Convention!!!

Hey I just got the word, we're staying at Mary Queen of Peace in Sammamish!!! There will be over 100 other teens from different parishes staying with us there. It should be a lot of fun. We're leaving from St. Cecilia's parking lot at 7am on Saturday morning. Make sure you take a shower before we leave because there are none at Mary Queen of Peace. We should arrive back by 4:30pm on Sunday afternoon.

What you should bring to Convention:

• Sleeping Bag
• PJ’s
• Change of Clothes for Sunday
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Other toiletries
• Camera
• Rosary
• Bible
• Journal
• $$ for Lunch and Dinner Saturday and Lunch Sunday

Again.......
Departure for BCC: 7am Saturday from St. Cecilia’s

Arrival back: 4:30pm Sunday at St. Cecilia’s

Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory

A few things to sum up last night and a few things to supplement your information in case you had more questions....

A message from your youth minister:

"You want to go to heaven! If you didn't know that already, I'm telling you. God made each one of us out of love, and because he is so loving he wants us to return to Him in heaven. So why would he put us in hell? You put yourself in hell. If you choose to turn away from God and turn towards Satan, you put yourself in hell. Hell exists because of God's perfect justice, but he does not want you in there. Remember, Christ said that he thirsts. He thirsts for souls. So come on back. If you've turned away, you can always come back. Christ is waiting for you to do just that.

So what do you need to do? How do you stay away from the worm that never dies and the fire that is never quenched? From the terrible sound of wailing and teeth grinding for all eternity past the end of all time? And the worst...how do you make sure that you aren't eternally separated from God and spending eternity in torment at seeing his loving glory never able to get there?

Christ.

He's always the answer. Be like Christ, listen to Christ's words, follow His Church (The Catholic Church), listen to his mother. The Catholic Church is the Bride of Christ. We are the Mystical Body of Christ. He gave himself to us. He gives the fullness of his truth for salvation to the Catholic Church. So....receive the sacraments especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation, come to mass, pray for mercy, ask our Blessed Mother for guidance and intercession, and be the best Catholic that you could possibly be. That's the best advice I can muster. Oh and if you want to figure out how to do all that stuff, come to youth group!!!!!

But for Heaven's sake, stay out of Hell!"
-Val


Some extra reading if you're interested......


"What Is Heaven Really Like?
By Jimmy Akin
(on www.catholic.com Search: heaven)

Deepest Longings
The fundamental essence of heaven is union with God. The Catechism explains that "perfect life with the Most Holy Trinity . . . is called ‘heaven.’ Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness" (CCC 1024). It also states that "heaven is the blessed community of all who are perfectly incorporated into Christ" (CCC 1026).

Traditionally theology has explained the chief blessing or "beatitude" of heaven as "the beatific vision"—an insight into the wonder of God’s inner, invisible essence. "Because of his transcendence, God cannot be seen as he is, unless he himself opens up his mystery to man’s immediate contemplation and gives him the capacity for it. The Church calls this contemplation of God in his heavenly glory ‘the beatific vision’" (CCC 1028).

Because humans are made for having a conscious relationship with God, the beatific vision corresponds to the greatest human happiness possible.

Many people wonder how our relationships with others will work in heaven. Some have even wondered whether we will retain our own identities. The answer is that we will.
The Christian faith assures us that those in heaven "retain, or rather find, their true identity" (CCC 1025). We do not become anonymous, interchangeable entities in heaven. Rather, we each receive our own reward (cf. 1 Cor. 3:11–15).

This does not mean that there will be no changes in our relationships. Jesus was clear in teaching that we will not be married in the next life (Matt. 22:30). But because we retain our identities, we will continue to know and love those we were close to in earthly life. Indeed, in heaven our love for them and our spiritual intimacy with them will be truer, purer, and stronger than it was in this life.





