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Why I Am a
Catholic
(from The Baltimore Catechism, 1955, Appendix) Our reason points out the truth of the Catholic religion by these principles: 1. There is a God. 2. The soul of man is immortal. 3. All men are obliged to practice religion. 4. The religion God has revealed through Christ is worthy of belief. 5. Christ established a Church which all are obliged to join. 6. The only true Church of Christ is the Catholic Church. How can we prove that there is a God? We can prove that there is a God because this vast universe could not have come into existence, nor be so beautiful and orderly, except by the almighty power and the wisdom of an eternal and intelligent Being. How can we prove that the soul of man is immortal? We can prove that the soul of man is immortal because man's acts of intelligence are spiritual; therefore, his soul must be a spiritual being, not dependent on matter, and hence not subject to decay or death. How can we prove that all men are obliged to practice religion? We can prove that all men are obliged to practice religion because all men are entirely dependent on God and must recognize that dependence by honoring Him and praying to Him. How can we prove that the religion God has revealed through Christ is worthy of belief? We can prove that the religion God has revealed through Christ is worthy of belief, because: 1. Jesus Christ, announcing Himself as the ambassador and the true Son of God, whose coming was foretold by the prophets, preached doctrines which He said all must believe. 2. Christ worked wonderful miracles, which show that the God of truth approved His teachings. How can we prove that Christ established a Church which all are obliged to join? We can prove that Christ established a Church which all are obliged to join, because: 1. He gathered a group of disciples, and called it His Church. 2. He promised that this Church would last until the end of time. 3. He declared that all men must believe and be baptized, that is, join His Church, in order to be saved. How can we prove that the only true Church of Christ is the Catholic Church? We can prove that the only true Church of Christ is the Catholic Church because: 1. Only the Catholic Church possesses the marks of the Church established by Christ, that is, unity, holiness, catholicity, and apostolicity. 2. The history of the Catholic Church gives evidence of miraculous strength, permanence, and unchangeableness, thus showing the world that it is under the special protection of God.
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