CATHOLICISM 101

The Holy Trinity

The Holy Trinity is a complex and often confusing concept for the human brain. The trinity refers to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, not as three separate God's, but as one God. How is this possible? 

Who is the Holy Spirit?

The 10 Commandments

The Two Great Commandments

• You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole mind, and with your whole strength; you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
   
• To love God, our neighbor, and ourselves, we must keep the commandments of God and of the Church, and perform the spiritual and corporal works of mercy

Note: These two commandments contain the whole law of God

Precepts of the Church

The 7 Sacraments of the Church

"A sacrament is a visible sign, instituted by Christ, to give grace." Within this definition there are three important statements:

A visible sign: 
An action is performed by a minister (usually a priest). For example, when a baby is baptized in the church the priest pours water over its head and at the same time says the words "I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." That is a visible sign.

Instituted by Christ:
The Lord Jesus Christ instructed His church to offer the seven sacraments to His followers. For example, His directive to His disciples in Matthew's Gospel (28/19), "Go then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples; baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you."

To give grace:
Grace is God's free gift of Himself as the controlling influence in our life and the decisions we make once we have committed ourselves to Him in faith.

Sacraments of Initiation (These sacraments lay the foundation of every Christian life)

Baptism
In Baptism we receive new life in Christ. Baptism takes away original sin and gives us a new birth in the Holy Spirit. Its sign is the pouring of water.

Confirmation
Confirmation seals our life of faith in Jesus. Its signs are the laying on of hands on a person’s head, most often by a bishop, and the anointing with oil. Like Baptism, Confirmation is received only once.

Eucharist
The Eucharist nourishes our life of faith. Its signs are the bread and wine we receive—the Body and Blood of Christ.

Sacraments of Healing (These sacraments celebrate the healing power of Jesus)

Penance
Through Penance we receive God's forgiveness. Forgiveness requires being sorry for our sins. In Penance we receive Jesus' healing grace through absolution by the priest. The signs of this sacrament are our confession of sins and the words of absolution.

Anointing of the Sick
This sacrament unites a sick person’s suffering with that of Jesus and brings forgiveness of sins. Oil, a symbol of strength, is the sign of this sacrament. A person is anointed with oil and receives the laying on of hands from a priest.

Sacraments at the Service of Communion (These sacraments help members serve the community)

Matrimony
In Matrimony a baptized man and woman are united with each other as a sign of the unity between Jesus and his Church. Matrimony requires the consent of the couple, as expressed in the marriage promises. The couple and their wedding rings are the signs of this sacrament.

Holy Orders
In Holy Orders men are ordained as priests, deacons, or bishops. Priests serve as spiritual leaders of their communities, and deacons serve to remind us of our baptismal call to help others. Bishops carry on the teachings of the apostles. The signs of this sacrament are the laying on of hands and anointing with oil by the bishop.

Fruits of the Holy Spirit

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

In the Book of Isaiah 11:2-3, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are described. In the passage the gifts are considered ones that the Messiah would have possessed. Through Jesus, we also receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation.

• Wisdom helps us recognize the importance of others and the importance of keeping God central in our lives.
   
• Understanding is the ability to comprehend the meaning of God's message.
   
• Knowledge is the ability to think about and explore God's revelation, and also to recognize there are mysteries of faith beyond us.
   
• Counsel is the ability to see the best way to follow God's plan when we have choices that relate to him.
   
• Fortitude is the courage to do what one knows is right.
   
• Piety helps us pray to God in true devotion.
   
• Fear of the Lord is the feeling of amazement before God, who is all-present, and whose friendship we do not want to lose.

The 7 Deadly Sins and Heavenly Virtues

The Roman Catholic church recognized the seven capital virtues as opposites to the Seven Capital Sins or the Seven Deadly Sins.

The Seven Deadly Sins

• LUST- An insatiable need for sex or things of a sexual nature. This includes thoughts, desires, and actions. If this need is unfed, it can lead to masterbation, rape, and even beastiality. Lust is fed by any of the aformentioned means or viewing pornography.
   
• GLUTTONY- Over endulgences of anything to the extreme, usually food or drink. Alcoholism is considered part of Gluttony.
   
• GREED- Greed is the need for material posessions or material wealth. If this need is unfed, a Greedy person may even resort to hoarding their goods, theft, robbery, or obtaining any material posessions by means of trickery, violence, deception, or manipulation. Greedy people usually are easy to bribe, or will take any bet or do anything for a dollar.
   
• SLOTH- Sadness, depression, or the inability to feel joy. Sloth is often confused with Gluttony, though I don't know why. Those who suffer from depression to an extreme usually have thoughts of or plans for suicide. Many times, Sloth can lead to another sin: Wrath. Those who have lost or lack love, usually fall into a deep state of Sloth.
   
• WRATH- Extreme anger, rage, hatred, or a need for vengance or revenge. People who suffer with Wrath issues will often resort to taking the law in their own hands if they feel the justice system has failed them. To feed the need of Wrath, they may even turn to physical abuse of themself or others, murder, or even genocide. Wrath usually is a need to do harm to others. Dante described Wrath as "love of justice perverted to revenge and spite" according to the Wikipedia.
   
• ENVY- The need to have better or be better than others. The need to have the goods of others. Wanting what others have for yourself. Many times, someone with extreme Envous needs may turn to voyerism to feed the need to see what others have that the envious want.
   
• PRIDE- Once considered a need to be the most beautiful, Pride can also mean a need for public acceptance in all acts. Pride can also be a need to be more important than others. Those who suffer with Pride issues, usually fail to give due complements to others, but instead fish for complements for them selves. They find ways to be better than those around them and usually have a "One Up" story. Pride is said to be the original and most deadly of the seven sins, leading straight to damnation.

The Seven Heavenly Virtues

• CHASTITY- Courage and boldness. Embracing of moral wholesomeness and achieving purity of thought through education and betterment.
   
• ABSTINENCE- Constant mindfulness of others and one's surroundings; practicing self-control, abstention, and moderation.
   
• LIBERALITY- Generosity. Willingness to give. A nobility of thought or actions.
   
• DILIGENCE- A zealous and careful nature in one's actions and work. Decisive work ethic. Budgeting one's time; monitoring one's own activities to guard against laziness.
   
• PATIENCE- Forbearance and endurance through moderation. Resolving conflicts peacefully, as opposed to resorting to violence. The ability to forgive; to show mercy to sinners.
   
• KINDNESS- Charity, compassion, friendship, and sympathy without prejudice and for its own sake.
   
• HUMILITY- Modest behavior, selflessness, and the giving of respect. Giving credit where credit is due; not unfairly glorifying one's own self.Modest behavior, selflessness, and the giving of respect. Giving credit where credit is due; not unfairly glorifying one's own self.

Holy Days of Obligation

The Holy Days of Obligation are the days other than Sundays on which we celebrate the great things God has done for us through Jesus and the saints. On Holy Days of Obligation, Catholics attend Mass.