Origin of the Church day declined, were burned to serve for

nocturnal lights.” Tacitus, The Annals

Origin of the word “Church”
1. From the Old Testament:
“Qahal Yahweh” – Hebrew word which
means “the People of God called together”
or “an assembly convoked by God”
“Qahal” – People
“Yahweh” – God
2. From the New Testament
“Ekklesia” – Greek word defined as “a
called-out assembly or congregation.”
“Called-out assembly” – a congregation of
believers whom God has called-out of the
world and into His wonderful light.
CHURCH
1. Church (capital-C) – Refers to the people
belonging to God or the body of Christ.
2. church (small-c) – Refers to the building
used for public Christian worship.
Perpetua & Felicity (Early 3rd C)
• Refusing to give up their Christianity, they
and three companions were led into the
amphitheater
• The mob wanted blood; the five were
whipped; then were set upon by wild
animals
• Wounded by the wild animals, they were
then finished off by the sword
• Both Perpetua and Felicity were young
mothers
• Renaissance representation of the
martyrdom of St. Felicity

Persecution of Christians
Ancient and Modern
Ancient
• Persecution may begin as ridicule
Nero
•
• AD 64, Nero – first official persecution of
Christians by Rome Further outbreaks
• Scapegoats because of a fire that destroyed • Persecution of Christians continued on and
parts of Rome off for the next 240 years
• Thrown to lions, burnt alive to provide lights • The emperor Diocletian began the last
in his public gardens, made to fight fierce assault on Christianity in 303 AD
gladiatorial combat
Secret Places and Signs
• In Rome, it became common for Christians
to meet in the burial places – the catacombs
• Romans weren’t so keen on following them
• The secret sign of the fish – ICHTHUS –
was used by Christians
• It’s a Greek acrostic for Jesus Christ Son of
God Savior
Writings
• ...a vast multitude, were convicted... And
their deaths they were made the subjects of
•
sport; for they were wrapped in the hides of
wild beasts and torn to pieces by dogs, or Modern? ... Fr Jerzy Popieluszko
nailed to crosses, or set on fire, and when
 • During the period of martial law in
communist Poland
• Fr Jerzky Popieluszko was associated with
workers and trade unionists from the
Solidarity movement
• The priest was beaten and murdered by
three Security Police Officers. Then his
body dumped
• It was recovered on October 30, 1984
Moderm? ... Bishop Romero
• As an archbishop, he witnessed numerous
violations of human rights in El Salvador,
Central America
• He began a ministry speaking out on behalf
of the poor and victims of the country’s civil
war
• He began a ministry speaking out on behalf
of the poor and victims of country’s civil war
• The government of El Salvador denounced
him
• In 1980, he was assassinated by gunshot
while consecrating the Eucharist during
mass
Jean Donovan & Companions
• El Salvador had been ruled by the military,
which protected the wealthy landowners
• In the 1980s, the country was in the midst of
civil war
• As people demanded their rights, the
military responded brutally...
• The church began to speak up for the poor
• The missionary women, who transported
refugees and distributed food and medicine
to the poor
• They were all found in a shallow grave
Marks of the Church
Mark
• an impression (such as a scratch, scar, or
stain) made on something
• a distinguishing trait of quality,
CHARACTERISTIC
• a symbol used for identification or indication
of ownership
Four Marks of the Church
1. Church as One
Bonds of Unity:
• Profession of one’s faith received
from the apostles
• Common celebration of divine
worship, especially of the
sacraments
• Apostolic succession through the
sacrament of Holy Orders,
maintaining the fraternal concord of
God’s family (CCC #815)
Jesus Christ as the founder of the church
affirms the unity envisioned by the Father
when He came to redeem and unify the
whole human race. The salvation brought
by Jesus is meant not only for a chosen few
but for all humankind.
Reasons why the Church is one with her
Founder
• Came to redeem and unify the whole
human race
• Prayed to His Father “that all may be
one even as You, Father, are in me
and I in You” (Jn. 17:21)
• Institutes the Eucharist which both
signifies and effects the unity of the
Church
• United all by His new commandment
of mutual love
• Poured forth Hist spirit through
whom He calls the people of the
New Covenant into a unity of faith,
hope, and charity
The unity of the Church is seen in her confession of
one, in her common celebration of divine worship
and in the fraternal union of her members.

