ARTICLE 9:

I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC

CHURCH, THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS
 OBJECTIVES:
1. Knowing what the article is all about.
2. What is its origin and history.
3. The relevance of the article to us Christians.
4. Concrete ways how to express this teaching into action.
DIVIDED INTO THREE
PARTS:
Nature and Mission of the Church

The Four Characteristics of the Church

The Communion of Saints

 ARTICLE 9:
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC
CHURCH, THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS
 WHAT IS
CATHOLIC?
The word "Catholic" is derived
from the Greek adjective,
katholikos, meaning "universal"
 WHAT IS THE
CHURCH?
The Church is the assembly of those who believe in Jesus
Christ, who are baptized, and who are in communion with
the Pope.
The term Church comes from the Greek word "ekklesia"
meaning “assembly.”
The Church is not simply a building or an institution, but
a community of believers.
WHAT ARE THE THREE REQUIREMENTS
TO BELONG TO THE CHURCH?

TO BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST

The first requirement to join the Church is to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, as professed by St. Peter: “You
are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew
16:16). Those who do not believe that Jesus is God
cannot be called Christians.
WHAT ARE THE THREE REQUIREMENTS
TO BELONG TO THE CHURCH?

TO BE BAPTIZED

The second requirement to enter the Church is

to be baptized; as Jesus said: “Whoever believes
and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16).
WHAT ARE THE THREE REQUIREMENTS
TO BELONG TO THE CHURCH?

TO BE IN COMMUNION
WITH THE POPE
The third requirement to remain in the Church is to be
united with the Pope, because Jesus appointed Simon
Peter and his successors as the universal shepherds of his
Church, when he said: “You are Peter, and on this rock I
will build my Church” (Matthew 16:18).
WHAT IS THE
MISSION OF THE
CHURCH?
The mission of the Church is to establish
among all people the Kingdom of God.
This is to be done by means of
evangelization and sacramentalization.
WHAT IS
EVANGELIZATION?
It is the process of proclaiming the Gospel to
all people; it begins with the kerygma and
continues with the catechumenate.
“Kerygma” comes from the Greek word that
means “Proclamation."
Catechumens are unbaptized persons who
desire to be fully incorporated into the
Catholic Church
 ARTICLE 9:
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC
CHURCH, THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS
 WHAT IS SACRAMENTALIZATION?
It is the process of sanctifying our life by means of the Sacraments, that are instituted by
Christ, and the Sacramentals.

THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS:

BAPTISM CONFIRMATION HOLY EUCHARIST

 THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS:

RECONCILIATION ANNOINTING OF THE SICK MATRIMONY

HOLY ORDERS
WHAT ARE THE FOUR SYMBOLS OF
THE CHURCH?

PEOPLE OF GOD

The Church is composed of persons of

different nationalities but united into
one people.
WHAT ARE THE FOUR SYMBOLS OF
THE CHURCH?

BODY OF CHRIST

The Church is like a spiritual body, with

Christ as the head, and we as the
members.
WHAT ARE THE FOUR SYMBOLS OF
THE CHURCH?

BRIDE OF CHRIST

The Kingdom of God is like a spiritual

wedding, where Jesus is the groom and
the Church the bride.
WHAT ARE THE FOUR SYMBOLS OF
THE CHURCH?

FLOCK OF CHRIST

The Church is like a community of sheep,

with Jesus Christ as her good shepherd.
 WHY IS THE CHURCH ONE?
The Church is one, as opposite to many, because Jesus
wants all his disciples to be united in one community,
under the guidance of the Pope. As he said: You are
Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my Church."
Matthew 16:18
The true Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic
Church; however, in the course of two thousand years,
many Christian Churches and Denominations have
separated.
Ecumenism, a Greek word meaning "the common
house", is the movement striving to unite all Christians
into the true Church. Jesus desires all his disciples to be
united as a family, as he said: "By this all men will know
that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John
13:35
 WHY IS THE CHURCH HOLY?
The Church is Holy, as opposite to sinful, because it is
the Temple of Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit initiated the
Church on Pentecost Day, enriches the Church with
countless charisms, and will guide the Church to her
final destiny in Paradise.
Although the Church is Holy, some of her members
commit serious crimes and provoke scandals. Jesus
allowed Judas Iscariot to join the college of the Apostles,
although he knew he was traitor, precisely to give us a
warning: that in every twelve shepherds there might be a
bad one.
Each of us should strive to achieve perfect holiness as
recommended by St. Peter: "But just as he who called
you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: "Be
holy because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:15-16
WHY IS THE CHURCH CATHOLIC?
● The Church is Catholic, as opposed to
national, because it is universal, as Jesus
said: "Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations" (Matthew 28:19).

