Canadian Martyrs/Saint Thomas Aquinas
1725 Oxford Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3H 3Z7
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: (902) 423-3057 | Fax: (902) 484-6944

Please sign up online or by phone at 423-3057 as soon as possible. The next course shall be put on in January 2008.

check out the Catholicism 201 site at www.catholicism201.ca

Description

Where did we ever get the idea that religious education is only for children? In this day and age Catholics need more than ever to be able to integrate intelligently their faith into their every day lives. This course has grown out of our experience of Alpha, after which many people said, "What next?" This programme was developed to cover the areas of our Catholic faith not covered by Alpha (hence Catholicism 201). You do not need to have taken the Alpha program to come and benefit from this experience.

Come to Saint Thomas Aquinas Church Hall and feed your mind as well as your heart as we explore the riches of our Catholic faith.

Never in the history of the Church has the laity been so well educated. At the same time, never in the history of the Church has their been such a poor understanding of the faith among Catholics. Join us for this eight week program that will deepen your understanding of, and love and commitment to the Catholic faith. All this and more, or your money back!

Each evening, beginning at 6:30 pm, will consist of four parts.
1. A shared meal.
2. A period of shared prayer.
3. A one hour presentation on some aspect of the Catholic faith.
4. Small group discussion followed by large group discussion.
All eight sessions will conclude by 9:30 pm.

Course Listing

The Church: One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic
What do these words of our Creed mean? What is unique about the Catholic understanding of the Church? What about the Pope, where does he fit? How does this effect my faith?

Sacraments, and Sacraments of Initiation
What is a Sacrament? How do we understand the Sacraments today? What does it mean to be a baptized believer? What is confirmation?

The Eucharist
A time to explore more deeply this central mystery of the Christian faith. We will look at Scripture and what the Church has taught down through the ages. How can I get more out of weekly Mass?

Sacraments of Healing
An exploration of the Sacraments of the Anointing of the Sick and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. How can these sacraments bring healing to my life?

Sacraments of Vocation
The Sacraments of Marriage and Holy Orders: What are they, how can they be lived today and how do they complement one another?

Mary and the Saints
What do Catholics really believe about Mary and the Saints? Why do we do what we do, and how can we explain this part of our faith to other Christians?

Christian Morality
How should we live? Is it all just a bunch of rules? What is sin, what is virtue? How do we develop and form our consciences?

The Thorny Issues
Don't believe everything the media tells you about the Catholic understanding of the tough issues: abortion, contraception, stem cell research, euthanasia, reproductive technologies, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, economics and social justice.