2. God's way of coming to us: scripture, tradition, magisterium

2. God's way of coming to us: Scripture, Tradition, Magisterium Compendium 11-24 Scripture 1 Timothy 2:4 1. Catholicism is the fullest and truest expression of Christianity. 2. Our Faith is not a matter of personal conjecture and preferences but rather a Revelation from God and Jesus Christ through Scripture, Tradition and Magisterium. 3. The 46 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament are a unified and coherent blueprint of God's plan of love for the world. This is demonstrated at Mass in the liturgy that draws from both the old and the new testaments. The old points to and confirms the new and the new clarifies and completes the old. 4. The high point of revelation occurred when God the Father sent his only Son, the second Person of the Trinity into the world and the Son became like us in every way yet without sin. 5. The two sources of God's revelation and self-communication to us are Scripture and Tradition. Those who deny tradition deny the foundation of their own beliefs. 6. Christ established Peter and the Apostles as the first Magisterium and promised to protect their teachings from error. The Pope and the bishops are the only unbroken successors of that Magisterium and promise. 7. Jesus entrusts the keys of the kingdom to Peter. Jesus is referring to Isaiah 22 where King Hezekiah removed Shebna as prime minister and replaced him with Eliakim. The prime minister had all the authority of the king in all practical matters especially the safety and security of the kingdom. This is the authority which Peter clearly exercised among the apostles and past on to his successors. Peter is the rock upon which Christ builds his church. Christ has only one kingdom and one church. Christ cannot be happy about the tens of thousands of churches which self proclaim the authority of Christ exclusively for themselves and thereby make a mockery of his one church, one baptism, one truth and one way. None of these churches can trace their origins back to Peter except the Catholic Church. The disunity of Christians is the fundamental cause of disunity in the world. Christ’s mission was “that all may be one.” 8. It is not by divisive arguments that we work towards unity but by harmonious living and authentic, patient and humble listening without judgement or arrogance, believing that only the grace of God can bring about the miracle of unity and the presence of Jesus in our midst so that “all may be one, as you, father, and I are one.” They will only recognize us as Christians if we love one another.

1. Athirst is my soul

1. Athirst is my soul Man's capacity for God and God's plan for man. Compendium 1-10 Scripture Psalm 63: 1-8 1.Possessions alone can not bring happiness. 2. God himself, in creating man in his own image has written upon his heart the desire to see him. 3. Even if this desire is often ignored, God never ceases to draw man to himself because only in God will he find happiness for which he never stops searching. 4. Questions about evil, suffering, and the meaning of life which may seem to be inconsistent with a loving God, all the more indicate an intense longing for God deep within us. 5. This is God's plan: to go in search of us despite our sinfulness and our substitution of possessions and false loves for his true and everlasting love. 6. Even believers often fall into the trap of living as if God does not exist. 7. There is an inbuilt longing for God: "You have made us for yourself and our heart is restless until it rests in you" (St Augustine of Hippo) The human spirit is made for love - and ultimately for the infinite love of God. Often we search for this love in all the wrong places but the universal and relentless search of the human heart for infinite, perfect and unconditional Love cannot be denied. 8. The harmony, order, beauty, and purposefulness of the universe demand an intelligent creator. 9. Reason must be enlightened by True Faith in order to know the True God in a world which often associates God with hatred, vengeance and violence. 10. God has revealed himself wonderfully throughout history for those who seek him sincerely and humbly. Jesus revealed the beneficent creator in the parables such as the wedding feast to which all are invited and even compelled to come. 11. It often seems that evil is about to dominate the world and eradicate God, but a closer look shows that where evil reigns God’s grace abounds even more. Atheistic totalitarian regimes eventually begin to realize that without freedom of worship everything stagnates. Socialism and communism and even secularism recognize the need and value of community, but community requires trust and trust requires love and true love requires God who is the definition of love. 12. Slowly but surely humanity is coming together for the common good. Let us work and pray and believe in the inevitable springtime when love overcomes the cold of winter.

40. Pillars

40. CONCLUSION: THE TRUTH IS SYMPHONIC THE FOUR PILLARS OF FAITH PRESENTED IN THE CATECHISM ARE INTERCONNECTED PARTS OF A WHOLE 1. The first pillar of our faith is summarized in the Credo, the profession of our faith. But we must profess this faith not so much in words as in deeds. It is not by proselytizing that the Church grows but by "attraction." We must know, love and live our faith joyfully to fulfill our obligation to share it with our family, friends, neighbors and the world and even with our enemies. This is how we impact individual lives and transform the culture into a culture of life, hope, mercy and peace. The Kingdom of God is an extravagant wedding banquet celebrating the love of God for each one of us to which we must witness and invite everyone without exclusion if we hope to enter ourselves. 2. Our faith is not a set of rules but a way of life. 3. The second pillar of our faith is the 7 sacraments, especially the Eucharistic banquet which is a foretaste of heaven on earth. How we believe gives rise to how we worship, pray and live. 4. Only in the mystery of the incarnate Word does the mystery of man take on light and meaning. 5. God is Love and the mystery of creation and redemption is that God made us in his image and likeness so that we could enter into a communion of love with him. 6. The third pillar of our faith is summarized by the Ten Commandments, which codify the natural law that God instills in every man and women to accompany our free will and guide us in avoiding evil. Without the natural law governing right from wrong, morality is incoherent and civilization disintegrates. Our bad choices disrupt the natural law and cause chaos in the world and in our individual lives. The Ten Commandments tell us how to live, but rather than list all the things we are free to do (which would be an enormous unending list) the commandments list the few things we should not do. The Jews recognized that the commandments could be summarized by two positive commandments: love God (1-3), love of neighbor (4-10). But Jesus gives us a New Commandment: Love one another AS I HAVE LOVED YOU. Jesus died to himself for each of us. 7. By his life, death and resurrection Jesus has taught us that his and our Father's love is greater than sin and death. 8. Jesus established his Church so that through the power of the Holy Spirit we could share in his redeeming love until the end of time. 9. Human history is rife with the discordant notes of human infidelity and horrific scandals, and the Church is not exempt, but the love of God always prevails. 10. Scripture and Tradition cannot be separated but speak with one divine voice. Faith and Reason together lift up the human spirit. United they stand, divided they fail. 11. Christian Morality is the coherent way that Christ's goodness resonates in our intentions, decisions and actions. 12. The Mass and the Sacraments are a graced response to God's love for us. 13. The fourth pillar of our faith is contained in the “Our Father.” Prayer is how we respond intimately and personally to Christ's love. We pray the Our Father before Communion and Communion makes real all that the Our Father promises. The Our Father reveals the mind of God and his loving plan for each and all of us: he wills us to be like him and share all that he is and has for an eternity of perfect bliss. No one can take this from us but we can choose to throw it away. 14. Let us be united in proclaiming and living our True, Beautiful, Good, Life-giving Faith for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. This is symphonic witness to the world.

39. The Lord's Prayer

39. THE LORD'S PRAYER WITH THE OUR FATHER JESUS BOTH TAUGHT US HOW TO PRAY AND GAVE US A SUMMARY OF THE GOSPEL Compendium 578-598 Matthew 6:913 Luke 11:1-4 1. The Our Father embodies the Beatitudes, which are a self portrait of Christ and a blueprint for holiness. 2. The true home of the Our Father is in the Eucharist which embodies its seven petitions. 3. The Our Father allows us to speak to God with the very word of God. 4. "Our" means it is a prayer of unity for all humanity. 5. "Father" means we are already brothers and sisters and one holy family. 6. "Who art in heaven" lifts us up to his glory. 7. We ask God to feed us, forgive us, sustain us in temptation and to free us from all evil. 8. "Hallowed be thy name" means we want his holiness to envelop the whole earth. 9. "Thy kingdom come" asks for the civilization of love to be realized. 10. "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" asks that we may imitate the lives of Jesus and Mary in total obedience to the Father for the salvation of the world. 11. "Our daily bread" recognizes that we do not live on material food alone but we need the Eucharist and every word of the Gospel. 12. "Forgive us our sins" acknowledges the power of God's love to heal us. 13. "As we forgive" echoes Jesus's "Blessed are the merciful" and is the only path to peace and joy. 14. "Lead us not into temptation" asks for strength and perseverance with a clear understanding of right from wrong. 15. "Deliver us from evil" proclaims that Jesus has conquered sin and death and the Devil for all of us forever. 16. "Amen" echoes Mary at the Annunciation and Jesus at Gethsemane and is our assent to this prayer which must rule our lives. 17. If we want to be authentic Christians, if we want to be continuously made and remade in the image of God, if we want to be his loving and obedient children, if we want to be like Jesus, here is the formula: to live this prayer, word for word, in the morning when we wake, in the evening when we rest and all throughout the day, starting over again every time we fail or forget, never accepting defeat or discouragement. Let this prayer be like running water which melts the hardest rock. Let this prayer transform your heart into the heart of Jesus. Let this prayer build in you the courage and strength of Jesus. Let this prayer teach you the humility, obedience and faith of Jesus. This is the only thing necessary so that with your last breath the Father will say “this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”

