And it was the Church that decided which of the many early Christian writings were canonical, or worthy of acceptance as scriptural. 2.The last Pope Kissing the Quran as a former Muslim this makes me sick and is a slap in the face of Jesus Christ in my view. All right St. Ignatius was a p rotégé of the Apostle John. These reasons do not imply that Catholics as individuals are perfect or sinless, or that they have always followed the teachings and spirit of our Lord. Why should we go further and become Catholic? Catholic Answers is a media company dedicated to sharing what the Church really teaches, and we are the world’s largest source for reliable information about the … Why be Catholic at all, to quote your title ? 11:21; Eph. Didn’t Paul say that there is neither Jew nor Greek, servant nor free, male nor female, since we are all … Therefore, why be a Catholic if the sacraments are non-essential? It's comfortable and flattering for both men and women. The popular blogger and publisher of Envoy magazine offers 10 key reasons why he loves being Catholic (and you should too). 28:19–20). And so I really had to scrutinize: “Okay, why am I?” And then I had to say “Well, why am I, why am I, why am I?”. Catholicism is biblical. In this context, “one size” most definitely does not fit all, and Catholicism recognizes this truth even as it provides a sense of unity and purpose linking this world and the next. Nevertheless, it is in and through the Catholic Church that the fullness of God’s revelation is to be discovered and experienced. Second, the Church is universal. Moreover, our Lord’s words about the least in the kingdom of heaven being greater than John the Baptist during his earthly life (Matt. The protastent churches all believe that if you believe in and desire Christ it is enough. Calvin and other Reformers were determined to “purify” their churches of everything they considered human traditions and accretions to the Gospel. I would humbly and unofficially suggest a “fifth” mark: the true Church is also opposed. Prior to the reformation there was no need to distinguish between various Christian belief systems. It is the Catholic Church alone, my brother, that has presented one Lord, one faith, one baptism for two thousand years, never contradicting a definitive teaching. Well, they disagree with each other on matters so essential like we were talking about earlier: predestination, salvation, can you lose it, right? Interestingly, the most significant summary of our Catholic faith was written by St. Thomas Aquinas (called the Summa Theologica – Summary of Theology) and is set up in a question and answer format. Why do we need a Church, and why must it be Catholic? Jesus described himself as the bread of life, stating that whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood will have life eternal (John 6:54). These rituals include such everyday actions as shaking hands, saying “God bless you” when someone sneezes, and blowing out the candles on a birthday cake. Evangelicals, you talk about. Examples of Catholic rituals include blessing oneself with holy water, genuflecting before the tabernacle, and making the Sign of the Cross. Human beings are social by nature, and much personal growth and development results from imitating, consciously or otherwise, certain influential persons. And that was a big problem to me, because if you can’t speak in the name of Jesus—that means speak infallibly— well then you’re not the Church that Jesus established. Kindly note that this site is maintained by a small group of enthusiastic Catholics and this is not from any Church or any Religious Organization. UNIT 1 – Why Do We Need a Church? It is not enough to ask, as many Evangelical Protestants do, “Have you been saved?” This suggests that if we’ve been “born again,” and have “accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior,” salvation is guaranteed, and little if anything further is required of us. The reason he did so was that all soldiers were required to attend church services of their choice each Sunday, and since no Catholic chaplain happened to be available, he—unlike his Protestant buddies—had the freedom to sleep in on Sunday mornings! Beginning with how we can know reality and ending with our hope of eternal life, it’s the perfect way to help skeptics and seekers (or Catholics who want to firm up their faith) understand the evidence that bolsters our belief—and brings us joy. Why be baptized if desire is enough? Caller: I became a born-again Christian three years ago—I’m 47 years old, so it’s quite late on in life, I was 44—with an evangelical church. Many Protestants are very good at quoting the Bible, but, in terms of its entire message, it is the Catholic Church that lives by it. Trent models that approach each week on the radio program Catholic Answers Live where he dialogues with atheists, pro-choice advocates, and other non-Catholic callers. There are many similarities and differences between the Catholic Church and the Protestant denominations. 