1. Chapter 1 Beliefs, Practices, and Attitudes
Being Catholic
Chapter 1
Beliefs, Practices, and Attitudes

3. Beliefs (things we believe)
Created for union with God
Original sin – lost holiness – separated from God
God sent Jesus as savior
Jesus – both fully God and fully man
Thru Jesus’ Resurrection – offered salvation
Holy Spirit is one with the Father and Son
Catholic Church – one, holy, catholic, apostolic
God’s revealed truth – Scriptures and Tradition
Eternal life after death

5. Practices (things we do)
Seven sacraments form basis of Catholic worship
Keep the Sabbath holy
Follow the liturgical year
Faithful to the Ten Commandments & Beatitudes
Defend the dignity of the human person
Live out our Catholic social teachings
Honor Blessed Mother and communion of saints
Celebrate the sacrament of Penance & Reconciliation

7. Attitudes (how we feel)
God is present to, in, and through Creation
Creation is sacred
Human person is essentially good
Appreciate both faith and reason, religion and science
Emphasize community life, communal worship
Respect the diversity of cultures in the world
Committed to proclaiming Jesus’ message

8. Sidebars Over 1 billion Catholics in the world
More Catholics than any other Christian denomination
More Catholics than Jews, Hindus, Buddists – only Muslims have more members
Catholicism has universal appeal
Ecumenical Council – a gathering of all Catholic bishops, convened by the Pope and under his guidance and authority (last- Vatican II)

9. Mary, the First Disciple
Mary – the mother of Jesus Christ
We honor her as the Mother of God, but do not worship her or pray to her as God – we ask her to bring our needs to Jesus
Born without Original Sin (only her and Jesus)
At death we believe she was taken directly to heaven
She was Jesus’ first follower – first disciple