(Taken from the Baltimore Catechism #2)
292. Q. What is a sacramental?
A. A sacramental is anything set apart or blessed by the Church toexcite good thoughts and to increase devotion, and through thesemovements of the heart to remit venial sin.
293. Q. What is the difference between the Sacraments and the sacramentals?
A. The difference between the Sacraments and the sacramentals is: 1st,The Sacraments were instituted by Jesus Christ and the sacramentals wereinstituted by the Church; 2d, The Sacraments give grace of themselveswhen we place no obstacle in the way; the sacramentals excite in uspious dispositions, by means of which we may obtain grace.
294. Q. Which is the chief sacramental used in the Church?
A. The chief sacramental used in the Church is the sign of the Cross.
295. Q. How do we make the sign of the Cross?
A. We make the sign of the Cross by putting the right hand to theforehead, then on the breast, and then to the left and right shoulders,saying, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the HolyGhost. Amen.
296. Q. Why do we make the sign of the Cross?
A. We make the sign of the Cross to show that we are Christians and toprofess our belief in the chief mysteries of our religion.
297. Q. How is the sign of the Cross a profession of faith in the chiefmysteries of our religion?
A. The sign of the Cross is a profession of faith in the chief mysteriesof our religion because it expresses the mysteries of the Unity andTrinity of God and of the Incarnation and death of our Lord.
298. Q. How does the sign of the Cross express the mystery of the Unityand Trinity of God?
A. The words, In the name, express the Unity of God; the words thatfollow, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, expressthe mystery of the Trinity.
299. Q. How does the sign of the Cross express the mystery of theIncarnation and death of our Lord?
A. The sign of the Cross expresses the mystery of the Incarnation byreminding us that the Son of God, having become man, suffered death onthe cross.
300. Q. What other sacramental is in very frequent use?
A. Another sacramental in very frequent use is holy water.
301. Q. What is holy water?
A. Holy water is water blessed by the priest with solemn prayer to beg
God's blessing on those who use it, and protection from the powers of
darkness.
302. Q. Are there other sacramentals besides the sign of the Cross and holy water?
A. Besides the sign of the Cross and holy water there are many othersacramentals, such as blessed candles, ashes, palms, crucifixes, imagesof the Blessed Virgin and of the saints, rosaries, and scapulars.
292. Q. What is a sacramental?
A. A sacramental is anything set apart or blessed by the Church toexcite good thoughts and to increase devotion, and through thesemovements of the heart to remit venial sin.
293. Q. What is the difference between the Sacraments and the sacramentals?
A. The difference between the Sacraments and the sacramentals is: 1st,The Sacraments were instituted by Jesus Christ and the sacramentals wereinstituted by the Church; 2d, The Sacraments give grace of themselveswhen we place no obstacle in the way; the sacramentals excite in uspious dispositions, by means of which we may obtain grace.
294. Q. Which is the chief sacramental used in the Church?
A. The chief sacramental used in the Church is the sign of the Cross.
295. Q. How do we make the sign of the Cross?
A. We make the sign of the Cross by putting the right hand to theforehead, then on the breast, and then to the left and right shoulders,saying, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the HolyGhost. Amen.
296. Q. Why do we make the sign of the Cross?
A. We make the sign of the Cross to show that we are Christians and toprofess our belief in the chief mysteries of our religion.
297. Q. How is the sign of the Cross a profession of faith in the chiefmysteries of our religion?
A. The sign of the Cross is a profession of faith in the chief mysteriesof our religion because it expresses the mysteries of the Unity andTrinity of God and of the Incarnation and death of our Lord.
298. Q. How does the sign of the Cross express the mystery of the Unityand Trinity of God?
A. The words, In the name, express the Unity of God; the words thatfollow, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, expressthe mystery of the Trinity.
299. Q. How does the sign of the Cross express the mystery of theIncarnation and death of our Lord?
A. The sign of the Cross expresses the mystery of the Incarnation byreminding us that the Son of God, having become man, suffered death onthe cross.
300. Q. What other sacramental is in very frequent use?
A. Another sacramental in very frequent use is holy water.
301. Q. What is holy water?
A. Holy water is water blessed by the priest with solemn prayer to beg
God's blessing on those who use it, and protection from the powers of
darkness.
302. Q. Are there other sacramentals besides the sign of the Cross and holy water?
A. Besides the sign of the Cross and holy water there are many othersacramentals, such as blessed candles, ashes, palms, crucifixes, imagesof the Blessed Virgin and of the saints, rosaries, and scapulars.
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