1. Unit 2: We Believe in the Holy Catholic Church
Holiness
Sacraments
Sacraments of Initiation

2. “The Church” part of our faith
Today, people still want to belong to this Christian community which believes that:
People are more valuable than things
All people deserve to be loved and treated with dignity
Forgiveness is more important than revenge
Long-term commitments are more important than the pleasure of the moment

3. The Catholic Church celebrates seven events that show the different aspects of holiness. These events, called sacraments, give us strength and courage as we try to become holy. Every important moment and every stage of Christian life is touched by one of the seven sacraments.   Each of the sacraments helps us to understand what it means to really love.

4. Sacraments
The seven sacraments of the Church are: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage and Holy Orders.
Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist are sacraments of initiation because they are the starting points for our lives as Christians.
Sacraments of Vocation: Marriage, Holy Orders

5. Baptism
Our baptism marks us as chosen by God and as people called to grow in a loving relationship with God and with each other.
Today, to enter into a covenant with God and the community we must promise to love God and God’s people. We must accept forgiveness and be forgiving. When we choose to make these promises, or because we are too young, our parents and godparents promise to teach us these values, we are baptized by water in the name of God: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our entrance into the Christian community is complete when we take part in the Eucharist and share the body and blood of the Lord.

6. Eucharist
We belong to Christ because we have taken his very self into us at the Eucharistic table. As we share in the one body of Christ, we are united with each other and reminded to live as God calls us to live. We must overcome all of those things that set one person against another. The Acts of the Apostles tells us that people wanted to belong to the early Christian community because the Christians had a sense of joy and purpose that no one else had. The disciple helped others see that joining the Christian community meant entering into a covenant with God through Jesus. Part of this covenant was a commitment to love others no matter what, and to be forgiving and accept forgiveness. All those who chose to enter this covenant were baptized. After Baptism, they were sealed with the gist of the Holy Spirit. They were invited to join other Christians in “breaking of the bread” (the Eucharist).

7. Eucharist
God offers healing and forgiveness first through the Eucharist. Holy Communion nourishes and strengthens us each time we receive it. It cleans us of all our less serious (venial) sins.

8. Confirmation
In Confirmation we are more firmly united to Christ and to the Church. Confirmation gives us the strength to be better witnesses of Christ. God’s action in the sacraments is complete although it takes us a lifetime to appropriate God’s action in our lives. Our commitments shape our growth as persons

9. Reconciliation
The sacrament of Reconciliation is about asking for forgiveness for our sins, and receiving the healing grace of God. We are all sinful people who need to ask for forgiveness when we have sinned. When we do so, God gives us that forgiveness freely and completely, so that we may experience the healing power of God’s love.
There are many Bible stories of Jesus healing people. When Jesus healed, he didn`t just fix people`s physical problems. He tried to help them become whole people again – in their hearts, their relationships and their physical beings.
Jesus forgave people`s sins. He invited them to come back into the community and work on relationships that had been destroyed or damaged. He told people they could begin again, and He gave them the strength and courage they needed.

10. Reconciliation
We have been chosen by God to reveal God’s love to the world. When we are unable to live out our call because of weakness and sin, God is there to strengthen and renew us so that we may once again live in holiness. God has chosen the Church to bring God’s healing touch to the people of God. It is the job of the Christian community to love, forgive and comfort.

11. Reconciliation
Ezekiel 36: – God promises to cleanse the people and give them a new heart – a heart of flesh to replace a heart of stone. Sometimes after we sin (when we are not loving) we need a new heart because we had hardened ours and not been loving. God forgives our anger and our selfishness and helps us find the strength and courage to rebuild relationships.
The sacrament of Reconciliation allows us to begin again when we have failed
God can help us, even when we have sinned or sickness controls our lives.

12. Reconciliation
Jesus gave the Church the power to forgive sins. Through the sacrament of Reconciliation, the priest offers Jesus’ forgiveness to those who have sinned and repented.
The Christian community is called to carry God’s forgiveness to all who are suffering.  The sacrament of Reconciliation celebrates and brings together all of the forgiving and rebuilding of broken relationships that takes place in the Christian community.  The sacrament restores people’s relationship with God that has been broken by sin.  The sacrament also offers the grace needed to turn back to God, to mend past hurts and avoid future ones. 

13. Anointing of the Sick
Offered to those who are seriously ill to help heal them, not only of their physical sickness, but also of the things that hurt them on the inside when they suffer. Helps them find God even in their suffering. Helps give courage and hope.
It is celebrated in the community. It gives the sick person a chance to show all of the community that death and resurrection of Jesus is the key to understanding our own fragile existence.
Peace and strength are found in the sacrament.
The sacrament of Anointing connects the suffering of the sick with Passion Christ so that suffering serves holiness.

14. The Church offers the sacrament of Anointing to those who are seriously ill.   It is to help people heal their physical sickness and the things that hurt them “on the inside”. It helps them grow spiritually through their illness and gives them courage and hope. 

15. 2.1 Who wants to be Holy? Holiness Is….
A Holy person sees the possibilities for good in every situation. When God created us, God gave us a combination of gifts and talents that make us different from everyone else. We choose to be holy by using our unique gifts and talents to do the good that God wants us to do, living up to our potential, and being ourselves.