Catholic Carnival 121

Catholic Carnival 121 is up at Just Another Day of Catholic Pondering.

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Music for the Soul

General Links:

1. Cantica Nova: Traditional Music for the Contemporary Church
2. Catholic Doors
3. Choral Wiki
4. DoveSong (mp3) - A lot of Gregorian Chant
5. Henry Purcell (17th century) - Thou Knowest Lord the Secrets of our Hearts
6. Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest - Chants for each week in the Church's Liturgical Year for the Traditional Latin Mass
   
7. MusicaSacra
8. Princeton Gregorian Chant Page
9. Sacred Heart Choir - Great, Up-to-date collection of music for Mass
   
10. Sontius Sanctus - Large collection of mp3 downloads including numerous Latin hymns
11. St. John Cantius Parish - This Chicago parish of the Society of St. John Cantius has world renown music.
    

For Particular Occasions:

Christmas:

1. Candlemas Sequence
2. Christmas Carols - Includes In dulci jubilo, Once in Royal David's City, and Hark the Herald Angels Sing
3. Christmas Day Chants 
4. O Antiphons
   

Requiem:

1. Dies Irae
2. Requiem in Honor for the Requiem of His Royal Highness, King Louis XVI
3. In Paradisium
   

Marian:

1. Regina Coeli

St. Peter/Pope:

1. Tu es Petrus - St. Peter's Choir of Nottingham singing Tu es Petrus by Palestrina
2. Introit for Sts. Peter and Paul

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The Beauty of Tradition

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Memorial Day

On Memorial Day (USA), let us remember to pray not only for the safety of those serving our country but also for their salvation. May holy, traditional priests be sent out to give them the Sacraments of Salvation.

Please see here for a Memorial Day Prayer.

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Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To

Today I have finally completed Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To by Anthony DeStefano, the author of A Travel Guide to Heaven. Honestly, I was initially apprehensive about reading this book because I thought it would be another book by a Protestant televangelist trying to tell everyone "Jesus is Lord. Believe and be saved for all your prayers to be answered." Thankfully, the book Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To is nothing like that.

Each chapter focuses on a separate prayer that God always says "yes" to. Importantly, the author also states that prayer is not magic - God will answer these prayers only if they come from the heart. The prayers covered a wide-range of topics from money and suffering to our destiny.

The Ten Prayers:

1) God, show me that you exist
2) God, make me an instrument
3) God, outdue me in generosity
4) God, get me through this suffering
5) God, forgive me
6) God, give me peace
7) God, give me courage
8) God, give me wisdom
9) God, bring good out of this bad situation
10) God, lead me to my destiny

In the book, Anthony DeStefano writes in a very simple, understandable manner and utilizes anecdotes and real-life examples. As someone that prefers theologically and philosophically complicated books, I actually found the book too simple at times. However, this book is certainly written perfectly for the average person seeking to reach God through prayer when it seems that hundreds of other prayers have gone unanswered. In addition, DeStafano incorporates hundreds of scriptural footnotes for those readers seeking to further find God through the words of Holy Scripture. One thing I also enjoyed about the book was DeStafano not only refers to Jesus as the Son of God but also as the second person of the Trinity. Such references help dispel the heresy that Jesus Christ is not divine.

Below is a short summary of a few of the prayers. Read the entire book for much more information on each of the prayers. This book is published by Double Day Publishing.

Peace:

DeStafano cites one of the most common references to peace in the Bible. From Jesus Christ: "My peace I give to you" (John 14:27). One of my favorite parts of the book is the profound image of the Resurrection. Jesus Christ, the second person of the Blessed Trinity, took flesh to die. He suffered unimaginable pains and tortures before being condemned to death. And when Our Lord rose again in glorious splendor, He took a moment of time to roll up the burial clothes and pleace them neatly on the side. DeStafano's incorporation of this image of our peaceful Lord after His brutal Crucifixion is incredibly profound when the reader understands the pains Our Lord previously endured.

As stated by the author on page 100, "Deliberate sin, by definition excludes peace." We must seek peace only through seeking to live in union with God without sin. This prayer is not necessarily instant like some of the other ones mentioned previously because the response from God depends the state of our souls. Changing our lives into one that is peace-filled can often involve an unpeaceful journey. However, as Christ said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled." As the author brillantly states, "Definition of true peace is union with God" (108).

Courage:

Courage is not just used to combat our fears. As defined on page 117, "Courage is the cornerstone and linchpin of the entire moral order." Statements like "Fear not" or "Do not be afraid" appear 144 times in Sacred Scripture. A couragous person is a person willing to sacrifice himself for something greater.

Wisdom:

Wisdom, one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, is the ability to see the world from God's perspective. God is even identified with wisdom in Proverbs 2:6, 8:12. Another profound statement by DeStafano was when he writes, "When you ask God for wisdom, you are essentially asking him to give you the gift of Himself." But, the author also appropriately discusses that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Note: Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To has an Imprimatur from Bishop John Yanta of Amarillo, Texas

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Graduation

Today I will attend my graduation and give the Valedictory Address. I ask for your prayers for a successful speech and a successful graduation ceremony.

Thank you

Update: Thank you! The speech was wonderful and I feel extremely honored. I will spend the rest of today with my family and friends.

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History and Graces received from Altar Serving

For hundreds of years, the usage of altar servers has brought about countless priestly vocations. In the words of the Archbishop of Westminster, Bernard Cardinal Griffen, "To serve at the altar, as to sing in the choir, is next to the priesthood the highest privilege which a human can enjoy. He represents the faithful and takes a most intimate part in the rich treasures of the church's liturgy and ceremonial. Those sacred ceremonies should be carried out with devotion, dignity, and attention to detail."

History:

An altar server is a lay assistant to the priest during the Mass or to other members of the clergy in other religious functions including Benediction and Eucharistic Adoration. An altar server is not to be confused with an acolyte. Before the Second Vatican Council, the acolyte was the highest of the minor orders, having duties including the lighting of the altar candles, carrying the candles in procession, assisting the subdeacon and deacon, and the ministering of water and wine to the priest at Mass. Acolytes wore either the alb or the surplice over a cassock. The order of acolyte was conferred on a seminarian at a minor ordination.

After the changes to the minor orders in 1972, the acolyte survived but became one of two lay ministries (along with that of lector) instead of an order. Today, Traditional Catholic orders such as the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, Society of St. Pius X, Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, and others preserve the traditional orders, including the acolyte. Therefore, the acolyte is not to be confused with the altar server even though the altar server can do the already mentioned duties of the acolyte.

