Lesson 11
ON THE CHURCH

Before speaking of the Church I wish to give you a short account of the
true religion before the coming of Our Lord. When Adam was created in a
state of grace, God communicated with him freely; he knew God even
better than we do now. But after their sin our parents fell from the
friendship of God. Cain--one of Adam's sons--murdered his brother Abel,
and for this he and his posterity were cursed by God, and all his
descendants became very wicked. (Gen. 4:11). The other children of Adam
remained faithful to God as long as they kept away from the children of
Cain; but just as soon as they associated and intermarried with them,
they also became wicked. This should teach us to avoid evil company, for
there is always more likelihood that the good will become bad than that
the bad will be converted by the good. You know the old saying, that if
you take a basket of good apples and place a bad one among them, in a
short time they will be spoiled.

After the deluge Noe and his family settled once more upon the land, and
for a time their descendants remained faithful to God; but later they
became wicked and undertook to build a great tower (Gen. 11), which they
thought would reach up to Heaven. They believed, perhaps, that if ever
there should be another deluge upon the earth, they could take refuge in
the tower. But God was displeased with their conduct and prevented them
from completing the tower by confusing their tongues or language so that
they could not understand one another. Then those who spoke the same
language went to live in the same part of the country, and thus the
human race was scattered over the earth, and the different nations had
different languages.

After a time they were all losing the knowledge of the true God and
beginning to worship idols. God did not wish that the whole human race
should forget Him, so He selected Abraham to be the father and head of
one chosen people who should always worship the true God. He sent
Abraham from his own country into another, and promised him great
things, and renewed to him the promises of the Redeemer first made to
Adam and Eve. After the death of Abraham, God raised up, from time to
time, prophets to tell the people His holy will, to warn them of their
sins and the punishment they would receive, and to remind them of the
promised Messias. Prophets are men that God inspires to tell the future.
They tell what will happen often hundreds of years after their own
death. They do not guess at these things, but tell them with certainty.
At times, statesmen can foresee that there will be a war in a country at
a certain time; but they are not prophets, because they only guess at
such things, or know them by natural signs; and very often things thus
foretold do not occur. True prophecy is the foretelling of something
which could not be known by any means but inspiration from God.

Neither are persons who call themselves fortune-tellers prophets, but
only sinful people, who for money tell lies or guess at the future. It
is a great sin to go to them or listen to them, as we shall see later in
another question.

At the time promised, God sent His Son--Our Lord--to redeem the world
and save all men. He came to save all men, and yet He remained upon
earth only thirty-three years. We can easily understand that by His
death He could save all those who lived before He did; but how were they
to be saved who should live after Him, down to the end of the world? How
was His grace to be given to them? How were they to know of Him, or of
what He taught? All this was to be accomplished by His Church.

114 Q. Which are the means instituted by Our Lord to enable men at all
times to share in the fruits of the Redemption?
A. The means instituted by Our Lord to enable men at all times to share
in the fruits of the Redemption are the Church and the Sacraments.

Our Lord instituted the Church to carry on the work He Himself was doing
upon the earth--teaching the ignorant, visiting the sick, helping the
poor, forgiving sins, etc. He commanded all men to hear the Church
teaching, just as they would hear Himself. But suppose some persons
should establish a false Church and claim that it was the true Church of
Our Lord, how could people know the true Church from false churches?
When a man invents anything to be sold, what does he do that people may
know the true article--say a pen? Why, he puts his trademark upon it.
Now the trademark is a certain sign which shows that the article bearing
it is the genuine article; and if others use the trademark on imitation
articles, they are liable to be punished by law. Now Our Lord did the
same. He gave His Church four marks or characteristics to distinguish it
from all false churches. He said, "My Church will be one; it will be
holy; it will be catholic; it will be apostolic; and if any church has
not these four marks, you may be sure it is not My Church." Some false
church may seem to have one or two, but never all the marks; so when you
find even one of the marks wanting, you will know it is not the true
Church established by Christ. Therefore, all the religions that claim to
be the true religion cannot be so. If one man says a thing is white and
another says it is black, or if one says a thing is true and another
says it is false, they cannot both be right. Only one can be right, and
if we wish to know the truth we have to find out which one it is. So
when one religion says a thing is true and another religion says the
same thing is false, one of them must be wrong, and it is our duty to
find out the one that is right. Therefore, of all the religions claiming
to be the true religion of Our Lord, only one can be telling the truth,
and that one is the religion or Church that can show the four given
marks. The Roman Catholic Church is the only one that can show these
marks, and is, therefore, the only true Church, as we shall see in the
next lesson.

"Fruits of His redemption"--that is, to receive the grace merited by Our
Lord when He redeemed us by His death.

115 Q. What is the Church?
A. The Church is the congregation of all those who profess the faith of
Christ, partake of the same Sacraments, and are governed by their lawful
pastors under one visible head.

