A Short Catechism to Prepare for Confirmation

GOD  

1. Who is God?God is the one perfect Being, Creator of heaven and earth. See CCC 200, 279.

2. Has God always existed?Yes, God always has been and always will be; He is the uncreated, eternal Being. See CCC 213.

3. What are the two most important ways we can understand God's being?God is truth and God is love. See CCC 215, 221.

4. Can we fully understand God?No, we can never fully understand the mystery of God. See CCC 230. 

THE TRINITY

5. What is the central mystery of Christian faith and life?The central mystery of Christian faith and life is the Most Holy Trinity, the mystery of God in Himself. See CCC 234.

6. What is the Trinity?The Trinity is three equal Persons in one God, really distinct from each other: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, each of whom is fully God. See CCC 253-254.

7. Who is God the Father?God the Father is the First Person of the Trinity, Who generates the other two Persons of the Trinity. See CCC 254.

8. Who is God the Son?God the Son is the uncreated Second Person of the Trinity, Who is from all eternity generated by God the Father. See CCC 242, 254. 

9. Who is the Holy Spirit?God the Holy Spirit is the uncreated Third Person of the Trinity, Who from all eternity proceeds from God the Father and God the Son. See CCC 244, 254.

10. Does the existence of three Persons mean there are three Gods?No, there is only one God, and the works of God are the common works of all three Persons, although each divine Person performs the common works according to His own unique personal property. See CCC 258. 

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THE BIBLE AND REVELATION

11. What is the Bible?The Bible, or Sacred Scripture, is the written revelation by God of Himself to man. See CCC 101.

12. Why is Sacred Scripture called revelation?Sacred Scripture is called revelation because the human writers of the various books were inspired by the Holy Spirit to reveal God's saving love; thus, God is the principal Author. See CCC 105-106, 122.

13. What is the Old Testament?The Old Testament consists of 46 books that record God's preparation for and prophecies of the coming of Jesus, the Redeemer. See CCC 120, 122.

14. What is the New Testament?The 27 books of the New Testament tell of Jesus' acts, teachings, Passion, and glorification, and of His Church's beginnings under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. See CCC 120, 124.

15. Why is the Bible considered to be one book?Throughout the Bible, God speaks only one Word, that of the Son of God, prefigured in the Old Testament and revealed fully in the New Testament. See CCC 102, 128-129.

16. Is the Bible the source of all of God's revelation?No, Holy Tradition contains all of God's revelation, which is entrusted to the Church to guard and proclaim. The part of God's revelation that is written is the Bible. See CCC 81-82, 84.

17. Who decided which books belong in the Bible?The Church, using apostolic Tradition, discerned which writings were inspired by the Holy Spirit and belonged in the Bible. See CCC 120.

CREATION, THE FALL, AND SIN

18. Is our world the creation of God?Yes, our world was created by God from nothingness, and all of creation is therefore good. See CCC 338-339.

19. What do we know about our creation by God?God created us, male and female, in His image and likeness, which means we are capable of self-knowledge, self, possession, and freely giving ourselves and entering into communion with other persons. See CCC 355, 357.

20. Why did God make us?God put us in this world to know to love, and to serve Him, and so to come to paradise. See CCC 1721.

21. What is "original justice?"Original justice is the state in which our first parents, Adam and Eve, were created in intimacy with

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God and in harmony within themselves, with each other, and with all of creation. See CCC 375-376.

22. How was original justice lost?Adam and Eve, tempted by the devil, lost their trust in God and disobeyed him. Through this "original sin," they lost their intimacy with God, the soul's control of the body was lost, the harmony between men and women was destroyed, creation became alien and hostile to mankind. See CCC 397, 400.

23. What are the consequences of original sin?All the descendants of Adam and Eve, deprived of original justice, are prone to sin and subject to suffering and death. The inclination to sin is called "concupiscence," and is evidence of our wounded nature. See CCC 402, 404, 1264.

24. Does this mean that God abandoned us?No, God did not abandon us. He immediately promised a Redeemer Who would restore us to His favor and provide us with the grace needed to win the battle with evil. See CCC 410.

25. Why did God let Adam and Eve sin?God created man to freely choose to love and respect Him; and because He could draw forth some greater good from the evil of original sin, He permitted Adam and Eve to fall. See CCC 396, 412. 

26. What is sin?Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is a failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It is an offense against God, wounds the nature of man, and injures human solidarity. See CCC 1849-1850. 

