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"Catholic Church" redirects here. For other uses, see Catholic Church (disambiguation).
| Roman Catholic Church | |
St. Peter\'s Basilica in Vatican City | |
| Classification | Roman Catholic |
|---|---|
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Founder | Traditionally Jesus |
| Origin | Traditionally the year 30 |
| Separations | Eastern Orthodox Church, Protestant denominationsNorman, The Roman Catholic Church an Illustrated History (2007), pp. 31, 84 |
| Geographical Area | Worldwide |
| Statistics | |
| Members | 1,130,000,000Number of priests increases, but not as fast as number of Catholics. Catholic News Service (2008-02-29). Retrieved on 2008-03-09. |
| Part of a series of articles on Christianity | ||||||||
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Jesus Christ Foundations Bible Christian theology History and traditions
Topics in Christianity | ||||||||
The Roman Catholic Church, often referred to as the Catholic Church, is the world\'s largest Christian church, representing over half of all Christians and one sixth of the world\'s population.Number of Catholics and Priests Rises. Zenit News Agency (2007-02-12). Retrieved on 2008-02-21.CIA World Factbook. United States Government Central Intelligence Agency (2007). Retrieved on 2008-02-28. It is made up of one Western or Latin and 22 Eastern Catholic autonomous particular churches, and divided into 2,782 jurisdictional areas around the world. These churches look to the Bishop of Rome (commonly called the pope), either alone or together with the College of Bishops, as their highest visible authority in matters of faith, morals, and church governance.Paul VI, Pope (1964). Lumen Gentium. Chapter 3. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. The reigning pope is Pope Benedict XVI. The church community consists of the ordained ministries of bishops, priests, and deacons; and the laity, nuns, friars, and monks of whom only monks or friars who serve as priests are ordained.
The primary mission of the Roman Catholic Church is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and administer the sacraments. In aid of this mission, the church operates social programs, institutions, and ministries throughout the world. These include schools, universities, hospitals, and shelters, as well as Catholic Relief Services and Catholic Charities that help the poor, families, the elderly, the sick, among others.Statistics on the Church\'s Mission Work. National Institute for the Renewal of the Priesthood (2003-02-27). Retrieved on 2008-02-09.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), pp. 98–9Schaff-Herzog, Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (1911), p. 80
As with the Eastern Orthodox and mainstream Protestants, the Roman Catholic faith is summarized in the Nicene Creed. Claiming to be preserved from error by the Holy Spirit in doctrinal matters, the church established or affirmed other doctrines through ecumenical councils following the example of the first Apostles. Catholic belief is detailed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Formal Catholic worship is ordered by the liturgy which is regulated by the church. The celebration of the Eucharist, one of seven church sacraments, is considered the center of Catholic worship.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 71 However, there are additional forms of personal prayer and devotion including the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, and Eucharistic adoration.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), pp. 122–3
According to Catholic doctrine, the origins of the Catholic Church can be traced, via apostolic succession, to the Christian community founded by Jesus in his act of consecration of Saint Peter, considered by the church and historians to have been the first pope.Tyler Hitchcock, Geography of Religion (2004), p. 281, quote "Some (Christian communities) had been founded by Peter, the disciple Jesus designated as the founder of his church."...Once the position was institutionalized, historians looked back and recognized Peter as the first pope of the Christian church in Rome" Later Church history is intertwined with the history of Western civilization. The church has affected and shaped the lives and beliefs of Christians and non-Christians alike for almost two thousand years.Orlandis, A Short History of the Catholic Church (1993), preface When the Roman Empire fell, the church endeavoured to preserve Western civilization. The 11th century saw the Eastern Church split definitively with the Roman Catholic Church. Subsequent reunification of some of the Eastern churches with Rome created the Roman Catholic Church\'s Eastern Rite. In the 16th century, the church underwent substantial reforms in response to the Protestant Reformation. Although the Catholic Church believes that it is the true church founded by Jesus Christ, in an apostolic constitution the church acknowledges that the Holy Spirit is active in Christian churches and communities separated from itself, and that Catholics are called by the Holy Spirit to work for unity amongst all Christians.Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Chapter 2 paragraph 15. Libreria Editrice Vaticana (1964). Retrieved on 2008-03-09. Modern challenges and controversies faced by the church include the church-condemned liberation theology, abortion and euthanasia, the use of contraception, ordination of women and a sex abuse scandal.Bruni, A Gospel of Shame (2002), p. 336
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A 15th century painting depicting Jesus giving the keys of heaven to the apostle Peter. (cf. Matthew 16:17-19)
