Two thousand years after Jesus of Nazareth walked among us, the Catholic (which means universal) message of faith has reached all corners of the world, and there are now well over a billion Catholics.
Catholic beliefs — the sum of truths revealed by God in Scripture and Tradition — are stated in the Nicene Creed and Apostles Creed and detailed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. There are seven sacraments, of which the primary one is Eucharist or Holy Communion, when consecrated bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ during each Mass.
Catholics honour or ‘venerate’ the Blessed Virgin Mary as Mother of God thorough devotions, and often seek the intercession of Mary and other saints in prayer. The faith includes teachings around Divine Mercy, sanctification through faith, and evangelization (sharing the Word of God) as well as Catholic social teaching, especially voluntary support for the sick, the poor, and the afflicted through works of mercy. The Catholic Church is the largest provider of education and health care in the world.