“We Believe”

Sacraments of Vocation

Wednesday, Nov. 8

7:00 pm to 8:00 pm

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Sacraments of Vocation

Vocation– A calling, ‘vocare’– True vocations come from God

and find their fulfillment in living God’s will in a stable, habitual permanent way.

Initial Discernment Preparation Celebration Vocations are first about

‘being’, secondly about ‘doing’

Sacraments of Vocation

Sacraments of Vocation– Marriage– Holy Orders (bishops, priests, deacons)

Other formal ways of living a Vocation– Religious Profession (brothers, sisters, nuns)– Consecrated Virginity

Sacraments of Vocation -- Marriage

Marriage– Unlike any of the other sacraments, marriage was established

by God in his creation of man and woman.– In the bond of Marriage, husbands and wives give themselves

totally and selflessly to one another for life: they are to love one another as Christ loves the Church.

– The sacrament of Marriage signifies and makes present the union of Christ and the Church.

Three Properties of Christian Marriage– Faithful– Fruitful– Final

Rite of Marriage– The couple administer the sacrament to each other– Takes place in Church before pastor (or delegate).– Examination

N. and N., have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?

Will you love and honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives?

Will you accept children lovingly from God, and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?

– Vows (solemn promises witnessed by God… 2nd Commandment) “I N., take you N., to be my (husband/wife). I promise to be true to you in

good times and in bad, in sickness and in health: I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.”

Marriage

Final

Faithful

Fruitful

Marriage -- Divorce

Divorce: Civil decree of the dissolution of marriage. No ecclesial (Church) effects.

Divorce is much higher in couples who:– Cohabitate before marriage– Do not practice their faith– Use contraception– Come from homes which have suffered a divorce– Who have been divorced before (second marriages)

Marriage – Declarations of Nullity

“Declaration of Nullity”– Ecclesiastical decree of defect in marriage.

defect in matter (fraud, mistake of person or character) defect in intention (lack intention of Catholic marriage) defect in form (lacking ‘canonical form’ of marriage in

Church law)

– A declaration of nullity declares an attempt at marriage void; parties free to marry in the Church

– Marriages are presumed ‘valid’ unless contrary evidence proves otherwise. (Tribunal)

Exceptional cases

Modern Issues in Marriage

“Theology of the Body”– (Pope John Paul II)

Divorce Contraception Homosexual Unions Cohabitation before Marriage

Sacraments of VocationPriesthood, Holy Orders

Three munera (gifts) of the Church: priesthood, prophecy, kingship

All of the baptized share in the priesthood of Christ. Based on this common priesthood and ordered to its service, there exists another participation in the mission of Christ: the ministry conferred in the Sacrament of Holy Orders, where the task is to serve in the name and in the person of Christ the Head in the midst of the community.

Holy Orders – One Sacrament with 3 Orders– Bishop– Priest– Deacon

Lived in communion with the Church (in diocese or religious order)

Holy Orders

Holy Orders are reserved to men– Constant tradition of the Church, including scripture– Nuptial imagery

Christ as Bridegroom, Church as bride… priest as alter Christus (see also Ephesians 5)

“If a man cannot see himself as a good husband or not suffer pain in losing that relationship, he would make a lousy priest.”

-- Francis Cardinal George (Archbishop of Chicago)

Celibacy as norm in Roman Church for priests & bishops. Preferred, but not required in East for priests (required of bishops)

– While not diminishing role of women, acknowledges an essential difference.

Holy Orders

Rite of Ordination– Promises (made for the good of the Church, 8th commandment)

As a minister of charity, looking out for the poor. As a sacred minister of the mysteries of faith. As one who prays for the Church. As one who gives his life in witness to the kingdom (celibacy).

As one who is obedient to his bishop. As one who preaches, teaches.

– Laying on of Hands, Prayer of Ordination

Holy Orders

– What are the most important characteristics the USCCB is trying to highlight in a candidate for the priesthood?

– “There are probably guys who are being called and not hearing it.” Is this true? Why?

– What gifts do you see in priests you know? – What part of the film do you think is the most

inspiring for young men considering the call?

“Fishers of Men” by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Next Week

Prayer andMorality

Chapter # 8