Question:
Answer:
The fundamental question is not what do Catholics believe in this regard, but what did Jesus do in establishing the Church?
You refer to the moral, civil and ceremonial laws under Moses in leading Israel. Jesus came to fulfill the law, not abrogate it (Matt. 5:17-18). Yet, in fulfilling that law, he perfects it; and thus various Old Covenant provisions, including liturgical norms (Col. 2:16-17) and dietary restrictions (Acts 15:28-29), are no longer operative.
Christ has particularly fulfilled Old Covenant liturgical norms in establishing the Mass, which we do in remembrance of him (Luke 22:19-20), and other liturgical rites, particularly the other sacraments. In addition, while the immutable aspects of the moral law endure, Jesus deepens our understanding of and participation in that law (see, e.g., Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matt. 5—7).
Further, while civil law is now basically the domain of the civil authorities, governments should be informed and guided by that same natural moral law. Finally, the Church herself has canon law to guide the Church’s internal activities, which comes in part from her God-given mission to “bind and loose” (Matt. 16:18-19; 18:15-18).