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INTRODUCTION
Discipleship in the Christian Community is a course that will familiarize the students with
the beginning, growth and spread of the Church as a community of disciples animated and expressed in
the celebration of the Sacraments. It also discusses the highlights of Vatican II and the Second Plenary
Council of the Philippines. This course will eventually lead them towards a meaningful and active
participation in the celebration of the sacraments and in the building up of the Christian community.
The course has three basic parts. First, it lays down the foundation of Jesus mission (Kingdom
of God) with His Apostles as the first members of the early Christian community who underwent
periods of persecutions. This discussion of Church in history reached its climax in the convention of
the Second Vatican Council. Second, it presents the Church in the Philippines with Her renewed vision
and mission according to the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines. A special topic on the VisionMission of the Diocese of Imus will be included as it celebrates its Golden Jubilee in 2011 as a diocese.
Lastly, it provides doctrinal teachings of the Church and the scriptural bases about the sacraments of
the Church (with symbols and their meanings, rites, ministers and rites) as each member in the
Christian community is called to respond to the call of discipleship.
Review Lesson: JESUS MISSION-THE KINGDOM OF GOD
I. CONTEXTUALIZATION: Experience-Grip (in a whole yellow pad)
= Make an EVALUATION on the CONDITION/SITUATION of the Philippines:

a.) SOCIO-ECONOMIC,
b.) POLITICAL,
c.) and RELIGIOUS
= Specify at least TWO INFLUENTIAL GROUPS in each situation/condition
II. CONCEPTUALIZATION: The Christian Message
= Let us visit the homeland of Jesus, keeping in mind our own situation here in the Philippines and see
similarities as to find challenges on how we can live out our Christian Faith in our own homeland

A. JESUS IN HIS TIME: HIS HOMELAND

1. NAME
a.. Original/During the Patriarch: _______________________________________
b. Jesus Time: ___________________________________________
c.. At Present: ________________________________________
2. CONQUERORS
a. ___________________________
b. ___________________________
c. ___________________________

d. ______________________________
e. ______________________________

3. MAJOR PLACES
a. ___________________________
b. ___________________________

c. _______________________________

4. SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITION
a. Majority of the people are ___________________ and _______________________
b. NO VOICE in ________________________ and _____________________ matters
c. The LEADERS are the _______________________, ________________________, and
___________________________________
d. Two major characteristics of the POOR:
1) ____________________________________________
2) ____________________________________________
e. Examples of the poor:
1) _______________________________
2) _______________________________
3) _______________________________

4) ___________________________
5) ___________________________

f. SINNERS/OUTCASTS:
1) major characteristic: ________________________________________________
2) examples: 4 groups
i. _________________________________ iii. ___________________________
ii. ________________________________ iv. ___________________________
5. POLITICAL CONDITION
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a. general situation: _____________________________________________

b. two major causes: __________________________ and ________________________
6. RELIGIOUS CONDITION
a. two major characteristics: ________________________ and _____________________
b. major effect: __________________________________
7. MAJOR INFLUENTIAL GROUPS:
A. RELIGIOUS
1) Pharisees: ____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2) Sadducees: ___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3) Essenes: ____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
B. SOCIAL-RELIGIOUS
1) Scribes: ____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2) Publicans: ___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
C. POLITICAL
1) Sanhedrin: __________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
2) Zealots: ____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
8. General NEED of the people: _______________________________________________
B. JESUS MESSIANIC MESSAGE: THE KINGDOM OF GOD
1. OLD TESTAMENT VIEW
a. as EXPERIENCE: ___________________________________________________
b. as SITUATION: _____________________________________________________
c. as EXPECTATION: _________________________________________________
2. NEW TESTAMENT VIEW
a. Jesus: ______________________________________________________________
b. ST. PAULS Characterization:
1) _______________________________________________________________
2) _______________________________________________________________
3) _______________________________________________________________
C. The KINGDOM OF GOD and the CHURCH

1. ROOT-MEANING of CHURCH
a.) Hebrew: ______________________________________________________________
b.) Greek: _______________________________________________________________
c.) Modern Meaning: ______________________________________________________
2. FORMATION of the Church: THREE STAGES
a.) ___________________________________________________________________
b.) ___________________________________________________________________
c.) ___________________________________________________________________
3. Churchs MISSION: Two General MOVEMENT/DIRECTION
a.) ___________________________________________________________
b.) ___________________________________________________________
Jesus Mission (Kingdom of God)
I.

SEEING: Diagnosing the Church

Prior to our study of the Church, our understanding of it is just based from what we
experience, observe and see in our respective parishes/community. In seeing our church, we also
begin assessing or checking up whether it is sick, healthy or alive. Only through this we can
have a diagnose of its condition.
To have a better diagnose of our parishes/communities, we will use the experience of the early
Christian community (Acts 2:42-47) as our guide.
They devoted themselves to the apostles instruction
and communal life, to the breaking of bread and the
prayers. A reverent fear overtook them all, many
wonders and signs were performed by the apostles.
Those who believed shared all things in common;
they would sell their property and goods, dividing
everything on the basis of each ones need. They
went to the temple area together everyday, while in
their homes they broke bread. With exultant and
sincere hearts they took their meal in common,
praising God and winning the approval of all the
people. Day by day the Lord added to their number
Those who were being saved.
Individual Activity (One-day Parish/Community Sunday Exposure)
1.

Observe a prayer meeting, fellowship, gathering, outreach activity, etc, of any

organizations of your parish.
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2.

Take note of how they express themselves a church or community based from the life
patterns of the early Christian community (in Acts 2: 42-47).

3.

Prepare your data for discussion in the classroom.

II.

DISCERNING: Drawing Up a Framework

The preceding part helped us see the conditions of our church based on our particular
experiences in our parish/community. We come up with diagnoses from this condition. Seeing the
church is not enough as we try to understand it. There is more than to seeing. The reason why we
need to understand the church is that we want to draw up a framework that would help us experience
of what it means to be a church today.
To help us draw up a framework, it good for us to start and discern from the standpoint of the
Scriptures, particularly in the New Testament, History and its Teachings in Vatican II.
A. Church in the New Testament
Jesus has become the symbol of hope and the sign of Gods salvific presence in the history of
the humanity for he entered in it when people have long been waiting for it. His definitive arrival
made the course of the world change for through, with, and in him everything flow. These people, in
hope that they may experience liberation and salvation, listened to Jesus proclamation of the good
news of the Kingdom of God. His deeds and words are indeed signs of this Kingdom. Through his
life Gods kingdom was concretely experienced by the people particularly those who have so much
longed for it the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized, the outcasts, the sick ones. Indeed Gods
Kingdom was reigning in their midst. These same people found it heartening and liberating and they
gathered around Jesus bonded in faith and adherence to follow him in discipleship and experience a
more meaningful and a fuller humanity.
The formation of the Christian Church cannot be known well apart from Jesus himself and the
good news that he proclaimed to people the coming of the kingdom of God for it is the basis of the
zeal, hope and faith of the first disciples who formed themselves into a community and adhered to live
the ideals of Jesus and his message of the kingdom.
Etymological Meaning
The word church is taken from Greek word, ecclesia, which means originally an assembly or
groupings of people. The word, however, had no religious undertone. This word was adopted by the
Septuagint (the Greek version of the Old Testament) to render the Hebrew word kahal, which signifies
the religious assembly of people Israel. Later, the early Christians simply took it over to apply their
household gatherings or sometimes to a Christian community in a specific locality, for example in
Corinth. Thereafter, the word applied to the Christian community as a whole, the Universal Church as
we call it now.
Jesus and the Kingdom of God
Being a Jew himself, Jesus was so aware that the people have really been longing for Gods
definitive action in the course of their history and existence particularly in their clamor for justice and
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liberation. They were hoping that God would reign supreme again as a King in their midst particularly
in the presence of the Romans. He clearly understood his mission and that is, to proclaim the good
news of the Kingdom. Luke 4:18-19 is an important account in our understanding of Jesus because in
it he explicitly declared his mission:
to bring good news to the poor
to proclaim liberty to captives and
to give new sight to the blind
to free the oppressed
and announce the Lords year of mercy.
It is mentioned clearly in the text that the beneficiaries of Jesus announcement of the good
news of the kingdom were the poor, the captives, the blind, the oppressed and the marginalized people
who are at the fringes of society. This option preferentially for the poor, which is born out of his love
and compassion for them, reflects the situation of his society and his time which was characterized by
an oppressive structure that perpetuate the marginalization of the poor from the privileged found at the
center of the society.
The Kingdom is indeed an experience of liberation particularly for the poor. It is good news for
them for it is only their source of hope. It is an experience of salvation an experience of a fuller and
meaningful life (Neo, et. al., 1995). Jesus mere presence is indeed a manifestation that God is so close
to them and is always at their side, a compassionate God. This experience is depicted in the following
texts:
on healing
- Mk. 2:1-12, Lk. 17:11-19
on forgiveness
- Lk. 7:36-50
on relationship with the sinners, the poor
and the outcasts
- Lk. 15:2, Mk. 2:15-16,
Lk. 19: 1-10, Lk. 14:12-13
This Kingdom is concretely realized and manifested in the life of Jesus. His person is a
concrete manifestation of the good news that this Kingdom brings. In it we can experience liberation
and fullness and a meaningful life. The Kingdom is not therefore a territory or a place that one can
enter but rather a new condition or a new way of life.
The Kingdom is realized when people accept Jesus wholly into their lives. This acceptance is
manifested in a free response in faith. This marks a total turning from ones old life to the newness of
life in Jesus (~conversio). Thus, accepting Jesus means accepting his values, teachings, his ideals and
vision of reality. It is a free action to become Jesus disciples. The Kingdom is within the persons
(Neo, et. al., 1995). This personal dimension of the Kingdom is described in the parable of the pearl of
the great price and the parable of the treasure.
However, the Kingdom is not just a reality within a person. Acceptance of Jesus in discipleship
should be made visible in our relationship with others and the society. The Kingdom cannot be
confined only within us. It is basically relationship as God has tried to reach us in and through Jesus.
Concretely, the kingdom invites us to be concerned with the needs of others particularly the poor and
to become vigilant toward situations and structures that perpetuate injustices and oppressions in our
society. That is why, Mt. 5: 13-16 points out that disciples who have accepted the Kingdom become
light and salt of the earth.
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Jesus Laid Down the Foundation of the Church

In his preaching Jesus never mentioned of selecting a group that would constitute his plan of
establishing a church or a sect. There were plenty of such groups in his time. For example, the
Essenes, a community of monks living at Qumran, near the Dead Sea, called themselves the holy
remnants of Gods elect, the chosen community of the new covenant. Though, in his preaching of the
coming of the kingdom of God, Jesus could not avoid dealing with a vital problem of an eschatological
people of God, a chosen group of people in the end time. While he was painfully aware of a decisive
and divisive effect of such message, he never based his preaching on the idea of the holy remnant, as
other groups of his time addressed themselves (Kung, 1967). Jesus preoccupation was to make the
will of God concretely manifested to all kinds of people regardless of classes, beliefs, races and
cultures. His compassion for the sinners (prostitutes, tax collectors, Samaritans, etc.) signifies the
inclusive character of his words and deeds which for Jewish authorities are scandalous. He was so
aware that his mission is not for the just, the righteous, the pure, but for everybody particularly
those who are at the disadvantaged position in Israel, which his indirect way of gathering back Israel as
a new whole. The calling of the Twelve is not a contradiction of Jesus action; it is the calling of Israel
as a whole. Jesus did invite this Twelve and they responded and bound to follow and to witness His
life. There was no specific rule of life or membership. They lived in mutual sharing of life. There was
no account of whatsoever of Jesus instituting a church as if he had with him a plan or a blueprint
of founding it.
Jesus manifested the Kingdom of God in his person and in his deeds as he promised its full
realization in the future. His proclamation of the Kingdom was decisive for it entailed decision that his
contemporaries should make at that moment. Understandably, as a prominent figure of contradictions
in the sight of the Jewish religious authorities, he had invited criticisms and had drawn a line between
those who were against him and those who responded in faith in his message. For him, these people
who responded to his call of discipleship were already participating in the future community of
salvation at the end time in which they already belonged. Jesus called this group a new people of God
which is not based on ethnic origins, rather, is based on his life. The event in the Last Supper would
best illustrate the scenario of the development and emergence of this church in the future. His
disciples will gather together again after his death and resurrection and will do the same to remember
his selfless life offering for everyone through the breaking of the bread. The common experience of a
personal communion with the Risen Christ in the communal meals will strengthen them more to
proclaim that indeed Jesus is alive and who is to come soon.
This group of men and women in faith in the resurrection of the Crucified Jesus and in the
expectation of the realization of the coming of the Kingdom of God and the return of the Risen Christ
in glory, the Church came into existence. In his life and mission, Jesus laid down the foundation of the
Church. It is, thus, apt to say that the concept Church has emerged after Jesus resurrection (postresurrection). The event that happened in the Pentecost Sunday (Acts 2:1ff.), was a signal and an
inauguration of the existence of the Church, concretely experienced as a community of disciples.
It marked the moment when the outpouring of the Spirit of the Risen Christ and power became
concrete realities for the disciples. They experienced themselves as Spirit-filled and transformed
community as they were sent to all nations to proclaim the good news that Jesus preached. From being
frightened and insignificant they became courageous and zealous bearers of Jesus life and mission.
This event made the life of the early church changed and it has dawned the world with a new
perspective at realities, a new life and a new order to the humanity.
The Life-Core Patterns of the Early Christian Community
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The life exemplified by the early Christian community showed certain patterns that our Church
in the history tried to follow. These would only reveal how the Apostles of Jesus made influence into
the life of the early believers and succeeded in building on foundation Jesus had laid in his life and
mission. The following life-core patterns are deduced from Acts 2:42-47;
Kerygma (Proclamation)
The Apostles spoke so much with intensity, like Jesus, the good news of salvation that Jesus
brings to their life. That through him, who had been crucified, raised from the dead and was exalted
and glorified, the Kingdom of God was truly reigning! This is good news for them for God is very
much present in their history in and through Jesus person. By this, the Apostles developed further
instruction (didache) that matters the faith and worship of the believers.
Koinonia (Community)
The early Christians gathered themselves together and formed into a community of faith.
They shared common belief that in Jesus they may experience a meaningful life and shared his inner
life with one another in fellowship and in worship. There was a communal sharing of properties.
Diakonia (Service)
Like Jesus, they, too, performed good deeds. Faith in Jesus was a matter of deeds, not merely
of words. They lived out Jesus demand of being humble servant to one another.
Leitourgia (Worship)
In their private gatherings, they always celebrated the breaking of the bread as a form of
worship that Jesus had bequeathed them as remembrance of his selfless life offering for all. This
celebration is the life-core of the community. Through which, all other life-core patterns are united
and find expression. It is a celebration of offering to God who they are and what they do.
Points to Remember:
1. The formation of the Christian Church cannot be known well apart from Jesus himself and the
good news that he proclaimed to people the coming of the kingdom of God.
2. Kingdom is a master-symbol that expressed Gods involvement in the history of Israel. Jesus
clearly understood it as his mission to proclaim the goodnews it brings to the people.
3. The Kingdom is indeed an experience of liberation particularly for the poor. It is an experience
of salvation an experience of a fuller and meaningful life.
4. This Kingdom is concretely realized and manifested in the life of Jesus. His person is a
concrete manifestation of the good news that this Kingdom brings. The Kingdom is realized
when people accept Jesus wholly into their lives. But it is not just a reality within a person.
Acceptance of Jesus in discipleship should be made visible in our relationship with others and
the society.
5. Jesus did not implicitly found the Church as if he had a blueprint for it. The calling of the
Twelve is not a contradiction of his action, it is the calling of Israel as a whole a symbolic
action of trying to gather backs Israel. Jesus did invite this Twelve and they responded and
binded to follow and to witness his life. There was no specific rule of life or membership.
They lived in mutual sharing of life. There was no account stating Jesus instituted a church.
6. The event that happened in the Pentecost Sunday (Acts 2:1-18, 36-41) where the disciples were
filled with the Spirit of the Risen Christ, was a signal and an inauguration of the existence of
the Church, concretely experienced as a community of disciples.
7. The life-core patterns of the early Christian community are the following: instruction
(kerygma), community (koinonia), service (diakonia), and worship (leitourgia).
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The early Christian Church is a community of disciples

