Ecumenical Councils of the Church and Vatican II

During the October Faith Formation session for adults, we were introduced to the history of the 21 ecumenical councils of the Catholic Church and Vatican II, the 21st and last council to date. We learned that the word "ecumenical" in this context derives its meaning from the Greek root, "oíkoumene," which means "inhabited world." For the Catholic Church, an ecumenical council is one that invites all of the Catholic bishops of the world together to deliberate, discuss, and discern solutions to problems or challenges that the Church is facing. 

Below, you will find links to a summary of the activity of the 21 ecumenical councils of the Catholic Church, a timeline of Vatican II, and a summary of the 16 documents of Vatican II. 

Creed

At the October Faith Formation sessions, we talked quite a bit about the Nicene Creed as the summary of the Catholic Church's Tradition. In the video linked below, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) offers a reflection on the Nicene Creed that helps us to examine how we live what we profess when we say the Creed. The video is part of a series about the United States Catholic Catechism. Creed, along with Sacraments, Morality, and Prayer are the four pillars around which the Catechism is organized. Please note that the video is a little older; the version of the Creed you will hear is the one that predates the 2012 version which we now use. The information is still timely. 

There are more videos and information about the Nicene Creed on the Desserts page for this month as well. 

saints 

In October, we look forward to the celebration of All Saints and All Souls Days in November. As the days grow shorter, the weather grows colder, and much of nature begins to go dormant, migrates to warmer climates, or prepares to hibernate for the winter. It is natural for our thoughts to turn to the "end times" of our lives. We remember fondly those who have gone to God before us, both those officially recognized as saints and those we believe to be with God. We reflect on and give thanks for their lives. We cherish the lessons they have taught us and the example they have set.

This month, on the Desserts page, we feature several articles and resources for learning more about the saints and how to celebrate them during this time of year. We must not lose sight of the fact that we are saints in the making ourselves! How are we preparing for life with God on the other side of death? What example of Christian living do we set for others? Below, we offer a short video reflection that helps parents and other adults talk to children about living saintly lives. 

pRay

Just as we ask our family and friends to pray for (and with) us, we can ask the saints to pray for and with us. Enjoy the reflection below.
Each month, the Pope chooses some prayer intentions for the whole Church to pray for. This month, he focuses on missionary discipleship, as we see in the short video linked below.