Catechumens Course for 2003-2004
General Format
Opening prayer
Revision
Small lecture
Singing
Sharing
Bible reading
Recapping what is learned
Closing prayer
Course Outline
Date / Topic / Materials9/7/03
Lawrence / Getting to know each other
- Faith thinking, living and community
- Importance of sharing
FE Pre-cat Ch. 1
Window of heart
9/14/03
Lawrence / Challenge to find life’s meaning and overcoming the difficulties
- What is life?
- Ask and you receive – no need to feel helpless
- Imbalances of the world
- How to face the imbalances
Job
1 Samuel 17:4-58
Joshua 6:1-27
CCC #1, 55, 68, 1006-1014, 1709
Song: Let me get close to you
9/21/03
Lawrence / Religion and Living
- Our worries: life, self, death
FE Pre-cat Ch. 2
Matthew 6:25-34
Can God do everything?
9/28/03
Lawrence / Does God exist?
- Start of the universe
- Coincidence or planned?
FE Cat Ch. 1
Newton’s 2nd Law, Causality, non-cycle, does God control everything?
10/5/03
Lawrence / The encounter of God and human
- Understanding our existence
- Methods to encounter with God
Sharing of witnesses?
Song: He is already here
10/12/03
Lawrence / Catholicism and Chinese culture
- Catholic history in China
- Similarities between Chinese culture and Catholicism
- Symbolic objects and gestures
- Organizational structure
Introduction to Chinese Saints
Ceremony to remember ancestors
Manual Ch. 9
question #78-87
CCC #874-913
What is the Church? (William Shannon)
10/19/03
Lawrence / Introduction to Catholic faith
- Procession of faith
FE Pre-cat Ch. 3
question #1-20
CCC #232-256
I Believe/We Believe p. viii, 22-23
Class need to recite the Nicene Creed
10/26/03
Lawrence / Introduction to Bible
- Revelation
- Types of books
- Attitude towards Bible
FE Pre-cat Ch. 4 & 5
I Believe/We Believe pp 6-7
Introduction to Scriptures pp 6-7, 14-15
11/2/03
Agnes / Introduction to Mass
- Meaning of Missa
- Components of Mass
- Attitude towards Mass
Matthew 28
11/9/03 / Who is Jesus?
- Meaning of Jesus, Christ
- Jesus’ life
FE Pre-cat Ch. 6-10
question #55-57
Mark 1-16
John 6:35, 8:12, 10:11, 11:25, 14:6
CCC #430-440
CCC #422-682 (optional)
11/16/03
Francis / Misunderstanding of faith
- What true faith is not: avoid the bad, just doing good, miracles, emotional, just ritual, luxury
- Superstition, horoscope
CCC #2110-2111
11/23/03
Agnes / God’s calling and man’s response
- Parable of sowing seed
- Response types: good and bad
- Bible examples: Abraham, Mary, Peter, Paul
- Religion is not restriction
- Jesus brings freedom, forgiveness and fairness
Mark 4:3-9, 14-20
Luke 9:57-62
Mark 10:17-22
Gen 12, 15, 17, 22
Luke 1:26-38
Acts 26:9-18, Luke 5:1-11, 27-32
CCC #142-184
Manual Ch. 20
FE Cat Ch. 2-6
Noah’s calling: Gen 6:5-9:17
Abraham’s calling: Gen 12:1-7
Moses’ calling: Ex 3:1-15
Samuel’s calling: 1 Samuel 3:1-18
CCC #160, 2232-2233, 2461
Jesus’ miracles, teaching on forgiveness
12/7/03
Francis / Changing our perspective on life, value and universe
- The salvation history
- How do we look at ourselves?
- What is good? “Poor in spirit”
- Jesus’ perspective in Sermon
- Revelation from Genesis: creator, human’s role, resting
- What we learn from Genesis
Introduction to Scriptures pp 22-23
CCC #54-64, 431, 456-457, 588
Manual Ch. 18
Matthew 5-7
Manual Ch. 19
question #21-32
Gen 1:1-2:3
12/14/03
Lawrence / Bible
- Bible tells us truth of life
- Symbolic meaning and message
- Liturgical and spiritual sense
- Word is revelation
- Steps of revelation: OT to NT
CCC #50-141
The senses of scriptures (from Introduction to the Ignatius Study Bible pp 7-11)
Manual Ch. 24
CCC #101-141
Introduction to Gospels
Examples of NT completing OT:
Gen 4:24, Ex 21:25, Mt 18:21-35
12/21/03 / The mystery of the birth of Christ
- God with us, intervening man
- The “contradiction” of Christ’s birth: limited, poor, imperfect
- Our response to the mystery
FE Cat Ch. 7-8
question #44-54
Luke 2:1-20
CCC #522-526
1/4/04
Lawrence / Bible and our life
- Perfection of individual
- Inter-relationship
- Message on perspective of universe, life and society
- Live the bible
- Daily life with bible
- Advantage of reading bible
- Attitude of reading bible
- What is bible study?
- Steps in a bible study gathering
- Preparation for bible study
Introduction to Scriptures pp 30-31
Song: CY 271
Manual Ch. 23
Fr. Wong’s leaflet
Manual Ch. 25
Introduction to the Ignatius Study Bible pp 7-11
Introduction to Scriptures pp 34-35
What the scripture says and doesn’t say: Reading the Bible in Context (Margaret Nutting)
How the Gospels were written (Leonard Foley)
1/11/04
Agnes / The importance of prayer
- Jesus’ role model
- Bible teachings on prayer
- Lord’s prayer
FE Pre-cat Ch. 11
FE Cat Ch. 13
question #330-341
Prayer and Spirituality pp 30-33
Song: In his time
Class needs to recite Lord’s prayer, Hail Mary, Holy Trinity prayer
1/18/04
Agnes / Types of prayer
- Oral prayer
- Heart prayer (contemplation)
- Rosary
- Thanksgiving, asking, repenting, praying for others
- Praying in daily life
question #342-364
Prayer and Spirituality pp 6-7
CCC #2697-2724
Manual Ch. 29
CCC #2558-2649
Prayer and Spirituality pp 22-23
Practicing center prayer
2/1/04
Agnes / Harmonizing with God
- Prayer is awareness of God
- Short prayers
- Centering prayer
- Prayer of the faithful
CCC #143-149, 1831, 2087, 2098, 2135, 2340, 2716, 2825
Prayer and Spirituality pp 14-15
St. Therese of Lisieux
Taize songs
Practicing prayer of the faithful
2/8/04
Francis / The mystery of Passover
- Passover of OT and NT
- Our Passover, Christians’ hope
FE Cat Ch. 14
Introduction to Holy Week
CCC #1680-1683
Ex 1:8-22, 3:1-12, 5:10-19, 7:14-24, 10:1-20
Ex 12:1-14, 12:29-36, 14:15-31
Mk 14:12-65, 15, 16:1-8
2/15/04
Francis / The mystery of pain
- The bright side of pain
- Facing pain
- Concept of pain in OT
- Job’s story
- Joseph’s role model
question #58-62
CCC #1521
Why does God allow suffering?
Manual Ch. 33
Isaiah 43:1-3, 52:13-53:12
Job 1:1-2:13
Mt 1:18-21, 2:13-18
Song: You are Mine, Be not Afraid
2/22/04
Francis / The resurrection of Christ
- Bible’s descriptions
- Relationship to liturgy
- Christ’s resurrection and me
FE Cat Ch.15
question #63-74
Mt 28, Mk 16, Lk 24, Jn 20
CCC #1170
2/29/04
Agnes / Mass
- Liturgy: work of the people
- Mass is a sacrifice
- Mass is a feast
- Mass is remembrance
- Mass is thanksgiving
FE Cat Ch. 26
question #286-306
CCC #1113-1209, 1322-1419
Gen 4:3-5, 8:20-21, 22:1-18, Mt 27:27-50
Ex 12:1-36
Mt 26:26-28, Mk 14:22-24, Lk 22:14-20
3/7/04
Francis / Symbols of the Liturgy
- Gathering, praying, singing, reading
- Getting in touch with Christ through the symbols
FE Cat Ch. 22
question #365-377
Liturgy and Sacraments pp 6-7, 14-15
3/14/04
Francis / Sin and repentance
- What is sin?
