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Chapter 11 — "The Four Marks of the Church"
OPENING PRAYER
Ut unum sint
(“That They May Be One”)
Lord Jesus Christ, at your Last Supper you prayed
to the Father that all should be one.
Send your Holy Spirit upon all who bear
your name and seek to serve you.
Strengthen our faith in you,
and lead us to love one another in humility.
May we who have been reborn in one baptism
be united in one faith under one Shepherd.
Amen.
"THE FOUR MARKS OF THE CHURCH"
—CCC, Nos. 571–664
What four traits or characteristics most identify you?
Each Sunday we profess at Mass: “I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church.” These are generally referred to as the “Four Marks of the Church,” qualities that Christ calls us as Church to manifest to the world. What do these qualities mean?
The Church professes one Lord, one faith, one Baptism, and forms one body under the leadership of the Pope in communion with the Bishops. Although the Church is made up of a diversity of cultures, languages, nations, races, and traditions, it is held together in one communion through the gift of love of the Holy Spirit. Despite the divisions that have developed in the Church at various times, the Church has always been committed to the restoration of this unity among all People of God.
The Holy Spirit works within the Church to keep her faithful to the Gospel. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the People of God can grow in holiness by allowing ourselves through God’s grace, to be freed from sin and to grow towards becoming conformed to the heart and mind of Jesus Christ, especially in the way he expresses his unconditional love for God and others.
The word catholic means “universal.” The Church is catholic because of her universal expression and presence in local, “particular Churches” known as dioceses, (or eparchies in the Eastern Churches). These local communities and their bishops are linked together through their communion with the Church of Rome and her bishop, the Pope. The Church is catholic also because of her relationship to all people. Through evangelization, the Church seeks to engage in dialogue with all people who are not fully in communion with the Church, or who do not know Christ and his Gospel.
“Apostolic” is the final “mark” of the Church. The Church is built on the foundation of the Apostles, chosen by Christ to bear witness to his teaching, preaching, and life. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church strives to remain faithful to the teaching of the Apostles, through their successors, the bishops, who act together as a body, with the Pope as their head, in their roles of leadership and teaching. As stated in our previous session, through our baptism, we are called to participate in Christ’s mission as a priestly and prophetic people, and as servant leaders
Please read this week USCCA,Chapter 11, "The Four Marks of the Church," (pages 125–139), the CCC, Nos. 811–962 (pages 214–250), and the Compendium, Nos. 161–195
REFLECT ON YOUR EXPERIENCE
How do you personally experience the “four marks of the Church?”
How does the Church help you to grow in holiness?
We encourage and invite you to spend time to reflect, pray, and write in your journal about what you have read, seen, heard, or experienced this week. You can find some questions you may wish to consider here.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, in now, and ever shall be.
Amen.