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SADLIER & CO., l^%ILI4A^foTREET. BOSTON:— 128 Eil)ERA1^^8^EET. MONTREAL :-CORXKR OF NOTRE DAMjf^lirST. FRANCIS XAVIEU STREETS. 185^ Entered, ftpcording to Act of Congrew, in the year 1068, By D. a J. Sadlieb and Compamy, In the Clerk'i Offlee of the DUtrict Court of the United State, for the Sonthem Diitriet o* New York. PRINTED BY BiLUW AND Bbothbbs, 20 North William St., N. Y. DEDICATIOIf. To THE Brothers op the Christian Schools : To you, fervent and devoted children of the venerable De La Salle! f„ yo„, who so well fulfil your lowly yet most important mission, and work on silently and steadily, year after year, training the rismg .generation for the glory of God the salvation of souls, and the well-being of stiites' and communities; to you, who may be truly called the benefa^jtors of mankind, this series of instructions on the Principal Truths of Religion is most re- spectfully dedicated by HoNTKUL, afey, 1858. THE TRANSLATOR. » '^ CONTENTS. I'm CuAP. I. Of God 1 Chap. II. Of the Most Holy Trinity 18 CuAP. III. Of tho Incarnation.. 16 Chap. IV. Of tho Apostles' Creed 20 Chap. V. Of the Sacraments In General 184 Of the Effect of tho Sacraments 185 Of the Number of the Sacraments. 141 Of tho Ceremonies of tho Sacraments 143 OHAi». VI. Of Baptism 145 Of Godfathers and Godmothers I55 Of the Ceremonies of Baptism I57 Of the Ceremonies which precede, accompany, and follow Baptism 157,161,164 Chap. VII. Of Confirmation Igj Chap. VIII. Of the Eucharist I74 Of the Sacrifice of the Mass 191 Of the Ceremonies of the Mass 208 Of the Manner of hearing Mass 218 Chap. IX. Of the Sacrament of Penance 221 Of Contrition 224 Of Perfect Contrition 227 Of Attrition 22S Of Confession 230 Of tho Manner of Confessing 288 Of Satisfaction 240 ClIAP. X Chap. XI. CUAP. XII, Chap. XIII. Chap. XIV, Chap. XV. Chap. XVI. Chap. XVII. Chap. XVIII. Chap. XIX. Cl5AP. XX. CONTENTS. Of Public Penance «4fi Of Indulgoncos 348 Of Extrcnio Unction 261 Of Holy Ordora 268 Of Matrimony 283 Of Virginity 273 Of the Commandments of God 278 Of Vows 813 Of Oaths 814 Of the Commandments of the Church 867 Of Sin 873 Of Original Sin 874 Of Actual Sin 870 Of Mortal Sin 876 Of Venial Sin 87» Ofthe State of Man after his Death 890 Of the Sign of tlie Cross 889 Ofthe Lord's Prayer 8W Of the Angelical Salutation 401 Of til© Tlieological Virtues 404 Of the Cardinal Virtues 406 Ofthe Capital 81ns 406 Acts ofthe Different Virtues 408 Christian Exercise, for the beginning of Catechism 409 For Beptuagoslma Sunday, In the Advanced Classes 415 248 2K1 . 268 . 263 . 272 . 278 . 812 .. 814 .. 857 .. 872 .. 874 .. 870 .. 876 ... 879 ... 830 ...889 ... 8M ... 401 . 404 . 405 . 405 ,. 408 .. 409 .. 415 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. •4 »» CHAPTER I. OF GOD. Queition. What is God f AiiHwer. God is a spirit, eternal, independent, infinite, and immutable, who is present every where, who seeth all things, who can do all things, who has created all things, and governs the universe. Q, Why do you say that he is a spirit f A. Because he is a supreme intelligence, who has neither body, nor figure, nor color, and who cannot fiiU under the senses. Q. What is an intelligence If A. That which is capable of knowing and thinking. Q. How many sorts of intelligences arc there ? A. There are throe sorts. Q. What are they? A. God, the angels, and our souls. Q. What rank does God hold amongst these intelligences ? A. He holds the first rank. Q. Why? A. Because he is a supreme intelligence. ' Q. What do you mean by supreme ? A. That which has no equal. , 1st. God knows all things. He knows himself, and all his perfections. He knows all his creatures, past, present, future, and possible. T-P (i 2 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. 2(1. What God knows, ho knows in a manner infinitely perfect, so as that nothing can ha added thereto, and no other intelligence can over attain to it. Q. Wliat rank do the nngels holil amongst these btelligenccs I A. They hold the second rank. Q. Why? A. Because they hold tho middle place between God and our souls. 1st. They know less than God, but more than our souls. 2d. They know less perfectly than God, but more per- fectly than our souls. Q. What rank do our souls hold amongst these intelligences f A. They hold the lowc 't rank. Q. Why? A. Because they arc below God and the angels. They know but few things, and even those very imperfectly. " We know in part, and we prophesy in part," says St. Paul ;* "but when that which is perfect shall come, that which is in part shall be done away." Q. Are there no more than these three sorts of intelligences in this world ? A. There are no others. The heavens and tho earth, the sun, moon, and stars, are not intelligences, because they are not capable of knowing and thinking. So it is with tho birds, the fish, and all other animals. Plants, wood, stone, and metals, likewise. Our bodies even are not intelligences, because they can neither know nor think ; it is our souls that think. Q. Can we see God with ^ur eyes, and touch him with our hands ? A. No, we cannot. Q. Why ? A. Because ho has neither body, nor figure, nor coloi-, and cannot fall under the senses. The senses are : sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Q. Still it is said in Scripture that God has eyes, arms, han . «. A. The Scripture speaks in that way to make us under- stand that God sees all and can do all. • 1 Cor. xiil. 10. or ooD. tbia under- Q. If Ood has no bod;', why, then, is ho rcproHcntcd as a vciioruble old man ? yl. It is because that he has manifested himself under that figure.* Ihc Holy Ghost is also represented as a dove,f cr in the form of fiery tongues, although ho is a pure spirit.J because ho has appeared under those forms. Ill like manner the angels are represented as young nun having wings,§ although they are pure spirits,|| because they have appeared in that shape. Q. Why did Ood appear as a venerable old man ? A. To make it understood that he is from all eternity. Q. Why did the Holy Ghost appear in the furni of a dove and of fiery tongues ? A. To show that he is a spirit of purity and of charity. Q. Why did the angels appear as young men ^vith wings ? A. To mark their endless youth, and the promptitude wherewith they execute the orders of God. Q, Why etemaU A. Because he has never had a beginning, and will never have an end. Q. Had God a beginning ? A. No. Q. Shall he ever have an end ? A. No. Q. Is there any thing else eteraal ? A. No, it is only God that is eternal. Q. Why? A. Because is is only He who is without beginning and without end. Q. All things, then, have bad a beginning ? A. Yes, except God. The heavens and the earth, the sun, moon and stars, an- gels and men, and all other creatures, have begun at a known time. Q. Where was God when there was nothing of all that we see ? A. He was in himself. God, having need of nothing, suflSced for himself. Even • Dan. vii. 9. t St Mutt. iii. 16. X Acts ii. 3. § Gen. xxviii. 12. I Job V. m DOCTRINAL 'JATE0HI8M. now, it is not the heavens and ti?e earth which contain God, but it is God who contains them. Q. What are those creatuiea called which are never to have an end, such as the angels and our souls ? , >ri ,f i: -''. ., A. They are called immortal. ' It is true that they may be called eternal, inasmuch as they are never to have an end, but they arQ not eternal, in- asmuch as they had a beginning. Q. Why independent ? A. Because he holds his being only from himself, and de- pends on no other cause. . v Q. From whom does God hold his being ? A. From himself alone. Q. Does God depend on any cause t A. No, he depends on no cause, and can depend on none. Q. Why! A. 1st. Because that no cause has produced him. ^* 2d. Because no cause preserves him. He is only indebted to himself for what he is, and for always remaining what he is. Q. From whom do all creatures hold their being ! A. Thev hold it from God. Q. Why? A. Because they have proceeded from God, and if God had not given it to them, they should still be in nothing. Q. What are the CAuses on which all creatures depend ? A. They depend on all those which have given them be- ing, or by which they are preserved. 1st. On God, who is the first author and tne first pre- server of their being. 2d. On those whom God has employed in giving it to them. 3d. On all that preserves it to them. God has subjected man to a multitude of wants, to make him the more sensible of his dependence. Hence his de- pendence is as manifold as his wants. The earth sustains him ; the sun and the stars give him light ; the air makes him breathe ; the earth and its various productions, with the animals which are on the earth, in the air and in the ••: :' OF GOD. ;> ' ■ w waters, serve for his food, his maintenance, and all his other wants. Q. Why is God immutable ? A. Because he is subject to no change. There is nothing immutable on the earth,* because every thing on it is in perpetual change. In heaven there is no more change ; but that is through grace and special favor — grace and favor which may be merited by a good life. Even the angels have earned it by their fidelity. Q. Are the heavens and the earth immutable ? A. No, for they shall one day change.f Then God shall make new heavens and a new earth. J Q. Are men immutable! A. No, for they are subject to ail sorts of change. At one moment they think one thing, and the next mo- ment, something else. To-day they would have one thing, to-morrow another. Yesterday in good health, to-morrow sick, the next day dead, Man, says Job, never continueth in the same state.§ It is not only individuals that change, but the whole world taken collectively. States, kingdoms, provinces, cities, all is in perpetual motion ; for all passes away, all perishes, all comes to an end, and there is nothing to be seen that is fixed, stable, or permanent. Q. What, then, is immutable ! A. Nothing but God alone. Q. Why! A. Because it is only he who is subject to no change. I AM THE Lord, says God, and I change not.jI He changes not in himself; he is always in the same state of greatness and of majesty. He changes not in his perfections; he has them all, and they can receive neither increase nor diminution. Neither does he change in his thoughts nor in his decrees, because they are the same throughout all eternity. Q. Why is he infinite ! A. Because his essence and his perfections have no bounds. ♦ EccIm. 11. It. t St Mark xiil. 81. \ Is. IXT. IT. Job xir. 2. 1* 1 MalMh. iil. 6. 6 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. What is the essence of God ? A. It is supreme and self-existing greatness. Q. What are the perfections of God ? A. They are his eternity, his independence, his immuta- bility, and the others. Q. What do you mean by saying that the essence of God and his perfections have no bounds ? A. I mean that there can be no addition *»ither to his greatness or to his perfections. Q. Why ! A. Because he is by himself supremely great, and su- premely perfect. Q. Is it so with creatures f A. No, for all that is created has bounds. Q. What do you mean by having bounds ? A. I mean that it can always be increased. The heavens and the earth are vast and beautiful ; but they may be still more so. It is the same with regard to men and angels : for perfect as a man or an angel is, he may be more perfect still. It is not so with God, who has a plenitude of greatness and of perfection to which nothing can ever add. Q. Why is he present every where ? A. Because he is in heaven, on earth, and in all places, by his immensity. Q. Where is God?' A. He Is in heaven, on earth, and in all places. Q. How is he there ? A. By his immensity. Q. What is the immensity of God ? ^. It is the power by which God is present every where. If we kept in our minds this presence of God in all places, how great would be our modesty and our respect ! St. Augustine said : If you will sin, go seek out a place wherein God does not see you, and then do what you please ; to make it understood that there is no place whatsoever wherein God does not see us, because he is present every where. Q. Is it only by his immensity that God is in heaven t A. He is also there by his glory. luta- ndHs to his 1 ; but prard to a is, he vho has othing places OF OOD. 7 The glory of God is with him every where ; but it is only in heaven that he manifests it in all its splendor, and it is the sight of that glory which renders the angels and saints eter- nally happy. Q. la it only by his immensity that God is on earth } A. He is also there by his providence. It is that provi- dence which watches over our wants in a manner truly pa- ternal. It is it which guides and regulates all. How great, therefore, should be our confidence and our submission ! Q. Is it only by his immensity that God is in hell ? A. He is there also by his justice. It is there that he punishes as a God all those who during their life have despised his mercy and refused to obey him. Q. Is it only by his immensity that God is in the hearts of the just? A. He is also there by his grace and by his love. It is that grace and that love which enlightens, strengthens, and consoles them at every moment. EXAMPLES. Cain cannot hide his murder from God. Oen. Iv. Jonas vainly seelcs to hide himself from God. Jonas 1. Jesus knows all that Judas is plotting against him. St. Matt. xxtL 21. Q. Why do you say that he sees all ? A» Because that nothing can be hidden from him, and that ho knows all things, even the most secret thoughts of our hearts. Q. Why is it that nothing can be hidden from God ? A. Because all things are naked and open to his eyes.* Q. Why does he see even the most secret thoughts of our hemis ? A. Because he is present in our hearts. You know that God is every where. That being so, he is also in our hearts, and being there, he sees all that passes therein. Hence,when v/e think evil, we may indeed hide our thoughts from the eyes of man, but never from the eyes of God. EXAMPLES. Jesus Christ knows the thoughts of the Scribes. St. Mark 11. 8. Jesus Christ knows the thoughts of the Hcrodlans. St. Matt. rxli. 16. Q. Do the angels know our thoughts? A. No, unless that God, who has reserved to himself alone the knowledge of them, is pleased to manifest them to them.f ♦ Hebrews iv. 18. t Jer. XTli. 10. 8 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. Why do you say that he can do all things ? ."* Because nothing is impossible to his power. Q. Why is nothing impossible to his power t A. Because his power is infinite. Q. Is it so with men and angels ? A. No; for their power is finite. They have nothing but what God gives to them, and be- yond that they can do nothing. Q. Who, then, has infinite power ? A. None but God alone. He it is who in one moment made heaven and earth, and in one moment can send them back into their original noth- ing. Our Lord changed water into wine, walked on the water, instantaneously healed the sick, drove out devils, and raised the dead. These are the works of omnipotence. Yet, though God is all-powerful, he cannot do any thing which contains contradiction, imperfection, or sin. EXAMPLES. Fire from henven dcsceni^s on the sacridce of Elias. 8 Kings zrilL The three children In the fiery furnace. Daniel iii. Daniel in the lions' den. Daniel vi. 16. Q. What do you mean by God having created all things ? A. I mean that from nothing he created the heavens and the earth, and all other creatures, corporal and spiritual, visible and invisible. Q. Of what did he make the heavens and the earth ! A^ He made them of nothing. That is to say, he drew them from the depth of his al mighty power. Q. What do you understand by creatures corporal and visible ? A. I understand all those that we can see. The sky, sun, moon, stars, the earth, our bodies, the ani- mals, plants, wood, stone, &c. Q. What do you understand by creatures spiritual and invisible ? A. I understand those which we cannot see. The angels and our souls. Q. What do you mean by saying that he governs all things ? A. I mean that he regulates all things by his providence, and tnat nothmg happens in the world without his order or without his permission. OF OOD. Q. What does Qod regulate in the world ! A. He regulates all things. Q. How does he regulate them ! A. By his providence. Q. What is the providence of God ? ^. It is the care which God has over all things, Q. How does good happen in the world! A. It happens by the order of God. Q. Why by the order of God ? A. Because God really wills it. God loves good, that is to say, all that is pleasing and agreeable to his eyes, he wills it sincerely, he commands it, he approves of it, and rewards it. Q. How does evil, that is to say, sin, occur in the world ? A. It occurs by the permission of God. Q. What do you mean by the permission of God! A. I mean that, though having the power to prevent it, he does not do so. His reasons for permitting sin are to us unknown, but they are always holy, just, and adorable; for God hates sin, he condemns and punishes it. Q. How do the afflictions of life happen ? A. They happen sometimes by the will of God and some- times by his permission. Q. When do they happen by the will of God I A. When he himself sends them. Such was the case when he caused David to be told* that he gave him the choice of three calamities. Q. When do they happen by his permission f A. When he permits the devil and the wicked to afflict us. This is the case when he does not prevent them, and leaves them to do their will: as when he permitted the devil to torment Job. Job did not then say : It is the devil, or it is the wicked who afflict me; but, It is the hand of God which has stricken me ;f because he knew that nothing hap- pened to him without the permission of God. * 2 Kings xxiv. t Job IL 10. T 10 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. In that case, tho afflictions of this life are rather blessings than evils I A. Yes, when they are recaived in that spirit. Hence, Job, who accepted them thus, blessed God for all the misfortunes that befell him. Q. But how can affictions ever become blessings ? A, 1st. Because they serve to expiate our sins. All sin deserves punishment ; is it not better to endure it in this life than in the other? 2d. Because they serve to exercise our virtues. They bring us to maice acts of submission and of resig- nation to the will of God. They make us practice patience. They serve to detach us from this miserable life and to raake us sigh for heaven. 3d. Because they increase our crown in heaven. Were it not for the sufferings of this life, the holy mar- tyrs, and so many other saints, would never have reached so high a degree of glory. Q. To whom should we piincipally have recourse in our afi^ction ? A. We should have recourse to God. Q. Why? A. Because that no one can relieve us so speedily, or so effectually. .either can any one relieve us, if God do not give him . will and the power. It is, therefore, reasonable that we .ould have recourse to him on all such occasions, as did the .ipostles, who, finding themselves in danger, awoke Jesus Christ, saying. Lord, save us, or we perish ; and who be- sought him in favor of St. Peter's mother-in-law, who was instantly cured ; or the sister of Lazarus, who sent woid to Jesus : Lord ! he whom thou lovest is sick. Q. Does God abandon those who tmly confide in him ? A. No, he never abandons them. He takes care of them as a tender father takes care of his children, and kindly provides for all their wants. Consider him in the following examples, where he attends to the wants of his Apostles and of her whom they recommend to him, as well as to those of Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus. OF GOD. It '0 v.