3.4 Fan or Follower?
Followers not just admirers
The mission of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Broken Bay is to provide opportunities for students to encounter and grow in relationship with Christ.
The Bishop invites consideration of Catholic character and its development as grounded in a relationship with Christ as Catholic disciples. It is a relationship forged in Baptism, inspired by the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, nourished by the Eucharist and the other sacraments and by prayer and good works as members of the Catholic Church.
The development of Catholic character is the journey towards mature Catholic discipleship that is intimately linked with development of other areas of human development and growth. Disciples aren't perfect
The development of Catholic character is the journey towards mature Catholic discipleship that is intimately linked with development of other areas of human development and growth. We can read the list of qualities and abilities above and think mature discipleship is beyond us. These qualities and abilities are not prerequisites for discipleship. We are all 'blessed and broken', all on a journey of faith and life. When we consider the way the disciples are portrayed in the Gospels we can take heart. Jesus' apostles were slow to understand him and his mission despite accompanying him, observing and hearing him teach. But they went on, gifted by the Holy Spirit, to preach the Good News throughout the world.
One of the few rules of prayer that Ignatius made for the Jesuit order was the requirement that Jesuits practice the Examen twice daily—at noon and at the end of the day. It’s a habit that Jesuits, and many other Christians, practice to this day.
This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced. 1. Become aware of God’s presence. 2. Review the day with gratitude. 3. Pay attention to your emotions. 4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. 5. Look toward tomorrow. Congratulations, Topic 3 has been completed.
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