38. How to pray better

38. HOW TO PRAY BETTER THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER DISPOSES US TO RECEIVE THE GIFT OF FAITH AND GROW IN FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD. Compendium 566-577 Psalm 27 1. Where to pray? The best place is in church before the Blessed Sacrament. At home it is good to have a special quiet spot. 2. When to pray? We should pray morning and evening prayers, before and after meals, whenever faced with a temptation or difficulty and as often as we can so as to punctuate the day and have a prayerful spirit in everything we do. 3. What to pray? The daily scripture readings are excellent and present the old and new testaments side by side so that the old is the foundation and leads to the new and the new reveals and confirms the old. Together they are the Word of God that transforms us and builds the kingdom of God. The daily readings from the mass are a perfect bible study program.The Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Rosary, Mercy Chaplet, the Angelus, Come Holy Spirit, the Magnificat, a favorite prayer from one of the saints such as the Memorare from St. Bernard of Clairvaux, "Make me an instrument of your peace", etc.the Liturgy of the Hours. 4. FORMS OF PRAYER: Vocal (alone or with a group); Contemplative (a gift of the Holy Spirit which allows us to surrender to Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration - like lovers gazing at each other and content to just be together in silence), Meditation (marshaling our interior powers and focusing on the mysteries of faith and relationships through readings). 5. Distractions: focusing on ourselves and material concerns instead of the things "above". 6. We must ask the Holy Spirit to create in us a clean heart and steadfast spirit with knowledge of our sinfulness and need for repentance and humility and we will begin to see the 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit transform our heart and become alive in our daily life. 7. When our prayer seams "dry" we must use willpower to be vigilant and persevere. Mother Teresa felt little or no consolation for 50 years but kept on loving Jesus in each person 8. By meditating on the Passion of Jesus (stations of the cross, sorrowful mysteries of the rosary) we enter into his constant prayer for us at the right hand of the Father. 9. Prayer is a conversation with God, the wisest and most loving Father and Creator. Listening and conversing with him guarantees a steady growth in wisdom, knowledge, understanding, peace and joy. 10. Prayer is just as essential as air and water and food. Without those our body quickly dies. Without prayer our soul decays and dies. “Seek and you shall find, knock and it will be opened…” Jesus has promised us the solution to all problems begins with prayer. Try it and you will be convinced.

37. The essentials of prayer

37. THE ESSENTIALS OF PRAYER GUIDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE CHURCH, WE LEARN TO PRAISE, THANK AND PRESENT OUR NEEDS TO GOD Compendium 548-565 Romans 8: 26-27 Psalm 145 1.It is God who first blesses us and allows us to bless him in return. 2. The prayer of Adoration acknowledges that we owe our very existence to God. 3. In Petition we present our spiritual and material needs. 4. Intercessory prayer includes not only our family and friends but all those in need and even for our enemies that they will be touched by the love of Christ. 5. Eucharist means "Thanksgiving" and we join in Christ's perfect thanksgiving and Praise when we participate in this sacrament. The liturgy of the Eucharist also epitomizes blessing, adoration, petition and intercession. 6. We pray for his Kingdom which is realized when we live the commandments in the spirit of the beatitudes. We ask not only for what we want but also for our needs and the needs of others. 7. We ask for forgiveness and intercede for one another especially for our enemies that we may be reconciled. 8. We never pray alone but always with and through Christ who makes our prayers acceptable and worthy and enables us to pray without ceasing with the angels and saints. Prayer is always Christ centered. 9. Prayer formulas help and guide us in prayer. The Rosary is a powerful meditation on the life of Jesus with Mary, the icon of prayer. Mary always and only leads us to Jesus. The Magnificat summarizes the heart of the Old Testament. 10. Parents are the first and most important and essential teachers of their children in the ways of prayer and faith. 11. When our prayers are not just for ourselves but include others with the same needs, our prayer becomes irresistible to God. 12. Jesus did not work miracles through magic. The source of miracles is faith filled prayer. We do not work miracles because our faith is too weak. Our faith is weak because we do not know how to pray. Jesus taught us how to pray: “thy kingdom come, thy will be done…. Forgive us as we forgive…” Mary was only a child but she knew how to pray and she brought the Savior into the world. Mary became the spouse of the Holy Spirit because she “let it be done to me.” We can do the same and be like Mary “full of grace.”

36. Prayer, a gift from God

36. PRAYER: A GIFT FROM GOD SCRIPTURE TEACHES US THE MEANING OF PRAYER AND PRESENTS US WITH MODELS OF DISCIPLESHIP. Compendium 534-547 John 17: 1-26 1. Prayer is the raising of one's whole heart and whole mind to God. 2. We offer him praise, seek his Will and his friendship, ask for our needs, beg forgiveness, support one another and God is very pleased that we generously intercede for each other. 3. Abraham with his unconditional obedience; Moses and the Ten Commandments, David singing of the generous goodness of God with the Psalms, and the prophets are models of prayer and friendship with God. They were effective leaders because of their constant intimate relationship and communication with God. 4. Jesus made his whole life a prayer to his Father and gave us the perfect prayer, the Our Father. 5. Jesus exemplified the purity of heart, openness to God's will, intrepid faith, love for enemies, indispensable vigilance and self sacrifice necessary in true prayer. 6. The Beatitudes are a restatement of the Our Father. 7. Mary, who taught Jesus how to pray, gives us the Magnificat which is a prophecy of the Beatitudes. 8. The Rosary is a perfect summary of the prayer filled life of Jesus through Mary. The Rosary began as a way for the common person to emulate the praying of the Psalms and creates the same heavenly atmosphere, especially when prayed together with others. 9. Prayer is God's gift to us to lead us to full communion with the Holy Trinity and one another. 10. Prayer is too often the last thing we turn to after all else fails, like reading the instruction manual after not be able to figure it out by ourselves. The Our Father is the instruction manual which can make clarity out of confusion. We must meditate on this prayer in the morning and evening and throughout the day if we hope to make sense of our lives. Prayer brings grace and grace is a lifestyle to be lived always.

35. Living the truth

35. LIVING IN TRUTH CHRISTIANS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PRACTICE HONESTY AND INTEGRITY IN ALL THAT THEY SAY AND DO. Compendium 521-526 Dt 5:20 Matthew 5:33-37 1. Living the truth is not just about words, it is a way of life. Deception, Greed and Fear are the cause of lies and create scoundrels. 2. When our word is our bond we build trust, engender cooperation and serve the common good. 3. We must seek to live the truth in charity. 4. Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life, his followers must guard against deception, duplicity, distorting the truth and hypocrisy. 5. The Christian must bear witness to the Truth even with his life. 6. False witness, perjury and lying and causing the innocent to be punished are grave evils. 7. The eighth commandment also forbids Rash Judgement, Calumny, Gossip, Slander and Defamation. 8. Flattery, Complaisance (silence against falsehood) and adulation are also forbidden. 9. The eighth commandment requires discretion in speech and respect for the seal of secrecy with confessors and other counsellors. 10. Truth is beautiful and that which is truly beautiful proclaims the Truth. 11. When the tongue speaks the truth and praises God it is golden, when it talks just to hear itself in useless chatter in becomes putrid. Silence when there is nothing of value to say is a virtue.

