot so easily avoid that occasion4 ,second1 near and remote occasions4 ,an occasion is said to be near when we usually fall into sin by it4 ,for instance1 if a man gets intoxicated almost every time he visits a certain place1 then that place is a near occasion of sin for him2 but if he gets intoxicated only once out of every fifty times or so that he goes there1 then it is said to be a remote occasion4 ,now1 it is not enough to avoid the sins3 we must also avoid the occasions4 ,if we have a firm purpose of amendment1 if we desire to do better1 we must be resolved to avoid everything that will lead us to sin4 ,it is not enough to say1 ,i will go to that place or with that person1 but ,i will never again commit the same sins4 ,no matter what you think now1 if you go into the occasion1 you will fall again2 because ,our ,lord1 who cannot speak falsely1 says3 ,he who loves the danger will perish in it4 ,now the occasion of sin is always the danger2 and if you go into it1 ,our ,lord's words will come true1 and you will fall miserably4 ,take away the cause1 take away the occasion1 and then the sin will cease of itself4 ,let us suppose the plaster in your house fell down1 and you found that it fell because there was a leak in the water-pipe above1 and the water coming through wet the plaster and made it fall4 ,what is the first thing your father would do in that case8 ,why1 get a plumber and stop up the leak in the pipe before putting up the plaster again4 ,would it not be foolish to engage a plasterer to repair the ceiling while the pipe was still leaking8 ,everyone would say that man must be out of his mind3 the plaster will fall down as often as he puts it up1 and it matters not either how well he puts it up4 ,if he wants it to stay up1 he must first mend the pipe--take away the cause of its falling4 ,now the occasion of sin is like the leak in the pipe--in the case of sin1 it will very likely cause you to fall every time4 ,stop up the leak1 take away the occasion1 and then you will not fall into sin--at least not so frequently4 ,the persons are generally bad companions1 and though they may not be bad when alone1 they are bad when with us1 and thus we become also bad companions for them1 and occasions of sin4 ,the places4 ,liquor saloons1 low theaters1 dance halls1 and all places where we may see or hear anything against faith or morals4 ,things4 ,bad books1 pictures1 and the like4 ,lesson #ai ,,on ,,confession #bjh ,q4 ,what is ,confession8 ,a4 ,confession is the telling of our sins to a duly authorized priest1 for the purpose of obtaining forgiveness4 ,duly authorized--one sent by the bishop of the diocese in which you are4 ,forgiveness4 ,you might tell a priest all your sins while in ordinary conversation with him1 but that would not be confession1 because you would not be telling them to have them pardoned4 ,if a person has lost the use of his speech1 he can make his confession by writing his sins on a paper and giving it to the priest in the confessional4 ,if the priest returns the paper the penitent must be careful to destroy it afterwards4 ,also1 if you have a poor memory you may write down the sins you wish to confess1 and read them from the paper in the confessional2 then you also must be careful to destroy the paper after confession4 ,if a person whose language the priest does not understand is dying1 or is obliged to make his yearly confession1 he must tell what he can by signs1 show that he is sorry for his sins1 and thus receive absolution4 ,in a word1 the priest would act with him as he would with one who had lost the use of his speech and power to write4 #bji ,q4 ,what sins are we bound to confess8 ,a4 ,we are bound to confess all our mortal sins1 but it is well also to confess our venial sins4 ,bound--obliged in such a way that our confession would be bad if we did not tell them4 ,well1 because we should tell all the sins we can remember2 but if we did not tell a venial sin after we had told a mortal sin1 our confession would not be bad4 ,or if we committed a little venial sin after confession1 that should not keep us from ,holy ,communion2 because the ,holy ,communion itself would blot out that and any other venial sin we might have upon our souls3 so that you should never let anything keep you away1 unless you are certain you have committed a mortal sin after the confession1 or have broken your fast4 99#baj ,q4 ,what are the chief qualities of a good confession8 ,a4 ,the chief qualities of a good confession are three3 it must be humble1 sincere1 and entire4 99#baa ,q4 ,when is our confession humble8 ,a4 ,our confession is humble when we accuse ourselves of our sins1 with a deep sense of shame and sorrow for having offended ,god4 99#bab ,q4 ,when is our confession sincere8 ,a4 ,our confession is sincere when we tell our sins honestly and truthfully1 neither exaggerating nor excusing them4 ,exaggerating4 ,you must never tell in confession a sin you did not commit1 any more than conceal one you did commit4 ,you must tell just the sins committed1 and no more or less2 and if you are in doubt whether you have committed the sin1 or whether the thing done was a sin1 then you must tell your doubts to the priest3 but do not say you committed such and such sins when you do not know whether you did or not1 or only because you think it likely that you did4 99#bac ,q4 ,when is our confession entire8 ,a4 ,our confession is entire when we tell the number and kinds of our sins and the circumstances which change their nature4 ,number--the exact number1 if you know it2 as1 for example1 when we miss ,mass we can generally tell exactly the number of times4 ,but when we tell lies1 for instance1 we may not know the exact number3 then we say how often in the day1 or that it is a habit with us1 etc4 ,kinds--whether they are cursing1 or stealing1 or lying1 etc4 ,circumstances which change their nature4 ,in the case of stealing1 for example1 you need not tell whether it was from a grocery1 a bakery1 or dry-goods store you stole1 for that circumstance does not change the nature of the sin3 you have simply to tell the amount you took4 ,but if you stole from a church you would have to tell that1 because that is a circumstance that gives the sin of stealing a new character1 and makes it sacrilegious stealing4 ,or if you stole from a poor beggar all he possessed in the world1 so that you left him starving1 that would be a circumstance making your sin worse1 and so you would have to tell it4 ,therefore you have to tell any circumstance that really makes your sin much worse or less than it seems2 all other circumstances you need not tell3 they will only confuse you1 and make you forget your sins and waste the priest's time4 #bad ,q4 ,what should we do if we cannot remember the number of our sins8 ,a4 ,if we cannot remember the number of our sins1 we should tell the number as nearly as possible1 and say how often we have sinned in a day1 a week1 or a month and how long the habit or practice has lasted4 99#bae ,q4 ,is our confession worthy if1 without our fault1 we forget to confess a mortal sin8 ,a4 ,if without our fault we forget to confess a mortal sin1 our confession is worthy1 and the sin is forgiven2 but it must be told in confession if it again comes to our mind4 #baf ,q4 ,is it a grievous offense willfully to conceal a mortal sin in confession8 ,a4 ,it is a grievous offense willfully to conceal a mortal sin in confession1 because we thereby tell a lie to the ,holy ,ghost1 and make our confession worthless4 ,a lie to the ,holy ,ghost4 ,god sees every sin we commit1 and in ,his presence we present ourselves to the priest in the confessional1 and declare that we are confessing all4 ,if1 then1 we willfully conceal a sin that we are bound to confess1 ,god is a witness to our sacrilegious lie4 ,if ,i see you in some place to which you were forbidden to go1 and you1 knowing that ,i saw you1 positively deny that you were there1 your guilt would be doubly great1 for1 besides the sin of disobedience committed by going to the forbidden place1 you also resist the known truth1 and endeavor to prove that ,i1 when ,i declare ,i saw you1 am telling what is untrue4 ,in a similar manner1 concealing a sin in confession is equivalent to denying before ,god that we are guilty of it4 ,besides1 it is a great folly to conceal a sin1 because it must be confessed sooner or later1 and the longer we conceal it the deeper will be our sense of shame for the sacrileges committed4 ,again1 why should one be ashamed to confess to the priest what he has not been ashamed to do before ,god1 unless he has greater respect for the priest than he has for the ,almighty ,god--an absurdity we cannot believe4 ,moreover1 the shame you experience in telling your sins is a kind of penance for them4 ,do you not suppose ,our ,lord knew1 when ,he instituted the ,sacrament of ,penance1 that people would be ashamed to confess8 ,certainly ,he did2 and that act of humility is pleasing to ,god1 and is a kind of punishment for your sins1 and probably takes away some of the punishment you would have to suffer for them4 ,often1 too1 the thought of having to confess will keep you from committing the sin4 ,there is another thought that should encourage us to gladly make a full confession of all our sins1 and it is this3 it is easier to tell them to the priest alone than to have them exposed1 unforgiven1 before the whole world on the ,day of ,judgment4 ,do not imagine that your confessor will think less of you on account of your sins4 ,the confessor does not think of your sins after he leaves the confessional4 ,how could he remember all the confessions he hears--often hundreds in a single month8 ,and what is more--he does not even wish to recall the sinful things heard in the confessional1 because he wishes to keep his own mind pure1 and his soul free from every stain4 ,the priest is always better pleased to hear the confession of a great sinner or of one who has been a long time from the ,sacraments1 than of one who goes frequently or who has little to tell4 ,he is not glad1 of course1 that the sinner has committed great sins1 but he is glad that since he has had the misfortune to sin so much1 he has now the grace and courage to seek forgiveness4 ,our ,lord once said 7,luke #ae3g7 while preaching1 that the angels and saints in ,heaven rejoice more at seeing one sinner doing penance than they do over ninety-nine good persons who did not need to do penance4 ,the greater the danger to which a person has been exposed1 the more thankful he and his friends are for escape or recovery from it4 ,if your brother fell into the ocean and was rescued just as he was going down for the last time1 you would feel more grateful than if he was rescued from some little pond into which he had slipped1 and in which there was scarcely any danger of his being drowned4 ,so1 also1 the nearer we are to losing our1 souls and going to ,hell1 the more delighted the angels and saints are when we are saved4 ,one who has escaped great danger will more carefully avoid similar accidents in the future3 in like manner1 the sinner1 after having escaped the danger of eternal death by the pardon of his sins1 should never again risk his salvation4 #bag ,q4 ,what must he do who has willfully concealed a mortal sin in confession8 ,a4 ,he who has willfully concealed a mortal sin in confession must not only confess it1 but must also repeat all the sins he has committed since his last worthy confession4 ,willfully4 ,remember1 forgetting is not the same as concealing2 but if you should willfully neglect to examine your conscience or make any effort to know your sins before going to confession1 then forgetting would be equivalent to concealing4 ,without any preparation your confession could hardly be a good one4 ,when you are in doubt whether an action is sinful or not1 or whether you have confessed it before1 you should not leave the confessional with the doubt upon your mind4 ,it is a foolish practice1 however1 to be always disturbing your conscience by thinking of past sins1 especially of those that occurred very early in your life4 ,sometimes it is dangerous2 because if1 while thinking of your past sins1 you should take pleasure in them1 you would commit a new sin similar to the past sins in which you take delight4 ,it is best1 therefore1 not to dwell in thought upon any particular past sin with the time1 place1 and circumstances of its commission2 but simply to remember in general that you have in the past sinned against this or that ,commandment or virtue4 ,the past is no longer under our control1 while the future is1 and becomes for us1 therefore1 the all-important portion of our lives4 ,not unfrequently it may be an artifice of the devil to keep us so occupied with past deeds that we may not attend to the dangers of the future4 ,do not1 then1 after your confession spend your time in thinking of the sins you confessed1 but of how you will avoid them in the future4 ,when a wound is healed up1 nobody thinks of opening it again to see if it has healed properly2 so when the wounds made in our souls by sin are healed up by the absolution1 we should not open them again4 ,this is the rule with regard to our ordinary confessions2 but we should sometimes make a general confession4 ,what is a general confession8 ,it is the confession of the sins of our whole life or of a portion--say one1 two or five1 etc41 years--of our life4 ,a general confession may be necessary1 useful1 or hurtful4 ,it is necessary1 as you know1 when our past confessions were bad4 ,it is useful1 though not necessary1 on special occasions in our lives2 for example1 in the time of a retreat or mission2 in the time of preparation for ,first ,communion1 ,confirmation1 ,matrimony1 etc41 or in preparing for death4 ,it is very useful also for persons about to change their state of life2 for such as are about to become priests or religious1 etc4 ,it is useful because it gives us a better knowledge of the state of our souls1 as we see their condition not merely for a month or two1 but for our whole lifetime4 ,we are looking at them as ,god will look at them in the ,last ,judgment1 considering all the good and evil we have ever done1 and comparing the amount of the one with the amount of the other4 ,we resolve to increase the good and diminish the evil in our future lives4 ,we promise to do penance for the past and to avoid sin for the future2 and thus we are benefited in general confession by this judgment of ourselves1 as we may call it4 ,general confession is hurtful to scrupulous persons4 ,scrupulous persons are those who think almost everything they do is a sin4 ,they are always dissatisfied with their confessions1 and fear to approach the ,sacraments4 ,their conscience is never at ease1 and they are forever unhappy4 ,it is very wrong for them to think and act in this manner1 and they must use every means in their power to overcome their scruples4 ,our ,lord in ,his goodness never intended to make us unhappy by instituting the ,sacraments1 but on the contrary to make us happy1 and set our minds and consciences at ease in the reception of ,his grace4 ,scrupulous persons must do exactly whatever their confessor advises1 no matter what they themselves may think4 ,such persons1 as you can plainly see1 should not make general confessions1 because their consciences would be more disturbed than pacified by them4 ,you prepare for general confession as you would for any other1 except that you take a longer time for it1 and do not pay so much attention to your more trifling sins4 #bah ,q4 ,why does the priest give us a penance after confession8 ,a4 ,the priest gives us a penance after confession1 that we may satisfy ,god for the temporal punishment due to our sins4 ,penance4 ,the little penance the priest gives may not fully satisfy ,god1 but shows by our accepting it that we are willing to do penance4 ,what1 for example1 is a penance of five ,our ,fathers compared with the guilt of one mortal sin1 for which we would have to suffer in ,hell for all eternity8 ,then think of the penances performed by the ,christians many centuries ago1 in the early ages of the ,church4 ,there were four stages of penance4 ,the churches were divided into four parts by railings and gates4 ,the first railing across the church was at some distance from the altar1 the second was a little below the middle of the church1 and the third was near the door4 ,those who committed great sins had to stand clad in coarse garments near the entrance of the church1 and beg the prayers of those who entered4 ,after they had done this kind of penance for a certain time1 they were allowed to come into the church as far as the second railing4 ,they were allowed to hear the sermon1 but were not permitted to be present at the ,mass4 ,after doing sufficient penance1 they were allowed to remain for ,mass1 but could not receive ,holy ,communion4 ,when they had performed all the penance imposed upon them1 they were allowed to receive the ,sacraments and enjoy all the rights and privileges of faithful children of the ,church4 ,these penances lasted for many days and sometimes for years1 according to the gravity of the sins committed4 ,the sins for which these severe penances were performed were generally sins that had been committed publicly1 and hence the penance1 amendment1 and reparation had also to be public4 ,temporal ,punishment4 ,every sin has two punishments attached to it1 one called the eternal and the other the temporal4 ,let me explain by an example4 ,if ,i1 turning highway robber1 waylay a man1 beat him and steal his watch1 ,i do him1 as you see1 a double injury1 and deserve a double punishment for the twofold crime of beating and robbing him4 ,he might pardon me for the injuries caused by the beating1 but that would not free me from the obligation of restoring to him his watch or its value1 for the fact that he forgives me for the act of stealing does not give me the right to keep what justly belongs to him4 ,now1 when we sin against ,god we in the first place insult ,him1 and secondly rob ,him of what is deservedly ,his due2 namely1 the worship1 respect1 obedience1 love1 etc41 that we owe ,him as our ,creator1 ,preserver1 and ,redeemer4 ,in the ,sacrament of ,penance ,god forgives the insult offered by sinning1 but requires us to make restitution for that of which the sin has deprived ,him4 ,in every sin there is an act of turning away from ,god and an act of turning to some creature in ,his stead4 ,if a soldier pledged to defend his country deserts his army in time of war1 he is guilty of a dishonorable1 contemptible act2 but if1 besides deserting his own army1 he goes over to aid the enemy1 he becomes guilty of another and still greater crime--he becomes a traitor for whom the laws of nations reserve their severest penalties4 ,by sin we1 who in ,baptism and ,confirmation have promised to serve ,god and war against ,his enemies1 desert ,him and go over to them2 for ,our ,blessed ,lord has said3 ,he that is not with ,me is against ,me4 ,we pay the temporal debt due to our sins1 that is1 make the restitution1 by our penances upon earth1 or by our suffering in ,purgatory1 or by both combined4 ,the penances performed upon earth are very acceptable and pleasing to ,god2 and hence we should be most anxious to do penance here that we may have less to suffer in ,purgatory4 ,st4 ,augustine1 who had been a great sinner1 often prayed that ,god might send him many tribulations while on earth1 that he might have less to endure in ,purgatory4 ,therefore1 after performing the penance the priest gives you in the confessional1 it is wise to impose upon yourself other light penances in keeping with your age and condition1 but never undertake severe penances or make religious vows and promises without consulting your confessor4 ,in every case be careful first of all to perform the penance imposed upon you in the reception of the ,sacrament4 ,the penance given in confession has a special value1 which none of the penances selected by yourself could have4 ,if you forget to say your penance1 your confession is not on that account worthless2 but as the penance is one of the parts of the ,sacrament1 namely1 the satisfaction1 you should say it as soon as possible1 and in the manner your confessor directs4 ,if you cannot perform the penance imposed by your confessor1 you should inform him of that fact1 and ask him to give you another in its stead4 ,indulgences also are a means of satisfying for this temporal punishment4 ,sometimes ,god inflicts the temporal punishment in this world by sending us misfortunes or sufferings1 especially such as are brought on by the sins committed4 99#bai ,q4 ,does not the ,sacrament of ,penance remit all punishment due to sin8 ,a4 ,the ,sacrament of ,penance remits the eternal punishment due to sin1 but it does not always remit the temporal punishment which ,god requires as satisfaction for our sins4 ,remember that ,baptism differs from ,penance in this respect1 that although they both remit sin1 ,penance does not take away all the temporal punishment1 while ,baptism takes away all the punishment1 both eternal and temporal2 so that if we died immediately after ,baptism we would go directly to ,heaven1 while if we died immediately after ,penance we would generally go to ,purgatory to make satisfaction for the temporal debt4 99#bbj ,q4 ,why does ,god require a temporal punishment as a satisfaction for sin8 ,a4 ,god requires a temporal punishment as a satisfaction for sin to teach us the great evil of sin1 and to prevent us from failing again4 99#bba ,q4 ,which are the chief means by which we satisfy ,god for the temporal punishment due to sin8 ,a4 ,the chief means by which we satisfy ,god for the temporal punishment due to sin are3 prayer1 fasting1 almsgiving1 all spiritual and corporal works of mercy1 and the patient suffering of the ills of life4 ,chief1 but not the only means4 ,fasting1 especially the fasts imposed by the ,church--in ,lent for instance4 ,lent is the forty days before ,easter ,sunday during which we fast and pray to prepare ourselves for the resurrection of ,our ,lord1 and also to remind us of ,his own fast of forty days before ,his ,passion4 ,almsgiving--that is1 money or goods given to the poor4 ,spiritual works of mercy are those good works we do for persons' souls4 ,corporal works of mercy are those we do for their bodies4 ,ills of life--sickness or poverty or misfortune1 especially when we have not brought them upon ourselves by sin4 99#bbb ,q4 ,which are the chief spiritual works of mercy8 ,a4 ,the chief spiritual works of mercy are seven3 to admonish the sinner1 to instruct the ignorant1 to counsel the doubtful1 to comfort the sorrowful1 to bear wrongs patiently1 to forgive all injuries1 and to pray for the living and the dead4 ,to admonish the sinner4 ,if we love our neighbor we should help him in his distress1 even when it is an inconvenience to us4 ,we should help him also to correct his faults1 we should point them out and warn him of them4 ,we are obliged to do so in the following circumstances3 ,first4 ,when his fault is a mortal sin4 ,second4 ,when we have some authority or influence over him4 ,third4 ,when there is reason to believe that our warning will make him better instead of worse4 ,if our advice only makes him worse1 then we should not say anything to him about his fault1 but keep out of his company ourselves4 ,ignorant especially in their religion4 ,doubtful about something in religion which you can explain and make clear to them4 ,comfort1 saying kind words of encouragement to them4 ,wrongs1 things not deserved2 for example1 persons talking ill about us1 accusing us falsely1 etc42 but if the false accusations1 etc41 are going to give scandal1 then we must defend ourselves against them4 ,if1 for instance1 lies were told about the father of a family1 and it were likely all his children would believe them and lose their respect for his authority1 then he must let them know the truth4 ,but when we patiently suffer wrongs that injure only ourselves1 and that are known only to ,god and ourselves1 ,god sees our sufferings and rewards us4 ,what matters it what people think we are if ,god knows all our doings and is pleased with them8 ,living--especially for the conversion of sinners1 or for those who are on their deathbed4 ,the dead--those suffering in ,purgatory1 especially if we have ever caused them to sin4 99#bbc ,q4 ,which are the chief corporal works of mercy8 ,a4 ,the chief corporal works of mercy are seven3 to feed the hungry1 to give drink to the thirsty1 to clothe the naked1 to ransom the captive1 to harbor the harborless1 to visit the sick1 and to bury the dead4 ,ransom the captive--that is1 chiefly those who while teaching or defending the true religion in pagan lands are taken prisoners by the enemies of our faith4 ,you have perhaps heard of the ,crusades or read about them in your history4 ,now let me briefly tell you what they were and why they were commenced4 ,about the year #egj1 that is1 about thirteen hundred years ago1 when the ,christian religion was spread over nearly the whole world1 a man named ,mahomet was born in ,arabia4 ,he pretended to be a great prophet sent from ,god1 and gathered many followers about him4 ,he told them his religion must be spread by the sword4 ,he plundered cities and towns1 and divided the spoils with his followers4 ,he told them that all who died fighting for him would certainly go to ,heaven4 ,in a short time his followers became very numerous2 for his religion was an easy and profitable one1 allowing them to commit sin without fear of punishment1 and giving them share of his plunder4 ,many others not influenced by these motives joined his religion for fear of being put to death4 ,his followers were afterwards called by the general name of ,saracens4 ,they took possession of the ,holy ,land1 of the ,city of ,jerusalem1 of the tomb of ,our ,lord1 and of every spot rendered dear to ,christians by ,our ,saviour's life and labors there4 ,they persecuted the ,christians who went to visit the ,holy ,land1 and put many of them to death4 ,when the news of these dreadful crimes reached ,europe1 the ,christian kings and princes1 at the request of the ,pope1 raised large armies and set out for the ,east to war against the ,saracens and recover the ,holy ,land4 ,eight of these expeditions1 or ,crusades1 as they are called1 went out during two hundred years1 that is1 from #ajie to #abgb4 ,those who took part in them are called ,crusaders1 from the word cross1 because every soldier wore a red cross upon his shoulder4 ,some of these expeditions were successful1 and some were not2 but1 on the whole1 they prevented the ,saracens from coming to ,europe and taking possession of it4 ,many of the ,christian soldiers and many of the pilgrims who visited the ,holy ,land were taken prisoners by the ,saracens and held1 threatened with death1 till the ,christians in ,europe paid large sums of money as a ransom for their liberty4 ,to free these captives was a great act of charity1 and is one of the corporal works of mercy4 ,ransom means to pay money for another's freedom4 ,even now there are sometimes captives in pagan lands4 ,a pilgrim is one who goes on a journey to visit some holy place for the purpose of thus honoring ,god4 ,he would not be a pilgrim if he went merely through curiosity4 ,he must go with the holy intention of making his visit an act of worship4 ,in our time pilgrimages to the ,holy ,land1 to ,rome1 and other places are quite frequent4 ,to harbor--that is1 to give one who has no home a place of rest4 ,a harbor is an inlet of the ocean where ships can rest and be out of danger2 so we can also call the home or place of rest given to the homeless a harbor4 ,sick1 especially the sick poor and those who have no friends4 ,to bury those who are strangers and have no friends4 ,all ,christians are bound to perform these works of mercy in one way or another4 ,we have been relieved to some extent of doing the work ourselves by the establishment of institutions where these things are attended to by communities of holy men or women called religious4 ,they take charge of asylums for the orphans1 homes for the aged and poor1 hospitals for the sick1 etc41 while many devote themselves to teaching in colleges1 academies1 and schools4 ,but if these good religious do the work for us1 we are obliged on our part to give them the means to carry it on4 ,therefore we should contribute according to our means to charitable institutions1 and indeed to all institutions that promote the glory of ,god and the good of our religion4 ,to explain more fully1 religious are self-sacrificing men and women who1 wishing to follow the evangelical counsels1 dedicate their lives to the service of ,god4 ,they live together in communities approved by the ,church1 under the rule and guidance of their superiors4 ,their day is divided between prayer1 labor1 and good works1 more time being given to one or other of these according to the special end or aim of the community4 ,the houses in which they live are called convents or monasteries1 and the societies of which they are members are called religious orders1 communities1 or congregations4 ,in some of these religious communities of men all the members are priests1 in others some are priests and some are brothers1 and in others still all are brothers4 ,priests belonging to the religious orders are called the regular clergy1 to distinguish them from the secular clergy or priests who live and labor in the parishes to which they are assigned by their bishops4 ,sisters and nuns mean almost the same thing1 but we generally call those nuns who live under a more severe rule and never leave the boundaries of their convent4 ,in like manner friars1 monks1 and brothers lead almost the same kind of life1 except that the monks practice greater penances and live under stricter rules4 ,a hermit is a holy man who lives alone in some desert or lonely place1 and spends his life in prayer and mortification4 ,in the early ages of the ,church there were many of these hermits1 or ,fathers of the desert1 but now religious live together in communities4 ,the members of religious orders of men or women take three vows1 namely1 of poverty1 chastity1 and obedience4 ,these orders were founded by holy persons for some special work approved of by the ,church4 ,thus the ,dominicans were founded by ,st4 ,dominic1 and their special work was to preach the ,gospel and convert heretics or persons who had fallen away from the ,faith4 ,the ,jesuit ,fathers were organized by ,st4 ,ignatius ,loyola1 and their work is chiefly teaching in colleges1 and giving retreats and missions4 ,so also have the ,redemptorists1 ,franciscans1 ,passionists1 etc41 their special works1 chiefly the giving of missions4 ,in a word1 every community1 of either men or women1 must perform the particular work for which it was instituted4 ,but why1 you will ask1 are there different religious orders8 ,in the first place1 all persons are not fitted for the same kind of work3 some can teach1 others cannot2 some can bear the fatigue of nursing the sick1 and others cannot4 ,secondly1 when ,our ,lord was on earth ,he performed every good work and practiced every virtue perfectly4 ,he fasted1 prayed1 helped the needy1 comforted the sorrowful1 healed the sick1 taught the ignorant1 defended the oppressed1 admonished sinners1 etc4 ,it would be impossible for any one community to imitate ,our ,lord in all ,his works1 so each community takes one or more particular works of ,our ,lord1 and tries to imitate ,him as perfectly as possible in these at least4 ,some communities devote their time to prayer2 others attend the sick2 others teach1 etc42 and thus when all unite their different works the combined result is a more perfect imitation of ,our ,lord's life upon earth4 ,lesson #bj ,,on ,,the ,,manner ,,of ,,making ,a ,,good ,,confession 99#bbd ,q4 ,what should we do on entering the confessional8 ,a4 ,on entering the confessional we should kneel1 make the ,sign of the ,cross1 and say to the priest3 ,bless me1 ,father2 then add1 ,i confess to ,almighty ,god1 and to you1 ,father1 that ,i have sinned4 99#bbe ,q4 ,which are the first things we should tell the priest in confession8 ,a4 ,the first things we should tell the priest in confession are the1 time of our last confession and whether we said the penance and went to ,holy ,communion4 99#bbf ,q4 ,after telling the time of our last confession and ,communion1 what should we do8 ,a4 ,after telling the time of our last confession and ,communion we should confess all the mortal sins we have since committed1 and all the venial sins we may wish to mention4 ,we may wish4 ,we should tell every real sin we have never confessed4 ,if we have no mortal sin to confess1 it is well to tell some kind of mortal sin we have committed in our past life1 though confessed before4 ,we should do this because when we have only very small sins to confess there is always danger that we may not be truly sorry for them1 and without sorrow there is no forgiveness4 ,but when we add to our confession some mortal sin that we know we are sorry for1 then our sorrow extends to all our sins1 and makes us certain that our confession is a good one4 ,if you should hear the sin of another person while you are waiting to make your own confession1 you must keep that sin secret forever4 ,if the person in the confessional is speaking too loud1 you should move away so as not to hear2 and if you cannot move1 hold your hands on your ears so that you may not hear what is being said4 99#bbg ,q4 ,what must we do when the confessor asks us questions8 ,a4 ,when the confessor asks us questions1 we must answer them truthfully and clearly4 99#bbh ,q4 ,what should we do after telling our sins8 ,a4 ,after telling our sins we should listen with attention to the advice which the confessor may think proper to give4 ,the priest in the confessional acts as judge1 father1 teacher1 and physician4 ,as judge he listens to your accusations against yourself1 and passes sentence according to your guilt or innocence4 ,as a father and teacher he loves you1 and tries to protect you from your enemies by warning you against them1 and teaching you the means to overcome them4 ,but above all1 he is a physician1 who will treat your soul for its ills and restore it to spiritual health4 ,he examines the sins you have committed1 discovers their causes1 and then prescribes the remedies to be used in overcoming them4 ,when anything goes amiss with our bodily health we speedily have recourse to the physician1 listen anxiously to what he has to say1 and use the remedies prescribed4 ,in the very same way we must follow the priest's advice if we wish our souls to be cured of their maladies4 ,just as a person who is unwell would not go one day to one physician and the next day to another1 so a penitent should not change confessors without a good reason2 and if you have any choice to make let it be made in the beginning1 and let it rest on worthy motives4 ,in a short time your confessor will understand the state of your soul1 as the physician who frequently examines you does the state of your body4 ,he will know all the temptations1 trials1 and difficulties with which you have to contend4 ,he will see whether you are becoming better or worse2 whether you are resisting your bad habits or falling more deeply into them2 also1 whether the remedies given are suited to you1 and whether you are using them properly4 ,all this your confessor will know1 and it will save you the trouble of always repeating1 and him the trouble of always asking4 ,thus the better your confessor knows you and all the circumstances of your life1 the more will he be able to help you2 for besides the forgiveness of your sins there are many other benefits derived from the ,sacrament of ,penance4 ,but if at any time there should be danger of your making a bad confession to your own confessor--on account of some feeling of false shame--then go to any confessor you please2 for it is a thousand times better to seek another confessor than run the risk of making a sacrilegious confession4 ,never be so much attached to any one confessor that you would remain away from the ,sacraments a long time rather than go to another in his absence4 ,you should not consider the person in the confessional1 but the power he exercises4 ,you should be anxious concerning only this fact3 ,is there a priest there who was sent by ,our ,lord8 ,is there a minister of ,christ there who has power to pardon my sins8 ,if so1 ,i will humbly go to him1 no matter who he is or what his dispositions4 99#bbi ,q4 ,how should we end our confession8 ,a4 ,we should end our confession by saying1 ,i also accuse myself of all the sins of my past life1 telling1 if we choose1 one or several of our past sins4 99#bcj ,q4 ,what should we do while the priest is giving us absolution8 ,a4 ,while the priest is giving us absolution1 we should from our heart renew the ,act of ,contrition4 ,all1 especially children1 should know this act well before going to confession4 ,lesson #ba ,,on ,,indulgences #bca ,q4 ,what is an indulgence8 ,a4 ,an indulgence is the remission in whole or in part of the temporal punishment due to sin4 ,i have explained before what the temporal punishment is2 namely1 the debt which we owe to ,god after ,he has forgiven our sins1 and which we must pay in order that satisfaction be made4 ,it is1 as ,i said1 the value of the watch we must return after we have been pardoned for the act of stealing4 ,i said this punishment must be blotted out by our penance4 ,now1 the ,church gives us an easy means of so doing1 by granting us indulgences4 ,she helps us by giving us a share in the merits of the ,blessed ,virgin and of the saints4 ,all this we have explained when speaking in the ,creed of the communion of saints4 99#bcb ,q4 ,is an indulgence a pardon of sin1 or a license to commit sin8 ,a4 ,an indulgence is not a pardon of sin1 nor a license to commit sin1 and one who is in a state of mortal sin cannot gain an indulgence4 ,if you are in a state of mortal sin you lose the merit of any good works you perform4 ,god promises to reward us for good works1 and if we are in the state of grace when we do the good works1 ,god will keep ,his promise and give us the reward2 but if we are in mortal sin1 we have no right or claim to any reward for good works1 because we are enemies of ,god4 ,for this reason alone we should never remain even for a short time in mortal sin1 since it is important for us to have all the merit we can4 ,even when we will not repent and return to ,him1 ,god rewards us for good works done by giving us some temporal blessings or benefits here upon earth4 ,he never allows any good work to go unrewarded any more than ,he allows an evil deed to go unpunished4 ,although ,god is so good to us we nevertheless lose very much by being in a state of mortal sin2 for ,god's grace is in some respects like the money in a bank3 the more grace we receive and the better we use it1 the more ,he will bestow upon us4 ,when you deposit money in a savings bank1 you get interest for it2 and when you leave the interest also in the bank1 it is added to your capital1 and thus you get interest for the interest4 ,so ,god not only gives us grace to do good1 but also grace for doing the good1 or1 in other words1 ,he gives us grace for using ,his grace4 #bcc ,q4 ,how many kinds of indulgences are there8 ,a4 ,there are two kinds of indulgences--plenary and partial4 #bcd ,q4 ,what is a plenary indulgence8 ,a4 ,a plenary indulgence is the full remission of the temporal punishment due to sin4 ,full remission2 so that if you gained a plenary indulgence and died immediately afterwards1 you would go at once to ,heaven4 ,persons go to ,purgatory1 as you know1 to have the temporal punishment blotted out2 but if you have no temporal punishment to make satisfaction for1 there is no ,purgatory for you4 ,gaining a plenary indulgence requires proper dispositions1 as you may understand from its very great advantages4 ,to gain it we must not only hate sin and be heartily sorry even for our venial sins1 but we must not have a desire for even venial sin4 ,we should always try to gain a plenary indulgence1 for in so doing we always gain at least part of it1 or a partial indulgence1 greater or less according to our dispositions4 #bce ,q4 ,what is a partial indulgence8 ,a4 ,a partial indulgence is the remission of a part of the temporal punishment due to sin4 99#bcf ,q4 ,how does the ,church by means of indulgences remit the temporal punishment due to sins8 ,a4 ,the ,church by means of indulgences remits the temporal punishment due to sin by applying to us the merits of ,jesus ,christ1 and the superabundant satisfactions of the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary and of the saints1 which merits and satisfactions are its spiritual treasury4 ,superabundant means more than was necessary4 7,see explanation of communion of saints in the ,creed47 #bcg ,q4 ,what must we do to gain an indulgence8 ,a4 ,to gain an indulgence we must be in a state of grace and perform the works enjoined4 ,works--to visit certain churches or altars2 to give alms2 to say certain prayers1 etc4 ,for a plenary indulgence it is required in addition to go to confession and ,holy ,communion1 and to pray for the intention of our ,holy ,father the ,pope2 for this last requirement it is sufficient to recite one ,our ,father and one ,hail ,mary4 ,now1 what does praying for the intention of the ,pope or bishop or anyone else mean8 ,it does not mean that you are to pray for the ,pope himself1 but for whatever he is praying for or wishes you to pray for4 ,for instance1 on one day the ,holy ,father may be praying for the success of some missions that he is establishing in pagan lands2 on another1 he may be praying that the enemies of the ,church may not succeed in their plans against it2 on another1 he may be praying for the conversion of some nation1 and so on2 whatever he is praying for or wishes you to pray for is called his intention4 ,there are three basic ways of gaining a partial indulgence4 ,a partial indulgence can be gained by3 #a7 raising one's heart to ,god amidst the duties and trials of life and making a pious invocation1 even only mentally2 #b7 giving of oneself or one's goods to those in need2 #c7 voluntarily depriving oneself of something pleasing1 in a spirit of penance4 ,a partial indulgence is also granted for reciting various well-known prayers1 such as the acts of faith1 hope1 charity and contrition1 and for performing certain acts of devotion1 such as making a ,spiritual ,communion4 ,to gain an indulgence you must also have the intention of gaining it4 ,there are many prayers that we sometimes say to which indulgences are attached1 and we do not know it4 ,how can we gain them8 ,by making a general intention every morning while saying our prayers to gain all the indulgences we can during the day1 whether we know them or not4 ,for example1 there is a partial indulgence granted us every time we devoutly make the ,sign of the ,cross or devoutly use an article of devotion1 such as a crucifix or scapular1 properly blessed by any priest4 ,many may not know of these indulgences2 but if they have the general intention mentioned above1 they will gain the indulgence every time they perform the work4 ,in the same way1 by having this intention all those who are in the habit of going to confession every two weeks are able to gain a plenary indulgence when they fulfill the other prescribed conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence1 even when they do not know that they are gaining the indulgence4 ,since partial indulgences were formerly designated by specific amounts of time1 you sometimes see printed after a little prayer3 ,an indulgence of forty days1 or1 an indulgence of one hundred days1 or of a year1 etc4 ,what does that mean8 ,does it mean that a person who said that prayer would get out of ,purgatory forty days sooner than he would have if he had not said it8 ,no4 ,i told you how the early ,christians were obliged to do public penance for their sins2 to stand at the door of the church and beg the prayers of those entering4 ,sometimes their penance lasted for forty days1 sometimes for one hundred days1 and sometimes for a longer period4 ,by an indulgence of forty days the ,church granted the remission of as much of the temporal punishment as the early ,christians would have received for doing forty days' public penance4 ,just how much of the temporal punishment ,god blotted out for forty days' public penance we do not know2 but whatever it was1 ,god blotted out just the same for one who gained an indulgence of forty days by saying a little prayer to which the indulgence was attached4 ,but why1 you may wonder1 did the early ,christians do such penances8 ,because in those days their faith was stronger than ours1 and they understood better than we do the malice of sin and the punishment it deserves4 ,later the ,christians grew more careless about their religion and the service of ,god4 ,the ,church1 therefore1 wishing to save its children1 made it easier for them to do penance4 ,if it had continued to impose the public penances1 many would not have performed them1 and thus would have lost their souls4 ,lesson #bb ,,on ,,the ,,holy ,,eucharist #bch ,q4 ,what is the ,holy ,eucharist8 ,a4 ,the ,holy ,eucharist is the ,sacrament which contains the body and blood1 soul and divinity of ,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ under the appearances of bread and wine4 ,when we say contains1 we mean the ,sacrament which is the body and blood1 etc4 ,the ,holy ,eucharist is the same living body of ,our ,lord which ,he had upon earth2 but it is in a new form1 under the appearances of bread and wine4 ,therefore ,our ,lord in the tabernacle can see and hear us4 99#bci ,q4 ,when did ,christ institute the ,holy ,eucharist8 ,a4 ,christ instituted the ,holy ,eucharist at the ,last ,supper1 the night before ,he died4 ,last ,supper1 on ,holy ,thursday night4 7,see ,explanation of the ,passion1 ,lesson #h1 ,question #gh47 99#bdj ,q4 ,who were present when ,our ,lord instituted the ,holy ,eucharist8 ,a4 ,when ,our ,lord instituted the ,holy ,eucharist the twelve ,apostles were present4 99#bda ,q4 ,how did ,our ,lord institute the ,holy ,eucharist8 ,a4 ,our ,lord instituted the ,holy ,eucharist by taking bread1 blessing1 breaking1 and giving to ,his ,apostles1 saying3 ,take ye and eat4 ,this is ,my body2 and then by taking the cup of wine1 blessing and giving it1 saying to them3 ,drink ye all of this4 ,this is ,my blood which shall be shed for the remission of sins4 ,do this for a commemoration of ,me4 ,eucharist means thanks4 ,hence this ,sacrament is called ,eucharist1 because ,our ,lord gave thanks before changing the bread and wine into ,his body and blood1 and because the offering of it to ,god is the most solemn act of thanksgiving4 ,do this--that is1 the same thing ,i am doing1 namely1 changing bread and wine into ,my body and blood4 ,commemoration--that is1 to remind you of ,me1 that you may continue to do the same till the end of time4 99#bdb ,q4 ,what happened when ,our ,lord said1 ,this is ,my body1 this is ,my blood8 ,a4 ,when ,our ,lord said1 ,this is ,my body1 the substance of the bread was changed into the substance of ,his body4 ,when ,he said1 ,this is ,my blood1 the substance of the wine was changed into the substance of ,his blood4 ,substance literally means that which stands underneath4 ,underneath what8 ,underneath the outward appearances or qualities--such as color1 taste1 figure1 smell1 etc4--that are perceptible to our senses4 ,therefore we never see the substance of anything4 ,of this seat1 for instance1 ,i see the color1 size1 and shape2 ,i