2:6–7), it’s logical to assume God would continue working in and through human beings and the material order he himself created. To deny the reality of the forgiveness of sins through confession, or the sacrament of reconciliation, is also a denial of the words of the resurrected Jesus to the apostles (John 20:22–23), in which he gave them the power to forgive sins in his name. The Catholic Church has been obeying Christ’s command for almost two thousand years, and whereas many Christian denominations see the Eucharist mainly in symbolic terms, the Church has consistently taught that it is truly the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ. A Protestant minister said to the local Catholic priest, “We can include all the characters mentioned in the Bible, except we should leave Mary out. In this video, Fr. Catholic Gallery offers Daily Mass Readings, Prayers, Quotes, Bible Online, Yearly plan to read bible, Saint of the day and much more. 2:15; 2 Tim. This is an important sign of its authenticity, for objective truth is often unpopular or considered irrelevant or outdated—and yet the genuine Church of Christ must proclaim it nonetheless. Reconciliation here refers to the fact that we are sinners in need of redemption, and that this process is an ongoing one. They were Catholic. As the “new Israel” (cf. this is my Blood” [Mark 14:22–24]). Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Catholic Answers Why Be Catholic? This t-shirt is everything you've dreamed of and more. The Catholic Church offers the saints as models worthy of imitation. I can tell you from my own perspective—because as you know, I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal lord and savior when I was 10 years old at Boulevard Baptist Church in Falls Church, Virginia, changed my life. Why go to mass if you can merely ask for a spiritual communion? 11:11) suggests that some of the saints are indeed ranked higher. Jimmy Akin: So the Church hasn’t issued a magisterial statement on this, but it has in the past—and Catholic moral theologians have, you know, assessed this issue, have assessed the principles that go into evaluating particular vaccines. The blatant hypocrisy and double standard of the Catholic church is one of the main reasons why many American Catholics are headed out the door. Moreover, Mary herself stated that “all ages will call me blessed” (Luke 1:48). A major point to consider is that the Church Doctrine (Dogma) cannot be changed. Because the Jews are God’s chosen people, divine providence has worked in powerful ways in their behalf. The Catholic Church, in contrast, has maintained its teaching on this issue for almost two thousand years.) Protestant churches are unquestionably accomplishing much good in the world, and countless individual Protestants are surely pleasing to the Lord and can look forward to a place in his Kingdom. That answer is the same in both cases: “Because it is true.” We are imperfect human beings, never completely free of sin. We are constantly in need of forgiveness, and this is why Jesus established as a sacrament not only baptism, but also reconciliation. First we have the incarnational sense, which means that God can be known and experienced in and through what he has created. I can kind of understand the reasoning behind the answer “because he made is” but… We never chose to exist or come into this world. And of course our popes are successors of Saint Peter. And I found out, as an historical fact, that Jesus Christ really did establish one church, and that is the Catholic Church. We as Catholics can alone rightly claim to have the fullness of God’s revelation and guidance. But I still had the problem, Adam: I disagreed with a lot of the doctrines of this crazy Catholic Church. About the Director Catholic Answers is one of the nation s largest lay-run apostolates of Catholic … Why? Disbelief in the teaching authority of the Church is also disbelief in our Lord’s command to teach and baptize all nations, and in his promise to remain with the Church always (Matt. (With all due Respect) 3.Vestments look Protestant this may seem small to every one here but this just like the Mass shows … It was only human weakness and sinfulness that brought about the religious divisions that afflict Christianity today. These churches can trace their roots back to Christ only through the Catholic Church. (Luther and the other Reformers echoed the Catholic teaching that birth control is gravely sinful, and this remained the Protestant position for 400 years. After several metaphors illustrating their spiritual state and future judgment, he writes:It was of these also that Enoch in the seventh generation from Adam prophesied, saying, … Many people, even Catholics, want to … Sacraments, by God’s promise and power, are effective in and of themselves, whereas sacramentals depend on the disposition of the believer. There are nine different choirs of angels, each with a different function and rank. You can’t just go out and start your own Church. Furthermore, Catholicism has one central form of worship (the Mass and the sacraments) yet provides many different religious devotions, spiritualities, religious orders, and other opportunities to serve for those who are called to such a vocation. Rejecting the authority of the pope is also a rejection of Christ’s words to Peter, by which he gave him the keys to the kingdom of heaven and the authority to bind and loose (Matt. Tim Staples Religion Religious Educational DVD at the best online prices at … Some years ago a recruit was undergoing basic training in the Army. Catholics are privileged to be able to receive the treasure beyond all price—Jesus himself—each time they attend Mass. I know Jesus, I know I’m saved, why be a Catholic? If God wants us to honor our parents, how much more must he desire us to