Catechism Research – Section B
Section B
BAPTISM: The first of the seven sacraments, and the “door” which gives access to the other sacraments. Baptism is the first and chief sacrament of forgiveness of sins because it unites us with Christ, who died for our sins and rose for our justification. Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist constitute the “sacraments of initiation” by which a believer receives the remission of original and personal sin, begins a new life in Christ and the Holy Spirit, and is incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ. The rite of Baptism consists in immersing the candidate in water, or pouring water on the head, while pronouncing the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
of adults, 1247-49 apostles and the mission of baptizing, 1223, 1276 Baptismal promises, 1185, 1254, 2101, 2340 of blood, 1258 catechumens, their instruction and, 281 catechumens who die without baptism and salvation, 1259, 1281 chastity and, 2345, 2348, 2355 Christian life rooted in, 1266 Christian name and, 2156, 2165 Christ s Passion and cross as the font of, 1225 the Church and, 846, 866, 1226-28, 1267 conversion and, 1427-29 desire for, 1258-60, 1280 faith and, 172, 1226, 1236, 1253-55 grace of, 1262-66, 1308 grace of Christ and, 1255, 1262-74, 1279, 1997, 1999 Holy Spirit and, 691, 694, 698, 701, 798, 1274, 2017, 2670 of infants, 403, 1231, 1233, 1250-52, 1282, 1290 infants who have died without, 1261, 1283 of Jesus, 535-37, 556, 565, 608, 701, 1223-25, 1286 of John the Baptist, 523, 720 names for, 1214-16 necessity of, 846, 1257-61, 1277 Passion of Christ and, 565, 1225 prefigurings of, 117, 527, 1094, 1217-22 profession of faith and, 14, 167, 189, 1064 religious consecration and, 916, 931, 945 as the sacrament of faith, 1236, 1253 significance of, 628, 950, 1213-14, 1220, 1227-28, 1234-45, 1262, 1617 those who can be baptized, 1246-47 unity of Christians and, 855, 1271 See also Sacraments
administration and rites of Baptism
anointing with oil and, 1294 exorcism in the celebration of, 1673 faculty of laypersons for conferring, 903 godfather, godmother, parents, and, 1255, 1311 handing on of the Lord s Prayer in, 2769 ministers of, 1256, 1284 rite of, 1185, 1229-45, 1278, 2769 water and its symbolic power in, 694, 1214, 1217
Baptism and sacraments, 1113, 1210, 1535
and Anointing of the Sick, 1523 and Christian initiation, 1212, 1229-33, 1275, 1285, 1306, 1318, 1321, 1525, 1533 and Confirmation, 1288-91, 1298, 1304-06, 1312-13 and the Eucharist, 1244, 1392, 1396 and Penance, 980, 1425, 1446-47, 2042
effects of Baptism, 1262
apostolate, offices following from Baptism, 871, 900, 1268 communion with the Church, 838, 846, 1267-70, 1273, 1277, 1279 consecration to holy priesthood, 119, 1141, 1305, 1546, 1591 entering the Church, the People of God, 782, 784, 804, 846, 950, 1185, 1277 final salvation and Baptism, 1023, 2068 forgiveness of sins, 403, 405, 628, 977-80, 981, 985, 1213, 1216, 1262-66, 1279, 1434, 1694, 2520 gift of faith and of new life, 168, 1236, 1253-55 gift of the theological virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit as well as the virtue of merit, 1266 justification and Baptism, 1987, 1992, 2020, 2813 life-giving effect of the Word of God, 1228 makes of us members of Christ s body, 537, 818, 871, 950, 985, 1003, 1267-70, 1279, 1694, 2565, 2782, 2791, 2798 a new creature born in the Spirit, 168, 507, 683, 1010, 1227, 1262, 1265-66, 1277, 1279 participation in the life of the Trinity, 265 rights and duties arising from Baptism, 1269-70 sacramental character, an indelible spiritual mark, 1272-74, 1280 sanctification and Baptism, 2813 union in Baptism with Christ who died, 790, 1002, 1010, 1227
BEATIFIC VISION: The contemplation of God in heavenly glory, a gift of God which is a constitutive element of the happiness (or beatitude) of heaven (1028, 1720).
