The Catholic Church’s View on Mormonism—and the Proper Catholic Response to Violence Against the LDS Church

Introduction

On September 28, 2025, a violent attack on a chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in Grand Blanc, Michigan, left four worshippers dead and several others wounded. This tragedy compels Catholics to consider two questions: first, how does the Church evaluate Mormonism theologically? And second, how should Catholics respond when members of another faith community are the victims of violence?

The Catholic Church’s position is marked by a dual commitment: doctrinal clarity regarding the essential differences between Catholicism and Mormonism, and pastoral charity expressed through defense of religious freedom, prayer, and solidarity with those who suffer persecution.

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I. Catholic Teaching on Mormonism

Baptism and the Trinity

In 2001, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) issued a formal Responsum declaring LDS baptisms invalid.¹ The decision did not concern the wording of the baptismal formula itself but the radically different understanding of God held by Latter-day Saints.

The Catholic Church teaches that God is one in essence and three in persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the “consubstantial Trinity.”² By contrast, LDS doctrine presents a “Godhead” of three distinct divine beings united in purpose but not in substance.³ The CDF concluded that this difference is so fundamental that LDS baptism cannot be considered Christian baptism in the Catholic sense.

Revelation and Authority

For Catholics, public revelation closed with the death of the last apostle.⁴ The Magisterium safeguards and interprets the deposit of faith, consisting of Scripture and Tradition. Latter-day Saints, however, regard the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price as scripture alongside the Bible, and affirm the continuing authority of living prophets.⁵

Ecclesial Status

Because LDS baptisms are invalid, the Catholic Church does not classify Latter-day Saints as “separated brethren” in the sense used for baptized Protestants and Orthodox Christians. Nevertheless, Catholic teaching emphasizes that they must be treated with dignity and respect, and Catholic–Mormon dialogue has been encouraged, especially in the United States.⁶

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II. Catholic Principles of Dialogue and Religious Freedom

Scripture

Scripture commands Catholics to defend the truth while showing reverence and charity: “Always be prepared to make a defense… yet do it with gentleness and reverence” (1 Pet 3:15). “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom 12:21).

The Catechism

The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms religious liberty: “No one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs, whether privately or publicly.”⁷

Papal Teaching

Pope Leo XIII taught in Libertas (1888) that “true liberty is stronger than all violence or wrong.”⁸ St. John Paul II’s Ut Unum Sint (1995) insisted that dialogue with other Christians must be pursued with perseverance.⁹ Benedict XVI’s Caritas in Veritate (2009) stressed that charity must be united to truth.¹⁰ Pope Leo XIV, in his inaugural homily of March 2025, denounced religious violence, declaring: “Violence against prayer is violence against God Himself. The only Christian response is peace, prayer, and the labor of charity.”¹¹

Vatican II

The Second Vatican Council’s Dignitatis Humanae affirmed the right of all people to religious liberty.¹² Nostra Aetate urged Catholics to recognize the “spiritual and moral goods” present in other faith traditions.¹³ These principles apply directly to how Catholics should engage with Latter-day Saints.

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III. The Michigan LDS Church Attack

The Grand Blanc attack of September 2025 was one of the deadliest assaults on an LDS congregation in recent history. Catholic bishops, along with other religious leaders, condemned the attack as an assault on religious freedom and human dignity.

Catholic teaching requires three responses:

1. Prayer and Mourning: Parishes should offer Masses, rosaries, and prayer vigils for the victims.

2. Public Condemnation: Violence against any house of worship must be denounced without ambiguity.

3. Practical Solidarity: Catholics can join vigils, fundraisers, and humanitarian support for LDS communities in grief.

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IV. Catholic Pastoral Response to LDS Communities

1. Charity in Action: Concrete acts of solidarity, such as letters of support and interfaith vigils, embody Christ’s command to love one’s neighbor (Mk 12:31).

2. Doctrinal Clarity with Gentleness: When questions arise, Catholics can explain the differences—especially regarding baptism and the Trinity—while maintaining charity (1 Pet 3:15).

3. Cooperation for the Common Good: Catholics and Latter-day Saints frequently collaborate on disaster relief, humanitarian aid, and family-centered initiatives. These partnerships should be deepened after tragedy.

4. Witness of Mercy: As St. Leo the Great taught, mercy itself is the worship that pleases God.¹⁴

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Conclusion

Catholics are called to balance doctrinal truth with pastoral charity. The Church clearly teaches that Mormonism diverges from Christianity in essential matters of faith, particularly regarding the Trinity and baptism. Yet, in moments of violence such as the Michigan attack, Catholics must stand firmly with their LDS neighbors, defending religious liberty and offering solidarity.

As Pope Leo XIV has emphasized, the Catholic witness is not polemic or indifference, but prayer, peace, and charity. This is how Catholics both preserve the truth of the Gospel and embody the mercy of Christ.

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Notes

1. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Response to a Dubium on the Validity of Baptism Conferred in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, June 5, 2001.

2. Catechism of the Catholic Church (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1992), §253.

3. “Godhead,” Gospel Topics Essays, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, accessed September 2025.

4. Catechism, §§66–67.

5. Pearl of Great Price (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1981), Articles of Faith 1:8–9.

6. USCCB, “Catholics and Mormons in Dialogue,” Origins 36 (2006).

7. Catechism, §2106.

8. Pope Leo XIII, Libertas Praestantissimum, June 20, 1888, §34.

9. John Paul II, Ut Unum Sint (1995), §28.

10. Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate (2009), §3.

11. Pope Leo XIV, Inaugural Homily, March 2025.

12. Vatican II, Dignitatis Humanae (1965), §2.

13. Vatican II, Nostra Aetate (1965), §2.

14. Leo the Great, Sermon 10 on Lent, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series II, Vol. 12.

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Bibliography

• Benedict XVI. Caritas in Veritate. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2009.

• Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Response to a Dubium on the Validity of Baptism Conferred in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. June 5, 2001.

• John Paul II. Ut Unum Sint. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1995.

• Leo XIII. Libertas Praestantissimum. June 20, 1888.

