First Notions — Chapter I. On the principal truths of our holy Faith

1. Make the Sign of the Cross.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. Say it in Latin.

In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

3. Who created you?

God created me.

4. For what end did God create you?

God created me to know Him, love Him, and serve Him in this life, and then to enjoy Him forever in the next.

5. Who is God?

God is the most perfect Being, Creator and Lord of heaven and earth.

6. Is there only one God?

Yes, there is only one God.

7. Where is God?

God is in heaven, on earth, and in every place.

8. Does God see everything?

Yes, God sees everything, even our thoughts.

9. Has God always existed?

God has always existed and always will exist, because He is eternal.

10. Does God have a body like ours?

God has no body, because He is a most pure spirit.

11. How many Persons are there in God?

In God there are three Persons really distinct.

12. What are the three divine Persons called?

The three divine Persons are called the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

13. Are the Persons of the Most Holy Trinity equal or unequal to one another?

The Persons of the Most Holy Trinity are perfectly equal, because they have the same divine essence or nature.

14. Which of the three divine Persons became man?

Of the three divine Persons, the second became man, namely the Son.

15. In what way did the Son of God become man?

The Son of God became man by taking a body and a soul, like ours, in the most pure womb of the Virgin Mary, by the work of the Holy Spirit.

16. What is the Son of God made man called?

The Son of God made man is called Jesus Christ.

17. Who, then, is Jesus Christ?

Jesus Christ is the Son of God made man.

18. Why did the Son of God become man?

The Son of God became man to save us.

19. What does "to save us" mean?

To save us means to deliver us from sin and from Hell, and to merit for us the glory of Heaven.

20. What is enjoyed in heaven?

In heaven one enjoys forever the vision of God and every good, without suffering any kind of evil.

21. To whom does God grant heaven?

God grants heaven as a reward to those who in this life love and serve Him.

22. What is suffered in hell?

In hell one suffers forever the privation of the vision of God, eternal fire, and every evil, without ever having any kind of good.

23. Who is condemned to hell?

To hell are condemned those who in this life would not love or serve God and who die impenitent.

24. What did Jesus Christ do to save us?

To save us, Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross.

25. After His death, did Jesus Christ rise again?

Three days after His death, Jesus Christ rose glorious and triumphant, never to die again.