The following overview of Catholicism was written by Religion Transcends writer Jackie Walker for the Fall 2008 issue of Relate magazine. Relate’s mission is to inspire teen girls to pursue their dreams with confidence and to teach them to be an example for others in their speech, life, love, faith and purity. Religion overviews may have Christian overtones to make the content relatable for the Christian teen audience.

It’s full of mystery. Saints. Nuns and monks. That sign followers make with their hands before they pray. Yes, it’s full of mystery. Yet in some ways, the Catholic Church is also easy to figure out.

Catholics are Christians and therefore believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and that He rose from the dead so their sins could be forgiven. All other Christian churches are known as Protestant (this includes denominations like Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans, and so on). Unlike Protestant churches, the Catholic Church claims to never have split and today is larger than any Protestant denomination. Following is a quick guide to understanding the Catholic Church.

People

The Pope: The Pope is the person with the most authority in the Catholic Church and is elected to his position. Before Jesus died, he told his disciple Peter to build His Church (the people who would keep the tradition going after his death). Since Peter’s time, the Catholic Church claims to have had a person in his position who speaks with the authority of Christ and guides Catholics throughout the world.

Priests: Priests are in the line of the other disciples of Jesus and must go through a process of education and discipline before they can lead a church. They are given the power of Christ to forgive sins, to preach, and to oversee sacraments (see “Sacraments”). It is tradition that priests do not marry, and women cannot yet become priests.

Monks and Nuns: Monks and nuns are men and women who may live separate from the rest of society or who may remain active in the community (as with monks who run hospitals or nuns who teach in schools). They are religious orders and must follow a strict set of rules, including remaining free from marriage and wearing specific clothing (like the “habit” for nuns).

Mary and Saints: Mary, as you may know, was the mother of Jesus. Catholics do not worship Mary. Rather, they honor her for her purity, her motherhood, and her closeness to Jesus. Similarly, saints are honored for the good lives they led and for miracles associated with them. Catholics may ask Mary or the saints to pray with them or for them, as they are closer to God and may plead with those in need.

Objects

The Bible: The main sacred text used by Catholics is The Bible. The Catholic Bible includes 73 books, while Protestant denominations use a Bible with 66 books. (When the Protestant churches broke away from the Catholic Church in the 16th century, they decided some of those books were of lesser importance and did not need to be included).

Icons: Icons may be pictures, statues, and other objects that show images of Christianity. Catholics do not worship icons, nor do they pray to the icons. Rather, icons are meant to remind people about God and the stories of Jesus.

Holy Water: Holy water can be found in a large font, or bowl, at the entrance of a church or at the front of the church. Catholics may dip their hands in the water as they enter the church to cleanse themselves of sins and impure thoughts before they begin worship. It is also used in blessings and some sacraments (see “Sacraments”).

Practices

Mass: Mass is the name for the Catholic worship service. During mass, Catholics pray, priests give a homily (sermon) and receive the Eucharist (or communion, see “Eucharist”).

Sign of the Cross: Typically before prayer and upon entering a church, Catholics “cross themselves,” or make the motion of tracing a cross in the air. This is called the sign of the cross and, like icons, helps Catholics focus on Jesus and his death on a cross.

Sacraments: Sacraments are rituals or events that mark a step in life. In Catholicism, there are seven: Baptism (becoming a child of God), the Eucharist (see “Eucharist”), Confirmation (at age 12, committing oneself to the church), Marriage, Holy Orders (becoming a priest), Anointing of the Sick (praying for healing or praying before someone’s death), and Penance (confessing sins to a priest and asking for forgiveness).

Eucharist: The Eucharist, also sometimes called Communion, traces its roots to the Last Supper. There, Christ declared that bread and wine were his body and blood and that, after his death, people should celebrate that meal together to remember Him. Catholics believe the bread and wine actually become Christ’s body and blood. When Catholics eat the bread and drink the wine, they become one with Christ and as a Church. As such, it is considered the central ritual in Catholicism.

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