Is it normal to feel ashamed to wear a cross necklace?

[shinytoy]

folks

i’m a 25 y/o latino catholic femme living in the UK where everyone is secular, and religion is thought as the preserve of ignorant immigrants or the slightly naive, or old rich white folks who have nothing to do except attend church as a social club. i would like to bear witness of my faith but i am shy of wearing a cross in public. partly because i will be judged in the above categories, partly because i see alot of wannabe ‘pimps and hoes wid da bling’ wearing crosses and dont want to be associated with them but also because it brings alot of responsibility to wear it. like all those homeless folks you walk past in the cities. theres hundreds of them. but if a person wearin a cross walks past them, thats alot worse than a athesit walking past. but at the same time you cant give to everyone. what to do? and you have to adopt minority radical views like pro-life etc. i am pro life but dont brag about it. anyone feel the same?

im in the same country which has sacked newsreaders for wearing crosses, and recently sacked a driver for putting a palm sunday cross in his windscreen at work

 

[crystal_waters]

folks

i’m a 25 y/o latino catholic femme living in the UK where everyone is secular, and religion is thought as the preserve of ignorant immigrants or the slightly naive, or old rich white folks who have nothing to do except attend church as a social club. i would like to bear witness of my faith but i am shy of wearing a cross in public. partly because i will be judged in the above categories, partly because i see alot of wannabe ‘pimps and hoes wid da bling’ wearing crosses and dont want to be associated with them but also because it brings alot of responsibility to wear it. like all those homeless folks you walk past in the cities. theres hundreds of them. but if a person wearin a cross walks past them, thats alot worse than a athesit walking past. but at the same time you cant give to everyone. what to do? and you have to adopt minority radical views like pro-life etc. i am pro life but dont brag about it. anyone feel the same?

im in the same country which has sacked newsreaders for wearing crosses, and recently sacked a driver for putting a palm sunday cross in his windscreen at work

im in the uk and i have a gold crucifix necklace that ive had for years, i wear it 24/7 and the only comments ive ever had about it is people complimenting it and saying its nice…i certainly wouldnt stop wearing it just because i worried about what strangers would say, do you think those strangers are worried about what you think of the stuff they are wearing?..im guessing no they are not…at the end of the day id rather wear my crucifix necklace, god is more important to me, he can give me eternal life in heaven, id rather please him than random athiests

 

[William_Pitts]

Do you care what people think? Are you ashamed to tell of your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?

Mat 10:32-33 Every one therefore that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven. But he that shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

Early Christians were put to death for attending mass. Today in Saudi Arabia Christians can’t have a Bible or rosary in their homes. Public prayer is forbidden. Be thankful for the freedom you have.

Mat 10:27-28 That which I tell you in the dark, speak ye in the light: and that which you hear in the ear, preach ye upon the housetops. And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Like here in Canada, I know there are many Indians in the UK. A big group of Indians here in Canada are Sikhs. Not sure in the UK if there are as many and they are as visible. But of course on trait of the Sikhs is wearing their turbans. In fact, their religious right has been protected so much in Canada that they are exempted from many helmet laws just so their religious right to wear a turban is not infringed. They can even have their passport photos taken wearing their turban.

Now, after meditating on this, I started wearing a cross outside of my shirt. If the Sikhs can wear their turbans, why can I not wear my crucifix?

 

[svid2]

When I first started wearing a Miraculous Medal, I was rather embarrassed. I would wear it outside my shirt at church, but inside elsewhere. But I’ve gotten used to wearing it out most of the time, putting it inside just to save it wear and tear, as when doing chores or working around machinery.

I also let people know I go to Mass. I let them know I’m CATHOLIC, not just Christian. When they tell me their troubles, I tell them I’ll pray for them. Not to show off how pious I am, but to let folks know there are believing Catholics who are not ignorant or elderly. Come out of the closet!

As for being mistaken for a ho, don’t dress or talk like one. Problem solved.

God bless.

