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Monthly Catechism
An Adult Education and Formation
Opportunity for Individuals and Small Groups
This monthly formation guide is designed to help Catholic adults
and young adults become more familiar with the teaching and beliefs of
the Catholic Church.
Each month, we provide a timely theme and appropriate references
from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults and
the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Individuals or small faith-sharing groups will need copies of
these resources in order to use this guide.
The
information presented here is
prepared by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops'
Publishing Office and reprinted here for educational purposes
only.
August 2010
“Matrimony--Sacrament of Enduring Love”
Introduction
The
Catechism of the Catholic Church, quoting the Second Vatican
Council, emphasizes that the family, as a domestic church,
receives its strength and life by participating in the life and
worship of the larger Church of which it is a part:
It
is here [within the domestic church] that the father of the
family, the mother, children, and all members of the family
exercise the priesthood of the baptized in a privileged way _by
the reception of the sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the
witness of a holy life, and self-denial and active charity_ (LG,
no. 10). Thus the home is the first school of Christian life and
_a school for human enrichment_ (GS, no. 52). Here one learns
endurance and the joy of work, fraternal love, generous—even
repeated—forgiveness, and above all divine worship in prayer and
the offering of one‘s life.
A
family matures as a domestic church as it ever more deeply
immerses itself within the life of the Church. This especially
means that fathers and mothers, by their example and teaching,
help their children come to an appreciation of the need for
continual conversion and repentance from sin, encouraging a love
for and participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Moreover, since it is Christ‘s presence within the family that
truly makes it a domestic church, their participation in the
Eucharist, especially the Sunday Eucharist, is particularly
important. In the Eucharist, the family joins itself to Jesus‘
sacrifice to the Father for the forgiveness of sins.
Furthermore, it is in receiving Holy Communion that the members
of the family are most fully united to the living and glorious
Christ and so to one another and to their brothers and sisters
throughout the world. It is here, in the risen and Eucharistic
Christ, that spouses, parents, and children express and nurture
most fully the love of the Father and the bond of the Spirit.
--
Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine
Plan. United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops
• • •
From the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults:
Reading the following chapter in the Catechism.
·
Chapter 21. The Sacrament of Marriage
For personal reflection or group discussion:
• What did you find most interesting, helpful or confusing in
this chapter?
• In what way(s) does this chapter challenge your personal
attitude or
behavior as a Catholic Christian?
• In what way(s) does this chapter challenge the attitude or
behavior of
the Church as a community of believers?
• What part of this chapter would you like to reflect on at
further length this
month?
• • •
From the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
Consult the following questions in the Compendium.
337. What is the plan of God regarding man and woman?
338. For what ends has God instituted Matrimony?
339. How doe sin threaten marriage?
340. What does the Old Testament teach about marriage?
341. What new element did Christ give to Matrimony?
350. Why is the Christian family called the domestic church?
For personal reflection or group discussion:
• Which question did you find most interesting, helpful or
confusing?
• Which question did you find most challenging to your personal
attitude
or behavior?
• Which question did you find most challenging to our attitude
or behavior
as a faith community?
• Choose one question to reflect on during the month.
• • •
You may purchase copies of the United States Catholic
Catechism for Adults, the Reader’s Journal for the United
States Catholic Catechism for Adults or the Compendium of
the Catechism of the Catholic Church from local book stores,
online booksellers or from:
www.usccbpublishing.org
Last
Update:
08.09.10 |