Summaries of Christian Teaching
Rev. Geoffrey Jarrett, P.P.
Description :An excerpt of Christian Teaching from For Mind and Memory

Prayers, Teachings of Christ and Summaries of the faith arranged for learning by heart.

 

SUMMARIES OF CHRISTIAN TEACHING


THE APOSTLES' CREED


I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.

Amen.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

  1. I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods besides Me.
  2. You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.
  3. Remember to keep holy the Lord's day.
  4. Honour your father and your mother.
  5. You shall not kill.
  6. You shall not commit adultery.
  7. You shall not steal.
  8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
  9. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife.
  10. You shall not covet your neighbour's goods.


THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS, TAUGHT BY OUR LORD


You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the
second is like it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself. Of these two
commandments depend all the law and the prophets.
St Matthew, 22:37-9

THE PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH

  1. To worship at Mass on Sundays and to observe Sunday as a day of rest.
  2. To confess one's grave sins at least once a year in the Sacrament of Penance.
  3. To receive Holy Communion at least once a year during the Easter season (between Ash Wednesday and Trinity Sunday).
  4. To attend Mass on Holy Days of Obligation. In Australia; Christmas Day,
    the Assumption of Our Lady (15th August) and All Saints Day (1st November).
  5. To do penance by prayer, works of piety and charity, and fast and abstinence on the days commanded. The days of penance are each Friday of the whole year, and the season of Lent. The days of fasting and abstinence from meat
    are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
  6. The Church also enjoins on all its members the obligation to contribute in Proportion to their means to the support of their priests, parishes and the Church's works of charity, and the duty to observe the laws of the Church about the sacrament of Marriage.


THE NAMES OF THE VIRTUES


Faith, Hope, and Charity are called the theological virtues, because they relate immediately to God. (See 1 Corinthians 13:13)

Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance are called the cardinal virtues, because on them all the other moral virtues depend. (See Wisdom, 8:7)


THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT(see Isaiah 11:2, CCC 1831)

1. Wisdom, against foolishness
2. Understanding, against shallowness
3. Right Judgement against rashness
4. Courage against cowardice;
5. Knowledge against ignorance,
6. Reverence against coldness and contempt
7. Wonder and awe in God's presence against forgetting who God is


THE TWELVE FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT(see Galatians 5:22, CCC 1832)


1. Charity 7. Generosity
2. Joy 8. Gentleness
3. Peace 9. Faithfulness
4. Patience 10. Modesty
5. Kindness 11. Self control
6. Goodness 12. Chastity



THE SEVEN SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY
(See CCC 2447)

1. To convert the sinner 2. To instruct the ignorant
3. To counsel the doubtful 4. To Comfort the sorrowful
5. To bear wrongs patiently 6. To forgive injuries
7. To pray for the living and the dead


THE SEVEN CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY
(See St Matthew, 25:31-46, CCC 2447)

1. To feed the hungry 2. To give drink to the thirsty.
3. To clothe the naked 4. To give welcome to strangers
5. To visit the sick 6. To visit the imprisoned
7. To bury the dead



THE EIGHT BEATITUDES
(see St Matthew, 5:2-10)



  1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  2. Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
  3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
  4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
  5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
  6. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
  7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
  8. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.


THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS AND THE CONTRARY VIRTUES
(see CCC 1866)

1. Pride 1. Humility
2. Avarice (Covetousness) 2. Generosity
3. Envy 3. Charity
4. Wrath (Anger) 4. Gentleness
5. Lust 5. Chastity
6. Gluttony - (lack of self-control) 6. Temperance
7. Sloth (Acedia) 7. Diligence



THE FOUR SINS THAT CRY FOR VENGEANCE(see CCC 1867)

  1. Willful murder.(Genesis 4: 10)
  2. The sin of the sodomites.(Genesis 18:20, 19:13)
  3. Oppression of the poor.(Exodus 3:7-10, 20:20-22)
  4. Defrauding workers of their wages(Deuteronomy 24:14-15, James 5:4)

    NINE WAYS OF SHARING IN THE GUILT OF ANOTHER PERSON'S SIN
    (See CCC 1868)


    1. By counsel
    2. By command
    3. By consent
    4. By provocation
    5. By concealment
    6. By being a partner in the sin
    7. By silence
    8. By defending the wrong done


    THE SIX SINS AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT
    (See CCC 1864)


    1. Presumption 2. Despair
    3. Resisting the known truth 4. Envy of another's spiritual good
    5. Obstinacy in sin 6. Final impenitence


    THE FOUR LAST THINGS TO BE EVER REMEMBERED

    (as memorized in youth by the future Pope John XXIII)

    Death, than which nothing is more certain:
    Judgement, than which nothing is more strict.
    Heaven, than which nothing is more delightful.
    Hell, than which nothing is more terrible.

