Catholic church 101: Can you give me some information?

At the time they are ordained, Priests take vows, usually of celibacy and also devotion. They promise to obey the secret of the confessional. And sometimes (depending on the order) take vows of poverty.

Priests try to say Mass everyday, if possible. But their day is as varied as anyone else’s, depending on where they are. They may run poverty programs like soup kitchens, or help with schools, or chaplaincy at a hospital, or visit the sick and infirm.

At Sunday Mass, the Priest follows the Ordinary of the Mass, the liturgy, which has prayers designated for the day, A reading from the Old Testament, a reading from the Epistles in the New Testament, and then a reading from the Gospel. And then they will give a homily (or sermon) that speaks to applying the day’s reading to everyday life.

A confession, or reconciliation, takes place either in a confessional (anonymously) or face to face. The person confessing says a prayer and admit his sins. The priest assigns a penance in relation to the seriousness of the signs, then absolves the person of his or her sins, and closes with prayer.

Priests generally live in a rectory next to the church.

Priests help in many ways, from teaching to various social services.

The excellent summation by @zenvelo is right on point. But it’s important to emphasize that the duties of priests can vary considerably. There are parish priests, priests who are teachers, physicians, engineers, scholars, administrators, etc. The requirement to celebrate the daily mass does have exceptions. A priest can receive a dispensation from his bishop, and a priest is prohibited from performing the mass if he is “in a state of sin”. This is because the ritual involves the consecration of the host which upon consecration is consumed by the priest and believed the “body of Christ ”.

I just hope no one goes to the gutter, and we all know on what dark aspect of the catholic church. It maybe in social but I pray people stay on the high road.

Priests will also do services at weddings and funerals.

I left out the most important part of the Mass! After the readings and homily, the Mass continues with the consecration of the bread and wine, followed by Communion in which congregants receive a communion wafer made of unleavened bread and, sometimes, a sip of the communion wine which is the spiritual blood of Christ.

There is so much to talk about regarding the Catholic Church, it’s difficult for me to think of a 101. I don’t have much time now, so I’ll just talk about the seven Sacraments, which are an important part of the faith:

There are seven holy Sacraments in the Catholic Church. Some are mandatory, others are not. They are as follows:
1. Baptism: Putting oil on your head to initiate you into the Church. There’s a more religious meaning to it but I’ve forgotten it.
2. First Holy Communion: After learning more about the Church through catechism classes, you become “worthy” to receive Jesus’s body and blood for the first time. You will now be obligated to receive this every Sunday of your life.
3. Confirmation: After learning more about the Church, you are now even more a part of the church after receiving the Holy Ghost in you. The Holy Ghost gives you
4. Reconciliation: Confessing your sins This used to be a weekly requirement, but now it is much less common, possibly because there’s a mini-reconciliation during Mass. I’m not sure what the CCC (what’s the CCC? see below) says about this.
5. Marriage: Man and a Women unite and become one flesh*. Love is patient, love is kind, etc.
6. Holy Orders: becoming a holy person. i.e., a priest, bishop, deacon, etc. Only deacons can receive the Sacrament of Marriage after Holy orders.
7. Anointing of the sick: Blessing a terminally ill person with oil.
1–3 are called Sacraments of initiation. Along with #4, they are mandatory.
*Interestingly enough, in order to get a “divorce” recognized from the Church, you must show that there was never a union in the first place. That’s why I have divorce in quotations, because they treat it as if there never even was a marriage to begin with.

That bread and wine that @zenvelo talked about is believed to be Jesus’s literal flesh and blood. The belief that the bread and wine is turned into Jesus’s body and blood (through the priest, who acts as a medium for God) is called transubstantiation, a belief that really distinguishes Catholicism from most other Christian denominations.

The Catholic Church has a whole book on their doctrine, called the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC for short).
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM
Or for a certain topic, google “CCC on ____________”

You could probably find a video of a Mass by googling it too.

So far, most of what’s been posted is pretty accurate. A few clarifications:

Vows: a priest is required to take a vow of chastity and obedience. The vow of poverty is usually taken by priests in certain religious orders. The vow of poverty does not mean that those who make that vow must live in destitution. It means that they willingly give up personal ownership, contributing all that they have to their religious community, which, in turn, will take care of their needs.

