For non-Catholics, a Catholic is generally referred to as someone who adhers to the beliefs, practices, and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church. So what exactly are the beliefs, practices, and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church? Well, at its core, Catholicism is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, with added focus on the belief in the Holy Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit), in the authority of the Sacred Scripture, and the on the teachings of the Church as guided by the Pope and Church tradition.
So far so good, huh? The average Catholic really doesn’t spend too much time thinking about these things. They just go to Mass anywhere from once to fifty two times per year along with maybe one to two Catholic funerals or weddings and they call it good. So what’s the problem? Maybe it can best be explained by way of a made up example. Someone told me that they are a golfer and I said, ‘hey, that’s great, which golf course do you usually play at?’ In response they told me, ‘actually, I’ve never been on a golf course,’ My follow-up question was ‘oh, so you like to watch it on TV, huh?’ They said, ‘no, I’ve never watched a golf game in my life.’
This definately had me scratching my head, so I asked, ‘how is it possible to consider yourself to be a golfer if you’ve never been on a golf course and never watched any pro golfers play golf on TV?’ In response they said, ‘Oh, I play golf alright, but I do it in my back yard.’ I reply, ‘well now we are getting somewhere. so do you have a backyard that’s large enough for 18 holes of golf. or do you just like to bang off a few golf balls with your one iron?’ He replied, ‘oh no, I disagree with the idea of 18 holes of golf or 9 or even 1. Hitting golf balls with a club into a hole is such an antiquated idea.
Consider all of the damage that’s done to the lawn with all those errant golf swings. No, I prefer playing golf with a large inflated ball because it’s much easier to hit, and I move the ball with my foot, so I don’t tear up the lawn. I erected a set of goal posts that I kick the ball through in order to score. I consider it to be a par two course.’ To which I countered, ‘ what you are describing there is the game of soccer, not golf’ He said, ‘ No, I am a legitimate golfer. However, I prefer to play the game of golf by my own rules, which I think are better. I simply reject all of the rules that these other so-called golfers play by.
Hopefully, you can see the problem. Like the man who considers himself to be a golfer, yet refuses to accept the core tenets of the game of golf, many Catholics consider themselves to be Catholic simply because they attend a Catholic Mass occassionaly or even regularly. Catholicism is about much more then attending Mass. It is about an entire belief system which adherents agree to, profess faith in and regularly practice the core beliefs, practices, and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church. Catholicism, is one of the largest branches of Christianity, and it spans over two millennia,
evolving through historical, theological, and cultural shifts. In its core, Catholicism encompasses not only a faith in Jesus Christ but also adherence to a set of doctrines, moral teachings, and practices that bind believers together in one global community. In both the United States and Canada, Catholicism has played a significant role in shaping the religious, cultural, and social landscapes. However, in the modern world, the level of adherence to core Catholic teachings and practices among members of these regions has been a subject of intense study and debate.
In a series of upcoming posts we will explore what it means to be Catholic by examining the essential doctrines and practices that define our faith. We will also review research into how many American and Canadian Catholics accept these core teachings, providing data on the extent of adherence to key Catholic beliefs such as the authority of the Pope, the sacraments, the doctrine of transubstantiation, and the moral teachings of the Church, such as views on abortion, contraception, and same-sex marriage. We will examine the theological foundation for these doctrines and practices that define our Catholic faith.
We will lay out the rationale for our faith by digging into Church documents, papal teachings, and Sacred Scripture which will help explain Catholic doctrine. We will also dig into the current beliefs of many of the Catholic faithful by examining research that suggests that Catholics in North America may be reinterpreting or prioritizing certain elements of the faith according to their personal and cultural contexts, even if these views diverge from the official magisterial teachings of the Church. We will also uncover how current cultural forces may be impacting Catholic views and changing the behavior of church-attending Catholics. Stay tuned for more on this to come.