Grace Thompson
Practicing Catholicism involves performing virtuous actions that lead to union with God. This involves attending Mass, praying, keeping the Commandments, performing acts of charity, going to Confession, fasting, and donating money to support the Church. Practicing Catholics also strive to cultivate human virtues, such as prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance, as well as theological virtues like faith, hope, and charity. They participate in the Church's mission of evangelization and accept the teachings and moral demands of the Gospel, as articulated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Additionally, they may pray the Rosary, join Catholic communities, read the Scriptures, and immerse themselves in Catholic teachings.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Praying | Praying the Rosary, asking for guidance and wisdom, and setting aside quiet time for personal prayer each day |
| Reading | Reading the Bible, Catechism, and stories of saints |
| Community | Joining a Catholic community or finding Catholic friends for support |
| Mass | Going to Mass every Sunday |
| Confession | Going to Confession once a month |
| Charity | Performing acts of charity and mercy |
| Virtue | Cultivating human and theological virtues, including prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance, faith, hope, and charity |
| Evangelization | Participating in the Church's mission of evangelization |
| Understanding | Understanding and accepting the teachings of the Church and the moral demands of the Gospel |
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What You'll Learn
Pray and worship
Prayer and worship are integral to the Catholic faith. Prayer is described by St. Therese of Lisieux as "a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy." St. Augustine defines "true prayer" as "nothing but love", and St. John Vianney describes it as "the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself." St. Francis de Sales recommends "half an hour of prayer each day, except when we are busy—then we need an hour."
Prayer is a personal act, arising from the heart, and is distinct from worship. In the Catholic tradition, 'worship' is often used to describe the honour given to saints, while 'adoration' is reserved for God alone. This adoration is known as 'latreia' in Greek or 'latria' in Latin.
There are many ways to pray and worship as a Catholic. One can pray the Rosary, which is an interior look at the life of Christ through Mary, asking for her intercession so that her Son may grant the grace to follow Him faithfully. Another suggestion is to read the Daily Mass readings each day, placing oneself in the world of Scripture, and walking with Christ. The Scriptures transform one's capacity to see God and to know how to follow and love Him.
Attending Mass every Sunday is also important, as it is at the centre of Christian worship, and calls for obedience to the words of Jesus Christ. Going to Confession once a month is another way to grow one's faith, as it is an act of humility that reminds us of God's unconditional love.
Finally, Catholics can worship through the Liturgy of the Hours, which is a public work done by an individual or group on behalf of the larger community. All worshippers are expected to actively participate in each liturgy, which is centred on the Holy Trinity.
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Read the Bible and other religious texts
Reading the Bible and other religious texts is an important way to practice the Catholic faith. The Bible is a collection of books that make up the canonical text of the Christian faith, including the Catholic Church. It is a sacred text that is believed to be inspired by God and is the foundation of Christian belief and practice. As such, reading and interpreting the Bible is a crucial aspect of Catholic devotion and scholarship.
There are several ways to approach reading the Bible as a Catholic. Firstly, it is important to recognise the value of different translations. The Bible has been translated from its original languages (such as Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) into numerous modern languages, including English. Recommended translations for Catholic readers include the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSV-CE), the New American Bible (NAB) Vatican Edition, and the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSV-CE). These translations are approved for Catholic use and are widely used within the Catholic Liturgy.
When reading the Bible, Catholics often interpret the text within the context of the canon as a whole. This means paying attention to how different passages and books relate to each other and finding correlations and themes that emerge across the text. For example, the presence of the Blessed Mother at the wedding at Cana and at the foot of the cross in the Gospel of John suggests connections between these events and the significance of Mary in Jesus' ministry. Reading these passages in light of each other can offer new insights and interpretations.
Additionally, knowledge of the historical and cultural context can aid in interpreting the Bible. Understanding the historical background, such as the cultural significance of Laodicea's poor drinking water in Revelation 3:15-16, can provide a deeper appreciation of the author's message. This context can be discovered through a variety of modern resources available to readers. Liturgy can also assist in interpretation, as seen in the example of Song of Songs 3:1-5 and John 20:11-18, where parallels between the texts point to a deeper meaning.
