The Four Marks The Four Marks of the Churchof the Church

USCCA Chapter 11USCCA Chapter 11

Thursday, April 20, 2023Thursday, April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

a. The Church is One.

i. The unity of the Church comes from the unity of the life of the Trinity.

ii. The Church professes one Lord, one Faith and one Baptism, forming one Body of Christ.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

a. The Church is One.

iii. The diversity of people in the Church is united by the Holy Spirit.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

a. The Church is One.

iv. Communion in the Church comes from charity and (CCC #815):

1. Profession of one Faith received from the Apostles.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

a. The Church is One.

iv. Communion in the Church comes from charity and (CCC #815):

2. Common celebration of divine worship, especially of the sacraments.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

a. The Church is One.

iv. Communion in the Church comes from charity and (CCC #815):

3. Apostolic succession through the sacrament of Holy Orders, maintaining the fraternal concord of God's family.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

a. The Church is One.

v. Disagreements in the Church have been a tragic source of division within the Church.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

b. The Church is Holy.

i. Because the Church is from the Holy Trinity, she is holy, set apart by God to be consecrated for good.

ii. Through Baptism and Confirmation, Catholics are consecrated by the Holy Spirit for holiness.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

b. The Church is Holy.

iii. This mission of each Catholic is to be holy as Christ is holy.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

c. The Church is Catholic.

i. The word ‘catholic’ means ‘universal’.

ii. For the Church to be catholic comes from the fact that Christ is for all people from all times and places.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

c. The Church is Catholic.

iii. The universality of Christ and the Church does not suppress the good qualities of individual cultures.

iv. The universality of the Church is seen in her dioceses or eparchies, also known as particular churches.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

c. The Church is Catholic.

v. The Catholic Church is made of both the Latin (Roman) Church and the Eastern Churches.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

d. The Church is Apostolic.

i. Christ built the foundation of the Church on the Apostles, with St. Peter as the head.

ii. Christ promised the Holy Spirit to the Church as a whole to protect her from error.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

d. The Church is Apostolic.

iii. Christ willed that bishops would succeed the Apostles as shepherds of the Church.

iv. Together with the Pope as the head, the bishops form a college.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

d. The Church is Apostolic.

v. The teaching office (or authority) of the college of bishops is the ‘magisterium.’

This office is exercised in the following conditions:

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

v. The teaching office (or authority) of the college of bishops is the ‘magisterium.’

1. Extraordinary magisterium:

a. Ecumenical council of bishops gathering with the Pope.

b. Papal Infallible ex cathedra pronouncement.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

v. The teaching office (or authority) of the college of bishops is the ‘magisterium.’

2. Ordinary magisterium, the day-to-day teaching of the pope and the bishops in union with the pope.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

1. The Church has four primary and inseparable characteristics or marks. These four marks are:

d. The Church is Apostolic.

vi. The sensus fidei refers to the gift that the entire body of faithful cannot error in matters of faith and morals.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

2. The structure of the Church also includes:2. The structure of the Church also includes:

a. The laity, who, through their baptism, are called to renew the temporal order.

b. Men and women religious, who live the consecrated life by professing vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Session 5: The Four Marks of the ChurchSession 5: The Four Marks of the Church

Discussion Questions:

1. How do the different ministries in the Church (hierarchy, laity and consecrated life) complement each other?

2. Why are the four marks of the Church inseparable? What happens if one is taken out of the equation?

3. How do the four marks of the Church reflect the Person of Christ?

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023