Religious Experiences and Spirituality:
Religious and Experience and Spirituality is an important way to show you love and devotion to God, but it also can recognised the importance of God in a person’s life and their relationship with him. Mass and Liturgy is an important factor in a Catholic person’s faith, mass is a time to reflect and pray, with others, or with yourself and God. Mass and Liturgy is a place of peace which allows a community to come together, and worship to God and thank him for his guidance and help. This can also be a time to celebrate Jesus and what he sacrificed for us. It is a time to reflect on our lives and come together to unite in mass. Another important factor in this aspect is Prayer, prayer is a way people communicate with God and look towards him for guidance, support, help or just to talk to him. Prayer is a very important part in someone’s faith, it allows for a greater relationship with God, it shows your love and devotion to God.
Religious and Experience and Spirituality is an important way to show you love and devotion to God, but it also can recognised the importance of God in a person’s life and their relationship with him. Mass and Liturgy is an important factor in a Catholic person’s faith, mass is a time to reflect and pray, with others, or with yourself and God. Mass and Liturgy is a place of peace which allows a community to come together, and worship to God and thank him for his guidance and help. This can also be a time to celebrate Jesus and what he sacrificed for us. It is a time to reflect on our lives and come together to unite in mass. Another important factor in this aspect is Prayer, prayer is a way people communicate with God and look towards him for guidance, support, help or just to talk to him. Prayer is a very important part in someone’s faith, it allows for a greater relationship with God, it shows your love and devotion to God.
Myths and Stories:
The Bible contains many parables and scriptures that give Christian’s a greater depth into the their religion. This stories allow for questions to be answered, lessons to be taught and learnt, and gives us messages that we can help guide us throughout our lives.
The Creation Story:
- Day 1 - God created light and separated the light from the darkness, calling light "day" and darkness "night."
- Day 2 - God created an expanse to separate the waters and called it "sky."
- Day 3 - God created the dry ground and gathered the waters, calling the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters "seas." On day three, God also created vegetation (plants and trees).
- Day 4 - God created the sun, moon, and the stars to give light to the earth and to govern and separate the day and the night. These would also serve as signs to mark seasons, days, and years.
- Day 5 - God created every living creature of the seas and every winged bird, blessing them to multiply and fill the waters and the sky with life.
- Day 6 - God created the animals to fill the earth. On day six, God also created man and woman (Adam and Eve) in his own image to commune with him. He blessed them and gave them every creature and the whole earth to rule over, care for, and cultivate.
- Day 7 - God had finished his work of creation and so he rested on the seventh day, blessing it and making it holy.
Social Structure:
The Catholic Church is structured like this;
- Pope: Which is represented the highest position in the Catholic Religion,
- Cardinals: These are appointed by the Pope
- Archbishop: An archbishop is a bishop of a main or metropolitan diocese,
- Bishop: Is like Priest, this position is elected to teach the churches doctrines
- Priest: Is a minister who administrates all of the Sacraments, they are committed to running of mass and spreading the good news of God
- Deacon: Is a person who is studying to be a priest they can be married and assists in some sacraments.
Ethical principals or code behaviour:
The 10 Commandments:
- Thou shalt have no other gods before
- Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven about, or that is the earth beneath, or that is the water under the earth
- Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain
- Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy
- Honour thy father and thy mother
- Thou shall not kill
- Thou shall not commit adultery
- Thou shall not steal
- Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbour
- Thou shall not covet
The Beatitudes:
- Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
- Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
- Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
- Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
- Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
- Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
- for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
The importance of the Beatitudes is that provide a way of life, to provide peace on earth. These Beatitudes are proclaiming Jesus’ love for everyone, that no one is better than another, his message is one of humility, charity, and love. Jesus gave us these Beatitudes to promise us eternity in Heaven he said this in the Sermon on the Mount
The Nicene Creed:
"I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.
Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen"
The Nicene Creed is a very important aspect of the Catholic Religion because it allows us to fully understand and believe the Holy Trinity, which is God as the Almighty father, Jesus is God’s son who was sent down to earth to spread the good news of God and be born of the Virgin Mother Mary. And lastly the Holy Spirit which shows us God’s presence that surrounds us and guides us with our decision making and actions.