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GENERAL CATECHISM
I. Who is God?
GOD – is the supreme being infinitely perfect spirit who makes all things and keeps them in
existence. He is all perfect because He has all the good qualities without limit.

SPIRIT – is a being that has understanding and free will but no body and will never die.
 God is in heaven, on earth and everywhere. He does not have a body for He is a pure spirit.
 God sees and knows all things, past, present, and future. He knows even our thoughts.

Perfections of God:
1. God is ETERNAL – He always was, always will be and always remains the same.
2. God is ALMIGHTY – He can do all things.
3. God is TRUTHFUL – He is the truth and He always speaks the truth
4. God is FAITHFUL - He always keeps His promises.
5. God is JUST – He rewards what is good and He punishes what is bad.
6. God is GOOD – He is all lovable in Himself and from His fatherly love every good
comes to us.
7. God is HOLY – He loves only what is good and He hates evil.
8. God is MERCIFUL - He loves to forgive the repentant sinners.

The Unity and Trinity of God:

There is only one God. There are three divine persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit.
The Father is God for He is the first person of the Blessed Trinity. The Son is God for He
is the second person of the Blessed Trinity. The Holy Spirit is God for He is the third person of
the Blessed Trinity. The three divine persons are perfectly equal to one another because all are
one and the same God.
Analogy : The Blessed Trinity can be compared to a man looking himself to a mirror. The man
represents the Father, the reflection represents the Son and the mirror is the Holy Spirit.
Blessed Trinity – We mean that they are the same God in three divine persons.
Unity of God – We mean that there is only one God.
Trinity of God – We mean that in God there are three equal and distinct persons called Father,
Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Mystery – is a truth that we must accept on the word of God, although we cannot fully understand
it.
II. The Angels
Angels – are created spirits without bodies having understanding and free-will. It is another
God’s masterpiece aside man.
 When God created the angels, he bestowed on them great wisdom, power and holiness.
 First members of the communion of saints.
God created the angels to:
1. Adore Him
2. Serve Him
3. Enjoy the happiness in heaven

The 9 Choir of Angels:

a. The 1st sphere-closest to God
1. Seraphim- are, literally translated, "burning ones". are the highest angelic class and
they serve as the caretakers of God's throne and continuously shout praises.
Symbolic representation: Has 6 wings. 2 to cover its face, 2 to cover its feet and 2
to fly.
2. Cherubim- are the ones guarding the way to the tree of life in the Garden of Eden.
Symbolic representation: have four faces: one of a man, an ox, a lion, and an eagle
(later adopted as the symbols of the four evangelists). They have four conjoined
wings covered with eyes
3. Thrones-Are the angels who contemplates God’s power and carries out His judgement.
Symbolic representation:Flaming rotating rings covered with eyes.
b. The 2nd sphere
4. Dominations-Means “Authority”. Tasked to govern the Universe. They have the
power to command subordinating Angels.
Symbolic representation: believed to look like divinely beautiful humans with a
pair of feathered wings
 5. Virtues- Means “Energy”.Sometimes called “The Shining ones”.They receive orders
from the Dominations. They are tasked to carry out Celestial miracles. known for their
work encouraging human beings to strengthen their faith in God.
Symbolic representation: Shining Angels.

