The Roman Catholic Church is the largest religious denomination of Christianity with over one billion members. It claims that it is both organizationally and doctrinally the original Christian Church, founded by Jesus Christ. It also claims unbroken Apostolic Succession from St. Peter and the other Apostles. The Second Vatican Council's Decree on the Church Lumen Gentium, 8,[1]  (http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html) declared that "the sole Church of Christ which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic" has a concrete realization (the Latin term is "subsistit") "in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him". "Successor of Peter" refers to the Pope. The term God is used to designate a Supreme Being, however, there are countless definitions of God. ... This article concerns the Holy Trinity of Christianity and related religious denominations. ... In many religions, the supreme God is given the title and attributions of Father. ... The neutrality and accuracy of this article are disputed. ... The Holy Spirit, or the Holy Ghost, is the name used in the Bible referring to the processed Triune God. ... The Bible (From Greek (τα) βιβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, plural of βιβλιον, biblion, book, originally a diminutive of βιβλος, biblos, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos, meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported this writing material), is a word applied to sacred scriptures. ... The Old Testament or the Hebrew Scriptures constitutes the first major part of the Christian Bible, usually divided into the categories law, history, poetry (or wisdom books) and prophecy. ... The New Testament, sometimes called the Greek Scriptures, is the name given to the part of the Christian Bible that was written after the birth of Jesus. ... In Judeo-Christian theology, the word apocrypha (Greek απόκρυφα, neuter plural of απόκρυφος, hidden) refers to texts that are not considered canonical, part of the Bible, but are of roughly similar style and age as the accepted Scriptures. ... In Western culture, canon law is the law of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. ... The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, are a list of religious and moral imperatives that feature prominently in Judaism and Christianity. ... The Beatitudes (from Latin, beatitudo, happiness) is the name given to a well-known, and to some, such as Henri Nouwen, definitive and central, portion of the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. ... This is a list of cities that various groups regard as holy. ... Jerusalem (Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yerushalayim; Arabic: القدس al-Quds; see also names of Jerusalem) is an ancient Middle Eastern city of key importance to the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ... This article is about the city in the West Bank. ... This is about the Middle East city of Nazareth. ... The city of Antioch-on-the-Orontes (modern Antakya) is located in what is now Turkey. ... Location within Italy The Roman Colosseum Rome (Italian and Latin: Roma) is the capital city of Italy and of its Latium region. ... Map of Constantinople. ... The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in some Christian churches which determines when Feasts, Memorials, Commemorations, and Solemnities are to be observed and which portions of Scripture are to be read. ... Christmas (literally, the Mass of Christ) is a holiday in the Christian calendar, usually observed on December 25, which celebrates the birth of Jesus. ... Easter is the most important holiday of the Christian year, observed in March, April, or May each year to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead after his death by crucifixion (see Good Friday), which Christians believe happened at about this time of year around AD 30-33. ... Pentecost (the 50th day in ancient Greek) is a holiday of Christianity, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus at Easter, and ten days after the Ascension. ... In Western Christianity, Lent is the period preceding the Christian holy day of Easter. ... In the Catholic Church, the Holy Days of Obligation are the days, other than Sundays, on which the faithful are required to attend Mass. ... A church building is a building used in Christian worship. ... A chapel is a church other than a parish church, often attached to a larger institution such as a college, a hospital, a palace, or a prison. ... -1... Categories: Stub | Churches ... A cathedral is a Christian church building, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy (such as the Roman Catholic Church or the Anglican churches), which serves as the central church of a bishopric. ... Buddhist monastery near Tibet A monastery is the habitation of monks. ... The Basilica of St. ... Picture of an altar from the Meyer Encyclopaedia An altar, (Hebrew mizbeah, from a word meaning to slay) is any structure on which sacrifices known as the korbanot as well as incense offerings are offered for religious purposes. ... In religious organizations , the laity comprises all lay persons, i. ... A religious elder (in Greek, presbuteros) is valued for his or her wisdom, in part for their age, by the logic that the older one is then the more one is likely to know. ... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ... Deacon is a role in the Christian Church which is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. ... In most Protestant churches, a minister is a member of the ordained clergy who leads a congregation; such a person may also be called a Pastor, Preacher, or Elder. ... A pastor is the head minister or priest of a Christian church. ... Roman Catholic priest LCDR Allen R. Kuss (USN) aboard USS Enterprise A priest or priestess is a holy man or woman who takes an officiating role in worship of any religion, with the distinguishing characteristic of offering sacrifices. ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who holds a specific position of authority in any of a number of Christian churches. ... The Pope is the Catholic Bishop and patriarch of Rome, and head of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches. ... Western Christianity refers to Catholicism, Protestantism, and Anglicanism. ... Eastern Christianity refers collectively to the Christian traditions which developed in Greece, the Near East and Eastern Europe. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... The term Eastern Rites may refer to the liturgical rites used by many ancient Christian Churches of Eastern Europe and the Middle East that, while being part of the Roman Catholic Church, are distinct from the Latin Rite or Western Church. ... ... The term Oriental Orthodoxy refers to the churches of Eastern Christian traditions that keep the faith of only the first three ecumenical councils of the undivided Church - the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the Council of Ephesus - and rejected the dogmatic definitions of the Council... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... The term Anglican (from the Angles or English) describes those people and churches following the religious traditions developed by the established Church of England. ... Baptist churches are part of a Christian movement often regarded as an Evangelical, Protestant denomination. ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Zwinglian or Calvinist system of doctrine but organisationally independent. ... The Methodist movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity. ... The Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as Quakers, or Friends, is a religious community founded in England in the 17th century. ... Restorationism is not a single religious movement, but a wave of comparably motivated movements that arose in the eastern United States and Canada in the early 19th century in the wake of the Second Great Awakening. ... The Christian flag is one symbol of Christian unity. ... Evangelicalism, in a strictly lexical, but rarely used sense, refers to all things that are implied in belief that Jesus is the savior. ... Fundamentalist Christianity is a fundamentalist movement, prominent especially within American Protestantism. ... Introduction Liberal Christianity, Progressive Christianity or Liberalism is movement of Christianity that is characterised by these points; diversity of opinion less emphasis on the literal interpretation of Scripture an intimate and personal view of God wider scope in their views on salvation (including universalist beliefs) non-traditional views on heaven... Modernism, modernist Christianity, and liberalism are labels applied to proponents of a school of Christian thought which rose as a direct challenge to more conservative traditional Christian orthodoxy. ... The Pentecostal movement within Protestant Christianity places special emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. ... This article presents a description of Jesus life, as based on the four gospels. ... In Christianity and Islam, Mary (Judæo-Aramaic מרים Maryām Bitter; Septuagint Greek Μαριαμ, Mariam, Μαρια, Maria; Arabic: Maryem, مريم) is the mother of Jesus and the betrothed of Joseph. ... Statue of St Peter. ... Paul of Tarsus (originally Saul of Tarsus) or Saint Paul the Apostle (d. ... Alternate meanings: See Apostle (Mormonism), The Apostle (1997 movie) The 12 Apostles (in Greek απόστολος apostolos= emissary) were probably Jewish men (10 names are Aramaic, 4 names are Greek) chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth , by Jesus to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, across... Mary Magdalene is described as a follower of Jesus both in the canonical New Testament and in the New Testament apocrypha. ... The Star of David, a common symbol of Jews and Judaism Judaism is the religion and culture of the Jewish people and one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths. ... Abraham (אַבְרָהָם Father/Leader of many, Standard Hebrew Avraham, Tiberian Hebrew ʾAḇrāhām; Arabic ابراهيم Ibrāhīm) is the patriarch of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ... In Judaism, the Messiah (מָשִׁיחַ Anointed one, Standard Hebrew Mašíaḥ, Tiberian Hebrew Māšîªḥ) is a human descendant of King David who will rebuild the nation of Israel and bring world peace by restoring the Davidic Kingdom. ... Hillel was a famous Jewish religious leader who lived in Jerusalem during the time of King Herod; he is one of the most important figures in Judaic history, associated with the Mishnah and the Talmud. ... Note that this kind of denomination is not that of a coin or banknote. ... Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life, teachings, death by crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. ... The neutrality and accuracy of this article are disputed. ... In Christianity, the doctrine of apostolic succession maintains that the Christian Church is the spiritual successor of the Apostles. ... According to tradition, Peter was crucified upside-down, as shown in this painting by Caravaggio. ... Alternate meaning: See Apostle (Mormonism) The Christian Apostles were Jewish men chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth (as indicated by the Greek word απόστολος apostolos= messenger), by Jesus to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, across the world. ... The Second Vatican Council, or Vatican II, was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church opened under Pope John XXIII in 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI in 1965. ... Alternate meaning: See Apostle (Mormonism) The Christian Apostles were Jewish men chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth (as indicated by the Greek word απόστολος apostolos= messenger), by Jesus to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, across the world. ... The Pope is the Catholic Bishop and patriarch of Rome, and head of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches. ...

