Chapter one

HISTORY OF THE cnn —S—— —= JESUS CHRIST AND THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH ST. STEPHEN: THE FIRST MARTYR FOR CHRIST | Now when they [certain Jews in Jerusalem] heard these things they Mpiomaies = oe

| they ground their teeth against him. But he [St. Stephen], full of the Holy Spirit, gaze es | heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he | ! said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God." But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together upon him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down

. their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, | he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

And Saul was consenting to his death.

And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem: and they were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout

/ men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him. But Saul laid waste the ~ ~~ | church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed rf ~ \ . them to prison. (Acts 7: 548:3) ) . i *, Am, The early Church grew rapidly, and it soon became clear that certain organizational steps had to be

'ha \ arth eal taken in order to better care for the material needs of its members. The Twelve were specifically . called to attend to the ministry of the Word, so they asked the community to choose seven holy men from among them to attend to its material needs (cf. Acts 6: 2-4). St. Stephen and six others

_ f : 4 Wy were chosen by the people, blessed, and commissioned by the Apostles. These seven men were | ~ i J @ called deacons, or ministers of the Church's pastoral mission.

" & As recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, St. Stephen began then to work among the people, ' evangelizing and working "great wonders and signs" (Acts 6:8). Soon, however, an angry mob

" bs i , seized St. Stephen, dragged him before the Sanhedrin, and accused him of "speak[ing] words '\ $2 THE SANHEDRIN ; he Sanhedrin was the highest judicial In order to be a member of the Sanhedrin.

— ~~ je and the primary legislative body a person was required to receive semicha, of the Jews during the Roman occupation. which wasa type of laying on of hands j The word Sanhedrin comes from the that effected the transmission of rabbinic a ,

Greek word sunedrion meaning council. authority in the Law. According to Jewish | It was made up of seventy-one members, _ tradition, semicha had been passed on } one of whom was president and governed _in unbroken succession since the time . m © over the council. The Sanhedrin was made _ of Moses. up of chief 'priests, scribes, and elders.

The Sanhedrin was entrusted with the . oa The members would sit in a semicircle authority tojudge the Jewish Binigs ot and preside over all religious matters as and high priests, as well as to Sat thio

. well as any civil matters that did not fall boundaries of the temple. They also .

; under Roman jurisdiction. reserved the right to preside over cases | , o .

They traced their origins to the council of of blasphemy, a charge punishable by .

\\ ' seventy elders that God instructed Moses death. Blasphemy was the charge leveled to institute in order to "bear the burden against Jesus Christ as well as St. Stephen

The kiling of St. Stephen, t h e firs hristian martyr: marker the of the people" with him (cf. Nm 11:17). the martyr.

=. a Ff | | Chapter One 43 | — lt eae , HISTORY OF THE CHURCH = JESUS CHRIST AND THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH 13), St. Stephen responded to the accusations with g —— his holy place and the law (Acts 6: : he God's continuous mercy despite &€nerations of "

. against this ho i " ounting the history of Israe carat were enraged, and "they cast him Out of r) long discour e people and members of the ; Totes petitioned the Lord to show merey tg

The peop * (Acts 7.58), With his last words, "

, the city and stoned him (Acts 7:0) . 7 his executioners. sect Christian martyr. marked the beginning of a Severe nition of St. Stephen, the first ihieMe"

: ny of its members to flee throughout ii The execution of of.

Stepis™, ©" Jerusalem causing many Se ae persecution of the early Church in p ed the constant threat of imprisonment or death, §

| Judea and Samaria. Others remaine¢ fr th and who forgave his attackers, provided an example Stephen, who loved Christ even It is an example that has endured throughout history and ; a Zo ee g that perilous time. It IS ale . for al] Christians during tha Erte Sa has no less relevance today n to the truth of the faith: it means bearing ' ri *ss give U = .

Martyrdom is the supreme ee bears witnesses to Christ who died and rose, to é . even unto death. The martyr Dears Ree SiGeny :

33, = witnesses even ap % ity. He bears witness to the truth of the faith and of Christian | whom he is united by charity, Me be + nf fr de. "Let me become the food of the > ye He endures death through an act of fortitude.

Le se ty ce ta wil be given me to reach God"

(St. Ignatius of Antioch, Ad Rom, '

{ beasts, through whom it will be given me Js 4, 1: SCh 10, 110).

(CCC 2473) } » St. Stephen's example quickly seized the imagination of the early Church as a most admirable way | , = Christ ct Stephen's feast day is celebrated on December 26, the day after Christmas highlighting how highly the Church regards St. Stephen's heroic

> | | ST. PAUL ~~ } | e a The account of the stoning of St. Stephen includes a few lines about a young man named Saul who consented to the execution and at whose feet the executioners laid down their cloaks. Soon after :

St. Stephen's death, Saul "laid waste the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison" (Acts 8:3).

£ Saul was a pious Jew, well educated in the Law under the tutelage of a Pharisee and renowned w= F doctor of the Law by the name of Gamaliel. Saul firmly believed. as a righteous and devout Jew a i I ° , that the Law was the sacred covenant between God and his people and that the early Church

= posed an acute threat to that covenant. The idea that Jesus Christ was the messiah professed by th .

° the early Church deviated from what was so long expected in Jewish tradition. Therefore, Saul exe :

. would certainly see the early Church as dangerous to the integrity of the Jewish faith. He dutifully set Out to persecute this Way St. Paul's conversion, one of the Church's great ironies, shows how Christ even calls sinners to lead his Church.

