Catechism For Filipino Catholics

CBCPCatholic Bishops’ Conferenceof the PhilippinesCatechismforFilipino CatholicsNew Editionwith expanded Subject Indexand PrimerECCCEWORD & LIFE PUBLICATIONSMANILAPHILIPPINESfrom the beginning of the Christianizationof the Philippines to the end of the 20th Century:Four Centuries of Catechesis in our Country.One uninterrupted effort to remain faithfulto God,to Man,to the Church.One continuous endeavorto make the Catholic Faith relevantto the culture and the lives

of our Filipino People.Vatican City, 6 March 1997Prot. N. 97000707Your Excellency,The Episcopal Conference of the Philippines, at the appropriate time, sent to this Dicastery theCatechism for Filipino Catholics developed by the same Episcopal Conference, requesting the approval ofthe Holy See.The Congregation for the Clergy, after having examined the text and obtained on the first day ofMarch, 1997 the positive opinion (Prot. N. 64/94-03884) rendered by the Congregation for the Doctrine ofthe Faith, does hereby grant the requested approbation, according to the requirements of canon 775 § 2.This Dicastery wishes to congratulate the Bishops of the Philippines for providing an instrumentthat is truly suitable for transmitting the faith among Catholic Filipinos and hopes that the Catechism willhave the widest possible circulation.I take this opportunity to express to Your Excellency and to the entire Episcopal Conference mysentiments of esteem and with every best wish, I remain,Sincerely yours in Christ,His ExcellencyMost Reverend OSCAR V. CRUZ, D.D.President of the CBCP470 General Luna StreetIntramuros, Manila 1002P.O. Box 3601 Manila, 1099PHILIPPINES

ContentsPREFACE1Why a New Catechism. 1Characteristics of this Catechism.3For Whom the Catechism Is Intended. 4Basic Structure of the Catechism.5Using This Catechism.7Synthesis . 8Foundations1WHO IS THE FILIPINO CATHOLIC11OPENING . 11CONTEXT . 12EXPOSITION . 13A. Self-Identity. 13B. Meaning in Life.14C. Sufferings in Life. 14D. Life-Commitment.15E. World View.15F. The Filipino Way. 16G. The Filipino Catholic. 17INTEGRATION .QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 192GOD’S CALL: REVELATION21OPENING . 21CONTEXT . 22EXPOSITION . 22I. God Reveals Himself .22A. In Creation.22B. In Scripture, through Salvation History.23C. In the Church.24D. In Other Religions.25II. Jesus Christ: Agent, Contentand Goal of Revelation . 26A. Goal. 26B. Content. 26C. Agent. 26III. Where We Find God’s Revelation .27A. Scripture and Tradition. 27B. Interpreting Scripture. 2918

INTEGRATION .31QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 323OUR RESPONSE: WE BELIEVE35OPENING . 35CONTEXT .EXPOSITION . 37I. Faith in Human Relations . 37II. Faith in God .38A. Characteristics of Christian Faith. 38B. The Three Essential Dimensions of Faith.39C. Faith and Three Classic Questions.41D. Faith and Salvation.41III. Paradoxical Characteristics of Faith .42A. Certain, Yet Obscure.42B. Free, Yet Morally Obliging.43C. Reasonable, Yet Beyond Natural Reason.43D. An Act, Yet a Process. 44E. A Gift, Yet Our Doing. 44F. Personal, Yet Ecclesial.45IV. Mary: Model of Faith . 46INTEGRATION .47QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 484OUR UNBELIEF51OPENING . 51CONTEXT . 52EXPOSITION . 53I. Obstacles to Believing, Doing, Worshipping .53A. Unbelief vs. Believing.53B. Unbelief vs. Doing. 55C. Unbelief vs. Trusting/Worshipping.57II. Obstacles to Belief in Self-Becoming .59INTEGRATION .60QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 61Part OneChrist, Our Truth5CATHOLIC DOCTRINE:CHRIST, OUR TRUTH65OPENING . 6536

CONTEXT . 66EXPOSITION . 66I. History of the Creeds . 67A. Biblical Creeds. 68B. Liturgical and Catechetical Creeds . 68C. The Creed Today.69II. Objections to the Creed . 69III. Functions of the Creed .70A. Summary of Beliefs. 70B. Pledge of Loyalty. 71C. Proclamation of Identity.71INTEGRATION .72QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 736GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY75OPENING . 75CONTEXT . 76EXPOSITION . 77I. Preliminary Points . 77II. God as Our Father . 79III. God Revealed as Father in Scripture .80A. Yahweh in the Old Testament.80B. Jesus’ “Abba” Relationship.81IV. Almighty .82INTEGRATION .85QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 867CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH89OPENING . 89CONTEXT . 90EXPOSITION . 90I. Creator . 91The Blessed Trinity Is the Creator.91II. God’s Creative Action . 92A. Biblical and Scientific Accounts.92B. Church Teaching. 93III. Created Reality .94A. Two Consequences. 94B. Man as Crown of Creation.95C. Visible and Invisible: Angels.95D. New Creation. 97IV. Meaning of Creation for Human Persons . 97V. Divine Providence . 98INTEGRATION .99

