Catholic dogma represents the core beliefs of the Catholic Church that are proclaimed as divinely revealed truths and are therefore to be believed with the assent of faith. These dogmas are essential teachings that have been definitively proposed by the Church, often through ecumenical councils or ex cathedra declarations by the Pope, and are considered infallible and unchangeable.
Dogmas are foundational to the Catholic faith and include teachings on the nature of God, the Trinity, the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary (such as her Immaculate Conception and Assumption), the existence of Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory, the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and the authority of the Church itself. Adherence to these dogmas is required of all Catholics, as they constitute the truths that the Church holds as revealed by God and necessary for salvation.
The process of defining dogmas often arises in response to heresies or theological disputes, aiming to clarify and secure the faith of the Church’s members. Once a teaching is declared dogmatic, it is considered a definitive teaching of the Church and is no longer open to debate among faithful Catholics.