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1. What is a sacrament?

A sacrament is an outward visible sign instituted by God to give grace.

2. What are the seven sacraments?

1. Baptism

2. Reconciliation

3. First Communion

4. Confirmation

5. Matrimony

6. Holy Orders

7. Anointing of the Sick

3. How is Christian initiation brought about through the Sacraments?

The faith is born anew through baptism; strengthen by confirmation; and nourished by the Eucharist.

4. Name the Ten Commandments.

1. I am the Lord your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me.

2. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.

3. Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.

4. Honor your father and your mother.

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.

5. How do you know there’s a God?

There isn’t a definitive answer here; I’m looking for self awareness and self reflection.

If God does not exist, it does not matter, for there is nothing to win after death and nothing to lose after death. But if God does exist, your only chance of obtaining eternal happiness is to believe, and your only chance of losing it is to refuse to believe.

6. What is Jesus’ “Great Commandment?”

To love God and thy neighbor. This is the crux of the Ten Commandment. The first three commandments concern love of God, and the other seven love of neighbor.

7. What is the Sermon on the Mount? Where is it found in Sacred Scripture?

The Sermon on the Mount was the first of Jesus’ first public sermons or teachings. The sermon began with the beatitudes or “solemn blessings” (Matthew 5-7)

Jesus also used parables: Light of the nations (don’t shine a light and place in under a basket; give light to others); judging others (don’t judge others)

8. What are the Beatitudes?

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me. (Matthew 5:3-11)

What is the Blessed Trinity?

The Blessed Trinity is one God in three divine persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are equal, they always existed and always will and they are a constant exchange of love.

The Blessed Trinity is one of the mysteries of the Church. Human words and terms cannot fully explain the mysteries.

Note: "Trinity" is a term that is not found in the Bible but a word used to describe what is apparent about God in the Scriptures.

What is the significance of the Trinity?

The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity is the love of God of three persons living in union with each other. The prefix "Tri" means three, and "Unity" means one, Tri+Unity = Trinity. It is a way of acknowledging what the Bible reveals to us about God, that God is yet three "Persons" who have the same essence of deity.

What are the three foundations of Catholic Church teaching?

Some faiths say only scripture leads the Church. The Catholic Church believes in scripture, tradition and the Magisterium (authority of the teaching). Individually none can fully convey God’s message but together they do. What they all have in common is they are guided by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Lord continues to speak to us.

What are the four Marks of the Church?

One – Our foundation and source and bonds of unity with Christ

Holy – We are united with Christ

Catholic – Universal (church is present to all people in all places)

Apostolic – Our authority and teachings can be traced back to the apostles and Christ. The bishop is a successor to the apostles

Note: As stated in our creed

What is the “Grace” of God?

Grace of God is a favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life (CCC 1996). 

What is sin?

Sin is a transgression of a religious or moral law, a deliberate disobedience to the known Will of God

1849 Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as "an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law."121

1850 Sin is an offense against God: "Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight."122 Sin sets itself against God's love for us and turns our hearts away from it. Like the first sin, it is disobedience, a revolt against God through the will to become "like gods,"123 knowing and determining good and evil. Sin is thus "love of oneself even to contempt of God."124 In this proud self- exaltation, sin is diametrically opposed to the obedience of Jesus, which achieves our salvation.125

Venial sin: a minor transgression against God, the church or another human. The consequences of a venial sin can be compensated for through good works.

Mortal sin: A grave infraction of the Law of God that completely destroys the spiritual life of the sinner. Mortal sin has three characteristics: (1) subject must be ‘grave matter’ (2) it must be committed with full knowledge, both of the sin and of the gravity of the offense; and (3) it must be committed with deliberate and complete consent.

What is “original sin?

This is a term used to describe the effect of Adam's sin on his descendants (Rom. 5:12-23). Specifically, it is our inheritance of a sinful nature from Adam. The sinful nature originated with Adam and is passed down from parent to child. We are by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:3).

