Topic
The Church
Jesus founded a Church on the apostles with Peter at their head. Here is what the Church is, how it is led, what infallibility does and doesn't mean, and why Catholics call it one, holy, catholic and apostolic.
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What is the Catholic Church?
The Catholic Church is the community founded by Jesus Christ on the apostles, with Peter as its visible head. It is "one, holy, catholic and apostolic," led today by the bishops in communion with the Pope, the successor of Peter. It is both a visible institution and the mystical Body of Christ.
Read the full answerQuestions about the Church
All The Church questions
What is the Catholic Church?
The Catholic Church is the community founded by Jesus Christ on the apostles, with Peter as its visible head. It is "one, holy, catholic and apostolic," led today by the bishops in communion with the Pope, the successor of Peter. It is both a visible institution and the mystical Body of Christ.
What is papal infallibility?
Papal infallibility means that when the Pope, as supreme teacher of the whole Church, solemnly defines a doctrine of faith or morals to be held by all believers, the Holy Spirit protects that definition from error. It does not mean the Pope is sinless or that everything he says is infallible.
How do I become Catholic?
Contact a local Catholic parish and ask about OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults). Over several months you learn the faith with others, and at Easter you are received into the Church — through Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion if you are not baptized, or through a profession of faith, Confirmation and Communion if you are already a baptized Christian.
Why be Catholic?
Catholics believe the Catholic Church is the Church Jesus founded on the apostles, where the fullness of Christian faith is found — Scripture and Tradition, all seven sacraments, the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and an unbroken line of teachers reaching back to Peter.
Are Catholics Christians?
Yes. Catholics are Christians — in fact, the Catholic Church is the oldest and largest Christian community. Catholics believe in the Trinity, confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, are baptized in his name, and hold the Bible as the inspired Word of God.
What is the difference between Catholic and Orthodox Christians?
Catholic and Orthodox Christians share the same sacraments, apostolic succession and nearly all doctrine. The main differences concern the authority of the Pope, the wording of the Creed (the "filioque"), and some liturgical and disciplinary practices. The division dates especially from 1054.
Why do Catholics call priests "Father"?
Catholics call priests "Father" because they are spiritual fathers who give life through the sacraments and care for their people. Jesus' words "Call no one on earth your father" (Matthew 23:9) were a warning against pride and false authority, not a ban on the word — the New Testament itself uses "father" for spiritual leaders.
Was the Catholic Church the first Church?
Catholics believe the Catholic Church is the Church founded by Jesus on the apostles around A.D. 30–33. The early Church already had bishops, the Eucharist, and a recognized role for Rome. The name "Catholic Church" appears by A.D. 107. The great divisions came later — the East–West split in 1054 and the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s.
What was the Protestant Reformation?
The Reformation was a 16th-century movement, begun by Martin Luther in 1517, that challenged Church abuses and key Catholic teachings, leading to the formation of Protestant churches. The Catholic Church responded with genuine reform at the Council of Trent. Today Catholics and Protestants work toward reconciliation while real differences remain.
Common questions non-Catholics ask about Catholicism
Non-Catholics most often ask whether Catholics worship Mary and statues, why they confess to priests, why they believe the Eucharist is really Jesus, why they have a Pope, and whether they believe in salvation by grace. In each case, the Catholic answer is grounded in Scripture and centred on Christ.
Why are there so many religious orders? Can anybody join?
Each order exists for its own purpose — the Franciscans' love for the poor, the Dominicans' preaching, the Benedictines' monastic life. Only priests who belong to an order are consecrated religious, but secular priests, permanent deacons and lay people can join an order's third order as tertiaries.
Who runs the Catholic Church between popes?
During an interregnum, the day-to-day business of the Church is handled by the cardinal camerlengo (chamberlain). He makes only decisions of immediate necessity; anything not urgent waits for the new pope.
Why are snipers a routine part of the pope's security?
Besides being head of the Church, the pope is head of state of Vatican City. Like other heads of state, he has an armed security detail — and John Paul II survived an assassination attempt in 1981.
What is the difference between an archbishop and a cardinal?
An archbishop usually heads a major metropolitan archdiocese and may also be a cardinal. A cardinal is a member of the College of Cardinals and is usually a bishop. A cardinal who is not already a bishop must be ordained one, but that rule can be dispensed — so a priest or even a layman could be a cardinal.
