50 truths every catholic teen should know! ;)

Question 1

Why did God create us?

Answer 1

In His loving goodness, God created us to
know, love, and serve Him in this life and
to be happy with Him for all eternity.

Question 2

How do we know that God exists?

Answer 2

We can know that God exists by honestly examining the world around us. God
has also revealed Himself throughout human history, culminating in His sending
us His Son Jesus, so that we may have a relationship with Him.

Question 3

How does God reveal Himself in the
Old Testament?

Answer 3

God reveals Himself in the Old Testament as the Creator of the world. God’s plan
of loving goodness is gradually revealed through salvation history, as He remains
steadfastly faithful to mankind despite the people’s infidelity and sin.

Question 4

Who was Abraham?

Answer 4

Abraham was a Hebrew patriarch. Because of Abraham’s great faith, God
promised to bless all people through his descendants. God’s promise to him was
fulfilled in Christ, so Christians consider Abraham our father in faith.

Question 5

Who was Moses?

Answer 5

Moses was the man God chose to
lead the Israelites out of Egypt. God revealed His name to Moses, and also gave him the Ten Commandments on
Mount Sinai.

Question 6

Who was David?

Answer 6

David was the second King of Israel
and the father of King Solomon, who
built the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus,
the promised Messiah and the King of
the new and everlasting Israel, was born of King David’s line.

Question 7

Is everything in the Bible true?

Answer 7

Scripture is inspired, meaning that God guided the human authors, who wrote
only what God intended. Scripture is also inerrant, meaning that it teaches the
truth, and not falsehood, taking into account the human author’s intention and
human limitations, as well as the literary genres of the time.

Question 8

Where do we turn to find out about the life of Jesus?

Answer 8

We find out about the life of Jesus in the first four books of the New Testament:
the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The Gospels provide inspired,
eyewitness accounts of His life, teachings, death, and Resurrection.

Question 9

What is the Creed?

Answer 9

The Creed is a summary of the essential elements of the Christian faith. The
most well-known creeds are the Apostles’ Creed, which is often recited at the
beginning of the Rosary, and the Nicene Creed, which is usually said at every
Sunday Mass.

Question 10

Why do we accept as true what the Church teaches in matters of faith and morals?

Answer 10

We accept Church teaching as true because the Church speaks with the authority of Christ Himself. Christ identifies with His Church and commissioned the Church to bring His teaching to all the world.

Question 11

Do Christians believe in one God or three Gods?

Answer 11

Christians believe in one God, who is a Trinity of persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Question 12

Why does God, who is all-loving and all-powerful, allow suffering and evil?

Answer 12

God does not cause suffering and evil, but permits it as a possibility of human
freedom. God allows evil in order to bring forth something good. In fact, from the
greatest of all moral evils–the murder of His Son–He brought forth the greatest
of all goods: the glorification of Christ and our redemption.

Question 13

What is our place in creation?

Answer 13

Man is the summit of creation, because god created us in His own image and entrusted us with the responsibility of caring for the world around us.

Question 14

What is the soul?

Answer 14

The soul is the immortal, spiritual principle that gives life to the human body. The soul does not come from our parents but is created by God at our conception. Our soul will be reunited with our resurrected body at the end of time.

Question 15

What is original sin?

Answer 15

Original sin is the sin committed by Adam and Eve in choosing to disobey God. Because of original sin, everyone enters the world with a fallen nature and alienated from God. Jesus came as the “new Adam” to restore out friendship with God.

Question 16

Who is Jesus?

Answer 16

Jesus is the eternal Son of God,
the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, who in the fullness of time became one like us in order to save
us. The name “Jesus” means “God saves.”

Question 17

What does it mean to accept Jesus as Lord?

Answer 17

Whenever we call upon Jesus as “Lord,” we acknowledge His divinity as the Son
of God. We accept Him as Lord when we entrust our lives to Him and strive to live
according to His teachings, which come to us through His Church.

Question 18

Why did God become man?

Answer 18

God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to reconcile us to Himself, to
teach us how to live, and to share His own life with us.

Question 19

Why is Mary called the ever-virgin Mother of
God and our Blessed Mother?

Answer 19

Mary was a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Jesus. She is the mother
of Jesus, and Jesus is God. Therefore, she is
truly the Mother of God. Mary is not only the
Mother of Jesus, the Son of God, but also the
spiritual mother of all who believe in Him. All
generations of Christians call her “blessed.”

Question 20

What happened at the Last Supper?

Answer 20

At the Last Supper, Jesus washed the feet of His Apostles, established the
priesthood of the New Covenant, and instituted the Holy Eucharist during the
course of a Passover meal as a memorial of His sacrifice.

Question 21

Why did Jesus die on the Cross?

Answer 21

Christ freely accepted death on the Cross so as to bear the guilt of the whole
world. In making Himself an offering for sin, He reconciled all people to God by
His perfect love and obedience.

Question 22

What is the Resurrection?

Answer 22

The Resurrection is the bodily rising of Jesus from the dead on the third day after
His death on the Cross. Christ’s victory over death is the crowning truth of our
faith and the basis for our hope that we too will be raised with Christ.

Question 23

Who is the Holy Spirit?

Answer 23

The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. The Holy Spirit is the
personal love of the Father and the Son that is sent into our hearts at Baptism so
that we might receive new life as children of God.

Question 24

What happened on Pentecost?

Answer 24

Fifty days after His Resurrection, and just nine days after His Ascension into
heaven, the Lord sent the Holy Spirit upon the disciples gathered in the Upper
Room in prayer, thus beginning the age of the Church.

Question 25

Why did Jesus establish the Church?

Answer 25

Jesus established the Church because God desires to save us not as isolated
individuals, but as His family. The Church exists to extend the salvation won by
Christ to everyone.

