First Parents and the Fall and wife in their marriage union which God then

instituted.

Q. 233. Who were the first man and woman? Q. 241. Could man's body be developed from
the body of an inferior animal?
A. The first man and woman were Adam and Eve.
A. Man's body could be developed from the body of
Q. 234. Are there any persons in the world who an inferior animal if God so willed; but science does
are not the descendants of Adam and Eve? not prove that man's body was thus formed, while
revelation teaches that it was formed directly by
A. There are no persons in the world now, and God from the clay of the earth.
there never have been any, who are not the
descendants of Adam and Eve, because the whole Q. 242. Could man's soul and intelligence be
human race had but one origin. formed by the development of animal life and
instinct?
Q. 235. Do not the differences in color, figure,
which we find in distinct races indicate a A. Man's soul could not be formed by the
difference in first parents? development of animal instinct; for, being entirely
spiritual, it must be created by God, and it is united
A. The differences in color, figure, which we find in to the body as soon as the body is prepared to
distinct races do not indicate a difference in first receive it.
parents, for these differences have been brought
about in the lapse of time by other causes, such as Q. 243. Did God give any command to Adam
climate, habits, etc. and Eve?
Q. 236. Were Adam and Eve innocent and holy A. To try their obedience, God commanded Adam
when they came from the hand of God? and Eve not to eat of a certain fruit which grew in
the garden of Paradise.
A. Adam and Eve were innocent and holy when
they came from the hand of God. Q. 244. What was the Garden of Paradise?
Q. 237. What do we mean by saying Adam and A. The Garden of Paradise was a large and
Eve "were innocent" when they came from the beautiful place prepared for man's habitation upon
hand of God? earth. It was supplied with every species of plant
and animal and with everything that could
A. When we say Adam and Eve "were innocent" contribute to man's happiness.
when they came from the hand of God we mean
they were in the state of original justice; that is, they Q. 245. Where was the Garden of Paradise?
were gifted with every virtue and free from every
sin. A. The exact place in which the Garden of
Paradise—called also the Garden of Eden—was
Q. 238. How were Adam & Eve’s body formed? situated is not known, for the deluge may have so
changed the surface of the earth that old landmarks
A. God formed Adam's body out of the clay of the were wiped out. It was probably some place in
earth and then breathed into it a living soul. Asia, not far from the river Euphrates.
Q. 239. How was Eve's body formed? Q. 246. What was the tree bearing the forbidden
fruit called?
A. Eve's body was formed from a rib taken from
Adam's side during a deep sleep which God A. The tree bearing the forbidden fruit was called
caused to come upon him. "the tree of knowledge of good and evil."
Q. 240. Why did God make Eve from one of Q. 247. Do we know the name of any other tree
Adam's ribs? in the garden?
A. God made Eve from one of Adam's ribs to show A. We know the name of another tree in the Garden
the close relationship existing between husband called the "tree of life." Its fruit kept the bodies of
our first parents in a state of perfect health.
Q. 248. Which were the chief blessings intended after passing through the years of our probation or
for Adam and Eve had they remained faithful to trial upon earth we were to be taken, body and
God? soul, into heaven without suffering death.

A. The chief blessings intended for Adam and Eve, Q. 256. What evil befell us on account of the
had they remained faithful to God, were a constant disobedience of our first parents?
state of happiness in this life and everlasting glory
in the next. A. On account of the disobedience of our first
parents, we all share in their sin and punishment,
Q. 249. Did Adam and Eve remain faithful to as we should have shared in their happiness if they
God? had remained faithful.

A. Adam and Eve did not remain faithful to God, but Q. 257. Is it not unjust to punish us for the sin
broke His command by eating the forbidden fruit. of our first parents?

Q. 250. Who was the first to disobey God? A. It is not unjust to punish us for the sin of our first
parents, because their punishment consisted in
A. Eve was the first to disobey God, and she being deprived of a free gift of God; that is, of the
induced Adam to do likewise. gift of original justice to which they had no strict
right and which they willfully forfeited by their act of
Q. 251. How was Eve tempted to sin? disobedience.
A. Eve was tempted to sin by the devil, who came Q. 258. But how did the loss of the gift of
in the form of a serpent and persuaded her to break original justice leave our first parents and us in
God's command. mortal sin?
Q. 252. Which were the chief causes that led A. The loss of the gift of original justice left our first
Eve into sin? parents and us in mortal sin because it deprived
them of the Grace of God, and to be without this gift
A. The chief causes that led Eve into sin were: (1) of Grace which they should have had was to be in
She went into the danger of sinning by admiring mortal sin. As all their children are deprived of the
what was forbidden, instead of avoiding it; (2) She same gift, they, too, come into the world in a state
did not fly from the temptation at once, but debated of mortal sin.
about yielding to it. Similar conduct on our part will
lead us also into sin. Q. 259. What other effects followed from the sin
of our first parents?
Q. 253. What befell Adam and Eve on account of
their sin? A. Our nature was corrupted by the sin of our first
parents, which darkened our understanding,
A. Adam and Eve, on account of their sin, lost weakened our will, and left in us a strong inclination
innocence and holiness, and were doomed to to evil.
sickness and death.
Q. 260. What do we mean by "our nature was
Q. 254. What other evils befell Adam and Eve on corrupted"?
account of their sin?
A. When we say "our nature was corrupted" we
A. Many other evils befell Adam and Eve on mean that our whole being, body and soul, was
account of their sin. They were driven out of injured in all its parts and powers.
Paradise and condemned to toil. God also ordained
that henceforth the earth should yield no crops Q. 261. Why do we say our understanding was
without cultivation, and that the beasts, man's darkened?
former friends, should become his savage enemies.
A. We say our understanding was darkened
Q. 255. Were we to remain in the Garden of because even with much learning we have not the
Paradise forever if Adam had not sinned? clear knowledge, quick perception and retentive
memory that Adam had before his fall from grace.
A. We were not to remain in the Garden of
Paradise forever even if Adam had not sinned, but
Q. 262. Why do we say our will was weakened?

A. We say our will was weakened to show that our

free will was not entirely taken away by Adam's sin,
and that we have it still in our power to use our free
will in doing good or evil.

Q. 263. In what does the strong inclination to

evil that is left in us consist?

A. This strong inclination to evil that is left in us

consists in the continual efforts our senses and
appetites make to lead our souls into sin. The body
is inclined to rebel against the soul, and the soul
itself to rebel against God.

Q. 264. What is this strong inclination to evil

called, and why did God permit it to remain in
us?

A. This strong inclination to evil is called

concupiscence, and God permits it to remain in us
that by His grace we may resist it and thus increase
our merits.

Q. 265. What is the sin called which we inherit

from our first parents?

A. The sin which we inherit from our first parents is

called original sin.

Q. 266. Why is this sin called original?

A. This sin is called original because it comes down

to us from our first parents, and we are brought into
the world with its guilt on our soul.

Q. 267. Does this corruption of our nature

remain in us after original sin is forgiven?

A. This corruption of our nature and other

punishments remain in us after original sin is
forgiven.