What are the criteria for a pope choosing his name?
There are no official criteria. Popes usually honor a predecessor or someone they admire, or signal the direction of their papacy. The only unwritten custom is that no pope takes the name Peter.
Was Benedict XVI the 264th or the 265th pope?
Both numbers are correct, counted differently. Benedict XVI was the 264th successor of Peter — and since Peter was the first pope, that makes Benedict the 265th pope.
Why is the pope's cassock white when other clergy usually wear black?
The custom goes back to Pope St. Pius V, a Dominican who kept wearing his white Dominican habit as pope. His successors continued it, and white is now the pope's traditional color.
Can a bishop overrule the Church's laws and teachings if he deems it necessary?
No. That would contradict the teaching of Vatican I and II. Individual bishops are not infallible and cannot violate canon law, the Vatican's directives, or their bishops' conference's directives.
Why is the pope called "Holy Father" instead of just "Father"?
Not because of the pope's personal holiness, but out of respect for his office as Peter's successor and head of the Church on earth. His is a holy office.
Can bi-ritual priests become bishops?
Yes. The Holy See can appoint any priest as bishop for any rite, though ordinarily a bishop is appointed for the rite he has always belonged to. Bi-ritual priests have permission to celebrate in more than one rite but themselves belong to only one.
Can a pope bind all future popes to a specific liturgical discipline?
Absolutely not. Discipline is by nature changeable; dogma is not. Every pope has supreme, full, immediate and universal power, which includes disciplinary authority, so no pope can tie his successors' hands. A pope's disciplinary authority ends with his death.
When Aquinas likened his work to straw, was that a retraction?
No. After a revelation at Mass in 1273, Aquinas stopped writing, saying all he had written seemed like straw compared with what he had seen. No one has understood this as a retraction: Leo XIII promoted Thomism, and Aquinas was named a Doctor of the Church.
Why did past popes refer to themselves as "we"?
The "royal we" is a custom borrowed from monarchy. Popes were traditionally regarded as monarchs and used some of a sovereign's protocols. As recent popes have set aside the outward trappings of monarchy, the "royal we" has become less common.
Did the Church change its doctrine during the Counter-Reformation?
No. The Council of Trent changed discipline, not doctrine: it founded seminaries, unified the liturgy, and clarified doctrine without — as it could not — changing it. The Protestant Reformation, by contrast, produced continual division over interpreting Scripture.
What is a censure?
A censure is a Church penalty meant to bring about a change of behavior and reintegrate the offender into the Church. That is why it is called a medicinal penalty, as opposed to an expiatory one, which is compensatory.
If my friend openly disagrees with Church doctrines, should she be teaching RCIA?
No. She may be caring and well-intentioned, but she is not qualified to teach. Church documents require catechists to hand on Christ's teaching, not their own opinions, and say there can be no teachers of the faith except convinced and faithful disciples of Christ and his Church.
Why did Henry VIII need a dispensation to marry his brother's widow?
Because of the impediment of affinity. In the 16th century, affinity arose from intercourse itself and reached beyond direct-line relatives. Since Catherine was presumed to have had relations with Henry's brother, the impediment had to be dispensed before she and Henry could validly marry.
Did Fulton Sheen support Vatican II?
Yes. In his autobiography Treasure in Clay, Sheen devoted a chapter to the Council and called Gaudium et Spes "brilliant." He saw the turmoil after the Council as the kind of opposition that always follows an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Shouldn't the pope dress simply, like Jesus did?
Jesus never wore a tuxedo either, yet no one questions the faith of a Christian who wears one on formal occasions. Commitment is shown by imitating Christ's holiness, not his clothing. The pope usually wears a simple cassock and zucchetto; his vestments signify his office and honor the occasion.
Must a teaching be declared ex cathedra to be infallible?
No. The teaching that artificial birth control is wrong, for example, is already infallible through the ordinary and universal magisterium. And Vatican II taught that the pope's teaching deserves religious submission of will and intellect even when he does not speak ex cathedra.
Should John Paul II have retired because of his infirmity?
John Paul II saw staying in office as accepting the cross Christ gave him; to those urging him to resign he said Christ didn't come down from the cross. His service to the end showed the papacy is a call to service and suffering, not efficiency.
