Chapter 1

A CATECHISM OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE

Prepared and Enjoined by Order of The Third Plenary Council of Baltimore

QUESTIONS NUMBERED TO AGREE WITH "EXPLANATION OF THE BALTIMORE CATECHISM"

WITH PRAYERS AND HYMNS

No. 1

{For First Communion Classes}

IMPRIMATUR

New York, April 6, 1885. John Cardinal McCloskey, Archbishop of New York.

Baltimore, April 6, 1885. "The Catechism ordered by The Third Plenary Council of Baltimore, having been diligently compared and examined, is hereby approved." + James Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, Apostolic Delegate.

{Transcriber's Note: This book is commonly known as "The Baltimore Catechism No. 1" and is part of a four volume e-text collection. See the author's note to Baltimore Catechism No. 3 for the background and purpose of the series. Please note that there are gaps in the numbering, and some questions are out of order, because Catechism No. 1 is essentially an abridgement of Catechism No. 2. There are also minor phrasing differences in some of the questions and answers of this text compared with No. 2. This e-text collection is substantially based on files generously provided by http://www.catholic.net/ with some missing material transcribed and added for this release. Transcriber's notes in this series are placed within braces, and usually prefixed "T.N.:".}

PRAYERS

THE LORD'S PRAYER

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.

THE ANGELICAL SALUTATION

Hail Mary, full of grace! the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

THE APOSTLES' CREED

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 Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified: died, and was buried. He descended into hell: the third day He arose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE CONFITEOR

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 everlasting life. Amen.

May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant me pardon, absolution, and remission of all my sins. Amen.

AN ACT OF FAITH

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.

AN ACT OF HOPE

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 everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.

AN ACT OF LOVE

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.

AN ACT OF CONTRITION

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.

THE BLESSING BEFORE MEALS

+ Bless us, O Lord! and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

GRACE AFTER MEALS

+ We give Thee thanks for all Thy benefits, O Almighty God, who livest and reignest forever, and may the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

THE MANNER IN WHICH A LAY PERSON IS TO BAPTIZE IN CASE OF NECESSITY

Pour common water on the head or face of the person to be baptized, and say while pouring it:

"I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

N.B. Any person of either sex who has reached the use of reason can baptize in case of necessity, but the same person must say the words while pouring the water.

CATECHISM

LESSON FIRST ON THE END OF MAN

1. Q. Who made the world? A. God made the world.

2. Q. Who is God? A. God is the Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things.

3. Q. What is man? A. Man is a creature composed of body and soul, and made to the image and likeness of God.

6. Q. Why did God make you? A. God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in the next.

9. Q. What must we do to save our souls? A. To save our souls, we must worship God by faith, hope, and charity; that is, we must believe in Him, hope in Him, and love Him with all our heart.

10. Q. How shall we know the things which we are to believe? A. We shall know the things which we are to believe from the Catholic Church, through which God speaks to us.

11. Q. Where shall we find the chief truths which the Church teaches? A. We shall find the chief truths which the Church teaches in the Apostles' Creed.

12. 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 Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died, and was buried. He descended into hell: the third day He arose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

LESSON SECOND ON GOD AND HIS PERFECTIONS

13. Q. What is God? A. God is a spirit infinitely perfect.

14. Q. Had God a beginning? A. God had no beginning; He always was and He always will be.

15. Q. Where is God? A. God is everywhere.

16. Q. If God is everywhere, why do we not see Him? A. We do not see God, because He is a pure spirit and cannot be seen with bodily eyes.

17. Q. Does God see us? A. God sees us and watches over us.

18. Q. Does God know all things? A. God knows all things, even our most secret thoughts, words, and actions.

19. Q. Can God do all things? A. God can do all things, and nothing is hard or impossible to Him.

20. Q. Is God just, holy, and merciful? A. God is all just, all holy, all merciful, as He is infinitely perfect.

LESSON THIRD ON THE UNITY AND TRINITY OF GOD

21. Q. Is there but one God? A. Yes; there is but one God.

22. Q. Why can there be but one God? A. There can be but one God, because God, being supreme and infinite, cannot have an equal.

23. Q. How many Persons are there in God? A. In God there are three Divine Persons, really distinct, and equal in all things--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

24. Q. Is the Father God? A. The Father is God and the first Person of the Blessed Trinity.

25. Q. Is the Son God? A. The Son is God and the second Person of the Blessed Trinity.

26. Q. Is the Holy Ghost God? A. The Holy Ghost is God and the third Person of the Blessed Trinity.

27. Q. What is the Blessed Trinity? A. The Blessed Trinity is one God in three Divine Persons.

29. Q. Are the three Divine Persons one and the same God? A. The three Divine Persons are one and the same God, having one and the same Divine nature.

