THE APOSTLE'S CREED: ARTICLE 3
a goddess.
“HE WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY
SPIRIT, AND BORN OF THE VIRGIN
MARY”
A CATECHIST'S PRAYER
LOVING FATHER, GIVER OF ALL THAT
IS, HELP ME TO REMEMBER THAT
EVERY GIFT I HAVE COMES FROM YOU.
EXPAND MY VISION SO THAT I CAN
APPRECIATE YOUR GOODNESS IN THE
WORLD AROUND ME.
JESUS, REDEEMER, YOU ARE THE
PATH TO THE TREASURES OF MY
HEART AND SOUL. STRENGTHEN MY
COMMITMENT TO BE A CATECHIST AND
DEEPEN MY CAPACITY TO SHARE
YOUR TRUTH WITH THOSE IN MY CARE.
HOLY SPIRIT, LOVE DIVINE, ALL LIFE
AND ENERGY FLOWS FROM YOU.
ILLUMINATE MY THOUGHTS AND
INTENSIFY MY DESIRE TO GROW EVER
DEEPER IN MY FAITH.
I LIFT UP MY PRAYER TO YOU, GOD -
FATHER, SON, AND SPIRIT - IN
HUMILITY AND HOPE. AMEN.
THREE PARTS OF THE 3RD ARTICLE
1. The Four Marian Dogmas
2. Jesus' Early Life
3. Jesus' Public Ministry
Dogma: is a doctrine of faith officially
declared by the Church, which every
Catholic must believe.
The Four Marian Dogmas
1. Mary, Mother of God
2. The Perpetual Virginity
3. The Immaculate Conception
4. The Assumption
MARY, MOTHER OF GOD
- The first Marian Dogma, defined by the
Council of Ephesus in 431 AD, declares that
the Virgin Mary is the Mother of God, or in
Greek - "Theotokos". The solemnity is
celebrated on January 1.
- The reason of the dogma is this: Mary is
the Mother of Jesus; Jesus is God:
therefore, Mary is the Mother of God. To be
precise, MARY IS THE MOTHER OF THE
INCARNATE SON OF GOD, and she is not
BIBLICAL PROOFS OF THE FIRST
DOGMA
1. The Annunciation: Gabriel said to Mary:
"You will conceive ... the Son of the Most
High" (Luke 1:31-32). Since Mary is the
mother of Jesus; Jesus is God: therefore,
she can be called Mother of God.
2. The Visitation: Elizabeth exclaimed:
"How does this happen that THE MOTHER
OF MY LORD should come to me?" (Luke
1:43). The title "Lord", or Kyrios in Greek, is
applied only for God.
HISTORY OF THE FIRST DOGMA
- The First Dogma was defined by the
Council of Ephesus in 431 AD. It was
declared against the heresy of Nestorius,
Patriarch of Constantinople, who had
objected that Mary should be called "Mother
of Christ" (Christototokos) and not "Mother
of God" (Theotokos)
- The Dogmatic definition declared: "If
somebody does not believe that the
Immanuel is God, and that therefore the
Holy Virgin is Theotokos, since she
generated in the flesh the Word who is God,
be excommunicated."
THE PERPETUAL VIRGINITY
- The Dogma of the Perpetual Virginity of
Mary, solemnly defined by the council of
Nicea (325 AD), states that she remained
virgin her whole life.
- Aeiparthenos - Greek term which means
"Ever-virgin"
- This implies that Mary remained virgin
before, during, and after the birth of Christ.
Who are the "Brothers and Sisters" of
Jesus?
- The "brothers and sisters" of Jesus (Mark
3:32), mentioned in the Gospel are not
children of Mary, but her relatives.
- Adelphoi - Greek word that could mean
"brothers", or "relatives", or "community
members".
- If Jesus had real brothers and sisters, from
the cross he should have entrusted Mary to
them, and not to St. John.
THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
- The Dogma of the Immaculate Conception
says that the Virgin Mary was conceived
without the Original Sin, and remained
sinless for her whole life.
- It was solemnly declared by Pope Pius IX
on December 8, 1854, with the bull
Ineffabilis Deus.
- The title Immaculate derives from the Latin
words IN and MACULA, meaning
"WITHOUT STAIN"
- We celebrate the Immaculate Conception
on December 8, exactly nine months before
the Nativity of Mary (September 8)
3 COMMON ERRORS ABOUT
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
1. Mary is Immaculate because she was
conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
- The truth is that Mary was conceived in a
natural manner by her parents, Joachim and
Anne, but without the stain of the Original
Sin.
2. Mary is Immaculate because she is a
virgin
- Indeed, the fact that Mary is Immaculate
has nothing to do with her virginity, lest we
consider the natural intercourse between
husband and wife a sin.
3. Mary is immaculate; therefore, she did
not need a Savior
- In truth, all men need to be saved by
Jesus; but in the case of Mary, salvation
was anticipated to her conception, so that
Jesus Christ could be born from a sinless
and perfectly pure mother.
BIBLICAL PROOFS OF THE
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY
- Genesis 3:15: "I WILL PUT ENMITY
BETWEEN YOU AND THE WOMAN". This
affirms the incompatibility between Satan
(sin) and Mary.
- Luke 1:28: "Hail Mary, full of Grace, the
Lord is with you" (Luke 1:28). Being full of
the grace of God, she was immune from
any stain of sin.
THE HISTORY OF THE DOGMA OF THE
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
- In the middle ages, there was a theological
debate between the Dominicans and the
Franciscans, whether Mary was conceived
immaculate.
- In 1476, Sixtus IV established the liturgical
feast of the Immaculate Conception on
December 8; in 1854, Pius IX officially
proclaimed the Dogma of the Immaculate
Conception with the constitution Ineffabilis
Deus.
- Four years later, on February 1858, during
the apparitions in Lourdes, Mary said to St.
Bernadette Soubirous: "I am the Immaculate
Conception."
THE ASSUMPTION
-The Dogma of the Assumption of Mary
states: "The Virgin Mary, having completed
the course of her earthly life, was assumed
body and soul into heavenly glory."
- It was declared by Pius XII on November
1, 1950, with the bull Munificentissimus
Deus, and the solemnity is on August 15.
- The Assumption of Mary is different from
the Ascension of Jesus: she was taken up
into Heaven by God; whereas Christ
ascended by his own power.
PROOFS:
- Revelation 12:1: "A great sign appeared in
the sky: A woman clothed with the sun, with
the moon under her feet, and on her head a
crown of twelve stars."
- She is crowned with 12 stars, representing
the 12 apostles, because she is the Mother
of the Church.
- She is clothed with the sun, representing
the Holy Spirit.
- She has the moon under her feet because
she reflects like the moon the love of God.
The dogma does not specify whether the
Virgin Mary died or fell asleep. There are
two traditions on the matter.
1. The Ephesus Tradition: The Virgin Mary
did not die but simply fell asleep at
Ephesus. This is known as the Dormitio
Mariae.
2. The Jerusalem Tradition: In jerusalem
the Virgin Mary died and was buried. Three
days later, they found the tomb completely
empty and they realized that she was
assumed body and soul to Paradise.
THE PROPOSED FIFTH MARIAN DOGMA
- The proposed Fifth Marian Dogma is
defined in these terms: "Mary is the Co-
redemptrix, the Mediatrix of all graces, and
the Advocate." So far no official approval
has been given by the Church.stand on the
issue.
- Paul VI said that Mary is Advocate and
Mediatrix, but refused to add the qualifier "of
all graces."
-Blessed John Paul II used the title Co-
redemptrix and Mother of the Redeemer,
but refused any dogmatic definition.
- Benedict XVI did not make any official
declaration, indicating that more time and
prayers are needed before the church could
take a definite stand on the issue.
THE BAPTISM AT THE JORDAN: At 30,
Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan
(cf. Mark 1:4-11). The feast day is on the
Sunday after Epiphany.
THE TEMPTATIONS OF CHRIST: After his
Baptism, Jesus was tempted for 40 days by
the Devil. (cf. Matthew 4:1-11). We
commemorate those 40 days during Lent.