34. Stewardship of this world's goods

34. STEWARDSHIP OF THIS WORLD'S GOODS OUR WORK AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES ARE ROOTED IN HUMAN DIGNITY AND THE COMMON GOOD Compendium 503-520, 531-533 Dt 5:19,21 Matthew 6:21 1. The seventh and tenth commandments: DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR'S GOODS; instruct us to be generous and just stewards of God's blessings and creation. 2. Love of neighbor is necessary to create a well ordered society. 3. The right to own private property is an expression of human dignity but it is not an unlimited right which deprives others of a fair share of opportunities or is contrary to the common good. 4. The parable of Lazarus and the poor man instruct us about our obligation to take care of the poor and to live justly, with temperance and prudence. We do not have a right to live in luxury while others lack basic necessities. 4. The seventh commandment requires that we return what we have stolen. 5. It forbids unjust wages and fraud. 6. Financial systems must be ethical and at the service of the human person. 7. Unbridled Capitalism and Totalitarian Government both offend human dignity. 8. We must be aware that Labor is a path toward holiness. 9. Citizens must actively engage in civil affairs as witnesses of authentic Gospel values. 10. We must imitate Christ's detachment from this world's goods and live the beatitudes so that God will say to us “well done, good and faithful servant.” 11. We are all precious gifts to one another. When we share our treasure , talents and our time we are truly children of God. If we hoard our blessings they shrivel and die. 12. How can we reconcile magnificent churches,vestments and vessels with “Blessed are the poor in spirit” ? The answer is implied in the question. Jesus does not recommend poverty for poverty sake but rather detachment from worldly treasures in lieu of the eternal treasures of heaven. No one is entitled to more than they need. Justice demands that our surplus must be shared with the needy. This sharing must be voluntary and not violently enforced as often happens in totalitarian governments and results in greater poverty and injustice and loss of freedom. Capitalism is immoral if it does not afford opportunity and equal access to the needy. It is not a matter of one or the other but rather a matter of both and. There can be both magnificence and justice for the needy. Hatred and greed breed poverty and misery, whereas when we share there is more than enough for all as Jesus demonstrated with the multiplication of the loaves and fish to feed 5000. Judas complained when the repentant women used expensive oils to anoint the feet of Jesus and opined that it would be better to spend this on the poor but Jesus corrected Judas and it later became clear that Judas was not interested in the poor but rather his own pocket. There is no organization that has invested more time, talent, and treasure in lifting up the needy than the Catholic Church. Tens of thousands of schools, hospitals and missions cover the globe with priests, nuns and dedicated people sacrificing their own lives for others. Those who have done more than the church for the needy can cast the first stone.

33. God's plan for life and love.

33. GOD'S PLAN FOR LIFE AND LOVE THE VIRTUE OF CHASTITY IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT AND PRACTICE THE TRUTH ABOUT MARRIAGE, SEXUALITY, AND HUMAN LIFE Compendium 487-502 527-530 Dt 5:18 Matthew 5:27-28 1. Chastity is a gift from God and a virtue which calls us to self mastery and is necessary in all states of life in order to build a culture of life and to avoid losing our human dignity and living like mere animals. 2. Even married couples are called to purity. "Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God" Chastity is at the heart of a happy marriage, safeguarding unity, fidelity, indissolubility and openness to new life. 3. The purpose of human sexuality is to express the exclusive love of husband and wife in a manner which is open to procreation. 4. The sixth commandment forbids adultery, lust, masturbation, pornography, fornication, homosexual acts, prostitution, rape, pedophilia. All of these destroy happiness. 5. Sterilization and contraception are anti-life. 6. Abstinence during periods of fertility is the only acceptable means of spacing pregnancy. This is called natural family planning. 7. Artificial insemination and fertilization are unnatural. There is no God given right to biological parenthood. Adoption is the generous and natural solution. 8. Divorce, polygamy, incest, cohabitation outside of marriage, and same sex marriage are enemies of harmonious family life. 9. The sacraments, prayer, mortification and temperance are necessary for control of our passions by the power of reason. 10. For consecrated souls celibacy is the means to keep an undivided heart and to be spiritual mothers and fathers to everyone and be truly free. 11. For married couples conjugal chastity is essential to express exclusive love open to procreation. 12. Children are not a "right" nor a burden and adoption is a wonderful option. 13. Chastity leads us to wholesomeness and joy. The lack of purity leads to depravity, misery and despair.

32. In defense of human life

32. IN DEFENSE OF HUMAN LIFE WE ARE COMMANDED TO PROTECT AND PROMOTE THE GIFT OF HUMAN LIFE AT ALL OF ITS STAGES Compendium 466-486 Dt 5:17 Matthew 5:9 1. "Thou shalt not kill" unequivocally forbids the taking of human life from conception to natural death. Jesus desires abundant life for everyone because each one is created in God’s image and likeness and destined to eternal friendship with the Trinity. This is the complete Gospel message. All lives are equally sacred and infinitely important to God. 2. Those who have the responsibility for the lives of others must defend themselves and those entrusted to their care. But self-defense must exclude rage and disproportionate force. 3. Capital punishment is practically impossible to justify in most societies and punishment must be proportionate to the crime. 4. The right to life is not endowed by the state but rather is a gift and commandment of abundant life from the Creator God. 5. Blessed are the peacemakers: War must be avoided vigorously by eliminating economic and social injustice and discrimination and only a last resort in defense against serious and sustained unjust aggression. 6. Mass destruction and genocide are crimes against humanity. 7. Conscientious objectors must be permitted to perform alternate community service. 8. Prisoners of war, wounded soldiers, and innocent civilians must be treated humanely and orders to the contrary must not be obeyed. 9. It is legitimate to use drugs to manage pain but not to hasten death. 10. Organ transplants and experimental treatments must have informed consent of the patients. 11. Ordinary medical care must not be withheld and euthanasia is forbidden. 12. The dying must be supported by loving care, prayer and the sacraments. 13. God demonstrates the infinite value and beauty of human life by becoming human, living among us and remaining with us and his resurrection and Ascension promise that our human bodies are just as eternal as our souls. Even the most unfortunate human being in this life is heir to that magnificent and consoling promise that makes even the most difficult life worth living. Jesus has filled every emptiness, illuminated every darkness, accompanied every solitude, annulled every suffering, cancelled every sin.

31. The family in God's plan

31. THE FAMILY IN GOD'S PLAN THE COMMANDMENT TO HONOR ONE'S FATHER AND MOTHER REFLECTS THE FAMILY'S ROLE IN THE CHURCH AND SOCIETY Compendium 455-465 Dt 5:16 Sirach 3:2-7,12-14 1. The family is the "original cell" of society and is not a human invention but rather a gift from God for the benefit of the spouses and procreation and formation and education of children. The fourth commandment, “Honor your father and mother”, encompasses the entire plan of God for marriage and family life. 2. The family is the Domestic Church where faith and virtue are imparted and develop. The basic lessons of, prayerfulness, love and service to one another, truth, honesty, discipline, and respect are inculcated and reinforced in the family. 3. In a healthy family children learn an appropriate understanding of authority, the common good, citizenship, rights and dignity of everyone. 4. By word and example children learn how to relate to each other, family and society. 5. Parents must “waste” time with their children everyday to prepare and guide them to holiness and openness to God’s calling. 6. The Eucharist must be at the center of family life just as it is at the center of Church life. 7. The Government must protect public morality, parents rights, and private property but only in rare and extreme cases is it legitimate for government to intervene in family affairs. 8. Eventually children must care for their parents when they are in need, physically, emotionally and spiritually. 9. Finally our love for Christ must exceed our love for parents and children. 10. Families are not called so much to perfection as to holiness in Christ. The Holy Family of Jesus , Mary and Joseph is the model. Each member of the family must strive for holiness without judging the other members. Mercy and joy must be the constant atmosphere of the family. Forgiveness and starting again must be the modus operandi of the family. 11. We must be aware that the family is under attack by a fierce worldliness and selfishness from without and from within. Often relatives, friends and neighbors can be the greatest threat to a family because we least expect it and are therefore most vulnerable to it. The family that prays together can overcome these threats.

