The Catholic Church encourages that special veneration be given to Mary. This honor is due to her as Mother of Christ, as Mother of the Church, and as our spiritual Mother. This veneration is to be shown to others by word and example. Pope Paul VI solemnly brought the third session of Vatican Council II to a close on November …

Some of the special gifts which God gave to the Virgin Mary are: (1) her Immaculate Conception, (2) her perpetual virginity, (3) becoming the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church, and (4) her Assumption. 1. One special gift which God gave to the Virgin Mary was her Immaculate Conception. In view of the merits of her Divine …

Mary has the highest place in the Church after Christ because: (1) she is the Ever-virgin Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God; and (2) she is our spiritual mother. 1. Mary has the highest place in the Church after Christ because she is the Ever-virgin Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God. The source of Mary’s motherhood …

On the day of the Last Judgment, we will fully reach our eternal destiny. The primary happiness of Heaven consists in this: we shall possess, in body and soul, the infinitely perfect God and be possessed by Him. We will be personally and consciously united to God Himself, Who is infinite Goodness, Truth and Beauty. God’s love will fulfill every …

When Christ returns with power as Judge of the living and the dead: (1) He will give His people to the Father, and (2) the Church will then reach perfection and enter into the fullness of God. 1. When Christ returns with power as Judge of the living and the dead, He will give His people to the Father. The …

On the day of the Last Judgment: (1) All of us will be revealed, “for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body” (2 Corinthians 5:10); then (2) “those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those …

The Last Judgment is the universal judgment of the human race at the resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. “When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one …

We believe that those who die in the state of grace will live with God forever. “And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3). In God alone can we find eternal happiness. This life is a time of testing and trial. The eternal happiness of Heaven …

When we say, “I believe in the resurrection of the body,” we mean that we believe that, at the end of the world, all the bodies of those who have lived on earth will be raised from the dead and will be united again with their souls. If the whole man—body and soul—has loved and served God, even at the …

The Beatific Vision is an immediate vision of God. We believe that the just who have been made perfect through death and Purgatory are now in Heaven, though they have neither risen in the body nor undergone the final judgment. We are called to glorify God in Heaven in a perfect manner by loving Him and surrendering ourselves to Him. …

Purgatory is a place of spiritual cleansing. Anyone who dies in the grace of God but is not free from all temporal punishment due to sins cannot go to Heaven at once. Those who still have to do penance for their sins go first to Purgatory. “But nothing unclean shall enter it [Heaven], nor any one who practices abomination or …

Hell is the eternal separation from God. The person who dies in the state of mortal sin has deliberately torn himself from God during life and has died without that bond of union with God which we call sanctifying grace. He has no means by which to establish contact with God and has lost Him forever. He is in Hell. …

At the very instant that the soul leaves the body, it is judged by Christ. This is the particular judgment. If we die with no sins on our soul which require atonement or satisfaction, the immediate sight of God in Heaven will itself be our judgment.

We have good reason to face death with courage and joy because: (1) Christ’s Resurrection has conquered death; (2) in the risen Christ we live, die, and shall live again; and (3) we look forward to our homecoming with God our loving Father. 1. We have good reason to face death with courage and joy because Christ’s Resurrection has conquered …

The thought of the duties and obligations which flow from the love of God and man helps the Christian: (1) to form a right conscience, (2) to always choose what is right, (3) to avoid sin and the occasions of sins, and (4) to live in this world according to the Spirit of Christ, for the love of God. 1.The …

Our responsibilities toward self are: (1) to be an example of Christian goodness; (2) to be humble and patient with ourselves; (3) to be simple in the use of the things of this world; (4) to be pure in thoughts, words and actions; and (5) to avoid pride, laziness, envy, and intemperance in food and drink. 1. Our responsibilities toward …

We sin against our neighbor in four general areas, namely: (1) justice, (2) God’s gift of life, (3) speech, and (4) sexuality. 1. Sins against our neighbor in the area of justice. The Seventh Commandment of God is, “You shall not steal”, and the Tenth Commandment is, “You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor” (cf. Exodus 20:15, …

We show our love for our neighbor when we obey all lawful authority, whether it be in the home, in civil society, or in the Church. With respect to lawful authority in the home, the Fourth Commandment of God says: “Honor your father and your mother” (Deuteronomy 5:16; Exodus 20:12). St. Paul wrote: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, …

Our judgments of others and our speech should follow the standard of Christ’s charity–which is due to all those created in the image and likeness of God. God commands us to think kindly of others. Jesus said: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will …

We show to others the justice and charity of Christ by reaching out in the spirit of the Beatitudes to help others, to build up a better society in the local community, and to promote social justice and peace throughout the world. We show the justice and charity of Christ to others by letting our Catholic faith, with its beautiful …

As Christians, we must show our love for all people. We do this when we: (1) are concerned about our neighbor’s rights—his freedom, housing, food, health, and right to work, (2) show to others the justice and charity of Christ—that is, reaching out in the spirit of the Beatitudes to help others, to build up a better society in the …

We sin against God’s honor: (1) by putting anyone or anything in God’s place, (2) by blaspheming God or perjuring ourselves, (3) by failing to show respect for persons, places, and things consecrated especially to God, (4) by atheism, heresy, and schism, and (5) by missing Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation. 1. We sin against God’s honor …

We have the life-long duty, as Christians, to love and serve God. This means: (1) we must put the will of God first on the list of our personal values, and keep it there throughout our lives; (2) our attitude towards God must be that of a devoted son or daughter towards an all-loving Father; (3) we must never think …

We know the duties that flow from the love of God and man by: (1) the Ten Commandments of God, (2) the Sermon on the Mount, especially in the Beatitudes, (3) the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy, (4) the Theological and Cardinal Virtues, and (5) the laws of the Church. 1. We know the duties that flow from the …

The “Our Father” is a prayer of perfect and unselfish love because it is the prayer that God’s Incarnate Son taught us. In saying the Our Father, we offer ourselves entirely to the Father and ask Him for the best things, not only for ourselves, but also for our neighbor. The Our Father summarizes the entire Gospel and praying it …

Men and women enter into consecrated vocations to show, in a special and necessary way, their love of God by giving themselves in service to mankind. There are many different forms of consecrated life, such as religious brothers and sisters, and apostolic celibates. The consecrated life is a special state to which our Lord God calls some people. Like all …

A person obtains holiness, whatever his state of life may be, by loving God above all else. God’s life is holy because it is lived with love. The Father and the Son forever give Themselves to each other in one eternal infinite act of love. From this mutual love proceeds the Holy Spirit, their infinite, eternal union; the total sharing …

Man’s greatest responsibility in life is to do God’s will by living in His love and to practice the “new commandment” of love of neighbor. Jesus said: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s …

The love of God is called the soul of morality because: (1) God is love, and (2) in God’s plan that love reaches out to men in Jesus Christ, so that men might be united by their love for God and for one another. 1. The love of God is called the soul of morality because God is love. God …

The commandments, summed up, deal specifically with the love of God and the love of neighbor. “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater …

Obedience to the Holy Spirit entails a faithful observance of the commandments of God, the laws and precepts of the Church, and just civil laws. Without the help of the Holy Spirit, we can do nothing to obtain our Salvation. He gives us the power to make a lasting commitment to Christ and the strength needed to keep that commitment. …

A Catholic should form a right conscience by studying the Faith and obeying the teaching authority of the Catholic Church. It is the duty of the teaching authority of the Catholic Church, the Magisterium, to guide the faithful in applying the norms and values of Christian morality to specific situations of everyday life. Christian freedom needs to be directed by …

Each person should have a right conscience and follow it. A Catholic should form a right conscience by learning the Faith and obeying the teaching authority, or Magisterium, of the Catholic Church. Moreover, the moral life of Christians is guided by the grace and Gifts of the Holy Spirit. We do not always know with certainty whether our consciences are …

Conscience is a personal, reasoned, practical judgment that something is right or wrong; that is, whether something is in accordance with the will and law of God, which is written within one’s soul. Conscience makes us aware of what God wants us to do at a given time. Furthermore, it helps us to know when we have sinned. Conscience tells …

Catholic morality is supported and guided, first of all, by natural law, which remains unchangeable throughout history. Man’s reflection on his own nature and experience, aided by God’s guidance, has shown that the principles and rules of natural law are valid for all times, people, and places. As such, natural law is the foundation for the establishment of all moral …

Catholic morality teaches us a way of life that is worthy of human beings who are adopted sons and daughters of God. We must grow in the new life which God gave us through Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church expresses the fullness of Christian moral teaching by stating moral precepts or commands, by making judgments about the morality of certain …

The teaching of the Church instructs us on things which are to be done and to be avoided, so that we, as followers of Jesus, might live the Christian life according to His will. As Christians, we should respond to God’s love by faith and action. If we truly love God, we shall seek to always do His holy will. …

