Familiar instructions in the faith and morality of the Catholic Church ..

Front matter

175*

Ce

FAMILIAR

Preface

The zeal and learning of so many Catholic writers saving already furnished the public with a long list of

ooks of religious instruction, the compiler of the present reatise feels himself called upon to state his reasons for >ffering it to their notice. Far be it from him to wish or

j think that he is able to derogate from the merit which public approbation proves those works to possess. But Ihe object of this treatise is somewhat different from theirs ; viz. the instruction of children in general, and of idults amongst the poor whose religious education has oeen neglected in their earlier years. To obtain this two* Told object, the writer conceives that simplicity of language and conciseness should be particularly regarded: Simplicity of language, in order that it may be the more tasily understood ; and conciseness, because prolixity would greatly tend to bewilder, and would also put the work beyond the reach of those for whom it is designed. Now, amongst the many works already before the public, the compiler is of opinion that there is no one calculated to answer these two ends: not that he supposes the author of any of them to have been incapable of effecting what he has attempted, but that none of them have l*ad his objects precisely in view,

Having thus stated the motives which have induced him to write, his next duty is to develope his plan j and in this he presumes that he may lay claim to origin*.

ality. Most books of instruction already in the hands of the public, are in the form of question and answer — a form, undoubtedly, of all others the most simple, but in one respect liable, he conceives, to a serious objection, There is, perhaps, no child of common parts, that has attained its seventh year, that might not in the space of three or four months be taught to answer every question in the catechism; and yet, from merely having been taught to answer the several questions, it would have acquired little or no idea of the truths and duties of religion. The reason of this is, because the catechetical form merely calls for the exercise of the will and memory^ without exacting any thing from the understanding. Children, even of three or four years of age, possess memories as retentive of what they learn, as do the generality of adults, whereas they are almost incapable of religious instruction, because they have but little judg-*

ment Or Understanding : hence it io only in proportion to

the advances which they make in understanding that they acquire capacity for instruction : when they have attained a partial use of judgment or reason, they are capable of understanding the principles and duties of religion to a partial extent ; when they have arrived to the full use of reason, they are capable of complete instruction. A nearly similar mode of reasoning is applicable to adults whose minds have never been introduced into the field of religion. Now, as it can be of little service to a person to have his memory charged with a form of words that is not understood, the compiler has adopted a plan, which, whilst it retains the familiar form of question, calls forth the exercise of the judgment. By this means a child or other person, with due application, will always acquire a degree of real knowledge proportioned to his capacity.

The plan is to expound the principles of the faith and morality of the catholic church, in an easy and familiar style ; and to insert at the bottom of each page a series of questions, with numerical reference to the sentence or sentences in the text wherein the answers are contained. As the discovery of these answers, though easy, necessarily requires the exercise of the judgment, it must, when made, convey to the mind a partial understanding, at least, of the subject. The improvement, therefore, which the writer hopes he has effected, is briefly this : — that, whilst on the old plan, a person may easily learn without understanding, on this, he is almost compelled to understand what he learns. Let it not, however, be supposed that he wishes the use of the catechism to be discarded ; for although by itself the catechism will seldom give a person an adequate idea of religion, yet it is eminently useful as a ground-work for instruction, and tends also to preserve uniformity of thought and expression on religious, subjects.

The method, also, or arrangement of his matter, is a point to which the writer has paid particular attention, convinced as he is, that from a want of due regard to this, the minds of many under instruction are confused. The method which he has adopted, although not new in itself, is so to the English reader. The work is divided into two parts : in the first part is explained what all are obliged to believe ; in the second, what all are obliged to practise. The first part, after detailing what relates to the Deity, takes a short historical review of the creation of the angels and of man, and of the state of the world from its commencement to the present time, as well as of what the Scriptures inform us will happen until the consume jnation of all things in eternity. Under this are comprised I* the principal articles of faith respecting our Redeemer, his church, the sacraments, &c. The second part treats of the vices and virtues, the commandments, the practical duties appertaining to each of the sacraments, prayer, Sec. The compiler, being fully sensible of the paramount necessity that every Christian should have a thorough knowledge of what relates to the eucharistic sacrament and sacrifice, and the practical part of the sacrament of penance, has devoted to them particular attention ; and although those treatises are comparatively long, he feels convinced that, on examination, they will be found to contain nothing which is not either essential or very useful.

Such are the writer's motives for introducing himself to public notice ; such are his plans of instruction, and his arrangement of matter. He hopes, however, that the polished or well-instructed reader will bear in mind that he has not written for him. All his wish is, to be of assistance to pastors of large congregations, in the instruction of their flocks, and to furnish a book that may be of utility in Sunday-schools. If his work prove to answei these ends, he will have attained his object, and consider that his trouble is amply repaid.

