Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
foreword by
Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan
____________________________________
© 2010 by Peter J. Vaghi
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any
manner whatsoever, except in the case of reprints in the context of reviews,
without written permission from Ave Maria Press, Inc., P.O. Box 428, Notre
Dame, IN 46556.
www.avemariapress.com
Foreword............................................................................. ix
Preface.................................................................................. xi
Introduction..........................................................................1
References..........................................................................141
Introduction
T
his is the second book in a series that looks at
the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic
Church: The Profession of Faith, The Celebration
of the Christian Mysteries, Life in Christ, and Christian
Prayer. The first book, The Faith We Profess: A Catholic
Guide to the Apostles’ Creed, examined the twelve articles
of the Apostles’ Creed. In this second volume, we reflect
together on the sacraments.
We begin with an exploration of the sacraments as
transforming encounters with Christ. At the outset, our
focus is on the sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confir-
mation, and the Eucharist (with two chapters devoted
to this “sacrament of sacraments”). Next, our attention
turns to the two sacraments of healing: Penance and
Anointing of the Sick. We will conclude with a look at
what the Catechism calls “sacraments at the service of
communion”: Holy Orders and Matrimony.
After each chapter there are a number of reflection
questions and a prayer. These resources enable a small
group to gather to reflect together on their faith. The
prayer provided, or any familiar prayer, hymn, or psalm
can be used to open and/or conclude each gathering. Of
course, these resources can also be used personally to
reflect and pray as one proceeds through this process.
The nine chapters will look at the sacraments and
will draw from the great tradition of our Catholic faith
as expressed in the universal Catechism of the Catholic
Church (CCC). Our look at these mysteries will be en-
riched by references to the recently published United
1
2 Introduction
Sacraments: Transforming
Encounters with Christ
H
ow appropriate that the Church made “faith”
the first pillar of the Catechism of the Catholic
Church. For the Catechism is a book about
faith, our faith—the faith of our mothers and fathers. It
is a faith that, whether we consciously admit it or not,
has sustained us throughout our lives—at moments of
new life and at death, at times when we struggle to find
meaning in otherwise meaningless situations, at those
times of lifelong vocational commitments (be they mar-
riage, consecrated life, vowed or ordained ministry),
and all those many moments in between.
Our faith acts, often without our knowing it, as
a lens through which we see the world, embrace the
world, critique the world, and make efforts to live in a
world that can be very challenging. And the Catechism
is about faith. It is about faith seeking understanding,
the mustering of reasons for our hope (cf. 1 Pet 3:15).
It is about recouping a sense of joy in being a Catho-
lic Christian. In faith, there are concrete answers to so
many of our problems and challenges. Contemporary
life need not simply be a continued and endless barrage
of unanswered questions or open-ended confusion.
Christ, after all, is the answer, “the way, the truth,
and the life.” And the Catechism helps us understand
3
4 The Sacraments We Celebrate
Today’s Challenges
Now in my twenty-fifth year of priesthood, I have
come to appreciate more and more the statement of
the Catechism that “the sacred liturgy [itself] does not
exhaust the entire activity of the Church: it must be
6 The Sacraments We Celebrate
Reflect
1. How does your faith serve as a lens through
which you see the world? How would your
perspective be different if you lacked the gift of
faith?
Pray
Paul’s Prayer
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ with every
spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation
of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
For this reason I kneel before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on
earth is named,
that he may grant you in accord with the
riches of his glory
to be strengthened with power through his
Spirit in the inner self,
Sacraments: Transforming Encounters with Christ 17