What is Catholicism?

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darb85

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Hi Im not a catholic but i am interested in what exactly catholicism is. such as belief structures. Is there a difference from roman catholic and people that doent include roman in the name of the church??

My girl friend is catholic and its a huge part of her life. i want to know more about it so i can understand her life better. I go to a church that is non denominational.

THe only thing i ask is that i not be judged because i am not catholic.

Thanks for any help you can give me

Brad Waddell
 
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darb85:
Hi Im not a catholic but i am interested in what exactly catholicism is. such as belief structures. Is there a difference from roman catholic and people that doent include roman in the name of the church??

My girl friend is catholic and its a huge part of her life. i want to know more about it so i can understand her life better. I go to a church that is non denominational.

THe only thing i ask is that i not be judged because i am not catholic.

Thanks for any help you can give me

Brad Waddell
Click to expand...
Welcome Brad,
Glad you stopped by. I know you will have a lot of questions so I suggest you start by checking this site;

Catholic Q & A

Once you form some questions you have about the specifics of the faith, then jump right back here and we will try to answer them.
Pax,
Marie
 
Welcome to the board, Brad. 😃

Nah, nobody’s gonna judge you. Not anybody I know of, anyway. :o

So, go ahead… ask away.

You’ve asked a very good question. I can understand why it might be a little confusing to you.

The word “catholic” means “universal.”

“Roman Catholic” is Catholic of the “Roman rite.”

There’s “Byzantine Catholics” that are just as much “Catholic” as are “Roman Catholics.”

Actually, there are about 21 different “rites” in the “Catholic Church.” Each of those rites are just a little bit different from each other in HOW they express their Catholicity (“Catholic-ness”).

I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

They all are in total alignment with the Vatican and so are “Catholic” in matters of Faith and Morals.

(You’ll hear a lot about this “matters of Faith and Morals” thing because those are the 2 aspects of the Church that define us as Catholics.)

Keep asking away. A great site is **Catholic Answers ** at

www.catholic.com.

Another site for answers to questions like this is Eternal Word Television Network (also known as "EWTN"). It’s MORE than “just” television. The Website is located at:

www.ewtn.com

ETWN has a “Catholic Q&A.” However, I’d suggest that you first visit the “Teachings” part of the site at:

ewtn.com/faith/teachings/teaching.htm

The BEST source of what we as Catholics believe and why we do what we do is totally, accurately described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
You can go to this Website that has the entire Catechism on it… with a SEARCH ENGINE that you can type words or phrases into and when you click, the paragraphs that have that word or phrase will show up.

scborromeo.org/ccc.htm

Again, welcome to this discussion forum, Brad. Ask away and we’ll do our best.
🙂

P.S. If anybody posts a judgemental comment, please give the forum administrators a break and let them know of it. Just go ahead and click on the little red triangle at the top of that post to report it to the forum administrators.
 
Welcome Brad,

TOO LATE, You have already been judged and found to be a individual who cares about his girfriend to explore the Catholic Faith.

PLEASE ask lots of questions. Lots of very smart people.
 
Almost forgot.

Catholic Answers puts out a nice little pamphlet titled “Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth” that describes the main parts of our Faith.

This pamphlet (actually, a small 32-page booklet that is that many pages only because the paper it’s made on is small) is often given away for free but you can read the entire booklet here:

catholic.com/library/Pillar.asp

It covers what’s called the “Four Marks of the Church” – with scripture citations for each. Those 4 marks are One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. You get those down, you pretty much got the definition of the Catholic Church. After each of these headings is a couple of brief paragraphs explaining why we Catholics see it this way.

The Church Is One (Rom. 12:5, 1 Cor. 10:17, 12:13, CCC 813–822)

The Church Is Holy (Eph. 5:25–27, Rev. 19:7–8, CCC 823–829)

The Church Is Catholic (Matt. 28:19–20, Rev. 5:9–10, CCC 830–856)
<here’s the text of that part of the pamphlet. I’m including it here in this post because it’s the most pertinent to the question that you asked.>

**Jesus’ Church is called catholic (“universal” in Greek) because it is his gift to all people. He told his apostles to go throughout the world and make disciples of “all nations” (Matt. 28:19–20).

For 2,000 years the Catholic Church has carried out this mission, preaching the good news that Christ died for all men and that he wants all of us to be members of his universal family (Gal. 3:28).

Nowadays the Catholic Church is found in every country of the world and is still sending out missionaries to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19).

The Church Jesus established was known by its most common title, “the Catholic Church,” at least as early as the year 107, when Ignatius of Antioch used that title to describe the one Church Jesus founded. The title apparently was old in Ignatius’s time, which means it probably went all the way back to the time of the apostles. **

The Church Is Apostolic (Eph. 2:19–20, CCC 857–865)

Yup, we Catholics DO read the Bible. :whistle:

Perhaps you could ask your girlfriend if you could go with her to Mass sometime, just so you can see what it is that we do when we go to church.

