Thursday, April 5, 2012

25 March 2012 Class

Part 6
New Version:
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.

Old version:
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

Original Latin:
et ascendit in caelum,
sedes ad dexteram Patris.
Et iterum venturus est cum gloria,
iudicare vivos et mortuos,
cuius regni non erit finis.

http://www.thesacredheart.com/latpray.htm

Latin vowels: a-ah e-eh i-ee o-oh u-oo
(no diphthongs)


Today is usually the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25). Showed the following video:

The Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary
On handout:
(BVM) by the angel Gabriel - Luke 1: 26-38

March 25 – 9 months before the Nativity/Birth of Jesus (Christmas)

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On Handout:
What is sin?
Showed this video:

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Intro. to 10 Commandments:
Explained how 10 Commandments were given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai after escaped from slavery (in Egypt). Crossed through Red Sea (waters parted) while Moses' staff was raised.

11 March 2012 Class

Today we were in the main Church for the Stations of the Cross.

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Creed for this week:
New Version:

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.

Old version:
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered, died, and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in fulfillment of the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

Original Latin:
Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato,
passus et sepultus est,
et resurrexit tertia die,
secundum Scripturas,
http://www.thesacredheart.com/latpray.htm
Latin vowels: a-ah e-eh i-ee o-oh u-oo
(no diphthongs)
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From http://fisheaters.com/stations.html

Stations of the Cross

`Where the Bishop is, there let the multitude of believers be; even as where Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church'' Ignatius of Antioch, 1st c. A.D

As early as the 4th [century], Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land would walk the route that Our Lord walked as He made His way to Golgotha for our salvation. When Muslims captured Jerusalem and it became too dangerous to make this pilgrimage, Christians replicated the sites back home in Europe, and there developed the "Stations of the Cross" devotion (also known as "Way of the Cross," "Via Dolorosa," or "Via Crucis").

The devotion consists of meditating on 14 events -- that number being fixed in 1731 by Pope Clement XII -- which took place during Christ's Passion, from His being condemned to His burial. Franciscans popularized the devotion, which was originally made outside, often along roads to shrines or churches. The Way of the Cross can still be made outside, of course -- a perfect idea for a Mary Garden -- but is usually made inside nowadays, especially during the Season of Lent and most especially on Good Friday.

If you enter a Catholic Church and look along the walls of the nave (where the parishioners sit), you should see 14 representations on the walls which depict 14 events of Christ's Passion that have been singled out for contemplation. It is at these blessed artistic representations, these "stations" -- which can be painted, carved, engraved, of wood, metal, paint on canvas, etc., topped with a wooden Cross -- that the Way of the Cross is made during public liturgy. The Way of the Cross can also be made privately, even at home, with or without "visual aids."

When the Way of the Cross is made in groups, each person first makes the Sign of the Cross, makes an Act of Contrition (i.e., expresses penitence through prayer) and mentally intends to gain indulgences, for himself or another [on Earth or in Purgatory]. Then, typically, at each station:
• the leader will announce the name of the station
• the leader will lead with a statement of praise, such as "We adore [You] O Christ and we bless [You]"
• the people will respond, with, for example, using the above acclamation, "Because by [Your] Holy Cross [You have] redeemed the world."
• the leader will read a meditative reading, upon which all should meditate in penitence, thanking God for His sacrifice and uniting himself with that sacrifice (often by identifying with Mary)
• all pray an Our Father /Hail Mary/a Glory Be
• traditionally, between the stations, successive stanzas of the hymn called Stabat Mater are sung -- a hymn known since at least 1388 A.D. and possibly written by Pope Innocent III who died in 1216 A.D.

Four versions (at least):
1. The Way of the Cross by Saint Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
2. A Salesian Method of Praying the Stations of the Cross
3. Saint Francis of Assisi
4. Blessed Pope John Paul II (different station identifications by JPII) [can be looked up online]

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[We completed the Way of the Cross. It is modified from version 3. above. (Thee --> You etc.)]

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

26 February and 3 March 2012 Classes

The 26 February and 3 March 2012 classes go together:

Creed from 26 Feb:

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

consubstantial with the Father;

through him all things were made.

Old version:
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
one in Being with the Father.

Commentary from USCCB:

[One] major wording change [is] from “one in being” to “consubstantial with the Father.”  “Consubstantial” (“consubstantialem” in the Latin text) is an unusual word that will require some catechesis, but it is a crucial early theological term, asserting that the Son is of the “same substance” with the Father – meaning He equally shares the Father’s divinity as a Person of the Holy Trinity.

Although it carries the same basic meaning as “one in being,” the more precise use of “consubstantial” is an acknowledgement of how the Greek equivalent of the word was so important for safeguarding orthodoxy in the early Church.  In the Fourth Century, the description “homoousios” (“same substance”) was affirmed over “homoiousios” (“like substance”).  The reality of who Christ is thus hinged upon a single letter!


Original Latin:

Deum de Deo, Lumen de Lumine,

Deum verum de Deo vero,

genitum non factum,

consubstantialem Patri;

per quem omnia facta sunt.

http://www.thesacredheart.com/latpray.htm
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Creed from 3 March:


New Version:

For us men and for our salvation

he came down from heaven,

and by the Holy Spirit

was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,

and became man.

Old version:
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he was born of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.