OUR REDEMPTION

27. Who is Jesus Christ?Jesus Christ is the Second Person of the Trinity, that is, the Son of God made man. See CCC 422.

28. Why did the Son of God become man?The Son of God became man to save us, that is, to redeem us from sin. See CCC 430.

29. How was the Son of God made man?By the power of the Holy Spirit, in the pure womb of the Virgin Mary, the Son of God was made man. This is called the Incarnation. See CCC 456.

30. What do we believe about Mary?From all eternity God chose for the mother of his Son a young Jewish virgin, who He asked to freely cooperate in His plan of salvation. She is called the Mother of God because Jesus, her Son, is the Son of God made man. See CCC 488, 495.

31. What is the Virgin Birth?The action of God through the power of the Holy Spirit was responsible for the conception of Jesus, so

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Jesus had no human father. The Church teaches that Mary remained virgin when she gave birth and throughout her lifetime. See CCC 496, 499.

32. What is the Immaculate Conception?The Church teaches that, from the first moment of Mary's life, by the grace of God and the redeeming merits of her Son, she was preserved from original sin because she was to become the mother of the Redeemer. See CCC 490-492.

33. What was Jesus' mission?Jesus came: 1) to save us by reconciling us with God, 2) so that we might know God's love, 3) to be our model of holiness, and 4) to make us partakers of the divine nature. See CCC 457-460.

34. What is the Paschal Mystery?The Paschal Mystery is Jesus' Passion and Death, Resurrection, and Ascension into Heaven. See CCC 1067.

35. Why did Jesus have to suffer and die?Jesus suffered and died for our sins. Because our sins, which offend God, are punishable by death, Jesus, in an act of God's supreme love for us, took on our sins and thus reconciled us with the Father. See CCC 601-604.

36. What is the Resurrection and why is it important?Three days after His death and burial, Jesus through His own power as God returned to life in His glorified body, confirming everything He had taught and had claimed about His divinity. See CCC 645, 649, 651.

37. What is the significance of Jesus' Ascension?Jesus entered Heaven so that we may live in hope of one day being with Him forever, as High Priest intercedes constantly for us as our mediator with the Father, and assures us of the permanent outpouring of the Holy Spirit. See CCC 662, 666-667.

38. What is the Assumption?The Church teaches that, at the end of her life, Mary was taken up to heaven, body and soul, as a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection. See CCC 966.

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE CHURCH

39. How does Jesus continue his mission?The mission of Jesus is brought to completion in His Church, brought into being with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost ten days after Jesus' Ascension. The Church is sent to announce, bear witness, make present, and spread the mystery of the communion of the Holy Trinity. See CCC 732, 737-738. 

40. What do we believe about the Church?The Church, instituted by Christ, is the People of God, the Mystical Body of Christ, and the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Its first purpose is to be the sign and instrument of the inner union of men with God; it is also the sign and instrument of the unity of the human race for the salvation of all. See CCC 775-

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776, 781, 788-791.

41. What are the marks of the Church?The four marks, or characteristics, of the Church are that it is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. See CCC 811.

42. What is the purpose of the office of bishop in the Church?The Church was founded by Jesus on twelve Apostles, who were the Church's first bishops. Their successors, as chief pastors of the Church, teach, sanctify, and govern the faithful entrusted to them. See CCC 880, 886, 888, 893, 894.

43. What is the special role of the Pope?The Pope, successor to St. Peter as the Bishop of Rome, is the chief pastor of the entire Church and has full, supreme, and universal power over the entire Church. Christ has endowed the Pope with the gift of infallibility when in the exercise of his office he teaches on faith and morals. See CCC 882, 890-891.

GRACE AND THE SACRAMENTS 

44. What are the sacraments?The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. See CCC 1131.

45. What is grace?Grace is the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to His call to become children of God and ultimately partakers of the divine nature; thus, it is a participation in the life of God. See CCC 1996-1997.

46. What is the purpose of the sacraments?The sacraments are intended to sanctify men, to build up the Body of Christ, to give worship to God, and to nourish, strengthen, and express faith. See CCC 1123.

47. What is the context in which the sacraments are celebrated?The sacraments are celebrated within the Church's liturgy. See CCC 1076.

48. What is liturgy?Liturgy is the celebration of divine worship, the proclamation of the Gospel, and active charity. It is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed and the font from which all her power flows. See CCC 1070, 1074.

49. Which sacraments are called the Sacraments of Christian initiation?Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist are the sacraments of Christian initiation. See CCC 1212.

