They believe that God exists in a trinity, made up of Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. They believe Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. There is an emphasis upon the sacraments (communion, etc.) to unite the believer with Jesus as the Savior (ibid). Abortion is against Church doctrine and it is very pro-family. Groups such as the Franciscans work with the poor. Catholic Charities is one of the largest social welfare groups in the country (ibid).

While there are groups within the Roman Catholic Church, they all recognize the Pope as the leader of the Church that is the successor to the Apostle Peter, the "rock" upon whom Jesus founded his movement (Matthew 16:18). The group sees itself as the original Church, dating back to the time of Jesus (ibid).

The Church is organized into bishops who head up geographical entities called dioceses, priests, deacons and the laity. The membership is diverse made up...

Member contributions finance the churches operations. Parochial schools have on occasion received government assistance, but these programs are controversial (ibid).
In conclusion, the group has long-term perseverance. While the sex scandals within the Church have had a deep impact, the institution has seen such problems before and has lasted. It is this author's conclusion that they will continue on into the future. The Church's strength is its institutionalized nature, its worldwide reach and its timeless mission to provide a universal framework for the Christian world and to promote unity in its adherents around the world.

Works Cited

Matthews, Warren. World Religions. 4th ed. New York, NY: Thomson Learning, 2004.

"Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana." California Missions Online. Mission San

Fernando Rey de Espana, n.d. Web. 12 Dec 2010.