CATHOLIC DOCTRINE LECTURE NOTES

REVD FR. BERNARD UNANDE

1.1. THE CONCEPT OF OATH AND VOWS
1.1.1 An oath is a solemn promise, often made with a religious invocation, to speak the truth or
fulfill a duty, with the understanding that breaking the oath carries significant consequences,
typically considered a moral or legal transgression
1.1.1.2. Types of Oaths:
1. Oath of Allegiance: A pledge of loyalty to a country or sovereign.
2. Oath of Office: An oath taken by public officials upon assuming their position, promising
to uphold their duties faithfully.
3. Witness Oath: An oath taken by a person testifying in court to ensure truthful testimony
1.1.2. Vows
A vow is a more personal promise made directly to God, often involving self-sacrifice or
dedication to a specific cause. Many religions include practices where individuals make vows
related to fasting, pilgrimage, or specific lifestyle changes. Vows can be motivated by gratitude,
seeking divine intervention, or a desire to live a more righteous life.
1.1.2.1. Types of Vows
1. Monastic Vows: Vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience taken by individuals entering
religious orders.
2. Marriage Vows: Promises exchanged by a couple during a wedding ceremony.
3. Religious Vows
Due to their sacred nature, breaking an oath or vow is considered a grave moral transgression.
The importance of fully understanding the implications of an oath or vow before making it. The
use of oaths and vows can be misused to exploit or control individuals.

2.1. LITURGICAL SEASONS IN THE CHURCH

The liturgical calendar is the cycle of seasons in the Roman Catholic Church. The Church year
consists of six liturgical seasons: Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time after Epiphany, Lent,
Easter, and Ordinary Time after Pentecost. Seasons begin or end based on a movable feast and so
some seasons vary in length from year to year, and vary as to the calendar dates. The following is
a brief overview of the Catholic liturgical seasons: their durations, their purpose and focus, and
the liturgical year colours.
2.1.1. Advent: First Sunday of Advent through December 24th
Advent begins the Sunday closest to the feast of St. Andrew, which is November 30th.
Therefore, Advent always falls sometime between November 28th and December 3rd, and lasts
until the Nativity of the Lord. The season always has somewhere between 21 and 28 days.
The Advent season is the time of waiting and preparing for the coming of Jesus. This refers both
to the anniversary celebration of the Incarnation, as well as the second and final coming for
which we are waiting and preparing. The liturgical colours of Advent are Purple and Rose, with
Rose being used only on the third Sunday of Advent.

2.1.2. Christmas: December 25th through The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
The Christmas season begins with the celebration of the birth of Jesus, Christmas day, or as a
vigil on Christmas Eve. The Feast of Christmas lasts 12 days, until Epiphany. However, the time
from Epiphany until the Baptism of the Lord is also included in the Christmas season.
Traditionally, Epiphany had been fixed to January 6th, and the Baptism celebrated on the octave
of Epiphany, which was January 13th. In most countries, the Epiphany is now celebrated on the
Sunday closest to January 6th, and the Baptism celebrated the following Sunday. The Christmas
season is a time of rejoicing in the Incarnation. The liturgical colour of Christmas is white.

2.1.3. Ordinary Time after the Baptism: Monday after the Feast of the Baptism through
Shrove Tuesday. After the celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Ordinary Time
begins. Ordinary does not mean plain. The name comes from Latin word the "ordinalis" meaning
"showing order, denoting an order of succession." It is used in this sense to refer to the order of
the counted weeks. That is to say, it is a season of counted weeks. Ordinary Time after the
Baptism focuses on the early life and childhood of Christ, and then on His public ministry.
The second Ordinary Time begins after Pentecost: The day after Pentecost through the final day
before Advent. This period of Ordinary Time is the longest liturgical season. It resumes after
Pentecost and runs until the final Saturday before Advent. This period of Ordinary Time focuses
on Christ's reign as King of kings, and on the age of the Church. This is the age we live in now,
which is the time between the age of the Apostles and the age of Christ's second and final
coming for which we are ever preparing. The final Sunday in Ordinary Time is the Feast of
Christ the King; the Saturday after this feast is the final day of Ordinary time.
The liturgical colour of Ordinary Time is green; however, as in all seasons, other appropriate
colours are worn on particular feast days. (For example, white is typically worn for Marian feast
days, except in some Spanish countries where blue is an approved liturgical colour.)

2.1.3. Lent: Wednesday through Holy Saturday

The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and lasts until the final Saturday before Easter,
Holy Saturday. Lent is a penitential season. It recalls the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert, and
the 40 years the Israelites wandered in the desert. Lent focuses on the events leading up to
Christ's passion, and finally on the Passion itself. Lent is 40 days long. This does not include
Sundays, as Sunday is always a day for rejoicing in the Resurrection. Altogether, it covers 46
calendar days, the 40 days plus the six Sundays.
The liturgical colours of Lent are violet or purple, traditionally more of a red-violet colour than
the deep purple of Advent. Rose may also be used, where it is the custom, on Laetare Sunday
(Fourth Sunday during Lent). On Passion Sunday (Palm Sunday) and on Good Friday (which has
no Mass but a service remembering Christ's passion) the colour is red. White or violet is worn on
Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday (once again, there is no Mass but there are other services on
Holy Saturday).

