Here are the slides used at our session on 21 March.
We shall try to make this last week of our RCIA Journey in Faith as a Pilgrimage: Follow the slides during the week. Also if you can not get to Mass each day, then read and reflect on the readings of Mass starting with Saturday, 23rd. If you do not have a daily Missal, these are available online at several places: I use Universalis myself.
If you are using the YouCat with your Sycamore group, please click here for general advice about the YouCat and how to use the readings. Here are the readings that go with this week’s Sycamore session:
NB the numbers (#) refer to paragraph numbers in the YouCat and not to page numbers. The number in [square brackets] at the end tells you roughly how long this passage is in terms of the pages you need to read (excluding picture pages).
If you have more time, and if you want to go deeper into the topic of this session, you can follow up by exploring the longer Catechism of the Catholic Church. See the standard online version here, and a digital “flip-book” edition here. Here are the readings that go with this week’s Sycamore session:
NB the numbers (#) refer to paragraph numbers in the Catechism and not to page numbers. Click on the links themselves to read the paragraphs in the online version.
Isaiah 11:2-3
The Prophet Isaiah speaks about the promised Messiah: “The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.”
John 14:26
Jesus says to his disciples: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.”
Acts 2:1-4
“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.”
Acts 2:38
St Peter says to the people of Jerusalem: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Galatians 5:22-23
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Acts 2:42
The life of the early Christian community in Jerusalem: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
1 Corinthians 12:12-13
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”
Ephesians 2:19-22
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God.”
Here are the readings in your YouCat that go with this week’s session:
NB the numbers (#) refer to paragraph numbers in the YouCat and not to page numbers. The number in [square brackets] at the end tells you roughly how long this passage is in terms of the pages you need to read (excluding picture pages).
If you have more time, and if you want to go deeper into the topic of this session, you can follow up by exploring the longer Catechism of the Catholic Church. See the standard online version here, and a digital “flip-book” edition here. Here are the readings that go with this week’s Sycamore session:
NB the numbers (#) refer to paragraph numbers in the Catechism and not to page numbers. Click on the links themselves to read the paragraphs in the online version.
First of all, read pages 28 and 29 of the Yellow YouCat book.
At this session, we discussed the creed – or rather, two creeds, both of which we read together at Mass. The Nicene Creed is the most commonly read one, the Apostles Creed is more frequently used at Easter, during Lent and at Confirmation, Baptisms, etc.
In the words of the Creed we profess “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.” These four characteristics or “marks” of the Church indicate the essential features of the Catholic Church, her origin and her mission in the world. The Church does not possess these characteristics; rather we believe that it is Christ who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, makes his Body, the Church, “one, holy, catholic and apostolic.”
The word “Church” (Latin ecclesia) originally meant a convocation or assembly gathered for a religious purpose. In Christian usage the word “church” refers to the worshipping community, the local community or “parish” and the entire universal community of believers. (CCC, 751 – 752)
In the Old Testament God called the chosen people of Israel to be his holy people. The first Christians saw themselves as a continuation of that assembly. God created the world for communion with divine life and the Church is that community founded by Jesus Christ through which we grow in communion with God and with one another. In the Church, God now calls together all people into one community of faith, hope and love.
The Church was inaugurated by Jesus’ preaching and teaching and by his choice of twelve apostles with Peter as the head of the community. Ultimately the mystery of the visible and invisible reality of the Church is born from Jesus’ total self-giving on the Cross.
