Our Catholic Faith
”Let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.” Although man can forget God or reject him, He never ceases to call every man to seek him, so as to find life and happiness. But this search for God demands of man every effort of intellect, a sound will, “an upright heart”, as well as the witness of others who teach him to seek God. – Catechism of the Catholic Church 1, 1, 1, 30
If you are searching for God as a non-Catholic, lapsed Catholic or practicing Catholic, these resources are provided to help you better understand our faith. Whether you’re looking for information about sacraments, the history of our beliefs, or the road to religious life, you can find it here. For the young and old, parents and single adults, the widowed and divorced… you can find answers and resources to guide you in your faith journey.
The Sacraments
The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines the sacraments as “efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions.” A sacrament is “an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ himself, as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof”.
The Catholic Church teach that the sacraments are seven. The Catholic Church understands the word “sacrament” as referring not only to the seven sacraments considered here, but also to Christ and the Church.
Baptism Reconciliation Confirmation Mass Marriage Ordination Annointing
for more information, click on the Sacrament name
additional information: ➤Adoration ➤Funeral ➤Papal Blessings
The Bible
The Bible is a canonical collection of texts sacred in Judaism and Christianity.
The Catholic Bible is composed of the 46 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament.
The Bible is widely considered to be the best-selling book of all time, has estimated annual sales of 100 million copies, and has been a major influence on literature and history, especially in the West where it was the first mass-printed book.
What is the ➤New Revised Standard Version Bible?
The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Christian Bible is an English translation released in 1989. It is the approved translation for use in Canada by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The New Revised Standard Version was translated by the Division of Christian Education (now Bible Translation and Utilization) of the National Council of Churches. The group included scholars representing Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Christian groups as well as Jewish representation in the group responsible for the Hebrew Scriptures or Old Testament. The mandate given the committee was summarized in a dictum: “As literal as possible, as free as necessary.”
Code of Canon Law
The canon law of the Catholic Church is the system of laws and legal principles made and enforced by the hierarchical authorities of the Church to regulate its external organization and government and to order and direct the activities of Catholics toward the mission of the Church.
The 1983 Code of Canon Law (abbreviated 1983 CIC from its Latin title Codex Iuris Canonici) is the codification of canonical legislation for the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. It was promulgated on 25 January 1983 by John Paul II and obtained the force of law on the First Sunday of Advent (27 November) 1983. It replaced the 1917 Code of Canon Law, promulgated by Benedict XV on 27 May 1917.
The 1983 Code of Canon Law contains 1752 canons, or laws, most subdivided into paragraphs (indicated by “§”) and/or numbers (indicated by “°”). Hence a citation of the Code would be written as Can. (or Canon) 934, §2, 1°.
What is in the ➤Code of Canon Law?
The Code is organized into seven Books, which are further divided into Part, Section, Title, Chapter and Article. (1983)
- I. GENERAL NORMS (Cann. 1–203) – Explains the general application of laws
- II. THE PEOPLE OF GOD (Cann. 204–746) – Goes into the rights and obligations of laypeople and clergy, and outlines the hierarchical organization of the Church
- III. THE TEACHING FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH (Cann. 747–833) – Christian ministry, missionary activity, education, and social communication.
- IV. THE SANCTIFYING FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH (Cann. 834–1253) – Sacraments and other acts of worship; places of worship and feast-days
- V. THE TEMPORAL GOODS OF THE CHURCH (Cann. 1254–1310) – Ownership, contracts, and wills; akin to the civil Business Law
- VI. SANCTIONS IN THE CHURCH (Cann. 1311–1399) – Crimes and punishment
- VII. PROCESSES (Cann. 1400–1752) – Trials and Tribunals
What is the Catechism?
The most important book of the Church is the Sacred Scripture. In second place comes the Catechism. In the Catechism you find the reliable knowledge about the faith of the Catholic Church, accumulated during more than 2000 years – in precise formulations approved by the Holy Church herself.
In Sacred Scripture, the Church constantly finds her nourishment and her strength, for she welcomes it not as a human word, “but as what it really is, the word of God”. “In the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet his children, and talks with them.” Catechism of the Catholic Church? (104)
The BIG ONE – Catechism of the Catholic Church (or CCC)
The over 800 pages long, large ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church’ (or ‘CCC’), which was promulgated in 1992, was written at the request of Pope John Paul II and a world Synod of Bishops. Significant contributions to this work have been made by the then Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, and later Cardinal of Vienna, Christoph Schönborn. This book was primarily addressed to bishops, priests and teachers of the faith.
The SMALLER ONE – Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
From the ‘Great Catechism’ in 2005, the ‘Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church’ emerged – at only 300 pages long, it is a highly abridged version of the ‘CCC’. This compendium is meant for adults and families. The compendium is written in a question and answer format.
The YOUNGER ONE – YOUCAT
In order to allow teenagers and young adults in particular to gain an easier access to the knowledge of the faith of the Catholic Church, in the years from 2006 to 2011 the YOUCAT emerged from the great ‘CCC’ and the ‘Compendium’. This book also has been written in a question and answer format.
What is the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM)?
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) is the detailed document governing the celebration of Mass of the ordinary form of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church. The General Instruction is arranged in nine chapters, preceded by a preamble. The chapter headings are:
- The Importance and Dignity of the Eucharistic Celebration
- The Structure of the Mass, Its Elements and Its Parts
- The Duties and Ministries in the Mass
- The Different Forms of Celebrating Mass
- The Arrangement and Furnishing of Churches for the Celebration of the Eucharist
- The Requisites for the Celebration of Mass
- The Choice of the Mass and Its Parts
- Masses and Prayers for Various Circumstances and Masses for the Dead
- Adaptations within the Competence of Bishops and Bishops’ Conferences
Education
St. Peter Celestine Parish does not have it’s own school, and therefore, offers to assist parents in their responsibility to give children a basic catechism of the Church. We continue to find success with classes for the various primary grades. Note: Grade 2 students who are ready, will also prepare for the Sacraments of Confirmation, First Holy Communion, and First Reconciliation.
Please contact the Parish Office for more information.