• Leo XIV. Inaugural Homily. March 2025.

• Leo the Great. Sermons. In Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series II, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1956.

• Catechism of the Catholic Church. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1992.

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Pearl of Great Price. Salt Lake City: LDS Church, 1981.

• ———. “Godhead.” Gospel Topics Essays. Accessed September 2025.

• United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). “Catholics and Mormons in Dialogue.” Origins 36 (2006).

• Vatican Council II. Dignitatis Humanae. 1965.

• Vatican Council II. Nostra Aetate. 1965.

Christopher M. Forte is a Catholic writer and independent researcher focusing on the intersections of religion, history, and culture. His work explores Catholic identity, interfaith relations, and the preservation of Italian American heritage in California. Forte has authored numerous essays and manuscripts on Catholic theology, the history of organized crime, and cultural travel guides. His scholarship blends historical analysis with pastoral reflection, aiming to foster deeper understanding between Catholicism and other religious traditions.

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The Catholic Perspective on Jehovah’s Witnesses

Introduction

Among the many religious movements that emerged in the modern era, Jehovah’s Witnesses occupy a unique place. They are admired for their zeal and evangelistic dedication, yet widely criticized for their doctrinal departures from historic Christianity. From a Catholic perspective, they represent a distinctly modern sect that reinterprets Scripture against the witness of the apostolic Church.

This essay will outline the historical development of Jehovah’s Witnesses, compare their teachings with Catholic doctrine, and analyze the effects of their disciplinary practice of disfellowshipping, contrasting it with the Catholic approach to excommunication.

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Historical Background

Jehovah’s Witnesses trace their origins to Charles Taze Russell (1852–1916), a Pennsylvania businessman who, dissatisfied with traditional Protestantism, formed a Bible study group in the 1870s. His teachings rejected the Trinity, eternal punishment, and traditional Church authority, focusing instead on apocalyptic expectations and literalist readings of Scripture. His followers became known as “Bible Students.” After his death, leadership shifted to Joseph Rutherford (1869–1942), who centralized control and in 1931 officially adopted the name “Jehovah’s Witnesses.”¹

In contrast, the Catholic Church maintains continuous historical existence since the apostolic age. Not only does Catholicism claim theological continuity with the apostles, but this is supported by archaeological and literary evidence dating to at least the second century, if not the first.

Archaeological Evidence

The Catacombs of Rome, dating to the 2nd and 3rd centuries, contain inscriptions, frescoes, and symbols (such as the Chi-Rho, the fish [ichthys], and depictions of the Eucharist) that testify to an already organized, sacramental, and hierarchical Christian community.² Tomb inscriptions such as those of early popes (e.g., Pope Cornelius, d. 253) confirm the existence of episcopal leadership in Rome well before Constantine.³

The House Church of Dura-Europos in Syria (ca. 230 AD), one of the earliest Christian worship sites, demonstrates the sacramental and liturgical life of early Christians—consistent with Catholic continuity in baptism, Eucharist, and community leadership.⁴

Patristic Writings

Beyond archaeology, the writings of early Church Fathers provide a documentary chain of continuity. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 35–107), writing on his way to martyrdom in Rome, emphasized unity under the bishop and the centrality of the Eucharist, calling the Church “catholic” for the first time:

“Wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.”⁵

By the mid-2nd century, Justin Martyr (c. 100–165) described the Christian liturgy in Rome, including the Eucharistic prayer, reading of Scripture, and communal offering—remarkably similar to Catholic Mass today.⁶

By the end of the 2nd century, Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130–202) explicitly defended the Catholic Church’s apostolic succession, tracing the bishops of Rome back to Peter and Paul:

“For it is a matter of necessity that every Church should agree with this Church [of Rome], on account of its preeminent authority.”⁷

Contrast with Jehovah’s Witnesses

This combination of archaeology and patristic testimony shows that the Catholic Church had visible, sacramental, and hierarchical existence centuries before Russell or Rutherford. Jehovah’s Witnesses, by contrast, are a 19th-century movement that rejects nearly all of these early Catholic markers—sacraments, episcopal authority, the Trinity, and even the cross as a symbol.⁸

Thus, while Jehovah’s Witnesses see themselves as restoring an original, “pure” Christianity lost after the apostles, the archaeological and documentary record testifies that the Catholic Church already embodied a continuous tradition of worship, authority, and doctrine from the earliest centuries of the faith.

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Doctrinal Differences

The Trinity

Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the doctrine of the Trinity, teaching that Jehovah alone is God, Jesus is the first created being (Michael the Archangel), and the Holy Spirit is an impersonal force.⁹ In contrast, Catholics affirm that God is one in essence but three in Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—co-eternal and co-equal, as professed in the Nicene Creed and witnessed in Scripture (Matthew 28:19; John 1:1).¹⁰

Jesus Christ

For Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jesus is not divine but a created being.¹¹ Catholics, however, profess Christ as “true God and true man,” the second Person of the Trinity incarnate, who died and rose bodily for the salvation of humanity.¹²

Salvation

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe salvation requires loyalty to Jehovah, obedience to Watchtower teachings, and participation in the organization.¹³ Catholics affirm that salvation is by grace, received through faith and baptism, nourished by the sacraments, and lived out in works of love.¹⁴

Scripture and Authority

Jehovah’s Witnesses use the New World Translation (NWT) of the Bible, which critics argue deliberately alters passages affirming Christ’s divinity (e.g., John 1:1).¹⁵ Authority rests in the Governing Body of the Watchtower Society. Catholics, by contrast, affirm Scripture within the living Tradition of the Church, interpreted through the Magisterium.¹⁶

The Afterlife

Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the immortality of the soul, reject Hell, and teach that only 144,000 will reign in Heaven, while others may live forever on a restored Earth.¹⁷ Catholics, drawing on Scripture and tradition, affirm Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory as states of eternal destiny or purification.¹⁸

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Discipline and Disfellowshipping

One of the most controversial features of Jehovah’s Witnesses is the practice of disfellowshipping, a form of excommunication. Members expelled for doctrinal dissent or moral failings are shunned not only by the congregation but often by family and friends.¹⁹ Former Witnesses testify to the deep emotional and psychological trauma this causes, describing themselves as “socially dead” within their own families.²⁰ This fear of isolation exerts powerful pressure to conform, discouraging dissent and critical inquiry.