BEATITUDE: Happiness or blessedness, especially the eternal happiness of heaven, which is described as the vision of God, or entering into God’s rest by those whom He makes “partakers of the divine nature”.
attaining divine beatitude through Baptism, 1257 and the desire for happiness, 1718, 2548 effects of, 1721 free gift of God, 1720-22, 1727 God as our, 257, 1731, 1855 hope and eternal, 1818 human person destined for eternal, 1700, 1703, 1711, 1769, 1818, 1934, 2548 man s vocation to, 1700, 1934 sin turns man away from God and from His, 1855, 1863, 1874, 1949
BEATITUDES: The teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount on the meaning and way to true happiness (cf. Mt 5:1-12; Lk 6: 20-23). These teachings reflect the promises made to the chosen people since Abraham; they portray the countenance of Christ and describe his charity. More- over, by shedding light on the actions and attitudes characteristic of the Christian life, they describe the vocation of all the faithful (1716).
BIBLE: Sacred Scripture: the books which contain the truth of God’s Revelation and were composed by human authors inspired by the Holy Spirit (105). The Bible contains both the forty-six books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament (120). See Old Testament; New Testament.
BIBLICAL INSPIRATION: The gift of the Holy Spirit which assisted a human author to write a biblical book so that it has God as its author and teaches faithfully, without error, the saving truth that God has willed to be consigned to us (105).
BISHOP: One who has received the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, which makes him a member of the episcopal college and a successor of the Apostles. He is the shepherd of a particular church entrusted to him.
Bishop of Rome (see Supreme Pontiff) chair of, 1184 collaborators of, 927, 1562-68, 1570 episcopal college, 857, 877, 879-87, 1577 episcopal ordination, 1555-61, 1572 as the living image of God the Father, 1549 and the priesthood, 1567 as the successor of the Apostles, 77, 861-62 See also Holy Orders, sacrament of: three degrees of the sacrament of Holy Orders
office of bishop
authority to make particular judgments, 919, 1483, 1673 consecrates the sacred chrism, 1297 governs, 816, 873, 894-96 has care of the particular Church, 1560, 1594 as minister of Confirmation, 1299, 1312-13 as minister of Holy Orders, 1538, 1569, 1576 as minister of reconciliation, 1462 (see also Penance and Reconciliation) presides at the Eucharistic celebration, 1142, 1561 responsibility for the Eucharist, 1369 sanctifies, 893 tasks in Christian initiation, in Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist, 1120-21
BLASPHEMY: Speech, thought, or action involving contempt for God or the Church, or persons or things dedicated to God. Blasphemy is directly opposed to the second commandment.
gravity of, 1031, 1756, 1856 Jesus accused of, 574 oaths and, 2149 significance of, 2148, 2162
BLESSED SACRAMENT: A name given to the Holy Eucharist, especially the consecrated elements reserved in the tabernacle for adoration, or for the sick (1330).
BLESSING: A blessing or benediction is a prayer invoking God’s power and care upon some person, place, thing, or undertaking. The prayer of benediction acknowledges God as the source of all blessing. Some blessings confer a permanent status: consecration of persons to God, or setting things apart for liturgical usage.
baptized persons called to be, 1669 of bread and wine, 1000, 1334-35, 1347, 1353, 1412 the Church s, 1082, 1217, 1245, 1624, 1630, 1671-72 death as, 1009 the Eucharist and, 1328, 1360, 1402 the Father blesses Mary in a singular way, 492, 2676 forms of, 2627 God s, 1077-82, 1110, 2627, 2644 grace at meals, 2834 large families and divine, 2373 prayer and, 2589, 2767, 2781, 2803 significance of, 1078, 2626, 2645
BODY OF CHRIST: (1) The human body which the Son of God assumed through his conception in the womb of Mary and which is now glorified in heaven (467, 476, 645). (2) This same Body and Blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ are sacramentally present in the Eucharist under the appearances of bread and wine (1374). (3) The Church is called the (mystical) Body of Christ because of the intimate communion which Jesus shares with his disciples; the metaphor of a body, whose head is Christ and whose members are the faithful, provides an image which keeps in focus both the unity and the diversity of the Church.
becoming, 1213, 1267 Christians as, 521, 738-39, 793, 795-96, 1988 diversity of, 791, 873 divisions between, 821 Holy Spirit as the principle vital to, 798 unity and communion of, 790-91, 797, 947, 953, 1368, 1396, 1469 See also Church: the Church as the mystical body of Christ