What We Believe

"Our profession of faith begins with God, for God is the First and the Last, the beginning and the end of everything. The Credo begins with God the Father, for the Father is the first divine person of the Most Holy Trinity; our Creed begins with the creation of heaven and earth, for creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God's works."

---the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 198

Catholic belief is succinctly expressed in the profession of faith or credo called the Nicene Creed:

The Nicene Creed

I believe in one God,

the Father almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the Only Begotten Son of God,

born of the Father before all ages.

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;

through him all things were made.

For us men and for our salvation

he came down from heaven,

and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,

and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,

he suffered death and was buried,

and rose again on the third day

in accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory

to judge the living and the dead

and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins

and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead

and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Blessed Trinity

There are three Divine Persons in one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Christ

Jesus is one Person: a Divine Person. He has two natures: a Divine nature and a human nature.

The Ten Commandments

1. I am the Lord Thy God, thou shalt not have strange gods before Me.

2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

3. Remember to keep holy the Lord's day.

4. Honor thy father and thy mother.

5. Thou shalt not kill.

6. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

7. Thou shalt not steal.

8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.

10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.

The Two Greatest Commandments

1. You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, with your whole soul, and with all your mind,

2. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

The Precepts of the Church

1. Attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation, and rest from servile labor.

2. Confess your sins at least once a year.

3. Receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.

4. Observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.

5. Help provide for the needs of the Church.

6. Observe the Church’s laws on marriage.

The Four Marks of the Church

One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic

What is a Sacrament?

A sacrament is outward sign instituted by Christ that gives grace.

The Seven Sacraments

1. Baptism

2. Confession

3. Holy Communion

4. Confirmation

5. Marriage (Matrimony)

6. Holy Orders

7. Anointing of the Sick (Extreme Unction)

The Theological Virtues

Faith, Hope, and Charity

The Cardinal Virtues

Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude

Gifts of the Holy Ghost

1. Wisdom

2. Understanding

3. Knowledge

4. Counsel

5. Piety

6. Fortitude

7. Fear of the Lord

The Fruits of the Holy Ghost

1. Joy

2. Long Suffering

3. Charity

4. Humility

5. Peace

6. Fidelity

7. Patience

8. Modesty

9. Benignity (Kindness)

10. Continence

11. Goodness

Chastity

The Beatitudes

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)

2. Blessed are the meek; for they shall possess the land. (Matthew 5:4)

3. Blessed are they who mourn; for they shall be comforted. (Matthew 5:5)

4. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice; for they shall have their fill. (Matthew 5:6)

5. Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy. (Matthew 5:7)

6. Blessed are the clean of heart; for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8)

7. Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God. (Matthew 5:9)

8. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)

The Corporal Works of Mercy

1. Give food to the hungry,

2. give drink to the thirsty,

3. clothe the naked,

4. visit the imprisoned,

5. shelter the homeless,

6. visit the sick,

7. and bury the dead.

The Spiritual Works of Mercy

1. Admonish the sinner,

2. instruct the ignorant,

3. counsel the doubtful,

4. comfort the sorrowful,

5. bear wrongs patiently,

6. forgive all injuries,

7. pray for the living and the dead.

The Seven Capital Sins and Their Opposite Virtues

1. Pride — Humility

2. Avarice — Generosity

3. Lust — Chastity

4. Anger — Meekness

5. Gluttony — Temperance

6. Envy — Charity

7. Sloth or Acedia — Diligence

Sins Against the Holy Spirit

1. Presumption on God's Mercy.

2. Despairing of salvation.

3. Resisting, denying, or attacking a known truth recognized as such by the Church.

4. Envy at another's spiritual good.

5. Obstinacy in sin.

6. Final impenitinence.

Sins Crying to Heaven for Vengeance

1. Willful murder

2. Sodomy

3. Oppression of the poor

4. Defrauding laborers of their wages

Nine Ways of Being an Accessory to Sin

1. By counsel

2. By command

3. By consent

4. By provocation

5. By praise or flattery

6. By concealment

7. By partaking

8. By silence

9. By defense of the sinful action

The Four Last Things

Death, Judgement, Heaven, or Hell

The Apostles' Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.