Catholic Faith

Curious about the Catholic faith? Learn about the beauty of the Church and find answers to many questions you may have.

Find additional Catholic FAQs related to fasting, sacraments, worship and more.

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Sacraments

The Seven Sacraments

What is a sacrament, and what are the seven sacraments in the Catholic Church?

Baptism

What is original sin? How does it impact me?

Why is Baptism important? What change does it make in me?

Reconciliation

Why do I need the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance? How does it help me?

What happens during the Sacrament of Reconciliation? What forms can it take? How does it affect me?

Why do I have to confess my sins to a priest?

Eucharist

What is the Eucharist?

How should I prepare for the Eucharist?

How am I changed by the Eucharist?

What are the symbols of the Eucharist and what is their meaning?

Confirmation

Why is Confirmation important? What effect does it have on me?

What are the symbols of the Holy Spirit?

Marriage

What are the purposes of marriage? What are the effects of the sacrament?

What’s important about the bond between a husband and a wife? How is marriage unitive?

What does the Church teach about divorce? What about an annulment?

Holy Orders

What are “Holy Orders” and where do they come from?

What effect does Holy Orders have on the man who receives the sacrament?

How are bishops, priests and deacons different? Why are they ordained ministers through Holy Orders?

What is a deacon and what does he do?

What are the important symbols associated with Deacons?

Anointing of the Sick

What is Anointing of the Sick? Why is it important?

What are the effects of Anointing of the Sick? Is it just for physical healing and those near death?
What is faith? How does it tie in to what we believe as Catholics?


What Catholics Believe

How is Christ really present in the Eucharist?

What does it mean to believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty?

Why did God establish the Church and how did it come to be?

Why do we call Mary our Mother?

What are the important teachings about Mary? Why do they matter so much?

How is Mary the greatest role model for Christian mothers?

What is “liturgy”? Why is it important?

What is grace? What role does it play in my life?

What are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit?

What is Peter’s role in the formation of the Church?

What are the symbols of St. Peter, the Apostle?

Where did the Church come from and how did it start? Why is it important?

What is “Sacred Tradition” and how is it related to Sacred Scripture?

What is the “resurrection of the body” and what does that mean to me?

What are relics and why do Catholics venerate them?


The Mass and the Liturgical Year

The Mass

What happens at the beginning of Mass?

Why do we present gifts during Mass?

What happens during the Communion rite?

Why is receiving Communion vital to the Catholic faith?

Give me five good reasons why going to Mass every Sunday is absolutely necessary.

If I can work from home, why can’t I worship from home?

Lent

What does it mean to repent and why is Lent such a powerful time to do so?

Why don’t Catholics eat meat on Fridays?

Ash Wednesday 101: How can I prepare my heart for Lent? (podcast)

Archbishop Hebda: Having a fruitful and holy Lent (podcast)

How can I give the gift of self during the Lenten season? (podcast)

What are the symbols of Lent and what is their meaning?

What is “Holy Week” and what should Christians do to properly recognize and participate in it?

Advent

What is Advent and why is it very important to us as Catholics?

I know Jesus was born in a manger, but why is that important and what does it mean?

What does John the Baptist teach us about the meaning of Advent?

How does the Christmas reference to “no room at the Inn” apply to my relationship with Jesus?

Why is Jesus referred to as the “Light of the World” and how does that relate to Christmas?


Morality

What are the Ten Commandments? Why are they important? How are they relevant to my life?

What is virtue? Why is it important in the Christian life?

What are the basic elements of Christian morality?

How can we tell if an action is moral?

What is the role of the Church related to morality?

What does it mean to have a well-formed conscience?


More About the Catholic Faith

What did Jesus teach about forgiveness?

How does the media impact our perception of what is true? How does opinion differ from truth?

What is modesty? Why is it important? How is it relevant to me?

Why is the Church missionary? What does ‘mission’ mean?

What is the role of faith in prayer?

Who are the people of God?

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