The One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

Four years in high school at the Catholic school plus five years in the seminary made me steadfast in the Catholic Church as the True Church founded by our Lord Jesus Christ.

I am a Catholic notwithstanding that my parents are Catholic. With so many offshoot denominations of the Catholic Church, I have, with my own will, the choice to turn against my beloved Mother Church; but I did not and cannot do it because I bear with me the reason why I am a Catholic. Even though there are many accusations to why Catholics believe in saints, I cannot abandon the Mother who flourished me with such great faith in the Lord.

My faith in the Catholic Church is not hollow. It is guided by reason. I have the reason to believe that God exists. I have the reason to believe that Jesus is God. I have the reason to believe that God remains Good despite all the evils happened to mankind. Thus, I have also the reason to believe that my beloved Mother Church is the True Church and the Only Spouse of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Why then I believe? What’s then my reason?

The True Church is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.

The Church is One.
The Church is the Spouse of Christ, and Christ has only one Spouse. Moreover, Jesus did not found a collection of churches. He founded, rather, a one and only Church: the Catholic Church.

The Church is Holy.
The Catholic Church is the vehicle of the Grace of God through the Sacrament. Sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.

Though the members are unholy, the Church will always be holy.

This is the common accusation to us, Catholics. “What’s the sense of confessing my sins to a mere human (priest)? I can confess my sins directly to God.” I know you heard this mostly from the non-Catholic and the Catholic alike.

It is Christ Himself who instituted the Sacrament and not the ministers. They are just the instruments of Christ. Thus, the Church that was established by Christ 2000 years ago always remains Holy just like Him.

The Church is Catholic.
This is also a common accusation to us, Catholics. “Is the word Catholic found in the Bible?”

The word Catholic (from Greek) means “universal”, and the Catholic Church is universal in the sense that Jesus told his apostles to go throughout the world and make disciples to “all nations”.

The Catholic Church is sending missionaries throughout the world to make disciples of Christ. The universality of the Catholic Church is a gift to all.

The Church is Apostolic.
The Catholic Church is historically from the line of the apostles with St. Peter as their head.

Jesus gave the authority to his apostles, but only gave the keys of the kingdom of heaven to Peter. Even until now, we have the apostolic successors of the apostles who are the bishops, and we retain the line of the chair of Peter through the successive popes.

I believe in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church; and this faith will never change. I will hold this faith until I die.