Hope this helps?
Your sister in Christ,
Veronica Anne (cradle Catholic since the 50’s)
 
Welcome, Brad.

In addition to all the internet resources available, I’d also like to suggest that you look in the telephone book for a nearby Catholic Church. Give the parish office a call and say you’d like to make an appointment to talk with a priest. A priest would be glad to discuss any questions you’d have about the Church. You do not need to be Catholic, or even thinking about becoming Catholic, to talk about the Catholic faith with a priest.

If you are more serious about learning about the faith, you could also ask him about “RCIA”. It is a class that most parishes teach that explains the faith. People who want to become Catholic usually enter the Church through this RCIA program, but absolutely anyone who is simply curious about the faith is welcome to take the course without any implied committment to convert.

Good luck.
 
ok a few things i dont understand–the four sacraments-mostly penance and the eucharist-

What is the purpose of the saints?

I know the apostles’ creed tells of the beliefs of the catholic curch but i dont under stand the belifs of the church from it.

thanks for your help
 
Yo, Brad! Slow down!

The Catholic Church has been here and busy for 2000 years. There’s the simple part of “Catholic”: Love Jesus. Obey the Commandments. Trust the Church as the living Body of Christ on earth.

Then there’s the 2000 years of history, theology, and sacramental life that got us to where we are today as the Church has confronted war, politics, science . . . .

You’ve come to a good place to learn but DO start slow and easy. A lot of the questions non-Catholic have are answered on the home page of Catholic Answers. There’s a menu to the left that has brief articles on some of the FAQ’s.

Anyway, welcome aboard. I think you’ll find the Catholic faith to be absolutely fascinating, constantly challenging, and full of wonderful surprises, and whether you agree with her or not, the Church ALWAYS has a good answer for whatever question you may pose.
 
i was up until 5 this morning finding out as much as i possibly could about the catholic church and these are the few questions i had (see above) Can anyone help me out
 
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darb85:
ok a few things i dont understand–the four sacraments-mostly penance and the eucharist-

What is the purpose of the saints?

I know the apostles’ creed tells of the beliefs of the catholic curch but i dont under stand the belifs of the church from it.

thanks for your help
Click to expand...
Catholics have seven sacraments. Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Penance, Holy Orders, Matrimony, and Anointing of the Sick. Sacraments are all instituted by Christ and carry real grace to those who receive them. (Some Protestants have only 2 sacraments, Baptism & Eucharist, and some have no sacraments at all.)

The Saints who have been canonized by the Church – that is recognized for their lives of heroic sanctity to a degree that we can be certain that they are in heaven – are our brothers and sisters who have gone before us and have lived their lives with conspicuous holiness. But it is not just those who are recognized by the Church as saints who are, in fact, saints in heaven. Your grandmother, if she lived a holy life, is very likely to be there also. We’re just not sure of it. We believe the Saints are more alive than we are because they are with God. Their wills are completely united with his in charity. That is why we ask them to pray for us. We know that their prayers have extra clout!

A good place to look up the Apostles’ Creed is in the Catechism of the Catholic Church vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm Be warned: there are two Creeds, the longer, known as the Nicene Creed, and the shorter one, the Apostles’ Creed. Both affirm the same doctrine of God.

Have fun!
 
sorry ment the seven sacraments.

Thanks for the help. I am interested in maybe going to meet with a pastor or possibly going to a mass. how would i go about doing the prior?

Thanks for your help

Brad waddell
 
A good resource is the Catechism of the Catholic Church, commonly referred to as the CCC. It contains most of the teachings of the Church. One warning, when you’re looking up something read the entire section of the Catechism. It is very easy to take things out of context. After reading the entire section, I’m sure you’ll see the beauty of the teachings. Try this link: scborromeo.org/ccc.htm
another thing to keep in mind is the differences between the Catholic Bible and the Protestant Bibles. The Catholic Bible contains 7 books plus other writings which the Protestant normally does not. These books were indeed used in the teachings of Jesus and are quite beautiful. I highly recommend reading them, start with Wisdom and Sirach. You’ll be amazed at all of the teachings of Jesus, the sermon on the mount, the Lord’s prayer, His teachings on marriage, etc.
BTW the different sites for the CCC simply have different search engines, same CCC
 
Call the nearest Catholic Church. Ask to speak to the priest. Also ask when Mass is, so that you may be able to attend. When I first joined the Catholic Church I found it easier to attend the evening Mass, which is held on either a Saturday evening or Sunday evening. Ours is held on Sunday evening and then right after we have RCIA. The evening Mass is usually a little more informal
 
Dear Darb85,

As you have sensed from your girlfriend, Catholicism is much more than a religion… it is a way of living & a way of perceiving the world. The Catholic view of humanity is very basic in seeing man’s place as a creature of God who is exalted to the status of being called by God to be friends & even co-creators! This is balanced by the awesome humility of realizing we do not deserve such an honor from our Creator. Our lives are struggles with pain and sin that entered the world with the first persons (Adam & Eve.) We rejoice even in these, though, for we have the ability to allow God to use our struggles and temptations to purify us & to advance His kingdom here on earth.

