Christian Denominations: Catholic

A reading and viewing list on Catholicism.

A Credo Reference landing page on Catholicism.

Roman Catholicism, Christian religion that has been the decisive spiritual force in the history of Western civilization.

In the tumultuous 1960s, Catholic sisters embrace the call of Vatican II, venture forth from their convents, and become leaders in the feminist, civil rights, antiwar and environmental movements. Fifty years later, U.S. nuns continue to champion those who are voiceless in society - winning over opponents with a bewildering combination of spirituality and nonviolent activism. Weaving sweeping history with an intimate look into the lives of contemporary American nuns, the film keeps returning to two sisters, whose compassion for immigrant detainees drives them to confront and change a cruel system of detention and deportation. From organic farmers to directors of inner-city holistic health centers, theologians to lobbyists, peace activists to podcasters - these sisters are living out their calling in ways their orders' founders could never have imagined.

Catholicism, especially since Vatican II, has undergone many changes. In this episode filmed in Rome, Spain and England, we discover the diversity and the unity of the religious experience labeled the Holy Catholic Church.

Rome was once the center of Christian persecution, but the martyrdom there of Paul and Peter began the unfolding of a historical epic that ended with the seat of empire becoming the spiritual capital of the Western Latin church. This program charts the development of Roman Catholicism, traveling to the ancient Port of Ostia, churches in Ravenna, and a remote Celtic monastery to show how Constantine took Christianity from a religion for the downtrodden to a faith aligned with temporal power and wealth. As the Church expanded, key doctrines fell into place: priestly celibacy, confession and penance, purgatory and indulgences, and original sin. The video highlights the accomplishments of Damasus I, Gregory I, and Gregory the Reformer; examines early signs of schism that began with the “barbarian” Theodoric; assesses the impact of the First Crusade; and considers the harsh measures of Innocent III that set the stage for the Reformation. Produced by the Open University. Part of the series A History of Christianity. (60 minutes)

Protestants weren't the only ones fighting to reform Christianity. While Luther, Calvin, and others were breaking from Rome and founding independent churches, leaders within the Catholic Church pushed to consolidate the power of their ideas and institutions. Survey the founding of the Jesuits and the role of education in the Catholic Reformation.

Beginning around 1550, the Catholic Church undertook a reformation of its own, founding new institutions and launching new religious orders. At the same time, "confessional" lines were hardening on the religious map of a permanently divided Europe.

In this program, Dennis Wholey has a conversation about Roman Catholicism with Cardinal William H. Keeler, Archbishop of Baltimore. Topics of discussion include who Jesus Christ is, from a Catholic perspective; the concept of the Trinity; the seven sacraments; the purpose and meaning of the Mass; what makes a Catholic a Catholic; and the effect of cultural secularization on the Church. In addition, the history of the restored Baltimore Basilica—America’s first cathedral and the foundation of Roman Catholicism in the U.S.—is outlined by Mark J. Potter, executive director of the Basilica Historic Trust. (27 minutes)

Catholics are one of the largest religious groups in the United States, outnumbering any single Protestant denomination. The U.S. has more Catholics than all but three other countries – Brazil, Mexico and the Philippines – according to the Vatican’s 2021 Statistical Yearbook of the Church.

The official website of the Holy See.

Vatican News is the news portal of the Holy See. Together with Vatican Radio, L’Osservatore Romano and Vatican Media, it seeks to respond “always better to the demands of the Church’s mission” in contemporary culture. Vatican News’s adventure began on 27 June 2015 with the Motu Proprio of Pope Francis that established the Secretariat for Communication, which today is a Dicastery of the Roman Curia.

Whether you are a "Cradle Catholic" and no longer attend a Catholic church, or you’ve never known much about the Catholic faith or someone with different beliefs, you may have questions about what Catholics believe. The information below will help you understand the Holy Roman Catholic Church.