Features of

the Catholic Church

 Features of a Catholic Church?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdi9CK7-gj4
 Altar
• The altar is where the priest celebrates
the Eucharist, or Holy Communion.
• This is the most noticeable feature of a
Roman Catholic Church.
• The term ‘altar’ is used for this
particular furnishing as Roman
Catholics believe that Holy Communion
is not a memorial of the Last Supper,
but a re-enactment of Jesus’ sacrifice
on the cross.
 Altar
• Catechism reminds Catholics of how
special the altar is. It is about the cross,
where the Eucharistic prayer is offered and
the Lord's sacrifice is present each time:
The altar of the New Covenant is the Lord's
Cross. From which the sacraments of the
Paschal mystery flow. On the altar, which is
the centre of the church, the sacrifice of the
Cross is made present under sacramental
signs. The altar is also the table of the Lord,
to which the People of God are invited.
(Catechism of the Catholic Church 1182)
 Tabernacle
• The tabernacle is a special box which is
located behind the altar, where the
consecrated hosts are conserved. After Mass,
any consecrated bread which has not been
used is placed inside it.
• Catholics believe that Christ is present in the
bread (transubstantiation) and therefore it
cannot be thrown away, so it is stored in the
tabernacle to be used again.
• Sometimes this bread may be taken by the
priest to any members of the church who are
ill or housebound and cannot attend Mass.
 Tabernacle
• More importantly, keeping consecrated bread
in a tabernacle means that Christ is present
in the church in a special way.
• Catholics like to sit and pray before the
tabernacle, sensing that God is with them.
• The sanctuary lamp, a small red light, shines
when there is consecrated bread inside the
tabernacle. Those entering the church will
see the light and genuflect (bend their knee)
in the direction of the tabernacle because
they believe Christ is present there.
 Crucifix
(Both internal and external feature)
• Catholic churches will always have a crucifix. This
is a cross with an image of the crucified Christ on
it. It might be a carving or a painting, placed on
or near the altar.
• A visual reminder of the suffering and death of
Jesus.
• The death of Jesus was the price he had to pay
for their salvation.
• To an outsider, it can seem to be a cruel and
sadistic image of torture. For the Christian it
speaks of love, as well as the unjust suffering of
innocent people. It is a sign that God entered his
creation as Jesus and became one of them,
sharing the suffering and darkness in life.
 Crucifix
(Both internal and external feature)
• Some non-Catholic Christians fear that
Catholics are fixated with the death of
Jesus and they complain; Jesus is not on
the cross any more!’
• Therefor, most Protestant churches never
display a crucifix but often show a plain
Latin cross.
• This is to misunderstand the purpose of
depictions of the crucifixion. They are
reminders of his death and nothing more.
 Lectern
• The lectern is a stand where the
readings, Gospel and the homily are
read from. The readings and the gospel
are found in the lectionary.
• The readings are important as they are
believed to be the word of God. The
lectern is usually made out of wood,
but some are more ornate and are
made out of metal.
• The lectern will be found at the front of
the church to the side of the sanctuary.
 Baptismal Font
• In the Catholic Church it is normal for
children to be baptised as a sign of their
parents’ faith and the child’s acceptance
into the Church family. Usually this is
performed by putting a small amount of
water onto the head of the child at the
baptismal font.
• Traditionally the font is placed beside the
door of the church. This symbolises that
just as a person enters the church
physically through the door, so they
enter the Church family spiritually
through baptism.
 Stations of the Cross
• There are 14 images that remind Catholics of
what happened to Jesus between Pontius
Pilate’s home and Golgotha, where He was
crucified.
• During Lent, Catholics often undertake the
Stations of the Cross. By taking part in the
Stations of the Cross, many Catholics feel that
they have accompanied Jesus on his final
journey and shared in his suffering.
• Often the images of these stations are
represented in church, allowing Catholics to
use them as a focus for contemplation.
 Confessional
• A confessional is a box or stall that is used
for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
• The stall separates the priest from the
person making a confession to ensure
privacy.
• Most confessionals are wooden and
decorative, with curtains that separate
the priest and the confessor.
• Others may be built into the church as a
permanent structure.
 Statues
(Both internal and external feature)
• Statues are a prominent feature in every
Catholic church. They serve as reminders of
faith and are an aid to worship.
• A statue of Mary may help remind Catholics of
her faith and trust in God, which may help them
follow that example in their lives too.
• A church can have any number of statues, but
all will have a statue of Christ, possibly the
Sacred Heart and a statue of Mary.
• A church may also have a statue of the saint the
church is named after too.