How Many Catholic Churches Are There?

Foolish Wisdom ^ | October 13, 2014

[NYer]

If someone were to ask you how many Catholic Churches there are in the world, what would be your response? Not small ‘c’ churches referring to church buildings, but rather, Church with a capital ‘C’, indicating the grouping of believers who call themselves Catholic. You may very well respond to the question that there is one Catholic Church and to a large extent you would be correct. One can look to the Scriptures to see that the Lord deliberately founded a living Church built on his Apostles in order that his teachings and sacraments would continue down through time. Indeed the word Church comes out of the Greek verb ‘to gather together’, so the Church at its heart is a gathering of people.

While there is one Catholic Church though, that Church is made present in 23 Churches. Yes, that is correct, there are 23 Catholic Churches, and only one of those Churches is the Western, or Latin Church. The other 22 Churches are collectively termed the Eastern Catholic Churches but they are by no means all the same. Some of the Eastern Churches include the Melkite, Maronite, Ukrainian and Coptic Churches. Nor are these Eastern Churches mere annexes of the Latin Church. Each of the 22 Eastern Churches are autonomous and self-governing with their own Patriarch, Major Archbishop or Bishop. While these Churches were born in places such as the Middle East, India and Eastern Europe, they are not primarily cultural groups in the same way as one might be a French Catholic or an Indonesian Catholic (both of whom are still members of the Latin Church). Each of the 22 Eastern Churches preserve unique liturgical, devotional and theological traditions that demonstrate the authentic universality of the Catholic Church. For the most part, the Eastern Catholic Churches choose their own Bishops yet they remain Catholic because they are in full communion with the successor of Peter.

But how did the Eastern Catholic Churches come about? First the obvious. Jesus was not a citizen of Rome and he did not speak Latin (or English). He lived and ministered in the Middle East which was in his time under the Rule of the Roman Empire. For close to 300 years after Jesus, the new Christian religion suffered heavy persecution at the hands of that Empire. It was the baptism of the Emperor Constantine in 313AD and the eventual declaration of Christianity as the official religion of the Empire which saw the Christian faith injected into the Western world in a way that shaped deeply the Europe we know today. However, while the structure of the Roman Empire shaped the way that Western Christianity would pray and think, Eastern Christianity continued to grow and take shape in its own place, understanding itself differently yet preaching the same Christ. Unfortunately these differences in tradition and mindset were not always understood by the other, and in 1054 the Christian Church was split by the tragic misunderstanding of the great schism where the West excommunicated the East, and the East excommunicated the West, giving rise to the division known today of Catholic and Orthodox. While the Orthodox Churches have a valid priesthood and sacramental system, the fundamental difference is that the Orthodox do not recognise the Bishop of Rome as having the kind of teaching and governing authority which the Catholic Church claims.

For almost four hundred years after the schism the divisions continued without any real healing or attempt at understanding, but slowly some groups within the various Orthodox Churches felt it important to restore communion with the Catholic Church. The reunification of individual Eastern Churches began in the 16^th century with the latest reunification as recently as 1930. The restorations of unity have not always been understood by the hierarchy of the Western Church with numerous examples of Eastern Catholic Churches forced to take on Western Church liturgical and devotional practices. The Second Vatican Council though spoke strongly about the need for the Catholic Churches of the East to maintain their identity. Some decades later, Pope John Paul II famously wrote about the Catholic Church needing to breathe again with both lungs, East and West.

The Eastern Catholic Churches continue to struggle. In their homelands many are persecuted severely and in their new lands of migration these Churches are often still misunderstood and cast to one side, being thought of as multicultural Latin Catholics. All people would do well to better understand the breadth of the 23 Catholic Churches and see in them a living demonstration to the full richness of the Church of Jesus Christ.