Is Seventh-day Adventism a cult?
No. It promotes some strange ideas, some with an anti-Catholic basis, but it is a genuinely Christian denomination: its members are validly baptized and Christian in their beliefs — unlike Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses.
What is a "cafeteria Catholic"?
Someone who picks and chooses which Catholic teachings to believe. But Catholics aren't free to choose; even teachings not defined infallibly call for religious submission of intellect and will.
How can the Church of St. Pius X be compared with that of John Paul II?
Without specific charges, they can't really be compared. Both popes were innovators — Pius X shocked many by admitting children of seven to Communion and urging frequent Communion. The Church's practice and understanding develop, as a man grows from childhood while staying the same person; both can be holy popes.
Was it wrong for my diocese to give money to rebuild an Anglican church?
Only if it risked drawing Catholics away from the faith. That danger has greatly declined with mainstream Protestants, so helping them after a tragedy can be Christian compassion. But it seems imprudent to help aggressively proselytizing, anti-Catholic groups build churches — though emergency aid to their families is fine.
When Jesus spoke of "one flock, one shepherd," did he mean the Catholic Church alone?
The Church teaches that the "one flock, one shepherd" subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by Peter's successor and the bishops in communion with him. Many truths are found elsewhere, but the fullness of Christ's teaching and grace is in the Catholic Church, whose mission is to draw all humanity into unity under Christ.
Newman said "to be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant." Why don't more Protestant historians become Catholic?
Newman's maxim is a general observation, not a rule. Belief in Catholicism is ultimately a gift of faith that must be accepted and acted on. Some may not have received it; others may not have accepted it. We commend them to God's mercy, trusting that those who follow him according to their light may be saved.
Is my friend barred from joining the Church because he is a Freemason?
He can become Catholic if he leaves Freemasonry. Catholics are forbidden to belong; the Church's negative judgment on Masonic associations is unchanged, and Catholics who join are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Communion.
What is the difference between an apologist and a theologian?
Roughly, like a science teacher and a scientist: an apologist explains and defends what is known about the faith; a theologian explores it and seeks to expand what is known. A theologian should be ready to act as an apologist, but an apologist need not be a theologian.
Did Pope Leo X say "It has served us well, this myth of Christ"?
There is no documentation for it. The quote is believed to come from a satirical work, "The Pageant of the Popes," by the Protestant controversialist John Bale (1495–1563).
Does papal infallibility mean the pope is perfect or inerrant?
No. Infallibility means the pope is protected from error when he proclaims a doctrine of faith or morals by a definitive act (CCC 891). It does not mean he cannot sin or cannot make mistakes.
How should I answer Protestants who ask whether I am a Christian?
One good answer is, "Yes, I'm a Catholic." It affirms that you are a Christian and tells them that you are Catholic and regard Catholics as Christians.
How do I explain my decision to change parishes?
Tell your former parish the truth, politely. For example, you can say you prefer quieter liturgies that focus more on God than on the congregation; they need to hear this.
Did a statement by John Paul II mean only Catholics can be saved?
No. His remark matches the Church's constant teaching. He spoke of those who "reject" the Church, meaning a conscious decision against a Church one knows Christ founded.
Can I stop parish offices being built in the church narthex?
Probably not on the basis of Church directives. The narthex, or vestibule, is not part of the church proper, and such arrangements can work very well.
How can I turn down an invitation to an apologetics debate?
Not everyone thinks fast on their feet, and that says nothing about the strength of one's position. Tell him you are not experienced in debate and that the truth can be expressed well by e-mail.
How do I answer atheists who say Catholicism is "uptight"?
Perhaps they are the uptight ones: Catholics consider themselves accountable to someone greater than themselves, and that raises a question for non-believers. What if Catholics are right?
I don't want to be Catholic anymore. What can I do?
The very question shows you recognize the Church's authority. Seen rightly, that authority is a comfort: Christ gave it to the Church so that we might be saved. Look closely at whatever you are questioning: what it means, why it exists, and why you are better off for it.
Does a photo of a papal representative at a pagan shrine mean the Church accepts pagan religions?
No. A photo of someone lighting a candle at a non-Christian shrine says nothing about that person's beliefs, still less the Church's. Without context we cannot judge the action; we can only say the photo does not show the Church capitulating to paganism.
