Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest organizational body of Christians. Its membership is over one billion. 1,085,557,000 is the figure, rounded to the nearest thousand, given in the 2003 Statistical Yearbook of the Church, page 43. Because of obstacles to regular contacts, this figure does not include Roman Catholics in mainland China and perhaps in some other places. According to canon law, members are those who have been baptized in the Catholic Church or have been received into the Catholic Church after being baptized elsewhere, and who have not formally defected.

Related Topics:
Organization - Christians - 2003 - Canon law

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This Church professes to be the "one holy catholic and apostolic Church" founded by Jesus Christ, and teaches that "the sole Church of Christ which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic" has a concrete realization "in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him" (The Second Vatican Council's Decree on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 8,http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html). The term "successor of Peter" refers to the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, currently Benedict XVI. The phrase "governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him" thus defines the Catholic Church's visible identity.

Related Topics:
One holy catholic and apostolic Church - Jesus Christ - Second Vatican Council - Lumen Gentium - Pope - Benedict XVI - Communion

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Worldwide, the Church is divided into dioceses (sometimes called bishoprics or sees), each with a presiding bishop responsible for the religious welfare of the faithful in his area. At the end of 2004, the number of these sees was 2755 (Annuario Pontificio 2005, page 1143).

Related Topics:
Diocese - Bishop - 2004

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The see of Rome is seen as central, and its bishop, the Pope, is considered to be the successor of Saint Peter, the chief of the Apostles, sometimes called the "prince" (from Latin princeps, meaning "foremost", "leader") of the Apostles.

Related Topics:
Rome - Saint Peter - Apostles - Latin

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