The Richness of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
5 Sessions – Zoom Teaching with Fr. Mike
The Richness of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
Many of our instincts or responses to the Catechism involve the generation in which we were raised and our faith formed. For older generations of Catholics, they recall memorization of the Baltimore Catechism (used throughout the United States): Who is God? Why did God make us? For the next generation or two, they recall a transition, or an early period after Vatican II, which brought about many changes, including the common use of English in the liturgy. They remember “CCD”, or the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. Religion textbooks were created, framed around the Catechism and while occasionally quoted, Christian publishers sought to communicate the formal teachings in a friendly and approachable manner. For younger Catholics, the Catechism may be a relatively unknown book. They may be familiar with YouCat (a version written directly for Youth) or The Catholic Catechism for Adults (a publication of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops which encourages the study of the Catechism). The Catechism may be seen as a reference book, similar to the Encyclopedia (and thus may be seen as “dated”). The Catechism, much like a family scrapbook, aims to preserve our family’s beautiful and rich history – the family of the Church. The Catechism should not be read but seen as a guideline to study our faith and enter into the richness of our teachings.
Our gatherings on Zoom will place our study together in the context of prayer, recognizing that the study of our faith is an opportunity to deepen our understanding of God – by truly encountering the Lord. After 20-minute teaching, our sessions will include an opportunity to reflect together on our faith, asking questions, and sharing insights.
May 4, 11, 18, 25 & Jun 1
Two Times Offered: 10:30 – 11:30 AM or 7:00 – 8:00 PM
While the teaching segments will be recorded and shared online, we are offering two opportunities on Mondays at 10:30 am and 7 pm that will allow for interaction and sharing. Please register for Mondays at 10:30 am or 7 pm, so that we may share the Zoom Meeting information.
What You’ll Learn
The Richness of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
May 4: The Catechism as the Source for the Teachings of the Church
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM
What is the Catechism and how was it written?
▫ Scripture and Tradition as the foundation of the Catechism
▫ The history of the Catechism
▫ The Organization of the Catechism & the Branches of Catholic Theology
What are the resources that help explain and teach the Catechism?
▫ Catholic Catechism for Adults
▫ YouCat & YouCat for Kids (www.youcat.org) and related DoCat (with Social Doctrine)
▫ The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
▫ Archbishop Lori, The Joy of Believing: A Practical Guide to the Catholic Faith
May 11: Our Profession of Faith
Who is God?
▫ Revealed as Father, Son, & Spirit, the Catechism expands upon the dense teachings of the Creed
▫ How have we collectively come to know God and how do we personally know God?
Understanding God leads to a greater depth of understanding humanity
▫ What does it mean that we are created in the image and likeness of God? Who are we as Daughters & Sons of God?
▫ What is sin? How does sin affect our relationship with God?
▫ How does the way Jesus saved us, help us understand who God is and God’s love for us?
May 18: Liturgy & Worship
From our understanding of God, we come to understand the People of God and the Church
▫ Who is the Church and what is her mission?
▫ What is the great treasure of the Church?
What is the liturgy and what are sacraments?
▫ The Sacraments as a great gift of God entrusted to the Church
▫ What does the Church teach about the Sacraments?
May 25: Life in Christ
What is discipleship?
▫ What is our vocation as baptized Christians?
▫ How do we live out holiness?
▫ Why did God offer freedom to humanity?
What is the moral life?
▫ A quest philosophers have sought to answer and which the Church has an answer?
▫ What is the importance of the conscience and how ought we to form it?
▫ What are virtues?
The Church
▫ What is the role of the Church?
▫ The Church as guiding and teaching the moral life: examining our conscience with the 10 Commandments
June 1: Christian Prayer
What is prayer?
▫ What are the forms of prayer: 1) Blessing & Adoration, 2) Petition, 3) Intercession, 4) Thanksgiving, 5) Praise
▫ The distinction of Liturgical, Communal, and Personal Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer
▫ A Summary of the Gospel
The final session will lead into our teaching on Prayer, from a historical perspective, examining the richness of prayer in the Church’s tradition.