Chap. I.— Sect. I. Unity of God.— II. Trinity - 13

Chap. II.— Sect. I. Creation and fall of the angels.-^II. Creation and fall of man —in. Original sin - r - 14

Chap. III.— Sect. I. The promise of a Redeemer, and state of the world before his coming.— II. The coming of our Redeemer, and his divine and human nature - - - 17

£hap. IV.— Sect. I. Foundation of the Christian religion.— II. Invisible and visible head of the church.— III. Marks of the true church - 2.

tCHAP. V— Sect. L Authority of the pastors of the church. — II. Communion of saints.— III. Veneration of relics and images - - - - 24

Chap. VI.— Sect. I. Necessity of divine grace.— n. The sacraments in general - ? - - ? -27

Chap. VII.— Sect. I. Baptism,— II. Confirmation.— HE. Character - - . -30

Chap. VIII.— Sect. I. Penance.— II. Contrition.— IIL Confession.—IV. Satisfaction.— V. Indulgences *' ; • -33

Chap. IX.— Sect. L Holy eucharist as a sacrament.— II. Holy eucharist as a sacrifice - - - * • • 4£>

Chap. X.— Sect. I.— Extreme unction - 67

Chap. XI.— Sect. I. Holy orders ? ♦ - - - 59

Chap. XII.— Sect. I. Matrimony - - - - -6$

Chap. XIII.— Sect. L Death of Christ— II. His resurrection and ascension 6p

Chap. XIV.— Sect. I. Descent of the Holy Ghost.— II. Preaching of the apostles.— HI. State of the church until the present time - - - -66

Chap. XV.— Sect. L Death.— II. Particular judgment after death.— III. State of departed souls before the last day - 73

8 CONTENTS.

Page

Chap. XVI.— Sect. I. The end of the world.— II. Antichrist. —III. Enoch and Elias, and the conversion of the Jews - 75

Chap. XVII.— Sect. I. General resurrection.— II. Last coming of Jesus Christ, and the general judgment - 77

Chap. XVIII.— Sect. I. The happiness of the elect.— II. The torments of the wicked 79

Part The Second

Chap. I.— Sect.'I. Sin in general.— II. Particular kinds of Bin - - - - 82

Chap. II.— Sect. I. The capital sins, and their opposite virtues and remedies - - - - - -.86

Chap. IV.— Sect. I. The ten commandments ... 97

Chap. V.— Sect. I. Precepts of the church— II. Holydays. -rill. Hearing mass on Sundays.— IV. Annual confession.— V. Easter communion. — VI. Abstinence and fasting.—VII. Prohibition to marry at certain times - - 99

Chap. VI.— Sect; I, Baptism, the duty of parents.— II. Infants in danger of death.— III. Godfathers and godmothers. —IV. Conditional baptism - - 106

Chap. VII.— Sect. I. Confirmation - - r ? * 109

Chap. VIII.— Sect. I. Penance.— II. What is to be done before confession— lit. What is to be done at confession. —IV. What after confession.— V. Important observations 110

Chap. IX— Sect. I. Holy eucharist— II. Preparation for communion.— III. How to receive communion.— IV. Devotion after communion.— V. Frequent communion - J43

Chap. X.— Sect. I. Hearing mass.— II. Visits to the blessed sacrament and benediction 158

Chap. XL— Sect. I. Sickness.— II. Extreme unction.— HI. Last benediction 166

Chap. XII. Sect. I.— Holy orders.— II. Religious state - 172

Chap. XIII.— Sect. I. Matrimony. — II. Impediments of marriage.— III. Manner of preparing to enter that state.— IV. What is to be done on entering it.— V. Obligations of married persons.— VI. Churching of women after child-birth ------- ? ... 176

Chap. XTV.— Sect. I. Prayer, mental and vocal.^-II. Its necessity.— III. Conditions of prayer.— IV. Time of prayer.—V. "What prayers are to be said— VI. Meditation, - 191

Chap. XV.— Sect. I. Sign of the cross.— II. Blessings.— III.— Confraternities - -- - - -- - 200

Chap. XVI.— Sect. I. Eight Beatitudes— II. Conclusion - 20|

INTRODUCTION.

I. Religion. — II. Its necessity. — III. Natural and revealed religion. — IV. Old and new law, — V. Necessity of faith and good works.