The Roman Catholic Church is also putatively both the largest and the oldest continuously operating institution in existence.

Terminology

Since the term "Catholic Church" has multiple meanings (see Catholicism), this article uses the term "Roman Catholic Church", to avoid confusion. The relationship between the Roman Catholic Church and the Western or Latin and the Eastern Churches within it is dealt with below. This article considers Catholicism in the broadest ecclesiastical sense. ... Latin Rite, in the singular, usually refers to the sui juris particular Church of the Roman Catholic Church that developed, with its own rituals, customs and canon law, in the area of western Europe and northern Africa where Latin was for many centuries the language of education and culture. ...

The choice of the phrase "Roman Catholic Church" should not be interpreted as opposition to the use, for this Church, of the simpler term "Catholic Church", which its members prefer. Indeed, the following extract from what St Augustine (AD 354-430) wrote in AD 397 still holds, in the twenty-first century, for the actual practice, as distinct from the theoretical position, of those who take a divergent stance on the importance of the link with the "seat of the Apostle Peter": when speaking formally, they may say "Roman Catholic Church" or employ a similar limiting phrase, but in ordinary everyday conversation they accept and may even themselves use the term "Catholic Church". (Note that in Augustine’s time Christians applied the word "priest" to bishops, but not to the lower rank of clergy that are today called "priests" in English.) Events Gallus deposed, executed at Antioch. ... Events Saint Patrick reaches Ireland on his missionary expedition. ... Events Council of Carthage: Definitive declaration of the biblical canon Candida Casa founded by Saint Ninian. ...

"In the Catholic Church ... there are many other things which most justly keep me in her bosom. The consent of peoples and nations keeps me in the Church; so does her authority, inaugurated by miracles, nourished by hope, enlarged by love, established by age. The succession of priests keeps me, beginning from the very seat of the Apostle Peter, to whom the Lord, after His resurrection, gave it in charge to feed His sheep (Jn 21:15-19), down to the present episcopate. And so, lastly, does the very name of Catholic, which, not without reason, amid so many heresies, the Church has thus retained; so that, though all heretics wish to be called Catholics, yet when a stranger asks where the Catholic Church meets, no heretic will venture to point to his own chapel or house."