"Congregation." Not the building, therefore; because if Mass was offered
up in an open field, with the people kneeling about, it would still be
the church of that place. The buildings that we use for churches might
have been used for anything else--a public hall, theater, or school, for
example; but when these buildings we call churches are blessed or
consecrated, they become holy. They are holy also because the Gospel is
preached in them, the Sacraments are administered in them, and the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass is offered in them. But they are holy especially
because Our Lord dwells in them in the tabernacle, where He lives and
sees and hears just as truly as He did when He was man upon earth.

In the early ages the Christians had no churches--they met secretly in
private houses. Later, when the cruel pagan emperors began to persecute
and put to death the Christians, they made large tunnels under ground
and in these places they heard Mass and received the Sacraments. These
underground churches were called the catacombs, and some of them may
still be seen at Rome. In these catacombs, too, the Christians buried
their dead, especially the bodies of the holy martyrs. On their
tombs--generally of stone--Mass was celebrated.

In every altar the table, or flat part on which the priest celebrates
Mass, should be of stone; but if the altar is made of wood, then at
least the part just in front of the tabernacle must be of stone and
large enough to hold say two chalices--that is, about ten or twelve
inches square. In this stone are placed some relics of the holy martyrs.
A piece is cut out of the stone and the relic placed in the opening.
Then the bishop puts the little piece of stone back into its place over
the relic, seals the opening, blesses the stone, and gives it to the
Church. This is called the altar stone. You cannot see it because it is
covered with the altar cloth; but unless it is in the altar the priest
cannot say Mass. This stone reminds us of the stone tombs of the saints
upon which Mass was celebrated.

The Church--that is, the Christians--was persecuted for about three
hundred years after the death of Our Lord. These persecutions took place
at ten different times and under ten different Roman emperors. Orders
were given to put to death all the Christians wherever they could be
found. Some were cast into prison, some exiled, some taken to the Roman
Coliseum--an immense building constructed for public amusements--where
they were put to death in the most terrible manner in the presence of
the emperor and people assembled to witness these fearful scenes. Some
were stripped of their clothing and left standing alone while savage
beasts, wild with hunger, were let loose upon them. Sometimes by a
miracle of God the animals would not harm them, and then the Christians
were either put to death by the sword, mangled by some terrible machine,
or burned. In these dreadful sufferings the Christians remained faithful
and firm, though they could have saved their lives by denying Our Lord
or offering sacrifice to idols. The few who through fear did deny their
faith are now forgotten and unknown; while those who remained steadfast
are honored as saints in Heaven and upon earth; the Church sings their
praises and tells every year of their holy lives and triumph over all
their enemies.

Even some pagans who came to see the Christians put to death were so
touched by their patience, fortitude, courage, and constancy, that they
also declared themselves anxious to become Christians, and were put to
death, thus becoming martyrs baptized in their own blood. How many
lessons we may learn from all this: (1) How very respectful we should be
in the Church, which is holy for all the reasons I have given. (2) What
a shame it is for us not to hear Mass when we can do so easily. Our
churches are never very far from us, and generally well lighted,
ventilated, furnished with seats and every convenience, and in these
respects unlike the dark, damp, underground churches of the early
Christians. Moreover, we may attend our churches freely and without the
least danger to our lives; while the Christians of the early ages were
constantly in dread and danger of being seized and put to death. Even at
the present day, in many countries where holy missionaries are trying to
teach the true religion, their converts sometimes have to go great
distances to hear Mass, and even then it is not celebrated in
comfortable churches, but probably on the slope of a rugged mountain or
in some lonely valley or wood where they may not be seen, for they fear
if they are captured--as often happens--both they and their priest will
be put to death. You can read in the account of foreign missions that
almost every year some priests and many people are martyred for their
faith. Is it not disgraceful, then, to see some Catholics giving up
their holy faith and the practice of their religion so easily--sometimes
for a little money, property, or gain; or even for a bad habit, or for
irreligious companions and friends? What answer will they make on the
day of judgment when they stand side by side with those who died for the
faith?

"All those who profess the faith," etc. The Pope, bishops, priests, and
people all taken together are the Church, and each congregation or
parish is only a part of the Church.

"Partake"--that is, receive. "Lawful pastors"--that is, each priest in
his own parish, each bishop in his own diocese, and the Pope throughout
the world. "Visible head"--that is, one who can be seen, for invisible
means cannot be seen.

116 Q. Who is the invisible head of the Church?
A. Jesus Christ is the invisible head of the Church.

"Invisible head." If, for example, a merchant of one country wishes to
establish a branch of his business in another, he remains in the new
country long enough to establish the branch business, and then
appointing someone to take his place, returns to his own country. He is
still the head of the new establishment, but its invisible head for the
people of that country, while its visible head is the agent or
representative he has placed in charge to carry on the business in his
name and interest. When Our Lord wished to establish His Church He came
from Heaven; and when about to return to Heaven appointed St. Peter to
take His place upon earth and rule the Church as directed. You see,
therefore, that Our Lord, though not on earth, is still the real head
and owner of the Church, and whatever His agent or vicar--that is, our
Holy Father, the Pope--does in the Church, he does it with the authority
of Our Lord Himself.

