"I Believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth"

I. God the Father and Creation

COMPENDIUM

The first article of the Creed teaches that there is only one God, and that He created heaven and earth and everything contained in heaven and earth, i.e., the whole universe. Reason proves and faith confirms the existence of God.

He is called the Father:

1. Because He is the Father, by nature, of the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, i.e., of the Son begotten by Him.
2. Because He is the Father of all men whom He has created, preserves and rules.
3. Because He is the Father, by grace, of all good Christians, who are, therefore, called the sons of God by adoption.

The Father is called the first Person of the Blessed Trinity, because He does not proceed from the other Persons, but is the source of the other two, i.e., of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.

By saying that He is almighty, we mean that He can do everything except sin or die, because sinning and dying are the effects not of might but of weakness, which cannot exist in God, who is absolutely perfect.

He is called Creator, because to create is to make out of nothing, and He made heaven and earth and the whole universe out of nothing. But we must not think of the creation of the world as the operation of the Father alone, because whatever one Person does with regard to creatures is also done, in one and the selfsame act, by the other Persons of the Blessed Trinity. The work of creation is specially attributed to the Father, because it is the effect of divine omnipotence, which is specially attributed to the Father, as is wisdom to the Son, and benignity to the Holy Ghost, although all three Persons have the same omnipotence, wisdom and benignity.

God has not only created the world and all things therein, but He preserves and governs them with infinite wisdom and benignity, and nothing can happen unless He wills or permits it. We say "permits" as an alternative to "wills," because there are some things which He wills and orders, and other which He permits or does not prevent, such as sin; and if He does not prevent sin, it is because, even out of this abuse of man's liberty, He can so bring forth good as to make His mercy and justice ever more and more manifest.

CATECHISM

22. What does the First Article of the Creed, I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, teach us?

The First Article of the Creed teaches us that there is one God, and only one; that He is omnipotent and has created heaven and earth and all things contained in them, that is to say, the whole Universe.

23. How do we know that there is a God?

We know that there is a God because reason proves it and faith confirms it.

24. Why do we call God the Father?

We call God the Father because by nature He is the Father of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, that is to say, of the Son begotten of Him; because God is the Father of all men, whom He has created and whom He preserves and governs; finally, because by grace He is the Father of all good Christians, who are hence called the adopted sons of God.

25. Why is the Father the First Person of the Blessed Trinity?

The Father is the First Person of the Blessed Trinity, because He does not proceed from any other Person, but is the Principle of the other two Persons, that is, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.

26. What is meant by the word Omnipotent?

The word Omnipotent means that God can do all that He wills.

27. God can neither sin nor die; how then do we say He can do all things?

Though He can neither sin nor die, we say God can do all things, because to be able to sin or die is not an effect of power, but of weakness which cannot exist in God who is most perfect.

28. What is meant by the words Creator of heaven and earth?

To create means to make out of nothing; hence, God is called the Creator of heaven and of earth, because He made heaven and earth and all things contained therein, that is, the whole Universe, out of nothing.

29. Was the world created by the Father alone?

The world was created by all the Three Divine Persons because whatever one Person does with regard to creatures is done by the other two Persons in one and the selfsame act.

30. Why, then, is creation specially attributed to the Father?

Creation is specially attributed to the Father because creation is a work of Divine Omnipotence, which is specially attributed to the Father, just as wisdom is attributed to the Son, and goodness to the Holy Ghost, though all three Persons possess the same Omnipotence, Wisdom, and Goodness.

31. Does God take any interest in the world and in the things created by Him?

Yes, God takes an interest in the world and in all things created by Him; He preserves them, and governs them by His infinite goodness and wisdom; and nothing happens here below that He does not either will or permit.

32. Why do you say nothing happens here below that He does not either will or permit?

We say nothing happens here below that He does not either will or permit because there are some things which God wills and commands, while there are others which He simply does not prevent, such as sin.

33. Why does not God prevent sin?

God does not prevent sin because, even from the very abuse man makes of the liberty with which He is endowed, God knows how to bring forth good and to make His mercy or His justice become more and more resplendent.

II. The Angels

COMPENDIUM

Of all the beings created by God, the noblest are the Angels, who are pure spirits endued with intelligence, made to honor and serve Him, and to enjoy eternal felicity. They have no form or sensible appearance, since God intended them to exist without being united to any bodily shape. Nevertheless, they are represented under sensible forms:

1. To help our imagination.
2. Because they have often appeared to men thus, as is recorded in Holy Scripture.

Not all the Angels were true to God; some, through pride, claimed to be His equals, and to be independent of Him, and for this sin they were forever excluded from paradise and condemned to hell. The Angels thus excluded from paradise are called Demons, and their chief is named Lucifer or Satan. They are able, if God permits them, to do us much harm both in body and soul, and this, chiefly, by tempting us to sin. They tempt us, because they are led by envy to desire our eternal perdition, and because they hate God, whose glorious image they see reflected in us; and God allows these temptations that we may overcome them by His grace, and acquire habits of virtue and merits for paradise. Temptations are conquered by means of watchfulness and prayer and Christian mortification.