Question 26

What are the four marks of the Church?

Answer 26

The marks of the Church are the four essential features of the Church and her
mission: We believe that the Church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.

Question 27

What is the vocation of every Christian?

Answer 27

All baptized Christians are called by God to become like Jesus and, according to
their state of life, to participate in the building up of the Church.

Question 28

Who is the Pope?

Answer 28

The Pope is the successor of St. Peter, the head of the Apostles, to whom Christ
entrusted the keys to the kingdom. He is the Bishop of Rome and the pastor of
the entire Church as Christ’s chosen representative on earth.

Question 29

What is religious life?

Answer 29

Religious life, also known as consecrated life, is a way of life approved by the
Church in which one seeks to follow Christ as perfectly as possible. Consecrated
life usually entails vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience after a period of
formation and intensive prayer.

Question 30

How do Mary and the saints help us?

Answer 30

Mary and the saints give us examples of how to live out our Catholic faith, and
they also pray for us.

Question 31

What is heaven?

Answer 31

Heaven is the state of perfect happiness for those who die in the grace of God
and who have no need of further purification. We were created for eternal life
with God in heaven.

Question 32

What is purgatory?

Answer 32

Purgatory is the state of those who die in God’s friendship, assured of their eternal
salvation, but who still need purification to enter into the happiness of heaven.
We can help the souls in purgatory by offering prayers and sacrifices for them.

Question 33

Does hell exist?

Answer 33

The Church affirms the sad reality of eternal death, known as hell, for those who
reject God’s love. The main punishment of hell is separation from God, who alone
can provide us the happiness for which we were created.

Question 34

What happens to us at Baptism?

Answer 34

Baptism washes away original and personal sin, and it empowers us with divine
grace to become children of God. It is the door through which we enter the
Church and begin a lasting relationship with Christ.

Question 35

What is the Sacrament of Confirmation?

Answer 35

Confirmation is the sacrament in which we receive a special outpouring of
the Holy Spirit, like at Pentecost, to bear witness to Jesus and His Church. It
strengthens and reinvigorates the gifts of the Holy Spirit received at Baptism.

Question 36

What is the Mass?

Answer 36

The celebration of the Eucharist, which includes both the liturgy of the Word and
the liturgy of the Eucharist, is commonly called the “Mass.” The Mass makes
present in an unbloody manner Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice on Calvary. It
enables us to be transformed by Christ’s victory over sin and death.

Question 37

What do Catholics believe concerning Christ’s
presence in the Eucharist?

Answer 37

The Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ, really and substantially present
under the appearance of bread and wine, through which we are nourished in the
faith and brought into intimate communion with the Lord.

Question 38

How should we prepare to receive Our Lord in
Holy Communion?

Answer 38

We recall who it is we are receiving and approach the sacrament with great
reverence and awe, which should be reflected in our demeanor and clothing.
If we are in a state of mortal sin, we should repent of our sin and receive the
Sacrament of Reconciliation before going to Communion. The Church also
requires us to fast for at least one hour from all foods and liquids, except for
water and medicine, before receiving Holy Communion.

Question 39

Why do we need the
Sacrament of Reconciliation?

Answer 39

Baptism gives us new life in Christ, but it does not free us from human weakness
and the tendency to sin. The Sacrament of Reconciliation, or Confession, is Our
Lord’s way of allowing us to be reconciled with the Father after we sin.

Question 40

What does it mean to become a priest?

Answer 40

Through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, priests are ordained to act “in the person
of Christ” by offering the sacrifice of the Mass, preaching the Gospel, and
reconciling sinners to God, as co-workers of the bishop.

Question 41

What does the Church teach about marriage?

Answer 41

Marriage is an unbreakable covenant between one man and one woman, ordered
to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of children. When it
is between two baptized individuals, marriage is a sacrament.

Question 42

What is human freedom?

Answer 42

Freedom is the God-given power to be able to act of one’s own accord. Because
we are free, we are responsible for our actions. God expects us to use our
freedom to choose what is good.

Question 43

What is virtue?

Answer 43

A virtue is a good habit that helps us to do good and avoid evil.

Question 44

What are sins?

Answer 44

Sins are deliberate thoughts, words, actions, or omissions that turn us away from
God and His loving plan for us. Sins are harmful to us personally and they also
injure our relationship with others

Question 45

Are some sins more serious than others?

Answer 45

Mortal sin destroys God’s life in us and, if we do not repent, could lead to
damnation. For a sin to be mortal, it must be a serious matter and be committed
with full knowledge and consent. Venial sins are less serious sins that nonetheless
strain our relationship with God.

Question 46

What is the basis of human dignity?

Answer 46

The basis of human dignity is our creation in the image of God. All people share
the same human nature and are called to share in the life of God. Every person
is our “neighbor.”

Question 47

What is the purpose of the Commandments?

Answer 47

The Commandments are God’s instruction manual for finding true and lasting
happiness. They teach us how to love God with all our heart, and to love others
as God loves us.

Question 48

What is so special about Sunday?

Answer 48

Sunday is the day of the week on which Jesus rose from the dead. Catholics set
aside the Lord’s Day for rest from their labors and above all for the celebration
of the Eucharist. This fulfills the commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day.

Question 49

What does it mean to be chaste?

Answer 49

Chastity is a moral virtue, related to temperance, which enables us to successfully
integrate our sexuality into our personality. A chaste person lives his or her
sexuality intentionally, motivated by love and not by selfish desires.

Question 50

Why should we pray?

Answer 50

We pray because we were created with a longing for God. We pray to adore God
and praise Him for His goodness, to seek His forgiveness for our sins, to thank
Him for our blessings, and to seek His assistance.