The church traces its origin to Jesus and the Twelve Apostles. It sees the bishops of the church as the successors of the apostles, and the pope in particular as the successor of Peter, leader of the apostles.Paragraph number 881 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 46 The Gospel of Matthew recounts Christ\'s consecration of Peter in these words "... you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven".Duffy, Saints and Sinners (1997), p. 1Matthew 16:18-19 The coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles at Pentecost brought this promised "church" fully into the world. The church and scholars such as Edward Norman consider this to be the manner of the church\'s origin and cite historical records that support this belief.Norman, The Roman Catholic Church an Illustrated History (2007), pp. 11, 14, quote "The Church was founded by Jesus himself in his earthly lifetime." , "The apostolate was established in Rome, the world\'s capital when the church was inaugurated; it was there that the universality of the Christian teaching most obviously took its central directive – it was the bishops of Rome who very early on began to receive requests for adjudication on disputed points from other bishops." Other scholars such as Eamon Duffy caution that the lack of written records or unclear written records during the early years of Christianity make such precision difficult to confirm. In his book Saints and Sinners, A History of the Popes Duffy questions the concept of apostolic succession and doubts that there was a ruling bishop in the Roman church in the first century. Calling "suspiciously tidy" the first historical document to list the Roman bishops back to Saint Peter which was supplied by Irenaeus in the second century, Duffy states, "there is no sure way to settle on a date by which the office of ruling bishop had emerged in Rome, and so to name the first pope, but the process was certainly complete by the time of Anicetus in the mid-150s, when Polycarp, the aged bishop of Smyrna, visited Rome, and he and Anicetus debated amicably the question of the date of Easter".Duffy, Saints and Sinners (1997), p. 9–11
The church believes that its mission is founded upon Christ\'s biblical command to his followers to spread the faith across the world:Norman, The Roman Catholic Church an Illustrated History (2007), p. 11 "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you: and Lo, I am with you always, until the close of the age".Matthew 28:19-20Paragraph number 849 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08.Norman, The Roman Catholic Church an Illustrated History (2007), p. 12 Following his death and resurrection, Jesus appeared again to Peter and asked him to "feed" and "tend" his "sheep".John 15:19 The church believes that it follows these mandates by preaching the Gospel and administering the sacraments.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 50 The church also administers social programs throughout the world. Through Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities, Catholic schools, universities, hospitals, shelters, and ministries to the poor, as well as ministries to families, the elderly and the marginalized, the church applies the tenets of Catholic social teaching and tends to the corporal and spiritual needs of "the sheep."Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), pp. 98–9
Jesus preaching the Sermon on the Mount
Catholic belief on all subjects is summarized in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a book published by the Vatican.Marthaler, Introducing the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Traditional Themes and Contemporary Issues (1994), prefaceJohn Paul II, Pope (1997). Laetamur Magnopere. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. These beliefs have been refined and clarified by major councils of the church, convened by the leaders of the church at important points throughout history. The first such council was convened by the first apostles in Jerusalem around the year 50. The most recent was Vatican II, which closed in 1965.
The authority Jesus granted to Peter in the Gospel of Matthew 16 is believed by the church to pass along to each successive pope through apostolic succession. The Pope and the bishops are considered by the church to be the spiritual successors of the original twelve apostles through an unbroken chain of consecration. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus promises Peter regarding the church, "... the gates of hell will not prevail against it".Matthew 16:18-19 In the Gospel of John, Jesus states, "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth".John 16:12-13 In the light of these promises, the Catholic Church believes that it is guided by the Holy Spirit and, through divine revelation, prevented from teaching error in doctrinal matters.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), pp. 37, 43–4 According to the church the infallible sources of divine revelation are: Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium. The infallible teachings of the Pope form part of the sacred magisterium, which also includes the pronouncements of ecumenical councils and the "ordinary and universal magisterium".
The beliefs of other Christian denominations differ from those of Roman Catholics in varying degrees. Eastern Orthodox belief differs mainly on the issues of papal infallibility, the filioque clause and the immaculate conception of Mary, but is otherwise quite similar.Lynch, Elizabeth (2002-06-13). Greek Orthodox, Catholic churches have specific differences. Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved on 2008-02-10. Protestant churches vary in their beliefs, but they generally differ from Catholics on the authority of the Pope and of church tradition, as well as the role of Mary and the saints, the role of the priesthood, and issues pertaining to grace, good works and salvation.O\'Connell, Church Throughout History (2002), pp. 164–8 The five solas were one attempt to express these differences.