So you see, Catholicism appears to be more than a religion in the sense that we often think of a religion in our culture… something we do. Catholicism is something you are & something you become throughout your life. It is a true religion because it encompasses our total being as praise and offering to our almighty God! It is the total faith that God intended for mankind.

And now, the journey begins… Alleluia!
 
Hi Darb,
You are getting some excellent information from my Spiritual Brothers and Sisters here.

Let me talk to you about the bigger picture of the Roman Catholic Church.

As you read through the posts here at Catholic Answers, you will start noticeing that Catholics have very pronounced tastes in thier favorite “flavor” of worship. Some folks are quite inward as to how they best go to Mass. They prefer quiet and very traditional type music, mostly organ only. Some folks prefer Latin over a Mass in the vernacular. Often they worship very privately, choosing not to hold hands during prayerl

Others could hug a lampost. They like very upbeat music with a variety of instruments. They clap hands, some raise their hands in prayer, often sing pretty loud, they hold hands … in other words “body language” is very much part of their worship. These folks tend to be more “outgoing” in their worship.

Then there is all kinds of folks in between. When you see the Roman Catholic Church this way, you can see what “Universal” means. The Church is very big and embraces us all. You will see Catholics in Africa worshipping in a way that reflects that culture. You might see ceremonies that are traditionally Portugese. American Catholics are somewhat different than those of other countries. There is so much variety, I could never mention everyone. And, yet, we are all members of this huge Apostolic Church we call the Body of Christ. We agree on certain Doctrines and Celebrate the same Holy Mass and receive grace from the same Sacraments. Our history all goes back to our very first Pope, St Peter.

Is this awesome?

I think so. When I was about your age, I was asking exactly the same questions for exactly the same reason.

The man I was to marry, almost 50 years ago was a Catholic and I wasn’t.
 
As a convert, I know some of the things I was told about Catholicism that were distortions or lies. Could be that being a non-denom that you haven’t had as much anti-Catholic biases taught.

First, the canon of the Bible – which books and what order they have been in since the early years is what we Catholics use. The reformers decided they didn’t like some books and changed the canon and added some words to make their theology work better.

Second, our sacraments are very much more than just rules for us to live by. My marriage is a convenant with my husband and God. We receive and have special graces available to us for having had a sacramental wedding.

Eucharist is the most sublime and amazing sacrament. While all the sacraments confer grace, only the Eucharist contains the author of grace, himself. When Jesus promised to be with us always, this is the primary way. He is present in the tabernacle of Catholic churches everywhere.

I have had Jesus reach out to me from His most humble and loving gift to us. He has called me to His banquet to receive Him. He had asked why I had continued to deny myself receiving Him.

Also unlike food we eat that we change into our bodies, the Eucharist changes us to be a little more like Jesus each time we receive Him properly.

Eucharist is more than a symbolic memorial – way more.

There are many suggestions about where to read. The Catechism is free online and inexspensive for a paper back – somewhere from about $10.00 to 15.00 depending on the size of the actual book Same amount of material just different type size and less paper.

We are willing to share all that we can, but sometimes it is important for you to read the material and digest it a bit.

Thank you for wanting to learn about your girl friend’s religion. It may seem that early on we are tricking you or conning you. I remember that feeling. All the stuff I was told that was wrong about Catholicism had an explanation that was very evident. I was not ready at first to believe it.

I converted to Catholicism from being a Baptist about 19 years ago. I don’t regret it and am so grateful for the treasure of wisdom and spirituality that has been documented for 2,000 years.

In spite of all the troubles, we are still here and will be because Jesus said the gates of Hell would not prevail.

Peace and patience to you,
 
DOes anyone know of a catholic church within driving distance(relitivly close) of olivet michigan

thanks for your help

Brad Waddell
 
Is it considered a sin for a catholic to marry outside the faith? what are the guidelines for this. my curiousity has the best of me and these are questions that keep popping up.

Also i hear conflicting things about divorce and the catholic church such as divorced people are not allowed to be in the catholic church. is this true? Not that i have to worry about it but just wondering.

Is there a demanded level of involvement? i mean i go to church every sunday but due to time restraints and many times being off at college, i cannot be more active in my church, is this acceptable in the catholic church or is a larger involvement demanded?

Are there different types of catholicism? (Ex. reformed, orthodox, ect.) What makes these different, if the do in fact exist?

I keep seeing things about the vatican and then also the vatican II. what is the difference?

Sorry for the length just trying to get as much out of this as i can.

Thanks For all the help

Brad Waddell
 
Also what is the general stance of the church and the belief structure on birth control?
 
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