Evangelium - Presenter's Guide

A Multimedia Course in the Catholic Faith Based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church

_________________________________________

PRESENTER’S GUIDE A step by step guide to presenting each session of the EVANGELIUM course to classes and small groups

CREED

SACRA MENTS

MORALS

PRAYER

Fr. Marcus Holden MA (Oxon), STL Archdiocese of Southwark

Fr. Andrew Pinsent MA (Oxon), DPhil, STB, PhL, PhD Diocese of Arundel and Brighton

Catholic Truth Society

Nihil obstat: Father Anton Cowan, Censor. Imprimatur: Rt. Rev. Alan Hopes,V.G., Auxiliary Bishop in Westminster, Westminster, 3rd July 2006, Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle. The Nihil obstat and Imprimatur are a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free from doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil obstat and Imprimatur agree with the contents, opinions or statements expressed.

Acknowledgements The authors extend their thanks to the Catholic Truth Society, especially the members of the editorial board and staff who encouraged the development of EVANGELIUM from a catechetical course delivered at the Venerable English College in Rome to a published product: the Rt Rev. Paul Hendricks, Mr Fergal Martin, Fr Peter Edwards, Ms Glynn Johnson, Mr Pierpaolo Finaldi, Mr Richard Brown and Mr Stephen Campbell. They also thank the professors of the Pontifical Gregorian University, in particular Fr Kevin Flannery SJ, Emeritus Dean of Philosophy, and Fr Joseph Carola SJ, Professor of Patristic Theology, for their detailed reviews of the theological and philosophical content. They express their gratitude to Fr Michel Remery, Fr Bruno Witchalls, Fr John Flynn, Fr Christopher Miller, Fr James Mackay, Fr David Charters, Mr Neil Brett, and the members of the ‘Bellarmine Project’ for their reviews and suggestions. The authors also acknowledge those who have encouraged, promoted and co-operated on this project in a multitude of ways, including the Most Rev. Raymond Burke, Fr Tim Finigan, Fr Mark Vickers, Fr Nicholas Schofield, Fr Richard Whinder, Fr Richard Biggerstaff, Fr Stephen Langridge and Prof. Eleonore Stump. The authors also thank their parents, John and Irene Holden and Charles and Teresa Pinsent, for their on-going moral support, prayers and advice.

Evangelium – Presenter’s Guide: All rights reserved. First published 2006 by the Incorporated Catholic Truth Society, 40-46 Harleyford Road, London SE11 5AY. Tel: 020 7640 0042; Fax: 020 7640 0046; www.cts-online.org.uk.

This edition published 2009 copyright © 2009 Marcus Holden and Andrew Pinsent.

ISBN: 978 1 86082 394 7 (CTS Code EV2) Other Evangelium Resources Evangelium Particpant’s Book, ISBN 978 1 86082 393 9; CTS Code EV1; Published 2006, revised 2009 Evangelium CDRom, CTS Code EV3; Published 2006, revised 2009

The publisher acknowledges permission to reproduce the following:- Cover: The Holy Trinity, 1420s (tempera on panel) by Andrei Rublev (c.1370-1430) Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia/Bridgeman, Baptism of Christ 1450s (tempera on panel) by Piero della Francesca, (c.1415-92) National Gallery, London, UK/Bridgeman, Moses with the Tablets of the Law (oil on canvas) by Guido Reni (1575-1642) Galleria Borghese, Rome, Italy Lauros/Giraudon, The Virgin in Prayer, 1640-50 (oil on canvas) by Il Sassoferrato (Giovanni Battista Salvi) (1609-85) National Gallery, London, UK/Bridgeman. (For those images where identifying copyright has been unsuccessful, the publisher would be grateful for information to trace copyright ownership).

