Resources - Study Group
Of Grace and Faith - Online Study Group for the Year of Grace and the Year of Faith
The Year of Grace for Australians begins on Pentecost Sunday, 27 May 2012, and the Year of Faith for the universal Church begins on 11 Oct 2012. Both end on the Feast of Christ the King, 24 Nov 2013. A weekly study group to take advantage of what God is offering us during these Years started on Thursday 31 May 2012. Initially, each week the discussion will centre on a Chapter of St Mark's Gospel. Later on, the discussion will centre on digestible chunks of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The online discussion will take place under two formats; www.ofgraceandfaith.blogspot.com and at the www.xt3.com group 'Years of Grace and Faith' (www.xt3.com/group/view.php?id=2204 ).
The online discussion summaries have been split into 3 parts for each chapter of the Gospel of St Mark. Part A contains discussion about the parts of the Gospel that we hadn't noticed before or which surprised us about Jesus. Part B contains sharings about past events of Grace in our lives connected to that Gospel chapter and sharings about how God's Grace has been active recently. Part C has links to images and pictures that illustrate the Gospel chapter and stories of the Saints who show parts of the Gospel chapter in action. Comments and posts that contribute to the discussion are very welcome. Of course, it makes a big difference if you read the relevant chapter of St Mark before reading the discussion summaries. In addition to the discussion summaries there is also a weekly series on Sources of Grace. Because the discussion summaries are online, it means that people and groups can go through each week's material at their own pace and according to their own schedules. Those who have been coming on Thursdays have found great joy in sharing their experiences of Grace and listening to each other's experiences during this Year of Grace. May all those who visit the online summaries find the same joy.
Below are four PDFs, one that will be helpful to anyone wishing to promote this at a parish or school level (Noticeboard, A4), as bookmarks to remember the discussion questions (Bookmark, double sided A4, 4 per page), as a guide to running your own group (How to run a group A4), and as a handy prayer card (Prayers, double sided A4, 3 per page). An 'Eternal Rest' prayer has been added to this last PDF, because the Holy Souls in Purgatory should also share in the benefits of the Year of Grace.
Of Grace and Faith NoticeBoard PDF
Of Grace and Faith Bookmark PDF
Of Grace and Faith How to run a Group PDF
Of Grace and Faith Prayers PDF
Because Pope Benedict XVI has recommended that we pray the Creed each day during the Year of Faith (Oct 2012-Nov 2013) the following PDF is provided. It contains a double-sided A4 sheet with three prayer cards; having the Apostles' Creed on the front and the Nicene Creedon the back. They are just the right size to put into a prayer book or a study book as a reminded to pray the Creed.
Of Grace and Faith Creed PDF
Because it is always good to have a discussion starter at a study group, the following mini summaries of the Of Grace and Faith blog-posts are provided below.
OGFMarkMini1and2PDF
OGFMarkMini3and4PDF
OGFMarkMini5and6PDF
OGFMarkMini7and8PDF
OGFMarkMini9and10PDF
OGFMarkMini11and12PDF
OGFMarkMini13and14PDF
OGFMarkMini15and16PDF
And these for the Year of Faith, studying the Catechism of the Catholic Church (more of these Minis are coming soon...)
OGFCCCMini1210to1252PDF
OGFCCCMini1253to1299PDF
The Year of Grace for Australians begins on Pentecost Sunday, 27 May 2012, and the Year of Faith for the universal Church begins on 11 Oct 2012. Both end on the Feast of Christ the King, 24 Nov 2013. A weekly study group to take advantage of what God is offering us during these Years started on Thursday 31 May 2012. Initially, each week the discussion will centre on a Chapter of St Mark's Gospel. Later on, the discussion will centre on digestible chunks of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The online discussion will take place under two formats; www.ofgraceandfaith.blogspot.com and at the www.xt3.com group 'Years of Grace and Faith' (www.xt3.com/group/view.php?id=2204 ).
The online discussion summaries have been split into 3 parts for each chapter of the Gospel of St Mark. Part A contains discussion about the parts of the Gospel that we hadn't noticed before or which surprised us about Jesus. Part B contains sharings about past events of Grace in our lives connected to that Gospel chapter and sharings about how God's Grace has been active recently. Part C has links to images and pictures that illustrate the Gospel chapter and stories of the Saints who show parts of the Gospel chapter in action. Comments and posts that contribute to the discussion are very welcome. Of course, it makes a big difference if you read the relevant chapter of St Mark before reading the discussion summaries. In addition to the discussion summaries there is also a weekly series on Sources of Grace. Because the discussion summaries are online, it means that people and groups can go through each week's material at their own pace and according to their own schedules. Those who have been coming on Thursdays have found great joy in sharing their experiences of Grace and listening to each other's experiences during this Year of Grace. May all those who visit the online summaries find the same joy.
Below are four PDFs, one that will be helpful to anyone wishing to promote this at a parish or school level (Noticeboard, A4), as bookmarks to remember the discussion questions (Bookmark, double sided A4, 4 per page), as a guide to running your own group (How to run a group A4), and as a handy prayer card (Prayers, double sided A4, 3 per page). An 'Eternal Rest' prayer has been added to this last PDF, because the Holy Souls in Purgatory should also share in the benefits of the Year of Grace.
Of Grace and Faith NoticeBoard PDF
Of Grace and Faith Bookmark PDF
Of Grace and Faith How to run a Group PDF
Of Grace and Faith Prayers PDF
Because Pope Benedict XVI has recommended that we pray the Creed each day during the Year of Faith (Oct 2012-Nov 2013) the following PDF is provided. It contains a double-sided A4 sheet with three prayer cards; having the Apostles' Creed on the front and the Nicene Creedon the back. They are just the right size to put into a prayer book or a study book as a reminded to pray the Creed.
Of Grace and Faith Creed PDF
Because it is always good to have a discussion starter at a study group, the following mini summaries of the Of Grace and Faith blog-posts are provided below.
OGFMarkMini1and2PDF
OGFMarkMini3and4PDF
OGFMarkMini5and6PDF
OGFMarkMini7and8PDF
OGFMarkMini9and10PDF
OGFMarkMini11and12PDF
OGFMarkMini13and14PDF
OGFMarkMini15and16PDF
And these for the Year of Faith, studying the Catechism of the Catholic Church (more of these Minis are coming soon...)
OGFCCCMini1210to1252PDF
OGFCCCMini1253to1299PDF