United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

508 • Conclusion and Appendices

Spirit, which seals and confirms the baptized in union with Christ and calls them to greater participation in the worship and apostolic life of the Church. CONSCIENCE: The practical judg ment about the moral quality of particular humans acts as well as the inner ability to make such a judgment. CONTEMPLATION: Wordless prayer in which a person focuses the whole person in loving adora tion on God and his very presence. CONTRITION: Sorrow for sin with a firm purpose of amendment, which is the intention to avoid sin in the future. Contrition is imper fect when a person is motivated by fear of punishment. Contrition is perfect when the motive is a response to God’s love for us. Contrition on the part of the peni tent, either imperfect or perfect, is a necessary part of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY: These are charitable actions by which we help our neighbors in their bodily needs. The corpo ral (bodily) works of mercy are to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the home less, clothe the naked, visit the

sick, visit the prisoners, bury the dead, and give alms to the poor.

COVENANT: A solemn agreement made between people or between God and a person or persons. In the Old Testament, God established covenants with Noah, Abraham, and Moses. The Prophets prepared people for the new and eternal covenant established by Jesus Christ. Marriage is a covenant of life and love. CREATION: God—Father, Son, Holy Spirit—out of love for us made the world out of nothing, wanting to share divine life and love with us. The original creation became a new creation in Jesus Christ. CREED: This term comes from the Latin word credo , meaning “I believe.” It is used to refer to a statement of belief. CREMATION: The Church permits cremation (the burning of a deceased human body into ashes), provided that it does not demonstrate a denial of faith in the resurrection of the body” (CCC, no. 2301). In cases where cremation is planned, the Church counsels that the body should be present for the funeral. On March 21, 1997, in response to a request from the