honor his Mother. Popular blogger and apologist Patrick Madrid offers 10 key reasons why he loves being Catholic (and you should too). Jesus prayed that his disciples would be consecrated in truth, for they are in this world, but not of the world (John 17:11–18). He serves as a staff apologist for Catholic Answers and specializes in teaching Catholics to graciously and persuasively engage those who disagree with them. Catholicism, with its sacramental emphasis, has carried this truth through to its logical conclusion. But sociologists have come to realize that ritual is an inherent part of human culture and an important part of human life and social interaction. Rom. It is illogical to believe that Jesus, the eternal Word of God, would go to the trouble of becoming human, establishing the Church, and dying on the cross to save us from our sins, without providing a guarantee that the Church would continue to preserve and proclaim his teachings faithfully. 20:12). These, then, are ten important reasons not to settle merely for being Christian, but to seek the fullness of God’s revelation through the Catholic Church, the only true Church of Christ. Catholic Answers is a Catholic advocacy group based in El Cajon, California.It purports to be the largest lay-run apostolate of Catholic apologetics and evangelization in the United States. The process of continually reinterpreting Scripture has reached the point where now, according to Oxford’s World Christian Encyclopedia, there are well over 20,000 Protestant denominations with their own—often contradictory—interpretations of the Gospel, each claiming to possess the true understanding of divine revelation. This article is my attempt to describe ten of the unique characteristics of the Catholic Church that set it apart from other Christian denominations. 16:18–19). Other Christian religions have made significant changes in their moral and religious teachings—for example, ending their prohibition of artificial contraception. Using an entertaining speaking style, backed up by logic and science, Tim leaves his audience with answers to our most fundamental questions. I wanted to be a preacher from the time I was 10. Catholic Questions and Answers – One of the best ways to learn is to ask questions. This is not to deny the historical fact that Catholics have themselves been guilty of grave sins against charity but to point out that the Church—precisely when it follows its Master most faithfully—is subject to some of the same hatred he encountered. Catholic is Not a Denomination. Every bishop in the world that is Catholic is a successor of an apostle. Just as Jesus was a sign of contradiction and a stumbling block (1 Cor. To put the matter rather bluntly: Why should anyone settle for an imitation when the original is available—especially when it comes to knowing and living the truths necessary for salvation? UNIT 6 – The Real Presence of Christ. The book of Jude contains some of the most mysterious and intriguing passages in the New Testament.One occurs when Jude warns against a group of Christians who have given themselves over to immorality. So my question is: why would I be a Catholic, given that I’m born-again? But how should you answer? Satan, possessing a cunning and intelligence far beyond human reason, sees his true enemy very clearly. Catholicism has always remembered that God looked upon his creation and pronounced it “good” (cf. Some of us were born Catholic, others joined the Church later in life, still others left the Church at one point but then returned. Now that I found to be fascinating. 2:2; 2 Pet. Well, I like the 16 tenets of faith of the Assembly of God— oh, well, actually I disagreed with two of them—but I liked 14 out of the 16!” Right? As Romans 6:3-4 says, we’re buried together with him him through baptism. (1) Only the Catholic Church can trace its roots back to Christ Himself.. The recruit thought about it and agreed; he took instructions, was received into the Church, and became a firmly committed Catholic. As Jesus noted, much is expected of those to whom much is given (Luke 12:48). And when I looked around at all the protestant communities, what I saw is a bunch of men giving you their opinion of what they think the Bible says. Because, Jesus says concerning his church: “If they hear you they hear me, if they reject you they reject me.” In Matthew 10:40, Luke 10:16, Matthew 18:18, right? The Orthodox church drew apart from Rome off and on over several hundred years, finally separating in the fifteenth century, and the various Protestant denominations date back no earlier than the sixteenth century. Catholics have suffered discrimination as immigrants along the Eastern seaboard; Catholics have been isolated and unwelcome in the Bible Belt and have been victims of the “No Nothing” movement and other organized opposition to the Church, including the Ku Klux Klan; and today certain political and social movements—such as the proponents of abortion—often appeal to anti-Catholic sentiments. Right? And basically the answer is: I became Catholic, first and foremost, to save my soul. By continuing to use this site you agree to our Terms and that you have read our Privacy Policy. That’s so contrary to everything in the New Testament. Because see, I believe, Adam, that you can be as born-again as you want to be born-again, and we believe you’re born again in John 3:5 through baptism—of course, faith and baptism. The angel Gabriel declared Mary to be “full of grace” (Luke 1:28), making her worthy of our highest respect. Even most non-Christian religions recognize and respond to this basic human need. First, Catholics are reasonable people, and the most reasonable position on abortion is to outlaw it. This whole cacophony now of protestants, everybody’s saying “Oh, I know the truth!”