Introduction
Catholicism is the largest Christian ecclesiastical body in the world. Founded by Jesus Christ,
Catholicism is based on the teachings of Christ and the Apostles. The Catholic Church teaches that
it is the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ in his Great Commission.
Catholics believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came to provide salvation and redemption
for humankind. Catholics follow sacred tradition and sacred scripture as transmitted through the
successors of the Apostles. The Catholic Church is governed by the Pope and bishops around the
world. Catholic beliefs and doctrine are contained in the Nicene Creed and the Catechism of the
Catholic Church.
God in Catholicism
Catholics believe in one God who exists as three divine persons – God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. This is known as the Holy Trinity. As the Catechism states, “The Trinity is One. We do not confess three Gods, but one God in three persons, the ‘consubstantial Trinity'” (CCC 253).
God the Father is the first person of the Trinity. He is the creator of all things and the source of divine revelation. Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, is the Son of God. He is fully human and fully divine. The Holy Spirit, the third person, proceeds from the love between the Father and the Son. The Spirit dwells within us and gives us sanctifying grace.
The three persons are distinct yet completely united as one God. Each person of the Trinity relates to the others in total self-giving love. The Catechism states, “The whole Christian life is a communion with each of the divine persons, without in any way separating them” (CCC 267).
So in summary, Catholics firmly believe in the Triune God – three co-eternal persons in one divine nature. This is a central doctrine of Catholicism. (Source: https://walpolecatholic.net/what-do-catholics-believe)
Jesus Christ
Catholics believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and savior of humanity (Catholic theology). According to Catholic teaching, Jesus is the Word of God made flesh, fully divine and fully human (What we believe about Jesus). Catholics believe Jesus suffered, died and was buried for the sake of all people and their salvation. His resurrection signifies victory over sin and death. Christ now reigns with the Father in heaven (What Do Catholics Believe?).
Jesus Christ, the living Son of God, is the Savior of humanity. Catholics profess he is both divine and human. He suffered on the cross and his resurrection opened heaven for all people. Catholics put their faith in Christ and worship him as Son of God and redeemer of the world.
Divine Revelation
Catholics believe that God has revealed himself over time through both scripture and tradition. This is known as Divine Revelation. According to the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum, “God graciously arranged that the things he had once revealed for the salvation of all peoples should remain in their entirety, throughout the ages, and be transmitted to all generations.”
The Bible is considered the written Word of God and serves as one primary source of Divine Revelation. The books of the Bible were written by human authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. As Dei Verbum states, “To compose the sacred books, God chose certain men who, all the while he employed them in this task, made full use of their own faculties and powers.”
In addition to the Bible, Catholics believe in the importance of Sacred Tradition as a source of Divine Revelation. This refers to the teachings of Jesus Christ passed down through the apostles and their successors. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “The apostolic Tradition makes known to us the full revelation of the apostolic faith” (CCC 77). The Magisterium, or teaching authority of the Church, interprets both Scripture and Tradition as sources of revelation.
Together, Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition form a unified deposit of the Word of God which serves as divine revelation. By relying on both the Bible and Tradition, Catholics believe they receive the fullness of God’s revelation.
The Creeds
The Apostles’ Creed is one of the creeds of Catholicism that affirms belief in God and Jesus Christ. The Apostles’ Creed states “I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth”. This affirms belief in God as the almighty Father and Creator. It also states “I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord”, affirming belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
According to the Catholic World Mission, “At its core, the Apostles’ Creed is a profession of faith in God and His teachings, and it includes articles about each of the three persons of the Holy Trinity – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”1 The creed affirms belief in Jesus Christ as God’s only Son and mankind’s Lord and Savior.
The Nicene Creed is another creed that affirms belief in God the Father and Jesus Christ. It states that Jesus Christ is “the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages.” It also refers to Christ as “true God from true God.”2 Thus both the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed affirm belief in God and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
The Catechism
The Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes the Church’s teachings on the Trinity and Incarnation. It states that God is one but exists as three divine persons – God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 252-267). This is known as the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity.
Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity, the only begotten Son of God, and the Word made flesh. He is true God from true God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father (Catechism, 422-429). The Incarnation refers to God the Son becoming man while remaining fully divine. Jesus is one divine person but has two natures, human and divine (Catechism, 464-469).
Catholics believe that Jesus is the Christ, the anointed one prophesied in the Old Testament. He is the Word through whom all things were made, the Son of God made flesh who came to redeem humanity (Catechism, 422-451). The Catechism affirms historic Catholic doctrines on the divinity of Christ and the Most Holy Trinity.
Liturgy and Sacraments
Catholics believe that sacraments are “efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church” (source). The seven sacraments play a vital role in the liturgical and devotional life of Catholics. They provide a way for believers to experience God’s grace directly through material things. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us”
The seven sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. Of these, the Holy Eucharist is considered the “source and summit” of the Christian life (source). Catholics believe that the bread and wine consecrated during Mass truly become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The Eucharist represents Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. By partaking in Holy Communion, Catholics enter into communion with God and the saints. Along with Scripture and Tradition, the Eucharist is one of the pillars of Catholic life and worship.
The sacraments provide Catholics with ongoing opportunities to worship God, receive grace, grow in holiness, and unite themselves to Christ. They are tangible expressions of God’s love and pathways to experiencing divine life.
Prayer
Prayer is an essential part of Catholic life and devotion. Catholics pray to God, Jesus Christ, Mary, the saints and angels. Some of the most common Catholic prayers include the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father), Hail Mary, Glory Be, Act of Contrition, Nicene Creed, and prayers to saints like Saint Jude, Saint Joseph, Saint Michael the Archangel, and Saint Francis.
The Catechism states that prayer is “the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.”[1] It is “an indispensable condition for being able to obey God’s commandments.” [2]
Catholics direct prayers to God the Father as the ultimate source of all blessing and grace. The Our Father prayer taught by Jesus in the Gospels beautifully expresses key Catholic beliefs about God’s fatherhood, providence, forgiveness, and deliverance from evil.
Catholics also pray to Jesus, honoring his divinity as the Son of God. Prayers like the Hail Mary ask for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, who has a special role in salvation history. Catholics ask the saints in heaven for their prayers as well, since the Church forms a mystical union between believers on earth and in heaven.
Prayers can be formulaic, spontaneous, vocal, meditative, communal, or private. But central to Catholic spirituality is the belief that prayer connects man to the divine presence of God. As the Catechism states, “Prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit.”[3]
Catholic Doctrine
The divinity of God and Jesus is central to Catholic doctrine and theology. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “The Church’s faith precedes the faith of the believer who is invited to adhere to it” and that the Church passes on the faith received from the apostles as a “living tradition” (CCC, 26). The dogmas and doctrines that make up this tradition affirm the divinity of God and Jesus.
For example, the Nicene Creed, a profession of faith dating back to 325 AD, begins “I believe in one God” and goes on to describe Jesus Christ as “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God.” Similarly, the Apostles’ Creed calls Jesus “his only Son, our Lord” and states that he was “conceived by the Holy Spirit.” Both creeds are considered infallible statements of truth by the Catholic Church.
The doctrine of the Trinity affirms that there are three divine Persons in one God – God the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. The divinity of Christ is also central to the Incarnation – the belief that God became man in Jesus. Catholics believe that Jesus is both fully human and fully divine. These teachings affirm the divinity of both God and Jesus within Catholicism.
Conclusion
Catholics absolutely believe in the existence of the Triune God and Jesus Christ as savior. Though the Catholic faith is complex and multi-faceted with various traditions, rituals, and doctrines, the central tenet underlying it all is faith in the Holy Trinity – God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit – three persons in one God. Catholics believe Jesus is the Son of God who was incarnated, lived among humanity, died for our sins, and was resurrected, and who will come again to judge the living and the dead. Catholic beliefs and practices like the sacraments, liturgies, and prayers are centered around worshipping this Triune God and fostering a relationship with each person of the Trinity. While Catholics look to saints, Mary, and sacred tradition for inspiration and guidance, God and Christ remain at the heart of Catholic theology and living. Faith in God and Jesus as Lord and Savior is what defines Catholic Christianity.