Is the pope similar to the high priest of the Old Testament?
Similar, though not identical. The high priest offered the greatest sacrifices and led God's people on earth. Christ is our high priest who offered himself and the head of God's people, but he left Peter as his visible representative; the pope, Peter's successor, resembles the high priest as earthly head of God's people.
How do I change rites?
Changing rites is permitted but something of a hassle and usually unnecessary: you can join an Eastern-rite parish without changing rites. If you still want to, ask the pastor of the Eastern-rite parish.
Is the "Room of Tears" for confirming that a new pope is male?
No. It is where the new pope changes into papal vestments before receiving his fellow cardinals' pledges of obedience and appearing on the loggia. Its name comes from new popes often weeping at the weight of the burden. The "Pope Joan" story is a legend serious historians dismiss.
If a Protestant believes he cannot call a priest "Father," what respectful alternative can he use?
He can use the title he gives his own ministers; most priests would not mind "Reverend" or "Pastor." If asked to say "Father," he can politely decline, and the priest will understand.
How do I become an apologist?
Read solid introductory material, subscribe to orthodox Catholic periodicals, and study as much as you can. Proficiency comes only with real experience, and your parish, "the pre-eminent place for catechesis," is the best place to put your study to use.
Jesus was humble, so why does the pope act like a king?
The pope is Christ's chief ambassador. As an ambassador wears formal dress and receives honors meant for the country he represents, the pope's formal attire and the honors given him are for his office and for Jesus, not for him personally.
Can a Catholic attend an Anglican service as a visitor?
Yes. But because the Anglican church lacks valid holy orders, Eucharistic intercommunion is not possible (CCC 1400).
What makes us Catholic? Does dissent from Church social teaching put one outside the faith?
Strictly, a Catholic is someone baptized in the Catholic Church or received into it after a valid non-Catholic baptism. Full incorporation means accepting the whole Church and being joined by faith, sacraments, government and communion; and even one incorporated is not saved if he does not persevere in charity.
What do people mean when they say they have "swum the Tiber"?
The Tiber is the river running through Rome, with St. Peter's on one side. Converts say they "swam the Tiber" to mean they crossed over to the Catholic side.
Why does Rome call itself a "Church" but other churches "ecclesial communities"?
Church documents use "church" for the Catholic Church and for bodies that have kept valid apostolic succession, such as the Eastern Orthodox, and "ecclesial communities" for those that have not. It is a distinction, not an insult.
What if one pope contradicts another?
First ask whether it concerns doctrine or morals; if not, popes are free to disagree. If it does, ask whether either spoke only as a private theologian; one speaking definitively as pope has the presumption. Apparent contradictions may also be different expressions of one truth or doctrinal development.
How do we know the pope can make an infallible statement of doctrine?
Christ gave infallibility to Peter and his successors, as Scripture shows (Luke 22:31-32; Matthew 16:18-19). The early Christians understood the pope's primacy, which involved infallibility, but it was formally defined only at the First Vatican Council, once it was disputed.
What is the difference between doctrine and dogma?
Doctrine is all Church teaching on faith and morals. Dogma is the part of doctrine that is divinely revealed and that the Church has formally defined as to be believed as revealed.
Read in depth
What the Early Church Believed: The Meaning of "Catholic"
"Catholic" comes from Greek roots meaning "according to the whole," or "universal." From Ignatius of Antioch onward it named a single, visible communion distinct from heretical groups, and that is its meaning in the creeds.
What the Early Church Believed: Apostolic Succession
The first Christians identified the true Church and true doctrine by a simple test: trace the claimant's apostolic succession, the line of bishops going back to the apostles. All Catholic bishops share such a lineage, which Protestant denominations do not have.
Peter the Rock
Some Protestants argue that in Matthew 16:18 Jesus contrasted Simon, a "pebble" (*Petros*), with the "rock" (*petra*) on which he would build his Church. In the Greek of the New Testament the two words were synonyms, and in Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke, he called Simon *Kepha* and said he would build his Church on this *kepha*. Jesus equated Peter with the rock.
What the Early Church Believed: Peter's Primacy
The early Church Fathers recognized that Peter is the rock of Matthew 16:18. Because Peter was made the Church's foundation, he held a special place, a primacy, among the apostles, and the Fathers clearly recognized this.