[GeronL]

and the “rock” is Jesus

[Steelfish]

“Feed my lambs, Feed my sheep”

Petrine authority has been examined every which way by all theological departments in every major university, by the greatest Catholic theologians, including many who converted to Catholicism, and all over the course 2000 years as attested by the litany of saints and martyrs. This should be enough.

If not go around and see the mudslide of Christian beliefs from Jim Jones and David Koresh to Osteen and Graham, and then of course we have the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Mennonites.

[FormerLib]

Petrine authority has been examined every which way by all theological departments in every major university, by the greatest Catholic theologians, including many who converted to Catholicism, and all over the course 2000 years as attested by the litany of saints and martyrs. This should be enough.

This reminds me of Al Gore claiming that there's a "scientific consensus" supporting his Global Warming claims. It's true because he asserts that it is true. That doesn't work.

You said "There is one authority given exclusively to Peter and his successors."

If your Petrine Consensus theory is true, you should have no problem naming that authority and a scriptural reference for it.

Again, I will note that we know it's not the "keys to the kingdom" because those were given to all of the Apostles when they were assembled. (The "keys" were described to Peter as the power to bind and loose on heaven and Earth, Matthew 16:19, but not delivered to Peter alone, but to all of the Apostles, John 20:21-23).

So what other authority was given with Peter's successors mentioned?

[Salvation]

ONE Catholic Church.

[Steelfish]

Christ taught ONE truth, established ONE Church, based on ONE authority.

There are books enough to fill scores of colleges and libraries around the world to establish this and it has stood the test of solid historical inquiry by the finest theological minds both in the Church and Protestant theologians who converted to Catholicism. This has been attested to by saints, martyrs and stigmatists.

The sheer shallowness of Bible Christianity has given us a mudslide of interpretations. Do we take “your” interpretation; or that of the Rev. Osteen’s, David Koresh’s, Jim Jones’s; Rev. Graham’s, Rev. Moon’s, Rev. Jeremiah Wrights or the TD Jakes of this world, or what Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses have to say?

I’d rather take the interpretation of the early Church theologians who assembled the texts and books of the “Bible” (the Bible did not fall from the skies) and the authority of these early Church fathers that was based on Petrine authority and the Bible books were based on historical accuracy, the received oral traditions, and revelation. This authority did not suddenly vanish after the books in the Bible were assembled. It continues until the end of times interpreted for its lasting truths, the Credo and the Catholic Catechisim until the end of time.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“ONE Catholic Church.”

This is a declaration, but without evidence.

Of course, I know you believe this. But since you are posting to someone who doesn’t believe it at all, it would have been nice if you had included evidence you found compelling and believed I would as well. It probably wouldn’t have persuaded me, since I’ve studied the Scriptures. Maybe you realize that. Still, I enjoy a good civil examination of ideas anytime.

Hundreds of millions of Christian believers around the world understand that the RC denominations (numbering in the millions as each makes their own belief set) and know that Christ has one church, made up of all believers of all times who comprise the bride of Christ - and this, regardless of which gathering they worship and fellowship with here on earth.

Best to you this Thanksgiving. May you and all choose to be part of the Body and Bride of the Savior.

[Salvation]

It's in one of the links on Rites. Of course, research for some, is a REAL task.

 