I MLC US Way THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL As he waited in Damascus, blind and troubled by the event that had befallen him, Saul was visited

After threatening the early Church by a disciple of Christ named Ananias, who, through a vision, was instructed by the Lord to seek

; to continue suppressing the Churc Tr uenoutEe) Saul set out on a journey to Damascus out Saul and restore his sight. The Lord told Ananias that this man, who had done great evils to the during hisjoumey:

_ ects of the Apostles tells in detail what happened to Sat early Church, "is a chosen instrument of mine to cairy my name before the Gentiles and kings and x a the sons of Israel" (Acts 9:15). Ananias listened to the Lord, sought out Saul, and laid his hands on ei es Mente he approached Damascus. and suddenlya light from heaven flashed him and spoke: "Brother Saul. the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you

| " ses a the i d i ar ¢ cen : 7 to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul why do came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 9: 17).

| you are saccohe. eee Suid. "Who are you, Lord? And he said, "I am Jesus. whom Immediately Saul miraculously recovered his sight and was baptized. Filled with the Holy Spirit, "in | nen oe Sere hg and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do." the Synagogues immediately he proclaimed Jesus, saying, "He is the Son of God'" (Acts 9: 20).

| era cen ' - ng ing with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no ot. Paul's conversion, one of the Church's great ironies, shows how Christ even calls sinners to lead

~Saul arose from the gr 1; and when hic nie (7 "-! tu Ds (hic Ro - | they led him & : + Seen and when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so his Church. St. Paul (his Roman name, as he was known soon after his conversion) became one of without sigh >: aie nd brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was

Christianity's greatest €vangelizers, traveling and spreading the Gospel throughout the Roman ~ one heither ate nor drant, ' s ee eee h : mre nor drank. (Acts 9: 3-9) world. The Feast of the Converstion of St. Paul is commemorated January 25.

Ch apter One - gilts a —— _ =a = aoa —— = Chapter One 45 = = ———_ E CHURCH ™ HISTORY OF TH = —— =—==S JESUS CHRIST AND THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH

| TO THE GENTILES -; » Christians, though persecuted by the Jewish community, still considere mei The early Jewish Christians. aditi i They still followed Jewish laws and customs, though they

Christianity a part of the Jewis! - of Christ's teachings into their religious worship and Practice had begun to pal pea 7 decich did not, in their minds, sever them from their Jewis,

Acceptance of setts sh ie ae aE 4 major problem in the formation of the early Church chat Re bade Jews "to associate with or to visit [Gentiles]

(Acts 10: 28). However, the Jewish Law for ; i dho Chr st reached out to all people during his life. They understood that pos scape and salvation are universal. How, if bound by Jewish laws, were the members of "a the aatly Church to spread the Word of God to non-Jews? How could a Gentile be baptized into,

_m Church whose traditional law forbids any interaction with people foreign to that tradition?

— The Acts of the Apostles relates the story of the Roman centurion Cornelius, a "devout and Gog. c fearing" Gentile in Caesarea. An angel of God came to him in a vision and told him to send fo

Simon Peter in Joppa. St. Peter at this time also had a vision: he saw the heaven opened, and something descending, like a great sheet, let down by four

: comers upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And if there came a voice to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." But Peter said, "No, Lord; for I have

, never eaten anything that is common or unclean.' And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call common." This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. (Acts 10; 11-16) j As the vision faded, the men sent by Cornelius arrived to where St. Peter was staying, The i meaning of the vision was clear to St. Peter: he must open the Church to the Gentiles, who were

A . by Jewish standards, considered unclean. He accepted the emissaries, and the next day traveled 44a} > with them to Caesarea to visit Cornelius.

| e MPMIL IRR CLCl, VOMTMCUUS explained to nim that he had been told In a vision to send for Coralie ging Gentiles into the Church. He said t0 Unlike most of the other Apostles, St. Paul was well educated in the Jewish Law, and enjoyed an intelligent command of Sacred Scri is uni ; ~z ives ees oe & nd of ocripture. His uni ; ackerou he Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nati

God's plan for his role as the "Apos bes : see gifts and background were well suited to * and does what is right is cain a very on any one who fears him S pian for his role as the "Apostle of the Gentiles. ee Waal Is right is acceptable to him. You know the word whic es } A Fh as Dears, I ch he sent to Israel, St. Paul was a brilliz Titer anc = a Pee good news of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)....

He commanded us to and 2 Cant deg ies Ba theologian. Scripture contains thirteen of his epistles (Romans, 1 preach to the people, and to testify that he ait Lorinthians, Galatians, Philippians, Colossians. ee ae : people, and to test at he is the one ordained bo :

S, ssians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Tit living and the dead. To him all ¢ ordained by God to be judge of the Ephesians, and Philemon).

In his ings Sap fants x, 2 TRUS; ° i Cead. to him all the prophets bear witness .

. in his writings, St. Paul refers to his missionary *k S j re pre hets bear witness that every one w tia a aes as y S mussionary work, mostly in the cities him recelves forgiveness of sins through his name, (Acts 10: 34 seeReoo fi Asia Minor, and lays out the first written and highly developed theology of the Church Most of a = = ea ~* \4 = :

- 2-47 > errers re cali = .

