Baltimore Catechism #2 Flashcards
0
Q
- Who is God?
A
God is the Supreme Being, infinitely perfect, Who made all things and keeps them in existence.
1
Q
- Who made us?
A
God made us.
2
Q
- Why did God make us?
A
… to show forth His goodness and to share with us His everlasting happiness in heaven.
3
Q
- What must we do to gain the happiness of heaven?
A
… we must know, love, and serve God in this world.
4
Q
- From whom do we learn to know, love, and serve God?
A
… from Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who teaches us through the Catholic Church.
5
Q
- Where do we find the chief truths taught by Jesus Christ through the Catholic Church?
A
… in the Apostles’ creed.
6
Q
- Say the Apostles’ creed.
A
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ. His only Son, Our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontuis Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the Third Day He arose again from the dead; sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
7
Q
- What do we mean by God is the Supreme Being?
A
… we mean that He is above all creatures, the self-existing and infinitely perfect spirit.
8
Q
- What is a spirit?
A
A spirit is a being that has understanding and free will but no body and will never die.
9
Q
- What do we mean when we say that God is self-existing?
A
… we mean that He does not owe His existence to any other being.
10
Q
- What do we mean when we say that God is infinitely perfect?
A
… we mean He has all perfections with no limit.
11
Q
- What are some of the perfections of God?
A
God is eternal, all-good, all-knowing, all-present, and almighty.
12
Q
- What do we mean when we say that God is eternal?
A
… we mean that He always was, always will be, and He always remains the same.
13
Q
- What do we mean when we say God is all-good?
A
… we mean that He is infinitely lovable in Himself, and that through his fatherly love every good comes to us.
14
Q
- What do we mean when we say God is all-knowing?
A
… we mean that He knows all things, past, present, and future, even our most secret thoughts, words, and actions.
15
Q
- What do we mean when we say God is all-present?
A
… we mean that He is everywhere.
16
Q
- If God is everywhere, then why do we not see Him?
A
… we do not see Him because He is a spirit and cannot be seen with our eyes.
17
Q
- Does God see us?
A
God sees us and watches over us with loving care.
18
Q
- What is God’s loving care for us called?
A
… Divine Providence.
19
Q
- What do we mean when we say that God is almighty?
A
… we mean that he can do all things.
20
Q
- Is God all-wise, all-holy, all-merciful, and all-just?
A
Yes, God is all-wise, all-holy, all-merciful, and all-just.
21
Q
- Can we know by our natural reason that there is a God?
A
We can… for natural reason tells us that the world we live see about us could have only been made by a self-existing Being, all-wise and all-mighty.
22
Q
- Can we know God by any other way than by our natural reason?
A
Besides knowing God by our natural reason, we can also know Him from supernatural revelation, that is, from the truths found in Sacred Scripture and in tradition, which God Himself has revealed to us.
23
Q
- Is there only one God?
A
Yes, there is only one God
24
25. How many Persons are there in God?
... three divine Persons- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
25
26. Is the Father God?
Yes, and the first Person of the Blessed Trinity.
26
27. Is the Son God?
Yes, and the second Person of the Blessed Trinity.
27
28. Is the Holy Spirit God?
Yes, and the third Person of the Blessed Trinity.
28
29. What do we mean by the Blessed Trinity?
... we mean one and the same God in three divine Persons.
29
30. Are the three Persons really distinct from one another?
The three divine Persons are really district from one another.
30
31. Are the three divine Persons perfectly equal to one another?
The three divine Persons are perfectly equal to one another, because all are one and the same God.
31
32. How are three divine Persons, though perfectly equal to one another, one and the same God?
... because all have one and the same divine nature.
32
33. Can we fully understand how the three divine Persons, though really distinct from one another, one and the same God?
We cannot... because this is a supernatural mystery.
33
34. What is a supernatural mystery?
... a truth which we cannot fully understand, but firmly believe because we have God's word for it.
34
35. What do we mean when we say that God is the Creator of heaven and earth?
... we mean He made all things from nothing by His almighty power.
