Top 10 Facts about the Catholic Church

St. Peter’s Basilica, VaticanPhoto by Ricardo André Frantz – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Facts about the Catholic Church

The largest Christian church in the world is the Catholic church also called the Roan Catholic Church with a membership of 1.3 billion baptized congregants globally as per data collected in 2019. The Catholic church has a history of about 2000 years old.

The Catholic church is known to have begun with the teachings of Jesus Christ with the New Testament of the bible recording Jesus’ teaching and the appointment of the twelve Disciples otherwise known as apostles with a blessing for them to continue with his ministry.

1. The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church

Catholic Church has a very well-structured leadership hierarchy. They start with the Pope, the bishops, priests, and deacons. In the ecclesiological sense of the term, “hierarchy” strictly means the “holy ordering” of the Church, the Body of Christ, so as to respect the diversity of spiritual gifts and ministries necessary for genuine unity according to the bible chapter in 1 Corinthians 12. In canonical and general usage, it refers to those who exercise authority within a Christian church. In the Catholic Church, authority rests chiefly with the bishops while priests and deacons serve as their assistants, co-workers, or helpers.

The term “pope” was still used loosely until the sixth century, being at times assumed by other bishops. The term “hierarchy” became popular only in the sixth century, due to the writings of Pseudo-Dionysius.

As of December 31, 2020, the Catholic Church consisted of 2,903 dioceses or equivalent jurisdictions, each overseen by a bishop. Dioceses are divided into individual communities called parishes, each staffed by one or more priests, deacons, or lay ecclesial ministers. Ordinarily, the care of a parish is entrusted to a priest, though there are exceptions. Approximately 22% of all parishes do not have a resident pastor, and 3,485 parishes worldwide are entrusted to a deacon or lay ecclesial minister.

The Catholic church has been led by a Pope since the 1st Century with St. Peter being the first pope and the current Pope Francis is the 266th in the position. Pope Francis was ordained as Pope on March 13, 2013. He was born on December 17, 1939, in Flores, Buenos Aires, Argentina. His personal name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

However, from the Pope are the other leaders of the church who are designated to carry out various duties. For instance, all clergy, including deacons, priests, and bishops, may preach, teach, baptize, witness marriages, and conduct funeral liturgies. Only priests and bishops can celebrate the sacraments of the Eucharist (though others may be ministers of Holy Communion), Penance (Reconciliation, Confession), Confirmation (priests may administer this sacrament with prior ecclesiastical approval), and Anointing of the Sick. Only bishops can administer the sacrament of Holy Orders, by which men are ordained as bishops, priests, or deacons.  Of importance to note about the Roman Catholic Church is that women are excluded from the hierarchy of clergy.

Read more about the Catholic Church here.

2. The Pontificate (Popes) who began the Catholic Church, their Legend

Franciscus in 2015.jpg Photo by Casa Rosada – Wikimedia Commons

The term pope (Latin: papa, lit. ‘father’) is used in several churches to denote their high spiritual leaders (for example Coptic pope). This title in English usage usually refers to the head of the Catholic Church. The Catholic pope uses various titles by tradition, including Summus Pontifex, Pontifex Maximus, and Servus servorum Dei. Each title has been added by unique historical events and unlike other papal prerogatives, is not incapable of modification.

However, most of the popes have been recognized as saints and have been included in sainthood while others died as martyrs. This article will list all the popes, their dates of birth, where they were born, including their feast day, and the duration they served in their capacity as Popes.

The first was St. Peter who was born in AD1 at Bethsaida, Galilea, Roman Empire. His Pontificate was 30-33/64-68. He was Jewish and an Apostle of Jesus now referred to as St. Peter. He was bornThe catholic tradition believes that Peter was given the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven as recorded in the Bible verse Matthew 16:18-19. Peter is known by the Catholic Church as the first Bishop appointed by Christ. He was revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity with a feast day of 28 June.  In addition, St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City is named after him,

The second Pope was St. Linus, born in 10AD at Volterra, Italia, Roman Empire. His Pontificate was 64-68/76-79 and he was the first Pope of Roman Catholic. In addition, he was revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity with a feast day of 7 June. This is recorded in the New Testament as the Second Epistle to Timothy 4:21.

St. Ancletus is recorded as the First Greek Pope with a Feast day on 26 April. He was born in 25AD at Athenae, Achaea, Roman Empire, and his Pontificate was in 76-79/88-91 AD. However, he is number the third Pope according to the Roman Catholic church.

The fourth Pope is St. Clement I born in 35AD in Roma, Italy, Roman. He was revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity with a feast day of 25 November and mentioned in the New Testament as Epistle to the Philippians 4:3. He was the earliest Apostolic Father and he marked the basis of apostolic authority in history for the clergy. His Pontificate was from April 26, 88 to November 23, 99. 

