St.

Mary’s College of
Teacher Education
Tagum, Inc.Progra

LEARNING MODULE 3
(Catholic Ecclesiology)
Introduction
Module three (3) focuses on Catholic Ecclesiology – a scientific endeavor that helps and
leads you to a deeper and wider understanding on the nature and mission of the Catholic Church.
It deals with the historical origin from the apostles highlighting the particular event of Jesus’
building his Church under the leadership of Simon Peter.
This module contains three (3) relevant lessons; Lesson 1 is particularly focus on the
Church’ response on the signs of the times in the modern world; the missionary ventures that
brought Christianity to the different parts of the world particularly to the Philippines; scientific boom
that rocks the long held worldview that the Church adhered to and the response of the Church to
these challenges especially the convening of the Second Vatican Council that truly made a lot of
changes in the Catholic doctrines and practices, an act of the Church of self-rediscovery and
renewal of her Christian mission.
Lesson 2 deals to a great length the Church at the grassroots, highlights her mission
being the Church of the Poor. Special discussion and reflection on the challenges of the Philippine
Catholic Church as she celebrates her 500th Anniversary of Christianity this year 2021 especially
on her significant role and mission in the Asia Pacific Region and the entire world.
Lesson 3 especially deals on “The Last Things”. These specific discussions are center on
the Catholic stand and teachings on the “End Times”, in-depth reflection of Jesus’ promise of His
coming as a merciful Judge and His teachings of hope, of being with God in His Glory and the
vision of a New Heaven and a New Earth.

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 Module 3: Catholic Ecclesiology

Lesson 1 The Church and Its Encounter with the Modern World

BIBLE 1 Peter 5:9, “Stand your ground, firm in your faith, knowing
that our brothers and sisters, scattered throughout the
VERSE world are confronting similar sufferings.”

Ignacian Core Value: FAITH Related Value: Communion

“M. Ignacia led her companions to stand for the teachings of the Catholic Church.
(1726 Rules I.1,5, 6,12, 33-35,41; II.4)”

Learning Outcomes
1. Examine the relationship between the Church and the Modern World.
2. Express support to the mission of the Church in the 21st century.
3. Discern on their valuable role as Ignacian Marian students in the modern times.

Introduction

If the previous centuries were marked by the call to change due to the abuses and excesses
of some members of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, the modern world was a time and culture that was
characterize by the progressive march of Catholic mission and evangelization beyond Europe and
the threatening wave of secularism and liberalism in the Western world.

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WARM UP ACTIVITY. Describe the modern world with Eight (8) words. Write a Word in
each balloon.

LEARNING CONTENT

I. Missionary Expansion
The 15th-16th century was the time when the
Church was gifted both with the era of
exploration and discovery of new land and at
the same time, people who welcomed to be
evangelized, to be baptized and to be
converted to the Christian Faith. In fact, the
Philippines stood as a witness in the history
of the Spanish colonization and religious
evangelization in the 16th century when Raja
Humabon and his men accepted the
Christian faith. In 2021, the Philippines
th
celebrated its 500 year of Christianity with the Theme, GIFTED TO GIVE!
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 While the Spanish and the Portuguese hastened to
conquer lands and exploited the resources of their
colonies, the Christian missionaries toiled to deliver
the message of Christ to all men and women- from
the Indians of Latin America to the natives of
mainland China.
St. Francis Xavier served as an exemplar of such
missionary fervor. (APOSTLE TO THE EAST)

And so it was, the Christian mission spread from the

West to the East and missionaries became new
heroes of the faith by their dedication to Christ.

Some of them were even accused of

dividing the country and perceived as
threatening national stability, just like
what happened in Japan where “twenty-
six missionaries and faithful were executed
at Nagasaki (1597) as a result of the
Japanese prime minister’s resolve “to
restore Japanese unity”.
St. Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila, the first
Filipino saint, was among those Christian
missionaries who were martyred for the
faith.
The second Filipino saint was Pedro Calungsod who was martyred in the Marianas Islands.

II. The Modern World

A. Era of Discovery and Science
For so many centuries, the Church was the
sole guarantor of the Truth in matters
pertaining to the religious and even to the
scientific! At that time, the Church adhered
to the idea that the earth is the center of
the universe (geocentric theory) and that
the world was flat as narrated from the
Creation story in the book of Genesis.

