The Catholic Church: Origins and Universality

• The Church is Catholic

Etymological Definition

• 'Catholic' originates from Greek words 'Kata' (concerning) and 'Holou' (whole).
• 'Catholic' means concerning the whole, universal, all, and entire.

St. Ignatius of Antioch

• The first to use 'Catholic' to describe the original Christian community post-Jesus.
• Letter to the Church of Smyrna states: "Where there is Jesus Christ, there is the Catholic Church".

Catholic Church Today

• Present throughout the world and adaptable to any government.
• It isn't subject to human leader or bound to nation.
• All citizens of the world are welcome to join.
• No government can prohibit its citizens from joining the Church.

Two Kinds of Catholicity

• Virtual Catholicity is about the intention and capacity to extend over the whole world. It existed from the beginning and is the vision of the early Church.
• Actual Catholicity is the Church's actual extension over the earth.
• Achieved over time, found in the Catholic Church, and represents a realized vision.

Signs of Universality

• The Church teaches all nations as commanded by the Lord.
• Matthew 28:19-20 states to make disciples of all nations and teach them to obey everything commanded.
• The Church has reached out to all people from all nations.
• The Church's Doctrine has universal acceptability and meant for everybody..
• Members profess one Creed, wherever they are.
• Members, regardless of nationality, follow the same ecclesiastical laws and moral precepts.

Catholic Church Universality

• The Catholic Church has a real physical presence by leaders, workers, and members, seen through worship and sacraments everywhere.
• It is the predominant religious group in Europe.
• In the United States, it has 60 million members.
• It is the most respected Church in Asia.
• Catholic Church membership is threefold the size of all Protestant members globally.

The Church is Apostolic

• The Catholic Church believes Jesus Christ founded a visible church for all men.
• Luke 10:16 states that whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me.
• Jesus commanded the apostles to proclaim the Gospel everywhere.
• Mark 16:16 states, Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
• The ministry of the apostles is the continuation of Jesus' mission.
• The Catholic Church never stopped doing its mission which shows the Catholic Church as apostolic.
• The Catholic Church is apostolic because it is founded on the apostles in three ways.

Church Apostolic Origin

• Christ built His Church on foundation of the apostles (Eph. 2:20).
• Jesus established His Church under Peter. Assumed that Peter and the apostles would be with Him until the end of time, implying they would keep ruling the church. The present leadership in the Catholic Church is traced back to the first Christian leaders who were the apostles.
• The bishops are the legitimate successors of the apostles.
• The Catholic Church is the only Christian Church ruled by successors of St. Peter.

Hierarchy

• The hierarchy is as follows:
• Jesus
• Apostles
• Bishops

Church Apostolic in Teaching

• Apostles teach only what Christ had commanded them (Mt. 28:20).
• The Church teaches the same doctrines taught by the apostles and exactly how they had taught (preaching).
• The Church guards and transmits the teaching of the apostles under inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Church Apostolic in Government

• Most important element in apostolicity.
• Leadership of Catholic Church can be traced to the first Christian leaders, the apostles.
• The pastors of the church, the Pope and bishops, are connected with the apostles by the succession of office.
• The lawful succession happened continuously in history.
• First Pope, Peter, and the apostles down to Pope Francis and the bishops.

Conclusion

• Entire Catholic Church is apostolic and sent to the entire world.
• All members take part in the apostolic mission in different ways.
• Christians are called to give witness to Christ by embodying and proclaiming Him.

The Sacraments in General

• 'Sacrament' comes from the Latin word 'Sacramentum', meaning oath or pledge (like a soldier's oath).
• In the New Testament, it was written in Greek, using 'Mysterion' (mystery) to denote signs of God's power.
• St. Augustine of Hippo (354 - 430) defined sacrament as a visible sign of invisible, spiritual grace; the number of sacraments was not yet fixed.
• The Seven Sacraments of the Church are baptism, Eucharist, confirmation, reconciliation (penance), anointing of the sick, holy orders, and matrimony (marriage).
• The sacraments of the New Law were instituted by Christ and touch all the stages of Christian life, including birth, increase, healing, and mission, showing resemblance between natural and spiritual life.
• Sacrament is a visible sign instituted by Christ to give grace.

Common Definition

• An action performed by a minister (Priest).

