What we believe

What do Catholic Christians believe?

Catholics share with other Christians in professing the Apostles Creed. What unites Christians is far greater than what divides them. The Apostles Creed is given below with an explanation from a Catholic perspective

For a fuller explanation of the Catholic faith, visit the Vatican website.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

We believe in one supreme God, who is an eternal Spirit, existing as a communion (relationship) of three persons, (FATHER, SON and HOLY SPIRIT - THE TRINITY)
God is the source of all life and love in the universe. God created the universe out of nothing. God made humans in his own "image and likeness." God desires a relationship with all humanity.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

We believe that Jesus of Nazareth is GOD INCARNATE - Jesus is truly God and truly man. He is the eternal, pre- existent Son of the Father, who broke into human history in Palestine 2000 years ago.

He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.

We believe that Christ's conception was supernatural, by the power of the Holy Spirit. and that as the prophets foretold, "A virgin shall conceive" God chose a young, ordinary woman, Mary to be the Mother of his only Son.

We show great honour to Blessed Mary, as the one who cooperated with God's plan of salvation by consenting to become the Mother of God.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.

Jesus was condemned and crucified by the Romans, dying a horrendous and humiliating death on a cross. Christ willingly laid down his life in order to show the depth of God's love and to enact a new covenant relationship, sealed by his blood. Jesus' death takes away the sins of the world.

He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again.

Jesus suffered a human death, and so entered into the mystery of human suffering and death. In Jesus, God experienced the human condition. He can rightly be called "The suffering God."

Jesus death wasn't a defeat. On the first Easter Christ rose from the dead, defeating the power of sin and death. Christ is the "first fruits" of the resurrection, pointing to the hope of everlasting life for all people.

He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.

40 days later Jesus returned to his Father in heaven, where he acts as the "Great High Priest," where he lives to makes intercession.

From there he will come again to judge the living and the dead.

We believe that Christ will return to earth, not as a baby but as the Lord of Life. All humans will face judgement and everlasting life.

I believe in the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He teaches the church, drawing humanity to Christ and so to the Father. He dwells in each believer in baptism and confirmation. He equips us with spiritual gifts to serve Christ in the church and in the world and enables us to grow in holiness.

The holy catholic church.

We believe that Christ founded the Church of all the baptised to continue his mission in the world.

Christ called 12 Apostles, including Peter, their leader to have authority to teach and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Peter as Head of the Apostolic college has a special position of feeding, taking care and teaching Christ's Church.

We believe that the bishops of the Catholic Church are the successors of the Apostles. The Pope is the successor of Peter and continues his ministry and role in the church. We believe that Christ's Church subsists in the Roman Catholic Church and each local church gathers in unity around its bishop.

The communion of saints.

We believe that the church on earth is united with that "great cloud of witnesses," the church in glory, where worship before the throne of God continues for ever. We teach that the saints in glory intercede for the church on earth.

The forgiveness of sins.

We believe that in baptism Christ offers forgiveness of all sins to all people. Baptism makes us members of God's people, his church. The church has been faithful to the tradition of the early Church in giving baptism even to infants

Sins committed after baptism can be forgiven in the sacrament of confession- in which the priest, as Christ's minister declares God's forgives to penitent sinners.

The resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting. Amen.

We believe that after death, the soul faces judgement and all who die in Christ will be purified before being admitted to heaven. Hell remains a possibility for those that finally choose to reject the offer of God's love, revealed in Jesus Christ. At the resurrection of the dead we will receive a new and incorruptible body.

The distinctive Catholic difference.

• Catholics are a sacramental people. We believe that Christ instituted seven sacraments for his church. God uses the ordinary and physical things of this world; bread, wine, water, oil, touch as channels of his grace. These include BAPTISM, CONFIRMATION, EUCHARIST, PENENCE, MARRIGE, ORDINATION, and SACRAMENT OF THE SICK
• We believe that God reveals himself in the written Word of God (the Bible) and in the Tradition of the Church (the oral teachings of Christ and the Apostles not contained in the Bible and the reflection on scripture of successive generations of Christians). Scripture and Tradition are interpreted by the Church's teaching office, exercised by the Pope and Bishops (the magisterium). Authority in the Church is held and exercised by the Pope and the college of Bishops, as successors to the Apostles. The Pope and the Bishops can teach authoritatively and infallibly on issues of faith and morals. This is a service of charity to the WORD OF GOD, which they faithfully serve