Hum 130 Final Paper Rough Draft

Running head: THE CATHOLIC RELIGION

The Catholic Religion
Karen Paterno
Axia of University of Phoenix

The Catholic Religion
The Catholic religion is very different from my Pentecostal religion. I have never really understood this religion until I did some research on it. I found that the word Catholic (katholios from katholu – meaning ‘throughout the whole, universal’) occurs in the Greek classics, e.g., in Aristotle and Polybius, and was freely used by the earlier catholic writers (www.spaceandmotion.com).
In a letter written 110 years ago, was the origins of the Catholic Church. Some words from the letter are as follows:
Where so ever the bishop shall appear, there let the people be, even as where Jesus may be, there is the universal [Katholike] Church (www.spaceandmotion.com).
After reviewing the context there was a difference of opinion as to the precise connotation of the italicized word. The Protestant professor of theology, at Giessen, is ready to interpret the earlier appearance of the phrase in the sense of Mia Mone, the “one and only” Church [Das apostolicshe Symbolum (1900), II, 922] (www.spaceandmotion.com).
The word Catholic was not added to the creed in the Middle West until the fourth century, yet the word “holy Church” was added early on.
In comparison to the Catholic religion, the Lutheran reformation is based on the Bible. The central teaching is through faith in God alone. The Catholic’s believe that the church was founded from the Apostle Peter. Jesus’ famous statement to Peter, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church,” is what lead the Catholic’s to believe this. They believe the authority is passed down from Peter to the bishops of the church. Lutherans do not believe that the Pope has any authority and do not think of him as the divine authority (www.goodshepardscollinsville.org). Both religions do agree that Christ’s blood and body are present in the Lord’s Supper.
In order to get my interview, I called the St Josephs Catholic Church in Mayer, Arizona. It took me a few days to actually get a hold of someone there, yet when I did they were willing to help me. I had many questions for the man that answered the phone. This man’s name was Peter and my interview is as follows:
Do you think that Catholicism is the one true religion? Peter stated that “If you look at the word catholic with a small ‘c’ then it is universal, but if you look at it with a big ‘C’ then it is one of many true churches. I also believe that Jesus Christ being the son of God and savior of man is one thing that should be preached.”
Why do you obey the Pope? He stated that “Jesus made St. Peter the first leader of the Church. St. Peter is made the head of the Church so God wants everyone to follow the leader. God built his foundation on the leader, which would be St. Peter.”
What are the seven sacraments in the catholic religion? Peter informed me that “The sacraments are special occasions for being saved by God. They are baptism, confirmation, confession, matrimony, holy orders, anointing of the sick, and the Holy Communion. Learning about them will help a person follow them more easily.”
Why do you pray to idols (statues)? “We pray to the statues because they are righteous men, women, and saints. If we honor war heroes with monuments and statues to remember them forever, then why shouldn’t we do the same for the saints? The statues are made from the belief of what the saints, angels, and people from the Lords day. They were close to the Lord and this makes me feel close to him also. We have statues outside the church to symbolize our faith in the Lord.”
Are tarot cards against the religion? “Yes, Karen they are not practiced. Tarot cards and occults are not good for a person. They should be thrown away and not used.”
Why do you confess your sins to a priest? “Jesus gave his disciples, which includes priests, the power to “loose and bind” sins. The priest represents Jesus, so if you confess to a priest it is like you are confessing to Jesus. This will help a person get new courage and a fresh start.”
If you were to die tonight, would you go to heaven? “If Catholic’s are faithful and keep Gods commandments then they are assured heaven. I believe that if I dyed tonight I would go to heaven. Catholics believe that purgatory helps us to be cleansed, holy and pure. I do not believe that though. I believe there is either Heaven or Hell. I do not agree with all of the beliefs of the Catholic faith and live my life by the religion as much as I can.”
Do you consider those who are divorced sinners? “There are times when a person cannot control who they fall in love with. At the same time, we cannot help it if we fall out of love either. I do not believe God would want us to be in a loveless, unhappy relationship for the rest of our life. He would want us to be happy because he loves us.”
Why does your religion not let the divorced receive communion? “Since the Church does not approve of it you cannot receive sacrament of the communion. Catholics believe that divorce is a sin and should not happen. The only way to get by this is from an annulment, which must be proved invalid from the beginning.”
Do you believe that children who are not baptized will not go to heaven? Peter replied with a strong answer “Gosh no, I sure do not believe that at all. I have heard many people in the Church talk about this. I know that man is born with original sin against their souls. I guess the Baptism is in a way getting rid of the original sin. Children have no choice in whether or not they are baptized, and I do not believe God holds this against anyone. I also believe that a child is not responsible for their actions until they are 12 years old. At that time they should know the difference between right and wrong. This is when God holds them liable for their actions.”
