St Philip - Our Faith © 2008

OUR FAITH

Catholic Beliefs
Sacraments
Saints from catholic.org
Our Patron Saint: St. Philip, the Apostle from EWTN (Eternal Word Televison Network)
A Structured Society

Ten Commandments
The Greatest Commandment
Beatitudes

Parts of the Mass
Vestments
Liturgical Year
Other terms

Glossary of Church Terms from United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website

Nicene Creed (Profession of Faith)

We believe in one God, the Father, the almighty,
make of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, light from light,
true God from true God,
begotten not made, one in being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he was born of the virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered, died, and was buried.
On the third day, he rose again
in fulfillment of the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
with the Father and the son he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy, catholic, apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Catholic Beliefs

Catholic Beliefs are based on the teachings of Christ and the Apostles. These basic beliefs, principal truths of faith are summarized in the Creeds (Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed)

Mary	Conceived without original sin; Virgin mother of Christ and mother of the Church.
Church	The people of God, baptized in Christ Jesus and guided by the Holy Spirit
Pope	Visible head of the Church, and successor to St. Peter
Saints	People of extra-ordinary holiness who have joined God � often asked to intercede in prayer for people on earth.
Sin	Thought, word, deed or omission, contrary to God's law. 2 Kinds: Original: inherited sin of the human race Actual: deliberate violation of God's law mortal sin, venial sin.
Judgment	Jesus Christ's evaluation of our openness to Him and our decision about Him, based on the kind of life we live.
Heaven	One's life in God after death � a state of supreme happiness in which one enjoys God face to face.
Hell	The result of our refusing God's friendship; permanent exile from God.
Purgatory	A state of purification for souls that did not make up for falling short of God's commands during their lifetime on earth.
Faith	Belief in God's words, works and goodness; believing and obeying, knowing that full understanding is given only when we finally enter heaven.
Hope	Seeing good in spite of evil; expecting eternal life even in the face of death. God wills salvation and gives us the means to attain it.
Love	Love of God and of our neighbor, because everyone belongs to God.
Trinity	True God becoming truly human in the person of Christ.
Bible	Collection of sacred writings inspired by God; Gospel recounts actions and teachings of Jesus and His Followers.
Grace	God's friendship, given through Christ, communicated by the Holy Spirit. Grace is necessary for Salvation.
Salvation	Deliverance from sin and its punishment, by grace of Christ's sacrifice, and eternal life with God after earthly death.
Ten Commandments	Guidelines for living a moral and just life.

The Sacraments

Sacraments are where Christ and His people are joined as one.

Baptism

Just as life begins with conception, spiritual life begins with the sacrament of Baptism. In Baptism, we each experience the "death" of original sin, along with corresponding "resurrection" to life with Christ. At various times throughout the year, Baptismal preparation programs are conducted; baptisms may be scheduled with the Pastor.

Eucharist

Celebration of the Eucharist consecrates us to oneness with God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. A defining moment in the spiritual life of each Catholic is First Eucharist, celebrated in second grade, or upon entering the church through the RCIA process. Preparation for this special experience occurs on an academic-year calendar, from September through May.

Reconciliation

Spiritual renewal through confession and sincere contrition is fundamental to Catholic life. Weekly confessions are heard on Saturday afternoons in the reconciliation rooms in the Worship Center or by special appointment. Special communal penance services are also held during the spiritual seasons of lent and Advent.

First Reconciliation occurs during the second grade for children, or in conjunction with RCIA.

Confirmation

Confirmation, the sacrament of the Holy Spirit, is the defining point of spiritual maturity for Catholics. This special sacrament, sometimes conducted on a full diocesan basis, is celebrated during eighth grade or as part of the RCIA process. The preparation process requires almost a full year of instruction and preparation.

Matrimony

Spirit and flesh; individuals become a family as they become joined in holy matrimony. Because of the seriousness of this Sacrament, St. Philip has firm requirements for preparation and planning. Before any plans can be made, the prospective spouses must meet with one of the priests and reserve the Church at least four months before marriage. In addition, couples must participate in at least one of the following preparatory steps for Holy Matrimony:

Engaged Couples' Weekend
Six pastoral counseling sessions
Six sessions of Evenings for the Engaged

Holy Orders

As couples become married to each other, so too, do priests become married to the Church through Holy Orders. Priests act in the person of Christ in the sacraments.

Praying for vocations is a responsibility inherent to the Catholic experience and lifestyle. Those who feel drawn to serve God and the Church in this way may seek pastoral counseling for guidance.

Anointing of the Sick

The healing Christ touches His people during serious sickness through Anointing of the Sick. Through this sacrament, God helps his people to endure suffering during times of illness and provides for their reconciliation. Ministry to the sick involves visits to hospitals or homebound parishioners. Contact the office or one of the priests to arrange for home visit; Special ministers are also available to bring communion on a regular basis.