In the post-Vatican II Church, an acolyte has all the responsibilities of an altar server except a few additional ones. The acolyte is also a permanent extraordinary minister of Holy Communion and can also be entrusted with celebrating the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. He is also the only lay minister who can do the purification of the vessels at Mass. Furthermore, an acolyte is given a priority to lead blessing ceremonies (Book of Blessings, Introduction, n. 18). In the absence of both a priest and deacon, the acolyte has priority to lead Sunday Celebrations (Directions for Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest, 1988, n. 30). Of course, these are modern novelties and not something that is in accord with Catholic Tradition.

Traditionally, the role of altar server has always been reserved to males and rightfully so. By having males serve at the altar, a young man is better able to discern the priesthood since he is involved with the Liturgy. Personally, I support the return of an all-male group of altar servers for the entire Catholic Church. Some parishes are even returning to the practice of all-male altar servers. Historically, the role of altar server has always been reserved to males. In the Encyclical Allatae Sunt on July, 26, 1755, Pope Benedict XIV stated in paragraph 29:

Pope Gelasius in his ninth letter (chap. 26) to the bishops of Lucania condemned the evil practice which had been introduced of women serving the priest at the celebration of Mass. Since this abuse had spread to the Greeks, Innocent IV strictly forbade it in his letter to the bishop of Tusculum: "Women should not dare to serve at the altar; they should be altogether refused this ministry." We too have forbidden this practice in the same words in Our oft-repeated constitution Etsi Pastoralis, sect. 6, no. 21."

In 1970 the Vatican condemned female altar serving in Liturgicae instaurationes as well as in 1980's Inaestimabile donum. Not until a circular letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments to presidents of episcopal conferences on March 15, 1994, did the Vatican officially allow female altar serving.

Graces:

To serve at the altar as an altar server is one of the greatest sources of grace. The altar server assists the priest at the Sacred Liturgy; he is privileged to walk into the sanctuary. Remember, the Mass is the Sacrifice of Calvary. It is not a memorial but rather the Mass truly is the Sacrifice of Calvary. For that reason, all altar servers must display the utmost respect and reverence. For example, each and every single time that the server walks past the Tabernacle, he is to genuflect on his right knee to our Lord who is truly present in the Eucharist.

All altar servers must listen attentively during the Mass and should remain in a state of prayer with their hands in a prayer position. Talking amongst each other is absolutely forbidden. Likewise, all altar servers should wear proper shoes and never flip-flops, sandals, boots, or gym shoes. An altar server must also learn the proper name of all of the items used during the Liturgy.

Altar Servers must ensure that no particle of Our Lord's Body or Blood falls to the ground. With the use of the paten, altar servers perform an extremely important sacred ministry. They must ensure that no particle of the Eucharist is desecrated accidentally at any portion during the Mass. Furthermore, altar servers must know the basic prayers of the Mass at least in the vernacular and perhaps some of them in Latin. The altar server must have a basic understanding of the Catholic Faith and understand the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Traditionally, laypeople including altar servers were also forbidden to touch the sacred vessels including the Chalice. If they had to touch the paten they would hold it with a purificator. Likewise, they were only to carry the Chalice by touching the chalice veil covering it. Today's servers should do likewise.

To all altar servers, please take these suggestions to heart. I strongly suggest you read the words expressed in the article Advice for Altar Servers. Remember, as an altar server, you stand next to the priest who stands at the Cross of Calvary. At the Consecration, you stand near the altar on which the Bread and Wine become Jesus Christ. You should humble yourself and bow your head before the power of God. You are assisting at the Holy of Holies. Display reverence and worship Our God. Undoubtedly, altar servers receive countless blessings from Almighty God from serving devoutly at Mass. Even attending Holy Mass is the source of numerous graces. It is certainly more grace-filled for altar servers.

Prayer before Serving:

Heavenly Father, we ask your blessing upon us, that we may serve at your altar with reverence, attention, and love, in order to draw others to do the same. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Vesting Prayers:

For the Cassock:

Dominus, pars hereditatis meae et calicis mei, tu es qui restitues hereditatem meam.

O Lord, the portion of my inheritance and my chalice, You are He who will restore my inheritance.

For the Surplice:

Indue me, Domine, novum hominem, qui secundum Deum creatus est in iustitia et sanctitate veritatis. Amen.

Invest me, O Lord, as a new man, who was created by God in justice and the holiness of truth. Amen.

Additional Information:

Advice for Altar Servers
Handbook for Servers by the Archconfraternity of Saint Stephen
How to Serve: In Simple, Solemn and Pontifical Functions by Dom Matthew Britt OSB
How to Serve Low Mass & Benediction Paperback by Rev. William A O'Brien

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Pray for the Repose of the Soul of Nicholas Colaianni and Kathy

Please say a prayer for the repose of the soul of the grandfather of the blogger at Faith and Country, whose name was Nicholas Colaianni. He died at 2:30 PM on May 24, 2007.

Please also pray for the repose of the soul of Kathy.

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescat in pace. Amen.

Image Source: Photo of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, Believed to be in the Public Domain

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Summer Session for Young Adults: Brothers of St. John

I'm passing this on to any readers that may be interested in attending the retreat with the Brothers of St. John. If you know someone that may be interested in the retreat, please pass this message on to them.

Dear young person ages 19-30,

The time is drawing nearer for the Summer Session with the Brothers of St. John. We know that many of you are interested in coming! Great! Please spread the word by forwarding this e-mail, and please let me know BEFORE MAY 28TH if you can come, or are thinking about coming, even if you are not sure!

The Summer Session will begin with having the participants arrive at 2 p.m. on June 6th. It is comprised of four elements: the hiking/camping trip; the Philosophy Session; the Theology Session; and the Silent Retreat. Participants may participate in any of the above activities, or two of them, or three of them. We simply need to know in advance in order to organize our guesthouse.

The hiking trip will be fun but also a good work out! I have not yet scouted out the course, but it should pulse through the beautfiul hills of Wisconsin. We will be sleeping in tents and sleeping bags in parks along the way. (We can supply them for those who cannot bring them by plane. If you can bring them with you, though, all the better!) Please bring boots, rain gear, sunscreen, hats, water bottles (large), a Rosary, and any other camping gear you think of. Please let me know if you can bring anything which we all can use -- I am thinking especially of things for cooking. We will leave Wednesday afternoon to drive to our destination and set up camp. From there, we will start our hike on Thursday morning, and hike all day Thursday and Friday and most of the day Saturday. The hike will be a good work out! Be ready for it! We will have Mass, Adoration, and the Offices every day. The rest of the day will be spent in "God's Cathedral" of nature! Sounds like Heaven!

After we return to Princeville Saturday night, we will have the chance to rest all day Sunday, celebrating the Feast of Corpus Christi with the Brothers and Sisters in Princveille.

Sunday night begins the Philosophy Session, taught by Brother Nathan. We hope to have three Philosophy Classes per day on the theme of art and contemplation, with a conference a little more spiritual in nature in the evenings after dinner. The rest of the day will be structured by the prayer of the Offices and Mass with the Brothers, and a variety of things in the afternoons, varying from free-time to fun activities (like sports, walks, art and culture, etc) to work projects with the Brothers and Sisters. At night, we will have campfires, music, and time to relax together. We also hope to invite local artists and musicians to come for a few evenings per week to share their art with us. These evenings will be open to the young adults in the area to come and join us. The session will run through Friday night.

Saturday, the 16th, we will have a hike together in the woods nearby, and spend a day of recreation.

Sunday, the 17th will be celebrated with the Community of the Brothers and Sisters, in the calm repose of the Day of the Lord. On the evening of the 17th, will begin the Theology Session.

This Theology session, taught by Father Joseph Mary, will mirror the Philosophy Session in schedule, and will be based a lot on the Summa of St. Thomas Aquinas. (If you have a copy, please bring it, along with your Bible.) There will also be certain evenings for an "evening program" just as there will be during the week of Philosophy.

After another exhilarating weekend of hiking and rest, on the evening of Sunday, June 24th, a retreat will begin: a silent retreat on the Gospel of St. John. The retreat will be preached by Father Antoine Thomas (and perhaps another Brother), and will include three meditations per day on the Christian life flowing from the Gospel of St. John. Free time for personal prayer and study, time for solitary Eucharistic adoration every afternoon, spiritual direction and confession, and the liturgical prayer of the Brothers and Sisters will provide the perfect opportunity to go "into the deep waters" of John's contemplation of Christ Crucified and Glorified. The retreat will close on Sunday, July 1st, after lunch. The retreat will be entirely in silence, to afford each of the participants the opportunity to discover the unique choice and bond of love between their hearts and the hearts of Jesus and Mary.

The cost for the whole session is only $350! If you would like to come to any one of the parts, the price is $150 for each of the three main parts: the hike, one or both of the two-week sessions, and the retreat. Obviously, we are offering our services to you freely, out of love for Christ. If you can offer a larger donation, it would be appreciated, since we live on gifts. However, if this price is already too much for you, please just let me know and we can work something out!

All in all, this summer is going to be great! Please spread the word about this session, and bring your friends! We are happy to serve you, and I stand ready to answer any questions you may have.

May Mary draw the young people here who will most benefit from it.

"Let the one who thirsts come forward, and the one who wants it receive the gift of life-giving water!" (Revelation 21).

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Saints, Saints, and More Saints: Oregon State University

Below is an email that I have received and wish to pass on to my readers.

I'm emailing a number of prominent Catholic bloggers, and have included your address in the BCC of this email, to inform you of a project that took place at Oregon State University. This university has a strong liberal presence. You might remember that The Insurgent student newspaper at the U of O (in Eugene, 40 minutes away) printed pornographic drawing of Jesus Christ about a year ago. This was lauded by some here at OSU. The university has a very strong gay presence (with pride week, featuring "lube olympics" and other vile events). Despite the secularism and liberalism, the Catholic students here are pretty cool.

Well, some friends of mine got the idea to "Saint bomb" campus. Using chalk, hundreds of Catholic Saint names were written all over campus last week. This was done during perhaps the busiest week of spring term. Many events took place this week on the Quad. The Genocide Awareness Project came to the quad, drawing a large number of people. The "Snow in the Quad" (put on by the Protestant apparel designer CIVIL) came to set up the next day. The Relay for Life event happened at night on the quad, which meant hundreds of students were walking by Saint names nonstop all night long. We also used chalk to advertise Mass times. Lots of exposure for the Church!

Here are two videos documenting this event:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yaAM5IpLqU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amsW6p13ofE

The Newman Center had a booth set up inside the Memorial Union building with a "Find your Saint" computer set up. Some non-Catholics came by to find their Saints. Other Catholics who haven't been to Church for a while saw their confirmation Saint name on the ground. Other Catholics got a lot of joy to see the names and to see Christ's presence in a tangible form on campus. And some others were annoyed at the audacity of these students.

We are trying to get more exposure to this project, so if you'd like to link to this video, please do! We'd like to see others get this idea, and maybe do it at their campus, to remind wayward Catholics of their roots and to show a strong presence of Faith! The response we've gotten from people around the community has been amazing, and the priests loved it!

One more thing to note... we got permission from the Memorial Union (the student union on campus) as well as the Church before doing this.

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Religious Communities that Accept Online Prayer Requests

Over the past few years, I have been contacted by countless numbers of people, many of whom have asked for prayers. Here is a list of religious communities to which you can send your prayer intentions.

For a separate list of religious orders accepting online Mass stipends, please click here.

Online Religious Communities that Accept Prayer Requests

• Benedictine Monks, Enfield, CT
• Benedictine Monks, Monastery of Christ in the Desert
• Benedictine Nuns, Abbey of St. Walburga
• Carmelite Monastery, Wolverhampton
• Carmelite Sisters in Malaysia
• Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles
• Carmelite Sisters of St. Therese of the Infant Jesus
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Terre Haute, IN
• Dominican Nuns, Summit, NJ
• Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration
• Friends of Campos, Brazil
• Marian Sisters
• Marmion Abbey
• Mary Immaculate Queen (CMRI)
• Monastery of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
• Our Lady of Mercy Lay Carmelites
• Passionist Nuns, St. Joseph Monastery
• Poor Clare Monastery, Bothwell, Scotland
• Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration - Our Lady of Solitude Monastery
• Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration - Our Lady of the Angels Monastery
• Servants of the Holy Family
• Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration
• Society of St. Pius X
• Trappist Monks, Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Conyers, GA

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Bishop Appointment: Prendergast

The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Terrence Thomas Prendergast S.J. of Halifax, Canada, as metropolitan archbishop of Ottawa (area 5,818, population 859,000, Catholics 410,635, priests 239, permanent deacons 67, religious 867), Canada. He succeeds Archbishop Marcel Andre J. Gervais, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

I do not know how Traditional Archbishop Prendergast is. Does anyone know anything about Archbishop Prendergast?

