By Vernon Khelawan

“Catholic culture, while sharing common attributes with all Christians, has distinct essentials that define us and give us identity.”

“The root and foundation of Catholic Culture and Identity are Holy Scripture and Tradition. These two pillars are inseparable.”

These two statements are taken from the booklet prepared by the Directress of Religious Education Sr Juliet Rajah for a better understanding of the Second Pastoral Priority and to ensure its successful implementation. Both statements put in proper perspective what is meant by Catholic culture and identity.

As far as the second statement goes, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says that Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture are bound closely together and communicate one with the other. Both, flowing from the same divine well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing and move towards the same goal. Each of them makes present and fruitful in the Church the mystery of Christ, who promised to remain with his own “always, to the close of the age”.

Tradition and Scripture make up a single sacred deposit of the word of God, which is entrusted to the Church (Vatican Council II P. 103).

Thomas Groome, in his book, What Makes Us Catholic, explains that though “catholic” is usually taken to mean “universal”, this was more Aristotle’s use of the term than how early Christians understood it.

Ignatius of Antioch, the first on record to call the Church “catholic”, had inclusion in mind more than universal. Inclusion, in fact, is closer to the roots catholic; katha holos which literally means “gathering in the whole” or more informally, “all are welcome.”