THIRD YEAR

Theme: The Church is the family of God; Jesus abides and works with us through the Church.

Recognize that during his Earthly life, Jesus gathered a community of followers.
Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God, invited his followers into it, and gave a model of life to follow.
Jesus selected the apostles and gave them special powers as the first leaders to serve his people.
When Jesus returned to his Father, he sent the Holy Spirit to be with his people and to continue his work.
The present-day Church is one-and-the-same with the faith community instituted by Christ which he commanded to spread the Good News.
Jesus is present in the Church through the Holy Spirit and the sacraments.
Priests and Bishops, as successors to the Apostles, are the leaders of God's people whom Jesus has called, today.

Jesus Preaching (Matthew 4:23-25).
Parables of the Kingdom (Matthew 12:1-53).
Stories of Cures.
Call to Goodness (Luke 6:39-49); Call to Repentance (Mark 1:14-15); Call of Christians (1 Corinthians 1:26-31).
Call of the Twelve Apostles (Mark 3:13-19; Luke 5:1-11); Mission of the Twelve (Matthew 18:16-20); Binding and Losing (Matthew 16:3-20); Easter Night (John 20:19-23).
Ascension (Luke 24:44-53; Mark 16:19-20).
Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13); Holy Spirit in the Church (Acts 9:31); Promise of the Spirit (John 14:25-26).
Story of Nicodemus (John 3); Baptism (Acts 2:36-41).
Eucharist (1 Corinthians 10:16-17); Multiplication of Loaves (Mark 6:34-44).
Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-30); Fraternal Correction (Matthew 18:15-18).

Sign of the Cross, Our Father, Hail Mary, Blessing Before and After Meals, a Morning Offering, an Act of Contrition, and an Act of Faith.
Experience formal and spontaneous prayer situations.
Recite and/or sing selected communal prayers and responses of the Mass: Penitential Rite, Response to Readings, Gospel Acclamation, Sanctus, Eucharistic Acclamation, Lamb of God, and the Great Amen.
Experience brief silent meditation.
Experience such devotions as prayer to Mary and patron saints or important saints on their feast days.
Pray that all will be guided in the choice of vocation.

Experience paraliturgies on forgiveness/reconciliation-- the call from God and our response.
Experience communal celebration and personal reception of the Sacrament of Penance.
Familiarity and comfort with a procedure of individual reception of Confession according to his/her ability and moral development.
Actively participate in the Mass.
Recognize vestments, chalice, and ciborium.
Describe through verbal and/or artistic forms of creative expression something of the significance of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, Annunciation, Immaculate Conception, and feasts of important saints.

Realize that through Baptism God calls people to a new life in the Spirit.
Realize that members of God's family are called to work with Him to extend His love throughout Creation.
Give examples of behaviors which do not conform with God's Law of Love and which require that we ask forgiveness or render pardon.
Express verbally and/or in artistic forms of creative expression examples of Jesus' healing and loving care, relating Jesus' forgiveness to a deepening understanding of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Last Updated October 25, 1997 by Fr. Joseph Jenkins