What exactly is a cultural catholic?

[1Lord1Faith]

I am interested in knowing what those that call themselves cultural catholic think it means.

Nobody calls themselves culture Catholic because a “culture Catholic” would most likely have never even heard the term. If they had heard the term they probably wouldn’t know, or even care, what it meant…good for them.

I had never even heard the term until I started posting on CAF. It’s basically a spear that some Catholics throw at other Catholics. It’s theologically meaningless, and ironically enough, a cultural term.

 

[phil19034]

vz71:

I am interested in knowing what those that call themselves cultural catholic think it means.

Nobody calls themselves culture Catholic because a “culture Catholic” would most likely have never even heard the term. If they had heard the term they probably wouldn’t know, or even care, what it meant.

I had never even heard the term until I started posting on here. It’s basically a spear that some Catholics throw at others. It’s theologically meaningless, and ironically enough, a cultural term.

I’ve actually heard people refer to themselves as a “Cultural Catholic.” Where I grew up in Delaware, never heard of this. But where I live now in Philadelphia, I have heard many agnostics refer to themselves as “cultural catholic.” They don’t want to 100% abandon the Church, because they have ties to it. But they theologically don’t believe in the Church at all.

This typically only really happens in regions with strong Catholic identities with strong Catholic school systems & strong Catholic civic groups (like Philadelphia, Boston, NYC, Chicago, etc.). Think of cities with large Irish, Italian, & Polish Catholic communities.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

I live in one of those areas. Never heard it till I started posting here.

 

[phil19034]

I live in one of those areas. Never heard it till I started posting here.

Well, I never said it’s not a popular phrase. But it does exist and some do use it. Esp if they went K-12 at a Catholic school plus a Catholic college & maybe even Catholic grad school.

Everyone whom I’ve heard say it had 17 to 20 years of Catholic education & came from a very Catholic family, but still turned out to become agnostic.

 

[goout]

Cultural Catholics would be carried by the tides of the culture.
When religion was acceptable, fine.
When religion became out of fashion with the dominant culture, these folks have faded away from the Church.

 

[TMC]

No, I didn’t mean active Catholics that have specific issues. I was asking about Catholics that really don’t attend Church very often, don’t follow the faith in any pious manner, are more worldly…yet still claim to be Catholics and maybe show up at Easter and Christmas, baptize their children, may even send them to catholic school…those types.

OK, well I think we just have a different definition of cultural Catholic. I would call someone like those you describe as “lapsed” or “quasi-lapsed” or “non-observant.” To me, cultural suggests they comply with the outward facing parts of the religion, and live as part of that cultural, like cultural Jews.

 

[TMC]

I think that the majority of these “cultural Catholics” do have some sort of belief in the supernatural — they’re not atheists — but don’t go “full bore” because that would require them to make too many changes in their lives, make their lives more difficult, and some would just reply that they “aren’t all that religious”. There are some people, of all religions, whose disposition and personality just doesn’t fit well with religiosity. Everyone is different.

I generally agree, except, consistent with my reply to Patty, I do know folks I think of as ‘cultural Catholics’ who are pretty ‘full bore’ - at least outwardly. But when you talk to them and dig in a bit, they are following what they see as the rules and norms of the Church (which is often their main community, both culturally and socially), but without true faith underlying those outward actions.

 

[DeniseNY]

I kind of think of them as those who show up for Easter and Christmas (because they are following familial traditions), and then are never seen at any time during the rest of the year.

 

[phil19034]

I generally agree, except, consistent with my reply to Patty, I do know folks I think of as ‘cultural Catholics’ who are pretty ‘full bore’ - at least outwardly. But when you talk to them and dig in a bit, they are following what they see as the rules and norms of the Church (which is often their main community, both culturally and socially), but without true faith underlying those outward actions.

I would consider the people you describe to be “practicing Catholics,” but just at a novice level

 

[phil19034]

I kind of think of them as those who show up for Easter and Christmas (because they are following familial traditions), and then are never seen at any time during the rest of the year.

Yes, I think this is a characteristic of “Cultural Catholics,” but not necessarily a defining trait

 

[Pattylt]

Thank you for this well thought out summary. Being raised Jewish, I see these distinctions in Judaism as well and it could probably apply to any faith.

