The Lived Mission of the Church

1. The Lived Mission of the Church All Are Called

2. The Goal and the Means • The Church is both the goal and the means of God’s saving plan • The Goal • What is our destination in God’ saving plan? • God wants that we will all be with Him in Heaven for eternity as part of the Church in Heaven- Church Triumphant • The Means • How does the Church help us to achieve that destination? • Through the Church on Earth, Church Militant- we obtain the graces that are necessary to fight evil, avoid temptation and stay on the right road to Heaven The entire Church includes the souls of the living on Earth, the dead in heaven and those waiting for heaven in purgatory (Church Suffering)

3. How is the Church both the goal and the means of God’s saving plan? Does the Church only exist on earth with the living? Explain. Name the divisions of the entire Church.

4. We Are Called • We are all called by our Baptism to live a life of Holiness. • Follow the Evangelical counsels • Poverty • Chastity • Obedience • Share in the offices of Christ as • Priestly people • Prophetic people • Kingly people

5. Evangelical Counsels • What are the evangelical counsels*? • The call to go beyond the minimum rules required such as the Ten Commandments and the Precepts of the Church. To strive for spiritual perfection through a life committed to poverty, chastity and obedience *A counsel is a suggestion or an advice or advisor

6. Precepts of the Church • You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor. • You shall confess your sins at least once a year. • You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season. • You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church. • You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church. Always remember: the precepts of the Catholic Church are minimum levels of participation in the life of the Church. Out of love for Christ and a desire to advance in the spiritual life, you will normally try to do far more than they require.

7. Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8 Christmas, Dec. 25 Solemnity of Mary, Jan. 1 Ascension Thursday, 40 Days post Easter Assumption of Mary, Aug. 15 All Saints Day, Nov. 1 We must "sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord" (Sunday), as well as the principal feast days, known as *Catholic holy days of obligation. This requires attending Mass, "and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days.“ We must prepare for the Eucharist by means of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). This sacrament "continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness.“ This "guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.“ "The fourth precept ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.” "The fifth precept means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability."

8. What are the two elements that will help us to fulfill our call to holiness ? What are the minimum requirements of our call to holiness? What are the Evangelical Counsels? To what roles of Jesus are we called ? What are the “Precepts of the Church”? List the 5 Precepts of the Church. What are the Holy Days of Obligation?

9. Vows • Solemn promises made in front of witnesses • Ordained ministers • Celibacy • Remain unmarried to give complete attention to his ordained ministry • Chastity • Obedience • Religious communities publically proclaim the living of the evangelical counsels • Poverty • Chastity • Obedience

10. Poverty • Focus on spiritual riches not material wealth • Do not become attached to money and material things • Mark 10:21 • Matthew 19:23 • Blessed are the “Poor in Spirit”, use money and possessions in a moderate way • Literal interpretation for those in consecrated communal life • Give up the right to individual possessions, share possessions with community • Diocesan priests do not take a vow of poverty, but are called to live a simple life

11. Chastity • The virtue that helps people successfully integrate their sexuality into their total person. • Ordering sexuality within your life • Control sexual desires • Married • Sexually faithful to each other • Keep even non sexual romantic relationship only for spouse • Practice sexual control • Natural family planning • Single • Complete abstinence before marriage • Keep away from sexual fantasies and pornography • Ordained and consecrated • celibacy

12. Obedience • All called to obey Christ • To be a disciple is to follow in Christ’s steps • Called to obey the Magisterium • Authority given from Christ to apostles and through Apostolic succession to the bishops and pope who interpret and pass on the teaching to the Church • Ordained and consecrated • In addition to Christ and the Magisterium • Priests and deacons are called to obedience to their bishop • Consecrated are to obey the superior of their community

13. What is a vow? • What are the evangelical counsels? • Explain how the laity live according to these counsels. • How is the observance of the counsels different for the laity and the ordained or consecrated lifestyle?

14. Mission of the Laity • Hierarchy • Provides leadership for the Church • Laity • Witnessing to God’s love in this world • To be God’s hands and feet and voice • Right and obligation to evangelize • Share in the roles that Christ modeled for us • Priestly office • Prophetic office • Kingly office

15. Priestly Office • Just as a priest offers sacrifice of the Mass to God, we join with the priest and offer Jesus at the Mass • Assist in the ministries of the Church as lector, chorister, Eucharistic minister • We offer our daily work, family life and fun activities as a spiritual sacrifice to the Father • We offer intercession for others

16. Prophetic Office • Share God’s word with others • Involved in evangelization • Catechists and religion teachers • Catholic voice in the media • Right and duty to make their opinions known to their pastors on matters related to the good of the Church

17. Kingly Office • Leader from God’s point of view • Self-discipline, choose what is good and right • Always serving those in need • Membership in committees and playing a role in councils and synods • Christian leadership in your parish, school and community

18. The Work of the Laity • Seek the Kingdom of God within their chosen work • A condition of complete surrender to God’s will and a state of love, peace and justice • Parent, student, profession, any job or position • Work with civil authorities to create a socially just community

19. What are the responsibilities of the laity? What are the three roles of Jesus are we called to imitate? How can we participate in the priestly office? How can we participate in the prophetic office? How can we imitate the kingly office?

20. The Domestic Church • Family • Children first hear the word of God and are called to faith • Taught to pray and discover that they are a child of God • Educated in prayer, moral living and service to others • Children help their parents grow in holiness • Learn work, love, forgiveness, and self-sacrifice from one another • History • In ancient times when the head of the household converted the whole family was converted • Faithful met in homes to break bread

21. Religious Orders • Make a formal public profession to live out the evangelical counsels in a consecrated life • The beginning • Hermits: solitude, purification • Monks • Brothers, sisters • Varieties of orders • Began to answer an emptiness in the Church • Dominicans, Franciscans, Jesuits, Christian Brothers • Prayer • Regular prayer life

22. Other forms • Consecrated Virgins and Widows • Celibacy, works at a secular job • Supports Church with charitable works and prayer • Secular institutes • Functioning within a community but working in the world • Societies of Apostolic life • Live in community but do not take formal vows

23. In what ways is the family the domestic Church? • What are some of the needs fulfilled by religious orders throughout history? • What are: • Hermits • Consecrated virgins, widows • 3. Secular institutes • 4. Societies of Apostolic Life