RITE	CHURCHES THAT USE THIS RITE	ORIGINAL LITURGICAL LANGUAGE	PATRIARCH	POINT OF ORIGIN
1.ROMAN	All Roman Catholics	Latin	Bishop of Rome	Rome
MOZARABIC	Archdiocese of Toledo Spain	Latin	Bishop of Rome	Spain
AMBROSIAN	Archdiocese of Milan, Italy	Latin	Bishop of Rome	Milan
BRAGAN	Archdiocese of Braga, Portugal	Latin	Bishop of Rome	Braga
DOMINICAN	Dominican Priests	Latin	Bishop of Rome	St. Dominic
CARMELITE	Carmelite Priests	Latin	Bishop of Rome	St. Berthold
CARTHUSIANS	Carthusian Priests	Latin	Bishop of Rome	St. Bruno
2. BYZANTINE	Belarussian	Old Slavonic		Belarussia
	Bulgarian	Old Slavonic	Apostolic Exarch for Catholics of the Byzantine-Slav rite in Bulgaria	Bulgaria
	Croatian	Old Slavonic	Bishop of Kricevci	Croatia
	Greek	Greek	Apostolic Exarch for Catholics of the Byzantine rite in Greece	Greece
	Hungarian	Greek	Bishop of Hajdudorog, Apostolic Administrator of Miskolc	Hungary
	Italo-Albanian	Greek	Local Latin Bishop	Italy
	Melkite	Greek	Melkite Greek Patriarch of Damascus	Syria/Lebanon/Israel
	Romanian	Romanian	Archbishop of Fagaras and Alba Julia	Romania
	Russian	Old Slavonic	Apostolic Exarch in Russia	Russia
	Ruthenian	Old Slavonic	Bishop of Mukacevo of the Byzantines	Ukrania
	Slovakian	Old Slavonic	Bishop of Presov of Catholics of the Byzantine rite	Slovakia
	Ukrainian	Old Slavonic	Major Archbishop of Lviv of the Ukranians	Ukrania
3.ALEXANDRIAN	Coptic	Coptic	Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts	Egypt
	Ethiopian	Ge'ez	Archbishop of Addis Ababa of the Ethiopians	Ethiopia/Somalia
4. SYRIAC	Syriac		Syriac Patriarch of Antioch	Syria
	Malankarese	West Syriac	Metropolitan of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankarese	India
5. ARMENIAN	Armenian	Classical Armenian	Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians	Armenia
6. MARONITE	Maronite	Aramaic	Maronite Patriarch of Antioch	Lebanon
7. CHALDEAN	Chaldean	Syriac	Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans	Iraq
	Malabar	Syriac	Major Archbishop of the Malabar rite	India

 

 

[Triple]

Ok, the history founding of the church is solid. The church has also been under attack by evil since its beginning.

The current question is, has the smoke of corruption reached a critical mass of the men supposedly keeping the keys?

The smoke of corruption has certainly made it to the level of cardinal. (See cardinal law if you doubt this.)

The church needs to truly clean house. It should have zero tolerance for pedophiles, or those that enable them. Immediate excommunication for each, with a referral to the DA.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

The Roman Catholic denominations you list are just the tip of the iceberg...

[Salvation]

They are NOT denominations; for the nth time -- they are rites. Same Mass -- just in a different language. They are united as one Church under the Pope.

Did you check that column?

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Oh Salvation, I understand you believe there is a difference between your use of “rites” vs. your use of “denominations.”

They are the same.

And that is just the tip of the iceberg of RC denominations. There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, created by everyone choosing an individual plate at the RC smorgasbord. Not unique to your church either...

In the end, the Bible teaches there is one universal church that has nothing to do with a particular denomination, even the one you adhere to, but is comprise of all true believers of all times.

Best.

[Salvation]

They are not the same. It pays to do your research before you let your fingers do the talking -- please read these two definitions and see how different they are!!!!!!!!

DENOMINATION

 

A legally distinct group of believers, especially among Protestants. Different denominations exist within a single Protestant tradition, e.g., Lutheran. They are not necessarily different, though they generally are, in their faith, worship, and form of church government.

All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.______________________________________________________________________

 

RITE

 

In general, the manner and form of a religious function. Hence the words and actions to be carried out in the performance of a given act, e.g., the rite of baptism, or the rite of consecration, the Roman Rite. The term in its widest ecclesiastical sense refers to the principal historic rituals in the Catholic Church, whose essentials are the same as derived from Jesus Christ. THe four parent rites in Catholicism are the Antiochene, Alexandrine, Roman, and Gallican. Some religious orders have their own rites. In all cases, however, the ritual must be approved by the Holy See. (Etym. Latin ritus, religious custom, usage, ceremony.)