6. Powers-Are Angels who fights evil spirits who oppose Gods providence
Symbolic representation: Angels holding swords.

c. The 3rd sphere-Directly order human affairs

7. Principalities-Care for Earthly communities, nations and parishes.they direct
implementation of God’s rule on Earth.
8. Archangels-Angels who carry significant orders from God.
9. Angels-closest to the material world. Every human being has an assigned Angel to
guide them in prayers.
The 7 Archangels:
1. Archangel Michael-Means “Who is like God?”. The Archangel who led the forces of
Heaven in casting out Lucifer/Satan when he rebelled against God:
2. Archangel Gabriel-The messenger of God. Gabriel appeared to the Prophet Daniel to
explain a vision from God. He appeared Zacharias to announce that he would have a
son, John the Baptist, and he appeared to the Virgin Mary in the Annunciation was also
the angel who appeared to St. Joseph in his dreams.
3. Archangel Raphael- means, “Healing Power of God”. Traditionally, due to the
meaning of his name, he is revered as the Archangel of Healing. patron saint of healing.
4. Archangel Uriel- means, “Fire of God.” .The Archangel of wisdom. often gives people
sparks of inspiration and motivation as they seek to live faithful lives.
5. Archangel Sealtiel- His name means, “Friend of God”. Traditionally he has been
revered as the Archangel of Justice and Fairness.
6. Archangel Barachiel- His name means, “God’s Command”. Traditionally he has been
revered as the Archangel of God’s Judgment.
7. Archangel Jhudiel- His name has various meanings: “Thunder of God”, “Mercy of
God”, and “Compassion of God”.
III. The creation of Man
Man – is a creature composed of body and soul and created in the image and likeness of God. He
is God’s masterpiece.
Man’s soul – is a spirit created to the image and likeness of God and made to be united with the
body.
 God created man to:
1. know Him
2. love Him
3. serve Him
4. share the happiness in heaven
Adam and Eve also received the following:
1. happiness of paradise
2. great knowledge
3. control of the passion
4. freedom from the sufferings and death
Disobedience – is the sin committed by Adam and eve.
Original Sin – is the sin we inherit from our first parents.

IV. The Catholic Church

Catholic Church – the Church founded by Jesus Christ.
Christ founded the Church:
1. by making disciples who believed in Him
2. by choosing them from the 12 apostles
3. by appointing St. Peter as the head of all disciples
4. by giving for the means of salvation

The 12 Apostles:
1. St. Andrew-The first Apostle to be chosen.The younger brother of Peter. He preached
in Russia, and was crucified upon an X shaped cross in Greece in 70 A.D
2. St. Peter-The older brother of Andrew. Simon is his given name. Jesus changed his
name to Peter which means “The Rock”. He is the first Pope. He preached in Rome and
was crucified upside down.
3. St. James the son of Zebedee (James I) – The older brother of John the apostle. He
was also a fisherman like Andrew, Peter and his brother John. He preached in Spain and
was beheaded in Jerusalem.
 4. St. John (The Beloved) - The brother of James the son of Zebedee. The youngest
among the 12 apostles. He was the only apostle to witness Jesus while hanging in the
cross. He preached in Asia Minor and died at old age in Ephesus.
5. St. Philip- The curious one. He was the fifth apostle to be chosen, being called when
Jesus and his first four apostles were on their way from John’s rendezvous on the Jordan
to Cana of Galilee. He preached in Syria and was later crucified.
6. St. Bartholomew-His given name was Nathaniel. The sixth and last of the apostles to
be chosen by the Master himself, was brought to Jesus by his friend Philip. He preached
in Ethiopia and was skinned alive and then beheaded in Caspian.
7. St. Matthew- His given name was Levi. He was a former tax collector before being an
apostle. He preached to the Hebrews and as axed to death.
8. St. Thomas- was the eighth apostle, and he was chosen by Philip. He is a former
carpenter and stone mason. He was known as the “Doubting” Thomas because he
doubted the resurrection of Jesus. He preached in India and was killed by a spear in
Madras.
9. St. James of Alpheus (James II)-Was chosen by James the son of Zebedee to be an
apostle. He is a fisherman living near Kheresa. He preached in Egypt and was stoned
and clubbed to death.
10. St.Thaddeus- Also known as Jude. He is the brother of James of Alpheus who is also
an apostle. He is the patron saint of the impossible. He later preached in Edessa and was
crucified in Syria.
11. St.Simon the Zealot- was chosen by Simon Peter. He was an able man of good
ancestry and lived with his family at Capernaum. He had been a merchant in Capernaum
before he turned his entire attention to the patriotic organization of the Zealots.He
preached in Egypt and was crucified in Persia.
12.Judas Iscariot- The Apostle who betrayed Jesus thru a kiss in exchange to 30 pieces of
Silver. He was appointed as the treasurer of the 12 apostles. He was probably the best-
educated man among the twelve and the only Judean in the group. He hanged himself
after realizing that he betrayed Jesus.