What are the “seven deadly sins” and what are their significance to us?

|Vice |Virtue against which it sins |Brief description |

|Pride (1) |Humility |Seeing ourselves as we are and not comparing ourselves to others is humility. |

| | |Pride and vanity are competitive. If someone else's pride really bothers you, |

| | |you have a lot of pride. |

|Avarice/Greed (5) |Generosity |This is about more than money. Generosity means letting others get the credit |

| | |or praise. It is giving without having expectations of the other person. Greed |

| | |wants to get its "fair share" or a bit more. |

|Envy (2) |Love |"Love is patient, love is kind…" Love actively seeks the good of others for |

| | |their sake. Envy resents the good others receive or even might receive. Envy is|

| | |almost indistinguishable from pride at times. |

|Wrath/Anger (3) |Kindness |Kindness means taking the tender approach, with patience and compassion. Anger |

| | |is often our first reaction to the problems of others. Impatience with the |

| | |faults of others is related to this. |

|Lust (7) |Self control |Self control and self mastery prevent pleasure from killing the soul by |

| | |suffocation. Legitimate pleasures are controlled in the same way an athlete's |

| | |muscles are: for maximum efficiency without damage. Lust is the |

| | |self-destructive drive for pleasure out of proportion to its worth. Sex, power,|

| | |or image can be used well, but they tend to go out of control. |

|Gluttony (6) |Faith and Temperance |Temperance accepts the natural limits of pleasures and preserves this natural |

| | |balance. This does not pertain only to food, but to entertainment and other |

| | |legitimate goods, and even the company of others. |

|Sloth (4) |Zeal |Zeal is the energetic response of the heart to God's commands. The other sins |

| | |work together to deaden the spiritual senses so we first become slow to respond|

| | |to God and then drift completely into the sleep of complacency. |

What is the difference between the Old and New Testament?

The Old Testament or the Hebrew Scriptures (also called the Hebrew Bible) constitutes the first major part of the Bible according to Christianity. It is usually divided into the categories of law, history, poetry (or wisdom books) and prophecy. All of these books were written before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth who is the subject of the subsequent Christian New Testament

The second part of the Bible is called "The New Testament" because the books focus on the new covenant (testament) which was effected by the death and resurrection of Christ (Luke 22:20). The new covenant (testament) both fulfills and contrasts with the old covenant (II Corinthians 3:7-17).

What are the books of the Gospel?

Mark, Mathew, Luke and John

What is the story of Pentecost?

Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, fifty days after the Resurrection of Jesus at Easter, and ten days after the Ascension.

The word comes from the Greek which means fifty.

Pentecost is the celebration of the birth of the Christian church. Fifty days after Easter, we remember the story of the dove descending on the disciples of Jesus like flames of fire - the dove and flames are quite often used as symbols of Pentecost.

What is prayer?

Prayer is when we communicate with God. It is how we convey our confession (1 John 1:9), requests (1 Tim. 2:1-3), intercessions (James 5:15), thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6), etc., to our holy God.

What prayer outlines our beliefs as Catholics?

Apostles Creed /Nicene Creed

What is the purpose of Baptism?

Baptism is the first and basic sacrament of Christian initiation. The ordinary minister of the sacrament is a bishop or priest, or a deacon.

The sacrament frees from original sin and all personal sins and from the punishment due to them, and makes the baptized person share in the Trinitarian life of God through "sanctifying grace," also making the person a sharer too in the priesthood of Christ.

It imparts the "theological" virtues (faith, hope and charity) and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and marks the baptized person with a spiritual seal or character that indicates permanent belonging to Christ. Baptism is the foundation of communion between all Christians.

What is the purpose of Confirmation?

Confirmation is the second sacrament of Christian initiation. Confirmation confirms and strengthens baptismal grace. It is conferred by "the anointing with Sacred Chrism, which is done by the laying on of the hand of the minister who pronounces the sacramental words proper to the rite."

Why do we go to Mass?

The Catholic Church tells us that we have an obligation to go to Mass every Sunday.

In the Third Commandment, God tells us to “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.” For the Jews, the Sabbath was Saturday; Christians, however, transferred the Sabbath to Sunday, the day of Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead.

The Church tells us that we have an obligation to fulfill the Third Commandment by refraining from unnecessary work on Sunday and by participating in the Mass, our chief form of worship as Christians.

The church has a mission to send us on, the very mission on which Jesus of Nazareth sent forth the original disciples, to make this world a better place, a place more like the way God would have things. We two things in order to accept and carry out this mission: (1) we need a community of believers to send them forth on the mission, and (2) we need that same community to go forth with them to help accomplish it. We have a liturgy to celebrate and promote it. What is the most significant part of the Mass?

