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USCCA Chapter Notes

USCCA Chapter : 11 – The Four Marks of the

CCC Paragraph Reference : CCC #811-962 – The Church is One, Holy, and Apostolic.

Doctrinal Premise . What is the underlying truth behind the doctrine of this chapter ? Connecting it to , summarize the chapter in 1-2 sentences.

The four primary characteristics of the Church are that she is one, holy, catholic and apostolic. They are inseparable reflections of the mission Christ gave the Church.

Three questions adults might have about this topic. What life-issues do I need to connect with in the people at my session?

1. Given the Four , what kind of a relationship do non-Catholic have with the Church?

2. What are the different roles and responsibilities in the Church?

3. How can we say that anyone in the Church is infallible?

Three Points from the Story of Faith/Testimony. How is the underlying truth taught in this chapter brought to life?

Person of Faith : Blessed Junipero Serra

1. Fr. Junipero Serra, a Franciscan priest of Spain, became a missionary to Mexico and California in 1749. He worked with the native population for twenty years. He founded nine of the twenty-one California missions, many which later became cities.

2. He focused much of his work advocating for the rights of native Americans with military and civil authorities. Despite an ulcerated lung, Fr. Serra visited the missions frequently, baptizing thousands of native Americans and helping them develop agriculture. Fr. Serra died in 1784.

3. Fr. Serra was beatified in 1988 by John Paul II after much dialogue with native Americans over Fr. Serra’s role in the mistreatment of native Americans. The evidence clearly indicates that Fr. Serra was a defender and advocate of the poor, never guilty of their mistreatment. He is an example of the Church’s apostolic preaching and witness to all people.

Essential Points from the Teaching Section. Add in sub-points as needed. What points need to be made explicit and cannot be left to chance?

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

USCCA Chapter 11 1 The Four Marks of the Church

These characteristics reflect the life of the and the Person of Christ.

a. The Church is One .

i. The unity of the Church comes from the unity of the life of the Trinity .

ii. The Church professes one Lord , one Faith and one , forming one .

iii. The diversity of people in the Church is united by the .

iv. According to the Catechism of the #815, communion in the Church comes from charity and:

1. Profession of one Faith received from the .

2. Common celebration of divine worship, especially of the .

3. through the of , maintaining the fraternal concord of God's family.

v. Disagreements in the Church have been a tragic source of division within the Church.

This has been as seen in the Catholic Church’s relationship with the Eastern Orthodox and Protestant Christians. The ecumenical (meaning ‘worldwide’) movement seeks to restore visible unity among Christians. This unity includes communion of particular Churches (diocese) with the Church of Rome, and of their with the of Rome. Ecumenical dialogue is built on the obligation to respect the truth.

While the Catholic Church retains the Episcopal structures (that is, the structure of the Church based on the bishops) and the sacraments of the Church, the Holy Spirit is active within the lives of other churches and ecclesial (church) communities. These communities have imperfect communion with the Catholic Church.

b. The Church is Holy .

i. Because the Church is from the Holy Trinity , she is holy, set apart by God to be consecrated for good.

ii. Through Baptism and , Catholics are consecrated by the Holy Spirit for holiness.

iii. This mission of each Catholic is to be holy as Christ is holy.

c. The Church is Catholic . USCCA Chapter 11 2 The Four Marks of the Church

i. The word ‘catholic’ means ‘universal’ .

ii. For the Church to be catholic comes from the fact that Christ is for all people from all times and places.

iii. The universality of Christ and the Church does not suppress the good qualities of individual cultures.

iv. The universality of the Church is seen in her dioceses or , also known as particular churches.

Each diocese is linked together through their communion with the Church of Rome and her bishop, the Pope.

v. The Catholic Church is made of both the Latin (Roman) Church and the Eastern Churches.

While having an imperfect communion with other Churches and Christian ecclesial communities, the Church has a bond with the Jewish people (especially through Moses) and the Muslim people (through Abraham). The Church fiercely denounces all forms of anti-Semitism. The Church engages in dialogue with other religions, in particular with Hindus and Buddhists, who reflect a ray of truth which enlightens all men.

