Michael Brooks
Catholicism is a denomination of Christianity, and as such, Catholics worship God. However, there is a common misconception that Catholics worship Mary, the mother of Jesus, and other saints. While Catholics do not worship Mary or saints in the same way that they worship God, they do revere them. The worship of God is expressed in the Roman Catholic Church through liturgy, principally the Eucharist or Mass, which involves the recitation of prayers and readings from the Bible, followed by communion. Other ways Catholics worship include sacraments, such as Holy Orders, Reconciliation, and Confirmation, as well as rites of baptism, weddings, and funerals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Worship through prayer | Catholics worship God through prayer, both formal and informal. |
| Holy Communion | Catholics believe that during Holy Communion, they consume the literal body and blood of Jesus Christ. |
| The Eucharist | Catholics believe in the life-giving presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, which is the "source and summit" of their faith. |
| The Mass | Catholics are obliged to participate in the Mass, which is considered a prayer to God. |
| Saints | Catholics pray to saints, including Mary, and believe in their presence in heaven. |
| Angels | Catholics pray to angels and believe in their spiritual existence. |
| Martyrs | Catholics worship martyrs, believing that their blood is the seed of the Church. |
| Sacraments | Sacraments are rituals that bring Catholics closer to God, and they are considered treasures that bring intimacy with God. |
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Prayer and devotion
Catholics have many forms of prayer and devotion, some formal, some informal. Prayer can be a simple look turned towards heaven, a cry of recognition and love, embracing both trial and joy. It is a surge of the heart.
The Sacraments are another form of prayer. While they can sometimes seem dry, dull, and repetitive, when understood and entered into correctly, they become the greatest source of intimacy with God. They become personal.
Catholics also pray to Mary, the Saints, and angels. This is because prayer itself is not worship, and death has no power over those in Christ. Catholics pray for those who have died as an act of love for souls on their journey to heaven.
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The Eucharist
The consecration of the bread and wine represents the memorial of Christ's Passover, the sacramental offering of his unique sacrifice. The bread and wine are not mere symbols, but the "'substance' of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The "accidents" or appearances of bread and wine remain, but the "substance" has changed. This change is called "transubstantiation".
The bread used for the Eucharist must be made of wheat and recently made, and the wine must be natural, made from grapes, and not corrupt. A small quantity of water is added to the wine. In the Latin, Armenian, and Ethiopic Rites, the bread is unleavened, while in most Eastern Catholic churches, it is leavened.
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Saints and statues
There is a common misconception that Catholics worship statues and saints. However, this is not the case. Catholics use statues, paintings, and other artistic devices to recall the person or thing depicted. Just as a photograph can help to remember one's mother, a statue can help to recall the example of the saints. Statues are also used as teaching tools, especially for the instruction of the illiterate in the early Church.
Catholics do pray to saints, but prayer is not worship. Death has no power over those in Christ, and Catholics believe that saints are in heaven. The Church does not "create" saints but recognizes certain individuals who have lived exemplary Christian lives. This process of canonization involves prayer, study, witness accounts, verification of miracles, and other holy actions.
The distinction between worship and veneration is important. When a Catholic kneels before a statue, their intention is to honour a saint, not to worship them. Statues and images are used as symbols to direct thoughts to the person they depict. This is not idolatry, as God does not forbid the making of images, only the worship of images as gods.
Protestants often accuse Catholics of idolatry, citing Bible passages such as Deuteronomy 5:9, "You shall not bow down to them," and Exodus 20:4, "You shall not make for yourself a graven image." However, this accusation stems from a misunderstanding of Catholic practices and the purpose of statues. Catholics do not believe that statues are gods or possess any divinity, and they do not pray to statues as gods.
In summary, Catholics use statues of saints as visual reminders and teaching tools, and they pray to saints as honoured Christians in heaven, but they do not worship statues or saints as gods.
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Sacraments
Baptism
Baptism is the first sacrament and the foundation of Christian life. It is the sacrament of rebirth and it configures the person to Christ, incorporating them into the Church. Through baptism, the person's sins are forgiven and they become a temple of the Holy Spirit.
Confirmation
Confirmation is the second sacrament and it is the sacrament of initiation into the Christian community. It is a simple act of the Holy Spirit, who is God, increasing our faith so that we have the certainty that He is with us and will take us to Heaven. During this sacrament, the Holy Spirit strengthens our ability to love God and others more deeply. The Holy Spirit gives seven gifts to help us do that. This sacrament is usually performed by a bishop who imposes his hands over the confirmandi and anoints them with oil (the Holy Chrism).
Eucharist
The Eucharist is the sacrament in which Jesus is present in the form of bread and wine, which are transubstantiated into His Body and Blood during the Holy Mass. This sacrament was instituted by Jesus during the Last Supper with the twelve apostles. Catholics believe that during the Holy Mass, they receive Jesus in their souls.
Reconciliation
Reconciliation, also known as Confession, is the sacrament of forgiveness. When Catholics confess their sins to a priest, they are following the plan laid out by Jesus Christ. God forgives their sins and gives them peace and strength to be good Christians.
Anointing of the Sick
The Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament that brings strength, peace, and encouragement to those who are very sick, very old, or near death. It includes the forgiveness of sins and helps prepare the person for their death.
Holy Orders
Holy Orders is the sacrament that ordains priests, deacons, and bishops. It allows them to administer all the other sacraments to others. It is usually a bishop who lays his hands on the new deacon or priest and consecrates them to God.
Matrimony
Matrimony is the sacrament of marriage between a man and a woman. When a couple marries within the Church, their union is blessed by God, who unites their bodies and souls.
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Protestant differences
Protestants are Christians who subscribe to core Catholic teachings, such as the Trinity, Incarnation, and the Bible, but reject other Catholic Church teachings, including the Pope, hierarchy, Mary, Saints, Sacraments, and Purgatory. Protestants invented new religious services, creating many worship traditions, but most do not consider the Eucharist central to their services.
Protestant worship is often designed to provoke emotion and entertain, focusing on the preacher and pulpit, with passionate preaching accompanied by emotionally driven music. This is in contrast to Catholic worship, which is not about "feeling" something. It is more about communing with God and reflecting privately.
Protestants deny the sacrificial nature of the Mass, which is integral to Catholic worship. Each Mass is considered a sacrifice to God, and when taking communion, Catholics believe they are communing with God.
There are many different types of Protestants, and therefore many different forms of worship. For example, liturgical Protestants, such as Methodists, Lutherans, and Episcopalians, retain the general frame of Apostolic worship, while High Masses from some Anglicans could be mistaken for a Traditional Latin Mass.
Baptists, on the other hand, focus on preaching and scripture reading, with the pulpit at the center of the building. This is considered by some Catholics to be a Bible study or teaching session rather than worship.
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Frequently asked questions
Catholics worship God through prayer, the Sacraments, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist (also called the Mass).
The Liturgy of the Eucharist is the principal form of public worship for the Roman Catholic Church. It involves the recitation of prayers and readings from the Bible, followed by the priest inviting the faithful to receive communion, which is understood as sharing in the sacramental presence of Christ.
The Sacraments are forms of worship that can bring intimacy with God. Examples include Holy Orders, which gives priests the power to forgive sins, and the sacrament of Reconciliation, which brings God's forgiveness and reconciles Catholics with God and the Church.
No, Catholics do not worship Mary or saints. They venerate (or honour) Mary and the saints due to their closeness to God, but only God is worshipped and adored.