 

[crystal_waters]

Today in Saudi Arabia Christians can’t have a Bible or rosary in their homes. Public prayer is forbidden.

isnt that awful in this day and age that theres still christians being treated like that…all i can say is thank god i dont live there and may god bless those poor people while at the same time bring about a change so that they can worship openly without fear of punishment or worse

 

[greenmoira]

There is no obligation to wear jewelry of a Catholic design. If you choose to wear a crucifix or medal, it does not have to be exposed. As you indicated there are many people wearing crosses, crucifixes, medals etc. that do not reflect a Catholic behavior and attitude. I think that your Catholic attitude will perhaps go further to indicate how we are to live as an example to others. However we must not be ashamed of being Catholic, nor behave as if we are not Catholic. Our Lord Jesus Christ told us that if we are ashamed of Him, He will reject us. He also said that He will vomit those lukewarm Catholics. I don’t know about you, but I want to go to Heaven so I try my best to live the life that will get me there. I’m not a saint yet but we must strive for saintliness while we live here on earth! Be brave and let your actions and speech proclaim your Catholicism!! God bless you.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

folks

i’m a 25 y/o latino catholic femme living in the UK where everyone is secular, and religion is thought as the preserve of ignorant immigrants or the slightly naive, or old rich white folks who have nothing to do except attend church as a social club. i would like to bear witness of my faith but i am shy of wearing a cross in public. partly because i will be judged in the above categories, partly because i see alot of wannabe ‘pimps and hoes wid da bling’ wearing crosses and dont want to be associated with them but also because it brings alot of responsibility to wear it. like all those homeless folks you walk past in the cities. theres hundreds of them. but if a person wearin a cross walks past them, thats alot worse than a athesit walking past. but at the same time you cant give to everyone. what to do? and you have to adopt minority radical views like pro-life etc. i am pro life but dont brag about it. anyone feel the same?

im in the same country which has sacked newsreaders for wearing crosses, and recently sacked a driver for putting a palm sunday cross in his windscreen at work

I’m sorry you live in such a secular nation, but regardless of where you live, you are free to wear or not wear a crucifix or a cross in whatever manner suits you. I think most people can tell the difference between a gangsta wearing a large gold cross, it obviously means nothing to him, and a true believing Christian who wears one. I have a very simple sterling silver cross that I wear at all times. It marks me as belonging to Christ, and I consider it a part of myself and my witness.

I don’t know why you think pro-lifers brag about it. The 40 Days for Life campaign that was just held in London had hecklers which is what I would expect, and the brave man in charge of the campaign responded to an interviewer’s questions very calmly and humbly. Read this blog and listen to his response. And, also, pro-lifers are NOT a minority! If you are young, it is YOUR generation that will end the practice of murder of the pre-born

40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=1896

Look up at the cross, that’s what Jesus did for you, doesn’t that put anything you can do here on Earth into the right perspective? If that means wearing a cross, speaking about Jesus Christ, or joining a pro-life ministry or prayer campaign, how can we ever say no?

 

[shinytoy]

I’m sorry you live in such a secular nation, but regardless of where you live, you are free to wear or not wear a crucifix or a cross in whatever manner suits you. I think most people can tell the difference between a gangsta wearing a large gold cross, it obviously means nothing to him, and a true believing Christian who wears one. I have a very simple sterling silver cross that I wear at all times. It marks me as belonging to Christ, and I consider it a part of myself and my witness.

I don’t know why you think pro-lifers brag about it. The 40 Days for Life campaign that was just held in London had hecklers which is what I would expect, and the brave man in charge of the campaign responded to an interviewer’s questions very calmly and humbly. Read this blog and listen to his response. And, also, pro-lifers are NOT a minority! If you are young, it is YOUR generation that will end the practice of murder of the pre-born

40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=1896

Look up at the cross, that’s what Jesus did for you, doesn’t that put anything you can do here on Earth into the right perspective? If that means wearing a cross, speaking about Jesus Christ, or joining a pro-life ministry or prayer campaign, how can we ever say no?

ok well what do you do if you are wearing a cross and therefore marking yourself out as a brother of faith. and you walk down the street in a major city, and 10 homeless folk appriach you asking for money. evry day. what do you do.

 

[The_Old_Medic]

I guess it comes down to what you believe.

If you believe that your faith is of utmost importance, and that you as a Christian have a responsibility to help spread that faith, then anything marking you as a Christian would be considered to be a good thing. A Cross is s sign of a believer.

Personally, I wear a cross at all times, and a Miraculous Medal. I wore them while on active duty with the US Army for 10 years (we showered together in large groups and I got LOTS of comments about it), and I still wear them today, over 40 years later. I AM a Catholic, a Christian, and I frankly do not care who doesn’t like that fact.

I really care what non-believers think of me, and I am not the least bit ashamed to publicly identify myself as a Catholic Christian. I also believe in that old saying, “By their example, you shall know them”. I am far from perfect (VERY far at times), but I do try my best to set a good example, and to live my faith. I will never deny it, and i am not the least bit ashamed to publicly display it.