Was Peter in Rome?
Some Protestants argue Peter was never in Rome, so he could not have been its first bishop. The question does not decide whether Christ founded the papacy, but the evidence is clear: 1 Peter refers to Rome as "Babylon," every ancient writer places Peter's death in Rome, and archaeology has identified his tomb under St. Peter's Basilica.
What the Early Church Believed: Peter's Successors
The Fathers recognized Peter as the rock, gave him a special primacy, and recorded that he went to Rome and was martyred there. They also recognized that the bishop of Rome, the pope, continued to serve in Peter's role in later generations.
Papal Infallibility
Papal infallibility does not mean the pope cannot sin. It is a charism, shared with the bishops teaching in union with him, that prevents the pope from solemnly and formally teaching as true something that is in fact an error on faith or morals. It follows from Christ's promise that the gates of hell will not prevail against his Church.
What the Early Church Believed: The Authority of the Pope
The Fathers recognized that Peter's successors in Rome shared his primacy. They relied on Rome for advice, for settling disputes and for doctrinal guidance, said Rome "holds the presidency" and that all churches must agree with it, and held that communion with the bishop of Rome is communion with the Catholic Church.
What Do Catholics Believe About the Pope?
The pope, the Bishop of Rome, continues the mission of St. Peter, whom Jesus made the foundation of his Church. He is the visible head of the Church, the spiritual father and servant leader of the faithful, who safeguards unity and protects the faith from error. Pope Leo XIV is the current pope.
Call No Man "Father"?
Many Protestants say that calling priests "father" violates Jesus' words, "Call no one on earth your father" (Matthew 23:9). But Scripture uses "father" for earthly and spiritual fathers in both Testaments, and Jesus was using hyperbole against pride. The apostles called themselves spiritual fathers, and Catholics follow their example.
Excommunication
Excommunication is a serious but medicinal penalty for certain grave wrongdoing. It does not end a person's membership in the Church or declare him damned. It cuts him off from full communion, especially the sacraments, to move him to repent and be reconciled.
Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth
An introduction to the basics of the Catholic faith. The Catholic Church alone has existed since Christ, has the four marks of his Church, and teaches with his authority through Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium. Christ gives his grace through seven sacraments, calls us to prayer with the saints, and saves us by grace, not by faith alone.
Can Dogma Develop?
Public revelation ended with the apostles, and the Church cannot change doctrine or invent new ones. But the Church's understanding of the deposit of faith grows over time, as obscurities are cleared up and truths are defined more precisely, as happened with the Trinity, Christ's two wills and transubstantiation.
The Great Heresies
From the beginning the Church has faced heresies, as Scripture warned (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Heresy is the obstinate denial or doubt, after baptism, of a truth that must be believed with divine and Catholic faith. Christ promised that heresies would never prevail against his Church.
What the Early Church Believed: Monks and Nuns
The consecrated life predates Christ: the Nazirites of the Old Testament were essentially monks and nuns. Paul recommended consecrated celibacy and set up an order of widows. The early Church continued the consecrated life in orders of widows, virgins and deaconesses, which became the modern nuns and monks, and the Fathers recognized their role.
Anti-Catholic Myths
Professional anti-Catholics rely on whoppers, exaggerations and false implications that leave a bad impression even when not believed. Three examples, from Bob Jones, a Conversion Center leaflet, and Alberto Rivera, show how such material distorts the facts.
Catholic "Inventions"
Loraine Boettner's *Roman Catholicism* lists supposed Catholic "inventions" with dates and popes, using innuendo and error. Examined, they are either misrepresentations or legitimate developments of a living Church that holds the same faith while growing.
Is Catholicism Pagan?
Critics claim Catholicism absorbed paganism after 313. This "pagan influence fallacy" judges a belief by supposed origins rather than its merits, and the same arguments are used by atheists against all Christianity. Claimed parallels usually fail on examination.
The Inquisition
There were several inquisitions: the Medieval (1184), the Spanish (1478), a state institution, and the Roman (1542), the most benign. Their abuses are real, but critics' statistics are wildly inflated, the Cathars were not proto-Fundamentalists, and the existence of an inquisition no more disproves the Church than Protestant inquisitions disprove Protestantism.
