Understanding Catholic Prayer, Evangelization, and Sacraments

Petition

Asking God for things we need and that others need.

Meditation, Visio or Lectio

Prayer using thoughts, imagination, emotion, and desire.

Danger of formal/memorized prayer

Not thinking about what you're saying!

Devotion prayer examples

Rosary, Stations of the Cross, Novenas.

Contemplative

Silently and wordlessly fixing our attention on God.

Evangelization

The mission of the Church.

False

Evangelization is only through our words.

Primary evangelization

Preaching the Gospel to those who have never heard about Jesus before.

NEW evangelization

Re-proposing the Gospel to the de-Christianized.

Modern evangelization examples

Ben Hur, Les Mis, The Mission, Holy Ground, Viva la Vida, Sweet Creature.

Role of a priest

To make sacrifice.

Role of a prophet

Speak on God's behalf.

Role of a king

To enforce laws, create them, judge by them.

Martin Luther

The man known for 'Starting' the Protestant Reformation.

The Jesuits

The religious order founded in response to the Protestant Reformation.

Ecumenism

The Church's effort to create unity among all Christian denominations.

Selling of indulgences

Martin Luther was correct about the validity of indulgences.

Differences between Protestants and Catholics

Authority, Pope, Tradition, Sacraments, Eucharist, Justification, Purgatory, Mary and Saints.

Clergy

Catholics have a hierarchical clergy including priests and bishops with the Pope at the top, while Protestant structures vary greatly.

Baptism

The sacrament that makes you a member of the Church.

Matrimony Ministers

The couple.

Precepts of the Church

Attend Mass on Sundays and days of obligation, confess sins once a year, receive the Eucharist at least once a year, observe days of fasting, provide for the needs of the Church.

Form of a Sacrament

Words spoken.

Matter of a Sacrament

Physical thing.

Minister of a Sacrament

Authorized person.

Baptism - Form

"I baptize you..."

Baptism - Matter

Water.

Baptism - Minister

Ordinarily a bishop, priest, or deacon. In cases of necessity, anyone (even a non-baptized person) with the right intention can baptize.

Confirmation - Form

"Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit."

Confirmation - Matter

Holy Oil and laying of hands.

Confirmation - Minister

Ordinarily a bishop. A priest may be delegated by the bishop in certain circumstances.

Eucharist - Form

"Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body..." and "Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood..."

Eucharist - Matter

Unleavened wheat bread and natural grape wine.

Eucharist - Minister

Only a validly ordained priest or bishop can consecrate the Eucharist. Deacons and laypersons can be extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion to distribute it.

Penance - Form

"I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

Penance - Matter

Confession of sins to the priest.

Penance - Minister

Only a validly ordained priest or bishop can hear confessions and grant absolution.

Anointing of the Sick - Form

"Through this Holy anointing..."

Anointing of the Sick - Matter

Oil: Pure olive oil.

Anointing of the Sick - Minister

Only a priest or bishop can validly administer the Anointing of the Sick.

Holy Orders - Form

Specific consecratory prayer for each order (deacon, priest, bishop) spoken by the bishop during the laying on of hands.

Holy Orders - Matter

The laying on of hands by the bishop.

Holy Orders - Minister

Only a validly consecrated bishop can confer the sacrament of Holy Orders.

Matrimony - Form

The exchange of consent (vows) between the bride and groom.

Matrimony - Matter

The mutual consent of the man and woman to enter into marriage.

Matrimony - Minister

The bride and groom.

Ms. Majewski's Confirmation Saint

Peter.

Mission of the Church

Evangelization, words AND actions.

Primary vs New Evangelization

New: Reintroducing the Gospel to de-Christianized; Primary: Never heard about Jesus before (more rare).

Visible and Invisible Church

Visible: priests, people, church, mass; Invisible: God, prayer, souls in Heaven and Purgatory.

Perception of Church Realities

What do we use to perceive the visible AND invisible realities of the Church?

Visible

5 senses

Invisible

Reason (critical thinking)

Precepts of the Church

Attend Mass on Sundays and days of obligation, Confess sins once a year, Receive the Eucharist at least once a year, Observe days of fasting, Provide for the needs of the Church

Efficacious

Effective, the sacraments do what they say they will do

Signs vs Symbols

Signs point to an invisible reality

Form of the Sacraments

Words spoken

Matter of the Sacraments

Physical thing

Three roles given to Adam

Priest → Life → Sanctifying Office, Prophet → Truth → Teaching Office, King → Way → Governing Office

Petition

Asking God for things we need and that others need, whether material or spiritual

Adoration

Praise of God for his beauty, truth, and goodness

Contrition

Expressing sorrow for one's own and other's offenses against God through sin

Thanksgiving

Showing gratitude to God for his gifts and blessings

Formal/Memorized Prayer

Reciting prayers like the 'Our Father' or 'Hail Mary'

Vocal Prayer

Praying out loud

Meditation

Engaging thought, imagination, emotion, and desire when praying about some aspect of the faith

Contemplative Prayer

Silently and wordlessly fixing our attention on God

Devotions

Contemplating fixed popular forms of prayer like the Rosary, Stations of the Cross, or Novenas

Liturgical Prayer

Participating as much as possible in the words and actions of the mass, according to what is proper to our state in life

Protestant Reformation

Movement in the 1500s that led to a split from the Catholic Church

Henry VIII's Separation

Divorce, Made Himself the head of the Church of England

95 Theses

List of complaints by Martin Luther about the Catholic Church

Protestant vs Catholic Bible

7 books are removed from the Old Testament

Indulgences

Lessening the 'temporal punishment' of sin, yes, no

Dominant form of Christianity before Reformation

Catholicism

Ecumenism

Unity among all Christian denominations

Who deserves to be called 'Christian'

Anyone who is baptized into a Christian faith, the essentials

Catholic vs Protestant Beliefs

I believe that you should pray directly to God, you should not be asking saints for their prayers → Protestants, I believe that the Eucharist is the real presence of Jesus → Catholic, I believe that the Bible is the only authority and no leaders in the Church should be able to interpret the Bible for us → Protestants

Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching

Life and Dignity of the Human Person, Call to Family, Community, and Participation, Rights and Responsibilities, Option for the Poor and Vulnerable, The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers, Solidarity, Care for God's Creation