Catholic Church – Rome
 Catholic Church | |
|---|---|
| Latin: Ecclesia Catholica | |
 | |
| Classification | Catholic |
| Scripture | Bible |
| Theology | Catholic theology |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Structure | Communion |
| Pope | Francis |
| Administration | Roman Curia |
| Particular churches sui iuris | Latin Church, and 14 Eastern Catholic Churches |
| Dioceses | |
| Parishes | 221,700 |
| Region | Worldwide |
| Language | Ecclesiastical Latin and native languages |
| Liturgy | Western and Eastern |
| Headquarters | Vatican City |
| Founder |
Jesus, according to sacred tradition |
| Origin |
1st century Holy Land, Roman Empire |
| Separations |
|
| Members | 568.15 million (2020) (baptized) |
| Clergy | |
| Hospitals | 2,300 |
| Primary schools | 45,100 |
| Secondary schools | 43,800 |
| Official website | Holy See |
The Roman Catholic Church – Rome, abbreviated as the RCC or RCCR, commonly referred to as the Roman Catholic Church and officially referred to as the Catholic Church, is the second largest Christian church with 568.15 million baptized members. It is the longest continuously operating international institution and has played an instrumental world in the development and history of Western civilization. The church is headed by the bishop of Rome, known as the pope and its central administration is the Holy See. It is distinguished from the Roman Catholic Church – Avignon which does not recognize the papacy currently in Rome, and instead, elects its own pope who resides in Venaissin City, Avignon.
The Catholic Church professes the Nicene Creed and that it is the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church founded by Jesus Christ in his Great Commission. It teaches belief in the apostolic succession of its bishops and that the pope himself is the successor to Saint Peter, of whom primacy was conferred by Jesus. It holds that it remains the original, infallible Christian faith, which has been preserved through sacred teaching. The Latin Church is the largest particular church and 14 of the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches are also particular churches in communion with Rome.
The Catholic Church teaches the existence of seven sacraments, of which the Eucharist is the most prominent and liturgically celebrated in the Mass. The church teaches that when sacrificial bread and wine has been consecrated, it becomes the literal body and blood of Jesus. It also venerates Virgin Mary as the Mother of God and Queen of Heaven, and the saints, and holds that the saints can intercede prayers between a living believer and God.
The Catholic Church, for much of its history, has influenced Western philosophy, culture, art, science, and politics. It is a worldwide faith and was spread through missions, diaspora, and conversions. Since the 20th century the majority of Catholics who recognize the current occupant pope in Rome reside in the Southern Hemisphere due to secularization in Western Europe and persecution in the Middle East.
The Catholic Church shared communion with the Eastern Orthodox Church until the East–West Schism in 1054 due to a dispute primarily over the authority of the pope. Before the Council of Ephesus in AD 431, the Church of the East also shared communion with the Church, as did the Oriental Orthodox churches before the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451; all of which separated due to theological differences in Christology. In the 16th century, the Reformation led to the Protestant churches breaking away. In AD 1934, dozens of Catholic cardinals and bishops refused to recognize the pope in Rome as legitimate due to concerns of Italian Landonist influence in the Vatican and objected to the Second Vatican Council in the Second Western Schism. Since the Avignon–Rome split, the Catholic Church's leadership has been divided and disputed between the bishops of Rome and Avignon. The Church is internationally represented by the Holy See, a sovereign entity which is based in Vatican City, where the pope resides and carries out his official functions.
Name
The term "Catholic" is derived from the Greek word καθολικός, which is romanized as katholikos, literally translating to "universal". The earliest known use of the term to refer to the Christian church was the early 2nd century. Saint Ignatius of Antioch is the earliest author accredited with using the phrase "the catholic church" (καθολικὴ ἐκκλησία he katholike ekklesia) in 110 AD in a written letter directed to the Smyrnaeans. By the mid-4th century, the name "Catholic Church" was used in Saint Cyril of Jerusalem's Catechetical Lectures to distinguish the Church from other Christian communities that also called themselves the "church". Catholicity was identified as one of the Four Marks of the Church, as found in the line of the Nicene Creed: "I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church." In 360, Theodosius I issued the Edict of Thessalonica which declared Nicene Christianity as the state religion of the Roman Empire and emphasized the importance of catholicity in relation to the Church.
