How many practising Catholics are there here?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I know a few through various interactions, but I’m curious- how many active or semi-active Catholic Dopers are there? I know there are a fair number who are ex-Catholic.

My husband and I are trying very hard to get into and through RCIA, through a fair number of difficulties (I work nights, he has to go to bed very early, he’s in an intensive part of training to start his own martial arts school), and we’re both quite new to the whole culture of Catholicism, and it’s a little scary and fascinating to both of us.

So, how many are there, what aspects of church life are you involved in (lector, server, CCD class teacher, whatever), are you a Tridentine, Latin, or Novus Ordo lover, were you brought up Catholic? Did you convert? Do you pray the rosary? Do you have interesting devotions to particular saints?

There’s so much we don’t know, in spite of doing quite a lot of reading and attending Mass. Talk to me about your experiences and practices.
I’m not looking for a debate, IPU or FSM references, or slurs. Please be civil. Thanks.

2

Catholic, from “Catholic Spain”, where the main religious choices are still (and in spite of what the guv’mint says) not “atheist, agnostic, Catholic, other” but “Catholic, lapsed Catholic, anti-church Catholic”.

I’m practicing, but the way I practice changes with things like location. For example: while I do speak English and don’t speak French, I do understand the French used in a French-language bible and in French prayers but I do not understand the English used in most English-language bibles and in English prayers. So I’m more likely to go to Mass in France than in an English-speaking country. I just don’t see the point of going there to spend an hour thinking “laaalala, lalalaaaaa” and looking at the architecture. And there is a dispensation for it, yay!

Also, when I worked the fourth shift (weekends, holidays, vacation periods), instead of holding my Sabbath on Sunday, I held it on Wednesday. It was a day when I did not have any external obligations, so I could go to Mass at the Clarisas and then spend some time visiting with the nuns, take a long walk just thinking about stuff, etc.

I’m fond of any saint who had an interesting life story or who’s got interesting legends. Yeah, I know that’s not the same as being devout of the same saints. Although I do think St Michael may have had something to do with my current job and apartment… I kept running into images of him, as I was interviewing and flat-searching.

I prefer going to Mass on Saturday evening to Sunday because I like that it’s Our Lady’s Day and Masses end with the Salve. Both Dad and his mom were very devout of her.

The patron saint of Navarra is San Francisco Javier (St Francis Xavier, feast December 3rd); the patron saint of the Navarrese people is St Fermin (feast July 7th); the patron saint of Pamplona, our capital, is St Saturnino or Cernin (feast November 29th). I try to get both december 3rd and july 7th off because being at work on those days just feels wrong.

There is a tradition celebrating La Novena de la Gracia: march 3rd-12th (both included). You’re supposed to ask Javier for a grace (not out loud) and pray a rosary, every night. During the same period there is also a pilgrimage on foot to the castle of Javier, where he was born (his name was D. Francisco de Jaso y Azpilcueta, “from Javier” was how he got distinguished from every other Francisco studying in the Sorbonne at the same time). We used to do this every year when Dad was alive, I keep thinking I should do it but forgetting. My birth started on March 12th and officially ended March 13th at 12:47, so I’m told I got out of being a Javiera for 12:47 hours. If I’d been a boy I would definitely have been a Javier. Oh, and March 13th is St Solomon, King, but apparently having him for a birth-patron is not an excuse to be a wise-ass.

While I was raised Catholic, my parents’ God and my own idea of God (which hasn’t changed that much since I was little; my knowledge of official theology has increased but I believe what I believe) clashed very badly. Pa was into “the God of Punishment”; Mom spent the first 23 years of my life so busy avoiding “disagreements in front of the children” that I kind of saw them as an inverted Hydra: two bodies, one mind.
Throw in a lot of perfectionism on their part, and I clearly remember the day when I almost jumped off a tall window because I felt like I was wasting air that should go to someone more worthy (read: anybody else in the whole world), and I said “NO. I refuse to believe that God is an asshole. If He made me, He must have done it with some end in mind, and so even though I don’t know anything I’m good at, there MUST be something I’m good at and what I have to do is find it.”

Later, we had the choice to take instruction for 1, 2 or 3 years before Confirmation. Until then, it had been 1 year. I chose 3: like everybody else in that group, I had very specific doubts and the whole “Jesus loves you” we kept getting thrown at us didn’t cut it for me (this was 1982). My own question: “I know what I believe (A), but… what does the Church believe?” I took Confirmation without having had it answered, but it was when Dad was out of a job and Mom bedridden and I had two little brothers to take care of, so I figured that there was no point in refusing Confirmation. I took it under a caveat, though: I was going to go on searching for the answer to my question, and the Sacrament wasn’t valid (or not) until I got the answer.
I got it a couple years later, when a priest finally answered with something different than “Jesus loves you”: “the Church believes the stuff we say in the Credo”. Oh OOOOOK!