feel the hardness1 etc42 but ,i do not see the substance1 namely1 the wood of which it is made4 ,when the substance of anything is changed1 the outward appearances change with it4 ,but not so in the ,holy ,eucharist2 for by a miracle the appearances of bread and wine remain the same after the substance has been changed as they were before4 ,as the substance alone is changed in the ,holy ,eucharist1 and as ,i cannot see the substance1 ,i cannot see the change4 ,i am absolutely certain1 however1 that the change takes place1 because ,our ,lord said so2 and ,i believe ,him1 because ,he could not deceive me4 ,he is ,god1 and ,god could not tell a lie1 because ,he is infinite truth4 ,this change is a great miracle1 and that is the reason we cannot understand it1 though we believe it4 ,once at a marriage in ,cana of ,galilee 7,john #b7 ,our ,lord changed water into wine4 ,the people were poor1 and ,our ,lord1 ,his ,blessed ,mother1 and the ,apostles were present at the wedding when the wine ran short2 and our ,blessed ,lady1 always so kind to everyone1 wishing to spare these poor people from being shamed before their friends1 asked ,our ,lord to perform the miracle1 and at her request ,he did so1 and changed many vessels of water into the best of wine4 ,in that miracle ,our ,lord changed the substance of the water into the substance of the wine4 ,why1 then1 could ,he not change in the same way and by the same power the substance of bread and wine into the substance of ,his own body and blood8 ,when ,he changed the water into wine1 besides changing the substance1 ,he changed everything else about it2 so that it had no longer the appearance of water1 but everyone could see that it was wine4 ,but in changing the bread and wine into ,his body and blood ,he changes only the substance1 and leaves everything else unchanged so that it still looks and tastes like bread and wine2 even after the change has taken place and you could not tell by looking at it that it was changed4 ,you know it only from your faith in the words of our divine ,lord1 when ,he tells you it is changed4 ,again1 it is much easier to change one thing into another than to make it entirely out of nothing4 ,anyone who can create out of nothing can surely change one thing into another4 ,now ,our ,lord1 being ,god1 created the world out of nothing2 and ,he could therefore easily change the substance of bread into the substance of flesh4 ,i have said ,our ,lord's body in the ,holy ,eucharist is a living body1 and every living body contains blood2 and that is why we receive both the body and the blood of ,our ,lord under the appearance of the bread alone4 ,the priest receives the body and blood of ,our ,lord under the appearance of both bread and wine1 while the people receive it only under the appearance of bread4 ,the early ,christians used to receive it as the priest does--under the appearance of bread and under the appearance of wine2 but the ,church had to make a change on account of circumstances4 ,first1 all the people had to drink from the same chalice or cup1 and some would not like that1 and show disrespect for the ,blessed ,sacrament by refusing it4 ,then there was great danger of spilling the precious blood1 passing it from one to another2 and finally1 some said that ,christ's blood was not in ,his body under the appearance of bread4 ,this was false2 and to show that it was false1 and for the other reasons1 the ,church after that gave ,holy ,communion to the people under the appearance of bread alone4 ,the ,church always believes and teaches the same truths4 ,it always believed that the ,holy ,eucharist under the appearance of bread contained also ,our ,lord's blood2 but it taught it more clearly when it was denied4 99#bdc ,q4 ,is ,jesus ,christ whole and entire both under the form of bread and under the form of wine8 ,a4 ,jesus ,christ is whole and entire both under the form of bread and under the form of wine4 99#bdd ,q4 ,did anything remain of the bread and wine after their substance had been changed into the substance of the body and blood of ,our ,lord8 ,a4 ,after the substance of the bread and wine had been changed into the substance of the body and blood of ,our ,lord there remained only the appearances of bread and wine4 #bde ,q4 ,what do you mean by the appearances of bread and wine8 ,a4 ,by the appearances of bread and wine ,i mean the figure1 the color1 the taste1 and whatever appears to the senses4 ,senses--that is1 eyes1 ears1 etc4 ,thus we have the sense of seeing1 the sense of hearing1 the sense of tasting1 the sense of smelling1 the sense of feeling4 ,the ,holy ,eucharist is the body of ,our ,lord just as long as the appearances of bread and wine remain1 and when they go away ,our ,lord's body goes also4 ,for example1 if a church1 tabernacle and all1 was buried by a great earthquake1 and after many years the people succeeded in getting at the tabernacle and opening it1 and then found in the ciborium--that is1 the vessel in which the ,blessed ,sacrament is kept in the tabernacle--only black dust1 ,our ,lord would not be there1 although ,he was there when the church was buried4 ,he would not be there1 because there was no longer the appearance of bread there3 it had all been changed into ashes by time1 and ,our ,lord left it when the change took place4 ,but if the appearance of bread had remained unchanged1 ,he would be there even after so many years4 ,when we receive ,holy ,communion1 the appearance of bread remains for about fifteen or twenty minutes after we receive1 and then it changes or disappears4 ,therefore during these fifteen or twenty minutes that the appearance remains ,our ,lord ,himself is really with us2 and for that reason we should remain about twenty minutes after ,mass on the day we receive1 making a thanksgiving1 speaking to ,our ,lord1 and listening to ,him speaking to our conscience4 ,what disrespect some people show ,our ,lord by rushing out of the church immediately after ,mass and ,holy ,communion1 sometimes beginning to talk or look around before making any thanksgiving6 ,when you receive ,holy ,communion1 after returning to your seat you need not immediately begin to read your prayerbook1 but may bow your head and speak to ,our ,lord while ,he is present with you4 ,after the appearances of bread vanish1 ,our ,lord's bodily presence goes also1 but ,he remains with us by ,his grace as long as we do not fall into mortal sin4 99#bdf ,q4 ,what is this change of the bread and wine into the body and blood of ,our ,lord called8 ,a4 ,this change of the bread and wine into the body and blood of ,our ,lord is called ,transubstantiation4 ,transubstantiation--that is1 the changing of one substance into another substance2 for example1 the changing of the wood in a seat into stone4 99#bdg ,q4 ,how was the substance of the bread and wine changed into the substance of the body and blood of ,christ8 ,a4 ,the substance of the bread and wine was changed into the substance of the body and blood of ,christ by ,his almighty power4 99#bdh ,q4 ,does this change of bread and wine into the body and blood of ,christ continue to be made in the ,church8 ,a4 ,this change of bread and wine into the body and blood of ,christ continues to be made in the ,church by ,jesus ,christ through the ministry of ,his priests4 #bdi ,q4 ,when did ,christ give ,his priests the power to change bread and wine into ,his body and blood8 ,a4 ,christ gave ,his priests the power to change bread and wine into ,his body and blood when ,he said to ,his ,apostles1 ,do this in commemoration of ,me4 #bej ,q4 ,how do the priests exercise this power of changing bread and wine into the body and blood of ,christ8 ,a4 ,the priests exercise this power of changing bread and wine into the body and blood of ,christ through the words of consecration in the ,mass1 which are the words of ,christ3 ,this is ,my body2 this is ,my blood4 ,consecration4 ,at what part of the ,mass are the words of consecration pronounced8 ,just before the ,elevation2 that is1 just before the priest holds up the ,host and the chalice1 while the altar boy rings the bell4 ,when the priest is going to say ,mass he prepares everything necessary in the sacristy--the place or room near the altar where the sacred vessels and vestments are kept1 and where the priest vests4 ,he takes the chalice--that is1 the long silver or gold goblet--out of its case2 then he covers it with a long1 narrow1 white linen cloth called a purificator4 ,over this he places a small silver or gold plate called the paten1 on which he places a host--that is1 a thin piece of white bread prepared for ,mass1 perfectly round1 and about the size of the bottom of a small drinking glass4 ,he then covers this host with a white card1 called a pall1 after which he covers the chalice and all with a square cloth or veil that matches the vestments4 ,then he puts on his own vestments as follows3 ,over his shoulders the amice1 a square1 white cloth4 ,next the alb1 a long white garment reaching down to his feet4 ,he draws it about his waist with the cincture1 or white cord4 ,he places on his left arm the maniple1 a short1 narrow vestment4 ,around his neck he places the stole1 a long1 narrow vestment with a cross on each end4 ,over all he places the chasuble1 or large vestment with the cross on the back4 ,lastly1 he puts on his cap or biretta4 ,before going further ,i must say something about the color and signification of the vestments4 ,there are five colors used1 namely1 white1 red1 green1 violet1 and black4 ,white signifies innocence1 and is used on the feasts of ,our ,lord1 of the ,blessed ,virgin1 and of some saints4 ,red signifies love1 and is used on the feasts of the ,holy ,ghost and of the martyrs4 ,green signifies hope1 and is used on ,sundays from the ,epiphany to ,pentecost1 unless some feast requiring another color falls on ,sunday4 ,violet signifies penance1 and is used in ,advent and ,lent4 ,black signifies sorrow1 and is used on ,good ,friday and in ,masses for the dead4 ,as regards the vestments themselves3 the amice signifies preparation to resist the attacks of the devil2 the alb is the symbol of innocence2 the cincture of charity2 the maniple of penance2 the stole of immortality2 and the chasuble of love1 by which we are enabled to bear the light burden ,our ,lord is pleased to lay upon us4 ,vested as described1 when the candles have been lighted on the altar1 the priest takes the covered chalice in his hand and goes to the altar1 where1 after arranging everything1 he begins ,mass4 ,after saying many prayers1 he uncovers the chalice1 and the acolyte or altar boy brings up wine and water1 and the priest puts some into the chalice4 ,then he says a prayer1 and offers to ,god the bread and wine to be consecrated4 ,this is called the offertory of the ,mass1 and takes place after the boy presents the wine and water4 ,immediately after the ,sanctus the priest begins what is called the ,canon of the ,mass1 and soon after comes to the time of consecration1 and has before him on the paten the white bread1 or host1 and in the chalice wine4 ,remember1 it is only bread and wine as yet4 ,after saying some prayers the priest bends down over the altar and pronounces the words of consecration1 namely1 ,this is ,my body1 over the bread2 and ,this is ,my blood1 over the wine4 ,then there is no longer the bread the priest brought out and the wine the boy gave1 upon the altar1 but instead of both the body and blood of ,our ,lord4 ,after the words of consecration1 the priest genuflects or kneels before the altar to adore ,our ,lord1 who just came there at the words of consecration2 he next holds up the body of ,our ,lord--the ,host--for the people also to see and adore it2 he then replaces it on the altar and again genuflects4 ,he does just the same with the chalice4 ,this is called the ,elevation4 ,the altar boy then rings the bell to call the people's attention to it1 for it is the most solemn part of the ,mass4 ,after more prayers the priest takes and consumes1 that is1 swallows1 the sacred ,host and drinks the precious blood from the chalice4 ,then the people come up to the altar to receive ,holy ,communion4 ,but where does the priest get ,holy ,communion for them if he himself took all he consecrated8 ,he opens the tabernacle1 and there1 in a large1 beautiful vessel he has small ,hosts4 ,he consecrates a large number of these small hosts sometimes while he is consecrating the larger one for himself4 ,when they are consecrated1 he places them in the tabernacle1 where they are kept with the sanctuary lamp burning before them1 till at the different ,masses they have all been given out to the people4 ,then he consecrates others at the next ,mass1 and does as before4 ,the size of the ,host does not make the slightest difference1 as ,our ,lord is present whole and entire in the smallest particle of the ,host4 ,a little piece that you could scarcely see would be the body of ,our ,lord4 ,however1 the particle that is given to the people is about the size of a twenty-five-cent piece1 so that they can swallow it before it melts4 ,in receiving ,holy ,communion you must never let it entirely dissolve in your mouth1 for if you do not swallow it you will not receive ,holy ,communion at all4 ,here ,i might tell you what ,benediction of the ,blessed ,sacrament is4 ,the priest sometimes consecrates at the ,mass two large hosts1 one he consumes himself1 as ,i have told you1 and the other he places in the tabernacle in a little gold case4 ,when it is time for ,benediction1 he places this little case--made of glass and gold1 about the size of a watch--in the gold or silver monstrance which you see on the altar at ,benediction4 ,it is made to represent rays of light coming from the ,blessed ,sacrament4 ,after the choir sings1 the priest says the prayer and goes up and blesses the people with the ,blessed ,sacrament2 that is1 when he holds up the monstrance over the people ,our ,lord ,himself blesses them4 ,should we not be very anxious1 therefore1 to go to ,benediction8 ,if the bishop came to the church1 we would all be anxious to receive his blessing2 and if our ,holy ,father the ,pope came1 everybody would rush to the church4 ,but what are they compared to ,our ,lord ,himself8 ,and yet when ,he comes to give ,his blessing1 many seem to care little about it4 ,because ,our ,lord in ,his goodness is pleased to give us ,his blessing often1 we are indifferent about it4 ,the holy teachers and fathers of the ,church tell us that if we could see the sanctuary at ,mass and ,benediction as it really is1 we would see it filled with angels all bowed down1 adoring ,our ,lord4 ,these good angels must be very much displeased at those who are so indifferent at ,mass or ,benediction as not to pay any attention2 and above all1 at those who stay away4 ,the large silk cloak the priest wears at ,benediction is called the cope1 and the long scarf that is placed over his shoulders the humeral1 or ,benediction veil4 ,at the words of consecration1 you must know1 the priest does not say ,this is ,christ's body1 but ,this is ,my body2 for at the altar the priest is there in the place of ,our ,lord ,himself4 ,it is ,our ,lord who offers up the sacrifice1 and the priest is ,his instrument4 ,that is why the priest wears vestments while saying ,mass or performing his sacred duties1 to remind him that he is1 as it were1 another person2 that he is not acting in his own name or right1 but in the name and place of our ,blessed ,lord4 ,i have given you in a general way a description of the ,mass3 let me now mention its particular parts by their proper names1 and tell you what they are4 ,at the foot of the altar the priest says the ,confiteor1 a psalm1 and other prayers as a preparation4 ,then he ascends the altar steps--praying as he goes--and says the ,introit1 which is some portion of the ,holy ,scripture suitable to the feast of the day4 ,he next says the ,kyrie ,eleison1 which means3 ,lord1 have mercy on us4 ,he then says the ,gloria1 or hymn of praise1 though not in all ,masses4 ,after the ,gloria he says the ,collect1 which is a collection of prayers in which the priest prays for the needs of the ,church and of its children4 ,this is followed by the ,epistle1 which is a part of the ,holy ,scripture4 ,then the ,mass-book is removed to the other side of the altar1 and the priest reads the ,gospel--that is1 some portion of the ,gospel written by the evangelists4 ,after the ,gospel the priest1 except in some ,masses1 says the ,creed1 which is a profession of his faith in the mysteries of our religion4 ,after this the priest uncovers the chalice1 and offers up the bread and wine which is to be consecrated4 ,this is called the ,offertory of the ,mass4 ,the offertory is followed by the ,lavabo1 or washing of the priest's hands3 first1 that the priest's hands may be purified to touch the ,sacred ,host2 and1 second1 to signify the purity of soul he must have to offer the ,holy ,sacrifice4 ,after saying some prayers in secret he says the ,preface1 which is a solemn hymn of praise and thanksgiving4 ,the ,preface ends with the ,sanctus4 ,the ,sanctus is followed by the ,canon of the ,mass4 ,canon means a rule2 so this part of the ,mass is called the ,canon1 because it never changes4 ,the ,epistle1 ,gospel1 prayers1 etc41 are different on the different feasts1 but the ,canon of the ,mass is always the same4 ,the ,canon is the part of the ,mass from the ,sanctus down to the time the priest again covers the chalice4 ,after the ,canon the priest says the ,post-,communion1 or prayer after ,communion2 then he gives the blessing and goes to the other side of the altar1 and ends ,mass by saying the last ,gospel4 ,during the ,mass the priest frequently makes the ,sign of the ,cross1 genuflects or bends the knee before the altar1 strikes his breast1 etc4 ,what do all these ceremonies mean8 ,by the cross the priest is reminded of the death of ,our ,lord2 he genuflects as an act of humility1 and he strikes his breast to show his own unworthiness4 ,you will understand all the ceremonies of the altar if you remember that ,our ,lord--the ,king of kings--is present on it1 and the priest acts in ,his presence as the servants in a king's palace would act when approaching their king or in his presence1 showing their respect by bowing1 kneeling1 etc4 ,you will see this more clearly if you watch the movements of the priest at the altar while the ,blessed ,sacrament is exposed4 ,lesson #bc ,,on ,,the ,,end ,,for ,,which ,,the ,,holy ,,eucharist ,,was ,,instituted #bea ,q4 ,why did ,christ institute the ,holy ,eucharist8 ,a4 ,christ instituted the ,holy ,eucharist3 7#a7 ,to unite us to ,himself and to nourish our souls with ,his divine life4 7#b7 ,to increase sanctifying grace and all the virtues in our souls4 7#c7 ,to lessen our evil inclinations4 7#d7 ,to be a pledge of everlasting life4 7#e7 ,to fit our bodies for a glorious resurrection4 7#f7 ,to continue the sacrifice of the ,cross in ,his ,church4 ,to nourish4 ,the ,holy ,eucharist does to our souls what natural food does to our bodies4 ,it strengthens them and makes up for the losses we have sustained by sin1 etc4 ,a pledge1 because it does not seem probable that a person who all during life had been fed and nourished with the sacred body of ,our ,lord should after death be buried in ,hell4 ,to fit our bodies1 because ,our ,lord has promised that if we eat ,his flesh and drink ,his blood1 that is1 receive the ,holy ,eucharist1 ,he will raise us up on the last day1 or ,day of ,judgment4 7,john #f3ee74 99#beb ,q4 ,how are we united to ,jesus ,christ in the ,holy ,eucharist8 ,a4 ,we are united to ,jesus ,christ in the ,holy ,eucharist by means of ,holy ,communion4 #bec ,q4 ,what is ,holy ,communion8 ,a4 ,holy ,communion is the receiving of the body and blood of ,christ4 ,holy ,communion is therefore the receiving of the ,sacrament of ,holy ,eucharist4 #bed ,q4 ,what is necessary to make a good ,communion8 ,a4 ,to make a good ,communion it is necessary to be in a state of sanctifying grace1 to be fasting for one hour1 and to have a right intention4 ,fasting--that is1 not having taken any food or drink for one hour before the time of ,communion4 7,water and true medicine do not break the fast and may be taken at any time47 ,what1 then1 are you to do1 if1 without thinking1 you break your fast8 ,do not go to ,communion at that ,mass2 you can remain in church and receive ,communion at the following ,mass4 ,never1 never1 on any account1 go to ,holy ,communion when you have broken your fast4 ,never let fear or shame or anything else make you do such a thing4 ,it is no shame to break your fast by mistake2 but it is a great sin to knowingly go to ,communion after breaking your fast4 ,a right intention--holy and spiritual motive1 such as1 to obey ,our ,lord's command1 to receive strength to resist temptation1 or to be united with ,our ,lord4 #bee ,q4 ,does he who receives ,communion in mortal sin receive the body and blood of ,christ8 ,a4 ,he who receives ,communion in mortal sin receives the body and blood of ,christ1 but does not receive ,his grace1 and he commits a great sacrilege4 ,the body and blood1 because the appearance of bread and wine is there after consecration1 and he receives it4 ,he who receives the ,holy ,eucharist in mortal sin receives ,our ,lord into a filthy soul4 ,if a great and highly-esteemed friend was coming to visit your house1 would you not take care to have everything clean and neat1 and pleasing to him8 ,and the greater the dignity of the person coming1 the more careful you would be4 ,but what are all the persons of dignity in the world--kings or popes--compared with ,our ,lord1 who leaves the beauties of ,heaven to come to visit our soul8 and the purest we can make it is not pure enough for ,him4 ,but ,he is kind to us1 and is satisfied with our poor preparation if ,he sees we are doing our very best4 ,but oh1 what a shame to receive ,him into our soul without any preparation6 and more horrible still1 to fill it with vile sins1 that we know are most disgusting to ,him6 ,no wonder1 therefore1 that receiving ,holy ,communion unworthily is so great a crime1 and so deserving of ,god's punishment4 ,why should not the heavenly ,father punish us for treating ,his beloved ,son with such shameful disrespect and contempt8 99#bef ,q4 ,is it enough to be free from mortal sin1 to receive plentifully the graces of ,holy ,communion8 ,a4 ,to receive plentifully the graces of ,holy ,communion it is not enough to be free from mortal sin1 but we should be free from all affection to venial sin1 and should make acts of lively faith1 of firm hope and ardent love4 99#beg ,q4 ,what is the fast necessary for ,holy ,communion8 ,a4 ,the fast necessary for ,holy ,communion is the abstaining for one hour from everything which is taken as food or drink4 ,t4,n43 ,the reprint book1 upon which this e-text is based1 contains the statement1 published 4 4 4 with minor revisions to conform with the new regulations on fasting and indulgences1 etc4 ,food or drink4 ,if you swallowed a button1 for example1 it would not break your fast1 because it is not food or drink4 99#beh ,q4 ,is anyone ever allowed to receive ,holy ,communion when not fasting8 ,a4 ,anyone in danger of death is allowed to receive ,communion when not fasting4 ,not fasting4 ,but then the ,holy ,communion is called by another name2 it is called the ,viaticum1 and the priest uses a different prayer in giving it to the sick person4 ,when a person dies1 he goes1 as it were1 on a journey from this world to the next4 ,now1 when persons are going on a journey they must have food to strengthen them4 ,our ,lord wished1 therefore1 that all ,his children who had to go on this most important of all journeys--from this world to the next--should be first strengthened by this sacred food1 ,his own body and blood4 ,the ,latin word for road or way is via1 and ,viaticum therefore means food for the way4 ,not only are persons in danger of death allowed to receive when not fasting1 but they are obliged to receive2 and the priest is obliged under pain of sin to bring ,holy ,communion to the dying at any hour of the day or night4 ,when ,i speak of a great journey from this world to the next1 from earth to ,heaven1 you must not understand me to mean that it is a great many miles from earth to ,heaven1 or that it takes a long time to go to the next world4 ,no4 ,we cannot measure the distance1 nor does it take time to get there4 ,the instant we die1 no matter where that happens1 our soul is in the next world1 and judged by ,god4 99#bei ,q4 ,when are we bound to receive ,holy ,communion8 ,a4 ,we are bound to receive ,holy ,communion1 under pain of mortal sin1 during the ,easter time and when in danger of death4 99#bfj ,q4 ,is it well to receive ,holy ,communion often8 ,a4 ,it is well to receive ,holy ,communion often1 as nothing is a greater aid to a holy life than often to receive the ,author of all graces and the ,source of all good4 99#bfa ,q4 ,what should we do after ,holy ,communion8 ,a4 ,after ,holy ,communion we should spend some time in adoring ,our ,lord1 in thanking ,him for the graces we have received and in asking ,him for the blessings we need4 ,lesson #bd ,,on ,,the ,,sacrifice ,,of ,,the ,,mass #bfb ,q4 ,when and where are the bread and wine changed into the body and blood of ,christ8 ,a4 ,the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of ,christ at the consecration in the ,mass4 #bfc ,q4 ,what is the ,mass8 ,a4 ,the ,mass is the unbloody sacrifice of the body and blood of ,christ4 ,the ,holy ,sacrifice is called ,mass probably from the words the priest says at the end when he turns to the people and says1 ,ite ,missa est2 that is1 when he tells them the ,holy ,sacrifice is over4 99#bfd ,q4 ,what is a sacrifice8 ,a4 ,a sacrifice is the offering of an object by a priest to ,god alone1 and the consuming of it to acknowledge that ,he is the ,creator and ,lord of all things4 ,sacrifice4 ,from the very earliest history of man we find people--for example1 ,abel1 ,noe1 etc4--offering up sacrifice to ,god2 that is1 taking something and offering it to ,god1 and then destroying it to show that they believed ,god to be the ,master of life and death1 and the ,supreme ,lord of all things4 ,these offerings were sometimes plants or fruits1 but most frequently animals4 ,when men lost the knowledge of the true ,god and began to worship idols of wood and stone1 they began or continued to offer sacrifice to these false gods4 ,very often1 too1 they sacrificed human beings to please1 as they imagined1 these gods4 ,they believed there was a god for everything--a god for the ocean1 a god for thunder1 a god for wind1 for war1 etc42 and when anything happened that frightened or injured the people1 they believed that some of these gods were offended1 and offered up sacrifice to pacify them4 ,they had a temple in ,rome called the ,pantheon1 or temple of all the gods1 and here they kept the idols of all the gods they could think of or know4 ,at ,athens1 they were afraid of neglecting any god whom they might thus give offense1 and so they had an altar for the unknown god4 ,when ,st4 ,paul came to preach1 he saw this altar to the unknown god1 and told them that was the ,god he came to preach about4 7,acts #ag74 ,he preached to them the existence of the true ,god1 and showed them that there is only one ,god and not many gods4 ,they did not have these idols of wood and stone in their temples for the same reason that we have images in our churches1 because they believed that the idols were really gods1 and offered sacrifice to them1 whereas we know that our images are the works of men4 ,near the city of ,jerusalem there was a great idol named ,molech1 to which parents offered their infants in sacrifice4 ,we know1 too1 from the history of this country that the ,indians used to send a beautiful young girl in a white canoe over the falls of ,niagara every year1 as a sacrifice offered to the god of the falls4 ,even yet human sacrifices are offered up on savage islands4 ,sometimes certain animals were selected to be heathen gods4 ,the people who worship idols1 animals1 or other things of that kind as gods are called pagans1 idolaters1 or heathens4 ,the ,israelites1 who worshipped the true ,god and offered ,him sacrifices because ,he made known to them by revelation that they should do so1 had four kinds of sacrifice4 ,they offered one for sin1 another in thanksgiving for benefits received1 another as an act of worship1 and another to beg ,god's blessing4 ,it is just for these four ends or objects we offer up the one ,christian sacrifice of the holy ,mass4 ,in the beginning the head of the family offered sacrifice--as ,noe did when he came out of the ,ark--but after ,god gave ,his laws to ,moses ,he appointed priests to offer up the sacrifices4 ,aaron1 the brother of ,moses1 was the first priest appointed1 and after him his descendants were priests4 ,when ,our ,lord came and instituted a new sacrifice ,he established the priesthood of the ,new ,law1 and appointed ,his own priests1 namely1 the ,apostles1 with ,st4 ,peter as their chief1 and after them their lawfully appointed successors1 the bishops of the world1 with the ,pope as their chief4 ,the sacrifices of the ,old ,law were figures of the sacrifice of the ,new ,law1 and were to cease at its institution2 and when the ancient sacrifices ceased the ancient priesthood was at an end4 #bfe ,q4 ,is the ,mass the same sacrifice as that of the ,cross8 ,a4 ,the ,mass is the same sacrifice as that of the ,cross4 ,but how is the ,mass a sacrifice8 ,it is a sacrifice because at the ,mass the body and blood of ,our ,lord are offered to ,his heavenly ,father at the consecration1 and afterwards consumed by the priest4 ,in offering up the body and blood of ,our ,lord the bread and wine are consecrated separately1 and kept separate on the altar at ,mass to signify their separation at ,our ,lord's death in the sacrifice of the ,cross1 when ,his sacred blood flowed from ,his body4 ,the ,holy ,eucharist is also a ,sacrament1 because it has the three things necessary to constitute a ,sacrament2 namely1 7#a7 ,the outward sign--that is1 the appearance of bread and wine4 7#b7 ,the inward grace2 for it is ,jesus ,christ ,himself1 the ,author and ,dispenser of all graces4 7#c7 ,it was instituted by ,our ,lord4 ,the ,holy ,eucharist is therefore both a sacrifice and a ,sacrament4 ,it is a sacrifice when offered at ,mass1 and a ,sacrament when we receive it and when it is reserved in the tabernacle4 99#bff ,q4 ,how is the ,mass the same sacrifice as that of the ,cross8 ,a4 ,the ,mass is the same sacrifice as that of the ,cross because the offering and the priest are the same--,christ ,our ,blessed ,lord2 and the ends for which the sacrifice of the ,mass is offered are the same as those of the sacrifice of the ,cross4 ,on the ,cross the offering was the body and blood of ,our ,lord2 the one who offered it was ,our ,lord2 the reason for which ,he offered it was that ,he might atone for sin2 the one to whom ,he offered it was ,his heavenly ,father4 ,now1 at ,mass it is the same4 ,the object offered is ,our ,lord's body and blood1 the one suffering is ,our ,lord ,himself1 through the priest2 it is offered for sin1 and it is offered to the heavenly ,father4 ,all things are the same1 except that the blood of ,our ,lord is not shed1 and ,our ,lord does not die again4 99#bfg ,q4 ,what are the ends for which the sacrifice of the ,cross was offered8 ,a4 ,the ends for which the sacrifice of the ,cross was offered were3 first1 to honor and glorify ,god2 second1 to thank ,him for all the graces bestowed on the whole world2 third1 to satisfy ,god's justice for the sins of men2 fourth1 to obtain all graces and blessings4 99#bfh ,q4 ,is there any difference between the sacrifice of the ,cross and the sacrifice of the ,mass8 ,a4 ,yes2 the manner in which the sacrifice is offered is different4 ,on the ,cross ,christ really shed ,his blood and was really slain2 in the ,mass there is no real shedding of blood nor real death1 because ,christ can die no more2 but the sacrifice of the ,mass1 through the separate consecration of the bread and the wine1 represents ,his death on the ,cross4 #bfi ,q4 ,how should we assist at ,mass8 ,a4 ,we should assist at ,mass with great interior recollection and piety and with every outward mark of respect and devotion4 ,if you were admitted into the presence of a king or of the ,holy ,father you would be careful not to show any indifference or disrespect in his presence4 ,you would not be guilty of looking around or of talking idly to those near you4 ,your eyes would be constantly fixed on the great person present4 ,so should you be at ,mass1 for there you are admitted into the presence of the ,king of kings1 our divine ,lord4 ,your whole attention1 therefore1 should be reverently given to ,him1 and to no other4 ,how displeasing it must be to ,him to have some in ,his presence who care so little for ,him and who insult ,him without thought or regard6 ,if we acted in the presence of any prince as we sometimes act in the presence of ,our ,lord on the altar1 we should be turned out of his house1 with orders not to come again4 ,but ,our ,lord suffers all patiently and meekly1 though ,he will not allow any of this disrespect to go unpunished in this world or in the next4 ,knowing this1 some holy persons offer up their prayers and ,holy ,communions in reparation for these insults1 and try to atone for all the insults offered to ,our ,lord in the ,blessed ,sacrament4 ,they have united in holy society for this purpose1 called the ,apostleship of ,prayer1 or ,league of the ,sacred ,heart1 now established in many parishes4 ,if you do not belong to such a society1 you should make such an offering yourself privately4 ,in the ,old ,law the people brought to the temple whatever they wished the priests to offer up for them--sometimes a lamb1 sometimes a dove1 sometimes fruit1 etc4 ,the offering or sacrifice was theirs1 and they offered it up by the hands of the priests4 ,in the early ages of the ,church the ,christians brought to the priests the bread and wine to be consecrated and offered up at ,mass4 ,now as the bread and wine used at the ,mass must be of a particular kind1 namely1 wheaten bread and wine of the grape1 there was some danger of the people not bringing the proper kind3 so instead of the people bringing these things themselves1 the priests began to buy them1 and the people gave him money for his own support2 and thus you have the origin of offering money to the priest for celebrating ,mass for your intention4 ,the money is not to pay for the ,mass1 because you could not buy any sacred thing without committing sin4 ,the priest may use the money also for the candles burned1 the vestments and sacred vessels1 etc41 used at the ,mass4 ,to buy a holy thing for money is the sin of simony--so called after ,simon1 a magician1 who tried to bribe the ,apostles to give him ,confirmation when he was unworthy of it4 ,to buy religious articles before they are blessed is not simony1 nor even after they are blessed1 if you pay only for the material of which they are made2 but if you tried to buy the blessing1 it would be simony4 ,when the ,holy ,mass is offered1 the fruits or benefits of it are divided into four classes4 ,the first benefit comes to the priest who celebrates the ,mass2 the second1 to the one for whom he offers the ,mass2 the third benefit to those who are present at it2 and the fourth to all the faithful throughout the world4 99#bgj ,q4 ,which is the best manner of hearing ,mass8 ,a4 ,the best manner of hearing ,mass is to offer it to ,god with the priest for the same purpose for which it is said1 to meditate on ,christ's sufferings and death1 and to go to ,holy ,communion4 ,that is1 to offer it up for whatever intention the priest is offering it--for the dead1 for the conversion of sinners1 for the good of others1 etc42 but especially for the four ends of which ,i have already spoken--to worship ,god1 thank ,him1 etc4 ,christ's death1 of which it reminds us4 ,holy ,communion1 if we are in a state of grace1 and have prepared to receive ,communion4 ,you should go to ,holy ,communion as often as possible1 and you should try every day to make yourself more worthy of that great ,sacrament4 ,think of it6 ,to receive your ,god and ,saviour into your soul1 and to be united with ,him1 as the word communion means6 ,the early ,christians used to go to ,communion very frequently4 ,the ,church requires us to go to ,holy ,communion at least once a year1 but we should not be satisfied with doing merely what is necessary to avoid mortal sin4 ,do we try to keep away from persons we love8 ,then if we really love ,our ,lord should we not desire to receive ,him8 ,all good ,catholics should go to ,holy ,communion at least once a week1 on ,sunday4 ,persons wishing to lead truly holy lives should go to ,communion more often1 or even every day4 ,when we cannot go really to ,communion we can merit ,god's grace by making a spiritual ,communion4 ,what is a spiritual ,communion8 ,it is an earnest desire to receive ,communion4 ,you prepare yourself as if you were really going to ,communion2 you try to imagine yourself going up1 receiving the ,blessed ,sacrament1 and returning to your place4 ,then you thank ,god for all ,his blessings to you as you would have done had you received4 ,this is an act of devotion1 and one very pleasing to ,god1 as many holy writers tell us4 ,i cannot leave this lesson on the ,holy ,eucharist without telling you something of the devotion to the ,sacred ,heart of ,jesus1 now so universally practiced and so closely connected with the devotion to the ,blessed ,sacrament4 ,the ,church grants many indulgences1 and ,our ,lord ,himself promises many rewards to those who honor the ,sacred ,heart4 ,but what do we mean by the ,sacred ,heart8 ,we mean the real natural heart of ,our ,lord1 to which ,his divinity is united as it is to ,his whole body4 ,but why do we adore this real1 natural heart of ,our ,lord8 ,we adore it because love is said to be in the heart1 and we wish to return ,our ,lord love1 and gratitude for the great love ,he has shown to us in dying for us1 and in instituting the ,sacraments1 especially the ,holy ,eucharist1 by which ,he can remain with us in ,his sacred humanity4 ,when ,our ,lord appeared to ,saint ,margaret ,mary ,he said3 ,behold this ,heart1 that has loved men so ardently1 and is so little loved in return4 ,the first ,friday of every month and the whole month of ,june are dedicated to the ,sacred ,heart4 ,lesson #be ,,on ,,extreme ,,unction ,,and ,,holy ,,orders ,unction means the anointing or rubbing with oil or ointment4 ,extreme means last4 ,therefore ,extreme ,unction means the last anointing4 ,it is called the last because other unctions or anointings are received before it4 ,we are anointed at ,baptism on three parts of the body--on the breast1 the back1 and the head4 ,we are anointed on the forehead at ,confirmation2 and when priests are ordained they are anointed on the hands4 ,the last time we are anointed is just before death1 and it is therefore very properly called the last anointing1 or ,extreme ,unction4 ,but if the person should not die after being anointed would it still be called ,extreme ,unction8 ,yes2 because at the time it was given it was thought to be the last4 ,it sometimes happens that persons receive ,extreme ,unction several times in their lives1 because they could receive it every time they were in danger of death by sickness4 ,suppose a person should die immediately after being anointed in ,baptism or ,confirmation1 would the anointing in ,baptism or ,confirmation then become ,extreme ,unction8 ,no4 ,because ,extreme ,unction is in itself a separate and distinct ,sacrament--a special anointing with prayers for the sick4 ,oil is used in ,extreme ,unction--as in ,confirmation--as a sign of strength2 for as the priest applies the holy oil in the ,sacrament1 the grace of the ,sacrament is taking effect upon the soul4 ,this ,sacrament was instituted as much for the body as for the soul1 as all the prayers said by the priest while administering it indicate4 ,it is given generally after a person has made his confession and received the ,viaticum1 and when his soul is already in a state of grace2 showing that it is in a special way intended for the body4 ,it must be given only in sickness2 for although one might be in danger of death if the danger did not come from within1 but from without1 he could not be anointed4 ,a soldier in battle1 persons being shipwrecked1 firemen working at a great fire1 etc41 could not be anointed1 although they are in very great danger of death2 because the danger is not from within themselves1 but from without4 ,if1 however1 these persons were so frightened that there was danger of their dying from the fright1 they could then be anointed4 #bga ,q4 ,what is the ,sacrament of ,extreme ,unction8 ,a4 ,extreme ,unction is the ,sacrament which1 through the anointing and prayer of the priest1 gives health and strength to the soul1 and sometimes to the body1 when we are in danger of death from sickness4 ,anointing4 ,in this ,sacrament the priest anoints all our senses--the eyes1 the ears1 the nose1 the mouth1 the hands1 and the feet--and at the same time prays ,god to forgive the poor sick person all the sins he has committed by any of these4 ,the eyes1 by looking at bad objects or pictures2 the ears1 by listening to bad conversation2 the nose1 by indulging too much in sensual pleasures2 the mouth1 by cursing1 lying1 bad conversation1 backbiting1 etc42 the hands1 by stealing1 fighting1 or doing sinful things2 the feet1 by carrying us to do wrong or to bad places4 ,i told you already most of our sins are committed for our body1 and the senses are the chief instruments4 ,strength to the body1 if it is for our spiritual welfare4 ,if ,god foresees1 as ,he foresees all things1 that after our sickness we shall lead better lives and do penance for our sins1 then ,he may be pleased to restore us to health1 and give us an opportunity of making up for our past faults4 ,but if ,he foresees that after our sickness we would again lead bad lives1 and fall perhaps into greater sins1 then ,he will likely take us when we are prepared1 and will not restore us again to health4 ,as ,he always knows and does what is best for ,his children1 we must in sickness always be resigned to ,his holy will1 and be satisfied with what ,he sees fit to do with us4 99#bgb ,q4 ,when should we receive ,extreme ,unction8 ,a4 ,we should receive ,extreme ,unction when we are in danger of death from sickness1 or from a wound or accident4 99#bgc ,q4 ,should we wait until we are in extreme danger before we receive ,extreme ,unction8 ,a4 ,we should not wait until we are in extreme danger before we receive ,extreme ,unction1 but if possible we should receive it whilst we have the use of our senses4 ,we should always be glad to receive the grace of the ,sacraments4 ,when1 therefore1 we are sufficiently ill to be anointed--when there is any danger of death--we should send for the priest at once4 ,if the sick person has any chance of recovering1 the ,sacrament will help him and hasten the recovery2 but if the priest is sent for just when the person is in the last agony of death1 the person could not recover except by a miracle1 and ,god does not perform miracles for ordinary reasons4 ,if you are in doubt whether the person is sick enough to receive the last ,sacraments1 do not be the judge yourself1 send for the priest and let him judge2 and then all the responsibility is removed from you in case the person should die without the ,sacraments4 ,very often persons are near death1 and their relatives do not know it4 ,the priest1 like the doctor1 has experience in these cases1 and can judge of the danger4 ,again1 do not foolishly believe1 as some seem to do1 that if the priest comes to anoint the sick person it will frighten him by making him think he is going to die4 ,it has never been known that the priest killed anyone by coming to see him2 and if these same persons who are now sick receive the ,sacraments in the church from the very same priest1 why should they be afraid to receive them from him in their house8 ,and if they are so near death that a little fright would kill them1 then they are surely sick enough to receive the ,sacraments4 ,the sick person who is afraid that ,extreme ,unction will kill him or hasten his death shows that he has not the proper faith and confidence in ,god's grace4 ,they who do not wish to receive ,holy ,communion or the ,holy ,viaticum in their houses do not want ,our ,lord to visit them4 ,how ungrateful they are6 ,when ,our ,lord was on earth the people carried the sick out into the streets to lay them near ,him that ,he might cure them4 ,now1 ,he does not require us to do that1 but comes ,himself to the sick in the most humble manner1 and they refuse to receive ,him4 ,see how ungrateful1 therefore1 and how wanting in faith and devotion such persons are6 ,if the sick person is one who has been careless about his religion1 and has for some time neglected to receive the ,sacraments1 do not wait for him to ask for the priest or for his consent to send for him4 ,few persons ever believe they are so near death as they really are3 they are afraid to think of their past lives1 and do not like to send for the priest1 or at least they put off doing so1 frequently till it is too late4 ,the devil tempts them to put off the reception of the ,sacraments1 in hopes that they may die without them1 and be his forever4 ,in these cases speak to the sick man quietly and gently1 and ask him if he would not like to have the priest come and say a few prayers for his recovery4 ,do not say anything about the ,sacraments if you are afraid he will refuse4 ,simply bring the priest to the sick man1 and he will attend to all the rest4 ,even if the person should refuse--if he has been baptized in the ,catholic religion--send for the priest and explain to him the circumstances and dispositions of the sick man4 ,it would be terrible to let such persons die without the ,sacraments if there is any possibility of their receiving them4 ,even when they refuse to see the priest it generally happens that after he has once visited them1 talked to them1 and explained the benefits of the ,sacraments1 they are better pleased than anyone else to see him coming again4 ,sometimes it is ,god's goodness that sends sickness to such persons1 to bring them back to ,his worship and the practice of their religion4 ,what does a good father generally do with an unruly child8 ,he advises and warns it1 and when words have no effect1 punishes it with the rod1 not because he wishes to see it suffer1 but for its good1 that it may give up its evil habits and become an obedient1 loving child4 ,in like manner ,god warns sinners by their conscience1 by sermons they hear1 by accidents or deaths around about them1 etc42 and when none of these things have any effect on them1 ,he sends them some affliction--,he brings them to a bed of sickness4 ,he punishes them1 as it were1 with a rod4 ,this ,he does1 not that ,he may see them suffer1 but for their good2 that they may understand ,he is their ,master1 the only one who can give them health2 that all the doctors and all the friends and money in the world could not save them if ,he determined that they should die4 ,then they come to know that the world is not their friend2 then they see things as they really are1 and begin to think of the next world1 of eternity1 etc4 ,thus they again turn to ,god and to the practices of religion4 ,many persons who reform and begin to lead good lives in sickness would never have changed if ,god had left them always in good health4 ,but you must not think that all who are