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| 138. What is a sacrament? | A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace. |
| 139. How many sacraments are there? | There are seven sacraments: Baptism;Confirmation; Holy Eucharist; Penance; Anointing of the Sick; Holy Orders; and Matrimony. |
| 140. Do the sacraments give sanctifying grace? | The sacraments do give sanctifying grace. |
| 141. Does each of the sacraments also give a special grace? | Each of the sacraments also gives a special grace; called sacramental grace. |
| 142. Do the sacraments always give grace? | The sacraments always give grace if we receive them properly. |
| 143. Why are Baptism and Penance called sacraments of the dead? | Baptism and Penance are called sacraments of the dead because their chief purpose is to give the life of grace to souls dead through sin. |
| 144. Why are Confirmation; Holy Eucharist; Anointing of the Sick; Holy Orders; and Matrimony called sacraments of the living? | Confirmation; Holy Eucharist; Anointing of the Sick; Holy Orders; and Matrimony are called sacraments of the living because their chief purpose is to give more grace to souls already alive through grace. |
| 145. What sin does he commit who knowingly receives a sacrament of the living in mortal sin? | He who knowingly receives a sacrament of the living in mortal sin commits a mortal sin of sacriledge. |
| 146. Why can Baptism; Confirmation; and Holy Orders be received only once? | Baptism; Confirmation; and Holy Orders can be received only once because they imprint on the soul a spiritual mark which lasts forever. |
| 147. What is Baptism? | Baptism is the sacrament that gives our souls the new life of grace by which we become children of God. |
| 148. What sins does Baptism take away? | Baptism takes away original sin; and also actual sins; if there be any; and all the punishment due to them. |
| 149. Who can administer Baptism? | The priest is the usual minister of Baptism; but if there is danger that someone will die without Baptism; anyone else may and should baptize. |
| 150. How would you give Baptism? | I would give Baptism by pouring ordinary water on the forehead of the person to be baptized; saying while pouring it: 'I baptize thee in the name of the Father; and of the Son; and of the Holy Spirit.' |
| 151. What is Confirmation? | Confirmation is the sacrament through which the Holy Spirit comes to us in a special way and enables us to profess our faith as strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ. |
| 152. Who is the usual minister of Confirmation? | The bishop is the usual minister of Confirmation. |
| 153. Why should all Catholics be confirmed? | All Catholics should be confirmed in order to be strengthened against the dangers to salvation and to be prepared better to defend their Catholic faith. |
| 154. What is the Holy Eucharist? | The Holy Eucharist is a sacrament and a sacrifice. In the Holy Eucharist; under the appearances of bread and wine; the Lord Christ is contained; offered; and received. |
| 155. When did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist? | Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper; the night before He died. |
| 156. What happened at the Last Supper when Our Lord said: 'This is My body...this is My blood'? | When Our Lord said; 'This is My body;' the bread was changed into His body; and when He said; 'This is My blood;' the wine was changed into His blood. |
| 157. Did anything of the bread and wine remain after they had been changed into Our Lord's body and blood? | After the bread and wine had been changed into Our Lord's body and blood; there remained only the appearances of bread and wine. |
| 158. What do we mean by the appearances of bread and wine? | By the appearances of bread and wine we mean their color; taste; weight; and shape. |
| 159. When did Christ give His priests the power to change bread and wine into His body and blood? | Christ gave His priests the power to change bread and wine into His body and blood when He said to the apostles at the Last Supper: 'Do this in remembrance of Me.' |
| 160. What is the Mass? | The Mass is the sacrifice of the New Law in which Christ; through the priest; offers himself to God in an unbloody manner under the appearance of bread and wine. |
| 161. Is the Mass the same sacrifice as the sacrifice of the cross? | The Mass is the same sacrifice as the sacrifice of the cross. |
| 162. Is there any difference between the sacrifice of the cross and the Sacrifice of the Mass? | The manner in which the sacrifice is offered is different. On the cross Christ physically shed His blood and was physically slain; while in the Mass there is no physical shedding of blood nor physical death. |
| 163. What is Holy Communion? | Holy Communion is the receiving of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. |
| 164. What is necessary to receive Holy Communion worthily? | To receive Holy Communion worthily it is necessary to be free from mortal sin; to have a right intention; and to obey the Church's laws on fasting before Holy Communion. But if a Catholic is in danger of death or is trying to protect the Blessed Sacrament from insult; no fast is required before receiving the Holy Eucharist. |