- Sin breaks our relationship with God
- Original, mortal, vernal sins
- The process of repentance
question #33-43, 178-194
CCC #385-421, 1846-1876
Understanding Sin Today (Richard Gula)
3/21/04
Francis / Sacrament of Reconciliation
- Mending of the relationship with God
- Bible’s description
- Steps of confession
FE Cat Ch. 27
question #200-215, 236-275
CCC #1420-1498
3/28/04
Francis / Sacraments of Initiation
- Meaning of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation
- Meaning of water, oil
- Receiving the Holy Spirit
- Communion with Christ
FE Cat Ch 23-25
question #216-235, 276-285
CCC #1210-1419
The “eating” story
4/4/04
Agnes / Ten Commandments: 1, 2, 3
- Introduction to the ten commandments
- The meaning behind
- Details of commandments 1-3
question #108-129
Ex 20:1-11
Dt 5: 6-15
CCC #2052-2195
4/11/04 / Sacraments of Holy Orders and Matrimony
- Characteristics of Matrimony – one body, cannot separate
- Introduction to Holy Orders – what should lay people do?
- Responding to God’s calling
FE Cat Ch. 29-30
question #312-329
CCC #1536-1666
How to face homosexuality?
4/18/04 / Sacrament of Anointing the Sick
- Meaning and effect
- Steps of anointing the sick
FE Cat Ch. 28
question #307-311
CCC #1499-1532
James 5:14-15
Exercise of anointing each other
4/25/04
Agnes / Ten Commandments: 4, 5, 8
- Details of commandments 4,5,8
question #130-140, 149-155, 195-199
Ex 20:12,13,16
Dt 5:16,17,20
CCC #2196-2330, 2464-2513
5/2/04
Agnes / Ten Commandments: 6, 7, 9, 10
- Details of commandments 6, 9
- Details of commandments 7, 10
question #141-148, 156-162
Ex 20:14,15,17
Dt 5:18,19,21
CCC #2331-2463, 2514-2557
5/9/04 / Death
- Death is not an ending, but a change in life
- Judgment
- Heaven, hell, purgatory
question #88-107
CCC #1684-1690, 1020-1060
5/16/04
Francis / Holy Mary and Saints
- What is being “saint”?
- Why we respect Holy Mary
- Not worshipping idols – idols keep us far from God
FE Cat Ch. 21
CCC #490-501, 966, 946-975
Lk 1:26-56
Song: CY299
I Believe/We Believe pp 14-15
5/23/04 / Christians’ family life
- Family church – gathering, decoration, communication
- Cradle baptism
question #163-177
CCC #2197-2233
6/6/04 / Christians’ life
- Truthful and faithful to work, family, society
- Center our life with God; daily praying, reading, reflection
- Expand in faith sharing groups
- Evangelization
FE Cat Ch. 33-34
CCC #537, 1010, 1229, 1241, 1266, 1272, 1997
Catholic Morality pp 6-7, 14-15, 28-29
6/13/04 / The Church’s social responsibility
- Church is concerned about the world and needs to be pioneer
- Scope of responsibility
- Church and politics
FE Cat Ch. 32
CCC #2258-2330
6/20/04 / The Catholic Church
- Comparison of church before and after Vatican II
- One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic church
- History of worldwide church
- History of Chinese church
FE Cat Ch 16, 19-20
question #75-77, 85-87
Mt 16:18, Lk: 24:49, Jn 16:7
Act 1:4-5, 2:38,42-47, 8:11
Col: 1:18, 1 Cor 12, 2 Cor 11:2, 1 Pt 2:9-10
CCC #811-870
Manual Ch. 53
Acts 2:43-47, 4:32-35
Liz’s leaflets
6/27/04 / Growth of faith community
- Faith needs to grow through action
- Community helps the growth
- Importance of meeting
CCC #1102
7/11/04 / Witnesses of Christ
- What the bible says
- Self reflection
- Difference between Catholic and Christian churches