The Nicene Creed is the profession of faith that summaries what Catholics believe. A creed (Latin, credo) is the summary of beliefs shared by a religious community. Two creeds summarize the faith of Catholic Christians: the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed. The Nicene Creed is said after the homily by the people assembled at Sunday Mass throughout the Universal Church.
What we call "the Nicene Creed" is more accurately called the Nicene-Constantinople Creed. Download the Nicene Creed. You may also want to compare the original Nicene Creed with the one we know today.
In this webcast series, the Creed is divided into sections and speakers go into what those sections mean.
There are seven sessions. Each is presented in 20-minute segments with reflection / discussion questions presented after each segment. Use the questions for personal reflection either alone or in a small group.
1. God the Father — Rev. Sylvain Casavant
Watch the video.
Reflection / discussion questions.
Read the Western Catholic Reporter article about this talk.
2. God the Son – Jesus Christ (part 1) — Rev. Don Macdonald, OFM
This part of the Creed explains who Jesus is.
Handouts for this talk:
Watch the video (skip intro; talk starts at 3:22)
Reflection / discussion questions.
Read the Western Catholic Reporter article about this talk.
3. God the Son – Jesus Christ (part 2) — Rev. Don Macdonald, OFM
This part of the Creed explains what Jesus does.
The session is presented in three parts: (1) review who Jesus is from the talk God the Son – Jesus Christ (part 1), (2) insights into the Jewish beliefs about death and resurrection, and (3) what was the attitude of the disciples—especially the Eleven—at the moment of the rejection of Jesus by the Jewish authorities, and his subsequent arrest, trial, and crucifixion.
Watch the video.
Reflection / discussion questions.
Read the Western Catholic Reporter article about this talk.
4. God the Holy Spirit — Sandra Prather
The talk was recorded in three parts due to technical difficulties. Watch the video
Reflection / discussion questions
Read the Western Catholic Reporter article about this talk.
5. The Church — Most Rev. Richard Smith, Archbishop of Edmonton
The Church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. These four marks of the Church are the topic Archbishop Smith presents in the talk.
Watch the video: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Reflection / discussion questions.
Read the Western Catholic Reporter article about this talk.
6. Primacy of Baptism — Rev. Paul Kavanagh
Watch the video: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
Reflection / discussion questions.
Read the Western Catholic Reporter article about this talk.
7. From Here to Eternity — Rev. David Norman, OFM
Watch the video Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
Reflection / discussion questions.
Read the Western Catholic Reporter article about this talk.