Our Catholic Faith – What We Believe
“Our profession of faith begins with God, for God is the First and the Last, the beginning and the end of everything. The Credo begins with God the Father, for the Father is the first divine person of the Most Holy Trinity; our Creed begins with the creation of heaven and earth, for creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God’s works.” – The Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 198
Catholic belief is succinctly expressed in the profession of faith or credo called the Nicene Creed:
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Faith Formation for Adults
For those adults interested in growing in their understanding and appreciation of the Catholic Faith, a wide scope of classes are offered throughout the year at the Parish and Diocese.
Each year you are invited to join with other Cathedral Parishioners for our annual reflective weekend Retreat at Our Lady Queen of Peace, the Diocesan Retreat Center at Dancyville, TN. Our Lady Queen of Peace Retreat Center also offers retreat all year that are open to everyone in the Diocese.
Parish Religious Education
Religious Education Sessions for school age children (K – 8th) are offered on Sunday mornings each year usually September through May. Registration procedure is announced in the weekly Parish Bulletin.
First Communion and First Reconciliation are received during the spring usually when the child is in the second grade. Confirmation is administered to those in the eighth grade or older, also in the spring during the Easter Season. Diocesan requirements state that a child must be enrolled in religious education classes or a Catholic School for at least one year prior to sacrament year (example: children should be in PRE in first and second grade in order to receive First Eucharist in the spring of second grade). Attendance by parents at parental sacrament meetings is also required.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
CGS is a common religious experience involving children and adults in which the religious values of childhood, primarily those values of contemplation and enjoyment of God, are predominant. This experience is shared in a place particularly prepared for the religious life of children called the Atrium. To learn more about this program CLICK HERE.
Youth Group
The Cathedral High School Youth Group welcomes young people from 9th – 12th grade.
The Youth Group provides a place for teens to continue to learn and practice their faith with their peers. The Youth Group meets on Sunday nights from 5:30-7:30. Nights are broken up into four categories: Teaching, Social, Prayer, and Service. Teaching nights focus on teaching aspects of the faith that they might not pick up in Catholic School or in PRE. Social nights help them develop ties to peers who are living out their faith, encouraging them to engage in the larger parish community. Prayer nights allow them space to encounter God through various types of prayer catered to the teen experience. Finally, Service nights provide service hours and demonstrate how to be active on both the diocesan and parish levels of the Church. Adult members of the Youth Group serve as active mentors for the teens, representatives of the parish community, and as examples on how to live a Catholic life.
We have regular weekly meetings on Sunday afternoons (September – May) in the gym. Meetings rotate through a variety of aspects of the faith including prayer, service, teaching, and social, and every night includes FOOD. In addition to these weekly meetings, we offer a number of other activities, centered around service, fellowship, and doctrine. The Cathedral Youth Group partners with other parish youth groups for special events and participates in various Diocesan-wide activities.
There are a number of ways to support the ministry…
- The most important of these is prayer. Those who are involved represent the young church of today. They are faced with a number of important choices, including the choice of life-style and vocation. They need all of our prayers.
- If you are in 9th through 12th grade, get involved! Attend the regular weekly meetings or pick another event to get your feet wet. If you have ideas, especially for ways in which we can provide service to the parish, school, or wider community, let us know.
- We ask parishioners to help in feeding dinner to the youth group each Sunday evening. To volunteer, sign up at the link above.
- If you are an adult with a special talent or story to tell, let us know by calling the parish office at (901) 725-2700.
- If you would like to make a monetary contribution to our youth group to support the ministry, make your check payable to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and designate your gift for “Youth.”
Interested in Becoming Catholic?