"Practical Practing" Catholic?

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I’ve never heard of this before. I looked on the internet and haven’t found anything about it. I thought I’d ask the members on this website if they knew what a “Practical Practicing” Catholic means. The context of it being used is within this revised statement:

“Many of us live unrealistic lives. We think we can do things that don’t effect anyone but us. We seem to live only for ourselves and our families. We think nothing of anybody else. We have become “practical practicing” Catholics.” Picking and choosing what makes sense to us and disregarding what doesn’t seem to fit into Gods wisdom. When maybe its really our own wisdom we are relying on? "

Personally I feel that the word “practical” is being misused. This type of “catholic” behavior would better be described as “pragmatic practicing” Catholic. Am I the only one who sees this?
 
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I don’t know… my guess would be it’s a good Catholic who doesn’t engage in the polarizing extremism so prevalent in the Church today.
 
It means a Catholic who observes the precepts of the Church.
 
TheLittleLady said:
It means a Catholic who observes the precepts of the Church.
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The Knights use this to determine what a “Practical Catholic” and while I think I understand what that means, I can’t say if another Knight would agree with my thoughts on the matter.
 
We live in a politically correct age. Everyone is concerned about offending others. I do not want to try to tell others how to live. I hope others show me the same courtesy.
 
Buddy1 said:
The context of it being used is within this revised statement:

“Many of us live unrealistic lives. We think we can do things that don’t effect anyone but us. We seem to live only for ourselves and our families. We think nothing of anybody else. We have become “practical practicing” Catholics.” Picking and choosing what makes sense to us and disregarding what doesn’t seem to fit into Gods wisdom. When maybe its really our own wisdom we are relying on? "
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I think it would be easier to read the whole article for context. However, from the quote you posted, it seems to me that the author is trying to send a message to “cafeteria Catholics” without offending them by calling them a “cafeteria Catholic.”
 
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CatholicChristian said:
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This is a good video. However, what the article the OP posted is about isn’t about a Practicing Catholic. It’s about “Practical Practicing Catholic.”

The quote is very specific about it being where individual Catholics pick and choose what they believe.

My assumption is that article the OP was reading is talking about “cafeteria Catholics” who regularly attend Mass.
 
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The statement is more likely misusing the term “Catholic.”

To be Catholic means to be one with the Church. Not 52% with it, not 75% with it.

This is where Protestants so often misunderstand why they aren’t invited to receive the Eucharist.

Holy Communion means being one with the Church in what she teaches.

If you don’t believe what the Church teaches, you are not in common union with the other members of it. Thus, we don’t share Sacred Mysteries with those of different beliefs; it would show false unity and strikes against the principle of Catholicity, which means, “from the whole.”

To pick and choose what parts of the faith you agree with is not acting as a Catholic. It’s merely attempting to become another Martin Luther.

Deacon Christopher
 
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phil19034 said:
This is a good video. However, what the article the OP posted is about isn’t about Practicing Catholic. It’s about “Practical Practicing Catholic.”

The quote is very specific about it being where individual Catholics pick and choose what they believe.

My assumption is that article the OP was reading is talking about “cafeteria Catholics” who regularly attend Mass.
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I see, I appreciate the clarification and I’m sure the OP does as well!
 
I found some definitions to help us out!

Practical- of or concerned with the actual doing or use of something rather than with theory and ideas.

Pragmatic - dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.

Theoretical -concerned with or involving the theory of a subject or area of study rather than its practical application.

Faithful- loyal, constant, and steadfast.

Ceria - denoting a system in which people may choose from a number of available options, especially one in which an employee may select a personal package of company benefits.

Practicing- actively pursuing or engaged in a particular profession, occupation, or way of life.

“a practicing architect”
  • observing the teaching and rules of a particular religion.
“a practicing Roman Catholic”

So according to these it wouldn’t have been THAT offensive to say Pragmatic Practicing Catholic instead of Practical Practicing Catholic which makes its seem as if to refer to Faithful Catholics, not the ones who say “tough in principle but soft on practice.” am I way off base here?
I will take a look at the video soon.
 
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Buddy1 said:
Awesome Video!!!
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I agree. It is the best explanation of a practicing Catholic that I have seen. And it could be useful to the conversation to know whether one is a “practical practicing Catholic” or proper “practicing Catholic” because you first have to know what a practicing Catholic is to know if you are one or if you’re off base and making your own rules/picking and choosing.
 
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Buddy1 said:
Practical- of or concerned with the actual doing or use of something rather than with theory and ideas.
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Yes, but think the author simply used the wrong word. I think the author was looking at one of the definitions for the word “practically” and thinking he could use the root word (“practical”) in the same sense.

“Practically” can mean: “almost; nearly.” However, the word “practical” does not imply the same thing as “practically” can.

www.dictionary.com

Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words

The world's leading online dictionary: English definitions, synonyms, word origins, example sentences, word games, and more. A trusted authority for 25+ years!
www.dictionary.com www.dictionary.com
 
I know its only a guess on your part but lets say that where the case. I think it would be more precise that they would have written…………“We have become practically “practicing” Catholics.” It sounds like a grammatical bias but still…

Might this be closer to what you think the author means?
 
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Buddy1 said:
I know its only a guess on your part but lets say that where the case. I think it would be more precise that they would have written…………“We have become practically “practicing” Catholics.” It sounds like a grammatical bias but still…

Might this be closer to what you think the author means?
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Yes, I think that’s what the author means. But it’s honestly still chunky.

I think he’s trying hard to avoid using the term/phrase “cafeteria Catholic” but few words describe those people as well as “cafeteria Catholic”
 
So here is another section.

We have every opportunity in the world to abandon our wisdom for God’s wisdom. We assent to what we agree with and what we don’t we rationalize away, but rather we should declare God’s wisdom as our own…

It seems like it could be a reference to all the controversy surrounding Pope Francis and how we should acknowledge that certain things we thought where true are no longer the case. As if doctrine might evolve. Though nothing is said but that we are entering a new paradigm. That God might be speaking to us through the current social confusion. This phenomenon i.e. gender disphoria, new catechism teaching on the death penalty, active homosexuals living a more true marriage and it continues…is contributed in part by all of us who are part of the general public appear to be complicit with having not the Church but the government, charity foundations, community organizations preach and evangelize.
 
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It sounds like to me these “practicing Catholics” are cherry picking which of Mother Church’s Rules apply to them.

If you’re part of a club, especially one led by the Holy Father and our Father in heaven, then you must follow the rules!
 
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