. I have been studying the Catholic Church and their is some things thats keeping from the Church. 1 Cor. Church officials are often able to work behind the scenes in mediating conflicts and defending the rights of the oppressed while remaining true to the Church’s otherworldly mission. 7:9). Saints are not worshiped, but they are esteemed and honored, for they are part of the “great cloud of witnesses” (Heb. Eventually a Catholic priest was assigned to the base, and when he began meeting individually with all his parishioners, the soldier-in-training admitted his reason for claiming to be Catholic. Drawing heavily on poignant anecdotes from his own experience as a life-long Catholic born in 1960s, Madrid offers readers a way of looking at the Church--its members, teachings, customs, and history--from perspectives many may have never considered. While seemingly a simple question, I’d actually argue it is quite profound. Only this fact explains their miraculous ongoing existence. First of all, the Church has a hierarchical structure; so does heaven. Other important spiritual practices promoted by the Catholic Church—prayer, fasting, devotions to the saints, acts of penance, and so on—are designed to aid us in our ongoing efforts to grow in holiness and to cooperate with divine grace in overcoming our faults. UNIT 3 – Miracles and Catholic Teachings. The Body of Christ, though often wounded, has renewed itself after the attacks of Rationalism and the Enlightenment, the political intrigues of kings and princes, the brute force of mobs and dictators, the meddling of emperors, and even the disastrous rule of sinful or incompetent popes and bishops. More than any other religion, Catholicism is to be found in virtually every nation and culture, with members from every background and social status (as noted earlier, the word “catholic” means “universal”). Christ told his followers to expect the world’s enmity, since they were not of the world (John 15:18–19), and he warned them that some people would even claim to serve God by persecuting them (John 16:2). We believe the same ideals that the Apostles passed on. In 1930, the Anglican Church allowed certain “exceptions,” setting in motion a process in which all Protestant denominations have come to regard contraception as morally acceptable. It is our duty not only to belong to and believe in the Church but to defend and promote it. Well, at least Catholics have the recourse of spiritual communion. And actually the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has a very good statement on their website. . Through the Catholic Church, his prayer has been and continues to be fulfilled. Now, however, the “Chaplain” has appeared, and he is calling each one of us personally. I’m curious why we owe God anything. (Anglican or Episcopalian priests sometimes claim to possess this power, but Pope Leo XIII, after carefully examining this issue some one hundred years ago, concluded that the link of apostolic succession had not been preserved by the Church of England.). WHY Be Catholic? Life is full of suffering and often burdensome and who else can you blame but God who made everything. Can’t you just accept Jesus, be born again, and be saved? Once Luther and his colleagues established the precedent of protesting and rejecting the Church’s teaching authority, there was nothing to prevent later protests against their own self-proclaimed authority. From the papacy, you name it. Catholicism is well suited to be “behind the times” and counter-cultural. 1 Peter 3:21 says “baptism does now save us.” Acts 22:16, Ananias says to Paul “Why tarriest thou? And we, as a historical fact, can trace all of the ordinations of all of our bishops from all around the world back to the apostles. In his groundbreaking DVD, Why Be Catholic?, Catholic Answers Director of Apologetics Tim Staples, offers an engaging and simple solution: "Catholicism has the cure for what ails each of us." It’s no surprise that some of humanity’s greatest art, architecture, and music has been commissioned and preserved by the Church. “What must we do?” they said to Peter in Acts 2:37. Gen. 25:29–34). you’re born again in John 3:5 through baptism. No less a persecutor of the Church than Napoleon Bonaparte noted, “The nations of the earth pass away, and thrones fall to the ground; the Church alone remains.”