WikiPortallus: Roman Catholic.html

"Catholic Church" redirects here. For other uses, see Catholic Church (disambiguation).

The Roman Catholic Church, officially known as the Catholic Church,^{note 1} is the world's largest Christian Church representing over half of all Christians and one-sixth of the world's population.⁶⁷ It comprises 2,782 dioceses grouped into 23 particular rites—the Latin Rite and 22 smaller Eastern rites. The pope, currently Benedict XVI, is the Church's highest earthly authority in matters of faith, morality and Church governance.⁸ The community is made up of an ordained ministry and the laity; members of either group may belong to organized religious communities.⁹

The Catholic Church defines its mission as spreading the message of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity.¹⁰ It operates social programs and institutions throughout the world, including schools, universities, hospitals, missions and shelters, as well as organisations such as Catholic Relief Services, Caritas Internationalis and Catholic Charities that help the poor, families, the elderly and the sick.¹¹

The Church believes itself to be the continuation, through apostolic succession, of the Christian community founded by Jesus in his consecration of Saint Peter, a view shared by many historians.¹²¹³¹⁴ It has defined its doctrines through various ecumenical councils, following the example set by the first Apostles in the Council of Jerusalem.¹⁵ On the basis of promises made by Jesus to his apostles, described in the Gospels, the Church believes that it is guided by the Holy Spirit and so protected from falling into doctrinal error.¹⁶¹⁷¹⁸ Catholic beliefs are based on the Bible and on traditions handed down from the time of the Apostles, which are interpreted by a teaching authority. Those beliefs are summarized in the Nicene Creed and formally detailed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.¹⁹ Formal Catholic worship, termed the liturgy, is regulated by Church authority. The Eucharist, one of seven Church sacraments and a key part of every Catholic Mass, is the center of Catholic worship.

With a history spanning almost two thousand years, the Church is one of the world's oldest institutions,²⁰ and has played a prominent role in the history of Western civilization since at least the 4th century.²¹ In the 11th century, a major split (the Great Schism) occurred between Eastern and Western Christianity. This division had been a few centuries in the making, and was largely the result of disagreements over doctrine (the filioque clause) and papal primacy. What had previously been a single entity divided into what became labeled the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. Despite the split, a handful of Eastern Churches remained in (or later re-established) communion with the Pope of Rome, forming the Eastern Catholic Churches. Later, in the 16th century, partly in response to the Protestant Reformation, the Church engaged in a substantial process of reform and renewal, known as the Counter-Reformation.

Although the Catholic Church maintains that it is the "one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church" founded by Jesus, it acknowledges that the Holy Spirit can make use of other Christian communities to bring people to salvation.²² The Church teaches that it is called by the Holy Spirit to work for unity among all Christians—a movement known as ecumenism.²³ Modern challenges facing the Church include the rise of secularism and opposition to its pro-life stance on abortion, contraception, the death penalty and euthanasia.²⁴

Origin and mission

This detail of a fresco (1481–1482) by Pietro Perugino in the Sistine chapel shows Jesus giving the keys of heaven to Saint Peter.

The Catholic Church traces its foundation to Jesus and the twelve Apostles.²⁵ It sees the bishops of the Church as the successors of the apostles and the pope in particular as the successor of Peter, the leader of the apostles.²⁶²⁷ Catholics cite Jesus' words in the Gospel according to Matthew, to support this view: "... you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church ... I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."⁸¹⁷²⁸ According to Catholic belief, this promised church was brought fully into the world when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles in the event known as Pentecost.²⁷

Some scholars agree that the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus and that the historical record confirms that it was considered a Christian doctrinal authority from its beginning.¹²¹⁴ Henry Chadwick cites a letter from Pope Clement I to the church in Corinth (c. 95) as evidence of a presiding Roman cleric who exercised authority over other churches.²⁹ Other scholars disagree with these interpretations. Eamon Duffy for instance, affirms the existence of a Christian community in Rome and that Peter and Paul "lived, preached and died" there,³⁰ but doubts that there was a ruling bishop in the Roman church in the first century, and questions the concept of apostolic succession.³¹

