Practices of the Roman Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic Church traces its origin from the establishment of Christianity in the world. It was declared a state religion in Rome by Emperor Constantine around 313.This is the period when the church was making headway among aristocracy. It was characterized by formation of great theological treaties. In the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church underwent a transformation (Fahey, 2010). Crusades began in 1095 and lasted for a long time. The Catholics responded against the coming up of the bourgeoisie. This is a class of people who owned most property in the state. From this period, the Roman Catholic Church brought an awakening in the missionary work and they penetrated the world. Great Cathedrals arose at this time and the seat of the pope was established in Rome. As a result of the awakening, two major events took place in 1453-1600.These events affected the Roman Catholic Church greatly. The events were the conquest of the Protestant reformation and that of discovery. At this time, the Roman Catholic Church went through a renewal referred to as Counter reformation (All About Religion, 2002).
There are three important beliefs that are associated with the origin of the Catholic Church. Firstly, Peter was assigned the role of forming the Christian church by Jesus. After the death of Peter, the work he had started was continued by the Popes. The Popes who were initially involved in establishing churches included St. Peter, Clement of Rome, St. Evaristus and Cletus. Secondly, the Roman Catholic Church was an organization which was functioning fully with its authority centered in Rome. Thirdly, the Apostles of Jesus ordained Bishop. This has continued up to date. Therefore, the ordination of Bishops in the Catholic Church can be traced to the times of the Apostles (Robinson, 2005).
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church
San Diego city has several Catholic parishes. Our lady of the Rosary Catholic church is located in this city. The church is located at 1629-Columbia Street, San Diego California. The followers of these churches are dedicated to all teachings taught. I managed to find a few followers in the church. Most of them had come for their daily morning mass. I interviewed a middle-aged lady of an Arab origin. She showed me round the church, and I got to view the rare spectacle that the church had on its compound. There was a wall which had been built in the backyard. According to the lady the wall was referred to as the dedication wall. At this place, all people got a chance of remembering their loved ones.
Summary of the Interview
Important holidays and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church
According to the respondent, there are several days in the Catholics liturgical calendar that are considered important. The Good Friday is the Friday before every Easter. It is on this day that the Christians commemorate the passion and death of Jesus Christ on the cross. The Catholics do not celebrate any mass on this day. Instead, the Catholics participate in a unique liturgy .On this ceremony the passion of Christ according the book of John from the Holy Bible is read. Thereafter, a series of prayers are made, which include intercessory prayers .All the faithful revere the cross by kissing it. The liturgy ends by the priest distributing the Holy Communion. The Good Friday dates change from year to year, since it depends on the Easter Monday dates.
The Easter Holiday marks the most important holiday that the Catholics celebrate. For some Catholics, Easter comes after the forty days of prayer almsgiving and fasting period has ended .This period is referred to as Lent. The Catholics prepare themselves to die spiritually with Christ. The lady quoted the Bible in 1 Corinthians1517, where St. Paul wrote that the faith of the Christians would be in vain if Christ did not rise from the dead. They believe that through the death of Christ, man was saved form bondage. Christ triumphed over death and saved mankind, and through his resurrection, man got new life. According to the Catholics, new life starts after Easter. With Christ resurrecting, the kingdom of God is founded on the earth as the church. This explains why people converted to Catholicism are baptized at the Holy Saturday, the Saturday before Easter. This occasion is known as the Easter vigil Service. The baptism of these people parallels the death and resurrection of Christ, where they die to sin and rise to new life in the kingdom of God.
Another important feast is the Palm Sunday. On this day, the Catholics commemorate the triumphal entrance of Jesus in Jerusalem. According to Mathew 21 1-9, palm branches were placed on the path of Jesus. This was before he was arrested on the Holy Thursday, before His crucifixion on Good Friday. Palm Sunday is marked by the faithful carrying palm branches. In the earlier days, the procession began on the Mount of Ascension and proceeded to the Holy Cross.
How religion has shaped the interviewees life
According to the respondent, she had never felt spiritual fulfillment in life like she did when she joined the Catholic religion. She has learnt to dedicate enough time to the Lord through prayer and attending masses. The Catholics believe in the maintenance of holiness. This is because Mary Mother of Jesus was a woman who maintained holiness. According to the teachings of the Catholic Church, all followers are supposed to be holy, just like Mary Mother of Jesus was. The interviewee had also changed the notion she previously had on giving. The Catholic Church believes in deeds, which are the acts of love and compassion. The interviewee therefore started performing acts of kindness by caring for the sick and giving to the poor.
Challenges of practicing the religion
The interviewee was faced with a challenge on food. During the Easter period, the Catholics are not supposed to eat meat. This was quite difficult for the interviewee meat was her favorite type of food. Additionally, the interviewee was not used to fasting and praying with the rosary. However, In the Catholic Church, using the rosary while praying was mandatory. The way of the cross was practiced during the Easter holiday. In this ceremony, one person carries a cross as the others follow. Following the procession was at times difficult as the faithful would walk for a long distance.
The members introduction to religion
The interviewee had not always been a catholic. She became a catholic after marriage. The interviewee was introduced to the religion by the husband. According to the husband, there would be no unity in the family if they never attended the same places of worship. Therefore, the interviewee had to be converted to Catholicism. Since their marriage was to be conducted by catholic priests, they had to go through pre and post marital guidance and counseling. It is through this training that the husbands desire for her wife to join the church was fulfilled. She felt very much at home, and the teachings she got were beneficial to her. She hence joined the church, and went through the teachings and baptism, so as to become a full member.
