What's the #1 thing you HAVE and MUST belive in order to be called a Catholic?

[Paris_Blues]

I hear that you have to believe that the Pope is the Vicar of Christ, believe in the Eucharist, believe that the Church was founded on the apostles, etc.

Well, what IS the #1???

 

[puzzleannie]

the elements of the Nicene Creed, which is why most of your preparation concentrates on those elements, as well as on the sacraments you will be receiving, and the message of the Gospel. therefore you must believe that you are joining the one Church founded by Jesus Christ, whose saving action is recounted in that gospel, and who enjoys His authority to confer those sacraments, proclaim that gospel, and define that creed.

 

[johnshelby]

Paris Blues:

I hear that you have to believe that the Pope is the Vicar of Christ, believe in the Eucharist, believe that the Church was founded on the apostles, etc.

Well, what IS the #1???

well, i’d think it’s…

belief in God, the Father Almighty and in Jesus Christ, His only
begotten Son, our Lord…

 

[Tibbar]

You have to be baptized. You don’t have to believe anything as is evident by the many baptized Catholics that don’t.

 

[martino]

Paris, congratulations on you upcoming Confirmation, im really happy for you!!

There is no #1 or #2. In order to be a Catholic in full communion with the Church (aside from the normal initiation) you must hold a belief in ALL doctrines of the Church. That doesn’t mean you have to understand them fully and it doesn’t mean you cant ask questions of them. It just means that when we “just dont get it” we are obliged to give our assent of faith in all matter of doctrine.

 

[Paris_Blues]

puzzleannie:

the elements of the Nicene Creed, which is why most of your preparation concentrates on those elements, as well as on the sacraments you will be receiving, and the message of the Gospel. therefore you must believe that you are joining the one Church founded by Jesus Christ, whose saving action is recounted in that gospel, and who enjoys His authority to confer those sacraments, proclaim that gospel, and define that creed.

That’s true! I can’t believe I forgot about that! Of course you would have to believe the Nicene Creed which is very beautiful. I almost have it memorized so will be prepared to say it on my Confirmation!

But one may argue that how can you still be a Catholic if you don’t believe the Pope is the Vicar of Christ, yet still believe the Nicene Creed? I do believe the Pope is but are there some out there who don’t yet still consider themselves Catholic?

 

[martino]

Paris Blues:

But one may argue that how can you still be a Catholic if you don’t believe the Pope is the Vicar of Christ, yet still believe the Nicene Creed? I do believe the Pope is but are there some out there who don’t yet still consider themselves Catholic?

dont worry about those folks, they have been told the truth and they will be held accountable for any heretical views they may have held!

 

[masondoggy]

Paris Blues:

I hear that you have to believe that the Pope is the Vicar of Christ, believe in the Eucharist, believe that the Church was founded on the apostles, etc.

Well, what IS the #1???

Well, I guess the #1 thing every Catholic must believe and accept is that the Catholic Church holds the fullness of Truth and is protected by the Holy Spirit from teaching error.

Everything else just falls into place after that.

Gee, God is very sensible, isn’t He?

 

[martino]

masondoggy:

Well, I guess the #1 thing every Catholic must believe and accept is that the Catholic Church holds the fullness of Truth and is protected by the Holy Spirit from teaching error.

Everything else just falls into place after that.

Gee, God is very sensible, isn’t He?

There you go, that is it right there!!! That is what I meant to say!

 

[DianJo]

Paris Blues:

I hear that you have to believe that the Pope is the Vicar of Christ, believe in the Eucharist, believe that the Church was founded on the apostles, etc.

Well, what IS the #1???

If you want a #1 answer as to what makes a Catholic a Catholic then I would have to say - THE EUCHARIST and the REAL PRESENCE OF JESUS!

This is the one thing that makes Catholics different from the other denominations. Most (or all) Christians believe and recite the Nicene Creed. All Christians are properly baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Some denominations have some of the sacraments in some form but the one thing only the Catholic Church offers that no other denominaton does is the Eucharist.

The Holy Eucharist is the height and summit of our faith in Jesus. No one else offers that!

 

[Paris_Blues]

DianJo:

The Holy Eucharist is the height and summit of our faith in Jesus. No one else offers that!

DianJo:

This is the one thing that makes Catholics different from the other denominations. Most (or all) Christians believe and recite the Nicene Creed. All Christians are properly baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Some denominations have some of the sacraments in some form but the one thing only the Catholic Church offers that no other denominaton does is the Eucharist.

