Mission Of The Catholic Church Flashcards
(121 cards)
1
Q
What is the mission of the Catholic Church?
A
- Spread the Word of God.
- Baptise people into the Catholic Church.
- Teach Christ’s teachings to all.
2
Q
Give some generic examples of Jesus’ teachings:
A
Sacrifice, To always have faith in him, Love thy Neighbour, Forgivness, Selflessness, Courage, Respect, Peace, Honesty
3
Q
What is a Catholic Priest?
A
A priest is an ordained religious leader of the clergy who has been appointed by the bishop and received the Sacrament of Holy Orders, and can now be in Persona Christi.
4
Q
What is the ceremony during which someone bedomes a priest?
A
Ordination
5
Q
What do Catholics beleive happen to priests when they are ordained?
A
His soul undergoes a change and he is
forever marked as a priest.
6
Q
True or False:
Catholics only accept men to be priests.
A
True
7
Q
What are the two promises that a priest makes during his Ordination?
A
- Obedience to the local bishop
- A promise to remain celibate (meaning he will not marry or have sexual relations) so that
he can dedicate himself to serving God.
8
Q
What does giving up marriage and family symbolise?
A
It is a powerful sign to the world that Jesus Christ is worth living for and sacrificing for.
9
Q
Most priests become parish priests, but what may some priests choose to become?
A
Some priests choose to be educators working in schools, colleges and universities and others become missionaries (they go to other countries to promote Christianity). Some choose to become monks.
10
Q
The priesthood is not simply a job to be carried out, but what else does this unique position include?
A
It involves an invitation from God (a calling) to serve God and others.
11
Q
The priest acts “in the person of Christ’ – what happens during the Eucharistic Prayer which represents this?
A
He speaks in first person, and recites Jesus’ words of the Last Supper, for example when he says, “This is my body, given up for you.”
12
Q
Do priests get paid?
A
Yes, parish priests get a modest monthly salary from the parish as well as their meals and
accommodation. Priests live simple lives as they do not have a family, but their salary
enables them to buy necessities like a car, clothes, books, computers, TV and so on.
13
Q
What do priests do for fun?
A
A priest can do anything he wants for fun, as long as it is in line with a Christian life. Many
priests play golf, basketball and numerous other sports. Most priests enjoy movies, plays,
reading and every other imaginable entertainment.
14
Q
How do you become a priest?
A
After being accepted as a candidate, the potential priest goes to a special training college called a seminary for between six and nine years (depending on his educational
background) to prepare for the priesthood.
15
Q
During his time in the seminary, what undergraduate degrees may a priest take?
A
Philosophy, Theology or Ethics, as it is important that he is at least as well educated as the people he serves.
16
Q
How does a man truly know that he has a calling to the priesthood?
A
The only way to really know that you have a calling to the priesthood is to go to the seminary and try out.
17
Q
What qualities might a potential priest need?
A
A good candidate for the priesthood is a practicing, believing Catholic who attends Mass at least weekly, prays every day, obeys God’s commandments, and tries to serve others. He
must be mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy and open to serving God and willing to
learn and grow.
18
Q
Why do you think the Catholic Church will not allow women to be priests?
A
According to the Catholic Church’s doctrine/theology, priests are supposed to represent the likeness of Jesus, who is a male figure. Therefore, they believe that women aren’t suitable to act ‘in Persona christi’.
19
Q
What are monks and nuns?
A
Monks and nuns are people who commit themselves fully to religious life.
20
Q
How does the lifestyle of monks and nuns look like?
A
They live very simple, humble lives,
21
Q
What is the word used to describe the action of living in an ancient and simple lifestyle?
A
Monasticism
22
Q
What gender do the words ‘monks’ and ‘nuns’ refer to?
A
‘Monk’ refers to men, whilst ‘nun’ refers to female monastics.
23
Q
Monks and nuns were amongst which group of people during the Middle Ages?
A
The most educated people
24
Q
Monks are found in many different religions - give some examples?
A
Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism
25
True or False:
A monk may or may not also be a priest.
True
26
What is a monastery?
A monastery is a building in which monks live in a community.
27
What is a convent?
A convent is a building in which nuns live in a community.
28
Monstaries and convents usually have a dedicated place for prayer and worship, including:
A church, chapel, or temple.
29
What other places may a monastery/convent have other than a place of worship?