30. Loving God above all: the first 3 commandments

30. LOVING GOD ABOVE ALL THE FIRST THREE COMMANDMENTS PERTAIN TO OUR DUTY TO LOVE GOD WITH OUR ENTIRE BEING Compendium 434-454 Exodus 2:2-17 Matthew 19:16-19 1. By becoming one of us Jesus revealed the love of his Father for each of us and made us children of God with infinite dignity and worth. Without God there is no meaning or purpose. 2. The Ten Commandments given to Moses, is God's covenant with his chosen people, Israel, and universally apply to all people of all times not as a restriction but rather a pathway to freedom and happiness as children of our infinitely loving and merciful Father. The Ten Commandments are the written form of the natural law inscribed within each of us. 3. Jesus, in his words and life summed up the Ten Commandments into two: Love God with your whole being and your neighbor as yourself. 4. "I Am the Lord your God. You shall not have other God's before me. We live the first commandment through the virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity. 5. With faith we reject heresy, apostasy, and schism, as well as presumption and despair. 6. Charity demands that we love God above all things and that we reject ingratitude, indifference spiritual laziness, and false pride which leads to hatred of God and our fellow man. 7. With freedom we must prayerfully search for God and avoid the modern false God's of Power, Money and Pleasure. 8. Demon worship and superstition are enemies of God. 9. Aggressive atheism ridicules God and practical atheism ignores God. 10. Idols and false images are forbidden but true images of Jesus and the saints remind us of heavenly realities and are not worshiped in themselves. 11. God's name is Holy and we should only use it in blessings and honoring him. Never should we curse or swear with his name. Blasphemy includes all forms of disrespect toward God. 12. Genesis tells us that God rested on the Sabbath as a covenant and sign that man should use this day in thanksgiving for all creation. 13. We must obey the Sabbath with rest from worldly pursuits and devote time to our relation with God and one another. 14. The Sabbath is celebrated on Sunday by Christians because this is the day of the Resurrection of Jesus. 15. It is the first and most important precept of the Church to attend Mass every Sunday. 16. The Eucharist must be the center of our lives so we are able to live the Commandments in the spirit of the beatitudes. 17. In order to receive the Eucharist worthily we must avail ourselves of the sacrament of Confession often and at least once a year is required. Pope Francis confesses every two weeks and recommends this. 18. Honoring the Sabbath and The Lord’s Day professes that people do not live to work but rather work to live in freedom and joy with their God. When we seek His Kingdom in this way all the rest is given to us gratuitously. Heaven is an eternal sabbath with the family of God celebrating one another in harmony and perfect peace and joy.

29. God's salvation: law and grace

29. GOD'S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE THE MORAL LAW, ROOTED IN DIVINE WISDOM AND WRITTEN ON THE HUMAN HEART, IS FULFILLED IN OUR LIFE WITH CHRIST Compendium 415-433 Romans 2: 15 1. "Natural Law", which is known naturally by reason, is an inherent sense of right and wrong written on our hearts by the creator and is the basis of rights and duties of individuals and communities, but is not clearly perceived by everyone at all times. 2. The Ten Commandments summarize and confirm natural law and unchanging moral truth. 3. The natural law is brought to perfection in the Beatitudes and witness of Jesus Christ in his life death and resurrection. 4. The grace to live the Beatitudes is a gift of the Holy Spirit. 5. We are "justified" by God’s mercy at work through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ earning for us the sanctifying grace of Baptism and Repentance which maintains our souls in grace throughout our lives. Sanctifying grace allows us to participate in the holiness of the Trinity and is always with us. 6. "Actual grace” allows us to live the circumstances of our daily lives in conformity with the Beatitudes. 7. Grace does not in infringe upon us but frees us to fulfill our ultimate desire for complete happiness in God's love. Grace constantly calls us to holiness through intimacy with Jesus. 8. Morality becomes a continual hymn of praise and thanksgiving to God our Father. 9. The Precepts of the Catholic Faith are a necessary guide to living a life of Beatitude as Jesus proclaimed. 10. The five precepts of the Church direct us to the evangelizing truth, goodness and beauty that our lives must reflect. They are the minimum requirements to live an authentic Catholic life. 1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and remain free from work or activity that could impede the sanctification of such days. 2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year. 3. You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least once during the Easter season. 4. You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church. 5. You shall contribute to the support of the church. 11. We should not be satisfied with fulfilling the minimum but use them as a springboard to complete fulfillment in Christ. Considering the infinite reward, we should give enthusiastic witness to living our faith. The Church is the bride of Christ and the Eucharist is the eternal wedding banquet begun on earth. May the Holy Spirit enlighten our minds and hearts to the magnificence of our calling.

28. The human community

28. THE HUMAN COMMUNITY SEEKING AUTHENTIC HUMAN DEVELOPMENT , THE CHURCH PROMOTES SUBSIDIARITY, SOLIDARITY AND THE COMMON GOOD. Compendium 401-414 1 Peter 2:13-17 1. We can only find happiness in community. 2. God is a community of Persons, Father, Son, Holy Spirit and all who are called to friendship with him. 3. The human family is modeled on the Holy Trinity. 4. The human person must be the principal, subject and end of social institutions. 5. SUBSIDIARITY: the family is the basic unit of society and must not be deprived of its fundamental authority by the State or higher institutions which must be at the service of the basic unit of society and the common good. The State should not preempt parental authority. 6. There must be a priority of ethics over technology, and persons over things and spirit over matter. 7. The Common Good is the sum of those conditions of social life which allow social groups and their members to flourish with relatively thorough and ready access to their own fulfillment and must be sought using morally licit means and requires the personal integrity of leaders. 8. The dignity of each person, especially the most vulnerable, must be respected. 9. Unjust or immoral laws are not binding. 10. Solidarity requires that we must work for a more humane society with generous charity for the most needy because we are all created in God's image with a rational soul and are destined to share the same eternal happiness with him. 11. The continuous disparity between rich and poor is contrary to the Gospel. 12. The remedy for this disparity are the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. 12. The corporal works of mercy are: 1. To feed the hungry 2. Give drink to the thirsty 3. Clothe the naked 4. Shelter the homeless 5. Visit the sick 6. Visit the imprisoned 7. Bury the dead. 13. The spiritual works of mercy are 1. Counsel the doubtful 2. Instruct the ignorant 3. Admonish the sinner 4. Comfort the afflicted 5. Forgive offensives 6. Bear wrongs patiently 7. Pray for the living and the dead. 14. These works of mercy require a personal and individual participation and involvement. When they are relegated to central government authorities they become impersonal and inefficient entitlements which rob people of human dignity as they crush the economy with waste and corruption and cause even greater poverty.

27. Virtue and vice

27. VIRTUE AND VICE A WELL FORMED CONSCIENCE AND THE PRACTICE OF VIRTUE LEAD US TOWARD HOLINESS AND AWAY FROM SIN Compendium 370-400 Galatians 5:22-23 1. Our conscience is formed by the inner voice of God and the natural law etched on our souls by God which recognizes right and wrong, good and evil, such as not doing unnecessary harm to others. Conscience does not establish moral truth but rather a well formed conscience perceives it. 2. In baptism and confirmation we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety, fear of the Lord) 3. We can never do evil so that good can come from it. 4. We should treat others with the same dignity we wish for ourselves. 5. We should accept others without condoning evil. 6. We must recognize that we do not know everything and we can be wrong. 7. When we make good habits we grow in the Cardinal virtues of Prudence, Justice, Temperance and Fortitude and we grow in likeness to God who created us in his image and likeness. 8. Virtue is the habitual and firm commitment to do good and avoid evil. 9. Faith is believing that God is Truth itself and leads us to Hope for eternal life which is the reward for living the present moment well in Charity to all. We grow in these theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity through prayer and the sacraments. 10. The fruits of living the virtues are Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Faithfulness, Goodness, Gentleness, Generosity, Modesty, Self-control and Purity. 11. The vices are Pride, Envy, Greed, Lust, Anger, Sloth and Gluttony. These sinful habits damage our relationship with God and one another, diminish human solidarity and cause evil to gain power in the world. Sin is the root cause of all evil and suffering. 12. Sin is a thought word or deed that is offensive to God who is Love. 13. There are also sins of omission when we fail to do good that we should do. 14. Mortal sin is deliberate and grave offense committed with full knowledge and consent of the sinner and separates the soul from God and risks the loss of eternal life. 15. We must never cooperate in the sins of others. 16. The Sacraments of Baptism and Confession free us from sin and restore the life of Christ in us. We are truly free when we admit our sins and allow God's infinite mercy to heal us. 17. On the cross Jesus reveals the seriousness of sin and the necessity of repentance. 18. While we must love the sinner as Jesus does, giving our life for each one, we must hate sin for the slavery it brings to humanity.