sick are so on account of sin4 ,sometimes very holy persons are in a state of sickness1 and then it is sent them that they may bear it patiently1 and have great merit before ,god for their sufferings1 and thus become more holy4 ,again1 very small children who have never sinned are sick1 and then it is perhaps that their parents may have merit for patiently taking care of them4 ,i say that ,god sometimes sends sickness to persons living in sin for the purpose of bringing them back to a better way of living1 and in that case their sickness is for them a great mercy from ,god1 who might have allowed them to continue in sin till ,his judgments and condemnation came suddenly upon them4 #bgd ,q4 ,which are the effects of the ,sacrament of ,extreme ,unction8 ,a4 ,the effects of ,extreme ,unction are3 first1 to comfort us in the pains of sickness and to strengthen us against temptations2 second1 to remit venial sins and to cleanse our soul from the remains of sin2 third1 to restore us to health when ,god sees fit4 99#bge ,q4 ,what do you mean by the remains of sin8 ,a4 ,by the remains of sin ,i mean the inclination to evil and the weakness of the will1 which are the result of our sins and which remain after our sins have been forgiven4 ,remains of sin--that is1 chiefly the bad habits we have acquired by sin4 ,if a person does a thing very often1 he soon begins to do it very easily1 and it becomes1 as we say1 a habit4 ,so1 too1 a person who sins very much soon begins to sin easily4 ,this ,sacrament therefore takes away the ease in sinning and the desire for past sins acquired by frequently committing them4 99#bgf ,q4 ,how should we receive the ,sacrament of ,extreme ,unction8 ,a4 ,we should receive the ,sacrament of ,extreme ,unction in a state of grace and with lively faith and resignation to the will of ,god4 99#bgg ,q4 ,who is the minister of the ,sacrament of ,extreme ,unction8 ,a4 ,the priest is the minister of the ,sacrament of ,extreme ,unction4 ,the ,sacraments that the priest administers in the house are the ,sacraments for the sick2 namely1 ,penance1 ,viaticum1 or ,holy ,communion1 and ,extreme ,unction4 ,the other ,sacraments may be administered there in special cases of necessity4 ,you should know what things are to be prepared when the priest comes to administer the ,sacraments in your house4 ,they are as follows3 ,a small table covered with a clean white cloth1 and on it a crucifix and one or two lighted candles in candlesticks2 some holy water in a small vessel1 with a sprinkler which you can make by tying together a few leaves or small pieces of palm2 a glass of clean water1 a tablespoon1 and a napkin for the sick person to hold under the chin while receiving2 also a piece of white cotton wadding1 if the priest should ask for it4 ,then you may have ready in another place near at hand some water1 a towel1 and a piece of bread or lemon for purifying the priest's fingers2 but these things are not always necessary3 still1 it would be better to have them ready in case the priest should require them1 so as not to keep him waiting4 ,every good ,catholic family should have all these things put away carefully in the house4 ,it would be well1 though it is not necessary1 to keep a special spoon1 napkin1 etc41 for that purpose alone4 ,sometimes persons are taken ill very suddenly in the night1 and when the priest comes they have none of the things they should have2 and if their neighbors are as careless as themselves1 they will not have them either3 so the priest is delayed in giving the ,sacraments1 or is obliged to administer them in a way that is always disrespectful to ,our ,lord4 ,if we would make such preparations for the coming of a friend to our house1 why should we be so careless when ,our ,lord comes8 ,if a friend comes when we are not prepared to receive him1 we feel very much ashamed1 and make a thousand excuses for our want of thought4 ,therefore provide the things necessary for the administration of these ,sacraments in your house1 and keep them though they may be seldom if ever required in your family4 ,when ,our ,lord comes to visit your house receive ,him with all possible respect and reverence4 ,some good ,catholics have the very praiseworthy practice of meeting the priest at the door with a lighted candle when he carries the ,blessed ,sacrament1 and of going before him to the sickroom4 ,this can be done where there is only one family living in the house1 or at least in the apartment4 ,all who can do this should do it1 because it is in keeping with the wish of the ,church4 ,in olden times1 and even now in ,catholic countries1 the priest brings the ,blessed ,sacrament in procession to the sick4 ,he goes vested as for ,benediction1 accompanied by altar boys with lighted candles and bells4 ,the people kneel by the way as ,our ,lord passes4 ,our ,lord is carried in procession always in the church and on the feast of ,corpus ,christi1 on ,holy ,thursday1 and during the ,devotion of ,forty ,hours4 ,the ,church would like to have this solemn procession in honor of ,our ,lord every time the ,blessed ,sacrament is brought from one place to another4 ,but this cannot always be done in the streets1 because there are many persons not ,catholics who would insult ,our ,lord while passing along2 and in order to prevent this1 the priest brings the ,blessed ,sacrament to the dying without any outward display4 ,but we should always remember the very great respect due to ,our ,lord1 and do all we can to show it when possible4 #bgh ,q4 ,what is the ,sacrament of ,holy ,orders8 ,a4 ,holy ,orders is a ,sacrament by which bishops1 priests1 and other ministers of the ,church are ordained and receive the power and grace to perform their sacred duties4 ,other ministers1 means deacons and subdeacons1 properly so-called4 ,when a young man goes to study for the priesthood--after he has discovered that ,god has called him to that sacred office--he passes several years in learning what is necessary1 and in fitting himself for his sacred duties4 ,after some time he receives what is called tonsure2 that is1 on the day of ordination the bishop cuts a little hair from five places on his head1 to show that this young man is giving himself up to ,god4 ,the tonsure is a mark of the clerical state1 and in ,catholic countries it is made manifest by keeping a small circular spot on the crown of the head shaved perfectly clean4 ,it reminds the cleric or priest of having dedicated himself to ,god1 and also of the crown of thorns worn by ,our ,blessed ,saviour4 ,for this reason some of the holy monks shaved all the hair from their head1 with the exception of a little ring1 which resembles very much a wreath or crown of hair encircling the head4 ,you often see them thus represented in holy pictures4 ,after the young student has received the tonsure and studied for a longer time1 he receives the four ,minor ,orders1 by which he is permitted to touch the sacred vessels of the altar1 and do certain things about the church which laymen have not the right to do1 especially to serve ,mass4 ,after more preparation he becomes a subdeacon1 and then he may wear vestments and assist the celebrant at ,solemn ,mass4 ,at a ,solemn ,mass there are three priests in vestments4 ,the priest standing on the platform of the altar and celebrating ,mass is called the celebrant2 the one who stands just behind him1 generally one step lower1 is called the deacon1 and the one who stands behind the deacon and on the lower step is called the subdeacon4 ,the one who directs the whole ceremony1 and gives signs to the others when to stand1 sit down1 or kneel1 is called the ,master of ,ceremonies4 ,when speaking of the ,mass1 ,i forgot to tell you something about the different kinds of ,masses--that is1 different as far as the ceremonies are concerned1 for they are all alike in value4 ,first we have the ,low ,mass1 such as the priest says every day and at the early hours on ,sundays4 ,it is called low1 because there is no display in ceremony about it4 ,next we have the ,high ,mass--called ,missa ,cantata 7sung7--at which the priest and choir sing in turn4 ,lastly1 we have the ,solemn ,high ,mass1 at which we have three ministers or priests1 and singing by both ministers and choir1 as well as all the ceremonies prescribed by the ,church4 ,when any of these ,masses are said in black vestments they are called ,requiem ,masses1 because the priest offers them for the rest or happy repose of the soul of some dead person or persons1 and the word requiem means rest4 ,vespers is a portion of the ,divine ,office of the ,church4 ,it is sung generally on ,sunday afternoon or evening in the church1 and is usually followed by ,benediction of the ,blessed ,sacrament4 ,it is not a mortal sin to stay from ,vespers on ,sundays1 even willfully1 because there is no law of the ,church obliging you to attend4 ,nevertheless all good ,catholics will attend ,vespers when possible4 ,to continue about the ministers of the ,church3 ,when the subdeacon is ordained a deacon1 he can wear still more of the priestly vestments1 and also baptize solemnly1 preach1 and give ,holy ,communion4 ,after a time the deacon is ordained a priest1 and receives power to celebrate ,mass and forgive sins4 ,if afterwards the priest should be selected by the ,holy ,father to be a bishop1 he is consecrated2 and then he has power to administer ,confirmation and ,holy ,orders1 ordaining priests and consecrating bishops4 ,thus you see there are grades through which the ministers of the ,church must pass4 ,first the tonsure1 then ,minor ,orders1 then subdeaconship1 then deaconship1 then priesthood4 ,nuns1 ,sisters1 ,brothers1 etc41 are not1 as some might think1 ministers of the ,church1 because they have never received any of the ,holy ,orders4 ,the ordained ministers of the ,church can perform the duties of any office for which they have ever been ordained1 but not the duties of any office above that to which they have been ordained4 ,for example1 a subdeacon cannot take the place of a deacon at ,mass1 nor a deacon the place of a priest2 but a priest may take either of their places1 because he has1 at one time1 been ordained to both these offices4 ,altar boys should never forget that they are enjoying a very great privilege in being allowed to take the place of an ordained minister of the ,church1 and serve ,mass without being ordained acolytes4 ,in olden times princes and noblemen used to seek for this wonderful favor1 and count themselves happy if they secured it4 ,think of it6 ,to stand so near our ,blessed ,lord that they are able to see ,his sacred body resting upon the altar1 and to offer the wine1 which a few minutes later is changed into ,his very blood6 99#bgi ,q4 ,what is necessary to receive ,holy ,orders worthily8 ,a4 ,to receive ,holy ,orders worthily it is necessary to be in the state of grace1 to have the necessary knowledge1 and a divine call to this sacred office4 ,knowledge--that is1 to be able to learn and to have learned all that a priest should know4 ,divine call1 explained before in the explanation of vocation1 a word that means call4 7,see ,lesson #f1 ,q4 #ea47 99#bhj ,q4 ,how should ,christians look upon the priests of the ,church8 ,a4 ,christians should look upon the priests of the ,church as the messengers of ,god and the dispensers of ,his mysteries4 ,messengers4 ,our ,lord said to ,his ,apostles3 ,as the ,father sent ,me1 ,i also send you4 ,that is1 as the heavenly ,father sent ,his ,beloved ,son1 ,our ,lord1 into the world to save men's souls1 so ,our ,lord sends ,his ,apostles and their successors through the world to save souls4 ,god told the priests of the ,old ,law that if they did not warn the people of coming dangers they would be held responsible for the people2 but if they warned the people and the people did not heed1 then the people would be responsible for their own destruction4 ,so1 too1 in the ,new ,law the priests warn you against sin1 and if you do not heed the warning the loss of your soul will be upon yourself4 ,therefore you should take every warning coming from the ministers of ,god as you would from ,himself1 for it is really ,god that warns you against sin1 and the priests are only ,his agents or instruments4 ,dispensers--that is1 those who administer the ,sacraments4 99#bha ,q4 ,who can confer the ,sacrament of ,holy ,orders8 ,a4 ,bishops can confer the ,sacrament of ,holy ,orders4 ,confer--that is1 give or administer4 ,so can a cardinal1 if he be a bishop1 and so can the ,holy ,father1 who is always a bishop1 and called bishop of ,rome1 while ,pope of the whole ,church4 ,it will be well here to give some explanation about cardinals--who they are1 and what they do4 ,in the ,united ,states the ,president has about him ten prominent men selected by himself1 and called his ,cabinet4 ,they are his advisers2 he consults them on all important matters1 and assigns to them various duties4 ,the ,holy ,father1 who is also a ruler--a spiritual ruler--not of one country1 but of the whole world1 has also a ,cabinet1 but it is not called by that name3 it is called the ,sacred ,college of ,cardinals4 ,there are seventy cardinals1 to whom the ,pope assigns various works in helping him to govern the ,church4 ,some of these cardinals are in different parts of the world1 as our own cardinals right here in ,america4 ,there are cardinals in ,england1 ,france1 ,germany1 ,canada1 ,spain1 etc41 but a certain number always remain in ,rome with the ,holy ,father4 ,when a bishop is made cardinal he is raised in dignity in the ,church1 but he does not receive any greater spiritual power than he had when only a bishop4 ,the cardinals1 owing to their high dignity1 have many privileges which bishops have not4 ,their greatest privilege is to take part in the election of a new ,pope when the reigning ,pope dies4 ,the ,pope dresses in white1 the cardinals in red1 the bishops in purple1 and the priests and other ministers in black4 ,a ,monsignor is also a title of dignity granted by our ,holy ,father to some worthy priests4 ,it gives them certain privileges1 and the right to wear purple like a bishop4 ,the ,vicar ,general is one who is appointed by the bishop in the diocese1 and shares his power4 ,in the bishop's absence he acts as bishop in all temporal and worldly matters and also in some spiritual things1 concerning the diocese4 ,a diocese is the extent of country over which a bishop is appointed to rule1 as a parish is the extent over which a pastor is appointed to administer the ,sacraments and rule under the direction of the bishop4 ,pastors are also called rectors4 ,pastor means a shepherd1 and rector means a ruler2 and as all pastors rule their flocks1 pastor and rector mean about the same4 ,an archbishop is higher than a bishop1 though he has no more spiritual power than a bishop4 ,the district over which an archbishop rules contains several dioceses with their bishops1 and is called an ecclesiastical province4 ,the bishops in the province are called suffragan bishops1 because subject in some things to the authority of the archbishop1 who is also called the metropolitan1 because bishop of a metropolis or chief city of the province over which he presides4 ,the archbishop can wear the pallium1 a garment worn by the ,pope1 and sent by him to patriarchs1 primates1 and archbishops4 ,it is a band of white wool1 worn over the shoulders and around the neck after the manner of a stole4 ,it has two strings of the same material and four black or purple crosses worked upon it4 ,it is the symbol of the plenitude of pastoral jurisdiction conferred by the ,holy ,see4 ,morally speaking1 it reminds the wearer how the good shepherd seeks the lost sheep and brings it home upon his shoulders1 and how the loving pastor of souls should seek those spiritually lost and bring them back to the ,church1 the true fold of ,christ4 ,lesson #bf ,,on ,,matrimony #bhb ,q4 ,what is the ,sacrament of ,matrimony8 ,a4 ,the ,sacrament of ,matrimony is the ,sacrament which unites a ,christian man and woman in lawful marriage4 ,christian1 because if they are not ,christians they do not receive the grace of the ,sacrament4 99#bhc ,q4 ,can a ,christian man and woman be united in lawful marriage in any other way than by the ,sacrament of ,matrimony8 ,a4 ,a ,christian man and woman cannot be united in lawful marriage in any other way than by the ,sacrament of ,matrimony1 because ,christ raised marriage to the dignity of a ,sacrament4 ,lawful4 ,persons are lawfully married when they comply with all the laws of ,god and of the ,church relating to marriage4 ,to marry unlawfully is a mortal sin1 in which the persons must remain till the sin is forgiven4 ,sacrament4 ,before the coming of ,our ,lord persons were married as they are now1 and even lawfully according to the laws of the ,old ,testament or old religion2 but marriage did not give them any grace4 ,now it does give grace1 because it is a ,sacrament1 and has been so since the time of ,our ,lord4 ,before ,his coming it was only a contract1 and when ,he added grace to the contract it became a ,sacrament4 99#bhd ,q4 ,can the bond of ,christian marriage be dissolved by any human power8 ,a4 ,the bond of ,christian marriage cannot be dissolved by any human power4 ,dissolved--that is1 can married persons ever--for any cause--separate and marry again2 that is1 take another husband or wife while the first husband or wife is living8 ,never1 if they were really married4 ,sometimes1 for good reason1 the ,church permits husband and wife to separate and live in different places2 but they are still married4 ,sometimes it happens1 too1 that persons are not really married although they have gone through the ceremony and people think they are married1 and they may think so themselves4 ,the ,church1 however1 makes them separate1 because it finds they are not really married at all--on account of some impeding circumstance that existed at the time they performed the ceremony4 ,these circumstances or facts that prevent the marriage from being valid are called ,impediments to ,marriage4 ,some of them render the marriage altogether null1 and some only make it unlawful4 ,when persons make arrangements about getting married they should tell the priest every circumstance that they think might be an impediment4 ,here are the chief things they should tell the priest--privately1 if possible4 ,whether both are ,christians and ,catholics2 whether either has ever been solemnly engaged to another person2 whether they have ever made any vow to ,god with regard to chastity1 the religious life1 or the like2 whether they are related and in what degree2 whether either was ever married to any member of the other's family--say sister1 brother1 or cousin1 etc42 whether either ever was a godparent in ,baptism for the other or for any of the other's children2 whether either was married before1 and what proof can be given of the death of the first husband or wife2 whether they really intend to get married2 whether they are of lawful age2 whether they are in good health or suffering from some sickness that might prevent their marriage1 etc4 ,they should also state whether they live in the parish1 and how long they have lived in it4 ,they should give at least three weeks' notice before their marriage1 except in special cases of necessity4 ,they should not presume to make final arrangements and invite friends before they have made arrangements with their pastor2 because if there should be any delay on account of impediments it would cause them great inconvenience4 ,let me take an example of a fact that would render the marriage invalid or null though the persons performing the ceremony might not be aware of it4 ,suppose a woman's husband went to the war1 and she heard after a great many years that he had been killed in battle1 and she1 believing her first husband to be dead1 married another man4 ,but the report of the first husband's death turns out to be false1 and after a time he returns4 ,then the ,church tells the woman--and she knows it now herself--that the second marriage was invalid1 that is1 no marriage1 because it was performed while the first husband was still living4 ,she must leave the second man and go back to her husband4 ,you see in that case the ,church was not dissolving or breaking the marriage bond1 but only declaring that the woman and second man were not married from the very beginning1 although they thought they were1 being ignorant of the existing impediment1 and the priest also being deceived performed the ceremony in the usual manner4 ,if it ever happens1 therefore1 that you hear of the ,church permitting persons1 already apparently married1 to separate and marry others1 it is only when it discovers that their first marriage was invalid1 and by its action it does not dissolve the bond of marriage1 but simply declares that the marriage was null and void from the beginning1 as you now easily understand4 ,thus persons might unwittingly marry with existing impediments that would render their marriage invalid or illicit4 ,such things1 however1 happen very rarely1 for the priest would discover the impediments in questioning the persons about to marry4 ,protestants and persons outside the ,catholic ,church teach that the marriage bond can at times be dissolved1 but such doctrines bring great evil upon society4 ,when the father and mother separate and marry again1 the children of the first marriage are left to take care of themselves1 or receive only such care as the law gives them4 ,they are left without ,christian instruction and the good influence of home4 ,then persons who are divorced once may be divorced a second or third time1 and thus all society would be thrown into a state of confusion1 and there would be scarcely any such thing as a family to be found4 ,it is bad enough at present1 on account of divorces granted by the laws and upheld by ,protestants2 and only for the influence and good public opinion created by the teaching and opposition of the ,catholic ,church1 it would be much worse4 ,again1 if husbands and wives could separate for this or that fault1 they would not be careful in making their choice of the person they wish to marry1 nor would their motives be always holy and worthy of the ,sacrament4 #bhe ,q4 ,which are the effects of the ,sacrament of ,matrimony8 ,a4 ,the effects of the ,sacrament of ,matrimony are3 first1 to sanctify the love of husband and wife2 second1 to give them grace to bear with each other's weaknesses2 third1 to enable them to bring up their children in the fear and love of ,god4 ,the union and love existing between a husband and wife should be like the union and love existing between ,our ,lord and ,his ,church4 ,the grace of the ,sacrament helps them to have such a love4 ,weaknesses--that is1 their faults1 bad dispositions1 etc4 ,bring up their children4 ,this is their most important duty1 and parents receive grace to perform it1 and woe be to them if they abuse that grace6 ,children should remember that their parents have received this special grace from ,god to advise1 direct1 and warn them of sin2 and if they refuse to obey their parents or despise their direction1 they are despising ,god's grace4 ,remember that nothing teaches us so well as experience4 ,now your parents1 even if ,god gave them no special grace1 have experience4 ,they have been children as you are2 they have been young persons as you are2 they have received advice from their parents and teachers as you do4 ,if your parents are bad1 it is because they have not heeded the advice given them4 ,if they are good1 it is because they have heeded and followed it4 ,the years of your youth quickly pass1 and you will soon be thrown out into the world1 among strangers to provide for yourselves1 and will perhaps have no one to advise you4 ,if you neglect to learn while you have the opportunity you will be sorry for it in after life4 ,if you waste your time in school1 you will leave it knowing very little1 and an ignorant man can never take any good position in the world2 he can seldom be his own master and independent2 he must always toil for others as a servant4 ,god gives us our talents and opportunities that we may use them to the best of our ability1 and ,he will hold us accountable for these4 ,it is good and praiseworthy to raise ourselves and others in the world if we do so by lawful and proper means4 ,you may have the opportunity of getting a good position1 and will not be able to take it because you are not sufficiently educated4 ,many young men live to be sorry for wasting time in school1 and try to make up for it by studying at night4 ,you cannot really make up for lost time4 ,every moment ,god gives you ,he gives for some particular work1 and ,he will require an account from you1 at the last day1 for the use you made of your time4 ,besides1 you can learn with greater ease while you are young4 ,but what shall ,i say of neglecting to learn your holy religion8 ,if you neglect your school lessons you will not be successful in the world as businessmen or professional men2 but if you neglect your religious lessons1 you will be miserable1 not merely in this world1 but in the next1 and that for all eternity4 ,again1 will you not feel ashamed to say you are a ,catholic when persons who are not ,catholics ask you the meaning of something you believe or do1 and you will not be able to answer8 ,when they tell falsehoods against your religion1 you will not1 on account of your ignorance1 be able to refute them4 ,almost the only time you have to learn the truths and practices of your holy religion is during the instructions at ,sunday school or day school1 and after a few years you will not have this advantage4 ,when you grow up you may hear a sermon1 and if you attend early ,mass1 only a short instruction1 on ,sundays2 and if you do not know your ,catechism1 you will be less able to profit by the instructions given4 ,therefore the time to learn is while you are young1 have sufficient leisure1 and good1 willing teachers to explain whatever you do not understand4 ,when you attend ,sunday school1 bear in mind that your teachers have frequently to sacrifice their time or pleasure for your sake1 and that you should not repay them for their kindness by acts of disobedience1 disrespect1 and stubbornness4 ,by spending your time in idleness1 in giving annoyance to your teacher1 and in distracting others who are willing to learn1 you show a want of appreciation and gratitude for the blessings ,god has bestowed upon you1 and please the devil exceedingly2 and as ,god will hold you accountable for all ,his gifts1 this one--the opportunity of learning your religion--will be no exception4 #bhf ,q4 ,to receive the ,sacrament of ,matrimony worthily1 is it necessary to be in the state of grace8 ,a4 ,to receive the ,sacrament of ,matrimony worthily it is necessary to be in the state of grace1 and it is necessary also to comply with the laws of the ,church4 ,the laws1 laws concerning marriage4 ,laws forbidding the solemnizing of marriage at certain times1 namely1 ,advent and ,lent2 laws forbidding marriage with relatives1 or with persons of a different religion or of no religion2 laws with regard to age1 etc4 99#bhg ,q4 ,who has the right to make laws concerning the ,sacrament of marriage8 ,a4 ,the ,church alone has the right to make laws concerning the ,sacrament of marriage1 though the ,state also has the right to make laws concerning the civil effects of the marriage contract4 ,civil effects--that is1 laws with regard to the property of persons marrying1 with regard to the inheritance of the children1 with regard to the debts of husband and wife1 etc4 99#bhh ,q4 ,does the ,church forbid the marriage of ,catholics with persons who have a different religion or no religion at all8 ,a4 ,the ,church does forbid the marriage of ,catholics with persons who have a different religion or no religion at all4 99#bhi ,q4 ,why does the ,church forbid the marriage of ,catholics with persons who have a different religion or no religion at all8 ,a4 ,the ,church forbids the marriage of ,catholics with persons who have a different religion or no religion at all because such marriages generally lead to indifference1 loss of faith1 and to the neglect of the religious education of the children4 ,we know that nothing has so bad an influence upon people as bad company4 ,now1 when a ,catholic marries one who is not a ,catholic1 he or she is continually associated with one who in most cases ignores the true religion1 or speaks at least with levity of its devotions and practices4 ,the ,catholic party may resist this evil influence for a time1 but will1 if not very steadfast in the faith1 finally yield to it1 and1 tired of numerous disputes in defense of religious rights1 will become more and more indifferent1 gradually give up the practice of religion1 and probably terminate with complete loss of faith or apostasy from the true religion4 ,we know that the children of ,seth were good till they married the children of ,cain1 and then they also became wicked2 for1 remember1 there is always more likelihood that the bad will pervert the good1 than that the good will convert the bad4 ,besides the disputes occasioned between husband and wife by the diversity of their religion1 their families and relatives1 being also of different religions1 will seldom be at peace or on friendly terms with one another4 ,then the children can scarcely be brought up in the true religion2 for the father may wish them to attend one church1 and the mother another1 and to settle the dispute they will attend neither4 ,besides1 if they have before them the evil example of a father or mother speaking disparagingly of the true religion1 or perhaps ridiculing all religion1 it is not likely they will be imbued with great respect and veneration for holy things4 ,there is still another reason why ,catholics should dread mixed marriages4 ,if the one who is not a ,catholic loses regard for his or her obligations1 becomes addicted to any vice1 and is leading a bad life1 the ,catholic party has no means of reaching the root of the evil1 no hope that the person may take the advice of the priest1 or go to confession or do any of those things that could effect a change in the heart and life of a ,catholic4 ,for all these very good reasons and others besides1 the ,church opposes mixed marriages1 as they are called when one of the persons is not a ,catholic4 ,neither does the ,church want persons to become converts simply for the sake of marrying a ,catholic4 ,such conversions would not be sincere1 and would do no good1 but rather make such converts hypocrites1 and guilty of greater sin4 99#bij ,q4 ,why do many marriages prove unhappy8 ,a4 ,many marriages prove unhappy because they are entered into hastily and without worthy motives4 ,hastily--without knowing the person well or considering their character or dispositions2 without trying to discover whether they are sober1 industrious1 virtuous1 and the like2 whether they know and practice their religion1 or whether1 on the contrary1 they are given to vices forbidden by good morals1 and totally forgetful of their religious duties4 ,in a word1 those wishing to marry should look for enduring qualities in their lifelong companions1 and not for characteristics that please the fancy for the time being4 ,they should1 besides1 truly love each other4 ,again1 the persons should be nearly equals in education1 social standing1 etc41 for it helps greatly to secure harmony between families and unity of thought and action between themselves4 ,worthy motives4 ,the motives are worthy when persons marry to fulfill the end for which ,god instituted marriage4 ,it would1 for example1 be an unworthy motive to marry solely for money1 property1 or other advantage1 without any regard for the holiness and end of the ,sacrament4 ,there are many motives that may present themselves to the minds of persons wishing to marry1 and they will know whether they are worthy or unworthy1 good or bad1 if by serious consideration they weigh them well and value them by their desire to please ,god and lead a good life4 ,every person's motive in getting married or in entering into any new state of life should be that he may be able to serve ,god better in that state than in any other4 99#bia ,q4 ,how should ,christians prepare for a holy and happy marriage8 ,a4 ,christians should prepare for a holy and happy marriage by receiving the ,sacraments of ,penance and ,holy ,eucharist2 by begging ,god to grant them a pure intention and to direct their choice2 and by seeking the advice of their parents and the blessing of their pastors4 ,they should pray for a long time that they may make a good choice4 ,they would do well to read in the ,holy ,scripture1 in the ,book of ,tobias 7#h71 of the happy marriage of ,tobias and ,sara1 and how they spent their time in prayer both before and after their marriage1 and how ,god rewarded them4 ,advice is very necessary1 as marriage is to last for life1 and is to make persons either happy or miserable4 ,they should ask advice from prudent persons1 and should try to learn something of the former life of the one they wish to marry4 ,they should know something about the family1 whether its members are respectable or not1 etc4 ,it is an injustice to parents for sons or daughters to marry into families that may have been disgraced1 or that may bring disgrace upon them4 ,sometimes1 however1 parents are unreasonable in this matter3 they are proud or vain1 and want to suit themselves rather than their children4 ,sometimes1 too1 they force marriage upon their children1 or forbid it for purely worldly or selfish motives4 ,in such cases1 and indeed in all cases1 the best one to consult and ask advice from is your confessor4 ,he has only your spiritual interests at heart1 and will set aside all worldly motives4 ,if your parents are unreasonable1 he will be a just judge in the matter1 and tell you how to act4 ,i have now explained all the ,sacraments1 but before finishing ,i must say a word about the ,holy ,oils4 ,we have seen that oil is used in the administration of some ,sacraments4 ,there are three kinds of oil blessed by the bishop on ,holy ,thursday1 namely1 oil for anointing the sick1 called oil of the infirm2 oil to be used in ,baptism and in the ordination of priests1 called oil of catechumens 7catechumens are those who are being instructed for ,baptism72 the third kind of oil is used also in ,baptism1 in ,confirmation1 and when the bishop blesses the sacred vessels1 altars1 etc42 it is called holy chrism4 ,therefore the ,sacraments in which oil is used are3 ,baptism1 in which two kinds are used2 ,confirmation1 ,extreme ,unction1 and ,holy ,orders4 ,lesson #bg ,,on ,,the ,,sacramentals #bib ,q4 ,what is a sacramental8 ,a4 ,a sacramental is anything set apart or blessed by the ,church to excite good thoughts and to increase devotion1 and through these movements of the heart to remit venial sin4 ,it is not the sacramental itself that gives grace1 but the devotion1 the love of ,god1 or sorrow for sin that it inspires4 ,for example1 a person comes into the church and goes around the ,stations of the ,cross4 ,the stations are a sacramental4 ,in looking at one station he sees ,our ,lord on trial before ,pilate2 in another he sees ,him crowned with thorns2 in another1 scourged2 in another1 carrying ,his ,cross2 in another1 crucified2 in another1 dead and laid in the tomb4 ,before all these pictures he reflects on the sufferings of ,our ,saviour1 and begins to hate sin1 that caused them4 ,then he thinks1 of his own sins1 and begins to be sorry for them4 ,this sorrow1 caused by going around the stations1 brings him grace that remits venial sins4 ,when we receive the ,sacraments we always get the grace of the ,sacraments when we are rightly disposed2 but in using the sacramentals1 the more devotion we have the more grace we receive4 ,increase devotion4 ,if we knelt down before a plain white wall we could not pray with the devotion we would have kneeling before a crucifix4 ,we see the representation of the nails in the hands and feet1 the blood on the side1 the thorns on the head2 and all these must make us think of ,our ,lord's terrible sufferings4 ,the picture of a friend hanging before us will often make us think of him when we would otherwise forget him4 ,so also will the pictures of ,our ,lord and of the saints keep them often in our minds4 99#bic ,q4 ,what is the difference between the ,sacraments and the sacramentals8 ,a4 ,the difference between the ,sacraments and the sacramentals is3 first1 the ,sacraments were instituted by ,jesus ,christ and the sacramentals were instituted by the ,church2 second1 the ,sacraments give grace of themselves when we place no obstacle in the way2 the sacramentals excite in us pious dispositions1 by means of which we may obtain grace4 ,the ,church can increase or diminish the number of the sacramentals1 but not the number of the ,sacraments4 #bid ,q4 ,which is the chief sacramental used in the ,church8 ,a4 ,the chief sacramental used in the ,church is the ,sign of the ,cross4 #bie ,q4 ,how do we make the ,sign of the ,cross8 ,a4 ,we make the ,sign of the ,cross by putting the right hand to the forehead1 then on the breast1 and then to the left and right shoulders2 saying1 ,in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,amen4 ,it is important to make an exact cross1 and to say all the words distinctly4 ,from carelessness and habit some persons do not make the ,sign of the ,cross1 though they often intend to bless themselves4 ,they put the hand only to the forehead and breast1 or forehead and chin1 or forehead and shoulders1 etc4 ,some do not even touch the forehead4 ,all these1 it is true1 are some signs and movements of the hand1 but they are not the ,sign of the ,cross4 ,therefore1 from childhood form the good habit of blessing yourself correctly1 and you will continue to do it properly all your life4 #bif ,q4 ,why do we make the ,sign of the ,cross8 ,a4 ,we make the ,sign of the ,cross to show that we are ,christians and to profess our belief in the chief mysteries of our religion4 ,the cross is the banner or standard of ,christianity1 just as the stars and stripes--the flag of the ,united ,states--is our civil standard1 and shows to what nation we belong4 99#big ,q4 ,how is the ,sign of the ,cross a profession of faith in the chief mysteries of our religion8 ,a4 ,the ,sign of the ,cross is a profession of faith in the chief mysteries of our religion because it expresses the mysteries of the ,unity and ,trinity of ,god and of the ,incarnation and death of ,our ,lord4 99#bih ,q4 ,how does the ,sign of the ,cross express the mystery of the ,unity and ,trinity of ,god8 ,a4 ,the words3 ,in the name express the ,unity of ,god2 the words that follow1 of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost express the mystery of the ,trinity4 99#bii ,q4 ,how does the ,sign of the ,cross express the mystery of the ,incarnation and death of ,our ,lord8 ,a4 ,the ,sign of the ,cross expresses the mystery of the ,incarnation by reminding us that the ,son of ,god1 having become man1 suffered death on the ,cross4 ,besides these chief mysteries1 we will find1 if we think a little1 that the ,sign of the ,cross reminds us of many other things4 ,it reminds us of the sin of our first parents1 which made the ,cross necessary2 it reminds us of the hatred ,god bears to sin1 when such sufferings were endured to make satisfaction for it2 it reminds us of ,christ's love1 etc4 #cjj ,q4 ,what other sacramental is in very frequent use8 ,a4 ,another sacramental in very frequent use is holy water4 #cja ,q4 ,what is1 holy water8 ,a4 ,holy water is water blessed by the priest with solemn prayer to beg ,god's blessing on those who use it1 and protection from the power of darkness4 ,the priest prays that those who use this water may not fall into sin2 may be free from the power of the devil and from bodily diseases1 etc4 ,therefore when they do use the water they get the benefit of all these prayers1 because the priest says3 ,if they use it1 ,god grant them all these things4 #cjb ,q4 ,are there any other sacramentals besides the ,sign of the ,cross and holy water8 ,a4 ,besides the ,sign of the ,cross and holy water there are many other sacramentals1 such as blessed candles1 ashes1 palms1 crucifixes1 images of the ,blessed ,virgin and of the saints1 rosaries1 and scapulars4 ,candles1 blessed on the ,feast of the ,purification of the ,blessed ,virgin 7see ,butler's ,lives of the ,saints1 ,feb4 #b1 ,feast of the ,purification74 ,the ,church blesses whatever it uses4 ,some say beautifully that the wax of the candle gathered by the bees from sweet flowers reminds us of ,our ,lord's pure1 human body1 and that the flame reminds us of ,his divinity4 ,again1 candles about the altar remind us of the angels1 those bright spirits ever about ,god's throne2 they remind us1 too1 of the persecution of the ,christians in the first ages of the ,church1 when they had to hear ,mass and receive the ,sacraments in dark places1 where lights were necessary that priests and people might see4 ,again1 lights are a beautiful ornament for the altar1 and in keeping with holy things4 ,lights are a sign of joy3 hence the very old custom of lighting bonfires to express joy4 ,so we have lights to express our joy at the celebration of the ,holy ,mass4 ,again1 if we wish to honor any great person in the ,church or ,state1 we illuminate the city for his reception4 ,so1 too1 we illuminate our altars and churches for the reception of ,our ,lord1 that we may honor ,him when ,he comes in the ,holy ,sacrifice of the ,mass1 and is present at ,benediction4 ,ashes are placed on our heads by the priest on ,ash ,wednesday1 while he says3 ,remember1 man1 thou art but dust and unto dust thou shalt return4 ,they are a sign of penance1 and so we use them at the beginning of ,lent4 ,palms1 to remind us of ,our ,lord's coming in triumph into ,jerusalem1 when the people out of respect for ,him threw palms1 and even their garments1 beneath ,his feet on the way1 singing ,his praises and wishing to make ,him king4 ,yet these same people only one week later were among those who crucified ,him4 ,do we not also at times honor ,our ,lord1 call ,him our king1 and shortly afterwards insult and1 as far as we can1 injure ,him by sin8 ,do we not say in the ,our ,father1 ,hallowed1 or praised1 be ,his name1 and blaspheme it ourselves8 ,crucifix1 if it has an image of ,our ,lord upon it2 if not it is simply a cross1 because crucifix means fixed to the cross4 ,images--that is1 statues1 pictures1 etc4 ,rosaries1 called also the beads4 ,the rosary or beads is a very old and very beautiful form of prayer4 ,in the beginning pious people1 we are told1 used to say a certain number of prayers1 and keep count of them on a string with knots or beads4 ,however that may be1 the ,rosary1 as we now have it1 comes down to us from ,st4 ,dominic4 ,he instructed the people by it1 and converted many heretics4 ,in the rosary beads here are fifty-three small beads on which we say the ,hail ,mary and six large beads on which we say the ,our ,father4 ,in saying the ,rosary1 before saying the ,our ,father on the large beads1 we think or meditate for a while on some event in the life of ,our ,lord1 and these events we call ,mysteries of the ,rosary4 ,there are fifteen of these events taken in the order in which they occurred in the life of ,our ,lord2 and hence there are fifteen ,mysteries in the whole ,rosary4 ,first we have the five ,joyful ,mysteries4 7#a7 ,the ,annunciation--that is1 the angel ,gabriel coming to tell the ,blessed ,virgin that she is to be the ,mother of ,god4 7#b7 ,the ,visitation1 when the ,blessed ,virgin went to visit her cousin ,st4 ,elizabeth--the mother of ,st4 ,john the ,baptist1 who was six months older than ,our ,lord4 ,elizabeth said to her1 ,blessed art thou amongst women1 and blessed is the ,fruit of thy womb2 and the ,blessed ,virgin answered her in the beautiful words of the ,magnificat1 that we sing at ,vespers while the priest incenses the altar4 7#c7 ,the ,nativity1 or birth of ,our ,lord1 which reminds us how ,he was born in a stable1 in poverty and lowliness4 7#d7 ,the ,presentation of the child ,jesus in the ,temple4 ,according to the law of ,moses1 the people were obliged to bring the first boy born in every family to the temple in ,jerusalem and offer him to ,god4 ,then they gave some offering to buy him back1 as it were1 from ,god4 ,the ,blessed ,virgin and ,st4 ,joseph1 who kept all the laws1 took ,our ,lord and offered ,him in the temple--although ,he ,himself was the ,lord of the temple4 ,nevertheless others did not know this1 and the ,blessed ,virgin and ,st4 ,joseph observed the laws1 though not bound to do so1 that their neighbors might not be scandalized in seeing them neglect these things4 ,they did not know1 as she did1 that the little ,infant was the ,son of ,god1 and need not keep the law of ,moses or any law1 because ,he was the maker of the laws4 ,we should learn from this never to give scandal2 and even when we have good excuse for not observing the law1 we should observe it for the sake of good example to others2 or at least1 when we can1 we should explain why we do not observe the law4 7#e7 ,the fifth ,joyful ,mystery is the finding of the child ,jesus in the temple4 ,all the men and boys1 from twelve years of age upward1 were obliged1 according to the ,old ,law1 to go up to ,jerusalem and offer sacrifice on the great feasts4 ,on one of these feasts the ,blessed ,virgin1 ,st4 ,joseph1 and ,our ,lord went to ,jerusalem4 ,when ,his parents and their friends were returning home ,our ,lord was missing4 ,he had not accompanied them from the city4 ,then the ,blessed ,virgin and ,st4 ,joseph went back to ,jerusalem and sought ,him with great sorrow for three days4 ,at the end of that time they found ,him in the temple sitting with the doctors of the law asking them questions4 ,our ,lord obediently returned with ,his parents to ,nazareth4 ,at thirty years of age ,he was baptized by ,john the ,baptist in the ,river ,jordan4 ,the baptism of ,john was not a ,sacrament1 did not give grace of itself2 but1 like a sacramental1 it disposed those who received it to be sorry for their sins and to receive the gift of faith and ,baptism of ,christ4 ,the eighteen years from the time ,our ,lord went down to ,nazareth after being found in the temple till ,his baptism is called ,his hidden life1 while all that follows ,his baptism is called ,his public life4 ,it is very strange that not a single word should be given in the ,holy ,scriptures about ,our ,lord during ,his youth--the very time young men are most anxious to be seen and heard4 ,our ,lord knew all things and could do all things when a young man1 and yet for the sake of example ,he remained silent1 living quietly with ,his parents and doing ,his daily work for them4 ,thus you understand what is meant by the five ,joyful ,mysteries of the ,rosary3 the ,annunciation1 the ,visitation1 the ,nativity of ,our ,lord1 the ,presentation of the child ,jesus in the temple1 and the finding of the child ,jesus in the temple4 ,you meditate on one of these before each decade 7ten7 of the beads4 ,next in order in the life of ,our ,lord come the five events called the ,sorrowful ,mysteries1 namely3 7#a7 ,the agony in the garden1 when ,our ,lord went there to pray on ,holy ,thursday night1 before ,he was taken prisoner4 ,there the blood came out through ,his body as perspiration does through ours1 and ,he was in dreadful anguish4 ,the reason of ,his sorrow and anguish has already been given in the explanation of the ,passion4 7#b7 ,the scourging of ,our ,lord at the pillar4 ,this also has been explained4 ,what terrible cruelty existed in the world before ,christianity6 ,in our times the