RCIA Class 12 December 2, 2015 Pope Francis has declared 2016, an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy beginning on December 8th. For more information: http://www.im.va/content/gdm/en.html Chapter 11 The four marks of the Church The Church is one, holy, Catholic, and Apostolic CCC 811-962 these traits identify the Church before the world Reality and Challenge: These four marks indicate essential features of the Church and her mission on earth. Each mark is so joined with the others that they form one coherent and interrelated idea of what Christ s Church must be. The Church is enlivened by sinful creatures The Church is One Oneness reflects the unity of the Trinity The Holy Spirit is the bond of love between the Father and the Son and unites all the members of the Church as the People of God One Lord One Faith One Baptism One Body under the leadership of the Holy Father The unity that Christ bestows is something that the Church can never lose (Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio) The Catholic Church has always been committed to the restoration of unity among all Christians. Ecumenical means worldwide for the reconciliation of all Christians in the unity of the one and only Church of Christ Ecumenism includes efforts to pray together, joint study of the Scripture, and of one another s traditions, common action for social justice, and dialogue in which the leaders and theologians of the different churches and communities discuss in depth their doctrinal and theological positions for greater mutual understanding, and to work for unity in truth. In dialogue, the obligation to respect the truth is absolute. These dialogues are sponsored on the Catholic side by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, A Vatican office
The Holy Spirit also uses other churches and ecclesial communities as a means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. The differences depend upon the how the communities differ from the Churches interpretation of revealed truth. church bodies of Christians with valid episcopal leadership. A church has valid apostolic succession and the seven Sacraments. ecclesial communities bodies of Christians that do not have an apostolic hierarchy. particular church - diocese (not a parish) or eparchy, in the Orthodox church The head of the Catholic Church is the pope. The Eastern churches have distinctive traditions and rites but they are in communion with Rome. The Latin church is predominantly throughout the world, particularly in the Western World. Greek Orthodox and Ukrainian Orthodox churches are not in communion with the Catholic Church. They do not recognize the authority of the pope. The Church is Holy Holy dedicated or set apart for God (religious purposes) The Church as her origin in the Holy Trinity and that is the source of her holiness The Holy Spirit works within the church to keep her members faithful to the Gospel Through baptism and confirmation, Catholics become a people consecrated (set apart for God) by the Holy Spirit to the praise of God through Christ Christians grow in holiness by working to live in conformity to the Gospel and to become more like Jesus especially in love - Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us Sources of holiness for the Church: sacraments, the Ten commandments, the virtue of charity, prayer The Church is Catholic Catholic universal The Church is led by the Spirit of Christ to bring the Gospel to all peoples The local communities of the Church are linked together through their communion with the Church of rom and her bishop the Pope
The Church is holy in her Founder, in her saints, and in her means of salvation (the Sacraments). Church also refers to those communities which have their own ecclesiastical disciples, liturgical rites and theological and spiritual heritages (Latin Church, Eastern Churches - Armenian Catholics, Melkite-Greek, Syrian, Maronite, Byzantine Ruthenian, Ukrainian, Romanian Byzantine, Chaldean, Syro-Malabar) The Church is also catholic because of her relationship to all people she is joined in many ways to the baptized who are honored by the name of Christian but do not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety or have not preserved unity or communion under the successor of Peter The Church has a special relationship with the Jewish people The Church deplores all hatreds, persecutions, displays of anti-semitism leveled at any time or from any source against the Jews The Church has a unique relationship to the Muslims Dialogue is a form of evangelization. The Church is Apostolic The Church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles who were chosen by Christ at whose head he placed Peter The Church is faithful to the teaching of the apostles The apostles were succeeded by the bishops the apostles acted together as a body and in their leadership that s why they are called the college of Apostles the bishops succeeded the apostles and the college of bishops has at their head, the pope The role of the bishop is to teach and shepherd he possesses the fullness of the priesthood and is the principal celebrant of the sacraments The teaching office of the college of bishops is called the Magisterium when all the bishops throughout the world, together with the Pope, proclaim a doctrine that has been divinely revealed, it must be accepted with the obedience of faith by the whole People of God. The College of Bishops and the pope together form the principle of collegiality - working together