A Structured Society

Catholics all over the world are united in the Body of Christ in common belief, morality and worship.

Heart of this unity is Christ, with a visible government of Bishops and the Pope.

Pope

"Bishop of Rome", visible head of the Church.
Administers church affairs. Universal teacher of religious truth.

Cardinals

Chosen by the Pope.
Serve as his advisors and help in administering church affairs.

Archbishops

Chief bishops overseeing affairs of the chief diocese in an area (diocese - administrative unit containing many parish churches).

Bishops

Successors to apostolic powers.
Appointed by the Pope, with him share major responsibility for preserving truth and unity of belief in the Church.
Administer affairs of a diocese.

Parish Priests

Ministers ordained to celebrate Mass, administer Sacraments, preach and teach the word of God.
Responsible to the bishop and their parish communities.

Deacons

Responsible to the bishop; ordained to a "ministry of service," especially to preach and baptize.

Lay People

Take part in scripture reading, helping to distribute Eucharist, etc.
Advise priest through Parish Council.
Participate in the teaching mission of the Church.

Within this structure, many Religious Groups exist:

National Conference of Catholic Bishops
Ecclesiastical organization in which U.S. bishops work together.

U.S. Catholic Conference
Civil corporation in which bishops and other church members act on a large scale.

State Catholic Conferences
Special diocesan needs presented to government, public and private groups.

Religious Communities
Women religious (sisters, nuns) and religious brothers follow vows of poverty, chastity and obedience; serve God through prayer, work in schools, hospitals and missions, etc.

Secular Institutions
Lay people and clerics dedicated to God by vow and who give witness to Christ in secular life.

Social Services
Supervised by Catholic Charities; aid people in need.

Lay Organizations
such as Knights of Columbus, CCD, and Catholic Youth organizations. They devote time and energy to serving God and neighbor.

The Ten Commandments

God gave us commandments to teach us how to love God and one another. We can find the commandments in the Bible. They can help guide our examination of conscience.

The Commandments	Thinking about Ways We May Have Sinned
1. I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have any other gods besides me.	Do I love God with all my heart? Am I truly thankful for the gift of God's love for me? Do I show this by loving others?
2. You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.	Do I ever use God's or Jesus' name when I am angry? Do I always use the names of God and Jesus with respect and love?
3. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.	Do I honor God by what I do on Sundays? Do I spend time in prayer with my family and with the people of God, the Church, at Mass?
4. Honor your father and mother.	Do I love, respect, and obey my parents and others who care for me? Do my words and actions show this all the time?
5. You shall not kill.	Do I show respect for the gift of life by caring for all of God's creatures, especially people? Have I ever wanted to harm or hurt anyone?
6. You shall not commit adultery.	Do I respect my own body and the bodies of others as gifts from God? Do I use my body in ways that would please God?
7. You shall not steal.	Have I ever take something that belongs to someone else? Am I as careful with other people's things as I am with my own things?
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.	Do I always tell the truth? Do I ever lie or hurt anyone by what I say?
9. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.	Am I ever jealous of someone else's family? Am I grateful for the love that my own family shows me?
10. You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.	Am I thankful for all that I have? Am I ever jealous or greedy?

The Greatest Commandment

You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, with your whole soul, with your whole mind.

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

The Beatitudes

The Beatitudes teach us how to find everlasting happiness with God. They teach us the many ways that God blesses us when we live as Jesus calls us to live.

Beatitudes	Living as Jesus Calls Us to Live
1. Blessed are the poor in spirit. God is with them always.	Do I ask God to guide me when I need help or comfort?
2. Blessed are those who are sad. They will be consoled.	Do I ask God to take care of me even when I am sad?
3. Blessed are the meek and gentle. They will receive what God has promised.	Do I sometimes want people to pay attention only to me?
4. Blessed are those who want everyone to be treated fairly. God will give them all they need.	Do I always try to help someone who is being made fun of or is being treated unfairly?
5. Blessed are the merciful. God will be kind and generous to them.	Do I treat the people I forgive with kindness? Do I really mean what I say when I forgive someone?
6. Bless are the pure in heart. They will see God.	Is loving God and others important to me? Am I always as loving as I can be?
7. Blessed are the peacemakers. They will be called the children of God.	Am I willing to make peace with people who want to make peace with me? Do I ever take the first step in making peace with someone?
8. Blessed are those who do what is right, even when others treat them unfairly. The kingdom of God belongs to them.	When choosing what to say or do, do I always say or do what I know is right?

Parts of the Mass

Introductory Rite

The Greeting
The priest welcomes all of us to the celebration.

Penitential Rite
We ask God's forgiveness for our sins.

