Our Catholic faith comprises what we believe and how we live that belief. For 2,000 years, this Catholic faith has been handed down from one generation to next, starting with Jesus Christ passing the faith to the Twelve Apostles. In our own lives, we may receive that faith from our parents, from friends, or even a stranger we meet.

Living as a Catholic includes many wonderful beliefs, practices, and devotions; too many to catalog here. But we hope to provide you with a brief overview of what we believe and how we live that belief.

We hope this resource will be valuable to both interested non-Catholics as well as to those already Catholic who might be looking to deepen the practice of their faith.

If you want to know more about discovering our Catholic faith as a newcomer to the Church or re-discovering the Catholic faith you received at baptism, you may want to start by exploring our Newcomers section.

To learn about what we believe as Catholics, you will want to start with What Do Catholics Believe? But if you want to learn more specifically about the seven sacraments, visit the Sacraments area of our site

What is the Catholic Church

The Catholic Church was founded by the person and mission of Jesus Christ. The word “Catholic” means universal. Today’s Church is truly universal – it is the largest in the world with more than 1 billion members around the globe.

The mission of the Church is to spread the gospel message, administer sacraments, and reach out with charity and justice to people in need. The Church is led by the Pope, who is the successor of the Apostle Peter, and the Bishops, who are also in the line of apostolic succession.

We recite our Catholic beliefs in the Nicene Creed each Sunday at Mass.

The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father,
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and Son is adored and glorified
who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the body life everlasting