For many Catholics, learning Church history is considered a mundane and tiresome activity. It is not often a focus of parish catechetical programmes in the same manner as Scripture studies. Of course, developing an understanding and love of the Word of God is extremely important in the faith life of all Catholics, but learning Church history is also critical. Studying the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church can be a daunting task, made more difficult by the fact that most history in the English world for the past 500 years has been presented from a Protestant perspective. However, as an entrée to the study of Church history, I offer five things every Catholic should know about Church history.