See the sidebar on p. 132, “Outside the Church there is No .”

d. The Church is Apostolic .

i. Christ built the foundation of the Church on the Apostles , with St. Peter as the head.

ii. Christ promised the Holy Spirit to the Church as a whole to protect her from error.

This is known as the indefectibility of the Church, because she will never fall away from the .

iii. Christ willed that bishops would succeed the Apostles as shepherds of the Church.

iv. Together with the Pope as the head, the bishops form a college .

Their essential unity is called the principle of collegiality.

The Bishop’s role is to sanctify, shepherd and teach. He possesses the fullness of the priesthood and is the principal celebrant of the Sacraments.

USCCA Chapter 11 3 The Four Marks of the Church v. The teaching office (or authority) of the college of bishops is the ‘ .’

This office is exercised in the following conditions:

1. Extraordinary magisterium:

a. of bishops gathering with the Pope.

When bishops gather in an Ecumencial (world-wide) Council with Pope and teach and proclaim doctrine, it must be accepted with faith by the faithful.

“When all the bishops throughout the world, together with the Pope, in the fulfillment of their teaching office, proclaim a doctrine that has been divinely revealed, it must be accepted with the obedience of faith by the whole (USCCA p. 133).”

b. Papal Infallible ex cathedra pronouncement.

When the Pope proclaims a doctrine as divinely revealed. This necessitates the acceptance by the faithful. This authority is known as the dogma of .

2. Ordinary Magisterium, the day-to-day teaching of the pope and the bishops in union with the pope.

vi. The sensus fidei refers to the gift that the entire body of faithful cannot error in matters of faith and morals.

This does not mean that each individual Catholic can define faith or moral teachings; it means that the Spirit is present in the entire Church community and will protect her from error.

2. The structure of the Church also includes:

a. The , who, through their baptism, are called to renew the temporal order.

By this call, the laity bring to their families, communities, schools, places of work and civic communities.

b. Men and women religious, who live the by professing vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

These vows are known as the evangelical (Gospel) counsels (directives). They form communities and orders of priests, brothers, sisters and . The evangelical counsels are a form of deepening one’s own baptismal promises.

USCCA Chapter 11 4 The Four Marks of the Church Scriptural Foundation. List the two to three primary Scripture passages that support the teaching. How is this teaching rooted in the saving events of Scripture?

1. Matthew 16

2. 1 Corinthians 13

3. 2 Corinthians 6:16

For we are the temple of the living God; as God said: "I will live with them and move among them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people.

4. Ephesians 5, the Church as the Bride of Christ.

5. 1 Peter 2:9-10

9 But you are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises" of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were "no people" but now you are God's people; you "had not received mercy" but now you have received mercy.

Summary of the Sidebar material.

1. With regard to division in the Body of Christ, we cannot charge the sin of separation to those born into separated ecclesial communities. Because of Baptism, they are true brothers and sisters in the Lord.

2. Often called a ‘diocese’, a particular Church exists in communion of faith (belief), sacraments and apostolic succession with the entire Catholic Church.

3. The principal vocation of the laity is to renew the temporal order.

Relationship to Culture . What does the USCCA both challenge and affirm in our culture?

• Affirmations of US Culture :

One of the great evangelists in the United States was Fr. Alvin Illig (1926-1991) of the Paulist Fathers. He offered practical suggestions for evangelization in an American context, as listed on p. 137 of the USCCA.

• Challenges to US Culture:

Nothing specific from this chapter.

USCCA Chapter 11 5 The Four Marks of the Church Additional Questions for Discussion . Given what the USCCA has in its discussion questions, are there other questions to add to further the discussion?

1. How do the different ministries in the Church (hierarchy, laity and consecrated life) complement each other?

2. Why are the four marks of the Church inseparable? What happens if one is taken out of the equation?

3. How do the four marks of the Church reflect the Person of Christ?

Action/Ritual to add with the meditation/prayer. How can you help the participant respond to Christ’s invitation given in this chapter?

After a prayerful reading of the meditation on p. 139, invite the participants to silently reflect on one area of their lives to grow in holiness.

USCCA Chapter 11 6 The Four Marks of the Church