"The Catholic Church is an influential pillar of today’s global society. People around the world share the same Catholic faith despite borders and cultures ... "
"As the largest of the three primary branches of Christianity (the other two being Protestantism and the Orthodox Church), the Catholic Church has had a substantial hand in shaping Western civilization ... "
"The largest of the Christian denominations is the Roman Catholic church. As an institution it has existed since the 1st century ad, though its form, extent, and teachings have been significantly modified over the centuries ..."