● The term Catholic comes from the Greek

word katholikos, which literally means "all-
embracing," hence "universal." The Church
does not identify itself with any nation,
although it is present in every country.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS OFTEN DESCRIBED IN TWO WAYS:

● The church as 'Body of Christ'

The Church is called the Body of Christ, as it is a living entity, just as a body is. It is the Body of Christ, as
Christ is the head and founder of the Church.

The relationship between the Church and Christ is the same as the relationship between the body and the
head. Neither can survive without the other. The Church needs Christ, just as the body needs the head.

● The church as 'people of God'

The Church is also described as the ‘people of God.’ The Catechism of the Catholic Church makes
it clear that God does not belong to any one person or group, because God is the one who calls
people to him. The people of God are those who have been chosen and called by God to him.
WHY IS THE CHURCH APOSTOLIC?
● The Church is apostolic, as opposed to self-
made, because it is founded on the Twelve
Apostles, as Jesus declared: "You are Peter, and
upon this rock I will build my Church" (Mt. 16:18).
- Thus Peter became the first bishop and pope.

Through these actions, Jesus wasn’t setting up his

friends in positions of power, influence, and honor.
Instead, he was calling them to a life of service as
missionaries for his Church. All the bishops and
popes who have followed, up to the present day,
share this mission.
 WHY IS THE CHURCH APOSTOLIC?
The Apostolic Succession is the unbroken chain of ordinations connecting all
the bishops - and the deacons and priests ordained by them - to one of the
Apostles.

When we say that the Church is apostolic, we mean that

it continues the teachings and mission of the apostles,
upon whom Jesus founded the Church.
Our Church is apostolic because it holds and teaches the
faith, as taught to the twelve apostles by Christ himself.
We refer to the apostles as “hand-picked successors”
since Jesus chose them to continue his mission after his
death and Resurrection.
the communion of the saints
Who are the Saints?
The Saints are those who are in the state of grace; meaning,
they are in communion with God.
The Communion of Saints is the spiritual solidarity of those
who are in communion with God, including those on
earth,Purgatory, and Paradise.
It is the Holy Spirit that creates the communion among the
Saints and allows an exchange of graces among them. For
this reason, we pray for the Souls in Purgatory and ask the
intercession of theSaints in Paradise.
 the communion of the saints
THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS: What are the three states of
the Church?
PILGRIM CHURCH SUFFERING CHURCH GLORIFIED CHURCH
The Church in Purgatory is regarded as The Church in Paradise is
The Church on earth is called pilgrim,
suffering, because the souls of the considered glorified, because the
because we Christians are on a spiritual
departed are being purified of their saints in Heaven are constantly
journey towards Paradise.
temporal punishment. praising God.
 THE COMMUNION OF THE SAINTS
WHO ARE THE CANONIZED SAINTS?
Canonized saints are those who are
officially declared by the church as in
communion with God in Paradise.
The term canonized comes from the
Greek word kanon, meaning “list,”
because they are enrolled in the official
List of Saints to be venerated
throughout the world.
 THE COMMUNION OF THE SAINTS
WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF CANONIZATION?

The process of canonization

is the procedure by which
The Church declared a saint.
It comprises three steps:
 THE COMMUNION OF THE SAINTS
WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF CANONIZATION?
Beatification Canonization
Veneration beatification, in the Roman Catholic Church,
The formal process by which the
A virtuous person can be the second of the three stages in the process of
canonization. In beatification a deceased person Church declares a person to be a saint
venerated in private. is declared “Blessed” and worthy of limited
and worthy of universal veneration
public veneration.

Venerable Blessed Saint

Fr. Joseph Frassinetti John Paul II Pedro Calungsod
Requirement: Heroic Virtue Requirement: One Miracle Requirement: Martyrdom or Miracle
 THE COMMUNION OF THE SAINTS
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADORATION AND VENERATION?
Veneration Adoration
is the worship reserved for God is the devotion reserved for the saints,
alone, and consists in worshipping and consists in praising their virtues
him as the Creator and Provider. and asking for their intercession.
 THE RELEVANCE OF THE ARTICLE TO US
CHRISTIANS
This Creed is relevant to us Christians since it establishes
a standard of belief for Church members. This one teaches
and clarifies that all Church members—those in
purgatory, on earth, and in heaven—are in communion
with one another. In Jesus Christ, we are one body. The
Church Triumphant (Heaven), the Church Militant
(Earth), and the Church Suffering can be used to define
this (Purgatory).
CONCRETE WAYS HOW TO EXPRESS THIS
TEACHING INTO ACTION.

Sharing God's gospels

to people.
Attending mass every
Sunday.
 THANK YOU
FOR LISTENING