This question often presents itself in one way or another, whether through our own musings, from a child, or from that cousin. The answer to this question is of the utmost importance. So how do we know? In a nutshell, the answer is this: history. Allow me to explain.
First, we need to answer a different question, “Did Jesus founded a Church?” Without a doubt, He did, as we read in the Gospel of Matthew, “I call you Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church.” (Matthew 16:18, emphasis added). What, then, was the structure of the Church that Jesus founded? Here, we need to speak about Peter. But, what is it about Peter that is so important? From the mouth of Jesus himself, let’s hear, “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you lose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” In being given the keys to the kingdom of heaven, Peter is given authority in the Church.
Later in Matthew, we see that the power to bind and lose, given individually to Peter, is given to the other apostles as well (Matthew 18:18). You might be wondering, “Okay, but what is so important about the apostles and why were they given this authority? And, by the way, you still haven’t answered the initial question!” I’m getting there, but this preliminary information is essential to know to understand the answer correctly.
The apostles were disciples of Jesus. At one point during His ministry, Jesus called His disciples to Himself and chose 12 of them specifically, calling them “apostles” (which means “sent”) (Matthew 10:1-4). The number 12 here is significant. Any observant Jew would have certainly known that the nation of Israel, which was the chosen people of God, was composed of 12 tribes, and each tribe had as its “patriarch” one of the 12 sons of Jacob (who was the grandson of Abraham). In choosing 12 apostles, then, Jesus is founding a new Israel, a new people of God.
Fast forward to after Christ’s Resurrection. Peter had fallen by denying Jesus three times. Encountering Peter on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus asks him three times, “Peter, do you love me?” When Peter responds, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you,” Jesus says, “Feed my lambs” (John 21:15-17). Hence, Peter is given authority for the ministry of tending the flock of Jesus, which is His Church.
Then, in the Acts of the Apostles, we find that Peter and the other apostles exercise authority over the Church. For example, after Jesus ascended into heaven, it became apparent that when Judas Iscariot needed to be replaced by a new one, Peter headed up the operation (Acts 1:15-26). Furthermore, when an important question needed to be solved or rectified in the Church, the apostles convened to answer the question in a definitive matter (again, Peter was at the head; Acts 15:1-12).
However, the apostles, being mortal, needed to pass on their authority to others, and this they did. The clearest examples of this are Timothy and Titus, whom Paul, an apostle, ordained. Likewise, these successors were mortal and had to ordain successors before they died. These successors to the apostles are known as bishops. To this end, we have proof from St. Irenaeus of Lyons in the second century (I would provide the quotation, but it’s too long for this article; see Against Heresies, Book III, ch. 3). And yes, the apostles’ successors include our pope, cardinal bishops, and priest.
Finally, we know that the Catholic Church is the one true Church because the Catholic Church’s teachings have remained untarnished and unchanged since the very beginning. Everything the Church believes is started by the early Church (and we have a testimony to this fact both from Scripture and from the writings of Christians who came shortly after the apostolic period). Name any teaching—the Eucharist, papal primacy, confession—it’s all there in the early Church. Therefore, I confidently say that the Catholic Church is the one true Church founded by Jesus Christ. We have had an unbroken line of succession for almost 2000 years. And history can attest to that.-
Fr. Greg Luger
Toby Kenobe