— Against the Epistle of Manichaeus called Fundamental, chapter 4: Proofs of the Catholic Faith[2]  (http://www.ccel.org/pager.cgi?&file=fathers/NPNF1-04/augustine/bk_fundamental/bk1.html&from=CHAP4&up=)

Alternate meanings: See Apostle (Mormonism), The Apostle (1997 movie) The 12 Apostles (in Greek απόστολος apostolos= emissary) were probably Jewish men (10 names are Aramaic, 4 names are Greek) chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth , by Jesus to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, across... Peter is a popular male name. ...

Overview

The Roman Catholic Church has a membership in every country on Earth. It is a hierarchical organisation in which ordained clergy are divided into the orders of bishops, priests and deacons. The world is divided into 2755 (at the end of 2004) bishoprics (more commonly called dioceses), each with a presiding bishop, responsible for the religious welfare of the believers in his geographical area. The principal bishopric is that of Rome, whose occupant is known as the Pope, considered to be the successor of Saint Peter, the chief of the Apostles. Earth, also known as the Earth or Terra, is the third planet outward from the Sun. ... A hierarchy (in Greek hieros, sacred, and arkho, rule) is a system of ranking and organizing things. ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who holds a specific position of authority in any of a number of Christian churches. ... Roman Catholic priest LCDR Allen R. Kuss (USN) aboard USS Enterprise A priest or priestess is a holy man or woman who takes an officiating role in worship of any religion, with the distinguishing characteristic of offering sacrifices. ... Deacon is a role in the Christian Church which is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. ... In some Christian churches, the diocese is an administrative territorial unit governed by a bishop, sometimes also referred to as a bishopric or episcopal see, though more often the term episcopal see means the office held by the bishop. ... Location within Italy The Roman Colosseum Rome (Italian and Latin: Roma) is the capital city of Italy and of its Latium region. ... The Pope is the Catholic Bishop and patriarch of Rome, and head of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches. ... Statue of St Peter. ... Alternate meaning: See Apostle (Mormonism) The Christian Apostles were Jewish men chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth (as indicated by the Greek word απόστολος apostolos= messenger), by Jesus to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, across the world. ...

The Church sees itself as set up by Jesus Christ for the salvation of souls. It accomplishes this goal through teaching and through administration of sacraments, including baptism, communion, and forgiveness of sins, through which God grants grace to the believer. The teaching authority or magisterium of the Church bases its teachings on both Scripture and apostolic tradition. As well as ordained secular clergy, the Church encourages monasticism, and has many orders of monks, friars and nuns who live in celibacy, and devote their lives entirely to God. Other religious practices include fasting, prayer, penance, pilgrimage and meditation. A sacrament is a Christian rite that mediates, in the sense of being a visible symbol or manifestation of invisible divine grace. ... Grace may stand for: favors received from God, see divine grace a short prayer said before a meal to bless and give thanks for it, in folk practices of Christianity and other religions. ... Categories: Catholic Theology and Doctrine ... Many religions and spiritual movements hold certain written texts (or series of spoken legends not traditionally written down) to be sacred. ... Monasticism (from Greek: monachos—a solitary person) is the religious practice of renouncing all worldly pursuits in order to fully devote ones life to spiritual work. ... Celibacy may refer either to being unmarried or to sexual abstinence. ... Fasting is the act of willingly abstaining from all food and in some cases drink, or in other cases from certain types or groups of food (e. ... Prayer is an effort to communicate with God, or to some deity or deities, either to offer praise to the deity, to make a request of the deity, or simply to express ones thoughts and emotions to the deity. ... Penance is the actual name of the Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation/ Confession. ... A pilgrimage is a journey by a religious person to a place that is sacred according to his or her religion. ... Meditation usually refers to a state in which the body is consciously relaxed and the mind is allowed to become calm and focused. ...

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Church's first purpose is "to be the sacrament of the inner union of men with God." Thus the Church's "structure is totally ordered to the holiness of Christ's members." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 775, 773)

History

Main article: History of the Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church believes its founding was based on Jesus' appointment of Saint Peter, later Bishop of Rome, as chief of the Apostles.

The Roman Catholic Church has a history of almost two thousand years, making it one of the oldest religious institutions in existence. The Roman Empire, after persecuting the Church for centuries, finally adopted Christianity as the official religion of the state. The Roman Catholic Church was an important factor also in the founding and the life of the Holy Roman Empire, and was a leading factor in organizing the Crusades. In its eyes, the Eastern Orthodox and the Protestant Reformation Churches acquired their separate identity precisely as a result of separating from the Roman Catholic Church. The History of the Roman Catholic Church spans nearly two thousand years and covers the existence of one of the oldest religious institutions in history. ... Image:Crucifixion of Peter. ... Image:Crucifixion of Peter. ... The History of the Roman Catholic Church spans nearly two thousand years and covers the existence of one of the oldest religious institutions in history. ... Roman Empire between AD 60 and 400 with major cities. ... The crown of the Holy Roman Empire (2nd half of the 10th century), now held in the Vienna Schatzkammer. ... This article is about the medieval Crusades . ... Eastern Orthodoxy (also called Greek Orthodoxy and Russian Orthodoxy) is a Christian tradition which represents the majority of Eastern Christianity. ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which emerged in the 16th century (although out of earlier roots) as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church in Western Europe. ...

Roman Catholic religious orders also have a rich and lengthy history, with some orders tracing their origins to the very earliest days of the Church (see, below, "Public Consecrated Life"). Their primary objective is the sanctification of their members, but they also devote themselves to evangelization, both in Christian countries and in "foreign missions", to teaching, to scholarly research, and to care of the sick, orphans, aged and others who need special assistance. In the past, some have been important in the world of politics. The novel Shogun presents the Jesuits as in bitter rivalry with the Franciscans and controlling an economic monopoly in 16th century Japan. Other examples from imaginative history speak of Catholic religious orders almost as secret societies with their own agenda, sometimes in conflict with that of the Church. Catholic religious orders are organizations of laity and clergy in the Roman Catholic Church who live under a common rule. ... This page is about the James Clavell novel. ... The Society of Jesus — also known by its Latin name Societas Iesu or its English variant Jesuit Order — is a Christian religious order of the Roman Catholic Church in direct service to the Pope. ... The Order of Friars Minor (commonly called the Franciscans) is a mendicant religious order of men tracing their origin to Francis of Assisi and following the Rule of St. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ...

Liturgy

The centre of the Roman Catholic Church's life is the liturgical service of the Eucharist or Mass. On each Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation or on the evening before, Catholics have an obligation to participate in this celebration. For further information, see the article Mass (liturgy) and the references in that article. From the Greek word λειτουργια, which can be transliterated as leitourgia, meaning the work of the people, a liturgy comprises a prescribed religious ceremony, according to the traditions of a particular religion; it may refer to, or include, an elaborate formal ritual (such as the Catholic Mass), a daily activity... The Eucharist is either the Christian sacrament of consecrated bread and wine or the ritual surrounding it. ... In the Catholic Church, the Holy Days of Obligation are the days, other than Sundays, on which the faithful are required to attend Mass. ... This article discusses the Mass as part of Christian liturgy, in particular the form it has taken in the Latin rite of the Catholic Church. ...

Another especially important part of the Church's continual prayer is the Liturgy of the Hours, whose particular characteristic is to consecrate the course of day and night. Lauds and Vespers (morning and evening prayer) are the principal hours. To these are added one or three intermediate prayer periods (traditionally called Terce, Sext and None), another prayer period to end the day (Compline), and a special period at no fixed time devoted chiefly to readings from the Scriptures and ecclesiastical writers. The prayers consist principally of the Psalter or Book of Psalms. Like the Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours has inspired great musical compositions. Earlier names for the Liturgy of the Hours were the Divine Office (a name still used as the title of one English translation), the Book of Hours, and the Breviary. Canonical hours are ancient divisions of time (also called offices), developed by the Christian Church, serving as increments between prayers. ... Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox liturgies of the canonical hours. ... Compline is the final service of the day in the Catholic tradition. ... The Bible (From Greek (τα) βιβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, plural of βιβλιον, biblion, book, originally a diminutive of βιβλος, biblos, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos, meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported this writing material), is a word applied to sacred scriptures. ... Psalms (Tehilim תהילים, in Hebrew) is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, and of the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. ... A breviary (from Latin brevis, short) is a liturgical book containing the public or canonical prayers, hymns, the Psalms, readings, and notations for everyday use, especially for priests, in the Divine Office (i. ...

Sacraments

The Roman Catholic Church recognizes and administers seven sacraments, which are considered gifts of Christ through the Church which give Divine grace to those who receive them. The sacraments are listed here with reference to the section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) that deals with each. A sacrament is a Christian rite that mediates divine grace. ... Divine grace consists of gifts granted to humanity by God, that God is under no need or obligation to grant. ...

• Baptism: CCC 1213-1284 (http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P3G.HTM)
• Confirmation: CCC1285-1321 (http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P3P.HTM)
• Eucharist: CCC 1322-1419 (http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P3W.HTM)
• Reconciliation and Penance (Confession): CCC 1422-1498 (http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P46.HTM)
• Anointing of the Sick: CCC 1499-1532 (http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P4J.HTM)
• Holy Orders: CCC 1536-1600 (http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P4R.HTM)
• Matrimony: CCC 1601-1666 (http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P50.HTM)

Baptism is a water purification ritual practiced in certain religions such as Christianity, Mandaeanism, Sikhism, and some historic sects of Judaism. ... Roman Catholic views In the Roman Catholic church confirmation is one of the seven sacraments. ... The Eucharist is either the Christian sacrament of consecrated bread and wine or the ritual surrounding it. ... In criminal proceedings, a confession is a document in which a suspect admits having committed a crime. ... The Anointing of the Sick is one of the sacraments of the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and some Protestant churches. ... This article is about the sacrament. ... In the Christian faith, marriage is viewed as a lifelong union of a man and a woman before God. ...

Doctrine

The Crucifix, bearing the image of Jesus suffering on a cross, often serves as the symbol of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Roman Catholic Church attributes very high authority to 21 Ecumenical Councils: Nicaea I (325), Constantinople I (381), Ephesus (431), Chalcedon (451), Constantinople II (553), Constantinople III (680-681), Nicaea II (787), Constantinople IV (869-870), Lateran I (1123), Lateran II (1139), Lateran III (1179), Lateran IV (1215), Lyons I (1245), Lyons II (1274), Vienne (1311-1312), Constance (1414-1418), Florence (1438-1445), Lateran V (1512-1517), Trent (1545-1563), Vatican I (1869-1870), Vatican II (1962-1965). Download high resolution version (453x831, 74 KB)A small crucifix of mine Taken by →Raul654 on December 26, 2004. ... Download high resolution version (453x831, 74 KB)A small crucifix of mine Taken by →Raul654 on December 26, 2004. ... In Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, an ecumenical council is a meeting of the bishops of the whole church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice. ...

Of these, the Orthodox Churches of Byzantine tradition accept only the first seven, the family of "non-Chalcedonian" or "pre-Chalcedonian" Churches only the first three, and the Christians of Nestorian tradition only the first two.

Dialogue has shown that even where the break with one of these ancient Churches occurred as far back as the Councils of Ephesus (431) and Chalcedon (451), long before the break with Constantinople (1054), the few doctrinal differences often concern terminology, not substance.

