Lana;
As Catholics, we believe that Scripture is the sacred and inspired Word of God. We believe that the Holy Spirit used people and allowed them to use their talents and their ways of writing in order to give us the Divine Word. Scripture is God's text message to us!
Tradition is the other part of what we believe. That is Tradition with a capital T. It is not the small t - tradition which looks at things like where we put our Christmas tree or what we eat at Thanksgiving. It is the capital T - Tradition.
Along with the Bible, we Catholics have a long line of teaching which has been handed down from the Apostles and which continues to be handed on by the Church. It has been protected by the Magisterium - which is the teaching body of the Church. Tradition is as much a part of our Catholic heritage as the Scripture. As a matter of fact, the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains it like this: "the oral preaching of the Apostles, and the written message of salvation under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (Bible), are conserved and handed on as the deposit of faith through the apostolic succession in the Church. Both the living Tradition and the written Scriptures have their common source in the revelation of God in Jesus Christ." (CCC - Glossary)
"Though languages differ throughout the world, the content of the Tradition is one and the same. The Churches established in [other countries ] have no other faith or Tradition." (CCC 174)
Hope this helps some.
Saturday, October 31, 2015
We are learning the precepts of the Church. I don't really get what they ARE. Can you explain? -G
"The word 'precept' comes from the Latin praeceptum, meaning to 'warn, admonish or instruct.' As such, the precepts of the Church specified historically a kind of bare minimum that Catholics must observe in living the Catholic Faith. ...
"The precepts focus on Church life and the minimal requirements of the faithful related to that."
"The number and specifics of the precepts have varied a bit over the centuries."
The Catechism of the Catholic Church lists five precepts: "1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor; 2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year; 3. You shall receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season; 4. You shall observe days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church; 5. You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church."
In a quick summation, the precepts are not formal doctrine, but are the bare minimum obligations which Catholics must observe in order to be Catholics. As people who love Christ, we should aim higher than the minimum and live a life which Christ would approve. (Our Sunday Visitor: October 18, 2015, p 15, Pastoral Answers: by Msgr. Charles Pope)
"The precepts focus on Church life and the minimal requirements of the faithful related to that."
"The number and specifics of the precepts have varied a bit over the centuries."
The Catechism of the Catholic Church lists five precepts: "1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor; 2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year; 3. You shall receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season; 4. You shall observe days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church; 5. You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church."
In a quick summation, the precepts are not formal doctrine, but are the bare minimum obligations which Catholics must observe in order to be Catholics. As people who love Christ, we should aim higher than the minimum and live a life which Christ would approve. (Our Sunday Visitor: October 18, 2015, p 15, Pastoral Answers: by Msgr. Charles Pope)
Monday, October 26, 2015
Why do we have a wreath with candles before Christmas? - Karen
Karen:
A perfectly timed question! That special wreath is called an Advent wreath. Advent is the season that marks the beginning of our Church year. It begins 4 Sundays before Christmas. It is a season of hope and joyful anticipation of the coming of Jesus. We prepare to celebrate not only the birth of Jesus, but also we anticipate His 2nd coming.
During advent we remember how the people of Israel waited for Messiah. It's the time we revisit the stories of the Annunciation and the Visitation.
Now, about the wreath: Traditionally "an Advent wreath consists of a circle of evergreens and four candles that represent each of the four Sundays of Advent. The greenery ... reminds us of the new life that Jesus will bring to us." The evergreen also reminds us that God is ever constant and ever present. The "circle ... represents God's unending love." No beginning to that love. No end to that love. "The candles on the wreath are usually purple, the liturgical color for Advent, or white. A pink candle ordinarily is used for the 3rd Sunday of Advent. [Pink] reminds us to rejoice because the Lord is near. The light from the candles represents the light that came into the world at Jesus' birth. A new candle is lit each week." ("Finding God: Following Jesus, Loyola Press, 7th grade Parish Catechist Guide. (c) 2014, Loyola Press, Chicago, Ill. p 225)
That 3rd Sunday of Advent is called "Gaudete" Sunday. Gaudete is latin for joyful. We are joyful because Advent is 1/2 over. Jesus is coming quickly! Pink is the color that represents joy.