Who wrote the Bible?

The prophets

“All scripture is inspired by God….” Timothy 3:16

Written over more than 1,500 years by vastly different writers, yet every book in the Bible is consistent in its message. Despite their complexity, differences in writing styles and vast time periods, the books of the Bible agree miraculously well in theme, facts and cross-referencing.

Bible manuscripts (remember, there were no printing presses until 1455) have survived despite weather, persecution and time. Most ancient writings written on weak materials like papyrus have vanished all together. Yet many copies of the Old Testament scriptures survived. For instance, the Dead Sea Scrolls contain all books of the Old Testament, except Esther, and have been dated to before the time of Christ. Consider Julius Caesar’s Gallic Wars. Only ten copies written about 1,000 years after the event are in existence. In comparison, there are over 24,000+ New Testament manuscripts, the earliest one dating to within 24 years after Christ.

Why is the Bible important?

The Bible is the inspired Word of God. Every word written was spoken by God and revealed to various patriarchs, prophets, teachers, evangelists, soldiers, kings, tax collectors, physicians, fishermen, and other men of God. These men were chosen, not because of their great acts or deeds, but for their faith, obedience, and reverence for God alone.

The Catholic Church has always placed a high degree of importance on the Bible. Early on the Fathers of the Church used the Scriptures as the principle source of instruction in the faith.

The Church today considers the Scriptures together with sacred tradition the supreme rule of faith.

What was John the Baptist’s role in the church?

John was the cousin of Jesus Christ.

Began his ministry around age 27, wearing a leather belt and a tunic of camel hair, living off locusts and wild honey, and preaching a message of repentance to the people of Jerusalem. He converted many, and prepared the way for the coming of Jesus.

Baptized Christ, after which he stepped away and told his disciples to follow Jesus.

Imprisoned by King Herod. He died a victim of the vengeance of a jealous woman; he was beheaded, and his head brought to her on a platter. Saint Jerome says Herodias kept the head for a long time after, occasionally stabbing the tongue with his dagger.

What was Saint Peter’s role in the church?

St. Peter is considered the Prince of the Apostles and was the first Pope of the church.

St. Peter's true and original name was Simon, sometimes occurring in the form Symeon. (Acts 15:14; 2 Peter 1:1).

Among the Twelve Apostles, Simon Peter holds the first place. Among the disciples of Christ, Peter is given the greatest prominence in the New Testament accounts of the Church's origins. Jesus gave to Peter a unique mission. Based on a revelation of God to Peter, Peter proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus then declared that Simon was Peter, the "Rock", and on this rock Jesus would build His Church which would prevail over the powers of Hell (Mt. 16:18). Peter received the mission to guard the integrity and purity of the faith in Jesus Christ, and to strengthen his brothers and sisters in that faith.

The authority conferred by Jesus on Peter is known as the "power of the keys" (Mt. 16:19). The government of the Church - that is, authority to absolve sins, to make doctrinal judgments and to make disciplinary decisions - was given to the Apostles in general. Peter alone was given the "power of the keys." Jesus also gave to Peter a specific pastoral ministry - "feed my sheep" (Jn 21:15-17). Thus, Peter was given a unique responsibility in church government and in pastoral ministry.

Who is Saint Paul and why is he important to the church?

St Paul was born in Antioch (Hatay). He contributed greatly to the spread of Christianity.

He is the author of several Epistles in the New Testament; even though Paul was not present at the Last Supper he is considered an apostle.

Saul the Jew hated and persecuted Christians as heretical, even assisting at the stoning of Saint Stephen the Martyr. He was a tent-maker by trade. On his way to Damascus to arrest another group of them, he was knocked to the ground, struck blind by a heavenly light, and given the message that in persecuting Christians, he was persecuting Christ. The experience had a profound spiritual effect on him, causing his conversion to Christianity. He was baptized, changed his name to Paul to reflect his new persona, and began traveling and preaching.

What is the role of the Priest?

The priest represents Christ the shepherd of the flock.

Vatican II states that the primary role of the priest is to be the one who proclaims God’s Word. This is done by word but also by example. The priests must be an authentic witness to the Gospel, a Gospel that both consoles but also challenges.