. Catholicism is only one of many different Christian religions. Until finally what you end up doing is, if you ask the question: okay, what would you have been if you were around in, let’s say, oh, 1450? Our families need to be built on a strong foundation of faith and we need to live in community with … And I had to: “Oh, okay, well why am I Assembly of God? The four marks of the true Church are that it is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. It may be true that many Protestant and Evangelical congregations at times seem to offer a greater sense of fellowship and community, more dynamic preaching, and various activities and programs than the average Catholic parish. At the same time, all are equal in the sense of fully sharing in the Beatific Vision (the joyous, all-encompassing contemplation of God) and in being perfectly happy. Okay, well, what would you have been in the year 900? Because what I find in the New Testament is: the Church established by Jesus Christ has infallible authority. Why We’re Catholic assembles the clearest, friendliest, most helpful answers that Trent learned to give to all these people and more. Tim Staples, a former Protestant pastor, explains why the question of authority ultimately brought him into the Church established by Jesus. These things are all valuable and praiseworthy—but for a Catholic to give them a higher priority than the Eucharist is akin to Esau selling his birthright for a mess of pottage (cf. Thirdly, the noun “sacramental” refers to a blessed item or gesture that, for those who have faith, can be an experience or source of God’s grace. We hear stories of persons who were born Catholic and who remained fiercely loyal to the Church throughout their lives. UNIT 5 – The Intercession of The Saints. UNIT 2 – The Primacy of Peter. The Virgin Mary, of course, is the most perfect illustration of this. No, the Church freely admits the sinful and unchristian behavior of many of its leaders and members throughout history. Catholicism’s missionary outreach has covered the entire earth. Like the soldier in the story at the beginning of this article, it seems that many Catholics have gotten used to “sleeping in” and not taking their faith seriously. Moreover, none of the teachings of Catholicism contradict Scripture, and the Bible—at least implicitly but normally explicitly—supports all of the Church’s doctrines. Mark 8:27–29), Jesus never conducted a vote or an opinion poll, or said to his followers, “This is what I personally think, but you decide for yourselves what to believe.” Rather, he came to proclaim God’s truth (John 18:37), and he entrusted this same teaching authority, or magisterium, to his Church (Luke 10:16). Father chuckled appreciatively and then invited the young man to consider joining the Church for real. In this age of talk of “reform” within the Church, how we answer these questions will get to the heart of why reform is or isn’t necessary. And after I became born-again, I became very active in the pro-life movement which is mainly Catholic-led, so I know a lot of Catholics. Each resident of heaven is completely absorbed in the contemplation of God, perfectly united with all the angels and saints in worshiping and praising the divine Majesty, while at the same time more fully alive and unique than ever before. And I had to realize that. Protestants reject many Catholic beliefs, but in doing so they must ignore or reinterpret what Scripture clearly says. The Catholic Church is virtually unique in obeying and fulfilling this scriptural prophecy. No doubt, people have asked you this very same question. 16:18–19). He has been hard at work ever since producing materials to help Catholics and non-Catholics alike understand the meaning and the biblical foundation of the Catholic faith. Other than questioning the apostles on what they and other people believed regarding his identity (cf. If we truly understood what a wondrous gift the Eucharist is, none of us would even consider ever leaving the Church, and our example would attract many other persons to Catholicism. 3:16). A further weakness of the Protestant position lies in the idea of sola scriptura itself. Why I Am Catholic serves as a compelling reproposal of the Church for former Catholics, a persuasive argument for truth and beauty to those who have become jaded and disenchanted with religion, and at the same time offers practicing Catholics a much-needed dose of confidence and clarity to affirm their faith against an increasingly skeptical culture. To me, there was no human explanation even for the existence of the Catholic Church. The only parallel in history is that of the Jewish people—a people often singled out for persecution, scorned, oppressed, and exiled, yet miraculously preserved over thousands of years. However, there is one underlying answer, independent of the benefits Christianity and Catholicism bring, to the questions of why one should be a Christian and a Catholic. His unrelenting attacks against the Church are a powerful indication of its vital importance in human history. As Scripture says, even the just man falls seven times a day (Prov. It’s hard to believe an answer if you don’t understand the question it is addressing. Catholicism has weathered false prophets and antipopes, wars, civil disturbances, plagues, natural disasters, barbarian invasions, and societal collapse. And so I asked basically the same question you’re asking me, I asked of a young marine about 34 years ago. We read the accounts of people of great intellectual gifts and learning, or of great moral courage, who freely entered the Catholic Church, often at considerable personal cost—persons such as John Henry Newman and G. K. Chesterton in the past, and, in our own day, Scott and Kimberly Hahn, Marcus Grodi, and Richard John Neuhaus. Such an understanding not only contradicts Scripture, which speaks of the possibility of losing one’s salvation (cf. Moreover, only Catholic and non-Catholic Eastern priests—because of their ordinations—have the sacramental power to consecrate the Eucharist. 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