Image: Eddie Gerald/Moment/Getty Images
About This Quiz
If you happen to be a Catholic, you might be surprised that even you don't know all the traditions and rules of the church. They're quite lengthy. Catholicism was, and has always been, about structure built by faith and for faith. It's crazy to think, though, that we might still not know how that whole house of cards got built. Who began it? What are all the rules? Do I know the rules? Am I bad person for not knowing the rules? Maybe, maybe not. But the fact is, even if you are a Catholic, you're not perfect, and that's okay.
But it's still curious to know just how much we, well, know! I mean, we had to have learned something in Catholic school. We went to all those Sundays, and we sat in class learning about Jesus, Moses, Noah, Abraham, Elijah, the Apostles and more—something had to stick. Do we know the Ten Commandments? Sure. What about the Seven Sacraments? Maybe. Let's face it: learning Catholicism is a natural next step after learning about faith. The good news is you have faith. And deep down, that's all that matters. Over time, though, you learn more and more about what it takes to be the very best Catholic you can be, and thankfully we have this quiz to guide you through all those steps. Give it a shot!
What is the first article of Catholic faith?
There's reading?
"I believe in the Catholic Church and the Pope."
"I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth."
Since this is the "first" article, naturally this is all about the very "head" of the entire faith: God the FATHER. So, naturally, we say we FIRST believe in God.
"Issue number one."
How many standard prayers are there in the Catholic faith?
One
Five
You'd have to have one heck of a memory to know that there are five separate core prayers: the "Our Father," the "Hail Mary," the "Apostles' Creed," the "Glory Be" and the "Act of Contrition."
Seven
Zero
What do you do in that "confession closet"?
It's a bathroom.
It's a place you can do the rosary in silence.
You confess your sins to the priest.
Typically, the confessional is the place where you confess your sins privately. The priest is on the other side of that closet, to hear your confession.
You hang you coat up in it.
Advertisement
What are Sundays for?
Mass
Sundays in general are all about Mass. It's where you meet for church and worship. Sundays can include everything like Lent, communion… and even sleep.
Lent
Communion
Sleep
How often are you "required" to go to confession?
You have to go a minimum of once a month.
Once a year.
Traditionally, from the very beginning, you go to confession just once a year. You can, however, request to go more than once.
Every day.
Randomly.
How often can you receive Communion?
As many times as you want—which would be once a day if you so choose.
The Catholic church honestly doesn't have much of a limit to how often you can receive Holy Communion. Meet with the priest and you can receive it literally every day.
Just once a week
Only every Sunday
Only on Easter
Advertisement
What is "Holy Communion"?
It's when you all get together and sing praises.
It's when you get baptized.
It's when you get circumcised.
It's when you receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
Holy Communion typically refers to the entire congregation drinking wine that's in remembrance of Jesus' blood and then eating bread that's in remembrance of Jesus' body.
What is fasting?
Praying fast
Doing the rosary twice
Not eating
Fasting is what Christians often do, in fact, to ensure they remain in tune with their spirituality. They do this by refraining from eating anything, typically for a day or more.
Giving Communion
What is "Ash Wednesday"?
The day when you spiritually become a Catholic Christian.
It is a holy day of prayer of penance and fasting for a day.
"Ash Wednesday" is the day when Lent begins, typically involving not only penance and fasting, but ashes pressed on your forehead. Hence the name "Ash Wednesday."
When this day comes, you observe the day when Christ becomes a full-grown man.
It's the day when you only drink wine as the blood of Christ.
Advertisement
Can Catholic priests marry?
No
The covenant a Catholic priest makes is forever. A priest is celibate. They forsake marriage. They can't have relationships. Their sole purpose is to literally serve God and God alone.
It depends
Sure!
Only once
What is tithing?
Supporting missionary work
You give 10% of your income to the church every Sunday.
Tithing actually is represented in the New Testament: it's when you give 10% of your finances to the church. When you go to Mass and officials get ready to receive donations that help contribute to the cause of the Church, that's when you offer your help in the most actionable way.