35
36. Which are the chief creatures of God?
... angels and men.
36
37. What are angels?
... created spirits, without bodies, having understanding and free will.
37
38. What gifts did God bestow on the Angels when He created them?
... great wisdom, power and holiness.
38
39. Did all angels remain faithful to God?
Not all the angels remained faithful to God; some of them sinned.
39
40. What happened to the angel that remained faithful to God?
... they entered into the eternal happiness of heaven, and these are called good angels.
40
41. What do the good angels do in heaven?
In heaven, the good angels see, love, and serve God.
41
42. How do the good angels help us?
... by praying for us, by acting as our messengers from God to us, and by serving as our guardian angels.
42
43. How do our guardian angels help us?
... by praying for us, by protecting us from harm, and inspiring us to do good.
43
44. What happened to the bad angels who did not remain faithful to God?
... .they were cast into hell, and these are called bad angels, or devils.
44
45. What is the chief way in which the bad angels try to harm us?
... by tempting us to sin.
45
46. Do all temptations come from devils?
Some temptations come from the bad angels; others come from the persons and things about us.
46
47. Can we always resist temptations?
We can always resist temptation because no temptation can force us into sin, and because God will always help us if we ask Him.
47
48. What is man?
Man is a creature composed of body and spirit, and made to the image and likeness of God.
48
49. Is this likeness to God chiefly in the body or in the souls?
This likeness to God is found chiefly in the soul.
49
50. How is the soul like God?
... beach use it is a spirit having understanding and free will, and is destined to live forever.
50
51. Who were the first man and woman?
... Adam and Eve, the first parents of the whole man race.
51
52. What was the chief gift bestowed on Adam and Eve by God?
.. sanctifying grace, which made then children of God and gave them the right to heaven.
52
53. What other gifts were bestowed on Adam and Eve by God?
... happiness in the Garden of Paradise, great knowledge, control of passions by reason, and freedom from suffering and death.
53
54. What commandment did God give to Adam and Eve?
... not to eat of the fruit of a certain tree that grew in the garden of paradise.
54
55. Did Adam and Eve obey the commandment of God?
Adam and Eve did not obey the commandment of God, but ate of the forbidden fruit.
55
56. What happened to Adam and Eve on account of their sin?
... lost sanctifying grace, the right to heaven, their special gifts, they became subject to death, to suffering, and to a strong inclination to evil, and they were driven from the Garden of Paradise.
56
57. What has happened to us on the account of the sin of Adam?
On account of the sin of Adam, we, his descendants, come into the world deprived of sanctifying grace and inherit his punishment, as we would have inherited his gifts had he been obedient to God.
57
58. What is this sin in us called?
... original sin.
58
59. Why is this sin called original sin?
... because it comes down to us through our descent, or origin.
59
60. What are the chief punishments which we inherit through original sin?
... death, suffering, ignorance, and a strong inclination to sin.
60
61. Is God unjust in punishing us on account of the sin of Adam?
God is not... because original sin does not deprive us from anything that we have a strict right as human beings, but only of the free gifts which God in His goodness would have bestowed upon us if Adam had not sinned.
61
62. Was any human person ever preserved from original sin?
The Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved from original sin in view of the merits of her Divine Son; and this privilege is called her Immaculate Conception.
62
63. Is original sin the only kind of sin?
Original sin is not the only kind of sin; there is another type of sin called actual sin, which we ourselves commit.
63
64. What is actual sin?
... any willful thought, desire, word, action or omission prohibited by the law of God.
64
65. How many types of actual sin are there?
There are two types of actual sin: mortal sin and venial sin.
65
66. What is mortal sin?
... a grievous offense against the law of God.
66
67. Why is this sin called mortal?
This sin is called mortal, or deadly, because it deprives the sinner of sanctifying grace, that is, the supernatural life of the soul.
