“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ!”
~ St. Jerome
The Official Catechism
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the official, authoritative, and authentic reference text for teaching and transmitting Catholic doctrine. It is an organized presentation of the essential teachings of the Catholic Church in regards to both faith and morals. It is a reference tool to help you grow deeper in your understanding and practice of the faith. A new version of the Catechism was promulgated in 1992. Below are links to the online versions on the Vatican’s website.
Catechism of the Catholic Church – English
Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica – Español
Flocknote Quizzes Q & A !
Jesus, Man of Prayer
November 5, 2020
The Feast of All Souls on November 2nd is a day dedicated to praying for all the faithfully departed in Purgatory. The priest has to option to wear different colors for the Mass. Which of the colors below is not an option for that Mass?
- Purple
- White
- Black
- Red
The answer is Red. The color red is reserved for Masses of the Holy Spirit or for days celebrating martyrs for the faith.
On All Souls Day, priests celebrate mass wearing vestments of varying color—black (for mourning), violet (symbolizing penance), or white (symbolizing the hope of resurrection). This also applies for funeral Masses.
The Precious Gift of Life
September 30
Who wrote the longest book in the New Testament?
- St. John the Evangelist
- St. Paul
- St. Luke
The answer is St. Luke. By word count, his Gospel is the longest book in the New Testament. The Acts of the Apostles, also, by St. Luke, is the second longest. This means that St. Luke is responsible for 1/4 of the New Testament.
It is believed that St. Luke was a physician who also painted as a hobby. As a physician, he was well educated and Bible scholars say that his Greek is the best of all the biblical authors. St. Luke’s Gospel provides us with the most information about Mary, our Mother. In fact, all five of the Joyful Mysteries come from St. Luke’s Gospel.
Parable of Unforgiving Servant
September 9, 2020
The Gospel for the Sunday of 24th week of Ordinary time is from Matthew 18:21-35. Jesus tells the parable of the unforgiving servant, teaching about the importance of forgiving each other from the heart. Which of the parables below is NOT a parable about forgiveness?
- Parable of the Lost Sheep
- Parable of Ten Virgins
- Parable of the Prodigal Son
The answer is the Parable of the Ten Virgins. In both the parable about the lost sheep and the prodigal son, Jesus shows us how much God the Father is waiting and wanting to forgive us, no matter how far we stray away from Him. The parable of the wise and foolish virgins is about how we need to be wise about preparing our hearts to receive Jesus- not just at the end of time when he comes again, but every day, especially when we are going to receive him in Holy Communion.
Spiritual & Corporal Works of Mercy
July 23, 2020
The Church teaches that there are seven Spiritual and seven Corporal works of mercy, all of which Christians are called to live. Which option below is NOT one of the works of mercy?
- To counsel the doubtful
- To bury the dead
- To struggle against temptation
- To bear wrongs patiently
The option that is not a work of mercy is the third one: To struggle against temptation. We all are called to struggle against temptation, but this is for our own benefit, since we know that to consent to sin will only make us unhappy. The Spiritual and Corporal works of mercy focus on our relationships and duties to other people, especially those in need. Below are listed all the Spiritual and Corporal works of mercy.
Spiritual Works of Mercy
- Instruct the ignorant.
- Counsel the doubtful
- Comfort the sorrowful
- Admonish the sinner
- Bear wrongs patiently
- Forgive all injuries
- Pray for the living and the dead.
Corporal Works of Mercy
- Feed the hungry
- Give drink to the thirsty
- Clothe the naked
- Shelter the homeless
- Visit the sick
- Visit the imprisoned
- Bury the dead
Ascension of the Lord
May 22, 2020
As He was being taken up, what hid Jesus from the eyes of those watching?
- a cloud
- a dark storm
- a dazzling bright light
- a darkness that fell over the land
The answer is a cloud.
When it was time for him to leave, Jesus led the apostles out to the mount called Olivet after promising to send them Holy Spirit. In the Acts of the Apostles we read that Jesus “was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight” (Acts 1:9). The apostles stayed there, staring at the sky, until two angels came and asked them why since Jesus had gone to Heaven. From there they went back to the upper room, to await the Spirit that Jesus had promised them (Acts 1:10-13).
May is the Month of Mary
May 3, 2020
What title did Pope Pius IX give to St. Joseph?
- Spouse of the Chaste Virgin
- Faithful Guardian of Jesus
- Patron of the Universal Church
The answer is the Patron of the Universal Church.
