Church; or who are Infidels-that is, who no longer have nor profess any Christian faith at all; and 2. All those who by their own fault are Schismatics—that is, who have renounced, not the doctrine of the Church, but their obedience to her, or to her Supreme Head, the Pope.

68. Who are excluded from the Catholic Church? Excommunicates that is, those who, as degenerate members, have been expelled from the communion of the Church.

69. Are not those also who are heretics without their own fault separated from the Catholic Church?

Such as are heretics without their own fault, but sincerely search after the truth, and in the meantime do the will of God to the best of their knowledge, although they are separated from the body, remain, however, united to the soul of the Church, and partake of her graces.

Even those who are heretics without their own fault are deprived, though not of all, at least of many, graces and blessings of our holy religion; as, for instance, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the true Lord's Supper, Sacramental Absolution, the Holy Sacraments administered to the dying, etc. Therefore, we should fervently pray for heretics, and by sincere charity, and an edifying life, contribute towards their conversion.

70. Who is a heretic by his own fault?

A heretic by his own fault is, 1. He who knows the Catholic Church, and is convinced of her truth, but does not join her; and 2. He who could know her, if he would candidly search, but, through indifference and other culpable motives, neglects to do so.

71. Does it become us to judge whether this one or that is outside the Church by his own fault or not?

No; for such judgment belongs to God, who alone is 'the searcher of hearts and reins' (Ps. vii. 10), and judges the secrets of men' (Rom. ii. 16).

On this subject consult 'The Sincere Christian Instructed' (Appendix). By the Right Rev. George Hay.

'Judge not before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts' (1 Cor. iv. 5).

72. To obtain eternal salvation is it sufficient to be a member of the Catholic Church?

No; for there are also rotten and dead members ( (Apoc. iii. 1), who by their sins bring upon themselves eternal damnation.

73. What, then, do we profess to believe by these words of the Creed, ‘I believe in the Holy Catholic Church '? We profess to believe that Jesus Christ has established. a visible Church, endless in her duration, and infallible in her doctrine, which we must believe and obey without reserve, if we would obtain eternal salvation; and that this is no other than the Roman Catholic Church.

Application. It is right for us to call the Catholic Church our mother; for 1. She has regenerated us in a spiritual manner in baptism, and has made us children of God; 2. She feeds us with the Word of God, and with the Bread of Angels; 3. She brings us up in the fear of the Lord; and 4. She kindly prays for us, comforts us, and assists us, as long as we live here below, and even after we have departed this life. Honor and love, therefore, the Church as your mother; listen diligently to her instructions, and humbly submit to all her laws and directions; for he shall not have God for his Father who will not have the Church for his Mother' (St. Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr; d. 258).

§ 5. The Communion of Saints.

74. Are only the faithful on earth united together as one Church?

No; with the faithful on earth are also spiritually united the saints in Heaven and the souls in Purgatory.

The faithful on earth who are members of the Catholic Church constitute the Church Militant; the souls in Purgatory, the Church Suffering; and the Saints in Heaven, the Church

Triumphant; yet these three Churches are, strictly speaking, but one in different states.

75. In what does this spiritual union consist?

This spiritual union consists in this: that all are members of one body, whose head is Christ Jesus, and that therefore the different members participate in one another's spiritual goods.

'As in one body we have many members, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another' (Rom. xii. 4, 5). "He [Christ] is the Head of the body, the Church' (Col. i. 18).

76. What is this spiritual union called?

The Communion of Saints.

77. Why are all the members of this Communion styled 'Saints'?

Because all are called to be Saints (1 Thess. iv. 3), and have been sanctified by baptism; and many of them have already arrived at sanctity.

78. What benefit do we reap from the communion with the Saints in Heaven?

We partake of the merits which they acquired while here below, and are assisted by their intercession with God in our behalf.

79. But does not death dissolve all union between the living and the dead?

No; no more than it dissolves their union with Christ, their Head.

80. What benefit do the souls in Purgatory receive from our communion with them?

We come to the assistance of these our suffering brethren, in order that their pains may be mitigated and shortened.

81. By what means can we assist the poor souls in Purgatory?

By prayers, alms-deeds, and other good works, especially by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the application of Indulgences.

'Judas [Machabeus] sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead. It is, therefore, a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins' (2 Mach. xii. 43, 46). That the Church has at all times prayed for the dead, and that the Apostles themselves ordained to remember them at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, is testified by the most ancient Fathers of the Church. (All Souls' Day.)

82. What profit do we derive from the mutual communion with the faithful on earth?

We participate in all the Masses, prayers, and good works of the Catholic Church, and, in general, in all her spiritual goods.

'God hath tempered the body together... that the members might be mutually careful one for another. Now, you

are the body of Christ, and members of member' (1 Cor. xii. 24-27).

83. Do sinners, as long as they are not cut off from the Church, also share in this communion?

Sinners as dead members forfeit, indeed, most of the spiritual goods; nevertheless, in virtue of their union with the Church, they still receive various blessings and graces, which help to their conversion.

Application. Every day pray for your fellow-Christians who are either combating on earth or suffering in Purgatory, and recommend yourself every morning and night to the protection of the Saints in Heaven. Above all, strive to lead a holy life; for we are fellow-citizens with the Saints, and the domestics of God' (Eph. ii. 19).

THE TENTH ARTICLE.

'The Forgiveness of Sins.'

I. What does the Tenth Article of the Creed teach us? That in the Catholic Church we can receive, through the merits of Jesus Christ, forgiveness of sins and of the punishment due to them.

'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins, according to the riches of His grace' (Eph. i. 3, 7).

2. What sins can be forgiven in the Catholic Church? All sins without exception.

3. What must the sinner do in order to obtain forgiveness of his sins?

1. He must truly repent; for Christ says, 'Unless you shall do penance, you shall all perish' (Luke xiii. 3); and 2. He must worthily receive the Sacraments instituted by Christ for the remission of sins.

4. Which Sacraments were instituted by Christ for the remission of sins?

The Sacraments of Baptism and Penance.

5. Who has power to forgive sins in the Sacrament of Penance?

The Bishops of the Catholic Church and the Priests commissioned by them; for it was to them only that Christ said, 'Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them' (John xx. 23).

Application. Give hearty thanks to God for having promised you forgiveness of your sins, and go willingly and frequently to confession; but first prepare yourself well for it, that it may be said to you also, 'Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee' (Matt. ix. 2).

THE ELEVENTH ARTICLE.

'The Resurrection of the Body.'

1. What happens to man at his death?

The soul separates from the body, and appears before the judgment-seat of God; but the body returns into the earth (Eccles. xii. 7).

2. Why must all men die?

Because all have sinned in Adam.

'By one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death' (Rom. v. 12).