The Church believes that its mission is founded upon Jesus' command to his followers to spread the faith across the world:¹⁴ "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you: and Lo, I am with you always, until the close of the age".³²³³³⁴ Pope Benedict XVI summarized this mission as a threefold responsibility to proclaim the word of God, celebrate the sacraments, and exercise the ministry of charity.³⁵ As part of its ministry of charity the Church runs Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities, Caritas Internationalis, Catholic schools, universities, hospitals, shelters and ministries to the poor, as well as ministries to families, the elderly and the marginalized.¹¹

Beliefs

The Catholic Church holds that there is one eternal God, who exists as a mutual indwelling of three persons: the Father; the Son, Jesus; and the Holy Spirit. Catholic beliefs are summarized in the Nicene Creed³⁶ and detailed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.¹⁹³⁷ The Nicene Creed also forms the central statement of belief of other Christian denominations.³⁸ Chief among these are Eastern Orthodox Christians, whose beliefs are similar to those of Catholics, differing mainly with regard to papal infallibility, the filioque clause (Latin meaning: "and from the son") and the immaculate conception of Mary.³⁹⁴⁰ Protestant churches vary in their beliefs, but generally differ from Catholics regarding the pope, church tradition, the Eucharist and issues pertaining to grace, good works and salvation.⁴¹

The Council of Jerusalem, convened by the apostles around the year 50 to clarify Church teachings, set the example for later councils of the Church, convened by Church leaders throughout history for similar purposes.¹⁵⁴²⁴³ The most recent was the Second Vatican Council, which closed in 1965.⁴⁴

Teaching authority, seven sacraments

Based on the promises of Jesus in the Gospels, the Church believes that it is continually guided by the Holy Spirit and so protected infallibly from falling into doctrinal error.⁸⁴⁵ The Catholic Church teaches that the Holy Spirit reveals God's truth through Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium. Sacred Scripture, or the Bible as accepted by the Catholic Church, consists of the same books found in the Greek version of the Old Testament—known as the Septuagint⁴⁶—and the 27 New Testament writings first founded in the Codex Vaticanus and listed in Athanasius' Thirty-Ninth Festal Letter.⁴⁷ These scriptures make up the 73-book Catholic bible in contrast with the shorter, 66-book bible used by most Protestants.⁴⁶ The books and works that are upheld as canonical by the Catholic Church but not by some other groups are known as the Deuterocanonicals. Sacred Tradition consists of those teachings believed by the Church to have been handed down since the time of the Apostles.⁴⁵ Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition are collectively known as the "deposit of faith" (depositum fidei). These are in turn interpreted by the Magisterium, the teaching authority of the Church, which derives through apostolic succession from the college of bishops in union with the pope.⁴⁸

God the Father, original sin and Baptism

God is, according to the Nicene Creed, the source and creator of nature and all that exists.⁵¹ The Church teaches that God as a loving and caring entity who is directly involved in the world and in people's lives⁵² desiring his creatures to love him and to love each other.⁵³⁵⁴ Catholicism teaches that while human beings live bodily in a visible, material world, their souls simultaneously occupy an invisible, spiritual world, in which spiritual beings called angels exist to "worship and serve God".⁵⁵ Some angels, however, chose to rebel against God, becoming demons who now seek to harm mankind.⁵⁶ Among other names, the leader of this rebellion has been called "Lucifer", "Satan" and the devil.⁵⁷ Satan is believed to have tempted the first humans, whose subsequent act of original sin brought suffering and death into the world.⁵⁸

This event, known as the Fall of Man, separated humanity from its original intimacy with God according to Catholic belief.⁵⁹ The Catechism states that the description of the fall, in Genesis 3, uses figurative language, but affirms "... a deed that took place at the beginning of the history of man" and resulted in "a deprivation of original holiness and justice" that makes each person "subject to ignorance, suffering, and the dominion of death: and inclined to sin".⁵⁶ Catholic doctrine accepts the possibility that God's creation occurred in a way consistent with the Theory of Evolution but rejects as outside the scope of science any efforts to use of the theory to deny supernatural divine creation.⁶⁰ The soul did not evolve, according to Catholic doctrine, but was infused into man and woman directly by God.⁵⁸ The Church believes that people can be cleansed of original sin and all personal sins through Baptism.⁶¹ This sacramental act of cleansing admits a person as a full member of the natural and supernatural Church, and is only conferred once in a lifetime.⁶¹

Jesus, sin and Penance

Modern confessional in the Church of the Holy Name, Dunedin, New Zealand. The penitent may kneel on the kneeler or sit in a chair facing the priest (not shown).

