Drawing upon the Four Marks of the Church — one, holy, catholic and apostolic — the Most Rev. Richard Sklba, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, said that awareness of society is of great importance to a Catholic in the world today.

Sklba's Wednesday speech, "One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic: What Does It Mean to Be Catholic in Our Modern World?," was the inaugural session of Gesu Parish's "Matters of Faith" series, which focuses on issues affecting the faith lives of parishioners. Sklba spoke in the lower church of Gesu Parish.

Sklba, who has served as bishop since 1979, said that the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church can be broken into three separate realities — communion, mediation and "sacramentology." The session's topic was primarily concerned with Catholic identity, which he said is dependent on a person's experience and point of reference.

Referring to communion as a distinct element of Catholicism emphasizes the sense of unity about the faith, Sklba said.

"Whether we realize it or not, to be Catholic is to be aware of social dimensions and plurality woven into the Gospel and the communities behind it," Sklba said. "There's a plurality that underscores the way we are called. To be Catholic in the modern world is to be aware we are part of a global community."

There is a difficult balance that must be reached between unity and cultural differences in the Catholic Church, he said. Sometimes there is a tendency to think local problems can be solved by universal legislation. The Church's movements between centralization and decentralization throughout history were attempts to solve this problem, Sklba said.

"We in the United States forget that we're only 6 percent of Catholics worldwide," Sklba said. "We are struggling to find a way our voice can be heard and other cultures can participate in a global community."

Mediation is important in that it leads the Catholic Church to recognize its role in looking for the "whole good," he said.

"Mediation would suggest we have a need to recognize the way our shared faith mediates our understanding of God," Sklba said. "The Bible is the 'Book of the Church' and does not belong to one group of people speaking one esoteric language."

"Sacrementology" is the other distinct reality of the Catholic Church and its identity. The Church values the use of creation in sacraments very seriously, Sklba said.

"It's actions with certain elements that become very important," Sklba said. "It isn't just oil — it's oil used in anointing."

Sklba also discussed what he said are the "non-negotiables" of Catholicism — the divinity of Jesus, the Holy Trinity, "sacramentology" and eschatology. These elements may cause doubt in some Catholics.

"There is something in every one of us that says, 'I'm not so sure about what the Church teaches,' " Sklba said. "(But this is) part of the deepening sense of mutual respect and community the Spirit gives."

Mike Heimbach, coordinator of the "Matters of Faith" series, said the largest challenge in living up to his Catholic identity is becoming more educated. This kind of education is not entirely based on academic courses, he said, but also by becoming more active in one's parish and listening to others of faith.

"You grow in your Catholic identity when you come together and talk about these type of issues," Heimbach said. "(The presentation) affirms some things but challenges me to grow in some areas."

Controversial issues such as women's role in the Catholic Church, abortion and the definition of "marriage" were also discussed in smaller dialogues after the speech.

Gesu parishioner Barbara Ode said she thinks the Church should not stray from tradition.

"I think we should stick to one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church," Ode said. "We should stick to the rules."