If you are ashamed to publicly identify yourself as a Catholic Christian, then I would wonder just how deep your faith truly is.

Be proud of who and what you are. If some people think less of you because you identify yourself as a Christian, that is THEIR problem, not yours. You just might, by your example, help to draw some lost souls into looking a bit deeper at what religion truly means.

You just might be able to show, by your example, that being a Christian does not mean you can’t have fun, that you can;t enjoy life, and that being Christian is not just for the “feeble minded”, the gullible or the very old.

Keep something else in mind. Jesus was approximately 33 years old when he died on the cross. He was in the prime of life, not some rich old man. Why should we set any lesser example?

 

[TrueLight]

ok well what do you do if you are wearing a cross and therefore marking yourself out as a brother of faith. and you walk down the street in a major city, and 10 homeless folk appriach you asking for money. evry day. what do you do.

LOL, I know what you mean.

Every time I leave mass, there is a homeless guy who asks for money. I do feel pressured to give, I must admit.

It’s the same situation when I am reading my Bible on the train and a homeless person asks for money. You sort of feel like all eyes are on you.

 

[Nelka]

folks

i’m a 25 y/o latino catholic femme living in the UK where everyone is secular, and religion is thought as the preserve of ignorant immigrants or the slightly naive, or old rich white folks who have nothing to do except attend church as a social club. i would like to bear witness of my faith but i am shy of wearing a cross in public. partly because i will be judged in the above categories, partly because i see alot of wannabe ‘pimps and hoes wid da bling’ wearing crosses and dont want to be associated with them but also because it brings alot of responsibility to wear it. like all those homeless folks you walk past in the cities. theres hundreds of them. but if a person wearin a cross walks past them, thats alot worse than a athesit walking past. but at the same time you cant give to everyone. what to do? and you have to adopt minority radical views like pro-life etc. i am pro life but dont brag about it. anyone feel the same?

im in the same country which has sacked newsreaders for wearing crosses, and recently sacked a driver for putting a palm sunday cross in his windscreen at work

Just wear it.

It will only be a middle-class, middle-aged memeber of the bleedin’ hearts brigade that would find ‘offence’ on behalf of someone they haven’t met that wouldn’t like it and I would not even bother with them.

I have my Divine Mercy book on my dashboard with Jesus’ Holy Face on the front, everybody who gets in sees it and nobody has ever said anything remotely bad.

People are more likely to comment about your skin colour, hair colour or style, clothes, accent etc.

LOL, I know what you mean.

Every time I leave mass, there is a homeless guy who asks for money. I do feel pressured to give, I must admit.

It’s the same situation when I am reading my Bible on the train and a homeless person asks for money. You sort of feel like all eyes are on you.

I remember in London after I came out the cathedral a few years ago, a young woman asked me for money, she said she was hungry and needed money for food. I felt bad as I had none on me but I did have a full unopened packet of biscuits that I was going to eat. I offered them to her and she said no. Drugs then?

It is hard to spot the difference between genuine and fake but they all congregate outside the Catholic cathedral.

 

[LaFleurDeLis]

I have two necklaces that are important to me. One is a catholic crucifix that on the back says “I’m a Catholic please call a priest.” The other necklace is a FleurDeLis which was given to be by my boyfriend’s mother. I used to wear the crucifix all the time, but have been wearing the FleurDeLis since Christmas. Is it bad that I chose to where this over my crucifix?

In God’s Grace,
LaFleurDeLis

 

[odile53]

It is, when all is said and done, just jewelry. If it suits you well, and you like to wear it, do so. There is no obligation to wear a crucifix, a Miraculous Medal, or a saint’s medal binding on Catholics, but if you like them and they make you feel more conscious of the presence of God, wear one and enjoy it.

I’m in the process of replacing several Catholic items that I lost in a house fire last year. Some of them were very precious for sentimental reasons as well as religious reasons to me, because of the memories of loved ones (long gone) who gave them to me as gifts on various occasions. Yesterday, after searching in vain for an onyx crucifix given to me by my godfather on the occasion of my high school graduation, I finally bought a new gold crucifix necklace. It is petite, about an inch long, and quite nice looking with any top or blouse with a jewel neckline (that is about the same cut as a crew neck tee shirt, a modest cut neckline.) Although it won’t replace the sentimental attachment of the one I lost (or hopefully, just misplaced,) I still feel close to my dear godfather wearing it. And I like wearing a discreet reminder of my faith.