Catholics believe that Jesus is the Messiah of the Old Testament's Messianic prophecies.⁶² The Nicene Creed states that he is "... the only begotten son of God, ... one in being with the Father. Through him all things were made ...". In an event known as the Incarnation, the Church teaches that God descended from heaven for the salvation of humanity, became man through the power of the Holy Spirit and was born of a Jewish virgin named Mary. It is believed that Jesus' mission on earth included giving people his word and example to follow, as recorded in the four Gospels.⁶³ Catholicism teaches that following the example of Jesus helps believers to become closer to him, and therefore to grow in true love, freedom, and the fullness of life.⁶⁴⁶⁵

Falling into sin is considered the opposite to following Jesus, weakening a person's resemblance to God and turning their soul away from his love.⁶⁶ Sins range from the less serious venial sins, to more serious mortal sins which end a person's relationship with God.⁶⁶⁶⁷ Through the passion of Jesus and his crucifixion, the Church teaches that all people have an opportunity for forgiveness and freedom from sin, and so can be reconciled to God.⁶²⁶⁸ The Resurrection of Jesus, according to Catholic belief, gained for humans a possible spiritual immortality previously denied to us because of original sin.⁶⁹ John the Baptist called Jesus "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world",⁷⁰ in reference to the ancient Jewish practice of sacrificing lambs to God.⁷¹⁷² By reconciling with God and following Jesus' words and deeds, the Church believes one can enter the Kingdom of God, which is the "... reign of God over people's hearts and lives."⁷³⁷⁴

After baptism, the sacrament of Penance (Confession) is the means by which Catholics believe they can obtain forgiveness for subsequent sin and receive God's grace. Catholics believe Jesus gave the apostles authority to forgive sins in God's name.⁷⁵ The act involves confession by an individual to a priest, who then offers advice and imposes a particular penance to be performed. The penitent then prays an act of contrition and the priest administers absolution, formally forgiving the person of his sins.⁷⁶ The priest is forbidden under penalty of excommunication to reveal any sin or disclosure heard under the seal of confession. Penance helps prepare Catholics before they can licitly receive the sacraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist.⁷⁷⁷⁸

Holy Spirit and Confirmation

Jesus told his apostles that after his death and resurrection he would send them the "Advocate", the "Holy Spirit", who "... will teach you everything and remind you of all that (I) told you."⁷⁹⁸⁰ Since the Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity, the Church teaches that receiving the Holy Spirit is an act of receiving God.⁸¹

Bernini's stained glass window in St. Peter's Basilica depicts the Holy Spirit as a dove, a common motif in Christian art, referencing John the Baptist's proclamation that he saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus at his baptism "like a dove".

Through the sacrament of Confirmation, Catholics ask for and believe they receive the Holy Spirit. Confirmation is sometimes called the "sacrament of Christian maturity" and is believed to increase and deepen the grace received at Baptism.⁸² Spiritual graces or gifts of the Holy Spirit may include the wisdom to see and follow God's plan, as well as judgment, love, courage, knowledge, reverence and rejoicing in the presence of God.⁸³ The corresponding fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.⁸³ To be licitly confirmed, Catholics must be in a state of grace, in that they cannot be conscious of having committed a mortal sin. They must also have prepared spiritually for the sacrament, chosen a sponsor or godparent for spiritual support, and selected a saint to be their special patron and intercessor.⁸² Baptism in the Eastern rites, including infant baptism, is immediately followed by the reception of Confirmation and the Eucharist.⁸⁴

Final judgment and afterlife

Belief in an afterlife is part of Catholic doctrine. The Church teaches that immediately after death the soul of each person will be judged by Jesus, and will receive a particular judgment based on the deeds of that individual's earthly life.⁸⁵ This teaching also attests to another day when Jesus will sit in a universal judgment of all mankind.¹¹⁸⁶ This final judgment, according to Church teaching, will bring an end to human history and mark the beginning of a new and better heaven and earth ruled by God in righteousness.⁸⁷

