Why I’m a Catholic
Though these blogs are obviously written by a Catholic, I try to make them as non-denominational as possible, hoping they can be of use to all readers. But it occurs to me that it would be useful to know why people like me choose religion over none, and a particular religion over others.
To begin, this is about my reasons for being a Catholic, not my reasons for NOT being something else. I understand and respect that people of other faiths, and people of no faith, also have reasons for being who they are. Nothing in this post should be interpreted as antipathy toward anyone’s faith, or lack of it.
With that, I must admit that my first reason for being a Catholic is that my parents were. My father’s faith was a practical sort but I was impressed as a youngster that he never missed kneeling down beside his bed to pray each night. My mother was more devout, with a special devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Both prayed regularly and never missed Sunday Mass, and the importance they attached to their faith was not lost on me.
A Gift
Some may believe that following the faith of your parents is a poor reason to be a Catholic, or anything else. I don’t share that view. I see the faith they bequeathed me as a gift, given from God through people in the usual way he/she gives gifts. To ignore this gift, or to squander it, would be folly, to say nothing of the ingratitude it implies.
Of course, you can’t inherit your faith like you might a set of sterling silver. You have to make it your own by examining it, contemplating it and committing to it. I’ve struggled with doubt all my life but faith has always overcome it.
Having followed my parents’ example, and that of many others in my family going back generations, I look upon my membership in the church as membership in a family, a large family that is sacred because God makes it so, but also flawed and often in denial about itself and its relationship to the world.
I have no illusions about the state of the church, about the clerical child abuse, the defection of members, especially among young Catholics, the clericalism and tribalism, the vapidity of the liturgy and homilies in many parishes and the exclusion of women from leadership.
But I see so many signs of hope, starting with the election in 2013 of Pope Francis, who, in my opinion, has been exactly what the church needs at this time in its history. And even though the power of clerics in the church makes it top-heavy, lay people are, perhaps by default, taking more responsibility for their church.
My wife, Amparo, and I have been involved in a leadership course for Hispanics in our diocese. Twenty-five adults, from a hotel maid to a physician, attended classes a weekend a month for two years to learn about the Bible, the church and pastoral leadership. The course required attendance at sessions that lasted 4 hours on Friday nights, all day Saturday and most of Sunday.
Participants exhibited a remarkable degree of perseverance, openness, determination, joy and love of God, the church and each other. It was the second of such groups; another is planned for next year.
Many people see the failings of leaders and members as signs that the church is “on the ropes,” that it has become irrelevant and has little to offer to contemporary people. There is no shortage of reminders that Catholicism is a church of sinners. But that hasn’t changed since the time of the apostles. After all, the church is obviously human as well as divine. What can you expect?
I also believe, however, in Jesus’ promise to be with us until the end and that more than compensates for church members’ chronic unfaithfulness. I think many people who reject their Catholic faith for something that on the surface has more appeal are like people preferring a shiny dime to an old and somewhat soiled hundred dollar bill.
The Way Ancient Christians Worshipped
Then there’s the matter of worship. Nothing, in my opinion, can match the significance of the Eucharist (the Mass) as a form of worship. Following Jesus’ command at the Last Supper to “do this in remembrance of me,” it became the way ancient Christians worshipped, knowing that nothing they could invent could match Jesus’ invitation to join him in his sacrifice to the Father and in the sharing of his body and blood. It’s an ancient ritual, so it takes some effort to understand and appreciate, however.
In general, I am also comfortable with the church’s teachings, especially on social issues. Although in its long, sometimes agonizing history, the church has often aligned itself with the rich and powerful, any review of its doctrine reveals that it takes seriously Jesus’ frequent teachings on our obligations to the poor. And if you follow the church’s moral teachings, you can’t help but be a good person.
Finally, I’m a Catholic because the church helps me maintain a “personal” relationship with God. Not all Catholics have experienced this. Many lifelong Catholics somehow miss that it’s not just about fulfilling obligations but about loving and being loved by God and other human beings.
The Catholic Church may be time-worn and at times dysfunctional but it will always be my family.
