CATECHISM

Q. What is the fourth Commandment?

A. The fourth Commandment is, ‘Honour thy father and thy mother’.

Q. What are we commanded by the fourth Commandment?
A. By the fourth Commandment we are commanded to love, reverence, and obey our parents in all
that is not sin.
To love our parents. To have a very great affection for them.
Reverence. To esteem, to respect or honour.
 
Obey. To do what we are told. We must not only obey our parents, but also all those who
are lawfully placed over us, provided that such obedience is not sinful.

Q. Are we commanded to obey our parents only?
A. We are commanded to obey, not only our parents, but also our bishops and pastors, the civil
authorities, and our lawful superiors.
Civil authorities. Those who administer the law.

Q. Are we bound to assist our parents in their wants?
A. We are bound to assist our parents in their wants, both spiritual and temporal.
Temporal wants. The wants of the body, such as food, clothing, and lodging.
Spiritual wants. The wants of the soul, such as instructions, the Sacraments, etc.

Q. Are we bound in justice to contribute to the support of our pastors?
A. We are bound in justice to contribute to the support of our pastors; for St. Paul says; ‘The Lord
ordained that they who preach the Gospel should live by the Gospel’. Cor.9:14
Contribute. To give something towards a person’s expenses.
Ordained. Ordered, commanded, made it a law.

Q. What is the duty of parents towards their children?
A. The duty of parents towards their children is to provide for them, to instruct and correct them,
and to give them a good Catholic education.
Duty. What one ought to do, one’s proper business.

Q. What is the duty of masters, mistresses, and other superiors?
A. The duty of masters, mistresses, and other superiors is to take proper care of those under their
charge, and to enable them to practice their religious duties.

Q. What does the fourth Commandment forbid?
A. The fourth Commandment forbids all contempt, stubbornness, and disobedience to our parents
and lawful superiors.
Contempt. To treat with disrespect, to despise, to slight.
Stubbornness. Being obstinate or self-willed, hard to move.
Disobedience. Neglecting or refusing to do as we are told.
Lawful superiors. Those who have a right to our obedience.

Q. Is it sinful to belong to a Secret Society?
A. It is sinful to belong to any Secret Society that plots against the Church or State, or to any
Society that by reason of its secrecy is condemned by the Church; for St. Paul says: ‘Let every
soul be subject to the higher powers; he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God;
and they that resist purchase to themselves damnation. Rom. 13:1,2