Hmmmm…that’s interesting because I heard that some Protestants recite the Creeds BUT I heard and read that they take the captial “C” to a lower case “c” for “One, Holy, catholic…” which irritates me. I also heard it with “I believe in Only, Holy Church…” without saying the word “Catholic” which causes my blood temperature to rise!

 

[aurora77]

My absolute #1 would be the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. If you don’t believe that, you aren’t a Catholic. #2 would be belief that the Catholic Church is the Church founded by Christ, thus giving it the authority to preach and teach Christ’s people.

 

[martino]

Hmmmm…that’s interesting because I heard that some Protestants recite the Creeds BUT I heard and read that they take the captial “C” to a lower case “c” for “One, Holy, catholic…” which irritates me. I also heard it with “I believe in Only, Holy Church…” without saying the word “Catholic” which causes my blood temperature to rise!
[/quote]

I agree with what you are saying but i think the c in catholic is supposed to be lower case, it means universal. I could be wrong but i think that when we recite the creed we mean the same thing they mean when they say “catholic”.

 

[Honoria20]

Paris Blues:

I hear that you have to believe that the Pope is the Vicar of Christ, believe in the Eucharist, believe that the Church was founded on the apostles, etc.

Well, what IS the #1???

ALL that the Church teaches.

 

[Paris_Blues]

martino:

I agree with what you are saying but i think the c in catholic is supposed to be lower case, it means universal. I could be wrong but i think that when we recite the creed we mean the same thing they mean when they say “catholic”.

Oh, yes, that’s true. Protestants are catholic - with a lower “c” - so I can understand that. However, when they are saying that they are saying that they DO believe in the Catholic church in a way.

But just rejecting the teachings of the CC

 

[Matt16_18]

Paris Blues:

… what IS the #1???

The number one doctrine of the Catholic Church is the doctrine of the Trinity:

**Catechism of the Catholic Church

23**4 The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the “hierarchy of the truths of faith”. The whole history of salvation is identical with the history of the way and the means by which the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, reveals himself to men "and reconciles and unites with himself those who turn away from sin"What divides Catholics from all other Christians is her doctrine of infallibility.Cardinal Newman was right when he said that “the essential idea of Catholicism is infallibility.” The world intuits the supernatural reality of the Catholic Church. In the magisterial teaching of the Church it hears the voice of its Creator and is both attracted and repelled by it. …

“Do you understand and believe,” Newman asks one inquirer, “that the Church is the Oracle of God in such sense that she can declare and interpret authoritatively every part of that body of doctrine which our Lord gave to His Apostles?”

To another inquirer he says, “What is certain is that you ought to act on a conviction of the divinity of the Catholic Roman Church, if you are to join it.”

“There is only one Church and that is the Catholic,” Newman concludes.

These are remarkable and hard claims. Their radicality and offensiveness must not be minimized. These claims distinguish the Catholic Church from all other Christian bodies. They have been muted during the past forty years of ecumenical dialogue, yet the claims remain dogmatically intact. If they are not true, then, as Scott Hahn has observed, the Catholic Church is “nothing less than diabolical.” Henry Cardinal Manning formulated the dilemma clearly: “The Catholic Church is either the masterpiece of Satan or the Kingdom of the Son of God.”

My Road to Rome
by Alvin Frank Kimel, Jr.

 

[Protestante]

Well could somebody also answer for me then what is necessary for you guys to consider yourself christian ie Saved?

 

[Paris_Blues]

Protestante:

Well could somebody also answer for me then what is necessary for you guys to consider yourself christian ie Saved?

Excuse me? You’re saying we as Catholics aren’t Christian?

Is that what you’re hinting here?

Yeah, THAT’S really Christian right there!

 

[Matt16_18]

Paris Blues:

But one may argue that how can you still be a Catholic if you don’t believe the Pope is the Vicar of Christ, yet still believe the Nicene Creed?

You can’t reject the doctrine of Papal infallibility and still be a Catholic. Every Protestant rejects papal infallibility, and that is the ONLY thing that ALL Protestants have in common.

Protestants may claim to believe in the Nicene Creed, but they simply don’t understand what they are confessing. The Nicene Creed confesses belief in ONE church, not thousands of different churches that are divided over doctrine.

 

[Paris_Blues]

Matt16_18:

You can’t reject the doctrine of Papal infallibility and still be a Catholic. Every Protestant rejects papal infallibility, and that is the ONLY thing that ALL Protestants have in common.

Protestants may claim to believe in the Nicene Creed, but they simply don’t understand what they are confessing. The Nicene Creed confesses belief in ONE church, not thousands of different churches that are divided over doctrine.

Ah! Gotcha! Makes sense! Thanks!