Those who remained true to God are called Good Angels, Heavenly Spirits, or simply Angels; and they were confirmed in grace and ever enjoy the vision of God, whom they love, bless and praise everlastingly. Furthermore, God employs them as His Ministers, and entrusts to many of them the special office of acting as our guardians and protectors. For this reason, we owe a special debt of devotion to our Guardian Angel, whom we should honor and invoke to help us, following his inspirations and showing gratitude for the constant assistance which he affords us.

CATECHISM

34. Which are the noblest of God's creatures?

The noblest creatures created by God are the Angels.

35. Who are the Angels?

The Angels are intelligent and purely spiritual creatures.

36. Why did God create the Angels?

God created the Angels so as to be honored and served by them, and to give them eternal happiness.

37. What form and figure have the Angels?

The Angels have neither form nor material figure of any kind, because they are pure spirits created by God in such a way as to exist without having to be united to a body.

38. Why, then, are the Angels represented under sensible forms?

The Angels are represented under sensible forms as a help to our imagination, and because they have thus appeared many times to men, as we read in Sacred Scripture.

39. Were all the Angels faithful to God?

No, the Angels were not all faithful to God; many of them, through pride, claimed to be His equals and independent of Him — for which sin they were banished for ever from Paradise and condemned to Hell.

40. What are the Angels called who were banished for ever from Paradise and condemned to Hell?

The Angels banished for ever from Paradise and condemned to Hell are called Demons, and their chief is called Lucifer or Satan.

41. Can the Demons do us any harm?

Yes, the Demons can do us great harm both in soul and body, especially by tempting us to sin, provided God permits them to do so.

42. Why do the Demons tempt us?

The Demons tempt us because of the envy they bear us, which makes them desire our eternal damnation; and because of their hatred of God, whose image is reflected in us. God, on the other hand, permits these temptations in order that we may overcome them by His grace, and thus practice virtue and acquire merit for heaven.

43. How are temptations conquered?

Temptations are conquered by watchfulness, prayer and Christian mortification.

44. What are the Angels called who remained faithful to God?

The Angels who remained faithful to God are called the Good Angels, Heavenly Spirits, or simply Angels.

45. What became of the Angels who remained faithful to God?

The Angels who remained faithful to God were confirmed in grace, for ever enjoy the vision of God, love Him, bless Him, and praise Him eternally.

46. Does God use the Angels as His Ministers?

Yes, God uses the Angels as His ministers, and especially does He entrust to many of them the office of acting as our guardians and protectors.

47. Should we have a particular devotion to our Guardian Angel?

Yes, we should have a particular devotion to our Guardian Angel; we should honor him, invoke his aid, follow his inspirations, and be grateful to him for the continual assistance he affords us.

III. Man

COMPENDIUM

The noblest of God's creatures on the face of the earth is man, a being endued with reason, and consisting of soul and body. The soul is the highest part of man, because its nature is spiritual, and it is endowed with intelligence and will, and is capable of knowing God and of possessing Him eternally. The soul cannot be seen or handled, because it is a spirit, and, therefore, it cannot die; and this is proven both by faith and reason.

Man is free in his actions, and everyone feels that he has it in himself to do a thing, or not to do it, or to do one thing rather than another. For instance, I am free to tell a lie or not to tell it, for I could have spoken or held my peace, or I might even have spoken otherwise, telling the truth.

We say that man was made in the image and likeness of God, because man's soul is spiritual and rational, free in its actions, and able to know and love God and to enjoy Him eternally — perfections which reflect in us a ray of the infinite excellences of our Lord.

God set our first parents, Adam and Eve, in a state of innocence and grace, but they soon fell from it by sin. In addition to innocence and sanctifying grace, God granted them other gifts, which they ought to have handed down to their descendants together with sanctifying grace. He gave them integrity, which is the complete subjection of the senses to the reason; immortality; immunity from all sorrow and pain; and knowledge proportioned to their condition.

Adam's sin was a sin of pride and disobedience. By sinning, he and Eve lost the grace of God and their right to heaven, and were driven from the garden of Eden, and subjected to numerous ills of soul and body, and condemned to die. Had they not sinned but continued true to God, after a happy and peaceful stay on earth they would have been translated by God, without dying, to heaven, there to enjoy an eternal and glorious life. These gifts were not in any way due to man, but were absolutely gratuitous and supernatural; and, therefore, when Adam disobeyed the divine command, God could deprive him and all his posterity of them without injustice.