Photo Source: Archdiocese of Toronto

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Traditional Catholic Youth in France

The New Liturgical Movement offers this stunning photograph and several other ones of Traditional Catholic youth in France.

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Updates with Amnesty International

It appears that Amnesty International may have adopted an overall pro-abortion stance. For this and other updates see my main post: Amnesty International and Abortion.

Below is an email that I found on the blog Kyrie Eleison. It is certainly time for us to sever our membership with Amnesty International.

To: All those who signed the petition asking Amnesty International not to take a stand on decriminalizing abortion and pushing governments to allow access in certain circumstances.

From: Rachel MacNair, Vice-President, Consistent Life

The petition was hand-delivered to the hands of each member of the Board of Directors of the U. S. chapter of Amnesty International on March 23, 2007.

I am sorry to report that AI has indeed decided to take this step. You can get more information at http://www.consistent-life.org/ai.html and a good editorial on this at http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/?p=719.

The decision was made despite polling of members in the UK that went against it, despite a vote of US members the results of which were never reported, and included explicit censorship of someone wishing to leaflet at the U.S. national conference. Those of us AI supporters who are heartsick about this no longer have a voice, inasmuch as it can be said we ever did.

We encourage all US members of AI to telephone them at (212) 807-8400 and ask for the membership department. We have been told that they are keeping track of what this abortion policy decision does to their membership; they anticipate that losses may be offset by gains, so knowing of losses is important.

We also suggest the following organizations for those who wish to re-direct their human-rights donation budget:

Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International (TASSC)
4121 Harewood Road NE ~ Suite B
Washington, DC 20017
Phone: (202) 529-2991
www.tassc.org
info@tassc.org

National Religious Campaign Against Torture
c/o CCTPP
4500 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20016
Phone: (202) 885-8648
www.nrcat.org
campaign@nrcat.org

Human Rights First
333 Seventh Avenue, 13th Floor
New York, NY 10001-5108
Phone: (212) 845 5200
www.humanrightsfirst.org/
feedback@humanrightsfirst.org

Friends Committee on National Legislation (Issues of Torture and Civil Liberties)
245 Second St., NE
Washington DC 20002-5795

It would be good to include a note to let these groups know that they are getting funds re-directed from AI and why, to make it less likely that they will move in a pro-abortion direction in the future.

Student groups who no longer wish to affiliate with AI but would like to continue their good work might consider setting themselves up as independent organizations, and using informational research from AI along with other human rights groups in order to continue acting and educating on these important issues.

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LibraryThing

I must thank DilexitPrior from Letters From a Young Catholic for directing me to LibraryThing. Using the ISBN, title, author, etc you can catalogue all of your books rather quickly! This is a great website! I am spending my free time this evening by cataloging all of mine.

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St. Paul of the Cross on Anger

"When you feel the assaults of passion and anger, then is the time to be silent as Jesus was silent in the midst of His ignominies and sufferings" (St. Paul of the Cross)

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Advice for Future Articles

 This post will be linked to from the article Suggestions/Comments, which is listed in the sidebar. I started this post in order to create a list of possible future articles on this blog. I don't have time to write some articles immediately due to time constraints, but I want to create a list of suggestions. Just leave your suggestions in the comment box, and I will add them to the list. When the article has been written, I will link to it from this post.

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Address of Cardinal Hoyos to CELAM

As most Catholics should know, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, recently visited Brazil and offered Holy Mass for the start of the 5th general Conference of Latin American and Caribbean bishops (CELAM). At the CELAM on May 16, 2007, Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos, President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei gave the following address. Dear and Venerable Brothers, I allow myself to present a brief information on the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei and on the state of the pastoral reality which the Holy Father has placed under its competence. This Commission was created by the Servant of God John Paul II in 1988, when a notable group of priests, religious, and faithful, who had made manifest their discontent with the Conciliar liturgical reform and who had congregated themselves under the leadership of French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, separated themselves from him because they were not in agreement with the schismatic action of the ordination of Bishops without the appropriate pontifical mandate. They preferred, therefore, to stay in full union with the Church. The Holy Father, by way of the Motu Proprio Ecclesia Dei Adflicta, entrusted the pastoral care of these Traditionalist faithful to this Commission. Nowadays, the activity of the Commission is not limited to the service of those faithful who, at that time, wished to remain in full communion with the Church, nor to the efforts made to put an end to the painful schismatic situation and to attain the return of these brothers of the Saint Pius X fraternity to full communion. By the will of the Holy Father, this Dicastery extends its service, moreover, to satisfy the just aspirations of those who, due to a particular sensibility, and not having kept links to the above-mentioned groups, wish to keep alive the ancient Latin Liturgy in the celebration of the Eucharist and of the other Sacraments. Undoubtedly, the most important effort, which concerns the entire Church, is the search for an end to the schismatic action and to rebuild the full communion, without ambiguities. The Holy Father, who was for some years a member of this Commission, wishes it to become an organ of the Holy See with the proper and distinct end of preserving and maintaining the worth of the Traditional Latin Liturgy. Yet it must be said with all clarity that it is not a turning back, a return to the time before the 1970 reform. It is, instead, a generous offer of the Vicar of Christ who, as an expression of his pastoral will, wishes to put at the disposal of the whole Church all the treasures of the Latin Liturgy which for centuries has nourished the spiritual life of so many generations of Catholic faithful.The Holy Father wishes to preserve the immense spiritual, cultural, and aesthetic treasures linked to the Ancient Liturgy. The retrieval of this wealth is linked to the no less precious one of the current Liturgy of the Church. For these reasons, the Holy Father has the intention of extending to the entire Latin Church the possibility of celebrating Holy Mass and the Sacraments according to the liturgical books promulgated by John XXIII in 1962. There is today a new and renewed interest for this liturgy, which has never been abolished and which, as we have said, is considered a treasure, and also for this reason [the interest] the Holy Father believes that the time has come to ease, as the first Cardinalatial Commission of 1986 had wished to do, the access to this liturgy, making it an extraordinary form of the one Roman Rite. There are good experiences of communities of religious or apostolic life recently erected by the Holy See which celebrate this liturgy in peace and serenity. Groups of faithful who attend these celebrations with joy and gratitude assemble around them. The most recent establishments are the Institute of Saint Philip Neri, in Berlin, which functions as an Oratory, and which is also present, and well received, in the Diocese of Trier; the Institute of the Good Shepherd, of Bordeaux, which gathers together priests, seminarians, and faithful, some of them from the Fraternity of Saint Pius X. The proceedings for the recognition of a contemplative community, the Oasis of Jesus Priest, of Barcelona, are well advanced. In Latin America, as is well known, we must thank the Lord for the return of a whole diocese, that of Campos, Lefebvrian in the past, which now, after five years, presents good fruits. It was a peaceful return and the faithful who have enrolled themselves in the Apostolic Administration are glad to be able to live in peace in their parochial communities; furthermore, in effect, some Brazilian dioceses have made contacts with the Campos Apostolic Administration, which has placed priests at their disposal for the pastoral care of the Traditionalist faithful in their local churches. The Holy Father's project has been partly proved in Campos, where the peaceful cohabitation of the forms of the only Roman Rite in the Church is a beautiful reality. We have the hope that this model will yield good fruits, also in other places of the Church where Catholic faithful with diverse liturgical sensibilities live together. And we hope, furthermore, that this way of living together will also attract those Traditionalists which still remain far away. The current members of the Commission are Cardinals Julián Herranz, Jean-Pierre Ricard, William Joseph Levada, Antonio Cañizares, and Franc Rodé. Its consultants are the Undersecretaries of some Dicasteries. Several communities spread throughout the world have been up to now under Ecclesia Dei. 300 priests, 79 religious men, 300 religious women, 200 seminarians, and several hundreds of thousands of faithful. The interest of the young curiously increases in France, the United States, Brazil, Italy, Scandinavia, Australia, and China. At the moment of its return, 50 priests, around 50 seminarians, 100 religious women, and 25,000 faithful came from Campos. Today, the group of the Lefebvrians includes 4 Bishops who were ordained by Mons. Lefebvre, 500 priests, and 600,000 faithful. Several contemplative monasteries, and some male and female religious groups have joined the group, which has parishes (they call them priories), seminaries, and associations. They are present in 26 countries. Let us ask the Lord that this project of the Holy Father may soon be accomplished for the unity of the Church. Translation from the blog of Rorate Caeli.

