Do you believe in Jesus?
We believe in the
Holy Trinity (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost, one in essence and undivided). We rely on the Grace given through the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross and His Resurrection for our salvation. We also believe that Christ will come again to judge both the living and the dead. The Nicene Creed expresses this and much more.
How long are the services?
Our usual Sunday service, the Mass is about an hour and a half. Other services may be a bit longer - but never long enough for those who are truly worshiping God. It has been said that our services are a bit longer than a soap opera without all of the corruption or commercials.
Do you believe in the Bible?
We teach that the Bible is the word of God and the heart of the Holy Tradition of the Church (II Thessalonians 2:15). In fact, it was through the Church that we receive the Bible of today.
Do you have Sacraments?
Yes. Anglicans regard the two Gospel Sacraments of
Baptism and Holy Communion as being 'generally necessary to salvation'. Five other sacramental rites, in their Biblical sense, are also termed sacraments including:
Confirmation conveys the strengthening gifts of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17; 19:1-7; Ephesians 1:13) for life as a mature Christian.
Penance conveys the forgiveness of sins (John 20:23; James 5:16) and the assurance of that forgiveness.
Holy Unction is the anointing with oil for healing (James 5:14; Mark 6:13) of body, mind, and soul.
Holy Matrimony is the union of one man and one woman for life before God. The relationship, St. Paul tells us (Ephesians 5:31-32), is like that between Christ and His Church.
Holy Orders denotes the Apostolic Ministry of bishops, priest and deacons, instituted by Christ, and male in character (John 20:19-23; Matthew 16:18; Acts 6:1-6). Our Lord commissioned the Apostles and their successors, the bishops, to proclaim His work and salvation which He accomplished on Calvary. When we speak of Apostolic Succession, we mean an unbroken line of consecrations and commissions from our Lord to the present bishops, continuing the same teachings and ministry established by Jesus Christ Himself.
Is there anything that I could read for more information?
There are a number of good books that you can read including "The Catholic Religion" by Vernon Staley. We'll be happy to answer your questions and send you more information upon request. We also offer Enquirer's Classes where you can learn about the Faith in a more casual setting. Please ask for our schedule when telephoning.