The Nicene Creed, an expansion of the Apostles\' Creed, sets out the main principles of Catholic Christian belief. The creed is recited at catholic Sunday masses as well as in the services of most other Christian churches.Schaff, Creeds of Christendom, With a History and Critical Notes(1910), p. 24, 56Richardson, The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Theology (1983), p. 132 It states:
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
Saint Michael, one of the three archangels mentioned in the Bible
In Catholic belief, before creating mankind God created spiritual beings called angels to be his servants and messengers. Angels are immortal, and possess intelligence and will.Paragraph numbers 329–30 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. In an event known as the "fall of the angels", a number of angels chose to rebel against God and his reign.Paragraph numbers 390, 392, 405 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. The church refers to the fallen angel who tempted the first humans to commit original sin as "Satan", the "devil", or the "spirit of evil".Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 18
Originally created to live in union with God, the first humans, Adam and Eve, by committing this original sin, brought suffering and death into the world. This event, known as the Fall of Man, left humans separated from their original state of intimacy with God. This state of separation can follow the soul into death.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), pp. 18–9Romans 5:12 The Catechism states that "the account of the fall in Genesis 3 uses figurative language, but affirms ... a deed that took place at the beginning of the history of man". According to the Catechism, original sin is to each individual soul "a deprivation of original holiness and justice ..." that makes each person "subject to ignorance, suffering, and the dominion of death: and inclined to sin ...". People can be cleansed from this original sin and all personal sins through the sacrament of Baptism.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 51
Jesus commanded his followers to love one another as he loved them.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 92 Sinning is the opposite of following Jesus, and is believed to rob a person of his resemblance to God and turn his soul away from God\'s love. Failing to love God and his neighbor, doing harm to them, and not following the Ten Commandments are some ways a person can commit sin. Some sins are more serious than others, ranging from the lesser venial sins to the graver mortal sins. Mortal sins are deeds that breaks a person\'s relationship with God.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 77 For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must be met: "mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent".Paragraph numbers 1850, 1857 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. Catholics can be cleansed from sins other than original sin through the sacrament of Penance.
The Gospel of John refers to Jesus as "The Word" who is God, and who was with God from the beginning, and through whom all things were made.John 1:1-3Krough, Catholic Youth Bible (2000), p. 1245, quote: "The Gospel of John begins with symbolic language describing Jesus as the Word who was with God in the beginning of creation and who took on flesh to live among us. The author goes on to describe Jesus as the light that overcomes the darkness. Those who believe in Jesus walk in the light - their lives have meaning and direction. Those who do not believe stumble in the darkness of confusion and sin. John is clear that Jesus is the divine Son of God and that to belong to God, we have to follow Jesus" In the messianic texts of the Jewish Tanakh, which is also the Christian Old Testament, God promises to send his people a savior who will give his life as an offering for sin.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 23 According to Catholics (as well as most other Christian denominations), this promise is fulfilled in Jesus whom John the Baptist called "the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world".Paragraph number 608 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08.Hitchcock, Geography of Religion (2004), p. 276 Christians believe that the mission of Jesus included giving us his word and example to follow.McGrath, Christianity: An Introduction (2006), pp. 4–6 A person is helped to avoid sin and to do good by following the words and example of Jesus Christ which are found in the four Gospels.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 98 Jesus preached that following him leads to the fullness of life and love.John 10:1-30 Furthermore, through his suffering, all people have an opportunity for forgiveness of and freedom from sin. This forgiveness is believed to reconcile the person to God.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 78 The sacrament of Penance is the principal means by which Catholics obtain this forgiveness and receive God\'s grace and help not to sin again. Penance also helps prepare Catholics before they can validly receive the Holy Spirit in the sacraments of confirmation and the eucharist.Paragraph number 1310 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-11.Paragraph numbers 1385, 1389 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-11.
The Catholic Church believes that, through transubstantiation, the consecrated bread and wine of the Eucharist becomes the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ; equally present and complete in each form.Canon 899. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. The church encourages the faithful to receive the eucharist as often as a person who is in a state of grace desires. Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive the eucharist without having received absolution in the sacrament of penance. The Catholic Church also teaches that receiving the eucharist forgives venial sin. It is a precept of the church that the faithful Catholic must receive the eucharist at least once a year, and that at Easter time.Canon 920. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09.Canon 898. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. Catholics must also observe the eucharistic fast, which involves taking nothing but water and medicines into the body for some time before receiving the eucharist during the Mass. Before 1964, the eucharistic fast began at midnight. Pope Paul VI reduced the fast to a period of one hour. Current law requires merely one hour of eucharistic fast,Canon 919. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. although some Catholics still abide by the older rule.