- EXAMPLES. Ishmft'Jl wanting water \n the desert. Oen. xxl. Tlio Israelites !n the desert for forty years. EMiis fed by ravens and by the widow of Sarepta. Klngn xvlW. Ellscus prodicts a sudden abundance In a time of grievous {ftiui^ 4 Kings vlL Kllseus multiplies the poor widow's oil. 4 Kingn Iv. ' Daniel fed by Uabacuc in the lion's den. Dan. xiv. Q. Why did God create usT A. To know him, love him, and serve h means to obtain everlasting life. Q. What is the first end for which God created us? A. To know him. To comprehend the happiness of knowing God, it is only necessary to consider the state of those who have never known him. We ought to thank God for that special favor, and endeavor to increase daily in that knowledge. Q. Is it sufficient to know God, in order to obtain salvation ? A. No; we must also know all things necessary for salva tion. The mystery of the Holy Trinity, that of the Incarnation, and of the Redemption, the resurrection of the dead, and the eternity of rewai'd or of punishment awaiting us hei'eafter. It is also necessary to know the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Commandments of God and of the Church, nil that regards the Sacraments, and the duties of our respect- ive states. Q. When do we begin to learn these things? A. At school and at catechism. It is necessary to go there with zeal and assiduity, to bo modest and attentive, and to repeat at home what has been leai-ned there. Q. What is the second end for which God created us? A. To love him. If it be a happiness to know God, it is a still greater hap- piness to love him. Q. How must we love God? A. We must love him with our whole heart, with our whole soul, and with all our strength. When we say all^ there is no exception, and those words denote great fervor, great activity, and an exceeding great love. DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. Is i^ enough to know God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with our whole strength? A. Wo must likewise love our neighbor as ourselves. Tiiese two are inseparable, and any one who has not both, has neither one nor the other. EXAMPLE. What the great commandment of the law Is. St. Matt. xzU. 86. Q. What is the third end for which God created ua t A, To serve him.* To serve God through love adds yet another degree to the happiness of l;nowing and loving him. To servo God is something greater than to reign. Q. How must we serve God ? A. We must serve him with zeal, fidelity, and perseve- rance ; with zeal, that is to say, without tepidity or negli- gence ; with fidelity, that is to say, without fiiiling in any one duty which we owe to him ; with perseverance, that is to say, without interruption, till the last moment of our ex- istence. Behold, how the great ones of the earth are served. God deserves to be served more than they Jo of kings, the Lord of lords. for he is the King Q. What will be the reward of those who have known, loved, and served God ? A. Life everlasting. ,!. jjl ' ; Q. Where is that life enjoyed ? A. In heaven. Q. Why Is that life called everlasting! A. Because it shall last for ever, and shall never have an end. Q. Who are they who enjoy that life ! A. The angels and saints. How blissful is that life compared with this which we lead here below, and which we should only regard as the means of acquiring the other ! * St Lake It. S. tlTIm.vl.15. u OF TUB MOST HOLY TRINITY. It CHAPTER II. OF THE MOST HOLY TillNlTY. Q. Are tliere many Goda? A. No; there is but one, and there can be no more. Hear, O Israel : the Lord our God is one Lord.* Jesus Christ repeats the same words in St. Mark; and St. Paul thus speaks :f To the King of ages, immortal, in- visible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Q. Why can the j not be more than one God ? A. Because if there were, then none would be God, Q. Why so? ^1. Because none of them would be supreme ; for when wo say supreme, we mean, having no equal. Q. Is there more than one person in God t A. Yes. Q. How many are there ? ^. There are three: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. In the baptism of our Lord by St. John these three per- sons were clearly distinguished. The Father speaks, the Son is baptized, and the Holy Ghost appears in the form of a dove.J Children must be made to understand that Jesus Christ is not a fourth person, nor the Blessed Virgin, although she is the mother of God. • , Q. Is the Father God ? A. Yes. Q. Is the Son God? > A. Yes. Q. Is the Holy Ghost God ? A. Yes. Q. Are there, then, three Gods ? A. No ; there are three persons, but these three persons make but one God, and that is what is called the Most Holy Trinity. * Deut. vl. 4. t 1 Tim. 1. 17. 2 X St Matt iii. 16. T 14 DOCTRINAL CATECIireM. Q. Whatia the Holy Trinity? A. It is one God in three distinct persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Q. Why do you sjiy distinct f A. Because the Father is not the Son, and the Son is not tlic Holy Ghost. Q. What rank docs the mystery of the Holy Trinity hold amongst all tlie others? A. It holds the first rank. Q. Why? A. Because it is the first, the principal, and the source of all the others. Q. la not the Father more ancient than the Son and the Holy Ghost ? A. No ; those two persons are from all eternity, like the Father Q. Had the Son a beginning? A. No; he never had a beginning. Q. Had the Holy Ghost a beginning ? A. No ; he never had a beginning. Q. Why ? A. Because these two persons are from all eternity, like the Father. These two persons being from all eternity, it is impos- sible that the Father could have been a moment before them. Q. Is there any of these three persons greater or more powerful than the others ? A. No ; they arc equal in all things. Q. Why are these three persons equal in all things ? A. Because they have the s:ime divinity and the same nature ; this the Church perfectly explains by the word consuhstan tiality. Q. What do you mean by saying that these three persons have tlie same divinity and the same nature ? A. I mean that they are the same God. Q. What word does the Church employ to explain the perfect unity of the throe persons ? A. She employs the word consuhstantiality. OK TIIK INCARNATION. 15 Q. What is the meaning of tlio ^ord consubatantiality f A. It means that thcso three poisons have ono nnd the same substance; which is just the same as saying that they are ono and the same God. ■•*•- CHAPTER III. OF THE INCAK NATION. Q. Is there any of these throe divine persona who become man f A. Yes. Q. Which of them? A. The Son. Q. What do you moan by saying he became man ? A. I mean that he substantially united to his person a body and soul like unto ours. Like unto ours in every thing, except sin and what leads to sin, such as ignorance and concupiscence. He was subject, like us, to all the miseries of life, to hun- ger, thirst, cold, heat, sadness, pain, and death. Neverthe- less we do not read that he ever had any infirmity, or any sickness. Q. To what did he unite that body and soul like unto ours? A. He united them to his own person. Not to that of the Father, nor to that of the Holy Ghost ; therefore it is the Son only who became man, and not the Father nor the Holy Ghost. Q. How did he unite them ? A. He united them substantially. Q. What do you moan by substantially ? A. I mean in unity of person. This may be understood and explained, in some sort, by the example of the union of our soul with our body ; for, as our soul united to our body makes but one person, so the Son of God united to the soul and body which he as- sumed, makes also but one person. Still, it must be remarked that the union of our soul with our body may be dissolved, and is every day, by death ; 1 .■ lie DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. * whereas that of Jesus Christ could never be dissolved, bo- cause that which the Son of God once tooit, he retained for ever. The union of the faithful and of the just with Jesus Chris: in this life, is not of the nature of that just mentioned ; for they are only united to him by faith, grace, and charity. Q. Where did ho take thia body oud soul ? A. In the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Q. Who is the niotlier of the Son of God made man ? A. The Blessed Virgin Mary. Q. Why ? A. Because the Son of God took, in her womb, a body and soul like unto ours. Q. The Blessed Virgin is, then, the mother of God ! A. Yes, she is truly the mother of God. Q. Why so ? A. Because she really conceived and brought forth a Man- God. Q. Of what was the body of the Son of God formed ? A, It was formed of the substance of Mary. Q. And the soul? A. It was created ; and at the moment of its creation it was filled with all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;* because of its uniou with the Word. Q. What does the name of Mary signify ? A. It signifies lady or mistress. Q. Why is she called blessed ? A. Because of her dignity as mother of God. She bore him in her womb,-)- but still more happily in her heart; and henceforth, says the Blessed Virgin in her can- ticle, ail generations shall call me blessed, for He that is mighty hath done great things in me. Q. Why is she called mother, and she a virgin ! A. Because that in becoming a mother, she ceased not to be a virgin. A virgin before, during, and after her child-bearing, that is to say, always ; a privilege the most glorious, and granted only to Mary. ♦ Colos. il. 3. + St Luke i. 48. OF THE INCARNATlOIf. 17 a, bo- ed for ChriB: l; for ty. , body aMan- ation it dge-j* in her ler can- that is not to fg, that iranted Q. Was Mary alwnys a virgii* ! A. Yes; it is the common belief of the Church, and con- sequently an article of faith.* Q. How Imvn those persons been rcgnrdeil who dared to attack it t A. They have been regarded as heretics.f Q. Why? A. Beciiusc they opposed the common belief of the Church. Q. How was Jesus Christ conceived iu the womb of the Virgin ! A. By the operation of the Holy Ghost. Q. Who is the father of the Son of God made man f A. As God, ho has a father, and no mother; and as man, he has a mother, but no father. Q. Why is it timt as man he has no father t A. Because ho was conceived by the operation of the Holy Ghost. Q. And yet St. Joseph was called his father ( A. Yes; because, as Mary's husband, he was entitled to bear the name.J He was likewise called his father because ho took care of him, as a father takes care of his child. Q. Why did he become man f A. To redeem us from the bondage of sin and from the pains of hell, and to merit for us the reward of eternal life. Q. What 13 the first reason ? A. To redeem us from the bondage of sin.§ We must beware of falling into it again. || We must fear sin more than death itself. Whoever commits sin, says Jesus Christ, is the slave of sin, and has the devil for his father. What can be more disgraceful to men made to the image of God and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ ! Q. What is the second ? A. To redeem us from the pains of hell, insupportable and eternal. Wc ought to shun sin as we would the ser- pent, since one mortjil sin is sufficient to consign us to these never-ending torments. Q. What is the third! A. To purchase everlasting life for us. I * St Tho., 8, p. 429, art 1-8. t Illor. In Jov., lib. a t St John il 83, 48. f St John vlil. St John viil. 83. 44. 2* 18 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. What goodness! what love! what mercy! &c., has sub- stituted the most ineflab'e bliss for the most inexpressible misery. We should do all, and endure all, in order to arrive at this happiness, never forgetting that a single mortal sin might for ever exclude us from it. Q. How tlid he redeem us ? A. By suffering for us as man, and giving, as God, an infi- nite value to his sufferings. Q. What did Jesus Christ, as man, do to redeem us ? A. He suffered. Q. What did he suffer ? A. lie suffered all sorts of pains and torments in body and in soul. He was born in a poor stable. He lived in poverty and privation. He died in torment and in ignominy. Q. What did Jesus Christ, as God, do to redeem us ? A. He gave to his sufferings an infinite value. Q. Why did he not suffer as God ? A. Because it is impossible for God to suffer. A sovereign beatitude can never undergo the slightest suffering/ Q. Why were the suflferings of Jesus Christ of an infinite value ? A. Because they were the sufferings of a God. It was not merely the sufferings of Jesus Christ taken all together that were of infinite value, but also each particular suffering, so that the least of those sufferings, a tear, a drop of blood, would have been more than sufficient to redeem us. Who, then, can understand the excess of that charity which induced him to suffer so much for us ! Q. By what name do we know the Son of God made man ? ^. Bv that of Jesus Christ. Q. What does the name of Jesus signify ? A. It signifies Saviour. Q. Wliy was that name given to him ? A. Because he was to save his people,* delivering them from their sins. ♦ 8t. Matt. i. 21. OF THE INCARNATION. 19 :en all ticular drop jdeem them Q. Who gave hini tliat name ? A. God himself, by the luitiistiy of an angel. Thou shalt conceive in thy womb,* said the angel to Mary, and shalt bring forth a son ; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. And to St. Joseph :f Fear not, son of David, to take un- to thee Mary thy wife : for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost, and she shall bring forth a Son : and thou shalt call his name Jesus. Q. What is the meaning of the word Christ ? A. It means anointed or consecrated. It is a Greek word, as Messiah is a Hebrew word, and both have the same signification. Q. Wl'.o were they who bore that name in the old law ? A. They were kings, priests, and prophets. Q. Wliy were those three classes of persons called the Lord's an- ointed ? A. Because they were anointed with holy oil. Q. Jesus Christ, who bore that name as man, was be then king, priest, and prophet ? A. Yes, he possessed those three qualities. Q. How was he king ? A. Because all power had been given to him on earth and in heaven. J Q. How was he priest ? A. Because he came to offer a sacrifice above all the ancient sacririces.§ Q. How was he prophet ? A. Because he possessed within himself all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.! Q. Was he consecrated like the kings, pri*^ sts, and prophets of the old law? A. No, but by the unction of the divinity itself, dwelling corporeally within him.^ Q. What do you mean by corporeally ? A. I mean really and substantially. Q. Is he both God and man ? A. Yes, he is. • St, Liikc i. 81. t Bt. Matt. i. 20. t Pt. Matt, xxviii. 18. § Ileb. V. 5. I Col. ii. {?. f Col. ii. 9. i 20 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. How many natures are there in him I A. There are two, tho divine nature and the human na- ture. According to these different natures, he called him- self the Son of God, and the Son of man. The Son of God, according to the divine nature, and the Son of man, accord- ing to the human nature ; but he usually spoke of himself .13 tho Son of man, the more to gratify his humility. . Q. Is there not also more than one person in him ? A. No ; theie is but one, which is the person of the Son of God. As our soul united to our body makes but ono person, so God and man united together make but one single Christ, or, if you will, but one single person. -•♦•- CHAPTER IV. OF THE apostles' CREED. Q. What is the Apostlos' Creed ? A, It is a formula of the profession of faith which comes to us from the Apostles. Q. What does the Creed contain ? A. It contains the abridgment of our filth. Q. What is meant by our faith ? A. It is that which we must believe in order to be saved. It is not enough to recite it with the lips, but also with the heart and soul ; with the soul, so as to think of what wc are saying, and with the heart, so as to believe interiorly what the mouth professes. Q. From whom have we this Creed ? A. From the Apostles. Q. Why do you say that we have it from the Apostles ! A. Because it was they who composed it.* Q. Did they leave it in writing ? A. No ; they only taught it. ♦ Fleu. Eccl. OF THE APOSTLES CREED. 21 Q. Why did they not leave it in writing ? A. Lest it might fall into the hands of those who were not Christians. Q. For what did the Creed serve in the early days of the Church ? A. It served to distinguish the Christians from all others. The word creed — or symbol — is a Greek word which sig- nifies a mark. It served at first to distinguish the soldiers; then it was applied to that abridgment of the Christian doc- trine, which served to distinguish the Christians. Q. How many articles are there in the Creed ? A. There are twelve, corresponding to the number of the Apostles ; which has given rise to the opinion held by some, though without proof, that each Apostle had contributed his own. Q. Repeat the Creed. A. I believe in God, &c. ARTICLE I. I BELIEVE IX OOn, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CKKATOU OF IIBAVKK AND EABTH. Q. Explain the first words : 1 believe in God; A. I am certain, by a firm faith, that there is one God, and that there can be but one. Q. Why can there be no more ? A, Because if there were more, then none would be God. Q. Why so ? A. Because none would be supreme ; for supreme means without an equal. Q. How are you sure that there is but one God, and that there can- not be more ? A. I am sure of it through a firm faith. Q. What do you mean by a firm faith ? A. I mean without any doubt. Q. Why do you not doubt it ? A. Because God himself has revealed it. It is, thei (fore, more certain that there is a God, and that there is but one, than that it is now day, because God can- not be deceived, being infinite wisdom, nor deceive us, be- ing infinite goodness ; whereas our eyes may absolutely be deceived and deceive us. 22 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. V ! f : if ii ' I Q. Why do you not say that you believe that there is a God, but also that you believe in him ? A. It is to show that I place my whole confidence in God, and that I regard him as my soverelj^n good and my last end. To believe God, is to believe that he is. To believe that he is, is to believe in his words. To believe in God, is, by believing, to put our whole trust in him, to regard him as our supreme good and oui' last end. Q. Why should we place our whole trust in God I A. Because God is the infinite goodness and power. His goodness renders him sensible to our miseries, and his power relieves them easily and promptly. If, then, our miseries continue, we must attribute it to our sins, or otherwise to our want of confidence, Q. How should we regard God ? A, We should regard him as our sovereign good and our last end. Q. Why 13 God our sovereign good ? A. Because it is only he who can render us happy. All the riches, all the honors, and all the pleasures of the world put together, cannot render us happy, because our hearts, though possessing them, would still desire some- thing ; whereas, when it possesses God, it desires nothing more, and is content. Q. Why 13 God our last end t A. Because we are made to possess him. We must, therefore, perforni all our actions solely with a view to obtain the possession of God ; for that end to refor them to him, and to do them for the purpose of pleasing him. We may have many ends in what we do ; but the last should be God; for instance, a merchant, a mechanic, or any other person, works to earn money ; that is his first end. lie must have money whereon to live, that is his second end; but he should wish to live only to serve God and to possess him ; this should be his last end. I with Irefer isiiig last |c, or first his iGod OF THE APOSTLES* CREED. Whether you cat or drink, says the apostle * or whatso- ever else you do; do all things for the glory of God. And again :f All whatsoever you do in word orm work, do all in'^the rame of tho Lord Jesus Christ. Q. What dc you understand by the Father ? A. I understand that there being three persons in God, the first is called the Father. Q. How many persons are tlierc in God ? A. There are three. 