Notes

Samantha Famisaran
Mrs. Burke
Religion of the World 35 H
April 13 2018

Chapter 2 Questions
Catholicism in Canada p. 32-33
Q1. When did Catholicism arrive in Canada?
Catholicism arrived in Canada around 1604. This is when the first permanent French Catholic settled in ile-Sainte-Croix and Acadia (Annapolis Basin). However, it wasn’t until 1608 that Catholicism truly took root when Samuel de Champlain established à settlement at Quebec.

Q2. WHere do we find the greatest number of Catholics in Canada? Why?
The greatest number of Catholics in Canada is found in Quebec. The French Catholics first settled in Nova Scotia, and from there, they expanded east and north into what today are Quebec, Eastern Ontario, and Northern Ontario. À majority of the French Catholics stayed in Quebec, which influenced how it is now

Q5. Where did your ancestors come from? When did they arrive in Canada and where did they first settle? Why did they settle where they did?
My parents came from the Philippines. My dad arrived in Canada à few years ago for work, and came back to the Philippines in to help us immigrate to Canada. We settled in Calgary around November of 2013. We settled here because it was where my dad lived and it was close to his job.

The History of Catholicism p. 34-40
Q3. Explain how Christianity began
Christianity began after Jesus’s death. When Jesus was crucified, He was placed in à tomb. After three days, women that were Jesus’s followers went to visit Him to anoint his body, however, when they checked the tomb, it was empty. On that same day, Jesus appeared to his disciples. He wished them peace and asked to for food and ate with them. After His disciples experienced the risen Jesus, they realized that He was the Messiah sent by God. His disciples began to spread this message throughout Jerusalem, and soon in all the major cities of the Roman prayer. From their preaching, Christianity was born.

Sacraments p 41-45
Q1. Explain what liturgy is and why it is important.
Liturgy is a form of ritual where it celebrates the seven sacraments in Catholicism. It is important because Christians believe that God encounters them in the rituals of sacraments. The Church believes that these sacraments have their source in Jesus Christ. What Jesus did is at work for Christians today in the sacraments by the action of the Holy Spirit.

Q2. If you had to explain to someone what a sacrament is, how would you do it? How do sacraments connect someone with Jesus?
If I were to explain to someone what a sacrament is, I would say that a sacrament is a way for us to be closer to God and a guide for us to follow in His Footsteps. Sacraments can connect an individual with Jesus because it helps human lives become filled with the life of Christ. Christ’s love eventually becomes our love.

Q3. How can involving the mind, words, and body help people to find meaning in a ritual such as the liturgy?
During a liturgy, such as Mass, encourages our mind, words, and body to be involved in order to fully grasp the teachings of God. As we hear the teachings, like Gospels, we think about Jesus and try to think of ways we can incorporate His lessons into our daily life. For example, in the Eucharist, we are prompted to participate in receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. This can give meaning to an individual’s life to live their life to the fullest because they accepted Christ, and Christ accepted them.

The Liturgical Year p. 47-50
Q1. Explain how the Catholic Church marks time.
The Catholic Church marks time by using the Liturgical Year. This is the Christian calendar and is organized around the story of Jesus. It begins on the first Sunday of Advent. (the Sunday nearest November 30) The first great feast of the liturgical year is the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25. Throughout the year, Catholics remember the major events in Jesus’s life, and his death and resurrection. The end of the calendar leads Catholics out of time: last Sundays before Advent look forward to the second coming of Christ.

Q2. What is the main feast for Christians?
The main feast for Christians is Easter Sunday. This is because Christians saw the “first day of the week” -- Sunday, the day of Jesus’s resurrection as more important than the day when Jesus “rested” in the tomb. So, from then on, Christians began to celebrate His resurrection ever Sunday. Sunday is known as the “Lord’s Day”, and is the main marker of time for Christians.

Rituals and Community p. 52-58
Q2. How does the Eucharist make the community of the Church?
The Eucharist makes the community of the Church because even though Catholics often fail, they celebrate that God continues to form them into à community. The symbols of this unity are the bishops, especially the Bishop of Rome, who is the pope. The bishop oversees this gathering of all the believers into communion or community.

Q4. Have you ever been to an event that made you and the crowd feel like one big family? What did it feel like to be part of this community?
It wasn’t only an event, but it was a class of mine that I had in Grade 9. I felt like I belonged and it made me feel really good about myself. Maybe it was because I have known them since the start of Junior High, but either way, they felt like family. All of us would have a lot of fun and spent a lot of memories together. They were like a support system, people who I could go to when I was having a hard time, and that really comforted me.

