This document discusses the formation of a confraternity based on the spiritual diary of Fr. James Norris called "Opus in Fides". It aims to use Fr. Norris' diary as a catechesis for spiritual reflection and formation, especially for those with disabilities. The confraternity hopes to establish an office space and develop a catechetical directory to accompany the diary. The goal is to foster deeper faith through this guided spiritual program rooted in the tradition of St. Ignatius but presented in a simpler way suited for laypeople. It discusses the need for community and formation to truly encounter the "love story" of faith.
The work of Fr Norris; a mitigated St Ignatius spiritual diary that leads people to a greater understanding of yourself and your relationship with others and most importantly with God.
The document provides an overview of Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation "The Joy of the Gospel". It summarizes that Pope Francis calls for a missionary transformation of the Church to recapture the freshness and joy of the Gospel. He advocates going out to the peripheries to spread the Gospel message and critiques aspects of modern society, such as economic systems, that marginalize the poor. The Pope also addresses challenges faced by pastoral workers and the need for evangelization through preaching, catechesis, and social outreach focused on inclusion of the marginalized.
1. The document discusses a meeting focused on the National Directory for Catechesis and adolescent catechesis. Various speakers presented on topics related to evangelization, inculturation, authentic presentation of faith, and adolescent discipleship.
2. The final discussion involved implications for diocesan youth ministry directors and using the National Directory for Catechesis to guide adolescent catechesis.
The document discusses the foundations and principles of New Evangelization according to a Synod on the topic. It emphasizes three key foundations: 1) personal encounter with Jesus Christ which leads to conversion and holiness, 2) the Holy Spirit as the primary agent of evangelization, and 3) recognizing youth as both the present and future of the Church, whose enthusiasm and creativity can be harnessed for evangelization. The document also highlights the importance of catechesis and youth ministry in helping the young develop firm faith convictions in an increasingly digital world. Overall, it promotes applying a catechumenal process and new missionary spirit to youth ministry for effective New Evangelization.
Evangelii gaudium eng ch 5 spirit filled evangelizersMartin M Flynn
This document is an apostolic exhortation from Pope Francis titled "The Joy of the Gospel" addressing bishops, clergy, consecrated persons, and lay faithful. It discusses the need for a renewed missionary impulse driven by a personal encounter with Christ's saving love. It emphasizes bringing the Gospel to the peripheries of society and engaging with people's lives out of a spiritual experience of being God's people. It also highlights the roles of the Holy Spirit and Mary in evangelization efforts.
This document discusses the nature and categorization of biblical law, focusing on whether the Sabbath command is part of the "new covenant" and still binding. It outlines four categories of biblical law: moral, ritual/ceremonial, civil, and health. While these categories can be helpful if defined carefully, assumptions about a law's binding nature can influence its categorization. The document argues that identifying certain laws as "moral" refers to universal principles governing relationships. It notes the Ten Commandments exemplify but are not the only expression of moral law. The ritual/ceremonial laws regulated interaction with God and ritual purity. Many civil laws applied moral principles. Health laws promoted physical and spiritual well-being
1. Evangelization is the preaching and teaching part of the church's mission to love, serve, preach, teach, heal and liberate. It involves opening up the mystery of God's love to all people.
2. Evangelization is an announcement about God's activity and his reign, calling for a personal response that involves a radical reorientation including deliverance from slavery to worldly powers, embracing Christ as savior and lord, and becoming committed to God's purpose of reconciliation, peace, and justice on earth as a living member of the church.
The work of Fr Norris; a mitigated St Ignatius spiritual diary that leads people to a greater understanding of yourself and your relationship with others and most importantly with God.
The document provides an overview of Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation "The Joy of the Gospel". It summarizes that Pope Francis calls for a missionary transformation of the Church to recapture the freshness and joy of the Gospel. He advocates going out to the peripheries to spread the Gospel message and critiques aspects of modern society, such as economic systems, that marginalize the poor. The Pope also addresses challenges faced by pastoral workers and the need for evangelization through preaching, catechesis, and social outreach focused on inclusion of the marginalized.
1. The document discusses a meeting focused on the National Directory for Catechesis and adolescent catechesis. Various speakers presented on topics related to evangelization, inculturation, authentic presentation of faith, and adolescent discipleship.
2. The final discussion involved implications for diocesan youth ministry directors and using the National Directory for Catechesis to guide adolescent catechesis.
The document discusses the foundations and principles of New Evangelization according to a Synod on the topic. It emphasizes three key foundations: 1) personal encounter with Jesus Christ which leads to conversion and holiness, 2) the Holy Spirit as the primary agent of evangelization, and 3) recognizing youth as both the present and future of the Church, whose enthusiasm and creativity can be harnessed for evangelization. The document also highlights the importance of catechesis and youth ministry in helping the young develop firm faith convictions in an increasingly digital world. Overall, it promotes applying a catechumenal process and new missionary spirit to youth ministry for effective New Evangelization.
Evangelii gaudium eng ch 5 spirit filled evangelizersMartin M Flynn
This document is an apostolic exhortation from Pope Francis titled "The Joy of the Gospel" addressing bishops, clergy, consecrated persons, and lay faithful. It discusses the need for a renewed missionary impulse driven by a personal encounter with Christ's saving love. It emphasizes bringing the Gospel to the peripheries of society and engaging with people's lives out of a spiritual experience of being God's people. It also highlights the roles of the Holy Spirit and Mary in evangelization efforts.
This document discusses the nature and categorization of biblical law, focusing on whether the Sabbath command is part of the "new covenant" and still binding. It outlines four categories of biblical law: moral, ritual/ceremonial, civil, and health. While these categories can be helpful if defined carefully, assumptions about a law's binding nature can influence its categorization. The document argues that identifying certain laws as "moral" refers to universal principles governing relationships. It notes the Ten Commandments exemplify but are not the only expression of moral law. The ritual/ceremonial laws regulated interaction with God and ritual purity. Many civil laws applied moral principles. Health laws promoted physical and spiritual well-being
1. Evangelization is the preaching and teaching part of the church's mission to love, serve, preach, teach, heal and liberate. It involves opening up the mystery of God's love to all people.
2. Evangelization is an announcement about God's activity and his reign, calling for a personal response that involves a radical reorientation including deliverance from slavery to worldly powers, embracing Christ as savior and lord, and becoming committed to God's purpose of reconciliation, peace, and justice on earth as a living member of the church.
The document is a summary of a parish staff retreat held on July 5, 2014 at the Parish of St. Laurence. Over the 3 day retreat, the staff discussed topics like the new evangelization, charisms, and faith applied in action with Mary as a model. The retreat aimed to help staff grow in faith and skills, model church teaching, and facilitate parish growth and mission. Attendees were encouraged to discern what God was saying to them and discuss it, and to celebrate Marian feast days to grow closer to Mary over the coming year.
The document discusses adolescent faith formation and discipleship. It addresses concerns about declining religious education for youth and calls for a renewed focus on empowering young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. The core of catechesis should be relationship with Christ through understanding who he is and following him more closely. Catechists play an important role in aiding youths' intellectual understanding and living out faith through witness and accompaniment.
Pope Francis and The Joy of the Gospel: Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii GaudiumEnrique Soros
Pope Francis calls for an ecclesial renewal focused on mission over self-preservation. He emphasizes spreading the Gospel to all people, including the poor and marginalized, with a positive message of God's mercy and love. The Pope advocates for a Church that embraces everyone and goes out to the peripheries to spread the joy of the Gospel through both words and deeds. He also stresses the importance of youth ministry and empowering young people to be leaders in the Church.
McShain-Horstmann Family Retreat & Reunionpennpadre
This document summarizes a spiritual retreat focused on strengthening relationships between Catholics and Jesus. The retreat includes five conferences on topics like the current state of the Catholic Church, discovering spiritual gifts and charisms, and understanding the Eucharist. The third conference discusses how the substance of bread and wine transforms into the body and blood of Christ during communion, and how this "consubstantiation" relates to stages of developing love and prayer in one's relationship with Jesus over time. The document provides context, summaries, and discussion questions for each conference to help participants reflect on better knowing and following Christ within the Catholic faith.