LESSON FOURTH ON THE ANGELS AND OUR FIRST PARENTS

34. Q. Which are the chief creatures of God? A. The chief creatures of God are men and angels.

35. Q. What are angels? A. Angels are bodiless spirits created to adore and enjoy God in heaven.

39. Q. Who were the first man and woman? A. The first man and woman were Adam and Eve.

40. Q. Were Adam and Eve innocent and holy when they came from the hand of God? A. Adam and Eve were innocent and holy when they came from the hand of God.

43. Q. Did Adam and Eve remain faithful to God? A. Adam and Eve did not remain faithful to God; but broke His command by eating the forbidden fruit.

44. Q. What befell Adam and Eve on account of their sin? A. Adam and Eve, on account of their sin, lost innocence and holiness, and were doomed to misery and death.

45. Q. What evil befell us through the disobedience of our first parents? A. Through the disobedience of our first parents we all inherit their sin and punishment, as we should have shared in their happiness if they had remained faithful.

47. Q. What is the sin called which we inherit from our first parents? A. The sin which we inherit from our first parents is called original sin.

50. Q. Was any one ever preserved from original sin? A. The Blessed Virgin Mary, through the merits of her Divine Son, was preserved free from the guilt of original sin, and this privilege is called her Immaculate Conception.

LESSON FIFTH ON SIN AND ITS KINDS

51. Q. Is original sin the only kind of sin? A. Original sin is not the only kind of sin; there is another kind of sin, which we commit ourselves, called actual sin.

52. Q. What is actual sin? A. Actual sin is any wilful thought, word, deed or omission contrary to the law of God.

53. Q. How many kinds of actual sin are there? A. There are two kinds of actual sin--mortal and venial.

54. Q. What is mortal sin? A. Mortal sin is a grievous offense against the law of God.

57. Q. What is venial sin? A. Venial sin is a slight offense against the law of God in matters of less importance; or in matters of great importance it is an offense committed without sufficient reflection or full consent of the will.

59. Q. Which are the chief sources of sin? A. The chief sources of sin are seven: Pride, Covetousness, Lust, Anger, Gluttony, Envy, and Sloth; and they are commonly called capital sins.

LESSON SIXTH ON THE INCARNATION AND REDEMPTION

60. Q. Did God abandon man after he fell into sin? A. God did not abandon man after he fell into sin, but promised him a Redeemer, who was to satisfy for man's sin and reopen to him the gates of heaven.

61. Q. Who is the Redeemer? A. Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of mankind.

62. Q. What do you believe of Jesus Christ? A. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, true God and true man.

69. Q. What do you mean by the Incarnation? A. By the Incarnation I mean that the Son of God was made man.

70. Q. How was the Son of God made man? A. The Son of God was conceived and made man by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

74. Q. On what day was the Son of God conceived and made man? A. The Son of God was conceived and made man on Annunciation day--the day on which the Angel Gabriel announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she was to be the Mother of God.

75. Q. On what day was Christ born? A. Christ was born on Christmas day in a stable at Bethlehem, over nineteen hundred years ago.

LESSON SEVENTH ON OUR LORD'S PASSION, DEATH, RESURRECTION, AND ASCENSION

78. Q. What did Jesus Christ suffer? A. Jesus Christ suffered a bloody sweat, a cruel scourging, was crowned with thorns, and was crucified.

79. Q. On what day did Christ die? A. Christ died on Good Friday.

83. Q. Why did Christ suffer and die? A. Christ suffered and died for our sins.

89. Q. On what day did Christ rise from the dead? A. Christ rose from the dead, glorious and immortal, on Easter Sunday, the third day after His death.

91. Q. After Christ had remained forty days on earth, whither did He go? A. After forty days Christ ascended into heaven, and the day on which He ascended into heaven is called Ascension day.

LESSON EIGHTH ON THE HOLY GHOST AND HIS DESCENT UPON THE APOSTLES

94. Q. Who is the Holy Ghost? A. The Holy Ghost is the third Person of the Blessed Trinity.

97. Q. On what day did the Holy Ghost come down upon the Apostles? A. The Holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles ten days after the Ascension of our Lord; and the day on which He came down upon the Apostles is called Whitsunday, or Pentecost.

99. Q. Who sent the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles? A. Our Lord Jesus Christ sent the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles.

