Resources : What Catholics Believe
Our Catholic faith is: the Word we hear, the bond we share, and what we celebrate; and it makes all the difference in how we live!
During the celebration of a Catholic Mass, the participants in the congregation profess their faith when reciting the Nicene Creed. What is stated in the Nicene Creed is what Catholics believe:
| We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, one being with the Father through him all things are made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary and became man. For our sake was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. |
The truths contained in the Nicene Creed form the framework of what God means for us in our faith. In Baptism, God poured upon us three wonderful gifts: faith, hope, and love. Faith helps us trust in God and live what we believe. Hope enables us to believe in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ who overcame death and sin and lives within us. The love of God gives meaning and purpose to our lives. Our Catholic faith has been passed on from generation to generation. The whole body of beliefs passed on in the faith life of believers is called tradition. Since the Catholic Church is rooted in the teachings of Christ, it communicates truths in ways that are faithful to the spirit of the gospel. The sum total of beliefs included in Scripture, Tradition, and in the teaching authority of the Church is the Deposit of Faith. Certain truths have become the official teaching of the Church, whether by direct declaration or in long practiced traditions. Faith does not hesitate to ask questions, nor does it fear doubt, which leads to deeper understanding.
In order to facilitate a deeper understanding of our religious beliefs and the Catholic Church, we are providing the following links to assist you in finding accurate information to your questions:
| Catechism of the Catholic Church | www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm |
| Answers About Our Catholic Faith | |
| One Holy Catholic and Apostolic | www.rockies.net/~spirit/charlene/cathhome.html |
| Mary, Martyrs, Saints, Rosary, Catholic Social Teaching, Catholic Writings and History Apologetics, Catechism. and Other Studies | |
| In Defense of the Roman Catholic Church | www.catholic-defense.com |
| Explaining Our Catholic Faith | |
| Biblical Evidence for Catholicism | ic.net/~erasmus/RAZINDEX.HTM |
| Trinity, Mary, Saints, Catholic Documents, Sacraments, Papacy and Infallibility, Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition | |
| Franciscan University Connections | gabriel.franuniv.edu/connections/schedule.htm |
| Shortwave Audio Programs on Mary, Jesus, Scripture, the Holy Spirit, Discipleship | |
| EWTN Global Catholic Network | www.ewtn.com |
| Frequently Asked Faith Questions | |
| Scripture Catholic | www.scripturecatholic.com |
| Scripture, Mary, Saints, Purgatory, Eucharist, Sacraments, Suffering, Holy Spirit | |
| American Catholic | www.americancatholic.org |
| Saint of the Day, Minute Meditations, Daily Catholic Questions, Update Your Faith, and Saints | |
| New Advent: Catholic Encyclopedia | www.newadvent.org/cathen |
| More than 11,000 articles on Catholic topics. | |
| New Advent: Summa Theologica | http://www.newadvent.org/summa |
| The theological masterpiece of St. Thomas Aquinas | |
| New Advent: Church Fathers | www.newadvent.org/fathers |
| Letters, speeches and books from the earliest Christians. | |
|
New Advent: The Holy Rosary (PDF) |
www.newadvent.org/faq/rosary.pdf |
| Catholic | www.catholic.com/library/fathers_know_best.asp |
| Answers to questions about God and Christ, Scripture and Tradition, Church and Papacy, Mary and the Saints, Faith and Science, Morality and Ethics, Sacraments, Salvation, the Last Things, Non-Catholic Groups and Catholic Apologetics | |
| Catholic Internet Yellow Pages | www.monksofadoration.org/directory2.html |
| Comprehensive Catholic Site with information on Catholic Apologetics, Canon Law, Mary, Papacy, the Sacraments, the Saints, the Trinity, the Vatican | |
| What Catholics Believe | www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac1086.asp |
| A Popular Overview of Catholic Teaching | |
return to top |