Response taken from “A Quick St. Joseph Quiz” by Maura Roan McKeegan (full quiz here):
In 1870, Pope Pius IX declared Joseph “Patron of the Universal Church.” In 1889, Pope Leo XIII issued an encyclical emphasizing the importance of Saint Joseph in the life of the church. He writes:
“The Blessed Patriarch looks upon the multitude of Christians who make up the Church as confided specially to his trust – this limitless family spread over the earth, over which, because he is the spouse of Mary and the father of Jesus Christ he hold, as it were, a paternal authority. It is, then, natural and worthy that as the Blessed Joseph ministered to all the needs of the family at Nazareth and girt it about with his protection, he should now cover with the cloak of his heavenly patronage and defend the Church of Jesus Christ.”
A century later, in the encyclical Redemptoris Custos, Pope St. John Paul II called on the Christian faithful to trust in Joseph’s patronage and to “always keep before their eyes his humble, mature way of serving and of ‘taking part’ in the plan of salvation.”
This love of St. Joseph continued with St. John Paul II’s successors. St. Joseph is the patron saint of retired Pope Benedict XVI – Joseph Ratzinger – and Pope Francis’ devotion to the husband of Mary and guardian of Jesus is clear as well. Cindy Wooden from Catholic News Service had this to say in her article in The Crux about the signs that point towards Pope Francis’ devotion to St. Joseph:
“At the beginning of his pontificate in 2013, Pope Francis confirmed a directive that Pope Benedict had made, but which had not gone into effect, to include the name of St. Joseph permanently in the Eucharistic prayers used at most Masses in the Latin rite. Pope Francis formally inaugurated his papacy on St. Joseph’s feast day, March 19, and he has a spikenard, the flower used as a symbol of St. Joseph, on his coat-of-arms.”
Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady
August 15, 2019
America’s first cathedral in Baltimore is dedicated to which event in the Blessed Mother’s life?
- Immaculate Conception
- Annunciation
- Visitation
- Assumption
The answer is the Assumption. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also called the Baltimore Basilica, was the first Roman Catholic cathedral built in the United States, and was among the first major religious buildings constructed in the nation after the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. As a co-cathedral, it is one of the seats of the Catholic Archdiocese in Baltimore, Maryland. Additionally it is a parish church (ranked minor basilica) and national shrine. It is considered the masterpiece of Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the “Father of American Architecture”.
Summer and Everyday Stewardship
June 18, 2019
Which of the following New Testament figures is regarded as the “Apostle to the Apostles”?
- St. Paul
- St. Mary Magdalene
- St. Lydia
- St. Nicodemus
The answer is St. Mary Magdalene. The New Testament records Mary Magdalene as being the first person to see the Risen Christ. And it is the Risen Christ who send Mary Magdalene to go tell the Good News of his Resurrection to the Apostles, as they hid in the Upper Room. The word apostle comes from the Greek word apostolos which means messenger. Mary Magdalene was the first messenger of the Good News of Christ’s Resurrection and, therefore, the Apostle to the Apostles.
The Ascension of Our Lord
May 31, 2019
Which of the following is not an icon of one of the four evangelists?
- An ox
- A dove
- A lion
- An eagle
The answer is a dove. The ox is the symbol for St. Luke. The lion is the symbol for St, Mark. St. John is represented by an eagle. And St. Matthew is represented by an angel.
Happy Easter!
April 25, 2019
Homily of Pope Francis at the Easter Vigil in Rome
Jesus asked St. Faustina to have an image of Him painted according to what was revealed to her. The two rays, red and white, emanating from Jesus’s Sacred Heart represent:
- Jesus’s suffering (red) and His Resurrection (white)
- Jesus’s Blood (red) and water (white) that flowed from Christ’s side.
- The Sacraments of the Eucharist (red) and Baptism (white)
The answer is the blood and water that flowed from Christ’s side after it was pierced by the centurion’s lance. Jesus asked that this image of Him be venerated, especially on Divine Mercy Sunday, which is why we have it hanging both in the Church and in the Parish Center. Through our veneration of this image, we show Jesus that we trust in his mercy and love and that we do not want our sins to keep us from Him.
First Week of Lent
March 15, 2019
Which feast day always comes during Lent?
- Annunciation
- Assumption
- Feast of St. Joseph
- Presentation
The answer is the Feast of St. Joseph which falls on March 19. This solemnity celebrates Joseph as the spouse of Blessed Virgin and the legal father of Jesus according to Jewish law. In his fulfilling the duties of husband and father, St. Joseph is a model of humility and obedience to God’s will.
