3 posts
Re: Topic 4 DQ 1
Hello Class,
I was fortunate enough to be raised within the Lutheran Church which is very similar to the modern day Catholic Church and share many of the same rituals such as Holy Communion and Confirmation so much of this information is not new or surprising but it is certainly not anything that I have thought about in quite some time. The Lutheran Church and school that I attended as a child was directly accross the street from a Catholic Church and school. Our school had a very big sports field which the Catholic school did not have, and the Catholic school had a very big stage for performances in their chapel which we did not have, so we often shared each others’ facilities for special events. As a result, we as children had a lot of questions about the beliefs of our neighbors and how those beliefs differed and were the same. I suppose looking back on when I was finding out all about the differences between Catholics and Lutherans, the thing that surprised me most and was the most interesting to me was the Apocrypha books. Being a Lutheran, I could get into trouble for bieng in possession of those so it wasnt until about high school age that I was able to read those and see what they were all about. Also, the difference of praying to Mother Mary full of grace…and the other saints was also something that confused and surprised me about the Catholic religion and made me wonder about the fate of the souls of my gradeschool friends from the school across the street.
Sincerely,
Bradley
Reference:
Hemeyer, J. C. (2016). Religion in America (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. ISBN-13: 9781138188075
Why We Reject the Apocrypha. (2007, January 02). Retrieved from https://faith.edu/faith-news/why-we-reject-the-apocrypha/
Roman Catholicism
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Beliefs Catholics share with other Christians a belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ, the son of God made man who came to earth to redeem humanity’s sins through His death and resurrection. They follow His teachings as set out in the New Testament and place their trust in God’s promise of eternal life with Him. Unlike many other Christian sects however, they pray to saints as advocates rather than always praying directly to God and they have canonized several books into the Bible called the Apocrypha which is considered controversial by other Christian sects. |
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Lifestyle Be kind to others Communicate with people that are important to you or call/visit a friend in need. Tell someone you love them and why. Talk about God. Sacrifice something for God as he did for you. Serve in some way. Reflect on your day Live a humble, chaste lifestyle. |
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Rituals Sacred Time The Mysteries of Christ’s life are celebrated via a liturgical calendar throughout the year. The two greatest feasts celebrate Christ’s Resurrection (Easter) and God’s Incarnation (Christmas). Sacred Space Cathedrals of great artistry and more modest churches serve as worship spaces for Roman Catholics, who believe that all the earth is holy as God’s handiwork and the place of God’s Incarnation in Jesus Christ. Rites and Ceremonies Roman Catholic worship is centered around the Sacrament of the Eucharist in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Seven sacraments serve as efficacious outward signs of sanctifying grace for believers. Confirmation is also routinely carried out with children as they come to adult age. Worship and Devotion in Daily Life Catholic life is full of prayer and the use of sacramentals that prepare the Catholic to receive grace, such as the rosary, the wearing of medals, and the giving of blessings. Symbolism Roman Catholic rituals and sacred spaces are filled with symbols pointing to the sacrificial life of Christ crucified, the example of the saints, the liturgical seasons, etc. |
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Organization
Image courtesy of https://www.hierarchystructure.com/ The Pope The leader of the Roman Catholic church, elected by the cardinals for life. Cardinals The cardinals are the elected “government” of the RC church. They elect the Pope from among their number. Archbishop Rule over a large area called an archdiocese responsible for making sure that the bishops follow the church ‘rules” Bishop The bishop is responsible for a diocese. The diocese is the main administrative unit of the church. The bishop supervises all the activities of his church, visits all religious institutions at regular intervals and is responsible for teaching the Christian faith in his diocese. Bishops also have a responsibility to arrange works of charity in their areas and to speak up for the poor. Each diocese is divided into several parishes each of which is run by a priest who has the same responsibilities in the parish as the bishop has in the diocese. |
References
Admin. (2017, November 14). Hierarchy of the Catholic Church: Church hierarchystructure. Retrieved from https://www.hierarchystructure.com/hierarchy-of-the-catholic-church/
Hays, J. (n.d.). CATHOLICISM, CATHOLICS, PRIESTS, AND CATHOLIC CHURCH ORGANIZATION. Retrieved from https://factsanddetails.com/world/cat55/sub392/entry-5803.html
Ivory Parker
2 posts
Re: Topic 4 DQ 2
Hello Class,
Catholicism engages in religious engagements such as providing quality health care and social welfare services, the democracy exercise, and campaigns against abortion. Quality health care services ensure that people have easy access to medical facilities and can afford to settle hospitalization costs (Roberts, 2013). It ensures everyone has equal access to medical care regardless of their economic status and racial background. In practicing democracy, the Catholic Church urges all people to elect morally upright leaders to avoid corruption incidences (Kelly, 2013). In addition, the Catholic church encourages fairness in the elections to avoid a country experiencing chaos that greatly hinders economic growth. The provision of social welfare services ensures that vulnerable members of the society meet their basic needs and develop strategies that facilitate economic empowerment (Roberts, 2013). I am surprised by Catholic Church’s perspective on abortion as it does consider risky incidences that might lead to the loss of a mother’s life. Catholic Church should offer a room that assures the safety of a mother (Kelly, 2013). Thus, Catholicism has a great commitment to social transformation through religious engagements such as the practice of democracy, offering quality medical care, and social welfare services.
Kelly, T. (2013). Religion’s role in congressional polarization remains elusive. National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved from https://www.ncronline.org/books/2021/06/religions-role-congressional-polarization-remains-elusive
Roberts, T. (2013). Sociologist has kept his eye on Catholicism. National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved from https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/sociologist-has-kept-his-eye-catholicism
1 posts
Re: Topic 4 DQ 2
I found related to Catholic engagement worldwide that any person can baptize another in an emergency. They consider the crisis to be dire, and if so, all the other person must do is follow the dying person’s wish through baptism. There are roughly 15% of hospitals and medical facilities owned by Catholics. In some parts of the world, it is said that the Catholic church is the leading provider of health, education, and human services. In July of 2021, the pope announced a change in the way mass is given in recent news. Traditionally and historically, the mass has been held in Latin. However, as time progressed, some priests would use the more popular language in their area. However, in 2007 Pope Benedict reverted to requiring mass be held in Latin without asking for permission from the Bishop. So, in 2021, Pope Francis states that Latin mass is not a requirement, nor should it be enforced to better blend and bring in the community. Most of the Catholics in the United States (62 percent) believe that helping the poor and needy is an essential part of what it means to be Catholic. However, fewer people (41 percent) believe it is a sin to buy luxury things without helping the poor.
CONSORTIUM), C. O. (N. E. W. S. (2014, November 18). Here are 10 very interesting facts about the Catholic Church you probably didn’t know! – living faith – home & family – news. Catholic Online. Retrieved January 7, 2022, from https://www.catholic.org/news/hf/faith/story.php?id=57689
Lipka, M. (2020, May 30). Key findings about American Catholics. Pew Research Center. Retrieved January 7, 2022, from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/09/02/key-findings-about-american-catholics/
Smith, G. A. (2021, October 19). Two-thirds of U.S. Catholics unaware of Pope’s new restrictions on traditional Latin Mass. Pew Research Center. Retrieved January 7, 2022, from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/10/07/two-thirds-of-u-s-catholics-unaware-of-popes-new-restrictions-on-traditional-latin-mass/
