theo
Common Good- The sum of total social conditions that allow people, either as groups of individuals, to reach their fulfillment more easily. It concerns the life of all rather than only a few and requires respect for the person, the social well-being and development of the group itself, and peace.
Kingdom of God- God’s reign or rule over all things. During His public ministry, Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom of God was at hand. The Church is the seed, or the beginning of the Kingdom here on Earth. The Kingdom will be fulfilled in Heaven.
Society- A group of persons bound together by a principle of unity that goes beyond each one of them. Human beings are social beings and must live together in a society. It is a requirement of human nature. It is in society that human beings develop their fullest potential and respond to their vocation.
Beatitudes- Happiness or fulfillment. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave the Beatitudes as a perfection of the 10 commandments. They teach us how to be truly happy or reach human perfection and fulfillment which we ultimately find in heaven.
Justice- A Cardinal Virtue that helps us give God and neighbors their due.
Communion- Sharing life with one another. As one human family we are called to imitate God who as the Trinity is a communion of Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, by loving and serving God and by loving and serving one another.
Precepts of the Church- The minimum of what is required of us for Christian living. The precepts are: to attend Mass and to rest from servile work on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, to confess our sins to a priest at least once a year during the Easter Season, to observe the days of abstinence and fasting, and to contribute to the support of the Church. These precepts unit our moral, Christian life with the liturgy, which nourishes us.
Natural Law- Man’s participation in the eternal law of God. It expresses the original moral sense which enables man to determine whether something is good or evil. It is written into the heart of every person and is universal in its authority and application. It is unchanging and permanent and provides a solid foundation on which human beings can build the structure of moral rules to guide their choices.
Sacramentals- Objects or actions that are sacred signs of God’s grace that prepare us to receive His race and cooperate with it. A blessing is a sacramental, as well as objects such as medals, crosses, scapulars, and rosaries when they are blessed by the Church.
Authority- The quality of exercising power over others and expecting obedience from them. All communities need someone or some institution in authority. That required governing authority comes from God. For example, parents have authority over their children; Government authority is legitimate only if it works for the common good in moral ways. Corrupt and immoral governments do not have legitimate authority. Power exercised without authority is tyranny.
Citizenship- One’s status as a member of a political society. For example, a person living in Texas is a Texas citizen, as well as a citizen of the United States. Citizenship varies according to the government in place, and often confers both privileges and responsibilities.
Golden Rule- Christ’s teaching that we should treat others the way we would like to be treated. He said in Matthew 7:12, “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.”
Government- Individuals or institutions that exercise power over people in a given area. These often include the power to make and enforce laws, try criminal cases, jail criminals, and set taxes. Good governments protect the rights of citizens, and work for the common good. Unjust governments abuse human authority by acting contrary to the moral order. Both just and unjust governments have existed throughout world history up to today.
Just Hierarchy of Values- The acknowledgment that certain values are more important than others. The right to life is the most important of all rights, because without the right to life, no other rights can exist.
Just War Doctrine- Church teaching on conditions that all must exist at the same time for war to be just. These conditions are- the damage by the aggressor(s) must be lasting, grave and certain; all other means of avoiding war have been tried; there must be a real chance of winning; and the war itself must not result in worse conditions than the conditions that caused the war.
Right- That which someone has just claim to. Some rights are God-given, fundamental to the human person, and common to all people. These include the right to life, liberty, private property, free speech, freedom of religion, and others. Other political or civil rights, such as the ability to vote, serve on juries, or be provided with an education at public expense, may be conferred by human authorities and may justly vary from society to society. These abilities are more properly called privileges, and should not be confused with natural rights, which are natural or inborn: natural rights can be exercised without anyone else acting on your behalf.
Main Ideas from the Unit to Review
The Citizen and Government
Our rights flow from our dignity as persons created in the image and likeness of God.
We are created for communion with God and with each other.
All authority comes from God
The human person must be the center of a good society because of its inherent dignity
Authority breaks down when governments enact unjust laws contrary to the moral order.