There are three states of afterlife in Catholic belief. Heaven is a time of glorious union with God and a life of unspeakable joy that lasts forever.⁸⁵ Purgatory is a temporary condition for the purification of souls who, although saved, are not free enough from sin to enter directly into heaven. It is a state requiring penance and purgation of sin through God's mercy aided by the prayers of others.⁸⁵ Finally, those who chose to live a sinful and selfish life, did not repent, and fully intended to persist in their ways are sent to hell, an everlasting separation from God.⁸⁸ The Church teaches that no one is condemned to hell without having freely decided to reject God and his love.⁸⁵ He predestines no one to hell and no one can determine whether anyone else has been condemned.⁸⁵ Catholicism teaches that through God's mercy a person can repent at any point before death and be saved "like the good thief who was crucified next to Jesus".⁸⁵⁸⁹

Nature of the Church and social teaching

Extreme Unction (Anointing of the Sick) by Rogier Van der Weyden

Catholic belief holds that the Church "... is the continuing presence of Jesus on earth."⁹⁰ To Catholics, the term "Church" refers to the people of God, who abide in Jesus and who, "... nourished with the Body of Christ, become the Body of Christ."⁹¹ Catholic teaching maintains that the Church exists simultaneously on earth (Church militant), in purgatory (Church penitent), and in heaven (Church triumphant); thus Mary and all other saints are alive and part of the living Church.⁹² This unity of the Church in heaven and on earth is the "Communion of Saints".⁹²⁹³ The Church constitution, Lumen Gentium, affirms that the fullness of "means of salvation" exists only in the Catholic Church but acknowledges that the Holy Spirit can make use of Christian communities separated from itself to bring people to salvation.⁹⁴⁹⁵ It teaches that Catholics are called by the Holy Spirit to work for unity among all Christians.⁹⁴⁹⁵

The Church operates numerous social ministries throughout the world, but teaches that individual Catholics are required to practice spiritual and corporal works of mercy as well. Corporal works of mercy include feeding the hungry, welcoming strangers, immigrants or refugees, clothing the naked, taking care of the sick and visiting those in prison. Spiritual works require the Catholic to share knowledge, to give advice, comfort those who suffer, have patience, forgive those who hurt them, give correction to those who need it, and pray for the living and the dead.¹¹ In conjunction with the work of mercy to visit the sick, the Church offers the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, performed only by a priest.⁹⁶ Church teaching on works of mercy and the new social problems of the industrial era led to the development of Catholic social teaching, which emphasizes human dignity and commits Catholics to the welfare of others.¹¹

Prayer and worship

Catholic liturgy is regulated by Church authority⁹⁷ and consists of the Eucharist and Mass, the other sacraments, and the Liturgy of the Hours. At a minimum, the Catechism requires every Catholic to attend Mass on Sundays, confess sins at least once a year, receive the Eucharist at least during Easter season, observe days of fasting and of abstinence as established by the Church, and help provide for the Church's needs.⁹⁸ Although all Catholics are expected to participate in the liturgical life of the Church, individual or communal prayer and devotions, while encouraged, are a matter of personal preference.⁹⁹ Frequent reception of the Eucharist, often daily, and monthly confession of sins, are common Catholic practices encouraged by the Church and the various religious orders.

Liturgical rites

Differing liturgical traditions, or rites, exist throughout the worldwide Church, reflecting historical and cultural diversity rather than a difference in beliefs.¹⁰⁰ The most commonly used liturgy is the Latin rite. Presently, this rite exists in two forms: the ordinary form following the 1969 missal of Paul VI, celebrated primarily in the vernacular, and an extraordinary form (termed the Tridentine or Latin Mass standardized by Pius V after the Council of Trent).¹⁰¹¹⁰²^{note 2} In 1980, Pope John Paul II issued the Pastoral Provision of 1980 which allowed members of the Episcopal Church to retain many of their own usages as a variation of the Latin rite when they joined the Catholic Church; such Anglican Use parishes exist only in the United States. Other Western rites include the Ambrosian Rite and the Mozarabic Rite.

