Ethan Walker
Catholicism is a Christian religion that follows the teachings of Jesus Christ, who proclaimed that the truth will set you free (John 8:32). The Catholic Church, established by Christ, serves as the vehicle to guide people towards unity with God, which has been ruptured due to sin. The Church's purpose can be summarised in five elements: evangelising, reconciling, sanctifying, and being a source of grace, all while fulfilling our obligations to God and our neighbours. The core beliefs of the Catholic faith are outlined in the Nicene Creed, which professes faith in one God, the Father Almighty, and in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son. The Catholic faith is passed down through tradition and Scripture, with the Bible considered the inspired word of God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a comprehensive collection of the faith's essential teachings.
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What You'll Learn
The Catholic Church's purpose
Catholicism is a Christian religion, a reformation of the Jewish faith that follows the teachings of its founder, Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church believes that it practises the original Christian faith taught by the apostles, preserving the faith infallibly through scripture and sacred tradition. The Catholic faith is the Christianity originally handed down directly from Jesus Christ to his Apostles, who were commanded to build the Church.
The Catholic Church, established by God, serves as the vehicle to show the way to the truth and help people get to heaven. The Church's purpose is to save souls and bring the Good News to people so that they believe and are baptised. It is through the teachings of the Church that people come to love God and understand how to grow in that love. The Church provides the way to know and practice the faith to fulfil obligations to God and one's neighbour.
The Catholic Church, as the institution established by Christ, serves the purpose of restoring unity between God and man, which has been ruptured by sin. The Church's purpose can be broken down into five elements:
- Evangelise: Bring all into communion with God as Jesus commanded.
- Reconcile: Aid in repairing ruptures with God, oneself, others, and creation.
- Sanctify: Help people become more holy.
- Be a source of grace in the world.
- Provide support for the sick, the poor, and the afflicted through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
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The Bible and other texts
The Bible is central to the Catholic faith, with Catholics believing it to be the inspired word of God. The Bible used by Catholics is the Judeo-Christian Bible, which includes the Old Testament of the Hebrew religion and the canonical books of the New Testament. The Catholic Church defined the canon of Scripture – the books you find in every Christian Bible – and what it meant to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
The Bible is not the only text that is important to the Catholic faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a compendium of the essential teachings of the Catholic faith. The word "catechism" comes from the Greek word "catechesis", meaning oral teaching. The Catechism is available to read online for free. The Nicene Creed is also important, containing the core beliefs of the Catholic faith. It begins:
> "I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made."
Other texts that are important to the Catholic faith include the Didache ("Teaching"), a Syrian document in Greek written between 90–100 CE; the Apostolic Tradition, a Greek manuscript written in either Rome or Egypt in the early third century; and the Didaskalia Apostolorum ("The Teaching of the Apostles"), from northern Syria and written in the early third century.
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The Second Coming
Catholicism is a Christian religion, a reformation of the Jewish faith that follows the teachings of its founder, Jesus Christ. The Catholic faith is the Christianity handed down directly from Jesus Christ to his Apostles, who then passed it on to their successors (the Pope and Bishops) for the last 2000 years. The Catholic Church, established by Christ, serves as the vehicle to restore unity between God and man, which has been ruptured by sin. The Church's purpose can be broken down into five elements: evangelizing, reconciling, sanctifying, and being a source of grace.
Catholics believe that Christ's second coming will happen in a single moment, suddenly, and will be unmistakable, like "a flash of lightning." They believe that Christ will come to judge mankind, separating the righteous from the wicked, and ushering in his definitive kingdom. This belief is supported by references in the Nicene Creed, Apostles Creed, and biblical Pauline Creed, where it is stated that "He shall come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom shall have no end."
Before Christ's second coming, the Catholic Church teaches that the world will experience a time of great trial, known as the Great Apostasy in Christian theology, and the ministry of the Antichrist. Signs of this time will include famine, pestilence, natural disasters, wars, and the fading of faith. The appearance of the Antichrist will precede the Second Coming, as he will promote a false worldview and religion that will deceive many.
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The Communion of Saints
Catholicism is a Christian religion, a reformation of the Jewish faith that follows the teachings of its founder, Jesus Christ. The Catholic faith is the Christianity handed down directly from Jesus Christ to his Apostles, who in turn passed it down to their successors (the Pope and Bishops). The Catholic Church believes that Christ will return to earth to save it again, and that the world will end with a revolt involving Satan and his demons. When Christ returns, the bodies of the dead will be resurrected and reunited with their souls, and Christ will make a final judgment.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
> "Since all the faithful form one body, the good of each is communicated to the others...we must therefore believe that there exists a communion of goods in the Church. But the most important member is Christ, since he is the head. Now, the head, by its pain or honour, communicates its sufferings or its glory to the members, and the members, by their honour or suffering, give glory to the head."
The concept of the Communion of Saints is also linked with Paul's teaching that in Christ, Christians form a single body. The idea of mutual support and the exchange of benefits and prayers between believers is emphasised in the Heidelberg Catechism and the Gallican Confession.
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Prayer and meditation
Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina, or divine reading, is a form of prayerful reflection and meditation. It involves reading a short passage from the Bible, preferably from the Gospels, and carefully reading and re-reading it. The reader should seek to understand the text and discover its meaning for their life. This is the first element of Lectio Divina, which is reading (lectio). The second element is meditation (meditatio). Through meditation, the reader enters into the Biblical scene using their imagination to "see" the setting, the people, and the unfolding action.
Prayer (Oratio)
The third element of Lectio Divina is prayer (oratio) or one's personal response to the text. This can take the form of asking for graces, offering praise or thanksgiving, or seeking healing or forgiveness. Through prayer, one opens themselves up to the possibility of contemplation.
Contemplation (Contemplatio)
The final element of Lectio Divina is contemplation (contemplatio). Through God's grace, one may be raised above meditation to a state of seeing or experiencing the text as mystery and reality. In contemplation, one comes into an experiential contact with God.
Rosary Prayer
Another form of Catholic prayer is the rosary prayer. The rosary is a prayerful meditation on the mysteries of Christ.
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Frequently asked questions
The core beliefs of the Catholic faith are found in the Nicene Creed. The creed states that there is one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God.
At the most basic level, the Church's purpose is to provide the "Way" to know and practice the faith and to fulfill obligations to God and one's neighbour. The ultimate purpose of the Catholic Church is to help restore unity between God and man, which has been ruptured due to sin.
The main religious text of the Catholic religion is the Judeo-Christian Bible, which includes the Old Testament and the canonical books of the New Testament. Catholics believe the Bible is the inspired word of God.
The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church and resides in Vatican City. Every Pope since the first, Peter, has been part of an unbroken line of succession.
Saints are believed to be advocates, intercessors, friends, and mentors for believers. They serve as exemplars of how to follow Christ and live faithful and holy lives.
