Practices

• Liturgical worship


  Worshipping that is carried out in a public setting, generally during a church service, and that follows a set structure
• Catholics engage in liturgical worship during a church service
• Eucharist


  A re-enactment of the Last Supper Jesus had with his disciples, at the heart of worship for many Catholics
• Catholics believe the Eucharist is linked to other sacraments


  It is a key moment that demonstrates faith in God's love and grace
• The Eucharist reminds Catholics that Jesus died for their sins


  He sacrificed himself so that humanity could achieve salvation
• Lumen Gentium


  A document written by the Second Vatican Council that gives guidance on key Catholic beliefs, emphasising the importance of the Eucharist
• Catholic Catechism


  Refers to the Eucharist as the source and summit of Christian life
• Liturgical worship


  • Helps the worship become a repeated ritual with a clear place in people's lives
  • Connects worshippers to the rest of the Church, because everybody is worshipping in the same way, creating a sense of belonging
• Non-liturgical worship


  • Freer in style and more flexible
  • Worshippers believe that the Holy Spirit is present and allowing them to carry out God's wishes, so the services can be quite spontaneous
• Vigil


  A special candlelit service that remembers the dead
• Rites practised at church


  1. Body of the deceased person is taken to church in a procession

  2. Office of the Dead is recited

  3. Paschal candle is put by the coffin's head

  4. Requiem Mass may be sung

  5. Coffin is sprinkled with holy water
• Consecrated ground


  Holy ground where the coffin is buried
• Catholics believe their body will need to be intact to be resurrected after death at the Final Judgement
• Purpose of a funeral


  • Help people say goodbye to the person who has died
  • Celebrate and remember the life of the person who has died
  • Show the link between the Church on Earth and the Church in Heaven
  • Offer a chance for the church community to come together, reflect and unite in prayer
• Prayer


  The raising of one's heart and mind to God or the requesting of good things from God
• Set prayers


  Prayers where Catholics speak together, for example in the Eucharist
• Set prayers


  • Sign of the Cross
  • Hail Mary
• Lord's Prayer


  The prayer that Catholics believe Jesus taught his followers, emphasising the importance of forgiveness and reminding Catholics of God's power
• Five basic forms of prayer


  • Adoration
  • Confession
  • Thanksgiving
  • Supplication
  • Intercession
• Rosary


  A form of prayer in the Catholic Church, including the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer and the Hail Mary
• Eucharistic adoration


  Catholics praise God's presence in the form of the body and blood of Christ, believing the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus
• Stations of the Cross


  A series of 14 images that depict Jesus on the day of his crucifixion, accompanied by a set of prayers
• Pilgrimage


  A journey religious people take to a holy place or a place of religious significance
• Eucharistic adoration service


  May involve various forms of worship, such as set prayers, hymns and personal reflection.
• Stations of the Cross


  A series of 14 images that depict Jesus on the day of his crucifixion. They are accompanied by a set of prayers. They are arranged so that Catholics can travel from image to image in the correct order. At each 'station', Catholics stop to pray and reflect.
• Purpose of pilgrimage today


  • To feel closer to God, and spend time working on one's relationship with God
  • To demonstrate the sacrifices one is prepared to make, eg giving up time and money
  • To feel connected to important figures in the Catholic faith, such as the Virgin Mary
• Catholic Catechism: 'Pilgrimoges evoke our earthly journey towards heaven and are traditionally very special occasions for renewal in prayer'
• While pilgrimage has always been occepted and supported by the Catholic Church, not all Christians agree on the value of pilgrimage. Historically, there has been great opposition to pilgrimage from the Protestant Church.
• Catholic social teaching


  Jesus' instruction to love your neighbour as yourself (Mark 12:31) is at the heart of how Catholics believe they should participate in their community and the wider world.
• Key principles of Catholic social teaching


  • Justice
  • Peace
  • Reconciliation
• Justice


  It means that Catholics should treat others fairly, as they would like to be treated. Everyone is equal in the eyes of God. Catholics should not discriminate against others.
• Peace


  It allows people to live together in harmony and avoid conflict.
• Reconciliation


  It means that people who are opposed to one another should strive to find a way of getting on. This also contributes to a more peaceful society. Catholics believe that they should try to achieve reconciliation with people they disagree with.
• Evangelism


  The practice of spreading the Christian belief in salvation.
• Mission


  Refers to the idea of missionary work, where Christians travel to an area to provide aid or education. Missionary work often includes an element of evangelism.
• Levels of evangelism


  • Local
  • Global
• On a local level, Catholic Churches are linked together and meet to discuss how to raise awareness of Catholic teachings. Individual churches may fund projects in their local area to spread God's word.
• On a global level, many Churches will fund projects enabling young people to travel abroad and get involved with missionary work. There may also be opportunities to establish links with Catholic churches in other countries.
• The Great Commission: 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.'
• Evangelii Gaudium: 'A Church which 'goes forth' is a Church whose doors are open'