The Catholic Church Considers the Disciple Peter Their Very First Pope.

The History of The Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church considers Jesus' disciple Peter to have been their first Pope, so the founding of the church dates back to that time frame, around 66AD.
That historical factor accounts for the emergence of Rome Catholicism from the catholic Christianity of the early church.

When Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity in 312, Christianity moved from an illegal persecuted religion to a dominant and growing position in the Roman Empire. Constantine is known for being the first Christian Emperor.

The next seven hundred years there was church growth, along with much religious conflict and many disputes. Eventually a division was inevitable, the formal schism came in 1054, between the Eastern and Western wings of the church. The result was two separate groups that we know today as the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.

Bible and Rosary The Catholic Church believes that the Scriptures teach without error the truth needed for our salvation. That Scripture must be interpreted within the Tradition of the Church. The canon includes 46 books in the Old Testament including deuterocanonical books (the Apocrypha) and 27 books in the New Testament.

Some of the most important characteristics of the Roman Catholic faith are:

• Acknowledgment of and participation in particular sacraments: baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, penance, the anointing of the sick, marriage, and holy orders for those entering the clergy.
• Acceptance of the Church as the repository of complete, divine revelation.
• Acknowledgment of the spiritual authority of the pope and the bishop of the Church as coming directly from Christ, who assigned earthly dominion over spiritual matters to the Apostles (apostolic succession). One of these Apostles was Peter, regarded as the first bishop of Rome.
• Acceptance of the human soul's immortal status, with each person accountable for his or her actions and choices.
• Belief that God exists in an objective sense, and is understood as triune in nature.
• Celebration of the grace of God as poured forth in the hearts of believers, who are so changed as to become the children of God.
• Celebration of the message of Christ as both a belief and a way of life. Some Traditional Catholic Beliefs...

Roman Catholics hold special honor for the Virgin Mary. This honor pertains to her role as mother of the savior of all mankind. They believe that because of the redemption brought by Jesus, Mary was preserved from the stain of sin. This view of Mary is known as the Immaculate Conception. They also teach that after her earthly life, Mary was assumed, body and soul, into heaven, which is known as the doctrine of the Assumption. As the mother of Jesus the Catholic Church calls her the Mother of the Church and is considered an object of devotion and veneration.

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