Why has the Catholic church been so firm?

Question

Why do you think our Catholic Church hasn't gotten off track like for instance the "Protestants" in making up a new type of church everytime a new problem arises? We maintain only two, the Orthodox Catholic and the Roman Catholic. Why do we have two by the way? Anyway, Protestants have God knows how many denominations...probably about 400,000,000 denominations and growing; they're so off track I think. I'm immensely thankful that our Catholic Church is still on track and strongly pray that we never get off track that way, but I was wondering why, since the Protestants seem to also cherish Jesus Christ the Lord as much as we Catholics do, so, is our spirit and trust in the Lord stronger, or what is it that maintains us so firm and strong on the right track regarding this subject? So, what do you think it is that maintains us the Catholic church so firm?

Max Marie, you have wrong information. Or you give it to support your opinion..Take care.

Answer 1

Divine Mercy

Answer 2

Wow. What a great question. You touch on all the main points.

Our unity is Christ, plain and simple. As Catholics, we recognize and submit to the authority that Christ gave to the Church. We recognize that if we are not in union with the Church, we are not in union with Christ. I believe this is the chief principle that keeps us together, strong and unified.

With protestants, the reason is really not that complicated. Simply look at the definition of what protestantism is: a protest against the authority of the Catholic Church.

With no central authority, where does a protestant go for any final word on any particular doctrine and/or belief? They all read the same bible and pray to the same God, but when trying to discern what the sacred scriptures mean, they are left with only their own personal interpretation. This is why there are so many denominations. What happens in a case where there is a disagreement on what the scriptures mean? If you and I were protestants, I would have no more authority than you in determing what the scriptures mean. So therefore, our disagreement would lead to a split. You would go your way, and I would go mine, each teaching our thing, from the same bible, praying to the same God, yet each claiming to have the "correct", "true" teachings of Christ. Contradictory.

This is the simple, plain truth of it, yet many
people refuse to look at it. Left with this, you and I can do what is actually the most important thing we can do for them - pray. The Holy Spirit converts, not us. Devotion to Him is what will turn hearts.

Hope this helps. Keep strong and keep the faith. God bless.

Answer 3

Wow, this question has engendered quit a response.

I refuse to speak badly regarding any of my Christian borthers and sisters, either Roman Catholic or Protestant. However, there are indeed more than two ways to be Catholic in this modern world. As a result of the dogmatic proclamations of the First Vatican Council there was another Schism. From this "New Reformation" if you will, came what has come to be known as the Old Catholic Churches.

Many of these Churches, such as the one I belong to are highly conservative. In rejecting the "modern innovations" promulgated by the Roman Jurisdiction of "Papal Infallibility, and the immaculate conception of Mary, Old Catholics are striving to maintain a practice of faith consistent with the Church prior to the Great Schism.

You can learn more about Conservative Old Catholics by following the sources listed below!

May the Peace of Christ be with you all...

Fr. Michael Callahan

Answer 4

i think your estimation of how many denominations of protestantism is way off,there are roughly 28,000 protestant denominations. protestants cherish jesus christ but sadly they do not have the fullness of truth that the roman catholic church has. to find out why we have orthodox catholics and roman catholics www.catholiceducation.org will be a good resource for this issue amongst many others. as to the reason the catholic church has stayed firm and stayed on track is relatively easy to answer

1) the roman catholic church was the church that jesus himself gave us
2)the catholic church is the first and true christian church
3) jesus promised that his church would be protected and guided by the holy spirit
4) jesus also promised that the even the gates of hell(nether world) would prevail upon it.

with jesus as the head of our church we can't go wrong and we will proclaim the truth of jesus as we have from day one in the same fashion for as long the world will exist. just continue to pray for our seperated brothers and sisters in christ and hopefully to many were not offended by your question,or by my answer.......here are some sites you may find usefull as a catholic,they will help answer your question in more detail adn other questions you may have

www.scripturecatholic.com
www.fisheaters.com
www.newadvent.org
www.salvationhistory.com
http://www.amm.org/chss.htm
the last site has a free study programme that may interest you. as i said it is free but donations are welcomed but not an obligation. god bless.

Answer 5

Um, hey there.

There are a lot more than two branches of Catholicims.

It really causes me grief, the number of Catholics supposedly responding to this who seem to have NO knowledge of how big the Catholic Church really is.

Branch out people! Try attending a Byzantine Church just once. You'll be blown away!

There are 21 branches. Each with their own rite. While Roman Catholics use the Latin rite, Byzantines use the Byzantine Rite. Syro-Malabar Rite, Caldean Rite, Maronite Rite, Melkite Rite, yadda yadda.

We are all welcome at each other's services.

There are also Catholics outside of the umbrella of the Holy See.

For instance the Syriac Catholic Church uses the Syriac Rite and IS under the Holy See. The Assyrian Catholic Church is outside of the Vatican umbrella and uses a different (albeit still Eastern) rite.

Greek Rite, under the Holy See. Greek Orthodox Rite - still Catholic - but outside of the Holy See.

Add to that the number of orders within the Catholic Church. Benedictine, Franciscan, Carmelite, Carthusian, Augustinian, yadda yadda yadda.