Ecumenism
• the principle or aim of promoting unity
among the world’s Christian churches.
These are Visible Sign of Communion
• Gospel
o We are a people
gathered together by the
word of God. We must
begin everything with the
word of God.
• Sacramental Celebrations
o We are people gathered
together and we
celebrate as a big family
the celebration of the
Eucharist
• Bishop
o We have the college of
bishops in taking care of
the laity and molding us
to teaching of Christ
2. The Church is Holy
• “Holy” – sacred, the origin of the word
“saint” which means people who are
extraordinary who follow Jesus Christ
and live their lives based on his
teachings.
The Church is Holy and has two aspects
• own intrinsic holiness
• The holiness of its members
The Church is Holy
• It is holy because of her founder
Jesus Christ who love the church as
his bride.
• The church is holy not because of
the absence of sin but because God
loves us.
• The essence of holiness is to unite
ourselves lovingly with the divine
will.
• Love is the center of holiness uniting
inseparably both worship of God and
service of our fellow human persons.
Saint
• A person who is officially
recognized by the Christian
Churches as being very holy
because THE WAY HE OR SHE
LIVED.
Christian Churches who do have saints
• Roman Catholic
• Apostolic Catholic Church
• Greek Orthodox
• Anglican Church
What are saints for?
• Veneration
o Respect or inspired by the
dignity, wisdom, dedication, or
talent of a person.
o Dulia (Veneration) (family
members, loved ones, saints;
one we ask for prayers)
o Hyperdulia (Super Veneration)
(Virgin Mary)
o Latria (Adoration) (Holy Trinity)
Steps to become a saint
• Servant of God
o Catholic
o Died already
o Doctrines of the Church
o Posisyo (2 book)
• Venerable
o Incorruptible
• Blessed
o Martyr
o Mystic
• Saint/Sainthood
Relics of the Saints
• An object that is considered holy
o First Class Relics
▪ Body parts of the holy
man/woman
o Second Class Relics
▪ Things that are owned by
the holy man/woman
during his/her life here on
Earth
o Third Class Relics
▪ Things that are touched
to the first class or
second class relic of the
holy man/woman
 o Memento
▪ Something that is kept as
a reminder of a person,
place, or thing
3. The Church is Catholic
• Catholic – universal
• The term “Catholic” applies to Church in
two ways:
o Church is world-wide, sent to all
people
▪ Being endowed with the
“fullness of the means for
salvation.”
o The Church was Catholic on the
day of Pentecost
Pentecost
• The Christian festival celebrating the
descent of the Holy Spirit on the
disciples of Jesus after his
Ascension, held on the seventh
Sunday after Easter.
The Church is “Catholic” according to a
Church Fathers because she:
• Is spread throughout the world
• Possesses all sabing truth
• Is sent to all peoples
• Can heal all kinds of sins
• Abounds in every kind of virtue and
spiritual gift
Vatican II explains the universality of God’s
call to the whole world. All of us are called
to belong to the new People of God.
Therefore, these people, while remaining
one and unique, are to be spread
throughout the whole world to all ages.
The Church’s “Catholicity” is both a gift and
a task which involves mission and
inculturation.
Inculturation
Insertion of the gospel to our culture
How do we practice Catholicity?
• First, we must accept ourselves
• We must preach the good news
• Recognize christ in everything that
we see, and in everything we do
• Make things, persons, places, and
events holy today by valuing,
respecting, and offering them to the
Lord in prayer.
4. Church as Apostolic
This refers to Christ’s selection of the Twelve
Apostles as the foundation of the Church
They were entrusted with Christ’s own authority
to teach, sanctify, and govern his Church until
Church until Christ’s return.
The Church is guided by the successors of the
apostles, the bishops in union with the Pope.
Threefold Sense of the Apostolic Church
• Apostolic Foundation
o She was built and remains on
the foundation of the Apostles
• Apostolic Faith
o She guards and transmits, with
the help of the Holy Spirit who
dwells in her, the teaching of the
apostles
• Apostolic Successor
o She continues being taught,
sanctified, and directed by the
Apostles’ successors.
The 12 Apostles
• Simon
o Known as Peter, generally
the first and well known
disciple of Jesus.
o Nero, he was condemned to
death (Peter requested to be
crucified upside down)
• Andrew
o Peter’s Brother
o The First Apostle Called by
Jesus
o Lived as a fisherman
o Believed to be hung on an
“X” shaped cross
• James (son of Zebedee) of Galilee
o Older brother of John
o “Son of thunder” – hot-
tempered
o Was slain by a sword that
cause his death
o Symbol: Scallop’s Shell
 • John (James’ Brother) the people in the community where
o The Apostle who wrote Five the Apostle lives.
books of the Bible 4. He/she is ready to suffer. A true
o Not martyr apostle is always ready to sacrifice
o Symbol: Eagle one’s life for the sake of the good
• Philip the Apostle news who is Jesus, the reign in God
o Slow to recognize Jesus in person.
o Believed to be martyr 5. Lastly, a true apostle can perform
o Friend of Nathanael signs and wonders.
Bartholomew Successor of the Apostles
• Bartholomew • Apostolicum
o Friend of Philip o College bishops (Church is
o Known for being an honest headed by)
man
o Skinned alive
• Matthew the Tax Collector
o Known for being a tax
collector
o First writer of the first Gospel
(Gospel of Matthew)
• Thomas
o “Doubting Thomas”
o Gloomy and easily
discourage
• James (son of Alphaeus)
o “James the Less”
• Simon (the Canaanite)
o Never mentioned throughout
the Bible
• Thaddeus (Judas)
o Known as Thaddeus, Judas,
and Lebbaeus
• Judas Iscariot
o The betrayer (30 pcs of
silver)
• Matthias
o Replacement of Judas
• Paul of Tarsus
o Self-proclaimed apostle
Qualifications according to Bishop
Tangle:
1. An apostle is somebody who has
seen the risen Jesus
2. The person is “commissioned” by
the risen Lord. He/she is sent, given
a mission.
3. We can guarantee the authencity of
the Apostles calling on his or her
community by the quality of “faith” of