catholic church structure

I am a Protestant, and any church I have been to operates independently and donates to charities that the church family sees fit. Do Catholic churches as actively donate or does all the money travel up to the diocese and above, and whats the need for this structure?

<<Why does the Catholic church have such an organized structure, is it strictly for financial reasons?>>

Because God wanted it that way. There are more than one billion Catholics all over the world, hailing from who knows how many individual parishes. Still, it's all the same One Universal Church as it teaches a common Dogma to everyone.

It takes an organized structure to ensure that Dogma is being taught in the Church always and everywhere.


<<I am a Protestant, and any church I have been to operates independently and donates to charities that the church family sees fit.>>

And that's the main reason why Protestant Christianity claims some 33,000 denominations, with hundreds more new ones popping up - each one with it's own idea of what Dogma is. An inherent unity is missing because organized Church stucture is missing from Protestant Christianity.


<<Do Catholic churches as actively donate or does all the money travel up to the diocese and above,>>

Most money collected goes directly to the parish in which the money is collected. Very little - around one percent - goes to the diocese, as the diocese collects it's own money. Individual parishes will also use a percentage of, or even have a additional collections, for local charities that are supported by the Church.


<<and whats the need for this structure?>>

Again - There are more than one billion Catholics all over the world, hailing from who knows how many individual parishes. Still, it's all the same One Universal Church as it teaches a common Dogma to everyone.

2009-05-19 08:18:27 by Mike Hunt

One large group of breakaway Anglicans which has been requesting a formal structure to be corporately received into the Catholic Church has been ...

Hey! What is the leadership structure of The Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church? I found out that they were different, but how different? Who has authority? The Catholic Church has the Pope but who does the Orthodox Church have?

The hierarchy of ordained ministers in the Catholic Church mirrors how Jesus and the Apostles set up the original Christian Church.

There are three levels of Holy Orders, Deacon, Priest, and Bishop.

Bishops are the Apostles of today. Each one leads a diocese. Special types of bishop are archbishop, cardinal, and pope (who leads the whole Church).

Priests are co-workers of the bishops and can lead a parish. A special title for a priest is monsignor. Priests are called presbyters in the Bible.

Deacons assist the bishop and priests in the celebration of the Eucharist, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting at and blessing marriages, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in presiding over funerals, and in dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2s ect2chpt3.htm#iii

With love in Christ.

2008-07-14 18:41:10 by Thia

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i don't see the catholic church staying in existence,it is getting sued by the hundreds of millions,schools and high scholls are closing!

lol..you MUST be jesting!
Believe me, the RCC can take care of their financial problems. The Catholic church isn't just a church. The Vatican is its own state. Likewise they have many investments, their own banks..etc..etc..

2009-03-19 18:01:58 by abaabbaa2000

Price: $30.00

(How is it structured in terms of bishops, priests, etc.)

Also:
What role do the saints play?

What role does the pope play?

The hierarchy of ordained ministers in the Catholic Church mirrors how Jesus and the Apostles set up the original Christian Church.

There are three levels of Holy Orders, Deacon, Priest, and Bishop.

Bishops are the Apostles of today. Each one leads a diocese. Special types of bishop are archbishop, cardinal, and pope (who leads the whole Church).

Priests are co-workers of the bishops and can lead a parish. A special title for a priest is monsignor. Priests are called presbyters in the Bible.

Deacons assist the bishop and priests in the celebration of the Eucharist, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting at and blessing marriages, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in presiding over funerals, and in dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2s ect2chpt3.shtml#iii

+ Saints +

Catholics share the belief in the Communion of Saints with many other Christians, including the Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Episcopal, and Methodist Churches.

The Communion of Saints is the belief where all saints are intimately related in the Body of Christ, a family. When you die and go to heaven, you do not leave this family.

Everyone in heaven or on their way to heaven are saints, you, me, my deceased grandmother, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II.

As part of this family, you may ask your family and friends living here on earth to pray for you. Or, you may also ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Andrew, or your deceased grandmother living in heaven to pray for you.

Prayer to saints in heaven is simple communication, not worship.

Asking others to pray for you whether your loved ones on Earth or your loved ones in heaven is always optional.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 946 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1s ect2chpt3art9p5.shtml#946

With love in Christ.

2008-10-01 11:59:13 by 22

Is it biblical? Traditional? Pro's/Con's?

One cannot deny that the foundation of all Christianity through His Church is based on Christ’s words to St. Peter before the disciples. There is no doubt from the construction vernacular that Jesus was instructing them to build a Church with them as the foundation stones and Himself as the cornerstone. He built no other Church as no other was needed because the One, Holy, Apostolic, Catholic, Church derives its perfection from Him through His promises. He prayed that we all be one within this Church. He said this Church would endure until the Parousia. He said of this Church that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. He said that He would be with this Church until the end of time. The Scriptures confirms these promises saying that this Church is the “pillar and ground of the truth”. He did not plan for the Church to be without leadership after the apostles died but provided that they choose successors to replace them in the enduring Church. This is confirmed it the book of Acts.

One can suggest that this Church is not the Church that Christ gave these promises and authority to but who else can support a claim that they are the true church represented by these promises if not the Catholic church. Some will suggest that the true church is the Gnostics or the Arians? Certainly remnants of those churches remain in modern incarnations of these heresies but can one claim the enduring characteristic promised by Christ? There is certainly no evidence that anyone can make a legitimate claim to Christ’s promises other than the Catholic Church. Some critics may claim that the reason that the Catholic Church has endured is because of political connections, but the truth is that it has endured because of the miracles of our Lord who persuaded a Pagan emperor to stop his persecution of the Church and not by some agreement of men. It is hard to persuade someone who is intent on your annihilation. Only God could convict the heart of the Pagan Emperor Constantine.

I would agree that there have always been those believers known to God who will be saved and I agree but I do not agree that those people are outside of His Church nor do I believe that it is possible for salvation without His Church but that it is possible only through his Church, Although I acknowledge, as does the Church, that this union may be imperfect, as with our separated brethren with different degrees of the fullness of truth which is perfected in His Church. All believers are taught by God through His Church. This is from my blog and gives the Scriptural support for the structure of the Church:

http://fiatvolvntastua.blogspot.com/2009 /06/how-important-is-apostolic-successio n.html

God bless!

In Christ.
Fr. Joseph

2010-01-26 11:48:27 by mesrop b