Baltimore Catechism No. 2 (of 4) | Page 3

Blessed Trinity.
25. Q. Is the Son God? A. The Son is God and the second Person of the Blessed Trinity.
26. Q. Is the Holy Ghost God? A. The Holy Ghost is God and the third Person of the Blessed Trinity.
27. Q. What do you mean by the Blessed Trinity? A. By the Blessed Trinity I mean one God in three Divine Persons.
28. Q. Are the three Divine Persons equal in all things? A. The three Divine Persons are equal in all things.
29. Q. Are the three Divine Persons one and the same God? A. The three Divine Persons are one and the same God, having one and the same Divine nature and substance.
30. Q. Can we fully understand how the three Divine Persons are one and the same God? A. We cannot fully understand how the three Divine Persons are one and the same God, because this is a mystery.
31. Q. What is a mystery? A. A mystery is a truth which we cannot fully understand.

LESSON FOURTH ON CREATION
32. Q. Who created heaven and earth, and all things? A. God created heaven and earth, and all things.
33. Q. How did God create heaven and earth? A. God created heaven and earth from nothing by His word only; that is, by a single act of His all-powerful will.
34. Q. Which are the chief creatures of God? A. The chief creatures of God are angels and men.
35. Q. What are angels? A. Angels are pure spirits without a body, created to adore and enjoy God in heaven.
36. Q. Were the angels created for any other purpose? A. The angels were also created to assist before the throne of God and to minister unto Him; they have often been sent as messengers from God to man; and are also appointed our guardians.
37. Q. Were the angels, as God created them, good and happy? A. The angels, as God created them, were good and happy.
38. Q. Did all the angels remain good and happy? A. All the angels did not remain good and happy; many of them sinned and were cast into hell, and these are called devils or bad angels.

LESSON FIFTH ON OUR FIRST PARENTS AND THE FALL
39. Q. Who were the first man and woman? A. The first man and woman were Adam and Eve.
40. Q. Were Adam and Eve innocent and holy when they came from the hand of God? A. Adam and Eve were innocent and holy when they came from the hand of God.
41. Q. Did God give any command to Adam and Eve? A. To try their obedience God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat of a certain fruit which grew in the garden of Paradise.
42. Q. Which were the chief blessings intended for Adam and Eve had they remained faithful to God? A. The chief blessings intended for Adam and Eve, had they remained faithful to God, were a constant state of happiness in this life and everlasting glory in the next.
43. Q. Did Adam and Eve remain faithful to God? A. Adam and Eve did not remain faithful to God; but broke His command by eating the forbidden fruit.
44. Q. What befell Adam and Eve on account of their sin? A. Adam and Eve, on account of their sin, lost innocence and holiness, and were doomed to sickness and death.
45. Q. What evil befell us on account of the disobedience of our first parents? A. On account of the disobedience of our first parents, we all share in their sin and punishment, as we should have shared in their happiness if they had remained faithful.
46. Q. What other effects followed from the sin of our first parents? A. Our nature was corrupted by the sin of our first parents, which darkened our understanding, weakened our will, and left in us a strong inclination to evil.
47. Q. What is the sin called which we inherit from our first parents? A. The sin which we inherit from our first parents is called original sin.
48. Q. Why is this sin called original? A. This sin is called original because it comes down to us from our first parents, and we are brought into the world with its guilt on our soul.
49. Q. Does this corruption of our nature remain in us after original sin is forgiven? A. This corruption of our nature and other punishments remain in us after original sin is forgiven.
50. Q. Was any one ever preserved from original sin? A. The Blessed Virgin Mary, through the merits of her Divine Son, was preserved free from the guilt of original sin, and this privilege is called her Immaculate Conception.

LESSON SIXTH ON SIN AND ITS KINDS
51. Q. Is original sin the only kind of sin? A. Original sin is not the only kind of sin; there is