ACTA LINGUISTICA LITHUANICA

XLIV (2001), 227–250

PUBLICATIONS

Source publications

THE ITALIAN CATECHISM OF LEDESMA DOTTRINA CHRISTIANA: THE SOURCE OF THE POLISH TEXT USED BY DAUKŠA

As is well known, the Polish text of the catechism translated by Daukša was not an original work but a translation from Italian. This prompted me to investigate its links with Italian sources, beginning my search with the Spanish Jesuit Jacob Ledesma, to whom the authorship of the Lithuanian book has been attributed. From G. Aranci’s recently published, documented article on Jacob Ledesma’s catechisms¹, I learned that this author published two different catechisms in Italian under the common title Dottrina Christiana (Christian Doctrine). One of them is the “short” catechism (Dottrina Christiana Breve), whose oldest surviving copy, published in 1569², is held in the Library of the Archdiocese of Bologna; Aranci studied it using a copy published in Rome in 1593³, but did not mention that copies of other sixteenth-century editions also survive (one in the Brera Library in Milan⁴, another in the National Library of Florence⁵, and a further one in the Vatican Library⁶). The second work is a somewhat expanded version of the “short” catechism; Aranci studied it not from the sole copy of the 1576 edition held in the Brera Library in Milan⁷, whose existence he did not know, but from a translation into Catalan published in 1596⁸. However, he noted that the Brera Library in Milan holds a 1596 bookDottrina Christiana. Stampata d’ordine, et commissione del Molto Illustr. Et Reverendiss. Monsig. Filippo

¹ Plg. Aranci G. Le „Dottrine“ di Giacomo Ledesma S. J. (1524–1575), „Salesianum“ 53 (1991), 315–382.

² Summary of the Brief Christian Doctrine, to teach in a few days, by questioning, in the form of a dialogue between the Teacher and the Disciple, Bologna, P. Bonardi.

³ Cf. Aranci, op. cit., p. 320, n. 29.

⁴ Somma della Dottrina Christiana. Con la sua Breve dichiarationea modo di dialogo fra’l Maestro, e discepolo, Genoa, A. Bellone, 1570 (shelfmark: Zx 1 44).

⁵ Dottrina Cristiana breve per insegnare in pochi giorni, et per interrogazioni à modo di Dialogo, fra il Maestro e Discepolo, Florence, A. Padovani, 1587 (shelfmark: Pal 15.E.8.171). The work was printed as an appendix to the book Scelta d’orazioni devotissime al Signore e alla Vergine.

⁶ Dottrina Cristiana breve per insegnare in pochi giorni, e per interrogazioni a modo di dialogo, fra il Maestro e Discepolo, Florence, F. Giunti, 1593 (shelfmark: Capponi VI.48 (2)). The work was printed as an appendix to the book Scelta d’orazioni devotissime al Signore e alla Vergine.

⁷ Dottrina Christiana, a modo di dialogo del Maestro, et Discepolo, per insegnare alli Fanciulli, Milan, P. Pontio (shelfmark: Musica B 39 (2)).

⁸ Doctrina Christiana a manera de dialogo entre lo Mestre, y lo Dexeble, Barcelona, J. Cendrat. The book is transcribed in the aforementioned article by Aranci (p. 341 ff.).

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Archinto Vescovo di Como.... Per uso della sua Città, et Diocese⁹ corresponds in many places to the aforementioned 1596 translation¹⁰. Judging from the title of the 1576 book (Dottrina Christiana, a modo di dialogo del Maestro, et Discepolo, per insegnare alli Fanciulli) and the list of editions of Ledesma’s catechisms provided by Aranci¹¹, one may suppose that the expanded version was first published (although no copy has survived to the present day) in Rome in 1573, when Ledesma’s work intended for teaching the catechism and singing Catholic hymns was also published¹². The fact that the version under discussion is later than the “short” catechism allows it to be regarded as a reworking of the latter. Since Ledesma had lived in Rome since 1557¹³ and could have learned Italian, a language quite close to his native tongue, rather well over the course of a decade, it is entirely possible that he wrote both catechisms in Italian rather than Spanish; it is therefore unsurprising that there is no information about Spanish versions of these texts published in the sixteenth century, and that the extensive 180-page Catecismo, y declaracion breve de la Dottrina Christiana, por preguntas, y respuestas entre Maestro, y Discipulo¹⁴ is a different book from the expanded catechism, while Dottrina Christiana Por interrogaciones à manera de Dialogo, entre el Maestro, y Discipulo¹⁵ corresponds only in part to the “short” catechism.

The sixteenth-century “short” catechism was translated into Albanian¹⁶ and English¹⁷, while the expanded version was used, in addition to the aforementioned Catalan text, in preparing a Polish translation, which we shall now consider.

The translation from Ledesma’s catechism makes up only the first half of the Polish book (and its Lithuanian translation), since Krotki obyczay spowiedzi (> Trumpas Budas Pasisċkimo / arba įpažinimo Nūdėmiu) is based on other sources.

Comparing the 1576 edition of Dottrina Christiana, a modo di dialogo del Maestro, et Discepolo, per insegnare alli Fanciulli with the first half of the Polish book reprinted in the scholarly edition of Daukša’s catechism¹⁸, it is easy to see that, from the chapter O imieniu á znamięniu Chrześcijańskim/ y o imieniu Páná Chrystusowym y o jego nauce Chrześcijańskiej (p. 466) to Trzy Boskie Cnoty (p. 528), the Polish text differs little from its Italian source. Occasional passages from the original have been omitted: after the sentence A Chrystus kto jest? (p. 467, line 20), before the chapter O Pozdrowieniu Pánny Máriey (p. 493, line 18), before the sentence A czemuż wzywa innych ceremony y zwierzchnych poczciwości (p. 517, lines 11–13), and before the sentence Co jest grech (p. 519, line 7)—but some of the lines omitted here have been moved

⁹ Shelfmark: Musica B 29 (1).

¹⁰ Cf. Aranci G. Min. op. cit., p. 337, n. 69. Aranci’s view is not entirely justified, since the Italian text of 1596 differs considerably from the 1576 edition, as I was able to ascertain by comparing these two books.

¹¹ Ibid., p. 339.

¹² Modo per insegnar la Dottrina Christiana, Rome, A. Blado. One copy is held at the Biblioteca di Brera in Milan (shelfmark: Musica B 39 (1)).

¹³ Cf. Aranci G. Min. op. cit., p. 316.

¹⁴ One copy of it, printed in Seville in 1611, is held at the Bavarian State Library in Munich (shelfmark: Catech. 406).

¹⁵ One copy of it, printed in Valencia in 1681, is held at the Biblioteca di Brera in Milan (shelfmark: R. Min. 23).

¹⁶ A manuscript held at the Vatican Library (together with its transcription) was reprinted in M. Sciambra’s monograph La “Dottrina Cristiana” di Luca Matranga, Rome, 1964, 1–199.

¹⁷ The 1597 text The Christian Doctrine in manner of a Dialogue between the Master and the Disciple was reprinted in English recusant literature 1558–1640, Volume 2, Menston, 1969.

¹⁸ Mikalojus Daukša’s 1595 catechism, Vilnius, 1995, 459–534.