Jesus is the divine model of prayer because, by becoming man while remaining divine, He showed us by His example that we could draw close to God by prayer, since prayer played such an important part in His life. During the thirty years of His hidden life, Jesus lived an ordinary, quiet, and prayerful life. Subject to Mary and Joseph, …

We should pray with (1) attention, (2) a spirit of humility, (3) a deep desire for the graces we need from God, (4) a loving trust in God’s goodness, (5) resignation to God’s will, and (6) perseverance. 1. We should pray with attention by forming in our minds the intentions of praying well and of fixing our minds on God. …

The four purposes of prayer are: (1) adoration, (2) thanksgiving, (3) repentance, and (4) petition. 1. Adoration. Our first and foremost duty is to acknowledge God’s supreme dominion over us, as our Creator and Father; our absolute dependence on Him, as His creatures and children; and His supreme excellence. The worship of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is called …

Prayer is necessary because (1) God has commanded us to pray, and (2) it is an unconditional means of obtaining grace. The need for prayer is rooted in man’s very nature as a creature of God who receives gifts from His generosity. 1. Prayer is necessary because God has commanded us to pray. The First Commandment of God binds man …

Mental or interior prayer (as distinct from vocal prayer, which normally is expressed by set formulas) begins with a serious consideration of the truths of the Faith, with a view to their practical application to our daily lives. During mental prayer, you grow in the knowledge of your faith and acquire principles of right living by applying yourself to prolonged …

Prayer is the lifting of our minds and hearts to God. We lift our minds and hearts to God to praise His goodness, to thank Him for His kindness, to acknowledge our sins, to plead for pardon, to ask His aid for our Salvation, and to give glory to Him. When we pray, both our minds and our hearts are …

The Holy Eucharist is the center of all sacramental life because It unites and strengthens the Church. Baptism is the beginning of our Christian life. It initiates us into the life of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but we must grow ever more alive in this divine life by praying, receiving the sacraments, hearing the Word of God, serving …

We owe gratitude, adoration, and devotion to the Real Presence of Jesus, reserved in the Blessed Sacrament. Our devotion is expressed in visits to the tabernacle in our churches, at Benediction, and in Eucharistic processions. Benediction is a brief ceremony in which the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for the people to adore and reverence. After the period of adoration, the …

The Holy Eucharist is reserved in our churches in order to greatly enhance our adoration of Jesus and to increase our love for others. It is also reserved in the churches in order to be taken to the sick. The Jewish Passover of the Old Covenant was a symbol of the Holy Eucharist of the New Covenant. Jesus surpassed and …

Jesus becomes present in the Holy Eucharist to renew the sacrifice of Calvary in an unbloody manner on our altars, to nourish our souls in Holy Communion, and to remain bodily among us by His Real Presence in our tabernacles. Faith teaches us that Jesus Christ is truly, really, and substantially present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, under the veil …

Holy Communion gives us a pledge of future glory because it establishes sacramental contact between Jesus Christ, Who reigns in glory, and ourselves on earth. The glory which is reserved for us in Heaven is twofold—the glory of the soul and the glory of the body. The glory of the soul consists in the Beatific Vision of God. God communicates …

Yes, since Holy Communion increases sanctifying grace in our souls, it also increases our love of neighbor. In Holy Communion, we are united directly to Jesus Christ, and through Him, to the Father and to the Holy Spirit, Who are in Him. We also are united with Him and through Him to all His members, and especially to those who …

Yes, Holy Communion is a source of the Theological Virtue of charity. The Holy Eucharist is the sacrament which most fittingly increases man’s love for God, because it was begun and inspired by God’s love for man. St. John pointed to that love when he wrote: “When Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world …

Yes, Holy Communion unites our souls to Jesus’ divine and human natures. It is an article of faith that the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar is truly, really, and substantially the Body and Blood of Christ, together with His soul and divinity. Therefore, when we receive Holy Communion, we receive the real, physical Body and Blood of Christ, together with …

Yes. One of the principal effects received from the Holy Eucharist at Holy Communion is the intensification and strengthening of supernatural life. Being a sign of nourishment, the Holy Eucharist is meant to do for the soul what material food does for the body, and that is to preserve life and to protect it. As material food enables us to …

In the Eucharist, Jesus nourishes properly prepared Catholics with His Body and Blood, the Bread of Life, so that they may become more pleasing to God and may be strengthened in their love of God and neighbor. In the Eucharist we become more pleasing to God. In this great celebration of our faith, we relive the experience of Jesus and …

The Holy Eucharist is a sacrament of unity because it unites the faithful more closely with Jesus and with one another. By receiving the Body and Blood of the Lord in the Holy Eucharist, we are taken up into a close union with Him and with one another. In this sacrament, the unity of all those who believe in Jesus …

Holy Communion is the Eucharistic meal of the Body and Blood of Christ, which: (1) reminds us of the Last Supper, (2) celebrates our unity with one another in Christ, and (3) is a foretaste of the eternal Messianic Banquet of Heaven. 1. Holy Communion is the Eucharistic meal of the Body and Blood of Christ, which reminds us of …

Only ordained priests and bishops are called to offer the Eucharistic Sacrifice to the Father, with Christ, in the Holy Spirit, for the living and the dead, and for the Salvation of all. Christ commanded His Apostles to celebrate this sacrifice when He said, “Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24). This is a sacred task: to act …

The Mass is the one sacrifice of Christ because His one sacrifice on the Cross is made present to men in every celebration of Mass.

The Mass is both a sacrifice and a sacred meal because it is an unbloody representation of the sacrifice of the Cross; in application of its sacred power, the Lord is immolated in the Sacrifice of the Mass. When the words of consecration are said, this immolation (sacrifice of Christ) becomes present in a sacramental form under the appearances of …

Lay people participate in the Mass by the reception of Holy Communion, and by fully exercising their status as members of the priesthood of the faithful. For example, they offer the Victim, Jesus Christ, and themselves, not only through the hands of the priest, but also with him.

The Holy Mass is offered to give adoration and glory to God the Father, to give praise and thanks for Christ’s immeasurable love for us, to intercede for those in need, and to obtain forgiveness of sins and the remission of the punishment for sins.

The two principal parts of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass are: (1) the Liturgy of the Word and (2) the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Liturgy of the Word includes the Scripture readings together with the homily, the Profession of Faith, and the Prayer of the Faithful. The Liturgy of the Eucharist has three stages: (1) the Offertory rite; …

The most important form of all Christian liturgy is the Mass. Within the setting of a Jewish Passover meal, the Lord instituted the Eucharistic sacrificial meal of the New Covenant. It was from this rite that the New Testament liturgy was born. The Passover meal was a ritual. It called for certain foods, including bread and wine, as well as …

The liturgy is seen as an exercise of the priestly office of Jesus Christ. It involves the presentation of man’s sanctification under the guise of signs which can be perceived by the senses, and its accomplishment in ways appropriate to each of these signs. In the liturgy, full public worship is performed by the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, that …

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is not only a ritual which reminds us of the sacrifice of Calvary, but through the ministry of ordained priests, Christ continues, until the end of time, His sacrifice of the Cross in an unbloody manner. The Holy Mass is the sacrifice by which the Church not only remembers Jesus Christ, but really brings …

Our Lord Jesus Himself, true God and true man, is really and substantially present, in a mysterious way, under the appearances of bread and wine. After the priest speaks the words of consecration, the appearances of bread and wine remain, meaning that bread and wine appear to be there but are not really there substantially. At the Last Supper, when …

When a priest pronounces the words of Eucharistic consecration at Mass, the bread and wine, by the power of the Holy Spirit, are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, which were given for us in sacrifice. At the Last Supper, Jesus’ words and power made Him really and substantially present under the outward appearances of bread and wine …

The Church celebrates the Eucharist in obedience to the words of Jesus at the Last Supper: “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). At this time, Jesus gave the Apostles both the command and the power to bring the Eucharist to us. The celebration of the Eucharist is the Church’s way of doing what Jesus did at the Last …

The Holy Eucharist is the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Under the appearance of bread and wine, the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ are really, truly, and substantially present for the nourishment of souls and as a sacrifice of the Church.