Catholic social teaching, based on the words of Jesus, commits Catholics to the welfare of others. Catholic life requires both spiritual and corporal works of mercy. Satisfying the hungry and thirsty, welcoming strangers, immigrants or refugees, clothing the naked, taking care of the sick and visiting those in prison are all corporal works of mercy. Spiritual works require the Catholic to: share their knowledge with others, give advice to those who need it, comfort those who suffer, be patient with others, forgive those who hurt them, give correction to those who need it, and pray for the living and the dead.
The Holy Spirit is often depicted in art as a dove in reference to John the Baptist\'s proclamation that he saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus at his baptism "like a dove."
Jesus told his apostles that he would send them the "Advocate," the "Holy Spirit," who "will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you".John 14:15Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 37 According to the Catechism, the Holy Spirit "restores to the baptized the divine likeness lost through sin".Paragraph numbers 705, 734–6 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. To the Catholic, receiving the Holy Spirit is receiving God, the source of all that is good.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 38 United with God, the believer allows God to live and work through him, producing the fruits of the spirit—namely love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. The sacraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist are means by which Catholics obtain the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The sacrament of confirmation can be conferred only once in a person\'s lifetime.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 58
Jesus said to his disciples "Abide in me, and I in you ... I am the vine, you are the branches".John 15:4-5 Thus, for Catholics, the term "church" refers not only to a building but also to the people of God who abide in Jesus and form the different parts of his spiritual body.Paragraph numbers 777–8 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. In Catholic belief, the church includes all of the faithful who have ever lived. The departed saints are believed to be still alive in heaven and to regularly intercede for people on earth. This is called the "communion of the saints".Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), pp. 104–5Paragraph number 956 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. The New Testament contains many warnings against false teachings considered to be only masquerading as Christianity,2 Corinthians 11:13-15; 2 Peter 2:1-17; 2 John 7-11; Jude 4-13 and shows that such matters were deferred to the leaders of the church in order to determine what was true doctrine.Norman, The Roman Catholic Church an Illustrated History (2007), p. 14Acts 15:1-2 The Catholic Church believes that it is in continuing descent from those Christians who remained faithful to the apostolic leadership and rejected false teachings.Paragraph numbers 84–90 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-11. Although the Catholic Church believes and teaches that it is the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church,Paragraph number 750 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. it also believes that the Holy Spirit can make use of other churches to bring people to salvation.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 46 In its apostolic constitution, the church acknowledges that the Holy Spirit is active in Christian churches and communities separated from itself, and that Catholics are called by the Holy Spirit to work for unity amongst all Christians.Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Chapter 2 paragraph 15. Libreria Editrice Vaticana (1964). Retrieved on 2008-03-09.
Mary, Joseph and the child Jesus
Catholic belief holds that the church exists simultaneously both on earth and in heaven, and thus Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the other saints are alive and part of the living church. Prayers and devotions to Mary and the saints are a common part of Catholic life. These devotions are not worship, since only God is worshipped. Rather, the saints are honoured as exemplars, and they join in the prayers of those on earth. The church teaches that the saints "do not cease to intercede with the Father for us... so by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped".Paragraph number 956 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08.
