T H E A P O S T L E S

C O N T I N U E J E S U S '

M I S S I O N

A R T I C L E 2 9 / / B Y S E A N B A I L E Y

T H E C H U R C H I S

A P O S T O L I C I N

T H R E E W A Y S

• built on the foundation of

the Apostles

• it preserves and passes on

the teachings of the

Apostles

• it continues to be taught by

the Apostles' successors,

the College of Bishops

– E P H E S I A N S 2 : 1 9 - 2 0 , E M P H A S I S A D D E D

“So then you are no longer strangers and

sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy

ones and members of the household of God, built

upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,

with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.”

W H O I S A N

A P O S T L E ?

• Greek apostolos

(ἀπόστολος) means "one

who is sent"

• Jesus chose twelve men to

send forth and spread his

message to the world

– M A R K 3 : 1 3 - 1 5 , E M P H A S I S A D D E D

“He went up the mountain and summoned those

whom he wanted and they came to him. He

appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles,

that they might be with him and he might send them

forth to preach, and to have authority to drive out

demons.”

W H O A R E

T H E

A P O S T L E S ?

L I S T O F A P O S T L E S

• Matthew

• Thomas

• James, son of

Alphaeus

• Thaddeus

• Simon the Canaaean

• Judas Iscariot

T H E S E N D I N G

• God sent Jesus to redeem the world

• “For God so loved the word that he gave his only son, so that

everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal

life.” – JOHN 3:16

• Similarly, Jesus sent his apostles to spread his message of

redemption

• "As the Father has sent me, so I send you." – JOHN 20:21

J E S U S G A V E H I S

A P O S T L E S G R E A T

P O W E R

• They could

• proclaim the Kingdom of

Heaven

• heal the sick

• cast out evil spirits

• raise the dead

• forgive sins in Jesus'

name

– A C T S 3 : 6

“Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what

I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ

the Nazarene, rise and walk.”

Q U I Z

1. The Church is built upon the foundation of the

__________.

2. The successors to the Apostles are the _________ of

__________.

3. Name three apostles.

4. In whose name could the Apostles forgive sins?

5. True or false, God is love?

A P O S T O L I C T R A D I T I O NA R T I C L E 3 0 / / B Y S E A N B A I L E Y

T H E C H U R C H I S

A W A R E O F H E R

P A S T , P R E S E N T ,

A N D F U T U R E

• responsibility to honor the

gifts received from the

Apostles and their

successors

• must prepare leaders and

all Church members for the

future

• show respect to current

leaders

A P O S T O L I C

S U C C E S S I O N

• The Apostles appointed

successors to spread their

message

• The bishops are the

apostles' modern-day

successors

• They are in charge of the

doctrine, life, and worship

of the church

– C C C 9 6

“What Christ entrusted to the apostles, they in turn

handed on by their preaching and writing, under the

inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to all generations, until

Christ returns in glory.”

B I S H O P S

• Bishops today preside over

dioceses

• Their church is called a

cathedral

• They frequently meet to

deliberate matters of church

doctrine

• meetings called "synods"

• groups within countries,

like the USCCB

T H E F A I T H O F T H E C H U R C H

• faith typically used to describe personal conviction

• however, nobody can create faith - they must receive

faith from others

• source of all faith is the Church

• faith of the Church precedes, supports, and nourishes

personal faith

• faith is dually personal and ecclesial

P A S S I N G D O W N

T H E A P O S T O L I C

T R A D I T I O N

P A S S I N G D O W N T H E

A P O S T O L I C

T R A D I T I O N

• before writing

• preaching

• providing examples of how to live

• establishing institutions

• written evangelization

• Sacred Scriptures have divine

authorship

• the Apostles/early church fathers

inspired by the Holy Spirit

B I B L I C A L

C A N O N

• Catholics regard 46 Old

Testament and 27 New

Testament books as truly the

word of God

• other Christian denominations

and the Jewish people have

different books that they include

or exclude

• different translations for different

purposes

• official US Catholic translation:

New American Standard Bible

– C C C 1 0 0

“The task of interpreting the Word of God

authentically has been entrusted solely to the

Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and

to the bishops in communion with him.”

Q U I Z

2. Bishops are in charge of _________, _________, and

_________ in the Church

1. The successors to the Apostles are the _________.

3. How did the Apostles pass down the teachings of

Christ before written records were kept?

4. Faith is both ___________ and ___________.

5. True or false, God is love?

T H E S U C C E S S O R S T O

P E T E R A N D T H E

A P O S T L E S

A R T I C L E 3 1 / / B Y S E A N B A I L E Y

T H E B I S H O P S

• men who have succeeded

the Apostles

• responsible for Apostolic

Tradition

• central roles within their

dioceses

• global responsibility for the

Church, all bishops in

communion with the Pope

S A C R A M E N T O F

H O L Y O R D E R S

• essential element of

Apostolic Succession

• Jesus gave authority to the

Apostles through his gift of

the Holy Spirit

• Gift of Holy Spirit passed

on through the laying on of

hands

• Paul to Timothy

– 2 T I M O T H Y 1 : 6 , E M P H A S I S A D D E D

“For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the

gift of God which is in you through the laying on of

my hands.”

S A C R A M E N T O F

H O L Y O R D E R S

C O N T ' D

• bishops receive the fullness of

Holy Orders

• called "high priests" in the

early Church

• deacons and priests also

receive Holy Orders, but they

are not successors to the

Apostles

• thusly, priests and deacons do

not have the same authority

as bishops

P E T E R A N D

T H E P O P E

• Peter was made first Pope

by Jesus

• All popes the spiritual

successors of Peter

• Peter, and by extension all

popes have the authority to

govern the Church

• Pope is Bishop of Rome and

Vicar of Christ

• Prophesy of the Popes

– M A T T H E W 1 6 : 1 8 - 1 9

“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this

rock I will build my church. I will give you the keys

of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on

earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you

loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

P E T E R ' S

H U M A N I T Y

• despite his leadership of the

Church, Peter had human failings

• Jesus criticized him for having

little faith (Mt 14:31)

• rebuked him for thinking in

human terms as opposed to

God's terms (Mk 8:33)

• Peter even denied Jesus three

times (Lk 22:55-62)

• yet Jesus still chose him to lead

the church

Q U I Z

2. The Sacrament of ______ ___________ is an

essential element of Apostolic Succession.

1. The successors to the Apostles are the _________.

3. The Gift of the Holy Spirit is passed on through the

________ ____ ____ ________.

4. _________ was the first Pope.

5. True or false, God is love?