A sacrifice to God consists in a lawful priest offering some befitting gift to God, as a victim in the name of the people, in order to acknowledge God’s absolute sovereignty over creation. In a sacrifice, man gives to God something of his own property; this surrender occurs through real or symbolic destruction, whereby the gift is removed from its …

The Christian family shows the Savior’s living presence in the world through (1) the mutual love of the husband and wife, (2) the spouses’ generous fruitfulness, (3) their fidelity and unity, and (4) the loving relationships among its members. 1. The Christian family shows the Savior’s living presence in the world through the mutual love of husband and wife. The …

Every family’s calling is to share their lives with one another, with deep love and respect according to the Will of God. The family, or the domestic church, is the most sacred of all societies. In His love for us, God gives us life and the care we need as children through our parents. Character, beliefs, thoughts, and virtues should …

Conjugal love, and the family life which results from it, have this purpose: that the married couple be ready to cooperate generously with the love of the Creator and the Savior, Who through them will increase and enrich His own family day by day. The most complete expression of the unity of the spouses is the sexual act, the fulfillment …

The bond of sacramental marriage lasts until death, the death of one of the spouses. The marital bond is rooted in the conjugal covenant of personal consent, whereby spouses give themselves to each other and accept one another. A relationship arises which, by God’s will, is a lasting one. This bond no longer depends on human decisions alone. Marriage is …

God instituted marriage in order for spouses to: (1) bring children into the world and educate them in the truths of God’s kingdom, and (2) promote and deepen their love for one another. 1. God instituted marriage in order for spouses to bring children into the world and to educate them in the truths of God’s kingdom. The greatest gift …

In this sacrament, Christian spouses consecrate themselves to God in order to: (1) uphold the dignity of marriage and (2) fulfill its duties. 1. In this sacrament, Christian spouses consecrate themselves to God in order to uphold the dignity of marriage. The dignity of sacramental marriage is seen in mutual fulfillment, through sacrificial love for one another, and in the …

We see the dignity of the sacrament in the fact that the spouses (1) share their lives together in Christ’s grace, and (2) imitate the love Christ has for His Church. 1. The spouses share their lives together in Christ’s grace. In the Sacrament of Matrimony, Our Lord comes to live with the spouses, to give them His grace, and …

The spouses themselves are the ministers of the Sacrament of Matrimony, which takes place in a public liturgy of the Church, usually during Holy Mass. In the presence of the assisting bishop, priest, or deacon, and of the witnesses, the spouses express their personal and lasting consent to one another. The sacrament is begun in the mutual promises between husband …

Jesus Christ elevated the marriage of the baptized to the dignity of a sacrament. Our Lord made sacramental marriage a lifelong, sacred indissoluble union of husband and wife, by which they exclusively give themselves in complete surrender to each other and to Christ. Christ is the third partner in every sacramental marriage. Christian marriage is the union of a man …

God Himself instituted marriage and gave it certain purposes, laws and blessings. God instituted marriage at the very beginning of the human race, when He created Adam and Eve, as we read in the book of Genesis: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And …

The Church asks the sick to help their fellow Christians by offering their sufferings in union with the sufferings and Death of Jesus Christ our Lord. The Anointing of the Sick prepares us for eternal life, if it is our time to die. It promotes the restoration to health, if it is God’s will that we serve Him still longer …

By this anointing and by her prayers, the Church, through the ministry of her priests, asks the Lord to (1) alleviate the sufferings of the sick, (2) forgive their sins, and (3) grant them eternal life. 1. By this anointing and by her prayers, the Church, through the ministry of her priests, asks the Lord to alleviate the sufferings of …

This Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is best received as soon as possible when there is danger of death from sickness or old age. This sacrament is for all who are seriously ill and not only for those near death. It is important to note that the sacrament can be repeated for persons who get well and become seriously …

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is administered to anyone who is seriously ill and to those who are in danger of death due to old age. Jesus showed great love and compassion toward the sick and suffering. “Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to …

As representatives of Jesus, priests (1) offer the Sacrifice of the Mass to the Father, (2) administer the Sacrament of Penance for the forgiveness of sins, and (3) administer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. 1. As representatives of Jesus, priests offer the Sacrifice of the Mass to the Father. Knowing that Christ’s priesthood and Church were to …

In the Sacrament of Holy Orders, Jesus bestows a permanent charism or grace of the Holy Spirit on the ordained man which enables him to minister to and guide those who believe, to proclaim and explain the Gospel, and to lead and sanctify the people of God. Jesus bestows this grace through the action of the laying on of hands …

Episcopal consecration (or ordination) confers the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. This consecration, which is known as the high priesthood, makes a man a bishop. It confers the office (duty, function) of sanctifying. It also confers the duties of teaching and ruling in communion with the head and members of the College of Bishops.

The Sacrament of Holy Orders (1) makes certain baptized men particularly like Christ the High Priest, (2) entrusts them with a ministry of special service in the Church, and (3) provides them the sacred power to fulfill this ministry. 1. The Sacrament of Holy Orders makes certain baptized men particularly like Christ the High Priest. Holy Orders is the act …

The following are examples of actions that meet one of the conditions for gaining a partial indulgence (also see question 214): (a) If one of the faithful, while doing his duty and bearing the burdens of life, lifts his heart to God with humble trust, adding, if only mentally, a pious invocation; or (b) if he, with a spirit of …

A plenary indulgence is a complete release from the temporal punishment due for sins already forgiven. Only one plenary indulgence may be obtained each day. A partial indulgence removes part of the temporal punishment due for sins already forgiven. Several partial indulgences may be obtained each day.

Yes, all indulgences, without exception, may be offered by way of intercession for the departed. Although we may gain indulgences for ourselves, we may not offer them for any other living person.

The conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence are: a. One must be baptized and in the state of grace. b. One must receive Holy Communion each time a plenary indulgence is sought. c. One must go to confession several days preceding or following the indulgenced action. A single sacramental confession suffices for gaining several plenary indulgences. d. One must have …

Making use of her power to minister the redemption of Christ, the Church intervenes to dispense the treasure of the superabundant merits of Christ and the saints, to the faithful who are rightly disposed, for the remission of temporal punishment due their sins.

An indulgence is the Church’s special intercession with God for the remission of temporal punishment due to sin which has already been forgiven.

We must atone for our sins even after they are forgiven, either in Purgatory in the next life or by acts of penance in this life.

When we confess our venial sins, not only does God pardon them, but we receive an increase of grace and charity which allows for a better disposition for receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and helps us to perfect the Christian life. The abundance of the fruit which we gain from Holy Communion depends upon the degree of our love, …

The Church desires that every Catholic, from the “age of discretion” (about seven years old), should be instructed on how to receive and best profit from the regular use of the Sacrament of Penance. The Church encourages the faithful to confess their sins to a priest with a contrite heart in the Sacrament of Penance. She makes it very clear …

Perfect sorrow or contrition for mortal sin restores a person to the state of grace even prior to receiving the Sacrament of Penance, providing he is sincerely sorry for offending God and intends to go to confession as soon as possible. We have perfect sorrow for our sins when we are truly sorry for them because they have offended our …

Yes, when a Catholic has committed a serious or mortal sin, sacramental confession is the ordinary way to reconcile the sinner with Christ and His Church. Confession is, for the Catholic, the sacramental way of obtaining pardon for sin and of submitting his offenses to the mercy and forgiving grace of God. In this sacrament Jesus forgives our sins, no …

The Sacrament of Penance helps us: (1) to obtain forgiveness from God after we have made a sincere confession, shown true sorrow, and are resolved not to sin again; (2) to be reconciled with the Church, which is wounded by our sins; and (3) to strive for holiness of life and overcome habits of sin. 1. The Sacrament of Penance …

The Sacrament of Penance brings to the Christian God’s merciful forgiveness for any sins committed after Baptism, and it brings the sinner consolation and peace. St. John writes: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). As God’s Son, Jesus had the power of …

When we receive the seal of the Spirit at Confirmation, we are prepared to (1) witness for Christ as mature Christians, and (2) defend the Faith and evangelize. When we receive the seal of the Spirit at Confirmation, we are prepared to witness for Christ as mature Christians. By Confirmation, the Christian is bound more perfectly to the Church, and …

Confirmation is a sacrament that confirms or strengthens the life of the Spirit which was given to us at Baptism. In virtue of this sacrament, the faithful are obliged to spread and defend the Faith as true witnesses of Christ. The principal sign of Confirmation is made by the bishop or priest, when he lays his hand upon the forehead …

Baptism (1) permanently relates us to God as His adopted children, and (2) joins us to Christ’s priesthood and His prophetic and kingly mission. 1. Baptism permanently relates us to God as His adopted children. This relationship or bond can never be erased. Baptism is directed toward acquiring the fullness of life in Christ, that is, toward a complete profession …

Baptism is the sacrament through which we are: (1) reborn as children of God, (2) united with Jesus into His death and Resurrection, (3) cleansed of Original Sin and personal sins, and (4) welcomed into the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. Baptism is the sacrament through which we are reborn as children of God. Baptism is directed toward our …

Some of the sacramentals are: (a) the consecration and dedication of churches; (b) the blessing pronounced on men and women who enter a religious brotherhood or sisterhood; (c) the blessing given in the Nuptial Mass to the bride; (d) the blessing given to a mother after childbirth; (e) the Sign of the Cross; and (f) various blessed articles, like Rosaries, …

By the proper use of sacramentals, men are disposed to receive the chief effect of the sacraments, and various occasions in life are rendered holy.

