Organisation of the Catholic Church by https://padlet.com/dbell16/nsprhg9fhjn6 en-us 2017-05-16 09:01:17 UTC 2026-02-21 19:24:49 UTC hello@padlet.com The Four marks of the Church dbell16 https://padlet.com/dbell16/nsprhg9fhjn6/wish/172032205 The church is the ‘Body of Christ’ – this means that all Christians are united together like a body, doing God’s work on earth.

Everybody becomes part of the Body Of Christ through baptism, and receives Jesus’ body through the Eucharist.

One
Just as God is one, so the church is one. Since the church is the body of Christ it has to be one body. While there are many individual local churches or dioceses, they are all part of the one Church, just as limbs form part of the one body.

Holy

The church is a community of sinners. Jesus said ‘I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repent’ (Lk 5:32). However every Christian is made holy when they are baptised, and from then on they are guided by the Holy Spirit. The presence of God makes the church holy.

Catholic
The word ‘Catholic’ literally means ‘related to the whole’ or ‘worldwide’.
The teachings of the church are the teachings held everywhere.

Apostolic
Jesus chose 12 disciples to be his witnesses, and to be the foundation of the people of God. After the Resurrection Jesus told them to go and preach his message to all people. This message is the foundation of Catholic belief today.


]]> 2017-05-16 09:02:54 UTC https://padlet.com/dbell16/nsprhg9fhjn6/wish/172032205 Where does the authority come from? dbell16 https://padlet.com/dbell16/nsprhg9fhjn6/wish/172032815 Apostolic succession
The first leader of the Apostles was Peter, who was chosen by Jesus whilst he was still on earth.

The name Peter means ‘rock’ and Jesus changes his name from Simon when he chooses him to be the foundation of the church.

The other disciples were happy for Peter to be leader, and eventually Peter left Jerusalem and moved to Rome because at that time it was the centre of the world.

So, Peter became the first Pope and since him there has been an unbroken line of successors to Peter – and they hold the title Bishop of Rome (otherwise known as the Pope).

Bishops
  • The Apostles preached in different areas and when they left they appointed local people to be leaders of the churches they set up. 
  • These local leaders were called bishops. 
  • The bishops are the successors to the apostles and they protect and hand on the message of the apostles.

Magisterium
  • The Pope and the bishops make up the Magisterium, and is the teaching authority of the church. 
  • Because the church is guided by the Holy Spirit it is infallible and cannot make mistakes in its teachings. 
  • When the Pope makes a formal declaration or official teaching of the church he is speaking not as himself, but as the Head of the Church and the Vicar of Christ (means in the place of Christ) 
  • When he speaks in this way (infallibly) he cannot be wrong. 


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