d the Roman Catholic
Church is the only Church that has all these marks. We say that we are
Roman Catholics to show that we are in communion with the Church of
Rome, established by St. Peter, the chief of the Apostles.

*325 Q. Can they who fail to profess their faith in the true Church in
which they believe expect to be saved while in that state?
A. They who fail to profess their faith in the true Church in which they
believe cannot expect to be saved while in that state, for Christ has
said: "Whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My
Father who is in Heaven."

326 Q. Are we obliged to make open profession of our faith?
A. We are obliged to make open profession of our faith as often as God's
honor, our neighbor's spiritual good, or our own requires it.
"Whosoever," says Christ, "shall confess Me before men, I will also
confess him before My Father who is in Heaven."

It is not necessary for us to proclaim in the streets that we are
Catholics; neither need we tell our religion to impudent people that may
ask us only to insult us; but when a real need of professing our faith
presents itself, then we must profess it. Suppose you are stopping in a
hotel in which you are the only Catholic. If flesh-meat is placed before
you on a Friday in Lent you must quietly push it aside and ask for fish
or other food; although by so doing you will show that you are a
Catholic and make a silent profession of your faith. God's honor and
your own good require it, for you must keep the laws of God and of His
Church on every possible occasion. Suppose again there were in the same
hotel some indifferent Catholics, socially your equals or inferiors, who
through human respect were ashamed to go to Mass on Sunday; then you
should publicly go to Mass and even declare that you must go, for by so
doing you would encourage these indifferent Catholics to follow your
example. In that case your neighbor's good requires that you profess
your faith. In a word, you must keep up the practice of your religion
even if by so doing you have to make an open profession of your faith
and suffer for it. But suppose it is something that God or the Church
does not command you to do but only recommends, such as blessing
yourself before meals or some pious practice, you could in public omit
such an action if you pleased without any sin or denial of faith,
because you violate no law.

327 Q. Which are the sins against hope?
A. The sins again