Dormitories, cloisters, a dining room, a library and an infirmary.
30
What is a domitory?
A large bedroom for a large group of people.
31
What are cloisters?
Enclosures with covered walkways.
32
What is ain infirmary?
A small hospital
33
What is Catholic monasticism based upon?
The rules of St Benedict, who is considered as the founder of monasticism in the West of the world.
34
When was St Benedict born, and when did he pass away?
480-547 CE
35
Monks ans nuns choose to belong to one of two orders - what are these?
Contemplative or Apostolic
36
What does a contemplative order involve?
A contemplative order involves living a hidden life of work and prayer, which can involve monks and nuns spending much of their day in silence, believing that one should not speak
unless it is necessary.
37
What does an apostolic order involve?
An apostolic order involves working in the community (often teaching, nursing, caring for the sick, poor or elderly).
38
Whichever order the join, all monks and nuns follow which laws and duties?
Whichever order they join, all monks and nuns follow the law of generosity (that they should always help others) and all have a duty to pray, meditate and work every day.
39
What promise do monks and nuns make to be commited to monastic life?
Monks and nuns make a promise to be committed to monastic life, entailing ‘death to the self and worldly matters and life to God'. They commit themselves to the monastery until death, at which point they will be buried in its cemetery.
40
What are the three vows that Catholic monks and nuns make:
Obedience, Poverty, Chastity
41
What is meant by monastic obedience?
The promise to obey Christ (represented by the senior member of the monastery).
42
What is meant by monastic poverty?
The monk oe nun cannot own anything
43
What is meant by monastic chastity?
The monk cannot have a sexual relationship nor get married.
44
What must a potential monk or nun must first become?
A postulant
45
What does being a postulant invlove?
This involves spending time living at the
monastery while not being bound by vows, and being free to leave at any time.
46
After being a postulant, what does the person then become?
After this period, the postulant becomes a novice monk or nun for around a year, during which time he/she begins to participate fully in the monastery.
47
After the novice takes temporary vows, do they make their permanant vows after a few years?
Yes, and these are bound to life.
48
What is a vocation?
A strong feeling of suitability or a 'calling'.
49
What is ordination?
The ceremony of being made a priest.
50
What is the Sacrament of Holy Orders?
The Sacrament in which a holy man becomes a priest,
51
What is meant by prostration?
Lying face down on the floor as a sign of humility.
52
What are the two main responsibilities of priests when it comes to spiritual care?
To care for the spiritual needs of:
- the Church
- the instiition of the Church (meaning the global Catholic Church)
53
Other than in Persona Christi, why else are only men allowed to become ordained in the Catholic Church?
Jesus chose the 12 apostles to act like priests, and they were all men.
54
Give examples in which women and lay people can be part of the Catholic Church?
Nuns, Brothers, Education, Healthcare, Spiritual Counselling, Social Work, Diocesan Offices, and Altar Servers
55
What sacraments can a deacon perform?
Baptism, Marriage
56
What sacraments can a priest perform?
Baptism, Marriage, Eucharist, Annointing of the Sick, Confession
57
What sacraments can a bishop perform?
Baptism, Marriage, Eucharist, Annointing of the Sick, Confession, Confirmation and Ordination
(All 7)
58
How many Roman Catholic sacraments are there?
7
59
State the two vows that a priest makes during Ordination:
Obedience to their Bishop
Celibacy (meaning universal love)
60
Give two reasons the priest' hands are anointed with holy oil:
- They will consecrate the Eucharist in Mass
- They will bless the faithful and the laity.
61
What is the priest symbolising when he lies prostrate on the floor during Ordination?
Humility and Acceptance
62
What is beleived to happen at the moment the bishop lays his hands on the head of thw man being ordained?
He is calling the Holy Spirit to be with him and guide him in righteous ways.
63
Who else lays their hands on the priest during ordination?
All other priests present there also lay their hands.
64
What is meant by a 'lay person'?
An unordained and normal member of the Church who wishes to carry out parts of the Mission of the Catholic Church.
65
What is the plural of 'lay'?
Laity
66
What does the role of a chaplian include?
- to perform religious services
- to give religious and emotional support
- can work in hospitals, prisons, schools, police, armed forces, etc
67
Is a Catholic chaplain usually a Lay person?
Yes, but they can be a priest.
68
True or False:
Chaplains are only found in the Christian religion.