brute beasts have more protection from cruel treatment than the pagan slaves had then4 ,the ,church came to their assistance4 ,it taught that all men are ,god's children1 that slaves as well as masters were redeemed by ,jesus ,christ1 and that masters must be kind and just to their slaves4 ,many converts from paganism through love for ,our ,lord and this teaching of the ,church1 granted liberty to their slaves2 and thus as civilization spread with the teaching of ,christianity1 slavery ceased to exist4 ,it was not in the power of the ,church1 however1 to abolish slavery everywhere1 but she did it as soon as she could4 ,even at present she is fighting hard to protect the poor ,negroes of ,africa against it1 or at least to moderate its cruelty4 7#c7 ,the third ,sorrowful ,mystery is the crowning with thorns4 7#d7 ,the carriage of the ,cross to ,calvary4 ,it was the common practice to make the prisoner at times carry his cross to the place of execution1 and over the cross they printed what he was put to death for4 ,that is the reason they placed over ,our ,lord's cross ,i4,n4,r4,i41 which are the first letters of four ,latin words meaning1 ,jesus of ,nazareth1 ,king of the ,jews4 ,they pretended by this sign that ,our ,lord was put to death for calling ,himself ,king of the ,jews1 and was thus a disturber of the public peace1 and an enemy of the ,roman emperor under whose power they were4 ,our ,lord did say that ,he was ,king of the ,jews1 but ,he also said that ,he was not their earthly but their heavenly king4 ,the real cause of their putting ,our ,lord to death was the jealousy of the ,jewish priests and ,pharisees4 ,he rebuked them for their faults1 and showed the good1 sincere people what hypocrites these men were4 7#e7 ,the last of the ,sorrowful ,mysteries is the ,crucifixion4 ,at the foot of the ,cross our blessed ,mother stood on the day of ,crucifixion1 and it must have been a very sad sight for ,our ,lord4 ,she was without anyone to take care of her2 for ,st4 ,joseph was dead1 and her ,son was soon to die4 ,our ,lord asked ,st4 ,john1 one of ,his ,apostles1 to take care of her4 ,st4 ,john was dear to ,christ1 and on that account is called the beloved disciple4 ,he is known to us as ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist4 ,he was the last of the ,apostles to die4 ,at one time he was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil1 but was miraculously saved by ,god 7see ,butler's ,lives of the ,saints1 ,dec4 #bg74 ,he lived to be over a hundred years old1 and while on the island of ,patmos wrote the ,apocalypse or ,revelations--the last book of the ,new ,testament--containing prophecies of what will happen at the end of the world4 ,the ,blessed ,virgin lived on earth about eleven years after the ,ascension of ,our ,lord4 ,they buried her in a tomb1 and tradition tells us that after her burial the angels carried her body to ,heaven1 where she now sits beside her ,divine ,son4 ,this taking of her body to ,heaven is called the ,assumption4 ,this feast was celebrated in the ,church from a very early age4 ,a very strong proof of the ,assumption is that no persons ever claimed to have any part of the body of the ,blessed ,virgin as a relic4 ,we have the bodies of some of the ,apostles1 especially ,st4 ,peter1 ,st4 ,paul1 and ,st4 ,james transmitted to us2 and certainly if it had been possible the first ,christians would have endeavored to get some portion1 at least1 of the ,blessed ,virgin's body4 ,surely ,st4 ,john1 who knew her so well1 would have given to the church he established some part of her body as a relic2 but since her entire body was taken to ,heaven1 it was never possible4 ,after the ,sorrowful ,mysteries come the five ,glorious ,mysteries1 and they are3 7#a7 ,the ,resurrection of ,our ,lord2 7#b7 ,the ,ascension of ,our ,lord2 7#c7 ,the ,coming of the ,holy ,ghost upon the ,apostles2 7#d7 ,the ,assumption of the ,blessed ,virgin2 and 7#e7 ,the ,coronation of the ,blessed ,virgin in ,heaven4 ,all but the last have been explained in foregoing parts of the ,catechism4 ,in this last ,mystery we consider our ,blessed ,lady just after her entrance into ,heaven1 being received by her ,divine ,son1 our ,blessed ,lord1 and being crowned ,queen of ,heaven over all the angels and saints4 ,in saying the ,rosary we are1 as ,i have told you before1 to stop after mentioning the ,mystery and think over the lesson it teaches1 and thus excite ourselves to love and devotion before saying the ,our ,father and ,hail ,marys in honor of it4 ,generally what we call the beads is only one third of the ,rosary2 that is1 we can only say five mysteries on the beads unless we go over them three times4 ,if you say your beads every day you will say the whole ,rosary twice a week and have one day to spare4 ,on ,sundays1 except the ,sundays of ,advent and ,lent1 we should say always the ,glorious ,mysteries4 ,you see1 the ,mysteries run in the order in which they happen in ,our ,lord's life4 ,so on ,monday we say the ,joyful ,mysteries1 on ,tuesday the ,sorrowful1 and on ,wednesday the ,glorious4 ,then we begin again on ,thursday the ,joyful1 on ,friday the ,sorrowful1 on ,saturday the ,glorious4 ,in ,advent we say the ,joyful1 and in ,lent the ,sorrowful ,mysteries on every day4 ,in ,eastertime we always say the ,glorious mysteries4 ,i have told you what the letters ,i4,n4,r4,i4 mean2 now let me tell you what ,i4,h4,s4 with a cross over them mean4 ,you often see these letters on altars and on holy things4 ,they are simply an abbreviation for ,our ,lord's name1 ,jesus1 as it was first written in ,greek letters4 ,some also take these letters for the first letters of the ,latin words that mean3 ,jesus1 ,saviour of men4 ,and as the cross is placed over these letters it can signify that ,he saved them by ,his death on the ,cross4 ,scapulars4 ,the scapular is a large broad piece of cloth worn by the monks and priests of some of the religious orders4 ,it extends from the toes in front to the heels behind1 and is wide enough to cover the shoulders4 ,it is worn over the cassock or habit4 ,it is called scapular because it rests on the shoulders4 ,the scapular as we wear it is two small pieces of cloth fastened together by two pieces of braid or cord resting on the shoulders4 ,it is made thus in imitation of the large scapular1 and is to be worn under our ordinary garments4 ,the brown scapular is called the ,scapular of ,mount ,carmel4 ,it was given1 we are told on good authority1 to blessed ,simon ,stock by the ,blessed ,virgin herself1 with wonderful promises in favor of those who wear it4 ,the ,church grants many privileges and indulgences to those who wear the scapular4 ,we wear the scapular to indicate that we place ourselves under the special protection of the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,we can tell to what army or nation a soldier belongs by the uniform he wears2 so we can consider the scapular as the particular uniform of those who desire to serve the ,blessed ,virgin in some special manner4 ,this wearing of the brown scapular is therefore a mark of special devotion to the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary4 ,as it was first introduced among people by the ,carmelite ,fathers1 or priests of the ,order of ,mount ,carmel1 this ,scapular is called the ,scapular of ,mount ,carmel4 ,we have also a red scapular in honor of ,our ,lord's ,passion2 a white one in honor of the ,holy ,trinity2 a blue one in honor of the ,immaculate ,conception2 and a black one in honor of the seven dolors of sorrows of the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,when all these are joined together 7not in one piece1 but at the top only7 and worn as one1 they are called the five scapulars4 ,the seven dolors are seven chief occasions of sorrow in the life of our ,blessed ,lady4 ,they are3 7#a7 ,the circumcision of ,our ,lord1 when she saw ,his blood shed for the first time4 7#b7 ,her flight into ,egypt to save the life of the little ,infant ,jesus when ,herod was seeking to kill ,him4 7#c7 ,the three days she lost ,him in ,jerusalem4 7#d7 ,when she saw ,christ carrying ,his ,cross4 7#e7 ,his death4 7#f7 ,when ,he was taken down from the ,cross4 7#g7 ,when ,he was laid in the sepulchre4 ,there are beads called seven dolor beads constructed with seven medals bearing representations of these sorrows1 and seven beads between each medal and the next4 ,at the medals we meditate on the dolor1 and then in its honor say ,hail ,marys on the beads4 ,lesson #bh ,,on ,,prayer #cjc ,q4 ,is there any other means of obtaining ,god's grace than the ,sacraments8 ,a4 ,there is another means of obtaining ,god's grace1 and it is prayer4 #cjd ,q4 ,what is prayer8 ,a4 ,prayer is the lifting up of our minds and hearts to ,god to adore ,him1 to thank ,him for ,his benefits1 to ask ,his forgiveness1 and to beg of ,him all the graces we need whether for soul or body4 ,hearts1 because the mere lifting up of the mind would not be prayer4 ,one who blasphemes ,him might also lift up his mind4 ,we lift up the mind to know ,god and the heart to love ,him1 and in so doing we serve ,him--the three things for which we were created4 ,if we do not think of ,god we do not pray4 ,a parrot might be taught to say the ,our ,father1 but it could never pray1 because it has no mind to lift up4 ,a phonograph can be made to say the prayers1 but not to pray1 for it has neither mind nor heart4 ,so praying does not depend upon the words we say1 but upon the way in which we say them4 ,indeed the best prayer1 called meditation1 is made when we do not speak at all1 but simply think of ,god2 of ,his goodness to us2 of our sins against ,him2 of ,hell1 ,purgatory1 ,heaven1 death1 judgment1 of the end for which we were created1 etc4 ,this is the kind of prayer that priests and religious use most frequently4 ,as you might like to meditate--for all who know how may meditate--let me explain to you the method4 ,first you try to remember that you are in the presence of ,god4 ,then you take some subject1 say the ,crucifixion1 to think about4 ,you try to make a picture of the scene in your own mind4 ,you see ,our ,lord on the ,cross2 two thieves1 one on each side of ,him1 the one praying to ,our ,lord and the other cursing ,him4 ,you see the multitude of ,his enemies mocking ,him4 ,over at some distance you behold our ,blessed ,mother standing sorrowful with ,st4 ,john and ,mary ,magdalen4 ,then you ask yourself--for you must imagine yourself there--to which side would you go4 ,over to our ,blessed ,mother to try and console her1 or over to the enemies to help them to mock8 ,then you think how sin was the cause of all this suffering1 and how often you yourself have sinned2 how you have many a time gone over to the crowd and left the ,blessed ,mother4 ,these thoughts will make you sorry for your sins1 and you will form the good resolution never to sin again4 ,you will thank ,god for these good thoughts and this resolution1 and your meditation is ended4 ,you can spend fifteen minutes1 or longer if you wish1 in such a meditation4 ,the ,crucifixion is only one of the many subjects you may select for meditation4 ,you could take any part of the ,our ,father1 ,hail ,mary1 or ,creed1 and even the questions in your ,catechism4 ,mental prayer1 therefore1 is the best1 because in it we must think2 we must pay attention to what we are doing1 and lift up our minds and hearts to ,god2 while in vocal prayer--that is1 the prayer we say aloud--we may repeat the words from pure habit1 without any attention or lifting up of the mind or heart4 #cje ,q4 ,is prayer necessary to salvation8 ,a4 ,prayer is necessary to salvation1 and without it no one having the use of reason can be saved4 ,we mean here those who never pray during their whole lives1 and not those who sometimes neglect their prayers through a kind of forgetfulness4 #cjf ,q4 ,at what particular times should we pray8 ,a4 ,we should pray particularly on ,sundays and holy days1 every morning and night1 in all dangers1 temptations1 and afflictions4 ,sundays and holy days1 because these are special days set apart by the ,church for the worship of ,god4 ,in the morning we ask ,god's grace that we may not sin during the day4 ,at night we thank ,him for all the benefits received during the day1 and also that we may be protected while asleep from every danger and accident4 ,we should never1 if possible1 go to sleep in mortal sin2 and if we have the misfortune to be in that state1 we should make as perfect an act of contrition as we can1 and promise to go to confession as soon as possible4 ,so many accidents happen that we are never safe1 even in good health2 fires1 earthquakes1 floods1 lightning1 etc41 might take us off at any moment4 ,if you saw a man hanging by a very slender thread over a great precipice where he would surely be dashed to pieces if the thread broke1 and if you saw him thus risking his life willfully and without necessity1 you would pronounce him the greatest fool in the world4 ,one who commits sin is a greater fool4 ,he suspends himself1 as ,i have told you once before1 over an abyss of eternal torments on the slender thread of his own life1 that may break at any moment4 ,do we tempt ,god and do to ,him what we dare not to do to our fellowman because ,he is so merciful8 ,let us be careful4 ,he is as just as ,he is merciful1 and some sin will be our last1 and then ,he will cut the thread of life and allow us to fall into an eternity of sufferings4 ,dangers1 whether of soul or body4 ,afflictions1 sufferings or misfortunes of any kind2 such as loss of health1 death in the family1 etc4 99#cjg ,q4 ,how should we pray8 ,a4 ,we should pray3 first1 with attention2 second1 with a sense of our own helplessness and dependence upon ,god2 third1 with a great desire for the graces we beg of ,god2 fourth1 with trust in ,god's goodness2 fifth1 with perseverance4 ,attention1 thinking of what we are going to do4 ,before praying we should think for a moment what prayer is4 ,in it we are about to address ,almighty ,god1 our ,creator1 and we are going to ask ,him for something--and what is the particular thing we need and seek for8 ,no one would think of going to a store without first considering what he wanted to buy4 ,he would make1 too1 all the necessary preparations for getting it4 ,he would find out how much he wanted1 and what it would cost1 and bring with him sufficient money4 ,he would never think of going in and telling the storekeeper to give him anything4 ,now it is the same in prayer4 ,when we have thought of what we want of ,god1 from whom we can obtain it1 and of the reasons why we need it and why ,god might be pleased to grant it1 we can then kneel down and pray for it4 ,we should pray to ,god just as a child begs favors from its parents4 ,we should talk to ,him in our own simple words1 and tell ,him the reasons why we ask and why we think ,he should grant our request4 ,we should1 however1 be humble and patient in all our prayers4 ,god does not owe us anything1 and whatever ,he gives is a free gift4 ,we should not always read prayers at ,almighty ,god4 ,if you wanted anything very badly from a friend1 you would know how to ask for it4 ,you would never ask another to write out your request on paper1 and then go and read it to your friend4 ,now1 that is just what we do when we read the prayers that somebody else has written in a prayerbook4 ,try1 therefore1 to pray with your own prayers4 ,of course when the ,church gives you certain prayers to say--as it does to its priests in the divine office--or recommends to you such prayers as the ,our ,father1 ,hail ,mary1 and ,creed1 you should say them in preference to your own1 because then the ,church adds its petition to yours1 and ,god is more likely to grant such prayers4 ,i mean1 therefore1 that we should not always pray from prayerbooks1 and hurry through the ,our ,father that we may give more time to some printed prayer that pleases us4 ,our prayer should be a conversation with ,god4 ,we should1 after speaking to ,him1 listen to what ,he has to say to us1 by our conscience1 good thoughts1 etc4 ,i must warn you against some prayers that have been circulated by impostors for the purpose of making money4 ,they pretend that these prayers were found in some remarkable place or manner2 that those who carry them or say them will have most wonderful advantages--they will never meet with accident2 they will be warned of their death2 they will go directly to ,heaven after death1 etc4 ,if there were any such wonderful prayers the ,church would surely know of them and commend them to its children4 ,when you find any prayers of the kind ,i mention1 bring them to the priest and ask his opinion before you use them yourself or give them to others4 ,never buy prayers or articles said to be blessed from persons unknown to you4 ,persons selling such things are frequently impostors1 who by suave manners and pious speeches unfortunately find ,catholics who believe them4 ,these persons--sometimes not ,catholics themselves1 or at least very bad ones--laugh at the superstition and foolish practices of ,catholics who believe everything they hear about pious books1 prayers1 or articles4 ,in the early ages of the ,church1 when the enemies of ,christ found that they could not refute ,his teaching1 they began to circulate foolish doctrines1 pretending that they were taught by ,christ1 and thus they hoped to bring ridicule upon ,christianity4 ,so also in our time many things are circulated as the teaching of the ,catholic ,church by the enemies of the ,church1 in hopes that by these falsehoods and foolish doctrines they may bring disgrace and ridicule upon the true religion4 ,be on your guard against all impostors1 remembering it is a safe rule never to buy a religious article from or give money to persons going about from door to door4 ,if you have anything to give in alms1 give it to some charitable institution or society connected with the ,church1 or put it in the poor-box1 and then you will be sure it will do the good you intend4 ,remember1 too1 that all the religious articles carried about for sale do not come from ,rome or the ,holy ,land1 and you are deceived if you think so1 notwithstanding the assurance of their owners4 ,a trust--with full confidence that ,god will grant our petitions if we really need or deserve what we pray for4 ,it is a fault with a great many to pray without the belief that their prayers will be answered4 ,we should pray with such faith and confidence that we would really be disappointed if our prayer was not granted4 ,once when ,our ,lord was going about doing good1 a poor woman who had been suffering for twelve years with a disease1 and who1 wishing to be healed1 had uselessly spent all her money in seeking medical aid1 came to follow ,him4 7,mark #e3be74 ,she did not ask ,him to cure her1 but said within herself1 ,if ,i can but touch the hem of ,his garment ,i know ,i shall be healed4 ,so she made her way through the throng and followed ,our ,lord till she could touch ,his garment without being seen4 ,she succeeded in accomplishing her wishes1 touched ,his garment1 and was instantly cured4 ,our ,lord knew her desires and what she had done1 and turning around told the people1 praising her great faith and confidence1 on account of which ,he had healed her4 ,such also should be our confidence and trust when we pray to ,god for our needs4 ,perseverance4 ,we should continue to pray though ,god does not grant our request4 ,have you ever noticed a little child begging favors from its mother8 ,see its persistence6 ,though often refused1 it will return again and again with the same request1 till the mother1 weary of its importunity1 finally grants what it asks4 ,st4 ,monica prayed seventeen years for the conversion of her son ,st4 ,augustine4 ,st4 ,augustine's father was a pagan1 and ,monica1 his wife1 prayed seventeen years for his conversion1 and he became a ,christian4 ,just about that time her son ,augustine1 who was attending school1 fell in with bad companions and became a great sinner4 ,she prayed seventeen years more for him1 and he reformed1 became a great saint and learned bishop in the ,church4 ,see1 then1 the result of thirty-four years' prayer3 ,monica herself became a saint1 her son became a saint1 and her husband died a ,christian4 ,if ,st4 ,monica had ceased praying after ten years1 ,augustine might not have reformed4 ,we never know when ,god is about to grant our petition1 and we may cease to pray just when another appeal would obtain the object of our prayer4 ,so we should continue to pray till ,god is pleased to grant our request4 ,some say their prayers are not heard when they mean to say their prayers are not granted2 for ,god always hears us4 ,but why does ,he not always grant our request8 ,there are many reasons3 7#a7 ,we may not pray in the proper manner1 namely1 with attention1 reverence1 humility1 patience1 and perseverance2 7#b7 ,we may ask for things that ,god foresees will not be for our spiritual good4 ,this is true even for things that seem good to us1 such as the removal of an affliction1 temptation1 or the like4 ,it often happens that ,god shows us ,his greatest mercy in not granting our prayers4 ,suppose1 for example1 a father held in his hand a bright and beautiful but very sharp instrument1 for which his child continually asked4 ,do you believe the father would give it if he loved the child8 ,certainly not4 ,the child thinks1 no doubt1 it would be benefitted by the possession of the instrument1 but the father sees the danger4 ,as ,god is our loving ,father1 ,he acts with us in the same manner4 7#c7 ,our prayers are not granted sometimes that we may learn to pray with proper dispositions1 and ,god withholds what ,he intends finally to give1 that we may persevere in prayer and have greater merit4 ,have you ever observed a mother teaching her child to walk8 ,what does she do8 ,she goes at some distance from the child and holds out an object that she knows will be pleasing to it1 and thus tempts it to walk to her4 ,when the child draws near she moves still farther away1 and keeps it walking for some time before giving the object4 ,this she does1 not through unwillingness to give the article1 but in order to teach the child to walk1 for she loves to see its efforts4 ,when it falls1 she lifts it up and makes it try again4 ,so1 too1 ,god teaches us to pray2 and though ,he loves us1 ,he withholds ,his gifts1 that we may pray the longer1 and thereby afford ,him greater pleasure4 #cjh ,q4 ,which are the prayers most recommended to us8 ,a4 ,the prayers most recommended to us are the ,lord's ,prayer1 the ,hail ,mary1 the ,apostles' ,creed1 the ,confiteor1 and the ,acts of ,faith1 ,hope1 ,love1 and ,contrition4 #cji ,q4 ,are prayers said with distractions of any avail8 ,a4 ,prayers said with willful distractions are of no avail4 ,distraction--that is1 when we willingly and knowingly think of something else while saying our prayers4 ,it would be better not to pray than to pray with disrespect4 ,if there is any time at which we cannot pray well1 we should postpone our prayer3 for ,god does not require us to say our prayers just at a particular time2 but when we do pray1 ,he requires us to pray with reverence and respect4 ,we would pray well always if we reflected on the great privilege we enjoy in being allowed to pray4 ,lesson #bi ,,on ,,the ,,commandments ,,of ,,god #caj ,q4 ,is it enough to belong to ,god's ,church in order to be saved8 ,a4 ,it is not enough to belong to the ,church in order to be saved1 but we must also keep the ,commandments of ,god and of the ,church4 ,we call some commandments the ,commandments of ,god and others the commandments of the ,church4 ,we do so only to distinguish the ,commandments that ,god gave to ,moses from those that the ,church made afterwards4 ,they are all the commandments of ,god1 for whatever laws or commandments the ,church makes1 it makes them under the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 and by ,god's authority4 ,it would be a mortal sin to break the commandments of the ,church1 just as it would be to break the ,commandments of ,god4 ,you must remember that the ,ten ,commandments always existed from the time of ,adam1 but they were not written till ,god gave them to ,moses4 ,you know that it was always a sin to worship false gods1 to blaspheme1 to disobey parents1 to kill1 etc42 for you know ,cain was punished by ,god for the murder of his brother ,abel 7,gen4 #e71 and that took place while ,adam was still alive4 ,before the coming of ,our ,lord the ,israelites1 or ,god's chosen people1 had three kinds of laws4 ,they had the civil laws for the government of their nation--just as we have our laws for the people of the ,united ,states4 ,they had their ceremonial laws for their services in the temple--as we have our ceremonies for the ,church4 ,they had their moral laws--such as the ,commandments--teaching them what they must do to save their souls4 ,their civil laws were done away with when they ceased to be a nation having a government of their own4 ,their ceremonial laws were done away with when ,our ,lord came and established ,his ,church2 because their ceremonies were only the figures of ours4 ,their moral laws remained1 and ,our ,lord explained them and made them more perfect4 ,therefore we keep the ,commandments and moral laws as they were always kept by man4 ,fifty days after the ,israelites left ,egypt they came to the foot of ,mount ,sinai4 7,ex4 #ai74 ,here ,god commanded ,moses to come up into the mountain1 and in the midst of fire and smoke1 thunder and lightning1 ,god spoke to him and delivered into his hands the ,ten ,commandments written on two tablets of stone4 ,every day while the ,israelites were traveling in the desert ,god sent them manna--a miraculous food that fell every morning4 ,it was white1 and looked something like fine rice4 ,it had any taste they wished it to have4 ,for instance1 if they wished it to taste like fruit1 it did taste so to them2 but its usual taste was like that of flour and honey4 7,ex4 #af74 ,i said there is no difference between the ,ten ,commandments of ,god and the six commandments of the ,church2 and there is no difference as far as the sin of violating them is concerned4 ,but they differ in this3 the ,church can change the commandments it made itself1 while it cannot change those that ,god ,himself gave directly4 99#caa ,q4 ,which are the ,commandments that contain the whole law of ,god8 ,a4 ,the ,commandments which contain the whole law of ,god are these two3 first1 thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with thy whole heart1 with thy whole soul1 with thy whole strength1 and with thy whole mind2 second1 thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself4 ,as thyself--that is1 as explained elsewhere1 with the same kind1 though not necessarily with the same degree1 of love4 ,first we must love ourselves and do what is essential for our own salvation1 because without our cooperation others cannot save us1 though they may help us by their prayers and good works4 ,next to ourselves nature demands that we love those who are related to us in the order of parents1 children1 husbands1 wives1 brothers1 etc41 and help them in proportion to their needs1 and before helping strangers who are in no greater distress4 99#cab ,q4 ,why do these two ,commandments of the love of ,god and of our neighbor contain the whole law of ,god8 ,a4 ,these two ,commandments of the love of ,god and of our neighbor contain the whole law of ,god because all the other ,commandments are given either to help us to keep these two1 or to direct us how to shun what is opposed to them4 ,of the ,ten ,commandments the first three refer to ,almighty ,god and the other seven to our neighbor4 ,thus all the ,commandments may be reduced to the two of the love of ,god and of the love of our neighbor4 ,the ,first ,commandment says you shall worship only the true ,god2 the ,second says you shall respect ,his holy name2 and the ,third says you shall worship ,him on a certain day4 ,all these are contained therefore in this3 ,love ,god all you possibly can1 for if you do you will keep the first three of the ,commandments4 ,the ,fourth says3 ,honor your father--who in the sense of the ,commandment can also be called your neighbor--that is1 respect him1 help him in his needs4 ,the ,fifth says do not kill him2 namely1 your neighbor4 ,the others say do not rob him of his goods2 do not tell lies about him2 do not wish unjustly to possess his goods and do not covet his wife4 ,thus it is clear that the last seven are all contained in this3 ,love your neighbor1 for if you do you will keep the last seven ,commandments that refer to him4 #cac ,q4 ,which are the ,commandments of ,god8 ,a4 ,the ,commandments of ,god are these ten3 #a4 ,i am the ,lord thy ,god1 ,who brought thee out of the land of ,egypt1 out of the house of bondage4 ,thou shalt not have strange gods before ,me4 ,thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing1 nor the likeness of any thing that is in ,heaven above1 or in the earth beneath1 nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth4 ,thou shalt not adore them1 nor serve them4 #b4 ,thou shalt not take the name of the ,lord thy ,god in vain4 #c4 ,remember thou keep holy the ,sabbath ,day4 #d4 ,honor thy father and thy mother4 #e4 ,thou shalt not kill4 #f4 ,thou shalt not commit adultery4 #g4 ,thou shalt not steal4 #h4 ,thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor4 #i4 ,thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife4 #aj4 ,thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods4 99#cad ,q4 ,who gave the ,ten ,commandments8 ,a4 ,god ,himself gave the ,ten ,commandments to ,moses on ,mount ,sinai1 and ,christ ,our ,lord confirmed them4 ,lesson #cj ,,on ,,the ,,first ,,commandment #cae ,q4 ,what is the ,first ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,first ,commandment is3 ,i am the ,lord thy ,god3 thou shalt not have strange gods before ,me4 ,strange gods4 ,the ,israelites were surrounded on all sides by pagan nations who worshipped idols and false gods1 and sometimes by mingling with these people they fell into sin1 and1 forgetting the true ,god1 worshipped their idols4 ,sometimes1 too1 they were at war with these pagan nations1 and when defeated were led captive into pagan countries and there fell into the sin of worshipping false gods4 ,it was against this sin that ,god cautioned ,his people in the ,first ,commandment4 ,from this sin of idolatry among the ,israelites we have an example of the evil results of associating with persons not of the true religion4 ,one would think that the ,israelites1 knowing the true ,god1 might have converted their pagan neighbors to the true religion by the influence of their teaching and example2 but1 on the contrary1 they lost the true faith themselves1 as nearly always happens in such cases4 ,how do we sometimes worship false or strange gods8 ,by making dress1 money1 honor1 society1 company1 or pleasure our god--that is1 by giving up the worship of ,god and sinning for their sake1 and thus making them god1 at least for the time being1 by giving them our heart1 mind1 and service4 99#caf ,q4 ,how does the ,first ,commandment help us to keep the great ,commandment of the love of ,god8 ,a4 ,the ,first ,commandment helps us to keep the great ,commandment of the love of ,god because it commands us to adore ,god alone4 #cag ,q4 ,how do we adore ,god8 ,a4 ,we adore ,god by faith1 hope1 and charity1 by prayer and sacrifice4 #cah ,q4 ,how may the ,first ,commandment be broken8 ,a4 ,the ,first ,commandment may be broken by giving to a creature the honor which belongs to ,god alone2 by false worship2 and by attributing to a creature a perfection which belongs to ,god alone4 ,creature--that is1 anything created2 anything but ,god ,himself1 for all other persons and things have been created4 ,if one knelt before a king and adored him1 he would be giving to a creature the honor due to ,god alone4 ,false worship--that is1 worshipping ,god not as ,he directs us by ,his ,church1 but in some ways pleasing to ourselves4 ,for example1 to sacrifice animals to ,god would now be false worship2 to offer now any of the sacrifices commanded in the ,old ,law would be false worship1 because all these were figures of the real sacrifice of the ,cross and ,mass1 and were to put the people in mind that one day ,christ the promised ,redeemer would offer up the one great sacrifice of ,his own body and blood to blot out all the sins of the world4 ,and now that we have the real sacrifice it would be sinful to use only figures1 and it would be a false worship displeasing to ,god4 ,so1 too1 all those who leave the true ,church to practice a religion of their own have a false worship1 for they worship ,god not as ,he wishes1 but as they wish4 ,heaven is a reward1 and when we see how the saints labored to secure it we must be ashamed of the little we do for ,god4 ,take out of a whole year--that is1 #cfe days or #h1gfj hours--the time you give to the service of ,god1 and you will find it very little4 ,even the time you spent at ,mass and prayers was filled with distraction and little of it entirely given to ,god4 ,since this is true for one year1 what will it be for all the years of your life8 ,think of them all and you will perceive that ,god1 who gave you all the time you had1 and who on the last day will demand an exact account of it1 will find very little of it spent in ,his honor or in ,his service4 ,even the time wasted in school and instructions will all stand against you4 ,time lost is lost forever1 and you can never make it up4 ,next to grace1 time is the most valuable thing ,god gives us1 and we should use it well4 ,attributing to a creature a perfection etc4 ,persons who go to fortune tellers do this4 ,fortune tellers are persons who pretend to know what is going to happen in the future4 ,we know from our religion that only ,god ,himself knows the future4 ,neither the angels nor saints1 nor even the ,blessed ,virgin1 know the future4 ,even they could not tell your fortune unless ,god revealed it to them4 ,so when you go to a fortune teller you place the poor sinful person who is doing the devil's work above the ,blessed ,virgin and all the saints and angels1 and make that wretch equal to ,god ,himself4 ,surely this is a sin1 even if you do not believe these so-called fortune tellers1 but go to them merely through curiosity or with others4 ,again1 we pay these persons for telling us some foolish nonsense1 and thus encourage them to continue their sinful business4 ,they doubtless laugh at the foolishness of those who go to them or believe what they say and pay them generously4 ,you might with as much sense stop a man on the street1 ask him to tell your fortune1 and hand him your money1 for he would know as much about it as so-called fortune tellers do4 ,rarely these sinful people might tell you something that has happened in your life2 but if they do1 they merely guess at it or are aided by the devil4 ,the devil did not lose his intelligence when driven out of ,heaven1 and he uses it now for doing evil4 ,he has vast experience1 for he is as old as ,adam1 or older1 and has seen and known all the men that have lived in the world4 ,he can move rapidly through the world and easily know what is visibly taking place1 so that1 strictly speaking1 he could make known to his sinful agents what is present or past1 but never the future4 ,thus some fortune tellers1 clairvoyants1 mindreaders1 mediums1 or whatever else they call themselves1 who are truly in league with the devil1 may by his power tell you the past of your life to make you believe that they know also the future4 ,the past and present in your life you already know1 and the future they cannot tell2 therefore it is useless as well as sinful to go to them4 ,i say only it is possible for some fortune tellers to employ the assistance of the devil1 for all of them1 with very rare exception1 are clever impostors who take your money for guessing at what they suspect you will be most pleased to hear4 99#cai ,q4 ,do those who make use of spells and charms1 or who believe in dreams1 in mediums1 spiritists1 fortune tellers1 and the like1 sin against the ,first ,commandment8 ,a4 ,those who make use of spells and charms1 or who believe in dreams1 in mediums1 spiritists1 fortune tellers1 and the like1 sin against the ,first ,commandment1 because they attribute to creatures perfections which belong to ,god alone4 ,spells are certain words1 the saying of which persons believe will effect for them something wonderful--a miraculous cure1 for instance1 or protection from some evil4 ,charms are articles worn about the body for the same purpose4 ,they may be little black beans1 little stones of a certain shape1 the teeth of animals1 etc4 ,in uncivilized countries the inhabitants use many of these charms4 ,but you may ask1 ,are not these medals1 scapulars1 etc41 that we wear1 also charms8 ,no4 ,these things are blessed and worn in honor of ,god1 of ,his ,blessed ,mother1 or of the saints4 ,we do not expect any help from the little piece of brass or cloth we wear1 but from those in whose honor we wear it1 and from the prayers said in the blessing for those who wear it4 ,but they who wear charms expect the help from the thing itself1 which makes their conduct foolish and sinful1 since ,god alone can protect from evil4 ,again1 such things as medals1 crosses1 and scapulars are blessed by the ,church and worn by its consent1 and it could never allow all its children to do a sinful thing4 ,it is good and praiseworthy1 therefore1 to wear the blessed sacramentals in ,god's honor2 but even with these holy things we must be careful not to go too far4 ,it is true the ,blessed ,virgin will protect those who wear her scapular2 but it would be sinful willfully to expose ourselves to danger without any necessity1 because we wear a scapular4 ,thus it would be suicide for a boy who could not swim to plunge into deep water because1 having his scapulars on1 the ,blessed ,virgin ought to save him by a miracle4 ,again1 it is wrong to look for miracles from ,god when natural help will answer4 ,thus it would be wrong for a man who broke his leg to refuse to have the doctors set it1 because he wanted ,god alone to heal it4 ,dreams are caused by the mind being at work while the body is sleeping or at rest4 ,the mind never sleeps2 it is always awake and working4 ,thus when we are asleep the imagination1 without the reason to guide it1 mixes together a number of things we have seen1 heard1 or thought of1 and gives us strange scenes and pictures4 ,sometimes what we dream of seems to happen2 but that is only because we dream so much that it would be strange if none of the things ever happened4 ,we will generally dream about whatever was on our mind shortly before4 ,we read in the ,holy ,scriptures that ,god at times made known ,his will to certain persons by dreams2 as when the king of ,egypt dreamt of the great famine that was to come2 or when the angel appeared in sleep to ,st4 ,joseph1 telling him to take ,our ,lord into ,egypt1 where ,herod the king could not kill him4 7,matt4 #b74 ,the dreams mentioned in the ,holy ,scripture were more frequently visions than dreams4 ,in a vision the things we see are really present1 whereas in dreams they are not1 but we imagine they are4 ,god no longer makes use of dreams as a means of communicating with ,his creatures1 because ,his ,church will make known to us ,his will4 ,he sometimes1 however1 makes known certain things to ,his holy servants on earth in a very special and private manner3 as1 for example1 when ,our ,lord appeared to ,saint ,margaret ,mary and told her ,he would like to have the devotion to the ,sacred ,heart established4 ,we must always believe what the ,church tells us ,god has made known to it2 but when holy people tell us that ,god revealed special things to them1 we are not obliged to believe what they say1 unless the ,church confirms it4 ,i say we are not obliged--that is1 we may if we please2 but we would not be heretics and commit sin if we did not believe all the revelations and wonderful things we find recorded in the lives of saints1 though they may all be true4 ,mediums and spiritists are persons who pretend they can talk with the dead in the other world1 and learn where they are and what they are doing4 ,they have figures to move and apparently speak1 and other contrivances to deceive those who confide in them4 ,their work is all deception and very sinful4 ,if any of these things could be done1 or if ,god wished them to be known1 ,he would give the power to the ,church founded by ,his divine ,son1 and not to a few sinful men or women here and there4 ,after a soul leaves the body its fate is hidden from us1 and we can say nothing with absolute certainty of its reward or punishment4 ,no one ever came back from the other world to give a minute account of its general appearance or of what takes place there4 ,all that is known about it the ,church knows and tells us1 and all over and above that is false or doubtful4 ,by thinking a little you can see how all these dealings with fortune tellers1 etc41 are giving to creatures what belongs to ,god alone4 #cbj ,q4 ,are sins against faith1 hope1 and charity also sins against the ,first ,commandment8 ,a4 ,sins against faith1 hope1 and charity are also sins against the ,first ,commandment4 #cba ,q4 ,how does a person sin against faith8 ,a4 ,a person sins against faith1 first1 by not trying to know what ,god has taught2 second1 by refusing to believe all that ,god has taught2 third1 by neglecting to profess his belief in what ,god has taught4 ,not trying to know4 ,thus children who idle their time at ,sunday school or religious instruction1 and do not learn their ,catechism1 sin against faith in the first way4 ,in like manner grown persons who do not sometime or other endeavor to hear sermons or instructions1 to attend missions or learn from good books1 sin against faith4 ,refusing to believe1 as all those do who leave the true religion1 or who1 knowing it1 do not embrace it4 ,neglecting to profess4 ,we may do this by not living up to the practice of our holy religion4 ,we believe1 for example1 we should hear ,mass every ,sunday and holy day2 we should receive the ,sacraments at certain times in the year2 but if we only believe these things and do not do them1 we neglect to profess our faith1 neglect to show others that we really believe all the ,church teaches1 and are anxious to practice it4 ,many know and believe what they should do1 but never practice it4 ,such persons do great injury to the ,church1 for persons who do not live up to their holy religion but act contrary to its teaching give scandal to their neighbor4 ,how many persons at present not ,catholics would be induced to enter the true ,church if they saw all ,catholics virtuous1 truthful1 sober1 honest1 upright1 and industrious6 ,but when they see ,catholics--be they ever so few--cursing1 quarrelling1 backbiting1 drinking1 lying1 stealing1 cheating1 etc4--in a word1 indulging in the same vices as those who claim to have no religion1 what must they think of the moral influence of ,catholic faith8 ,thus they do great injustice to the ,church and the cause of religion1 and are working against our ,blessed ,lord when they should be working for ,him4 ,the ,christian religion spread very rapidly through the world in the first ages of its existence2 and one of the chief reasons was the good example given by the ,christians2 for pagans seeing the holy lives1 the kindness and charity of their ,christian neighbors1 could not help admiring and loving them1 and wishing to be members of the ,church that made them so good and amiable4 ,how many pagans do you think would be converted nowadays by the lives of some who call themselves ,catholics8 ,not many1 ,i think4 ,besides this1 the early ,christians really labored to instruct others in the ,christian religion1 and to make them converts4 ,often we find servants--even slaves--by their instructions converting their pagan masters and mistresses4 ,they all felt that they were missionaries working for ,jesus ,christ1 and their influence reached where the priest's influence could not reach1 because they came in contact with persons the priests never had an opportunity of seeing4 ,if all ,catholics had the same spirit1 what good they could do6 ,their business or duty may often bring them into daily intercourse with persons not of their faith1 and who never knew or perhaps heard any of the beautiful truths of our holy religion4 ,yes1 ,catholics could do much good if they had only the good will and knew their religion well4 ,i do not mean that they should be always discussing religion with everyone they meet4 ,let them preach chiefly by the example of their own good lives1 and when questioned explain modestly and sincerely the truths they believe4 ,if you should be asked1 for instance3 ,why do you not eat flesh-meat on ,friday8 you should be able to answer3 ,because ,i am a ,christian and wish to keep always before my mind how our ,blessed ,lord suffered for me in ,his holy flesh on that day2 and anyone who claims to be a ,christian1 ought1 ,i think1 to be glad to do what reminds him so regularly and well of ,our ,lord's ,passion4 ,such an answer if given kindly and mildly would silence and instruct your adversary2 it might make him reflect1 and might1 in time1 bring him to the true religion4 ,sometimes a few words make a great impression and bring about conversion4 ,st4 ,francis ,xavier was a worldly young man1 learned and ambitious1 and he heard from ,st4 ,ignatius these words of ,our ,lord3 ,what doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul8 ,he went home and kept thinking of them till they impressed him so strongly that he gave up the world1 became a priest and by his labors and preaching in ,india1 converted to the true religion many thousand pagans4 ,in the lives of the saints there are many examples of a few words1 by ,god's grace1 bringing men from a life of sin to a life of great holiness4 99#cbb ,q4 ,how do we fail to try to know what ,god has taught8 ,a4 ,we fail to try to know what ,god has taught by neglecting to learn the ,christian doctrine4 99#cbc ,q4 ,who are they who do not believe all that ,god has taught8 ,a4 ,they who do not believe all that ,god has taught are the heretics and infidels4 ,there are many kinds of unbelievers3 atheists1 deists1 infidels1 heretics1 apostates1 and schismatics4 ,an atheist is one who denies the existence of ,god1 saying there is no ,god4 ,a deist is one who says he believes ,god exists1 but denies that ,god ever revealed any religion4 ,these are also called freethinkers4 ,an infidel properly means one who has never been baptized--one who is not of the number of the faithful2 that is1 those believing in ,christ4 ,sometimes atheists are called infidels4 ,heretics are those who were baptized and who claim to be ,christians1 but do not believe all the truths that ,our ,lord has taught4 ,they accept only a portion of the doctrine of ,christ and reject the remainder1 and hence they become rebellious children of the ,church4 ,they belong to the true ,church by being baptized1 but do not submit to its teaching and are therefore outcast children1 disinherited till they return to the true faith4 ,a schismatic is one who believes everything the ,church teaches1 but will not submit to the authority of its head--the ,holy ,father4 ,such persons do not long remain only schismatics2 for once they rise up against the authority of the ,church1 they soon reject some of its doctrines and thus become heretics2 and indeed1 since ,vatican ,council ,i1 all schismatics are heretics4 99#cbd ,q4 ,who are they who neglect to profess their belief