All rites follow a Liturgical year, an annual calendar of the Catholic Church, which sets aside certain days and seasons to celebrate key events in the life of Jesus.¹⁰⁴ Advent, Christmas and the Epiphany celebrate his expected coming, birth and manifestation. Lent is the period of purification and penance that ends during Holy Week with the Easter Triduum. These days recall Jesus' last supper with his disciples, death on the cross, burial and resurrection. The feast of the Ascension of Jesus is followed by Pentecost which recalls the account of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus' disciples.¹⁰⁴

Eucharist

The Eucharist, is celebrated at each Mass and is the center of Catholic worship.¹⁰⁵¹⁰⁶ The Words of Institution for this sacrament are drawn from the Gospels and a Pauline letter.¹⁰⁷ The Church teaches that the Old Testament promise of God's salvation for all peoples was fulfilled when Jesus established a New Covenant with humanity through the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper—a covenant then consummated by his sacrifice on the cross,¹⁰⁸ which in contrast to Protestant belief is made truly present in the celebration of the Eucharist.¹⁰¹ It is Catholic dogma that the bread and wine brought to the altar at each Mass are changed through the power of the Holy Spirit into the true body and the true blood of Christ (termed transubstantiation) and that by consuming these, believers are spiritually nourished and deepen their union with Jesus, are cleansed of venial sins, helped to overcome and avoid sin, unite with the poor and promote Christian unity.¹⁰⁸¹⁰⁹

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Holy Mass at the canonization of Frei Galvão in São Paulo, Brazil on 11 May 2007

Mass consists of two parts, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.¹¹⁰ According to professor Alan Schreck, in its main elements and prayers, the Catholic Mass celebrated today "bears striking resemblance" to the form of the Mass described in the Didache and First Apology of Justin Martyr in the late 1st and early 2nd centuries.¹¹¹¹¹²

Because the Church teaches that Christ is present in the Eucharist,¹⁰¹ there are strict rules about its celebration and reception. The ingredients of the bread and wine used in the Mass are specified and Catholics must abstain from eating for one hour before receiving Communion.¹¹³ Those who are conscious of being in a state of mortal sin are forbidden from this sacrament unless they have received absolution through the sacrament of Penance.¹¹³ Because the Church respects their celebration of the Mass as a true sacrament, intercommunion with the Eastern Orthodox in "suitable circumstances and with Church authority" is both possible and encouraged.¹¹⁴ Although the same is not true for Protestant churches, in circumstances of grave necessity, Catholic ministers may give the sacraments of Eucharist, Penance and Anointing of the Sick to Protestants if they freely ask for them, truly believe what the Catholic Church teaches regarding the sacraments, and have the proper disposition to receive them.¹¹⁴ Catholics may not receive communion in Protestant churches because of their different beliefs and practices regarding Holy Orders and the Eucharist.¹¹⁵

Liturgy of the Hours

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus instructs his disciples to "pray always".¹¹⁶ The Liturgy of the Hours, or Divine Office, is the Church's effort to respond to this request. It is considered to be an extension of the celebration of the Mass and is the official daily liturgical prayer of the Church.¹¹⁷ It makes particular use of the Psalms as well as readings from the New and Old Testament, and various prayers.¹¹⁷ It is an adaptation of the ancient Jewish practice of reading the Psalms at certain hours of the day or night. Catholics who pray the Liturgy of the Hours use a set of books issued by the Church that has been called a breviary. By canon law, priests and deacons are required to pray the Liturgy of the Hours each day.¹¹⁸ Religious orders often make praying the Liturgy of the Hours a part of their rule of life; the Second Vatican Council encouraged the Christian laity to take up the practice.¹¹⁷¹¹⁹

Devotional life, prayer, Mary and the saints

Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus

In addition to the Mass, the Catholic Church considers prayer to be one of the most important elements of Christian life. The Church considers personal prayer a Christian duty, one of the spiritual works of mercy and one of the principal ways its members nourish a relationship with God.¹²⁰ The Catechism identifies three types of prayer: vocal prayer (sung or spoken), meditation, and contemplative prayer. Quoting from the early church father John Chrysostom regarding vocal prayer, the Catechism states, "Whether or not our prayer is heard depends not on the number of words, but on the fervor of our souls."¹²¹ Meditation is prayer in which the "mind seeks to understand the why and how of Christian life, in order to adhere and respond to what the Lord is asking."¹²¹ Contemplative prayer is being with God, taking time to be close to and alone with him.¹²¹ Three of the most common devotional prayers of the Catholic Church are The Lord's Prayer, the Rosary and Stations of the Cross.¹²² These prayers are most often vocal, yet always meditative and contemplative. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is a common form of contemplative prayer, whereas Benediction is a common vocal method of prayer. Lectio divina, which means "sacred reading", is a form of meditative prayer. The Church encourages patterns of prayer intended to develop into habitual prayer. This includes such daily prayers as grace at meals, the Rosary, or the Liturgy of the Hours, as well as the weekly rhythm of Sunday Eucharist and the observation of the year-long liturgical cycle.¹²¹

