Catholics in California or the Northeast

[Colorad007]

I’ve always wondered if it is hard to live in these more liberal and secular parts of America. Do you think it is more difficult to live as a Catholic in these places than in more traditional, conservative, religious, etc. parts of America? Are there unique challenges that you wouldn’t face elsewhere?

My theory is that it is hard to live as a good Catholic no matter where in America you are, and that political conservatism does not, at least in itself, make for a better time as a Catholic. I live in an increasingly liberal part of the country, though not quite like the northeast or west coast, and I sometimes think that it would be so much easier if the ambient culture was more conservative or whatever. But I know of strong Catholic communities and parishes and families all over the U.S., so maybe it doesn’t make much of a difference. Any thoughts?

 

[JackieMom]

I’ve always wondered if it is hard to live in these more liberal and secular parts of America. Do you think it is more difficult to live as a Catholic in these places than in more traditional, conservative, religious, etc. parts of America? Are there unique challenges that you wouldn’t face elsewhere?

My theory is that it is hard to live as a good Catholic no matter where in America you are, and that political conservatism does not, at least in itself, make for a better time as a Catholic. I live in an increasingly liberal part of the country, though not quite like the northeast or west coast, and I sometimes think that it would be so much easier if the ambient culture was more conservative or whatever. But I know of strong Catholic communities and parishes and families all over the U.S., so maybe it doesn’t make much of a difference. Any thoughts?

I don’t know anything different. I live on the W. Coast - southern CA. My particular town leans slightly conservative as compared to other places, but it’s still expensive southern California living. I’m actually kind of glad we don’t have a Pentecostal/S. Baptist/fundie movement here.

I’m sure all parts of the country have their pros and cons. Never snows here, but that’s three or four more months out of the year that people are wearing flip flop sandals to Mass ; )

 

[EasterJoy]

I’ve lived in a rural Baltimore-catechism places in the West, and I’ve lived in a liberal college town in California and elsewhere.

Yes, it is harder to live as a Catholic where most of the peer pressure is against the Church or is lukewarm or condescending towards religion in general. It is harder to live as a Catholic, too, though, where fellow Catholics are serious about religious obligations in terms of going to Mass but are dismissive of the needy and protective of their wealth and personal pursuits. Any time it is easy to have a sense of belonging, but only for as long as you don’t get as serious as you really ought to be about some aspect of living the faith, that’s going to be harder.

The place with the fewest temptations would be a place with a very old and devout Catholic parish (not everyone would have to be Catholic in the area, but enough that the practice of the faith is presumed to be what at least some admirable people do and take seriously and have done for generations and will do for generations) and where some are in need but where people know each other, so that reaching out to those in need is more natural. I don’t think there are any places where no one is ever tempted to be lax or self-centered, but it helps to be surrounded both by good role models and by a general population that thinks well of them and accepts them.

In-between would be the place where you have good Catholics and those who don’t accept Catholics no matter what you do. The prejudice against you would be hard, but it wouldn’t tempt you to sell off your faith for general acceptance, one piece at a time. Still, I’d want to move. I like to get along with people, non-Catholics included.

(The worst would be where Catholics and non-Catholics alike are killing each other, but at present I don’t know where you’d find that in the US.)

 

[sojo]

We live in Northern California, also known as “Planet Redwood” or the “Emerald Triangle” (meaning marijuana cultivation is a major cash crop here, along with vineyards and orchards). So yes, we must seem a pretty liberal hotbed to much of the country.

I don’t find it any more difficult to live out my Catholic faith then elsewhere. I work FT online from home in order to stay home with my son who has special needs. As a result of this and my previous corporate work in the international market, I have friends and acquaintances from all over the world and all walks of life. I have friends who are Buddhists, Hindus, Wiccans, Evangelicals, Jews, Fundamentalists, Catholics of all flavors of orthodoxy, and atheists. My facebook page and friends list is a total mishmash of humanity. Quite frankly, I love it and would hate to only live with folks (both in real life and online) that were just like me.

Perhaps my being an adult convert (I was a non-practicing Jew, mostly agnostic/atheist) makes me less affected by the presence of people of different and varying levels of faith.

My biggest disappointment lies more in our rural location and the resulting lack of a variety of Mass times and types, no Eucharistic adoration at all, locked churches, no kneelers, no crying rooms, no music, and rushed Masses as the few priests need to get in their vehicles and vamoose to the next Church in time to squeeze us all in.

 

[Julia_Mae]

I’ve always wondered if it is hard to live in these more liberal and secular parts of America.

I’m not sure where the idea comes from that the “Northeast” is liberal and secular, my tiny New England town has three Catholic parishes and parades where we process Mary through town. Then there are fireworks. The church that is less than 1 minute from my back door (on foot) has Latin Masses and 24-hour adoration. Catholicism is a culture here.