He followed God’s instructions — given by angels in dreams — and took the pregnant Mary into his home as his wife, protected her and Jesus from the Child’s birth in Bethlehem through the family’s sojourn in Egypt, and provided for them as a carpenter in Nazareth.
This feast, which was celebrated locally as early as the ninth century, became a universal feast in the 16th century.
The Feast of the Presentation
January 22, 2019
In the story of the road to Emmaus, Jesus was first recognized when:
- He First approached the disciples.
- After he had left their home.
- He broke bread at dinner.
- He offered insight into the Scriptures.
The answer is that the disciples recognized Jesus during the breaking of the bread. The story of the two downhearted disciples leaving Jerusalem is told beautifully in Luke chapter 24. It says that, after the disciples invited Jesus to stay with them, Jesus took the bread, said the blessing and broke it and then gave it to the disciples. “With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.” The disciples, one of whom was named the Cleopas, had been walking with Jesus for miles but did not recognize him. It was not until they received the blessed bread from Jesus did they recognize him. We too are called to recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread, in the Eucharist. That is where He comes to meet us every Sunday, everyday if we like, to give us the strength we need for our life’s journey to Heaven. What did the disciples do after this encounter with Jesus? They turned around and headed back to Jerusalem. They were no longer downhearted. They were excited to share the news of the risen Jesus with others. We are called to do the same.
The Coming of the Magi
January 3, 2019
The story of the visit of the Wise Men (Magi) appears in the Gospel according to whom?
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
The answer is Matthew. Matthew’s chapter on Jesus’s birth is immediately followed by the story of the Magi visiting Bethlehem.
“When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its risingand have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.”
Mt 2: 1-12
On the Rosary
Many believe that that Our Lady recommended the praying of the Marian psalter to St. Dominic, as a means to fight the heresy of his time, Albigensianism. Though this attribution is disputed among scholars, others contend that Dominic did encourage prayer to Mary as a way to fight the heresy and many popes through history have linked St. Dominic with the Rosary, as a pious belief. The excerpt below is taken from the Rosary Center and Confraternity website:
Most of us are familiar with the tradition that goes back many centuries, and which has been accepted in the writings of many popes, as to the connection of St. Dominic with the beginnings of the Rosary devotion. According to tradition, the occasion was the Albigensian heresy which ravaged Christendom, particularly in southern France during the latter part of the 12th and the beginning of the 13th centuries. St. Dominic was distressed at his lack of success in his preaching in countering this heresy, and in his desperation turned to the Mother of God for help. She appeared to him (according to the tradition) and told him to use her Psalter in conjunction with his preaching of the mysteries of our salvation, as an instrument in combating the great heresy of his day.
Our the centuries, the praying of the Marian psalter evolved into what we now know as the Rosary. Saint after saint has recommended the use of this powerful prayer as a means to grow in our spiritual life. We can be sure that Our Lady will always lead us to her son.
On the Cardinal Virtues
The four cardinal virtues are justice, fortitude, prudence and temperance. The word “cardinal” comes from the Latin word cardo which means hinge. These four virtues are called cardinal virtues because all other virtues hinge on them.
Justice is the virtue whereby we give to God and our neighbor their due. Justice toward God is called the “virtue of religion.” Justice toward man disposes one to to respect the rights of each person.
Prudence is the virtue that helps us discern our true good in every circumstance and choose the right way to achieve it. It should not be confused with timidity or fear. Instead it guides the other virtues by setting rule and measure.
Temperance is the virtue that moderates our attraction to pleasure and helps us to be balanced in our use of material things. It often stands in direct opposition to the demands of consumerism.
Fortitude is the virtue that gives us strength in difficulties and constancy in our efforts to do good. It helps us to follow the path that prudence has shown us, helping us to conquer any fears or anxieties. It is good to be in the habit of asking God for the virtues that we need and He will give us the opportunities to grow in them.
On Icons
This is an image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
The original image dates back to the 15th century and is under the care of the Redemptorists in the Church of St. Alphonsus Ligouri in Rome. Her feast is celebrated on June 27. The writer of the icon is unknown. Our Lady of Perpetual Help has been venerated across many cultures and the image has become very popular. Modern reproductions are oftentimes displayed in residential homes, commercial establishments, and public transportation. Indeed, this image is one of the many images of Our Lady that we have in our church. One particularly moving detail of this painting is the way the child Jesus’ hands encircle Mary’s thumb.