When I finally left the faith completely, I no longer called myself Jewish but agnostic. I added the Jewish agnostic in my avatar just as a way to clarify my background instead of being assumed to be a catholic agnostic, etc.

I think the point to remember is anyone can bounce between these definitions during their life…most people have and I worry when someone sounds like they would prefer that a person in the cultural or cafeteria categories should not claim to be catholic. I think that writes them off as hopeless to ever change or a stay away until you change mentality. I would hope that even if they are on ABC, slept with multiple partners, totally lived in the secular world, they would still be welcomed to attend Mass and maybe be gradually guided back, not looked down upon as staining the Church.

 

[DeniseNY]

Yes, I think this is a characteristic of “Cultural Catholics,” but not necessarily a defining trait

True. I don’t know though that it can be pinned down to one definition. I think it’s going to mean different things to different people.

 

[phil19034]

I worry when someone sounds like they would prefer that a person in the cultural or cafeteria categories should not claim to be catholic.

I know what you are saying here, and I agree.

However, I think the reason why SOME would prefer that these people stop calling themselves Catholic is because they (indirectly or directly) confuse non-Catholics and make the evangelization of non-Catholics more difficult.

Non-Catholics have a tendency to judge Catholicism based on the actions and/or beliefs of cultural/cafeteria/dissent Catholic.

• For example: how many non-Catholics view people like Nancy Pelosi & Joe Biden as the typical Catholic?

 

[Pattylt]

For example: how many non-Catholics view people like Nancy Pelosi & Joe Biden as the typical Catholic?

I agree that’s a good question and I certainly don’t know what the numbers would be. I, personally, know that they aren’t representative of Catholicism because I know how strongly the Church is anti abortion. I would guess this applies to anyone that knows this and perhaps not to anyone else?

This argument could be used for any religion, also. How many people understand Judaism by looking at all the agnostic and atheist Jews? They aren’t typical either…there are just quite a few of them. It’s not like Judaism agrees that you can reject God and be a good Jew!

 

[Tis_Bearself]

True. I don’t know though that it can be pinned down to one definition. I think it’s going to mean different things to different people.

I agree. I don’t think of all “cultural Catholics” as non-practicing Catholics either.
It’s really just any Catholic who grew up in such a heavily Catholic environment that it’s ingrained in them. Catholicism is intertwined with everything you do and every family tradition you ever had. You can’t just get rid of that, whether you’re going to church regularly or not.

 

[do_justly_love_mercy]

Nobody calls themselves culture Catholic because a “culture Catholic” would most likely have never even heard the term. If they had heard the term they probably wouldn’t know, or even care, what it meant…good for them.

If you Google “I am a cultural Catholic” and “I am culturally Catholic” you will get around 1,500 results.

 

[vz71]

Nobody calls themselves culture Catholic because a “culture Catholic” would most likely have never even heard the term.

In the original post, I addressed specifically to another forum member that lists their religion as cultural catholic.

 

[vz71]

Do you really believe EVERY component of Catholic dogma?

All that I know, yes.

 

[AlmaRedemptorisMater]

it probably comes from a pagan festival celebrating the Spring

Off-topic sorry, but where does this claim come from? If there is evidence of the Easter bunny coming from pagan origins, I’d love to read about it.

 

[MamaJewel]

I have a lot of Hispanic relatives and friends who say they are “cultural catholics” meaning they partake of the sacraments on special occasions, but the Catholic Church or its teachings aren’t a big part of their lives. For example, they will get married in the Church, have their babies baptized, their children will be expected to receive First Confession, First Communion, and Confirmation, but as a family or as individuals, they don’t faithfully attend Mass or apply the catechism teachings to their lives.

They will also call the priest for Last Rites for friends or loved ones who are sick or dying and they show respect toward those in Holy Orders (priests and nuns or deacons). Oh, they will also work diligently to secure a Catholic funeral for friends and loved ones who express desire for one.

But they aren’t in the pews every Sunday. They come to Church for ashes, palms, Easter, and Christmas, funeral Masses, and special sacramental occasions.