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on p. 532 (lines 7–21) and 533 (lines 1–3). The original text was also rarely reworked: p. 472 (lines 9–20), p. 495 (lines 17–22), p. 496 (lines 6–16), p. 509 (lines 10–19), p. 520 (lines 8–13), p. 526 (lines 2–12). In one place, several lines were inserted (p. 500, lines 20–24); elsewhere, brief chapter headings.

The Polish text diverges more markedly in the final pages (pp. 528–534), where paragraphs absent from the original, Piec Smy stów cielesnych and Cztery ostateczne rzeczy człowiecze, were inserted¹⁹. The divergence is even more pronounced in the book’s preface (pp. 462–465), which is a different work from the Italian source text Ammonitione alli Padri, et Madri. Moreover, the Polish translator omitted the catechism’s final two paragraphs, Li Misterij di nostro Signor Giesu Christo and Dell’Ave Maria (since their counterparts were printed in the second part of the book²⁰), and separated it from the Latin appendix Per saper aiutare à servire alla Messa and from the lines printed after it about „Il modo che si ha da tenere quando si comincia la Dottrina Christina“.

Some of the differences discussed can be attributed not to the Polish translator, but to the possibility that he used an Italian edition unknown to us, or a “revised” transcription of the 1576 edition, as becomes clear when the Polish book is compared with the aforementioned 1596 Catalan translation: this text lacks almost all the sentences omitted in the Polish translation (cf. after A Chrystus kto jest?, before A czemuż żywa inych ceremoniy z zwierzchnych poczciwości, before Co jest grech); the marked divergences in the final pages of the Polish translation from the 1576 edition have exact counterparts here, although the paragraphs Dels peccats contra Lesperit sanct ir Dels quatre peccats que demanen venjança davant Deu have been moved to after Le quatre darreries del home; several brief chapter headings are also characteristic of the Catalan text (cf., for example: Wykład Pacierza²¹ ≈ Declaracio del Pater noster; Krotki wykład Sákrámentow²² ≈ Declaracio dels set Sagraments). However, there are also cases where only the Polish text differs from the 1576 edition: this is especially evident at the end of the book²³ and in those passages that may be regarded as reworkings of the original.

Comparison of the Lithuanian text with the Polish source and the 1576 Italian original (as well as the Catalan translation) shows that Daukša could have relied throughout solely on the Polish work, with the exception of that one instance in which the Lithuanian translation diverges from the Polish source and agrees with the Italian: the Polish text lacks the equivalent of several sentences in Daukša’s book (cf. p. 95, lines 8–21, from Mo. Yra tikras Dievas ir tikras žmogus to M. O Christis kaip išguldzės) and in the original (cf. p. 5a). However, this exceptional case need not be given particular weight if we assume that the book Daukša used (or its manuscript copy) had the omitted lines added to it.

Dozens of cases have been noted in which lines in the Lithuanian translation have no equivalent either in the Polish source or in the Italian original²⁴: cf. p. 91 (from line 17), p. 93 (up to line 9), p. 97 (lines 8 and 13–14),

¹⁹ These paragraphs are not absent from the aforementioned 1596 Italian reworking, where they are printed at the end of the introductory chapter (p. 15): Li sentimenti del corpo sono cinque 1 Vedere 2 Udire 3 Odorare 4 Gustare 5 Toccare … Le cose ultime dell’huomo sono quattro 1 La Morte 2 Il Giudicio 3 L’Inferno 4 Il Paradiso. The final paragraph may have been added with reference to the ending of Canisius’s Parvus catechismus catholicorum (Quae hominis novissima dicuntur? Ea, quae homini ad extremum accidunt, ut Mors, Iudicium, infernus, et caelestis gloria …).

²⁰ Cf. pp. 592–594 and 597–598.

²¹ P. 488, line 18.

²² P. 521, lines 11–12.

²³ Indeed, the Polish translator omitted the catechism’s final two paragraphs, Li Misterij di nostro Signor Giesu Christo and Dell’ Ave Maria, as well as the appendix Per saper aiutare à servire alla Messa, which is printed after the song booklet in the Catalan translation.

²⁴ Dėl aptariamų reiškinių plg. Lebedys J. Mikalojus Daukša, Vilnius, 1963, 207–209.

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p. 99 (lines 1–10), p. 115 (lines 8–10), p. 125 (from line 10), all of p. 127, p. 129 (through line 14), p. 131 (from line 6), p. 133 (through line 16), p. 135 (from line 13), p. 137 (through line 5), p. 139 (from line 14), p. 141 (through line 16), p. 145 (lines 12–19), p. 147 (lines 10–16), p. 149 (from line 15), p. 151 (through line 14), p. 163 (lines 13–16), p. 175 (lines 2–7 and from line 16), p. 177 (through line 7), p. 183 (from line 10), p. 185 (through line 15), p. 193 (lines 2–8 and from line 13), p. 195 (through line 7), p. 201 (line 21), all of p. 203, p. 223 (from line 19), p. 225 (through line 8), p. 229 (line 5), p. 239 (lines 4–5 and 15–16), p. 243 (lines 2–3 and 14–16).

Much less frequently, there are cases in which Polish lines that have a counterpart (even an approximate one) in the Italian original are omitted from the Lithuanian translation: cf. p. 494 (lines 9–10), p. 508 (lines 8–11 and 18), p. 516 (from line 17), p. 517 (through line 10), p. 518 (lines 1–8), p. 521 (lines 11–14), p. 526 (lines 1–12).

The points discussed make it possible to conclude that both the Polish and the Lithuanian translator partly reworked the source they used (the Italian original in one case, its Polish translation in the other). This can already be seen from the title itself (Dottrina Christiana, a modo di dialogo del Maestro, et Discepolo, per insegnare alli Fanciulli > Nauka Chrzescianska. Abo Kátechizmik dla dziatek > Kathekismas arba mokslas kiekwienam krikszczioniui priprivalus); however, the methods of reworking differed, since only Daukša inserted dozens of new sentences. Translators (and perhaps above all those who commissioned their work), most likely aware that Ledesma himself had revised and expanded his “short” catechism, considered it entirely natural to continue reworking it, so that the book would be as useful as possible to its new readers (the French did something similar when revising their 1613 translation)²⁵. Since the changes to the translated text did not affect the essence or general character of Ledesma’s work, nothing prevented it from being presented as the work of a Spanish Jesuit. Therefore, there is no reason to suppose that the Polish translator’s revisions might have been prompted by an Italian original edition unknown to us, or that Daukša’s source may have been a different version of the Polish text: only new evidence (which is unlikely to emerge) could justify such a view.

To examine the question of Daukša’s revisions more closely, one would need to compare his Postilė with its Polish source and check whether similar phenomena occur there as well. If so, it would be possible to draw the general conclusion that Daukša did not reject the opportunity to supplement his translations. The fact that he translated the second half of the catechism without any additions does not rule out this possibility: revising prayers is somewhat more difficult. The same can be said of the excerpts from the Gospels in the Postilė.