in what ,god has taught8 ,a4 ,they who neglect to profess their belief in what ,god has taught are all those who fail to acknowledge the true ,church in which they really believe4 ,there are some outside the ,church who feel and believe that the ,catholic ,church is the true ,church1 and yet they do not become ,catholics1 because there are so many difficulties in the way4 ,for example1 they have been brought up in another religion1 and all their friends1 relatives1 or associates are opposed to the ,catholic religion4 ,their business1 their social life1 their worldly interests will all suffer if they become ,catholics4 ,so1 although they feel they should at once embrace the true religion1 they keep putting off till death comes and finds them outside the ,church--and most probably guilty of other mortal sins4 ,such persons cannot be saved1 for they reject all the graces ,god bestows upon them4 ,a very common fault with such people is to excuse this conduct by saying3 ,oh6 ,i was brought up in the ,protestant religion1 and everyone ought to live in the religion in which he was brought up4 ,let me ask3 ,if persons were brought up with some bodily deformity that their parents neglected to have remedied while they were young1 would they not use every means themselves to have the deformity removed as soon as they became old enough to see and understand their misfortune8 ,in like manner1 if unfortunately parents bring up their children in a false religion--that is1 with spiritual deformities1 it is the duty of the children to embrace the true religion as soon as they know it4 ,again persons will say3 ,oh1 ,i believe one religion as good as another2 we are all ,christians1 and all trying to serve ,god4 ,if one religion is as good as another1 why did not ,our ,lord allow the old religions--false or true--to remain8 ,if one man says a thing is black and another says it is white1 they cannot both be right1 for a thing cannot be black and white at the same time4 ,only one can be right2 and1 if we are anxious about the color of the object1 we must try to find which one is right4 ,just in the same way all the religions that claim to be ,christian contradict one another2 one says a thing is false and another says it is true3 one says ,our ,lord taught so and so and another says ,he did not4 ,now since it is very important for us to know which is right1 we must find out which is really the ,church ,our ,lord established2 and when we have found it we will know that all the other pretended ,christian religions must be false4 ,our ,lord has given us marks by which we can know ,his ,church1 as we saw while speaking of the marks of the ,church2 and the ,roman ,catholic ,church is the only ,church that has all these marks4 ,we say that we are ,roman ,catholics to show that we are in communion with the ,church of ,rome1 established by ,st4 ,peter1 the chief of the ,apostles4 99#cbe ,q4 ,can they who fail to profess their faith in the true ,church in which they believe expect to be saved while in that state8 ,a4 ,they who fail to profess their faith in the true ,church in which they believe cannot expect to be saved while in that state1 for ,christ has said3 ,whoever shall deny ,me before men1 ,i will also deny him before ,my ,father who is in ,heaven4 #cbf ,q4 ,are we obliged to make open profession of our faith8 ,a4 ,we are obliged to make open profession of our faith as often as ,god's honor1 our neighbor's spiritual good1 or our own requires it4 ,whosoever1 says ,christ1 shall confess ,me before men1 ,i will also confess him before ,my ,father who is in ,heaven4 ,it is not necessary for us to proclaim in the streets that we are ,catholics2 neither need we tell our religion to impudent people that may ask us only to insult us2 but when a real need of professing our faith presents itself1 then we must profess it4 ,suppose you are stopping in a hotel in which you are the only ,catholic4 ,if flesh-meat is placed before you on a ,friday in ,lent you must quietly push it aside and ask for fish or other food2 although by so doing you will show that you are a ,catholic and make a silent profession of your faith4 ,god's honor and your own good require it1 for you must keep the laws of ,god and of ,his ,church on every possible occasion4 ,suppose again there were in the same hotel some indifferent ,catholics1 socially your equals or inferiors1 who through human respect were ashamed to go to ,mass on ,sunday2 then you should publicly go to ,mass and even declare that you must go1 for by so doing you would encourage these indifferent ,catholics to follow your example4 ,in that case your neighbor's good requires that you profess your faith4 ,in a word1 you must keep up the practice of your religion even if by so doing you have to make an open profession of your faith and suffer for it4 ,but suppose it is something that ,god or the ,church does not command you to do but only recommends1 such as blessing yourself before meals or some pious practice1 you could in public omit such an action if you pleased without any sin or denial of faith1 because you violate no law4 #cbg ,q4 ,which are the sins against hope8 ,a4 ,the sins against hope are presumption and despair4 #cbh ,q4 ,what is presumption8 ,a4 ,presumption is a rash expectation of salvation without making proper use of the necessary means to obtain it4 ,a person who goes on leading a bad life1 and says when warned of his danger that he is in no hurry to reform1 that he will repent some day before he dies1 is always living in and committing the sin of presumption4 ,it is a great sin1 for it is living in open defiance of ,almighty ,god4 ,such persons are very seldom given the opportunity to repent at the last moment1 and are1 in most cases1 called to judgment when they least expect it4 ,we are all presumptuous sometimes4 ,do we not often1 when we have fallen into a certain sin1 easily repeat the act1 saying to ourselves1 now that we will have to confess the sin committed1 the mention of the number of times will not make such difference for it will not increase our shame and confusion8 ,this is presumption2 for we do not know whether ,god will ever give us the opportunity of making a confession4 ,again1 one mortal sin is sufficient to keep our souls in ,hell for all eternity2 what then will be our punishment for many mortal sins8 ,then there is another thing you should remember3 ,god has fixed a certain number of sins that ,he will suffer you to commit before ,he sends ,his punishment4 ,you do not know which sin will complete the number and be the last4 ,the very sin you are now about to commit may be that one1 and the moment you have committed it1 ,god will call you to judgment1 whether it be night or day1 whether you are at home or in the streets--though perhaps not immediately1 but before you commit another sin4 ,such a thought alone should keep you from sinning4 ,moreover1 after confession you strongly resist the first temptation to mortal sin1 but after you have yielded to the first you scarcely make any more resistance1 but easily yield again and again4 ,you should therefore1 to prevent this1 go to confession just as soon as you possibly can after falling into mortal sin4 ,it is bad enough to commit mortal sin1 but it is terrible to be living in that state day and night--always an enemy of ,god--losing the merit of all the works you do and yet you must stay in that state of sin till you go to confession and receive absolution4 ,peter the ,apostle committed the sin of presumption4 7,matt4 #bf74 ,our ,lord told him to watch and pray for he would be tempted and yield that night1 but ,peter said3 ,no ,lord1 ,i will never deny ,thee4 ,instead of begging ,our ,lord's help and grace1 he trusted to himself and fell miserably into sin4 ,he went into dangerous company and that was another cause of his fall4 ,but afterwards he saw his sin and folly and never ceased to repent of it4 #cbi ,q4 ,what is despair8 ,a4 ,despair is the loss of hope in ,god's mercy4 ,despair is a sin because by it you deny that ,god is infinitely merciful--that ,he is merciful enough to forgive even your many and great sins if you are truly sorry for them4 ,judas committed the sin of despair4 ,after he had betrayed ,our ,lord1 he went and hanged himself1 thus committing1 besides the sin of betraying his divine ,master1 two other great sins2 namely1 despair in ,god's mercy and suicide4 ,if he had gone to ,our ,lord and confessed his sin1 and implored pardon and promised penance1 can we doubt that ,he would have forgiven even ,judas1 as ,he forgave ,peter1 and those that crucified ,him1 praying that ,his ,father might not punish them for their sins8 ,therefore1 no matter what sins you have committed1 never lose confidence in ,god's mercy4 ,see how ,our ,lord pardoned the thief on the cross and ,mary ,magdalen and other sinners4 ,be sorry for your sins1 and ,god will hear your prayers4 ,call upon the ,blessed ,virgin1 your patron saint1 and guardian angel to help you1 and ask others1 especially good persons1 to pray for you4 99#ccj ,q4 ,how do we sin against the love of ,god8 ,a4 ,we sin against the love of ,god by all sin1 but particularly by mortal sin4 ,lesson #ca ,,the ,,first ,,commandment--,,on ,,the ,,honor ,,and ,,invocation ,,of ,,saints #cca ,q4 ,does the ,first ,commandment forbid the honoring of the saints8 ,a4 ,the ,first ,commandment does not forbid the honoring of the saints1 but rather approves of it2 because by honoring the saints1 who are the chosen friends of ,god1 we honor ,god ,himself4 ,think of the many helps ,god gives us to save our souls3 an angel to be always with us upon earth2 a saint always praying for us in ,heaven1 and besides these all the graces1 the ,sacraments1 the ,masses1 the prayers1 etc4 ,if then we lose our soul1 surely we cannot say1 ,god did not give us sufficient help4 ,invocation means calling upon them to help us4 ,everyone is pleased when his friends are honored4 ,who is not glad to hear his parents praised or see them respected8 ,by praying to the saints1 instead of dishonoring ,god--as ,protestants say we do--we really honor ,him more than by praying directly to ,himself ,we show that we believe in ,his great dignity1 ,his awful majesty and our own nothingness4 ,if a poor person wanted to obtain a favor from the ,president of the ,united ,states1 would he go directly to the ,president himself8 ,no4 ,he would find someone who had influence with the ,president1 and ask him to obtain the favor4 ,why1 the very persons that say we should not use the influence of saints do themselves use the influence of others to obtain favors4 ,they never go to an enemy of the one from whom they desire the favor1 but to some of his friends1 knowing that a person will often grant a favor for a friend's sake that he would not grant for the sake of others4 ,now we do exactly the same when we pray to the saints4 ,they are the special friends of ,god4 ,they fasted1 prayed1 preached1 labored1 or suffered death for ,his honor and glory4 ,he showed them great favors while they were upon earth4 ,he performed miracles at their request4 ,will ,he deny them now1 when they are always present with ,him in ,heaven--where they could not possibly sin8 ,he loves to grant them favors2 and1 as they do not need any for themselves1 ,he grants them for others through their intercession4 ,again men are honored by the praises of their fellowman4 ,a great general is honored by having all his countrymen praise him2 so1 too1 ,god wants ,his saints honored1 for their great spiritual deeds1 by the praise of the children of the ,church4 ,god is not annoyed by being asked for favors4 ,nothing can trouble ,him1 for all is done by an act of ,his will4 ,he loses nothing by giving1 for ,he is infinite4 ,by praying to the saints for help we confess that we are too unworthy to present ourselves to ,god and address ,him--to come before ,his awful ,majesty1 and that we will wait here in the humble attitude of prayer while you1 holy saints1 ,his dearest friends1 go into ,his presence and ask for us the favors and graces we require4 #ccb ,q4 ,does the ,first ,commandment forbid us to pray to the saints8 ,a4 ,the ,first ,commandment does not forbid us to pray to the saints4 ,we do not pray to them as to ,god4 ,we never say to them1 ,give us this or that1 but always1 ,obtain it for us4 ,in all the litanies you cannot find one petition where we say1 even to the ,blessed ,virgin3 ,have mercy on us1 but1 ,pray for us1 or1 ,intercede for us4 #ccc ,q4 ,what do we mean by praying to the saints8 ,a4 ,by praying to the saints we mean the asking of their help and prayers4 99#ccd ,q4 ,how do we know that the saints hear us8 ,a4 ,we know that the saints hear us1 because they are with ,god1 who makes our prayers known to them4 99#cce ,q4 ,why do we believe that the saints will help us8 ,a4 ,we believe that the saints will help us because both they and we are members of the same ,church1 and they love us as their brethren4 99#ccf ,q4 ,how are the saints and we members of the same ,church8 ,a4 ,the saints and we are members of the same ,church1 because the ,church in ,heaven and the ,church on earth are one and the same ,church1 and all its members are in communion with one another4 99#ccg ,q4 ,what is the communion of the members of the ,church called8 ,a4 ,the communion of the members of the ,church is called the communion of saints4 99#cch ,q4 ,what does the communion of saints mean8 ,a4 ,the communion of saints means the union which exists between the members of the ,church on earth with one another and with the blessed in ,heaven and with the suffering souls in ,purgatory4 99#cci ,q4 ,what benefits are derived from the communion of saints8 ,a4 ,the following benefits are derived from the communion of saints3 the faithful on earth assist one another by their prayers and good works1 and they are aided by the intercession of the saints in ,heaven1 while both the saints in ,heaven and the faithful on earth help the souls in ,purgatory4 #cdj ,q4 ,does the ,first ,commandment forbid us to honor relics8 ,a4 ,the ,first ,commandment does not forbid us to honor relics1 because relics are the bodies of the saints or objects directly connected with them or with ,our ,lord4 ,relic means a thing left4 ,relics are pieces of the body--bones1 etc4 ,pieces of saints' clothing1 writing1 etc41 are also called relics4 ,pieces of the ,true ,cross1 the nails that pierced ,christ's hands1 etc41 are relics of ,our ,lord's ,passion4 ,we have no relic of ,our ,lord's ,body because ,he took it into ,heaven with ,him when ,he ascended4 ,all relics of the saints must be examined at ,rome1 by those whom the ,holy ,father has appointed for that work4 ,they must be marked and accompanied by the testimony of the ,cardinals1 or others who examined them1 to show that they are true relics4 ,it would be superstitious to use anything as a relic unless we were sure of its being genuine4 #cda ,q4 ,does the ,first ,commandment forbid the making of images8 ,a4 ,the ,first ,commandment does forbid the making of images if they are made to be adored as gods1 but it does not forbid the making of them to put us in mind of ,jesus ,christ1 ,his ,blessed ,mother1 and the saints4 ,protestants and others say that ,catholics break the ,first ,commandment by having images in their churches1 because the ,first ,commandment says3 ,thou shalt not make graven images or the likeness of anything upon the earth1 etc4 ,now1 if that is exactly what the ,commandment means1 then they break it also1 because they make the images of generals1 statesmen1 writers1 etc41 and place them in their parks4 ,they also take photographs of their relatives and friends and hang them on the walls of their homes4 ,they do this1 they say1 and we believe them1 to show their respect and veneration for the persons represented1 and not to worship their images4 ,now we do no more4 ,we simply place in our churches the images of saints to show our respect and veneration for the persons they represent1 and not to worship the images themselves4 ,so if we break the ,first ,commandment1 they who make any picture or statue break it also4 ,can our accusers not see that they and every citizen do the very thing for which they reproach us8 ,on ,decoration ,day they place flowers around the statue of ,washington and other great men4 ,does anyone believe that they are trying to honor the piece of metal or stone1 or that the metal or stone statue knows that it is being honored8 ,certainly not4 ,they do so to honor ,washington or whomsoever the statue represents2 and for the same reason ,catholics place flowers and lights around the statues and images of saints4 ,every child knows that the wood in the statue might as well have been a pillar in the ,church1 and that its selection for a statue was merely accidental1 and hence he knows that the statue cannot hear or see him1 and so he prays not to the statue but to the person it represents4 ,again if you can offer a person insult by dishonoring his image1 may we not honor him by treating it with respect8 ,what greater insult1 for instance1 could be offered to your deceased father and yourself than to burn him in effigy1 or contemptuously trample his picture under foot in your presence8 ,thus they who treat the images of ,christ or ,his saints with disrespect dishonor ,christ and ,his saints4 ,again we may learn our religion by our sight as well as by our hearing1 and may be led by these visible objects to a knowledge of the invisible things they represent4 ,let us take an example4 ,a poor ignorant man enters a ,catholic church1 and sees hanging there a picture of ,st4 ,vincent de ,paul4 ,he can learn the life of the saint from that picture almost as well as if he read it in a book4 ,he sees the saint dressed in a cassock1 and that tells him ,st4 ,vincent was a priest4 ,he sees him surrounded by little ragged children and holding some of them in his arms2 that tells him the saint took care of poor children and orphans1 and founded homes and asylums for them4 ,he sees on the saint's table a human skull1 and that tells him ,st4 ,vincent frequently meditated upon death and what follows it4 ,he sees beside the skull a little lash or whip1 and that tells him the saint was a man who practiced penance and mortification4 ,thus you have another reason why the true ,church is very properly called ,catholic2 because its teaching suits all classes of persons4 ,the ignorant can know what it teaches as well as the learned2 for if they cannot read they can listen to its priests1 watch its ceremonies1 and study its pictures1 by all of which it teaches4 ,the ,protestant religion1 on the contrary1 is not adapted to the needs of every class1 for it teaches that all must find their doctrines in the ,bible1 and understand them according to their lights1 giving their own interpretation to the passages of the sacred text2 and thus we come to have a variety of ,protestant denominations1 all claiming the ,bible for their guide1 though following different paths4 ,if every ,protestant has the right to take his own meaning out of the ,holy ,scripture1 what right have ,protestant ministers to preach the meaning they have found1 and compel others to accept it8 ,the ,bible alone is not sufficient4 ,it must be explained by the ,church that teaches us also the traditions that have come down to us from the ,apostles4 ,if the ,bible alone were the rule of our faith1 what would become of all those who could not read the ,bible8 ,what would become of those who lived before the ,apostles wrote the ,new ,testament8 for they did not write in the first years of their ministry1 neither did they commit to writing all the truths they taught1 because ,our ,lord did not command them to write1 but to preach2 and ,he ,himself never wrote any of ,his doctrines4 ,again ,catholics are accused of superstition for keeping the relics of saints4 ,yet when ,general ,grant died and was buried in ,new ,york1 many citizens of every denomination1 anxious to have a relic of the great man they loved and admired1 secured1 even at a cost1 small pieces of wood from his house1 of cloth from his funeral car1 a few leaves or a little sand from his tomb4 ,now1 if it was not superstition to keep these relics1 why should it be superstition to keep the relics of the saints8 ,even ,god ,himself honored the relics of saints1 for ,he has often performed or granted miracles through their use4 ,we read in the ,bible 7#d ,kings #ac3ba7--;and it is the word of ,god--that once some persons who were burying a dead man1 seeing their enemies coming upon them1 hastily cast the body into a tomb and fled4 ,it was the tomb of the holy prophet ,eliseus1 and when the dead body touched the bones of this great servant of ,god1 the dead man came to life and stood erect4 ,here is at least one miracle that ,god performed through the relics of a saint4 ,god does not forbid the mere making of images1 but only the making of them as gods4 ,he gave the ,commandments to ,moses and afterwards told him to make images2 namely1 angels of gold for the temple4 7,ex4 #be3ah74 ,now1 ,god does not change ,his mind or contradict ,himself as men do4 ,whatever ,he does is done forever4 ,therefore if ,he commanded ,moses by the ,first ,commandment not to make any images1 ,he could not tell him later to make some4 ,it is not the mere making1 therefore1 that ,god forbids1 but the adoring4 ,what ,he insists upon is3 ,you shall not adore or serve the images you make4 ,this is very clear if we consider the history of the ,israelites1 to whom ,god first gave the law4 ,they were the only nation in the whole world that knew and worshipped the true ,god1 and often1 as ,i told you1 they fell into idolatry and really worshipped images4 ,when ,moses delayed on the mountain with ,god1 and they thought he was not coming back1 they made a golden calf and adored it as a god4 7,ex4 #cb74 ,the ,israelites fell into idolatry chiefly by associating with persons not of the true religion4 ,let us learn from their sins never to run the risk of weakening or losing our faith by making bosom friends and steady companions of those not of the true religion or of no religion at all4 ,you are not1 however1 to treat any person with contempt or to despise anyone1 but to look upon all as the children of ,god1 and pray for those not of the true religion1 that they may be converted and saved4 #cdb ,q4 ,is it right to show respect to the pictures and images of ,christ and ,his saints8 ,a4 ,it is right to show respect to the pictures and images of ,christ and ,his saints1 because they are the representations and memorials of them4 #cdc ,q4 ,is it allowed to pray to the crucifix or to the images and relics of the saints8 ,a4 ,it is not allowed to pray to the crucifix or images and relics of the saints1 for they have no life1 nor power to help us1 nor sense to hear us4 #cdd ,q4 ,why do we pray before the crucifix and the images and relics of the saints8 ,a4 ,we pray before the crucifix and the images and relics of the saints because they enliven our devotion by exciting pious affections and desires1 and by reminding us of ,christ and of the saints1 that we may imitate their virtues4 ,lesson #cb ,,from ,,the ,,second ,,to ,,the ,,fourth ,,commandment #cde ,q4 ,what is the ,second ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,second ,commandment is3 ,thou shalt not take the name of the ,lord thy ,god in vain4 ,in vain--that is1 without necessity4 #cdf ,q4 ,what are we commanded by the ,second ,commandment8 ,a4 ,we are commanded by the ,second ,commandment to speak with reverence of ,god and of the saints1 and of all holy things1 and to keep our lawful oaths and vows4 ,a very common sin against this ,commandment is to use the words and sayings of ,holy ,scripture in a worldly or bad sense4 ,the ,church forbids us to use the words and sayings of ,holy ,scripture to convey any meaning but the one ,god intended them to convey1 or at least to use them in any but a sacred sense4 #cdg ,q4 ,what is an oath8 ,a4 ,an oath is the calling upon ,god to witness the truth of what we say4 ,we declare a thing to be so or not1 and call ,god to be our witness that we are speaking truly4 ,this is one of the most solemn acts that men can perform in the presence of their fellowman4 ,all the nations of the earth regard an oath as a most sacred thing1 and one who swears falsely is the vilest of men--a perjurer4 ,god is infinite truth and hates lies4 ,what a frightful thing then to call ,him to sanction a lie6 99#cdh ,q4 ,when may we take an oath8 ,a4 ,we may take an oath when it is ordered by lawful authority or required for ,god's honor or for our own or our neighbor's good4 ,an oath is generally taken in a court of law when the judge wishes to find out the truth of the case4 ,we may be a witness against one who is guilty1 or in defense of an innocent person1 and in such cases a lie would have most evil consequences4 ,the judge has a right1 therefore1 to make us take an oath that we will testify truly4 ,officers of the law1 magistrates1 judges1 etc41 take an oath when entering upon their duties that they will perform them faithfully4 99#cdi ,q4 ,what is necessary to make an oath lawful8 ,a4 ,to make an oath lawful it is necessary that what we swear be true1 and that there be a sufficient cause for taking an oath4 #cej ,q4 ,what is a vow8 ,a4 ,a vow is a deliberate promise made to ,god to do something that is pleasing to ,him4 ,deliberate--that is1 with full consent and freedom4 ,if we are forced to make it1 it is not valid4 ,to ,god1 not to another2 though we may vow to ,god that we will do something in honor of the ,blessed ,virgin1 or of the saints1 or for another4 ,something pleasing1 because if we promise something that is forbidden by ,god or displeasing to ,him1 it is not a vow4 ,a solemn promise1 for instance1 to kill your neighbor or steal his goods could not be a vow4 ,you would commit a sin by making such a vow1 and another by keeping it1 for if you promise something you cannot do without committing sin then you must not keep that promise4 ,we have an example in the life of ,st4 ,john the ,baptist4 ,king ,herod was leading a sinful life1 and ,st4 ,john rebuked him for it4 ,the wife of the king's brother--,herodias was her name--hated ,st4 ,john for this1 and she sought to have him killed4 ,once when the king had a great feast and all his notables were assembled1 this woman's daughter danced before them1 and the king was so pleased with her that he vowed to give her whatever she asked4 ,he should have said1 if it is something pleasing to ,god1 but he did not4 ,her mother made her ask for the head of ,john the ,baptist4 ,the king was sad1 but because he had made the vow or promise he thought he had to keep it1 and ordered ,st4 ,john to be beheaded and his head brought to her4 7,matt4 #ad74 ,he was not bound to keep any such vow1 and sinned by doing so4 ,again1 they also commit sin who become members of such secret societies as the freemasons or similar organizations1 promising to do whatever they are ordered without knowing what may be ordered2 for they sin not only by obeying sinful commands1 but by the very fact of being in a society in which they are exposed to the danger of being forced to sin4 ,such secret societies are forbidden by the ,church because they strive to undermine its authority1 and make their rules superior to its teaching4 ,they also influence those in authority to persecute the ,church and its ministers1 and do not hesitate to recommend even assassination at times for the accomplishment of their ends4 ,therefore the ,church forbids ,catholics to join societies of which 7#a7 the objects are unlawful1 7#b7 where the means used are sinful1 or 7#c7 where the rights of our conscience and liberty are violated by rash or dangerous oaths4 ,the ,church does not oppose associations founded on law and justice2 but on the contrary1 has always encouraged and still encourages every organization that tends to benefit its members spiritually and temporally1 and opposes only societies that have not a legitimate end4 ,therefore you may understand that labor unions and benefit societies in which persons are leagued together for their own protection or the protection of their interests are not secret societies1 though they may conduct their meetings in secret4 #cea ,q4 ,is it a sin not to fulfill our vows8 ,a4 ,not to fulfill our vows is a sin1 mortal or venial according to the nature of the vow and the intention we had in making it4 ,vows--that is1 lawful vows4 ,when a man who is in the habit of getting intoxicated vows not to take liquor for a certain time1 he generally intends to bind himself only under venial sin2 that is1 if he breaks that pledge or promise it will be a venial and not a mortal sin2 but he can make it a mortal sin by intending1 when he takes the pledge1 that if he breaks it he will be guilty of mortal sin4 #ceb ,q4 ,what is forbidden by the ,second ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,second ,commandment forbids all false1 rash1 unjust1 and unnecessary oaths1 blasphemy1 cursing1 and profane words4 ,rash--swearing a thing is true or false without knowing for certain whether it is or not4 ,blasphemy is not the same as cursing or taking ,god's name in vain4 ,it is worse4 ,it is to say or do something very disrespectful to ,god4 ,to say that ,he is unjust1 cruel or the like1 is to blaspheme4 ,we can blaspheme also by actions4 ,to defy ,god by a sign or action1 to dare ,him to strike us dead1 etc41 would be blasphemy4 ,we have a terrible example of blasphemy related in the life of ,julian the ,apostate4 ,an apostate is one who renounces and gives up his religion1 not one who merely neglects it4 ,julian was a ,roman emperor and had been a ,catholic1 but apostatized4 ,then in his great hatred for ,our ,lord he wished to falsify ,his prophecies and prove them untrue4 ,our ,lord had said that of the temple of ,jerusalem there would not be left a stone upon a stone4 ,to make this false ,julian began to rebuild the temple4 ,in making the preparation he cleared away the ruins of the old building1 not leaving a single stone upon a stone1 and thus was instrumental himself in verifying the words of ,our ,lord2 for while the ruins remained there were stones upon stones4 ,he wished to defy ,god1 but when he began to build1 fire came forth from the earth and drove back the workmen1 and a strong wind scattered the materials4 ,afterwards ,julian was wounded in battle1 an arrow having pierced his breast4 ,he drew it out1 and throwing a handful of his blood toward heaven1 said3 ,thou hast conquered1 ,o ,galilean1 meaning ,our ,lord4 ,this was a horrible blasphemy--throwing his blood in defiance1 and calling the ,son of ,god a name which he thought would be insulting 7see ,fredet's ,modern ,history1 ,life of ,julian74 ,therefore we can blaspheme by actions or words1 doing or saying things intended to insult ,almighty ,god4 ,profane words--that is1 bad1 but especially irreverent and irreligious words4 #cec ,q4 ,what is the ,third ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,third ,commandment is3 ,remember thou keep holy the ,sabbath day4 99#ced ,q4 ,what are we commanded by the ,third ,commandment8 ,a4 ,by the ,third ,commandment we are commanded to keep holy the ,lord's ,day and the holy days of obligation1 on which we are to give our time to the service and worship of ,god4 ,holy days we are bound to keep holy just in the same manner we do ,sundays--that is1 by hearing ,mass and refraining from servile works4 ,those who after hearing ,mass must attend to business or work on those days should make this known to their confessor1 that he may judge if they have a sufficient excuse for engaging in servile works1 and thus they will avoid the danger of sinfully violating an important law4 ,there must always be a good reason for working on a holy day4 ,those who are so situated that they can readily refrain from servile work on holy days must do so4 ,and1 where it is possible1 the same opportunity must be afforded to their servants4 ,of obligation1 because there are some holy days not of obligation4 ,we celebrate them1 but we are not bound under pain of mortal sin to hear ,mass or keep from servile works on such days4 ,for example1 ,st4 ,patrick's ,day is not a holy day of obligation4 ,the great feast of ,corpus ,christi is not a holy day of obligation4 ,not satisfied with doing only what the ,church obliges us to do on ,sundays and holy days1 those who really love ,god will endeavor to do more than the bare works commanded4 ,sunday is a day of rest and prayer4 ,while we may take innocent and useful amusement1 we should not join in any public or noisy entertainments4 ,we may rest and recreate ourselves1 but we should avoid every place where vulgar and sometimes sinful amusements1 scenes1 or plays are presented4 ,even in taking lawful recreation we may serve ,god and please ,him if we take it to strengthen our bodies that we may be enabled to do the work ,he has assigned to us in this world4 ,sunday is well spent by those who1 after hearing ,mass1 devote some part of the day to good works1 such as pious reading1 teaching in ,sunday school1 bringing relief to the poor and sick1 visiting the ,blessed ,sacrament1 attending ,vespers1 ,rosary1 etc4 ,not that ,i mean they should do nothing but pray on ,sundays2 but they should not give the whole day to useless enjoyment or idleness1 and forget ,god4 ,some begrudge ,god even the half-hour they are obliged to give to ,mass on ,sundays3 they stand near the door1 ready to be the first out1 and perhaps were the last in2 or they come late1 and do not give the full time necessary to hear the entire ,mass4 ,others spend the whole day in reading newspapers1 magazines1 or useless--,i will not say sinful--books4 ,it is not a sin to read newspapers1 etc41 on ,sunday2 but to give the whole time to them1 and never read anything good and instructive1 is a willful waste of time--and waste of time is sinful4 ,there should be in every family1 according to its means1 one or more good ,catholic newspapers or magazines4 ,not all papers that bear the name of ,catholic are worthy of it4 ,a truly ,catholic paper is one that teaches or defends ,catholic truth1 and warns us against its enemies1 their snares1 deceptions1 etc42 one1 too1 that tells us what is being done in the interests of religion1 education1 etc4 ,besides such a paper there should be a few standard good books in every family such as the ,new ,testament1 the ,imitation of ,christ1 a large and full catechism of ,christian doctrine1 etc4 ,on the other hand1 all the books in your house need not be books treating of religion or piety4 ,any book that is not against faith or morals may be kept and read4 ,a book may not be bad in itself1 but it may be bad for you1 either because it is suggestive of evil1 or you misunderstand it1 and take evil out of it4 ,in such a case you should not read it4 ,at the present time there are so many bad books that persons should be very careful as to what they read4 ,not only should we keep ,sunday well ourselves1 but we should endeavor to have it so kept by others4 ,we must be careful1 however1 not to fall into the mistake of some who wish the ,sunday to be kept as the ,pharisees of old kept the ,sabbath1 telling us we must not walk1 ride1 sail1 or take any exercise or enjoyment on that day4 ,this is not true1 for ,our ,lord rebuked the ,pharisees for such excessive rigor2 ,god made the ,sunday for our benefit1 and if we had to keep it as they say we must1 it would be more of a punishment than a benefit4 #cee ,q4 ,how are we to worship ,god on ,sundays and holy days of obligation8 ,a4 ,we are to worship ,god on ,sundays and holy days of obligation by hearing ,mass1 by prayer1 and by other good works4 99#cef ,q4 ,are the ,sabbath day and the ,sunday the same8 ,a4 ,the ,sabbath day and the ,sunday are not the same4 ,the ,sabbath is the seventh day of the week1 and is the day which was kept holy in the ,old ,law2 the ,sunday is the first day of the week1 and is the day which is kept holy in the ,new ,law4 ,old ,law means the law that ,god gave to the ,jews1 the ,new ,law1 the law that ,our ,lord gave to ,christians4 99#ceg ,q4 ,why does the ,church command us to keep the ,sunday holy instead of the ,sabbath8 ,a4 ,the ,church commands us to keep the ,sunday holy instead of the ,sabbath because on ,sunday ,christ rose from the dead1 and on ,sunday ,he sent the ,holy ,ghost upon the ,apostles4 ,we keep ,sunday instead of ,saturday also to teach that the ,old ,law is not now binding upon us1 but that we must keep the ,new ,law1 which takes its place4 #ceh ,q4 ,what is forbidden by the ,third ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,third ,commandment forbids all unnecessary servile work and whatever else may hinder the due observance of the ,lord's day4 #cei ,q4 ,what are servile works8 ,a4 ,servile works are those which require labor rather of body than of mind4 ,servile--that is1 work which was formerly done by the slaves4 ,therefore writing1 reading1 studying1 etc41 are not servile1 because they were not the works of slaves4 #cfj ,q4 ,are servile works on ,sunday ever lawful8 ,a4 ,servile works are lawful on ,sunday when the honor of ,god1 the good of our neighbor1 or necessity requires them4 ,honor of ,god2 for example1 erecting an altar that could not be erected at another time1 so that the people may hear ,mass on that day4 ,good of our neighbor--such as reconstructing a broken bridge that must be used every day2 or clearing away obstacles after a railroad accident1 that trains may not be delayed4 ,necessity--firemen endeavoring to extinguish a fire1 sailors working on a ship at sea1 etc4 ,lesson #cc ,,from ,,the ,,fourth ,,to ,,the ,,seventh ,,commandment #cfa ,q4 ,what is the ,fourth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,fourth ,commandment is3 ,honor thy father and thy mother4 #cfb ,q4 ,what are we commanded by the ,fourth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,we are commanded by the ,fourth ,commandment to honor1 love1 and obey our parents in all that is not sin4 ,in all that is not sin1 because if our parents or superiors1 being wicked1 bid us do things that we know to be certainly sinful1 then we must not obey them under any circumstances4 ,god will not excuse us for doing wrong because we were commanded4 ,but if1 on the contrary1 we are forced in spite of our resistance to do the sinful act1 then not we but they have to answer for the sin4 ,if1 however1 you simply doubt about the sinfulness of the act1 then you must obey2 because you must always suppose that your superiors know better than you the things that concern their duty4 ,even if they should be mistaken in the exercise of their authority1 ,god will reward your obedience4 ,besides obeying them1 you must also help and support your parents if they need your assistance4 ,you must not scoff at or despise them for their want of learning or refinement1 because they perhaps have made many sacrifices to give you the advantages of which they in their youth were deprived4 ,do we not sometimes find persons of pretended culture ignorantly slighting their plain-mannered parents1 or showing that they are ashamed of them or unwilling to recognize them before others1 ungratefully forgetting that whatever wealth or learning they themselves have came through the love and kindness of these same parents8 ,again1 is it not sinful for the children1 especially of such parents1 to waste their time in school1 knowing that they are being supported in idleness by the hard toil and many sacrifices of a poor father8 ,never1 then1 be guilty of an unkind or ungrateful act4 ,no matter who they are or what their condition1 never forget those who have helped you and been your temporal or spiritual benefactors4 ,if you cannot return the kindness to the one who helped you1 at least be as ready as he was to do good to another4 ,it is told of a great man that1 wishing always to do good1 he made it a rule never to stand looking at the effects of a disturbance1 disaster1 or accident unless he could do some good by being there4 ,wherever you are1 ask yourselves now and then1 ,why am ,i in this particular place2 what good am ,i doing here8 etc4 ,st4 ,aloysius when about to perform any action used to ask himself1 it is said1 ,what has this action to do with my eternal salvation8 and ,st4 ,alphonsus de ,liguori made a vow never to waste a moment of his time4 ,these were some of the great heroes of the ,church1 and this is one of the reasons why they could accomplish so much for ,god4 #cfc ,q4 ,are we bound to honor and obey others than our parents8 ,a4 ,we are bound to honor and obey our bishops1 pastors1 magistrates1 teachers1 and other lawful superiors4 ,magistrates--that is1 civil rulers1 like the president1 governor1 mayor1 judges1 etc4 99#cfd ,q4 ,have parents and superiors any duties towards those who are under their charge8 ,a4 ,it is the duty of parents and superiors to take good care of all under their charge and give them proper direction and example4 ,it is so much their duty that ,god will hold them responsible for it1 and punish them for neglecting it2 so that your parents are not free to give you your own way4 ,they have to do ,god's work1 and1 as ,his agents1 punish you when you deserve it4 ,you should take their punishment as coming from ,god ,himself4 ,they do not punish you because they wish to see you suffer1 but for your good4 ,think of the terrible responsibility of parents4 ,let us suppose that the parents of a family give bad example2 their children follow their example1 and when they become heads of families their children also will grow up in wickedness3 and thus we can go on for generations1 and all those sins will be traced back to the first bad parents4 ,what is true for bad example is true also for good example2 that is1 the good done by the children will all be traced back to the parents4 ,sometimes you may be punished when you are not guilty2 then think of the times you were guilty and were not punished4 ,remember also how ,our ,lord was falsely accused before ,herod and ,pilate1 and yet ,he never opened ,his lips to defend ,himself1 but suffered patiently4 ,god sees your innocence and will reward you if you bear your trial patiently4 ,indeed1 we are foolish not to bear all our sufferings patiently1 for we have to bear them anyway1 and we might just as well have the reward that patient suffering will bring us4 ,those who suffer should find comfort in this3 by suffering they are made more like ,our ,lord and ,his blessed ,mother4 ,she lived on earth over sixty years1 and during all that time she seems never to have had any of those things that bring worldly pleasure and happiness4 ,she was left an orphan when quite young1 and spent her early life in the temple1 which was for her a kind of school2 then she was married to a poor old carpenter1 and must have found it very hard at times to get a living4 ,our ,lord was born while she was away from home in a strange place4 ,after she had returned and had just settled down in her little dwelling1 she had to fly with ,st4 ,joseph into ,egypt to save the life of the little ,infant ,jesus1 whom the king's officers were seeking to kill4 ,in ,egypt they were strangers1 among people not of their own nationality or religion1 and ,st4 ,joseph must have found great difficulty in providing for them2 yet they had to remain there for some time4 ,then when our divine ,lord was grown to manhood and could be a great comfort to ,his ,mother1 ,he was seized and put to death in her presence4 ,her most beloved and innocent ,son put to death publicly as a criminal before all her neighbors6 ,the same persons who insulted ,our ,lord would not hesitate to insult and cruelly treat ,his blessed ,mother also4 ,at ,his death ,he left her no money or property for her support1 but asked a friend1 ,st4 ,john1 to receive her into his house and do ,him the favor of taking care of her4 ,she must have often felt that she was a burden in that man's house2 that she had no home of her own1 but was living like a poor woman on the charity of kind friends1 for ,st4 ,joseph died before ,our ,lord's public life began4 ,the ,blessed ,mother was1 however1 obliged to remain upon earth for about eleven years after ,our ,lord's ,ascension4 ,thus we see her whole life was one of trials and sorrows4 ,now certainly ,our ,lord loved ,his ,mother more than any other son could2 and certainly also ,he1 being ,god1 could have made ,his blessed ,mother a queen upon the earth1 rich and powerful among men1 and free from every suffering or inconvenience4 ,if1 then1 ,he sent her sorrows and trials1 it must have been because these were best for her1 and because ,he knew that for this suffering here upon earth her happiness and glory in ,heaven would be much increased2 and as ,he wished her to have all the happiness and glory she was capable of possessing1 ,he permitted her to suffer4 ,if1 then1 suffering was good for ,our ,lord's ,mother1 it is good also for us2 and when it comes we ought not to complain1 but bear it patiently1 as she did1 and ask ,our ,lord to give us that grace4 #cfe ,q4 ,what is forbidden by the ,fourth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,fourth ,commandment forbids all disobedience1 contempt1 and stubbornness towards our parents or lawful superiors4 ,contempt4 ,showing by our words or actions that we disregard or despise those placed over us4 ,a man who is summoned to appear in court and does not come is punished for contempt of court1 because he shows that he disregards the authority of the judge4 ,a thing not very bad in itself may become very bad if done out of contempt4 ,for example1 there would be a great difference between eating a little more than the ,church allows on a fast-day1 simply because you were hungry1 and eating it because you wanted to show that you despised the law of fasting and the authority of the ,church4 ,the first would be only a venial sin1 but the latter mortal4 ,so for all your actions4 ,an act which in itself might be a venial sin could easily become a mortal sin if you did it through contempt4 ,stubbornness--that is1 unwillingness to give in1 even when you know you are wrong and should yield4 ,those who obey slowly and do what they are ordered in a sulky manner are also guilty of stubbornness4 #cff ,q4 ,what is the ,fifth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,fifth ,commandment is3 ,thou shalt not kill4 #cfg ,q4 ,what are we commanded by the ,fifth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,we are commanded by the ,fifth ,commandment to live in peace and union with our neighbor1 to respect his rights1 to seek his spiritual and bodily welfare1 and to take proper care of our own life and health4 ,proper care of our own life4 ,it is not our property1 but ,god's4 ,he lends it to us and leaves it with us as long as ,he pleases3 nor does ,he tell us how long ,he will let us have the use of it4 ,thus suicide1 or the taking of one's own life1 is a mortal sin1 for by it we resist the will of ,god4 ,one who in sound mind and full possession of reason causes his own death is guilty of suicide4 ,but it is sometimes very difficult to determine whether the person was really sane at the time he committed the act2 hence1 when there is any reasonable doubt on that point1 the unfortunate suicide is usually given the benefit of it4 ,it is also a sin to risk our lives uselessly or to continue in any habit that we are sure is injuring our health and shortening our lives4 ,thus an habitual drunkard is guilty of sin against the ,fifth ,commandment1 for besides his sin of drunkenness1 he is hastening his own death4 ,so1 too1 boys or girls who indulge in habits which their parents forbid