St. Matthias-The apostle who replaced Judas. He preached in Ethiopia and was stoned and
beheaded in Georgia.
Church – is a congregation of all baptized persons who are united with Christ, profess the same
faith, same sacrifice, same sacraments and the source of salvation.
- is the mystical body of Christ because in the Church as in the living human body, the life of
grace flows from Christ, the head, to all the members, uniting them with Christ and with one
another.
 Four marks of the catholic church:
1. One – for all his members profess the same faith, same sacrament, offer the same
sacrifice and obey the visible head, the Pope.
2. Holy – for Jesus Christ who is all-holy founded her and gave her the means to make
men good and holy thereby giving saints to every age.
3. Catholic/universal – for she is for all men of all times and nations and is extending
over the whole world.
4. Apostolic – for she is founded by Christ on Peter and the apostles. She is still ruled by
their lawful successors, the Pope and the Bishops and believes and teaches the doctrine
of the apostles.

Pope – is the Bishop of Rome, the lawful successor of St. Peter and the representative of Christ
on earth.
Bishops – are the successors of the apostles who in obedience to the Pope, govern their dioceses,
teach and sanctify the faithful under their charge.
Diocese – is a certain territory entrusted to one Bishop
The General outline of how the Church is governed has several ramifications:
1. Cardinals – drawn from the ranks of bishops and sometimes priests; the Pope’s chief
advisory body.
2. Patriarch – a bishop whose power of jurisdiction is second only to the Pope’s.
3. Archbishop - head of an archdiocese.
4. Vicar apostolic – a bishop set at the head of a territory usually in a mission land.
5. Prefect apostolic – the head of a prefacture which is a mission territory similar to a
vicariate.
6. Legate – the delegate of the Pope who presides in his place over some extra- ordinary
meeting or function, a council or congress.
7. Nuncio – the Pope’s diplomatic representative to a country.
8. Apostolic delegate – sent to a country as the Pope’s representative but without
diplomatic status.
9. Coadjutor & auxiliary bishops – assistant bishops to the residential bishop of a
diocese. The coadjutor has a right of succession.
10.Vicar forane – a Parish Priest who has power from the bishop to supervise
neighboring parishes.
11.Curates – assistant Parish Priest
 Those who do not belong to the catholic church:
1. Pagans – are those who are not baptized
2. Heretics – are baptized persons while calling themselves Christians, refuse to believe
one or more revealed truths.
3. Schismatics – are baptized persons who believe in the teachings of the church but
refuse to obey the authority of the church.
4. Apostates – are baptized persons who publicly deny the faith which they had
previously believed and practiced.
5. Ex-communicates - are baptized persons who are excluded from the communion of
the faithful for the scandal they had given.

Atheists – people who don’t believe in God.

