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Catholic Documents
CARITAS IN VERITATE Charity in truth, to which Jesus Christ bore witness . . .

DIGNITAS PERSONAE On Certain Bioethical Questions

DOMINUS IESUS Jesus Christ and the Church

SPE SALVI ON Christian HOPE

DEUS CARITAS EST ". . . God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him " (1 Jn 4:16). These words from the First Letter of John express with remarkable clarity the heart of the Christian faith: the Christian image of God and the resulting image of mankind and its destiny. In the same verse, Saint John also offers a kind of summary of the Christian life: we have come to know and to believe in the love God has for usWe have come to believe in Gods love: in these words the Christian can express the fundamental decision of his life. Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction. . ."

Christi FIDELES LAICI ". . . Do not be afraid! Open, in deed, open wide the doors to Christ! . . . Open to his saving power . . . Too often people are uncertain about a sense of life on earth. Invaded by doubts they are led into despair. Therefore - with humility and trust I beg and implore you - allow Christ to speak to the person in you. Only he has the words of life, yes, eternal life . . . "

Church LUMEN GENTIUM 14. "This Sacred Council wishes to turn its attention firstly to the Catholic faithful. Basing itself upon Sacred Scripture and Tradition, it teaches that the Church now sojourning on earth as an exile, is necessary for salvation. Christ, present to us in His Body, which is the Church is the one Mediator and the unique way of salvation. In explicit terms He Himself affirmed the necessity of faith and baptism(124) and thereby affirmed also the necessity of the Church for through baptism as through a door men enter the Church. Whosoever, therefore, knowing that the Catholic Church was made necessary by Christ, would refuse to enter or to remain in it, could not be saved."

Doctrine of the Faith
RESPONSES TO SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE Doctrine ON THE Church

EXEUNTE IAM ANNO ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII ON THE RIGHT ORDERING OF Christian LIFE, Given at Rome at St. Peters, on the birthday of Our Lord Jesus Christ; in the year 1888 . . .

ECCLESIAM SUAM ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PAUL VI ON THE Church AUGUST 6, 1964 To His Venerable Brethren the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, Bishops, and other Local Ordinaries who are at Peace and Communion with the Apostolic See, to the Clergy and faithful of the entire world, and to all men of good will.

HUMANAE VITAE ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PAUL VI ON THE REGULATION OF BIRTH JULY 25, 1968

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Our Mission: This Catholic lay apostolate serves to build up the Body of Christ which is the Church.

Catholic Evangelism is a lay apostolate in service to Jesus Christ, the Word of God ( Ap 19:13 ) ( Jn 1:1 ) incarnate. Christ founded one Church, which is the universal family of God. God created man in his own image ( Gn 1:26-28 ), and Christ extends to humanity a new covenant ( Mt 26:26-29 ) ( Lk 22:15-20 ) ( Jn 3:3-8 ) ( Mt 12:46-50 ) ( Mt 7:19-23 ) ( Rm 6:3-23 ) ( Ap 20: 11-15 ) ( 1 Co 11:23-29 ) to share in the very life of the Trinity ( Rm 8:13-23 ) within His mystical body the Church.( 1 Co 12: 20-27 ) ( Cl 1:15-23 ) ( Rm 12:1-8 ) ( Ep 5:23-24 ) ( Ep 2:11-22 ). We continue as disciples, and "as sons in the Son" ( Ep 1:3-14 ) ( 1 Pt 1: 3-6 ) ( Lk 9:23-26 ) ( Mt 16:24-27 ) ( Gl 2:20-21 ) in spirit, truth, ( Jn 4:23-26 ), and love, ( 1 Co 13 ) ( Rm 12:1-21 ) the mission of Jesus Christ in reconciling humanity to God the Father ( Rm 5:11 ) ( Jn 12:32 ) ( Jn 17:17-26 ) ( Mt 6:5-13 ) ( Hb 2:1-18 ) ( Hb 3:6 ) ( Hb 12:1-29 ) ( 1 Tm 2:1-6 ). Christ prayed "...that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us..." ( Jn 17:21-26 ) ( NIV ). Welcome to the universal family of God the Church. God knew us before the creation of the world according to His plan. ( Ep 1:1-14 ) Frederick Pogorzelski, Catholic Catechist

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The Profession of The Christian Faith - I believe . . .