Photographs on page vi are courtesy of Jerry Naunheim Photography, Saint Louis.

ii

Contents

CREED

SACRA MENTS

MORALSPRAYER

PRESENTER’S GUIDE

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... v The Meaning of Life............................................................................................................................. 1 Creation and Fall ................................................................................................................................... 3 Salvation History ................................................................................................................................... 5 The Incarnation..................................................................................................................................... 7 The Life of Christ ................................................................................................................................. 9 The Paschal Mystery ........................................................................................................................... 11 The Trinity ........................................................................................................................................... 13 The Church .......................................................................................................................................... 15 Scripture and Tradition ...................................................................................................................... 17 Mary and the Four Last Things ........................................................................................................... 19 Liturgy and Sacraments ...................................................................................................................... 21 Baptism and Confirmation ................................................................................................................ 23 The Eucharist ...................................................................................................................................... 25 Confession and Anointing................................................................................................................. 27 Marriage and Holy Orders................................................................................................................. 29 Moral Action........................................................................................................................................ 31 Natural Law and the Ten Commandments........................................................................................ 33 Grace and the Beatitudes ................................................................................................................... 35 Virtues and Vices ................................................................................................................................ 37 Christian Life in the World ............................................................................................................... 39 The Life of Prayer ............................................................................................................................... 41 The Lord’s Prayer ............................................................................................................................... 43 Praying the Mass ................................................................................................................................. 45 The Practice of Confession ............................................................................................................... 47 Catholic Devotions ............................................................................................................................. 49

iii

These pictures show the use of EVANGELIUM presentations to teach small groups the knowledge and love of the Catholic Faith.

This Presenter’s Guide should be used in conjunction with the following: EVANGELIUM CD

A self-starting CD with twenty-five PowerPoint Viewer© presentations, one for each teaching session.

EVANGELIUM Participant’s Book

A written description of the teaching content of the course.

Each participant should have one copy.

A computer able to run PowerPoint Viewer©

See the CD for details of system requirements, but most computers purchased in the past decade can run the version of PowerPoint Viewer© that is distributed free with the CD.

A Prayer for Presenters and Participants As the final goal of Christian teaching is to know and love God, it is good to ask for God’s help when preparing to teach or beginning a teaching session. The following short prayer was written by St Thomas Aquinas, one of the greatest theologians and Doctors of the Church, who always prayed before study.

Bestow upon me, O God, an understanding that knows you, wisdom in finding you, a way of life that is pleasing to you, perseverance that faithfully waits for you, and confidence that I shall embrace you at the last. Amen. iv

Introduction

CREED

SACRA MENTS

MORALSPRAYER

PRESENTER’S GUIDE Welcome to the second edition of the EVANGELIUM course, which shares the riches of Catholic faith and life in a straightforward, precise and beautiful manner. This Presenter’s Guide is to assist those who are presenting the course to classes or small groups. The guide may also assist those who are using the course materials to teach themselves.

The EVANGELIUM course uses computer technology to present the truths of the Catholic Faith in a visual manner, combining contemporary display capabilities with a rich tradition of Christian art. The course uses the popular programme Microsoft PowerPoint©, but presenters using PCs do not need to purchase a copy of this programme. A version that is suitable for displaying the presentations, PowerPoint Viewer©, is distributed free with the EVANGELIUM CD. See the CD for details of the operating system requirements, but most PCs purchased in the last decade should have no difficulty running the supplied version of PowerPoint Viewer©.

The presentations also run on Mac computers which have Office Mac 2008.

This Presenter’s Guide provides two practical benefits. First, on the following two pages, the guide provides straightforward instructions for setting up and running a presentation. Second and most important, the guide gives practical assistance to help teach each presentation in an effective manner. The introduction (pages viii – x) explains how to use pictures, definitions and summary activities as teaching tools. The main body of the document (pages 1 – 50) gives detailed teaching notes for every presentation, two pages per presentation. The first of these pages suggests questions and teaching points to use when presenting the slides. The second of these pages anticipates some of the thoughtful questions that people tend to ask about these subjects, or that presenters might like to ask participants to stimulate discussion.

As in the Participant’s Book, the Presenter’s Guide lists references to further reading from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (labelled “ccc.”) and the Compendium of the Catechism. The Catholic Encyclopaedia, available on the Internet, may also be helpful.

If you have any questions, suggestions for improving the course or developing new products, please do not hesitate to contact the EVANGELIUM project team. Our prayer is that this course will be of assistance to a great many people in achieving the true purpose of life: to prepare for heaven, to become saints and to see God face to face.

Fr Marcus Holden and Fr Andrew Pinsent www.evangelium.co.uk v

Connecting a laptop to an external display device for teaching on a large screen When presenting EVANGELIUM to groups of students, the PowerPoint© sessions that accompany the course are best viewed on a large screen. A typical setup, shown below, is to connect a laptop running the PowerPoint© sessions to an external display device. This external display device is typically a PC projector which projects an image of the computer display onto a large surface such as a wall or blank screen.