The Catholic Church, while also maintaining disciplinary measures, treats excommunication differently. According to canon law, excommunication is a medicinal penalty meant to bring about repentance, not permanent separation.²¹ Unlike Jehovah’s Witnesses, Catholics are not required to shun excommunicated family members; rather, they are encouraged to continue loving them and praying for their reconciliation.²² This pastoral approach aims at healing rather than fear, emphasizing God’s mercy alongside the seriousness of sin.

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Catholic Response

Catholics are called to respond to Jehovah’s Witnesses with both clarity and charity:

1. With Charity and Respect – Recognize their sincerity and courage in evangelization while gently offering the fullness of truth in Christ.

2. By Knowing the Faith – Deep knowledge of Scripture, the Church Fathers, and the Catechism equips Catholics to respond effectively.

3. Through Prayer and Witness – Pray for those within the Watchtower organization who live under fear, that they may encounter Christ’s liberating truth.

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Conclusion

Jehovah’s Witnesses represent a modern religious sect that diverges from the apostolic faith in essential teachings about God, Christ, salvation, and the afterlife. Their strict policy of disfellowshipping often results in emotional harm and family estrangement, whereas Catholic discipline seeks reconciliation and mercy.

For Catholics, dialogue with Jehovah’s Witnesses must be rooted in truth spoken with love, grounded in Scripture, Tradition, and the living witness of Christ’s Church.

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Notes

1. M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 3rd ed. (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2015), 25–44.

2. John B. O’Connor, The Catacombs of Rome (New York: Macmillan, 1929), 14–32.

3. J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines, rev. ed. (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1978), 37–45.

4. Michael Peppard, The World’s Oldest Church: Bible, Art, and Ritual at Dura-Europos, Syria (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2016), 19–27.

5. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans 8:2, in The Apostolic Fathers, ed. Michael W. Holmes, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), 183.

6. Justin Martyr, First Apology 65–67, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, ed. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (Buffalo: Christian Literature Company, 1885), 185–86.

7. Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies 3.3.2, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, 415.

8. Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, 39–44.

9. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, What Does the Bible Really Teach? (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 2005), 31–32.

10. Council of Nicaea, Nicene Creed (325), in Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils, ed. Norman Tanner (Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 1990), 5–6.

11. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Reasoning from the Scriptures (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1985), 212–18.

12. Catechism of the Catholic Church (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1997), §§ 464–469.

13. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, What Can the Bible Teach Us? (Warwick, NY: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 2017), 159–65.

14. Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§ 1987–2005.

15. Bruce M. Metzger, “The Jehovah’s Witnesses and Jesus Christ: A Biblical and Theological Appraisal,” Theology Today 10, no. 1 (April 1953): 65–85.

16. Vatican II, Dei Verbum, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (1965), §10.

17. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Let God Be True (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1946), 74–85.

18. Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§ 1030–1037.

19. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Keep Yourselves in God’s Love (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 2008), 208–11.

20. Barbara Grizzuti Harrison, Visions of Glory: A History and a Memory of Jehovah’s Witnesses (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1978), 223–32.

21. Code of Canon Law, canons 1331–1332.

22. Pope John Paul II, Reconciliatio et Paenitentia (1984), §34.

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Bibliography

• Catechism of the Catholic Church. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1997.

• Council of Nicaea. Nicene Creed (325). In Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils, edited by Norman Tanner. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 1990.

• Harrison, Barbara Grizzuti. Visions of Glory: A History and a Memory of Jehovah’s Witnesses. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1978.

• Holmes, Michael W., ed. The Apostolic Fathers. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007.

• Irenaeus of Lyons. Against Heresies. In The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1. Buffalo: Christian Literature Company, 1885.

• Justin Martyr. First Apology. In The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1. Buffalo: Christian Literature Company, 1885.

• Kelly, J.N.D. Early Christian Doctrines. Rev. ed. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1978.

• Metzger, Bruce M. “The Jehovah’s Witnesses and Jesus Christ: A Biblical and Theological Appraisal.” Theology Today 10, no. 1 (April 1953): 65–85.

• O’Connor, John B. The Catacombs of Rome. New York: Macmillan, 1929.

• Peppard, Michael. The World’s Oldest Church: Bible, Art, and Ritual at Dura-Europos, Syria. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2016.

• Penton, M. James. Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah’s Witnesses. 3rd ed. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2015.

• Pope John Paul II. Reconciliatio et Paenitentia. Vatican City, 1984.

• Vatican II. Dei Verbum. Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, 1965.

• Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Keep Yourselves in God’s Love. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 2008.

• Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Let God Be True. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1946.

• Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Reasoning from the Scriptures. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1985.

• Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. What Can the Bible Teach Us? Warwick, NY: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 2017.

• Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. What Does the Bible Really Teach? Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 2005.

 

The Catholic Church & Hispanic Americans: History, Faith, and the Future

Introduction

Hispanic and Latino Catholics are not just part of the American Church—they are central to its present and decisive for its future. From the earliest missions of the Southwest to today’s bilingual parishes, youth ministries, and social-justice coalitions, Hispanic Catholics have shaped the Church’s prayer, music, devotions, leadership, and public witness. As the nation celebrates Hispanic American Heritage Month (Sept. 15–Oct. 15), it’s worth tracing the long arc of this relationship—its roots, its distinctive gifts, the challenges it faces, and the opportunities ahead.

I. Deep Roots in the Americas

Before the United States existed, Catholicism was being preached, sung, and lived across lands that would later become U.S. states—New Mexico, Texas, California, Arizona, Florida, and beyond. Mission churches, lay confraternities, and local devotions created a patrimony that still animates parish life.

