 | Portal maintenance status:(June 2018)
|
Introduction TheCatholic Church (Latin:Ecclesia Catholica), also known as theRoman Catholic Church, is thelargest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billionbaptized Catholicsworldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions and has played a prominent role in the history and development ofWestern civilization. The Church consists of 24sui iuris (autonomous) churches, including theLatin Church and 23Eastern Catholic Churches, which comprise almost 3,500dioceses andeparchiesaround the world, each overseen by one or morebishops. Thepope, who is the bishop ofRome, is thechief pastor of the church. The core beliefs ofCatholicism are found in theNicene Creed. The Catholic Church teaches that it is theone, holy, catholic and apostolic church founded byJesus Christ in hisGreat Commission, that its bishops are thesuccessors of Christ'sapostles, and that the pope is thesuccessor ofSaint Peter, upon whomprimacy was conferred by Jesus Christ. It maintains that it practises the original Christian faith taught by the apostles, preserving the faithinfallibly throughscripture andsacred tradition as authentically interpreted through themagisterium or teaching office of the church. TheRoman Rite andothers of the Latin Church, theEastern Catholic liturgies, and communities and societies such asmendicant orders,enclosed monastic orders,third orders and voluntary charitable layassociations reflect avariety oftheological andspiritual emphases in the church. Of itsseven sacraments, theEucharist is the principal one, celebratedliturgically in theMass. The church teaches that throughconsecration by apriest, the sacramentalbread andwine become thebody and blood of Christ. TheVirgin Mary isvenerated as theMother of God, andQueen of Heaven; she is honoured indogmas, such as that of herImmaculate Conception,perpetual virginity andassumption into heaven, anddevotions.Catholic social teaching emphasizes voluntary support for the sick, the poor, and the afflicted through thecorporal and spiritual works of mercy. The Catholic Church operates tens of thousands ofCatholic schools,universities and colleges,hospitals and orphanages around the world, and is the largest non-governmental provider of education and health care in the world. Among its other social services are numerous charitable and humanitarian organizations. (Full article...) Selected article  TheRoman Catholic Church in Mongolia is part of the worldwideRoman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of thePope andcuria inRome. There are only about 760 Roman Catholics in the country who are served by four parishes, three in the capitalUlaanbaatar. Roman Catholicism was first introduced in the 13th century during Mongol empire, but died out with the demise of theYuan Dynasty in 1368. New missionary activity only set in after theOpium war of the mid-19th century. A mission was founded for Outer Mongolia, giving Mongolia its first Roman Catholic jurisdiction, but all work ceased within a year when acommunist regime came to power. With the introduction of democracy in 1991, Roman Catholic missionaries returned and rebuilt the church from scratch. As of 2007, there is anApostolic Prefecture, a bishop, four parishes, and diplomatic relations between the Holy See andMongolia since 1992. Selected image  Credit:Sanchezn Notre-Dame de Paris, known simply asNotre Dame in English, is aGothiccathedral on the eastern half of theÎle de la Cité in Paris, France, with its main entrance to the west. It is still used as aRoman Catholic cathedral and is the seat of theArchbishop of Paris. Selected biography  Augustine of Canterbury (died May 26, 604) was aBenedictinemonk who became the firstArchbishop of Canterbury in 598. He is considered the "Apostle to the English", a founder of the English Church, and a patron of England.Augustine was theprior of a monastery in Rome whenPope Gregory the Great chose him in 595 to lead a mission to Britain to convert thepagan KingÆthelberht ofKent toChristianity. Kent was probably chosen because it was near the Christian kingdoms inGaul, and because Æthelberht had married a Christian princess,Bertha, daughter ofCharibert, theKing of Paris, who was expected to exert some influence over her husband. Although the missionaries considered turning back before they reached Kent, Gregory urged them on, and in 597 Augustine landed on theIsle of Thanet and proceeded to Æthelberht's main town of Canterbury. Did you know... 
Related portalsFeast Day of October 26  During theMiddle Ages, he came to be revered as one of the most important Orthodoxmilitary saints, often paired withSaint George of Lydda. (Full article...) Selected quote
News 
SubcategoriesTopics
The Holy Bible: Particular churches(grouped by liturgical rite):
History: Christian theology: Things you can do
External resourcesWikiProjectsAssociated WikimediaThe followingWikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:
Discover Wikipedia usingportals |
.jpg)
.svg)
.svg)