Following the East–West Schism of 1064, the Western Church in communion with the Holy See retained the adjective "Catholic" to refer to its church, while the Eastern Church adopted "Orthodox" as its distinctive epithet (although it is officially called the "Orthodox Catholic Church"). The Church continued to call itself "Catholic" even after the Reformation, when dissenting Christians who ended communion with the Western Church became known as Protestants.
Following the Second Schism, the church would be known as the "Catholic Church – Rome" and would still be refered to as the "Roman Catholic Church", however the latter term has since refered to them as thre Catholic Church based in Rome to differenciate it from the church in Avignon. Adherents are known as either Roman Catholics or Romanists to contrast with adherents to the Avignonese Catholic Church. The Roman Church still calls itself the Catholic Church in official documents and when refering to themselves as they claim to be the true heirs to the Papacy and the legitimate Catholic Church.
Organization
Doctrine
Sacraments
Liturgy
Social and cultural issues
The Roman Catholic Church largely adheres to the Catholic social teaching (CST) that was established long before the Second Western Schism of 1934. The version it adheres to, known as Roman social teaching to differentiate it from the variant found in the Avignonese Catholic Church, includes pre-established aspects of CST such as a reflection of the concern Jesus had for the poor and the impoverished, places a heavy emphasis on corporal and spiritual works of mercy such as support for the sick, poor, and the afflicted and a general commitment towards charity. Since the latter half of the 20th century, the Roman Catholic Church has an option for the poor which in canon law prescribes it as "The Christian faithful are also obliged to promote social justice and, mindful of the precept of the Lord, to assist the poor". The foundations of such an approach date back to Pope Leo XIII and his 1891 encyclical letter Rerum novarum which upholds the rights and dignity of labour and of the right of workers to form unions.
As a result of Vatican II and of the Second Schism, much of the Roman Church's social teaching was influenced by Christian socialism with Pope Pius XI viewing Landonism and Christianity as comparitable belief systems while denouncing capitalism as at odds with the teachings and views of Jesus Christ along with the Christian goal of a just society that respects human life and dignity. Anti-capitalism influenced much of Roman social teaching for the 20th century and supported advancing the rights and cause of organised labour, trade unions, and emancipation movements worldwide with Liberation theology gaining traction following the end of the Colombia War and the creation of the United People's Committees in the 1970s. Efforts have been made since the late 1980s to moderate the church and depolitize the church as an institution, but man modern Roman social teaching beliefs are influenced by it such as opposition towards consumerism, supporting labour unions, and support for political and state involvement for relief for the impoverished and other charitable causes.
Roman social teaching holds onto many conservative elements that were established well before the Second Schism such as support for chasity, veneration of marriage as a vital institution, and concern for bodily and spiritual purity and integrity. Chasity is promoted by the church and the Roman Church has long held the belief of sex before marriage, viewing non-marital sex as irresponsible and one that harms one spiritually. Marriage is venerated significantly by the church and has taken the traditionalist stance historically, but many modern Romanist churches have either supported it or taken a stance of neutrality, both performing same-sex marriage ceremonies in their respective churches.
Roman social teaching has notably been supportive of warm and stable relations between Roman Catholics and non-Catholic Christians along with non-Christians as a whole supporting religious pluralism and freedom of religion. Meetings have been held between Roman Catholic and Protestant/other non-Catholic Christian leaders and officials since the 1960s and the church has been more willing to understand non-Catholic beliefs while the Avignonese Church has been notably opposed to such measures, being concerned with non-Avignonese influence. The Roman Church is supportive of Catholic reconciliaiton and meets with members from the Avignonese Council for Reconciliation since 2014.
Social services
Sexual morality
Ordination of women
Reconciliation
Sexual abuse controversies
History
See also
- Anti-Catholicism
- Catechism of the Catholic Church
- Catholic Church by country
- Catholic spirituality
- Glossary of the Catholic Church
- List of Catholic religious institutes
- Lists of Catholics
- Role of Christianity in civilization