One symbol unites the hemisphere: Our Lady of Guadalupe, venerated since 1531 and today honored as “Patroness of the Americas.” Her image—Indigenous, maternal, and missionary—has long been a rallying point for evangelization, human dignity, and the defense of migrants. The U.S. bishops annually mark December 12 with statements tying Guadalupe’s message to the protection of life and the unity of peoples. USCCB+2USCCB+2

II. A Living People, Not a Demographic Footnote

Recent social-science data clarifies the scale and dynamism of Hispanic Catholic life in the U.S. Pew Research Center’s 2023–25 analyses estimate that about 36% of U.S. Catholics are Hispanic, with especially strong representation among younger Catholics. At the same time, researchers note a decline in Catholic identification among U.S.-born Latinos and a rise in the religiously unaffiliated—an urgent pastoral signal for the Church. Pew Research Center+1

Journalistic reporting echoes both the vitality and the challenge: Latino Catholics are revitalizing parishes and forming new institutions, even as Gen-Z Latinos leave organized religion at higher rates than previous generations. The Washington Post

III. Distinctive Gifts: Devotion, Family, and Community

Hispanic Catholic spirituality blends strong Marian devotion, Eucharistic centrality, and joyful popular religiosity:

• Guadalupe and Marian devotions (e.g., rosaries, mañanitas) that make faith visible in the streets. USCCB

• Las Posadas, Holy Week processions, and neighborhood altarcitos that turn homes into “domestic churches.”

• The quinceañera blessing, now a recognized liturgical sacramental in the U.S., catechizing about dignity, vocation, and discipleship at a pivotal age. USCCB+1

• A culture of family and hospitality that naturally fosters parish belonging, small faith communities, and mutual aid.

Movements such as Cursillo and the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (along with countless lay ecclesial ministries) have formed leaders for decades, while choirs and composers have enriched the American songbook with bilingual liturgical music.

IV. Builders of the Common Good

Hispanic Catholics have been at the forefront of labor rights, immigration advocacy, and pro-life and pro-family work. Ministries at the border and in interior cities accompany migrants with legal aid, sacraments, and community. On Guadalupe’s feast in 2023, the U.S. bishops explicitly connected Marian devotion to “unconditional respect for human life and dignity,” highlighting a consistent ethic that engages issues from abortion to migration. USCCB

V. Leadership and the V Encuentro

A landmark process, the V National Encuentro of Hispanic/Latino Ministry (2017–2020), convened parishes, dioceses, and national leaders to listen to Hispanic Catholics—especially youth and those at the margins—and to chart pastoral priorities (formation, leadership pipelines, family ministry, vocations, and ecclesial integration). Its Proceedings and Conclusions remain a blueprint for dioceses seeking to move from bilingual accommodation to truly bicultural leadership and structures. USCCB+1

VI. Youth, Language, and Belonging: Today’s Pastoral Priorities

Three urgent fronts define the next decade:

1. Passing on the Faith to U.S.-born Youth
   Data shows U.S.-born Latinos are less likely to remain Catholic than their immigrant parents. Ministries that blend English-dominant settings with Hispanic spiritual culture—retreats, campus ministry, mentorship, and young-adult leadership tracks—are crucial. Pew Research Center

2. Language and Liturgy
   “Spanish or English?” is less helpful than “How do we build bilingual, bicultural communities where everyone can pray and lead?” Parishes that train lectors, catechists, musicians, and finance councils in both languages—and that rotate leadership—form one body rather than parallel congregations.

3. Formation and Pathways to Leadership
   The Church needs more Hispanic lay leaders, deacons, religious, and priests who can navigate cultures with ease. Seminaries and formation programs are taking steps; dioceses that pair scholarships with mentorship and on-ramp roles (youth core teams, RCIA sponsors, parish admin councils) see long-term fruit. Reporting underscores how targeted institutions (e.g., leadership-training centers) are making a measurable impact. The Washington Post

VII. Liturgical and Popular Practices: A “Both/And”

• Quinceañera: When well prepared, the liturgical blessing becomes a mini-catechumenate—connecting dignity, chastity, vocation, and service. Official texts and diocesan guidelines help parishes celebrate with theological depth and cultural beauty. USCCB+1

• Guadalupe: Beyond December 12, Guadalupe spirituality permeates the year, grounding parish missions, youth service projects, and pro-life witness in a Marian key of tenderness and courage. USCCB

VIII. Evangelization in a Time of Religious “Nones”

The rise of the unaffiliated among Latinos is real—but not inevitable. Research suggests people leave when they do not feel known or needed. The most effective parishes cultivate:

• Accompaniment: mentoring small groups, home visits, and personal invitations into real responsibility.

• Beauty: music, art, and processions that carry the Gospel into public space.

• Mission: service to migrants, the poor, the elderly, and the unborn that unites prayer with action.

• Belonging: leadership ladders for teens and young adults (liturgical ministries, digital media teams, parish councils).
  These align with Encuentro priorities and with what sociologists and pastoral leaders observe in thriving Latino-led ministries. USCCB+2V Encuentro+2

IX. What Dioceses and Parishes Can Do Now

1) Invest in Hispanic youth and young adults
Offer bilingual confirmation prep; fund college-age leadership internships; send delegations to regional encuentros and national conferences. USCCB

2) Normalize bilingual, bicultural leadership
Recruit and train parish staff, finance councils, and catechetical teams to operate in both languages; rotate meeting languages with summaries provided to all.

3) Expand sacramental and devotional bridges
Provide robust catechesis for quinceañeras; elevate Guadalupe, Posadas, and Good Friday processions as evangelizing moments supported by solid preaching. USCCB

4) Partner with Latino Catholic institutions
Collaborate with diocesan Hispanic Ministry offices, leadership academies, retreat houses, and formation programs highlighted in national reporting. The Washington Post

5) Focus on families
Equip parents as first catechists; schedule parish life around family rhythms; build ministries around the home (blessing of homes, small Christian communities).

