The Origin of the Catholic Church
-established 50 years after Crucifixion
Jesus – Eternal Son of God, the founder of Christianity.
- Life is from the Gospels
12 Apostles – received the Holy Spirit at the Pentecost.
Christianity – was a sect within Judaism.
St. Paul – is an apostle after Jesus’ time. He wrote letters (epistles) to the
new Christian communities.
Council of Jerusalem – allowed the exemption of the Christians from some
Jewish rules
Christianity in Rome – St. Peter and Paul
- Continued to spread despite the persecutions.
Sacraments – saving symbolic acts or visible signs, arising from Christ’s
ministry telling us of God’s love
- We receive grace from God when receiving.
- Jesus is the primordial sacrament – because Jesus lived with us, and he
offered himself directly for our salvation.
o Jesus is the ultimate symbol of God’s saving grace to mankind.
- The Church is the fundamental sacrament – the most important Body
(the people at work) to share God’s saving grace.
o The Church itself is a sacrament instituted by Christ to give
grace.
- It is in the Church where we receive the Sacraments.
o Grace given to us through the sacraments will help us lead a
good life in this world and provide us an opportunity to
contribute in building God’s kingdom.
- The Sacraments are
o signs of grace
o instituted by Christ
o entrusted and continued in and by the Church
o by which divine life is graced to us.
- The Sacraments are sacred signs or symbols that makes present a
spiritual reality.
- Today we celebrate these sacraments with faith, hope and love.
- Every Sacrament is a sign and source of our life as God’s people.
- Every Sacrament is an encounter with the Risen Christ.
- The Sacraments:
o Make us holy
o Build up the body of Christ
o Give worship to God
SACRAMENTS OF INSTITUTION:
BAPTISM – where the faithful is born anew
CONFIRMATION – where the faithful is strengthened
EUCHARIST – where the faithful is nourished
SACRAMENTS OF HEALING
RECONCILIATION – our sins are forgiven
ANOINTING OF THE SICK – restores our physical and spiritual health
BAPTISM
- is the sacrament of salvation and the door to other sacraments
- the First Sacrament
- saves us from original sin (the sin of Adam and Eve)
- Symbols:
o Holy Water - cleansing
o Holy Oil – anointing, makes the baptized person share and
participate in God’s everlasting life and glory as a member of the
Church
o White Garment – new life with God
o Candle – with the light from the Paschal Candle, newly baptized
as bearer of Christ’ light into the world.
- Any baptized person can baptize in case of emergency where the usual
minister is not available or around
CONFIRMATION
- Maturation of Baptism
- Gives us grace through the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
- Symbol:
o Oil- confirmand receives the sacred seal as a member of the
family of God, the Church
- One becomes a sharer of Jesus’ mission as priest, king and prophet to
one another.
Rite of Confirmation
A. Introductory Rite
a. Entrance/Procession
b. Rite of Blessing
c. Penitential Rite
d. Gloria
e. Introductory Prayer
B. Liturgy of the Word
a. First Reading (OT)
b. Responsorial Psalm
c. Second Reading (NT)
d. Gospel Acclamation (Alleluia)
e. Gospel
f. Homily
C. Rite of Confirmation
a. Presentation of the Candidates
b. Renewal of Baptismal Promises
c. Laying on of Hands (when the Bishop evokes the Holy Spirit)
d. Anointing with Chrism (when the gifts of the Holy Spirit are
received)
e. General Intercession
D. Liturgy of the Eucharist
a. Offertory
b. Sanctus
c. Memorial Acclamation
d. Great Amen
e. The Lord’s Prayer
f. Peace Greeting
g. Communion
E. Concluding Rite
a. Concluding Prayer
b. Prayer over the People
c. Blessing
d. Recessional Hymn
EUCHARIST
- The Sacrament where we partake in the Last Supper
- A memorial of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection.
- Nourished by God in the form of bread and wine
- The only sacrament of initiation that we can receive repeatedly.
