Why be Catholic?

There are a lot of very good reasons for being a Catholic, for remaining a Catholic or for returning to the Catholic Church. I suppose one of the main reasons would be that the Catholic Church has been around since the time of Jesus, has its roots in the Hebrew Scriptures, and best fulfills the model of church presented in the Christian Scriptures. Over the centuries splinter groups have broken off, subdivided and multiplied but the Catholic Church still continues to exist with its varied history of victories and defeats, successes and failures, rights and wrongs, saints and sinners.

But the answer to the question why Catholicism is not to be found so much in intellectual arguments or reasoned debates but in our hearts. An atheist or an agnostic, a pagan or a non-believer can be well versed in all the reasons for belief, have vast knowledge of history and the life of Christ and still be lacking in faith.

Belief comes not so much from the head as it does from the heart. Belief basically is more about loving than it is about knowing. Belief is concerned with the love of God and all of his creation, with love of our neighbor made in the image and likeness of God loving them in all their poverty and need, with love of a church and its Sacraments, with love of ourselves with all our woundedness and weakness, with love of a crucified Christ who came not to condemn the world but to save it.

Why Catholicism? First and foremost the Eucharist comes to mind. Jesus has left us a memorial of his passion in the Mass and the gift of himself in the Eucharist. “I will be with you all days even to the end of the world”. Our Catholic belief is that Jesus is really and truly present in the Eucharist. “This is my body. This is my blood. Do this in remembrance of me”. Jesus is present in the Eucharist to strengthen us, nourish us and encourage us. “Come to me all you who labor and are heavily burdened and I will refresh you”. Jesus gives himself to us in the Eucharist not because we are good but because God is good, Not because we merit such a sublime gift but because we need it. We need it to be able to live a spiritual life, to be nourished and strengthened, to experience the love, mercy, understanding and forgiveness of a compassionate God who loves us unconditionally.

Why Catholicism? Because through all the centuries of its existence it has always been able to address its weakness, to correct its mistakes, to constantly reform itself. Because, like it or not, it always holds up the highest standards of truth and morality yet is understanding and forgiving when we find ourselves falling short of its sublime ideals. Because of its sacramental system that meets all of our needs. Baptism to incorporate us, Confirmation to strengthen us, Reconciliation to forgive us, Eucharist to nourish us, Matrimony to sanctify our human love, the Sacrament of the Sick to heal us and Ordination to continue the priesthood of Christ.

Why Catholicism? Because it’s worldwide, welcoming wherever we may be. Because it is a family with room for everyone, the good and the bad, the strong and the weak, the saint and the sinner. Because of it richness and beauty, its dogmas and truths, its devotion to Mary the mother of Jesus. Because it provides meaning and purpose to our lives in a world that is too often confused overly materialistic, greedy selfish, unjust and arrogant, secular, unhappy and unfulfilled.

Why Catholicism? Because of its love for and care of the poor, marginalized and needy. Because of its social awareness and responsibility which causes it to sponsor, fund and staff hospitals and nursing homes, daycare centers and schools, literacy programs and immigration services, hospices and homeless shelters, soup kitchens and food pantries, battered women shelters, pregnancy centers and hospital beds and care for AIDS patients. Because it preeminently fulfils the two great commandments to love God and love our neighbor.

Why Catholicism? Because while it challenges us always to be our very best, it also realizes that God lovingly settles for the best we can do humanly speaking aware of our woundedness, weakness and sinfulness plus the baggage we have accumulated through the years. Because it constantly assures us of God’s love and reminds us that Christ’s death on the cross and his resurrection makes up for our shortcomings and sinfulness. Because it reminds us that Jesus came to save the world, not to condemn it. Because it proclaims that a loving God will accept our feeble efforts, encourage and help us with his grace, lovingly forgive us and in the end welcome us into the Kingdom of God.

Why Catholicism? Because it’s vibrant and thrilling, exciting and challenging, sustaining and comforting, interesting, appealing, helpful, caring and compassionate.

Father Stephen

With all the negative publicity of late and the many disagreements I have with the institutional Catholic Church I remain Catholic. For me it is all about the Eucharist and my belief in the real presence of the body and blood of Christ in that sacrament. There is no equivalency to be found in any other Christian church. Our Lord Jesus Christ endured death on the cross that we might live and gave us the miracle of the Eucharist that we might be nourished by his grace. I can barely comprehend the enormity of these gifts.
Corby