Emblematic is the "Common Christological Declaration between the Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East" [3]  (http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_11111994_assyrian-church_en.html) (note the use in an inter-Church document of "Catholic Church" rather than "Roman Catholic Church"), signed by "His Holiness John Paul II, Bishop of Rome and Pope of the Catholic Church, and His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East", on 11 November 1994. The division between the two Churches in question goes back to the disputes over the legitimacy of the expression "Mother of God" (as well as "Mother of Christ") for the Virgin Mary that came to a head at the Council of Ephesus in 431. The Common Declaration recalls that the Assyrian Church of the East prays the Virgin Mary as "the Mother of Christ our God and Saviour", and the Catholic tradition addresses the Virgin Mary as "the Mother of God" and also as "the Mother of Christ", fuller expressions by which each Church clearly acknowledges both the divinity and the humanity of Mary's son. The co-signers of the Common Declaration could thus state: "We both recognize the legitimacy and rightness of these expressions of the same faith and we both respect the preference of each Church in her liturgical life and piety." The term Virgin Mary has several different meanings: For the historical and multi-denominational concept of Mary, see Mary, the mother of Jesus. ...

Some, at least, of the most difficult questions in relations with the ancient Eastern Churches concern not so much doctrine as practical matters such as the concrete exercise of the claim to papal primacy and how to ensure that ecclesial union would not mean mere absorption of the smaller Churches by the Latin component of the much larger Roman Catholic Church (the most numerous single religious denomination in the world), and the stifling or abandonment of their own rich theological, liturgical and cultural heritage.

There are much greater differences with the doctrinal views of Protestants, whom Roman Catholics feel have broken continuity with the past, and the true teachings of the apostles, for the sake of what Protestants believe to be the true teaching of the apostles. But even with these groups, dialogue has on both sides clarified some misunderstandings of what the other believes. Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Alternate meaning: See Apostle (Mormonism) The Christian Apostles were Jewish men chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth (as indicated by the Greek word απόστολος apostolos= messenger), by Jesus to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, across the world. ... Alternate meaning: See Apostle (Mormonism) The Christian Apostles were Jewish men chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth (as indicated by the Greek word απόστολος apostolos= messenger), by Jesus to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, across the world. ...

Magisterium

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 85 states that authentic interpretation of the word of God is entrusted to the living Magisterium of the Church, namely the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, or CCC, is an official exposition of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, first published in French in 1992 with the authorization of Pope John Paul II.[1] To correspond exactly with the official text in Latin,[2] which appeared in 1997, five...

Social teaching

Main article: Catholic social teaching Catholic Social Teaching encompasses the teaching of the Catholic Church on all matters dealing with the collective aspect of humanity. ...

The Church holds that the teachings of Jesus call on its members to act in a particular way in their dealings with the rest of humanity. Among these teachings, as they have been elaborated in recent decades by Catholic thinkers, Bishops' statements and Papal encyclicals, are that every person has a right to life and to a decent minimum standard of living, that humanity's use of God's creation implies a responsibility to protect the environment, and that the range of circumstances under which military force is permissible is extremely limited. The neutrality and accuracy of this article are disputed. ... In the ancient Church, an encyclical was a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area. ... The term right to life is a political term used in controversies over various issues that involve the taking of a life (or what is perceived to be a life). ...

Particular Churches within the single Roman Catholic Church

Unlike "families" or "communions" of Churches that see themselves as distinct Churches, the Church of those who are in full communion with the Pope considers itself a single Church, not a federation of Churches. It has authoritatively expressed this self-understanding in, for instance, the 28 May 1992 Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on some aspects of the Church understood as communion, 9.[4]  (http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_28051992_communionis-notio_en.html) In Roman Catholic theology and canon law, a particular Church is any of the individual constituent ecclesial communities in full communion with the Church of Rome. ...

Accordingly, it has never adopted the usage of those who apply the term "Roman Catholic" to the Latin or Western Church alone, to the exclusion of the Eastern Churches that also are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome. When it employs the term "Roman Catholic Church", which it rarely does except in its relations with other Churches, it means the whole Church "governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him", wherever they live and whether they are of Eastern or Western tradition, since this Church has Rome as its centre. The only other meaning it would give to "Roman Catholic" is "a Catholic who lives in Rome", as a Catholic who lives in Warsaw could be called a Warsaw Catholic.

On the other hand, the Roman Catholic Church attaches great importance to the particular Churches within it, whose theological significance the Second Vatican Council highlighted. Two categories of particular Churches are distinguished. In Roman Catholic theology and canon law, a particular Church is any of the individual constituent ecclesial communities in full communion with the Church of Rome. ...

Particular Churches or rites

The higher level of particular Churches is that of what the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Catholic Eastern Churches Orientalium Ecclesiarum, 2 [5] (http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19641121_orientalium-ecclesiarum_en.html) calls "particular Churches or rites". The long-established use of the term "rite" for these particular Churches is due to the central place that the Eucharist holds in the Roman Catholic Church, making each particular Church's liturgy its most noted distinguishing mark.