Notice that the colors of the liturgical calendar, the colors of the priest's chasuble, and the colors of the candles match! The priest wears purple and the cloths of the altar are purple. That 3rd week He wears a pink chasuble. (The only other time in the liturgical year the priest wears pink is on the 4th Sunday of Lent - called Laetare Sunday - Laetare also means Joyful.)
Sometimes you will see a large white candle in the center of the Advent wreath. That is the candle that represents the birth of Jesus, the Light of the world. It is lit on Christmas.
What a lovely way to wait for Jesus!!
A perfectly timed question! That special wreath is called an Advent wreath. Advent is the season that marks the beginning of our Church year. It begins 4 Sundays before Christmas. It is a season of hope and joyful anticipation of the coming of Jesus. We prepare to celebrate not only the birth of Jesus, but also we anticipate His 2nd coming.
During advent we remember how the people of Israel waited for Messiah. It's the time we revisit the stories of the Annunciation and the Visitation.
Now, about the wreath: Traditionally "an Advent wreath consists of a circle of evergreens and four candles that represent each of the four Sundays of Advent. The greenery ... reminds us of the new life that Jesus will bring to us." The evergreen also reminds us that God is ever constant and ever present. The "circle ... represents God's unending love." No beginning to that love. No end to that love. "The candles on the wreath are usually purple, the liturgical color for Advent, or white. A pink candle ordinarily is used for the 3rd Sunday of Advent. [Pink] reminds us to rejoice because the Lord is near. The light from the candles represents the light that came into the world at Jesus' birth. A new candle is lit each week." ("Finding God: Following Jesus, Loyola Press, 7th grade Parish Catechist Guide. (c) 2014, Loyola Press, Chicago, Ill. p 225)
That 3rd Sunday of Advent is called "Gaudete" Sunday. Gaudete is latin for joyful. We are joyful because Advent is 1/2 over. Jesus is coming quickly! Pink is the color that represents joy.
Notice that the colors of the liturgical calendar, the colors of the priest's chasuble, and the colors of the candles match! The priest wears purple and the cloths of the altar are purple. That 3rd week He wears a pink chasuble. (The only other time in the liturgical year the priest wears pink is on the 4th Sunday of Lent - called Laetare Sunday - Laetare also means Joyful.)
Sometimes you will see a large white candle in the center of the Advent wreath. That is the candle that represents the birth of Jesus, the Light of the world. It is lit on Christmas.
What a lovely way to wait for Jesus!!
Monday, October 5, 2015
Can Roman Catholics fulfill their sunday obligation by attending a Byzantine Catholic Mass and receiving the Eucharist there? TB
TB:
Yes! That's the short answer.
Now for an explanation: Roman Catholics may "fulfill their Sunday obligation by attending Mass in any Catholic rite ... which is in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church." The Byzantines are in full communion with us, so yes! Vatican II said this was ok because " ' such individual Churches,whether of the East or of the West, although they differ somewhat among themselves in what are called rites (that is, in liturgy, ecclesiastical discipline, and spiritual heritage), are, nevertheless, equally entrusted to the guidance of the Roman Pontiff, the divinely appointed successor of St. Peter in supreme governance over the universal Church. They are consequently of equal dignity, so that none of them is superior to others by reason of rite. They enjoy the same rights and are under the same obligations, even with respect to preaching the Gospel to the whole world (cf. Mk 16:15) under the guidance of the Roman Pontiff. (Decree on Eastern Catholic Churches, n. 3)."
from Catholic Replies by James J. Drummey CR Publications, Norwood MA
Yes! That's the short answer.
Now for an explanation: Roman Catholics may "fulfill their Sunday obligation by attending Mass in any Catholic rite ... which is in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church." The Byzantines are in full communion with us, so yes! Vatican II said this was ok because " ' such individual Churches,whether of the East or of the West, although they differ somewhat among themselves in what are called rites (that is, in liturgy, ecclesiastical discipline, and spiritual heritage), are, nevertheless, equally entrusted to the guidance of the Roman Pontiff, the divinely appointed successor of St. Peter in supreme governance over the universal Church. They are consequently of equal dignity, so that none of them is superior to others by reason of rite. They enjoy the same rights and are under the same obligations, even with respect to preaching the Gospel to the whole world (cf. Mk 16:15) under the guidance of the Roman Pontiff. (Decree on Eastern Catholic Churches, n. 3)."
from Catholic Replies by James J. Drummey CR Publications, Norwood MA
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