Historical Highlights           God so loved the world that he sent his only Son to bring people of every land and nation both healing and new life. For 2000 years the Church has responded to Christ's call "Proclaim the Good News". The interaction between the Church and world, at times wonderful and good and at other times painful and sorrowful, has changed both. Below are some highlights. Foundations (30 - 440 AD): The first four hundred years of the Church saw both dramatic growth and painful struggle to survive. On Easter Sunday Mary Magdalene ran to tell the disciples that she had seen the Lord. Even after the Risen Christ appeared to them, they remained skeptical and fearful until the day of Pentecost. That's when the Spirit promised by Christ came upon the disciples in the form of wind and fire. Filled with courage and conviction they proclaimed the Good News of God's Kingdom as revealed by Jesus. On the day of Pentecost 3,000 people were baptized. Saul, a dedicated Pharisee, began to persecute these followers of Christ. One day as he made his way to the city of Damascus the Lord appeared to him. Saul experienced a conversion in the very depths of his heart. Saul became Paul a great preacher to those who were not Jews, the Gentiles. Eventually the Christian Community, the Church, had to decide whether or not these Gentiles had to become Jews, that is become circumcised and follow Jewish laws before they could become Christians. At the Council of Jerusalem held around 50 AD, the Church decided that Gentiles did not have to become Jews. This decision enabled the Church to grow rapidly. From 60 - 312 AD persecutions against Christians were sporadic but severe. As a result Christians dispersed to various areas of the Roman Empire. During this time several plagues swept through the Roman world. Many were converted to Christianity because they saw how Christians risked their lives to care for their sick neighbors and gave their lives in martyrdom for their beliefs.     In 312 AD Constantine consolidated his position as Roman Emperor with his victory at the Malvian bridge. He attributed his victory to the "Sign of the Cross" which he had seen in the heavens. For this reason and because he realized that Christians were an asset to the Empire he issued the Edict of Milan in 313 which put an end to all persecutions. In addition Constantine built churches for the Christians. In 325 AD he called the Council of Nicea, a gathering of Bishops, to clarify the relationships between the three persons of the Trinity and to proclaim that Christ was truly divine. In 330 AD, after he had put down revolt in the Eastern part of the Empire, Constantine established Constantinople as the Eastern Capital. This would eventually lead to both a political split and a split in the Church. Augustine became the Bishop of Hippo in 395 AD. His is a story of true conversion. Augustine became one of the great figures and theologians of the early Church. His ideas still influence the Church today. In writing the "City of God" , Augustine reflected the turmoil occurring in the Roman Empire as it was being assaulted by the Goths, Visigoths, Huns and others. In 410 AD Rome was sacked by Alaric, the Goth and in 431 AD Hippo was sacked. Augustine thesis was simple. Only the City of God would endure, the City of Man no matter how glorious would disappear. A Light in the Darkness (440 -800 AD): As the Roman Empire collapsed, the Church became a light in the darkness and a source of hope to the discouraged. Pope Leo the Great (440-461) provided such hope both the Church and civil society by bringing both a sense of order and direction. In 452 he persuaded Attila the Hun to spare Rome. Monasteries also served as centers of learning and stability. St. Patrick had gone to Ireland in 461. St. Benedict wrote his rule, gathered followers and founded Monte Cassino in 529. His sister St. Scholastica founded a parallel order of religious women. The Benedictines brought a sense of good order to life in the monastery and the world. They continue today. By 771 Charlemagne became the ruler of the Franks and eventually extended his kingdom to include what had been the Western portion of the Roman Empire. Pepin, Charlemagne's father had confirmed the Pope as ruler of Italy. In 800 Charlemagne went to Rome to investigate accusations of adultery and perjury against the Pope. Charlemagne found the Pope innocent. Then while celebrating Mass on Christmas day, the Pope crowned Charlemagne as Emperor. Thus was born the Holy Roman Empire. The relationship between Church and State seemed to be firmly established, but in future years each would vie with the another for power and control. New Challenges (800--1500 AD): By end of the first millennium, the Church and society were very much intertwined. In many ways the Church created the climate for the development of modern Europe, not without challenges. When Constantine moved the seat of the Roman Empire to Constantinople in 324 AD he unwittingly laid the groundwork for a series of future clashes between the East and the West. In the year 1054 AD, due to numerous disputes, made more complicated by politics, Christians in the East and those in Rome ended up in schism (split apart) . Only recently have there been successful efforts at Reconciliation. In 622 