St. Clare

This brief test will help you determine whether your beliefs are more consistent with the Ecumenical Catholic tradition

or the Roman Catholic tradition. These questions by no means include a full review of all of the differences between

the Ecumenical Catholic and Roman Catholic traditions. There are many other questions that could be asked. 

This is a brief sampling of questions that might help you see if your beliefs are more aligned with

the Ecumenical Catholic or Roman Catholic thinking.

 

 

 

For each of the following sets of questions,

select the statement (A or B) with which you most agree:

I believe the Pope

 

a.   is infallible in all matters of faith and moral practice and that he has direct

spiritual authority over me and all others.

b.  is a great leader and teacher of the church, but that in some of my decisions

on faith and moral practice, I may differ with him.

 

 

I believe that

    a.  artificial birth control is a sin even when used by married couples. 
b.  the decision to use artificial birth control is best decided by couples

in serious, committed relationships.

 

 

I believe that divorce

 

a.  between two Catholics is wrong and that the church should never recognize

the divorce of a married Catholic couple.

b.  is often tragic, but not an unpardonable sin; that divorced people who

remarry should be fully welcomed into the church and it’s sacraments.

 

I believe that

 

a.  only the Pope and Catholic bishops should have authority in the church and

that lay people should not share in the church’s governance.

b.  laypeople of the church should have a voice in the church’s governance and

that the clergy should have accountability to the people of the church.

 

 

I believe that

 

a.  only celibate men should be priests.

b.  priests can be celibate or married, male or female.

 

 

I believe that non-Catholic churches

 

a.  are defective and that their members are spiritually at risk because of this.
b.  are not “defective”, but sincere expressions of faith that do not share

the traditions of the Catholic church.

 

I believe that

 

a.  only Catholics should receive Holy Communion at mass, and that

Protestants should not be allowed to receive communion

at Catholic weddings, funeral or masses.
b.  I believe Holy Communion should be open to all Christians who are not

Catholic, but are sincere people of faith.

 

 

I believe that Holy Communion

 

a.  should only be given to those who believe in the Pope’s infallibility and

authority, and, thus, Protestants should be excluded.

b.  should be allowed for all who believe, not just those who accept

the infallibility and authority of the Pope.

 

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I believe that sex

 

a.  between unmarried people is always a serious or mortal sin, and that even

mature adults in committed, romantic relationships are sinning if they have

sex before marriage.

b.  is usually best in the context of a marriage, but that mature adults in

committed relationships are not automatically sinners because of their

sexual sharing.

I believe that

 

a.  gay and lesbian people are “disordered”

b.  gay and lesbian people are not “disordered”, even if I do not understand or

relate to their sexual orientation.

 

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SCORING

Total number of statements endorsed as A: _____

Total number of statements endorsed as B: _____

 

INTERPRETATIONS

If you endorsed more as "B" than "A" you beliefs are more compatible with Ecumenical Catholics
If you endorsed more as "A" than "B" you beliefs are more compatible with Roman Catholics

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