Formation

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knowledge

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Knowledge

knowl·edge (n): the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association; the range of one's information or understanding; the circumstance or condition of apprehending truth or fact through reasoning.

Formation is growing in knowledge and understanding in order to grow in faith and relationship with God, and to better apply that faith.

Ever been stuck wondering what we believe as Catholics? Or why we do things as we do? In this section, you can stock up on your knowledge of the core values and beliefs that distinguish Catholicism. Catholics acknowledge God’s presence in the world and therefore view the world and life as an encounter with God in the world. Knowledge of God is part of that encounter.

Catholics believe that God is revealed through Scripture as well as through historical tradition found within the Church community united through the Bishops and the Pope. All of this underpins our thirst for knowledge.

Places and Events for Formation

All around New Zealand there are some fantastic places where you can go to study, spend time, listen to talks and grow in formation.

There are also some great events, some big and some small, where you can find out more about your faith and how to apply it in your life.

Check it out here...

also register for the Connect Update or check out the Calendar to find out about formation events in your area.

The Eucharist - The Body and Blood of Christ

So these round bits of bread, and this cup of wine both get turned into the Body and Blood of Christ, who is truly present there on the altar and then in us, as we eat and drink at Communion?

Check it out here....

By yourself or online

Take the time to delve into some of the deeper issues. The New Zealand Bishops' Statements contains all the official statements from the Bishops concerning issues from bio-ethics to building community.

Education is about – yes – knowledge – see the Bishops own page titled Education-in-faith: a lifelong journey

Do you or someone you know want to know more about Catholic teaching? The Catholic Enquiry Centre is the place to go!

With your friends

Learning is sometimes best done with others – take the time to attend one of the many shorter events run by various groups around the country for young people. One big one is Hearts Aflame an annual 10 day Catholic summer school for 18 - 35 year olds held in the Late Dec- Early Jan. Your Diocesan Youth Office probably also sponsors events and opportunities for you to connect and learn – visit the National Council for Young Catholics Website and click on the map in the region where you want to get connected with others.

Other ways to learn involve getting into action with many of the groups that work in areas where Catholic teaching is very strong and sometimes very public. For bioethics issues (that is all moral issues from the beginnings of life to the end of life) see The Nathaniel Centre (The NZ Catholic Bioethics Centre). This is an agency of the NZ bishops and offers up-to-the-minute resources on Church teaching around life's tricky issues! Religious Orders have many different ways to get involved and be formed at the same time. Groups like Logos, Challenge 2000, Young Vinnies all offer formation opportunities along side regular activities.

With the Church

Studying in the company of candidates who are preparing to be priests in the Catholic Church; people preparing for parish ministries, people involved in parish ministry, teachers wishing to further their religious studies, people seeking a deeper understanding of their faith. Good Shepherd College offers the learner many tertiary opportunities, including distance papers from Semester 2 2008.

The Catholic Institute of Theology was established in 1989 by the Auckland Diocese to serve as the centre for University-level theological teaching and research as well as Continuing Faith Education.

For people based in the Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington and Christchurch Dioceses the Wellington Catholic Education Centre offers a wide range of courses and qualifications, including distance courses and support to Catholic schools and parishes.

If you are looking for 9 months of ‘live-in discovery’ of what Catholic discipleship means then the Catholic Discipleship College is for you!

Our Top Links List

For those to want to get in depth and read the formal Catechism of the Church – yes its all online - Catholic Catechism

Online resources of Ignatius Press to assist readers who wish to learn more about the Catholic Church and her teachings, beliefs, practices, and history.

New Zealand’s process for rediscovering the beauty of the Mass Worshipping Under Southern Skies provides resources for learning about our tradition of gathering to celebrate Eucharist.

Visit the online home of the late John Paul II's groundbreaking teaching on Theology of the Body., based on audiences he gave in the early years of his Papacy.

The NZ Catholic hub for ecumenism the National Commission for Ecumenism has a page of links to various groups – learn about them and the Church’s relationship with them.

Family Life International is an independent Catholic pro-life organisation, providing advocacy, resources, a blog and speakers on all sorts of pro-life issues.

Discover some of the history of early Catholicism in NZ, visit the site of The Return of the Remains of Bishop Pompallier

The National Centre for Religious Studies produces resources and training.

Online resources for the NZ Religious Studies curriculum are the mainstay of the FaithCentral site. Here you will find links to many different sites based on the topics for the NZ Secondary School Curriculum used in Catholic colleges.

Many theological traditions are based on St. Thomas Aquinas' foundational writing on the Catholic faith the Summa Theologica – it’s an in depth read - Online Summa Theologica

Catholic Culture.org is a great American site for faithful commentary and analysis on a wide range of issues, plus lots of resources for catechesis and the liturgical year.