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Blogging Break

I will not be posting much this week. I have finally reached a new point in my life. Next week I will graduate from my current school, and I am honored to be the Valedictorian. Therefore, I will be giving the Valedictory Address and I am spending time writing it. Tuesday through Thursday I am also on a spiritual retreat and will not have access to the Internet. I am excited as the date for starting seminary is slowly advancing.

Consequently, I will not be able to blog very frequently during this week. I'm sure that you, my readers, understand. Thanks.

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Catholic Exam Answers

Last year in January 2006 I wrote a post entitled Catholic Exam. After keeping notes from the RCIA class that I attended years ago, I decided to write up a review of the class with a 130-question quiz.

Catholic Exam Answers:

1. Who are the three persons of the Most Holy Trinity?

A.) The Father

B.) The Son

C.) The Holy Spirit

2. What languages was the Old Testament written in?

The Old Testament was written primarily in Hebrew, with portions in Aramaic and some deuterocanonical books or portions in Greek.

3. What language was the New Testament written in?

The New Testament has come down to us principally in Koine Greek. According to the ancient tradition of the Church, however, St. Matthew first composed his Gospel in the language of the Hebrews, generally understood as Hebrew or Aramaic, before the Greek form was produced.

4. Name the 12 fruits of the Holy Ghost.

A.) Charity 

B.) Joy 

C.) Peace 

D.) Patience 

E.) Benignity 

F.) Goodness

G.) Longanimity

H.) Mildness

I.) Faith

J.) Modesty

K.) Continency

L.) Chastity

5. Name the seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost.

A.) Wisdom 

B.) Understanding 

C.) Counsel 

D.) Fortitude

E.) Knowledge

F.) Piety

G.) Fear of the Lord

6. What is the difference between Mortal and Venial sin?

For a sin to be mortal, there must be grave matter, full knowledge, and full consent of the will. Venial sin involves lesser matter, or lacks full knowledge or full consent in grave matter. Venial sin wounds our friendship with God but does not destroy sanctifying grace in the soul.

7. Recite the Our Father.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

8. Recite the Hail Mary.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

9. What are Christ's two natures?

A.) Human

B.) Divine

These two natures are united without confusion in the one Divine Person of Jesus Christ.

10. What is Original Sin?

Original Sin is the deprivation of original holiness and sanctifying grace inherited by all descendants of Adam as a consequence of his first sin. It is contracted, not personally committed by us; it is a state in which we are born, rather than a personal sinful act of our own.

11. How can it be washed away?

Baptism

12. In the Old Testament, name events that symbolized Baptism and the freeing of God's people.

Moses leading the children of Israel through the Red Sea is a type of Baptism and deliverance from slavery to sin. Noah and his family being saved through the waters of the Great Flood is another type of Baptism.

13. Name the Precepts of the Church.

1.) To hear Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.

2.) To fast and abstain on the days appointed.

3.) To confess our sins at least once a year.

4.) To receive Holy Communion during Easter time.

5.) To contribute to the support of the Church according to our means.

6.) To observe the Church's laws concerning marriage.

14. What is the name given to the first 5 books of the Old Testament?

The Pentateuch

15. How did St. Paul convert to the Faith?

Saul fiercely persecuted the Christians, believing that he was defending the true religion. On the road to Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly shone around him and he heard the voice of Jesus Christ: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?" Our Lord told him to enter Damascus, where he would be told what to do. Saul was blind for three days and neither ate nor drank. The Lord then sent a disciple named Ananias, through whom Saul recovered his sight and was baptized. Saul, who became the great Apostle St. Paul, then began preaching Jesus Christ.

16. Who were Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

They were the great Patriarchs of the Old Testament, from whom the people of Israel descended and through whom God's covenant promises were handed on.

17. Who was Joseph in the Book of Genesis?

Joseph was a son of Jacob. His jealous brothers sold him to merchants who took him into Egypt, where he was sold into slavery. Through God's Providence, Joseph eventually rose to great authority in Egypt and later saved his family during a famine.

18. What is the difference between the Ascension and the Assumption?

Ascension - Our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven, body and soul, by His own divine power, forty days after His Resurrection.

Assumption - The Blessed Virgin Mary, at the completion of her earthly life, was taken body and soul into Heaven by the power of God.

19. On what day after His death did Christ rise?

Christ rose on the third day after His death. In the Jewish manner of inclusive counting, even part of a day was counted as a day: Good Friday was the first day, Holy Saturday the second, and Easter Sunday the third.