THE CALLING OF THE APOSTLES: Jesus

JESUS' EARLY LIFE: ANNUNCIATION
AND VISITATION
-The life of Jesus is divided into three parts:
1. EARLY LIFE: from birth to the age of 30;
2. PUBLIC MINISTRY: from baptism till
Palm Sunday excluded;
3. PASCHAL MYSTERY: from Palm
Sunday to Ascension.
chose 12 disciples to become his apostles.
They ought to be 12, in correspondence
with the 12 tribes of Israel.
THE WEDDING AT CANA: The first miracle
of Jesus was to transform water into wine at
Cana, through the intercession of Mary (cf.
John 2:1-11)

THE TRANSFIGURATION: Jesus was

THE ANNUNCIATION: Gabriel announced transfigured on Mount Tabor, in Galilee, at
unto Mary that she would become the the presence of Peter, James and John (cf.
mother of the Messiah (cf. Luke 1:26-38); Mark 9:2-2). The feast day is on August 6.
The feast day is on March 25.

THE BEATITUDES: The summary of Jesus'

THE VISITATION: Mary visited her cousin preaching are the eight Beatitudes, which
Elizabeth at Ein Karem, and proclaimed the define the true Christians (cf. Matthew 5:1-
Magnificat (cf. Luke 1:41-56). The feast day 12)
is on May 31.

THE NATIVITY: In Bethlehem, Mary gave

birth to Jesus and laid him in a manger (cf.
Luke 2:1-14). The feast day is on December
25.

THE CIRCUMCISION AND NAMING OF

JESUS: Eight days after the Nativity, the
Holy Infant was circumcised and was
named Jesus (cf. Luke 2:21). The feast day
is on January 1.

THE PRESENTATION OF JESUS TO THE

TEMPLE: Forty days after Christmas, Jesus
was presented to the Temple of Jerusalem
(cf. Luke 2:21-35). The feast day is on
February 2.

THE FINDING OF JESUS IN THE

TEMPLE: When Jesus was 12 years old, he
was lost in Jerusalem. After three days he
was found him in the Temple (cf. Luke 2:42-
52)