The Whore of Babylon
Fundamentalists like Dave Hunt claim the Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon of Revelation 17–18. But the text itself rules this out: the Whore existed in John's day and persecuted apostles and prophets, so she must be first-century pagan Rome or apostate Jerusalem.
What Is Fundamentalism?
Fundamentalism is a relatively new form of American Protestantism, arising in the 1890s against liberal trends and named after *The Fundamentals* (1909-1915). It holds five fundamentals and stresses the Bible alone, personal acceptance of Christ, and evangelism. Many of its converts are former Catholics.
Fundamentalist or Catholic?
Before rejecting Catholicism, make sure you are rejecting the real thing, not a caricature. A brief case: the Catholic Church alone has an unbroken historical link to the Church of the New Testament; Scripture rejects private interpretation and points to Tradition; justification is real inner renewal; Christ gives grace through sacraments; and the Mass is the sacrifice foretold in bread and wine.
How to Talk with Fundamentalists
Knowing how to argue matters as much as knowing what to argue. An effective apologist knows Scripture, prays, is honest and charitable, defines terms, raises the question of authority, and aims to explain rather than to win.
Do Catholics Worship Statues?
God forbade worshiping images, not making or using them religiously; he even commanded statues for his sanctuary. Catholics use images to remember, teach and commemorate, and kneeling before a statue is no more worship of it than kneeling with a Bible. God has revealed himself in visible forms, above all in Christ, the image of the invisible God.
Are Catholics Christian?
Yes. Catholics become Christ's disciples through Trinitarian baptism, believe in Jesus Christ as God and man and Savior, and profess the Nicene Creed. Catholics are Christians, though not all Christians are Catholic: the Catholic Church is the one Church Christ founded.
Why People Leave the Catholic Church
People leave the Catholic Church for many reasons, from doctrine and morals to scandal, poor formation and convenience. Understanding them helps Catholics respond with charity. But none justifies leaving the one Church Christ founded.
Simony
Simony is the buying or selling of spiritual things, such as the sacraments, Church offices and other gifts of God (CCC 2121-2122). It is named after Simon Magus, who tried to buy the apostles' power to give the Holy Spirit. God's gifts are freely given and cannot be bought.
What Is Catholic Apologetics?
Apologetics, from the Greek *apologia*, "defense," is the reasoned explanation and defense of the faith from Scripture, Tradition, reason, history and science. Every Catholic is called to it, always ready to give a reason for our hope with gentleness and reverence (1 Peter 3:15), aiming to lead others to Christ, not to win arguments.
Questions Every Catholic Should Be Able to Answer
Every Catholic is called not only to believe but to understand what the Church teaches and why. These ten questions cover the objections Catholics most often encounter.
How to Become Catholic