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 But the era of discovery and science proved the
Church wrong. The explorers and even
missionaries corroborated the fact that the world
is not flat, that the world is round. Then, Nicolaus
Copernicus, a Polish astronomer, refuted the
geocentric theory by his discovery of a sun-
centered universe (heliocentric theory).

In the succeeding centuries, the culture initiated

by science was distorted by some men who
elevated human reason as the sole measure of
truth against the exercise of authority given by the
Catholic Church during the age of the
Enlightenment.

B. Era of Enlightenment
The sole issue that confronts the era of the
enlightenment was the application of human
reason in all human affairs and concerns in the
pursuit of knowledge, freedom and happiness.

The triumph of reason in the discovery of scientific

laws and theories disposed some philosophers and
scientists to be radical in their claim in eliminating
the existence of a personal, creator God in favor of the
natural causes and effects observed by science.
Science believed in the unlimited advance of
knowledge and a final retreat of religion.
(Atheism)
The Church and the Modern World

A. First Vatican Council (1869)

The Church, humbled by the surge of new
challenges and opportunities, yet imbued with
the desire, to grow in its relationship with the
modern world, convened an ecumenical council
as the Vatican, led by Pope Pius IX.

Notable among the achievements of Vatican I

were the council’s definition on the existence of
God who could be attained by reason;

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 affirmation on how reason and faith complement each other and the pursuit of the truth and
the highest good.

B. Second Vatican Council (1962-1965)

Perhaps, no other Ecumenical Council in
Christian history can be considered as the
greatest than the Second Vatican Council.

After seeing the horrors of World War II and

its divisive consequences on peoples and
their nations, Pope John XXIII, the pope
who initiated Vatican II on January 25,
1959, saw the need of restoring and
promoting unity among nations – Catholics
and Non-Catholics alike.

He also envisioned a Church that adapts to the signs

of the times and makes the message of Christ
relevant to modern men and women in their
daily life and life decisions. He sincerely
believed that the Church is always in need of
reform.

C. The Church in the Light of Vatican II

So, what is this Church? According to

Vatican II, in its document Lumen Gentium,
the “Church, in Christ, is the nature of
sacrament – a SIGN and INSTRUMENT, that
is, of COMMUNION with God and of UNITY
among men.”
T herefore, the Church is a group of men
and women celebrating their shared faith
in Jesus, striving to live and follow the

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example of their Lord in the ways of love, charity and hope. While sinfulness characterizes such
community of faith, their
vulnerability to temptation and sin becomes both an occasion and a reason to inspire one
another in their difficulties, to imbibe joy and courage in their weakness and to celebrate
their ways of goodness and holiness.

D. Vatican II on Inter Religious Dialogue and Ecumenism

The invitation to unity is understood as a calling, a task to be done. We are reminded that
the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce and perfect the unity that
Christ wills for her.

Vatican II recognizes the good and true in other

religious faiths. It encourages dialogue in the search
for spiritual and moral values. It is a shared
participation based on mutual trust and hope
between the Church and Non-Christian Religions.

Ecumenism is concerned with restoring unity of the

Christian churches. Efforts include prayer in common,
ecumenical formation of the faithful and especially of
priests, fraternal knowledge of each other and
collaboration among Christians in various areas of
service to humankind.

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 APPLICATION

The Church is called to bring the MESSAGE OF LOVE to all Nations. How will you show your
SUPPORT to her EVANGELIZING MISSION in today’s context?
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ASSESSMENT

Evaluate your parish or community. In your own point of view, what are the things that your
Church need to change? Why?
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SYNTHESIS

In a modern culture where individualism and self-sufficiency are often worshipped as marks of
success and fulfillment, we have the tendency to dissociate ourselves from our communities.
Salvation is a communal gift and task for all of us. To the best of our unique gifts and charisms, we
journey and labor together and inspire one another knowing that we are heeding the same path of
salvation. Let us seek that which brings people to communion and let us strive in every occasion to
be more loving.

We, Filipinos, are gifted with the Christian faith and now is the opportune time to give back to the
world the blessings we received for 500 years. Let us be missionaries of the Lord in the 21 st century,
bringing Christ’s peace, justice and fraternal love to all.

SELF-REFLECTION

As a baptized Christian, particularly in a Catholic Church, how do you find your own
relevance in today’s modern society?
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