At the core of the priesthood is the Eucharist. We can’t have a church without the Eucharist. That’s where the priesthood becomes essential in some way. The Eucharist and the priesthood share scriptural roots in the Last Supper. At the Last Supper, when Christ instituted the Eucharist as the sacrament of the paschal mystery and instructed the apostles to “do this in memory of me,” he initiated the twelve into that mystery, that sacrifice. That sacrifice of Christ on the cross is the sacrifice of the new covenant.

What is the difference between the Priest and the Bishop?

In the Catholic Church bishops are the successors of the Apostles as shepherds of the flock entrusted to their care. They are to be teachers of doctrine, ministers of worship, and holders of office in church government.

Through his bond of communion with the Bishop of Rome, a bishop shares with his fellow bishops in a care for the whole universal church.

Through the sacrament of Holy Orders the bishop has a special bond with his clergy [priests and deacons]. They are to be his co-workers in the service of the People of God. The bishop is also assisted in the government of the diocese by the diocesan curia, which consists not only of clergy, but also of religious and laity with special skills and competence in various areas of the life of the Church.

To be appointed a bishop a man must be outstanding in "strong faith, good morals, piety, zeal for souls, wisdom, prudence, and other human virtues". He must be at least 35 years old and have been a priest for at least five years.

Why is Mary important to the Catholic Church?

Mary is important to Catholics because she is important to God. God chose her to be the means by which he sent the Savior into the world. What Catholics believe about Mary is based on what they believe about Jesus Christ. She is called “the mother of Jesus” and acclaimed by Elizabeth, “mother of my Lord” [John 2:21; Luke 1:43]. Along with Thomas, the Church acclaims Jesus “Lord and God” (John 20:28) and so Mary has been called “Mother of God” since earliest times. Catholics honor Mary and hold her in the highest regard, but they worship God.

The relationship that Catholics have to Mary is best illustrated in John 2:5 when she says to the servants “Do whatever he tells you.” Mary points to Jesus. Her role relative to the Church is also illustrated at the end of John’s gospel when Jesus entrusts Mary to John, and John to Mary, indicating the care that Jesus’ disciples and Mary have for each other.

Who is Mary Magdalene and why is she important to the Catholic Church?

Mary Magdalene is described, both in the canonical New Testament and in the New Testament apocrypha, as a devoted disciple of Jesus. She is considered a saint, with a feast day of July 22.

Mary Magdalene's name identifies her as being "of Magdala"—the town she came from, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee—and thus distinguishes her from the other Marys referred to throughout the New Testament.

Mary Magdalene is often referred to as a prostitute, but she was never called one in the New Testament.

In Luke 8:2 Mary Magdalene is mentioned as one of the women who "ministered to Him [Jesus] of their substance" (in other words, they provided Jesus with money or supplies). The book also tells the story of an exorcism on an unidentified women, that cast out seven demons. These women, who earlier "had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities", later accompanied Jesus on his last journey to Jerusalem (Matthew 27:55; Mark 15:41; Luke 23:55) and were witnesses to the Crucifixion. Mary remained there until the body was taken down and laid in a tomb prepared for Joseph of Arimathea. In the early dawn of the first day of the week Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2; Gospel of Peter 12), came to the sepulchre with sweet spices to anoint the body. They found the sepulchre empty but saw the "vision of angels" (Matthew 28:5). As the first witness to the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene went to tell Simon Peter and "the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved" (John 20:1–2) (gaining her the epithet "apostle to the apostles"), and again immediately returned to the sepulchre. She remained there weeping at the door of the tomb. According to John she was the first witness of the Resurrection appearances of Jesus, though at first she did not recognize him. When he said her name she was recalled to consciousness, and cried, Rabboni. She wanted to cling to him, but he forbade her: John 20:17 "Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, "I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God."'

This is the last entry in the canonical Gospels regarding Mary of Magdala, who now returned to Jerusalem. She is probably included in the group of women who joined the Apostles in the Upper Room in Jerusalem after Jesus' ascension (Acts 1:14).

Who is the Pope? What is his role in the church?