Commentary from USCCB:

There is another important change in the middle of the Creed: “and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.”  The current wording of “born of the Virgin Mary, and became man” can easily be misinterpreted to mean that Christ did not actually become man until the time He was born.  Of course, the reality is that the Son of God took on human nature from the moment of His conception in the Blessed Virgin Mary’s womb, at the Annunciation.  By using the term, “incarnate,” the new translation leaves no ambiguity.


Original Latin:

Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salute

descendit de caelis.

Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto

ex Maria Virgine,

et homo factus est.


Latin vowels:    a-ah    e-eh    i-ee   o-oh    u-oo                           (no diphthongs)
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Subject for 26 February and 3 March 2012 classes:

The Four Last Things: (CCC here)

1. Death
            “It is appointed for men to die once.”
(Heb 9:27 / CCC 1013)

2. Judgment
            a. Particular Judgment
            b. The Last Judgment (Matt 25) [Matt 25:31-46]

3. Heaven
            a. Immediate
            b. Through Purification (Purgatory);
Prayers and sufferings on Earth assist those in Purgatory

4. Hell
            CCC 1857 “For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: ‘Mortal sin is sin whose object is [1] grave matter and which is also committed with [2] full knowledge and [3] deliberate consent.’”
            “Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin.”
cf. CCC 1863

The reality of the Four Last Things is a call to:
1. Personal responsibility
2. Ongoing conversion to Christ through His
    Church (Sacrament of Reconciliation)

The above info and more can be seen here (in 26 Feb class, gave out first page of the following link with CCC/Bible references for four last things and more):

At the end of class, I presented this downloaded audio excerpt (Time 38:25-47:09 only) from my computer from here: http://www.aotmclub.com/Media
(Argument of the Month TM)
Catholic Challenged Culture - Michael Voris - 10/12/2010 - Talk/Debate
Time 38:25-47:09 only (see the video below for the excerpt)
Also, passed out this article on Bin Laden (did not go over; good summary of Mortal sin/forgiveness):

Had this on the board to describe the Four Last Things:

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Schedule for Nicene Creed Memorization

Schedule for Nicene Creed memorization:
(date in ( ) is assignment date; date for recitation test is the next class after the assignment date)

(Feb 12) I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

(Feb 19) I believe
in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.

(Feb 26) God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.

(March 4) For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit
was incarnate
of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

(March 11) For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.

(March 25) He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.

(April 15) I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is adored
and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

(April 22) I believe in one, holy,
catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins

(April 29) and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Official commentary on the changes in the Nicene Creed is here (link).

19 February 2012 Class

Since Lent was coming up, decided to learn how to pray the Rosary. Also, started second week of memorizing the Nicene Creed.


I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the Only Begotten Son of God,

born of the Father before all ages

Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum,

Filium Dei unigenitum.

Et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula

Old version:
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,

The new Creed translation also recovers Christ’s title, “Only Begotten Son” (“Fili Unigenite”), which we see in the revised Gloria.  To say the Son is “born of the Father before all ages” is a profound theological truth, for the Son is not “born” in the human sense of beginning one’s life, but eternally proceeds from the Father while being always fully God.  Therefore, we profess that Jesus Christ is “begotten, not made.”
http://old.usccb.org/romanmissal/samples-people.shtml
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For Rosary, used Luminous Mysteries from here: 

CatholiCity.com © 1996-2012 The Mary Foundation


The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary

Rosarium Virginis Mariae, Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Letter which introduced the Luminous Mysteries in October 2002.

Five mysteries, the Mysteries of Light (or the Luminous Mysteries), have been added to the Rosary. They focus on the public ministry of Jesus Christ. They are:

1. The Baptism in the Jordan
"Here, as Christ descends into the waters, the innocent one who became 'sin' for our sake (cf. 2Cor 5:21), the heavens open wide and the voice of the Father declares him the beloved Son (cf. Mt 3:17 and parallels), while the Spirit descends on him to invest him with the mission which he is to carry out."

2. The Wedding at Cana
"The first of the signs, given at Cana (cf. Jn 2:1- 12), when Christ changes water into wine and opens the hearts of the disciples to faith, thanks to the intervention of Mary, the first among believers."

3. The Proclamation of the Kingdom
"The preaching by which Jesus proclaims the coming of the Kingdom of God, calls to conversion (cf. Mk 1:15) and forgives the sins of all who draw near to him in humble trust (cf. Mk 2:3-13; Lk 7:47- 48): the inauguration of that ministry of mercy which he continues to exercise until the end of the world, particularly through the Sacrament of Reconciliation which he has entrusted to his Church (cf. Jn 20:22-23)."

4. The Transfiguration
"The mystery of light par excellence is the Transfiguration, traditionally believed to have taken place on Mount Tabor. The glory of the Godhead shines forth from the face of Christ as the Father commands the astonished Apostles to 'listen to him' (cf. Lk 9:35 and parallels) and to prepare to experience with him the agony of the Passion, so as to come with him to the joy of the Resurrection and a life transfigured by the Holy Spirit."

5. The Institution of the Eucharist
"Christ offers his body and blood as food under the signs of bread and wine, and testifies 'to the end' his love for humanity (Jn 13:1), for whose salvation he will offer himself in sacrifice." Jesus offers the first Mass at the Last Supper with his apostles, establishing the sacramental foundation for all Christian living.
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Had students trace (outline) Rosary on paper and write what prayer(s) is/are said at what place. This prayer is a meditative prayer on the mysteries. Then went through Rosary prayers as a class.

Also, passed out article about Lent and what to do/give up for adults and children/teens. Article is here ("Make Lent Count").