> Then St. Peter and the | - » 42-43 his letters are believed to have been written in the 50s. prior > writing of sith OL Sie GH UIC JEWISN Christians wir Vy } ar Sa prior to the writl of © earlies upon Comelius and those een ae 'um witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spint

They are thus the oldest writings in the New Testament ng.

Oi iite eatliges Goseeh Holy Spirit as they haa Ic '

~ Aney were ama Zed to see 1e e ilec receiv St: Pa Ss Dro ines we = 7x Spirit as they had, and St. Peter agreed to have thes, Lown the Gentiles receive the ul's profound writings would become central in the development of the Church's i implications of the event ¢ or<<G tO Nave them baptized. Recognizing the vere to this very day as he fc : ke ae i :

© Cnhurcn s teaching up » He event, St. Peter: went to' Jerusalem 6 aycian, co ct ee ee eee Y Gay as he formed a theology out of the Gospel message. St. Paul icularly de Foes episode. At first, they were trae aaa © &xpialn to the Jewish Christians ths into the doctrines of the Cross, the Mystical Body of Christ, the power ' : are. ie ee taste they had heard the full story. including

+ to such dealings with the Gentiles C ty. T he letters to the Romans and 1 and 2 Corinthians are central texts that esneci ee wennes, they were silenced. And they olnee vsding the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the st. Paul's theological thought. His writings serve not only "= S

4th an aoe re granted Wesenbascca <i. se Ai They glorified God. saving 'Th "

Sat ESS = ons Id i oo Je ) 7 as sound t 1g0lozica sourc Church wa ence unto life" (Acts 11:18). Through aiaoe Then to the Gentiles also God has as invaluable historical references to the early Church. Reading his ep ies ieee

"= ¥ FO Include the entire world in h power and guidance of the Holy Spirit,the en el at St. Paul's profound insights into Christ's Gospel and his indomitable eas, ace ae ¢ world in her mission, spread that Gospel to others, s omitable determination to & Chapter One 47 ET .

— wisTORY OF THE CHURCH JESUS CHRIST AND THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH hs EY, ca. A.D. 46-48 | T. PAUL'S FIRST JOURN ___ ST. PAUL'S THIRD JOURNEY, ca. A.D. 53-57 r THE TRAVELS od '

OF ST. PAUL Lg < ge ed c Lo ecasaan:

. i eo ° *\ ee <4 | In Ephesus, St. Paul performed miracle t. Paul's tireless and intrep'ank x vr "7 pee Cu AEG:Sle Paul's Sx | __ aftermiracle, and conversions were a work spread the Christian Fatt d . ae :

\ SS = ere& '- | many. The new converts brought their } far beyond the borders of Palestine 2n en ng Yc, 0 : ot U ENB. ig ; ~ books of magic and burned them in f the Roman Empire, a!

|) > FP MMocedortujnatead OM ifsailst0 | ta OO .

| public, (Acts 19:1-20) across most 0 ost ¥ ix of the earliest and m < v tg ays Mecedon ro Lyste | | founding some ee nities } C (Acts (Acts 20: 1-2) .

| F along the way. By some estimate 10,000 Pn:

S = Athetis .~ uy xi Tons —— St. Paul's travels totaled well over IV, t '

< en sins Cérinti o>» hee a Ez miles and brought him to Jerusalem, "0 a \la i eR: rat ee every corner of Asia Minor, into Arabia,

¢ or * y, ee 'Rhodes « across Macedonia and Greece, to ura a ene | n/a a | Europe, Rome, and manyeur5 be Pp oeemis .

Se paireconetb bese CYPRUS ; he may have traveled as far as spain. a feret '

CRETE Hin todeelah J | , Along the way, he found many eager .

Pahos" irifo M ¢ Br) (Acts 20: 16) i, ' disciples, but he also found many enemies | ~~ 2. Elymas the sorcarer PP RANEAN SE% PO Baler ' among both the Jews and Gentiles. He is blinded (Acts 126-12) [HEEB Areaof Jewish settiement a.

| endured many dangers and sufferings __ 80 500 km — . along the course of his travels. He Pa tL I im A ¥ describes some of his experiences in AN $ le

; 2 Corinthians 11:24-25:

6 1097 LionHudson pio! Three'sCompany exandria 4 J have received at the hands of the Jews medileé ' ae r the forty lashes less one. Three times |

"7 have been beaten with rods: once Iwas ST. PAUL'S VOYAGE TO ROME, ca. A.D. 61-62 é stoned. Three times | have been shipw~ of wrecked; a night and a day | have been

) = ~ adrift at sea." St. Paul was driven out of J a iy ee Heoagrame »_ "a ~ :

, ' many cities by mobs. He narrowly escaped 6. im we arcacl dealt 5.

Years while apating Ss f _ =x death several times, as when he sneaked ({L_42 GE ence a "he j ee £ out of Damascus in a basket to avoid the % -100—=SS« 1S mils Gide Libs Hudson ple/ Tres , fone we " x 5s ae ee guards at the gate (cf. Acts 9: 23-25).

—— \ Ny iyx \ q , Other times, he did not escape, as in '

_ ITALIAG : es ) SS Lystra where a mob caught him, stoned . a, | lone a him until they thought he was dead and ST. PAULS SECOND JOURNEY, ca. A.D. 49-52

SNe "Area y Hat DS : —* "i dragged him out of the city (cf. Acts ee Ve {i ~—~ a SS ie eg a — AEGEAN fan St.