X. Hope on the Horizon

At the universal level, the election of Pope Leo XIV—an American with deep Latin American ties—has prompted fresh attention to the Church’s pastoral realities in the U.S., including the engagement of Hispanic Catholics and the need for credible, healing leadership. His emphasis on synodality (walking together) dovetails with decades of Latino Catholic organizing and the Encuentro model. TIME

Conclusion

Hispanic Catholics have carried the Gospel across borders, languages, and generations. In their songs to Guadalupe, in quinceañera blessings, in neighborhood rosaries and bustling Sunday liturgies, they reveal what the Church is at her best: a family of families, a school of communion, a sacrament of unity. If the American Church leans into bilingual, bicultural formation and leadership—and invites Hispanic Catholics not merely to attend but to lead—the great story of Catholicism in the United States will remain a story of hope.

About the Author

Chris M. Forte is a writer, historian, and cultural researcher specializing in Italian American and Hispanic American heritage, Catholic history, and the intersections of faith, culture, and identity in the United States. He is the creator of The Italian Californian platform, which highlights the rich traditions, neighborhoods, and organizations that preserve immigrant history in California and beyond. His work often blends academic rigor with personal narrative, reflecting his deep commitment to storytelling that bridges past and present.

Forte’s publications explore topics ranging from organized crime and American popular culture to the revival of ethnic neighborhoods and the legacy of Catholicism in immigrant communities. With a focus on making history both accessible and meaningful, he aims to show how faith and culture continue to shape American life.

“Blessed Are the Peacemakers”: A Catholic Response to the Assassination of Charlie Kirk, Political and Religious Violence, and Mass Shootings Introduction

 

“Blessed Are the Peacemakers”: A Catholic 

Response to the Assassination of Charlie Kirk, Political and Religious Violence, and Mass Shootings

Introduction

The assassination of American political commentator Charlie Kirk sent shockwaves through both political and religious communities. While commentators parsed the political implications, the Catholic Church responded as it always does to violence: with grief, prayer, and a renewed call for peace rooted in the Gospel. As Jesus declared in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” (Matt. 5:9).

Catholic social teaching emphasizes three pillars in its response to violence: (1) the inviolable dignity of human life, (2) the necessity of disarming hatred in both rhetoric and practice, and (3) the pursuit of reconciliation and justice. The Church’s pastoral and prophetic voice—echoed in the words of recent popes, bishops, and now Pope Leo XIV—offers guidance not only in processing grief, but also in reforming hearts and societies.

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Catholic Teaching on Violence

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is unambiguous: “The fifth commandment forbids direct and intentional killing as gravely sinful” (CCC 2268). Violence against innocent life, whether through assassination, terrorism, or mass shootings, is a direct assault on the image of God in the human person.

Pope St. John Paul II, in Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life, 1995), insisted: “The commandment ‘You shall not kill’ has absolute value when it refers to the innocent person. And all the more so in the case of weak and defenseless human beings, who find their ultimate defense against the arrogance of power only in the absolute binding force of God’s commandment.”¹

Pope Benedict XVI, writing in his 2007 World Day of Peace Message, reminded the world that violence can never achieve true justice: “Violence is not the answer. With violence everything is lost. Peace is the only true way to progress.”²

Pope Francis likewise warned against what he called the “throwaway culture,” where life is devalued and human beings are reduced to disposable commodities.³

Building upon these voices, Pope Leo XIV has made clear that political assassination, hate crimes, and mass shootings represent not only a moral collapse but also a failure of civic fraternity.

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Pope Leo XIV on Hatred, Violence, and Hope

Since his election in 2024, Pope Leo has placed special emphasis on the need to temper public discourse and resist cycles of revenge. In a homily at St. Peter’s Square, he declared: “Where there is love, there is no room for prejudice, for ‘security zones’ separating us from our neighbors, for the exclusionary mindset that, tragically, we now see emerging also in political nationalisms.”⁴

In an address to media leaders, he urged: “Let us disarm words and we will help to disarm the world.”⁵ His insistence that rhetoric itself has moral consequences echoes the Church’s conviction that words shape the cultural climate in which violence either festers or is rejected.

Responding directly to Kirk’s assassination, Pope Leo offered pastoral comfort: “No person’s life should be taken for their ideas, their faith, or their politics. Violence is not the path of democracy, nor the way of Christ.”⁶

His global perspective further widens the lens. Reflecting on the violence in Gaza, Pope Leo warned: “There is no future based on violence, forced exile, and revenge.”⁷ And yet he insists on Christian hope: “We keep hoping. I believe strongly that we cannot give up hope, ever.”⁸

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Political and Religious Violence

Political assassination represents the most extreme form of a larger pathology: the reduction of political opponents to enemies who must be eliminated. The Church consistently warns that democratic life cannot survive when polarization hardens into hatred. Pope Leo’s call to “disarm words” suggests that Catholics have a duty not only to refrain from demonizing rhetoric but to actively model charity in political speech.

Religiously motivated violence demands a similar response. In his address to the Roman Curia, Pope Benedict XVI once reminded Christians that “violence in God’s name is always a profanation of God’s name.”⁹ Whether it comes in the form of antisemitism, terrorism, or anti-Christian persecution, Pope Leo echoes this teaching: “Hatred of the other is never God’s will.”

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The American Plague of Mass and School Shootings

Perhaps nowhere does the crisis of violence appear more tragically than in the epidemic of school and mass shootings in the United States. Each event leaves families broken, children dead, and communities scarred.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has been consistent in its calls for action. In 2022, they declared: “We must respond to the plague of gun violence with more than thoughts and prayers. We must act to end this scourge.”¹⁰ Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore added: “Every life lost to senseless gun violence is a call to conversion for our nation.”¹¹

Pope Leo’s words apply here with equal force: “There is no future based on violence.” The Catholic response to these tragedies is both pastoral and prophetic: prayer for the dead, comfort for survivors, advocacy for life-protecting policies, and a deeper cultural conversion.

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The Deeper Call: Conversion of Hearts

Catholic teaching insists that laws and policies, though essential, cannot by themselves create peace. The deeper solution is conversion of hearts. As Pope Leo has stated: “Peace begins not in parliaments or in treaties, but in the heart that refuses hatred.”¹²

This means the Eucharist, prayer, and the sacraments must form the core of Christian response. Communities must embody hospitality, inclusion, and mercy. Above all, Catholics are called to obey Christ’s radical command: “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44).