False:
They can be found in many religions.
69
What is the difference between a priest and a chaplain?
A chaplain does not have to be ordained, and they don't have to take the same vows, meaning thatvthey can be lay people with families.
70
What might the role of a hospital chaplain include?
The chaplain will often deliver communion, and may also offer them a friendly ear (a calming/insperational message). They can also offer counselling to the patient and their family, especially if the patient is seriously or terminally.
71
If a patient is lonely (if they are or don't have any family), will a chaplain offer to talk to them and reassure them?
Yes
72
Apart from patients and their family, who else may a hospital chaplain assisst?
Chaplains can also offer their time to the staff in hospitals, because looking after seriously ill people all day can be very stressful and staff sometimes find that talking helps them cope, especially if a great deal of the patients that they care for do not get better.
73
What might the role of any army chaplain consist of?
Often army chaplains will travel the world with different army units and offer support for those who might be finding army life difficult. This might be a new soldier finding it hard to be away from his family, or a soldier who has seen the horrors of war and needs to talk to someone in order to try and make sense of it all.
74
What does the role of a prison chaplain consist of?
A prison chaplain can offer comfort to all inmates and will see any new inmate who requests to see him/her. Prison life can be very difficult and lonely, and inmates can find it very difficult to be away from home. New inmates can find the other inmates, who are possibly serious and violent offenders, to be intimidating.
75
What might a prison chaplain do to help an inmate to escape from the everyday monotony of prison life?
They will listen to the prisoner, offer him/her words of hope from the Bible and help them come to terms with their crime including being sorry for it.
76
Why do most Christians support the work of prison chaplains?
They are following the teachings to love one another, for example, and they are introduicng people to the Christian faith. This is all part of the wider aim of the mission of the Church,
77
Name some activities that a prsion chaplain might run:
Religious services, study groups about the Bible, discipleship courses, and religious education programmes.
78
Roughly how long does a peison chaplain work for per day?
11 hours, from 8am to 7pm
79
How do prison chaplains fulfil the Church's mission?
They are spreading the Word of God to those in the prison, and they ars sharing Jesus' teachings to others,
80
Why is prison chaplaincy known as 'a place of hope in the middle of despair'?
Many prisoners think that prison has no exit, and chaplaincy opens up their life to feel hopeful once sgain.
81
What may the role of a school chaplain include?
They can offer guidance in difficult situations that maybe you might find difficult to tell your parents or your teachers about. They can also offer you guidance in your faith, and help you develop your relationship with God – especially if you find going to church difficult.
82
What are some misunderstandings about world hunger?
- There is not enough food to go around.
- There are too many children.
- Starvation is the result of droughts, floods, and earthquakes.
83
Fill in the blanks:
The rich, developed nations have ____ of the world's population, but have ____ of the world's resources.
20%, 80%
84
Why is 'many children' a false statement about world hunger?
There is a lack of quailty of land and lack of resources to make it profitable to feed many families.
85
How many tonnes of food is needed to feed al thw people who die from malnutrition every year?
5M tonnes
86
Give the names of some agencies who assist the developing world?
Oxfam, Save the Children Fund
87
Give the names of some Christian agencies who help the developing nations of the world?
Christian Aid, CAFOD
88
What do these agencies do to aid the developing regions of the world?
They provide short-term crisis or disastee aid, for example, releif agencies move into action during natiral disasters.
They also provide small-scale aid, such as farming equipment, to enable local people to set up their own schemes.
They also provide long-term aid, such as health, agricultural and educational projects, which help to secure a better future for the people.
89
When and where was the Society of St Vincent de Paul founded and by who?
The Society of St Vincent de Paul was founded in Paris in 1833 by a group of Catholic students.
90
Why did the group of French Catholic students create the SVP?
They wanted to put their faith into action through direct contact and assistance of the poor.
91
Who was the leader of the SVP?
Frederic Ozanam
92
What was St Vincent de Paul?
He was a priest who abandoned the profit of an ecclesiastical (releating to the Christian Church's clergy) career at the Royal Court in favour of
working with the outcast and poor of France in the 1600s.
93
By which year had the first Conference of Charity of the SVP been formed in England & Wales?
1844
94
What is the aim of the SVP?
The aim is to tackle poverty in all its forms through the provision of practical assistance to those in need.
95
How many countries is the SVP active in?
