Introduction

Many Catholics the world over have been bombarded with questions about their faith by other religious groups and sects. Many Catholics either have not been privileged to be exposed to the authentic teachings of the Church, or simple never made the effort to find out.  This topic is meant to clear up all the misconceptions that Catholics as well as people of other beliefs, have about the Catholic Church, her teachings and her authenticity.  There is a misconception that all of the Church's teachings and practices must be found in the Bible.  This topic will show that the Catholic Church existed for several hundred years before the Bible was printed. 

The origin of the Catholic Church

After creation, sin took over the world - the story of Adam and Eve - and God decided that he would start over; that he would bring man back to himself.  God choose Abraham, a Jew, as the starting point and said to him, "From you, I will start a new people. 

Now the climax of the Jewish people was the coming of the Messiah, our lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  In John's gospel Chapter 4 verse22, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman, "salvation comes from the Jews."

After Jesus' work on earth was done and before he ascended into Heaven, he left a group of men - his disciples - behind.  The Greek word for group in the ecclesia, which comes from the word ecclesiastics, which means church.

In Matthew 28: 16-20, we see Jesus on ascension morning commissioning his disciples to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations; baptise them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I give you."  Jesus assured them by saying, "And know that I am with you always; yes to the end of time."  That was a promise that Jesus made to his group - the Church - which he left.

In John 10: 16, Jesus says, "There are many other sheep I have that are not of this fold, and these I have to lead as well.  They too will listen to my voice and there will be one flock and one shepherd."  Note the oneness of which Jesus speaks.  He desires that there should be only one group.

The group of men that Jesus left were not left alone.  Jesus left his Holy Spirit to be with them and to teach them.  John 14: 25-26 says, "I have said these things to you while still with you; but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all I have said to you."

John 16: 12-13 says, "I still have many things to say to but they would be too much for you now.  But when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself but will say only what h has learnt; and he will tell you of things to come."  This is the same Holy Spirit that Jesus said will be with his group until the end of time. So to summarize so far, we have:

1. Mankind fell from grace with God (The story of Adam and Eve)

2. God started over with the Jews (Abraham)

3. The climax of the Jewish people was the coming of the Messiah - Jesus Christ

4. Jesus left a group - ecclesia, from the word ecclesiastics, which means Church

5. Jesus left his Holy Spirit to be with that group until that group - the Church - always, and further promised them that he will be with them until the end of time.

The only group that can trace itself all the way back to the original group that Jesus left is the Catholic Church and that is a historical fact.  The Catholic Church can trace from Her present Pope all the way back to Her very first leader, Peter.

This Church that Jesus left was a distinct reality in the time of the first apostles.  St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15: 9, "I am the least of the apostles; in fact, since I persecuted the Church of God, I hardly deserve to be called apostle."  

1 Corinthians 15: 3 says, "Well then, in the first place, I taught you what I had been taught myself, namely that Jesus died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures;"  St. Paul says here that he teaches what he was taught.  This is how the faith of the Church was handed down and lived by the early Christians since there was no 'formal documentation' on her teachings.

1 Corinthians 15: 11 says, "but what matter is that I preach what they preach, and this is what you all believed."  St. Paul underscores the importance of the Church teaching one doctrine.

Whenever the Church had a problem, it would always call a council to discuss the problem and then decide the way forward under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus left with the Church.  An example of this, the first such council, can be seen in Acts 15: 1-29.  Here the early Church had a problem where "some men came down from Judaea, and taught the brothers 'unless you have yourself circumcised in the tradition as Moses, you cannot be saved'."  This posed a problem to the Church at Antioch because it was not what they were taught.  It is important to note the tone of the letter that the Church wrote to the people (Acts 15: 22-29).  Verse 24 says that 'they acted without authority from us'; and verse 28 goes on to say, "It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and ourselves not to saddle you with any burdens beyond these essentials."  So from the very beginning, the Church was speaking with absolute authority because she had the Holy Spirit.

The letter that the early Church wrote is important because:

1. She speaks with absolute authority

2. Some people have no authority because they were not sent by the Church.  Another example of this can be seen in Romans 10: 13-15.

3. The Church's authority is based on the Holy Spirit

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