There’s some dogmas that I’m perfectly fine with. There’s some I accept and do not expect to understand completely (I do have a limited understanding of some of them). There’s one whose literal formulation I find completely stupid and dickocentric (the Virginity of Our Lady… why restrict her worth to a piece of skin? MEN!). And there’s one that makes me laugh heartily, specially when I see how badly non-Catholics understand it (Papal Infallibility).

Dunnow if that mess answered any questions really, but my email is in my profile, feel free to ask anything else you want.

3

Oh, the collaboration stuff and the Rosary:

I do the Rosary when I get to Mass early, since here it’s held before every Mass. Sometimes I do an abbreviated version: I don’t know the litanys by heart and can’t be bothered carry around a paper with them, so I just do the Pater-10HailMary-Glory x5.

Spanish churches are a lot less formal than US churches regarding collaboration. I’m not in any kind of “lectors list”, but the priests in Mom’s parish (my parish for many years) know I read well, so if none of the Usual Suspects is around, they may ask me to read. I often pass the collection basket. In the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona (yes, the Gaudi church: it’s my grandparents’ parish) they usually have 4 or 5 people to distribute Communion, but sometimes there’s so many people they ask for extra help, I’ve helped out a few times.

I taught sunday school to 4th graders for a year, but it was on Thursday: they were the ones whose families regularly went out of town for the weekend, so they couldn’t take it on Saturday. These were the ones who’d had First Communion the previous year. While I enjoyed it and I think my kids enjoyed me (several of them still greeted me years later; I was one of the few adults to whom they could ask about any question and get a real answer), I’ve never again been in a position where I could take that kind of compromise for the 9 months of the school year. Both Lilbro and Mom used to teach sunday school as well; Lilbro taught Confirmation, Mom started with my Communion group (something I absolutely hated) and did several age groups until a couple years back. With my grandparents now 93, she wants to have as few ties as possible “in case I have to run”.

4

If it’s not too off topic, I’m curious how both you and your husband ended up converting to Catholicism. Usually when I hear about someone going through RCIA, it’s one person converting to their spouse’s religion.

5

(sorry sorry sorry, I should stop doing this)

Re the confirmation… “I saw no point in refusing Confirmation and giving Dad a heart attack at such a lousy time” (after all, if my beliefs and the Church’s fitted, it was OK, and if they didn’t… the main offense was to a God that wouldn’t have been the one I believe in, right?)

6

I’m a practicing Catholic. I was brought up in it, and my wife became Catholic (she had been Methodist) shortly before we got married. I like the sense of tradition that Catholicism offers-- the ceremony, the community, and the feeling of continuity of a 2000 year old institution founded by Jesus.

I was educated by Jesuits, so for me, Catholicism is a religion of scientific principle and progressive thought. I realize this is not everyone’s experience. :wink:

I don’t revere any particular saints, but I am fond of the Catholic custom of naming children after saints-- again, the sense of tradition and continuity.

I’m a fan of Pope Benedict so far. I like that he’s a hard-nosed intellectual and I tend to agree with his views on various issues. My major problem with the Church’s direction in recent years is the conflict over gay marriage. I understand why the Church itself doesn’t want to perform or honor gay marriages. But I strongly disagree with the Church’s efforts to throw its weight behind secular gay marriage bans. Personally I would love to see gay marriage legalized in the USA; I’m tired of seeing gay couples get no respect. If the Catholic Church wants nothing to do with it, fine, but it has no right to try to prevent gay non-Catholics from being married by the state and/or ministers of other religions.

7

I was born Catholic, lapsed in my 20’s. and rejoined when I moved 1/2 mile away from my current church. I like the Latin, we use a bit of it in the Mass (a good bit of the membership has been here since the parish was founded in 1954). I’m active in the Knights of Columbus, and bits here and there. I was able to be more active at my last job, they even tried to get me to run for parish council. I pray the Rosary daily, try to go to morning Mass when I can will myself out of bed, and try to do Morning Prayer/Evening Prayer every day.

8

Just got through RCIA 2 years ago. Me and my wife really enjoyed it and on our

10 year marriage anniversary with had our marriage blessed through the Church.

