Doctrines, History, Practices, & FAQs
The Catholic Church is estimated to have over 1.2 billion adherents who come from different parts of the globe.
As a religious institution, the Roman Catholic Church focuses on providing its followers with divine truth about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Apostles.
Besides, the history of the Catholicism religion can be traced up to 2000 years back, making it one of the most influential religions in the world.
The Catholic Church has its headquarters based in Vatican City and is headed by the Pope who directs the faithful followers, and the church as a whole.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, famously known as Francis, is the current Pope and was elected in 2013 as the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church.
Roman Catholicism is known for its sophisticated theological teachings and elaborates institutional structure. As such, most of the teachings may require philosophical understanding.
Members of the church are encouraged to imitate Jesus Christ as he is considered God incarnate. Moreover, catholicity is based on the teachings of Jesus and his divine works during his time on earth.
Additionally, the adherents of the Catholic Church believe that Jesus gave his apostles spiritual authority to govern and lead the church according to his teachings.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Roman Catholic Church is the one holy and universal religion in the world. In fact, the word Catholic in a literal sense means universal or all-embracing.
History of Catholicism Religion
As a denomination that has been around for centuries, several things can be covered when it comes to the history of the Roman Catholic Church.
Followers of the Catholic Church purport that it was founded by Jesus Christ through his divine teachings.
The accounts of these teachings are recorded in the New Testament and are mostly explained in the book of Acts, which covers the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire.
Also, the book of Acts provides details on how Apostle Paul spread Christianity during the early stages of the religion’s growth.
According to traditional doctrine, the Roman Catholic Church came about as a continuation of Christ’s early church that he formed with his Apostles in the 1st century CE.
Like most Christian denominations, the Catholic Church faced a lot of challenges as it spread through the Roman Empire and other parts of the world.
Those who practiced pagan worship in the region were against Catholicism religion and Christianity as a whole, and this made it difficult for most people to join the religion.
However, during the Constantinian dynasty, Emperor Constantine embraced Christianity in 313, allowing denominations like Catholicism to expand throughout the empire.
As the Roman Catholic Church spread, it had a dominant influence in the region and other parts of the world. This made it easy for people to receive the message that the church was preaching.
The Catholic Church became even more influential in Europe after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, which occurred from 395 AD to 476 AD. Consequently, the pope gained supremacy and influenced the spiritual and political aspects of early societies.
The growth of papal supremacy created a better relationship between the Catholic Church and the people, thereby causing an astronomic spread of the Catholicism religion.
Currently, the Roman Catholic Church has the largest followership in the world, all thanks to the efforts of early Christians.
The Catholic Church is not only dominant in Europe but is also widely spread in South and North America, not to forget Africa and other parts of the world.
Doctrines of Catholicism Religion
1. The Bible as God’s Word
- The doctrines that govern Catholicism are scripture-inspired, meaning the adherents believe and do everything in accordance with Bible accounts.
- Moreover, Catholics consider the Bible to be error-free and is God’s divine word. And like most Christian denominations, Catholics believe that they can understand God’s true nature by reading the scriptures.
- That being said, the Bible is an important element of worship in Catholicism. And that is exactly why it is used as a reference point during mass or when addressing other spiritual matters.
2. The Holy Trinity
- The Catholicism religion is one of the denominations that championed the existence of the Holy Trinity
- According to the Trinity, there is one God, but He is consubstantial and coeternal in the form of three persons as God the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- The Trinity is a fundamental doctrine among Catholics as it gives them a better understanding of God’s nature. In addition to this, it provides the adherents with an idea of how they are supposed to view God and all His marvelous creations.
3. Papal Supremacy
- Adherents of the Roman Catholic Church view the Pope as the vicar of Jesus Christ. As such, the Pope is considered infallible when covering what is written in the scriptures or when talking about church doctrines.
- The pope is considered one of the most powerful leaders due to his vast influence on Catholics and those who are not part of the denomination.
- Besides, the pope is at the top of the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church, so anything that he says goes, provided that it is supported by the scriptures.
4. The Assumption of Mary
- This is yet another fundamental doctrine that governs the beliefs of those in the Catholicism religion.
- Being the mother of Christ, Mary is a central figure not only to Catholics but to Christianity as a whole.
- Catholics believe that after her death, Mary was taken into heaven both in the spiritual and physical form. However, Catholics don’t pray to Mary but simply praise and honor her for giving birth to Christ.
5. The Transubstantiation
- The Catholicism religion teaches that the wine and bread served during the Holy Communion or Eucharist represent the blood and body of Christ Jesus.
- When celebrating Christ’s last supper with his Apostles, Catholic priests read the words of Jesus Christ from the Bible to the congregants to honor his last moments on earth.
These are just but some of the doctrines that govern the Roman Catholic Church. They are widely covered in the Nicene Creed, a Christian statement of conviction that is spiritually accepted by mainstream Christianity.
Catholicism Religion: Sacraments
In the Roman Catholic Church, a sacrament is any ritual or religious practice that brings divine grace to the participants.
The Catholicism religion has up to seven sacraments, which are considered holy before God and the church. Catholics believe that all sacraments were instituted by Jesus Christ through his teachings.
- Baptism
-According to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, baptism is a symbol of admission of faith.
-It is usually the first sacrament that is administered to Catholics and is often done just a few days after one is born. Nonetheless, adults can also get baptized, but this only applies to individuals who have never been baptized.
-Baptism symbolizes rebirth and also brings divine grace to those who are baptized.
- The Sacrament of Confession
-Commonly known as reconciliation or penance, allows Catholics to confess their sins as many times as they want to their priests as a way of renewal.
-When one is truly remorseful of their sins, the priest offers absolution by praying to God on one’s behalf.
-During penance, you can confess sins that you have committed and those that you have thought of committing.
- The Eucharist
-The Catholicism religion celebrates the Eucharist to honor Christ’s last supper.
-During this ceremony, the priest serves bread and wine, which symbolize the body and blood of Jesus Christ, a belief also known as transubstantiation.
- Confirmation
-As the name suggests, this sacrament confirms or validates one’s belief in the Catholic religion.
-This sacrament is for those who have recently been baptized in the faith.
- Anointing of the Sick
-This sacrament is also called Extreme Unction and is offered to individuals who are seriously ill.
-The priest can take confessions during the Extreme Unction, thereby uniting the person with Christ in case they die.
- Marriage
-According to Catholics, marriage symbolizes the relationship that Jesus Christ has with the church.
-It is considered a special occasion in which two people unite to form an inseparable union.
- Holy Orders
-Unlike other sacraments that are available for all members of the Catholic Church, Holy Orders or Ordination is only offered to men who are not married and aspire to be bishops, priests, deacons, etc.
-For one to undergo ordination, they must go through special spiritual training that is overseen by the church.
Final Verdict
The Catholicism religion has taken the spiritual world by storm. With over one billion followers from different corners of the world, it is one of the most influential denominations.
Catholics have different beliefs that govern their spiritual lives. Like all denominations under Christianity, Catholics rely on the Bible and view it as God’s divine word.
The Roman Catholic Church has a strict hierarchy that shows the level of spiritual authority that deacons, priests, bishops, and the pope have on the church.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Catholics pray to Mary?
It is important to keep in mind that Catholics don’t worship or pray to Mary as a deity. However, she is honored and respected as the mother of Jesus Christ.
Is Catholicism a religion or denomination?
Catholicism is a denomination under the religion of Christianity.
Why do Catholics confess their sins to priests?
Through the sacrament of penance or confession, Catholics can regain favor before God after admitting their sins to priests. The belief is that the priest intercedes for the sinner before God.