Q5. How does your church or place of worship make you feel like part of a community? Is it the same kind of feeling you get when you attend a concert or a similar event?
I don’t normally go to church, but I sometimes attend a youth group that my best friend attends to. They make me feel like I’m welcomed and they aren’t judgemental. They often have special events and have games that have a deeper meaning and lesson in relation to God. I have never been to a concert, but in a way, I think that it has a similar feeling too.

Q1. Explain how the three parts of the Creed express belief in God.
“I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and Earth…” The first part of the creed expresses belief in God because we are pledging that God is our Father, who created Heaven and Earth, the maker of all things visible and invisible.
“I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord…” The second part of the creed expresses belief in God because we are pledging that he is the Word of the Father, the one through whom God is revealed. He is the full appearance of God. This is the heart of the Creed, and it sums up what the scriptures say about Jesus.
“I believe in the Holy Spirit…” The third part of the creed expresses belief in God because the Spirit is the bond of love between the Father and the Son. The Spirit is known as “the gift”. By pledging ourselves to the Spirit, we are also promising to respect, protect, and promote all living things.

Q3. Where do Catholics believe the Spirit is active?
Catholics believe that the Spirit is active within human hearts and acts in the rest of creation. Catholics call the Spirit “the Lord and giver of Life”. This is why the Spirit is also referred to as love, it is where love happens.

Q5. What are your faith beliefs? Try to sum them up in one or two sentences. What is at the centre of your beliefs?
I believe that you should do everything in the name of love. The centre of my beliefs is the prayer of St. Francis. I want to find happiness and be filled with so much love that I can’t help but keep on giving without feeling like it’s in vain.

Morality p.60
Activity 1.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
This reminds me of a person I know from the Youth group that I sometimes go to. They’re one of the leaders and their story is that during high school, they reached such a low point in their lives, environmentally and mentally. After realizing this, they finally reached out to God after several years of no spiritual connection. After opening themselves to Him consistently, their life became so much better and knows that without God, nothing is possible. They pray everyday, and they offer prayers for others too.

“Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
This reminds me of my grade 9 religion teacher. She lost one of her little boys, and she was mourning for a very long time. However, she stayed strong because she knew God was with her and had a huge support system from the people whom she loved.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
This reminds me of my significant other. Whenever he gets into arguments, or when he get into arguments, he is patient and is not easily-angered. Even though he has been through so much, he managed to control his emotions and accepted his faults and other people’s faults with great effort. He does not jump to conclusions and he is open to learning.

“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
To be honest, I have not yet met someone who matches this beatitude. People nowadays are too afraid to voice out their opinions, including me, and I think that’s unfortunate. I’ve only heard people voice out their opinions, but privately.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”
This reminds me of myself because even though people have done wrong to me, I still manage to forgive them because I always give them the benefit of the doubt. We are all human, meaning we will always make mistakes. It’s not worth it being mad at someone and having a grudge.

“Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.”
My mom is a good example of this beatitude because she always puts her family first before herself. She wants us to have a good quality of life and works really hard everyday to earn money. She also sends packages to her family back in the Philippines because she also wants them to have a good quality of life also. With all of this being said, she rarely asks for anything in return, and when she does, it’s for humour.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”
This reminds me of one of my aunts. When I visited my hometown in the Philippines, I witnessed my mom and my other aunt (oldest) having an argument. During that time, my aunt (youngest) was trying to make them make up again. She truly fits this description because she always wants to create peace and unity whenever there is chaos.

“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
This reminds me of my best friend. Whenever they talk to other people about God, they always stand by God’s laws and shows why they do. They believe in God and often spreads God’s teachings.

The Corporal Works of Mercy p.62
Activity 1.
In my old school, they used to have food and clothes drive where we bring canned food or clothes that we don’t use anymore so that we can send it to the homeless. There was also field trips to the Mustard Seed and the Drop-In centre. Here at Mary’s, in the morning, I saw several students helping out in the cafeteria by making sandwiches to give to the homeless too. What we can do to help is to participate and spread the word to encourage other people too.

Q2. Describe how rituals and liturgy are linked to morality.
Rituals do not only express people’s ultimate beliefs, but they also teach people how to act. Morality plays a key role in the rituals of a religion. Each religion follows à moral order that is special to that religion. The ritual or liturgical life of each religion shapes that religion’s moral teachings in a particular way.

Q5. God asks us to take care of the sick. How can you do this in your life?
In my life, I know a lot of people who are sick. Not specifically physical sickness, but mentally. I can help these people by reassuring them that they are not alone through what they are going through. I will be supportive and offer them my help whenever they need it. I will also be there for them when they need me the most.