Thanks everyone who answer this question. Actually the reason why I ask this is because I’m writing a story which involves a Catholic priest working in a church. I want to make sure what depicts in the story is believable enough. I only have a little knowledge of what a church is like so I turn to you.

Can I ask another question? What are the do and dont expected from a Catholic priest?

IMO, Catholic masses feel like a whole bunch of muttering witch craft and magic. My mom had a Catholic funeral. The priest walked around in long robes, muttering in Latin, and swinging a metal bell ball with holes in it, of of which issued incense smoke. There was about as much compassion and emotion in that service as getting a tire changed.

The Catholics rely heavily on traditions and habit and symbol, such as making the sign of the cross and bending at the knee when they come in the building. Saying their Hail Mary on the Rosery.

The dos & don’ts of a priest are pretty easy to figure out. A priest’s primary function is to emulate the behavior of Christ. He is to minister to the followers of Jesus and nonbelievers as well. He is supposed to function as the layman’a conduit to God. The dont’s are also readily appreciated when it is understood that a priest is expected to be a model of ethical propriety with the added requirement of strict celibacy.

You’re baptized with water not oil, sorry.

Romantic Catholicism has been around since the 3 Rd Century

Notice that in the Last 1600 years of ROMANTIC CATHOLICISM. There has NEVER – Never ever been – a NON Catholic Saint.

If You are not Catholic, you will Never be a saint, Catholics Do not Allow Non Catholic Saints.

Keep in mind that, The Roman Catholic always gets His Positions, Faiths and Ideas from A Man in Italy, who lives in a Small City in Rome. All Catholic faith is given by Rome. AND The Reason that THERE ARE NO – Non Catholic saints. Comes from the- Rome Authority.

CATHOLIC LAW.

Rome LAW – Says that – ” ‘Heretics (those who are NOT MEMBERS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH or who DO NOT HOLD TO CATHOLIC DOCTRINE) – Worship a GOD WHO IS A LIAR, and a CHRIST WHO IS A LIAR.’

This is the message of Catholic Father – St. Augustine, (quoted in ‘Patrologiae Cursus Completus: Series Graca’, by Fr. J. P. Migne, Paris: 1866, 42:207).

The Message is saying that—If You are not Romantic Catholic, You are not Serving their God. AND that the God You Serve is a Liar.

Another CATHOLIC LAW. Comes Straight From the most Holy Man that Catholics know.

He Said that —- All OUTSIDE THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, Jews or heretics CANNOT SHARE IN ETERNAL life and will GO INTO THE EVERLASTING FIRE, which was prepared for the devil and his angels, UNLESS THEY ARE JOINED TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH .

Pope Eugenius I’ve, in ‘Bull of Union with the Copts’, Council of Florence, Session 11, on February 4, 1442.

Pretty simple. Catholics Believe that If You AIN’T CATHOLIC ——- You AIN’T IN HEAVEN.

Another CATHOLIC LAW. is That —- MISGUIDED PEOPLE attempt TO PERSUADE themselves and others THAT MEN ARE NOT SAVED ONLY IN THE CATHOLIC RELIGION, but that even heretics may attain eternal life.’

Pope Gregory XVI, Summo Iugiter Studio (On Mixed Marriages), Encyclical promulgated on May 27, 1832, #2.

This Pope is Saying that If a person Does not Believe the Ideas and Message of the Catholic LAWs, They Will NEVER obtain Eternal Life. This Pope is Very Serious.

IF You are not CATHOLIC ——- You are not – IN HEAVEN~.

That’s Why, There are No NON Catholic Saints.

Another CATHOLIC LAW. IS that —- ‘HERETICS do NOT have THE SAME GOD, the SAME CHRIST as CATHOLICS.’

This Comes From Another Father of the Roman Catholic Church. – Tertullian: (Patrolo-giae Cursus Completus: Series Graca, Fr. J. P. Migne, Paris: 1866, 1:1216)

IF U AIN’T CATHOLIC. – You are not Even Serving God.