Paul was fearless in his apostolate gt B=Se wh ma '~ @\ _ SEA *% <5 despite his physical shortcomings. There ontA aay wy WA ANO POMTUS ~ in SS y } F are several accounts of what St. Paul yo"

3 Pats von fm et Be ——~ "AD Ahegium 6 ae ee eS AS ¢ S on looked like. Even in his own words, he er ee "sicilLia@ ee | ee A writes that his "bodily presence is weak"

', alae © | ; (2 Cor 10). Other early Christian Apolena <i Tn J wysh ee —"h Syracuse Py y —_ 'Cnidug .

So accounts coincide in saying that he was Arohpola ——M argc POE ety Loe - ; ; short, broad-shouldered, bow-legged, and | hi ee SE NS LCA & Shipwrecked on OarHire Tones fae 2% balding. He also had bi YOR. ental ecru e ates (Acts 28)" rig'

| CRETE B.' a g ig eyes, a rather Me Saimone a long nose, a thick, grayish beard and i—eo y Oo Reo t = Closely-knit eyebrows. ind Macs Conan UY, i fal * :

Tersus Lasea tot > on 1, '

'Antiost \G rt a ceswh wate 2 Trials before Felix :

St. Paul also spent a good deal of time in 'A Paduawn = Nagy Modes navigation difficult ond Festus; Paul rison.

H inn ue Q od Shas (Acts 27) appeals to Caesar | prison.

He was arrested in Philippi, and j= a RHODES gic 163) — .

BROMINE ORR AN ¢ (Acts 24, 25) : are again later in Jerusalem, after which he 'one: j= ph <— i M AN Spe = : spent a two-year stint in Caesarea, and = ae Paphos

~~ © ; — © , ee more years on house arrest in Rome | a — € was finally martyred in Rome around Foy, | / c> a Pas the year A.D. 64 by beheading, Tradition

(Ea) mao dew sacternent PWRANEAN SEA { _ 'SYRTLS I a ae c (Acts 21-23) ree times, and each time ———— ies Area of Jewish Ned p

500 km f pal ground a fountain miraculously :

HISTORY OF THECHR =_ JESUS CHRIST AND THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH } :

Pp THE CoUNCIL e Leer t sour resolve 7 the j | - —ny Ja MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES ly did no issues J y all St. Peter's experience with sieDontethe Gentiles. Questions remained whether thy os SJ OF THE APOSTLES ? involved in extending the cea: also had to observe the Mosaic Law, including dietary ay; ie ea */ A The Apostles were witnesses to the Resur- | Gentiles who converted toies Jewish Christians understood that Christ was the fulfillmentep vy yy ._ Wa '4 rection of Jesus Christ and sent by him to and the law requinnsade Se to recognize both traditions.

LS _— -. -— ) | preach the Gospel to all the world. These the Jewish law aneeee nities in Asia Minor on the premise that faith in Jequ

, ~ , a j ¥| Jewish men, most of them uneducated—St. i St. Paul had established Christan oer eae In his epistle to the Galatians, St. Paul defendedipe f g £ cA.

4 Paul being the notable exception— soon came { Christ implied freedom from theeeeSe who advocated the necessity of observing the gy l . to be regarded by the Roman authorities as a New Law ofgraceaaaie of the Church lay in Jerusalem, and so St. Paul and his py a ¢ _menace to the state. l Salaeramenre ian holy city to reconcile the matter with the other Apostlesang te Yee | i According to tradition, all the Apostles except

, Px — 1 - yY St. John, who was miraculously spared, died \ converted argued that Gentiles must observe the oo eas.

1) as martyrs for the Faith. Around the year 64, In Jerusalem, some Pharisees who had a Mosae a so stP sri4 | | h debate. and finally St. Peter addressed the council:

= My t. eter was crucified in Rome, upside down i Law. There was muc ou, that by iy ee uM y 4, = at his request, saying that he was not worthy to i You know that in the early days God made fe eeeki. aoe cane ee ' ite e.. o & die right side up as Jesus did. The details of i of the go . ey '

| Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and be lieve an Ree Be € heart .

| St. Peter's death in Rome have long been f bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spiritea © mace ——— = eo. attributed to the "Quo vadis?" tradition. During + distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith. Now therefore why do

Tie RE SOUTOF aes i i | i d by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our i i eet eeeRe ee eee iL you make trial ofif Y= '4 tee os we believe that ve' shall be'savedl gemma leadership. As St. Peter was leaving Rome during Nero's persecution in A.D. 64, he is said to have

| cae=ae eaA ee ate ea:

; Christ replied, I am coming to be crucified again." By this St. Peter understood that he should St. Peter, speaking with his authority as head of the Church—supported by St. James, the leadergf return to the city and suffer martyrdom.

| the Church in Jerusalem—made the definitive statement on this RSURS TS Gentiles were tg St. Paul also spent his last days in Rome. After working for many years in Palestine and Asia adhere to the following guidelines: to avoid eating the meat and blood of animals sacrificed to idol

Minor, St. Paul was arrested in Jerusalem and eventually sent to the imperial city for trial. It is | | 2 from animals that had been strangled. and to refrain from unlawful mariage (cf. Acts 15:29).The unclear whether his dream of evangelizing Spain was ever realized. It is believed that St. Paul, like letary laws, circumcision, and other aspects of the Law would not be imposed upon the Gentiles

St. Peter, died in Rome between the years A.D. 62-65. Crucifixion, the cruelest form of execution , i | The Council of Jerusalem. the first council among many more in the Church's long history, settle was reserved only for non-citizens and criminals; St. Paul, who was a Roman citizen, was beheaded the question between the Jewish Christians and the Gentile converts regarding the observanced outside the walls of Rome. Sts. Peter and Paul. the two Apostolic comerstones of the Church—the | the Law. Councils would become an important means in understanding the position of the Church first pope and the Church's greatest missionary —

| : ee ae eas gathering of e share June 29 as their feast day.

| ishops, guided by the Holy Spirit, to discus ; iN | ecclesiastical ee with ion of aittte i yd \ ie | £ aesiyoahar eee e mentioned .

