1. What Catholics Believe
"Less than 100 people actually hate what the Catholic church teaches. Thousands of people hate what they mistakenly believe the Catholic Church teaches".
- Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

2. Misconception: Truth:
Catholics profess:
“I believe in
Jesus Christ.”
Catholics were the first Christians.
Catholics are not
actually
Christians.

3. Catholics were the First Christians
We trace our faith back to Jesus Christ.
There was no other Christian Church a thousand years (This is an historical fact).
The first pope was St. Peter and all of the popes are in direct succession to him.
We profess and believe in a Creed that was established in the year 325.

4. The Nicene Creed (Dogma from 325 AD),
I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Only begotten Son of God born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light, True God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

5. Nicene Creed, continued.. .
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and His kingdom will have no end.

6. Nicene Creed, continued. . .
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come, Amen.

7. Catholics Were the First Believers
We trace our faith back to the New Testament of the Bible, the apostles and first disciples of Jesus.
We proclaim the “Key Kerygma” – the foundational beliefs about Jesus that are found in the New Testament.
KERYGMA – from the Greek – “the proclamation,” initial teachings of the New Testament; the center of our faith, the heart and soul, core message; the word is used 9 times in the NT
WHAT IS THE KERYGMA?

8. The Basic Proclamation (Kerygma) of the New Testament.
1. Jesus’ Message over all: God Loves Us.
2. Jesus’ Warning over all: Sin Destroys Us.
3. Jesus is the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. He came to save us and to show us how to love.
4. Jesus asked us to change, to repent, to live as believers.
5. Jesus was baptized and the Holy Spirit appeared. We need to be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit.
6. Jesus asked us to abide in Him and in his community of believers, the Church.
7. Jesus sent to us to make disciples of others; to be His Body on earth.

9. We Will Come Back to Kerygma Many Times
All of these teachings are found in the New Testament.
We will study and pray over them.
Challenge: How well do we know and live the key kerygma?

10. Catholics are truly believers and followers of Christ!
Why do people say we are not?
The term “Christian” has been culturally re-defined as meaning belonging to a “non- denominational” church or just someone who believes in Jesus.

11. Misconception: Truth:
Bible History: The Catholic Church preserved and assembled the Holy Scriptures; Catholics meditate on Scripture at every mass, every day of the year.
Catholics
don't read,
don't know,
don't care,
don't follow
the Bible.

12. Misconception: Truth:
Catholics believe that salvation comes from faith in Jesus Christ and will be made manifest in good works.
Catholics believe that you have to work your way to heaven.
They don't believe that "faith alone" through Jesus Christ saves a person from eternal damnation.

13. Misconception: Truth:
Catholics use symbols to remind us of the reality of the spiritual life
Catholics
are
idol
worshippers.

14. Misconception: Truth:
Catholics believe
that the pope is infallible
only in matters of faith and morals
when he speaks officially,
"ex cathedra."
Catholics believe that the pope can never make a mistake.

15. Misconception: Truth:
Catholics crucify Jesus every time they have Mass.
Catholics commemorate the events of the Paschal Mystery –
the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus
when we celebrate the Mass

16. Misconception: Truth:
Catholics ritualize the sacred events instituted by Christ which are called the Seven Sacraments
Catholics perform rituals that they believe work like magic.
Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Matrimony, Holy Orders, Anointing of the Sick

17. Misconception: Truth:
Catholics believe that we are all called by God to lead lives that are morally exemplary and are given the sacrament of penance to help us remain on the path toward wholeness
(holiness)
Catholics believe that they can sin all they want because they can just go to confession and be forgiven. .

18. Misconception: Truth:
The Catholic Church teaches the preferential option for the poor and leads the world in actions of social justice.
The Catholic Church is rich and really doesn't care about the poor.

19. Misconception: Truth:
Catholics believe that teaching authority has been given to the Church by Christ ( called Magisterium) and hold what the Church teaches in the highest esteem.
Catholics are taught to obey the Church’s teachings on faith and morality and not make any decisions based on their own thought and experience.
Personal Conscience is held in the highest esteem

20. Misconception: Truth:
Catholics HONOR Mary and the saints and ask them to pray WITH us.
Catholics believe we are connected mystically in what is called "the communion of saints."
Catholics worship Mary and the saints; We are only supposed to worship God.

21. What Questions do you have. What Misconceptions do you hold
What Questions do you have? What Misconceptions do you hold? What have you always wanted to know about Catholicism but were afraid to ask?