    THE SEASONS OF THE CHURCH'S YEAR OF GRACE


    Advent
    Christmas and Epiphany
    Ordinary Time (first part)
    Lent and Holy Week and the Paschal Triduum
    Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost
    Ordinary Time (second part)

    THE CELEBRATIONS OF OUR DIVINE LORD IN THE LITURGICAL YEAR


    His Annunciation 25th March
    His Birth 25th December
    His Epiphany 2nd Sunday after Christmas
    His Presentation in the Temple 2nd February
    His Baptism the Sunday after 6th January
    His Transfiguration 6th August
    His Death Good Friday
    His Resurrection Easter Sunday
    His Ascension 7th Sunday of Eastertide
    His Universal Kingship the last Sunday of Ordinary Time
    The Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) 2nd Sunday after Pentecost
    His Sacred Heart the Friday after Corpus Christi


    PRINCIPAL CELEBRATIONS OF OUR BLESSED LADY IN THE LITURGICAL YEAR

    Her Immaculate Conception 8th December
    Her Birth 8th September
    Her Presentation 21st November
    Her Visitation to Elizabeth 31st May
    Her Assumption 15th August
    Her Queenship 22nd August
    Her Divine Motherhood 1st January
    Our Lady, Help of Christians 24th May
    Our Lady of Sorrows 15th September
    Our Lady of the Rosary 7th October


    THE APOSTLES
    (see St Luke, 6:13-16)

    Peter Feast Day
    Andrew 22nd February, 29 June
    James ('the Great') 30th November
    John 25th July
    Phillip 27th December
    Bartholomew 3rd May
    Matthew 24th August
    Thomas 21st September
    James (son of Alphaeus) 3rd July
    Simon ('the Zealot') 3rd May
    Jude (or Thaddeus) 28th October
    Judas Iscariot 28th October
    Matthias (chosen to take place of Judas) 14th May
    Paul 25th January, 29th June


    THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS
    INSTITUED BY CHRIST
    AND CELEBRATED BY HIS CHURCH SINCE THE TIME OF THE APOSTLES

    Baptism Confirmation
    The Eucharist Penance, or Reconciliation
    Anointing of the Sick Holy Orders
    Marriage




    THE TWENTY MYSTERIES ON WHICH WE MEDITATE WHEN SAYING THE ROSARY


    The Joyful Mysteries
    1. The Annunciation by the angel to Mary
    2. The Visitation by Mary to her cousin Elizabeth
    3. The Birth of Our Lord at Bethlehem
    4. The Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple
    5. The Finding of the Boy Jesus in the Temple


    The Luminous Mysteries (added by John Paul II, 16th October 2002)
    1. The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan
    2. The wedding Feast at Cana
    3. The announcement of the Kingdom
    4. The Transfiguration
    5. The institution of the Eucharist


    The Sorrowful Mysteries
    1. The Agony of Our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane
    2. Our Lord is whipped
    3. Our Lord is crowned with thorns
    4. Our Lord carries his Cross to Calvary
    5. Our Lord dies for us on the Cross

    The Glorious Mysteries
    1. His Resurrection of Our Lord from the dead
    2. His Ascension into heaven
    3. The Coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles
    4. The Assumption of Mary, body and soul, into heaven
    5. Our Lady is crowned Queen of Heaven


    SPECIAL DEVOTIONS FOR THE MONTHS OF THE YEAR


    January is dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus.
    March is dedicated to her St. Joseph, husband of Our Lady.
    May is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
    June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
    July is dedicated to the Precious Blood of Our Lord
    August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
    September is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows.
    October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary
    November is dedicated to the Holy Souls in purgatory
    December is dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.

    REMEMBER, CHRISTIAN,


    that you have in this day and every day of your life:
    God to glorify,
    Jesus to imitate,
    A soul to save,
    A body to mortify,
    Sins to do penance for,
    Virtues to acquire,
    Hell to avoid,
    Heaven to gain,
    Eternity to prepare for,
    Time to profit by,
    Neighbours to edify,
    The world to despise,
    Devils to combat,
    Passions to subdue,
    Death, perhaps to suffer,
    Judgement to undergo.


    The first language of catechesis must be Sacred Scripture and the Creeds . . .normally
    certain things should be memorized as part of formation, such as biblical texts, especially
    from the New Testament, certain liturgical formulas which are the privileged expression
    of these texts, and other common prayers.'


    - Message of the Synod of Bishops to the People of God, 28th October, 1977, no. 9

    'Formulas permit the thoughts of the mind to be expressed accurately, and are appropriate
    for a correct exposition of the Faith, and when committed to memory, help toward the
    firm possession of truth . . . the traditional formulas for professing the Faith and for
    praying, such as the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary, and the like, are
    to be taught with special care.    '


    General Catechetical Directory, 1971. no. 73



    Nihil Obstat Reverend G Diamond, M.A. (Oxon) L.S.S, D. Theol., Diocesan Censor
    Imprimatur Most Reverend Denis J. Hart, D.D., V.G. Titular Bishop of Vagada
    12th November 1988



    The Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur are official declarations that a book or a pamphlet is free of doctrinal or moral error. No explication is contained therein that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed. They do not necessarily signify that the work is approved as a basic text for catechetical instructions.

    The Scripture quotations in this publication are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyrighted 1971 and 1972 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of
    Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.


© Society of Saint Peter Canisius 1988