The first society we become a part of, is the family, though we all live as part of several societies: our family, our community, our state, and our nation, and we are members of the human family.
In the United States, our system of government is a republic, where the people elect representatives to make and carry out laws. This is the practice in the U.S.,while other countries have other forms of government.
Justice is the cardinal virtue that gives God and neighbor their due.
The Ten Commandments reveal the dignity of the human person, God’s desire for justice, and the Golden Rule.
A Sacramental is a prayer, practice or object that helps us receive the grace of God.
St. Thomas More was executed for refusing to obey the unjust demand of KingHenry VIII
St. Augustine says that a law which is not just does not seem to me to be a law.
While many public officials derived authority from God, many lost their authority by acting in immoral and unjust ways. The fact that authority comes from God does not mean that all public officials will behave justly.
Society should encourage its citizens to practice virtue.
Just War
Original Justice was lost due to Original Sin. Creation no longer lives in harmony, but in conflict. The ultimate conflict, war, is the result of sin.
The moral law does not change or vanish because of war.
Peace is the stability and security of a just order.
The Church’s doctrine on Just War was developed by St. Thomas Aquinas
Just War Doctrine is Church teaching on conditions that all must exist in order for war to be just. These conditions are:
the damage by the aggressor(s) must be lasting, grave, certain;
all other means of avoiding war must have been tried,
there must be a real chance of winning,
and the war itself must not result in worse conditions than the conditions that cause the war.
During a war, the moral law remains in force. Civilians must not be targeted, non-combatants and prisoners must be treated justly, and “following orders” is not a valid reason for committing atrocities like genocide (Mass Murder).
Peace and Justice
The Catechism defines peace as “the stability and security of a just order” (1909). Good government leads to earthly peace for individuals and nations.
Earthly peace is a good and very important goal — one we must all strive for. But Spiritual peace is an even greater one.
A sacramental is a prayer, practice, or object that helps us receive the grace of God. Some examples are blessings, holy water, the Sign of the Cross, crucifixes,icons, etc.
Eternal Law is unchanging Truth, God Himself. Divine Law is the way God has revealed the Truth to us in the Scriptures, and especially in Jesus Christ. Natural Law is man’s participation in the Eternal Law, and God has written it on our hearts.
The world began with Original Justice, and will end in the perfect justice, love,and peace of Christ.
Spiritual peace is man restored to communion with God. Jesus Christ made this peace possible by reconciling us to the Father by His sacrifice on the Cross.
Christ restores justice to the order between God and man, conferred through the Sacrament of Baptism. He reconciles us to Himself and the Church when we sin through the Sacrament of Confession. He also gives us His peace in the Eucharist. One of the last things we say at mass before we receive the Eucharist is “...Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.”
Ultimate peace is found in being united with Christ. On earth, we receive this gift chiefly in the Eucharist.
Veneration
If we love God, this love evokes a response from us. We demonstrate our love for God by worship and adoration.
If we love our Blessed Mother and the saints, we respond through veneration.
The Church makes a very important distinction between the kind of love we are to show God and the kind of love we have for the saints.
Two Greek terms help us understand these two kinds of love.
1. Latria indicates adoration, praise, and worship due only to God.
2. Dulia is the veneration or homage, different in nature and degree from that given to God, that is paid to the saints. It includes, for example,honoring the saints and seeking their intercession with God.
UNIT 5 (Unit 4 on GC)
Part 1
Vocab
Heresy - A teaching that consciously and deliberately rejects Church doctrine.
Charlemagne - The King of the Franks and then crowned the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire by the Pope on Christmas in 888.
Crusades - Invasions by the Christians to take the Holy Land (Jerusalem). There were a total of five, including a so-called “Childrens’ Crusade”.
Saint Dominic - Born in old Castile, Spain, Dominic was trained for the priesthood by a priest-uncle, studied the arts and theology, and became a canon of the cathedral at Osma, where there was an attempt to revive the apostolic common life described in Acts of the Apostles. He also built the Dominican order.