1. Standard equipment required: (A) a laptop; (B) the EVANGELIUM CD; (C) the cable from the PC projector or other external display device (not shown); (D) a cordless pointer for controlling the presentation.

2. Plug the cable from the PC projector, or other external display device, into the matching port on the laptop. Switch on the external display device and switch on the laptop.

3. The laptop may detect automatically the external device. If not, on most laptops one uses the ‘Fn’ key and a key marked ‘CRT/LCD’ (and/or with a little picture of a monitor) to turn the display on manually.

4. While not essential, a cordless pointer (such as the Logitech© shown here) is useful for controlling the presentation while standing or walking around. The main button advances the PowerPoint© slides.

5. Plug the receiver from the cordless pointer into the laptop and switch on the pointer.

6. Insert the EVANGELIUM CD into the laptop and go to the instructions on the next page. vi

Running the PowerPoint© Presentations EVANGELIUM presentations run like any PowerPoint Viewer© presentation and are very straightforward to operate. For further information on the details of PowerPoint©, consult Microsoft help resources.

Loading a Presentation

The CD should load automatically and display the table above. Use the computer’s mouse to select a presentation and click on the presentation to begin.

If the CD does not load, go to ‘My Computer’ and double-click on the “EVANGELIUM_2009” CD icon. Alternatively, find the file on the CD itself (above) and double-click the “PPTVIEW.EXE” file (arrow) or one of the specific presentation files.

________________________________________ Running a Presentation using Keys on the Computer Keyboard Go to the next slide:

Page Dn

or

Go to the previous slide:

Page Up

or

Go to the last slide:

→ ←

End

Go to the first slide:

Home Right-click on the mouse and select ‘Go to slide [name]’

Go to any slide: End presentation:

Esc

vii

Using the Works of Art on the EVANGELIUM slides as a Teaching Tool Each EVANGELIUM presentation uses many works of art as teaching tools. For many pictures, labels are also provided that highlight some of the theological meaning of the painting. The example sequence of slides shown below illustrates how these works and their labels can be used to enhance teaching.

First slide: the picture is shown without labels Ask the participants what is happening and whether they can see any symbols that illustrate the themes of the current session.

In this picture of The Annunciation, one could ask, for example, who the two principal figures are in the foreground of the painting and whether there are any symbols of the Trinity in the picture.

Second slide: the picture is shown with labels The labels give names and brief explanations of some of the symbols in the picture. A follow-up question might be to ask why these symbols are appropriate for what they symbolise.

The names of Gabriel, Mary and the symbols of the Trinity are indicated in this example.

A third slide (some pictures): additional details are shown For some pictures, still more details are indicated on one or more further slides.

The background drama is highlighted in this example, namely the expulsion from Eden. This detail provides the opportunity to connect the material of the current session on the Incarnation to a previous session, the Creation and Fall.

Going through the presentation before teaching is worthwhile in order to know what kind of features to discuss in each painting. Furthermore, be aware that the labels only give a few of the most important details of each picture. Either you or the participants may spot many other details that the artist has included. viii

Using the Definitions on the EVANGELIUM slides as a Teaching Tool Each EVANGELIUM presentation contains definitions and short descriptions, the words of which have been chosen carefully to communicate essential truths in a brief and precise way. The following example shows some ways to teach these definitions and descriptions to participants in a more effective manner.

1. The definition Display the slide and ask one of the participants to read the definition to the group.

In this example, the definition is that of Baptism, from the session Baptism and Confirmation.

2. What the definition says To encourage them to think about the definition, ask the participants to identify the different parts of the definition using their own words, helping them with questions if necessary.

In this example, you could ask, “What does the first sentence say that Baptism is and what Baptism does?”

The answer is that Baptism is a sacrament and that it makes a person a Christian.

Note that the red lines shown in this example are for illustration purposes: they do not appear on the slides.

You could also ask, “What are the effects of Baptism, according to the second sentence?” The answers could be expressed as: (i) freedom from Original Sin; (ii) adoption as a child of God; (iii) becoming a member of the Church.

