The Apostles evangelized many parts of the world with the same authentic teachings of Christ that we follow in the Catholic Church today. They established various local communities (local churches). Although these communities had different locations, they were all one body in Christ in the fullness of truth within the Catholic faith through their participation in the Eucharistic celebration (which is defined as the holy mass in present times). The first Christians all had a common belief and practice, which, in its entirety, is still carried out faithfully through our Catholic Church- unchanged since Christ established the Church over 2000 years ago. Our parish at Holy Family is like one of the communities established by the apostles. We are part of a "diocese," the diocese of Greensburg, which is what the New Testament would have referred to as a "local church," and we too have an 'apostle' whose succession is traced, by an unbroken line, directly back to the apostles through the "laying on of hands" (invocation of the Holy Spirit): Bishop Lawrence Brandt. Bishop Brandt, like the apostles, is responsible for shepherding the flock of Christ through teaching, preaching, and spreading the Gospel. As Catholics, we take part in this mission. Our pastor, Fr. Dan Mahoney, is responsible with leading the 'flock' of parishioners here at Holy Family under the direction of the bishop. Our diocese is part of the Universal (i.e. "Catholic") Church, whose spiritual center is physically located in Rome, where the bones of St. Peter were found (the tomb of St. Peter is located underneath the main altar at St. Peter's Basilica).
