Announcements • Mass on Friday! • Bring supplies on Monday (Quiz

grade)• HW: turnitin.com (yes- it’s a grade!)

CatholicChurch History

Why Study it?!

The Desire for God “The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. ONLY in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for.”

(CCC 27)

TOP 10 REASONS TO STUDY CHURCH HISTORY

To Understand Today • Study the past to

understand the present

• Helps us to appreciate blessings of today

• To realize we are not different than those who lived in the past

• Helps us avoid sins and mistakes made in the past

To Understand Tomorrow • To understand –

predict –the future • To formulate ideas

where current trends will lead

• Understanding where current trends will lead us helps us avoid destructive paths

To Understand Error

• The history of the Church is a history of action and reaction

• To see which errors (heresies) have already arisen

• To uncover revitalized heresies

To Understand People

• To come and know the Saints (and sinners) of the Church

• To uncover how Christians have lived out the Gospel Message

To Understand Endurance • The Church has

prevailed for two thousand years

• The Church is stronger than ever

• The Church has given witness to wars, reformations, and scandals, but has never disengaged

To Gain a Sense of Identity

• To understand who we are as God’s people

• To uncover Man’s Salvation History

• To uncover our own personal salvation history

To Understand Why We Do the Things that We Do

• Why is Mass celebrated like it is today?

• Why do we pray for the intersession of the Saints

• Why do we celebrate seven sacraments?

• Why do Catholic eat fish on Fridays?

Faith Denominations Will Uncover Shared Beliefs, Etc.

• Catholics and Non-Catholics will come to a greater understanding of each other

To Get to Know and Understand Jesus

• Who was the historical Jesus?

• Where did He live? • What was His life like? • What did He instruct His

people to do? • What is His message for

us today?

God Tells Us To

• The Bible encourages believers to search out and remember the past

• Looking to the past gives us glimpses of what God promises to us in the future