The Four Marks of the Church

01-19-2025Weekly ReflectionJen Arnold, M.A.

The Nicene Creed, which we recite at Mass every Sunday, contains a concise summary of what we believe as Catholics. Within that summary, we affirm our faith in the Church, which is defined as “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.” These four
adjectives — one, holy, catholic, and apostolic — are known as the “Four Marks of the Church.” They describe the essential qualities of the Church as it was established by Christ and as it continues to exist today. Understanding these marks can help us Catholics appreciate the nature of the Church and our place within it.

The Church is One

The first mark of the Church is that it is One. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that the Church is one in several important ways. First, she is one because of the unity of her origin in God: “The Church is one because of her source: ‘the highest exemplar and source of this mystery is the unity, in the Trinity of Persons, of one God, the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit,’” (CCC #813). God’s plan for salvation, revealed through Jesus Christ, is a plan for the unity of all people in one body, the Church. Jesus himself prayed for this unity: “That they may all be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us” (John 17:21).

The Church is one because it is grounded in the person of Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (cf. Hebrews 13:8). The unity of the Church is further realized in the communion of the faithful, who are bound together in love and faith. Finally, the Church’s unity is also manifested in our beliefs in one Faith and the sacraments, particularly one Baptism, and one Eucharist, which bind the faithful together as one body (cf. CCC #815).

 In discussing this mark of the Church, it’s necessary to address that Christianity began unified, but is now fractured. With the Protestant Reformation, Christianity splintered into thousands of various denominations, all with differing doctrines. In some cases, these denominations continue to splinter today. The Catholic Church is the only Church that can claim the divine Jesus as its founder. All others have been founded by people who are not divine (Calvin, Luther, Zwingli, etc.). We must pray for Christianity to be reunited so that it is once again one under the one true Church founded by Jesus Christ.

The Church is Holy

The second mark of the Church is that it is Holy. This continues to reflect the Church’s divine origin along with its mission to lead all people to holiness through a life of grace, truth, and love. The Church is holy because her founder is Christ, who is the “Holy One of God,” and because the Holy Spirit dwells in her, sanctifying her and her members.

The Catechism explains that holiness in the Church does not mean that all of her members are without sin, of course, but that the Church, as a whole, is set apart by God for a holy purpose:

“The Church ... is held, as a matter of faith, to be unfailingly holy. This is because Christ, the Son of God, who with the Father and the Spirit is hailed as ‘alone holy,’ loved the Church as his Bride, giving himself up for her so as to sanctify her; he joined her to himself as his body and endowed her with the gift of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God.” The Church, then, is “the holy People of God,” and her members are called “saints.” (CCC #823)

While we, as members of the Church, are not perfectly holy yet, it is through the Church, her teachings, the sacraments, and the example of the saints, that we are led toward holiness and guided into a deeper union with the Holy Trinity.

The holiness of the Church is evident in the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, which is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (Lumen Gentium, 11). Through the sacraments, especially baptism and confirmation, the faithful are given the grace to pursue holiness and participate in the divine life. The grace we receive from our participation in the sacraments allows us to grow in our own personal holiness, which is one of the fruits produced from the holiness of the Church.

However, the holiness of the Church is not limited to its heavenly destiny, but is already present in its earthly mission. We know the Church is not made up of perfect people. Be that as it may, the members of the Church are called to live out God’s holiness to the best of their ability, while always striving to do better, despite their imperfections.

The Church is Catholic

The third mark of the Church is that it is Catholic, which comes from the Greek word katholikos, meaning “universal.” The Church is catholic in two senses: first, it is universal because it is meant for all people, everywhere, and second, it is catholic because it possesses the fullness of the means of salvation (cf. CCC #830). The Church is not confined to one place or culture; it exists for the salvation of all people, and Christ’s message is meant to reach every nation. As the Second Vatican Council stated in Lumen Gentium, “The Church has been sent by Christ to all nations to make disciples of them” (LG 17). Additionally, having the “fullness of the means of salvation” means that the Catholic Church possesses the complete and unaltered teachings of Christ, the fullness of the sacraments, and the fullness of God’s grace. To be in the Catholic Church and to have access to this fullness is to be blessed indeed!

Furthermore, the Church is catholic in her inclusiveness because she embraces all people without exception. She recognizes and upholds the dignity of each person and calls all to communion with Christ, regardless of their background, ethnicity, or history. There is an important point to bear in mind on this theme. You likely know people who would argue that the Church does not embrace all people. This is not true. What the Church does not embrace is sin, and it asks and implores all sinners, in fact, every human being, to work to root out the sin in their lives. When people cannot accept what the Church teaches about sin, it is they who are rejecting the Church, not the Church who is rejecting them. The Church will always remain faithfully universal and ready to embrace anyone who is willing to accept her loving, motherly guidance.

The Church is Apostolic

The final mark of the Church is that it is Apostolic. This means that the Church is built on the foundation of the apostles, those men whom Christ chose to be his closest followers and sent to preach the Gospel to the world and administer the sacraments. The Church continues the mission of the apostles through apostolic succession, the unbroken chain of bishops who receive their authority from the apostles themselves. Through apostolic succession, the bishops today are the direct successors of the apostles, and they hold the same teaching authority that Christ gave to his apostles. The Pope, as the successor of St. Peter, holds a unique place in this apostolic succession, and his authority is central to maintaining the unity and continuity of the Church’s mission.

The Church’s apostolic nature also means that she continues the work of the apostles by evangelizing and spreading the message of salvation. The Church’s apostolic mission remains vital and ongoing. “The divine mission entrusted by Jesus to them ‘will continue to the end of time, since the Gospel they handed on is the lasting source of all life for the Church. Therefore, ... the apostles took care to appoint successors’” (CCC #860). Due to the Church’s apostolic nature, the Gospel message is transmitted throughout every age and to all peoples, ensuring that the teachings of the apostles remain alive and active in the world today.

Now that we understand the meaning of the Four Marks of the Church, and as members of this Church, we Catholics are called to contribute to her unity, holiness, universality, and apostolic mission. The Church is not a passive institution on this earth. The only way she can fulfill her active mission is through her faithful members. This week, meditate on the Four Marks of the Church and identify how you can use your unique gifts and talents to participate in the unity, holiness, universality and apostolic mission of the Church to which you belong.