At Mass, the Catholic Church around the world together professes the following:
The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate
of the Virgin Mary,and became man.
For our sake he was crucified
under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic,
and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection
of the dead and the life of the world to come.
Principles of Catholic Social Teaching
The following ten principles are key themes at the heart of Catholic social teaching:
Life and Dignity of the Human Person – Human life is sacred and the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society.
Call to Family, Community, and Participation The person is not only sacred, but also social. People have a right and duty to participate in society, seeking the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.
Rights and Responsibilities – Every person has a right to life and a right to those things required for human decency.
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable – A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. The story of the Last Judgment (Mt. 25:31-46) and our tradition instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.
Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers – The basic rights of workers must be respected—the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to organize and join unions, to private property, and to economic initiative.
Solidarity – We are one human family. Learning to practice the virtue of solidarity means that “loving” our neighbor has global dimensions.
Care for God’s Creation – We show respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. We are called to protect people and the planet.
Principle of Subsidiarity – This principle puts a proper limit on government by insisting that no higher level of organization should perform any function that can be handled efficiently and effectively by those closer to the situation.
Human Equality – Equality of all persons comes from their essential dignity. Treating equals equally is one way of defining justice.
The Common Good – In an age of global interdependence, the common good points to the need for international structures that promote the just development of the human family across regional and national lines.
More information
Please feel free to contact our pastor, Fr. Justin Hoye with your questions at the parish office number below or using the Contact Us form.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops website also has more in-depth information about what Catholics believe and what the church teaches.