One enters full communion through the sacraments of initiation: baptism, confirmation and the Eucharist. The unbaptized prepare as catechumens through OCIA and are usually received at the Easter Vigil. Those already validly baptized are received by a profession of faith, ordinarily at a Sunday Mass, after confession.
In Scripture
- Matthew 16:18-19
- Ephesians 1:22-23
- 1 Timothy 3:15
- Acts 2:42
- Luke 22:31-32
- John 21:15-17
- Acts 2:37-42
- Matthew 28:19-20
- John 3:5
- Matthew 16:18
- John 6:53-58
- John 17:20-21
- Acts 11:26
- Matthew 28:19
- Ephesians 4:4-6
- John 17:21
- Matthew 23:9
- 1 Corinthians 4:15
- Acts 7:2
- 1 John 2:13
- Acts 2:41-47
- Acts 15:1-29
- John 17:20-23
- Ephesians 4:3-6
- 1 Peter 3:15
- John 6:53
- John 10:16
- Hebrews 7-10
- 2 Timothy 2:2
- Matthew 27:46
- Matthew 16:15-19
- Isaiah 22:22
- Isaiah 22:21
- Matthew 17:27
- Matthew 19:27
- Mark 10:28
- John 21:17
- Matthew 16:19
- Acts 9:32-34
- 1 Peter 5:13
- Revelation 14:8
- Revelation 16:19
- Revelation 17:5
- Revelation 18:2
- Revelation 18:10
- Revelation 18:21
- Revelation 11:8
- 2 Timothy 4:10
- 2 Timothy 4:21
- Philippians 4:3
- Romans 1:8
- Luke 10:16
- Matthew 16:17-19
- Luke 22:32
- John 16:13
- Galatians 2:11-16
- Galatians 2:12-13
- Matthew 23:11
- Ephesians 2:19-20
- Acts 1:15-26
- Isaiah 22:15-25
- John 14:6
- John 8:31-32
- Matthew 28:18-20
- 1 Timothy 2:4
- 2 Peter 3:9
- Ephesians 2:19-22
- Matthew 28:20
- John 3:16-17
- Genesis 45:8
- Job 29:16
- Isaiah 22:20-21
- 2 Kings 2:12
- 2 Kings 6:21
- Romans 9:10
- Matthew 23:8-10
- 1 Timothy 2:7
- 2 Timothy 1:11
- 1 Corinthians 12:28
- Ephesians 4:11
- Matthew 23:6-7
- Matthew 5:29
- Matthew 18:9
- Mark 9:47
- 1 John 1:8
- 1 Timothy 1:15
- 1 Corinthians 4:17
- 1 Timothy 1:2
- 2 Timothy 1:2
- 1 Timothy 1:18
- 2 Timothy 2:1
- Philippians 2:22
- Titus 1:4
- Philemon 10
- 1 Corinthians 4:14-15
- 2 Corinthians 12:14
- Galatians 4:19
- 1 John 2:1
- 3 John 4
- 1 John 2:13-14
- Isaiah 55:10-11
- Matthew 18:15-18
- 1 Corinthians 5:5
- 2 Corinthians 10:3-4
- 1 Corinthians 11:27-29
- Luke 15:1-7
- John 7:17
- Matthew 5:14
- Romans 12:5
- 1 Corinthians 10:17
- 1 Corinthians 12:13
- Ephesians 5:23-32
- Jude 3
- Philippians 1:27
- Philippians 2:2
- John 16:12-13
- Ephesians 5:25-27
- Revelation 19:7-8
- John 6:70
- Matthew 7:21-23
- Ephesians 5:26
- Revelation 5:9-10
- Galatians 3:28
- Exodus 13:21
- John 1:42
- Matthew 18:18
- Acts 2:1-41
- Acts 15:7-12
- Mark 7:8
- 2 Thessalonians 2:15
- 1 Corinthians 11:2
- 2 Timothy 3:16
- 2 Peter 1:20-21
- 2 Peter 3:15-16
- Mark 7:1-8
- 1 Corinthians 14:33
- John 14:18
- John 15:26
- Genesis 1:31
- John 1:14
- John 2:1-11
- John 9:1-7
- John 6:5-13
- Matthew 26:26-28
- Titus 3:5
- Romans 6:3-7
- Acts 2:38
- Acts 22:16
- 1 Peter 3:21
- John 20:22-23
- 2 Corinthians 5:18-20
- John 1:29
- Luke 22:20
- Mark 14:22-24
- Hebrews 9:28
- Acts 8:14-17
- Mark 10:1-12
- Romans 7:2-3
- 1 Corinthians 7:10-11
- Ephesians 5:21-33
- Exodus 19:6
- Exodus 19:22
- 1 Peter 2:9
- Romans 15:15-16
- 2 Timothy 1:6-7
- James 5:14-15
- 1 Timothy 2:1-4
- Romans 8:3-8
- 1 Corinthians 3:12-15
- Matthew 22:39
- Revelation 5:8
- James 5:16
- 1 Timothy 2:5
- Luke 1:28
- Luke 1:47
- Luke 1:42
- Luke 1:48
- Revelation 12:1-2
- John 10:10
- 1 Corinthians 12:27-30
