Today is the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE
Starting on Sunday, February 6th Mass at 1:30pm will be celebrated at St. Rose of Lima.
FAMILY UPDATES
Moms Group: this Thursday, Jan 27th 10:00-11:00 (St. Rose Hall)
This week's discussion topic: finding the purpose in suffering--coffee, snacks, faith sharing conversation, and toys for the kids!
February Family Event: Join us for Valentine's Day crafts, coffee, and donuts in the St. Rose Hall following the 9:30 mass on February 6th!
February Family Event: Join us for Valentine's Day crafts, coffee, and donuts in the St. Rose Hall following the 9:30 mass on February 6th!
Volunteers Needed:
Bus Drop-off: Seeking volunteers to chaperone kids who take the bus to St. Agnes for class on Mondays/Tuesdays. No teaching involved (Mondays, 3:10-3:45 and Tuesdays, 3:15-4:00).
1st Grade Teachers: Seeking teachers for Sundays, 1:30-3:00 (St. Rose) and Mondays, 3:45-5:00 (St. Agnes). All teaching materials provided.
1st Grade Teachers: Seeking teachers for Sundays, 1:30-3:00 (St. Rose) and Mondays, 3:45-5:00 (St. Agnes). All teaching materials provided.
REGINA CAELI ACADEMY
Regina Caeli Academy rcahybrid.org A much needed option for authentic Catholic formation in our area! Now Accepting Applications at the Northern Massachusetts Center for Fall 2022. Our Winter Touring Event will be held at 1pm on January 24th! Regina Caeli is a private, independent, University-Style Hybrid® academy operating in the Catholic tradition. RCA has over 20 centers in 16 states, and has been successfully forming children in virtue and character for nearly 20 years. The Northern Massachusetts center offers accredited, classical academic and extracurricular instruction for preschool to 12th grade students with two full days of dynamic socratic class- room tutoring per week. The parent remains the primary educator by following the plans provided by RCA at home the rest of the week. Tutoring is held on Mondays and Thursdays, 9-3:30pm at All Saints Parish in Haverhill, MA. To learn more, contact Mrs. Rebecca Casey at (978) 228-3244 or rcasey.nma@rcahybrid.org, schedule a tour apply now rcahybrid.org/admissions/apply-now https://www.facebook.com/trainingthemindtoformthesoul
THE ORIGIN OF THE CREED
By Father Larry Rice
If you ask most people what the longest prayer is that they pray at a Catholic Mass, most will probably respond with the Creed. The only problem with that answer is that the Creed isn’t really a prayer.
The Creed, after all, isn’t addressed to God. It’s a statement of beliefs which we recite together as an expression of our unity in the faith. It may be spoken reverently or even prayerfully, but that doesn’t in itself make it a prayer.
So: where does the Creed come from? As a summary of the most central Christian doctrines, it arose from times when those beliefs were in question– when various factions held different theological positions. The older version of the Creed is the Apostle’s Creed, which traces its origin to the 4th Century. Although legend says that the Apostle’s Creed was penned by the Apostles themselves, the earliest evidence we have is a letter from St. Ambrose, after the Council of Milan.
The creed we use most frequently at Mass is the Nicean Creed. Although it’s origins at the Council of Nicea in 325 place it in the same century as the Apostle’s creed, the Nicean creed is longer, and more explicity defines what we believe about the human and divine natures of Jesus Christ. This was in reaction to the Arian heresy, which denied Christ’s divinity, The version of the Nicean Creed we use today includes additions made at the Council of Constantinople in the year 381.
The Creed was further revised based on other theological controversies. In the late sixth Century, the Latin-speaking Churches of the west, under the banner of Rome, added the words “and the Son” to the phrase explaining the giving of the Holy Spirit. The Orthodox Churches of the East believe that the Holy Spirit is sent only from the Father. While this may seem like a minor point to most of us today, literal battles were fought over this “filioque” controversy.
When we recite the Creed at mass, we’re part of the Church’s long theological Tradition, re-affirming the results of centuries of theological study and debate that has helped us understand with ever-greater precision who God is, and what He has done for us.