• Example: a baby is baptized with water and the words "I baptize you in the name of the Holy Spirit" is a visible sign.

• Each Sacrament administered recalls the events by Christ or His first followers mentioned in the New Testament.

• The Lord instructed His Church to offer the seven sacraments to His followers.

• Grace is God's free gift of himself as the controlling influence in our life.

• Sacraments have both visible and invisible reality.

• Visible Reality is open to human senses being heard, seen, and felt.

• Invisible Reality is understood only with faith. Example: parents hug their children exhibiting love as an invisible reality.

• The outward expression is considered the visible reality of the sacraments.

• God's grace as a free and loving gift is what we can't see.

• The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ, by which divine life is dispensed to us.

• Efficacious means effective meaning Sacraments do what they say they do

• Sign is an object, word, or gesture that points to something beyond itself.

• Christ instituted all 7 Sacraments for ways He could be present to His people after His ascension.

• Christ gave the sacraments to the Church so the Church could dispense them to the faithful.

• Those who receive the sacraments share in the divine life of God.

• The Roman Catholic Church has seven (7) holy sacraments that are seen as mystical channels of divine grace, instituted by Christ, including baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, matrimony and holy orders.

• Each sacrament is celebrated with a visible rite, which reflects the invisible, spiritual essence of the sacrament.

• Some sacraments are received only once, while others require participation to foster the celebrant's "living faith".

Sacraments of Initiation

• Baptism is a sacrament of admission to the faith, bringing sanctifying grace.
• When baptized, original sin and prior sins are washed away making one a son/daughter of God and an official part of the Church.
• The Catholic Church recognizes baptism done by other denominations.
• Confirmation serves to "confirm" a baptized person's and strengthens our ability to love Him and others more deeply.
• Like baptism, the sacrament of confirmation is also received once.
• Eucharist / Communion is the central rite of Catholic worship, instituted by Jesus during the Last Supper.
• The Eucharist nourishes our life of faith. Its signs received are bread and wine, known as the Body and Blood of Christ.
• During mass, the priest consecrates bread and wine, the Eucharist's elements, which are transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ.
• Eucharist / Communion can be received daily if desired.

Sacrament of Healing

• Penance or Confession is a means of obtaining God's pardon and forgiveness from our sins.
• Forgiveness requires being sorry for our sins.
• Here, we receive Jesus' healing grace through absolution by the priest.
• Atonement can be received as often as needed.
• Anointing of the Sick helps bring strength, peace and encouragement uniting with the sufferings of Jesus and brings forgiveness of sins.
• Formerly known as extreme unction.
• This sacrament can unite a sick person's sufferings with that of Jesus and brings forgiveness of sins..
• A person can receive the sacrament as many times as needed throughout their life.
• A person with a chronic illness might be anointed gain if the disease worsens and this rite can be performed in a house or hospital by a priest.

Sacrament of Service

• Matrimony/Marriage unites a baptized man and woman by solemn vows in an indissoluble union.

• It is a sacrament that the baptized man and woman administer through marriage vows and lifelong partnership.

• Matrimony requires the consent of the couples as expressed in the marriage promises.

• The marriage union is intended to be fruitful with children to be raised within the teachings of the Church.

• Holy Orders is only available to men ordained as Deacon, Priest, or Bishop.

• Like Baptism and Confirmation, it conveys an indelible character on the recipient.

• Holy Orders can be received once.

• The signs are the laying on of hands and anointing with oil by the bishop.

• Deacon: Serve to remind us of baptismal call to help.

• Priest: Serve as spiritual leader of the community.

• Bishop: Carry on the teaching, sanctifying, and leading of the Apostles.

• Validity of the Sacraments depends on 3 items:

• Right Matter: objects and actions/gestures during administration.

• Right Form: prayers or accompanying words.

• Right Intentions: the priest must intend what the Church intends.

• "Ex Opere Operato" means "from the work of the thing worked," which means they confer that grace directly.

• They confer that grace directly by the power of God alone and not through righteousness on the part of either the recipient or the one that administers the sacrament.

• Christ Himself supplies what is lacking in the priest who celebrates the sacrament, communication the grace no matter what..

• The faithful still need to have a proper disposition to receive all the graces of God in a sacrament.