B. Church in History: Birth and Growth of the Church, the Christian Community
The journey of the people is the journey of the Church. The gospels report on every page that
the essence of Jesus' sermon on salvation was the cheerful message of the Kingdome of heaven
( Franzen, p.4). This message is a call for celebration among the followers of Jesus to preach and
proclaim its authentic content. This message lives in a particular situation time and historical settings.
The framework of the Church, which was established (indirectly) by Jesus and handed upon to the
apostles, finds itself in historical and political upheavals. The Church in history is not static nor a
passive evolutions of mare data's and personalities but rather it is a historical process that certainly
lives in the hearts and minds of people who are both thirsty and excited, waiting patiently for the
Kingdom to come. It is not a mere history of Kings, Popes but of peoples' history who continue to live
and re-live the life of Christ amidst the challenges and difficulties of life historical situation. It is a
journeying Church who looks forward for change and directions for its people. It is a walking Church
in the struggle and hope of God's people. It is a listening Church that carefully deliberates issues that
concerns about her flock. It is a Church in action that defends its people from the powerful brought
about by political, social, religious and cultural domination, oppression. It is a Church that responds to
the call and signs of the time. It is not Church history but a Church in history.
This chapter does not categorically present all the historical perspective of the church nor it will
labor on basic historical proponents but merely take a glimpse on the Church that journeys throughout
the lives of its people. It will not be seen from an Historian point of view but from the optic of an
educator who merely sees the Church in History. The division of this Chapter is based on the writers
look at the church as a figure in molding perspectives attune with God's missionthe coming of the
Kingdom. There might be some important details that must be seen and read on this chapter but we are
just mere looking on simple identity, characteristics and how the church emerged from its original
Jewish context and developed into a worldwide phenomenon.
Graeco-Roman Period (1st 7th Centuries)
Christianity in Foreign Land...
Jesus mission was extended to the gentiles. The apostles carried among themselves the task of
proclaiming the good news. And in doing so, people from different places found their proclamation of
the good news heartening and lived the ideals of Jesus the Christ. These missionary zeal of the apostles
gave rise to Jesus movement (Kee, 1998). Paul, an astute follower of Christ, brought Christianity
further to the Gentile countries. Regardless of their culture, Jews and non-Jews adhered to live in this
new community. Because of this, the followers had to interpret the message about him in the language
and cultural form of the Hellenistic time. Various perceptions about Jesus were told. This movement
had encountered various difficulties with regard to their teachings. Issues and conflicts about the nature
of this movement or community and its teachings stirred passions of debates among the followers. To
resolve the conflicts and heresies, council of bishops have to be called upon and the Church doctrines
have to be clearly defined to answer false teachings (see councils for some specific heresies that
Church had settled to answer).
Gold Tested in Fire: Persecution
At first the Roman authorities did not so much pay attention to the increasing number of the
movement, but long before Christians began to become the target of extraordinary persecution. A
series of persecution began with Nero as the Roman emperor in the year 67. It is believed that Peter
and Paul were both killed in Rome during the persecution of Nero. But one of the worst of these was
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that of Diocletian. Christians endured and even more became bolder of their adherence to the faith as
if it was like a gold tested in fire.
Constantine and the Edict of Milan (313)
Constantine succeeded Diocletian and he brought along with him his Christian mother who
later influenced him in most remarkable decision. Through the Edict of Milan (313), he granted
Christianity a legal status and aligned even himself with the Church. He became an instant supporter of
the Christians even to the point that anybody who is not a Christian at his time deserves to die.
Christianity became a symbol of power. The subjugation of Christianity to power created an immense
problem among its followers such as, power struggles among its heads and impending divisions among
its people. We saw a Church from being a loose movement to a Church to having accorded with power
and privileges. Hence, Christianity became the religion of the state.
The next centuries brought forth some extraordinary Christian figures. The so-called fathers
of the Church began to embark on extraordinary scholarship on behalf of the Church. Jerome (ca. 345420), a monk, was the one who translated the Bible from its original version into Latin. This
translation is called Vulgate, which was later recognized as the official translation of the Church.
Augustine is also one of them. He was from Northern Africa. His life in excesses and pleasures
became the context of his theology, which is found in his writings, the City of God and Confessions,
that even to this day still influential. He then became the bishop of Hippo.
Monasticism
As Christianity became a legal religion, masses of people were baptized, yet it lost much of its
original identity. But for others, there are some ways to go back to the covenantal identity of the
church. Some of the devout Christians went ahead to form a new community and dedicated themselves
to God alone. They "fled from the World" (fuga mundi) and cloistered their days with prayer,
meditations and work. They continue to fulfill the work of the disciples by living a life of simplicity
and penance. This gave the rise of Monasticism. St. Anthony of Egypt is credited as the founder of this
new movement and St. Benedict made structure into it by establishing a community of monks at Monte
Cassino. The monks were governed with a written rule of life, a common prayer and strenuous manual
labor (ora et labora). By copying the works of the fathers of the Church and the classics of western
civilization, the monks kept alive this tradition in an age in which the Roman empire was crumbling.
By the 9th century the monasteries had become the centers of learning and their abbots were powerful
men.
The Dominance of Church in the West (7th 13th Centuries)
The Germanization of the Church
The effect of the entrance of the young German people into the Church was significantly
strong and influential (Franzen, 1968). They destroyed the culture and civilization of the Roman
empire. For nearly two centuries they continued to practice their pagan custom and morals. During the
second epoch, Boniface and Charlemagne created the necessary conditions for the development of
Western Christianity by helping to establish the union between the Universal Roman Church and the
Kingdom of Franks. The two helped the Church by Germanizing the organizational forms of
Christianity such as agrarian structure, the sharp separation of classes into lower and higher clergy
favored an aristocratic rule in the church, right of the landowners, development of Christian
knighthood.
This century was a great and exciting time which found an elevated expression in the
wonderful work of Roman and Gothic world.
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Monastic orders continue to flourish; the convent was the center of true religion. The monks
make earnest with their religion and put it into zealous practice.
East and West Schism
The two great centers of Christianity were Rome (west) and Constantinople (east). They are
separated by theology and politics. Those in the east oftenly resented the Romans claims to primacy.
The crowning of Charlemagne as the Holy Roman Emperor in the year 800 brought about a great
resentment from the east. There was a time that Michael Cerularius, patriarch of Constantinople
refused to accept the authority of the pope. Another followed one bad decision. Diplomatic relations
failed. Despite repeated attempts at reconciliation, all hope was lost after the fourth crusade in which
the city of Constantinople was sacked by armies representing western Christianity. The result was the
break that divides the Roman and Orthodox churches to this day.
Gregorian Reform
The Churchs connection with the state became so influential in which the Church became
increasingly corrupted by secular forces. Ecclesiastical offices were bought (know as simony). Wealth
was the matter of the day not faith. Church property was passed on to the children of priests or bishops
(celibacy was not yet mandatory in the Church), and secular rulers appointed bishops. The authority of
the pope over the Church had virtually disappeared. Pope Gregory VII came into the mess with a great
determination to reform the Church. He strengthened the structure of the institution and added more
power to the pope. Under his papacy, the church developed many offices under his office (known as
curia). With Gregory VII as pope, the papacy was granted extraordinary powers within the Church,
which were further developed by Innocent III. These reforms also gave rise to the dominance of the
code of the canon law. The rules of the Church were strictly codified in the canon law for the purpose
of clarity in legal terms. The Church was defined more in institutional terms with the pope as the
supreme head and the laity and priests in totally subservient roles.
As historians would always say, these were some of the best and the worst days in the history of
the Church. The inquisition, under the Innocent III, began its terrible chapter in Churchs history. In
this dark time of the Church, there was a bit bright ray of hope in the persons of these two great men
St. Francis (d. 1226) and St. Dominic (d. 1221). They both manifested powerful signs of what
Christian life was truly meant to be and both founded orders of men interested in living the gospel in
its pristine simplicity: life of poverty, prayer, preaching and service. Moreover, these orders had
dawned the Church for theological renewal led by the Dominicans, Albert the Great and Thomas of
Aquinas and the Franciscans, Bonaventure and Duns Scotus.
The Avignon Exile
The power of the papacy came to a halt in 1303. Pope Boniface VIII had issued a statement
(called as bull, Unam Sanctam) declaring his authority over the French government. This led to his
arrest by the order of the French king, Philip the IV. After the date of the pope, a French bishop and a
friend of the king, was elected pope. He took the name Clement V. He moved his residence from
Rome to Avignon in Southern France. Many French cardinals were appointed in his papacy, and they
in turn elected another Frenchman as pope, John XXII, who moved all the papal offices to Avignon. At
least seven French popes lived in Avignon from 1309 to 1377. The papal concern became more with
finances and taxation. The popes lived in extravagance.
The end of the Avignon papacy and the return to Rome was a gradual process under the papacy
of Gregory XI who was influenced by an extraordinary woman of her time, St. Catherine of Siena.
This was also the time of the beginning of further internal conflicts in the west.
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Great Western Schisms and the Transition to a Wider Mission (13th- 19th Centuries)
Three Popes (???)
Division seems normally happen to a church that does not focus herself to her true mission but
to the self-vested power. The Great western Schisms were the aftermath of this reality. This was lasted
from 1378-1417. Urban VI who was elected as pope at that time elicited a firm reaction from the
French cardinals when in turn elected among themselves Robert of Geneva as the Anti Pope Clement
VII. France, Scotland and Spain gave their allegiance to Clement VII. Urban VI was supported by
England, Italy, Hungary, Poland and Germany (Lovasik, 1986). They both ex-communicated each
other. A council was held at Pisa, seeking to choose a compromise candidate and unify the Church.
Instead, the two popes already refused to let go of their authority, and then there were three popes.
Emperor Sigismund mediated the war within the Church and called a council to meet at Constance.
There, Martin V was elected pope.
The Dawn is here...
From 14th century and the first half of the 16th century, there was a great development the
happened in the entire world. This was the Renaissance Age. There were so much changes in
theology, philosophy, literature and the arts. The spirit of liberation and changes stirred the air. Also
great maritime cities sprang up along the coast of Italy (Lovasik, 1986) which led to the easy transport
of knowledge from one place another. Teachings and moral precepts of the church were put to
question. New discoveries curiously inspired new philosophies and ideas (Humanism).
One thing is perfectly clear at this very time: the Church was badly in need of reform.
Unfortunately, those in the Church with all the power to lead a reform seemed to be unable and have a
little interest in this regard. With the hindsight provided by history we can see some of the reforms that
were necessary in the Church: (1) the need to return to the message of the Gospel, (2) the need for
reform in spirituality, (3) reform in the papacy, (4) reform within ecclesiastical offices, and (5) and the
relationship of the Church with secular governments.
The Reformation
Into the midst of this crisis stepped one of the most important figures of western Christianity,
Martin Luther. He was a Roman Catholic priest and monk who was devoutly religious. On October
1517 he posted his now famous Ninety-Five Theses on the door of the castle church at Wittenberg.
Luther just saw himself as a reformer not an ambitious one seeking a new form of Christianity. The
attempt of dialogue between him and Church officials was not a successful one. Later, he hardened his
position and so the Church. He was ex-communicated from the Church on January 3, 1520 and was
protected by German royalty. His theology spread rapidly. The following are his beliefs:
1. Salvation comes from faith alone (sola fide). In no way did a person merit his or her eternal
life with God through good works. It was grace alone that brought salvation.
2. The Bible is the sole authority (sola Scriptura) in the life of the Christian. While the
Church traditions may be helpful, they are secondary to the Bible.
3. Luther recognized only two sacraments as having a biblical basis: the Eucharist and
Baptism. He believed that the mass should be said in the language of the people. He did
not believe in the celibacy for priests since it was not in the Bible.
4. He discredited all intermediaries between God and the believer. Thus there was no need for
the rosary, prayers to saints, statues of saints, indulgences, etc.
5. He emphasized the role of the laity in the Church and believed that all should have access
to reading Gods word.
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6. Because of his belief in the Bible, he stressed the importance of preaching.

Luther was not alone in seeking reform in the Church. In
Switzerland, Ulrich Zwingli was starting to get the Church back to its biblical roots and away from
any beliefs not rooted in the Bible. In France, John Calvin was well known with his teaching
concerning predestination. Meanwhile in England, the reform was not so much on matter of doctrines
rather on vested interest of Henry VIII when the pope did not allow him divorce his wife. And so he
declared himself head of the Church in England and along with most of the bishops of the country set
himself against Rome. This marked the beginning of the Anglican Church.
The Counter-Reformation
Not to be left out unable to defend herself, the Catholic Church fought a furious intellectual and
faith battle against the reformation the Counter-Reformation. The Catholic Church felt that the
emerging protest wrought havoc to its center and portal. A program of reform is necessary to reevaluate the position of the Church. On 1537, an ecumenical council was convened to draw up eminent
changes and affirmation of doctrines in the Catholic Church. The Council of Trent clarified church
doctrines and condemned the corresponding errors of the reformers. The following principal doctrines
were redefined and refined by the Council of Trent (Lovasik, 1986):
1. The basis of faith is contained in both scripture and tradition.
2. All the books of the bible are to be regarded as inspired by
the almighty God.
3. The sole infallible interpreter of the sacred Scripture is the
Catholic church founded by Jesus Christ.
4. Faith and good works are both necessary for salvation.
5. Christ instituted each of the 7 sacraments.
6. The mass is both a sacrament and sacrifice.
7. All Church doctrines are contained in the deposit of Divine Revelation and are integral part
of the religion founded by Jesus Christ.
The Council of Trent inspired a period of reform within the Catholic Church that was badly
needed. The question remained as to why Church came only after she had been attacked vigorously by
the reformation movements. Even at Trent the Church still remained at the defensive stance, instead of
discerning where did she go wrong. Trent defined the life of the Catholic Church for the next three
hundred years.
Missions
To add a new fervor in the Church, missionary expansionism began. In an effort to evangelize
people, the Church sent many missionaries to be the herald of the good news. Spain and Portugal
spearheaded these navigations. The treaty of Tordesillas signed by these two countries affirmed their
domination and divided the world into two. They installed bishoprics in their subjugated territories,
baptized and gave the natives a Christian name. It was also the time of oppressions and conquest
bringing with them the wisdom and the truth of the gospel; the conquistadors used it as a form of
manipulation and justified it by using the name of the church.
The Church in the Industrial and Technological Age (19th-20th Centuries)
The Enlightenment
The intellectual and religious upheavals that had swept over Europe during the fifteenth and
sixteenth centuries (the renaissance, the reformation and the counter-reformation) helped gave rise to a
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period known as the Enlightenment. The thinkers of the enlightenment placed great value on human
thought as a science. All things that can be known are things which can be observed and studied. The
human mind cannot know anything about spiritual realm of existence. Voltaire, a French
philosopher, summed up the line of thought of the time: What our eyes and mathematics demonstrate,
we must take as true. In all the rest, we can only say: We are ignorant. For some thinkers,
Christianity had to be rejected as a religion of revelation and authority. Likewise, for them, the mind
was the only true authority. These thinkers opened the world with great optimism on our humanity
our human capacity to think and be creative. This line of thinking threatened not only the institutions
of the society but the Church as well for an obvious reason it undermined much of the authority of
the Church and its basis the Divine Revelation.
The enlightenment movement produced a significant turn of event, the French Revolution.
The Church was seen as an element of an old order of power, which need to be toppled. The Church
underwent extraordinary persecution during this revolution. This brought to an eventual end to the
hierarchical and feudal patterns of relationships which Churchs authorities had been enjoying. It did
so at a terrible cost.
Vatican I
After many years of persecutions and setbacks, the Church slowly climbed back to the ladder to
make a considerable turn around. The most important Church figure during this period was Pope Pius
IX whose reign encompassed such noteworthy events such as the definition of the Dogma of the
Immaculate Conception, publication of the "syllabus of errors," and the calling of Vatican I. This
ecumenical council took place between 1869-1870, which finally ensured and defined the primacy and
the infallibility of the Pope. The Pope is infallible in matters of faith and morals upon which he speaks
"ex-cathedra." The "syllabus of errors" condemned rationalism, modernism, socialism and
communism.
The Industrial Revolution
The nineteenth century was best characterized as the age of industrialization. Breakthroughs in
technology had re-created the affairs of the world. The world began to work in new and different
ways. Sources of wealth of the society were controlled by the few and the masses of workers had
terrible wages and working conditions. Karl Marx, the thinker behind communism, came into this
midst. He criticized the prevailing economic order, Capitalism with its abuses and excesses as the
source of alienation and oppression of workers. He, thus, thought of a socialist order in which a
worker contributes according to his ability and receives according to his need. Religion, for Marx,
functioned as an escape of the real condition of the human person. It was him who said that religion is,
the opium of the people.
Amidst the challenges of the times, Pope Leo XIII, who was very much concerned with the
realities affecting the human person, wrote an encyclical called Rerum Novarum. In this encyclical he
encouraged the development of trade unions, as well as just wages and working conditions. He
criticized both extreme capitalism and extreme socialism. In one way or another, the pope conditioned
the Church to become more involved in the quest for social justice.
The Twentieth Century
During this period the Church has involved itself to a wide spectrum of affairs. It began
condemning modernism, which was an intellectual movement that sought to bring some of the
principles of the enlightenment to Christian faith. Later, however, the Church became open to modern
ideas. There was a significant development in the areas of liturgy, biblical studies, ecumenism and
social justice. Perhaps in the first half of the century there was an important encyclical called Divino
15

Afflante Spiritu, written by Pope Pius XII, which opened the doors for modern scholarship in Scripture
and which effects are still being felt today.
Another major action that the Church had taken was its war against communism particularly of
its atheistic and materialistic doctrines.
The most significant highlight of the century was the Second Vatican Council. It is considered
by many historians to be the most important event in the Church history since the reformation.
Because of its historical significance, we will deal with it on the next part.
_______________________
The Church became hierarchical and monarchial at one point of our history but she did struggle
a lot to go back to its original mission of service. The Church at that certain times discriminated and
oppressed its people because of power bestowed on her by turn of events, but by now the Church
continue to journey with her people toward the realization of the Kingdom of God here and now. The
Church is still in journey and will always be...
_________________________________________________________________________
FAMOUS DATES IN CHRISTIAN HISTORY
Each event has an important meaning and reminder for the present.
c. 30 Jesus is crucified by the Romans; the Holy Spirit descends upon the apostles.
c. 36 The conversion of Saul (Paul) of Tarsus. Christianitys first great thinker and missionary
c. 50 The Council of Jerusalem; apostles meet in Jerusalem and free the Gentile Christians from
the demand of circumcision.
c. 67 Persecution of church by Nero.
c. 70 Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus.
c. 70 100 Writing of the Gospels
c. 95 312 Various persecution of the church by different Roman emperors
c. 312 The conversion of the emperor Constantine; Christianity is granted legitimate status by
the Edict of Milan
c. 325 Nicea: the first great ecumenical council affirms the divinity of Jesus against the heresy
of Arianism
c. 400 Jerome translates the Bible into Latin (called the Vulgate)
c. 431 Death of Agustine of Hippo, one of the most influential thinkers in the history of the
church
c. 451 The council of Chalcedon declares that Jesus is the Second person of the Trinity with
both a human and divine nature
c. 529 Benedict establishes a monastery at Monte Cassino and begins the influence of
monasticism in the west
c. 590-604 Pope Gregory the Great establishes the power of the pope as a model for the next
seven hundred years
c. 800 Pope Leo III crowns Charlemagne emperor of the Holy Roman Empire
c. 1054 Schism between Constantinople (Orthodox) and Rome reaches final climax
c. 1231 Pope Gregory IX authorizes the papal inquisition as a means of dealing with heresy
c. 1309-77 The popes live in Avignon, France
c. 1517 Martin Luther nails his 95 theses to the door of the Witttenberg church; beginning the
protestant reformation
c. 1545-63 The Council of Trent begins a new era in the history of the Catholic Church called
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the counter-reformation
c. 1789 The French revolution marks the beginning of the end of the privileged church in
Europe and the new era of enlightenment.
c. 1869-70 The First Vatican Council declares the infallibility of the pope
c. 1891 Pope Leo XIII issues the encyclical Rerum Novarum defending the rights of workers in
the midst of the industrial revolution
__________________________________________________________________________
Councils
Councils are necessary to understand in order for us to grasp some theological knowledge and
teachings. It is also a venue where some heretical teachings are corrected and re-interpreted of
necessity. Only a very general statement can here be made of the various actions of the councils and we
limit this to the more important doctrinal questions.
1. First Council of Nicea (AD 325)
The First ecumenical council of the Church (oppossed to the heresy of Arius). It declares the
divinity of God the Son to be one substance and one nature with that of God the Father. From this
council, the church formulated the Nicene Creed.
2. Council of Constantinople (AD 381)
It is a deliberate answer against the Heresy of Apollinarianism (denied the Godhead of the Holy
Spirit). The council declared the words inserted in the Nicene Creed declaring the truth that the
Holy Spirit proceeded from both the Father and Son.
3. Council of Ephesus (431)
The 3rd general council of the church defined the catholic dogma that the blessed Virgin Mary is the
mother of God (Theotokos) and presented the teaching of the truth of one Divine person in Christ.
It is against the Heresy of Nestorius (The Man Jesus is separated from the World).
4. Council of Chalcedon (AD 451)
This council affirms the two nature of Christ (Human and Divine). It is an answer against the
Monophysite Heresy (Christ human nature was completely absorbed by One Divine Person).
5. Council of Constantinople (AD 553)
It simply re-affirmed the dogma stated by the 3 rd and 4rth general councils. It condemns the
writings of Theodore Mopsuestria.
6. The third Council of Constantinople (AD 680)
This council gave the definition of two wills in Christ as the true
teaching against the Monothelite Heresy (Claimed only one will).
6. The Second Council of Nicaea ( AD 757)
The council defined the veneration due to sacred images.
7. The Fourth Council of Constantinople (AD 869)
This was a sort of a Disciplinary council dismissing Photium
and restored Ignatius. This council healed the threat of schism
which was separating the east and Rome.
8. The first Council of Lateran (AD 1123)
The Lateran is the cathedral Basilica of Rome. It was convened to confirm the peace between
the church and state to give final settlement to the problem of investiture between Emperor
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Henry V and the Holy see.

9.

The Second Council of Lyons (AD 1274)

This was an effort made by Gregory X to bring about the union between the East and the
West. It also defined that the Holy Spirit proceeds eternally from the Father and the Son.
The discipline governing the election of the Pope was formulated.