The Hell There Is!
http://www.catholic.com/library/last_things.asp

The doctrine of hell is so frightening that numerous heretical sects end up denying the reality of an eternal hell. The Unitarian-Universalists, the Seventh-Day Adventists, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Christadelphians, the Christian Scientists, the Religious Scientists, the New Agers, and the Mormons—all have rejected or modified the doctrine of hell so radically that it is no longer a serious threat. In recent decades, this decay has even invaded mainstream Evangelicalism, and a number of major Evangelical figures have advocated the view that there is no eternal hell—the wicked will simply be annihilated.

But the eternal nature of hell is stressed in the New Testament. For example, in Mark 9:47–48 Jesus warns us, "[I]t is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched."

And in Revelation 14:11, we read: "And the smoke of their torment goes up for ever and ever; and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name."

Hell is not just a theoretical possibility. Jesus warns us that real people go there. He says, "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matt. 7:13–14).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, ‘eternal fire.’ The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs" (CCC 1035).

In his 1994 book, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, Pope John Paul II wrote that too often "preachers, catechists, teachers . . . no longer have the courage to preach the threat of hell" (p. 183). Concerning the reality of hell, the pope says, "In point of fact, the ancient councils rejected the theory . . . according to which the world would be regenerated after destruction, and every creature would be saved; a theory which abolished hell. . . . [T]he words of Christ are unequivocal. In Matthew’s Gospel he speaks clearly of those who will go to eternal punishment (cf. Matt. 25:46). [But] who will these be? The Church has never made any pronouncement in this regard" (pp. 185–6).

Thus the issue that some will go to hell is decided, but the issue of who in particular will go to hell is undecided. "

Check out the Catechism of the Catholic Church for more info.... www.catholic.com
and www.ewtn.com also have some great resources. Just put heaven, hell, or purgatory in the search field. Otherwise, here's a really funny video you might like.

DISCLAIMER:
This is just for fun. There is no such thing as Protestant Heaven and Catholic Heaven. Just one.

Middle School - question about other Churches

Remember when I drew that diagram that looked like a broom with all the different branches that came from the Catholic Church? Here's a figure that will show you all the different branches of known protestantism (all the other Christian Churches that broke off from the Catholic Church ) starting with the Lutherans. This diagram came from "The Catholic Source Book". Click on the little picture to see it full size

As you can see, protestantism is not unified at all. The Catholic Church had been around for 1500 years or so before this splintering started. Now there's a whole bunch of churches without a shephard doing their own thing.

Last Sunday's Topic - Miracles

Remember to get your Convention forms in by Wednesday!!!!

Here are the notes from last night. Click on the colored links for more detailed info about each topic!


MIRACLES

What is a miracle?

St. Thomas Aquinas says:

"Those effects are rightly to be termed miracles which are wrought by Divine power apart from the order usually observed in nature"

-if a scientific, medical or psychological explanation exists for what had only appeared to be a miracle, then it isn’t an authentic miracle. Only immediate, spontaneous, and inexplicable phenomena are up for consideration as authentic miracles.

Some types of miracles:

Eucharistic Miracles

Lanciano

Marian Apparitions

Lourdes



Fatima




Guadalupe




Miracles Having to do with Saints

Incorruptibility (St. Bernadette, St. Catherine Laboure, St. Jean Vianney, St. Francis Xavier, John XXIII)

(***please note that livingmiracles.net has a lot of cool and useful information, however not all of the miracles on this website are approved by the Catholic Church. Take note of the miracles specifically listed here below, these are well known and have been approved for devotion for many years :) ***)

Liquefaction (St. Januarius)

Odor of Sanctity (St. Pio)

Levitation (St. Joseph of Cupertino, St. Teresa of Avila)

Bilocation (St. Pio)

Stigmata (St. Pio, St. Francis of Assisi)

How does a miracle become approved by the Church?

• all miracles need to be documented and authenticated, so eyewitnesses alone are considered insufficient.

• Medical, scientific, psychiatric, and theological experts are consulted

• Cardinals and bishops give approval

The Church does extensive investigations and then makes a determination. Either

1. It’s a hoax where someone is pretending to see apparitions, when in reality they’re lies or staged illusions.
2. Natural causes can explain it.
3. The phenomenon can’t be explained one way or the other.
4. The devil is at work.
5. It’s a supernatural event of heavenly origin. It’s a miracle!