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Conclusion

The assassination of Charlie Kirk, the scourge of political and religious violence, and the epidemic of mass shootings confront us with the question: What kind of society are we building? The Catholic answer is clear: a society grounded not in revenge or hatred, but in reconciliation, dignity, and hope.

Pope Leo XIV’s words remind us that even in the shadow of tragedy, despair is not the Catholic way: “We keep hoping. I believe strongly that we cannot give up hope, ever.”

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Notes

1. John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae (1995), §57.

2. Benedict XVI, Message for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace, January 1, 2007.

3. Francis, Evangelii Gaudium (2013), §53.

4. Leo XIV, Homily, St. Peter’s Square, 2025, reported in Associated Press, September 2025.

5. Leo XIV, Address to Media Representatives, 2025, quoted in Catholic Review, September 2025.

6. Leo XIV, Statement following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Vatican News, September 2025.

7. Leo XIV, Appeal for Gaza Civilians, Reuters, September 21, 2025.

8. Leo XIV, Vatican News interview, September 2025.

9. Benedict XVI, Address to the Roman Curia, December 22, 2006.

10. USCCB, Statement on Gun Violence, June 2022.

11. Archbishop William Lori, Pastoral Letter on Life and Violence, 2023.

12. Leo XIV, General Audience, September 2025.

About the Author

Christopher M. Forte is a writer and cultural historian whose work explores the intersections of religion, identity, and society. With a particular focus on Italian American heritage, Catholic thought, and the role of myth in popular culture, Forte has authored both fiction and nonfiction projects ranging from historical novels to scholarly essays. His ongoing research engages with Catholic social teaching, American political life, and the narratives that shape our collective imagination. Blessed Are the Peacemakers reflects his commitment to examining violence, faith, and reconciliation through a Catholic lens, drawing from Scripture, tradition, and contemporary papal reflection.

 

The History of the Title Pontifex Maximus

Introduction

Part of the reason I remain Catholic is precisely because of this great tradition and history. Few institutions on earth carry such an unbroken thread of continuity, stretching back thousands of years. The title Pontifex Maximus is more than a name — it is a symbol of endurance, transformation, and the remarkable way the Church took what was once pagan and reoriented it toward Christ. To me, this continuity is not a weakness but a strength. It signals that the papacy stands in a line of succession that outlasted empires, turning a title of earthly power into a spiritual office that still matters today.

The story of Pontifex Maximus is a fascinating one: from Rome’s pagan high priests to the emperors, from the emperors to the bishops of Rome, and finally to the popes who hold it now. This journey reflects not only the history of the Catholic Church but the broader interplay of religion, politics, and power over the course of Western civilization.

The title Pontifex Maximus is one of the most enduring legacies of ancient Rome, a term that bridges the worlds of pagan religion, imperial politics, and Christian authority. Its journey—from the Republic’s priesthood to the Papacy—reflects not just a change in terminology but a transformation in how sacred authority was imagined, legitimized, and wielded across centuries. As historian Mary Beard observes, “Roman religion was never static; it was continually reshaped to meet the needs of power” (SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome). The story of the Pontifex Maximus is perhaps the clearest example of this reshaping.

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Origins in Pagan Rome

Early Use and Meaning

The Latin phrase Pontifex Maximus translates literally as “greatest bridge-builder.” While the term has often been read metaphorically as a spiritual bridge between gods and mortals, scholars like Jörg Rüpke (in Religion in Republican Rome) caution that the title likely originated in the practical responsibilities of priests who oversaw sacred bridges and crossings. By the early Roman Republic (3rd century BCE), however, the title had crystallized into the office of chief priest, head of the Collegium Pontificum (College of Pontiffs).

The Pontiffs were responsible for maintaining the pax deorum—the peace between the gods and the state. Their authority encompassed ritual law, festivals, burial customs, and the sacred calendar. As Beard explains, “To control the calendar was to control time itself, and with it, the rhythm of Roman life.”

Role and Responsibilities

The Pontifex Maximus was no mere ceremonial figure. He regulated religious law (ius divinum), advised magistrates on proper ritual, and presided over rites central to Rome’s civic identity. He controlled the annales, the official records of Rome, blending religion and historiography. His residence, the Domus Publica in the Forum, stood beside the Temple of Vesta, symbolizing proximity to both state and sacred fire.

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Transition to Imperial Rome

Influence of Julius Caesar

The office gained new weight when Julius Caesar became Pontifex Maximus in 63 BCE. Caesar’s election, won through lavish bribery, was not simply religious—it was deeply political. As Suetonius records, Caesar boasted that his debts would be repaid if he won, for the office offered unrivaled influence.

Once in power, Caesar used the role to buttress his populist reforms and strengthen his claim to divine favor. “In Caesar’s hands,” writes historian H.H. Scullard, “the Pontifex Maximus was no longer merely a priestly title—it was a cornerstone of political legitimacy.”

Integration into the Imperial Cult

Caesar’s precedent paved the way for Augustus, Rome’s first emperor, who ensured that the Pontifex Maximus was inseparable from the imperial office. By embodying both priest and princeps, Augustus fused the sacred and the political, presenting himself as the guarantor of divine order.

This fusion became central to the imperial cult. The emperor’s role as Pontifex Maximus sanctified his rule, making disobedience not only treason but impiety. Historian Ramsay MacMullen notes: “Religion became the emperor’s most effective weapon of persuasion, more potent than his armies.”

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Adoption by Christian Rome

Decline of Paganism

The fourth century brought dramatic change. Constantine’s conversion and the Edict of Milan (313 CE) marked the ascendancy of Christianity, but the office of Pontifex Maximus did not vanish overnight. Constantine and his successors retained the title, even as they closed temples and promoted Christian bishops.

As Peter Brown argues in The Rise of Western Christendom, this continuity reveals the pragmatism of imperial authority: “Old forms could be emptied of their gods, yet still filled with meaning.”