0. What is the first called ! A. lie is called Father. Q. Why do you call him Father ? A. Because from all eternity he begets a Son, who is the ^amc God with him, and who is equal to him in all thing?. Q. Who doc3 the Father beget from all eternity ? A. lie begets a Son, who is the same God with him, and his equal in all tilings. Q. With whom is the Son the same God ? A. With the Father, and consequently with the Holy Ghost. Q. In what is the Son equal to the Father ? A. He is equal to him in all things, in power, in wisdom, in holiness, in knowledge, &c. Q. Why do you call him Father Almighty f A, Because his power is infinite, and he can do whatso- ever he pleases. Q. Why is the pc.'ver of God infinite ? A. Because it has no bound?. Q. Why has it no bounds ? A. Because he can do whatsoever he pleases. It is he who, from nothing, made tho heavens and tho earth, and who could, if he would, annihilate them in a moment. lie could, also, if he chose, create thousands of worlds, more beautiful one than the other. To do that requires infinite and unlimited power. * 1 Cor. X. 81. t Col. iH.17. 24 DOCTKINAL CATECHISM. Q. Does not omnipotence belong to the Son and to the Holy Ghost as well as to the Father ? A. Yes ; the three persons have but one and the same omnipotence. Q. Is it only the Father who is Almighty ? A. The Son and the Holy Ghost are so likewise. Q. Why, and how ? A. Because the three persons have but one and the same omnipotence. Q. Why, then, is it particularly attributed to the Father? A. Because that, being the principle of the two other per- sons, and communicating to them his nature, he communi- cates to them his omnipotence, with all his other divine perfections. Q. Which of the three divine persons is the principle of the two others ? A. The Father. : Q. Of whom is the Father the principle ? A. lie is the principle of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Q. What does the Father communicate to the Son and to the Holy Ghost ? A. Ilis nature. Q. What is his nature ? A. It is his divinity. Q. Does he communicate to them nothing but his nature ? A. He also communicates to them his Almighty power, with all his divine perfections. Thus the Son and the Holy Ghost are Almighty as the Father, notwithstanding that the Almighty power is particu- larly attributed to the Father. In like manner, these three persons have but the same wisdom and the same goodness, although the wisdom is particularly attributed to the Son, and the goodness to the Holy Ghost. Q. What means Creator of heaven and earth ? A. It is that from nothing he has made all things. EXAMPLE. The creation of the wor\<\.— Gen. i. il. Q. What was there before God had created heaven and earth ? A. There w^as nothing but God alone, and consequently nothing of all that we see and of all that has been created. OK THK AP03TLK3' CRKKD. 2L Q. How long in it since God creaied beaveu and earth ? A. It is nearly six thousaniJ years. Q Of what did he make them ? A. lie made them of nothing, by his word and his will, for his own glory. Q. What did God create in heaven ? A. He created the angels. These are pure spirits, who have no body. Q. What did God fix in the firmament to ilhimine the day and the night ? A. The sun, the moon, and the stars. Q. What did God brinnf forth from the earth ? A. He brought forth the plants. and the animals. Q. What ditl he bring forth from the waters ? A. The birds and the fish. Q. What did God create to govern all that was on the earth ? A. He created man. The first man was named Adam,* which means, drawn from the earth. Q. Of what was his body formed ? A, It was formed of the slime of the earth. Q. What did QoJ infuae into tliat body to vender it living and ani- mate ? A. A soul made after his own image and likeness, j Q. Why to his image and likeness ? A. Because it is a spirit capable of knowing and loving. Q. What did God give to Adam for a companion ? A. Ho gave him a woman. I That woman was named Eve, which means, living or I vivifying. J because she was the mother of all living. Thus I did God institute marriage. Q. Of what was Eve formed ? A. She was formed of one of Adam's ribs. S Q. Why of one of Adam's ribs ? I A. To show that he was to love her as part of his own i body. i; Q. In how mahy days did Goa do all these things ? 1 A. In six days. S 5 i * Gon. it 19. t Gon. ii. T. t Gon. ill. 20. h'l 'i f '1 '., 'i II t ii!! 26 DOCTRINAL CATECUIBM. Q. What did be do ou the Hoventh day t A. He rested. Q. What does that mean f A. That he ceased the work of creation, the Sabbath, since superseded by Sunday. Thence came EXAMPLE. Fall of the bod angels, and fidelity of the good. Q. What did God create in heaven in the beginning ? A. He created the angels. We have already said that angels arc pure spirits, who have no bodies. Q. Were these angels numerous ? A. Yes, there were millions on millions of them.* Q. In what state did God create them? A. He created them in grace and sanctity. Q. Did they all persevere therein ? A. No ; many of them revolted against God. Q. How did God punish them ? A. By casting them into hell.f Q. What are these rebel angels called since their fall t A. They are called devils or demons. Q. How do they employ themselves ? A. In tempting men. J Q. For what purpose ? A. In order to have companions in their misery. We should ever have recourse to our Lord in those temptations,§ and say to him, with humble confidence: Oh, Lord ! save us, or we perish. Q. What has been the reward of those angels who remained faithful to God? A. Eternal glory. Q. How are they employed in heaven ? A. hi beholding God as he is, in loving and praising him, and possessing him for ever in the kingdom of heaven. 0] * Dan. \il 10. t 2 Peter iL 4 I Apoc. XX. 8. St. Matt viii. 25^ OK TIIK APOSTLES CREED. 27 came I, who Q. How are they employed here on ea\ th I A. In executing the orders of God. TTence it is that they are represented as young men with wings. Q. What are they called who take care of each of us ? A, They arc called guardian angels. They defend us against the devils, and preserve us from many dangers ; they also procure fur us the spiritual and corporal goods which mav tend to our salvation. Q. What should we do to acknowledge theu* good offices ? A. 1st. We should pray to them, especially morning and evening. 2d. Have recourse to them on all occasions, especially in temptations and in dangers. 3d. Respect them, and do nothing which might displease them. 4th. Appreciate the happiness of having a prince of heaven to watch over us. 5th. Obey them with great docility. 6th. Love them, confide in them, and imitate them. They see God unceasingly, and are impeccable. Let us remember the presence of God, and avoid sin. those fidence : >d faitliful iinghlm, rQU. HISTORY. The disobedience of Adam and Eve.— 0^07^. ill. Q. Where did God place Adam and Eve after having created them t A. He placed them in the terrestrial paradise. Q. What was the terrestrial paradise ? A. It was a delightful garden, planted with all sorts of beautiful trees, and watered by four large rivers. Q. Which were the two principal trees of tliat gai-den, called the para- dise of pleasure ? A. They were the tree of life, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.* The first prevented death. The second was so called after Adam had eaten of its fruit. Q. What L-id God forbidden them ? A. He had forbidden them to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. * Gon. IL 15. I! 8(t DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. Were tlicy fuithfiil to tliis prohibition t A. No ; for they cat of the fruit. Evo had first eaten of it * having been seduced by tho devil, concealed under the form of tho serpent, and Adam afterwards eat of it to oblige his wife. Q. What punishment did such disobedience deserve f A. It deserved the eternal pains of hell. Q. WImt did God do to show them the enormity of their siu ? A. 1st. He cursed the serpcnt.f 2d. He condemned the woman to bring foi'th her children in sorrow. 3d. He condemned the man to eat his bread in tho sweat of his brow. 4th. He expelled them both from the terrestrial paradise. Q. What did God place before the terrestrial paradise ? A. Cherubims, and a flaming sword turning every way. Q. Why did God place them there ? A. To keep the way of the tree of life. '* ' i; ill' I ir ?'! HISTORY. Conseqaenccs of the disobedience of Adam and Eve.— (7«n. iil. Q ' what state had God created Adam and Eve ? He iiad created them in the state of innocence ; not only in grace, but with a sound body, perfectly submissive to the spirit, and with a spirit fully enlightened and perfectly sub- missive to God. Q. How did they live in this state ? A. They lived perfectly happy. Q. What goods did they enjoy ? A. They enjoyed all sorts of goods. Q. From what evils were they exempt? A. From all sorts of evils, both in body and in soul. Q. How were they to go to heaven ? A. They were to go there without dying. Q. What did they lose by their disobedience ? A. They lost innocence, and all its great advantages. W( th( ♦ 1 Tim. ii. U t Oen. ill. 15. :'|i '■ 1 tit 1* OF TIIK APOSTLEU CREED. 29 Q. \Vlio9« captives did thoy become ! A. They becamo tho captives of the dovil. Q. To what were they subject f A. To ignorance, concupiscence, tho miseries of life, death, and death eternal. Ignorance is tho state in which we are horn, knowing nothing, and learning only with toll and trouble. Con- cupiscence is the inclination to sin. The miseries of liA' are all the pains and troubles to which each of us is subjected. Death is the obligation under which all men lie of losing life. Eternal death is the being deprived of seeing God for ever, and being eternally tormented in the firo of hell. Q. To whom did the sin of Adam pass with all its consequences ! A. It ppssed to all his posterity ; that is to say, to all mankind, Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin only excepted. Jesus Christ by right, and the Blessed Virgin by privilege.' Q. What is this sin called ? A. It is called original sin. Q. Why? A. Because we have it from our origin. Q. Who has redeemed us from this sin ? A. Our Lord Jesus Christ. Q. How? A. By dving for us. Q. Had this Saviour been promised ? A. Yes ; he had. For God, when cursing the serpent, declared that of the woman should spring forth him who would crush his head ;* that is to say, the Saviour of the world, who would come to destroy the p(»\ver of tho devil. Q. How long was it from Adam till the coming of Jesus Christ? A. About four thousand years. I am now going to give you a brief account of what befell the people of God during those four thousand years. f , If res. * Gon. IIL 1& 3* p 80 DOCTRINAL CATKCIIISM. III8TOUY. Corruption of mankind, and tlie universal deluge.— i'e'scivc oil the wiith tho kiiow!e(l<^o of his name, a kiiowJt'dgL' which would have disappeared by degrees, so great was the wickedness of iiicii, Q. What did God coiiimaiid him tu dot A. To leave his country and his kindred. Q. What did God promise him ? A. 1st. He promised to inukc him the father of a Humo- rous people. This is sioiilficd by the name of Abraham. 2d. To give to that people the land of (Jhanaan. Nevertheless, they did not get possession of it till four hundred years after, because God wished to exercise their faith, and to teach us patiently to await his time. 3d. Tj bless, in his race, all the nations of the earth. By these last words, God gave him to understand that tho Saviour of tho world was to be born of his posterity. Q. Did Abraham believe all these promises ? A. Yes; and his faith became a source of benediction to him and his. Q. What did God prescribe to him as the sign of \m covenant ? A. lie prescribed circumcision. This was an external mark which distinguished the people of God from the other nations of the earth, as baptism now distinguishes Christians from all others. Q. What was the name of the sou whom Abraham had when he was an hundred years old ? A. He was called Isaac. This son was the sole heir of all Abraham's possessions, which were very great, bee^iuse God had loaded him with blessings. Q. How did God try the faith of Abraham ? A. By commanding him to sacrifice to him his beloved son, who was then thirty-six or thirty-seven years old. 32 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q, How did Abraham act on this trying occasion ? A. He obeyed without a moment's hesitation, and pre- pared to immolate his son. Q, What happened when lie was just about to kill him ? A. He was stopped by an angel, who told him that God was satisfied with his obedience. |i:i i:l! HISTORY. Of the twelve patriarchs descended from Abraham.— (?ew. xxvl. and/ol. oh. Q. How many children had Isaac ? A. He had only two, and they were twins — Esau and Jacob. Q. To which of the two did Isaac, in his extreme old age, give his blessing ? A. lb Jacob. Q. Why to Jacob rather than to Esau, who was the elder ? A. Because Esau had sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. It is true that Jacob had made use of a stratagem to obtain it ; but, as it was in accordance with the designs of God, Isaac, having found it out, confirmed what he had un- intentionally done. Q. What did Jacob do to avoid the anger of his brother, who sought to kill him ? A. He withdrew into Mesopotamia, to the dwelling of his uncle Laban. Laban was the brother of his mother, whoso name was Rebecca. He traveled alone and on foot, with a staff in his hand, though the distance was upwaids of two hundred leagues. Q. How did God assure him of his protection at the beginning of his journey ? A. By showing him, in his sleep, a mysterious ladder which reached to heaven, and on which angels were ascend- ing and descending. Q. How long did Jacob remain in Mesopotamia ? A. He remained there twenty years, during which time he married a wife, and amassed great riches. Q. How did God again assure him of his piotection on his jouraey back? A. By making him victorious over an angel, with whom he wrestled. I : OF THK AP0STLE8 CREED. 33 Q. What new name did this angel give him ? A. He gave him the name of Isrnel. Whence the name Israelites, who were likewise called Hebrews, and finally Jews. Israel is a Hebrew name, which signifies prevailing or predominating with God. Otherwise, a man who sees God. Q. How m.in y sons had Jacob t A. He had twelve, who are the twelve patriarchs. Q, Why m*e they so called ? A. Because they were the fothers or chiefs of the twelve tribes of Israel. Patriarch is a Greek woid which means head of a flimily. These twelve patriarchs are : Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Juda, Issachar, Zabulon, Dan, Nephtali, Gad, Aser, Joseph, and Benjamin. He had also a daughter named Dina. The name of patriarch is likewise given to all the saints who lived under the law of nature, as Adam, Abal, Seth, Henoch, Noah, Sem, Abraham, &C. HISTORY. Of Josepli.— ffen.. zzzvii. end/ol, oh, Q. Who was Joseph ? A. He was one of the children of Jacob. Jacob had Joseph and Benjamin by his wife Rachel. Q. Why could not his brethren endure him ? A. Beciiuse Jacob loved him more than the others. Joseph was deserving of the preference, but how dearly did it cost both father and son ! AVhat still more excited the hatred of his brethren, was that Joseph complained of them to his father, together with certain dreams which he had, showing that he should one day be the master of his brethren. Q. How did his brethren revenge themselves on him ! A. At first they thought of killing him, but at length they sold him. On their return home, they made Jacob, their father, be- lieve that Joseph had been devoured by a wild bepst. Q. Whither wns he taken by tliose who had bought him 1 A. He was taken into Egypt. i\ I i j; i\ * M m\ 84 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. What befell bim ia the house of Potiphar, to whom he was re- sold? A. He was cast into prison for a crime of which he was mnocent. Q. How did God protect him there ? A. By bestowing upon him the gift of explaining dreams. He explained two while in prison, which were exactly ful- filled. Q. "Why did the king summon him to \Ab presence ? A. To explain a dream which he had had. Q. How did the king reward him ? A. He placed him over all his kingdom. Q. How did Joseph act when he had attained such a high degree of power? A. He pardoned his brethren, and caused them to come into Egypt with their father. They were to the number of seventy persons. He fur- nished them with all that was necessary for their journey, and settled them in a most fertile part of Egypt. HISTORY. Slavery of the Israelites in Egypt. Their first pasch.— iPccod. L and/ol. ch. Q. How long did the Israelites remain in Egypt ? A. More than two hundred years. Q. What took place during that time ? A. 1st. Jacob, Joseph, and the ancients died. 2d. The Israelites multiplied prodigiously. 3d. The memory of Joseph and of his services was grad- ually effaced. Q. What did the Idng of Egypt do to prevent the increase of th?» Hebrews? A. 1st. He overwhelmed them with laborious work. 2d. He commanded the mid wives to kill all the male children. 3d. And, lastly, he commanded them to be cast into the river Nile. Q. What did the Israelites do in these deplorable circumstances ? A. They had recourse to the Lord, and he heard their prayers. OF THE APOSTLES CREED. 35 Q. Whf»f" did God do, to deliver them from their bondage I A. lie appeared to Moses in the burning busii, and sent him to the king as his envoy. Q. Did the king listen to Moses ? A, No ; he dismissed him with contempt. Q. What did Moses do to constrain the king to let the Israelites go f A. He wrought many grand miracles, which are called the ten plagues of Egypt. 1st. He changed the water of the river into blood. 2d. He caused millions of frogs to come forth throughout all Egypt, even in the king's palace. 3d. Flies. 4th. Gnats. 5th. Locusts. Cth. A plague on the animals. 7th. Ulcers on men. 8th. A terrific fall of hail. 9th. A dense darkness which lasted three days. 10th. The death of all the first-born of the Egyptians. All Egypt was ravaged in this way, whilst the Israelites remained untouched. At every succeeding plague, the king promised every thing, in order to be delivered from it, but as soon as it was removed, his heart was again hardened, and he would do nothing. Q. What did God command his people to do before the last plague ? A. He commanded them to make the pasch. This was the first time it was celebrated. Q. In what did this pasch consist ? A. In ' ating a roasted lamb in every family. It was necessary that this lamb should be a male, a year old, and without spot ; that no bone of it should be broken ; that it should be roasted whole, and that all the dcrs should be marked with its blood. This lamb, with all its attendant circumstanced, was the figure of Jesus Christ, who was one day to be immolated on the cross for us. There were also certain ceremonies to be observed in eating this lamb ; it was to be eaten standing, with the loins girt, a staff in the hand, shoes on the feet, and eaten i 36 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. '';;! with wild lettuce and unleavened bread. Circumsta'^ces which likewise indicate the dispositions wherewith we should communicate. Q. What happened after the last plague ? A. The Egyptians compelled them to go out quickly. They would not even wait till the daylight came, but made them set out In the darkness of night, so frightened were they by this last plague. Q, What did God oblige the Israelites to do, in gratitude *br their fii"st- bom being spared when those of the Egyptians were killed ? A. He obliged them to consecrate to him all their first- born children. It was in obedience to this law that the Blessed Virgin offered in the Temple her beloved Son. HISTORY. Passage of the Re• :'5M||, 48 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. 