100. Q. Why did Christ send the Holy Ghost? A. Christ sent the Holy Ghost to sanctify His Church, to enlighten and strengthen the Apostles, and to enable them to preach the Gospel.

LESSON NINTH ON THE EFFECTS OF THE REDEMPTION

102. Q. Which are the chief effects of the Redemption? A. The chief effects of the Redemption are two: The satisfaction of God's justice by Christ's sufferings and death, and the gaining of grace for men.

103. Q. What do you mean by grace? A. By grace I mean a supernatural gift of God bestowed on us, through the merits of Jesus Christ, for our salvation.

104. Q. How many kinds of grace are there? A. There are two kinds of grace, sanctifying grace and actual grace.

105. Q. What is sanctifying grace? A. Sanctifying grace is that grace which makes the soul holy and pleasing to God.

110. Q. What is actual grace? A. Actual grace is that help of God which enlightens our mind and moves our will to shun evil and do good.

{T.N.: The above question is out of numerical order in the printed source of Baltimore Catechism No. 1.}

107. Q. What is Faith? A. Faith is a Divine virtue by which we firmly believe the truths which God has revealed.

108. Q. What is Hope? A. Hope is a Divine virtue by which we firmly trust that God will give us eternal life and the means to obtain it.

109. Q. What is Charity? A. Charity is a Divine virtue by which we love God above all things for His own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God.

LESSON TENTH ON THE CHURCH

114. Q. Which are the means instituted by our Lord to enable men at all times to share in the fruits of the Redemption? A. The means instituted by our Lord to enable men at all times to share in the fruits of His Redemption are the Church and the Sacraments.

115. Q. What is the Church? A. The Church is the congregation of all those who profess the faith of Christ, partake of the same Sacraments, and are governed by their lawful pastors under one visible Head.

116. Q. Who is the invisible Head of the Church? A. Jesus Christ is the invisible Head of the Church.

117. Q. Who is the visible Head of the Church? A. Our Holy Father the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the Vicar of Christ on earth, and the visible Head of the Church.

128. Q. Has the Church any marks by which it may be known? A. The Church has four marks by which it may be known: it is One; it is Holy; it is Catholic; it is Apostolic.

133. Q. In which Church are these marks found? A. These marks are found in the Holy Roman Catholic Church alone.

LESSON ELEVENTH ON THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL

136. Q. What is a Sacrament? A. A Sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.

137. Q. How many Sacraments are there? A. There are seven Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.

138. Q. Whence have the Sacraments the power of giving grace? A. The Sacraments have the power of giving grace from the merits of Jesus Christ.

147. Q. Do the Sacraments always give grace? A. The Sacraments always give grace, if we receive them with the right dispositions.

148. Q. Can we receive the Sacraments more than once? A. We can receive the Sacraments more than once, except Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders.

LESSON TWELFTH ON BAPTISM

152. Q. What is Baptism? A. Baptism is a Sacrament which cleanses us from original sin, makes us Christians, children of God, and heirs of heaven.

153. Q. Are actual sins ever remitted by Baptism? A. Actual sins and all the punishment due to them are remitted by Baptism, if the person baptized be guilty of any, and is rightly disposed.

154. Q. Is Baptism necessary to salvation? A. Baptism is necessary to salvation, because without it we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.

155. Q. Who can administer Baptism? A. The priest is the ordinary minister of Baptism; but in case of necessity any one who has the use of reason may baptize.

156. Q. How is Baptism given? A. Whoever baptizes should pour water on the head of the person to be baptized, and say, while pouring the water: I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

LESSON THIRTEENTH ON CONFIRMATION

166. Q. What is Confirmation? A. Confirmation is a Sacrament through which we receive the Holy Ghost to make us strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.

167. Q. Who administers Confirmation? A. The bishop is the ordinary minister of Confirmation.

168. Q. How does the bishop give Confirmation? A. The bishop extends his hands over those who are to be confirmed, prays that they may receive the Holy Ghost, and anoints the forehead of each with holy chrism in the form of a cross.

170. Q. What does the bishop say in anointing the person he confirms? A. In anointing the person he confirms the bishop says: I sign thee with the sign of the cross, and I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

173. Q. To receive Confirmation worthily is it necessary to be in the state of grace? A. To receive Confirmation worthily it is necessary to be in the state of grace.

173a. Q. What is a state of grace? A. A state of grace is freedom from mortal sin.

{T.N.: The above question is numbered 174 in the printed source, but a different question is given in its place in Baltimore Catechism Nos. 2 and 4, where the topic is covered in Q. 55 and elsewhere.}

175. Q. Is it a sin to neglect Confirmation? A. It is a sin to neglect Confirmation, especially in these evil days when faith and morals are exposed to so many and such violent temptations.

