Churches that consider themselves to be truly Catholic share certain essential distinctives:
Direct and continuous organisational descent from the original church founded by Jesus (see e.g. Matthew 16:18).
Possession of the "threefold ordained ministry" of Bishops, Priests and Deacons.
All ministers are ordained by, and subject to, Bishops, who pass down sacramental authority by the "laying-on of hands", having themselves been ordained in a direct line of succession from the Apostles (see Apostolic Succession).
Their belief that the Church, not any one book, is the vessel and deposit of the fullness of the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. This teaching is preserved in both written scripture and in written and oral church tradition. Neither is independent of the other.
A belief in the necessity of sacraments (although not necessarily seven in number).
The use of images, candles, vestments and music in worship.
The making of the Sign of the Cross in a variety of contexts.
Belief in the real physical transformation of the bread and wine of the eucharist into Jesus's body and blood.
Veneration of the Virgin Mary and the saints.
A distinction among latria, hyperdulia, and dulia in types of worship and prayer.
The usefulness of prayer on behalf of the departed.
Salvation through faith lived out through good works, rather than by faith alone.
In Western Christianity the principal faiths which regard themselves as "Catholic", but are not in full communion with the Pope, are the Ancient Catholic Church, Old Catholic Church, Liberal Catholic Church the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, and some elements of Anglicanism ("High Church Anglicans" or "Anglo-Catholics"). These groups hold beliefs and practice religious rituals similar to Roman Catholicism, but differ from Roman Catholicism on the issue of the Pope's status and authority.
The several churches of Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy consider themselves to be the Catholic church as in being the "universal" Church. The Orthodox churches generally see the Latin "Catholics" as being schismatics (and possibly heretics) who left the "true catholic and apostolic church" at the time of the Great Schism. The Patriarchs (and some of the Archbishops and Metropolitans) of Eastern Orthodoxy are autocephalous hierarchs, which roughly means that each of them is independent of the direct oversight of another bishop (although still subject to their synod of bishops as a whole). They are not in communion with the Pope and do not recognise his claim to be the monarchial head of the universal Church, although they are willing to concede a primacy of honour. There are also Eastern Rite Catholics whose liturgy is similar to that of the Orthodox, allow married men to be ordained as priests, and have their own Patriarchs as heads of their churches, but who recognize the Roman Patriarch as the head of the whole church (see Rites and "sui juris" Churches below).
Some groups call themselves Catholic but are questionably so: for instance the Liberal Catholic Church, which originated as a breakaway group from the Old Catholic Church, but incorporated so much theosophy that it ceased to have much doctrinally in common with Catholicism.
Roman Catholicism
The principal and largest Catholic religious body is the "Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church", often known as the "Roman Catholic Church". It is so named because its adherents are all in communion with the Pope and Bishop of Rome, and most parishes follow the Roman or Latin Rite in worship, although there are Eastern Rites and other western rites, such as the Ambrosian rite in the diocese of Milan. More information can be found at Roman Catholic Church
Anglo-Catholicism
The Anglican Communion, though one church, is in practice divided into two wings, "High Church Anglicans" also called the Anglo-Catholics and "Low Church Anglicans" also known as the Evangelical wing. Though all elements within the Anglican Communion recite the same creeds, Low Church Anglicans treat the word Catholic in the creed as a mere older word for universal, High Church Anglicans treat it as a name of Christ's church to which they, the Roman Catholic Church and others maintaining Apostolic Succession all belong.
Anglo-Catholicism holds beliefs and practices religious rituals that are very similar to Roman Catholicism. The similar elements include a belief in seven sacraments, Transubstantiation as opposed to Consubstantiation, devotion to the Virgin Mary and saints, the description of their ordained clergy as "priests" - addressed as "Father" - the wearing of vestments in church liturgy, sometimes even the description of their Eucharistic celebrations as Mass. Their main source of difference with Roman Catholicism on the issue of the Bishop of Rome's status, power and influence. The development of the Anglo-Catholic wing of Anglicanism occurred largely in the nineteenth century and is strongly associated with the Oxford Movement. Two of its leading lights, John Henry Newman and Henry Edward Manning, both ordained Anglican clergymen, ended up joining the Roman Catholic Church, becoming cardinals.
History and influence
The early Christian church came to be organized under five patriarchs, the bishops of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople and Rome. The Bishop of Rome was recognized by all the Patriarchs as "the first among equals," with doctrinal or procedural disputes often referred to Rome for an opinion. When the Imperial capital moved to Constantinople, papal influence was often challenged. While Rome claimed an authority descending from St. Peter (who died in Rome and was regarded as the first pope1) and St. Paul, Constantinople had become the residence of the Emperor and the Senate. A series of complex doctrinal disputes, along with the evolution of separate rites and practices led to a split in 1054 which divided the Catholic Church in the West from the Eastern Orthodox Church in the East. (Greece, Russia and much of the Slavic lands, Anatolia, Syria and Egypt fell into the eastern camp. This division is called the Great Schism.
The next major split from the Catholic Church occurred in the 16th century with the Protestant Reformation, during which many of the Protestant (protesting) denominations were formed.
1 -[Catholicism]
2 -[Catholicism : Origin and History]
3 -[Catholicism : Sacraments]
4 -[Catholicism : Rites and churches]
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