Wednesday 22 May 2013

Gifts :)

Wisdom:
The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise.

Understanding:
Being able to make sense of somethign and comprehend what is happening around us

Counsel:
Advice, to give or recieve advice

Fortitude:
Courage in pain or adversity: "she endured her illness with great fortitude".

Knowledge:
Information and skills acquired through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.

Piety:
The quality of being religious or reverent. The quality of being dutiful.

Fear of the lord:
Undertanading of the power of god.

The Gifts and Fruits of The Holy Spirit

Gifts: top
Fruits: bottom

Tuesday 14 May 2013

The Baptismal Ceremony

Sign of the Cross
Usually when you enter the church the priest will trace the cross on the forehead of your baby and invite the parents and godparents to do the same. The cross is a reminder of the love of Christ who gave his life for his friends.

Baptismal Promises
You will gather around the baptismal font - a large bowl, usually of stone or marble or glass holding the waters of baptism. Usually the mother holds the child. The celebrant asks the parents what they want for the child. You reply, 'Baptism.' Then you make the baptismal promises on behalf of your child.
These promises are based on the Apostles Creed.

Anointing
The celebrant anoints your baby with oil on the forehead and on the chest. He anoints the baby with the Oil of Baptism (Catechumens) and with the Oil of Chrism. The Oil of Baptism is olive oil. It relates to the days when athletes used to rub oil into their bodies before events to strengthen them and make their skin more supple. It symbolises strengthening for the struggles of life ahead.

Baptism with Water
The priest pours water over the head of your baby (or immerses the baby in the water) and says "I baptise you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
The water is a sign of cleansing. The water symbolically washes the person being baptised of all sin.
It is also a sign of life. Without water nothing can grow. It is a sign of the new spiritual life into which the baptised person is entering.

Candle
As a sign of the new life a candle will be lit, usually from the Easter Candle which symbolises the light of Christ.
Usually the father of the child or a godparent will stand by the child and hold this candle.

White Garment
Your child is given a white garment as a sign of being clothed in Christ.
Your family might have a Christening gown that you want to use or a shawl. If you want to use this, then let the priest know beforehand.
People might like to use a baptismal gown, either a white stole, a white scapular or a white bib - perhaps one that you have made and bearing the sign of a cross.

Baptismal certificate and Baptismal register
At the end of the ceremony you will be asked to sign the parish Baptismal register and you will be given a Baptismal Certificate. You will want to keep the certificate carefully as it may be needed when you enrol your child in a catholic school



Wednesday 8 May 2013

The seven sacraments of the catholic church †

There are seven sacraments of the Catholic Church they are:

Baptism- The Sacrament of Baptism is the first step in a lifelong journey of commitment and discipleship.

Eucharist- The Eucharist, or Communion, is both a sacrifice and a meal. We believe in the real presence of Jesus, who died for our sins

Reconciliation-The Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as Penance, or Penance and Reconciliation) has three elements: conversion, confession and celebration. In it we find God's unconditional forgiveness; as a result we are called to forgive others.

Confirmation- Confirmation is a Catholic Sacrament of mature Christian commitment and a deepening of baptismal gifts.

Marriage- is a public sign that one gives oneself totally to this other person. It is also a public statement about God: the loving union of husband and wife speaks of family values and also God's values.

Holy Orders- The priest being ordained vows to lead other Catholics by bringing them the sacraments (especially the Eucharist), by proclaiming the Gospel, and by providing other means to holiness.

Anointing of the sick-The Catholic Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, formerly known as Last Rites or Extreme Unction, is a ritual of healing appropriate not only for physical but also for mental and spiritual sickness.

Thursday 2 May 2013

Tribal intiation cremonies

Do all ancient cultures have initiation ceremonies?
Many cultures practice or have practiced initiation rites, including the ancient Egyptian, the Hebraic/Jewish, the Babylonian, the Mayan, and the Norse cultures. The modern Japanese practice of Miyamairi is such as ceremony. In some, such evidence may be archaeological and descriptive in nature, rather than a modern practice. Mostly all acient cultures have intiation ceremonies.

Why do you think a variety of cultures used and even still use initiation ceremonies? it shows the group/tribe that the people entering are up for the job of being in the tribe. if they are worthy enough if they wsn tit enough.It also showspride in their tribe/group. Alot of young children enter a tribe because of their family.

Did any of the cultures have any similarities in their initiation ceremonies? Aboriginal tribe intiations are similar you must paint yourself and shwo a dance infront of everyone. Most of intiation cremonies ar etraditional and have traditional rituals including into the ceremony eg. dance, dress ect...

Give details?
A spiritual initiation rite normally implies the revelation of secrets spilling one anothers secrets.
Tribes often have initiations. The initiation done in the Bapedi tribe of South Africa is normally regarded as a stage where a boy is to be taught manhood and a girl to be taught womanhood. Initiation is considered necessary for the individual to be regarded as a full member of the tribe. Otherwise, the individual may not be allowed to participate in ceremonies or even in social ritual such as marriage. A man will not be allowed to marry or have any special relationship with a woman who did not go to an initiation, because she is not considered to be a woman.

Do any of these cultures still celebrate these ceremonies today?
mostly all of  these teibes exist and still do intiation cremies. Moslty in our countries.

Why do you think this is the case?
To keep their tradition and history still there. These people prbably still beleive in the strengths initiation can prepare you for to become a member of a pride. to become an adult.

Do all these cultures have initiation rituals/ceremonies that have a spiritual element to them?
Not all of them but alot of them revolve around god. or the god they belive in is the most powerful.
indian:
Diksa can be of various types, through the teacher's sight, touch, or word, with the purpose of purifying the disciple or student. translated as a "preparation or consecration for a religious ceremony", is giving of a mantra or an initiation by the guru in Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Diksa is given in a one-to-one ceremony, and typically includes the taking on of a serious spiritual discipline

aboriginal:  The ages of the person being initiated varies between language groups, but usually occur between the ages of 10 and 16 years of age. Only those boys and girls who had proven themselves worthy of the responsibility of adulthood mentally and physically are initiated.
During the ceremony everyone has a different role. The initiates are decorated with body paint and ornaments and are often given a permanent symbol on their bodies to show that they had been initiated into adult life. Initiated members would sometimes have a tooth removed, their ears or nose pierced or flesh cut with a particular sacred markings. Other members in the family would also carry special markings to commemorate the event. Special knowledge and skills are passed on through initiation ceremonies. These enable the new adult to function accordingly and in a new way within the language group.
         
inca:  Munay-Ki comes from a Quechua word that means ‘I love you.’ The Munay-Ki are the nine rites of initiation to become a person of wisdom and power who has accepted the stewardship for all creation. The nine rites are common to all shamanic traditions, even though they are expressed in different forms and styles in different cultures. They derive from the great initiations from the Hindus Valley that were brought to the Americas by the first medicine men and women who crossed the Baring Straights from Siberia during the glacial period some 30,000 years ago. These courageous travelers were the Laika, the Earthkeepers of old.