Christian Emperors and Religious Authority

Even Christian emperors such as Gratian (r. 367–383 CE) initially bore the title. However, Gratian renounced it in 382, refusing to be styled Pontifex Maximus, as it was too bound up with pagan cult. This renunciation left the title in transition, poised for appropriation by Rome’s emerging Christian leadership.

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The Papal Adoption

Transition to the Papacy

As the Western Roman Empire fractured, the bishop of Rome gradually assumed not only pastoral but also civic authority. The papacy filled the vacuum left by imperial retreat, inheriting titles, honors, and symbolism once reserved for emperors.

By the 5th century, Popes began to be associated with Pontifex Maximus, not formally at first, but in substance. Pope Leo I (“the Great,” 440–461 CE) articulated papal supremacy in ways strikingly reminiscent of imperial religious authority.

Establishment in the Papal Office

Over time, the papacy fully embraced the title, claiming continuity with both Rome’s civic past and its sacred mission. As historian Eamon Duffy observes in Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes, “The Pope was not only Peter’s heir but Caesar’s too.”

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Modern Significance

Symbol of Papal Authority

Today, Pontifex Maximus is one of the Pope’s official titles, printed on papal inscriptions and coins. While its pagan roots are acknowledged, the title is seen as an emblem of the Pope’s universal authority over the Church.

Pope Benedict XVI reflected on the symbolism: “The Pope is the bridge-builder between humanity and God, echoing the ancient role but transfigured in Christ.”

Reflection of Historical Continuity

The endurance of the title demonstrates the adaptability of religious traditions. What began as a pagan priesthood became the emblem of the Christian world’s spiritual head. As theologian Jaroslav Pelikan noted, “Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.”

Criticism and Controversy

Protestant and Secular Critiques

The Reformation sharpened attacks on the papacy’s use of the title. Martin Luther famously wrote: *“For who is the man of sin and the son of perdition but he who by his teaching and his ordinances increases the sin and perdition of souls in the Church… the pope is the very Antichrist.”*⁷

In the 19th century, Alexander Hislop argued in The Two Babylons that: *“The Pope is, in fact, the lineal successor of the high priest of Babylon. The titles which the papacy wears today are the same titles which the emperors of Rome assumed when they were at once heads of the State and high priests of the heathen worship.”*⁸

Modern conspiracy literature continues this argument. Dave Hunt declared: *“The title Pontifex Maximus links the papacy directly to the Caesars of Rome and to the pagan priesthood of Babylon… This is not the Church of Christ, but the kingdom of Antichrist.”*⁹

Even secular historians sometimes view the title as political rather than spiritual. Charles Freeman contends: *“The papacy did not inherit Rome’s spiritual mantle—it inherited its bureaucracy and its empire.”*¹⁰

Catholic Responses

Catholic scholars argue that the Church did not preserve paganism but transformed it. The Catholic Encyclopedia notes: *“The title Pontifex Maximus, though of pagan origin, is now understood in its Christian sense: the pope is the supreme bridge-builder, not to pagan gods, but to the one true God through Christ.”*¹¹

Pope Benedict XVI reaffirmed this: *“The Pope is the pontiff, the bridge-builder, because he is called to build bridges between God and man, between peoples, and within the Church itself. In this way, what was once a title of empire is now a title of service.”*¹²

Theologian Jaroslav Pelikan captured the broader truth: *“Tradition is the living faith of the dead; traditionalism is the dead faith of the living.”*¹³

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Conclusion

For critics, Pontifex Maximus proves the papacy’s corruption — a pagan office dressed in Christian robes. For Catholics, it demonstrates the Church’s capacity to transform culture and sanctify what came before.

Its endurance — from the Forum to St. Peter’s, from Caesar to Pope — shows the remarkable continuity of authority across millennia. To me, that continuity is a living sign that the Catholic Church, despite flaws and human failings, carries within it the depth of history and the power to reshape it in Christ.

Notes

1. Jörg Rüpke, Religion in Republican Rome: Rationalization and Ritual Change (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2012), 37–39.

2. Mary Beard, SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome (New York: Liveright, 2015), 232.

3. Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, trans. Robert Graves (London: Penguin Classics, 2007), “Caesar,” 13.

4. Ramsay MacMullen, Roman Social Relations, 50 B.C. to A.D. 284 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1974), 80.

5. Peter Brown, The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity, A.D. 200–1000 (Oxford: Blackwell, 1996), 89–90.

6. Eamon Duffy, Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1997), 23.

7. Martin Luther, Smalcald Articles (1537), Part II, Article IV.

8. Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons: Papal Worship Proved to Be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife (London: Seeley, 1853), 25.

9. Dave Hunt, A Woman Rides the Beast: The Roman Catholic Church and the Last Days (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1994), 58.

10. Charles Freeman, The Closing of the Western Mind: The Rise of Faith and the Fall of Reason (New York: Vintage, 2003), 210.

11. Catholic Encyclopedia, s.v. “Pontifex Maximus,” Vol. 12 (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911).

12. Benedict XVI, General Audience, March 22, 2006.

13. Jaroslav Pelikan, The Vindication of Tradition (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1984), 65.

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Bibliography

• Beard, Mary. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome. New York: Liveright, 2015.

• Brown, Peter. The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity, A.D. 200–1000. Oxford: Blackwell, 1996.

• Duffy, Eamon. Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1997.

• Freeman, Charles. The Closing of the Western Mind: The Rise of Faith and the Fall of Reason. New York: Vintage, 2003.

• Hislop, Alexander. The Two Babylons: Papal Worship Proved to Be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife. London: Seeley, 1853.

• Hunt, Dave. A Woman Rides the Beast: The Roman Catholic Church and the Last Days. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1994.

• Luther, Martin. Smalcald Articles (1537).

• MacMullen, Ramsay. Roman Social Relations, 50 B.C. to A.D. 284. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1974.

• Pelikan, Jaroslav. The Vindication of Tradition. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1984.

• Rüpke, Jörg. Religion in Republican Rome: Rationalization and Ritual Change. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2012.

• Suetonius. The Twelve Caesars. Translated by Robert Graves. London: Penguin Classics, 2007.

• The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911.

• Benedict XVI. General Audience, March 22, 2006.

About the Author

Christopher M. Forte is a writer, historian, and cultural commentator whose work explores the intersections of faith, identity, and tradition. With a deep interest in the legacy of Rome and its influence on Christianity, Forte has written extensively on Catholic history, Italian-American heritage, and the cultural mythology of organized crime. His research combines historical scholarship with personal reflection, emphasizing the continuity of tradition and the enduring impact of symbols across time.

Raised in a family deeply conscious of its Italian roots, Forte approaches history as both an intellectual pursuit and a lived inheritance. His Catholic faith informs much of his writing, particularly his exploration of how ancient institutions and titles—such as Pontifex Maximus—have been transformed into Christian symbols of unity and resilience. He is currently developing multiple manuscripts that bridge historical analysis with cultural storytelling, including The Last Shepherds of Zion and Mafia Mythos: America’s Fascination with Organized Crime.

Forte lives and writes in California, where he continues to research, teach, and publish works that highlight the living connection between the past and the present.

Why I Am Catholic: Catholic Pope vs. Evangelical/Non-denominational Pastor

 This Is Another Reason I Am Catholic: Real Authority, Apostolic Succession, and the Limits of Evangelical Leadership

This is another reason I am Catholic: because I believe that if God truly established one Church to carry His authority on Earth, it wouldn’t be invisible, fractured, or improvised. It would be visible, unified, and divinely structured. That Church would speak with clarity. It would have global reach. It would still be standing after 2,000 years.

And it does. It’s the Catholic Church.

The Pope is not just a religious leader. He is the successor of Saint Peter, appointed by Christ to lead the Church: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church” (Matthew 16:18). He occupies the most enduring office in human history. His authority isn’t invented—it’s inherited through Apostolic Succession. That alone sets the Catholic Church apart from every denomination and independent ministry in the world.

By contrast, Evangelical and non-denominational pastors operate outside of that divine framework. They may have strong preaching, emotional worship, and authentic zeal—but they lack what matters most: legitimate spiritual authority passed down from the apostles themselves.

The Pope vs. the Pastor: One Rules from Apostolic Legacy, the Other from Charisma

Being Pope is like being the President of a global spiritual nation. You surrender your personal life. You don’t decide where you live, what you eat, or where you go. Everything is provided for you, but at the cost of total self-sacrifice. You are no longer just a man—you are the visible head of Christ’s Church on Earth.

The Vatican is a sovereign state. The Pope addresses heads of state, issues encyclicals that shape global ethics, and speaks to 1.3 billion Catholics. He has real influence—not through politics or wealth, but through apostolic authority. When he speaks on faith and morals in communion with the bishops, the Church listens—and the world often pays attention.

In sharp contrast, most Evangelical and non-denominational pastors serve in obscurity. Their influence is usually limited to a local congregation. They are not part of any historical chain of leadership. They have no institutional structure behind them, no global body in communion, no magisterium, no shared creed, no sacraments instituted by Christ flowing through Apostolic hands.

Most are self-appointed or congregation-appointed. Their “ordination” is not sacramental, nor is it linked to the original Church Christ founded. They can start a new church anytime, anywhere, with no authority but their own sense of calling. As Protestant theologian Carl Trueman once admitted:

“Evangelicalism, especially in its independent and non-denominational forms, has no center of gravity... It runs on personality and platform, not office.”
(First Things, 2021)

Apostolic Succession: The Unbroken Chain

One of the clearest marks of the true Church is Apostolic Succession—the unbroken line of bishops from the apostles to today. As St. Irenaeus wrote in the 2nd century:

“It is possible, then, for everyone in every church, who may wish to know the truth, to contemplate the tradition of the apostles... which has been made known throughout the whole world.”
(Against Heresies, Book III)

Evangelical churches don’t just lack succession—they often reject it altogether. Their teachings are derived from private interpretation of Scripture, not the living Tradition passed down from the apostles. Their ministries arise from movements or reactions, not divine commission through the Church Christ instituted.

That’s why the Catechism of the Catholic Church says clearly:

“The sole Church of Christ... subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him.”
(CCC 816)

This isn’t arrogance—it’s clarity. Unity and authority are not optional extras; they are marks of the Church.

Sacraments and Spiritual Power

Catholic priests don’t just preach—they act in persona Christi. Through ordination, their souls are permanently configured to Christ. They don’t merely symbolize forgiveness or communion; they bring it about through the sacraments.

Evangelical pastors can preach the Gospel, but they cannot absolve sins in confession (John 20:23), or consecrate the Eucharist (Luke 22:19), or anoint the sick sacramentally (James 5:14–15). They cannot administer true sacraments because they do not possess apostolic orders. Their ministry is spiritual in intention, but disconnected from the supernatural graces Christ entrusted to His Church.

The sacraments are not optional rituals—they are the ordinary means God gives us for salvation. Without them, Christianity becomes a well-meant philosophy rather than a supernatural encounter.

Unity vs. Division

Jesus prayed “that they may all be one” (John 17:21). He didn’t found thousands of loosely affiliated ministries competing for followers. The Catholic Church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic—not in theory, but in visible reality.

Evangelicalism is marked by fragmentation. There are over 30,000 Protestant denominations. Even within Evangelical circles, churches split constantly over doctrine, music style, leadership preferences, or cultural issues. Truth becomes negotiable. Authority becomes local. Unity becomes impossible.

But the Church Christ founded is not divided. It is one body with one head.

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Final Word: Why I Am Catholic

This is another reason I am Catholic: because Christ didn’t leave us a book and walk away. He established a Church. A visible, authoritative, sacramental Church—built on Peter, governed by the apostles and their successors, and sustained by the Holy Spirit.

The Pope sits in the chair of Peter. The bishops follow the line of the apostles. The sacraments flow from Christ Himself. This isn’t man-made authority—it is divinely conferred.

No other Church has this.

No other pastor has this.

No other voice speaks for God with the authority Christ gave to His Church.

And that’s why I will remain Catholic.