The fifth Pope was St. Evaristus from November 23, 99 to October 27, 105. St. Evaristus was born in 30AD in Bethlehem, Iudaea, Roman Empire. His significant role was that he divided Rome into parishes, assigning a priest to each a trend that is followed by the catholic church currently. He was the last Pope to minister in the 1st century and the first to usher in faithful into the 2nd century.

However, in the 2nd century, St. Alexander I came to the Pontificate from October 27, 105 through to May 3,  115, and introduced the Inauguration of houses with holy water. This is a culture every Roman Catholic faithful practices every time a person is set to occupy a new house. Alexander, I was revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity with a feast day of March 18. 

The number 7 Pope was St. Sixtus I who was born in 42AD in Rome, Italia, Roman Empire, and took over the Pontificate on May 3, 115 through to April 3 125. He also was revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity with a feast day of August 10. The number 8 pope was St. Telesphorus who was born in 67 AD in Terra Nova, Italy, Roman Empire. He was ordained as a Pope on April 3, 125, and served until January 5, 136. He was revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity with a feast day of February 22. He was called a great martyr by a Church Father, St. Irenaeus. He was the earliest attested martyrdom of the pope after St. Peter. 

The pope who was No. 9 was St. Hyginus, born in 74AD in Athens, Achaea, Roman Empire. St. Hyginus was Pontificate from January 5, 136 to January 11, 140. He was martyred and his feast day is January 11. 

St. Pius I was the 10th Pope from January 11, 140 through to July 11, 155. He was born in 81 AD in Aquileia, Italy, Roman Empire, and was the brother t Hermas. In addition, he was Martyred by the sword and his feast day is July 11. The most interesting idea that he introduced in the Roman Catholic was that Easter should be celebrated on a Sunday. 

The 11th pontificate was St. Anicetus July 155 to April 20, 166 who was born in 92AD at Emesa, Syria, Roman Empire. His ordination as a pope marked the first pope in Syria. He was martyred. He introduced a decree that priests should not have long hair.

The 12th pope was St. Soter who was born in 119AD at Fundi, Italia, Roman Empire. His pontificate was from April 20, 166 to April 22, 174. He was martyred and his feast day is April 22. One fact that he is remembered for is that he declared that marriage was valid as a sacrament blessed by a priest. Further, he inaugurated Easter as an annual festival in Rome.

The 13th pontificate was St. Eleutherius who was born in 130AD at Nicopolis, Epirus, Roman Empire, and served from April 22 174 to May 26, 189. There is nothing much recorded about St. Eleutherius, only that he was martyred and that his feast day is May 6.

St. Victor was the 14th pontificate from May 26, 189 to July 28, 199 who was born in 155AD Africa, Roman Empire. The fascinating fact about St. Victor is that he was born in Africa. The other Pontificate born in Africa was St. Sylvester I in 285AD and the 33rd who served from January 31 314 to December 31, 335. The 49th pontificate St. Gelasius was also born in Africa in 410AD at Mons Ferratus, Quinquegentiani, Africa, Western Roman Empire. His pontificate was between March 1 492 to November 21, 496.

More details can be found here.

3. The Longest-Serving Pope John Paul II

John Paul II Brazil 1997 3.jpg Photo by José Cruz/Abr – Wikimedia Commons

In the Roman Catholic church, there was only one pope who served the longest in a span of 455 years. He was the former Archbishop of Kraków in the Polish People’s Republic. His pontificate began on October 16, 1978, and on April 2, 2005. His name was Karol Józef Wojtyła. He was credited by the President of the Soviet Union,  Mikhail Gorbachev for hastening the fall of Communism in Europe.

John Paul II sought to evangelize an increasingly secular world. He instituted World Youth Day as a “worldwide encounter with the pope” for young people; it is now held every two to three years. He traveled more than any other pope, visited 129 countries, and used television and radio as means of spreading the church’s teachings. He also emphasized the dignity of work and the natural rights of laborers to have fair wages and safe conditions in Laborem exercens. He emphasized several church teachings, including moral exhortations against abortion, euthanasia, and against the widespread use of the death penalty, in Evangelium Vitae.

4. The Teaching of the Nicene Creed

One of the benefits of the Catholic church is that its core belief is the Nicene Creed. The emphasis on this teaching is that a holy catholic and apostolic church was founded by Jesus Christ in his Great Common.   