The Church condemns any and all hoaxes as well as any trick of the devil.

It only endorses authentic apparitions of supernatural and heavenly origin.

** Even if the Church determines that an apparition is worthy of belief, Catholics aren’t obligated to believe it. They aren’t considered revealed truth and are not a part of the Deposit of Faith***

Usually if weird messages or secrets are supposedly released about the world ending then you can be assured it’s fake.

Some miracles still being investigated and which have not been declared anything yet are

Medjugorje, The Shroud of Turin, and Naju

The Catholic Church will not approve a miracle as worthy of devotion until she is absolutely sure that the miracle is from God. This usually happens after the visionary (person receiving the apparition or miracle) has died or the visions stop. The Church must be so careful because she cannot teach anything that will lead the faithful away from Christ. For example, if the Church declared a miracle worthy of devotion while the apparitions or miracles were still ongoing and they turned out to be a hoax or something from Satan, she would have made a fatal error leading the faithful away from Christ. This is impossible, so that's why miracles still being investigated which are pending approval of the Catholic Church may take a very long time to be approved. It's part of the prudence of the Church.

Here's the link to a neat article from Catholic answers about Miracles.

Can Miracles Happen?

Announcements!!!

Lifeteen Announcements

The Seattle Archdiocese & ACCY Youth Convention is on November 4th and 5th. It’s a great convention to get your faith fired up! You MUST get Convention Registration Forms in to the office by Wednesday the 18th!! Cost is $60, if you can’t afford it, come talk to me.

The NW Eucharistic Marian Conference is on October 20th and 21st. The Youth Events will be on Saturday the 21st starting at 8:30am with Mass. Free food, incredible speakers, inspirational music, adoration and THE TRUTH! Don’t forget, OCTOBER 21st at St. Cecilia’s.

is on October 25th at 7pm. The theme for the night is “HEAVEN”. We’ve been learning about the Eucharist…..come spend some time with Jesus.

We’re having a Halloween Hangout on Saturday October 28th at 7pm in the Youth Room. I’ll be in costume, so you’d better be in costume! We’ll be watching
THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE
Here’s what the US Council of Catholic Bishops has to say about the movie. Their review can be found at this website.
http://www.usccb.org/movies/e/theexorcismofemilyrose.shtml
So movie, pizza, popcorn, and lots of other random stuff you’ll find fun. Come hang out!

Why am I Catholic?

This is a great video. Take a look.

Last Sunday's Topic - Mass and the Eucharist

Info from the handouts if you didn't get one last Sunday.

Oh and the answer to that one question that I didn't know...the word was "Hosannah".

Mass and the Eucharist

• The Eucharist is the Source and Summit of our Catholic Faith
• We need to receive in a state of grace every Sunday and as often as possible
• Just as we need food in daily life, we need the Eucharist. Christ was humble enough to make himself food.
• We see Christ under the accidents of Bread and Wine

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord.

28 A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup.

29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.

30 That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying.

31 If we discerned ourselves, we would not be under judgment;

I Corinthians 11:26-31

• The Eucharist sets us apart - God is physically in our Church all the time because of the Eucharist.
• When we come to Mass we come to the heavenly banquet where heaven kisses earth at consecration
• The priest is in Persona Christi when he consecrates the host
• Jesus and the sacrifice he made are outside of time. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8) The sacrifice once for all. No re-sacrificing at mass

• We are not cannibals
• "When you look at the Crucifix, you understand how much Jesus loved you then. When you look at the Sacred Host you understand how much Jesus loves you now," -Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta
• In the Hebrew prophecies they said that the Messiah would be a Priest “after the order of Melchizedek” -> sacrifice under bread and wine was required for the prophecy -> bread and wine become Christ’s body and blood -> body and blood are then sacrificed on the cross -> prophecy is fulfilled in Christ’s sacrifice in the cross -> the prophecy is then also fulfilled at every mass said by every priest in all time, everywhere
• The Holy Mass and it’s beginnings in the early Church are evidenced by the Didache (A.D. 70 the Apostle John was still alive.) written in New Testament times. It gives the instructions for mass!!

