Blessed Trinity
WHAT DO CATHOLICS BELIEVE?
"We must defend the truth at all costs, even if we are reduced to only twelve again."
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Catholicism is the living experience of New Testament Church founded by our Lord Jesus Christ on the day of Pentecost with the descent of the Holy Spirit in the year A.D. 33. According to St. Paul, the Catholic Church is the pillar and ground of the truth. It is this same ancient Church that brought the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Apostolic teachings to the world, teaching the Gospel of God's saving love, mercy, grace, justification, redemption, and reconciliation by grace though faith. Since that great day in human history, tens of millions of people from all over the world have been won by God's amazing grace and called to serve Him in the one, holy, Catholic, Apostolic church!
Throughout her 2,000 year history, our enemy, Satan, the devil, has inspired many to persecute Christians simply for their devotion to Jesus as Lord. This same enemy has tried (and continues to try) to destroy the Church by introducing various heresies, but by God's grace, the Church confronted these heresies with ecumenical councils. These counsels were made up of faithful bishops who clarified in new language what the Scriptures have long taught and what the Church has always believed. Its primary statements of faith are the Apostle's Creed and the Nicene Creed.
Catholicism has not been kept alive by personal, individualistic studies of Scripture or free-thinking teachers, but by the Holy Spirit who moves in and through the Church that Christ is building. God also works through the Pope, its bishops, priests, deacons, doctors, and faithful lay members. God's people unify to become part of Jesus' guarantee that, "against the church, the gates of hell would never prevail," and here we are some 2,000 years later, still growing and teaching the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Apostolic doctrines!
Throughout her 2,000 year history, our enemy, Satan, the devil, has inspired many to persecute Christians simply for their devotion to Jesus as Lord. This same enemy has tried (and continues to try) to destroy the Church by introducing various heresies, but by God's grace, the Church confronted these heresies with ecumenical councils. These counsels were made up of faithful bishops who clarified in new language what the Scriptures have long taught and what the Church has always believed. Its primary statements of faith are the Apostle's Creed and the Nicene Creed.
Catholicism has not been kept alive by personal, individualistic studies of Scripture or free-thinking teachers, but by the Holy Spirit who moves in and through the Church that Christ is building. God also works through the Pope, its bishops, priests, deacons, doctors, and faithful lay members. God's people unify to become part of Jesus' guarantee that, "against the church, the gates of hell would never prevail," and here we are some 2,000 years later, still growing and teaching the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Apostolic doctrines!
Faith is necessary for salvation. “Believing in Jesus Christ and the One who sent him for our salvation is necessary for obtaining that salvation." (CCC, no. 161).
+ What are the core beliefs of the Catholic faith?
The core beliefs of the Catholic faith are found in the Nicene Creed. Here’s what it says:
- 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. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.
- I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified who has spoken through the prophets.
- I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
+ Who started the Catholic Church?
We are the original Christian Church which began when Jesus said to the Apostle, St. Peter, “You are the rock on which I will build my church. The gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Every Catholic Bishop since then is kindred to this investiture
and thus he is in this unbroken line of succession to St. Peter.
+ What do Catholics believe about the Bible?
Catholics believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. From the beginning of Christianity, the Catholic Church defined the canon of Scripture – the books you find in the Christian Bible – and defined what it meant to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Through the centuries, it’s the Catholic Church that preserved the Bible, as well as many other written works, through its monasteries and libraries.
+ What does the Church mean by “sacred tradition”?
In the early Church, the Gospel was preached by those who had known Christ, or who were close companions of His Apostles. The Apostles handed on their preaching and writings for all generations through bishops, who continue to preach the truth revealed in the four Gospels. This living transmission of the God's Word is called "tradition," which is distinct from Scripture, but intimately and reliably tied to it. Tradition infuses the entire life of the Church, and along with Scripture, comprises the deposit of the Word of God.
+ What happens at a Catholic Mass?
Early in the history of the Church, there was the belief that when Jesus said at the Last Supper, “Take this and eat – this is my body; take this and drink – this is my blood,” that He was giving Himself to his people in what appeared to be simple bread from the fields and wine from the vine. These ordinary symbols of His body and blood however, took on new essence, ushering in the New Covenant when at His command; became His Body and Blood! As we continue to, "Do this in remembrance of Him," God the Holy Spirit continues to work through the humble instrumentality of His bishops and priests to transform these mere symbols of Christ's work in our redemption to real graces in or redemption; becoming for us our spiritual, life-saving drink. Unlike the manna God gave to the hungry Israelites in the desert for forty years, which had only temporal value, Jesus gave us the true bread from heaven (John 6:31-33), His body and blood, a heavenly, spiritual meal of eternal worth! This bread we call the Eucharist – a name that comes from the Greek word for thanksgiving. The Catholic Mass is a Eucharistic celebration and a celebration of God’s word in Scriptures.
+ Why do Catholics tell their sins to a priest?
The sacrament of reconciliation (also called penance or confession) was created by Jesus himself when he said, "‘As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained’" (John 20:21–23). The idea of confessing our sins to another person is also in the Bible. In James 5:18, the Apostle tells us, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.” The sacrament of reconciliation is known in the Church as a sacrament of healing. For more on this, click on that > Confession
+ What do Catholics believe about Mary?
Mary is honored as first among the saints because she is the mother of God and the mother of the Church. We believe Mary (like Adam and Eve, and the holy angels) was created without sin, meaning she was unstained by original sin. We further believe that God preserved Mary from sin in this life so that she could remain the immaculate vessel to bring His son into the world. Being human, however, she still had free will, which means she had the propensity to say “yes” or “no” to God when his messenger, the Gabriel angel came to her. The fact that our mother willingly said “yes” is an example for us of love for God and submission to His perfect will. Because of the grace given to her and her closeness to her Son, our Savior, we ask Mary to pray for us to her Son, to the Father, and the Holy Spirit, now and at the hour of our deaths.
+ Why do Catholics pray to saints?
We believe that holy men and women who have come before us still pray for us and aid us. We call them saints, and many of our churches are named for them. When we pray to saints, we ask for their intercession (the same way you’d ask your family or friends to pray for you), so that God hears not only our prayers, but also the saints’ prayers on our behalf.
Do Catholics pray to statues? No. We pray to God. Along with the words of Scripture, images can illuminate the Gospel message and inspire us with the memory of saints. We believe God is present in beauty – and so we have commissioned and preserved some of the world’s greatest artworks. Without the sponsorship of the Church, Michelangelo would never have painted his famous Sistine Chapel nor carved the Pietà.
+ What is the Catechism of the Catholic Church?
The word “catechism” comes from the Greek word, catechesis, or oral teaching. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a compendium of the essential teachings of the Catholic faith. It’s available online for free > Here
+ How does someone come back to the Catholic Church?
There’s a saying, “Once a Catholic, always a Catholic.” If you were baptized into the Catholic Church, or if you received any of the sacraments when you were younger, you’re still a Catholic, even if you don’t go to Mass or pray anymore. In short, the Catholic Church will always be your spiritual home, and you’re welcome home any time. How? Just show up. Visit a parish, talk to the pastor, the priest, a deacon, or to a parishioner and let them know you’re there. We want to welcome you home and help you renew a relationship with Jesus Christ that will be the source of your happiness now and for all eternity!