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Answers to Common Questions about the Catholic Faith

 What is the Catholic church?
The Catholic Church is a community of people who profess their belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God.  We affirm this belief through our baptism, celebration and reception of the Eucharist at mass and by accepting the teachings of Jesus Christ that came down to us from the apostles.  We participate in the sacramental life and mission of the Catholic church under the leadership of the pope and clergy who have been ordained through the apostolic succession from Jesus Christ himself.

What do Catholics believe about God?
Catholics believe that God is the Creator of everything that exists in the universe and on earth, and that every human being is made in the image and likeness of God.

What is the Trinity?
God revealed Himself to us as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Catholics believe that there are three divine Persons in God, which is the mystery of the Trinity.

How does God reveal Himself to us?
God’s revelation is found in the sacred scriptures and the traditions of the Catholic church.

How should we respond to God’s presence in our lives?
We respond to God’s love for us through the gift of faith and by how we live our lives as Christians.
What do Catholics believe about Jesus Christ? We believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God.  He is the second Person of the Holy Trinity.  Jesus became a human being in order to free us from sin and for our eternal salvation.  We have been given the promise of eternal life because of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, death and resurrection from the dead.

What is the Incarnation?
The Incarnation is the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ.  Jesus is fully divine and fully human.

How did Jesus free us from sin?
Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.  Jesus Christ’s passion, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven is how we were freed from sin.  This is called the Paschal mystery.

What did Jesus promise his disciples on the night before he died?
Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to the disciples to help strengthen and guide them.  The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.  Sometimes the Holy Spirit is called the Advocate or Paraclete.

When did Jesus’ disciples receive the Holy Spirit?
The disciples received the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, which occurred fifty days after Easter.  The Holy Spirit continues to guide the Catholic Church throughout the ages.

How do we become a member of the Catholic church?
We become members of the Catholic Church through the sacraments of:  Baptism, Confirmation and Communion.

What is a sacrament?
A sacrament is a visible sign of God’s grace in our lives, that was given to us by Jesus Christ.

What are the seven sacraments?
The seven sacraments are:  Baptism, Confirmation, Communion, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony.

What is sanctifying grace?
At our baptism we are given the gift of sanctifying grace, which is our the participation in the life of the Trinity.  Sanctifying grace brings us into a permanent relationship with God and Jesus Christ.

What is Baptism?
Baptism is the first sacrament we receive in the Catholic church.  It frees us from original sin and makes us a member of the Catholic church.  Our entry into the church is through the sacrament of baptism.

What is the Eucharist?
The Eucharist is the center of the Catholic faith because we believe that the bread in we eat during communion is the true flesh of Jesus Christ.  The cup of wine we drink is the blood of Christ.  Matthew 6: 53

Why do Catholics confess their sins to a priest?
Catholics confess their sins to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins.  The priest administers this sacrament because Christ gave them the power to do so.  Matthew 16: 19

What is Confirmation?
In the sacrament of Confirmation, we affirm our Catholic faith and are sealed with the Holy Spirit.  Confirmation strengthens us for our life long journey as Christians.

What is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.

Why do Catholics honour Mary?
We honor the Virgin Mary because God Himself honored her by making her the mother of Jesus Christ.

What are we called to do as members of the Catholic church?
We are called to give witness to our faith in Jesus Christ through our words and actions and how we live our lives.  We are called to be his presence in the world in order to help fulfill his mission to bring salvation to the world and bring all people to God.
​http://www.acatholic.org/about-the-catholic-faith/
St Stephen Catholic Parish  4302 57 Avenue Olds, AB T4H 1C5
403-556-3084
​ststephen102@gmail.com
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