Why I'm still Catholic

Like many of you, my grandparents were devout Catholics. They then raised their children (8 and 6 children respectfully) in the Catholic faith. About half of my parents' siblings are no longer practicing Catholics and almost none of my cousins are either. There are doctrines of the Church that hurt me to accept because of how some people in my family are. But I am still Catholic.

Many wonder why. Why would you stay Catholic when they "hate women, gay people and progress?" (I include science in that too). My response to that is usually a smile and a shrug, all the while thinking "Because the Catholic Church doesn't hate any one or any thing.... Except sin."

The Church constantly does the will of God instead of the will of men. That can hurt some people if they don't dig into the Church doctrine (which in most cases, was given to us by Christ Himself) and if they simply dismiss the Church as "backwards."

The Church actually has been instrumental in bringing first world inventions to second and third world countries - Things like running water, prenatal care, orphanages, and hospitals in remote locations. Over the centuries they have educated men, women and children in history, culture, trade skills and countless other subjects. The "wealth" of the Church is there because of its members but in turn, it is FOR its members! It's also to maintain everything we do around the world for others.

I've read that Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said "there aren't 100 people who hate the Church. But there are millions who hate what they think is the Church."

With 2,000 years of history one cannot expect a perfect history. There have been mistakes made by men inside of the Church, but Christ has not allowed them to continue.

The Church has also faced scrutiny over not allowing women to become priests. It's odd to me no one has complained that men can not be nuns. The Church recognizes that men and women are different and complementary. As such we have different roles in the Church. They aren't necessarily better or worse roles but different. Would you tell a mother that her role as a mother was less important than the role of her parish priest? No. She is raising the next generation of children to love and serve the Lord. While a priest is called to lead many souls to The Lord, he does not take part in procreation. Different; but equally important for salvation and continuing the human race.

The one that hurts the most though, is that the Church hates those who act on their same sex attraction. This is like saying the Church hates anyone who has sex before marriage or takes the Lord's name in vain. These are considered sins. The goal of the Church is to bring souls to God and for His Glory. The Church calls us, like Christ does, to "Go and sin no more" and that is a hard cross to bear.

I'm still a Catholic because despite all of the misconceptions, I feel the fullness of God when I walk into the sanctuary. It's not loud and informal or full of laughter and hugs, it is full of reverence and full of anticipation of Christ's sacrifice on the altar. And that, to me, is worth more than what this world could ever give me.

Let's join together to pray for all who misunderstand the Church and who she stands for. Mary, our mother, pray for us.