| 165. Does he who knowingly recieves Holy Communion in mortal sin receive the body and blood of Christ and His Graces? | He who knowingly receives Holy Communion in mortal sin receives the body and blood of Christ; but he does not receive His graces; and commits a grave sin of sacrilege. |
| 166. How must we fast before Holy Communion? | Before Holy Communion we must fast by not taking any food or drink for one hour; except water; which may be taken at any time. |
| 167. How should we prepare ourselves for Holy Communion? | We should prepare ourselves for Holy Communion by thinking of Our Divine Redeemer; whom we are about to receive ; and by making fervent acts of faith; hope; love and contrition. |
| 168. What should we do after Holy Communion? | After Holy Communion we should spend some time adoring Our Lord; thanking Him; renewing our promises of love and of obedience to Him; and asking Him for blessings for ourselves and others. |
| 169. Why is it well to receive Holy Communion often; even daily? | It is well to receive Holy Communion often; even daily; because this close union with Jesus Christ is the greatest aid to a holy life. |
| 170. What is the sacrament of Penance? | Penance is the sacrament by which sins commited after baptism are forgiven. |
| 171. What must we do to receive the sacrament of Penance worthily? | To receive the sacrament of Penance worthily we must: first; examine our conscience; second; be sorry for our sins; third; make up our minds not to sin again; fourth; confess our sins to the priest; fifth; be willing to do the penance the priest gives us. |
| 172. What is an examination of conscience? | An examination of conscience is a sincere effort to call to mind all the sins we have committed since our last confession. |
| 173. What should we do before our examination of conscience? | Before our examination of conscience we should ask God's help to know our sins and to confess them with sincere sorrow. |
| 174. How can we make a good examination of conscience? | We can make a good examination of conscience by calling to mind the commandments of God and of the Church; and by asking ourselves how we may have sinned with regard to them. |
| 175. What is contrition? | Contrition is sincere sorrow for having offended God; and hatred for the sins we have committed; with a firm purpose of sinning no more. |
| 176. Why should we have contrition for mortal sin? | We should have contrition for mortal sin because it is the greatest of all evils; gravely offends God; keeps us out of heaven; and condemns us forever to hell. |
| 177. Why should we have contrition for venial sin? | We should have contrition for venial sin because it is displeasing to God; merits temporal punishment; and may lead to mortal sin. |
| 178. How many kinds of contrition are there? | There are two kinds of contrition: perfect contrition and imperfect contrition. |
| 179. When is our contrition perfect? | Our contrition is perfect when we are sorry for our sins because sin offends God; whom we love above all things for his own sake. |
| 180. When is our contrition imperfect? | Our contrition is imperfect when we are sorry for our sins because they are hateful in themselves or because we fear God's punishment. |
| 181. To receive the sacrament of Penance worthily; what kind of contrition is sufficient? | To receive the sacrament of Penance worthily; imperfect contrition is sufficient. |
| 182. What should we do if we commit a mortal sin? | If we commit a mortal sin; we should make an act of perfect contrition at once and go to confession as soon as we can. |
| 183. May we receive Holy Communion after commiting a mortal sin if we merely make an act of perfect contrition? | We may not receive Holy Communion after commiting a mortal sin if we merely make an act of perfect contrition; one who has sinned grievously must go to confession before receiving Holy Communion. |
| 184. What is confession? | Confession is telling our sins to a priest to obtain forgiveness. |
| 185. Is it necessary to confess every sin? | It is necessary to confess every mortal sin which has not yet been confessed and forgiven; it is not necessary to confess our venial sins; but it is better to do so. |
| 186. What are we to do if without our fault we forget to confess a mortla sin? | If without our fault; we forget to confess a mortal sin; we may receive Holy Communion; because the sin is forgiven; but we must tell the sin if it again comes to our mind. |
| 187. What must a person do who has knowingly kept back a mortal sin in confession? | A person who has knowingly kept back a mortal sin in confession must confess that he has made a bad confession; tell the sin he has kept back; mention the sacraments he has received since that time; and confess all other mortal sins he has committed since his last good confession. |
| 188. Before entering the confessional; how should we prepare ourselves for a good confession? | Before entering the confessional; we should prepare ourselves for a good confession by taking time to examine our conscience; to have sorrow for our sins; and to make up our minds not to commit them again. |
