ROMAN

Introduction to World Religions and Belief System

CATHOLIC
ROMAN CATHOLIC
■ Christianity is an important world religion that
stems from the life, teachings, and death
of Jesus. Roman Catholicism is the largest of the
three major branches of Christianity. Thus, all
Roman Catholics are Christian, but not all
Christians are Roman Catholic. Of the estimated
2.3 billion Christians in the world, about 1.3
billion of them are Roman Catholics.
Religious Leader
• The Catholic Church follows a certain
hierarchy based on the Canon Law of
the Catholic Church. At the top of the
hierarchy is the pope, considered as
Peter’s successor. The hierarchy also
includes the cardinals, archbishops,
bishops, priests, and deacons. Each
member of the hierarchy has his own
function
for the efficiency of the church.
 Deity/God
■ Christians believe in one God, therefore Christianity is
a monotheistic religion. God is seen as the creator and
maintainer of the universe, and is believed to be
omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing),
omnipresent (all-present), and omnibenevolent (all-
good). God is also sacred, moral, unchangeable,
compassionate, graceful, and timeless.
Holy Trinity
■ Christians believe in the
Holy Trinity, which
means that God is
composed of three
persons: God the Father,
the Son (Jesus Christ),
and the Holy Spirit.
 Sacred Scripture
■ The Bible (from Greek, biblia, ‘books’) is the
collection of 73 books that the Catholic Church
believes and teaches is the written expression of
God’s Revelation. These books form a single book
which is the inspired word of God.
■ The Catholic canon of Scripture has 46 books for
the Old Testament (45 if we count Jeremiah and
Lamentations as one) considered the original
Hebrew Bible, written between 1200 and 165 B.C.E
and 27 books for the New Testament, written by
Christians around 100 C.E
The Old Testament
■ The Old Testament, also called the Hebrew
Bible, is composed of 39 books which are
arranged in three parts: Torah (the first five
books), Nevi’im (the Prophets), Ketuvim (The
Writings)
The New Testament
■ The New Testament is composed of 27 books written
around 50 to 100 C.E. and is composed of two
sections: The Gospels which tell the story of Jesus
(Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John); and the Letters (or
Epistles), written by various Christian leaders to serve
as guide to the early Christian communities.
Beliefs/Doctrines
The Ten Commandments
■ Also called the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments are a
set of laws given by God to the people of Israel at
Mt.Sinai through Moses. In Exodus, God gave Moses the
tablets containing the Ten Commandments, which Moses
smashed into pieces because of extreme anger when he
saw the golden calf idol created and worshipped by the
Hebrews. God gave Moses another set to replace the
broken one
Seven Sacraments
■ The Catholic Church has seven sacraments
which are considered signs of inner kindness
given by God for Christians to live a genuine
human life. The seven sacraments include
Baptism, Confirmation. Holy Communion,
Confession, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and the
Anointing of the Sick.
Apostles’ Creed
■ The Apostles Creed is believed to have developed in
the 100 or 200 CE. And was influenced later by the
Nicene Creed. A letter written by the Council of Milan
in 390 C:E. is the earliest historical evidence of the
existence of the Apostles Creed. It is not written by the
apostles themselves but it serves as a summary of their
basic teachings.
Mass ■ This is the common name for the
celebration of the Last Supper of Jesus or
Eucharist. The word comes from the Latin
word missa which means to be sent (a
mission). Those who attend mass are
given the ‘Mission’ to take the Word of
God to all people and Christ, who they
have received in Holy Communion, to all
people.
Eucharist
■ Derived from the Greek word meaning ‘thanksgiving’,
the focus is on the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and
the re-enactment of the Last Supper of Jesus. The
highpoint of the Eucharist is the receiving of the body
and blood of Christ in Holy Communion.
 Important Celebrations
■ Epiphany is a Christian holiday that marks two occasions
during which Jesus’ divinity manifested. The first is when the
three kings (also known as the ‘three wise men’ or ‘Magi’)
visited baby Jesus in Bethlehem. The second is when Jesus was
baptized by John the Baptist. (6th of January)
■ Lent is a Christian event that takes place 40 days before Easter. The
event usually begins on Ash Wednesday depending on the
denomination of the tradition. Lent is meant to be a time of
reflection and preparation before Easter. It lasts 40 days to replicate
Jesus’ sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days. Common
activities during Lent include fasting, prayer, penance and
contemplation. The last week of Lent is known as Holy Week. (40
days prior to Easter)
Ash Wednesday is a Christian event that marks the beginning of
the Lent season. The event is marked as a day of penitence or
repentance for one’s past wrongdoings. It is common to attend
church services on this day and some priests will mark
individuals with blessed ashes on their forehead. (The first day of
Lent, typically in February or March)
■ Palm Sunday is a Christian feast that marks the beginning of
Holy Week. Church services may spend this time reflecting on
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. It is also a time that many
remember Jesus’ suffering leading up to this crucifixion. In
some parts of the world, palms or other plant branches are
distributed to the congregation. (The Sunday before Easter
Sunday)
■ Good Friday is a Christian holiday during the sombre event of
Holy Week. The date commemorates the crucifixion and death
of Jesus. Some places refer to the day as Great Friday, Black
Friday, Long Friday or Sorrowful Friday. (The Friday before
Easter Sunday)
■ Easter Sunday is a Christian holiday during the solemn event
of Holy Week. The date commemorates the resurrection of
Jesus from death by crucifixion. (Varies each year, typically in
late March or late April)
■ Christmas is a Christian holiday that commemorates the birth
of Jesus, who Christians believe is the son of God. The nativity
of Jesus is considered to be one of the most important dates for
Christians. (25th of December)
 Important Catholic Places
TYPES OF PLACES: SPECIFIC PLACES:
Cathedral Holy Land (Israel, Palestine). Cathedral (Rome)
Basilica - Jerusalem. Diocese (or Archdiocese)
Parish - Bethlehem
Rectory - Nazareth
Convent
Monastery (Abbey) Vatican City (in Rome)
Seminary - St. Peter’s Basilica
Shrine - Sistine Chapel
Retreat Center - St. John Lateran