How do you believe a person gets in to Heaven? “I think that there are two ways to heaven. First I think that a person should live a life according to their moral beliefs and religion. If you break your moral beliefs and standards then you are destined not to heaven. Or you can ask the Lord for forgiveness and salvation. Both of these will get you into Heaven. The Lord is a forgiving Lord and knows what is in our hearts. Live right and you will be fine.”
Are the Catholic beliefs found in the bible? “Our Catholic beliefs are found in the Bible. They may not always be seen as an indirect indication or plain form. Sacred Tradition and authority is important in order to have a Bible today. Books of the Bible had to be determined by the Church and that actually didn’t happen until the fourth century. Stand firm in what you were taught about your religion, either by mouth or text.”
Why do you pray for the dead? “The Bible teaches us about prayers for the dead in 2 Maccabees. We pray in order to make atonement and hope they had forgiveness before dying. Not everybody has time to ask for forgiveness before dying. In this case we like to pray that they did.”
When I asked why they worship Mary, Peter made sure to set me straight. “We do not worship Mary. We venerate her (which is different than worshipping) because she is the Mother of Jesus. This is the honoring of a person and not the worshipping of our Father. Catholics believe that Mary is the highest of God’s creatures because of her exalted role. Yet, even she had to be saved through the Lords mercy.”
Why is talking in church a sin? “Talking in church when not asked to is a sin for several reasons. First, it is the Lord’s house, which Jesus states is the house of prayer and should be used for that purpose. So, this becomes a sin in the justice of God. Secondly, it becomes a sin against others that are trying to pray. Casual conversation can go on elsewhere and is unnecessary. It is even a sin for people admiring paintings and statues to talk any louder than a whisper. Lastly, it is a violation of charity. Disturbing a person, while praying, is a mortal sin against charity.”
When you eat the wafer is it the same as when Pentecostals eat the bread? “It is the same as the bread. The bread and wine symbolize the Lord’s blood and body. This is a way of purifying ourselves without actually eating flesh and blood. If a person takes communion in an unworthy way it is a sign of profaning the blood and body of God. This is a terrible sin.”
I think that Peter was a little shocked when I asked him my last and final question. This question was “are you saved?” His words to this question were, “Yes I do believe that I am saved. I love the Lord and live my life following his laws and ways. I think that all Catholics are in the grace of God. The Lord wants us to follow the Ten Commandments that he has set for us and if we do this, we are sure to meet the Lord in Heaven when we die.”
During the Diet of the Worms, in 1521, Martin Luther was asked to choose between the authority of the Bible and the authority of the Pope. He had this to say:
“I believe neither in the Pope nor councils alone, since it has been established that they have often erred and contradicted themselves, I am bound by the scriptures… My conscience has been taken captive by the Word of God” (www.goodshephardcollinsville.org) I think that the Christians main focus is on the Scriptures. The Catholic Scriptures are only read during liturgy.
In conclusion, I have learned a lot about the Catholic religion. I learned some valuable information about the differences between the Lutheran and Catholic religions. I was able to get some first-hand insight and information from the man I talked to. I have always been confused on the Catholic religion and feel that I now have a better understanding. There are a lot of beliefs that Catholics have which are similar to mine. Although, there is a lot that I do not agree with. One thing that will always be true is that we all believe in doing what is right. We all have the same goal: to go to Heaven when we die. We all believe that we need to treat each other as we want to be treated, with respect. Although we are different, we are all the same. We all want to go to Heaven and rejoice with the Lord. Everyone is going to sin and everyone will be forgiven if we ask to be. I am looking forward to the day when I am reunited with my loved ones and get to walk by Jesus’ side. The Lord loves us all, no matter what!
I made sure to thank Peter for all of his time and information. After going through his interview, one final time, I realized how much he loved and lived his life for the Lord. Instead of thinking badly about the Catholic religion, I will now look at it in a different way. Not every religion is wrong and who am I to say what a person should believe.

References:
Catholicism History/Beliefs of Catholic Religion/The Catholic Church. Retrieved May 24, 2009 from, www.spaceandmotion.com/religion-catholicism-catholicchurch.htm
Similarities and Differences Between The Lutheran and Roman Catholic Churches. Retrieved May 24, 2009 from, www.goodshephardcollinsville.org/Biblestudy/catholic_Lutheran.htm

References: Catholicism History/Beliefs of Catholic Religion/The Catholic Church. Retrieved May 24, 2009 from, www.spaceandmotion.com/religion-catholicism-catholicchurch.htm Similarities and Differences Between The Lutheran and Roman Catholic Churches. Retrieved May 24, 2009 from, www.goodshephardcollinsville.org/Biblestudy/catholic_Lutheran.htm