Foundations of the Faith

Most of us want certainty in our lives, and we desire our lives to have some kind of meaning and purpose. Even when we attain the things we seek we often find that our thirst for happiness continues because, great though these things are, they don’t fully satisfy the human longing for happiness. This is where God comes in. Only union with God can satisfy our longing for truth, certainty, meaning, and ultimately love. It is a union offered to us through the Person of Jesus Christ.

The fact that God is a Holy Trinity of Persons is a mystery that we cannot know by reason alone, and was unknown to Israel before the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and the sending of the Holy Spirit.

One of the distinctive marks of Christianity, which sets it apart from other religions, is the belief that God has entered into human history to reveal himself to us, to form a relationship with us, and to call us to share in his own divine Trinitarian life—the life of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who became human about 2000 years ago and lived in ancient Palestine. Jesus was born to a Jewish mother named Mary, and foster-father named Joseph, lived among the Jewish people, taught them about God, established a body of believers called the Church, and was put to death by crucifixion. Jesus conquered death by rising from the tomb in his own real body, appeared to many hundreds of people, and ascended into heaven. Christians call Jesus Christ the Lord and Saviour, and they believe he is active in their lives today, and desires a relationship with each of us.

People arrive at the Catholic faith from many different paths. Life events, family and friends, joys and sorrows can all draw a person to respond to God in faith. Each year adults of all ages, from different walks of life, decide to make their journey through life with the Catholic Church. We welcome people to walk with us while still feeling undecided. It’s important to know that there is no obligation and no pressure for a person to become Catholic.

Wonder what the difference is between being Catholic and being Christian? Click here!  

Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God, or the petition of good things from God in accord with his will. The bible exhorts us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17) since prayer is one of the fundamental elements of the spiritual life.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (n. 2560) teaches, “Whether we realise it or not, prayer is the encounter of God’s thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him.” It goes on to say, “In the New Covenant, prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit” (n. 2565).

For a beginner, reading the Bible can seem as quite a daunting task as it is a book like no other. It contains many literary genres, and the ancient language may be confusing to understand.  However, there are ways to start reading the Bible in a way so as to bring the Word of God into life and consequently change your heart as you read it.

To start with, you might like to consider reading the gospels in the New Testament.  This will be an easier place to start to familiarise yourself with the teachings of Jesus Christ and to allow yourself to dig deeper into his message of salvation.

If you prefer to get an overview of the Bible’s whole story, reading it through the Great Adventure® Bible Study Program and The Bible Timeline® Learning Systemdeveloped by Jeff Cavins might be a good option.  This timeline gives you an in depth look into the periods of salvation history beginning with Genesis and ending in the New Testament using a colour-coded system making the core story of salvation history easier to understand.  It is also the Bible used on the #1 podcast The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) ™ featuring Jeff Cavins!

It is important to remember that the Bible is God’s way of speaking to us.  We believe as Catholics that is inerrant as it is the inspired Word of God.  Through regular reading of the Bible, we come to know God better and this is central to our faith and identity as Catholics.  

A Catholic is a Christian who believes in the authority and the teachings of the Catholic Church.

While both the Catholic and other Christian denominations believe in core teachings of the Church, namely The Holy Trinity, Bible, The Incarnation, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus;

Catholics also believe in Mary, the Saints, Purgatory, the Sacraments, the Pope and the hierarchy of the Church.