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The Catholic Church is an Apostolic Church - Tommy - 07-30-2026
The Catholic Church is an Apostolic Church
Biblical-based Catholic Church Teachings
Scripture quotations are taken from either the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSV-CE) or the New American Bible Revised Edition (NAB-RE).
Jesus chose special men to be his Apostles.
John 15:16 – "It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you"
Jesus gave the Apostles his own mission.
John 20:21 – "Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
Jesus gave them a kingdom.
Luke 22:29 – "and I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred one on me"
Jesus built the Church on Peter, the rock.
Matthew 16:18 – "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
Peter appointed to be chief shepherd.
Jn 21:17 – "He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep."
Church leaders are hierarchical.
Ephesians 4:11 – "And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers"
Identifies roles of bishops, priests, deacons.
1Timothy 3:1, 8; 5:17 – "whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task"
Commission for bishops to ordain priests.
Titus 1:5 – "you should put in order what remained to be done, and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you"
The Catholic Church is apostolic because she is connected to the Apostles in her origin, in her teaching, in her ministry, and in her mission to the whole world.
Apostolic in origin: founded on the Apostles' testimony and Christ
The Church is apostolic in the sense that she is built on "the foundation of the Apostles" (Ephesians 2:20), and her roots reach back to what the Apostles experienced and proclaimed about Jesus Christ.
Apostolic in teaching: the "good deposit" is kept and handed on.
The Church is apostolic because, with the help of the Holy Spirit, she keeps and hands on what she received from the Apostles—the "good deposit" of faith.
In other words, the Church does not treat faith as something that changes with the times; she guards the apostolic message so people can remain faithful to Christ.
Apostolic in structure: Christ's mission continues through apostolic succession.
Apostolicity also has a visible and institutional dimension: the Apostles' ministry is meant to continue in history through their successors—the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter (the Pope).
Apostolic in mission: sent to preach the Gospel to all nations.
Finally, the Church is apostolic because she is sent to bring the Gospel everywhere—continuing Christ's mission given to the Apostles: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…"
Summary:
The Catholic Church is apostolic because she continues the Apostles' Christ-centered witness, preserves their faith by the Holy Spirit, carries their ministry through apostolic succession, and fulfills their mission to the ends of the earth.