- 1 Corinthians 3:9
- James 2:24
- Galatians 6:2
- Romans 2:6-7
- Galatians 6:6-10
- Romans 2:6-11
- Matthew 25:34-40
- Luke 6:46
- Matthew 19:16-21
- Ephesians 2:8-9
- Romans 9:16
- Romans 2:7
- Galatians 6:8-9
- Philippians 2:13
- 1 John 2:3-4
- 1 John 3:19-24
- 1 John 5:3-4
- 1 John 5:16
- Romans 11:22-23
- 1 Corinthians 15:1-2
- Romans 6:23
- 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
- Galatians 5:19-21
- Romans 2:6-8
- Romans 6:3-4
- 2 Timothy 2:11-12
- Matthew 18:21-35
- 2 Peter 2:20-21
- 1 Corinthians 10:11-12
- Philippians 2:12
- John 15:18-21
- Matthew 5:12
- Matthew 13:17
- Matthew 5:17
- Matthew 23:10
- 2 Timothy 3:14
- 2 Peter 3:16
- John 14:25-26
- 1 Corinthians 10:16-17
- 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
- 1 Thessalonians 2:13
- 2 Timothy 4:3-4
- Acts 15:1
- Exodus 25:18-20
- 1 Chronicles 28:18-19
- Numbers 21:8-9
- John 3:14
- 2 Peter 1:20
- Numbers 6:2-4
- Numbers 6:6-8
- Numbers 6:5
- Luke 1:15
- Judges 13:5-6
- 1 Samuel 1:11
- Luke 2:36-37
- Acts 18:18
- 1 Corinthians 7:32-38
- 1 Timothy 2:3-4
- 1 Timothy 5:3-12
- 1 Timothy 5:12
- 1 Corinthians 7:34
- Matthew 19:12
- Matthew 19:11
- Matthew 6:34
- Exodus 20:12
- 1 Timothy 5:17-18
- Matthew 10:10
- Luke 10:7
- Philippians 4:22
- Luke 7:34
- Genesis 18:1-8
- Exodus 29:1-2
- Psalm 91:4
- Genesis 17
- Genesis 6-9
- Acts 20:29
- Matthew 7:15
- Deuteronomy 17:2-5
- Deuteronomy 13:6-11
- Deuteronomy 13:12-18
- Deuteronomy 13:5
- Deuteronomy 17:7
- Deuteronomy 17:12
- 1 Corinthians 5:13
- Revelation 17:1-6
- Revelation 17:15
- Revelation 13:1-10
- Revelation 13:1-2
- Daniel 7:1-8
- Revelation 17:9-10
- Psalm 68:15
- Daniel 2:35
- Obadiah 8-21
- Amos 4:1
- Amos 6:1
- Revelation 17:10
- Revelation 17:12-14
- Revelation 17:16-17
- Luke 21:5-24
- Revelation 17:18
- Revelation 18:20
- Revelation 18:24
- 1 Corinthians 9:1
- Acts 11:27-28
- Acts 13:1
- Acts 15:32
- Acts 21:10
- Matthew 10:25
- John 15:18-20
- Ephesians 4:4-5
- Matthew 5:15
- Ephesians 2:20
- 1 Peter 2:4-8
- Revelation 21:14
- Romans 8:1
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
- 2 Thessalonians 2:13
- Psalm 51:2
- Isaiah 43:25
- Micah 7:18
- Ephesians 4:23
- 1 Corinthians 6:11
- Mark 5:25-30
- John 20:21-23
- Genesis 14:18
- Hebrews 9:26
- Malachi 1:11
- 2 Timothy 2:24-25
- Exodus 20:4-5
- John 5:39
- Ezekiel 41:17-18
- 2 Kings 18:4
- Deuteronomy 5:9
- Exodus 20:3
- Exodus 20:7
- Exodus 20:2-17
- Exodus 20:4
- Exodus 20:8-11
- Deuteronomy 4:15-18
- 1 Kings 6:29-32
- 1 Kings 8:6-66
- 2 Chronicles 3:7-14
- Daniel 7:9
- Matthew 3:16
- Mark 1:10
- Luke 3:22
- John 1:32
- Acts 2:1-4
- Matthew 2:11
- John 1:1-3
- Matthew 28:18
- Luke 22:19-20
- Matthew 10:22
- John 15:5-6
- John 15:10
- James 2:14-17
- Acts 8:18-24
- Matthew 6:33
- 1 Corinthians 3:10-15
- 1 Timothy 6:10
- Matthew 18:1-4
- Ephesians 4:15
- 1 Corinthians 15:20-22
- Revelation 12:17
- Ephesians 6:12
- 1 Kings 19:11-13
- Romans 8:28
- John 8:12
Key terms
- Apostolic Succession
- The unbroken handing-on of the apostles' authority and mission to bishops through ordination, from the apostles to the present day.
- Magisterium
- The living teaching office of the Church, exercised by the Pope and the bishops in communion with him.