THE TRUTHS OF OUR FAITH God God is the Supreme Being Who made all things. In God, there are three Divine Persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. There is only one God. We call the three Divine Persons in one God the Blessed Trinity. God is all-perfect, all-good, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-just, and all-merciful. God is everywhere. He is unchangeable. God the Father When Our Lord Jesus Christ entered history as the full revelation of God to mankind, He revealed that God, while remaining one God, is also three individual Persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus is the eternal Word of God that we see in the book of Genesis who comes forth from God who He calls My Father. Jesus is the perfect image and likeness of the Father and they are so united that Jesus said, I and My father are One, and He who sees Me, sees the Father. Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is God. He is God the Son, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. Jesus Christ is true God and true man. Jesus Christ became man to redeem us from our sins, to reconcile us to God, and to open to us the gates of heaven, closed to the human race after the sin of Adam. Jesus was like us in all ways except sin. Jesus was free of all sin, original sin and actual sin. Jesus retained His divinity throughout His entire earthly life. There was never a time in which He did not know He was God. Jesus knew all things during His life on earth. He knew the future and worked many miracles, including raising people from the dead. He controlled the powers of nature. He knew the innermost hidden thoughts and secrets of one and all. Jesus retained His celibacy throughout His entire life. Jesus Christ freely suffered His passion and cruel death on the Cross. He did so out of infinite love for us, in order to redeem us from our sins. Of His own power, He rose triumphantly from the dead three days after His death. Forty days later, He ascended into Heaven, body and soul, through His own power. The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit is God and the third Person of the Blessed Trinity. He proceeds from God the Father and God the Son. He is equal to the Father and the Son because He is God. The Holy Spirit, symbolized by a dove, comes from the Father and the Son like love from the heart. He is the mutual Love of the Father and the Son. Also called the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit lives in the Church and in the hearts of the faithful. The Holy Spirit was sent by Jesus Christ to the Apostles on Pentecost, the Birthday of the
Catholic Church, to give it life, light, love, and strength. The Holy Spirit dwells in the Catholic Church as the source of its life and sanctifies souls through the gift of grace. We receive the Holy Spirit in Baptism. We receive the Holy Spirit in a special way in the sacrament of Confirmation. In Confirmation, the Holy Spirit enables us to profess our faith as strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit strengthens or completes the work begun in us at Baptism. The Blessed Virgin Mary Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ, and therefore, the Mother of God. She was conceived without the slightest trace of original sin. The Blessed Virgin Mary was sinless throughout her entire life. She conceived Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, and bore her divine Son while ever remaining a virgin. Mary remained a virgin after the birth of Jesus Christ. She did not have any other children. There was never a time when Mary did not do the will of God, as seen in her response to the Angel Gabriel, behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word (Luke 1:38). According to the Catholic Church, Mary s life was the most authentic and perfect imitation of Christ. Because of her perfection, Mary was assumed body and soul into Heaven. Mary is the Mother of the Church and the model of all virtues. She is the path that leads to Christ and the mediatrix of all graces, as shown to us by Jesus as He was dying upon the Cross: Woman, behold thy son; Son, behold thy mother: (John 19:26-27). Mary is the new Eve; As a second Eve she came forth from the side of the new Adam in His sleep on the Cross (Pope Pius XII). The Catholic Church The Catholic Church is the Mystical Body of Christ. He is the Head and we are the members. Catholics are united by supernatural bonds with one another and with Christ, thus resembling, the members and head of the living human body. The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Mystical Body, the living member of the Mystical Body of Christ comes from the Holy Spirit. The Church is a visible and spiritual society, which Christ instituted with a hierarchy. Christ is the invisible Head of His Church; the Pope, the successor of St. Peter, is the visible head of Christ s Church. In order for a person to be a member of the Mystical Body, he must be baptized, profess the Catholic faith, and not separate himself from the Church nor be excluded by lawful authority. Only the Catholic Church possesses the marks of the true Church by which all can recognize it as the Church founded by Jesus Christ: It is one, holy, catholic (or universal), and apostolic. The chief attributes of the Catholic Church are: authority, infallibility, and indefectibility. All are obliged to belong to the Catholic Church in order to be saved.
