On Christian Doctrine and its Principal Parts

COMPENDIUM

We are Christians by the grace of God; for, to be a Christian is an entirely gratuitous gift of God — a gift which we could do nothing to deserve. A true Christian is he who is baptized, and who believes and professes the Doctrine of Christ, and obeys the lawful pastors of the Church.

Christian Doctrine is the doctrine taught by Christ to show us the way of salvation. Therefore, it is certainly necessary that we should learn the Doctrine of Christ, and it would be a grave omission to neglect to do so. Parents and guardians are bound to see that their children and dependents acquire a knowledge of Christian Doctrine, and they incur guilt in the sight of God if they neglect this duty.

It is from the Holy Catholic Church that we must receive and learn Christian Doctrine, for we are certain that her teaching is true, because Jesus Christ, who is the Divine Author of this teaching, entrusted it, through the Apostles, to the Church which He founded and constituted to be the infallible teacher of all men, promising her His divine assistance till the end of the ages. The truth of Christian Doctrine is further proved by the conspicuous saintliness of many who professed it in the past or who profess it today, by the heroic courage of the Martyrs, by its rapid and wonderful propagation in the world, and by its preservation in its integrity throughout so many centuries of unceasing strife.

There are four principal parts of Christian Doctrine:

1. The Credo, or Creed.
2. The Pater noster, or Our Father.
3. The Commandments.
4. The Sacraments.

The Creed teaches the principal articles of our Holy Faith; the Our Father, everything that we ought to hope for from God, and all that we ought to ask Him to give us; the Commandments, all that we ought to do to please God, which is all comprised in loving God above everything and our neighbor as ourselves for God's sake. The Doctrine of the Sacraments teaches the nature and right use of the means appointed by Christ for the forgiveness of sins, for the communication of His grace, and for the infusion and increase in us of the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity.

CATECHISM

1. Are you a Christian?

Yes, I am a Christian, by the grace of God.

2. Why do you say: by the grace of God?

I say: by the grace of God, because to be a Christian is an entirely gratuitous gift of God which we ourselves could do nothing to deserve.

3. Who is a true Christian?

A true Christian is he who is baptized, who believes and professes the Doctrine of Christ, and who obeys the lawful pastors of the Church.

4. What is Christian Doctrine?

Christian Doctrine is the doctrine taught by Christ to show us the way of salvation.

5. Is it necessary to learn the Doctrine of Jesus Christ?

It is certainly necessary to learn the Doctrine of Christ, and it would be a grave omission to neglect to do so.

6. Are parents and guardians bound to see that their children and dependents acquire a knowledge of Christian Doctrine?

Parents and guardians are bound to see that their children and dependents acquire a knowledge of Christian Doctrine, and they incur guilt in the sight of God if they neglect this duty.

7. From whom are we to receive and learn Christian Doctrine?

We are to receive and learn Christian Doctrine from the Holy Catholic Church.

8. How are we certain that the Christian Doctrine which we receive from the Holy Catholic Church is true?

We are certain that the doctrine which we receive from the Holy Catholic Church is true, because Jesus Christ, who is the Divine Author of this Doctrine, entrusted it, through His Apostles, to the Church which He founded and constituted to be the infallible teacher of all men, promising her His divine assistance until the end of the ages.

9. Are there further proofs of the truth of Christian Doctrine?

The truth of Christian Doctrine is further proved by the conspicuous saintliness of many who professed it in the past or who profess it today, by the heroic courage of the Martyrs, by its rapid and wonderful propagation in the world, and by its preservation in its integrity throughout so many centuries of unceasing strife.

10. What and how many are the principal and most necessary parts of Christian Doctrine?

There are four principal parts of Christian Doctrine: 1. the Credo, or Creed; 2. the Pater noster, or Our Father; 3. the Commandments; 4. the Sacraments.

11. What does the Creed teach us?

The Creed teaches us the principal articles of our Holy Faith.

12. What does the Our Father teach us?

The Our Father teaches us everything that we ought to hope from God, and all we ought to ask Him to give us.

13. What do the Commandments teach us?

The Commandments teach us all that we ought to do to please God, which is all comprised in loving God above everything and our neighbor as ourselves for God's sake.

14. What does the Doctrine of the Sacraments teach us?

The Doctrine of the Sacraments teaches us the nature and right use of the means appointed by Christ for the forgiveness of sins, for the communication of His grace, and for the infusion and increase in us of the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity.