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Theology (Catholic Church)
Catholic theology is the understanding of Catholic doctrine or teachings, and results from the studies of theologians. It is based on Biblical canon, canonical Catholic Bible, scripture, and sacred tradition, as interpreted authoritatively by the magisterium of the Catholic Church. This article serves as an introduction to various topics in Catholic theology, with links to where fuller coverage is found. Major teachings of the Catholic Church discussed in the early councils of the church are summarized in List of Christian creeds, various creeds, especially the Nicene Creed, Nicene (Nicene-Constantinopolitan) Creed and the Apostles' Creed. Since the 16th century the church has produced catechisms which summarize its teachings; in 1992, the Catholic Church published the official ''Catechism of the Catholic Church''. The Catholic Church understands the living tradition of the church to contain its doctrine on faith and morals and to be protected from error, at times through Inf ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions and has played a prominent role in the history and development of Western civilization.Gerald O'Collins, O'Collins, p. v (preface). The church consists of 24 Catholic particular churches and liturgical rites#Churches, ''sui iuris'' (autonomous) churches, including the Latin Church and 23 Eastern Catholic Churches, which comprise almost 3,500 dioceses and Eparchy, eparchies List of Catholic dioceses (structured view), around the world, each overseen by one or more Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishops. The pope, who is the bishop of Rome, is the Papal supremacy, chief pastor of the church. The core beliefs of Catholicism are found in the Nicene Creed. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Council Of Jerusalem
The Council of Jerusalem or Apostolic Council is a council described in chapter 15 of the Acts of the Apostles, held in Jerusalem . The council decided that Gentiles who converted to Christianity were not obligated to keep most of the rules prescribed to the Jews by the Mosaic Law, such as Jewish dietary laws and other specific rituals, including the rules concerning circumcision of males. The council did, however, retain the prohibitions on eating blood or meat containing blood, and meat of animals that were strangled, and on fornication and idolatry, sometimes referred to as the Apostolic Decree. The purpose and origin of these four prohibitions is debated. Accounts of the council are found in Acts of the Apostles (chapter 15 in two different forms, the Alexandrian and Western versions) and also possibly in Paul's letter to the Galatians (chapter 2). Some scholars dispute that Galatians 2 is about the Council of Jerusalem, while others have defended this identifi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The priesthood is the office of the ministers of religion, who have been commissioned ("ordained") with the holy orders of the Catholic Church. Technically, Bishop in the Catholic Church, bishops are a priestly order as well; however, in common English usage ''priest'' refers only to presbyters and pastors (parish priests). The church's doctrine also sometimes refers to all baptised members (inclusive of the laity) as the "priesthood of all believers#Catholic view, common priesthood", which can be confused with the minister of religion, ministerial priesthood of the ordained clergy. The church has different rules for priests in the Latin Church–the largest Catholic particular church–and in the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches. Notably, priests in the Latin Church must take a vow of celibacy, whereas most Eastern Catholic Churches permit married men to be ordained. Deacons are male and usually belong to the diocesan clergy, but, unlike almost all Latin Church (Western Catholic) p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an Holy orders in the Catholic Church, ordained Minister (Catholic Church), minister who holds the fullness of the Sacraments of the Catholic Church, sacrament of holy orders and is responsible for teaching doctrine, governing Catholics in his Ecclesiastical jurisdiction, jurisdiction, sanctifying the world and representing the church. Catholics trace the origins of the office of bishop to the Apostles in the New Testament, apostles, who it is believed were endowed with a special charism and office by the Holy Spirit in Christianity, Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Catholics believe this special charism and office has been transmitted through an apostolic succession, unbroken succession of bishops by the laying on of hands in the sacrament of holy orders. Diocesan bishops—known as eparchial bishops in the Eastern Catholic Churches—are assigned to govern local regions within the Catholic Church known as dioceses in the Latin Church and Eparchy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Holy Orders (Catholic Church)
The sacrament of holy orders in the Catholic Church includes three orders: bishops, priests, and deacons, in decreasing order of rank, collectively comprising the clergy. In the phrase "holy orders", the word "holy" means "set apart for a sacred purpose". The word "order" designates an established civil body or corporation with a hierarchy, and ordination means legal incorporation into an order. In context, therefore, a group with a hierarchical structure that is set apart for ministry in the Church. Deacons, whether transitional or permanent, receive faculties to preach, to perform baptisms, and to witness marriages (either assisting the priest at the Mass, or officiating at a wedding not involving a Mass). They may assist at services where Holy Communion is given, such as the Mass, and they are considered the ordinary dispenser of the Precious Blood (the wine) when Communion is given in both types and a deacon is present, but they may not celebrate the Mass. They may officiate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stations Of The Cross
