Catholicism is one part of the Christian religion but many believe that is a different religion. I view the Catholic religion as very different then what I practice in my church. The Catholic Church and its traditions are centuries old and these traditions are passed down from Christ through the twelve apostles. The Catholic Church, today, has grown into a vast universal venture that encompasses virtually every country in the world. The basis of the Catholic belief is the same as all Christian churches -- Jesus Christ is the Savior of all human kind. With nearly one quarter of the U.S. population Catholic, they make up a huge part of society and the largest Christian denomination. Yet with so many, the Catholics how are misunderstood and characterized by films, television shows, etc. .
My observation and research of the Catholic Church has made me aware of the true nature of Catholicism and has alleviated some of the misconceptions I had. Some of the misconceptions I had were that Catholics believed that the Pope is God's messenger, worshiped Saints on the same level as Jesus Christ, what communion or Eucharist means. In addition, the use of religion to their benefit rather than as the truth, and the condemnation of other religions as not being a true religion are other misconceptions I had. In visiting the Catholic Church and speaking to members as well as one of the clergy, I noticed differences right away in the ceremony and in their beliefs. .
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The service was different, but interesting in that they practice their religion in an entirely different way than Baptists do. I was glad I went though, because it gave me a new perspective to the many religions out there. The service for Catholics is called Holy Mass while in most other Christian churches it is known as fellowship or worship. In addition, the order of service for Catholics are very traditional and do not stray from what they did from the establishment of the church.