However, the word "rite" is used not only of particular Churches but also of liturgical rites. Examples are the Ambrosian rite, the Mozarabic rite and the Roman rite, different liturgical rites used within the one Latin particular Church or Latin rite (singular). And terms such as "Byzantine rite" may refer to a liturgical rite used by more than one particular Church. To avoid the ambiguity to be found in the terms "particular Church" and "rite", the 1983 Code of Canon Law adopted instead the term "autonomous ritual Church" (in Latin, "Ecclesia ritualis sui iuris") for the same reality; and the 1990 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches shortened this to "autonomous Church" (in Latin, "Ecclesia sui iuris"). Ambrosian Rite (also sometimes called the Milanese rite) named after Saint Ambrose, bishop of Milan in the fourth century, is a Catholic rite practised by approximately five million inhabitants in north-western Lombardy, Italy (with the only exclusion of the city of Monza) and part of Canton Ticino, Switzerland, and... The Mozarabic rite is a form of Catholic worship within the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. ... 1983 is an integer and composite number that represents a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1990 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The autonomy of each such Church, Eastern or Western, shows in its distinctive liturgy, canon law, theological tradition etc. The Latin or Western particular Church is governed by the Code of Canon Law, while the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches outlines the discipline that the Eastern particular Churches have in common.

The official yearly Vatican directory, Annuario Pontificio (Libreria Editrice Vaticana), gives the following list of rites (in the sense of particular Churches) within the Roman Catholic Church:

A. Eastern rites of Alexandrian tradition: Coptic, Ethiopic (2).

B. Eastern rites of Antiochian tradition: Malankara, Maronite, Syrian (3).

C. Eastern rite of Armenian tradition: Armenian Church (1).

D. Eastern rites of Chaldaean or East-Syrian tradition: Chaldean, Malabar (2).

E. Eastern rites of Constantinopolitan or Byzantine tradition: Albanian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Greek, Greek-Melkite, Hungarian, Italo-Albanian, Romanian, Russian, Ruthenian, Slovak, Ukrainian (12).

F. Latin rite (1).

The Coptic Catholic Church is an Alexandrian Rite church sui juris of the Catholic Communion. ... This article or section should be merged with Malankara catholic church The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church is an Indian branch of the Eastern Rite Syrian Catholic Church in communion with the Holy See,which on February 10, 2005 erected its primatial see of Trivandrum into a Major Archeparchy,elevating the... Maronites (Marunoye ܡܪܘܢܝܶܐ in Syriac, Mawarinah in Arabic) are members of one of the Eastern Rites of the Catholic church. ... After the Armenian Apostolic Church, along with the rest of Oriental Orthodoxy formally broke off communion from the Chalcedonian churches, numerous Armenian bishops made attempts to restore communion with the Catholic Church. ... Some factual claims in this article need to be verified. ... The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is an Eastern Rite church in communion with the Papacy. ... The Ruthenian Catholic Church is a sui iuris Catholic Church of the Byzantine Eastern Rite. ... Latin Rite, in the singular, usually refers to the sui juris particular Church of the Roman Catholic Church that developed, with its own rituals, customs and canon law, in the area of western Europe and northern Africa where Latin was for many centuries the language of education and culture. ...

Particular or local Churches

In Catholic teaching, each diocese too is a local or particular Church: "A diocese is a section of the People of God entrusted to a bishop to be guided by him with the assistance of his clergy so that, loyal to its pastor and formed by him into one community in the Holy Spirit through the Gospel and the Eucharist, it constitutes one particular church in which the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church of Christ is truly present and active" (Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church Christus Dominus, 11[6]  (http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651028_christus-dominus_en.html)).

Theological significance

The particular Churches within the Roman Catholic Church, whether rites or dioceses, are seen as not simply branches or sections of a larger body. Theologically, each is considered to be the embodiment in a particular place of the whole Roman Catholic Church. "It is in these and formed out of them that the one and unique Catholic Church exists" (Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Decree on the Church Lumen Gentium, 23.[7]  (http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html)).

Organization

The Pope

Pope Benedict XVI, the current Pope, elected on April 19, 2005 .

What most obviously distinguishes the Roman Catholic Church from others is the link between its members and the Pope. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 882, quoting the Second Vatican Council’s document Lumen Gentium, states: "The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter’s successor, ‘is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful.’"[8] (http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p123a9p4.htm#I) Pope Benedict XVI assumes the throne for the first time upon election on April 19, 2005. ... Pope Benedict XVI assumes the throne for the first time upon election on April 19, 2005. ... His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI (Latin: ) was born Joseph Alois Ratzinger on April 16, 1927 in Bavaria, Germany. ... April 19 is the 109th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (110th in leap years). ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Catechism of the Catholic Church, or CCC, is an official exposition of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, first published in French in 1992 with the authorization of Pope John Paul II.[1] To correspond exactly with the official text in Latin,[2] which appeared in 1997, five...

In certain circumstances, this papal primacy, which is referred to also as the Pope's Petrine authority or function, involves papal infallibility, i.e. the definitive character of the teaching on matters of faith and morals that he propounds solemnly as visible head of the Church. In any normal circumstances, exercise of this authority will involve previous consultation of all Catholic bishops. In Catholic theology, papal infallibility is the dogma that the Pope, when he solemnly defines a matter of faith and morals ex cathedra (that is, officially and as pastor of the universal Church), is always correct, and thus does not have the possibility of error. ... In Roman Catholicism, a dogmatic definition is an infallible statement published by a pope or an ecumenical council concerning a matter of faith or morals, the belief in which the Catholic Church requires of all Christians (but Christians who are not Catholics do not recognize the Catholic Churchs authority...

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 891 says: "’The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful – who confirms his brethren in the faith – he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals... The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter’s successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium,’ above all in an Ecumenical Council."[9] (http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p123a9p4.htm#I) Categories: Catholic Theology and Doctrine ... In Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, an ecumenical council is a meeting of the bishops of the whole church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice. ...

These are two ways, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 890 states, in which the pastors of the Church exercise the charism of infallibility with which Christ has endowed them for the purpose of guarding from deviation and decay the authentic faith of the definitive covenant that God has established in Christ with his people. In other words, they are two ways of ensuring that "the gates of Hell will not prevail" (Matthew 16:18) against the Church.