Sacramentals are blessings, ceremonies, or religious articles instituted by the Church for our use, in order to increase our devotion and to aid in our Salvation. The difference between sacraments and sacramentals is that the sacraments were instituted by Jesus Christ; they give grace to our souls by their own power. The sacramentals were instituted by the Church and are …

When we say, “I believe in the forgiveness of sins,” we mean that we believe in the pardon, not only of original sin, but of all personal sins, mortal and venial. Christ died for all men. By the infinite value of His sacrifice, the sin of Adam, which we inherit, is erased. Jesus appeared to the Apostles on Easter Sunday …

The Church honors the canonized saints who are already with the Lord in Heaven because they inspire us by the good example of their lives, and because they can help us by their prayers. We must honor the saints not just because they can and will pray for us, but also because our love for God demands it. The saints …

The Church Triumphant consists of all the souls of the blessed in Heaven. It is the Church of all those in heavenly glory who have triumphed over their evil inclinations, the seductions of the world, and the temptations of the evil spirit.

The sacraments serve: (1) as sources of grace for individuals and communities and (2) as remedies for sin and the effects of sin. The sacraments are also signs of faith, as explained in question 192. 1. The sacraments serve as sources of grace for individuals and communities. All the sacraments produce sanctifying grace. In addition, each sacrament gives its own …

The Church encourages Catholics to receive the sacraments often and with great faith and eagerness because Christ instituted the sacraments to nourish Christian life. Christ Himself made the sacraments the instruments through which He gives His grace to us. This is what we mean when we say that Christ instituted the sacraments. There are references in the Bible to Christ’s …

Jesus instituted the sacraments to (1) sanctify mankind, (2) build up the Church, His Mystical Body, (3) render worship to God, and (4) instruct. 1. Jesus instituted the sacraments to sanctify mankind. God uses the sacraments as the ordinary channels to impart His grace; therefore, they are necessary to keep and nourish the life of grace in our souls. St. …

The sacraments are referred to as actions of Christ because (1) by means of them, Christ gives His Spirit to all who believe in Him, and (2) it is from Christ that the sacraments receive the power to make men holy. 1. Sacraments are called actions of Christ because, by means of them, Christ gives His Spirit to all who …

The sacraments reveal that (1) God desires to make mankind holy, and that (2) mankind desires to receive this holiness. In this way the sacraments give us God’s grace. 1. The sacraments reveal that God desires to make mankind holy. The sacraments are sensible signs, instituted by Jesus Christ to signify and give His gifts of grace. God’s intention to …

The Church teaches that sacraments are sensible signs, given to us by Jesus Christ, through which He communicates invisible grace and inward sanctification to our souls. When we receive the sacraments, we encounter the Person of Christ. The Seven Sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Order and Matrimony. The sacraments are outward signs of both …

The Church has been given the sacraments, which Christ instituted, as the special means of continuing Christ’s work on earth. The sacraments are special actions of the Holy Spirit in the Church, through which we encounter the person of Christ, experience His love, and receive His grace.

The saving work of Christ is continued in the Catholic Church, especially through the Seven Sacraments which He instituted. The Holy Spirit gives His grace through the sacraments and sanctifies souls. By means of the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Catholic Church enjoys Christ’s presence and continues His ministry and saving mission. Jesus promised to remain with us, through …

We must have reverence toward the bodies of those who have gone before us in death, and we must pray for the souls of our deceased relatives and friends, and all of the faithful departed. We show respect for the bodies of the deceased because they were temples of the Holy Spirit and are destined to rise gloriously. We can …

The Church Suffering, or the Church Expectant, consists of the souls in Purgatory. This is the Church of all the faithful departed who are saved but are still being purified in purgatorial suffering. They cannot see God, but the Holy Spirit is in them. Being made ready for Heaven, they will never again sin.

We upon earth must pray for one another so we may all be faithful to our obligations as members of the Communion of Saints. We must also perform the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.

The Church is called the Church Militant because it is the Church here on earth which is still fighting against sin and error. It is also called the Pilgrim Church, since its ultimate goal is Heaven, rather than earth. If we should fall into mortal sin, we do not cease to be members of the Communion of Saints, but we …

When we say, “I believe in the Communion of Saints,” we mean that we believe that there is a union, a fellowship, of all souls in whom the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, dwells. This communion is the union of the members of the Church on earth, in Heaven, and in Purgatory. The word “communion” means “union with.” The …

The Catholic Church is apostolic because it is able to trace its lineage in unbroken continuity back to the Apostles. Jesus said to Peter, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Speaking to all the Apostles, He said, “All …

Yes. The Catholic Church is the only Church which teaches all the truths that Jesus Christ taught. Many other Christian communities have rejected the Sacraments of Penance and Anointing of the Sick, the Mass and the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, the spiritual supremacy of Peter and his successors, the popes, the efficacy of grace, and man’s ability …

The Church has been in existence since the sacrificial Death and Resurrection of Jesus. This took place about 33 A.D. The Catholic Church has had a continuous existence of more than two thousand years, and it is the only Christian institution of which this is true.

The Church is catholic or universal because Christ established it to proclaim all of His teaching to all men, at all times, and in all places. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be …

The Catholic Church is holy because it was founded by Jesus Christ, Who is all-holy, and because it teaches holy doctrines according to the will of Christ. It provides the means of leading a holy life, thereby giving holy members to every age. We can point to the saints as proof that the holiness of Christ is at work in …

We are united in worship because we have but one altar, upon which Jesus Christ daily renews the offering of Himself upon the Cross. Everywhere we have the same Mass and everywhere the same Seven Sacraments. By means of the Eucharist, Christ re-offers Himself to the Father through the ministry of His priests in the Sacrifice of the Mass. At …

All Catholics are united under the same spiritual leadership because Jesus Christ made Peter the chief shepherd of His flock, and provided that Peter’s successors, the Bishops of Rome, would be the heads of His Church and guardians of His truths until the end of time. Loyalty to the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, will ever be the binding center …

Jesus said, “And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16). Jesus prayed to His Father: “That they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may …

The Church is one because it is unified in belief. The truths which the members of the Catholic Church hold are the truths made known to us by Jesus Himself; they are truths which come to us directly from God. God is Truth. He knows all things and cannot be mistaken. He is infinitely truthful and cannot lie. Whatever God …

There are four marks which point out the true Church founded by Jesus. They are four adjectives: one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Having made His Church a means of our everlasting happiness, our Lord has stamped it plainly with the mark of its divine origin. In the Nicene Creed we say: “I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic …

The Catholic Church is an institution for Salvation since (1) it is a community of the faithful with our Savior Jesus Christ as its Head, and (2) it has been given the mission of communicating the Good News of Salvation to all mankind. 1. The Catholic Church is an institution of Salvation because it is a community of the faithful …

As Christ sent His Apostles to teach and to be witnesses to Him in the world, so too, He wants the laity to share in this mission. The duty of proclaiming the Gospel and of making its power felt in the lives of men belongs not only to bishops, priests, deacons, and religious, but also to the laity in the …

We firmly believe that Jesus Christ made His Catholic Church the ordinary means of Salvation. We should desire to share the Church’s fullness with all mankind. Catholics believe that Jesus Christ placed the work of Salvation in the care of His Church. Speaking to His disciples, Jesus said, “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects …

We should respect all men of good will because man was created for God in His image and likeness; as a human being he possesses a special dignity and value. Man, having a spiritual soul and being a more perfect image of God, has dominion over all other earthly creatures. He has a free will and is immortal. For these …

In order to promote Christian unity, Catholics should take the first steps in seeking to overcome the unfortunate divisions existing between Christians. They should strive to make Christians more faithful to Christ and to be effective witnesses to the truths received from the Apostles. The Church is one because there is only one Jesus, Who communicates the same life of …

Christian unity in faith and love is God’s will because Jesus prayed that all who believe in Him should be one, in order that the whole world would know that His Father sent Him. The night before He suffered His Passion and death, Jesus prayed for Christian unity. “I do not pray for these only, but also for those who …

As Christians, we must help men to solve their problems as much as possible. We show our love for God by loving our neighbors—the people around us. Love for our neighbor makes us do all we can to help those who need our assistance and to make the world better. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A …

We can help unbelievers find God by the witness of our lives of firm faith in God and personal love of Christ, and by our goodness and love towards unbelievers. We can help people to turn to God if we give them a good example of our own deep faith in God. If people see our love for Christ in …

The Catholic Church ministers extensively to the bodily needs of people by helping those in need, by seeking to relieve the causes of suffering, and by building up a better life for man. Its vast health care and social welfare systems are found throughout the world. Although the Church is deeply involved in ministering to the bodily needs of people, …

The Catholic Church ministers to our spiritual needs by providing a community of faith, where we can find help and guidance in seeking God. The Holy Spirit gives and strengthens the life of God in the Church community through its teaching, the sacraments, prayer, and works of service. The sacraments are special actions in the Church through which the life …

The role of the Church is to make Christ known and loved, to spread the knowledge of Salvation everywhere, and to pray and suffer for the Salvation of souls. Christ gave His Church the commission to spread the message of Salvation to the ends of the earth. The greatest gift which God has given to man is the gift of …

