Catholic History and Teachings Quiz

Answer: Holy See

The Holy See is a completely different entity from the Vatican City. The Vatican City is a sovereign territory that has been in existence since 1929 while the Holy See has been around since the beginning of the Church. It is the Holy See that sends and receives ambassadors to and from other nations.

The Roman Curia is the administrative body of the Holy See and is based in a complex system of offices and buildings, which include the Lateran Palace and St. Peter's Basilica.

Answer: Jesus Christ

Prior to his death and ascension Jesus dictated to his apostles to spread his teachings (Mark 16:15, Mark 28:28). This is how the Church believes it began. All other Christian groups grew out of this original Church.

Answer: Edict of Milan

The Edict of Milan was signed in 313 AD. It was an edict of religious toleration and what some would consider favoritism toward Christians. It brought forward the time in history known as the Peace of the Church

Answer: All of these

The First Council of Nicaea was the first ecumenical council after Biblical times (a council in Jerusalem is recorded in the Book of Acts). It established a precedent for Bishops and other leaders of the Church to meet and decide matters pertaining to Church doctrine, beliefs and practices.

The Nicene Creed was decided at the First Council of Nicaea. Its purpose is to state the beliefs of the Church. The date of the Resurrection celebration was decided upon as the first Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox.

Many other issues were also discussed at the First Council of Nicaea.

Answer: The Pope

The Pope, also known as the Bishop of Rome, is the highest spiritual authority in the Catholic Church. Along with leading the Catholic Church, the Pope is also the sovereign of the Vatican City.

Answer: St. Peter

Peter had a prominent role in the early church. He was one of the Twelve Disciples chosen by Jesus. He was martyred by being crucified upside down during the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero. Traditionally, his memoirs became what is now the Gospel of Mark. He is buried in St. Peter's Basilica located in Rome.

Answer: the Pope makes no error when declaring certain teachings on faith

In the Catholic Church the Pope, through the Holy Spirit, cannot make errors when declaring dogmatic teachings of faith. For teachings to be infallible, the pope must speak "ex cathedra", and it will be made clear that they are definitive and binding to all members of the Church.

The dogma of Papal infallibility was defined at the First Vatican Council in 1870. The first use of Papal infallibility after Vatican I was in 1950 when Pope Pius XII defined the Assumption of Mary.

Answer: Purgatory

Some souls are not pure enough to enter heaven, yet they are not sinful enough to be condemned to hell. These souls must enter Purgatory for a time to be purified and prepared for heaven.

Answer: College of Cardinals

Although any unmarried Catholic male can be chosen as Pope, the laws of the Church require that electors to the Papacy be cardinals.

Answer: Papal Conclave

Papal Conclaves meet in the Sistine Chapel. The ceremony is formal and very secretive. No Cardinal, unless ill, is allowed to leave until a pope is elected.

Answer: 80

Cardinals over the age of 80 do not have a vote in electing a new pope. This rule was put into place by Pope Paul VI in 1971.

Answer: Communion

Holy Communion, or the Eucharist, is when the bread and wine which have been consecrated are distributed as the body and blood of Christ. Consecration must be carried out by an ordained priest, but the distribution of the Eucharist can be performed by deacons or lay Eucharistic ministers.

Answer: True

The body and blood of Christ are physically present. The substance, or what is within itself, of the bread and wine has changed. Although it still has the look and feel (the "accidents") of bread and wine, the body and blood of Christ are present.

Answer: when the person is an infant

Infants are baptized by affusion, or pouring water over the head and through the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit. If an individual is martyred for the Catholic faith, they have undergone what is called "baptism in blood". A person who has died before baptism but had wanted to be baptized has undergone what is called a "baptism of desire". All three forms of baptism are acceptable for salvation.

Answer: False

Canonization does not make an individual a saint. When an individual is canonized, it is a recognition and declaration that they are currently a saint, and that they were a saint in their lifetime. It is believed that the number of saints in heaven far outnumbers the saints who have been canonized on earth.

Answer: False

The Church never abandons anyone. An individual who has been excommunicated may be accepted back into the Church by receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This may administered by the local bishop or the Pope.

Answer: all of these

"Humanae Vitae", which is Latin for "of Human Life", strictly forbids use of any contraception, abortion, and sterilization. This, according to the Church, is to preserve all human life and stay true to the natural order put in place by God.

Answer: True

About 22 percent of Americans (and 44 percent of American Christians) are baptized Catholics. Today, many of the United States' Catholics immigrate from the Philippines, Latin America and Mexico. While there are more Christians who identify as Protestants, they are not a single denomination, but a group of denominations with similar beliefs.

Answer: True

Many of the early explorers of North America were Catholics, who included a priest as part of their expedition to allow regular celebrations of Mass. Who was the first to do so in North America? Possibly it happened in one of the Norse settlements in what is now Canada, when the bishop of Greenland went to visit there, but never returned - if he arrived, he would certainly have celebrated a mass. Perhaps the group led by John Cabot, which included some Dominican friars, which settled in Newfoundland in 1498 can make the claim.

In 1509 Ponce de Leon celebrated Mass in Puerto Rico, which is now a US territory. Possibly his unsuccessful attempt to settle at Charlotte Harbor FL in 1522 saw mass celebrated during the days while they were there. It is certainly recorded that Mass was celebrated at San Miguel de Guandape in 1529, but the records do not make it clear where that short-lived settlement was, just that it was on the east coast, somewhere between Virginia and Florida.

The list of contenders goes on.

Answer: John F. Kennedy

Before John F. Kennedy, some Protestants in the north, the Ku Klux Klan, and others held very anti-Catholic sentiments. This was partly due to the fact that many also held anti-immigrant attitudes and many Catholics were of Italian, Spanish or Polish ancestry.