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The Catechism of the Council of Trentor(The Catechism for Parish Priests)

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Council of TrentCatechism for Parish PriestsThe work presented here is variously known as The Catechism of the Council of Trent, the Roman Catechism,or the Catechism of Pius V.This translation used as its basis the Manutian text as reflected in the Maredsous edition of 1902, the fourthRoman edition of 1907 and the Turin edition of 1914. The purpose in the present version has been to reproducethe sense of the original as exactly as possible in clear, dignified, modern English.The translation and preface by John A. McHugh, O.P. and Charles J. Callan, O.P. (circa 1923)PREFACE. 25ORIGIN OF THE ROMAN CATECHISM . 25AUTHORITY AND EXCELLENCE OF THE ROMAN CATECHISM . 26CATECHISM OF THE COUNCIL OF TRENT FOR PARISH PRIESTS. 29INTRODUCTORY. 29The Necessity Of Religious Instruction . 29Need of an Authoritative Catholic Catechism. 29The Nature of this Work . 30The Ends of Religious Instruction. 30Knowledge Of Christ . 31Observance Of The Commandments . 31Love Of God . 31The Means Required for Religious Instruction . 31Instruction Should Be Accommodated To The Capacity Of The Hearer . 32Zeal. 32Study Of The Word Of God . 32Division of this Catechism . 32How This Work Is To Be Used . 33PART I : THE CREED. 33Faith . 33Necessity Of Faith. 33Unity Of Faith . 33The Creed . 34Division Of The Creed. 34ARTICLE I : "I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN ANDEARTH" . 34Meaning Of This Article . 34"I Believe" . 35Faith Excludes Doubt . 35Faith Excludes Curiosity. 353

Faith Requires Open Profession . 35"In God" . 36Knowledge Of God More Easily Obtained Through Faith Than Through Reason. 36Knowledge Of God Obtained Through Faith Is Clearer . 36Knowledge Of God Obtained Through Faith Is More Certain . 36Knowledge Of God Obtained Through Faith Is More Ample And Exalted. 37The Unity Of Nature In God. 37The Trinity Of Persons In God. 37"The Father" . 38God Is Called Father Because He Is Creator And Ruler . 38God Is Called Father Because He Adopts Christians Through Grace. 38The Name Father Also Discloses The Plurality Of Persons In God. 38The Doctrine Of The Trinity . 38Practical Admonitions Concerning The Mystery Of The Trinity . 39"Almighty" . 39Meaning Of The Term Almighty" . 39Why Omnipotence Alone Is Mentioned In The: Creed. 40Advantages Of Faith In God’s Omnipotence. 40Not Three Almighties But One Almighty. 41"Creator" . 41"Of Heaven and Earth" . 41Creation Of The World Of Spirits. 41Formation Of The Universe . 42Production Of Man . 42"Of all Things Visible and Invisible" . 42God Preserves, Rules And Moves All Created Things . 42Creation Is The Work Of The Three Persons. 43ARTICLE II : "AND IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD". 43Advantages Of Faith In This Article. 43Necessity Of Faith In This Article . 44"Jesus". 44"Christ". 45"His Only Son" .46"Our Lord". 46Duties Owed To Christ Our Lord . 47ARTICLE III : "WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY GHOST, BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY". 47Importance Of This Article. 48First Part of this Article: "Who was Conceived,'. 48"By the Holy Ghost" . 48In The Incarnation Some Things Were Natural, Others Supernatural . 49How To Profit By The Mystery Of The Incarnation. 49Second Part Of This Article: "Born Of The Virgin Mary" . 50The Nativity Of Christ Transcends The Order Of Nature . 50Christ Compared to Adam" Mary to Eve . 50Types and Prophecies of the Conception and Nativity . 50Lessons which this Article Teaches . 51Humility And Poverty Of Christ. 51Elevation And Dignity Of Man . 51Duty Of Spiritual Nativity . 51ARTICLE IV : "Suffered Under Pontius Pilate, Was Crucified, Dead, And Buried'" . 52Importance Of This Article. 52First Part of this Article: '"Suffered Under Pontius Pilate, was Crucified”,. 524