CATECHISM of The Catholic Church PART ONE THE PROFESSION OF FAITH

The Nicene Creed ( 4^th Century A.D. )

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, The only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being [ homoousion ] with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For us men and our salvation He came down from Heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit He was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered, died and was buried. On the third day He rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father [ and the Son ( filioque ) ]. With the Father and the Son He is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Catholic Church History

Jesus Christ in the Creeds and Councils.

Studying Catholic Church History especially the early centuries, it is apparent how precarious and difficult is the balance between clear correct theological definitions, dogma, and formal heresy. Indeed, without the guidance of the Holy Spirit ( Matt 28:20 ), the Church ( Bark of Peter - also spelled barque ), would have become shipwrecked. With all the possibilities of doctrinal error over the centuries, the Catholic Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, has been preserved from falling into doctrinal error on matters of faith and morals. The true Church founded by Jesus Christ, is the pillar and foundation of the truth ( 1 Tim 3:15 ).

The historical details of the early centuries of the Church founded by Jesus Christ ( 29 A.D., day of Pentecost, birthday of the Catholic Church, Acts 2. ) and the development of Catholic Church dogma ( dogma = scripture interpretation. ) are fascinating. There were many possible dogmatic, theological, and philosophical permutations. There were formal and near formal heresies ( heresy = a theological doctrine or system rejected as false by ecclesiastical authority.) Heresies will re-emerge throughout the centuries often under a different name and in modified form - sometimes even more virulent. –Early Church Heresies
–The Universal Answer: Christians - Muslims - Jews - World Peace!

Catholic Church History. . . what the Early Church Fathers Say.

In the ( Profit of Believing, section 35, about 391 A.D. ) Saint Augustine wrote: "...This hath been brought to pass by the Divine Providence, ...When therefore we see so great help of God, so great progress and fruit, shall we doubt to hide ourselves in the bosom of that Church, which even unto the confession of the human race from [the] apostolic chair through the succession of Bishops, ( heretics in vain lurking around her and being condemned, partly by the judgment of the very people, partly by the weight of councils, partly also by the majesty of miracles ), hath held the summit of authority..."

In his seven books, ( Stromate is, VII, XVI, 107, before 215 A. D. ), Early Greek Theologian, Clement of Alexandria, head of the catechetical school in Alexandria, Egypt wrote: " . . . There is one true Church, the really ancient Church into which are enrolled those who are righteous [ holy ] according to Gods ordinance.... In essence, in idea, in origin, in preeminence we say that the ancient Catholic Church is the only Church. The Church brings together [ the faithful ] by the will of the one God through the one Lord, into the unity of the one faith . . . "

In ( Against Heresies, Book 3, Chap. 3, before approx. 195 A.D. ) Saint Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, wrote: " . . . The blessed Apostles, then, having founded and built up the Church, committed into the hands of Linus the office of episcopate. Of this Linus, Paul makes mention in the Epistles to Timothy. To him succeeded Anacletus; and after him, in the third place from the Apostles, Clement was allotted the bishopric. This man, as he had seen the blessed Apostles, and had been conversant with them, might be said to have the preaching of the Apostles still echoing [ in his ears ], and their traditions before his eyes. Nor was he alone [ in this ], for there were many still remaining who had received instructions from the Apostles. In the time of this Clement, no small dissension having occurred among the brethren at Corinth, the Church in Rome dispatched a most powerful letter to the Corinthians, exhorting them to peace, renewing their faith, and declaring the tradition which it had lately received from the Apostles . . . "

In his ( Letter to The Philadelphians, Chap. 3, about 50-117 A.D. ) Saint Ignatius of Antioch, wrote: " . . . For, all who belong to God and Jesus Christ are with the bishop. And those, too, will belong to God who have returned, repentant, to the unity of the Church so as to live in accordance with Jesus Christ. Make no mistake, brethren. No one who follows another into schism inherits the kingdom of God ( 1 Cor. 6:9 ). No one who follows heretical doctrine is on the side of the passion . . . "

