The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, claiming more than a billion members.[1] Its leader is the Pope. The Church defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity.
The Catholic Church is one of the oldest continuous religious institutions in the world and has played a prominent role in the history of Western civilisation.[2] It teaches that it was founded by Jesus Christ, that its bishops are successors of his apostles, and that the Pope as the successor of St. Peter possesses a universal primacy. As such, Catholic doctrine proclaims the Catholic Church to be the one true Church of Christ. It also claims the power to define its doctrines infallibly through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.[3]
The Church teaches that in the Eucharist bread and wine are transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ. Other distinctive doctrines includePurgatory, Papal infallibility, and the immaculate conception and bodily assumption into heaven of Mary
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The Catholic Church holds that there is one eternal God, who exists as a mutual indwelling of three persons: God the Father; God the Son; and the Holy Spirit, which make up the Trinity. Catholic belief holds that the Church "... is the continuing presence of Jesus on earth."[183] To Catholics, the term "Church" refers to the people of God, who abide in Christ and who, "... nourished with the Body of Christ, become the Body of Christ."[184] Catholics profess that this Church is the Catholic Church, which is described in the Creed as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, the true Churchof Christ. In the papal encyclical Mystici Corporis Christi, the Catholic Church is further described as the Mystical Body of Christ.
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Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Holy Mass at the canonization of Frei Galvão in São Paulo, Brazil on 11 May 2007
The Church teaches that the fullness of the "means of salvation" exists only in the Catholic Church but acknowledges that the Holy Spirit can make use of Christian communities separated from itself to bring people to salvation. It teaches that anyone who is saved is saved indirectly through the Church if the person has invincible ignorance of the Catholic Church and its teachings (as a result of parentage or culture, for example), yet follows the morals God has dictated in his heart and would, therefore, join the Church if he understood its necessity.[185] It teaches that Catholics are called by the Holy Spirit to work for unity among all Christians.[185]
According to its doctrine, the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ.[11] The New Testament records the activities and teaching of Christ's appointment of the twelve Apostles and giving them authority to continue his work.[11] The Church teaches that Jesus designated Simon Peter as the leader of the apostles by proclaiming "upon this rock I will build my church ...I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven ..."[185] The Church teaches that the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, in an event known as Pentecost, signaled the beginning of the public ministry of the Church. All duly consecrated bishops since then are considered the successors to the apostles,[13] and they hand on the Sacred Tradition received from the apostles.[186]
According to the Council of Trent, Christ instituted seven sacraments and entrusted them to the Church.[187] These are Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Reconciliation (Penance), Anointing of the Sick (formerly Extreme Unction or the "Last Rites"), Holy Orders and Holy Matrimony. Sacraments are important visible rituals that Catholics see as signs of God's presence and effective channels of God's grace to all those who receive them with the proper disposition (ex opere operato).[188]
Catholics believe that Christ is the Messiah of the Old Testament's Messianic prophecies.[189] In an event known as the Incarnation, the Church teaches that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, God became united with human nature when Christ was conceived in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Christ is believed, therefore, to be both fully divine and fully human. It is taught that Christ's mission on earth included giving people his teachings and providing his example for them to follow as recorded in the four Gospels.[190]
Prayers and devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary are part of Catholic piety but are distinct from the worship of God.[191] The Church holds Mary, asPerpetual Virgin and Mother of God, in special regard. Catholic beliefs concerning Mary include her Immaculate Conception without the stain of original sin and bodily Assumption into heaven at the end of her life, both of which have been infallibly defined as dogma, by Pope Pius IX in 1854 and Pope Pius XII in 1950 respectively.[192]
Mariology deals not only with her life but also her veneration in daily life, prayer and Marian art, music and architecture. Several liturgical Marian feasts are celebrated throughout the Church Year and she is honored with many titles such as Queen of Heaven. Pope Paul VI called her Mother of the Church, because by giving birth to Christ, she is considered to be the spiritual mother to each member of the Body of Christ.[192] Because of her influential role in the life of Jesus, prayers and devotions, such as the Rosary, the Hail Mary, the Salve Regina and the Memorare are common Catholic practices.[193]
The Church has affirmed the credibility of certain Marian apparitions such as Our Lady of Lourdes, Fátima and Guadalupe,[194] Pilgrimages to these sites are popular Catholic devotions.[195]
Falling into sin is considered the opposite to following Christ, weakening a person's resemblance to God and turning their soul away from his love. Sins range from the less serious venial sins to more serious mortal sins that end a person's relationship with God.[196] The Church teaches that through the passion (suffering) of Christ and his crucifixion, all people have an opportunity for forgiveness and freedom from sin, and so can be reconciled to God.[197] The Resurrection of Jesus, according to Catholic belief, gained for humans a possible spiritual immortality previously denied to them because of original sin.[198] By reconciling with God and following Christ's words and deeds, the Church believes one can enter the Kingdom of God, which is the "... reign of God over people's hearts and lives".[199]
