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Lesson 33: Duties of Parents Toward Their Children "But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea.""  (Matthew 18:6) To give their children the necessary food, clothing and shelter.   This obligation rests on both parents, whether living together or separated.  They must also keep their children from all danger to life and protect them from possible death. To give them good example.   Parents give good example by observing strictly all of...

Lesson 32: How to have a Happy Marriage "Then Tobias exhorted the virgin, and said to her:  'Sara, arise, and let us pray to God today, and tomorrow, and the next day:  because for these three nights we are joined to God:  and when the third night is over, we will be in our own wedlock.  For we are the children of saints, and we must not be joined together like heathens that know not God.'  So they both arose, and prayed earnestly both together that health might be given them, and Tobias said:  'Lord God of our fathers, may...

Lesson 31: The Sacrament of Matrimony "Being subject one to another, in the fear of Christ.  Let women be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord:  Because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church.  He is the savior of His body.  Therefore, as the Church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be to their husbands in all things.    "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church, and delivered Himself up for it:  That He might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in...

Lesson 30: The Sins Against Marriage SEPARATION AND REFUSING THE MARRIAGE DEBT "But for fear of fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.  Let the husband render the debt to his wife, and the wife also in like manner to the husband.  The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband.  And in like manner the husband also hath not power of his own body, but the wife.  Defraud not one another, except, perhaps, by consent, for a time, that you may give yourselves to prayer; and return...

Lesson 29: The Nature of Marriage GOD MADE MARRIAGE "And God created man to His own image:  to the image of God He created him:   male and female He created them.  And God blessed them, saying:  Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it.'"  (Genesis 1:27-28) Who made marriage?   God made marriage and the laws concerning marriage. When did God make marriage?   When He created Adam and Eve. Why did God make marriage?   For two purposes: For bringing children into the world and rearing them...For the mutual help of the husband and wife. How do you know the first purpose of...

Lesson 28: The Sacrament of Holy Orders (Priesthood) "Having therefore a great high priest that hath passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God: let us hold fast our confession.  For we have not a high priest, who cannot have compassion on our infirmities:  but one tempted in all things like as we are, without sin.  Let us go therefore with confidence to the throne of grace in seasonable aid.  For every high priest taken from among men, is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God, that He may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins: ...

Lesson 27: The Sacrament of Extreme Unction "Is any man sick among you?  Let him bring in the priests of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man:  and the Lord shall raise him up:  and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him."  (James 5:14-15) What is the Sacrament of Extreme Unction?   Extreme Unction is the Sacrament which gives health and strength to the soul and sometimes to the body to persons who are in danger of death....

Lesson 26: Indulgences "Jesus saith to them:  'But whom do you say that I am?'  Simon Peter answered and said:  'Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.'  And Jesus answering, said to him:  'Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but My Father Who is in Heaven.  And I say to thee:  That thou art Peter; and upon this Rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.  And I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven.  And whatsoever thou...

Lesson 25: How to go to Confession Examination of conscience.   Kneel in church and ask God to help you know your sins.  Try to remember, as well as you can, what sins you have committed since your last Confession and how many times or how often you committed each one.  Tell God that you are sorry for your sins.  Then go over to the confessional booth and pray while waiting your turn to go in. In the confessional. Kneel down and wait until the priest opens the little window.  Make the Sign of the Cross and say:  "Forgive me, Father for...

Lesson 24: The Sacrament of Penance (Confession) "Now when it was late that same day, the first of the week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples were gathered together, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them:  'Peace be to you.'  And when He had said this, he shewed them His hands and His side.  The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord.  He said therefore to them again:  'Peace be to you.  As the Father hath sent Me, I also send you.'  When He had said this,...

Lesson 23: The Sacrifice of the Mass FORETOLD BY MALACHIAS THE PROPHET "For from the rising of the sun even to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to My name a clean oblation:  for My name is great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord of hosts."  (Malachias 1:11) THE SACRIFICE OF THE CROSS "And it was almost the sixth hour; and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent...

Lesson 22: The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion) "I am the bread of life.  Your fathers did eat manna in the desert, and are dead.  This is the bread which cometh down from Heaven; that if any man eat of it, he may not die.  I am the living bread which came down from Heaven.  If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give, is My flesh, for the life of the world."    "The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying:  How can this man give us His flesh to...

Lesson 21: The Sacrament of Confirmation "Now when the apostles, who were in Jerusalem, had heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John.  Who, when they were come, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost.  For he was not as yet come upon any of them; but they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  Then they laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost."  (Acts 8:14-17) What is Confirmation?   Confirmation is the Sacrament which gives you the strength to be a good Catholic....

Lesson 20: The Sacrament of Baptism "And there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  This man came to Jesus by night, and said to Him:  Rabbi, we know that Thou are come a teacher from God; for no man can do these signs which Thou dost, unless God be with him.  Jesus answered, and said to him:  Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again, He cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus saith to Him:  How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter...

Lesson 19: The Seven Sacraments GETTING INTO HEAVEN IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS "Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat, nor for your body, what you shall put on.  Is not the life more than the meat:  and the body more than the raiment?  Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns:  and your heavenly Father feedeth them.  Are not you of much more value than they?  And which of you by taking thought, can add to his stature one cubit? ...

Lesson 18: The Pope, the Vicar of Christ "Jesus saith to them:  But whom do you say that I am?  Simon Peter answered and said:  Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.  And Jesus answering, said to him:  Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona:  because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but My Father Who is in Heaven.  And I say to thee:  That thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.  And I will give to thee the keys of the...

Lesson 17: Qualities of the Catholic Church "And He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  Until we all meet into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ; that henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the wickedness...

Lesson 16: The Catholic Church is the Only True Church "Whom do you say that I am?  Simon Peter answered and said:  Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.  And Jesus answering, said to him:  Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona:  because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father Who is in Heaven.  And I say to thee:  Thou art Peter; and upon this Rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it."  (Matthew 16:16-18) JESUS GIVES HIS AUTHORITY TO THE APOSTLES "And Jesus coming, spoke to...

Lesson 15: Jesus Christ, True God and True Man "Again the high priest asked Him, and said to Him:  Art Thou the Christ the Son of the blessed God?  And Jesus said to him:  I am.  And you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming with the clouds of Heaven.  Then the high priest rending his garments, saith:  What need we any further witnesses?  You have heard the blasphemy.  What think you?  Who all condemned Him to be guilty of death."  (Mark 14:61-64) Who is Jesus Christ?   Jesus Christ is...

Lesson 14: Jesus Christ, Our Savior "For God so loved the world, as to give His only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting.  For God sent not His Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by Him."  (John 3:16-17) Did God abandon the human race after Adam's sin?   No, He promised to send a savior into the world and to open again the gates of Heaven. "I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed:  She shall crush...