2d. He purified the waters of Jericho. 3d. He multiplied a widow's oil. 4th. He raised a child from the dead. 5th. He cured the leper Naaman. Gth. He made iron to swim upon the water. 7th. A dead man was restored to life by the touch of hia bones. Q. What manner of life did most of the prophets lead f A. They led a life poor, austere, and retired. Poor in their garments, in tlvjir dwellings, and in their food. Q. How did tlie good kings regard them ? A. They loved, honored, and respected them. Q. How did the wicked kings treat them ? A. They hated and persecuted them, and put them to death. Isaias was cut asunder with a wooden saw. Q. What did these prophets foretell concerning the Jews ? A. They foretold all that happened to them in punish- ment of their sins. 1st. That if they did not repenc and do penance, the kingdom of Israel, or of Samaria, would be entirely de- stroyed. 2d. That Jerusalem and the temple should be over- thrown, and the Jews brought captive to Babylon. 3d. That they should reject the Messiah and put him to death. 4th. That they should be abandoned by God, and dis- persed all over the earth. 5th. That God should male a covenant with another peo- ple, who should replace them. (ith. That they should repent in the latter days of the world. Q. What did the prophets predict regarding the Messiah I A. 1st. The precise period of his coming. 2d. All the circumstances of his life and death. 3d. His glorious resurrection and the establishment of his Church. OP THE AP08TLK3 CREED. 49 HISTORY. Tho Babylonian captivity. — i Kings xvii. Q. How did God at length punish the kingdom of Israel, or of S-'i- maria, because of its infidelity ? A. He destroyed it entirely and for ever. The ten tribes who composed that Icingdoni were carried off by the Assyr- ians and dispersed over distant countries, whence they never returned in a body. Q. The kingdom of Juda, doubtless, profited by bo fearful an ex- ample i A. No ; it profited nothing by it, though God awaited its repentance for more than a hundred years. Q. How did God punish it at last ? A. He delivered it over to Nabuchodonosor, king of Babylon. Q. How was it treated by that prince ? A. He destroyed Jerusalem, burned the temple, carried off the sacred vessels, and took the people away into cap- tivity. Q, Did the Jews abandon the law of their God while in captivity ? ^-1. No; they observed it more faithfully than before. This captivity, and the manifold sufferings they endured, caused them to reflect, and to respect the law of God ; al- though they were surrounded by heathens, given up to all sorts of idolatry, and all manner of wickedness. Q. How were the three children treated who refused to adore the statue of Nabuchodonosor ? A. They were cast, by his order, into a fiery furnace. Q. Did they perish there ? A. No ; for an angel sent by God preserved them from hurt or harm. Q. And how was Daniel treated for having remained faithful to his God? A. He was twice cast into the lions' den. A Q. Did the lions tear him in pieces ? "o; they did not hurt him. Q. How long did this captivity last ? A. It lasted seventy years. I' ^ 50 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. I I; J;! I ill' \p liiji: i !'i {J. Who was it that restored the Jews to liberty ? A. It was Cyrus, king of Persia, after rendering hinnsflf master of Babylon. Q. What was the fii-st ''-dertaking of the Jews when restored to freedom ? A. To rebuild their temple and their city. Cyrus gave them back all the sacred vessels taken by Nabuchodonosor, and made them some valuable presents. HISTORY. The Jews persecuted by Antlochus. — 1 Mac. 1. Q. What did Antlochus, king of Syria, undertake against the Jews ? A. He undertook to make them renounce their law and their religion. Q. What did he do in order to effect his pui-pose ? A. 1st. He surprised Jerusalem, profaned the temple, and put a stop to the sacrifices. 2d. He put many of the Jcm's to death, for they chose to die rather than violate their law. Q. What torments did he inflict on seven brethren wh.o remained steadfastly attached to their law ? A. He made them suffer the most cruel torments, in presence of their mother. Q. What did the mother say when she saw her children so tortured ? A. She encouraged them to suffer on, tiirough the hope of a blessed resurrection. Q. Who then took up arms for the defence of his religion and his country ? A. Judas Maccabeus, followed by his brethren. Q. Did he succeed in his enterprise ? A. Yes ; for he acted by divine inspiration. Q. What did he, after God had rendered him victorious ? A. 1st. He took possession of Jerusalem, purified the temple, and re-established the offering of sacrifice. 2d. He completely freed ttie people from the yoke of the heathen nations. Q. Did the Jews long enjoy this tranquillity ? A. No ; for the l^omans, having obtained the mastery of the world, soon reduced the Jews to subjection. , §''\v OF THE apostles' CKEED. 51 ;i r Q. Who found means to usurp the kingdom of Judca, through the favor of the Roman emperora ? A. Herod, a Jew by religion, but a stranger by birth. Q. Wliat sort of a prince was Herod ? A. He was a prince wlio liad no other law than his own ambition. He was so cruel and unnatural, that he caused his wife and several of his children to be put to death. It was he who had the children of Bethlehem massacred. lie died a miserable death, his body being eaten away by worms. HISTORY. How the Jews expected the Messiah. Q. How long time passed from the return of the Jews tid the coming of the Messiah ? A. About five hundred years. Q. How did they conduct themselves during that time ? A. They fell no more into idolatry. Q. Had they always prophets ? A. No ; they had no more till St. John the Baptist. Q. "Was religion, then, always flourishingi A. On the contrary, it declined from day to day. Q. "What sects had been latterly introduced amongst the Jews ? A. The principal were those of the Sadducees and Pharisees. , ^ Q. "Who were the Sadducees ? A. They were Jews who rejected several of the most important doctrines of religion. They neither believed in the resurrection of the dead, the immortality of the soul, nor the existence of the angels ; they even made God corporeal ; and it was the chief men of the nation who followed this pernicious doctrine. Q. Who were the Pharisees ? A, They were Jews who were apparently strict observers of the law, which they disfigured by their false interpret- ations. See the reproaches so frequently made them by our Lord. Under their outward show of regularity, they con- cealed their avarice, their vanity, and many other vices. i 1r- 52 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. 'iiiiii ; . '\' 'I f Q. What idea had the carnal Jews of the Messiah f A. That of a powerful and splendid monarch. They thought that he was to be a warrior prince, mighty as David and rich as Solomon. Q. What did they expect from him ? A. They expected all manner of worldly prosperity. They hoped that he would free them from the Roman yoke; that under him they should live happy and glorious, haying abundance of gold and silver, and of all the neces- saries of life. Q. What idea, oa the contrary, had the spiritual Jews ? A. An idea entirely opposite to that of the others. Q. What did they expect ? A. They expected goods far above the perishable things of this life. They believed that he would come principally to efface sin, and to make holiness prevail ; that he would bring a new covenant more perfect than the old ; that he would give the grace necessary for observing the law of God ; that in him should be accomplished the truth of what the law showed only in figure ; that he should bring back all nations to the knowledge of the true God ; finally, that his reign would chiefly concern the goods of the world to come. Q. In what did all the Jews agi*ee ? A. In believing that the time appointed for the coming of the Messiah had arrived. This belief was based on the prophecies,* especially that of Jacob, and that of Daniel. f HISTORY. The condition of tho other nations, called the Gontiles. Q. If such was the condition of the Jews, what was tlut of the other nations of the earth ? A. Those nations were plunged in ignorance, superstition, and idolatry. Q. They knew not, then, the true God ? A, No ; their whole religion consisted in the worship of idols. * Gen. xlix. 10. t Dan. ix. 29. OF THE APOSTLES CREED. 53 Q. Wnat were these idok ? A. They were statues of wood, gold, and silver. There were some who adored the sun, the moon, the stars, and other creatures, even animals. Q. In what way did they honor them ? A. They offered them prayers and sacrifices. Q. What were their festivals ? A, They were nothing more than scenes of debauchery and excess. They honored Bacchus by drinijng to excess, and Venus by giving themselves up, in a public manner, to the most shameful of all vices. The devil duped them iu this way to the end that they might adore him under these different names, and to make them commit all sorts of crimes, under a religious pretence. Q. Whence came thia monstrous infatuation ? A. From their having forgotten God, their Creator Q. Were they all in this fatal blindness ? A. The exceptions were but few, and that from the vocation of Abraham until then, a period of nearly two thousand years. During all that time God had given up the nations to their own wickedness. Q. Are there any of these exceptions known ? A. We know of none but two,* Job and Melchisedech. There is reason to believe that there were several others, whose names are unknown. Q. Who was Job ? A. He was an Eastern prince, very religious and God- fearing. Q. Who was Melchisedech ? A. He was a priest of the Most High, and king of Salem. These two believed in the true God and worshipped him ; they obeyed him, and lived according to the laws of conscience and right reason. They also believed and hoped in the Redeemer. Q. Had the world, then, great need of a Redeemer ? A. Yes ; very great. If v.: it * Acts xiv. 15. 5* I I 1 ' lii: iill Ml ii 54 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. Who was that Redeemer ? J[. Jesus Christ, promised and expected for four thousand years. ARTICLE II. AND IM JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUtt LOBD. Q. What do you understand by Jesus Christ ? A. I understand the Son of God made man, and who is both God and man. Q. What name is given to the Son of God, made man I A. He is called Jesus Christ. Q. Is Jesus Christ both God and man? A. Yes; he is both God and man. Q. As God, who is his father ? A. God the Father. Q. As man, who is his mother ? A. The Blessed Virgin. (See chap, iii., page 16.) Q. What do you understand by the words : his Son ! A. I understand that he is begotten of the Father, and consubstantial with him. Q. Of whom is the Son begotten ? A. Of the Father. And that from all eternity; that is to say, that this generation has neither beginning nor end. Q. With whom is the Son consubstantial ? A. With the Father. Q, What is the meaning of consubstantial? A. It means having the same substance and the same nature as the Father. Q. What do you mean by bis having the same substance and the same nature ? A. I mean that he is one and the same God with the Father. Q, Why do you say that he is the only Son ? A. Because there is no other begotten by the Father. Q. How, then, are Christians children of God ? A. They are only so by adoption. Q. What is adoption ? A. It is a choice of pure grace. Whereas Jesus Christ is ii:;: OF THB APOSTLES CREED. 66 his Son by nature.* Still that does not hinder Jesus Christ from calling us his brethren,! and teaching us to call God our Father. Q. Why do we cnll Jesus Christ our Lord f A. Because we belong to ' im, and not only because of his having created and still preserving us, but also because he redeemed us. Q. In how many ways do we belong to Jesus Christ ? A. In three ways. Q. "Wiiut is the first! A. Because he has created us. That is to say, that he has drawn us from nothing. As he is the same God with the Father and the Holy Ghost, it follows that he has had the same share in our creation as those two persons. Q. What is the second ? A. Because he preserves us. Q. What does that mean ? A, It means that he withholds us from foiling into noth- ing. He preserves us as do the Father and the Holy Ghost. This prcsei'vation is likewise common to him and the other two persons. Q. Wliat is the third ? A. It is because he has redeemed us, Q. What do you mean by bis having redeemed us ? A. I mean that he has delivered us from the slavery of sin, and from the pains of hell, and has merited for us eter- nal life. Q. How ? A. By becoming man, and dying for us. Q. Have the Father and the Holy Ghost also redeemed us ? A. No ; only the Son. Q. Why? A. Because it is only the Son who became man and died for us. Our creation and preservation are common to him and ♦ St. John XX. 31. t St Matt. xll. 49. 56 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. tff. j jt'. I Mil ihil the other two persons ; but our rcdcmpticn is peculiar to him. Q. What 13 the meaning of the word Jesus ? A. It means Saviour. Q. And what means tlie word Christ ? A. It means anointed, or consecrated, {See chap, iii., pages 18, 19.) ARTICLE III. WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOI-Y GHOST, AND BORN OF THE VIBOIN MAUY. Q. What do you understand by those words : Conceived by the Holy Ghost ? A. I understand that in becoming man, the body which he took was formed from the substance of a virgin, through the operation of the Holy Ghost. Q. How did the Son of God become man ? A. By taking a body and soul like unto ours. Q. Where did he take this body and soul ? A. In the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Q. Of what was his soul formed ? A. It was created. Q. Of what was his body formed ? A. It was formed of the substance of the Blessed Virgin. Q. By whose operation ? A. By the operation of the Holy Ghost. The three divine persons had each a share in this forma- tion ; but being a work of goodness and of mercy, it is par- ticularly attributed to the Holy Ghost. Q. What is this mystery called ? A. It is called the mystery of the Incarnation. Q. What is the mystery of the Incarnation ? A. It is the Son of God made man. HISTORY. Of the incarnation of tiie Son of God. — St. Luke L Q. Who did God select to be the mother of his Son t A. The Blessed Virgin. 'liiii OK TIIK APOSTLKH CREED. 57 Q. Of what family wjis flhe ? A. Of the family of David. Q. Where (lid she rcsidu f A. Ill Naz;iicth, a small town in Galilee. Q. Who was her husband t A. St. Joseph. Although ho was of the royal family of David, as well as the Blessed Virgin, ho was still obliged to work for his liv- ing, being very poor. Q. Who was sent by God to anuounco to Mary that she should bo the mother of his Son ? A. The angel Gabriel. Q. How did lie accost her ? A. Hail, full of grace ! the Lord is with thee ; blessed art thou among women ! Q. How did the Blessed Virgin receive this salutation? A, She was troubled by it. She was so humble and so modest, that she could not hear herself praised without being disturbed. Besides, she was afraid that it might be an angel of darkness who had taken the appearance of an angel of light. Q. Whai did the angel say to her ? A. Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God : Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son ; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. lie added : He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Q. What did the Blessed Virgin answer, when assured by the angel that she should remain a virgin ? A. Behold the handmaid of the Lord ; be it done unto me according to thy word. Q. What happened at that moment ? A. The Son of God descended from heaven, and became incarnate in her womb. He descended from heaven, yet without leaving it. This is a form of expression which indicates the profound humil- iation of the Son of God in the Incarnation. II 58 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. ! I iM,|! i'ili' Q. What is mennt by \m becoming incarnnto ? A. That he took a body and a soul like unto ours. Q. What day docs the Church celebrate this mystery ? A. On the twenty-fifth of March, called the Feast of the Annunciation. Q. What do you uuderetand by the words: Bom of tlio Virgin Mary ? A. I understand that the Blessed Virgin Mary brought him forth as she had conceived him, still remaining a virgin. Q. Who is the mother of the Son of God made man ? A. The Blessed Virgin Mary. It was fitting that ho who is begotten in eternity of a virgin Father, should in time be born of a virgin mother ; which is a miracle of Divine omnipotence. It was also proper that he who is holy by nature, should spring from a virgin holy by grace. Q. Why do you say that the Blessed Virgin is the Mother of the Son of God made mau ? A. Because she really conceived and brought him forth. Q. Did she then cease to be a virgin ? ^. No ; she always remained a virgin. {See chap, iii., page 16.) Q. Why do you ( all her blessed ? A. Because she was always full of grace. \irM HISTORY. The birth of Our Lord,— St. Luke ill Q. Why did the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph go to Bethlehem ? A. To have their names enrolled in the register. Accord- ing to the edict of Augustus Cesar, decreeing that each per- son was to go and be enrolled in his own city. Q. Why did they go to Bethlehem rather than to any other city ? A. Because they were both of the house and family of David. Bethlehem was the city of David, because David was born there. Q. Whither did they retire on aniving in Bethlehem ? A. They retired to a poor stable. l! 'li OF TIIK AI'OSTLES* CREED. 60 Q. Why dill tlxfy retire t<> thut ptH)r stable t A. Becjuisc tlicro was no pinco fur them in the inns. Q. Whore (lid the Blessed Virgin pluce the chihl after KIh birth? A, She phiecd him in the manger, on a little liay. Q. To whom did the angel immediately nnuoiiuce the birth of that blessed child ? A. He announced it to some shepherds who were watch- ing their flocks by night. Q. What did the shepherds hear at that moment? A. They heard the angels singing a eanticio of joy. They sang: Glory to God In the highest, and peace on earth to men of good will. Q. What did the tshephcrds do Avhon the nngela had gone back to heaven ? A. They proceeded to Bethlehem. Q. What did they find there ? A. They found the blessed child laid in a manger. He was wrapped in swaddling clothes ; Mary and Joseph were with him. Q. What did the &hepherds recoi^nize on seeing the divine child ? A. They recognized the truth of what they were told. Q. How was this regarded by all who heard the shepherds 'pcak of it? A. It was regarded with wonder and admiration. Q. What did the Blessed Virgin say ? A. She remained silent, and kept all those things within herself, fondoring them in her own mind. Q. In what dispositions did the shepherds rctura ? A. They returned praising and thanking God for all that they had seen and heard. Q. What day does the Church set apart in honor of the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ ? A. The twenty-fifth of December — Christmas-day. *r HISTORY. The circumcision of Our Lord. — St. Luke il. I y' Q. On what day was the divine infant circumcised f A. On the eighth day after his birth. Q. What name was given him ? A. That of Jesus, w hich signifies Saviour. jljlii! I n: m ii 60 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. On what day does the Church commemorate the circumcisiou of Our Lord ? A. On New-Year's day, eight days after Christmas. HISTORY. Tho adoration of Our Lord by the Magi.