The Pope lives in Vatican City, set up in 1929 as a minute, but symbolically important, independent state within the city of Rome. The body of officials that assist him in governance of the Church as a whole is known as the Roman curia. The term "Holy See" (i.e. of Rome) is generally used only of Pope and curia, because the Code of Canon Law, which concerns governance of the Latin Church as a whole and not internal affairs of the see (diocese) of Rome itself, necessarily uses the term in this technical sense. 1929 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Roman Curia is the complex of the organs and the authorities that constitute the administrative apparatus of the Holy See, coordinating and providing the necessary organisation for the correct functioning of the Roman Catholic Church and the achievement of its goals. ... Latin Rite, in the singular, usually refers to the sui juris particular Church of the Roman Catholic Church that developed, with its own rituals, customs and canon law, in the area of western Europe and northern Africa where Latin was for many centuries the language of education and culture. ...

The present rules governing the election of a pope are found in the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis. [10] (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_22021996_universi-dominici-gregis_en.html) This deals with the powers, from the death of a pope to the announcement of his successor’s election, of the cardinals and the departments of the Roman curia; with the funeral arrangements for the dead pope; and with the place, time and manner of voting of the meeting of the cardinal electors, a meeting known as a conclave. This word is derived from Latin com- (together) and clavis (key) and refers to the locking away of the participants from outside influences, a measure that was introduced first as a means instead of forcing them to reach a decision. The Sistine Chapel is the location of the conclave. ...

A pope is given the option to resign. (The term "abdicate" is not usually used of popes.) There have been several cases, but the two best known are those of Pope Celestine V in 1294 (who, though the poet Dante Alighieri pictured him condemned to hell for this action, was canonized in 1313) and Pope Gregory XII, who resigned in 1415 to help end the Great Western Schism. Celestine V, né Pietro di Morrone (1215 - May 19, 1296) was pope in the year 1294. ... Dante in a fresco series of famous men by Andrea del Castagno, ca. ... Events Siege of Rostock ends Births Aradia de Toscano, female messianic figure in Italian Witchcraft (Stregheria). ... Gregory XII, né Angelo Coraria (Venice 1326 - October 18, 1417), pope from 1406 to 1415, succeeded Innocent VII on November 30, 1406, having been chosen at Rome by a conclave consisting of only fifteen cardinals, under the express condition that, should Benedict XIII, the rival pope at Avignon, renounce all... Events Friedrich I Hohenzollern (b. ... The Western Schism or Papal Schism was a split within the Catholic Church in 1378. ...

The Cardinals

Cardinals are appointed by the pope, generally from the ranks of his assistants in the curia and bishops of important sees, Latin or Eastern, throughout the world. A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official in the Roman Catholic Church, ranking just below the Pope and appointed by him as a member of the College of Cardinals, during a consistory. ...

In 1059, the right of electing the Pope was assigned exclusively to the principal clergy of Rome and the bishops of the seven "suburbicarian" sees. Because of their resulting importance, the term "cardinal" (from Latin "cardo", meaning "hinge") was applied to them. In the twelfth century the practice of appointing ecclesiastics from outside Rome as cardinals began. Each cardinal is still assigned a church in Rome as his "titular church" or is linked with one of the suburbicarian dioceses. Of these sees, the Dean of the College of Cardinals holds that of Ostia while keeping his preceding link with one of the other six sees. Traditionally, there have thus been only six cardinals who hold the rank of Cardinal Bishop, but when Eastern rite patriarchs are made cardinals, they too hold the rank of Cardinal Bishop, without being assigned a suburbicarian see, still less a church in Rome. The other cardinals have the rank either of Cardinal Priest or Cardinal Deacon. The six suburbicarian dioceses are Roman Catholic dioceses located in the suburbs that surround Rome. ... The Dean of the College of Cardinals is the president of the College of Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church and as such is always a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church of the episcopal order. ... Cardinal Bishops, or Cardinals of the Episcopal Order, are among the most important persons in the Roman Catholic Church. ... The term Eastern Rites may refer to the liturgical rites used by many ancient Christian Churches of Eastern Europe and the Middle East that, while being part of the Roman Catholic Church, are distinct from the Latin Rite or Western Church. ... Originally a patriarch is a man who exercises autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. ... Cardinal Priests are the most numerous of the three orders of Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church. ... The Cardinal Deacons are the lowest-ranked of the three orders of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church. ...

Only a limited number (which has been set at a maximum of 120) can be admitted to a conclave. The rule has therefore been made that cardinals who have celebrated their eightieth birthday before the pope’s death may not join the conclave. Accordingly, no more than 120 ecclesiastics below the age of eighty may normally be made cardinals, but there may be any number over that age. This has enabled the Pope to confer the cardinalatial dignity on particularly worthy older clergy, such as theologians, or priests who have suffered long imprisonment under dictatorial regimes.

The colour associated with the robes of cardinals is a crimson red, while the red of bishops who are not cardinals (and of Apostolic Protonotaries and Honorary Prelates) is really a Roman purple, and that of the lowest class of monsignors (Chaplains of His Holiness) has a violet hue. Monsignor is an ecclesiastical honorific used by certain priests and bishops of the Roman Catholic Church. ...

The hat and tassels of cardinals’ armorial bearings are red; those of bishops and lesser prelates are green.