I pray the Rosary both before Church and I bought a c.d. to play in the car on the

way to and from work . It helps somewhat in dealing with traffic . It seems like

being a Catholic is a dangerous thing around here . I try to keep in mind Jesus’s

teachings (love thy nieghbor ) , before responding to some of the hateful stuff

that is said here. Hope all goes well with you and your husband. Peace be with

you. :slight_smile:

9

I’m a practicing Catholic. I have been all my life (30 years). I go to church every week, but I don’t pray the rosary, or attent eucharistic devotions, or any of that other stuff. I pray whenever something troubles me, which is usually at least once per day. (I’m a bit of a worrywort.) I’ve never known any pope other than John Paul II, so I’m not sure what to think about Pope Benedict. I wish the Church would at least consider the possibility of female priests.

10

I was raised Roman Catholic by devout parents, did CCD/Sunday school but otherwise attended public schools. In my teens and through college I rebelled by lapsing, but in my mid 20’s I had a bit of an awakening. I now (age 39) attend mass weekly with my family including my Methodist wife. I haven’t been to confession since my early teens and don’t say the rosary. I do appreciate the history and tradition of Roman Catholicism and occasionally wish I was more educated about how the church has evolved to its current state and why it takes the position it does on certain issues, but haven’t devoted myself (yet) to learn more about it.

I also disagree with the church on many things, but I don’t believe that to be a good Catholic necessarily requires mindlessly following the church’s teachings. I don’t think practicing Catholicism and forming my own opinions about things are necessarily contradictory pursuits.

11

I converted to Catholicism just over 2 yrs ago. I was confirmed Easter 2004. I was raised non-denominational and I never felt anchored. Suburban Plankton went to all Catholic schools and was mostly raised Catholic. His parents aren’t Catholic, but thought Catholic schools were the best educationl option. As a result he is Catholic.

When we met and were first dating we went to a non-denom church, which is the church we got married in. Then we attended a Baptist church closer to where we moved. Then there was some stuff going on at that church we didn’t like and we stopped going to church altogether for like 8 years. During that time our son was born. When he was going to kindergarten we decided on Catholic school. I decided to check out RCIA and Suburban Plankton went to the Catholics Returning Home group.

I am very happy with my conversion. I like the fact that there is a formula (for lack of a better word) for the Mass and it’s not just some guy up on stage lecturing at me. I like the people and both our priests are really nice as well as the Sisters. All are approachable, take time to remember your name, etc.

Like you there is so much I still don’t know. But I am trying to learn what I can and just do my best. I think that’s all God wants anyway. I have been looking for some way to be more involved, I just talked to Sr. Martin this Sunday about being a Lector. We definitely need more of them.

I don’t pray the Rosary very often. It’s not something I have really figured out yet. Our parish doesn’t seem to put a lot of extra emphasis on Mary. When I was in RCIA, we had the “Catholics don’t worship Mary, they honor her” class. We talked about the Rosary, and we all received one, but that was it.

Another thing I don’t do is go to Confession. I confess my sins directly to go. I think if I committed “really big sins” like adultery or stealing I would go, but most of mine are like “I spent too much money on books” or “I was lazy and didn’t make it to Mass last week.”

I think our parish is relatively progressive, IMO. We use Novus Ordo. We have 3 Sunday morning Masses Contemporary, Family Mass, and Traditional. We go to Family Mass if we go on Sunday. The Saturday evening Mass is casual, but traditional and we like that one as well.

Don’t know what else to mention. Hope I’ve helped.

12

I am what they call a “cradle Catholic.” My parents were strict about attendance and a Catholic education, but not what you would call “devotional” adherents (we weren’t the type of family who prayed the Rosary, did the Stations of the Cross, etc.)

As an adult, I wandered around a lot trying to figure out if the Church was the right place for me, but I am back now, much more focused on what it means to be a Catholic and how the various devotionals can help me reach God. Right now, weekly mass is a little bit on a hiatus, which I don’t like too much, but it’s very difficult to manage a 2-year-old. Sometimes I go by myself, and my husband stays home with her. Our intention is to make Church very much a part of our Children’s lives, and hopefully, find a way to make it meaningful to them.

13

I was born and raised Catholic. I had much more typed in here about my background, upbringing and current views, but decided against posting it here.

Suffice it to say that due to some experiences in my life, I’m having a crisis of faith right now.

14

I’m a cradel Catholic as well as my wife. I am a lector in our parish, and used to be in the choir, but a combination of the music director and not enough time and a new daughter (at the time) caused me to drop out and I haven’t really had the urge to re-join. My wife is a cantor.

When I was little I used to say grace before every meal and pray the rosary weekly if not nightly, and say prayers before bed. Now I’m lucky if I remember to say grace before dinner and I rarely pray at night, but I still beleive in the core teachings of the church and attend regularly.

I wish they would allow priests to get married. Would have put me on a whole different career path.

15

I am also a cradle Catholic and try to make it an integral part of my life. It always has been. At various times in my life I’ve been in the choir, been a lector, went to RCIA just for fun, edited the parish newsletter. I went a few years to Catholic school until it closed; my children now go to our parish school. Being a Catholic is very important to me; it is part of who I am.

