• Presbyterians and Catholics respect the holy cross.Cross image by Gianluca Ciralli from Fotolia.com
  
  Catholicism and Presbyterianism are related through Christianity. Catholicism and Protestantism are two of three sects that branched from Christianity. The Presbyterian Church is descendant of Calvinism, which is a branch of Protestantism. Roman Catholics accept all of the traditional Christian beliefs with additional ideas interjected, such as an addition of five sacraments. The Presbyterian Church emphasizes Protestant beliefs of Christianity, but Presbyterians also believe in predestination.
  
  

Belief in God

• Catholics and Presbyterians agree that Jesus Christ, God and the Holy Spirit all exist. These three spiritual entities comprise the Holy Trinity as described in the Bible. Both religious sects accept that Jesus Christ is the Savior who grants salvation from sins committed. Catholics and Presbyterians believe salvation prevents them from suffering in the afterlife either in punishment or with an eternal death after they die.
  
  

Bible Is the Sacred Text

• The Bible is a spiritual text consisting of the Old and New Testaments. Both religious institutions accept these sections of the Bible as the sacred word of God. Catholics and Presbyterians also accept all the ideas documented in the four Gospels of the Bible, which are the books of John, Mark, Matthew and Luke. Both religious institutions utilize the Bible as the source of guidance and instruction. Sermons derive from scripture from the Bible. Catholic and Presbyterian followers are expected to read the Bible in reverence and ritual, as well as for inspiration.
  
  

Theological Matters

• Both religious institutions practice baptism as a spiritual rite and sacrament. In the Bible, sacrament is a direct blessing and anointment of God. Catholics and Presbyterians believe angels exist. Both churches respect that Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus Christ, bore her son through a virgin conception. They each accept the validity of certain theological matters, such as incarnation, resurrection and crucifixion. Heaven, Hell and Jesus Christ, as well as the belief that Jesus Christ's life on earth was free of sin, are real and true according to both churches.
  
  

Predetermined Church Services

• Sermons and services are predetermined in the Catholic and Presbyterian churches. The Catholic Church services are verbatim to particular rites, texts and prayers, while each Presbyterian Church service follows a set structure and the content is preset by the leaders for each session. The main service held by the Catholic Church is called Mass, which follows a particular set of procedures. The priest begins with reciting prayers and reading scripture from the Bible. Then, anyone who is eligible takes communion. Communion is the eating of bread and wine as a sacrament that reflects appreciation of Jesus Christ's body and blood. In the Presbyterian Church, the pastor and governing body of the church, called the session, predetermine the events of every service. A typical service starts with reciting a prayer that is followed by particular hymns. Then, the pastor reads biblical scripture and preaches a sermon that is centered on the scripture. The only thing that changes with each service is the scripture and sermon, but the structure, prayers and hymns remain static.