Pope Benedict XVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger on 16 April 1927). He is the 265th and reigning Pope, the spiritual head of the Catholic Church, and as such, Sovereign of the Vatican City State. He was elected on 19 April 2005 in a papal conclave

Benedict XVI is a well-known Catholic theologian and a prolific author, a defender of traditional Catholic doctrine and values. He served as a professor at various German universities and was a theological consultant at the Second Vatican Council before becoming Archbishop of Munich and Freising and Cardinal.

Jesus Christ, in calling the Twelve, gave them the form of a "college", that is a stable group, and chose Peter from among them as their head. Just as Peter and the other Apostles form, by Christ's initiative, one apostolic college, so the Pope, as successor of Peter and Bishop of Rome, and the other bishops form one episcopal college. The pastoral ministry of Peter and the other Apostles is continued by the bishops under the primacy of the Pope.

The Pope, as Bishop of Rome and successor of Peter, is the visible and perpetual foundation of unity among the bishops and among Christ's faithful. The Bishop of Rome has, by virtue of his role as the Vicar of Christ and as Pastor of the entire Church, a full, supreme and universal authority. The college of bishops, when united to the Pope, has a similar authority.

It is the Pope's role, as it was that of Peter, to guide the community of Christ's faithful, to safeguard them in the truth, and to confirm his brothers and sisters in the faith made possible in Jesus Christ.

Who is Abraham?

Abraham is the first actual historical figure in the Bible. The first eleven chapters of Genesis deal with a lot of subject matter that is a prologue to the rest of the Bible. From Adam to Babel we are shown the world as God intended it to be and then what happened to that "good" creation. Abraham, as God's choice for the patriarch of a new group, is a step towards forming a God's own people. We don’t know why God chose Abraham, but he is the important spiritual grandfather of Christians, Jews and Muslims.

Before writing became the common tool of the Hebrews and scribes were entrusted with copying all texts, oral tradition was the only tool for linking the present to the past. Someone in the tribe was told the story repeatedly until they could recite it by heart. So, many of the stories may have been exaggerated but most bible scholars believe that there is enough substance there to consider Abraham a "real" person. Although he may not resemble the person we read about in today's Bible.

Some things are certain: That Abraham's people did move from somewhere in Mesopotamia to Palestine; that they lived a nomadic lifestyle in that area for centuries; and that they fled to Egypt where they stayed for some time. The stories were repeated from generation to generation because these people had a firm conviction that God had a plan and chose them to carry it out. So, Abraham was a historical figure as far as being the one God called to help establish a tribe and then a people. There is a lot of evidence in the form of the writings of Jews and Muslims. Many later Biblical contributors would refer to Abraham in a matter of fact way, without doubt.

What is most important is that the Bible as a whole is intended to teach us readers something about God and how God is dealing with us. All of the stories about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have a religious purpose, a moral lesson. The stories about Abraham may not be accurate, but the Bible is not a history book. The Bible is a theological text and is concerned with God's call on Abraham and Abraham's response.

Who betrayed Jesus Christ?

"Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over" (Mark 14:10-11).

This opportunity presented itself in the Garden of Gethsemane (this place is found on the lower slopes of the Mount of Olives). Jesus had gone there along with the other disciples to pray before His impending crucifixion.

As Matthew 26:47-50 states, "While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: 'The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.' Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, 'Greetings, Rabbi!' and kissed him. Jesus replied, 'Friend, do what you came for.' Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him."

When Judas saw that Jesus was condemned to die he was quite remorseful and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. He informed them that he had sinned and had betrayed innocent blood (Matthew 27:3-4a.)

His distress was hardly of concern to the chief priests.

"'I have sinned,' he said, 'for I have betrayed innocent blood.' 'What is that to us?' they replied. 'That's your responsibility.'"

The final outcome was that Judas committed suicide.

All the disciples, inclusive of Judas Iscariot, had to face their own challenge of faithfulness to Jesus. All of them in one way or the other had their bouts of failure. Yet at that point in Acts, eleven of them were standing firm in their commitment to God.

Why do you want to be confirmed?

Confirmation is a sacrament through which we receive the Holy Spirit to make us strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ

In confirmation we don’t confirm our own faith. God confirms our faith. The grace of the Holy Spirit is given to us, along with his gifts that empower us along the path of holiness

Confirmation also marks the beginning of a journey toward a deeper knowledge of God.

You will reaffirm your baptism and thus it should not be seen as a new stage of Christian life but as an opportunity to deepen the graces of baptism

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