Marriage
The Four F’s: Fruitful, Freely, Faithful, and ___.
Fruitful, Freely, Faithful, and Fully
A priest acts in persona _____, meaning “in the person of Christ”
Christi.
What is Celibacy?
Celibacy is the voluntary choice to abstain from sexual relationships and marriage, often made for religious reasons in order to dedicate one’s life more fully to God and service to others.
Who calls you to a vocation?
God calls you to a vocation.
What is a consecrated life?
Dedicating your life to God.
Who is the authority of the marriage?
The husband and wife.
How can people be called to priesthood?
A call to the priesthood is not only a career decision; it is regarded as a vocational, spiritual calling from God (a vocation).
True or False: Celibacy reflects Christ’s total self-giving.
True.
What is a vocation?
A vocation is a calling from God.
Who might live a consecrated life?
Priests, Sisters, Monks, or Nuns.
What is the spousal analogy?
Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church.
How long do you have to be in the faith before becoming a priest?
5 years.
Why does celibacy point towards heaven?
In Heaven, there is no marriage; celibacy reflects this eternal union with God and shows that true fulfillment comes from Him.
What are the four vocations in the Catholic Church?
Marriage, priesthood, consecrated life, and the single life.
What does living a consecrated life look like?
Intentionally not conforming to worldly, social media, or cultural pressures, allowing one's actions to reflect a higher purpose.
What is the meaning of submission?
To come under the mission of the husband.
What is laicization and who can determine who gets laicized?
When a priest is instructed to not practice as a priest. It is determined by the head of the religious order.
What does it mean to live celibately “for the sake of the Kingdom”?
It means renouncing marriage and sexual relationships to devote one’s life completely to God and His Church, pointing to the eternal reality of Heaven.
Define discernment.
Perception in the absence of judgment with a view to obtaining spiritual guidance and understanding.
What’s the difference between a sister/brother and a nun/monk?
→ Sisters and brothers serve actively in the world.
→ Nuns and monks live in monasteries, focused on prayer.
What should we take away from Ephesians 5?
The love between Christ and the Church is an analogy for the love between husbands and wives.
What are the 2 types of priests and what are the differences between them?
→ Secular and Religious
→ Secular: bound to a diocese, obedience is promised to the bishop
→ Bound to a religious order, obedience is promised to the head of the order
How does celibacy make visible the “spousal meaning of the body”?
Even without a spouse, a celibate person can fully give themselves to God and others in love, showing that the purpose of human sexuality is self-giving.
Name the St. Ignatius of Loyola discernment steps.
Call the decision to mind (in prayer)
Pray for the grace to not have a personal preference
Pray for God’s enlightenment
Imagine meeting a stranger in the same situation. What advice would you give them?
Imagine yourself meeting Christ at your Particular Judgement. How would you feel about your decision at that moment? What would you say to Christ about the decision?
At this point, if we have not experienced clarity about the decision, St. Ignatius suggests making a pros and cons list. In considering these pros and cons, we should reflect on which reasons stand out to us and why.
Once we have made a decision, we should give it a few days (or longer) while maintaining a habit of prayer. If it is the right decision, we will usually experience a sense of peace.
Refrain from pleasure to remember better.
What is secular consecration?
It is when a person lives a consecrated life fully dedicated to God while remaining in the world, rather than in a monastery or convent.