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Precepts of the Church bearing on Catholic Beliefs are: |
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To
attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation |
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To
fast and abstain from meat on appointed days. |
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To
confess one's sins at least once a year |
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To
receive Holy Eucharist during the Easter time |
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To
contribute to the support of the Church |
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To
observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage |
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To
join in the missionary spirit and apostolate of the
Church |
| The
Beginning Catholic Beliefs |
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Baptism
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The
ordinary minister of the sacrament of Baptism is a bishop,
priest or deacon. In case of emergency, anyone can validly
baptize. Water is poured on the forehead of the person
to be baptized. While the water is being poured, the
words "I baptize you in the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit" are spoken. |
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Pentecost
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Pentecost
is known as the "birthday of the Church."
On that day the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles,
giving them the graces they needed to go forth and teach
the Gospel to all nations. This is one meaning of the
word "catholic:" the Church is found in every
land, therefore it is "universal" or worldwide.
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| Grace
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Sanctifying grace makes us holy and pleasing to God. |
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Actual grace helps us to do good and avoid evil. |
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Seven Capital Sins are: |
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Pride |
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Covetousness |
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Lust |
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Anger |
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Gluttony |
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Envy |
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Sloth |
| Gifts
of the Holy Spirit |
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Wisdom |
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Understanding |
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Counsel |
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Fortitude |
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Knowledge
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Piety |
| Fasting
and Abstinence |
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Lent is the traditional time for penance and self-denial,
as is every Friday throughout the year. During Lent
and on Fridays Catholics should practise some form of
self-denial, the form of which is left to the individual.
After all, what is sacrificial for one person is not
for another. |
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Ash
Wednesday and Good Friday are to be observed as special
days of Fasting and Abstinence. Fasting means reducing
the amount of food which we would normally eat. Abstinence
means not eating meat. |
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The
law of Fasting binds all those who are between eighteen
years of age and sixty years of age. |
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The
law of Abstinence binds everyone (except for the frail
and the sick) once they have reached their fourteenth
birthday. |
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Parents
are urged to foster the spirit and practice of penance
among those who are too young to be subjects of either
law. |
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