" decrees on the themes under discussion, In G | Le < nd the bish Se tat pia > eo | Jerusalem, St. Paul sought and won permissio ror) a A day and the bishop and Church historian Eusebius ,7 to oheech Jesus Chit ered en d n *. A y io \Y -» ©

(A.D. 260-340) recorded that Andrew's mission- | pectcdlwithi ticea | v Y "4

A ary activities took him to Scythia (modern day | formal observance of the Law Be a \ ¥ ~~ A Ukraine and Russia). His last journeys took him

Gentile converts. St. Paul's ethnucares " ke) ) .

Lf through Byzantium and Greece to Patros, where '

New Law and Faith coupled We ia aaa '

4, \ | i 1/ the governor of Patros crucified Andrew on an .

| clusions of the Council ofeee = WA X-shaped cross. According to tradition, his last s distanced the early C : re rther 3 2 ~\ words were, "Accept me, O Christ Jesus, whom I :

€ early Church from its Jewish f '*1 ! h i | foundations.

. 7 ae meted 43 om | love, and in whom I am: accept my > (/ | Spirit in peace in your eternal realm." His feast is | | ' r;/] fame aacNovember 30, and he is the patron of :

. f/f and, Greece, | At the first Council of Jerusalem St. Peter mag Sts Ja i oa phe } edt saementon he sue Mee HON tee mes and John, the sons of Zebedee, were,

> | *nilles must observe Mosaic Laws =— % +] ike Sts. Peter and Andrew, simple fishermen.

Jesus exhorted them to place the highest imporThe martrydom of St. Andrew 50 Chapter One —S———S ——Saaas | Chapter One 51 = = HISTORY OF THE cuURCS = _ JESUS CHRIST AND THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH ve in serving others. as they both eeuee in hig mercy, and not sacrifice' For I came not to call

F | | anid Mt 20: 20-28; Mk 10: 35-45). 7 ares the Greater:

= the righteous, but sinners" (Mt 9:12-13). The . f yi with Sts. Peter and John, formed't e ae circle among o » '@ same story appears in Sts. Mark and Luke.

| ta She Twelve and they witnessed the prs 0 His daughter of = St. Matthew's name, Mattai, means "gift of God ' wr Jainus (cf, Mk 5:35-43: Lk 8: 41-56), oe ale (cf. Mey, \ | in Aramaic. The feast day for St. Matthew is

1-13; Mk 9:2-13: Lk 9:28-36), and the agony in the Sardengf > » <= dy iif celebrated on September 21.

. 36-46; Mk 14: 32-42). Herod Agrippa hag y Gethsemane (cf. Mt 26: d he thereby b a St. Thomas, also known as "Doubting Thomas,

St. James beheaded > sak 2 or the Master (cf Acad a ; ) ~ / is listed as one of the Twelve in all four of the first of the Twelve to give his sie July 25 —

. ian ( Gospels. He also appears in three prominent i\ '

St. James' feast day is celebrated on July 25.

| slices iv Se okie Gcecen A Gaibeal one ee.

; St. John, according to tradition, authored the fourth Gospel » = , | lous man, St, Thomas urged the other discipl= ,/ the Book of Revelation, and three of the Catholic Epistles, He A\= iy , to follow Jesus and die with him upon hearing

. is mentioned numerous times in the New Testament: willing >> y that he was going to visit the dead Lazarus (cf. a to drink with Christ and his brother St. saligs the cup of suffer

™ Jn 11:16). An eager but apprehensive St. Thomas , [ ng (cf. Mt 20: 20-28) imprisoned with oF. Pter atid Suniel 2 asked Jesus how the disciples should know the | + before the Sanhedrin (cf. Acts 3:1, 11, and 4:1-21), and Bolng

\ way to the Father's kingdom, to which Jesus \ St. James "the Greater with St. Peter to Samaria (cf. 8: 14-25). St. John appears

St. Thomas is also known as "Doubting Thomas.' replied, "I am the way, and the truth, and the numerous times in the fourth Gospel under the title of the ore a eea life; no one comes to the Father, butby me" (Jn 14: 6); and, finally, a doubtful St. Thomas appears supports (cf. Jn 1:35-40, 13: 23, 19: 26, 20: 2-8, and 21: beds sal HE RCISTE O. C ae one TNPeror in the account of Christ's Resurrection appearances to the disciples in the locked room (cf. Jn

Domitian, St. John was exiled to the island of Patmos off the Turkish coast. where he Wrote the 20: 19-28). Sources such as Eusebius (cf. Church History 3.1) claim that St. Thomas evangelized the book of Revelation. A Latin legend held that Domitian attempted to kill St. John by placing himiy

Parthians in present day Iran and Turkmenistan, while others, derived from the apocryphal, Gnostic : a cauldron of boiling oil ante portam Latinam -— book, Acts of Thomas, suggest that he established the Church in India and was martyred there.

