How do I handle the Catholic haters?

[Foggy]

I have had several folks who I work with in the past make me feel as if I have something to be ashamed of for being a Catholic. They question our celebrations throughout the year and ask why we have them (e.g., Palm Sunday). I try to answer to the best of my ability and to satisfy them but I’m afraid I’m not very good at it and end up looking and feeling inadequate and it’s only afterwards that I come up with something clever to say.

I’m not at all embarassed about who I am but rather proud, to say the least. How does one handle these people when faced with them and their inquiries? On top of that, I’ve been told by one that I really “need to read the books and see the movie Angels & Demons.” One person is a Mormon and the other is a Christian. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

I think you’ve got two different types of people here: the curious and the hostile.

Those who ask about Catholic celebrations, such as Palm Sunday, need only be given information. Those who tell you that you need to read anti-Catholic books or watch anti-Catholic movies need to be given a cold shoulder. If you are uncertain about which category a questioner falls into, the way to tell apart the curious from the hostile is to ask, “Why do you ask?” The curious will give some variant of “I was curious.” The hostile will give some variant of “You need to know just how bad your religion is.”

As for handling questions from the curious, don’t feel pressured to give information on the spot. You can always say, “That’s a great question! Give me some time to think about it and pull together some information, and we’ll talk about it.” To anyone who tells you that you need to read or watch anti-Catholic materials, you need merely say, “No, thank you” and turn away.