— ^f. Matt. iL Q. By whom was Our Lord adored some days after his birth? A. By the Magi. The Church celebrates this festival on the oth of January. Q. Who vere the Magi ? A. They were learned .and powerful men, to whom all tradition gives the name of kings. Q. Whence came the Magi ? yl. They came from the East; and consequently they were of the Gentile race, and have always been regarded as the first-fiuits of that people. Q. What conducted them to Jerusalem ? A. A star of extraordinary brilliancy. Q. Why did they stop at Jerusalem ? A. Because the star had then disappeared. Q. Wliat did they ask in Jei-usalem ? A. They asked : Where is he that is born King of the Jews ? Q. What did Herod, alarmed by these tidings ? A. He assembled all the chief priests and the wise men. Q. What answer did they give the king, after consulting the Scrip- tures ? A. That it was in Bethlehem the new king was to be born, Q. Whither did Herod send the Magi ? A. He sent them to Bethlehem. Commanding them to retuin when they had found the child, and let him know, so that he also might come and adore him. Q. What, then, gave great joy to the Magi ? A. It was that they aga'n beheld the star which thf^yhud j;een in the East. Q. Whither did the star conduct them ? A. To the place where the divine infant lay. Q. What did they offer him, after having adored him ? A. They offered him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. I.I .' OK THE APOSTLES CREED. 61 of Q. Why did not the Mugl go back to Horod tw he had charged them to dot A. Because an angel warned them not to do so. Q. On what day does the Church celebrate this mystery ? A. On the twelfth day, called the Feast of the Epiphany. on all they d as f the tnon. Scrip- Icm to )W, so IIISTOHY. Tho purification of tlie Blessed Virgin, and tlie presentation of Our Lord in tlio toinple. — St, Luke ii. Q. How many days did the Blessed Virgin remain in Bethlehem, without leaving the phice where she had been delivered? A. She remained there forty d:iys. Q. Why did she observe that retreat of forty days? A. To obey the law of purifiealion. See the words of that law^ Levit. xii. The Blessed Virgin submitted to the law, although she was not obliged to do so, in order to avoid giving scandal, and to give us the example of perfect obedience and true humility. Q. Whither did the Blessed Virgin go at the end of those forty days? A. She went to the temple. Q. What did she offer there ? A. She oficrod two young doves. This was in obedience to the law of purification. Q. What did she bring there ? A. She brought the holy infant Jesus. Q. Why did she bring him ? A. To present him to the Lord. According to another law, which ordained that every f>r:st-born male child should be consecrated to the Lord.* Q. Who came jast then to the temple, by the inspiration of tlie Holy Ghost? A. The old man Simeon. Q. What did he on seeing th<^ divine infan-M A. He t(>ok him in his arms, and blessed God. Refer to the canticle which he then uttered, and which the Church sings every day at complin. Meanwhile, the mother and the foster-father of Jesus • Exod. xilL 2. (i 4 I i 62 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. iiS .1 ii were wonderinnf at the things which were said of him, and Simeon blessed him, announcing to Mary that her soul should be pierced as by a sword. Q. Who liappened to be present in the temple ? A. A holy prophetess named Anna. Q. Wliat did she do f A. She began to praii^e the Lord, and to speak of him to all & se who expected the redemption of Israel. Q. On what day does the Church celebrate these two mysteries ? A. On the second of February, the Feast of the Purifica- tion . I! h. the Blessed Virgin and St, Joseph? A. He was twelve years old. Q, Why did he tlien go to Jerusalem ? A. To celebrate the feast of the Passover. Children, after the example of Our Lord, should prepare to make their first communion about that age, and fathers and mo^hcin chuuld s^"^ th it they do, taking example by the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph. Q. "When the festival was over, did Our Lord retura with his parents ? A. No ; he remained in Jerusalem unknown to them. Q. Where did they find him on the third day, after seeking him ia great affliction ? A. They found him in the temple, seated amongst the doctors. Q. What was he doing amongst the doctors ? A. He was listening to them and asking them questions. An admirable example for ^'hildren who wish to prolit by the instructions given them. Q. What was the effect of this on those present? A. They were amazed at the wisdom and prudence of his answers. Q. What did his mother say to him, beiag, with St. Josrph, greatly surprised ? A, Son, why hast thou done so to us % Behold, thy father and I have sought thee, sorrowing. Q. Wliat did Om- Lord reply? A, How is it that you sought me? did you no:■:' i u DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. What does this obedience of Our Lord teach children ? A. It teaches them to be very submissive to their fathers and mothers. This virtue must be very necessary to f^alvation, since Our Lord, in order to give us an example of it, and to show its necessity, practiced it so faithfully for so many years. Q. Wherein did Our Lord daily increase ? A. He increased in age, in wisdom, and in grace, before God and man. This is a warning for children to make a daily increase in wisdom and in grace before God and before men, accord- ing as I hey grow in age. HISTORY. Of St John tlie Baptist.— aS^ Luke ill; St. Matt lil.; Si. Joh.i I. Q. What prophet appeai-ed thirty years after the birth of Our Lord ? A. There appeared a great prophet. Q. Who was he ? A. John,* son of Zachary and Elizabeth. John signifies (/race. Q. Bj wliom had his birth been announced to Zachaiy ? A. By the angel Gabriel ; the same who was afterwards sent to Mary. The birth of St. John was a miracle, his mother being barren. Q. How was he sanctified in his mother's womb ? A. By the voice of the Blessed Virgln,f who was then carrying Jesus in her womb. This happened when the Blessed Virgin visited St. Elizabeth, after having conceived of Jesus Christ. Q. Whither did John retire in his early childhood ? A. He retired into the desert. Q. How did he live there ? A. He lived on locusts and wild honey. Q. How was he clad ? A. In a garment of camel's hair, with a leathern girdle about his loins. * St Luke \. 11. t St Luko 1. 41. m OF THE APOSTLES CREED. 65 )emg then Q. At what age did Jolin begin to preach ? A. About the age of tKirty. lie wont for that purpose thioujrh all the countries borderinsr on the river Jordan. o Q. What said he to those who came to hear him ? A. Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Q. What instructions did he give to each individual ? A. 1st. Tie said to the people: He that hath two ooats, let him give to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do in like manner. 2d. lie said to publicans, or cTollcctors of public money : Do nothing more than that which is appointed you. 3d. lie said to the soldiers : Do violence to no man ; neither cajumniate any man ; and be content with your pay. Q. Wlitre did he baptize those who were converted by his preach- ing? A. lie baptized them in the river Jordan. This baptism was but a preparation for the baptism of Christ. Q. How did he speak to those who would not repent and be con- verted ? A. lie spoke to them with much severity. Ye ofispring of vipers, said he to them, who hath showed you to flee from the wrath to come ? Bring forth, there- fore, fruit worthy of penance : for now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree, therefore, that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down, and cast into the fire. Q. Did St. Jolm accompany his predictions by many miracles ? A. No ; he wrought none. Miracles were reserved for Jesus Christ, for whom they were necessary, in order to prove the truth of his mission. Q. What did St. John say to those who thought that he might be the Messiah ? ^1. lie said: I indeed baptize you with water; but there shall come one mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to loose. Q. What did he add ? A. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and '-ith fire; that is to say, a divine fire which will purify aid inflame you. 6* ) 'I wm^ IM i! 66 DOOTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. Wlmt reply did he inake to those who were sent by tlie Jewa to know who he was ? A, lie replied that he was neither Christ, nor Elias, nor a prophet.* Q. Wliat did he say of himself? A. He said : I am the voice of one crying in the wil- derness, Make straight the way of the Lord.f I I ! if i"l 'I mI l!l:lli 1 1 1 ■ t < i! i! ■ :!t i ■Il, ■1 L. i 1 1 1 1 il 1 HISTORY. JoTOS Christ baptized by St John.— St. Matt. Hi. ; SL Luke liL Q. Wliy did Our Lord come to the Jordan to find St John ? v A. To be baptized by him. Q. What did St. John say by way of excusing himself? A. He said : I ought to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me ? Q. What did Our Lord reply ? A. He replied : Suffer it now ; for so it becometh us to fulfil all justice. Q. What took place as soon as Jesus was baptized ? A. 1st. The heavens were opened. 2d. The Holy Ghost, descended in the form of a dove, and rested on him. 3d. There was heard a voice from heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. The same thing happens even now to those who are baptized, though in an inferior manner. The heavens are opened to them ; the Holy Ghost comes to rest in their souls, and God is well pleased with them. Q. Did Jesus Christ require to be baptized ? A. No ; for he was holi less itself. Q. Why, then, was he baptized ? A. 1st. As he himself said, to fulfil all justice. 2d. To give us an example of humility. 3d. To bestow on water the virtue of sanctifying us in baptism. Q. Y7hat did John say when he saw Jesus coming to him ? A. He said : Behold the Lamb of God ; behold him who ♦ St John i. t Isaiah z1. % OF THE APOSTLES CilBED. 67 taketh away the sins of tho world.* Next day he again rendered to him the same testimony.f HISTORY. Betrest of Jesas Christ.— 80 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. On what day does the Church commemorate the institution of this Sacrament ? A. On Holy Thursday. She renews this commemora- tion on the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, and during its octave. Ji HISTORY. Prayer of Jesus Christ in the garden of Olirea.— >S^^. 3faU. xxtL Q. Whither did Jesus retire with his disciples on leaving the supper- room ? A. To the garden of Olives, after having passed the tor- rent of Cedron. Q. What did he say to his disciples on reaching the garden ? A, Sit you here, till I go yonder and pray. Q. What did he further say to them ? A. Watch ye, and pray, that ye enter not into tempta- tion. Q. Who did he take with him, to be witnesses of his prayer ? A. He took Peter, James, and John. The same three whom he had taken to witness his glory on Thabor. Q. What did he say to them, being stricken with fear ? A. He said : My soul is sorrowful, even unto death. Q. What did Jesus do, going a little further from them ? A. He fell upon his face, praying. Q. What did he say to God in his prayer ? A. " Father, if it is possible, let this chalice pass from me » '.,1 Q. How many times did he repeat this prayer ? A. He repeated it three times. Q. What dll he add, to show his submission ? A. " Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." Q. Why did God send him an angel from heaven ? A. To strengthen him ; because, having fallen into an agony, there came over his whole body a sweat, as it were. drops of blood, which flowed even to the ground, and in this state he redoubled his prayers. Q. What did he say to his disciples, on coming to them for the third time, and finding them asleep ? A. Why sleep you 1 Arise, and pray, lest you enter into temptation. OF THE APOSTLES CREED. 87 The third time, he added : Sleep on now, and take your rest : behold, the hour is at hand ; and the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Q. What did he say to St Peter in particular? A. What, could you not watch one hour with me ? Q. What did he at last say to them ? A. Rise, let us go : behold, he is at hand that will betray me. !l an lere [his bird iito HISTORY. The apprehension of Jesus.— ^<. Matt. xxvL Q. What happened as soon as Jesus had ceased to speak ? A, Judas appeared at the head of a band of armed men, bearing lanthorns and torches. Q. What signal had Judas given them ? -4. Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he : hold him fast. Q. What did Judas say, on approaching his Master } A, " Hail, Rabbi !" and he kissed him. Q. What did Jesus answer ? A. Friend, whereto art thou come 1 Judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss. Q. What did Jesus say to the troop of armed men? A. He said to them : Whom seek ye *? Q. What did they answer ? A. They answered him : Jesus of Nazareth. Q. What happened when he told them : I am he ? A. They went backward, and fell to the ground. Q. What did Jesus again say to them ? A. He said : If, therefore, you seek me, let these go their way. That the word might be fulfilled which he said : Of them whom thou hast given me, I have not lost any one. Q. What did the armed men immediately do ? A. They laid hands on him, and held him. Q. What did St. Peter do on seeing that ? A. He drew his sword, and cut off the right ear of Mal- chus, who was a servant of the high priest. Q. What mu-acle did Jesus then work ? A. He touched the man's ear, and it was instantly healed. > I ^'1 ;iS. J ,1 ! m 1'! ' ■!1 •'i! I 88 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. What said he at the eame time to St. Peter i A. Put up again thy sword into its place. For all that take the sword, shall perish with the sword. He added : The chalice which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it ? Thinkest thou that I cannot ask my Father, and he will give me presently more than twelve legions of angels ? Q. How did the disciples act on seeing their master taken ? A. They all abandoned him and fled. St. John, never- theless, followed him to Calvary. Q. "Whither did those armed men conduct Jesus, after having bound liim with cords ? A. 1st. To Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas. 2d. To Caiaphas, the high priest for that year. It was at the house of Caiaphas that he was condemned to death, be- cause, that, being asked if he were the Son of God, he answered : Yes, 1 am. 3d. To Pilate, governor of Judea. 4th. To Herod, governor of Galilee. Herod, with all his court, despised him, because he answered none of his ques- tions ; he clothed him in a white robe, by way of derision, and sent him back to Pilate. ARTICLE IV. SUFFERED UNDER PONTroS PILATE, WAS CRUCIFIED, DEAD, AND BURIED. Q. What do you understand by those words: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified ? A. I understand that, Pontius Pilate being the Roman governor of Judea, Jesus Christ was loaded with ignominy, scourged, crowned with thorns, and fastened to a cross. Q. Under whom did Jesus Christ suffer ? A. He suffered under Pontius Pilate. Q, Who was Pontius Pilate ? A. He was the Roman governor of Judea, under Tiberius, who was then emperor. Q. What did Jesus suffer under Pontius Pilate ? A. He was loaded with ignominy, scourged, crowned with thorns, and nailed to. a cross. OF THE APOSTLKS CREED. 89 HISTORY. Jesus Christ loaded with igaomlny.— St. Vatt. xxvi. Q. What ignominy did Jesus Christ receive at the hands of his dis- ciples ! A. 1st. He was sold and betrayed by Judas. Sold for thirty pieces of silver, which was the price of a slave. Betrayed by a kiss ; Judas, seeing that Jesus was condemned, gave back the money, and hanged himself. 2d. He was denied by St. P-^ter three several times : the first time, by a simple falsehood ; the second, with an oath ; the third, with a horrible Imprecation against himself. But the Lord turning round, looked on Peter, and Peter remembered the word which He had said to him : Before the cock crows twice, thou shalt deny me thrice ; and going out, he wept bitterly. 3d. He was abandoned by all the others. It was only St. John who was seen to follow him to Cal- vary. Q. With what opprobium was he loaded by his enemies t A. 1st. They spat on his face ; 2d. They gave him many blows ; 3d. They buffetted his face ; 4th. They preferred a noted robber before him ; 5th. They assailed him with outrage and blasphemy. U i\ lUS ms. HISTORY. Jesus scourged and crowned with thorns.— ;iSi^. Matt, xxvii. Q. What did Pilate do, in order to move the Jews to compassion, knowing that Jesus was innocent ? A. He condemned him to be scourged. This punish- ment was administered with great violence amongst the Romans. Q. How did the soldiers afterwards misuse him ? A, 1st. They clad him in a scarlet mantle; 2d. They crowned him with a crown of thorns ; 3d. They jjut a reed in his right hand. Q. How did they mock him in that state ! A, They bent the knee before him, saying : Hail, king of the Jews ! 8* 1: M DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. "Were bis enemies touched by seeing him thus outraged ? A. No ; they cried out the more for his death. In the midst of all this bad treatment, Jesus remained silent, and showed the most invincible patience. INI 11 ■Ht: ^ m HISTORY. Jesns nailed to the Ctobs.— St. Matt, xxvll. Q. What did Pilate do, after having washed his hands before the people, being unable to bend tlie Jews ? A. He gave Jesus to them to be crucified. Q. Wherewith did the soldiers load him ? A. They loaded him with his cross. Q. Whither did they conduct him, thus loaded? A. They conducted him to Calvary. On the way they forced Simon the Cyrenean to carry the cross with Jesus. Q. What c'iid they do when Jesus had anived there ? A. They fastened him to the cross with large nails, wherewith they pierced his hands and feet. Q. What was the punishment of the cross ? A. It was the most infamous punishment then in use. It was only awarded to slaves and other degraded wretches, and even to them for only the greatest crimes. Q. What did the soldiers with his garments ? A. They divided them amongst themselves. Q. What did they do with his robe which had no seam ? A. They cast lots for it. All that had been foretold. Q. Wliat inscription was placed over the cross ? A. Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. This inscription was in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin, to the end that all might read it. It was in those tongues that Jesus Christ was to be specially honored ; and this denoted that his reign should extend over all the earth, as indicated by those three languages. Q. Between whom was Jesus crucified ? A. He was crucified between two thieves. One of these thieves having repented and recommended himself to him, he promised him paradise. ; 11 « OP THE APOSTLES CREED. n Q. For whom did our Saviour pray on the cross ? A. He prayed for those who crucifitd him. Q. What said he to his Father on their behalf? A. He said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Q. To whom did he recommend his blessed mother f A. To St. John, his beloved disciple. Seeing them both at the foot of the cross, he said to his mother : Behold thy son j and to St. John : Behold thy mother ! Q. Are these all the words spoken by Jesus on the cross ? A. No ; he spoke several others. Q. What are they ? A. 1st. My God ! my God ! why hast thou forsaken 2d. I thirst ; 3d. All is consummated ; 4th. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit ; These last words he uttered in a loud, clear voice ; then bowing down his head, he gave up his spirit. Q. What means dead ! A, It means that his soul was separated from his body, although the divinity was still united to the soul and body separated one from the other. i HISTORY. Of the death of Jenns Ohrist. — St Matt. zxvlL Q. What became of the soul of Jesus at the moment of his death ? A. It was separated from his body, and descended into limbo. Q. What became of his divinity ? A. It remained still united to the soul and to the bodv, detached one from the other ; so that it might always be said: Behold the soul of a God! Behold the body of a God! Q, What prodigies took place at the death of Jeous ? A. 1st. The whole earth was covered with darkness ; 2d. The veil of the temple was rent in twain, from top to bottom ; 92 DOCTRINAL CATBCIIISM. \ Vi it ' I.' ! I 3d. The earth trembled, and the rocks were split asun- der; 4th. The graves opened, and many of the saints arose therefrom, and were seen in the streets of Jerusalem. St. Matthew remarks that they did not leave their tombs till after the resurrection of Jesus Christ.* Q. What did the centurion say, and those who were with him, seeing all that happened f A. They said : Indeed this was a just man : — indeed this was the Son of God. Q. What did they and all the multitude who had seen that sight, when returning to the city ? A. They struck their breasts.f Q. What did the soldiers, seeing that Jesus was dead ? A. They pierced his side with a lance. Q. What came out ? A. Water and blood. They did not break his legs, as they did those of the two others ; in order that the word might be fulfilled ; Neither shall you break a bone thereof. J And again : They shall look upon me whom they have pierced.§ Q. On what day does the Church commemorate the death of our Lord? A. On Good Friday. Q. What is meant by buried ? A. That after his death, his body being taken from the cross, was laid in the sepulchre. "ft r . HISTORY. Of the Sepulture of Our 'Lord.—St. Matt. xxvU. Q. By whom was the body of Jesus taken down from the cross! A. By Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. They were both disciples of Jesus, in secret. The first was a man of rank and a senator, virtuous and just. The second was likewise a senator, who had first sought Jesus by night. I * St Matt, xxvll. 68. t St Luke xxiii. 48. Exod. xil. 46. Zech. xii. 10. I St. John Ul. 1. OF THE APOSTLES CREED. 93 Q. How did they prepare hiiTi for burial! A. They wrapped him in fine linen, with spices and per- fumes. Q. Where did they then put him ? A. In a new tomb, hollowed out of the rock. Q. How did the high priests secure the toirb ? A. They sealed the stone, and placed guards to watch it. Q. What did they fear! A. They feared that the disciples might carry off the body, and then give out that Jesus had arisen. ARTICLE V. HE DESCENDED INTO HELL; THE THIRD DAT HE AROSE FROM THE DEAD. Q. What means the word descended mto hell ! A. It means that his soul, being separated from his body, descended into the lower parts of the earth, where the souls of the just had been awaiting his coming to deliver them from their imprisonment. Q. Whither did the soul of Jesus Christ descend, after leaving the body! A. It descended into the lower parts of the earth. Q. How many lower parts are there in the earth ! A. There are three : hell, purgatory, and limbo. Q. Into which of these thi'ee places did the soul of Jesus descend ? A. Into limbo. Q. What did he find there! A. The souls of the just who were awaiting his coming to deliver them ; of the Patriarchs : Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, &c. ; of the Prophets : Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezechiel, Daniel, &c.; and of all the just who had died from the beginning of the world up to that time. Q. What was the state of those souls ! A. They did not see God, but they were not suffering. They were in a holy repose, calmly awaiting the coming of Jesus Christ. 94 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. il ! It. ' ''*"; Q. What good did they derive from the presence of Jesus Christ's soul in that place ? A. They began to see God as clearly as the angels see him in heaven. It is impossible to describe the ineffable joy of those holy souls on receiving this blessed fruit of the death of Jesus Christ. Q. Did they go immediately to heaven ? A. No ; they did not go there till the day of the Ascen- sion ; because it was only Jesus who could open heaven, and it was fitting that he should bo the first to enter. Q, How long had heaven been closed ? ' A. For more than four thousand years. Q. Who had closed it ? A. Adam, by his sin. Q. Who opened it ! A. Jesus Christ, by his death. These souls, then, entered with him, and from that mo- ment the just made perfect enter there, and shall enter every day till the end of time. What thanksgiving do we not owe for such a signal favor ! Q. What do you understand by those words : The third day he arose from the dead ? A. I understand that, the third day after his death, he re-united his soul and body, and went forth glorious from the sepulchre. Q. How long did the soul of Jesus Christ remain in limbo ? A. It remained there three days, till the moment of his resurrection. It is very credible that the souls who were in purgatory also felt that joy, by the grace of deliverance which he granted to them ; if not to all, at least to a great number. As for the damned who were in hell, their despair did but increase when they learned that the death of Jesus Christ, of the fruits of which they had neglected to profit during their lives, could avail them nothing after their death. Q. What did Jesus Christ on the third day ? A. He re-united his soul and body. That sacred body -r«i he OF TUB APOSTLES CREED. 05 received life by that rc-union, ind resumed its motion and its ordinary functions. Q. How did Jesus Christ go forth from the eepulchre ! A. He went forth glorious. Glorious in body as well as in soul. Q. Tn what did the glory of liis soul coDsist ? A. It consisted in seeing God as he is, in loving, respect- ing and possessing him for ever. The soul of Jesus Christ had possessed that glory from the first moment of its creation, and hr.d never been a moment without it. Q. la what did the glory of his body cousist? A. It consisted in immortality, impassibility, and the other glorious qualities. Q. What is immortality ? A. It is the being eternally freed from the power of death. Q. What is impassibility ? A, It is the being no more susceptible of suffering. Q. What are the other glorious qualities ? A. Clearness, subtilty, and agility. Q. What is clearness ? A. It is being brilliant as the sun. Jesus Christ, after his resurrection, restrained the impression of that clearness during the days that he still remained on earth. Q. What is subtilty ? A. It is the power of penetrating the hardest bodies without injuring them, or being injured. This was manifested in his going forth from the sepulchre, which was hewn in the solid rock and closed with a large stone ; and in his entering among his disciples, the doors being shut. Q. What is agility ! A. It is the power of transporting one's self in a moment from one place to another with the swiftness of lightning. This he manifested by ascending into heaven. I f' I ! 96 DOCTRINAL CATEOIIISM. f HISTORY. Of the Rosurroction of Jesus Christ.— ^S^. Matt, xxvili. Q. Wliy did Miuy Magdalen and the other women come to the sepulchre early in the niurning ? A. To embalm the body of Jesus. Q. What happened when Jesus arose from the dead ! A. There was a great earthquake. Q. Who removed the stono from the mouth of the sepulchre ? A. An angel who came down from heaven. Q. How did that angel appear ? A. His face was brilliant as lightning, and his garments white as snow. The angel said to the women : You seek Jesus who was crucified ; ho is rise ; he is not here. Go tell his disciples and Peter that he is gone into Galilee ; there you shall see him, as he told you. Q. How did the guards around the sepulchre become ? A. They became as dead men, and were struck with terror. Q. To whom did Magdalen hasten with the news that she had not found the body of Jesus ? A. To St. Peter and St. John. Q. What did they themselves find in the sepulchre when they ran thither? A. They found only the linen cloths lying, and the nap- kin that had been about his head wrapped up into one place. Q. What did Magdalen see the second time that she looked M.i the sepulchre ? A. She saw two angels clothed in white. They were sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, and tl^e other at the feet. Q. Wh^t did the angels say to her! A. They said : Woman, why weepest thou ? Q. What was Mary's answer ? A. Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. Q. What did Mary see on turning round ? A. She saw Jesus standing, but she know not that it was He. OF THK AP0STLB8* CRBKD. 97 the Q. When did sho recognize Iiim ? A. When ho said : Mary. Q. What did hIio 8ay, in n tninnport of joy t A. Rabboni^ that is to say : Master. Q. What waa she prumptcd to do by her first cmotiona of joy t A. To adore hitn, embracing his feet. Q. What did Jesus sny to her ? A. Do not touch nie, for I nave not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brethren, ho added, and say to them : I ascend to my Father and to your Father, and to my God and your God. Q. To whom did Our Lord afterwards show himself? A. He showed himself to the holy women who came with Magdalen. Q. What did he say to them ? A. He said : All hail ! Q. What did they do when they camo up to him ? A. They took hold of his feet and worshipped him. Q. WIjv did he not permit Mivgdalen, whom lie had honored by his first apparition, to do what he permitted the other holy women to do ? A. Because he wished her to go without a moment's delay and announce his resurrection to his apostles. Ho might have had some other reasons, which we have only to adore without seeking to know them. Q. On what day does the Church commemorate the resurrection of Jcsusi Christ? A. On Easter Sunday. IIISTOllY. Of the apparitions of Jesus Clirist Q. To whom did Our Lord appear on that same day, after having appeared to Magdalen and the other holy women ? A. 1st. He appeared to St. Peter in particular, in order to distinguish hitn from the others, because of his primacy, and as a mark of his special favor. 2d. To the two disciples of Emmaiis. 3d. To the apostles as they were at table. St. Thomas was not there, which was the cause of his incredulity. Thns there were five diffei'ent apparitions on the very day of his resurrection. 9 98 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. I lilL Mil I H I'll' id \m ! I m ♦ St. John XTi. 15. 9* t Philip. 11. 10. 102 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. If ' ii» Ml ARTICLE VII. WHENCE HE SHALL COMB TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD. Q. What mean those words : Whence he shall come to judge ? A. That, at the ond of ages, he shall visibly descend from heaven, and shall come in majesty to judge all mankind, and render to every one according to his works. Q. On what day did Christ ascend into heaven ! A. On Ascension Thursday. Q. When shall he come down again f A. At the end of ages, or at the end of the world, which is the same thing : for, when ages are at an end, the world shall end too. Q. When shall the end of the world arrive ? A. No one knows.* Not even the angels themselves ; it is only known to God. Q. How shall Jesus come down from heaven ? A. He shall come visibly. Every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him ; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn because of him. f Q. How shall he come ? A. He shall come with majesty. No longer in humilia- tion, as he came the first time, but in all the splendor of his glory. Q. For what pm'pose shall he come ? A. To judge all mankind. He came the first time to save men. The second time it will be to judge them. Q. What shall he render to each ? A. He shall render to each according to his works. Q. What phall be the reward of the good ? A. Life eternal. Q. What shall be the punishment of the wicked f A. Eternal torments. Q. What do you understand by the living and the dead I A. I understand that he will judge not only those who are dead before his coming, but also those who, being still ♦ St. Matt. xxlv. Sr ; St. Mark xill. 82. t Apoo. I T. OF THE APOSTLES CREED. 103 living when he comes, shall die and be resuscitated, to be judged with the rest of mankind. Q. Who are the dead whom Jesus Christ will judge t A. Those who shall be dead before his coming. Q. Who are the Jiving whom he shall judge? A. Those who shall be alive at the time of his coming. Q. These last shall not die, theu ? A. Yes ; they shall die, and be immediately restored to life. Q. And why shall they be immediately restored to life! A. To be judged with the rest of mankind. ■ H ■ « HISTORY, or the signs of the last Judgment— Q. Where shall the wicked be placed ? A. On his left hand. Q. What shall he say to the good ? A. Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Q. What shall he say to the wicked ? A. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, pre- pared for the devil and his angels. Q. Where shall the wicked go? A. Into eternal torments. Q. Where shall the just go ? A. Into everlasting life. OF THE apostles' CREED. 133 ARTICLE XII. AND LIFE EVEBLASTINO. Q. Explain this last article. A. It means that the just, risen again, shall enjoy for all eternity a life of bliss, and that, on the contrary, the wicked shall suffer never-ending torment. Q. Whom do you understand by tlie just ? A. I mean those who shall have died in the state of grace. Q. What do you understand by the. just risen again? A. I understand the just whose souls shall be re-united to their bodies. Q. What life shall these enjoy ? A. A life of eternal bliss. Q. In what does that blissful life consist ? A. It consists in seeing God as he is, in loving, praising and possessing Him for ever in the kingdom of heaven.* The more we shall have labored for heaven, the greater shall be our reward ; and the saints shall be as different in glory as the stars are in light. See the description of the heavenly Jerusalem, Apoc. i. iv. v. vii. xxi. Q. Whom do you understand by the wicked ? A. I mean those who shall have died in the state of mor- tal sin. Q. What do you understand by the wicked risen again ? A. I understand the wicked whose souls shall be re-united to their bodies. Q. What pains shall these suffer ? A. Pains which shall never have an end. Q. In what do these pains consist? A. In never seeing God, and burning eternally. f There shall be, says Jesus Christ, weeprng and gnashing of teeth. These words are repeated six times in St. Matthew, and once in St. Luke.J The more one has sinned, the more he shall be tormented, and the torments shall multiply in proportion to the sins, both in number and in quality .§ See the history of the rich glutton, St. Luke xvi. * 1 Cor. xiii. 12. t St. Matt \i\\. 12 ; xiii. 42 and 50; xxli. 13 ; xxiv. 51 ; xxv. 80. i St. Luke xiii. 23. § Apoc. xviii. 7. 12 134 :l ! ■ 1 DOCTRINAL CATECHIBtf. CHAPTEE V. OF THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL. ARTICLE I. INSTITUTION OF THE SACRAMENTS. Q, What is a sacrament ? A. It is a sensible sign instituted by Our Lord Jesus Christ for our sanotification. Q. Why do you say that a sacrament is a sensible sign ? A. It is a sign because it makes known to us an invisible grace which it operates in our soul ; and it is sensible, be- cause it falls under our senses. For example, the water of baptism, which washes the body, makes known to us an invisible grace which purifies our soul. So it is with the other sacraments. Q. Who instituted the sacraments ? ^4. Our Lord Jesus Christ. It is only a God who could attach grace to certain sensi- ble signs, because it is only He who is the master and dis- penser of grace. Q. To whom did Our Lord leave the power of administering the sac- raments ? A. He left it to the apostles. Q. To whom did the apostles communicate that power ? A. To the Bishops and Priests. Bishops, having the plenitude and the perfection of the sacerdotal power, administer all of them without exception. Priests cannot give all the sacraments ; they can give nei- ther Confirmation' nor Holy Orders. Deacons can admin- ister Baptism by a commission from their superiors ; in case of necessity, any one can do it, provid''*d they have the intention of doing it as the Church does. If there are several persons present, it is the most digni- fied person who should give baptism. A father cannot bap- tize his own child except in a case of extreme necessity ; then he contracts no spiritual affinity, as otherwise he would. OF THE SACRAMK..TS IN GENERAL. 135 Q. Why did Our Lord Jesus Christ mstituto sacraments t A. To sanctify us. ARTICLE IL Jesus ivisiblo ale, bc- hes the purifies in sensi- and dis- 2 the sac- 1 of the cception. Ive nei- admln- liors ; in Ihave the )st digni- jinot bap- (ecessity ; le would. OF THE EFFECT OF THK SACKAMENTS. Q. How 18 it that the sacraments sanctify us ? A. Some give us the grace of justification which we had not before, such as Baptism and Penance ; others increase that which we had already received, such as Confirmation, the Eucharist, and the others. Q. What giace do we receive fiom Baptism and Penance ! A. The grace of justification. Q. What is the gi-ace of justification ? A. It is that which makes us just. Q. When ai'e we just ? A. When the Holy Ghost dwells in our hearts. Q. What does the Holy Ghost pour forth in the heai't wherein he dwells ? A. Grace and charity.* Q. How does God then regard us ? A. He regards us as his friends. To be a friend of God is worth more than all the treasures of the earth, because the friendship of God becomes in us a source of blessings for time and for eternity. Q. What grace do we receive from the other sacraments, such as Confirmation, the Eucharist, and the others ? A. A grace which augments that which we already have. Q. What is done by this new grace ? A. It renders us more just than we were before, that is to say, more holy, and more pleasing to God. This should induce us to receive the sacraments often, provided that we receive them worthily. Baptism and Penance are called the sacraments of the dead, because their virtue is to raise to the life of grace those who were dead to it. The other sacramcits are said ♦ Eom. V. 6. ^ I ' ' 13C DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. i ■ to be of the living, because in order to receive them worth- ily, it is necessary to have the life of grace. Q. Have tlie sacraments no other effect than that of grace f A. There are three which also imprint a character on the soul : they arc, Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders ; hence it is tliat none of these three can be conferred a second time. Q. Can Baptism, Confirmation, or Holy Orders, be received more than once ? yl. No ; they can be received but once. Q. Why so? A. Because they imprint a character on the soul. Q. What is that character ? A. It is a spiritual mark stamped indelibly on the soul, consecrating it to God in a special manner. This mark shall subsist eternally in the soul of the just, for their glory and consolation, and in the soul of the wicked for their con- fusion and despair. Q. What is justification? A. It is a change made in us from the state of mortal sin to that of grace, whereby we are made children of God. Q. In what state are we before being baptized f A. We are in the state of original sin. This sin gives death to the soul, as well as the mortal sin which is committed by the sinner's own will, after at- taining the age of reason. Q. In what state does baptism place us? A. In the state of grace. What a happy change that is ! In the former state we bore the image of the devil, and were children of wrath, destined to eternal misery ; in the latter, we bear the likeness of Jesus Christ, and are children of benediction, destined for the everlasting joy of heaven. Q. What is this change called ? A. It is called justification. Q. Into what state do we fall when we lose the grace of baptism f A. We fall back into the state of mortal sin. This is a very wretched state, and one which we cannot fear too much, or take too much care to avoid. OF TUB SACRAMENTS IK OEXERAL. 