What are some great catholicism resources?

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Christianity claims more adherents than any other religion in the world, and Roman Catholicism is the largest single Christian denomination with one billion members. The influence of the Roman Catholic Church on western society, and indeed the entire world makes it helpful to have a good understanding of the history, beliefs, and practices of the Church of Rome. Resources that provide a good overview of the Roman Catholic Church abound online. They can be grouped into different categories and used to explain central elements of the Roman Catholic faith.

Catholic Liturgy and Worship

Central to the life of all Christians is their belief and worship of God. One of the ways they may worship is by attending a service known as a liturgy. The Roman Catholic liturgy is deeply rooted in Christian history and emphasizes the Eucharist, the sacrament that is a commemoration of the last supper. It is believed that during the Mass the host and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Christ. Music, Scripture readings, prayer, and other elements are also important in Roman Catholic worship. It is impossible to understand Roman Catholicism without understanding its liturgy.

Adoremus Bulletin on Music — The Adoremus Society for the Renewal of the Sacred presents a page on recovering traditional Roman Catholic music.

Catholic Prayer — Prayer is the subject of this informative article from the Catholic Encyclopedia.

Lectionary Central — This site is a thorough resource on Roman Catholic ceremonies and liturgies.

The Order of the Mass — This website provides extensive outlines for the Roman Catholic mass.

The Seven Catholic Sacraments — Here is information on the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church from American Catholic.org.

USCCB: Catholic Liturgy — The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is an important committee that sets policy for the American Catholic church, and this site from the group has many resources on the liturgy.

The Rosary — The Rosary is a prayer celebrating the mysteries of Christ. There are joyful, luminous, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries.

The Stations of the Cross — The Stations of the Cross follow the footsteps of Jesus on Good Friday.

Catholic Teaching

Official church teaching is established by the curia, which is the collection of the pope, the bishops, and all the teaching officers of the church. Documents from church councils, the Roman Catholic Catechism, and other such sources are the determinative source for Roman Catholic theology and its response to various issues. Studying these documents is necessary to learn what Roman Catholics believe.

Catechism of the Catholic Church — The Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church is the official summary of the church’s teachings and this is the official online version of the catechism from the Vatican’s homepage.

Conciliar and Papal Documents — This excellent resource has links to a host of official documents from Catholic popes, councils and more.

Douay–Rheims Bible — This is an online version of one of the translations of the Roman Catholic Scriptures currently available.

Ecumenical Councils — Here is an explanation of the Roman Catholic Church Councils and links to their official documents

Papal Encyclicals — Those who want short summaries of some of the most important papal writings will find this page helpful

The Teachings of the Catholic Church — Those who are curious about Roman Catholic teaching will find this page of links to various sites on the church’s teaching to be quite helpful.

Apologetics — The answers here provide information on the truth of Catholic teaching.

Catholic Culture

Roman Catholicism has become almost inextricably bound to the cultures of various world cultures, and the church has left its stamp on almost every society. Roman Catholic writers, artists, musicians, and more have all produced classic works that are worth study. Surveying these makers of culture, it is easy to see where Roman Catholicism has impacted their art.

About the Roman Catholic Church — Tolerance.org hosts this site with information on Roman Catholic history, beliefs, and much more.

Catholic News — This site features news about Roman Catholicism and news about the secular world from a Catholic perspective.

Catholic Shrines & Holy Places — Here is a searchable directory of Roman Catholic shrines and other locales in the United States.

Code of Canon Law — This is the official webpage from the Vatican on the code and practices of canon law.

Elegy for Popular Catholic Literature — A respected online journal offers an excellent article on popular Catholic literature by Flannery O’Connor and others.

National Museum of Catholic Art and History — The National Museum of Catholic Art and History is devoted to Roman Catholic art and history in the United States. This is the homepage of the

Catholic People

The single most important person in the running of the Roman Catholic Church today is the Pope, who is also the Bishop of Rome and leader of all the faithful. Bishops, saints, and other figures are also key to the Roman Catholic faith and its handing on of its tradition. The source of much renewal in Roman Catholic life is coming from young Roman Catholics and those church members involved in secular vocations.

Catholic.net — Here is a homepage for information on Roman Catholics on the web and a listing of other religious resources.

Patron Saints — This website contains searchable directories of the various patron saints in the Roman Catholic pantheon.

Saints, Martyrs, and Other Holy Persons — The Catholic Information Network provides an extensive list of saints on this webpage.

Vision Vocation Network — this is an extensive page with information on Roman Catholic vocations, employment searches, and more.

Welcome Young Catholics — The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has developed this site for younger Catholics.

Young Catholics Redefine Faith — USA Today features this article on how younger Catholics are interacting with the Roman Catholic Church and it is very informative on the church’s future.

Catholic Organizations

Apart from the Roman Catholic curia, there are many organizations and religious vocations that shape Roman Catholic thought and practice. Roman Catholic newspapers and news agencies get the scoop on many stories and apply a Roman Catholic perspective to the major issues of the day. There are even Roman Catholic television stations and movie production companies.

Differences Between Religious Orders — On this site users will find good information on all the differences between the Roman Catholic Religious Orders

Eternal Word Television Network — The Eternal Word Television Network ranks among the most influential Roman Catholic TV networks in the world.

National Catholic Educational Association — The National Catholic Educational Association is a professional society dedicated to the advance of Roman Catholic schools in the United States

National Catholic Reporter — The National Catholic Reporter is an independent, lay-directed newspaper that reports Roman Catholic news.

Parishes Online — Users can look up Roman Catholic Churches all over the United States on Parishes Online.

Paulist Pictures — This is the homepage of a Roman Catholic film-producing company that has released several award-winning movies.

Structured View of Dioceses — On this page it is possible to find links to Roman Catholic dioceses around the world.

Vatican: The Holy See — The official website of the Vatican is the best place to begin any search for details on the Roman Catholic Church.

Vatican's YouTube Channel — This site features videos and more from the Holy See in Vatican City.

Miscellaneous Catholic and Christian Information

Due to the size and scope of the Christian religion and the Roman Catholic theological tradition, there is much more that can be said about the church today. Persons who are interested in studying Christianity and Roman Catholicism are fortunate to have such a large number of online resources available for free to assist them in their study. Ecumenical groups have official websites, there are magazines written from a Christian perspective — the list goes on and on. The first-hand accounts of Christian experience on many of these sites can give readers a better understanding of how Roman Catholicism shapes private and corporate piety.

Beliefnet: Roman Catholicism — The Roman Catholicism feature page from Beliefnet features testimonies from Roman Catholics, information on Catholicism, and much more.

Christianity Today — Christianity Today is the premier magazine on the Christian faith produced by evangelical Christians

Differences Between Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism — On this useful page featuring an article from an Eastern Orthodox priest, readers can learn more about the differences and similarities between the Eastern church and the Western church.

National Council of Churches USA — The National Council of Churches is an interdenominational, ecumenical fellowship of Christian denominations in the United States

Roman Catholicism Debates — This site features several debates that can help readers understand the differences between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.

World Council of Churches — The World Council of Churches is an international body of Christian denominations seeking to serve God in the world in a spirit of unity.

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