Offering prayer to the homeless
You make a donation to a charity of your choice.
What is the "rosary"?
It's a necklace with a pendant on it, given to you by the church on the day of your Confirmation.
It's a type of vestment all deacons and priest wear during Ash Wednesday.
It's a cloth your child wears right after baptism.
It's a large necklace with beads on it, representing prayers you must recite to yourself in earnest.
The rosary is very traditional form of prayer designed to focus you on "Our Father" and the "Hail Mary" through beads on the necklace. You often kneel, holding onto the rosary by each bead and saying your prayer for each one.
Advertisement
What is the first "Sacrament"?
Holy Orders
Reconciliation
Eucharist
Baptism
Baptism is the anointing of water, or the "washing" of water on your head when you're an infant. Generally, you can be baptized at any age, but traditionally the first Sacrament is when you're a child.
Which Sacrament is "Reconciliation"?
The second
The seventh
The fourth
The fourth Sacrament, "Reconciliation," typically happens to everyone just about on any day of the week. It's the term used for when you go to a confessional with a priest and discuss your sins, seeking to be absolved or forgiven.
The fifth
Which prayer do you recite on the large beads of the Rosary?
"Our Father"
The large beads on a rosary represent probably the most standard and first of all Catholic prayers: the "Our Father," which is a prayer actually written specifically in the New Testament as the way Jesus tells his disciples how they should pray.
"Hail Mary"
"Apostles' Creed"
"Glory Be"
Advertisement
What is the second article of Catholicism?
"And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord."
When reciting the twelve articles, this one immediately follows the first, which is about God the Father, hence this is how it's written and recited as "And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord."
"And in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior."
"Our Lord of Lords, Christ Jesus."
"Our one and only Jesus, our Christ and Savior."
What is the "Eucharist"?
When you get to play Euchre in church
It's when a youth leader of the Catholic church begins a group session.
When you take Communion every Mass on Sunday
Holy Communion actually goes by a more official name in terms of the Sacraments: that's the "Eucharist." It's the term designated for the act of drinking and eating the blood and body of Christ during Sunday Mass.
When you die and go to Heaven
Which Sacrament allows you to become a priest for the Catholic Church?
Reconciliation
Baptism
Anointing of the Sick
Holy Orders
When you take on the Sacrament of Holy Orders, you're willingly giving yourself up to the entire Catholic Church as a servant, either as a deacon or priest either for a congregation or the Vatican itself.
Advertisement
What do you call a "female priest"?
Pastor
Reverend
Healer
Nun
Strangely enough, women aren't called "priests" in the Catholic faith. They're called "nuns." They often have the same duties as priests do. However, they do not direct Mass.
Who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary?
Jesus of Rome
Jesus of Bethlehem
Jesus of Nazareth
They called Jesus the "Nazarene" for a reason. According to the Twelve Articles, Jesus was the one who was "conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary," and while he was born in Bethlehem in a manger, he grew up to be a man in Nazareth.
Jesus, son of Jehoshaphat
Which Sacrament is responsible for you "graduating" from Sunday school?
Anointing of the Sick
Marriage
Eucharist
Confirmation
When you graduate, you typically go on a "rite of passage." You're going to be an adult, sometimes physically, mentally, practically AND spiritually. That's what the Sacrament of "Confirmation" is, a rite of passage typically led by a Bishop who then anoints you with "holy oil" on your forehead as a celebration that you are ready to take on the world as an adult Catholic Christian.
Advertisement
Do priests do anything for the sick or the terminally ill?
They pray on their own.
They encourage prayer during Mass.
They're usually invoked by the fifth Sacrament.
The fifth Sacrament is known as the "Anointing of the Sick," which occurs during those times when people fall horribly ill. This can include terminal illnesses, or even moments immediately before death for those individuals suffering from it. You're anointed with oil, and the priest recites a prayer of good will in your time of need. It's for not only the sick, but for all the family.