26. Morality, freedom and human dignity

26. MORALITY, FREEDOM AND HUMAN DIGNITY
CHRISTIAN LIFE AND MORALITY, LEAD TO, RATHER THAN TAKE AWAY FROM TRUE FREEDOM AND HAPPINESS
Compendium 357-369 Matthew 5:1-11
1. Everyone wants to be happy. Sometimes happiness is sought in all the wrong places. Lust for money, power and illicit pleasure cannot bring lasting happiness. Jesus teaches us the source of true and lasting happiness in the Beatitudes. Christian morality can transform us into living images of Jesus.
2. The Beatitudes are the self portrait of Jesus who demonstrates how to be fully human and by living them we become like him.
3. Good intentions do not guarantee good results.
4. True Freedom and happiness requires taking responsibility for our actions.
5. The end does not justify the means.
6. Freedom is God's gift to humanity and is not endowed by any human institution.
7. Human dignity requires correct choices with a priority towards the common good and social justice and order, and taking responsibility.
8. Killing innocent human beings is an example of objective evil.
9. Our moral choices are a decision for or against God and freedom.
10. Wrong choices diminish our freedom and can enslave us to drugs, alcohol, and sex, money, power, worldliness and pleasure.
11. Freedom requires that we free ourselves from ourselves in order to transcend the limitations of this life and gain the eternal freedom Christ has won for us.

25. The sacraments of vocation

25. THE SACRAMENTS OF VOCATION
THROUGH HOLY ORDERS AND MATRIMONY, CHRISTIANS ARE GIVEN SPECIAL GRACES AND A PARTICULAR MISSION
Compendium 321-353 Hebrews 7:26-28 Matthew 19: 4-6
1. Melchizedek foreshadowed the kingly priesthood of Christ, who offered himself on the cross to reconcile men to God.
2. This gift of obedient and selfless love is the heart of the sacramental priesthood that Christ shares with our  priests.
3. Priests are empowered to act in the very name of Christ.
4. Their priesthood is indelible.
5. The celibacy of the priesthood for the sake of the Kingdom is a beacon for fidelity to those called to holiness in marriage.
6. These distinct vocations strengthen each other and share the same mission of the Church.
7. Deacons preparing for the priesthood are "transitional" and there are also "permanent" deacons who assist in the liturgy and sacramental life and especially caring for the needy.
8. Only the Bishop can confer the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
9. Bishops are successors of the Apostles and continue the ministry of the Apostles to teach,sanctify and spiritually rule the faithful.
10. They are called together with their priests and deacons to set hearts on fire with love for Christ and his church.
11. Marriage is a covenant of faithful, permanent and fruitful love. Created in the divine image, man and woman are complementary.
12. Unity-in-difference is at the heart of marriage.
13. Man and woman are made for each other and for procreation and education of children.
14. Spouses, united to Christ, are called to form a family which is a community of Faith, Prayer and Virtue.
15. Divorce, contraception and same sex marriage are the archenemies of this indelible covenant  designed by God to be permanent, faithful and fruitful.
16. A valid marriage requires the free and conscious consent of the man and women.
17. Marriage with a non Catholic requires an agreement that the children will be raised Catholic.
18. In the Jewish tradition of Passover every head of household had the vocation of priesthood and lead the celebration of the paschal meal. This tradition is still alive today in the Jewish community. It was only after the tragedy of the golden calf that Moses restricted the priesthood to the Levites. Just as the family is the indispensable foundation of an ordered and functional society, so it is for the Church. If men fail in the spiritual leadership of their families both society and the Church cannot function well.

24. The sacraments of healing

24. THE SACRAMENTS OF HEALING
THROUGH THE SACRAMENTS OF PENANCE AND THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK THE CHURCH CONTINUES CHRIST'S HEALING MINISTRY
Compendium 295-320 James 5:14-15
1. God's love and mercy is greater than our sins.
2. On that first Easter evening, Jesus instituted the sacrament of Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Healing, Mercy and Repentance and empowered the apostles and their successors, bishops and priests, to forgive sins.
3. Although Baptism gives us a new life in grace, there is still a tendency to sin as a result of the Fall: concupiscence.
4. Mortal sin separates us from God and venial sin weakens our relationship with him and one another.
5. The Sacrament of Reconciliation restores those relationships.
6. We are called to lifelong conversion and that is made possible by this sacrament.
7. After confessing, we can show our sincere repentance for sin through prayer, fasting and giving alms.
8. We cannot receive the Eucharist if we commit mortal sin until we go to Confession.
9. The confession of venial sins helps us to grow in virtue and resist temptation.
10. We prepare for confession by examining our conscience with the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes and the 7 Virtues and 7 Vices, 7 Corporal Works of Mercy and 7 Spiritual Works of Mercy.
11. Confession removes eternal punishment and reduces temporal punishment due to sin.
12. Prayers and good works bring Indulgences which reduce or eliminate temporal punishment for ourselves and the souls in purgatory.
14. This Sacrament also brings peace, serenity, joy and strength.
15. We must resolve not to sin again and to avoid occasions of sin.
16. General Absolution without individual confession is only used in grave emergencies.
17. The Anointing of the hands and forehead of the sick and aged with holy oil unites them to the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ and prepares them for eternal life and forgives sins if they are not able to confess. It also brings comfort, serenity, consolation and courage.
18. It can often help physical healing.
19. It is of eternal importance to encourage one another to avail ourselves of these sacraments.
20. The fear of alarming the person who is approaching death is a failure of love. There is no love without truth and there is no truth without love. We must pray to the Holy Spirit for the wisdom and courage to tell the truth with love.

23. Loving The Eucharist

23. LOVING THE EUCHARIST
WE MUST GROW IN UNDERSTANDING OF AND REVERENCE FOR THE EUCHARIST
Compendium 271-294 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
1. The Eucharist is the very sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ on the cross perpetuated throughout the ages.
2. When we properly partake of the Eucharist we participate even now in the life of God.
3. The Eucharist puts us into communion with the Trinity and with one another.
4. Through ordination, the priest is conformed to Christ so that he can re-enact the full impact of the words and deeds of Christ: "this is my body" and "this is my blood of the New and everlasting Covenant".
5. The Eucharist contains the entire spiritual wealth of the Church as it brings us into community with the Blessed Trinity and with one another.
6. For this gift we must show infinite "Thanksgiving" which is the meaning of "EUCHARIST".
7. The deliverance from sin which we experience in the Eucharist was foreshadowed by the Passover of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
8. The sacrifice of the cross and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one and the same sacrifice.
9. The unbloody sacrifice of the Eucharist is the most perfect and effective prayer we can offer with Christ.
10. Transubstantiation is the real transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ.
11. To receive the body of Christ we must be members of the Catholic Church and be in the state of grace which is confirmed by the Sacrament of Confession.
12. There is normally a one hour fast before communion.
13. Our demeanor and dress reflect our respect for the Eucharist.
14. A true understanding of the Eucharist leads to spiritual ecstasy with God. We should understand why the Church insists on the obligation to attend Mass every Sunday and Holy Day and receive Communion and Confession at least once every year. We would dread the loss of this sacrament and desire to receive it as often as possible.The Eucharist is the only sacrament that continues in heaven. The Eucharist is the heavenly banquet already begun on earth. The Eucharist is the complete revelation of God’s plan that all will be one.