Nor was Adam's sin solely his own, but it was ours too, though in a different way. It was Adam's own sin, because he committed it by an act of his own will, and, therefore, it was properly and personally his. It is ours, too, because, owing to Adam having sinned as the head and fount of the whole human race, it was transmitted by natural generation to all his descendants, and, therefore, to us it is original sin. Original sin, moreover, is transmitted to all men, because God granted to the human race in Adam sanctifying grace and other supernatural gifts, on condition that Adam was not disobedient; but when, in his character of head and father of the human race, he disobeyed, he made human nature rebellious against God. And, therefore, human nature was transmitted to all the descendants of Adam in a state of rebellion against God, and deprived of divine grace and the other gifts. Furthermore, all men incur original sin, except the Blessed Virgin, who was preserved from it by a singular privilege through prevision of the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Since Adam sinned, men have only been able to be saved through the mercy of God, and His mercy was shown in the promise made directly to Adam of a divine Redeemer or Messiah, who would be sent in due time to set man free from the dominion of the devil and from sin. This promised Messiah is Jesus Christ, as we are taught in the Second Article of the Creed.

CATECHISM

48. Which is the noblest creature God has placed on earth?

The noblest creature God has placed on earth is man.

49. What is man?

Man is a rational creature composed of soul and body.

50. What is the soul?

The soul is the noblest part of man, because it is a spiritual substance, endowed with intelligence and will, capable of knowing God and of possessing Him for all eternity.

51. Can the human soul be seen and touched?

Our soul can neither be seen nor touched, because it is a spirit.

52. Does the human soul die with the body?

The human soul never dies; faith and our very reason prove that it is immortal.

53. Is man free in his actions?

Yes, man is free in his actions and each one feels within himself that he can do a thing or leave it undone, or do one thing rather than another.

54. Explain human liberty by an example.

If I voluntarily tell a lie, I know that I could have left it unsaid or that I could have remained silent, and that, on the other hand, I could also speak differently and tell the truth.

55. Why do we say that man was created to the image and likeness of God?

We say that man was created to the image and likeness of God because the human soul is spiritual and rational, free in its operations, capable of knowing and loving God and of enjoying Him for ever — perfections which reflect a ray of the infinite greatness of the Lord in us.

56. In what state did God place our first parents, Adam and Eve?

God placed our first parents, Adam and Eve, in the state of innocence and grace; but they soon fell away by sin.

57. Besides innocence and sanctifying grace, did God confer any other gifts on our first parents?

Besides innocence and sanctifying grace, God conferred on our first parents other gifts, which, along with sanctifying grace, they were to transmit to their descendants; these were: integrity, that is, the perfect subjection of sense to reason; immortality; immunity from all pain and sorrow; a knowledge in keeping with their state.

58. What was the nature of Adam's sin?

Adam's sin was a sin of pride and of grave disobedience.

59. What chastisement was meted out to the sin of Adam and Eve?

Adam and Eve lost the grace of God and the claim they had to Heaven; they were driven out of the earthly Paradise, subjected to many miseries of soul and body, and condemned to death.

60. If Adam and Eve had not sinned, would they have been exempt from death?

If Adam and Eve had not sinned and if they had remained faithful to God, they would, after a happy and tranquil sojourn here on earth, and without dying, have been transferred by God into Heaven, to enjoy a life of unending glory.

61. Were these gifts due to man?

These gifts were in no way due to man, but were absolutely gratuitous and supernatural; and hence, when Adam disobeyed the divine command, God could without any injustice deprive both Adam and his posterity of them.

62. Is this sin proper to Adam alone?

This sin is not Adam's sin alone, but it is also our sin, though in a different sense. It is Adam's sin because he committed it by an act of his will, and hence in him it was a personal sin. It is our sin also because Adam, having committed it in his capacity as the head and source of the human race, it was transmitted by natural generation to all his descendants: and hence in us it is original sin.

63. How is it possible for original sin to be transmitted to all men?

Original sin is transmitted to all men because God, having conferred sanctifying grace and other supernatural gifts on the human race in Adam, on the condition that Adam should not disobey Him; and Adam, having disobeyed as head and father of the human race, rendered human nature rebellious against God. And hence, human nature is transmitted to all the descendants of Adam in a state of rebellion against God, and deprived of divine grace and other gifts.

64. What are the consequences of original sin?

The consequences of original sin are: the withdrawal of grace, the loss of Paradise, ignorance, the inclination to evil, every misery of this life and, finally, death.

65. Do all men contract original sin?

Yes, all men contract original sin, with the exception of the Blessed Virgin, who was preserved from it by a singular privilege of God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior.

66. Could not men be saved after Adam's sin?

After Adam's sin men could not be saved if God had not shown mercy towards them.

67. What was the mercy shown by God to the human race?

The mercy shown by God to the human race was that of immediately promising Adam a divine Redeemer or Messiah, and of sending this Messiah in His own good time to free men from the slavery of sin and of the devil.

68. Who is the promised Messiah?

The promised Messiah is Jesus Christ, as the Second Article of the Creed teaches.