The Bible There are 73 books in the Bible. The Bible is divided into two sections: The Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament teaches us about the creation, the fall of the angels, the fall of man, and the promise of God to Adam and Eve of a Redeemer. This promise was continually renewed by God to the many prophets of the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, God gives us the Ten Commandments. The Bible teaches that we are all descendants from the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. The Popes have confirmed this truth; it is doctrine of faith which Catholics must believe. The New Testament is the fulfillment of God s promise to our First parents. The four books of the Gospels tell us about the life of Jesus Christ. They teach us about the coming of Christ, His teachings and the miracles He worked. The New Testament teaches us that Christ started a Church the Catholic Church. Christ game us the seven sacraments, instituted the Mass, suffered and died to redeem us, and rose triumphantly from the dead. Christ ascended into Heaven, but promised to be with us always. Tradition Sacred Tradition contains all the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ which have been handed down to us by the Apostles and their successors. Some of these teachings have been written down and we call them Sacred Scripture or the Bible. Other teachings have not been written down but they have been handed down from Our Lord through His Apostles and make up many Catholic teachings and customs that enrich our Catholic life and are called Sacred Tradition. From the fullness of the revelation of Christ which He has committed to His Apostles and their successors, we have what is called The Sacred Magisterium or the teaching office of the successors of the Apostles which is guided and enlightened by the Holy Spirit, especially in the teaching of the successors of Saint Peter, upon whom the Church herself is built by the express command of Our Lord. Apostles Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
Nicene Creed I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The 10 Commandments Thou shalt not have other gods besides Me Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain Remember to keep holy the Lord s day Honor thy father and thy mother Thou shalt not murder Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor s wife Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor s goods The 7 Sacraments (The Holy Mysteries) Baptism Confirmation (Chrismation) Eucharist Penance (Confession, Reconciliation) Matrimony Holy Orders Extreme Unction (Anointing of the Sick) The 7 Gifts of the Holy Ghost Wisdom Understanding Counsel Fortitude Knowledge Piety Fear of the Lord The 12 Fruits of the Holy Ghost Charity Joy Peace Patience Benignity Goodness Longanimity Mildness Faith Modesty Continency Chastity The 7 Spiritual Works of Mercy To counsel the doubtful To instruct the ignorant To admonish the sinner To comfort the sorrowful To forgive all injuries To bear wrongs patiently To pray for the living and the dead The 7 Corporal Works of Mercy To feed the hungry To give drink to the thirsty To clothe the naked To shelter the homeless To visit the sick To visit the imprisoned To bury the dead
Page 6 of 6 The 6 Precepts of the Church (The Duties of a Catholic) To go to Mass and refrain from servile work on Sundays and holy days. To go to Confession at least once a year (traditionally done during Lent). To receive the Eucharist at least once a year, during the Easter Season (known as the "Easter duty"). To observe the days of fasting and abstinence. To help to provide for the needs of the Church according to one's abilities and station in life. To obey the marriage laws of the Church. The 8 Beatitudes Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are the meek: for they shall posses the land. Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven The 3 Theological Virtues Faith Hope Charity The 4 Cardinal Virtues Prudence Justice Fortitude Temperance The Holydays of Obligation in the United Stated The Immaculate Conception (December 8) Christmas (December 25) Mary, the Mother of God (January 1, the Octave of the Nativity, the Circumcision) Ascension Thursday (40 days after Easter) The Assumption (August 15) All Saints Day (November 1) The 4 Marks of the Church One Holy Catholic Apostolic The 4 Last Things (The Novissima) Death Judgement Heaven Hell