("before the Latin Gate") leading out of j@ « f The Malabar Christians of India claim St. Thomas as their evangelizer. When the Portuguese ex- | Rome to the Roman province of Latium. St.

7% A, —*. plorers arrived in India in the fifteenth century they found, to their amazement, a very old Christian John walked away unharmed. His feast day is % :

. community, traditionally tracing its founding back to St. Thomas. His feast day is on July 3. celebrated on December 27.

Very little is known about St. James, the son of Alphaeus, often referred to as "James the Less"

St. Bartholomew is mentioned only in the ig in order to distinguish him from St. James, the son of Zebedee. After Pentecost, St. James became

Synoptic Gospels (cf. Mk 3:18, Lk 6:14. and the head of the Church in Jerusalem and presided over the Council of Jerusalem. He shares his

Mt 10:3) and in Acts 1:13. Some have sug Ne : . feast day with St. Philip on May 3. St. Philip is listed in the Synoptic Gospels and in the Acts of the gested that Bartholomew may have been , , Apostles, but only the Gospel of St. John provides any details. Christ called St. Philip, who in turn

Nathanael, the one whom St. Philip brought Ps ; Le WF \ brought Nathanael to Christ (cf. Jn 1: 43-51). St. Philip was present at the miracle of the to Jesus (cf. Jn 1: 43-51). The name "Barthol- ¢ ss multiplication of the bread and fish (cf. Jn 6:5-7), and he presented a group of Greeks to Jesus in od omew" means simply "son ofTomai" and it is

¢ a4 ar John 12: 20-26. Finally, St. Philip also asked Jesus to show quite possible that this Apostle had another, / the Father to the Twelve (cf. Jn 14: 8-11).

_* ae to RaeeS pie The martrydom of St. Bartholomew Stas Pee Soames we 7 cage eA eh ite Persia—an arduous expedition from Palestine in the first century A.D. Accordi dition, & Apostle in: Uk % 16 and Acts 1:13; he is referred to as = ticamey demain: senithn Piahak Ls tae gest ing a tradition,

Judas (not Iscariot) in Jn 14: 22. St. Judas is also referred : ia Ascortinc t where ne was flayed alive. His feast day is on August 24 to as Thaddeus in Mk 3:18 and Mt 10:3, and it

= Gen peepee one of the Twelve, is also the author of the Gospel is believed that this was meant to further distinguish yy een eee eee: .peoe ee y Church historian Eusebius, St. Matthew's apostolic ia Re Judas Iscariot. He is sometimes called Judas holds that it was written thus insei eaves ee Aramaler eng rai t Ss he Sa ee SpealingSa ot anges = that he corroborates Many details of Christ 'iowa, ee seuish people. Itisaeoe

Se ; Neruda * Ee Rae Shlaee. SE: Judas Se the Christ called him to be his Apostle, St. Matthew was seems Old TestamentNe oe a oes r GR ce us snares ms Epate e ' of Sts. Mark and Luke. went by the name of Levi Eee WAG. according pepe Cos

Less" ae "3 ae : SI eater Kats KnOWMLas the and ate with St. Matthew Bacioeee told St. Matthew to follow him, and then sat a ya cas the ea oF. see feast day with St. Judas

— Pharisees criticized Jesys fet ae eels and sinners that ot. Matthew had invited. Some a cto er 28. An apocryphal source, The Passion of s ser well have no need of 3 physician by meee People, and Christ responded, "Those who ate

SURE and Jude, describes the martyrdom of both of pny » Dut those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire these men in Persia.

St. Judas Thaddeus 52 Chapter One — — —— a —— — ————— — ee Se Va Chapter One 53 Ss :et HISTORY OF THE CHURCH .

JESUS CHRIST AND THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH | LES SUPPLEMENTARY READING MAGICIANS AND IMPOSTER " ion, when St. Paul paid a 'quiti i iven to the mission which, in ; On another occasion, Ns Josephus, The Antiquities in the impetus given cA : ession : nsul of the island of Paphos, ac jes left quite an impr visit to the proco accordance with Christ's words, spreads ou ee APO ee went as they traversed urt magician, a sorcerer named Bar- ; of the Jews, 18.3.3 wherever they Wrching, baptizing, and 'He COUFE Ted him. El'ymas ats ' from Jerusalem to all of Judea and Samaria, the countryside pean: the sick Jesus,a the oostis anilrtd eo ¥Gins Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise

Bria tal octet wend coliie wena.

SH sleds miraculously from Jals. recone awayfrom the Faith. St. Paul man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he arth acore occasion. theyeven raised 4 responded by calling him a "son ofthe devil" was a doer of wonderful works—a teacher of The Nav.

Bible woman from the dead. and the "enemy of all righteousness such men as receive truth with pleasure. He Mtn Git int the attention of (Acts 13:10) then announced that by the Hien Hoth raany Steen Gospels and Acts, :

A EY rs, and healers who ower of God the magician would be struck drew over to ; ie} Y ix The calli £ Saul was exceptional'as regards local magicians,Reet wadthe Apostles'

Pah Sure enough, Bar-Jesus was blinded and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ: and e calling Of Saul w.

