The Catholic Faith

“God, infinietly perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of pure goodness freely created the human race to share his blessed life and is close to us at all times and in all places. God calls and helps each person, all human beings, to seek, know and love him with all their strength. Through his Son, whom he sent in the fullness of time as the Redeemer and Saviour, the Father gathers all people, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. Through Christ and in him, the Father invites them to become his adopted children in the Holy Spirit and so heirs to his blessed life.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n.1)

The Catholic Faith is, simply, the whole Christian faith, held by the Catholic faithful and taught in its fullness by the clergy and bishops of the Catholic Church, united under the supreme authority of the Pope, Successor of St Peter.

Our Catholic Faith is faith in the God who has not left us in the dark but has revealed himself as our Creator; who, out of his love, designed us for a life of love, in this world and in the next. It is a faith in the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus who was God come down from heaven to die on the Cross to save us from sin and to rise from the grave to save us from death. It is a faith in the Church he left us as his visible body on earth, empowered by his Spirit, authorised to teach in his name, with his authority: to invite us to believe the truth of his Gospel, to live the life of his love, and to celebrate the Sacraments of his presence. (Peter Kreeft, Catholic Christianity)

The Nicene Creed accurately and beautifully summarises and defines the Catholic Faith. It was adopted at the first Ecumenical Council in Nicea in 325, and revised at the Council of Constantinople in 381.

I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible:

and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God; begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made; being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made: who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man: and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried: and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures: and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father: and he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spake by the Prophets:

and I believe one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church: I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins: and I look for the Resurrection of the dead: and the Life of the world to come. Amen.

The Church has always summarised the object of faith in her Creeds, [yet] the ultimate object of faith is not Creeds but God. (Peter Kreeft, Catholic Christianity)