LESSON- RELIGION 10 - 4 MARKS OF THE CHURCH

The Church is one in unity of belief, worship, liturgy, and government:

1) There is unity of belief. The Church teaches the same doctrines everywhere and always in
matters of faith and morals.
2) The Church is one through her unity of worship and liturgy. There is one sacrifice, the Mass,
by which all members are united. The Church is united also in receiving the Eucharist and other
Sacraments. There is an absolute unity of essentials.
3) There is unity of government in the Church. All members submit themselves to one divine
authority. We are united to our bishop, and he in turn is united to the Pope.
The Church is holy in her origin, purpose, sacraments, and in her members who open
themselves to grace.

1) The Church is holy because her Founder, Jesus Christ, is holy and is the source of all
holiness.
2) The Church is holy also in her purpose, which is the sanctification and salvation of all her
members.
3) She also has the means at her disposal to make her members holy. Her sacraments are also
holy because they lead us to holiness.
4) Finally, the Church is holy in those of her members who open themselves to grace, God's life,
which is given by the Holy Spirit.

The Church is called catholic because she 1) possesses the fullness of Christ's truth and revelation, and 2)
also because she is for all men at all times and in all places. She is also found throughout the world.

1) This means the Church originated with the Apostles, upon whom Christ built his Church.
2) Apostolicity also refers to the fact that the Church is still ruled by the legitimate successors to
Peter and the Apostles, namely, the Pope and the bishops.
3) The Church is also apostolic in the sense that she professes the same doctrine taught by the
Apostles, the deposit of Faith given to the Church by Christ.