When it comes to religious history, even search engines know the truth- we trace our lineage back to the institution by Jesus Christ in 33AD. Ever since, we have been guided by His gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church, especially as it comes forth to enliven the Church in the Sacraments.
Even if one just looks at historical data, there is so much more to the Catholic Church than may meet the eye. We’ve grown over our almost two-thousand year history, and touch all corners of the world. We have been entrusted so many great gifts and traditions by our Lord, that it is difficult to describe all of them.
If you are looking for what makes us different, try just a few of these things:
- The Eucharist– no other faith has what we have in Christ’s Body and Blood, given to us on the altar at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
- The Priesthood– while many churches have ministers, ours are traced by lineage back to the time of Jesus, as He entrusted the Church to the Apostles, and gave Peter primacy to lead and to affirm the brethren. This traces down to our bishops today, who also have co-workers in the vineyard in the priests and deacons who collaborate with him.
- Our Beliefs– while many of our beliefs may be different, or even a bit more strong than other religions, this is not for the sake of making things difficult, but rather guiding our entry into heaven.
- Our Outreach– the Catholic Church provides the single biggest network of charitable organizations to help all of our brothers and sisters in Christ as we serve Christ in the poor, the homeless, the sick, the uneducated, and so many other groups that need Christ’s presence. Truly we strive to be His Hands and Feet, as best we can.
There are so many things that make us “Catholic.” We should note, though, that this does not mean that we are perfect- but that we are striving to be by God’s grace. We all have brokenness and areas where we need healing- that is nothing new. What is new is that God’s grace pours powerfully in the Church to fill us and to heal up what has been broken, and to make us whole again.
If you have any questions about the faith, or would like to know more, please Contact Us to get in touch with our pastor.
