It is a true statement that for many anti-Catholics, their knowledge and research about Catholicism comes from shallow and inaccurate memes like this one. Or, they may rely on other anti-Catholics who haven’t engaged in honest or proper research. While this picture claims the Catholic Church invented these doctrines many centuries after Jesus, we will see that most of these claims are erroneous and inaccurate. Time will not permit us to address all of them in part 1, so please also see part two, as well.

375 AD –  Adoration of Saints started:
This picture claims that the Catholic Church began to adore (worship) Saints in 375 A.D. which is pure fiction. The truth is, we don’t worship Mary, the Saints, the pope, or anybody except God. The Catholic Church teaches unmistakably that adoration is the highest form of worship and belongs to God alone. This is in contrast to honor and respect which belongs to the Saints. For Catholics, nobody can receive adoration except God.

Listen to what the Catholic Church says in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Adoration is the acknowledgement of God as God, creator and savior, the Lord and master of everything that exists as infinite and merciful love.” (#2096).

A Catholic Dictionary defines adoration as “The word used to express those acts of divine worship which are directed to God only, and of which the characteristics are recognition of His perfection and omnipotence and our own complete dependence upon Him.”

Likewise, the Catholic Encyclopedia says that Latria or latreia is a theological term (Latin Latrīa, from the Greek λατρεία, latreia) used in Catholic theology to mean adoration, a reverence directed only to the Holy Trinity.

This has been the constant and unchanged teaching of the Catholic Church. 

 

394 AD – The Adoption of the Mass:

First, the Catholic Mass predates 394 by centuries and goes back to the beginning of the church. Second, if the Mass was adopted, what are we saying about Protestant praise and worship services, grape juice and cracker communion services? When were they adopted? Centuries after 394, yet you don’t hear any protest. 

Third, what is the Mass? At its core, the Catholic Mass is praying to God, worshiping our Lord and Father, reading Scripture, the sign of peace, and the Lord’s Supper. Is this bad? Seems pretty biblical to me. Around the year 150 A.D. Justin Martyr talks about the Mass in his day saying that they assemble for prayer, the sign of peace, and the Lord’s Supper – the Breaking of the Bread (The Eucharist). It concludes with more prayers of thanksgiving. At the end of everything, the people say “Amen!”

He finishes by telling us that early Christians then bring the Eucharist to those who were sick and unable to attend. This is exactly what we still do in the Catholic Church today. Nothing about praise and worship bands. Nothing about a pastor giving a one hour sermon. Nothing about grape juice symbolizing Christ. He is describing the Catholic Mass at a very early date. 

 

432 AD – Mary made into a Deity and Replaces the Roman Mother Goddess:
The first thing one might notice about this picture is that it offers no evidence, no sources, no citations, no facts, and nothing to substantiate any of its claims. It’s not scholarly and should not be taken seriously. We takes facts seriously, not empty claims. In order to prove this their assertion, the author would need to demonstrate how the Catholic Church made Mary into a deity. 

In fact, as we already established, the Catholic Church officially teaches that we are to only adore (Worship) God alone. Only God is God, and only Jesus is Lord, according to Catholic teaching. Nothing about adoring Mary in Catholic theology or making her a deity.

Second, they must prove their sweeping generalization and conspiracy theory that the Catholic Church just replaced a pagan goddess and called it Mary. We would love to see them produce such evidence from Catholic writings or a history book, or an encyclopedia. However, we won’t hold our breath. 

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593 AD – Doctrine of PURGATORY is invented:
If Purgatory was invented by the Catholic Church in 593, then this belief would obviously not exist before this time. Yet, we St. Augustine speaking about it almost two centuries earlier. Augustine was a Catholic theologian and bishop who wrote about Purgatory in 411 A.D. He says:

“There is an ecclesiastical discipline, as the faithful know, when the names of the martyrs are read aloud in that place at the altar of God, where prayer is not offered for them. Prayer, however, is offered for other dead who are remembered. It is wrong to pray for a martyr, to whose prayers we ought ourselves be commended. … But by the prayers of the holy Church, and by the salvific sacrifice, and by the alms which are given for their spirits, there is no doubt that the dead are aided, that the Lord might deal more mercifully with them than their sins would deserve. The whole Church observes this practice which was handed down by the Fathers. … Temporal punishments are suffered by some in this life only, by some after death, by some both here and hereafter, but all of them before that last and strictest judgment. But not all who suffer temporal punishments after death will come to eternal punishments, which are to follow after that judgment.”

995 AD – Saints.
Catholics have believed in Saints since the beginning of the Church, but was began in 995 was the official canonization process with more rigorous criteria. So, this one is true in that the canonization of Saint began around this time. However, this isn’t a doctrine or an “edict,” but rather a process by which we can know Saints are in heaven. This is not a doctrinal matter. 

1074 AD – Mandatory Priestly Celibacy:
There are many errors present in this one overgeneralized and poorly understood statement. First, not all Catholic priests are celibate in the Catholic Church. Only Roman Rite practices celibacy whereas the other 23 Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church are able to marry. It’s also possible for popes to be married. 

Second, from the most ancient times, celibacy has been a part of the Church in different ways with different restrictions. As an example, if a man was already married, he could become a priest. However, if someone became a priest and was not married, he could not marry thereafter. Likewise, if you were widowed, you could not remarry.

Thirdly, even in the Roman Rite, celibacy has been practiced for many centuries before 1094. Here’s the thing. Marriage is not mandatory in Christianity, only for Mormons. So, the Catholic Church does not “forbid” anybody to marry. Any Catholic adult may enter into marriage, but some however, choose to renounce everything for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven by becoming priests and religious sisters.

Both our Lord and Paul were clear that it is easier to serve our God single-minded without being weighed down by the things of this world. Jesus himself exhorts celibacy as a higher calling in Matthew chapter 19:12. Likewise, Paul exhorts celibacy even more than marriage in 1 Corinthians 7 calling people to be celibate as he was if possible so that they can serve God unhindered.So, Sacred Scripture does teach celibacy and giving up everything for God. This is what the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church teaches in regard to the priesthood.

Finally, we see the Catholic Church instilling celibacy many centuries before 1094 in different ways, and this prohibition was not even for the whole church. So, this claim is inaccurate on many levels. To see the rest of these dates debunked, please see part 2 here.