The Bishops

Bishops are the successors of the apostles in the governance of the Church. The Pope himself is a bishop and traditionally uses the title "Venerable Brother" when writing formally to another bishop. The typical role of a bishop is to provide pastoral governance for a diocese. Bishops who fulfill this function are known as diocesan ordinaries, because they have what canon law calls ordinary (i.e. not delegated) authority for a diocese. Other bishops may be appointed to assist them (auxiliary and coadjutor bishops) or to carry out a function in a broader field of service to the Church. Even when a bishop retires from his active service, he remains a bishop, since the ontological effect of the sacrament of holy orders is permanent. For other uses, see Bishop (disambiguation). ...

On the other hand, titles such as archbishop or patriarch imply no ontological alteration, but are generally associated with special authority. Some of the Eastern Catholic Churches are headed by a patriarch. (A few bishops in the Latin Church also have the title of patriarch, but in their case the title is merely honorary.) Two Eastern Churches are headed by a major archbishop, a bishop who has practically all the powers of a patriarch, but without the title. Smaller Eastern Churches (consisting however of at least two dioceses or, to use the Eastern term, two eparchies) are headed by a metropolitan. Within the Latin Church too, dioceses are normally grouped together as ecclesiastical provinces, in which the bishop of a particular see has the title of metropolitan archbishop, with some very limited authority for the other dioceses, which are known as suffragan sees. However, almost all the authority of a metropolitan archbishop to intervene in case of necessity with regard to a suffragan see belongs, in the case of the metropolitan see itself, to the senior suffragan bishop. (In some Eastern Churches, the term "metropolitan bishop" corresponds instead to "diocesan ordinary" in the Latin Church; and an Anglican usage of "suffragan" corresponds to Catholic "auxiliary bishop.") The Latin-Church title of primate is now merely honorary. In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated bishop heading a diocese of particular importance due to either its size, history, or both, called an archdiocese. ... Originally a patriarch is a man who exercises autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. ...

Bishops of a country or region form an episcopal conference and meet periodically to discuss common problems. Decisions in certain fields, notably liturgy, fall within the exclusive competence of these conferences. But the decisions are binding on the individual bishops only if agreed to by at least two-thirds of the membership and confirmed by the Holy See.

Other Clergy

Bishops are assisted by priests and deacons. Parishes, whether territorial or person-based, within a diocese are normally in the charge of a priest, known as the parish priest or the pastor. Dioceses too, though normally territorial, may be person-based (as, for instance, a military ordinariate). Roman Catholic priest LCDR Allen R. Kuss (USN) aboard USS Enterprise A priest or priestess is a holy man or woman who takes an officiating role in worship of any religion, with the distinguishing characteristic of offering sacrifices. ... Deacon is a role in the Christian Church which is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. ... A parish is a subdivision of a diocese or bishopric within the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Church of Sweden, and of some other churches. ...

The honorary title of Monsignor may be conferred by the Pope upon a diocesan priest (not a member of a religious institute) at the request of the priest's bishop. The title goes with any of the following three awards: Monsignor is an ecclesiastical honorific used by certain priests and bishops of the Roman Catholic Church. ...

• Chaplain of His Holiness (called Papal Chamberlain until the reform of 31 March 1969 – see Acta Apostolicae Sedis of that year, pages 334-340, or this site (http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/instruction69.htm)), the lowest level, distinguished by purple buttons and trim on the black cassock, with a purple sash.
• Honorary Prelate (until 1969 called Domestic Prelate), the middle level, distinguished by red buttons and trim on the black cassock, with a purple sash, and by choir dress that includes a purple cassock.
• Protonotary Apostolic, the highest level, with the same dress as that of an Honorary Prelate, except that the non-obligatory purple silk cape known as a ferraiuolo may be worn also.

In the Latin Church only celibate men, as a rule, are ordained as priests, while the Eastern Catholic Churches also ordain married men. Both sides maintain the tradition of holding it impossible for a priest to marry. Even a married priest whose wife dies may not then marry. The cassock, also known as a soutane, is a long, sheath-like, close fitting, ankle length robe worn by Christian celebrants of various denominations, including Anglicans and Roman Catholics. ...

To explain this tradition, one theory[11]  (http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cclergy/documents/rc_con_cclergy_doc_01011993_chisto_en.html) holds that, in early practice, married men who became priests – they were often older men, "elders" – were expected to refrain permanently from sexual relations with their wives, perhaps because they, as priests representing Christ, were treated as the Church's spouse. When at a later stage it was clear that not all did refrain, the Western reaction was to ordain only celibates, while the Eastern Churches relaxed the rule, so that Eastern Orthodox Churches now require their married clergy to abstain from sexual relations only for a limited period before celebrating the Eucharist. The Church in Persia, which in the fifth century became separated from the Church described as Orthodox or Catholic, decided at the end of that century to abolish the rule of continence and allow priests to marry, but recognized that it was abrogating an ancient tradition. The Coptic and Ethiopic Churches, whose separation came slightly later, allow deacons (who are ordained when they are boys) to marry, but not priests. The theory in question, if true, helps explain why all the ancient Christian Churches of both East and West, with the one exception mentioned, exclude marriage after priestly ordination, and why all reserve the episcopate (seen as a fuller form of priesthood than the presbyterate) for the celibate.

Since the Second Vatican Council, the Latin Church admits married men of mature age to ordination as deacons, but not if they intend to advance to priestly ordination. Ordination even to the diaconate is an impediment to a later marriage, though special dispensation can be received for remarriage under extenuating circumstances. The Second Vatican Council, or Vatican II, was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church opened under Pope John XXIII in 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI in 1965. ...

The Roman Catholic Church and the other ancient Christian Churches see priestly ordination as a sacrament effecting an ontological change, not as the deputizing of someone to perform a function or as the admission of someone to a profession such as that of medicine or law. They also consider that priestly ordination can be conferred only on males. In the face of continued questioning, Pope John Paul II felt obliged to confirm the exist