NALC Conference - Promoting Encounters and Accompanying People on the Journeyionpennpadre
This document discusses ways to promote ongoing conversion and help parishioners encounter Christ. It begins with an opening prayer asking God for guidance. It then discusses analyzing who is and isn't attending mass to understand how to reach more people. It emphasizes the importance of a personal relationship with Christ over inherited faith. The rest of the document discusses examples of how one parish, St. Monica, has tried different initiatives like Bible studies, men's and women's groups, and intentional discipleship pathways to help parishioners grow closer to God through liturgy, service, and scripture. It analyzes the parish's metrics over time to evaluate what efforts seem to be working to increase participation and faith.
This document provides guidance on teaching children about the sacred liturgy. It discusses the importance of liturgical catechesis and outlines four main approaches: preparation and information, celebration and participation, vocation and transformation, and environmental, formal, experiential, and mystagogical catechesis. It emphasizes that full, conscious, and active participation in the liturgy is vital for children's formation. The document also provides practical suggestions for catechizing children through the liturgical year, signs and symbols, and involving families. The overall message is that liturgical catechesis should transform children and call them to holiness through worship, faith, and witness.
This document discusses teaching children about the sacred liturgy through liturgical catechesis and formation. It emphasizes that the sacred liturgy is important because through it, God is perfectly glorified and we are sanctified. It is also the summit of the Church's activity and gives us a foretaste of heavenly liturgy. Liturgical catechesis is important because it educates children so that they can actively and consciously participate in the liturgy as baptized Christians. The document outlines some challenges and provides guidance on catechizing children about the liturgy through preparation, celebration, and helping them understand their vocation to transform through participation in the liturgy.
The document discusses the sacrament of Confirmation in the Catholic Church. It states that Confirmation strengthens the work of the Holy Spirit begun in Baptism and calls the person to accept a sense of mission to spread the teachings of Jesus. It describes how all baptized Catholics should receive Confirmation if they desire it and are properly instructed. It explains that people with intellectual/developmental disabilities should also be encouraged to receive the sacrament. The rituals and symbols of Confirmation are explained, including anointing with chrism, renewal of baptismal promises, and laying on of hands. The effects of Confirmation are said to help the individual become more united with Christ and give special strength through the gifts of
Pope Francis: from the heart of the gospel (cont.)MargaretObrovac
Pope Francis discusses the need to maintain balance and proportion when preaching the Gospel. For example, virtues like charity and justice should not be overlooked in favor of discussing temperance more frequently. Additionally, the message should focus on Christ and God's word rather than the law or the Church. All truths of the Gospel are interrelated and should not be denied or presented in isolation from the overall message of love, grace and invitation to respond that is at the core of the Christian faith.
1. The document discusses moving from a modern to postmodern approach to evangelism. It argues that postmodern evangelism focuses more on relationships, experiences, and community rather than facts, propositions, and one-way preaching.
2. Several strategies for postmodern disciple-making are outlined, including focusing on relationships over conquest, using narrative and storytelling, prioritizing belonging over believing, and taking a holistic process approach.
3. The document concludes that church leaders must move outside their offices and bubbles to connect with emerging generations, and that evangelism should be about making disciples rather than just winning souls. Loving emerging generations and having compassion for them is emphasized.
The document discusses John Paul II's views on the role of laity in the Church and his call to promote Catholic associations. It also discusses Blessed Alberione's study of different spiritualities and how he found St. Paul presented the complete Christ. The founding of the Society of St. Paul is mentioned, with a focus on Blessed Timothy Giaccardo as the first priest ordained.
This document outlines an overview presentation for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process. It includes an introduction to RCIA, describing it as a weekly process for those interested in the Catholic faith to learn about scripture and teachings. The presentation covers recruitment, the responsibilities of parish members, and sharing reflections in small groups. It emphasizes that RCIA renews parish life through the conversion of both participants and the community supporting them.
This document outlines the constitution for His Story Mission, established in 2015. It establishes the mission's purpose as bringing glory to God through prioritizing soul winning activities biblically. The mission aims to love God and others, make disciples of all nations, and teach obedience to God's commands. Core values include the Holy Trinity and being led by the Holy Spirit. The mission operates both domestically and internationally as a sending mission. The constitution establishes the mission's governance structure and defines its affiliation with relevant authorities while maintaining independence.
This document provides information about various Catholic Christian practices, including the seven sacraments, liturgical worship like the Mass, the funeral rite, types of prayer, popular piety such as the rosary and stations of the cross, pilgrimage, Catholic social teaching, and mission and evangelism. It defines each topic, provides examples, and explains their importance for Catholics today in strengthening their faith and connection to God.
04 the emerging church and the one project part 4i ALERT
This document discusses Leonard Sweet and his involvement with the Emerging Church movement. It provides excerpts from a 2010 response Sweet wrote defending himself against accusations of promoting New Age ideas. The document analyzes Sweet's response, finding that his claims do not match his writings in other works from that time which continue to quote New Age authors. It is argued that Sweet has not truly changed his underlying philosophy despite modifying his language. His association with and promotion of Emerging Church ideas through his books and speaking are also examined.
The document discusses the importance of understanding and living according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It recommends that Catholics know, trust, share, adapt, and live the teachings of the Catechism to strengthen their faith and help evangelize others. The Catechism contains the essential teachings of the Catholic faith and provides guidance from the Holy Spirit.
ALPHA AND CHURCH ASSIMILATION Action Research Cherlyn Jensen
This document provides an introduction and overview of an action research project exploring the effectiveness of interventions implemented to assimilate people who completed the Alpha Course into the life of a local church. The Alpha Course is an 11-week introduction to the Christian faith that aims to create discussion and exploration of faith questions. The research goal is to evaluate assimilation efforts after people finish the Alpha Course. The document provides background on the problem of disconnectedness in society and the importance of belonging and assimilation into a local church community.
The document discusses the need for Basic Christian Communities (BCCs) in parishes. It provides background on BCCs, noting they became popular in Latin America in the 1960s-70s and were known as "communidades de base." The purpose of BCCs is to read and discuss the Bible, pray, celebrate, and discuss/plan actions. BCCs are characterized by Christian fellowship and serving the poor. Leadership typically involves lay people and priests in an advisory role, with leadership transitioning to the local community over time.
The pastoral letter calls for the Catholic laity in the Philippines to wake up from passivity and share responsibility for the Church with priests. It recommends cultivating a fresh sense of co-responsibility between clergy and laity, with priests being more open to sharing responsibilities and exploring ways for clergy and laity to work together respectfully. The laity are urged to no longer remain tied just to tasks within the Church, but to apply Gospel values to transforming society in areas like politics and business that require systemic renewal.
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) presentation on "Works of Mercy," presented by David Jensen at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 26 Jan 2010.
Poverty Chastity and Obedience are the 3 big counsels that lead to holiness and freedom comes from the truth and to discover what is really true we use reason and grace with faith, the knowledge of understanding that there is more to life than we can see or understand
A New Pentecost for Catholic Social WorkersMark Ginter
The document discusses how the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church illustrates the new moral life called for in the new evangelization. It outlines how the Social Doctrine provides principles for reflection on human dignity and the common good, and directives for seeing justice, judging situations, and acting with love in the world. The Compendium presents the content of living out faith through social doctrine and morals.
The document is a summary of a parish staff retreat held on July 5, 2014 at the Parish of St. Laurence. Over the 3 day retreat, the staff discussed topics like the new evangelization, charisms, and faith applied in action with Mary as a model. The retreat aimed to help staff grow in faith and skills, model church teaching, and facilitate parish growth and mission. Attendees were encouraged to discern what God was saying to them and discuss it, and to celebrate Marian feast days to grow closer to Mary over the coming year.
The document discusses adolescent faith formation and discipleship. It addresses concerns about declining religious education for youth and calls for a renewed focus on empowering young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. The core of catechesis should be relationship with Christ through understanding who he is and following him more closely. Catechists play an important role in aiding youths' intellectual understanding and living out faith through witness and accompaniment.
Pope Francis and The Joy of the Gospel: Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii GaudiumEnrique Soros
Pope Francis calls for an ecclesial renewal focused on mission over self-preservation. He emphasizes spreading the Gospel to all people, including the poor and marginalized, with a positive message of God's mercy and love. The Pope advocates for a Church that embraces everyone and goes out to the peripheries to spread the joy of the Gospel through both words and deeds. He also stresses the importance of youth ministry and empowering young people to be leaders in the Church.
