Introduction to Catholic Worldview St Leos Catholic College

Introduction to Catholic Worldview St Leo’s Catholic College, Wahroonga 24 March 2006 Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

What is Catholic Worldview? Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

KWL Chart: Catholic Worldview What I already Know What I Want to know What I Learned How I can learn more Complete and share with a learning partner Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

What comes to mind when I see this word? CATHOLIC THINK – PAIR – SHARE Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

? ? ? CATHOLIC? ? ? ? Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

WORLDVIEW – a German word: Weltanschauung A worldview is the set of beliefs about fundamental aspects of reality that ground and influence all perceiving, thinking, knowing, and doing of a person or community. Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Elements of Weltanschauung are interconnected, interdependent and ‘non-linear’ How we know Right and wrong What is real Nature of world Worldview Meaning and purpose Nature of humanity The sacred Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Elements of any worldview are interconnected, interdependent and ‘non-linear’ • Epistemology: beliefs about the nature and sources of knowledge • Metaphysics: beliefs about the ultimate nature of reality • Cosmology: beliefs about the origins and nature of the universe, life, and especially humanity • Teleology: beliefs about the meaning and purpose of the universe, its inanimate elements, and its inhabitants • Theology: beliefs about the existence and nature of the divine or sacred • Anthropology: beliefs about the nature and purpose of humanity in general and, oneself in particular • Axiology: beliefs about the nature of value, what is good and bad, what is right and wrong. Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Elements of Weltanschauung are interconnected, interdependent and ‘non-linear’ Epistemology Axiology Metaphysics Cosmology Christian Worldview Teleology Anthropology Theology Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

An exercise • Name 5 synonyms for the word, ‘Worldview’ • Identify the strengths and limitations of each word Word Strength Limitation Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Being Catholic Today Bishop David Walker ‘Being Catholic is a personal and communal response to the love which God has manifested in Jesus, as it is perceived, proclaimed and lived by the Catholic Community in the light of its scriptural and historical traditions and its contemporary interpretation of them’ Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

The Catholic Worldview is a comprehensive perception of the universe, revealed to us in Jesus, that provides insights into the meaning of life and how to live it. The Catholic Worldview is experiencing life through the eyes of our Catholic faith. The Catholic Worldview perceives: 1. God as Trinity, a communion of Persons who love us and invite us to share in their divine life for all eternity 2. the action of the Spirit in the world, inviting and empowering all people to respond to the divine love 3. Jesus as God's Son, who saved us through his life, death and resurrection, and through whom we enter into the life of God 4. the meaning and purpose of life as grounded in God's love for us and our response as disciples of Jesus 5. the Church as the communion of disciples that makes present to the world the mystery of Jesus and, through its sacramental life, makes us part of that mystery 6. the presence of God in our daily life, in the Eucharist, in the Sacred Scriptures and in the living tradition of the Church 7. the cross of Jesus in the struggles and hardships of life and approaches them as Jesus did his cross, with trust and confidence in God 8. each human being as a unique person created in the image of God, having an inalienable dignity that is always to be respected 9. an imperative to proclaim to others the love we receive from Jesus, by loving them as Jesus loves us 10. an obligation to work to create social conditions in which the unique dignity of each person is respected and all human rights protected. 11. Broken Bay K-12 Religious Education Curriculum (2004) page 19 Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

A worldview is the set of beliefs about fundamental aspects of reality that ground and influence all perceiving, thinking, knowing, and doing of a person or community. The Catholic Worldview is a comprehensive perception of the universe, revealed to us in Jesus, that provides insights into the meaning of life and how to live it. The Catholic Worldview is experiencing life through the eyes of our Catholic faith Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Trinity The Catholic worldview perceives: 1. God as Trinity, a communion of Persons who love us and invite us to share in their divine life for all eternity Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

The words we sometimes take for granted …. ‘In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit’ • The first and most fundamental affirmation of our faith is that there is only ONE God • This one God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit; a personal God invites us into a personal relationship. • Our faith in God is lifegiving, located in our own time and place acknowledging our own experience and that of the community of disciples; a share in the divine life here and now, and for eternity. Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

A personal God: how can the school support students in appreciating a PERSONAL God? Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Spirit The Catholic worldview perceives: 2. the action of the Spirit in the world, inviting and empowering all people to respond to the divine love Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Discussion How does someone act if she/he perceives the world in this way? The Catholic worldview perceives: 2. the action of the Spirit in the world, inviting and empowering all people to respond to the divine love Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Jesus The Catholic worldview perceives: 3. Jesus as God's Son, who saved us through his life, death and resurrection, and through whom we enter into the life of God Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Personal Reflection What is your answer to Jesus’ question: Who do YOU say that I am? The Catholic worldview perceives: 3. Jesus as God's Son, who saved us through his life, death and resurrection, and through whom we enter into the life of God Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Purpose of life The Catholic worldview perceives: 4. the meaning and purpose of life as grounded in God's love for us and our response as disciples of Jesus Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Church The Catholic worldview perceives: 5. the Church as the communion of disciples that makes present to the world the mystery of Jesus and, through its sacramental life, makes us part of that mystery Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Discussion Some people say ‘Yes’ to Jesus but ‘No’ to Church WHY? What does a vibrant ‘community of disciples’ look like in a parish setting? The Catholic worldview perceives: 5. the Church as the communion of disciples that makes present to the world the mystery of Jesus and, through its sacramental life, makes us part of that mystery Share some examples Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Presence of God The Catholic worldview perceives: 6. the presence of God in our daily life, in the Eucharist, in the Sacred Scriptures and in the living tradition of the Church Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Personal Reflection When do you most feel the presence of God in your life? The Catholic worldview perceives: 6. the presence of God in our daily life, in the Eucharist, in the Sacred Scriptures and in the living tradition of the Church Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

The Cross The Catholic worldview perceives: 7. the cross of Jesus in the struggles and hardships of life and approaches them as Jesus did his cross, with trust and confidence in God Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Human dignity The Catholic worldview perceives: 8. each human being as a unique person created in the image of God, having an inalienable dignity that is always to be respected Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Proclaiming Jesus The Catholic worldview perceives: 9. an imperative to proclaim to others the love we receive from Jesus, by loving them as Jesus loves us Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Discussion Share some examples of how we do this in our school The Catholic worldview perceives: 9. an imperative to proclaim to others the love we receive from Jesus, by loving them as Jesus loves us Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Work for Justice The Catholic worldview perceives: 10. an obligation to work to create social conditions in which the unique dignity of each person is respected and all human rights protected Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Discussion Some say that is the most attractive aspect of Catholicism today The Catholic worldview perceives: 10. an obligation to work to create social conditions in which the unique Take a significant dignity of each person human rights issue is respected and all and discuss the human rights protected Catholic response to it Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

Trinity Work for justice Spirit Proclaiming Jesus CATHOLIC Purpose of life Human dignity Church Cross Presence Of God Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview

KWL Chart: Catholic Worldview What I already Know What I Want to know What I Learned How I can learn more Broken Bay Diocesan Adult Faith Formation Program: Catholic Worldview