All of this is fine and OK. But I Feel that – there is a great problem because in MAY 1985 POPE John Paul II repeats another LAW of ROME.

His Catholic DECLARATION was to TO AUDIENCE OF THOUSANDS of people.

THE POPE said: “CATHOLICS Muslims, WE have MANY THINGS IN COMMON as BELIEVERS and as human beings…WE BELIEVE IN THE SAME GOD.

You will agree, that this is a Complete Contradiction. We have on one Hand. Catholic Law that Condemns NON CATHOLICS and Bars them and Prohibits them from Ever Going to Heaven. OR Becoming Saints. and DEMANDS that they are Serving Another God and not Serving the God of the Bible. **( Because they are not Catholics. )

But On the OTHER HAND, The Catholic Lawmaker *( The Pope ) Demands that Muslims Do Serve the God of the Bible. And then the POPE in Rome Kisses His Quran and Goes to an Islamic Mosque and Faces Mecca and prays with Muslims.

And Roman Catholics Do not change their Old Laws – Old Laws such as ”

It is necessary to salvation that every man should submit to the Pope.” (Boniface VIII Unum Sanctum, 1303.)

And After 2000 years – – there are no non catholic saints…. NON CATHOLIC ARE NOT in heaven..,.,,,,.....and they Are not SERVING God.

if You ain’t A CATHOLIC. You will never, NEVER Be a Saint and Never be in Heaven.
there are no non catholic saints.

Don’t You find this to be strange, ? To make LAW and Message for Non Catholic Christians. Declaring that Because they are not Catholic, They will never be in heaven and THAT THEY ARE NOT EVEN SERVING God.

But The Pope Declares that Muslims are Serving the God of Catholics and he kisses His Quran and Prays With Muslims ! I find this Very Shameful and Hurtful to All Non Catholic Christians, Who are Saints Living Holy Clean and Godly Lives.

Please .- Lets talk about this. ?

Also there is a Website I found that Further eXplains in more details. But Don’t know if I can use the internet to show the explaining of things. Sometimes, some forums are limiting message centers and only allow certain type of messages to be discussed.

I only glanced through the first bit. I thought saints were saints, in God’s eye. Who are the Catholics to say who is, and isn’t, a saint?
Oh. Because Catholics made up the whole silly idea of “saints” in the first place, that’s why.

(I need to forewarn you that most of the members on this site are agnostic or atheist. It certainly isn’t a requirement to be a member, and we do have Christian members, but I thought you might want to know you’ve jumped into a sinful DEN OF INEQUITY!.)

Yes. The idea I am saying is

Basically in a Summary —- – I am Simply saying – that – they Have had Thousands of Saints that they ALREADY CLAIM are in Heaven (* RIGHT NOW ) -Because they are Praying to Them. In Communion / In Spiritual Connective, Necromancy or Magic.

their Saints are already Judged and – in Heaven Hearing and Receiving Prayers ./ Talking to God Himself..

So Basically what You are NOTICING – is that Catholics have Already Decided and JUDGED their SOULS, * AS Heaven Bound Souls ). They act as Judge and Jury )) and have Already Pre Judged People, before Judgment day. They have already had their Catholic Judgment day Here on Earth. mortal MEN, SINNERS are Pre Judging Peoples Souls and Deciding Who is and Who is NOT Going to heaven.

If You are not Catholic. You are not Ever Gonna be in Heaven and You are Not SERVING the God of Catholicism. But They Declare that MUSLIMS are Serving their God. But not Non Catholic Christians . Then to Make it worse. The pope Kisses His Quran and Prays With muslims, Facing Mecca,\

I am telling everyone that is can, about this. And this is only a small part of Catholicism. There is A lot more to say.

Well, you sound more like you are preaching, rather than educating.
Did I mention agnosticism or atheism yet?

There are lots of saints other than Catholics. there is a whole church of them: the Mormons are the Church of Latter-Day Saints.

Oh they are! Good catch @zenvelo.

Yes, in general lthis is the starting place

Why Do Catholics Do That?: A Guide to the Teachings and Practices of the Catholic Church
by Kevin Orlin Johnson (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 174 ratings