The bishop is the chief priest, chief celebrant, and chief teacher of the faith in a diocese. In charge of a parish is a pastor who may be assisted by parochial vicars. Extraordinary Magisterium: At times, the bishops gather in an Ecumenical Council with the Pope and they teach and proclaim a doctrine that must be accepted with faith because it is divinely revealed (First Vatican Council 1969-1870) dogma of papal infallibility, for example. The entire Church as a body is infallible because the Holy Spirit ensures that she will not err in matters of faith and morals The Apostles were those who were sent out - "Apostle" shares the same root word as the word "post," as in "post office" - to send - the twelve Apostles have given rise to the current 3,500 bishops in the world Laity Every member of the Church participates in Christ s role as priest, prophet and king - Upon our baptism, we become priest, prophet and king. Common priesthood intercessor, mediator, offers sacrifice of our own suffering in service to another (versus the ministerial priesthood ordained priests who have certain other abilities) Prophets to proclaim the word of God, to preach and witness Royal priesthood to serve, not to be served: service and governance to the Church and to others Women and men performing roles that entail varying degrees of pastoral leadership and administration in parishes, church agencies, and organizations, and at diocesan and national levels, ministering in ways that are distinguished from, yet complementary to, the roles of ordained ministers. Many of them also express a deep sense of vocation that is part of their personal identity and that motivates what they are doing. Many have sought academic credentials and diocesan certification in order to prepare for their ministry. Consecrated Live Men and women who have chosen to live in a radical witness to Christ by imitating him as closely as possible. Vocation (the calling or destiny we have in this life the place we have in God s kingdom the fulfillment of which will lead to eternal happiness) married, single (waiting to marry), consecrated single, ordained or religious orders
Evangelization 1. Interpersonal dialogue (friends, relatives, and neighbors account for four out of five of those who become Catholic) 2. Parish programs 3. Diocesan direction 4. Begin with the human situation of the person start with the four basic fears failure, rejection, pain, death 5. Build on faith experiences 6. Evangelize yourself through daily spiritual renewal Chapter 12 Mary: The Church s First and Most Perfect Member Mary occupies a place in the Church which is the highest after Christ and also closest to us the first and greatest of all the disciples of Christ Mary gave to the world the Life that renews all things and who was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role No sin would touch her so that she would be a fitting and worthy vessel of the Son of God In 1854, Pope Pius IX proclaimed this dogma infallible: the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception Dogma religious belief Doctrine ideas taught as truth The Holy Spirit made possible the conception of Jesus in Mary s womb the Gospels clearly present the virginal conception of Jesus as a divine work Council of Ephesus DS 251 In the early Church, some denied Mary s perpetual virginity pointing to the Gospel s mention of Jesus brothers and sisters. Theologians pointed out that the Greek word for brother used in the New Testament can refer also to cousin. A second explanation can also point to Joseph s children by a prior marriage. In the Assumption, Mary experiences immediately what we all will experience, eventually, a bodily resurrection like Christ s own. Mary as the Mother of the Church From Christ s conception until his death, Mary was united to her Son in his work of salvation. Jesus entrusted his beloved disciple to Mary, telling him to see her as his own mother. Mary was with the disciples praying for the coming of the Holy Spirit. She continues to pray before God for the Church and all humanity.
saints: one who has been canonically declared by the Church to enjoy the beatific vision of God dulia - venerations or honor. For example, we give dulia to the saints. hyperdulia - super veneration. This is reserved for the Blessed Virgin Mary alone. She is the most perfect creature known to man. The best friend to every wife and mother because she was a wife and mother and was the best. She is a powerful intercessor for us. Jesus doesn't say "no" to his mother. (We don't worship her, but we venerate her.) latria - the ultimate adoration and worship reserved for God alone