The Church is one because it is unified in belief. The truths which the members of the Catholic Church hold are the truths made known to us by Jesus Himself; they are truths which come to us directly from God. God is Truth. He knows all things and cannot be mistaken. He is infinitely truthful and cannot lie. Whatever God …

Jesus said, “And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16). Jesus prayed to His Father: “That they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may …

All Catholics are united under the same spiritual leadership because Jesus Christ made Peter the chief shepherd of His flock, and provided that Peter’s successors, the Bishops of Rome, would be the heads of His Church and guardians of His truths until the end of time. Loyalty to the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, will ever be the binding center …

We are united in worship because we have but one altar, upon which Jesus Christ daily renews the offering of Himself upon the Cross. Everywhere we have the same Mass and everywhere the same Seven Sacraments. By means of the Eucharist, Christ re-offers Himself to the Father through the ministry of His priests in the Sacrifice of the Mass. At …

We can help unbelievers find God by the witness of our lives of firm faith in God and personal love of Christ, and by our goodness and love towards unbelievers. We can help people to turn to God if we give them a good example of our own deep faith in God. If people see our love for Christ in …

The Catholic Church is holy because it was founded by Jesus Christ, Who is all-holy, and because it teaches holy doctrines according to the will of Christ. It provides the means of leading a holy life, thereby giving holy members to every age. We can point to the saints as proof that the holiness of Christ is at work in …

The Catholic Church ministers extensively to the bodily needs of people by helping those in need, by seeking to relieve the causes of suffering, and by building up a better life for man. Its vast health care and social welfare systems are found throughout the world. Although the Church is deeply involved in ministering to the bodily needs of people, …

Our Holy Father, the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the Vicar of Christ. He is the successor of Peter and holds the office of supreme authority over all the Church, appointed by Christ for the guidance and care of His flock. The Pope is the head of the College of Bishops. Our Lord solemnly told Peter he was to …

The Church is called the sacrament of Christ because it is a visible reality which Christ has formed in this world as a sacred sign of His presence. It is the sign and also the means He uses to give us the unity and holiness He actually confers through it. It is a sacrament of His presence because He is …

When we speak of the Church in Heaven, we do not mean the Church in the condition in which it is a sign, with ministers and sacraments; these will cease. As signs and instruments, they will be absorbed into the heavenly realities which they now serve. When we speak of the Church in Heaven, we mean the union of the …