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Your easy Catholic Christian quiz

How much does the average Catholic know about their Christian faith? Last Friday (June 5, 2009), the Albuquerque Journal ran a front page story about a poll conducted to see how much knowledge of the Holy Bible people in the city have. There wasn’t an indication whether the people interviewed were Catholic or another faith, or even ‘spiritual, not religious.’ The idea reminded me of some of the concepts that generally exist in catechetical training. Perhaps too often one might hear a comment like, “You can teach kids till you’re blue in the face, but if faith stops at the front door of their home, it’s no use.” The evidence for such a claim is plain to see. Some parents drop their kids off at catechism or even Sunday Mass, without shutting off their car, obviously never considering the possibility of going in too. 

 

     Unfortunately in too many Catholic communities, children are gathered to prepare for the sacraments of Reconciliation and 1^st Communion (Eucharist), than vanish completely once the sacraments have been received. All is not lost, because they will return approximately six years later to prepare for the sacrament of Confirmation. Sad to say many will leave again and fewer will be back. Some of the ones who do return are there to prepare for the sacrament of Holy Matrimony. Of course, they are just as likely to leave again after that, but will be back for the Baptism of their children. This wasn’t intended to be a bleak picture, but a simple statement of what happens in our parishes. Certainly, some communities have better track records than others.

 

     The development and experience of faith was never intended to be like a holy spa or summer camp where one could drop the kids off to have them polished every few years. In that light the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops introduced the magnificent National Directory for Catechesis in May 2005, which embraced the best of previous USCCB documents, Renewing the Vision (Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry) and Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us (Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation). The idea is Whole Community Catechesis, a plan and guide most completely developed by Bill Huebsch, and taught in a fine series of books by that author-catechist and his associates. 

 

     The concept is a complete parish sharing of faith knowledge, worship, moral principles, prayer, ministry, and faith life lived in the church, the home, and the secular community. It isn’t just for the kids, but for every member of the faith family.  Besides all those wonderful things that are done at church, which of course, everyone should be attending, all of the elements of this concept need to be practiced in the home as well. Families should pray together. They should read the Holy Bible together, but more than that, they should talk about what it says and how it applies to their lives. 

 

     Several parents have told me that they either don’t know much about their faith, or if they did, have forgotten a lot of it. The nice thing is, the story hasn’t changed much, and everyone can catch up on the parts they missed. I gathered five catechism text books, grades three through high school, which should cover the required knowledge for the years between 1^st Communion and Confirmation. The books came from five different publishers, and although they all carry general catechetical knowledge, each is focused in a particular study.

 

     So, here it is. There are five questions drawn from lesson plans of these texts. All are essential knowledge and should be a piece of cake for anyone who is at the level of Confirmation or beyond.  The answers are not listed here, but instead, where the participant can locate them in the New Testament of the Bible. Looking them up will be a great exercise. If the participant knows the answer to all five, they are doing well, but keep up the good work, there is much more to know. Four correct answers means you’re on the right track, but study harder in the area of the one wrong answer. Three correct responses is passing, but I’d study some more and avoid bragging that you passed. Two right answers is less than half. Pray that you didn’t miss any questions you may be asked at the pearly gates. One or zero…well, you know who you are and what you need to do, but you also have to develop the motivation and desire to do something about it. Start by calling you parish religious education office and asking what’s available. Sometimes programs for adults are the best kept secrets in a community.  Other times they may not happen at all if no one asks.

 

     Here are the questions. God bless you!

 

1.      Jesus’ birth was incorporated into extensive travel by Mary and Joseph, leaving their home to adhere to local law, and escaping sure peril to provide safety for the endangered Christ Child after his birth. They finally were able to return home safely. What three places did their journey reach to accomplish these goals?  If you get two, count this question right. (Luke 2:1-7, Matthew 2:1-23)

2.      The gospels do not have information on Jesus’ education and development from roughly the age of thirteen through thirty. According to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, after Jesus was baptized as an adult, he was guided by the spirit into a desert to face an ordeal before beginning his public ministry. How would you describe what happened? (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13)

3.      What are any two verses from the Beatitudes? (Matthew 5:3-12, Luke 6:20-26)

4.      In an attempt to trick Jesus, a lawyer for the Pharisees asked him which of the commandments was the greatest. How did the Teacher answer? You should take off two points if you miss this one. (Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 10:25-28)

5.      In John’s Gospel, at the Last Supper, Jesus made a very vivid example of what his message of service to others was about. What was that action? (John 13:1-20)

 

And if you’re really courageous, name the seven sacraments. They’re not all listed in one place in the bible, but you’ll find them in any of those kids’ text books no matter which one you choose, or the Catechism of the Catholic Church #1113.