Catholics believe that they receive the Holy Spirit through the sacrament of Confirmation and that the grace received at baptism is strengthened,[200] To be properly confirmed, Catholics must be in a state of grace, which means they cannot be conscious of having committed an unconfessed mortal sin.[201] They must also have prepared spiritually for the sacrament, chosen a sponsor for spiritual support, and selected a saint to be their special patron and intercessor.[200] In the Eastern Catholic Churches, baptism, including infant baptism, is immediately followed by Confirmation—referred to as Chrismation[202]—and the reception of the Eucharist.[201]
After baptism, Catholics may obtain forgiveness for subsequent sins through the sacrament of penance.[203] In this sacrament, an individual confesses his sins to a priest, who then offers advice and imposes a particular penance to be performed. The priest administers absolution, formally forgiving the person of his sins.[204] The priest is forbidden—under penalty of excommunication—to reveal any sin or disclosure heard under the seal of confession.[205] An indulgence may be granted by the church after the sinner has confessed and received absolution for their sins. An indugence is believed to effect a partial or full remission (known as a plenary indulgence) of the temporal punishment still due for them in Purgatory.[206]
The Church teaches that, immediately after death, the soul of each person will receive a particular judgment from God, based on the deeds of that individual's earthly life.[201] This teaching also attests to another day when Christ will sit in a universal judgment of all mankind. This final judgment, according to Church teaching, will bring an end to human history and mark the beginning of a new and better heaven and earth ruled by God in righteousness.[201] The basis on which each person's soul is judged is detailed in the Gospel of Matthew, which lists works of mercy to be performed even to people considered "the least".[207] Emphasis is upon Christ's words that "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven".[208]
According to the Catechism, "The Last Judgement will reveal even to its furthest consequences the good each person has done or failed to do during his earthly life."[208] Depending on the judgement rendered, a soul may enter one of three states of afterlife. Heaven is a time of glorious union with God and a life of unspeakable joy that lasts forever.[201] Purgatory is a temporary condition for the purification of souls who, although saved, are not free enough from sin to enter directly into heaven.[201] Souls in purgatory may be aided in reaching heaven by the prayers of the faithful on earth and by the intercession of saints.[209]
Finally, those who chose to live a sinful and selfish life, did not repent, and fully intended to persist in their ways are sent to hell, an everlasting separation from God.[201] The Church teaches that no one is condemned to hell without having freely decided to reject God.[201] No one is predestined to hell and no one can determine whether anyone else has been condemned.[201] Catholicism teaches that through God's mercy a person can repent at any point before death and be saved.[210] Some Catholic theologians have speculated that the souls of unbaptised infants who die in original sin are assigned to limbo although this is not an official doctrine of the Church.[211]
Catholic beliefs are summarized in the Nicene Creed and detailed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.[212][213] Based on the promises of Christ in the Gospels, the Church believes that it is continually guided by the Holy Spirit and so protected infallibly from falling into doctrinal error.[185] The Catholic Church teaches that the Holy Spirit reveals God's truth through Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium.[citation needed] Sacred Scripture consists of the 73 book Catholic Bible. This is made up of the 46 books found in the ancient Greek version of the Old Testament—known as the Septuagint[214]—and the 27 New Testament writings first found in the Codex Vaticanus Graecus 1209 and listed in Athanasius' Thirty-Ninth Festal Letter.[215] [note 4]
Sacred Tradition consists of those teachings believed by the Church to have been handed down since the time of the Apostles.[216] Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition are collectively known as the "deposit of faith" (depositum fidei). These are in turn interpreted by the Magisterium (from magister, Latin for "teacher"), the Church's teaching authority, which is exercised by the pope and the College of Bishops in union with the pope.[217]
Traditions of worship
Differing liturgical traditions, or rites, exist throughout the Catholic Church, reflecting historical and cultural diversity rather than differences in beliefs.[218] The most commonly used liturgy is the Roman Rite, but even in the Latin Catholic Church a few other rites are in use, and the Eastern Catholic Churches have distinct rites. Two forms of the Roman Rite are authorized at present: that of the post-1969 editions of the Roman Missal (Mass of Paul VI), which is now the ordinary form of the rite and is celebrated mostly in the vernacular, i.e., the language of the people; and that of the 1962 edition (the Tridentine Mass), now anextraordinary form.[219][note 5]
In the United States, certain "Anglican Use" parishes use a variation of the Roman rite that retains many aspects of the Anglican liturgical rites.[note 6]Implementation is still awaited of the authorization granted in 2009 for the creation wherever appropriate of ordinariates for Anglicans who enter into communion with the Church and who may then use a rite that incorporates elements of Anglican tradition.[220] Other Western rites (non-Roman) include the Ambrosian Rite and the Mozarabic Rite. The rites used by the Eastern Catholic Churches include the Byzantine rite, the Alexandrian or Coptic rite, theSyriac rite, the Armenian rite, the Maronite rite, and the Chaldean rite.
The Eucharist, or Mass, is the center of Catholic worship.[221] The Words of Institution for this sacrament are drawn from the Gospels and a Pauline letter.[222] Catholics believe that at each Mass, the bread and wine are supernaturally transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ. The Church teaches that Christ established a New Covenant with humanity through the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. Because the Church teaches that Christ is present in the Eucharist,[219] there are strict rules about its celebration and reception. Catholics must abstain from eating for at least an hour before receiving Communion.[223]
Those who are conscious of being in a state of mortal sin are forbidden from this sacrament unless they have received absolution through the sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance).[223] Catholics are not permitted to receive communion in Protestant churches because of their different beliefs and practices regarding Holy Orders and the Eucharist.[224] Likewise, Protestants are not permitted to receive Communion in the Catholic Churc
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