Catholic Teaching and Belief

Sacred Texts

The Holy Bible is the sacred text used and followed by the Catholic Church. It consists of the complete Hebrew Bible (referred to as the Old Testament) and the New Testament, which primarily tells of the life and works of Jesus and His disciples. The Old Testament was adopted from Judaism. The books of the New Testament were compiled for some time and finalized by early Church in the fourth century. So, Catholicism predates the completion of the Holy Bible.

Keep in mind that the Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew (after being passed along orally for centuries). The books of the New Testament were originally written in Greek. So, English translations come from Hebrew and Greek or from Latin. There are several translations approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for use and study by Catholics in the United States:

New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, National Council of Churches
Good News Translation (Today’s English Version, Second Edition), American Bible Society

Quotes and passages used on this site are from the New American translation.

While the Catholic Church uses additional essential texts and governing documents, none is considered a sacred as the Bible, which is considered to be the inspired word of God. These texts include, but are not limited to the following:

In 12 Major World Religions, Jason Boyett refers to Dante’s The Divine Comedy as a “major text” in Christianity. It is not considered so in the Catholic Church. The Divine Comedy is a work of fiction. While it is likely the basis for many who believe in physical attributes and location of hell, it is not a Church-endorsed teaching or text. In fact, Dante’s work has led to a misunderstanding of the concepts of heaven and hell as taught by the Church.

Essential Teachings

Much like Judaism, the essential teachings of the Catholic Church center around the moral values presented in the Ten Commandments. In addition, the teachings of Jesus Christ are considered crucial to the faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church collects the entirety of Church teaching in one convenient volume. It also includes scriptural roots of teachings and references to Papal and Vatican documents.

The Ten Commandments

I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have other gods besides me.
You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.
Remember to keep holy the Lord’s day.
Honor your father and your mother.
You shall not kill [murder].
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

(Based upon Exodus 20:2-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21)

Christ and the Commandments

I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
(John 13:34-35)
You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.
(Matthew 22:37-40)

The Eucharist

Central to Catholic belief is the Holy Eucharist. It is the physical manifestation of the body and blood of Jesus Christ in the bread and wine used during Holy Mass. The metaphysical change of substance is called the transubstantiation.

At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.
(Catechism of the Catholic Church 1323).

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, l for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.
(Matthew 26:26-28).

For the official profession of the Catholic faith, see the Nicene Creed.

Worship and Leadership

The Catholic faithful are expected to attend Holy Mass each Sunday morning or Saturday evening. Mass is celebrated every day of the year in churches around the world. The only day of the year when there is no Mass is Good Friday. In place of the celebration of Mass, the Church offers a solemn liturgy. Holy Communion is distributed, but it is left over from Holy Thursday as the transubstantiation only takes place within the context of Mass.

The Pope is the highest official of the Church. He is elected by and among the college of cardinals during a conclave only after the resignation or death of the sitting pope. Cardinals are bishops who have been elevated to a higher office and are part of the conclave. Both cardinals and bishops oversee dioceses, regional jurisdictions of the Church. The Priests serve the people must directly as pastors of parishes, administrators of the sacraments, and celebrants of Holy Mass. The Pope, cardinals, and bishops are all priests. Deacons assist priests in their pastoral work and can administer the sacraments of baptism and matrimony. They are commonly married men, while priests make promises of chaste celibacy.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER READING

Baldino, OFS, John. “Affirming Truths and Dispelling Misconceptions About the Catholic Faith.” Catholic365. 7 November 2023.

Baldino, OFS, John. “The Catholic Church and Contemporary Issues of Dignity and Life.” Charity in Truth: A Journal of Ethics, Religion, and Culture, vol. 1, no. 1, 2023, pp. 35-41.

Lapean, SJ, Luke. “Catholic 101: Do Catholics Worship Mary?” The Jesuit Post. 10 October 2023.

Rodriguez, Pedro. “The Hierarchical Structure of the Church.” EWTN. n.d.

“Saints.” United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. n.d.

Works Cited

Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1997.

“Concerning the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.” Council of Trent, 1551.

“Priesthood, Ordination, Seminary.” United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, n.d.

“USCCB Approved Translations of the Sacred Scriptures for Private Use and Study by Catholics.” United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. n.d.