Catholicism

The truth behind the Religion you think

you know

History

• Christianity is a religion that did not start all by itself.

• It is a religion that has evolved from the Hebrew Culture or Jewish Religion which is why the Torah (Jewish holy book) is part of the our Old Testament and why we share a common history with Judaism.

• Our History starts with the creation of Judaism and the father of Judaism is Abraham roughly 1900 year B.C

History Continued

• The shared history with Judaism ends with the Old Testament.

• The lessons and stories of Isaac, Noah, Moses, King David and Solomon, all come from the Judaic Faith

• The Catholic Religion begin with the birth of Jesus-Christ, between the years 5-0 B.C

• Right up until Jesus-Christ is crucified many still believe that Jesus was a Jew and he was since he was brought up in the Jewish faith.

• Until he starts his ministry Jesus continues the Jewish faith but starts to challenge some of the doctrines.

• After the death and resurrection of Jesus it is then that Catholicism makes it break from Judaism. But at that time it is only known as Christianity (people who believe in that Jesus-Christ was the son of God and die for our sins.

• 311 A.D Edict of Milan issued by Constantine recognized Christianity is an officially recognized Religion in the Roman Empire.

• Council of Nicaea 325AD: Christianity becomes the official Religion of the Roman Empire, and the all the books in the bible as we know it are decided.

• There were 3 Great Schisms (Conflicts)

i. 1054: Start of the Great Schism between the Eastern and Western Churches; it marked the separation of Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church

ii. The Great Western Schism where there was times 2 Popes representing the Roman Catholic Church

iii. The Protestant Reformation during the 16th century

• 1095 –the late 1200s The Crusades was designed to Reconquering the Holy Lands (present day Israel and Palestine from the Moors)

• Spanish Inquisition late 1400s- 1500s: Turned the powers of the Papal Inquisition over to the Monarchs. Purpose was to force the conversion of Jews and Muslims to Catholicism in other words to maintain the Catholic religion in Europe Roughly 3000-5000 were killed during the 350 period.

• 1517: Martin Luther signaled the beginning of the Reformation and the greatest split of the Catholic Church. He had written his 95 theses (issues that they had with the Church):

- The abuses of Indulgences, buying and selling of the Clergy, Christians should have a personal relationship with God, Bible written in the peoples vernacular language etc.

• First Vatican Council 1868: Declared that the Pope is infallible but the teachings of the Pope must be based on, or at least not contradict, Sacred Tradition or Sacred Scripture.

• 1962-65: Ecumenical Council of the Vatican II. In many cases modernized the Catholic Church; examples the masses will no longer be in Latin, the priest will face the congregation, more participation of the laypersons, and more dialogue with other Religious denominations.

People and Culture • Some of the more important individuals are:St. Thomas Aquinas, Christopher Columbus, Johann Gutenberg, Pope John Paul II, Mother Theresa, Albert Einstein, Louis Pasteur, Galileo Galilei, Beethoven, Michelangelo, Bono (U2 singer), and J.R.R. Tolkien • The catholic Church is stronger and a part of our lives

whether we recognize it or not:- Catholic schools: Glenmary & Good Shepard- Churches: St Peter’s Cathedral, St. Paul Cathedral, Notre

Dame Cathedral, - Organizations: Development and Peace, Knights of

Columbus, Women Catholic League, St Vincent de Paul Society.

- Publications: Western Catholic Reporter

Values, Beliefs and Traditions

• Traditions:- 7 Sacraments: i. Baptism ii. Eucharist

iii. Reconciliation iv. Confirmation

v. Marriage vi. Holy Orders

vii. Healing of the Sick

Other traditions

• New Years Day: A day of holy obligation • Ash Wednesday that starts the Lenten Season• Holy Week: Psalm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good

Friday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday • Advent Preparation for the coming of Christ• Christmas • The sign of the Cross:( prayers, mass, grace and

a sign of our faith)

Beliefs

• The Trinity : That God the Father, Jesus-Christ the Son and The Holy Spirit are three yet one.

• Transcendence: That Jesus-Christ die on the cross, rose from the dead, is arisen to heaven

• The authority of the Bible• Belief of Creationism • Immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary • The Ten Commandments and the 7 virtues are

the moral guidelines to our behaviours

Prayers and Rituals

• Our Father• Apostle Creed• Hail Mary• Glory be to the Father • Prayers before meals

The Mass

• The Mass is very different to other religions• It does have a structure:- 2 readings - 1 gospel - The Eucharist is the highest part of the Mass.- We believe that the wine and bread are the blood and body of Jesus-Christ

Major Elements in the world

• Catholic Schools• Catholic Churches • Major holidays are attributed to the Catholic Religion

(Valentine’s Day, Good Friday and Easter Monday, Thanks Giving, Halloween, Christmas).

• Vatican City is its own Country- Catholic schools: Glenmary & Good Shepard- Churches: St Peter’s Cathedral (Vatican city), St. Paul

Cathedral (England), Notre Dame Cathedral (France), - Organizations: Development and Peace, Knights of Columbus,

Women Catholic League, St Vincent de Paul Society.