Founder

The Church was founded by Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, and carried forward through the ages by Apostolic Tradition.

Size

The Catholic Church is the largest in the world with more than 1 billion members around the globe.

Mission

• to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ
• to administer the sacraments
• to reach out with charity and justice to people in need

Leadership

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When Christ ascended into heaven, He left the apostles in charge of the Church, with Peter holding a special position. The successors of the apostles (the bishops) and Peter (the pope) continue the tradition of leading the Church through, with, and in Christ until he comes again.

Members

All of the baptized are part of the Body of Christ, the Church. God calls some of the members to be ordained so as to fulfill distinct roles and functions, but the majority of the Church is comprised of those who have not been ordained (outside of their baptism).