| 189. How should we begin our confession? | We should begin our confession in this manner: Entering the confessional; we kneel; and making the sign of the cross say to the priest: 'Bless me Father; for I have sinned'; and then we tell how long it has been since our last confession. |
| 190. After telling the time of our last confession; what do we confess? | After telling the time of our last confession; if we have committed any mortal sins since that time we must confess them; and also any that we have forgotten to tell in past confessions; telling the nature and number of each; we may also confess any venial sins we wish to mention. |
| 191. What should we do if we cannot remember the exact number of our mortal sins? | If we cannot remember the exact number of our mortal sins; we should tell the number as nearly as possible; or say how often we have committed the sins in a day; a week; a month; or a year. |
| 192. What should we do when we have committed no mortal sin since our last conrfession? | When we have committed no mortal sin since our last confession; we should confess our venial sins or some sin told in a past confession; for which we are again sorry. |
| 193. How should we end our confession? | We should end our confession by saying; 'I am sorry for these and all the sins of my past life; especially for ...'; and then it is well to tell one or several of the sins which we have previously confessed and for which we are particularly sorry. |
| 194. What should we do after confessing our sins? | After confessing our sins; we should answer truthfully any question the priest asks; and accept the penance he gives us. |
| 195. What should we do when the priest is giving us absolution? | When the priest is giving us absolution; we should say from our heart the act of contrition in a tone to be heard by him. |
| 196. What should we do after leaving the confessional? | After leaving the confessional we should return thanks to God for the sacrament we have received; and do our penance. |
| 197. What is an indulgence? | An indulgence is the taking away of the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven. |
| 198. How many kinds of indulgences are there? | There are two kinds of indulgences; plenary and partial. |
| 199. What is a plenary indulgence? | A plenary indulgence is the remission of part of the temporal punishment due to our sins. |
| 200. What is a partial indulgence? | A partial indulgence is the remission of part of the temporal punishment due to our sins. |
| 201. What must we do to gain an indulgence for ourselves? | To gain an indulgence for ourselves we must be in the state of grace; desire to gain the indulgence; and perform the works required. |
| 202. What is the Anointing of the Sick? | Anointing of the Sick is the sacrament which gives health and strength to the soul and sometimes to the body when we are in at least probable danger of death. |
| 203. What is Holy Orders? | Holy Orders is the sacrament through which men become bishops; priests; and other ministers of the Church. |
| 204. What is the sacrament of Matrimony? | Matrimony is the sacrament by which a baptized man and a baptized woman bind themselves for life in a lawful marriage and receive the grace to discharge their duties. |
| 205. What are sacramentals? | Sacramentals are holy things or actions of which the Church makes use to obtain for us from God spiritual and temporal favors. |
| 206. Which are the sacramentals most used by Catholics? | The sacramentals most used by Catholics are: holy water; blessed candles; ashes; palms; crucifixes; medals; rosaries; scapulars; and images of Our Lord; the Blessed Virgin; and the saints. |
| 207. What is prayer? | Prayer is the lifting up of our minds and hearts to God. |
| 208. Why do we pray? | We pray: first; to adore God; second; to thank Him for His favors; third; to obtain; from Him the pardon of our sins and the remission of their punishment; fourth; to ask graces and blessings for ourselves and others. |
| 209. For whom should we pray? | We should pray especially for ourselves; for our parents; relatives; friends; and enemies; for sinners; for the souls in purgatory; for the Pope; bishops; and priests of the Church; and for the officials of our country. |
| 210. Why do we not always obtain what we pray for? | We do not always obtain what we pray for; either because we have not prayed properly or because God sees that what we are asking for would not be good for us. |
| 211. May we use our own words in praying to God? | We may use our own words in praying to God; and it is well to do so often. |
| 212. How do we usually begin and end our prayers? | We usually begin and end our prayers with the sign of the cross. |
| 213. Why do we make the sign of the cross? | We make the sign of the cross to express two important mysteries of the Christian religion; the Blessed Trinity and the Redemption. |
| 214. Why is the Our Father the best of all prayers? | The Our Father is the best of all prayers because it is the Lord's Prayer; taught us by Jesus Christ Himself. |
