Catholic (from Greek: καθολικός, romanized: katholikos, lit. 'universal') was first used to describe the church in the early 2nd century. The first known use of the phrase "the catholic church" (Greek: καθολικὴ ἐκκλησία,

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The Christian religion is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, who lived and preached in the 1st century AD in the province of Judea of the Roman Empire. Catholic theologyteaches that the contemporary Catholic Church is the continuation of this early

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The Catholic Church follows an episcopal polity, led by bishops who have received the sacrament of Holy Orders who are given formal jurisdictionsof governance within the church. There are three levels of clergy: the episcopate, composed of bishops who hold

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The Catholic Church teaches that it was entrusted with seven sacramentsthat were instituted by Christ. The number and nature of the sacraments

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Among the 24 autonomous (sui iuris) churches, numerous liturgical and other traditions exist, called rites, which reflect historical and cultural diversity rather than differences in belief. In the definition of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, "a rite is the liturgical,

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Catholic social teaching
Catholic social teaching, reflecting the concern Jesus showed for the impoverished, places a

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Catholic doctrine has developed over the centuries, reflecting direct teachings of early Christians, formal definitions of heretical and orthodox beliefs by ecumenical councils and in papal bulls, and theological debate by scholars. The church believes that it is continually

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