As far as the homeless folk around town, you do not have to give alms personally to them. Make a charitable donation to any one of the organizations that serve them, and let it go at that. I’m sure in the UK the Catholic Church has many such organizations, and there is probably an umbrella organization such as Catholic Charities which can apply your donation to serve these people effectively.

 

[phoage]

In answer to do you wear a cross, I believe this section of Matthew applies.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,for your reward will be great in heaven."

ok well what do you do if you are wearing a cross and therefore marking yourself out as a brother of faith. and you walk down the street in a major city, and 10 homeless folk appriach you asking for money. evry day. what do you do.

In answer to the above, If I have it, I give it if I feel like it. If not, I don’t. God judges me, no one else. You cannot give to every worthy cuse. No one has that much money. I give where I can.

 

[Glennonite]

folks

i’m a 25 y/o latino catholic femme living in the UK where everyone is secular, and religion is thought as the preserve of ignorant immigrants or the slightly naive, or old rich white folks who have nothing to do except attend church as a social club. i would like to bear witness of my faith but i am shy of wearing a cross in public. partly because i will be judged in the above categories, partly because i see alot of wannabe ‘pimps and hoes wid da bling’ wearing crosses and dont want to be associated with them but also because it brings alot of responsibility to wear it. like all those homeless folks you walk past in the cities. theres hundreds of them. but if a person wearin a cross walks past them, thats alot worse than a athesit walking past. but at the same time you cant give to everyone. what to do? and you have to adopt minority radical views like pro-life etc. i am pro life but dont brag about it. anyone feel the same?

im in the same country which has sacked newsreaders for wearing crosses, and recently sacked a driver for putting a palm sunday cross in his windscreen at work

I’d say that there are two reasons to wear a religeous piece of jewelry. To show others something of yourself and what you think or believe. And to remind yourself of who you are and what you believe.

Think of the potential of showing others that you are a person of faith…it could start a life-changing conversation (for both of you). You might be someone’s last hope or God’s best emissary in a certain situation…

Think of how your cross/crucifix might remind you TO do the right thing in any situation. Maybe it is giving alms to someone on the street, or it could remind you to tell the truth… or visit the sick… or go to confession.

Wear it.

Glennonite

 

[shinytoy]

LOL, I know what you mean.

Every time I leave mass, there is a homeless guy who asks for money. I do feel pressured to give, I must admit.

It’s the same situation when I am reading my Bible on the train and a homeless person asks for money. You sort of feel like all eyes are on you.

i know. but if no-one else gives the guy any money, i make sure to get up and give him money or food and say ‘God bless you’ . why? because i think all the rich business men with loads of cash SHOULD see a young (Catholic) girl giving a homeless dude money then they should feel bad. to them you are an anonymous face, but to the homeless guy, you are representing Chrisitanity. you are an ambassador for Christ. if you wear that cross you have obligations. you cannot walk past. this is my problem. Christ wouldnt have walked past. then after i do this, lots of other people, many who are old dudes, some also wearing cross necklaces also follow suit and give the homeless guy moey.

i dont know the answer or if this is encouranging begging. it just makes me so sad.

but living in a big city there are so many of them you can easily spend $100 a day givig to beggars.

I remember in London after I came out the cathedral a few years ago, a young woman asked me for money, she said she was hungry and needed money for food. I felt bad as I had none on me but I did have a full unopened packet of biscuits that I was going to eat. I offered them to her and she said no. Drugs then?

It is hard to spot the difference between genuine and fake but they all congregate outside the Catholic cathedral.

i know. if theres one or two i dont mind. but if there are lots i dont know what to do. also once i saw my local church ask a homeless dude sleeping in a doorway to move on. i thought that was bad.

As far as the homeless folk around town, you do not have to give alms personally to them. Make a charitable donation to any one of the organizations that serve them, and let it go at that. I’m sure in the UK the Catholic Church has many such organizations, and there is probably an umbrella organization such as Catholic Charities which can apply your donation to serve these people effectively.

the uk has several organisations. i give to The Big Issue Foundation and Oxfam. but when you are face to face with a grubby homeless panhandler i feel terrible. he is looking at me expectantly seeing i am niceley dressed wearing a cross. and i feel bad to turn him away. how can you? but there are so many of them it will cost too much to give to them all.

In answer to do you wear a cross, I believe this section of Matthew applies.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,for your reward will be great in heaven."

aww thanks thats an excellent quote