I. 1 Religion is the science which teaches man to know God, and how to worship him.

II. 2 The existence of God, as the creator and sovereign Lord of all, proves the necessity of religion in all beings that possess the use of reason : for God could not have endowed any of his creatures with will, memory, and understanding, without requiring them to use those faculties in serving him.

III. 3 Religion may be distinguished into two kinds, natural and revealed. ANa-

1 What is meant by religion ?

2 Is religion necessary 1

8 How many kinds of religion are there 1 4 What is natural religion ]

tural religion, or, as it is otherwise called, the law of nature, is that primitive wor* ship, which the Almighty prescribed to our first parent, and the patriarchs, his descendants. 1 Revealed religion are those two more explicit modes of worship, one of which the Almighty revealed to the Jeivish people through the ministry of Moses and other prophets ; and the other, in after time, to the whole world, through his son Jesus Christ.

IV. 2 Those truths, which were made known to the Jews through the voice of Moses and the prophets, are called the old law, and they are so named, because the various ceremonies of that law which were merely figurative of what Jesus Christ was afterwards to establish, were abrogated ivhen he came into the world. 3 The new law, then, is the doctrine which was preached by Jesus Christ, which his apostles promulgated throughout the world, and which will be handed down to the end pf time in the church which they established.

V. Some things, which God has re-

1 What is revealed religion 1

2 What is the Old Law ? s What is the New Law $

II vealed, merely require our belief; others, relate to our practice. 1 Both, however, are equally binding upon all men; that is to say, we are as much obliged, under pain of eternal damnation, to believe what God has taught, as we are to practise the good works which he has commanded \ iof he who has said, that faith without good works is deadf or of no avail, has also assured us that without faith it is impossible to please GodA Hence it follows that to attain salvation it does not suffice, as many ignorant persons imagine, to wish well to dvery one, and to do no injury by word or deed to others, but that we must, moreover, be true Christians, by believing all those truths which God has taught, and by avoiding all the evil which he has forbidden, and practising the particular virtues which he has commanded. The following treatise, therefore, is divided into twd parts: in the first J is laid down the sub-

* Are both faith and good works necessary for salvation 1

* St. James ii. 26. f Heb. xi. 6.

t The compiler would not have it supposed that he considers every article contained in the first part to be strictly speaking an article of faith. He has, however, laid down nothing as a point of doctrine which is not in accordance with Catholic doctrine.

stance of what Christians are obliged td believe; in the second are explained the evil which they are commanded to avoid, and the good which they are required to practise.

Chapter The First

I. Unity of God* — II. Trinity,

I. 1 There is one and only one God. 2 God is a pare spirit without body or parts; he is the Lord and maker of heaven and earth; he is everywhere present: he knows , sees, and governs all things; he can do whatever he pleases, and is infinite in all his perfections.

II. 3 Although there is only one God, yet this one God exists in three distinct persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. 4 This is called the mystery of the blessed trinity* 5 The Father proceeds

1 How many Gods are there 1

2 What do you know about the nature and properties of God 1

3 How many persons are there in God !

4 What do we call this mystery ?

5 From whom does the Father proceed 1

* Matt, xxviii. 19. Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 1 John v. 7. There are three who give testimony in heaven — the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost — and these three are one.

2 13 from no one, 1 the Son proceeds from the Father only; 2 and the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son. 3 No one of these three divine persons is greater than the others, because all are equally eternal, without any beginning, all have the same power and knowledge, all, in short, are one and the same Lord, one and the same God.

Chapter The Second

I. Creation and fall of the angels — II. Creation and fall of man. — III. Original sin.

I. 4 In the beginning God created an innumerable multitude of angels, or pure spirits without bodies, with the design of making them happy with himself in heaven. Many of these, by turning to God and acknowledging their dependence on him, were confirmed in glory and happiness. These are the blessed spirits whom we still call by the name of angels. 5 We

1 From whom does the Son proceed 1

2 From whom does the Holy Ghost proceed 1

3 Is any one of these Persons greater than the others ?

4 What are the angels ?

5 What are our guardian angels ?

have each of us a particular angel appointed by Almighty God to watch over us* 1 Others amongst those spirits whom God created in the beginning, fell from him by pride and rebellion; in punishment of which they were cast out of heaven and sentenced to eternal torments in hell. These are the evil spirits whom we call devils, and the head of them Lucifer, Satan, or the Devil. 2 These wicked spirits are permitted by Almighty God to exert their malice in tempting mankind to sin ,t yet so that they have not the power of drawing us into sin without the consent of our own will. J

II. 3 In the beginning God also created the world and all things in it by the power

1 What are the devils ?

% What power have the devils over mankind ? 3 Who created the world and all things in it 1

* Ps. xc. 11. He hath given his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. Matt, xviii. 10. Take heed that yon despise not one of these little ones : for I say to you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. Heb. i. 14. Are they not all ministering spirits sent to minister for them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation ?

f 1 Pet v. 8. Be sober and watch, for your adversary the devil, like a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour.