Catholics venerate Mary with many loving titles such as "Blessed Virgin", "Mother of God", "Help of Christians", and "Mother of the Faithful". She is given special honor and devotion above all other saints but this honor and devotion differs essentially from the adoration given to God.Paragraph number 971 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. Catholics do not worship Mary but honor her as mother of Christ, mother of the church and as a spiritual mother to each believer of Christ.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 106 She is called the greatest of the saints, the first disciple, and queen of heaven. Catholic belief encourages following her example of holiness. Prayers and devotions asking for her intercession, such as the Rosary, the Hail Mary and the memorare are common Catholic practice.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 122 The Church devotes several liturgical feasts to Mary. The major feasts of Mary celebrated on the liturgical calendar are: The Immaculate Conception, Mary, Mother of God, the Visitation, the Assumption, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and, in the Americas, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Pilgrimages to marian shrines like Lourdes, France and Fátima, Portugal are a common form of devotion, often including prayer asking for her intercession.Baedeker, Rob (2007). World\'s most-visited religious destinations. USA Today. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
Chapter 25 of the Gospel of Matthew underpins the Catholic belief that a day will come when Jesus willt sit in judgment of all mankind.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 98 "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me ... amen I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me."Matthew 25:34-40 This final judgment is distinguished from a particular judgment that occurs at the moment of death. According to the Church, each soul will appear before the judgment seat of Christ, immediately after death, and receive a particular judgment of either good or evil based on the deeds of their earthly life.Schreck, The Essential Catholic Catechism (1997), pp. 379–86 The final judgment will bring an end to human history, the physical universe, and the state of Purgatory. It will also mark the beginning of a new heaven and earth in which righteousness dwells and God will reign forever.Schreck, The Essential Catholic Catechism (1997), pp. 397
There are three states of afterlife in Catholic belief. Heaven is a time of glorious union with God and a life of unspeakable joy that lasts forever.Schreck, The Essential Catholic Catechism (1997), pp. 379–86 Purgatory is a temporary place for the purification of souls who, although saved, are not free enough from sin to enter directly into heaven. It is for those who tried to love God and others but did so somewhat imperfectly.Schreck, The Essential Catholic Catechism (1997), pp. 379–86 Through God\'s mercy, these souls are purged of their sins.Schreck, The Essential Catholic Catechism (1997), pp. 379–86 The church asks for and encourages prayers for the purification of these souls especially at Mass.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 105 Finally, those who freely chose a life of sin and selfishness, were not sorry for their sins and had no intention of changing their ways go to hell. Hell is everlasting separation from God. The church teaches that God points out the way that leads to life but does not force anyone to choose that way and no one is condemned to hell without freely deciding to reject God and his love.Schreck, The Essential Catholic Catechism (1997), pp. 379–86 He predestines no one to hell and no one can judge or determine whether any particular person has been condemned.Schreck, The Essential Catholic Catechism (1997), pp. 379–86 Catholics believe that God\'s mercy is such that a person can repent even at the point of death and be saved, like the good thief who was crucified next to Jesus.Schreck, The Essential Catholic Catechism (1997), pp. 379–86 Death, judgment, heaven and hell are called the "four last things".Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 105
In the Catholic Church, a distinction is made between the formal, public liturgy and other prayers or devotions. The liturgy is regulated by church authority and consists of the eucharist and mass, the other sacraments, and the Liturgy of the Hours. All Catholics are expected to participate in the liturgical life of the church by attending mass on Sundays, but individual or communal prayer and devotions, while encouraged, are a matter of personal preference. The church provides a set of precepts that every Catholic is expected to follow.Paragraph numbers 2041–2043 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. These precepts set a minimum standard for personal prayer and moral effort. These are:
- You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.
- You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
- You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.
- You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.
- You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.
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Pope Benedict XVI celebrates the eucharist at the canonization of Frei Galvão in São Paulo, Brazil on 11 May 2007
Sunday is a holy day of obligation on which Catholics are required to attend Mass. In doing this, Catholics believe that they are responding to Jesus\' scriptural command to "do this in remembrance of me".Luke 22:19Paragraph number 1341 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-24. In 1570 at the Council of Trent, Pope Pius V codified a standard form for the celebration of mass for the Latin or Roman rite.McBride, Alfred (October 2006). "Eucharist A Short History". Catholic Update. Retrieved on 2008-02-14. Waterworth, J (1564). The Twenty-Second Session The canons and decrees of the sacred and ecumenical Council of Trent. The Council of Trent. Hanover Historical Texts Project. Retrieved on 2008-02-14. This was called the tridentine mass and endured universally until after Vatican II in the 1960s. The text of the tridentine mass was in Latin, as had been all previous Western rites, since Latin was the universal language of the church. Because many worldwide Catholics, especially new converts, did not speak Latin, a simplified, vernacular mass known as the Novus Ordo Missae was promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1969, replacing the tridentine mass for normal use. This caused some controversy within the church. However, both forms of the mass are still practiced with the vernacular being more commonly used.
The standard Catholic Mass is separated into two parts. The first part is called Liturgy of the Word, in which passages from the Old and New Testament are read prior to a Gospel passage and the priest\'s homily. The second part is called Liturgy of the Eucharist where the actual sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 71 Catholics regard the eucharist as the source and summit of the Christian life, and believe that the bread and wine brought to the altar are changed through the power of the Holy Spirit into the true body and the true blood of Christ. This is called transubstantiation. The Mass is a re-presentation of Christ\'s sacrifice on Calvary.
There are seven sacraments of the church, of which the most important is the Eucharist.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 51 According to the Catechism, these sacraments were instituted by Christ and entrusted to the church.Paragraph number 1131 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. They are vehicles through which God\'s grace flows into the person who receives them with the proper disposition.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 51 In order to obtain the proper disposition, individuals are encouraged to attend classes before being permitted to receive certain sacraments.Mongoven, The Prophetic Spirit of Catechesis: How We Share the Fire in Our Hearts (2000), p. 68 Participation in the sacraments, offered to them through the church, is how Catholics obtain forgiveness of sins and formally ask for the Holy Spirit. These sacraments are Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Holy Matrimony.
The Catholic liturgical year follows key events in the life of Jesus. It begins with Advent, the time of preparation for both the celebration of Jesus\' birth, and his expected second coming at the end of time. Christmas follows, beginning on the night of 24 December, Christmas Eve, and ending with the feast of the baptism of Jesus on 13 January. Lent is the 40-day period of purification and penance that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Maundy Thursday. The Holy Thursday evening Mass of the Lord\'s Supper, marks the beginning of the Easter Triduum which ends on Good Friday. These days recall Jesus\' last supper with his disciples, his passion, death on the cross, and burial. The season of Easter celebrates Jesus\'s resurrection on Easter Sunday and climaxes at Pentecost, a feast recalling the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus\' disciples in the upper room after the Ascension. The rest of the liturgical year is known as Ordinary Time.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 116
The Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office, is a prayer sequence through which Catholics consecrate the day to God. It makes particular use of the Psalms as well as readings from the New and Old Testament, and intercessions. It is an adaptation of the ancient Jewish practice of praying the Psalms at certain hours of the day or night.Divine Office. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 2008-02-24. Catholics who pray the Liturgy of the Hours use a set of books issued by the church called a breviary. By canon law, priests and deacons are required to pray the Liturgy of the Hours each day.Canon 276. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. Religious communities often make praying the Liturgy of the Hours a part of their rule of life, and the second Vatican council encouraged the Christian laity to take up the practice.Paragraph numbers 1174–1178, 1196 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08.
In addition to the mass, the Catholic Church considers personal and communal prayer to be one of the most important elements of Christian life. In the Gospel, Jesus instructs his disciples to "pray always". The church considers personal prayer a Christian duty, one of the spiritual works of mercy and a principal way we nourish a relationship with God.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), pp. 86, 98 There are three ways of praying identified in the Catechism: vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplative prayer. Quoting from John Chrysostom, the Catechism states, "whether or not our prayer is heard depends not on the number of words, but on the fervor of our souls". Meditation is prayer where the "mind seeks to understand the why and how of Christian life, in order to adhere and respond to what the Lord is asking". Contemplative prayer is being with God, taking time to be close to and alone with him. Two of the core prayers of the Catholic Church are the Rosary and Stations of the Cross.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), pp. 122–3 These prayers are sometimes vocal, but always meditative and contemplative. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is a common form of contemplative prayer. Benediction is vocal. Lectio divina which means "sacred reading" is a form of meditative prayer. The church encourages patterns of prayer intended to develop toward continual prayer. This includes such daily prayers as grace at meals and the liturgy of the hours, as well as the weekly rhythm of Sunday eucharist, and the observation of the year-long liturgical cycle.Paragraph numbers 2697–2724 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08.
The Pope is the spiritual head and leader of the Catholic Church and governs from the Vatican in Vatican City. To help in church government matters, he makes use of the Roman Curia. Vatican City is a sovereign state to which the pope also serves as Head of State.Country profile: Vatican. BBC (2008-01-29). Retrieved on 2008-03-09. He is elected by the College of Cardinals, who may theoretically select any male member of the church, but that person must be ordained a bishop before taking office. Since the 15th century, a current cardinal has always been elected.Thavis, John (2005). Election of new pope follows detailed procedure. Catholic News Service. Retrieved on 2008-02-11. The basic administrative unit of the Roman Catholic Church is the diocese, each of which is led by a bishop appointed by the pope. There are more than 2,500 Catholic dioceses in the world. The bishops are responsible for teaching, governing and sanctifying the faithful of their diocese, and are helped by priests and deacons who in turn are responsible for the same duties within an individual church also called a parish.