16

Born and raised Catholic. A brief period in my 20s where I rejected the Church and self-identified as an agnostic ended with a return to and acceptance of the Church.

I was a lector for several years. I’m very active in my local Knights of Columbus, having served as a council, district, and state officer. I’m a member of the Legion of Mary.

I do say the rosary every day – hardest thing has been to incorporate the Luminous Mysteries into the week!

I’m a member of the Fr. McGiveny Guild, the organzation promoting the sainthood of Fr. Michael J. McGivney. There are a few saints with whom I have always felt a special connection: St. Theresa of Avila and St. Thérèse of Lisieux both have writings that have moved me profoundly. I admire St. Ambrose for his logical and defintive approach to things.

17

Born Catholic, raised nothing, converted to catholicism when I was 25, was a very active member of parish, kids go to catholic school. I think it’s terribly important, and love the history, the rituals, the definitiveness.

Right now I am not in a state of grace, and don’t see that changing anytime soon. This has altered my attendance, and my involvement in the church. Through no fault of church, rather my feelings of hypocrisy. Eventually I’ll get my shit together, and humbly return seeking forgiveness.

18

Me too!

My parents were converted (Mom as a teenager and Pop shortly after they were married in the Catholic church) and I was brought up Catholic. I’ve always identified that way but was more of a child in following the Church when I was a kid. OK, obviously, but it took some straying away to realize that I was being called back to a deeper faith and I feel like I was converted, almost, to something stronger. I still believe like a child and take things on faith because I am too limited to get my mind around the mysteries of it all, but I do love it.

I don’t have a lot of formality to my practice other than of course attending Mass on Sundays and holy days. I tend to have time to think and I think about God now and again throughout the day and reflect on Him and me. I read Therese’s books as a kid and an adult and try to incorporate the little way in my life.

I’m pretty traditional about the Mass and the issues surrounding the Church and this modern world. I have hope that all tenets of the faith are taught in RCIA and nothing is glossed over or discounted because of modern sentiment. I’ve thought about helping out at religious ed (it’s only on Sundays–no Catholic schools around here :frowning: ) but would be too nervous to lead a class.

A man who had been attending Mass with his Catholic wife and baby received the sacraments last week at Mass and it was wonderful. I would like to get involved in RCIA because it is so hopeful and we would all learn about the faith. Good luck to you both.

19

I was born and raised Catholic. I practise my faith. It’s a very important part of my life. I’m traditional in my liturgical tastes (ie Latin Tridentine rite).

20

Though I have spent some time testing the theory during my life, you can take the girl out of the church but you can’t…in any event, I was born Catholic into a Portuguese Catholic family.

I have since completed the circle and immigrated to Holland, and it seems to me that to be a Dutch Catholic is pretty much to be a Protestant; but I have only been here for two yers so I am still reserving my opinion. However, since my personal biases are still in place, I expect that my children will be catechised twice. ahem.

I like the rosary very much. I am in general fond of Marian devotions. They are not terribly popular here, or at least not in the way I am used to, so I miss the community aspects. BUt that’s what happens when you move out of your community isn’t it?

Our devotions are so, um, interesting that I was an adult before I knew that everyone didn’t do them. My own favorite is the practice of asking for some intercession from one’s patron saint (or whichever one seemed appropriate) and then burying either thtat saint’s statue or a medal in the yeard, upside down, to give the saint the proper, um, motivation to hurry it up. Once the intercession occurs, the statue/medal is dug up, cleaned, and either painted or provided with a nice new set of clothes and replaced.

We are fond of the Festival of the Holy Ghost, for its pageantry and also for the food. The story goes like this: At one time during Queen St. Isabel’s reign there was a terrible famine in Portugal. The Queen depleted all her funds seeking food for her people; she had no financial resources left, only her crown. One morning, at Mass, she promised the Holy Spirit, “I will give my crown to the Church if you will send me a miracle, so my people will be relieved of their hunger.” As she left the church, she saw ships coming into the harbor, loaded with wheat and corn.

Mary Magdalen is a favorite patron saint and has her own devotions. It was, thus, a superstitious and verging-on-mystical faith I was raised with. We also have a fair number of herbalistas and curandeiras in the family whose practices combine folk medicine with Catholicism in ways that, well, probably were not cleared through Rome first.

But for all that mysticism, my upbringing was rigorous. I was most thoroughly and carefully educated, that must be said. In middle class schools for theology and doctrine and practice; at my Vovo’s knee for catechism and the aforementioned folk medicine. Which as I say in some undefined way was in her mind all part of my religious education.