Theology 103 - The Catholic Church

The Four Marks of the Church

In the Nicene Creed, we profess, “We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic
Church”: these are the four marks of the Church. They are inseparable and
intrinsically linked to each other. Our Lord Himself in founding the Church marked
it with these characteristics, which reflect its essential features and mission.
Through the continued guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church fulfills these marks.

First, the Church is one. The Catechism notes that the Church is one for three
reasons: first, because of its source, which is the Holy Trinity, a perfect unity of
three divine persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; second, because of its
founder, Jesus Christ, who came to reconcile all mankind through the blood of the
cross; and third, because of its “soul,” the Holy Spirit, who dwells in the souls of
the faithful, who unites all of the faithful into one communion of believers, and
who guides the Church (#813).

The “oneness” of the Church is also visible. As Catholics, we are united in our
Creed and our other teachings, the celebration of the sacraments, and the
hierarchical structure based on the apostolic succession preserved and handed on
through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. For example, whether one attends Mass in
Alexandria, San Francisco, Moscow, Mexico City, or wherever, the Mass is the
same — the same readings, structure, prayers, and the like except for a difference
in language — celebrated by the faithful who share the same Catholic beliefs, and
offered by a priest who is united to his bishop who is united to the Holy Father, the
pope, the successor of St. Peter.

In our oneness, we do find diversity: The faithful bear witness to many different
vocations and many different gifts, but work together to continue the mission of
our Lord. The various cultures and traditions enrich our Church in their
expressions of one faith. In all, charity must permeate the Church, for it is through
charity that the members are bound together and work together in harmonious
unity.

The Church is also holy. Our Lord Himself is the source of all holiness: “The one
Christ is mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in His body which
is the Church” (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, #14). Christ sanctifies the
Church, and in turn, through Him and with Him, the Church is His agent of
sanctification. Through the ministry of the Church and the power of the Holy
Spirit, our Lord pours forth abundant graces, especially through the sacraments.
Therefore, through its teaching, prayer and worship, and good works, the Church
is a visible sign of holiness.

Nevertheless, we must not forget that each of us as a member of the Church has
been called to holiness. Through baptism, we have been freed from original sin,
filled with sanctifying grace, plunged into the mystery of our Lord’s passion,
death, and resurrection, and incorporated into the Church, “the holy people of
God.” By God’s grace, we strive for holiness. The Second Vatican Council
exhorted, “Every Catholic must therefore aim at Christian perfection and, each
according to his station, play his part, that the Church, which bears in her own
body the humility and dying of Jesus, may daily be more purified and renewed,
against the day when Christ will present her to Himself in all her glory without
spot or wrinkle” (Decree on Ecumenism, #4).

Our Church has been marked by outstanding examples of holiness in the lives of
the saints of every age. No matter how dark the times may have been for our
Church, there have always been those great saints through whom the light of
Christ radiated. Yes, we are frail human beings, and at times we sin; yet, we
repent of that sin and continue once again on the path of holiness. In a sense, our
Church is a Church of sinners, not of the self-righteous or self-assured saved. One
of the beautiful prayers of the Mass occurs before the Sign of Peace: “Lord, look
not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church.” Even though poor frail individual
members of the Church fail and sin, the Church continues to be the sign and
instrument of holiness.

The Church is also catholic. St. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 100) used this word
meaning “universal” to describe the Church (Letter to the Smyrnaens). The
Church is indeed Catholic in that Christ is universally present in the Church and
that He has commissioned the Church to evangelize the world — “Go therefore an
make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19).

Moreover, we must not forget that the Church here on earth — what we call the
Church militant — is united to the Church triumphant in Heaven and the Church
suffering in Purgatory. Here is the understanding of the communion of saints —
the union of the faithful in Heaven, in Purgatory, and on earth.

Finally, the Church is apostolic. Christ founded the Church and entrusted His
authority to His apostles, the first bishops. He entrusted a special authority to St.
Peter, the first Pope and Bishop of Rome, to act as His vicar here on earth. This
authority has been handed down through the Sacrament of Holy Orders in what
we call apostolic succession from bishop to bishop, and then by extension to
priests and deacons. If possible, Bishop Loverde could trace his apostolic
succession as a bishop back to one of the apostles. When Bishop Loverde
ordained seven men as priests for our diocese on May 15, he did so with the
authority of apostolic succession, and those men in turn share in the priesthood of
our Lord Jesus Christ. No bishop, priest, or deacon in our Church is self-ordained or
self-proclaimed; rather, he is called by the Church and ordained into the apostolic
ministry given by our Lord to His Church to be exercised in union with the Pope.

The Church is also apostolic in that the deposit of faith found in both Sacred
Scripture and Sacred Tradition was preserved, taught, and handed on by the
apostles. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, the
Magisterium (the teaching authority entrusted to the apostles and their
successors) has the duty to preserve, teach, defend, and hand on the deposit of
faith. Moreover, the Holy Spirit protects the Church from error in its teaching
authority. While over the course of time, the Magisterium has had to address
current issues, such as nuclear war, euthanasia, in vitro fertilization, the same
truth principles exercised under the guidance of the Holy Spirit prevail.