22. Born anew and strengthened in the faith

22. BORN ANEW AND STRENGTHENED IN THE FAITH
THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION ALLOW US TO SHARE IN THE LIFE OF THE TRINITY
Compendium 250-270 Romans 6:3-4 Titus 3:4-6
1. Baptism can be by immersion or pouring of water.  It is not the amount of water that matters,  but the fact that Jesus chose water, the most ample substance on earth, to be the fountain of life and the means of reversing our alienation from God. Water thus becomes sacred and when poured out in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, not only restores our favor with the Holy Trinity but actually transforms us into Sons of God and heirs with Christ to the Kingdom of Heaven. We are born anew by Baptism to a life in Christ which cancels sin and death. What do you want for your children? The correct answer is not only baptism but more profoundly: eternal life in heaven.
2. We are confirmed to this new life by the Holy Spirit at Confirmation and nourished daily by the Eucharist.
3. Baptism confers the Holy Spirit and the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. It also brings us a share of the kingly priesthood of Christ as members of his body. Baptism brings sanctifying grace which unites us to the life of the Trinity.
4. Noah's Ark and the Red Sea were forecasts of the drowning of sin and death and acquiring new life through the waters of Baptism.
5. The crossing of the waters of Jordan to enter the Promised Land forecasts our passage to eternal life through Christ's death and resurrection.
6. With the Holy Oils and laying on of hands, Confirmation strengthens us with the courage and power of sanctifying grace and  allows us to share in the mystery of Pentecost. With confirmation we receive the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety, Fear of the Lord.
7. Christ calls us to bring this new life to all nations without exclusion of anyone.
8. Infants become "children of God" through Baptism and after the age of reason confirm their parents commitment to life in Christ by their profession of faith.
9. Baptism cancels original sin and all sins committed prior to baptism for adults.
10. The baptized share the responsibility to attract others to the faith and prepare them for life in Christ and help them to grow in holiness.
11. Those who die for the faith before being baptized are considered Baptized by the blood of Christ.
12. Those who desire baptism but do not have the opportunity are considered baptized by their intention.
13. The unborn who die in the womb are confidently entrusted to the infinite love and mercy of God, their true Father and creator, who cannot abandon his own creation.
14. We call the disobedience of Adam and Eve a “happy fault” because it necessitated that the “word” became flesh in Jesus who by baptism not only cancels sin and death but moreover makes us brothers of Jesus and therefore sons of God and participators in the Holy Trinity forever. May the Holy Spirit expand our minds to be able to appreciate the enormity of this gift.

21. Celebrating the Church's liturgy

21.CELEBRATING THE CHURCH'S LITURGY
THE SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH BOTH SIGNIFY AND MAKE PRESENT GOD'S  TRANSFORMING GRACE.
Compendium 224-249 Revelation 7:9-11
1. All the events of Christ's life become a present and living reality through the Sacraments and liturgy. As we celebrate the sacraments we grow in likeness to God.
2. Baptism and Confirmation are indelible marks that make us adopted children of God and are received only once.
3. Holy Orders is also an indelible mark and is only received once and allows the ordained to act in the person of Christ in the celebration of the liturgy.
4. The effectiveness of the Sacraments does not depend on the personal worthiness of the minister. If the medicine works, the character of the pharmacist is secondary.
5. It is a most serious obligation for both the minister and the recipient to pursue personal holiness through the sacraments.
6. The sacraments do not act mechanistically, they require assent.
7. When it is celebrated faithfully, prayerfully and joyfully, The Sacramental life of the Church has a logic and beauty all of its own that emerges and leads us to long to see God in heaven.
8. Water, bread, wine, oil and laying on of hands are necessary signs that accompany the words that give them sacramental power and grace.
9. The Church carefully distinguishes what is unchangeable and what can be adapted by culture in the liturgy.
10. The sacramental life of the church is the fast track to holiness and unity with God that Jesus gave us. To climb a mountain is difficult, arduous, and dangerous, the sacramental life gives us wings to fly to the top of the mountain.

20. Worshiping in spirit and truth

20. WORSHIPPING IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH
GOING TO MASS IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST AN OBLIGATION FOR FAITHFUL CATHOLICS
Compendium 218-223 Matthew 26:26-28
1. Liturgy means "public worship" and is used most specifically to refer to the Mass and the Sacraments.
2. In the Liturgy, the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are made present and active.
3. The Liturgy is the source and summit of the Church's life and mission.
4. It is the highest and best means by which Christ continues to act on our behalf to sanctify us, redeem us from our sins and enable us to share in the life of God. It contains the mystery of God's loving plan to save us.
5. Through the Liturgy, the Holy Spirit, as the soul of the Church, brings us to ponder and deepen the new life Christ has won for us by his life, death and resurrection so that we can worship the Father in Spirit and Truth.
6. The Mass is not only a communion of saints and a foretaste of heaven, it is also a rehearsal of our individual encounter with God at the end of this life that will determine our final destiny for all eternity. All the wealth and health and happiness of earthly life is infinitesimally small compared to the wealth and opportunity that we receive at Mass.
7. Going forth from Mass, we take not only Jesus but the entire communion of saints into the world which we can easily conquer if we remain faithful, united and reliving Christ’s Passion in our own lives.

19. Communion, forgiveness and eternal life

19. COMMUNION, FORGIVENESS, AND LIFE EVERLASTING
CONCLUDING THE CREED, WE PROFESS OUR BELIEF IN THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS, BAPTISM AND THE FINAL RESURRECTION
Compendium 194-217 1 Corinthians 51-57
1. Communion means that God invites us to share in his inner life, the Trinity, not to seek our own interests but to put ourselves at the service of one another.
2. "Saints" include not only the canonized but also the souls in purgatory and those still alive seeking holiness.
3.Christ has given us his mother as the Mother of all saints and our most powerful advocate with him. The Rosary is a compendium of the Gospels. Mary was the first Christian and the most faithful. Mary was the only one who accompanied Jesus from his conception in her womb to his death and resurrection. Her “Magnificat” is a summary of the Old Testament and the promise of the New Testament. She is “full of grace” means she is and always was completely immersed in God and completely in his service to all. Mary is the model for every Christian. We can be like her: “the one does the will of my father is my mother ….”
4.Baptism is the first Sacrament for the forgiveness of sins.
5. Christ also established the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism. "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them and whose sins you retain are retained" John 20:23
5. The separation of our bodies from our souls at the end of this life will not last for all eternity. We are called to share in the Resurrection in Christ. Those who die in the grace of Christ will share the happiness of Heaven. Some will experience a "Purgatory" to be completely conformed to Christ. We can help the souls in purgatory with prayers, Masses, good deeds and sacrifices offered in Christ.
6. Hell is the separation from God for all eternity. Those who freely choose to remain in mortal sin condemn themselves to Hell. God wants all to be saved but respects free will.
7. We look forward to the Second Coming of Christ, although no one knows when it will be, and then Christ will be all in all. In the meantime, this must be what we live and breathe for: “that all may be one” in spirit and truth in Jesus Christ.

19. Communion, forgiveness and life everlasting.

19. COMMUNION, FORGIVENESS, AND LIFE EVERLASTING
CONCLUDING THE CREED, WE PROFESS OUR BELIEF IN THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS, BAPTISM AND THE FINAL RESURRECTION
Compendium 194-217 1 Corinthians 51-57
1. Communion means that God invites us to share in his inner life, the Trinity, not to seek our own interests but to put ourselves at the service of one another.
2. "Saints" include not only the canonized but also the souls in purgatory and those still alive seeking holiness.
3.Christ has given us his mother as the Mother of all saints and our most powerful advocate with him. The Rosary is a compendium of the Gospels. Mary was the first Christian and the most faithful. Mary was the only one who accompanied Jesus from his conception in her womb to his death and resurrection. Her “Magnificat” is a summary of the Old Testament and the promise of the New Testament. She is “full of grace” means she is and always was completely immersed in God and completely in his service to all. Mary is the model for every Christian. We can be like her: “the one does the will of my father is my mother ….”
4.Baptism is the first Sacrament for the forgiveness of sins.
5. Christ also established the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism. "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them and whose sins you retain are retained" John 20:23
5. The separation of our bodies from our souls at the end of this life will not last for all eternity. We are called to share in the Resurrection in Christ. Those who die in the grace of Christ will share the happiness of Heaven. Some will experience a "Purgatory" to be completely conformed to Christ. We can help the souls in purgatory with prayers, Masses, good deeds and sacrifices offered in Christ.
6. Hell is the separation from God for all eternity. Those who freely choose to remain in mortal sin condemn themselves to Hell. God wants all to be saved but respects free will.
7. We look forward to the Second Coming of Christ, although no one knows when it will be, and then Christ will be all in all. In the meantime, this must be what we live and breathe for: “that all almay be one” in spirit and truth in Jesus Christ.