The term laity refers to everyone in the community who is not an ordained bishop, priest, or deacon. Members of both the ordained and the laity may take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and enter the consecrated life, also called religious life. Consecrated religious may be men or women dedicated to God in a binding manner that is recognized by the church.Canons 573–746. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. Its members are not part of the hierarchy, unless they are also ordained priests.Canon 207. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. The worldwide church community is administered according to the Code of Canon Law published by the Vatican.
Roman Catholic deacon wearing a dalmatic
Men may become bishops, priests or deacons through the sacrament of Holy Orders. Candidates for the priesthood must have a college degree in addition to another four to five years of seminary formation. This formation includes not only academic classes but also human, spiritual and pastoral education. The Catholic Church only ordains men because the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus were all male.Paragraph number 1577 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. The church teaches that women have a different yet equally important role in church ministry, prayer and life.Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth (2008), p. 180, 181 quote: "The difference between the discipleship of the Twelve and the discipleship of the women is obvious; the tasks assigned to each group are quite different. Yet Luke makes clear—and the other Gospels also show this in all sorts of ways—that \'many\' women belonged to the more intimate community of believers and that their faith—filled following of Jesus was an essential element of that community, as would be vividly illustrated at the foot of the Cross and the Resurrection."
Bishops possess the fullness of Christian priesthood. Priests and deacons participate in and are subordinate to the ministry of the bishop. As a body the College of Bishops are considered to be the successors of the apostles.Canon 42. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09.Canon 375. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. The College of Bishops includes the pope, along with all cardinals, patriarchs, primates, archbishops and metropolitans. Only bishops are allowed to perform the sacraments of holy orders and confirmation.Barry, One Faith, One Lord (2001), p. 114
Each bishop heads a diocese, which is divided into a number of parishes. A parish is usually staffed by at least one priest. As well as serving a parish, priests may also be rectors or chaplains. Other functions held by priests include those of archimandrite, canon secular or regular, chancellor, chorbishop, confessor, dean of a cathedral chapter, hieromonk, prebendary and precentor. Permanent deacons preach and teach. They may also baptize, lead the faithful in prayer, witness marriages, and conduct wake and funeral services.Committee on the Diaconate. Frequently Asked Questions About Deacons. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. Candidates for the diaconate go through a diaconate formation program and must meet minimum standards set by the bishops\' conference in their home country. Upon completion of their formation program and acceptance by their local bishop, candidates receive the sacrament of holy orders.
While deacons may be married, only celibate men are ordained as priests in the Latin Rite.Canon 1037. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09.Canon 1031. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. Protestant clergy who have converted to the Catholic Church are sometimes excepted from this rule. The Eastern Catholic Churches ordain both celibate and married men.Married, reordained clergy find exception in Catholic church. Washington Theological Union (2003). Retrieved on 2008-02-28. All rites of the Catholic Church maintain the ancient tradition that, after ordination, marriage is not allowed.Chisholm, Hugh (1910). Encyclopedia Brittanica. The University Press. Retrieved on 2008-02-28. A married priest whose wife dies may not remarry. Men with transitory homosexual leanings may be ordained deacons following three years of prayer and chastity, but men with deeply rooted homosexual tendencies who are sexually active cannot be ordained.Pope Benedict XVI. "Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders", Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09.
Teresa of Ávila, a Carmelite nun who is also honored as a doctor of the church
The Catholic Church recognizes several forms of the consecrated life. These include the cenobitic life in the religious institutes which are also referred to as monastic orders, religious orders, or religious congregations. Additional forms include the eremitic/anchoritic life, the order of virgins, the life of the consecrated widows/widowers, and in secular institutes and societies of apostolic life. It also makes a provision for the approval of new forms of consecrated life.Canon 605. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09.
The majority of those desiring to enter the consecrated life join a religious institute, in which they follow a common rule such as the Rule of St Benedict or its equivalent, and agree to live under the leadership of a superior.Canons 573–602, 605–709. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. They usually live in community, although occasionally an individual is given permission to live as a hermit while retaining membership in the religious institute. Others may be given permission to reside elsewhere, for example as resident chaplain to a community of nuns, or as a priest serving a non-local parish.Canon 587. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09.