are guilty of sin4 ,for example1 a boy is forbidden to smoke1 and he does smoke4 ,now to smoke is not in itself a sin1 but it becomes a sin for that boy1 because in the first place he is disobedient1 and secondly is injuring his health4 ,thus persons who indulge in sinful habits may commit more than one kind of sin1 for besides the sins committed by the habits themselves1 these vices may injure their health and bring sickness and disease upon their bodies4 #cfh ,q4 ,what is forbidden by the ,fifth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,fifth ,commandment forbids all willful murder1 fighting1 anger1 hatred1 revenge1 and bad example4 ,therefore it forbids all that might lead to murder4 ,so we can violate any of the ,commandments by doing anything that leads to breaking them4 ,revenge is a desire to injure others because they injured you4 #cfi ,q4 ,what is the ,sixth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,sixth ,commandment is3 ,thou shalt not commit adultery4 #cgj ,q4 ,what are we commanded by the ,sixth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,we are commanded by the ,sixth ,commandment to be pure in thought and modest in all our looks1 words1 and actions4 ,we should be most careful about this ,commandment1 because almost every violation of it is a mortal sin4 ,for example1 if you steal only a little1 it is a venial sin2 for in stealing the greatness of the sin will depend upon the amount you steal2 but if you do a real bad action1 or think a real bad thought against the ,sixth ,commandment1 it will be a mortal sin1 no matter how short the time4 ,again1 we have more temptations against this ,commandment1 for we are tempted by our own bodies and we cannot avoid them3 hence the necessity of being always guarded against this sin4 ,it enters into our soul through our senses2 they are1 as it were1 the doors of our soul4 ,it enters by our eyes looking at bad objects or pictures2 by our ears listening to bad conversation2 by our tongue saying and repeating immodest words1 etc4 ,if then1 we guard all the doors of our soul1 sin cannot enter4 ,it would be foolish to lock all the doors in your house but one1 for one will suffice to admit a thief1 and we might as well leave them all open as one4 ,so1 too1 we must guard all the senses2 for sin can enter by one only as well as by all4 #cga ,q4 ,what is forbidden by the ,sixth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,sixth ,commandment forbids all unchaste freedom with another's wife or husband3 also all immodesty with ourselves or others in looks1 dress1 words1 or actions4 #cgb ,q4 ,does the ,sixth ,commandment forbid the reading of bad and immodest books and newspapers8 ,a4 ,the ,sixth ,commandment does forbid the reading of bad and immodest books and newspapers4 ,reading brings us into the company of those who wrote the book4 ,now we should be just as careful to avoid a bad book as a bad man1 and even more so2 for while we read we can stop to think1 and read over again1 so that bad words read will often make more impression upon us than bad words spoken to us4 ,you should avoid not only bad1 but useless books4 ,you could not waste all your time with an idle man without becoming like him--an idler4 ,so if you waste your time on useless books1 your knowledge will be just like the books--useless4 ,many authors write only for the sake of money1 and care little whether their book is good or bad1 provided it sells well4 ,how many young people have been ruined by bad books1 and how many more by foolish books6 ,boys1 for example1 read in some worthless book of desperate deeds of highway robbery or piracy1 and are at once filled with the desire to imitate the hero of the tale4 ,young girls1 on the other hand1 are equally infatuated by the wonderful fortunes and adventures of some young woman whose life has been so vividly described in a trashy novel4 ,as the result of such reading1 young persons lose the true idea of virtue and valor of true1 noble manhood and womanhood1 and with their hearts and minds corrupted set up vice for their model4 ,again1 these books are filled with such terrible lies and unlikely things that any sensible boy or girl should see their foolishness at once4 ,think1 for example1 of a book relating how two boys defeated and killed or captured several hundred ,indians6 ,is that likely8 ,the truth is1 if two ,indians shook their tomahawks at as many boys as you could crowd into this building1 every single one of them would run for his life4 ,let me give you still another reason for not reading trashy books4 ,your minds can hold just so much good or evil information1 and if you fill them full of lies and nonsense you leave no room for true knowledge4 ,do not1 therefore1 get into the habit of reading foolish story-papers and cheap novels4 ,read good books in which you can find information that will be useful to you all through your life4 ,if now and then you read story-books for amusement or rest from study1 let them be good story-books1 written by good authors4 ,ask someone's advice about the books you read--someone who is capable of giving such advice3 your pastor1 your teachers1 and frequently your parents and friends4 ,learn all through your life to ask advice on every important matter4 ,how many mistakes in life would have been prevented if those making them had only asked advice from the proper persons and followed it4 ,your parents have traveled the road of life before you4 ,now it is known to them and they can point out its dangers4 ,to you the road is entirely new1 and it will be only after you have traveled it and arrived nearly at its end in the latter days of your life that you also will be able to advise others how to pass through it in safety4 ,this road can be traveled only once1 so be advised by those who have learned its many dangers by their own experience4 ,you should be very glad that those of experience are willing to teach you1 and if you neglect their warnings you will be very sorry for it someday4 ,lesson #cd ,,from ,,the ,,seventh ,,to ,,the ,,end ,,of ,,the ,,tenth ,,commandment #cgc ,q4 ,what is the ,seventh ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,seventh ,commandment is3 ,thou shalt not steal4 ,stealing is one of those vices of which you have to be most careful4 ,children should learn to have honest hearts1 and never to take unjustly even the smallest thing2 for some begin a life of dishonesty by stealing little things from their own house or from stores to which they are sent for goods4 ,a nut1 a cake1 an apple1 a cent1 etc41 do not seem much1 but nevertheless to take any of them dishonestly is stealing4 ,children who indulge in this trifling thievery seldom correct the habit in after life and grow up to be dishonest men and women4 ,how do you suppose all the thieves now spending their miserable lives in prison began8 ,do you believe they were very honest--never having stolen even the slightest thing--up to a certain day1 and at once became thieves by committing a highway robbery8 ,no2 they began by stealing little things1 then greater1 and kept on till they made stealing their business and thus became professional thieves4 ,again1 the little you steal each day does not seem much at the time1 but if you put all the littles together you may soon have something big1 and almost before you know it--if you intend to continue stealing--you may have taken enough to make you guilty of mortal sin4 ,if you intended to steal1 for instance1 only a small amount every day for the whole year1 you would at the end have stolen a large amount and committed a mortal sin4 ,there are many ways of violating the ,seventh ,commandment4 ,workmen who do not do a just day's work1 or employers who cheat their workmen out of wages earned2 merchants who charge unjust prices and seek unjust profits2 dealers who give light weight or short measure or who misrepresent goods2 those who speculate rashly or gamble with the money of others1 and those who borrow with no intention or only slight hope of being able to pay back1 all violate this ,commandment4 ,you violate it also by not paying your just debts or by purchasing goods that you know you will never be able to pay for4 ,moreover1 besides the injustice1 it is base ingratitude not to pay your debts when in your power to do so4 ,the one who trusted or lent you helped you in your need and did you a great favor1 and yet when you can you will not pay1 and what is worse1 frequently abuse and insult him for asking his own4 ,though such dishonest and ungrateful persons may escape in this world1 they will not escape in the next1 for ,almighty ,god will make them suffer for the smallest debt they owe4 ,again1 others often suffer for the dishonesty of those ,i have mentioned1 for when some good person who really intends to pay is in great need and wishes to borrow or be trusted1 he is refused because others have been dishonest4 ,everyone should pay his debts1 and even keep from buying things that are not really necessary till he is thus enabled to pay what he owes4 ,you must pay your just debts even before you can give anything in charity4 #cgd ,q4 ,what are we commanded by the ,seventh ,commandment8 ,a4 ,by the ,seventh ,commandment we are commanded to give to all men what belongs to them and to respect their property4 ,respect their property--that is1 acknowledge and respect their rights to their property and do nothing to violate these rights4 #cge ,q4 ,what is forbidden by the ,seventh ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,seventh ,commandment forbids all unjust taking or keeping what belongs to another4 ,taking1 either with your own hands or from the hands of another2 for the one who willingly and knowingly receives from a thief the whole or part of anything stolen becomes as bad as the thief4 ,even if you only help another to steal1 and receive none of the stolen goods1 you are guilty4 ,there are several ways of sharing in the sin of another2 namely1 by ordering or advising him to do wrong2 by praising him for doing wrong and thus encouraging him2 by consenting to wrong when you should oppose it--for instance1 a member of a society allowing an evil act to be done by the society when his vote would prevent it2 again1 by affording wrongdoers protection and means of escape from punishment for their evil deeds4 ,this does not mean that we should not defend the guilty4 ,we should defend them1 but should not encourage them to do wrong by offering them a means of escape from just punishment4 ,we share in another's sin also by neglecting to prevent his bad action when it is our duty to do so4 ,for example1 if a police officer paid for guarding your property should see a thief stealing it and not prevent him1 he would be as guilty as the thief4 ,your neighbor indeed might warn you that the thief was stealing your goods1 but he would not be bound in justice to do so1 as the officer is1 but only in charity1 because it is not his duty to guard your property4 ,parents who know that their children steal and do not prevent them or compel them to bring back what they stole1 but rather encourage them by being indifferent1 are guilty of dishonesty as well as the children1 and share in their sins of theft4 ,but suppose you did not know the thing was stolen when you received it1 but learned afterward that it was1 must you then return it to the proper owner8 ,yes2 just as soon as you know to whom it belongs you begin to sin by keeping it4 ,but suppose you bought it not knowing that it was stolen1 would you still have to restore it8 ,yes1 when the owner asks for it1 because it belongs to him till he sells it or gives it away4 ,if you have bought from a thief you have been cheated and must suffer the loss4 ,your mistake will make you more careful on the next occasion4 ,suppose you find a thing1 what must you do8 ,try to find its owner1 and if you find him give him what is his1 and that without any reward for restoring it1 unless he pleases to give you something1 or unless you have been put to an expense by keeping it4 ,if you cannot find the owner after sincerely seeking for him1 then you may keep the thing found4 ,but suppose you kept the article so long before looking for the owner that it became impossible for you to restore it to him1 either because he had died or removed to parts unknown during your delay--what then8 ,then you must give the article or its value to his children or others who have a right to his goods2 and if no one who has such a right can be found1 you must give it to the poor1 for you have it unjustly--since you did not look for the owner when it was possible to find him--and therefore cannot keep it4 #cgf ,q4 ,are we bound to restore ill-gotten goods8 ,a4 ,we are bound to restore ill-gotten goods1 or the value of them1 as far as we are able2 otherwise we cannot be forgiven4 ,ill-gotten--that is1 unjustly gotten4 ,value4 ,it sometimes happens that persons lose or destroy the article stolen1 and therefore cannot return it4 ,what must be done in such cases8 ,they must give the owner the value of it4 ,however1 when you have stolen anything and have to restore it1 you need not go to the owner and say1 ,here is what ,i stole from you4 ,it is only necessary that he gets what is his own or its value4 ,he need not even know that it is being restored to him1 unless he knows you stole it2 and then it would be better for your own good name to let him know that you are making amends for the injustice done4 ,therefore1 no one need have any excuse for not restoring what he has unjustly1 because he has only to see that it is returned in some way to its owner1 or to those who have the next right to it1 or to the poor4 ,but you must remember you cannot make restitution by giving to the poor if you can restore to the proper owner4 ,you must restore by giving to the poor only when the owner cannot be found or reached4 ,some persons do not like the duty of restoring to the proper owner1 and think they satisfy their obligation by giving the ill-gotten goods to the poor2 but they do not4 ,you cannot give even in charity the goods of another without being guilty of dishonesty4 ,if you wish to be charitable1 give from your own goods4 ,it is a sin to delay making restitution after you are able to restore4 ,you must restore just as soon as you can1 because the longer you keep the owner out of his property and its benefits1 the greater the injury you do him and the greater the sin4 ,one who1 after being told by his confessor to make restitution1 and promising to do so1 still delays or keeps putting off1 runs the risk of being guilty of sacrilege by receiving the ,sacraments without proper dispositions4 ,but suppose a person cannot restore2 suppose he lost the thing stolen and has not the value of it4 ,what must he do8 ,he must have the firm resolution of restoring as soon as he possibly can2 and without this good resolution he could not be absolved from his sins--even if he had not the real means of restoring4 ,the good intention and resolution will suffice till he has really the means2 but this intention must be serious1 otherwise there will be no forgiveness4 #cgg ,q4 ,are we obliged to repair the damage we have unjustly caused8 ,a4 ,we are bound to repair the damage we have unjustly caused4 #cgh ,q4 ,what is the ,eighth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,eighth ,commandment is3 ,thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor4 ,either in a court1 while we are acting as witnesses1 or by telling lies about him at any other time4 #cgi ,q4 ,what are we commanded by the ,eighth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,we are commanded by the ,eighth ,commandment to speak the truth in all things1 and to be careful of the honor and reputation of everyone4 ,reputation4 ,if it be a sin to steal a man's money1 which we can restore to him1 it is certainly a much greater sin to steal his good name1 which we can never restore1 and especially as we have nothing to gain from injuring his character4 ,it is a sin to tell evil things about another--his sins1 vices1 etc4--even when they are true4 ,the only thing that will excuse us from telling another's fault is the necessity to do so in which we are placed1 or the good we can do to the person himself or others by exposing faults4 ,how shall you know when you have injured the character of another8 ,you have injured another's character if you made others think less of him than they did before4 ,if you have exposed some crime that he really committed1 your sin is called detraction2 if you accuse him of one he did not commit1 your sin is calumny2 and if you maliciously circulate these reports to injure his character1 your sin is slander4 ,but how shall you make reparation for injuring the character of another8 ,if you have told lies about him1 you must acknowledge to those with whom you have talked that you have told what was untrue about him1 and you must even compensate him for whatever loss he has suffered by your lies3 for example1 the loss of his situation by your accusing him of dishonesty4 ,but if what you said of him was true1 how are you to act8 ,at every opportunity say whatever good you can of him in the presence of those before whom you have spoken the evil4 #chj ,q4 ,what is forbidden by the ,eighth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,eighth ,commandment forbids all rash judgments1 backbiting1 slanders1 and lies4 ,rash judgment--that is1 having in your mind and really believing that a person is guilty of a certain sin when you have no reason for thinking so1 and no evidence that he is guilty4 ,backbiting--that is1 talking evil of persons behind their backs4 ,you would not like your neighbor to backbite you1 and you have no right to do to him what you would not wish him to do to you4 ,besides1 everyone hates and fears a backbiter2 because as he brings to you a bad story about another1 he will in the same manner bring to someone else a bad story about you4 ,it is certainly an honor to be able to say of a person3 ,he never has a bad word of anyone2 while on the other hand1 he must be a despicable creature who never speaks of others except to censure or revile them4 ,never listen to a backbiter1 detractor1 or slanderer--it is sinful4 ,another way of injuring your neighbor is revealing the secrets he has confided to you4 ,you will tell one friend perhaps and caution him not to repeat it to another2 but if you cannot keep the secret yourself1 how can you expect others to keep it8 ,again you may injure your neighbor by reading his letters without his consent when you have no authority to do so4 ,this is considered a crime in the eyes even of the civil law1 and anyone who opens and reads the letters of another can be punished by imprisonment4 ,it is a kind of theft1 for it is stealing secrets and information that you have no right to know4 ,it is dishonorable to read another's letter without his consent1 even when you find it open4 ,to carry to persons the evil things said about them by others so as to bring about disputes between them is very sinful4 ,the ,holy ,scripture 7,rom4 #a3bi7 calls this class of sinners whisperers1 and says that they will not enter into ,heaven--that is1 as long as they continue in the habit4 ,if ever1 then1 you hear one person saying anything bad about another1 never go and tell it to the person of whom it was said4 ,if you do1 you will be the cause of all the sin that follows from it--of the anger1 hatred1 revenge1 and probably murder itself1 as sometimes happens4 99#cha ,q4 ,what must they do who have lied about their neighbor and seriously injured his character8 ,a4 ,they who have lied about their neighbor and seriously injured his character must repair the injury done as far as they are able1 otherwise they will not be forgiven4 #chb ,q4 ,what is the ,ninth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,ninth ,commandment is3 ,thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife4 #chc ,q4 ,what are we commanded by the ,ninth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,we are commanded by the ,ninth ,commandment to keep ourselves pure in thought and desire4 #chd ,q4 ,what is forbidden by the ,ninth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,ninth ,commandment forbids unchaste thoughts1 desires of another's wife or husband1 and all other unlawful impure thoughts and desires4 99#che ,q4 ,are impure thoughts and desires always sins8 ,a4 ,impure thoughts and desires are always sins1 unless they displease us and we try to banish them4 #chf ,q4 ,what is the ,tenth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,tenth ,commandment is3 ,thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods4 ,covet means to long for or desire inordinately or unlawfully4 ,if ,i should desire1 for example1 my friend to be killed by an accident1 in order that ,i might become the owner of his gold watch1 ,i would be coveting it4 ,but if ,i desired to have it justly--that is1 to be able to purchase it1 or another similar to it1 that would not be covetousness4 #chg ,q4 ,what are we commanded by the ,tenth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,by the ,tenth ,commandment we are commanded to be content with what we have1 and to rejoice in our neighbor's welfare4 #chh ,q4 ,what is forbidden by the ,tenth ,commandment8 ,a4 ,the ,tenth ,commandment forbids all desires to take or keep wrongfully what belongs to another4 ,lesson #ce ,,on ,,the ,,first ,,and ,,second ,,commandments ,,of ,,the ,,church #chi ,q4 ,which are the chief commandments of the ,church8 ,a4 ,the chief commandments of the ,church are six3 #a4 ,to hear ,mass on ,sundays and holy days of obligation4 #b4 ,to fast and abstain on the days appointed4 #c4 ,to confess at least once a year4 #d4 ,to receive the ,holy ,eucharist during the ,easter time4 #e4 ,to contribute to the support of our pastors4 #f4 ,not to marry persons who are not ,catholics1 or who are related to us within the third degree of kindred1 nor privately without witnesses1 nor to solemnize marriage at forbidden times4 #cij ,q4 ,is it a mortal sin not to hear ,mass on a ,sunday or a holy day of obligation8 ,a4 ,it is a mortal sin not to hear ,mass on a ,sunday or a holy day of obligation1 unless we are excused for a serious reason4 ,they also commit a mortal sin1 who1 having others under their charge1 hinder them from hearing ,mass1 without a sufficient reason4 ,serious reason--that is1 a very good reason1 such as sickness1 necessity of taking care of the sick1 great danger of death1 etc4 ,some persons when they go to the country in the summer believe themselves excused from hearing ,mass because the church is a little further from them or the ,mass at more inconvenient times than in the city4 ,when they are in the country they are bound by the same obligations as the ,catholics who live in that parish the whole year round1 and they must go to ,mass as these do1 even if it is more inconvenient than in the city4 ,persons who have it in their power to select their own summer resort1 should not1 without great necessity1 select a place where there is no ,catholic church1 and where they will be deprived of ,mass and the ,sacraments for several months1 and where there is danger of their dying without the ,sacraments4 ,some excuse themselves from going to ,mass because they are too tired to rise in the morning4 ,they should be ashamed to give such an excuse4 ,was our ,blessed ,lord not tired when ,he carried ,his ,cross8 ,he was tired1 for ,he fell under it several times4 ,and where was ,he going8 ,to ,calvary1 to offer up the bloody sacrifice of the ,cross for you4 ,will you plead fatigue as an excuse when you come to be judged by ,him8 ,others again have a great habit of coming late for ,mass4 ,no matter at what hour the ,mass may be1 they will always be late2 and ,i am afraid these persons will also be too late to enter ,heaven4 ,by coming late they show disrespect to ,our ,lord and distract others2 and to avoid doing so1 they should1 when late1 take a place in the rear of the church4 ,when you are very late for one ,mass1 you should wait for the next--at least1 for as much of the next as you did not hear in the first4 ,you should not1 however1 begrudge a little extra time to ,god4 ,to hear ,mass properly1 you should be in your place a few minutes before the priest comes out1 and make up your mind what blessing you will ask1 or for what intention you desire to hear the ,mass4 ,having others under their charge4 ,some parents are very careless about their children attending ,mass1 especially on holy days4 ,now1 they must remember that in such neglect the sin will be theirs as well as the children's4 ,again1 masters and mistresses do not at times give their workmen and servants sufficient opportunity to hear ,mass1 above all on holy days4 ,all masters and mistresses must remember that they are bound not only to give their servants an opportunity to hear ,mass1 but they are bound as far as they conveniently can to see that they embrace the opportunity1 just as they should see to their children in such matters4 ,catholics having in their employ others1 such as engineers1 drivers1 conductors1 etc41 must make some arrangement between their men by which they will be able to attend ,mass on ,sundays and holy days4 ,the same holds good for companies and corporations having under their charge a large force of men who are obliged by circumstances to work on ,sundays4 99#cia ,q4 ,why were holy days instituted by the ,church8 ,a4 ,holy days were instituted by the ,church to recall to our minds the great mysteries of religion and the virtues and rewards of the saints4 ,for just the same reason that the government has legal holidays4 ,what would the people of this country know or think at the present time about the ,declaration of ,independence1 and all connected with it1 if they did not celebrate from childhood every year1 on the ,fourth of ,july1 the great day on which their forefathers claimed to be free and independent from the nation that was persecuting them8 ,the ,fourth of ,july keeps alive in our memory the struggles of our ancestors of one hundred years or more ago--their great battles1 their sufferings and triumph1 the blessings they secured for us1 and for which we praise them4 ,in like manner1 the feast of the ,resurrection of ,our ,lord keeps us in mind of the sad condition in which we were before ,our ,lord redeemed us1 and how ,he liberated us from the slavery of the devil and secured for us so many wonderful blessings4 ,again1 what would we remember about ,george ,washington if we did not celebrate his birthday8 ,that holiday keeps before our minds the life and actions of that great man and all he did for our benefit4 ,so1 too1 when we celebrate every year the feast of a saint in the ,church1 it keeps before our minds his works and all that he did for ,god and the ,church1 and makes us anxious to imitate his virtues4 ,on every day in the year the ,church honors some mystery of our holy faith or some saint by saying ,mass all over the world in honor of the feast1 and by obliging the priests and bishops to say the divine office for the same purpose4 ,the feast-day of a saint is generally the day on which he died2 because that is considered the day on which he entered into ,heaven--the day on which he was born into the new world4 ,the divine office is a collection of prayers1 hymns1 lessons1 and psalms which every priest and bishop must read every day of his life4 ,as it is said each day in honor of some particular mystery or saint1 the greater part of it differs for each day4 ,the prayers are to ,god1 asking some grace or blessing in honor of the saint--generally such graces as were granted to the saint4 ,the hymns are in the saint's honor2 the lessons are parts of the ,holy ,scripture1 or an account of the saint's life2 and the psalms are those beautiful poems that ,king ,david composed and sang to ,god4 ,the divine office is the prayer of the universal ,church for its children1 and if a priest neglects to say it he commits a mortal sin4 ,it takes about an hour to say the whole divine office1 but it is not intended to be said all at once4 ,it is so divided that it is said at three times in the day4 ,the part called ,matins and ,lauds is said very early in the morning and before ,mass4 ,the part called ,little ,hours is said later in the day2 and the part called ,vespers and ,compline is said in the afternoon4 ,see1 therefore1 how anxious the ,church is for the good of its children1 when it makes its bishops1 priests1 and religious pray daily for all the faithful1 and send up in one voice the same prayer to the throne of ,god4 99#cib ,q4 ,how should we keep the holy days of obligation8 ,a4 ,we should keep the holy days of obligation as we should keep the ,sunday4 #cic ,q4 ,what do you mean by fast-days8 ,a4 ,by fast-days ,i mean days on which we are allowed but one full meal4 ,according to the traditional ,catholic method of fasting1 one may eat one full meal each day with meat included1 plus two smaller meatless meals1 both of which together do not equal the one full meal4 ,no eating between meals is allowed1 although drinking beverages such as coffee and tea are allowed and are not considered to break the fast4 7,milk1 juice1 and soft drinks are also considered not to break the fast1 although they are in fact foods and mitigate the effects of the fast and work contrary to its intent because they satisfy one's hunger to some extent1 since they have food value47 ,they1 therefore1 who follow the above regulations obey the ,catholic method of fasting4 ,today the prescribed days of fast for the whole ,church are ,ash ,wednesday and ,good ,friday 7these are also days of abstinence74 ,however the ,church today says that the meaning of the law of fasting during ,lent remains1 although the extent of the obligation has been changed4 ,in other words1 ,lent remains as a season of penance in the ,church1 but how it is to be observed is greatly up to the individual1 though no one may think himself excused from all penance whatsoever1 and those who are in the fasting age group should still practice the ,church's form of fasting1 since fasting is a primary and very efficacious form of penance4 ,those who1 for sufficient reasons1 are excused from the obligation of fasting1 are not on that account freed from the law of abstinence1 for all who have reached their fourteenth birthday are bound to abstain from flesh-meat on days when it is forbidden--,ash ,wednesday and the ,fridays of ,lent4 ,the following persons are excused from fasting3 7#a7 those who are not yet twenty-one or who have begun their sixtieth year 7from their #eith birthday onward72 7#b7 those whose infirmity1 condition1 or occupation renders it impossible or dangerous for them to fast4 ,if you think you should be excused from fasting or abstaining1 state your reasons to your confessor and ask his advice4 ,on a fast-day1 therefore1 you have to look both to the quantity and the kind of food1 while on a day of abstinence--as the ,fridays in ,lent other than ,good ,friday--you have to look only to the kind4 #cid ,q4 ,what do you mean by days of abstinence8 ,a4 ,by days of abstinence ,i mean days on which we are forbidden to eat flesh-meat1 but are allowed the usual amount of food4 #cie ,q4 ,why does the ,church command us to fast and abstain8 ,a4 ,the ,church commands us to fast and abstain in order that we may mortify our passions and satisfy for our sins4 ,mortify our passions1 keep our bodies under control1 do bodily penance4 ,remember it is our bodies that generally lead us into sin2 if therefore we punish the body by fasting and mortification1 we atone for the sin1 and thus ,god wipes out a part of the temporal punishment due to it4 99#cif ,q4 ,why does the ,church command us to abstain from flesh-meat on ,ash ,wednesday and the ,fridays of ,lent and to abstain from flesh-meat or do some other chosen penance on the other ,fridays of the year8 ,a4 ,the ,church commands us to abstain1 from flesh-meat on ,ash ,wednesday and the ,fridays of ,lent and to abstain from flesh-meat or do some other chosen penance on the other ,fridays of the year in honor of the day on which ,our ,saviour died4 ,lesson #cf ,,on ,,the ,,third1 ,,fourth1 ,,fifth1 ,,and ,,sixth ,,commandments ,,of ,,the ,,church #cig ,q4 ,what is meant by the command of confessing at least once a year8 ,a4 ,by the command of confessing at least once a year is meant that we are obliged1 under pain of mortal sin1 to go to confession within the year4 ,within the year--that is1 the time between your confessions must never be longer than a year1 or1 at least not longer than the period between the beginning of one ,eastertime and the end of the next4 ,all persons who have attained the age of reason are bound to comply with this precept1 and parents should remind their children of it4 99#cih ,q4 ,should we confess only once a year8 ,a4 ,we should confess frequently1 if we wish to lead a good life4 ,some seem to think that they need not go to confession if they have not committed sin since their last confession4 ,two graces are given in penance1 as you already know3 one1 to take away the sins confessed1 and the other1 to strengthen us against temptation and enable us to keep our good resolutions4 ,now1 as we are always tempted1 we should go frequently to confession to get the grace to resist4 ,the saints used to go to confession very frequently1 sometimes every day4 ,they used to go when tempted1 to obtain the grace to resist and to expose their temptations to their confessor and ask his advice4 ,again the ,holy ,scripture tells us that the just man falls seven times2 and just man in ,holy ,scripture means a very good man1 that is1 one doing for ,god1 his neighbor1 and himself what he ought to do4 ,st4 ,joseph is called in the ,scripture a just man1 and he was the foster-father of ,our ,lord4 ,now1 if the good man falls seven times1 he must arise after each fall2 for if he did not get up after the first fall1 he could not fall the second time4 ,this teaches us that we all commit some kind of sin1 at least1 and have always something to confess if we only examine our conscience closely4 ,it teaches us also that when we have the misfortune to fall into sin1 we should rise as quickly as possible4 99#cii ,q4 ,should children go to confession8 ,a4 ,children should go to confession when they are old enough to commit sin1 which is commonly about the age of seven years4 ,to commit sin--that is1 when they know the difference between good and evil4 #djj ,q4 ,what sin does he commit who neglects to receive ,communion during the ,easter time8 ,a4 ,he who neglects to receive ,communion during the ,easter time commits a mortal sin4 #dja ,q4 ,what is the ,easter time8 ,a4 ,the ,easter time is1 in this country1 the time between the first ,sunday of ,lent and ,trinity ,sunday1 inclusive4 ,trinity ,sunday is the eighth ,sunday after ,easter4 ,therefore the whole ,easter-time is from the first ,sunday of ,lent--that is1 seven weeks before ,easter--to ,trinity ,sunday1 eight weeks after it1 or fifteen weeks in all2 and anyone who does not go to ,holy ,communion sometime during these fifteen weeks commits mortal sin4 #djb ,q4 ,are we obliged to contribute to the support of our pastors8 ,a4 ,we are obliged to contribute to the support of our pastors1 and to bear our share in the expenses of the ,church and school4 ,and any charitable institution connected with the ,church4 ,the ,holy ,land was divided among the tribes of ,israel1 who were the descendants of the twelve sons of ,jacob4 ,now1 one of these twelve tribes was made up entirely of priests and persons who served in the temple of ,god1 called ,levites4 ,they received none of the land1 but were to be supported by the other eleven tribes4 ,all the people were obliged by the law to give what they called first-fruits1 and tithes--that is1 one tenth of their income in goods or money each year to the temple for its support and the support of those who served it4 ,in the ,new ,law no definite amount is assigned1 but every ,christian is left free to give what he can to ,god's ,church according to his generosity4 ,but if ,god left you free1 should you therefore be stingy with ,him8 ,moreover1 all that we have comes from ,god1 and should we return ,him the least and the worst8 ,for every alms you give for ,god's sake ,he can send you a hundred blessings2 and what you refuse to give to ,his ,church or poor ,he can take from you in a thousand ways1 by sending misfortunes4 ,we read in the ,bible 7,gen4 #d7 that ,adam's sons1 ,cain and ,abel1 both offered sacrifice to ,god4 ,abel's sacrifice was pleasing1 but ,cain's was not4 ,why8 ,because1 as we are told1 ,cain did not offer to ,god the best he had1 but likely the worst2 or at least1 he offered his sacrifice with a bad disposition4 ,then when he saw that his brother's sacrifice was pleasing to ,god1 being filled with jealousy1 he killed him2 and in punishment ,god marked him and condemned him to be a wanderer on the face of the earth4 ,we are told he was always afraid of being killed by everyone he saw4 ,see1 then1 what comes of being unwilling to be generous with ,god4 ,what we give ,him ,he does not need1 but by giving1 we worship and thank ,him4 ,do not people in the world often give presents to those who have done them a favor1 that they may thus show their gratitude8 ,now1 ,god is always doing us favors1 and why should we not show our gratitude to ,him by giving generously in ,his honor8 ,when we give to the orphans1 etc41 we give to ,him2 for ,he says3 ,whatsoever you give to these little ones you give to ,me4 ,again1 when ,our ,lord tells what will happen on the ,day of ,judgment 7,matt4 #be3ca1 etc471 ,he says1 the ,judge will divide all the people of the world into two bodies2 the good ,he will place on ,his right hand and the wicked on ,his left4 ,then ,he will praise the good for what they did and welcome them to ,heaven2 but to the wicked ,he will say1 ,depart from ,me1 because when ,i was hungry you gave ,me not to eat2 when ,i was thirsty you gave ,me not to drink2 you clothed ,me not1 etc4 ,and then the wicked shall ask1 when did we see ,you in want and not relieve ,you8 ,he will tell them that ,he considered the poor just the same as ,himself2 and as they did nothing for ,his poor1 they did nothing for ,him4 99#djc ,q4 ,what is the meaning of the commandment not to marry within the third degree of kindred8 ,a4 ,the meaning of the commandment not to marry within the third degree of kindred is that no one is allowed to marry another within the third degree of blood relationship4 ,third ,degree4 ,what relatives are in the third degree8 ,brother and sister are in the first degree2 first cousins are in the second degree2 second cousins are in the third degree4 ,therefore all who are second cousins or in nearer relationship cannot be married without a dispensation from the ,church allowing them to do so4 ,a dispensation granted by the ,church is a permission to do something which its law forbids4 ,since it made the law1 it can also dispense from the observance of it4 ,the ,church could not give permission to do anything that ,god's law forbids4 ,it could not1 for example1 give permission to a brother and sister to marry1 because it is not alone the law of the ,church but ,god's law also that forbids that4 ,but ,god's law does not forbid first or second cousins to get married2 but the ,church's law forbids it1 and thus it can in special cases dispense from such laws4 ,god's law is called also the natural law4 ,you must be very careful not to confound the marriage laws that the ,church makes with the marriage laws that the ,state makes4 ,when the ,state makes laws contrary to the laws of ,god or of the ,church1 you cannot obey such laws without committing grievous sin4 ,for instance1 the ,state allows divorce2 it allows persons to marry again if the husband or wife has been sentenced to imprisonment for life2 it does not recognize all the impediments to marriage laid down by the ,church4 ,such laws as these ,catholics cannot comply with2 but when the ,state makes laws which regard only the civil effects of marriage1 such as refer to the property of the husband or wife1 the inheritance of the children1 etc41 laws1 in a word1 which are not opposed either to the laws of ,god or of ,his ,church1 then you may and must obey them2 for the authorities of the government are our lawful superiors1 and must be obeyed in all that is not sin4 ,what we have said with regard to the marriage laws is true for all the rest4 ,thus the civil court might1 on account of some technicality1 free you legally from the payment of a debt2 but that would not free you in conscience from paying what you justly owe4 ,again1 the court might legally decide in your favor in an unjust suit2 but that would not give you the right in conscience to keep what you have thus fraudulently or unjustly obtained4 99#djd ,q4 ,what is the meaning of the command not to marry privately8 ,a4 ,the command not to marry privately means that none should marry without the blessing of ,god's priests or without witnesses4 ,if persons wishing to be married suspect that there is any impediment existing between them1 they should express their doubts and the reasons for them to the priest4 ,here it is well for you to know that if any ,catholic goes to be married before a ,protestant minister1 he is1 by the laws of the ,church in the ,united ,states1 excommunicated4 ,in #aiff the penalty of excommunication for this offense was lifted by the ,sacred ,congregation for the ,doctrine of the ,faith4 ,yet it remains a mortal sin for a ,catholic to attempt to marry outside the ,catholic ,church1 and such a marriage will be invalid4 ,you must know excommunication means cut off from the communion of the ,church and the body of the faithful2 cut off from the ,sacraments and from a share in all the holy ,masses and public prayers offered by the ,church throughout the world4 ,it is a punishment the ,church inflicts upon its disobedient children who will not repent but persist in wrongdoing4 ,if they die willfully excommunicated1 they die in mortal sin1 and no ,mass or funeral prayers can be publicly offered for them2 nor can they be buried in consecrated ground4 ,besides the excommunicated1 there are others who cannot be buried in consecrated ground3 namely1 infants or others who have not been baptized2 those who deliberately committed suicide2 those who have publicly lived sinful lives and evidently died in that public sin2 and all persons who are not ,catholics4 ,if a ,catholic who is not publicly a sinner dies suddenly1 we cannot judge that he is in mortal sin2 and hence such a one may be buried in consecrated ground4 ,it is the desire of the ,church that all its faithful children should be buried in the ground which it has blessed for their remains2 and wherever it is possible ,catholics must have their own burying ground4 99#dje ,q4 ,what is the meaning of the precept not to solemnize marriage at forbidden times8 ,a4 ,the meaning of the precept not to solemnize marriage at forbidden times is that during ,lent and ,advent the marriage ceremony should not be performed with pomp or a nuptial ,mass4 ,persons may be married at these times quietly1 wherever it is not positively forbidden by the laws of the diocese4 99#djf ,q4 ,what is the nuptial ,mass8 ,a4 ,the nuptial ,mass is a ,mass appointed by the ,church to invoke a special blessing upon the married couple4 ,it is a ,mass especially for them and cannot be said for anyone else4 ,at the most solemn parts of the ,mass the priest turns to them and prays that ,god may bless their union4 99#djg ,q4 ,should ,catholics be married at a nuptial ,mass8 ,a4 ,catholics should be married at a nuptial ,mass1 because they thereby show greater reverence for the holy ,sacrament and bring richer blessings upon their wedded life4 ,the ,church wishes to give to the marriage of its children observing its laws all the solemnity possible1 and to impress its dignity and sanctity so deeply upon their minds that they may never forget the solemn promise made at the altar of ,god4 ,the thought of that day will keep them from sin4 ,on the other hand1 the ,church shows its great displeasure when ,catholics do not keep its laws1 but marry persons not of their own religion4 ,at a mixed marriage the couple cannot be married in the church1 nor even in the sacristy2 the priest cannot wear a surplice or stole or any of the sacred vestments of the ,church2 he cannot use holy water1 or the ,sign of the ,cross2 he cannot bless the ring or even use the ,church's language--,latin4 ,everything is done in the coldest manner1 to remind ,catholics that they are doing what is displeasing to their mother the ,church4 ,again the ,church wishes its children to prepare for the ,sacrament of ,matrimony just as they would prepare for any other ,sacrament--,penance1 ,holy ,eucharist1 ,holy ,orders1 etc4 ,imagine a boy going up for ,first ,communion laughing1 talking1 or gazing about him1 without any thought of the great ,sacrament he is about to receive2 thinking only of how he appears in his new clothing1 of those who are present1 etc41 and spending all his time of preparation not in purifying his soul1 but in adorning his body6 ,think of him returning from ,holy ,communion and immediately forgetting ,our ,lord6 ,now1 ,matrimony is deserving of all the respect due to a ,sacrament1 and hence the ,church wishes all its children to be married at ,mass2 or at least in the morning4 ,it does not like them to marry in the evening1 and go to the reception of the ,sacrament as they would to a place of vain amusement4 ,for on such occasions they cannot show the proper respect in the church1 and possibly turn the ceremony into an occasion of sin for all who attend2 for they often seem to forget the holiness of the place and the respect due to the presence of ,our ,lord upon the altar4 ,indeed it should be remembered1 at whatever time the marriage takes place1 that conduct1 dress1 and all else must be in keeping with the dignity of the place and the holiness of the ,sacrament1 and the women should not come into the ,church with uncovered heads4 ,lesson #cg ,,on ,,the ,,last ,,judgment ,,and ,,the ,,resurrection1 ,,hell1 ,,purgatory1 ,,and ,,heaven #djh ,q4 ,when will ,christ judge us8 ,a4 ,christ will judge us immediately after our death1 and on the last day4 ,immediately4 ,in the very room and on the very spot where we die1 we shall be judged in an instant1 and even before those around us are sure that we are really dead4 ,when we have a trial or judgment in one of our courts1 we see the judge listening1 the lawyers defending or trying to condemn1 and the witnesses for or against the person accused4 ,we are in the habit of imagining something of the same kind to take place in the judgment of ,god4 ,we see ,almighty ,god seated on ,his throne2 our angel and patron saint giving their testimony about us--good or bad--and then we hear the ,judge pronounce sentence4 ,this takes place1 but not in the way we imagine1 for ,god needs no witnesses3 ,he knows all4 ,an example will probably make you understand better what really takes place4 ,if you are walking over a very muddy road on a dark night1 you cannot see the spattered condition of your clothing2 but if you come suddenly into a strong light you will see at a glance the state in which you are4 ,in the same way the soul during our earthly life does not see its own condition2 but when it comes into the bright light of ,god's presence1 it sees in an instant its own state and knows what its sentence will be4 ,it goes immediately to its reward or punishment4 ,this judgment at the moment of our death will settle our fate forever4 ,the general judgment will not