67
68. Besides depriving the sinner of sanctifying grace, what else does mortal sin do to our soul?
... mortal sin makes the should an enemy of God, takes away the merit of all it's good actions, deprives it of the right to everlasting happiness in heaven, and makes it deserving of everlasting punishment in hell.
68
69. What three things are necessary to make a sin mortal?
... these three things are necessary:
1. the thought, desire, word, action or omission must be seriously wrong or considered seriously wrong.
2. the sinner must be mindful of the serious wrong.
3. the sinner must fully consent to it.
69
70. What is venial sin?
... a less serious offense against the law of God, which does not deprive the soul of sanctifying grace, and which can be pardoned even without sacramental confession.
70
71. How can a sin be venial?
A sin can be venial in two ways:
1. When the evil done is not seriously wrong.
2. When the evil done is not seriously wrong, but the sinner sincerely believes it is only slightly wrong, or does not give full consent to it.
71
72. How does venial sin harm us?
... by making us less fervent in the service of God, by weakening our power to resist mortal sin, and by making us deserving of punishments in this life or in purgatory.
72
73. How can we keep from committing sin?
... by praying and receiving the sacraments; by remembering that God is always with us; by recalling that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit; by keeping occupied with work or play; by promptly resisting the sources of sin within us; by avoiding the near occasions of sin.
73
74. What are the chief sources of actual sin?
The chief sources of actual sin are: pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth, and these are commonly called capital sins.
74
75. Why are these sins called capital sins?
... not because they, in themselves, are the greatest sins, but because they are the chief reasons why men commit sin.
75
76. What are the near occasions of sin?
... all persons, places, or things that may easily lead us into sin.
76
77. Did God abandon man after Adam fell into sin?
God did not... But promised to send a Savior to free man from his sins and to reopen to him the gates of heaven.
77
78. Who is the Savior of all men?
... Jesus Christ.
78
79. What is the chief teaching of the Catholic Church about Jesus Christ?
... is that He is God made man.
79
80. Why is Jesus Christ God?
... because He is the only Son of God, having the same divine nature as His Father.
80
81. Why is Jesus Christ man?
... because He is the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary and has a body and soul like ours.
81
82. Is Jesus Christ more than one Person?
No, Jesus Christ is only one person; that Person is the second Person of the Blessed Trinity.
82
83. How many natures has Jesus Christ?
Jesus Christ has two natures: the nature of God and the nature of man.
83
84. Was the Son of God always man?
No... but became man at the time of the Incarnation.
84
85. What is meant by the Incarnation?
... that the Son of God, retaining His Divine Nature, took Himself a human nature, that is, a body and soul like others.
85
86. How was the Son of God made man?
... by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
86
87. When was the Son of God conceived and made man?
... on Annunciation Day, the day when the Angel Gabriel announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she was the Mother of God.
87
88. Is St. Joseph the father of Jesus Christ?
Jesus Christ had no human father, but St. Joseph was the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the guardian, or foster father, of Jesus Christ.
88
89. When was Jesus Christ born?
... on Christmas Day, in Bethlehem, more than nineteen-hundred years ago.
89
90. What is meant by the Redemption?
... that Jesus Christ, ad the Redeemer of the whole human race, offered His sufferings and death, to God a fitting sacrifice in satisfaction for the sins of men, and regained for them the children of God and heirs of heaven.
90
91. What were the chief sufferings of Christ?
... His bitter agony of soul, His bloody sweat, His cruel scourging, His crowning thorns, His crucifixion, and His death on the cross.
91
92. When did Christ die?
... on Good Friday.
92
93. Where did Christ die?
... on Galgotha, a place outside of Jerusalem.
93
94. What do we learn from the sufferings and death of Christ?
... we learn God's love for man and the evil of sin, fir which God, who is all-just, demands great satisfaction.
94
95. What do we mean in the Apostle's Creed that Christ descended into hell?
... we mean that, after he died, the soul of Christ descended into a place or state of rest called the Bosom of Abraham, where the soils of the just were waiting for Him.