117 Q. Who is the visible head of the Church?
A. Our Holy Father the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the vicar of Christ
on earth and the visible head of the Church.

The "Bishop of Rome" is always Pope. If the Bishop of New York, or of
Baltimore, or of Boston, became Pope, he would become the Bishop of Rome
and cease to be the Bishop of New York, Baltimore, or Boston, because
St. Peter, the first Pope, was Bishop of Rome; and therefore only the
bishops of Rome are his lawful successors--the true Popes--the true
visible heads of the Church. The bishops of the other dioceses of the
world are the lawful successors of the other Apostles who taught and
established churches throughout the world. The bishops of the world are
subject to the Pope, just as the other Apostles were subject to St.
Peter, who was appointed their chief, by Our Lord Himself.

"Vicar"--that is, one who holds another's place and acts in his name.

*118 Q. Why is the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, the visible head of the
Church?
A. The Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the visible head of the Church
because he is the successor of St. Peter, whom Christ made the chief of
the Apostles and the visible head of the Church.

"Of Rome." That is why we are called Roman Catholics; to show that we
are united to the real successor of St. Peter, and are therefore members
of the true apostolic Church.

*119 Q. Who are the successors of the other Apostles?
A. The successors of the other Apostles are the bishops of the holy
Catholic Church.

We know the Apostles were bishops, because they could make laws for the
Church, consecrate other bishops, ordain priests, and give
Confirmation--powers that belong only to bishops, and are still
exercised by them.

*120 Q. Why did Christ found the Church?
A. Christ founded the Church to teach, govern, sanctify, and save all
men.

"Teach" religion. "Govern" in things that regard salvation. "Sanctify,"
make good. "Save" all who wish to be saved.

*121 Q. Are all bound to belong to the Church?
A. All are bound to belong to the Church, and he who knows the Church to
be the true Church and remains out of it, cannot be saved.

Anyone who knows the Catholic religion to be the true religion and will
not embrace it cannot enter into Heaven. If one not a Catholic doubts
whether the church to which he belongs is the true Church, he must
settle his doubt, seek the true Church, and enter it; for if he
continues to live in doubt, he becomes like the one who knows the true
Church and is deterred by worldly considerations from entering it.

In like manner one who, doubting, fears to examine the religion he
professes lest he should discover its falsity and be convinced of the
truth of the Catholic faith, cannot be saved.

Suppose, however, that there is a non-Catholic who firmly believes that
the church to which he belongs is the true Church, and who has
never--even in the past--had the slightest doubt of that fact--what will
become of him?

If he was validly baptized and never committed a mortal sin, he will be
saved; because, believing himself a member of the true Church, he was
doing all he could to serve God according to his knowledge and the
dictates of his conscience. But if ever he committed a mortal sin, his
salvation would be very much more difficult. A mortal sin once committed
remains on the soul till it is forgiven. Now, how could his mortal sin
be forgiven? Not in the Sacrament of Penance, for the Protestant does
not go to confession; and if he does, his minister--not being a true
priest--has no power to forgive sins. Does he know that without
confession it requires an act of perfect contrition to blot out mortal
sin, and can he easily make such an act? What we call contrition is
often only imperfect contrition--that is, sorrow for our sins because we
fear their punishment in Hell or dread the loss of Heaven. If a
Catholic--with all the instruction he has received about how to make an
act of perfect contrition and all the practice he has had in making such
acts--might find it difficult to make an act of perfect contrition after
having committed a mortal sin, how much difficulty will not a Protestant
have in making an act of perfect contrition, who does not know about
this requirement and who has not been taught to make continued acts of
perfect contrition all his life. It is to be feared either he would not
know of this necessary means of regaining God's friendship, or he would
be unable to elicit the necessary act of perfect contrition, and thus
the mortal sin would remain upon his soul and he would die an enemy of
God.

If, then, we found a Protestant who never committed a mortal sin after
Baptism, and who never had the slightest doubt about the truth of his
religion, that person would be saved; because, being baptized, he is a
member of the Church, and being free from mortal sin he is a friend of
God and could not in justice be condemned to Hell. Such a person would
attend Mass and receive the Sacraments if he knew the Catholic Church to
be the only true Church.

I am giving you an example, however, that is rarely found, except in the
case of infants or very small children baptized in Protestant sects. All
infants rightly baptized by anyone are really children of the Church, no
matter what religion their parents may profess. Indeed, all persons who
are baptized are children of the Church; but those among them who deny
its teaching, reject its Sacraments, and refuse to submit to its lawful
pastors, are rebellious children known as heretics.

I said I gave you an example that can scarcely be found, namely, of a
person not a Catholic, who really never doubted the truth of his
religion, and who, moreover, never committed during his whole life a
mortal sin. There are so few such persons that we can practically say
for all those who are not visibly members of the Catholic Church,
believing its doctrines, receiving its Sacraments, and being governed by
its visible head, our Holy Father, the Pope, salvation is an extremely
difficult matter.

I do not speak here of pagans who have never heard of Our Lord or His
holy religion, but of those outside the Church who claim to be good
Christians without being members of the Catholic Church.