McShain-Horstmann Family Retreat & Reunionpennpadre
This document summarizes a spiritual retreat focused on strengthening relationships between Catholics and Jesus. The retreat includes five conferences on topics like the current state of the Catholic Church, discovering spiritual gifts and charisms, and understanding the Eucharist. The third conference discusses how the substance of bread and wine transforms into the body and blood of Christ during communion, and how this "consubstantiation" relates to stages of developing love and prayer in one's relationship with Jesus over time. The document provides context, summaries, and discussion questions for each conference to help participants reflect on better knowing and following Christ within the Catholic faith.
NALC Conference - Promoting Encounters and Accompanying People on the Journeyionpennpadre
This document discusses ways to promote ongoing conversion and help parishioners encounter Christ. It begins with an opening prayer asking God for guidance. It then discusses analyzing who is and isn't attending mass to understand how to reach more people. It emphasizes the importance of a personal relationship with Christ over inherited faith. The rest of the document discusses examples of how one parish, St. Monica, has tried different initiatives like Bible studies, men's and women's groups, and intentional discipleship pathways to help parishioners grow closer to God through liturgy, service, and scripture. It analyzes the parish's metrics over time to evaluate what efforts seem to be working to increase participation and faith.
This document provides guidance on teaching children about the sacred liturgy. It discusses the importance of liturgical catechesis and outlines four main approaches: preparation and information, celebration and participation, vocation and transformation, and environmental, formal, experiential, and mystagogical catechesis. It emphasizes that full, conscious, and active participation in the liturgy is vital for children's formation. The document also provides practical suggestions for catechizing children through the liturgical year, signs and symbols, and involving families. The overall message is that liturgical catechesis should transform children and call them to holiness through worship, faith, and witness.
This document discusses teaching children about the sacred liturgy through liturgical catechesis and formation. It emphasizes that the sacred liturgy is important because through it, God is perfectly glorified and we are sanctified. It is also the summit of the Church's activity and gives us a foretaste of heavenly liturgy. Liturgical catechesis is important because it educates children so that they can actively and consciously participate in the liturgy as baptized Christians. The document outlines some challenges and provides guidance on catechizing children about the liturgy through preparation, celebration, and helping them understand their vocation to transform through participation in the liturgy.
The document discusses the sacrament of Confirmation in the Catholic Church. It states that Confirmation strengthens the work of the Holy Spirit begun in Baptism and calls the person to accept a sense of mission to spread the teachings of Jesus. It describes how all baptized Catholics should receive Confirmation if they desire it and are properly instructed. It explains that people with intellectual/developmental disabilities should also be encouraged to receive the sacrament. The rituals and symbols of Confirmation are explained, including anointing with chrism, renewal of baptismal promises, and laying on of hands. The effects of Confirmation are said to help the individual become more united with Christ and give special strength through the gifts of
Pope Francis: from the heart of the gospel (cont.)MargaretObrovac
Pope Francis discusses the need to maintain balance and proportion when preaching the Gospel. For example, virtues like charity and justice should not be overlooked in favor of discussing temperance more frequently. Additionally, the message should focus on Christ and God's word rather than the law or the Church. All truths of the Gospel are interrelated and should not be denied or presented in isolation from the overall message of love, grace and invitation to respond that is at the core of the Christian faith.
1. The document discusses moving from a modern to postmodern approach to evangelism. It argues that postmodern evangelism focuses more on relationships, experiences, and community rather than facts, propositions, and one-way preaching.
2. Several strategies for postmodern disciple-making are outlined, including focusing on relationships over conquest, using narrative and storytelling, prioritizing belonging over believing, and taking a holistic process approach.
3. The document concludes that church leaders must move outside their offices and bubbles to connect with emerging generations, and that evangelism should be about making disciples rather than just winning souls. Loving emerging generations and having compassion for them is emphasized.
The document discusses John Paul II's views on the role of laity in the Church and his call to promote Catholic associations. It also discusses Blessed Alberione's study of different spiritualities and how he found St. Paul presented the complete Christ. The founding of the Society of St. Paul is mentioned, with a focus on Blessed Timothy Giaccardo as the first priest ordained.
This document outlines an overview presentation for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process. It includes an introduction to RCIA, describing it as a weekly process for those interested in the Catholic faith to learn about scripture and teachings. The presentation covers recruitment, the responsibilities of parish members, and sharing reflections in small groups. It emphasizes that RCIA renews parish life through the conversion of both participants and the community supporting them.
This document outlines the constitution for His Story Mission, established in 2015. It establishes the mission's purpose as bringing glory to God through prioritizing soul winning activities biblically. The mission aims to love God and others, make disciples of all nations, and teach obedience to God's commands. Core values include the Holy Trinity and being led by the Holy Spirit. The mission operates both domestically and internationally as a sending mission. The constitution establishes the mission's governance structure and defines its affiliation with relevant authorities while maintaining independence.
This document provides information about various Catholic Christian practices, including the seven sacraments, liturgical worship like the Mass, the funeral rite, types of prayer, popular piety such as the rosary and stations of the cross, pilgrimage, Catholic social teaching, and mission and evangelism. It defines each topic, provides examples, and explains their importance for Catholics today in strengthening their faith and connection to God.
04 the emerging church and the one project part 4i ALERT
This document discusses Leonard Sweet and his involvement with the Emerging Church movement. It provides excerpts from a 2010 response Sweet wrote defending himself against accusations of promoting New Age ideas. The document analyzes Sweet's response, finding that his claims do not match his writings in other works from that time which continue to quote New Age authors. It is argued that Sweet has not truly changed his underlying philosophy despite modifying his language. His association with and promotion of Emerging Church ideas through his books and speaking are also examined.
The document discusses the importance of understanding and living according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It recommends that Catholics know, trust, share, adapt, and live the teachings of the Catechism to strengthen their faith and help evangelize others. The Catechism contains the essential teachings of the Catholic faith and provides guidance from the Holy Spirit.
ALPHA AND CHURCH ASSIMILATION Action Research Cherlyn Jensen
This document provides an introduction and overview of an action research project exploring the effectiveness of interventions implemented to assimilate people who completed the Alpha Course into the life of a local church. The Alpha Course is an 11-week introduction to the Christian faith that aims to create discussion and exploration of faith questions. The research goal is to evaluate assimilation efforts after people finish the Alpha Course. The document provides background on the problem of disconnectedness in society and the importance of belonging and assimilation into a local church community.
The document discusses the need for Basic Christian Communities (BCCs) in parishes. It provides background on BCCs, noting they became popular in Latin America in the 1960s-70s and were known as "communidades de base." The purpose of BCCs is to read and discuss the Bible, pray, celebrate, and discuss/plan actions. BCCs are characterized by Christian fellowship and serving the poor. Leadership typically involves lay people and priests in an advisory role, with leadership transitioning to the local community over time.
The pastoral letter calls for the Catholic laity in the Philippines to wake up from passivity and share responsibility for the Church with priests. It recommends cultivating a fresh sense of co-responsibility between clergy and laity, with priests being more open to sharing responsibilities and exploring ways for clergy and laity to work together respectfully. The laity are urged to no longer remain tied just to tasks within the Church, but to apply Gospel values to transforming society in areas like politics and business that require systemic renewal.
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) presentation on "Works of Mercy," presented by David Jensen at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 26 Jan 2010.
Poverty Chastity and Obedience are the 3 big counsels that lead to holiness and freedom comes from the truth and to discover what is really true we use reason and grace with faith, the knowledge of understanding that there is more to life than we can see or understand
A New Pentecost for Catholic Social WorkersMark Ginter
The document discusses how the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church illustrates the new moral life called for in the new evangelization. It outlines how the Social Doctrine provides principles for reflection on human dignity and the common good, and directives for seeing justice, judging situations, and acting with love in the world. The Compendium presents the content of living out faith through social doctrine and morals.
