Advent with the Catechism |
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"A catechism should faithfully and systematically present the teaching of Sacred Scripture, the living Tradition in the Church and the authentic Magisterium, as well as the spiritual heritage of the Fathers, Doctors, and saints of the Church, to allow for a better knowledge of the Christian mystery and for enlivening the faith of the People of God. It should take into account the doctrinal statements which down the centuries the Holy Spirit has intimated to his Church. It should also help illumine with the light of faith the new situations and problems which had not yet emerged in the past.
Saint Pope John Paul ii
Fidel Depositum
Taking the time to read the Catechism through the Word of God will hopefully assist us in this period of Advent to prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus. The Catechism of the Catholic Church acknowledges the twofold meaning of this "coming". The Church each year celebrates the liturgy in Advent in preparing ourselves for the second coming of Jesus and also looking back how Jesus humbled himself through entering the world as a baby. Every time we recite our Creed we acknowledge Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead. Our liturgy during Advent invites us and encourages us to be ready, ready to meet Jesus again.
As we leave Advent and enter in to Christmas we do not celebrate merely a historical event but a living event. Out liturgy leads us and guides us as does our Catechism. It is a time where we allow Jesus to be born once again in to our lives.
Through reading the Catechism in this way we will be touching on Our Creed, The Sacraments, The Life of Christ and how we can follow in his ways with the final section on Prayer.
Our prayer takes each Sunday Gospel and through the Liturgy of the Word teaches us in our Catholic Faith and how we follow Jesus through the Church. Clicking on the images below will take you to each Sunday Gospel with references in the Catechism. If not used in this way before we hope you will find this opens up the Catechism in a way that will direct you to further links on the Vatican Catechism Pages, referencing documents of Vatican II, other parts of the Catechism and Sacred Scripture.
The Catechism is not a work to be read briefly or hastily; we need to stay with the text, pray with it and immerse oneself in it to appreciate fully the visionary power and compelling sense of beauty, goodness and truth that radiates from its pages.
This style and method of praying with the Catechism is similar to that of lectio divina. It requires the text to be read slowly and allowing the mind to rest on words and phrases that speak to us and open us to a greater understanding of our Faith and that of the Catholic Church.
The numbers to which you will be guided may not necessarily always run sequentially as this is to follow the Gospel reading of the particular Sunday. The inter-relation of the four parts of the Catechism is expressed at the start of section four CCC2558.
As you work through the small sections guided to from our pages you will find many other references to the whole of the Church's teaching in a comprehensive and compassionate way presenting us with the divine mercy expressed throughout.
As we leave Advent and enter in to Christmas we do not celebrate merely a historical event but a living event. Out liturgy leads us and guides us as does our Catechism. It is a time where we allow Jesus to be born once again in to our lives.
Through reading the Catechism in this way we will be touching on Our Creed, The Sacraments, The Life of Christ and how we can follow in his ways with the final section on Prayer.
Our prayer takes each Sunday Gospel and through the Liturgy of the Word teaches us in our Catholic Faith and how we follow Jesus through the Church. Clicking on the images below will take you to each Sunday Gospel with references in the Catechism. If not used in this way before we hope you will find this opens up the Catechism in a way that will direct you to further links on the Vatican Catechism Pages, referencing documents of Vatican II, other parts of the Catechism and Sacred Scripture.
The Catechism is not a work to be read briefly or hastily; we need to stay with the text, pray with it and immerse oneself in it to appreciate fully the visionary power and compelling sense of beauty, goodness and truth that radiates from its pages.
This style and method of praying with the Catechism is similar to that of lectio divina. It requires the text to be read slowly and allowing the mind to rest on words and phrases that speak to us and open us to a greater understanding of our Faith and that of the Catholic Church.
The numbers to which you will be guided may not necessarily always run sequentially as this is to follow the Gospel reading of the particular Sunday. The inter-relation of the four parts of the Catechism is expressed at the start of section four CCC2558.
As you work through the small sections guided to from our pages you will find many other references to the whole of the Church's teaching in a comprehensive and compassionate way presenting us with the divine mercy expressed throughout.
First Sunday of Advent
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Second Sunday of Advent
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Third Sunday of Advent
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Fourth Sunday of Advent
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