What Is A Good Catholic?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ukrforever
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
U

Ukrforever

Guest
Hello, what would you consider to be a good Catholic: I think its someone that tries to live within the commandments and laws of the church as much as possible. It isnt all about attending church or doing to confession you need to live out your faith as a Christian daily. For example, I know too people of different backgrounds who are in my opinion good Catholics.One is my aunt, she hasnt been doing regularly to church for 20 years she fell out of it when she saw the act many of the old italians were putting on by going to church and what not and being terribly rude outside of it.It was a church of mostly old italians at that time now theirs younger ones and other ethnic groups. It is however the same story with these people. My aunt tries to live by most of the values and lessions of the faith daily.In fact she chosen to be a sponcer to my cousin.She is always their when someone needs her. Its about the values one gives to be a sponcer not the acts. The other is a friend of mine who goes to church regularly but hasnt been to confession in 20 years.He feels that if he talks to god he will forgive him he doesnt need a priest.He also says the rosery and other prayers daily.These people are good catholics in my opinion Ive seen many bad ones in the pews on Sunday.
 
I go to confession every two weeks and try not to miss Sunday mass if possible. I also try not to miss holy days of obligation-however since I dont drive and many in my church dont go I must miss most unfortunatly.Their usually at 7:00 pm which is late for me to walk their and back.I also keep lent ect… Am I what you would call a good Catholic?
 
The Church has given us many good examples by elevating holy men and women to sainthood, that we might learn from their example. As far as I’m concerned, the rest of us are a work in progress. 😃
 
JESUS taught us that “no one is good, except the FATHER” - paraphrase. So, your question can be the premise of a graduate students thesis in defining “good”.
However, in following the example that JESUS gave us, “good” then would be based upon self-sacrifice, humility, and love to the point of death.
Now, how do you translate that in the 21st Century with the word “good”? The works of Mercy, the Beatitudes, the Sacraments, the Commandments, etc., JESUS gave us the question to ponder of who can be “good”, while at the same time HE gave us “the WAY, the TRUTH” to help us find “good”. But the final judgement of “good” rests entirely with JESUS.
 
Ukrforever said:
Do you think im a good catholic?
Click to expand...
Confession every two weeks sounds like a good level of frequency. You are not obligated to do the impossible, such as attending mass on holy days of obligation when it is simply not possible to make it to them.

What I wonder is why you are so interested in feedback from the internet on whether others think you are a good Catholic. Is there something weighing on your conscience, or do you feel isolated in your faith life and feel the need for outside confirmation? Or do you feel inadequate no matter what you do, perhaps suffering from an OCD-related malady like scrupulosity? You don’t need to answer this of course and maybe all three suggestions are way off-base, but then again maybe there is something you could consider talking to a priest about or doing in your life. Remember, there is room for improvement for all of us, but the good news is Christ has already surmounted all the obstacles in our way.
 
Sounds like you are.

A good Catholic tries to live the Gospel message, attends Mass, observes Lent, etc. And is pro-life.

None of these things are difficult.
 
Minimally, being a Catholic means following all precepts of the church and following, believing, everything the Catholic Church teaches as it has been faithfully handed down in an unbroken line from the Apostles.

What are the Precepts of the church?
These are as listed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
2041
The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the very necessary minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor:

2042
The first precept (“You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor”) requires the faithful to sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord as well as the principle liturgical feasts honoring the mysteries of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints; in the first place, by participating in the Eucharistic celebration, in which the Christian community is gathered, and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days.82
Code: 
The second precept ("You shall confess your sins at least once a year.") ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness.83

The third precept ("You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season") guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.84
2043
The fourth precept (“You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church”) ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.85
Code: 
The fifth precept ("You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church") means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability.86

The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities.87
The 10 Commandments must also be followed, especially those of a grave matter in order to remain in a state of Grace. The 10 commandments are:
  1. I am the LORD your God:
    you shall not have
    strange Gods before me.
  2. You shall not take
    the name of the LORD your God in vain.
  3. Remember to keep holy the LORD’S Day.
  4. Honor your father and your mother.
  5. You shall not kill.
  6. You shall not commit adultery.
  7. You shall not steal.
  8. You shall not bear false witness
    against your neighbor.
  9. You shall not covet
    your neighbor’s wife.
  10. You shall not covet
    your neighbor’s goods.
 
