UNIT TWOThe Church is Mystery

2.1 Enduring and Developing

What’s Really Catholic?

Father Kelly: Believed in rules, structure and Church hierarchy.

Father Dave: Believed that every person was a necessary part of the body of Christ, the Church.

Magisterium

The bishops acting in unison with the pope, by virtue of their ordination.

The teaching authority of the Church.

Why the Church is a Mystery Can never be fully expressed from

any single viewpoint

Its nature can never be grasped by the power of reason alone

It holds opposites together. Human and sinful Divine and holy Visible and changeable Invisible and permanent

The Church and God’s Kingdom

The Kingdom of God broke into human history through the incarnation of Jesus.

Church is the focal point of the kingdom’s presence on earth. Through the Church the will of God may

be most reliably known

Role of the Holy Spirit in the Church

Dwells in hearts of the faithful

Speaks God’s will to them

Reveals God to us primarily through signs and symbols Transforms us through the

power of those signs and symbols

Kingdom of God

The reign or rule of God

Began with the coming of Jesus

Will exist in its perfect form at the end of time

RCIA

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

Process through which non-Catholic adults learn about and join in full communion with the Catholic Church by receiving sacraments of Initiation

Mystagogia

“Unfolding of the mystery”

Period following the Baptism of adults

Newly baptized open themselves more fully to the graces received in Baptism

The Church is the culmination of Salvation History From creation of the world, God has

intended human beings to share in divine life. In the Church, this sharing finally

becomes a reality.

Salvation History Story of God’s action in human

history

Refers to the events through which God makes humanity aware of, and brings humanity into, the kingdom of God

Begins with the creation of the world

Ends with the Second Coming of Christ

Covenant

Partnership between God and humanity which God has established out of love

New covenant is offered through Christ The blood which Christ shed on the

cross is a sign of the new covenant

Body of Christ on Earth

The depth and breadth of God’s love for humanity and trust in humanity is revealed in the establishment of the Church

On Pentecost a new era in God’s relationship with humanity began

God Remains Incarnate in Church Through the Church, God chooses to

be made known present and tangible.

God communicates truth and grace through the Church

God Remains Incarnate in Church

Church is the sacrament of salvation• Points people toward God• Makes God an accessible reality for them

The Church is Necessary for Salvation Salvation comes to the world

only through Jesus

Jesus remains present in the world through his body, the Church.

The Church is necessary for salvation because Jesus is necessary for salvation

Salvation True, complete, and permanent unity

with God and with one another

The end goal of all creation

The fulfillment of the human desire for ultimate truth and goodness

Made possible by Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension.

To be Faithful to Christ, the Church Must…

Reach out with compassion to everyone

Challenge its own members to live as Christ lived

Strive for perfection

Offer God’s all-encompassing love

What is the true Church? Shares God’s healing and

forgiveness with other.

Places people above rules

Membership in the body of Christ should be evident in a person’s priorities and behaviors

Importance of doing what God would have us do.

Church as Bride of Christ

One in will, one in action

Christ surrenders himself to the Church Allows the Church to express his

will to the world

The Church surrenders itself to Christ Makes Jesus’ will its own.

The Church is Unchanging yet Developing

Unchanging Developing

Jesus Christ is the absolute self-communication of God to humanity.Nothing new will be revealed to us.

Our understanding of Jesus and the truth, which he revealed, is constantly growing and deepening.

Role of Church as body of Christ Continue to reveal the presence of

God and to lead all people to unity with the Father just as Jesus did

Interpret what is going on in today’s world in light of the gospel

Three things in Church which cannot/will not change:

Constitution

Ethic

Body of dogma

Permanent Constitution Basic form and makeup of

Church

Structure makes it possible for church to be church

Elements in the Church’s structure which were established by Jesus

Includes the presence of the hierarchy

Apostle

“One who is sent”

12 men Jesus chose

Given authority by Christ To teach and baptize in his name

Bishops are the successors of the apostles Jesus will continue to guide

those who will succeed the apostles until the end of time

Called to protect the central truths of our faith from ideas and beliefs which are not compatible with the truth revealed by Jesus

Bishop “Overseer”

Successor to the apostles

Head of a particular church

Together with the pope exercise leadership over the universal church

Responsibility of the Magisterium

College of bishops = bishops of the world Maintain continuity between faith

of today and of the past

Authentic teachers of the faith

Hand on the deposit of faith from generation to generation

Responsibility of the Magisterium

Ensure that the teachings of Christ are not dissipated or corrupted

Convey messages so they can be understood

Pope

Bishop of Rome

Successor of Peter

Highest office of teaching and governance in the Catholic Church

Magisterium

Bishops acting in unison with the pope

Teaching authority of the Church

Authentic interpreter of scripture and Tradition

Essential to the Church

Established by Jesus

Tradition

Doctrinal, moral teachings which have been passed on from generation to generation

Magisterium serves non-Catholic Christians Ensures that issues such as

abortion, justice for the poor will be discussed in relationship to Christian faith

Ensured the preservation of certain beliefs and practices many Protestant Churches had ignored for a time, but are now reclaiming

Can an individual disagree with the Magisterium? Need to make an informed

decision Study, reflection, prayer,

consult with others knowledgeable about Church teaching

Must continue to pray for conversion and strive to form conscience in conformity with the teaching of the Church

Permanent Ethic

God is unchanging, and therefore there are certain things that have always been and will always be opposed to God

Certain behaviors always undermine our relationship with God and others

• Moral teachings which are essential corollaries of the Church’s understanding of God

revealed in Jesus

Permanent Ethic

Responsibilities to the Church’s permanent ethic

Impossible to be a Catholic and reject it

Every Catholic is responsible for learning and embracing this ethic

If knowingly rejects all or part of the moral order revealed by Jesus he/she puts self outside of Catholic Church

May reject interpretation of ethic in regard to specific set of circumstances and not be separated

Responsibilities to the Church’s permanent ethic

Hierarchy Structural order of leaders within the

Church

Refers to all of the ordained ministers in the Church Pope Bishops Priests Deacons

Permanent Dogma

Absolute truths revealed by Christ

Essential to Christian faith

Essence can never be changed

In Conclusion Church is a mystery because it is the

culmination of Salvation history

Aspects of church which do not change make it possible for Church to be the body of Christ and to function as the body of Christ Structure (constitution) Ethic Dogma