Why it’s hard being an ordinary Catholic
Reasons to stay and grow Catholic
Hi everyone, I’m an ordinary Catholic in Australia. I attend Sunday masses, receive regular penances, pray with my family, and join adult Catholic groups. It sounds pretty ordinary, right? However, in the contemporary world, this is out of the ordinary.
Let me be clear upfront that I am not a Catholic theologian. I struggle to quote the exact bible verses — and I may be lucky to remember saintly quotes. I was born Catholic, went through Catholic education, and participated in Catholic adult groups. So I think I know the teachings well enough. Initially, I disqualified myself from sharing my thoughts. As I went on my personal journey, it became clear that many people relate to my stories. After all, Jesus inspired uneducated men to change the world.
Other ordinary people seem to do much more than “ordinary” Catholics. They have more friends, more relationships, more money, and just generally more. It’s an “unrestricted” life. As I grew up surrounded by these people, I reflected a lot on why I should remain an ordinary Catholic.
We have a real Father
We live in a fatherless society. It’s common to grow up with absent fathers or family. Globalisation is a key reason why everyone travels to pursue a “better” life. It’s also a reason to escape a chain of family dysfunctions.
Our Father’s longing is innate. We could try to push it away, but we unconsciously replace it with other father-like figures. This includes sports heroes, work managers, brotherhood leaders, and movie stars.
Examples of these substitute father figures are questionable. It’s common to see their fallen stories in the media. Also, they are not fully invested or involved in our daily life.
So, how does our heavenly Father differ? A common upfront objection is that He’s not visible. From my experience, God works differently from what we are used to. When you reflect on your day, you’ll notice many times God has been present through others. He’ll guide and speak to you personally, just like what we expect a real father would.
We have an authentic community
A community might be the least expected reason. As an ordinary Catholic, the weekly mass has low attendance. A recent church survey shows that the average age of churchgoers is above 60 years old.
Despite the statistics, some of my most authentic and close friends are Catholic. They understand the deeper meaning of life — and you’ll be able to converse on important life topics such as happiness, marriage, children, finances, and others. As we progress through life, we can only maintain a handful of close friends. Despite the minority, Catholic friends enrich your life.
We have an authentic truth
Everyone is searching for enlightenment. We see this through the rise in New Age movements and technological innovation. It’s all about finding a better way to do things.
Despite its positiveness, it’s easy to feel lost. We live in a hyperconnected world with more access to information at our fingertips. Also, with information commercialisation, fake news is increasing more than ever.
As an ordinary person, it makes sense to follow the Church’s teachings. It has been passed down over the generations and stands the test of time.
The challenge is adapting its messages in a modern context. The Church’s teachings may be highly technical and theological filled with historical examples. However, a number of contemporary Catholics such as Fr. Mike Schmitz and Matt Fradd have helped ordinary Catholics like me to understand it in plain terms.
It’s okay being an ordinary Catholic
Being an ordinary Catholic is widely considered counter-cultural. As social human-being, we want to belong to others.
Despite its shortcomings, being an ordinary Catholic leads to authentic joy. It’s a quieter type of happiness, but it’s one that we could be proud of. Also, it fills our innate desires in a world full of its counterfeits.
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Ordinary Catholic is a newsletter on reflections from an ordinary catholic in a contemporary world.
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