50. What are the effects of Baptism?Through Baptism we are freed from sin, original and any personal sins, and reborn as sons of God,

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incorporated into Christ's Body, the Church, and made sharers in her mission. See CCC 1213, 1263.

51. What are the effects of Confirmation?By Confirmation, baptismal grace is increased and deepened, roots us more deeply as God’s sons, unites us more firmly to Christ, increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us, makes our bond with the Church more perfect, and gives us the special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the Faith by word and action. See CCC 1303.

52. What is the Eucharist and what are its effects?The Eucharist is bread and wine that, by the words of Christ and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, become Jesus’ Body and Blood in the unbloody re-presentation of the one sacrifice of Calvary called the Mass. Worthy reception of the Eucharist strengthens our union with Christ and His Church, separates us from sin, commits us to the poor, and is a pledge of future glory. See CCC 1333, 1367, 1391-1397, 1405.

53. What are the sacraments of healing?Penance and Reconciliation, and the Anointing of the Sick, are the sacraments of healing.

54. What are the effects of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation?By forgiveness of personal sin, we are reconciled with God and with the Church. See CCC 1440, 1468-69.

55. What are the effects of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick?The Holy Spirit bestows the gifts of strengthening, peace, and courage. In addition, our sins are forgiven, we are unified with the passion of Christ, contribute to the good of the Church, and are prepared for our final journey from this life. See CCC 1520-1523.

56. What are the sacraments at the service of communion?Holy Orders and Matrimony are the sacraments at the service of communion. See CCC 1534.

57. What are the effects of Holy Orders?Through Holy Orders, the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time by men configured to Christ as priest, teacher, and pastor. See CCC 1536, 1585.

58. What are the effects of Matrimony?Through Matrimony, a marriage bond is established by God that demands lifelong indissolubility, faithfulness to one's spouse, and openness to children. See CCC 1640, 1643.

MORE ON THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

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59. Who may receive the sacrament of Confirmation?Any baptized Catholic not yet confirmed may receive the sacrament. In the Western Church (the Latin Rite), it is most often conferred after the age of discretion. See CCC 1306-1307.

60. Who usually confirms?The bishop is the original and ordinary minister of Confirmation. Priests may confer Confirmation when granted the faculty to do so by the bishop. See CCC 1313.

61. How is the sacrament of Confirmation conferred?The sacrament is conferred through the anointing with sacred chrism (perfumed oil previously consecrated by the bishop) on the forehead by the laying on of the bishop's hand, and the words, “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” See CCC 1289, 1300.

62. What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. See CCC 1303, 1831.

63. What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit?The twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit are perfections that He forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity. See CCC 1832.

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

64. What is conscience?Conscience is a judgment of reason by which we recognize the moral quality of a concrete act that we intend to perform, are doing, or have done. See CCC 1778.

65. Must we always follow our conscience? Yes. See CCC 1778, 1790.

66. Can our conscience be wrong?Yes, and we must therefore educate and form our conscience aided by the Holy Spirit and guided by the teachings of the Church. See CCC 1785, 1791.

67. What is virtue?Virtue is habitual and firm dispositions to do the good. See CCC 1803.

68. How do we become virtuous?By God's grace through reception of the sacraments, cooperation with the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and by deliberate perseverance in performing individual acts of virtue. See CCC 1810-1811.

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69. What virtues are the foundations of Christian moral activity?The three theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity, infused by God into our souls at Baptism, inform and give life to all the moral virtues. See CCC 1266, 1813.

70. What is the most important virtue?Charity, the commandment by Jesus that we love one another as He has loved us, is the most important virtue because it upholds and purifies our human ability to love, and raises it to the supernatural perfection of divine love. See CCC 1823, 1826-1827.

71. Who is called to holiness?All Christians are called to the fullness of Christian life, to the perfection of charity, and thus to holiness. See CCC 2013.

72. Is it easy to become holy?No, it is not. There is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle; Jesus asks each of us to take up our Cross and follow Him. See CCC 2015.

73. Doesn’t the commandment to love replace the Ten Commandments?No; in fact, the Ten Commandments state what is required in the love of God and love of neighbor. See CCC 2067, 2068, 2072.

CHRISTIAN PRAYER

74. What is prayer?Prayer is the raising of our minds and hearts to God, or the requesting of good things from God. See CCC 2559.

75. How do we pray?Jesus teaches us to pray with a purified heart, with a lively and persevering faith, and with filial boldness, and instructs us to petition God in His Name. See CCC 2621.