To enter consecrated life a member must consecrate himself or herself to God. This can be done through a public profession confirmed by vow or other sacred bond. By making this vow, members promise to follow the three evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience, and are consecrated to God through the ministry of the church. They also become members of the particular institute into which they have been received.Canon 654. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. Examples of religious institutes include the Benedictines, Dominicans, Sisters of Charity, Marist Brothers, Franciscans, Passionists, Carmelites, and Cistercians but there are many others. Consecrated virgins, hermits, widows/widowers and members of societies of apostolic life are consecrated by their diocesan bishop according to the approved liturgical rite and observe a proper program of living under his direction.Canons 573–746. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09.
Catholics who are neither ordained clergy nor consecrated religious are called laity. Within the church community they are considered equals to the ordained and consecrated in dignity, in the call to holiness, and in the work to build the church. The lay person\'s role in the church body is to make Christian teaching and the Christian life a reality in the social, political, and economic realms of the secular world. The church has recognized that not only the ordained, but also the lay faithful participate in Christ\'s priestly, prophetic and royal offices.Paragraph numbers 871–2, 899, 901, 905, 908–9 (1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. The laity participate in the priestly office of Christ by offering their prayer and good works as spiritual sacrifices. They labor in the prophetic office by being good Christian examples to the world both in word and deed. The kingly office requires the lay person to master himself and work to conform worldly institutions to the norms of justice. Some of the non-ordained exercise formal, public ministry in the name of the church.Canon 129. 1983 Code of Canon Law. Vatican. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. These are called lay ecclesial ministers, a broad category which may include pastoral life coordinators, pastoral associates, pastoral assistants, youth ministers, campus ministers, etc.
Lay ecclesial movements consist of lay Catholics organized for purposes of catechesis, cultural work, mutual support, and/or missionary apostolate. While consisting generally of laity, these groups may also have some ordained or religious members. Examples of such groups include; L\'Arche Communities, Communion and Liberation, Neocatechumenal Way, Regnum Christi, Focolare Movement, Charismatic movement, Traditionalists, Opus Dei, Life Teen, Lay Cistercians and many more. Pope John Paul II, in a Pentecost vigil sermon in May 1998, elaborated on the role of these groups in the church: "The Church expects from you the mature fruits of communion and commitment. The world is dominated by a secularized culture which encourages and promotes models of life without God. Thus we see an urgent need for powerful proclamation and solid, in-depth Christian formation." He also observed that these movements represented "wonderful Christian families...true domestic churches...many vocations to the ministerial priesthood and the religious life have blossomed..." as a result.Liaugminas, Sheila Gribben (December 1998). A Renewed Pentecost Catholic Movements called to "A New Dynamism". Voices Online. Retrieved on 2008-02-22.
Tertiaries are laypersons who live according to the third rule of one of the mendicant orders such as the Franciscans or Carmelites, either outside of a monastery in the world (secular third order), or in a religious community (regular third order). Although secular tertiaries make a public profession, can wear the habit and participate in the good works of their order; they are not bound by public vows as are those living in community.Heckmann, Ferdinand (2007). Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved on 2008-03-09.
Early Christians were martyred as entertainment in the Colosseum. Today, Vatican City, the heart of the worldwide church, is located a short distance from this site.
The Roman Catholic Church has influenced and shaped the life, belief and culture of both Christians and non-Christians for almost two thousand years. Its history has been intricately entwined with the history of Western civilization. The following is a brief summary of key events in Roman Catholic History.
Catholic doctrine, which the church holds sacred, is based on the twin sources of scripture and tradition.Schreck, The Essential Catholic Catechism (1997), p. 26 According to this deposit of faith, the apostles selected by Jesus of Nazareth, directly and fully transmitted the words of Jesus that revealed God\'s nature and the divine assembly of God\'s people which came to be known as the church.Tobin, Selecting the Pope (2003), pp.6–7 According to the church and many historians, following the death of Jesus, Peter and the other apostles preached the Gospel both in Judea and in surrounding lands.Hitchcock, Geography of Religion (2004), p. 281 Due to their efforts more than 40 Christian communities were in existence by the year 100. The many different Christian churches of the first century, including the Roman church, were linked by common beliefs based on personal testimony. The church of Rome, from the first century onward, gained a reputation as the seat of orthodoxy and authority because Rome was the epicenter of the Empire and Peter and Paul led the church in Rome before their martyrdom. The first church council, the Council of Jerusalem, was commenced by the first Apostles in or around the year 50 to reconcile these doctrinal differences.McManners, Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity (2002), p. 37, Chapter 1 The Early Christian Community subsection entitled "Rome" quote;"In Acts 15 scripture recorded the apostles meeting in synod to reach a common policy about the Gentil