The Catholic Church is missionary because every member shares the command from Christ to carry the Good News of His teaching to all mankind by word and example. The Church, as a community of believers and brotherly love, bears Christian witness by its preaching of the Gospel and its service to others. God has called to be witnesses all those …

In the Church each member has a vocation to lead a life of holiness. When God created man, He gave him the gifts of supernatural life, of divine sonship. Man was alive with the very life of God, but by sin, he lost this gift of divine life. Left to himself, man was incapable of winning back the divine life. …

All the members of the Church are equal, but they have different duties and roles. They are united to each other as the one People of God whose Head is Christ. Describing the Church as the “People of God” emphasizes the fact that the Church is composed of people, including the Pope, bishops, priests, deacons, and the laity. As the …

The Catholic Church is a community since its members share Christ’s life with one another; it is a people brought together by God. The Church is a community of those throughout the world whom God has called to give witness to Christ and to the new life He has brought to man. This assembly is called the “People of God” …

Everyone in the Church deserves our deepest respect since, through Baptism, we are united to Christ in His Mystical Body and become His brothers and sisters. Every human person is created in the image and likeness of God and is precious in His eyes. Our Lord said, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the …

The Pope and the bishops are owed honor, respect, obedience and love by the faithful. We obey the fourth commandment of God, and thus serve Him and His Church, when we honor, love, respect, and obey the Pope and the bishops in union with him. To be a Catholic means to believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, established …

The Pope and the bishops direct Christ’s work in the Catholic Church, in every rite and diocese. The Pope is chief representative of Christ in the Church; he is its principal symbol of unity. The Pope is chief representative of Christ in the Church; he is its principal symbol of unity. He enjoys the primacy of jurisdiction over the Church …

The chief responsibilities of the Pope and the bishops are to teach, sanctify, and govern the People of God. This authority and power was given to them by Jesus, beginning with that received by St. Peter and the other Apostles. After His Resurrection, Jesus demanded of Peter a profession of love. “He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son …

The Pope is the successor of St. Peter; the Catholic bishops are the successors of the Apostles. Collectively, the bishops constitute what is known as the Episcopal College, with the Pope as its head. Christ made the Apostles as a stable group, or college. They were jointly responsible for spreading the Gospel of Christ in the whole world. To the …

Our Holy Father, the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the Vicar of Christ. He is the successor of Peter and holds the office of supreme authority over all the Church, appointed by Christ for the guidance and care of His flock. The Pope is the head of the College of Bishops. Our Lord solemnly told Peter he was to …

Yes, in God’s plan, the Catholic Church is a hierarchical society. It is a people guided by its bishops, who are in union with the Pope, the Bishop of Rome. By means of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, bishops (the successors of the Apostles) and priests have received the powers of Jesus Christ. Bishops and priests, together with deacons, are …

When we speak of the Church in Heaven, we do not mean the Church in the condition in which it is a sign, with ministers and sacraments; these will cease. As signs and instruments, they will be absorbed into the heavenly realities which they now serve. When we speak of the Church in Heaven, we mean the union of the …

The Church is called the sacrament of Christ because it is a visible reality which Christ has formed in this world as a sacred sign of His presence. It is the sign and also the means He uses to give us the unity and holiness He actually confers through it. It is a sacrament of His presence because He is …

The seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They are the gifts listed in Isaiah 11 which were to characterize the Just Man—the Messiah. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are the qualities God gives our souls to make them responsive to the grace of God. They help us …

The Church is a living continuation of Christ on earth because Christ spiritually and mystically lives and acts through the Church. It is a living organism, not just an organization. Christ organized the Church to carry on His work in the world and to bring His ministry and truth to all men and all ages. It is Christ Who accomplishes …

The Catholic always sees the Church in its relationship to Christ. It is not the Church as such that is the primary object of Catholic faith. The Catholic believes in Christ and in His Father and in the Holy Spirit. In the Creed, the Catholic professes his belief in “the holy catholic Church” precisely because he sees the Church as …

The Catholic Church belongs entirely to Christ, because He is the Head of the Church, its Founder, its Spouse, and its Savior. He continues to do His saving work in and through the Church. In the New Testament we see Christ’s preparation for the Church, His promises concerning it, and the beginning of their rich fulfillment. Christ is the Light …

By means of these gifts, the Catholic Church can act and grow as a community in Christ, by serving men and giving them His saving word and activity. The Catholic Church is nourished by God’s saving truth, the sacraments, and the apostolic ministry. Through these gifts, the Church Militant (the Church on earth) is able to grow and to continue …

Yes, the other gifts of the Church besides the truths of the faith and the sacraments are the ministries inherited from the Apostles (cf. Q. 140). St. Peter was Christ’s chief ambassador on earth. The whole Church was entrusted to his care. The Apostles shared their responsibility with others, called bishops. Today the Church continues, through the Pope and its …

Other gifts of the Catholic Church besides the truths of the faith are the sacraments (cf. Q. 140). Jesus taught the Apostles that His grace was to be given to men through them. It would be through the Apostles and their successors, for example, that He would forgive sin and give the world His Precious Body and Blood in the …

The two sources of Divine Truth are: (1) Holy Scripture and (2) Sacred Tradition (also known as Apostolic Tradition or simply Tradition). 1. One source of Divine Truth is Holy Scripture. Holy Scripture (or the Bible) is the collection of books accepted as definitive by the Catholic Church. Sacred Scripture is the authentic, inspired record of the revelations made to …

Some of the basic gifts given by God to the Catholic Church are: (1) the apostolic ministries of bishops, priests, and deacons, (2) the truths of the Faith, and (3) the Seven Sacraments. 1. Among the basic gifts given by God to the Catholic Church are the apostolic ministries of bishops, priests, and deacons. Christ gave the Apostles and their …

Jesus started the Catholic Church at the time of His Death and Resurrection, more than two thousand years ago. Jesus earned for us the privilege of belonging to God’s holy family, the Church, by His death and Resurrection. In order to enter that family, we must have sanctifying grace, which we first receive at Baptism and which cleanses our soul …

The Catholic Church is the community of all baptized persons united in the same true faith, the same sacrifice, the same sacraments, under the authority of the Sovereign Pontiff, the Bishop of Rome, and the bishops in communion with him. In the Old Testament, God made Israel the first People of God. He made Israel a sacred community, dearer to …

Prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude are called Cardinal Virtues because they are the key virtues upon which all the other virtues hinge or depend. In Latin, “cardo” means “hinge.” The other virtues of human morality, such as obedience, patience, humility, truthfulness, and patriotism, are related to the Cardinal Virtues. A virtue begins as the capacity to make particular virtuous acts. …

The Cardinal Virtues are prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude of heart. Along with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, these Cardinal Virtues enable us to express, prove, and grow in our love of God by implementing His plan and covenant in a practical way. “And if anyone loves righteousness, her [Wisdom’s] labors are virtues; for she teaches self-control and prudence, …

Charity is the supernatural virtue by which we love God above all things for His own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves as part of our love of God. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second …

Actual grace is that special help which the Holy Spirit gives us to enlighten our minds and to inspire and guide our wills to do good and to avoid evil in particular situations. It consists in temporary gifts of divine light for our minds and divine powers for our hearts. St. John tells us that God comes to illumine every …

The Holy Spirit should be loved and honored as our God, just as the Father and the Son are honored. We should also allow the Holy Spirit to guide our lives. By prayer, we learn to discern His inspirations in our souls. His inspirations bring peace. We should recognize the importance of the Holy Spirit and His work in the …

Hope is the supernatural virtue by which we firmly commit ourselves in our hearts to fulfill God’s covenant and plan for our lives while firmly trusting that He, Who is all-powerful and faithful to His promises, will, in His mercy, give us eternal happiness and the means to obtain it, if we keep this commitment. These promises are given to …

The Theological Virtue of faith is the supernatural virtue by which we firmly believe in our hearts all the truths God has revealed. The virtue of faith enables us to accept as true and choose to live by the body of truths that are found in the Creeds and in the teachings of the Church, for these are based upon …

The Theological Virtues are faith, hope, and charity. These virtues are supernatural capacities to receive three divine powers from Jesus’ fullness of grace. These virtues are called theological, or divine, because they unite us directly to God. God infuses them into our souls, along with sanctifying grace, in the Sacrament of Baptism. The Theological Virtues, along with the Gifts of …

Our greatest dignity as Christians consists in the fact that we are children of God and have God’s life in our souls through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We must try to live holy lives and strive always to keep God’s grace as our most precious treasure. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us live …

By the indwelling of the Holy Spirit: (1) we are given sanctifying grace, the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the Theological and Cardinal Virtues; (2) our weakness of soul is healed; (3) we are helped to overcome our evil desires and selfishness and to practice virtues such as charity and patience; and (4) our prayers and lives are …

