Catholic Church

"Ah! Now Zim's finally converted into a Roman Catholic... and now he's proud of being like this, that means he's very devout of it. I knew some of my friends are Catholics. Some are devout, and some are not."

--Su Ji-Hoon, Ave Maria

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with more than 1.29 billion members worldwide. As one of the oldest religious institutions in the world, it has played a prominent role in the history and development of Western civilization. Headed by the Bishop of Rome, known as the Pope, the church's doctrines are summarized in the Nicene Creed. Its central administration, the Holy See, is in the Vatican City, enclaved within Rome, Italy.

The Catholic Church teaches that it is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic church founded by Jesus Christ, that its bishops are the successors of Christ's apostles, and that the Pope is the successor to Saint Peter to whom primacy was conferred by Jesus Christ. It maintains that it practizes the original Christian faith, reserving infallibility, passed down by sacred tradition. The Latin Churc, the Eastern Catholic Churches, and institutes such as mendicant orders and enclosed monastic orders reflect a variety of theological and spiritual emphases in the Church.

Of its seven sacraments the Eucharist is the principal one, celebrated liturgically in the Mass. The church teaches that through consecration by a priest the sacrificial bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. The Virgin Mary is venerated in the Catholic Church as Mother of God and Queen of Heaven, honoured in dogmas and devotions. Its teaching includes sanctification through faith and evangelisation of the Gospel and Catholic social teaching, which emphasises support for the sick, the poor, and the afflicted through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. The Catholic Church is the largest non-government provider of education and health care in the world.

The Catholic Church has influenced Western philosophy, culture, science, and art. The Catholic Church shared communion with the Eastern Orthodox Church until the East-West Schism in 1054 AD, disputing particularly the authority of the Pope, as well as with the Oriental Orthodox churches prior to the Chalcedonian schism in 451 AD over differences in Christology. Catholics live all over the world through missions, diaspora, and conversions. Since the 20th century the majority reside in the southern hemisphere due to secularization in Europe, and increased persecution in the Middle East. From the late 20th century, the Catholic Church has been criticized for its doctrines on sexuality, its refusal to ordain women and its handling of sexual abuse cases.