76. What are the forms of prayer?There are prayers of blessing and adoration, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, contrition, and praise. See CCC 2644. 

77. What are the types of prayer?Prayer can be vocal (the public liturgies of the Church, memorized prayers, and spontaneous spoken prayers are two kinds of vocal prayer), meditative, or contemplative. See CCC 2720-2724.

78. What is the fundamental and most perfect of Christian prayers?The Our Father, given to us by Jesus Himself. See CCC 2773-2774. 

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79. How do we discover, or identify, God's will for us?We learn God's will through prayer, and by prayer obtain the endurance to do it. See CCC 2826.

Prayers, Precepts, and Practices Parts of the Mass

Introductory Rites

Gathering Song Greeting:   The celebrant welcomes us and invites us to prayPenitential Rite: We confess our sinfulness, asking forgiveness of God and each otherGloria:  A prayer of praiseOpening Prayer

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading: Taken from the Old TestamentResponsorial Psalm: Taken from the Old Testament Book of PsalmsSecond Reading: Taken from a New Testament text other than a GospelGospel AcclamationGospel:  A reading by the celebrant or a deacon from one of the four GospelsHomily: An explanation of the readings given by the celebrant or deaconProfession of Faith: The Nicene Creed is recitedGeneral Intercessions:(Prayer of the Faithful) Short petitions of prayer offered for the needs of the

Church and all God's people

Liturgy of the Eucharist

Offertory: The preparation for the meal as we offer our gifts to GodPrayer over the GiftsEucharistic Prayer: A prayer of praise and thanksgiving during which the bread and wine become

the body and blood of Jesus

Communion Rite

The Lord’s Prayer: Our FatherSign of Peace: We greet one another with the Lord’s peaceBreaking of the Bread: The celebrant prepares to distribute the EucharistCommunionPeriod of Silence or Song of Praise Prayer After Communion

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Concluding Rite

GreetingBlessingDismissal

THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS

            In addition to the Eucharist and the other sacraments, the Liturgy of the Hours is included in the official worship of the Church. The Liturgy of the Hours is said for the most part by the ordained clergy and permanent deacons, either privately or in common, but it may be said by all Christians. It is the daily prayer of the Church, which is rooted in the Eucharist and extends the Eucharistic themes of praise and thanksgiving throughout the day in a genuine harmony. The Liturgy of the Hours draws heavily from the Scriptures for its structure and content, especially from the Psalms, which in itself is a handbook of prayer. Basically, the structure of the Liturgy of the Hours is as follows: Morning Prayer, Office of Readings, Daytime Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Night Prayer.

EXPOSITION AND BENEDICTION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

            Worship of the Eucharist outside of Mass is an important recognition of the presence of Christ that grows out of and leads back to the Mass. Exposition, or the public display of the Blessed Sacrament, makes it clear that Christ is available to us as food, healing, and consolation. The adoration of the Blessed Sacrament that takes place while the Eucharist is exposed is accompanied by readings from the Scripture, by prayers, and by songs that direct the people to the worship of Christ the Lord, who is actually present there. A homily is usually given to develop a better understanding of the Eucharist among the people. The Liturgy of the Hours may be recited during the exposition as well. Benediction, or the blessing of the people with the Eucharist, is usually accompanied by silence. The Blessed Sacrament is then replaced in the tabernacle.

THE WAY OF THE CROSS

         During the season of Lent, the Church is particularly aware of the redemptive sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Many Catholics gather to commemorate the suffering of Jesus on the way to His death. The Stations of the Cross provide us the opportunity to reflect on the different stages of Jesus' Passion and Death. Here are the traditional stations on the Way of the Cross:

1. Jesus is condemned to death 2. Jesus accepts His cross 3. Jesus falls the first time 4. Jesus meets His mother 5. Simon helps Jesus to carry His cross 6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus 7. Jesus falls the second time 8. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem 9. Jesus falls the third time 10. Jesus is stripped of His clothes

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11. Jesus is nailed to the cross 12. Jesus dies on the cross 13. Jesus is taken down from the cross 14. Jesus a placed in the tomb

SIGN OF THE CROSS           The Sign of the Cross is a simple but profound prayer that demonstrates faith in the saving action of Jesus. A cross is traced on the body by the right hand, beginning from the forehead, moving to the chest, and then from the left shoulder to the right shoulder while saying, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

THE LORD'S PRAYER

The Lord's Prayer, or Our Father, contains seven petitions (found in Matthew chapter 6):

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name;Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses,as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.

