PART ONE
WHAT IS TO BE BELIEVED.
THE FAITH
32. The Creed is a compendium of our faith.
Since it is very convenient to recite often the truths of the faith (so as not to forget them), and since at the same time it is difficult to name them all, the Church proposes them to us in a simple, brief and complete compendium or summary, which is at the same time a very easy way to make a public profession of faith.
The Creed is called the Apostolic Symbol because it was written by the Apostles to give Christians a norm of faith.
Everything that we are to believe is contained explicitly or implicitly in the Creed.
The word “I believe” here does not have the meaning of doubt or suspicion, as when, uncertain of the truth, we say: “I believe that so-and-so came”. On the contrary, when we recite the Creed, this word means: “I am certain that all that is contained in the Creed is infallible truth revealed by God”.
33. We say the Creed to confess the faith that we, Christians, have.
34. The faith that we, Christians, have is: to believe in God and all that God has revealed, and to believe it because God has revealed it.
St. Paul says: “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews, XI, 6).
The truths of faith, without the knowledge of which no one, who has reached the use of reason, can be saved, are:
1º God exists.
2º God rewards the good and punishes the bad.
3º In God there are three really distinct persons.
4º. The second divine person became man in order to save us.
35. We know that it is God who has spoken to men, because he has confirmed his word with great works and miracles.
36. When we know that God has spoken, we must always believe in His word, because God can never deceive Himself nor deceive us.
37. Only the Holy Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church can say without error what God has revealed, because it alone has received from Jesus Christ the mission to teach us.
God does not reveal directly to each one the truths that we must believe.
The Holy Church is the depository of the truths revealed by God, and it is who is in charge of teaching them to us.
As we shall see in Article IX of the Creed, the Holy Church has all the necessary titles and characters that demonstrate its divine institution and mission to teach us what God has revealed.
38. The Christian must believe what his Holy Mother the Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church believes and teaches. [According to Holy Tradition, what it has always believed and taught, rejecting modernist, erroneous and other diabolical changes].
39. Our Holy Mother the Church believes and teaches the articles of faith, principally as contained in the Creed.
40. The articles of faith are the most principal truths and mysteries contained in the Creed.
41. The articles of faith are to give clear news of God our Lord and of Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
42. The Creed has twelve articles.
The articles of the Creed are as follows.
[Translated from Spanish, because in English two errors are said: ‘He rose again from the dead’. No, He died once and resurrected once, and He will never die anymore. In English it is said: ‘He descended into hell’, and it must be said: ‘hells’ that include the purgatory zone and hell zone. Jesus descended to the purgatory zone and rescued those souls, but the condemned remained in hell]
Article 1 - I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
Art. 2 - And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.
Art. 3º - Who was conceived by the work and grace of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.
Art. 4º - He suffered under the power of Pontius Pilate; He was crucified, died and was buried.
Art. 5º - He descended into hells; on the third day He rose from the dead.
Art. 6º - He ascended into heaven and is sat at the right of God the Father.
Art. 7º - From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
Art. 8º - I believe in the Holy Spirit.
Art. 9º - The Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of saints.
Art. 10º - Forgiveness of sins.
Art. 11º - Resurrection of the flesh.
Art. 12º - Everlasting life.
Every Christian should know the Creed and pray it frequently.
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