The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also known as the Via Dolorosa, Way of Sorrows or the , are a series of fourteen images depicting Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ on the day of Crucifixion of Jesus, his crucifixion and accompanying prayers, These stations are derived from the imitations of the in Jerusalem, Palestine, which is a traditional processional route symbolizing the path Jesus walked from Lions' Gate to Mount Calvary. The objective of the stations is to help the Christian faithful to make a spiritual Christian pilgrimage, pilgrimage through contemplation of the Passion (Christianity), Passion of Christ. It has become one of the most popular devotions and the stations can be found in many Western Christian churches, including those in the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, and Methodist traditions. Commonly, a series of 14 images will be arranged in numbered order along a path, along which worshippers—individually or in a procession—move in or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rosary
The Rosary (; , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), formally known as the Psalter of Jesus and Mary (Latin: Psalterium Jesu et Mariae), also known as the Dominican Rosary (as distinct from other forms of rosary such as the Rosary-based prayers, Franciscan Crown, Bridgettine Rosary, Rosary of the Holy Wounds, etc.), refers to a set of prayers used primarily in the Catholic Church, and to the physical string of knots or beads used to count the component prayers. When referring to the prayer, the word is usually capitalized ("the Rosary", as is customary for other names of prayers, such as "the Lord's Prayer", and "the Hail Mary"); when referring to the prayer beads as an object, it is written with a lower-case initial letter (e.g. "a rosary bead"). The prayers that compose the Rosary are arranged in sets of ten Hail Marys, called "decades". Each decade is preceded by one Lord's Prayer ("Our Father"), and traditionally followed by one Glory Be. Some Catholics ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Catholic Devotions
Catholic devotions are particular customs, rituals, and practices of worship of God or honour of the saints which are in addition to the liturgy of the Catholic Church, described as "expressions of love and fidelity that arise from the intersection of one's own faith, culture and the Gospel of Jesus Christ". Devotions are not considered part of liturgical worship, even if they are performed in a church or led by a priest, but rather they are paraliturgical. The Congregation for Divine Worship at the Vatican publishes a ''Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy''. Catholic devotions have various forms, ranging from formalized, multi-day prayers such as novenas to activities, such as processions or the Eucharistic adoration, the wearing of scapulars,Thurston, Herbert. "Popular Devotions." The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Catholic Prayer
Prayer in the Catholic Church is "the raising of one's mind and heart to God in Christianity, God or the requesting of good things from God." It is an act of the moral virtue of religion, which Catholic theologians identify as a part of the Cardinal virtues, cardinal virtue of Justice (virtue), justice. Prayer may be expressed vocally or Mental prayer, mentally. Vocal prayer may be spoken or sung. Mental prayer can be either Christian meditation, meditation or Christian contemplation, contemplation. The basic forms of prayer are adoration, contrition, thanksgiving, and supplication, sometimes abbreviated as A.C.T.S. The Liturgy of the Hours of the Catholic Church is recited daily at fixed prayer times by the members of the consecrated life, the clergy and devout believers. Daily prayer In the Catholic Church, the laity are encouraged to join the prayer of the canonical hours. Clergy and members of the consecrated life are obligated to pray the daily office. Sources commonly used ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sacraments Of The Catholic Church
There are seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, which according to Catholic theology were instituted by Jesus Christ and entrusted to the Church. Sacraments are visible rites seen as signs and efficacious channels of the grace of God to all those who receive them with the proper disposition. The sacraments are often classified into three categories: the sacraments of initiation (into the Catholic Church and the mystical body of Christ), consisting of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist; the sacraments of healing, consisting of the Sacrament of Penance and the Anointing of the Sick; and the sacraments of service: Holy Orders and Matrimony. Furthermore, Baptism and penance were also known as the "sacraments of the dead" (in the meaning that the souls of the sinners which are regarded dead before God may obtain life through these sacraments), whereas the other five are collectively the "sacraments of the living". Enumeration History The number of the sacraments in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eucharist In The Catholic Church
Eucharist () is the name that Catholic Christianity, Christians give to the Sacraments of the Catholic Church, sacrament by which, according to their belief, the body and blood of Jesus, Christ are Real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, present in the Eucharist, bread and wine Consecration in Christianity, consecrated during the Catholic eucharistic liturgy, generally known as the Mass in the Catholic Church, Mass. The definition of the Eucharist in the 1983 Code of Canon Law, 1983 ''Code of Canon Law'' as the sacrament where Christ himself “is contained, offered, and received” points to the three aspects of the Eucharist according to Catholic theology: the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, Holy Communion, and the holy sacrifice of the Mass. The name ''Eucharist'' comes from the Greek word which means 'thanksgiving" and which refers to the accounts of the last supper in Matthew 26:26–28, Mark 14:22–24, Luke 22:19–20 and 1 Corinthians 11:23–29, all of whi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