HAIL MARY

            The first part of the Hail Mary is taken from the words of the angel Gabriel when he told Mary of God's desire that she be the mother of the Savior, and from the words of Mary's kinswoman Elizabeth when Mary went to visit her because she, too, was miraculously pregnant:

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

GLORY BE TO THE FATHER

            This prayer is called the “lesser doxology” (words of praise); the Gloria during the Mass is called the “greater doxology”.

Glory Be to the Father,and to the Son,and to the Holy Spirit,as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

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I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH, PRAYED DURING MORNING PRAYERBlessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; He has come to His people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David.

Through His holy prophets He promised of old that He would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant.

This was the oath He swore to our father, Abraham: to set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship Him without fear, all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His way, to give His people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:68-79)

CANTICLE OF MARY, PRAYED DURING EVENING PRAYER

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked with favor on his lowly servant.From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.

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He has mercy on those who fear Him in every generation.He has shown the strength of His arm, He has scattered the proud intheir conceit.He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly.He has filled the hungry with good things, and has sent the rich away empty.He has come to the help of His servant Israel for He has remembered His promise of mercy, the promise He made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. (Luke 1:46-55)

ACT OF CONTRITION

O My God, I am heartily sorry for having offending You, and I detest all my sins because of Your just punishments, but most of all because they offend You, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to sin no more, and to avoid the near occasion of sin. 

ACT OF FAITH

O my God, I firmly believe that You are one God in three Divine Person, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; I believe that Your Divine Son became man and died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the holy Catholic Church teaches, because You revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived. Amen.

ACT OF HOPE

O my God, relying on Your infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Your grace, and life everlasting through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen.

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ACT OF LOVE

O my God, I love You above all things with my whole heart and soul, because You are all good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of You. I forgive all those who have injured me and I ask pardon of all whom I have injured. Amen.

THE ROSARY

The rosary itself is a string of beads, each of which marks the recitation of a particular prayer. There are fifteen groups of ten Hail Marys that form the central part of the Rosary. Each decade of the Rosary focuses on a mystery or event in the life of Jesus and Mary. The mysteries are grouped into three groups of five, commemorating the joyful, sorrowful, and glorious events in the lives of Jesus and Mary. Here are the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary:

The Joyful Mysteries

1.  The Annunciation of Mary 2. The Visitation of Mary 3. The Nativity of our Lord 4. The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple 5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

The Luminous Mysteries 

1. The Baptism of Jesus 2. The Wedding Feast at Cana 3. The Proclamation of the Kingdom 4. The Transfiguration 5. The Institution of Eucharist

The Sorrowful Mysteries 

1. The Agony in the Garden 2. The Scourging at the Pillar 3. The Crowning with Thorns 4. The Carrying of the Cross 5. The Crucifixion

The Glorious Mysteries 

1. The Resurrection of Jesus 2. The Ascension of Jesus 3. The Descent of the Spirit 4. The Assumption of Mary

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5. The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven

            The person begins to pray the Rosary by making the Sign of the Cross. Then the Apostles' Creed is said while holding the crucifix part of the Rosary. One Our Father, three Hail Marys, and a Glory Be follow on the beads near the crucifix. Then the person reflects on the first mystery, says an Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and a Glory Be. This completes one decade of the Rosary. All other decades are said in the same way, with a different mystery reflected on during each.

PRAYER BEFORE MEALS

Bless us, O Lord, and these Your gifts, which we are about to receive from Your bounty. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

PRAYER AFTER MEALS

We give You thanks, almighty God, for these and all the gifts we have received from Your bounty. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

SEASONS OF THE CHURCH YEAR

            The prayer of the Church, an important part of which is the celebration of the sacraments, is always set in the context of the liturgical seasons of the Church year. Whether personal, communal, or official, the prayer life of the Church unfolds the entire mystery of Christ through the various seasons of the liturgical year. A particular color is associated with each of the liturgical seasons. The liturgical seasons of the year are:

Advent: This season begins the Church year and comprises the four weeks prior to Christmas. The theme of this season is expectant hope for the coming of the Lord. (Purple)

Christmas Time: This season begins on Christmas Day and extends until the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, usually in the second week of January. The theme of the season is joy, rooted in the mystery of God becoming human in the person of Jesus. (White)

Ordinary Time: This season extends from the feast of the Baptism of the Lord until Ash Wednesday, which is usually in late February or early March. The theme of the Ordinary Time is the central mystery of our redemption in Christ. (Green)

