Catholic teaching for children

Preface

THE idea of this book is to combine a course of Christian Doctrine and one of Scripture History, especially that of the New Testament, and to put the whole into language such as children, say from seven to fifteen, may easily understand for themselves without the help of a teacher. Such a book may also be a help to teachers in giving to children simple explanations of the Catechism and of Scripture.

Experience has shown that careful explanation, and exceedingly simple explanation, of the words of the Catechism is absolutely necessary, in order that young children may properly understand them, and may obtain through them any real and lasting grasp of the sublime mysteries of the Faith which they teach. Hence too frequently it unfortunately happens that, for want of such explanation, our children leave school with very imperfect ideas of doctrine, and thus, forgetting the sense, forget also, quickly and entirely, those words of the Catechism which they had so diligently studied. Thus, though they have seemed to do well at school, they grow up very ignorant of their religion.

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4 Preface.

A book, therefore, by the help of which ¢ may be able by themselves to take in and be ested with the necessary truths and ideas, will great assistance to them towards understanding the Catechism, and so towards keeping in their minds during life both its doctrine and its words.

CHAPTER tl, III,

IV.

VI.

VIL.

Contents

PREFACE

Introduction

GOD AND THE ANGELS Wee

How THE WORLD WAS MADE. ... .

THE GARDEN OF EDEN—THE Pitta tejs AND FALL OF MAN—THE PUNISHMENT OF SIN—THE DELUGE—THE ARK OF NOE .

THE BLESSED TRINITY—THE ANNUNCIATION —THE VISITATION—THE BIRTH OF CHRIST

THE FINDING IN THE TEMPLE—ST. JOHN THE BapTisTt—THE PuBLIC LIFE OF JESUS —TuHE APOSTLES. ...

THE MIRACLES OF ‘oun Tom-"ee wise: BIG@URATION, . 24. «05 6 & «+

. PALM SuUNDAY—THE LAST SUPPER—CHRIST’S

AGONY IN THE GARDEN—THE PASSION.

THE PASSION OF CHRIST (Continued. ) THE BURIAL OF JESUS—HIS RESURRECTION —HE APPEARS TO THE DISCIPLES

. OuR LOoRD’s WorpDs TO St. PETER AND THE

DIscIPLES—Hi1s ASCENSION , 5

PAGE

10 13

6 Contents.

CHAPTER PAGE XII. THE ELECTION OF ST. MAaTruHias—THE DE- SCENT OF THE Hoty GHosr .... . 80 AIII]. THE PARABLES ....... . 9 XIV. THE APOSTLES’ CREED .. . . . . OG XV. THE APOSTLES’ CREED ( Conemnae .. XVI. THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD... . . wy XVII. THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE Cowes . . We XVIII. THE SACRAMENTS... . 145 XIX. THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE - Mass— En DICTION—VESPERS—COMPLINE. . . . 154 XX. PRAYER — MISSIONS — PILGRIMAGES — RE. YREATS . . . . 160 XXI. PRAYER (Convene: — Coe Fe — ‘*HAmL MARY” . . & . . . J XXII. Our BLESs—eD Lapy ....... «6 « eng XXIII. THe SaAInts ... . . . « « » |

XAIV. RELIGIOUS ORDERS. ....... . . 192

CATHOLIC TEACHING FOR CHILDREN.

INTRODUCTION. |,

WHEN we see the beautiful world around us filled with men, women, and children, animals, trees, and flowers, we wonder how all these things began, and to whom they belong.

We know that men can build houses and churches, they can make statues and paint pictures, and plant trees and flowers, but they cannot make them without things to make them with. Their pictures and statues will not live, nor will lhe trees or flowers grow without the seed which has been planted. No man can create—that is, make | to be, or exist—a single thing. It is only God who ean create or make persons or things out of nothing by His word. If God wishes to make a flower, that flower will immediately exist; but if a man wants a flower he must first plant the seeds which God has made; he must take great pains to water them, and then wait a long time till the flower comes into bloom.

Now, if there were no one to tell us about it, we should never be able to know how men first began

8 Introduction.

to exist; but that same Person who created us has told or revealed to us how and why He made us, and what He wishes us to do.

A long time ago there was no heaven, no earth, no men, animals, trees, or flowers; but there was a great Spirit who had always been living, who had had no beginning, and would have no end, and who was almighty—that is to say, able to do all things.

It is very difficult for us to understand how anything can have no beginning and no end. If you ask your mother to show you her wedding-ring, you will see how it is made all in one piece, without any join, just the same all the way round. Weddingrings are made in that way because a cirele is a symbol or image of eternity. The ring shows that when people are married it is forever and ever. When we see a wedding-ring, it should remind us of God, who has had no beginning, and will have no end.

This great Spirit who made us we call God. The Jews named Him Adonai; the French call Him Dieu; and every country has its own name for Him.

Before the beginning of the world this great Spirit whom we call God wished to create some beings to His own image and likeness, who should be happy with Him forever and ever in heaven. But first of all He wished them to deserve this eternity of happiness, so He created heaven, and a world on which these beings should live for a time before going to heaven.

“ All the people who live on the earth,” said this great Spirit, “must first show themselves worthy of

Introduction. 9 going to heaven by doing as [I shall tell them upon the earth.”

This is why God created men and the world, and if we listen to what priests and those who are in charge of us tell us, we shall know what God wishes us to do that we may deserve to go to heaven.