95
96. Why did Christ go to the Bosom of Abraham?
... to announce to the souls waiting there the joyful news that He had reopened the heavens to mankind.
96
97. Where was Christ's body while His soul was in the Bosom of Abraham?
While Christ's body was in the Bosom of Abraham, Christ's body was in the holy sepulcher.
97
98. When did Christ rise from the dead?
Christ rose from the dead, glorious and immortal, on Easter Sunday, the third day after His death.
98
99. Why did Christ rise from the dead?
... to show that He is truly God and to teach us that we, too, shall rise from the dead.
99
100. Will all men rise from the dead?
All men will rise from the dead, but only those who have been faithful to Christ will share His glory.
100
101. When did Christ ascend into heaven?
Christ ascended body and soul into heaven on Ascension Day, forty days after His Resurrection.
101
102. Why did Christ remain on earth forty days after His Resurrection?
Christ remained on earth after His Resurrection to prove that he had truly risen from the dead and to complete the instruction of the apostles.
102
103. What do we mean when we say that Christ sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty?
... we mean that Our Lord as God is equal to the Father, and that as man He shares above all the saints in the glory of His Father and exercises for all eternity the supreme authority of a king over all creatures.
103
104. What do we mean when saw say that Christ will come thence to judge the living and the dead?
... we mean that on the last day Our Lord will come to pronounce a sentence of eternal reward or eternal punishment on everyone who has ever lived in this world.
104
105. Who is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is God and the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity.
105
106. From whom does the Holy Spirit proceed?
The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.
106
107. Is the Holy Spirit equal to the Father and the Son?
The Holy Spirit is equal to the Father and the Son because He is God.
107
108. What does the Holy Spirit do for the salvation of man.
The Holy Spirit dwells in the Church as the source of its life and sanctifies souls through the gift of grace.
108
109. What is grace?
Grace is a supernatural gift of God bestowed on us through the merits of Jesus Christ for our salvation.
109
110. How many kinds of grace are?
There are two kinds of grace: sanctifying grace and actual grace.
110
111. What is sanctifying grace?
Sanctifying is that grace which confers on our souls a new life, that is, a sharing in the life of God Himself.
111
112. What are the chief effects of sanctifying grace?
The chief effects of sanctifying grace are:
1. it makes us holy and pleasing to God.
2. it makes us adopted children of God.
3. it makes us temples of the Holy Spirit.
4. it gives us the right to heaven.
112
113. What is actual grace?
Actual grace is a supernatural gift from God which enlightens our minds and strengthens to do good and to avoid evil.
113
114. Can we resist the grace of God?
We can resist the grace of God, for our will is free, and God does not force us to accept his Grace.
114
115. Why is sanctifying grace necessary for salvation?
Sanctifying grace is necessary for salvation because it is supernatural life, which alone enables us to attain the supernatural happiness of heaven.
115
116. Is actual grace necessary for all who have attained the use of actual reason?
Actual grace is necessary for all who have attained the use of reason, because without we cannot long resist the power of temptation or perform other actions which merit a reward in heaven.
116
117. What are the principal ways of obtaining grace?
... prayer and the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist.
117
118. How can we make our most ordinary actions merit a heavenly reward?
... by doing them for the love of God and by keeping ourselves in the state of grace.
118
119. What are the chief supernatural powers that are bestowed on our souls with sanctifying grace?
... the three theological virtues and the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
119
120. Why are these virtues called the theological virtues?
... because they have God for their proper object.
120
121. What are the three theological virtues?
... faith, hope, and charity.
121
122. What is faith?
Faith is the virtue by which we firmly believe all the truths God has revealed, on the word of God revealing them, who can neither be deceived nor be deceived.
122
123. What is hope?
Hope is the virtue by which we firmly believe that God, who is all- powerful and faithful to His promises, will in His mercy give us eternal happiness and the means to obtain it.
123
124. What is charity?
Charity is the virtue by which we love God above all things for His own sake, and our neighbors as ourselves for the love of God.
