Culture

 Is the set of meaning, beliefs, values and rules for living shared by groups and societies as the source of their identity

Today’s Values VS Catholic Values VALUES PROMOTED BY CULTURE TODAY VALUES PROMOTED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Culture from the Catechism of the Catholic Church § 1145 – A sacramental celebration is woven from signs and symbols. In keeping with the divine pedagogy of salvation, their meaning is rooted in the work of creation and in human culture, specified by the events of the Old Covenant and fully revealed in the person and work of Christ

Culture from the Catechism of the Catholic Church continued… § 1202 – Churches of the same geographical and cultural area come to celebrate the mystery of Christ through particular expressions characterized by the culture – in liturgical symbolism, in the organization of the fraternal communion, in the theological understanding of the mysteries, and in various forms of holiness. Through the liturgical life of a local church, Christ… is made manifest to the particular people and culture to which that Church is sent and in which she is rooted. The Church is catholic, capable of integrating into her unit, whole purify them, all the authentic riches of cultures.

Culture from the Catechism of the Catholic Church continued… § 1204 The celebration of the liturgy, therefore, should correspond to the genius and culture of the different peoples.

Being Truly Catholic An excerpt from Catholic Update, June 1999 by (then) Archbishop Weakland. Before Vatican II the Church had identified itself, pretty much with Western civilization. Now, since the time of Vatican II it is becoming truly catholic. The tensions of the age we live in as Church are how to be truly a universal Church in every culture, every race on this globe. It’s a great moment of history because for the first time we live in a global world. We are privileged to belong to that universal Church. …in our day, there are many cultural influences outside the Church. Those cultural influences are very strong, especially in the younger generation. Perhaps the biggest of these is our culture’s dependence upon science for "real" answers. That presents a problem when it comes to much of Church knowledge. The Trinity, for example, cannot be proven scientifically. You won’t find it under a microscope. It is revealed, which is why it’s so difficult for our modern generations. We’re not used to revealed truths such as Jesus Christ being the perfect image and example of God’s love.

Respecting cultures An excerpt from A Popular Overview of the General Directory for Catechesis, Catholic Update, August 1999, by Daniel Mulhall and Maureen Shaughnessy. Today’s Church is being influenced by peoples and cultures from around the world. Ethnic images of Christ and Mary are appearing in churches across America in great numbers, just as they have during every wave of migration in this country’s history; this time, though, those images look Asian, African or Indian and not European. The values and customs of these peoples are influencing both civil and Church life. This influence will only increase in the next century. … Celebrate the diversity of God’s gifts. Take from the riches of these cultures that which is compatible with the faith, and challenge those parts of the culture which are not.