1. Keep this in your notebook.
Bell Work:
Keep this in your notebook.
Draw a picture of a Church. Any Church.

2. The Communion of Saints
Chapter 10

3. Lesson One
The communion

4. The Communion
Refers to the Church—all those living and dead, who are united with Christ—including:
The Church Militant—those on earth who are baptized and united with Christ through the Church.
The Church Suffering—those who died in the state of grace and are being prepared for Heaven through the purification of Purgatory.
The Church Triumphant—those who share in the eternal glory of Heaven.
All those in Heaven (Humans and Angels) are referred to as “Saints.” Saint comes from the Latin word, “Sanctus,” which means, holy.
Communion—koinonia—means fellowship

5. Mystical Body of Christ
If the Church is living and it consists of a mystical “body,” then it only makes sense that everyone that comprises this mystical “body,” is in some sort of communion.
This would extend to those who are both living and dead.
This means that all those that are a part of this “Communion of Saints,” who comprise this Mystical body are in communion with one another.
It is important to remember that in order to become a part of the Communion of Saints and thus a part of the Mystical Body of Christ, one must be baptized.
Being a part of the Mystical Body of Christ means that we are all in a relationship with one another and must work together for the building up of God’s Kingdom. One way we do this is through prayer.

6. Using one half of a sheet of paper, write the QUESITON and ANSWER.
Bell Work:
Using one half of a sheet of paper, write the QUESITON and ANSWER.
What does Sanctus mean?
What exactly does the Church Militant fight against?
Does the Mystical Body of Christ include people that have died?
What does koinonia mean?
If someone experiences Baptism by blood, we can expect that they will be a part of which two groups *hint—Church Militant, Church Triumphant, or Church Suffering*

7. Prayers of the Church
We can be assured that those in Heaven and in Purgatory are in the state of grace. We must always strive to live in the state of grace. This is life’s spiritual battle, a fight we have against sin and temptation. This is why we are called the Church Militant.
The unity of the Church and her members is one of love. We are called to serve one another with acts of charity, works of mercy, and prayers.
Through intercessory prayer, we can connect with the other members of the Communion of Saints.
2nd Maccabees Chapter 12
The Jews pray for their deceased brothers that lost their lives in the battle.
Why would the Jews pray for the dead, if once you’re dead you are consigned to where you are for all Eternity?

8. Corporal Works of Mercy
Spiritual Works of Mercy
Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Clothe the naked
Shelter the homeless
Visit the sick
Visit the imprisoned
Bury the dead
Counsel the doubtful
Instruct the ignorant
Admonish the sinner
Comfort the sorrowful
Forgive injuries
Bare wrongs patiently
Pray for the living and the dead

9. Bell Work: Write the QUESTION and ANSWER
You can find the answers in the Textbook.
What is the Church Militant?
How is the Church Militant united in love?
Choose one Corporal Work of Mercy and give one example of how you could practically live it out.
Choose one Spiritual Work of Mercy and give one example of how you could practically live it out.

10. Church Militant The first level of the Communion of Saints.
All of the faithful on earth.
“The fruit of all the sacraments belongs to all the faithful. All the sacraments are sacred links uniting the faithful with one another and binding them to Jesus Christ (CCC 950).”
Pilgrim Church
The militant is on a journey through life, on the way to Heaven.
The Pilgrim Church is often used to refer to the Church Militant
This is because the militant is on a journey through life. This journey is best signified by a fight or struggle that we on earth must constantly wage against sin and temptation.

11. Lesson 2
The Church Suffering

12. The Just Judge
God in His justice judges every soul at the moment of his or her death. Every single sin must be reconciled with God.
The particular judgment occurs at the moment of death, it is from there that the soul journey’s to it’s next destination: Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory.
We choose our eternal destination based off of the life we live.
In dying, we arrive at the moment of truth. It is no longer possible to repress or conceal anything; nothing more can be changed. God sees us as we are. We come before His tribunal—His court—where he proclaims and brings what is just.
Purification, Paradise, or Hell.

13. Bell Work: Write the QUESTION and ANSWER.
You can find the answers in either your textbook or your notes.
What is the Church Suffering?
Who goes to Purgatory? What happens there?
Will the souls in Purgatory be able to enter Heaven?
The Church Militant can sometimes be called the Pilgrim Church. Why?

14. Pray

15. What’s the Difference?
Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory are not actually physical places, but rather different conditions—states of being.
Heaven
This is for those that lived in the state of Grace, ran to God for His mercy, and chose to live for God.
Hell
This is for those that rejected God and His immense mercy, through mortal sin or rejecting baptism. In short, those that chose to live for themselves.
Purgatory
This is for those who died with a repentant heart, but are not quite ready to enter into Heaven.

