“Believe”, as the word is used here, refers to many statements or “doctrines” concerning God, his Son, Jesus and the Spirit of God and our relationship to the Trinity. That is belief that there are Three Persons, but only one God. “Belief “extends to the fact Jesus, is the Savior of the world and the source of our salvation, the son of Mary. That he lived, died and rose from the dead and in now seated at the right hand of the Father, where he will come to judge the world and each individual in regard to our personal lives and faithfulness to God's Grace. Catholic, therefore, believe in our own resurrection, of body and soul which is eternal and created by God for heaven. On the other hand, Catholics also believe that condemnation is possible if we reject God and, therefore, hell, which is the supreme separation from God also exists. We believe that God wishes that all people be saved. So he enters our world to redeem us and bring us to the Glory of everlasting life.

These basic truths are first of all expressed in an early creed of the Apostolic Church called, as a matter of fact. The “Apostle's Creed”, which was the foundation of Christian life. Later they were expanded in the Nicene Creed, which is now used in the Liturgy of the Church.

Catholics also believe in the Sacraments, external Signs instituted by Christ and practiced in the early Church. Sacraments are at the heart of the Catholic Liturgical and public prayer of the Church. The Eucharist is celebrated each day in the Church throughout the world. Catholics believe that this Sacrificial Meal, first given at the Last Supper, memorializesJesus supreme sacrifice on the cross as our source of salvation. Communion, the receiving of the Body and Blood of Christ, at the Mass, is therefore, the actual Presence of Christ coming to us. And that this Eucharist remains as the Presence of Christ in the tabernacles of the Church for adoration and prayer by the faithful. Long tradition in the Church firmly establishes this Catholic form of prayer as a deep source of grace.

Catholics also believe that the Holy Father is the successor of Christ and Peter the first Apostle. His power is supreme in the Church and Catholics owe him fidelity and obedience, which makes the Church One and leads to holiness of life. We believe that this faith practice is also universal, for all people and is to be preached to all people. It is this very idea that makes the Church-”Catholic” or universal. The adage “Roman” refers primarily to the Church as it developed its prayer and religious practice in the western world. There is also the “Eastern” Church, which while believe in the same doctrine, practices liturgy and prayer developed in the eastern part of the early Church.

Lastly, all the Catholic Church has always had a rich practice of public and private prayer. Special communities of faith, called Religious Orders or Communities of Consecrated Life, have also grown up in the centuries of Church traditions. There are Orders of both men and women are usually celibate communities, holding all goods in common so that members can be for complete service to the Church and the Gospel, while developing lives of personal holiness. Many Religious Orders exist today. The Capuchin-Franciscan Order of priests and brother serves St. Joseph Church. We also have women religious on our Staff.

Please confer with various links and articles on this Web Site for more in-depth explanations of our Catholic Faith.