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There are beliefs held as Christians that are generally the same for all Christian churches. There may be differences in certain traditions. Prayers, and ceremonies that are performed in church that even vary from catholic church to catholic church. J9 is right. Are you thinking about becoming a Catholic? Do you have a specific ideas that would fit well with your personal beliefs. That is the most important to go by.
Yes as stated, The Catholic Faith is a Christian Church, and actually the first, The orginal Chrsitain Church after Christ spread and spread and as it did, local church leaders develped. As the larger churches developed, the leaders of the smaller churches looked to the larger churches for leadership and other help.
As time passed the churches of the East and the West ( rome) had various issues and the East ( Orthodox) and the West ( Catholic) broke.
This was the first split of the Christian faith ( first split of any real size and lasting)
I could bury you in pages on various subjects, if you have specific questions please ask.
The main difference between Catholic Christians and non-Catholic Christians is about Authority. We Catholics believe that Scripture AND the leaders of Christ's Church are the Authority for doctrine and practice whereas most non-Catholic Christians (Excepting some Orthodox groups) believe that the Bible is the sole authority.
For some good articles defending the Catholic position on this and some of the other differences, see the links in the upper left under "Library" here.
Yes other christian denominations beleive there is a pope, he is this man who wears a white suit and lives in Rome, they believe he is the head of the Catholic Church. Each demoniation have a head of thier church, or a group that leads the church, makes the rules for that church and changes doctrine as time goes by. You have the Southern Baptist convention and its president, you have the Arch Bishop of Canterbury as the leader of the Church in England( hope I got that right) the mormons have the 12 apostles who sit as thier leaders, every group has its leader.
The Pope to the Orthodox is a Patriach, just like thier churches, a desendent of one of the orginal 12 apostles ( not in blood line but in lines of succession)
And yes all Christians and even muslims beleive Mary was a virgin and gave birth to Christ.
And I will just in before anyone goes there, no Catholics do not worship Mary, some fringe groups have gotten there in the past, but they merely have high respect to her.
And many churches other than Catholics, have saints, The Church of England, Epispopal, the Orthodox and in its early days the Lutheran Church all used the saints ( Lutherans still do if you get deep in thier teachings, but the average church member never see it in pratice.
As has been stated, one big difference between Catholics and the rest of us lies with the Pope. Read what Jesus said:
Matt 20:25-26
25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
(KJV)
Another biggie is with the communion. Catholic dogma insists that to say the bread and wine are symbolic is anathema, but consider this; when Jesus made the following statement, His blood was still in His veins and He was still in His unbroken body, so it could not have been meant literally.
Matt 26:26-28
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
(KJV)
There are many beliefs and practices peculiar to the Roman Catholic church that most of Christendom have never accepted.
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