The Church finds the revealed truths it is bound to teach in the Holy
Scripture and revealed traditions.

Q. 558. What is the Holy Scripture or Bible?
A. The Holy Scripture or Bible is the collection of sacred, inspired
writings through which God has made known to us many revealed truths.
Some call them letters from Heaven to earth, that is, from God to man.

Q. 559. What is meant by the Canon of the Sacred Scriptures?
A. The Canon of Sacred Scriptures means the list the Church has prepared
to teach us what sacred writings are Holy Scripture and contain the
inspired word of God.

Q. 560. Where does the Church find the revealed traditions?
A. The Church finds the revealed traditions in the decrees of its
councils; in its books of worship; in its paintings and inscriptions on
tombs and monuments; in the lives of its Saints; the writings of its
Fathers, and in its own history.

Q. 561. Must we ourselves seek in the Scriptures and traditions for what
we are to believe?
A. We ourselves need not seek in the Scriptures and traditions for what
we are to believe. God has appointed the Church to be our guide to
salvation and we must accept its teaching us our infallible rule of
faith.

Q. 562. How do we show that the Holy Scriptures alone could not be our
guide to salvation and infallible rule of faith?
A. We show that the Holy Scripture alone could not be our guide to
salvation and infallible rule of faith: (1) Because all men cannot
examine or understand the Holy Scripture; but all can listen to the
teaching of the Church; (2) Because the New Testament or Christian part
of the Scripture was not written at the beginning of the Church's
existence, and, therefore, could not have been used as the rule of faith
by the first Christians; (3) Because there are many things in the Holy
Scripture that cannot be understood without the explanation given by
tradition, and hence those who take the Scripture alone for their rule
of faith are constantly disputing about its meaning and what they are to
believe.

Q. 563. {130} 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.

Q. 564. {131} 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.

Q. 565. How