Catholics believe that worship is due to God alone. Catholics do, however, venerate Mary. In other words, we honor our Blessed Mother with great reverence and devotion because she is the Mother of God. Mary The Catholic Church has always celebrated Mary. Everything we believe leads us closer to Jesus. What Catholics believe about Mary can be summarized in 5 key teachings: Theotokos: Mary is the Mother of God. 1. Perpetual Virginity: Mary was a virgin before, during, and after

The Easter season is the second-longest liturgical season. Only ordinary time is longer. The Church celebrates the Easter season (also...

Christ In the Tomb "If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my release should come." —Job 14:14 ...

Darkness came over the whole land... Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle... Jesus cried out in a loud voice: "Father,...

Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation Baptism Confirmation Communion This is the liturgical rite, usually integrated into the Easter Vigil, by which the elect are initiated through Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist, and the candidates receive whatever sacraments of initiation that they have yet to receive. Portions of this document are from – On the Journey Series: RCIA

"For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy." —Therese of Lisieux What is prayer? Prayer in its most basic form is a conversation and a deepening of your relationship with God. God wants to form a relationship with you. But, how do you do that? Let's look at how you built your relationship with your best friend--you needed to spend time with that person. You shared your

Holy Week is the most important week in the Church's year. It is a time when we celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We remember his actions, reflect on his messages and recommit to living as his disciples in the world today. Your Guide To Holy Week In the first century, the early Christians celebrated every Sunday in commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus. By the second century, they established a particular day for the celebration of the resurrection, w

Understanding the Catholic Creed: A Summary of Our Faith As Catholics, our faith is rooted in the sacred truths handed down through the centuries. To profess these core beliefs, we turn to two foundational summaries of our faith: the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed. These creeds serve as concise declarations of what we believe about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Church. The Nicene Creed Used during Sunday Mass, the Nicene Creed was developed in 381 AD at th

Penance is an experience of the gift of God's boundless mercy. It frees us from our sins but it also challenges us to have the same kind of compassion and forgiveness for those who sin against us. We are liberated to be forgivers. We obtain new insight into the words of the Prayer of St. Francis: "It is in pardoning that we are pardoned." Catholic Link.org Before we start lets look at the Examination of Conscience Before celebrating the Sacrament of Penance, one should prep

On the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent, the newly named “Elect”, those to be baptized, participate in three successive rites called “the Scrutinies.” These rites, with roots dating back to the early Church, take place during the Sunday Mass, each thematically linked to the Gospel reading for that Mass. The three passages from St. John’s Gospel for these Sundays were selected around 500 AD as powerful depictions of the hidden transformation God accomplishes in the Ele

Start with Ash Wednesday Invite Us Deeper Almighty and ever living God, you invite us deeper into your world, your people, your Lent. May this time be one of outward focus; seeking you in those we often ignore. Help us live a Lent focused on freedom, generosity, and encounter. Give us hearts hungry to serve you and those who need what we have to give. Amen. (Jesuitresource.org) Reminder: You can give something up for lent or you can work on changing something within you. So

Rite of Sending, and Rite of Election and/or Call to Continuing Conversion When people are ready to enter the Church, they begin a period of purification and enlightenment that normally takes place during Lent. On the First Sunday of Lent, those seeking to become Catholics usually participate in the Rite of Election with their bishop. During this period, the people, now called the elect, are prayed for publicly during Mass each Sunday as they go through an intense period of

Matthew 6:5-15 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the...

USCCB Baptism The Sacrament of Baptism: Gateway to New Life What does the Grace of Baptism accomplish? Baptism does five things specifically. It forgives all sins that may have been committed prior to a person’s baptism including original sin, mortal sins, and venial sins, and it relieves the punishment for those sins. It makes the newly baptized person “a new creature.” It turns the person into a newly adopted son of God and a member of Christ. Baptism incorporates a person

More than merely a contract between two people in love, marriage was created by God as part of his plan for humanity. How we fit within...

“The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself. It is...

First Step: Rite of Acceptance & Welcome

The Theology of What happens after we die? Symbolon Session 10: The Last Things: What Happens After We Die? What does the Church really teach about death, judgment, Heaven, and Hell? It's time to separate the myths from the reality. The last things: death, judgment, heaven and hell. The Particular Judgment: At the moment of death, every person receives his eternal reward or retribution in his soul. If he dies in the state of grace, in friendship with Christ, he receives entra

All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Obligation - Catholic Holy Days of Obligation are the days on which the faithful are obliged to...