"Suffered," . 52"Under Pontius Pilate" . 52"Was Crucified". 53Importance Of The History Of The Passion . 53Figures And Prophecies Of The Passion And Death Of The Saviour. 53Second Part Of This Article: "Dead, And Buried". 54Christ Really Died. 54Christ Died Freely. 54The Thought Of Christ's Death Should Excite Our Love And Gratitude . 54Christ Was Really Buried . 55Circumstances Of Christ’s Burial. 55Useful Considerations on the Passion . 55The Dignity Of The Sufferer . 55Reasons Why Christ Suffered . 56Christ Was Delivered Over To Death By The Father And By Himself . 56The: Bitterness Of Christ's Passion. 56Fruits Of Christ's Passion . 57Christ’s Passion, -- A Satisfaction, A Sacrifice, A Redemption An Example . 57Admonition. 58ARTICLE V : "HE DESCENDED INTO HELL, THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THEDEAD" . 58Importance Of This Article. 58First Part of this Article: "He Descended into Hell". 58"Hell". 59Different Abodes Called Hell". 59"He Descended" . 59Why He Descended into Hell . 60To Liberate The Just . 60To Proclaim His Power. 60Second Part of this Article: "The Third Day He arose again from the Dead" . 60"He arose Again" . 61"From the Dead" . 61"The Third Day" . 61"According to the Scriptures". 62Three Useful Considerations on this Article . 62Necessity Of The Resurrection . 62Ends Of The Resurrection. 63Advantages Of The: Resurrection . 63Signs Of Spiritual Resurrection . 63ARTICLE VI : "HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, SITTETH AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THEFATHER ALMIGHTY" . 64Importance Of This Article. 64First Part of this Article: "He Ascended into Heaven". 64"Into Heaven". 64"He Ascended" . 64Second Part of this Article: "Sitteth at the Right Hand of God the Father Almighty". 65"At the Right Hand" . 65"Sitteth". 65Reflections on the Ascension: . 65Its History. 65Greatness Of This Mystery. 65Reasons Of The Ascension. 66Results Of The Ascension. 66Virtues Promoted By The Ascension. . 675

The Ascension Benefits The Church And The Individual. 67ARTICLE VII : "FROM THENCE HE SHALL COME TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD" 68Meaning Of This Article . 68"From Thence He Shall Come" . 68"To Judge the Living and the Dead". 68Two Judgments . 68Reasons For General Judgment . 69This Truth has Rightly been made an Article of the Creed . 69Circumstances of the Judgment:. 70The Judge. 70Signs Of The General Judgment. 70The Sentence Of The Just . 70The Sentence Of The Wicked . 71Importance of Instruction on this Article . 71ARTICLE VIII : "I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY GHOST" . 72Importance Of This Article. 72"Holy Ghost" . 72"I Believe in the Holy Ghost" . 73The Holy Ghost Is Equal To The Father And The Son . 73The Holy Ghost Is Distinct From The Father And The Son . 73"The Lord". 74"Life-Giver" . 74"Who Proceedeth from the Father and the Son". 74Certain Divine Works are Appropriated to the Holy Ghost. 75Creation, Government, Life . 75The Seven Gifts. 75Justifying Grace. 75ARTICLE IX : "I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH; THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS". 76The Importance Of This Article. 76First Part Of This Article : "I Believe In The Holy Catholic Church. 76"Church" . 76Mysteries Which The Word Church Comprises . 77Other Names Given The Church In Scripture . 77The Parts of the Church . 77The Members Of The Church Militant . 78Those Who Are Not Members Of The Church . 78Other Uses of the Word "Church" . 78The Marks Of The Church. 79"One'. 79Unity In Government . 79Unity In Spirit, Hope And Faith . 80"Holy". 80"Catholic" . 81Apostolic . 81Figures of the Church. 82"I Believe the Holy Catholic Church" . 82Second Part of this Article: "The Communion of Saints". 83Importance Of This Truth . 83Meaning of "The Communion of Saints" . 83Communion Of Good Works . 83Those Who Share In This Communion . 84Communion In Other Blessings. 846

ARTICLE X : "THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS". 84Importance Of This Article. 84The Church Has the Power of Forgiving Sins . 85Extent of this Power: . 85All Sins That Precede Baptism. 85All Sins Committed After Baptism . 85Limitation of this Power: . 86It Is Not Limited As To Sins, Persons, Or Time. 86It Is Limited As To Its Ministers And Exercise . 86Greatness of this Power . 86Sin Can Be Forgiven Only By The Power Of God . 86This Power Communicated To None Before Christ . 87Sin Remitted Through The Blood Of Christ. 87The Great Evil From Which Forgiveness Delivers Man . 87Exhortation: . 88This Remedy To Be Used . 88Abuse To Be Guarded Against. 88ARTICLE XI : "THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY" . 88Importance Of This Article. 88"The Resurrection of the Body" . 89The Fact of the Resurrection:. 89Examples And Proofs Derived From Scripture . 89Analogies From Nature . 89Arguments Drawn From Reason.

3 Council of Trent Catechism for Parish Priests The work presented here is variously known as The Catechism of the Council of Trent, the Roman Catechism,