The United States has a constitution and laws.  Now, suppose every citizen was allowed to construe the laws to suit himself, without any regard for the rights of others, what a fine state of affairs we should soon have.  But the wise makers of the constitution and laws of the United States did not leave us in such danger.  They appointed judges to interpret or explain the laws and give the correct meaning when disputes arise.  Then in Washington there is a chief judge for the whole United States; and when he says the words of the law mean this or that, every citizen must abide by his decision, and there is no appeal from it.  Just in the same way Our Lord made laws for all men, and while He was upon earth He explained them Himself.  He never left all men free to take their own meaning out of them.  He appointed judges—­the bishops; and a chief judge for the whole world—­the Pope.  The Holy Ghost guides him, as we have seen above, so that he cannot make mistakes in the meaning of Christ’s laws; and when he says, this is what the words of Our Lord in His law signify, no one who is a true Christian can refuse to believe, or can appeal from his decision.

130 Q. How is the Church holy?  A. The Church is holy because its founder, Jesus Christ, is holy; because it teaches a holy doctrine, invites all to a holy life, and because of the eminent holiness of so many thousands of its children.

Protestant religions have not holy doctrines if we examine them closely.  They teach, for example, that faith without good works will save us, and thus take away the motives for doing good; that marriage is not binding for life—­the husband and wife may for some causes separate, or get a divorce, and marry again.  This would leave the children without the care of their proper parents, sometimes without a home, and nearly always without religious instruction.  The same persons might separate again and marry another time, and thus there would be nothing but confusion and immorality in society.  Again, some of their doctrines teach that we cannot help sinning; so everyone could excuse himself for his sins by saying he could not help them, which you can easily see would lead to the worst of consequences.  Lastly, their doctrines have never made one saint—­acknowledged as such from miracles performed.  Protestants are so called because, when their ancestors rebelled against the Church about three hundred years ago, the Church made certain laws and they protested against them, separated from the Church, and formed a new religion of their own.

131 Q. How is the Church catholic or universal?  A. The Church is catholic or universal because it subsists in all ages, teaches all nations, and maintains all truth.

“Subsists” means to have existence.