10. Council of Constance (1414-1418)

this council described the very nature of transubstantiation (that the entirety of Jesus Christ
is present under both or either species).
11. The Council of Ferrara-Florence (1438-1439)
This council defined that the Holy Apostolic See and Roman pontiff hold the primacy over
all the world, the Roman Pontiff is the successor of Peter, The Vicar, father and Teacher of
all Christians.
12. Council of Trent (1545-Paul III 1563 Pius IV)
Doctrine of Original sin defined, including penance and extreme unction, censorship of the
books was adopted, decrees of Purgatory and indulgences adopted
13. The First Vatican Council (1869-1870)
It discusses the most important decree: Primacy of the Pope and Papal infallibility.
14. The Second Vatican Council II (1962-1965)
Several important constitutions and decrees were promulgated, the most far reaching being
the Constitution of the sacred Liturgy.
__________________________________________________
Second Vatican Council
There was much talk of reform in the Church and some small signs that it was on its way.
However, when Pope Pius XII died in 1958, little did the Church know that it was about to embark on
a new era of its history. The election of Angelo Roncalli as the new pope was seen as a choice of
moderation. He chose the name John XXIII, and from the beginning he gave a new direction to the
papacy. He described himself as a shepherd and a priest. He visited the sick, the elderly and those in
prison. Perhaps most importantly, John XXIII believed in the goodness of the world and in the
possibilities of progress.
John XXIII was an optimist. He saw in human progress the hand of God. He believed that the
Church must open itself up to the modern world. He also believed that the divisions of the church
brought about in history by the schism of east and west and the reformation were a scandal. Vatican II
was to be different. Its purpose was not to condemn, but to build up and renew and help the church
face the challenges of the twentieth century.
The Second Vatican Council met in four sessions from 1962 through 1965. The sessions
generally went from October to the beginning of December. Those who came to the council included
all bishops throughout the world and their advisors. Observers were welcomed from the laity and from
the Protestant and Eastern Orthodox churches.
Pope John XXIII dies in June 1963 between the first and second sessions. Paul VI who
continued the council succeeded him, and under his leadership not only its work but also its spirit was
maintained.
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The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (also known as Lumen Gentium) is one of the most
important documents of the Council. This document describes the very nature and meaning of the
Church.
Since the Second Vatican Council different theological concepts, descriptions, and images of
the Church have developed. Some are the result of the Councils own deliberations, others emerged
out of the experience of very concrete situations in which the Church finds herself today. It can be
seen that a theology of Church has emerged that reflects definite changes in political, social,
philosophical and religious thinking.
Marks of the Church (Essential Characteristics of the Church)
(Source: http://www.catholic-pages.com/church/marks.asp)
We know that Our Lord established a Church before He ascended into Heaven. He made St
Peter the head of that Church. But does that Church still exist? There are so many Churches that call
themselves Christian ... are they all the true Church? Is only one of them? Which one?
Most true Christians accept as the basis of their faith those truths set forth in the Nicene Creed.
It is in that Creed that we learn the true marks (or indicia) of the True Church of Christ.
The True Church is ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC and APOSTOLIC.
Only the Roman Catholic Church can validly claim all four marks. It is the Roman Catholic
Church which has always been and continues to be that Church which Jesus Himself established
almost 2000 years ago.
The Catholic Church is ONE
There is only one Christian Church, united in faith, in worship and in in succession from the
Apostles themselves. For the Church is the Body of Christ Himself, and so is whole and one as Christ's
Body is whole and one. Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church promulgated by the
Fathers of the Second Vatican Council, states that:
"The sole Church of Christ [is that] which our Saviour, after His Resurrection, entrusted to
Peter's pastoral care, commissioning him and the other apostles to extend and rule it .... This Church,
constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in the Catholic Church, which is
governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him."
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that:
"The Church is one: she acknowledges one Lord, confesses one faith, is born of one Baptism,
forms only one Body, is given life by one Spirit, for the sake of one hope, at whose fulfilment all
divisions will be overcome."
Of course, it is a sad fact that in the course of its history, rifts have arisen in the Church,
sometimes leading whole groups of the faithful to separate from the Church. This is a scandal,
unpleasing to God. Our Lord wishes that "all may be one" and it is the duty of all Christians to strive
towards and pray earnestly for that day when all Christians will be united in the Lord.
This does not, however, mean that a proliferation of denominations means the Catholic Church
is not one. In fact, all those separated from the Catholic Church remain part of her, in a mysterious
way. All those who receive Christian baptism belong to the Catholic Church! We all look forward with
hope to the day when we will share a meal together at the one banquet table in the presence of Our
Lord.
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The Catholic Church is HOLY

Lumen Gentium states further that:
"The Church ... is held, as a matter of faith, to be unfailingly holy. This is because Christ, the
Son of God, who with the Father and the Spirit is hailed as "alone holy", loved the Church as his Bride,
giving himself up for her so as to sanctify her; he joined her to himself as his body and endowed her
with the gift of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God."
The Church, then, is perfect and holy, the spotless bride of Christ, the undefiled Body of Christ
Himself, filled with the Holy Spirit.
The mysterious paradox is that the Church is holy and perfect, even though she is made of
imperfect sinners!
The Church is holy: the Most Holy God is her author; Christ, her bridegroom, gave himself up
to make her holy; the Spirit of holiness gives her life. Since she still includes sinners, she is "the sinless
one made up of sinners". Her holiness shines in the saints; in Mary she is already all-holy."
--Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church is CATHOLIC
"Catholic" in this sense is the "small-c" "catholic", which means "universal". The Church can
be found in St Peter's Basilica, in a suburban parish church, in a group of faithful in the Amazon
Jungle. But being one in faith and communion with the Church in Rome makes this Church a universal
collection of those "particular Churches". Particular Churches fall to the care of Bishops, the pastors of
the faithful and successors of the Apostles. Their communion with each other and with the Bishop of
Rome makes the Catholic Church truly universal.
Pope Paul VI in his encyclical, Evangelii Nuntiandi, states:
"Let us be very careful not to conceive of the universal Church as the simple sum, or ... the
more or less anomolous federation of essentially different particular churches. In the mind of the Lord
the Church is universal by vocation and mission, but when she puts down her roots in a variety of
cultural, social, and human terrains, she takes on different external expressions and appearances in
each part of the world."
"The Church is catholic: she proclaims the fulness of the faith. She bears in herself and
administers the totality of the means of salvation. She is sent out to all peoples. She speaks to all men.
She encompasses all times. She is "missionary by her very nature".
--Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church is APOSTOLIC
The Catholic Church validly claims succession from the Apostles themselves. All bishops of
the Catholic Church are ordained by bishops who themselves were ordained by bishops who
themselves were ordained ... and so on ... who themselves were ordained by the Apostles. This passing
on of the authority and mission of the Apostles throughout time is guided by the Holy Spirit who
descended on the Apostles at Pentecost and remains with the Church guiding Her until the Lord comes
again.
Other Churches, no longer in communion with the Church of Rome, have also maintained
Apostolic Succession. The Orthodox Churches, certain of the bishops of the Anglican Communion and
the bishops of the Society of St Pius X, although not in communion with Rome, have maintained this
succession from the Apostles by ensuring that only bishops in the Apostolic Succession may ordain
other bishops after the group has separated from Rome.
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"The Church is apostolic. She is built on a lasting foundation: "the twelve apostles of the
Lamb". She is indestructible. She is upheld infallibly in the truth: Christ governs her through Peter and
the other apostles, who are present in their successors, the Pope and the college of bishops.
--Catechism of the Catholic Church
III. WITNESSING: Doing a New Way of Being a Church in the Philippines
The preceding chapter led us to discern and study what the church is from the standpoint of
Scipture (New Testament), History and the Teaching of the Church (in Vatican II) so we can draw up a
framework of what truly is a Church.
This chapter will dwell on how the church in Philippines lives and witnesses of being a
renewed church: Church of the poor/ community of disciples.
A. Vision of a Renewed Church: Church of the Poor/Community of Disciples
The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines
In the midst of socio-economic development and progress, and even religio-cultural change of
our society, the proliferation of the poor continues. However, the poor are not passive about their
situation. Somehow or the other, they organize themselves to fight against the oppressive structure of
our society. They are clamoring for justice and a just living wage. They are struggling to live a life with
dignity as children of God.
The Philippine Church, on the other hand, heeds to the call of the poor. Since the call of Vatican
II (1962-1965), the Philippine Church has been trying to respond to the signs of the times. The
situation provokes the Church to act; and so, the birth of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines
(PCP II) on January 20-February 17, 1991. Nevertheless, the situation, especially the miserable
condition of the poor has been able to evangelize the Church. Thus, the Churchs concern is the
LIBERATION OF THE POOR. This is the vision of the Philippine Church: to be CHURCH OF THE
POOR.
According to PCP II, to be CHURCH OF THE POOR means:

To embrace and practice the evangelical spirit of poverty, which combines detachment from
possessions with a profound trust in the Lord as the sole source of salvation (#125);
The members and leaders of the Church have special love for the poor (#126);
At the very least, the poor are not discriminated with (#128);
The pastors and Church leaders will give preferential attention and time and share their
resources to the poor (#129);
One will be in solidarity with the poor (#130);
One will condemn any injustices and exploitation of the poor (#131);
The poor themselves are evangelizers (#132);
The rich parishes will live simply in order to share what they have to the poor (#133);
The community of disciples especially the rich have preferential love for the poor (#134);
One is willing to follow Jesus Christ through poverty and oppression in order to carry out
the work of salvation (#135).

Models of the Church According to PCP II

The models of the Church in the final document of PCPII are presented in the second part of
the Acts and Decrees (PCPII. p. 35). These models are response to meet the challenge of the Third
millennium. The PCP II identifies five models in envisioning the renewed Church:
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1. The Church is a Communion. A Christian grows in faith in a community. Each one

is called as individuals and each one must give personal response. But Christ calls us to form a
Christian community. He wants the Church to be a communion of life, love and truth (Lumen
Gentium 9) a community of faith, hope and charity (LG 8).
The first disciples formed a community in which they devoted themselves to the
teachings of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to prayers
(Acts 2:42). They were of one heart and mind. This unity is expressed in the diversity and
equality in dignity of members.
a. Unity in Diversity. In 1 Cor. 12:12-30, Paul expressed this when he compared the group of
believers to a human body. He called it the Body of Christ with unity in diversity among the
believers. There are different charisms and ministries in the Church, but there is only one body.
The diversity does not destroy the unity, but it brings out the complementarity and necessary
contribution of the different charisms and ministries. Sharing and mutual interaction of the
different members characterized the Church and through them that everybodys need is
supplied (PCPII. 92).
b. Equality in Dignity. There is diversity of ministries and charisms (LG 13) in the Church, yet
in unity there is also equality in Christian dignity of all the members. This means that there is
still hierarchy which is the hierarchy of service, and not of Christian excellence. The Christian
dignity of the ordained is measured by the sincerity and genuineness of their service rather than
by the office they hold. They are great if they truly serve the Lord and his community (Mk.
10:42-45). John Paul II draws a conclusion for the equality in dignity of all Christians: Each
member of the lay faithful, together with ordained ministers and men and women religious,
shares a responsibility for the Church mission (CL 15).
2. Participation. In the Body of Christ, (I Cor. 12:4-36, Eph.4;7,11-16) each has a gift
from the Spirit to share, and each has a need of the others gifts for the building up of the body
and for the fulfillment of its mission. It means that in the Church, nobody is so poor as to have
nothing to give, and nobody is so rich as to have nothing to receive. It emphasizes the insights
of Vatican II on co-responsibility, shared responsibility in the mission of the entire Church
among the bishops, clergy, religious, lay men and women. This is to restore the laitys
neglected role as evangelizers and to enable them to exercise the same role more fully and
efficaciously in spreading the kingdom of Christ.
3. Community-in-Mission. This is the missionary character of the community of
disciples. The Church is the communion in the state of mission (PCPII, p. 103). It originated
from the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit (AG 2). The Church exists for the world not for
itself or its members. It is sent on a mission in the world to proclaim the Good News of Christ
and to be instrument of his grace (PCPII, 104). It exists in order to evangelize, to proclaim the
Good News, to build up the Church, and to serve the Kingdom by permeating the world with
Gospel values so that finally all creation may be united in Christ as head (Eph. 1:10). Also,
Jesus final words to them are words of commissioning: You will receive power when the
Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and
Samaria, to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). In the missionary mandate found in (Mt. 28:19-20)
it is said in different way saying, Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nationsand behold,
I am with you always, until the end of age.

22

As the country in Asia with a predominantly Catholic population, the Philippine Church
should be a missionary Church (No. 106). Pope John Paul II spoke with special clarity when he
said to the Philippine bishops that: There is no doubt about it: the Philippines has a special
missionary vocation to proclaim the Good News, to carry the light of Christ to the nations(JP
II- Message to Asian Bishops).
4. A Priestly, Prophetic and Kingly People. By virtue of our baptism, we shared in the
kingly, prophetic and priestly functions of Christ. This means that as faithful, we must present
ourselves as a sacrifice, living, holy and pleasing to God (Rom 12:1) praising God and bearing
witness to Christ. It is exercised by the reception of the sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving,
the witness of the holy life, abnegation and active charity (LG 10). We exercise it when we
participate in the offering of the Eucharist (LG 10). The entire baptized share in the common
priesthood of Jesus. By the sacrament of the Holy Orders, some are ordained to shepherd and
serve the people of God. They possess the ministerial priesthood.
We are not only priests, but we are also prophets. We are tasked to spread the Good
News of Christ to others by the way we live our lives, behavior, testimony and teaching (PCP
II, 120). When we are manifesting this to others, the community becomes prophetic.
The people of God receive the Word of the living God by a supernatural appreciation
of the faith (sensus fidei). With right judgment, we must penetrate faith more deeply and apply
it more fully to our lives (LG 12).
When we are witnessing, service is necessary. This means service for others and not for
our own selves. Through this, we are able to overcome the realities of sin thus establishing
Gods reign in our midst. This is the sharing in the kingly mission of Christ (PCP II, 121).
5. The Church of the Poor
The Church of the poor means that the Church embraces and practices Evangelical
spirit of poverty, which combines detachment from possessions with the profound trust in the
Lord as the source of salvation (PCP II, 125). The Lord does not want anyone to be materially
poor, but he wants all his followers to be poor in spirit (Mt. 5:3).
The Church of the Poor means the poor are not discriminated against because of their
poverty, nor will they be deprived of their rights to receive the abundance of the help of the
spiritual goods of the Church, especially of the word of God in the sacrament of the pastors
(LG 37). If they cannot pay the stipends or the stole fees because of poverty, they will not be
deprived of the sacraments or the necessary spiritual services (PCP II, 128).
This further stresses that the pastors and other Church leaders will give preferential
attention and time to those who are poor, and will generously share their own resources in order
to alleviate their poverty and make them recognize the love of the Lord for them despite their
poverty (PCP II, 129).
The Church of the Poor also means that the Church will not only evangelize the poor,
but the Poor in the Church will themselves become evangelizers. This will not only render
preferential service to the poor but will practice preferential reliance on the poor in the work of
evangelization (PCP II, 132). This means service for all.
Furthermore, this means willingness to follow Christ through poverty and oppression in
order to carry out the work of salvation, not seeking earthly glory but proclaiming by his own
example, humility and self denial (LG 9).
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B. Mission of a Renewed Church: Integral Evangelization

Integral Evangelization
One integral part of mission is evangelization. The post-synodal exhortation of Paul VI
Evangelii Nuntiandi generally considers evangelization as a complex and dynamic reality (EN 17).
Elements like witness, dialogue, proclamation, catechesis, conversion, formation of the local clergy,
inculturation, integral human promotion or development or liberation, etc are contained in Evangelii
Nuntiandi (Tomko, 1990).
The Church realizes that evangelization should take into account peoples concrete lives, both
personal and social. Gods kingdom should be preached in relation to man/womans present concerns
which include issues like justice, liberation and human development. Pope Paul VI, however, says
they are not the end of evangelization . The proclamation of Jesus Christ and the promotion of the
values of Gods Kingdom remain to be primary mission of the Church (Redemptoris Missio, 34).
Human development, liberation and the propagation of a civilization of love should be founded on
the universal values of peace, solidarity, justice and liberty, which find their full attainment in Christ
(Tertio Millenio Adveniente, 52.)
Morneau (Pp. 32-57) presents ten theses drawn from the ten themes that Pope Paul VI
emphasized in Evangelii Nuntiandi:
1. Evangelization consists of many diverse but complementary elements, all of which
proclaim the good news of Gods love and his liberating salvation in Jesus Christ.
2. Evangelization is grounded in the power of the Holy Spirit who calls us to holiness and
enables us to live in Christ.
3. Evangelization demands the sensitivity of maintaining complete fidelity to the message of
Jesus while adapting it to the circumstances of the people being evangelized.
4. Evangelization seeks to transform the mind and heart of each individual and of all
humankind, making them into the likeness of the Lord Jesus.
5. Evangelization demands constant study and prayer if truth is to be discovered and shared.
6. Evangelization, the essential mission of the Church, is the responsibility of every Christian;
no one is exempt from this call and privilege.
7. Evangelization is rooted in personal adherence to Jesus Christ and the work of building the
Kingdom.
8. Evangelization will face resistance, major forces like secularism and atheism.
9. Evangelization is concerned with the full liberation of people from all forms of oppression,
especially from the oppression of sin.
10. Evangelization relies on a promise of presence and, thus, is characterized by a profound
hope.
The new evangelization of renewed evangelization by PCP II calls for a renewed
evangelization characterized by clarity of goals and newness of fervor, methods and expressions (PCP
II, 186). Besides giving renewed emphasis to witnessing as the first and most potent means of
evangelization, PCP II endorses a participative approach to learning and living the faith. The PCP II
acknowledges that evangelization is not the monopoly of the clergy; the lay shares with the evangelic
mission of the Church. John Paul II cites four strategies that can facilitate the laitys involvement in
evangelization:
1. A well integrated formation program, which includes spiritual formation in line with Kingdom
values, leadership ministry development, and community building on the levels of the
neighborhood and the parish.
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2. The evangelization process. The importance of schools in deepening the life of faith and at the
same centers of learning and instruments to realize justice and development are emphasized.
3. The pastoral programs of the catechesis.
4. The transmission of doctrine and teaching.
John Paul IIs expression of lay involvement is supported by Vatican II and Evangelii
Nuntiandi: From the fact of their union with Christ the head, flows the laymens right and duty to be
apostles it is by the Lord himself that they are assigned to the apostolate (AA, 3). Evangelii
Nuntiandi (60) articulates further saying that Evangelizing is the work of the whole Chruch This
means that for the world as a whole and for each of the regions where she happens to be, the Church
knows herself responsible for the task of spreading the gospel. The Vatican Council and Evangelii
Nuntiandi clearly state that Christ calls the laity to full participation in the life of the Church and full
commitment to the mission of the Church. PCP II enumerates four aspects of the Churchs life and
have emerged as lived experience after Vatican II and which determine the role and life of the lay
faithful. The lay are called to a community of families, Christian presence, ministry and
evangelization, and social transformation. For PCP II, evangelization comprises both message of
salvation concerned with catechesis and liturgy and a message of liberation focusing on social
transformation.
The community of disciples envisioned by PCP II must be increasingly seen by our own people
today as a community of faith rooted in Christ and immersed in the life of the Filipino people. One of
the most potent ways of actualizing PCP IIs vision is making different communities/ parishes realize
the value of being a community of disciples.

SACRAMENTS: EXPRESSIONS OF DISCIPLESHIP IN THE CHRISTIAN

COMMUNITY
A. Celebrating Discipleship in the Christian Community
I. Situationer /Context

25

December 25

RING

26

BELL

January 1

(Given assignment in the previous meeting)

Individually answer. What came into your mind when you saw each of those pictures on pages 22 and
23?
1. _______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2._________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
3._________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4._________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
5._________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
6._________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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7._________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
8._________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
9._________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
10.________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
There are times when objects, events, and people represent deeper realities aside from what
they really are. They make present some meanings and realities beyond what they are. For example,
when we see a flag we do not only see a piece of cloth with different colors. Instead, we think of the
country or the people it represents. When we see Pope Benedict XVI, we see not only a German priest
but being the pope seeing him reminds us of the universal Catholic Church, we may imagine the
Vatican City. December 25 is not just an ordinary day in the calendar. It reminds us of the birth of
Christ, our Savior. For most Filipinos this day reminds of family togetherness, others would associate it
with special menu and festive celebration among families and friends.
Objects, events, and people point to the presence of other realities beyond what they really are.
They re-present, make present or make us think of other realities aside from what they are. Sometimes
deeper realities in human relations are better expressed and understood through symbols. This is also
true in our expressions of relationship with God whose presence in our life we believe. This is very
true in the sacraments of the Church which we celebrate.
II. Activity: (This will be done in the classroom for 15 min.)
a) In two (2) short statements write your own insights on what the pictures are about, what the
pictures mean to you.

