Catholicism 101

Have you grown up Catholic but feel like you hardly know anything? Do you have a friend who wants to know more about the Catholic faith but isn’t necessarily interested in converting? Catholicism 101 is for you! Classes will meet on Tuesdays from 4:30-6pm in the Borders classroom starting January 24. Each class will cover basic Catholic topics, such as history, prayer, scripture, tradition, God, the Church, salvation, Sacraments, morality, Mary & the Saints, and more! Everyone is welcome and there is no commitment necessary. Contact Grace Krause at [email protected] for more details.

Topics covered will include:
1/24/23 –  History
Where does Catholicism come from? What does the Catholic Church think about other religions and other Christian denominations? Why are we Catholic if Jesus was a Jew?

1/31/23 – Kerygma
If someone asked you what Christians believe, could you tell them in a few sentences? How do we summarize the Christian faith? What is the heart of the Gospel message?

2/7/23 – Prayer
What is prayer? Is prayer necessary? How do I pray?

2/14/23 – God
Is it logical to believe in a God? How do we know? Is the Christian understanding of God different than in other religions?

2/28/23 – Creation & Fall
What are human beings made for and why are so many of us unhappy? Do Catholics take the creation stories in Genesis literally? Why are we punished for what Adam & Eve supposedly did?

3/7/23 – Jesus & Salvation
Why should Jesus be important in my life today? Do I have to believe that Jesus is God in order to be a Christian? How do I know that I will go to heaven? Will everyone be saved? Do Catholics really believe in Hell and Purgatory? Is Baptism necessary? Why do Catholics baptize infants if they can’t even decide for themselves?

3/21/23 – Holy Spirit & Church
Who is the Holy Spirit? Do Catholics do all that weird stuff like praying in tongues and prophesying? If the Holy Spirit speaks to each Christian, why do I need the Church? Why should I even join a Church if other Christians (and Christian leaders) can be so corrupt?

3/28/23 – Authority: Scripture, Tradition, Magisterium
Can I even trust the Bible to be historically accurate? If Christians argue all the time about various passages of the Bible, how do I know who is right? Does it even matter what all I believe so long as I profess Jesus as my savior?

4/4/23 – The Mass
What is the Mass? Where does it come from? Do Catholics really believe that the Communion is Jesus’ Body and Blood? Is it even necessary to go to Mass on Sunday if I read the Bible and pray?

4/11/23 – Morality
Why do Catholics have so many rules? Shouldn’t I just be kind to people and otherwise leave them alone? Why are Catholics so obsessed with sexual morals? Aren’t these just rigid and repressive and contrary to human flourishing?

4/18/23 – Mary & Saints
Do Catholics worship Mary or the Saints? Isn’t that idolatry? Why do Catholics make such a big deal about Mary especially? How does a person get named a saint?

4/25/23 – Confession
Why do Catholics confess their sins to a priest? Can’t we just go to God? How does Confession work? What do priests think when they’re hearing confessions? Is confession good or bad for our psychological health? How do I avoid scrupulosity?