% James iv. 7. Resist the devil and he will fly from you, of his own almighty word. 1 The last but noblest of all his works upon earth were the first parents of all mankind, Adam and Eve. 2 He created them not only with bodies formed out of the dust of the earth, but infused also into them immortal souls or spirits after his own image and likeness, 3 gifting these with the powers of free will, memory, and understanding. 4 He placed them in a part of the earth called the terrestrial par adise, where it was his design to have made them and all their children happy for a time, and then to have taken them all to heaven without their passing through the gate of death. 5 Nevertheless, God was pleased to make this happiness depend upon their fidelity to him, 6 and in order to try their obedience he forbad them to eat the fruit of a certain tree that stood in the middle of paradise. 7 They transgressed this command, 8 and in punishment thereof, were justly ban-

1 Which is the noblest of God's works upon earth ?

2 Of what is man composed 1

3 What are the powers of the soul 1

4 Where did God place our first parents 1

5 Upon what was their happiness to depend ?

6 What did he do to try their obedience ]

7 Were they obedient 1

s What was the punishment of their disobedience \ ished out of their happy abode, con^ demned to all the miseries of this life, to the death of the body, and finally to suffer both in body and soul the eternal torments of hell, together with the devil who seduced them.

III. 1 This transgression of Adam and Eve involved all their posterity in the guilt of sin, 2 which we call original sin, and in which we are all born: 3 like them we are subject to the miseries of this life, and to death, 4 and both their souls and ours must have been eternally lost, if God had not been pleased in his mercy to pro-* vide a Redeemer.

Chapter The Third

I. The promise of a Redeemer, and state of the world before his coming. — II. The coming of our Redeemer, and his divine and human nature*

I. 5 Immediately after the fall of our first parents, God promised to send a Redeemer, or Saviour, who should make

\ Did their disobedience affect their posterity ? 2 What is the sin of our first parents called ? 8 What are the consequences of original sin to our bodies ?

4 What are the consequences of it to our souls ? s Did God promise our first parents a Redeemer] 2* entire satisfaction to his justice, infinitely injured by their sin, and thereby enabled them and their posterity to attain eternal life. 1 This promised Saviour, however, did not come into the world until the expiration of about four thousand years. 2 During this time no soul could enter heaven. 3 Those, however, who believed in this Redeemer to come, hoped in the merits of his future sufferings, and loved God and served him in the manner he was pleased to require, were, at their death, sent to a place of rest called Limbo, until the coming of the Redeemer, who, by his ascension into heaven, opened heaven for them. 4 During the long period which elapsed between the fall of our first parents and the coming of our Saviour, it was the misfortune of the far greater part of mankind to abandon themselves to sin and wickedness. 5 For their punishment and correction, God frequently inflicted severe chastisements upon them ; but, at length,

1 How long was it before the Redeemer came 1

2 Could any soul go to heaven before his coming ?

3 Whither did the souls of the just go before his coming 1

4 What was the conduct of the generality of mankind during that time 1

5 How did God punish the wickedness of mankind ?

in the rigour cf his justice, he destroyed all mankind by the waters of the deluge, with the exception of eight persons, viz. Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives, whom he preserved in an ark, in order to re-people the earth. 1 In proportion as the earth became a second time filled with inhabitants, vice and depravity again became general, 2 when the Almighty, abandoning his rebellious creatures to the hardness of their own hearts, suffered them to lose the knowledge of him and fall into idolatry, 3 and chose a man called Abraham, whom he made the father of a neiv race of people. 4 These were the Israelites. 5 To this people he, not long afterward, gave possession of the rich and fertile country of Canaan, and also revealed to them, through the voice of Moses and other prophets, particular laws, and the manner in which they were to worship him. They, in after time, became divided by schism into two distinct nations, the one being called Jews, the other Samaritans : and these, until the

1 Did this chastisement produce a good effect P

2 How did God punish them a second time ?

3 Who was Abraham ?

4 What were the descendants of Abraham called]

5 What favours did God bestow upon them*?

coming of our Redeemer, were the only people upon earth who possessed the knowledge of the true God : all other nations were buried in idolatry.