These four marks of the Church one, holy, catholic, and apostolic — are fully
realized in the Catholic Church. While other Christian Churches accept and profess
the Creed, and possess elements of truth and sanctification, only the Roman
Catholic Church reflects the fullness of these marks. The Second Vatican Council
taught, “This Church [which Christ founded], constituted and organized as a
society in the present world, subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by
the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him” (Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church, #8), and “For it is through Christ’s Catholic Church
alone, which is the universal help towards salvation, that the fullness of the
means of salvation can be obtained” (Decree on Ecumenism, #3). Our duty then
is to make these four marks visible in our daily lives.
 7 Sacrament
○ Baptism - Initiation into the Church and cleansing from original sin.
○ Confirmation - Strengthens the grace of baptism.
○ Holy Eucharist - Receiving the body and blood of Christ.
○ Penance - Reconciliation with God through forgiveness of sins.
○ Anointing of the Sick - Healing and comfort for the ill.
○ Holy Orders - Ordination into the priesthood.
○ Matrimony - Sacramental union of husband and wife.

Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

○ Wisdom - Helps us to see things from God's perspective and value spiritual
things over worldly ones.
○ Knowledge - Enables us to understand God's purpose and truths.
○ Understanding - Allows us to grasp the deeper meaning of our faith.
○ Counsel - Helps us make the right choices and discern God’s will.
○ Fortitude - Strengthens us to stand firm in our faith and face challenges.
○ Piety - Inspires us to worship God with devotion and love.
○ Fear of the Lord - Fills us with respect and awe for God’s majesty,
encouraging humility and reverence.

7 Corporal Works Of Mercy

○ Give Food to the Hungry: Help those who lack food by sharing meals or
donating to food banks.
○ Give Water to the Thirsty: Provide water for those in need, whether locally
or through global efforts to improve water access.
○ Clothe the Naked: Offer clothing to those who cannot afford it, through
donations or direct aid.
○ Give Shelter to the Homeless: Support shelter initiatives or provide
temporary housing to those without a home.
○ Visit the Sick: Spend time with people who are ill, offering companionship
and comfort.
○ Visit the Imprisoned: Reach out to those in prison with compassion,
through letters, visits, or support for rehabilitation programs.
○ Bury the Dead: Ensure dignity in death by helping with burial expenses or
attending funerals, especially for those without family.

The Four Marks of the Church

One
 Unity in the Holy Trinity: The Church's source is the unity of the Trinity
(Father, Son, Holy Spirit).
 Founded by Jesus Christ: Reconciles all through His sacrifice.
 Holy Spirit's Role: Unites believers into one communion.
 Visible Unity: Shared teachings, sacraments, and apostolic succession
across the global Catholic community.
 Diversity within Unity: Different vocations and cultural traditions enrich the
Church but remain united in one faith.
 The Church is united through the Holy Trinity, founded by Jesus Christ, and
guided by the Holy Spirit, creating a universal unity of faith and teachings.

Holy
○ Christ as the Source of Holiness: The Church, through Christ, is sanctified
and serves as an agent of sanctification.
○ Path to Holiness for Believers: Baptism frees from original sin and calls
believers to strive for Christian perfection.
○ Saints as Examples: Saints exemplify holiness across ages.
○ Jesus Christ is the source of holiness, sanctifying the Church, and guiding its
members to strive for holiness through sacraments and teachings.

Catholic
○ Universal Presence of Christ: The Church's mission is to evangelize all
nations.
○ Communion of Saints: The Church on earth, Heaven, and Purgatory are
united.
○ The Church is universal, meant for all people, and united with the faithful in
Heaven, Purgatory, and on Earth.

Apostolic
○ Authority through Apostolic Succession: Christ gave authority to
apostles, which is passed down to current bishops and priests.
○ Deposit of Faith: Sacred Scripture and Tradition are preserved by the
apostles' successors.
○ Guided by the Holy Spirit: The Church’s teaching authority (Magisterium) is
protected from error.
○ The Church’s authority descends directly from the apostles, with teachings
preserved through apostolic succession.

Answer Key:
7 Sacrament
1. Baptism
2. Confirmation
3. Holy Eucharist
4. Penance
5. Anointing of the sick
6. Holy orders
7. Matrimony

Seven Gifts of The Holy Spirit

1. Wisdom
2. Knowledge
3. Understanding
4. Counsel
5. Fortitude
6. Piety
7. Fear Of The Lord

7 Corporal Works of Mercy

1. Give food to the hungry
2. Give water to the thirsty
3. Clothe the naked
4. Give shelter to the homeless
5. Visit the sick
6. Visit the imprisoned
The Four Marks of the Church
1. One
2. Holy
3. Catholic
4. Apostolic