Gloria
A prayer said or sung by the priest and the people usually on Sundays or special feasts.

Opening Prayer
A prayer said by the priest celebrant, asking God for guidance, strength and courage to love and serve Him.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading
We listen to a reading from the Old Testament (the accounts of God and his love for and covenant with his Chosen People.)

Responsorial Psalm
We pray or sing one of the psalms (songs) from the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament.

Second Reading
This reading is usually one of the letters written by Paul or one of the other apostles and is form the New Testament. (Sometimes this reading is omitted.)

Alleluia
We sing this song of praise before the Gospel. (If it is not sung, then we omit it.)

Gospel
We listen to the accounts - parables of Jesus' life and learn from his example.

Homily
We listen as the priest explains the readings and the gospel and tells us how to use them in our daily lives.

Creed
We summarize what we believe as we say the Nicene Creed.

General Intercessions (Prayer of the Faithful)
We present the needs of the church, the world, our family and friends to God.

Liturgy of the Eucharist

Presentation of the Gifts
We offer our gifts of bread, wine, and ourselves to God

Prayer over the gifts
The priest prays that God will accept our gifts.

Acclamation of Faith
We say or sing Holy, Holy, Holy (a prayer praising the holiness of God.)

Eucharistic Prayer
The priest prays a prayer of thanksgiving and of sanctification. He consecrates the bread and wine - that is, changes it into the body and blood of Jesus.

Memorial Acclamation
We say the prayer of remembrance that Christ died for us and that He will come again.

Great Amen
We say or sing AMEN (that we believe all that the priest has said in the prayer).

Lord's Prayer
Together we say the prayer that Jesus gave us.

Sign of Peace
We wish all those around us the peace of Christ.

Lamb of God
We say or sing that Jesus is the Lamb of God who came into the world to save us.

Communion
The priest and each of us receive the Body of Christ. On special days and feasts, the people may receive both the Body and the Blood of Jesus.

Prayer after Communion
The priest prays that receiving the Eucharist will give us a new purpose in life.

Concluding Rite

Blessing
The priest blesses all those who have celebrated together

Dismissal
The priest asks that as we leave Mass, we remember to love and serve God.

Vestments

Color of Vestments

White
Is for purity and joy. It is worn on all special feasts of Jesus, Mary, the angels and saints who were not martyrs. It is used for weddings and masses for the dead.

Gold (Gold)
This is the color of celebration used great feast days like Christmas.

Red
This, the color of fire or blood is used on the feasts of martyrs (people who died for their faith) and of the Holy Spirit.

Green
Is the color of hope and growth. It is worn during Ordinary times, which are the 34 Sundays of the year where no major feast or season such as Advent, Christmas, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, or Pentecost occur.

Purple
The color of penance and sorrow. This color is worn during Lent and Advent.

Vestments Details

	Alb	The full length white linen robe worn by ministers during liturgical functions. Derived from the Greco-Roman under tunic, albs are often adorned with colored bands (orphreys) and embroidered with lace extending from the waist to the ankles. This ornamentation, however, should not detract from the simplicity and modesty of the garment. Worn by the ancient Greeks and Romans, the garment symbolizes purity of heart.
	Cincture	The cord, belt or girdle used to gather an alb at the wait. It is either white or the color of the day, and usually has a tassel at either end. The cincture is a symbol of chastity. The term also refers to the belt of an ecclesiastical habit. (Many albs now have the cincture attached or are worn without the cincture).
	Chasuble	The outermost garment worn by bishops and priest during the celebration of the mass. Modeled after the outer cloak worn by Greeks and Romans in the later years of the Roman Empire. It is sleeveless and make of silk, velvet, or some other cloth appropriate for an ecclesiastical vestment. It represents the yoke of Christ, and is a symbol of the all-encompassing nature of Christian charity. In Roman times, it was an all-weather cloak worn over other clothing. The color of the chasuble changes with the season or feast that is being celebrated.
	Stole	A liturgical vestment made of a long strip of cloth, several inches wide, which is worn by deacons, priests, and bishops; a deacon wears it over his left shoulder (like a sash) and underneath his dalmatic, while a priest of bishop wears it around his neck (allowing it to hang straight down in the front) and under his chasuble. It is worn at Mass, while administering the other sacraments, and when preaching. Its color corresponds with the liturgical color of the day or season. In ancient Rome, the scarf was a symbol of authority. Today, it is a symbol of priesthood.

Liturgical Year

The Catholic Church has a plan for remembering Jesus' story. The plan of readings from the Bible takes a whole year. The liturgical year begins in Advent, the season recalling the time people wait for Jesus to be born. Then, we celebrate Christmas and remember Jesus' birth. We remember Jesus' death and resurrection during Lent, Holy Week, and the Sundays of Easter. On the other Sundays of the year, we remember Jesus' teaching and healing.