6 Tasks of Catechesis and the New Religion Curriculum: Catechesis Comprises Six Fundamental Tasks: Knowledge of the Faith, Liturgical Education, Moral Formation,Teaching to Pray, Education for Community Life,
Missionary Initiation
Paradigm Shift in Scripture by Dr. Natividad Pagaduteccce821
This document discusses paradigms and the need for paradigm shifts in catechesis and teaching Scripture. It provides context on paradigms from Thomas Kuhn's work and explains that a paradigm is a set of implicit or explicit rules that shape one's perspectives. The document outlines that catechesis and religious education need paradigm shifts to move from an academic focus to a personal encounter with Jesus. It discusses various meanings of "Word of God" and how Scripture invites paradigm shifts. The role of women in relation to the word of God is highlighted from Verbum Domini. Overall the document examines shifting perspectives and approaches in teaching and learning Scripture and faith.
This document provides an overview of a foundational Bible study course covering major biblical doctrines. The 20 lessons cover topics like salvation, atonement, faith, and spiritual gifts. The purpose is to teach Christians essential beliefs and how to walk by faith. It also includes a creed about the Great Commission and affirmations about the transforming power of the gospel. Fellowship and encouragement in the church are discussed as important for spiritual growth and preventing loneliness that could lead back to sinful behaviors.
This document summarizes a presentation on commitment to life, charity, and justice. It discusses biblical roots of justice in the Old and New Testaments. It emphasizes that all human life is sacred and created in God's image. The presentation examines issues like abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty from a pro-life perspective. It encourages participants to reflect on how they can promote justice and dignity for all people, especially the vulnerable. The goal is to help form a community committed to Gospel values of protecting life, practicing charity, and pursuing social justice.
Jesus tells his disciples that even a small amount of faith can move mountains. The document discusses how parishes and the Knights of Columbus can grow their membership and impact through developing disciples with a personal relationship with God. It recommends several programs like Christ Renews His Parish, Called and Gifted, Catholic Alpha, and That Man Is You to help members discern their gifts and grow closer to God. The key is for all parish leaders to be prayerful, humble disciples themselves in order to fruitfully serve the parish.
This document discusses the Church entering a new springtime and the need for laborers in God's harvest. It talks about Pope John Paul II seeing a new missionary age and third millennium for Christianity. The document discusses building a civilization of love and the unique role of married couples and families in the Church's mission. It addresses different dimensions of answering God's call, including calls to live out faith daily/weekly/annually, share one's faith, help spread the faith, and financially support faith programs. The challenges of being an apostle are also noted.
Min1979 01 - El calendario profético de Israel.Zafnat Panea
This document summarizes letters responding to articles in the January 1979 issue of Ministry Magazine. The letters discuss topics like the electronic church, Sabbath keeping, ministering to singles, and more. One writer appreciates the magazine's helpful articles but says it represents a fundamentalist approach they have moved beyond. The editors welcome the feedback and hope to provide inspiration to clergy of all faiths.
The document discusses various styles of evangelism that congregations and individual Christians can employ. It describes the confrontational style which directly presents the law and gospel message, the conversational style which focuses on developing friendships as a way to naturally share the gospel, the collegiate style which provides rational arguments for the Christian faith, the conformational style of sharing one's personal testimony, and the come and see style which invites unchurched people to church events to encounter the gospel. The pastor's role is to equip Christians in these various styles and provide opportunities for evangelism in the congregation.
This document discusses the Cursillo movement's focus on group reunions and ultreyas as the primary means of sustaining the lessons of the Cursillo weekend and continuing evangelization efforts. It emphasizes that the goal of Cursillo is for people to be in groups that meet regularly where they can share their experiences, plan apostolic actions, and support one another. While the structure of the groups is flexible, their focus should be on developing friendship, sharing spiritually, and discussing evangelization successes and failures. The groups and their reunions are meant to keep the members connected to help each other grow closer to Christ and active in evangelizing their environments.
This document is from a publication of Jubilee Baptist Church. It discusses evangelism and sharing the gospel with others. The pastor explains that while evangelism is a requirement given by Jesus, not all churches actively practice it. He describes 5 common methods of evangelism including personal evangelism, mass evangelism, evangelistic sermons, door-to-door evangelism, and friendship evangelism. The pastor encourages Christians to find a method that fits their comfort level so they can obediently share the gospel.
Here are the key points about divination from the passage:
- Divination involves fortune-telling through various means like tarot cards, tea leaves, crystal balls, horoscopes, palm reading, etc.
- Both the Old and New Testaments warn against divination and say it leads people away from God by attempting to control future events through spells and evil spirits.
- Divination defiles and separates people from God. The Israelites were warned not to get involved with those who practiced divination.
- In Acts, Paul encounters a slave girl who tells fortunes and is being used by a spirit of divination to earn money for her owners. Paul casts the spirit out of her.
- Paul also encounters a sorcer
The document discusses how the attractional model of evangelism used by many churches focuses on bringing people into the church, while the missional model takes the church out into the community to share the gospel. It draws an analogy to the Marine Corps mission of locating and destroying the enemy through fire and maneuver. Ultimately, the mission of the church, whether missional or attractional, should be to fulfill the Great Commission by making disciples of all nations as commanded by Jesus Christ.
The Information Handbook is a publication of the Information Office of Opus Dei and is published to help journalists and other media professionals. It contains a summary of the nature, history and organisation of the Opus Dei Prelature, an institution of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Emerging Church movement represents Satan's modern effort to confuse, weaken, and ultimately ruin God's people. It is a mixture of Christianity, New Age, Eastern religion, and mysticism. This presentation will provide a good introduction to this dangerous infiltration by the enemy of souls.
The Book of Samuel is a book in the Hebrew Bible, found as two books in the Old Testament. The book is part of the Deuteronomistic history, a series of books that constitute a theological history of the Israelites and that aim to explain God's law for Israel under the guidance of the prophets.
The Enchantment and Shadows_ Unveiling the Mysteries of Magic and Black Magic...Phoenix O
This manual will guide you through basic skills and tasks to help you get started with various aspects of Magic. Each section is designed to be easy to follow, with step-by-step instructions.
Sanatan Vastu | Experience Great Living | Vastu ExpertSanatan Vastu
Santan Vastu Provides Vedic astrology courses & Vastu remedies, If you are searching Vastu for home, Vastu for kitchen, Vastu for house, Vastu for Office & Factory. Best Vastu in Bahadurgarh. Best Vastu in Delhi NCR
Chandra Dev: Unveiling the Mystery of the Moon GodExotic India
Shining brightly in the sky, some days more than others, the Moon in popular culture is a symbol of love, romance, and beauty. The ancient Hindu texts, however, mention the Moon as an intriguing and powerful being, worshiped by sages as Chandra.
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So let us turn the pages of ancient Indian literature and get to know more about Agni, the mighty purifier of all things, worshipped in Indian culture as a God since the Vedic time.
The Hope of Salvation - Jude 1:24-25 - MessageCole Hartman
Jude gives us hope at the end of a dark letter. In a dark world like today, we need the light of Christ to shine brighter and brighter. Jude shows us where to fix our focus so we can be filled with God's goodness and glory. Join us to explore this incredible passage.
Heartfulness Magazine - June 2024 (Volume 9, Issue 6)heartfulness
Dear readers,
This month we continue with more inspiring talks from the Global Spirituality Mahotsav that was held from March 14 to 17, 2024, at Kanha Shanti Vanam.
We hear from Daaji on lifestyle and yoga in honor of International Day of Yoga, June 21, 2024. We also hear from Professor Bhavani Rao, Dean at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, on spirituality in action, the Venerable BhikkuSanghasena on how to be an ambassador for compassion, Dr. Tony Nader on the Maharishi Effect, Swami Mukundananda on the crossroads of modernization, Tejinder Kaur Basra on the purpose of work, the Venerable GesheDorjiDamdul on the psychology of peace, the Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland, KC, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on how we are all related, and world-renowned violinist KumareshRajagopalan on the uplifting mysteries of music.
Dr. Prasad Veluthanar shares an Ayurvedic perspective on treating autism, Dr. IchakAdizes helps us navigate disagreements at work, Sravan Banda celebrates World Environment Day by sharing some tips on land restoration, and Sara Bubber tells our children another inspiring story and challenges them with some fun facts and riddles.