20. How many days after the Resurrection did Christ ascend into Heaven?

40 days

21. How many days after the Ascension did the Holy Ghost descend upon the Apostles?

10 days

22. What is this day called?

Pentecost

23. In Genesis there were two special trees in the Garden of Eden. Name and describe both.

The Tree of Life - Its fruit was associated with continued bodily life.

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil - The tree from which God forbade Adam and Eve to eat; their disobedience constituted the Fall.

24. How many books are in the Protestant Old Testament? How many additional books are in the Catholic Old Testament?

The Protestant Old Testament contains 39 books. The Catholic Old Testament contains 46 books: seven additional books, along with additional portions of Esther and Daniel.

25. What city was Christ born in?

Bethlehem

26. In what city did He die?

Jerusalem

27. What does the name Peter mean?

Peter means "rock." Our Lord gave Simon the Aramaic name Kepha (Cephas), meaning rock; the corresponding Greek name is Petros.

28. To what country did St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary take the Infant Jesus to escape King Herod?

Egypt

29. In what city in Galilee did Jesus live for most of His earthly life?

Nazareth

30. Name the seven Sacraments.

1.) Baptism

2.) Confirmation

3.) Holy Eucharist

4.) Penance (Confession)

5.) Extreme Unction

6.) Holy Orders

7.) Matrimony

31. What is Palm Sunday?

Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week and commemorates Our Lord's triumphant entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, when the people spread branches before Him and acclaimed Him as King.

32. What is Good Friday?

Good Friday commemorates the Passion, trial before Pontius Pilate, Crucifixion, Death, and Burial of Our Lord Jesus Christ. It is one of the Church's most solemn days of mourning and penance and traditionally a day of fasting and abstinence.

33. What is the name of the hill where Christ was crucified?

Calvary, also called Golgotha, outside Jerusalem.

34. In what town did Jesus Christ perform His first public miracle?

Cana of Galilee, where He changed water into wine at the wedding feast.

35. From what building did Christ drive out the moneychangers?

The Temple

36. From what mount did Christ ascend into Heaven?

The Mount of Olives (Mount Olivet).

37. What was the name of the river in which Jesus Christ was baptized?

The Jordan River

38. Who baptized Jesus Christ?

St. John the Baptist

39. What is the purpose of a Guardian Angel?

Our Guardian Angel is appointed by God to guard, guide, and assist us, especially in attaining our eternal salvation, and to protect us spiritually and, according to God's Providence, bodily as well.

40. Can someone become an angel after death? Can a human soul become a saint?

A.) No. Angels and human beings are distinct kinds of creatures.

B.) Yes. Every human soul admitted to Heaven is, in the broad sense, a saint.

41. What are angels?

Angels are pure spirits created by God, endowed with intellect and will. They serve God as His ministers and messengers.

42. What are devils?

Devils are fallen angels who rebelled against God and seek to lead souls away from Him and into sin and eternal perdition.

43. What does it mean when the body of a deceased person is called incorrupt?

An incorrupt body is one that remains preserved from the ordinary process of decomposition without an adequate natural or artificial explanation.

44. Was Jesus Christ forced to die?

No. Our Lord freely offered His life for our salvation. "No man taketh it away from Me: but I lay it down of Myself" (John 10:18).

45. Did Christ have to die for our salvation?

Not by absolute necessity, since Almighty God could have redeemed mankind in another manner. Nevertheless, God freely chose the Passion and Death of Christ as the supremely fitting means of our redemption; given that divine plan, Christ's Passion and Death were necessary for its fulfillment.

46. Who delivered Christ to the Romans?

The chief priests and Jewish authorities brought Jesus before Pontius Pilate and delivered Him to the Roman governor.

47. The chief priests declared to Pontius Pilate, "We have no king but __________."

Caesar.

48. What 3 gifts did the 3 wise men bring?

A.) Gold

B.) Frankincense

C.) Myrrh

49. What feast is celebrated on January 6 and commemorates the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, represented by the coming of the Wise Men?

The Epiphany of Our Lord

50. Who is the greatest of all the saints?

The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Queen of All Saints.

51. Name one of the most widely loved saints of modern times.

St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, commonly called "the Little Flower."

52. What is a prayer or devotion traditionally made over nine successive days called?

A novena

53. On what day did Christ die?

Good Friday

54. On what day did Christ rise from the dead?

Easter Sunday

55. Name the seven Capital Sins.

1.) Pride

2.) Covetousness (Avarice)

3.) Lust

4.) Anger

5.) Gluttony

6.) Envy

7.) Sloth

56. Name the Ten Commandments.

1.) I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods before Me.

2.) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

3.) Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day.

4.) Honor thy father and thy mother.

5.) Thou shalt not kill.

6.) Thou shalt not commit adultery.

7.) Thou shalt not steal.

8.) Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

9.) Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.

10.) Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.

57. To whom did God give the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai?

Moses

58. What sea did God divide through Moses so that the Israelites could pass through?

The Red Sea

59. True or False: St. Peter walked on water?

True

60. How could St. Peter walk on water?

At Christ's command and by His power. When Peter's faith faltered and he became afraid, he began to sink until Our Lord saved him.

61. True or False: St. Paul was one of the original Twelve Apostles?

False. St. Paul was called later by Christ and became the great Apostle to the Gentiles.

62. Name the Twelve Apostles originally chosen by Christ.

1.) Simon Peter

2.) Andrew

3.) James the Greater, son of Zebedee

4.) John

5.) Philip

6.) Bartholomew

7.) Thomas

8.) Matthew

9.) James the Less, son of Alphaeus

10.) Thaddeus (Jude)

11.) Simon the Zealot

12.) Judas Iscariot

63. Which disciple betrayed Christ?

Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ to the chief priests and those who came to arrest Him. The Jewish authorities subsequently delivered Christ to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate.

64. Under what Roman governor was Christ crucified?

Pontius Pilate

65. Where was Jesus Christ arrested?

The Garden of Gethsemane

66. True or False: Money can become a false god.

True. Wealth becomes an idol when it is loved or pursued in a way that displaces the love and service owed to God.

67. What are the four Gospels?

1.) The Gospel according to St. Matthew

2.) The Gospel according to St. Mark

3.) The Gospel according to St. Luke

4.) The Gospel according to St. John

68. When did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist?

At the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, when He changed bread and wine into His Body and Blood and commanded the Apostles to "do this" in commemoration of Him.

69. What did the arrival of the Wise Men symbolize?

The Epiphany manifests Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. The coming of the Wise Men from the nations foreshadowed the calling and conversion of the Gentile world to Christ.