Pp 'hovelbide_ stumbled offto find someone to help ae): when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal the manner in which God called him; but the oHbook ofActs recounts that in Samaria, Whenithe proconsul saw tiseRea men amongst us, had condemned him to the effect it had on him was the same as what there was aman named Simon Magus. WhO ater, in Ephesus, some imposters were cross, those that loved him at the first did happens when God gives a specific calling to wasa local magician whooPe ae ety going arounda aaemie sel not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive the apostolate to certain individual Christians, le of Sama ing Jesus' name.

Se porta , hah ple When the high dest Sceva were going around doing again the third day, as the divine prophets inviting them to follow him more closely.

Aposties Sts. Peter and John cametotown, this until on one occasion an evil spirit lashed had foretold these and ten thousand other

Paul's immediate response is a model of how Simon saw thatagenoelbeeeof out at them ign poe:'deaE Paul wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe those who receive these specific callings the Holy Spirit when the { | know; but who are you : pet | Bariso" Peat Simon wanted a share in this <idenly, the man in whom the evil spirit of Christians, so named from him, are not should act (all Christians, of course, have a "magic" and offered them silver so that he too cided attacked them and overwhelmed extinct at this day. common calling to holiness and apostolate that (i Sp mage, Ourged st Petree nin; tet. Teseven sons of Scava were seen7 comes with Baptism). i| magic.

Uu ot i t of the house nai woun ls ; = e . saying "our sver perish with you, because The wholetown heard about this and JohnPaul II, Redemptoris Paul VI describes in this way the effects of this you pape plesk tar bd Spot believed.

Missio, 24.1-2 specific kind of vocation in a person's soul:

| tak ptiandpelfom toa "Even in modern times, the NewAge cult relies The mission of the Church, like that of "The apostolate is ...an inner voice...It speaks

| for him. heavily on ascribing supernatural powers to Jesus, is God's work, or, as Luke often puts it, prophetically and almost in a tone of victory,

HeMs the work of the Spirit. After the Resurrection which eventually dispels all uncertainty, all | and the Ascension of Jesus, the apostles timidity and all fear, and which facilitates—

| have a powerful experience which completely making it easy, desirable and pleasant—the *- | Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ to the Jewish authorities as recorded in Mk 14: 10-11 and transforms them: the experience of Penteresponse of our whole personality, when we

14: 43-44. His motive is unclear; financial gain may have played a role, as it did when Judas cost. The coming of the Holy Spirit makes

Pronounce that word which reveals the | criticized the woman who anointed Jesus with ointment (cf. Mt 26: 6-13). Jesus spoke them witnesses and prophets (cf. Acts 1:8, supreme secret of love: Yes, Yes Lord. tell me harshly of the man who betrayed him: "Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is

2: 17-18). It fills them with a serene courage what I must do and I will try to do it, I will ] | betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born" (cf. Mr 26: 24). which impels them to pass on to others their do it. Like St. Paul, thrown to the ground at the | | Judas fall Serves as a warning that even the graces given to Christ's Apostles —and experience of Jesus and the hope which gates of Damascus: What would you have | the familiar friendship of Jesus himself—may be of no avail if one is unfaithful and does aah them. The Spirit gives them the Eagars | { | not believe, ability to bear witness to Jesus with "boldness."

| CONCLUSION | ee & - | Slee uacie When the first evangelizers go down from YY uw "

Since aoea of the Apostles to die, and with his death public revelation ended.

Jerusalem, the Spirit becomes more of a ee .

| | Deneacehtae one nination of God's direct revelation to his people, possession of the guide," helping them to choose both those to :

| dlosest followers andeae Cotresponds to the Apostles who were the Lord's whom they are to go and the places to which .

| of living truths calledoa vane The teachings of the Apostles initiated the body their missionary journey is to take them. The a . io irit j ; ; | instruction. During their Wfetimes, si aech, which began with their preaching and working of the Spirit is manifested particularly authority to their first Successors Th Ata feta) "piscopal power and , | contemporaries > ae generation succeeding th f ist'

€mporaries already hada keen notion of this Traditi g Plat OF Jesus Chilses z) :

: i) ie Apostles. From the Carliest times, the SUCCESS ze Phe a pshops' direct link to : f | | the duty to protect and fansmit Christ's teachi

Ts of the Apostles have been given "q tre _ » :

| first Apostles, hing as it was taught and interpreted by the ise 54 Chapter One aee ae a .

Chapter One 55 es a HISTORY OF THE CHURCH = JESUS CHRIST AND THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH VOCABULARY | STUDY QUESTIONS COUNCIL '

F 1. When did Jesus send the Holy Spirit to 19. Who was the famous Jewish teacher Aroanie Greek An authorized gathering of bishops, guided ite the Church? rie under whom St. Paul studied?

The word "apostle" comes from the "ree" in a unique way by the Holy Spirit, to discuss apostolos, a form of apostellein, ere to ecclesiastical matters with the aim of passing

2. Who is the cornerstone of the Church?

20. To which city was Saul going when he send aes an Geatae5FES decrees on the theres under discussion, 3. Who is Christ's vicar on earth? met Jesus Christ? ae sent."

Refers to the SRS TAS 21. How was Saul physically impaired after Jesus during the course of hisiece DEPOSIT OF FAITH 4. What is Church history: fds eneb liter onthe Tesias? to be his closest followers, as we" a5 oI.

Deposit of Faith, that is the heritage of Faith 5. What are two basic components of the Matthias, Paul of Tarsus, and Barnabas, who contained in Sacred Scripture and Tradition, history of the Church?