3. Why the definition says what it says To help the participants to grasp the meaning and implications of the definition more deeply, ask questions that help them to see why the definition says what it says. You could ask, for example, why Baptism is different from a ‘naming-ceremony’ for babies, according to this definition. One answer is that a ‘naming-ceremony’ does not cause any of the effects of Baptism that they have found in this definition, such as becoming a child of God. You could also ask what is implied by describing Baptism as a sacrament, recalling the definition of a sacrament in the session Liturgy and Sacraments. Questions such as these also help participants to see how different aspects of the faith are interconnected.

ix

Using the Summary Activities to Reinforce Learning from EVANGELIUM Each part of an EVANGELIUM presentation concludes with four sets of brief, optional summary activities to reinforce learning. This variety provides a range of activities appropriate for a range of different groups.

A first slide presents the options: click on one of the boxes with the mouse or simply go through the subsequent slides until reaching the option required.

A second slide presents a brief summary of the previous part of the session. Ask participants to read out the key points and ask what else they recall.

A third slide asks a question with several answers.

Third slide continued. The box is removed to reveal the Ask the participants to recall some answers. If one of correct answer (note: to know which box to click, these answers is correct, click on the appropriate box. you need to check where the answers are in advance).

A fourth slide presents some topics for brief discussion. Note that some of these may discussions may require reading resources, such as a Bible.

A fifth slide proposes some practical activities, such as reading or examining pictures or objects. In some cases, activities may require some simple resources.

There is a prayer of St Thomas Aquinas in the introduction to the Participant’s Book (p. vii) and another prayer on the concluding slide of each presentation. It is a good practice to begin and end a teaching session by praying these prayers with the participants. x

The Meaning of Life

CREED

PRESENTER’S GUIDE Preparation You may wish to read questions 1-5 of the Compendium. You can find additional information in the Catechism ccc. 27-43 covering: (i) the desire for God (ccc. 27-30); (ii) ways of coming to know God (ccc. 31-35); (iii) the knowledge of God according to the Church (ccc. 36-38); (iv) how we can speak about God (ccc. 39-43).

AIM To know what is meant by God as a ‘First Cause’ and the link between God and human happiness.

Presentation Part 1: Why? Why? Explain to participants the significance of the opening image: the philosophers Plato and Aristotle asked the question ‘why?’ of many things, and these questions led them to infer the existence of God. Point out that what keeps many people from thinking about God or considering the claims of Christianity is not any kind of reasoned decision, but the habit of merely living without asking why. So encourage them to think often about the ‘why’ questions themselves, such as, “Why are we here? What is the purpose of our lives?” The truths of the Catholic faith can meet any challenge from the why’s of philosophical inquiry.

What is the ‘first be-cause’? Mention that many philosophers have given arguments for the existence of God. Nevertheless, few people come to believe in God by arguments alone. Ask someone to read the text of St Augustine (third slide) and explain that belief in a Creator comes more often from a sense of underlying order and beauty in creation (even if creation, in its present state, also contains some disorder and ugliness).

What is ‘God’? Add that most of the greatest thinkers of philosophy, such as Plato and Aristotle, and most principal scientists of recent centuries, have inferred that there is a God. Sir Isaac Newton wrote, for example, “It is allowed by all that the supreme God exists necessarily; and by the same necessity he exists always and everywhere.” (Principia Mathematica, General Scholium). Point out, nevertheless, that it is hard to go beyond affirming God’s existence by unaided human reason. It is hard, for example, to say much about what God is, how God is related to us and why God created us. Answering such questions adequately requires God’s revelation.

What does creation teach us about God? Note that this section lists things that human reason can infer about God without God’s special revelation: that God is one, distinct from creation, omnipotent and good.

Presentation Part 2: What are Human Beings?

What are Human Beings? Mention that there has been a great effort in recent years, in academia, the media and even the words of popular songs, to convince us that we are nothing but animals. Some rebuttals to this claim are given overleaf. Furthermore, the fact that we debate the nature of the human person also testifies to our uniqueness: non-human animals do not, apparently, debate whether they are different to us.

What do we want? Point out that the search for happiness is natural for human beings: advertising, for example, takes advantage of this desire. Ask them to think of some examples in which advertisers suggest – by names, phrases or images – that they can satisfy our desire for ultimate happiness. Ask them if they think such promises are credible. Ask them what they think happiness consists of. Be aware that, in responding to this question, most people cite goods linked to happiness, but have difficulty defining happiness itself.