change1 but only repeat1 the sentence before the whole world4 ,oh1 how we should prepare for that awful moment6 ,see that poor sick man slowly breathing away his life4 ,all his friends are kneeling around him praying2 now he becomes unconscious2 now the death rattle sounds in his throat2 now the eyes are fixed and glassy4 ,a few minutes more and that poor soul will stand in the awful presence of ,god1 to give an account of that man's whole life--of every thought1 word1 and deed4 ,all he has done on earth will be spread out before him like a great picture4 ,he will1 towards the end of his life1 have altogether forgotten perhaps what he thought1 said1 or did on a certain day and hour--the place he was in and the sin committed1 etc42 but at that moment of judgment he will remember all4 ,how he will wish he had been good6 ,how1 then1 can we be so careless now about a matter of such importance1 when we are absolutely certain that we too shall be judged1 and how soon we know not4 ,when you are about to be examined on what you have learned in school or instructions in six months or a year1 how anxious you are in making the necessary preparation1 and how you fear you might not pass1 but be kept back for a while6 ,how delighted you would be to hear that a very dear friend1 and one who knew you well1 was to be your examiner6 ,prepare in the same way for the examination you have to stand at the end of your life4 ,every day you can make a preparation by examining your conscience on the sins you have committed2 by making an act of contrition for them1 and resolving to avoid them for the future4 ,you should never go to sleep without some preparation for judgment4 ,but above all1 try to become better acquainted with your ,examiner--,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ2 try by your prayers and good works to become ,his special friend1 and when your judgment comes you will be pleased rather than afraid to meet ,him4 #dji ,q4 ,what is the judgment called which we have to undergo immediately after death8 ,a4 ,the judgment we have to undergo immediately after death is called the ,particular ,judgment4 ,particular1 because one particular person is judged4 #daj ,q4 ,what is the judgment called which all men have to undergo on the last day8 ,a4 ,the judgment which all men have to undergo on the last day is called the ,general ,judgment4 ,general1 because every creature gifted with intelligence will be judged on that day--the angels of ,heaven1 the devils of ,hell1 and all men1 women1 and children that have ever lived upon the earth4 ,the ,holy ,scripture gives us a terrible account of that awful day4 7,matt4 #bd-be74 ,on some day--we know not when1 it might be tomorrow for all we know--the world will be going on as usual1 some going to school1 others to business2 some seeking pleasure1 others suffering pain2 some in health1 others in sickness1 etc4 ,suddenly they will feel the earth beginning to quake and tremble2 they will see the ocean in great fury1 and will be terrified at its roar as1 surging and foaming1 it throws its mighty waves high in the air4 ,then the sun will grow red and begin to darken2 a horrid glare will spread over the earth1 beginning to burn up4 ,then1 says the ,holy ,scripture1 men will wither away for fear of what is coming2 they will call upon the mountains to fall and hide them2 they will be rushing here and there1 not knowing what to do4 ,money will be of no value then2 dress1 wealth1 fame1 power1 learning1 and all else will be useless1 for at that moment all men will be equal4 ,then shall be heard the sound of the angel's great trumpet calling all to judgment4 ,the dead shall come forth from their graves1 and the demons rush from ,hell4 ,then all shall see our ,blessed ,lord coming in the clouds of ,heaven in great power and majesty surrounded by countless angels bearing ,his shining ,cross before ,him4 ,he will separate the good from the wicked2 ,he will welcome the good to ,heaven and condemn the wicked to ,hell4 ,the sins committed shall be made public before all present4 ,imagine your feelings while you are standing in that great multitude1 waiting for the separation of the good from the bad4 ,to which side will you be sent8 ,our ,lord is coming1 not with the mild countenance of a saviour1 but with the severe look of a judge4 ,as ,he draws nearer and nearer to you1 you see some of your dear friends1 whom you thought good enough upon earth1 sent over to the side of the wicked2 you see others that you deemed foolish sent with the good1 and you become more anxious every instant about the uncertainty of your own fate4 ,you see fathers and mothers sent to opposite sides1 brothers and sisters1 parents and children1 separated forever4 ,oh1 what a terrible moment of suspense6 ,how you will wish you had been better and always lived a friend of ,god6 ,the side you will be on depends upon what you do now1 and you can be on the better side if you wish4 ,do1 then1 in your life what you would wish to have done at that terrible moment4 ,learn to judge yourself frequently4 ,say this1 or something similar1 to yourself4 ,now ,i have lived twelve1 fifteen1 twenty1 or more years2 if that judgment came today1 on which side should ,i be8 ,probably on the side of the wicked4 ,if then ,i spend the rest of my life as ,i have lived in the past1 on the last day ,i shall surely be with the wicked4 ,if my good deeds and bad deeds were counted today1 which would be more numerous8 ,what1 then1 must ,i do8 ,it will not be enough for me simply to be better for the future--,i must try also to make amends for the past4 ,if a man wishing to complete a journey on a certain time1 by walking a fixed number of miles each day1 falls behind a great deal on one day1 he must not only walk the usual number of miles the next1 but must make up for the distance lost on the previous day4 ,so in our journey through this life we must do our duty each day for the future1 and1 as far as we can1 make up for what we have neglected in the past4 99#daa ,q4 ,why does ,christ judge men immediately after death8 ,a4 ,christ judges men immediately after death to reward or punish them according to their deeds4 #dab ,q4 ,what are the rewards or punishments appointed for men's souls after the ,particular ,judgment8 ,a4 ,the rewards or punishments appointed for men's souls after the ,particular ,judgment are ,heaven1 ,purgatory1 and ,hell4 #dac ,q4 ,what is ,hell8 ,a4 ,hell is a state to which the wicked are condemned1 and in which they are deprived of the sight of ,god for all eternity1 and are in dreadful torments4 ,deprived of the sight of ,god4 ,this is called the pain of loss1 while the other sufferings the damned endure are called the pain of sense--that is1 of the senses4 ,the pain of loss causes the unfortunate souls more torment than all their other sufferings2 for as we are created for ,god alone1 the loss of ,him--our last end--is the most dreadful evil that can befall us4 ,this the damned realize1 and know that their souls will be tortured by a perpetual yearning never to be satisfied4 ,this is aggravated by the thought of how easily they might have been saved1 and how foolishly they threw away their happiness and lost all for some miserable pleasure or gratification1 so quickly ended4 ,besides this remorse1 they suffer most frightful torments in all their senses4 ,the worst sufferings you could imagine would not be as bad as the sufferings of the damned really are2 for ,hell must be the opposite of ,heaven1 and since we cannot1 as ,st4 ,paul says1 imagine the happiness of ,heaven1 neither can we imagine the misery of ,hell4 ,sometimes you will find frightful descriptions of ,hell in religious books that tell of the horrible sights1 awful sounds1 disgusting stenches1 and excruciating pains the lost souls endure4 ,now1 all these descriptions are given rather to make people think of the torments of ,hell than as an accurate account of them4 ,no matter how terrible the description may be1 it is never as bad as the reality4 ,we know that the damned are continually tormented in all their senses1 but just in what way we do not know4 ,we know that there is fire in ,hell1 but it is entirely different from our fire2 it neither gives light nor consumes what it burns1 and it causes greater pain than the fire of earth1 for it affects both body and soul4 ,we know that the damned will never see ,god and there will never be an end to their torments4 ,now1 all this is contained in the following3 ,hell is the absence of everything good and the presence of everything evil1 and it will last forever4 ,now1 a priest coming out to preach on ,hell would not say to the people3 ,hell is the absence of everything good and the presence of everything evil1 and it will last forever1 and then step down from the altar and say no more4 ,he must give a fuller explanation to those who are unable to think for themselves4 ,he must point out some of the evils present in ,hell and some of the good things absent1 and thus teach the people how to meditate on these dreadful truths4 ,if1 then1 you bear in mind that there is nothing good in ,hell and it will last forever1 and often think of these two points1 you will have a holy fear of the woeful place and a deep sorrow for your sins which expose you to the danger of suffering its torments4 ,it should be enough1 therefore1 for you to remember3 there is nothing good in ,hell1 and it will last forever4 ,think of anything good you please and it cannot be found in ,hell4 ,is light good8 ,yes4 ,then it is not in ,hell4 ,is hope good8 ,yes4 ,then it is not in ,hell4 ,is true friendship good8 ,yes4 ,then it is not in ,hell4 ,there the damned hate one another4 ,there the poor sufferers curse forever those who led them into sin4 ,hence1 persons should try to bring back to a good life everyone they may have led into sin or scandalized by bad example4 #dad ,q4 ,what is ,purgatory8 ,a4 ,purgatory is the state in which those suffer for a time who die guilty of venial sins1 or without having satisfied for the punishment due to their sins4 ,punishment--that is1 temporal punishment1 already explained to you4 ,after the general judgment there will be ,heaven and ,hell1 but no ,purgatory1 for there will be no men living or dying upon the earth in its present condition to go there4 ,all will be dead and judged and sent to their final abodes4 ,those in ,purgatory are the friends of ,god2 and knowing ,him as they do now1 they would not go into ,his holy presence with the slightest stain upon their souls2 still they are anxious for their ,purgatory to be ended that they may be with ,god4 ,they suffer1 we are told1 the same pains of sense as the damned2 but they suffer willingly1 for they know that it is making them more pleasing to ,god1 and that one day it will all be over and ,he will receive them into ,heaven4 ,their salvation is sure1 and that thought makes them happy4 ,if1 therefore1 you believe any of your friends are in ,purgatory1 you should help them all you can1 and try by your prayers and good works to shorten their time of suffering4 ,they will help you--though they cannot help themselves--by their prayers4 ,and oh1 when they are admitted into ,heaven1 how they will pray for those that have helped them out of ,purgatory6 ,if you do this great charity1 ,god will1 when you die1 put in some good person's heart to pray for you while you suffer in ,purgatory4 ,there must be a ,purgatory1 for one who dies with the slightest stain of sin upon his soul cannot enter ,heaven1 and yet ,god would not send him to ,hell for so small a sin4 ,but why does ,god punish those ,he loves8 ,why does ,he not forgive everything8 ,he punishes because ,he is infinitely just and true4 ,he warned them that if they did certain things they would be punished2 and they did them1 and ,god must keep ,his promise4 ,moreover ,he is just1 and must give to everyone exactly what he deserves4 99#dae ,q4 ,can the faithful on earth help the souls in ,purgatory8 ,a4 ,the faithful on earth can help the souls in ,purgatory by their prayers1 fasts1 almsdeeds2 by indulgences1 and by having ,masses said for them4 99#daf ,q4 ,if everyone is judged immediately after death1 what need is there of a general judgment8 ,a4 ,there is need of a general judgment1 though everyone is judged immediately after death1 that the providence of ,god1 which1 on earth1 often permits the good to suffer and the wicked to prosper1 may in the end appear just before all men4 ,providence of ,god4 ,sometimes here on earth we see a good man always in want1 out of employment1 sickly1 unsuccessful in all his undertakings1 while his neighbor1 who is a very bad man1 is wealthy and prosperous1 and seems to have every pleasure4 ,why this is so we cannot understand now1 but ,god's reason for it will be made known to us on the ,day of ,judgment4 ,sometimes the wicked do good actions here on earth--help the poor1 or contribute to some charity1 for instance2 and as ,god on account of their wickedness cannot reward them in the next world1 ,he rewards them chiefly in this world by temporal goods and pleasures4 ,for all their good deeds they get their reward in this world1 and for the evil their punishment in the next4 ,the good man who suffers gets all his reward in the next world1 that even his sufferings here atone partly for the evil he has done4 ,a second reason for a general judgment is to show the crimes of sinners and the justice of their punishment2 also that the saints may have all their good works made known before the world and receive the glory they deserve4 ,on earth these saints were sometimes considered fools and treated as criminals1 falsely accused1 etc41 and now the whole truth will stand out before the world4 ,but above all1 the general judgment is for the honor and glory of ,our ,lord4 ,at ,his first coming into the world ,he was poor and weak2 many would not believe ,him the ,son of ,god1 and insulted ,him as an impostor4 ,he was falsely accused1 treated shamefully1 and was put to death1 many believing ,him guilty of some crime4 ,now ,he will appear before all as ,he really is--their ,lord and ,master1 their ,creator and ,judge4 ,how they will tremble to look upon ,him whom they have crucified6 ,how all those who have denied ,him1 blasphemed ,him1 persecuted ,his ,church1 and the like1 will fear when they see ,him there as ,judge6 ,how they will realize the terrible mistake worldlings made6 #dag ,q4 ,will our bodies share in the reward or punishment of our souls8 ,a4 ,our bodies will share in the reward or punishment of our souls1 because through the ,resurrection they will again be united to them4 99#dah ,q4 ,in what state will the bodies of the just rise8 ,a4 ,the bodies of the just will rise glorious and immortal4 ,we honor the dead body and treat it with great respect because it was the dwelling place of the soul and was often nourished with the ,sacraments2 also because it will rise in glory and be united with the soul in the presence of ,god forever4 ,for these reasons we use incense and holy water when the body is to be buried1 and even bless the ground in which it is laid4 ,faithful departed means all those who died in a state of grace and who are in ,heaven or ,purgatory4 ,they may be in ,purgatory1 and so we pray for them4 ,we pray that they may rest in peace--that is be in ,heaven1 where they will have no sufferings4 99#dai ,q4 ,will the bodies of the damned also rise8 ,a4 ,the bodies of the damned will also rise1 but they will be condemned to eternal punishment4 #dbj ,q4 ,what is ,heaven8 ,a4 ,heaven is the state of everlasting life in which we see ,god face to face1 are made like unto ,him in glory1 and enjoy eternal happiness4 ,the most delightful place we could possibly imagine as ,heaven would not be near what it really is4 ,everything that is good is there and forever1 and we shall never tire of its joys4 ,all the pleasures and beauties of earth are as nothing compared with ,heaven2 and though we think we can imagine its beauty and happiness now1 we shall see how far we have been from the real truth if ever we reach this heavenly home4 ,god face to face--that is1 as ,he is4 ,we shall not see ,him with the eyes of the body1 but of the soul4 ,that we may see with our natural eyes1 two things are necessary3 first1 an object to look at1 and secondly1 light to see it4 ,now1 to see ,god in ,heaven we need a special light1 which is called the light of glory4 ,god ,himself gives us this light and thus enables us to see ,him as ,he is4 ,this beautiful vision of ,god in ,heaven is called the beatific vision1 and thus our whole life in ,heaven--our joy and happiness--consists in the enjoyment of the beatific vision4 99#dba ,q4 ,what words should we bear always in mind8 ,a4 ,we should bear always in mind these words of ,our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ3 ,what doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul1 or what exchange shall a man give for his soul8 ,for the ,son of man shall come in the glory of ,his ,father with ,his angels3 and then will ,he render to every man according to his works4 ,what does it benefit the poor creatures in ,hell to have been rich1 or beautiful1 or learned1 or powerful8 ,if they had been good1 it was all that was necessary to escape all their sufferings4 ,is there anything on earth that they would not give to be released8 ,why1 then1 did they sell their souls for so little while on earth8 ,the present is the only time you have to merit ,heaven and escape ,hell4 ,the past you cannot recall1 and of the future you are not sure4 ,then use the present well and decide daily whether you wish to be in ,heaven or in ,hell4 ,,note--,wherever in the foregoing pages explanations have been omitted after certain questions or answers it is because the matter they contain has been explained in some preceding question1 or is to be explained in some following question1 or is clear enough in itself without explanation4 ,the explanations of such questions or answers can be easily found by referring to the index4 ,,questions ,,on ,,the ,,explanations ,the ,lord's ,prayer #a4 ,who made the ,lord's ,prayer8 #b4 ,why do we say our and not my ,father8 #c4 ,why do we call ,god ,father8 #d4 ,what person of the ,blessed ,trinity is meant by ,father in the ,lord's ,prayer8 #e4 ,was ,god called ,father before the time of ,our ,lord8 ,why8 #f4 ,why do we say ,who art in ,heaven1 if ,god is everywhere8 #g4 ,what does hallowed mean8 #h4 ,what do we ask for by ,thy kingdom come8 #i4 ,what does ,thy kingdom mean here8 #aj4 ,who do ,god's will in ,heaven8 #aa4 ,what do we ask for by our daily bread8 #ab4 ,why do we say daily8 #ac4 ,what do trespasses mean8 #ad4 ,what do we mean by as we forgive those who trespass against us8 #ae4 ,what example did ,our ,lord give8 #af4 ,what is temptation8 #ag4 ,does ,god tempt us to sin8 #ah4 ,is it a sin to be tempted8 #ai4 ,are there any tempters besides the devil8 #bj4 ,should we seek temptation8 #ba4 ,what does ,amen mean8 #bb4 ,what does ,christian mean8 #bc4 ,what makes us ,christian8 #bd4 ,what does doctrine mean8 ,the ,angelical ,salutation #be4 ,how many parts in the ,hail ,mary8 #bf4 ,what part did the ,angel ,gabriel make8 #bg4 ,when did he make it8 #bh4 ,how did ,mary know what the angel's words meant8 #bi4 ,what part of the ,hail ,mary did ,st4 ,elizabeth make8 #cj4 ,who was ,st4 ,elizabeth's son8 #ca4 ,why is ,mary called blessed amongst women8 #cb4 ,what part of the ,hail ,mary did the ,church make8 #cc4 ,what does hail mean8 #cd4 ,why do we say full of grace8 #ce4 ,why is ,mary called holy8 #cf4 ,why do we need ,mary's prayer at the hour of death8 #cg4 ,what is the ,angelus8 #ch4 ,what does the ,word mean8 #ci4 ,what does made flesh mean in the third part of the ,angelus8 #dj4 ,what is the ,litany of the ,blessed ,virgin8 #da4 ,are there other litanies besides the ,litany of the ,blessed ,virgin8 ,the ,apostles' ,creed #db4 ,what is a creed8 #dc4 ,who were the ,apostles8 #dd4 ,were the ,apostles bishops or priests8 #de4 ,how do you know8 #df4 ,who were the disciples of ,our ,lord8 #dg4 ,why did the ,apostles make the creed8 #dh4 ,how many articles or parts in the ,apostles' ,creed8 #di4 ,what does ,creator mean8 #ej4 ,by what names is ,our ,lord called8 #ea4 ,how many sons had ,god the ,father8 #eb4 ,why do we say died instead of was killed8 #ec4 ,why do we say ,he was buried8 #ed4 ,is ,limbo the same as ,purgatory8 ,why8 #ee4 ,who were in ,limbo at the time ,our ,lord was crucified8 #ef4 ,name some good men who lived before ,christ4 #eg4 ,did ,our ,lord's body descend into ,limbo8 #eh4 ,was ,our ,lord three full days in the holy sepulchre8 #ei4 ,how can you prove they could not put ,our ,lord to death unless ,he permitted it8 #fj4 ,why do we say right hand of ,god when ,god has no hands8 #fa4 ,what do you mean by judge the living and the dead8 #fb4 ,who are the living8 #fc4 ,who are the dead mentioned here8 #fd4 ,what are ghosts8 #fe4 ,are there any8 #ff4 ,what do you mean by the ,church ,militant8 #fg4 ,who are its members8 #fh4 ,who are the enemies of our salvation8 #fi4 ,why does the devil wish to keep us out of ,heaven8 #gj4 ,what do we mean when we say the world is one of our spiritual enemies8 #ga4 ,have all the saints their bodies in ,heaven8 #gb4 ,who are in ,heaven in their bodies at present8 #gc4 ,what is meant by our concupiscence8 #gd4 ,which tempts us most to sin1 our soul or our body8 ,why8 #ge4 ,why did ,god leave concupiscence in us8 #gf4 ,what do we mean by the ,church ,suffering8 #gg4 ,who are its members8 #gh4 ,why are souls in ,purgatory8 #gi4 ,what do you mean by the ,church ,triumphant8 #hj4 ,who are its members8 #ha4 ,are there any saints in ,heaven whose names we do not know8 #hb4 ,who are saints8 #hc4 ,what is the difference between a saint and an angel8 #hd4 ,why does the ,church canonize holy persons8 #he4 ,does canonization make the person a saint8 #hf4 ,how does the ,church canonize a saint8 #hg4 ,explain the communion of saints4 #hh4 ,what is the difference between beatification and canonization8 #hi4 ,how is the resurrection of the body possible8 #ij4 ,what is death8 #ia4 ,what does life everlasting mean8 #ib4 ,how many fathers had ,our ,lord8 ,who were they8 #ic4 ,how many mothers had ,he8 #id4 ,of what religion was ,pontius ,pilate8 #ie4 ,are all in ,heaven saints8 ,the ,confiteor and ,acts #if4 ,in how many ways can we sin8 #ig4 ,what should we think of when we say the ,confiteor8 #ih4 ,what is the substance of the act of faith8 #ii4 ,why do we find different acts of faith8 #ajj4 ,what is the substance of the act of hope8 #aja4 ,what is the substance of the act of love8 #ajb4 ,do an act of love and an act of charity mean the same8 #ajc4 ,how do you show that they are the same8 #ajd4 ,what makes us help others8 #aje4 ,how may we be charitable to our neighbor8 #ajf4 ,what is the substance of the act of contrition8 #ajg4 ,what does grace at meals mean8 #ajh4 ,why should we say grace at meals8 #aji4 ,why should we be content with our food8 #aaj4 ,is the ,apostles' ,creed an act of faith8 #aaa4 ,did ,john the ,baptist institute the ,sacrament of ,baptism8 #aab4 ,in giving ,baptism1 can one pour the water and another say the words8 ,,catechism ,lesson #a #aac4 ,what is a catechism8 #aad4 ,what does our ,catechism contain8 #aae4 ,why should we learn the ,catechism8 #aaf4 ,what do we mean by the end of man8 #aag4 ,for what end was man created8 #aah4 ,in what respect are all men equal8 #aai4 ,what is woman8 #abj4 ,in the first question1 what does world mean8 #aba4 ,what is a creature8 #abb4 ,is every invisible thing a spirit8 #abc4 ,of what use is reason to us8 #abd4 ,what makes man different from all other animals8 #abe4 ,have any brute animals reason8 #abf4 ,how do you know brute animals have not reason8 #abg4 ,can we learn all truths by our reason alone8 #abh4 ,what is revelation8 #abi4 ,what is free will in man8 #acj4 ,have brute animals free will8 #aca4 ,why is it necessary for us to know ,god8 #acb4 ,what does worship mean8 #acc4 ,how do we know when we love ,god above all8 #acd4 ,does the ,apostles' ,creed contain all the truths we must believe8 #ace4 ,name some truths not mentioned in it4 #acf4 ,is a tree a creature8 ,lesson #b #acg4 ,what is a spirit8 #ach4 ,what does infinite mean8 #aci4 ,why does ,god watch over us8 #adj4 ,why is it necessary for ,god to watch over us8 #ada4 ,why must ,god be just as well as merciful8 ,lesson #c #adb4 ,what does supreme mean8 #adc4 ,when are two persons said to be equal8 #add4 ,from whom does authority come8 #ade4 ,is there any difference in the ages of ,god the ,father and ,god the ,son8 #adf4 ,do first1 second1 and third in the ,blessed ,trinity mean that one person was before the other8 #adg4 ,why must we believe mysteries8 #adh4 ,must we understand everything we believe8 ,lesson #d #adi4 ,how may the things ,god created be classed8 #aej4 ,why did ,god create angels8 #aea4 ,if angels have no bodies1 how can they appear8 #aeb4 ,are the angels all equal in dignity8 #aec4 ,how many classes of angels are there8 #aed4 ,what did the ,archangel ,michael do8 #aee4 ,what did the ,archangel ,gabriel do8 #aef4 ,who gave the angels their names8 #aeg4 ,what are the duties of the angels8 #aeh4 ,what does our angel guardian do for us8 #aei4 ,how do you know that the angels offer our prayers and good works to ,god8 #afj4 ,give a short history of ,tobias4 #afa4 ,what do we mean by ,jacob's ladder8 #afb4 ,are there other guardian angels besides the guardian angels of persons8 #afc4 ,name some persons to whom angels appeared4 #afd4 ,were angels ever sent to punish men8 #afe4 ,if ,god watches over us1 why should angels guard us8 #aff4 ,what was the devil's name before he was cast out of ,heaven8 #afg4 ,why was he cast out8 #afh4 ,is the ,blessed ,virgin only a creature8 ,why8 ,lesson #e #afi4 ,how did ,god create ,eve8 #agj4 ,what relation was ,eve to ,adam8 #aga4 ,were ,adam and ,eve created at the same time8 #agb4 ,what was the ,garden of ,paradise8 #agc4 ,how did ,adam commit his first sin8 #agd4 ,how was ,eve tempted to disobey ,god8 #age4 ,in what way do we sometimes imitate ,eve's conduct8 #agf4 ,why does the devil tempt us8 #agg4 ,what were the effects of ,adam's sin8 #agh4 ,why do we suffer for the sin of our first parents8 #agi4 ,what did ,adam lose by his sin8 #ahj4 ,what do you mean when you say ,adam's will was weakened by sin8 #aha4 ,can we always overcome temptation if we wish8 #ahb4 ,why was the ,blessed ,virgin preserved from ,original ,sin8 ,lesson #f #ahc4 ,how is sin divided8 #ahd4 ,in what ways can we commit actual sin8 #ahe4 ,what is a sin of omission8 ,give an example4 #ahf4 ,how is ,heaven a reward8 #ahg4 ,how can we merit it8 #ahh4 ,are all religions equally good8 ,why8 #ahi4 ,what do you mean by a person's vocation8 #aij4 ,how are we to know our vocation8 #aia4 ,how should parents act with regard to their children's vocation8 #aib4 ,when is a soul said to be dead8 #aic4 ,how can we judge whether a thing is sinful or not8 #aid4 ,what is a material sin8 #aie4 ,why is it wrong to judge others guilty of sin8 #aif4 ,why does venial sin lessen the love of ,god in our hearts8 #aig4 ,why are pride1 covetousness1 etc41 called capital sins8 #aih4 ,what is meant by our predominant or ruling sin8 #aii4 ,what is pride8 #bjj4 ,why should we take care of our bodies8 #bja4 ,what sins follow pride8 #bjb4 ,what is covetousness8 #bjc4 ,what sins follow covetousness8 #bjd4 ,what is lust8 #bje4 ,what sins follow lust8 #bjf4 ,what is gluttony8 #bjg4 ,what kind of sin is drunkenness8 #bjh4 ,how can we commit gluttony by eating8 #bji4 ,how can we commit gluttony by drinking8 #baj4 ,what sins does the drunkard commit8 #baa4 ,what three great sins should you always guard against8 #bab4 ,why are drunkenness1 dishonesty1 and impurity so dangerous8 #bac4 ,what is envy8 #bad4 ,how do we commit the sin of sloth8 #bae4 ,how can we best destroy sin in our souls8 #baf4 ,should we cease striving to be good1 if we seem to be making no improvement8 ,why8 ,lesson #g #bag4 ,what does incarnation mean8 #bah4 ,what does redemption mean8 #bai4 ,who are slaves8 #bbj4 ,how were we in slavery by the sin of ,adam8 #bba4 ,what price did ,our ,lord pay to redeem us8 #bbb4 ,did ,our ,lord leave us any means of being redeemed more than once8 #bbc4 ,what does abandon mean8 #bbd4 ,has ,heaven really gates8 #bbe4 ,what are the gates of ,heaven8 #bbf4 ,is ,our ,lord now in ,heaven as ,god or as man8 #bbg4 ,who was ,our ,lord's foster-father8 #bbh4 ,what is a foster-father8 #bbi4 ,how many years from the time ,adam sinned till the ,redeemer came8 #bcj4 ,why did ,god allow so long a time to pass before redeeming us8 #bca4 ,what was the ,deluge8 #bcb4 ,when and why did ,god send it8 #bcc4 ,who were saved from the ,deluge8 ,how8 #bcd4 ,what animals did ,noe have in the ,ark8 #bce4 ,what were the clean animals8 ,name some4 #bcf4 ,why did he have more clean than unclean animals8 #bcg4 ,how long did ,noe spend in making the ,ark8 #bch4 ,how old was ,adam when he died8 #bci4 ,who was the oldest man8 #bdj4 ,what was his age8 #bda4 ,how did the ,deluge come upon the earth8 #bdb4 ,how long did the ,ark float upon the waters8 #bdc4 ,how did ,noe learn that the waters were going down8 #bdd4 ,what was the condition of men before the coming of ,our ,lord8 #bde4 ,when and to whom did ,god promise the ,redeemer8 #bdf4 ,what did the prophets foretell about ,christ8 #bdg4 ,why was the ,redeemer not welcomed by all when ,he came8 #bdh4 ,what day of the year is ,annunciation ,day8 #bdi4 ,how could the good people of the ,old ,law be saved by the merits of ,christ1 when ,christ was not yet born8 #bej4 ,in what kind of a stable was ,our ,lord born8 #bea4 ,why did the ,blessed ,virgin and ,st4 ,joseph go to ,bethlehem before the birth of ,our ,lord8 #beb4 ,who were the ,magi8 #bec4 ,what brought them to ,bethlehem8 #bed4 ,why did ,king ,herod wish to find the ,infant ,jesus8 #bee4 ,on what feast do we commemorate the adoration of the ,magi8 #bef4 ,at what time of the year is the ,epiphany8 #beg4 ,what is the feast of ,holy ,innocents8 #beh4 ,when does it come8 #bei4 ,give a short history of ,our ,lord's life4 #bfj4 ,what do we mean by ,his hidden life8 #bfa4 ,what do we mean by ,his public life8 #bfb4 ,how old was ,our ,lord when ,he began ,his public life8 #bfc4 ,what do we know of ,our ,lord's hidden life8 #bfd4 ,why did ,he lead a hidden life for so many years8 #bfe4 ,does mankind mean men or women8 #bff4 ,had ,our ,lord any brothers or sisters8 #bfg4 ,what did the ,angel ,gabriel say at the ,annunciation8 ,lesson #h #bfh4 ,what do you mean by ,our ,lord's ,passion8 #bfi4 ,when did it begin and when did it end8 #bgj4 ,give an account of ,our ,lord's ,passion4 #bga4 ,where was ,gethsemani or the ,garden of ,olives8 #bgb4 ,who went into it with ,our ,lord8 #bgc4 ,what did ,our ,lord do in this garden8 #bgd4 ,what else happened there8 #bge4 ,what caused ,our ,lord's sufferings in the garden8 #bgf4 ,why could ,christ's body suffer greater pain than ours8 #bgg4 ,what do we mean by the agony in the garden8 #bgh4 ,who betrayed ,our ,lord8 #bgi4 ,how did the ,jews act unjustly in the trial of ,our ,lord8 #bhj4 ,what was the scourging at the pillar8 #bha4 ,what was the crowning with thorns8 #bhb4 ,what happened at the death of ,our ,lord8 #bhc4 ,where was ,calvary8 #bhd4 ,why were no criminals put to death in ,jerusalem8 #bhe4 ,how was the temple of ,jerusalem divided8 #bhf4 ,what was the ,holy of ,holies8 #bhg4 ,what was the ,ark of the ,covenant1 and what did it contain8 #bhh4 ,of what were the ark and its contents figures8 #bhi4 ,what was the veil of the temple8 #bij4 ,why was this veil rent asunder at the death of ,our ,lord8 #bia4 ,what does ,calvary mean8 #bib4 ,why was ,our ,lord crucified between thieves8 #bic4 ,why do we call one of these the penitent thief8 #bid4 ,why did ,christ suffer more than was necessary8 #bie4 ,what is a sepulchre8 #bif4 ,how was ,our ,lord buried8 #big4 ,what did the ,jews count the beginning and the end of their day8 #bih4 ,was the ,jewish religion ever the true religion8 #bii4 ,what is a miracle8 #cjj4 ,what does a miracle prove8 #cja4 ,what miracles did ,our ,lord perform8 #cjb4 ,what was ,his greatest8 #cjc4 ,what are the qualities of a glorified body8 #cjd4 ,show that ,our ,lord's body had all these qualities4 #cje4 ,what was the ,transfiguration of ,our ,lord8 ,describe it4 #cjf4 ,who were present at it8 #cjg4 ,what happened on the way to ,emmaus8 #cjh4 ,what benefit is derived from ,thomas the ,apostle doubting the resurrection of ,our ,lord8 #cji4 ,will all who rise on the last day have glorified bodies8 #caj4 ,what does the stigmata of ,our ,lord mean8 #caa4 ,did anyone ever have it8 #cab4 ,was ,our ,lord visible to everyone during the forty days after ,his resurrection8 #cac4 ,about how many times and to whom did ,he appear during the forty days8 #cad4 ,describe ,our ,lord's ,ascension4 #cae4 ,did ,christ always live at ,bethlehem8 ,lesson #i #caf4 ,did the ,holy ,ghost ever appear8 #cag4 ,when and under what forms8 #cah4 ,what does ,whitsunday mean8 #cai4 ,what does ,pentecost mean8 #cbj4 ,what effect did the coming of the ,holy ,ghost have upon the ,apostles8 #cba4 ,how many temples had the ,jews8 #cbb4 ,what was a synagogue8 #cbc4 ,what was done in the synagogues8 #cbd4 ,how did the synagogues differ from the temple8 #cbe4 ,what did the feast of the ,pasch or ,passover commemorate8 #cbf4 ,give a short history of ,moses4 #cbg4 ,how did the ,israelites come to be in ,egypt8 #cbh4 ,give an account of their sufferings in ,egypt4 #cbi4 ,how were they delivered or liberated8 #ccj4 ,give a short account of ,joseph and his family4 #cca4 ,why did ,joseph's brothers wish to put him to death8 #ccb4 ,what did they do to hide their crime8 #ccc4 ,what did the ,king of ,egypt dream8 #ccd4 ,what did his dream mean8 #cce4 ,what do we learn from the life of ,joseph in ,egypt8 #ccf4 ,how was ,moses saved on the bank of the ,nile8 #ccg4 ,what was the burning bush that ,moses saw8 #cch4 ,why did ,god command ,moses to remove his shoes before coming to the burning bush8 #cci4 ,who went with ,moses to deliver the ,israelites8 #cdj4 ,what signs did ,god give to ,moses to show ,king ,pharao8 #cda4 ,what did the king's magicians do8 #cdb4 ,what were the ten plagues of ,egypt8 #cdc4 ,describe each plague4 #cdd4 ,why did ,god send them8 #cde4 ,what was the ,paschal ,lamb8 #cdf4 ,of what was it a figure8 #cdg4 ,what happened to the ,israelites and ,egyptians at the ,red ,sea8 #cdh4 ,how long were the ,israelites in the desert8 #cdi4 ,what was the manna8 #cej4 ,why were the ,israelites so long in the desert8 #cea4 ,what do you mean by the gift of tongues8 #ceb4 ,why did ,god perform more miracles in the first ages of the ,church than now8 #cec4 ,how and where was ,st4 ,peter put to death8 #ced4 ,how did the other ,apostles die8 #cee4 ,st4 ,paul8 #cef4 ,what did the ,apostles prove by suffering death for their faith8 ,lesson #aj #ceg4 ,what do we mean by an effect8 #ceh4 ,what does supernatural mean8 #cei4 ,what is merit8 #cfj4 ,what is a virtue8 #cfa4 ,what is a vice8 #cfb4 ,does habit excuse us for the sins committed through it8 #cfc4 ,when will habit excuse us for the sin8 #cfd4 ,why do we believe revealed truths8 #cfe4 ,who is our neighbor8 #cff4 ,what example did ,our ,lord give to explain this8 #cfg4 ,how do we love our neighbor as ourselves8 #cfh4 ,why should we love our neighbor8 #cfi4 ,can we merit the grace of perseverance8 ,lesson #aa #cgj4 ,when did men begin to speak different languages8 #cga4 ,who were the prophets8 #cgb4 ,give a short history of religion before the time of ,christ4 #cgc4 ,what are the chief works of the ,church8 #cgd4 ,why are our churches holy8 #cge4 ,what are the catacombs1 and why were they made8 #cgf4 ,what are altar stones8 #cgg4 ,why are relics placed in them8 #cgh4 ,how many general persecutions of the ,church were there8 #cgi4 ,tell what you know of these persecutions4 #chj4 ,what lessons do we learn from the sufferings of the early ,christians8 #cha4 ,who are lawful pastors8 #chb4 ,could anyone be ,pope without being ,bishop of ,rome8 #chc4 ,what does vicar mean8 #chd4 ,why are ,catholics called ,roman8 #che4 ,how could a ,protestant be saved8 ,lesson #ab #chf4 ,what is an attribute8 #chg4 ,what is authority8 #chh4 ,why is it sinful to resist lawful authority8 #chi4 ,what does cathedra mean8 #cij4 ,why is the bishop's church called cathedral8 #cia4 ,how do we know when the ,pope speaks ex cathedra8 #cib4 ,what is required that the ,pope may so speak8 #cic4 ,is the ,pope infallible in everything he says8 #cid4 ,what do you mean by faith and morals8 #cie4 ,how many ,popes from ,st4 ,peter to ,pius ,,xi8 #cif4 ,why should we have the greatest respect for the opinions of the ,holy ,father on any subject8 #cig4 ,why must the ,pope sometimes speak on political matters8 #cih4 ,can the ,pope commit sin8 #cii4 ,what do we mean by the temporal power of the ,pope8 #djj4 ,how did he acquire it1 and how did he lose it8 #dja4 ,why has he need of it8 #djb4 ,how is the temporal power useful to the ,church8 #djc4 ,what is ,peter's pence8 #djd4 ,does the ,church change its doctrines8 #dje4 ,how can you show that the ,church is one in government and doctrine8 #djf4 ,what is the hierarchy of the ,church8 #djg4 ,could a person be a ,catholic and not believe all the ,church teaches8 #djh4 ,why are ,protestants so called8 #dji4 ,why does the ,church use ,latin as its language8 #daj4 ,why does the ,church define some truths8 #daa4 ,does the ,church by defining truths make new doctrines8 #dab4 ,give a short history of ,luther4 #dac4 ,why was he cut off from the true ,church8 #dad4 ,why did many follow him8 #dae4 ,how did the first ,protestants act towards the ,church8 #daf4 ,what foolish excuses do some give for not becoming ,catholics8 #dag4 ,why must the true ,church be visible8 #dah4 ,who are heathens8 #dai4 ,who were the publicans mentioned by ,our ,lord8 ,lesson #ac #dbj4 ,what three things are necessary to make a ,sacrament8 #dba4 ,what is the outward sign in ,baptism8 #dbb4 ,why is water used in ,baptism8 #dbc4 ,what is the outward sign in ,confirmation8 #dbd4 ,why is oil used in ,confirmation8 #dbe4 ,what is the use of the outward sign in the ,sacraments8 #dbf4 ,in what ways does the life of the soul resemble the life of the body8 #dbg4 ,what does a ,sacrament of the dead mean8 #dbh4 ,in what ways can we commit sacrilege8 #dbi4 ,what is the sacramental grace given in ,penance8 #dcj4 ,what are the right dispositions for ,penance1 for ,holy ,eucharist8 #dca4 ,what is conditional ,baptism1 and when is it given8 #dcb4 ,can all the ,sacraments be given conditionally8 #dcc4 ,what is the outward sign in ,matrimony8 #dcd4 ,can a bishop give all the ,sacraments8 #dce4 ,can a priest8 #dcf4 ,can a person receive all the ,sacraments8 #dcg4 ,can any of the ,sacraments be given to the dead8 ,lesson #ad #dch4 ,what is an heir8 #dci4 ,why is the ,bible called the ,old and ,new ,testament8 #ddj4 ,what does the ,old ,testament contain8 #dda4 ,what does the ,new ,testament show8 #ddb4 ,what is the difference between ,baptism and ,penance in the remission of the guilt and punishment8 #ddc4 ,could a person gain an indulgence immediately after ,baptism8 ,why8 #ddd4 ,what does the temporal punishment for sin mean8 #dde4 ,where will persons go who have never sinned and who die without ,baptism8 #ddf4 ,what do we mean by the ordinary minister of a ,sacrament8 #ddg4 ,can you baptize an infant when its parents are unwilling8 #ddh4 ,what is private ,baptism8 #ddi4 ,how is it given8 #dej4 ,what ceremonies are used in solemn ,baptism8 #dea4 ,what do they signify8 #deb4 ,what is the baptistery8 #dec4 ,what do we mean by the pomps of the devil8 #ded4 ,what is martyrdom8 #dee4 ,who are catechumens8 #def4 ,what is necessary that persons may be really martyrs8 #deg4 ,what is meant by patron saint8 #deh4 ,on what day is a saint's feast kept by the ,church8 #dei4 ,what does sponsors mean8 ,who are sponsors by proxy8 #dfj4 ,with whom do godparents contract relationship8 #dfa4 ,what names should be given in ,baptism8 ,lesson #ae #dfb4 ,what does balm in the chrism signify8 #dfc4 ,why should we be proud of the ,catholic religion8 #dfd4 ,when are we required to profess our religion8 ,lesson #af #dfe4 ,why is the devil wiser than we are8 #dff4 ,who made the ,beatitudes8 #dfg4 ,where did ,our ,lord generally preach8 #dfh4 ,what do the ,beatitudes teach8 #dfi4 ,how is a person poor in spirit8 #dgj4 ,how can the rich be poor in spirit8 #dga4 ,explain the other ,beatitudes4 ,lesson #ag #dgb4 ,how does the institution of ,penance show the goodness of ,our ,lord8 #dgc4 ,what is absolution8 #dgd4 ,how do you know ,our ,lord could forgive sins8 #dge4 ,how does the power to forgive sins imply the obligation of going to confession8 #dgf4 ,how do we prepare for confession8 #dgg4 ,what is the best method of examining our conscience8 #dgh4 ,what is the most important part of the ,sacrament of ,penance8 #dgi4 ,what kind of sorrow should we have for our sins8 #dhj4 ,when should you say the penance given in confession8 ,lesson #ah #dha4 ,when is our contrition perfect8 #dhb4 ,what is attrition8 #dhc4 ,how many kinds of occasions of sin are there8 #dhd4 ,why must we avoid occasions of sin8 ,lesson #ai #dhe4 ,who is a duly authorized priest8 #dhf4 ,how can a dumb man make his confession8 #dhg4 ,what can one do who cannot remember his sins in confession8 #dhh4 ,how can persons whose language the priest cannot understand confess if they are in danger of death8 #dhi4 ,is it wrong to accuse ourselves of sins we have not committed8 #dij4 ,why is it foolish to conceal sins in confession8 #dia4 ,how were the ancient ,christian churches divided8 #dib4 ,how did the early ,christians do penance8 #dic4 ,explain the temporal and eternal punishment for sin4 #did4 ,is your confession worthless if you forget to say your penance8 #die4 ,what is ,lent8 #dif4 ,what is almsgiving8 #dig4 ,how can we distinguish between spiritual and corporal works of mercy8 #dih4 ,when are we obliged to admonish the sinner8 #dii4 ,what were the ,crusades8 #ejj4 ,why were they commenced8 #eja4 ,how many ,crusades were there8 #ejb4 ,how long did they last8 #ejc4 ,why were those who took part in these expeditions called ,crusaders8 #ejd4 ,what is a pilgrim8 #eje4 ,how have we been relieved from doing many of the works of mercy ourselves8 #ejf4 ,who are religious8 #ejg4 ,what is a hermit8 #ejh4 ,what is a general confession8 #eji4 ,when and why should we make it8 #eaj4 ,who are scrupulous persons8 ,lesson #bj #eaa4 ,when is it well to add to our confession a sin of our past life8 #eab4 ,what duties does the priest perform in the confessional8 #eac4 ,show how he is judge1 father1 teacher1 and physician4 #ead4 ,why is it well to confess always to the same priest8 #eae4 ,can you have half your sins forgiven8 #eaf4 ,when will perfect contrition blot out mortal sin8 ,lesson #ba #eag4 ,how does ,god reward us for good works done in a state of mortal sin8 #eah4 ,is it easy to gain a plenary indulgence8 ,why8 #eai4 ,what works are generally enjoined for indulgences8 #ebj4 ,what does praying for a person's intention mean8 #eba4 ,how can we have the intention of gaining an indulgence8 #ebb4 ,what does an indulgence of #dj days1 etc41 mean8 #ebc4 ,why did the early ,christians do more severe penance than we do8 #ebd4 ,are indulgences attached to anything but prayers8 ,lesson #bb #ebe4 ,what does ,eucharist mean8 #ebf4 ,what is the difference between ,holy ,eucharist and ,holy ,communion8 #ebg4 ,what did ,our ,lord do at the marriage in ,cana8 #ebh4 ,is ,our ,lord's body in the ,holy ,eucharist living or dead8 #ebi4 ,how do you know you receive both the body and the blood of ,our ,lord under the appearance of bread alone8 #ecj4 ,why does the ,church not give the ,holy ,eucharist to the people under the appearance of wine also8 #eca4 ,could it do so8 ,did it ever do it8 #ecb4 ,how long does ,our ,lord remain in the ,holy ,communion8 #ecc4 ,what is the ciborium8 #ecd4 ,at what part of the ,mass are the words of consecration said8 #ece4 ,what are the parts of the ,mass8 #ecf4 ,what is the sacristy8 #ecg4 ,what does the priest prepare for ,mass8 #ech4 ,what is the chalice8 #eci4 ,what is the paten8 #edj4 ,what is the purificator8 #eda4 ,what is the pall8 #edb4 ,what is the host8 #edc4 ,where does the priest get the host8 #edd4 ,what are the different vestments used at ,mass called8 #ede4 ,what do they signify8 #edf4 ,what is the ,offertory in the ,mass8 #edg4 ,when does the ,canon of the ,mass begin8 #edh4 ,what is the ,elevation in the ,mass8 #edi4 ,where does the priest get the ,blessed ,sacrament he gives to the people8 #eej4 ,what is the tabernacle8 #eea4 ,what is ,benediction of the ,blessed ,sacrament8 #eeb4 ,what is the monstrance used at ,benediction8 #eec4 ,why should we be anxious to attend ,benediction8 #eed4 ,what is the cope8 #eee4 ,what is the humeral1 or ,benediction veil8 #eef4 ,why does the priest wear vestments8 #eeg4 ,what do their colors signify8 #eeh4 ,can ,holy ,communion be given in the afternoon8 #eei4 ,what is the ,holy ,eucharist called when received by a person who is not fasting8 #efj4 ,can the priest say ,mass in the evening8 ,why8 #efa4 ,why does the priest genuflect1 etc41 during ,mass8 ,lesson #bc #efb4 ,what should we do if we break our fast before ,holy ,communion8 #efc4 ,when is ,holy ,communion called the ,viaticum8 #efd4 ,who offered the first ,sacrifice of the ,holy ,mass8 ,lesson #bd #efe4 ,when is the ,holy ,eucharist a sacrifice8 #eff4 ,when a ,sacrament8 #efg4 ,what was the temple of the ,pantheon in ,rome8 #efh4 ,who are pagans1 idolaters1 heathens8 #efi4 ,how many kinds of sacrifice had the ,israelites8 #egj4 ,how is the ,mass a sacrifice8 #ega4 ,what is the league of the ,sacred ,heart8 #egb4 ,why was it established8 #egc4 ,what was the origin of offering the priest money for celebrating ,mass for your intention8 #egd4 ,what is the sin of simony8 #ege4 ,why is it so called8 #egf4 ,how are the fruits of the ,mass divided8 #egg4 ,what is a spiritual ,communion8 #egh4 ,how is it made8 ,lesson #be #egi4 ,what does unction mean8 #ehj4 ,how often in their lives are ,catholics anointed8 #eha4 ,is it called ,extreme ,unction even when the person recovers after receiving it8 #ehb4 ,what parts of the body are anointed in ,extreme ,unction8 #ehc4 ,when should the priest be sent for in cases of sickness8 #ehd4 ,what should you do if the sick ,catholic does not wish or refuses to see the priest8 #ehe4 ,how is sickness a benefit to some8 #ehf4 ,what ,sacraments are never given in the ,church8 #ehg4 ,what things should you prepare when the priest is coming to give the ,viaticum or ,extreme ,unction in your house8 #ehh4 ,how is the ,blessed ,sacrament carried to the sick in ,catholic countries8 #ehi4 ,who are the other ministers of the ,church1 besides bishops and priests8 #eij4 ,what is the tonsure8 #eia4 ,of what does the tonsure remind the priest8 #eib4 ,what are the duties and privileges of these other ministers of the ,church8 #eic4 ,how many kinds of ,masses are there8 #eid4 ,do they differ in value1 one being better than another8 #eie4 ,who is meant by the celebrant of the ,mass8 #eif4 ,what does the master of ceremonies do8 #eig4 ,what is a ,requiem ,mass8 #eih4 ,why is it so called8 #eii4 ,what is ,vespers8 #fjj4 ,is it a mortal sin to be willingly absent from ,vespers8 #fja4 ,will ,vespers take the place of ,mass on ,sundays for those who do not attend ,mass8 #fjb4 ,who are cardinals8 #fjc4 ,what are their duties8 #fjd4 ,who is a monsignor8 #fje4 ,who is a vicar general8 #fjf4 ,what is a diocese8 #fjg4 ,what is a parish8 #fjh4 ,does rector and pastor mean the same8 #fji4 ,what do we mean by ,suffragan ,bishops8 #faj4 ,what is the pallium8 #faa4 ,who can wear