Roman Catholic Church

Roman Catholic Church, major branch of the Christian church consisting of Christians in communion with the pope. It comprises the ecclesiastical organization that remained under papal obedience at the Reformation, consisting of a hierarchy of bishops and priests, with other officers such as cardinals. Roman Catholicism stresses the authority of tradition and the church (through ecumenical councils and the papacy) to formulate doctrine and regulate moral and spiritual life. Members participate in grace, mediated through the priesthood, by means of the seven sacraments. The mass is central to Roman Catholic life and worship. Doctrinally, Roman Catholic theologians emphasize the role of the Virgin Mary and the authority and infallibility of the pope. Other distinctive doctrines include clerical celibacy, limbo, and purgatory. Those held in common with the orthodox churches (but rejected by Protestants) include the invocation of saints, veneration of images, acceptance of the Apocrypha, the sacramental system, and monasticism. Since the Second Vatican Council, there has been a movement toward accommodation with the modern world, cautious dealings with the ecumenical movement, and encouragement of lay participation and vernacular liturgy. There are about 600 million Roman Catholics worldwide.

See also: Christianity.