--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When one remembers how the Catholic…" description: "\"When one remembers how the Catholic Church has been governed, and by whom, one realizes that it must have been divinely inspired to have survived at al..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/152/hilaire-belloc-2294_catholic_when-one-remembers-how-the-catholic-chur_2163898.png" --- # When one remembers how the Catholic Church has been… ![“When one remembers how the Catholic Church has been governed, and by whom, one realizes that it must have been divinely inspired to have survived at all.” quote by Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/152/hilaire-belloc-2294_catholic_when-one-remembers-how-the-catholic-chur_2163898.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/152/hilaire-belloc-2294_catholic_when-one-remembers-how-the-catholic-chur_2163898.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/152/hilaire-belloc-2294_catholic_when-one-remembers-how-the-catholic-chur_2163898.png) > “When one remembers how the Catholic Church has been governed, and by whom, one realizes that it must have been divinely inspired to have survived at all.” [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing the Church's historical survival suggests a belief in divine guidance behind its structure and leadership. **In simple terms:** The Church's endurance hints at divine inspiration. Key Takeaway Consider the role of faith in institutional resilience. Themes faith history institution resilience Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - religious study - historical analysis - institutional critique Key Concepts theology political theory Questions to Reflect On - How does belief in divine guidance affect your view of institutions? - Can institutions thrive without perceived divine support? A Different Perspective Divine inspiration is a belief, not provable evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Catholic church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic-church/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church Governed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-governed-4603669/) [Divinely Inspired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divinely-inspired-904083/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Inspired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspired/) [Inspired Survived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspired-survived-4603671/) [Realizes Divinely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizes-divinely-4603670/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Remembers Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembers-catholic-4603668/) [Survived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survived/) ## Related quotes > [Every moment there is a divinely inspired, infinitely powerful explosion of light-filled possibilities occurring inside your brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-moment-there-is-a-divinely-inspired-infinitely-powerful/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of my core beliefs is that everything happens for a reason and some things just aren't to my taste. All the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/one-of-my-core-beliefs-is-that-everything-happens-for-a-reason-and/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [Remember, presidents and bishops, that the callings of your associates are just as divinely inspired as is yours, and they are therefore entitled to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-russell-ballard/remember-presidents-and-bishops-that-the-callings-of-your-associates/) [M. Russell Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-russell-ballard/) > [“to say that a passage is divinely inspired is not to say that it necessarily reflects an unclouded vision of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gergory-a-boyd/to-say-that-a-passage-is-divinely-inspired-is-not-to-say-that-it/) [Gergory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gergory-a-boyd/) > [“It's one thing to have a divinely inspired love given to you to experience and share; it's something else altogether to recognize it when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-fiore/it-s-one-thing-to-have-a-divinely-inspired-love-given-to-you-to/) [Mark Fiore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-fiore/) > [I wondered what I would do if I didn't have my God to turn to and be able to read the Book He had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-waters/i-wondered-what-i-would-do-if-i-didn-t-have-my-god-to-turn-to-and-be/) [Ethel Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-waters/) > [The Framers were no more interested in binding future Americans to a set of divinely inspired commandments than any of us would wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/the-framers-were-no-more-interested-in-binding-future-americans-to-a/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [Thus does the Muse herself move men divinely inspired, and through them thus inspired a Chain hangs together of others inspired divinely likewise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/thus-does-the-muse-herself-move-men-divinely-inspired-and-through/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Although I believe that scripture is divinely inspired and infallible, I have a hard time going along with the belief that the whole creation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/although-i-believe-that-scripture-is-divinely-inspired-and-infallible/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [I believe that everything is divinely inspired. Bad things happen - they do - but I also think that when these bad things happen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lachanze/i-believe-that-everything-is-divinely-inspired-bad-things-happen-they/) [LaChanze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lachanze/) > [The Catholic Church is an institution I am bound to hold divine - but for unbelievers a proof of its divinity might be found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/the-catholic-church-is-an-institution-i-am-bound-to-hold-divine-but/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [The only people who are obsessed with food are anorexics and the morbidly obese. That, in erotic terms, is the Catholic church, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/the-only-people-who-are-obsessed-with-food-are-anorexics-and-the/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [The one thing that the Catholic Church desires, and that I seek as Bishop of Rome, “the Church which presides in charity”, is communion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-one-thing-that-the-catholic-church-desires-and-that-i-seek-as/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“There are so many priests who enter triumphantly and walk up toward the altar, greeting people left and right, so as to appear sympathetic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sarah/there-are-so-many-priests-who-enter-triumphantly-and-walk-up-toward/) [Robert Sarah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sarah/) > [The Roman Catholic Church is an institution for whose gains the phrase "ill-gotten" might have been specially invented. And of all its money-making rip-offs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-roman-catholic-church-is-an-institution-for-whose-gains-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## More by Hilaire Belloc > [All men have an instinct for conflict: at least, all healthy men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/all-men-have-an-instinct-for-conflict-at-least-all-healthy-men/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [Kings live in Palaces, and Pigs in sties, And youth in Expectation. Youth is wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/kings-live-in-palaces-and-pigs-in-sties-and-youth-in-expectation/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [Communism worked honestly by officials devoid of human frailties and devoted to nothing but the good of its slaves, would have certain manifest material…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/communism-worked-honestly-by-officials-devoid-of-human-frailties-and/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [I put my pencil upon the paper, doubtfully, and drew little lines, considering my theme. But I would not long hesitate in this manner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/i-put-my-pencil-upon-the-paper-doubtfully-and-drew-little-lines/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [Had