Saturday, March 13, 2010

EVALUATION FOR WHY CATHOLIC-- SESSION 7-12

EVALUATION FOR WHY CATHOLIC GROUPS….Winter 2010

Please Return to Carolyn Saucier at Diocesan Pastoral Center, PO Box 104900, J.C. M0, 65110 or e-mail at reoassociate@diojeffcity.org THANKYOU…


1. How would you describe your EXPERIENCE OF being a part of Why Catholic small faith sharing groups so far?



2. Has the Why Catholic program met your expectations? Explain why or why not.



3. The part I found most helpful about these first six sessions of WHY CATHOLIC, was….


The part I found least helpful was…

 
4. Please comment on the participant booklets. Did the readings help you understand what we believe as Catholics? Were questions clear and thought-provoking? Were "Living the Good News" suggestions motivational?

 
5. Were the Diocesan pod-casts HELPFUL? What about the BLOG? Explain.


 
6. How can Jim and I in the Diocesan office be of more assistance to you?








Heaven, Hell, Purgatory

            POPE JOHN PAUL II ON THE AFTERLIFE

 HEAVEN
Divine revelation teaches us that heaven is neither an abstraction nor a physical place in the clouds, but a living and personal relationship of union with the Holy Trinity. Heaven is our definitive meeting with the Father which takes place in the risen Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Although the perfection of heaven will only be experienced after this life, the peace and happiness that it will bring can be anticipated in the sacraments – especially the Eucharist – and in the gift of ourselves in loving service of others. If we are able to enjoy properly the good things that the Lord showers upon us every day of our earthly lives, then we have begun to experience the joy which will be completely ours in the next life. In this world everything is subject to limits, but thoughts of our final and ultimate reality help us to live better the passing reality of each present moment.


HELL
Hell is not a punishment imposed by God, but the conditions resulting from attitudes and actions which people adopt in life. It is the ultimate consequence of sin itself. Scripture uses many images to describe the pain, frustration and emptiness of life without God. More than a physical place, hell is the state of those who freely and definitely separate themselves from God, the source of all life and joy. So eternal damnation is not God’s work but is actually our own doing. Christian faith teaches us that there are creatures who have already given a definitive “no” to God; these are the spirits which rebelled against God and whom we call demons. They serve as a warning for human beings: eternal damnation remains a real possibility for us, too. The reality of hell should not, however, be a cause of anxiety or despair for believers. Rather, it is a necessary and healthy reminder that human freedom has to be conformed to the example of Jesus, who always said “yes” to God, who conquered Satan, and who gave us his Spirit so that we could call God “Father”.


PURGATORY
Sacred Scripture teaches us that we must be purified if we are to enter into perfect and complete union with God. Jesus Christ who became the perfect expiation for our sins and took upon himself the punishment that was our due, brings us God’s mercy and love. But before we enter into God’s kingdom, every trace of sin within us must be corrected. This is exactly what takes place in purgatory. Those who live in this state of purification after death are not separated from God but are immersed in the love of Christ. Neither are they separated from the saints in heaven – who already enjoy the fullness of eternal life – nor from us on earth – who continue our pilgrim journey to the Father’s house. We all remain united in the mystical body of Christ, and we can therefore offer up prayers and good works on behalf of our brothers and sisters in purgatory.

THE JOURNEY
The Christian life can be considered as a great pilgrimage to the house of the Father, “whose unconditional love for every human creature ... we discover anew each day”. (“Tertio Millennio Adveniente,” 49). Our present life is already marked by the salvation which Christ has won for us through his death and resurrection. We are journeying toward the full actualization of this salvation, which will take place at the final coming of the Lord.
 As we make this journey, we are called to share in the paschal mystery of the Lord and to live up to the demands of Christ’s offer of redemption. An important part of this is our continual purification and struggle against sin, in the knowledge power of sin and death. In involving ourselves in the realities of this passing world, we must fix our gaze on our final goal, bringing the light of God to bear on all that we do.

Who were Joseph’s parents? Was he married before his betrothal to Mary?What does the perpetual virginity of Mary mean?

Who was Joseph's father? Was he married before his bethrothal to Mary?
Matthew says that Jacob was the father of Joseph. Luke says that Eli was the father of Joseph. Reconciling these two texts is a challenge indeed. Suffice it to say that there is scant evidence about the birth family of Joseph; however, the Gospels relate that he was of the lineage of King David. This aspect of the genealogy of Joseph is most theologically important because it supports the gospel writers’ intention to show that Jesus was the true heir of David, the greatest king of Israel. Hence the birth of Christ took place in the town of David, Bethlehem.

Many of the apocryphal gospels speculate on the origins of Joseph. The strange details that come up from these accounts demonstrate that while we are eager to know more about Christ, attempts at rewriting history can do great damage to cherished dogmas and tradition. I often marvel at the mystery of Christ. We know so little about him, yet what we know is enough for this life and the life to come.