God’s gift of grace: (1) helps us to overcome sin and live with God, (2) enables us to be closely united to the Blessed Trinity through the Theological Virtues, and (3) helps us to live as adopted children of God. 1. God’s gift of grace (especially actual grace) helps us to overcome sin and live with God. The grace we …

This new life of sanctifying grace gives man the ability to participate and share in God’s own life, uniting him to the Father and to Christ in a union of love that not even death can separate. Jesus said, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to …

Sanctifying or habitual grace is a gift of God enabling us to be holy and pleasing to God. It confers on us a true share in God’s own divine nature and the communion of the divine Persons. By sanctifying grace, our souls participate and share in God’s very own life even while we live on earth. This grace helps us …

When a person accepts the Spirit of Christ, he receives the power to become an adopted child of God. He truly shares in God’s own divine nature and in the communion of the divine Persons. He is then led by God to a new way of life. The power to become God’s child is called sanctifying grace. All three Persons …

The Holy Spirit (1) preserves the Church as the Body of Christ and as the Bride of Christ so that she can remain faithful to Him in holiness until the end of time; and (2) assists the Church in purifying and renewing herself and her members.1. The Holy Spirit preserves the Church as the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit, …

Jesus promised that He would send the Holy Spirit and that this Spirit would remain with us. Jesus said to the Apostles the night of the Last Supper, “And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither …

God the Father and God the Son behold the infinite lovableness of each other. There flows between these two divine Persons a Love which is divine and personal. It is a Love so perfect that it is a living Love. This Love is God, the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. The Father and the Son eternally …

The Holy Spirit is called the Soul of the Church because He animates it with His divine presence, giving supernatural life to all its parts.

Through God the Holy Spirit, the Church is able to accomplish the work of Salvation which Christ gave her at her birth. The Holy Spirit came in order to remain with the Church forever. At Pentecost, the Church was publicly made known to those gathered in Jerusalem. From there, the Gospel began to spread throughout the nations. Today, the Holy …

God the Holy Spirit is especially present in the Catholic Church. The Holy Spirit gives His divine life of grace to the Catholic Church, making it pleasing to God. He is present to help the Church to carry on the work of Christ in the world. He moves people by His grace to unite themselves in sincere love with God …

The Holy Spirit carries out Christ’s work in the Church when persons are willing to answer God’s invitation to love Him and one another. As Jesus Christ is the center of the History of Salvation, so the mystery of God is the center from which this history takes its origin and to which it is ordered to its last end. …

In a mighty wind and tongues of fire, God the Holy Spirit descended upon the early Church on Pentecost, fifty days after Easter and ten days after Jesus ascended into Heaven. The Holy Spirit transformed the Apostles from timid, fearful men to the courageous men of faith through whom Christ wanted to evangelize the world.

Yes, Jesus Christ is the center of all of God’s saving work, because the Father chose Him to be so in view of His Incarnation, birth, Death, and Resurrection. Jesus Christ became man so that He might save all men and re-establish in Himself all things which were hurt by the fall of man. Thus, by His Death and Resurrection, …

In general, God’s plan for us is the carrying out of our Salvation, which is to culminate in forming His faithful followers to become one in mind and will with Him for all eternity. Thus, we become permanent members of the new People of God, with Jesus as our Head—we become the “Whole Christ.” In the Creed we say, “He …

God the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, is God just as the Father and the Son are God. He is called the Paraclete (or Comforter) and the Advocate, because He pleads mankind’s cause with God. He is also called the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Love. The Holy Spirit comes …

Christ is present with the Church through God the Holy Spirit. It is through the Holy Spirit that Christ is present to us in the sacraments, especially in the Holy Eucharist. He is also present in the souls of all who love Him and who are striving to do His will.

Through His Ascension, Christ has claimed for us a participation in His divine life. He has ascended into Heaven to prepare a place for us. However, He has not abandoned us here on earth.

The two distinctive aspects of the mystery of the Ascension are: (1) the fullness of the glorification of Jesus’ victorious humanity in Heaven and (2) the completion of His visible ministry on earth.

The Ascension of Christ means that Jesus “was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their [the disciples’] sight” (Acts 1:9). His glorified body and soul, which had risen from the dead, now ascended into Heaven.

The risen Jesus helps us by: (1) giving us the supernatural life of grace and (2) pouring out His Holy Spirit upon us. 1. The risen Jesus helps us by giving us the supernatural life of grace. By dying and rising, our Lord Jesus saved us from death and restored us to life. He continues to give us the supernatural …

When Christ passed from death to life, He made possible our passing from the death of sin to life in Him. Being the firstborn of the dead, Jesus Christ offers eternal life to all. In Him we are made spiritually renewed persons. We receive the new life of grace in Baptism, where we become God’s children. St. Peter says, “Blessed …

To believe in the bodily Resurrection of Jesus from the dead is to believe that God, Who became man, has conquered sin and death. We must also believe that this victory is made available to us through His Church.

The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus was raised bodily from the dead by the power of the Father and by His own power.

The Holy Spirit, by the means of the inner gift of faith, confirmed the Apostles in their outward acceptance of Jesus’ Resurrection, as evidenced by St. Thomas and all the Apostles during the early days and years of the Church.

Jesus led His Apostles to believe in His Resurrection by His being present among His followers for forty days in His resurrected and glorified body, by eating with them, by speaking to them, and by allowing Himself to be touched and felt. Clearly He, Whom they saw, touched, and heard, was neither a disembodied spirit nor an illusion.

The Easter proclamation was the words of the angel to the holy women, “He is not here, but has risen” (Luke 24:5).

The Resurrection plays a central part in the life of faith because it is the key event underlying the Church’s faith in Jesus as Savior and Redeemer. The historical, bodily, and perpetual resurrection of Jesus from the dead is evidence that Jesus has conquered mankind’s enemies of sin and death. The Resurrection also confirms that all Jesus taught about His …

The Resurrection of our Lord is very important because it not only confirms the Church’s faith, but is the central mystery through which God calls us to life everlasting. The Church celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus with great joy. Not only on Easter, but every Sunday of the year is a celebration of our Lord’s Resurrection. This is the day …

Jesus’ power as the Son of God was revealed to us through His Resurrection. Jesus raised Himself from the dead on the third day as He had promised He would. His Resurrection gave the final proof that He was God’s Son. Until the Resurrection, He remained humbly obedient even unto death, and by gloriously raising Himself from the dead, He …

The Passion of Jesus has eternal effects. His suffering saved us from sin and all its consequences, and we have received every grace and gift leading to eternal life. This liberation won for us by Jesus in His Passion has effects even in this world. Redemption is not only in the soul’s inner life of love and grace. Men freed …

Jesus died by crucifixion. Having been nailed to the Cross for about three hours, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit (cf. John 19:30). Thus, the Son of God died for us sinners. St. Paul wrote, “Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man—though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God …

The “seven last words” of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels are: 1. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). 2. To a thief who had been crucified with him and who asked for mercy, He said, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). 3. To His …

Jesus suffered inexpressible physical and spiritual agony upon the Cross. Crucifixion was such a horrible instrument of death that the Roman authorities would not use it on their own citizens. Added to this torment was that indescribable pain of rejected love. He was rejected not only by those in Palestine, but also by all those who prefer sinful life-styles to …

Yes, Jesus stated that it was necessary for Him to suffer in order to bring us eternal life. Thus, He said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15). After His Resurrection, Jesus said, “Was it not necessary …

We speak of the necessity of the Passion and Death of Jesus in the sense that it was God’s will that man’s redemption be achieved in this particular manner. The Passion of our Lord was not something which absolutely had to be. Our redemption could have been obtained in a variety of other ways had God so desired it.

Christ’s mission on earth, given to Him by His Father, was to save us from the horrors of Hell, and to bring us to the joys of eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven. He did this through His suffering and dying on the Cross. We can also say that the Son of God became man to save us from …

Before He was crucified, Jesus was falsely accused and mocked by the soldiers. He was also tried and cruelly treated by (1) the chief priests and elders; (2) the Tetrarch Herod; and (3) Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. It was Pontius Pilate who condemned Him to die on the Cross as a common criminal. “And taking the twelve, he said …

The sufferings Christ bore for us were extremely severe, in large measure, because of our rejection of His infinite love for us.