Happy reading,
The editors
A375 Example Taste the taste of the Lord, the taste of the Lord The taste of...franktsao4
It seems that current missionary work requires spending a lot of money, preparing a lot of materials, and traveling to far away places, so that it feels like missionary work. But what was the result they brought back? It's just a lot of photos of activities, fun eating, drinking and some playing games. And then we have to do the same thing next year, never ending. The church once mentioned that a certain missionary would go to the field where she used to work before the end of his life. It seemed that if she had not gone, no one would be willing to go. The reason why these missionary work is so difficult is that no one obeys God’s words, and the Bible is not the main content during missionary work, because in the eyes of those who do not obey God’s words, the Bible is just words and cannot be connected with life, so Reading out God's words is boring because it doesn't have any life experience, so it cannot be connected with human life. I will give a few examples in the hope that this situation can be changed. A375
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Trusting God's Providence | Verse: Romans 8: 28-31JL de Belen
Trusting God's Providence.
Providence - God’s active preservation and care over His creation. God is both the Creator and the Sustainer of all things Heb. 1:2-3; Col. 1:17
-God keep His promises.
-God’s general providence is toward all creation
- All things were made through Him
God’s special providence is toward His children.
We may suffer now, but joy can and will come
God can see what we cannot see
1. We bring to Him all are simple, but important tools, and we have received the gift
of faith is not to hide it, but to spread it, so that it can illuminate the path of so
many brothers. ADDRESS D EL SANTO PADRE FRANCISCO
TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE
PONTIFICAL MISSION
Patron: Fr James Norris.
“Take and receive O’ Lord, my memory,
My understanding and my will.”
Born. 23 April 1923.
Ordained. 27 July 1947.
Died. 6 Oct 2007.
Fr. James Norris-
Mitigated St Ignatius rule-formation diary.
A confraternity
Mr Mark & Mrs Annette Baird
Thursday, May 23, 2013
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2. Contents
INTRODUCTION. ........................................................................................................3
REFERENCES...........................................................................................................16
THE FR. NORRIS OPUS..............................................................................................4
THE FR NORRIS WORK IS A GUIDED CATECHESIS AIMED TO DEEPEN THIS
LOVE STORY, WITHOUT BEING TOO ACADEMICALLY DRY AND SIMPLER
THAN ST IGNATIUS SPIRITUAL EXERCISES. .......................................................4
"FROM THE TIME THE GOSPEL WAS FIRST PREACHED, THE CHURCH HAS
KNOWN THE PROCESS OF ENCOUNTER AND ENGAGEMENT WITH
CULTURES" (FIDES ET RATIO, 70), FOR "IT IS ONE OF THE PROPERTIES OF
THE HUMAN PERSON THAT HE CAN ACHIEVE TRUE AND FULL HUMANITY
ONLY BY MEANS OF CULTURE" (GAUDIUM ET SPES, 53). ................................4
A NOTICEABLY LARGER NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CULTURES ARE PRESENT
IN OUR CHURCH’S. “CULTURE, THIS PARTICULAR WAY IN WHICH PERSONS
AND PEOPLES CULTIVATE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE AND THEIR
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WITH THEMSELVES AND WITH GOD, SO AS TO
ATTAIN A FULLY HUMAN EXISTENCE (CF. GAUDIUM ET SPES, 53).” I
BELIEVE, BECAUSE OF OUR DISABILITIES THE NORRIS WORK IS SPECIFIC
A GROUP OF PARISHIONERS WITHIN THE CHURCH. OUR CULTURAL
MISSION IS TO USE THE WORK ‘OPUS IN FIDES’ (THE FR NORRIS DIARY) AS
A CATECHESIS, IT ASKS THE QUESTIONS PREVALENT TO EVERYONE.
“WHAT IS OUR PURPOSE IN LIFE? TO PRAISE REVERENCE AND SERVE GOD
AND TO ATTAIN SALVATION. WHO CREATED ME? THE HOLY TRINITY –THE
SON AND HOLY GHOST ALL HAD ME IN MIND FROM ALL ETERNITY. I HAVE
LOVED THEE WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE.” (NORRIS, JAMES. ‘OPUS IN
FIDES’ 1941. P 28).......................................................................................................4
THE NEW EVANGELIZATION..................................................................................11
COMMITTEE STRUCTURE......................................................................................13
FINANCIALS FOR THE FIRST YEAR.......................................................................13
STARTING IN YEAR…….PER ANNUM EXPENSES …. .......................................14
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3. OBJECTIVE: "QUAERERE DEUM", ……….. TO SEEK GOD.
Contact email: for information and comments thank you-
admojoremdeigloriam@yahoo.co.nz
Introduction.
Grace and peace be with you - in Christ Jesus.
In 1941 Fr. James Norris was ‘called’ by God to enter the Seminary in Essedon, Australia and
after Ordination went to work in Japan until retirement, returning to Rotorua his hometown in
2004. After a few meetings to talk about the faith Fr Norris handed on his diary to Mark
Baird in 2004 and after studying his dairy I decided to type up his notes and study his work
because I believe it has great merit for the average person and the Catholic Church and it is
our hope to eventually form a confraternity with the aim of serving the Church.
The Fr. James Norris mitigated diary titled [Opus in fides] caused an 1
‘event,’ which
occurred 8 years ago and I have reflected on its meaning and how this gift could best bear
fruit for the Holy Catholic Church and the reflection on the need for a specific confraternity.
We believe this ‘event’ was a calling from the Holy Spirit and the tradition of Fr Norris’
‘handing on’ of his diary is something that requires the use of our talents to benefit people
who are looking for an understanding on reflective spiritual exercises.
There are three parts to the opus; submission (sequilla christii), diary (Opus in fides), and rule
(catechetical directory). The praxis of the work needs a lot of discernment on how best to
propagate this little branch of the faith while keeping the diary accurate to the words and
desire of Fr Norris. The Fr. Norris opus is mitigated from the St Ignatius exercises making it
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4. a reflection catechesis used in reference to the ‘exercises’ it gives the catechist a study guide
to their own reflection and that of both Fr. Norris and St Ignatius.
The New Evangelization is the same doctrine coming from the deposit of faith it must
continue to be taught correctly without error and the Opus of Fr Norris is mitigated from the
St Ignatius exercises. It is the deposit of the faith that remains unchanging only our
understanding deepens in the meaning and abiding with 1
Canon Law we have no desire to
establish any ministry without the proper ecclesiastical authority.
The Fr. Norris Opus.
Pope emeritus Benedict makes the important point about how a relationship with God plays a
crucial part in faith.
2
‘The first paragraph of Dues Caritas Est announces that being a Christian is not the
result of an ethical choice or a lofty ideal but the encounter with an event, a person,
who gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction. This event is guided by the
Holy Spirit and fostered by the Sacraments and the teaching of the Magisterium.
Christianity is not an intellectual system, a collection of dogmas or a moralism.
Christianity is a love story it is an event.’
The Fr Norris work is a guided catechesis aimed to deepen this love story, without being too
academically dry and simpler than St Ignatius Spiritual Exercises.
3
"From the time the Gospel was first preached, the Church has known the process of
encounter and engagement with cultures" (Fides et Ratio, 70), for "it is one of the
properties of the human person that he can achieve true and full humanity only by
means of culture" (Gaudium et Spes, 53).
A noticeably larger number of different cultures are present in our Church’s. 4
“Culture, this
particular way in which persons and peoples cultivate their relationship with nature and
their brothers and sisters, with themselves and with God, so as to attain a fully human
existence (Cf. Gaudium et Spes, 53).” I believe, because of our disabilities the Norris
work is specific a group of parishioners within the Church. Our cultural mission is to use
the work ‘Opus in Fides’ (the Fr Norris diary) as a catechesis, it asks the questions
prevalent to everyone. “What is our purpose in life? To praise reverence and serve God
and to attain salvation. Who created me? The Holy Trinity –The Son and Holy Ghost all
had me in mind from all eternity. I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” (Norris,
James. ‘Opus in fides’ 1941. p 28)
By our own witness and vocation, our ministry attracts the ‘diversely able’ and in most cases
the poor and disadvantaged have a shy nature and are often feel uncomfortable in traditional
catechetical programs, often needing more support and encouragement than the average
1
Can. 299 §1. By means of a private agreement made among themselves, the Christian faithful are free to
establish associations to pursue the purposes mentioned in ⇒ can. 298, §1, without prejudice to the prescript
of ⇒ can. 301, §1. Can. 301§1 It is for the competent ecclesiastical authority alone to establish associations of
Christ’s faithful which intend to impart Christian teaching in the name of the Church, or to promote public
worship, or which are directed to other ends whose pursuit is of its nature reserved to the same
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5. person. The primary goal is to bring the person into the ‘love story’ and this cannot be
achieved without sacramental grace.
