Well there is of course a "Catholic" Church ...meaning widespread body of believers. In that sense, yes the apostles started this movement as eyewitnesses of the resurrection.
But what we think of as the Catholic Church today is really the Roman Catholic Church , which places Jesus mother as a co-mediator with Christ, promotes papal authority, and officially teaches that there is no salvation outside of their organization.
Catholic Catechism #969 “Therefore the Blessed
Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of
Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.”
Clearly the Catholic Church has lifted titles for the
Holy Spirit and applied them to Mary. The title
Mediatrix is the feminized version of Jesus‟ title as
Mediator. The RCC makes Mary a co-mediator.
Catholic Catechism # 882 The Pope, Bishop of
Rome and Peter's successor, "is the perpetual and
visible source and foundation of the unity both of the
8
bishops and of the whole company of the faithful.
For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as
Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church
has full, supreme, and universal power over the
whole Church, a power which he can always
exercise unhindered."
The Pope sees himself as the visible head of God’s
Kingdom on earth as opposed to the invisible
authority of Jesus Christ. However, early Christians
walked by faith, not by sight. (2 Cor. 5:7).
Additionally, one of the Pope’s titles is the Vicar of
Christ. The word vicar comes from the Latin word
vicarius meaning substitution. The on-line version
of the Pocket Catholic Dictionary defines the Vicar
of Christ as: “The Pope, visible head of the Church
on earth, acting for and in the place of
Christ”.
However, this is in serious conflict with
scripture. Can there be two heads on one body?
… Christ is the head of the church: and he is the
saviour of the body. - Ephesians 5:23
1994
Catholic Catechism Paragraph # 82 - As a
result the Church, to whom the transmission and
interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, does not
derive her certainty about all revealed truths from
the Holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and
Tradition must be accepted and honored with
equal sentiments of devotion and reverence.
Here the Catholic Church demands their own
traditions be revered as if they are the word of God. The Watchtower claims the same thing:
Watchtower December 15, 2008, pg 28 – “Our
coming to know „the truth‟ - the entire body of
Christian teachings that has become part of the
Bible - and adhering to it are essential for our
salvation”.
Simply put, the Catholic Church, the Watchtower
Corporation, and others have made the same mistake that many others have made; they’ve
added their traditions, good works, and another
mediator to “Jesus the author and finisher of our
faith”. (Heb. 12:2) Because of this, they have
nullified God’s offer of salvation for some. (Mark
7:13)
There is only one way into God’s favor:
I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into
the sheepfold , but climbeth up some other way, the
same is a thief and a robber…Verily, verily, I say
unto you, I am the door of the sheep. - Jn.10: 1-7
The NT is a contract between two individuals only... the believer and Christ. There is as BIG difference between the "Catholic" Church (all believers with a one to one relationship with Jesus) and the Roman Catholic Church with their hierarchy and doctrinal heresies.
