Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church is the largest of the denominations of Christendom counting over one billion people in its flock. It claims to be doctrinally and organizationally the original Christian Church from which most but not all denominations of Christendom created branches. Its leader is His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, invested as Vicar of Christ and therefore universal shepherd of the faith.

Creed

Much of the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church is mainfest in the Nicene Creed. During every worship service the people profess the Nicene Creed, approved in Nicaea by the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325. Once again revised and approved at the First Ecumenical Council of Constantinople in 381, it states:

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth and of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven. By the power of the Holy Spirit, he was born of Vrigin Mary and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered, died and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the scriptures; he ascended into heaven as is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Organization

The Roman Catholic Church is organized into a patriarchal and hierarchical system with Christ as its leader, represented in the world through his vicar the pope. The pope oversees a universal presbyterium of archbishops, bishops, priests and deacons. Brothers and sisters of various religious orders also profess a vow of obedience to the pope. The world is divided into ecclesiastical territories called sees or dioceses, each led by a prelate bishop. A prelate bishop who is also a metropolitan bishop overseeing a cluster of dioceses grouped together to form a province is called an archbishop; his diocese receives the honor of being called an archdiocese. Some archbishops are raised in consistory to the papal title of cardinal and are addressed as the "Lords of the Church" or "Princes of the Church." They assume power over the Roman Catholic Church upon the vacancy of the papacy, called Sede Vacante, until they can meet in conclave to choose a new pope. Any unmarried Roman Catholic male can be elected pope.

Sacraments

The Roman Catholic Church holds dear seven sacraments believed to have been instituted by God through Christ for the salvation of humanity. They are: baptism, confirmation, reconciliation and penance, annointing of the sick and dying, holy orders and matrimony. The summit of all sacraments is the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist, the remembrance of Christ's sacrifice asking his disciples at his last supper to eat as if he were bread and wine to be consumed for it is through Christ that all are in communion as one family. The Eucharist also serves as a refreshment of the grace given to the children of God.

The Eucharist in the Roman Catholic Church is only open to Roman Catholics, Eastern Rite Christians and Eastern Orthodox Christians. It is closed to most Protestants because the Roman Catholic Church believes that the Eucharist should be the last act of reunification of fractured Christendom, not the first as is believed by Protestants in their relationships with each other. Only after most theological arguments have been settled do Roman Catholics feel comfortable offering the Eucharist to their separated brothers and sisters in Christ.

Protestant denominations of Christendom stripped from its faith traditions five of the original sacraments found in the Roman Catholic Church. It only practices baptism and the Eucharist. Orthodox denominations added to the seven sacraments the washing of the feet, recalling how Christ at his last supper washed his disciples' feet and charged them to do the same as a form humility and a call to ministry.

Saints

The Roman Catholic Church chooses men and women who have lived their lives to the fullest meaning of what it means to be a Christian to become beatified and named Blessed and canonized and named Saint. It is only through God that prayers can be answered. Despite popular belief, Roman Catholics do not "pray to saints" but rather "ask the saints" to pray for them. The Roman Catholic Church forbids veneration and worship of saints for that is idolatry. Just as in other Protestant denominations of Christendom like Lutheranism and Presbyterianism, Roman Catholics are asked to imitate or emulate saints as they are the best examples of what Christians are called to be.

In the same way, Roman Catholics do not venerate and worship the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. Rather, she is honored for having given birth to Christ and through her is the recognition of the importance of motherhood to all humanity as a gift of God. Contrary to popular belief, the Roman Catholic Church does not recognize the Blessed Virgin Mary as Co-Redemptrix for only God through Christ can give redemption.