A Catholic Guide for Busy Working Men

Last time we introduced Father Vincent Fitzpatrick's What Every Catholic Should Have Committed to Memory by referring to it as a Catholic Guide for Busy Working Men. After looking at the basic topics Father covers, we now show you his thorough breakdown of each topic in outline form. As suggested, you can go through these to determine what you already know and where you need to brush up. You'll see that it's simple but comprehensive. It will equip you to explain and, when necessary, defend your Catholic Faith. But, more importantly, by making this knowledge your own, by letting it expand and energize your interior life, you'll be able to live your Faith in all its richness.

What Every Catholic Should Have
Committed to Memory
(and be able to define and discuss)

by Father Vincent Fitzpatrick

Seven Pillars of Catechesis:
The Three Parts of Salvation History

I    Old Testament
Creation, Original Sin, First Covenant, the first murder, Tower of
Babel, the Flood, The Second Covenant, the Sacrifice of Isaac, Second
Covenant, Joseph in Egypt, the Burning Bush, the Exodus, Ten
Commandment, Third Covenant, Manna in the Desert, Tabernacle and Third
Covenant, Joshua into promised land, Judges, David and the Fourth
Covenant, etc.
II    New Testament
        Gospels
Infancy Narratives, Miracles of Christ, Parables of Christ, Principal
Discourses, Passion and Resurrection
        Acts of the Apostles
            Ascension, Pentecost, First Martyrs, Paul
III    Church History

Roman Empire, Monasticism, "Dark Ages," Middle Ages, Scholasticism,
Reformation and Counter-Reformation, French Revolution to the Present

Great Heresies: Trinitarian and Christological Heresies (300 A.D.),
Lutheranism, Calvinism (1500 A.D.), Jansenism (1800 A.D.), Modernism
(1900 A.D.), Communism/Socialism (1789- A.D.), Consequentialism and
Proportionalism (1960- A.D.)

Lives of Saints in all periods

The Four Symbols of the Faith

IV    The Creed
V    The Moral Life
VI    Sacraments
VII    Prayer

IV    The Creed
        The Principal Dogmas
            Trinity
            Incarnation
            Eucharist
    Ecclesiology
    Eschatology
    Marian Dogmas

V    The Moral Life
        The Intellect, Free Will, Appetites and Faculties
        The Nature, Cause, and Effects of Original Sin
            Effects of the Absence of Grace from Conception
            The five effects of Original Sin
        Gravity and Species of Sins
            Mortal and Venial Sin, Subjective/Objective Guilt
            Kinds of Sins
        The Ten Commandments
        The Precepts of the Church
        Virtues and Vices
            Four Cardinal Virtues
            Three Theological Virtues
            Temperament
        Moral Principles
    Double Effect, Just War, Life, Property, "Exceptionless Norms,"
Subsidiarity

VI    The Seven Sacraments
Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Holy Orders, Matrimony, Sacrament
of the Sick
Sacraments  of the Living and the Dead
        Parts of the Mass
Penitential Rite, Kyrie, Gloria, Liturgy of the Word, Sanctus, Canon,
Consecration, Real Presence, Agnus Dei, Ecce Agnus Dei, Communion
        Sacramentals
            Rosary
            Stations of the Cross
            Eucharistic Adoration (Tantum Ergo/O Salutaris)
            Angelus/Regina Caeli

VII    Prayer
        Lord's Prayer
            Purposes of Prayer
        Basic Prayers
            Our Father, Hail Mary
            Acts of Faith, Hope, Charity
            Act of Contrition
            Memorare
            Salve Regina
            The Kyriale (The People's parts of the Mass)
                Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei