point — Gury-Ballerini, Compendium of Moral Theology (8th ed., 1884)
Point II. On Things to Be Known for Acting Rightly
1º Certainly explicit knowledge of the Decalogue is necessary from precept for all the faithful. - Thus all.
2º The Decalogue also must be believed explicitly, because the precepts of the Decalogue have been revealed so that they may be observed by all; now what has been revealed must be believed by divine Faith; and what has been revealed for directing the acts of individuals must be explicitly known by all. Therefore. Yet many contradict, because precepts of this kind can be known in another way than by revelation.
3º The precepts are not necessarily to be known by memory and in the customary order, although the faithful are to be exhorted to this.
- II. The Precepts of the Church:
1º They are not to be believed by divine Faith, because they have not been revealed by God, at least insofar as they are precepts of the Church. This only must be believed, that the Church has the right of making laws and precepts from divine authority.
2º The principal precepts of the Church ought to be known by all, those whose observance pertains to all the faithful; namely, the precept of keeping Feasts and of hearing Mass on them, the precept of annual confession, of Paschal Communion, of fasting and abstinence, which will be explained in their own place.
To the obligation of knowing the precepts is also referred this, that individuals must necessarily know the duties of their own state or condition.
1º Baptism, its efficacy and absolute necessity for attaining salvation.
2º Penance, and its efficacy for obtaining the remission of sins.
3º The Eucharist, and in it the real presence of Christ, true God and man. Likewise, according to the common opinion, it must be believed explicitly that Christ is whole in each species; and also more probably, that he is offered in sacrifice, since all ought to assist at the sacrifice of the Mass. But more probably Transubstantiation is not to be believed explicitly. - Thus commonly, Lugo, De Fide, disp. 13. sect. 5. n. 121.
4º The other Sacraments, when they are proximately to be received. But according to the common opinion it is not necessary to know and understand those which are not to be received.
III. On the Lord's Prayer
- 1º Under grave obligation all are bound to know it as to substance, that is, to know that God is to be prayed to with hope and confidence, and that from him are to be sought all goods both of soul and of body, and also graces for escaping evils of the soul. - In it God is believed as provident, helping, forgiving, rewarding.
2º All are bound, at least under light obligation, to recite it sometime, as the common opinion holds with Lugo, disp. 13. sect. 5. n. 133. - Suarez, disp. 13. sect. 4. n. 12.
3º Probably the obligation of retaining it by memory does not bind under grave obligation. Thus Lugo, ibid. - Suarez, ibid. - Busemb. apud St. Lig. n. 3, against some who draw out a grave obligation from the words of Christ: Thus you shall pray. But those words can be understood concerning the substance of the same prayer. To the Lord's Prayer, from the usage of the Church and the practice of the faithful, the Angelic Salutation is almost joined; although this is not to be known and recited from obligation, nevertheless from becomingness it is to be known and recited on account of the patronage of the Blessed Virgin and the worship due to her.