Rcia

RCIA – The Church II
Nativity Catholic Church

Gospel Reading: Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age”. (Mt. 28:18-20)

Review of prior talk: The Church is One because God is One. The Church is Holy because Jesus is Holy. The Church is both visible and spiritual, a hierarchical society and the Mystical Body of Christ. She is one, yet formed of two components, human and divine. That is her mystery, which only faith can accept.

In the Profession of Faith, the Nicene Creed, we profess that we believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. These are referred to as the Four Marks of the Church. In this second session we are going to focus on the Church as catholic and apostolic.

Definitions:
Catholic: The word “catholic” comes from the Greek terms kata holos, which means “according to the whole”. Catholic means universal. The Catholic Church is a universal church for God’s works to gather the whole world unto himself. The Church is “catholic” in two essential ways:

1. “Because Christ is present in her” (CCC 830).

2. “Because she has been sent out by Christ on a mission to the whole of the human race” (CCC 831).

The Church as Apostolic: The Church is apostolic because she was built on the foundation of the apostles, she guards and hands on the teachings of the apostles and she is taught and sanctified by the successors of the apostles in union with the successor of Peter, the Pope.

1. The Church is apostolic in her missionary work and the endeavors of her apostolates[1] which spread the Gospel and advances the Kingdom of God.

2. Since, like all the faithful, lay Christians are entrusted by God with the apostolate by virtue of their Baptism and Confirmation, they have the right and duty, individually or assembled in associations, to work so that the divine message of salvation may be known and accepted by all men throughout the earth (CCC 900).

3. Biblical example of Apostolic succession: “For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands (2 Tim 1:6); And what you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well”. (2 Tim 2:2).
HIERARCHY: The successors of the apostles, the Pope and bishops, who have Jesus’ authority.

1. The Church has a human structure that is hierarchical by divine choice.

So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6: 2-4)

2. Jesus chose Peter and empowered him with supreme authority. Jesus gave Peter the role of strengthening his brother bishops.

“Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers.” (Lk 22:31-32)

3. The successors to Peter and the apostles are the Pope and Bishops. The Pope is the visible sign of unity.

4. Priests and deacons assist bishops and receive some of their bishop’s authority and sacramental powers.

5. Recently, Pope Benedict XVI presided over the creation of six new cardinals. A cardinal is a dignitary of the Roman Church and counselor of the pope[2]. Bishops and Archbishops, College of Cardinals to elect the Pope.

MAGESTERIUM: The teaching authority of the Church, consisting of the Pope and bishops in communion with him, which through the power of the Holy Spirit, guards and communicates the Deposit of Faith.

1. Under Jesus’ commission to teach the world, the Pope and bishops constitute the living teaching authority of the Church so that we may have a sure guide to know for certain what is true and what is good.

Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, that is, the queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury, who had come to Jerusalem to worship, and was returning home. Seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. The Spirit said to Philip, “Go and join up with that chariot.” Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” He replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” (Act 8: 27-31)

2. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that there is no new public revelation between the death of the Apostles and the return of Christ, but states that “even if Revelation is already complete, it is not made completely explicit; it remains for Christian faith gradually to grasp its full significance over the course of the centuries.” (CCC 66).

3. "Yet this Magisterium is not superior to the Word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it. At the divine command and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it listens to this devotedly, guards it with dedication and expounds it faithfully. All that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed is drawn from this single deposit of faith." (CCC 86).

DEPOSIT OF FAITH: The entirety of revelation, contained in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. This was entrusted to the Apostles and is contained in Sacred Scripture and Tradition.

1. Sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture form one sacred deposit of the word of God, committed to the Church. Holding fast to this deposit the entire holy people united with their shepherds remain always steadfast in the teaching of the Apostles, in the common life, in the breaking of the bread and in prayers (see Acts 2, 42, Greek text), so that holding to, practicing and professing the heritage of the faith, it becomes on the part of the bishops and faithful a single common effort. (Dei Verbum 10).

The Church has the threefold mission to:

1. Teach 2.Sanctify 3.Govern her members

The mission of the Church, therefore, is fulfilled by that activity which makes her, obeying the command of Christ and influenced by the grace and love of the Holy Spirit, fully present to all men or nations, in order that, by the example of her life and by her preaching, by the sacraments and other means of grace, she may lead them to the faith, the freedom and the peace of Christ; that thus there may lie open before them a firm and free road to full participation in the mystery of Christ. (Ad gentes 5)

THE FIVE PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH (Five are listed in the CCC, last two are also frequently mentioned when referring to the precepts or commandments of the Church):

1. To assist at Mass on all Sundays and holydays of obligation.

2. To fast and to abstain on the days appointed.

3. To confess our sins at least once a year.

4. To receive Holy Communion during the Easter time.

5. To contribute to the support of the Church.
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6. To observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage. ***

7. To participate in the Church 's mission of Evangelization of Souls.(Missionary Spirit of the Church)***

Bibliography:

Bibles consulted:

The New American Bible, The Catholic Answer Bible, Fireside Catholic publishing in conjunction with Our Sunday Visitor, 2002.

Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, New Testament, Second Catholic Edition RSV, Ignatius Press San Francisco 2001.

Magisterial Documents:

Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition. Vatican: Doubleday Press, 1995.

Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Church’s Missionary Activity (Ad Gentes Divinitus) (December 7, 1965)

Web sites consulted:

Archdiocese of Miami Website: http://www.miamiarch.org/ http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html

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[1] Indeed, we call an apostolate “every activity of the Mystical Body” that aims to “spread the Kingdom of Christ over all the earth” (CCC 863).
[2] http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03333b.htm

Bibliography: Bibles consulted: The New American Bible, The Catholic Answer Bible, Fireside Catholic publishing in conjunction with Our Sunday Visitor, 2002. Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Church’s Missionary Activity (Ad Gentes Divinitus) (December 7, 1965) Web sites consulted: