Catholicism

:This article considers Catholicism in the broadest ecclesiastical sense. See Catholicism (disambiguation) for alternative meanings

Distinctive beliefs and practices (of category 1 catholics, see above)

Beliefs

Catholic Churches share certain essential distinctive beliefs and practices, but Anglicans differ among themselves in their regard:

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• Direct and continuous organisational descent from the original church founded by Jesus (see e.g. Mt 16:18).
• Possession of the "threefold ordained ministry" of Bishops, Priests and Deacons.
• All ministers are ordained by, and subject to, Bishops, who pass down sacramental authority by the "laying-on of hands", having themselves been ordained in a direct line of succession from the Apostles (see Apostolic Succession).
• Their belief that the Church is the vessel and deposit of the fullness of the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles from which the Scriptures were formed. This teaching is preserved in both written Scripture and in written and oral church Tradition. Neither is independent of the other.
• A belief in the necessity of sacraments (generally counted as seven).
• The use of images, candles, vestments and music in worship.
• The making of the Sign of the Cross in a variety of contexts.
• Belief that the Eucharist is really, truly, and substantially the Body and Blood of Christ, which occurs through transubstantiation. Those that are quite distinctively Catholic believe that adoration and worship is due to the Eucharist as the body and blood of Christ.
• Veneration of Mary, the mother of Jesus as the Blessed Virgin Mary or Theotokos, and veneration of the saints.
• A distinction among worship (latria) for God, and veneration (dulia) for saints, with the term hyperdulia used for a special veneration accorded to the Virgin Mary among the saints. Some do not accept the distinction between hyperdulia and dulia.
• The use of prayer for the dead.
• Salvation by grace alone, through faith working in love.

Sacraments

Catholics administer seven sacraments or "divine mysteries":

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• Baptism,
• Confirmation, also called Chrismation,
• Eucharist,
• Penance and Reconciliation,
• Anointing of the Sick,
• Holy Orders, and
• Holy Matrimony.

Baptism is the first and basic sacrament of Christian initiation. Catholics consider baptism conferred in most Christian denominations "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (cf. Matthew 28:19) to be valid, since the effect is produced through the sacrament, independently of the faith of the minister, though not of the minister's intention.

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Confirmation or Chrismation is the second sacrament of Christian initiation. It is conferred by the laying on of hands and anointing, together with a special consecratory prayer. Through it, the gift of the Holy Spirit conferred in baptism is "strengthened and deepened" (see Catechism of the Catholic Church §1303). Its "originating" minister is a validly consecrated bishop; if a priest (a "presbyter") confers the sacrament - as is done ordinarily in Eastern Churches and in particular cases in Western - the link with the higher order is indicated by the use of myrrh blessed by a bishop (in an Eastern Orthodox Church, by the patriarch]]). In the East the sacrament is administered immediately after baptism. In the West administration came to be postponed until the recipient’s early adulthood; but in view of the earlier age at which children are now admitted to reception of the Eucharist, it is more and more restored to the traditional order and administered before giving the third sacrament of Christian initiation.

Related Topics:
Catechism of the Catholic Church - Eastern Orthodox Church

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The Eucharist is the sacrament (the third of Christian initiation) by which Catholics partake of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and participate in his one sacrifice. The bread and wine used in the rite are, in Catholic faith, considered to be transformed in all but appearance into the Body and Blood of Christ, a change that is commonly called transubstantiation.

Related Topics:
Jesus - Transubstantiation

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Penance and Reconciliation are names given to the first of two sacraments of healing, which is also called the sacrament of conversion, of confession, and of forgiveness (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1423-1424).http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt2.htm#i It is the sacrament of spiritual healing of a baptized person from the distancing from God involved in sins committed. It involves four elements: the penitent's contrition for sin (without which the rite does not have its effect), confession to a priest (it may be spiritually helpful to confess to another, but only a priest has the power to administer the sacrament), absolution by the priest, and satisfaction. In early Christian centuries, the fourth element was quite onerous and generally preceded absolution, but now it usually involves a simple task (in some traditions called a “penance”) for the penitent to perform, to make some reparation and as a medicinal means of strengthening against further temptation.

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Anointing of the Sick is the second sacrament of healing. In it those who are suffering a serious physical illness are anointed by a priest with oil blessed specifically for that purpose. "Seriously sick" does not necessarily mean "in immediate danger of death". In past centuries, when such a restrictive interpretation was customary, the sacrament came to be known as "Extreme Unction", i.e. "Final Anointing". It was then conferred only as one of the "Last Rites". The other "Last Rites" are Confession (if the dying person is physically unable to confess, at least absolution, conditional on the existence of contrition, is given), and the Eucharist, which when administered to the dying is known as "Viaticum", a word whose original meaning in Latin was "provision for a journey".

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Holy Orders is the sacrament by which one becomes a bishop, a priest or a deacon. Only a bishop may administer this sacrament. Ordination as a bishop confers the fulness of the sacrament, making the bishop a member of the body that has succeeded to that of the Apostles, and giving him the mission to teach, sanctify and guide, along with the care of all the Churches. Ordination as a priest configures the priest to Christ the Head of the Church and the one essential Priest, empowering him, as the bishops' assistant, to celebrate divine worship, especially the Eucharist. Ordination as a deacon configures the deacon to Christ the Servant of All, placing him at the service of the Church, especially in the fields of the ministry of the word, divine worship, pastoral guidance and charity.

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Holy Matrimony, like Holy Orders, is a sacrament that consecrates for a particular mission in building up the Church, providing grace for accomplishing that mission.

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