World religions: comparative overview and key traditions

Catholicism: A Look at a Different Religion

What is Catholicism? When I first started working on this project, my knowledge of Catholicism was very limited. I believed that Catholicism was a strict and rigid religion. I also thought that most Catholics were conservative, older adults and that attending Mass on a weekly basis was mandatory. After doing some basic research, I realized that my assumptions were simply stereotypes and that there was much more to Catholicism than meets the eye. This paper aims to demystify the religion and explain what Catholicism means in today's day and age.

Catholicism is the oldest and largest single denomination of Christianity (Davidson, et al., 2001). It is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, who is believed to be the Son of God and savior of mankind. While many Catholic beliefs are in line with those of Christianity in general, some aspects are unique to Catholicism. For example, Catholicism is one of the few Christian denominations that claims to be Apostolic, meaning that it originated with the Apostles. This makes it the oldest sector of Christianity, and explains why it is such a tradition-based religion.

The Catholic Church is considered the most rigid hierarchy of all Christianity (Davidson, et al., 2001). Based in the Vatican, the Pope of the Catholic Church controls the religious teachings of the Church. The Pope has absolute control over bishops, deacons, priests, lay people, etc.

However, while many people criticize the Church as being too controlling, this hierarchy makes it one of the most organized religions in the world. Local dioceses are headed by bishops, who in turn manage all the priests and religious officials in their areas.

The Catholic Church is also unique in that it venerates saints, who are honored for being outstanding Catholics (Davidson, et al., 2001). Catholics pray to saints and celebrate various feast days in their honor (such as Saint Patrick's Day). Catholics especially celebrate Mary, who is believed to be the virgin mother of Jesus.

Finally, the Catholic Church is extremely dedicated to helping the poor, distraught, and impoverished (Liguorian, 2000). The Church sends missionaries all over the world to help the poor and spreading the Word of God. The Catholic Church, because of its organized community, is perhaps the most equipped out of all religions to help the poor.

In today's modern society, it seems that Catholics are a little more flexible in their beliefs. For example, more and more Catholics are open to homosexuality and premarital sex, and many do not attend church regularly. However, in visiting Catholic churches and talking to Catholics, it seems that all demonstrate high levels of commitment to the church and say they feel God's presence in their lives, even if they are less attached to the church, and less likely to participate in sacraments and other traditional practices.

The Site

This interview was conducted at Our Lady of the Rosary, which is located on Burrstone Road in Utica, Michigan.

Interview Summary

For this interview, I interviewed Father Felix. The first thing I noticed about Father Felix was his beaming pride when he talked about Our Lady of the Rosary Church. "We have such a great congregation and there are always new faces. People feel really comfortable here and enjoy each other's company. It's easy to lead a congregation that is so warm and full of faith."

According to Father Felix, he has been a priest for many years, yet has not always been convinced that the priesthood was right for him. "There have been many days when I've felt that the priesthood was the wrong choice for me," he says. "But the feeling always passes. When I look at my priesthood as a whole, I'm confident that I'm in the right place. And if I had the chance to do it all again, I'd make the same choice all over again."

Father Felix looks at his priesthood as a front-row ticket to watch people of all ages and backgrounds carry out God's will. He tells stories of how he has personally witnessed people from all walks of life discover God and learn how to love others. "It is incredible to watch someone find God for the first time. Just knowing that I can help others find faith is an incredible gift -- the priesthood gives me this gift."

When I asked Father Felix to describe his favorite part of his priesthood, he hesitated. He explained that he was called on to help others in so many different situations, from weddings to funerals to family feuds, that he could not choose one favorite aspect of his job. However, he did seem to get a special twinkle in his eyes when he talked about his work with children.

Father Felix has always been a strong presence in the life of the school. "The best part of teaching is being with the kids and helping them learn about the importance of being kind to one another. The more children learn, the more they grow. To see learning happen... it's a very gratifying part of my work. I want to teach them that kindness and faith are essential to being happy. In today's day and age, there are so many distractions and unkind forces, it is quite a challenge. But children are very impressionable when they are young, so it is important to try to show them goodness during this early stage of life."

During my interview with Father Felix, I realized that he did not meet my expectation of what I thought a priest should be like. I expected to meet a stern and strict man who spoke non-stop about God and Catholicism. However, Father Felix was a friendly and funny man who instantly put me at ease. I was moved to tell him this and he laughed. "So many people expect that a priest has to act a certain way," he said. "The best thing we bring to the priesthood is our individual personalities, and I don't think you'll find that any two are alike."

From my conversation with Father Felix, I learned the following about Catholics as a whole:

Catholics participate in activities of social justice, support positive events and charities, and prepare their children to be responsible members of the community. They do all this in the name of Jesus Christ.

Catholics are the largest single denomination among religions in the United States.

They share basic beliefs and practices that united them with other Catholics throughout the world.

Some of their beliefs can be found in other Christian religions but many are distinctively Catholic.

Finally, I asked Father Felix to tell me about Catholicism and what it means to him. He told me that became Catholic because Catholicism is a community with a deep and rich sense of tradition. He simply loves being a part of something that has been so strong and passionate for so many years. "No matter where I travel, I meet Catholics. They all speak different languages and come from different places, but they share a single religion. I am part of an incredible community that has no boundaries, and that is an incredible feeling."

Father Felix was the perfect priest to interview, as he broke down many of the stereotypes I had of Catholics. Rather than stern lecturers, many priests are just regular men who made a choice to dedicate their lives to carrying out God's will. Father Felix plays sports, likes comedy movies, and feels insecure from time to time. He is just like any other man -- only he has a special mission in life that revolves around his religion. From Father Felix, I learned that I should not judge a book by its cover.

Catholicism and Judaism

Because Christianity emerged from Judaism, there are many similarities. Of the major world religions, Catholicism and Judaism are the most similar (Kreeft, 1987). Catholics and Jews both believe in one God who is almighty and infinite. Both religions believe in one God who is holy, righteous, and just, as well as loving, forgiving, and merciful. Catholicism and Judaism share the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament) as the authoritative Word of God, although Catholicism includes the New Testament as well.

However, there are several key differences between Judaism and Catholicism (Kreeft, 1987). Judaism insists on a notion of monotheism, the idea that there is one God. Jews do not believe that God can be made up of many parts, as in Catholism (where God is a Holy Trinity made up of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit).

Furthermore, Jews believe that God is the creator of all that is good and all that is bad (Kreeft, 1987). In Judaism, there is no evil force that can create equal to God's. Judaism perceives the Holy Trinity as a weakening of the idea of God's oneness. Judaism also lacks a clear sense of Heaven and Hell, with different places in Hell for different punishments. The idea is that God uses the afterlife to provide ultimate justice and for the wicked to find final redemption.

While Catholics view Jesus as being a part of God, Jews see Jesus as a human who was wonderful teacher and storyteller, not the son of God (Kreeft, 1987). In the eyes of Jews, Jesus does not have the power to save souls; only God can. For Catholics, Jesus is the Son of God who rose from the dead and saved humankind. Jews do not share this belief.

Catholics also believe that Jesus absorbed the sins of the people. For them, Jesus replaced Jewish law and erased the sins of their ancestors. For Jews, the commandments and Jewish law are still binding.