It's the first thing a priest does after taking on the seventh Sacrament.
Which Sacrament allows you to basically have sexual relations with the opposite gender?
None
Marriage
Marriage is not just sexual relations, of course, but it is with a specific person who you will then be bonded to for life. That's what "marriage" is, when you're joined in Holy matrimony with a promise to love, care and support your spouse through bad times and good times and in sickness and in health.
Holy Orders
Reconciliation
Can you recite the First Commandment?
"You will let the Hebrews go!"
"Back away, you demon."
"I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have any strange gods before me."
The First Commandment is actually quite simple: God wrote on one of the tablets Moses was holding that no one should worship other gods except Him.
"I am your savior, who brought you out of Egypt, and made you into a Holy Nation of priests."
Advertisement
Which day is traditionally the "Sabbath Day"?
Good Friday
Saturday
Sunday
The "Sabbath Day" is the day when God rested after the six days of work He did to create everything. In the same vein, Catholics also "rest" on the Sabbath Day, typically not working. Also, since it's on every Sunday, they go to church and worship.
Ash Wednesday
Which Commandment tells you to honor your parents?
The fourth
According to the Old Testament, it says that the Fourth Commandment is "Honor thy father and mother."
The sixth
The second
The ninth
Which Commandment are you breaking if you commit murder?
The eighth
The fifth
The most notable Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," happens to sit right in the middle of the ten. It's number five on the list.
The tenth
The seventh
Advertisement
What is "Good Friday"?
It's the day when Christ rose to Heaven.
It's the day immediately following Christmas Eve.
It's the day Jesus died on the cross.
"Good Friday" is the one last traditional day right before Easter Sunday. It's the day Jesus Christ died on the cross. Three days later, he rose again on Easter Sunday, which is why we celebrate on Easter Sunday as well.
It's the only day of the year that you can't eat pork.
Which Commandment forbids you from being jealous, greedy or envious of someone else's stuff?
The second
The sixth
The third
The tenth
As written in the Old Testament, the Tenth Commandment states: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods." It essentially means don't want what your friends or strangers have. Simply put, don't be jealous of others.
What date is "Ash Wednesday" for 2019?
March 26th
April first
March fourth
March sixth
Generally, Lent is tough to get your head wrapped around, because the dates always change from year to year. This year, though, the first day of Lent happens to be on March sixth.
Advertisement
No matter how you look at it, Robin Hood's violating just one Commandment. Which one?
Seventh
Stealing is forbidden in Catholic and full Christian faith. That's outlined in the Seventh Commandment: "Thou shalt not steal."
Sixth
Fifth
Fourth
What was the Apostle Peter's original name?
Joseph
Judas
Simon
The Apostle Peter before he ever met Jesus was none other than a measly fisherman named Simon.
Bob
What is a "pew"?
It's a pamphlet you're holding onto in the sanctuary.
It's where you often sit or kneel in the sanctuary among the rest of the congregation.
The pew is a specially designed long bench with a contraption at the bottom, allowing you to actually kneel on it, so you can pray to God.
It's a necklace you wear during Ash Wednesday.
It's what the priest does to your baby immediately after baptism.
Advertisement
What are the names of the gospel writers in the New Testament?
Matticus, Habakkuk, Isaiah and Elijah
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
If you were to open a Bible and turn to the New Testament, you'll notice that the first book belongs to "Matthew," who wrote the first account of Jesus. Mark then followed, along with Luke and then finally John.
Matthias, Marcus, Lucas and Jonathan
Peter, Paul, David and Goliath
Who wrote the Book of Revelation in the Bible?
Noah
The Apostle Paul
The Apostle John
The Apostle John was famously the last Apostle alive back in the days of the early Christians. He wrote the Book of Revelation, which is why it happens to be the very last book of the Bible. It was the last great project John ever took on before he died.
John the Baptist
You Got:
/35
Eddie Gerald/Moment/Getty Images