All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

 

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Oh, yes. I understand the RC view of the different denominations they have and why they don’t want to use that word. Using an RC dictionary isn’t convincing to a non-RC.

I’m not saying there is anything wrong with having as many denominations as serves your purposes.

Not saying you can’t call them denominations or rites, or orders, or whatever else floats your boat. Just saying I understand it’s all the same and has nothing to do with Christ’s Body and Bride.

Best.

[Salvation]

**I understand the RC view of the different denominations **

It seems that you are not reading my responses.

Catholics DO NOT have denominations!

Please don’t respond to me again on this thread. Good night.

[Steelfish]

Do not confuse doctrine with the the lives of individuals. The Church IS cleaning house. But we have evangelical pastors who have murdered their wives and lovers.

[Triple]

No confusion here.

The institution needs to do a better job of cleaning house of individuals/priests that abuse or enable abusers. Since the record is poor in this area, the institution “owns it,” until it properly removes the problem.

Do you honestly think moving Cardinal Law to Rome was “cleaning house”?

[Steelfish]

You are right. Moving Cardinal Law to Rome was wrong. The Church always grapples with wrongdoing and forgiveness.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“It seems that you are not reading my responses.”

Read every word you posted to me. Disagreed. Those are different.

[FormerLib]

I’m sorry that you were not able to support your assertion that “There is one authority given exclusively to Peter and his successors.” It would have been interesting to read, I think.

Instead, you give me something along the lines of “Everybody knows this,” which is clearly not the case.

And for the record, I do “take the interpretation of the early Church theologians who assembled the texts and books of the ‘Bible’ (the Bible did not fall from the skies)” and the authority of the early Church fathers that was based on the combined authority of all the Ancient Patriarchates “and the Bible books were based on historical accuracy, the received oral traditions, and revelation.” And yet I still do not find one authority given exclusively to Peter and his successors. Not anywhere.

[Steelfish]

Heaven’s! There is a library full of books in any theological department of a college or university that discusses and establishes Petrine authority.

Here’s one that might interest you with the attached review.

Upon This Rock
St. Peter and the Primacy of Rome in Scripture and the Early Church
Edition: Paperback

Availability: - In Stock
ISBN: 9780898707236
Author: Steve Ray
Length: 350 pages
Code: UTR-P
Web Sale Price: $16.11

Upon This Rock - Electronic Book Download

Ray, a former Evangelical Protestant and Bible teacher, goes through the Scriptures and the first five centuries of the Church to demonstrate that the early Christians had a clear understanding of the primacy of Peter in the see of Rome.

He tackles the tough issues in an attempt to expose how the opposition is misunderstanding the Scriptures and history. He uses many Protestant scholars and historians to support the Catholic position. This book contains the most complete compilation of Scriptural and Patristic quotations on the primacy of Peter and the Papal office of any book available. It has over 500 footnotes with supporting evidence from Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical, and non-Christian authorities.

“This book defends Catholic teaching against the opposition, using current Church teaching on the Old Testament foundation for the primacy and succession of Peter. A rich documentation, a fine study.”
-Cardinal Christoph Schönborn

“A veritable tour de force on behalf of the Petrine ministry, bringing together exegetes, the Fathers of the Church, the witness of history, and even Protestant scholars. The work is scholarly, objective, and accessible to all readers. Recommended wholeheartedly and unequivocally.”
- Fr. Peter Stravinskas

Stephen K. Ray was raised in a devout and loving Baptist family. His father was a deacon and Bible teacher, and Stephen was very involved in the Baptist Church as a teacher of Biblical studies. After an in-depth study of the writings of the Church Fathers, both Steve and his wife Janet converted to the Catholic Church. He is the host of the popular, award-winning film series on salvation history, The Footprints of God. Steve is also the author of the best-selling books Crossing the Tiber, and St. John’s Gospel.