ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 



ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 



forth in the Apostles' Creed and its variants, 

 the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, and 

 the Creed of Constantinople. The most minute 

 statement of the doctrines, constituting a sum- 

 mary of the other creeds, is that issued by 

 Pius IV in the sixteenth century, after the 

 Council of Trent. 



The sacraments of the Church, which are of 

 the utmost importance because they are be- 

 lieved by all Roman Catholics to have been 

 instituted directly by Christ, are seven in num- 

 ber. Three of them, the first, second and sixth 

 in the list below, are administered only once 

 to an individual, because they are believed to 

 make so definite and lasting an impression on 

 the soul that repetition is unnecessary. 



1. Baptism. This is administered to infants 

 as well as to adults. In the former case it is 

 held to wash away the original sin and to effect 

 the sonship of the child with God by the infusion 

 of sanctifying grace ; in the case of adults It 

 moreover washes away all sins previously com- 

 mitted. 



2. Confirmation. This confirms the graces of 

 baptism, and is held to bestow the Holy Ghost. 



3. Holy Eucharist. This is a sacrament which, 

 it is held, truly and substantially contains body, 

 blood, soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ 

 under the species of bread and wine. It is 

 brought into existence by the consecration at 

 Holy Mass where bread and. wine are substan- 

 tially changed into the living body and blood of 

 our Lord. It continues to exist as the adorable 

 "Blessed sacrament" as long as the appearances 

 remain, and is thus preserved in the tabernacle 

 of the altar. It becomes the nourishment of the 

 faithful in Holy Communion. It was instituted 

 by Jesus Christ at the "Last Supper" on the eve 

 of His passion. A precept of the Church obliges 

 every Catholic who has attained the use of rea- 

 son to partake of this sacrament in Holy Com- 

 munion at least once a year at Paschal time. 

 More frequent, even daily communion is coun- 

 seled by the best theologians and the authorities 

 of the Church themselves. 



4. Penance. This consists of three stages : sor- 

 row for sin and a determination to amend ; con- 

 fession or accusation of dne's self to a priest, 

 who Is vowed to eternal secrecy ; and the accept- 

 ance of certain penitential acts which are im- 

 posed by the priest. The penitent being duly 

 disposed the priest may pronounce absolution 

 (which see). 



5. Extreme Unction. As the other sacraments 

 give help in the various affairs of life, so this is 

 believed to impart grace and strength to meet 

 without flinching the bodily and spiritual strug- 

 gle of the dying hour. It is held to destroy certain 

 effects of sin, sometimes even sin itself. 



6. Holy Orders. By this sacrament the clergy 

 are differentiated from the laity, and are admit- 

 ted into the definite service of Christ, receiving 

 at the same time the spiritual powers requisite 

 for the exercise of their respective orders. 



7. Marriage. According to the Roman Catholic 

 Church, marriage is a sacrament instituted by 



Jesus Christ to sanctify the lawful union of 

 man and woman ami to give them the graces 

 necessary for their state. This bond cannot be 

 dissolved except by reason of some nullifying 

 circumstances which existed when the sacrament 

 was attempted. Separation may be granted on 

 account of circumstances occurring after the 

 marriage, but not dissolution. 



Further Beliefs and Ceremonies. The most 

 sacred and solemn liturgical function of the 

 Church is the Mass, which is believed to be the 

 commemoration, continuation and consumma- 

 tion of the Sacrifice of the Cross (see MASS). 



An outstanding feature of the Church is its 

 belief in purgatory, a place of purification after 

 death. If a man dies penitent, but has not 

 been fully cleansed from sin, he may, accord- 

 ing to this doctrine, make atonement in purga- 

 tory for his sins, and may then be admitted to 

 heaven. 



All the saints of the Church are honored, but 

 a special veneration is given to Mary, the mother 

 of Christ, who can, the Roman Catholic be- 

 lieves, obtain for him many spiritual blessings 

 by her intercession. Other saints, especially 

 Joseph, the husband of Mary, may also inter- 

 cede, but are not so powerful. 



A Catholic has laid upon him six ecclesias- 

 tical precepts of especial force. He must: 



1. Hear Mass on Sunday and holy days. 



2. Receive Communion at the Easter time. 



3. Observe certain fast days and days of ab- 

 stinence. 



4. Make confession to a priest at least once a 

 year. 



5. Contribute to the support of the Church ac- 

 cording to his means. 



6. Refrain from contracting marriage within 

 the forbidden degrees of kindred, or privately, 

 and from solemnizing marriage at certain times 

 of the year. 



The Priesthood. The Church believes in a 

 body of priests who stand as mediators between 

 God and man, performing especially the func- 

 tion of offering sacrifice for the living and the 

 dead. These mediators are set aside by the 

 bishops, who stand as the direct successors of. 

 the Apostles. Of its priesthood the Church ex- 

 acts celibacy, holding that an unmarried clergy 

 may serve God with more freedom and with 

 undivided heart. The law requiring celibacy is 

 for purposes of discipline only, and has noth- 

 ing to do with the doctrines of the Church. 

 Indeed, there is nothing in the doctrines which 

 demands that the Church impose this obliga- 

 tion. 



History. This Church is the earliest of Chris- 

 tian organizations, and when, after three cen- 

 turies of bitter persecution, it was given free- 



