The Catholic Rites Explained

Today I would like to talk about the Catholic Rites of the Church, what they are, and explain why there are different rites. Since the beginning of the Church, when the followers of Christ spread throughout the Roman Empire, the Church has found ways and expressions of worship that are specific to different cultures. This has resulted in many different forms of worship, which make up the Church's liturgical tradition. Don't get confused, they are all still grounded in Christ and the Catholic origins and Sacraments, they just differ in the way they are carried out. The rites have their own distinct architectural, spiritual, artistic, and cultural heritage. There are many Catholic Rites in the Catholic Church, for example, the Alexandrian Rite or sometimes known as the Coptic Rite, comes from Egypt and includes the Ethiopian Rite. It's liturgical languages are Coptic, Arabic, and Ge'ez. Another Catholic Rite is the Antiochene Rite which is named for Antioch in ancient Syria  this rite was developed under the influence of the Church of Jerusalem. It's liturgical languages are Syriac and Arabic. The Armenian Rite traces it's origins back to the early Fathers of the Church. It's liturgical language is Armenian. Another rite, the Bizantine Rite came about in the ancient imperial see of Constantinople. It is the most widely used Catholic Rite in the Eastern liturgical form. The final Cathoic Rite I want to talk about today is the Chaldean Rite, also known as East Syrian. The Chaldean Rite is concentrated in the Middle East and India. It's liturgical languages are classic Syriac, Arabic, and Malayalam. I hope this helps you understand a little about the Catholic Rites and what they mean and bring to the Catholic Church.

Apostolic Mark

Today I am posting about the fourth mark of the Catholic Church: The Church is Apostolic. This mark relates to Christ's choosing of the Twelve Apostles as the foundation of his Church. He chose these twelve men to be his closest followers and witnesses to his Ressurection.  Like the twelve ministers who assisted Solomon, son of David, in ruling the Kingdom of Israel, the Twelve Apostles were given the task of assisting Christ, the new son of David, in ruling his kingdom. They were appointed as symbolic rulers of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, and were entrusted with Christ's own authority to teach, sanctify, and govern his Church. The Church is identified as Apostolic for three primary reasons. The first says that the church is built on an Apostolic foundation. The second says that it involves the Apostolic Faith, guided by the Holy Spirit. The final one involves Apostolic Succession. This means that the authority of the Apostles has been handed ever since the days of Christ.

Papal Infallibility Explained

Since are new Pope, Pope Francis I was just recently elected, i thought it appropriate to talk about Papal Infallibility. The Catholic teaching of papal infallibility is a teaching that is generally misunderstood by those outside the church. People outside of the church misunderstand the word infallible and think more along the lines of sinless. They think that Catholics believe that the pope cannot sin. Others that do not understand the true meaning of papal infallibility think that the pope uses some sort of magical incantation when his infallibility is due. Since there are so many who believe these common misconceptions, lets define what infallibility is not. It is not the absence of sin and it does not only pertain to the pope but also pertains to the whole Church when they are in union with the pope teaching a true doctrine. Before Christ ascended into Heaven, he commanded the Apostles to go and preach everything he taught them. He promised them that the Holy Spirit would be there with them always to guide them in the truth. Although there will be individual Catholics who will stray away from Christ’s teachings, the Church will not. Whether an infallible pronouncement is made by the pope himself or by the ecumenical council is usually only made when a doctrine has been called into question. Although this happens, the large majority of all Catholics have never doubted most doctrines.  Some people ask how popes and the teaching authority of the Church can be infallible if some have lived immoral lives. This shows there misunderstanding of the term infallibility. There is no guarantee that a pope will not sin or live not according to God. Other people say that papal infallibility cannot exist since some popes disagreed with others. A pope’ s private theological opinions are not infallible, only his teachings that he defines are considered to be infallible. Infallibility prevents a pope from solemnly teaching as truth, something that is actually false. 

The Papacy

Today, I would like to talk about the Papacy of the Catholic Church. The Papacy is the head position of the Church and is an appointed position. Christ established the Church as a collegial body with the Pope at its head. The First Pope and head of the Church was St. Peter, who was directly appointed by Christ. After Christ appointed Peter and ascended into Heaven, St. Peter began to fulfill his position as Pope. Peter exercised his authority by electing Mathias as the new Apostle after Judas of Iscariot betrayed Jesus. St. Peter also founded the Church community in Rome. The Pope is infallible when it comes to teachings and doctrines. Everything the Pope teaches as truth is directly inspired by the Holy Spirit and is true. Papal Infallibility is made possible by the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church.

The Hierarchical Structure of the Church

Today I would like to discuss and explain the Hierarchical structure of the Church. The Hierarchy of the Church or the Hierarchical Structure was established by Christ for the Church. Any organization, company, or kingdom needs a certain form of organization of powers or it will fall apart. The Kingdom of God on Earth was established by Christ to last until the end of times. The Hierarchy of the Church divides up the positions of the Church in Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. This structure was developed while the twelve Apostles were still alive. The Bishops, who are the successors of the Apostles, form a college. They continue to lead the Church in an unbroken chain leading back to the Twelve Apostles that is known as Apostolic Succession. The Church is organized in this governing structure of hierarchical authority, so that certain members of the Church, due to the graces received through their positions, possess greater authority in the Church than others.