Inquisition - Inquisitions are people being sent out to question people. There were 2 of them in the Middle Ages, the Medieval Inquisition and the Spanish Inquisition. The Medieval Inquisition was sponsored by the Church and the goal was to discover and root out heresy. The Spanish Inquisition was initiated by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, and the goal was to try to say that the recently converted Jews and Muslims’ conversions weren’t cincere. They also investigated offenses against faith.
Middle Ages - Covers the years from about AD 500 to AD 1500, from the collapse of the Roman Empire to the beginning of the Renaissance; also called the medieval period.
The Eastern Schism of 1054 - The split between the Eastern (Greek) and Western (Latin) churches because they disagreed on authority in the Church, icons, and the holy spirit. There were four reasons: Language differences, Excommunication, Papal authority, and disputes over teachings.
Saint Francis - Grew up in Assisi, Italy, the son of a wealthy merchant. He wasted lots of money, but then he grew up and helped Saint Clare start a convent for herself and a group of women after becoming a friar.
Saint Thomas Aquinas - An important figure in the scholastic movement of the High Middle Ages. He was in the Dominican order and his writings and teachings have greatly influenced the Church and helped the Church defend her teaching. He wrote: 1- The 5 proofs of God, 2- just war doctrine
Monasticism - A form of Christian life lived by monks or nuns who live alone or in community to devote themselves to prayer and to work in total dedication to God.
Other things you need to know:
Two aspects of the Church - One of the aspects of the Church is visual reality, as in the people we share the Church with and the Church building itself. The second is the spiritual reality, which is the Trinity, dead Saints, and Heaven.
Founder of the Church - Jesus, when he was born and started preaching God’s word.
Human freedom - The ability to choose something for ourselves without the government stopping us, like our religion.
Persecution - Treating somebody different based on their religion, culture, ethnicity, etc.
Daily worship at the Temple - Christians worshipped at the Temple every single day. However, they were Jewish by birth, and saw no conflict between their Jewish faith and their belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
Gentiles - Non-Jewish people. In the Scriptures, they were the uncircumcised, those who did not honor the God of the Torah. In the New Testament, Saint Paul and other evangelists reached out to them, baptizing them into the family of God.
First Ecumenical Council - A gathering of all Catholic bishops from around the world, convened by the Pope under his authority and guidance. The first one was the Council of Nicea. This council was called to confront the teachings of Arius, a priest who was teaching that Jesus wasn’t fully divine. Arius’s teachings were a problem, because only God can redeem us. If Jesus wasn’t divine as well as human, how could he have redeemed us from our sins? Three hundred bishops at the council condemned Arius’s false teachings. This council developed the Nicene Creed, which we proclaim at Mass even today. The Nicene Creed states that Jesus is the “Only Begotten Son of God… consubstantial with the Father.” The word consubstantial means “of the same substance,” that is, equal to the Father and fully divine as well as fully human.
Martyr - A person who suffers death because of their beliefs. The Church has canonized many Christian of these as saints.
Saint Stephen - Saint Stephen was the first deacon, who had been chosen by the Apostles. He was brought before the Jewish Council of Elders, and lies were told against him. Stephen then retold the story of salvation and recounted all that God had done for his people after the high priest asked him if the lies were true. He was stoned with anger from a crowd after accusing the council of betraying and murdering Jesus.
Tertullian - A theologian and writer who wrote “The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians” in the Catechism.
Emperor Constantine - The Emperor of the Roman Empire that made Christianity legal in 312 AD and moved the capital from Rome to Constantinople. When Emperor Constantius died in 306, the Roman troops chose Constantine as his successor.
Legalization of Christianity - Christianity was made legal by the Edict of Milan.
Edict of Milan - The official proclamation by Licinius, the emperor of the Eastern Empire, and Constantine, that declared Christianity legal throughout the Roman Empire.