(Source: http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/graduation-party.html)
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
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(Source: http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/wedding-celebration.html)
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

(Source:
http://photobucket.com/images/House+Blessing/)
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

b) In dyads, share your insights on the pictures. What are the pictures about?
What feelings, insights, sentiments, come to you when you see those pictures?
We Filipinos are fond of expressing our thoughts, insights, inner feelings and intentions through
celebrations. Our celebrations become more meaningful with people, actions, gestures, rituals, and
objects that are significant in human life. Celebrations are expressions of deeper realities and mysteries
in our life.
Family meals and congratulatory parties are expressions of unity and happiness; baptism,
weddings, house blessing are expressions of faith in God whose guidance we invoke as one family and
one community; fiestas are expressions of thanksgiving for the many blessings received. In these
celebrations we are convinced and we often recognize the presence of God.
Similarly, sacraments are celebrations that point to deeper realities and mysterious presence of
God in Christian life. In the sacraments, people, objects, events, and circumstances actually make
present certain realities that are important in our Christian life. Certain signs and symbols are used to
bring out significant meanings beyond what they are.
Sacraments are expressions of discipleship in the Christian community. We celebrate our
discipleship in the Christian community through the sacraments. Following St. John Baptiste de la
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Salle, the French priest founder of the Brothers of Christian Schools, and the universal Patron of
Teachers, we often begin our prayers saying, Let us remember that we are in the Holy presence of
God. This adherence to and awareness of the presence of God in our life is our commitment to the
principle of sacramentality.
III. Christian Message
Before clarifying each of the seven sacraments, let us clarify two general insights that are
linked to each of the seven sacraments. The first part of the discussion will be on the principles of
sacramentality. The second part will be on the definition of the sacraments.
Principle of Sacramentality
Prayer, worship, liturgy, sacraments, and popular devotions have had important parts in the
faith life of many Filipinos. In all these, Gods presence is invoked and recognized. The seven ritual
sacraments of the Church are understood within the larger perspective of: 1) Jesus Christ, the
primordial sacrament of Gods love for us all; 2) the Church, the foundational sacrament of intimate
union with God and of unity among all people (NCDP, 311 and 314).
1. Jesus: The Primordial Sacrament of Gods Love
Jesus is more than simply the very origin or source of the sacraments. He is the primary agent
and the goal of all sacramental activity, such that when anyone baptizes, it is really Christ who
baptizes (SC, 7). The prophet Isaiah said, The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they
will call him Immanuel, a name which means God is with us (Is. 14: 8 , Mt. 1:23). In another
occasion Jesus Himself proclaimed, Where two or three are gathered together for my sake, there I am
in the midst of them (Mt.18:20).
The constant presence of God in the life of people has been experienced in the Old Testament.
He showed his presence especially in critical moments like his choice of Abraham to lead the Chosen
People with promise of salvation. This promise was repeated at the time of the Exodus from slavery in
Egypt to a life of prosperity in Canaan wherein he chose Moses as the leader. The promise was
repeated time and again in the midst of experiencing trials and tribulations among the Jews. God has
remained faithful to the promise despite the unfaithfulness of his people.
The promise was fulfilled and continued in the New Testament in the person of Jesus. Jesus, the
Son of the invisible God, became incarnate and lived human life. He was conceived and was born, He
grew up, He experienced hunger and thirst, He ate, He had friends, He cried, He suffered, He died.
Jesus in His humanity allowed people to experience Gods presence in their life in His words
and actions. His call to conversion and unity (Mk 1:14-16), acts of forgiveness and healing (Lk 4:1819, Lk 8:43-48, Mk 10:46-52), and admonition to love God and love one another represent Gods
personal relationship and loving presence with His people (Lk 15:11-32;Jn 13:1-17, Jn 13:34-35).
Jesus did not only preach about the Kingdom of God. He demonstrated the power of Gods
presence and great love through the miracles that he performed (Jn 6:16-21; Jn 9:1-40). He promised
his constant presence at all times (Mt 28:21). He Himself began building the Church as a community
following His commandments of love and unity.
When we refer to Jesus as the Primordial sacrament, we acknowledge that the sacraments are
very closely linked to the very life and ministry of Jesus. Celebrations of the sacraments are
30

encounters of Gods adopted sons and daughters with their Father, through Christ in the Spirit,
expressed as a dialogue through actions and words (CCC, 1153).
Christ is always present in his Church, especially in the liturgical celebrations. He is present in
the sacrifice of the mass, not only in the person of the minister but especially under the Eucharistic
species. By his power he is present in the sacraments, so that when a man baptizes, it is really Christ
himself who baptizes. He is present in his Word since it is he himself who speaks when the Holy
Scriptures are read in the Church. (SC,7).
The beginning of Jesus ministry manifested Gods presence. Jesus said, The Spirit of the Lord
has been given to me, for he has anointed me. He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to
proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the
Lords year of favour Lk 4:18-19). Jesus did not only preach on the reign of God. Through the
healing miracles, natural miracles, and exorcisms that he performed, He manifested the power of
Gods presence and love. In Christ the perfect achievement of our reconciliation came forth and the
fullness of divine worship was given to us (SC, 5).
2. Church: The Sacrament of Jesus
For many Filipinos, identifying the Church as sacrament may sound strange. Most of us are
familiar with only the seven sacraments. What is the meaning of the Church being a sacrament?
The Church is a sacrament in the sense that like the seven sacraments it is characterized by
being a) a material sign which gives grace; b) effecting what it symbolizes, c) it causes grace by
symbolizing grace. It is a visible sign making present an invisible reality.
The Church, in Christ, is in the nature of sacrament- a sign and instrument, that is, of
communion with God and of unity among men (GS 42; LG, 1).By her relationship with Christ, the
Church is both a sacramental sign and an instrument of intimate union with God, and of the unity of all
mankind. Christ has made the Church the effective sign and symbol of 1) our union with God; 2) the
unity among men; 3) of salvation.
Christ, the eternal Word made flesh, is the visible sign, the sacrament of God. So too the
Church with her visible, institutional structure, is for us the sacrament of Christ, making him present.
The signifies in a visible, historical and tangible form the presence and redeeming activity of Christ,
offered to all persons of every age, race , and condition (CFC1367).
3. What are Sacraments?
Different ways of defining and explaining what sacraments are evolved throughout history
.
Traditional Definitions
St. Pauls definition refers to the Latin sacramentum, the Greek mysterion, meaning
mystery - Gods hidden plan .
A sign points to a direction, a symbol points to a reality aside from what it is. St. Thomas More
defined sacraments as efficacious symbol,
St. Augustine had a three-part definition on what sacraments are. He said, Sacraments are
signs or symbols , instituted by Christ, to give grace .

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When we refer to the sacraments as sensible signs, this phrase defines the very nature of
sacraments. Sacraments involve our human senses of touch, smell, sight, hearing, and taste. As signs,
they do not merely point to a direction but they also signify or indicate something more. They also
point to deeper realities and mysteries for which they become symbols.
For example, when we see red in the traffic light it directs that a pedestrian or a motorist has to
stop. When red is seen in the attire of the priest and in the linens used in our celebrations of worship it
is not simply a design on them. Red reminds that the focus of the celebration is on an event in the
mysterious life of Christ.
Through our senses we discover and understand many realities in our human life. We establish
relationships with other human beings and discover more meanings in our life. We also relate with a
God whose mysterious presence in our life is much beyond what our human senses could sense.
The phrase, instituted by Christ, defines the origin of sacraments, Jesus Christ.
It is not the simplistic way of thinking that Jesus was the first one to celebrate the sacraments, taught
his apostles the details of doing it, and ordered the continuity of its practice. Instead, it points to the
mystery that Jesus, the incarnate Son of God makes present, God, the Father whom the world do not
see. It expresses the essential link between Jesus and the sacraments. Jesus in his humanity is the
sacrament of Gods saving love for all; the Church is the sacrament of Jesus, and the seven ritual
sacraments are sacraments of the Church, that is they visibly manifest and effectively enact the
Churchs mystery and mission of making Christ present.
Sacraments are celebrated with definitive purpose to give grace. Grace is primarily Gods
loving presence, the gift of the Spirit within us that justifies and sanctifies us (CCC, 2003).
Sacraments are symbolic actions that make present the saving actions of God in the person of Jesus
Christ
4. Renewed Definition of the Sacraments
A descriptive definition of sacraments according to the liturgical renewal defines sacraments as
saving symbolic act or a visible sign, arising from the ministry of Christ and continued in , by, and
for the Church, which when received in faith , fashions us into likeness into Christ in his Paschal
mystery through the power of the Holy Spirit (CCC, 1114-18).
Saving symbolic act
Sacraments are celebrated with specific rites, prayers, and acts that are expressions of our
Christian tradition and beliefs. These sacraments draw the faithful to look back and re-live the past
experiences of the People of God as we continue journeying toward the fulfilment of salvation.
Arising from the ministry of Christ
Jesus, the Primordial sacrament, is the origin of the sacraments. It is from his words and works
that the celebrations of the sacraments arise. Jesus is much more than simply the originator of the
sacraments. He is the source, the primary agent, and the goal of all sacramental activity, so that when
anyone baptizes, it is really Christ who baptizes (SC 7). Likewise it is Jesus who heals, who
confirms, who reconciles, offers the sacrifices and binds the faithful in love, and consecrates for
service.
Continued in, by, and for the Church
The sacraments are ways by which the Church, the followers of Jesus Christ, continues the
ministry of Jesus. United in faith, the community celebrates the sacraments as their act of faith in the
binding love of God.
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When received in faith

The sacraments become effective and meaningful only when the people who participate
celebrate in faith. Without faith no saving personal relationship can be established or strengthened
(CCC1122-26). The words in prayer, the symbolic objects, and the gestures
(standing, bowing,
etc.) may nourish, strengthen, and express faith thus disposing the faithful to receive the grace to their
profit, to worship God duly, and to practice charity (SC 59)
Fashions us into likeness into Christ in his Paschal mystery
Vatican II stresses that the purpose of the sacraments is to sanctify men and women; to build
up the Body of Christ; and to give worship to God. To be like Christ in our daily life is very
challenging and very ideal. However, this can be possible because of the grace that God freely gives.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit
Jesus Himself promised the constant presence of the Holy Spirit to guide us. Many obstacles,
challenges to our human life confront us every day. Most of them prevent us to be faithful disciples of
Jesus. Many of us are too weak to commit ourselves faithfully to God all the time. Thus, we have to
recognize Gods presence through the Holy Spirit and allow ourselves to be empowered by him. It is
the power of the Holy Spirit that effects the gradual transformation into Christs way.
5. Sacramental Character
The indelible sign imprinted on the soul when the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and
the Holy Orders are received. This sign is indelible because it remains even in a person who may lose
the state of grace or even the virtue of faith. It takes effect at least until death and most likely into
eternity. It is a sign because it signifies that the one baptized, confirmed, and ordained bears a special
and unique relationship to Christ. It is a character because it permanently seals the person with a
supernatural quality, comparable to the character that identifies each individual as a distinct
personality. It is finally a character because it empowers the one who receives with the abilities that no
one else possesses. In essence the sacramental character assimilates a person to the priesthood of
Christ. From this primary function, secondary functions flow, in increasing order of sublimity, from
baptism through confirmation to holy orders.
(http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/dictionary/index.cfm?id=36180)
A Character sacrament leaves a permanent mark on the recipient. This sacrament is received
only once, and cannot be repeated. The character sacraments include Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy
Orders.
On the other hand, a non-character sacrament does not leave a permanent mark on the
recipient, and it can be received more than once. The non-character sacraments consist of Holy
Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, and Matrimony.
IV.

Integration

The foregoing exposition on the Principles of Sacramentality and the Renewed definition of the
sacraments introduces the seven sacraments as expressions of worship in, by, of, and for the Christian
community. Sacraments are the celebrations of discipleship in the Christian community. It clarified the
link between the doctrine that Jesus is the sacrament of the Father and the Church is the sacrament of
Jesus as well as the seven sacraments of the Church. Likewise it clarifies the moral dimension of
sharing Christs mission through the sacraments.
V. Words to Remember
33

Signs- point to a direction; indicate what is in a place or a container. Signs usually

have a single meaning.
Symbols- maybe objects, colors, or realities that point to other realities and
meanings aside from what it really is
Sacraments- saving symbolic acts, arising from the ministry of Christ to give grace.
Grace- Gods free self-giving whereby we share in his life of love
Primordial Sacrament Christ, the Son, primarily represent the Father. The
Fathers presence is manifested through the Son.
VI. Evaluation
Briefly explain the following:
1. Jesus is the Sacrament of the Father
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. The Church is the Sacrament of Jesus
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. The Sacraments are Celebrations of Discipleship
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
V.

Song/Prayer - Dakilang Tanda (Jescom)

Sacrament of Baptism
I.

Introduction / Situationer

34

Baptism is the foundation of the whole Christian life, the gate way to life in the Spirit, and
the door that opens to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and
reborn as children of God; we become incorporated to the Church and made sharers in her
mission: Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word. (CCC
1213)
II.

Activity
a. General Instructions
Think of an experience of joining a club or organization. Share that experience in a
group.
b. Guide Questions
1) What club or organization have you joined?
2) How did you get into that club or organization?
3) How did you feel upon your acceptance to the club or organization?
4) What have you been doing to remain member of that club or organization?
c. Deepening
Joining a club or organization is a very heartening experience to anyone. It develops
ones personality and enriches ones experiences. There could have been a lot of roads
to pass and many challenges to face before one gets into that group. Being accepted
into the group, however, gives a lot of joy and fulfillment to the member. That
experience enables the person to do his/her best to fulfill his/her duties or
responsibilities in order to become worthy member of the club or organization.

II.

Christian Message
a. Sacred Scripture:
Baptism in the History of Salvation
In the liturgy of the Easter Vigil, during the blessing of the baptismal water, the Church
solemnly commemorates the great events in salvation history that already prefigured the
mystery of Baptism: Father, you give us grace through sacramental signs, which tell
us of the wonders of your unseen power. In Baptism we use your gift of water, which
you have made a rich symbol of the grace you give us in this sacrament. (Cf. CCC
1217)
Old Testament
Since the beginning of the world, water, so humble and wonderful a creature, has been
the source of life and fruitfulness. Sacred Scripture sees it as overshadowed by the
Spirit of God (Cf. Gen1:2): At the very dawn of creation, your Spirit breathed on the
waters, making them the wellspring of all holiness. (Cf. CCC 1218)
The Church has seen in Noahs Ark a prefiguring of salvation by Baptism, for by it a
few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water (1 Pt. 3:20): The waters of the
great flood you made a sign of the waters of Baptism, that make an end of sin and a new
beginning of goodness. (Cf. CCC 1219).
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If water springing up from the earth symbolizes life, the water of the sea is a symbol of
death and so can represent the mystery of the cross. By this symbolism Baptism
signifies communion with Christs death. (Cf. CCC 1220)
But above all, the crossing of the Red Sea, Israels liberation from slavery of Egypt,
announces the liberation pressed by Baptism (Cf. Ex. 14:10-22): You freed the
children of Abraham from the slavery of Pharaoh, bringing them dry-shod through the
waters of the Red Sea, to be an image of the people set free in Baptism. (Cf. CCC
1221)
Finally, Baptism is prefigured in the crossing of the Jordan River (Cf. Josh. 3: 14ff.) by
which the People of God received the gift of the land promised to Abrahams
descendants, an image of eternal life. The promise of this blessed inheritance is
fulfilled in the New Covenant. (Cf. CCC 1222)
New Testament
All the Old Covenant prefigurations find their fulfillment in Christ Jesus. He begins his
public life after having himself baptized by John the Baptist in Jordan River (Cf. Mt.
3:13; Mk. 1:9-11). After his resurrection, Christ gave this mission to his apostles: 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. (Mt. 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15-16)
Jesus voluntarily submitted himself to the baptism of John the Baptist, intended for
sinners, in order to fulfill all righteousness (Mt. 3:15). Jesus gesture is a
manifestation of his self-emptying (Cf. Phil. 2:7). The Spirit who had hovered over the
waters of the first creation descended then on the Christ as a prelude of the new
creation, and the Father revealed Jesus as his beloved Son (Mt. 3:16).
In his Passover, Christ opened to all men the fountain of Baptism. He had already
spoken of his Passion, which he was about to suffer in Jerusalem, as a Baptism with
which he had to be baptized (Mk. 10:38; cf. Lk. 12:50). The blood and water that
flowed from the pierced side of the crucified Jesus are the types of Baptism and the
Eucharist, the sacraments of new life (Cf. Jn. 19:34; 1Jn. 5:6-8). From then on, it is
possible to be born of water and the Spirit (Cf. Jn. 3:5) in order to enter the Kingdom
of God. (Cf. CCC 1225)
From the very day of Pentecost the Church has celebrated and administered Holy
Baptism. Peter declared to the crowd astounded by his preaching: Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). The apostles and their
coworkers offer Baptism to anyone who believed in Jesus: Jews, the God-fearing,
pagans (Cf. Acts 2:41; 8:12-13; 10:48; 16:15). Baptism is always seen as connected to
faith: Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household, Paul
declared to his jailer in Philippi. And the jailer was baptized at once, with all his
family (Acts 16:31-33). (Cf. CCC 1226)
According to Paul, the believer enters through Baptism into communion with Christs
death, is buried with him, and rises with him (Rom. 6:3-4; cf. Col. 2:12). The baptized
have put on Christ (Gal. 3:27). Through the Holy Spirit, Baptism is a bath that
purifies, justifies, and sanctifies (Cf. 1 Cor. 6:11; 12:13). Hence, Baptism is a bath of
36

water in which the imperishable seed of the Word of God produces its life-giving
effect (1 Pt. 1:23; cf. Eph. 5:26). St. Augustine says of Baptism: The word is brought
to the material element, and it becomes a sacrament. (Cf. CCC 1227-1228)
b. Church Teaching:
The word Baptism comes from the Greek term baptizein, which means to plunge or
immerse; the plunge into the water symbolizes the catechumens burial into Christs
death, from which he rises up by resurrection with him, as a new creature. (Cf. CCC
1214)
This sacrament is also called the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy
Spirit, for it signifies and actually brings about the birth of water and the Spirit without
which no one can enter the Kingdom of God.
Baptism is Gods most beautiful and magnificent gift We call it gift, grace, anointing,
enlightenment, garment of immortality, bath of rebirth, seal and most precious gift. It is
called gift because it is conferred on those bring nothing of their own; grace since it is
given even to the guilty; Baptism because sin is buried in the water; anointing for it is
priestly and royal as are those who are anointed; enlightenment because it radiates
light; clothing since it veils our shame; bath because it washes; and seal as it is our
guard and the sign of Gods Lordship. (Cf. CCC 1216)
The Rite of Baptism
The meaning and grace of the sacrament of Baptism are clearly seen in the rites of its
celebration. By following the gestures and words of this celebration with attentive
participation, the faithful are initiated into riches this sacrament signifies and actually
brings about in each newly baptized person. (CCC 1234)
The sign of the cross, on the threshold of the celebration, marks with the imprint of
Christ the one who is going to belong to him and signifies the grace of the redemption
of Christ won for us by his cross. (CCC 1235)
The proclamation of the Word of God enlightens the candidates and the assembly with
the revealed truth, and elicits the response of faith, which is inseparable from Baptism.
Indeed Baptism is the sacrament of faith since it is the sacramental entry into the life
of faith. (CCC 1236)
Since Baptism signifies liberation from sin and from its instigator the devil, one or more
exorcisms are pronounced over the candidate. The celebrant then anoints him with the
oil of catechumens, or lays his hand on him, and he explicitly renounces Satan. Thus
prepared, he is able to confess the faith of the Church, to which he will be entrusted
by Baptism. (CCC 1237)
The baptismal water is consecrated by a prayer of epiclesis. The Church asks God that
though his Son the power of the Holy Spirit may be sent upon the water, so that those
who will be baptized in it may be born of water and Spirit. (CCC 1238)
The essential rite of the sacrament of Baptism follows. It signifies and actually brings
about death to sin and entry into the life of the Most Holy Trinity through configuration
to the Paschal Mystery of Christ. Baptism is performed in the most expressive way by
triple immersion in the baptismal water. However, from ancient times it has also been
able to be conferred by pouring the water three times over the candidates head. (CCC
1339)
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In the Latin Church, the triple infusion is accompanied by the ministers words: N., I
baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. (Cf.
CCC 1340)
The anointing with sacred chrism, perfumed oil consecrated by the bishop, signifies
the gift of the Holy Spirit to the newly baptized, who has become a Christian, that is,
one anointed by the Holy Spirit, incorporated into Christ who is anointed priest,
prophet and king. (CCC 1241)
The white garment symbolizes that the person baptized has put on Christ, has risen
with Christ. The candle, lit from the Easter candle, signifies that Christ has enlightened
the neophyte. In him the baptized are the light of the world. The newly baptized is
now, in the only Son, a child of God entitled to say the prayer of the children of God:
Our Father. (CCC 1243)
The solemn blessing concludes the celebration of Baptism. At the Baptism of newborns
the blessing of the mother occupies a special place. (CCC 1245)
Every person who is not yet baptized and only such a person is able to be baptized.
(CCC 1246)
The ordinary ministers of Baptism are the bishop and priest and, in the Latin Church,
also the deacon. In case of necessity, any person, even someone not baptized, can
baptize, if he has the required intention. The intention required is the will to do what
the Church does when She baptizes, and to apply the Trinitarian baptismal formula.
The Church finds the reason for this possibility in the universal saving will of God and
the necessity of Baptism for salvation. (CCC 1256)
There are three kinds of Baptism. These are: 1) Baptism of Water refers to the
sacrament of Baptism; 2) Baptism of Blood The Church has always held the firm
conviction that those who suffer death for the sake of the faith without having received
Baptism are baptized by their death for and with Christ. (Cf. CCC 1258); and 3)
Baptism of Desire For catechumens who die before their Baptism, their explicit desire
to receive it, together with repentance for their sins, and charity, assures them the
salvation that they were not able to receive through the sacrament. (Cf. CCC 1259)
The different effects of Baptism are signified by the perceptible elements of the
sacramental rite. Immersion in water symbolizes not only death and purification, but
also regeneration and renewal. Thus the two principal effects are purification from
sins and new birth in the Holy Spirit. (CCC 1262)
By Baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all
punishment for sin. In those who have been reborn nothing remains that would impede
their entry into the Kingdom of God, neither Adams sin, nor personal sin, nor the
consequences of sin, the gravest of which is separation from God. (CCC 1263)
Yet temporal consequences of sin remain in the baptized, such as suffering, illness,
death, and such frailties inherent in life as weaknesses of character, and so on, as well as
inclination to sin that Tradition calls concupiscence, or metaphorically, the tinder for
sin (fomes peccati); since concupiscence is left for us to wrestle with, it cannot harm
those who do not consent but manfully resist it by the grace of Jesus Christ. Indeed, |
an athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules (2 Tim. 2:5) (CCC
1264)
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Baptism not only purifies from all sins, but also makes the neophyte a new creature,
an adopted son of God, who has become a partaker of the divine nature, member of
Christ and co-heir with him, and a temple of the Holy Spirit. (CCC 1265)
The Most Holy Trinity gives the Baptized sanctifying grace, the grace of justification:
- enabling them to believe in God, to hope in him and to love him through the
theological virtues (faith, hope, love/charity);
- giving them the power to live and act under the prompting of the Holy Spirit
through the gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, knowledge, understanding, piety,
counsel, fortitude, fear of the Lord);
- allowing them to grow in goodness through the moral virtues (justice, prudence,
fortitude, temperance).
Thus the whole organism of the Christians supernatural life has its roots in Baptism.
(Cf. CCC 1266)
Baptism makes us members of the Body of Christ. It incorporates us into the Church.
From the baptismal fonts is born the one People of God of the New Covenant, which
transcends all the natural or human limits of nations, cultures, races, and sexes: For by
one Spirit we were all baptized into one body (1 Cor. 12:13) (Cf. CCC 1267)
The baptized have become the living stones to be built into spiritual house, to be a
holy priesthood (1 Pt. 2:5). By Baptism they share in the priesthood of Christ, in his
prophetic and royal mission. They are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
Gods own people, that they may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called them
out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Pt. 2:9). Baptism gives a share in the
common priesthood of all believers. (CCC 1268)
Having become a member of the Church, the person baptized belongs no longer to
himself, but to him who died and rose for us. From now on, he is called to be subject to
others, to serve them in the communion of the Church, and to obey and submit to the
Churchs leaders, holding them in respect and affection. Just as Baptism is the source of
responsibilities and duties, the baptized person also enjoys rights within the Church: to
receive the sacraments, to be nourished with the Word of God, and to be sustained by
the other spiritual helps of the Church. (CCC 1269)
Reborn as sons of God, the baptized must profess before men the faith they have
received from God through the Church and participate in the apostolic and missionary
activity of the People of God. (CCC 1270)
Baptism constitutes the foundation of communion among all Christians, including those
who are not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church: For men who believe in
Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion
with the Catholic Church. Justified by faith in Baptism, they are incorporated into
Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are
accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church. Baptism therefore
constitutes the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who through it are reborn.
(CCC 1271)
Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ.
Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging
to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the
fruits of salvation. Given once for all, Baptism cannot be repeated. (CCC 1272)
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Incorporated into the Church by Baptism, the faithful have received the sacramental
character that consecrates them for Christian religious worship. The baptismal seal
enables and commits Christians to serve God by a vital participation in the holy liturgy
of the Church and to exercise their baptismal priesthood by the witness of holy lives and
practical charity. (CCC 1273)
The Holy Spirit has marked us with the seal of the Lord (Dominicus character) for
the day of the redemption. Baptism indeed is the seal of eternal life. The faithful
Christian who has kept the seal until the end, remaining faithful to the demands of his
Baptism will be able to depart this life marked with the sign of faith, with his
baptismal faith, in expectation of the blessed vision of God the consummation of faith
and the hope of resurrection. (CCC 1274)
III.

