BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Catholicism questions about Catholic beliefs.

another comments about the Pope and I would write more but I have to go to work -

Matthew Chapter 16
Then Simon Peter spoke up and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'
17 Jesus replied, 'Simon son of Jonah, you are a blessed man! Because it was no human agency that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.
18 So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my community. And the gates of the underworld can never overpower it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven: whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.'

Sophia I think maybe it might be easier to understand if you think of it like this--other churches/faith communities may have some truths, but the Catholic Church is the repository of all Truth. We respect Truth where we find it, but bring it into Fullness in the Catholic Church. It is like the difference between a convenience store like Seven Eleven and Sam's Club!

Ravyn

Rayvn,

I attended a seminar this past fall and one of the speakers described the Catholic Church as being the homeplace. When the children left (Lutherans, Anglicans, etc.) they only took the things they wanted and left behind what they didn't want. The Catholic Church still has everything. We may not use it at all times, but it is there.

Rayvn and Angie - those were both good analogies.
The one about the children is close to the "Prodigal Son" - he was forgiven only after he repented and returned. Christ says "Turn ye to Me, and I will turn to you." Actual Graces are for everyone, to do the right thing (these are things like when you see a beautiful flower you think of God.. or music that makes you think of God.. etc).
When you accept these graces you turn towards God.. He in return showers you with more graces for you to accept until you have a complete conversion - other than the graces that are everywhere for everyone, the first move is yours - repent, turn to God and only then are your sins forgiven.

The word "catholic" itself actually means whole or universal. An excellent example of this point is in the creeds (Apostle's or Nicene for example) the word catholic should not be capitalized as it is referring to the universal church. Saying the Catholic Church isn't really accurate, it's the Roman Catholic Church.

That's true - RC it is.

I find it funny that protestiant church often call the catholic church pagan and not christian but they often follow the Pope It may be months or years but they will more often then not follow the Catholic church at some point in time.