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 1008THE FALL FROM GLORY103OPENING . 103CONTEXT . 104EXPOSITION . 105I. Scripture on Our Human Fall . 105A. Genesis. 105B. St. Paul. 106II. Church Teaching on Original Sin . 106Descriptive Definition of Original Sin.108III. Original Sin and Filipino Catholic Life .109INTEGRATION .111QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 1129GOD PROMISES A SAVIOR115OPENING . 115CONTEXT . 116EXPOSITION . 117I. Value of the Old Testament . 117II. Canon of the Old Testament . 118A. Torah/Historical Books .118B. The Word of the Prophets. 119C. The Counsel of the Wise. 123INTEGRATION .125QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 12610JESUS CHRIST:MISSION AND PERSON129OPENING . 129CONTEXT . 130EXPOSITION . 131I. Presuppositions . 131II. Ministry of the Historical Jesus .132A. Jesus as Prophet. 133B. Jesus as Savior/Redeemer. 137III. The Person of Jesus .139A. Jesus, Our Brother: True Man.140B. “One Lord, Jesus, the only Son of God”.140C. Jesus Is One Person. 142IV. Mary, Mother of the Son of God . 142A. Mary in Scripture. 143

B. Mary in Catholic Doctrine. 144INTEGRATION .147QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 14811CHRIST HAS DIED153OPENING . 153CONTEXT . 154EXPOSITION . 155I. The Cross: Symbol of Saving Love .155II. Christ’s View of His Suffering and Death .156III. Characteristics of Christ’s Sufferingand Death . 157A. Redemptive.157B. From Sin. 158C. For Us. 159IV. Profound Effects of Christ’s Death . 160A. Universal, Eschatological,Empowering Salvation.160B. Radical Conversion. 162V. Christ’s Descent to the Dead .163INTEGRATION .164QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 16512CHRIST IS RISENAND WILL COME AGAIN169OPENING . 169CONTEXT . 170EXPOSITION . 171I. Importance and Nature of the Resurrection .171A. Salvific Importance. 171B. Nature of the Resurrection. 173II. New Testament Witness to the Resurrection .174A. The Resurrection as Kerygma.174B. The Resurrection as Jesus’ Presence. 176C. The Resurrection and the Empty Tomb.178III. Christ’s Ascension .178IV. Christ Will Come Again . 179INTEGRATION .181QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 182Part Two

Christ, Our WayDiscipleship and Moral Life13LIVING AS DISCIPLES OF CHRIST187OPENING . 187CONTEXT . 188EXPOSITION . 189I. Moral Agent: The Human Person .189II. Persons in Experience .190III. Human Freedom . 192IV. Conscience .195INTEGRATION .198QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 19914THE CHALLENGEOF FOLLOWING CHRIST203OPENING . 203CONTEXT . 204EXPOSITION . 205I. Faith and Morality .205A. The Kingdom of God. 207B. Response to the Kingdom. 209C. Parables of the Kingdom .210II. The Church and Morality . 211III. The Mystery of Wickedness: Sin . 213A. Sin in Sacred Scripture.215B. Church Teaching on Sin.217INTEGRATION .218QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 21915THE CHRISTIAN LAWOF LIFE-GIVING LOVE221OPENING . 221CONTEXT . 222EXPOSITION . 223I. Moral Norms . 224II. Law in Scripture . 226III. Law in the Church . 231IV. Process of Moral Decision-Making .233INTEGRATION .236QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 236

16LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD241OPENING . 241CONTEXT . 242EXPOSITION . 243I. Understanding the Commandments . 243II. The First Commandment .246III. The Second Commandment .250IV. The Third Commandment . 252INTEGRATION .257QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 25817LOVE ONE ANOTHER261OPENING . 261CONTEXT . 262EXPOSITION . 263I. Love of God and Love of Neighbor . 263II. Christ’s Command of Love .265III. The Example and Teaching of Christ . 267A. Jesus’ Example and Teaching.267B. Effect on Disciples. 269C. Community Built.269IV. Reasons for Loving Others .269V. Ways and Means of Loving Others .271A. Works of Mercy. 271B. Christian Virtues. 273INTEGRATION .276QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 27618RESPECT GOD’S GIFT: LIFE279OPENING . 279CONTEXT . 280EXPOSITION . 281I. The Fourth Commandment . 281A. The Family: Originating Context of Life.283B. Family Relationships.286II. The Fifth Commandment .288Particular Offenses Against Life.290INTEGRATION .293QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS . 294

19RESPECTING HUMAN SEXUALITY297OPENING . 297CONTEXT .

of our Filipino People. Vatican City, 6 March 1997 Prot. N. 97000707 Your Excellency, The Episcopal Conference of the Philippines, at the appropriate time, sent to this Dicastery the