124
125. Which are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit?
... wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
125
126. How do the gifts of the Holy Spirit help us?
... by making us more alert to discern and more ready to do the will of God.
126
127. Which are some of the effects of the gifts of the Hoy Spirit?
... the fruits of the Holy Spirit and the beatitudes.
127
128. Which are the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit?
... charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, long-suffering, mildness, faith, modesty, contingency, and chastity.
128
129. Which are the eight beatitudes?
The eight beatitudes are:
1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
3. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice,moor they shall be satisfied.
5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
6. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
8. Blessed are those suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
129
130. Are there any other virtues besides the theological virtues?
Besides the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity, there are other virtues, called moral virtues.
130
131. Why are these virtues called moral virtues?
... because they dispose us to lead moral, or good, lives by aiding us to treat persons and things in the right way, that is, according to the will of God.
131
132. Which are the chief moral virtues?
... prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance; these are called cardinal virtues.
132
133. Why are these viruses called cardinal virtues?
... because they are like hinges on which hang all the other moral virtues and our whole moral life. The word "cardinal" is derived from the Latin word "cardo" meaning hinge.
133
134. How do prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance dispose us to lead good lives?
Prudence disposes us to form right judgements about what we must do or not do.
Justice disposes us to give everyone what belongs to him.
Fortitude disposes us to do what is good in spite of any difficulty.
Temperance disposes us to control our desires and to use rightly the things which please our senses.
134
135. What are some of the other moral virtues?
Some the other moral virtues are:
Filial piety and patriotism, which disposes us to honor, love, and respect our parents and our country.
Obedience, which disposes us to do the will of our superiors.
Veracity, which disposes us to tell the truth.
Liberality, which disposes us rightly to use worldly goods.
Patience, which disposes us to bear up under trials and difficulties.
Humility, which disposes us to acknowledge our limitations.
Chastity, or purity, which disposes us to be pure in sound and body.
Besides these, there are many other moral virtues.
135
136. What is the Church?
The Church is the congregation of all baptized persons United I. The same true faith, the same sacrifice, and the same sacraments, under the authority of the Sovereign Pontiff and the bishops in communion with him.
136
137. Who founded the Church?
Jesus Christ founded the Church.
137
138. Why did Jesus Christ found the Church?
... to bring all men to eternal salvation.
138
139. How is the Church enabled to lead all men to salvation?
... by the I dwelling of the Holy Spirit, Who gives It life.
139
140. When was the dwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Church first visible manifested?
... on Pentecost Sunday, when He came down upon the apostles in the form of tongues of fire.
140
141. How long will the Holy Spirit dwell in the Church?
... until the end of time.
141
142. Who sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in the Church?
God the Father and God the Son sent the Hoy Spirit to dwell in the Church.
142
143. What does the in dwelling of the Holy Spirit enable the Church to do?
... to teach, to sanctify, and to rule the faithful in the name of Christ.
143
144. What is meant by teaching, sanctifying, and ruling in the name of Christ?
... that the Church always does the will of its Divine Founder, who remains forever its invisible Head.
144
145. To whom dis Christ give the power to teach, to sanctify, and to rule the embers of His Church?
... to his apostles, the first bishops of the Church.
145
146. Did Christ intend that this power should be exercised by the apostles alone?
No, Christ intended that this power should be exercised also by their successors, the bishops of the Church.
146
147. Did Christ give special power in His Church to anyone of the apostles?
Christ gave special power to Saint Peter by making him head of the apostles and the chief teacher and ruler of the entire Church.
147
148. Did Christ intend that the special power of the chief teacher and ruler of the entire Church should be exercised by Saint Peter alone?
Christ did not intend that the special power of the chief teacher and ruler of the entire Church should be practiced by Saint Peter alone, but intended that this power should be passed down to his successor, the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, who is the Vicar of Christ on earth and the visible head of the Church.
148
149. Who assist the bishops in the care of souls?
The priests, especially parish priests, assist the bishops in the care of souls.