Theotokos - the designation of the Virgin Mary as mother of God
Consubstantial - Of the same substance. (in the creed)
Move of the capital from Rome to Constantinople - Emperor Constantine did this in 330 AD
Latin - Language spoken by the western side of the roman empire. Both sides not speaking it was one of the reasons for the Great Schism of 1054
Kyrie Elesion - Greek for "Lord have mercy”
Role of Church in West when Rome fell - It basically became the government
Eastern/Byzantine Empire - The eastern half of the former Roman Empire, outliving the Western half
Long Answer incomplete
Explain why studying the history of the Church is not studying what human beings alone have done. Include the reason why the history of the Church includes sinners as well as saints.
Give a brief account of Constantine’s vision and of what happened in the important battle of 302. What effect did legalization of Christianity have on the lives of Christians?
Choose one saint outlined in Chapter G: Pope Saint Gregory VII, Saint Catherine of Siena, Saint Dominic, Saint Francis, Saint Clare, or Saint Thomas Aquinas. What contribution did this saint make to the life of the Church? What message can the Church today take from the life and teaching of this saint?
Part 2
Vocab
95 Theses - A list written by Martin Luther about what he thought was wrong with the church. He meant to start a scholarly debate, but caused the Protestant Reformation.
Age of Reason - A historical period in which philosophers scientists and other thinkers began to experiment with new ways to understand the world; at this time, reason was often elevated above faith
Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) - A complete summary of what catholics throughout the world believe in common
Council of Trent - Where the Church formally addressed issues that some thought caused a need for reform
Conquistadors - Spanish word for conquerors
Empiricism - The belief that all knowledge was explainable and could only be obtained through human senses
Humanism - A cultural and intellectual movement that emphasized human values and focused on human achievements in literature and art rather than on the divine
Holocaust - WWII was based on this. Where Hitler and other Nazis sent Jewish and other non-Nazis (or non-Nazi supporters; they also sent disabled people and people who were not considered the “perfect men”) into concentration camps. World War 2 was not based on or caused by the Holocaust. The Holocaust was just something that happened in World War 2 and World War 2 started because Germany invaded Poland in 1939.
Indulgence - A gift most commonly given for people who make pilgrimages (or a religious journey to a Catholic Historical place) but they started to get sold when corruption entered into the church. They were told to clear you of your sins.
Industrial Revolution - A period of time where Europe (specifically Britain) and America showed great economic growth. Accompanied by new inventions that helped the life of the everyday person along with inventions that helped factories.
Martin Luther - Created the Lutheran church. Even though he didn’t intend to create a new form of christianity. He wanted to fix the bad parts (in his opinion) about the church
Rationalism - A philosophy claiming that the universe is completely regulated by natural laws, which can be discovered and fully explained only by human or scientific reason
St. Francis Xavier - He led a group of Jesuits to India in 1542. The Jesuits shared Jesus’ message of love and mercy. They taught the people the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Hail Mary. Thousands converted and were baptized. He and other missionaries also traveled to present-day Sri Lanka, where many people were also baptized.
St. Ignatius of Loyola - a Spanish Catholic saint, founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), and author of the Spiritual Exercises. He lived a life focused on military glory but experienced a conversion after being wounded in battle. This led him to dedicate his life to spiritual growth, study theology, and eventually establish the Jesuits, a religious order dedicated to education and service.
St. Isaac Jogues - French Jesuit priest and missionary known for his work among Native American tribes in New France (Canada). He was martyred by the Mohawk tribe at Ossernenon.
St. Teresa of Avila - entered the Carmelite convent as a young woman. She realized her convent had lost its focus on God, and they gave counseling for money. She went out and made her own convent in Avila, Spain. It was a place of poverty and simplicity. She did meet St. John of the Cross, a Carmelite friar and mystic. Her and John’s writings continue to influence Christian spirituality today.
The Joy of the Gospel - The first apolistic exhortation of Pope Francis
World Youth Day - A celebration established as a time for youth from all over the world to gather and celebrate and deepen their faith
Additional Questions
Is there a conflict between faith and science? - Although some thought that, no, faith and science can coexist
French Revolution in France - For centuries, France had operated on the system of the 3 Estates, the clergy for 1, the nobles for 2, and commoners for 3. 3rd Estate called for major reforms to the monarchy and the economic policies that favored the other 2 estates in the late 1700s. On July 14, 1789, the French Revolution, a mob stormed the Bastille, a large prison that, for them, symbolized oppression by the monarchy. The Revolution quickly turned violent, and its leaders attempted to wipe out Christianity in France.