Once again, the apocryphal gospels narrate that Joseph was married before he became espoused to Mary, and that he had children from this marriage. There is no definitive dogma on this aspect of the life of Joseph, and many saints allow for that possibility. What is clear from Scripture and Tradition is that Joseph was a just and pious man who was able to devote himself totally to the care of the Holy Family. Our artistic patrimony portrays Joseph as an elderly man at the time of the birth of Christ. That would imply that if there were a wife and children from a previous marriage, the situation was such that Joseph was free from any family obligations that would impede his total dedication to Mary and Jesus.


What does the perpetual virginity of Mary mean?
That Mary conceived Jesus miraculously by the power of the Holy Spirit is well attested in Scripture. This is an article of our faith that has been held and taught consistently.

Throughout history, there has been discussion as to Mary remaining a virgin during the birth of Jesus and afterward. The apocryphal Gospel of James has a fascinating claim by the midwife at the birth of Jesus that Mary remained physically a virgin after the birth of Christ.

The church has taught that Mary and Joseph refrained from marital relations after the birth of Jesus, and that Mary remained a virgin perpetually. Mary was so devoted to the will of God that she lived the chaste life of a perpetual virgin in honor of her unique status as the Mother of God. This is defined by as dogma by the Catholic Church.

Mary and Joseph thus did not have any children together. That Joseph had children from a previous marriage is a possibility, but in general the saints have taught that Joseph too remained a virgin, to be totally devoted to the Holy Family. The Catholic church teaches that the word “brothers” as used in Matthew 12:46 and parallel texts could mean step-brother or cousin, but does not refer to a blood brother of Jesus.

The scriptures give ample evidence to say that Mary was the mother of Jesus, but it doesn’t refer to any other of her sons. Also, the text in John where Jesus entrusts his Mother to the beloved disciple stands as testimony that there were no other children who would have the obligation to take care of Mary after Christ’s death.

Catholic teaching about going to heaven without being baptized?

If a child is born and dies before being baptised can she/he go to heaven?
Traditional theology and past church practices have answered the question in different ways. Visit any Catholic cemetery of sufficient history and there will be a section of the cemetery devoted to baptized infants. And often there will be a special section devoted to infants who died before they were able to be baptized. Regulations said that only those who were baptized could be buried in a Catholic cemetery. But that there was a baptism of desire if not by water by the parents who surely would have had their child baptized if there had been a chance allowed for the child to be buried in holy ground with the hope of resurrection.
Theological teaching put forth a notion of limbo, a place at the threshold of heaven where the un-baptized just did not experience the punishment of hell, yet were somehow deprived of the full experience of heaven. There has been no definitive statement by the Church promulgating limbo.
Baptism is normative for salvation: that means we believe the normal way to receive sanctifying grace and be washed from original sin comes through the rite of baptism. There are circumstances which allow for the baptism of desire (intending to be baptized, like a catechumen) or baptism of blood (dying for the faith even if not baptized). Thus baptism, while normative, is not the sole way Christ offers his grace to the world.

The report of the 2004 International Theological Commission on fate of unbaptized children gives a concise and consoling answer to the question. We are not quite certain how God’s mercy applies to un-baptized children, but we can be certain that God is merciful and just, and have every hope of salvation for all our loved ones. It can be found on line at www.vatican.va


If a man or woman lives a life of Christ-like virtue, can they go to heaven if they were not baptized?
The Church of Jesus Christ is the sign and symbol of the offer of universal salvation in Jesus Christ. What does it really mean to say that “outside of the Church, there is no salvation”? Does this mean that aside from the teachings of the Church, salvation can’t be found? Does it mean that one has to be a baptized Christian to avail of sanctifying grace?

That Christ is the universal savior for human kind is clearly a dogma of the Church. That Christ chose his Church to be the way to share the good news of salvation to the world is central to our mission as Christians. That baptism is the normal way to become “alive in Christ” has been part of our faith from the time of the apostles.

Nevertheless, there is clear evidence from scripture and tradition that there are those who are saved by Christ but have not been baptized. The patriarchs and matriarchs of the Old Testament were justified when Christ decended to the dead and released those just souls who were awaiting the fulfillment of the covenant. Think about St. Joseph. It has been our tradition that Joseph was already dead at the time of Christ’s passion and the beginning of the Church that poured out in the blood and water from his wounded side. Was Joseph baptized in a liturgy of the Church equal to the baptism of the New Covenant? Most probably not, yet Joseph has been declared a patron of the Church and surely resides in heaven interceding for us.
 The Catechism states:

846: How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers? Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:
336Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it
847 This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church:
337Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation.
848 "Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men."

The Church admits the possibility of salvation for those who live a just and holy life and through no fault of their own, have not been evangelized. Yet we must ever be mindful that the Church is obligated to preach the gospel and baptize so that all can be assured of salvation.

Why do we pray for the conversion of Russia during the rosary?