18. The faithful

18. The Christian Faithful
INSTITUTED BY CHRIST, THE HIERARCHY AND THE VISIBLE STRUCTURE OF THE CHURCH ARE PART OF GOD's PLAN
Compendium 177-193 Matthew 16:18-19
1. There is a true equality among the members of the Church in their dignity as children of God.
2. The HIERARCHY of the Church includes bishops, priests and deacons.
3. Bishops and priests speak and act in the very person of Christ.
4. Deacons assist in preaching and teaching and especially in serving the poor and needy.
5. The popes are the visible foundation of the Unity of the Church down through the ages.
6. The Pope is the "Vicar of Christ" and supreme pastor of the God's people and exercises immediate, universal, and supreme power over the whole Church.
7. The college of bishops, in unity with the Pope, also exercises supreme authority over the Church.
8. Every diocese is a local manifestation of the universal Church.
9. The Magisterium, the bishops in Union with the Holy Father, and priests in union with their bishop, exercise the office of teaching, sanctifying and governing.
10. The baptized accept and live the faith in accordance with the Magisterium.
11. The Magisterium is charged with authentically interpreting God's Word in scripture and tradition and to ensure that the faith of the Apostles is handed on.
12. Even when doctrines are not infallibly proclaimed, they are to be accepted with religious submission of intellect and will, understood in the context of love.
13. Dissent from Church teachings short circuit missionary discipleship.
14. The laity, which means "people", share in the priestly, prophetic and kingly office of Christ as they build a civilization of love according to God's plan as parents and witnesses of a holy life at home and in the workplace.
15. Consecrated men and women, both lay and ordained, take vows and dedicate their lives in chastity, poverty and obedience in order to lead all members of the Church to greater holiness and dedication to Christ and his mission.
16. Every body has a structure. The structure of the human body is the skeleton but, as necessary as they are, we do not see or think about skeletons. The Church is the body of Christ, the hierarchy would be the skeleton. The laity are the flesh of the body of Christ and his Church. The laity must bring the Church to the world in every aspect: the workplace, the homes, politics and everywhere. When St. Lawrence was ordered to deliver the treasures of the church, he presented the poor, the sick, the crippled, the outcasts. They are always the true treasure of the true Church.

17. One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic

17. ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC, APOSTOLIC
The four marks of the Catholic Church are essential to understanding the Body of Christ.
Compendium 161-176 Matthew 28:19-20
1. Christ founded only one Church, and entrusted it to Peter and his successors in communion with the bishops.
2. In spite of the problems and divisions due to human frailty and sinfulness, there exists in the Church a fullness of Truth, sacramental life and communion.
3. We believe in One God, we share one faith, one sacramental life, one common hope in Jesus Christ, one apostolic succession, we are one in charity.
4.Oneness in Christ is our mission and our destiny. Ecumenism is our obligation. We must all pray and work for unity in Christ. The source of our oneness is the Trinity: one God in three divine persons.
5. The Church is first of all the body of Christ, which is all Holy. The Church provides all that we need to respond to the call to holiness. Mary and the saints show us how to participate in God's truth, goodness and  love and assist us with their prayers. Holiness is not only our goal, it must also be our way of life in the present moment in constant renewal through the sacraments.
6. The Church is Catholic because her mission is to all nations and to bring the totality of the Christian Faith. We must work and pray to bring non practicing Catholics back to church and also promote unity with non Catholic Christians by our Faith and witness. We have a special affinity to those of the Jewish faith as the first to receive the Word of God. Many non Christian faiths reflect God's truth and goodness. We must foster understanding with other religions for the common good. Non Christians can be saved if they sincerely seek God and follow their conscience. Those who know the truth of the Church and reject it imperil their salvation.
7. Christ founded the Church upon the Apostles when he "sent" them to proclaim the Good News.  The Church adheres to and hands on the teachings of the Apostles. The bishops are the successors of the Apostles in communion with the Successor of Peter. By the Sacrament of Holy Orders the mission and power of the Apostles  are transmitted to their successors, the bishops, thereby maintaining the link to the Church's Apostolic mission, faith and origins.
8. Our obligation to be One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic is a reality in the Church which we must individually give witness to in our personal and community life, to fail to give this witness is to fail at being one, holy, Catholic and apostolic. It is to fail at being the church of Christ.
9. We must be for others, live, breath, eat, sleep, think, work, rest, pray for others. Whether in person, by mail, by phone or the Internet, our communication with others must include the Trinity, all for one and one for all as Jesus taught us.

16. The Church, the body of Christ

16. THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST, IS A SIGN OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH.
Compendium 147-160 1 Corinthians 12:12-14,26-27
1. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles and Mary and the mission of the Church began in earnest.
2. Christ lives and acts in and with his church, especially through the preaching of the Word and the Sacraments.
3. "Ekklesia" are those who are called and gathered in Faith and Baptism to become children of God, members of Christ, and temples of the Holy Spirit.
4. As members of Christ we are called to live our vocation, faithfully and robustly, for the common good.
5. "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" Matthew 28:16-17
6. His Kingdom is Truth and Life, Grace and Holiness, Justice, Love and Peace.
7. The Church does not only point to the Kingdom of God, it is the Kingdom of God in seed form, teaching us to live in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
8. The Church is a universal sacrament of salvation, effectively guiding and delivering the human family out of darkness.
9. We are called to live the new commandment of love, to be the salt of the earth, and the light of the world, leading all to God's Kingdom already begun on earth.
10. The Church is the Body of Christ and we are the members of that Body.
11. The Church is the Bride of Christ and we are the children of that Bride.
12. The Church is the Temple of the Holy Spirit and we are the living stones of that Temple through Faith, Worship and Service, through the Sacraments and sharing the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
13. One cannot separate the institutional church from its spiritual source, Jesus Christ, because he himself has ordained it so, fully aware of our weakness and unworthiness: "Upon this rock I will build my church."
14. Christ has ordained that as members of his body we share his vocation as priest, prophet and King. We accomplish this through the gift of the Holy Spirit who makes us holy because Christ is the head of our communal body.
15. The Church needs constant reformation of its members.
16. The Church has God as its Origin, Christ as its Head, the dignity and freedom of all as its Hallmark, its Mission is to be salt of the earth and light to the world, it's Law is the New Commandment of Love, The kingdom of God is its Destiny already begun on earth.
17. The Church is our refuge in turbulent times because Jesus who calms the storms and controls the winds is always present in its tabernacles.

15. I believe in the Holy Spirit

15. I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Third Person of the Holy Trinity is the "Driving Force" of the Church's Life
Compendium 136-146 John 14:16-17,26
1.To be the Third Person of the Trinity does not mean to be less important. The Holy Spirit is worshiped and glorified and co-equal to the Father and son.
2. The Trinity is a splendid mystery of God's inward communion of life and love of which we are destined to share fully.
3. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate, Counselor, Comforter and The Giver of Life.
4. The Holy Spirit is "Living Water" at Baptism and "tongues of fire" at Pentecost. The Spirit descends as a Dove at Christ's baptism. He is the inspiration of the Prophets. Through the Power of the Holy Spirit Mary conceived and became the mother of Our Lord and Our Blessed Mother.
5. The Holy Spirit enables us to pray and proclaim the saving Gospel of Truth And Love, he restores divine likeness in those who are baptized, confirms his gifts at Confirmation, empowers priests to bring forth the living presence of Christ in the Eucharist, imparts forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.
6. When we open our hearts to the fruits of the Holy Spirit (charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, generosity, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity) we bring forth a rich harvest of new life and love."Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and they shall renew the face of the earth.”

14. At The Right hand Of The Father

14. AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER The risen Lord remains present to the church today as we work to build his kingdom on earth Compendium 127-135 Ephesians 1:17-23 1. The Resurrection of Jesus was not a resuscitation. His death was real and indisputable. 2. Mary Magdalene and the disciples at Emmaus as well as the Apostles were amazed, incredulous and afraid, as well as overjoyed, when he appeared to them, eat with them and they could touch him. Yet Jesus showed that he could pass through closed doors. They could fully grasp the Resurrection only with the grace of the Holy Spirit. 3.Those who Jesus brought back from the dead eventually died but when we are resurrected on the last day our bodies will die no more. 4. The Resurrection confirmed that Jesus was truly God and the truth of all he said and did. 5. We share his risen life now through the life of grace and we hope one day to share in his resurrection when our lowly bodies will be transformed in the pattern of his own glorious body. 6. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God, a place of infinite peace and joy, interceding for us and he also remains with us through the ministry and sacramental life of the Church. 7. With the first Christians we look to the heavens and pray "come Lord Jesus" as we prepare for the final judgement with "fear and trembling" and confidence in the love and mercy of Our Father. 8. No other religion or ideology can proclaim the resurrection of the body. Only Christianity is based on the indisputable foundation that our savior proved he was God by rising from the dead and proclaiming everlasting life with indescribable peace and joy for those who follow him. Those who follow him begin to live the joy of heaven on earth and give witness to its truth.