I don’t know if you are a “good Catholic” or not. We have far too little information about you and it is not our place to judge.

That said, and basing any comments on the extremely small amount of info provided, I think that you are trying to be a good Catholic, but there are problems. Missing mass without good cause is one of them. If there is good cause, and if you have already talked to your confessor about this, then you are covered.
Another problem I note is your judgement of others - you know a “good Catholic” who hasn’t been to mass in 20 years, another who hasn’t been to confession in 20 years…but you know a lot of “Bad Catholics in the pews on Sunday”.

A Good Catholic accepts and tries to live by the precepts of the Church in every part of their day and their life - not just on Sunday. Mass and confession are part of those precepts - regardless of the spiritual condition of those around one, one is obligated to attend mass on Sunday and go to confession at least once a year - unless there is good cause not to. So I must question whether we can call your two examples “Good Catholics”.
Certainly your Aunt is a good Loving person - This I am not questioning. However, if one wishes to claim association with a group, one needs to accept the beliefs, obligations and requirements of said membership. Otherwise it reflects badly on the group as a whole. (Likewise those who “show up” but don’t live there faith also reflect badly on the faith)

Like another poster already mentioned, I don’t know why you feel the need for approval from us. I would be better for you to ask your confessor or spiritual director about this. They know you better and can give you far better advice and guidance.

Peace
James
 
It seems at least you’re asking the right kind of questions to be a good catholic.👍
 
Ukrforever said:
Hello, what would you consider to be a good Catholic: I think its someone that tries to live within the commandments and laws of the church as much as possible. It isnt all about attending church or doing to confession you need to live out your faith as a Christian daily. For example, I know too people of different backgrounds who are in my opinion good Catholics.One is my aunt, she hasnt been doing regularly to church for 20 years she fell out of it when she saw the act many of the old italians were putting on by going to church and what not and being terribly rude outside of it.It was a church of mostly old italians at that time now theirs younger ones and other ethnic groups. It is however the same story with these people. My aunt tries to live by most of the values and lessions of the faith daily.In fact she chosen to be a sponcer to my cousin.She is always their when someone needs her. Its about the values one gives to be a sponcer not the acts. The other is a friend of mine who goes to church regularly but hasnt been to confession in 20 years.He feels that if he talks to god he will forgive him he doesnt need a priest.He also says the rosery and other prayers daily.These people are good catholics in my opinion Ive seen many bad ones in the pews on Sunday.
Click to expand...
Well, the perfect Catholic would be the one who’s achieved the goal of Catholicism-to love God with their whole heart, soul, mind, and strength and their neighbor as themselves. Compared to this the other stuff is just fluff.
 
I would hesitate to call anyone a “good” Catholic.

There are no “good” or “bad” Catholics. There are just humble, and prideful ones.
 
Catholic Culture reported on May 30, 2011:

“Catholicisim could not exist without a Marian character,” Pope Benedict XVI told a visiting German delegation on May 28. The Pope added that he had realized at an early age that “being Catholic meant belonging to Mary.”

The Holy Father was speaking to members of the Maria Verkündigung, the Marian Congregation of Men, from Regensburg. They were visiting the Vatican to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the date when the Pontiff, as a young man, had been inducted into that congregation.

At the time Europe was in “a dark age,” under Nazi rule, the Pope recalled. “It seemed that the continent was in the hands of this power that…put the future of Christianity in doubt.” Shortly after he entered the congregation, the war began and the group was scattered.

Today, the Pope observed with pleasure, there are 40,000 members of the Maria Verkündigung in Bavaria. “Thank you all for continuing to hold this witness high,” he said, adding that their witness helps to prove that the Catholic faith is not a matter of the past but a living institution that will be powerful in the future as well.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top