YOUCAT*: Conscience is the inner voice in a man that moves him to do good under any circumstance and to avoid evil by all means. At the same time it is the ability to distinguish the one from the other. In the conscience God speaks to man. [1776-1779] Deep down within us we sense God’s […]
Manaolana|Lisa’s catechism corner: Do you have ‘fortitude’?
YOUCAT*: Someone who practices fortitude perseveres in his commitment to the good, once he has recognized it, even if in the extreme case he must sacrifice even his own life for it. [1808, 1837] Doing the right thing, especially in a culture that doesn’t always teach us to do the right things, can be scary. […]
Manaolana | Lisa’s catechism corner: How does a one act justly?
Church teaching explained to you YOUCAT*: One acts justly by always making sure to give to God and to one’s neighbor what is due to them. [1807, 1836] As a child I remember thinking life wasn’t fair because I couldn’t have this or that. You know — manini-kine stuff. I didn’t think adults were acting […]
Manaolana | Lisa’s catechism corner: How do you become prudent?
YOUCAT*: A person becomes prudent by learning to distinguish what is essential from what is non-essential, to set the right goals and to choose the best means of attaining them. [1806, 1835] Over the last six weeks, young adults (and adults) from all over Oahu attended our Theology on Tap series “Happy Catholics.” All three […]
Manaolana | Lisa’s catechism corner: What is a virtue?
YOUCAT*: A virtue is an interior disposition, a positive habit, a passion that has been placed at the service of the good. [1803, 1833] Do you bite your nails? That’s a bad habit. Do you brush your teeth at least twice a day? That’s a good habit. The Holy Spirit provides us with good habits […]
Manaolana | Lisa’s catechism corner: Working at forming your character
YOUCAT*: We must work at forming our character so that we can freely, joyfully and easily accomplish what is good. A firm faith in God, in the first place, helps us to do this, but also the practice of the virtues, which means developing within ourselves, with God’s help, firm dispositions, not giving ourselves over […]
Manaolana | Lisa’s catechism corner: What is the Holy Eucharist?
YOUCAT*: Holy Eucharist is the Sacrament in which Jesus Christ gives his Body and Blood — himself — for us, so that we too might give ourselves to him in love and be united with him in Holy Communion. In this way we are joined with the one Body of Christ, the Church. [1322, 1324, […]
Manaolana | Lisa’s catechism corner: What happened on Pentecost?
YOUCAT*: Fifty days after his Resurrection, the Lord sent the Holy Spirit down from heaven upon his disciples. The age of the Church began. [731-733] After Jesus’ Ascension into heaven, the apostles eagerly awaited the arrival of the Holy Spirit. This arrival occured on what we celebrate today as Pentecost. The word Pentecost comes from […]
Manaolana | Lisa’s catechism corner: Was Mary only an instrument of God?
YOUCAT*: Mary was more than a merely passive instrument of God. The Incarnation of God took place through her active consent as well. [493-494, 508-511] When the angel spoke to Mary and told her that she would bear the Son of God, she didn’t say, “You got the wrong person.” She responded, “May it be […]
Manaolana | Lisa’s catechism corner: Why do we yearn for happiness?
YOUCAT*: “God has placed in our hearts such an infinite desire for happiness that nothing can satisfy it but God himself. All earthly fulfillment gives us only a foretaste of eternal happiness. Above and beyond that, we should be drawn to God.” [1718-1718, 1725] I was in Washington, D.C., last week and, while visiting the […]