ONE - This means that the Church is One in the One Body of Christ. It is the very Vine of Christ and no branch can break away without losing the fullness of truth.
HOLY - The Catholic Church is holy but it does not depend on the holiness of its members. Its claim for being a Holy Church comes from being founded and instituted by Jesus Christ who is God.
CATHOLIC - Catholic means "universal" as Jesus made it available for all. It is not defined by geography, culture, or race. . It is God who holds it all together and gather everyone to Himself.
APOSTOLIC - The Church is apostolic because it has a mandate to be faithful to the teachings of Christ and the Apostles. Thus, the Church, in its teaching authority can not CHANGE anything. The mission of the Apostles had been handed down through generations in apostolic succession.
St. Ireneaus encapsulized this, “This preaching and this faith, the Church, although, scattered over the whole world diligently observes, as if it occupied but ONE HOUSE, and believes as if it had ONE MIND, and preaches and teaches, as if it had ONE MOUTH. And although there are many dialects in the world, the MEANING of the tradition is ONE and the same.”
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