Prayers and devotions to the Virgin Mary and the saints are a common part of Catholic life but are distinct from the worship of God.¹²³ Explaining the intercession of saints, the Catechism states that the saints "... do not cease to intercede with the Father for us ... so by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped."⁹³¹²³ The Church holds Mary, as ever Virgin and Mother of God, in special regard. She is believed to have been conceived without original sin, and was assumed into heaven. These teachings, the focus of Roman Catholic Mariology, are considered infallible. Several liturgical Marian feasts are celebrated throughout the Church Year and she is honored with many titles such as Queen of Heaven. Pope Paul VI called her Mother of the Church, because by giving birth to Christ, she is considered to be the spiritual mother to each member of the Body of Christ.¹²⁴ Because of her influential role in the life of Jesus, prayers and devotions, such as the Rosary, the Hail Mary, the Salve Regina and the Memorare are common Catholic practices.¹²² The Church has affirmed the validity of Marian apparitions (supernatural experiences of Mary by one or more persons) such as those at Lourdes, Fatima and Guadalupe¹²⁵ while others such as Međugorje are still under investigation. Affirmed or not, however, pilgrimages to these places are popular Catholic devotions.¹²⁶

Pilgrimage has been an important element of Catholic spirituality since at least the second century. Devotional journeys to the sites of biblical events or to places strongly connected with Jesus, Mary or the saints are considered an aid to spiritual growth, and can become meritorious acts if performed with the right intention. Western Europe alone has more than 6,000 pilgrimage destinations which generate around 60 million faith-related visits a year.¹²⁷

Church organization and community

While the Church considers Jesus to be its ultimate spiritual head, the spiritual leader and head of the Church organization is the pope.¹²⁸ The pope governs from Vatican City in Rome, a sovereign nation of which he is also the civil head of state.¹²⁹ Each pope is elected for life by the College of Cardinals, a body composed of clerics (recently almost exclusively bishops) elevated to the status of cardinal by the Pope. The cardinals, who also serve as papal advisors, may select any male member of the Church as pope, but if the candidate is not already a bishop, he must become one before taking office.¹³⁰ The pope is assisted in the Church's administration by the Roman Curia, or civil service. The Church community is governed according to formal regulations set out in the Code of Canon Law. The official language of the Church is Latin, although Italian is the working language of the Vatican administration.¹³¹

Each diocese is divided into individual communities called parishes, each staffed by one or more priests.¹³³ The community is made up of ordained members and the laity. Members of religious orders such as nuns, friars and monks are lay members unless individually ordained as priests.¹³⁴

Ordained members and Holy Orders

Candidates for the Catholic diaconate prostrate themselves before the altar of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, California during a 2004 diaconal ordination. Some will remain permanent deacons. Others will be ordained priests after a year as transitional deacons.

Lay men become ordained through the sacrament of Holy Orders, and form a three-part hierarchy of bishops, priests and deacons. All of the bishops, along with the pope, cardinals, patriarchs, primates, archbishops and metropolitans, comprise the College of Bishops and are considered the successors of the apostles.¹³⁵¹³⁶ All priests, bishops and deacons may preach, teach, baptize, witness marriages and conduct funeral services, but only priests and bishops may celebrate the Eucharist or administer the sacraments of Penance and Anointing of the Sick.¹³⁷ Only bishops are able to perform the sacrament of Holy Orders, and Confirmation is ordinarily reserved to them as well (though priests may do it under special circumstances).¹³⁸ While bishops are responsible for teaching, governing and sanctifying the faithful of their diocese, priests and deacons have these same responsibilities at a more local level, the parish, subordinate to the ministry of the bishop. Baptism is the only sacrament that may be administered by any Catholic or even a non-Christian "who has the intention of baptizing according to the belief of the Catholic Church", however, it is normally administered by a priest or deacon.¹³⁹

