When I was a little kid, I remembered being bored during Mass — it wasn’t entertaining, and it felt too long. Over the years, I realized that the celebration of the Holy Eucharist is the only way for me, as a Catholic, to be saved by God. Even with that realization, I went to Mass but never really studied my faith in depth. All I really knew was that I was worshipping God and that by continuing to worship Him, I would be saved. 

For years, this cycle continued until I studied at St. Mary’s, where my faith grew stronger through the influence of my friends. I started learning more about my faith and discovered that it’s not just about my own salvation. Through these studies, I’ve come to see that my faith is the truth and now I know how to prove it.

One of the most common debates about Catholicism is whether it was truly founded by Christ. The simple answer is yes. Before His Ascension, Jesus gave the Keys of the Kingdom to St. Peter (Simon) and made him the leader of the Apostles. This moment is recorded in Scripture:

“And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18, Douay–Rheims)

“And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19, Douay-Rheims)

These passages show that Christ Himself established Peter as the visible head of His Church. From this foundation, the Catholic Church traces its unbroken line of leadership through Peter — the Popes.

Another debate about Catholicism is the veneration of Saints. Many non-Catholics think this is “worship.” The truth is, Catholics worship God alone. We never worship Saints, and anyone who does would be excommunicated. The Church only honors Saints because they are holy men and women who are in heaven.

If you put flowers at a hero’s tomb, does that make it worship? No, right? If you ask a friend to pray for you, does that make it worship? No, right? We ask the Saints to pray for us because they are in heaven and confirmed to be there.

Does this automatically prove that Catholicism is the truth? Not yet. But if you look at Church history, you’ll see an unbroken line of Bishops and Popes leading back to Jesus Christ. As I said before, Peter was the first pope, even though the word “Pope” wasn’t used. He led the early Christians of Antioch and later in Rome, where he was martyred. This succession is what gives the Catholic Church its unique claim as the Church Christ founded.

During the late Middle Ages, some Catholics became suspicious of the Church because of corruption and abuses, even in the papacy. These claims were true — we are human and prone to sin. An Augustinian priest named Martin Luther said that the Catholic Church was straying from the Gospel and abusing its power. He insisted that the only way to return was to follow the Bible alone (sola scriptura).

But St. Paul reminds us otherwise. In 2 Thessalonians 2:15, he says:

“Stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.”

In other words, both Scripture and Tradition belong together, just as the apostles handed them down.

How can we be sure the Catholic Church is the truth? Through ordination. St. Peter himself ordained St. Timothy and St. Titus, which is recorded in the Bible.

St. Timothy’s Ordination:

2 Timothy 1:6 - “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”

St. Titus’ Ordination:

Titus 1:5 - “This is why I left you in Crete, that you might amend what was defective, and appoint presbyters in every town as I directed you.”

Titus’ ordination may not directly say he was ordained, but he had the authority to appoint others, which only comes from being ordained by the Apostles.

But what about Orthodoxy?

Orthodox and Catholics agree on many points I mentioned, but they differ on one thing — the Papacy. Orthodox Christians believe all bishops and patriarchs are equal, with the Patriarch of Constantinople being “First among Equals.” Why Constantinople, and not Antioch or Rome? Short answer — politics. When Christianity became popular in the East, the Imperial Capital of the Byzantine Empire was moved to Constantinople, making it the center of Eastern Christianity. Antioch, though historically important and an apostolic see, didn’t have the same influence as Constantinople and gradually lost its ranking among the patriarchates. Rome was under the influence of the Western Roman Empire that also legalized Christianity. As my previous statement said, Peter was made the leader of the Apostles, and he died in Rome where he ordained Linus who ordained Anacletus, so on and so forth. In short, Rome had a Petrine mandate while Constantinople had Imperial favoritism. 

Antioch is not just any city — it was the first center of Christianity. “It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26). Peter himself ministered there before moving on to Rome. Yet Antioch, despite its importance, never became the heart of the universal Church. Why? Because Peter’s martyrdom was in Rome, not Antioch. The Orthodox turned to Constantinople because of imperial politics. Catholics hold fast to Rome because it bears the blood of Peter, the Prince of the Apostles. If the See of Peter had remained only in Antioch, then perhaps it would have been the center. But history speaks otherwise: Rome was sealed with Peter’s sacrifice, and that is why it stands as the true seat of primacy.

The Church may have flaws, but we stick to the traditions that the Apostles gave us.

May the faithful be reminded that THE CATHOLIC CHURCH is the TRUE CHURCH and it is PROVEN by the SCRIPTURE.