CS #10

The Catholic Church

CATHOLIC
CATECHISM SERIES
By The New Earth of Love Peace & Joy Foundation
 Question and Answer
CATHOLIC CATECHISM
Based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Part I : CHRISTIAN BELIEF:

The Creed
APOSTLES’ CREED – Ninth Article:

“The Holy Catholic Church;

the communion of Saints”
 135. What is the Church?
The Church is the New People of
God, composed of all baptized persons
united in the same true faith, the
same sacrifice and the same
sacraments, under the canonically
elected successor of Peter, the Pope,
and the bishops in union with him.
 A pope to be validly elected as a pope must be a
baptized Catholic, not a heretic and not a schismatic. A
heretic is someone who obstinately denies a truth of the
faith. A schismatic is a man who refuses to submit to the
pope.
Thus if a man were a heretic before his election as
pope, then his election is invalid.
If he becomes a heretic after the election, then he
ceases to be valid pope.
If he is a heretic, according to Canon Law, he loses his
office (no more authority from Christ even if he continues
to exercise it). Therefore in the case of a heretic priest,
bishop, Cardinal, or Pope, our obedience is to Christ, not
to him. “It is better to obey God than men.”
St. Robert Bellarmine, St. Antonius, St. Francis de
Sales, St. Alphonsus Liguori, and many other
theologians: all taught that a heretic cannot be a
valid pope.

“If however, God were to permit a pope to become a

notoriously and contumacious heretic, he would by
such fact cease to be pope, and the apostolic chair
would be vacant.” ~ St. Alphonsus Liguori, Church Doctor
How can you tell if someone is a heretic?

If his actions or his words are confusing,

unclear and against the teachings of Jesus as
contained in the Holy Bible, or if he changes
the sacraments and commandments of God,
then the man, priest, bishop, Cardinal, or
Pope is a heretic.
136. Who founded the Church?

Jesus Christ
founded the Church.
137. Why did Jesus Christ found the Church?

Jesus Christ founded the

Church to bring all human
beings to eternal salvation.
138. How is the Church enabled to lead
human beings to salvation?

The Church is enabled to lead human

beings to salvation by the continuing
presence of Jesus who founded her,
and by the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit as the source of her life.
 
139. When was the dwelling of the Holy Spirit in the
Church first visibly manifested?
The dwelling of the Holy
Spirit in the Church was
first visibly manifested on
Pentecost Sunday, when he
came down upon the first
one hundred and twenty
disciples in the form of
tongues of fire.
 Earlier, on Easter Sunday, he (the Holy
Spirit) was given to the Apostles for the
forgiveness of sins.

“Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of

any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any,
they are retained.” John 20: 22-23
140. How long will the Holy Spirit
dwell in the Church?

The Holy Spirit will dwell

in the Church until the
end of time.
 
 141. Who sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in
the Church?

God the Father

and God the Son
sent the Holy
Spirit to dwell in
the Church.
 142. To whom did Christ, as Head of his Church,
give the power to teach, to sanctify, and to rule the
members of the Church in his name?

Christ, as Head of his Church, gave

the power to teach, to sanctify, and
to rule the members of the Church in
his name to the Apostles, the first
bishops of the Church.
143. Did Christ intend that this power
should be exercised by the apostles
alone?
No, Christ intended that this
power should be exercised also
by their successors, the bishops
of the Church.
 
144. Did Christ give special power in his
Church to anyone of the Apostles?

Christ gave special power

in his Church to St. Peter by
making him the head of the
Apostles and the supreme
teacher and ruler of the
entire Church.
145. Did Christ intend that the special of supreme
teacher and ruler of the entire Church should be
exercised by St. Peter alone?

No, Christ did not intend that the special

power of supreme teacher and ruler of the
entire Church should be exercised by St. Peter
alone, but intended that this power should be
passed down to his successor, the Pope, the
Bishop of Rome, who is the Vicar of Christ on
earth and the visible head of the Church.
146. Who assist the bishops in the care
of souls?

The priests, especially the

parish priests, assist the bishops
in the care of souls.
147. Who are the laity of the Church?
The laity of the Church are all those
who, grafted on to Christ by means of
baptism, have the mission of sanctifying
all temporal realities while remaining in
the world, serving God and their
fellowmen through the diligent fulfillment
of their ordinary duties, and without
officially representing the Church.
148. What freedom do Christian enjoy in
temporal matters?
Christians enjoy the same freedom in
temporal matters (not religious or not
moral matters) as all their fellow citizens,
provided they abide by the laws of God
and of the Church in matters concerning
faith and morals.
149. Do all the faithful share in the mission of
the Church?

All the faithful, in accordance with

their specific roles, share in the salvific
mission of the Church towards the
world, and thus they also share in the
priestly, prophetic and kingly functions
of Christ.
 PRAYER FOR
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

O Blessed Mother of Salvation,

Please pray for the Catholic
Church in these difficult times.
We ask you Mother of
Salvation to cover God’s sacred
servants with Your holy mantle so
that they are given the graces to
be strong, loyal and brave during
the trials they face.
 PRAYER FOR
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Pray too that they will look

after their flock in accordance
with the true teachings of the
Catholic Church.
O Holy Mother of God give us,
your remnant Church on earth,
the gift of leadership so that we
can help lead souls towards the
Kingdom of your Son.
 PRAYER FOR
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

We ask you Mother of

Salvation to keep the deceiver
away from the followers of
your Son in their quest to
safeguard their souls so that
they are fit to enter the gates of
the New Paradise on Earth.
Amen.