Why be Catholic?
G.K. Chesterton once said, “The difficulty of explaining ‘why I am a Catholic’ is that there are ten thousand reasons all amounting to one reason: that Catholicism is true.“ Here’s eight reasons to consider.
1. Jesus Christ gives His life to us in the Eucharist
Jesus Christ is the reason for being Catholic. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
Jesus supplies life to His body of believers in the Eucharist (Holy Communion). He promises in the Gospel of John: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53-58).
The Roman Catholic Church has faithfully believed and upheld the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist for 2,000 years. This fundamental doctrine remained virtually uncontested for the first 1,000 years of Christianity. The Protestant view of the Eucharist only being symbolic did not arise until 1,700 years after Christ! Even most protesters like Martin Luther did not believe that it was only a symbol.
This Eucharist is the “source and summit” of Christianity. The Eucharist is Jesus… and this supreme core belief is extensively documented throughout history… research for yourself, even AI networks will universally verify this undeniable reality. Now 2,000 years after the Last Supper, the Catholic Church stands nearly alone preserving this unbreakable bedrock of truth.
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/the-sacramental-reality-of-the-eucharist-in-church-history
2. That Catholic Church was ordained by Jesus Christ
In Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says: “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18-19)
Since that ordination, the Church has expanded worldwide with an unbroken succession of leadership. The foundational rock began with Saint Peter (The first Pope) and the 11 other apostles (Bishops). 2,000 years later, 266 Popes have received the successive key of St. Peter and thousands of Bishops (successors of the Apostles) have carried forward the work of Christ’s Church. Of the first 35 Popes, 31 were martyred. Here is a list of the 266 Popes.
3. The Church is the pillar and foundation of truth.
In Timothy 3:15, Paul says the church is the “pillar and foundation of truth”. 1 Timothy 3:15: “if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.”
4. Christ’s Church was not to be divided
The apostle Paul says: “I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” (1 Corinthians 1:10)
Today there are over 30,000 Christian denominations that have taken their own liberty to form differing independent views. Prior to the Protestant reformation less than 500 years ago, there was one universal Catholic Church. How should a new believer decide what to believe? Must they learn the 800+ page Bible on their own or guess about who is right? The resulting confusion has led to countless abuses of false teaching.
The Body of Christ was never meant to be divided. “Bible alone” theology (Sola Scriptura) has resulted in widespread chaos with grave consequences. Less than 250 years ago, 90% of the world could not read. It was the charitable mission of the Catholic Church that brought literacy to the poor and changed the course of history. The word Catholic means “universal” and was already being used in the first century to describe the Church.
5. No organization in the history has made more positive impact
If you consider all good works, collected throughout human history…. from charitable organizations, churches and worldwide religions, all combined… the reach does not remotely compare to the global impact of the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church is the founding architect of Western Civilization…. the very catalyst of making education accessible to the common world. The Church is the first developer of hospitals, orphanages and soup kitchens. Today the Catholic Church operates over 100,000 hospitals worldwide and runs 228,000 schools educating 70,000,000 million children each year… many being served in remote areas of extreme poverty by selfless Priests and Nuns. Too often greater good is tarnished by the failure of a few. Though still vulnerable to the short comings of human weakness common to all organizations, no other organization or even nation has contributed more good to the world.
https://zenit.org/2024/10/17/how-many-catholics-priests-and-seminarians-are-there-in-the-world-the-catholic-church-in-its-most-recent-statistics/
6. The Catholic Church assembled the Bible.
The Catholic Church, established by Jesus Christ, existed for 382 years before the the books of Bible were cannonized. The successive apostles of the governing Roman Catholic Church, were the trusted authority, guided by the Holy Spirit. It was another 1,058 years before the printing press was even invented… only then was it possible for families to begin owning a Bible. That means that for 1,440 years, Bible-only theology was unthinkable… it wasn’t even possible. This emphasizes the divine role that was required of the Catholic Church to preserve scripture and tradition.
So we must heed the warning of Saint Paul: “I appeal to you, brethren, to take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded.” (Romans 16:17-18). This passage warns of those who divide by creating their own interpretations of the Bible. To proclaim being Christian without being Catholic, is like believing in history while denying the authenticity of those who preserved it.
7. The Catholic Church celebrates all 7 Sacraments
While many professed Christians celebrate the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Marriage, there are 4 other Sacraments also honored by the Catholic Church based on Sacred Scripture. Each of these Sacraments is administered by Bishops and Priests that have been ordained to serve as Christ ‘in persona Christi’ (meaning in the Person of Christ).
The 7 Sacraments include Baptism (John 3:5); Eucharist (Matthew 26:26); Confirmation (John 20:22); Reconciliation (Luke 5:21); Anointing of the Sick (Mark 8:22-25); Matrimony (Mark 10:9); and Holy Orders (John 13:15). These Sacraments are essential to Christianity and have always been practiced. To proclaim a church without all of the Sacraments is not Christianity.
8. For 2,000 years, the Catholic Church has been blessed with miracles
The magnitude of documented miracles within the Catholic Church is beyond comparison. From countless apparitions, unexplained healings, phenomenas of nature, incorruptible Saints, bleeding hosts, crying statues, supernatural relics, mystical knowledge, levitation, exorcisms and more…. it is inconceivable to think that the Catholic Church has not been blessed with innumerable miracles by the hand of God. No where else can one discover such immensity of supernatural wonders. God continues to frequently bless the Catholic Church with unexplained miracles to draw followers into its beauty.