The period the interviewee had practiced the religion
At the time of the interview, the interviewee had practiced the Catholic religion for a period of eighteen years. She had participated in several church activities, and was confirmed as a church member after going through the baptismal classes. During this period, she had joined a womens group known as the Holy Ghost group. This group was involved in charity work around San Diego and the surrounding towns. The purpose of the group was to spread the love of Jesus, inspired by Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The period she had been a Catholic had made her be identified by their church priest as a dedicated Catholic, who deserved blessings from the Virgin Mary.
The previous religion
The interviewee was a member of the Islam religion before joining the Catholicism. According to her, there were a number of differences in her previous religion and the Catholic one. In the catholic religion, one of the most important figures is Mary Mother of Jesus. She is the mediator between Jesus and man. On the other hand, Prophet Muhammed was the most important figure in the Islam religion. He came to the earth so as to continue with the works of Jesus. The Islamic people practice what the prophet Muhammed had confirmed as true.
The ways of worship were very different. The Islamic people never enter their places of worship with shoes on their feet. They also face the direction of Mecca while in prayer, which is termed as the most holy place as far as the Islam religion is concerned. Islam people believe that Jesus was a prophet, just like prophet Muhammed, and call Him Issa, while the Catholics believe that Jesus was the son of Mary Mother of Jesus. The Muslim people worship in mosques unlike the Catholics who worship in churches. The Muslims use the Koran and the Catholics use the Bible. Catholics have a strong believe in the trinity, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Muslims believe in monotheism, meaning that there is only one God, Allah.
The similarities were very few. The two religions believe that all people will please God if they help the poor in the world. Deeds were considered as important in the two religions. The Old Testament in the Bible and the first part of the Koran is similar. The only difference is brought about by the New Testament, which talks about the acts of Christ and the Apostles.
Where to go for Spiritual Guidance
The priest is the source of spiritual guidance for all Catholics. According to the interviewee, when a Catholic sinned, he or she went to the priest for confession. A catholic who had sinned would confess his or her sins to the priest, who would guide the person in repentance prayers. Additionally, the sole purpose of the priest was to guide the followers in the mass. This is a very important practice for every Catholic, where they are required to attend the mass on daily basis. The priest offers the sacrifices, and gives sacraments to the followers occasionally. The purpose of the mass is ensuring that the followers of the Catholic Religion appease God without sin. God listens to their prayers and is pleased with the sacrifices offered by the priest. Therefore, the Mass is mandatory for all Catholics, and the priest is the one who guides them.
Most important value taught by religion
The most valued practice by the Catholic religion is that of deeds of love and compassion. According to them, they follow the works of Christ to the letter, where all there deeds were based on love. She quoted Mother Teresa of Calcutta who stressed on the importance of love. Love each other as God loves each of you, with an intense and particular love. Be kind to each other It is better to commit faults with gentleness than to work miracles with unkindness This is as a result of the commandment of Christ in the Holy Bible, John 1335, which states that By this evidence, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another she added that most Catholics are inspired by the work that Mother Teresa did on earth. She was behind the formation of the Missionaries of Charity, which served the poor and the sick who lived in the poorest parts of the world. The works of love by the Catholics are seen to quench the thirst for Jesus on the cross. The Roman Catholics believe strongly in love.
Tackling discrimination as a Christian
The interviewee recounted on a situation which made her receive discrimination at her place of work. As a scientific researcher, she was supposed to follow the orders of those who are above her at her place of work without objection. At one instance, she was assigned to research on the stem cell using the embryo. This was a heavy task for her, since the Catholic Church opposed these practices
Ordinarily, the cells are extracted from human embryos and are stored in fridges. Most of the times, some embryos are discarded as a result of deformation. Scientist and doctors have claimed that the embryonic stem cell research is useful as it leads to the cure of many diseases, like treating some lethal tumors. Harvesting these stem cells kills the living human embryo. The church opposes the direct destruction of innocent human life for any purpose, including research. As a result, she decided to quit her job because she could not compromise her faith with the worldly beliefs. Consequently, she was ridiculed by her family members and neighbors, and was referred to as a religious fanatic. She was quick to deal with the discrimination. She told the priest about the pain she was going through because of the discrimination. On one Sunday mass, the priest called her forward and congratulated her for giving up her job for the sake of the Kingdom. He described her as a True example of what the Catholics preached .As a result all those who discriminated her in her neighborhood never repeated it, as they were warned by the catholic priest.
Similarities and differences Jehovah Witness and the Catholic Church.
According to Barret, Kurian Todd (2002), the Jehovah Witness Religion is categorized in a group referred to as Marginal Christians. The term Marginal Christians refer to bodies that hold mainstream Christianity doctrines except on the Trinity, revelation from other sources except the bible and the nature of Christ.
According to the Jehovah Witnesses, they do not believe in the Holy Spirit. They state that the Holy Spirit cannot be God, and it is only a force that never exists. On the other hand, the Catholics believe strongly in the Holy Trinity, and that God exists as one person. They believe that God exists as the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The witnesses claim that Jesus was only a man who was perfect in all his ways on earth. They state that he was not God in flesh. They also argue that Jesus died on a stake, and not the cross. This is contrary to what the Catholics believe. This is because the Catholics believe that Jesus was not man, but the son of God. The soul ceases to exist after death according to the Jehovah Witness Religion (Slick, 1995). On the contrary, the Catholics believe that the soul of the righteous ones is taken directly to heaven. The Catholics believe so much in the Cross, and it is one of the symbols they use in the rosary. On the other hand, the Jehovah Witness religion believes that the cross is a pagan symbol and should not be used. The only similarity that exists between the two religions is that the two groups worship on Sunday. Both of them also believe in acts of love and mercy.
Conclusion
The world is made up of several religions. All members of the world should embrace all people, regardless of their religions.
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