What Does Catholic Mean
The Greek term katholikós , which came to late Latin as catholĭcus and later to Castilian as Catholic , can be translated as "universal . " This adjective , which refers to what is common or encompasses everyone , was used by the Church of Rome to refer to itself.
That is why the notion of Catholic is used with reference to the Christian religion whose leader is the Pope of Rome . Christians are the followers of Christ , considered the son of God : the pope, for his part, is the successor of the apostle Saint Peter and vicar of Christ in the earthly world.
It can be said that the Catholic religion, also called Catholicism , is a branch of the Christian religion or Christianity . The Catholic Church, in fact, is the Christian Church with the largest number of faithful.
Catholics, in short, believe in Christ and recognize the pope as their religious leader. In this framework, they respect the theology , liturgies and doctrines that make up this community.
It is important to note there are dogmas shared by Catholics and other Christians. Among the main Catholic dogmas, which are based on the Bible , appear the Holy Trinity (there is only one God who is Father , Son and Holy Spirit ), the Immaculate Conception ( Mary , the mother of Christ , was conceived without sin), the Divine Motherhood ( Mary's pregnancy was the work of the Holy Spirit , that is, she never lost her virginity) and the Eucharist(the bread and wine that are transformed into the body and blood of the son of God ).
One of the greatest concerns of Catholics is to act in accordance with the teachings and expectations of God, something that is more difficult than it seems, especially in adulthood. The freedom that we have in our day to day leads us many times to commit acts of which we usually regret, especially when we allow ourselves to be overcome by some temptation.
First of all, the Church gives a very easy advice to follow for anyone who wants to be a good Catholic: pray. Of course, true prayer must arise spontaneously and legitimately from the heart; There is no use in a routine that is tedious and repetitive, but it should be a moment of communication with God in which we try to learn more from his many examples and recognize our faults. Prayers should be short and with a goal for the common good, rather than focusing on those things we want for ourselves.
Baptism, first communion and confirmation are fundamental steps towards the birth of a true Catholic, but they are useless if there is no awakening in the soul, a revelation that makes us feel the love of God, the dedication that he demonstrated in more than one occasion to teach us to be generous and sincere. Respect for his figure and for all the symbols of Catholicism must be true; if we doubt, then we must seek the support of those who have taken that step towards stability.
Precisely speaking with priests and with those people who have been living their union with God to the full for some time is highly advisable to find a rich and solid perspective on what it means to be a good Catholic.
It is important to remember that this bond is intimate, the most intimate of all, and we must preserve it above all else; Authentic Catholicism has nothing to do with the conduct of those who wish to make public their good deeds, their faith in God, the frequency with which they visit church, their works of charity.