Baltimore Catechism No. 1 (of 4) | Page 6

also to confess our venial sins.
214. Q. What should we do if we cannot remember the number of our
sins? A. If we cannot remember the number of our sins, we should tell
the number as nearly as possible.
216. Q. Is it a grievous offense wilfully to conceal a mortal sin in
Confession? A. It is a grievous offense wilfully to conceal a mortal sin
in Confession, because we thereby tell a lie to the Holy Ghost, and
make our Confession worthless.
217. Q. What must he do who has wilfully concealed a mortal sin in
Confession? A. He who has wilfully concealed a mortal sin in
Confession must not only confess it, but must also repeat all the sins he
has committed since his last worthy Confession.
218. Q. Why does the priest give us a penance after Confession? A.
The priest gives us a penance after Confession that we may satisfy God

for the temporal punishment due to our sins.

LESSON SEVENTEENTH ON INDULGENCES
231. Q. What is an Indulgence? A. An Indulgence is the remission in
whole or in part of the temporal punishment due to sin.
233. Q. How many kinds of Indulgences are there? A. There are two
kinds of Indulgences--Plenary and Partial.
234. Q. What is a Plenary Indulgence? A. A Plenary Indulgence is the
full remission of the temporal punishment due to sin.
235. Q. What is a Partial Indulgence? A. A Partial Indulgence is the
remission of a part of the temporal punishment due to sin.
237. Q. What must we do to gain an Indulgence? A. To gain an
Indulgence we must be in the state of grace and perform the works
enjoined.

LESSON EIGHTEENTH ON THE HOLY EUCHARIST
238. Q. What is the Holy Eucharist? A. The Holy Eucharist is the
Sacrament which contains the body and blood, soul and divinity, of our
Lord Jesus Christ under the appearances of bread and wine.
245. Q. What do you mean by the appearances of bread and wine? A.
By the appearances of bread and wine I mean the figure, the color, the
taste, and whatever appears to the senses.
249. Q. When did Christ give His priests the power to change bread
and wine into His body and blood? A. Christ gave His priests the power
to change bread and wine into His body and blood when He said to the
Apostles, Do this for a commemoration of Me.
250. Q. How do the priests exercise this power of changing bread and
wine into the body and blood of Christ? A. The priests exercise this
power of changing bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ
through the words of consecration in the Mass, which are the words of
Christ: This is My body; this is My blood.

LESSON NINTEENTH ON THE ENDS FOR WHICH THE HOLY
EUCHARIST WAS INSTITUTED
251. Q. Why did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist? A. Christ
instituted the Holy Eucharist--

1. To unite us to Himself and to nourish our soul with His body and
blood. 2. To increase sanctifying grace and all virtues in our soul. 3. To
lessen our evil inclinations. 4. To be a pledge of everlasting life. 5. To
fit our bodies for a glorious resurrection. 6. To continue the sacrifice of
the cross in His Church.
253. Q. What is Holy Communion? A. Holy Communion is the
receiving of the body and blood of Christ.
254. Q. What is necessary to make a good Communion? A. To make a
good Communion it is necessary to be in the state of grace and to be
fasting for one hour from food and all drinks, except water.
[This answer has been changed in the 1977 edition to bring it up to date
with the current rules.]
255. Q. Does he who receives Communion in mortal sin receive the
body and blood of Christ? A. He who receives Communion in mortal
sin receives the body and blood of Christ, but does not receive His
grace, and he commits a great sacrilege.

LESSON TWENTIETH ON THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS
262. Q. When are the bread and wine changed into the body and blood
of Christ? A. The bread and wine are changed into the body and blood
of Christ at the consecration in the Mass.
263. Q. What is the Mass? A. The Mass is the unbloody sacrifice of the
body and blood of Christ.
265. Q. Is the Mass the same sacrifice as that of the cross? A. The Mass
is the same sacrifice as that of the cross.
269. Q. How should we assist at Mass? A. We should assist at Mass
with great interior recollection and piety, and with every outward mark
of respect and