Married men may become deacons, but only celibate men are ordained as priests in the Latin Rite.¹⁴⁰¹⁴¹ Clergy who have converted from other denominations are sometimes exempted from this rule.¹⁴² The Eastern Catholic Churches ordain both celibate and married men.¹⁴³¹⁴⁴ All rites of the Catholic Church maintain the ancient tradition where marriage is not allowed after ordination. Men with transitory homosexual leanings may be ordained deacons following three years of prayer and chastity, but homosexual men who are sexually active, or those who have deeply rooted homosexual tendencies cannot be ordained.¹⁴⁵ ^{note 3}

All programs that aim to prepare men for the priesthood are governed by canon law, and are usually designed by national bishops' conferences, so they can vary from country to country.¹⁴⁹ The sacrament of Holy Orders is always conferred by a bishop through the laying-on of hands, following which the newly ordained priest is formally clothed in his priestly vestments.¹³⁸

Since the twelve apostles chosen by Jesus were all male, only men may be ordained in the Catholic Church.¹⁵⁰ While some consider this to be evidence of a discriminatory attitude toward women,¹⁵¹ the Church believes that Jesus called women to different yet equally important vocations in Church ministry.¹⁵² Pope John Paul II, in his apostolic letter Christifideles Laici, states that women have specific vocations reserved only for the female sex, and are equally called to be disciples of Jesus.¹⁵³ This belief in different and complementary roles between men and women is exemplified in Pope Paul VI's statement "If the witness of the Apostles founds the Church, the witness of women contributes greatly towards nourishing the faith of Christian communities".¹⁵³

Lay members, Marriage

A Catholic wedding at Manila Cathedral in the Philippines

The laity consists of those Catholics who are not ordained clergy. Saint Paul compared the diversity of roles in the Church to the different parts of a body—all being important to enable the body to function.⁹ The Church therefore considers that lay members are equally called to live according to Christian principles, to work to spread the message of Jesus, and to effect change in the world for the good of others. The Church calls these actions participation in Christ's priestly, prophetic and royal offices.¹⁵⁴ Marriage and the consecrated life are lay vocations. The sacrament of Matrimony in the Latin rite is not conferred by a priest—the spouses mutually confer the sacrament upon each other by expressing their consent before the priest who serves as a witness. In the Eastern liturgies the minister of this sacrament, which is called "Crowning", is the priest or bishop who, after receiving the mutual consent of the spouses, successively crowns the bridegroom and the bride as a sign of the marriage covenant.¹⁵⁵ Church law makes no provision for divorce, but annulment may be granted when proof is produced that essential conditions for contracting a valid marriage were absent. Since the Church condemns all forms of artificial birth control, married persons are expected to be open to new life in their sexual relations.¹⁵⁶ Natural family planning is approved.¹⁵⁷

Lay ecclesial movements consist of lay Catholics organized for purposes of teaching the faith, cultural work, mutual support or missionary work.¹⁵⁸ Such groups include: Communion and Liberation, Neocatechumenal Way, Regnum Christi, Opus Dei, Life Teen and many others.¹⁵⁸ Some non-ordained Catholics practice formal, public ministries within the Church.¹⁵⁹ These are called lay ecclesial ministers, a broad category which may include pastoral life coordinators, pastoral assistants, youth ministers and campus ministers.¹⁶⁰

Religious orders

The majority of those wishing to enter the consecrated life join one of the religious institutes which are also referred to as monastic or religious orders. They follow a common rule such as the Rule of St Benedict and agree to live under the leadership of a superior.¹⁶²¹⁶³ They usually live together in a community but individuals may be given permission to live as hermits, or to reside elsewhere, for example as a serving priest or chaplain.¹⁶⁴ Examples of religious institutes include the Sisters of Charity, Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, Cistercians, Marist Brothers, Paulist Fathers and the Society of Jesus, but there are many others.¹⁶¹

Tertiaries and Oblates

Tertiaries and Oblates are laypersons who live according to the third rule of orders such as those of the Secular Franciscan Order or Lay Carmelites, either within a religious community or outside.¹⁵⁸ Although all tertiaries make a public profession, participate in the good works of their order and in some cases may wear the habit, they are not bound by public vows unless they live in a religious community. Oblates are laypersons or clerical members of a religious order, not professed monks or nuns, who have individually affiliated themselves in prayer with a House of their choice. These make a formal private promise (annually renewable or for life, depending on the house with which they are affiliated) to follow the rule of prayer in their private life as closely as their individual circumstances and prior commitments permit.