Integration
a. Doctrine: What is the baptized persons mission in the life of the Church?
b. Moral: How could you live the grace of baptism in your daily life?
c. Worship: Compose a prayer or poem about the significance of Baptism in your life

IV.

Words to Remember
1) Old Covenant refers to the Old Testament
2) Baptism the first sacrament received by any person
3) Church refers to the People of God; the Christian community;
4) Faithful refers to the believers
5) Purification means cleansing
6) Incorporation becoming a part of a body or a group

V.

Conclusion
Baptism is the first sacrament of Initiation. It is the gateway to the other sacraments. It is
necessary for our salvation. It signifies our birth into the new life in Christ as we are being
purified from our sins. This sacrament also incorporates us to Christ and into his Body, the
Church, as we are made sharers in the priesthood of Christ.
Baptism leaves an indelible and spiritual sign, the character, on the baptized persons soul,
which consecrates him for Christian worship. This character mark indicates that Baptism
cannot be repeated.

VI.

Evaluation
Write an essay on the threefold mission of the baptized person: as a prophet, a king-servant,
and a priest. Write an appropriate title for your essay.

VII.

Song / Prayer
BANAL NA SANTATLO
(Music & Lyrics: Frank S. Villanueva, EdD)
Mapagpalang Diyos, aming Ama
Ikaw, O Hesus, aming Panginoon
Espiritung Banal, aming gabay
Banal na Santatlo
Papurit pasasalamat sa Iyo
Nilikha mo ang langit at lupa
40

Lahat ng itoy Iyong inaruga.

Bunsod ng labis mong pagmamahal
Buhay namiy yong iningatan
O, anong ligaya. O, anong saya
Papurit pasasalamat sa yo, aming Ama
AMEN AMEN AMEN (2x)
Kaligtasan namiy di mo binigo
Hirap at sakit ay yong tinamo
Lahat ng ito hanggang sa huling yugto
Kasalanan namiy yong inako
O, anong ligaya. O, anong saya
Papurit pasasalamat sa yo, Panginoon
AMEN AMEN AMEN (2x)
Binigyan mo ng dangal, binigyan ng kalayaan
Kamiy iyong hinirang. Lagi sanang patnubayan
Kamiy huwag talikdan. Upang buhay namiy manatili
Sa yo tanging sa yo lamang
Pangarap mo ang kamiy makapiling;
Nananatiling gabay ka sa amin;
Sana sa yong muling pagdating
Kalulluwa namiy Iyong dadalhin
O, anong ligaya. O, anong saya
Papurit pasasalamat sa yo, Espiritung Banal
AMEN AMEN AMEN (2x) Amen
Sacrament of Confirmation
I.

Introduction / Situationer

The lives of holy men and women are best illustrations of the life of a confirmed Christian,
a life lived with the spirit of love, of life, of truth, of power, of holiness, and of forgiveness.
41

Paul VI described the origin of Confirmation in the revised rites: The laying on of hands is
rightly considered by the Catholic Tradition as the origin of the sacrament of Confirmation
that perpetuates in a way the grace of Pentecost in the Church (CCC 1288).
II.

Activity
a. General Instructions
Choose your favorite saint and/or hero. Think of how s/he lived her/his life to the
fullest that s/he has become a saint or a hero.
b. Guide Questions
a. Who is your favorite saint or hero?
b. Why has s/he become your favorite saint or hero?
c. How did s/he lived her/his life to the fullest when s/he was still alive?
d. How has s/he influenced your Christian life now?
c. Deepening
Saints and heroes have acquired their titles or status because they have lived their lives
to the fullest when they were still alive. Not all saints or heroes had started living their
lives well. Some of them even had lived in sinful life. However, when the Lord had
touched their lives, they transformed to better followers of Christ. They became
defenders of faith and/or of country for they have matured in faith in God and/or in the
country.

III.

Christian Message
a. Sacred Scripture:
Anointing is the symbolic sign used in Confirmation. In the Old Testament, anointing
means healing, purification, strengthening, and most of all empowerment
On the other hand, anointing in the New Testament signifies Christ as the Anointed
One, perfectly fulfilling through the power of the Holy Spirit the triple role of Prophet,
Servant-King, and Priest.
b. Church Teaching:
There are historical points pertinent to the understanding of Confirmation in relation to
Baptism. There is no separate rite of Confirmation in the NT. The East has never
separated Baptism and Confirmation: they are essentially a single sacrament with the
presbyter as the legitimate minister. Anointing with chrism is primarily used to
signify Confirmation which, is known as chrismation.
In the West, the post baptismal rites (including the anointing) were reserved to the
Bishop. There were two developments that eventually led to the separation of Baptism
and Confirmation: 1) the sense of urgency about the now universal practice of infant
baptism, and 2) the unavailability of the bishop to attend immediately to the post
baptismal rites.
In the Middle Ages, a specific theology of Confirmation was developed in order to
justify the autonomous rite carried out by the bishop. Confirmation has been
considered the gift of the Spirit for strengthening while Baptism the gift of the Spirit
for forgiveness.
Vatican II describes the sacrament of Confirmation in terms of its two essential
characteristics: 1) closer union with the Church which demonstrates that being bound
42

to the Church signifies greater obligation and stronger sense of belonging to the
community of the baptized, and the main effect of Confirmation is to strengthen and
confirm the grace of Baptism; and 2) strengthening and empowerment by the Holy
Spirit to actively spread the faith.
Becoming a PUBLIC WITNESS of the faith flows from the permanent character
imprinted on those confirmed by the sacrament. The confirmed Christian becomes a
witness to: 1) witness to the Kingdom of God and Gods power in the new age begun in
Christ; 2) witness to Jesus the Christ, as the unique Savior of all; 3) witness to the
freedom from slavery of sin brought by Gods presence through Christ and the Spirit; 4)
witness to the love of God by loving service of others in the Spirit; and 5) witness to
Christs real presence in the Christian community, the People of God, the Church.
The qualities of a Christian witness include 1) personal knowledge, awareness, and
experience of Christ in their daily lives; 2) strong and enthusiastic Christian
convictions and active commitment to Christ and the Church; 3) a basic grounding in
the Scripture, Church teaching and fundamental human experience; 4) the human
leadership qualities of honesty and integrity that inspire confidence and a following; 5)
the communication skill needed to present Christs challenge to the Filipino of today in
an attractive and persuasive manner; and 6) the courage to suffer and risk for the
Kingdom of God.
Jesus is the Baptized One and the Confirmed One in the Spirit: The Spirit in Christ
our Lord is: 1) the Spirit of holiness who makes present the All-Holy One; 2) the
Spirit of love who enables his followers to love as he loves; 3) the Spirit of life who
came that we might have life and have it more abundantly; 4) the Spirit of power to
fulfill the Fathers will and enable his followers to do the same; 5) the Spirit of truth
who sets us free; and 6) the Spirit of forgiveness who brings eternal salvation to the
repentant.
IV.

Integration
a. Doctrine: What is the confirmed persons mission in the life of the Church?
b. Moral: How could you live the grace of Confirmation in your daily life?
c. Worship: Compose a Prayer of Strength

V.

Words to Remember
a.
Confirmation refers to a sacrament of Initiation that strengthens the baptismal
grace
b. Chrismation anointing with chrism or oil
c. Witness refers to one who testifies for the truth

VI.

Conclusion
Confirmation was considered the post-baptismal sacrament in the early Church. It was not
separated from Baptism. In the present time, the Church acknowledges Confirmation as the
sacrament that strengthens our baptismal grace with the presence and help of the Holy
Spirit. A confirmed Christian is considered a matured Christian who becomes a public
witness of his/her faith in God. Thus, a confirmed Christian also becomes a defender of
his/her faith.

VII.

Evaluation

43

Make a research on the life of any person (living or dead) who has lived their life to the
fullest as a person and Christian. Relate his/her faith-life story to your life as a
Christian.

VIII. Song / Prayer

Psalm 27
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom do I fear? The LORD is my life's refuge; of
whom am I afraid?
When evildoers come at me to devour my flesh, these my enemies and foes themselves stumble
and fall.
Though an army encamps against me, my heart does not fear; Though war be waged against
me, even then do I trust.
One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the LORD'S house all the days of my life,
to gaze on the LORD'S beauty, to visit his temple.
For God will hide me in his shelter in time of trouble, Will conceal me in the cover of his tent;
and set me high upon a rock.
Even now my head is held high above my enemies on every side! I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and chant praise to the LORD.
Hear my voice, LORD, when I call; have mercy on me and answer me.
"Come," says my heart, "seek God's face"; your face, LORD, do I seek!
Do not hide your face from me; do not repel your servant in anger. You are my help; do not cast
me off; do not forsake me, God my savior!
Even if my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will take me in.
LORD, show me your way; lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
Do not abandon me to the will of my foes; malicious and lying witnesses have risen against me.
But I believe I shall enjoy the LORD'S goodness in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!

Sacrament of Holy Eucharist

I.

Introduction / Situationer

44

The whole Eucharistic celebration is structured as a meal in which we are called together as one
Body of believers. Christ used the natural elements of a meal: coming together, conversing and
sharing food & drink together to bring his saving, loving presence among us.
II.

Activity
a. General Instructions
Recall a memorable event in your life that called for a celebration in a form of a party or
get-together. Share that experience with your classmates in a dyad, triad or a group
(depending on the number of students and time allotment).
b. Guide Questions
i. What is a very memorable event in your life that called for a celebration?
ii. What made that event memorable in your life and called for a celebration?
iii. Do you still celebrate that memorable event? Why or why not?
iv. How do you celebrate that special moment of your life?
c. Deepening
Special events in our life always call for a celebration for us to remember, to thank God
for the blessing, and to share with others our joy. Celebrations are usually done through
a meal fellowship. The celebrant invites people to come and share with him/her the
memory and the blessings of the event that is usually highlighted with the sharing of
stories and food and drinks.
The Holy Eucharist is likewise a celebration of life remembering the Christs Paschal
Mystery that saved us from sins. In this celebration, we thank God for his saving action
through Christ who has triumphed over death on the Cross through his Resurrection.
We gather in the Eucharistic meal to listen to Gods word and share Christs Body and
Blood in the form of bread and wine.

III.

Christian Message
a. Sacred Scripture:
In the Old Testament, the Passover Meal (Exodus 12:5-23) has become the memorial of
that Exodus event which was the core experience of the Jewish faith and has to be
repeated through all generations. In celebrating the Passover meal, the Jewish people
perform the following acts: 1) act of remembering Gods saving action; 2) act of giving
thanks for Gods saving action; 3) act of worshipping God; and 4) act of renewing their
sense of being a people formed by their covenant with God.
The Last Supper event in the New Testament (Mark 14:22-25; Matthew 26:26-30;
Luke 22:14-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26) shows the four Solemn Actions of Christ in
the Eucharistic liturgy: 1) TAKE that corresponds to preparation of the gifts in the Holy
45

Mass; 2) BLESS to Eucharistic prayer; 3) BREAK to the breaking of the bread; and 4)
GIVE to communion.
b. Church Teaching:
The word eucharist comes from the Greek term, eukaristia which, means to give
thanks.
The Vatican IIs Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy presents the basics of the
Catholic faith regarding the institution of the Eucharistic Sacrifice of Christs Body &
Blood: 1) Memorial of his death and resurrection; 2) Sacrament of love which, is a
sign of unity and bond of charity; 3) Paschal banquet in which Christ is consumed, the
mind is filled with grace; and 4) Pledge of future glory
Christ as the Primordial Sacrament of God is the origin, the primary agent, and the
fullest expression of each sacrament. He is the Supreme Worshipper in the Eucharist,
offering the father the perfect sacrifice in which he is both Priest and Victim, in a sacred
meal of communion in which he is the food for eternal life, really present to us under
the appearance of bread and wine.
The Eucharistic celebration is itself a prayer. It offers perfect worship to the father
making present the sacrifice of his Incarnate Son on the Cross through the power of the
Holy Spirit. There are five goals of authentic prayer present in the Eucharistic
celebration: 1) thanksgiving, 2) praise & adoration, 3) contrition, 4) petition or
supplication, and 5) offering.
The mystery of the Holy Eucharist, the Churchs fundamental act of thanksgiving
worship, constitutes: a Sacrifice-sacrament, a Communion-Sacrament, and a
Presence Sacrament:
1) The Holy Eucharist as Sacrifice-Sacrament
Christ instituted the Eucharist: he prepared for it in the many fellowship meals which
he shared during his public life; he established the Eucharist at the Last Supper, and he
confirmed it as the Risen Christ in his Easter meal appearance to his disciples.
The Eucharist is both sacrifice and sacred meal: it is a memorial instituted by Christ so
that the saving benefits of his Death and Resurrection can be shared by the People of
God through every age.
Through the Eucharist, Christs sacrifice of the Cross on Calvary is made present, and
its saving power exerted for the forgiveness of sins.
2) The Holy Eucharist as Communion-Sacrament
The Christian community, the Church, celebrates the Eucharist with Christ which
manifests an ecclesial act. The Eucharist becomes a meal of communion, a sign of
unity and bond of charity. Receiving the Holy Communion worthily gives us the
following graces: 1) unites us with Christ; 2) separates us from sin; 3) reconciles us
with one another; and 4) builds up the Christian community, the Church.
3) The Holy Eucharist as Presence-Sacrament
Christ himself is really present in the Eucharistic celebration in many various ways:
1) in the assembly; 2) in the person of the priest celebrant; 3) in the Holy Scripture; and
4) in the Eucharistic species of bread & wine
The unleavened bread recalls the Exodus background of the Eucharist as Passover
meal. It symbolizes the purity and newness of the new bread of life. The wine
symbolizes the product of Israel as Yahwehs vine, and of Christ, Gods true vine. The
46

Eucharistic bread and wine prefigure the glorification of the whole material creation
in the Risen Christ at his Second Coming (parousia).
There are processes that are realized in the celebration of the Eucharist: 1) Transsignification, where the bread and wine take on a new, deeply personal meaning and
purpose, which refers to Christs personal self-giving presence of our salvation; 2)
Trans-finalization, that prefigures the glorification of all matter in the new age, started
in the resurrection of Christ and will come fully at his Second Coming; and 3) Transsubstantiation which, means that through the power of the Holy Spirit, the material
substance of bread and wine is changed into a reality of different level: the glorified
Body and Blood of Christ, crucified and risen.
The whole Eucharistic celebration is structured as a meal in which we are called
together as one Body of believers. Christ used the natural elements of a meal: coming
together, conversing and sharing food & drink together to bring his saving, loving
presence among us.
There are two major divisions of the celebration of the Eucharist in the Roman Missal:
the Liturgy of the Word, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist
These two divisions consist the following major parts: 1) Introductory Rites: Entrance
hymn, Greeting, Penitential rite, the Gloria, Opening Prayer; 2) Liturgy of the Word:
Scripture readings, Homily, Creed, the Prayer of the faithful (Intercessory prayers); 3)
Liturgy of the Eucharist: Preparation of the Gifts, the Eucharistic prayers including
Preface, Invocation (Epiclesis) of the Holy Spirit; Last Suppers narrative of Institution,
Acclamation, Commemoration (Anamnesis), Second Invocation of the Spirit,
Intercessions, Great Doxology with Amen; 4) Communion Rite: the Lords Prayer,
Prayer for Deliverance, Prayer for Peace, Breaking of the Bread, Communion, Prayer
after Communion; and 5) Concluding Rites: Final Blessing, Dismissal.
IV.

Integration
a. Doctrine: What is the meaning of Communion?
b. Moral: How could you live the grace of the Holy Eucharist in your daily life?
c. Worship: Attend and participate actively in a Eucharistic celebration

V.

Words to Remember
1) Eucharist comes from the Greek word eukaristia that means to give thanks
2) Liturgy from the Greek term, leitourgia which, originally means a public duty, a
service to the state undertaken by a citizen. In the early times, Christian liturgy meant
the public official service of the Church that corresponded to the official service of the
Temple in the Old Law. (cf. Catholic Encyclopedia)
3) Communion - is derived from Latin communio (sharing in common). Its corresponding
term in Greek is koinonia, which is often translated as "fellowship". In Christianity, the
basic meaning of the term communion is an especially close relationship of Christians,
as individuals or as a Church, with God and with other Christians. (cf.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communion_(Christian) )
4) Banquet is a ceremonial dinner honoring a particular guest or occasion

VI.

Conclusion
The Holy Eucharist is the core or the heart of the ritual sacraments of the Church. It comes
from the Greek term, eukaristia which means to give thanks. Its sacramental
celebration is an act of thanksgiving for Gods saving action through Jesus Christ in his
Paschal Mystery. It is a memorial of Jesus passion, death, and resurrection, a sacrament of
47

love and a Paschal banquet as manifested by the communion of Gods people bonded by
his love and mercy, and a pledge of future glory as a means of responding to our special
calling to holiness and be united with God our Father in his Kingdom at the end time.
VII.

Evaluation
Write a short essay on the significance of the Holy Eucharist in your daily Christian life
focusing on the three dimensions of faith: believing, doing, and trusting and entrusting.

VIII. Song / Prayer

MY BREAD OF LIFE
(Lyrics: Arvin Gacelo; Music: Frank S. Villanueva, EdD)

Jesus said: I am the bread of Life

He who receives me, I will live in him and he
in me
Lord, you know me inside out
Before I was formed
In my mothers womb
You called me, I am Yours
Everything I am is yours
Everything I have is yours
Thank you for this life
Thank you for this grace, I am Yours

I lift to You my limitations

Lord, please bear with me
And help me realized
You loved me, I am Yours
Life is worth living for
If we only find a better goal
Make me Your servant
Now and for always, I am Yours
My bread of life
My bread of life

(Refrain)
Bread, taken and offered
Bread, broken and shared
My Bread of Life
My Bread of Life

TOPIC: The Sacrament of Reconciliation

Duration: 3 hours
I.

INTRODUCTION/SITUATIONER

Analyze the picture below:

48

Guide Question: How important is the Sacrament of Reconciliation to you?

