(idea) by bookw56 Sun Jun 08 2003 at 18:23:15

The Exhaustive List of Catholic Related Nodes on E2

Catholicism is the oldest and largest single denomination of the Christian religion. It is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, believed by Catholics to be the Son of God. While most Catholic dogma and tradition can be covered under a larger Christian setting, there are some aspects of it unique to itself.

First off, Catholicism is one of the few Christian denominations that claims to be Apostolic, or a direct descendent of the original Apostles. The Church has this claim to fame through Peter, the "leader" of the Apostles after Jesus's crucifixion and founder of the Catholic Church. As the original church created by the Apostles, it also is the oldest sect (there is some debate about this with the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Armenian Church, who also claim Apostolic descent through Peter, but I won't go detail about that).

The Catholic Church also has the most rigid hierarchy of all Christianity. Based in the Vatican, the Pope of the Catholic Church (the word is related to the Latin word for "father") has total and complete control over the religious teaching of the Church. He sets out policy for everyone from bishops to deacons, at least in theory. The Church's hierarchal tendencies also make it one of the most organized of all the Christian denominations and one of the most organized religions in general. Local areas of control, or dioceses, are headed by a bishop, a hand-picked Church official ordained by the Pope himself as the head of the Church in his area. The bishop manages hundreds of priests and other religious officials under him, from pastors (or heads of individual church "parishes") to deacons.

The Catholic Church is also unique in its veneration of saints, or people believed to have been especially holy during the course of their lives. While some other sects, notably the Eastern Orthodox Churches, venerate saints, they do not approach the degree of honor afforded them by their Catholic brethren. Catholics ask them to intercede on their behalf to God and celebrate various feast days in their honor, with St Patrick's Day and St. Joseph's Day serving as two prominent examples. Catholics especially revere Mary, the mother of Jesus, as Mother of the Church. She is also the patron saint of the United States.

Finally, the Catholic Church is also one of the denominations most focused on helping the poor, war-torn, and impoverished. The Church sends missionaries all over the world bringing aid to the poor and spreading the Gospel, or "Good News" of Jesus. In addition, the Church controls several relief organization such as Catholic Charities, the largest non-profit aid organization in the world. The Church, because of its tight-knit organization, is perhaps the most equipped out of all the churches to proselytize and minister to the needy.

Below are some important nodes found on E2 about Catholicism and important Catholic teachings, organization, discussion, etc. If you find any other nodes or you write one yourself, please /msg me so I can add it!

Catholic Hierarchy and Organization

Important Ecumenical Councils (in chronological order)

Catholic Music and Sacred Composers

Saints

The Pope

Important Events in Church History (arranged chronologically; note, all entries with a "*" are based on Church dogma and are not strictly historical)

Catholic Dogma, Beliefs, and Rituals

Amusing Miscellania

Church Feast-Days and Holy Days

(note: there are several saints' feast days for every calendar day of the year, I have just chosen the three that are most widely known and have the best food, e.g. svinge)

I like it! 3 C!s