2.1.4. Easter: Easter Vigil though Pentecost

The Easter season begins with the Easter Vigil, which is celebrated after night falls on the
evening before Easter Sunday. The season of Easter is a joyous, celebratory season. It begins
with celebrating Christ's resurrection and ends by celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon
the Apostles and other followers of Jesus. Christ's ascension into Heaven is celebrated just prior
to Pentecost. The Easter season last 50 days, from Easter Sunday through Pentecost. The
liturgical colours of Easter are white, for most days, and red for Pentecost.

3.1. THE HOLY MASS

Holy Mass is the central act of worship in the Catholic Church, and it is the "source and summit
of the Christian life," where the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is re-presented through the consecrated
bread and wine (Eucharist), allowing the faithful to participate in Christ's sacrifice through
prayer, scripture readings, and communion. All structured within four main parts: The
Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, and Concluding Rites.

3.1.2. Structure of the Mass:

The Holy Mass is structured into four major parts;
Introductory Rites: Gathering of the community, entrance hymn, Sign of the Cross, greetings and
the opening prayer (collect)
Liturgy of the Word: Scripture readings; First Reading (Old Testament), Second Reading (New
Testament), Psalm, Acclamation and then the Gospel Reading. A homily by the priest, and a
brief prayer of the faithful.
Liturgy of the Eucharist: Preparation of the gifts (bread and wine), Eucharistic Prayer
(consecration of the elements), the Lord's Prayer, and Communion.
Concluding Rites: Concluding prayer, blessing, and dismissal.
 3.1.3. The Eucharist:
Transubstantiation: A Catholic teaching that during consecration, the bread and wine are
transformed into the real presence of Christ's body and blood, while retaining the appearances of
bread and wine.
Last Supper: The Eucharist is based on Jesus' actions at the Last Supper where he instituted the
sacrament by saying "This is my body" and "This is my blood".

3.2. Significance of the Mass:

Memorial of Christ's Sacrifice: The Mass is a re-enactment of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross,
allowing the faithful to participate in his death and resurrection.
Communion with Christ: Receiving the Eucharist signifies spiritual unity with Christ and the
Church.
Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving: The Mass is an act of praise and thanksgiving to God for
the gift of salvation.

4.1. SECRET CULT/SOCIETIES

Secret Cult or Cultism is the membership and operation of a group of people whose activities are
not known. It involves secret activities where the members behave in ways that are not
acceptable by society. There are many cults in Nigeria especially in tertiary educational
institutions and some secondary schools making life unbearable for those who go about their
affairs peacefully. Their operations are secret and the locations in which they hold their
meetings are solely known to their members only. Most times, they operate at night.
ORIGIN OF CULT GROUPS
Cults have existed in Africa for a long time. The Ogboni Fraternity was prominent among the
Yoruba people. It is a group of elderly men whose major duty was to check the excesses of the
traditional rulers to ensure that they do not overdo things. Some other cults have existed in
Nigeria like Ekine, Ekpe, Okonko and others. Cultism can be traced to the Pyrates Confraternity
formed at the University of Ibadan in 1952 by some male students. Their objectives include: To
compel the colonial government to stop imposing foreign culture on Nigerians, so that Nigerians
could be themselves, to work for Nigeria’s independence, to correct the ills of the society by
fighting corruption, indiscipline and tribalism, to encourage humanitarian activities such as blood
donation and collection of money for charity.
However, some members behaved badly due to the nature of the confraternity and so were
expelled from the group. They formed their own groups which became rival groups to the
Pyrates. From 1980 till date, campus cults have continued to grow in number.

Characteristics of Cultism
1. Members wear expensive clothes. They are bold and daring and want to enforce their will
on people.
2. New members are initiated secretly and both old and new members perform rituals and
swear to oaths of secrecy.
3. They assist one another in all situations and promote members’ interests not minding
reason, justice, fairness, legitimacy and appropriateness.
4. They have signs, symbols and passwords which are meant to be used and recognized by
members only.
5. They look kind, quiet and generous but they are deceitful and hypocritical and can
become violent and deadly at any time.
6. They carry different types of arms which can be tucked away in their pockets or bags.
7. They drink alcohol and other hard drugs excessively.
8. They are womanizers.

Types of cultism
1. Buccaneers 8. Black Cat
2. Mafia 9. Red Devils
3. Blood Suckers 10. Green scorpion
4. Vikings Fraternity 11. Black Axe
5. Eiye Confraternity 12. Trojan Horse
6. Black Eye 13. Scorpion
7. Dragon 14. Panama

Some of them are gender-based meaning that they are strictly for female membership. Examples
are:
1. Daughters of Jezebel 4. Amazons
2. Temple of Eden 5. Hot Brassiere
3. Barracudas 6. Black Beret