The Divine Lamp

(On March 15, 2006 the Pope announced the beginning of a new series of catechetical talks which would focus on “the mystery of the relationship between Christ and the Church, reflecting upon it from the experience of the Apostles, in light of the duty entrusted to them.” Below you will find links to the talks that have been given so far. Beneath some of these talks you will find suggested readings)
1. CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH.

suggested readings:

• a) The Spirit of Catholicism (esp. chapter 2) by Karl Adam
• b) Mystici Corporis (On the Mystical Body of Christ) By Pope Pius XII
• c) The Ecclesiology of Vatican II by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
• d) Catechism links to Christ and the Church:
• beginning, foundation and Head of the Church, 2, 424, 551-53, 771, 778, 807, 864, 874
• bestows qualities on the Church, 811, 889-90
• leads the Church, 551, 852, 1547
• only gateway, 754
• origin of the Church, 424, 763-67
• origin of the Church’s Magisterium, 88
• pillar of the Church, 820, 822-24, 830, 837, 869, 1076, 1547
• presence in the Church, 775, 779, 1119
• priesthood, 941, 1544-45

2. APOSTLES AS WITNESSES OF CHRIST.

Suggested readings:

• a) Ad Gentes (Decree on the Mission Activity of the Church) Vatican II
• b) Redemptoris Missio (Mission of the Redeemer) Pope John Paul II
• c) Catechism links: mission of the apostles, 2, 551, 858-60, 1122, 1223

3. THE GIFT OF COMMUNION.

Suggested reading:

• a) Some Aspects of the Church Understood As Communion. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (difficult)
• b) Catechism links: Communion of man
  with Christ, 533, 725, 787, 790, 1331
  with the divine persons, 259, 732, 737, 850, 1107
  with God, 27, 45, 54, 154, 613, 780, 1489, 1804
  with the mysteries of Jesus, 519-21
• c) Baptism Is the Foundation of Communion. Pope John Paul II

4. SAFEGUARDING THE GIFT OF COMMUNION.

Suggested readings:

• a) The Spirit of Catholicism, chapter 7 by Karl Adam
• b) St Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, 4:1-16.
• c) St Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy, 1:6-4:5.

5. COMMUNION IN TIME: TRADITION.

Suggested readings: Please note that I could not find anything on the net regarding specifically the relationship between Tradition and communion. The readings below concern the validity of Tradition. It should be noted that the Pope’s 6th and 7th addresses, found below, are closely connected to the current address. The 4th address prepared for them.

• The two Canons: Scripture and Tradition by Jimmy Akin
• Oral Tradition in the New Testament by David Palm
• Tradition and Living Magisterium from the Catholic Encyclopedia

6. APOSTOLIC TRADITION AND THE CHURCH.

7. HAVING A VISION FROM ON HIGH.

8. PETER, THE FISHERMAN.

9. PETER, THE APOSTLE.

10. PETER, THE ROCK.

11. ANDREW, THE PROTOCLETE.

12. JAMES, THE GREATER.

13. JAMES, THE LESSER.

14. JOHN, SON OF ZEBEDEE.

15. JOHN, THE THEOLOGIAN.

16. JOHN, THE SEER OF PATMOS.

17. MATTHEW.

18. PHILIP THE APOSTLE.

19. THOMAS THE TWIN.

20. BARTHOLOMEW.

21. SIMON AND JUDE.

22. JUDAS ISCARIOT AND MATTHIAS.

23. PAUL OF TARSUS.

24. ST. PAUL’S NEW OUTLOOK.

25. ST. PAUL AND THE SPIRIT.

26. ST. PAUL AND THE CHURCH.

27. TIMOTHY AND TITUS.

28. St Stephen.

29 Barnabas, Silas, Apollos.

30. Priscilla and Aquila.

31. Women serving the Gospel.

32. St Clement, Bishop of Rome.

33. St Ignatius of Antioch.

34. St Justin the martyr.

35. St Irenaeus of Lyons.

36. St Clement of Alexandria.

37. Origin of Alexandria.

38. Origin on Prayer and the Church.

39. Tertullian.

40. On St Cyprian.

41. St Cyprian on Unity and Prayer.

42. On Eusebius of Caesarea.

43. On St Athanasius.

44. On St Cyril of Jerusalem.

45. On St Basil (1)

46.  On St Basil (2)

47.  On St Gregory Nazianzus (1)

48.  On St Gregory Nazianzus (2)

49.  On St Gregory Nyssa (1)

5o.  On St Gregory Nyssa (2)

51.  On St John Chrysostom (1)
52.  On  St John Chrysostom (2)

53.  On St Cyril of Alexandria

54.  On St Hilary of Poitiers 

55.  On St Eusebius of Vercelli 

56.  On St Ambrose of Milan 

57.  On St Maximus of Turin 

58.   On St Jerome (1)

59.  On St Jerome (2)

60.  On Aphraates “The Sage”

61.   On St Ephrem

62.  On St Chromatius of Aquiliea

63.  On St Paulinus of Nola