Many of those orders are beloved of our Protestant cousins.

Many of them, such as Franciscans, Carmelites and Dominicans have their own rite. Variations of the Latin Liturgy.

New orders popping up all the time. Far more under the Latin Rite (i.e. Roman Catholic Church) than any other rite.

While it's true that Protestants have a smaller core of beliefs that they all agree on - and Catholics have a much larger core of what we all agree on - you really have to admit that we are just like they are. They found new denominations. We found new orders.

It's all the same.


Edit:
Sorry kiddo. I am right.

Here's a nice article from a well loved Catholic site. Eternal World Televition Network.

Enjoy!

http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/catholic_rites_and_churches.htm

Answer 6

It has to do with Pride. To who do you want to turn over the authority to run your faith life to? Some guy who thinks just like you do until he doesn't think like you do and then you change Churches or to the person Jesus left in charge of HIS Church. The Pope. In the end times one of the telling things that happens is children will not be minding their parents. This is true of the Church and her children. Her children do not want to mind her and they are going off and doing whatever they want to. The Roman Catholic Church, in my view, IS the Orthodox Traditional Church. The American Catholic Church (which is what they want to be called now days) is the more Liberal. They are both united to the Pope though so until that is not true anymore they are the same body so...

Answer 7

We Catholics do a lot of arguing among ourselves -- (look at the recent disputes over altar girls, Latin masses, and the theology of ecumenicalism). But we keep argung "in the family", so to speak. It's like the difference between relatives who get together and squabble every Thanksgiving, and relatives who just decide they don't want to share a table any more and take off their own ways.

Protestants seem to handle disputes over liturgy, doctrine, or authority by leaving, and starting their own group, where everybody agrees. Catholics hang in there and stick together, even when everybody isn't in agreement. It always seemed to me that this is the fundamental difference between Catholics and Protestants, the way we handle disagreements, and our attitude about staying together.

Catholicism seems to be more of a "big tent", with all the differing parties living together under one roof, like a family. I have Protestant friends of various denominations, and I am struck by the homogeneity within their congregations. If you're a Quaker, or a Baptist, or a Pentecostalist, or a Presbyterian, all the other members of your church are very much like you, think the same way, have similar politics, similar styles and attitudes. A Pentecostalist and a Quaker would be so out-of-place in each other's churches. But you can be a Catholic in all different ways, from the contemplative Trappist to the intellectual Jesuit to the socially active Catholic Worker. Catholicism has militant saints and pacifist saints, married saints and celibate saints, quiet saints and flamboyant saints, role models for the Christian life to fit any personality.

This broadness of Catholicism, which is the actual meaning of the word "catholic" in a nutshell, takes all our dissention and difference and turns it into something good, a universal space to serve God while being yourself. But it also means that we have to be willing to be yoked with teammates who pull a little differently than we do, and still see ourselves as members of the same team. Actually, it's very good for us, in terms of spiritual growth, to be part of such a mixed team. It makes us more tolerant of each other, less shrill about wanting everything to be done in the way that "makes ME comfortable".

What keeps us Catholics "on track" is our faithfulness to the "family". We surrender the "I want it MY way" attitude for the sake of the family of God, to keep us all together. We can still find our own place in the family, the place where our individuality can serve the whole body.

As for the little nit-picky things that split up Christ's body, they are not worth "divorcing" over. The central things, the things that really define us, are the things we learned from the very first apostles, the things expressed in the Creed. As for the rest, yes, we argue a lot. But we don't think argument has to lead to separation. We believe that unity matters, and that living with each other as one family is necessary.

Answer 8

Because She is THE Church founded by Jesus Christ Himself 2000 years ago. She is THE Bride of Christ and she does not falter.

The oldest Protestant churches are what? About 500 years old? And there's a new one cropping up every day, making it up as they go along.

Since Luther there have been thousands and thousands of Protestant churches, and each one believes that IT has the "truth". And if you don't like the "truth" at one Protestant church, you can move on to another.

This is not so with the Catholic Church. Thank God!

Answer 9

I think it's probably due to effective leadership by the Vatican. With the exception of their views on human sexuality, the Vatican has always been theologically sound and true to the message of Christ. Also, the Vatican is open-minded and recognizes that although the Bible is the word of God, it should not always be taken literally because of errors in human translation, and is open to multiple interepretations. The Catholic church is also open to change (think Vatican II) and is constantly reforming practices in liturgy and ritual to meet the needs of the changing world; rather than just starting a new church all over again. The Catholic church also has a firm committment to social justice (not that other churches don't) and doesn't go overboard trying to convert people. If only they could make some reforms in their obsolete teachings about sexuality, family planning, and marriage, they'd be the perfect church for me.

Answer 10

Don't sell the Catholic Diocese too short. They are very good at change - it has to be hard to juggle such a pedophile epidemic as they face. But they soldier on! Moving the peds around providing sanctuary and no punishment by the human race. Which by the way is above all religious organizations.

Oh...almost forgot! One of history's enduring sagas: Spanish Inquisition! I think they are very able and willing to change when need arises.