Jesus Christ makes the Church “one, holy, catholic and apostolic.” Only in fidelity to Jesus’ teachings and his saving mission can the Church realize fully each of these qualities (CCC, 811-822)
The Church is “ONE” because of her founder and source: Jesus Christ. But from its very beginning, the ONE Church is marked by a diversity that comes from the variety of gifts and the diversity of those who receive them. Among the Church’s members there are different gifts, offices, conditions, and ways of life. (CCC 813 – 815)
The oneness of the Church is held together by “bonds of unity” or visible bonds of communion which are: above all charity, the profession of one faith received from the apostles, common celebration of the sacraments, and apostolic succession through Holy Orders (CCC, 815)
The “sole Church of Christ is that which our Savior entrusted to Peter’s pastoral care, commissioning him and the other apostles to extend and pastor it…this Church, constituted and organized as a society in this present world, subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the successor of Peter and by bishops in communion with him. Elements of sanctification and truth are also found outside its visible confines.” (CCC, 816)
From the beginning divisions arose in the Church. Through the centuries large communities of Christians became separated from full communion – for which people of all sides were to blame. These divisions in the Body of Christ are a wound to Christian unity and contrary to the will of Christ. (CCC, 817-822)
The Church is the “HOLY” People of God made holy by Christ, her founder. While holy the Church is composed of sinful members who are constantly in need of conversion. (CCC, 825 – 827)
From time to time the Church canonizes saints, in whom the holiness of the Church shines. In canonizing saints the Church recognizes God’s sanctifying power in the lives of holy men and women and offers them to us as models of Christian living. (CCC, 828 – 829)
The Church is “CATHOLIC” meaning universal. Christ is present in the Church and she proclaims the fullness of faith to all peoples and is present everywhere in the world. (CCC, 830 – 856)
The Church is “APOSTOLIC” in that she is founded on the faith of the apostles. She continues to be taught, sanctified and guided by the successors of the apostles, the bishops, assisted by priests, in union with the successor of Peter, the Pope (CCC, 857 – 865)
John 17: 21 Acts 2: 43- 47 Ephesians 4: 3-5 Matthew 16: 18
“The Church on earth is endowed already with a sanctity that is real though imperfect. In her members perfect holiness is something yet to be acquired. Strengthened by so many and such great means of salvation, all the faithful, whatever their condition or state – though each in his own way – are called by the Lord to that perfection of sanctity by which the Father himself is perfect” (CCC, 296)
“You are the eternal Shepherd who never leaves his flock untended. Through the apostles you watch over us and protect us always. You made them shepherds of the flock to share in the work of your Son…” (Roman Missal, Preface of the Apostles, I)
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING:
Universal Catechism, “The Church is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic” Articles 811 – 870.
Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, Chapter I, articles 1-8
Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, On the Eucharist in its Relationship to the Church, Chapters 3 and 4, articles 26-46 SUMMARISED
The accompanying Video for this evenings meeting is here:
You should read the relevant YouCat pages, and might also want to read the additional sources (especially the bible references). Click here for the materials.
Fr Pat led us this evening into an exploration of who we are, who God is and how love - God's love holds us together.
Further reading for those who attended, and essential reading for those who could not is as follows:
At this session, we explored the question - Who is Jesus? Jesus was human - like us - and we looked at scripture passages that expose the personality of this person. We considered the image on the shroud of Turin - weather this is an actual artefact of Christ or an early medieval illustration created by unknown technique - it shows a crucified christ in his most human form. And we considered Christ, son of God.
The following additional material may prove beneficial to those who were able to be there, and is essential reading / viewing for those unable to come.
As part of this years Season of Creation – a Catholic and Ecumenical season in which we consider our environment – we repeated the stations of creation which took place two years ago.
The walk was interspersed with prayers about creation. and was inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’
If you want to read more these links may be of interest:
Laudato Si (Text in English – other languages are available).
A review by Catholic Bishops on the impact of the Laudato Si’ encyclical in England.
Bishop Robert Baron – a brief introduction to Laudato Si’ (video)
RCIA Journey in Faith - information meeting
The journey in faith group met in the Old Priory on 31 August.
We discussed "Who, or what is God" and the RCIA program in general. All welcome. For those who could not come, please watch the video on this link. This contains questions - please answer them for yourselves. If you want to discuss these please contact John.