Lent: The season begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts until Holy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter. The theme of this season is penitential preparation for the commemoration of the passion, death, and resurrection of the Lord. (Purple)

The Triduum: The most important days of the Church year are called the Triduum, or three days: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Vigil of Easter. Each day has a distinctive theme in connection with the Paschal Mystery of Jesus. (White, Red, White, respectively)

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Easter Time: This season extends from Easter Sunday until Pentecost, usually in late May or early June. The theme is our freedom from sin and death to a life of grace in Christ. (White)

Ordinary Time: This season extends from Pentecost Sunday to the last Sunday in Ordinary Time, which is usually in late November. The theme celebrated by the Church during Ordinary Time is our redemption in Christ. (Green)

HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION

            Several days are set aside by the United States Conference of Bishops to commemorate some of the major events in the life of Jesus or Mary. Catholics are obliged to celebrate the Eucharist on these days. In the United States they are:

December 8 Feast of the Immaculate ConceptionDecember 25 ChristmasJanuary 1 Mary, the Mother of God40 days after Easter  Ascension ThursdayAugust 15  Feast of the Assumption of MaryNovember 1 All Saints Day

THE BEATITUDES

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of God.(dependence on God, the virtue of religion, piety)

2. Blessed are they who mourn; for they will be comforted.(hope, contrition, compassion)

3. Blessed are the meek; for they will inherit the land.(reliance on God, trust, humility, hope)

4. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness; for they will be satisfied.(submission to God’s will, justice, righteousness)

5. Blessed are the merciful; for they will be shown mercy.(forgiveness, patience, understanding, compassion)

6. Blessed are the clean of heart; for they will see God.(prudence, obedience)

7. Blessed are the peacemakers; they shall be called children of God.(reconciliation, justice) 

8. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness; for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. (piety, resignation, justice, patience) (Matthew 5:3-10)

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. I am the Lord your God. You shall not have other gods beside me. 2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. 3. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day. 4. Honor your father and mother.

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5. You shall not kill. 6. You shall not commit adultery. 7. You shall not steal. 8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods. See Deuteronomy 5:2-21.

THE WORKS OF MERCY             Human mercy can be extended to another because God has first extended his mercy to us. Mercy extended to another expresses our solidarity with the other and our common need for redemption in Christ. Works of Mercy have been practiced by Christians to demonstrate their obligations to others in need but they are not to be seen as minimal requirements of the law. Rather, the Works of Mercy extend from the love of God abiding in the Christian heart and are concrete acts of genuine service. Some examples are:

Corporal (bodily) Works of Mercy Spiritual Works of Mercy1. To feed the hungry 1. To admonish the sinner2. To give drink to the thirsty 2. To instruct the ignorant3. To clothe the naked 3. To counsel the doubtful4. To visit those in prison 4. To comfort the sorrowful5. To shelter the homeless 5. To bear wrongs patiently6. To visit the sick 6. To forgive all injuries7. To bury the dead 7. To pray for the living and the dead

THE PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH

The Church has the responsibility of providing for its own good order and, therefore, has the authority to list certain duties for its members. Performance of these duties does not merit the person salvation, because salvation is not earned by the person but freely offered by Christ to the person. Nevertheless, these precepts of the Church are important reminders of how to live the Christian life. They are:

1. You shall go to Mass on Sunday and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor. 2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year. 3. You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter Season. 4. You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church. 5. You shall help provide for the needs of the Church. See CCC 2042-2043.

REGULATIONS FOR FAST AND ABSTINENCE

            Personal acts of penance are important experiences in the continual conversion of the Christian to the life of grace. They insert us into the suffering of Jesus Who, in turn, gives meaning to our penitential acts. Acts of self-denial, personal charity, and prayer deprive the self and surrender the self for the sake of another. They display a humbled and contrite heart, one that understands that doing good for a person in need exacts a personal price that is gladly paid out of love for God. Caring for those in need, fasting from food for periods of time, and abstaining from meat on designated days are all meaningful only insofar as they are related to a wider understanding of penance and conversion in the Christian life.

            To fast means to deprive oneself of a certain amount of food for a certain length of time. To abstain

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means to deprive oneself of meat. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days on which Catholics are to eat only one full meal and eat no meat at all. The Fridays of Lent are days on which no meat is to be eaten. Eating only one full meal applies to healthy people between the ages of 21 and 59. Eating no meat applies to all those over 14. Those who have an appropriate reason for modifying the law are not obliged to fast.

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