On Our Faith
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The  Beatitudes
1716 The Beatitudes are at the heart of Jesus' preaching. They take up the promises made to the chosen people since Abraham. The Beatitudes fulfill the promises by ordering them no longer merely to the possession of a territory, but to the Kingdom of heaven:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.[12]

1717 The Beatitudes depict the countenance of Jesus Christ and portray his charity. They express the vocation of the faithful associated with the glory of his Passion and Resurrection; they shed light on the actions and attitudes characteristic of the Christian life; they are the paradoxical promises that sustain hope in the midst of tribulations; they proclaim the blessings and rewards already secured, however dimly, for Christ's disciples; they have begun in the lives of the Virgin Mary and all the saints.

 

The 12 Apostles
    Simon called Peter by Jesus
    Andrew brother of Peter
    James ("the Great") and
    John, sons of Zebedee, called by Jesus Boanerges
    Philip from Bethsaida "of Galilee"
    Bartholomew
    Thomas, also known as Judas Thomas Didymus
    James ("the Less") and
    Matthew the tax collector
    Simon the Canaanite, called in Luke and Acts "Simon the Zealot"
    Judas Iscariot; he was replaced as an apostle in Acts by Matthias
    Mark names him as Thaddaeus

 

The 7 Virtues
    Chastity
    Abstinence
    Liberality
    Diligence
    Patience
    Kindness
    Humility

 

The 7 Sacraments
    Baptism
    Confirmation
    The Holy Eucharist
    Penance
    Holy Orders
    Matrimony
    Anointing of the Sick

 

The 4 Last Things
    Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell

 

The 7 Capital Sins
    Pride
    Avarice
    Envy
    Wrath
    Lust
    Gluttony
    Sloth.

 

The Great Commandments (MT. 22:37-39)
1.  You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, with your whole soul, and with all of your mind.
2.  You shall love your neighbor as yourself

 

The 10 Commandments
1. I am the LORD your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me.
2. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
3. Remember to keep holy the LORD'S Day.
4. Honor your father and your mother.
5. You shall not kill.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
7. You shall not steal.
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.

 

The 4 Marks of the Church
    one, holy, Catholic and Apostolic

 

The 14 Stations of the Cross
    Jesus is condemned to death
    Jesus takes up His cross
    Jesus falls for the first time
    Jesus meets His Blessed Mother
    Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry His cross
    Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
    Jesus falls the second time
    The Women of Jerusalem mourn for Jesus
    Jesus falls the third time
    Jesus is stripped of His clothes
    Jesus is nailed to the cross
    Jesus dies on the cross
    Jesus is taken down from the cross
    Jesus is placed in the tomb

 

The Precepts of the Church
2041 The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the indispensable minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor:

2042 The first precept ("You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation.") requires the faithful to participate in the Eucharistic celebration when the Christian community gathers together on the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord.[82]

The second precept ("You shall confess your sins at least once a year.") ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness.[83]

The third precept ("You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.") guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.[84]

2043 The fourth precept ("You shall keep holy the holy days of obligation.") completes the Sunday observance by participation in the principal liturgical feasts which honor the mysteries of the Lord, the Virgin Mary, and the saints.[85]

The fifth precept ("You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.") ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts; they help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.[86]

The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities.[87]

 

The 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit
    Wisdom
    Understanding
    Counsel
    Fortitude
    Knowledge
    Piety
    Fear of the Lord

The 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit
    Charity
    Joy
    Peace
    Patience
    Benignity
    Goodness
    Longanimity
    Mildness
    Faith
    Modesty
    Continence
    Chastity

 

The Theoligical Virtues
Faith    Hope    Love

The Cardinal Virtues
Prudence    Justice    Fortitude    Temperance

 

The 7 Spiritual Works of Mercy
    Admonish sinners.
    Instruct the uninformed.
    Counsel the doubtful.
    Comfort the sorrowful.
    Be patient with those in error.
    Forgive offenses.
    Pray for the living and the dead.

The 7 Corporal Works of Mercy
    Feed the hungry.
    Give drink to the thirsty.
    Clothe the naked.
    Shelter the homeless.
    Comfort the imprisoned.
    Visit the sick.
    Bury the dead.

 

Holy Days Of Obligation

After their general annual meeting in 1991, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States issued the following decree on Dec. 13, 1991:

In addition to Sunday, the days to be observed as holy days of obligation in the Latin-rite dioceses of the United States, in conformity with Canon 1246, are as follows:

1. Jan. 1, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.
2. Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, the Solemnity of the Ascension.
3. Aug. 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
4. Nov. 1, the Solemnity of All Saints.
5. Dec. 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.
6. Dec. 25, the Solemnity of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 Whenever Jan. 1, Aug. 15 or Nov. 1 falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated.

This decree of the NCCB was approved and confirmed by the Holy See and became effective Jan. 1, 1993.

 

Page was last updated: 02/08/2007 State Web Page Administrator: James F. Parshall, PGK