it8 ,lesson #bf #fab4 ,when are persons lawfully married8 #fac4 ,when was marriage first instituted8 #fad4 ,what sin is it to marry unlawfully8 #fae4 ,what are impediments to marriage8 #faf4 ,what things should persons tell the priest when they are making arrangements for marriage8 #fag4 ,can persons marry invalidly without knowing it8 #fah4 ,what evils follow divorce8 #fai4 ,why should children study8 #fbj4 ,what is meant by the civil effects of marriage8 #fba4 ,what are the chief evils of mixed marriage8 #fbb4 ,what is a mixed marriage8 #fbc4 ,when are motives for marriage worthy8 #fbd4 ,how should persons make a choice for marriage8 #fbe4 ,how are parents sometimes guilty of injustice to their children in case of marriage8 #fbf4 ,what is holy oil8 #fbg4 ,when is it blessed8 #fbh4 ,can a priest bless it in case of necessity8 #fbi4 ,how many kinds of holy oil are there8 #fcj4 ,for what are they used8 #fca4 ,in the administration of what ,sacraments is oil used8 #fcb4 ,can persons receive the ,sacrament of ,matrimony more than once8 #fcc4 ,where and at what time of the day should ,catholics be married8 #fcd4 ,what is balm8 #fce4 ,was there any ,sacrament of ,matrimony before the time of ,our ,lord8 #fcf4 ,were the people of the ,old ,law validly married8 #fcg4 ,how did their marriage differ from ,christian marriage8 ,lesson #bg #fch4 ,can the ,church change the number of sacramentals8 ,why8 #fci4 ,why is it necessary to bless yourself properly8 #fdj4 ,when are candles blessed in the ,church8 #fda4 ,of what do candles on the altar remind us8 #fdb4 ,when are ashes blessed in the ,church8 #fdc4 ,of what do they remind us8 #fdd4 ,of what do the palms remind us8 #fde4 ,what is the difference between a cross and a crucifix8 #fdf4 ,what is the ,rosary8 #fdg4 ,how do we say the beads8 #fdh4 ,what is meant by ,mysteries of the ,rosary8 #fdi4 ,how many ,mysteries of the ,rosary are there8 #fej4 ,how are they divided8 #fea4 ,name the different ,mysteries of the ,rosary4 #feb4 ,what is the ,magnificat8 #fec4 ,who baptized ,our ,lord8 #fed4 ,was the baptism of ,john the ,baptist a ,sacrament8 ,why8 #fee4 ,to whom did ,our ,lord give an example by ,his hidden or private life8 #fef4 ,what did the ,church do for slaves8 #feg4 ,what do the letters ,i4,n4,r4,i4 over the ,cross mean8 #feh4 ,did ,our ,lord claim to be king of the ,jews8 #fei4 ,why was ,our ,lord put to death8 #ffj4 ,with whom did the ,blessed ,virgin live after the death of ,our ,lord8 #ffa4 ,who was ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist8 #ffb4 ,what is the ,apocalypse8 #ffc4 ,about how long did the ,blessed ,virgin live on earth after the ,ascension of ,our ,lord8 #ffd4 ,what is meant by the ,assumption of the ,blessed ,virgin8 #ffe4 ,what proof have we of it8 #fff4 ,on what days are the different ,mysteries of the ,rosary said8 #ffg4 ,what does ,i4,h4,s4 with a cross over it mean8 #ffh4 ,what is the scapular1 and why do we wear it8 #ffi4 ,what is the brown scapular called8 #fgj4 ,how many kinds of scapular are there8 #fga4 ,what are the seven dolors of the ,blessed ,virgin8 ,name them4 #fgb4 ,what are the seven dolor beads8 #fgc4 ,what are religious orders8 #fgd4 ,what vows do the members of religious orders take8 #fge4 ,why were religious orders founded8 #fgf4 ,why are there different kinds of religious orders8 ,lesson #bh #fgg4 ,how many kinds of prayer are there8 #fgh4 ,what is meditation8 #fgi4 ,what should we do before praying8 #fhj4 ,what do you know of ,st4 ,monica8 #fha4 ,of ,st4 ,augustine8 #fhb4 ,why does ,god not always grant our prayers8 #fhc4 ,if prayer is necessary for salvation1 how can infants be saved who die without having prayed8 ,lesson #bi #fhd4 ,were people obliged to keep the ,commandments before the time of ,moses8 #fhe4 ,how many kinds of laws had the ,israelites8 #fhf4 ,when were these laws abolished8 #fhg4 ,how were the ,commandments given to ,moses8 #fhh4 ,what was manna8 #fhi4 ,what is the difference between the ,commandments of ,god and the commandments of the ,church8 #fij4 ,what does love thy neighbor as thyself mean8 ,lesson #cj #fia4 ,how did the ,israelites come to worship false gods8 #fib4 ,how do we sometimes worship strange gods8 #fic4 ,what are fortune tellers8 #fid4 ,why is going to fortune tellers a sin8 #fie4 ,what are spells1 charms8 #fif4 ,are medals1 scapulars1 etc41 worn about us charms8 #fig4 ,what are dreams8 #fih4 ,did ,god ever use them to make known ,his will8 #fii4 ,why does ,he not use them now8 #gjj4 ,what are mediums and spiritists8 #gja4 ,how do bad ,catholics do injury to the ,church8 #gjb4 ,why did the ,christian religion spread so rapidly8 #gjc4 ,who are atheists1 deists1 infidels1 heretics1 apostates1 and schismatics8 #gjd4 ,are all religions equally true8 #gje4 ,why is presumption a great sin8 #gjf4 ,how are we frequently presumptuous8 #gjg4 ,are heretics ,christians8 ,lesson #ca #gjh4 ,what help does ,god give us to save our souls8 #gji4 ,how do we honor ,god by praying to the saints8 #gaj4 ,what is a relic8 #gaa4 ,have we any relics of ,our ,lord's body8 ,why8 #gab4 ,why does the ,catholic religion suit all classes of persons8 #gac4 ,why are there so many kinds of ,protestants8 #gad4 ,does the ,bible contain all the truths of our religion8 #gae4 ,how did ,god honor the relics of saints8 ,give an example4 #gaf4 ,when did the ,jewish religion cease to be the true religion8 ,lesson #cb #gag4 ,is it a sin to use the words of ,scripture in a bad sense8 #gah4 ,what is a perjurer8 #gai4 ,why was ,john the ,baptist put to death8 #gbj4 ,why is it sinful to be a member of a secret society8 #gba4 ,when is an oath rash8 #gbb4 ,what is the difference between blasphemy and cursing8 #gbc4 ,can we blaspheme by action8 #gbd4 ,tell what happened to ,julian the ,apostate4 #gbe4 ,are there any holy days not of obligation8 #gbf4 ,how is the ,sunday well kept8 #gbg4 ,what is a real ,catholic newspaper8 #gbh4 ,what books should be found in every ,catholic family8 #gbi4 ,what is meant by the ,old ,law8 #gcj4 ,what by the ,new8 #gca4 ,are we bound to keep an unlawful oath8 ,lesson #cc #gcb4 ,what do we mean by magistrates8 #gcc4 ,what should we remember when we are unjustly punished8 #gcd4 ,how does suffering make us more like to ,our ,lord and ,his ,blessed ,mother8 #gce4 ,why did the ,blessed ,virgin suffer so many trials upon earth8 #gcf4 ,what is contempt8 #gcg4 ,what is stubbornness8 #gch4 ,why is suicide a mortal sin8 #gci4 ,what is revenge8 #gdj4 ,why should we be most careful about the ,sixth ,commandment8 #gda4 ,why should we guard against bad reading8 #gdb4 ,why should we seek advice8 ,lesson #cd #gdc4 ,in how many ways may we violate the ,seventh ,commandment8 #gdd4 ,why is it unkind and ungrateful not to pay our debts8 #gde4 ,is the receiver of stolen goods as bad as the thief8 #gdf4 ,in how many ways may we share in the sin of another8 #gdg4 ,if you bought an article not knowing that it was stolen1 would you be obliged to give it up to its owner8 #gdh4 ,what must you do with anything you find8 #gdi4 ,what must you do if you have lost or destroyed the article you stole8 #gej4 ,can we always make restitution by giving to the poor8 #gea4 ,is it a sin to delay making restitution8 #geb4 ,what must a person do who cannot restore8 #gec4 ,what will excuse us for telling another's faults8 #ged4 ,how can you know when you have injured the character of another8 #gee4 ,what is detraction8 #gef4 ,what is calumny8 #geg4 ,what is slander8 #geh4 ,how can you make reparation for injuring another's character8 #gei4 ,are you bound to do so8 #gfj4 ,what is rash judgment8 #gfa4 ,what is backbiting8 #gfb4 ,is it sinful to listen to backbiting1 slander1 etc8 #gfc4 ,why is it wrong to tell another's secrets or read another's letters8 #gfd4 ,what does covet mean8 ,lesson #ce #gfe4 ,what is meant by a serious reason for missing ,mass8 #gff4 ,what excuse do some give for not hearing ,mass8 #gfg4 ,why is it wrong to come late for ,mass8 #gfh4 ,on what day do we keep a saint's feast8 #gfi4 ,what is the divine office8 #ggj4 ,how is it divided8 #gga4 ,who are excused from fasting8 #ggb4 ,who are obliged to abstain from flesh-meat on fast-days and days of abstinence8 #ggc4 ,is every fast-day a day of abstinence8 ,lesson #cf #ggd4 ,why should we go to confession even when we have not committed sin since our last confession8 #gge4 ,when is ,trinity ,sunday8 #ggf4 ,how was the ,holy ,land divided8 #ggg4 ,who were the ,levites in the ,old ,law8 #ggh4 ,what were first fruits and tithes in the ,old ,law8 #ggi4 ,why was ,cain's sacrifice displeasing to ,god8 #ghj4 ,what relations are within the third degree of kindred8 #gha4 ,what is a dispensation granted by the ,church8 #ghb4 ,what is meant by the natural law8 #ghc4 ,when can we obey the laws that the ,state makes with regard to marriage8 #ghd4 ,what is excommunication8 #ghe4 ,what effect has it8 #ghf4 ,who are excluded from ,christian burial8 #ghg4 ,how does the ,church show its displeasure when ,catholics marry persons not ,catholics8 #ghh4 ,how should persons prepare for marriage8 #ghi4 ,are women ever allowed in the ,church with their heads uncovered8 #gij4 ,can the priest say a nuptial ,mass for a husband or wife after their death8 ,lesson #cg #gia4 ,where will the particular judgment be held8 #gib4 ,how will it take place8 #gic4 ,will the sentence given at the particular judgment be changed at the general judgment8 #gid4 ,how can we daily prepare for judgment8 #gie4 ,who will be judged at the general judgment8 #gif4 ,how will the general judgment take place8 #gig4 ,what do we mean by the pain of loss8 #gih4 ,what by the pain of sense that the damned suffer8 #gii4 ,why can we not imagine the sufferings of ,hell8 #hjj4 ,how does the fire of ,hell differ from our fire8 #hja4 ,will there be a ,purgatory after the general judgment8 #hjb4 ,why must there be a ,purgatory now8 #hjc4 ,if ,god loves those in ,purgatory1 why does ,he punish them8 #hjd4 ,why do we show respect to the bodies of the dead8 #hje4 ,what does faithful departed mean8 #hjf4 ,what does rest in peace mean8 #hjg4 ,what does seeing ,god face to face mean1 if ,god has no face8 #hjh4 ,what is the beatific vision8 #hji4 ,of what does our happiness in ,heaven consist8 #haj4 ,how long will ,purgatory last8 ,,general ,,index ,a ,,question ,absolution 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ahh ,acolyte 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,actual grace 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aaj ,adoration of the ,magi 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gf ,advice necessary and useful 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cgb ,agony in the garden 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gh ,alb 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,alms to the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #djb ,almsgiving 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bba ,altar boys 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgh ,altars and altar stones 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aae ,amice 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,ancient ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bah ,angels 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ce ,angelus 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4,the ,angelical ,salutation ,anger 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ei ,annunciation ,day 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #fd ,apocalypse 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,apostles 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed ,apostate 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cbc ,apostolicity of the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #acb ,apparitions of ,our ,lord 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ij ,archbishop 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bha ,ark of ,noe 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gb ,ark of the ,covenant 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ha ,ascension of ,our ,lord 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ia ,ashes 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,assumption of the ,blessed ,virgin 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,atheist 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cbc ,attributes of the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #ab1 title ,attrition 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aih ,authority 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #abc ,b ,backbiting 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #chj ,bad company 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aad ,bad example 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cfd ,baptism of blood and desire 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aed ,baptism in case of necessity 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aei ,baptism of ,st4 ,john 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,beads 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,bearing wrongs 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bbc ,beatific vision 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #dbj ,beatification 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed ,beatitudes 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ahe ,benediction of the ,blessed ,sacrament 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,benefits of the ,sacrament of ,penance 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #ag1 title ,biretta 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,birth of ,christ 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ge ,bishop of ,rome 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aag ,blasphemy 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ceb ,blessed ,sacrament carried to the sick 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgg ,bloody sweat of ,our ,lord 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gh ,body of ,our ,lord 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #fd ,body of the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aba ,breaking the fast for ,communion 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bed ,burial of ,our ,lord 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #hh ,burning bush 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,c ,cain 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #aa1 title ,cain's sacrifice 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #djb ,call of ,abraham 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aad ,calumny 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cgi ,calvary 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ha ,candles1 why used 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,canonization of saints 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed ,canonical penance 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bah ,capital sins 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ei ,caravansary 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ge ,cardinals 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bha ,carrying stories 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ahe ,catacombs 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aed ,catechumens 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aae ,catechism 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #a1 title ,cathedral 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #abd ,catholic books and newspapers 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ced ,catholicity of the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aca ,causes of unhappy marriage 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bij ,celebrant of ,mass 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgh ,census-taking in olden times 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ge ,chalice 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,changing water into wine 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bdb ,character in ,baptism1 etc4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #adi ,charitable institutions 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bac ,charity 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,act of ,love ,charms 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cai ,chasuble 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,choice of persons in marriage 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bia ,church1 ,militant1 ,triumphant1 ,suffering 4 4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed ,church instituted by ,christ 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aad ,churches 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aae ,ciborium 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bde ,cincture 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,cities of ancient times 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ge ,color of the vestments 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,communion 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bdb ,communion of saints 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed ,commandments of ,god 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #bi1 title ,concealing sins in confession 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aia ,concupiscence 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #dj ,condition of the world before ,christ 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gb ,confession necessary 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aij ,confessor's duties 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bbh ,confusion of tongues 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #aa1 title ,consecrated ground 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #djd ,consecration in the ,mass 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,contempt 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cfe ,contrition 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aia ,converts 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bhi ,cope 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,coronation of the ,blessed ,virgin 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,corporal works of mercy 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bbc ,covetousness 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ei ,creation 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed ,creation of ,adam and ,eve 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ci ,crowning with thorns 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gh ,crucifixion 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gh ,crucifix 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,cruelty of the ,romans 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gh ,crusades 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bbc ,d ,danger of living in sin 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgb ,day of the ,jews 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #hh ,days of abstinence 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cid ,deacon 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgh ,dead body 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ei ,dead souls 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ada ,death 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed ,death of ,st4 ,john the ,baptist 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cej ,debts 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cgg ,definition of ,dogma of ,faith 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aad ,degrees of kindred 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #djc ,deist 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cbc ,deliverance of the ,jews 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ie ,deluge 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gb ,descent of the ,holy ,ghost 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,despair 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cbi ,detraction 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cgi ,devil 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ch ,diocese 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bha ,disciples 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed ,disciples on the way to ,emmaus 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #hi ,dishonest persons 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cgc ,dispensations 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #djb ,disrespect to parents 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cfb ,distraction at prayer 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cji ,divine ,office 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cia ,division of the ,holy ,land 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #djc ,divorce or separation in marriage 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bhd ,doubt of ,thomas the ,apostle 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #hi ,dreams 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cai ,dress at weddings 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #djg ,dress of the hierarchy 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bha ,drunkenness 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ei ,duty to parents 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cfd ,e ,egyptian bondage 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,elevation in the ,mass 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,end of man 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #a1 title ,envy 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ei ,epiphany 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #cf1 title ,equality among all men 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bb ,eternity 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed ,evils of divorce 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bhd ,evil effects of scandal 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cba ,examination of conscience 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aia ,example of ,our ,lord 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gf ,ex cathedra 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #abd ,excommunication 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #djd ,excuses for not embracing the true religion 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cbd ,excuses for not attending ,mass 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cij ,extreme ,unction 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #be1 title ,extreme ,unction1 to whom it can be given 4 4 4 ,lesson #be1 title ,f ,faith 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ajg ,faithful departed 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #dah ,fall of the angels 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ch ,fall of ,adam 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #dc ,false worship 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cah ,fast-days 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cic ,feasts of the ,jews 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,feasts of the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cia ,final perseverance 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aac ,finding of ,our ,lord in the ,temple 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,first ,protestants 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #acb ,flight into ,egypt 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gf ,forgiveness of sins 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ahh ,forgiveness of injuries 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,lord's ,prayer ,fortune tellers 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cah ,foster-father 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #fc ,fraternal correction 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bbb ,free will in man 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #e ,frequent ,communion 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgj ,fruits of the ,mass 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bfi ,g ,gates of ,heaven 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #fj ,general confession 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bag ,gift of tongues 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,gladiators 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #be1 title ,glorified bodies 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #hi ,gluttony 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ei ,god1 our ,father 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,lord's ,prayer ,gods of the pagans 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bfd ,golden calf 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cda ,gratitude to benefactors 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cfb ,guardian angel 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cf ,h ,hasty marriages 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bij ,heaven 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #dbj ,heaven a reward 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ea ,heirs of ,heaven 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aeb ,hell 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #dac ,help to salvation 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cca ,heretics 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cbc ,herod 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gf ,hidden life of ,christ 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gf ,hierarchy 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #abi ,history of the ,israelites in ,egypt 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,holy days 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ced ,holy ,ghost 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed ,holy ,innocents' feast 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gf ,holy of holies 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ha ,holy oils 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bia ,holy ,orders 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgh ,holy ,sepulchre 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #hh ,holy water 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bib ,holiness of the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #acj ,honoring the saints 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cca ,how to meditate 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjd ,human sacrifice 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bfd ,humeral1 or ,benediction veil 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,i ,i4,h4,s4 with a cross 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,images in the churches 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cda ,immaculate ,conception 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ej ,impediments to marriage 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bhd ,impurity 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cgj ,incarnation 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #g1 title ,indefectibility of the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #abe ,indifferentism in religion 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ea ,indulgences 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bca ,infallibility of the ,pope 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #abd ,infidel 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cbc ,injuring the character of others 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cgi ,i4,n4,r4,i4 on the ,cross 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,instinct of animals 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #e ,intention at ,mass 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bfi ,intention of the ,pope 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bcg ,intention to gain indulgences 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bci ,interpretation of the ,holy ,scriptures 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #abi ,j ,jacob1 father of the twelve tribes 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,jacob's vision and the ladder 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cf ,jehova 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,lord's ,prayer ,john the ,evangelist 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,joseph in ,egypt 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,journey of the ,israelites in the desert 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,judgment1 particular and general 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #djh ,julian the ,apostate 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ceb ,justice of ,god 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bj ,k ,kinds of indulgences 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bcg ,kinds of ,masses 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgh ,kinds of scapulars 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,kingdom of ,god 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,lord's ,prayer ,knowledge of ,god 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #f ,l ,late-coming to ,mass 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cij ,latin language in the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aca ,lawful marriage 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bhc ,laws made by the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #abf ,laws of the ,jews 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #bi1 title ,league of the ,sacred ,heart 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bfi ,lent 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bba ,levites 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #djb ,life of ,christ 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gf ,life of the ,blessed ,virgin 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cfd ,limbo 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed ,litanies 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,angelical ,salutation ,lives of the early ,christians 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cba ,lost time 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bhe ,louise ,lateau 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #hi ,love of our neighbor 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aji ,lucifer or ,satan 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ch ,lust 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ei ,luther 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #acb ,m ,magi or ,wise ,men 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gf ,magistrates 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cfc ,mahomet 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bac ,man 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed ,maniple 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,manna 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #caj ,manner of confessing our sins 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aia ,manner of examining our conscience 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aia ,manner of giving absolution 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ahh ,marks of the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aad ,marriage at ,cana 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bdb ,marriage before a ,protestant minister 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #djd ,master of ,ceremonies 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgh ,meaning of forty days' indulgence 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bcg ,meditation or mental prayer 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjd ,mercy of ,god 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bj ,merit 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ajc ,minister of ,baptism 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aee ,ministers of the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgh ,minor ,orders 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgh ,miracles1 true and false 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #hi ,mixed marriages 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bhi ,molech 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bfd ,monks 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bac ,monsignor 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bha ,moses 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,murder of infants or abortion 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aed ,mystery 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ca ,mysteries of the ,rosary 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,n ,names in ,baptism 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #afc ,names of ,our ,lord 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ff ,natural state of man 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aed ,necessary servile works 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cfj ,necessity of religious instruction 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bhe ,neighbor 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aji ,newspapers 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ced ,noe's ,ark 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gb ,nuns 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bbc ,o ,oath 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cdg ,obedience to parents 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bhd ,observance of ,sunday 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ced ,occasion of sin 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bjg ,offertory in the ,mass 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,offering called stipend for ,mass 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bfi ,ostensorium or monstrance 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,outward signs of the ,sacraments 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #acf ,p ,palestine 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ge ,pall for the chalice 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,pallium 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bha ,palms 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,pantheon in ,rome 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bfd ,paradise 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #dj ,parish 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bha ,parts of the ,divine ,office 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cia ,parts of the ,mass 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,pasch 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,paschal lamb 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,passage of the ,red ,sea 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,passion of ,our ,lord 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gh ,passover 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #ag1 title ,pastor 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bha ,paten 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,patron saint 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #afc ,payment of debts 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cgc ,penance given in confession 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bah ,penitent thief 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #hb ,penitents of the early ages 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bah ,pentecost 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,perfection of ,god 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #e ,persecution of the ,christians 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aae ,persons excluded from ,christian burial 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #djd ,peter's pence 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #abe ,pharao's dream 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,pilgrim 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bbc ,plagues of ,egypt 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,pledge 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cea ,plenary indulgence 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bcd ,poor in the true ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #acb ,pope in politics 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #abe ,prayer 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjd ,preaching of ,our ,lord 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ahe ,predominant sin 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ei ,preparation for confession 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aia ,presence of ,god at our prayers 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,confiteor ,presentation in the temple 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,preservation of creatures by ,god 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ag ,presumption 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cbh ,priests 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bfd ,pride 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ei ,promise of the ,redeemer 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #fj ,proof of the assumption of the ,blessed ,virgin 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,prophets 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #aa1 title ,providence of ,god 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #daf ,public life of ,christ 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gf ,public profession of faith 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cbf ,purgatory 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #dad ,purificator 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,purpose of amendment 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aia ,q ,qualities of a good prayer 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjg ,r ,rash judgment 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #chj ,reading bad books or papers 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cgb ,reading good books or papers 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ced ,reading the letters of others 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #chj ,real presence in the ,holy ,eucharist 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bch ,reason 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #e ,receiving stolen goods 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cge ,rector 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bha ,redeemer promised 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gb ,redemption 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #g1 title ,relics 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cdj ,religious orders and communities 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,respect at ,mass 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bfi ,respect in church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aae ,rest in peace 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #dah ,restitution 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cge ,resurrection of ,our ,lord 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #hi ,resurrection of the body 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed ,revelation 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #e ,revenge 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cfh ,rosary 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,s ,sabbath of the ,jews 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #hh ,sacramental grace 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #adf ,sacramentals 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bib ,sacraments in which oil is used 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bia ,sacraments of the dead 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #adj ,sacraments of the living 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #adc ,sacred ,heart of ,jesus 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgj ,sacrifice 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bfd ,sacrilege 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #add ,saints 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed ,salvation out of the ,catholic ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aba ,sanctifying grace 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aje ,saracens 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bbc ,scandal 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #dac ,scapulars 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,schismatic 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cbc ,scourging at the pillar 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gh ,scrupulous persons 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bag ,secret societies 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cej ,secrets 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #chj ,seven dolors of the ,blessed ,virgin 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,seven dolor beads 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,sickness 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgc ,sign of the ,cross 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bie ,simony 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bfi ,sin1 ,original1 actual1 mortal1 venial 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #f ,sins against faith 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cba ,slander 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cgi ,slavery 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #g1 title ,sloth 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ei ,soul like to ,god 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #e ,soul1 importance of saving one's 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #h ,spells 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cai ,spirit 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #e ,spiritual ,communion 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgj ,spiritual life resembles bodily life 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #acg ,spiritual works of mercy 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bbb ,sponsors 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #afe ,sponsors by proxy 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aei ,spread of the ,protestant religion 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #acb ,st4 ,joseph 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #fc ,st4 ,joseph's ,day 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gd ,st4 ,monica and ,st4 ,augustine 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjg ,st4 ,patrick's ,day 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #gd ,stable at ,bethlehem 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ge ,state laws for marriage 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #djc ,stealing 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cge ,stigmata of ,our ,lord 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #hi ,stole 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,strange gods 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cae ,sub-deacon 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgh ,sufferings of the damned 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #dac ,suicide 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cfg ,supernatural gifts 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ajc ,t ,temple of ,jerusalem 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ha ,temporal power of the ,pope 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ace ,temporal punishment 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bah ,temptation 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the ,lord's ,prayer ,testament1 ,old and ,new 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aec ,thanksgiving after ,communion 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bde ,things prepared for ,mass 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,things prepared for ,viaticum and ,extreme ,unction 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgg ,time given to ,god's service 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cah ,time valuable in youth 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cbb ,tithes and first-fruits in the ,old ,law 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #djb ,tobias 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cf ,tonsure 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgh ,tower of ,babel 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #aa1 title ,transfiguration of ,our ,lord 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #hi ,transubstantiation 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bdb ,two natures in ,christ 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #fe ,u ,unity of the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #abi ,unworthy ,communion 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bee ,use of sacramentals 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bib ,using the sayings of ,holy ,scripture in a profane sense 4 4 4 #cdj ,v ,veil of the temple 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ha ,vespers 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bgh ,vestments1 their names and signification 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bej ,viaticum 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #beh ,vicar general 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bha ,vice 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ajf ,virtue 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ajf ,visibility of the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #acc ,visible and invisible head of the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aaf ,visitation of the ,blessed ,virgin 4 4 4 ,the ,angelical ,salutation ,vocation 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ea ,vow 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cej ,w ,warning against impostors 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjg ,ways of sharing in another's sin 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cge ,whitsunday 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ig ,who offered sacrifice in ancient times 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bfd ,who cannot be sponsors at ,baptism 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #afe ,why children should study 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bhe ,why ,god does not always grant our prayers 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjg ,why holy days were instituted 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cia ,why sickness is sometimes sent 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,lesson #be1 title ,why there are different religious orders 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjb ,woman with issue of blood 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjg ,works necessary to gain indulgences 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bcg ,world 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #a ,worship of ,god 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #i