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Quiz about Catholic History and Teachings
Quiz about Catholic History and Teachings

Catholic History and Teachings Quiz


This is a detailed quiz about the Catholic Church and its history.

A multiple-choice quiz by Bdawg89. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
Bdawg89
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
294,442
Updated
Mar 20 23
# Qns
20
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
15 / 20
Plays
9343
Awards
Top 10% Quiz
Last 3 plays: curdman (19/20), Maybeline5 (12/20), Guest 204 (19/20).
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Question 1 of 20
1. Which of these words refers to the area over which the Pope has jurisdiction as its bishop? Hint


Question 2 of 20
2. According to Catholic tradition, who founded the Catholic Church? Hint


Question 3 of 20
3. During the Church's early years, persecution of Christians was commonplace under the Romans. However, Emperors Constantine I and Licinius signed what edict that declared religious tolerance? Hint


Question 4 of 20
4. The First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD was significant for what reason? Hint


Question 5 of 20
5. Who is the highest earthly authority in the Catholic Church? Hint


Question 6 of 20
6. Who was the first Pope of the Catholic Church? Hint


Question 7 of 20
7. What is Papal infallibility? Hint


Question 8 of 20
8. According to the Catholic Church, souls that are in a state of grace yet imperfect go where to be purified? Hint


Question 9 of 20
9. Who elects a new Pope? Hint


Question 10 of 20
10. The election of a Pope is called a what? Hint


Question 11 of 20
11. What is the upper limit on age for a cardinal to be eligible to vote in the process of electing the pope? Hint


Question 12 of 20
12. The part of the Catholic Mass where consecrated bread and wine are administered is called what? Hint


Question 13 of 20
13. When the bread and wine are consecrated, Catholics believe that the body and blood of Christ are physically present, thoroughly replacing the physical presence of the bread and wine although they appear to be the same.


Question 14 of 20
14. In the Catholic Church, baptism normally occurs when? Hint


Question 15 of 20
15. The canonization of an individual is what makes him/her a saint and allows that person to go to heaven.


Question 16 of 20
16. Individuals who are excommunicated from the Catholic Church cannot ever be accepted back into the church.


Question 17 of 20
17. "Humanae Vitae" is an encyclical issued by Pope Paul VI prohibiting what? Hint


Question 18 of 20
18. Roman Catholics are the largest single Christian denomination in the United States.


Question 19 of 20
19. The first Christian celebration in North America was a Catholic Mass.


Question 20 of 20
20. Catholics have faced much discrimination in the United States. However, when the first Catholic president of the U.S. was elected, anti-Catholic attitudes decreased. What was this president's name? Hint



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quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Which of these words refers to the area over which the Pope has jurisdiction as its bishop?

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.
2. According to Catholic tradition, who founded the Catholic Church?

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.
3. During the Church's early years, persecution of Christians was commonplace under the Romans. However, Emperors Constantine I and Licinius signed what edict that declared religious tolerance?

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
4. The First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD was significant for what reason?

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.
5. Who is the highest earthly authority in the Catholic Church?

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.
6. Who was the first Pope of the Catholic Church?

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.
7. What is Papal infallibility?

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.
8. According to the Catholic Church, souls that are in a state of grace yet imperfect go where to be purified?

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.
9. Who elects a new Pope?

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.
10. The election of a Pope is called a what?

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.
11. What is the upper limit on age for a cardinal to be eligible to vote in the process of electing the pope?

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.
12. The part of the Catholic Mass where consecrated bread and wine are administered is called what?

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.
13. When the bread and wine are consecrated, Catholics believe that the body and blood of Christ are physically present, thoroughly replacing the physical presence of the bread and wine although they appear to be the same.

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.
14. In the Catholic Church, baptism normally occurs when?

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.
15. The canonization of an individual is what makes him/her a saint and allows that person to go to heaven.

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.
16. Individuals who are excommunicated from the Catholic Church cannot ever be accepted back into the church.

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.
17. "Humanae Vitae" is an encyclical issued by Pope Paul VI prohibiting what?

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.
18. Roman Catholics are the largest single Christian denomination in the United States.

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.
19. The first Christian celebration in North America was a Catholic Mass.

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.
20. Catholics have faced much discrimination in the United States. However, when the first Catholic president of the U.S. was elected, anti-Catholic attitudes decreased. What was this president's name?

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.
Source: Author Bdawg89

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