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Our Lady - Star of the Sea |
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Frequently Asked Questions About the Catholic Faith |
| Q. Why do Catholics believe the Pope is the head of the Church? Jesus Christ should be. |
| A. The head of the Church is Jesus Christ. The body of Christ is the assembly of the living God. We the Church are the bishops, priests, deacons, men, women and children. The Pope is the head bishop, and Jesus Christ gave His authority to Peter when He said, "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church." He gave Peter the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. The Pope in direct succession to St. Peter, is the head of Jesus' Church on earth. |
| Q. Why do Catholics worship Mary ? |
| A. Catholics are forbidden by the first and second commandments to worship anything or anyone but God. Idolatry is absolutely forbidden. The Catholic Church teaches that to do so would be a mortal sin. Mary is not worshipped, but honored as the mother of Jesus Christ. The commandments tell us to honor our mother and father. Jesus kept all the commandments and honored His mother. Just as Jesus honors His mother, so do we also honor her. |
| Q. Why do Catholics pray to Mary and the saints? |
| A. Catholics pray directly to God. When Catholics pray to Mary and the saints, we are asking them to pray to God for us, just as anyone else would ask a friend to pray to God for them. |
| Q. Why do Catholics call Mary the Mother of God? |
| A. Mary is the mother of Jesus. Jesus is God. Therefore, Mary is the Mother of God. This is a title the Church has given Mary to show the glory of Jesus Christ. He is our focus. He is God. He is our Redeemer and Savior. |
| Q. Why do Catholics pray to pictures and statues? |
| A. Catholics don't pray to pictures and statues. These objects only remind us to focus our minds. Just as a picture in your wallet of your husband or wife reminds you to think of them, we use them as tools to focus our attention. |
| Q. Why do Catholics believe they are saved by their works? |
| A. The Catholic Church teaches we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross and given eternal life by the grace of God. We are saved by grace. This grace enables us through faith, hope and charity to live as Christians and follow the gospel of Jesus Christ. Works are the visible manifestation of this free gift of grace. Works alone without faith cannot save anyone. |
| Q. Why do Catholics call their priests Father? Don't they know the Bible says to call no one "Father" but God? |
| A. Catholics call their priests "Father" because just as St. Paul considered himself father to the first Christians and they his children, so is the relationship with us to our priests and bishops. If we were truly to call no man "father", then we could not use that title within our own families. Scripture is telling us to consider no man God. Catholics call no man God, but Jesus Christ. |
| Q. Why do Catholics keep re-crucifying Jesus Christ over and over again in their Masses? Don't they know He said, "It is finished?" |
| A. The Catholic Mass is a re-presentation of the one and the same sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross. The Mass makes His one sacrifice present for us. Jesus is not sacrificed over again. We are able to stand at the cross with Him when we participate at the Sacrifice of the Mass. |
| Q. Don't Catholics know that the bread and wine are just symbols of Jesus' body and blood? |
| A. Catholics believe Jesus when He says, "My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink. The man who feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him." (John 6:55-56) Many of the disciples walked away in disgust. He did not call them back to reassure them. He let them walk away. They clearly knew He was not talking symbolically. |
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Click the image above to view questions and answers on the Eucharist provided by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pennsylvania |
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