Helpful quotes:

“At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his body and Blood. He did this in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the centuries until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us” – Sacrosanctum Concilium 47 Pope Paul VI

John 6:48-70

48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the desert, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven; that if any man eat of it, he may not die.

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. 52 If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, for the life of the world. 53 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying: How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 54 Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. 55 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day.

56 For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. 57 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him. 58 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me. 59 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead. He that eateth this bread, shall live for ever. 60 These things he said, teaching in the synagogue, in Capharnaum.

61 Many therefore of his disciples, hearing it, said: This saying is hard, and who can hear it? 62 But Jesus, knowing in himself, that his disciples murmured at this, said to them: Doth this scandalize you? 63 If then you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 64 It is the spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I have spoken to you, are spirit and life. 65 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning, who they were that did not believe, and who he was, that would betray him.

66 And he said: Therefore did I say to you, that no man can come to me, unless it be given him by my Father. 67 After this many of his disciples went back; and walked no more with him. 68 Then Jesus said to the twelve: Will you also go away? 69 And Simon Peter answered him: Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 70 And we have believed and have known, that thou art the Christ, the Son of God.

Christ didn’t back down and try to re-explain things. He meant what he said. The Eucharist is HIM - Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.

Click for more info on
How to Defend Christ's Presence in the Eucharist


And... lastly, a video you might find cool.

Pictures you might like

Back Issues - Mary, Chuck Norris, and Lord, Liar, or Lunatic?

Well, it's up. Time to post info about the Life Nights we've been having. Check back for info.

Here are the back issues of handouts.


There was no handout from Life Night #3, but there were rosaries and prayer cards. Here are some resources for you to look at in case you want more info about Mary.

• Check out the Catechism (1995) -829, 773, 973, 965, 963, 964

Other sites and books that might be helpful for quick reference

-Catholicism for Dummies, Rome Sweet Home, Surprized by Truth, The Secret of the Rosary, True Devotion to Mary, The Truth Will Set You Free, Hail Holy Queen, and The Essential Catholic Survival Guide

I’ve got all of these books except True Devotion to Mary, just let me know if you’d like to see them.

http://www.catholic.com/

http://www.newadvent.org/

http://www.vatican.va/

http://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/marymenu.htm

Life Night #2 – A People Set Apart a.k.a. “Why isn’t Chuck Norris Catholic?”



Scripture: Matthew 16:18-19

We’re talking about the best parts of being Catholic. Our question of the night is “Why isn’t Chuck Norris Catholic?” if he’s so awesome, he should be Catholic right? So why is being Catholic awesome?

Being Catholic is soooo awesome because of the Eucharist, and because of our Church.

What does our church look like? 1 billion members in the world, 265 popes and 2000 years. There’s got to be something to this.

The Catholic Church we belong to has 4 marks. We recite them every single Sunday.

One: Unity of liturgy, doctrine, and authority.
One head, Christ. His vicar (representative), the Pope.
One deposit of faith – universal catechism that we all believe.
One set of laws – canon law which governs the whole Church
One set of rites – 7 sacraments
One way of worship.
One, all over the world, for the rest of time…ONE.
(Really cool to see when you go traveling).

Holy (sanctity): Belonging to, derived from, or associated with a divine power; sacred.
The Church as a whole, CANNOT SIN. It is made up of individuals who can, but since she is the Bride of Christ and He died for her, she is Holy. He founded the Church, so it is Holy. You can experience this holiness through the grace that the sacraments provide. As members of the church we are saints …part of the communion of saints because we belong to the holy church and the mystical body of Christ. Through the grace dispensed by the Church we are made holy. We are called to perfect holiness.

Catholic (universality): the Church is Catholic for 2 reasons –
a) CHRIST IS PRESENT IN HER “where there is Jesus, there is the Catholic Church”
b) The Church is Catholic because she has been sent out by Christ on a mission to the whole of the human race.
The Catholic faith is for everyone. We are all called to share in the universal priesthood (not ordained priesthood). Everyone in the world can share in this Church. Every individual has the potential to be Catholic. The Church maintains unity within diversity.

