Overview of Roman Catholic Faith
The Catholic Church is the oldest institution in the western
world with its history dating back over 2000 years. Today there
are more than a billion Catholics in the world (one in six
people is a baptised Catholic) with around five million living
in England alone.
The Church defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus
Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity.
Catholics believe in Jesus Christ and his message of love for
all, peace and forgiveness. We also believe that all men and
women are equal, because we are made in the image of God. We
believe in justice and equality too as whatever we do to each
other, we do to Christ.
Structure
Catholics are guided by the Church’s highest earthly authority
in matters of faith, morality and Church governance – the Pope – who
is currently Benedict XVI. The Pope is supported by local leaders in
our individual dioceses – the Bishops – who meet regularly to pray
and reflect on how best to interpret Christ’s teachings to the world
today. Each Bishop is the leader of his diocese, a specific
geographical area.
There are 22 dioceses in England and Wales. Together with priests,
the Bishops are responsible for the spiritual growth of believers in
their diocese. Catholics are encouraged to attend weekly mass and
are under an obligation during the Easter season to attends the
sacraments of reconciliation (formerly known as confession) and holy
communion.
Beliefs
Catholic beliefs are based on the Bible and on traditions handed
down from the time of the Apostles. The Catholic Church holds that
there is one eternal God, who exists as a mutual indwelling of three
persons: the Father, the Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Those
beliefs are summarised in the Nicene Creed and formally detailed in
the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Formal Catholic worship, termed the liturgy, is regulated by Church
authority. The Eucharist is one of the seven Church sacraments and
the key part of every Catholic Mass.
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