Deepening: Everybody commits mistake and saying sorry for these mistakes is indeed proper thing
to do, but it is not enough to simply say sorry, there has to a promise of change and never commit
the same act anymore.
ACTIVITY
Students will be invited to make a simple EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE quietly on their seats
(background music may be done). The questions are related actions referring to the Ten
Commandments or Decalogue:
From: "Brother, save yourself "
by very Rev. James Alberione, S.S.P, S.T.D.
First Commandment: I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me.
Do I give God time every day in prayer?
Do I seek to love Him with my whole heart?
Have I been involved with superstitious practices or have I been involved with the occult?
Do I seek to surrender myself to God's Word as taught by the Church?
Have I ever received Communion in a state of mortal sin?
Have I ever deliberately told a lie in confession or have I withheld a mortal sin from the priest
in confession?
Second Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Have I used God's name in vain: lightly or carelessly?
Have I been angry with God?
Have I wished evil upon another person?
Have I insulted a sacred person or abused a sacred object?
Third Commandment: Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day.
Have I deliberately missed Mass on Sundays or Holy Days of Obligation?
Have I tried to observe Sunday as a family day and a day of rest?
Do I do needless work on Sunday?
Fourth Commandment: Honour your Father and your Mother.
Do I honour and obey my parents?
Have I neglected my duties to my spouse and children?
Have I given my family good religious example?
Do I try to bring peace into my home life?
Do I care for my aged and infirm relatives?
Fifth Commandment: You shall not kill.
Have I had an abortion or encouraged anyone to have an abortion?
49

Have I physically harmed anyone?

Have I abused alcohol or drugs?
Did I give scandal to anyone, thereby leading them into sin?
Have I been angry or resentful?
Have I harbored hatred in my heart?
Have I mutilated myself through any form of sterilization?
Have I encouraged or condoned sterilization?

Sixth Commandment: You shall not commit adultery.

Have I been faithful to my marriage vows in thought and action?
Have I engaged in any sexual activity outside of marriage?
Have I used any method of contraception or artificial birth control in my marriage?
Has each sexual act in my marriage been open to the transmission of new life?
Have I been guilty of masturbation?
Have I sought to control my thoughts?
Have I respected all members of the opposite sex, or have I thought of other people as objects?
Have I been guilty of any homosexual activity?
Do I seek to be chaste in my thoughts, words and actions?
Am I careful to dress modestly?
Seventh Commandment: You shall not steal.
Have I stolen what is not mine?
Have I returned or made restitution for what I have stolen?
Do I waste time at work, school or at home?
Do I gamble excessively, thereby denying my family of their needs?
Do I pay my debts promptly?
Do I seek to share what I have with the poor?
Eighth Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Have I lied?
Have I gossiped?
Have I spoken behind someone else's back?
Am I sincere in my dealings with others?
Am I critical, negative or uncharitable in my thoughts of others?
Do I keep secret what should be kept confidential?
Ninth Commandment: You shall not desire your neighbor's wife.
Have I consented to impure thoughts?
Have I caused them by impure reading, movies, conversations or curiosity?
Do I seek to control my imagination?
Do I pray at once to banish impure thoughts and temptations?
Tenth Commandment: You shall not desire your neighbor's goods.
Am I jealous of what other people have?
Do I envy the families or possessions of others?
Am I greedy or selfish?
Are material possessions the purpose of my life?
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 Do I trust that God will care for all of my material and spiritual needs?
CHRISTIAN MESSAGE
Basis on the Sacred Scriptures:
When Jesus Christ instituted the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist on Holy Thursday during the last
Supper, Jesus also instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance on the evening of His
Resurrection when He appeared to the Apostles and gave them power to forgive sins as seen in
John 20:21-23.
Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. And
when he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven and whose sins you retain are retained (Jn 20:21-23, NAB)
General Church Teaching
Most Catholics recognize that sacraments are an important part of life in the church. They see
them as significant moments that mark transitions in life. They bring their babies to be
baptized and send their Third graders to prepare for First Communion, they come to the church
to be married and ask for the anointing when someone is seriously ill (Mick, 2007, p.3).
Mick (2007) further explained that Sacraments are much more than milepost in the spiritual
life. The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965)called for a renewal of liturgy that included
revising all sacraments. This revision calls us to rethink our understanding of these basic
actions that shaped our identity in the church. In their first document, the Constitution on the
Sacred Liturgy, issued in 1963, the council fathers spoke of the importance of the sacraments
for the Christian Life, the purpose of the sacraments is to sanctify people, to build up the body
of Christ, and finally, to worship God. Because they are signs they also belong to the realm of
instruction. They not only presuppose faith, but by words and objects they also nourish,
strengthen and express it. That is why they are called sacraments of faith. They do, indeed,
confer grace, but in addition, the very act of celebrating them is most effective in making
people ready to receive this grace to their profit, to worship God duly, and to practice charity. It
is, therefore, of the greatest importance that the faithful should easily understand the symbolism
of the sacraments and eagerly frequent those sacraments which were instituted to nourish the
Christian Life (no.59)

Historical Background (adapted from WIKIPEDIA)

The Sacrament of Reconciliation may also be referred to as the Sacrament of Penance or
Confession. This sacrament was instituted by Christ where the Christian community may
repent from the sins they have committed after receiving Baptism.
The sacrament may also be called by many names, including penance, reconciliation, and
confession (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Sections 1423-1442). In its original Latin Rite,
the sacrament is referred as "Penance," in some official church documents, it is referred to as
"Reconciliation" or both "Penance and Reconciliation." For many lay Catholics, they continue
to use the term "confession" in reference to the sacrament.
In the year 1215, it was a church requirement that every Catholic Christian must receive this
sacrament at least once a year as stipulated in the Catholic Canon Law and in the 20th century,
Pope John Paul II introduced a scripture-inspired program intended for renewing the meaning
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of this sacrament. In 1984 Pope John Paul II issued Reconciliatio et Paenitentia which began
by recalling from the Gospel of Mark 1:15, the very words with which Jesus began his
preaching: "Repent, and believe in the Gospel". In 2002 he issued another document entitled
Misericordia Dei which began by quoting the Gospel of Matthew 26:73-75 that Jesus was born
to "save his people from their sins" and emphasized the fervent and energetic summons with
which Saint John the Baptist called for repentance. In this document, he also highlighted Pauls
epistle to the Romans 8:21, he stated that "Salvation is therefore and above all redemption from
sin, which hinders friendship with God."
INTEGRATION
The Catechism for Filipino Catholic has laid down the very integration of the sacrament relevant to our
culture as follows (cf. CFC, 1457):

The Christian morality of sin is obviously intrinsically inherent in our celebration of the
Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation. But the more positive link resides in the on-going lifelong process of conversion.
To follow Christ means developing the values and virtues the character of a disciple.
Current renewed moral theology stresses vision over moral prescriptions, values over mere
rules, fundamental commitment over particular acts (cf. NCDP, 271). Such emphasis root out
the individualistic and legal notions of both sin and conversion that so gravely impeded the
efficacy of the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation.
DOCTRINE
In the sacramental format, the following are the Matter, Form, Ministers and
Recipients of the sacrament of Reconciliation:
MATTER - Contrition
FORM - Absolution
MINISTER - Priest (confessor) who has faculty to hear confession.
RECIPIENT - anyone who is baptized and dispose to confess
MORAL
The Meaning of Sin. Sin is a moral attitude, power, action, or refusal to act,
that leads us into evil, alienates/separates us from our true selves, our
neighbors, the community and God. It often becomes, compulsive or
addictive and weakens our power of resistance.
Classifications of Sins. Sins may be classified as:
Personal = committed by individual persons = others = community.
Social
= common negative moral attitudes and acts
Structural = economic, social or political patterns or systems that produce
injustice and harm.
Factors that determine the gravity of sins. The severity and magnitude of sins may
vary according to the following factors:
the ACT
the INTENTION of the doer
the CIRCUMSTANCES relevant to the sin committed
Kinds of Sins. Generally, there are two kinds of sins, namely:
MORTAL SIN - sin unto death
- kills our basic love relationship with God and Others.
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- there must be: grave matter, sufficient knowledge and full consent.
VENIAL SIN - is excusable sin which does not involve our fundamental core
freedom.
-weakens our love relationships with God and Others.
- should be confessed in the sacrament of reconciliation.
The Meaning of Conversion. Conversion is an ongoing process of constant turning
away from sin and the occasions of sin and towards renewing our spirit by through
repentance and firm amendment
4 Steps of Conversion Process. Tips for a genuine conversion are as follows:
Step One. Identify source and nature of conflict.
Step Two. Acceptance and personal encounter of fault
Step Three. Authentic self-discovery of how to change
Step Four. Serious personal transformation
Types of conversion. Conversion may be called as:
MORAL - turning away from sin towards genuine love.
AFFECTIVE - our imaginations, feelings, and emotions towards what is good.
INTELLECTUAL - redirecting our understanding and judgment.
RELIGIOUS - falling in love with God
WORSHIP
Here are some basic steps on how to go to confession:
Step 1. PreparationBefore going to confession, the penitent compares his or her life with the
Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the example of Christ and then prays to God
for forgiveness.
Step 2. Going to ConfessionAfter the priest welcomes you, both of you make the sign of the
cross. Then you may wish to indicate facts about your life, the time of the last
confession, difficulties in leading the Christian life, and anything else that may help the
priest.
Step 3. The Word of GodYou or the priest may read one of the suggested scriptural passages.
Some of them may be:
Deuteronomy 6:3-9Love the Lord your God with your whole heart.
Sirach 28:1-7Forgive your neighbor when he hurts you, and then your sins will be
forgiven when you pray.
Isaiah 55:1-11Let the wicked man forsake his way and return to the Lord, and he will
have mercy on him because he is generous in forgiving.
Jeremiah 7:21-26Listen to my voice, and I will be your God, and you will be my
people.
Ezekiel 18:20-32If a wicked man turns away from his sins, he shall live and not die.
Hosea 14:2-10Israel, return to the Lord your God.
\

Joel 2:12-19Return to me with your whole heart.

Micah 6:1-4, 4-6Do right and love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.
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Psalm 25R. (16a): Turn to me, Lord, and have mercy.

Psalm 51 R. (14a): Give back to me the joy of your salvation.
Psalm 95R. (8a): If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Psalm 130R. (7bc): With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
Matthew 3:1-12Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.
Luke 19:1-10The Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.
John 8:1-11Go and sin no more.
Romans 6:16-23The wages of sin is death; the gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21God reconciled the world to himself through Christ.
Ephesians 5:1-14You were once in darkness; now you are light in the Lord, so walk
as children of light.
1 John 1:5-10, 2:1-2If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our
sins and cleanse us from all injustice.
Step 4. Confession of Sins and the Act of PenanceConfess your sins. The priest then offers
suitable advice and imposes an act of penance or satisfaction, which may include
prayer, self-denial, or works of mercy.
Step 5. Prayer of the PenitentPray a prayer expressing sorrow for your sins and resolving not
to sin again. Two suggested prayers are given here:
My God,
I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong
and failing to do good,
I have sinned against you
whom I should love above all things.
I firmly intend, with your help,
to do penance,
to sin no more,
and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Our Savior Jesus Christ
suffered and died for us.
In his name, my God, have mercy.
(Rite of Penance, no. 45) , (or)
Lord Jesus Christ,
you are the Lamb of God;
you take away the sins of the world.
Through the grace of the Holy Spirit
restore me to friendship with your Father,
cleanse me from every stain of sin
in the blood you shed for me,
and raise me to new life
for the glory of your name.
(Rite of Penance, no. 91)
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Step 6. AbsolutionThe priest extends his hands over your head and pronounces the formula
of absolution, making the sign of the cross over your head during the final words. You
answer, "Amen."
Step 7. Proclamation of PraisePraise the mercy of God and give him thanks in a short
invocation taken from Scripture, such as "Rejoice in the Lord and sing for joy, friends
of God" (Ps 32:1-7, 10-11), "The Lord has remembered his mercy" (Lk 1:46-55), or
"Blessed be God who chose us in Christ" (Eph 1:3-10) (Rite of Penance, no. 206).
Step 8. DismissalThe priest dismisses you with the command to go in peace. Continue to
express your conversion through a life renewed according to the Gospel and more and
more steeped in the love of God.
CONCLUSION
In his first encyclical, Redemptor Hominis (Redeemer of Man), Pope John Paul II described the
gift of the Sacrament of Penance:
In faithfully observing the centuries-old practice of the Sacrament of Penancethe practice of
individual confession with a personal act of sorrow and the intention to amend and make
satisfactionthe Church is therefore defending the human soul's individual right: man's right to
a more personal encounter with the crucified forgiving Christ, with Christ saying through the
minister of the sacrament of Reconciliation: "Your sins are forgiven" (Mk 2:5); "Go, and do not
sin again" (Jn 8:11). As is evident, this is also a right on Christ's part with regard to every
human being redeemed by him: his right to meet each one of us in that key moment in the
soul's life constituted by the moment of conversion and forgiveness.2
What happens in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is almost more than one
could imagine. If we could meet Jesus today, we would expect to be received with love
and compassion, because he is perfect and knows what it is to forgive. Instead, we
confess to an ordinary human being who represents Jesus Christ sacramentally. We can
expect the priest to receive us with love and care and compassion as wellnot because
he is sinless, but because he knows what it is to need forgiveness. God transforms even
our human frailty into the medium of life-giving grace. USCCB Subcommittee for the
Jubilee Year 2000

TOPIC: The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick

Duration: 3 hours
I.

INTRODUCTION/SITUATIONER

St. John Baptist De La Salle

received the Sacrament of
Anointing of the Sick on April
7, 1719 in his deathbed. Patambang,
Salibay and Valera (2001) accounted
that in his deathbed, he spent the
entire night in preparation and
55

received Holy Communion with so

great an eagerness. On Holy
Thursday, extreme unction
(now called Anointing of the Sick)
was granted unto him. His last
words were: I adore in all things,
the will of God in my reward.
From: http://www.lasallian.info/detail/news.cfm?news_id=299&id=103

ACTIVITY
Materials needed:

Bond paper and Ballpen/Pencil

Candle and Match Sticks
Clean Flower/Clay pot (10 inches diameter or more)
CD Player for appropriate music background (optional)

Students will be asked to draw a whole body image of themselves from head to foot.
Write all the sins theyve committed near the body part they used in performing these sins.
While students are writing, teacher will turn on the CD player if they have.
OUTSIDE the room, place on top of an armchair the flower pot and a lighted candle.
Once finished, students will be asked to go out one by one and CAREFULLY burn their paper
inside the pot.

Processing: We experience discomfort in any part of our body because of our own wrongdoings. May
this activity HEALS not just your body parts but your entire SELF.
II.

CHRISTIAN MESSAGE

Basis on the Sacred Scriptures:

In the fourth Chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, right after the account of the Temptation of
Jesus (verses 1-11), Jesus started his Public Life and Public Ministry. In his ministry as
highlighted in Matthew 4:23-24, healing is a major consideration among the many things Jesus
has done.
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the
kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread
over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering
severe pain, the demon possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed
them. (Mt 4:23-24, NAB)
Specifically, the sacrament is clearly scripturally instituted in James 5.
Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing
praise. Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they
should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith
will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will
be forgiven. (James 5:13-15, NAB)
General Church Teaching
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The Catechism for Catholic Church has several provisions concerning this sacrament beginning
from number 1511 to 1532. Klein (2000) highlighted the following aspects essential to the
sacrament:
1. The Elements of the Anointing of the Sick, namely, a) The priest of the Church, b)The
laying on of hands in silence, c) The prayer of faith of the Church and, d)The anointing with
oil (blessed by the bishop)
2. The Effects of the Anointing of the Sick which are the following: a) Joins the sick person
to the passion of Christ, b) Gives power, peace, and the courage to endure suffering, c)
Forgives sins, d) Restores health and, e) Prepares for the passage of eternal life.
3. The Recipients of the Anointing of the Sick are the following: a) Those whose health
is seriously impaired by sickness or old age, b) Those about to undergo surgery because
of serious
illness, c) Those who are elderly and weakened by age, even if there is no
serious illness and, d) Sick children who are mature enough to be comforted by it.
Matter, Form, Minister and Recipient of the Sacrament
MATTER

- oil for anointing (olive oil)

FORM

- Through this holy anointing may the Lord in His love and mercy help
you with the grace of the Holy Spirit (forehead).
- May the Lord who frees you from your sin save you and raise you up
(hands)

MINISTER

- Priest

RECIPIENT

- Sick person

INTEGRATION
According to the Catechism for Filipino Catholics:
Like all sacraments, both reconciliation and anointing are grounded directly on the Doctrine
and reality of Christs Paschal Mystery.
both reconciliation and anointing of the sick rest on the Creedal truths of Christ as redeemer
and Healer, of the Churchs mission to continue Christs reconciling and healing ministry, and
of the Holy Spirit sent down by the risen Christ to empower his Church with Gods healing
love.
To avoid an all too common moralistic attitude of mind of the sacrament, we, Filipino
Catholics, must link the sacrament directly to Christ our Savior, within his community, the
Church.
Filipino Catholics must recognize the zeal, substantial but limited help offered by the advances
of medicine and the social and behavioral sciences.
CONCLUSION
It is emphasized in the Catechism for Filipino Catholics that:

the Anointing of the Sick is the Sacrament which through the laying on of hands, the prayer of
faith, and the anointing with blessed oil, provides the sick with Christs healing grace of the
Holy Spirit.

57

through the grace of the sacrament, the whole man is brought to health, trust in God is
encouraged, and strength is given to resist the temptations of the Evil One, and anxiety about
death.

cure today usually refers to the medical pursuit of the eradication of disease or defect,
healing refers rather to the holistic care that touches body, mind and spirit of the sick person.
Often someone suffering from incurable disease in the medical sense may still be healed in
the deeper, personal sense.

A particular illness is not usually related to any specific sin. God is no vengeful punisher. Yet
sickness is the concrete sign of the deeper, more general spiritual evil in the world.

When asked what should be the attitude of Christians toward sickness:

o See sickness as a sign of the oppressive presence of evil in the world, and therefore,
o Struggle against all sickness and seek good health, and,
o Recognize the need of the sick for special help and comfort from family, community
and Gods grace.

The renewal of the sacrament includes

o Changing its aim to serving the sick, not the dying, and hence its name to Anointing of
the Sick, not Extreme Unction.
o Inserting a prayer in which the community, represented by the priest, the family, friends
and neighbors all pray for those to be anointed
o Stressing on Christ, the Healer, who transforms the meaning and significance of the sick
persons illness into a sharing in his own saving work.

Holy Viaticum with you on-the-way is the Eucharist given to the dying Christian. It
vividly pictures Christ as leading and accompanying the Christian into the heavenly banquet.

III.

ASSESSMENT. Designed evaluation tool for the The Healing Sacraments

MATCHING TYPE. Match Column B to Column A. (Letters only)

Column A
____1. Reconciliatio et Paenitentia
____2. Sacrament of Reconciliation
____3. Act of Contrition
____4. Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick
____5. Prayer of Penitent

Column B
A.
C.
E.
I.
G.

Factors that determine the gravity of Sin

John 20:23
Rite of Sacrament of Reconciliation
Ten Commandments
Anointing of the sicks biblical basis
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____6. Act
H. Sacraments of Healing
____7. St. La Salle died
L. April 7, 1719
____8. Decalogue
M. St. La Salles final words
____9. Venial
N Kinds of Sins
____10. James 5:13-15
R. Matter for Anointing of the Sick
____11. with-you-all-the-way
S. Viaticum
____12. Intention
T. Documents issued by Pope John Paul II
____13. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven
and whose sins you retain are retained
____14. Oil for anointing
____15. Circumstances
____16. I adore in all things, the will of God in my reward
____17. Absolution
____18 Mortal
____19. Misericordia Dei
____20. Eucharist given to dying Christians
PRAYER
Prayer for the Sick
(Source: http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=229)
Father of goodness and love, hear our prayers for the sick members of our community and for all who
are in need. Amid mental and physical suffering may they find consolation in your healing presence.
Show your mercy as you close wounds, cure illness, make broken bodies whole and free downcast
spirits. May these special people find lasting health and deliverance, and so join us in thanking you for
all your gifts. We ask this through the Lord Jesus who healed those who believed. Amen.

Sacrament of Holy Orders

I.

Introduction/Situationer

59

The Sacrament of HOLY ORDERS is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by
Christ to His Apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time.
ORDER designated an established governing body; means the group or body of those who carry
on certain functions, such as teaching, sanctifying, and governing. Some men are chosen and called
by God (vocation), set apart and prepared for special ministry. The liturgy speaks of the ordo
episcoporum, ordo presbyterium, and the ordo diaconorum.
ORDINATION = means incorporation into an ordo; the sacramental act that integrates a man
into the order of bishops, presbyters or deacons. It confers the gift of the Holy Spirit that permits the
exercise of a sacred power that can come only from Christ Himself through His Church. It is also
called consecration for it is a setting apart and an investiture by Christ Himself for His Church. The
laying on of hands by the bishop, with the consecratory prayer, constitutes the visible sign of this
ordination.
II.

