A Catechism of Christian Doctrine. Anonymous
to make us certain that they are in heaven, and may, therefore, be invoked in our prayers.
Q. 83. Can the Church err in the Canonization of a Saint?
A. The Church cannot err in matters of faith or morals, and the
Canonization of a Saint is a matter of faith and morals.
Q. 84. What is the difference between a Saint and an Angel? A. The Saints lived upon the earth in bodies like our own. The Angels never inhabited the earth, though they visit it and remain for a time with us. They have not now and never will have bodies.
Q. 85. Through what means may we obtain the "forgiveness of sins"?
A. We may obtain the "forgiveness of sins" especially through the
Sacraments of Baptism and Penance.
Q. 86. What do we mean by the "resurrection of the body"? A. By the "resurrection of the body" we mean that the bodies of the dead shall be restored to life, rise again on the last day, and be united to the souls from which they were separated by death.
Q. 87. How is the resurrection possible when the bodies are reduced to ashes and mingled with the soil? A. The resurrection is possible to God, who can do all things, and who, having created the bodies out of nothing in the beginning, can easily collect and put together their scattered parts by an act of His all-powerful will.
Q. 88. What does "life everlasting" mean? A. "Life everlasting" means endless happiness in heaven; as endless misery in hell may be called "everlasting death."
Q. 89. Is the Apostles' Creed an act of faith? A. The Apostles' Creed is an act of faith, because by it we profess our belief in the truths it contains.
THE CONFITEOR.
Q. 90. Say the Confiteor and verses after it. A. I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary, ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the Saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore, I beseech blessed Mary, ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me.
May the Almighty God have mercy on me, and forgive me my sins, and bring me to ever-lasting life. Amen.
May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant me pardon, absolution, and remission of all my sins. Amen.
Q. 91. What does "Confiteor" mean?
A. "Confiteor" is the first word of this prayer in Latin, and means "I
Confess."
Q. 92. How is the Confiteor divided? A. The Confiteor is divided into two parts. In the first part we acknowledge our sins in the presence of God and of His Saints and Angels. In the second part we beg the Saints and Angels to aid us in obtaining forgiveness.
Q. 93. What should we bear in mind in saying any prayer, and especially
the Confiteor?
A. While saying any prayer, and especially the Confiteor, we should bear
in mind that we are in the presence of God, and of His Saints and
Angels, who see us and hear us, though we can not see or hear them.
AN ACT OF FAITH.
Q. 94. Say the Act of Faith. A. O my God! I firmly believe that Thou art one God in three Divine persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; I believe that Thy 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 Thou hast revealed them, who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.
Q. 95. Give the substance of an Act of Faith. A. The substance of an Act of Faith is: I believe all that God has revealed and the Catholic Church teaches.
Q. 96. Why do we find Acts of Faith of different lengths? A. We find Acts of Faith of different lengths, because some state more fully than others what God has revealed and the Church teaches.
AN ACT OF HOPE.
Q. 97. Say the Act of Hope. A. O my God! relying on Thy infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life ever-lasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.
Q. 98. Give the substance of an Act of Hope. A. The substance of an Act of Hope is: I hope for heaven and the means to obtain it.
AN ACT OF LOVE.
Q. 99. Say the Act of Love. A. O my God! I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.
Q. 100. Give the substance of an Act of Love.
A. The substance of an Act of Love is: I love God above all things for
His own sake, and my neighbor as myself for the love of God.
Q. 101. How do we show that we love God above all things? A. We show that we love God above all things by keeping His commandments and by never offending Him for any person or thing.
Q. 102. What does loving your neighbor as yourself mean? A. Loving my neighbor as myself does not mean that I must love him as much as myself; but that I must love him with the same kind of love, that is, I must never do to my neighbor what I would not wish my neighbor to do to me; but, on the contrary, do unto others as I would have others do unto me.
Q. 103. Do an "Act of Love" and an "Act of Charity" mean the same thing?
A. An "Act of Love" and "Act of Charity" do mean the same thing, because
Charity means love, or it means an act of kindness that comes from love.
Q. 104. How may all persons show Charity to their neighbor? A. All persons may show Charity to their neighbor by never injuring his character and by always speaking well of him.
Q. 105. Are we bound to make Acts of Faith, Hope and Love?
A. We are bound from time to time during our lives to make Acts of
Faith, Hope and Love; otherwise we risk our salvation.
AN ACT OF CONTRITION.
Q. 106. What does "Contrition" mean?
A. "Contrition" means a state of grief or deep sorrow for our sins.
Q. 107. Say the Act of Contrition. A. O my God! I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.
Q. 108. Give the substance of an Act of Contrition. A. The substance of an Act of Contrition is: I am sorry for my sins, because they have offended God, and I will