In a ( Letter to Damasus, before 379 A.D.) Saint Jerome, Father of Biblical Science, wrote: " . . . As I follow no leader save Christ, so I communicate with none but your blessedness, that is with the chair of Peter. For this, I know, is the rock on which the Church is built! This is the house where alone the paschal lamb can be rightly eaten. This is the ark of Noah, and he who is not found in it shall perish when the flood prevails . . . "

In ( Catecheses, No.17:14, before 386 A.D. ) Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, wrote: " . . . And if ever you are sojourning in cities, inquire not simply where the Lords House is (for the other sects of the profane also attempt to call their own dens houses of the Lord), nor merely where the Church is, but where is the Catholic Church. For this is the peculiar name of this Holy Church, the mother of us all . . . "

In ( Homilies on Second Thessalonians, before 407 A.D. ) Saint John Chrysostom wrote: " . . . So then brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word, or by Epistle of ours'
(2 Th 2:15). Hence it is manifest, that they did not deliver all things by Epistle, but many things also unwritten, and in like manner both the one and the other are worthy of credit. Therefore let us think the tradition of the Church also worthy of credit. It is tradition, seek no further . . . "

In ( Against Eunomius, 4:6 about 330-395 A.D. ) Saint Gregory of Nyssa wrote: " . . . For it is enough for proof of our statement, that the tradition has come down to us from our fathers, handed on, like some inheritance, by succession from the Apostles and the saints who came after them . . . "

Clement of Alexandria, ( 150-215 A.D.) theologian wrote: " . . . The earthly Church is the image of the heavenly . . . "

Saint Cyprian, (before 258 A.D.) bishop of Carthage wrote: " . . . The house of God is one, and there can be no salvation to anyone except in the Church . . . "

In ( Ad Serapion 1:28, about 297-373 A.D. ) Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, Father of Orthodoxy wrote: " . . . But beyond these [Scriptural] sayings, let us look at the very tradition, teaching, and faith of the Catholic Church from the beginning, which the Lord gave, the Apostles preached, and the fathers kept. Upon this the Church is founded, and he who should fall away from it would not be Christian, and should no longer be called . . . "

Development of Catholic Dogma.

Dogma = Scripture Interpretation.

In 313 A.D., Constantine I ( The Great ) the first Roman Emperor to become a Christian, issued the Edict of Milan tolerating Christian worship. He did this in gratitude to the God of the Christians when he faced and defeated a numerically superior military force at the Milvian Bridge ( Oct. 312 A.D., ). This bridge crosses the Tiber River leading to Rome. A vision had assured him he would conquer in the name of Christ, and therefore his mostly pagan army carried a familiar Christian symbol Perhaps the Sign of the Cross on their shields. This Edict of Milan, the conversion of Constantine I, and that Christianity gradually became the official religion of the Roman Empire, set a favorable political climate that allowed the Church to form local synods and ecumenical ( universal ) councils. In Brief on Saint Sylvester, Pope (? - 335) There was now a relatively safe political environment ( relatively free from official state persecutions ) that allowed the Church to assemble.

What followed then was a clarification and development of Catholic Church
dogma, doctrine, and terminology.

The Holy Bible - The Canon of Sacred Scripture also came out of the Catholic Church around the end of the 4^th century. ( No small feat! ) The Synods of Hippo, 393 A.D., and Carthage, 397 A.D., and later, Carthage 419 A.D., ( along with the Traditional Bible or Latin Vulgate ( LV ), 406 A.D., by Saint Jerome ), gave us the canon of Sacred Scripture as Catholics know it today. Relatively recent archeological findings and analysis of the Dead Sea scrolls (Qumran) of 1947 revealed that several deuterocanonical books were originally composed in Hebrew or Aramaic. [ This is very relevant and significant because earlier Protestant reformers of the 16th century, were very suspicious of, and rejected books, only available to them in the Greek Language. In part therefore, the Protestant canon of 66 books of Sacred Scripture is deficient - short seven (7) books. ]

The Emperor of Rome, Constantine I convened The Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., Pope Sylvester I, 314-335 A.D., approved the Council of Nicaea and the Nicene Creed began.