If the media and the Ivy League seem liberal and secular, well, they aren’t the Church. And God forbid, quite literally, that any area of the United States becomes less secular. People are religious by choice here, my family fought in every war to make sure that stays true. If that seems “liberal” to you, then I think I’m glad I live here.

BTW, I’m from Colorado. Compared to the Northeast where I now live, Colorado is way liberal. Unless you get trapped by the Evangelicals.

 

[SonCatcher]

I look at it as an advance opportunity o train for living in a world that is hostile to religion.

 

[Rose74]

San Diego was very Catholic when I was growing up there in the 70s and 80s. The demographics have changed since I moved away almost ten years ago, so I couldn’t tell you what it is like now.

 

[EasterJoy]

I’m not sure where the idea comes from that the “Northeast” is liberal and secular…

I read it fast and thought it said “Northwest”. Oregon, Washington, and Alaska are notoriously low when it comes to church affiliation and church attendance.

 

[Hovannes]

I think if you belong to a strong, vibrant parish then California isn’t too bad a place at all. Of course there are parishes that aren’t and then you’re pretty much left to your own devotions—which would be especially difficult if you have children to raise in the faith. Buildng a culture of faith is going to be a challenge no matter where you are.

 

[Demetra2]

I am part of the Archdiocese of Boston where there are many Catholics. Many, however, have fallen away and many have not passed their faith on to their children so there is an alarming erosion of belief in God. This is mirrored in the way that we vote for politicians who are against Catholic beliefs yet claim to be Catholic.This creates an environment where most people just assume that you could care less about your faith because that is how they feel.
Yet there are still people here who love God and when you meet them it is a blessing. It is very important in this situation to be a member of a vibrant church with an orthodox priest. That is where you will meet others who love their faith. Faithful Catholics exist here in the Boston area but not much attention is paid by the media or the intellectuals.

 

[Cojuanco]

My experience in Southern California is that it is no harder or easier to live the faith here than in the rest of the country. Every parish I’ve been to, except perhaps LA Cathedral, has packed Sunday and Holyday Masses (at my parents’ parish the fire marshal keeps complaining that parishioners seem intent on packing like sardines). Yes, even the university parish I belonged to. Perhaps it is different in the North. Sometimes some laypeople attempt to overpoliticize things, though, but it’s the same all across America.

 

[aspirant]

Do you think it is more difficult to live as a Catholic in these places than in more traditional, conservative, religious, etc. parts of America?

My friends who have lived both on the West Coast and elsewhere have not mentioned it being “more difficult to live as a Catholic.” If I had to guess, I would guess that it’s simply different.

political conservatism does not, at least in itself, make for a better time as a Catholic.

I certainly don’t think so. In my experience, both political conservatism and political liberalism are awful.

 

[manualman]

You didn’t mention Chicagoland and I can’t comment on life on either coast. But I did attend college at the UW-Madison (Wisconsin), aka the “Berkley of the Midwest” and found something there you might be surprised at: When the ambient culture is sufficiently debased it is actually EASIER to be faithful to the gospel than it is in a community of comfortably lukewarm and hypocritical believers.

Yeah, it has its downsides and it isn’t exactly FUN to be reviled as a “lowbrow medieval throwback,” but it does serve up ready reminders of just how thoroughly sin begets misery. One easily forgets that in “nominally” christian cultures.

 

[90Domer]

I grew I up in Western NJ where the state is still quite conservative and very Catholic. My old parish boasts a lot of very young families, which is so wonderful to see.

I now live in a far Northern suburb of Philly and it is also very Catholic and orthodox where I love and in the other suburbs. I have a feeling that is why we were blessed with such a wonderful Archbishop.

Western New York, where my husband grew up, is a horrible bastion of liberal and dissenting Catholic, and the numbers prove it…with so many school and Church closings. Their former bishop really ran the place into the ground, sad to say.

 

[Catholic1954]

San Diego was very Catholic when I was growing up there in the 70s and 80s. The demographics have changed since I moved away almost ten years ago, so I couldn’t tell you what it is like now.

Bob Filner is the new mayor, “Christmas on the Prado” is now “December Nights”, and the cross on Mr. Soledad is facing a new round of lawsuits to have it bulldozed to rubble. At least the weather is still nice.

 

[russet1]

I have lived in the Diocese of Seattle, Portland, Boise. And some others. What I have found is that the local Church mirrors the area. So you can find pockets of orthodoxy and pockets of funk. Though, in the past the pockets of Orthodoxy were few and far between I understand that some areas have some very good Bishops that are working to be neither conservative or liberal but rather Catholic. I wish it was that way when I lived in some areas.