The Church in Our Time

After the Ascension  Jesus Ascended into Heaven  Apostles returned to Jerusalem  Spent 9 days in prayer with Mary According to Gospel of St. Luke First novena (9 day prayer)

Pentecost  Feast of Pentecost happened on the 10 th day  Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles Just as Christ had promised Rush of wind + tongues of fire  Birthday of the Church  Apostles given the strength to preach All people outside heard it in their own languages Converted 3000 that day

Apostles Spread Out  Apostles divided known world among themselves  Preached the Gospel (good news)  Baptized new Christians  Ordained bishops and priests  Celebrated the Mass  Started Churches (communities of believers)

To Where Did They Go?  Peter: Rome This is why the Pope resides in Rome today  Others not mentioned by name in Bible We do know based upon ancient tradition  Andrew: Greece and Russia  James the Greater: Spain, then Jerusalem John’s brother First Apostle to die as a martyr  Philip: Asia Minor  James the Less: Jerusalem First bishop there

To Where Did They Go? (Continued)  Bartholomew: Armenia  Thomas: India  Matthew: Many different communities in Palestine Wrote his Gospel there  Thaddaeus and Simon the Zealot: Iran Thaddaeus also named Jude  Matthias: Ethiopia Matthias had replaced Judas  John: Eventually died in Turkey Took care of Mary Youngest of all the Apostles Wrote a Gospel, three letters, and the Book of Revelation Only Apostle to not die a blood martyr ○ The fact that all the Apostles gave their lives shows that they didn’t make the Resurrection up

Church Continues to Spread  St. Paul Apostle to the Gentiles Gentile = non-Jewish person  Missionaries  Church spread throughout the world Became truly “Catholic” (universal)

Infallibility  Infallibility = Church is free from error when teaching about faith and morals  Biblical evidence: “the Holy Spirit… will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” Gospel of John  This gift is given to the Pope, or all the Bishops in union with the Pope

What Makes Something Infallible?  4 Conditions Ex Cathedra (from the chair of authority) Meant to be proclaimed an infallible doctrine Matter of faith and morals Given to the whole Church  Examples Immaculate Conception

Indefectibility  Indefectibility = Church will be present on earth until the end of the world Also means that the Church’s mission will never change ○ Salvation of souls through the Gospel and Sacraments  Promised by Jesus twice Said that not even the “powers of death” would destroy His Church ○ Mt 16:18 “I am with you always, to the close of the age” ○ Mt 28:20

What Indefectibility Does NOT Mean  Does not mean the Church will escape hardship Hundreds of years of persecution in the early Church ○ Persecution today “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you… [B]ut be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” ○ Jn 15:18, 16:33

Rites  Rite: A form of Catholic worship  Different rites exist Started when early Apostles spread throughout the world ○ Taught same thing ○ Practiced their ceremonies differently since they weren’t set in stone  Roman Catholic Ceremonies come from diocese of Rome Largest rite in the Church SWOY is an example  Byzantine Catholics Fully members of the Church ○ Same beliefs ○ Still follow the Pope Church looks different, ceremonies are different ○ Bow, don’t genuflect ○ Icons, not statues ○ Leavened bread, not unleavened ○ Bless themselves right to left

Changes in the Church  Church cannot change rules given to her by God  The goal of the Church is to make sure she is teaching what Christ has instructed her Certain things she cannot change, even if people inside the Church wanted to make such changes  Can change some of her practices i.e the fast before Communion ○ Used to be midnight until Communion ○ Now it is one hour before Communion Only changes them for good reason