70. Recite the Glory Be.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

71. Who was St. Francis of Assisi?

St. Francis of Assisi was the founder of the Order of Friars Minor and one of the great saints of the Church. Renowned for his radical poverty, penance, love of Christ Crucified, and care for God's creation, he received the stigmata about two years before his death in 1226.

72. What are the two great commandments by which Christ summarized God's Law?

1.) Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.

2.) Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Christ also gave His disciples the New Commandment: "Love one another, as I have loved you."

73. What does the word "testament" mean in the biblical sense?

Covenant

74. Why are there four Gospels instead of one?

God inspired four Evangelists to give complementary and harmonious testimony concerning the life, teaching, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Each Gospel emphasizes particular aspects of His Person and mission while teaching the same saving truth.

75. Name an Old Testament king who prefigured Christ the King.

King David

76. Name at least two Old Testament prophets.

Examples include Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Elijah, and Elisha.

77. What is a martyr, and why are martyrs symbolized with palms in Catholic art?

A martyr is one who willingly suffers death rather than deny Christ or the Catholic Faith, dying because of hatred of the Faith or of a Christian virtue connected with the Faith. In Catholic art, martyrs are commonly depicted carrying palm branches, which symbolize their victory through martyrdom.

78. What does it take to be a Saint?

In the broad sense, a saint is anyone who is in Heaven. There are undoubtedly countless saints who were never formally canonized by the Church. Formal canonization, however, is the Church's solemn declaration that a particular person is in Heaven and is to be publicly venerated by the Universal Church.

Traditionally, a candidate's life, writings, orthodoxy, heroic virtue or martyrdom, and alleged miracles underwent an extremely rigorous investigation. The process was adversarial by design, with the Promoter of the Faith, popularly called the "Devil's Advocate," charged with raising serious objections against the cause.

Under the traditional process, two miracles were ordinarily required for beatification and two additional miracles after beatification for canonization, though the precise requirements could vary according to the nature and evidence of the cause. These miracles were subjected to extensive medical, theological, and canonical scrutiny. The modern process has substantially reduced the ordinary number of miracles required.

The simplest distinction is this: God makes a person a saint by admitting the soul to Heaven; the Church canonizes certain saints by formally investigating and declaring their sanctity for the public veneration of the faithful.

79. Canonization is the term for what?

Canonization is the solemn judgment and decree of the Pope by which a person is declared a saint and his or her public veneration is prescribed for the Universal Church.

80. By the end of what century had all the books of the New Testament been written?

By the end of the first century A.D.

81. Jesus promised that His Church would be guided by whom?

The Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth.

82. Are tattoos always forbidden to Catholics?

No. Leviticus 19:28 prohibited certain markings under the Old Law, but that passage does not by itself establish an absolute prohibition binding Christians against every tattoo. Tattoos can nevertheless be sinful because of their content, intention, immodesty, scandal, superstition, or unreasonable harm to the body.

83. Are contraception, in vitro fertilization, and artificial insemination sinful?

Yes. Contraception deliberately frustrates the procreative meaning of the marital act, while in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination replace the marital act as the proper means by which human life is conceived. Catholic moral teaching therefore rejects these practices.

84. For how many days did the waters of the Great Flood prevail upon the earth?

150 days. Genesis also tells us that the rain fell for forty days and forty nights.

85. Did Noah first send out a raven or a dove from the Ark?

A raven

86. What did God tell Noah the rainbow signified?

The rainbow was the sign of God's covenant that never again would a flood destroy all flesh upon the earth.

87. Where did Noah's Ark come to rest?

On the mountains of Ararat.

88. How many people were saved in Noah's Ark during the Flood?

Eight: Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives.

89. Name the three Theological Virtues.

1.) Faith

2.) Hope

3.) Charity

90. Who replaced Judas Iscariot among the Twelve Apostles?

St. Matthias

91. Name the four Cardinal Virtues.

1.) Prudence

2.) Justice

3.) Fortitude

4.) Temperance

92. Who wrote most of the Epistles of the New Testament?

St. Paul

93. Are there ancient writings called the Gospel of Mary and the Gospel or Protoevangelium of James? Were they ever part of the Bible?

Yes, such ancient apocryphal writings exist. No, they were never part of the Church's canon of inspired Sacred Scripture.

94. What are the seven Corporal Works of Mercy?

1.) 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.

95. Who are the four Major Prophets?

1.) Isaiah

2.) Jeremiah

3.) Ezekiel

4.) Daniel

96. What three practices does Our Lord emphasize in Matthew 6 as foundations of Christian penance, especially during Lent?

1.) Prayer

2.) Fasting

3.) Almsgiving

Our Lord teaches that these works should be done for God rather than for human praise (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18).

97. What was the separation between the Eastern and Western Churches commonly associated with the year 1054 called?

The Great Schism, or East-West Schism. The year 1054 is conventionally associated with the exchange of excommunications involving Cardinal Humbert, acting as a papal legate, and Patriarch Michael Cerularius and his supporters. The separation itself developed over a longer period of time.

98. What is the traditional promise associated with the Brown Scapular?

The traditional promise is: "Whosoever dies clothed in this shall not suffer eternal fire." This must not be understood superstitiously or as a magical guarantee of salvation. Wearing the Brown Scapular is a sign of devotion and consecration to Our Lady and should accompany a sincere Catholic life and perseverance in God's grace.

99. What are the two principal parts of the Traditional Latin Mass?

1.) The Mass of the Catechumens (often called the Liturgy of the Word in modern terminology).

2.) The Mass of the Faithful (often called the Liturgy of the Eucharist in modern terminology).

100. Recite the Nicene Creed.

I believe in one God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God. Born of the Father before all ages. God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God. Begotten, not made; consubstantial with the Father; by Whom all things were made. Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven. And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary: and was made man. He was crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. And on the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven: He sitteth at the right hand of the Father. And He shall come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead: of Whose kingdom there shall be no end.

And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life: Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son. Who, together with the Father and the Son, is adored and glorified: Who spoke by the prophets. And one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins. And I expect the resurrection of the dead. And the life of the world to come. Amen.

101. Why do we genuflect?

We genuflect before the Blessed Sacrament as an exterior act of adoration acknowledging Our Lord Jesus Christ truly present in the Holy Eucharist. Traditionally, the right knee is placed upon the ground when genuflecting to the Blessed Sacrament. A left-knee genuflection has historically been used as an act of homage toward certain human dignitaries, including the Pope, but this is not the same act of divine adoration.