It was actually the Council of Constantinople held in 381 A.D., convoked by Emperor Theodosius 1, which expanded the Nicene Creed, and gave further definition to the personhood and equal divinity of the Holy Spirit. The Council of Constantinople condemned subordinationism, and modalism. They also condemned the Macedonians who denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit. The Catholic Church decided at the Council of Nicea, that Jesus Christ is "one in being"(homo-ousios ) with God the Father. Saint Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea, and Doctor of the Church who had long time friends, Saint Athanasius and Saint Gregory Nazianzuz, attended this council. Saint Basil the Great did much to help the poor in times of famine. He was a strongly opposed to Arianism, and was in conflict with a powerful Arian, Eastern Roman Emperor Flavius Valens, before 378 A.D., who once tried to drive him into exile. In Brief on Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory Nazianzen Bishops and Doctors of the Church

The Council of Chalcedon, 451 A.D., convoked by the Eastern Roman Emperor Marcian [approved later by Pope] ( he refused to pay subsidies to Attila the Hun ) approved the creed of Nicaea, 325 A.D., and the Creed of Constantinople, 381 A.D., which subsequently became know as the Nicene Creed.

The Council of Chalcedon, 451 A.D., condemns simony, mixed marriages, heretic baptisms, and "absolute" ordinations, that is; those ordinations without specific pastoral functions. The Council of Chalcedon approved the Tome ( letter ) of Eastern Roman Emperor Pope Leo I, 457 to 474 A.D. He became Pope Leo I in 440 A.D., to 461 A.D., and in his famous Tome of 449 A.D., to Flavian, Patriarch of Constantinople, he affirmed two distinct natures in Christ. The Council of Chalcedon 451 A.D. stated that Jesus Christ is "truly God and truly man,...one and the same...in two natures without confusion, change, division, or separation". In 449 A.D., Emperor Theodosis II, convened a council ( called the Robber Synod by Pope Leo I; it had also tried to excommunicate him - the Pope ) upholding the heretic Eutyches a Monophysite, against Flavian. Flavian was condemned, deposed, beaten, and went into exile were he died in three days. In Brief on Saint Flavian Saint Flavian was repeatedly vindicated by Pope Leo l, whose epistle honoring him failed to reach him before his death. Pope Leo I also meet face to face with the Mongolian King, Attila the Hun ( Scourge of God ) in 452 A.D., near the rivers Po and Mincio in Italy, and convinced him to turn away from Rome.

Catholic Church Dogma Developed over the Centuries.

Pope Saint Leo The Great wrote: " . . . My respect for the Nicene canons is such that I never have allowed nor ever will the institutions of the holy fathers to be violated by any innovation . . . "

In a ( letter to Emperor Valentinian, before 397 A.D., ) Saint Ambrose wrote: " . . . for I follow the rule of the Council of Nicaea from which neither nor the sword can separate me . . . "

The Council of Ephesus 431 A.D., declared Mary the Mother of God ( theotokos ) against Nestorius, Bishop of Constantinople. Nestorius had denied that Mary was the Mother of God. The Council of Ephesus condemned Messalianism and Pelagianism. Pope Zosimus approx. 418 A.D. also strongly condemned Pelagianism. Pope Saint Celestine 1 confirmed the Council.

In a homily, Cyril of Alexandria, before approx. 444 A.D., wrote: " . . . Hail, Mary, you are the most precious creature in the whole world; hail, Mary, uncorrupt dove; hail, Mary, inextinguishable lamp; for from you was born the Son of Justice . . . "

Pope Leo The Great wrote: " . . . The earth of human nature was already cursed in the first liar. Only in this birth from the Blessed Virgin did it produce a blessed shoot, an exception to the vice of its roots. Its spiritual origin is acquired by anyone who is regenerated. And for every man who is born again, the water of baptism is like the virginal womb. The same Spirit that filled the Virgin now fills the baptismal font; hence, that sin, which was once removed by a holy conception, is now taken away by a mystic ablution . . . ". Pope Leo The Great wrote: " . . . By the Spirit, Christ is born from the body of his unsullied Mother; by the same Spirit, the Christian is reborn from the womb of holy Church . . . "

Catholic Church Dogma developed over the centuries - not everything all at once. ( A large beautiful Oak Tree was once only a little acorn. ) For example, later on, before approx. 750 A.D., Saint John Damascene, an outstanding Father of the Greek Church, would see Mary as a lofty ladder, planted between heaven and earth. Saint John Damascene wrote: " . . . Today [ Christ ]...built himself a living ladder, whose base is planted in the earth and whose tip reaches heaven. God rests upon it. Jacob saw a figure of it. God, unchanged, came down it...He was made manifest on earth and lived among men . . . "

The Catholic Church Built Western Civilization.

