Baltimore Catechism, No. 4 / An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism of Christian Doctrine for the Use of / Sunday-School Teachers and Advanced Classes

by Thomas L. Kinkead

The Lord's Prayer
The Angelical Salutation
The Apostles' Creed
The Confiteor
An Act of Faith
An Act of Hope
An Act of Love
An Act of Contrition
The Blessing before Meals
Grace after Meals
The Manner in Which a Lay Person Is to Baptize in Case of Necessity

CATECHISM

Lesson 1—On the End of Man
Lesson 2—On God and His Perfections
Lesson 3—On the Unity and Trinity of God
Lesson 4—On Creation
Lesson 5—On Our First Parents and the Fall
Lesson 6—On Sin and Its Kinds
Lesson 7—On the Incarnation and Redemption
Lesson 8—On Our Lord's Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension
Lesson 9—On the Holy Ghost and His Descent upon the Apostles
Lesson 10—On the Effects of the Redemption
Lesson 11—On the Church
Lesson 12—On the Attributes and Marks of the Church
Lesson 13—On the Sacraments in General
Lesson 14—On Baptism
Lesson 15—On Confirmation
Lesson 16—On the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Ghost
Lesson 17—On the Sacrament of Penance
Lesson 18—On Contrition
Lesson 19—On Confession
Lesson 20—On the Manner of Making a Good Confession
Lesson 21—On Indulgences
Lesson 22—On the Holy Eucharist
Lesson 23—On the Ends for which the Holy Eucharist Was Instituted
Lesson 24—On the Sacrifice of the Mass
Lesson 25—On Extreme Unction and Holy Orders
Lesson 26—On Matrimony
Lesson 27—On the Sacramentals
Lesson 28—On Prayer
Lesson 29—On the Commandments of God
Lesson 30—On the First Commandment
Lesson 31—The First Commandment—On the Honor and Invocation of the
Saints
Lesson 32—From the Second to the Fourth Commandment
Lesson 33—From the Fourth to the Seventh Commandment
Lesson 34—From the Seventh to the Tenth Commandment
Lesson 35—On the First and Second Commandments of the Church
Lesson 36—On the Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Commandments of the
Church
Lesson 37—On the Last Judgment and Resurrection, Hell, Purgatory and
Heaven

PREFACE

It must be evident to all who have had experience in the work of our Sunday schools that much time is wasted in the classes. Many teachers do little more than mark the attendance and hear the lessons; this being done, time hangs heavily on their hands till the school is dismissed. They do not or cannot explain what they are teaching, and the children have no interest in the study.

The Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism is intended for their use. The explanations are full and simple. The examples are taken from Holy Scripture, from the parables of Our Lord, from incidents in His life, and from the customs and manners of the people of His time. These are made applicable to our daily lives in reflections and exhortations.

The plan of the book makes it very simple and handy. The Catechism is complete and distinct in itself, and may be used with or without the explanations. The teacher is supposed, after hearing the lesson, to read the explanation of the new lesson as far as time will allow. It may be read just as it is, or may be learned by the teacher and given to the children in substance.

The Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism will be found very useful also for the instruction of adults and converts. The priest on the mission is often called upon to instruct persons who can come to him but seldom, and only for a short time; and who, moreover, are incapable of using with profit such books as The Faith of Our Fathers, Catholic Belief, or works of controversy. They are simply able to use the Child's Catechism when explained to them. If the Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism is in their hands, they may read the explanations and study the Catechism with pleasure.

Indeed the book should do good in any Catholic family. The majority of our people are children as far as their religious knowledge goes. They may, it is true, have books on particular subjects, such as the Duties of Parents to Their Children, The Sure Way to a Happy Marriage, etc.; but a book that explains to them in the simplest manner all the truths of their religion, and applies the same to their daily lives, ought to be useful.

The chief aim of the book is to be practical, and to teach Catholics what they should know, and how these truths of their Catechism are constantly coming up in the performance of their everyday duties. It is therefore neither a book of devotion nor of controversy, though it covers the ground of both. As in this book the explanations are interrupted by the questions and answers of the Catechism proper, it will, it is hoped, be read with more pleasure than a book giving solid page after page of instructions.