Apostolic (continuity): Greek - apostello “to send forth”
Every ordained priest, bishop, or deacon can trace his roots back to the 12 apostles. We have continuity within the Church for the last 2000 years so that we can trace its roots all the way back to the teachings of Christ.
-“she was and remains built on the ‘foundation of the apostles,’ the witnesses chosen and sent on mission by Christ himself;” CCC #857
The church is continually taught by the apostles until Christ’s return through their successors.

So this truth that the Church holds…where does it come from? It’s called THE DEPOSIT OF FAITH. The Deposit of Faith is everything that has been revealed to us as truth from scripture and sacred tradition, we are to live by it. We get the deposit of faith from the Magisterium. This Magisterium is made up of the Pope and the Bishops.


So how do we tap into this awesomeness of truth? (Faith)
What is faith? “Faith is first of all a personal adherence of man to God…. Faith is a personal act – the free response of the human person to the initiative of God who reveals himself.” CCC #150,166
Faith is a gift from God. He offers it to everyone, but it must be freely received as well.
“For those who believe, no explanation is necessary and for those who do not believe, no explanation is possible.”

Have you ever had struggles with your faith?
Do you remember a specific time where you experienced your faith?
The act of believing goes like this
a) listen
b) consider
c) assent
d) obey
Which part do you struggle with the most?
Has anyone ever challenged your faith?
Have you ever had an experience where you really appreciated being a Catholic?
Have you ever been to a service of another faith? How was it different?


Acts 2:42

This Church, is our home. We have a mother, a father, food, shelter, brothers and sisters, a place of rest, a place to encounter the one our hearts should love. In this building and institution we find our way to the truth, and as we learn to believe in it, our way to holiness and heaven.












Life Night 1: Who am I? Who is Jesus? Where do we go from here?


Who am I?

You are a child of God. You were made in His image. He has unconditional love for you no matter what you look like, what you do, who your friends are, or what team you play on.

You are made in his image: “Christ is the image of the invisible God” God lets us know that we are made in his image through Christ. You have dignity. You are capable of self-knowledge, of self-possession and of freely giving yourself and entering into communion with other persons.
Christ restores our image. He loved with great sacrifice. We need to find this image of God in seeking and loving what is true and good. It’s time to start dusting off our image and making ourselves more like Christ.

So who is Christ? Who is Jesus?

-historical Christ (Man) - fully human
-Divine Christ (God) – fully divine

We can prove his existence physically as a person in history. That’s the easy part. What about his Divinity? We have three options….

Lord, Liar, or Lunatic?
Lord = he said it. It was his primary mission. He had disciples proclaim it.
Either he was or he wasn’t.

We believe he was the Lord.

Liar = what are the qualities of a liar? If so, he wasn’t just a liar, he was a hypocrite. If he was a liar then he was evil because he told people to trust in him for the salvation of their souls. Also a fool because his lies got him crucified.

Things to consider about the Liar argument:
- he made the largest impact on the world than anyone in history
- “how in the name of logic, common sense, and experience, could an imposter – that is deceitful, selfish, depraved man – have invented, and consistently maintained, from beginning to end, the purest and noblest character known in history with the most perfect air of truth and reality?”

He could not have been a liar.

Lunatic = he was completely crazy and made the entire world believe the crazy claims he made of himself.

Things to consider about the Lunatic argument:
- if he thought he was God his measure of insanity would be really, really high. He would be incredibly crazy.
-Peter Kreeft says “Jesus had in abundance, those three qualities that liars and lunatics most conspicuously lack: (1) his practical wisdom, his ability to read human hearts; (2) his deep and winning love, his passionate compassion, his ability to attract people and make them feel at home and forgiven, his authority, ‘not as the scribes’; (3) his ability to astonish, his unpredictability, his creativity. Liars and lunatics are so dull and predictable!”

-was it a hoax by the apostles? They didn’t get very much out of this hoax. All martyred in terribly painful ways.