II. When the time which God had appointed by his eternal decrees arrived, he sent into the world the Saviour whom he had promised. 1 This was no other than his own divine So?i, the second person of the adorable Trinity, clothed in our human nature. 2 He was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of a virgin named Mary, without having any man for his father, and was born of her, she still continuing to be a pure virgin. 3 At his birth they called his name Jesus, a name which signifies Saviour. 4 He was both true God and true man — true God, being the second person in God, equal in all things to the Father and the Holy Ghost,* and true man, because he hacj a body and soul like ours.t

1 Who was the Redeemer whom God had prQmised from the beginning of the world ? 3 How did he come 1

3 What was he called 1

4 Was he both God and man .?

* John i. 1. In the beginning was the Word — and the Word was God. John x. 30. The Father and I are one.

f John i. 14. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.

Chapter The Fourth

I. Foundation of the Christian religion. — II. Invisible and visible Head of the church. — III. Marks of the true church.

I. 1 Jesus Chsist having lived thirty years in retirement and obscurity, spent the last three years of his mortal life in founding, by his heavenly doctrine and wonderful miracles, the Christian retigio7i. 2 Shortly after he had begun his public life, he made choice of twelve apostles. These were men whom he intended to be constant hearers of his doctrine and witnesses of his miracles, and whom, before he left this earth, he commissioned to announce what they had heard and seen to every creature, and thereby to plant his church in every part of the globe. *

II. 3 Jesus Christ, having been the founder, is also the perpetual, though invisible Head of the Christian church. 4 He

1 How did our Redeemer spend his life ?

2 What were his twelve apostles, and what were they commissioned by him to do 1

3 Who is the invisible head of the church of Christ?

4 Is this church to last until the end of the world 7

* Mark xvi. 15. Go ye into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature.

designed that this church should continue to the end of the world ; but, as he did not intend to remain with it for ever in person, 1 he appointed St. Peter and his successors, the bishops of Borne, as his vicer gerents, or successive visible heads of his church.*

III. 2 Christ established his church as the means whereby mankind were to obtain salvation :t he was pleased, therefore, to give it certain marks, by which every sincere inquirer may discover it. 3 He appointed that his church should be one, by all its members professing one faith, partaking of th§ same sacraments, and living in communion under one chief pastor; | that it

1 Who is the visible head of the church 1

2 Is it necessary to be members of the church of Christ I

3 What are the marks of the true church 1

* Matt. xvi. 18. Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church. John xxi. 15 — 17. Jesus saith to Simon Peter : feed my lambs : feed my sheep.

f Mark xvi. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved : but he that believeth not shall be condemned. 2 Thes. i. 7. They who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ shall suffer eternal punishment in destruction from the face of the Lord.

t Eph. iv, 5. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. 1 Cor. x. 17. We being many are one bread, one body, all who partake of one bread. John x. 16. There shalj be one fold and one shepherd* should be holy, by teaching a holy doctrine, by inviting all to a holy life, and by th£ eminent holiness of thousands that should belong to it in every age;* that it should be catholic or universal, by subsisting at all times, teaching all nations, and maintaining all truths;^ and that it should be apostolical, by receiving its doctrine, and the ordination and mission of its pastors in uninterrupted succession from his apostles. X 1 Hence no society professing the name of Christian can possibly be the church which Christ established, that cannot show its undoubted claim to all and each of these marks.

1 Can any society of Christians be the true church that has not these marks 1 m

* Eph. v. 26, 27. Christ loved his church and delivered himself for it that he might sanctify it, &c.

-j- MaL i. 11. From the rising of the sun to the going down thereof my name is great among the Gentiles. Col. i. 6. The truth of the gospel is come to you, as it is in the whole world.

£ Matt, xxviii. 19, 20. Go ye and teach all nations — and behold I am with you all days to the end of the World. John xx. 21. As the Father has sent me I also send you.

Chapter The Fifth

I. Authority of the pastors of the church, — II. Communion of saints, — III. Veneration of relics and images,

I. 1 In order to preserve a perfect union among his followers, the Founder of the Christian religion appointed his apostles and their successors, the bishops of his church, to be the infallible judges in all controversies concerning religion. 2 Consequently no Christian can, without renouncing the true faith and his title to salvation, follow his own private judgment concerning the meaning of the holy Scriptures in opposition to theirs; and all are bound to listen to their voice as the voice of God himself, in all things relating to faith and morality.*

1 What means did our divine Master appoint in order to preserve union among his folic "vers 1

2 Is it ever lawful to follow our private judgment, in matters of religion, in opposition to the authority of the church?

* John xvi. 16. I will ask the Father and he will | give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you j for ever, the Spirit of Truth. John xvi. 13. When he the Spirit of Truth is come, he will teach you all truth. Luke x. 16. He that hears you hears me, and he that j despises you despises me.