LESSON FOURTEENTH ON THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE

187. Q. What is the Sacrament of Penance? A. Penance is a Sacrament in which the sins committed after Baptism are forgiven.

191. Q. What must we do to receive the Sacrament of Penance worthily? A. To receive the Sacrament of Penance worthily we must do five things:

1. We must examine our conscience. 2. We must have sorrow for our sins. 3. We must make a firm resolution never more to offend God. 4. We must confess our sins to the priest. 5. We must accept the penance which the priest gives us.

192. Q. What is the examination of conscience? A. The examination of conscience is an earnest effort to recall to mind all the sins we have committed since our last worthy confession.

LESSON FIFTEENTH ON CONTRITION

195. Q. What is contrition, or sorrow for sin? A. Contrition, or sorrow for sin, is a hatred of sin and a true grief of the soul for having offended God, with a firm purpose of sinning no more.

201. Q. Why should we be sorry for our sins? A. We should be sorry for our sins, because sin is the greatest of evils and an offense against God our Creator, Preserver, and Redeemer, and because mortal sin shuts us out of heaven and condemns us to the eternal pains of hell.

206. Q. What do you mean by a firm purpose of sinning no more? A. By a firm purpose of sinning no more I mean a fixed resolve not only to avoid all mortal sin, but also its near occasions.

207. Q. What do you mean by the near occasions of sin? A. By the near occasions of sin I mean all the persons, places, and things that may easily lead us into sin.

LESSON SIXTEENTH ON CONFESSION

208. Q. What is Confession? A. Confession is the telling of our sins to a duly authorized priest, for the purpose of obtaining forgiveness.

209. Q. What sins are we bound to confess? A. We are bound to confess all our mortal sins, but it is well also to confess our venial sins.

214. Q. What should we do if we cannot remember the number of our sins? A. If we cannot remember the number of our sins, we should tell the number as nearly as possible.

216. Q. Is it a grievous offense wilfully to conceal a mortal sin in Confession? A. It is a grievous offense wilfully to conceal a mortal sin in Confession, because we thereby tell a lie to the Holy Ghost, and make our Confession worthless.

217. Q. What must he do who has wilfully concealed a mortal sin in Confession? A. He who has wilfully concealed a mortal sin in Confession must not only confess it, but must also repeat all the sins he has committed since his last worthy Confession.

218. Q. Why does the priest give us a penance after Confession? A. The priest gives us a penance after Confession that we may satisfy God for the temporal punishment due to our sins.

LESSON SEVENTEENTH ON INDULGENCES

231. Q. What is an Indulgence? A. An Indulgence is the remission in whole or in part of the temporal punishment due to sin.

233. Q. How many kinds of Indulgences are there? A. There are two kinds of Indulgences--Plenary and Partial.

234. Q. What is a Plenary Indulgence? A. A Plenary Indulgence is the full remission of the temporal punishment due to sin.

235. Q. What is a Partial Indulgence? A. A Partial Indulgence is the remission of a part of the temporal punishment due to sin.

237. Q. What must we do to gain an Indulgence? A. To gain an Indulgence we must be in the state of grace and perform the works enjoined.

LESSON EIGHTEENTH ON THE HOLY EUCHARIST

238. Q. What is the Holy Eucharist? A. The Holy Eucharist is the Sacrament which contains the body and blood, soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ under the appearances of bread and wine.

245. Q. What do you mean by the appearances of bread and wine? A. By the appearances of bread and wine I mean the figure, the color, the taste, and whatever appears to the senses.

249. Q. When did Christ give His priests the power to change bread and wine into His body and blood? A. Christ gave His priests the power to change bread and wine into His body and blood when He said to the Apostles, Do this for a commemoration of Me.

250. Q. How do the priests exercise this power of changing bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ? A. The priests exercise this power of changing bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ through the words of consecration in the Mass, which are the words of Christ: This is My body; this is My blood.

LESSON NINTEENTH ON THE ENDS FOR WHICH THE HOLY EUCHARIST WAS INSTITUTED

251. Q. Why did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist? A. Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist--

1. To unite us to Himself and to nourish our soul with His body and blood. 2. To increase sanctifying grace and all virtues in our soul. 3. To lessen our evil inclinations. 4. To be a pledge of everlasting life. 5. To fit our bodies for a glorious resurrection. 6. To continue the sacrifice of the cross in His Church.

253. Q. What is Holy Communion? A. Holy Communion is the receiving of the body and blood of Christ.