WHY DOES IT MATTER IF YOU LEAVE THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?
It matters because as Catholics we think it is important to belong to the Church that Christ founded 2000 years ago. It matters because when you leave the Catholic Church, you leave the Eucharist – and all the sacraments that Christ Himself instituted. It matters because as Catholics we believe the Church contains the fullness of the truth because it was founded by Christ Himself.
What is the “pillar and foundation of truth”? According to the Bible, it is the Church:
1 Timothy 3: 14-15 “I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.” Jesus left us a Church to guide us in Truth. He chose Peter as the first Pope when He said, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). And then, this Church – the Catholic Church, decided what books belonged in the Bible in the 4th century. It was the authority of the Catholic Church that decided what books were inspired and belonged in the Bible. (Think about this – something “outside” the Bible determined what books belonged in the Bible.) The Catholic Church came before the Bible.
This does not mean that we think other religions and Christian denominations do not contain any truth, for they do. But the Catholic Church, since it was founded by Jesus, contains the fullness of truth, so we think it is very important to belong to the church that Christ founded, and share our faith with others.
There are many, many things all Christians have in common that we should celebrate – mainly our belief in Jesus Christ. Many say as long as we agree on the essentials it’s all good. But who decides what is “essential”?
To a Catholic, the Eucharist is truly the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ, to many non-Catholics, it is merely a symbol. To a Catholic, baptizing our children is essential. To many others, it doesn’t matter if you wait until the teenage years to be baptized.
To a Catholic, our love and devotion to our Blessed Mother are “essential.” To many non-Catholics, our Blessed Mother is only thought about (if at all) during Christmas. To a Catholic, we believe in the communion of saints, and ask our dear saints in Heaven to pray for us,including two of our newest saints, Saint Teresa of Calcutta and Saint John Paul II. To many others, they think we are praying to "dead" people, even though the saints are very much alive in Heaven and can hear our prayers.
To a Catholic, all life is to be protected from conception to natural death. To many others, abortion and euthanasia are justified. To a Catholic, marriage is between one man and one woman, to many others, it can easily be re-defined. To a Catholic, you are required to go to Mass every Sunday, to many others, its no big deal to miss if you’re on vacation, want to sleep in, or can watch it on TV. To a Catholic, praying for the souls in purgatory is essential, to many others, purgatory doesn’t exist and is something they think Catholics made up. (Even though purgatory has been part of the church history for 2000 years. – Actually, the Jews prayed for the dead before Christ was born so there is both scripture and tradition to support it centuries before this.)
All of these “essentials” matter to a Catholic.
Does this mean that Catholics are holier than non-Catholics? Absolutely not. Some of the holiest people I know are Catholic, and some of the most unholiest people I know are Catholic. We’ve been given this beautiful gift of our Catholic faith, and yet too many of us have taken it for granted, pick and choose what we want to believe, or have not appreciated what we have.
The Catholic Church is both human and divine. Because it is divine, it will last forever. Because it is human, it will have scandals, and sinful people
What is the “pillar and foundation of truth”? According to the Bible, it is the Church:
1 Timothy 3: 14-15 “I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.” Jesus left us a Church to guide us in Truth. He chose Peter as the first Pope when He said, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). And then, this Church – the Catholic Church, decided what books belonged in the Bible in the 4th century. It was the authority of the Catholic Church that decided what books were inspired and belonged in the Bible. (Think about this – something “outside” the Bible determined what books belonged in the Bible.) The Catholic Church came before the Bible.
This does not mean that we think other religions and Christian denominations do not contain any truth, for they do. But the Catholic Church, since it was founded by Jesus, contains the fullness of truth, so we think it is very important to belong to the church that Christ founded, and share our faith with others.
There are many, many things all Christians have in common that we should celebrate – mainly our belief in Jesus Christ. Many say as long as we agree on the essentials it’s all good. But who decides what is “essential”?
To a Catholic, the Eucharist is truly the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ, to many non-Catholics, it is merely a symbol. To a Catholic, baptizing our children is essential. To many others, it doesn’t matter if you wait until the teenage years to be baptized.
To a Catholic, our love and devotion to our Blessed Mother are “essential.” To many non-Catholics, our Blessed Mother is only thought about (if at all) during Christmas. To a Catholic, we believe in the communion of saints, and ask our dear saints in Heaven to pray for us,including two of our newest saints, Saint Teresa of Calcutta and Saint John Paul II. To many others, they think we are praying to "dead" people, even though the saints are very much alive in Heaven and can hear our prayers.
To a Catholic, all life is to be protected from conception to natural death. To many others, abortion and euthanasia are justified. To a Catholic, marriage is between one man and one woman, to many others, it can easily be re-defined. To a Catholic, you are required to go to Mass every Sunday, to many others, its no big deal to miss if you’re on vacation, want to sleep in, or can watch it on TV. To a Catholic, praying for the souls in purgatory is essential, to many others, purgatory doesn’t exist and is something they think Catholics made up. (Even though purgatory has been part of the church history for 2000 years. – Actually, the Jews prayed for the dead before Christ was born so there is both scripture and tradition to support it centuries before this.)
All of these “essentials” matter to a Catholic.
Does this mean that Catholics are holier than non-Catholics? Absolutely not. Some of the holiest people I know are Catholic, and some of the most unholiest people I know are Catholic. We’ve been given this beautiful gift of our Catholic faith, and yet too many of us have taken it for granted, pick and choose what we want to believe, or have not appreciated what we have.
The Catholic Church is both human and divine. Because it is divine, it will last forever. Because it is human, it will have scandals, and sinful people
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