13. The Paschal Mystery

13. THE PASCHAL MYSTERY In the liturgy of Holy Week, we commemorate Christ's Passion , Death, and Resurrection. Compendium 112-116 John 13:1 1. These events are inseparable and stand at the center of our faith. 2. The Hebrew word "paschal" means both "the passing over" and "passage". 3. In the Exodus the homes of the Israelites, marked by the blood of the sacrificial lamb, were "passed over" by the Angel of Death thereby sparing them so they could make the passage from slavery to freedom. 4. "Passover" is not just an historical celebration but a living memorial. 5. This first Passover anticipates Christ's shedding his blood for us as the sacrificial lamb to free all from the slavery of sin. 6. With Baptism in Christ we pass over from sin to a new and eternal life with Christ. 7. Christ is the new Moses who definitively interprets the Law and the Prophets. 8. We cannot impute guilt for the death of Jesus on those who historically participated in bringing it about. 9. Christ died for all our sins and as Christians we bear a greater responsibility for sin. 10. But God sent his Son in expiation for our sins. 11. Jesus assumed our humanity in order that it would become the very means of our redemption. 12. The entire life of Christ was a free offering to the Father to carry out his plan of salvation. 13. He announced the Kingdom, confirmed it with miracles, took our sins upon himself, cancelled death and showed us the path to everlasting life. 14. "Do this in memory of me", Jesus not only commands the Apostles to recall but also re-enact the very same mystery of love. "As often as you eat this bread and drink this blood you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. This is the origin of the Mass and the priesthood. 15. "Obedient unto death", Jesus' agony unmasks the enormity of our sins, which we tend to trivialize. Obedience is the key to our reconciliation with God and with those we have harmed. 16. Jesus invites us to take up our daily cross of sacrifice and suffering and walk with him in joy. 17. We await with Mary, our mother, in gratitude and wonder, as the sadness of death gives way to the joy of the resurrection. 18. The stupendous message of the paschal mystery is that our God loves each us beyond all measure and with infinite tenderness. He implores us to love one another “as I have loved you” and makes this possible with the words “do this in memory of me.” Our God is not an arduous task master but rather an intimate friend and partner who invites us to an eternal banquet in celebration of that everlasting friendship. We cannot earn such an invitation. We can only accept it with the humility of a destitute beggar who is called to the table of the most magnanimous King of kings. We must rejoice and be glad and shout out the good news that our God loves us, forgives and forgets our ingratitudes, and gave his own son to save us from sin and death and desires with his whole heart that we share an eternity of infinite happiness with him. Truly there is no God like our God and no faith like our faith, no gospel like our Gospel.

12. Christ gave himself for us

12. Christ Gave Himself For Us The season of Lent invites us to repent and encounter the Kingdom of God Compendium 106-111 Mark 1: 12-15 1. Lent is a time of renewal. We ask for the grace to strengthen our prayer life, practice fasting and to mortify our senses and give generously of ourselves to those in need and to participate more deeply in Christ's sacrifice of love and the sacraments of confession and communion. 2. On Ash Wednesday we receive an invitation to repent and remember that this life is short and without God we are nothing. 3. For some, Lent is a time for preparation for entrance into the Church. 4. Mostly, Lent is about recovering our Baptismal innocence and victory over temptation. 5. We read about Christ's struggle with Satan in the desert over power, wealth and self-indulgence which reminds us of Adam and Eve's encounter with Satan and Israel's struggle in the desert. 6. The Transfiguration on Mount Tabor in the presence of Peter, John and James foretells the changing of our lowly bodies into his glorious body. 7. Moses and Elijah are there because Jesus fulfills the Law and the Prophets. 8. In the Sunday readings Jesus invites the Samaritan women at the well to repent. 9. The man born blind emphasizes our need for the light of Christ in our lives. 10. Lazarus is brought back from death. This signifies that we also will be brought back from death to eternal life. Death is no longer a permanent tragedy. 11. The prodigal son returns. God’s mercy and forgiveness is infinite and always pursuing sinners. 12. The woman trapped in adultery is freed. No sin is greater than God’s mercy. He purifies even the most grievous sins. 13. Nicodemos reaches out to Jesus in secret. God waits for us on our terms. 14. The miracles announce the Good News that Love conquers sin and Jesus has vanquished Satan. 15. Peter will confess Jesus is the Son of the Living God and yet deny him. 16.The Messiah-King enters the New Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. He will come again. 17. We sit at table with Jesus on Holy Thursday as he gives us himself as food for our journey 18. We stand with Mary and John at the foot of the cross on Good Friday and keep vigil on Holy Saturday as we await the Light of Christ. 19. We must become excited about our faith. We must admire the enthusiasm of people of other faiths who are not ashamed to profess and proclaim their faith. But we must realize that we have so much more and must unashamedly profess and proclaim our faith because the world is languishing without it. Sometimes we fall into the trap of thinking it is ecumenical to downplay our faith while applauding others. This is false ecumenism. The truth will not only set us free but also liberate others from partial truths. We can courageously proclaim Jesus with the simple sign of the cross on our forehead anytime and especially at meals and even in public without seeking attention but as a reminder and thanksgiving for all he does for us. 20. Often in the past, and even today, religion has been violently forced on people and alternately violently denied to people. This is not the will of God but rather the impatient fanaticism, ignorance and arrogance of a few. Everyone has free will and can deny and even denigrate God. God does not need us to defend him but we should use our free will to proclaim the truth that God is Love, otherwise we become complicit in denying him to the eternal peril of souls including our own.

11. Born to save us

11. Born to save us Born of the Virgin Mary, Jesus brings new life to the world Compendium 98-105 Ephesians 1:3-14 1. The eternal Son of the Father was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. This was a "new beginning" for humanity. Jesus Christ is unique and unparalleled in history, all others pale in his presence. 2. Jesus is the only Savior of the entire human race. Including those who seek God with a sincere heart even without knowing Jesus. 3. He is truly the Son of God in both his human and divine natures because he is only one Person, who is divine. No one else can make that claim. 4. He is the Son of God in his divine nature and son of Mary in his human nature. 5. Mary's pure love and spiritual motherhood are extended to all who are saved and she has an essential role in God's plan of redemption. She is the ultimate model of the Church in her purity and motherly love. Mary, spouse of the Holy Spirit and mother of Jesus, the Son of God, for this reason remained a perpetual virgin and his "brothers and sisters" were actually close relatives. We do not think of Mary as the mother of God the Father or God the Holy Spirit but only as the mother of Jesus, who is fully God and fully man, one and the same person with two inseparable natures. His human nature began at the Annunciation while his divine nature always was. Mary is not the mother of his divine nature but she is the Mother of the child she named Jesus, who is always God. That is why we can call her the mother of God. She has a unique role as the new Eve, just as Jesus is the new Adam. Jesus assumed our humanity thereby making us his brothers and therefore true children of Mary. 6. Joseph is the Patron (protector) of the Church just as he was the Patron of the Holy Family. Joseph was informed by the Angel Gabriel that the Holy Spirit was the true spouse of Mary. He understood that Mary could have no other spouse and that he would be the legal guardian of Jesus and Mary and that Mary would remain a virgin always and spouse of the Holy Spirit. 7. We can learn much by meditating on the"hidden life" of the Holy Family in its simplicity, purity and obedience. The joyful mysteries of the rosary and the flight into Egypt serve this purpose. 8. Jesus received the baptism of repentance by John the Baptist, although he was sinless, he identified with us, sanctified the waters and prefigured our baptism by the Holy Spirit and water through which we begin to participate in the eternal life Jesus won for us by his life, death and resurrection. 9. Jesus is not only the center of history, he is the one who gives it meaning and purpose and promises ultimate triumph. By becoming our brother, he not only saves us but also makes us co-heirs to his Kingdom and enables us to share the intimacy he has with the Father and the Holy Trinity.