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Interested in Catholicism?
"It is good that we are here." St. Peter said these words to Jesus in the Gospel of St. Matthew, and we say them to you now. It is good that you are here. Whatever you are looking for, whatever your heart longs for, the Catholic Church is here to help you live life to the fullest. -
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What is the Catholic Church?
When you hear the word "church," what comes to mind? A building? A religious institition? A priest or a saint?
The Church is, among other things, people. God's people. The people he gathers in the whole world. The Church is lived in local communities and is seen and becomes real when her members pray together, especially at Mass. The Church is a family of believers. And this family is marked by certain characteristics (CCC 782):- We are God's people, not the other way around.
- You become a member of this family through baptism, not birth.
- Jesus is the head of the family.
- The Holy Spirit dwells within our hearts.
- Our rule is to love as Jesus loved us.
- Our mission is to be salt of the earth and light of the world.
- Our destiny is heaven.
That's who we are. That's the Catholic Church and we want you to be a part of the family.
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"The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose."
- C.S. Lewis
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Core Beliefs
The oldest declaration of the Christian faith, the Nicene Creed, was adopted in 325 AD, even before the canon of the Bible was difinitively closed. The leaders of the Catholic faith needed a method of proclaiming salvation that was shareable and memorable and retained the core truth of the Gospel and the teachings of the apostles. In 381, the Nicene Creed was expanded with additional points of doctrine. Catholics around the world continue to profess this form of the creed every Sunday at Mass.
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"I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
Catholics believe that God is the creator and sustainer of all things. God loves us and created us to be in relationship with Him in perfect harmony. We sinned and broke our relationship with God. We separated ourselves from Him and His plan for our lives. God created us for life and happiness, and sin always leads to death and suffering.
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"I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, born of the Gather before all ages. God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through Him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation He came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, He suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. He ascended into heaven and 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.
God the Father does not want us to suffer and die, so He sent His beloved Son, Jesus, to become man to redeem us from our sins. Jesus, who is God incarnate and not created, is both fully God and fully man. He is the Word through whom the entire universe was created. He came to us to heal our relationship with God through His life, death, and resurrection and to establish the Church.
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"I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
The Holy Spirit is also God, the third person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is our advocate, helper, and provider. Jesus not only offered us the free gift of eternal salvation but also promised to send us a helper in choosing grace and living the Christian life. That helper is the Holy Spirit, who first came to the apostles on Pentecost and who comes to us through our baptism and confirmation. The Holy Spirit helps us to live according to God's plan for our lives.
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"I believe in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
God also gives us the Church to be His sacramental presence on earth. That Church is:- One: Jesus intended for there to be one Church, under the authority of the apostles and their successors, and God dearly yearns for a return to Christian unity.
- Holy: God calls people to holiness, and the Church is His instrument to aid us in our quest for holiness.
- Catholic: The word "catholic" means universal. The Church is here for all people throughout history and time.
- Apostolic: God intended the Church to be rooted in the authority He passed down through His Apostles.
The Church is here to go out into the world, to help people enter into relationship with God, to baptize new believers and to teach people about Jesus.
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