Catholic Faith
What does it mean to be Catholic?
The Catholic Church stands for high standards and second chances. We are followers of Jesus Christ, who lived 2000 years ago and taught His disciples to live a life of outstanding care and concern for one another, to uphold the highest standards of morality, and to offer forgiveness and compassion to those who acknowledge their inability to live out these ideals.
Daily Readings
Each day, we children of God, are looking for inspiration and guidance as we navigate our selves and loved ones through the celebrations and challenges of everyday life. The Holy Bible is one of the best sources of guidance for Catholics. Using the link below you can find a Daily Reading, Psalm and Gospel to connect you to God and his teachings.
Read the Bible
Prayer is perhaps one of the hardest spiritual disciplines for anyone. There are struggles in knowing exactly how to talk to God, if he even hears us and what exactly to say. The best approach to prayer is to begin with the Word of God as we know it and that is in the Bible. There are many benefits to familiarizing yourself with the Holy Bible, and we have provided a link to it here.
The Creeds
Catholic beliefs are most neatly summed up in the two most important prayers: The Nicene Creed and the Apostles Creed.
The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Apostles Creed
I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary
Under Pontius Pilate, He was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day, he rose again.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
1. A summary of the principles of the Christian religion in the form of questions and answers, used for religious instruction.
1.1. (in Roman Catholic use) religious instruction in general.
About the Catechism
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the definitive reference guide to the Catholic faith. It arranges the material in four parts:
1. Creed – The Profession of Faith
The Christian mystery, the object of faith: it is what the Catholic Church believes and is summed up in the Creeds of the Church (The creeds: The Apostles’ Creed and The Nicene Creed) with the Holy Trinity (three persons in one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) as the central mystery of the faith.
2. Sacraments – The Celebration of the Christian Mystery
How this Christian mystery is celebrated and communicated in liturgical actions, with pride of place given to the sacraments.
3. Morality – Life in Christ
This Christian faith is present to enlighten and sustain the children of God in their actions as explained beginning with the Ten Commandments and more completely by the Beatitudes. What does it mean to be human, to have dignity, and to be free? And what is the right use of our dignity and freedom?
4. Prayer – Christian Prayer
The Catholic faith is the basis for our prayer, the privileged expression of which is the Our Father, and it represents the object of our supplication, our praise and our intercession.
Sacraments
The seven sacraments were instituted by Jesus to give grace to mankind. The term “sacrament” is best defined as “an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace”.
Prayers
Whatever the time of the year it is, it’s always a good time to strengthen your faith in and relationship with God. We are happy to supply materials to help with that.
Holy Mass Intensions
You may ask a priest to offer a Mass for several reasons: in thanks, for the intentions of another person, or, as is most common, for the repose of the soul of someone who has died.
Divine Mercy
The Divine Mercy is a devotion to Jesus Christ associated with the apparitions of Jesus to Saint Faustina Kowalska. It refers to what her diary describes as “God’s loving mercy”.
Learning About Catholicism
How do I find out about Catholicism?
1. Contact a Parish
One of the best ways to explore Catholicism is to contact a Catholic parish near you to let them know that you are interested in finding out more about the Catholic Faith. You will be invited to inquire into what “being Catholic” is all about: who we are, what we believe, how we live our lives, how we pray, and more.
Here at Our Lady of Peace, contact the office.
If you are not located near Innisfail and wish to find a Catholic parish near you within the Archdiocese of Edmonton, we have provided a link below.
2. Read about the Faith.
To familiarize yourself with the faith, a great option is to explore available readings and other online tools about the faith. You can purchase a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the official summary of our Faith, available at most major bookstores, or it can be viewed online as well.
Becoming Catholic
What if I think that I want to become Catholic?
The Catholic faith believes that God calls individuals to live the Good News which Jesus proclaimed. We believe that call is to become his disciples as members of the Catholic Church.
If you wish to become Catholic, you will participate in a process called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). In RCIA, you will learn about the teachings of Jesus as the Catholic Church has passed them on. You will also put these teachings into practice by living as part of the Catholic community, serving others, and praying.
What does initiation into the Catholic Church entail?
If you have not been baptized:
The Christian initiation process prepares you to become a Catholic Christian by celebrating what is known as the sacraments of Christian initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist or Holy Communion.
If you have been baptized in another Christian tradition:
The initiation process prepares you to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church by celebrating the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist or Holy Communion.
How long does the initiation process take?
The Christian initiation process described above typically lasts for several months in order to properly prepare to take this step. Participants in the RCIA process generally meet once or twice each week, including part of the Mass on Sunday, but each parish initiation schedule varies. Once the initiation process is complete, being a Catholic is a life-long commitment.
What if I change my mind?
It should be pointed out that by inquiring about Catholicism or beginning the Christian initiation process, you do not make any commitment or obligation.
It is important to take the time you need as an individual to explore your connection to God and the requirements of Catholicism. The Catholic faith will always respect your journey’s timeline and your right to stop or delay the process. You will never experience any pressure during your RCIA journey. Our greatest hope would be that every participant gains a greater appreciation of our Catholic beliefs and practices.
Catholics Come Home
How do I return to the Catholic Church?
The first thing you should know is that you never left the Church. Through your baptism, you always remained Catholic.
However, if you’ve been away from the Church for several years, and wish to return, it could be good to have a refresher course. The RCIA would be a good place to become re-acquainted with the Church, even though you are not preparing for sacraments of initiation. A second option to assist you in your desire to return to the church would be to participate in bible study, if offered by your parish.
How do I return to the Catholic Church?
If you’re visiting this site because you’re interested in returning to the Catholic Church, here are a few ways to reconnect with the parish:
- Begin to attend weekly Mass – the Our Lady of Peace Mass Schedule can be found on our homepage.
- In other areas of the Archdiocese of Edmonton, you can use the Mass Finder page on the Archdiocese website.
- Visit www.catholicscomehome.org for Q&A and inspiring videos and testimonials.
- Contact the parish and speak to someone directly about your desire to return to the church.