The Church recognizes several other forms of consecrated life, including secular institutes, societies of apostolic life and consecrated widows and widowers.¹⁶¹ It also makes provision for the approval of new forms.¹⁶⁵

Membership

Baptism of an infant by affusion

Membership of the Catholic Church is attained through Baptism.¹⁶⁶ For those baptized as children, First Communion is a particular rite of passage when, following instruction, they are allowed to receive the sacrament of the Eucharist for the first time. Christians baptized outside of the Catholic Church or those never baptized may be received by participating in a formation program such as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.¹⁶⁷¹⁶⁸ In all rites, after going through formation and making a profession of faith, candidates receive the sacraments of initiation at the Easter vigil on Holy Saturday.¹⁶⁷

A person can excommunicate themselves or be excommunicated by committing particularly grave sins.¹⁶⁹¹⁷⁰ Examples include violating the seal of confession (committed when a priest discloses the sins heard in the sacrament of Penance), persisting in heresy, creating schism, becoming an apostate, or having or performing an abortion.¹⁷¹ Throwing away or retaining for a sacrilegious purpose the Eucharist is considered an excommunicable offense.¹⁷² Excommunication is the most severe ecclesiastical penalty because it prevents a person from validly receiving any Church sacrament. It can only be forgiven by the pope, the bishop of the diocese where the person resides, or priests authorized by him.¹⁷³

Catholic institutions, personnel and demographics

Church membership in 2007 was 1.131 billion people;¹⁷⁵ an increase over the 1950 figure of 437 million¹⁷⁶ and the 1970 figure of 654 million.¹⁷⁷ The Catholic population increase of 139% outpaced the world population increase of 117% from 1950-2000.¹⁷⁶ It is the largest Christian church, and encompasses over half of all Christians, one sixth of the world's population, the largest organized body of any world religion.⁷¹⁷⁸ It is known for its ability to use its transnational ties and organizational strength to bring significant resources to needy situations¹⁷⁹ and operates the world's largest non-governmental school system.¹⁸⁰Although the number of practicing Catholics worldwide is not reliably known,¹⁸¹ membership is growing particularly in Africa and Asia.⁶

Some parts of Europe and the Americas have experienced a shortage of priests in recent years as the number of priests has not increased in proportion to the number of Catholics.¹⁸² The Church in Latin America, known for its large parishes where the parishioner to priest ratio is the highest in the world, considers this to be a contributing factor in the rise of pentecostal and evangelical Christian denominations in the region.¹⁸³ Secularism has seen a steady rise in Europe, yet the Catholic presence there remains strong.¹⁸³

With a high number of adult baptisms, the Church is growing faster in Africa than anywhere else.¹⁸⁴ It also operates a greater number of Catholic schools per parish here (3:1) than in other areas of the world.¹⁸⁵ Challenges faced include suppression of non-Islamic religious practices by Muslims in Sudan and a high rate of AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa.¹⁸⁶

The Church in Asia is a significant minority among other religions comprising only 3% of all Asians yet there exists a large proportion of religious sisters, priests and parishes to total Catholic population.¹⁸³ From 1975 to 2000, total Asian population grew by 61% with an Asian Catholic population increase of 104%.¹⁸⁷ Challenges faced include oppression in communist countries like North Korea and China.¹⁸⁸

Oceania is overwhelmingly Christian with Roman Catholicism as the majority denomination. There, the Church faces challenges in reaching indigenous populations where over 715 different languages are spoken.¹⁸³ Of Catholics worldwide, 12% reside in Africa, 50% in the American continents, 10% are in Asia, 27% in Europe and 1% live in Oceania.¹⁸⁹

Cultural influence

The first recorded baptisms in Alta California were performed in "The Canyon of the Little Christians".¹⁹⁰

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