Strand: Church and Tradition (CTFE1)
Foundation
The church community gathers in many places and ways to celebrate faith and share God’s love.
Explore various prayer gatherings as expressions and celebrations of being Church.
Elaborations
In common Christian usage, the term Church is used for Catholic Christians in three related ways:
- The entire people of God throughout the world.
- The diocese, which is also known as the local Church.
- The assembly of believers gathered for celebration of the liturgy, especially the Eucharist.
Officially to be a member of The [Catholic] Church requires baptism. The Church invites all people of good will to express their faith and/or search for meaning through word and action.
Gathering for formal prayer has for Christians historically and almost exclusively taken place in a church. While this practice continues the building of The Church is no longer the exclusive place for the people of faith to express themselves as Church ‘for where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.’ (Matt 18:20).
Different examples of prayer gatherings include:
Mass; prayer in The Church; sacramental celebrations; whole school prayer; class prayer; prayer in nature; taking part in the singing Christmas carols etc.