Activity:

a. General Instructions
1. Read the poem, A Priest is Always Wrong Because, below.
2. Analyze its contents and get the message it wants to impart to the reader.
3. Share your reflection in a group. (The class could be divided into several groups for this
purpose.)
A Priest is Always Wrong Because...
(Source: http://seminarista.heavenforum.org/t32-a-priest-is-always-wrong-because)
If he begins his mass on time, his watch is advanced;
If he begins a minute later, he keeps people waiting
If he preaches too long, he makes people get bored;
If his homily is too short, he is unprepared.
If he owns a car, he is luxurious;
If he does not own one, he does not go with the times.
If he goes out to visit families, he is always out:
If he does not, he has no time for them.
If he asks for donations, he is a moneymaker;
If he does not do it, he is too proud and lazy.
60

If he takes time in the confessional, he is too slow;

If he makes it too fast, he has no time for his penitents.
If he renovates the church, he throws away money;
If he does not do it, he allows everything to rot away.
If he is with the youth, he forgets the old.
If he is seen with women, he is a playboy;
If he goes with men, he is not normal;
If he is young, he has no experience;
If he is old, he should retire.
As long as he lives, there are always people who are better than him;
BUT IF THE PRIEST DIES....THERE IS NOBODY TO TAKE HIS PLACE!
b. Guide Questions
1. What does the poem tell you?
2. How would you describe the life of a ministerial priest?
3. How do you understand the life and ministry of a priest?
c. Deepening
All baptized people share in the priesthood of Christ. This is the common priesthood we share
with Christ and the whole Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. However, there is another kind of
priesthood which an ordained minister lives as he responds to a special vocation of serving God and
His people. This is called ministerial priesthood.
Many are called but few are chosen (Mt. 22:14). All of us are called to love, serve, and
live a holy life. However, only few among the many are chosen to serve God and his people in a
special ministry. This is a special ministry that necessitates perseverance, prayers and sacrifice for
there are many temptations and obstacles that may be encountered along the way as an ordained
minister responds to this special vocation.
III. Christian Message
A. Biblical / Historical Foundation
Old Testament
Exodus 19:6 - God constituted the Chosen People as a kingdom of priests and holy nation.
Leviticus 8:1-12 - God chose one of the twelve sons of Israel, Levi, and his descendants, and
set them apart for liturgical service where He himself was their inheritance.
Malachi 2:7-9 The priesthood was instituted to proclaim the Word of God, to discern his will
and to restore communion with God by sacrifices and prayer.
New Testament
1 Timothy 2:5 - the priesthood of Jesus Christ, the one mediator between God and men.
Melchizedek, priest of God Most High, is a prefiguration of the priesthood of Christ, the unique
high priest after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrew 5:10), holy, blameless, unstained (Hebrew
7:26) by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified (Hebrew 7:26) by a
single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified (Hebrew 10:14, that is, by the
unique sacrifice of the cross.
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Mark 1:16-20 - It was on the shore of Galilee where men were fishing that Jesus called His
first disciples. - The call of Jesus was so compelling that they set to follow Him and left everything
behind. A relationship with Jesus always begins with Jesus call.
Responses of two pairs of brothers:
Simon & Andrew stresses the promptness with which they responded;
James & John stresses giving up everything nets, boats, father to follow Jesus without
hesitation.
Apostle (means one who is sent) the apostles were sent forth by Jesus to baptize and make
disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:16-20); they continued the ministry of Jesus.
Early Church: There were variety of ministries:
1) Overseers (bishops) = a group of men who led the Local Church.
2) Elders or Presbyters (priests) = helped the apostles; were appointed to help the mission
Churches (Acts 14:23), and directed Local Churches in teaching and praying.
3) Deacons served the early Christian communities in many ways, like serving at the
Eucharist and preaching Gods Word.
Fifth Century: Ordination was seen conveying a special sacramental character, which
meant that once ordained a priest, a man remains a priest forever.
Middle Ages: - the role of the deacons declined, as they were only assistants at liturgies;
gradually the deaconate was only considered as one of the steps on the way to priesthood.
Council of Trent (16th century): The Church Fathers re-affirmed that Holy Orders is a
sacrament; stressed especially on the powers to exercise the ministry of the Eucharist and the
forgiveness of sins.
Today: The ministerial priesthood is often seen in terms of the images of prophet, priest and
king three roles fulfilled by Jesus the Lord.
B. Vocation to Celibate Love
A RELIGIOUS is a man or woman who has taken vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
He/She is a member of a community of men and women dedicated to the common pursuit of personal
union with God through a life of prayer and loving service to others.
A PRIEST is a man who has received the Sacrament of Holy Orders. He is empowered to
represent Christ as celebrant of the Eucharist and to absolve sins in the Sacrament or Reconciliation.
There are two kinds of ministerial priesthood: an ordained minister is either a Secular
(Diocesan), or a Religious.
C. Ministry and Charism
The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCPII) identifies three aspects of our
sharing in the priesthood of Christ: These are 1) Consecration = committing everything we do to
God; 2) Mediation = allowing ones self to be Gods instrument in transforming the world; and 3)
Sacrifice = offering ourselves as a sacrifice, together with the sacrifice of Christ in the Eucharist.
The Dogmatic Constitution of the Church considers the ordained ministers as the servants of
the servants of God. They function as: 1) Mediators between God and His People; 2) Leaders who
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build up the community by guiding them to live out the Word and the sacraments; and 3) Witnesses
through a life of total commitment to God and His Kingdom.
*Gift of CELIBACY requires an ordained minister not to marry.
*A life of SIMPLICITY reflects the Christ who was born poor, lived poor and who
manifested a preferential love for the poor and needy.
There are four things that summarize the life and ministry of the Ordained. An ordained
minister is a: 1) Disciple, who is called to follow Jesus in total commitment; 2) Apostle, who is sent
to serve in the mission of Jesus and of the Church; 3) Presbyteroi (Elder, who takes care of the needs
of the people; responsible for the pastoral care of the Church members; and 4) Presider at the
Eucharist, who leads the community prayers, especially in the celebration of the Eucharist.
D. Signs and Symbols of Holy Orders
Symbolic Sign (Matter): Holy oil & laying on of hands
Symbolic Words (Form): Prayer of consecration in Holy Orders
Ordinary Minister: Bishop
IV. Integration
a. Doctrine: What is the meaning of Ordo?
b. Moral: How could you support an ordained minister in his life and ministry as a
baptized Christian?
c. Worship: Recite the Prayer for Vocation or Prayer for Priests
IV.

Words to Remember
1) Ordo the sacramental act that integrates a man into the order of bishops, presbyters or
deacons
2) Ordination means incorporation into an ordo;
3) Order - designates an established governing body; means the group or body of those
who carry on certain functions, such as teaching, sanctifying, and governing

V.

Conclusion
The sacrament of Holy Orders is the sacrament of ministerial priesthood. It is a special
vocation and ministry in which a man is incorporated to an order: diaconate, presbyterate,
or episcopate. An ordained minister has a special function of teaching, governing, and
sanctifying that each corresponds to the threefold mission of the Church that we share with
Christ and all the baptized: prophetic, kingly, and priestly, respectively.

VI.

Evaluation
Make a collage of pictures showing the life and ministry of an ordained minister (deacon,
priest, bishop). Write a short essay about the collage.

VII.

Prayer
A PRAYER FOR PRIESTS
John Cardinal O'Connor
(Source: http://www.ewtn.com/library/PRAYER/PRAYPRIE.htm)
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Lord Jesus, we your people pray to You for our priests. You have given them to us for
OUR needs. We pray for them in THEIR needs.
We know that You have made them priests in the likeness of your own priesthood. You
have consecrated them, set them aside, anointed them, filled them with the Holy Spirit,
appointed them to teach, to preach, to minister, to console, to forgive, and to feed us with
Your Body and Blood.
Yet we know, too, that they are one with us and share our human weaknesses. We know
too that they are tempted to sin and discouragement as are we, needing to be ministered
to, as do we, to be consoled and forgiven, as do we. Indeed, we thank You for choosing
them from among us, so that they understand us as we understand them, suffer with us
and rejoice with us, worry with us and trust with us, share our beings, our lives, our faith.
We ask that You give them this day the gift You gave Your chosen ones on the way to
Emmaus: Your presence in their hearts, Your holiness in their souls, Your joy in their
spirits. And let them see You face to face in the breaking of the Eucharistic bread.
We pray to You, O Lord, through Mary the mother of all priests, for Your priests and for
ours. Amen.

Sacrament of Matrimony
I. Introduction/Situationer

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Families nowadays are bombarded and attacked by many issues that seemingly weaken them,
such as sexual revolution, growing secularizing modernization, the growing number of broken
families, purely civil marriages, scourge of abortion, sterilization and the contraceptive mentality,
querida system(PCP II, 47, 582), single parenthood, out-of-wedlock children, same-sex marriage,
problems with in-laws, money, raising of children, priority between work and family, etc. Whatever
beset the families, it still remains that families, which are basic units of our society, are the strength and
foundation of every nation. Every successful, good and happy person has the family behind him/her
who molded him/her to be such. Our faith teaches us that the family is the domestic church where the
character and attitudes of children are formed as good Christian citizens of the country and future
residents of heaven.
Families play a pivotal role in the life of the individuals and society. Families are the most
important reference group, the core of alliance system, where individuals find security, strength and
support. Loyalty to family and kin, family solidarity and togetherness, concern for family welfare and
honor, rank high in their priorities CFC, 1877)
II.

Activity: Family-orientation

a. General Instructions
1. The class will be divided into Groups A, B, & C. There could be two or more Groups A,
B or C.
2. Each group shall compose of five members each.
3. Each group will choose a leader/reporter who will report to the plenary what transpired
in their small group sharing.
4. The groups will be given a set of questions for sharing.
d. Guide Questions
For Group A:
1. Each member of the group would answer this question: What do you think are
the reasons and causes why marriages fail?
2. The small group will then decide top three reasons for failure in marriage.
For Group B:
1. Each member of the group would answer this question: Based on your
observations with your parents or other married couples, what do you
think are the secret ingredients of their successful marriage?
2. The small group will then decide top three secrets in successful marriage.
For Group C:
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1. Each member of the group would answer this question: If ever you get married,
what would be your reasons for entering such state of life and why?
2. The small group will then decide top three reasons for getting married.
e. Deepening
Whatever reasons in getting married might be, be it ranging from simple attraction or
infatuation to deeper commitment to raise own family, the main reason should be true love that is
centered in Christ. The family is the ground where genuine love will be harnessed and potentials of
each member are developed and reach to their fullness. Marriages fail because couples begin from
wrong notion that marriage can change their partners negative behavior and vices will turn into virtues
and they can do everything on their own without Christ. No husband or wife can change his/her
partners character except the person himself/herself. Hence, the couples can discuss their actuations
with each other and plan to make their lives better and their family happier. Communication with
honesty, genuine openness and fidelity would help them fulfill their promises to each other to stay
together till death do them part, for better or for worse, in richer or in poorer, in sickness and in
health.
Both Scriptures and the Church documents strongly support the dignity and holiness of the
married state of life, and thus, the overwhelming responsibility and duties of the couples to raise
children as respectable citizens, holy Christians and children of God.
2) Christian Message
a. Sacred Scriptures
Genesis 2:18-25. The covenant that imitates Gods own faithfulness to His People
The Lord God said: It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.
So the Lord God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air,
and He brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each
of them would be its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all
the wild animals; but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.
So the Lord God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his
ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The Lord God then built up into a woman the rib that
He had taken from the man. When He brought her to the man, the man said: This one, at last,
is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called woman, for out of man this
one has been taken.
That is why a man shall leave his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them
become one body. The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame.
Mt. 19:3-9. Unity and Indissolubility of Marriage
Jesus teaches that a man can marry with only one woman at a time and vice versa. And
their marriage cannot be dissolved by any reason whatsoever except death.
Some Pharisees came up to Him and said to test Him, May a man divorce his wife for
any reason whatever? He replied: Have you not read that the Creator from the beginning
made them male and female and declared: For this reason a man shall leave his father and
mother, and cling to his wife, and the two shall become as one? Thus they are no longer two
but one flesh. Therefore, let no man separate what God has joined.

