The Catholic Church begins with the person and mission of Jesus Christ. Jesus laid the foundations of the Catholic Church when he said to the apostle Peter, the first Pope, ‘you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church’ (Matthew 16:18). The world ‘catholic’ means universal. Today there are more than 1.2 billion Catholics in the world, making today’s Church truly universal.

Jesus gave the Catholic Church its mission:

Go, make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:19-20)

The Church proclaims the gospel message in all corners of the world, celebrates the sacraments and reaches out in love to those in need. Our leader is the Pope, who is the successor of St Peter, and the bishops to whom have been handed on the mission Jesus gave to his apostles.

The Church is made up of all the People of God. Bishops, priests and deacons, have been chosen for a particular service and join with all of the baptised in forming together the Body of Christ. Christ’s lay faithful are called to live our their baptismal promises in the circumstances of their daily lives: their families, places of work and friendships; they too share in the responsibility of fulfilling Jesus’s command to teach all the nations by ministering to those in need and sharing their faith.