There are 1.2 billion Catholics in this world and New Orleans is home to about half a million of them. So just what is the Catholic Church and what does it mean to be Catholic?  

The Catholic Church is the Church founded by Christ and his Apostles. There are four marks or characteristics of the Church, and we are reminded of them each time we pray the Nicene Creed at Mass.  

• One – means all members are united as the Body of Christ, given life by the one Spirit. We acknowledge one Lord, one faith, one Baptism 
• Holy – means the Church is centered on God. It is Christ who, by his sacrifice, makes the Church holy. 
• Catholic – means universal. The Church is for all times and all people. The Church is “the fullness” of the means of salvation” (CCC 830) 
• Apostolic – means the Church is built on the foundation of the Apostles. We teach the doctrine of Jesus as it has been handed down through the apostles and their successors, the pope and bishops. 

But being Catholic is more than attending Mass on Sundays. It is an ongoing personal encounter with Christ that renews the spirit so that we may witness God’s love with joy in our world. How do we do that?   
Each Catholic is called to full and active participation in the life of the Church and has the right and responsibility to: 

• Attend Mass on Sundays and on Holy Days of Obligation. 
• Confess your sins, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, at least once a year. 
• Receive the Eucharist. 
• Observe the days of fasting (Ash Wednesday and Good Friday) and abstinence (Ash Wednesdays and Fridays in Lent) established by the Church. 
• Help to provide for the needs of the Church. 

Encountering Christ and being a witness to his love means we are called to live like Jesus and work for justice and peace in this world by living the 10 Commandments, the Beatitudes, the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, and the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.
We are called to stand for the: 

• Life and Dignity of the Human Person 
• Call to Family, Community, and Participation 
• Rights and Responsibilities of the Human Person 
• Option for the Poor and Vulnerable 
• Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers 
• Solidarity of the Human Family 
• Care for God’s Creation