Evolution and the Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church believes in the idea of evolution. Evolution is the idea that over a long period of time, animals and plants gradually change and adapt to the environment around them. This means that animals and plants living now look different than they did long ago. The Church believes that God created the animals and plants, and that He is still guiding and directing the changes that happen over time, so that the plants and animals can better serve His purposes. The Church calls this idea "theistic evolution" and it is an accepted part of the Church's faith.