5
“In what does man’s wretchedness actually consist? Above all, in his insecurity; in
the uncertainties with which he is burdened; in the limitations that oppress him; the
lack of freedom that binds him; in the pain that makes life hateful to him. We can say,
then, that the root of man’s wretchedness is loneliness is the absence of love.”
No person is free from suffering and the obvious social problems are many; secularism, our
greatest threat to religious life and social injustice has eroded our image of God that shines
over man and restoring this cannot be done by simply by pouring money into an organization
or by hiring well qualified managers. By restoring this inner image of light true
evangelization takes place, we must not expect perfection but look for the ‘event’. We want
to create a space to work and are not really concerned with the ego or how we are perceived
by others, God’s will is our primary concern.
When a person enters into the ‘love story’ it is not something easy but a mystery, often a
word or an action causes metanoia and credit must go to the Holy Spirit who enlightens the
soul to the truth about life. The heartache surrounding the uncertainties of life cause fear and
this in turn leads to an absence of charity. The most common root of all mans problems is
loneness.
6
‘No one can escape from the fundamental questions: What must I do? How do I
distinguish good from evil? The answer is only possible thanks to the splendour of the
truth which shines forth deep within the human spirit, as the Psalmist bears witness:
"There are many who say: 'O that we might see some good! Let the light of your face
shine on us, O Lord”. (Ps 4:6).
In addition to the ‘Opus’ of the Fr Norris diary there exists a catechetical directory containing
prayer, creed and Scripture notes that aid the pupil in formation. It has been asked; if we are
popular, how big is our following, do we have the support of the parishioners? Well, God’s
Will is a mystery and all we can do is what is pleases Him, as a child wants to please the
Father we want to have the Fathers love and respect. The question is what to do with this gift
of the Fr Norris diary? Is it meant for me alone or is it to be shared with others?
In the search for life’s answers, all people look for a suitable culture to ‘fit into’
7
But what soil received the word of God? As then, so today too it can encounter
closure and rejection, ways of thinking and living that are far from the search for God
and for the truth. People of today are often confused and fail to find an answer to the
many questions that torment the mind on the meaning of life, and to the queries that
are lodged in the depths of their heart. Human beings cannot escape these questions
that touch on the meaning of self and reality, they cannot live in one single
dimension! Instead, they are often distanced from the search for the essential in life
while an ephemeral happiness is proposed to them that is briefly satisfying but soon
gives way to sadness and dissatisfaction.
Faith once received has to be developed into a life long way of living and if planted in good
soil remains true to the faith. I personally received the boost in my faith from the Eucharist
and need communio with the Body of Christ to remain centered on what the meaning of life
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6. is. The Exercises of St Ignatius have the fundamental principle of working on the interior life
of the person first and this is true evangelization; it is a pilgrimage, by becoming witnesses,
imperfect but looking for our Fathers approval we can find the meaning of life and our
relationship to the Creator.
The diary of Fr Norris is a mitigated work from the St Ignatius exercises and has the same
principle and is less complicated, more suited to the average layperson.
The diary is a catechesis that helps the pupil study the meaning of life. “I came from God, I
belong to God, I am destined for God. All things outside myself are creatures for my use, lent
to me by God to help me attain my salvation, outside my soul. I must be detached from these
creatures, not making a creature an end in itself. That is sin, an abuse of creation.” (Fr Norris.
Opus in Fides. 1941. p 15). By starting at the beginning of our relationship with God and
creation Fr Norris reflects on our duty and the goal of salvation.
The reason why ‘Opus in Fides’ is a society and that it provides a greater level of support is
apparent by the level of study that is needed in formation. You cannot just spend 45 minutes
at Mass and then go about doing something else, unrelated to the Gospel. We are called into
the Church and then sent to proclaim the Good News.
8
‘Base’ communities are not a new concept in times when simply faith was considered
the answer to the Church’s formation theology. ‘The ease with which the word ‘base’
has, in the meantime insinuated itself into the vocabulary of high Church officials is
one of the oddities in the development of the Church in recent years. The word
implies a system of values that is far from self-evident. The structuring in terms of
‘base’ is intended to give the oppressed an opportunity to speak for themselves and so
finally to convert the heretofore false structure of society into a new sound one.’
A base is an essential part of formation a physical presence in the Church means the students
can come and work together. With the Church doors locked and no one there it is hard to get
any support. The Priest has so many jobs do to; the receptionist is always busy about
administration, so what is the best solution? There are universities for the educated; formation
programs, sacramental programs, schools, prayer groups and scripture study groups. An
office is a presence, a quiet place for formation.
9
‘On the threshold of the modern age, the Imitation of Christ voices a dramatic protest
against the disintegration of faith into a theology that had become empty learning and
the determined option for a Christianity of the unlearned; “Let it be our highest study
to become absorbed in meditation on the life of Jesus Christ.” “Even if you knew by
heart the whole Bible and sayings of all the philosophers what would it profit you
without the love of God and His Grace”?
The whole philosophy of the Catholic doctrine sets the secular belief of; success, ability,
expertise and qualifications up-side down. A child is greater than anyone; a traitor is an
Apostle, the poor become rich, the sick are healed in a different way, the weak are made
strong. We are recognized as a new and unknown entity and rightly so, therefore we ask the
in this ‘Year of Faith’ we remember the primacy of grace and the need to develop
confraternities to foster greater acts of faith.
It is not my will but the will of my Father that must be done; this is the way of Jesus our
teacher who makes our way of living. This includes people in the work of developing virtue
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7. by; discovering what gives life, what might it be the ideal, and how to increase it. This really
describes what is meant by ‘work’ this definition of the Gospel of work is something we want
to witness. When the secular world encourages a turning away from Christian work and
makes money an idol, we want the meditation of Jesus to be our work.
We need an office, it is necessary to develop our religious confraternity and development in
necessary to ensure justice and order. The Catechetical directory is 68 pages long and a
mirror of justice including parts of Scripture, Creed, prayers and rule. All the virtues lead to a
happy life with the good of man being the highest state of pleasure and thus being continual
and not a fleeting emotion. Whatever the part of the world, the leading spiritual masters have
found that agape is goal of everyone. Aristotle in 347BC taught that happiness is being in a
state that is achieved by virtue, since humans receive the highest form of fulfillment from
good works. The state of happiness cannot be achieved by the purchase of objects or is it a
possession, it is not a feeling, because this is temporary and happiness is fulfillment, a
continuous state where even in moments of trail our heart is in a state of love and peace.
A spiritual journey is something that is often unseen and the smallest ripples in the pond can
create a spiritual change in your life and those of your family.
The grace that Jesus Christ gives us in return for loving him is unquestionable great, often
unseen yet powerful and our lives are to learn to hear His voice the Holy Spirit and live like
he teaches, “to love one another as I have loved you.”
10
As a ‘base’, the credo creates its own ecumenism. The paradox of the situation lies
in the fact that precisely this ecumenism of a unity experienced in terms of the creed
is sceptical with regard to institutions – is in certain respects, even further removed
from them than a base ecumenism with its predilection for action. Apart from
occasional pronouncement it continues to be, far the most part silent, and
consequently ineffective, if not actually useless. It is here, I think that both the
problem and the hope of the situations appear most clearly. The unity of the centre of
the credo, which reveals its binding force in the confrontation of the present. Those
who discover it must have the courage to relinquish their distrust of institutions and to
take advantage of the forms and possibilities that they offer and develop.
