In recent years a new interest in the Eastern Churches has emerged in the Western Churches both Catholic and Protestant. The reader of this work will find answers to such fundamental questions as Who are Eastern Catholics?" "How did the Eastern Catholic Churches originate?" "Who are Orthodox Christians?" "How do Orthodox Christians differ from Eastern Catholics?" "Why do so many diverse Eastern Churches exist?" While it cannot answer all these questions thoroughly, this concise booklet can help interested laity, theological students, and ministers come to understand and respect Eastern Catholicism for its many contributions to the universal Catholic Church.
The Orthodox Church is one of the three major branches of Christianity. There are over 300 million adherents throughout the world. The Orthodox Church is a fellowship of independent churches, which split form the Roman Church over the question of papal supremacy in 1054. The Orthodox adherents include people in: Greece, Georgia, Russia, and Serbia. There are an estimated one million members in the United States. This Advanced book explains the basic principles of Orthodox Christianity and describes in detail the holidays observed by the Orthodox Church. In addition, relevant book literature is presented in bibliographic form with easy access provided by title, subject and author indexes.
The national directory addresses the dimensions and perspectives in the formation of deacons and the model standards for the formation, ministry, and life of deacons in the United States. It is intended as a guideline for formation, ministry, and life of permanent deacons and a directive to be utilized when preparing or updating a diaconate program in formulating policies for the ministry and life of deacons. This volume also includes Basic Standards for Readiness for the formation of permanent deacons in the United States, from the bishops' Committee on the Diaconate, and the committee document Visit of Consultation Teams to Diocesan Permanent Diaconate Formation Programs.
“How-to” guidelines for catechists and universal norms for evangelization Evangelization is the responsibility of every Catholic and the collective mission of the whole Church. Catechesis, as an integral part of evangelization, plays a vital role in educating and forming individuals in the teachings and traditions of the Faith. In this light, the Directory for Catechesis (2020) offers “how-to” guidelines for catechesis and presents universal norms to guide pastors and catechists in the work of evangelization. The Dicastery for Evangelization presents the Directory to guide the proclamation of the Gospel to people of all ages and in all seasons of life. The Directory: Places catechetical instruction and formation of catechetical teachers clearly within the realm of evangelization Offers guidelines to assist in the creation of local directories and catechisms Clarifies the importance of catechetical renewal in Christian communities Affirms the presentation of the Catholic Faith articulated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a sound point of reference for instruction Draws deeply from Scripture and the writings of recent popes, especially Pope Francis' Evangelii Gaudium The Directory for Catechesis is indispensable for all those responsible for formal religious instruction, including bishops, priests, deacons, lay and religious catechists, and religious education teachers in dioceses, parishes, and schools. It also aids directors of formation who train the faithful in the forms and means of catechesis. This new edition of the Directory features: A newly designed cover with beautiful sacred art Colored tabs with paragraph numbers at the top of each page for easy navigation Carefully designed pages to make each page readable, organized, and inviting A document summary explaining the intended audience, the document’s origin, and the purpose it seeks to serve within the mission of the Church The official text of this work written by the Vatican’s Dicastery of Evangelization This new edition is the first in The Vatican Collection published by Ascension, which features official documents from the Vatican previously published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
The Companion to the Directory for Catechesis is your in-depth, chapter-by-chapter guide to the new Directory for Catechesis (2020). This practical summary and commentary on all twelve chapters of the directory will help you engage in deep reflection on the content and its implications for your ministry. Written by two trusted catechists and teachers, each chapter of the Companion to the Directory for Catechesis features discussion questions, reflection, and prayer for catechists and catechetical leaders. With a foreword by Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst of the Pontifical Council for Promotion of the New Evangelization, which is responsible for presenting the Directory for Catechesis itself, the Companion to the Directory for Catechesis is a trustworthy resource for group or individual study.