= | were chosen after Jesus' Resurrection. handed on in the Church from the time of 6. Who were Sinueon/antannne 23. What isle a of Cornelius conversion BISHOP the Apostles.

7. What was the "Slaughter of the én A bishop is a successor of the Apostles MARTYRDOM Innocents"?

24. Why was it important that St. Peter ho has received the fullness of Christ's ; ' received this message from God first? who has re me witness given to the tru 8. What is the inaugural event of Jesus The supre gi th of the priesthood.

Faith by bearing witness even unto death public ministry?

25. Who was the author of the oldest texts | . in the New Test.

| CHURCH PENTECOST 9. What was the teaching of the New Law? they Sato BREAN WHEN West he Seri , the Church is described as ; = es | aBody patae: aa the Temple of the Holy Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy

" asieeeeeseis 26. Why did Jewish Christians criticize Spirit (cf.

Eph 1: 22-23). The English word Spirit upon Mary and the Apostles fifty days St. Peter?

| eee citinolaeieste bbersa sree after the Resurrection.

11. What laid the groundwork for the Church?

27. When and why was the Council of | word meaning "thing belonging to the Lord,"

PEOPLE OF GOD 12. What are the four marks of the Church?

Jerusalem called? which was applied originally to the church We Bey '

13. What sets the Apostles apart from other 28. What was the outcome of th i building. The Latin word ecclesia derives from Those a Ne the Church through faith early members of th

= connel | Hier Grek Giendith "assembly" in Christ and Baptism. The term "People Y ers of the Churchi of Jerusalem? another ureek word that means asse poe ; | or "congregation." Willed by the Father. td of God" is taken from the Old Testament in 14. What does the Greek root of the word

29. Why was St. Paul beheaded instead | Church was founded by Jesus Christ and which God chose Israel to be his chosen apostle" mean? of being crucified like Sts. Peter and | enjoys the presence and guidance of the Holy people. Christ instituted the new and eternal

15. Who are the successors to the Apostles?

| Spirit. It is through the Church that God carries Saas zsaenew priestly, prophetic, 16. How was St. Stephen killed?

30. Which Apostle was exiled to the island out his plan of salvation for all people. The and royal Feople of God, the Church, : of Patmos after allegedly having survived teaching authority and sanctifying power of participates in the mission and service 17. What was the role of the first deacons? being put into a vat of boiling oil?

| the Church serve as a means to beiiieallce of Christ.

18. What occurred after St. Stephen's 31. Who was St. Jude? and women to greater union with God and martyrdom?

; | with each other as well, Tf | CHURCH HISTORY iy - | .

| The history ofthe Church i the record re yf d PRACTICAL EXERCISES | a543oa the actions of men, and ah 4] ) iP\< é ing light of the Holy Spiri I finZeEz=»— oa ,

| the Church. Ths history teeis ' n\We25GS wu BSad uslee life authentically human? follow him after meeting him only for the first

| evangelization of the Apostles, and the = "bbs as Nar -we fromesa Cite specific examples eah small groups, write a brief skit in | natrative about Christ's kingdom on earth which you try to use Jesus' words to convince i 1b * = :

, | forged as the Church interacts and responds eS ? SSS5os" me Why is Pentecost one of the most Sn Eenay society to come and | to every culture and historical shies

SNE Rraeaeas feast days in the liturgical year? follow him.

| - =e S ;me=heed the Holy Spirit 4. What kind of men were the Apostles?

| wane Grain ship that St, Pay! traveled on carried 276 men. wept ae cabal See ie is education, and | was a smalertari eae silat wood, and near the prow

3. The Gospel is an account of Jesus' calling personality demonstrate about how Jesus calls pa is the deck wasawea RCT: th beeen 'SFae oe did Jesus convince these people to live a Christian life?

\ Used as a temple of worship containing an idol.

Otal strangers to give up everything and go .

S56 Chapter Oneiee SEE ee s—s—S | Chapter One 57 | = ee a ._9 | wiSTORY OF THE CHURCH ——— c CHAPTER E CATECHISM Tha FROM TH | é!

5h 783 Jesus Christ is the one whom the Father | , : believe that the Church is "holy" an¢_ nointed with the Holy Spirit and established

To be Seen actrie and "axcstoke Po prophet, and king. The whole People oe )r ]S a | le.S Holy Spirit. In the Apostles' Creed we profess vision and service that flow from them | n Holy Chur h = abate &: not t (cf. John Paul Il, KH 1821). a.

| She early Ghristians, by their tremendous f - : +h hi ai rks and to attribute 889 In order to preserve ye Church in the :

Ay jen Re etn ce alll gifts he has purity of the faith handed on by the apostles, faith in Cesus and imitation of his life, transformed t. e it a tii her a share in his own infallibility. By a" super

Roman worldandits values.

: weneekds natural sense of faith" the People of God, as ira ' al er of the Church is, as it 890 The mission of the Magisterium is linked

7," -, i Fa b y sin. This reunification is achieved established by God with his people in Christ. ll ~ ; :

_ nation anyone who fears him and does what people from deviations and defections and to ce a f LG 9; 13; 16) professing the true faith without error. Thus,

It was the Son's task to accomplish the the pastoral duty of the Magisterium is aimed j \ee Fs ail Father's plan of salvation in the fullness of at seeing to it that the People of God abides in 4.

V '. hered in the Kingdom of heaven on eartt "The Roman Pontiff, head of the college a ' i } | ; a | | — r & F o D F

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