255 Catholic dogmas

General
1

I heard it mentioned that Mary’s perpetual virginity is a dogma (a required belief for Catholics). I knew that the Immaculate Conception and Assumption are Catholic dogmas, but I didn’t know that Mary’s perpetual virginity is a dogma. I mentally recited the Apostles’ Creed, which my wife and I say every day as part of the rosary; I firmly believe all of the creed.

Then I wondered how many dogmas there are. Online, I found lists of 255. Some of the dogmas are so abstract that I don’t know what they mean (I’m not asking for explanations; I’m sure I could find and understand explanations). For example, “God is absolutely simple” and “God’s knowledge is subsistent.” My response might be “OK, if you say so.” Other dogmas I hadn’t thought about but still don’t see why Catholics must believe them, for example, “God’s Essence is … incomprehensible to the blessed in Heaven.” I believe that if I have to, and I guess I have to. Fortunately the Church does not seem to teach that all 255 dogmas are required for salvation. Also, we apparently are not required to believe that it’s a good idea to have 255 required beliefs. :slight_smile: As a cradle Catholic with 12 years of Catholic education (some of it before Vatican II), I was surprised to learn how many dogmas there are.

2

The teaching of Mary’s perpetual virginity is one of the longest defined dogmas of the Church. It was taught by the earliest Church Fathers, including: Tertullian, St. Athanasius, St. Ambrose, and St. Augustine. And it was officially declared a dogma at the Fifth Ecumenical Council in Constantinople in 553 A.D.

3

Well, I missed that dogma and a hundred others, maybe two hundred. And I’m sure that some dogmas are more important than others. When we renew our baptismal vows at mass, the priest doesn’t ask us 255 questions. Rather, we are asked basically about the Nicene Creed, which we recite almost every Sunday. And I don’t think there’s an entrance exam for heaven concerning our beliefs. If so, I would just answer, “All of the above.” Rather, Romans 10:9 says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.