Catholic Church
Welcome to your section on the Catholic Church. Another of your team members
has been working on material about the human virtues and saving our souls.
Another has been working on the Person of Jesus Christ and saving souls. You
will be researching the Catholic Church and her role in saving souls.
The Church is that institution founded by Jesus Christ Himself. There is an
unprecedented richness that the Church has offered the world in the last 200o
years. In fact, the argument could be made that the Catholic Church is the
source of Western world, science, learning, universities, hospitals,
mysticism, literature, politics etc. But greatest among all Her achievements
and claims is the "pillar and foundation of truth", in whose arms the soul
can
be redeemed, sanctified (made holy) and saved (being united to Jesus on earth
and in heaven).
The Church teaches and sanctifies the world in a great many ways: sacraments,
Church Fathers, Councils, Popes, encylcials, moral teachings, making saints,
theology, philosophy, great thinkers like Aquinas, John Paul II, Joseph
Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI), Duns Scotus, Hans von Balthasar, Peter
Kreeft etc.
1) How does the Church understand herself?
2) How is she related to Jesus Christ?
3) What are the claims of the Church?
4) What is the role of the Vatican and the Pope?
5) How do sacraments help save our souls?
6) What writers are most helpful in showing people the truth of the Church?
7) What are your personal reflections on the Church and Her teaching?
YOUR TASK: DISCOVER AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT THE CHURCH. WHAT YOU SHOULD TRY
TO FIND ARE GOOD WRITERS WHO ARE ORTHODOX (HAVE THE CORRECT BELIEF) ABOUT THE
CHURCH. ASK YOUR TEACHER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
FREQUENTLY ASK YOURSELF, "HOW CAN THE CHURCH HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT
SAVING THEIR SOULS IS MOST IMPORTANT JOB THEY HAVE?"
REMEMBER--- TAKE HANDWRITTEN NOTES ABOUT EVERY THING YOU READ OR VIEW,
INDICATING WHERE YOU READ IT. MORE NOTES ARE BETTER THAN FEWER NOTES, EVEN
IF YOU DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING YOU READ. YOUR HANDWRITTEN JOUNRAL
SHOULD INCLUDE WEB ADDRESSES, TITLES OF ARTICLES, KEY WORDS, SUMMARIES OF
WHAT YOU READ AND YOUR OWN REFLECTIONS. KEEP ALL THIS NEAT AND TIDY.
Below are some links that may be helpful in beginning your research. These
are only guide sites that you have to search yourself. They should also not
be the only locations you seek out information and research. Remember also
to
use a library and databases like EBSCO-Host.
Internet Links
Vatican Website (try to look at Spe Salvi and Deus Caritas Est specifically)
http://www.vatican.va
Catholic Answers
http://catholic.com
Catholic Culture
http://catholicculture.org
Salvation History by Scott Hahn
http://salvationhistory.org
Church Fathers
http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/
Summa Theolgica by Thomas Aquinas (fully searchable)
http://www.newadvent.org/summa/
Latin Mass
http://www.sanctamissa.org/EN/index.html
Cardinals of the Church
http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/cardinals.htm
Stats of Largest Catholic Countries and Communities
http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_romcath.html
Vocation Network (Vision_
http://www.vocation-network.org/
Phatmass - Catholic Hip Hop and excellent discussions
http://phatmass.com/
Other Resources