187 Q. To wlmt state aro wo restored by the Bacrnmcut of penance t A. Wc are restored to the state of grace. How good, how merciful is God, to deign to restore ua to his friendship, and to re-establish us in his grace, after so great ingratitude ! Q. What 19 this second change called ? A. It is also called justilication. Q. Whose children are we made by the grace of justification ? ^ A. We are made the children of God ; a quality far beyond all that we recognize as high in this world, and which we ought to esteem infinitely more than all others, since by it we become heirs of God, and co-heirs of Christ. Q. Wherein are wo first made children of God ? A. In Baptism.* Q. How do we lose that quality ? A. By mortal sin. Q. Wherein is that quality restored to ua ! A. In the sacrament of Penance. Q. Can we, of ourselves, dispose ourselves for justification ? A. No ; we must be excited thereto, and also assisted by an interior movement of the Holy Ghost. Q. To what state is our soul reduced by a single mortal sin I ^. To a state of death. Q. What life lias it lost ? A. It has lost the spiritual life of grace, though it still re- tains its natural life, which consists in thinking and willing. Q. Can we, by ourselves, emerge from that state of death ? A. No ; we cannot, without the assistance of the Holy Ghost. Q. What .assistance do we require for that ? A. We must be excited and assisted by an interior move- ment of the Holy Ghost. Q. What does that interior movement of the Holy Ghost produce in U9'< A. It produces holy thoughts and holy desires ; remorse of conscience ; sentiments of fear ; thoughts which repre- sent to us the deformity of sin and the beauty of virtue ; a desire to come forth from sin and embrace virtue. !■ ♦ Eom. vlil. 12* ! I 188 DOCTRINAL CATfiCIIISM. : HISTORY. Of St. Peter delivered from prison.— ilcto zxU. 9. Q. Wlmt dispositions nrc necessary for being justified f A. They are six in number. Q. Which is the first? A. To believe all that God has revealed and promised to us, especially the justification which Christ merited for us by his redemption. Q. Wlmt must the sinner believe in order to bo justified ? A, He must believe all that God has revealed and prom- ised to us. That there is one God in three persons ; that the second became man, and suffered death for us; that there is a heaven, a hell, a purgatory, and all the other articles of faith. Q. What must be specially believe ? A, The justification which Christ has merited for us oy his redemption. Q. What is meant by his redemption ? A, His suffering for us as man, and giving, as God, an in- finite value to his sufferings. Q. Wherein is contained all that God haa revealed and promised to us? A. In scripture and tradition ; that is to say, in the written and unwritten word of God. For want of this disposition, all those who do not believe, such as pagans, infidels, Jews, and heretics, cannot be justi- fied so long as they remain in that state. HISTORY. Conversion of the eunuch.— ^c<« viil. 26. Q. Which is the second ? A. It is to fear the justice of God, because of our sins. Q. What must the sinner fear, becaues of his sins ? A. He must fear the justice of God. Q. What do you understand by the justice of God ? A. The severity with which God punishes sin. OF TUB SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL. 139 Q. How (Iocs Oor I ■ i I the ago of reason. They are also to see that he be presented for confirination wlicn tho proper time comes. Q. What are the qualificxtions necessary for sponsors ? A. 1st. They must be good Catholics. Hence, neither infidels, heretics, nor excommunicated persons, should be admitted to act as sponsors. It is for *his reason that the question is first put to them, Will yo" iive and die in the faith of tho Holy Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman Church 1 To which they answer: Yes, by the grace of God. 2d. To be edifying in their conduct. Hence, persons who are noted for their scandalous lives cannot be received. 3d. It is well to know all that is ;:'ecessary to salvation, so as to be able to instruct those for ,.iiom they answer. This is the reason why they arc made to repeat the Creed and the Lord's Prayer. They should even be examined on the catechism, when there is reason to doubt their i^nowl- edge. Q, What alliance do godfathers and godmothers contract ? A, They contract an alliance which is called spiritual af- finity, and that alliance is an annulling hindrance to mar- riage. Q. With whom do tlie sponsors contract this alliance ? .1. With the child, and also with its father and mother. Hence it is that the godfather cannot marry his goddaugh- ter, nor the mother of his goddaughter; and the godmother cannot mari-y her godson, nor the father of her godson. There is also an alliance between him who baptizes and him rt'ho is baptized, and also with the father and mother of the latter; so that if a layman baptizes a girl in a case of ne- cessity, he cannot marry that girl or her mother. A father or mother cannot baptize their own children, because of that affinity, except it be in a case of necessity. The sponsors contract no affinity between themselves. It is well to record in each family the day on which each cliild is baptized, so as to bo able to keep it in 'Jieir n 'rnd«. 1^ OF BAPTISM. SECTION II. 157 w )the'' OF THE CEREMONIES OF BAPTISM. Q. What do the ceremonies of Baptism contain ? A. They contain instructions the most important. Q. Should Christians seek to understand them ? A. Yes ; it is their duty to do so. Q. Why? A . In order tn know more particularly the effects and the obligaticiis of their Baptism. ^. What are those ceremonies ? A. There are some which precede Baptirm, others which accompany it, and others which follow it. 1 . Of the Ceremonies which precede Baptism. Q. W^hat water is used in solemn Baptism ? A. Water sanctified by the prayer and by the ceremonies of the Church. That blessing takes place tM 'c^ in the year, on Easter Saturday and on the eve of Pentecost. Q. Can any other water be used for soleirin Baptism ? A. No ; because that would be disobeying the Church, which commands that only water so bl'^ssed should be used on those occasions. Q. By whom is solemn Baptism administered ? A. By bishops and priests; and, by commission, by deacons. In former times, more commonly by bishops, who imme- diately confirmed the newly-baptized ; but, at present, more generally by priests. Q. What is the first of the ceremonies which precede Baptism ? A. It is to make the child remain at the door of the church. Q. What does that signify ? A. 1st That the child is excluded from heaven, because of original sin. 2d. That in that state it is not worthy to enter the Church. 14 •1; •■I- « in fi^w 1 i 158 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. I'} ill' "IK II '11 ■::!' ii'i :, Q. "What is the second ceremony ? yl. It is to bestow on the child the name of some saint. Q. Why is that done ? A. 1st. To give it a protector in the court of heaven. 2d. To give it a model for the life it should lead. God gives it, moreover, one of his angels for a guide, and that from the moment of its birth. Q. "What is the third ceremony ? A. To breathe three times on the child's face. Q. "Why is th it done? A, 1st. To show how easily the devil is put to flight by the power of God. 2d. To indicate that the Holy Ghost, by his interior breath, is about to re-animate the soul of that child, dead in sin ; as God formerly animated the body of the first man by breathing on him. Q. "Why does the priest breathe three times ? A. To show that this power is common to the three divine persons. Q . "What is the fourth ceremony ? ^. It is to make the sign of the cross on the forehead and boLom of the child. Q. "Why is the sign of the cross repeated several times dui-ing the Baptism ? A. It is to stamp the baptized person with the seal of Jesus Christ. Q. "Why is it made on the forehead and bosom ? A. To signify that all the thoughts and all the affections ought to be for the cross of Christ. Q. Why is it made on those prominent parts? A. To the end that the baptized person may glory in appearing before the eyes of the world in the livery of Jesus Christ. Q. What does the priest afterwards do ? A. He recites three prayers over the child, with his hand extended over it. Q. What does he ask of God in those prayers ? A. He asks him to conduct that child to holy baptism, and to fill his soul with the Christian virtues. OP DAPTISM. 159 the of of hand tism, T Q. "Why does he still hold his hand extended over the child ? A. To denote that the child is to be always under tho protection of the Church, who has then taken possession of it. Q. What is the fifth ceremony ? A. It is to put a little blessed salt into the mouth of the child. Q. Of what is the salt the symbol ? A. h is the symbol of wisdom. Q. What docs the salt denote ? A. 1st. The relish which the baptized person should have for the Cijristiun doctrine and all the things of God. 2d. The care wherewith the baptized person ought to season all his words and actions with tho salt of wisdom, to the end that they may be agreeable to God. Q. From what docs salt preserve ? A. It preserves from corruption. Q. What admonition is that for the person baptized ? A. That he may preserve himself from the contagion of the world. Q. What does the priest then do ? A. He again recites two prayers. Q. Why? A. To solicit once more the protection of God for the child. Q. What is the sixth ceremony ? A. To make exorcisms on the child. Q. Why are those exo'-ci'^ms made ? A. To adjure the devil and command him, in God's name, to depart from the child, and give up possession of him. Q. How does the priest address the devil ? A. He addresses him with contempt, calling him an un- clean, accursed, and damned spirit. He reminds him at the same time of the sentence of con- demnation which God pronounced against him, and com- mands him to render homage to the true and living God, to Jesus Christ his Son, and to tho Holy Ghost, by departingf from that child, whom God has called to the grace of Baptism, and forbids him evvv to dare to violate the sign of the holy cross which he has placed on its foiehe.ad. '}> 't> rr }; li ! J: fi' ^!!l ?4' i nl 160 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. Why 13 the priest uncovered during the prayers, and covered dur- ing the exorcisms If A. 1st. He is uncovered during the prayers, because he speaks to God, to whom he addresses his humble prayers for the child. 2d. He is covered during the exorcisms, because he speaks to the devil, whom he commands with authority on the part of God. Q. Why a second exorcism ? A. To make more clearly manifest the obstinacy of the devil, who would not yield, unless he were foiced t6 do so by the authority of God. Q. Why is it that, during that second exorcism, the priest and the sponsors have each their hand extended over the child ? A. 1st. To overshadow him, as it were, by the powerful pi-otection of God and the Church. 2d. To represent the virtue of the Holy Ghost, who is about to descend on that child and take up his abode in its soul. Q. What is the seventh ceremony? A. It is to touch with a little saliva the ears and nostrils of the child, in the form of a cross. The priest says at the same time, Ephpheta in odorem , suavitatis ; that is to say, Be open to the odour of sweet- ness, which are the words used by Jesus Christ to heal a deaf and dumb man, placing his finger in his ears and touch- ing his tongue with spittle.* Q. Why this ceremony ? A. 1st. To open the ears of his heart to Christian truth. 2d. To loosen his tongue, to the end that it may freely confess Jesus Christ. Q. What does the priest say to the devil at the same time ? A. He says to him : And thou, devil, go out quickly from this child and take flight, knowing that thy judgment is near. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Q. What dees he then say to the child, touching it at the same time! A. Enter into the temple of God, that you may have eternal life. Amen. ♦ St. Mark vii. 82. ■Tt> OP BAPTISM. 101 trom it is of timel have 2. Of the Ceremonies lohich accompany Baptism. Q. What ii^ the first of tlic ceremonies which nccompany Baptism t A. It is the n-pt'titlon of ihc Creed and the Lord's Prayer. Q. Why is it the sponsors who repeat it ? A. 1st. To answer for the child who cannot repeat them. 2d. It is also to make sure of the faith of the sponsors. Q. Why are they made to repeat them as soon as the child has entered the Church ? A. To show that wc enter the Church only through faith, and persevere in it only through prayer. Q, Why do they repeat them standing ? A. To fr.how that we must be ready to defend our faith, even to the shedding of our blood. Q. Why is that same posture kept while repeating the Lord's Prayer ? A. To show that the mind and heart are raised towards the things for which we ask. Q. Why is the Creed repeated before the Lord's Prayer ? A. It is that we can ask nothing of God if we do not first believe. This order is also observed in the Mass ; but when wc do believe, it is no matter how we commence. If we usually commence our prayers with the Pater, it is because it is the first and most excellent of all prayers. Q. Wliat is the second ceremony ? A. It is presenting the child for Baptism, Q. By whom is it presented ? A. By its godlather and godmother. Q. Wliy? A. Because it is neither fit nor able to present itself. It is not al)le, because in its childish state it can neither will nor speak. It is not fit, because it is in the state of sin. The sponsors, thcrefi)re, present it in the name of the whole Church. Q. To what do the sponsors thereby bind themselves ? A. They answer for the child, and become its securities to God and the Church. Q. For what do they answer to God and the Church ? A. That the child will be faithful to all the promisee which it is about to make. 14* 1 162 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. I This is a serious and also a solemn obligation for. god- fathers and godmothers, since they take it upon themselves in the presence of God and his holy angels, and before the holy altar, and if they are not faithful to it, they shall have, a great account to render at the tribunal of Jesus Christ. Q. What is the third ceremony? A. To demand of the child if Jie renounces Satan, his pomps, and his works. Q. What ans\rer does the child make thi'ough liis godfather and god- mother ? A. He answers aloud that he renounces him. Interrogated three times, he answers as often. Q. What does he solemnly declare through these three renounce- ments ? A. 1st. He declares that he will never have union or fel- lowship with the devil. 2d. That he abhors and detests all his works, which are all sorts of sin. 3d. That hei detests all his pomps, which are the luxury, the display, and the vanities of this world. It is scarcely possible, therefore, to understand the mis- fortune of a Christian who denies that renunciation, and shamelessly plunges into all that he had thus renounced ; by that means he becomes a traitor towards God, because of the degrading preference he gives to the devil. Q. What is the fourth ceremony ? A. It is to make an unction with the holy oil on the bosom, and between the shoulders of the child, in the form of a cross. Q. Why this unction on the bosom ? ^. It is to indicate that grace, represented by that oil, will render the yoke of Jesus sweet. Q. Why between the shoulders ? A. To show that this same grace will render the burden of Jesus Christ light. Q. Why does the priest, after that, change his stole ? A. To announce the change which is to take place in the child. It is going to pass from the state of sin to that of grace, and as the purple color denoted the mourning and melan- ! ""^s^ in the OF BAPTISM. 163 choly of that former state, so does the white color denote the joy of the latter state — a joy which pervades the whole Church and reaches even to heaven, since it is a cause of joy to the angels themselves. Q. What docs the priest afberwai'ds ask the child ? A. He asks it, in an abridged form, if it believes all the truths contained in the Creed, and if it will be baptized ? Q. Why dues he ask that question before it is baptized f A. To assure himself of its strength and of its will ; Because none can be baptized unless those who demand it, and who promise to believe all that is of faith, as God will only receive into his service foithful and well-disposed persons. Q. What does the priest do, after they have answered : I believe ? A. He baptizes the child, pouring water three times upon it, in the form of a cross, arid pronouncing the words : I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Q. What happens at that moment ? A. 1st. Heaven is opened, and hell closed for that child ; 2d. Sin and all its stains are effaced ; 3d. The Holy Ghost descends on that soul, together with all his gifts. 4th. God declares that from his being a child of wrath, he has now become his beloved child ; 5th. From being the eneriay of Jesus Christ, .he becomes one of his members ; 6th. He is incorporated into the same body with Jesus Christ and all the faithful. Q. Is that child, tlien, regenerated in the waters of Baptism ? A. "i es, he acquires a new being, a new life, and new in- clinations. Being, life, and inclinations altogether divine. Q. To what state does he pass ? A. He passes, 1st, from the death of sin to the life of grace ; 2d. From the deformity of the devil to the beauty of angels ; 3d. From a state of eternal reprobation, to a state of eternal salvation. . . 'I 1G4 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. Q. U this nil ? A. No ; 1st, he becomes the temple of the Holy Trinity, the heir of God, and the co-hoir of Jesus Christ; 2d. lie acquires the right of participating in all the treas- ures of the faithful ; viz., the sacraments, the word of God, the prayers and good works of the faithful, Q. Should he ever fall into siu after receiving so many favors ? A. No ; at least not into mortal sin ; for a single mortal sin throws us again into disgrace with God, and deprives us of ail those precious advantages. Q. Why did you say : at least not into moilal sin ? A. Because even the most righteous persons fall into those sins which are called venial. It is true that we cannot, in this life, avoid all sin, but we should never commit any sin, be it ever so trivial, with a deliberate purpose. Q. Why has God left us this weakness after Baptism ? ; A. To keep us in continual vigilance and humility. 