The agony and prayer of Jesus in the Garden of the Mount of Olives expressed His desire to do His Father’s will at all costs. “Yet not what I will, but what thou wilt” (Mark 14:36). It also expressed all the spiritual torment Jesus experienced for our sake, as He placed Himself fully in the Father’s hands. The torment He …

Jesus Christ redeemed us by His Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. To “redeem” means to buy back something that has been lost, sold or given away. Because of Original Sin and our personal sins, we were slaves of the devil. But Jesus freed us, giving us the freedom of the children of God, for, by His Resurrection, He destroyed death …

There is no Salvation in anyone but Jesus Christ, nor has there ever been, nor will there ever be. By his own power no one is freed from the slavery of sin. Scripture says that there is no Salvation in anyone else but Christ Jesus (cf. Acts 4:12). Until Jesus died upon the Cross and paid the price for man’s …

Jesus is our Savior because through Him all mankind can be saved from the slavery of sin and be saved for everlasting life with God. St. Paul refers to sin as a slavery. Jesus Christ is our Savior because He saved us from sin. St. Paul said, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into …

The Son of God became man in order to be our Savior and Redeemer. God the Father sent His Son to free man from the power of Satan and to make peace between God and man. To do this Jesus became man, to preach His truth about the Kingdom of His Father. Jesus continued preaching even though the religious leaders …

Jesus showed His divine concern for us by means of His human nature. In His humanity we see God’s love for man. We cannot see God, but since God sent His divine Son to live among us and to save us by His Death on the Cross, we can see how much God really loves us. During Jesus’ public ministry, …

Jesus, the Son of God, became a real man, having real flesh, a human body and soul. Jesus is a man just as we are, with the exception of sin. Jesus felt the joys and sorrows and the pleasures and pains that we feel as human beings. As a man, Jesus had a human mind, a human will, and a …

Throughout the New Testament, Jesus is portrayed as divine. For instance, He is described as the “Word made flesh” that is, God Who assumed human nature. He is also spoken of as Creator. St. John said: “All things were made through him” (John 1:3). St. Paul wrote, “For in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible …

There are several passages, apart from those already cited, in which Jesus’ divinity is taught: 1. Expressing his faith in the Resurrection, St. Thomas cried out: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). 2. God the Father, speaking to Christ, addresses Him as God in the following words: “Of the Son he says, ‘Thy throne, O God, is for ever …

Yes, the Catholic Church has always taught, and will always teach, that Jesus is truly God, existing from all eternity together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. It is He who, upholding the universe with His almighty power, came and “dwelt among us” (John 1:14), as the Word made flesh. St. John said, “The life was made manifest, and …

Yes, the night before He died, at the Last Supper, Jesus spoke as being equal to His Father when He said He had power to give eternal life.

Yes, Jesus said He was God. For instance, He said to the Jews: “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), and “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of my own accord, but he sent me… But you have not known him; I know him. If …

Speaking of Christ’s divinity, the Nicene Creed states that He is: “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father.” The principal teaching of the Catholic Church about Jesus Christ is that He is God made man. He is the God-man Whom we hear speaking to us in the Gospels and …

Yes, Jesus Christ is true God because He is a divine Person having a divine nature. Jesus Christ is the Divine Word of God made man. But He is only one Person, and that Person is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity.

God the Son became incarnate and came into the world: (1) to bring us His own divine life; (2) to save us from sin; and (3) to renew the world. 1. God the Son came into the world to bring us His own divine life. Born of the Virgin Mary, the Son of God truly became one of us. He …

The Incarnation means that the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Son of God (the Divine Word), became man and came to live among us. “And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word’” (Luke 1:38). At that very moment Jesus Christ, God’s own Son, became man in …

The Incarnation is the greatest of God’s works. The Incarnation refers to the mystery of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God the Father, uniting His divine nature with a complete human nature.

Not all temptations come from the devil. Many temptations come from the world around us and from the forces within us called passions. Passions are inclinations towards rebelling against God’s will. We can conquer temptation, if we want to do so. We gain merit in God’s eyes by conquering temptation, and we grow in holiness. We must, however, have God’s …

Temptation is an invitation to sin that comes from either within us or from outside us. Temptations are not sins. Sin occurs only when we consent to a temptation. With God’s help we can resist them.

The Capital Sins are pride, avarice, envy, anger, lust, gluttony, and sloth. Pride is seeking after one’s own honor. Self-seeking and vanity are examples of pride. Avarice is seeking after wealth by stealing, fraud, injustice, and stinginess. Envy is a certain sadness of the mind. It leads to hatred and resentment of others. We are envious when we resent the …

Every personal sin can be traced to one of seven human weaknesses. These personal sins are called Capital Sins. Capital Sins do not necessarily refer to grave sins, but rather to those sins which are the source of all others.

Venial sins are forgiven by God even without the Sacrament of Reconciliation. A sincere act of contrition and the will to amend our lives is enough to obtain forgiveness. Nonetheless, the Church encourages us to frequently confess even our venial sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, since it is of such great benefit to the soul, especially with respect to …

The power of God’s graces draws the sinner to Salvation. In the Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation, through the priest, Christ meets the sinner, forgives his sins, and gives him again the peace which belongs to God’s children. He also gives the sinner the added power of grace to overcome sin in the future and the strength to be faithful …

Yes, if we are truly sorry, acknowledging our sins and seeking His pardon, God will forgive them because He is all merciful. By the power of His grace, God offers Salvation to all men. We especially encounter God’s merciful forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance. Jesus, our Savior, was sent by the Father to suffer, die, and rise from the …

We know God’s will through our reason, through the Bible, through Sacred Tradition, and through the teaching office or Magisterium of the Church, which is God’s living voice.

An act is right when it corresponds to the truth of the moral order—God’s law. In other words, it is something God wants us to do. An act is wrong if it breaks God’s law and, therefore, is not something God wants us to do. Freedom makes us responsible for our voluntary actions. We sin not only by freely choosing …

To commit a mortal sin the Christian must: (1) have committed a grave sin; (2) have known its gravity; and (3) have been free to avoid offending God. 1. The offense in itself must be serious or grave, that is, something that has been forbidden by God under pain of losing His friendship. 2. The person who commits the sin …

Venial sin is a minor violation of the law of God. It does not take away God’s life from the soul or break God’s friendship, but it weakens our love for God. It also harms us and other people.

As explained before, the effects of mortal sin are separation from God and damage to ourselves and others. If we do not wish to change and if we always refuse to do what God wants us to do, the separation from God is permanent. The permanent separation from God after death takes place in Hell.

Mortal sin is a serious or grave violation of the law of God. It is the fully deliberate choice of a person who knows that what he chooses is gravely forbidden by God. The result of committing a mortal sin is the destruction of the life of God in the soul. By committing a mortal sin, we lose God’s life …

When someone commits a personal sin, he: (1) fails to love God; (2) turns away from pursuing his lifetime goal of doing the will of God; and (3) by means of a serious offense (mortal sin), ruptures his relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. To sin is to refuse to let God have His way in …

Actual or personal sin is an offense against God. Personal sin, as opposed to Original Sin, is the willful disobedience to God’s will. This disobedience may be an action, a thought, a desire, or an intention. A sin must be a conscious and deliberate violation of the moral law. Thus, to sin is to actually say “no” to God. We …

The Blessed Virgin Mary was chosen to be the Mother of the Son of God, and thus she was preserved, from the very first moment of her conception, from the spiritual darkness of Original Sin. She was always united with God; her soul was flooded with His love. We call this privilege her Immaculate Conception. The Church celebrates this great …

In Baptism, God unites our soul to Himself. God’s love, the Holy Spirit, is poured into our soul. Our soul is lifted to a new kind of life which is a sharing in God’s own life. Although Baptism gives us the supernatural gift of sanctifying grace, it does not bring us some special gifts which Adam and Eve alone received, …

When Adam sinned, he lost original holiness and justice. He cut himself off from God, and his human nature was harmed in its natural powers, and sickness and death entered his life. In losing these gifts, he could not pass them on to his descendants. As a result, people are born into this world separated from their loving Father and …

Adam, the first man, abused his freedom by disobeying and rejecting God’s care. He wanted to search for happiness in his own way. This, coupled with the sin of Eve, was the Original Sin. God created man in a state of holiness, but man abused his freedom as a result of Satan’s temptation. He defied God and sought happiness apart …

God continues to be present to us in our day through His New Covenant with man, and by using His unlimited power to help us. His saving work will be finished only at the end of the world. The most important events in the history of the world are the life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. It is through these …

God’s saving deeds are seen in the history of man and of the world, especially in the life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus, His Incarnate Son. God was present in ancient Israel through the covenants He made with man. These covenants included the original covenant God made with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gen 2:7-8, 15-17), the …

We should regard Creation as the continuing action of God, from the beginning till the end of time, as He brings about the Salvation of men and their destiny. When we think about the creation of the angels, the universe, and mankind, we should see it as a part of God’s all-powerful action at work in the Salvation of mankind. …

God’s all-powerful action for our Salvation is seen especially in Christ’s Resurrection from the dead. Though man was made by God in a state of holiness, he rebelled against God of his own free will, being tempted to do so by the devil. In order to free man from the slavery of sin and to make him holy once more, …

God’s action in the Old Testament revealed His omnipotence—His divine power—and proved that He is always faithful to His people. In the Old Testament, God’s people learned the truth of His almighty power in Creation. This reminded the people that God always remains with His people to protect and help them. His powerful and victorious deeds show that He keeps …

God’s first gift leading us to Christ was the creation of man. If God had not created our first parents, there would have been no need for God to become man in order to save us. Why not?… Because there would have been no humans to be saved from sin and eternal death, and there would have been no humans …

God gave Adam and Eve a commandment to worship Him by an act of sacrifice: they were not to eat the fruit which grew on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But Adam and Eve failed this test of obedience and trust in God by eating the forbidden fruit. They committed the first sin—the original sin. In …

One special gift God gave Adam and Eve at their creation was original holiness and justice. Original justice consisted in the basic supernatural gifts of sanctifying grace, the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the infused virtues, especially the theological and cardinal virtues. God also gave Adam and Eve the preternatural gifts, namely capacities and powers above and beyond …

Yes, God personally and directly creates each soul and infuses it into the body. We must believe that the human race is descended from Adam and Eve, our first parents, and that Adam’s and Eve’s souls were directly created by God. Husbands and wives cooperate with God in the formation of the human body. But the soul, which makes that …

Man is created in the image and likeness of God in that God gave man an immortal soul. Man’s soul, like God, has the faculties of consciousness, intellect, and free will. Man’s body shares in the dignity of the image of God: “it is a human body precisely because it is animated by a spiritual soul” (Catechism of the Catholic …

After creating the universe, God formed a man’s body out of the dust of the earth. He then breathed life into the body, creating a soul that would never die. Together, that soul and body formed the first human being, which God called “Adam.” The story of the Creation of the world and man is told in the Book of …

The angels who remained faithful to God are now with Him in Heaven, engaged in the eternal love and adoration of God which one day will be our joy. Their will always conforms to God’s will. The angels are messengers of God. They pray for us and use their power to aid those who want and will accept their help.

The devils are fallen angels, enemies of mankind. Their efforts are directed toward leading people into their own rebellion against God. God has not made known to us the test to which the angels were put prior to the fall of the devils. Some Church Fathers and theologians have speculated that God the Father gave the angels a preview of …

Angels are pure spirits, that is, beings with intellect and free will, but without bodies. Angels are complete persons without bodies or the need for bodies, far superior to human beings. God created the angels long before He created man. Angels are immortal. They were given brilliant minds to understand God’s beauty and goodness, and they had free will to …

The mystery of Salvation began with the creation of angels and of the world. We fallen creatures quite often think of Salvation only in terms of being saved from sin and Hell. But more importantly, we are saved for God, to share in His happiness for all eternity. This is the end for which mankind and the angels were first …

Yes, among other ways, God makes Himself known to us through the things that He has made. Sacred Scripture teaches us that man can come to know God through created things. The Church also teaches that, from the natural light of human reason, man can come to know God as the beginning and end of all that is, and that …

Creation means that God brought all things in the universe into existence out of nothing and that He keeps them in existence. Only God, Whose power is without limit, can do that. We owe everything we have to God. In the beginning God said, “‘Let there be light’; and there was light… ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst …

We honor the Holy Trinity by trying to understand, as much as we can by faith, that by Baptism we are called to a close union of love with the three divine Persons. God the Father is our Father and Author of Life; God the Son is our Lord and Savior; and God the Holy Spirit is our Teacher and …

God the Son is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, because from all eternity He is begotten in the mind of the Father. He is called the Divine Word because He is the mental word in which God the Father expresses the thought of Himself; this thought or Word is the perfect and eternal image of the Father.

God the Father is the First Person of the Holy Trinity, Who eternally begets or generates God the Son. This begetting is similar to a person who begets an idea or work in his mind.

Jesus, the Divine Teacher, taught His disciples about the true God. He told them that He, the Son, is the way to the Father and that by getting to know Him, they would get to know the Father also. Moreover, they would also be able to see the love of the Father in the actions of the Son, because Jesus …

Jesus revealed God the Holy Spirit as the Third Divine Person of the Holy Trinity Whom He and the Father would send to His Church to teach, guide and strengthen it. Jesus taught that God the Holy Spirit was the equal of Himself and the Father. At the Last Supper Jesus told the Apostles: “But when the Counselor comes, whom …

Jesus revealed the Father by calling Him by that name. When Jesus drove the money changers from the temple, He said, “You shall not make my Father’s house a house of trade” (John 2:16). He said to His disciples, “By this my Father is glorified; that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father …

Jesus revealed Himself as the second Person of the Holy Trinity, the eternal and divine Son of God.

In the New Testament, the mystery of the Holy Trinity is revealed through the Person, words, and actions of Jesus Christ. God revealed this mystery to us because He wants us to know Him as He is, so that we might love Him more in return for His boundless love for us.

We believe in the mystery of the Holy Trinity because God revealed it; He is all-wise and all-truthful. To better understand, as best we can, the mystery of the Holy Trinity, we must await God’s unveiling of Himself in Heaven.

The mystery of the Holy Trinity is that there is in the one, true God only one divine substance, yet three divine Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is called a mystery of faith because it is a truth that cannot be known unless it is revealed by God, and it is …

God chose to show Himself to the people of the Old Testament as the one, true, and personal God. Noah, Abraham, Joseph, David, Daniel, and all of the people of the Old Testament learned that God was real, that He was faithful and true in all His words and actions, that He loved them as a father loves his son, …

God dealt with mankind by fully revealing Himself and His plan for our Salvation through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. God showing something of Himself to us is known as revelation. Sacred Scripture—the Bible—is the written account of God’s Revelation to us and describes God’s actions in the world. We know that Sacred Scripture is true because it is …

The History of Salvation is the account of God’s dealings with mankind and how He saved us. Throughout Salvation History, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit made Themselves known to man, made peace with him by means of the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus, and united Themselves with those who turned away from sin.

Yes, every man has some desire for God, no matter how hidden it may be. As St. Augustine has said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” Even if we do not acknowledge it, there is a secret desire in our hearts for God. To the degree that God …

So few people pay attention to God because their lives are occupied mainly with the affairs of men rather than with God. While God is always good to us, there are many people who care very little for Him. They purposely break God’s commandments and are more interested in their own pleasures and in the things of this world than …

From God’s goodness we should hope to receive the graces we need to live a life of sacrificial love, both for God and for our neighbor. Our lives can be very happy, if we respond generously to these graces everyday to love God and our neighbor and to help those whom God brings into our lives.

We worship God when we participate in the sacred liturgy, and in a special way when we adore Him in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In the Mass, we offer ourselves to the Father together with Jesus’ offering of Himself. We worship God, as well, when we pray to Him by ourselves or with others. We also worship God …

We should respond to God’s goodness by (1) finding joy in Him since He gives us eternal hope, and (2) worshiping Him and serving Him. 1. We should find joy in God. We belong to God. He loves us and wants us to love Him, so that we might be with Him in Heaven for all eternity. Through fervent prayer …

God has shown His love for us by: (1) making firm promises to men; (2) freeing and saving us; and (3) loving each of us with the love of a father and always caring for us. 1. God made firm promises to men. After our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned, God made a promise to redeem all men. He …

God is all-just because He is completely honest and fair with everybody. He promises to reward us for our good deeds and to punish us for our evil deeds. Yet, He is always merciful to those who turn to Him. (See Q. 14.)

God is all-merciful because there is no end to His mercy. As often as we are sorry for our sins and confess them, so often will God forgive us.

God is all-holy because He is infinitely full of all that is good and lovable.

Yes, God alone, the Creator of all things, is all-wise. He knows what is best for all of His creatures.

God is almighty because He can do and make anything which is good and non-contradictory. Thus, God cannot commit sin because He cannot contradict His infinite goodness. Nor can He violate the principle of non-contradiction, which states that a thing cannot both be and not be at the same time.

God is present everywhere, all the time. There is no place where God is not.

God is all-knowing because He knows all things in the past, present, and future, as well as all potential things. God knows all things that are or ever could be. Everything is like one thought in the mind of God. Therefore, we say God is all-knowing.

God is eternal. This is true because He always was, is now, and always will be.

God is infinitely good. His goodness is limitless, as are all of His perfections.

The attributes of God are His perfections; that is, things such as infinite goodness, eternal, all-knowing, all-present, almighty.

God is an infinitely perfect being because in Him there is no limitation of any kind. God is an infinitely perfect spiritual being, without beginning or end. He knows and loves without limit. Angels and men are also spiritual beings, but being creatures, they are limited or finite. Consequently, their perfections are limited. Angels are pure spirits, meaning that they …

There must be a God because nothing happens in the universe unless someone intelligent ultimately makes it happen. When scientists study how the world developed, they come to a point where they have to ask, “Who started it all?” There must be someone who was not made by anyone else, someone who never had a beginning. That someone is God.

There cannot be more than one God because there cannot be two supreme beings. To say otherwise would be a contradiction.

No one made God. He always was, and He always will be.

God is the Supreme Being. The word supreme means above all others. God is the source of all being. He is above all that exists.