16. Purging
Though some souls are in the state of grace when they die, but are not yet perfected, they need Purgatory.
Purgatory is not as a result of an angry or mean God, but rather is because God is merciful.
In order to enter Heaven, we must be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect.
Purgatory is a state of purification. It’s a time of suffering. The soul of the individual that is in Purgatory knows that it will go to Heaven, but is saddened because it is not yet there.
Often times we have imperfections on our soul, venial sin, or punishment due to sin, that must be purified before we may enter Heaven.
“Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.”
-St. John Chrysostom

17. Communion of Saints
The souls in Purgatory cannot help themselves. However, the Church Triumphant and the Church Militant can pray for the souls in Purgatory and expedite their suffering.
Practical ways to help those in Purgatory.
Simple prayers:
Hail Mary, Our Father, Memorare, etc…
Indulgences
Masses being offered for the deceased

18. Indulgences Who can offer them? How can the Pope give them?
The Pope or Bishops in union with him.
How can the Pope give them?
An indulgence is obtained through the Church who, by virtue of the power of binding and loosing granted her by Jesus, intervenes in favor of individual Christians and opens for them the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father of mercies the remission of the temporal punishments due for their sins.
CCC 1478
Treasury of the Church
The infinite merits of Christ and the saints.

19. Types of Indulgences Partial Plenary
A partial indulgence is a remission of some of the temporal punishment due to sin. Partial indulgences can be granted by bishops, but also may be received by praying certain prayers.
Plenary
A plenary indulgence is a full remission of temporal punishment due to sin. Plenary indulgences can only be granted by the Pope, but may be received by going on pilgrimages or praying specific prayers.
Requirements that must be done within 8 days of receiving the indulgence
Receive the Eucharist.
Receive the Sacrament of Confession.
Pray for the Pope.
Have a healthy detachment from all sin.

20. Lesson 3
The Church Triumphant

21. The Church Triumphant
The Church Triumphant are all of the saints in Heaven.
Heaven is the endless moment of love. Nothing more separates us from God, whom our soul loves and has sought our whole life long. Together with all the angels and saints we will be able to rejoice forever in the presence of God.
Saints:
To be a saint means that the individual is in Heaven. A person does not have to be a canonized saint in order to be in Heaven.
Angels:
Pure spiritual creatures of God who have understanding and will. They have no bodies, cannot die, and are usually not visible. They live in God’s presence, convey God’s will and God’s protection to men.

22. Canonization Process
The process of canonization is long and complex. Five years must pass from the time of a candidate’s death, before a cause may begin. However, the pope can dispense from this waiting period.
Stage I:
Phase I: Diocese or Eparchial Level
Servant of God
Phase II: Congregation for the Causes of Saints
Venerable
Stage II: Beatification
Blessed
Stage III: Canonization
Saint

23. Servant of God
The title given to a candidate for sainthood whose cause is still under investigation.
The bishop of the local diocese must begin the process, by beginning the investigation.
The bishop conducts a series of interviews and conferences and creates a tribunal. After having received the Nihil Obstat (no objection) from the Vatican, the tribunal established to investigate the candidates life gets to work.
The tribunal investigates the martyrdom, or how the individual lived a life of heroic virtues, that is, the theological virtues (faith, hope, and love) and cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude).
Servant of God, Pope John Paul I

24. Venerable
The title given to a candidate for sainthood whose cause has not yet reached the beatificaiton stage but whose heroic virtue has been declared by the pope.
Once the investigation is completed, the findings are sent to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints (CCS). The summary (Positio) is then reviewed by the CCS.
If the judgment of the CCS is favorable, the prefect of the congregation presents the results of the entire course of the cause to the pope, who then gives his approval and authorizes the Congregation to draft a decree declaring one Venerable.
At this point, if the person either started a religious order or was martyred, they may be declared a Blessed (Beatified).
Venerable Fulton J. Sheen

25. Blessed Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos
Second stage in the process of proclaiming a person a saint.
Beatification serves as a limited public veneration—usually in the local diocese of the candidate, eparchy (territory), region, or religious community in which the Blessed lived.
For a martyr, no miracle is needed. Once the pope approves the positio declaring the candidate was a martyr for the faith, the title of Blessed is declared at that time.
A miracle must be proven through the appropriate canonical investigation, following a procedure similar to that for heroic virtues.
Once the investigation has finished and received a positive decree, and the decree is promulgated (made known/promoted) it is sent to the Pope. At this point, the pope will grant the beatification.
Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos
----- Meeting Notes (2/13/15 08:11) -----
first period ended here.

26. Saint Pope Saint John Paul II
The title given to someone who has been formally canonized by the Church.
For canonization, another miracle is needed for both Blessed martyrs and Blesseds who lived a virtuous life, attributed to the intercession of the Blessed and having occurred after his or her beatification.
The methods for affirming the miracle are the same as those followed for beatification. Canonization allows for the public veneration of the Saint by the Universal Church.
Pope Saint John Paul II

27. Lesson 4
Patrons

28. What is a Patron Saint?
“Every Saint has a past and every sinner has a future.”
A patron saint is chosen to assist us on our journey throughout life.
For example, the saint is meant to intercede on behalf, be our example of holiness, and to care for us on our journey to heaven.
Though we can have patron saints, we do not worship them (we give them dulia). We venerate them.
Our relationship can be realized through prayer—talking with them.
Each and every saint has a history. Some saints came from wealth. Others were born into poverty. Each one did their best to serve and love God.