The Church

Word

Sacrament

forms Communion

Mission

ECCLESIOLOGY Chapter 6: The Mission of the Church –

Transforming the World

Build up the world, not God’s kingdom

• “…men are not deterred by the Christian message from building up the world …” (Gaudium et Spes #34)

• Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand.” (Mark 1.14-15)

St Augustine: Two Cities – one

earthly and one heavenly

“Teaching” – more than words

Final Mission

Jesus said to his disciples

“Go, therefore, and make

disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name

of the Father, and of the

Son, and of the holy

Spirit, teaching them to

observe all that I have

commanded you.” (Matthew

28. 19-20)

Training Mission

Jesus sent out these twelve

… “Go … to the lost sheep

of the house of Israel. As

you go, make this

proclamation: ‘The

kingdom of heaven is at

hand.’ Cure the sick, raise

the dead, cleanse lepers,

drive out demons.” (Matthew

10.5-8)

Mission → Catholic Social Teaching

• Not personal morality … we live in community

• Church as teacher

• 17-18 cent: slavery – failure by Church

• 19 cent: industrialization – Church stepped up

• 20 cent: environment crisis – Church continues

Solidarity Option for Poor Dignity of Work Human Dignity Family &

Community

Care for God’s

Creation

Rights &

Responsibilities

Catholic Social Teaching → Mission

Human Dignity

Solidarity

Option for the Poor

• Solidarity = unity of

human race

• example: help migrants

• Option for the Poor =

go for the greater need

• example: help the

hungry & homeless

Catholic Social Teaching → Mission

Rights & Responsibilities

Dignity of Work

Family & Community

Creation

• Dignity of work = human nature calls for accomplishment • example: support labor

unions

• Creation = stewards, not tyrants • example: preserve

environment

• Family & Community = society affects human development • example: uphold

traditional marriage

ECCLESIOLOGY Chapter 7: The Church – One, Holy, Catholic,

Apostolic

The 4 Marks

Nicene Creed:

• I believe in one God the Father …

• I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ …

• I believe in the Holy Spirit …

• I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

One Church

• Church is one because of her • Source (Father)

• Founder (Son)

• Soul (Holy Spirit)

• Unity, not uniformity

• Wounds to unity • Heresy, schism

The one, the only … the symbol of

unity

Holy Church

• Christ, the head of the Church … handed himself over for her so as to sanctify her (Eph. 5.23-26) • United with Christ, the Church

becomes sanctifying (cf. CCC 824)

• Saints … sancta • Holy people … holy things

• The weeds remain mixed with the wheat until the end of time (Matt 13.24-30)

At the burning bush God said: Do not

come near! Remove your sandals

from your feet, for the place where

you stand is holy ground. (Exodus

3.1-6)

Catholic Church

• “Where Christ Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church” (2nd cent. St Ignatius of Antioch)

• Church has been sent out to the whole world • Inculturation – principle of

evanelization

• Diversity within unity

• Local Churches (dioceses) are fully catholic through their communion with the Church of Rome which presides in love (cf. CCC 833-4)

catholic: καθολικός (katholikos) = "universal“ - from Greek words

κατά ("about“) and όλος ("whole“)

Apostolic Church

• He who hears you hears me (Luke 10.16)

• Church is built on the foundation of the Apostles (Eph. 2.20) • With the help of the Holy Spirit, the

Church keeps and hands on the teaching of the Apostles

• Taught, sanctified, and guided by the Apostles through their successors: the college of Bishops united by the successor of St Peter • Personal, not textual

ECCLESIOLOGY Your papers – due March 16, 2016

Task for papers

• No regurgitation of facts Not research paper

But facts should agree with

Pelzel and lectures

• Pastoral Reflection

Imagine your audience

What group of people are

you addressing?

What do they want to know?

What questions do they

have?

How do you benefit your

audience?

Institution (visible structure)

Church

Communion & Mission

Sacred Scriptures (Bible)

Church

Authority & Communion

#1

#2

#3 Kingdom of God

Church

Mission

OUR LADY 21 November 1964, Pope Paul VI solemnly

declared the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of

the Church.

Blessed Virgin Mary

• Pre-eminent & unique

member of the Church

• Type of the Church

• Virgin: intact faith, firm

hope & sincere charity

• Mother: love

• Sign of comfort for the

Pilgrim People of God

Covering a window facing St Peter’s square, the

"Mater Ecclesiae" mosaic was commissioned by

Pope John Paul II in thanksgiving to the Virgin

Mary after the assassination attempt.