102. Why do we make the Sign of the Cross upon entering the church? Name two reasons.

1.) It reminds us of our Baptism, especially when made with holy water.

2.) It is a profession of faith in the Most Holy Trinity and in Christ's saving Cross.

103. What is the greatest Commandment?

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.

104. What is the movement toward the unity of Christians commonly called?

Ecumenism. Catholics must never pursue unity by watering down or compromising the Faith. True Christian unity can only be found in the one Church founded by Jesus Christ: the Catholic Church. Therefore, authentic efforts for unity must ultimately seek the conversion and incorporation of non-Catholics into the Catholic Church.

105. Who was the first person recorded in the Gospels as seeing Christ after the Resurrection?

St. Mary Magdalene. Catholic tradition has also commonly and piously held that Our Lord appeared first to His Blessed Mother, although Sacred Scripture does not record such an apparition.

106. What is the beginning of wisdom?

The fear of the Lord.

107. What is the difference between tradition and Sacred Tradition?

Lowercase "tradition" generally refers to customs, practices, or disciplines handed down by men and capable in many cases of change. Sacred Tradition, with a capital T, is the divinely revealed teaching entrusted by Christ and the Holy Ghost to the Apostles and handed down in the Church alongside Sacred Scripture.

108. What personal friend of Our Lord did Jesus raise from the dead?

Lazarus of Bethany

109. What is the Mass? How is it both a sacrifice and a sacred banquet?

The Holy Mass is the unbloody Sacrifice of the New Law in which the same Jesus Christ Who offered Himself once in a bloody manner upon Calvary is offered in an unbloody manner through the ministry of the priest. The Sacrifice of the Mass and the Sacrifice of the Cross are one and the same Sacrifice because the Priest and Victim are the same; only the manner of offering is different. Through the Mass, the fruits of Christ's Sacrifice on Calvary are applied to souls.

The separate consecration of the bread and wine sacramentally signifies the separation of Christ's Body and Blood in His Death. Holy Communion is also a sacred banquet in which the faithful worthily receive the true Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, the Mass is first and essentially a sacrifice.

110. When do we traditionally genuflect on both knees in church?

A double genuflection is traditionally made before the Blessed Sacrament when It is solemnly exposed, such as in a monstrance during Eucharistic Adoration or Benediction, and before the Blessed Sacrament at the Altar of Repose.

111. Name two occasions when a profound bow is traditionally made in church.

1.) During the Confiteor, when one bows profoundly while confessing one's sins.

2.) When reverencing an altar at which the Blessed Sacrament is not reserved; the altar and altar cross are reverenced by a profound bow rather than a genuflection.

112. What is the purpose of Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday begins Lent and calls us to penance, conversion, humility, and remembrance of death. The blessed ashes remind us that we are dust and shall return to dust, while directing us to repent and prepare for the Passion and Resurrection of Christ.

113. What is the seal of the Sacrament of Penance?

The sacramental seal absolutely forbids a priest from revealing a penitent's sins or using knowledge acquired in Confession in any way that would betray the penitent. A direct violation of the seal incurs the Church's gravest canonical penalties, including excommunication reserved to the Holy See.

114. Who was the first Christian martyr, and why was he killed?

St. Stephen was the first Christian martyr. He boldly proclaimed Jesus Christ before the Jewish authorities and rebuked their resistance to God's grace. After testifying that he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God, he was cast out of the city and stoned to death.

115. In whose tomb was Christ buried?

Joseph of Arimathea

116. What words from Genesis 3:19 are traditionally said when ashes are imposed on Ash Wednesday?

"Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return."

117. Describe the principal days of Holy Week and their meaning.

A.) Palm Sunday - Commemorates Our Lord's triumphant entry into Jerusalem and begins Holy Week.

B.) Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday - Christ teaches in Jerusalem as His Passion draws near.

C.) Spy Wednesday - Traditionally recalls Judas Iscariot's agreement to betray Our Lord.

D.) Holy Thursday - Commemorates the Last Supper, the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the priesthood, and Our Lord's agony and betrayal.

E.) Good Friday - Commemorates Our Lord's Passion, Crucifixion, Death, and Burial.

F.) Holy Saturday - Christ's Body lies in the tomb while the Church mourns and awaits the joy of the Resurrection.

118. What does the word "Gospel" mean?

"Gospel" means "good news" or "glad tidings," especially the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.

119. What do the initials INRI above Christ's head stand for?

Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum - "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews."

120. What are the four Marks of the Church?

1.) One

2.) Holy

3.) Catholic

4.) Apostolic

121. What are the Four Last Things?

1.) Death

2.) Judgment

3.) Heaven

4.) Hell

122. What is the difference between the Visitation and the Annunciation?

A.) The Visitation was when the Blessed Virgin Mary visited her cousin St. Elizabeth, the mother of St. John the Baptist.

B.) The Annunciation was when the Archangel Gabriel announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary that, by the power of the Holy Ghost, she would conceive and become the Mother of God.

123. What is the Transfiguration, where did it occur, and what does it mean?

The Transfiguration was the miraculous manifestation of Christ's divine glory before Sts. Peter, James, and John. Catholic tradition identifies the place as Mount Tabor, although Sacred Scripture itself does not name the mountain. The Transfiguration strengthened the Apostles' faith and prepared them for the scandal of Christ's coming Passion.

124. What did early Christians mean by the term "mysteries"?

Early Christians used the term "mysteries" for the sacred realities of the Faith, particularly the Sacraments and especially the Holy Eucharist. Certain sacred teachings and rites were intentionally withheld from the uninitiated, a practice later called the disciplina arcani.

125. What is the Magisterium?

The Magisterium is the teaching authority of the Catholic Church, exercised by the Pope and the bishops united with him in faithfully guarding, explaining, and handing on the deposit of Faith.

126. What is the last Holy Communion a person receives before death called?

Viaticum

127. In what vessel does a priest ordinarily carry Holy Communion to the sick?

A pyx

128. What is the cloth placed over a funeral coffin called?

A pall

129. Which Pope solemnly defined the Dogma of the Assumption in 1950?

Pope Pius XII solemnly defined the Dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on November 1, 1950, in Munificentissimus Deus.

130. Which Roman emperor is chiefly associated with granting legal toleration to Christianity in A.D. 313?

Emperor Constantine the Great, together with Licinius, issued the Edict of Milan in A.D. 313, granting religious toleration to Christians throughout the Roman Empire.

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