So that Lithuanian readers can take in the entire chain consisting of Dottrina Christiana, a modo di dialogo del Maestro, et Discepolo, per insegnare alli Fanciulli > Nauka Chrzescianska. Abo Kátechizmik dla dziatek > Kathekismas arba mokslas kiekwienam krikszczioniui priprivalus, and themselves trace the links among these three books, the text of the 1576 Italian edition is reproduced here, with the beginning of each page indicated; modern spelling is followed wherever possible.

²⁶ Christian Doctrine, in the form of a dialogue between the Teacher and the Disciple, to instruct Children. Composed by Doctor Giacomo Ledesma of the Society of Jesus. In Milan, by Pacifico Pontio, Printer to the Archiepiscopal Court. 1576

²⁷ Summary of a bull of His Holiness

²⁵ Cf. Aranci G. Min., cited work, p. 320, n. 30.

²⁶ P. 5b.

²⁷ P. 2a.

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{....................}.

Summary of a bull of our Lord Pope Gregory XIII

{....................}

²⁸ {....................}

²⁹ {....................}

³⁰ Introduction to the Christian Doctrine.

When the children have gathered, having made the sign of the Cross, at the direction of the Teacher, together with all the others, two children will begin to sing what follows. Admonition to the Fathers and Mothers. O dear Christians, I beg you, listen and understand The obligation you all have, All the Fathers And the Mothers, To teach Your little children From their earliest years To know how to love, Serve, and honor Our Lord, And sweet Redeemer, Who used to say, Let the little ones Come to me, Because at this age They will be able to learn And embrace more easily Our Catholic faith, And the commandments, And the other things Belonging To good Christians. Since you, Fathers, And godfathers, Are negligent in instructing them, Because you cannot, Or will not, Or do not know how, Send them to the Churches And to the schools, So that they may learn ³¹ The way to obtain Eternal life, Promised by Christ. Do not fail in your duty, And in this let the love you bear them be seen. Amen. Jesus.

On the sign of the Christian.

Every faithful Christian is greatly obliged to have devotion with all his heart to the holy Cross of Christ, our light, since he willed to die upon it to redeem us from the great bondage of our sins and of the evil enemy. Therefore, we ought to accustom ourselves to making the sign of the Cross, saying thus: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Jesus.

On the name and sign of the Christian, and on the name of Christ and his Christian Doctrine.

T. Are you a Christian?

D. Yes, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

T. Why do you say, by the grace of Jesus Christ?

D. Because I am a Christian not through the merits of my Father, nor of my Mother, nor even of any other creature, ³² but through the goodness of God and the merits of Christ.

T. What is a Christian?

D. He is a disciple of Christ; that is, one who, having been baptized, believes and professes his law.

T. What dignity does a man receive when they make him a Christian?

²⁸ P. 2b.

²⁹ P. 3a.

³⁰ P. 4a.

³¹ P. 4b.

³² P. 5a.

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N. He becomes a child of Benedittone, an adopted child of God and heir to Heaven.

M. And what is someone who is not a Christian?

D. He remains a child of Malediction, a slave of the Demon, and deprived of the inheritance of Heaven.

M. Who is Christ?

D. He is true God and true man.

M. How is he true God?

D. Because he is the true and only Son of God the almighty Father.

M. How is he true man?

D. Because he is the true and only Son of the glorious Virgin Mary.

M. What does C[hristo] mean?

Anointed.

M. Why?

D. Because he was anointed with the fullness ³³ of the grace of the Holy Spirit, as the greatest King above all kings, Priest above all priests, and Prophet above all prophets.

M. What does Jesus mean?

D. Savior, because he has saved and redeemed us with his precious blood, and has taught us the way to salvation, that is, to Paradise, through his Christian doctrine.

M. What is Christian doctrine?

D. It is what Christ our Lord taught us first through his deeds, and then through his words; and also what the holy Roman Catholic Mother Church has taught us.

Exhortation.

Therefore, take heed, children, that you are bound to follow Christ our Lord through your deeds, since you have received your name from him, and he has bestowed such great grace upon you.

On the sign of the holy Cross.

M. What is the sign of the Christian?

D. The sign of the holy Cross.

M. Why?

³⁴ D. Because on it Jesus Christ redeemed us.

M. How is it made?

D. It is made by placing the hand on the head and body, then on the left and right shoulders, saying, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Jesus.

M. Why is it done in this way?

D. Per significare doi grandi misterij; l’uno della santissima Trinità, l’altro de l’Incarnatione del nostro Signore Giesù Christo.

M. How?

D. Naming the Father at the head, because he is the beginning of the other divine persons; the Son at the body, because he proceeds from the Father; the Holy Spirit from one shoulder to the other, because he proceeds from the Father and the Son.

M. Why is it made in the form of a Cross?

D. To signify the lofty mystery: that the Son of God, made man, redeemed us on the cross, in such a

³³

P. 5b.

³⁴

P. 6a.

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way that one can say the sign of the Cross that we make is like a compendium of our faith.

M. When should we use this sign?

D. Whenever we begin any ³⁵ undertaking, and whenever we find ourselves in some need, and especially when getting out of bed, leaving the house, entering a Church, or at mealtime, or when going to sleep.

M. Why so many times?

D. So that in all places and at all times God may guard us from our enemies, and all our works may be ordered and directed to the honor and glory of God.

Notice on the use and antiquity of the sign of the holy Cross.

The sign of the holy Cross has been used from the beginning of the primitive Church until now, since the time of the Apostles, as is attested by the sacred Doctors Saint Augustine, Sermon De temp. 181; Saint Chrysostom, ad Philip. Homil. 13; Saint Augustine, In Io. Evan. 118, Tract., and In Psal. 30, Concio. 2; Saint Basil, book De Spirito san. Chapter 27; Augustine, In Psal. 141; the same, De sanctis Sermon 19; likewise in the celebration of the sacrament of Baptism and Confirmation; Tertullian, De corona militis.

Exhortation.

They should be exhorted that, when making the sign of the Cross, they do so with reverence and reflection on the said mysteries, and ³⁶ not without devotion, as many do.

On the purpose and the things necessary for a Christian.

M. For what purpose was man created?

D. To love and serve God in this life, and afterward to see and enjoy Him in the next, which will be our supreme happiness.

M. How many things are necessary for a Christian to attain his end and be saved?

D. Four: Faith, Hope, Charity, and good Works.

M. What do you believe through Faith?

D. All that the holy mother Roman Catholic Church holds and believes, and principally that which is contained in the Creed.

M. Say the Creed.

D. 1 I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of Heaven and earth. 2 And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. 3 Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. 4 Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. 5 He descended into hell; on the third day He rose from the dead. 6 He ascended into heaven ³⁷ He sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. 7 From there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. 8 I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church. 9 The communion of saints. 10 The forgiveness of sins. 11 The resurrection of the flesh. 12 Life everlasting. Amen. Jesus.

M. Say it in the vernacular.

D. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth. 2 And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. 3 Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. 4 Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. 5 He descended into hell; on the third day He rose from the dead. 6 He ascended into Heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father

³⁵ P. 6b.

³⁶ P. 7a.

³⁷ P. 7b.

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Almighty. 7 From there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. 8 I believe in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Catholic Church. 9 The Communion of Saints. 10 The forgiveness of sins. 11 The resurrection of the flesh. 12 Life everlasting. Amen. Jesus.

M. What have we said?

D. The Creed.

M. Who composed the Creed?

³⁸ D. The twelve Apostles, when they were going to preach the holy Gospel throughout the world.

M. Why did they compose it?

D. To instruct us in the faith.

M. What is contained in the Creed?

D. Twelve articles; that is, twelve principal parts of the Faith.

M. To whom do these articles belong?

D. The first to the Father, the six that follow to the Son, and the last five to the Holy Spirit.

Explanation of the Creed.

M. In whom do you believe?

D. I believe in God, who is the Most Holy Trinity.

M. What do you mean when you say the Most Holy Trinity?

D. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three persons, and one God alone.

M. Is the Father God?

D. Yes, the Father is.

M. Is the Son God?

D. Yes, the Father is.

M. Is the Holy Spirit God?

D. Yes, the Father is.

M. Are they three gods?

D. No, although they are three distinct persons; nevertheless, there is only one God.

M. Why is he called God?

³⁹ D. Because he sees and provides for everything, as Lord and Governor of all.

M. What comparison will you give me⁴⁰ for the Most Holy Trinity?

D. Just as we, who are created in his image and likeness, have one soul and three faculties: memory, intellect, and will.

M. Who created Heaven and Earth out of nothing?

D. God the Father, together with the Son and the Holy Spirit.

M. Why is he called almighty?

D. Because, by his sole will and infinite power, he can make and unmake everything.

M. Do you believe in Jesus Christ?

D. Yes, Father.

M. Who is Jesus Christ?

D. He is the Son of God the Father, as powerful, as wise, and as good as the Father, who

³⁸ P. 8a.

³⁹ P. 8b.

⁴⁰ Printed overleaf.

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Son of God, became man for us in the womb of the glorious Virgin Mary.

M. How did this come about?

D. Not by the work of man, but by the work of the Holy Spirit, she remaining a Virgin before, during, and after childbirth; and thus in Heaven she has no ⁴¹ mother, and on earth she has no father.

M. Why was he crucified, died, and buried?

D. For love of us, to free us from our sins, from the hands of our enemies, from death, and from Hell; and thus he redeemed us with his precious blood upon the wood of the Cross.

M. Then were we slaves, whom he redeemed?

D. Yes, from our sins and from the Demon.

Exhortation.

One may explain the sin of our first Father, the effects and miseries that have come about because of sin, and how much we are indebted to Christ our Redeemer.

M. What did Christ our Lord do when he descended into Hell?

D. He brought out the souls of the holy Fathers and the other holy souls who were in Limbo, awaiting his holy coming.

M. How did he rise again on the third day?

D. He rose from death to life, in body and soul glorified, never to die again.

M. How did he ascend into Heaven and sit at the right hand of God the Father?

⁴² D. By his own virtue and power, he ascended after forty days above all the Heavens and all the Angels, where he dwells in his great glory as the Son of God.

M. How will he come from there to judge the living and the dead?

D. The day of judgment, which will be the end of the world, will come from Heaven with great Majesty and Power, accompanied by the Angels and Saints, to judge all men and give to each according to his deeds.

M. Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?

D. Yes, who is the true God, the third person of the Most Holy^[ima] Trinity, who gives grace and his gifts to the holy Catholic Church.

M. What is the holy Catholic Church?

D. It is the whole congregation of the faithful Christians, who have and profess the faith of Jesus Christ; its head is ⁴³ Christ himself, and the Pope is his Vicar on earth.

M. And what evil will befall one who does not obey the Church?

D. Whoever will not have the Church for a Mother will not have God for a Father.

M. What do you understand by the communion of Saints?

D. That all those who are in this ⁴⁴ Church share together in the sacrifices, sacraments, and good works performed in it, just as in the body one member shares in the strength of another.

M. How is the remission of sins effected?

D. It is effected through the merit of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, by means of the holy Sacraments, while we do all that we are obliged to do.

⁴¹ P. 9a.

⁴² P. 9b.

⁴³Printed in e.

⁴⁴ P. 10a.

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M. And who cannot receive the sacraments?

D. The desire and intention to receive them would suffice, provided one does all that one is bound to do.

M. What will the resurrection of the flesh be like?

D. On the Day of Judgment, all the dead will rise again, body and soul: the good, glorious and beautiful, and the wicked, by contrast, ugly and miserable.

Notice.

One may explain the glory of the resurrection, the glorified bodies, and the gifts of the soul, etc.

M. What is eternal life?

D. It is the glory of Paradise: that is, to see and enjoy God forever, possessing every good and no evil at all; there the good will go, while the wicked will go to the fire, ⁴⁵ and the eternal torments of Hell.

M. And who goes to the punishments of Purgatory?

D. The souls of those who die in the grace of God but have not fully made satisfaction for their sins; after paying the punishments due, they will go to Paradise.

M. What does Amen mean?

D. May it be so.

Exhortation.

Therefore, O children, strive to serve our Lord Jesus Christ greatly, so that you may be among the good and his elect, and not go to Hell.

On the second thing necessary for a Christian, namely, Hope.

M. What do you hope to obtain through hope in God?

D. Eternal life, which is obtained principally through divine grace, and afterward through the merits that proceed from us together with it.

M. What do we need in order to obtain the things we hope for?

D. Among other things, prayer.

M. Which prayer does the Church teach us?

⁴⁶ D. The Pater noster, Ave Maria, Salve Regina, and others.

M. Say the Pater nost[er].

D. Our Father, who art in heaven 1 Hallowed be thy Name: 2 Thy Kingdom come. 3 Thy will be done, As in heaven, So also on earth. 4 Give us this day Our daily bread. 5 And forgive us Our debts, As we also Forgive our debtors. 6 And lead us not Into temptation. 7 But deliver us From evil. Amen. Jesus.

M. Say it in the vernacular.

D. Our Father who art in heaven 1 Hallowed be thy name. 2 Thy kingdom come. 3 Thy will be done, On earth as in heaven: 4 Give us today Our daily bread. 5 And forgive us Our debts, Just as we Forgive Our debtors. 6 And lead us not Into temptation. 7 But deliver us From evil. Amen. Jesus.

Explanation of the Our Father.

M. What is the first petition?

D. It is this: Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name.

The second is: Thy kingdom come.

⁴⁵ P. 10b.

⁴⁶ P. 11a.

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⁴⁷ The third. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

The fourth. Give us this day our daily bread.

The fifth. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.

The sixth. And lead us not into temptation.

The seventh. But deliver us from evil. Amen.

M. What have we said?

D. The Lord’s Prayer.

M. Who composed the Lord’s Prayer?

D. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who spoke it with his most holy lips.

M. Why did he compose it?

D. To teach us to pray.

M. With whom does one speak in it?

D. With God, our Lord.

M. Is there another prayer better than this one?

D. No, Father: this is the most excellent, because our Lord Christ composed it and gave it to his disciples, and because in it we ask God for the principal things that we ought to ask of him.

M. What is said in this first part, “Our Father, who art in heaven”?

T. The mind is raised to God with humility, ⁴⁸ and hope, before making a request.

M. Why do we call God Father?

T. Because, by calling him Father, we remember the great love he bears for us, and thus we ask him with greater confidence.

M. Why do we say “Our Father,” and not “my Father”?

T. Because he is the Father of all, and we are all brothers; therefore, we ought to love one another as brothers and children of so good a father.

M. Where is God?

T. Both in heaven and on earth, and in every place.

M. Why, then, do we say that you are in the heavens?

T. Because there the face of God is seen, where our homeland is; and there his Power and Majesty are most manifest.

Admonition.

Here one may speak of the love of heaven and celestial glory, and of contempt for earthly things.

M. What do we ask for in the seven petitions that follow?

T. First, we ask for the honor and glory of God.

2. The blessedness for which we were created.

⁴⁹ 3. The principal things needed to attain it.

M. In which petition is the glory of God asked for?

D. In the first, saying, “Hallowed be thy name.”

M. And our beatitude?

D. In the second, which says, “Thy kingdom come,” that is, that he reign over us here by grace, and then by glory.

⁴⁷ P. 11b.

⁴⁸ P. 12a.

⁴⁹ P. 12b.

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M. If God does not reign over us, who will reign?

D. Our enemies: the World, the Flesh, and the Devil.

M. And where are the other necessary things asked for?

D. In the other five petitions.

M. What, then, do we ask in the third, which follows?

D. That we do the will of God here on Earth, as the Angels and the Blessed do in Heaven.

M. In the fourth?

D. That he give us bodily bread and sustenance, and spiritual bread, which is the most holy Sacrament, and his grace together with his other gifts.

In the fifth?

That he forgive us our sins and offenses, as we forgive others, ⁵⁰ and thus God will deal with us as we deal with them.

Notice.

Here one may give an exhortation to forgive injuries.

M. In the sixth?

D. That he may not let us fall into temptations, but may give us help to overcome them and not sin.

M. In the seventh?

D. That he may deliver us from every evil, that is, of the soul and body, and from the Devil, our enemy.

M. What is the greatest of all evils?

D. Sin.

M. And which is worse and more hideous: sin or the Devil?

D. Sin, by far, because the Devil was made so hideous by sin alone.

Exhortation.

Here one may explain how the Devil was beautiful by nature, etc.; therefore, if we are without sins, we too shall be beautiful, like the Angels, etc.; and [one may speak] of the hideousness of sin, etc.

M. What does “Amen” mean?

D. May it be so.

⁵¹ Exhortation.

Let us therefore hope in God, who will grant us everything through his Son, who taught us this prayer.

M. Say the Ave Maria.

D. Ave Maria, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women. And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Jesus.

M. Say it in the vernacular.

D. God save you, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. You are blessed among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Jesus.

M. What have we said?

⁵⁰ P. 13a.

⁵¹ P. 13b.

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D. The Ave Maria.

M. Who composed the Ave Maria?

D. The Angel Gabriel, when he came to greet the Madonna; and some words of Saint Elizabeth and of the Church are added.

M. To whom does one speak in the Ave Maria?

D. To the Madonna.

M. Who is the Madonna?

⁵² D. She is the Mother of God, a Virgin, full of grace and every virtue, Queen of Heaven and Earth, and our Advocate.

M. Where is the Madonna?

D. She is in heaven.

M. And what of the one that is in the Church?

D. It is an image of the one in heaven, to remind us of her, and⁵³ we show reverence to her image in her honor.

M. Since there are many images of the Madonna, are there perhaps many Madonnas?

D. No, Father; rather, there is only one, who is in heaven, and she is represented by the images that are on earth.

M. Why, then, do we call the Madonna Our Lady of Pity, of Remedy, of Consolation, and by other names?

D. She is called by so many names because of the many and various benefits she bestows upon us as Mother of God, Mother of Mercy, and because she has such great influence with him.

M. What is said in the Ave Maria?

D. We greet and praise her, commending ourselves to her.

Exhortation.

Strive, children, to be very devoted to the Virgin Mary, for she will be your Advocate, etc.

⁵⁴ M. Say the Salve Regina.

D. Hail, Queen, Mother of mercy, life, sweetness, and our hope, hail. To you we cry, exiled children of Eve. To you we sigh, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Therefore, O our Advocate, turn your merciful eyes toward us. And after this exile, show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb. O gracious, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen. Jesus.

M. Say it in the vernacular.

D. God save you, Queen, Mother of Mercy, life, sweetness, and our hope, God save you. We, the banished children of Eve, invoke you. To you we sigh, groaning and weeping in this tearful valley. Come, therefore, our Advocate, turn those merciful eyes of yours toward us; and after this exile show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb. O gracious, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen. Jesus.

⁵² P. 14a.

⁵³ Printed at.

⁵⁴ P. 14b.

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⁵⁵ M. What have we said?

D. The Salve Regina.

M. Who taught the Salve Regina?

D. Holy Mother Church.

M. With whom is it said?

D. With the very same Virgin Mary.

M. What⁵⁶ is said in it?

D. Other praises of the Virgin, also asking for her favor and help. On prayers and invocation of the Saints.

M. After the Virgin Mary, are you devoted to other Saints?

D. Father, yes, to all of them, as friends of God and our intercessors in glory, and especially to my guardian Angel, that is, the Angel of my protection, and to the Saint whose name I bear.

M. And their relics?

D. I also honor them because they were temples of the Holy Spirit and are destined to be united with the glorious souls.

M. What prayer do you say to them?

D. Those taught to us by the Church; and also, in their honor, I say the Our Father and the Hail Mary, so that they may intercede for me.

⁵⁷ M. What prayer do you usually say when you go to bed?

D. Doi cose faccio, prima fattomi il segno della Croce, faccio l'essamine della conscienza. Secondo dico la Confessione generale, il Pater noster, et l'Ave Maria, et altre mie divotioni.

M. How do you examine your conscience?

D. First I thank God for the benefits received; then I think of my sins, especially those of that day, grieving over them with the intention of correcting myself and confessing. Third, I ask God to forgive them, and make a firm resolution not to sin again.

M. And what do you do in the morning?

D. I thank God also for having watched over me that night and for the other benefits, and offer him my body, soul, and everything I shall do in his holy service; I also say other devotions of mine, both mental and vocal—that is, with the mind and with the voice.

Of the third thing necessary for a Christian, namely, Charity.

M. What is the third thing necessary ⁵⁸ for a Christian?

D. Charity.

M. Whom should we love with Charity?

D. God above all things, and our neighbor as ourselves, for the love of God.

M. How above all things?

D. Because we ought sooner to die than offend him; and we ought also to observe all his holy commandments, esteeming him more than anything else.

M. How will you love your neighbor as yourself?

D. By desiring for him and doing for him what we want for ourselves, according to reason and the law of God.

⁵⁵ P. 15a.

⁵⁶Che is printed twice.

⁵⁷ P. 15b.

⁵⁸ P. 16a.

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M. Why do you say, according to reason and the law of God?

D. Because otherwise it would not be loving them well, but wishing them ill, as we do ourselves.

Notice.

Here one may explain the importance of love and the order of charity.

On the fourth thing necessary for a Christian, namely, good works.

M. What is the fourth thing necessary for a Christian?

⁵⁹ D. Good works; for after reaching the age of discretion, faith without good works is not enough.

M. What are good works?

D. Those done according to reason, or according to the will of God; and, to be meritorious, they must proceed from charity.

M. And are those done without charity worth nothing?

D. Not for earning grace and glory; but they are beneficial, so that through them our Lord may grant us health and temporal goods, and lead us to the recognition of sin and repentance for it.

M. What are these good works?

D. Those enjoined upon us in the ten commandments of God and in the other commandments of the Church, together with works of mercy and the other virtues.

M. Recite the ten commandments.

D. The commandments of the law of God, confirmed by Jesus Christ, are ten. 1. The first: I am the Lord your God; you shall have no other God before me. 2. The second: Do not take the name of God in vain. 3. The third: Remember ⁶⁰ to keep the feast days holy. 4. The fourth: Honor your father and mother, so that you may live a long time upon the earth. 5. The fifth: Do not kill. 6. The sixth: Do not commit fornication. 7. The seventh: Do not steal. 8. The eighth: Do not bear false witness. 9. The ninth: Do not covet your neighbor’s wife. 10. The tenth: Do not covet anything else that belongs to your neighbor. These ten commandments come from your precepts of charity. The first: To love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second: To love your neighbor as yourself. Amen. Jesus.

Explanation of the ten commandments.

M. Where did God give these ten commandments?

D. First in the ancient law, and then Christ our Lord confirmed them in the new.

M. How are they divided?

D. The first three concern the honor of God, the other seven the good of one’s neighbor.

⁶¹ M. How do these three pertain to the honor of God?

D. Because he wants us to serve him first with the heart, then with the tongue, and third with our deeds.

M. How shall we observe the first commandment?

D. By worshipping one God, fearing him, honoring him, and serving him with all our heart, and expecting from him every remedy and reward of ours, as the Author of all good.

M. Who sins against this commandment?

⁵⁹ P. 16b.

⁶⁰ P. 17a.

⁶¹ P. 17b.

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D. Especially those who practice idolatry, superstitions⁶², and incantations, which are against the honor of God.

M. How shall we observe the second?

D. By praising and thanking God with our tongue, and asking for what we need.

M. Who sins against this commandment?

D. First, those who blaspheme the name of God and his Saints. Second, those who swear to what is not true, just, and necessary. Third, those who do not keep the vows they have promised, and others who do not show due reverence for the name of God.

M. Why do you say “true, just, and necessary”?

⁶³ D. Because an oath must be truthful and concern something known with certainty; just, in that it must concern something lawful; and necessary, in that it must concern something important. Otherwise one sins; and one must also show reverence for the person by whom one swears.

M. Do you know any remedy for never perjuring yourself?

D. Indeed, yes. Never swear.

M. What will you say if you want to make someone believe something?

Yes or no, certainly, or truly, because this is not swearing; and anything more is not good.

Exhortation against blasphemy, perjury, and frequent swearing; and on keeping vows.

M. How shall we observe the third commandment, which is to keep the feast days holy?

D. By showing through outward works the faith and love that we bear toward our Lord God.

M. In what way shall we show him this love?

D. By not working on such days, hearing the entire Mass, as the Church ordains, with devotion and attention, ⁶⁴and also having Mass heard by those in one’s household.

M. What more?

D. One should also spend the day on things that serve God, such as praying, reading good books, and performing works of mercy.

Exhortation to observe feast days, and against those who spend them in evil and vain pursuits.

M. How shall we observe the fourth commandment, to honor father and mother?

D. We must obey them, revere them, serve them, and help them.

M. And if your father commanded you to tell a lie or commit a sin, would you have to obey him?

D. No, Father, because I am not obliged to obey him against God, but only in matters that are lawful and honest.

M. How many kinds of fathers are there?

D. Four: first, natural fathers, who have begotten us, and also grandfathers; second, spiritual fathers, such as priests, prelates, and teachers; third, the governors of the Republic; fourth, the elderly on account of their age. We must honor everyone according to their rank.

M. How should good fathers treat ⁶⁵ their children?

⁶²Printed superstition.

⁶³ p. 18a.

⁶⁴ p. 18b.

⁶⁵ p. 19a.

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D. They must instruct them and govern them, and neither punish them too much nor indulge them too much, but do both with discretion.

M. How should a servant or subject conduct himself toward his master?

D. Like a son toward his Father, showing him reverence in the place of Christ, our Lord.

M. And masters toward servants?

D. Like fathers toward their sons, or as brothers in Christ.

M. How shall we observe the fifth commandment?

D. By neither wishing nor doing harm to our neighbor, in our hearts, with our tongues, or through our deeds, remembering that he was made in the image of God.

M. How shall we observe the sixth?

D. In the same way, fleeing every kind of indecency, not only in deeds but also in speech and in the heart, as commanded in the ninth.

M. What remedy shall we use to guard this commandment?

D. There are many remedies, but among others these five are very effective. First, to be disciplined in eating and drinking. Second, to shun evil company. Third, not to read bad books, nor utter indecent words or songs, nor listen to them, insofar as possible. Fourth, frequent reception of the most holy Sacraments. Fifth, to ask the most holy Virgin Mary for purity, that she may obtain it for us from God.

M. How shall we observe the seventh?

D. By neither taking nor keeping another’s property, nor damaging it by force or deceit, nor giving help, advice, or any cause for another to do so. Exhortation not to keep another’s property or a hired worker’s wages; not to gamble or engage in unlawful dealings, lest, in seeking to gain property, one lose one’s conscience. Thus, one must seek counsel in doubtful matters and not act blindly in carrying out wills; for while you possess another’s property, may the Demon not possess your soul. Bear poverty patiently, and hope in God and fear Him, for He will give you whatever you need.

M. How shall we observe the eighth?

D. By not speaking falsely against our neighbor. ⁶⁷By not gossiping. By not revealing secret sins (unless to remedy them, to the person concerned, or for some other good and appropriate purpose), by not judging our neighbor ill, and by not telling lies; rather, by speaking well, as you would wish others to speak of you.

M. How shall we observe the ninth?

D. Not desiring another’s wife, nor any other dishonesty. And for this reason it is good to guard the eyes and other occasions in order to guard the heart, and to have recourse to prayer to drive away temptations.

M. How shall we observe the tenth?

D. By not desiring another’s property, nor anything belonging to one’s neighbor by unlawful means, nor envying his possessions.

M. Into how many are these ten commandments divided?

D. Nelli doi precetti della Carità, cioè amare Dio sopra ogni cosa, et il prossimo come se stesso per amore di Dio, tal che tutta la legge di Dio si contiene in questo soave precetto dall’a-

⁶⁶ P. 19b.

⁶⁷ P. 20a.

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more, which our Lord gives us through his infinite goodness.

M. Tell the commandments of the Church?

⁶⁸ D. The commandments of the Holy Mother Church are five. 1 The first: Hear Mass on the commanded feast days. 2 The second: Fast during Lent and on the other commanded days, and abstain from meat on Friday and Saturday. 3 The third: Confess at least once a year. 4 The fourth: Receive Communion at least at Easter. 5 The fifth: Pay tithes according to custom.

M. For what reason does the Church celebrate the feasts of the saints?

D. First, to glorify God in his S[aints]. Second, so that we may understand the glory they have in heaven. Third, so that we may imitate them, knowing their lives and virtues. Fourth, because we have them as our intercessors. Fifth, the Church wishes to honor her holy children, just as they have honored God and the Church herself.

M. On which days must one fast?

D. Throughout all of Lent, except Sundays. The four Ember Weeks of the year, which come in the four seasons, namely spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In spring, after the first Sunday of Lent. In summer, the first week after Pentecost.

In autumn, after the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross in Septemb[er]. In winter, after the third Sunday of Advent. The vigils of Christmas, Pentecost, the Assumption of Our Lady, the Nativity of S[aint] Joh[n] the Bapt[ist], of all the Apost[les] except S[aint] James and Philip, and S[aint] Joh[n] the Evang[elist]. Of Saint Lawrence. Of All Saints.

M. How must one fast?

D. First, abstain from eating meat, eggs, and dairy products. As for the time, eat around midday, although a small collation, according to the accepted custom and not censured by superiors, is excused; and all are obliged to observe this, except those who have a legitimate impediment.

M. What are the feasts commanded by the holy Church?

D. These are: first, the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ; Saint Stephen, protomartyr; Saint John the Evangelist; the Circumcision of Our Lord; the Epiphany; Easter, with the two following days; the Holy Cross of May; the Ascension of Our Lord; Pentecost, with the two following days; the solemnity⁷⁰ of the Body of Christ; the Nativity, Annunciation, Assumption, and Purification of Our Lady; the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist; the twelve Apostles; Saint Lawrence; the dedication of Saint Michael in September; All Saints; Sundays; and the feasts observed by bishops in their bishoprics and dioceses.

M. Why does the Church use other ceremonies and outward worship?

D. First, for greater reverence and propriety in divine worship. Second, to move the people to devotion and, through outward things, instruct them to understand inward things. Third, because we have body and soul from God, and thus ought to serve Him with both.

Notice.

Here one may admonish them that, when they reach the age of discretion, they are obliged to confess—

⁶⁸ P. 20b.

⁶⁹ P. 21a.

⁷⁰ P. 21b.

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confess, and after some time receive Communion, at least once a year, though it would be better to do so more often.

On the capital sins commonly called mortal sins.

⁷¹ M. We have spoken of good works. Now tell me the seven sins that we call mortal.

D. The capital sins, which are commonly called mortal sins, are seven. The first is Pride. The second, Avarice. The third, Lust. The fourth, Wrath. The fifth, Gluttony. The sixth, Envy. The seventh, Sloth.

These are the cause and source of the others, and therefore are called capital sins, although at times they may be venial.

Against these vices there are seven virtues: 1. Humility against Pride. 2. Generosity against Avarice. 3. Chastity against Lust. 5. Patience against Wrath. 5. Temperance against Gluttony. 6. Charity against Envy. 7. Diligence against Sloth.

The sins against the Holy Spirit are these six. The first: Presumption of being saved without merit. The second: Despair of the mercy of God. The third: Opposing known truth in order to have greater freedom to sin. The fourth: Envy of the spiritual goods that our neighbor has received from God. ⁷² The fifth: Obstinacy in sin. The sixth: The intention to die without penance.

The sins that cry out to God for vengeance are four. The first: Voluntary homicide. The second: The abominable sin. The third: Oppression of the poor. The fourth: Defrauding workers of their wages.

M. What is sin?

D. It is what one desires or does against the law and will of God.

M. What harm does mortal sin do?

D. It causes us to lose God, His grace, and the glory promised to us; it makes us liable to the eternal punishment of hell.

M. Why is it called mortal?

D. Because it kills the soul, causing it to lose the life of grace.

M. What does venial sin do?

D. It does not cause one to lose grace, nor does it merit hell, but it cools a person’s love and service of God, merits temporal punishment, and also inclines one toward mortal sin.

Aviso

Here one may speak of the gravity of sin, exhorting people to flee from it.

⁷³ The seven Sacraments of the Holy Church.

M. What else do we need to do?

D. We need to know the seven Sacraments and receive them at the proper time, which is when the Church commands and explains them to us.

M. Name the Sacraments.

D. The Sacraments of the Holy Church are seven. The first: Baptism. The second: Confirmation. The third: Eucharist. The fourth: Penance. The fifth: Extreme Unction. The sixth: Holy Orders. The seventh: Matrimony.

⁷¹ P. 22a.

⁷² P. 22b.

⁷³ P. 23a.

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M. What have we said? D. The seven Sacraments. M. Who instituted these Sacraments? D. Jesus our Lord. M. Why? D. To forgive us our sins, to communicate his grace and the merits of his Passion to us, and in each one to give grace for some particular purpose; but they must be received worthily. M. What is the Sacrament of Baptism for? ⁷⁴ D. To make a person a Christian and a child of God. M. How is this done? D. Because we are born in original sin, which we inherit from our first parents, and through Baptism it is removed, together with all other sins, and grace and other virtues are given; and thus we are made children and heirs of eternal life. M. What is the Sacrament of Confirmation, or Chrism, for? D. To receive grace and strength against our enemies, so that we may confess the faith we received in Baptism. M. What is the Sacrament of Confession for? D. So that God our Lord may forgive us the sins we have committed after Baptism. M. How must one prepare to go to Confession? D. He will do three things. First, carefully remember the sins he has committed. Second, feel sorrow and repentance, with the resolve not to sin again. Third, confess them all completely, and then perform the penance given by the Confessor. M. What is the holy Sacrament ⁷⁵ of the Altar for? D. So that our soul may be nourished and fed with the grace of God, and united with him. Second, so as not to fall easily into sins. Third, to attain every perfection. M. What is in the holy Sacrament of the Altar? D. Jesus Christ our Lord is there in body and soul, just as he is in heaven, both in the Host and in the chalice after the Priest’s consecration. M. Does the bread remain in the Host, or the wine in the chalice, after the Priest has consecrated? D. No, Father, because by virtue of the words spoken by the Priest, the bread is changed into the body and the wine into the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord, which takes place in the Mass. M. What is the Mass? D. It is a true remembrance and representation of the life, Passion, and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, and at the same time a sacrifice, offering Christ himself for the living and the dead; and so one must attend it with great attention and devotion. M. How must one prepare to receive the most holy Sacrament worthily? ⁷⁶ D. By approaching with devotion, without awareness of mortal sin, and by confessing beforehand. Exhortation.

⁷⁴ P. 23b.

⁷⁵ P. 21b.

⁷⁶ P. 22a.

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Here one may exhort people to frequent the Sacraments of Confession and Communion.

M. What is the Sacrament of Extreme Unction for?

D. To receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, to remove any sins that may have remained, and to comfort the soul by giving it hope and strength to resist the trials of illness and the Devil.

M. What else is it for?

D. To obtain bodily health, when our Lord sees it to be more fitting.

M. What is the Sacrament of Holy Orders for?

D. To give the Priest the power and grace to consecrate the holy Sacrament of the Altar and to absolve from sins, which only the Priest can do.

M. What is the Sacrament of Matrimony for?

D. So that the man and woman may receive grace to live together and raise ⁷⁷ children for the glory of God, and to increase the Christian people, so that there may always be someone to serve God.

M. How should husband and wife conduct themselves toward one another?

D. The husband must love and honor his wife as a sister in Christ, and the wife must revere and obey her husband in Christ’s place; and together they must preserve peace, unity, fidelity, and charity, as Christ and the Church do.

