Series #1
Introduction: The Importance of Understanding our Catholic Faith
It is a fact that religious illiteracy is the primary cause for Catholics
to fall away from the Church. It is therefore necessary that
Catholics FULLY understand the basis of their faith.
Talk #1- The Beginning and Founding of the Church
Jesus Christ extends his incarnation throughout all times by
founding his Church. Through this Church, he perpetuates himself
and his teachings in fulfillment of his promise to be with us until the
end of the age. “Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build My
Church…” (Matt. 16:18-19)
Talk #2 - The Church Christ founded: One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic
The Catholic Church alone has all the marks of the Church
which Christ founded. It is one, holy, catholic and apostolic. It is
universally united in beliefs, authority, and worship, it aspires to
achieve Christ’s perfection and holiness, it reaches out to gather
all people unto Christ, and it is apostolic in origin, authority and
teaching.
Talk #3 - An Overview of Church History:
Pentecost to the Great Schism. The life of the Church for the first
1000 years was besieged with persecutions, trials, heresies, and
schisms, the most prominent of which was the Great Schism between
the East and the West. Through it all, God preserved the Church and
its teachings.
Talk #4 – An Overview of Church History: Protestant Reformation to Present
This is an analysis of how the Protestant Reformation started
and how it caused the splintering of Christianity into thousands
of denominations. It also discusses Catholic attitudes towards
the modern world and how it responded to the development of
science, philosophies, and ideologies.
Talk #5 - Refuting the Principles of Protestantism: Bible Alone”
This is a discussion on why the Protestant’s skeletal principle
of “Sola Scriptura” or “the bible alone” should be rejected. The
Church’s sacred tradition and its teaching authority are essential to
the Catholic faith and are further explained in this session.
Talk #6 - Refuting the Principles of Protestantism: Faith Alone”
This is a rebuttal to the Protestant’s material principle of “Sola
Fide” that we are saved by “Faith Alone.” It also explains
what “justification” really means, i.e. we are saved by God’s grace
which enables us to have vibrant, living faith and do “good works.”
Talk #7 - The Bible: Origin, Translations and Interpretation
A discussion of where the bible came from and an explanation of
the different translations of the bible from its original language. It
also gives us principles of interpreting scriptures.