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Groome, T. H. (2004). Nine things that make us Catholic. //Catholic Update//, September. ** GO TO ** [] __Intro: return to the 'deep roots' of our faith - drink deeply from the great refreshing river that is Catholic Christian faith - at its best?__

//"The heart of Christian faith is not the Bible, nor the sacraments, nor the creeds, nor the Church - vital as all these are - but "a person, the Person of Jesus of Nazareth, the only Son of the Father" (Catechism #426) By Baptism, the fundamental and common vocation of all Christians is to become disciples of Jesus Christ - people who follow "the way" that he modeled and made more possible by his living, dying and rising."// Comment: Living a charism develops it into a spirituality - a way of doing faith - each charism/spirituality is a pathway into relationship with Jesus and a way of responding to his call to discipleship. (Marg Trevethan)

//Catholic Identity .... a collage of convictions and commitments that coalesce ...//

1. **Positive Understanding of the person:** //"More graced than sinful"; "God has implanted a 'natural law' within our hearts that enables people to now and choose .... grace empowers .... we are responsible ...";// Comment: This focuses us on the dignity of the human person within Catholicism and the goodness (godness) we carry within connecting us to the mystery of God and a rich source within for particular 'mission' in the world. (Marg Trevethan)

2. **Committed to community:** //"Our personhood and Christian faith are inherently communal"; This is ... the foundation of ... social ethic.."// Comment: Persons need a community in which to live and grow and be held. Perhaps our community is not just human but extends to all creation - we are ecological beings not just social beings. (MT)

3. **Sacramental outlook:** //"the sacramental outlook encourages Catholics "to see God in all things" (St Ignatius of Loyola); to ever recognise "the more in the midst of the ordinary"; sacramentality of life heightened by J C, God's greatest sacrament to the world; Eucharist - "sacrament of sacraments".// Comment: This focuses us on the importance of being present, seeing, naming celebrating etc. It is all there already in our school, our lives etc. we need the eyes to see, name and celebrate. (MT)

4. **Catholics cherish Scripture AND Tradition:** //"...Holy Spirit is ever present with the Church, helping to deepen our understanding and to address new questions and circumstances with the wisdom of Christian Faith."; Scripture and tradition must be interpreted within the community of faith, the Church//." Comment: Speaks to the need for skills for discernment, prayer and communal/God relationship/connectedness, reading scripture, opportunities to dialogue with teaching magisteruim etc. (MT)

5. **Catholics embrace holistic faith.** //"There is no aspect of our lives from which our faith can be excluded."; "we don't enter the kingdom by// confessing //Jesus as Lord but by// doing //the will of God.."// Comment: Catholics need to be living their faith and life as one. This is the non dualism R Rohr speaks of. (MT)

6. **Commitment to Justice.** //"the central theme ... the coming of God's reign."; calls people to do "on earth as in heaven."; and so "...care for the neighbour in need, work for social justice, oppose unjust social structures" Comment:// I suggest also ecological justice. (MT)

7. **Universal Spirituality.** //"There's a God-shaped hollow in the human heart that nothing else can fill."; Catholic spirituality can be summarized as "putting faith to work" ... sustained be active membership in faith community ... through prayer, worship and conversion. ... bears fruit of compassion, justice, and peace ...";// Comment: Action goes hand in hand with contemplation, then I think the doing of faith flows authentically - can't do it all but can do what is ours if we hear the call (MT).

8. **Catholics are 'catholic':** //"...care without borders."; "Perochialism and closed-mindedness are against the Catholic faith";// Comment: Speaks to me of the importance of being who we are (a unique culture) and honouring the charism in the **now** moment - including **all** in our conversation and our understanding - not just the historical dimensions. (MT)

9. **Devotion to Mary:** //"Mother Mary intercedes for us"// Comment: I like to think of her more as first disciple - and often when faced with what seems to be the impossible am challenged to go with for now ... as see where it leads...who knows what will come to birth ...! (MT)

//"...instead of returning to what may seem like "good old days" - even if we could the more refreshing strategy for this challenging time is dip deeper into our "living waters"// Comment: dip in for what's refreshing, enlivening and in-spirited (MT)