Basic Catholic Q and A's

The numbers in parenthese that follow the questions refer to related paragraphs in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

1. What is a human person?
2. After creating us, does God leave us on our own?
3. What is the significance of the Sabbath in the work of creation?
4. What are the main facts to know about creation?
5. What is the theory of evolution?
6. What is the greatest glory God receives in the visible universe?
7. Who were the man and woman?
8. What was the mastery or "dominion" which our first parents exercised over creation?
9. What other gifts did our first parents receive from God?
10. Were Adam and Eve capable of sinning?
11. What does it mean to sin?
12. Did Adam and Eve sin?
13. What happened to our first parents because of their sin?
14. Does the sin of our first parents have any effect on us, their descendants?
15. What is this sin in us called?
16. How did the sin of Adam and Eve become our sin?
17. Do we have to believe in original sin?
18. Was anyone ever free from original sin?

1.What is a human person?
Created in the image and likeness of God, the human person is a union of body and soul, endowed with intelligence and freedom, who will live forever. (355-358, 362-368)

It was he who created man in the beginning, and he left him in the power of his own inclination (Sir 15:14).

2. After creating us, does God leave us on our own?
God continues to love and care for us. Without his activity in our lives we could not think, decide or act. By his power God keeps the whole universe from returning to nothingness (See 2 Mc 7:28). We call God's action his divine Providence. Creation is just the beginning of God's saving actions in the world and in our own lives. (300, 304)

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established (Prov 19:21).

3. What is the significance of the Sabbath in the work of creation?
God worked at creation for six "days." He blessed the seventh "day" as a day of rest, a day for praise and worship. By giving us this day of rest God teaches us to reflect on the beauty of all creation, to respect his plan of creation by faithfully observing the laws he has established, and to worship and adore his goodness. (345-347)

So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation (Gn 2:3). 

4. What are the main facts to know about creation?
God created all matter and energy in the universe; if there was evolution, God planned and guided it; and every human soul is created directly by God at the moment of the conception of the body.

And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Eccl 12:7).

5. What is the theory of evolution?
The theory of evolution proposes that the universe, as we know it today, is the product of a chain of development. The Catholic Church teaches that even if the human body was formed through an evolving process, each human soul is created directly by God.

6. What is the greatest glory God receives in the visible universe?
Although the whole universe reflects the infinite wisdom, beauty and goodness of the Creator, the greatest glory God receives in the visible universe comes from human persons. Only human persons have the freedom to choose to love, adore and serve the Creator. (342-343, 356)

Are not five sparrows sold for a few cents? Yet not one of these is overlooked in the presence of God! On the contrary, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not! You are worth far more than sparrows (Lk 12:6-7).

7. Who were the first man and woman?
The first man and woman the first parents of the entire human race, are known as Adam and Eve. (375) (See Gn 1-4)

8. What was the mastery or "dominion" which our first parents exercised over creation?
Because God created Adam and Eve in the divine image and likeness, he placed them in charge of the rest of creation to care for it. (307, 373, 377-378)

And God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion" (Gn 1:28).

9. What other gifts did our first parents receive from God?
God gave them natural goodness and happiness, God's friendship or grace, inner harmony, as well as harmony with nature, knowledge, self-control and freedom from suffering and death. This harmonious and blessed existence is known as the state of "original justice." (374-376)

10. Were Adam and Eve capable of sinning?
Adam and Eve were capable of sinning because God gave them free will.(387)

And if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve... (Josh 24:15).

11. What does it mean to sin?
To sin means to reject or oppose God or his law knowingly and willfully. (386-387)

For whoever knows what he should do and does not do it is committing a sin (Jas 4:17).

12. Did Adam and Eve sin?
They sinned when they freely disobeyed a direct command of God. (379, 397)

God said, "You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden...." When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that is was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, and he ate (Gn 3:3, 6).

13. What happened to our first parents because of their sin?
They lost the grace of holiness, their friendship with God, their inner harmony, the right to heaven, and the other gifts they had received. They became subject to suffering and death, felt strong inclinations to evil, and were forced out of the garden of paradise. (399-401)

Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden... (Gn 3:23).

14. Does the sin of our first parents have any effect on us, their descendants?
Because of their sin, we are born without sanctifying grace and inherit Adam's punishment, as we would have inherited his gifts had he been faithful to God. (390, 402)

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and in this way death spread to all men... (Rom 5:12).

15. What is this sin in us called?
This sin in us is called original sin.

16. How did the sin of Adam and Eve become our sin?
The transmission of original sin is a mystery. It is not a personal sin on our part; however, we inherit their weakened and sinful human nature. "Original sin is called 'sin' in an analogical sense: it is a sin 'contracted' and not 'committed'-a state and not an act," says the Catechism of the Catholic Church. (404)

17. Do we have to believe in original sin?
Belief in the reality of original sin is essential to our understanding and appreciation of our redemption by Christ. Having sinned in Adam, we need redemption in Christ. (388-389)

So then, just as one man's offense resulted in condemnation for all, so too one man's obedience resulted in pardon and life for all (Rom 5:19).

18. Was anyone ever free from original sin?
Jesus' Mother Mary, in view of the merits of her divine Son, was preserved from original sin from the moment of her conception in her mother's womb. This great privilege is called the Immaculate Conception. (491)

Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you! (Lk 1:28).

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