140 countries
96
Roughlt how many memebers/volunteers does the SVP have worldwide, and in England & Wales?
Worldwide - 600,000 members
England & Wales - 10,000 volunteers
97
Annually, how many visits does the English SVP carry out?
Over 600,000
98
What is the essential work of the SVP?
Person-to-Person Contact
99
Does the SVP give donations to any work in which memebers are not personally involved?
No, as it is part of their ethos to work using person-to-person contact.
100
Does the SVP recognises that material or financial assistance may help people overcome crises and develop longer-term solutions to their problems?
Yes
101
What is the word used to describe the small groups that the SVP operates in?
Conferences
102
Where are the SVP's conferences usually based in?
Local parishes and schools.
103
Why do the SVP's conferecnes meet regularly?
They meet regularly to review their work as well as
allocating future work in a spirit of prayer and mutual support.
104
True or False:
The work of a Conference is usually concentrated on local visiting.
True
105
Give examples of some of the special works done by the SVP?
Today, these “Special Works” include furniture stores, support centres, providing accommodation to vulnerable people, disability projects, soup runs, children's camps and various holiday schemes amongst other things. The most recent initiative is the creation of Community Shops providing resources and employment in areas of deprivation.
106
What is one of St Vincent de Paul's most known quotes?
"Allow me to tell you, that it is not so important for us to live a long time as to continue in the vocation to which God has called us.”
107
What might an SVP Conference do at a local parish?
They welcome new members and offer friendship and practical assisstance to those in need, and they concentrate on providing strong community and pastoral work.
108
What does CAFOD stand for?
Catholic Agency For Overseas Development
109
Which international Catholic network is CAFOD part of?
Caritas
110
What is the overseas development and relief agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales?
CAFOD
111
Who does CAFOD usually work with, and why do they work with these people?
CAFOD works with people in the third world to tackle poverty and promote justice, and helps them get access to the resources they need to become self-reliant.
112
Who does CAFOD usually work with, and why do they work with these people?
CAFOD works with people in the third world to tackle poverty and promote justice, and helps them get access to the resources they need to become self-reliant.
113
How does CAFOD help people in England and Wales ro understand the causes of third world poverty?
It challenges the government and international organisations through campaigns to make sure that thier policies benefit those in poverty.
114
True or False:
CAFOD works with people by focusing of their religion, ethnic origin, gender or politics.
False:
CAFOD works with people regardless of their religion, ethnic origin, gender or politics.
115
For Christians, helping the poor is an inpoetant part of faith - why is this?
They believe it is not possible to love God if you ignore the needs of other human beings. They support aid agencies as a way of serving God, and to show they believe every person is valuable to God. They remember that Jesus cared for the poor, and they try to follow his example.
116
What is the main Christian belief of CAFOD?
Everyone is made in the image of God, and that Christians should recognise Christ in each person.
117
What is meant by 'poverty'?
Not having enough money to meet basic daily needs.
118
What is meant by 'Catholic Social Teaching'?
This is the teaching written to Catholics about their responsibility to continue Jesus' mission by making an impactful change and action in society, specifically those in poverty and/or in a weak situation.
119
Give some examples as to how the Christian Church is like the Body of Christ?
Eyes: To see a situation of the needy, or a wrongdoing, and fix it.
Brain: To pray to God and to think about the needs of others.
Mouth: To spread the Word of God, to ask for forgiveness, and to rightfully and peacefully fight for justice.
Hands: To give to the needy.
Legs and Feet: To go on a pilgrimige; to spread the word of God in various places.
Heart: To love one another and to feel the pain of others.
Ears: To listen to reflections/homilies and those who need help and reassurence.
120
Give some examples as to how the Christian Church is like the Body of Christ?
Eyes: To see a situation of the needy, or a wrongdoing, and fix it.
Brain: To pray to God and to think about the needs of others.
Mouth: To spread the Word of God, to ask for forgiveness, and to rightfully and peacefully fight for justice.
Hands: To give to the needy.
Legs and Feet: To go on a pilgrimige; to spread the word of God in various places.
Heart: To love one another and to feel the pain of others.
Ears: To listen to reflections/homilies and those who need help and reassurence.
121
Why are parish newsletters used?
Newsletters encourage participation from congregants by featuring letters, member spotlights, and community-contributed content, establishing a sense of inclusivity and shared responsibility in church life.