Mohammed and his followers began to proclaim a new way of life: Islam, which means "peace through the submission of the will of Allah (God)." Those who practice Islam are known as Muslims. Islam quickly spread in the East and into Spain. In 1071 the Seljuk Turks captured Jerusalem and made it very difficult for Christians to go on Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The Crusades which occurred on and off from 1096 until 1270 freed much of the Holy Land, but more importantly brought the West into contact with the rich civilizations of the East. From 1084 to the early 1400's outstanding men and women helped create a new culture in the Church and society. A number of religious communities were founded. St. Francis founded the Franciscans. St. Clare began the Franciscans for women. They dedicated themselves to caring for the poor. St Dominic founded the Dominicans who devoted themselves to preaching and teaching the Gospel St. Thomas Aquinas (1266-1274 AD) integrated the whole of Christian theology using the philosophy of Aristotle which had been lost in the West but preserved in the East. Eventually Aquinas' approach became the standard way theologians right up to 1900's understood God and how God relates to the world and people. One of the great women of this time was Catherine of Siena (1347-1380 AD). She was a mystic, a person of great charity and a peacemaker who advised both kings and popes. Two major events happened during these centuries which affected both Church and society. The Inquisition (1233 AD) began in response to a heresy. (In religious terms, a heresy is the embracing of a partial truth as if it were the whole truth.) This original Inquisition needs to be distinguished from the Spanish Inquisition of 1479 which was motivated more by political than religious issues. In any case there were some definite excesses during these Inquisitions. The Black Death of 1347 AD was caused by the bubonic plague. In just a few years it killed 1/3 to 1/2 of Europe's population. Medieval life was never the same again. The spirit of the earlier centuries was lost. Negative attitudes of fear and guilt became acute. Due to the large loss of personnel, the monastic system began to weaken. The Renaissance (meaning rebirth) began in the early 1400's. This was a period of profound change in commerce, culture, literature, the arts, politics and religion. It was a period of new hope and new life. The Reformation (1500-1914): Over the centuries the Church became complacent and comfortable with the power and authority it had obtained. Martin Luther, a Catholic priest and monk, finally challenged the Church to reform itself. Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses in 1517 AD. Martin Luther's action eventually led to the Protestant Reformation and a split in the Western Church. In recent years a good deal of progress has been made in preparing the way for reconciliation and hoped for reunion. The Council of Trent (1545-1563 AD). In response to the Protestant Reformation, the Bishops of the Church gathered in Council to clarify its teachings, how it would celebrate its liturgy and how to live as a Christian. The decisions of this Council continued in force until the Bishops gathered for the Vatican Council from 1962-1965. The Condemnation of Galileo (1633 AD). The condemnation of Galileo was the result of the tension that developed between the Church and those embracing the new sciences developed as a result of the Enlightenment. Experience and observation organized and expressed in mathematical terms rather than Scripture and Church teaching became the standard for truth. The Church was for the most part unable to adapt to this new approach and remained suspicious of modern sciences right up to recent times. The French Revolution (1789 AD). The French Revolution shattered the Church which had entwined itself so strongly with the nobility and the established order. With the Vatican Council the Church regained the notion that it can best be described as the "People of God" and that collegiality is one of its fundamental characteristics. Renewal (1914- Present) Over the centuries the Church became complacent and comfortable with the power and authority it had obtained. Martin Luther, a Catholic priest and monk, finally challenged the Church to reform itself. . Pope John XXIII (1881-1963) lived during a time of significant transition. A world that had been somewhat stable was rocked by two world wars. Major advances were made in all the sciences from psychology to quantum physics. After being elected Pope, he called the Second Vatican Council II (1962-1965). The purpose of this Council was not so much to state new teachings as to determine how best to proclaim the Gospel in a new world. In addition to entering dialogue with people of other religions, the Church has also entered into dialogue with people of every culture. It has opened lines of communication with politicians, economists and many scientists including those versed in cosmology, sociology, psychology and other fields of modern study. Mother Teresa (1910-1997) served the poorest of the poor in Calcutta India. She took care of those left to die on the streets and orphans. Her example of what it meant to love one's neighbor is a source of inspiration for all Christians.