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November 16, 2006
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by Friar Jim Van Vurst, O.F.M. In this column, I want to talk about the four very special and essential titles of the Catholic Church. The Church is one, holy, catholic and apostolic. The main reason the Church is one is because of Jesus, its founder. What does the one refer to? The beliefs of the Church are the very same for all those who claim to be members of the Roman Catholic Church. With 1.2 billion members from every nation and culture, there is great diversity within the Church. But there is no diversity in doctrine or official teaching, which is presented in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. However, liturgy and prayers are expressed in the different languages of the world. The Church, no matter in what land or culture it is located, is bound by visible signs of unity. These are 1) the profession of faith that was received from the apostles, 2) the common celebration of divine worship, especially of the sacraments, even though language and some customs may vary and 3) apostolic succession through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, which guarantees the validity of ordination of clergy and of the seven sacraments. These basic elements underlie any natural diversity that comes from different cultures. Recall the hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world who gathered in Rome for the funeral of Pope John Paul last year. They were of every color, race, language and culture, and from every nation on earth. No one would doubt that the diverse gathering was a powerful image of the Body of Christ on earth (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #813-822). In saying the Church is holy, we are not proclaiming that all its members are ready to be canonized. We know every person struggles with sin and has a wounded nature, including members of the Church. The Church has had to apologize at times for its own failures and sinful behavior. However, the Body of Christ is holy because Jesus is the head of its members, who, though imperfect, seek to live holy lives. In addition, the Church has been given the means—the sacraments, theology and spirituality—to instruct and assist its members in becoming holy. The whole history of the Church is filled with outstanding individuals, whom God has raised up to give us examples of holiness and dedication to the Lord and to the service of all humankind. The saints come from all walks of life. These men and women are young and old. They are from different cultures and share a variety of abilities and talents. They are married and single, lay and religious. They represent the great diversity of people embracing the same Catholic faith (CCC, #823-829). The word catholic means “universal,” and the Church is catholic in two senses: 1) Christ is the head of the Church, and Christ is all places and 2) the mission of the Church is universal because Christ commissioned it to preach the gospel and baptize all nations. Even though one could find areas where the Church is not present in some way, practically speaking the Church is worldwide. And it is that universality found in every land and culture that also points out unity of faith and belief (CCC, #830-855). The Church is apostolic in three ways: 1) The Church remains built on the foundation of the apostles, the witnesses chosen and commissioned by Christ himself. 2) With the help of the Spirit dwelling in her, the Church keeps and hands on the teachings, the words it has heard from the apostles. 3) The Church continues to be taught, sanctified and guided by the apostles until Christ’s return, through their successors in pastoral office: the college of bishops, assisted by priests, in union with the successor of Peter, the Church’s supreme pastor. What makes the Catholic Church unique? There is no other Christian denomination that can trace its existence back to the apostles. All of them have come from individuals who have broken from the true Church and established new denominations, e.g., Martin Luther, King Henry VIII and others from the 16th century. According to the World Christian Encyclopedia (2001) by David B. Barrett, there are “over 33,000 denominations in 238 countries.” Every year there is a net increase of around 270 to 300 denominations. According to Barrett’s study (1970), there are 8,196 denominations within Protestantism. In addition, there are 223 groups who refer to themselves as catholic churches, e.g., the Old Catholic Church, the Old German Catholic Church, the American Catholic Church and the Liberal Catholic Church. However, regardless of their names and similarities to the Catholic Church, if they are not in union with the pope and the bishops, then they are not part of the Catholic Church. It is not a title that identifies the Church as Catholic. It is the four marks: one, holy, catholic and apostolic. And because of this, the Catholic Church (this includes the Eastern Catholic Rites) is the one true Church founded by Jesus. Dear Friar Jack: Thank you for your E-spiration on St. Teresa. I’ve heard of her, but I never grasped what she went through during her life. Reading about her, I could empathize in some way because of how I am living my own life today. I also feel called to live more simply. As an American, I am so privileged with material things, and sometimes that can begin to overrun the important things in life. I hope that for my sake, and all of those who want to better themselves through Christ, that we can all take a good lesson from St. Teresa’s way of life. God Bless, Christina Dear Friar Jack: I was especially impressed with the life of St. John of the Cross. His spirituality always drew my attention and hopefully helped me grow. I was not aware of the deep inner pain he suffered by the rejection of his own. Thank you, and God bless you and all of your co-workers. Sister Cecile Dear Christina and Sister Cecile and all who sent e-mails while I was out of the office from September 13 through October 20: As your letters indicate, the lives of the saints challenge us and offer us guidance for our own spiritual journeys. Thanks for your responses. Thanks, also, for all of you who prayed for me during my five weeks on pilgrimage in Assisi and on the road to Padua, where St. Anthony spent his last years. I prayed often for all the readers of Friar Jack, while in and around Assisi and at the tomb of St. Anthony in Padua. Because of an earlier trip in May (2006) to Portugal, where St. Anthony spent his early years, and because of articles I’ve written on this saint, it was a great blessing to get back to Padua and gather material (and take photos) on that part of St. Anthony’s life for upcoming articles. To find out more about this saint, check out our special book offer on Anthony of Padua. (Right) It was something of a dream come true for me to live for several days with the Franciscan friars at Padua’s world famous Basilica of St. Anthony. It was also a great experience to visit the nearby offices of the Messenger of St. Anthony, published there by the Conventual Franciscan friars, and to enjoy a cordial chat and tour of the building with editor Father Mario Conte, O.F.M. Conv., and his editorial secretary, Mr. Corrado Roeper. I am grateful for their friendship and courteous attention. I can assure the readers of Friar Jack’s E-spirations and of St. Anthony Messenger that, by and by, you will be seeing the results of my pilgrimage and information-gathering in these publications. May God give you peace! Friar Jack Send your feedback to friarjack@americancatholic.org. |
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Church is one 
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A Message From Friar Jack
Welcome! I hope you’ll enjoy all of the news about what’s
happening at AmericanCatholic.org, as well as my “musings.” By the way, I am
a real Franciscan friar, as is my coworker, Friar Jim. You
can find out more about us here.
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