Full access is limited to those who have purchased Spirit of Truth, High School

Requested Access before? Click here to login before requesting again

Buy Now Request Access Live Tour

 
 
 

Lesson 12

The Offices of the Church

The three offices, or functions, of the Church are teaching, sanctifying, and governing.

Catechism Connections

Lesson Topics
Church Nature Church Structure Deposit of Faith
Essential Lessons

N/A

Lesson Vocabulary

  • Offices of the Church
    :
    (n.): Functions or responsibilities entrusted to the Church by Jesus. In her earthly dimension, she has three particular functions: teaching, sanctifying, and governing.
  • Ex Cathedra
    :
    (adv.): A phrase describing a pope’s definitive and infallible teaching as being given from his authority as the successor of St. Peter. Latin for “from the chair.”
  • Encyclical
    :
    (n.): A pastoral letter written by the pope and sent to the whole Church and even to the whole world, to express Church teaching on some important matter. Encyclicals are expressions of the ordinary papal Magisterium.
  • Indefectible
    :
    (adj.): Not subject to failure or decay. The Church is indefectible — she will endure until the end of time.
  • Hierarchy of Truths
    :
    (n.): The order (hierarchy) of the truths in Catholic doctrine, insofar as they vary in their relation to the central mystery and foundation of the Christian Faith, which is the mystery of the Holy Trinity. All the truths of the hierarchy are equally true.
  • Deposit of Faith
    :
    (n.): The full content of divine revelation communicated by Christ, contained in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, handed on in the Church from the time of the Apostles, and from which the Magisterium draws all that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed.
  • Precepts of the Church
    :
    (n.): The minimum requirement for Christian living. The precepts are: to attend Mass and to rest from servile work on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, to confess our sins to a priest at least once a year, to receive our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist at least once a year during the Easter season, to observe the days of abstinence and fasting, and to contribute to the support of the Church.
  • Sanctifying Grace
    :
    (n.): The free and undeserved gift of a share in God’s own life. It is a stable disposition, which means we remain in a state of grace unless we lose the divine life through mortal sin. We first receive sanctifying grace at Baptism, it is strengthened through the other Sacraments, and restored through the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.
  • Venial Sin
    :
    (n.): Less serious sin that hurts our relationship with God, but does not destroy it.
  • Mortal Sin
    :
    (n.): Serious sin we choose to commit even though we know it is wrong. Mortal sin completely separates us from God, destroys His divine life within us, and rejects His love for us.

    • Plan

    Vocabulary Review
    pdf
    Vocabulary Review Answer Key
    pdf
    Chapter Powerpoint
    pptx

    Teach

    The Baptism of Christ (17th Century)
    jpg
    "Living as the Image of God" Video

    Get Support for Your Classroom

    Getting Started

    Learn how to use Sophia Teachers curricula with our video guides

    Join a Webinar

    Join one of our monthly scheduled webinars to support your classroom

    Schedule a Call

    Get personalized support with one of our education support specialists

    ×
    Event: Registration and login form
    Forgot password?

    Enter Your Password

     
    Forgot password?