In the early centuries of the Church there were deliberate communication errors. To cite one example: Pope Saint Innocent I, sent legates with letters for Eastern Emperor Arcadius in an attempt to form a new synod to judge Saint John Chrysostom prior to 407 A.D. Saint John had been condemned by the Synod of the Oak, convened by his enemies. The Papal legates were imprisoned, and later sent home, without being able to present the letters to Emperor Arcadius. Saint John Chrysostom was banished from Constantinople, severely maltreated, and died in 407 A. D. Pope Innocent I, excommunicated Emperor Arcadius and several bishops for their part in the injustice they had done to Saint John Chrysostom.

Under divine protection and guidance ( Mt 28:20 ), the Catholic Church, had grown and developed and found a method of dealing with serious heresies. The Catholic Church is developing, and spreading geographically, across many cultures. With Christ as its head, the Holy Spirit as i ts soul, and the people as the body, the organized hierarchy of the Catholic Church, instituted by Christ, was well established, separate from the state. ( Catholic Church hierarchy = a sacred order of servants of the People of God. Christ, our one High Priest, came to serve not to be served - cf. Mk 10:45; Mt 20:28 ). Throughout its history there were, those persons, not led by the Holy Spirit of truth, who thought that they had a better idea than Jesus Christ and His Church. They established their own "church". These, in violation of Natural Law, tried to "re-define" what is "truth." They will face judgment.

Overcoming the Divisiveness of Heresies,
the Catholic Church is now fit for
The Propagation of an Invigorated Faith.

Overcoming the divisiveness of heresies, the Catholic Church is being acculturated, and is spreading in Church communities through-out the earth. The divinely instituted, protected, and [ Universal ] Catholic Church is the one Bride of Christ. the Church which is the Family of God, is the pillar and foundation of truth ( 1 Tim. 3:15 ). Under divine protection and guidance ( Mt 28:20 ), it helped to found civilization, like the Roman Empire never could. Saint Pachomius, approx. 346 A.D., who had once been a pagan and Roman soldier, converted to Christianity, and helped to found communal monasticism. Soon there would be more than three thousand monks and nuns living in nine monasteries and two convents under Pachomius. Saint Patrick, approx. 461 A.D., was a missionary Bishop sent to Ireland, by Pope Saint Celestine 1. Saint Patrick wrote: "Hence, did it come to pass in Ireland that those who never had a knowledge of God...have now been made a people of the Lord, and are called Sons of God." Saint Patrick was able to acculturate Christianity into the local Celtic culture. Traditionally, Saint Patrick is credited with converting almost all of Ireland by using a simple, sincere, Biblical style of preaching.

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One Head of One Church with one body.
There are not multiple Bodies of Christ!

Catholic Church teaching is centered on Jesus Christ. Why One Baptism? We can only be born once spiritually. We who are baptized into Christ are baptized in Christ and into the only true Church there is. To be closely united to Christ and His body as possible join the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

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One Bread. One Body. One Bride of Christ. One Head of One Church. One Baptism. One family of God.
One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. One Shepherd of One Fold. One Truth - Jesus Christ ( Jn 14:6 ).

The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ. It's head is Jesus Christ. It's members are the faithful. It's soul is the Holy Spirit. It's life is grace ( Luke 10:16 ) ( Acts 5:12-42 ).

One Lord of all, one cup of blessing which we bless. And we, though many, through-out the earth, we are one body in this one Lord. Gentile or Jew, servant or free, woman or man no more. Many the gifts, many the works, one in the Lord of all. ( 1 Corinthians 10:14-18; 12:1-31 ) ( Galatians 3:23-29 )
( Ephesians 1:15-23; 2:1-22; 5:1-33 )

"I have never been able to convince myself that someone could be saved, if he has never done anything for the salvation of his brethren . . . " Saint John Chrysostom.

Finally, brothers and sisters. . . Agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.
( 2 Corinthians 13:11 )