When a new, beautiful baby is born into the world, it is generally the case that people will say, “what a beautiful baby” or “what a beautiful little miracle” or “what a beautiful child of God!” Why? Because one is suddenly struck by the mystery of a tiny baby having grown inside the mother’s womb.

In a recent conversation with a convert to our precious Catholic faith, she asked that as a widow, whether there was a special ritual she could participate in so as to consecrate herself to Jesus. I explained that she had already accomplished this when she was consecrated to Christ in baptism.

Regardless of one’s religious affiliation, at one time, people who served in the medical field not only understood the importance of the sacrament of Baptism, but even performed the Sacrament in emergency situations. In recent years, however, it is unclear whether anyone besides Catholic clergy even understands the necessity of baptism.

This section of the Catechism brings us to the beginning of several articles that deal with the seven sacraments of the Church, including the three Sacraments of Initiation – “Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist – [which] lay the foundations of every Christian life” (ccc 1212).

When I hear the words “Paschal Mystery,” my memory jumps to my high school days when my teacher, an Irish Christian Brother, would recite the phrase over and again, drilling it into our minds that “the Paschal Mystery refers to the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ.” These words were echoed almost 30 years later in the 2002 “Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.”

This section of the Catechism considers “where the Liturgy is celebrated.” The opening paragraph tells us that, as members of the New Covenant, our worship “is not tied exclusively to any one place” (ccc 1179). What matters “is that when the faithful assemble in the same place, they are the ‘living stones,’ gathered to be ‘built into a spiritual house’” (ccc 1179).

Who is eligible to receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders? The quick answer: Faithful Catholic men who have received the three Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, the Eucharist and Confi rmation) are eligible to receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Additionally, in the Western Catholic Church (the Latin Rite), candidates for Holy Orders are to be unmarried. In the Eastern Catholic Church, married men are eligible to be ordained as priests, but not as bishops.

This section of the Catechism begins with the question, “When is the Liturgy Celebrated?” In the 15 paragraphs that follow, we are given an overview of the liturgical seasons including the Lord’s Day, the liturgical year, the feasts of the saints in the liturgical year, and the Liturgy of the Hours.

Some readers may recall the once popular 1971 hit song called “Signs,” written and performed by the Canadian rock group “Five Man Electrical Band.” I would try feverishly to strum the music of this song on my guitar as a young teenager with notions of future stardom.

I recall a time many years ago that left a lasting impression on me. It was before my ordination to the priesthood when I lived with a religious community of priests and brothers while serving as Campus Minister at a Catholic college.

I recall a story told in high school to help us understand the seven sacraments, “all instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord” (ccc 1114), as this section of the Catechism reminds us. The story involves a young man in his early 20s named Jonah who was preparing to graduate from college.

Have you ever considered the function of the Holy Spirit in the Liturgy of the Church? This section of the Catechism explains that “the mission of the Holy Spirit in the liturgy of the Church is to prepare the assembly to encounter Christ” (ccc 1112).

A minor toothache triggered a recent visit to the dentist’s office and I waited with great anticipation as I counted the days before my appointment. On the day of the visit, I counted the hours before I left for my appointment and, then, as I sat in the waiting room I thought, “Now that I am here, I can barely wait until my turn comes so that my toothache will finally go away.” My thoughts jumped to those in purgatory — (God’s waiting room) – How long they wait for their turn so the pain of being away from God passes!

On Aug. 16, 1950, an odd news item with the headline “Old Maids Come Into Their Own With a Special Day,” appeared in the local newspaper in Denton, Texas. The citizens of that town paid tribute to its spinsters with teas and gifts, fl owers, free shampoos, and free movies. It all started when the single ladies realized how much they were spending on baby gifts, anniversary gifts, and wedding gifts, with nearly never having the chance of getting a present in return.

Among the many interesting tourist attractions in Barcelona, Spain is the architectural marvel Sagrada Familia by architect Antoni Gaudi. Five generations have already viewed this amazing edific e with its 18 towers that reach upward against the city skyline symbolizing elevation toward God. The Sagrada Familia (the Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family) goes back to 1882 when the cornerstone was laid. Gaudí would oversee its construction for more than 40 years until he was tragically killed by a bus in 1926. More than 100 years would then pass before its expected completion in 2026.

When most of us think about Jesus, our thoughts jump to the gospel passages that describe Our Lord’s First Coming into the world some 2,000 years ago. In the third Eucharistic Prayer at Mass, however, we are reminded of the Second Coming of Christ at the end of time, when Christ will come again in glory to make his final judgement on the living and the dead. Following the consecration and the proclamation of the mystery of faith, the priest prays the following to God, Our Father: “… as we look forward to his Second Coming, we offer you in thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice.” What will happen at the Second Coming of Christ? When will his Second Coming take place?

Sammy at Best Buy recently helped me identify a problem with my iPad, which saved me in excess of $200 to purchase a new computer part. The young millennium knew more about computers in his short life than I knew in a lifetime!

Our Christian faith teaches that death was not always in the cards. In his loving goodness, God had intended that we live forever. All that changed when sin entered the world through our first parents. The Catechism explains: “In a sense bodily death is natural, but for faith it is in fact ‘the wages of sin’” (ccc 1006). A few paragraphs later we read: “The Church’s Magisterium, as authentic interpreter of the affirmations of Scripture and Tradition, teaches that death entered the world on account of “man’s sin” (ccc 1008).

When family members or friends complain about growing older and acquiring new, unwanted disabilities or infirmities, remind them that such struggles help make our Christian belief in the resurrection of the body something to look forward to all the more. The Catechism explains that the “resurrection of the flesh” (the literal formulation of the Apostles’ Creed) means not only that the immortal soul will live on after death, but that even our “mortal body will come to life again” (ccc 990). But what exactly does this mean?

Have you ever wondered why the Church urges us to receive the sacrament of reconciliation (penance) as a remedy for our sins, while the Creed we profess at Sunday Mass suggests that the forgiveness of sins is related to the sacrament of baptism? The Catechism even affirms: “Baptism is the first and chief sacrament of forgiveness of sins because it unites us with Christ, who died for our sins and rose for our justifi c a t i o n , s o t h a t ‘ w e t o o might walk in newness of life’ Romans 6:4; Cf. 4:25″ (ccc 977).