Agnostics – people who doubt their faith

V. Sins
Sin – is any willful thought, word, desire and action forbidden by the law of God.
Classification of Sin:
1. Original sin – that which is inherited and man’s natural sin at his birth.
2. Actual sin – that which is committed through thought, desire, word or action
Kinds of actual sin:
1. Venial sin – is a less serious offense against the law of God which does not deprive
the soul of sanctifying grace and which can be pardoned even without sacramental
confession.
2. Mortal sin – is a grievous offense against the law of God which deprives the soul of
sanctifying grace and which can be pardoned with a sacramental confession.
Temptation – is not a sin as long as we do not consent to the attraction of evil.
The seven capital sins:
1. Pride
 SIGNS : snobbiness, disobedience, stubbornness, quarrelsome, boasting, too much
exaggeration.
 2. Covetousness/avarice
 SIGNS : lying, cheating, graft and corruption, wealth-grabbing, selfishness
3. Lust
 SIGNS : deliberate impure looks, immodest speech/thoughts, immodest
dress/dancing, use of double meaning phrases, green stories/jokes, pre-occupation
with things related to sex.
4. Anger
 SIGNS : revenge, hatred, grumbling, irritability, excessive criticism, violence
5. Gluttony
 SIGNS : selfishness, greediness to food, “takaw-mata”
6. Envy
 SIGNS : jealousy, hatred, selfishness, possessiveness, lying
7. Sloth
SIGNS : neglect of religious activities, disorderly habits, distraction of prayer, delay in
receiving the sacraments, laziness.
VI. The 7 Sacraments
Sacrament – is a sensible sign instituted by Christ, to sanctify and give grace.
Kinds of Sacrament:
1. Sacrament of the living (Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Matrimony,
Extreme Unction and Holy Order) – intended for those who are already living in grace.
2. Sacrament of the dead (Baptism and Penance) – instituted primarily to give
sanctifying grace to those who are dead in sin
Sacraments we received once : Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Order.
Sacraments we received more than once : Holy Eucharist, Penance, Matrimony, Extreme
Unction
The seven basic needs of our spiritual life
1. For our personal life:
a) Spiritual birth – Baptism
b) Spiritual maturity - Confirmation
c) Spiritual medicine – Penance
 d) Spiritual food – Holy Eucharist
e) Spiritual emergency and help – Extreme Unction
2. For our community life:
a) Spiritual leader – Holy Order
b) Citizens of heaven – Matrimony

The seven sacraments:

1) Baptism – is the sacrament that gives us the divine life of sanctifying grace and makes us
members of the Catholic Church.. It is the first and the most necessary sacrament.
In Baptism, God gives us:
1. Divine life of sanctifying grace
2. Right to eternal happiness
3. The virtues of faith, hope and charity
4. Character of Baptism
We are baptized:
1. To believe in Christ
2. To lead us children of God
3. To renounce devils from sins

Minister:
 Ordinary – bishop and priest
 Extra-ordinary – man/laity

Matter:
 Water
Form:
•“(Name), I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
2) Confirmation – is the sacrament that gives us the Holy Spirit in a special way
Holy chrism – is a mixture of olive oil and balm conservated by the bishop.
Who can receive confirmation?:
1. one who has attained the age of reason
2. one who has received the sacraments of penance and communion
3. must be in the state of grace
4. have the intention of receiving the sacrament
5. should be prepared to asssume the role of discipleship

Minister:
 Ordinary – The Bishop
 Extra-ordinary – priest

Matter:
 Laying of the hands/holy chrism
Form:
“Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

3) Holy eucharist -is the sacrifice and the sacrament in which under the appearances of bread
and wine, Christ Himself comes to us.
Transubstantiation – that is entire substance of the bread and wine is changed into body and
blood of Christ.
Consecration – is the part of the mass where the transubstantiation takes place.
Mass – is the highest form of sacrifice and worship of God in which Christ offers Himself
again.
Communion – is one of the most important parts of the mass in which we receive the body of
Christ.
Minister:
 The Priest
Matter:
 Bread and wine

Form:
•“Take this all of you and eat/drink from it. This is my body/the cup of my blood, the blood of
the new and everlasting covenant, it will be shed for you and for all men so that sins may be
forgiven, do this in memory of me.”
4) Penance/sacrament of reconciliation – is the sacrament by which sins committed after
baptism are forgiven through the absolution of the priest.
Penance has 3 essentials:
1. It is a sensible sign, the words of absolution and the act of confession
2. It was instituted by Christ, at the First Easter Sunday night.
3. It confers grace; it is the way in which after baptism, sanctifying grace is restored to
the penitent who has committed mortal sin.
Contrition- is a sincere sorrow for having offended God and hatred for the sins we have
committed with a firm purpose of sinning no more.
Confession – is telling our sins to a priest to have them forgiven.
Procedure in confession:
1. Examination of conscience
2. Contrition
3. Firm purpose of amendment
4. Confession
5. Performing the penance
Minister:
 The priests and the bishops
Matter:
 Sins
Form:
“I absolve you from your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit.”
5) Extreme unction/anointing of the sick – is the sacrament that strengthens and comforts the
body and the soul of the sick in danger of death It lessens the sufferings of the body and
increases sanctifying grace.
 Extreme unction prepares the soul to heaven, forgives venial sins, cleanses the soul, and
strengthens the soul against temptation.
Extreme unction can be given when:
1. a person is very sick
2. a person met a serious accident
Viaticum – which means “food for journey.” It is the communion given to the sick.
Minister:
 The priests and the bishops
Matter:
 Blessed oil
Form:
 “Through this holy anointing may the Lord in His love and mercy help you with the grace of
the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up.”