3. Of the Ceremonies tohich follow Baptism. Q, What is the first of the ceremonies which follow Baptism 1 A. The unction which the priest makes with holy chrism on the top of the child's head. Q. What does that unction signify ? A. It signifies that the baptized person participates in the spiritual unction from which is derived the name of Christ and Christian. Q. lu what capncity did Jesus Christ receive this unction ? A. In that of king, of priest, and of prophet. Q. The baptized person, then, in receiving the unction of the holy chi'ism, participates in those three qualities of Jesus Chiist? A. Yes; he participates in his royalty, in his priesthood, and in his quality of prophet. In his royalty, because grace gives him dominion over his passions and his inordinate inclinations. In his priesthood, because grace enables him to offer to God, every day, sacrifices the most acceptable, viz., holy thoughts, holy desires, and holy actions. In his quality of prophet, because being filled with the Holy Ghost, he perceives, by his light, the nothingness of OP BAPTISM. 166 his tho J of earthly things, with tho greatness and solidity of the eter- nal treasures. Q. Of what ia the holy chrism composed ? A. It is composed of balsam and oil of olives. Q. What does the oil denoto hy its virtue of penetrating and dlffus* ing itself ? A. It denotes that grace in the same way penetrates and fills our soul. Q. What does it denote by its virtue of lighting, nourishing, nnd etrengtl ouing? A. It denotes that grace m like manner enlightens our soul, nourishes and strengthens it in its troubles. Q. What does balsam indicate by its odor ? A. It denotes that the life of the baptized person should difluse every where the good odor of Jesus Christ. Q. What is the second ceremony ? A. To lay the chrism-cloth on the head of the child. Q. What does the chrism-cloth replace ? A. It rej^laces the white robe wherewith baptized persons were clothed on going forth from the waters of Baptism. They wore that white robe for seven days, that is to say, during Easter-week or the week of Pentecost. Q. What does that white robe signify ? A. 1st. Deliverance from the slavery of the devil, and the liberty of the children of God, given to the newly bap- tized ; Because, formerly, slaves to whom freedom was given, were clothed in white ; 2d. That the baptized person is freed from the soiled gar- ment of sin, and clothed with the whiteness of innocence ; 3d. That he has been washed and whitened in the blood of the Lamb ; 4th. That he has been clothed with the wedding-garment, which entitles him to assist at the banquet of the Lamb ; 5th. That he has been clothed with Jesus Christ himself, and that he is henceforward to be viewed as a representative of Jesus Christ. Q. What is the tliird ceremony ? A. It is to place in his hand a lighted taper. *! 166 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. |: Q. What docs that lighted taper filgnify f A. 1st. The three divino virtues \vhl( li are infused into the soul of the person baptized : faith by its light, hope by its flamo and charity by its warmth; 2d. That the baptized person should consume solely for God; 3d. It denotes the lighted lamp wherewith wo are to go, at the hour of death, to meet the Bridegroom, as did tho wise virgins in the Gospel ; 4th. The joy arising from the victory obtained over tho devil. It is for this reason that, in some churches, tho bells are rung. Q. Why doc8 the priest place the lighted taper in the child's hand ? A. To show that it is not enough to have interiorly the virtues which it signifies, but that they must also bo mani- fested exteriorly by works. Q. How are all these ceremouies coucluded f A. By the repetition of the Gospel of St. John, the bless- ing of the priest, and the registry of the child's name in the parish-book. Q. Whv the repetition of that Gospel and the blessing of the priest, since the child is alieady full of gi-ace ? -<4. It is to beg of God that he may ever preserve that grace in his soul, and to draw down that divine assistance by virtue of the words of the Kternal Word and the bless- ing of the priest. Q. Is there ai.y instruction in the registiy of the child's name ? A. Yes; 1st, it denotes that the child is enrolled in the militia of Jesus Christ to fight under his standard ; 2d. That his name is inscribed in heaven in the book of life if he faithfully preserves his baptismal grace. Q. Why has the Church decreed that we ourselves should keep a record of the day of our Baptism ? A. 1st. In order that we may never forget that day of grace and of benediction ; 2d. To enable us to make a solemn commemoration of it every year. nil !£ 'ill 9 ic ' ii OF CONFIRMATION. 167 CHAPTER VII. tbe Ik of Icep Y of of it OF CONFIRMATION. Q. What is Coufiimation ? A. It is a saerami'iit which gives us the Holy Ghost with the abundance of his graces, to make us perfect Christians, and give ua strength to profess the faith of Christ, even at the peril of our life. Q. What does the sacrament of Confirmation give ub I A. It gives us the Holy Ghost with the abundance of his graces. Q. What is the Holy Ghost? A. The third person of the blessed Trinity. The Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son, and is the same God with them. We may, therefore, imagine the greatness of that gift, since it is God himself that we receive. Q. Does the Holy Ghost, then, come to dwell in ua ! A. Yes, he conies in person.* Q. When was the Holy Ghost first given to us t A. In Baptism. It was then that we became the temples of the Holy Ghost, because it was then tha^ He took up his abode within us. Q. When is the Holy Ghost given to us a second time ? A. In Confirmation. Q. Why do we receive him a second time ? A. To the end that we may be enriched with the abun- dance of his graces. Q. What do you mean by the abundance of his graces ? A. I mean his seven gifts. Q. What are they ? A. The spirit of wisdom, and of under Landing, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness, and the spirit of the fear of the Lord.f Q. What is the spirit of wisdom ? A. It is a gift which makes us relish the things of God : 'i \ • St. John xiv. 16. Bt. Tli. 1 p. 9. lA art 3. t Isaias xL 2, 8. 16S DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. 'I .!■!; prayer, meditation, the Word of God, whether read or heard, the sr.oraments, and all liianner of good works. Q. What is the spi'-it ot understanding ? A. It is a gilt which opens our mind so as to understand the truths of religion. This gift enables us to see therein beauties which captivate the mind and inflame the heart. Q. What is the spirit of counsel ? A. It is a gift which maices us take sure means to reach heaven. It is the Holy Ghost himself who is our adviser, and who enlightens us at every step, so that we may walk straight to God, without turning to one side or the other. Q. What is the spirit of fortitude ? A. It is a gift which enables us to surmount courageously all the obstacles which oppose themselves to our salvation, whether they come from the world, the devil, or ourselves. Q. What is the spirit of knowledge ? A. It is a gift which renders us enlightened in the ways of God. Having it, we perceive the greatness of God, the dignity and holiu :r?s of religion, and the inestimable value of heaven. Q. What is the spirit of godliness, or piety ? A. It is a gift which renders the service of God sweet and Hgreeable to us. With it, we not only walk faithfully in the practice of the commandments, but we run, and as it were, fly in that holy way. Q. What is the fear of the Lord ? .1. It is a gift which inspires us with a respect for God, mingled with love, which makes us fear above all things to offend him ; and that in the smallest things as well as in the greatest. Q. Wliy is the Holy Ghost given to us in Confirmation, with the abundance of his graces i A. In order to make us perfect Christians, and to enable us to confess the faith of Christ even at the peril of our life. Q. What do we become by Baptism ? A. We become Christians. Q. What do we become by Confii-mation ? A. We become perfect Christian^., of reet as it )2S 10 the [itli the inahle )f our OP CONFIKMATION. 160 Q. What difioreiice is tbcie between ft Cttristiau and a perfect CLria- tiiiu ? A. The same diflk-rence Taat there is i^etwcen a child and a grown man. Both arc iiicn ; but the one is weak tind timid, the o herstrong and courageous. In lilte manner the Ijaplized and conlirmed per;(>ns are both T'hristians ; but one is still weak and timid, and the other strong and co'io- ragoous. riiis differ(Mice is seen in the apostles. Before -u^ de- scent of the Holy Ghost, wlierein they received the abun- dance of his giaces, they were weak and fearful ; and aflTter the descent of the Holy Ghost they were strong and cou- rageous. * \v hat should not a Ch: 'stian, then, do in order to rer^ive Confirn-.ation, and to i-eceivc it worthily ! Q. yVha<, strength does Confirmation give ua? A. It gives ns strength to confess the faith of Jesus Christ, even at the peril of our life. Q. What is it tc confess t)ie faith of Jesus OhriL^t? A. 'J"o dcelai c on all occasions for what it teaches us. To that end we must, on every occasi(.)n,take the part of truth, of justice, of charity, and of modesty, especially when they are outraged in our presence. Neither must we ever be ashamed to practice virtue and to do good, and to raise ourselves above human respect, and above the scofli:ig and raillery of the world. Q. What is it to coufcss the faith of Christ, even at the peril of our life? A. It is to bo ready to shed our blood rather than re- nounce it. This is what the holy martyrs did with so much courage. It is for us to consiaer whether we would have the same courage under the same circumstances. KX AMPLE. Tho martyrdom of St. Stephen. Q. How is this sacraniont given ? -Act8 Til. A. By the imposition of the bishop's hands, and the unc- tion which he makes wiih the chrism on the forehead of the * Acta it. 15 ! If * 1 r 11 i 1 !■ if III 170 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. lir if ( person confirmed, pronouncing at the same time, certain words wiiich express the eflfect of this sacrament. Q. By whom is this sacrament administered f A. By the bishop. Q. Where is that seen ? A. In the conduct of the apostles. Q. What did the apostles do on having learned that St Philip had converted and baptized many of the Samaritans ? A. They sent St. Pet'^r and St. John to confirm them. It is this conduct which the Church has ever since followed, and which has served for a rule in all ages. Q. Why is it bishops rather than priests who administer this sacra- ment? A. Because it is more proper that those who have the perfection of the priesthood, should give the perfection of Christianity. Q. How do t! e bishops give this sacrament? A. 1st They lay their hands on the head of the person confirmed and invoke the Holy Ghost ; 2d. They make an unction on the forehead with the holy chrism. Q. What words do they pronounce at the same time ? A. They pronounce words which express the effect of the sacrament : Descendat septiformis Spiritus, &;c., laying their hands on the person's head. Signo te signo crucis, et confirmo te chrismati salutis, nomine Patris, &c., making the unction. Q. What is the effect of this sacrament ? A. 1st. To render us perfect Christians; 2d. To mak^ us confess the faith of Christ, even at the peril of our life. It is the Holy Ghosf, with the abundance of his graces,' who produces in us these two effects. Q. Of what is the holy chrism composed ? A. Of oil of olives and balsam. Q. What does the oil signify ? A. It signifies the effusion, the abundance, and the sweet- ness of the graces of the Holy Ghost ; And that by its virtue of spreading, or diffusing itself, and of lighting, nourishing, and soflening. Grace does all ■0 OF CONriRMAfioN these things in the sou] nfth. ' ''''' Ponotmjos, enlightens a„d nouSsl'°''?™<«* ' '' «'!» »d i 7st" Truh ""'"" »^" f '' """^ ^°"«"^ "^ pains °'2T"&f°- th:Tor™;tn'':J^,«''o»' >-- the virtue ^^^^-^^^£^ - ---'e And like balm, which ho J T "^" *% inspire • --t.of a arSi*":' "^ ""^^ ^''-'d be the principal oma- suffering. ""^"^^™"»^-and that he .nst be patient in <3- Wbat does he sav of *i, ^•Hesa,s:P:^e?btS«-. Q- Wbyto^e words? ''^ * . ^^- -lo Jet us kiiow that- a Tf,,- <.• bo conC'ilh^^hr™'^ '° "«' "^-hop the person t -ruction and' behavi:^ """"^''^ '<> «>« bishop C^ i° ""- '-msCves o/t ^^Zl'JllfKf, ™. and S:tr----:;a-^,^.^.n.a. n nr 1 w - ..•.*vn ij, com- ramttT""" '"'' '^ ""der themselves guift, „.„ , ^. They render f h , ^ '«'*=' '"» ««- r-nde. themselves guiit, of Sin. An, ,^, ^^ ^^ ^ 172 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM, n is more or less great, according as the neglect is more or less. Q. Of what do they dopi ive themselves ? A. Of the plenitude of gniee which this sacrament com- municates. And being deprived of that plenitude of grace, they ofti'n yield to temptation on occasions when they might have resisted. Q. When is it particularly necessary to receive this saiaament? A. When one is persecuted for the faith, or tempted against the faith. Q. Wh}^ i.'^ it most needful on those occasions ? A. In Older that it may give strength to support those tern ptai ions or persecutions. Q. In Avhat dii^positioiis mu&t it be received ? A. It is necL's-ary to be instrdcted in the principal mysteries of the faith, to renew the profession of them, aod to have the conscience purged of all mortal sin. Q. What is the first dL-^position i A, It is to be instructed in the principal mysteries. The principal mysteries are those of the Trinity, the In- carnation, and the Kedemption. Q. What is the second ? A. To renew the profession of faith. The first and most ancient is the Creed. Q. What is the third ? A. To have the conscience purged of all mortal sin. Q. What is necessary to he done for that end ? A. To make a good confession. Q. What harm would it be if one received this sacrament in a stato of mortal sin ? A. h would be committing a sacrilege, because it would be a profimatioii of the sacrament. Q. Can this sacrament be repeated ? A. No ; because it imprints a character. Q. What are the fruits of the Holy Ghost? A. 'Ihay are twelve: charity, joy, peace, patience, for- bearance, goodness, benignity, meekness, faith, modesty, coi'tinence, and chastity.* * Gal. V. 22, IJ '1 OP CONFIRMATION. 173 state )uld for- lesty, 1st. Charity unites us to God by love. 2d. Joy fills us with a holy consolation. 3d. Peace produces in us tranquillity of soul. 4th. Patience enables us to bear without murmuring, whatever might disturb that inward peace. 5th. Forbearance prevents us from being disturbed by any delay. 6th. Goodness renders us beneficent to all. 7th. Benignity leads us to relieve the necessities of our neighbor. 8th. Meekness makes us bear patiently with the failings of others. 9th. Faith makes us believe with certainty, on the word of God, that which we do not see. 10th. Modesty regulates our whole exterior, so as to scandalize no one. 11th and 12th. Continence and chastity preserve our bodies in that holiness which becom>.3 the temples of the Holy Ghost. Q. Why are those virtues called the fruits of the Holy Ghost ? A. Because they are the graces of the Holy Ghost, who causes thetn to spring up in our hearts. Q. What is necessary to be done in order to ntake them grow ? A. It is necessary to cultivate them with all possible care, Q. How? A. 1st. By prayer and meditation. These are the means which draw down the dew of heaven on those sacred plants. 2d. By ceaseless vigilance. In order to avert all that m'ght destroy them, or impede their growth. 3d. By the continual exercise of every virtue. Without this exercise, those virtues would neither grow nor long subsist in our souls. To renew every year the memory of our Confirmation, and make the anniversary of it. 174 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. CHAPTER VIII. OF THE EUCHARIST. ARTICLE I. OF THE EUCIIAUIST. 1'^-' it' m s ' ■ i I i ;ii:' m m^' ■ p, ... 1 i! ■" Q. Which is the most august of the sacraments ? A. The Eucharist. es all others in sanctity. It contains the Author of grace, whilst the others are only ?igns theroof, having, indfcd, the virtue of giving grace, Imt itill signs for the moment they are given; this, on the con- trary, is always a sacrament so loner as the species subsist. Q. Wl)y is it called the Adorable Sacrament ? A. Because it contains Jesus Chrht, who is v/orthy of all adoration. ! g'E OP THE KUCIIARTST. 175 Jesus Christ, being God, is adoiabic wherever he is. Q. Why id it called tlie Sacratiit'iit of the Altar? A. Because it is consctTated and orlcred on the altar, and can neither be consecrated nor ollurcd elsewhere. Q. What else is this sacrament culled ? A. It is c;d!ed the Holy Viaticum. Q. What is the Holy Viaticum ? A. The communion givL-n to the dying. It is, as it were, their provision for the great journey of eternity. M'a- tar, My but Icon- list. fall HISTORY. Of the institution of the Eucharist.— 5^ 3IaU. xxvl. Q. With whom did Our Lord make the pascb, on the eve of his death ? A. With his apostles. Q. What was the pasch ? A. It was a solemn repast made by the Jews every year, in memory of their deliverance from Eiiypt.* This repast was made on the fourteenth day of the month of March, at nightfall. Q. What did they eat in that pasch ? A. They ate in every family a roasted lamb. This lamb was to be male, of a year old, without spot or blemish ; its bones were not to be broken, and the door of every house was to be marked with its blood. They wero to eat it standing, a staff in their hand, their loins girt, and to eat it with unleavened bread and wild lettuce. This repast had been rcgidarly observed for nearly fivo hundred years, by the order of God. Q. What was i( called ? A. It was called the pasch. Which is a Hebrew word, meaning passage. Q. Why was it so called ? A. 1st. Because of the passage of the destroying angel, who killed at midnight all the first-burn of Egypt, without touching those of the Lraelites. * Exod. xil. 6. vA i I u. !i Mm'' 176 DOCTRINAL CATECHISM. 2d. Because of the passage of the Israelites from Egypt to the proniised land. Q. Of what was this lamb the figure ? A. It was the figure of Jesus Christ immolated on the cross. The ceremonies of the paschal lamb were also the figure of the dispositions which must be brought to the holy com- munion. Q. What did Our Lord do in that repast which is called the pasch t A. 1st. He arose from table, and washed the feet of his apostles. Which shows the purity and humility wherewith we ought to approach this sacrament. Q. How did he institute this sacrament ? A. 2d. He took bread and changed it into his body. 3d. He took wine and changed it into his blood. He raised his eyes to heaven, and gave thanks to his Father. He blessed bread and broke it. In the same way he blessed the wine. Q. There was, then, only the body und-^r the species of bread, and only the blood under the species of w;.ne ? A. Jesus Christ was wholly and entirely under each species. Q. To whom did Our Lord give his body and blood ? A. He gave them to his apostles, saying : Take ye and eat, this is my body, which is given for you. This is my blood, the blood of the New Testament, which shdl be shed for many unto the remission of sins. Drink ye all. He added : Amen, I say unto you, that I will drink no more of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God. Q. What power did he give them at the same time A. He gave them power to change the bread into his body, and the wine into his blood. Q. By what words ? A. By these words : Do this for a commemoration of me.* ♦ St. Luke xxii. 19. Cone. Trld. Scss. 22, ch. 1. ^1*> OF THE EUCHARIST. 177 no mil his of It is as though he sai<] to thcin : Do nil that T havo just (lone. Coiisocrato my liody jiii'l my hlood; <>f1rr them in snorifice, nourish your-elvcs with them, ami