On the Theological and Cardinal Virtues, the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit.

M. The Theological Virtues. There are three: first, Faith; second, Hope; third, Charity.

The Cardinal Virtues are four: first, Prudence; second, Justice; third, Fortitude; fourth, Temperance.

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit. There are seven. The first: the Gift of Wisdom. The second: the Gift of Understanding. The third: the Gift of Counsel. The fourth: the Gift of Fortitude. The fifth: the Gift of Knowledge. The sixth: the Gift of Piety. The seventh: the Gift of the Fear of God.

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit. There are twelve. ⁷⁸ The first, Charity. The second, Joy. The third, Peace. The fourth, Patience. The fifth, Long-suffering. The sixth, Goodness. The seventh, Kindness. The eighth, Meekness. The ninth, Faith. The tenth, Modesty. The eleventh, Continence. The twelfth, Chastity.

The Beatitudes are eight. The first: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The second: Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth. The third: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. The fourth: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied. The fifth: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. The sixth: Blessed are those who are pure of heart, for they shall see God. The seventh: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. The eighth: Blessed are those who suffer persecution for justice, that is, for doing good, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.⁷⁹

The Corporal Works of Mercy are seven. The first: to give food to the poor who are hungry. The second: ⁸⁰ to give drink to the poor who are thirsty. The third: to clothe the naked. The fourth: to shelter pilgrims. The fifth: to visit the sick. The sixth: to visit prisoners. The seventh: to bury the dead.

⁷⁷ P. 25a.

⁷⁸ P. 25b.

⁷⁹ Printed Et.

⁸⁰ P. 26a.

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The Works of Spiritual Mercy are seven more. The first: To give good counsel. The second: To teach the ignorant. The third: To admonish the sinner. The fourth: To comfort afflicted and troubled people. The fifth: To forgive offenses and injuries received. The sixth: To bear patiently the troubles inflicted upon us by others. The seventh: To pray to God for the living and the dead.

The principal counsels of Our Lord Jesus Christ are three. The first: Voluntary poverty. The second: Perpetual chastity. The third: Complete obedience.

The enemies of man are three. First: The Devil. Second: The World. Third: The Flesh.

The Mysteries of our Lord Jesus Christ, to meditate upon and say the Rosary.⁸¹ Of Our Lady, are fifteen: five Joyful, five Sorrowful, and five Glorious.

The five Joyful Mysteries are these. The first: The Annunciation, when the Son of God was conceived. The second: The Visitation of Saint Elizabeth. The third: The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The fourth: The Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple. The fifth: When he was found in the Temple among the Doctors.

The five Sorrowful Mysteries are these. The first: The prayer of our Lord in the garden. The second: The scourging at the pillar. The third: The crowning with the crown of thorns. The fourth: Carrying the Cross to Mount Calvary. The fifth: The crucifixion and death on the Cross.

The five Glorious Mysteries are these. The first: The Resurrection of our Lord. The second: His Ascension into Heaven. The third: The coming of the Holy Spirit. The fourth: The Assumption of Our Lady. The fifth: The crowning above the Angels and the Blessed.

⁸² Of the Ave Maria.

When the Ave Maria is said, an indulgence is gained by saying three verses with three Ave Marias. At the first stroke: Angelus Domini Nuntiavit Mariae, Et concepit De spiritu sancto. Ave Maria.

At the second stroke: Ecce ancilla domini Fiat mihi Secundum verbum tuum. Ave Maria. At the third stroke: Et verbum caro factum est, Et habitavit in nobis. Ave Maria.

To know how to assist in serving at Mass.

Vers. Introibo ad Altare Dei.

Resp. Ad Deum qui lætificat iuventutem meam.

Vers. Iudica me Deus, et discerne causam meam de gente non sancta, ab homine iniquo, et doloso erue me.

Resp. Quia tu es Deus fortitudo mea, quare me repulisti, et quare tristis incedo dum affligit me inimicus?

Vers. Emitte lucem tuam, et veritatem tuam, ipsa me deduxerunt, et adduxerunt, in montem sanctum tuum, et in tabernacula tua.

Resp. And I will go to the altar of God, to God ⁸³ who gladdens my youth.

Vers. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God: why are you sad, my soul, and why do you trouble me?

⁸¹ P. 26b.

⁸² P. 27a.

⁸³ P. 28a.

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Resp. Spera in Deo quoniam adhuc confitebor illi: salutare vultus mei, et Deus meus. Vers. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui sancto. Resp. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Vers. Introibo ad altare Dei. Resp. Ad Deum qui laetificat iuventutem meam. Vers. Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini. Resp. Qui fecit coelum, et terram. Vers. Confiteor et c. ut infra. Resp. Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus, et dimissis omnibus peccatis tuis perducat te ad vitam aeternam. Vers. Amen. Resp. Confiteor Deo omnipotenti beatae Mariae semper virgini, beato Michaeli Archangelo, beato Ioanni Baptistae, sanctis Apostolis Petro, et Paulo, omnibus Sanctis, et tibi Pater quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, verbo, et opere, mea culpa, |⁸⁴ mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa: Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper virginem, beatum Michaelem Archangelum, Beatum Ioannem Baptistam, sanctos Apostolos Petrum, et Paulum, omnes Sanctos, et Sanctas Dei, et te Pater orare pro me ad dominum Deum nostrum. Vers. Misereatur vestri omnipotens Deus, et dimissis omnibus peccatis vestris perducat vos dominus in vitam aeternam. Resp. Amen. Indulgentiam, absolutionem, et remissionem omnium peccatorum nostrorum tribuat nobis omnipotens, et misericors Dominus. Resp. Amen. Vers. Deus tu conversus vivificabis nos. Resp. Et plebs tua laetabitur in te. Vers. Ostende nobis domine misericordiam tuam. Resp. Et salutare tuum da nobis. Vers. Domine exaudi orationem meam. Resp. Et clamor meus ad te veniat. Vers. ⁸⁵ Dominus vobiscum. Resp. Et cum spiritu tuo. Vers. Kyrie eleison. Resp. Kyrie eleison. Vers. Kyrie eleison. Resp. Christe eleison. |⁸⁶ Vers. Christe eleison. Resp. Christe eleison. Vers. Kyrie eleison. Resp. Kyrie eleison. Vers. Kyrie eleison.

⁸⁴ P. 28a.

⁸⁵ Printed Vesp.

⁸⁶ P. 28b.

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After the Priest has said, “Orate fratres,” the Cleric responds: “Suscipiat Dominus sacrificium de manibus tuis ad laudem, et gloriam nominis sui, ad utilitatem quoque nostram totiusque Ecclesiae tuae sanctae. Amen.” The manner to be observed when beginning the Christian Doctrine. First, let the Teacher have the Pater noster and the Ave Maria recited, and then say the following prayer. Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, who with your finger write the justice of your law in the hearts of believers, we beseech you, pour into us the light of your wisdom, so that, truly knowing you and faithfully loving you, we may attain what you promise. Through Christ our Lord. Resp. Amen.

Guido Michelini Universita degli Studi di Parma Viale S. Michele 9/A, I-43100 Parma, Italia [email protected]

Received 1999 06 23