Catholicism claims to trace its origin back to Jesus and his Apostles, especially the Apostle Peter. St. Peter is considered the first pope, and every pope since him is regarded as his spiritual descendant. This gives the leader of the church spiritual authority and provides a means for resolving disagreements that could divide the church. The idea that the church leadership represents the continuation of an unbroken line from the apostles and their teachings has contributed to the survival of Christianity.
In the first century of Christianity there were no denominations as we know them. The major division in the church was between the Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. There were no Catholics as we think of them today, no Orthodox, and no Protestants. There were only followers of the Way, as they were called, believers in Jesus Christ. Therefore, to be Roman Catholic means to have unique beliefs, practices and traditions that are distinct from those of other Christians. Nevertheless, the Catholic Church continues to maintain that it alone has carried on the true tradition of the apostolic church.
The Roman Catholic Church is a Christian denomination of believers who are “in communion” with the papacy. The largest Christian church currently in existence, with more than a billion believers, it is characterized by an episcopal hierarchy with the pope as its head, a belief in seven sacraments and the authority of tradition alongside scripture. Catholicism is largely centered on the doctrine that God’s grace is conveyed through seven sacraments, but especially through the sacrament of eucharist (communion) celebrated at mass. The other six sacraments are baptism, confirmation, penance, holy orders, matrimony, and anointing of the sick.
Roman Catholic beliefs do not differ drastically from those of the other major branches of Christianity – Greek Orthodoxy and Protestantism. All three main branches hold to the doctrine of the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, the inspiration of the Bible, and so on. But on more minor doctrinal points, there are clear Catholic distinctions in belief.
Distinctive Roman Catholic beliefs include the special authority of the pope, the ability of saints to intercede on behalf of believers, the concept of Purgatory as a place of afterlife purification before entering Heaven, and the doctrine of transubstantiation, which states that the bread used in the Eucharist becomes the true body of Christ when blessed by a priest.