ing of Christ?
A. The true religion was not universal before the coming of Christ. It
was confined to one people--the descendants of Abraham. All other
nations worshipped false gods.

Q. 488. {114} Which are the means instituted by Our Lord to enable men
at all times to share in the fruits of the Redemption?
A. The means instituted by Our Lord to enable men at all times to share
in the fruits of His Redemption are the Church and the Sacraments.

Q. 489. {115} What is the Church?
A. The Church is the congregation of all those who profess the faith of
Christ, partake of the same Sacraments, and are governed by their lawful
pastors under one visible Head.

Q. 490. How may the members of the Church on earth be divided?
A. The members of the Church on earth may be divided into those who
teach and those who are taught. Those who teach, namely, the Pope,
bishops and priests, are called the Teaching Church, or simply the
Church. Those who are taught are called the Believing Church, or simply
the faithful.

Q. 491. What is the duty of the Teaching Church?
A. The duty of the Teaching Church is to continue the work Our Lord
began upon earth, namely, to teach revealed truth, to administer the
Sacraments and to labor for the salvation of souls.

Q. 492. What is the duty of the faithful?
A. The duty of the faithful is to learn the revealed truths taught; to
receive the Sacraments, and to aid in saving souls by their prayers,
good works and alms.

Q. 493. What do you mean by "profess the faith of Christ"?
A. By "profess the faith of Christ" we mean, believe all the truths and
practice the religion He has taught.

Q. 494. What do we mean by "lawful pastors"?
A. By "lawful pastors" we mean those in the Church who have been
appointed by lawful authority and who have, therefore, a right to rule
us. The lawful pastors in the Church are: Every priest in his own
parish; every bishop in his own diocese, and the Pope in the whole
Church.

Q. 495. {116} Who is the invisible Head of the Church?
A. Jesus Christ is the invisible Head of the Church.

Q. 496. {117} Who is the visible Head of the Church?
A. Our Holy Father the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the Vicar of Christ
on earth and the visible Head of the Church.

Q. 497. What does "vicar" mean?
A. Vicar is a name used in the Church to designate a person who acts in
the name and authority of another. Thus a Vicar Apostolic is one who
acts in the name of the Pope, and a Vicar Gen