6) Holy orders – is the sacrament that gives graces the power graces to continue Christ’s
priesthood. It increases the sanctifying grace and bestows the power and graces to perform
the character of priesthood.
The character
 Marks the priest as the minister of priesthood
Sole powers of a priest:
1. preside a mass
2. consecrate the body and blood of Christ
3. forgive sins
Three degrees of holy order:
1. The bishops
2. the presbyters
3. the deacons
Minister
 The bishops
Matter
 The laying of hands

7) Matrimony – is the sacrament which unites a man and a woman before God to find and
build a Christian family. It ordered to sanctify the love of husbands and wives
Minister:
 The husband and wife
Matter:
 Exchange of consent/the ring
Form
 “I do.”

VII. Mass
Mass- The Holy Sacrifice
- The Christian ceremony commemorating the Last Supper, in which bread and wine are
consecrated and consumed.

Parts of the Mass:

1. Introductory rite
2. Liturgy of the Word
3. Liturgy of the Eucharist
4. Concluding Rite
Liturgical Seasons:
1. Ordinary Time (Green)
2. Lenten (Red)
3. Easter (Violet)
4. Advent (Blue)
5. Christmas (White)
VIII. The Virtues
Virtues- is the habitual disposition to do good.
4 Cardinal Virtues:
1. Prudence- is the cardinal virtue that disposes a person to achieve good and to avoid
evil. Its opposite is recklessness.
2. Justice- is the cardinal virtue that induces a person to live honestly, by giving their
due to God and neighbour.
3. Fortitude- is the cardinal virtue that helps a person to be strong in his duty. It is the
virtue of martyrs, because it enables them to conquer fear.
4. Temperance- is the cardinal virtue that inspires a person to live in moderation and to
avoid any excess.
3 Theological Virtues:
1. Faith- Is the theological virtue by which we believe in the existence of God and
in his revelation.
2. Hope- is the theological virtue by which we wait with confidence for the eternal
happiness in Paradise
3. Love- is the theological virtue by which we adore God with all our heart and care
for our neighbors like ourselves.
IX. The 8 Beatitudes
8 Beatitudes-The Beatitudes are eight blessings recounted by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount
in the Gospel of Matthew. Each is a proverb-like proclamation, without narrative

1. Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
6. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
8. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven.
X. The 10 commandments
10 Commandments- The Ten Commandments are the eternal laws of God, which enable Man
to distinguish between right and wrong.
 1. I am the Lord your God; you shall not have strange gods before me.
2. You shall not use the name of the Lord your God in vain.
3. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.
4. Honor your father and your mother.
5. You shall not kill.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
7. You shall not steal.
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbors.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
10.You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
XI. The 7 Last words
1. “Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”
2. “On this day, you shall be with me in paradise.”
3. “Son, behold your mother; mother, behold your son.”
4. “I thirst.”
5. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
6. “All is finished.”
7. “Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit!”
XI. Heaven, Hell, Purgatory and last Judgment
Heaven – is the perfect and everlasting happiness in seeing and loving God with the angels and
saints.
Hell – is the everlasting suffering far from God.
Purgatory – is the place for the purification of souls
Last judgment – is the time wherein Jesus Christ will return to the earth and separate good