Ethan Walker
Catholicism is a broad concept that encompasses beliefs and practices widely accepted by numerous Christian denominations. The term Catholic is derived from the Ancient Greek word katholikos, meaning universal. While there are an estimated 2.5 billion Christians worldwide, only 1.3 billion identify as Roman Catholics, the largest of the three major branches of Christianity. Within the Catholic Church, there are various types of parishes and subgroups, such as Anglo-Catholics, Eastern Catholics, and Old Catholics, each with its own unique traditions and practices.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholics in the world | 1.3 billion |
| Number of Anglicans in the Anglican Communion | 80 million |
| Catholicity meaning | "General" or "universal" |
| Catholicity concept | Beliefs and practices widely accepted by Christian denominations |
| Types of Catholic parishes | Diocesan Roman Catholic parishes, "Traditional" or Extraordinary form parishes |
| Catholic branches | Old Catholics, Eastern Catholics, Anglo-Catholics, Roman Catholics |
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What You'll Learn
Roman Catholicism
The term "Catholic" is derived from the Ancient Greek word "katholikos," meaning "general" or "universal." This concept of universality is reflected in the belief that the Church proclaims the entirety of the Christian faith, leaving out no aspect of the faith or excluding no one. This universality is further emphasised in the Nicene Creed, formulated at the First Council of Constantinople in 381, which professes belief in "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church."
Additionally, there are Eastern Catholics, who are Roman Catholics but do not adhere to the Latin rite or identify as Western Catholics. Some Eastern Catholics, such as Ukrainian Catholics, may take issue with being labelled as Roman Catholics, as it diminishes their distinct identity and religious practices, such as fasting on Wednesdays, Fridays, during Lent, and Advent, which resemble Orthodox traditions. There are also Anglo-Catholics, whose beliefs and practices are similar to Roman Catholics, but they do not acknowledge the authority of the Pope.
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Eastern Catholicism
Eastern Catholic Churches were previously part of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox churches, or the Church of the East. They have their origins in the Middle East, North Africa, East Africa, Eastern Europe, and South India, but diaspora has spread them further afield to Western Europe, the Americas, and Oceania. There are 23 or 24 Eastern Catholic Churches, which can be grouped into eight different rites. These include the Byzantine Rite, the Armenian Rite, and the West Syriac Rite.
Eastern Catholics are obliged to follow the norms of their particular church regarding the celebration of feasts, marriage, and other customs. For example, many Eastern Catholic Churches allow the ordination of married men to the priesthood, which is in contrast to the Latin Church. They also have their own distinct norms regarding fasting, with many Eastern Catholics fasting on Wednesdays, Fridays, all of Lent, and Advent, similar to the Orthodox tradition.
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Anglo-Catholicism
The Catholic Church is a broad term encompassing several branches, with the most prominent being Roman Catholicism. However, there are other Catholic traditions, such as Anglo-Catholicism, which is associated with the Anglican Communion.
Anglo-Catholics believe that Anglicanism, by virtue of its valid apostolic succession, is a Western branch of Jesus Christ's One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. This belief is based on the argument that Anglicanism adheres to the canonical scriptures, creeds, councils, sacraments, and apostolic succession that united the original Catholic Church before the East-West division of 1054.
The practices and liturgy of Anglo-Catholics reflect this emphasis on the early and medieval Church. Many Anglo-Catholics practice Marian devotion, recite the rosary and the Angelus, engage in Eucharistic adoration, and seek the intercession of saints. They may also favour more elaborate liturgy and aesthetics, including the use of images and statues in churches.
Since the 1970s, Anglo-Catholicism has been divided into two main camps: "traditionalist" and "progressive". Traditionalist Anglo-Catholics seek to maintain traditional teachings and align their doctrines with those of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. They often collaborate with conservative evangelical Anglicans to uphold traditional beliefs on sexual morality and women's roles in the Church. On the other hand, progressive Anglo-Catholics are more open to liberalizing developments, such as the ordination of women, and may embrace a wider range of liturgical preferences, including contemporary praise music.
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Old Catholicism
There are several branches of Catholicism, including Roman Catholicism, Nestorian, Monophysite, Orthodox, Anglican, and Old Catholicism. Old Catholicism, also known as the Old Catholic Church, is a group of Western Christians who believe in maintaining the doctrine and traditions of the undivided church. However, they separated from the see of Rome after the First Vatican Council of 1869-70 due to their disagreement with the dogma of papal infallibility.
The Old Catholic Church has a long history, with roots tracing back to 730 AD when it was founded by Benedictine Saints Willibrord and Boniface. Over the centuries, it has been an autocephalous Church authorized by the Ecumenical Council of Letran in 1139 AD and later ratified by the Lateran Council of 1215 AD. The Old Catholic Church is fully Catholic but not Roman, and fully Orthodox but not Eastern.
The formation of the Old Catholic Church was influenced by the excommunication of prominent figures such as Cornelius Steenoven, who was consecrated as a bishop without papal mandate, and Ignaz von Döllinger, a Roman Catholic priest and church historian. Döllinger played a crucial role in the establishment of Old Catholic churches in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and other countries. He laid down three key propositions for the Old Catholic faith: bearing witness against novel teachings, striving to conform to the ancient undivided Church, and serving as an instrument for Christian reunion.
Old Catholics accept the Scriptures, the Apostles' and Nicene creeds, and the decisions of the first seven ecumenical councils. They uphold the conciliar basis of the church and value tradition. They also accept seven sacraments as permanent obligations and view the episcopate as a gift from God, shared equally by all Catholic bishops. Old Catholics differ from Roman Catholics in their use of the vernacular in public worship, making confession to God in the presence of a priest optional, and allowing for optional celibacy of the clergy.
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Diocesan parishes
In the Catholic Church, a diocesan bishop has the sole power to erect, suppress, or alter parishes within his diocese. Parishes are the primary constituent units of a diocese and are usually territorial, comprising all the Christian faithful within a defined geographic area. Diocesan parishes are the most common type of Catholic parish in the United States, with Mass typically conducted in English or the local language.
Dioceses ruled by an archbishop are commonly referred to as archdioceses, and most are placed at the head of an ecclesiastical province. In the Catholic Church, some dioceses are suffragans of a metropolitan see or are directly subject to the Holy See. The term "archdiocese" is not found in Catholic canon law, with "diocese" and "episcopal see" being the applicable terms for the area under a bishop's jurisdiction.
The establishment of diocesan commissions on the sacred liturgy, sacred music, and sacred art was directed by the Second Vatican Council in 1963. These commissions are intended to work together in close collaboration or form a single body.
In addition to their religious functions, many parishes operate schools for the children of the parish, offering both a standard curriculum and moral and religious instruction in line with Catholic teachings. Parishes are also juridic persons under canon law, recognized as units with certain rights and responsibilities, and are not autonomous.
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Frequently asked questions
There are three major branches of Christianity, and Catholic is one of them. However, there are different types of Catholic parishes, such as Diocesan Roman Catholic, Traditional or Extraordinary form parishes, and Eastern Catholics.
Diocesan Roman Catholic parishes are the most common in the United States. The mass is usually in English or the local language, and the priest often faces the congregation. Traditional or Extraordinary form parishes are more traditional, with women wearing veils, the mass in Latin, and the priest facing the same direction as the congregation. Eastern Catholics are Roman Catholics, but they are not Latin rite or Western Catholics. They may bristle at being called Roman Catholics as it diminishes their identity.
Examples of Catholic religions that are not in communion with Rome include Old Catholics, the Liberal Catholic Church, the Augustana Catholic Church, and the American National Catholic Church. These groups regard themselves as "Catholic" but do not accept the authority of the Bishop of Rome, also known as the Pope.