Finally, Catholics believe that the ultimate interpreter of Scripture is the Church's teaching authority, as stated in Dei Verbum and other magisterial documents. This means that the interpretation of Scripture should align with the teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church, guided by the Magisterium. This process of responsible interpretation is encouraged for all Catholics, whether laity, religious, or clergy, to deepen their understanding of the faith.
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Attend Mass
Attending Mass is a key part of practising the Catholic faith. It is a way to connect with God and to deepen one's relationship with Him. Catholics are encouraged to attend Mass every Sunday, and more often if possible.
Mass is a communal gathering of Catholics, where the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is offered once more, and the community is directed back to the source of life itself. It is a central part of Christian worship and is a way to obey the words of Jesus Christ: "Do this in memory of me".
During Mass, Catholics are immersed in the world of Scripture, walking with Christ and seeing as He sees. This is achieved through the daily Mass readings, which can also be accessed online or via an app. The Scriptures are said to transform one's capacity to see God and to know how to follow and love Him.
Attending Mass regularly is a way to cultivate the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity, and to keep the commandments. It is also an opportunity to participate in the Church's mission of evangelization and to grow in one's understanding and acceptance of the teachings of the Church.
Attending Mass is a habitual practice for Catholics, and it is through these ongoing practices that Catholics strive towards union with God.
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Join a Catholic community
Joining a Catholic community is an essential part of practising the Catholic faith. The Catholic faith is not meant to be practised alone. Jesus gathered his 12 apostles and sent them out in pairs, and the modern world lives contrary to the Gospel, so it is important to find a Catholic community or some Catholic friends to encourage you on your journey.
There are many ways to find a Catholic community. You could start by looking for a parish near you, such as through the parish-finding resource on MassTimes.org. You could also try attending Mass every Sunday, which is central to Christian worship and will allow you to encounter other Catholics. Going to confession once a month is another way to meet other Catholics and deepen your faith.
You can also join a Catholic community by participating in the Church's mission of evangelization. This involves cultivating both human virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance) and theological virtues (faith, hope, and charity) and keeping the commandments. Practising Catholics strive to avoid sin and perform acts of charity, such as helping someone with their homework or cleaning up at home.
Another way to join a Catholic community is to read the Daily Mass readings each day and place yourself in the world of Scripture. This will allow you to walk with Christ and see as He sees, transforming your capacity to see God and know how to follow and love Him. You can also try praying the Rosary, which gives an interior look at the life of Christ through Mary, and asking for her intercession.
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Live virtuously and charitably
Living virtuously and charitably is a key tenet of the Catholic faith. Virtue is derived from the Latin word 'vir', meaning 'man', and was historically associated with manliness. However, this perception has changed over time, with many now associating rebelliousness or 'bad boy' behaviour with masculinity. Nonetheless, living virtuously remains an important aspect of Catholic teachings.
Catholics are encouraged to choose virtue and reject vice, which can be achieved through self-awareness and a conscious effort to master one's interior life. This involves regular examinations of conscience, confession, and spiritual direction. It is important to recognise that virtues can become vices when taken too far, such as humility becoming passivity. Therefore, Catholics should strive for balance and reject the notion of sin disguised as virtue.
Charity, a key virtue in Catholic teachings, is defined as the theological virtue of loving God above all else and loving one's neighbour as oneself for the love of God. This type of love is described by St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians: "Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury... Love never fails." This description of perfect love, or charity, extends beyond romantic love and applies to all aspects of life.
Practising charity in daily life involves doing acts of mercy and extending compassion to others. It is important to recognise that charity is distinct from compassion, as it involves willing the good of the other. This aligns with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which states, "Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbour as ourselves for the love of God." Thus, Catholics are called to live charitably by actively choosing virtue and promoting the good of others.
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Frequently asked questions
There are many ways to practice the Catholic faith, including:
- Going to confession once a month
- Going to Mass every Sunday
- Praying the Rosary
- Joining a Catholic community or finding Catholic friends
- Reading the Scriptures
- Performing acts of charity
According to the Wisconsin Catholic Conference, a practicing Catholic is "a Catholic in good standing who participates fully in the worship and life of the Church, and who understands and accepts the teachings of the Church and moral demands of the Gospel, as articulated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church."
Catholics practice their faith to unite with God, who gave us life and who wills that we come into deeper union with Him every day.