The vision of the three peasants at Fatima, Portugal, took place in 1917. It was during the closing World War I. Communism had recently taken over Russia. Christianity (mainly in the form of Russian Orthodoxy, the state religion up to that time) was brutally suppressed. Hundreds of thousands of priests and religious were forcibly removed from their churches, monasteries, and homes. Religious art, architecture and churches were desecrated. Europe was reeling from the War and from the violence of the Russian revolution. In the midst of this, Mary appeared to speak words of hope and comfort. One of her three messages concerned the prayer for the conversion of Russia, understandable in that climate.
Now that communism has fallen, religion is once again flourishing in Russia and the former soviet republics. While Russian Orthodoxy is predominant—and there seems to be widespread prejudice against evangelical and Catholic missionaries—there are still many millions of people who have never heard the Gospel. It may seem somewhat arrogant to call for the conversion of Russia at the present moment, and I believe that discretion is called for, but the message of Fatima is still relevant today.

I believe there is still a place to specifically pray for in the conversion of the un-churched in Russia. Some of the prayer books are more adroit in how they handle this issue; others seem to come across a bit disrespectful of the patrimony of faith for the Russian people. But we can follow the example of Pope John Paul II who was instrumental in the downfall of the Soviet Union. His own experiences of a persecuted Church in Poland made him long for a time when all could live their faith openly and freely. His desire that communism fall was not just because of their oppressive political regime, but most importantly that they were a Godless state that denied a fundamental right and aspect of human nature: worship of God.


I think it is still appropriate to pray the rosary for the conversion of those who do not know Christ. Central to the mystery of the rosary is that the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is how God has saved humanity. We meditate on these mysteries so that we may live them out more fully in our lives. It is not only fitting, but a necessary task of the church to evangelize.

Perhaps we can even move on in our devotional life to newer territory. Many of our devotions are rooted in a time and a past that doesn’t quite speak as loudly to the present generation. That isn’t to say that devotions to Our Lady of Fatima or novenas to the Immaculate Heart of Mary are wrong. It’s just that there are newer realities that deserve our prayers and attention too. For example, China is a big question mark when it comes to the future of religion. What are we doing about it? Other world realities or personal and social issues require our attention too. Much of our traditional devotional life was concerned with our own salvation and eternal life. We certainly should work out our salvation in fear and trembling as Paul says. But we also should find ways to pray for the salvation of others who are in danger.

I believe that the prayer vigils outside abortion clinics and prisons where capital punishment is carried out also are worthy devotions that should be just as much a part of our prayer life as First Fridays and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. At the heart of devotion is the word vow. That implies we promise to say certain prayers on certain occasions for some spiritual or material good. Cast your eyes around the world and look at the major evils that beset humanity. Where you encounter evil, you will also encounter those living saints who have been moved by God to bring Christ to the darkness of sin. Mother Teresa of Calcutta saw so many dying alone, un-mourned and abandoned. She vowed, and made it her life’s work, to bring dignity to the final moments of those forgotten by society.



Resurrection of the Body and everlasting life

After death, assuming we are in God's grace, do we meet the Lord or do we "wait" for the second coming as described in Revelations?

The Church’s understanding of the human person has a scriptural basis. Paul especially recognizes that there are two aspects of being human, a fleshly existence and a spiritual existence localized in the one person. Our creed literally professes in the resurrection of the “flesh” that which is part of this world, created by God, subject to death and decay. We also believe in the immortality of the soul. That something of our human person persists after our bodily death. We share in a resurrection experience just as Christ rose from the grave.

How and when this all happens is a great mystery. We profess that there are saints in heaven who intercede for us, even while their bodies are venerated as holy relics in churches throughout the world. Somehow then, there must be a separation of body and soul.
This “already and not yet” aspect of the afterlife is a matter of faith and hope. We believe that the souls of the just are in the hand of God, but we also hope for the day when

The doctrine of Mary’s assumption into heaven helps describe this reality. In a special way, Mary was assumed body and soul into heaven. She, the most pure and spotless virgin, did not have to suffer the degradation of the body that normally comes in death. She was the first of Christ’s disciples to experience the hope of the resurrection of the dead, and as such, becomes a model for what we hope to experience one day.

Our belief is that Christ has conquered sin and death for all time; but because historical time continues on, the effects of the Christ event still must take place in history. From an eternal perspective, the souls of the just are with God in heaven, but there is still something unfinished here on earth. The way our faith reverences the bodies of our beloved dead, and the care with which we bury them in special cemeteries, all speak to our belief that what we do here on earth matters in heaven---that all creation does indeed wait for the fullness of the revelation of Christ. That is why the Church insists that our rites surrounding the death and burial of a person always demonstrate our belief in the resurrection of the body. While cremation is permitted, we are not to scatter the ashes or divide up the remains to be saved by various people. Instead the cremated remains are to be kept integral and buried or entombed as a sign of our awaiting the resurrection.