The Year of Matthew 2005 (Cycle A):
November 28, 2004 - November 28, 2005

The Year of Mark 2006 (Cycle B):
November 27, 2005 - November 28, 2006

The Year of Luke 2007 (Cycle C):
November 29, 2006 - November 29, 2007

Other Terms

	Altar	The altar is a special table on which the Eucharist is celebrated. In ancient times, it was a platform on which sacrifices were offered. As a result of liturgical changes implemented by the Second Vatican Council and the subsequent decrees instituted by the Holy See, altars once again face the congregation, are freestanding.
	Altar Cloth	The piece of linen or other fabric which covers the altar.
	Aspergillum	Instrument for sprinkling holy water.
	Chalice	The cup or goblet used for the consecration of the wine in celebration of the Eucharist.
	Ciborium	A vessel used to hold small Communion Hosts. IT resembles a chalice, but it is longer and has a lid. Also, it can refer to a dome-shaped canopy over an alter (otherwise known as a baldachino).
	Corporal	A piece of white linen cloth, measuring about twenty inches square, placed on the altar and on which the bread and wine are placed and consecrated during Mass. Church custom dictates that the corporal be placed in the tabernacle beneath any vessel holding the Eucharist and, during Benediction or Eucharistic adoration, beneath the monstrance.
	Cruets	Containers made of glass or pottery, which hold the wine and water we bring to the altar during Mass. When members of the community bring gifts to the altar, they carry the wine in a cruet. The second cruet contains water.
	Crucifix	A cross with the image of Jesus on it. It reminds us that Jesus died to save us. It is the most solemn and significant symbol of the Christian faith, as it represents the absolute sacrifice made by Christ - his willingness to perish as a common criminal in order to grant his followers the opportunity to gain salvation.
	Holy Oils	The Church uses three holy oils in the sacraments. The bishop blesses these oils at a special diocesan celebration and each parish receives some for us during that year. Holy Chrism is the holiest of the oils and is scented with balm. It symbolizes spiritual strength. Chrism issued to anoint people in three of our Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders. Oil of the Catechumens is used in Baptism and is used in preparing adults who wanted to join the Catholic community. Of the Sick is used in the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. The priest uses the oil to anoint a sick person on the forehead and on the palms of the hands.
	Holy Water or Baptismal Font	The church building is a home for God's people, the Church. We enter by the front door and find a holy water font. We dip our fingers in the holy water and bless ourselves with the Sign of the Cross when we enter the church. This water and Sign of the Cross remind us that we became members of this church at our Baptism.
	Hosts	Hosts are round pieces of bread ready for the priest to ask the Holy Spirit to change into the body of Christ. This bread is made of flour and water and baked in a special machine. When it is finished, the bread looks like a thick sheet of paper. The hosts are cut with a machine like a cookie cutter.
	Incense and Censer	Small grains of incense, when placed on a burning piece of charcoal, give off a sweet-smelling smoke. People have used incense with their prayer for many centuries. We call incense a sacramental, a sign or a thing that helps us remember God. The bowl that holds the hot charcoal has long chains on it and is called the censer. The incense is sprinkled over the hot coals. The incense is kept in a little dish that is called an incense boat. During a service in which incense is used, the priest sprinkles a little incense on the burning coals. He then swings the censer as the smoke rises.
	Lectionary	The book which contains the readings from the Bible that we hear during the Liturgy of the Word at Mass.
	Paten	A saucer-like dish which holds the bread to be consecrated at Mass; it is usually gilded or silver-plated and must be large enough to cover the chalice. Patens traditionally are blessed by a bishop or his delegate.
	Presider's Chair	The priest sits on this chair while he is leading us in prayer during Mass.
	Purificator	A small towel used to clear the chalice.
	Sacramentary	A book of prayers used during the Mass.
	Sacristy/Sacred Vessels	The room where the priest keeps the vestments and sacred vessels. This room is next to the sanctuary. The priest gets ready for Mass in the sacristy.
	Stations of the Cross	The Stations of the Cross tell the story of what happened to Jesus on Good Friday, the day he died on the cross. Usually a church has seven stations on one side wall and seven on the other side. Some churches have 15 stations. The 15th station reminds us that Jesus rose to new life on Easter.
	Tabernacle	The tabernacle is a special box where the Hosts for Holy Communion are reserved in churches and chapels. The priest prays at the Mass that the Holy Spirit come upon these hosts and change them in to the body of Christ. The tabernacle is usually constructed of wood, stone, or metals, and is round or rectangular in shape. A tabernacle normally contains a ciborium for consecrated Hosts. It is located in the middle of the sanctuary or in a side chapel. A sanctuary lamp is kept nearby to call attention to the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.