In Unit 1, young people will study the marks, or characteristics, of the early apostolic Church. They will learn how the marks were present from the beginning and are the basis for current beliefs about the Church. Chapter 1|Chapter 2|Chapter 3|Chapter 4
		Apostolic: Founded on the Apostles Refer to Get Connected, pages 3-4 in your young teen’s book to help in preparing for Chapter 1. Learning Goals This chapter will help young people • understand the apostolic nature of the Church. • understand the Trinitarian nature of the Church. • know that members of the Church are led by the pope and the bishops. Background The study of history sheds important light on present-day situations. For this reason, the bishops of Vatican II encouraged church members to study the Church’s history and return to the spirit of the early Church. The earliest Christian communities devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles, to communal prayer, and to the Eucharist. These same functions belong to today’s Church. The Catholic Church is apostolic in three ways: First, our faith is the same as the faith of the first apostles. Second, our bishops and priests can trace their role in the Church back to the original apostles through an unbroken succession of ordination. Third, the mission of the Catholic Church today continues the mission Jesus gave his apostles – to live and preach the Gospel to every nation and to baptize people in the name of the Trinity. Family Activity Share the fact that Pope John Paul II traveled to more countries than any other pope in the his-tory of the Church. Emphasize that he represents the apos-tolic mission of the Church in his efforts to mend rifts and to apologize for some of the unfortunate events in church history. On a world map, locate places the pope visited, such as Israel and the Ukraine. Have family members share ideas about how such visits may have affected the people in these countries. Did the pope visit any places where members of your family live or have lived? Back to top
		Holy: Jesus Christ in the Sacraments Refer to Get Connected, pages 11-12 (Parish Edition), 15-16 (School Edition) in your young teen’s book for a choice of things to do at home. Learning Goals This chapter will help young people • realize that Christ is present in the sacramental life of the Church • understand the importance of the Eucharist to their whole worship experience. • recognize that the sacraments and the liturgy help them grow in holiness. Background This chapter focuses on two core sacraments: Baptism and Eucharist. The apostles preached the Gospel to all nations, "baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). The first Christians met together for the "breaking of the bread." It is the nature of sacraments to be sacred experiences that help us become holy people. In Luke’s Gospel, two disciples meet a stranger on the road to Emmaus. It is only when they break bread together that they recognize the risen Jesus in their midst. In the sacraments, we meet the risen Christ. We become the Church— God’s holy people. The word holy has several meanings. First, holy means "separated from all that is not sacred; set apart for God." Second, holy means "consecrated to God." It means living in communion with God, who is all holy. Third, holy means "whole." As Christians, we believe that we become whole when we turn ourselves entirely over to God. Family Activity Pray together the prayer for the week [page 12 in your young teen’s book]. Ask family members to name the sacraments that they have already received. Discuss ways that these sacraments have enabled them to grow closer to God and to live Christ’s mission. Back to top
		Catholic: Open and Respectful of All Refer to Get Connected, pages 19-20 (Parish Edition), 27-28 (School Edition) in your young teen’s book for a choice of things to do at home. Learning Goals This chapter will help young people • recognize that disagreements between church members have arisen since the Church’s inception. • understand that they are saved by faith in Jesus Christ. • know that everyone is worthy of God’s grace. Background Many young people belong to cliques or tightly knit peer groups, considering others "outsiders." Such behavior, although characteristic of human nature, does not reflect what it means to be Catholic. Catholic means "universal" or "open to all." Jesus calls us to welcome all people. Being Catholic has been challenging for the Church since its inception. At first, Peter and the other apostles believed Jesus wanted them to preach only to the Jews. Paul, however, disagreed. At the Council of Jerusalem, the first church council, the disciples came to agree with Paul that the Church should be open to all people. The Council of Jerusalem experience teaches an important lesson about being Catholic. There is room for disagreement among present-day church members, but these disagreements should not affect our call by Christ to love, respect, and live in peace with all our neighbors. Family Activity Select a CD or a tape with liturgical music in different languages. Play a song that is sung in a language that is not native to your family. Does anyone recognize the language? Sample songs in other different languages. Discuss ways that music speaks a universal language – even if the words to the songs are not recognized. Back to top
		One: Praying for Unity Refer to Get Connected, pages 27-28 (Parish Edition), 39-40 (School Edition) in your young teen’s book for a choice of things to do at home. Learning Goals This chapter will help young people • know that God calls them to live in union with one another. • realize that they should pray and work for Christian unity and respect people of all faiths. • understand that all Christians are called to follow Christ. Background Unity is a basic characteristic of the Church. This unity has two dimensions—unity among people of different ministries within individual parish communities and acceptance of the different cultures within the universal Church. Chapter 4 stresses the first type of unity. We often react to differences between people with prejudice. We may think that one person’s gift is better than or more necessary than the other. Such reactions may influence the way we look at the members of a typical church community. In the Church, no one ministry (or minister) is better than another. We are all members of the Body of Christ. We need every ministry for the welfare of all. Family Activity In the Beatitudes, Jesus says that peacemakers are blessed and will be called children of God. Ask family members to select an article in a magazine, newspaper, or website address in which people are taking an active role in peacemaking on the international, national, and local levels. Discuss current events or a past event, such as the terrorist attacks on America on September 11, 2001. Consider how unrest and territorial disagreements cause suffering to God’s people. How does all of this relate to the Beatitudes?