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They said to Him, Then why did Moses command divorce and the promulgation of
divorce decree? Because of your stubbornness Moses let you divorce your wives, He replied;
but at the beginning it was not that way. I now say to you: whoever divorces his wife(lewd
conduct is a separate case) and marries another commits adultery, and the man who marries a
divorced woman commits adultery.
Eph. 5:22-33. Christian Wives and Husbands
St. Paul exhorts married Christians to a strong mutual love. Holding with Genesis 2, 24,
that marriage is a divine institution, he sees Christian marriage as taking on a new meaning
symbolic of the intimate relationship of love between Christ and the Church. The wife should
serve her husband in the same spirit as that of the Churchs service to Christ and the husband
should care for his wife with the devotion of Christ to the Church.
Wives should be submissive to their husbands as if to the Lord because the husband is
head of his wife, just as Christ is head of His body, the Church, as well as its Savior. As the
Church submits to Christ, so wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church. He gave Himself up for Her to
make Her holy, purifying her in the bath of water by the power of the word, to present Himself
a glorious Church, holy and immaculate, without stain or wrinkle or anything of that sort.
Husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves
himself. Observe that no one ever hates his own flesh; no, he nourishes it and takes care of it as
Christ cares for the Church for we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall
leave his father and mother, and shall cling to his wife. And the two shall be made into one.
This is a great foreshadowing; I mean that it refers to Christ and the Church. In any case, each
one should love his wife as he loves himself, the wife for her part showing respect for her
husband.
b. Church Teaching
Vatican II, Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World
(Gaudium et Spes, 48)
For, God Himself is the Author of matrimony, endowed as it is with various benefits and
purposes. All of these have a very decisive bearing on the continuation of the human race, on the
personal development and eternal destiny of the individual members of a family, and on the dignity,
stability, peace and prosperity of the family itself and of human society as a whole. By their very
nature, the institution of matrimony itself and conjugal love are ordained for the procreation and
education of children, and find in them their ultimate crown. Thus a man and a woman, who by their
compact of conjugal love are no longer tow, but one flesh (Mt. 19:23), render mutual help and
service to each other through an intimate union of their persons and of their actions. Through this
union they experience the meaning of their oneness and attain to it with growing perfection day by day.
As a mutual gift of two persons, this intimate union and the good of the children impose total fidelity
on the spouses and argue for an unbreakable oneness between them.
1. The Catechism of the Sacrament of Matrimony
a. For, God Himself is the Author of matrimony, endowed as it is with various benefits and
purposes. All of these have a very decisive bearing on the continuation of the human race, on
the personal development and eternal destiny of the individual members of a family, and on the
dignity, stability, peace and prosperity of the family itself and of human society as a whole (GS
48). The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came
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from the hand of the Creator. Marriage is not a purely human institution despite the many
variations it may have undergone through the centuries, social structures, and spiritual attitudes.
These differences should not cause us to forget its common and permanent characteristics.
Although the dignity of this institution is not transparent everywhere with the same clarity
some sense of the greatness of the matrimonial union exists in all cultures. The well-being of
the individual person and of both human and Christian society is closely bound up with the
healthy state of conjugal and family life (CCC, 1603).
b. By their very nature, the institution of matrimony itself and conjugal love are ordained for the
procreation and education of children, and find in them their ultimate crown (GS, 48). Children
are the supreme gift of marriage and contribute greatly to the good of the parents themselves
God blessed man and woman with the words: Be fruitful and multiply. Hence, true married
love and the whole structure of family life which results from it, without diminishment of the
other ends of marriage, are directed to disposing the spouses to cooperate valiantly with the
love of the Creator and Savior, who through them will increase and enrich his family from day
to day.
The fruitfulness of conjugal love extends to the fruits of the moral, spiritual, and
supernatural life that parents hand on to their children by education. Parents are the principal
and first educators of their children. In this sense the fundamental task of marriage and family
is to be at the service of life (CCC, 1652-53)
c. Thus a man and a woman, who by their compact of conjugal love are no longer tow, but one
flesh (Mt. 19:23), render mutual help and service to each other through an intimate union of
their persons and of their action (GS, 48). Holy Scripture affirms that man and woman were
created for one another: It is not good that the man should be alone. (Gen 2:18). The Woman,
flesh of his flesh, i.e., his counterpart, his equal, his nearest in all things, is given to him by
God as a helpmate; she thus represents God from whom comes our help. (Cf. Gen 2:18, 25).
Therefore, a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one
flesh. (Gen 2:24). The Lord Himself shows that this signifies an unbreakable union of their two
lives by recalling what the plan of the Creator had been in the beginning: So they are no
longer two, but one flesh (Mt. 19:6) (CCC, 1605).
d. Through this union they experience the meaning of their oneness and attain to it with growing
perfection day by day. As a mutual gift of two persons, this intimate union and the good of the
children impose total fidelity on the spouses and argue for an unbreakable oneness between
them (GS, 48). In His mercy God has not forsaken sinful man. The punishments consequent
upon sin, pain in childbearing and toil in the sweat of your brow, (Gen 3:16, 19) also
embody remedies that limit the damaging effects of sin. After the fall, marriage helps to
overcome self-absorption, egoism ,pursuit of ones own pleasure, and to open oneself to the
other, to mutual aid and self-giving (CCC, 1609)
2. Marriage as a Covenant
People treat sacrament of matrimony as a contract where the bride and the groom give only half
of their share in the contract to make it 100%. But 50% for each couple is not enough. The husband
needs to give his 100% share as well as the wife her 100% to make their marriage successful.
But marriage is more than a contract; it is a covenant where the couple makes a pact or
agreement between themselves and with God as the third party. God makes a covenant with the couple,
so they need to make it also a covenant between the two of them. In the biblical sense a covenant
means a friendship agreement, a dynamic reality, an open-minded commitment; it involves the effort of
God, husband and wife; it involves a covenant love between husband and wife. In order to make their
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relationship last, the important elements of love need to be present in their marriage: love, definitive
commitment, responsibility, trust and fidelity. Hence, their marriage will succeed and they will love
each other until death does them apart.
This covenant is patterned after Gods fidelity to His covenant with the unfaithful Israelites in
the Old Testament. This also lead us to the New Covenant made by our Lord Jesus Christ with His
passion and death on the cross, a covenant for all the people of the world sealed by his blood. The
wedding day of the Lamb, (Rev 19:7), wherein, the Church is the bride and Christ is the bridegroom.
Furthermore, this new covenant of love is confirmed in the famous text from Ephesians (5:21-33): the
covenant between man and woman is seen as the image of the covenant between Christ and the
Church. With this mage husbands and wives, therefore, should love and act toward each other as Christ
loves and treats us, His Church. Hence, marriage partners are admonished: Defer to one another out
of reverence for Christ (Eph 5:21). All domination by one partner over the other is thus directly
rejected.
3. Marriage as a Sacrament
The sacrament of marriage is the matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish
between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered towards the good of the
spouses and the procreation and education of offspring (CCC, 1601).
Marriage is seen as a) an ongoing saving symbolic action, b) grounded in the ministry of Christ
and continued in and through the Church, which c) when proclaimed, realized and celebrated in faith,
d) makes present and actually shares in, Gods love and faithfulness in Jesus Christ, in the pattern of
His Paschal Mystery
The marriage covenant, by which a man and a woman form with each other and intimate
communion of life and love, has been founded and endowed with its own special laws by the Creator.
By its very nature is ordered for the good of the couple as well as for the generation and education of
children (also deepen the union of husband and wife as purposes or ends of marriage). Christ the Lord
raised marriage between the baptized to the dignity of a sacrament (CCC, 1660)
The promises made by the couple in the sacramental celebration of marriage, does not create
love. The couple already loves each other, and they make it public in front of man and God to love
each other for better or worse, until death.
The sacramental graces that the couple receives are the deepening of their conjugal love and
indissoluble unity strengthened and perfected in Christ who is the source of this grace. By this grace
they help one another to attain holiness in their married life and in welcoming and educating their
children. In Christian marriage, the couple is assured of Christs guidance and inspiration. Christ
dwells with them, gives them the strength to take up their crosses and so follow Him, to rise again after
they have fallen, to forgive one another, to bear one anothers burdens, to subject to one another out
of reverence for Christ, and to love one another with supernatural, tender and fruitful love (CCC
1641-42)
4. Responsible Parenthood
The Council brings together the unitive and procreative goals of marriage: conjugal and
offspring. Marriage and conjugal love are by their nature ordained toward begetting and educating
children. Indeed, children are the supreme gift of marriage and greatly contribute to the good of the
parents themselves (GS, 50). This union is based on the nature of conjugal love, which: while leading
the spouses to (become) one flesh does not end with the couple. It makes them capable of the
greatest possible gift, the gift by which they become cooperators with God for giving life a new human
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person a living reflection of their love, a permanent sign of a conjugal unity and a living and
inseparable synthesis of their being a father and a mother (FC, 14).
Christian parents/spouses do not only minister to each other by strengthening each others
faith, supporting, counseling and easing each others burdens in healing and comforting. They also
minister to their children, most of all by having a lasting loving relationship with each other that
establishes a sound family atmosphere. In relating to their children, parents must not only take care of
them physically, but also provide for their religious formation. The family is meant by God to be the
first school of discipleship where the parents are the first catechists of their children and where all the
members mutually evangelize each otherand learn to share with others the grace and light of Christ
(PCP II, 576). In everyday actions, this demands that the parents accept and be present to each of their
children as unique persons, throughout the various stages of their growth (CFC 1932).
a. Family Planning
Many Catholics today are misled in thinking that the Church is against all family planning. The
Church teaches the need for responsible parenthood. This means, among other things, that couples
should bring into the world generously only the children whom they can raise up as good human
beings. The decision on the number of children rests solely on the parents no one can make that
decision for them. But it is a decision they must make according to their formed Christian conscience,
with a sense of their responsibility to each other, to their children already born and still to be born, to
God, and in view of Church teaching (CFC 1923).
5. Family Relationships
a. Stable and Loving Relationships between Husband and Wife
Married couples should take serious each other and should make every effort to see each other
as real persons and not as love objects. We do not have a magic formula for the required
number of qualities, but some are important without which a marriage is almost certain to fail
(Patambang, Salibay & Valera, pp. 176-177):
1. There must be communication and meaningful conversation about their feelings. One
should be more conscious of his/her voice, choose the most appropriate time to talk, be
gentle and loving as possible. One should try to keep his/her temper, be ready to listen
and above all be prepared to hear unpleasant things, too.
2. Each must try to understand what it means to be the other person. One ought to be
emphatic by trying to put ones self in anothers shoes. Empathy requires that firstly, one
considers the surrounding facts that take place in the incident that involve the person.
Secondly, one tries to understand what these facts mean to the other. Thirdly, he/she reflects this
understanding in a non-threatening way. Lastly, he/she should open to whatever response is
given to ones reflection.
3. There must be honesty. One can never build a good relationship on lies. And one can
never solve a problem by simply pretending that it doesnt exist.
4. The two must be real to each other. Many couples seeking counseling almost always
accuse each other of being non-genuine. This is an important notation because false accusations
can cause the relationship go crumble.
5. They must care for each other. It should be caring in such a way that neither feels
trapped by this caring, a non-possessively warm caring. Four values promote
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interpersonal relationship. First is Recognition: It helps counteract the tendency for spouses to
take each other for granted. Second is Kindness: It prevents partners from measuring each
others contribution to the relationship. Kindness creates a better relationship, however,
possessive kindness an act is done to control a person hinders closeness and a good
relationship. Third is Independence: It allows each of the partners to be uniquely himself/
herself in the relationship. It does not mean that either has the right to do whatever one pleases.
Each should make an effort to be open to the uniqueness of other. Fourth is Responsibility: it
means the fulfillment of obligations in a relationship. Ones responsibility in marriage is to
foster a more effective relationship between each other, to express love through our behavior.
6. There must be commitment and permanence. Ceremonies, gifts, rings are external signs
of internal commitment to love and honor until death. Sorrows, disappointments, pains and
joys await the couples as part of their lives. If there is true love, couples can face and
accept them; it is love that can make marriage endure forever.
b. Filial Respect for Parents
Filial respect for parents is demanded of children and adults by the Fourth Commandment
Honor your father and mother. Honor means showing proper gratitude, affection, respect, obedience
and care to parents (CCC 2214F). The act of honoring is both a cultural act and a religious act for it
extends to all who have contributed to ones care, and education like our lolo, lola, kuya, ate, aunties,
uncles. The Old Testament decreed extreme punishment for transgressors: Whoever curses his father
and mother shall be put to death (Ex 21:17). A blasphemer is he who despises his father, accursed of
his Creator, he who angers his mother (Sir 3:16). Holy Scripture has it when it exhorts the son:
Observe, my son, your fathers bidding, and reject not your mothers teaching (Pr. 6:20). In
honoring our parents we honor God Himself. For the Lord sets a father in honor over his children;
a mothers authority He confirms over her sons. He who honors his father atones for sins; he stores up
riches who reveres his mother (Sir3:2-3). Honor your father and mother carries with it a promise,
that it may go well with you, and that you may have a long life on earth (Eph 6:1-3; cf. CFC 1021)
c. Parental Respect and Responsibility for Children
Care and respect for their children as persons in their own right are enjoined by the Fourth
Commandment. St. Paul exhorts the parents: Fathers, do not nag your children lest they lose heart
(Col 3:21). Fathers, do not anger your children, bring them up with the training and instruction
befitting the Lord (Eph 6:4). In His teaching, Christ Himself offered a very positive picture of human
parents: What a father among you will give his son a snake if he asks for a fish, or hand him a
scorpion if he asks for an egg? If you, with all your sins, know how to give your children good things,
how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him (Lk 11:11-13)
d. Duties of Christian Parents
The Church teaches that parents have the duty to provide so far as they can for their childrens
needs, guiding them in faith and morals, and creating for them an environment for personal growth.
The role of parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an
adequate substitute. The right and duty of parents to educate their children are primordial and
inalienable (CCC 2221). This role cannot be relegated to yayas or teachers in the school. Parents
should deliberately give their time for their children since first and foremost their children are also
children of God to whom due respect as human persons is demanded from them Parents bear witness
to their responsibility to educate their children by creating a home, a place for education in the
virtues, where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity and disinterested service are the rule. Parents
have a grave responsibility to give good example to their children. By knowing how to acknowledge
their own failings to their children, parents will be better able to guide and correct them (CCC 2223).
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In infancy and childhood, parents provide for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of their
children. As they grow older, the parents are called to promote their growing autonomy and
independence. Parents have the primary responsibility for the education of their children, both secular
and religious (CFC 1026). Through the grace of the sacrament of Marriage, parents receive the
responsibility and privilege of evangelizing their children. Parents should initiate their children at an
early age into the mysteries of the faith of which they are the first heralds for their children.
Education in the faith by the parents should begin in the childs earliest years. This already happens
when family members help one another to grow in faith by the witness of a Christian life in keeping
with the Gospel. Parents have the mission of teaching their children to pray and to discover their
vocation as children of God (CCC 2225-2226). Responsible parents teach their children self-love,
assertive behavior, healthy sexuality, sound values and good behavior, personal responsibility, allow
each children to be unique, and to develop interdependence (Patambang, M., Salibay, E. & Valera,
2001).
If problems do arise between the parents and the children, first, parents and children alike must
learn how to communicate with one another openly and deeply, in a loving, forgiving, mutually
supporting atmosphere that is honest and truthful. Secondly, parents as well as children must be
willing to admit errors, since: a) no one is perfect or sinless; b) loving forgiveness is what Christ asks
of all; and c) truth and a proper sense of right and wrong are the only bases for genuine forgiveness and
interpersonal relationships. Thirdly, the whole family must look beyond itself and strive to offer
Christian witness of the Gospel values of justice and protection of human rights to the wider
community of town, province, region, and nation (CFC 1027)
6. Legal Matters Concerning Marriage: (Church Marriage, Civil Marriage,
Impediments, Divorce, Annulment and Legal Separation)
Church marriage follows the Canon Law of the Catholic Church while civil marriage is
guided by the laws of the state that binds the couple in contracting their vows and promises.
Impediments are legal obstacles that prevent or hinder a sacrament from being performed validly and
licitly.
There are twelve (12) diriment impediments which hinder or disqualify two persons for a valid
and lawful marriage: age (Can 1083), antecedent and perpetual impotence (Can 1084), prior bond or
previous marriage where the other party is still alive (Can 1085), disparity of cult (one person not
being baptized) (Can 1086), Holy Orders (Can 1087), perpetual vows of chastity in a religious institute
(Can 1088), abduction (with the intention of getting married) (Can 1089), crime (one person previously
conspiring to marry upon condition of death of spouse) while still married, conjucide (crime
committed in marriage) (Can 1090), consanguinity to the fourth collateral line (1st cousin) (Can 1091),
affinity (relationship by marriage, example: brother-in-law) in the direct line (An 1092), and public
propriety/decency (Can 1093), and legal adoption to the second collateral line (Can 1094).
If any of this impediments happen the Local Ordinary (bishop) can dispense his own subject
wherever they are staying. Dispensation reserved to the Apostolic See (Pope) is given when
impediments arise from the sacred orders or from the public vow of perpetual chastity in a religious
institute and the impediment of crime. An impediment of consanguinity in the direct line or in the
second degree of the collateral line is never given a dispensation (Canon 1078)
The Church has always opposed divorce. It is the action of the court through which the marital
bond is broken due to a circumstance that arose after the celebration of valid marriage. It means that
the husband and wife are no longer married to each other, thus giving each other the freedom and the
legal right to contract a new marriage. She teaches that divorce is against the very nature of love,
marriage and family life, the content and meaning of the vows and promises made in the contract and
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rites and above all against the explicit instructions of Christ. The sacrament of marriage is always
indissoluble.
In 1 Cor. 7 Paul acknowledged Jesus prohibition of divorce. Fidelity is a command of the Lord
(7:10-11). Marriage arises in the covenant of marriage, or irrevocable consent, which each partner
freely bestows on and of the children impose total fidelity on each of them dignity of a sacrament so
His unbreakable union with His Church (Rite of Marriage, Introduction, No. 2).
Marriage in the sense of covenanted love-sacred, solemn, serious of itself requires
indissoluble union after the model of Gods love. The intimate partnership of married life and love
has been established by the Creator and qualified by His laws, and is rooted in the conjugal covenant
of irrevocable personal consent (Gaudium et Spes, 48).
However, the Church allows the couple to file for an annulment if there are grounds for it.
Annulment is the action of the court through which a marriage is considered valid by law, is rendered
null & void due to a circumstance at the time of its celebration, due to which the law itself gives the
court power to nullify it. Declaration of nullity is an official pronouncement of a competent tribunal
on the nullity of a union, which from its beginning was already null & void due to a circumstance
hindering its validity existing at the time of the celebration of marriage.
Legal separation is the action of the court through which the marital bond is not broken by any
circumstance that arose after the celebration of valid marriage. It means that the husband and wife are
still married with each other but living separately. Thus they have no freedom and the legal right to
contract a new marriage.
7. Administration of Matrimony
a. The Minister The bride and the groom are the minister of the grace of Christ. They mutually
confer upon each other the sacrament of Matrimony by expressing their consent before the
Church.
b. The Formula or Words The I Do pronounced by the bride and the groom indicate their free
mutual consent.
c. The Matter is the mutual consent of the couple
8. Symbols and Meanings
In the Wedding Rite there are a number of things used as symbols signifying something else
that we need to understand well.
a. The Bridal Procession. The Bridal Procession symbolizes the transfer of the parents rights
over their daughter to the groom. The groom will now be the protector and defender of the
bride.
b. The White Gown. The white gown and the veil are the traditional vestments of the bride. The
white symbolizes inner beauty and purity. The Bride received the unstained dignity as she
receives the sacrament of matrimony.
c. The Joining of Hands. After expressing their marital consent, the Bride and the Groom are
asked to join their hands and say: Grant us, O Lord, to be one heart and one soul from this day
forward, for better , for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us
part. The joining of hands symbolizes their mutual self-donation. They now belong to teach
other as husband and wife and become one in body, heart and purpose.
d. The Rings. The rings, which the Bride and the Bridegroom give to each other, symbolize their
pledge for mutual love and faithfulness. They have to wear their wedding rings all throughout
of their lives as a sign of mutual love and unbroken loyalty.
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e. The Arrhae. The arrhae signify the sufficiency of material possessions that a family should
have in order to take care of its temporal needs. The Bridegrooms duty is to be the provider,
the breadwinner of the family as he promised this to the Bride: I give you these arrhae as a
pledge of my dedication to your welfare. The Bride, on receiving the arrahae says: And I
accept them.
f. The Candles. Candles represent Christ, the light sent by the Father to show us the way to
salvation. During the Wedding Mass besides the lighted candles on the altar, two more candles
are lit, one on either side of the couple. This signifies that Christ is the guide of the couples
married life. Secondly, the candles are reminders to the couple to be lights in the world and
witnesses to Christ. Their lives should be living examples to their children. Then, because of
being lights of Christ, their children, friends and relatives will praise God and feel attracted to
the Gospel.
g. The Veil. The veil symbolizes union and mutual self-surrender of the couples to one another.
The veil is laid over the head of the Bride and the shoulders of the Groom.
h. The Cord. The word cord comes from Latin jugum which means yoke. Thats why we hear
the word conjugal, which means of marriage conjugal property, conjugal rights, acts, etc.
A yoke means two things: something htat has to be carried, and also something that unites those
who carry it. Marriage is a yoke that binds together man and woman and which has to be
carried by both the husband and the wife. Here we have the Yoke of Matrimony. The laying of
the Cord over the Bride and the Groom in the form of an 8 symbolizes the yoke in marriage.
Sacrament of marriage is sometimes referred to as a knot or tie.
i. The Nuptial Blessing. The Church gives to the newly-wed the Nuptial Blessing so that they
may be reminded of their duties and prays for help from the Lord so that they may keep them
from all dangers. The Nuptial Blessing is given before Holy Communion
j. Matrimony and the Eucharist. All sacraments are oriented towards the Eucharist because all
sacraments come from and lead to Christ, and Christ is above all in the Eucharist. It is the
Eucharist, as Bread from heaven, that provides the newly-weds the food to make their spiritual
life grow, and with the strength they need to keep their duties imposed upon them by the
sacrament of Matrimony.as the newly-wed receive Christ in the Communion, they identify
themselves with Christ who offered up for our salvation. They are now one with Christ who
unites Himself with his Church because of His love for Her. So, now the newly-weds must love
each other as Christ loves His Church. The union of Christ with His Church is now most
profoundly expressed in the Eucharist that couples receive.
9. The Rite of Marriage
Christian marriage is always celebrated within the community of the Church. A priest or deacon
presides at the celebration in an official capacity for the Church but he is not the minister of the
sacrament. The bride and the groom are the ministers of the sacrament of Holy Matrimony. Marriage
may be celebrated at any time of the year and at any time of the day unless local regulations limit it.
The ordinary place of marriage is the parish church or other sacred place with the special permission
required for marriage. Christian marriage can be celebrated within or outside the Mass. The Church
states that Matrimony is normally to be celebrated within the Mass after the reading of the Gospel and
the homily before the prayer of the faithful. Indeed, it is advisable that matrimony is celebrated within
the Eucharist, the sacrament of unity, because by sharing the same Body of Christ the newly married
couple also grows in oneness with one another.
a. Entrance Rite The priest meets the bride and the groom in a friendly manner, showing that
the Church shares their joy. According to the local custom, at least their parents and two
witnesses may escort the couple. Meanwhile, the entrance song is sung.
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b. Liturgy of the Word There should be three readings. The priest gives a homily drawn from
the sacred texts especially from the gospel reading. He talks about the mystery of Christian
marriage and the duties and responsibilities of married people.
c. Rite of Marriage The priest questions the couple about their freedom of choice, faithfulness
to each other, and the acceptance and upbringing of children. Each answers the questions
separately.
i.
Consent the pries invites the couple to declare their consent publicly
ii.
Blessing and exchange of rings and arrhae
d. Liturgy of the Eucharist
i.
Nuptial blessing after the Lords Prayer, the priest faces the couple and blesses them
while the couple join hands
ii.
Final blessing Before blessing the people at the end of the Mass, the priest blesses the
bride and the bridegroom (Ines, J., & Salibay, E., 2007)
3) Integration
a. Doctrine: In what way marriage is a sacrament?
b. Moral: How can children enrich the dignity of sacrament of marriage and honor of their
parents?
c. Worship: Why are the parents considered the ministers of the sacrament of marriage?
4) Words to Remember
Conjugal refers to married state of life
Covenant a solemn agreement between persons
Dispensation is the permission granted to do a particular act
Inalienable cannot be taken away or transferred
Indissoluble cannot be broken or violated; lasting
Minister the person who administers the sacrament
Virtues good habits; good repeated acts
5) Conclusion
Christian marriage is the union of two baptized, man and woman, who freely give
himself/herself to each other in a lifelong covenant of love. Their relationship imitates the love of
Christ for His Church (Eph. 5:2ff), and manifests that love, for others to see. When couples fail to
imitate the example set by Christ chances are their marriages will fail. However, there are no magic
formulas for establishing and sustaining a stable loving relationship in Catholic marriage that is very
possible to exist.
It must be kept in mind that couples do not reach troubled stages in their marriage overnight.
Problems start from simple differences. Areas of conflict may center on money, in-laws, children, sex,
vices, etc. A couple in trouble should look for remedies before the problem becomes any worse. The
most important is to adopt the right attitude, and have the determination to make their marriage work;
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then settle little differences, participate in marriage enrichment program. A couple should never
overlook the power of prayer and the sacraments. The family that prays together stays together.
The breakdown of many marriages nowadays and even in the past is mainly due to the inability
of the couple to work beyond their personal needs because marriage is a relationship wherein one must
forget himself/herself and think more of the other. This is a very difficult thing to do. Before one can
do it he/she has to develop a sense of maturity and should try to know the essence of marriage, its
foundation and its importance in his/her personal life as married person.
6) Evaluation
A. Fill the blanks with the words from the word box.
1. This covenant between baptized persons has been raised by _________ to the dignity of a
sacrament.
2. As the Church is subordinate to Christ, so _____________should be subordinate to their husbands in
everything.
3. By their very nature, the institution of matrimony itself and conjugal love are ordained for the
procreation and education of ____________, and find in them their ultimate crown.
4. The sacrament of ________________is defined as an enduring and exclusive covenant of love
between a man and a woman.
5. Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become ______
flesh.
6. The matrimonial bond between the husband and the wife is _____________and can never be broken
except by death.
7. The relationship of the husband and the wife should be strengthened by their strong _________ to
each other amidst temptations and trials in life.
8. Husbands and wives have to wear their wedding _____ all throughout of their lives as a sign of
mutual love and unbroken loyalty.
9. There are diriment ______________ which hinder or disqualify two persons for a valid and lawful
marriage such as age, previous bonds, crime, consanguinity, etc.
10. The priest invites the couple to declare their ________ publicly, an act which is essential in the rite
of marriage.
a. Christ

f. Husbands

b. One

g. Fidelity

c. Children

h. Indissoluble

d. Marriage

i. Consent

e. Wives

j. Rings
k. Impediments
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B. Complete the initial letter in the following numbers to form the word of the correct answer.
1. C____________ marriage is the union of two baptized, man and woman, who freely give
himself/herself to each other in a lifelong covenant of love
2. The Church gives to the newly-wed the N________ Blessing so that they may be reminded of their
duties.
3. Marriage is more than a contract; it is a c__________ where the couple makes a pact or agreement
between themselves and with God as the third party
4. Our faith teaches us that the family is the d__________ church where the character and attitudes of
children are formed as good Christian citizens of the country and future residents of heaven.
5. The f____________ is the most important reference group, the core of alliance system, where
individuals find security, strength and support
6. A______________ is the action of the court through which a marriage is considered valid by law, is
rendered null & void due to a circumstance at the time of its celebration, due to which the law itself
gives the court power to nullify it
7. For, God Himself is the A________ of matrimony, endowed as it is with various benefits and
purposes.
8. The veil symbolizes union and m________ self-surrender of the couples to one another.
9. Parents have the primary r______________ for the education of their children, both secular and
religious.
10. All sacraments are oriented towards the E___________ because all sacraments come from and lead
to Christ.
7) SONG
LOVE IS THE ANSWER
(Raymond Hannisian)
1. Morning comes, and I must go; day is breaking yonder
After all the places I have been, now Im going home.
I have been to seek the sky, to travel on the highway.
And the time has come, I dont know why, Im going home.
REF1: Where is the answer to so many questions?
I dont know, so I begin another journey.
Where is the meaning for my world? I see the answer now.
2. Though we came by diffrent roads, now we walk together.
Stay beside me all our days, strangers never more.
Through the cool of summer rains, by the hearthside fire.
Ill be with you when nothing remains, I am home to stay.
REF2: Love is the answer to so many questions.
Now I know, and I can stop my endless wandring.
Love gives meaning to my world, I see the answer now.
Love is the answer. Love.
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