OPENING PRAYER:
Spirit of God, who filled the Apostles and their successors
with zeal to proclaim Your Kingdom here on earth, fill us
also with zeal for the Kingdom. We ask this in Christ, our Lord.
Amen
THE FOUNDATION AND GROWTH
OF THE CHURCH
3 ELEMENTS
•FOUNDATION• IDENTITY•EXPANSION
TEARS OF THE SAINTS
Guide questions:
•What struck you most in the video?•What are the values emphasized in the video?• How are you challenged to continue His mission here on earth?
ELEMENT #1
FOUNDATION
Remember…• From the start of His
ministry, Jesus was already forming the foundation of the Church.
Sacred Scriptures: Matthew 16:13-19 and John
21:15-17
• Who were the twelve Apostles, who were personally chosen by Jesus to become His companions?
Simon PeterJames and John sons of Zebedee
Andrew
Bartholomew
Philip
Matthew
Judas Thaddeus & Judas Iscariot
Simon the Zealot
James son of Alphaeus,
Thomas [Mathias replaced Judas Iscariot.]
Why is it that Jesus chose only Twelve Apostles? Why not more?
What are the roles of the Twelve Apostles
They would be Jesus’ companions in His ministry, eye-and-ear witnesses to His words
and deeds, would continue His ministry of curing
the sick, preaching the Good News casting out demons when He would
return to the Father, and would later be the seed from
which the Church would grow.
What is the primary reason why Jesus handpicked Simon Peter to
be the leader of the Twelve?
Simon Peter’s confession of Jesus as “the Messiah, the Son of the Living God” prompted Jesus to
declare, “You are Peter and upon this “Rock” I will build My Church
[Mt 16:18].
What is the significance of the change of name from “Simon” to “Peter,” which
means rock?
• It signifies the special role, mission, and power Jesus was entrusting him within the Church; • Peter would be the firm foundation on
which Jesus intended to build His Church.
• entrusted with the keys of the kingdom, • given the authority and the responsibility as
the leader or head of the Church. • He received the power to decide concerning
the membership in the Church and the great responsibility of supreme authority to govern, teach and sanctify the whole Church.
WHO IS PETER?
In John 21:15-1, why did Jesus ask Simon Peter three times if he loved Jesus? What is the significance of this
profession of faith and love?
• Jesus gave Simon Peter the opportunity to profess repeatedly
his dedication to Him as the Messiah sent by God and thrice
entrusted His flock to him.
• A three-step process of purifying love replaced Peter’s triple denial of Jesus.
After each affirmative answer, Jesus tells him to
take care of His flock: “feed My lambs…tend My sheep…
feed My sheep.”
What is the meaning of the phrases, “feed My lambs…tend My sheep…feed My sheep?”
Peter would …• teach them to follow Jesus,• ensure their following of the
Master by guidance, reminders, encouragements and correction, • and lead the flock entrusted to
him by example.
IDENTITY • The church that Christ had said he
would build (Matt. 16:18) was established in the days of the apostles not long after Jesus' resurrection from the dead. When Peter and the apostles preached about the death, burial and raising of Christ on Pentecost, A.D. 33, the great crowd gathered that day was deeply stirred (Act 2:1-37).
IDENTITY • So powerful and convincing
was the message that 3,000 men and women were baptized for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38-41) that same day. And, by this same process they were added to the church (Acts 2:41-47). Thus, the church had its beginning. Those who were baptized became members of the church which Jesus bought with His blood (Acts 20:28).
Church Teaching: Catechism for Filipino Catholics, 1410 & PCP II, 105
“The Church is a hierarchical community, whose unity in faith and communion is grounded on the successors of the apostles, and especially on Peter, the chosen “rock” upon which Christ would build His Church (cf. Mt 16:18; cf. LG 18).”
REMEMBER THIS!• Jesus Christ, after His
resurrection, commissioned Peter, together with the other Apostles, to shepherd, to extend, and to direct the Church with authority. • This Church, which Jesus
founded on His Apostles, is a hierarchical community.
Jesus appointed Peter as the Head, a leader who would become the visible sign and source of oneness in the Church to continue His mission on earth.
The commission is destined to last until the end of the world, the Apostles were careful to appoint successors in this hierarchically structured society, the Church.
This power, which is called apostolic succession, has been handed down directly from the Apostles to the Pope and bishops of the Church today.
(THE HEIRARCHY IN THE CHURCH see pp. 281-282)
Visit www.catholic-hierarchy.org
CONCLAVE-a private meeting or secret assembly; especially : a meeting of Roman Catholic cardinals secluded continuously while choosing a pope Hierarchy• – church government by
ordainedministers in graded ranks; degree of office
THE HIERARCHY OF THE CHURCH
SUPREME PONTIFF (POPE)- The Vicar of Christ and successor of Peter- has
full, supreme and universal power over
the Church(cf. CFC 1410)*
- infallible in terms of faith and morals
PRIESTS- tasked to help the bishops by administering thesacraments
in their assigned
parishes/missionareas
DEACONS- tasked to deliver the
good news by proclaiming the
gospel and assisting the other ordained
ministers* Although he is the head of the whole
Church, the pope is not the bishop of the whole world. Local
bishops have authority within their
respective
BISHOPS- Successor of the
apostles in their role as teachers and pastors
(succession done through the continuous laying on of hands that roots from the twelve
apostles)- make up the Magisterium- Some are “cardinals” (“princes of
theChurch”)(cf. CFC 1410)
PICK A QUESTION!
What is the reason why Christ commissioned Peter to “feed His lambs, tend His sheep, and feed His
sheep.”
Peter would teach Jesus’ disciples to follow Jesus and ensure their following of the Master by guidance, reminders, encouragements and correction. Peter would lead the flock entrusted to him by example.
What would you answer if Jesus would ask you the same question He asked Peter, “Do
you love Me?” today?
• When and how did Jesus found the Church? • Whom did He choose for a special mission?
• At Peters' confession in Caesarea Philippi.• Before preaching the Kingdom of God,
Jesus had personally chosen the Twelve Apostles to be His companions, to preach, heal and cast out evil spirits. They were to be the eye-and-ear witnesses of His words and deeds and would later be the seed from which the Church would grow.
• What is meant by a "apostolic succession”? • Why is there a need for “apostolic succession”?
• Apostolic succession –refers to the order of succession carefully appointed by the Apostles in order that the mission entrusted to them might be continued after their death.
• There is a need for apostolic succession because someone had to shepherd, to extend, and to direct the Church with authority, and to ensure that the ministry of Christ would be continued till the end of time.
Who is the Pope? What is his special mission in the Church?
• The Pope is the Vicar of Christ, • the successor of St. Peter, • the Head of the Catholic Church. • he has full, supreme and universal authority over
the Church. • He does not possess temporal power;• his leadership is a ministry of service. • (He is addressed now as “His holiness,” but signs
himself as “Servant of the servants of God.”)
UP NEXT…
Expansion of the Church
VOCABULARY
• VICAR- a Church acting as a deputy of a Bishop; a person who acts in place of another, just as the Pope is regarded as earthly representative of Christ.
Assignment
Using the Venn diagram identify the different roles of Pope, bishop, priest and deacon
Reminders:1. Review for your quiz next meeting.
Thank you!