there been any existent vital and energetic institution left in Society after the Reformation for the use of small property in coordinated form-that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/had-there-been-any-existent-vital-and-energetic-institution-left-in/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [Before the curse of statistics fell upon mankind we lived a happy, innocent life, full of merriment and go and informed by fairly good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/before-the-curse-of-statistics-fell-upon-mankind-we-lived-a-happy/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [Of old when folk lay sick and sorely tried The doctors gave them physic, and they died. But here's a happier age: for now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/of-old-when-folk-lay-sick-and-sorely-tried-the-doctors-gave-them/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [It is Mind which determines the change of Society, and it was because the mind at work was a Catholic mind that the slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/it-is-mind-which-determines-the-change-of-society-and-it-was-because/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [For no one, in our long decline,So dusty, spiteful and divided,Had quite such pleasant friends as mine,Or loved them half as much as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/for-no-one-in-our-long-decline-so-dusty-spiteful-and-divided-had/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [The smaller man approaching our modern banking system, which controls all issue of credit and therefore pretty well all our industrial and commercial activities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/the-smaller-man-approaching-our-modern-banking-system-which-controls/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [Under the old philosophy which had governed the high Middle Ages things had been everywhere towards a condition of Society in which property was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/under-the-old-philosophy-which-had-governed-the-high-middle-ages/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [Torture will give a dozen pence or more To keep a drab from bawling at his door. The public taste is quite a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/torture-will-give-a-dozen-pence-or-more-to-keep-a-drab-from-bawling/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [Of courtesy, it is much less Than courage of heart or holiness, Yet in my walks it seems to me That the Grace of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/of-courtesy-it-is-much-less-than-courage-of-heart-or-holiness-yet-in/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [The very large units of production and exchange have access to credit on a large scale, sometimes without any cover at all, merely upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/the-very-large-units-of-production-and-exchange-have-access-to-credit/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [The terror in which English capitalists now stand of organized proletarian resistance gives to the naturally protected craft organizations the power to receive the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/the-terror-in-which-english-capitalists-now-stand-of-organized/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) [Explore all 171 Hilaire Belloc quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) ## More Catholic quotes > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [ The young man \[Turgot\] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dickson-white/the-young-man-turgot-destined-for-an-ecclesiastical-career-was-placed/) [Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dickson-white/) > [Like many other scientists who hold the Catholic faith, I see the Creator's plan and purpose fulfilled in our universe. I see a planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/like-many-other-scientists-who-hold-the-catholic-faith-i-see-the/) [Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/) > [I'm the daughter of a Kenyan Catholic father and a Mauritian Hindu mother, and I have a Jewish husband who was born in South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suella-braverman/i-m-the-daughter-of-a-kenyan-catholic-father-and-a-mauritian-hindu/) [Suella Braverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suella-braverman/) > [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/) [Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/) > [I grew up with a religious background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-caruso/i-grew-up-with-a-religious-background/) [Alex Caruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-caruso/) > [ Girded with faith and the performance of good works, let us follow in his \[Jesus\] paths by the guidance of the Gospel. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-of-nursia/girded-with-faith-and-the-performance-of-good-works-let-us-follow-in/) [Benedict of Nursia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-of-nursia/) > [“Even at the tender age of twelve, when I knelt in front of the bishop for my confirmation, I had the sneaking suspicion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-edwards/even-at-the-tender-age-of-twelve-when-i-knelt-in-front-of-the-bishop/) [Megan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-edwards/) > [Pray, Hope, and Don't Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/pray-hope-and-don-t-worry/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [My grandmother was a minister as well, which was not that common in the 1930s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/my-grandmother-was-a-minister-as-well-which-was-not-that-common-in/) [Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/) > [My grandmother made sure that I went to church every Sunday. And she'd come over and pick us boys up, and we would go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/my-grandmother-made-sure-that-i-went-to-church-every-sunday-and-she-d/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [I think being raised within a Mexican Catholic family made magical realism a very natural part of who I am as a person and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-olivas/i-think-being-raised-within-a-mexican-catholic-family-made-magical/) [Daniel Olivas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-olivas/) > [I am surprised that anyone can profess to be an atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/i-am-surprised-that-anyone-can-profess-to-be-an-atheist/) [Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/) > [You can never completely get it - being a Christian - but I think I really got it when my first son was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-teixeira/you-can-never-completely-get-it-being-a-christian-but-i-think-i/) [Mark Teixeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-teixeira/) [Browse all 4,027 Catholic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When one remembers how the Catholic Church has been governed, and by whom, one realizes that it must have been divinely inspired to have survived at all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hilaire Belloc" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/when-one-remembers-how-the-catholic-church-has-been-governed-and-by/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Catholic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/when-one-remembers-how-the-catholic-church-has-been-governed-and-by/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/152/hilaire-belloc-2294_catholic_when-one-remembers-how-the-catholic-chur_2163898.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/152/hilaire-belloc-2294_catholic_when-one-remembers-how-the-catholic-chur_2163898.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/152/hilaire-belloc-2294_catholic_when-one-remembers-how-the-catholic-chur_2163898.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When one remembers how the Catholic Church has been governed, and by whom, one realizes that it must have…” — Hilaire Belloc", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Hilaire Belloc", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When one remembers how the Catholic...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/when-one-remembers-how-the-catholic-church-has-been-governed-and-by/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/when-one-remembers-how-the-catholic-church-has-been-governed-and-by/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```