This base is of service as well as formation of religious prayer and reflection; we want to be
in the Church to be a part of the Body of Christ, a somewhat different aspect to serving as a
layperson because the formation is more concentrated nature requiring less secular
distractions. To be ‘in’ the Church has a different aspect the being in the secular world and
even though it is not entirely possible to separate the two, in the beginning of formation it is
necessary to have a place of retreat to use for contemplation for the study of the Fr. Norris
opus. Once the formation reaches a certain level moving into the secular world does not
eradicate temptation to sin but means the Kingdom of Heaven is more present on our journey.
As Pope Benedict XVI explained, (2012) 11
“Aggiornamento does not mean breaking
with tradition; rather, it is an expression of that tradition's ongoing vitality. It does not
mean reducing the faith, debasing it to the fashion of the times . . . Quite the contrary,
just as the Council Fathers did, we must mould the 'today' in which we live to the
measure of Christianity. We must bring the 'today' of our times into line with the
'today' of God. New methods and new forms of expression are needed to convey to
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8. the people of today the perennial truth of Jesus Christ, forever new and the source of
all newness.”
The tradition is a fundamental Catholic principle and it is the history of the Church and the
kingdom of God with Jesus Christ’s teaching is the pinnacle of our catechesis. It is the faith
and ultimately, salvation that the Fr. Norris opus is developing an innovative way of
catechumenal formation. Still using the correct doctrine deposited in faith by Jesus Christ
through his ordained ministers. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters]
whenever you face trials of
many kinds, 3
because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4
Let perseverance finish
its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should
ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6
But when you ask, you
must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
7
That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8
Such a person is double-minded and
unstable in all they do.(James 2-8)
There are no easy answers to solving any of our human faults and weakness and we are not
qualified except in our small sufferings to offer help to anyone and by the many efficacious
Graces in the Sacraments and with prayer and thanksgiving, living witness to a holy desire.
Abnegation and active charity are a part of our ‘rule’ by this virtue we hope to find joy in our
hearts.
The reason why this opus of Fr. Norris is necessary is not because it is contemporary but
because it is at a level the common layman can understand - it is a bridge. “May your
initiatives be “bridges”, means of bringing others to Christ, so as to journey together with
him”. (Pope Francis. Saint Peter's Square. Sixth Sunday of Easter, 5 May 2013).
The Church’s Tradition is handed on and the Fr. Norris opus was handed on and the effects of
Vatican II have meant that the laity has this duty, even if it is beyond them in education and
or formation. 2
“Jesus has called you to something higher. Answer the call then aim high,
relying for your consolations and joys from Him.” After further discernment, prayer and
consultation with Bishop Denis we have decided to write his book using his dairy notes. I
believe his diary opus, his gift to us is Divine Providence, discerning and praying using his
diary notes it may become a ‘mitigated rule’ for our apostolic ministry for the Holy Catholic
Church. We humble ask for your opinion. The Fr Norris ‘mitigated rule’ that has developed
over time is a theoretical catechesis and a gift to develop a person’s natural and grace given
talents.
12
“I wish to extend an invitation to solidarity to everyone, and I would like to
encourage those in public office to make every effort to give new impetus to
employment, this means caring for the dignity of the person, but above all I would say
do not lose hope; St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost
faith and was able to overcome them, in the certainty that God never abandons us.”
Of course there are difficulties to overcome and it is the hope that we are doing what is
pleasing to God that will conquer the apathy that creeps in when things go wrong or are Our
aim is to help the many people who are called into Holy Mother Church and sometimes they
may feel intimidated and nervous about entering in the normal way. By being witnesses to the
grace that exists in the Holy Sacraments, living in union with Jesus, by His suffering, we
hope that the witnessing message is truly Gospel.
2
Fr Norris spiritual/formation/catechetical dairy. (1941) p 185
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9. consumer advertising.’ 14
“Such a life requires a continual exercise of faith, hope, and
charity. Only by the light of faith and by meditation on the word of God can one
always and everywhere recognize God in Whom "we live, and move, and have our
being" ( Acts 17:28), seek His will in every event, see Christ in everyone whether he
be a relative or a stranger, and make correct judgments about the true meaning and
value of temporal things both in themselves and in their relation to man's final goal.”
"For the charity of Christ impels us" (2 Cor. 5:14).
This sense of mission is why we need to form a confraternity, we are not a social group or
support group. We want to use the Fr Norris diary as a guide to deepening the faith within the
Church’s catechetical ministry. By relying on the grace in the Sacraments and the missionary
spirit in the Fr Norris diary, we hope to develop a deeper faith.
As for you, the anointing that you received from him remains in you, so that you do not need
anyone to teach you. But his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not
false; just as it taught you, remain in him. (1 Jn 2:27)
Sooner or later the human body starts to degrade and ability diminishes, it is the length of
time that acts as an enforced asceticism and if the person has the opportunity to faith and
reason a certain level of catechesis links the nature of the human body to the glory of the
Cross and the Resurrection. By Grace a person, imperfect but working towards redemption
and aided by the Sacraments; we can try to live in union with Jesus on the Cross and on a
journey to the light of the world .This is the light that will give revelation to the Gentiles.
Listening to the word of God leads us first and foremost to value the need to live in
accordance with this law “written on human hearts” (cf. Rom 2:15; 7:23).
The Fr Norris mitigated- St Ignatius rule that is written down is something that can last
generations. It is not dependent on personality but sound theology. With the grace of God and
faith we will develop an ‘office’ of prayer using the Fr Norris ‘rule’ and work in the context
of the Gospel. An ‘office’ is a fundamental need of our petition without it catechetical
formation will not develop past a level which does not bear the fruit in the Fr Norris spiritual
formation diary That Congregationalist view of church is a danger we are very careful of. It is
very difficult to discern the ‘will’ of God and understand the mystery of Christological events
in a person’s life. What may be perceived as failure or foolishness can in fact be the will of
our Father. What may prevent errors in theology and practical works can be limited by
working on Church property under the watchful gaze of our Shepherds.
3
‘By overcoming the alienation and filling in the trends that separate us, we shall be
able to consider our difficulties in quiet a new light. If we stay close to one another,
we shall also seek the best way to a tomorrow that will make possible the remedying
of the past and restoration of the former beauty of the one undivided Church.’
15
‘Today the difference between Thomist and Communio types is not a difference
over official magisterial teaching. Both reach the same conclusions about the
immorality of contraception, the impossibility of ordaining women and of marriage
between persons of the same sex and the need for Sacerdotal hierarchy. However,
they are different in the readings of the causes of contemporary theological crises, that
3
Principles of Catholic Theology. Building Stones for a Fundamental Theology. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. St Ignatius Press. San
Francisco (1989) 210
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10. is, different readings of where and how things went wrong. They therefore have
different prescriptions for remedying the post-conciliar crisis. The Communio
scholars are firmly of the view that the problem of secularization was fostered by the
intellectual errors of the Church’s own scholars in particular by the two-tiered or
extrinsicist accounts of the relationship between nature and grace which came to
prominence after the Council of Trent (1545-1563) by extrinsicist accounts of the
relationship between faith and reason fostered by Leonine and Neo- Thomists who
muted the patristic heritage of the Thomism in order to defend the faith within the
Kantian parameters and by extrinsicist accounts of the relationship between the world
and the Church, sometimes called the distinction between the secular and sacred
realms, fostered by Catholic scholars dedicated to a synthesis of the Liberal and
Catholic traditions.’
Our gospel/work is to witness and live from the Fr Norris opus in fides which he wrote and
we want to be a witness to the grace received from the Sacraments. It is Jesus Christ, the
teacher who is our soul help and learning to listen to the Word is our work. Without the
efficacious grace given to the Holy Catholic Church most secular work is empty and
meaningless. This writing on human hearts is the only way to describe our ‘calling’ it is not
knowledge of theology, or Piety but a mystery why we feel we have a ‘call’ to do this work.
We do not know why we want this ‘work’, when it is easier to do something else and give
some excuse for not answering the call, but it is the definition of Catholic caritas that is the
basis of our life’s meaning.
This ‘call’ will continue to be a lifelong process of discernment and without Sacramental
grace, faith is as nothing. Blessed are we for having faith. Humility is a very important virtue
and it opens our eyes and ears to hearing God’s word and learning do be alter christus.
There are many methods to help alleviate poverty and our ministry is all about reconciliation-
rehabilitation. We are unable to do much to stop poverty however by working on developing
relationships we can build a foundation that supports growth in faith.
