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Catecharium

A Catechism of Christian Doctrine, No. 2

Lesson First: On the End of Man

13 sections

Third Plenary Council of Baltimore

Transcribed from a dated scan; artifacts may remain. Edition notes

The numbers preceding the words that are defined refer to the paragraphs in which the words occur. Words not numbered will be found in the title of the lesson.

2. Creator, the One who made all things out of nothing.

3. Creature, everything made by God out of nothing.

3. Composed, made up of.

3. Soul, the spirit in man giving life to the body.

5. Spirit, a living being which cannot be seen or touched.

5. Understanding, the power of knowing right from wrong.

5. Free Will, power to choose the right.

6. Serve, to obey like a servant.

8. Everlasting, that never comes to an end.

9. Worship, to pay God the honor due Him alone.

11. Chief, the greatest among many.

11. Apostles, the twelve chosen by Christ to carry on His work.

11. Creed, the principal truths of faith in a few words.

12. Crucified, nailed hands and feet to a cross.

Who made the world?

A. God made the world.

Who is God?

A. God is the Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things.

What is Man?

A. Man is a creature composed of body and soul, and made to the image and likeness of God.

Is this likeness in the body or in the soul?

A. This likeness is chiefly in the soul.

How is the soul like to God?

A. The soul is like God because it is a spirit that will never die, and has understanding and free will.

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.

Of which must we take more care, our soul or our body?

A. We must take more care of our soul than of our body.

Why must we take more care of our soul than of our body?

A. We must take more care of our soul than of our body, because in losing our soul we lose God and everlasting happiness.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Trans. None. Written in English: the Catechism prepared and enjoined by order of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore (1884), approved at Baltimore on April 6, 1885. The word-meanings are the Benziger Brothers addition of 1898., The Baltimore Catechism, No. 2 (edition with word-meanings, prayers and hymns, with the questions numbered to agree with the Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism), 1885. Public domain.

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