5. The Original Christian Faith

The Catholic Church maintains that it practices the original Christian faith taught by the apostles, preserving the faith infallibly through scripture and sacred tradition as authentically interpreted through the magisterium of the church.  In addition, the prominence of the Roman Rite and others of the Latin Church, the Eastern Christian rites of the Eastern Catholic Churches, and institutes such as mendicant orders, enclosed monastic orders, and third orders reflect a variety of theological and spiritual emphases in the church. 

For more information about the Catholic Faith, Click here.    

6. Catholic Church has Seven Sacraments

The seven Sacrament.jpg Photo by Jobas – Wikimedia Commons

In total, the catholic church has seven sacraments which were instituted by Jesus himself and entrusted to the church. This is according to Catholic theology that indicates that they are visible rites representing an efficacious channel of the grace of God to all the believers who receive them with the proper disposition. The sacraments of initiation include Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, and the Restored order of initiation.  The Sacraments of healing comprise Penance and anointing of the Sick. The Sacraments of service include Holy Orders and Matrimony.

7. Catholics Priests are not allowed to Marry

In the Eastern rites of the Church, it is common for married men to be ordained to the priesthood. Further, in the Latin rite, there are a few married men, converted ministers from other faiths, who are ordained to the Catholic priesthood. This, however, is not common. Finally, in neither the Latin rite nor the Eastern rites do priests (or deacons) marry after they have been ordained, except in extraordinary circumstances.

The reasons Latin rite priests can’t marry are both theological and canonical.

Theologically, it may be pointed out that priests serve in the place of Christ and therefore, their ministry specially configures them to Christ. As is clear from Scripture, Christ was not married (except in a mystical sense, to the Church). By remaining celibate and devoting themselves to the service of the Church, priests more closely model, configure themselves to and consecrate themselves to Christ.

As Christ himself makes clear, none of us will be married in heaven (Mt 22:23–30). By remaining unmarried in this life, priests are more closely configured to the final, eschatological state that will be all of ours.

Paul makes it very clear that remaining single allows one’s attention to be undivided in serving the Lord (1 Cor 7:32–35). He recommends celibacy to all (1 Cor 7:7) but especially to ministers, who as soldiers of Christ he urges to abstain from “civilian affairs” (2 Tm 2:3–4).

Canonically, priests cannot marry for a number of reasons. First, priests who belong to religious orders take vows of celibacy. Second, while diocesan priests do not take vows, they do make a promise of celibacy.

Third, the Church has established impediments that block the validity of marriages attempted by those who have been ordained. Canon 1087 states: “Persons who are in holy orders invalidly attempt marriage.”

This impediment remains as long as the priest has not been dispensed from it, even if he were to attempt a civil marriage, even if he left the Church and joined a non-Catholic sect, and even if he apostatized from the Christian faith altogether. He cannot be validly married after ordination unless he receives a dispensation from the Holy See (CIC 1078 §2, 1).

8. Catholic Doctrine 

The Catholic encyclopedia; an international work of reference on the constitution, doctrine, discipline, and history of the Catholic Church (1907) (14576665737).jpg Photo by catholicencyclop02herbuoft – Wikimedia Commons

Catholic doctrine has developed over the centuries. It reflects on the teachings of early Christians, the church believes that it is continually guided by the Holy Spirit and it discerns new theological issues. 

It teaches that revelation has one common source and two distant modes of transmission. The teachings help break down the bible from the 46 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament.

The Church’s teaching authority is exercised by the pope and the College of Bishops is union with the pope and the Bishop of Rome. The Catholic doctrine is usually known as the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Some of the congregants are under these classes before they are fully admitted into the church and are able to join the Mass ceremony every Sunday and Holy Communion every first Sunday in October. 

There is much more about the Catholic Doctrine here.

9. Confirmation Of Congregants

The Catholic Church sees the sacrament of confirmation as required to complete the grace given in baptism. Confirmation of children is delayed until they are old enough to understand. In Western Christianity, the sacrament is known as Confirmation, this is because it confirms and strengthens the grace of baptism.

Those who receive confirmation must be in a state of grace and have reached the age of reason. This means that they have also reached the age where they are willing and have the intention to receive the sacrament.

This is good because in this day and age many people use false teachings as a way to confuse the youth. But the church helps them to understand the difference between good and bad, the how to solve tough issues in society. It also helps them to gain a good relationship with God.

10. Social Teaching

Catholic social teaching is a way for congregants to be able to think and behave with peace and love. Catholic teaching talks about everything that affects the congregants socially, be it sexuality and the practice of chastity to social justice.

The church also addresses stewardship of the natural environment and its relationship to other social and technological teachings. This helps congregants to understand how they can implement the teachings from the Bible in the real world. 

These teachings help young congregants to understand how they can grow up to enforce Christianity in the school environment. It also helps face peer pressure and other social problems with the teachings from the scripture and the close relationship with God.

There is much more about the Catholic Church here.