CHAPTER 1

APOSTOLIC:FOUNDED ON THE APOSTLES

PETER & THE EARLY CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS APOSTOLIC

BECAUSE IT IS BASED ON THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE APOSTLES

EARLY CHRISTIANS DEVOTED THEMSELVES TO THE TEACHINGS OF THE APOSTLES AND THE COMMUNAL LIFE, TO THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD, AND TO PRAYER

JESUS’ EARLY FOLLOWERS WERE JEWISH THE BELIEVED THAT ONLY JEWISH

PEOPLE COULD TAKE PART IN GOD’S SALVATION

IT WAS AGAINST JEWISH LAW FOR A JEW TO ENTER THE HOUSE OF A GENTILE

PETER IS GUIDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

PETER REALIZED THAT CHRIST WANTED HIM TO TEACH ALL PEOPLE!

PETER ENTERS THE HOME OF CORNELIUS, A GENTILE, AND TAUGHT HIM AND HIS SERVANTS ABOUT JESUS’ MINISTRY, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION. PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS COULD RECEIVE FORGIVENESS FOR THEIR SINS.

MAGISTERIUM

PETER & THE APOSTLES WERE GIVEN THE AUTHORITY TO TEACH THE WORD OF GOD FROM JESUS.

THIS AUTHORITY HAS BEEN PASSED ON TO THE POPE AND BISHOPS

THIS ALLOWS THEM TO SERVE THE CHURCH BY INSTRUCTING THE CHURCH AND LEADING ITS MEMBERS TOWARD HOLINESS

THE POPE & BISHOP FORM THE MAGISTERIUM, THE TEACHING OFFICE OF THE CHURCH.

INFALLIBILITY

AS THE POPE & BISHOPS TEACH, THEY ARE GUIDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

WHENTHE MAGISTERUIM OFFICIALYY PROCLAIMS A TEACHING ON MORALITY OR FAITH, SUCH A TEACHING IS INFALLIBLE

WE THE FAITHFUL TRUST THE TEACHING OF THE CHURCH AND FOLLOW IT

TRINITARIAN

THE CHURCH IS TRINITARIAN BECAUSE WE LIVE IN UNITY AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD, THE BODY OF CHRIST, AND THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

A CHURCH COMMUNITY IS BORN

PETER & THE APOSTLES TAUGHT THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT HOW JESUS CHRIST HAS DIED TO REDEEM SINS SO THAT ALL WHO BELIEVE MIGHT BE SAVED

THE DISCIPLES REMEMBERED JESUS’ DEATH AND RESURRECTION AND CELEBRATED HIS PRESENCE WITH THEM IN THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD.

THESE MEALS WERE JOYOUS AND FILLED WITH LOVE.

AGAPE MEALS –LOVE FEASTS

PETER IS CHOSEN

JESUS GAVE PETER,THE FIRST POPE, SYMBOLIC KEYES TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

AS THE SUCCESSORS TO ST. PETER, POPES CONTINUE TO USE THIS SYMBOL TO SIGNIFY THEIR AUTHORITY.

PETER IS CHOSEN

JESUS PRAYED FOR PETER’S FAITH TO BE STRONG BECAUSE HE KNEW HE WOULD FACE CHALLENGES AND HARDSHIPS

PETER GUIDED THE EARLY CHURCH WISELY AND WELL

WE BELIEVE

THE CHURCH, LED BY THE POPE AND THE BISHOPS, CONTINUES THE MISSION OF THE APOSTLES

OUR CHURCH TEACHES

“WE TRUST THE TEACHINGS OF THE POPE AND BISHOP ARE GUIDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.

SOME OF THESE TEACHING GO AGAINST MODERN CULTURAL TENDS, BE WE TRUST THAT, BY FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST AND THE SAINTS, WE WILL FIND SALVATION.

PETER’S MESSAGE CONTINUES

IT IS THE GOOD NEWS THAT GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE SENT HIS ONLY SON, JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD. GOD ANOINTED JESUS WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE POWER TO HEAL. GOD WAS WITH HIM WHEREVER HE WENT. JESUS WAS PUT TO DEATH, BUT GOD RAISED HIM ON THE THIRD DAY. APPEARING TO THE APOSTLES, JESUS COMMISSIONED THEM TO PREACH AND TEACH THE GOSPEL AND THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

ACCORDING TO TRADITION IT WAS WRITTEN BY THE APOSTLES ON PENTECOST SUNDAY

IT IS THE TRUE SUMMARY OF THE APOSTLES’ FAITH

IT HAS BEEN TAUGHT FOR ALMOST 2,000 YEARS WHEN WE PRAY THE CREED WE ARE UNITED WITH

GOD, THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT AS WELL AS THE WHOLE CHURCH.

IT IS A PRAYER OF OUR BELIEFS