Enlightenment ideas - Rationalism: philosophy claiming that the universe is completely regulated by natural laws, which can be discovered and fully explained by only human or scientific reason. Empiricism: philosophy claiming that all knowledge comes through the human senses and experience
Importance of Bill of Rights to American Catholics - The Bill of rights was important because it gave them religious freedom
Experience of Catholic Americans in 18th and 19th centuries - In America, there were sweatshops, capitalism, (an economic system based on the private ownership of goods and the free market system), and the Industrial Revolution. There were unjust rules for workers and they actively fought against them.
The Industrial Revolution -
Pope Leo - He published the Church’s first social encyclical (Church teaching on economic and social matters, including moral judgments and calls to action in support of justice) in 1891. He stated that workers have a right to work with dignity and emphasized that the Earth and all its goods belong to God.
One the Condition of Labor (Rerum Novarum) - Pope Leo XIII's 1891 encyclical that addresses the social and economic issues arising from the Industrial Revolution. It examines the rights and duties of workers, employers, and the government, advocating for a just social order where all members of society cooperate for the common good. The encyclical supports the rights of workers to form unions, criticizes both unchecked capitalism and socialism, and emphasizes the importance of fair wages and safe working conditions
Obstacles to peace after WW2 - It was Christian vs. Christian, so a movement called Pax Christi (meaning Peace of Christ) was established in Europe to reconcile European Christians who had supported opposite sides during the war. Another was communist countries, who saw no need or room for Christianity or any other religion.
Long Answer incomplete
1. Explain the position of Catholics in the American colonies in the 16th and 17th centuries, particularly in Maryland. Why did the Bill of Rights give Catholic Americans hope?
2. What were some ways that Pope Pius XII and ordinary Christians helped the Jews during World War II? Why did they do this?
3. Pope Francis has asked us to serve others, especially those who are poor, with joy. Why is joy so important in living out the Gospel?
Unit 6 (Unit 5 on GC) Scarements
Baptism
Type: Initiation
Celebrating: welcome and rebirth
Meaning: being born into new life in the community with Jesus
Primary Words/Symbols: Water, white garments, lit candle, sign of the cross, anointing with oil
Ongoing Effect: membership in the church, call to witness
Conformation
Type: Initiation
Celebrating: growth in the spirit
Meaning: strengthening of new life
Primary Words/Symbols: laying of hands, anointing and seal with chrism
Ongoing Effect: completes baptismal grace, call to witness
Eucharist
Type: Initiation
Celebrating: Jesus’ saving death and risen presence in our midst
Meaning: Remembering Jesus’ death and experiencing his new presence
Primary Words/Symbols: Breas, wine, words, of consecration
Ongoing Effect: Deeper relationship with christ, spiritual nourishment
Reconciliation
Type: Healing
Celebrating: Forgiveness
Meaning: Repairing Broken relationships with God, others, and the Church
Primary Words/Symbols: Confession of sins, words of absolution, laying on of hands
Ongoing Effect: Liberation from sin
Anointing of the Sick
Type: healing
Celebrating: god’s healing love
Meaning: Living the fullness of life in Christ, even in sickness and death
Primary Words/Symbols: Laying on of hands, anointing with oil, words of petition
Ongoing Effect: Strength, peace courage to endure
Marriage
Type: service of communion
Celebrating: covenant of love
Meaning: Forming a bond of union, like that of christ in the church
Primary Words/Symbols: Husband and wife, ring, vows
Ongoing Effect: Permanent union of a man and woman
Holy Orders
Type: service of communion
Celebrating: Ministry in the church
Meaning: Taking responsibility for a particular leadership role
Primary Words/Symbols: Laying on of hands, anointing with oil, prayer of priestly consecration
Ongoing Effect: Sacred powers for service to the church