What One Should Know About Catholicism In Tennessee

By Patrick Mitchell


The Catholic Church has a rich history. It has been around for thousands of years. It is considered as the first Christian church in the world. Catholicism started with the conversion of the Roman Emperor Constantine into Christianity. After that, it spread to the whole of Europe. Later, this faith was exported to other continents including the Americas. That is why there is Catholicism in Tennessee. As a matter of fact, Tennessee is part of the Bible belt of the United States of America. These are states that have many Christians.

In the Catholic Church, there are structures. There is a hierarchy. Catholic Church is one of the most orderly churches in the world. The structure of the diocese is of utmost importance. This covers a defined geographical area. The Diocese of Memphis covers the city of Memphis and the areas around it. The biggest cities in the United States of America have a Catholic Diocese.

The diocese is an important part of Catholicism. It is through the diocese that the church can reach the grassroots. As it is commonly said in Catholic circles, the grassroots matter. The church has to reach the ordinary people on the ground. The head of the diocese is a bishop. He oversees the various administrative and spiritual activities within his diocese.

Being a priest is not the easiest thing to do. First and foremost, training will take a number of years. It can even last for a decade depending on the commitment and diligence of an individual. Secondly, there is the matter of celibacy. Being a celibate is often times a hard thing for most people. Thus, one will need to decide.

The most senior position in Catholic faith is the position of papacy. Time and again, the pope will make important pronouncements. He will announce the position of the Church on the various issues of faith. The pope can excommunicate a priest as a result of unbecoming behavior. A pope will hold his position until death or resignation.

The pope occupies the papacy seat. Popes are not chosen. They are elected by the global council of Catholic archbishops. During the election of the pope, all the archbishops have to come to the Vatican. The pope is the ultimate spiritual leader of Catholic faith. The Catholic pope often times travel to different countries to preach peace and reconciliation.

The most important issue in Catholicism is Bible belief. A true Catholic fully believes in the Bible. He believes that it is 100% true and holy. Heaven and earth will pass away but no single word of Scripture will pass without being fulfilled. As a matter of fact, most Biblical prophesies have already been fulfilled in the past.

America is a Christian nation. The Catholic faith has a strong presence in America. In the United States, a person will also find Protestantism. These are the major Christian denominations. A Catholic and a Protestant can disagree on some doctrinal issues. However, when it comes to the major issues of faith, they will be in agreement. Actually, the different Christian denominations complement each other.




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