4
‘The ‘we are church’ movement suffers from a clearly inadequate awareness of the
Church as a mystery of communion, especially in so far as they have not sufficiently
integrated the concept of communion with the concepts of the ‘people of God’ and the
Body of Christ and have not given due importance to the relationship between the
Church as communion and the Church as Sacrament.’
We believe one of the effective means to developing faith is to improve communication by
catechesis in prayer. Fr John Kelly OSCO wrote a simply booklet on developing
contemplative prayer and this guide is what we want to use in our training. We do not aim to
feed or clothe people but teach that Jesus loves every one of us and calls us to a greater unity
with Him, through His Church. We cannot do this by claiming we are overly holy, pious or
righteous before God but we can say that we are sinners but there is always room for one
more in His Church.
4
Ibid 86. (Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on some ASPECTS OF THE Church as understood as Communion. Art 1.
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11. Our 4 aims are to:
1. Restore the Relationship with God.
2. Build up the Relationship with self.
3. Share our Relationship with others in the Church.
4. Look after the Relationship with the rest of creation.
We do this by studying the Fr Norris diary, page by page, every day and praying. We would
develop our own personal faith and develop a relationship with Jesus and promote the
teaching of the Church by being witnesses to His saving grace. This is a gospel/work ethic
that we would like to promote. An aim that welcomes people to ‘come as you are’ and
develop in faith, primarily relying on efficacious and habitual grace and affective prayer,
putting our hope and faith on the Holy Sacraments which transforms the person into an
imperfect alter christus. Everything is directed at the Eucharist and the Sacraments working
together at the right time and allowing the individual to participate in the ‘way,’ as used by St
Paul, to develop their way to grow in the faith. “There is no act however trivial but has a
train of consequences as there is no hair so small as casts a shadow”. St. Bernard.
Then the discovery of the ‘why’ begins and a supported environment providing interesting
opportunities to think about these questions, a journey of self-discovery is left behind and
grace enters into the life to bring metanoia. The Magisterium is asking us to ‘launch into the
deep’ (Hamilton Diocese Pastoral plan.) and encouraging laypeople to take an active part in
the Church discipleship and there are many faith programs that do this, however our job is to
study the Fr Norris ‘rule’ and help people grow in love for our Lord and His Church.
The New Evangelization.
16
We must not ignore the fact that many, even generous Christians who are sensitive
to the dramatic questions involved in the problem of liberation, in their wish to
commit the Church to the liberation effort are frequently tempted to reduce her
mission to the dimensions of a simply temporal project. They would reduce her aims
to a man-centered goal; the salvation of which she is the messenger would be reduced
to material well-being. Her activity, forgetful of all spiritual and religious
preoccupation, would become initiatives of the political or social order. But if this
were so, the Church would lose her fundamental meaning.
17
Who are we looking for?
4. The first disciples, who, perhaps still uncertain and doubtful, you begin to follow a
new Rabbi , the Lord asks, "What do you seek? "( Jn 1:38). In this application we can
read other radical questions: What does your heart? For what concerns you? Are you
looking for yourself or are you seeking the Lord your God? Are you pursuing your
desires or the desire of the One who made your heart and wants to accomplish as he
knows and understands? Are you running after only passing things or seeking the One
who does not pass? "In this world of dissimilarity, what should we be concerned,
Lord God?
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12. 5
‘Here I am reminded of something Socrates said to Phaedo in there earlier conversations,
many false philosophical opinions had been raised, and Socrates says: ‘It would be easily
understandable if someone became so annoyed at all these false notions that for the rest of
their life he despised and mocked all talk about being- but in this way he would be deprived
of the Truth of existence and would suffer a great loss.’
We have an obligation to Our Lord to ask the Magisterium if this is a call from God and this
leads us to ask for approval to work at establishing this apostolic work.
It is with profound gratitude that we thank all those in the Magisterium that have taken our
petition seriously.
Non nobis Domine, non nobis sed nomin, tuo do gloriam. (To us no glory, Lord to us no
glory,But glory to thy name.)
Yours eternally in Christ;
Mr. Mark & Mrs. Annette Baird
5
Ibid p.173.
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13. Committee Structure.
The proposed initial committee structure is primarily spiritual because the work is Religious
and faith building and if our ‘rule’ is approved an action committee will be formed to work
on day to day issues. In ministry work we would only work in the Church and have a ministry
that is under the direction of the Magisterium. We would like to develop our ‘rule’ and
establish an apostolic ministry that can serve the Church truthfully and faithfully.
We must rely on the living spirit of Jesus Christ to head the work, so we can concentrate on
prayerful development. Without being hasty in the judgments of others a person who is poor,
uneducated or disabled is best suited to serve in vocational positions and does not have to be
qualified in the traditional way and judging by different standards is important when a person
is living with a disability. A committee member does not have do have any special
qualifications or abilities and can just do their best to serve in whatever manner the abilities
and talents interest them.
Development of the structure and day to day duties must be democratic and open to free will
but Poverty, Chastity and Obedience, Canon Law, Catechesis, Moral theology and teaching
from the Sermon on the Mount must be a big part of the rule and that is the work of every
person in the committee.
Financials for the first year.
Mr. Mark & Mrs. Annette Baird are both on the Invalid Benefit (C.V.) and for over 25 years’
experience real conditions of poverty and receive a weekly benefit and can work up to 15
hours a week each in New Zealand. We have accumulated many skills over the years but this
means very little the main consideration is faith! I was at the Good Shepherd College
studying Theology when I was commissioned by Mahitahi. I then went to Kiunga, Papua
New Guinea both of these events changed my faith. I returned to Auckland where I met my
wife Annette and we were married at St Michael’s Church in Rotorua in 2010. Using the Fr
Norris opus has remained the major objective in my life.
For the first 6 months of discernment we want only to sit and pray. It is important that
evangelical poverty always remain the virtue that is seen in the public ministry and it would
be advantageous if we trust in the providence of God to supply our needs for the first 6
months. After the first six months of obscurity and quiet reflection. We would like the
Diocese to handle finances and any donations are directly paid in to a trust account and
monthly budgets are submitted to the finance manager of the Diocesan Centre. However
the very act of being in the employment of the Church requires a minimal amount of material
support and paper work which we hope to leave up to Magisterium and the Finance
committee and Combined Parish Councils.
Footnotes: 1 Timothy 5:18 Deut. 25:4 1 Timothy 5:18 Luke 10:7
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14. Starting in year…….per annum expenses ….
Communications- Computers $5860
Transport-11 seater people carrier
Petrol/car maintenance $3580
Building rental $ Unknown
Building maintenance. $ Unknown
Assisted equipment- lifting disabilities. $ Unknown
Food-daily meals $ Unknown
Office furniture $650
Tea/Coffee hospitality etc. $1480 MINIMUM
Power $1820
Total $ Unknown
At this early stage we are not expecting much and discerning God’s will but we are very
grateful for the support and attitude of Bishop Denis and the all our Priests.
We feel that the faith is promoted by active ministries and even if it is a small thing that we
do, it may have far reaching consequences for the benefit of the Church. Re: ‘Empty hands’
Fr Norris interview.
6
From this basic condition flow certain consequences on the practical level and in the
behaviour among the staff of the Holy See — "the spirit of thrift," "a readiness always to take
account of the real but limited financial possibilities of the Holy See and their source," "a
profound trust in Providence." And, over and beyond all these qualities, "those who work for
the Holy See must therefore have the profound conviction that their work above all entails an
ecclesial responsibility to live in a spirit of authentic faith, and that the juridical-
administrative aspects of their relationship with the Apostolic See stand in a particular light."
4. The remuneration owed to the clerical and lay staff at the Holy See, according to their
personal conditions of life, is regulated by the major principles of the social teachings of the
Church, which have been made quite clear by the magisterium of the Popes from the time of
the publication of Leo XIII’s Encyclical Letter Rerum novarum up to John Paul II’s
Encyclicals Laborem exercens and Sollicitudo rei socialis.
We remain conscious of the continuing journey under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
6
APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION PASTOR BONUS JOHN PAUL, Bishop servant of the servants of God for
an everlasting memorial.
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