Where is happiness found? Focus attention on the temporary and inadequate satisfactions of substitutes for happiness, such as money. Also point out that the desired goods of this life do not last long: we do not live happily ever after in this world, as reflected in these words from the liturgy of Ash Wednesday, “Remember you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.” Nevertheless, we can live with the hope of happiness from God. What does God offer us? Ask them to consider this painting, The Light of the World, which also appears later in the course. In this painting, Jesus is depicted knocking at a door covered with weeds. Ask them what they think the door represents. The answer is the human soul, which can only be opened from within. The implication is that God offers us friendship and happiness, but we can choose whether or not to respond.

1

Questions on the Meaning of Life QUESTION Can I ask difficult questions on issues regarding the Catholic faith?

Yes, it is good for both participants and teachers to ask all kinds of questions about the Catholic faith, as Jesus shows us in the Gospels, “After three days they found him [Jesus] in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers” (Lk 2:46-47).

Questioning is important because, as Jesus tells us, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field” (Mt 13:44).

In other words, we have to work to uncover the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, a task which in practice involves questioning and thinking through the implications of what God has revealed to us in our faith.

QUESTION Why do many people believe that God does not exist?

There can be many reasons why some people do not believe that God exists, but it is important to be clear on the following points. First, while it is true that many people do not believe in God, most people do, in fact, believe in God. Indeed, the very fact that the word ‘God’ has some kind of meaning in every major human language is indirect evidence that belief in God is natural for human beings. Second, the existence of God is not, as is sometimes implied, a belief held exclusively by childish or uneducated persons. Among the great philosophers, scientists, writers and artists whose works and writings affirm some kind of belief in God, one can include Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Dante, Descartes, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Kant, Newton, Cauchy, Newman, Einstein and Mendel. This list includes some of the most subtle and creative thinkers in human history, including pioneers of entire disciplines of science and some of the greatest artists.

Third, many philosophers, both ancient and modern, have offered arguments for the existence of God. Furthermore, many people who claim to be atheists, rejecting belief in God, nevertheless still believe in some kind of ‘first cause’. Either they claim that the universe is its own cause or that the universe is generated by some automatic or random process from a larger, invisible reality, such as a multiverse. In other words, many atheists propose an impersonal substitute for God rather than simply rejecting the existence of God outright.

Finally, a person’s choice about belief in God often has a moral aspect. For example, the character of Ivan Karamazov, in Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, contends that if there is no God, everything is permitted.

Disbelief in God might therefore be preferable to those wishing to be free of certain moral constraints.

QUESTION Hasn’t modern science shown that human beings are simply clever animals?

Modern science has not shown that human beings are simply clever animals, if, by ‘clever’, we mean that all the intellectual abilities of human beings are found in other animals in less developed forms. Indeed, the very existence of science witnesses to the uniqueness of human beings, since other animals lack science at all. One could point to an almost infinite variety of other unique human activities, such as Sunday dinners, painting the Sistine Chapel or flying to the moon, to highlight the extraordinary uniqueness of human beings. The philosopher Wittgenstein expressed the difference as follows: a dog knows its master, but a dog cannot know that its master is coming home the day after tomorrow. In other words, other animals lack the ability to think of concepts like ‘the day after tomorrow’ or the meaning of numbers or any abstract ideas (including an ‘abstract idea’ itself). So non-human animals do not have philosophy, ethics, science, literature or art.

Furthermore, as G. K. Chesterton pointed out (Everlasting Man, I.1), a bird can display great ingenuity in building a nest, but once the nest is built the bird is satisfied. The bird does not go on to develop architecture, art or to discuss the meaning of life. All non-human animals are satisfied to be what they are. The human person, by contrast, searches for ultimate happiness and remains discontent with any finite, created things alone.

Optional follow-up activities You may wish to invite the participants to complete one or more of the following themselves: (1) Read some of the sections of the Catechism on knowing God, especially ccc. 31-35 on ways of coming to know God. (2) Write down the reasons why they believe in God and why they think human beings are unique. (3) Find, read and pray through Romans 1:16-25 and Wisdom 13:1-19, which are about the knowledge of God from creation and false hopes of happiness from other things.

2