Unit 3: We Believe in One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church

Catholic  Universal/General  A person who believes in God, that JC is the savior, and follows the doctrine of the Catholic Church.  Believing in one holy catholic church means that there is one church that can include everyone – of every age group, social status, nation, color, and way of life.

The main mission of the church:  To help people be caught up in the love of the Trinity.  At the very center of the church: the Eucharist  Jesus offered his body and blood to be a sacrament (a visible oath) of salvation for everyone  When we share in the body and blood of JC we are united in Him  This communion, this community, is the Church.  This unity in God’s love is what being “Catholic” is all about

Church = universal  It has a mission to the whole world  The task of the church and all its members is: TO DO THE WORK OF CHIRST BY MAKING GOD AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.

Apostolic  Apostle: means “one who is sent”  Apostolic church:  We believe that the church has been sent by JC into the world.  We can trace all the Catholic bishops back, saying who ordained whom, all the way to St. Peter  Therefore we have a Church that is traceable to the apostles – an “apostolic” church 

Main Tasks of the Church  To promote love to one another  To change the world into a better place by teaching the meaning of true love  Christians are called to be apostolic servants of Christ (servants of his Word, ‘sent out’ into the world)  We are called to serve others in love

The Church is… A) A servant…  Is quick to help someone in need  Has a way of getting others to do their best  Is willing to do extra work for the good of the group  Leads by example

B) An Institution  Follows the rules  Prefers “to go through the proper channels”  Likes to do things the way they’ve always been done  Appreciates order

c) The Body of Christ  Makes a point of including others in activities  Is a team player  Recognizes that everyone has something good to offer and is willing to ask others to help

d) A Sacrament  Knows to prepare and host a good party  Is good at choosing the right gifts  takes time to celebrate important events  Takes care preparing the physical space for special activities

e) A Prophet…  Is often the conscience of a group  Can see through false messages  Will speak up when someone is treated unjustly  Lives in a way that respects the rights of others

f) The Creed  The creed is our common profession of faith, no matter from which perspective we see the Church and her mission.  At the Eucharist, we recite the Creed after we have heard the call of God’s one word and before we come together around the one table of the Lord

Apostles: “One who is sent”  When we say that we believe in an “apostolic church,” we are saying that we believe that the Church has been sent by JC into the world  One of the main tasks JC has given us is to love one another and to change the world into a better place by teaching the meaning of true love.  Christians are called to be apostolic servants of Christ.  We are called to serve others in love.

Love  True love is self-giving love  When we act out of love, we care about the other person as much as or more than we do about ourselves  True love is faithful love  When we truly love others, we show our care for them even when it is inconvenient or when there is something else we would rather be doing  True love is unconditional love  When we truly love other people, we care about them and want what is best for them no matter what they have done.  Jesus gave us an example of true love when he gave his life out of love for us.

Vocation  A call from God to give ones’ self for the sake of others. Each one of us is called by God to use our gifts and talents for the benefit of others.  Learning to love generously, faithfully and unconditionally is a life-long task.  Jesus gave the Church two special signs to help us remember what it means to love generously and to help us teach the world about love: the sacraments of Marriage and Holy Orders.

Marriage  Brings together a man and women as “one flesh”  Involves a ring as a symbol, which has no beginning and no end, just like God’s love  Establishes the best possible atmosphere for having children and raising them  Because man and women are created in the image of God, who is love, the love of husband and wife for each other is an image of the love of God  When two people get married, their lives are intertwined, and become one

Holy Orders  Involves a calling to dedicate your life to God and His teachings  The three levels of holy orders are: Bishop, Priest, and Deacon  Take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience  They establish these people as legitimate leaders within the Church to build up Christ through faithful and loving service

Bishop  The bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the priesthood  He serves as the spiritual leader to the diocese and has responsibility for the pastoral care of all Catholics living under the jurisdiction.  The duties of the Bishop are to: “teach, sanctify, and govern”

Cont.  They oversee preaching of the Gospel and Catholic education in all its forms  They oversee and provide for the administration of the sacraments  To legislate, administer and act as judge for Canon Law within the diocese

Priest  The priest is a community leader, a messenger of hope and spiritual guide  They lead and teach, and are a reminder to be the Good Shepherd  They are guides for the lost  They can celebrate the sacraments except for confirmation (unless they have special permission)

Cont.  Priest orders involve:  the call; the answer of their own will  the instructions: the obligations of a priest  the bestowal of the order: process of becoming a priest  prayers: asking for guidance

Deacon  Is a clergyman who assists the bishops and priests  He is ordained, not to the priesthood, but to service  Deacons minister in many different settings from the traditional parish to prisons, hospitals, juvenile detention centers  Regardless of where a deacon finds himself, it is there he serves  A DEACON CANNOT CONSECRATE THE HOST

Cont.  They have a 3fold service:  1. Charity in which he is of service to the community  2. Word in which he proclaims the Gospel and preaches  3. Liturgy, in which he assists at Mass, in an ordinary minister of the Eucharist and baptism, witness in marriages, leads the community in prayers, and funeral services

Religious Brothers  A male religious lay Christian who commits himself to Christ and the community  He is in service and lives in this community  He teaches, does social work, technical occupations, etc.  They cannot perform the sacraments but can take part in them

Religious Sister  Aka. Nuns and Sister, they are Catholic women who have answered God’s call to spend the rest of their lives servicing JC but caring for those in need, especially the poor and abandoned  They usually wear a habit, and worked in schools and hospitals

Others  These people have a personal commitment to serve God and God’s people through love  Some people may choose to remain single and to not join any Holy Orders, but can still serve God in other ways.